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August 13, 2017

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Meat, Recipes

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Grilled Flank Steak Rolls

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As I typed that title, I am not sure if I like it. It is fairly accurate to what this dish is, but something about it seems off. However, I cannot come up with anything better, so it is staying haha. This is a meal that I made on a whim and had no idea how it would turn out. I figured wrapping vegetables in meat can’t be bad, so I went for it and made a teriyaki sauce to go with it. Turns out it was pretty tasty, but I didn’t count for logistics and how to eat it, as it kind of fell apart as I cut into it. Still tasted good though!

Ingredients

  • Flank steak, pounded thin and cut into large strips
  • Salt and pepper
  • Carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
  • Asparagus
  • Green onions
  • 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
  • 1/2 cup Soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • cornstarch
  • toothpicks

Directions

  • Salt and pepper the steak to taste
  • Blanch the carrots and asparagus in boiling water (~1-2 minutes)
  • Roll a carrot stick, asparagus stalk, and green onion in a flank steak strip and close with a toothpick
  • Do this with remaining steak strips and vegetables
  • On a grill pan (or grill, or large frying pan), cook the steak rolls (~2 min each side)
  • Let the steak rolls rest and grill onions
  • For the teriyaki sauce, in a small sauce pan, combine the soy sauce, honey, ginger, vinegar, and sesame oil on medium heat
  • Once combined and simmering, add mix of cornstarch and water to desired thickness
  • Brush the teriyaki sauce over the steak rolls and serve (I served over sautéed kale)

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May 29, 2017

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Meat, Recipes

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Sous Vide Pork Rack

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As you know I got a sous vide as a gift, and I have been trying my hardest to use it as often as I can. Now I know it can be time consuming, but man does stuff come out good. Gone are the days of roasting things in the oven or frying things in a pan and having it dry out. Sous Vide reminds me of those “Set it and Forget it” commercials from back in the day. So I decided to sous vide a 4 bone pork rack (originally came in a rack of 8 bones, but I cut it in half, because who the heck is going to eat 8…). I made this before by roasting in the oven and it came out great, but this one came out better in my opinion. Also this recipe is not from anywhere, or based on anything, but just me experimenting, so feel free to mess around obviously. But you can try both and let me know!

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Ingredients

  • Rack of pork
  • Kosher Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 tbsp of dried oregano, thyme, rosemary
  • Olive oil

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Directions

  • Set sous vide water bath to 143º F (or oven to 350º)
  • Rinse and dry pork rack
  • Salt and pepper the pork, and add herbs as well
  • Place the pork rack into the bag, add some olive oil, and seal (alternatively place in roasting pan and drizzle oil)
  • Place in water bath for 90 minutes (or oven for 1hour)
  • Remove from water bath, pat dry, and sear in skillet over high heat for ~2-3 minutes a side (may need a little oil in the skillet)
    • if using the oven, skip this step
  • Let the pork rest, cut, serve, and enjoy!

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March 18, 2016

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Appetizers, Meat

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Mini Beef Wellingtons

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Hi everyone. Today I bring to you beef wellingtons, kind of. You see, the idea of a beef wellington (filet wrapped in pastry dough) is basically all kinds of amazing. I mean what’s not to like? Meat and pastries. So I have always thought about making beef wellingtons because they are so good, but the problem I always run into is that I don’t like mushrooms….like at all. They are some of my least favorite foods and are a key ingredient in this dish. Also, I didn’t want to make big ones as a main dish. Not sure why, but I was feeling the appetizer route. That led me to this recipe, which still included mushrooms, but I decided to change those out. I replaced the mushrooms with grilled onions and they turned out amazing. Obviously if you are a traditionalist, or a mushroom lover, go for the original, but the onions as a substitute worked just as well in my opinion.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (can use dried)
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Sea salt
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 16oz package frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
  • 1 lb trimmed beef tenderloin, cut into 24 cubes (about 3/4 inch each)
  • 1/3 cup Boursin cheese (I found a Boursin cheese with herbs at the market)

Directions

  • In a skillet over medium heat, sauté onions (or mushrooms) with rosemary, salt and pepper until cooked
  • Roll puff pastry out and cut into 3 in. squares (mine ended up being more triangles due to the way the dough was shaped)
  • Place one beef cube in the middle of the pastry square and add a pinch of salt
  • Top each cube with some cheese and some onions (or mushrooms)
  • Brush the edges of the square with egg wash and fold the dough over the cube to seal it
  • After you’ve completed this with all of the cubes, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash (I found it easier to just dunk and roll them in the egg wash)
  • Bake for ~9 minutes at 450 degrees, until the pastry is golden brown
  • Let sit for ~5 minutes and serve!

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August 7, 2015

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Meat

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Hawaiian Hoisin Spare Ribs and Pineapple Slaw

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Hey, so it’s been awhile (2 months) since I have last posted, which when I think about it is a really long time. It’s not like I haven’t cooked in 2 months, but I guess nothing worthwhile?  This is a recipe I did awhile back and it turned out really well.  I got the recipe for the ribs here and made both the ribs and the slaw.  They complement each other nicely with the citrus and crispness of the slaw to contrast the sweet and savory of the ribs.  However, for the slaw, the recipe requires a lot of ingredients so I left a lot of things out, which didn’t detract from it at all IMO. Also, this requires a lot of stereotypical Asian ingredients, so thankfully I have most of this at home. But if you don’t, it does require a lot.

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Ingredients:

Ribs:

  • 5 lbs spareribs/baby back ribs
  • 1 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup chicken broth

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Slaw:

  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onion/scallion
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups diced pineapple
  • 1 cup julienned red pepper
  • red and green cabbage shredded (I used the premade slaw mix from the market)

Directions:

  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes
  • Bring to a boil and let simmer until a thick glaze. Remove from heat and let cool
  • @ 275 degrees, place a wire rack in a large baking dish and pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the dish
  • salt and pepper the ribs on both sides, wrap in foil, and place on baking rack
  • Wrap the whole pan in foil and bake for 1-1.5 hours
  • Let the ribs cool for ~15 min and then drizzle/coat the ribs with the glaze
  • Broil for ~5 min making sure not to burn the glaze
  • After removing the ribs and letting stand, drizzle a little more glaze
  • For the slaw, whisk together the honey, vinegar, and soy sauce
  • Slowly add the oils while whisking, and then add the cilantro, peppers, and green onions
  • Add salt and pepper to taste
  • In a bowl, mix the cabbage (or premade mix) and the pineapples
  • Toss in the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve
  • Enjoy!

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December 15, 2014

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Appetizers, Meat

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Carne Asada Tacos

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I don’t know about you, but I love me some Mexican food – tacos, burritos, tortas, I’ll eat them all.  But tacos (like those $1 ones you get from a cart) have a special place in my heart.  With that being said, I decided to try my hand at making some carne asada tacos (turns out its more expensive to make than to buy probably).  They actually turned out pretty good though.

Ingredients for asada:

  • 1 lb skirt steak (I cut them into pieces that would fit on my grill)
  • 2 oranges, juiced
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1 handful finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 serrano chile, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • salt and pepper

Ingredients for salsa

  • 4 ripe tomatoes
  • 1 serrano chile
  • 1 lime
  • 1/2 white onion
  • handful of cilantro
  • salt

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Other ingredients:

  • tortillas
  • white onion, chopped
  • cilantro, chopped

Directions:

  • Mix all the ingredients in a large ziplock bag and let it marinate for ~30-45 minutes
  • On an oiled grill over medium heat, cook the steak until your desired doneness (I like med-med rare)
  • let rest for 10 minutes, then cut into slices
  • Meanwhile, put the ingredients for the salsa in a food processor and pulse until liquidy
  • Heat the tortillas in a slightly oiled pan, place the meat slices on the tortilla
  • top with chopped onions, cilantro, and salsa and enjoy!

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October 4, 2014

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Meat, Recipes

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Pork Chops with Amber Peach Chutney

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I realized that it has been awhile since I last posted. Life has been really hectic and I havn’t had a chance to cook too much beyond fast and simple things. But a little while ago, I had some peaches and decided to make pork chops with what I guess would be my take on a peach chutney. It uses beer, which is always a good thing, but it comes out more like a sauce I guess than an actual chutney. Either way, whatever you want to call it, it was pretty good.

Ingredients

  • Pork Chop (thick cut)
  • 2 yellow peaches, pitted, cut into slices
  • 6 oz amber ale
  • 1/4 tbsp butter
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • spinach

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Directions

  • Salt and pepper the pork chops
  • Fry the chops in a skillet over medium heat, then transfer to a plate and tent with foil
  • In the same skillet, cook the peach slices until soft and slightly reduced over low-medium heat
  • Add the 6oz of beer and the lemon juice
  • Cook until the beer reduces and the alcohol is gone
  • Add the pork juice that has collected on the plate and stir in the butter
  • At the same time grill the onions until clear and slightly wilt the spinach
  • Plate the pork chop over the spinach and top with amber peach sauce/chutney
  • Eat and eat some more

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September 5, 2014

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Meat, Recipes

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Sirloin Steak with Red Wine Sauce

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We’ve been doing this blog thing for a few months now and I have kept up with it a lot better and more consistently than I ever thought. Who knew I’d actually enjoy it. It has made me branch out and try new things, take some risks, be more creative, and plate better. My mom also keeps updated with it, checking periodically. But, without fail, every time I talk to her, she always asks me when she is going to get a meal like that, or why she is the one cooking when we come back to visit. Which, actually, is a good point. That seems unfair, so when we went back home for Labor Day, my sister and I decided to whip up our parents a full 4-course Italian meal because my mom was specifically asking about the shrimp scampi that I made previously. So that ended up being the 2nd course, with the 1st being a salad. This steak was the 3rd and then my sister made a raspberry limoncello dessert, which I will post later. The recipe called for flat iron steak, but I used sirloin instead because why not. It is super simple and the sauce is pretty damn tasty.

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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of sirloin steaks
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tbsp EVOO
  • 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 1/2 cups dry red wine

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Directions

  • Salt and pepper the steaks, drizzle with EVOO
  • Cook to your desired doneness and then let it rest, tented with foil
  • Slice the steaks against the grain
  • For the sauce, melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan on medium heat
  • Saute the onions till done, then add salt and cook for a few more minutes
  • Add the garlic and oregano and saute for another minute
  • Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly
  • Mix in the wine, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces by half (says 10 minutes, but it took a lot longer for me)
  • Melt 4 tbsp butter (cut into chunks) into the sauce
  • Strain the sauce into a bowl, extracting as much liquid as possible
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pour over the steak, or serve on the side and enjoy

 

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Overall the steak and the red wine sauce was really good. It was cooked just right and the sauce didn’t have too heavy of a wine flavor. It was a little shocking how much butter went into it, but it was delicious, so all was forgiven. My parents really enjoyed it too, which was the most important part.

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May 26, 2014

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Meat, Recipes

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Roasted Rack of Lamb

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Yesterday was mine and Jenn’s 5 year anniversary (no idea we’d make it that far), and in lieu of going out for a fancy dinner, as is usually the thing, we decided to cook (well I decided to cook).  We are going to Europe in a few weeks so we decided to keep it relatively inexpensive and tame at home for our celebration.  I had a hard time deciding what to make, but I ended up on a roasted rack of lamb for me and a halibut filet with lemon butter for her (which will be posted later). So here goes.

Ingredients (completely made up recipe)

  • Rack of lamb
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Thyme
  • Oregano
  • Bread crumbs
  • Olive oil
  • Minced garlic

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Instructions

  • Score the fat of the rack
  • Salt and pepper generously
  • Add thyme, oregano, and minced garlic
  • Brush with olive oil
  • Coat lightly with bread crumbs
  • In a cast iron pan sear the rack of lamb on all sides over  high heat
  • Finish cooking by baking in the oven at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes
  • Let sit for 15 minutes and then devour it
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May 20, 2014

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Grilled Skirt Steak

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So tonight we had a friend over and I decided to grill a skirt steak (or 2). I topped it with a chimichurri sauce and paired it with broccolini and fried potatoes. Being an apartment with no balcony, I only have an electric grill that I use indoors. I still get a char on the meat, but not as good of a one as if I had a real grill, which I had to dump when I moved here 😦

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Steak:

  • Skirt Steak (I used about 3lbs, cut into smaller sections to fit on my grill)
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup of Teriyaki Marinade (Bought from local market)
  • 1/2 cup of soy sauce
  • Salt and pepper

Generously salt and pepper the steak. Then marinate in the garlic, teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce for about an hour.  Grill to desired temperature.

Chimichurri Sauce (recipe from here)

  • 1 cup parsley
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsps oregano
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp wine vingear
  • 1 tsp sea salt (I used kosher b/c thats all I have)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper (I added a little more)
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (I used less since the people I ate with don’t do spicy well)

Pulse the parsley in food processor.  Then add the garlic and oregano and pulse some more.  Transfer this to a small bowl and stir in the rest of the ingredients. This ended up making a lot more sauce than I needed and I probably could have done with 1/2 of everything, but alas I will have to remember that for next time.

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That completed the steak. For the potatoes, I just pan fried them with red and yellow bell peppers and onions, and seasoned with salt and pepper. The potatoes were good and the peppers added a nice splash of color. Overall, I think the meal turned out pretty well and it was a hearty one at that. But of course we saved just enough room for dessert to finish the meal.

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May 10, 2014

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Meat, Recipes, Veggies

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Prime Rib

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So I was at the market today and bone-in prime rib roasts were on sale. Now I love prime rib and haven’t had it in about five months, so I figured what the hell and I bought it. The one I bought was just under 5lbs, so I decided to invite my cousin and his wife to dinner as well. Family, wine, and prime rib made for a fun night.

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The Prime Rib

  • Score the fat of the prime rib
  • Season fairly generously with salt and pepper (I used kosher salt)
  • Season with some dried thyme
  • Stick cloves of garlic into the scores
  • Let the hunk of meat sit for a few hours to overnight (if overnight, tent it with foil so it doesn’t dry out)
  • Bake in a roasting pan at high heat (450-500 degrees) for 20 minutes, and then turn it down to 325 degrees for about another hour
  • Pull it out and let the meat rest
seasoned
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Au Jus

  • With the meat resting on your cutting board you can use the fat and crisp left overs to make au jus
  • Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat
  • Add 1-2 cups of red wine and let it reduce, scraping the pan clean with a wooden spatula
  • Add a couple cups of beef broth
  • Add some thyme and bring to a simmer
  • Serve with the Prime Rib

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So we had the prime rib and served it with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables (squash, carrots, and zucchini). The roasted veggies were just cut, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and baked alongside the prime rib at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes. Prime rib doesn’t have to just be for special occasions, when it’s this easy to make.  Enjoy!