Monthly Archives: March 2017

Sous Vide Roast Beef

Updated on date by author

Sous Vide Roast Beef

A while back I was given an immersion circulator, sometimes 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 I have friends who have made their own, with some success.

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 rare beef, you would set the temp at around 135 degrees F (60 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 the same from one end the the other. This also gives you the opportunity to cook less expensive cuts of meats for long periods, making them tender, but still rare.

The 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.

Now, the 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 place in a smoking hot skillet. I like to use a cast iron pan for this. You brown the meat over high heat, turning it often until it looks the way you want it to look. I did a roast, but you can do steaks and chops this way, too.

So for my boneless rib roast, which weighed about 3 pounds, I placed it in the circulator for 3 hours. I seasoned the meat with salt, pepper and garlic.  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. Once the time was up I took the roast out, heated up my skillet and using two wooden spoons, I turned the meat over in the pan to brown the sides. I let it rest about 15 minutes before slicing. The meat was perfectly pink throughout. Tender and very juicy, too.

Unlike poaching, the meat is never in contact with the water, so all the flavor stays in the meat.

There are groups on Facebook that discuss and share sous vide cooking. I am no expert. I just wanted to try cooking my roast 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 will be using it again.

Circulator in a pot of water- ready to use. I kept mine in the sink.

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , |

“Pi” Day Blueberry Pie

Updated on date by author

Blueberry Pie

March 14th is sometimes referred to as Pi day. It’s a math nerd kind of thing. 3.14 being the value of pi and March 14 is 3/14.  I was explaining it to a friend last night.  My friend’s response was that ANY day was Pie Day!!   I had some  blueberries in the freezer and decided maybe today was Pie Day after all.

 

You could certainly use fresh berries for this pie, but frozen was what I had. Also, since it is a snowy day today, baking a pie seemed like a nice way to spend the morning. My friend is home from work today. I think she will be happy when I  invite her over to have some “Pi” Day blueberry pie. It is time to put on a pot of coffee, and make a call.

 

Blueberry Pie

Pastry for 2 crust pie- recipe- The crust recipe I used is at the bottom of the page

2 ½ T. cornstarch

1 c. sugar

3 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. butter

1 T. sugar, for sprinkling

Roll out half of the crust and place in 8 or 9-inch pie pan. You can roll out the top crust ahead of time, or even cut into strips for a lattice top. Cover remaining crust to keep it from drying out. In medium bowl mix cornstarch and sugar. Toss in berries and then sprinkle in the lemon juice. Allow to stand 15 minutes. If berries were frozen be sure they are not clumped together. Spoon mixture into prepared crust and dot with the butter. Top with the second crust or place strips on in a lattice design. If using a whole crust cut in decorative slits for ventilation. I used a tiny heart-shaped cutter for my pie. Moisten then crimp edges and shape decoratively or use a fork to seal. Place pie in lower half of hot oven. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake an additional 40-50 minutes or until crust is brown and juices begin to bubble through the slits. Cool a little before serving.

 

Flaky Pie Crust

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

3/4 c. butter, chilled – you can use coconut oil, lard or shortening

1 T. cider vinegar

4-5 T. cold water

Combine flour and salt and cut in butter. Toss in vinegar and water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough holds together. Use a fork to toss the ingredients together and as soon as the mixture holds together stop adding water. Makes 2. Chill well before using.

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , |

Reuben Strata

Updated on date by author

Reuben Strata

If you need a new recipe for corned beef- I would suggest making this strata. It contains all the ingredients found in a traditional Reuben sandwich, but with a twist. These “Reubens” are baked, after being soaked in an egg custard.

The dish is assembled at least a few hours before baking, so you can make it the day before, or in the morning. Just pop in the oven about an hour before you want to serve it.

Strata just means layers. Ingredients are layered before pouring over an egg/milk mixture. These layers add flavor to the final dish. In this strata, layers include rye bread, Swiss cheese, corned beef, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing. Of course, you can play around with the ingredients you use. If you don’t like sauerkraut, you can leave it out- or only put in on some of the sandwiches. Strata can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

I used very thinly sliced corned beef from the deli. You can also use home-cooked corned beef. Just dice it or shred it up. I also used homemade Thousand Island dressing, but use what you like. You can also serve extra dressing on the side.

 

Reuben Strata

12 slices rye bread

6 slices Swiss cheese

12 oz. thinned sliced corned beef- or 2 cups chopped corned beef

1 c. sauerkraut, squeezed dry

½ c. Thousand Island dressing*

3 eggs

2 c. milk

½ t. salt

½ t. hot pepper sauce, or to taste

 

Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place six slices of bread on bottom of the dish. You might have to trim the bread to fit. Top each slice of bread with a slice of cheese. Top cheese with the corned beef and sauerkraut. You can use a little more or less sauerkraut, depending on your taste.  Spoon about a tablespoon of the dressing over each “sandwich”. Top with remaining six slices of bread, trimmed to fit pan, if needed. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over sandwiches. Cover dish and let stand in the fridge, several hours or overnight. Bake, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until puffed and set. Let sit a few minutes before serving. Serves 6.

 

*Homemade Thousand Island Dressing is just equal parts of sweet pickle relish, ketchup and mayo. You can make your own pretty easily.

Strata, before baking

Right out of the oven

 

 

 

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , |

Colcannon

Updated on date by author

Colcannon

I am not sure you can find a more comforting comfort food than colcannon. This traditional Irish dish is a combination of potatoes, cabbage, onions, parsley and butter. I was inspired to make it when my friend, Jill, mentioned she was making it for St. Patrick’s Day. It certainly doesn’t have to be St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy this traditional Irish dish, though. This dish is always a crowd pleaser.

I changed it up a bit by using Brussels sprouts, in place of the cabbage. It was for a dinner with a friend of mine, and since she doesn’t eat bacon, I left it out. But a lot of people do add some bacon to colcannon.

The recipe is pretty simple. I used a combination of chicken stock and half and half to cook the potatoes, but you  could use all milk, if you prefer.

Colcannon 

4 T. butter

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 lbs. of potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 c. chicken stock

1 c. milk or half and half- I used half and half

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and quartered

1/2 c. chopped green onions

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

extra butter for adding when serving

I large sauce pan or skillet, heat the butter and cook the onion until tender. Add the potatoes and cook a few minutes. Add the stock and milk or half and half and cook, uncovered over medium low heat, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes should be pretty tender. Add the Brussels sprouts, cover, and continue cooking until the sprouts are tender. This will take 10-15 minutes. If the mixture is soupy, remove the lid. Most of the liquid should cook off. You should mash the potatoes a bit before serving, so use a potato masher or a large fork to smash them up a bit. This will also thicken the dish up a bit more.  Add the green onions and parsley and cook a few more minutes, over low heat, stirring to keep mixture from burning.  Adjust seasonings and serve with extra butter on top. Serves 4-6.

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , , , |

Blueberry Pie Filling

Updated on date by author

Blueberry Pie Filling

I don’t normally find myself making blueberry pie filling in March, but stuff happens. Sometimes really good stuff. After being gifted a large quantity of blueberries. I had to figure out what to do with them. My friend Mari, needed to free up some space in her freezer. She offered me some frozen blueberries. I didn’t ask her how many. I was delighted to find 5 (2 quart) bags of wild Maine blueberries!!! I didn’t have freezer space, either, so I knew I was going to can them. I made blueberry jam. I also decided to make pie filling.

There is something very satisfying in making your own pie filling. It is so much better than anything you would find in a can. It is a convenient ingredient to have on hand, too. A good quality pie filling can be turned into any number of desserts in no time- even pie!!

You do need to have Clear Gel to can pie filling. It is modified cornstarch. You can’t use regular cornstarch and you can’t use other thickeners. You could just can the berries, then thicken them later, but the Clear Gel makes it so much more convenient to use. I just order mine online, but it is available in some stores- primarily in Amish communities.

I opted to can my filling in pints. I find that size more convenient for me. Let the jars stay in the canner 5 or 10 minutes after they finish processing. It will reduce siphoning. Some foods, hot in the jars- will leak out of removed from the heat too quickly. Pie fillings are known for issues with siphoning.

 

Blueberry Pie Filling

6 qts. Blueberries

6 c. sugar

2 1/4 c. Clear Gel (modified cornstarch, not regular cornstarch)

7 c. water

1/2 c. lemon juice

 

Wash and drain berries. In large sauce pot combine sugar and Clear Gel. Stir in water and cook on high heat until mixtures bubbles and thickens. It is going to be really thick- don’t panic, just keep stirring so it won’t stick. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Fold in berries and ladle in hot, clean canning jars immediately. Leave 1/2 -inch headspace and remove any air bubbles with a knife. Wipe rims clean and put on lids. Place jars in boiling water bath and process for 30 minutes. Start timing when water returns to the boil. Turn off heat and let jars sit in the water bath 5-10 minutes before removing to counter to cool.  Cool jars on counter on rack or towel, free from drafts. Check seals next day.  remove rings and wipe down jars with a soft, damp cloth before storing. Makes 14 pints or 7 quarts.

Source NCHFP

 

 

 

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , |

Fresh Mango Chutney

Updated on date by author

Fresh Mango Chutney

If you never had mango chutney, it might be a little hard to describe. When you look at the list of ingredients, it might also seem like an odd combination. Fruit with garlic? Sounds funny, but it works well together- really!!

Chutney is a condiment that has its roots in India. There are plenty of variations out there-but I am partial to mango chutney. Mango chutney is sort of like a sweet pickle relish, but not exactly like a sweet pickle relish. There is the element of sweet and sour, through the combination of fruit, sugar and vinegar. The addition of ginger, garlic and hot sauce just add to the wonderful flavor of the chutney.

Chutney can be used as a side sauce- so it can be served with whatever food you are eating- sort of like cranberry sauce. You can also add chutney to a food before serving- like folding some into your favorite chicken salad. I find myself just spreading some on bread when making a sandwich. It can also be used to cool down the flavor of spicier foods.

Chutney is actually pretty easy to make. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t scorch. Once cooled, keep in a jar in the fridge. You could freeze it, if needed. I never seem to have a problem using it up before I have a chance to freeze it.

So here is my recipe.

 

Fresh Mango Chutney

 

2 large unripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and diced- about 2 cups

½ c. water

½ c. cider vinegar

1 ½ c. sugar

2 T. peeled, freshly grated ginger root

½ c. raisins

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 t. hot sauce- or to taste

Salt to taste

 

Place diced mango in saucepan and add the water and vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes, to soften the mango a little. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium/low heat until mixture thickens. This will take about 20 minutes. Stir more often as mixture thickens. Adjust seasonings. Cool, then store in fridge until ready to use. Makes about 1½ cups. Will keep in fridge a few weeks.

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , |

Homemade Lemon Curd

Updated on date by author

Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is such a versatile dish. It’s a sort of lemon pudding and can be served plain, or with a dollop of whipped cream. It is also great in trifle or served as a topper for any number of cakes and sweet treats. I especially like to make lemon curd to serve with scones. It is also really nice served with berry shortcakes. I am using this batch in a blueberry lemon trifle.

 

It is easy to make and packed with fresh lemon flavor. Lemon curd is just a few ingredients, cooked over low heat until it thickens up. You can make a batch in under 10 minutes. The longest part of the prep time is just waiting for it to cool down after cooking.

 

 

 

So here is the recipe for the lemon curd. If you never made your own- you might want to give it a try. Certainly worth the effort.

 

Lemon Curd

1/2 c. lemon juice

zest from one good sized lemon- you should have 2-3 teaspoons

1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs

6 T. unsalted butter- cut into little cubes

In medium saucepan combine all ingredients. Whisk the mixture until the eggs are well blended. Cook over medium low heat, whisking often, until the mixture thickens. This will take 5-7 minutes. Whisk more often as mixtures warms and starts to thicken. Better to heat over lower heat and take longer than over too high a heat. You don’t want the eggs to scramble. Once the mixture is thickened , transfer to a bowl or jar. Cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap to keep the surface from developing a skin- like any pudding will do. Chill until ready to use. Makes about 2 cups. Will keep in fridge a week or two.

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , |

Blueberry Lemon Trifle

Updated on date by author

Blueberry Lemon Trifle

This blueberry and lemon trifle was a perfect finish for a Spring dinner with friends. I hadn’t planned on making a trifle. I went shopping and there was a marked down angel food cake in the bakery…. I just had to have it.

Once I got home, I realized I had to do something with the cake.  I thought of trifle right away. Trifle is one of those desserts that can be whatever you want it to be. The basics of a traditional trifle are sponge cake, layered with some sort of pudding or custard and fruit. The cake is sometimes soaked in sherry or some other alcohol. Trifles are often topped with whipped cream.

I had just finished canning blueberry pie filling. That would be the fruit element of my trifle. I also had a few lemons that needed to be used soon, so the lemon curd was a good choice. Besides, lemon and blueberries pair so nicely together.

Once you have all the ingredients, the trifle is simple to assemble. Pick a nice, glass bowl, so you can see the layers in the trifle. It is best to put your trifle together a bit in advance, so the cake can soak up some of the moisture from the berries and the lemon curd. It also helps the trifle to stay together. I could actually slice the trifle to serve it.

 

Blueberry Lemon Trifle, ready to serve

 

 

 

 

So here is the recipe. I made the pie filling and lemon curd from scratch, but you can use store bought, to save time.

 

 

Blueberry Lemon Trifle

1 angel food cake, sliced thin

2 c. blueberry pie filling- homemade or store bought- recipe follows

2 c.  lemon curd- recipe follows

1 c. whipping cream

1/4 c. powdered sugar

Place a layer of cake slices in the bottom of the bowl. Spread half of the blueberry mixture on top of the cake. Place another layer of cake slices on top of the blueberry layer and press down a little to even it out. Cut cake pieces to fit as best you can. Add half of the lemon curd and top with more cake. Repeat the process one more time. Don’t worry if something isn’t perfect in the layers- that is kind of the charm of a trifle. Just be sure to get all the ingredients in the bowl. Cover and chill the trifle. When ready to serve beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form and spread over the trifle. You can do this part ahead of time, if you prefer, Just keep trifle, covered, in the fridge, until ready to serve. Serves 6-8.

Blueberry Pie Filling

3 1/2 c. blueberries

3/4 c. sugar, or to taste

1/4 c. Clear Gel*

1 c. water

1 T. lemon juice

In saucepan, bring blueberries and sugar to a boil, stirring often. Combine clear gel with water and lemon juice and add to the blueberry mixture. Return to the boil and cook until thickened and bubbly. Makes 4 cups. You might not need the whole batch for the cookies.

*Clear gel is a modified cornstarch. It is used in commercial pie fillings and in homemade pie fillings, as well. Unlike regular cornstarch, Clear Gel retains it’s thickness, even if you reheat it. You can find it online or in some specialty food stores.

Lemon Curd

1/2 c. lemon juice

zest from one good sized lemon- you should have 2-3 teaspoons

1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs

6 T. unsalted butter- cut into little cubes

In medium saucepan combine all ingredients. Whisk the mixture until the eggs are well blended. Cook over medium low heat, whisking often, until the mixture thickens. This will take 5-7 minutes. Whisk more often as mixtures warms and starts to thicken. Better to heat over lower heat and take longer than over too high a heat. You don’t want the eggs to scramble. Once the mixture is thickened , transfer to a bowl or jar. Cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap to keep the surface from developing a skin- like any pudding will do. Chill until ready to use. Makes about 2 cups. Will keep in fridge a week or two.

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , |

Homemade Mushroom Pasta

Updated on date by author

Mushroom Pasta

I love making my own pasta and am always playing around with flavors. I thought it would be fun to make mushroom pasta. I dehydrate mushrooms, and often powder them up- to use in sauces and soups. I figured I could do the same thing with pasta dough. I just added some of the mushroom powder to the dough. The result was really special. The mushroom powder added a great flavor to the pasta dough.

To serve it, after boiling it about 3 minutes, I drained it and tossed with butter and some parsley. I hadn’t planned to do anything special with the pasta- since this was just a trial run. I could see a lot of dishes and sauces I would use this pasta for. My Busha’s Polish mushroom soup comes to mind.

So here is the recipe. Keep in mind that fresh pasta cooks very quickly.

 

Mushroom  Pasta

 

3 c. flour, more if using electric pasta machine. See note.

½ c. mushroom powder- made from dried mushrooms*

1½ t. salt

4 eggs

Water, as needed

 

Mix flour, mushroom powder and salt. Stir in eggs, kneading until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be very stiff. Add a little water, as needed, to hold dough together. You may wish to mix the dough in a mixer or food processor. Cover dough and let rest  at least 15-20 minutes before rolling. Under kneading your dough will result in coarse, crumbly pasta. This batch makes about 1 pound. Serves 4-6.

 

Roll dough out on a well-floured board or with a pasta machine until desired thickness in reached. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into strips or whatever shapes are desired. You might want to let the noodles dry 1-hour or more before cooking, but this is not necessary. Pasta can be hung to dry or separated and allowed to dry flat on a table. When pasta is not hanging to dry it must be turned occasionally to dry evenly. Although you may hear otherwise, homemade pasta, even when dried, should be frozen for long term storage. Storing at room temperature can lead to spoilage. Fresh pasta can also be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Cooking fresh pasta happens quickly. For most noodles you are looking at 2-3 minutes at the most. Thicker cuts and ravioli would take a little longer. Watch it carefully. Drain after cooking, and toss with your favorite sauce.

Mushroom powder

*You might be tempted to powder up some store bought dried mushrooms. I would advise against that. Commercially dried mushrooms have not been washed before drying, so you might get dirt in your mushroom powder. I clean my mushrooms thoroughly before dehydrating.

Note: All electric pasta machines vary slightly and you should use their recipes as much as possible. Still, for most models, adding 1/4 c. flour for each cup in a hand rolled recipe works the best. Also recipes that contain seeds and vegetables may clog an electric pasta maker. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions.

Posted in Cooking | Tagged , , |