Recipes For Cooking

Yikes!  This title sounds like those long titles Rachael Ray gives to her recipes.  I get it now, its really difficult to come up with a name for a dish and its very easy to get corny.    This is one of those recipes that does not yet have a proper name. My Aunt Maryann gave me this recipe years ago when I was first learning how to cook. I never made it probably because I thought some of the ingredients to be a little odd. I should have trusted her because she is an excellent cook. This recipe will certainly be making its rounds in my kitchen! So Aunt Mare (but youve got to say it with the Brooklyn accent and leave out the R haha!) and I were chatting yesterday and I remembered this recipe. We got to talking about it and decided that it probably isnt Beef Stroganoff. Traditionally, Beef Stroganoff has mushrooms and sour cream in it. I do think mushrooms would go very nicely in this dish and if I had them I would have added some in. I threw in a couple of shallots because I had them and a couple of glugs of red wine which added body to the sauce. Neither of those ingredients are part of her recipe but you know how I like to make some minor adjustments to make it my own. I suggest you do the same thing!

Aunt Maryanns Not So Stroganoff Beef Stroganoff

 Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat (round)
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
2 tbsp. Teriyaki Sauce (I started with approximately this amount and added more later)
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (same as above)
1 bag egg noodles or no yolk noodles
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
flour
2 1/2 tablespoons of butter
vegetable or canola oil
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 can petite peas or a couple of handfuls of frozen peas



Directions:

1.  Cut the beef cubes in half so you have bite size pieces.  Season the flour with salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Toss beef cubes in the flour and shake off excess.  Brown the meat in a combo of butter and canola oil (the butter is for flavor and the canola oil has a higher smoke point) and then set meat aside. You may have to do this in two batches. 

2,  Add in more butter and oil if needed and this time some extra virgin olive oil and saute carrots and shallots.  Once shallots become translucent and soft add the garlic.  Be careful to not let the garlic burn. 

3. Add reserved beef to the pot and push to the side.  Add a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of flour and stir until combined.  Then stir the whole pot.  Add Teriyaki, Worcestershire sauce, red wine and water to just about cover the beef.  Let liquid come to a boil and then reduce to simmer.  Cook for about 2 hours or until beef is tender.  Stir occasionally and add more wine or water if the sauce reduces too much. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper, Worcestershire or Teriyaki) until desired flavor is reached.  Add drained peas until heated through.

4.  Boil and drain noodles.  Remove beef from pot and set aside. Toss noodles with the sauce and add half of the chopped parsley.  Spoon noodles out onto a serving platter and top with the beef.  Sprinkle with remaining parsley. 


Click here for a printable version of this recipe. 

İmam bayıldı is one of the most popular olive oil dishes of Turkish cuisine. It literally translates as "imam (the priest) fainted." The rumor goes that imam faints, out of stinginess, when he learns the amount of olive oil used to make this dish.

İmam bayıldı is also known as the vegetarian version of another very popular eggplant dish: stuffed eggplants (karnıyarık). In traditional cuisine eggplants are deep fried as a whole, just like in stuffed eggplants, in preparation of imam bayıldı. And the stuffing is kind of stir fried with olive oil. However, my mom skips the deep and stir frying parts and starts with raw vegetables for a lighter and possibly healthier recipe.


























2 lb small eggplant
1 lb onion, chopped thinly in half-moon shape
4-5 green chilies, chopped
10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 lb tomato, diced
1 tsp sugar
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
3/4 cup olive oil



















-Peel eggplants in stripes lengthwise. Cut them into four lengthwise leaving the bottom attached. Put them in salty water to prevent darkening.
-Chop onions very thinly in half moon shape. Place them in a bowl and knead with a pinch of salt.
Add finely chopped green peppers and cubed tomatoes to onion.
-Add finely chopped garlic, parsley, salt and sugar to the mixture. Mix them all well.
-Take eggplants out from the salty water by squeezing them well.
-Place eggplants in a broad and shallow pot. With your hand lift the top two parts, open them up, and fill them with the vegetable mixture. If theres any stuffing left, place it on top.
-Pour the olive oil on top along with ½ cup water.
-Cover and cook first on high until it boils, then on low until eggplants are cooked, approximately 30-45 minutes depending on the kind of eggplant.
-This is a traditional olive oil dish, which means that its served when its cold and that its always better the next day.

A very versatile recipe where you can change out certain ingredients, for example:  --*6 oz. container (Appx. 1/2 cup) Peach Yogurt  with your favorite flavor, and/or --*2 cups of zucchini with your favorite combo of fruit/berries  (i.e., apple, carrot, raspberries, bananas, etc.); and/or, --*Toasted slivered almonds to various nuts and/or the addition of  chocolate chips, raisins, dried fruit, and so on...  ~ Have fun with it, I do! ~

Prep: 15 Mins.
Bake: 1 Hr.

"I have only used half of this huge Juneau-Alaskan-Grown zucchini and made 16 mini Versatile Sweet Zucchini Bread loaves so far. Mucho thanks to sis Nadine and friend Kathy!"

Yields: (2 Regular Loaves, or 4 Mini)

INGREDIENTS

Wet:
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
*1 (6 oz. container) Peach 99% fat-free yogurt - (Or, your flavor choice);
--I typically use what I have on hand, which was Yoplait (Appx. 1/2 cup)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry (Sifted through a sieve atop wet ingredients):
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar; plus more for dusting
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Fold-in:
*2 cups grated unpeeled Alaskan-Grown zucchini (Do not squeeze dry)
*1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
--(Place almonds in a small dry non-stick skillet over low heat,
cook while occasionally stirring until fragrant, about 10 mins.)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare loaf pans (2 regular, or 4 mini) by spraying with butter spray, and dusting each with granulated sugar (Yes, not flour); tap off excess, and set aside. Set prepared loaf pans atop a baking sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, add eggs and using a hand mixer beat on medium speed until light and foamy.  Add oil, yogurt and vanilla extract; mix on medium speed until incorporated.

Place a sieve over wet ingredients in bowl, add all dry and sift. Mix on low speed initially to begin incorporating, then on high just until moistened (Try not to over-mix).

Using a large spoon, add fold-in ingredients, until combined while scraping edges of bowl.

Spoon even amounts of batter into loaf pans, tap them on a hard surface to release air bubbles.

Bake on baking sheet for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center of a loaf comes out clean.

Remove from baking sheet to rack (in loaf pans) and let cool for 30 minutes.  Remove from loaf pans and place on rack, covered with a clean kitchen towel, for 30 additional minutes, until completely cooled. ~ Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tips: 

When grating zucchini and/or carrots, I use the food processor - fabulously quick and easy!

Store loaves tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

These sweet breads freeze extremely well if you initially wrap in plastic, then foil.  Be sure to label the top of each loaf using a permanent marker. When ready to eat, simply thaw, unwrap, and partake!

For example: I also made mini zucchini-banana loaves today using the following combo variation (To-die-for!!) and a tad sweeter:
--Strawberry-banana yogurt
--1 cup unpeeled shredded zucchini
--1 cup ripe mashed bananas (2 medium)
--1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
--1/4 cup raisins

Mini Sweet Zucchini-Banana Bread (Variation)

SAUSAGE and PEPPERS
Carrabbas Copycat Recipe

4 Italian fennel sausage links
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 cup fresh pepper sauce

Fresh Pepper Sauce:
1 each red, yellow and green bell pepper
1 red onion
4 tablespoons crushed garlic
1/2 (#10) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoons salt

To make sauce: Combine peppers, red onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until al dente. Add pepper, salt Spoon 1 cup of Fresh Pepper Sauce with marinara sauce in pan; reduce to stew texture.

To make sausage:  Grill links over grill until thoroughly cooked. Spoon the sauce on a plate and top with sausage links.

Green beans salad
Time taken - Around 20 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients
200 grams fresh tender green beans
1 L water
1 tsp salt

Dressing - shake up the following in a clean jam jar

2 garlic pods, peeled, smashed, chopped fine
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp English mustard
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Bring the water to boil with 1 tsp salt.
2. Meanwhile wash beans well. Top and tail them. Cut diagonally in half to make spears.
3. Add to water and boil for 4-5 minutes until half cooked yet crisp.
4. Drain. Reserve water to use in soups, rasam or to cook dal. Wash drained beans in cold water and drain again. Mop dry with kitchen towel.
5. Just before serving, toss beans well with dressing from the jar. Serve immediately.
   

Currently, two batches of fruitcake have been baked, the eggy version using Raagas 20 year old recipe and the eggless version by substituting eggs with yogurt. Both have turned out good and are ready to be gifted away to some lucky (if I may say so) people :)

Happy Holidays everyone and wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Carrabbas Insalata Johnny Rocco
Copycat Recipe

Serves 2

8 scallops (about 2 in. wide; 3/4 to 1 lb. total), rinsed and drained
1/2 pound peeled, deveined shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), rinsed and drained
4 cups arugula (about 1/4 lb.) or greens of your choice
4 roasted red peppers, sliced (from a jar)
10 Kalamata olives, sliced
Shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish

Make the Skewers:  Thread scallops, through width of the rounds and touching, onto a thin metal skewer. Push a second metal skewer through scallops, parallel to and about 1/2 inch from the first. Thread shrimp, touching, onto thin metal skewers.

Outdoor Cooking Method: Lay scallops and shrimp on a barbecue grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Turn as needed until scallops are lightly browned and shrimp are pink, and both are opaque but moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 5 to 7 minutes for scallops, about 5 minutes for shrimp.

Indoor Cooking Method:  A George Foreman or stove top grill pan works well to cook the seafood indoors.  Following the cooking directions above.


Carrabbas Salad Vinaigrette
Copycat Recipe

Makes 2 Cups

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch black pepper
1/8 cup red onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
3/4 cup olive oil

 In a blender container, combine the red wine vinegar, oregano, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion and garlic.Blend together while slowly adding the olive oil. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

NOTES
Carrabbas serves an pesto or sun dried tomato vinaigrette.  To make these just add a bit of the flavoring of your choice into the blender.  Start with a small amount and taste to see if it is to your liking if not just a a little bit more at a time to get it just right.

Venison is one of those meats that many people shy away from.  Perhaps because they are not sure how to cook it, and then there is the Bambi factor.  Neither of these reasons would put me off and I have cooked venison in the past but I find that it is just not readily available at the butcher or the supermarket. Its nice to know that Im in tune with top chefs Valentine Warner and Ainsley Harriott who were championing Venison and Mustard on the Great British Food Revival and I couldnt  believe how closely Valentine Warners views  about venison were to mine!

So I was excited to see that as part of  Flavour Fortnight in August this year, a Vension Farm Walk and tasting was offered by Millbank Parkland Venison just outside Lockerbie.


Millbank Farm is run by Emma Boyes with her husband Gareth, and after a walk around the farm to see the deer, Emma  prepared some recipes which we were able to taste.  The sausages and burgers were delicious and all the dishes were full of flavour.  I was intrigued to see what I could make with this local produce, so last month I contacted Emma to see if she would like me to make some dishes with venison from her farm.



Venison is regarded as the premier meat for the health conscious. With the lowest fat, lowest cholesterol and the highest protein content of any meat combined with high iron content and omega 3 it is ideal for those on a healthy or low cholesterol diet.
Venison: 6g/100g fat (beef/chicken/lamb/pork 12-20g/100g)
Venison: 198 kcal/100g (beef/chicken/lamb/pork 214-286kcal/100g)

Millbank Parkland Venison is exclusively sourced from 14 to 22 month old animals in prime condition, the meat is hung for the optimum period of 1 week, resulting in venison which is consistent, tender and of very high quality.
Not all venison is the same. Venison varies within species, age, gender, whether farmed venison or wild venison as well as the condition and health status of the deer. There are 6 deer species in the UK. Scottish venison includes fallow, red, roe and sika deer. We believe fallow and roe venison are of the highest quality due to the texture and flavour of the meat. At Millbank, through the choice of deer combined with how they manage and select the deer, they aim to consistently provide the very best culinary experience.

Millbank Farm Parkland Venison is Fallow Deer venison and wild Roe deer which are less gamey than  Red Deer venison and much more tender, it is low in fat and Millbank Farm venison is ethical, welfare friendly, stress free, low food miles, low carbon footprint, processed in their natural environment. This information and more is available on the Millbank Farm Parkland Venison website.

Haunch of Millbank Farm Parkland Venison in a Cider and Mustard Sauce

I wanted to come up with a recipe full of the flavours of autumn, which complemented rather than overpowered the venison, apples and squash seemed to be the answer!

Serves 4-6

1 small haunch of venison (approx 500g)
1tbsp olive oil
10g butter
6 sage leaves, chopped
150ml vintage cider
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
100g creme fraiche
1 tsp cornflour
salt and freshly ground black pepper



You could easily increase the quantities to serve a larger group, this haunch will provide two half inch thick slices of venison per person for 6 people, or three slices for four people.



1.  Heat the olive oil in a pan on a medium heat.
2. Brown the haunch of venison in the pan, then remove to an oven proof dish.

3. Add the butter and sage leaves to the pan juices  and cook for 1 minute, then add the cider and mustard. Let it bubble up for 2-3 minutes, then add to the venison in the ovenproof dish.

4. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 180C for 45 minutes.
5. Once cooked, lift the venison onto another plate cover with foil and allow to rest.
6. Pour the  mustardy juices into a small saucepan and heat until simmering.
7. Mix the teaspoon of cornflour with the creme fraiche and add to the juices.
8. Cook until slightly thickened.
9. Carve the haunch of venison in thick slices and serve on butternut squash and apple puree with the sauce poured over generously.

Butternut Squash and Apple Puree

1 medium butternut squash
2 Coxs Apple Pippins
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt


1. Heat the oven to 200C
2. Peel, deseed and chop the butternut squash into cubes. Cut the apples in half and take out the core with a teaspoon.
3. Put the 3tbsp of olive oil into a roasting tin and add the butternut squash and the apples to the tin and roast in the oven until the squash is tender, about 30 - 40 minutes.

4. When the squash and apples are soft, remove the apple pulp from its skin and puree both with a stick blender or liquidiser, season to taste.  The consistency should be similar to mashed potato.


The Millbank Farm Parkland Venison should be served slightly pink to be enjoyed at its best.  The flavour of the meat is excellent and goes really well with the sharp heat of the mustard and creme fraiche sauce and the sweetness of the butternut squash puree and cider.

If you would like to try some Millbank Farm Parkland Venison you can buy it from the
online farm shop  or take part in the giveaway below for a chance to win a taster pack for two people containing 2 rump steaks, 2 vension burgers and a ring of venison sausage.  Details of what you need to do are in the Rafflecopter widget with opportunities for bonus entries.   Please remember to read the terms and conditions.



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