THIS WEEK'S FEATURES AND RECIPES:
> Article: A Flourish
at the Finish
> Food Funnies: Signs
That Dad Packed The School Lunch
S
E L E C T E D R E C I P E S :
* Olive
Garden's Chianti Braised Short Ribs
* Tequila
Turkey Fettuccini
* Steak
with Orange Bourbon Glaze
* Chicken
Parmesan
* Pork
and Ginger Pot Stickers
* Caramelized
Shallot Mashed Potatoes
* Creamed
Corn with Bacon
* Streusel
Kuchen
Healthy Eating:
Low Carb: Chicken
Salad Bake
Diabetic: Oatmeal
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Low Fat: Turkey
Tostadas
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This Week's Cooking Tips
* When cooking with wine, leave the
pan uncovered so the alcohol
will burn off. The resulting
liquid will have a rounder, firmer,
fruitier flavor.
* Fresh herbs loose their distinctive
flavor when cooked a long time.
Add some extra just before
serving.
* Place overripe tomatoes in cold
water and add some salt. Overnight
they will become firm and
fresh.
* Put a layer of marshmallows in
the bottom of a pumpkin pie, then
add the filling. You will
have a nice topping as the marshmallows
will come to the to top.
More Cooking Tips
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This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer
at the bottom of page)
What is a popular garlic dessert
at the Gilroy Garlic festival
every year?
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Quote of the Week:
"Why does Sea
World have a seafood restaurant?? I’m halfway
through
my fish burger and I realize, Oh my God....I could
be eating
a slow learner."
- Lyndon
B. Johnson (1908-1973)
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UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:
September is: National Biscuit Month
National Chicken Month
National Cholesterol Awareness Month
National Honey Month
National Mushroom Month
National Organic Harvest Month
National Papaya Month
National Rice Month
September 18 - National Play-Doh Day
September 19 - National Butterscotch Pudding Day
September 20 - National Rum Punch Day
September 21 - National Pecan Cookie Day
September 22 - National White Chocolate Day
September 23 - National Chocolate Day
September 24 - National Cherries Jubilee Day
September 25 - National Crab Newberg Day
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A Flourish at the Finish
By Mark
Bittman
Dinners that seem so oppressive
in midsummer, not only to cook but
to eat, are welcome the instant
the weather breaks. For instance,
braising, a nearly insane form of
cooking for about a third of the
year, returns this month, putting
aromatic humidity in the air and
tender meat on the table. And like
most braised dishes, this stew of
pork teamed with garlic, red wine
and coriander takes time but, once
the initial browning is done, very
little work.
There are times when I consider
browning optional, but this isn't
one of them. Because there are not
many components to the dish, you
need the complexity that browning
brings.
If you want to spare yourself the
task of cleaning up the stove top
(spattering is inevitable), you
can brown the meat in the oven. Use a
roasting pan large enough to hold
it in one layer, at about 500
degrees, and turn the meat occasionally.
Stove-top browning, however,
is faster and more accurate.
After the browning is done and the
remaining ingredients are added,
it's almost just a matter of waiting
for the meat to become tender,
which should take less than an hour.
I say "almost" because this stew
has an interesting refinement which
I learned from a French chef who
had settled in Thailand.
He told me that although he loved
red wine as a cooking ingredient,
he regretted the freshness wine
loses after long cooking. As a
result, and contrary to tradition,
he always withheld a little wine
from a recipe, adding it, along
with its acidity, freshness and
fruitiness, a few minutes before
the dish was done. Here, you should
use something not only good enough
to drink (you should always do
that when cooking), but to savor.
Finally, it is imperative to use
pork with some fat in it, as the
cooked meat may dry out before it
becomes tender.
The best pork for this stew, and
all braised pork dishes, is cut
from the shoulder (sometimes called
Boston butt), or from the
shoulder end of the loin. In either
case, darker, well-marbled meat
is preferable to pale, super-lean
meat.
A little butter, lemon juice and
fresh cilantro round this dish out
nicely. I'd serve it over rice or
buttered noodles.
Pork With Red Wine and Coriander
===========================
1 tablespoon extra
virgin olive oil
2 pounds pork shoulder
in 1-inch cubes
1 head garlic, papery
coating removed, cut in half crosswise
2 cups red wine
3 tablespoons coriander
seeds, cracked and wrapped in cheesecloth
1 tablespoon butter
Lemon juice to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
leaves
1. Place oil in a large, deep skillet
on medium-high heat. A minute
later, add pork, and
cook, undisturbed, until brown on one side,
about 5 to 10 minutes.
Turn and brown another side. Add garlic and
cook, stirring occasionally,
for a minute or two. Add 1 1/2 cups
wine, then coriander.
2. Turn heat to low, and cover. Simmer
gently for 45 minutes to an
hour, until pork is
tender. Remove coriander. Stir in remaining
wine; cook 2 or 3 minutes.
Stir in butter.
3. Add lemon juice to taste. Stir
in half the cilantro, then serve,
garnished with remaining
cilantro. Yield: 4 servings.
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THE E-COOKBOOKS LIBRARY -
ALL YOU NEED TO COOK IT RIGHT!
Discover
Over 100 World Class Cookbooks!
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FOOD FUNNIES: Signs That
Dad Packed The School Lunch
8. Mom always takes the cheese out
of the cellophane wrapping
when making the sandwich.
7. You asked for PB&J. He packed
pastrami, beef jerky and
jalapenos.
6. Three coupons for Happy Meals
and a reminder to bring home any
cool toy prizes.
5. The veggies and fruit? Potato
chips and Orange Nehi, of
course!
4. Four Power Bars and a note reading,
"Peanut butter won't get
you into the majors
so you can support your folks in their
old age, sport!"
3. The triple-decker liverwurst sandwich
sprung the lunchbox
open on the bus.
2. Your lunch includes a bag of pork
rinds and a Bud Light.
...
and the #1 Sign Dad Packed My School Lunch ...
1. Nothing in the bag but a $20 bill
and a note: "Don't tell Mom
and you can keep the
change."
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Olive Garden's Chianti Braised Short
Ribs
=================================
3 lbs. boneless beef
short ribs
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin
olive oil
1 medium yellow onions,
chopped
4 large garlic cloves,
minced
2 cups Chianti wine
1 (32 oz.) can crushed
tomatoes
3 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary,
chopped
Pat short ribs dry and season with
salt and pepper. Coat a
large, nonstick pan with olive oil.
Sear the short rib pieces
over medium-high heat for about
2-3 minutes on each side or
until brown. Transfer short ribs
to a bowl.
Add onions to pan and cook over
medium heat for approximately
3 minutes. Once onions are translucent,
add garlic and cook for
1 minute; do not brown. Add Chianti,
rosemary, beef broth and
tomatoes to the pan one at a time,
allowing liquid to partially
evaporate before each addition (about
2 minutes).
Return short ribs to pan, including
any juices that might have
accumulated in the bowl. Cover and
let simmer for 3 hours on low
heat to complete the braising process.
Remove short ribs from pan
and boil the liquid until it is
reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
Return short ribs to pan and heat
thoroughly.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Tequila Turkey Fettuccini
===================
1 oz. olive oil
1/4 red onion, cut
into strips
1/2 tablespoon minced
jalapeno
1 tablespoon minced
garlic
5 ounces turkey breast,
cooked, sliced
1 oz. tequila
4 ounces heavy cream
1/2 oz. fresh lemon
juice
1 tablespoon chopped
cilantro leaves
9 ounces fettuccini
pasta, cooked
2 tablespoons grated
Parmesan
2 lime wedges, for
garnish
2 sprigs cilantro,
for garnish
2 tablespoons diced
Roma tomato, for garnish
1 teaspoon freshly
ground black pepper
In saute pan with high heat, add
olive oil, onions, jalapeno and
saute until translucent. Add garlic
and continue to saute for
2 minutes. Add turkey, lightly mix
ingredients, careful not to
break turkey up too much.
Deglaze pan with tequila, pouring
around the edge of the saute
pan. Add cream, lemon juice and
cilantro. Toss together, then add
pasta, and toss ingredients while
adding Parmesan cheese.
Nest pasta on plate, pour sauce
over pasta. Lay sprigs of cilantro
over top, sprinkle tomatoes on top,
and crack pepper around the rim
of the plate.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Steak with Orange Bourbon Glaze
==========================
1/4 teaspoon Cajun
seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons canola
oil
1 (14 ounce) NY strip
steak
Preheat grill to high and oven to
350F. In a medium bowl, combine
Cajun seasoning, cayenne, salt,
pepper and 2 tablespoons canola oil.
Rub mixture on both sides of the
steak. In a saute pan, sear steak
for 7 minutes on both sides. Place
steak in a plastic bag to marinate
for 1 hour in refrigerator. After
marinating for 1 hour, remove steak
from refrigerator and let sit for
15 minutes. Grill steak for
12 minutes (6 minutes on each side).
Remove from grill with tongs
and let rest for 8 to 12 minutes.
Using a serving spoon, add Orange
Bourbon Glaze to steak.
Orange Bourbon Glaze:
2 tablespoons diced
shallots
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 cup bourbon
2 seedless oranges,
peeled and segmented
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black
pepper
4 cups beef stock
In a medium saucepan over medium-high
heat saute the shallots in
2 tablespoons of butter until caramelized.
Whisk in the bourbon,
oranges, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer over
medium-high heat. Reduce heat to
medium-low and add beef stock.
Simmer until mixture is a sauce-like
consistency. Remove from heat.
Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons
of butter.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Chicken Parmesan
===============
2 quarts oil, for deep-frying
1 tablespoon kosher
salt
1 tablespoon onion
powder
1 tablespoon garlic
powder
1 tablespoon cracked
black pepper
4 (6 oz.) pieces boneless,
skinless chicken breast (pounded thin)
3 tablespoons freshly
chopped parsley leaves
2 cups panko bread
crumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose
flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 quart favorite store-bought
marinara sauce
8 slices mozzarella
cheese
White Sauce:
1 teaspoon chopped
fresh garlic
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon chopped
fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
White Sauce: Heat the garlic and
heavy cream in a medium saucepan,
until simmering. Turn off heat,
add butter, and whisk vigorously
until fully incorporated. Add 1
tablespoon fresh parsley and season
with salt and pepper.
Chicken: Heat oil to 350F. Mix all
seasonings together then divide
into 2 parts. Season chicken breast
with half of the seasoning on
both sides. Add half of remaining
seasoning and 3 tablespoons of
chopped fresh parsley to bread crumbs
and mix. Dip chicken in flour,
then in eggs, then in bread crumbs.
Fry chicken until golden brown,
about 3 to 5 minutes). Simmer the
marinara sauce in saucepan over
medium heat. Place 2 slices of mozzarella
cheese on each breast.
Pour the warmed marinara sauce over
the cheese, drizzle with White
Sauce and serve.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Pork and Ginger Pot Stickers
=======================
6 ounces ground pork
1/4 cup diced white
onion
2 tablespoons minced
ginger
1 tablespoon minced
garlic
4 tablespoons diced
green onion
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame
oil
Pinch salt and pepper
12 round wonton/potsticker
wrappers
1 egg, whipped
1 teaspoon oil
In a medium bowl, add the pork,
onions, ginger, garlic, green
onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt
and pepper. Mix together until
thoroughly combined.
In a medium stock pot, boil 2 quarts
of water. Place 1 tablespoon
of the mixture in the middle of
a wrapper. Brush the edges of the
wrapper with the egg and fold in
half. Repeat with the remaining
wrappers.
Place wrappers in boiling water
for 1 minute, remove, and cool
individually on cooling rack. When
ready for service, heat saute
pan with 1 teaspoon oil, and saute
on medium-high heat until the
skin of the wrapper is browned.
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Caramelized Shallot Mashed Potatoes
==============================
6 tablespoons (3/4
stick) butter, divided
2 cups sliced shallots
3/4 cup whole milk
2 pounds large Yukon
Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy
medium skillet over medium heat.
Add sliced shallots and cook until
tender and brown, stirring often,
about 20 minutes. Transfer shallots
to small bowl. Add milk to
skillet. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place quartered potatoes
in large saucepan. Add enough
cold water to pan to cover potatoes
by 1 1/2 inches. Bring to boil,
reduce heat to medium, and simmer
until potatoes are tender, about
15 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes
to pan and stir over medium heat
until dry, about 1 minute. Add remaining
4 tablespoons butter.
Bring milk in skillet to simmer,
scraping up any browned bits. Add
hot milk to potatoes. Mash potatoes.
Stir in caramelized shallots
and season to taste with salt and
pepper.
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Creamed Corn with Bacon
=====================
4 ears corn
6 ounces thick-sliced
bacon (about 4 slices)
1 large bunch scallions
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon
juice
1 tablespoon unsalted
butter
freshly ground black
pepper
Bring a kettle of water to a boil
and have ready a large bowl of
ice and cold water. Add corn to
boiling water and simmer 4 minutes.
With tongs transfer corn to ice
water to stop cooking. When corn is
cool enough to handle, drain and
cut corn kernels from cobs.
Cut bacon into 1/8-inch-thick strips.
In a heavy skillet cook bacon
over moderate heat, stirring occasionally,
until browned and transfer
to paper towels to drain.
Thinly slice enough scallions crosswise
to measure 1 cup. In a
3-quart heavy saucepan simmer cream,
water, and lemon juice with
bacon, scallions, and butter, stirring,
1 minute. Add corn and pepper
and salt to taste and cook until
liquid is slightly thickened, about
5 minutes.
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Streusel Kuchen
=============
Streusel:
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup (packed) golden
brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4
stick) unsalted butter, melted
Cake:
2 medium-size Golden
Delicious apples, peeled, halved, cored,
cut into
1/8-inch-thick slices
1/2 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground
cloves
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons
cake flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking
powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter (2 1/4 sticks),
room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon finely
grated lemon peel
1 vanilla bean, split
lengthwise
3 large eggs plus 1
large egg yolk
For streusel: Mix first 4 ingredients
in medium bowl. Add melted
butter and stir with fork until
moist clumps form. Set aside.
For cake: Position rack in center
of oven and preheat to 325F.
Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter
springform pan. Toss apple slices,
cinnamon, and cloves in medium bowl.
Sift flour, cornstarch, baking
powder, and salt into another bowl.
Combine butter, powdered sugar,
and lemon peel in large bowl; scrape
in seeds from vanilla bean.
Using electric mixer, beat butter
mixture until well blended. Add
eggs 1 at a time, beating until
well blended after each addition;
beat in egg yolk. Add flour mixture
and beat just until blended.
Spread batter evenly in prepared
pan (cake layer will be thin).
Slightly overlap apple slices atop
batter in concentric circles.
Sprinkle streusel evenly over apples
(streusel will cover apples).
Bake cake until streusel topping
is crisp and tester inserted into
center of cake comes out clean,
about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool cake
in pan on rack 15 minutes. Remove
pan sides; cool to lukewarm.
Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.
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This Week's Culinary Quiz
Answer: Garlic Ice Cream
The town of Gilroy, California,
calls itself the "garlic capital
of the world". Every year there
is a huge festival with myriad
recipe competitions and things to
try. One of the favorites is
garlic fries and garlic ice cream
is also extremely popular, even
though I suspect the fact they give
it away for free may have
something to do with that!
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