I've updated the Recipes section again; now the index makes some sort of sense. Speaking of recipes...
According to the Weather Channel, we are supposed to have a "significant cooling trend" move through the state this week, starting tonight. And by "significant," they mean that Wednesday's high temperature is supposed to be twenty degrees, with a 50% chance of snow. So I guess it is time for a good cold-weather recipe...something hearty and warm and soothing. And manly.
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Trav's Beef and Barley Stew
2, 14-oz boneless steaks, cut into 1" cubes
1 t. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves, whole
1 t. savory
1 T. Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine
4 cups water
4 beef boullion cubes
1 can (14 oz) beef consomme
2/3 cup dry pearl barley
2 cups of potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 cup of baby carrots, snapped in half
1 cup of celery, cut into 1" long pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown the steaks in a heavy stock pot, by stir-frying them in a teaspoon of olive oil. When the steak cubes are browned on the edges, add the garlic, onion, savory, bay leaves, red wine, and Worchestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat until onions are transparent and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Add the water, boullion, barley, and consomme. Cover tightly and simmer slowly for 30 minutes, then add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover and cook on medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 30 more minutes. The stew will thicken as it cooks; if it becomes too thick add 1 cup of water and 1 more beef boullion cube.
Before serving, remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty french bread and a dark beer.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Monday, November 21, 2005
Herb Roasted Turkey
I did this recipe back in 2001...it was the first Thanksgiving that Toni and I spent in Colorado. It turned out spectacular.
Herb Roasted Turkey
1 large turkey, 15-20 pounds
1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 sticks of butter, softened (not margarine)
3 whole shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 oz. dry sherry
4 fresh sage leaves
2 cloves of garlic
1 large roasting bag
1. Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator for several days. Remove it from the wrapper, separate out the gibblets, and rinse the bird well.
2. Place the turkey in a clean, food-grade 5-gallon bucket. Pour 1 cup of sea salt and 1/2 cup of brown sugar over the turkey, and fill the bucket with cold water. Place something heavy over the turkey to keep it submerged in the brine solution (like a large glass bowl full of potatoes), and allow it to marinate in the brine overnight.
3. While the turkey is marinating, place the softened butter into a food processor. Add the shallots, sage, garlic, olive oil, and sherry. Process until smooth, then spread out evenly over a sheet of wax paper. Roll the wax paper up, forming a "log" of herb butter. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove the turkey from the brine solution, and pat it dry (do not rinse). Remove the herb butter from the wax paper, and cut into "coins" about 1/4" thick. Preheat your oven, using the temperature guide on the box of roasting bags.
5. Starting at the neck, carefully separate the skin from the breast meat. Use gentle pressure with your index fingers, taking extreme care not to tear the skin. Once the skin has been completely separated from the breast meat, insert the "coins" of herb butter between the skin and the breasts. Tuck the loose neck skin under the bird.
6. Place 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour in a large roasting bag, and shake it well to coat the inside of the bag. Place the turkey in the roasting bag, breast-side up, and tie the bag loosely over the bird. Place the turkey, bag and all, in a large roasting pan. Cut 3, 1/2" long slits in the roasting bag, and roast the bird according to the time table on the box of roasting bags.
7. When turkey is done, carefully remove it from the bag. Remember to save those drippings; they make the absolute best gravy. Stuff the bird with your favorite stuffing, and serve right away.
Herb Roasted Turkey
1 large turkey, 15-20 pounds
1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 sticks of butter, softened (not margarine)
3 whole shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 oz. dry sherry
4 fresh sage leaves
2 cloves of garlic
1 large roasting bag
1. Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator for several days. Remove it from the wrapper, separate out the gibblets, and rinse the bird well.
2. Place the turkey in a clean, food-grade 5-gallon bucket. Pour 1 cup of sea salt and 1/2 cup of brown sugar over the turkey, and fill the bucket with cold water. Place something heavy over the turkey to keep it submerged in the brine solution (like a large glass bowl full of potatoes), and allow it to marinate in the brine overnight.
3. While the turkey is marinating, place the softened butter into a food processor. Add the shallots, sage, garlic, olive oil, and sherry. Process until smooth, then spread out evenly over a sheet of wax paper. Roll the wax paper up, forming a "log" of herb butter. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove the turkey from the brine solution, and pat it dry (do not rinse). Remove the herb butter from the wax paper, and cut into "coins" about 1/4" thick. Preheat your oven, using the temperature guide on the box of roasting bags.
5. Starting at the neck, carefully separate the skin from the breast meat. Use gentle pressure with your index fingers, taking extreme care not to tear the skin. Once the skin has been completely separated from the breast meat, insert the "coins" of herb butter between the skin and the breasts. Tuck the loose neck skin under the bird.
6. Place 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour in a large roasting bag, and shake it well to coat the inside of the bag. Place the turkey in the roasting bag, breast-side up, and tie the bag loosely over the bird. Place the turkey, bag and all, in a large roasting pan. Cut 3, 1/2" long slits in the roasting bag, and roast the bird according to the time table on the box of roasting bags.
7. When turkey is done, carefully remove it from the bag. Remember to save those drippings; they make the absolute best gravy. Stuff the bird with your favorite stuffing, and serve right away.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
My Next Batch
Last week, I got to sample some of Woodchuck's Pear Hard Cider. It was fragrant and refreshing...quite delicious. And it gave me a great idea for a mead.
See, I like pears. I like them fresh or canned, and I like pear-flavored drinks. Last Thanksgiving, I was singing the praises of this pear-flavored brandy. And I heartily enjoyed the pear cider, also. I thought, "why not make a pear-flavored mead?"
The concept is simple enough: the spices are taken from a recipe for candied pears, and I decided to use Bosch pears because I think they are the most flavorful. I think it would make a great medium-sweet mead, and it would probably go great with fish or dessert. But time will tell.
Hopefully, I will get to start this one next weekend, or the weekend after. It takes several tries to get the recipe right...especially when the recipe is crafted from scratch.
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Trav's Pear Honeywine (Pear Melomel)
(ingredients per gallon)
3 pounds of wildflower honey, warmed in the microwave
3 quarts of cold, filtered water
2 pounds of Bosch pears, very ripe
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
3 whole cloves, cracked
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 packet of wine yeast
1 teaspoon barley malt
8 ounces of lukewarm water
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
½ teaspoon yeast energizer
Choose pears that are extremely ripe and very sweet. They should be very soft to the touch and easy to crush into a paste. If they are under-ripe, place them in a paper sack with a banana for a couple of days to finish ripening. You can also soften the pears by placing them in the freezer overnight, then allowing them to thaw.
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a chlorine solution (1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Sterilize the pears also, by soaking them in the same solution. Rinse all equipment well before using, and rinse the pears for 5 minutes under running water before using.
In a sterile pint jar, smack the yeast by mixing it with the lukewarm water and barley malt. Set aside. Place the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in the center of a coffee filter, roll it up into a bundle, and tie it with string. Set aside.
Bring 3 quarts of cold water to a full rolling boil. Add the bundle of herbs, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the bundle of herbs. Stir the honey into the simmering water, and remove from heat. Cover, and allow to cool to 85°F (35°C).
Place the whole pears into a sterilized, food-grade bucket. Using a sterilized potato masher, crush the whole fruits into a paste. Pour the cooled honey-water mixture into the bucket over the fruit, and stir vigorously until frothy. Measure and record the specific gravity of the solution, and adjust it if necessary (the SG should be between 1.15 and 1.20). Wait 5 minutes, then add the activated yeast, the yeast nutrient, and the yeast energizer. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes, then cover tightly and place in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once per day, gently stir the must with a sterile spoon. After 5 days, strain the fruit pulp out of the must, using a sterilized colander and cheesecloth. Discard the fruit pulp, and place the liquid into a sterilized fermentation tank. Attach a sterilized fermentation lock to the bottle and allow the must to ferment to completion.
Rack, sweeten, stabilize, clarify, and bottle.
See, I like pears. I like them fresh or canned, and I like pear-flavored drinks. Last Thanksgiving, I was singing the praises of this pear-flavored brandy. And I heartily enjoyed the pear cider, also. I thought, "why not make a pear-flavored mead?"
The concept is simple enough: the spices are taken from a recipe for candied pears, and I decided to use Bosch pears because I think they are the most flavorful. I think it would make a great medium-sweet mead, and it would probably go great with fish or dessert. But time will tell.
Hopefully, I will get to start this one next weekend, or the weekend after. It takes several tries to get the recipe right...especially when the recipe is crafted from scratch.
-----
Trav's Pear Honeywine (Pear Melomel)
(ingredients per gallon)
3 pounds of wildflower honey, warmed in the microwave
3 quarts of cold, filtered water
2 pounds of Bosch pears, very ripe
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
3 whole cloves, cracked
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 packet of wine yeast
1 teaspoon barley malt
8 ounces of lukewarm water
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
½ teaspoon yeast energizer
Choose pears that are extremely ripe and very sweet. They should be very soft to the touch and easy to crush into a paste. If they are under-ripe, place them in a paper sack with a banana for a couple of days to finish ripening. You can also soften the pears by placing them in the freezer overnight, then allowing them to thaw.
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a chlorine solution (1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Sterilize the pears also, by soaking them in the same solution. Rinse all equipment well before using, and rinse the pears for 5 minutes under running water before using.
In a sterile pint jar, smack the yeast by mixing it with the lukewarm water and barley malt. Set aside. Place the cinnamon, cloves, and ginger in the center of a coffee filter, roll it up into a bundle, and tie it with string. Set aside.
Bring 3 quarts of cold water to a full rolling boil. Add the bundle of herbs, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Discard the bundle of herbs. Stir the honey into the simmering water, and remove from heat. Cover, and allow to cool to 85°F (35°C).
Place the whole pears into a sterilized, food-grade bucket. Using a sterilized potato masher, crush the whole fruits into a paste. Pour the cooled honey-water mixture into the bucket over the fruit, and stir vigorously until frothy. Measure and record the specific gravity of the solution, and adjust it if necessary (the SG should be between 1.15 and 1.20). Wait 5 minutes, then add the activated yeast, the yeast nutrient, and the yeast energizer. Stir vigorously for 5 minutes, then cover tightly and place in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once per day, gently stir the must with a sterile spoon. After 5 days, strain the fruit pulp out of the must, using a sterilized colander and cheesecloth. Discard the fruit pulp, and place the liquid into a sterilized fermentation tank. Attach a sterilized fermentation lock to the bottle and allow the must to ferment to completion.
Rack, sweeten, stabilize, clarify, and bottle.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Cheesy Rice Enchilladas
I'm cooking up a batch of these for this weekend's gaming session. So if you show up on time, you'll get to sample this recipe first-hand.
Trav's Cheesy Rice Enchilladas
2 cups instant rice
2 cans of diced green chilis*
2 cups of Mexican Velveeta,* cut into chunks
1 or 2 ounces of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2-12 oz. cans green enchillada sauce*
24 enchillada-sized flour tortillias
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cook the rice according to the package directions, to make 4 cups of cooked rice. Melt the Velveeta and milk together in the microwave, using a glass bowl. Mix the rice, melted cheese, and diced green chilis together until blended (the mixture should have the consistency of mashed potatoes). Taste the mixture, and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Spoon about 1/4 cup of the cheese-rice mixture onto a tortillia, and roll tightly. Place the tortillias in a single layer in a 9" x 13" oven-safe pan. Pour the enchillada sauce over the enchilladas, and top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until everything is hot and bubbly. Serve hot with corn chips, fresh salsa, and an ice-cold Corona.
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*If you like it hot, get the "hot" varieties of these ingredients....and if you like it mild, get mild. If you like it somewhere in between (like most people), try mixing and matching the ingredients: use hot chilis with mild Velveeta and sauce, for example.
If you accidentally make it too spicy, don't fret...just serve the enchilladas with a dollop of sour cream to cool things down a bit. If you make it too mild, spoon some spicy salsa over the top. It's not perfect, but it will do in a pinch.
Trav's Cheesy Rice Enchilladas
2 cups instant rice
2 cans of diced green chilis*
2 cups of Mexican Velveeta,* cut into chunks
1 or 2 ounces of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2-12 oz. cans green enchillada sauce*
24 enchillada-sized flour tortillias
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cook the rice according to the package directions, to make 4 cups of cooked rice. Melt the Velveeta and milk together in the microwave, using a glass bowl. Mix the rice, melted cheese, and diced green chilis together until blended (the mixture should have the consistency of mashed potatoes). Taste the mixture, and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Spoon about 1/4 cup of the cheese-rice mixture onto a tortillia, and roll tightly. Place the tortillias in a single layer in a 9" x 13" oven-safe pan. Pour the enchillada sauce over the enchilladas, and top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until everything is hot and bubbly. Serve hot with corn chips, fresh salsa, and an ice-cold Corona.
-----
*If you like it hot, get the "hot" varieties of these ingredients....and if you like it mild, get mild. If you like it somewhere in between (like most people), try mixing and matching the ingredients: use hot chilis with mild Velveeta and sauce, for example.
If you accidentally make it too spicy, don't fret...just serve the enchilladas with a dollop of sour cream to cool things down a bit. If you make it too mild, spoon some spicy salsa over the top. It's not perfect, but it will do in a pinch.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Brats and Cabbage
If you like German food and are too lazy to cook, try this recipe. It's one of the simplest recipes I have, and it also happens to be one of my favorite meals of all time.
Trav's Brats and Cabbage
1 pound of your favorite bratwurst
1 head of green cabbage
1 large red onion
1/2 cup sweet wine
2 bottles of dark beer
1 clove of garlic
6 whole juniper berries
6 peppercorns, cracked
salt to taste
Quarter and core the cabbage, rinse well. Place the cabbage in a crock pot, and lay the brats over the cabbage. Slice the onion thin, and layer the onions over the brats. Add all remaining ingredients (add more beer if necessary...enough to completely cover everything), cover, and cook on Low for 3 hours or until cabbage is tender.
Serve hot with lots of fresh bread and a good dark beer. For a real German treat, garnish with some spicy brown mustard. Serves 4.
Trav's Brats and Cabbage
1 pound of your favorite bratwurst
1 head of green cabbage
1 large red onion
1/2 cup sweet wine
2 bottles of dark beer
1 clove of garlic
6 whole juniper berries
6 peppercorns, cracked
salt to taste
Quarter and core the cabbage, rinse well. Place the cabbage in a crock pot, and lay the brats over the cabbage. Slice the onion thin, and layer the onions over the brats. Add all remaining ingredients (add more beer if necessary...enough to completely cover everything), cover, and cook on Low for 3 hours or until cabbage is tender.
Serve hot with lots of fresh bread and a good dark beer. For a real German treat, garnish with some spicy brown mustard. Serves 4.
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