Author: Robert Andrews

French Fries / Chips

friesBefore we begin…

  • Potatoes fall into the categories of either starchy or waxy.
  • Russet and Idaho potatoes have a higher amount of starch and less moisture than waxy potatoes, so they are great for baking and frying, but don’t perform well for potato salads or casseroles
  • Waxy potatoes like Red Bliss, Fingerlings or New Potatoes have less starch and more body, so are good choices for potato salads, but NOT this recipe.
  • Yukon Gold is a good example of an all purpose potato.  It does reasonably well for either application.

Ingredients to feed 4 people

1-2 potatoes per person
1 C water and 1 tsp salt (per potato)		 Optional Condiments:
Ketchup, sour cream, ranch dressing,
Grandpa’s Jalapeño Ketchup

Step by Step

  1. Cut russet potatoes into approximately 1/3 inch thick strips
    – Just for fun you can cut them into 1/4 inch medallions instead of strips
  2. Soak in salted water overnight
  3. The next day, blanche potatoes in salted water for about sixty seconds to boil and partially cook
    – Potatoes should break apart when bent at this point, so be careful.
  4. Toss gently with oil and salt
  5. Put on a baking tray and cook at 450º for about ten minutes
  6. Flip over fries and cook another 10-15 minutes until golden brown
  7. Sprinkle with salt while oil is still very hot
  8. Some people enjoy a very light sprinkling of black pepper too

Oh, one more thing…

  • French Fries REALLY don’t come from France.  Research has shown that they really come from Belgium, where historians claim they were frying potatoes as early as the late 1600’s
  • The first record of French Fries being served in America was 1802 when Thomas Jefferson served them to guests at the White House.

Puff Pastry Savory Twists

Lay out sheet of Pepperidge Farms puff pastry

  1. Brush with butter mixture
    . Melted butter, EVOO, chopped garlic, salt, pepper
  2. Sprinkle savory mixture over top
    . Grated parmesan, rosemary and thyme
  3. You can use whatever spices you prefer
  4. Cut into 1 inch strips
  5. Twist to enclose garnish
  6. Put on baking sheet
  7. Refrigerate about 20 minutes
  8. Bake right from the fridge, at 400° for about 20 minutes
  9. Mix Parmesan and parsley
  10. Brush with butter mixture
  11. Roll in parsley mixture
  12. Serve hot

 

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

3 C all purpose flour
One half teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder

Cream together two sticks room temperature butter and 2 cups of granulated sugar
When creamed together add four large eggs
And 1 teaspoon vanilla
Add zest from three lemons
Add juice from two lemons

Add dry ingredients
Alternate with (total) 1 cup buttermilk

Buttermilk alternative: take one cup whole milk and add 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Let stand 30 minutes

Fill cupcake liners

Bake at 325° rotating halfway over a period of 25 minutes

Make your own lemon curd
Ten egg yolks plus two whole eggs into glass bowl
Separate yolks
Beat with 1+ cup sugar
Add 1 cup lemon juice
This continually
Place glass bowl on top of simmering water
Do not let egg yolks solidify
When it starts to thicken add 2 tablespoons butter

Create Meringue
2/3 cup water . Boiling
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
Heat until exactly 230°

Meringue
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form
Add in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pour hot simple syrup into egg whites with mixer running on medium high

Add thin layer of lemon curd over top of cupcake

Use star tip and piping bag to cover top with meringue frosting

Use Crim Brulé torch to caramelize top

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Blueberry Cupcakes

Blueberry Cupcakes
ala Martha Stewart

1 2/3 C Cake flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
> Sift thru fine sieve
> toss blueberries in flour, sift, separate, set aside

1/2 C unsalted butter
2/3 C granulated sugar
> cream them together
Add 2 large eggs
> mix
3/4 C sour cream
> mix
1 tsp vanilla
> mix
Add sifted dry ingredients
> mix
Add blueberries and fold together

Add into cupcake tins with paper inserts

Mix white sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon
> sprinkle over top

Bake at 375° for 25 minutes

FROSTING
10 TBL butter
8 oz creme cheese
3 C sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
> strain blueberry jam
> add 3 tbl jam into frosting without mixing
> put into piping bag
> pipe onto muffins

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Sift together
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 Tbl Dutch processed cocoa
1 tsp salt

1 1/2 C melted butter into bowl of mixer
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 tsp red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla
2 lg eggs
Add 1 Cu buttermilk
Add dry ingredients (above)
Add 1.5 tsp baking soda and 2 tsp vinegar in bowl
Add to mixer bowl

Add to lined cupcake pan
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes
Rotate halfway through

Cream cheese Frosting
10 TBL butter
8 oz creme cheese
3 C sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
> strain blueberry jam
> add 3 tbl jam into frosting
> mix well till pink
> spread with offset spatula

Serve chilled

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

 

ALTERNATE RECIPE

    • DRY INGREDIENTS
  • 1 C Sugar
  • 1.5 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 TBL unsweetened cocoa powder
    • WET INGREDIENTS
  • 2 tsp distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp red gel food coloring
  • 1 C buttermilk – room temp
  • 1 egg – room temp
  • 1/2 C coconut oil melted
    • FOLD TOGETHER JUST TO COMBINE
  • Pour into cupcake molds (only 1/2 way up)
  • Bake at 350º for about 20 minutes (clean toothpick)
  • Let cool
    • PREPARE MARSHMALLOW COATING
  • 1/4 C Water
  • 1 packet gelatin
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla
    • In your sauce pan
  • Add 1/4 C water
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/3 C light corn syrup
  • a pinch of salt
    • Heat to 240º  F  (115º C)
  • Drizzle into the gelatin mixture while mixing
  • Beat on medium until it is fluffy and bright white
    • PIPE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INTO CENTER
  •  

 

Potato Chips TWO WAYS

Steps for all below recipes

  1. Slice russet potato into very thin slices on mandolin – about 1/8 inch
    If doing by hand, be very careful, but get as thin as possible.
  2. Soak in the very cold heavily salted water for 20 minutes
    1. If making salt and vinegar chips, also add 1/2 C vinegar to soak
  3. Strain potatoes
  4. Spread on towel to dry completely or pat try
    They must be absolutely dry to brown properly

Oven fried potato chips

  1. Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with canola oil.  Spread till thin and covered
  2. Place slices on baking pan in one even layer.  Don’t overlap.
  3. Brush the top with oil as well, then sprinkle with salt and  just a bit of ground pepper
  4. Place in oven at 400° for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through
  5. When you flip them, sprinkle with Maldon salt, and a touch of pepper
  6. Drain on paper towel.

Canola Potato Chips

  1. Heat 2 quarts canola oil in Dutch oven to 350-360º
  2. Drop chips 1 at a time into hot oil – 1 second between each chip
  3. Move continually with a spider strainer
  4. Adjust temperature to try to maintain the 350º temperature.
  5. Remove to a paper towel and sprinkle with salt while they are still hot
  • Use Coffee Filter to strain used oil back into a container
  • Discard if it starts to get dark, stinky or smokey

Shortcut Ravioli

Ravioli dough for the do-it-yourselfer

  • 1.25 C flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 C whole wheat flour, 1/2 C very cold butter
  • Cut above ingredients together
  • Add 1 cold egg, 1/3 C very cold water and 1 TBL white vinegar or lemon
  • Wrap in plastic and let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes
  • Roll until flat, then cut into circles or squares

Shortcut Ravioli

Use won ton wrappers
Mix ingredients
Place small amount in center
Top with second wrapper
Wipe edges with egg wash
Press, removing air pockets
Secure with fork
Place in simmering water for 2-4 minutes
Plate in oven safe dish as follows:
. Sauce
. Ravioli
. Sauce
. Cheese
Heat in oven 5-10 minutes to brown cheese
Top with basil chiffonade and serve

Sticky Buns

Chop any sort of dried fruit
Soak in hot rum, burbon or brandy and water 30 minutes
Strain reserving liquid
. Set aside

Rough chop, and toast chopped pine nuts, sunflower seeds or pecans in 3 TBL butter
. Set aside

Sugar Sprinkle
Mix 1/4 C brown sugar,  1 TBL cinnamon and 1/4 C granulated white sugar
. Set aside

In cast iron skillet add

  • 1/4 C honey
  • 1/4 C brown sugar . (or granulated sugar plus molasses)
  • 4 Tbl butter
  • 1/2 tsp salt
    Heat to carmelize
  • *  After caramelized, add 1/4 C heavy cream
    Whisk to incorporate
  • Spread out layer of nuts over caramel

Dough

  • 2 C AP flour
  • 1 TBL baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp table salt
  • 3 T granulated sugar
  • 1/2 C heavy cream
  • 1/4 of the cherry juice . Just enough to form a firm wet dough
    . Add a bit more cream if necessary
  • Dump on counter to flatten a bit
      . On floured surface roll into a square sheet
      . Brush with melted butter
      . Sprinkle with Sugar Sprinkle
      . Top with cherries or fruit
  • Using bench knife (to make things easier) . Roll into fat roll/tube
  • – Roll starting with short side for bigger more lucious sticky buns.  If you start with a long side, you end up with tiny buns, and not a lot of filling.
  • Cut into one inch thick medallions
      . use dental floss as a knife
  • Loosely arrange in pan over top of nuts
  • Sprinkle with any remaining ingredients
  • Bake at 400° for 15 minutes
  • Remove and invert immediately on serving dish
  • Let set on counter 5 minutes
  • Remove from pan . help buns to separate from pan if necessary
  • Serve hot

 

Braising – Tips and Tricks

Braising . Which cuts?

More flavor
Harder worked muscle groups
Legs, neck, shoulder

Slow cooker

Brisket
First cut . Square, fairly uniform and rectangular
Second cut . Deckle . Marbling . Better braised
. Serve with reduced honey and brown sugar
. Like bacon ?

Chuck Pot Roast
. Chuck eye . Shoulder
. Plate short ribs . Tasty
. Cut Flunken style . Lots of meat

Oxtail . Lots of connective tissue
. Braise on the bone
. Brown, water, salt, pepper

Center cut veal shanks . Oso buco
. Ask for the hind shank

Lamb shanks . Fore shanks
. Front shoulder
. Remove and cook separately

Lamb neck . Connective tissue
. Collagen breaks down slowly

Pork Butt
. Front shoulder
. Slow and pull for bbq

Spare ribs
. Leave skirt steak on

Pork belly
. Remove skin
. Sear fat side up

Chicken legs and thighs
. More flavor
. Grill, braise, fry

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

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