Author: Robert Andrews

Salmon with Mustard Sauce

Salmon with Mustard Sauce

Firm, marbled. Remove fish pun bones, dry

Skin fish with long flexible knife
Lay on table (skin side down) and cut along table

Season fillets with lemon and salt
Brown in sauté skillet in a bit of oil at 350°
About 2 minutes per side. Belly side down first
Look at the cut side of salmon and you should see brown coming up
When it is about one fourth of the way up flip gently to the other side
Cook so that a bit of pink still remains at the center
Remove two plate and set aside

Dump cooking liquid . Do not wipe

Add 4 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to hot pan
1 cup white wine
Drizzle EVOO
Dijon mustard
. Taste
Add salt to taste
Drizzle in a bit of cream

Slide salmon back into pan
Baste
Cook 5 minutes UNCOVERED

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Potato and tomato

Potato and tomato

Peeled potato sliced into thin disks
Lots of slivered onion
Dried oregano
Toss in olive oil and salt
Spread out across oiled casserole

Halve cherry tomatoes
Toss in oil, oregano, salt and grated Parmesan cheese

Spread over top of potatoes
Great mozzarella cheese over top
Put into oven at 425° for one half hour

To dry oregano, basil or cilantro – hang, cut side up, and store in plastic flower sleeve wrapper

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Pig Knuckles

Pig Knuckles
Sauté on onion in butter on low heat
Three bay leaves

Sear knuckle with torch . Brown, don’t blacken
Two bottles of beer
Cover and simmer about 2.5 hours

Serve with mashed peas
Dry peas, soak overnight
Simmer 40 minutes
Strain
Add lemon balm
Fresh peas to supplement

Pan Bread
500 gm AP flour
1 tsp yeast
Scant salt
About 1/2 C water
Soured cultured milk or yogurt
Leave to rise about 2 hours
Pour into hot frying pan
Fry till starts to blacken

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Home-made Graham Crackers

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 C AP flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 C whole milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C butter (softened)
  • 3/4 C packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 C honey

STEP BY STEP

  1. Whisk together first five dry ingredients
  2. Combine milk, vanilla and honey in a measuring cup
  3. In a mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar, butter and honey until it turns light and fluffy – 3-4 minutes
  4. Add liquid ingredients to bowl and mix on low
  5. Add dry ingredients 1/4 C at a time, whisking between measures to incorporate.
  6. Beat until dough is smooth and shiny 1-3 minutes on medium
  7. Dust a large parchment paper with flour, and flatten half the dough on it
  8. Dust the top and add another large parchment.
  9. With a rolling pin, flatten to about 1/8 inch thick
  10. Transfer dough and parchment to a large baking sheet
  11. Repeat with the remaining dough
  12. Refrigerate both for a full hour
  13. Cut dough into squares
  14. With fork or other “pokey” device, poke holes
  15. Refrigerate another 30 minutes
  16. Bake at 350º 20-25 minutes, rotating sheet after first 10 minutes.
  17. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
  18. Store for a week, or freeze for a month.

North American Frittata – Basic

frittataBEFORE WE BEGIN . . .

  • Take note that onions cook a little bit longer than garlic. Onions will caramelize.  Garlic will burn.
  • Fresh herbs such as the basil and cilantro should be added at the last minute.
  • If you want to add potatoes, place cut potatoes into a skillet or in the oven to cook most of the way. Add to the top later, otherwise you will have hard uncooked potatoes in your frittata.
  • Once your ingredients are completely cooked, spread the ingredients out over the bottom of the pan and gently, and slowly, drizzle in your egg covering all the vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

  • Four eggs
  • Heavy cream
    .
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Tomatoes
  • Optional: spinach, celery, green onion, bell peppers, garlic, jalapeños, cilantro, crimini mushrooms, etc

NOTE:  You can simply use a Pico de Gallo salsa as your base

  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Basil (chiffonade)
    .
  • Grated/shredded cheddar cheese
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Grated mozzarella cheese
  • Parmesan cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix four eggs – Beat egg until white and yolk is incorporated, but not completely homogeneous
  2. Add a splash of heavy cream
  3. Add salt, pepper, basil chiffonade leaves
  4. Add grated cheddar cheese
  5. Set aside
  6. Use small nonstick OVEN SAFE pan
  7. Chop an onion and put into hot oiled pan
  8. Brown onion
  9. If using mushrooms, set onions aside and cook mushrooms, then add back in onion and continue with Step 10.
  10. Add sliced tomatoes to the top of onion to slightly cook, then remove tomatoes and set aside
  11. Add small amount of other veggies if you wish. Not too much, or it will be watery
    – Add optional ingredients
  12. Let cook until most of the liquid has gone
  13. Pour in egg mixture
  14. Cook until sides start to solidify
  15. Add slices of tomato and nice pieces of ricotta
  16. Add grated mozzarella to top
  17. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the eggs
  18. Top with grated Parmesan cheese
  19. Bake under preheated broiler for 2-3 minutes or
    finish in the oven at 350º for about 25-30 minutes
    . Should be puffy and golden brown, but not burnt

Oh, one more thing…

  • Don’t add anything that is too wet into your frittata. Ideally drain things or set onto a paper towel to lose their moisture
This is a recipe that has been created or modified by Robert (Grandpa) Andrews.
CLICK HERE for a free sample copies of Grandpa's Cookbooks. © 2016, 2017, 2018.

Basic Fried Egg – aka Over Easy: Two Ways

  1. Use small nonstick panfried egg
  2. Use a small glass ramekin, and get it very slightly wet inside. This will help the yolk not break.
  3. Break your egg into ramekin being careful not to get eggshell pieces into your Egg.
    NOTE:  If shells fall in, use the edge of the larger shell to scoop it out.
  4. Bring temperature of pan up to 280° – 340° . Small drop of water should splatter
  5. Put in 1 tablespoon cold butter and 1 tsp olive oil
    Olive oil will help the butter to not burn
  6. Move butter around to coat pan
  7. Add egg to medium hot pan
  8. Cover with lid to set the yolk and cook the white a bit.
    This will be sunny side up
  9. If you want it over easy, flip it and let it cook for 15 seconds
  10. If you want it over hard, flip it, poke the yolk, and cook for 30 seconds
  11. Plate up, garnish with a sprig of parsley, and serve with toast.

Alton Brown makes the case for Over Easy eggs cooked in the Oven

  1. Put a carbon steel pan into the oven at 450º
    10 inch for two eggs – 8 inch for one egg
    Use a pan for which you have a tight-fitting lid
  2. Once it comes up to heat, put the pan in and let the pan heat up for 30 more minutes
  3. Crack one or two eggs into a small bowl
  4. Put the hot pan on the top of the turned-off stove
  5. When ready, put in 1 TBL butter (softened) for two eggs
    2 tsp butter for one egg
  6. When the butter has nearly melted, add the egg(s)
  7. Sprinkle with salt
  8. Cover and cook for 4 minutes for two eggs
    (only 3 1/2 minutes for one egg)
  9. Serve on toast
  10. Clean up with salt and paper towel while the pan is still hot

 

Basic Omelette

  1. Use small nonstick pan
  2. Beat two eggs until white and yolk is incorporated, but not completely homogenous – about 20 strokes
  3. Use a whisk to incorporate lots of air for a lighter omelette.
  4. If you like a really really light omelette, separate the yolks first, then beat the egg whites for a while. Adding the yolks back in after the whites start to foam, but not form any type of peaks – then continue beating.
  5. Bring temperature of pan up to 280° – 320° . Small drop of water should splatter
  6. Put in 1 tablespoon cold butter and 1 tsp olive oil
  7. Move butter around to coat pan
    . Ideally, melt butter in a small pan to separate out solids. Use only the clarified butter. Clarified butter will not burn as easily as whole butter.
  8. Add egg to medium hot pan
  9. Move pan around to spread yolk into cooked areas
  10. Once your has been mostly cooked, add your toppings
  11. Toppings should be precooked
  12. Roll omelette over to make a small tube
    . French style omelettes are rolled
    . American style omelettes are folded
  13. Egg should be cooked, but not browned
  14. Top with garnish of your choice

Soft boiled egg

Soft boiled egg

Heat water to 190°
Gently add room temperature eggs
Turn off heat and cover and start timing
Time 4 minutes for soft-boiled egg,
Five minutes for medium boiled egg

Use toast strips to dip into egg

Serve with non-reactive spoon

Alternately, turn out into a small glass dish and serve with your toast

Martha Stewart calls this soldiers

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Horchata From Scratch

INGREDIENTS FOR EASY HORCHATA  ( to make 2 bottles )

  • 1 C cooked white rice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 C hot water
  • 1 C hot milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • just a pinch of salt Ground cinnamon for garnish when serving.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix rice, cinnamon, sugar and 1 cup hot water
  2. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour
  3. Stir just to mix
  4. Add 1 cup hot milk and stir again just to mix
  5. Let sit for another two hours at room temperature
  6. Strain through a fine sieve into empty bottles
  7. Store in the fridge for up to a week
  8. Shake the bottle before serving
  9. Serve over ice and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon

INGREDIENTS FOR A MORE COMPLEX and AUTHENTIC HORCHATA

  • 1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice
  • 5 cups water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground Mexican cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup white sugar

STEP BY STEP

  1. Put rice into a bowl and fill with water, pour through strainer
  2. Repeat Step 1 until water in bowl is clear
  3. Add the rice to 3 Cups boiling hot water
  4. Let rest for about an hour
  5. Add 2 Cups cooler water and add to a blender
  6. Blend until the rice just begins to break up, no longer than 1 minute
  7. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for at least 3 hours
  8. .Strain the rice water into a pitcher using double layer of cheesecloth, or a very fine sieve.
  9. Discard the rice.
  10. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar
  11. Stir until blended
  12. Stir the milk into the rice water.
  13. Chill and stir before serving over ice.
  14. Keeps for no longer than 10 days.

OH, ONE MORE THING …

  • In El Salvador, horchata is primarily made from morro seeds, not rice.
  • Other flavorings that you can grind up with the rice are peanuts, almonds and cashews.
  • Other common ingredients include ground cocoa, cinnamon, sesame seeds, nutmeg and vanilla.
  • If you don’t have a blender, you can use rice flour instead of rice
  • Use emptied water bottles for storing your finished horchata.

Macaroni Salad

Recipe One:  Simple and Quick

    1. Two C cooked elbow macaroni – drain and cool
    2. Combine
      • 1 C Mayo or Miracle Whip
      • 2 TBL milk
      • 1 TBL sugar
      • 1 TBL apple cider vinegar
      • shredded carrots
      • scallions – sliced or chopped 1/4 inch on the bias
      • small (or half) grated onion
      • 1 stalk celery – diced or minced
      • pinch of salt
    3. Optional enhancements:  peas, bell pepper, Dijon, cheddar,relish, dill, salt, scant black pepper
    4. Fold to combine and refrigerate at least an hour

 

Quick and Healthy Treat & Healthy Start

Healthy Start Breakfast

Here is an easy meal you can make at home:

  • In a parfait glass
    • Add 1/4 C chopped & macerated fruit
    • A a short layer of granola
    • Add some greek yogurt
    • Top with plain sugar
      • Brulee the sugar topping

On the run?  Here is something you can make the night before, and take with you while you travel:

Grandpa’s Tip:  Mix in 1 egg white and 1 TBL sugar . . . yeah, I know what it says !

Quick and Healthy

Spinach Lasagna

Spinach Lasagna
America’s Test Kitchen

3 boxes Frozen spinach . Thawed
Put in cloth and squeeze
Cut up in food processor
Might need a little of squeezed liquid
Set aside

Sauce
2 tbl olive oil
1 minced onion . Sauté
5 cloves garlic
Red pepper flakes
56 oz crushed tomatoes
1/2 C of your spinach
Heat

Filling
3 C Ricotta whole milk . Food process
Add spinach liquid
1.5 C parm cheese
2 eggs
Salt, pepper
3 tbl chopped basil
Combine in food proc
Mix with rest of chopped spinach
Separate into 3 kind of equal portions

Sauce in bottom of casserole dish . Spread
Layer noodles
Layer filling
Layer 2/3 C mozzarella
Layer again sauce, noodles, filling, cheese
Repeat one more time
Last layers noodles, sauce and cheese

Cover with sprayed foil
Bake 375° for 40 minutes

Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes

Let set 30 minutes before cutting

Hard cheese 2 oz per cup
Soft cheese about 4 oz per cup

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Pad Thai in Ten Easy Steps

You might have laughed when you read the title of this recipe, but each step is really easy.  This takes some time, but is a perfectly good recipe for beginning chefs.

Read this recipe through, and gather your ingredients.  You want everything to be “mis en place.”  This means, prepare everything before you start, because things move quickly.  See Step 10 for alternative toppings that you should have ready.

INGREDIENTS and STEP BY STEP

Step One:  Spicy Vinegar Dressing

  • 1/3 C white vinegar – heated 30 seconds in microwave
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 or 2 serrano peppers – cut into extremely thin rings
  • Combine in a small glass bowl and set aside

Step Two:  Daikon Radish Sticks

  • 1/4 C water – heated 30 seconds in microwave
  • 1 tsp sugar – dissolved in hot water
  • 1/4 tsp salt – dissolved in hot water
  • 1/2 tsp white vinegar
  • Daikon (or regular) radish
    – Cut into flat disks, then cut into thin sticks
  • Combine in a small glass bowl and set aside

Step Three: Tamarind Fish Sauce

  • 1/4 C fish sauce or nam plah – available at most Asian markets
  • 3 TBL sugar
  • 1 TBL soy sauce
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 1/4 C tamarind concentrate (be sure to make sure it says “Product of Thailand” or something similar)
  • Zest and juice from one lime
  • Combine in a small glass bowl and set aside

Step Four: Crispy Shrimp

  • Six pieces of shrimp coarsely chopped or halved along the vein
  • Toss with 1/8 tsp sugar and 1/8 tsp coarse sea salt
  • Spread out on a glass plate and microwave for 2 minutes at 50% power
  • Set aside for later use
  • … or just buy and use 2 TBL packaged dried shrimp

Step Five: Cook Rice Noodles

  • Put 8 oz of 1/4 inch rice noodles in a large mixing bowl with 1/2 tsp salt
  • Pour in 6 C boiling hot water (all at once)
  • Toss until all noodles are coated
  • Let rest for 8-10 minutes – tossing occasionally

Step Six: Soften Garlic and Onions

  • Mince garlic and 6 scallions (both green and white)
  • Heat 1 tsp olive oil
  • Lightly cook only until garlic has softened, not browned
  • Set aside for later use

Step Seven: 1 LB Cooked Protein

  • If using whole shrimp, make sure shrimp has been properly deveined
  • If using Tofu, make sure you cook until the edges are slightly crispy
  • If using Pork Loin, trim into thin strips before cooking
  • Toss protein in 1 TBL sugar
  • Cook in 2 TBL sesame oil until browned (all sides)
  • Set aside for later use

Step Eight: Cook eggs and combine with Protein

  • Beat 4 eggs well
  • In the pot just used for your protein, soft scramble the eggs in 2 TBL EVOO – do not overcook
  • Combine eggs with protein
  • Remove from heat and set aside for later use

Step Nine: Combine all Ingredients with Noodles

  • Put noodles into a colander to drain
  • Move noodles to mixing bowl
  • Toss noodles with 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Toss with vinegar mix created in Step 1
  • Toss with radish mix from Step 2
  • Toss with the sauce from Step 3
  • Toss with crispy shrimp from Step 4

Step 10: Plate, Top and Serve

  • Put noodle mixture on a serving plate
  • Top with bean sprouts
  • Top with crushed peanuts
  • Top with scallion mixture Step 6
  • Top with proteins from Steps 7 and 8
  • Top with fresh cilantro

If it still seems too difficult, see PAD THAI IN FIVE STEPS

Doubling the Recipe:

Cook’s Note: If you want to double this recipe, DO NOT double the ingredients, for the bulk will be too much to work with. Rather, make the dish twice. If you plan to make this for company, cook noodles ahead of time and add bean sprouts and garlic chives when you heat it up. If it is an informal gathering, it is fun to let your guests cook their own noodles.

Making Your Own Tamarind Sauce

You can buy premixed tamarind concentrate or make your own tamarind juice. Buy a package of compressed tamarind pulp at any Asian market, cut off 3 tablespoons of paste and soak in 1 1/2 cups of warm water for 20 minutes. Squeeze out the pulp and discard; the remaining liquid is tamarind juice. Store any leftover juice or noodle sauce in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.

 

Grandma’s Beans

Grandma’s Beans

1 C dry beans
Wash in cold water
Strain and remove any rocks, etc
Add to 1.5 C warm water and 1 can stock in soup pan
Cover and bring to a boil (or about 200°)
Start timing, and cook 2 minutes
Remove from heat and cover
Let set 60 minutes
Add 1 tsp salt per 1 C beans
Add med pieces celery, onion, carrot, garlic
Add bay leaf, 1 slice raw bacon, ham (or other) bone
Bring back to 200° or gentle boil, then simmer 2 hours
Stir very lightly and check water level every 30 minutes
Taste one bean. If necessary, cook 30 more minutes
Serve hot with crackers, bread or tortilla

For refried beans, drain and smash
(Keep liquid for soup and thinning beans later)
Add a generous sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese
Mix together
Add tablespoons of cooking liquid, and continue mixing, until texture is to your taste

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

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