Not only did I not cook tonight, I let the hubbs heat up chicken nuggets and frozen fries. He ate that, kool-aid and chips for dinner.
I blame being sick.
It's Time
3 years ago
Monday, January 10, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Brined Balsalmic Glazed Chicken and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatos
For as long as I've known my husband, our hands down, absolute favorite restaurant has been the Capital Grille. Generally speaking, I'm against chain digs, but this one is so freaking fabulous that it's worth breaking the rules. Aside from their steaks that are mouth watering, they have the most amazing mashed potatoes you've ever had. Ever. Period. Since having, I've been meaning to make them at home...or at least come close.
I also had some chicken breasts lingering in the freezer I needed to use, so thought I'd whip up something new with them as well. I had picked up some new veggies I've NEVER cooked with before--peppers at the market and decided to give them a whirl with garlic and a balsalmic glaze. Balsalmic makes everything better.
Before I jump into the recipe, I want to share with you the key to poultry. Brine. This technique is something I'd not heard of until 2003, when I cooked my very first Thanksgiving dinner for my family. I cheated and followed Williams Sonoma recipes and learned about brining then. That year, our turkey was the most moist, delightful bird I've ever tasted. Since then, I have brined every turkey and always get rave reviews. Along those lines, I also started brining my chicken--both whole and breasts and get the same results--tender, moist and succulent meat that always puts smiles on faces. Simply put, it is not a step to be overlooked, ever.
Don't be turned off by the brine because it's an extra step--because it's actually an amazingly simple step. Typically, for a small roaster chicken, or chicken breasts, I get the brine ready in the morning, stick the meat in and let is sit until dinner when I'm ready to cook. It's really not much of a step at all. There are a TON of ways you can brine your chicken, but below is my favorite brine recipe for chicken breasts.
Brine Ingredients:
8 cups of water
2 Sprigs of fresh rosemary, on stem
1/4 cup of sea salt
1/2 lemon, cut in several slices
2 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, bring 4 cups water to boil. Add salt and boil until dissolved. Remove from heat, add cold tap water and let mixture come to room temperature. (Don't add chicken until it's cooled down) In a brining bag, large ziploc bag or pot with cover, pour water and sit chicken breast in it. Add lemon slices, garlic and rosemary. Put mixture in the refrigerator and let sit up to 12 hours.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato
Ingredients:
6 Medium Potato's, halved (your choice, I used a mix of creamer and red)
1 Whole Garlic head, roasted
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. sour cream
2 Tbs butter, unsalted
2 Tbs. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Directions:
Set oven to 375 degrees. Slice off the top of the garlic head, keeping the head in tact, but exposing the heads. Set head on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt/pepper. Fold foil around garlic, making and place on a baking sheet in oven. Bake for appoxi. 45 minutes, or until garlic is tender enough to slide out of head easily.
Remove garlic from foil and gently squeeze out to plate. Mash with fork until you create a paste, set aside.
Potato's:
Bring water to boil in large saucepan with water, sea salt and rosemary. Place potatos in, continue to boil until soft. (If using a potato ricer, you do not need to peel before boiling. If not, you should peel before boil.)
Once soft, remove from water. Using a potato ricer, ricer potatoes into a large bowl. Add sour cream, butter GRADUALLY. (you may need less, depending on the consistency you prefer.) Using an electric mixer, whip potatoes. Add garlic mash and whip again. Salt and pepper as desired.
Balsalmic Glazed Chicken
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, medium size, brined
1 yellow pepper, seeds removed, sliced
1 green pepper, seeds removed, sliced
2 Tbs minced garlic
4 Tbs olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, peeled, diced
4 Tbs balsalmic vinegar
1 Tbs fresh basil, finely chopped.
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, bring 2 Tbs olive oil to simmer. Add chicken breasts and cook until done, flipping only once. About 3 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan, set on plate. In same saucepan, add additional olive oil, bring to simmer and add peppers and onions. Saute until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute. Add basil, stir and add vinegar. Toss, then add chicken back to the pan. Reduce heat to medium low, spoon mixture over chicken and simmer until warm, glazed. Serve.
I also had some chicken breasts lingering in the freezer I needed to use, so thought I'd whip up something new with them as well. I had picked up some new veggies I've NEVER cooked with before--peppers at the market and decided to give them a whirl with garlic and a balsalmic glaze. Balsalmic makes everything better.
Before I jump into the recipe, I want to share with you the key to poultry. Brine. This technique is something I'd not heard of until 2003, when I cooked my very first Thanksgiving dinner for my family. I cheated and followed Williams Sonoma recipes and learned about brining then. That year, our turkey was the most moist, delightful bird I've ever tasted. Since then, I have brined every turkey and always get rave reviews. Along those lines, I also started brining my chicken--both whole and breasts and get the same results--tender, moist and succulent meat that always puts smiles on faces. Simply put, it is not a step to be overlooked, ever.
Don't be turned off by the brine because it's an extra step--because it's actually an amazingly simple step. Typically, for a small roaster chicken, or chicken breasts, I get the brine ready in the morning, stick the meat in and let is sit until dinner when I'm ready to cook. It's really not much of a step at all. There are a TON of ways you can brine your chicken, but below is my favorite brine recipe for chicken breasts.
Brine Ingredients:
8 cups of water
2 Sprigs of fresh rosemary, on stem
1/4 cup of sea salt
1/2 lemon, cut in several slices
2 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, bring 4 cups water to boil. Add salt and boil until dissolved. Remove from heat, add cold tap water and let mixture come to room temperature. (Don't add chicken until it's cooled down) In a brining bag, large ziploc bag or pot with cover, pour water and sit chicken breast in it. Add lemon slices, garlic and rosemary. Put mixture in the refrigerator and let sit up to 12 hours.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato
Ingredients:
6 Medium Potato's, halved (your choice, I used a mix of creamer and red)
1 Whole Garlic head, roasted
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. sour cream
2 Tbs butter, unsalted
2 Tbs. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Directions:
Set oven to 375 degrees. Slice off the top of the garlic head, keeping the head in tact, but exposing the heads. Set head on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt/pepper. Fold foil around garlic, making and place on a baking sheet in oven. Bake for appoxi. 45 minutes, or until garlic is tender enough to slide out of head easily.
Remove garlic from foil and gently squeeze out to plate. Mash with fork until you create a paste, set aside.
Potato's:
Bring water to boil in large saucepan with water, sea salt and rosemary. Place potatos in, continue to boil until soft. (If using a potato ricer, you do not need to peel before boiling. If not, you should peel before boil.)
Once soft, remove from water. Using a potato ricer, ricer potatoes into a large bowl. Add sour cream, butter GRADUALLY. (you may need less, depending on the consistency you prefer.) Using an electric mixer, whip potatoes. Add garlic mash and whip again. Salt and pepper as desired.
Balsalmic Glazed Chicken
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, medium size, brined
1 yellow pepper, seeds removed, sliced
1 green pepper, seeds removed, sliced
2 Tbs minced garlic
4 Tbs olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, peeled, diced
4 Tbs balsalmic vinegar
1 Tbs fresh basil, finely chopped.
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, bring 2 Tbs olive oil to simmer. Add chicken breasts and cook until done, flipping only once. About 3 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan, set on plate. In same saucepan, add additional olive oil, bring to simmer and add peppers and onions. Saute until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute. Add basil, stir and add vinegar. Toss, then add chicken back to the pan. Reduce heat to medium low, spoon mixture over chicken and simmer until warm, glazed. Serve.
Homemade Pizza Crust: Hand Tossed
Overachiever. That's my motto this week apparently.
Friday's at our house are typically reserved for lazy-nights. We pop a frozen pizza in, watch Bill Mahr and relax to max. This Friday was intended on being the same....until I got a wild hair to make my own pizza. From scratch, no recipe.
I've never made pizza dough before, so this was an experiment. Luckily, one that turned out with raving reviews, my husband devouring 1/2 the entire pie and eating the rest as leftovers today for lunch.
I'm not counting this as one of my meals for the week, but nonetheless, the experiment turned out great. Enjoy the crust with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp. fast acting dry yeast
3/4 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 1/2 flour
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix yeast and brown sugar into water. Stir gently until dissolved. Let sit approx. 10 minutes. Add olive oil and salt. In a mixer with dough attachment (or by hand if you like) gradually work in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Add flour and kneed until the dough is no longer sticky. Oil a large bowl and place dough in it, with a clean dish cloth over it. Let dough rise until double, approx. 1 hour. Once dough has risen, punch down and work into a tight ball. Let ball sit for about 5 minutes. Press out onto pizza pan, or baking stone. Let dough sit for about 15 minutes before topping and baking.
Bake pizza at 400 Degrees until crust is golden brown.
Friday's at our house are typically reserved for lazy-nights. We pop a frozen pizza in, watch Bill Mahr and relax to max. This Friday was intended on being the same....until I got a wild hair to make my own pizza. From scratch, no recipe.
I've never made pizza dough before, so this was an experiment. Luckily, one that turned out with raving reviews, my husband devouring 1/2 the entire pie and eating the rest as leftovers today for lunch.
I'm not counting this as one of my meals for the week, but nonetheless, the experiment turned out great. Enjoy the crust with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp. fast acting dry yeast
3/4 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 1/2 flour
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix yeast and brown sugar into water. Stir gently until dissolved. Let sit approx. 10 minutes. Add olive oil and salt. In a mixer with dough attachment (or by hand if you like) gradually work in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Add flour and kneed until the dough is no longer sticky. Oil a large bowl and place dough in it, with a clean dish cloth over it. Let dough rise until double, approx. 1 hour. Once dough has risen, punch down and work into a tight ball. Let ball sit for about 5 minutes. Press out onto pizza pan, or baking stone. Let dough sit for about 15 minutes before topping and baking.
Bake pizza at 400 Degrees until crust is golden brown.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Easy, Breezy, Lazy Thursday
As the week winds down, I find it harder to really get pumped about cooking. I love doing it...but after almost a week of work, commuting and general life, it gets kind of difficult to put a TON of effort into a meal that's both interesting and yummy.
Welcome to broiler Thursday.
I believe this is one of the best-kept-kitchen-secrets. Soooo many of my friends don't even know what the broiler does, let alone, have ever used it. It really is my kitchen cheat. With my bad-ass broiler, a little preparation goes a long way and in under 30 minutes I had a fun meal that was pretty, interesting and super-duper low calorie.
I wondered what to put in the broiler for awhile--I typically do steaks and chicken, but those are on slate later this week. Then I ran across a pork roast at the market this weekend--and save bacon, I have NEVER cooked pork. Interesting, huh? So that's where I started this week. Pork. With no real plan for the pork, I figured I'd plot a marinade later and as I was meandering by the check-out line I saw a beautiful ray of sunshine: fresh pineapples!
My husband is whole-heartedly obsessed with pineapple. He savors it like a little kid does candy. Fresh pineapple makes him get this giddy look on his face while eating and there are some days I'm sure he'd gladly trade me for some fresh fruit.
Pineapples it was. I knew whatever I paired with it, he'd dig.
So that's where tonight's recipe came from. My lack of pork cooking and an odd obsession with pineapple. Surprisingly, they go quite nice together.
(Disclaimer: This recipe feeds 2 people with average appetites, with no leftovers.)
Pineapple Glazed Pork
Ingredients for the Pork Roast:
1 Pork Roast (1 lb)
4 Slices of Pineapple, cored and cut in 1/2 inch slices.
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
1 Tbs. Worchesteshire Sauce
1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 Tbs. Pineapple juice (fresh or canned)
1 Tbs. Minced Garlic
Directions:
Turn the broiler on. On a baking sheet lined with foil, place the pineapple slices. Set the pork roast on a broil pan with a rack in it. In a small bowl, mix the Soy Sauce, Worchesteshire Sauce, Mustard, Pineapple juice and garlic. Brush over the pork. Place the pork roast on the first rack under the broiler and the pineapple on the second rack. Broil until a thermometer reads 155 degrees. (about 20 minutes). Remove roast from oven and let sit. (Pork will rise in temperature to around 160) Move the pineapple to the top rack and broil until brown spots appear. (approx 7-10 more minutes) Remove pineapple and serve with pork, spicy pineapple sauce!
Spicy Pineapple Sauce Ingredients:
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
1 Tbs. Worchesteshire
1 1/2 Tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tsp minced garlic
2 tsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Whisk all ingredients together, set aside to serve.
Welcome to broiler Thursday.
I believe this is one of the best-kept-kitchen-secrets. Soooo many of my friends don't even know what the broiler does, let alone, have ever used it. It really is my kitchen cheat. With my bad-ass broiler, a little preparation goes a long way and in under 30 minutes I had a fun meal that was pretty, interesting and super-duper low calorie.
I wondered what to put in the broiler for awhile--I typically do steaks and chicken, but those are on slate later this week. Then I ran across a pork roast at the market this weekend--and save bacon, I have NEVER cooked pork. Interesting, huh? So that's where I started this week. Pork. With no real plan for the pork, I figured I'd plot a marinade later and as I was meandering by the check-out line I saw a beautiful ray of sunshine: fresh pineapples!
My husband is whole-heartedly obsessed with pineapple. He savors it like a little kid does candy. Fresh pineapple makes him get this giddy look on his face while eating and there are some days I'm sure he'd gladly trade me for some fresh fruit.
Pineapples it was. I knew whatever I paired with it, he'd dig.
So that's where tonight's recipe came from. My lack of pork cooking and an odd obsession with pineapple. Surprisingly, they go quite nice together.
(Disclaimer: This recipe feeds 2 people with average appetites, with no leftovers.)
Pineapple Glazed Pork
Ingredients for the Pork Roast:
1 Pork Roast (1 lb)
4 Slices of Pineapple, cored and cut in 1/2 inch slices.
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
1 Tbs. Worchesteshire Sauce
1 Tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 Tbs. Pineapple juice (fresh or canned)
1 Tbs. Minced Garlic
Directions:
Turn the broiler on. On a baking sheet lined with foil, place the pineapple slices. Set the pork roast on a broil pan with a rack in it. In a small bowl, mix the Soy Sauce, Worchesteshire Sauce, Mustard, Pineapple juice and garlic. Brush over the pork. Place the pork roast on the first rack under the broiler and the pineapple on the second rack. Broil until a thermometer reads 155 degrees. (about 20 minutes). Remove roast from oven and let sit. (Pork will rise in temperature to around 160) Move the pineapple to the top rack and broil until brown spots appear. (approx 7-10 more minutes) Remove pineapple and serve with pork, spicy pineapple sauce!
Spicy Pineapple Sauce Ingredients:
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
1 Tbs. Worchesteshire
1 1/2 Tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tsp minced garlic
2 tsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Whisk all ingredients together, set aside to serve.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Leftovers Done Right: Brisket Rague with Pappardelle Noodles
So, today was my first "official" no-recipe night and I was a wee-bit-nervous with how the hubbs would react to this new dish. If I haven't said it before, he's a man who knows what he likes to eat-and sticks to it. To add insult to his lack of culinary adventure, he's also, what I call, a "food purist." This man likes plain food. He hates condiments, sauces and the like. He hates cheese (unless on pizza or macaroni). He eats salads and potatoes plain. No salt, no pepper, nada, nothing, zero additives. He doesn't even put pickles, ketsup and mustard on his burgers.
BOOORRRING!
Understandably, I approached tonight's leftovers (which he hates) a bit carefully--and tried to make something similar to what I know he likes, but with a different twist. My muse: spaghetti and meatballs, which he loves.
With my brisket leftovers, I thought that they'd make the perfect, yummy sauce, but wanted something a bit lighter than a thick rague. I also wanted to try these noodles I'd heard about, but never used. It's the pappardelle noodle. Tricky little sucker to find too. You're probably not going to find it in the supermarket and certainly not at the walmart--you'll have to make a visit to the Whole Foods or a specialty shop to nab this one. Interestingly enough, you can also order on Amazon. (If you can't find it, don't dismiss the recipe, your average wide egg noodle will work too!) The pappardelle noodle is a HUGE hit in Italy and has traditionally been used with thicker meats. Sounded like a perfect fit for this meal!
For some reason this week I also went a bit crazy at the deli counter and bought a few things I rarely pick up: pancetta for one. I figured I'd add this into the sauce....because really, who doesn't like pancetta or bacon?
The meal came together rather quickly, less than 30 minutes start to finish. I served with some yummy homemade french bread (thanks to the fantastic bread maker I scored for Christmas!) and aside from my husband calling it beef stroganoff all night, it was a hit. We even had seconds. That's a rarity in our house!
The thrill of cooking something sans-recipe is certainly a mixed bag of emotions--first nerves wondering if it'll turn out right and excitement when it comes together delightfully.
Looking forward to more exploration!
Ingredients:
2-3 oz. pancetta (sliced from deli)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cooked brisket, shredded (use leftovers!)
1 cup sauce from brisket
1 can diced tomatoes, with all juices
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced (or 2 tbs of dried basil)
2 Tbs. salt
3/4 bag (1lb) pappardelle noodles (or other wide egg noodle will work)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Directions:
In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until browned. Transfer to plate to drain excess fat and cool. Once pancetta is cook, crumble pancetta.
In the same pan, add the minced garlic and saute until tender. Add diced tomatoes, basil, sauce from brisket, and tomato sauce. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Add shredded brisket and pancetta and simmer.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring water with salt to a boil, add noodles and cook per package directions. Cook the noodles al dente. Drain noodles.
Gradually add the sauce to the drained noodles toss. (Stirring makes the meat bind together, tossing the mixture ensures its evenly mingled with the noodles!)
Serve alone or with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. A shredded Asiago works well on this dish too!
BOOORRRING!
Understandably, I approached tonight's leftovers (which he hates) a bit carefully--and tried to make something similar to what I know he likes, but with a different twist. My muse: spaghetti and meatballs, which he loves.
With my brisket leftovers, I thought that they'd make the perfect, yummy sauce, but wanted something a bit lighter than a thick rague. I also wanted to try these noodles I'd heard about, but never used. It's the pappardelle noodle. Tricky little sucker to find too. You're probably not going to find it in the supermarket and certainly not at the walmart--you'll have to make a visit to the Whole Foods or a specialty shop to nab this one. Interestingly enough, you can also order on Amazon. (If you can't find it, don't dismiss the recipe, your average wide egg noodle will work too!) The pappardelle noodle is a HUGE hit in Italy and has traditionally been used with thicker meats. Sounded like a perfect fit for this meal!
For some reason this week I also went a bit crazy at the deli counter and bought a few things I rarely pick up: pancetta for one. I figured I'd add this into the sauce....because really, who doesn't like pancetta or bacon?
The meal came together rather quickly, less than 30 minutes start to finish. I served with some yummy homemade french bread (thanks to the fantastic bread maker I scored for Christmas!) and aside from my husband calling it beef stroganoff all night, it was a hit. We even had seconds. That's a rarity in our house!
The thrill of cooking something sans-recipe is certainly a mixed bag of emotions--first nerves wondering if it'll turn out right and excitement when it comes together delightfully.
Looking forward to more exploration!
Ingredients:
2-3 oz. pancetta (sliced from deli)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups cooked brisket, shredded (use leftovers!)
1 cup sauce from brisket
1 can diced tomatoes, with all juices
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced (or 2 tbs of dried basil)
2 Tbs. salt
3/4 bag (1lb) pappardelle noodles (or other wide egg noodle will work)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Directions:
In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until browned. Transfer to plate to drain excess fat and cool. Once pancetta is cook, crumble pancetta.
In the same pan, add the minced garlic and saute until tender. Add diced tomatoes, basil, sauce from brisket, and tomato sauce. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Add shredded brisket and pancetta and simmer.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring water with salt to a boil, add noodles and cook per package directions. Cook the noodles al dente. Drain noodles.
Gradually add the sauce to the drained noodles toss. (Stirring makes the meat bind together, tossing the mixture ensures its evenly mingled with the noodles!)
Serve alone or with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. A shredded Asiago works well on this dish too!
To Sear or Not to Sear is NOT the question.
Last nigh I just couldn't get it up to cook much of a dinner for the hubs. I'm blaming the lingering flu I've had, married with the fact that I was woken up (again) by the most annoying 13 year old girls who can shut their traps at 6:15a.m. as they wait for the bus outside my house. (I'll save you the horror of what I yelled at them from my window. Let's just say, they were quite today.)
I digress.
Since I didn't really "cook" much last night, I had to get busy today on my brisket. Tonight's menu: Slow-cooked Brisket, mashed potatoes and gravy. Nothing fancy or really new today--but I needed the brisket for a "leftover" idea I had for later this week. (I'll get to that later.)
At any rate, the choice cooking method in my house for weekday brisket is the slow cooker--becuase really, who doesn't LOVE the crock pot?! If I could, I'd marry it.
For years I've been crockin' it up because of simplicity. I throw the ingredients in, usually some form of veggies, set and forget it. That's the beauty of it, right? It usually comes out to be pretty darn good and all are happy at my place. But, as cooks will tell you--you should sear your meat before you cook it....so I figured I'd give it a shot.
I will never go back, even in the crock pot, meat must be seared.
The benefits of it are really a mixed bag of reviews--some say that it helps trap the juices, others say it doesnt. What I did find to be true though is that it did leave the meat with a yummy carmalization and better drippings to make gravy from later. I also liked the texture difference. A little crispiness to my meat is good.
Tonights brisket: a hit, one-hundred times over. Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
One Brisket (medium, about 2lbs)
3-5 potatoes (I used creamer yellows and red)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 carrots, diced into large pieces (hint: cut at an angle, they're prettier when served!)
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes w/ juices
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 cup beef broth
4 tablespoons olive oil
Get the crock pot ready--set it out, but DON'T turn it on untill all the food is in, lid is on. Chop up all the veggies and layer the carrots, potatoes and garlic on the bottom of the pot.
In a large saute pan, on medium heat, bring the olive oil temperature. Using a large mixing bowl, flour all sides of the brisket. (A thin layer is good, be careful to not let it cake/become thick.) Over heat, brown all size of the brisket until brown/carmalized color appears. (approx 2-3 minutes per side)
Transfer the roast to the crock pot. Layer with tomatoes and beef broth. Cover.
Cook on low for 4 hours. Or 6. Whatever suits your fancy, it's really hard to overcook in the pot.
Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Resting ALL meat is a good idea before you slice and serve. It gives the meat an opportunity to come back together, let the juices settle I've learned.
So tonight's recipe isn't all that interesting really--but good. HOWEVER, on slate for tomorrow night is a pasta dish using the left over brisket, egg noodles and a homemade sauce. Mmm.
I digress.
Since I didn't really "cook" much last night, I had to get busy today on my brisket. Tonight's menu: Slow-cooked Brisket, mashed potatoes and gravy. Nothing fancy or really new today--but I needed the brisket for a "leftover" idea I had for later this week. (I'll get to that later.)
At any rate, the choice cooking method in my house for weekday brisket is the slow cooker--becuase really, who doesn't LOVE the crock pot?! If I could, I'd marry it.
For years I've been crockin' it up because of simplicity. I throw the ingredients in, usually some form of veggies, set and forget it. That's the beauty of it, right? It usually comes out to be pretty darn good and all are happy at my place. But, as cooks will tell you--you should sear your meat before you cook it....so I figured I'd give it a shot.
I will never go back, even in the crock pot, meat must be seared.
The benefits of it are really a mixed bag of reviews--some say that it helps trap the juices, others say it doesnt. What I did find to be true though is that it did leave the meat with a yummy carmalization and better drippings to make gravy from later. I also liked the texture difference. A little crispiness to my meat is good.
Tonights brisket: a hit, one-hundred times over. Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
One Brisket (medium, about 2lbs)
3-5 potatoes (I used creamer yellows and red)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 carrots, diced into large pieces (hint: cut at an angle, they're prettier when served!)
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes w/ juices
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 cup beef broth
4 tablespoons olive oil
Get the crock pot ready--set it out, but DON'T turn it on untill all the food is in, lid is on. Chop up all the veggies and layer the carrots, potatoes and garlic on the bottom of the pot.
In a large saute pan, on medium heat, bring the olive oil temperature. Using a large mixing bowl, flour all sides of the brisket. (A thin layer is good, be careful to not let it cake/become thick.) Over heat, brown all size of the brisket until brown/carmalized color appears. (approx 2-3 minutes per side)
Transfer the roast to the crock pot. Layer with tomatoes and beef broth. Cover.
Cook on low for 4 hours. Or 6. Whatever suits your fancy, it's really hard to overcook in the pot.
Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Resting ALL meat is a good idea before you slice and serve. It gives the meat an opportunity to come back together, let the juices settle I've learned.
So tonight's recipe isn't all that interesting really--but good. HOWEVER, on slate for tomorrow night is a pasta dish using the left over brisket, egg noodles and a homemade sauce. Mmm.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Be it resolved: 3 new recipes a week!
Do you ever feel like you're eating the same thing, on rotation, almost on a weekly basis? That's me. That's our house. I feel like each week, I go to the grocery store, have the same boring list and pick up the same boring food that I serve to my family.
I need to spice it up in the kitchen! Literally.
So, what's a girl to do about this blah-culinary situation in her kitchen? Set a goal to create 3 new things each week.
My goal is to create three new items, set them out in the blog-o-sphere and blog about the many culinary lessons, great finds and fun times I'm having in the kitchen. Oh ya, this ought to be fun!
So, if you're bored in the kitchen, check back weekly to find out how my endeavor to keep it fresh is going--and share in the many creations I've stumbled upon.
Did I mention this was going to be a recipe-less endeavor on my part? Yup, it is. I'm allowing myself no recipes to follow--only to peruse for inspiration and a wealth of technique books I have on different methods of cooking.
It's that deep.
I need to spice it up in the kitchen! Literally.
So, what's a girl to do about this blah-culinary situation in her kitchen? Set a goal to create 3 new things each week.
My goal is to create three new items, set them out in the blog-o-sphere and blog about the many culinary lessons, great finds and fun times I'm having in the kitchen. Oh ya, this ought to be fun!
So, if you're bored in the kitchen, check back weekly to find out how my endeavor to keep it fresh is going--and share in the many creations I've stumbled upon.
Did I mention this was going to be a recipe-less endeavor on my part? Yup, it is. I'm allowing myself no recipes to follow--only to peruse for inspiration and a wealth of technique books I have on different methods of cooking.
It's that deep.
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