Category Archives: recipes

Shepherd’s Pie #1

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Ingredients

  • 1½ lbs ground beef (80-20 recommended)
  • ½ large white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic or 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 4 teaspoon flour
  • 1½ cups beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground thyme
  • ½ teaspoon ground parsley
  • ½ teaspoon ground sage
  • 8 cups mashed potato (about 8 servings)
  • 2 cups mixed vegetables (corn, carrot, peas, lima beans)

Directions

Prepare 8 cups (about 8 servings) of mashed potato.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a 12″ skillet, brown the beef adding salt and pepper when meat is mostly browned. When meat is browned, remove with slotted spoon, reserving fat in pan. Heat fat over medium-high heat, and dust flour over the fat, whisking until smooth to incorporate into a roux. Whisk roux until flour is cooked, and becomes fragrant. Slowly add beef broth, whisking into a thin gravy. Combine thyme, ginger and sage adjustong seasonand simmer, stirring occasionally, adjusting to taste, until reduced by a third, about 15 minutes.

Combine gravy, beef and vegetables in skillet. Spoon or pipe potatoes over the beef and spread into an even layer. Embellish with a fork.

Bake 20-30 minutes at 350°F over a foil drip pan until potatoes start to brown.

Maple Sage turkey brine

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Tangy maple and sage brine for turkey, up to 14 lb.

  • 4 quarts water, divided
  • 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup sea salt
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup cider vinegar
  • 24 fresh sage leaves
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons mustard powder
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 4 quarts ice water

Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt.  Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved.  Cool brine to room temperature. Whisk mustard powder into vinegar and set aside.  Prepare a bouquet garni of sage and bay leaves. 

Combine ingredients in a non-reactive vessel and top up with ice water.

Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered.  Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours.  After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry.  Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.

Maple Cider turkey brine

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Apple and maple with herbs and aromatics.  For up to 12 lb birds.

  • 2 quarts apple cider
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 6 (2-inch) strips orange rind
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 gallon cold water, divided

Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt.  Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved.  Cool brine to room temperature, and combine remaining ingredients in a non-reactive vessel.

Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered.  Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours.  After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry.  Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.

Apple Maple turkey brine

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Apple and maple with fall spices and aromatics.  For up to 12 lb birds.

  • 14 cups water (divided)
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 3 litres unsweetened apple juice
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 4 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. whole black peppercorn
  • 2 lemons, quartered
  • 2 oranges, quartered
  • 4 cinnamon sticks, broken into three pieces
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh sage

Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt.  Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved.  Cool brine to room temperature, and combine remaining ingredients in a non-reactive vessel.

Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered.  Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours.  After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry.  Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.

Tod Kratiem Prik Thai

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Thai marinated beef with garlic & black pepper, this is a potent dish requiring high heat to caramelize sugars and toast the garlic. Difficult to execute on a home cook top, but is possible with hot cast iron or carbon steel over a turkey fryer burner.

Normally served aside rice, over shredded cabbage and garnished with Julienne carrot and toasted, minced garlic.

This marinade works well for chicken, pork or shrimp.

Requires:

  • Cast iron wok, or
  • Carbon steel wok
  • 10kBTU burner (cast iron) or hotter

If the wok isn’t hot enough this dish will steam/sauté which, while still potent has a different character

Ingredients

  • 1 lb thin sliced chuck, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp dried cilantro (optional)
  • 1 tbsp granulated onion (optional)
  • 8 oz or ½ cup minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorn, smashed
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 2 tbsp high temperature oil for frying, such as vegetable or peanut

Prepare beef raw, slicing ¼” thick across the grain and then ½” into wide strips across the narrow dimension. Combine ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and toss to coat meat. Cover and rest 30 minutes to 1 hour in a refrigerator.

Prepare wok (“hot wok, cold oil”) over high heat. Add beef and marinade, stir fry until beef is browned and cooked tender and the marinade liquid has reduced. Remove from heat as the marinade thickens, the garlic toasts, and/or the sugars caramelize. Do not scorch.

Serve on a bed of shredded cabbage, and garnish with carrot and toasted garlic, accompanied with rice.

Stuffed Mushrooms

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Tender mushroom caps stuffed with cheese and topped with breadcrumbs.  Yields 4 servings.

Cheese Filling

* 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese
* 1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

Mushrooms

* 6 large button mushrooms, cleaned and de-stemmed
* 1 cup bleached flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
* Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Combine ingredients for cheese filling and set aside 10-15 minutes.

Clean mushrooms and remove stems. When cheese has rested, use a teaspoon to fill mushroom caps to level or slightly domed.

Combine flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.  Prepare a second small bowl with buttermilk Wash mushrooms in buttermilk, then dredge in flour, repeating once for each mushroom.  Arrange coated mushrooms on a cookie sheet and freeze at least three hours.

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet to 350°F, using enough oil to cover mushrooms completely.  Fry mushrooms 8-10 minutes, until golden.  Remove and drain mushrooms on a paper towel, allowing several minutes to cool before serving.

 

Basic Chili

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Makes 5 quarts, serves up to 8

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 3 poblano peppers, washed, de-stemmed, seeded and diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 12oz can tomato paste
  • 3 28 oz cans diced tomato
  • 1 15 oz can black beans
  • 1 15 oz can red beans
  • 1 15 oz can white beans
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

Spice Blend

  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/2 tbsp cumin
  • 1/2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp curry
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp celery salt
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper

Combine spices in a small bowl and set aside.   Preheat oven to 225°F.

Heat large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat, and brown ground beef beef.  Remove beef to a bowl, leaving two tablespoons of fat. Sautee peppers, onion and minced garlic in reserved fat until tender, 5-7 minutes.

Combine remaining ingredients in pot and cover. Place in 225°F oven for 4 hours.

For crock pot, combine ingredients in crock pot and heat on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or LOW for 4-6. Remove cover as little as possible.

For stove top, medium heat until simmering; reduce heat. Allow to simmer 1 hour, or until done. Stir occasionally.

Cheddar Beer Fondue

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Ingredients

  • 6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 4 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 4 oz sharp processed Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup lager beer, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp dry mustard

Directions

In a bowl combine Monterey Jack, Gruyere, sharp Cheddar and flour;  mix well to coat cheese with flour. Set aside. In a large saucepan, bring beer to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Add cheese-flour mixture by handfuls to saucepan, stirring constantly after each addition with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion until cheese is melted. When cheese is nearly all melted, stir in dry mustard, mixing well. Transfer to fondue pot and serve immediately.

Blackened Cajun Chicken Tenders

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Ingredients

  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cleaned and cut into 1/2″ strips
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • Orange marmalade for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes until it is smoking hot.

Combine paprika, salt, cayenne, cumin, thyme, white pepper, and onion powder. Oil the chicken breasts sides, then coat the chicken breasts evenly with the spice mixture.

Place the chicken in the hot pan, and cook for 1 minute. Turn, and cook 1 minute on other side. Place the breasts on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes.

Serve with orange marmalade on the side for dipping.

ALTERNATIVE PORTIONS

* 6 chicken breast halves -> 2 chicken breast halves
* 1 c. butter -> 1/3 cup butter
* 1 1/2 tbsp. paprika -> 1 1/2 tsp paprika
* 1 tsp. salt -> 1/3 tsp salt
* 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder -> 1/2 tsp onion powder
* 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder -> 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1 1/2 tsp. cayenne -> 1/8 tsp cayenne
* 1/2 tsp. white pepper -> 1/8 tsp white pepper
* 1/2 tsp. black pepper -> 1/8 tsp black pepper
* 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves -> 1/8 tsp thyme
* 1/2 tsp. oregano -> 1/8 tsp oregano