Category Archives: recipes

Steel-cut oatmeal cookies

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Steel-cut oats give a these cookies a rich, nutty flavor.

Compared to rolled oats and instant oats, steel-cut oats require additional hydration, which can be achieved with a cooler oven and longer cook times, or an overnight rest in the refrigerator before baking.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted, room temperature butter (1½ sticks)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ¾ cup granular sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking poweder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground clove
  • 2 cups steel-cut oats
  • ¾ cups raisins or dried cranberries
  • ¾ cups chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

Sift together flour, cinnamon, allspice, clove, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and baking soda, then sift again until well combined and no lumps remain.

Cream butter until pale and stiff, then add sugars and beat until light colored. Add each egg one at a time and beat until just incorporated. With stand mixer on low, add flour in thirds until just incorporated. Fold in oats, dried fruits and nuts until combined. Do not overwork the dough.

Turn out dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log. Refrigerate dough overnight to several days, allowing the oats to hydrate and flavors to develop.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using spoons, drop 2 oz balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet or silpat. Bake 20-30 minutes until browned around the edges. Rest cookies on the tray 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to completely cool.

Makes approximately 32 cookies.

Ranch Dressing

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Also called American Dressing by our European friends.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp buttermilk
  • 1½ tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tbsp grated horseradish
  • 2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • 2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp granulated onion
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp dried chives
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper
  • Pinch of salt, to taste

Directions

Combine well and chill.

Garlic & black pepper Jerky

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Wet cure ratios per 1lb of beef

Ingredients

  • 200ml water
  • 100ml soy sauce
  • 50ml Worcestershire sauce
  • 50ml honey
  • 30g salt
  • 2g PP#1 (optional)
  • 2 tbsp granulated garlic
  • 2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper, medium grind

Directions

Combine cure ingredients and blend well. Marinate meat at least 24 hours, up to a week.

Dry/smoke meat per usual. If using PP#1, jerky is shelf stable up to 1 week, or up to 1 month refrigerated.

Braised Rice

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Braised rice yields a texture and chew similar to rice cookers and pot-in-pot pressure cooked rice. While more work, braised rice does not scorch or burn, minimizing waste.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Jasmine or basmati rice, washed and drained
  • 3 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1-2 tbsp salt
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2½ cups water, approximately

Directions

Preheat oven to 235°F.

Rinse rice under cold water in a fine sieve until water runs clear. Set aside to drain.

In an oven-safe, lidded pot, heat 3 tbsp peanut oil until shimmering. Add drained rice and toss in hot oil until coated. Saute rice u til aromatic, and rice grains look like little ice cubes. Top up with water until rice is covered to a depth of the first index finger joint above the rice. Season with salt, and stir to combine. Add bay leaves and raise to a simmer. Cover tightly and transfer to oven.

Cook rice, covered, 30-35 minutes at 235°F. Remove rice from oven, discard bay leaves, fluff and let stand uncovered for 5-10 minutes until slightly cooled and sticky.

Serve stew over rice, garnished with green onion or chive.

Red Bean Gumbo

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Makes 4-6 servings.

Ingredients

  • 2 cans red beans, 15oz, with liquid
  • 1 to 2 lb andouille sausage, split and cut into 1″ lengths
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ cup peanut oil
  • 2 tbsp rendered bacon fat
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 oz Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp clover honey
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp Cayenne powder
  • 1 tbsp ground oregano
  • 1 tbsp ground thyme
  • 1 tbsp ground sage
  • ½ tbsp ground clove
  • ½ tbsp ground allspice
  • ½ tbsp white pepper
  • fresh, cracked black.pepper (50-ish cranks)
  • salt to taste

Directions

Prepare and assemble vegetables, chicken stock and canned goods.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, brown off andouille sausage in bacon fat. Remove to a heatproof bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add peanut oil and allow to heat to shimmering and barely smoking. Add flour and whisk continuously, combining into a roux. Heat roux over medium-high flame, stirring continuously to a dark caramel, light chocolate color. Add celery and a generous pinch of salt, stirring to cool roux and halt cooking. When celery is tender add peppers and combine, stirring occasionally. When peppers are tender add onion and combine stirring constantly until tender. Add garlic and stir to combine until fragrant. Add tomato paste and combine, stirring occasionally until fragrant and tinged brick red.

Add whiskey 2 oz at a time and deglaze, scraping all burned bits from pot sides and bottom.

Add beans with their can liquid, chicken stock, spices, cider vinegar, honey and bay leaves. Raise to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes.

Serve over braised rice.

French onion soup (pressure cooker)

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Ingredients

  • 3lb sweet onions
  • 3 large shallots
  • 1 small head garlic, minced
  • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Fish sauce
  • Dijon mustard
  • Bay leaf
  • Thyme
  • Oregano
  • Ground allspice
  • Celery
  • Cider vinegar
  • Dry sherry or cognac
  • Beef broth or bone broth
  • Baguette or crostini
  • Gruyere, Swiss or Provolone cheese (or a blend)

Directions

Saute onions and shallots in butter until sweatted out, about 1 hour. Add baking soda and saute until caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Add bouquet ganache of bay leaf, fresh thyme, celery stalks with remaining ingredients.

Pressure cooker cook on high 20 minutes, 15 minutes natural release.

Gummy Candies (Haribo clone)

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Similar in texture to the Haribo brand gummies, this recipe calls for unflavored gelatin, light corn syrup and sugar. Gummies must be cold cured 24-48 hours to achieve desired texture.

Requires significant preparation. Candy will release easily from coated surfaces. Use silicone coated utensils and molds where possible. Lightly coat silicone and glass surfaces with cooking spray.

Orange gummies

Ingredients

  • 260g light corn syrup
  • 260g granular sugar
  • 170g cool water (200ml, 40-75°F)
  • 50g unflavored gelatin
  • 8g citric acid
  • 4g corn starch
  • 2g xanthan gum*
  • 2g unsweetened powder drink mix for flavor**

* Optional, an emulsifier for added waxes or oils

** Approximately ¼ sachet of Kool-aid flavoring, or equivalent brand

Directions

Add 200ml cold water to a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, add gelatin powder, citric acid, corn starch, xanthan gum and powder flavoring to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Slowly pour powder mixture into 200ml cool water while stirring vigorously to avoid clumping. Set aside and allow mixture to set.

Prepare candy equipment. Lightly coat spatulas, measuring cups and molds with cooking spray. With a clean paper towel, wipe excess oil from surfaces to ensure an even coating, and minimize surface foam and bubbles.

Add corn syrup and sugar to a medium saucepan. Using a candy thermometer, heat over a low flame to 300°F, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. Reduce heat.

Add gelatin to sugar mixture in chunks, gently stirring constantly to avoid the candy seizing. Stir gently, and do not incorporate air. Slowly add alcohol or oil based flavorants as mixture begins to cool, stirring constantly to avoid seizing.

Note: If candy starts to seize, raise heat gently and keep stirring to break up and dissolve clumps. Do not overheat.

Transfer hot mixture to a heat resistant dispenser. Allow to settle for clarity and skim off any foam.

Working quickly, dispense candy liquid to molds, pouring slowly to avoid bubbles, and minimizing agitation.

Allow to cool 10 minutes, then transfer molds to refrigerator. Chill 1 to 3 hours, until set and firm. Extract candies and arrange on a lined sheet pan. Refrigerate candies uncovered 24 hours until cold cured and quite firm.

Coat candies in sanding sugar or cornstarch to prevent sticking while packaged. Alternatively, bathe in strong, neutral alcohol 1 hour to form a nonstick skin.

Cover and store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.