Happy St. Patrick's Day! As always, I will be cooking a traditional Irish dinner tonight to mark the occasion, and I thought I would share the recipe with you guys in case you wanted to follow suit. On tonight's menu:
Trav's Corned Beef & Cabbage
1, 5-lb. corned beef brisket
1 t. dry mustard
2 t. salt
2 T. brown sugar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 T. sweet pickling spice
1 T. whole peppercorns
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 T. dried)
36-48 oz. dark beer (the cheap stuff)
2 large onions, quartered
2 cups baby carrots
1 large head of cabbage, cut into quarters
1 large turnip, chopped (optional)
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. flour
1/2 C. cold water
Wash the corned brisket under cold water, pat dry. Score both sides of the brisket by making 1/4" deep cuts in a crisscross pattern, about a half-inch apart, and trim off excess fat from both sides. Rub both sides of the brisket with brown sugar, and place on a rack in the bottom of a dutch oven.
Make a garni bag for the spices: combine the dry mustard, garlic, pickling spice, peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley, and cloves (and any seaoning packet that might have come with the brisket, if desired). Pour the spices onto a 6" square piece of cheesecloth, and tie into a bundle with string. Set aside.
Add enough beer to the dutch oven to completely cover the brisket. Add the garni bag, and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, adding more beer as required to keep the brisket covered. (Tip: place a large glass bowl filled with potatoes or water in the dutch oven, on top of the brisket. It will weigh the brisket down and keep it submerged in the beer.)
When the brisket is almost fork-tender, add the onions, carrots, and cabbage (and turnip, if you like). Cover tightly, and allow the vegetables to boil/steam in the dutch oven. When all is tender, remove from heat. Arrange the cabbage and vegetables on the bottom of a deep-dish serving platter, and discard the garni bag. Slice the brisket thinly against the grain, and lay the slices over the vegetables.
Making the gravy:
Measure out 4 cups of broth from the pot, and discard the rest. Bring the broth to a full rolling boil. Mix the cornstarch and flour with the cold water, and wisk rapidly into the boiling broth. As it boils, the gravy will thicken quickly...add a little bit of beer if it becomes too thick, and add a little more flour if it becomes too thin. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the hot gravy over the slices of brisket, and garnish with fresh parsley springs. Serve immediately with hot bread and a medium-dark beer (such as Harp or Smithwick's). Feeds a half-dozen people.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
King Cake
Mardi Gras! It's getting close to that time of the year again, and I am pretty stoked about it. For starters, I love Cajun food. And it has become a bit of a tradition since I moved to Colorado, that I throw a big Mardi Gras party for my workgroup on Fat Tuesday.
No Mardi Gras would be complete without the quintessentiall New Orleans treat, the King Cake. Traditionally this cake is shaped like a giant crown, and is decorated with colored sugar in green (symbolizing Faith), purple (for Justice), and gold (for Wealth). A tiny doll (usually the baby Jesus from a Christmas nativity set) is baked into the cake, and tradition holds that whoever gets the doll in their slice of cake must provide the cake next year.
I'm going to make one of these this weekend. Here at 7,800 feet, I think that it just might be the highest altitude that this dessert has ever been prepared.
King Cake
2 pkgs. yeast
1/4 C lukewarm water
1 T honey
2-1/4 cups milk
1/3 C melted shortening
2/3 C sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons salt
6 cups of all-purpose flour
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. grated lemon peel
1 t. vanilla extract
1" tall plastic baby doll
Melted butter
1 pkg. vanilla glaze or cake frosting
colored sugar
In a small bowl, combine yeast with lukewarm water and honey. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Scald the milk, then allow to cool to lukewarm. In a large glass bowl, add the yeast mixture, scalded milk, melted shortening, sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, lemon peel, vanilla extract, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, then fold in remaining flour until a stiff dough forms.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic (the dough will be sticky). Return to glass bowl, cover with a wet towel, and let rise until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and divide into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion out into a long rope about 1/2 inch thick, then braid them together to make a single rope. Coil this braid into a ring, and place on a buttered baking sheet. Hide the toy doll in the cake by slipping it between the baking sheet and the dough. Brush with melted butter, and allow to rise until doubled in size.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then glaze and decorate with colored sugar, gumdrops, sprinkles, candied fruits, etc. Serve warm.
No Mardi Gras would be complete without the quintessentiall New Orleans treat, the King Cake. Traditionally this cake is shaped like a giant crown, and is decorated with colored sugar in green (symbolizing Faith), purple (for Justice), and gold (for Wealth). A tiny doll (usually the baby Jesus from a Christmas nativity set) is baked into the cake, and tradition holds that whoever gets the doll in their slice of cake must provide the cake next year.
I'm going to make one of these this weekend. Here at 7,800 feet, I think that it just might be the highest altitude that this dessert has ever been prepared.
King Cake
2 pkgs. yeast
1/4 C lukewarm water
1 T honey
2-1/4 cups milk
1/3 C melted shortening
2/3 C sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons salt
6 cups of all-purpose flour
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. grated lemon peel
1 t. vanilla extract
1" tall plastic baby doll
Melted butter
1 pkg. vanilla glaze or cake frosting
colored sugar
In a small bowl, combine yeast with lukewarm water and honey. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Scald the milk, then allow to cool to lukewarm. In a large glass bowl, add the yeast mixture, scalded milk, melted shortening, sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, lemon peel, vanilla extract, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, then fold in remaining flour until a stiff dough forms.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic (the dough will be sticky). Return to glass bowl, cover with a wet towel, and let rise until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and divide into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion out into a long rope about 1/2 inch thick, then braid them together to make a single rope. Coil this braid into a ring, and place on a buttered baking sheet. Hide the toy doll in the cake by slipping it between the baking sheet and the dough. Brush with melted butter, and allow to rise until doubled in size.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then glaze and decorate with colored sugar, gumdrops, sprinkles, candied fruits, etc. Serve warm.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
The Best Damn Bowl of Oatmeal Ever
I'm not feeling too well today. I must have gotten some bad Mexican yesterday for lunch, because my stomach...
...well, let's just say I have a bit of a tummy ache.
When I don't feel well, and when my stomach is turning itself inside-out, one of the few foods I can eat and actually keep down is oatmeal. And even when I'm feeling fine, I enjoy a hot bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or early lunch. It's good stuff. This is my favorite recipe for it...it's simple enough to make when you feel like crap, and it's tasty enough to enjoy anytime.
The Best Damn Bowl of Oatmeal Ever
1 cup instant rolled oats
1-3/4 cups apple juice or cider
1/4 cup milk
half an apple, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl (a one-quart dish with a lid works best). Microwave on High for a couple of minutes, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir, then microwave on High for another 90 seconds, adding more apple juice if needed (I like mine thick, like mashed potatoes.) Stir in your favorite toppings; I recommend butter, slivered almonds, brown sugar, and/or raisins. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then serve with a tall glass of ice-cold milk.
This recipe technically makes 2 servings, but I always eat the whole batch myself.
...well, let's just say I have a bit of a tummy ache.
When I don't feel well, and when my stomach is turning itself inside-out, one of the few foods I can eat and actually keep down is oatmeal. And even when I'm feeling fine, I enjoy a hot bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or early lunch. It's good stuff. This is my favorite recipe for it...it's simple enough to make when you feel like crap, and it's tasty enough to enjoy anytime.
The Best Damn Bowl of Oatmeal Ever
1 cup instant rolled oats
1-3/4 cups apple juice or cider
1/4 cup milk
half an apple, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl (a one-quart dish with a lid works best). Microwave on High for a couple of minutes, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir, then microwave on High for another 90 seconds, adding more apple juice if needed (I like mine thick, like mashed potatoes.) Stir in your favorite toppings; I recommend butter, slivered almonds, brown sugar, and/or raisins. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then serve with a tall glass of ice-cold milk.
This recipe technically makes 2 servings, but I always eat the whole batch myself.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Cooking for Cold Weather
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.
-----
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.
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.
-----
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, 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.
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