Author: Robert Andrews

Chicken Tiki Marsala

Chicken Tiki Marsala

You can use pork for this also.
For vegetarian, use a portobello mushroom

In one pot, sauté above in EVOO or ghee (clarified butter)

HINT: when you cut chicken, put waxed paper down on your cutting board. This will keep it from becoming contaminated

Add to pan: six cloves minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon curry, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, one half teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon sugar

Add in one cup diced onion

Once onion has cooked down, put in one can crushed or diced tomato, and 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Serve with naan

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Naan

  • 1/2 C natural yogurt
  • 1/2 C whole milk
  • 5 oz warm water
  • 2 tsp yeast
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 TBL EVOO
  • A little vegetable oil, to grease
  • 1 C bread flour, Add more as necessary to create a soft/loose dough
  • 2 TBL ghee (melted clarified butter) plus extra to brush
  • 1 tsp nigella (black onion), sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
  1. Put the yeast, sugar and two tablespoons of warm water in a bowl and stir well. Leave until it begins to froth – about 5 minutes
  2. Put the flour into a large mixing bowl
  3. Stir the yogurt into the yeast mixture, then make a well in the middle of the flour and pour it in, plus the melted ghee. Mix well.
  4. Gradually stir in the water to make a soft, sticky mixture that is just firm enough to call a dough, but not at all dry.
  5. Tip out on a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and a little less sticky.  You should have a damp and very springy dough that offers no resistance to kneading.
  6. Put into a large, lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat.
  7. Cover with a baking tray and leave in an oven drawer (oven set to 250º)  until doubled in size: roughly 90-120 minutes.
  8. You can refrigerate the dough at this point until you’re ready to use it.
  9. Tip the dough back out on to the lightly floured surface and knock the air out, then divide into eight balls; or roll the dough into a log, and then cut into 8 equal pieces, and roll each one into a tight ball.
  10. Meanwhile, heat a cast iron pan over a very high heat (about 450º).
  11. Prepare the melted ghee and any seeds to garnish.
  12. Flatten one of the balls with your fingers into a flat circle, slightly thicker around the edge, but not too thick, then put it in the hot pan.
  13. When it starts to bubble, turn it over and cook until the other side is browned in patches.
  14. Turn it back over and cook until there are no doughy bits remaining.
  15. This should cook quickly, and should be slightly crispy in places, but still soft inside – but not doughy.
  16. Brush with melted ghee (sprinkle with seeds, if applicable)
  17. Put finished naan in the oven to keep warm while you make the other breads.
  18. Topping:  Yogurt, cucumber, tomato, cilantro, red onion, corriander

NOTE:  Step 12 is very important.  Too thin, and it will be like a cracker.  Too thick, and it will be doughy.

Naan is similar to Turkish Flatbread called Bazlama, a type of Pide, although Gazlama is cooked in a very hot oven (450º) for 5-7 minutes, rather than a hot pan.  In this manner, a dozen can be cooked at the same time.  It is much more efficient for a restaurant type setting.  Let the oven come back up to temperature each time it has been opened.  Lahmacun is another type of Turkish flatbread.

Lavash is another type of flatbread.

Note: Eating with utinsels is like making love through an interpreter.

Smoked Pork Cheeks

Based on a recipe by Chef Jeff Smedstad of Elote Cafe in Sedona. A few modifications have been made by Grandpa.

INGREDIENTS

STEP BY STEP

  1. The day before cooking, season the pork on all sides with Thunder Powder and refrigerate for 12-24 hours
  2. Transfer to a roasting pan and pour the premixed Coke, sesame oil, liquid smoke and orange juice over the pork.
  3. Cover roasting pan with the lid or foil.
  4. Roast for 3 hours at 300º until pork is fork tender.
  5. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
  6. When you are ready to eat, brush the pork cheeks with the pan juices and slide under the broiler in you oven until crisp and browned.

Foil and Pressure Pot Roast

Commonalities

  • For both recipes, buy a high-quality four-pound piece of chuck eye roast.
  • Separate along the sinew (if necessary) and tie into a log-shaped bundle with butcher string
  • Use Grandpa’s Dry Rub or other and season liberally – pressing rub into the meat
  • In oven at 300° this roast will cook about six hours.
  • Pressure cooking will take a total of about 90 minutes.
  • Pressure cooker can reduce that time substantially
  • Another way to reduce cooking time is to split roast along the large center connective tissue
  • Remove hard fat. The softer fat will melt, the hard fat will not

Foil Pot Roast

Easy, but long cooking time.  See below for Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

  1. Buy, trim, tie and season pot roast
  2. Create a foil bed in a turkey roasting pan.
  3. Keep pieces on the side for putting over the top
  4. To help flavor the jus, put a layer of vegetables below the meat
  5. Two onions quartered, six small new potatoes, four carrots cut into big pieces, several bay leaves, 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  6. Place meat on top of vegetables
  7. Wrap with foil. No need to leave breathing hole
  8. Put in oven at 300° for 5 1/2 hours
  9. Carefully open foil and fold back.  Let breathe 5 minutes.
  10.  Cover with foil.  Set aside meat to rest for 20 minutes.
  11. Remove vegetables to large serving dish
  12. Reserve juice. Pour through strainer into fat separator
  13. Simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes
  14. Let cool 20 minutes – strain off grease, fat and oil.
  15. Pour broth into gravy boat
  16. Cut meat across grain and plate, pouring jus over meat
  17. Option, use some of jus for gravy base

Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

  1. Buy, trim, tie and season pot roast
  2. Remove lid of pressure cooker and set aside
  3. Heat 3 TBL butter in the bottom of pressure cooker
  4. As soon as melted, add 1 sliced onion
  5. When onion starts to brown, add 4 cloves of garlic
  6. When fragrant add 2 chopped carrots, 2 stalks chopped celery and 1/4 tsp baking soda
  7. Deglaze with 1 C beef broth and 1 C chicken stock
  8. Add 2 Bay leaves and 2 TBL soy sauce or fish sauce
  9. Place meat on top of veggies
  10. Lock lid in place and put to high heat
  11. As soon as pressure starts to register, reduce heat to medium high
  12. At Level 1 (medium pressure) reduce heat to medium
  13. At Level 2 (high pressure) reduce heat to medium low and start timing 60 minutes
  14. Reduce or raise heat to keep pressure varying between medium to high pressure
    Do not let it raise too high that you get an excess of steam coming from the pan
    Do not let it reduce too low that it falls below Level 1 pressure
  15. At the end of 60 minutes, remove it from the burner and set on a trivet
  16. Let pressure reduce naturally until pressure drops below Level 1 or 10 minutes
    whichever comes first
  17. During this time, put foil on top of a cutting board.  You will be wrapping the meat after it has been removed
  18. Finish with a quick release and set the meat on the foil
  19. Tent (or otherwise cover) the meat with foil for 20 minutes
  20. While the meat rests, strain the juice from the pressure cooker – reserving the liquid
  21. Put the veggies into your blender and return the juice to the pressure cooker and simmer on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes
  22. Blend the cooled ingredients and press the pulp through a sieve or food mill into a container
  23. Put the blended pulp into the pressure cooker with the reduced juices
  24. Finish with 1 tsp of thyme, 1/4 C of red wine and 4 TBL cold butter
  25. Continue to heat until the butter has melted, then whisk everything together and set aside
  26. Untie, and cut or shred the meat and put onto a plate
  27. Top with the juice

Baltimore Pit Beef

Baltimore Pit Beef
Per America’s Test Kitchen . Cooks Country

Use Top Sirloin Roast . About $6 per pound
Remove most of thick layer of fat
Cut in half to speed up cooking time

Cut should be on the rarer side

Seasoning . Dry rub
4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
Rub 2 tablespoons onto beef
Wrap in plastic and Refrigerate 6 to 24 hours

Cook for one hour at 300°
. Internal temperature about 100°
Remove meat from oven
Place cast iron skillet in oven
Increase oven temperature to 450°
Pat meat dry and apply remainder of dry rub
Put meat in skillet for 20 minutes
Internal temperature should be about 120° – 125°
If necessary, flip meat and cook another 20 minutes
Remove from heat and tent with foil 10 minutes
Slice thin against grain

Tiger Sauce
1/2 C (drained) horseradish sauce
1/2 C mayonnaise
1 clove garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Top with slivered onion and serve on bun

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Cucumber Harvest Breakfast

Cucumber Harvest Breakfast

Mix the following in a large bowl
1 tablespoon sugar
Large pinch salt
1-2 cups yogurt . Depending on taste
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Six mint leaves cut in Julian strips
or lime zest with juice
One large tomato, deseeded and cut in Julian strips

Optional anchovies, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, top with slivered onions and feta cheese, top with avocado slices

Mix in One large cucumber peeled, deseeded, and cut into three-quarter inch pieces. Let meld in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Croquettes – COLLECTION INDEX

Potato Croquettes

  1. Peel and boil potatoes
  2. Put thru food mill
  3. Add 3 eggs into bowl
  4. Whip eggs
  5. Season potatoes, oil, salt, pepper, butter
  6. Fill piece of shaved ham .
    • Maybe cheese
  7. Roll in flour, egg and panko bread crumbs
  8. Fry until golden brown
  9. Plate with tomato sauce

Tuna Croquettes

NOTE:  Canned Light Tuna or Skipjack Tuna generally contains less traces of mercury than Albacore or White Tuna, which is larger and has lived in the ocean longer.  Avoid Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna have the most chances for mercury contamination.

Ventresca Tuna comes from Spain.  It is a bit more pricey, but some feel that it is worth the price.

Pouches generally have a better texture than canned, because they do not have to be cooked as long as the cans require.

  1. Drain and shred one can or one 7 oz package of tuna
  2. Mix with
    • 2 eggs – beaten
    • 1/4 C panko crumbs
    • 1 tsp lemon
    • 2 tsp Dijon
    • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
    • 2 green onions – chopped
    • black pepper
  3. Use spatula to cut together – do not mash together
  4. Using a 1 oz ice cream scoop
    • Put on parchment in a ball
    • Let rest 15 minutes for breadcrumbs to absorb water
  5. Roll in 1/2 C panko breadcrumbs
  6. Press slightly into more breadcrumbs only to form
  7. In saute pan put on medium heat
  8. Put 1-2 TBL EVOO in the pan
  9. Using thin spatula, place in the hot pan
  10. Cook 3 minutes – if it browns too quickly, turn down the heat
  11. Flip, and cook 3 more minutes
  12. Put onto paper towel to cool
  13. Serve with tartar sauce

Nancy McAfferty’s Salsa Pie

Salsa PieThis was very very simple. She didn’t actually give me the recipe, but I got the photograph and recreated it based on that. I made a minor modification, in that I cut the block of cream cheese in half.

Get block of cream cheese and refrigerate.
Cut it lengthwise so that you have two very flat bricks.
Top with your favorite salsa.
Serve with Taco chips, doritos, Fritos, etc.

Nancy McCafferty’s Berry Trifle

… followed by Chef’s notes and Lady Finger Recipe

See more about Trifles by CLICKING HERE.

TrifleThis was a delicious dessert that was served at a small gathering in June. With weather in Phoenix topping a hundred degrees, this went over really well. Plus, she said it only took about half an hour to prepare.

Served ten people with some left over.

1 box prepared Vanilla pudding – instant or stovetop
2 cups milk
8 ounces cream cheese – softened
6 ounces Greek vanilla yogurt
10 ounce frozen loaf pound cake – thaw and cube into half inch cubes
6 cups strawberries – cut in half – remove stem
2 cups blueberries
1 cup raspberries

  1. Prepare pudding – set aside
  2. Mix cream cheese and yogurt on medium speed until smooth
  3. Fold in pudding
  4. Gently mix fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
  5. In a large glass bowl (3-4 quarts) create three layers. Layer 1/3 of the following:
    •   cake, pudding, fruit
    •   repeat
    •   repeat
  6. Cover and chill up to 24 hours.  Best if chilled at least 4 hours.

If you are interested, you can make your own lady fingers rather than using pound cake

Tips: Pig Parts – Dissection

CLICK HERE for cuts from other animals

pork-chart

From America’s Test Kitchen and Sugar Mountain Farm.

Ever wonder where Ham Hocks come from? What’s the difference between the ribs and the spare ribs? What’s the difference between the loin and the center loin?

Here is a picture and an explanation of the Pig Parts and how to use them.

  • The buttocks are salted and pressed in order to eventually produce ham.
  • The ribcage meat is salted and smoked in order to get bacon.[6] Salt is rubbed thoroughly into each piece of meat and all surfaces are covered. Some formulas also include lots of black pepper. The bulk of the meat is cut and ground to produce various sausages, which are traditionally wrapped into the intestines of various sizes.[6]

Schematic representation of the main pork cuts.

The bulk of the fat is cut into small pieces. Some of it is fried to produce cracklings. Lard is made by rendering – heating fragments of fat in a large iron pot over a fire until it is reduced to simmering grease which congeals when cooled.[6] Lard is then stored in lard tins with tin covers. The typical tins in the US are five gallons.

The intestines are stripped by drawing them through a clenched fist. They are then washed, cut into short pieces, and fried to make chitlins.

The various “leftovers” are put into various forms of headcheese jelly, etc. Most parts of the pig are used in this traditional process, even parts of the skin that would normally be thrown away are preserved to be cooked with beans.

The smoke house is essential for the preservation and long term storage of hams, shoulders, bacon sides, and pork bellies. The meat is hung on racks and hooks in the smokehouse; and later smoked. Fragrant hardwood, such as hickory, beech, or cherry is allowed to smolder slowly in a pit below the hanging meat. This gives added flavor and color to the meat as well as serving to dry cure the pork.

Here is another bit of information:

Pork Cuts – Where do they come from?

Where does the meat come from?
Ham – front and back legs up to the haunches
Butt – from the shoulder
Pork loin – the top of the back near the rear of the pig
Loin ribs – Same as baby back, but closer to the rear
Baby back ribs – ribs nearest the spine
Spare ribs – ribs just outside the baby back ribs
St Louis ribs – the tips… past the spare ribs

Instructions

Spare ribs are a bit tougher so take longer to cook, but contain more meat.
Baby backs are faster cooking, more tender and take flavors well
Vaccuum packed ribs will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks

Info from Alton Brown

Make your own curry powder

Make your own curry powder

Ingredients
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, toasted
1/4 cup ground turmeric
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cayenne

This mixture keeps for up to six months

When ready, use one or 2 tablespoons and grind in the spice grinder

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is thin medallions of pork loin (pallard) dipped in flour, oil, and Panko – then deep fried.  After they drain, double fry for extra crispy.

INGREDIENTS

  • Pork Loin, cut into one inch medallions, then pounded to about 3/8 inch thick.
  • Flour
  • Egg
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Peanut oil or sunflower oil – 365º – 400º
  • Onion, carrot, potatoes, cabbage, butter
  • Lemon

STEP BY STEP

  1. Pallard pork medallions into 3/8 inch steaks
  2. Sear (but do not cook) steaks in hot skillet, then set aside
  3. Add salt and pepper to top of steak
  4. Sautee onion and vegetables in the fond left behind in the skillet.  Add butter, and saute onion, bite sized carrot pieces, and fingerling potatoes
  5. And juice of one half lemon
  6. Slice cabbage really really thinly, and put in with the onion
  7. When it wilts down a bit, set aside
  8. Put slits every half inch along the edge of steak
  9. Use paper towels to press all moisture from Pork
  10. Dip pork slices in egg, then flour, then egg, then a mixture of salt, pepper, Panko breadcrumbs, and perhaps red pepper flakes.
  11. Press breadcrumbs aggressively into pork
  12. Slide pork into hot oil
  13. Use skimmer to clean up debris that floats to top
  14. Cook until nicely golden brown
  15. Drain the food on paper towel.
  16. Cut pork into strips
  17. Plate over rice with pickled ginger on the side
  18. And a slice of lemon or lime plus the sauteed veggies

Lebanese eggplant moussaka

Lebanese eggplant moussaka

Large Eggplant . Halved and sectioned
Drizzle with oil, salt, pepper
Bake 10 minutes at 400°

Evoo in pan . Heat
Sauté one onion . slices
6 cloves garlic

Peel 4 tomatoes
Cut tomatoes
Add tomato sections, juice and all
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
Salt, pepper, mint, cumin

Cook 20 minutes at a simmer

Opt . Big halves crimini mushrooms

Serve with rice or pita

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Two-Ingredient Recipes

Sunny Anderson

Chorizo and Cheese Fundido
Put in cast iron pan and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Serve with warm tortillas

Beer and Cheese Sauce
Heat in sauce pan
Serve with pretzels

Lemon Mousse
Cool whip and lemon curd
Mix together and put in cups

Banana Chocolate Soft-serve Ice Cream
Frozen Sliced Bananas
Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Mix in food processor
(Cheat: Splash of milk)

Pumpkin Blondie Brownies
Blondie Brownie Mix
Mix with can of pumpkin puree
Spread into pan with greased aluminum foil lining bottom
Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees

Ranch Biscuits
Bisquick and Ranch Dressing
Mix, form and bake
Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees

Pizza Dough
Self rising flour – SIFT
Greek Yogurt

Parmesan Crisps
Parm Cheese and thyme
Drop onto parchment sheet
Bake until crisp

Flourless Chocolate Cake
4 eggs folded into chocolate hazelnut spread
(soften in microwave if necessary)
Mix together
Put in small ramekins
Bake at 325 degrees 30 minutes

Maple Souffle
3 Egg whites (beaten to soft peaks)
Add maple syrup to 3 egg yolks
Fold together gently – DO NOT OVER-MIX
Bake 350 degrees 10 minutes

Smoked Chicken Enchiladas

SELECT YOUR FAVORITE ENCHILADA SAUCE then proceed with recipe.

  1. Shred cooked chicken
  2. Put half into skillet to char
  3. Soft fry corn tortillas in hot oil
  4. Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce . Both sides
  5. Put chicken into tortilla
  6. 1/4 C Shredded cheese
    • Mozzarella, Queso Fresca, Monterey Jack or Cotija cheese
  7. Put in a bit more chicken
  8. Roll up and line up in casserole
  9. Top with more enchilada sauce and cheese
  10. Top with some bell peppers – skin charred and removed
  11. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes
  12. Let rest 30 minutes
  13. Serve individual enchiladas

Serve with

  • Pickled Onions – Slivered red onion and cider vinegar
  • Salt
  • Oregano

Cauliflower or Broccoli Rice

Use this for stuffing dolmathes, peppers, etc. – – or just as a side
High fiber, low calorie

Recipe 1

  1. Pulse cauliflower in food processor – stem and all – enough to make 2 C
  2. Saute in 2 TBL butter
  3. Serve as a side rather than rice

Recipe 2

  1. Cut cauliflower into pieces and toss with EVOO, salt and pepper
  2. Bake at 425º for 25 minutes.
  3. Pulse in food processor for rice, or mash with butter for mashed potatoes.

Recipe 3

Ingredients

  • 1 C charred corn
  • 1/2 C blanched green beans (1/4 inch pieces)
  • 1/4 C red bell pepper (1/4 inch pieces)
  • Small head of cauliflower (rough chopped)
  • OPT: 1/4 C Toasted Pine Nuts
  • 1/2 C Rustic bread crumbs (toasted in 2 TBL butter)
  • 1/4 C slivered and caramelized red onions
  • 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Chopped parsley
  • Dijon mustard
  • Rice wine vinegar

Step by Step

  1. Mix bread crumbs, pine nuts, Parm cheese and most of the parsley and set aside
  2. Pulse cauliflower pieces into < 1/4 inch pieces
  3. Add corn, green beans, red bell
  4. Toss with 1 TBL Dijjon mustard and 1 TBL rice vinegar
  5. Put on plate
  6. Top with bread crumb mixture
  7. Garnish with parsley or cilantro

Recipe 4

  1. Pulse peeled broccoli stem in a food processor
  2. But butter and garlic into a pan
  3. When butter is melted, add the broccoli and the zest and juice from one lemon
  4. Top with Parmesan cheese

Recipe 5

Clams / Mussels

Several dozen clams
White wine
Butter
Shredded Romano

Heat butter in hot skillet
– Add a bit of olive oil to keep butter from burning
Chopped or shaved garlic
Deglaze with white wine
Add clams into skillet

Clams should be closed
If they are opened, force it closed
If it stays closed, it is still alive
If it does not, discard it.

Cook only about 5 minutes
Sprinkle with Romano, salt and pepper

Serve hot with garlic bread

Hand Pie – Pocket Pie

Use your pie crimper for this recipe. Or you can just make little round pies and crimp them with a fork.

Slice up about two cups of peaches, apples, cherries, strawberries, blueberries… whatever

Grate in some fresh nutmeg
Put in three teaspoons granulated sugar mixed with one tsp cornstarch
Scant sprinkle of cloves
Lemon juice from one lemon

Put on heat and let simmer 8-10 minutes

Remove from heat to let cool

Use commercial pie crust or MAKE YOUR OWN.
Fill pie crust with a spoonful of filling, brush edge with egg white and crimp

Egg wash top, poke three small designer holes, then bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees

Sprinkle with a bit of crystal sugar

Let cool before eating

HTML Snippets Powered By : XYZScripts.com