{meat} & Bell Peppers

Adapted from this recipe by the Pioneer Woman.

Ingredients

• 1-½ pound Flank Steak (or pork chops, or chicken) Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
• ½ cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Sherry
• 2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger (or ½ tbsp dried)
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 teaspoon Red Chile Paste (or A Few Dashes Red Chile Oil, Chili sauce, or hot sauce – we use Sirracha)
• 2 Tablespoons Vegitable Oil
• 1 whole Medium Yellow Onion Sliced
• 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Cored And Sliced Into Rings
• 1 lb asian style noodles of your choice (we use Udon generally, but any will do)

And optionally:

• 1 Tablespoon Diced Fresh Jalapeno (or 1 Teaspoon Dice Hot Pepper)
• Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling
• Cilantro Leaves

Preparation Instructions

Mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili paste (or chili oil/sauce/etc.) Place sliced meat in the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside.

Set some water on to boil for noodles.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook until soft. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat, and add bell peppers (and hot pepper/jalapeno if using.) Cook, tossing, until peppers have brown/black bits but are still firm. Remove and keep with onion.

Return skillet to heat and allow to get hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the meat mixture, evenly distributing over the surface of the skillet as much as will allow and cook until brown (or for chicken, until firm). Repeat with remaining meat until all brown.

Reduce heat to low. Add all meat, onions, and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in remaining sauce (the sauce the meat marinated in) and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Sauce will slowly thicken. Turn off heat.

Turn off boiling water, then throw in noodles. Stir, then allow noodles to sit in hot water for the recommended time from the package directions. Drain, then add the noodles to stir fry, tossing until completely coated.  Add pepper flakes and cilantro if desired.  Serves 4.

Italian Wedding Soup

Inspired by the version offered at Wegmans.

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 slice bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• lb ground pork
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup Israeli couscous

Directions:

Combine first nine ingredients and mosh together (alternatively, beat them together using a stand mixer, or whatever).  Shape into small meatballs, about the size of the tip of a man’s thumb.

Bring the broth to a boil.  Add the meatballs and then the spinach, cooking ~8 minutes or until the meatballs are done and the spinach is tender.

Add the Israeli couscous and cook per the package instructions.  Serves 4-8 (more like 8 with a side of garlic tuscan loaf!)

Notes: Don’t use whole wheat Israeli couscous – they don’t get tender enough.  If it is available in your area, substituting escarole or endive for spinach works fine. 

Swedish Meatballs

Based on this recipe from Alton Brown:

Ingredients

• 1 cup store-bought sliced bread (the soft squishy kind)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Using a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until reaching a uniform consistency.

Roll meatballs into portions and place on a sheet pan for ease of access.

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

Serve on rolls, egg noodles, or by themselves.  Serves 2-4 (depending on the method)

Pork Tinga

Spicy Mexican Shredded Pork (Tinga)

From the America’s Test Kitchen episode: Tostadas and Empanadas / America’s Test Kitchen

Serves 4 to 6

The trimmed pork should weigh about 1 1/2 pounds.  The pork can be prepared through step 1 and refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 days.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless pork butt , trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch pieces (see note)
• 2 medium onions , 1 quartered and 1 chopped fine
• 5 medium garlic cloves , 3 peeled and smashed and 2 minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• table salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground chipotle chili powder
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

• 1. Bring pork, quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 6 cups water to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook until pork is tender, 75 to 90 minutes. Drain pork, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Discard onion, garlic, and thyme. Return pork to saucepan and, using potato masher, mash until shredded into rough ½-inch pieces (see Step-by-Step below); set aside.
• 2. Heat olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shredded pork, chopped onion, and oregano; cook, stirring often, until pork is well browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• 3. Stir in tomato sauce, chipotle powder, reserved pork cooking liquid, and bay leaves; simmer until almost all liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves and season with salt to taste.

David says: regardless of what the original recipe recommends, use the chipotle chili powder – the smoky flavor it adds is not to be missed.  We’ve used this as meat now in both tacos and nachos, but I’m confident it would be great as a sandwich, or with eggs – essentially anytime you would use a spiced meat like pulled pork, barbacoa, or carnitas.

Quick Chicken Fricassee

From Cooks Illustrated

Why this recipe works: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs considerably cut down our chicken fricassee recipe’s cooking time. To add back richness, we browned the meat in a combination of butter and oil, and browned vegetables until they developed their own fond to serve as the base of the sauce. Upping the amount of glutamate-rich mushrooms boosted the fricassee’s meaty flavor. As a final step, we finished our chicken fricassee recipe’s sauce with sour cream, which added body and pleasant tang. Also, whisking an egg yolk into the sour cream thickened the sauce and made it incredibly silky.

Serves 4 to 6

Two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley leaves may be substituted for the tarragon in this recipe.

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , thighs, or a combination
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1pound cremini mushrooms , stems trimmed, caps wiped clean and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup sour cream
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon (see note)

Instructions

1. 1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat butter and oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, place chicken in skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until browned on second side, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate.
2. 2. Add mushrooms, onion, and wine to now-empty skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add broth and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in breasts and 175 degrees when inserted in thighs, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. 3. Transfer chicken to clean platter and tent loosely with foil. Whisk sour cream and egg yolk together in medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly stir ½ cup sauce into sour cream mixture. Stirring constantly, slowly pour sour cream mixture into simmering sauce. Stir in nutmeg, lemon juice, and tarragon; return to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

PW Cheesesteak, altered.

Specific changes to the original recipe (beyond omission) in italics.

Original recipe on Pioneer Woman.  The MM Sandwich, PW Style.

Ingredients

* 4 Tablespoons Butter
* 2 pounds Cube Steak (we used 1 1/2)
* Salt
* Pepper
* 1 whole Large Yellow Onion, halved and sliced
* 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, sliced
* 3 cloves Garlic, Minced (We used garlic powder when toasting the bread)
* 2 Tablespoons (additional) Butter
* 1-½ cup Sherry (we just used a splash)
* 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce (we just used a splash)
* 4 dashes Tabasco (we used Sriracha)
* 8 whole Deli Rolls (we used 6)
* 2 Tablespoons (additional) Butter
* 8 slices Provolone (we used 6)

Preparation Instructions

Cut cube steak into strips against the grain. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and peppers and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until relatively soft (but not flimsy.) Remove to a clean plate. Set aside.

Increase the heat, and melt 2 more tablespoons butter in the same skillet.  Cook meat until browned on all sides.

Add vegetables and stir to combine. Pour in sherry, then add Worcestershire and Tabasco. Cook over medium-high heat for five minutes, or until liquid has reduced by about a third. Keep hot.

Toast halved deli rolls in plenty of butter (we added garlic powder to this step, since we were out of fresh) until golden brown and crisp. Spoon meat/veggie mixture on the lower half of the bun, then spoon one or two tablespoons of pan sauce over the meat (it will soak into the bun.) Drizzle a little sauce on the underside of the top bun, too, for extra flavor and moisture. Top with cheese and broil for a minute or two, until the cheese is melted.

Serve immediately.

David Says: NB the reason the liquid totals are so much less than what is listed in the recipe is due to the lack of mushrooms in our version.

“Make Your Own” Fish Tacos

Ingredients

• 3/4 lbs fresh Tilapia (~3 fillets)
• 2 onions
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 tbsp Newman’s Own Salsa
• home-made taco seasoning (Chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, salt, mixed to personal tastes)
• Vegetable Oil

Directions

Slice onions and bell peppers into long strips and saute in a large frying pan on medium low heat until completely floppy and the sugars have caramelized to the pan, ~20-30 minutes.  Remove veg and set aside to use as taco topping.

Generously Coat the tilapia in taco seasoning.  Heat the same frying pan (with delicious caramelized goodness in the bottom) to medium heat and add the salsa, using the acids in the salsa to deglaze the pan before adding the oil.  Add the tilapia to this oil mixture and fry, turning and breaking up the fish with a spatula as it cooks.  Continue to fry until the edges of the fish start to become crisped.

Serve this is taco filling on corn tortillas with the onions and bell peppers.  Add your favorite taco toppings as desired: Guacamole, cheese, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Alton Brown Meatloaf ala Stephens

Adapted slightly from this delicious Alton Brown recipe.

Ingredients

• 5 ounces (1 bag) garlic-flavored croutons
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and broken
• 3 whole cloves garlic
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg

-Smoky-Spicy Catsup

• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• Squirt (to taste) sriracha hot chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Then in the same food processor, pulse on “chop” the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper until good and chopped (but not watery). Combine the above with the meat, salt and egg.  Moosh together well.

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and put the meat mixture into it, pressing down with your knuckles until it molds to shape.  Cover this with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to overnight as need.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.

When ready to cook, unwrap turn out the meatloaf from the loaf pan onto a baking tray covered in parchment paper (works much better than foil in this case) and bake in a a 325 degree oven for 90 minutes or until the loaf reaches 155 degrees in the middle.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, sriracha and honey, adjusting the chili sauce to the desired spice level.  After the loaf has been baking for 30 minutes, apply to the outside of the meatloaf generously then return the oven.

Serve with Mashed potatoes (of course)

Madras Spiced Pork Chops & Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 Thin sliced Pork Chops
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp Madras curry powder
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• ~2 dozen new/baby potatoes (two servings worth in any case)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste

Directions

Mix brown sugar, Madras curry powder, and Cayenne until the mixture is loose.  Rub half into pork chops.

Toss the new potatoes in the olive oil, remaining spice mixture, and salt until fully coated.  Stick into a 350 degree oven for ~ 30 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan (or frying pan with 1tbsp of butter if you don’t have a grill pan or grill) to medium heat and grill the pork chops ~ 3 minutes on a side.

Serve with potatoes.

Makes two portions.

Hot Brown Sandwiches

The perfect day after thanksgiving use of cooked turkey.  Or really, any leftover turkey anytime.

Ingredients

• Slices of turkey breast, enough to cover 12 sandwiches.
• 12 slices of thinly sliced white bread
• 12 slices of bacon
• 12-36 button mushroom caps
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt
• pepper

Directions

In a 425 degree oven, place mushroom caps wrapped in foil and bacon on a baking sheet.  Cook until the bacon is rendered crisp and the mushrooms are cooked ~4-6 minutes.

Remove the bacon from the sheet and place aside with the mushrooms.  Take the bread and arrange on the bacon fat filled baking sheet, flipping to ensure that they absorb the fat evenly.

Make the sauce by combining the soup, cream, lemon juice, Parmesan, and salt and pepper in a sauce pan under medium low heat, stirring until it becomes smooth and creamy. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and stir occasionally until the time comes to make the sandwiches.

Toast the bread under the broiler on both sides.  Top bread with turkey slices and sauce then return to the broiler until browned on top.

Top each sandwich with bacon and mushrooms and serve.