1.5 lb. small red potatoes
1.25 lb. green beans
2 cups frozen corn
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. ancho chili powder
2 tbs. + 1 tsp. light brown sugar
1 flank steak (1.5 lbs)
1 tbs. olive oil
0.5 cup ketchup
2 tbs. cider vinegar
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
5 cups packed arugula (about 5 oz.)
Cook potatoes in pot of simmering salted water to cover until tender, 15-20 minutes.
Cut into 1/2 inch slices.
In a separate pot, cook beans until crisp & tender, about 5 minutes. In the last minute, add the corn. Drain.
Preheat broiler or grill. Combine salt with 1 tsp each of chili powder and sugar. Sprinkle on the steak. Rub steak with oil.
Cook steak to medium-rare, about 8 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before thinly slicing.
In a large bowl, whisk ketchup, 1/4 cup water, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, cumin, and coriander. Add arugula, potatoes, beans, corn, and steak.
Toss to combine.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 404
Fat: 12 g
Carbohydrates: 50 g (7.2 g Fiber)
Protein: 30 g
Sodium: 729 mg
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Update
My cookbook is in the works. Things have been delayed as I just got my pc up and running. I'm trying to combine everything from my Mac laptop and this pc, so I'm a bit behind in my posts. But I will be posting some more recipes and some more "info" blogs :). Hang in there!
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Cooking Methods 101, Part 1
Every so often, I will be posting various cooking methods and terms. I hope that these help those who maybe are still trying to learn how to be better cooks. These were passed to me by my grandma, so I'm continuing the gesture!
AL DENTE -This is an Italian term meaning literally "to the tooth". This means cooking something, such as pasta, until it is just barely tender, with still a bit firm.
CHOW (STIR-FRY) -A basic cooking method in a Chinese kitchen. In most cases, a wok is used, but a large frying pan can be used. The food is tossed about in a hot pan with very little oil. It's a process somewhat like sautéing.
CORRECT THE SEASONING -When a dish is completed, a cook should always taste before serving. This term simply means to check for salt, pepper, or herbs to make sure the dish has turned out as expected. A little correction at the last minute may sometimes be necessary.
DASH -Generally, it means "to taste". A good starting point is less than 1/16 tsp. You can always add more. Harder to remove.DEGLAZING A PAN -After you've browned meat or vegetables, wine or stock is added to the pan over high heat and the rich coloring that remains in the pan is gently scraped with a wooden spoon and combined with the poured in liquid. If there is an excess of fat in the pan, you may wish to pour it off first and then proceed with deglazing.I hope this post will prove to be helpful for some. Next week, I will continue with the list! In the interim, stay tuned for some more recipes :).
BROWNING MEAT -When preparing stews, sometimes it is better not to flour the meat. This way you brown the natural sugars that are in the meat itself instead of the flour. Use a hot pan, making sure not to crowd the meat or cook too slowly. The meat should be seared or browned very quickly. This gives color to the meat and seals in the meat's natural juices.BLANCHING - Plunging food into boiling water for just a few minutes. The time varies for each recipe that calls for it, but it usually means anywhere from 10 seconds to 2-3 minutes. Food is then placed in cold water to stop the cooking process. The purpose is to loosen the skin of a vegetable or fruit, or to set the color of a vegetable. It is used to cook food partially in preparation for later completion of a dish or in preparing vegetables and some fruits prior to freezing to stop enzyme action.
AL DENTE -This is an Italian term meaning literally "to the tooth". This means cooking something, such as pasta, until it is just barely tender, with still a bit firm.
CHOW (STIR-FRY) -A basic cooking method in a Chinese kitchen. In most cases, a wok is used, but a large frying pan can be used. The food is tossed about in a hot pan with very little oil. It's a process somewhat like sautéing.
CORRECT THE SEASONING -When a dish is completed, a cook should always taste before serving. This term simply means to check for salt, pepper, or herbs to make sure the dish has turned out as expected. A little correction at the last minute may sometimes be necessary.
DASH -Generally, it means "to taste". A good starting point is less than 1/16 tsp. You can always add more. Harder to remove.DEGLAZING A PAN -After you've browned meat or vegetables, wine or stock is added to the pan over high heat and the rich coloring that remains in the pan is gently scraped with a wooden spoon and combined with the poured in liquid. If there is an excess of fat in the pan, you may wish to pour it off first and then proceed with deglazing.I hope this post will prove to be helpful for some. Next week, I will continue with the list! In the interim, stay tuned for some more recipes :).
BROWNING MEAT -When preparing stews, sometimes it is better not to flour the meat. This way you brown the natural sugars that are in the meat itself instead of the flour. Use a hot pan, making sure not to crowd the meat or cook too slowly. The meat should be seared or browned very quickly. This gives color to the meat and seals in the meat's natural juices.BLANCHING - Plunging food into boiling water for just a few minutes. The time varies for each recipe that calls for it, but it usually means anywhere from 10 seconds to 2-3 minutes. Food is then placed in cold water to stop the cooking process. The purpose is to loosen the skin of a vegetable or fruit, or to set the color of a vegetable. It is used to cook food partially in preparation for later completion of a dish or in preparing vegetables and some fruits prior to freezing to stop enzyme action.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze
A recipe from my grandma. This serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
⅛ cup Cinnamon, Ground -- Take an additional teaspoon measurement and put aside.
2 ⅛ cup Sugar
4 lg Apples -- Chopped Small
3 lg Egg
1 cup Oil, Canola
2 cup Flour, White, Unbleached -- All-purpose flour preferable
½ tsp Baking Soda
2 tbsp Butter
½ cup Sugar, Brown -- Light, firmly packed
2 tbsp Milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 1/4 cup of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Grease a bundt or tube pan and coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Mix apples, eggs, and oil with an electric mixer. Add flour, sugar, baking soda, and cinnamon, mixing well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cake to rest in pan for at least 10 minutes before inverting it onto a cake plate.
To prepare glaze, combine butter, brown sugar and milk in a medium saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil, mixing several times, and cook for one minute. Spoon over cake. Allow to cool before serving.
Kitchen Tip:
Serve with a spoonful of whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream. Nut lovers can add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the cake batter.
Wine Suggestion:
A nice white wine would go well, as well as a light zinfandel. Try not to go for something too sweet though, as you don't want to overpower the palette of your guests with everything being sweet. A light, even slightly dry wine might be suitable, depending on your preference.
Ingredients
⅛ cup Cinnamon, Ground -- Take an additional teaspoon measurement and put aside.
2 ⅛ cup Sugar
4 lg Apples -- Chopped Small
3 lg Egg
1 cup Oil, Canola
2 cup Flour, White, Unbleached -- All-purpose flour preferable
½ tsp Baking Soda
2 tbsp Butter
½ cup Sugar, Brown -- Light, firmly packed
2 tbsp Milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 1/4 cup of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Grease a bundt or tube pan and coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Mix apples, eggs, and oil with an electric mixer. Add flour, sugar, baking soda, and cinnamon, mixing well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cake to rest in pan for at least 10 minutes before inverting it onto a cake plate.
To prepare glaze, combine butter, brown sugar and milk in a medium saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil, mixing several times, and cook for one minute. Spoon over cake. Allow to cool before serving.
Kitchen Tip:
Serve with a spoonful of whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream. Nut lovers can add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the cake batter.
Wine Suggestion:
A nice white wine would go well, as well as a light zinfandel. Try not to go for something too sweet though, as you don't want to overpower the palette of your guests with everything being sweet. A light, even slightly dry wine might be suitable, depending on your preference.
Sweet Curry Chicken
For today's post to christen the blog, I chose a recipe I got recently. Of course, it has already been tweaked some by me, but it remains intact with the main recipe. I kosher the chicken, and I prefer to serve it over basmati rice. That's about it! Enjoy :).
Ingredients
2 lbs Chicken, Breast, Skinless -- Soak for 30 minutes in Kosher salt water. Rinse well.
8 oz Honey
8 oz Mustard, Yellow -- Use the Spicy Mustard. Dijon preferred
3 tsp Curry Powder
3 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
2 cup Celery -- Rinse and chop.
2 cup Onions -- Chop
2 box Mushrooms, Crimini -- Chop
Instructions
After rinsing the chicken well, place in cooking dish that is oven safe. Season the chicken lightly -- a poultry seasoning is fine. Cook the chicken for one and a half hours or until fully cooked, at 325 degrees. Remove and let cool a minute.
When the chicken is almost done, about an hour in, prepare the onions, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté them until onions are translucent. Remove from heat.
Chop chicken into bite size pieces and put into a bowl. While doing this, warm a skillet over medium heat.
Combine the butter, honey, mustard, and curry powder. Mix well until there are no groupings of each individual ingredient.
Add the chicken and coat well with the sauce. Then add the celery, onion, and mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.
2 lbs Chicken, Breast, Skinless -- Soak for 30 minutes in Kosher salt water. Rinse well.
8 oz Honey
8 oz Mustard, Yellow -- Use the Spicy Mustard. Dijon preferred
3 tsp Curry Powder
3 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
2 cup Celery -- Rinse and chop.
2 cup Onions -- Chop
2 box Mushrooms, Crimini -- Chop
Instructions
After rinsing the chicken well, place in cooking dish that is oven safe. Season the chicken lightly -- a poultry seasoning is fine. Cook the chicken for one and a half hours or until fully cooked, at 325 degrees. Remove and let cool a minute.
When the chicken is almost done, about an hour in, prepare the onions, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté them until onions are translucent. Remove from heat.
Chop chicken into bite size pieces and put into a bowl. While doing this, warm a skillet over medium heat.
Combine the butter, honey, mustard, and curry powder. Mix well until there are no groupings of each individual ingredient.
Add the chicken and coat well with the sauce. Then add the celery, onion, and mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.
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