The results, the weekend, the sauces and the pleasure!

So what!?  Yes, I am guilty!  I cooked all weekend!  I did not (or almost did not) touch a computer all weekend! I am guilty of cooking and enjoying my close relationship to food.  Cooking is the closest relation to human contact that we have.  We eat our food.  We deliberately put other substances in our mouth to feed and satisfy ourselves.  So why not make the best of it?  Make the best food, be on a mission to cook and savor the most magnificient food ever!  I think this is the path to good health and perfect balance.  Cook at home.  A lot of veggies (but add olive oil, salt, pepper), bake them, broil them, vapor them, sauté them, anyway you want it, but never overcook them!

So here is one of the best recipes for me for the October 2010 issue of Food & Wine: Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers.  That lamb was succulent, different, easy to put together and so worth the time.  Because remember that a long overall time for a recipe doesn't mean "hard" or "complicated".  If you're home on a Sunday afternoon, put this baby in the oven, wait for the in-laws and have enough lamb for all.  That is why I would put a little more than the required amount of ingredients, for the whole recipe.  And remember to add some veggies on the side.

Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large white onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 10 cups water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sliced pitted Picholine olive.
• 3/4 cup sliced roasted red pepper.
• 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
• 2 cups Israeli couscous 

1. Preheat the oven to 250°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the lamb with salt and black pepper and add it to the casserole. Cook over moderately high heat, turning the pieces once or twice, until deeply browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a platter.
2. Add the onions, celery and carrots to the casserole. Cover and cook over low heat just until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook over moderately high heat, stirring until the paste is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pot, until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Return the lamb and any accumulated juices to the casserole. Cover and braise in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours, until tender.
3. Transfer the lamb to the platter. Remove any fat and gristle and coarsely shred the meat. Strain the broth and discard the solids. Skim the fat from the surface of the broth. Return the broth to the casserole and boil until reduced to 4 cups, about 30 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the flour to form a paste; whisk it into the broth and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the lamb to the sauce. Add the olives, red peppers and tarragon and keep warm.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the couscous and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the couscous and transfer to shallow bowls. Spoon the lamb ragout over the couscous and serve. 

Source: Food & Wine, from Chef Recipes Made Easy: Simple Wine-Friendly Recipes, published October 2010

Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers

 Make this recipe, you will not be disappointed.  Make sure you add a little more of everything.

"Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."  ~Jim Davis

The Results, TGIF, and a cooking weekend ahead

It is Friday, finally!  After a week of slacking, I have ahead of me a weekend of meat sauce, marinara sauce, chicken à la king, and maple fudge!  Yes, the orders are coming in, and I love it!  I really appreciate cooking for others, more so than cooking for myself, and it's a real treat to be able to reach more people with Haute Cuisine!  So I will be spending this coming weekend cooking, canning, dressing up the jars!

Batch of Meat Sauce with Fresh Herbs

So because of all this cooking, I will be taking a break (yes, another!) from the Food & Wine magazine.  We are going out to eat Saturday and Sunday, so there won't be any recipes to post, but great restaurant experiences and reviews!  Yesterday, however, I made the Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage, and I am really happy I did as it turned out great.  I was quite skeptic before, but a few bites of this warm salad type dish and I was convinced to add it to my repertoire of recipes I would be willing to make again!  The crispness of the barely cooked cabbage really complemented perfectly the savoriness of the pork.  And cabbage (especially red) is so good for you.  Red cabbage is packed with anthocyanins, healthful compounds from the flavonoid class of plant nutrients),   We both finished our plates and could not wait for lunch today to have the leftovers.  Please note that I made my recipe using good balsamic vinegar instead of vin cotto.  Here is the recipe and a picture:

Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast with at least 1/4-inch cap of fat
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons vin cotto, plus more for drizzling (see Note)
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 pound red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 large red-skinned or Bosc pear, cored and cut into thin sticks 

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Trim the fat from the top of the pork loin and cut into thin strips. Spread the fat strips on a large rimmed baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and bake for about 25 minutes, until the fat is melted and the cracklings are browned and crisp. Transfer the cracklings to paper towels to drain. Pour the melted fat into a small bowl; you should have about 2 tablespoons.
2. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and bake for 10 minutes, until golden. Let cool and coarsely chop. Reduce the oven to 300°.
3. Trim off any silver skin from the pork loin and slice the meat crosswise into 4 pieces. Set each piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an 1/8-inch thickness.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the 3 tablespoons of vin cotto, the shallot and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
5. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Season the pork scaloppine with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Add 2 of the scaloppine to the hot oil and cook over high heat until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the scaloppine and cook for about 20 seconds longer. Transfer the scaloppine to a large rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Cook the remaining scaloppine in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
6. Pour off the oil in the skillet and wipe it out. Add the vinaigrette and the melted pork fat to the skillet and warm over moderately high heat. Add the cabbage and pear and toss until warm, 30 seconds. Transfer the salad and scaloppine to plates and garnish the salad with the cracklings. Sprinkle with the walnuts, drizzle with vin cotto and serve. 

Source: Food & Wine, from Best Pairings for Italian Wines, published October 2010

Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage

Have a great weekend readers, and make sure to eat tasty homemade food!  Bon appétit!

One word: SLACKER!

Ok, ok, I am so sorry!  Yesterday, because of the lack of inspiration brought upon by the Scaloppine, I decided to slack off and order Big Bowl!  I love their pad thai, I think it might be one of the best in the city.  So here are the remnants of yesterday's portion that I furiously ingested after a hard core session of Hot Yoga (sorry for the fork, but after training, chop sticks are just not for me :)!

So tonight, I will go ahead and do the Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage, no excuse!  Will keep you posted tomorrow!  Bon appétit!

The Results and the Next Challenge - Day 7

Ok, I have to admit it, I am getting a little tired of the main courses in the issue of Food & Wine...  Tonight, I will try the Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage, but tomorrow, I might do a few appetizers/starters instead of a main.

Good news though, the Mushroom-Sausage Ragù served over polenta from yesterday night was really nice!  I used Rustic Coarse Polenta Integrale, from Anson Mills (www.ansonmills.com), which was the best polenta I ever had!  I love mushrooms, so this recipe is definitely for me.  If you love morels, you're good to go!  The only downside is that I did not take a picture...  We were reviewing the house plans with the architect, and the picture totally slipped through the cracks...  Sorry readers!  Will get back on track here tonight!  I promise to make the recipe again though and will post then.  You should try it too, it's fast and easy, and you can make ahead of time.  Here it is:

Mushroom-Sausage Ragù

• 1 cup dried morel mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 sweet Italian sausages
• 1/2 pound shiitake caps, quartered
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 thinly sliced shallots
• 6 water chestnuts, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Chopped parsley, for garnish 

1. Soak the morels in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water until softened. Rinse and pat dry; reserve the soaking liquid. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the sausages, cover and cook over moderate heat until no longer pink within; slice 1/4 inch thick. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the shiitake, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened. Add the shallots and morels; cover and cook for 4 minutes. Add the water chestnuts. Pour in the morel soaking liquid. Add the sausages and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Off the heat, swirl in the butter and sprinkle with parsley. Serve over polenta.

Source: Food & Wine, from What Sommeliers Know Best, published October 2010

Talk to you tomorrow!  Bon appétit!

How-To Videos

Readers, I want to compile a list of How-To videos that would help everybody and anybody in the kitchen, from how to separate an egg to how to score a duck breast.  Leave your comments!  Thank you so much!

The Results and the Next Challenge - Day 6

Skate, skate, skate!  One word: DELECTABLE!

The Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Purée recipe was wonderful.  I like skate for its look, but also because in terms of taste, it's like a cross between fish and sea scallops.  The brown butter was the perfect match for this dish, and the parsnip purée made every bite creamy and smooth.  I would have liked to have more of the brown butter though.  Maybe 6 tablespoons instead of 4 are in order, as well as a little more lemon juice.  I will definitely make this again!  Here is the recipe, from Ken Frank:

Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Purée

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Four 6- to 8-ounce boneless skate wings
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the parsnips and cook over moderately high heat, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the water and a pinch of salt, cover and cook over low heat until the parsnips are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and boil over moderately high heat until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Transfer the parsnips and liquid to a blender and puree until very smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper; cover and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the sliced almonds in a pie plate and toast in the oven for about 7 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°. In a large skillet, heat 1/8 inch of vegetable oil. Season the skate with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Fry 2 pieces of skate over high heat until they are golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn and fry the skate until just opaque throughout, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer the skate to a large rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Fry the remaining skate.
4. Pour off the oil and wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt over high heat. Cook the butter until it starts to turn brown, about 1 minute. Add the almonds and shake the skillet. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the lemon juice.
5. Spoon the parsnip puree onto plates and top with the skate. Drizzle the butter-almond sauce over the fish and serve. 

Source: Food & Wine, from Best Pairings for California Wines, published October 2010

Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Purée

Tonight, I am making the Mushroom-Sausage Ragù.  I really love mushrooms, especially morels and shiitakes, and this recipe is full of them!  Can't wait!  Talk to you tomorrow!  Bon appétit!

The Next Challenge - Day 5

The week has started.  It's time to cook!  I made a batch of pasta sauce (good old Italian meat sauce) that I am in the process of canning right now.  I will start selling the goods, I have my first client picking up some jars tomorrow (thanks Tammy! :)

Plus, tonight, the Food & Wine challenge resumes with Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Purée.  Skate is a cartilaginous fish from the Rajidae family, it's a ray.  Here is a picture of the skate wing before I started the recipe:

Skate wing (uncooked)