RECIPES
I've been doing a lot of cooking these days and people are asking me for
recipes, so I guess I can give away a couple of my secrets. Truthfully, I like
sharing, so check back and I'll try to keep updating this...
I'll try to have both things for meat-eaters and vegetarians.
recipes, so I guess I can give away a couple of my secrets. Truthfully, I like
sharing, so check back and I'll try to keep updating this...
I'll try to have both things for meat-eaters and vegetarians.
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Braised tri-tip beef roast
The idea behind braising is to slow cook a piece of meat that might be tough otherwise as
a seared steak. Tender cuts of meat like tenderloin or a NY strip can be cooked quickly and
if you like your meat somewhat rare, you can still cut and chew it. A Tri-tip is a relatively
tougher cut of meat and needs the longer cooking time to tenderize it. You most likely
won't have any pink in the middle with a braise.
The first step with braising (or cooking any type of meat really) is seasoning it with salt and
pepper. Some people find that iodized salt (while not a bad thing to have a little in your
diet) can add a metallic taste to foods, especially when slow cooked. Sea salt and kosher
salt have a slight flavor difference but won't impart that metallic taste. Seasoning with
other herbs and spices should come later, they can be lost in the initial searing of the
meat.
Second step is searing the meat. Use enough Olive oil or Canola oil to coat the bottom of
your pan. Don't just keep pouring it on until is covers, pour about a tablespoon on and
then swirl it around or even spread it with a spatula. You don't want too much. Heat the
oil, you want a sizzle when the meat touches the pan, so wait 30 seconds or so.
Sear the meat for a few minutes, up to 5 minutes depending on the size of the cut of
meat. You want to get some color on the meat. It's a presentation thing, but it also gives
you some wonderful fond at the bottom of the pan that you will later get a great gravy in
your pan from. Turn the meat and get that color on the other side too.
Once you've gotten sear color on both sides of the meat, remove it from the pan. If you
ended up using excess oil, allow it to cool slightly and remove it, being careful to not lose
some of the meat solids that are left behind when you drain the fat. The solids are part of
your gravy too. Leave about a tablespoon of oil in the pan, turn the heat back on medium
and add any onions, celery, carrots, parsnips or any vegetable that sounds good. Cook
and caramelize the vegetables for 5-10 minutes.
Red wine, beef stock and balsamic vinegar all make a really nice braise. They do their best
when they are all combined. If you had a 7-8 lb roast, use about 3 cups of wine. 2-3 cups
beef stock, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Add these liquids to your vegetables that have been
cooking. Let the liquids and the solids reach a simmer and then stir it around so the meat
fond at the bottom of the pan gets scrubbed off, so to speak, and absorbed into your
liquid. Your gravy is on it's way. The wine and vinegar deglazes the pan and essentially
cleans it up.
After allowing these liquids to reduce a little, which will all depend on how much liquid
you've used, return the meat to the pan. Turn the heat down to low.
Cover the pan with the lid slightly askew and allow to cook. One hour is great, but 3 hours
is better.
Season again with salt and pepper and any other spices or herbs (like thyme) as it
simmers. But always taste before salting.
Feel free to write or call me with any questions...
essentialchef@sbcglobal.net 818-384-3451
*******************************
this was a Martha Stewart recipe that I doctored up a bit...
Spicy Lemon Quinoa
2 cups quinoa
Coarse salt
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I often use less to lighten the recipe)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Transfer to a medium
saucepan, add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer.
Cook until water is completely absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes.
Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl along with pine nuts, lemon zest, parsley, cumin, cayenne; drizzle
with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss until well combined. Serve warm or at
room temperature.
Quinoa can be found just about anywhere now. There are all sorts of health claims about it. If
cooked right, it's really good.
Toasting pine nuts
I have found that since it is so easy to toast pine nuts and burn them (and they are way too
expensive to waste). The best way is to put them in a pan and turn on the heat, and pay
attention. Don't turn your head for even a minute or they'll burn. When you just start to see a
little color on the nuts, turn off the heat. There will be enough residual heat to continue to toast
them. I know on cooking shows they actually put them in an oven or a toaster, but they have a
crew to watch out for them, they are very delicate little nuts.
Lemons
If you aren't in the mood to squeeze a bunch of lemons, they do sell real lemon juice in a bottle.
It's pasteurized so the flavor is slightly different, but in this recipe you don't notice it. It's not the
little yellow plastic bottles that are shaped like a lemon, it's a glass bottle, I usually find it at
Whole Foods. You should zest an actual lemon for the zest the recipe requires though, you can't
beat that flavor. Although I've zested an orange into it and it was really good too.
The idea behind braising is to slow cook a piece of meat that might be tough otherwise as
a seared steak. Tender cuts of meat like tenderloin or a NY strip can be cooked quickly and
if you like your meat somewhat rare, you can still cut and chew it. A Tri-tip is a relatively
tougher cut of meat and needs the longer cooking time to tenderize it. You most likely
won't have any pink in the middle with a braise.
The first step with braising (or cooking any type of meat really) is seasoning it with salt and
pepper. Some people find that iodized salt (while not a bad thing to have a little in your
diet) can add a metallic taste to foods, especially when slow cooked. Sea salt and kosher
salt have a slight flavor difference but won't impart that metallic taste. Seasoning with
other herbs and spices should come later, they can be lost in the initial searing of the
meat.
Second step is searing the meat. Use enough Olive oil or Canola oil to coat the bottom of
your pan. Don't just keep pouring it on until is covers, pour about a tablespoon on and
then swirl it around or even spread it with a spatula. You don't want too much. Heat the
oil, you want a sizzle when the meat touches the pan, so wait 30 seconds or so.
Sear the meat for a few minutes, up to 5 minutes depending on the size of the cut of
meat. You want to get some color on the meat. It's a presentation thing, but it also gives
you some wonderful fond at the bottom of the pan that you will later get a great gravy in
your pan from. Turn the meat and get that color on the other side too.
Once you've gotten sear color on both sides of the meat, remove it from the pan. If you
ended up using excess oil, allow it to cool slightly and remove it, being careful to not lose
some of the meat solids that are left behind when you drain the fat. The solids are part of
your gravy too. Leave about a tablespoon of oil in the pan, turn the heat back on medium
and add any onions, celery, carrots, parsnips or any vegetable that sounds good. Cook
and caramelize the vegetables for 5-10 minutes.
Red wine, beef stock and balsamic vinegar all make a really nice braise. They do their best
when they are all combined. If you had a 7-8 lb roast, use about 3 cups of wine. 2-3 cups
beef stock, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Add these liquids to your vegetables that have been
cooking. Let the liquids and the solids reach a simmer and then stir it around so the meat
fond at the bottom of the pan gets scrubbed off, so to speak, and absorbed into your
liquid. Your gravy is on it's way. The wine and vinegar deglazes the pan and essentially
cleans it up.
After allowing these liquids to reduce a little, which will all depend on how much liquid
you've used, return the meat to the pan. Turn the heat down to low.
Cover the pan with the lid slightly askew and allow to cook. One hour is great, but 3 hours
is better.
Season again with salt and pepper and any other spices or herbs (like thyme) as it
simmers. But always taste before salting.
Feel free to write or call me with any questions...
essentialchef@sbcglobal.net 818-384-3451
*******************************
this was a Martha Stewart recipe that I doctored up a bit...
Spicy Lemon Quinoa
2 cups quinoa
Coarse salt
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I often use less to lighten the recipe)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Transfer to a medium
saucepan, add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer.
Cook until water is completely absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes.
Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl along with pine nuts, lemon zest, parsley, cumin, cayenne; drizzle
with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss until well combined. Serve warm or at
room temperature.
Quinoa can be found just about anywhere now. There are all sorts of health claims about it. If
cooked right, it's really good.
Toasting pine nuts
I have found that since it is so easy to toast pine nuts and burn them (and they are way too
expensive to waste). The best way is to put them in a pan and turn on the heat, and pay
attention. Don't turn your head for even a minute or they'll burn. When you just start to see a
little color on the nuts, turn off the heat. There will be enough residual heat to continue to toast
them. I know on cooking shows they actually put them in an oven or a toaster, but they have a
crew to watch out for them, they are very delicate little nuts.
Lemons
If you aren't in the mood to squeeze a bunch of lemons, they do sell real lemon juice in a bottle.
It's pasteurized so the flavor is slightly different, but in this recipe you don't notice it. It's not the
little yellow plastic bottles that are shaped like a lemon, it's a glass bottle, I usually find it at
Whole Foods. You should zest an actual lemon for the zest the recipe requires though, you can't
beat that flavor. Although I've zested an orange into it and it was really good too.
Essential Chef
