Monthly Archives: February 2013

Beef, Poultry

Chicken And Steak Stir Fry

When preparing a dish of this nature, it is recommended to have all of the ingredients chopped and ready ahead of time. The cooking happens very rapidly.

12 Ounces Of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Cut Into About 1/2 Inch Wide Strips

8 Ounces Of Beef Tenderloin Cut Into About 1/2 Inch Wide Strips

A Tablespoon Of Sriracha Red Chili Sauce

1/2 Cup Of Soy Sauce

A Teaspoon Of Honey

A Teaspoon Of Oyster Sauce

1/4 Cup Of Hoisin Asian Barbecue Sauce

A Minced Garlic Clove

A Teaspoon Of Finely Chopped Fresh Ginger

1/4 Cup Of Chopped Scallion

A Tablespoon Of Chopped Celery

12 Ounces Of Broccoli Florets

A Red Bell Pepper Cut Into About 1/2 Inch Wide Julienne Strips

1/4 Teaspoon Of Sea Salt

A Cup Of Low Sodium Beef Stock

A Tablespoon Of Corn Starch

Two Tablespoons Of Canola Oil

A Teaspoon Of Sesame Oil

1/4 Cup Of Chopped Peanuts

Combine the Sriracha sauce, the soy sauce, the honey, the oyster sauce and the hoisin sauce in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken and the steak. Whisk well. Place the chicken and the steak in the bowl and mix well. Marinate the meat in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a 12-14 inch non-stick skillet or wok on medium high heat for three minutes. Add the canola oil and the sesame oil. Saute the chicken and the beef for three minutes stirring constantly. Remove the meat and set it aside.

Add the garlic, the ginger, the celery, the scallion, the broccoli, the sea salt and the red bell pepper to the pan. Cook while stirring constantly for four minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the meat back to the pan and stir well. Whisk together the beef stock and the corn starch. Add the corn starch/beef stock mixture to the pan. Continue to cook and stir thoroughly until the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat.

Add the crushed peanuts. Serve with cooked white rice.

Sauces and Dressings

Herb Butter

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Any combination of fresh herbs can be utilized for this recipe. In this case, I used tarragon, Italian parsley and garlic. This butter is great as a spread for bread, as a dip for radishes, or as a topping for grilled fish or beef.

A Four Ounce Stick Of Unsalted Butter That Has Been Softened At Room Temperature
A Minced Garlic Clove
Two Teaspoons Of Finely Chopped Fresh Tarragon
Two Teaspoons Of Finely Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
1/4 Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Pinch Of Ground Black Pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Taste and add more sea salt and/or black pepper, as needed.

Roll up the butter in a piece of plastic wrap. Freeze until you are ready to use it. Note: it is easier to slice when the butter is frozen.

Soups and Stews

French Onion Soup

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The most important element of this soup is the slow-cooked caramelized onions. My little trick to really elevate the flavor was the addition of the red cayenne pepper.

Four Large Red Onions, Peeled And Thinly Sliced
Two Tablespoons Of Olive Oil
A Tablespoon Of Unsalted Butter
1/4 Teaspoon Of Sugar
Two Minced Garlic Cloves
Three Cups Of Beef Stock
1/4 Cup Of Dry White Wine (Select One That You Would Drink)
A Bay Leaf
Two Fresh Italian Parsley Sprigs
Two Fresh Thyme Sprigs
A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper
1/8 Teaspooon Of Ground Black Pepper

In a soup pot, saute the onions in the olive oil and the butter on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned. This step should take about thirty minutes. Stir often to keep the onions from sticking. Every once in awhile, you can add a splash of cold water to the pot and scrape the bottom to keep the onions from burning. Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to facilitate the caramelization.

When the onions have achieved a brown color, add the white wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the brown bits of onion that have accumulated. Add the beef stock, the bay leaf and the garlic. Reduce the heat to low. Tie the thyme and the parsley sprigs together with cooking twine and drop the bundle into the pot. Add the sea salt, the black pepper and the red cayenne pepper. Stir well. Cover and simmer on low heat while stirring occasionally for 45 minutes.

When you are ready to serve, remove the bay leaf and the herb bundle. Taste and add more sea salt and/or pepper, as needed. To serve, ladle the soup into oven-proof soup bowls. Top with toast and shredded cheese (gruyere and parmesan work well). Place under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned.

Pork and Lamb

Homemade Mexican Chorizo Sausage

I have specified ground pork for this recipe but you can just as easily use ground turkey or chicken. This sausage is excellent when used in a filling for stuffed peppers or simply cooked on the grill. Additionally, you can adjust the amount of pepper to either tone down the heat or jack it up.

1 Pound Ground Pork
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
Two Tablespoons Red Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Red Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with you hands. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Seafood

Shrimp And Rice Enchiladas

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This recipe calls for 16 ounces of salsa verde. You can purchase your favorite salsa verde in the grocery store or you can make my recipe published on this web site on June 8, 2010. In addition, making this dish is a great way to use up leftover white rice.

1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1/4 Cup Of Finely Diced Red Onion
1/2 Cup Of Finely Diced Green Bell Pepper
A Minced Garlic Clove
1 Pound Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined, Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper
2 Cups Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1 Cup Cooked White Rice
8 Corn Tortillas
16 Ounces Salsa Verde

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and the green bell pepper. Cook while stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, the garlic, the sea salt and the red cayenne pepper. Cook while stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp mixture to a large bowl. Once cooled, stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese and the rice.

Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel. Microwave for two minutes.

Working quickly so the tortillas stay hot and pliable, dip each tortilla into the salsa verde and then roll a 1/8th portion of the shrimp mixture into each tortilla. Place seam side down in a greased baking dish. Repeat until all of the tortillas are filled and placed in the baking dish. Cover the tortillas evenly with the remaining sauce and sprinkle them with the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 35 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve immediately.