Cornish Hens

 Gornish Hens 

2 game hens

1 C. orange juice

1/3 C. soy sauce

3 inch strip orange zest

1/3 C. honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 C. sesame oil

1/2 inch thin slice of ginger

1/4 tsp.  salt

2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in water to make a paste

3 green onions  

Mix all ingredients except cornstarch and hens and bring to a boil. Simmer 5-10 minutes, cool. Reserve some marinade for sauce. Place in plastic bag with birds and marinate overnight. Remove wing tips and cover drumstick ends with foil to prevent burning.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place birds in shallow baking pan and pour marinade over. Bake 1 hour or according to package directions, basting hens every 10 to 15 minutes. Tent with foil if browning too much.  Thicken reserved marinate with cornstarch.  Serve with birds, garnish with orange peel.

SPINACH KIM CHE  (SIGEUMCHI NAMUL)    2 servings

10 oz. spinach 1 T. Sesame oil

2 T Soy sauce 1 T scallion, minced

2 tsp Sugar 1 tsp vinegar (optional)

1 1/2 tsp sesame salt salt & red pepper (optional)

BLANCH SPINACH IN BOILING WATER UNTIL BRIGHT GREEN ( ABOUT 2 MINUTES).  PLUNGE INTO COLD WATER.  SQUEEZE OUT EXCESS WATER.  MIX REMAINING INGREDIENTS AND  TOSS WITH SPINACH.  SERVE IMMEDIATELY OR REFRIGERATE UP TO SEVERAL DAYS.

Crispy breaded Pork Chops

Crispy breaded pork chops.

 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging

2 large eggs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Four bone-in pork chops, about 1/2-inch thick and patted dry (about 11/2 pounds total)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for shallow frying

Directions

• Put the flour in a shallow dish. Break the eggs into another shallow bowl and whisk with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix the breadcrumbs with the oregano and thyme in a third shallow bowl.
• Dredge a pork chop in the flour, shaking off the excess, dip it into the eggs and then coat evenly with the breadcrumbs. Set aside on a piece of wax paper or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat with enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the chops (about 1/4 cup). When the oil shimmers, add the chops and fry, until golden brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels briefly.
  

Grilled Cheese and Carnitas Sandwiches

When I went to the store yesterday to get some salmon, I also asked for a pound of ground pork so I could make some breakfast sausage.  They didn't have any so a got the smallest pork shoulder I could find. It was three pound. i cut off a pound for the sausage and made carnitas with the rest.  I put them in a sandwich with cheeses, apple butter (instead of apple chutney) and I used a store bought brioche instead of sourdough. I didn't use as much blue cheese or as much parm as the recipe but I doubled everything else to make four sandwiches.  We ended up only eating two and a half. They turned out really good.

Carnitas and  Chutney Grilled Cheese Sandwich

CARNITAS

:

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  (such as canola)
• 1 orange, halved
• 1 cup whole milk
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf

GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

:

• 1 ounce Verde Capra blue cheese or other blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 ounce aged white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• 2 artisan organic sourdough bread slices, lightly toasted
• 3 tablespoons store-bought spiced apple chutney or preserves
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

How to Make It

Step 1    

Make the carnitas. Preheat oven to 275°F. Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over moderate heat. Sear pork shoulder until golden brown all over, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove pork from pan. Pour off drippings and discard. Return pork to pan and squeeze juice from orange halves over pork. Add spent rinds to pan along with milk, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover with a lid or two layers of aluminum foil. Roast in preheated oven until very tender, pork is sizzling in fat, and a meat thermometer registers 195°F, 3 to 4 hours. Let pork rest for 20 minutes. Shred pork, discarding any large pieces of fat.

Step 2    

Make the grilled cheese: In a small bowl, fold together the blue cheese, cheddar, Parmesan, parsley, and shallot. In a second small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and mustard.

Step 3    

Spread each slice of bread with the mayonnaise-mustard mixture. Top one slice with cheese mixture, 1/3 cup carnitas, and chutney, then top with remaining bread slice.

Step 4    

Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet or griddle over moderate heat. Press the sandwich and top with another skillet or heavy, heatproof plate. Cook until bread is golden and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes per side.

 

Salmon and Brussels Sprouts

 

Salmon  with Brussels Sprouts  Food and Wine posted Nov 2020

one serving

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes) 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger (from 1 [2-inch] piece) 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon) 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 6 medium brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 1/4 cups) 
• 1 small red bell pepper (about 6 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips (about 1 cup) 
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion (from 1 small onion) 
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, divided 
• 1/3 pound skin-on salmon fillet (about 1 inch thick) 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

How to Make It

Step 1    

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk together hoisin sauce, lime juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, ginger, garlic, and cayenne in a small bowl; set aside.

Step 2    

Toss together brussels sprouts, bell pepper, onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Place salmon on prepared sheet pan. Arrange vegetable mixture around salmon. Drizzle 1/3 cup hoisin mixture on salmon and vegetable mixture; reserve remaining hoisin mixture. Sprinkle salmon with sesame seeds.

Step 3    

Bake until salmon is cooked to desired degree of doneness and vegetables are tender, 16 to 20 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons reserved hoisin mixture over salmon and vegetables, and sprinkle salmon with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve with remaining hoisin mixture.

Brisket in the slow cooker.

 We also had some cheese scones but the one with one of those in the picture turned out blurry.

BRAISED (SLOW COOKED) BRISKET

3-5 lbs. FRESH BRISKET, BROWNED IN OLIVE OIL

3 CLOVES GARLIC, PEELED AND MINCED

1 ONION , PEELED, RINGED

1/2 BOTTLE SOY SAUCE

6 oz. BEER PLUS 6 oz. WATER  OR  3 oz. BOURBON PLUS 9 oz. WATER

3 CARROTS, PEELED, CUT 1/2 INCH

2 STALKS CELERY, CUT UP

1 T. FRESH GROUND BLACK PEPPER

1 BAY LEAF

1/2 TSP THYME

PLACE IN SLOW COOKER, BRING TO BOIL, SIMMER, COVERED 3-6 HOURS.

My friend Sandra recently posted this recipe

James Martin Cheese scones

INGREDIENTS

• 450g strong white flour (15.87 oz by weight)
• 5 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 100g butter, diced and cold (3.53 oz by weight)
• 300ml full fat milk  (10.15 fluid ounces)
• 150g grated cheddar (5.3 oz)
• Few sprigs of thyme
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk for egg wash

To serve:

• Crispy pancetta cooked and extra cheese

METHOD

Pre heat the oven to 220c. 420 F.

For the scones, mix the flour and baking powder. Add the butter and using your fingertips rub in until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the milk, egg, cheese and thyme and mix until you have a smooth dough.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface until 2 cm thick .79”. Cut out using a 7cm cutter ( 2.8), re-roll, you will get 12 scones. Egg wash.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, allow to cool slightly then split and top with pancetta and cheese. Grill if desired.

Steak cook-off method Rib eye and twice baked potato

 

I saw a facebook demo of how one guy prepares his ribeye steak for competition and I wanted to try some of what he did.  My steak was about half an inch thick and his was two inches at least.  I did not tie or trim  my steak nor did it need cooking as long.  Also used grate grills, a brand that I had just got for my BBQ. My gas grill did not get as hot over LP gas as his did over charcoal and I did not need to cook it as long either.  I used Killer Hog AP rub and Killer Hog Steak rub and did spray it with duck fat and basted it with butter too.

SCO (Steak Cook-off Assoc.) participant’s method

Trim fat from edge and, while pushing up from back side, dip out some center fat so there is a dip in it so when it swells, it will be even when cooked.

Jacquard, skewers through  sides and tie loosely with string to hold it in place.  Season both sides with salt, pepper and garlic ( Killer Hog AP) getting edges too.  Spray with duck fat to help adhere seasoning. Add more seasoning (Killer Hog hot BBQ) or I used steak seasoning. Let rest 30 minutes.

Sit 30 minutes.  Heat grill to 600º Grill1:30 each side to set grill marks. Elevate steaks with thermometer inserted and bake until 130º interior. Brush with butter a couple of times.  Let set 10 minutes before cutting 

with the potatos, I cut the recipe to one potato and cut it in half for two servings.

Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes

Prep:15 mins Cook:1 hr 15 mins Total:1 hr 30 mins Servings:8 

Ingredients
4 large baking potatoes

• 8 slices bacon
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided 
• 8 medium (4-1/8" long)s green onions, sliced, divided

Directions

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  Step 2 Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
  Step 3 Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
  Step 4 When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
  Step 5 Bake for another 15 minutes.
  

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