Going Over to Word Press

Hi.   I'm going over to wordpress.com to try out blogging from there.   It seems that followers find it easier to comment on my posts from wordpress.  You can find me at:  http://www.cookinginsens.wordpress.com

Le Creuset - Veal and Mushroom Pot Pies

I love this sink!

Veal should be a light pink, otherwise it's teenaged cow, or just cow

Veal stew with mushrooms, leeks, and creme fraiche  

Rwandan Marble

I'm eating this one

Le Creuset Mini Casseroles

This gives you an idea of the size

Our son gave me a set of 4 Le Creuset mini casseroles for Christmas.  Big boy!  I had been obsessing over them every time I went to the store.  I just couldn't justify the need.  I mean, there is still all of that unpacked cookware in the garage!  But so what!  These are so cute.


For my test run, I made a tartiflette or potato gratin with creme fraiche (you can substitute sour cream), onions, bacon and reblochon cheese.  Reblochon is a soft cheese from the Haute-Savoie region of France.  I guess you could substitute with a Fontina or Port Salut cheese that is more readily available outside of France, but the reblochon is worth searching for.   It's really funny.   I never noticed this cheese before until I wanted to make this recipe; it's common and can be found in the smallest stores.  

I found this recipe in a mini casserole cookbook and although it tasted really good, I didn't like the recipe.  I didn't like the methods; raw onion simmered in white wine, onion not mixed in with the potato, just poured on top, bacon not browned, cheese slabs added only in the middle.  Again, it was good; Jade scraped out her casserole.   But I would make it differently.  If you want this particular recipe, just ask.  Otherwise, make scalloped potatoes with sour cream, onions, bacon and cheese,  put it in the mini casseroles and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  

Wine suggestion:   Why not look for a wine from the Savoie region like a Chignin.
               

Lamb and Potato Roast Recycle/Muffuletta on Baguette

Lamb Stew

Muffuletta on Baguette

Watching Eric work on the upstairs, I decided to make a stew from the previous recipe of lamb and potatoes.   I sauteed some onions, added carrots, chopped lamb and the potatoes with gravy.  

Today was market day and I picked up a baguette deciding to make a "French muffuletta".  Eric was the taster.   

Aunt Kay's Beans

Before baking:  Tastes almost as good 

I like this mixture of American and French Products

My sister requested this recipe.   I made this side dish for a barbecue during a family reunion; I think it was 1983 or 84.   I got the recipe from my husband's aunt Kay.  Kay loved to cook and you could taste it.   Rest in peace Aunt Kay and thanks. 


AUNT KAY'S BEANS


1/2 lb bacon chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 16 oz can of butter beans, drained
1 16 oz can of kidney beans, drained
1 16 oz can of pork n beans(do not drain)
1/2 cup of barbecue sauce
1/2 cup of ketchup
2 tbsp of chili powder
2 tbsp of brown sugar or 3 tbsp of molasses
2 tbsp of mustard
Salt and pepper to taste


Brown the bacon then remove from pan, drain on paper towels, then set aside   Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft.    Add ground beef to the pan and cook just until all pink is gone.  Set aside.


In a large bowl, stir together bacon, ground beef and onion mixture, beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, chili powder, brown sugar and mustard.  Pour into a baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.


Great with grilled meats!           

Arni me Patates sto Fourno: Greek Roast Lamb with Potatoes

Old school meat and potatoes

A liberal sprinkling of oregano

This reminds me of the kinds of meals we had when I was a kid.  Nothing too exotic, but wholesome and filling.  

GREEK ROAST LAMB WITH POTATOES

1 baby lamb leg of about 4lbs

8 large garlic cloves

Juice from 1 lemon

1/3 cup of olive oil

5 large potatoes, quartered

1-2 tbsp of oregano

Salt and pepper

Slice garlic into slivers and toss with salt and pepper.  Make slits all over lamb leg and stuff the garlic slivers inside the slits.  Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil, then rub some into the lamb leg.  Place the leg into a roasting pan and surround with the potato quarters.   Pour the rest of the lemon/olive oil mixture over the potatoes.  Sprinkle the potatoes with oregano, salt and pepper.   Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil.    

Roast in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour, remove foil and roast for another 30 minutes.

Wine suggestion:   Try one of the darker rosés.

 

Oxtails Part I

Each oxtail is cut about 1 1/2 inches thick

I found these gorgeous oxtails in the market at the Tete de Veau Triperie.   A triperie specializes in selling offal, in other words, those nasty bits like tripe, liver, stomach, tongue, etc. and, in this case, oxtails.   This stall is huge, attractively arranged, and the owner is very, very friendly.  You have to stand in line and get there early before the voracious French take all the good stuff. 

I think the other stall owners have been talking about me because of the "yeses" and "alrights" the Tete de Veau owner politely threw into the conversation.  In addition, he examined and counseled me on my proposed method of cooking the oxtails, just to be sure I wouldn't screw them up.  After I had paid, he gave me a big piece of head cheese to taste.   It was okay.

I bought two packages of the oxtails and froze the larger 5 lb package.  For the smaller 4 lb package today,  I'm going to double and tinker with the Chinese recipe from the Globetrotter Diaries site.  In a later posting, I will use my Mom's recipe when I find my pressure cooker which is in an anonymous box, somewhere in the garage, probably in the back, on the bottom of some other really heavy boxes.

I know that I have Chinese rice wine but, again, the garage situation; so I substituted with Japanese sake.

The tomatoes, onions, ginger and garlic smelled so good I felt like eating it!   I just took one small bite. After the first hour of simmering, I added some crushed "bird tongues" , small dried red peppers I found in a bottle in the supermarket.   About 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper should produce the same effect.   Optional.

Serve with rice or plain boiled potatoes. 

Bon Apetit!

Mànmàn chī!

Hong Shao Niu Wei (Braised Oxtail) 

 inspired by www.globetrotterdiaries.com

4 lbs of oxtails

3 tbsp of olive oil

2 inches of fresh ginger sliced

2 large onions

4 or 5 large cloves of garlic sliced

2 large tomatoes coarsely diced

1/2 cup of sake

1 cup of soy sauce

1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper(optional)

2 tbsp of brown sugar

6 tbsp of ketchup

In a large stock pot, brown the oxtails on all sides in 2 tbsp of olive oil.  Remove from the the pot and set aside.   

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and cook the ginger, garlic and onions until the onions are soft.   Add the tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute. 

Place the oxtails on top of the tomato mixture and fill with water just to cover.  Pour in the soy sauce and   sake.  

Note:   At this point, you could transfer this to a pressure cooker and cook for about 40 minutes and then you would only have to add the sauce ingredients and simmer for a bit.  If not, read on.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Add the crushed red (if using), leave the lid tilted open a little and simmer for another hour and a half.  All together about 3 hours.

Mix the brown sugar and ketchup together, then add to the pot to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate overnight.   This will taste better the next day and allow you to remove the congealed fat before reheating and serving.


Beverage suggestion:  At the cocktail hour, before dinner, have a frozen shot of Stolichnaya.   Wisely continue with beer during dinner.