Beantown Baked Beans
This recipe is so easy. All you need is simmering time!
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Dried Navy Beans
2 Chopped Onions
1 Cup Water
½ Pound Diced Bacon
½ Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Ketchup
¼ Cup Molasses
5 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 ½ Teaspoons Dry Mustard
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Soak the beans in enough water to cover plus three inches over night. Drain the beans and place in a large pot. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to simmer and add onions, water, bacon, brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, garlic, salt, dry mustard & black pepper. Cover and simmer for 8 to 10 hours. After cooking for some time add water as needed. Serve hot as a side dish. Serves 6
Thai Noodle Salad With Sliced Beef
I love this salad. It is easy to make and not too heavy.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces of Boneless Rib Steak
1 ½ Tablespoons Fish Sauce
DRESSING FOR BEEF:
1 ½ Teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 ½ Teaspoons Soy Sauce
SALAD:
6 Ounces Rice Vermicelli Noodles
½ Cup Mint Leaves
½ Cup Cilantro Leaves
10 Peeled & Thinly Sliced Asian Red Shallots
1 Cucumber Cut Into Strips
1 Ounce Trimmed Snow Pea Sprouts
DRESSING FOR NOODLES:
1 Teaspoon Chili Flakes (Dry Fried & Ground In Mortar & Pestle)
1 Tablespoon Palm Sugar
1 ½ Tablespoon Fish Sauce
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
Mix the beef with the fish sauce and set aside. Mix together the dressing ingredients for the beef. Boil the noodles for 3 minutes. Drain and run through cold water. Toss the noodles with the salad ingredients. Cook the beef on high heat for three minutes on each side. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly and toss with some of the beef dressing. Combine the ingredients for the noodle dressing and toss with the noodles. Place noodles on a serving plate and top with beef strips. Drizzle with the remaining beef dressing. Serves 6
Cuban Pork Sandwiches
I love this sandwich. Easy to make and full of flavor. You can use a split baguette, Portuguese rolls, a split baguette or a rustic loaf such as ciabatta. After layering the ingredients in the loaf, cut into 4 individual sandwiches and serve. You will love this sandwich as much as I do!
INGREDIENTS
4 Crusty Rolls or Baguette
5 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 ½ Cups Thinly Sliced Roasted Pork
1 Pound Thinly Sliced Genoa Salami or Smoked Ham
½ Pound Thinly Sliced Swiss Cheese
½ Cup Dill Pickle Slices
3 Tablespoons Melted Unsalted Butter
To assemble the sandwiches preheat a heavy skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Spread the bottom of each roll with the mustard. Layer the pork, ham, cheese and pickles on the rolls (divide evenly). Set the top halves in place and press gently. Brush the tops of the rolls with the melted butter. To grill the sandwiches place in the heated pan and use either a second pan or a weighted press to press down the cooking sandwiches. Grill for 2 ½ minutes until the undersides are golden. Turn the sandwiches over, press with the weight again, and cook for another 2 ½ minutes until the other sides are golden and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Roasted Pork
So easy to make and makes a fabulous Sunday dinner. Any leftovers that you have are great for making Cuban Pork Sandwiches!
INGREDIENTS
5 Peeled & Pressed Large Garlic Cloves
5 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Rosemary
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 ½ Pound Boneless (Well Trimmed) Pork Loin Roast
Preheat your oven to 400° F. Combine the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub the garlic mixture all over the pork before placing, fat side down, in a roasting pan. Roast the pork for 30 minutes and then turn the pork over fat side up. Roast for another 25 minutes or until the pork reads 155° F (insert a thermometer into center of the pork). Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour any juices from the roasting pan into a small saucepan. Set over low heat to keep warm. Cut the pork crosswise into 1/3 inch thick slices. Arrange pork slices on a platter and pour the pan juices over the top. Serves 8
Chicken Cacciatore
Braised in a tomato based sauce and often includes wild mushrooms, Chicken Cacciatore is an Italian dish that refers to as “hunter style.” It is said that “if a hunter came home empty handed his wife would kill a chicken for a meal instead.” For this recipe, I am using fresh tomatoes and am leaving out the mushrooms. You may add the mushrooms and vegetables such a zucchini or bell peppers if you wish.
INGREDIENTS
One 3 ½ Pounds Of Chicken (Cut Into Pieces)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Cup Thinly Sliced Onions
3 Thinly Sliced Garlic Cloves
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/3 Cup White Wine
2 Cups Peeled & Chopped, Firm Ripe Tomatoes
You May Use Canned Plum Tomatoes In Their Juice
Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Stir occasionally. Push the onions to the side and add the garlic & chicken pieces skin side down. Cook until the chicken skin is golden brown. Turn pieces over and brown on the other side. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Finally, add the tomatoes. Lower the heat and cover the skillet with the lid slightly ajar. Cook the chicken for 45 minutes in the simmering liquid, turning and basting from time to time. Cook until the thighs are very tender and the meat is almost falling off the bones. If the sauce starts to dry add a couple of tablespoons of water. Serves 4
Osso Buco
Osso Buco literally means “bone with a hole” and is Milanese specialty of veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth. There are two types of osso buco, a modern version that has tomatoes and the original version which does not. The original version (osso buco in bianco) is flavored with cinnamon, bay leaf and gremolata. The modern version includes tomatoes, carrots, celery and onions. Gremolita is optional. I am giving you the modern version.
INGREDIENTS
4 (12 Ounce) Veal Osso Buco
3 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Minced Carrot
1 Medium Minced Onion
1Celery Stalk
1 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Cup Veal Stock or Chicken Stock
3 Medium Tomatoes (Peeled, Seeded & Chopped)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
GREMOLATA
½ Cup Minced Parsley
2 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Zest
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
In a heavy pot (with a lid) combine the butter and the oil in the pot and heat until hot, but NOT smoking. Add the veal and brown well on all sides over medium heat. Transfer the veal to a plate and set aside. Add the vegetables to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until just softened. Return the veal to the pot and add the white wine, the stock and the tomatoes. Season with the salt and pepper. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Turn the meat occasionally and add a little additional stock to the pot if necessary. The osso buco is done with the meat is very tender and the sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer the osso buco to a platter and keep warm. Prepare the gremolata by combining the parsley, lemon zest and garlic in a small bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the gremolata over the osso buco and serve on warm dinner plates. You can serve with saffron risotto, mashed potatoes or a spiral pasta. Serves 4
Beef Stew With Beer
Everything tastes better cooked in beer!
INGREDIENTS
3 Pounds Beef For Stew
¼ Cup Olive Oil
3 Cups Sliced Onions
3 Cloves Crushed Garlic
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
2 ¼ Cups Light Beer
2 ¼ Cups Dark Beer
2 Allspice Berries
1 Bay Leaf
¼ Teaspoon Thyme
3 Peppercorns
Place the olive oil in a heavy pot and heat until hot. Make sure that the oil is not smoking. Add the beef and brown all sides. Remove the beef to a platter and set aside. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and brown. Stir occasionally. Sprinkle the onions and garlic with the flour and cook for another 3 minutes. Gradually add the beer and reduce the heat. Cook slowly uncovered for 25 minutes. Make an herb bundle by combining the allspice, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth. Secure with kitchen twine.
Add the beef back to the pot of cooking liquid. Add the herb bundle and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Next uncover the pot and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes. When done remove the herb bundle. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes. Serves 6
Gazpacho
Often described as a liquid salad, gazpacho descends from ancient Roman concoction based on a combination of stale bread, garlic, olive oil, salt and vinegar. As Romans labored to build roads and aqueducts across Spain in the scorching heat, this creamy soup replenished them with the necessary salt and vitamins lost through physical exertion. Later, shepherds and farmers added vegetables to make it more hearty and satisfying. Because tomatoes and bell peppers were not indigenous to Spain, these ingredients were not added to the soup until after Spain’s discovery of the New World. Since that time, gazpacho has remained relatively unchanged. We are grateful for such an unpretentious soup designed to quench the thirst evoked by the unrelenting Spanish sun.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Cucumber
2 Red Bell Peppers
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
4 Medium Tomatoes
1 Red Onion
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
3 Cups Tomato Juice
¼ Cup White Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Halve and seed the cucumber, but do not peel it. Core and seed the three bell peppers. Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion into 1 inch cubes. Reserve a small bit of each vegetable to put in at the end so that the soup has some crunch. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not over process. After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer the gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop. Serve anytime, but especially on a hot summer day. Serves 4
Italian Meatball Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Ground Sirloin
¾ Cup Bread Crumbs
2 Teaspoons Dried Italian Herbs
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Beaten Egg
4 Italian Rolls
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
14 Ounces Red Sauce (See Victoria’s Sunday Gravy)
8 Slices Provolone Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground sirloin, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese and egg. Shape into 12 meatballs and place in a medium sized baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the Italian rolls in half lengthwise and remove some of the bread from the inside to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil and season with the garlic powder and salt. Put the Italian rolls into the oven during the last 5 minutes of the meatballs time to toast. While the bread toasts, warm the red sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, use a spoon to transfer them to sauce. Spoon sauce and meatballs onto the Italian rolls and top with the slices of Provolone cheese. Return to the oven for 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Cool slightly and cut in half. Serves 4
Santa Fe Burgers
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Ground Sirloin
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
Santa Fe Salsa
Combine the ground sirloin, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Using your hands mix well. Form into six patties and refrigerate until ready to grill. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill and lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray. The coals should be hot. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes. Flip the burgers and grill for another 4 or 5 minutes. Serve with Santa Fe Salsa. Serves 6
Santa Fe Salsa
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Chopped Tomatoes
2 Seeded & Chopped Yellow or Red Bell Peppers
1 Cup Cooked Corn Kernels (Fresh or Frozen)
3 Finely Chopped Green Onions
2 Seeded & Chopped Jalapeno or Serrano Chilies
1 Minced Garlic Clove
4 Tablespoons Finley Chopped Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
2 Teaspoons Malt Vinegar
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Combine the tomatoes, peppers, corn, green onions, chilies, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar and salt in a glass or ceramic bowl and gently stir to combine. Let the salsa stand for about an hour to let the flavors blend. Serve or cover to refrigerate for several hours. Let the salsa reach room temperature before serving. Makes 2 cups
