Prime Rib

Whole Roasted Cauliflower from Tom's Garden

Why not have a Prime Rib dinner at home? Can't go out for it. This turned out as good as any restaurant cooked Prime Rib. We purchased the Prime Rib from Flannery Beef.

The perfect starch was Lemon Puréed Potatoes. The recipe for the Lemon Puréed Potatoes can be found on our blog of: November 25, 2020. Click the date to get the recipe.

Tom had brought us a giant Cauliflower from his garden that we roasted. the recipe for Whole Roasted Cauliflower is on our blog of: Feb 27, 2017. Click the date to get the recipe. We always wanted a second oven and we finally a Wolf Counter Top Oven. It has a thermometer that can be placed in the in the meat and notifies you when the meat has reached the exact temperature. It really works it isn't a toy! What a dinner!

Classic Prime Rib for a Small Crowd

The New York Times

 

This scaled-down version of the traditional holiday roast is incredibly easy to prepare. In addition to the beef, you need only red wine or stock, garlic, salt and pepper. Serve it for Sunday dinner alongside a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes and something green

 

Ingredients

 

1     (3-rib) roast, about 5 pounds, trimmed of excess but not all fat

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 or 2        cloves garlic (optional)

1       cup red wine, stock, or water

 

Preparation

 

1.    Bring the meat to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator at least an hour before cooking, preferably two. (For a larger roast, make it three.) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2.    Place the meat, bone side down, in a large roasting pan. Season it with salt and pepper. If you like garlic, peel the cloves and cut them into tiny slivers; use a boning or paring knife to poke small holes in the meat and insert the garlic into them.

3.    Place the roast in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, undisturbed. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue to roast about 1 hour; check in several places with a meat thermometer. When no spot registers under 125 degrees (120 degrees if you like your meat really rare and your guests are of the same preference), the meat is rare; cook another 5 or 10 minutes if you like it more well done, then check again, but in no case should you let the temperature of the meat go above 155 degrees.

4.    Remove the meat from the oven. Pour off all but a few tablespoons of the fat, and place the roasting pan over a burner set to high. Add the liquid and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until it is reduced by half. Slice and serve the roast, splashing a little of the sauce on the meat platter and passing the rest at the table.

 

Polenta with Sausages

Many times we have made the recipe Polenta con Salsicce, (Polenta with Sausages) from The Fine Art of Italian Cooking by Giuliano Bugialli. This recipe is an absolute winner! The Porcini Mushrooms makes for a rich sauce. When served with Polenta it is a perfect cool evening dinner! You can find the recipe on our blog of: June 9, 2014. Click the Date to get the recipe.

The recipe was enhanced by using an absolutely amazing Tomato Sauce. Pianogrillo Estratto di Pomodoro. Click the link to get it. This is fantastic. It actually has the consistancy of Peanut Butter, you don't need that much and you can keep the leftover in the Frig. This is a product that is incredibly intense. You should definitely get it! 

Chicken Braised with Potatoes and Pine Nuts

Sometimes the magic works, sometimes it doesn't. We didn't care for Chicken Braised with Potatoes and Pine Nuts  For one thing the Pine Nuts loose their crunchiness in the cooking. Doesn't make much sense to us. However, don't take our word for it, if it sounds intriguing to you by all means go for it!

Chicken Braised with Potatoes and Pine Nuts

New York Times

 

Margot Henderson is the chef at Rochelle Canteen in Shoreditch, where London’s cool kids wait hours to score a garden table for lunch. Her food is mainly English classics, but this one-pot meal — more home cooking than hipster — has hints of Spanish and Portuguese flavor. Except for the sherry vinegar, the seasonings here (bay leaves, cloves, saffron) can be adjusted for your taste and the contents of your spice drawer. 

 

Ingredients

 

3       tablespoons olive oil

6       bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Salt and pepper

2       white or yellow onions, sliced

2       celery stalks, chopped

8       garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and left whole

⅔      cup dry white wine

3       tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more if needed

3       tablespoons pine nuts

4       dried bay leaves

4       whole cloves (or a pinch of ground cinnamon)

Pinch of saffron (optional)

1       pound baby potatoes, washed and halved

3       ounces kale, stemmed, leaves thinly sliced

2       tablespoons unsalted butter

¼      cup chopped Italian parsley, plus more for serving

 

Preparation

 

1.    In a Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken in one layer, heat the olive oil over high until shimmering. Season chicken pieces on the skin side with salt and pepper, then lay them in the pan, skin-side down. Adjust the heat so they sizzle but do not pop or scorch. Cook until skin is deeply browned and comes away easily from the pan, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2.    Add onions, celery and garlic to the fat in the pot, season with salt and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with the wine and vinegar. Stir in 1/2 cup water, pine nuts, bay leaves, cloves and saffron (if using). Return the chicken pieces to the pan, and nestle them into the liquid, skin-side up.

3.    Cover tightly and let cook undisturbed over the lowest possible heat until cooked through, about 45 minutes.

4.    Add the potatoes, then add more water until the liquid barely covers the potatoes. If in doubt, use less; you can always add more. Cover again and cook another 20 minutes.

5.    When ready to serve, gently reheat. Taste the cooking liquid and season with salt, pepper and a drop more vinegar if needed. Stir in the kale and simmer, uncovered, until completely cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter and parsley and serve, sprinkling each serving with more parsley.

 

 

Shu Mai-Style Burgers

Shu Mai-Style Burgers are a favorite. I love Dim Sum and these burgers have the taste profile of them. Pork and Shrimp are the main ingredients. What could be better? We have made these many times. You can get the recipe on our blog of: June 30, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

We made a house favorite: Stir-Fried Green Beans With Pork and Chiles. This is an excellent variation on a Chinese Stir Fry. We often make it. Give it a try if you haven't made it. You can find the recipe on our blog of: November 9, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe.

Roast Cod with Black Bean Sauce

Roast Cod with Black Bean Sauce is delicious. I like the flakiness of the Cod and Black Bean Sauce adds a kick to the rather bland fish. You can get the recipe on our blog of: December 21, 2020. Click the date to get the recipe.

Steak

Once again, Steak! We sure are eating a lot of it during the Pandemic. You can get the recipe of how we cook Steak on our blog of: February 17, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe.

Roasted Salmon and Jeera Rice

We always are looking for a new fish recipe we can make. Especially for Salmon, which is one of our favorites. Roasted Salmon Glazed with Brown Sugar and Mustard one from the New York Times was great. We served it with Jeera Rice. You can get the recipe for Jeera Rice on our blog of: June 20, 2018.  Click the date to get the recipe.

Roasted Salmon Glazed with Brown Sugar and Mustard

 

New York Times

 

This is what we call around here a no-recipe recipe, the sort of meal you can cook once off a card and you'll know it by heart: salmon glazed with brown sugar and mustard. The preparation could not be simpler. Heat your oven to 400. Make a mixture of Dijon mustard and brown sugar to the degree of spicy sweetness that pleases you. Salt and pepper the salmon fillets. Place them skin-side down on a lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet, slather the tops with the mustard and brown sugar glaze and slide them into the top half of your oven. They ought to be done in 12 minutes or so, and they pair beautifully with simple braised greens.

 

Ingredients

 

 Salmon fillets, preferably wild or farmed organically

 Dijon mustard

 Brown sugar

 Salt and black pepper

 

Preparation

 

1.    Heat your oven to 400 degrees.

2.    Make a mixture of Dijon mustard and brown sugar to the degree of spicy sweetness that pleases you. Salt and pepper the salmon fillets.

3.    Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet. Slather the tops of the fillets with the mustard and brown sugar glaze and slide them into the top half of your oven. Roast for about 12 minutes, then serve.

 

 

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti is a favorite of ours. I love it! It also freezes exceptionally well,  waiting to be re-heated and made crispy again! It also vegetarian! You can find the recipe on our blog of: October 21, 2014. Click the date to get this great recipe!

Chicken Vesuvio

 

Chicken Vesuvio is a nostalgia tribute to Cathy's Chicago upbringing. Although the history of the dish is convoluted and probably lost in myth, the dish was great. We will make it again an be transported back to the Windy City. You can the recipe on our blog of: October 21, 2019. Click the date to get the recipe and the story behind Chicken Vesuvio.

Risotto with Pork Sausage and Porcini Mushroom

 

Risotto with Pork Sausage and Porcini Mushrooms is a great recipe. We make it often. The trick as with many recipes is to have excellent ingredients. Shop wisely! You can find the recipe on our blog of: April 21, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

Mystery Salad

 We made a salad with leftover potatoes. Can't identify what it was made with. I am sure it was great😃

Vietnamese BBQ Pork Chops with Reverse Sear

This dinner combined several interesting concepts. Black Hogg is a restaurant in Silverlake that during Covid has stopped serving prepared food. Each week they feature several different meats or fish that are easy to prepare. They also include an appropriate sauce to use with the cooking. This week one of the items was Snake River Pork Chops. We like all of the Snake River products, so this was a no-brainer for us. We really enjoyed the meat and the sauce. In addition, they introduce us to a different way to cook the meat a Reverse Sear. Traditionally you sear meat then cook at a lower temperature in the oven or atop the range. With Reverse Sear, you cook the meat in the oven to the desired temperature and then quickly sear it to create the caramelized crust. This method works. We will play with it.

Vietnamese Bbq Heritage Pork Chop - SNAKE RIVER FARMS 

each pack serves 4-6 ppl

gluten-free

 

these pork chops are amazing.  they are actually from SNAKE RIVER FARMS, some of THE BEST pork you will find.

1.  Remove pork chops from bag, DO NOT THROW AWAY THE SAUCE IN THE BAG, you will use it to baste the chops after reverse searing.

2.  THE REVERSE SEAR:  Preheat oven (convection 250 degrees / standard 275 degrees).  Place chops on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes, flip and cook for 15 minutes more (little longer if chops are on the thicker side).

 

grill method (get grill hot while chops are reverse searing):

3.  Keep chops on baking sheet and spoon on remaining sauce.  Coat the chops well. 

4.  Place chops on hot grill and quickly brown and sear the chops.  Feel free to repeat baste while grilling.

5.  Let chops rest for 5 minutes, then slice and enjoy.

 

 

skillet method (cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet works well):

3.  Get skillet hot.  Add a thin layer of cooking oil to skillet.

4.  Place chops onto skillet and brown and sear quickly.

5.  Toward middle of sear, add desired amount of remaining sauce to skillet and baste chops while they finish browning.

6.  Let chops rest for 5 minutes, then slice and enjoy.

 

 

 

Beef Stroganoff

What is better use of leftover Prime Rib then making Beef Stroganoff? We love it! You can find the recipe on our blog of: December 1, 2020. Click the date to get the recipe.

Brazilian Picanha Steaks With Vinagreta Verde

Our neighborhood restaurant Black Hogg is closed but they are selling unusual choices of Beef, Chicken, and Pork. This time we picked up Prime Grade Brazilian Picanha Steaks With Vinagreta Verde. The steaks were great and I liked the Picanha Sauce.

Prime Grade Brazilian Picanha Steaks With Vinagreta Verde - King Natural Farms Prime Beef 

 

each pack serves 4-6 ppl

gluten-free

 

please note, steaks are already seasoned with argentinian rock salt and olive oil.

 

1.    THE REVERSE SEAR:  Preheat oven (convection 250 degrees / standard 275 degrees).  Place steaks (fat-cap up) on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook for 30-45 minutes (30 min for rare to med-rare, 45 min for medium to well).

2.    Get a heavy bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron) and place over med-high heat.  Get the skillet hot and add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.  Place steaks fat-cap down onto hot skillet.  You want to brown the fat-cap and render some of the fat.  Lower the flame if the pan begins to smoke.

3.            Turn the steaks and continue searing each side.  You want to quickly brown each side of the steak.

4.    Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes.  Slice and enjoy with the Vinagreta Verde!

 

After the reverse sear, steaks can also be finished on grill or under broiler.  You want to quickly brown and sear the outside of the steak.

 

Pork-o-buco

Once again Pork is served during Covid. What is better on a winter day then Pork-o-Buco over Polenta? The answer of course is: Pork-o-Buco over Polenta topped with Gremolata. Cathy combined 2 recipes, especially making the Gremolata to top the Pork-o-Buco. It was delicious. One of our favorite dishes. It needs meaty Pork Shanks.

Pork Osso Buco

Eight 8-10 oz pieces Berkshire or Red Wattle

Heritage pork has more marbling resulting in more tender and juicy meat 

Osso buco is classic Italian comfort food. Traditionally cut from veal shanks, our Heritage pork osso buco is just as tender and meaty, and boasts a wonderful pork flavor. Many of our customers say that once they’ve tried them, they never go back! Best braised with wine or stock, vegetables and herbs, these gorgeous pieces are guaranteed to become a new tradition.   

The secret to great pork is to start off with great ingredients, and nothing beats our storied Heritage breeds —  Berkshire, Red Wattle, Duroc, Gloucestershire Old Spot, Large Black, and Tamworth. Each breed comes from a different culinary tradition, and boasts a distinctive, nuanced flavor.

Try our simple and delicious heritage pork osso buco with Anson Mills polenta:

 

Ingredients:

8       pcs pork osso buco
2       cups Anson Mills yellow polenta
2       tbsp butter
1       medium onion, rough chopped
2       celery ribs, rough chopped
1       large carrot, rough chopped
2       garlic cloves, cut into thirds
¼      cup tomato paste
1       cup white wine
15     cups chicken stock
2       each bay leaves fresh thyme and rosemary
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

 

Preparation:

 

1.    Preheat oven to 300°F. Make sure your osso buco is at room temp and seasoned with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large dutch oven heat 2 tbsp of oil on medium high heat and sear the pieces on all sides. Set them aside to rest and add onion, celery, garlic, and carrots to your dutch oven with a pinch of salt and cook until the vegetables soften and start to brown.

2.    Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring until the vegetables are coated. Pour wine over the vegetables and stir to deglaze. Simmer until the wine begins to thicken and add 8 cups of stock, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. 

3.    Discard the carrots and herbs from your cooled down pot. Move the osso buco to a large bowl while you make the sauce. Puree the onion and celery with your braising liquid. Reheat the mixture in the dutch oven on the stove top at medium high heat until it coats the back of a spoon. Return the osso buco to the pot and simmer while spooning sauce over the meat for a few minutes. Remove from heat.

4.     In a separate pot bring 7 cups of stock to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Gradually whisk in the Anson Mills polenta over the moving whisk to minimize lumps. Once fully incorporated, season the pot with a few generous pinches of salt. Reduce the heat to low and mostly cover with a lid, leaving a crack to allow moisture to escape. Bubbles should occasionally break the surface, no more or the polenta may stick to the bottom and scorch. Whisk the polenta every 10 minutes for around 40 minutes until the largest granules are soft. Taste and season the polenta and mix in the butter. 

5.    To serve, stir Parmigiano Reggiano into the polenta. Ladle or spoon into a wide bowl, top with grated parmigiano, place osso buco on top adding more sauce over the meat. For a classic condiment, drizzle a gremolata made from a small garlic clove (grated or minced), olive oil, chopped parsley, and lemon zest! Enjoy!

Pork Shank Osso Buco with Polenta and Gremolata

Food Network

 

Ingredients

 

4       8-ounce pork shanks, tied with twine

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

3       tablespoons vegetable oil 

2       carrots, diced 

2       stalks celery, diced 

2       yellow onions, diced 

1       tablespoon tomato paste 

4       cloves garlic, minced 

2       cups dry white wine 

2       cups warm chicken stock 

1       14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes 

2       bay leaves

 

Gremolata

 

1       cup fresh parsley, minced

2       teaspoons lemon zest 

1       teaspoon orange zest 

2       cloves garlic, grated on a rasp grater

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

 

Directions

 

1.    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2.    Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Liberally season all sides of the shanks with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to the pan and sear the shanks until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate.

3.     Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven, then add the carrots, celery and onions. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the vegetables are slightly soft and browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 second. Add the wine to deglaze, scraping all the bits off the bottom. Add the shanks, any accumulated juices, the warm stock, tomatoes and bay leaves. Cover, transfer to the oven and cook until the shanks are extremely fork-tender, about 2 hours. Remove the shanks and tent with foil on a plate.

4.    If the braising liquid is a bit thin, right before serving, simmer the remaining liquid until thickened slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

5.    For each serving, put a ladle of Creamy Polenta in a shallow bowl, followed by a warm shank with a ladle of rich braising liquid, then top with the fresh Gremolata.

Gremolata:

Mix the parsley, lemon zest, orange zest and garlic together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Cook’s Note

 

The shanks can be stored for up to 2 days in the braising liquid.