Author: Robert Andrews

Product Review: GOTHAM STEEL 9.5 inche Non-stick Titanium Skillet

GOTHAM STEEL 9.5 inche Non-stick Titanium Skillet Product Review: Actual Performance Test

I put this to the test.  Bacon first, then hashed browns, then eggs.  I recorded the performance on YouTube.  Kind of slow watching, but if you are looking for a real performance test, give it a look.  In a later use (not recorded) I did scrambled eggs with NO OIL.  While there was some sticking, it cleaned up nicely with just a damp paper towel.  For the money, this is a great pan, but I would only give about 85% credence to the claims that things NEVER stick.  To watch the video, just search YouTube for ” GOTHAM STEEL 9.5 inche Non-stick Titanium Skillet Product Review: Actual Performance Test” by GrandpaCooks – SUMMARY:  Am I sorry I bought it? No.  Am I going to buy the larger skillet so that I have both?  No.

Try it out BY CLICKING HERE.

How to Dry Age a Steak

  1. Get meat that is just as fresh as possible
  2. Meat should be hanging or placed on a wire rack for maximum air circulation
  3. Eventually you will discard the outside, so make it much thicker than you eventually want it
  4. Put in a refrigerator that is nearly constantly 33-34 degrees – Circulating air is also good
  5. It will be done after 3-4 weeks.
  6. Cut off the aged dry part, and the inside with be flavorful and delicate

 

 

 

 

 

Pork Shoulder aka Pork Butt

Pork shoulder is also called pork butt (also called a boneless chuck roast) .  It is, however, from the shoulder.  This is the best meat for a pot roast.

The reason it is called Pork BUTT is because the pieces of meat were thrown into a barrel called a butt.  This originally took place around Boston, so it used to be called Boston Butt.  As the cut gained popularity across the country, it became simply Pork Butt – Leaving Boston’s claim to fame as Boston Cream Pie and Boston Baked Beans.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2-4 LB Pork shoulder – Much (but not all) of fat trimmed – Cut into large pieces that are about 3/4 pound each
  • 2 TBL safflower oil for searing
  • Accompanying veggies
    • 4-8 cloves garlic (sliced)
    • 14-16 oz frozen pearl onions
    • 8-10 oz button mushrooms (halved)
    • 1 LB carrots (peeled and pieced
    • 1 LB baby fingerling potatoes, red potatoes or Yukon gold (pieces)
    • 1 medium piece of ginger
  • Dry Rub
  • Deglazing Liquid
    • 1 C tomato juice
    • 1/4 C red wine vinegar
    • 1/2 C white wine
  • Braising spices
    • Dried basil, oregano, chives, pepper, whole cloves, 1/2 cinnamon stick

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix Thunder Powder, salt and sugar
  2. Cut shoulder into nice fat 1-1/2 inch steaks
  3. Rub deeply into meat
  4. Wrap each cut in plastic and let rest overnight in the refrigerator
  5. Let butt come up to room temperature for 30-60 minutes when you are ready to cook.
  6. Pat the meat dry, leaving as much seasoning remaining on the meat as you are able.  Then sear the meat (all sides) in a heavily oiled pan VERY HOT cast iron pan.  Don’t overcrowd the pan.
  7. Set steaks aside and put HALF of your veggies (including the ginger, but not the potatoes) into the pot and stir to caramelize.
  8. Add in your deglazing liquid
  9. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 C white wine and 2 TBL EVOO
  10. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat
  11. Add meat back into pan
  12. Sprinkle with just a bit more Thunder Powder
  13. Cover and bake at 250º for 4-6 hours.
  14. Remove meat (briefly), turn up heat to 300º,  and remove and discard all solids in the pot. 
  15. Add meat back in with the uncooked half of your veggies, cover and cook for another two hours
  16. Uncover, flip meat and cook for 30 more minutes at 325º
  17. Remove meat and veggies and set aside.  Cover with foil.
  18. Pour into a glass and let cool for 10 minutes, then spoon off the fat that will rise to the top.
  19. Put the cleared liquid back into the pan, and return to a simmer to reduce the liquid on medium high
  20. Combine meat, veggies and broth.  Serve half tonight, and refrigerate the rest until another day.
  21. When ready, but the Dutch oven back in the oven at 400º for 45 minutes.
  22. Cut thin slices against the grain and serve a nice thick slice as a meal,
    or shred remainder for BBQ sandwiches, tacos, burritos, etc.

Optionally, at Step 13, you an cook on the stovetop for 2 hours or a crock pot for 5 hours

BRAISING LIQUID

  • Brown sugar
  • Soy sauce
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Sambal olek, Sriracha or Franks Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce
  • Big strips of orange zest (to be removed later)
  • Juice of the orange as well
  • 2-3 C chicken stock

Here is a recipe from All Recipes

Ahi Poke

SEE TUNA TIPS BY CLICKING HERE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 LB fresh sashimi grade RED tuna
  • Scallions
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Marinate ingredients (see below)

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cut ahi tuna into 1/2 inch chunks
  2. Toss gently in marinate
  3. Refrigerate 30 – 60 minutes
  4. Top with minced scallion greens
  5. Finish with chopped macadamia nuts

MARINATE

  • 1/2 Maui onion
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Soy
  • Lemon
  • White scallion
  • Sambal olek
  • Sesame oil

Tips: _MISC – MOVE AROUND

Peeling lots and lots of potatoes

  1. Score the potato around the equator
  2. Boil the potato for 3-4 minutes
  3. Plunge in ice water
  4. Skin should slide off

Keeping food Warm

  • To keep served food warm, heat your plates in a 200º oven before serving

Frying and Browning

  • For a nice brown cheese sandwich use mayonnaise rather than butter
  • Put a metal bowl over top of your cooking grilled sandwich with a drop of water to melt the cheese and keep the bread soft.
  • To reheat fries bring up to room temperature, put on wire rack, spray with oil, bake at 400º until browned

Salads

  • Dress the SIDE of your salad bowl to more evenly coat your salad leaves

Pasta

  • Don’t start your hot pasta water with hot water from the tap.  This includes MUCH more dissolved solids than cold water.
  • While on the subject, don’t start your pasta in non-boiling water.  It changes the texture and can make it gummy

Butter and Oil

  • If you run out of butter, just use canola oil in a 1 to 1 ratio.  The fats in the oil behaves exactly like melted butter.
  • Use old toilet paper rolls to scoop up the congealed grease from your pan.  These can then be used as fire starter logs.

Food Preparation

  • Spread sour cream on a tortilla.  Add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and meat.  No wet stuff.
  • To peel ginger, use a spoon and scrape the skin off
  • Old eggs float.  Fresh eggs will sink.  This is because of the gasses produced as it begins to spoil.  If an egg floats, do not eat it.
  • To truss meat, use a double loop on your first knot, and it will hold itself.
  • Cook your roast on a bed of mirpoix veggies:  carrot, onion, celery

 

Easy Pizza Sauce and Easy Pizza

Ingredients

  • 1 can San Marzano tomatoes
  • 5-10 leaves fresh basil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 packet red pepper flakes
  • 1 TBL EVOO

Puree/Blend ingredients, and you are ready to go.

Easy Pizza

  1. Buy a ball of pizza dough from your local pizzeria (about $3)
  2. Flatten it and spread it out on a cold cast iron skillet – bring it up to the edge
  3. Roll strips of mozzarella up in the edges
  4. Add sauce, more shredded mozzarella, kalamata olives red onions must be on the top in order to fully cook.
  5. Heat on stove top on high for 5 minutes
  6. Move to 500º oven and bakd 20 minutes
  7. Top with fresh basil, EVOO and ground Parmesan

Hot Crab Dip

  • 1 can crab meat, or 1/2 LB Krab
  • 1 8 oz package of cream cheese
  • 1 tsp whole milk
  • 1/2 C mayonnaise
  • 1 TBL minced onion
  • zest and juice from one lemon
  • dash of Tabasco
  • 1 TBL parsley
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 2 TBL slivered almonds
  1. Mix all but Krab and almonds together
  2. Drain and flake Krab
  3. Fold gently into the mixture
  4. Put in a small casserole dish
  5. sprinkle with slivered almonds
  6. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes
  7. Serve with crackers

 

Crab Piquante

  • 1 8 oz package of cream cheese
  • 1 large can Krab meat
  • 1/2 bottle cocktail sauce
  • zest and juice from one lemon
  1. Allow cream cheese to come up to room temperature
  2. Spread cream cheese onto a serving platter
  3. Spread Krab on top of the cheese
  4. Spread lemon over top of the crab
  5. Top with cocktail sauce
  6. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours
  7. Serve with crackers

Option, mold into ramekins and then turn ramekins out on individual plates for each guest.

Salmon Mousse

  • 1 can salmon
  • 1 8 oz package cream cheese
  • 3 TBL mayonnaise
  • zest and juice from one lemon
  • 1 small jar lump fish caviar
  • 3 TBL sour cream
  • 1 TBL gelatin
  • 4 TBL chopped parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. Make sure all bones and skin is absent from salmon
  2. Drain well
  3. Soften cream cheese and mix with mayo, sour cream, lemon and seasonings
  4. Dissolve gelatin in very little cold water
  5. Add a small amount of boiling water and stir until clear
  6. Put all of the above in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy
  7. If too stiff, add a little water or cream, but be careful not to over-blend
  8. Pack salmon mixture in small round bowl which has been oiled or sprayed
  9. Unmold on plate big enough to surround mound with pumpernickel bread or melba rounds
  10. Before serving, spread sides with sour cream and sprinkle with parsley
  11. Spoon chilled caviar on the top

 

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

  • 1  C dry lentils
  • 2 C distilled water
  • 2 C beef stock

Step by Step

  1. Heat above to boiling and simmer 5 minutes
  2. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour
  • 1 bottle lager beer
  • 1/2 C diced celery
  • 1/2 C diced carrots
  • 1/2 C diced onion
  • 3 slices bacon (minced0
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 sliced all beef hot dogs
  1. Heat to boiling
  2. Reduce heat to simmer
  3. Simmer 60-90 minutes, or until lentils and vegetables are tender
  4. Serve hot
  5. Option: Blend and strain

Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 LB sausage
  • 2 C raw potatoes (diced)
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 3 C milk
  • 1 can whole kernel corn (or 4 ears of corn)

STEP BY STEP

  1. Crumble and fry sausage in a heave skillet
  2. Remove and set aside on paper towel or newspaper
  3. Fry onions in sausage fat
  4. When onion is softened, add diced potatoes and milk
  5. Cook 20 minutes
  6. Add 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
  7. Add kernel corn
  8. Heat thoroughly
  9. Just before serving, add sausage back in

ALTERNATE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 TBL butter
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, minced
  • 1 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
  • 2 TBL all-purpose flour
  • 3 C canned vegetable stock
  • 1 C heavy cream
  • 1 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced small
  • 3 ears corn
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 TBL chopped fresh parsley leaves

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat everything well.
  4. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
  5. Add the cream and the potatoes, bring to a boil and boil hard for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes break down (this will help to thicken the soup and give it a good texture).
  6. Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the soup.
  7. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the corn is soft, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  8. Stir in the parsley and give it another little drink of olive oil.
  9. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

 

Winter Borscht

  • 2 LB beef chuck (large pieces)
  • 2 Beef marrow bones
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves chopped garlic
  • 2 medium sized beets (or 1 can)
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • Distilled water
  • 1/2 head cabbage
  • 1 large can tomatoes
  • 2 medium diced onions
  • zest and juice from one lemon
  • 1 TBL sugar (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  1. Place meat, bones, bay leaves, fresh beets, onions, garlic, chicken stock, and a 1/2 tsp salt in a deep pot.
    – If using canned beats, add them at the end – juice and all
  2. Add distilled water to cover
  3. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour
  4. Add tomatoes, shredded cabbage and cook 1/2 hour more
  5. Add lemon, sugar and salt
    – add in increments, and taste as you go for sweet/sour balance
  6. Cool on counter
  7. Remove pieces of meat and the bones
  8. Cover and refrigerate overnight
  9. Skim solidified fat
  10. Serve cold with sour cream and dill and pieces of meat added back in.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

  • 1 small onion (pieces)
  • 1 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 box frozen chopped broccoli
  • 1 C chicken broth
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 TBL butter
  • 1 can mushroom soup
  • 1 C sour cream
    or 1 C heavy cream with 1 tsp sugar
    or 1 C sweetened condensed milk
  1. Soften onion in 1 TBL olive oil
  2. Add broccoli, broth and nutmeg
  3. Cook about 5 minutes
  4. Add butter and mushroom soup
  5. Bring up to simmer
  6. Put into blender and add 1 C sour cream
  7. Serve from blender, or return to saucepan a place at a low simmer until your guests are ready to eat
  8. Garnish with diced tomato

Serve with Homemade Pita Bread fresh out of the oven

Talapia Two Ways

talapiaBAKED or FRIED

Ingredients

  • Talapia, sole or flounder
  • 1 C milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 onion (slivered)
  • 1/4 C AP flour
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 onion (grated)
  • salt, pepper
  • 2 TBL butter

Step by Step

  1. Place fish in a zip lock baggie with 1 C milk mixed with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 onion (slivered)
  2. Let soak two hours
  3. Let drain on a rack two minutes
  4. Dredge in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs

BAKED

  1. Place close together in greased pie pan
  2. Sprinkle with grated onion
  3. Top with salt and pepper
  4. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese
  5. Dot (or drizzle) with 2 TBL butter
  6. Pour 1 tsp cream over top of each fliet
  7. Bake at 450º for 12 minutes

FRIED

  1. In separate small pan braise grated onion with butter
  2. When onion is softened, add cream
  3. Place each filet in hot oil (360º) until browned
  4. Plate fish and top with onion mixture, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

 

Pita – Middle Eastern Bread

pita

  • 6 C AP white flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1 TBL salt
  • 2 TBL sugar (for flour)
  • 1 tsp sugar (for yeast)
  • 1 TBL yeast
  • 2 C very warm (not hot) water
    1. Mix 1 tsp sugar, yeast and half of your water in a small bowl.
    2. Set aside to bubble 10 minutes
    3. Mix flour, salt and 2 TBL sugar in a large bowl
    4. Stir yeast mixture into flour
    5. Add more water to flour to form a soft dough that is slightly sticky
    6. Pour dough into a floured surface
    7. Knead about 10 minutes adding more flour to the surface as necessary.
    8. Dough ball should be smooth and should bounce back when you press a finger into it.
    9. Lightly oil top of dough and let rest until doubled in size (about 60-90 minutes
    10. Punch dough a few times to get rid of built up air bubbles inside
    11. Divide into half, then half again – You should now have four pieces
    12. Divide each piece into thirds – You should now have twelve pieces
    13. Form each into a smooth ball, cover and let stand about 10 minutes
    14. Roll into 8 inch rounds about 1/8 inch thick
      – For a more authentic ekmek, flatten it with your hands and then pound it with your finger tips until flattened
    15. Place on ungreased pan at 450º for 8-10 minutes
    16. These will puff up and the center should be hollow.

Grandma’s Oatmeal

Ingredients

  • 1 C Quaker Original Oatmeal
  • 1 C Water
  • 3/4 C milk
  • 1/4 C salt

Step by Step

  1. Put into toaster oven for 5 minutes
  2. Bring water to a boil
  3. Add milk to the water all at once
  4. Add Oatmeal all at once, and it will kind of disappear
  5. Reduce heat to low
  6. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally.
  7. Add salt halfway through
  8. Continue to stir and watch for boil-over
  9. It is done when you can start to see the individual flakes of oatmeal again.

Step by Step for Overnight Oatmeal
(High in soluble fiber)

  1. Put into toaster oven for 5 minutes
    • 150 gm oats
    • 8 gm chia
    • 120 gm dried fruit
    • 2 TBl dark maple syrup
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • .25 tsp cinnamon
    • .25 tsp salt
    • 300 gm coconut milk
    • 300 gm unsweetened almond milk
    • 12 gm flax seed meal
  2. Mix and separate into 4-6 canning jars
  3. Refrigerate overnight
  4. Eat cold or warmed

 

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