Southwest Skillet Ragu

Southwest Skillet Ragu


In this recipe, we throw the dry pasta into the meat sauce toward the end instead of cooking it separately. This allows the pasta to absorb the flavors of the sauce and also releases starch into the sauce, which helps thicken the sauce and pull everything together. If you find you don't like this texture, feel free to cook the pasta separately and add it at the very end along with the cheese!

Serves 6-8

1 – 1.5 pounds of ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 red (green, orange, or yellow) pepper, chopped
1/2 container mushrooms quartered
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus additional to season to taste)
1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)
1 cup elbow macaroni
1/2 cup water (as needed)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a wok or skillet that will be deep enough to hold everything. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink (about 8 minutes).
Stir in the onions and mushrooms, and cook until the onions are soft and slightly translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the peppers, spices, and salt, and continue to saute until veggies are mostly cooked (about 3 minutes).
Add tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Add the pasta. Let the water come back to a boil and then reduce the heat. Allow everything to simmer for about 10 minutes until the pasta isel dente and the veggies are cooked through. (If it looks like the liquid is gone before the pasta is cooked, pour in another half cup of water.)
Sprinkle the cheese over the top and stir until the cheese is melted and gooey. Spoon into individual bowls, top with an extra sprinkle of cheese, and serve!

Soto Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup With Noodles and Aromatics)

Soto Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Soup With Noodles and Aromatics)

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

1 free-range chicken, about 3 pounds, quartered

2 stalks fresh lemon grass, bruised with the handle of a heavy knife and tied in a knot

6 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or frozen (optional)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

5 shallots, peeled and halved

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons finely minced fresh turmeric, or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

2 tablespoons finely minced ginger

3 tablespoons peanut oil

4 ounces glass noodles or thin dried rice noodles, called vermicelli, bihun or bun

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves, mint, Thai basil or cilantro leaves

2 shallots, thinly sliced and fried in vegetable oil until brown (optional)

Quartered limes and chili paste (such as sambal) for serving

Cooked white rice (optional).

1. Place chicken in a medium pot with lemon grass, lime leaves (if using), salt and 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes, skimming as needed to make a clear broth. Remove chicken pieces from broth and set aside. Remove and discard lemon grass and lime leaves; reserve stock in pot. When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and shred meat into bite-size pieces.

2. Meanwhile, combine peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a small food processor. Pulse until ground. Add halved shallots, garlic, turmeric and ginger and pulse to a thick paste. (Add a little water if needed.)

3. Heat peanut oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. When very hot, add spice paste and cook, stirring until paste is cooked and beginning to separate from the oil, about 5 minutes.

4. Add cooked spice paste and chicken meat to stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

5. Cook noodles according to package directions.

6. Turn off heat under soup and stir in lime juice. Taste for salt.

7. To serve, divide noodles in large soup bowls. Ladle chicken pieces and soup on top and sprinkle with celery leaves or herbs, and fried shallots, if using. Pass lime and sambal at the table.

8. Eat from soup bowl, or serve a scoop of rice on a side plate, sprinkled with more shallots, and put a mouthful of noodles and chicken on rice. Combine on a spoon, dab with sambal, and eat.

Yield: 4 servings.

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
Makes enough meat to stuff 30 tacos
4 chipotle peppers (from a can) plus all the adobo sauce it sits in
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 head garlic, peeled and cloves smashed
5 dry bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Juice of 4 limes
1/2 cup cider vinegar
5 to 7 pounds beef brisket
4 to 6 cups beef or chicken stock
Stir together chipotle peppers and sauce, cilantro, red onion, garlic, clove, salt, lime juice, and cider vinegar in the insert of a slow cooker (if you have a food processor, pulse till combined first before adding). Place the brisket on top of this mixture. (I like to cut my brisket in two pieces so it fits better in the slow cooker.) Add stock to cover the meat and place bay leaves on top. Use tongs to move the meat around gently to combine everything and put the lid on.
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Once finished, turn crock pot to WARM and let sit for 6 to 8 hours.
I like to make mine before bed and then let it sit on WARM overnight. This allows the meat to cook fully and then come to a point where it can be shredded easily and will essentially fall apart when pulled with a fork. If you don't have overnight to accomplish this, another hour of cooking on HIGH will get the job done. The meat will not be as tender, but will still be tasty.
Remove meat from slow cooker and place on rimmed baking sheet. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. Discard the fat, if desired. If you plan on frying it again before use, the small fat bits are extra tasty and should be kept! Place shredded beef in large bowl and ladle cooking liquid over the top a few scoops at a time. You want the meat to hold the liquid but not swim in it.
To keep it warm for guests you can return it to your slow cooker after you have removed the remaining liquid. That liquid is extra tasty and can be frozen into ice cube-sized portions to be used in other dishes later, if you so desire. Serve with fresh tortillas, onion, cilantro, and salsa.
Note: This recipe makes roughly 30 tacos, give or take. You can make two recipes back to back in your slow cooker for the initial 4 hour cooking time (or two slow cookers at the same time) and then add the meat to the same slow cooker to sit overnight since the meat will have reduced in size. This will allow 60 tacos of meat to be finished up at the same time.

Skirt Steak with Crispy Garlic Potatoes

Skirt Steak with Crispy Garlic Potatoes

This quick play on meat and potatoes celebrates a juicy -- yet affordable -- cut of beef.
Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 garlic cloves
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes, sliced 1 inch thick
• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 4 equal pieces
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 bunches watercress (about 12 ounces total), thick ends removed

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Finely chop garlic, and sprinkle with salt. Using a chef's knife, press flat side of blade back and forth across garlic to make a paste. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in thyme and 1 tablespoon oil. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with garlic mixture; bake until browned on underside, 20 to 25 minutes.

2.     Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or grill pan over high. Season steaks with salt and pepper, and cook (in two batches if necessary) until medium-rare, 3 to 6 minutes per side (depending on thickness of steak). Transfer to a plate to rest.

3.     While steaks rest, make salad: In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, Dijon, and remaining oil; season with salt and pepper. Add watercress, and toss to combine. Serve steaks with potatoes and salad.

Helpful Hint

Because they are well marbled, skirt steaks can go in a hot skillet without added fat. Cook them to medium-rare so they'll be tender, not tough.

Simplest Beef Curry with Shallots

Simplest Beef Curry with Shallots

Four servings (as part of a main course)

Adapted from Burma: Rivers of Flavor (Artisan), by Naomi Dugiud

This is, indeed, a simple curry – not just in preparation, but in the results. Naomi Duguid advises to serve this curry with stir-fried bitter greens or rice, to compliment the silky shallots. I’d should add that this curry is portioned to be part of a meal, so if you plan to serve four people with it, make sure you have something to accompany it. Also, as she notes, Burmese cuisine isn’t as spiced or as highly seasoned as Thai and other cuisines, and condiments are added to the dish by diners, at the table. Some hot sauce, extra deep-fried shallots, chopped toasted peanuts, or even some powdered dried shrimp, would be nice to offer guests.

To make deep-fried shallots, heat some oil and add a generous handful of finely sliced (peeled) shallots – about 1/2 cup, cooking them in a few inches of hot oil until deep golden-brown, then scoop them out and let them cool on a rack or paper towel until crisp. They can be stored in a jar for a few days if you want to do them in advance.

·         1 pound (450 g) beef stewing meat, cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) pieces

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/8 teaspoon turmeric

·         1 tablespoon minced ginger (peeled)

·         1 tablespoon minced garlic

·         2 tablespoons peanut oil

·         3 cups (.75l) water

·         2 teaspoons fish sauce

·         2 tablespoons fried shallots (see Note)

·         8 small shallots, peeled and left whole

·         1/2 teaspoon red chile powder

1. Mix the beef pieces in a bowl with the salt and turmeric, massaging the salt into the meat. Cover and chill for an hour.

2. Mash the ginger and garlic together in a mortar and pestle, if you have one. (If not, just chop them together until they’re as finely minced together as possible.) Heat the oil in a large open saucepan or wok over medium heat, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until they’re soft and fragrant.

3. Turn the heat up to high and add the beef and cook, stirring and pressing the beef pieces against the side of the pan, until they’re cooked on all sides. Add the water and fish sauce, stir a few times, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 1 hour. If the water evaporates during the cooking, add more so the pan isn’t dry.

4. Stir in the fried shallots, then add the whole shallots and chile powder. Cook with the lid ajar, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft and the meat is tender, and the liquid is thickened – about 10 minutes or so.

Notes: If you don’t want to deep-fry the shallots, I would imagine that if you just cooked them in some oil in a skillet, until they were deep golden brown (stirring them constantly, and keeping an eye on them), they would work just as well in this recipe.

There is a recipe in the book for making Burmese-style chile powder. When I made this, I used Korean chile powder.

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings (韭菜虾饺)
Makes about 16 dumplings

Ingredients:

12 oz. peeled and deveined shrimps (medium to big size)
1 oz. chives (cut into very short pieces)
1 teaspoon egg white
1/2 teaspoon tapioca starch (菱粉)
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 dashes white pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon oil
Wonton skin
Some cooking oil for pan-frying

Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce:

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar

Method:

Clean and rinse the shrimps with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Mix the soy-vinegar dipping sauce and set aside.

Cut the shrimps into small pieces (about 3-4 pieces per shrimp), add chives and mix well. Marinate the filling with the rest of the ingredients for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Lay a wonton skin on a flat surface. Dab your index finger with some water and trace it along the four outer edges of the wonton skin. Add a teaspoon of the filling and fold the wonton skin towards the middle. Dab some water to the wonton skin to seal tight. The dumplings should look somewhat round. Repeat the same until the filling is used up.

Heat up a pan on medium to low heat and add some oil. Transfer all dumplings into the pan and cover it with its lid. Pan-fry the dumplings on one site until golden brown and then turn over to pan-fry the other site. (Add more oil to the pan if required.) Repeat to make sure that both sites are equally done. Dish out and serve immediately with soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

Cook’s Note:

You can use regular potsticker/dumpling wrappers but they are round in shape (hence smaller and harder to fold). If you use wonton skin like I did, buy those wonton skins which are not yellowish, but pale white or grayish white in color.

South East Asian Rice Pilaf

SE Asian Rice Pilaf
Serves 4

·         1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely sliced

·         2-3 cloves garlic, smashed

·         3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

·         1 to 2 tbs shrimp paste in soy bean oil

·         1 shallot, thinly sliced

·         ½ tsp brown sugar

·         24 oz cooked, cold rice (about 5 cups)

·         fish sauce, to taste

Note: Shrimp paste in soy bean oil can be found at any Asian market that has SE Asian items. Or you can order it online. It's not fermented, which means it's not stinky, but the oil has a way of leaking out and staining stuff red-orange, so be sure to store it in a plastic Ziploc bag or similar. Don't let the fact that it contains the "buttery substance in shrimp heads" turn you off. You wouldn't have known if no one had mentioned it. :-)

In a mortar, combine the lemongrass, garlic and kaffir lime leaves and pound until you get a uniform paste. Put some elbow grease into it, otherwise the lemongrass won't break down enough and it'll be unpleasant to chew and swallow. Transfer the paste to a bowl and mix in the shrimp paste.

Heat a wok on medium-high heat. Add about 2 tbs oil for stir-frying. When hot, but not smoking, add the seasoning paste and the shallots. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds to release the flavor of the herbs. Be careful not to let the paste burn. Add the brown sugar and incorporate. Add the rice and stir-fry until well coated with the seasoning paste and heated through. Add fish sauce to taste. Serve as a side dish with simple grilled fish or chicken.

SAVOURY CHEESE COOKIES

SAVOURY CHEESE COOKIES

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cups

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Paprika - 1/2 tsp (or chilli powder)

Butter - 1/2 cup / cold

Cheddar cheese - 75 gms / grated

Egg - 1 beaten lightly with a fork with 1 tsp of mustard

Chilled water - 1-2 tbsps

Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds to decorate

Method:

• Sift the flour + salt + paprika.
• Cut in the butter into the flour mix to make a breadcrumbs like mix.
• Fold in half the beaten egg mix with a fork. (Reserve the other half of the egg for the glaze)
• Sprinkle water, a tbsp at a time, & bring the mixture together to form a soft, firm dough. Knead lightly until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Grease 2 baking sheets.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4" thickness and cut into desired shapes.
• Place on greased trays. Paint the reserved egg mixture over the cut-out cookies, sprinkle with sesame &/or poppy seeds.
• Bake till golden brown. ( Approximately 12-15 minutes)
• Remove from oven & cool on racks.
• Store in an airtight box.
• Makes 4-5 dozen cookies.

Salmon Pasta

Salmon Pasta

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 1 one-pound salmon fillet with skin (about 1 inch thick)
• 1 pound corkscrew or other short pasta
• 10 ounces spinach, stems trimmed and leaves washed well
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1.     Heat the broiler. Put fennel seeds in a small, self-sealing plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin. Add parsley, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the bag, and shake to mix.

2.     Press the mixture onto the skinless side of the salmon. Broil salmon, skin side down, until it is no longer red in the center, about 8 minutes.

3.     Flake the fish with a fork. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup cooking water, and drain pasta. Return it to the warm pot, add spinach, and toss.

4.     In a bowl, mix together sour cream, lemon juice to taste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons pasta water.

5.     Put pasta on plates, top with salmon, and drizzle with the sour-cream mixture. Or simply toss pasta and spinach in the pot with the salmon and the sour-cream mixture, adding pasta water as needed, and serve. 

Salmon Macaroni Salad Recipe

Salmon Macaroni Salad Recipe

Tip: add the macaroni to the salmon mayo mixture when it is still warm. That way it will absorb the flavors better.

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INGREDIENTS

·         1/2 pound (about 2 cups) macaroni pasta

·         Salt

·         2 (7-ounce) cans salmon

·         1/2 cup mayonnaise (plus more to taste or for added smoothness)

·         1 teaspoon mustard

·         1 teaspoon lemon zest

·         1 Tbsp lemon juice

·         1/3 cup chopped shallots, red onions, or green onions (with onion greens)

·         2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

·         1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill)

·         2 stalks celery, chopped

·         Tabasco to taste (we used about 10 drops)

·         Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1 Bring a pot of water (2 quarts) to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Add the dry macaroni pasta and cook, uncovered, in a rolling boil for about 10 minutes, or until the macaroni is al dente (slightly firm). Remove from heat, drain, rinse briefly in cold water (macaroni should be still warm after rinsing) and drain again.

2 In a large bowl mix the salmon, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix in the shallots, parsley, dill, and celery.

3 Mix in the cooked macaroni while it is still warm. Add Tabasco and freshly ground pepper to taste. As the macaroni absorbs the mayonnaise, you may need to add some water to the salad to keep it from being dry. Adjust seasonings.

Chill before serving.

Yield: Serves 4.

Salmon Cakes

Salmon Cakes
Makes 4 large cakes

1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon capers
12 oz canned wild salmon
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dijon mustard

Place all ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and stir until combined. Form cakes with hands, place on a boiler proof pan, and broil until the salmon cakes have developed a nice golden brown crust on top. Serve with lemon wedges.

Rotini with Blue Cheese & Spinach

Rotini with Blue Cheese & Spinach
Serves 2 

You'll need:
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup half and half
Coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
¼ lb. blue cheese, crumbled (a heaping ½ cup), plus a little extra for garnish
5 oz. fresh baby spinach 
1/2 lb. dry rotini

What to do: 
In a medium heavy-bottomed pot large enough to fit the pasta, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, just til the garlic is fragrant, not golden at all. Add the half and half, ½ teaspoon salt and some freshly ground pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the cream thickens, stirring occasionally. Add the blue cheese to the sauce and stir to dissolve it. (It’s okay if there are a few lumps.)

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt, then the pasta, and cook to al dente according to the directions on the package, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach when there’s 1 minute left. Reserve ½ cup of cooking water, then drain the pasta and greens in a colander. Don’t shake out the pasta — you actually want some of the water to stick to it. 

Immediately add the pasta to the pot with the sauce. Toss together, then cook over low heat for 2 minutes, until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce. Add a little of the reserved cooking water if the sauce seems dry. Transfer to two bowls and eat, garnished with a little extra blue cheese if you like.

Rosemary Blue Cheese Ice Box Cookies

Rosemary Blue Cheese Ice Box Cookies

SUBMITTED BY: Real Butter

"Now here's something different. A buttery shortbread-like cookie infused with Blue cheese and fresh rosemary leaves. Serve with a full-bodied red wine and these savory cookies will have people talking through the new year."

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces Blue cheese, softened*
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups nuts (pecans or walnuts), chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon White or natural sanding (coarse) sugar

DIRECTIONS

1.     Whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl; set aside. Cream together Blue cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture to butter and cheese mixture; beat to combine. Add cranberries and mix on low just until evenly dispersed.

2.     Divide the dough into two pieces and use parchment paper or plastic wrap to form the dough into two 1 1/2-inch diameter round or square logs. Set out two fresh pieces of plastic wrap and sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over both. Roll the logs of dough in nuts until covered. Tightly wrap and seal the logs; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).

3.     Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Working with one log at a time, unwrap and slice logs into 1/4-inch discs. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Gently press about 3 small rosemary leaves on each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with sanding sugar.

4.     Bake on a middle rack until bottoms begin to brown and tops just begin to turn from pale to golden; 12 to 18 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 to 2 minutes before removing cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

FOOTNOTE

• *Domestic Blue cheese gives cookies a clean flavor, color and texture. Use less flour with a Stilton-style cheese and more flour with a French-style Roquefort. 

Roasted Garlic, Olive and Tomato Pasta Salad

Roasted Garlic, Olive and Tomato Pasta Salad

serves 6 as a side or 4 as a main

3 small heads garlic
Olive oil
1 pound medium pasta shells
15 ounces whole or skim milk ricotta
3/4 cup whole milk yogurt
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 small tomatoes (about 1 pound), roughly diced
1 cup black or green olives, sliced
1/3 cup firmly packed cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the tops off the garlic heads. Drizzle with olive oil and place in the center of a large square of foil and fold to seal. Place the packet in a baking pan and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the garlic is very soft. Remove, and let cool.

Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain and remove to a large bowl. Toss with a little olive oil, and let cool while making the dressing. Whisk the ricotta and yogurt together until lightened and smooth, and add in all of the roasted garlic - squeezing the soft garlic out of each clove. Whisk vigorously, until the garlic is well-incorporated. Whisk in the salt and season generously with black pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the ricotta mixture over the pasta and add the tomatoes, olives, and basil. Toss to coat. Taste and season further if needed with salt and pepper.

Serve slightly warm or chilled. The texture is best when served immediately, but the garlic flavor improves overnight, so either way it's good!

Red, White and Blue Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Red, White and Blue Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
1 pint fresh strawberries (approx 12 oz)
4-oz white
Blue sanding sugar or sprinkles

Line a baking sheet or cutting board with wax paper or parchment paper.
Chop up the chocolate roughly with a knife if it is in block form. In a medium-sized, microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave. Heat it in 45 or 60-second intervals, stirring between each time to ensure that the chocolate is melting evenly and not burning. Meanwhile, place blue sanding sugar into a small bowl and set it aside.
When chocolate is smooth, dip the berries 3/4 of the way into the chocolate, dip the tips into the blue sprinkles, and place on wax paper.
Berries can set at room temperature if you live somewhere cool, otherwise refrigerate them until ready to serve to allow the chocolate to set up.