Steak Frites with Blood Orange, Beet and Fennel Salad

I get the magazine Bon Appétit at home. It is one of the few print publications I still read. At least once an issue, I’ll see something that I become obsessed to make. This month’s obsession was the Blood Orange, Beet and Fennel Salad. The picture in the magazine was spectacular (unlike mine, gosh I wish I was a better photographer). The salad looked bright, fresh, vivacious and beautiful. I could taste all those flavors blending in my mouth. Well, I couldn’t just eat that salad, so I threw in the old filet mignon and baked fries.

I loved this meal. The steaks I get from The Fresh Market are always outstanding. I also really like making fries like here and here. Baked fries are healthier and less messy. Plus I don’t have a fryer. The salad was as tasteful as it was beautiful. I tweaked it ever so slightly (because I can’t resist) by created a vinaigrette and marinating the onions and fennel in it. This muted the flavor of the fennel and onion a bit which I liked. I also couldn’t find the golden beets so I doubled up on the red ones. I would absolutely do this salad again. Except for doing the supreme on the oranges and the mess that is roasting beets, it was quite easy.

 

INGREDIENTS

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 filet mignon
• 3-4 large potatoes
• 4 medium red beets
• 3 blood oranges
• 1 navel oranges
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinely sliced with mandolin
• 1/4 red onion thinely sliced with mandolin
• 1 tablespoon citrus champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Cilantro for garnish
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Set steaks out to come to room temperature.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
3. Wash beets but don’t dry them. Wrap each in foil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 1 hour. Remove the beets and allow to cool. Under a slow stream of cool water, remove skins and set aside.
4. Increase the heat of the oven to 450 degrees.
5. Peel and slice potatoes into strips however you like. I used my mandolin for this. Place fries into a large bowl of cool water and swoosh around until most of the starch is removed from the outside of the potatoes. Thoroughly dry. Toss the potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper until coated. Either spray a baking sheet with non-stick or I prefer to use the new non-stick aluminum foil. Bake until the fries are golden brown to your liking (we like them extra crunchy), flipping them once. About 40 minutes.
6. With a paring knife, remove the peel and pith from all the oranges. Over a large bowl, supreme or segment (watch a video on how to supreme) one of the blood and the navel orange. Squeeze the juice from the remaining membrane into the bowl. Slice the remaining oranges into thin rounds.
7. In a separate bowl, add the orange, lemon and lime juice. Add Dijon mustard, citrus champagne vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk and slowly stream in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil depending on how much juice you had. Toss the fennel and onion slices in the viniagrette and toss to coate. Set aside.
8. Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Season the room temperature steaks with salt and pepper. Sear both sides of steak until brown and place in the oven. Cook to your prefered doneness, I like them VERY rare.

Roast Herb Pork, Succotash and Baked Polenta Fries

This succotash recipe is one of my favorites. I liked everything about the roast pork loin and baked polenta fries, but this meal is all about the succotash.

The herbed pork was very tender, a bit too pink for my better half, but very nice. I liked the idea of the polenta fries and I think they turned out nice. Baked, not fried, a healthier option then French fries and they added a nice crunch. Again, the pork and fries were both nice but the succotash is why I made this meal.

I’m from the south and I’ve eaten succotash as long as I can remember. I don’t remember as a kid liking it at all. One of my absolute favorite things to do is take food that I didn’t like as a kid and make it “likable”. This succotash recipe is the best example I can offer. I 100% made this up one night although I am sure I am not the first.

My first step was to remove the lima beans and replace them with edamame. Nothing wrong with lima beans but I just remember those soggy over cooked, mushy lima beans from when I was a kid and wanted something more fun. Plus, I happened to have a bag of frozen edamame already shelled. Ironically, in the photo above I used fresh fava beans, and they were good but what a pain in the ____.

Next I add jalapeno for some heat. I love things spicy and leaving the seeds in gives this succotash some kick.

Next I add bacon and bacon fat. What isn’t better with bacon? Nothing! As I mention in several posts, my preference is Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon. YUM!

The final touch is heavy cream. Since I didn’t do any research on this recipe, this may be normal for succotash. Either way, when the cream reduces and gets thick, wow.

Make sure to use fresh corn and not the frozen kind, it makes a huge difference. Also, don’t overcook the veg, leave them fresh and crunchy.

The richness of the heavy cream and salty bacon, the heat from the jalapeno, the crunch of the fresh corn and bell pepper and even the pop that the frozen edamame give. Uhhh…just yum. This is one of my favorites to make and goes with just about any protein. If you give this recipe a try, please let me know what you think.

 

INGREDIENTS

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Boneless pork loin
• 4 garlic cloves
• Fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, organo)
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 3 ears fresh corn in husk
• 1/2 bag of thawed edamame (use fresh if you can find it or broad/fava beans)
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 large jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 3+ strips applewood smoked bacon (my fav is Niman Ranch)
• Heavy whipping cream (or half and half)
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
• Polenta homemade or store bought (usually in the veg section in a tube)
• Egg wash (egg + milk or water)
• Flour for dredging
• Panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. First we’ll marinate the pork. Coarsely chop two cloves of garlic and whatever herbs you have. In this recipe I used rosemary and thyme. In a large zip top bag place the pork, garlic, herbs, zest and juice of the lemon along with 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil (depending on how large your pork is). Squeeze the excess air out of the bag and zip. Mix the marinade over the pork and refrigerate 1-2 hours. Remove 30 minutes prior to roasting.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees.
3. Cut the tops off the fresh corn and place in the oven (this is the BEST way to cook corn). Let cook for 10-15 minutes or until the outer husk is brown slightly and flip the corn. Let cook and 10 minutes and remove. Let the corn cool and remove the husk. Cut the kernels from the ear and set aside.
4. If you made homemade polenta, pour it into a sheet pan and allow to cool in the refrigerator. Once it has firmed up, cut into “fries” shape. In all honesty, this is much easier if you by the tubed polenta from the store. Dredge the fries in flour, egg wash and bread crumbs. Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray and line the fries up. It is best to allow these to setup in the fridge for a few minutes but I never do. When the fries are done, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Cut the heat down in the oven to 400 degrees. Place the pork in the roasting pan and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Internal temperature is supposed to be 155 degrees (I usually take mine out sooner). I would go ahead and add the fries here as well. Allow them to cook on the bottom rack for 10-12 minutes and flip them, depending on how crunchy you like them.
6. Stem and seed the bell pepper and dice. Stem the jalapeno and remove the seed from half (or leave them all in if you like the extra kick), mince. Mince the red onion and garlic.
7. Pre-heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon strips (you can pre-cut them into lardons or you can leave the strips whole and cut them after). Cook bacon until crispy and most of the drippings (fat) has been rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Depending on how much bacon you use, you should probably remove all but a tablespoon of the fat (but I leave it in).
8. Reduce heat to medium and add onions, garlic and jalapeno to the pan with the bacon fat. Sautee the mixture until softened and then add the bell pepper, corn and edamame (or broad beans in the photo). Season with salt and pepper and toss in pan until of the vegetables are coated and warmed. Pour in heavy cream and continue to toss or stir allowing to simmer until thickened. Add the crispy bacon and toss. Taste for seasoning and re-season if necessary.

Hanger Steak, Whipped Garlic Potatoes, Mushrooms and Red Zinfandel Reduction

Sometime I just crave beef. I know, but sometimes I just do. When this is the case I generally look for the best and serve it rare as possible. On this day I was flipping through the October 2011 edition of Bon Appetit magazine looking for something easy to make and came across this recipe and had to test it. I made Hanger Steak, Whipped Garlic Potatoes, Mushrooms and Red Zinfandel Reduction.

Of course I tweaked the recipe some from the magazine but mostly just added the mashed potatoes and used less butter. Over all I really liked this dish. I think you need to be carefully with the fresh tarragon. If you are like my better half and don’t like licorice then I would omit this and replace with thyme (for a mild lemony flavor) or oregano (for a bold woodsy flavor).

The steak was local grass feed organic beef from Whole Foods. For the mushrooms I used a mixture of Shitake, Oyster and Cremini.

 

INGREDIENTS

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 8-12 oz mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds hanger steak
• 5 garlic cloves – smashed
• 4 russet potatoes
• 1 6″ sprig rosemary
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• heavy whipping cream (or half and half)
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel and cut potatoes into uniform chunks. Place in pot of cool water with two smashed garlic cloves. Bring to boil and let them go until fork tender. Stain potatoes and using a ricer, food mill or food processor “mash” until you achieve the consistency that you like. I mash the garlic right in with the potatoes for extra garlicky goodness. Add two tablespoons of the butter and as much cream as you like. Return potatoes to the pot, cover and keep warm.
2. In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium high heat add two tablespoons of olive oil and the mushrooms. Toss until just cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. In the same skillet add two more tablespoons of olive oil the remaining garlic cloves and the rosemary sprig. Season the hanger steak with salt and pepper. Add the steak to the skillet and cook depending on your taste (I like it rare) and its thickness about 3 minutes per side. Remove and tent with aluminum foil.
4. Discard the garlic and rosemary and add red wine. Cook while whisking to get all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine to about 3/4 cup. Strain the liquid and return to the pan. Add the chicken stock, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue simmering until reduced to 1/2 cup. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Toss the mushrooms back into the pan with 1 tablespoon of the chopped tarragon.
5. Garnish with the remaining tarragon.

Local Pork Chops, Creamy Grits and Quick Chow Chow

One of my favorite things to do culinarily is to attempt to mimic a meal from a favorite restaurant. I try to make the same meal, with my twists. Maybe I add a little more of this or less of that. An example is a visit to The Lazy Goat (a favorite in downtown Greenville, SC) I had a brilliant lunch. Serrano Wrapped Halibut with Haricot Verts and Duck Fat Fries (best in the world…duck fat, enough said). This inspired me to make Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut with Haricot Verts and Baked Duck Fat Fries. I switched the prosciutto for the Serrano because I like it better and I baked the fries because I don’t have a fryer.

Earlier this year on a pilgrimage to Charleston, SC we visited a newly opened restaurant for dinner. Husk, a Sean Brock (admittedly one of my favorite chefs) restaurant, offers local southern inspired cuisine. As a matter of fact, none of the food served in the restaurant can come from north of the Mason-Dixon line (seriously). That night I had a Fudge Farms Pork Chop with Crispy Pig Ears, Bacon Braised Cabbage and Speckled Butterbean Chow Chow. Yes, I said with crispy pig ear. It was amazing, the pork chops were perfectly cooked, and the broad beans add a nice creamy balance against the sour and heat of the chow chow. Oh, and then there is the pig’s ear. I tell you, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. It essentially tastes like bacon. I love when Chef’s use the whole animal, I think it respects the animal to discard as little as possible. I digress; the pig’s ear was crispy, smoky, sweet and salty. It really did finish the dish perfectly. On last thing, if you aren’t familiar with chow chow, it is a spicy southern relish that is usually used down here as a condiment.

So that was my inspiration for Pork Chops, Creamy Grits, Chow Chow and garnished with crispy turkey bacon. On a visit to Whole Foods, we just couldn’t decide what we wanted for dinner. Jen suggested that we hadn’t had pork chops in a while. They had the biggest chops I’d seen, fresh, local, organic, thick cut chops. I’d never made chow chow before. A quick Google search gave me some ideas, but I am WAY to impatient to wait 6 hours to 2 weeks as most recipes suggested. I decided on a “quick” chow chow instead. The creamy grits tied this dish up nicely. I could probably have found some fresh pig’s ears (I actually had a bag of smoked ones for my dogs) but…umm…I’ll leave that to the professionals. I usually would have used my go to Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon, but I’m embarrassed to say, I was fresh out. All I had was Jen’s turkey bacon. All in all, this meal was very nice.

The chow chow was amazing, crunchy, sour, salty and spicy. We still have some in the fridge, I imagine it will be all the better in a few more days. I have talked in previous posts (like making quick kimchee and quick pickles) about my impatience in the kitchen. I have an idea and I want to eat it that night, not in a week or heaven forbid TWO WEEKS. The chow chow is the same deal. Most traditional chow chow are pickled and set for weeks or longer. My answer to that is below. Also, my jalapenos weren’t quite ready for harvest so I substituted Srirachi (my favorite condiment). This gave it a little Asian twist, which we liked.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 thick cut pork chops
• Anson Mills Grits (you can use quick grits but NOT instant)
• Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Half and half (milk or heavey cream)
• 1/2 to 1 cup cheese (your favorite cheese that melts easy)
• 1/2 head of savoy cabbage
• 2-3 green tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper cubed
• 1 small vidalia onion sliced thin
• Vinegar (I used a mixture of red, white and cider)
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar to taste
• Sriracha to taste
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. First we’ll make the chow chow. Heat a large pot over medium. Because this is the “quick” version, I put the green tomatoes into my food processor and pulsed them about 10 times. I wish I would have only pulsed 5-6 times; it would have left a few more visible chunks. Add a touch of olive oil and drop in the onions and bell pepper, mix for a minute. Add green tomato and juice from processor. Mix all together and add salt, vinegar, sugar, sriracha and bring to boil. Reduce to low and simmer until vegetables are cooked through but still have some crunch. At this point I just removed from heat and let sit until I was done making the other components. Traditionally you cool and put in the refrigerator. I was deliberately vague on the amounts for this recipe. Just add to your tastes, if you like more heat add more sriracha. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 420 degrees.
3. If you have “real” grits, they may take up to 40 minutes to cook. If you have quick grits, that time will be more like 5-10. As for “instant” grits, it is just not right, don’t do it. Prepare the grits per the pack, but I usually replace half of the water with half and half, heavy cream or milk. When the grits are done, add cheese and butter (if you like). Also, on this day, I poured the drippings from the pork chop pan in. That added most of the seasoning. Keep warm.
4. For garnish I used turkey bacon brushed with molasses, but I just can’t recommend that to you all. Use smoked bacon. Put the bacon on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Cook until crispy.
5. For the pork chops, season with salt and pepper and in a large oven proof pan sear both sides. Place in the oven until the chops reach the appropriate doneness. I think the rule is 145 degrees. I like them a little pink, I usually target 130-135 degrees and let the carry-over cooking, when removed from the oven, bring them to a safe temperature.

The “sauce” you see in the photo above is actually the pickling liquid from the chow chow. I was very pleased with my decision to serve the chow chow warm. While eating, the sauce mixed with the grits and was delicious. I like the vegetables being sour with good heat and still having some crunch. The chow chow was nice this way although not traditional. Let me know what you think.

Roasted Turkey Thigh, Spicy Sautéed Spinach, Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Fried Sage Jus

Two questions: Don’t you hate when you have your mouth screwed up for something and they don’t have it at the store? Why do we only eat turkey on Thanksgiving?

So, Jen was out of town which usually means I’ll be experimenting with something exotic. I had planned on duck, pork belly or at least something I couldn’t get at the usual grocery. Trying to knock out my todo list for the weekend, I lost all track of time. No time to visit Whole Food or Trade Joe’s. I headed to the next best thing, my local Publix. I had been wanting to try Cornish Game Hen and Publix usually has some. Nope, fresh out! I picked up some pork chops and put them back. I picked up a t-bone steak and put it back. Finally I came across the turkey section. Yes, yes I am certain that your grocer has one as well. It’s first part of June, nowhere near Thanksgiving. How exotic is that, turkey thighs in June? I picked up some spinach that looked especially good and some sweet potatoes.

I ended up making, Seared and Roasted Turkey Thighs, Sautéed Spinach, Whipped Sweet Potato with Fried Sage Pan Jus.

Let me say, I loved this dish. Overall a really well rounded dish. Crispy, tender turkey. Smooth, creamy, sweet, sweet potato. Spicy, fresh spinach. The sauce totally merged each component together. Hat tip to A Sweet Pea Chef. I was looking for a way to cook the sweet potatoes and leave the skin on. Great idea to steam them, then mix in a food processor. Hat tip to me for recycling (uhhh…reusing) the turkey drippings (fat) in the spinach.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large turkey thighs (skin on, bone in)
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 large bag spinach
• 1 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• Half and half (or heavey cream)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespon crush read pepper flake
• 1 garlic clove sliced thinly
• Chicken stock (or broth)
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh sage

DIRECTIONS

1. Cube sweet potatoes leaving the skin on, place in a steamer and steam for about 20 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer you can just boil them in a large pot.
2. Meanwhile, set the oven to 400 °.
3. In a large skillet or oven proof pan, heat canola and olive oil over medium high heat. Season turkey liberally with salt and pepper. Add turkey to the hot pan and cook until crisp on all sides about 4-6 minutes. Place pan in the oven. Most will tell you to cook turkey to an internal temperature of 175 °. I prefer a little less than that for more juice meat.
4. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, remove from the steamer and place in a food processor.
5. Add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh thyme to the food processor, depending on how much you like. Add about a 1/2 of a cup of half and half with salt and pepper to taste. Add brown sugar.
6. Blend sweet potato mixture in the food processor until smooth. Taste and add more cream for creamier, more brown sugar for sweeter or more salt and pepper. Keep warm.
7. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.
8. Check the internal temperature of your turkey. If the turkey is close to your targeted temperature, pour out a few (I poured out 3-4 and still had 2-3 in the pan) tablespoons of the oil and rendered drippings (fat) from the turkey into the fresh pan that is on the stove. Place turkey back in the oven to finish cooking.
9. In fresh skillet add the crushed red pepper flake and let cook in the fat and oil for a minute. I said a tablespoon of pepper flake but just put as much as you like. I like it spicy, and a tablespoon made it very spicy.
10. Add thinly sliced garlic and cook for 30 second or so. Add spinach.
11. Continually toss spinach in the oil until wilted. Remove from heat.
12. Once the turkey is to a suitable temperature, remove from oven. Remove the turkey from the pan and place in a plate to allow the juices to redistribute.
13. Place the turkey pan with all the renderings on the stove on medium high heat. When the renderings and oil are hot, add fresh chopped sage. Let the sage fry until it turns dark.
14. Add chicken stock or broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir with wooden spoon scrapping up all the yummy bits and reduce the stock by half.
15. To plate, as you can see from the above photo, I put down the sweet potato, added the spinach, place the turkey thigh on top then poured the jus over the whole thing.

Portuguese Chicken with Chorizo and Clams.

I have always wanted to try a Portuguese recipe. While watching the Cooking Channel and one of my favorite shows Chuck’s Day Off, I came across this meal. Every once in awhile you come across a meal that just does it for you. This meal is one of those meals for me.

Portuguese Chicken with Chorizo and Clams. That is all I needed to hear and I was hooked. I get to try a new recipe, a new type of food and I get chorizo and clams. SOLD!

Jennifer said afterwards that this was one of her favorite things that I had ever made. I agree. The paprika on the chicken and in and on the chorizo add the perfect amount of spice. Who doesn’t love clams? The potatoes absorbed all those flavors and were a perfect starch. The red peppers and onions added a nice sweetness. The kale added a nice punch of tartness and the herbs that garnished added more fresh herbaceousness.

I did tweak the recipe some. I basically split the recipe in half, since it was for just two of us. I made three pieces of chicken instead of four, more chorizo and potatoes. I added the white wine also to give us something to sop up with the crust bread.

I HIGHLY recommend this recipe and it will be going into our regular rotation. It is delicious, pretty easy and impressive. If you give it a try, let me know what you think.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large red bell pepper, halved, stemed and seeded
• 3 chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks)
• 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 3/4 pound chorizo, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 6-8 yukon gold potatoes, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, halved and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 10-15 little neck clams
• 4 kale leaves, julienned
• 1/2 cup white wine.
• Chopped parsley and chives for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Set your chicken in a large bowl with salt, pepper, paprika, smoked paprika and chorizo. Toss so all ingridents are mixed together. Set aside.
2. Set your oven to broil. Place the halved bell peppers on a sheet pan skin side up and cook under the broiler until the skins are good and blackened, approx. 10 minutes. Place in a bowl with plastic wrap sealing the bowl. Let the peppers cool and steam for several minutes. Remove the skin, juliuenne and set a side.
3. Meanwhile, set the oven to 350 °.
4. In a large skillet or oven proof pan, heat canola oil over high to meduim high heat. Add chicken and cook until crisp on all sides. Add chorizo and cook until it is crisp. Stir in potatoes and onions. Add red pepper strips on top. Add one smashed garlic clove on top of eash peice of chicken. Put the pan in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, until chicken is fork tender.
5. Remove pan and add kale, clams and white wine. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
6. Garnish with parsley and chive and serve with crusty bread.

Most Popular Posts of 2010

Attractions in 2010

I had a blast with this blog my first year. 2010 was great and I look forward to having an amazing 2011. I hope some of you got some good reviews or recipes. If so, keep checking back. THANKS!

Below are the most popular post of 2010.

1

Tilapia, White Bean and Radicchio with Lemon Vinaigrette May 2010
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2

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut, Haricot Verts, Baked Duck Fat Fries June 2010
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3

Pan Roasted Duck, Slow Roasted Tomato, Duxelle, Crispy Potatoes June 2010
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4

Sashimi Lunch at Purple International Bistro June 2010
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5

Pan Roasted Pork Chop, Braised Dandelion Greens, Ricotta Whipped Potatoes with Apple Jus June 2010

Jagerschnitzel with Spaetzle and German Red Cabbage Kraut

My favorite German meal is Jagerschnitzel with Spaetzle and German Red Cabbage Kraut. As I am sure I have mentioned before (my friends would say ad nauseum) I spent a good chunk of my childhood in Europe. Most of that was in three different cities in German. I loved it there (It never could replace my good ole’ USA though). I enjoyed the landscape, the history, the people, the beer and the food. When ever we went to a new German “Gasthaus” or restaurant I would ALWAYS order the Jagerschnitzel. It was sort of my little test to compare it against other places I had eaten. Needless to say I ate Jagerschnitzel a lot. Incidentally the best I can remember was the Gasthaus at the Pfungstädter brewery near Darmstadt, awesome.

Jagersnitzel translates to hunters snitzel I suppose because it is so hearty. Traditionally made with veal cutlets, pork is often used as well. The snitzel is usually covered in a rich burgandy or brown mushroom gravy. Spaetzle are small German dumplings or noodles. Everyone knows what kraut is, but this recipe has some sweet and sour.

Anyway, there are a few decent German restaurants around here but I decided years ago if I wanted Jagersnitzel I would need to make it myself. Over the years that I have been making this particular meal I have started taking short cuts. Sue me! The first few times I made my own spaetzle from scratch (there are plenty of recipes out there). I also made the gravy from scratch as well back in the day. Not so much any more. If you are into that kind of thing, I would suggest making your own spaetzle at least once. With that said, you can find dried spaetzle in most grocery stores that is perfectly fine. Also, and I shutter while admitting this, I use packet brown gravy now.

All in all, this meal turns out great every time, it’s pretty easy to make and it is pretty inexpensive. The crispy fried pork, the rich thick gravy, the earthy mushrooms, the sweet and acid from the kraut and starch from the spaetzle all equal a nicely balanced meal. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 3-4 pork cutlets
• Flour for dredging
• Egg wash
• Bread crumbs. I usually prefer panko but for this I use seasoned Italian.
• 1 box Spaetzle
• 1 packet of brown gravy mix
• 8-10 ounces of mushrooms. I use baby belles but you can use whatever you like.
• Chicken stock
• 1 head of red cabbage
• Olive oil. I think traditionally Germans use butter.
• 3-6 tbsp sugar. I don’t like it real sweet so I use 3.
• 2/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
• Parsley and lemon to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Thinly slice the cabbage into strips.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cabbage and sauté until the cabbage is wilted and tender. Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Cover and reduce to simmer. Continue cooking, turning often for approximately 35 minutes.
3. In another large pot bring water to boil and dump the box of spaetzle in. Follow the instructions to cook to al dente (we’ll be cooking this more shortly). Drain and set aside.
4. One at a time, place the pork cutlets into a large resealable plastic bag. Using a meat mallet, pound the cutlets until very thin, maybe 1/4 of an inch.
5. Create a tradition breading station. Dump the cutlet into seasoned flour (be sure to dust any excess off), then into the egg wash (eggs with a splash of milk), then into the bread crumbs. I get the pork totally covered by putting the bread crumbs into the plastic bag and tossing. Once all the pork is breaded, let them rest for a few minutes.
6. At this point, if you are cooking more then two or three, you may want to turn your oven on a real low temperature to keep the pork warm will you finish cooking.
7. In a large pan, over medium to medium-high heat, heat enough oil to cover the pan. Be sure the oil is good and hot before you get started. Cook all the cutlets on both sides until they are golden brown and crispy. Place on a cookie sheet and keep warm in the oven. keeep any leftover oil and bits in the pan.
8. Dump the spaetzle into the hot pan and sauté until slightly browned.
9. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté mushrooms until then just start to become tender. Sprinkle in gravy packet and chicken stock instead of water. Follow the recipe on the gravy packet. NOTE: you can de-glaze the mushrooms with some red wine before you add the gravy packet just reduce the amount of water or stock you add.
10. Finally, I suggest when plating to squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the pork before serving. Enjoy.

Korean Night: Bulgogi, Quick Kimchee, Steamed Vegetables and Rice

I had been craving some Korean food. I had never made a Korean themed meal before so I hit the internet. I found bulgogi (pronounce bool go gee) and a quick recipe for Kimchee. So, I made Bulgogi, Quick Kimchee, Steamed Vegetables and Rice.

Whaaaa…don’t know what Kimchee is? Well allow me to enlighten you about this salt, spicy, crunchy, soft, sour, sweet masterpiece. Basically, it is rotten cabbage. OK, not so appealing when you put it that way. Actually is it fermented cabbage with lots of spices. Not really feeling fermenting cabbage for days or months (as they do in Korea), I opted for a quick Kimchee recipe. I will admit that this whole meal was an excuse to make the Kimchee but the Bulgogi was very nice.

This meal was put in the regular rotation. The Kimchee takes some prep and waiting time but it is well worth it plus you can do that ahead (the longer it sits the spicier it gets). We love garlic, ginger, soy, rice wine vinegar and I particularly LOVE Srirachi (I put it on everything, it’s delicious), which are all the things that are major players in the recipe. It did NOT disappoint. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Before you go any further, I just wanted to point out that while the Kimchee is “quick” it still takes 6 hours, so plan ahead.

 

INGREDIENTS

For Kimchee
• Large sterilized glass container (like pickling jar)
• 1 head Napa cabbage, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (most recipes call for regular sugar but I prefer brown)
• 3 tablespoons Srirachi Hot Chili Paste (used to be hard to find but most grocery stores have it now, also I like it spicy so adjust per your tastes)
• 1 piece fresh ginger, grated (one good sized finger should do it)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, finely sliced

For Bulgogi

• 1 pound beef boneless (I used top sirloin)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons oil (I just used extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 3 carrots peeled and sliced on diagonal
• 1/4 pounds snow peas
• 1/4 cup water
• Instant rice (cook per box)

DIRECTIONS

1. Quarter the cabbage and slice the hard core out. I left some because I like the extra crunch. Slice into into desired size, I did about 3/4 inch slices. Place cabbage into a colander with a bowl under. Add salt and mix well. Cover and let set for at least two hours. You’ll know it is done when it is well wilted. Rinse salt from cabbage and dry.
2. In a bowl, whisk together Srirachi, rice wine vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic and scallions. Add cabbage and mix well.
3. Place mixture into the sterilized jar, pack it as far down as possible. If need be, cover mixture with water. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. The longer the better.
4. Wrap beef in plastic and put it in the freezer for 45 minutes or so. I always forget this step, but it makes cutting it in thin strips much easier. So cut beef into thin pieces, cutting across the grain.
5. For the marinade, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, soy, sesame oil, water, sugar, garlic, ginger, scallion and pepper. Once combined, add the beef and marinade to a large baking dish, toss well, cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
6. Pre-heat grill pan to medium-high heat. Cook beef for approximately two minutes per side working in batches if need be. When done, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
7. At the same time heat another large pan over medium heat. Add oil, garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant. Add carrots and sauté until slightly tender but still crispy. Add snow peas, salt and water. Allow to steam until snow peas are to disired tenderness (I like them basically raw).

Sea Bass, Polenta Cakes, Corn Salad with Jalapeño-tomato Broth

Sometimes I just get some recipe for a component of a meal in my head. I just want to make it so bad. In this case I had seen some where a tomato broth and thought that a jalapeño and tomato broth would be awesome. I decide to go ahead and make it pretty spicy so to balance the heat of the broth I chose corn, red bell peppers and some amazing Chilean sea bass filets. The only thing left was a starch and some crunch. I had some polenta, so I cut it up and pan fried it.

I loved this meal, the heat from the broth was balanced by the cool and sweet of the corn and pepper salad (even with the bacon). The broth was very clean and fresh which really inhanced the richness that the sea bass has. The fried polenta add that crunch and was only made better by absorbing some of the broth. Give this one a try and let me know how you tweak it.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 filets of Chilean sea bass
• Olive oil
• 2 large fresh corn
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1-2 jalapeño depending on how hot you like it.
• Tomato (canned whole peeled San Marzano) You could use fresh but if you use canned use the San Marzano! It makes a difference in color and flavor.
• Chicken broth (unsalted)
• 1/8 tsp sea salt. Yes, it tastes differently if you use regular salt but you can.
• Polenta (make your own or purchase in logs)
• Egg + milk for egg wash
• Flour
• Panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Stem and seed your jalapeño unless you like it really hot. Dice.
2. In a medium sauce pot on medium heat, add tablespoon of oil and add the jalapeño.
3. Immediately you can add canned tomatoes (and sauce from the can). Add the tomatoes one by one crushing them with your hands (yep, it can get messy). I mentioned above but I strongly suggest the San Marzano tomatoes, they add a extra sweetness and bright red color that not even fresh tomato does.
4. Simmer mixer, stirring occasionally. until thickened slightly. Add chicken broth, season to taste with sea salt and allow to simmer. You can use water here if you prefer but I would suggest increasing the amount of salt if you do.
5. Once the broth has reached a consistency that you like remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree. Whenever you think it is done, let it go for a few more minutes.
6. Strain broth with a thin mesh strainer back into a clean sauce pot and keep warm.
7. For the polenta, I had some left over, cooked and cooled polenta but you can use the pre-made polenta logs. Most grocery stores will have them, check near the vegetables or the pasta isle. Cut polenta into desired shapes and thicknesses. I prefer circles and about 1/2 an inch thick.
8. In a bowl combine the egg and a splash of milk and whisk to combine. In two more bowls add the flour and panko and season with salt and pepper. Dip the cut polenta into the flour, then the egg wash then the panko.
9. Heat large skillet to medium high heat and add oil to cover the pan. Sauté polenta cakes until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Place in oven at 200-250° to keep warm.
10. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Cut the kernels from the corn. Dice the bell pepper. Cut the bacon in lardons. Sauté bacon to render the fat and remove. Add corn and bell pepper and sauté. DO NOT over cook, I like it to be still crunchy. Add the crispy bacon back and toss before serving. Season if needed with salt and pepper.
11. At the same time heat a skillet or grill pan to medium to medium high heat with a tablespoon olive oil. Season fish with a little salt and pepper and cook on each side until done. You’ll know it is done when it starts to flake a little. Don’t mess with the fish, salt and pepper is all you need. Sea bass is very rich and oily and doesn’t need much.