Sous Vide Ribs
I have this fun kitchen machine called an immersion circulator, also known as a sous vide immersion circulator. They are used to cook food at very exact temperatures. It is a kitchen tool that is becoming more popular, but still unknown to a lot of people. They can be expensive, although prices seem to be coming down as more models hit the market. The one I have costs around $200, but you can find them for a lot less these days.
So why would you want to use/invest in one and how exactly is the food cooked?
Sous vide involves cooking your food in a bag, submerged in water. I know that doesn’t initially sound all that appealing, but it is pretty cool and has some advantages.
Have you ever fretted about overcooking a really expensive cut of meat? Or do you have trouble with the ends getting too done before the middle is cooked?
In an immersion circulator, you set the temperature that the water will be. If you like medium rare beef, you would set the temp at around 135 degrees F (57 Celsius). That means the water would maintain a temp of 135 degrees. When you put the meat in the circulator it can’t overcook. It will only get to a max of 135 degrees, or whatever temperature you like. The meat can’t overcook, even if you leave it in for several hours. It also will be cooked the same from one end the the other. This gives you the opportunity to cook less expensive cuts of meats for long periods, making them tender, but still rare. The leg of lamb we had for Easter was wonderful. When a guest was delayed, I didn’t have to worry about it getting overdone, either.
The sous vide machine is attached to a pot that is filled with water. Once you set it to the temperature you want, you place the bag with the meat in it, in the water. Set the timer and let the circulator do its job. You can also buy machines that are self contained. Check water levels once in awhile, but they don’t go down very much, even after long cooks.
One disadvantage is that the meat will not get that nice sear on the outside that comes from more traditional methods of cooking. To remedy that, you remove the meat from the bag, once it has cooked, and brown it then. I like to use a smoking hot skillet for this. You brown the meat over high heat, turning it until it looks the way you want it to look. This actually worked great for the ribs. You could also place the meat under the boiler for a few minutes or even on a hot grill.
Another slight disadvantage, is not smelling the meat cook. Because everything is sealed up in bags, there are no yummy aromas in the house. At least, not until you open the bags to brown the meat. I have confused guests, who arrived for dinner, but smelled nothing cooking.
It is a nice way to cook in hot weather. Sous vide does not nearly generate the heat that an oven would.
Cooking the Ribs
So for my spare ribs, I wanted them to be very tender, but not mushy. I set the pork to cook at 145 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Celsius. That is the minimum safe temperature for pork. You can cook it at a slightly higher temperature- but not lower. I seasoned the meat with salt and my Ethiopian seasoning. I used a freezer Ziploc bag. I made sure I got as much air out of the bag as I could, and made sure it was sealed. I then double bagged the ribs, to be safe. Using a vacuum sealer or pump will help remove more air. Nice, but not a must.
I cooked my ribs for 12 hours the first time I made them. I have cooked them for as long as 24 hours. There is a lot of leeway for how long you have to sous vide meat. Tougher cuts should be cooked longer, to make them more tender. The 12 hour ribs were very tender, but the 24 hour ribs were better. Once the time was up, I took the ribs out, heated up my skillet, and browned the ribs on both sides. This is when you can add sauce, if you like. I added a sweet and sour sauce to this batch. They were tender and very juicy.
Unlike poaching, the meat is never in contact with the water, so all the flavor stays in the meat. Because you have such precise control, you don’t end up with overcooked meat, either.
There are videos all over the internet that discuss and share sous vide cooking as well as groups on Facebook. I am still learning and don’t consider myself an expert. I just wanted to try cooking my ribs this way. I was very happy with the result. I can’t say whether an immersion circulator is a good investment for you or not. I will say that I love mine and am using it several times a week.
Circulator in a pot of water- ready to use. I kept mine in the sink.
Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Mint chocolate chip ice cream is a favorite of mine. I have tried a lot of mint chocolate chip ice cream, but was not always happy.
The tricky part is getting chips that aren’t hard chunks, but rather, little flecks of chocolate, that melt on your tongue when you eat the ice cream. In the past, for chocolate chip ice cream, I have brushed melted chocolate in thin sheets, chilled it, and then broken it into tiny pieces. It worked, but kind of a pain to do.
I tried something different this time, and with a few adjustments, it worked out great. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a recipe for homemade chocolate magic shell. You remember magic shell, the chocolate syrup that hardens when you drizzle it on ice cream. The recipe is quite simple. Chocolate, coconut oil and powdered sugar, melted together. It remains a liquid at room temperature. So, to create the “chips”, I just added some of the magic shell to the ice cream as it froze in the ice cream maker.
After a little playing around, I got the knack of drizzling it slowly. The end result, little flecks of chocolate through the ice cream that were tender and melted as you ate the ice cream. We had the ice cream served on a homemade brownie, then topped with more magic shell and some whipped cream. You will note that my “mint” ice cream is not green. I opted to omit food coloring, but feel free to add some, if you prefer.
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2 c. half and half
1 c. whipping cream
½ c. sugar, or to taste*
2 t. mint extract
1 t. vanilla extract
About ½ c. magic shell- recipe follows
Combine half and half, cream, sugar and flavorings. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add more sugar, if needed, to suit your taste. Place mixture in an ice cream maker and start freezing it. Once it starts to thicken, drizzle the magic shell in slowly as the machine is running, to create little flecks of chocolate throughout the ice cream. I have to guess that I used about ½ a cup. Add until you have the amount of chips you like. Once ice cream forms, place in freezer until ready to serve. Makes about a quart.
*The mixture might taste a little sweet to you, but when you freeze it, it will taste less sweet. When making ice cream, the base should be a little”too” sweet to allow for the taste change after freezing.
Homemade Chocolate Shell
1 c. chocolate chips- I used dark chocolate chips
3/4 c. coconut oil- I used the unrefined
1/2 c. powdered sugar
Heat all together until melted. I melted mine in a microwave for 1 minute, but you could also melt over a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Store at room temp. To use, drizzle over ice cream, wait about 10-20 seconds- and it will harden.
Peaches and Herb Sorbet
Peaches and Herb Sorbet
Sorbet is such a nice dessert for summer. Light, fruity and fresh. I try to keep a few different kinds on hand. So many fruits are abundant this time of year. They are the perfect start for a great sorbet.
This peach sorbet combines ripe peaches with both basil and mint from my garden. The combination worked well together. Adding herbs and other flavorings can make sorbet even more fun to eat.
You don’t need an ice cream machine to make it, either. You just puree the fruit with the other ingredients and freeze. The secret to a smooth sorbet is to puree the frozen mixture a time or two. I place the frozen sorbet in my food processor and run it until the sorbet looks creamy. Then I put it in the freezer again. For extra creamy sorbet , repeat this process a third time. Easy to make, but there is wait time for the sorbet to freeze.
Here is the recipe for the peach sorbet. I thought the herbs added a really nice touch to the final product. Feel free to experiment with the flavors you like.
Peaches and Herb Sorbet
5-6 medium peaches, pitted. You can peel, if you like
honey to taste – I used 1/4 cup, but depends on how sweet the fruit it
3-4 basil leaves
2 sprigs of fresh mint
Puree all ingredients together until smooth. Adjust sweetener and seasonings. Mixture will taste less sweet after it freezes. Freeze until solid. Remove from freezer and break into chunks. Process in a food processor until mixture looks creamy. Depending on how cold your freezer is, you might have to let the sorbet soften a few minutes before processing it. Place back in freezer until ready to serve. Makes about 1 quart.
Note: For even creamier sorbet- process a another time or two- refreezing after each time.
Blueberry Lime Cheesecake
Blueberry Lime Cheesecake
This recipe combines limes and blueberries for a cheesecake that is perfect for summer. The citrus pairs well with the berries. I had made this cheesecake before, with the blueberry puree swirled into it, but without the lime. I have often used lemons and blueberries together, but not limes so much.
I had a few extra limes in the fridge that needed to be used soon, so I decided to try them out in this cheesecake. I thought the limes would be a nice addition this time.
I must say, I really like the flavor the lime zest and juice adds to this dessert. Adds a nice zippy flavor. Leftovers can be frozen. But let’s be honest, there aren’t going to be any leftovers!!!
Blueberry Lime Cheesecake
Blueberry Puree
1 ½ c. blueberries
¼ c. sugar
2 t. cornstarch
1T. fresh lime juice
Crust
1c. graham cracker crumbs
2 T. sugar
2 T. melted butter
Filling
3 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
8 oz. sour cream
Zest from 2 limes
Juice from 1 lime
2 t. vanilla
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 T. flour
For puree, combine berries, sugar and cornstarch in saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Puree in blender with lime juice and cool completely. For crust, combine crumbs, sugar and butter and set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of 9 or 10-inch springform pan and bake 10 minutes. For filling, beat cream cheese until fluffy and beat in sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla, zest and lime juice. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour and pour batter into springform pan. Drizzle blueberry puree over batter and use a knife to swirl it around. Place a roasting pan on lower rack of oven and fill with one inch of boiling water. Place springform pan on upper oven rack. Bake 1¼ hour or until just set. Turn oven off and let cake stand in oven 1 hour more. Remove pan from oven. Cool down and refrigerate overnight. Remove pan side before serving. Serves 12.
4th of July
So what is the 4th of July about? Cookouts and noisy celebrations abound, but what is it we are celebrating? We are celebrating revolution, protestors and people who fought their government.
We were a colony, ruled by a monarchy. Had it not been for those who saw injustice, and tried to fix it, we would be bowing to the queen today. They were brave and very forward thinking.
Had the Revolutionary War gone the other way, they certainly would have been hung as traitors. I’m not sure how many of us today would be that brave.
So in your daily life, remember and honor the rebel. If you see an injustice, speak up. Do something to make this country better.
There is always room for improvement, after all. Think about the people who risked death to fight for the freedom we enjoy today. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Don’t ever take that for granted.
Chicken with Cherry Mustard Sauce
Chicken with Cherry Mustard Sauce
Cherries are one of my favorite fruits to cook with. Don’t get me wrong, I love eating cherries fresh. I bake with them and make sweet treats like jam. But, cherries are so wonderful when combined with different proteins. I love to pair cherries with duck, pork and chicken.
I think cherries add a special touch when added to main dishes. I have used them in any number of sauces, glazes, chutneys and marinades over the years.
This time, I was looking for a way to dress up some chicken. I remembered that I had a pound of cherries in the fridge. I made the cherry mustard sauce while the chicken was baking. Here is what I did.
Chicken with Cherry Mustard Sauce
To prepare the chicken: I had about 3 lbs. of bone-in chicken pieces. I seasoned them with salt and pepper and placed them in a 400-degree oven. I knew the chicken would take about 45-50 minutes to cook. I made the sauce while the chicken was cooking- sauce recipe follows. When the sauce was done, I left it in the skillet while the chicken finished cooking.
When I took the chicken out of the oven, I removed the pieces from the roasting pan and placed them skin side down in the skillet with the cherry sauce. I turned the heat onto medium-high and turned the chicken a few times until both sides were coated from the cherry sauce and the sauce had sort of glazed the chicken.
This would be a nice sauce to finish off grilled or broiled chicken, too.
Cherry Mustard Sauce
3 T. oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. cherries, pitted and halved
½ c. apple cider vinegar
¼ c. brown sugar
3 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. celery seed
1 t. hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
In large skillet, heat oil and cook onions until tender. Add the garlic and cook a few minutes more. Add the cherries and cook over medium- high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and turn heat down to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Adjust seasonings. This sauce can be used to glaze meats, or served on the side. I used it with chicken, but it would be wonderful with duck, turkey or pork, too. Makes about 3 cups of cherry sauce.
Coconut Chocolate Bowls
Coconut Chocolate Bowls
Now this is fun. Coconut almond sorbet served in chocolate bowls. The idea is to make the dessert look like coconuts. It worked out well and tasted great.
The whole dessert is dairy free and vegan as well. Great for people who have issues with dairy. You won’t miss the dairy in this recipe. The sorbet is smooth and creamy.
These are fun to serve for summer parties. You can make everything ahead of time, assemble and keep in the freezer until you want them.
The bowls are made by dipping inflated balloons in melted chocolate. Then you coat them is desiccated coconut to cover the chocolate. Desiccated coconut is dry and unsweetened. It looks like white bread crumbs. You can find it at Asian markets (it is the type of coconut used for coconut shrimp) . It is also found at cake decorating and candy making stores.
Let the bowls set- in fridge or freezer- until the chocolate hardens. Then you just pop the balloons and remove them. You are left with a chocolate bowl. Fill the bowls with the sorbet- you could use vanilla ice cream. I suppose, but the coconut sorbet really is better in this dish.
You can serve them as is- or top with some fresh fruit or chocolate sauce.
So here are the directions for the bowls and the recipe for the sorbet.
Chocolate “Coconut” Bowls
8 Balloons- blown up to 4-inch diameter
12 oz. Chocolate – I used bittersweet. Chocolate chips would work, too
about 1 cup of desiccated coconut- cake and candy making stores sell it- Asian markets, too.
Coconut Almond Sorbet- recipe follows
Blow up balloons and tie the ends. Melt chocolate and stir until smooth. I melt mine in a microwave, being careful not to let the chocolate burn. Allow chocolate to cool down a bit before dipping the balloons. This is really important: if the chocolate is too hot the balloons will explode before the chocolate hardens. Also, don’t get really cheap water balloons- they pop easy. I normally melt my chocolate and then add some unmelted chocolate to the bowl, which cools it down. Place some of the desiccated coconut in a shallow bowl. Dip the bottom of the bowl in the chocolate. Use a small rubber spatula to remove excess chocolate from the bottom. It is supposed to become a bowl, so leave some on the bottom, just not a huge blob. Tip the balloon and sprinkle the coconut all over the chocolate. You can set the balloon in the coconut, too. Set balloons on a small tray, lined with wax paper to set up. This is faster in the fridge or freezer. Once the chocolate is hard- pop the balloon and be sure to remove any of the left over pieces of balloon. Keep bowls in the fridge until ready to fill with sorbet. Makes 8.
When ready to fill them- scoop in some of the sorbet and smooth the top. You can do this ahead of time and store in the freezer until ready to serve.
Coconut Almond Sorbet
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
1½ c. almond milk
¼ c. sugar- or to taste
2 t. vanilla
Combine all ingredients in bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place in an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Makes 1 quart.
Note: If you don’t have an ice cream machine, you can freeze the sorbet in a shallow tray. Once frozen, remove from freezer and let it soften a few minutes. Break into chunks and process in a food processor to soften. Return to freezer until ready to use.
Cherry Almond Sorbet
Cherry Almond Sorbet
This summer, I have been obsessed with making sorbets. The basic recipe is simple – just pureed fruit, some sweetener and usually, some flavoring or herb, to add interest. They are so light and refreshing. The perfect dessert for summer.
So far I have make sorbet from pineapples, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries (with red grapes), peaches, cranberries and coconut. I am sure I have forgotten some of them.
I picked up fresh cherries at the market, so I could make cherry sorbet.
Fresh cherries are one of my favorite fruits of all time. I love both sweet and sour cherries. For the sorbet, I just pitted a pound of cherries, added sugar and some lemon juice. It needed a little something more- so I added almond extract. Really worked well with the cherries.
So here is the recipe. Simple and sweet.
Cherry Almond Sorbet
1 lb. cherries, pitted
3/4 c. sugar, or to taste*
3 T. lemon juice – it helps the cherries retain their color
1 t. almond extract
Place cherries in blender or food processor, with the sugar and extract. Blend until smooth. Adjust sweetener to suit your taste. Place in a container with a lid and freeze. Once mixture is frozen, remove from the freezer, break into chunks and place in food processor. Process until mixture looks creamy and smooth. You might have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your food processor. Eat or return to freezer until ready to use. Makes just over a quart of sorbet.
*Feel free to use other sweeteners you like in place of the sugar. Honey or maple syrup would both work nicely.
Cherry and Blueberry Clafoutis
Cherry and Blueberry Clafoutis
I posted the picture of my clafoutis and now, as promised, here is the recipe. So what is clafoutis?
Clafoutis is a sort of pancake, sort of custard, sort of quiche. It is a lovely dessert for fresh fruit, for sure.
You can serve it plain, or topped with powdered sugar. I like to serve it with a scoop of ice cream on a hot day.
Clafoutis is really simple to make, too. You start by putting the fruit in a prepared pan. The batter is made in a blender, and takes just a couple of minutes to prepare. You pour the batter over the fruit- and bake.
I used cherries and blueberries in this one, but you can use all sorts of fruits- peaches, plums, raspberries…..
Most people enjoy it as a dessert, but it is also nice with that morning cup of coffee.
I used a combination I thought would make a nice dessert for the 4th of July. Blueberries and raspberries would work as well.
Cherry and Blueberry Clafoutis
2 c. pitted cherries, I cut them in half, but you can leave whole
1 c. blueberries
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
3 T. melted butter
½ c. flour
2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
pinch of salt
1 c. half and half
powdered sugar, optional
Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish or pie pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cherries and blueberries in the prepared pan. In blender, combine eggs, sugar, butter, flour, flavorings and salt.* Blend until smooth. Add half and half and blend again until smooth. Pour batter over the cherries and blueberries. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until clafoutis is browned around edges and puffed up. Allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar, if you like. It will deflate as it cools. Serves 6.
* You can whisk the ingredients together by hand, if you prefer.
Firecracker Chicken Fingers
Firecracker Chicken Fingers
Sometimes the best recipes happen when you don’t have time to plan. This is one of those recipes. Even better because it only uses 4 ingredients. Fun for the 4th of July, too.
I needed an appetizer, but didn’t have extra time for prep. I also did not have time to go to the store, so used what I had on hand. I had some boneless chicken breasts. I could also have used boneless thighs or even chicken wings. I used what I had.
I cut them into strips and poured a bunch of hot sauce over them. Put them in the fridge to marinade overnight. The next day I just tossed the chicken strips in breadcrumbs and fried them in a little oil. Served with extra hot sauce on the side, they were a big hit.
Firecracker Chicken Fingers
2 lbs. boneless chicken, I used breasts, but thighs would be good, or wings
3/4 c. hot sauce, plus extra when serving
2 c. bread crumbs
2 c. oil, for pan frying
Cut chicken into strips and place in a bowl. Pour over the hot sauce and stir to coat evenly. Cover and chill overnight, or even for a couple of days. Place bread crumbs in a plastic bag. Place a small handful of chicken in the bag and shake to coat. Place on a plate and continue with the rest of the chicken. Heat oil in skillet to 350- 375 degrees. fry chicken in several batches- you don’t want to crowd them in the skillet- that will make the oil col down too much. Fry for a minute or two per side. Remove to platter lined with paper towels and cook the rest of the chicken. Keep chicken warm until ready to serve. serve with extra hot sauce on the side. Serves 8 or more as an appetizer, but can be served as a main dish, too.
