This is our family recipe for a super tender roast with very rich gravy. There’s something that a nice dark red wine does for a large cut of beef that just complements the flavor like nothing else. In this recipe we use Shiraz wine to flavor our beef and gravy, if this is something you haven’t tried, you are seriously missing out.

WHAT TO BUY:
A nice dark bottle of Shiraz and your favorite cut of beef for roasting.

Level of difficulty:
Intermediate

KITCHEN ITEMS NEEDED:
Covered Roasting pan
Large Skillet
Medium Sauce Pan

The gravy
True story behind the gravy. When I came up with this recipe my wife went crazy for it. The bold flavor the gravy has due to the red wine is just something to rave about. So naturally my wife makes me cook it for her mother. My mother-in-law comes to dinner complaining that she doesn’t eat fancy foods with wine in them, etc.. etc…

To make a long story short, by the end of dinner my mother-in-law was caught red handed with a plate full of gravy. The gravy was on EVERYTHING including her salad… yes her salad.

So much for not liking my “fancy” cooking

Recipe: Shiraz roast with beef gravy

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 4 hour(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Recipe: Chicken rice pilaf

Sometimes you just need comfort food and to me chicken rice pilaf comes to mind. This chicken rice pilaf recipe was created one weekend while taking care of my wife. She was recovering from the flu and “nothing sounded good”. Everyone’s been there before. Those dreaded days where you have a taste for absolutely nothing. Some serious pick-me-up food was necessary.

I decided to take my chicken soup recipe and put a more fulfilling twist on it, chicken rice pilaf. Instead of noodles and broth, I’d go for a more hearty mix of rice brown and white rice. The aromatic mix of Basmati rice, celery and onions would fill the house with that smell that just says ‘home cooking’. Bright orange carrots and green peas add inviting familiar colors to the mix. Dill and parsley bring everything together in a nice savory way.

After a few hours of simmering, the house was alive with the smell of home cooking. My plan worked. My wife sprang up for dinner and she liked it so much she asked for seconds. We now make chicken rice pilaf for dinners through out the year. Well or not, it’s something we all enjoy.

Cooking time: 2 hour(s)

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 4

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

Mojo Wrap Recipe

Cuban mojo chicken wraps with pineapple, roasted red pepper salsa

Master Chef revisited.

About this time last year I entered and won our local Louisville TV station’s edition of Master Chef. Since the show aired I have yet to post the recipe on Weekend Chow Down so I felt it was time to revisit and share this wonderful summertime recipe.

I’ve always loved the bright citrus, garlicky, zesty flavors of Mojo (aka Spanish BBQ). In the US, Mojo is popular around Florida, especially where there is heavy Cuban influence like Miami. If you’re looking to bring some Latin inspiration to your summer cook out, look no further. Mojo is really such a simply marinade to create and not only packs a ton of flavor but also does a great job of tenderizing meats. A good fresh Mojo marinade goes great with bone in and boneless chicken or pork. If your not totally convinced yet, it’s a healthy alternative to sticky store bought BBQ sauces that are packed with sugar and corn syrup.

WHAT TO BUY:

Depending on where you shop, there may be plenty of choices for bottled Mojo marinades and sauces. (If you haven’t seen them, look in the ethnic food isle). While there is nothing wrong with giving these a try or using them in a pinch, you really don’t experience what real flavor a fresh home made Mojo can bring. The freshness of the real citric acids in the limes and oranges is something that can’t be bottled and sold. Creating this dish from scratch not only benefits from the unique flavors and body of real lime and orange, but you also can have the satisfaction of knowing every single ingredient that went in on the plate.

When choosing your oranges, if you happen to know a variety your store caries that are bitter or tart, pick them. For this recipe your not aiming for sweet. The bitterness is the acids that are needed to really infuse the flavors and tenderize the meat.

Mojo Grilling

Preparation time: 45 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Reduced carbohydrate

Number of servings (yield): 4

Culinary tradition: Cuban

Chorizo Burger Recipe

With summer in full swing, I can’t help but want to grill burgers out by the pool. Bored of the same old beef burger and inspired by my wife’s quest to eat healthier; this spicy summer burger is the answer to a healthy but tasty beef burger alternative.
These Chorizo burgers defeat the dreaded “dry” turkey burger stereotype by incorporating a few tricks and some big flavors. The Chorizo burger is an eleven on the savory scale. Smoked paprika, chipotle, provolone cheese and garlic marry up with the sweet of apples drizzled in a tangy red cabbage vinaigrette slaw.

Before you run and hide from the dreaded “turkey burger”, hang in there for a moment. Turkey alone can lead to a dry burger, however by adding some ground pork and a bit of olive oil to the mix you’ll have that juicy burger you crave.

Chorizo burger fully loaded

WHAT TO BUY:

For some, this recipe might mean a trip down the spice isle. Personally I love the spice isle, it’s one of my favorite places to barging shop. I like to find small stores that specialize in ethnic foods as a source for affordable spices. Some stores carry bulk sizes for the price of a single jar at the big box stores.

If you’re in the Louisville area ValuMarket is a nice place to grab Indian and Mexican spices with out breaking the bank.

This Chorizo burger is meant to be super smoky, so you’ll need to find some smoked paprika, chipotle powder and cumin. In addition, some good quality chili powder is always a plus.

Aside from spices, we’ll be using half ground turkey and half ground pork. The ground pork should be around 80/20 (aka lean / low fat). The turkey generally doesn’t provide a choice, any type should do just fine.

INGREDIENTS:

For Jazz apple slaw:

• 1 Jazz apple (any sweet apple will do), cored, sliced in half, then in to strips
• 1/3 head of red cabbage, thinly shredded
• 2 Tbsps. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsps. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• pinch of fresh black pepper

For Chorizo burgers:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 2 Tbsps. smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsps. chili powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. chipotle powder
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. salt
• 2 fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 Tbsps. cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsps. olive oil
• 2 Tbsps. Sriracha chili sauce

• Smoked provolone cheese (optional)
• Avocado slices (optional)
• Purple Onions (optional)
• Whole wheat, burger buns

INSTRUCTIONS:

For Jazz apple slaw

1. In a large bowl add thinly sliced cabbage and apples.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard.
3. Toss the mixture along with the cabbage and apples, adding a pinch of black pepper.
4. For best results, refrigerate overnight.

For the Chorizo burgers:

1. Combine ground pork and ground turkey in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate  bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. (smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, cumin, chipotle powder, salt, pepper, cloves, and coriander)
3. Add the spice mixture along with the wet ingredients (vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and Sriracha) to the ground meats, mix gently by hand until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Form approx. 8 patties. For best results refrigerate overnight. Can be grilled immediately.
5. Grill the burgers until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
6. Top each burger with Avocado, apple slaw, onion, provolone and enjoy.

Enjoy the recipe as is or make it your own. Remember if you dislike something make the dish with out it or try the ingredient in small quantities, you may grow to like it.

WHAT TO BUY:

About two to three pounds of lean stew meat cut in to 1″ cubes.  Quality, salt free seasonings are a plus. Make sure you read the ingredient list on your spices. For the best results, seasonings like garlic, onion powder should have a single ingredient listed, if the list includes salt, keep looking.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 pounds of Sirloin or Round stew meat
• 2 large yellow onions (diced)
• 2 Bell peppers (Red, Green, or Yellow diced)
• 1 Large can chili beans (drained)
• 1 large can of tomato sauce
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes
• 4 cloves of fresh garlic diced
• Salt (to taste)
• Water (as needed)
• Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil
• Extra Sharp Cheddar for topping

Seasoning:

• 4-5 Tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
• 1 1/2 tbsp Hungarian Paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp chipotle pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Coat bottom of a large sauce pan with oil, just enough for browning beef (about 2 table spoons).
2. Heat the pan to medium high.
3. Place cubes of beef in the large sauce pan. Brown the beef cubes on all sides.
4. Add one can of tomato sauce to the pan, and one can of water. While adding water, slowly scrape bottom of the pan to remove any caramelized beef at the bottom.
5. Add seasoning, and stir bringing to a boil. When chili starts to boil, bring heat to a medium simmer.
6. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
7. Next, add diced tomatoes, onions, chili beans garlic and bell pepper.
8. Allow chili to simmer for 2 ½ to 3 hours covered.
9. Add salt as needed.
10. Serve with your favorite toppings (Cheddar, sour cream, bell peppers, cilantro, crackers)

Balsamic spinach pasta

This pasta dish is something we have frequently and there are a few reasons for that. For starters, this is my wife’s favorite pasta dish. I think she would have it every week if she could. Secondly, it’s a real light weight dish that nobody should feel guilty about eating. The list of diet friendly ingredients include whole wheat pasta, spinach, fresh tomatoes and lots of garlic. Finally, we just like it because it tastes great. This balsamic pasta dish brings a balanced flavors to the table in every bite, from the savory flavors of roasted garlic to the sweetness of roasted tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, you won’t find any jealous taste buds here.

The balsamic pasta dish goes great with chicken piccata.

Roasted tomatoes

WHAT TO BUY:

Only fresh tomatoes will do. Because the tomatoes will be roasted in this recipe, canned simply won’t do the job. Lucky a generous friend had a bumper crop of tomatoes late in the season and he gave us more than plenty. If you are shopping for tomatoes, small tomatoes work best so try to find cherry, plum, or Roma tomatoes. Pick your favorite or just get whats on sale.

Also, a fresh head of garlic will be needed. Some people are a bit taken back some times when I mention how much garlic I use in my cooking, however garlic can give a variety of different flavors depending on how it is prepared. Roasting the garlic will reduce the pungent garlic flavor and provide a rich savory somewhat sweet and nutty taste. If your not familiar with roasted garlic, the taste is so mild you could eat an entire clove on a cracker, in fact I suggest you try it.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

A baking sheet or shallow roasting pan will be used for roasting the tomatoes and garlic. In addition, I prefer to use a heavy ceramic serving bowl for the finished pasta because it helps keep everything nice and warm.

TECHNIQUE:

The video below shows a brief overview of roasting garlic. A detailed video of the entire process  can be seen by joining Rouxbe.com. Rouxbe is an online cooking school with excellent instructional videos, I highly recommend them. You can get a 14 day free trial by clicking the link at the end of the video.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb whole wheat pasta
• 1 lb plum tomatoes (or Roma)
• 12 oz fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 head of garlic
• 8 basil leaves, chiffonade
• 1/2 cup asiago cheese
• 1 tbsp capers
• salt & pepper to taste
• additional olive oil (for the roasting pan)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400′F
2. Lightly coat the roasting pan with olive oil. Cut the tomatoes in half and place cut side down on the pan.
3. Cut the top edge of one whole head of garlic. Place the head of garlic in the roasting pan with the tomatoes and lightly drizzle the tomatoes and garlic with olive oil and a pinch of salt & pepper. Alternatively if you don’t have room in the pan, you can wrap the head of garlic in foil.
4. Place the tomatoes and garlic in the oven and cook for 45 mintues to one hour. The tomato skins will shrivel and darken when they are ready.
5. Remove the tomatoes and garlic and allow them to cool until they are able to be handled.
6. While the tomatoes and garlic are cool enough to handle, remove the skins from the tomatoes and add the tomatoes and any juices to large serving bowl.
7. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from the head and add them to the serving bowl.
8. Prepare a pot of water and cook the pasta per box instructions
9. While the pasta cooks, measure 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar and add it to the bowl.
10. Add baby spinach and capers to the bowl.
11. When the pasta is finished cooking, add 1/4 cup of pasta water to the bowl.
12. Strain the pasta and mix with the ingredients in the bowl.
13. Cover for about 3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.
14. Uncover and add the asiago cheese and basil.
15. salt and pepper to taste and serve

TIP:

If you are making chicken piccata, use any left over lemon zest for added flavor.

Asiago crusted chicken piccata

Chicken piccata is a classic Italian dish of thin chicken breast, lightly breaded with flour and cooked to a golden brown, the served with a zesty lemon reduction sauce. Chicken piccata is something I’ve made dozens of times, with some practice it’s not a terribly difficult dish to make. As everyone knows practice makes perfect and I must admit, this may have been the best rendition of chicken piccata yet. With that said, I’ll confess that part of it was almost by ‘accident’.

I had initially planned to make the usual dish that our family is so fond of, however I’m not the type to leave well enough alone. I had just came home from the grocery store with a gigantic wedge of Asiago cheese. The Asiago cheese was on sale that day and I may have gone a little overboard. I only really needed about a half cup for a side dish that I was making to go with the chicken piccata but instead I had about two and a half pounds.  I cut the cheese in to neat smaller wedges and wrapped some up for storage. With a good half pound of cheese left out for dinner I got down to business and started shredding. What I ended up with was mountain of shredded Asiago minus what the mice took (see: small children who wont leave daddy’s cheese alone). It was about then I thought to improvise a bit and cover the chicken breasts with cheese. I wasn’t quite sure how the flavors would combine on the plate but I had the extra cheese and I can be a bit fearless in the kitchen at times, I’ll try any food once.

I pounded out my chicken, dusted them with fresh pepper and grabbed a hand full of cheese and pressed it in firm. Next, I put a thin dusting of flour on top just enough so the cheese wouldn’t stick to my fingers while moving it to the pan. Two chicken breasts went down in the pan and my stomach dropped a bit as I still wasn’t sure how this would come out. After a few minutes it was time to turn the chicken and to my delight the crust was perfect. Everything went smooth after that, one breast after another.

The moment of truth came when it was time  to taste the final dish. Again I was rather surprised at how well it turned out. It’s not every time “I wonder what would happen if?” turns out to be one of the best decisions, but this time it did. The cheese crust had a nice nutty flavor that was pronounced by the lemons and capers in the sauce. The family agreed and we probably wont eat chicken piccata the same way again. While I wouldn’t consider this recipe to be traditional chicken piccata, it’s going to be our tradition from now on.

WHAT TO BUY:

A wedge of Asiago cheese for shredding. Don’t buy shredded cheese because there are anti-caking ingredients added to shredded cheeses that could effect how the cheese binds to the chicken.

Fresh lemon is also a must. While bottled lemon is good for many things, it can be a bit unpredictable and lacks the same bright flavor. Since the sauce really makes chicken piccata the dish that it is, be as picky as possible when it comes to the ingredients you choose to go in the sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup of Asiago cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp flour + extra for dusting
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 1 lemon juiced, zest reserved
• 3 tbsp white wine (I used Sherry)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp capers, lightly chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil, to coat the pan

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Start by pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch.
2. If the chicken breasts are large, cut them in half after they are pounded.
3. Preheat a pan to medium to medium high heat depending on your equipment this may vary, about 350′F.
4. As the pan heats, prepare only enough chicken to cook one batch. This will help the ingredients stick to the chicken and ensure a golden crust forms. Lightly dust the chicken with fresh pepper on both sides. Next, cover the chicken with grated Asiago cheese and apply pressure. Sprinkle the coated chicken lightly with flour this helps prevent the cheese from sticking to your fingers.
5. When the pan is ready coat the pan with olive oil and place the chicken in the pan.
6. To get the best crust possible avoid moving the chicken until it is ready to turn. The chicken should cook for about 3 minutes before it needs to be turned. If the chicken does not release from the pan, allow it to set for another 30 seconds and try again. The food will release it self when it’s ready. Continue to cook the chicken on the other side for about 3 minutes. If you are working in batches you can begin coating the next batch while the first batch cooks.
7. When all batches are complete reduce the heat to low. You may need to remove the pan from the stove for a moment to allow the pan to cool. If there is an excess of oil in the pan you can discard it, but try to discard only the oil and not any of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
8. Place the minced shallot in the pan with 2 tablespoons of butter and cook on low until they become translucent. Add the wine and lemon juice to the pan and deglaze removing as much of the brown bits as possible.
9. Cook for about one minute and add the flour, then cook for an additional minute. (for a thinner more traditional sauce omit this step)
10. Next, increase the temperature to high and add the chicken stock slowly while whisking.
11. Add the capers then bring the sauce to a boil. Once a boil is reached reduce the temperature until you reach a simmer.
12. Allow the sauce to reduce by about half, or until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.
13. Remove from heat and add the remaining tablespoon of butter.
14. Check for taste, add salt and pepper if needed.
15. Plate the chicken with a generous amount of sauce and top with lemon zest.

Foodbuzz

Salty Seattle

Kopiaste

Inexpensive Eating

Foy Update

Good luck to all.

Chicken Paprikash

With summer winding down and cool weather upon us, I felt it was time to start brushing up on some comfort food for the coming season. Fall and winter always bring around some of my absolute favorite meals. Soups, stews and Chili all rank highly at the top of my list, so as usual I can’t wait for winter to come.

I stumbled on to Chicken Paprikash while browsing some recipes online one day. I was searching for an excuse to use paprika, I love it and could put it on almost anything. Naturally when I saw a recipe for Chicken Paprikash I jumped right on it.

When ever I see a new recipe I’d like to try I always see what alternate recipes are out there to get an idea of how I would like to cook it. A few searches turned up a dozen ways to make Paprikash, much like Texas Chili, everyone has their own recipe. What I decided to do is keep things simple and focus on what would make this dish great. The recipe has gone through quite a few variations over the past few years, it’s surprising how something so simple could be tweaked over and over until perfected.

For starters, to get the maximum flavor from the chicken I use the whole chicken. The chicken is split down the back and butterflied with the legs out to the side. Next, a heap of sliced onions are placed in a roasting pan and the chicken is placed on top. Butter and lots of garlic are then rubbed beneath the skin to keep the meat moist and flavorful. The onions are covered in paprika infused chicken broth and cooked in the oven until the chicken is tender and juicy. Finally the sauce is thickened with sour cream then served with chicken and dumplings.

WHAT TO BUY:

Hungarian Paprika is a must in my opinion. You will find recipes all over using all variations of paprika, however the sweet Hungarian variety is amazing. You should be able to find quality Hungarian paprika with out spending a fortune. Our local chain grocery carries considerably good paprika for just a few dollars, in fact is cheaper than most other spices on the shelf.

Another really important ingredient is chicken stock. Chicken stock is terribly easy to make at home and this recipe will ensure you never run out. When ever I make chicken Paprikash, I simply save the leftover chicken bones and pieces for stock the next time. So even if you use store bought stock on the first go, when you get ready to make Paprikash the second time you’ll have plenty of home made.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 whole chicken 4-5 lbs
• 1 lb dumpling style egg noodles
• 2-3 large yellow onions, sliced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 tbsp roux (or preferred thickening ingredient like corn starch)
• salt / pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350′F
2. Cut onions in half, then slice in to 1/4 inch half rings
3. Evenly line the bottom of a roasting pan with the sliced onions. If you can still easily see the bottom of the pan add one more sliced onion.
4. Mix paprika and cumin with the chicken stock and add it to the roasting pan.
5. Next, make a single cut up the back of the chicken and butterfly the chicken with the legs to the side.
6. Place the chicken on top of the bed of onions and chicken stock. There is no need to submerge the chicken, just allow it to rest on top of the onions.
7. Mix together garlic and butter in a small dish
8. Make small cuts in the chicken skin and squeeze the garlic butter mixture beneath the chicken skin.
9. Cover the roasting pan and place in the oven
10. Cook for about one hour to an hour and a half, or until the chicken is fully cooked (use a meat thermometer if possible)
11. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and remove the chicken
12. Pour the juices from the pan into a pot and bring to a boil
13. Add in dumplings and cook per instructions
14. When the dumplings are finished cooking. Add sour cream, then thicken using either roux or desired thickener, and salt and pepper to taste.
15. Remove the meat from the chicken bones, and cut the meat into bite size pieces. Combine the chicken, sauce and dumplings and serve. (Alternatively you can serve the chicken in quarters, it’s only a matter of preference)

Tangy Yougurt BBQ Chicken

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a mixing bowl add two cups of plain yogurt
2. Next, add two tablespoons of Thai red curry paste and whisk until the paste dissolves into the yogurt
3. add combine paprika, mint, lime juice and salt, whisk until all ingredients are incorporated
4. Reserve 1/2 cup of sauce, this will be used after cooking to coat the finished chicken
5. Place the remaining sauce and chicken in a large zip top bag. Message the bag to ensure the ingredients are covering the chicken completely
6. Allow the chicken to marinade in the refrigerator for at least 4 and up to 12 hours
7. After the chicken has been marinaded, prepare your grill
8. Once the grill has reached the desired cooking temperature, move the chicken directly from the bag to the cooking surface. There is no need to remove excess sauce or wash the chicken as any excess sauce will caramelize to the out side of the chicken.
9. When the chicken is fully cooked (I suggest using a meat thermometer) lightly coat the finished chicken with the reserved sauce.
10. Remove the chicken from the grill and serve
11. If there is any of the reserved sauce remaining, serve it on the side for dipping