Braised short ribs are a real treat on a cold winter evening. This recipe originally came from Martha Stewart. I have had it for more than 10 years and have cooked it many times. Short ribs are a relatively tough and fatty cut of beef, so they need to be cooked for long periods of time to break down the fat and the tough fibers of the meat. Cooking in liquid (braising) really helps. When short ribs are done properly, they will melt in your mouth. I like to serve short ribs over a pasta dish like noodles or orzo with mushrooms. Because of the fat content, you will want to serve the ribs with a relatively big red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon or a really good Pinot Noir. The recipe uses a full bottle of wine for the braising process too. Don't be chintzy. If you wouldn't drink the wine, don't cook with it.
Ingredients:
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 (4 -ounce) pieces, thick bone-in short ribs (a butcher can cut them for you)
1 TBSP vegetable oil
4 Carrots, cut into large chunks
2 Onions, quartered
1 Bottle (750 ML) dry red wine, like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon
1 Can (14 1/2 Ounce) reduced sodium chicken broth
4 Sprigs fresh thyme
1 Can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes in puree
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place flour in a medium bowl. Season flour with the salt and pepper. Toss ribs a few at a time in the flour mixture until well coated. Shake off any excess flour.
In a 5-8 Quart Dutch Oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown ribs in two batches turning until well browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add carrots and onion to the Dutch Oven. Cook, stirring up the browned bits, until vegetables are lightly browned, 3-5 minutes. Add wine, broth, thyme, and tomatoes (breaking them up). Arrange
ribs in pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover and transfer to the 400 degree oven. Cook for one hour. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook until fork tender, at least one more hour.
When ribs are tender, use a tongs and transfer ribs to a plate. Moisten with some of the cooking liquid and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain remaining liquids through a fine mesh sieve, discarding solids. Return the strained liquid to a pot. Bring to a boil on the stove top. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to about two cups. Season with salt and pepper and serve the ribs on a bed of noodles or orzo, topped with the sauce.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Be Flexible !!
We had a pretty busy day today for a Sunday. We went to church this morning and then this afternoon attended the Kansas City Golf Show. Like all the other retirees, we wanted to go and collect coupons for free rounds of golf at the various area courses. We were pretty successful and gathered a dozen or so coupons between the two of us. A good afternoon's work for a couple of senior citizens. At any rate, on the way home I thought, what am I going to make for dinner. I must have still had my last post about chicken pot pie on my mind, because that is what I decided to do. The problem was, I didn't have a pound and a half of chicken breast on hand nor did we have any frozen peas or celery. We did have onion and carrots and mushrooms and about three quarters of a Costco roasted chicken. I looked in the freezer and found a partial package of frozen mixed vegetables. I wasn't sure we had potatoes either, so I thought,"I will use biscuits as the topping." My point here is be flexible and a little adventurous.
I started by skinning and cutting up the remaining Costco chicken. I had at least what I estimated to be a pound and a half. I sauteed the vegetables, minus the celery. The lack of a little celery didn't matter much. Then I made the white sauce according to the recipe on my last blog. I combined the chicken, sauce and the vegetables, including the partial package of frozen mixed vegetables into a bowl.
While I was making the white sauce, I asked Jan to mix up a batch of Bisquick biscuit dough. It took her about five minutes.
I poured the chicken, sauce and vegetable mix into a 9x13" baking dish and dotted the top with the bisquick dough. We baked the dish in a 450 degree oven, as called for by the Bisquick mix, for about ten minutes. The biscuit topping came out golden brown as you can see above and the filling was heated through. It made a delicious Sunday evening dinner, but if I hadn't been a little creative and flexible it never would have happened. Don't be bound by recipes. Bend a little and come up with what you think will be good. You might be surprised at the outcome. The longer you cook, the more confident you will become with adjusting. You will know that if you keep the proportions roughly the same, things will come out OK. Good luck and good cooking !!
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Chicken pot pie with mashed potato topping.
I love chicken pot pie and I love mashed potatoes, so why not top a chicken pot pie with mashed potatoes. To make this recipe even easier I use a frozen pie crust, that comes already in the pan, as the base for the dish. I used a Cooks Illustrated recipe as the starting point for the filling, but altered some of the seasoning and ingredients. Then I make some simple mashed potatoes and top the pie with a layer of the mash before putting in the oven to bake. It's easy, tasty and great comfort food on a cold winter evening. Serve with a small side salad and you have a healthy and tasty meal.
Ingredients:
One frozen pie crust, in a pie pan
11/2 Lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 Can low sodium chicken broth with water added to equal 2 cups
11/2 tsps vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4-5 baby bella mushrooms, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices
2 small ribs celery, cut into 1/4" slices
Salt and pepper to taste
4 TBSP unsalted butter
1/2 Cup unbleached all-purpose flour
11/2 Cups milk
1/2 tsps dried thyme
1/2 tsps dried tarragon
3 TBSP dry sherry
3/4 Cup frozen peas
3 TBSP fresh parsley leaves, minced
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup milk
4 TBSP butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Adjust oven rack to low center position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, or whatever temp the piecrust directions call for.
Following directions on piecrust, thaw crust, if called for.
Put chicken and 2 cups of combined broth/water into a heavy bottomed soup pan over medium heat on the stove top. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until chicken is just done. Transfer meat to a large bowl and reserve the broth mixture in a measuring cup.
Increase heat to medium-high and heat oil in now empty pan. Add onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms and saute until just tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While vegetables are cooking cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken and set aside.
Heat butter over medium heat in again-empty pan. When foaming subsides, whisk in flour and cook for about one minute. Whisk in chicken broth, milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and thyme and tarragon. Bring to a simmer and simmer until sauce fully thickens, about one minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the sherry.
Pour sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Stir in peas and parsley. Adjust seasonings to taste.
In the meantime, peel potatoes and dice into 11/2" cubes. Boil potatoes in water on high heat until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to the pot. Combine the 1 cup of milk and 4 TBSP butter in a microwave proof container. Heat in microwave until warm. Mash potatoes, adding warm milk and butter mixture a little at a time, until you get potatoes to desired consistency. You may not need all of the milk. I like to use an electric mixer, after the initial mashing to get a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble dish, pour chicken in sauce into the piecrust. Using a spatula, spread mashed potatoes about 1 to 2" deep over the top of the pie. Put into the oven and bake until crust is golden and mashed potatoes are just beginning to brown.
Ingredients:
One frozen pie crust, in a pie pan
11/2 Lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 Can low sodium chicken broth with water added to equal 2 cups
11/2 tsps vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4-5 baby bella mushrooms, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices
2 small ribs celery, cut into 1/4" slices
Salt and pepper to taste
4 TBSP unsalted butter
1/2 Cup unbleached all-purpose flour
11/2 Cups milk
1/2 tsps dried thyme
1/2 tsps dried tarragon
3 TBSP dry sherry
3/4 Cup frozen peas
3 TBSP fresh parsley leaves, minced
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup milk
4 TBSP butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Adjust oven rack to low center position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, or whatever temp the piecrust directions call for.
Following directions on piecrust, thaw crust, if called for.
Put chicken and 2 cups of combined broth/water into a heavy bottomed soup pan over medium heat on the stove top. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until chicken is just done. Transfer meat to a large bowl and reserve the broth mixture in a measuring cup.
Increase heat to medium-high and heat oil in now empty pan. Add onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms and saute until just tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While vegetables are cooking cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken and set aside.
Heat butter over medium heat in again-empty pan. When foaming subsides, whisk in flour and cook for about one minute. Whisk in chicken broth, milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and thyme and tarragon. Bring to a simmer and simmer until sauce fully thickens, about one minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the sherry.
Pour sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Stir in peas and parsley. Adjust seasonings to taste.
In the meantime, peel potatoes and dice into 11/2" cubes. Boil potatoes in water on high heat until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to the pot. Combine the 1 cup of milk and 4 TBSP butter in a microwave proof container. Heat in microwave until warm. Mash potatoes, adding warm milk and butter mixture a little at a time, until you get potatoes to desired consistency. You may not need all of the milk. I like to use an electric mixer, after the initial mashing to get a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble dish, pour chicken in sauce into the piecrust. Using a spatula, spread mashed potatoes about 1 to 2" deep over the top of the pie. Put into the oven and bake until crust is golden and mashed potatoes are just beginning to brown.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Food and memories.
As we ate our Valentine's Day dinner, we began to reminisce about memorable and romantic meals that we had celebrated. Usually we couldn't recall what we had eaten, but more likely, we remembered where we were and what was the special occasion that we were celebrating. We went as far back as to when we were living in Rochester, Minnesota in 1973 and celebrating Jan's birthday. She was pregnant with daughter Tina and we hadn't been out to eat much in the last few months. We went for a special dinner at the nice restaurant in the Holiday Inn hotel in Rochester. That doesn't sound like much now, but at the time it was a really special and fancy evening. Five days later our beautiful daughter was born.
In 1980 we moved to Atlanta and I still remember loving a Cajun restaurant in Buck's Head. I can't remember the name of the place but I remember their raw bar.
In 1981 we moved to Longmont, Colorado, and we remember going to a restaurant in an old log cabin up in the mountains above Longmont. It was snowing and they had a big pot-bellied stove burning to warm the place. It was our first experience with soft-shelled crabs. Of course, the Flagstaff above Boulder remains in our memories too.
We spent a lot of time living on the east coast and there were many memorable evenings spent in some of the Inns around Ridgefield, Connecticut. Food and ambience were great. But as we talked, we especially remember four or five meals that we have celebrated.
The first was in Sydney, Australia. It was after church one Sunday morning and we went to a restaurant in the Queen Victoria Gardens. The Queen Victoria Gardens are located on the harbor in Sydney and are a beautiful botanical garden. It is a large space and beautifully maintained. We ate at a bistro that was located in the middle of the gardens. We sat on an outdoor patio that was under a pergola that was draped in wisteria. The beautiful purple blossoms were hanging down over our heads and the sea breeze was blowing. The meal and wine were pleasant, but the place and time were most memorable.
Another of our favorite dining memories was also in Sydney. It was our 30th Wedding anniversary in 1998, the year that we lived in Sydney. We went to level 41, an iconic restaurant located in the Chifley Tower in sydney. Ironically, Level 41 was located on the 42nd floor of the tower, a space that had formerly served as Rupert Murdoch's penthouse. The food and service were fabulous, but the most memorable part of the dining was the view of the Sydney harbor from the 42nd floor. Sadly the restaurant has since closed.
In 2001, we went on a barge trip through the Burgundy region of France. Prior to departing on the barge, we spent a few days in Paris, where we attended the French Open Tennis tournament and celebrated our 33rd anniversary. Prior to going, I had seen an article in a Bon Appetit magazine about the top ten restaurants in Paris. I got on the phone and started calling to try to get a reservation for our anniversary. The first two or three restaurants had reservations booked 6 months to a year out. On about the fourth try, using my broken French, I booked a reservation for June 1st, 2001 at Carre' Des Feuillants. Alain Dutournier is the chef of this Michelin 2 star establishment. The memorable part of that evening was indeed the food. We started with an endive salad and then we had oysters poached in champagne. The main was a leg of baby pyrenees lamb, roasted with new carrots and potatoes. A cheese course followed and we finished with coffee. We had ordered a souffle as well, but once we ordered coffee the maitre de assumed we were done. We didn't realize that in a truly French restaurant, you get the dessert and then the coffee. My French let me down. The sommelier chose a wonderful Bordeaux to have with the lamb. That was probably the most elegant and expensive meal we have ever eaten.
In 2004, we spent three weeks in Italy. We had many many memorable meals in Italy, but two really stand out. The first was a lunch we had at Badia a Coltibuono. This is an old abbey just outside Radda, that houses a cooking school, winery, and beautiful gardens. We sat on an outdoor patio, again with a flower draped pergola, and had our lunch. I remember having wild boar ragu with pasta, but the memorable part was the beautiful view over the vineyards and the company of our friends. What a great day.
The second really memorable meal we had in Italy was in Positano. Our hotel was high on a hill above the Mediterranean. On our first night in town we walked down the many steps to the beach and had dinner right on the beach. Jan and I both had pasta with a white sauce and vongola(clams). The clams were unique to the mediterranean. They were long and thin with razor sharp edges to the shells. They were also very very fresh and delicious. Eating the wonderful meal, staring out at the Mediterranean, was a really memorable evening.
In 2006, we made a trip with a group of friends to the Napa Valley for a wine tour. As we talked about memorable meals tonight, we both thought of one lunch when we sat in a vineyard, atop a hill looking over the Napa Valley. The lunch was just cheese, salami and fruit, along with wine, but the view was breath-taking, and the friends and conversation were great.
As I write this post I think a theme is beginning to develop. Some meals are memorable just because of the food, but mostly the meals we remember most fondly are because of where we were and who we were with. As long as the food was good, not necessarily great, it was the place and the people who made the meal stand out. This may be a good lesson. Don't stress over food. Try to make it good, but remember to focus mostly on the people that you are serving it to.
In 1980 we moved to Atlanta and I still remember loving a Cajun restaurant in Buck's Head. I can't remember the name of the place but I remember their raw bar.
In 1981 we moved to Longmont, Colorado, and we remember going to a restaurant in an old log cabin up in the mountains above Longmont. It was snowing and they had a big pot-bellied stove burning to warm the place. It was our first experience with soft-shelled crabs. Of course, the Flagstaff above Boulder remains in our memories too.
We spent a lot of time living on the east coast and there were many memorable evenings spent in some of the Inns around Ridgefield, Connecticut. Food and ambience were great. But as we talked, we especially remember four or five meals that we have celebrated.
The first was in Sydney, Australia. It was after church one Sunday morning and we went to a restaurant in the Queen Victoria Gardens. The Queen Victoria Gardens are located on the harbor in Sydney and are a beautiful botanical garden. It is a large space and beautifully maintained. We ate at a bistro that was located in the middle of the gardens. We sat on an outdoor patio that was under a pergola that was draped in wisteria. The beautiful purple blossoms were hanging down over our heads and the sea breeze was blowing. The meal and wine were pleasant, but the place and time were most memorable.
Another of our favorite dining memories was also in Sydney. It was our 30th Wedding anniversary in 1998, the year that we lived in Sydney. We went to level 41, an iconic restaurant located in the Chifley Tower in sydney. Ironically, Level 41 was located on the 42nd floor of the tower, a space that had formerly served as Rupert Murdoch's penthouse. The food and service were fabulous, but the most memorable part of the dining was the view of the Sydney harbor from the 42nd floor. Sadly the restaurant has since closed.
In 2001, we went on a barge trip through the Burgundy region of France. Prior to departing on the barge, we spent a few days in Paris, where we attended the French Open Tennis tournament and celebrated our 33rd anniversary. Prior to going, I had seen an article in a Bon Appetit magazine about the top ten restaurants in Paris. I got on the phone and started calling to try to get a reservation for our anniversary. The first two or three restaurants had reservations booked 6 months to a year out. On about the fourth try, using my broken French, I booked a reservation for June 1st, 2001 at Carre' Des Feuillants. Alain Dutournier is the chef of this Michelin 2 star establishment. The memorable part of that evening was indeed the food. We started with an endive salad and then we had oysters poached in champagne. The main was a leg of baby pyrenees lamb, roasted with new carrots and potatoes. A cheese course followed and we finished with coffee. We had ordered a souffle as well, but once we ordered coffee the maitre de assumed we were done. We didn't realize that in a truly French restaurant, you get the dessert and then the coffee. My French let me down. The sommelier chose a wonderful Bordeaux to have with the lamb. That was probably the most elegant and expensive meal we have ever eaten.
In 2004, we spent three weeks in Italy. We had many many memorable meals in Italy, but two really stand out. The first was a lunch we had at Badia a Coltibuono. This is an old abbey just outside Radda, that houses a cooking school, winery, and beautiful gardens. We sat on an outdoor patio, again with a flower draped pergola, and had our lunch. I remember having wild boar ragu with pasta, but the memorable part was the beautiful view over the vineyards and the company of our friends. What a great day.
The second really memorable meal we had in Italy was in Positano. Our hotel was high on a hill above the Mediterranean. On our first night in town we walked down the many steps to the beach and had dinner right on the beach. Jan and I both had pasta with a white sauce and vongola(clams). The clams were unique to the mediterranean. They were long and thin with razor sharp edges to the shells. They were also very very fresh and delicious. Eating the wonderful meal, staring out at the Mediterranean, was a really memorable evening.
In 2006, we made a trip with a group of friends to the Napa Valley for a wine tour. As we talked about memorable meals tonight, we both thought of one lunch when we sat in a vineyard, atop a hill looking over the Napa Valley. The lunch was just cheese, salami and fruit, along with wine, but the view was breath-taking, and the friends and conversation were great.
As I write this post I think a theme is beginning to develop. Some meals are memorable just because of the food, but mostly the meals we remember most fondly are because of where we were and who we were with. As long as the food was good, not necessarily great, it was the place and the people who made the meal stand out. This may be a good lesson. Don't stress over food. Try to make it good, but remember to focus mostly on the people that you are serving it to.
You can do it ! Make a Valentine dinner for you sweetheart !!
I read somewhere recently, that Valentine's Day is the second busiest day of the year in restaurants, only surpassed by Mother's Day. Why not just stay home and make a simple but elegant dinner for your sweetheart? Even if you don't ordinarily cook, here is a simple menu that will be delicious and sure to please. You can do it. It's easy. Here is the menu we will make:
Greek Salad
Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail with Drawn Butter
Baked Potato with Sour Cream and Chives
Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
Purchased Chocolate Dessert
I have purposely designed the menu using lots of store bought ingredients, so that even a novice can do this meal. For example, we are going to use hollandaise out of a jar, instead of making it from scratch. A trained chef might be able to tell the difference, but your sweetie will just be glad you are trying and will think this is great. Just follow along step by step and you will be surprised how easy it is.
Step one is to make a shopping list and I have done that for you. Here you go.
For the salad:
One head Romaine lettuce
Some Greek salad mix from the olive bar at your local grocer. This will be a mix of olives, and feta cheese.
4 pepperoncino's (spicy peppers form the olive bar)
Greek seasoning mix
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
For the main course:
2 small lobster tails
butter
2 5-6 Oz. filet mignons
Course ground sea salt and ground black pepper
2 medium baking potatoes
sour cream
Fresh chives
1 Lb. asparagus
1 small jar Hollandaise sauce ( I like Reese brand)
For Dessert:
Purchase any type of chocolate dessert that you think your Valentine will enjoy.
To Prepare your dinner just follow these easy steps:
1.5 hrs. before you want to eat, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the potatoes with a brush and water. Dry them with paper towels. Using a fork, poke holes in the skin of the potatoes all over the outside. With a paper towel, rub a thin layer of butter over the entire outside of each potato and then salt with course sea salt. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the middle rack of the oven and set the potatoes directly on the foil. The potatoes will take about an hour to an hour and twenty minutes to bake. Test them by squeezing with an oven mitt. When they feel soft and give to the touch they will be done.
While the potatoes are in the oven get the asparagus ready to roast. Take one spear of asparagus and break off the bottom with your fingers. It will snap at some point that is the natural break. Once you have snapped the bottom off of one piece, lay it down next to the remaining pieces of asparagus and using a chef's knife cut the other stalks to approximately the same length as the piece that you snapped. Lay the asparagus in a glass baking dish and drizzle it with some extra virgin olive oil. Salt it with course ground sea salt and set aside.
Chop the chives into 1/4" pieces and set aside.
Cut the bottom 2 inches off of the bottom of the head of romaine. Separate the leaves and wash each leaf in cold water, discarding any leaves with bad spots. Lay them out on paper towel to dry for a few minutes. Cut the lettuce leaves into 1" square pieces. Put the cut-up lettuce into a plastic bag and refrigerate until time to mix up your salad. Make dressing by mixing 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with the Greek seasoning. Set aside.
Put the hollandaise sauce in a small pan so that it is ready to go on the stove, but don't begin to heat it until later.
Split the belly of each lobster tail length wise with a sharp scissors. Lay the lobsters on a baking sheet and brush them with melted butter.
Brush each filet mignon with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Put the filets in an oven proof skillet. Here are the steaks, lobster tails, asparagus, chives and salad dressing after following the steps above:
Twenty minutes prior to eating, sear the filets in the skillet over high heat on the stove top. Sear each side for about two minutes. Fifteen minutes prior to eating turn the oven from 400 degrees to Broil. If the potatoes are done, take them out of the oven and hold them on a plate that you cover with foil. If they aren't quite done yet, leave them in the oven. Ten minutes prior to eating, put the skillet containing the steaks and the baking sheet with the lobster tails into the oven on the top rack. Put the asparagus in the oven on the middle rack. Broil for ten minutes. Check the steaks for temperature. 120 degrees is medium rare. Ten minutes should do the trick.
While the steaks and lobster tails are in the oven, put the chopped lettuce leaves into a salad bowl. Top with the Greek salad mix and the pepperoncini's. Dress the salad with the dressing you made and using a tongs, toss the salad until well mixed.
Heat the Hollandaise sauce on low heat until just warm.
Cut a stick of butter into two pieces and put them into a microwave proof bowl. Cover with a paper towel and heat on high for about thirty seconds or until the butter is liquid.
Serve the salad on a salad plate. Put a steak, a lobster tail, a baked potato and some asparagus on each of two plates. Slit the baked potatoes and top with a dollop of sour cream and some of the chopped chives. Spoon some Hollandaise over the asparagus on each plate. Divide the melted butter into two small ramekins or bowls for dipping the lobster. Serve with a nice Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir and enjoy your Valentine's Day.
1 small jar Hollandaise sauce ( I like Reese brand)
For Dessert:
Purchase any type of chocolate dessert that you think your Valentine will enjoy.
To Prepare your dinner just follow these easy steps:
1.5 hrs. before you want to eat, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the potatoes with a brush and water. Dry them with paper towels. Using a fork, poke holes in the skin of the potatoes all over the outside. With a paper towel, rub a thin layer of butter over the entire outside of each potato and then salt with course sea salt. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the middle rack of the oven and set the potatoes directly on the foil. The potatoes will take about an hour to an hour and twenty minutes to bake. Test them by squeezing with an oven mitt. When they feel soft and give to the touch they will be done.
While the potatoes are in the oven get the asparagus ready to roast. Take one spear of asparagus and break off the bottom with your fingers. It will snap at some point that is the natural break. Once you have snapped the bottom off of one piece, lay it down next to the remaining pieces of asparagus and using a chef's knife cut the other stalks to approximately the same length as the piece that you snapped. Lay the asparagus in a glass baking dish and drizzle it with some extra virgin olive oil. Salt it with course ground sea salt and set aside.
Chop the chives into 1/4" pieces and set aside.
Cut the bottom 2 inches off of the bottom of the head of romaine. Separate the leaves and wash each leaf in cold water, discarding any leaves with bad spots. Lay them out on paper towel to dry for a few minutes. Cut the lettuce leaves into 1" square pieces. Put the cut-up lettuce into a plastic bag and refrigerate until time to mix up your salad. Make dressing by mixing 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil with 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with the Greek seasoning. Set aside.
Put the hollandaise sauce in a small pan so that it is ready to go on the stove, but don't begin to heat it until later.
Split the belly of each lobster tail length wise with a sharp scissors. Lay the lobsters on a baking sheet and brush them with melted butter.
Brush each filet mignon with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Put the filets in an oven proof skillet. Here are the steaks, lobster tails, asparagus, chives and salad dressing after following the steps above:
Twenty minutes prior to eating, sear the filets in the skillet over high heat on the stove top. Sear each side for about two minutes. Fifteen minutes prior to eating turn the oven from 400 degrees to Broil. If the potatoes are done, take them out of the oven and hold them on a plate that you cover with foil. If they aren't quite done yet, leave them in the oven. Ten minutes prior to eating, put the skillet containing the steaks and the baking sheet with the lobster tails into the oven on the top rack. Put the asparagus in the oven on the middle rack. Broil for ten minutes. Check the steaks for temperature. 120 degrees is medium rare. Ten minutes should do the trick.
While the steaks and lobster tails are in the oven, put the chopped lettuce leaves into a salad bowl. Top with the Greek salad mix and the pepperoncini's. Dress the salad with the dressing you made and using a tongs, toss the salad until well mixed.
Heat the Hollandaise sauce on low heat until just warm.
Cut a stick of butter into two pieces and put them into a microwave proof bowl. Cover with a paper towel and heat on high for about thirty seconds or until the butter is liquid.
Serve the salad on a salad plate. Put a steak, a lobster tail, a baked potato and some asparagus on each of two plates. Slit the baked potatoes and top with a dollop of sour cream and some of the chopped chives. Spoon some Hollandaise over the asparagus on each plate. Divide the melted butter into two small ramekins or bowls for dipping the lobster. Serve with a nice Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir and enjoy your Valentine's Day.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Fish En Papillote
One thing that I continue to talk about is do not overcook fish. A very easy and pleasant way to cook delicate cuts of fish is En Papillote. Don't be scared off by the French. En Papillote simply means cooking food wrapped in a sheet of oiled or buttered paper. Typically we use parchment paper. The instructions for how to do papillote come from the Joy of Cooking, a classic cookbook. If you don't own one and you are serious about cooking buy one.
For this particular recipe, I used fillets of fresh cod. Any flaky white fish will do. We'll make a Bechamel sauce flavored with some fresh tarragon and a touch of nutmeg. We add some shrimp pieces to the sauce and pour the sauce over the fish fillet, then wrap the sauce topped fish in the parchment paper. You bake in a 450 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, till the fish is tender and the paper is turning golden brown. To serve, simply put on a plate and cut a slit in the parchment paper. This makes an elegant presentation, keeps the fish moist, and holds the delicious smelling aromas until you make the slit in the paper. If you think this sounds good, just follow along and I will lead you step by step through the process. It is really quite simple.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
Parchment paper
1/2 Lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 TBSP butter
6 TBSP all purpose flour
11/2 Cups whole milk
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 tsps fresh tarragon, finely chopped
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
4 - 6 Oz. pieces of cod or other solid white fish
2 TBSP butter melted
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut four pieces of parchment paper, each about 18" long. To make a papillote, fold a piece of the parchment in half crosswise. Starting at the folded edge, cut a half heart shape, so that when the paper is unfolded you will have a full heart, just like you learned to do in grade school. Repeat three more times, so that you have 4 hearts, each at least twice the size of your pieces of fish. Here is a picture of one of my hearts with the fish, to give you an idea of the size.
The next step is to boil the shrimp. Put enough water in a three quart sauce pan to cover the shrimp. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the shrimp. When the water returns to a boil, boil the shrimp for two more minutes. Remove from heat and dump into a strainer over the sink. Immediately run cold water over the shrimp so that they stop cooking. When they are cool enough to handle, chop the shrimp into bite sized pieces and set aside.
Next we will make our Bechamel (White Sauce). In a medium sauce pan, melt the six TBSP of butter over low heat. Begin whisking the flour a little at a time into the butter until it is well blended and smooth. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk the milk and cream into the butter and flour mixture. Return mixture to the heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until mixture has thickened. This is a fairly thick bechamel. Remove from heat and stir in the tarragon, a pinch of grated nutmeg and the shrimp.
To assemble the papillotes, place a piece of fish on each heart shape as in the picture above. Spoon the Bechamel over each piece of fish. It will look like this.
Turn one of the filled hearts with the folded edge toward you. Holding the edges of the paper together, make a fold in a small section of the rim. Crease it with your fingers and fold it over again. Hold down the double fold with the fingers of one hand, and with the other, start a slightly overlapping and then again double overlapping fold. Each double fold should overlap the previous one. Repeat this folding around the rim, finishing at the pointed end of the heart with a tight twist of the parchment, locking the entire fold in place. Here is a picture of a completed papillote.
Brush a glass baking dish with melted butter. Lay the papillotes in the baking dish so that they don't overlap. Brush the outside of each papillote with melted butter and bake in the 450 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and slit each papillote with a knife. Serve immediately. I like to serve this with some nice green beans, small roasted potatoes and a glass of good chardonnay. Enjoy.
For this particular recipe, I used fillets of fresh cod. Any flaky white fish will do. We'll make a Bechamel sauce flavored with some fresh tarragon and a touch of nutmeg. We add some shrimp pieces to the sauce and pour the sauce over the fish fillet, then wrap the sauce topped fish in the parchment paper. You bake in a 450 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, till the fish is tender and the paper is turning golden brown. To serve, simply put on a plate and cut a slit in the parchment paper. This makes an elegant presentation, keeps the fish moist, and holds the delicious smelling aromas until you make the slit in the paper. If you think this sounds good, just follow along and I will lead you step by step through the process. It is really quite simple.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
Parchment paper
1/2 Lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 TBSP butter
6 TBSP all purpose flour
11/2 Cups whole milk
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 tsps fresh tarragon, finely chopped
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
4 - 6 Oz. pieces of cod or other solid white fish
2 TBSP butter melted
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut four pieces of parchment paper, each about 18" long. To make a papillote, fold a piece of the parchment in half crosswise. Starting at the folded edge, cut a half heart shape, so that when the paper is unfolded you will have a full heart, just like you learned to do in grade school. Repeat three more times, so that you have 4 hearts, each at least twice the size of your pieces of fish. Here is a picture of one of my hearts with the fish, to give you an idea of the size.
The next step is to boil the shrimp. Put enough water in a three quart sauce pan to cover the shrimp. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the shrimp. When the water returns to a boil, boil the shrimp for two more minutes. Remove from heat and dump into a strainer over the sink. Immediately run cold water over the shrimp so that they stop cooking. When they are cool enough to handle, chop the shrimp into bite sized pieces and set aside.
Next we will make our Bechamel (White Sauce). In a medium sauce pan, melt the six TBSP of butter over low heat. Begin whisking the flour a little at a time into the butter until it is well blended and smooth. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk the milk and cream into the butter and flour mixture. Return mixture to the heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until mixture has thickened. This is a fairly thick bechamel. Remove from heat and stir in the tarragon, a pinch of grated nutmeg and the shrimp.
To assemble the papillotes, place a piece of fish on each heart shape as in the picture above. Spoon the Bechamel over each piece of fish. It will look like this.
Turn one of the filled hearts with the folded edge toward you. Holding the edges of the paper together, make a fold in a small section of the rim. Crease it with your fingers and fold it over again. Hold down the double fold with the fingers of one hand, and with the other, start a slightly overlapping and then again double overlapping fold. Each double fold should overlap the previous one. Repeat this folding around the rim, finishing at the pointed end of the heart with a tight twist of the parchment, locking the entire fold in place. Here is a picture of a completed papillote.
Brush a glass baking dish with melted butter. Lay the papillotes in the baking dish so that they don't overlap. Brush the outside of each papillote with melted butter and bake in the 450 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and slit each papillote with a knife. Serve immediately. I like to serve this with some nice green beans, small roasted potatoes and a glass of good chardonnay. Enjoy.
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