Fancy but not Fancy (Beef Stroganoff Two Ways)

Dinner Party Ready, with filet mignon
and brandy

Beef Stroganoff. It just sounds fancy. But in reality, it’s one of the easiest dishes to cook for a holiday (we had it for Christmas Dinner last year), date night in, or yes, a quick weeknight meal. Here’s a two-in-one recipe — you can make it with ground beef or you can get fancy with filet mignon and good dose of brandy. You take your pick which one to serve to the kiddos on a Wednesday night!

Beef Stroganoff Two Ways

Serves 4-6

Easy Week Night Dinner, with
ground beef and sans brandy (or not!)

Ingredients

• 1 lb. filet mignon cut into bite sized pieces and seasoned with plenty of Kosher salt and ground black pepper (or 1 lb. ground beef)
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 lb. mushrooms
• 3/4 cup sour cream 
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth + an additional 1/2 cup combined with 2 TBS of corn starch to make a “slurry"
• 3/4 cup brandy + a splash more to add at the end (you can leave this out for the weeknight version)
• 1 TBS dijon mustard
• 2  TBS corn starch combined with 1/2 beef broth to make a “slurry”
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 4TBS butter, divided
• Salt and Pepper to season the meat
• 1 bag Egg noodles, cooked according to the package directions, drained
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet on a high heat and brown the meat. If you are using steak, do it in two batches, being careful not to over cook! Just get some color and then remove the meat to a foil-covered bowl covered. If you are using ground beef, break it up with a wooden spoon, but keep the pieces fairly large, rather than small crumbles. Season it with a good pinch of Kosher salt and some ground black pepper about half way through. Remove to paper towel lined bowl to drain. Cover with foil. 
• Add 2 TBS of the butter to the pan and sauté the onions and mushrooms over a medium heat until they are soft. Then stir in the dijon mustard. 
• Next pour in 1 1/2 cups of the beef broth, plus the brandy if you are using it. Bring this mixture to a boil and then spoon in the cornstarch slurry. Stir to combine and thicken. 
• Now adjust the heat to medium-low, add in the meat and any juices, and gently stir in the sour cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. (I like to add another 2 TBS of brandy as well).
• Serve over noodles that have been tossed with the remaining 2 TBS of butter and the parsley.

Enjoy!

Summertime Summertime (BLT Crostini and Summer Squash Crostini)

Ready for the dinner party: two summertime apps inspired
by two of our favorite local haunts, Merrit's and Picnic

Summer in North Carolina means two things:   Bacon Lettuce & Tomato sandwiches and Barbecue. So when I was asked to bring a appetizer to a Saturday evening dinner party this weekend, I decided to create a couple of crostini recipes using inspiration from two of our favorite local recipes — Merrit’s in Chapel Hill, home of the a simple and straightforward BLT that defines that iconic summertime sammy; and Picnic, an up and coming Durham BBQ restaurant that is co-owned by a local heritage pig farmer and raising the bar for succulent whole hog Q.

The Merrit’s BLT rift was pretty simple. Crusty bread, a touch of mayo, and bright red juicy tomato slices topped with crisp applewood smoked bacon and shredded lettuce.  I jazzed the mayo up a tad by adding chives from the garden and a touch of garlic, salt and pepper. The beauty of a Merrit’s BLT is its simplicity, no need to guild that lily too much.

The Picnic influenced crostini was a bit more of a challenge. I didn’t want go the smoked and pulled piggy route.  Way too filling for a pre-dinner app. Instead, I took inspiration from a refreshing squash side salad you often find on the Picnic menu when the prolific veggies are in season.

BLT Crostini

Following are the ingredients and methods for these tasty treats.  I hope they inspire you to come up your own new favorite start to a summertime meal.

BLT Crostini

(makes 8 pieces, two per person)

Ingredients

• 8, 1/2 inch slices of a crusty baguette.  (I used ciabatta baguette from Trader Joes)
• 1/2 cup of Dukes or Best Foods Mayonnaise
• 1 small clove of garlic, worked into a paste on a cutting board, with a bit of coarse salt and the side blade of a chef’s knife
• 1 Tablespoon of finely chopped chives (optional)
• 4 slices of thick sliced bacon (I used uncured applewood smoked bacon from Trader Joes), cooked crisp, blotted dry with a paper towel and broken into 1 inch pieces
• 8 pieces of sliced tomato, about the same size as the bread, drained on a paper towel. Pick the best and brightest red tomatoes you can find. 
• 1/2 cup of shredded romain lettuce - make it as thin as you can, and moisten slightly with a bit of oil and vinegar
• Kosher salt and course ground pepper to taste
• Olive oil spray, or a bit of olive oil and a brush

Method

1. Spray or brush the bread slices with olive oil and grill on a grill pan until slightly crispy. 
2. Mix the mayo, garlic and chives in a small bowl and set aside - it’s nice to do this a bit ahead of time so the flavors can come together 
3. To assemble, use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread a bit of the mayo on each piece of bread, top with a slice of tomato, then dab two or three pieces of bacon with a dot of the mayo (like glue) and press them atop the tomato, then put a bit of the lettuce atop the bacon.
4. Enjoy.

Summer Squash, Zucchini and Corn Crostini
(makes 8 pieces, two per person)

Summer Squash, Zucchini &
Fresh Corn Crostini

Ingredients:

• 8, 1/2 inch slices of a crusty baguette.  (I used ciabatta baguette from Trader Joes)
• 1/2 zucchini, sliced into ribbons, using a vegetable peeler
• 1 large summer squash, sliced into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
• 1/2 corn cob, kernels removed with a chef’s knife
• 1 Tablespoon walnut oil (you could substitute another mild oil, like canola or grape seed)
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped tarragon
• 1/2 cup creamy goat cheese (I used a log of herbed goat cheese from Trader Joes)
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons milk or half and half
• 2 Tablespoons roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• Kosher salt and course ground pepper to taste
• Olive oil spray, or a bit of olive oil and a brush

Method

1. Spray or brush the bread slices with olive oil and grill on a grill pan until slightly crispy. 
2. Use a fork to mix the goat cheese and milk / half & half until smooth and spreadable. 
3. Combine the squash ribbons, corn, oil, vinegar, basil, tarragon, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside. It’s nice to do this a bit early so the flavors can meld and the squash can soften
4. To assemble, use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread a bit of the goat cheese on each piece of bread; then top each piece with a few kernel of corn, two to three squash ribbons and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds, salt and pepper.
5. Enjoy.

Hammin’ it up (Dijon Mustard Glazed Ham)

Growing up in Southern California, we weren’t much of a holiday ham family. I know we had one now and then, but I really don’t correlate ham with holiday.  Easter was more about a leg of lamb on the grill, or a pork roast that was cooked in the “service porch,” on a Farberware

Ready to be sliced and served

rotisserie atop the washing machine that filled the house with most amazing garlic, rosemary and porky goodness.  But I digress….

Since moving to North Carolina in ’09 I’ve done more hams than I’ve probably done in a lifetime. They are great for company, and provide excellent leftovers to send home with guests, and make yummy ham sandwiches the following week.

Simple savory glaze ingredients

 

I tend toward the savory rather than the sweet side of just about every dish. So you won’t be surprised that are no hunks of pineapple or crackly brûléed glaze on my piggy. Instead, I get a hint of sweet from apricot jam and lay on a healthy helping of savory with Dijon mustard. Oh yeah.

We enjoyed this tasty glaze on a holiday ham earlier today as we celebrated Easter with good friends.  But don’t wait for a holiday to try it. I mean really, who doesn't  like a nice slice of ham now and then?

Cooling the glaze

Dijon Mustard Glazed Ham

Serves 6-8 with leftovers 

Ingredients

• 7-8 lb fully cooked, bone in, smoked ham – the bone being in is important. Far more flavor!  I don’t go for the spiral cut ones. Just give me the ham and we’ll figure out how to slice it up.
• 1 heaping cup apricot jam
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup diced sweet onion
• 1 TBS fresh thyme leaves
• 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
• Big pinch of salt and 6 or 7 grinds of black pepper
• 1 TBS olive oil
• A palm full of cloves

Method

Make the glaze – (note: I like to do this early in the day and let it cool completely before glazing the ham)

• Heat a small saucepan, put about a TBS of olive oil in the pan; add the onion and sauté until they start to get translucent.
• Add the thyme, salt and pepper, and sauté about 2 min more
• Now add the Dijon, worchestershire sauce, and jam
• Stir to combine and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then.
• Remove from the heat and cool.

Roast the ham

Heat the oven to 375 degrees

Line a sturdy cooking sheet with aluminum foil

• Position the ham, fat side up on the cooking sheet.  I like to cut a small slice off the bottom of the ham, so it wont’ slip around throughout the cooking and glazing process.
• Take a knife and score the ham in a diamond pattern, about 2 inches between cuts
• Insert a clove where the lines cross
• Put the ham in the oven, and cook for 1 hour
• At the 1-hour mark, remove the ham carefully and brush the glace all over the meat, pushing it into the crevices of the diamond pattern.  Put the ham back in the oven, and bake another 1 hour; taking it out every 15 minutes to re-apply the glaze.
• At the top of the 2^nd hour, check for doneness with an instant read thermometer, avoiding the bone as you insert it into the meat.  It should be 135 degrees.
• Remove the ham from the oven, tent loosely with foil and let it rest for 1- to 15 minutes.
• Slice and serve.

Enjoy.

Rainy Day Comfort Food – Brussels Sprouts with Apples, Grapes, Pine Nuts and a Wee Bit o'Bacon

It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring….. Given my SoCal roots, I’m feeling kinda guilty about the fact that it has rained for the past 10 or 11 days (I’ve lost track) and we might even get some more….  But right about now, I’m ready for it to stop. 

Ready to serve

Headed into the oven

Perfect Brussels sprouts as
easy as 1 2 3

The rainy weather did lead me to come up with a new recipe for Brussels Sprouts.  This one screams FALL and will likely end up on our Thanksgiving table.  I hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as Steve and I did tonight.

Brussels Sprouts with Apples, Grapes, Pine Nuts and a Wee Bit o'Bacon

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  I used convection roast, which led to a ridiculously short cook time – somewhere between 10 and 12 minutes.  But normal baking temp would work fine.  Just pop ‘em in and pay attention….

Ingredients

• About 4 Brussels sprouts per person.  Washed, dried and then prepared per the photos below.  I cut the core out, then slice in half, and then peel a couple of layers off. Tossing the leaves and the remaining piece of veg into the bowl, and the core into the trash.
• About a 1/8 cup of diced bacon.  Diced and zapped in the microwave for about a minute to partially cook.  Drain on paper towel.  (Note:  I keep a slab of good bacon (thick cut, wood smoked) in the freezer and cut off a couple of inches). 
• A quarter of an apple per person, Diced.
• A tablespoon of diced sweet onion per person.
• A table spoon or so of pine nuts. 
• 3 red grapes per person
• Pinch of red chili flakes
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Bunch of grinds of black pepper
• Olive oil to coat lightly

Method:

• Put all of the ingredients into a bowl; toss with the olive oil and dump onto a foil lined baking sheet
• Put into the oven
• Roast until the Brussels sprouts are browned and soft.
• Pull from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes

Serve and enjoy!

Forgotten post – and a New Year’s Resolution (Bourguignon Style Beef Short ribs)

Note:  I just realized that I never posted this one from October!  The recipe is perfect for New Years Day so I’ll go ahead and share it now.  And I’ll also add “get back to blogging” to my 2011 resolutions.

One of the great joys of living in a new area is having visitors to share it with. Earlier this Fall we had the chance to show off our new town to two of our best friends and former neighbors from California, John and Barbara Zachry. 

A fun stop on the Chapel Hill tour

With some help from the wonderful butchers at Whole Foods (shout out to Owen) John, Barbara, Steve and I enjoyed a “locavore dinner” featuring sumptuous grass fed Baldwin Beef short ribs, accompanied by a slightly garlicky cauliflower puree, plus sautéed mushrooms and cipollini onions – all of which were grown or raised by local farmers. Later we retired to the screen porch to enjoy the ice cream from Maple View Farm we had selected earlier that day – a process that required many samples. (And if Owen gets a shout out, so to the Maple View cows – ladies, you are to be commended.) 

Following this my recipe for the short ribs, which are fashioned after Julia Child's oh so famous boeuf bourguignon. They are best made a day (or even two) ahead, which makes them perfect for holidays or entertaining; but feel free to make and serve them the same day. Perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Bourguignon Style Beef Short Ribs

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ¼ lb pancetta cut into ¼ to ½ inch dice.
• 8 beef short ribs – depending on the size of the ribs, you may want to serve two each for the men and 1 each for the ladies; but I usually go for two each and see how they cook down.
• ½ cup flour (for dusting the ribs after browning and then later for thickening)
• 2 Tbs herbs d Provence
• 2 - 3 Tbs olive oil (for browning the beef – the amount depends on how much fat you render out of the pancetta)
• 2 large carrots, cut into thirds
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 3 ribs celery, cut into thirds. Leafy tops a welcome!
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 4 – 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bottle good (but not priced out of the park) pino noir, merlot or even cabernet wine (or if you are buying French, get a red burgenouis)
• 1 box beef stock. Get organic, low sodium if you can find it.
• Kosher or sea salt; fresh cracked black pepper

 Optional, but I'd hate to leave them out:

• ½ lb cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters
• ½ lb shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 8 cipollini onions or ½ lb white pearl onions, peeled (it helps to drop them into boiling water for 2 minutes and then place them in ice water before you peel them. If you use pearl onions, make a little criss-cross cut at the bottom of the onion first, to help them peel more easily)

Method:

(I know this looks like a lot of steps, but it is REALLY quite simple)

• Heat your oven to 350 degrees
• In a large Dutch oven:over medium low heat
• Take the short ribs out of the 'fridge 30 minutes before you want to start cooking. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Season them liberally with salt, pepper and herbs d' Provence.
• Coat the bottom of the pan with some olive oil and render the fat from the panchetta. They should be brown and crispy. Be patient. It will pay off.
• Remove the rendered bits. Add some more olive oil if necessary.
• Raise the hear to medium high
• Working in batches, brown the short ribs on all sides – including the ends. You are going for a dark brown crust. Remove each batch to a large platter or paper lined surface.
• When the ribs are all browned, dust them with flour. I usually take this opportunity to add some more salt, pepper and herbs d' Provence. These puppies are going to cook for a long time, they will need the help.
• Now add the onions, carrots and celery. Let them get slightly soft as you stir them around and get up the brown bits.
• Remove the veg and put the beef into the pot.
• Put the veg, the thyme and bay leave atop and around the meat.
• Add the bottle of wine – yes all of it
• Now add the beef stock to just cover the beef.
• Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat. Put the lid on the Dutch oven and put it in the oven.
• Cook for 1 hour
• After an hour, check the meat, stirring and flipping as you go.
• Lower the heat to 250 degrees, put the Dutch oven back into the oven
• Cook for 2 more hours. (I like to check it now and then to make sure that all the liquid hasn't evaporated. For some reasons this happens now and then. If the meat is fork tender at the 1 ½ or 1 ¾ hour mark you can remove it early. But a bit more time won't hurt and if you are not sure it is tender, don't rush it.

When the ribs are fall off the bone tender, remove them from the oven.  Move the meat to a platter and throw away the veg, sprigs of thyme, bay leaf, etc.

Next to get rid of the extra fat and thicken the sauce...

• Put the Dutch oven containing the sauce on a medium to high heat and bring it to a boil, this will help bring the fat to the top. 
• Now for my own little trick – turn off the heat and place 2 or 3 paper towels, one at a time, on top of the liquid. They will absorb the fat. Just lift them up with tongs and toss into the trash. Pretty cool, hug?

 Then thicken the sauce...

• Simply take ½ cup of the liquid and put it into a small bowl, whisk in 2 – 3 Tbs of the left over flour from before. If it is too thick,add more liquid, or even a bit of water. This will make a thick “slurry” that you stir into the sauce to thicken it.
• Now raise up the heat again, and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes to reduce the volume and reach the consistency you like. 

At this point, put the short ribs and the reserved panchetta back into the sauce. You can now either reheat them for serving or let the whole thing cool down and refrigerate for up to two days.

If serving later, remove the Dutch oven containing the short ribs and sauce and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then heat in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the meat is heated through.

 Cipollini Onion Side Dish

I like to serve this dish with sauted ciapolini or pearl onions and mushrooms. (just saute the onions in a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme until they are slightly soft, then add some broth and steam until a knife can be inserted and removed without resistance. Then remove and keep warm while you saute the mushrooms similarly (without the broth). Then combine and divide amongst your guests.

Additional Side Dishes

A braised dish like this is often accompanied by mashed potatoes, pasta or even risotto – but with a meal this rich, I like to make a simple puree of cauliflower that has been boiled until tender with garlic cloves. Add a little butter and half & half (or plain Fage Greek yogurt), salt and pepper and you won't feel as stuffed at the end of the night!

Enjoy.

Our First Carolina Thanksgiving (Waldorf Salad and Elizabeth’s Cranberry Sauce)

“Can you have him call back later?” Those are seven words I don’t think I’ve ever said to Steve when our son Will has called. But yesterday as luck would have it his Thanksgiving call came at that critical moment between the turkey coming out of the oven and being served when everything seems to be happening at once.

Potatoes being mashed, carrots being sautéed, gravy being made, dressing and sweet potatoes coming out of the oven and everyone trying to snatch a taste of the turkey and not loose a finger in the process. At one point we I caught myself turning from the mixer to the stove as my brother went from the stove to the sink and it seriously felt like we were doing some sort of dance. I’m a good multi-tasker, but balancing a phone and having a meaningful conversation in the midst of it all simply wasn’t in the cards.

Thankfully Will called as he was rolling in from a morning hunting trip and in need of a shower and nap before his Thanksgiving feast with college friends and surrogate family in Montana. We caught up later in the evening and all was good.

The preparations for yesterday’s meal began last weekend with a drive out to Cane Creek Farm, which is known for raising some of the best turkeys around.

This is pig country and so pork is their main gig, but they also do a nice business in poultry. We took our niece, nephew and our little Scottie and had a great day; complete with a visit with some week old piglets and stop Maple View Dairy for some of their delicious ice cream.

I think a tradition has been born.

Wednesday we set about the business of making the brine (salt, sugar, herbs, spices, orange peel – I confess I bought the mix at A Southern Season), submerged the bird, stashed it in the garage fridge and hoped for the best.

And the best it was! Somehow the turkey on the table is always the best one ever, but I truly believe this bird was in a class of its own. Turkeys that are pasture raised look different and taste different. They look like they actually were at one point a bird and not some hormone induced freak show. And the taste – the white meat was extremely flavorful and people who never eat dark meat were asking for more. We were lucky to send a tad bit home with our guests and still eek out a day-after sandwich this afternoon.

It seems a bit odd to give a Thanksgiving recipe the day after, but these two are family favorites that are good year-round.

Enjoy.

Waldorf Salad

(Serves 8, with leftovers)

My mother’s family started making this back in the 50s when there was some sort of cranberry blight. It has been on our Thanksgiving table ever since, and adds a bit of freshness to an otherwise heavy meal.

Make this early in the day so the flavors can meld together.

Ingredients

• 1 lemon, remove the zest with a micro plane first and then juiced
• 3 red apples; core removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 3 green apples; core removed and chopped into bites-sized pieces
• 1 cup celery, chopped into ¼ inch dice
• ½ cup chopped pecans (east coast) or walnuts (west coast)
• ½ cup raisins
• ¼ cup Best Foods (Hellman’s on the east coast) Mayonnaise
• Pinch of salt

Method:

In a large bowl:

• Put the lemon juice in the bottom of the bowl
• As you chop each apple, drop them into the juice and toss to keep them from turning brown
• Add the rest of the ingredients
• Stir to combine
• Refrigerate until serving time

Elizabeth’s Cranberry Sauce

Simple and delicious is the best way to describe this sauce. Really yummy on next-day turkey sandwiches, too.

Makes just over 2 cups – It is best to double the recipe if you want leftovers

Make this the day before serving for best flavor

Note – you are at the mercy of the orange so buy a few and use the one with the best flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 orange – juiced, plus the flesh and peel cut into quarters
• Enough water to bring the total liquid (water and orange juice) to 1 cup
• ¼ tsp powdered ginger
• 1 12-ounce package Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
• Pinch of Kosher salt

Method

• Combine sugar, orange juice and water in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to boil
• Add cranberries, ginger and salt. Return to boil.
• Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
• Remove from heat and cool completely at room temperature.
• Refrigerate. Even better the 2^nd day.