mint & cinnamon braised tuna

    We decided to leave this baby braising in the crockpot while we rushed over to the (canceled) hot air affair takeoff yesterday.  We arrived back home with the overwhelming aroma of yellow fin tuna braising in a tomato-white wine sauce with garlic, mint and cinnamon. Heavenly! 

Taste Morocco!

Three words: Moroccan Braised Beef

My husband swears it's the best roast I've ever made, and seriously, I've made A LOT of roasts! The flavors just explode in your mouth. 

THE RECIPE:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup dry Sherry (or dry white wine)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 1/2 cups golden raisins

Preparation

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Add meat to pot; sauté until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same pot. Add onions; sauté until brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add wine and Sherry; boil until reduced to glaze, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, and raisins; stir to blend. Add beef and accumulated juices; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until sauce is thick and beef is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Season stew with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before serving.
  
  Photos by Valeria Marchisio

 

Risotto coi Funghi Porcini

    My husband and I were craving a taste of Italy so I decided to make my own version of Risotto with Porcini mushrooms. It was incredible if I do say so myself. I served the rice with baked chicken breasts spiced up with a feta-mint tapenade to spoon over it. Let me know what you think!

Risotto coi Funghi Porcini serves 4-6

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter, unsalted
• 1 1/2 c arborio rice
• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 1/2 shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dry), minced
• 1/8 tsp thyme
• 1 oz/28g dried porcini
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, minced
• splash of red wine
• 3-5 cups of beef broth
• Parmesan, freshly grated
• salt and pepper

Preparation

    Soak the porcini in hot water, cover and steep for about 40 minutes. Strain through a sieve, reserving the liquid.  In a food processor, pulse the mushrooms, onion, shallot, porcini, and garlic until minced. Heat a deep casserole dish on medium high heat, adding the butter and olive oil. Add the minced  mushrooms, onion, shallot, porcini, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the parsley and thyme along with the rice. Saute 2 more minutes until the rice is coated with the butter and oil. Reduce the heat to medium,  so the rice simmers. Add the splash of wine and stir until absorbed. Add the porcini liquid, stirring until absorbed. Continue to stir occasionally and ladle in about 1/2 cup of the broth at a time about every 5 minutes, when the liquid has been absorbed.  Continue this process for about 35-40 minutes. You may or may not use all of the broth. The rice should look thicker when it is ready and al dente. (Remember it is so hot that it continues to cook after you remove it from the burner, so do not overcook). Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with Parmesan.

Feta-mint Tapenade my brother's absolute favorite!

    from "Pestos, Tapenades, & Spreads" by Stacey Printz

• 1 7.7 oz can pitted kalamata olives, drained and rinsed
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• freshly ground pepper

Preparation

    Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarse paste forms. Serve over grilled chicken or lamb. Enjoy!

Good Reads

I recently discovered a few cookbooks that I just can't get my head out of...

 

Sauces, by James Peterson takes you really in depth in sauce-making techniques. He explains each ingredient's origin and tells you which brands are the best. Peterson explains the best pots and pans to use and determines the differences among surfaces, whether they be non-stick, anodized, cast iron, etc. and when and why it is necessary to use each one. For example, did you know that if you're planning on deglazing a pan after browning meat or fish it is ESSENTIAL to use a stainless steel pan to make a really great sauce? This is because the meat leaves a delicious crust on the pan that the deglazing picks up and adds great dimension to any sauce. This crust won't occur with a nonstick surface. This book is full of useful information that can help out so much!

I love how the Spice Bible walks you through each spice, telling you a bit of it's history, where it is found, and it's different uses around the world, along with different recipe for each spice. It also tells you what other spices each one is related to. It will tell you how to select your spices, whether it's most advantageous to buy the spices whole or ground, and how to store your spices. The Spice Bible also explains lots of different pastes and spice mixtures, too. A fun fact: mace comes from the same plant as nutmeg; it is the lacy outer casing of the nutmeg seed! Though, their cooking purposes are completely different. Also cardamom is the most expensive spice in the world, next to the vanilla bean. (A helpful shopping hint: You can get high quality fresh cardamom pods at frontiercoop.com for dirt cheap ($29.79/lb) That's about 50 cents for a small spice canister! You can also find these at Family Fresh Market if you have one nearby. Another useful tip it has is invest in a good, large mortar and pestle (my husband from Genoa, Italy is smiling at me) and you will never go wrong! Dry roast your whole seeds or pods before crushing them with the pestle to maximize their flavor and make your whole kitchen smell like a dream! The fragrance they'll produce is worth the extra effort!

Lobel's Meat Bible covers every imaginable meat whether it be beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry, rabbit, or game. My favorite part is how they explain the different cuts of meat, how to select each one, the purposes of each cut, and the different names for same cuts around the world. The Lobel's share their extensive knowledge of the differing tastes, textures, flavors, and  fat contents. A few nights ago I made a mouth-watering recipe from this book that gives you a taste of Thailand:

Pork Satay serves 4 as an appetizer

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped shallot
• 2 tbsp chopped lemongrass (or a combination of lemon/lime/ginger zest)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seed, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp coriander seed, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 1/4 c peanut oil or vegetable oil
• generous 3/4 lb pork loin or tenderloin cut into bite size strips
• Satay Sauce (recipe follows)

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients but the pork and the satay sauce in a food processor into a smooth paste. Marinate meat at room temperature for 1 hour or in the fridge for 3 hours.
2. Closest to the broiler, broil meat for about 3 min./side on a baking sheet. Make sure the door is propped open with a wooden spoon, so we don't have a fire!

Satay Sauce makes 1.25 c

•  3/4 c canned coconut milk
• 2 tbsp chunky, unsweetened natural peanut butter 
• 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 3 tbsp tamarind concentrate (or lemon/lime juice)
• 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar (skip this if your peanut butter is already sweetened)

Preparation

1. Bring coconut milk to simmer. Ad the peanut butter, and stir until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients, stir, and remove from heat.
2. Allow to cool to room temperature; it should thicken. Serve as a dipping sauce along with pork bites.

 ~Check these books out at the library at least, if you're curious! Lately, I've been hoarding practically all of the library's cookbooks at my house. It's no longer my secret "indulgence."~

Miso-obsessed!

Tonight's Menu was delicious! Thank you BonAppetit!

Green Salad with Miso-Ginger Dressing serves 4

                                                  Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of ground white pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 5-ounce bag mixed greens
• 1/2 English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 large carrot, peeled, coarsely grated
• 1 large green onion, sliced on diagonal
  

Preparation 

Combine first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil.  

Combine mixed greens, cucumber, carrot, and onion in large bowl. Toss with dressing to coat and serve.

 

Kelsey's Tips 

  

White miso is a fermented soybean paste. It has a delicate and sweet flavor and can be found in the refrigerated aisle in the organic section at your local grocery store. County Market has it for sure. It keeps 1 year in the refrigerator.      

Fresh ginger might sound intimidating, but don't let it be. Choose a firm piece with no blemishes. It keeps really well if you peel it and store it in the freezer in a freezer bag. You can take it out and grate it as needed.    

Seeding a cucumber: cut it in half lengthwise and then scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Save the cucumber for the last step in recipes; when it is exposed to oxygen, it oxidizes, turning soggy quickly.     

Green Onions: Use the whole onion in this salad, except for the root end of course. In most recipes only the lighter half is used, while the darker half is used for garnish.

 

 

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apricot-Miso Glaze serves 6

Ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 5 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup red miso
• 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 2 pork tenderloins (1 pound each)
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

 

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat large rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Combine preserves, miso, vinegar, orange peel, and garlic in small pot over medium heat. Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Reserve.
• Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet, tucking thin end under to ensure even cooking. Brush with 2 tablespoons apricot glaze; roast 12 to 15 minutes. Turn pork over with tongs and brush with 3 more tablespoons glaze. Continue to roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150°F, 8 to 10 minutes longer.
• Transfer pork to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add chicken broth to remaining apricot glaze. Bring to simmer and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup sauce, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slice pork crosswise into 1/2- to 3/4- inch-thick slices and arrange on platter. Spoon sauce over and serve.
   

  Maple-Braised Butternut Squash with Fresh Thyme 6 to 8 servings

  

  Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
  • 1 3- to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash, cut lengthwise in half, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 1/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dry
  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon (or more) black pepper

  Preparation

  • Melt butter in heavy large deep skillet over high heat. Add squash; sauté 1 minute. Add broth, syrup, thyme, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until squash is almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer squash to large bowl. Boil liquid in skillet until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Return squash to skillet. Cook until tender, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with more pepper, if desired.

                                                                                                                            Enjoy!

Fins From Above

    My husband made Rolled Basa fillets for me tonight; I never knew fish could taste so good! I always thought of any type of fish as a quick-cooking last minute meal choosing to batter it and fry it in a bit of butter with some garlic and parsley. -Nothing special, but always good. This Basa masterpiece has encouraged me to try cooking fish in new ways! Recipe follows:

Basa Rolls

6 Basa fillets

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, ground

6 tablespoons onions, chopped

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley

 salt

2 cups water

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lime

1/2  red bell pepper

    While preheating the oven to 380 F start melting the butter in a skillet. Saute the green pepper, 1 garlic clove, and half of the chopped onions until the onions are translucent. Now add the bread crumbs, oregano, 1 tbsp of lime juice, the parsley and a bit of salt. Mix until incorporated and spread onto the Basa fillets. Roll the fillets up and fix them each with a toothpick. 
    Add water, the remaining garlic clove, onions, the cayenne pepper, and about 3-4 tablespoons of lime juice to a shallow casserole dish. Put the rolls in the baking dish and sprinkle the chopped red bell pepper on each roll. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. You can garnish with slices of lime. Buon appetito!