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Posts from the ‘Beef,Pork,Lamb’ Category

May 3

14 Comments

Flank Steak On Texas Toast With Chimichurri

Flank Steak With Chimichurri Photo by Helen Conroy

This sandwich won last years Food52 flank steak recipe contest and will be published in the second cookbook in October of this year. I was thrilled to win the contest and have my recipe published. With Memorial Day right around the corner, warm weather approaching (or already here) grilling is one of my favorite ways to enjoy both meat and vegetables. For this recipe I made a chimichurri with both parsley and baby arugula and used it both as a marinade for the beef and as a condiment by mixing some of it in with mayonaise. I was given permission to post the beautiful top picture from Helen who made the steak for a Food52 Mozzarella potluck party in California. It really makes my day when my fellow cooks try and really like my recipes, it’s validation and I am pleased and honored.  You can see the gorgeous picture taken by James Ransom on Food52, my less than beautiful picture is posted below.

Serves 4

The chimichurri and flank steak:

1 1/2 to 2-pound flank steak

1 cup flat leaf parsley cleaned and large stems removed, finely chopped (by hand or use food processor)

1/2 cup baby arugula (finely chopped by hand or food processor)

2 cloves garlic, minced (you can add to parsley and arugula in food processor)

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

For chimichurri, place all ingredients except flank steak into a bowl, stir to combine. For the steak, cover both sides of the steak with some of the chimichurri, put in ziplock bag and refrigerate for one or two hours. Cover and refrigerate the rest of the chimichurri.

Searing the Steak and Making the Sandwich


1 brioche pullman loaf or if you prefer a white pullman loaf

1/4 cup  mayonaise

1 beefsteak or heirloom tomato, sliced

Soft butter for bread

salt before you sear and pepper after

2 tablespoons Chimichurri to mix with mayonnaise

Remove steak from refrigerator approximately 45 minutes before you are going to cook it. Scrape off some of the chimichurri, salt the steak and let rest. While steak is resting prepare the other ingredients: slice tomato, slice bread in 1-inch thick slices, mix the mayonnaise and chimichurri.

To sear the steak: First with a paper towel pat the steak to remove any excess moisture. In a very hot fry pan lay steak, let it sear without disturbing it. Cook approximately 3-4 minutes on each side for a medium rare steak. (You will have to judge exactly how long to sear based on the thickness of the steak.) Remove from pan, lay on cutting board, pepper the steak now, let rest 5-10 minutes.

While steak is resting, heat a fry pan (if you have one with ridges it will make nice grill marks on the bread). Spread butter on each side of bread, place in hot pan and grill, about a minute per side.

When steak has rested, slice thinly, cutting across the grain. To put your sandwich together, spread the chimichurri mayonnaise on each side of bread, lay meat on bread, then add the tomato, put the other slice of bread on top and enjoy.

Apr 13

11 Comments

Portable Pork Sandwich

Roast Pork, slaw and sauce

The Brooklyn Flea is not just a flea market it has some of the best street food in Brooklyn. Every time I go I run to this food stand, there are two guys there who always have a huge pork roast, its juicy and tender, fragrent with herbs and oh so delicious. They slice it off right in front of you, lay it on a crusty ciabatta roll and you are in pork heaven. My recipe is honoring them and their tasty pork sandwiches. I have made a few changes to how they serve their sandwich. Instead of ciabatta I am serving on warm flatbread and they don’t put any sauce I have made a recipe for a simple but very tasty sauce that you drizzle over the meat. I am also adding a simple slaw that is equally delicious on the sandwich.

The pork roast is marinated with garlic, rosemary and olive oil  for at least 2 hours preferably overnight, I blast it in a 450 degree oven then roast at 350 degrees for at least 4 hours or until the meat literally falls off the bone. I use a graniteware pan for this, if you don’t have one of those black and white speckled roasters you should get one. Whether it’s chicken, pork, lamb, beef or turkey your meat comes out tender and juicy and perfectly roasted and I have to add that it takes less time in these pans, the lid fits tightly and the meat actually browns in the pan without uncovering it.

Serves 8 or more

The Pork roast:

1 Pork Shoulder Roast approx 5- 8 pounds bone in

4-6 Large Cloves garlic a larger roast use more garlic

1 stem rosemary (should yield 2 generous tbs of chopped rosemary)

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

  1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
  2. Peel and crush garlic, remove rosemary from stem and give a rough chop, smash with some salt in mortar. Add the olive oil and smash it all together.
  3. Place your pork shoulder in roasting pan preferably one with a lid ( I use those black and white speckled ones,made by graniteware) if you don’t have a roasting pan with a lid just cover tightly with aluminum foil)
  4. Massage the garlic,rosemary olive oil paste into the roast. Give it a good rub down you want it to really penetrate the roast.Salt and pepper your preference how much. Refrigerate. (RECOMMENDATION:Its best to marinade 2 hours even better overnight so the pork really takes on the flavors). An hour before roasting take out of refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Cover with lid or aluminum foil and place in the oven at 450 for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for at least 4 hours. You want that roast to be so tender it literally falls apart when you place the fork in.

The sauce

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup Chopped flat leaf parsley

1 pinch crushed hot pepper flakes

1 lemon juiced

salt and pepper to taste

The Slaw

1/2 Large head green cabbage (Or 1 whole small head of cabbage)

8 radishes

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

A few turns of the pepper mill (3-4)

Flat Bread

  1. Mince the garlic finely, fine chop the parsley, add the hot pepper flakes and salt and pepper and add all to a mixing bowl, whisk to combine. Cover and let stand so the flavors will incorporate. NOTE: You can use food processor for the parsley and garlic 2 pulses.
  2. When the pork roast is done let sit for 30-60 minutes. Warm your flat bread. I use my tongs and heat directly on my gas burner flipping it so that each side is heated. Pull some of that delicious pork (you can dip the pork in the pan juices and place in the warm flat bread and drizzle with the sauce. Either fold or wrap your sandwich and enjoy
  3. The radish and cabbage slaw: For a large cabbage Cut in half then in quarters and slice into strips and for a small cabbage cut in half (use both halves) then slice into strips place into a bowl, julienne the radishes add to bowl. Toss to combine. For the dressing in a mixing bowl add the vinegar,olive oil, sugar and celery seed and salt and pepper whisk to combine and pour over your cabbage and radishes. Put a nice handful on top of the pork sandwich. Making in advance and letting the slaw sit in the refrigerator is best all the flavors will meld together.

Apr 9

8 Comments

Re-purposing Leftovers- Spicy Merguez Hand Pies

Spicy Merguez Hand Pies

I hate wasting or throwing away food, I freeze when its feasible, and try to come up with creative ways to use scraps and leftovers to create something new. I made a pie yesterday, the double crust lemon pie posted here and the other day I made a spicy merguez filling for a food52 contest to go with semolina pancakes. So I thought I would roll out the pie dough, cut into circles and fill with the merguez filling. The result is delicious and a wonderful lunch with a crisp salad, and you would never know its leftovers. This is not meatless (Meatless Monday) but using food rather than wasting it should apply any day of the week. These would be great filled with vegetables or cheese or both also. Here is the link to Semolina Pancakes With Spicy Merguez Filling. So if you have leftover dough from your pie, don’t throw it away, re-invent it.

Rolled out left over pie dough cut into circles, I was able to make 5 good size pies, I added a heaping tablespoon of filling closed into half moon shape, crimped edges with fork and baked at 375 degrees until golden brown. I served with a salad with yogurt, lemon and herb dressing.

Mar 23

8 Comments

Maple, Ginger Glazed Rib Eye Steak With Maple Caramelized Onions

Maple ginger glazed Rib Eye

I love the touch of sweetness that maple syrup brings to this steak, I gave it a slightly Asian flavor by adding soy sauce and freshly grated ginger to the maple syrup. The steak has a short marinade then is pan seared and finished in the oven. I caramelized some onions with the rest of the marinade and topped the steak with them. There is enough marinade for 2 steaks with a little left over to glaze the steak before putting in the oven and to add to the onions. I used rib eye steaks because thats what I had you can use whatever cut you prefer. The onions are optional but I recommend you give them a try, they are delicious with the steak.

Makes 2 steaks

2 steaks pastured,grass fed (I used rib eye almost 2 inches thick)

1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated

1 tablespoon melted butter

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced

1  tbs butter

2 tablespoons marinade made for steaks

Take steaks out of the refrigerator, lightly salt (just a little) and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Pre heat oven to 425 degrees. Grate the ginger, place in small mixing bowl, add the maple syrup, melted butter and soy sauce and whisk to combine.Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and spoon about half of the marinade on the steak and let sit for 15 minutes. Heat oven proof skillet lightly coated with olive oil. When the skillet is good and hot, scrape some of the marinade off of the steak, add pepper and place the steaks in the skillet let them sear about 3-4 minutes, spoon a little more marinade on top of steaks and place it in the oven for 7-8 minutes for a medium rare steak. Remove from oven place on cutting board and tent with foil and let sit for 10 minutes. The steak should feel firm but not dry when you poke with your finger. There will be a slight give. You can use a meat thermometer if you are more comfortable doing that for a medium rare steak it should register 135-140 when you remove from the oven, and the final temperature would be 140-145 after it rests.

To make the onions, melt a tbs of butter in a skillet, add the sliced onions and spoon about 2 tbs of the marinade on them and let them caramelize on med heat. It will take about 20 minutes. You can serve the steak whole or slice it, your choice. Top with the caramelized onions and serve.

Mar 17

7 Comments

Happy St. Paddy’s Day – Corned Beef,Colcannon and Irish Brown Soda Bread

In honor of St. Patrick and the beautiful country of Ireland on today’s menu is Irish fare. Corned Beef, Colcannon and Irish Brown Soda Bread.  I made the corned beef as I do every year, bring to a boil on the stove top with onion and spices and then braise in the oven for about 4 hours, next year I am going to make Suzanne Goins genius recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage that is on Food52. The Colcannon is a recipe from Whole Foods, you can’t get more simple or delicious in my opinion, boil the potatoes, saute some onion and cabbage and mash it all together I made two very minor changes I caramelized the onions before adding the cabbage and instead of milk I added melted butter and creme fraiche.  Here is, Whole Foods Colcannon recipe  The Brown Bread is from food52, its a recipe Merrill Stubbs posted, it’s a family recipe her Mother always made and is absolutely delicious, Irish Brown Bread slathered with Irish butter.  I am looking forward to having Creative  Culinary’s authentic Irish Coffee Recipe

Irish Coffee,Brown Bread with Butter and Caramelized Pear Jam

Mar 14

Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Raspberry Reduction

Pork Tenderloin With Raspberry Reduction

Spring is almost here and that means seasonal berries will be hitting the green markets really soon. Maybe I am jumping the gun a bit but I can’t help it, Spring is my favorite season and I look forward to the treasure trove of berries and produce that I will be able to buy very soon. This recipe is simple to prepare, takes advantage of seasonal fruit and is really delicious. You can make it without the berries of course but I recommend you seek out raspberries, pork pairs well with fruits whether its apples or prunes or pears. The meat is pan seared  finished in the oven, it will be slightly pink when done. If you have a meat thermometer it’s best to use it so that there is no guessing whether or not the pork is done. The sauce with raspberries, shallot,  wine, dijon mustard and butter is simple to prepare and adds complexity to the dish.

Serves 3-4 depending on serving size

1/4 cup Olive Oil for marinade

1 clove garlic crushed

1 Small Pork Tenderloin (Mine was 1.20 lbs)

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Olive oil for pan

Salt and pepper to taste (for the pepper I used a blend of black,white, green and pink in the pepper mill)

1 Small Shallot chopped or half a larger one

1 tablespoon Raspberry vinegar( I used Alessi White balsamic Raspberry Vinegar)

1/2 cup White wine (If you have a Rose open use that It would be just as good)

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon butter

Pre-heat oven to 425. Crush garlic add to ziplock bag along with pork and 1/4 cup of olive oil seal bag and give it a good squishing make sure that garlic clove and olive oil really permeate the meat. Refrigerate for an hour or two. Remove meat from refrigerator and let come to room temperature about 20- 30 minutes.

In heat proof fry pan coat with olive oil and place on high flame get the pan nice and hot, season the meat with salt and pepper. Place the pork in hot fry pan and brown on all sides. Finish cooking in the oven. For a small pork tenderloin it will take about 12-15 minutes but you should use a meat thermometer remove meat when it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees. Remove from oven and let meat rest in pan tented with foil for approximately 15 minutes. The juices will release into the pan. Note: The pork will continue cooking to reach an internal temp of 155 and will have a slight pink tint, if you prefer your pork more well done remove from oven with an internal temp of 155 and it will reach 160 after resting.

With tongs remove pork from pan and tent with foil, place fry pan with those lovely brown bits and meat juices on med/high flame and add the chopped shallot (if needed add a little more olive oil to cook the shallots), cook until caramelized. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, add the mustard,and the raspberry vinegar and reduce by 1/2. Don’t worry it doesn’t look like much sauce when you add the raspberries and cook they will release juice. Adjust seasoning before you add the raspberries I only added a little pepper I did not add additional salt you can add if you like. At this point before you add the berries you can add the tablespoon of butter. Add the raspberries and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes the raspberries will release their juices. Stir gently as it cooks as you want the berries to remain intact. Slice pork into medallions and spoon sauce over the meat.

Mar 2

19 Comments

Meatballs and Tomato Sauce

This is a terrific recipe for meatballs, we didn’t have them very often usually my Mom’s sauce was either meatless (Marinara) or cooked with chunks of beef and pork, but I do remember her meatballs being delicious, the consistency was soft and after leaving home I tried to make them like hers but never quite got there. I had never asked her for the recipe until last week and it was one of those Ah-ha moments when she gave me the list of ingredients. She adds Italian sausage meat, I had made them with ground pork and beef but never sausage. The taste is distinctive, the meatballs are very soft and moist (sometimes meatballs can be rubbery). They are seared and then cooked in the sauce slowly just about all day. Have it over pasta or make a meatball sub or grinder, anyway you serve it it’s delicious.

Makes: 16 large meatballs and approximately 8 cups of sauce

Sauce:

3 cloves garlic thinly siliced
1 shallot minced
4.5 oz tube tomato paste or 3/4 of a 6 oz can
3 28 oz cans whole tomatoes
olive oil for pan
5 leaves fresh basil +3 after sauce is cooked
salt and pepper to taste
NOTE: You can add a little sugar if your sauce is too sour (it happens sometimes)
Meatballs:
1 lb ground beef (80%fat) I like chuck
1 lb sausage meat
handful italian parsley chopped
1/2 cup grated parmigiano or pecorino romano cheese
2 large eggs
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs from day old bread (I like to use ciabatta)
1/2 cup water
2 tsp salt
several turns of the peppermill
You will need a large mixing bowl, add the meat and mix with spoon or with your hands. Pulse the bread in the food processor add to the meat along with 1/2 cup water, add the parsley, cheese, eggs and salt and pepper. Mix together until it’s all combined. Form into meatballs, I like mine about the size of a handball. In a non stick skillet heat some olive oil, place the meatballs about 1 inch apart and fry so they are browned on each side but not cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside. Keep the oil and drippings in the skillet you will need it for the sauce.
To dutch oven add  the oil from the meat that was fried (only enough to coat the bottom of the pan)  then the shallot and cook until soft, add the garlic and let it cook until the garlic just starts to brown (takes only about 3 minutes) on medium high heat. Add the tomato paste and cook stirring constantly until it caramelizes. Puree the tomatoes in the blender or food processor until smooth and add to the onion,garlic and tomato paste, stir to combine and then add the meatballs and slow cook on medium/low heat covered for at least 3-4 hours stirring frequently, or if cooking  all day use low heat so it just simmers, stirring occasionally.

Feb 9

8 Comments

Gheymeh

Gheymeh is a Persian stew, wildly popular for large gatherings and some consider it almost mandatory to bring to “potluck” functions. I used to make this stew at least once a week, it’s made with ground meat (beef, lamb or veal) in a tomato based sauce with yellow split peas and roasted potatoes. You can sub other vegetables for potatoes, like eggplant or zucchini but I like to use potatoes for this stew. The Persian cook that taught me this dish used french fries, I prefer roasting pieces of potato. You spice with turmeric, saffron and cinnamon and eat it with rice. It’s sort of  like a Persian version of a Bolognese sauce. This is great comfort food that is easy to prepare. I think it tastes even better the next day if you have any leftovers.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat (beef,lamb or veal)

1 onion chopped

1 (4.5 oz) tube of tomato paste or 3/4 of a 6 oz can

1/2 tsp turmeric

Pinch of cinnamon (approximately 1/8 tsp or less)

3 1/2-4 cups water (start with 3 1/2 add more if needed)

1/3 cup dried yellow split peas

2 medium size potatoes cut into bite size pieces

pinch of saffron

2 tbs lemon juice

2 dried limes or 1/4 cup  lemon or lime juice

pinch of sumac (for potatoes)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425, spread potatoes on parchment lined sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and sprinkle with some sumac. Roast in the oven for approximately 45 minutes stirring frequently so that potatoes are browned on all sides. Remove from oven and set aside.

Roasted Potatoes

In small saucepan bring some water to a boil, add the split peas and boil for 15 minutes, you are par cooking them so they will soften a little..Rinse, drain and set aside.

In large deep skillet saute the onion in some olive oil until its translucent and soft, add the ground meat and turmeric and cook just until the meat is cooked and not red. Add the tomato paste, stir until its mixed with the meat and cook for a few minutes, add the water, split peas, cinnamon, salt and pepper and the dried limes or citrus juice. NOTE: If you are using dried limes poke a few holes or slits in the limes with the edge of a sharp knife before adding to the stew. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer for about 1 1/2  hours the sauce will be thick and most of the liquid will have evaporated. Stir frequently and add more water if you see that too much of the liquid has evaporated. When the stew is done mix saffron with the lemon juice and add along with the roasted potatoes, stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes just to heat the potato through. Serve immediately with rice.

Feb 2

6 Comments

Game Day-What To Eat? Beef Kebob on Grilled Flat Bread

Beef Kebobs on Flat Bread

Every day until the big game day on Sunday I am going to post a easy to make, tasty recipe that will satisfy. This is a beef Kebob, I used organic, grass fed beef, some grated onion then formed it onto sticks and grilled on the stove top sprinkled with some sumac for a little Middle Eastern Flair and topped with a simple chopped cucumber and tomato salad dressed only with fresh lemon. Simple, portable and delicious and easily made in advance. You can make these and just keep them wrapped in foil in a warm oven. The flat bread I grill on the stove top, directly on the burner on a medium flame (You cannot do that on an electric stove) turning to heat and slightly char the bread, it takes less than a minute so you can do this to order or make a batch wrap in foil and keep warm in the oven. You can also top this with yogurt or crumbled feta along with the salad.

Serves a crowd at least a dozen kebobs

2 lbs ground beef (preferably organic grass fed)

1 onion grated on the largest grate and drained of juices

2 egg yolks

salt and pepper to taste

sumac (optional) to sprinkle on meat after cooking)

2 small cucumbers diced

2 tomatoes diced

1 cup chopped parsley (optional)

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Grate the onion and drain, I squeezed it in a double paper towel. Put the onion in a mixing bowl, add the beef, egg yolks and some salt and pepper, Mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour

If you are using bamboo skewers submerge in water while the meat is resting in the refrigerator. Dice the cucumbers,optional parsley and tomatoes, add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Form meat onto skewers whatever size you want, heat your grill and place meat skewers onto grill. You want the meat cooked medium done. Let grill 3-4 minutes on each side turning over once. Test for doneness, just poke with your finger it should feel firm but not dry.

Remove from heat and tent with foil while you prepare your bread. Grill the bread either on the burner or in a pan, brush with olive oil and lay kebob onto bread, sprinkle with a little sumac (optional) and spoon some of the cucumber and tomato on top.

Jan 24

4 Comments

Open Face Steak Sandwich-Day 3 “Lets Bake”

Open Face Steak Sandwich

On day 3 of “Lets Bake” I put my final loaf in the oven and wondered what kind of sandwich I can make with this fabulous bread. I had a small rib eye steak that I got from the CSA and decided to do a quick steak sandwich. The steak is dry brined with salt,peppper and garlic flakes and pan seared. I made a citrus herb mayo, sliced some tomato and piled on some micro greens (from the CSA) and it was absolutely delicious. The soft, still slightly warm bread with the tender juicy steak and veggies made a satisfying and hearty sandwich.

1 rib eye steak (grass fed and organic)

garlic powder granulated (good one like from Penzy’s)

salt and pepper

1 tbs mayonaise

some parsley,taragon and lemon zest (for the herbed mayo) you can use whatever you have and like

sliced tomato

lettuce or some sort of greens

Take steak out of the refrigerator, pat dry and sprinkle the salt, pepper and garlic flakes on each side of the steak and let it come to room temperature about 15-20 minutes for one steak. Get your fry pan hot, add a little olive oil and put your steak in, let it cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. While your steak is in the pan, chop the herbs and mix with the mayonaise, grate a little lemon zest in and stir. Clean your greens and slice the tomato. Turn the steak over and sear for 4 minutes. When it’s done take it out of the pan and lay on cutting board and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Slice a nice size piece of bread, slather with herbed mayo. Lay slices of tomato and a handful of greens. After steak has rested slice thin pieces and lay on top of the greens.

I can’t think of a better way to use this great bread than a hearty sandwich.

Day 3 loaf Rustic Italian Bread

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