Steak dinner

 We went shopping at a meat marker a couple days ago and I cooked a couple strip steaks for dinner tonight.   They were good.

Petto di Pollo alla Martini

Yesterday I made chicken breast, Martini style. I read somewhere that it has the same ingredients as in a dirty martini. I have no idea how true that is.  I have been making one version or another this Chicken Breast, Martini-style for close to 15 years. If anyone had asked me what was my favorite meal, I don't think I would have named this, yet I have probably made it at least 3 or 4 times a year since I moved back to KC in 2012.  Actually I remember the first time I heard about it, it was on a Martha Stewart show and it was being demonstrated by Pino Luongo and that was sometime around to 2010, I think.

Today I am cooking a brisket in my smoker. It should be ready to eat around 5pm today.  i am making coleslaw and BBQ beans 

Petto di Pollo alla Martini  

Morso Restaurant Bar Cafe 420 E. 59th st. NYC

Chicken Breast Martini Style  -  one serving

Kosher salt

1/2 C. green beans (haricot vert)

1/2 C. baby carrots

1 boneless skinless chicken breast pounded out thinly (1/2 breast)

fresh ground black pepper

2-3 T. AP flour

1 lar. egg, beaten

olive oil

1/4 C. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 

1/2 T. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/2 C. good quality white wine

Preheat oven to 425º

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Fill a bowl with ice water.  Add the green beans and carrots to the boiling water until they are brightly colored but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to ice water to stop cooking

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken, dredge in flour. Shake off excess. Dip in egg and then cheese.

Place olive oin in hot skillet and brown the chicken on both sides. Drain on paper towels

In separate skillet, combine wine, butter and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Place browned chicken in the wine mixture, top with carrots and green beans. Bake in oven 6-7 minutes @375º Remove and plate

TANGY COLESLAW VINIAGRETTE

1 head green cabbage

1 large green pepper

1 med. Spanish onion

1 C. cherry tomatoes

1 C. sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. celery seed

1 T. salt

1 C. white vinegar

3/4 C. vegetable oil

1. Rinse cabbage, remove dark, touth outer eaves.  Cut cabbage in half, quarter, core and shred.  Should make 10 cups. 

2. Cut green pepper into rings, removing seeds and white membrane.  Slice onion, separate into rings. Cut cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise.  Cover and chill until ready to use. ( I am going to use uncut grape tomatoes and may toss in some Clementine sections too)

3. In a large bowl (I am going to be running out of large bowls) alternately layer half of the cabbage, 1/2 of the onions. 1/2 of the peppers, Repeat. sprinkle with 1 C. sugar

4. In a small saucepan, combine mustard with 2 tsp. sugar, the celery seed, salt and vinegar, and oil.  Mix well, bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Pour hot over vegetables in bowl.

5. Cover coleslaw tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or longer so that the vegetable mixture can marinate.  Toss the vegetables several times so they all have a chance to absorb the dressing

6. To serve: Uncover the coleslaw and add the cherry tomatoe halves.  Toss very gently until vegetables are well coated with dressing.   Arrange in serving bowl or platter and serve immediately

GATES BAKED BEANS

2-55 OUNCE CANS B&M PORK& BEANS 3 TBS RUB SEASONING

1/2 C. FIRMLY PACKED BROWN SUGAR 3/4 C. BBQ SAUCE

1/2 C. MOLASSAS 1 TSP LIQUID SMOKE

1 c. beef drippings 1 c. brisket fat

1. IN CAST IRON KETTLE COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS AND ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE RIBS ARE DONE, PLACE OVER HOT COALS AND COOK, STIRRING OCCASsIONALY UNTIL A “CRUST” FORMS ON TOP OF THE BEANS ( ABOUT 20 MINUTES.

This is the full original recipe. My version is to use Bush's baked beans in any size appropriate for the occasion.  

Then I mix the brown sugar, any rub seasoning I am using at the time, any BBQ sauce on hand, and Grandma's Un-sulfured Molasses in the amounts of the recipe and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator, then add enough seasoning mix to taste to the amount of beans I am making. I put the beans in an open container and put them in the smoker with the meat and smoke the beans for at least a couple hours.  When the meat is done and ready to cut up, I chop some of it to add the beans as well as a little of the fat and drippings

 

potato bread

POTATO BREAD  from Aunt Dora Roe

1/2 C. warm  water     Note: Use leftover mashed potatoes or use

1 pkg dry yeast     plain unflavored instant potatoes in the following

1/2 C. butter (original said margarine) amounts:

1/2 C. sugar     1 C. instant potatoes

1 C. mashed potatoes     2 T. butter

1 t salt     2/3 t. salt

1 C. milk, scalded     Half the recommended water, hot

6 C. or more flour     Half the recommended water. cold.   Or make a

            day ahead and chill in fridge overnight and warm to room temp. before using.

Mix all ingredients except cold water, beat til fluffy

Cdd cold water to cool enough to add yeast.

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs. Beat to combine, add eggs one at a time and mix until light and fluffy Add potatoes, salt and milk.  Add yeast / water. Add enough flour to make a soft dough.  

Knead, place in large greased bowl. Turn dough over so top is greased, cover with plastic or clean dish towel and let rise until doubled. Punch down, shape into two loves, place in greased bread pans. cover and let rise a second time.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees & bake 35 to 45 minutes or to 185- 190 degrees.  Makes two loaves.  If desired, you can score down the middle and brush with egg before baking or butter the tops when they come out of the oven and have cooled somewhat.

 

Steak Dinner

 Charlie asked if we could have steak for dinner tonight. He even offered to help pay for it.  I told him I could handle it.  He also asked for asparagus and potatoes cooked the way a friends mom made them recently.  He didn't say how she cooked them, he explained how she cut them and seasoned them.  It sounded like the way my mom usually cooked potatoes... in a skillet with oil.  He said that was the way she made them.

Argentine Red Shrimp

 

Creamy Shrimp Linguine with Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Written by Chef Bao

If you’re a fan of shrimp alfredo, you’ll love this recipe. Aromatic rosemary and piquant sun dried tomatoes add a flavorful twist to this classic dish. All it takes is just 25 minutes to prepare this mouth-watering pasta meal that rivals any made in a high-end restaurant. SERVING: 2 PeopleTIME: 30 min

Sometime back, on a whim, I got a bag of frozen Argentine Red Shrimp, put them in the freezer and forgot about them. Yesterday I rediscovered them and cooked them today.  Google says they have lobster-like qualities. Charlie said they were really good. I used a recipe that served them in a cream sauce with spinach, pasta, corn and sun-dried tomatoes 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium Onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 pinch Sea Salt [For Linguine Boiling]
• 1 bundle Linguine
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 6 large Jumbo Shrimp, deveined
• 1 pinch Sea Salt [For the Shrimp]
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary
• 2 tbsp Sundried Tomatoes, chopped
• 3½ oz Baby Spinach
• ⅔ cup Heavy Cream
• 1 pinch Sea Salt
• 1 pinch Ground Black Pepper
• 2½ oz Parmesan Cheese   

Directions

Step 1 Finely chop onion and mince garlic

Step2  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and cook linguine for 11-12 minutes, until al dente.

Step 3 Heat a pan on medium-high heat and add olive oil. Place shrimp in the pan and sear until the bottom turns pink.  Season shrimp with salt, flip to the other side, and continue searing until the shrimp is cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Step 4 In the same pan, melt butter over medium-high heat, and sauté onions and garlic until translucent. Add in rosemary and sun-dried tomatoes, place shrimp back in the pan, then add spinach and cream, heating the ingredients until the cream comes to a boil.  Season with a little salt and pepper, grate in some Parmesan cheese, and stir.

Step 5 Drain linguine in a strainer and toss into the pan to combine it with the sauce and other ingredients. Serve on a plate and top with grated Parmesan.

Coconut Chicken Curry

 

Chili

 This sure isn't chili wheather but I read an article in the newspaper titled "How to Use Baking Soda with Ground Beef"  It says this technique is most useful in recipes where you wand distinct, flavorful crumbles of ground beef with plenty of browning.  It says it also keep very lean ground beef moist.   It says it is helpful for Chili, Taco meat,Sloppy Joes, and  meaty pasta sauces.I decided I wanted to try it first with a pot of chili.

The amount used is 1/4 teaspoon baking water dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water.   You gently work it in and let it set for 15 minutes.  Serious Eats test found that it can rest for up to an hour wont hurt.  Once the time is up, you cook it as normal.  My chili recipe cooks the onions, garlic and green peppers first so the beef didn't really get a good browning test.  It does seem a little thinner than usual but I can't say it was the baking soda's fault.  I am going to suspend judgement on this technique for a while.  Right now the chili is too hot and need to cool down.  The article said of taco meat, it helpe the beef stay juicy while developing deep, browned edges.  That is what a plan to try next.  If anyone here tries this I'd enjoy hearing your comments