Author: Robert Andrews

Creme Fraiche Custard

Ingredients

  1. Mix 1 egg and 1 C créme fraiche and put into greased pie pan
  2. Sprinkle lightly with Turbinado sugar (approx 1/2 C)
  3. If in a pie shell, wipe down the edge of the shell with egg white and sprinkle with more Turbinado
  4. Put a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven
  5. Bake at 275º for 30-40 minutes or until it starts to brown
  6. Custard should jiggle slightly, but not appear to be too liquid
  7. Turn off oven and open door halfway to let cool

Lighthouse Potatoes

From TheDay.com

Lighthouse Inn Potatoes

Once you taste these seductive spuds, you’ll have a new favorite for family gatherings, holiday potlucks and yes, even weeknight meals.

Serves 8-10

  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 6 tablespoons cut into 6 pieces
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 3 cups light cream, divided (may substitute heavy cream but not half-and-half, which tends to break)
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (for stability and silkiness)
  1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, panko, 4 tablespoons melted butter and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan, combine the potato chunks, 2½ cups light cream, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
  3. (You’ll think that this is too much salt. You’ll be tempted to use less. Don’t do it. Follow the recipe. The sauce will be salty, but in the end the potatoes will be perfection.)
  4. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. The potatoes will want to stick, so stir them frequently. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a bare simmer, still stirring often, until a paring knife slides easily into several potato chunks without the potatoes crumbling apart, 20 to 25 minutes.
  5. You don’t want the potatoes mushy. As soon as the biggest chunks yield easily to the knife, get them off the heat and stir in the remaining ½ cup of cream and the remaining 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Keep stirring until the butter has melted, about 1 minute.
  6. Pour the creamy potato mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. (You’ll want to butter the dish, but you don’t have to.)
  7. If you’re making the potatoes ahead, proceed below. If you are cooking them immediately, sprinkle the Parmesan-panko mixture evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are bubbling and the crumb topping is nicely browned, around 15-20 minutes. Let the potatoes cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

To make ahead and bake later: After the potato mixture has been transferred to the baking dish, let it cool completely, then cover the dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready, before applying the Parmesan-panko topping, bake the potatoes at 375 degrees, covered, until they’re heated through, about 35 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and apply the topping evenly. Bake again, now uncovered, for another 15-20 minutes until the top is nicely browned.

Original recipe from Ashley Moore and Cook’s Country magazine, December/January 2017.

Chateaubriand

  1. Start with a top quality filet mignon
  2. Season with Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
  3. Preheat oven to 375º F
  4. Heat a large cast iron skillet to 450º on the stove top.
  5. Add 2 TBL butter and 2 TBL oil to the pan.  The oil will help prevent the butter from burning.
  6. When the butter stops foaming, turn the heat down to medium.
  7. Sear the meat on all sides.  If the meat sticks to the pan, leave it for another few seconds until it releases on its own.
  8. Put the pan into the oven until the meat has reached an internal temperature of 125º F. Use an external probe thermometer so you don’t have to keep opening the oven.  This will take 10-12 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven.
  10. Put the meat on a warmed platter to rest for 15 minutes.
  11. While the meat is resting, prepare the sauce.
  12. Using the residual juices in the pan, place the pan over medium heat.
  13. Add the minced shallot and saute until translucent, but not browned.
  14. Add the red wine.
  15. Turn the heat up to medium high and reduce by half.
  16. Taste for seasonings.  Add salt and pepper if necessary.
  17. Stir in the minced tarragon and remove from the heat.
  18. Stir in the softened butter right before serving. This will help to further thicken the sauce and give it a lovely sheen.
  19. For a classic presentation, slice your Chateaubriand in half diagonally and serve on warmed plates with the sauce spooned over.
  20. Garnish with some fresh tarragon leaves.

Technically, Chateaubriand is a dish and not a cut of meat; however, sometimes cuts from beef tenderloin are sold as Chateaubriand steaks. These cuts and filet mignon are two very similar pieces of steak. They both originate from the same place on the cow and are very tender when cooked with the correct methods.

From TheDailyMeal.com

It’s not as common a dish as it used to be, but one of the fanciest — and most expensive — dishes you might ever encounter on a menu is a chateaubriand, usually served “for two.” The fact that it’s generally listed alongside steaks gives away the fact that it’s also a steak, but what is it, exactly, and why is it called “chateaubriand”?

Like Delmonico steak, the chateaubriand is one of those cuts of steak that isn’t named for a specific cut of meat, and its definition has also changed over the years. As legend has it, the chateaubriand was named after a French aristocrat named François-René de Chateaubriand, whose chef invented a method of cooking a large, boneless cut of beef by wrapping it in poor-quality steaks (sometimes recounted as the smaller end pieces from the filet), tying it up, grilling it until charred, and tossing the outer steaks. The perfectly-cooked inner roast was deemed the chateaubriand. (Perhaps appropriately for someone whose name has been attached to such an opulent dish, Chateaubriand was exiled during the French Revolution.”.)

Today, a chateaubriand is generally agreed-upon to be a large center cut filet mignon, roasted and served alongside potatoes and a sauce (appropriately named chateaubriand sauce) usually made with shallots, beef or veal stock, white wine, tarragon, and butter. The legendary French chef Pierre Franey, in his recipe for The New York Times, suggests wrapping a 7-inch filet in cheesecloth, standing it on its end, and pounding it down until it’s 1 1/2 inches thick, 6 inches in diameter, and round, then cooking it like a steak, but you don’t see too many people doing that any more.

While the techniques may vary, any menu that includes a chateaubriand will take pains to prepare the dish well, and the results are typically delicious. So if you see chateaubriand on a menu and you can spring for it, we suggest you order it, because you’ll receive a beautifully roasted filet mignon alongside a tasty French sauce and potatoes. Some places will even carve it tableside for you.

Shabu Shabu

Ponzu or Dashi – a Japanese dipping sauce made from soy sauce, lime juice, vinegar, and bonito fish flakes.  Sometimes chicken broth is substituted.

Traditionally pork sliced into paper-thin nearly transparent slices.  Cooked in boiling hot ponzu, then dipped in dashi

Paired with thin vegetables or rocket lettuce also dipped into the hot ponzu

Just a thought:  I wounder if marinated meat could be cooked on hot rocks – perhaps on a hot plate.

Improving Sausage

Start with traditional sausage patties or sausage with casings removed

  1. Mix with salt, pepper, parsley, chives, garlic, mushrooms, bread crumbs and egg yolk
  2. Fry in EVOO on high – covered 2-4 minutes
  3. Flip and lower heat
  4. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes
  5. Serve on cornmeal mush made by deglazing the pan

 

Shrimp – Tips and Tricks

Here are some things that you want to know before buying shrimp.

Quick Guide to Cooking Shrimp

  • Leave Shell On.
  • BROIL:  Move rack to the second from the top.  Toss in EVOO and Old Bay Seasoning, Broil with shell on for two minutes first side, and one minute second side.  Put in freezer for five minutes
  • SKILLET:  Preheat skillet to medium high, then cook exactly like broil
  • BOIL: 

Shrimp off South Eastern US Coast

  • Brown – June to August – Texas
  • Pink – Florida
  • White – August to December (more abundant)

In Europe large shrimp are called Prawns.  In the US a prawn is a fresh water shrimp.

Shrimp Size Guide

  • Extra Colossal: 5 to 8 per pound (Remove vein)
  • Colossal: 8 to 14 per pound (Remove vein)
  • Extra Jumbo: 14 to 18 per pound – Grill (Remove vein)
  • Jumbo: 18 to 24 per pound – Grill (Remove vein)
  • Extra Large: 24 to 30 per pound – Cocktails (Remove vein)
  • Large: 30 to 36 per pound – Cocktails (Remove vein)
    (devein this, and anything larger than this – scissors are good for this)
  • Medium Large: 36 to 42 per pound – Spring rolls
  • Medium: 42 to 50 per pound
  • Small: 50 to 60 per pound – Bisque
  • Extra Small: 60 to 80 per pound – Bisque

Another way to size shrimp is Tails per Pound

  • 60-70 – EXTRA SMALL SHRIMP
  • 26-30
  • 21-25
  • 16-20
  • U-12 – VERY LARGE SHRIMP

I personally don’t like this scale, because what happens if you have 50 or 18 tails per pound?  You will see this in some places though.

  • If fresh is not available to you, buy “Shell-on Frozen Shrimp” 
  • Thaw frozen shrimp in 1 C hot water, 1/4 C sugar, 1/4 C salt.  Put shrimp in, stir once, then dump in 2 C ice cubes.  Rinse and drain on a towel.
  • Most “fresh” shrimp in the grocery stores is thawed-out frozen shrimp.
  • Thawed shrimp has a shelf-life of only a couple of days versus frozen shrimp which retains their quality for several weeks.
  • Avoid frozen shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined which can cause a loss of flavor and texture.  Also, do not buy precooked shrimp.
  • Cook shrimp in the shell for more flavor
  • Defrost shrimp in a brine (1/4 C each salt + sugar) with ice cubes in the water. 20-30 minutes.  Shrimp cooks very quickly so defrosting in the sink or microwave is a big no-no.
  • Broiling shrimp (or putting in an oven at 450º) develops the flavor better than boiling water.  A grill or hot plate also does well.  Dry the shell-in shrimp, toss in a bit of EVOO and paprika before broiling.  Cook two minutes, flip and cook 1 more minute.  Toss in a metal bowl that has been in the freezer.

Things to Look for When Buying

  • No black spots
  • No fishy smell
  • No ammonia or chlorine smell
  • Firm bodies
  • Not soft or sticky
  • No detached body from shell

Supposedly shrimp with the heads and tail still on is the best way to eat
shrimp.

It needs to be cooked at a very high heat and then tossed in something
spicy afterward just before serving.

Pan de Yema (Yolk Bread)

The information below this section is from a third party. It is part of Grandpa's Personal Recipe box. Feel free to browse, but know that this information is from someone else.

Pan de yema is a rich, sugar-coated egg bread that is delicious enough to pull apart and eat like pastry. Traditionally prepared for Day of the Dead celebrations.

Ingredients for Two Loaves

  • 1 1/2 TBL aniseed
  • 3/4 C water
  • 2 packages dry yeast (2 TBL)
  • 2/3 C sugar
  • 7 eggs (5 yolks and 2 eggs)
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 stick butter
  • 4 1/2 C flour, plus flour for dusting work surface
  • Vegetable oil for coating bowl
  • 1/3 C sugar for sprinkling

Step by Step

  1. In a large bowl, soak the aniseed in 1/4 C hot water for 10 minutes.
  2. When the hot water has become only warm to the touch, add yeast and half of the 2/3 cup sugar.
  3. Let sit until foamy – about 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, separate 3 eggs.  Set aside the whites.
  5. Add 3 whole eggs to the separated yolks and beat.
  6. Melt the stick of butter in the microwave for 30 seconds.
  7. Add the beaten eggs, salt, the remaining sugar, aniseed with water, nutmeg, and melted butter.
  8. Stir to combine.
  9. In a Kitchen Aid (or by hand) mix in flour.
  10. Transfer to a lightly floured board or counter.
  11. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky.
  12. Place the dough in a large oil-coated bowl.
  13. Cover with a lightly moistened tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 90 minutes.
  14. Punch the dough down
  15. Turn out onto a floured counter.
  16. Roll into three or four strands and braid
  17. Cut braids off at 2-3 inches creating mini loaves
  18. Place loaves on a greased baking sheet.
  19. Cover the assembled dough with a damp towel and set aside to rise until the loaves hold a fingerprint when pressed, about 50 minutes.
  20. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  21. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon water.
  22. Brush the risen loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup sugar.
  23. Bake at 350º until golden, 20-25 minutes.
  24. Cool on a rack.
  25. Serve with Mexican chocolate

 

Juevos Martajada (eggs with salsa)

We will start with Salsa Martajada, and then extend this into a great egg recipe.

  1. Cook 6 Roma tomatoes and 1/2 onion pieces and garlic cloves coated in oil under the broiler.  About 10 minutes or until blackened
  2. Either put 2 banana peppers and 2 poblano peppers under the broiler as well, or peel them using a flame (which I prefer) Instructions here.
  3. Once all above ingredients have been processed, pulse them in a food processor only until in chunky but small pieces, NOT pureed.
  4. Add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp chile powder or cayenne
  5. This is good just like this for chips, etc.

Juevos Martajada

  1. Lightly (soft) scramble two eggs
  2. Add 1-2 TBL salsa martajada
  3. Serve with a flour tortilla

Cilantro Salad with Avocado

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cilantro leaves (1 large bunch)
  • 1 large avocado, diced
  • 4-6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • ½ medium red onion, sliced very thin
  • 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup canned whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 small can baby peas
  • Juice and zest of two large limes
  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • salt and black pepper (or red pepper flakes), to taste
  • 1 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco cheese

Step by Step

  1. Rinse cilantro in a large bowl of standing water a few times to clean thoroughly
  2. Place on towel to dry.  Stems are edible, and full of flavor, but cut them into small pieces
  3. Slice your red onion as thinly as you possibly can and place the slices in a small bowl of ice water while you prepare other ingredients.
  4. Rinse and dry your large mixing bowl.  Add juice and zest of two limes, salt, pepper and EVOO and whisk together.
  5. Add diced avocado and toss in the lime juice.
  6. Add chopped tomatoes, black beans and corn.
  7. Toss gently to combine well.
  8. Add cilatro and drained red onions (both patted dry) and toss again.
  9. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese
  10. Serve as a side dish or a main salad.  Serve red pepper or Thunder Powder on the side.
  11. Store in the refrigerator.

Créme Fraiche

You can make your own créme fraiche on the kitchen counter overnight. 

• Pour 1 C heavy cream into a large canning jar
• Mix in 2 TBL buttermilk or 1/4 C active yogurt.
• Stir and cover with cheesecloth (NOT the lid)
• Let rest a total of 24 hours at room temperature. 
• Let chill in the fridge for another 24 hours before using.
• This will keep for up to two weeks

  • Use the best, freshest cream you can find. Look for pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream.
  • Make sure to use cultured buttermilk, otherwise you will wait a full day and nothing will happen.

Great on a Brioche Tart.  Roll brioche flat before the final rise, mark a circle with a plate, roll up the sides using two finger folds, then let rise.  Tap down the center and spread with this créme fraiche and bake, then serve with a sabayone, and top with fresh fruit and sprinkle of Turbinado Sugar.

You can create a creme fraiche custard for many desserts.

Tempura Veggie

Batter:

  • 1 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 C lowfat buttermilk

1/2 inch safflower oil in fry pan at 365º

  1. Decide on veggie:  () thin asparagus spears () mushroom slices () zucchini slices () Brussel sprout leaves () broccoli

Dip in flour, then batter, then hot oil

Tip: Weight Loss

  1. Get more sleep
  2. Drink more water
  3. Eat slowly
  4. Put your fork/spoon down between bites
  5. Put food on a smaller plate
  6. Distribute smaller portions
  7. Exercise easy/repeatable 30 minutes per day
  8. Park away from the doors – walk more
  9. Drink a glass of milk before your meal
  10. Eat more fiber
  11. Eat more fruits and veggies
  12. Use hot sauce

Fruit Jerky

– aka – Fruit Leather

  • 1 pint (2 C) of any fresh fruit – peaches, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, etc.
  • Zest and juice from one lemon
  • 1/2 C honey or pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp dried mint

STEP BY STEP

  1. Puree all in a blender
  2. Spread out on oil-sprayed parchment paper
  3. Bake 5-6 hours @ 175º
  4. Cut apart into strips while still warm

 

 

Meringue Cups

The base for this dessert is from Martha Stewart.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 egg whites
  • 2 T agave syrup or pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg yolk (topping)
  • 1/2 C heavy cream (topping)
  • 1 C creme fresh (topping)
  • zest from one lemon (topping)

STEP BY STEP

  1. Beat egg whites
  2. Halfway through, add your sugar, tartar, cornstarch and vanilla
  3. When you have stiff peaks, put the mixture into a pastry bag with a 3/4 inch tip
  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper with an outline of your serving tray (put paper upside down if it has pencil marks on it)
  5. Create two-inch decorative mounds around the edges leaving some space in the center for macerated fruit when this is all finished.
  6. Hollow out “dishes” in the center of each mound
  7. Bake at 250º for 60 minutes
  8. Leave oven door closed, turn off oven, and wait another 60 minutes
  9. Toss strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, peaches, etc – – – whatever – – – – with 1/4 C granulated sugar
  10. Meanwhile, beat 1/2 C heavy whipping cream to soft peaks, and fold in 1 1/2 C creme fresh and zest and juice from one large lemon
  11. Spoon the cream into the hollow dishes
  12. Place multi-colors of fruit onto the cream topping
  13. Serve all the extra fruit in the vacancy in the middle of the batch.

Albondigas with Chepil Rice

Albondigas

INGREDIENTS

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix above by hand, but don’t overmix
  2. Sear on hot skillet and set aside
  3. Prepare Guajillo Sauce (See below)
  4. Put meatballs into Guajillo sauce and simmer 35 minutes uncovered
  5. Add splashes of water or chicken stock if it gets too thick
  6. Serve over chepil rice

Guajillo Sauce

  • 2 dried and toasted Guajillo chiles – seeds removed
    should be dried, but still pliable.  If brittle, discard.
  • 3 tomatillos – peeled and rinsed
  • 2 cloves garlic – minced
  • Put above into a pot with just enough water or chicken broth to cover them
  • Bring to a boil and simmer 10-12 minutes
  • Remove from water and crush with a fork or potato masher and put into a blender.  SET THE WATER ASIDE
  • Puree the pieces – no need to strain – Add water by the tablespoon ONLY IF you need more liquid to puree.
  • Saute 1/2 onion in 1 T EVOO
  • Deglaze pan with 1/4 C of the cooking water
  • Put the blended sauce back onto heat with the minced and sauteed onion
  • Discard the remainder of the water
  • Add 1 C chicken broth and bring to a simmer
  • Add the meatballs and simmer 35 minutes uncovered – which is Step 4 above
  1. Add splashes of water or chicken stock if it gets too thick
  2. Serve over chepil rice

Chepil Rice

  • 1 cup long-grain rice
  • 3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups chicken or pork stock
  • 3 tablespoons chepil leaves stripped from stems
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Prepare as you would normally prepare rice.  Add chepil halfway through when the water starts to be absorbed.

Tarts – COLLECTION INDEX

Lemon Curd and Tart Collection

More tart recipes and stand-alone lemon curd

Sweet Tarts

  • Pear and Pumpkin Tart
    The information below this section is from a third party. It is part of Grandpa's Personal Recipe box. Feel free to browse, but know that this information is from someone else.

    • A third-party recipe baked on Puff Pastry
  • Tortilla Pear Tart
    • A sweet tart baked on a flour tortilla
  • Cran-Apple Tart
    • A third-party recipe using easy ingredients on Puff Pastry
  • Rustic Freeform Tart
    • A tart with Panko bread crumbs and whatever fruit you have on hand
  • Breakfast Tart
    • Food processor dough that uses fruit
  • Apple Tart
    • Granny Smith apples on Puff Pastry
  • Peach Tart
    • Peaches on a simple pie dough

Savory Tarts

  • Onion Tart
    • Lightly cooked onions on a pizza dough base

Mushroom Bolognaise

  1. Put 3 TBL EVOO into a deep heavy pot
  2. Add 1-2 C minced Cremini or portabello mushrooms
  3. Add 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 10 minutes
  4. Meanwhile, mince 1/2 Vidalia onion
  5. Add and cook 5 minutes more
  6. Meanwhile, mince 4 cloves garlic
  7. Add 2 TBL tomato paste and garlic
  8. Add 1 tsp oregano and red pepper flakes to taste
  9. Cook for 8 minutes more
  10. Add 1 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  11. Add 1 C chicken broth
  12. Pulse or chop 1 C black beans and add to the pot
  13. Cook 15 more minutes
  14. Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente
  15. Add drained pasta to the meat sauce and add 1 TBL fresh basil chiffonade
  16. Toss gently and plate – topping with a bit of extra sauce
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