So, I decided to take a break from blogging. I didn’t think it would be months in between posting but I just wasn’t feeling it. Since this is something I do for fun, I decided to just wait until I was inspired again. I think I will be back to my normal sporadic posting with maybe a few changes.
Anyway, this Orange Beef with Broccoli is really so good and simple to quickly put together. The sauce is light, but the orange flavor is very pronounced. I used a top round steak but the cut of beef doesn’t really matter. I always buy organic beef and this cut is always inexpensive at my grocery store. The trick to cooking a thin steak is a very hot cast iron pan. It makes such a difference in terms of even cooking. I like my steak more to the rare side (although I think it looks more rare in the photos than it actually was). I dry it with a paper towel, brush it with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. It will only take a few minutes to cook on each side. I allowed it to rest while the sauce reduced over low heat. I am still on a New Year’s healthy eating kick so I served this with brown rice and steamed broccoli.
2 Oranges
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger
splash of soy sauce
Sesame seeds and scallions for topping
In a small sauce pan over low heat zest 1/2 of one of the oranges, juice the oranges, add the honey, ginger, soy sauce. Allow the sauce to reduce slightly. After the steak has rested for 5 minutes slice and top with the sauce and sesame seeds and scallions
I wanted to post this recipe in honor of Father’s Day. My father taught me his secrets to making really good meatballs: you have to add Parmesan cheese, don’t over do it with bread crumbs, and always brown the meatballs. This recipe is somewhat different from the ingredients my dad would use, but I still always use those three tips.
Ingredients
1 pound ground bison or beef
1/2 to 3/4 cup of bread crumbs (I use panko)
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 egg
Combine the ingredients by hand until the mixture is evenly combined. I like to make the meatballs with about 2 tablespoons of meat so they are on the small side. Heat a pan with about a 1/4 inch of olive oil. Add the meatballs in batches and brown on each side. They will fully cook when they are added to the sauce.
I like to serve this with a really simple sauce: 3 cloves garlic sauted in olive oil, 1 large cal on crushed tomatoes and 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil. Add the meatballs to the sauce and heat through and toss with spaghetti.
The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.
I was expecting something sweet for this month’s Daring Bakers, and I have to admit that I put off making this lasagna until the last possible moment. Between being overloaded with work, going to conferences and reading the Twilight books, my free time has been pretty limited. I wasn’t in the mood for meat and I decided to make a mushroom ‘ragu’. I am always in the mood for mushrooms. Shitake mushrooms have become on of my favorite things over the last year. I thought that the mushrooms went really well with the delicate spinach pasta. I used a pasta machine, and found this dough to be really easy to roll out. My husband helped, and we had long green noodles draped over the kitchen drying. It looked a little nuts like green snakeskins…yum. The whole project was well worth it. In the end, this was a really delicious dish that I will make again.
Thanks so much to this month’s hosts: Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande! You can find the complete recipe for the pasta and lasagne assembling on their blogs. Check out the other Daring Bakers’ creations on the fabulous brand new site or the blogroll!
Mushroom Ragu
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups diced portobello mushrooms
3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
3 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 cup whole milk
Saute the mushrooms in the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the spices, tomatoes and milk and bring to a low simmer, partially covered for at least an hour.
Today was pretty much the ideal early spring day. It is hard to believe that I made this sauce when we were completely snowed in less than a week ago. I wanted to make something that could simmer on the stove for a few hours while we both worked from home. I love feeling of being snowed in and knowing that things are moving more slowly outside, if only for a day.
I had most of the ingredients, with a few changes, for a somewhat traditional Bolognese sauce. I used bison meat because I always have some in the freezer and whole grain pasta. Mario Batali’s recipe served as an inspiration. I wasn’t originally going to add bacon to this, but I only had about a tablespoon of olive oil and needed more fat. In the end, I really loved the subtle smokiness that the bacon added. This was a really great hearty sauce. Perfect for what may be the last wintery for day for awhile.
Spaghetti with Bison Bolognese
Inspired by Mario Batali’s Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 chopped carrots
4 celery stalks, chopped
4 slices of bacon. finely chopped
1 pound ground bison meat
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 28oz can pureed tomatoes
½ cup water
1 cup lowfat milk
Heat the olive oil and add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook for about five minutes and add the bacon. Cook until most of the bacon fat has rendered out of the meat. Add the bison meat. When the meat is almost completely cooked through add the garlic and cook for about a minute more. Add oregano, red pepper, salt and black pepper and can on tomatoes. Stir to combine and add additional ½ cup of water and cup of milk. Simmer covered on low for at least 2 hours.
I am just under the wire in sending this dish over to the Second Annual Festa Italiana hosted by of the Marie of Proud Italian Cook and Mary Ann of Finding La Dolce Vida. They have already posted some amazing Italian dishes that you can check out here and here!
I have made many loaves of no knead bread and decided it was time to try no knead pizza dough. The concept and the method are pretty much the same. Shaping a blob of wet dough into a pizza shape is a little more challenging than dropping into a pot. I followed the great step by step instruction at Bakers Banter that advised pre-baking the dough. I had a few air pockets that I had to pop. J was laughing as I appeared to be beating the pizza back into the oven and into submission. I put a lot of toppings on this, but trust me this works.
Here what’s on the pizza:
Black Mission Fig Jam
Caramelized Balsamic Onions (2 sliced onions, cook over medium low heat with a tbs of olive oil until the onions soften and darken slightly, add 1 clove chopped garlic and 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, cook for 1 minute and cool)
Goat Cheese
Arugula Salad (2 cups of arugula, 1 tbsp freh lemon juice, 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 kosher salt, 1/4 tsp ground pepper)
Prosciutto di Parma (1/4 pound thinly sliced, You only need a little so buy the good stuff.)
For the first layer, I spread the fig jam in a thin layer like a sauce. On top of the jam, I added the balsamic caramelized onions and goat cheese. I put a small amount of the lightly dressed arugula on each slice and draped the prosciutto over the top. In one bite, you get the sweetness of the bottom layer, the crispy acidity of the arugula and the mellow savory prosciutto. It’s a lot of flavor, but it’s the right flavors.
The original recipe from Jim Lahey for No Knead Pizza Dough can be found here. I used half white whole wheat flour without any issues.
Lobster mac and cheese. I just love the thought of it, my two favorite things together. Despite the fact that cheese and seafood are tricky together, this recipe really works. I have wanted to make it since I saw it on Michael Smith’s Chef at Home series. Lobster is obviously expensive and this is a great way to stretch it. I probably used about ¾ pound of lobster meat in this. Although the recipe says it serves 6, I think this could easily serve 8-10 people. Even with only adding half the amount of cheese, this was incredibly rich. Next time I make this, and there will absolutely be a next time, I may serve this in individual little ramekins.
I made minimal adjustments that are noted below in parentheses.
Lobster Macaroni and Cheese
By Michael Smith, Chef at Home
Ingredients
1 box of penne pasta (I used elbows)
1 sticks of butter
2 x garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of white wine (I didn’t have any and used ¼ dry sherry)
1 can of evaporated milk
4 cups of milk
1 tbsp of paprika
2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
8 oz of cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz of Monterrey jack cheese, grated (I omitted this)
Salt and pepper
2 x 1 lb. lobsters, cooked and shelled (I used about ¾ pound cooked lobster meat)
2 cups of breadcrumbs (I used 1 cup of panko)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drop the pasta into boiling, salted water and cook until almost tender, about 12 minutes. Make sure the water tastes like a day at the beach, as the pasta will absorb it and become properly seasoned. The pasta should not be fully cooked; it should have just a touch of firmness when tasted. Drain well.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook for several minutes until it softens. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, in effect toasting the mixture and adding flavour to it. Slowly stir in the wine and continue mixing until smooth and then add both milks, mixing well again. Continue whisking until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add paprika, Dijon, cayenne, salt, pepper and cheeses and stir until melted. Roughly chop lobster meat and add to the cheese mixture along with the pasta. Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper. Pour into a 9-inch by 13-inch ovenproof casserole or similar dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake until the mixture is heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes. (I topped it with chives before serving.)
I think that pot pies are so homey and comforting to have in the winter. They are a little time consuming but really worth it. Chicken pot pies are J’s favorite. I am kind of indifferent to chicken, but I just added mushrooms to this and all was well in the world. It may be a little strange but the frozen peas in this were also really good. Have frozen peas always been so delicious, and I didn’t know it? The best part of pot pies are of course the crust. Next time I make these, I would probably drape a little more pastry over the sides even though it is a little decadent with all that butter.
For the crust, I used Martha Stewart’s trusty pate brisee recipe. You can find it here.
Ingredients
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 diced yukon gold potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 clove chopped garlic
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sherry
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
2 tbsp fresh dill
2 tbsp heavy cream
salt and pepper
olive oil
You will need 5-6 heat proof bowls
Boil lightly salted water in a medium sized pot. Boil the potatoes until they are slightly tender but not fully cooked. Reserve the potatoes and poach the chicken. Dice the chicken and reserve.
In a large pot heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil, saute one onion until it is translucent, add carrots, celery. Saute until the vegetables are slightly tender, add the mushrooms and garlic. Add the butter and cook until melted and add the flour. Stir to coat the vegetables. The mixture will thicken quickly, add the sherry and stir. Add the chicken stock, potatoes, chicken, bay leaves and frozen peas and salt and pepper. Heat through and bring to a simmer. Stir in the fresh herbs and cream. Turn off the heat add allow it to cool before ladling into the heat proof bowls.
Roll out the pastry dough and cut into circles at least 1/2 inch larger than the bowl’s circumference. Brush the sides of the bowl with egg wash and place the dough over the top. Make a few slits in the top for heat to escape. Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining egg wash and bake at 375 until it is golden brown.
My mushroom obsession has been well established here. I put them on pizzas and in soup, lasagnas, you name it. I love this pasta dish because the flavors of the mushrooms are really enhanced by the other flavors. The shitakes cooked in the bacon fat were amazing. Of course anything cooked in bacon fat is amazing, but this really brought out the woodsy smokiness of the mushrooms. The crisp bacon also adds a nice crunch to the texture of the pasta. The mushroom mixture would also be really good over simple roast chicken breasts. You could pair other mushrooms with this but the shitakes are essential for their flavor, and the stems are used to make the broth. They are very woody, and it pains me to waste them. So, I decided it was time to incorporate them in a recipe. I thought they added another layer of mushroom flavor to the sauce.
4 slices of bacon
2 tbsp olive oil
3.5 oz. shitake mushrooms sliced, reserve the stems
8 oz. cremini mushrooms
2 Portobello mushroom caps, sliced into bite sized pieces
1 garlic clove finely minced
3 tbsp good quality sherry
1 bay leaf
2 cups of water
3 tbsp crème fraiche
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper
¾ pound of spaghetti
Cook the bacon in a large pot or saucepan over medium high heat until crisp, drain on paper towel. Add additional olive oil (the exact amount needed will vary depending on the fattiness of the bacon, the bottom of the pan should be covered), add the mushrooms. Allow the mushrooms time to brown on each side and add salt and pepper.
In a small separate pot bring water, shitake mushroom stems and a bay leaf to a boil. Allow to reduce until you have about a ½ cup of liquid. Strain and reserve. In another large pot, bring pasta water to a boil and cook until al dente.
Add the chopped garlic to the mushrooms and cook for a minute. Add the sherry and reserved mushroom broth. Allow to reduce slightly and add the crème fraiche and taste for salt and pepper. I found I really needed to add a lot of pepper, about ½ tsp and 3/4 tsp of salt. Remove from the heat and add the drained spaghetti to the pot and chopped fresh dill and reserved bacon. Use tongs to combine. Serve immediately with additional chopped dill and bacon if desired.
I went to the grocery store yesterday for a major shopping. We were out of just about everything and it made everything seem appealing to me. They happened to have some great looking ground lamb. I immediately thought of this lamb kebab recipe that I had seen on Jamie at Home. J gave me the cookbook of the same name for Christmas. I just love his show, and I never thought Jamie was hot until I saw his amazing garden…yeah, I have issues. I love when he randomly cooks over a small fire in his yard. Anyway, when I got home, I realized that I actually didn’t have many of the ingredients for this particular recipe (including skewers). So, I turned the meat into burgers with a spice blend. I am not sure how the flavor of these compares to the original (I have never had sumac), but these were delicious. I cooked them in a cast iron pan on high until they were about medium, and they developed a perfect crispness to the outside. Although I added a good amount of seasoning to these, the flavor of the lamb really came through.
I served these with a light lemon sauce and roasted red peppers on a whole wheat flatbread with a wedge of lemon. The lamb is very rich, and I found the squeeze of fresh lemon juice was really essential. I think that next time a make these I will add a bit a bit of fresh greens dressed in lemon juice.
Spiced Lamb Burgers (inspired by Jamie Oliver’s Lamb Kebabs)
Ingredients
1 pound ground Lamb
½ tsp chili powder
½ cumin
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
1 finely minced garlic clove
Zest of one lemon
½ tsp paprika
1 tbsp fresh thyme
¼ finely chopped rosemary
Combine the ingredients using your hands and shape into four burgers. Heat a dry cast iron skillet on high. (I covered the pan when I flipped the burgers to help speed the cooking time). After removing from the pan, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Lemon Yogurt Sauce
¼ tsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pinch of finely chopped rosemary
¼ cup plain yogurt
Salt and fresh pepper
Ingredients
1 maitake mushroom
½ cup sliced shitake mushroom caps
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
2 chopped cloves of garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey
½ tsp ground pepper
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
2 quarts chicken stock
2 bundles of long Chinese egg noodles (they usually come in a package of 4)
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Saute the mushroom in about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. The mushrooms will shrink up considerably. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for about a minute. Pour the chicken broth over the mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add the celery, carrots, sesame oil, soy sauce, pepper and honey. Return to a boil and add the noodles. Cook until the noodles are soft and taste for salt.
