Hola!

In case your wondering I recently returned from a week long vacation on the Mayan Riviera, Hola means Hello in Spanish.
We had a great time, although while it was enjoyable eating from an all you can eat buffet every day I did miss cooking in my kitchen after awhile.

I came across this recipe and changed a few things. It brings back memories of my vacation with the spicy Mexican flavors. If you find jalapeno peppers too hot you can use chipotle or pepperoncini peppers which are more subtle.
You don't need to use an expensive cut of beef for this dish. A blade, rump, round or sirloin tip which I have used here all work well.
Serve with corn and mashed potatoes with chipotle puree mixed in to complete this Mexican inspired meal.

The sun is shining, the air is warm..."Hola" spring!

Mexican Style Beef Roast

• vegetable oil
• beef roast of choice about 4 to 6 pounds
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 yellow and red pepper diced
• 2 hot peppers such as jalapeno diced
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp each of oregano and cumin
  
• 2 cups of beef broth
• 1 dark beer
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  
• 1/4 cup of tomato paste
• 1/4 cup of lime juice
• cornstarch water mix in a jar
  

Preheat oven to 300F

In a large dutch oven heat the oil and brown the roast on all sides.
Remove to a plate.
Add the onions garlic and peppers and cook for a few minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients except the lime juice.
Bring to a low boil mixing well.
Return beef to the pan cover and place in the oven for 3 to 4 hours or until beef is fork tender.

Turn the beef a few times throughout the cooking process.
When the beef is done remove and tent with foil on a platter.
Place the dutch oven on stove top and bring the mixture to a low boil.
Add the lime juice. In a small jar mix the cornstarch with cold water and mix well.
Add to the sauce stirring well until desired thickness is reached.
Serve along side the carved beef.

Wine Suggestion: Chilean Shiraz Blend



Cheers!

So Worth It

As the old saying goes, "good things come to those who wait"
Well this is one of those things. The effort you need to put into this dish is well worth it in the end.

Risotto is a classic northern Italian dish made with high starch rice. The unique cooking method of using hot broth draws out the starch which thickens the broth making the dish very creamy.
You can vary the spices and add your own ingredients at the end such as peas, mushrooms or sun dried tomatoes. Risotto can be served as a main or side dish.

This is the definition of satisfying, slow food.

Parmesan & Herb Risotto

• 10 cups of chicken broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion minced
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 cups of Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• salt and pepper
  
• 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp each of oregano and parsley

Heat the chicken broth over medium heat in a pot.
In a wide sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic.
Cook until soft.
Pour in the rice and stir well for a few minutes to coat every grain and until they are lightly toasted.
Pour in the wine and stir quickly as the rice absorbs the wine.
Now begin to add the warm stock 1 cup at a time. Stirring well to make sure all the broth is absorbed by the rice before adding the next cup.
Repeat this process until the rice is tender and creamy. This process takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Taste often to determine the tenderness of the rice.
Add the cheese and herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately.

Wine Suggestion: Pinot Grigio

Cheers!

Puffed

This is one of those dishes that looks intimidating and labor intensive but really isn't.
I adapted this recipe that is in one of my Jamie Oliver cookbooks.
I thought I had everything to make it exactly as written but I was missing a couple of key ingredients ( like Guinness, mushrooms and raw cubed beef), so I just decided to use some leftover steak I had on hand and create my own version as I had already thawed the pastry.

I still plan on making the original however everyone thought my version turned out really good.

Deep Dish Beef Pie

• olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tablespoons of butter
• 2 carrots chopped
• 1 celery stalk chopped
• 1 pound of cooked cubed beef steak or roast
  
• 1 tbsp of rosemary
• salt and pepper
  
• 1 bottle of dark beer
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup of shredded old cheddar cheese
• 1 pkg of puff pastry thawed
• 1 beaten egg

Heat oven to 375F

In a deep dutch oven heat the olive oil and add the onion, carrot, garlic and celery.
Cook until slightly softened.
Add the beef, butter and seasonings and mix well .
Add the beer , stir in the flour and bring to a simmer.
Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour or until sauce is dark and thickened.
Remove and stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile divide the puff pastry into two pieces, one third and two thirds. roll out the pastry on a floured surface to make a bottom and top for the buttered casserole dish you are using for the pie.

Line the dish with the larger of the pastry so that the sides hang over the edge.
Pour in the stew and top with remaining cheese.
Place the other piece of pastry on top and fold over the hanging pastry on top twisting slightly.
Cut a crisscross design with a sharp knife and brush the top with the beaten egg.
Bake for 45 minutes until top is golden and puffy.

Wine Suggestion: Shiraz or dark beer


Cheers!

Hibernation Time

Amazing..
in a matter of a few days we have gone from having no snow to nearly two feet.
Well this is Canada, known for its harsh long winters.
Time to hunker down inside and soothe our souls with good comfort food.

I recently had this dish at a local restaurant over the holidays and loved it so much that I decided to recreate it at home . I felt the restaurant's version needed a bit of a boost of seasoning and more bacon.
Cooked chicken breast slices can be purchased in the deli section of most grocery stores or at Costco where I get mine.
This dish is very quick to put together making it either a great weeknight dish or for weekend entertaining.

Enjoy digging in to this comforting dish after you dig yourself out of the snow!

Smokey Bacon & Chicken Peppercorn Rigatoni

• 1/2 a package of Rigatoni
• 6 slices of bacon diced
• 1 pound of warm sliced grilled boneless chicken breast
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of flour
• Roughly 1 cup each of  milk and cream
• salt to taste

Cook the pasta according package directions.
Meanwhile in a heavy wide saucepan fry the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon to plate. Drain off the bacon fat and heat the oil.
Add the flour whisking until smooth .
Add the milk or cream whisking until the cream sauce is to your desired consistency.
Add the oregano, peppercorns, garlic and salt mixing well.
Drain the cooked pasta and toss in a large bowl with the bacon and cream sauce.
Serve onto pasta bowls and top with the chicken and grated Parmesan cheese.


Wine Suggestion: Merlot

Cheers!

Warm Up

Warm Up

Now that the cold weather has finally descended upon us our thoughts once again turn to warm comfort foods.

I have been making this classic ethnic dish for years and have wanted to post it many times but could never get a very good picture. This one is as good as it gets.

Hungarian Goulash has been around since the early 19th century. It was very popular among herdsmen who worked in the fields. They cooked this cross between a soup and stew over an open fire in a cast iron pot.

This hearty dish can be served on its own with crusty bread, over rice or potatoes as I have done here.

I guarantee this dish will warm you from the inside out.

Hungarian Goulash

    * ~olive oil

    * 2 pounds of diced stewing beef

    * 3 onions chopped

    * 1 tbsp minced garlic

    * 4 tbsp paprika

    * 2 tsp caraway seeds

    * 2 tsp oregano

    * 4 cups of beef stock

    * 1 can of tomato paste

    * 400mo of strained tomatoes

    * 1/2 tsp cayenne

    * salt and pepper to taste

In a dutch oven heat the oil and saute the onions until light brown.

Add the beef and cook until browned.

Add garlic and seasonings and continue to cook until a few more minutes. Add the remaining ingredients bring to a boil reduce heat and cook until meat is tender and stock is reduced.

About 2 hours.

Serve over potatoes, noodles or rice.

Wine Suggestion: Cabernet Sauvignon

Cheers!

Thank You

Thanksgiving weekend is upon us at last.

This is a time to give thanks for all we have and I wish to thank all of you loyal readers for supporting my blog, it means a lot.

Most newspapers and magazines the past week are filled with Thanksgiving recipes such as roast turkey and pies.
I don't have any new holiday dishes to offer you this week but be sure to check out my previous posts if your still looking for last minute ideas for turkey, side dishes and pie.

This light healthy dish will be a welcome change next week when everyone is tired of turkey and gravy.
Panko bread crumbs are light airy crumbs made from crust less crispy bread. You can use any type of fish fillets here such as tilapia, salmon or trout. I used sole here.

Baking the fish in the oven instead of frying makes this dish virtually fat free.
There is something to be thankful for!


Have a great long weekend and happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Panko Crusted Fish Fillets

• 1 pound of fish fillets
• 4 eggs beaten with milk
• 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbs dried mixed herbs ( I used parsley, basil, oregano and lemon pepper)
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix the crumbs, herbs, salt and pepper on a shallow plate.
Mix eggs and milk also in a shallow plate.
Spray a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray or use parchment paper or a Silpat pad.
Dip the fish pieces in the egg and then press into the crumbs coating well.
Place on baking sheet and bake in oven for about 20 minutes or until fish is opaque and coating is golden.

Wine Suggestion: Pinot Grigio

Cheers!

Fall Fare

This is my favorite time of year.

I love everything about fall, the cool crisp days, the abundance of vegetables and fruits at the markets, and cooking comfort food in my kitchen.

This is a simple pork stew that takes minutes to prepare and can simmer slowly filling the house with a wonderful aroma and making the pork so tender it melts in your mouth.

I used fresh herbs here as my garden is overflowing with them right now.
A slice of hearty whole grain bread and glass of wine is all you need to complete this meal.

Happy Fall!

Pork Stew

• ~olive oil
  
• 1 pound cubed pork
• 1 onion diced
• 2 stalks of celery with leaves 
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 3 large carrots peeled and sliced
• 1 can of white kidney or navy beans
• 1/2 a can of diced tomatoes
  
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup white wine 
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
  
• handful of minced fresh or dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley savory and thyme)
• salt and pepper to taste
• Flour

Preheat oven to 300F

Dredge pork cubes in flour .
In a dutch oven heat the olive oil and brown the meat
Add the onions, celery and garlic and cook until soft.
Add the remaining ingredients and  bring to a simmer . Place in oven for ( 1 to 1 1/2 hours).

Serve with crusty bread.

Wine Suggestion: Chardonnay

Cheers!

Good Stuff

Hooray!

It looks like we are finally getting some good summer weather!
For a while there entertaining on the patio was a wash out! No pun intended. But all that is behind us now..Its looking like August is going to be a beautiful month for backyard entertaining.

This is a simple dish that can be done in the oven or on the grill. You can vary the filling to suit your tastes. Look for large stuffing mushrooms at least 21/2 inches in diameter or small portabellos.

These are great along side a juicy steak as a side dish, on their own as an appetizer or as a light meal with a salad.

Welcome Back Summer!

Stuffed Mushrooms

• 8 large button or small portabello mushrooms
  
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons of minced fresh herbs ( thyme, mint, oregano, basil and chives)
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• butter

Clean mushrooms and remove stems.
Finely dice stems. In a frying pan heat the olive oil and butter and add the stems along with the garlic and saute until soft.

In a bowl mix the cheese, bread crumbs, herbs, salt and pepper.
Add the garlic and mushrooms and mix well.

Place the mushrooms hole side up on a baking sheet coated with olive oil.
Stuff each mushroom. You can add more cheese on top if you wish.
Brush the sides of the mushrooms with olive oil. Drizzle over top as well.
Bake in 375 degree oven or place on grill and cook until mushrooms are tender and filling is heated , about 15 to 20 minutes.

Wine Suggestion: Pinot Grigio

Cheers!

Mid Week Treats

It's too bad we get cheated out of a long weekend this year with Canada Day falling on a Wednesday.
It is still nice to have a vacation day and enjoy a leisurely brunch, a real treat in the middle of the work week.

We recently had brunch at my in-laws. They served this wonderful dish that they have been making for years. It was so memorable I decided to recreate it at home.
You could substitute the apples with pears, peaches or plums.

Served alongside warm pancakes this brunch will be the perfect start to your day off.

Happy Canada Day!

Caramelized Apples and Sausages

• 1 package of breakfast sausages
• 3 apples cored peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup each of brown sugar and maple syrup
  
• 1 tsp of cinnamon

In a frying pan cook the sausages until golden and done in the centre.
Remove and set aside.
Slice sausages in half if too long.
Add the remaining ingredients to pan.
Cook over low heat until sauce begins to thicken.
Return sausages to pan and cook on low for about 10 to 15 minutes until sauce has caramelized and apples are soft and golden.

Serve alongside warm pancakes.


Cheers!

Cheap Skate

The busy summer entertaining season is here at last!
This can also be an expensive time of year with vacations, weddings and gatherings.
Pork is one of the cheapest and easiest things to prepare for a crowd, It literally cooks on its own unattended and is extremely versatile.

Here are two pork recipes that can be assembled in under 10 minutes.
The first one is a long slow cooking pork picnic shoulder roast.
This cut of pork is one of the cheapest deals around and tastes just like very expensive smoked pork chops. We couldn't tell the difference.
The brown sugar glaze creates a sweet contrast to the smoky flavor of the pork.

The second is a pork tenderloin dish made with a jar of black olive tapenade. It looks and tastes like bistro fare.

You can entertain in style without breaking the bank and nobody will ever guess how little you spent on these two fabulous dishes.


Happy Summer!

Picnic Pork Shoulder with a Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze

• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• 1 6 to 8 pound picnic pork shoulder

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Set aside

Place roast in a shallow pan and place in a oven or barbecue set at 225 F. Cook for 3 hours.
Spread the glaze over the roast and cook for a further 2 hours.

Slice and serve.

Wine Suggestion: White Zinfandel

Pork Tenderloin Provencal

• 1 jar of black olive and fig tapenade
• 1 tbs fresh basil
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 pork tenderloins
  

In a bowl combine the first 4 ingredients. Place tenderloins in a shallow roasting pan if using the oven, and then spread over the pork tenderloins.

Place pan in the oven or place tenderloins on a preheated barbecue set at 325F.
Cook for one hour or until internal temperature reaches 160F.

Slice and serve.

Wine Suggestion: Malbec


Cheers!