Rebel's Prime Rib

 
This recipe is courtesy of a friend that I went to elementary school with.  Thanks Rebel for sharing...our rib roast turned out amazingly juicy, tender and perfectly cooked.  


We began our feast with my Mother-In-Law, Sara's classic caesar salad.  We served our prime rib with yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes and brown gravy.  I always am sure to make plenty of gravy because everyone in our family loves to smother our meat, yorkshire and potatoes with the gravy.  This is a perfect dish for any special occasion and holiday.


Start with a bone-in rib roast 1 1/2 to 2 lbs per person if you want leftovers.  Which, by the way makes for yummy soup or sandwiches.  Bring roast to room temperature for 3 hours at least.  Rub entire roast with butter; cover with pepper, garlic powder, thyme and Kosher salt.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees; roast the prime rib on a rack for 15 minutes, then drop oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook another 15 minutes per pound for medium rare, basting frequently.  The thermometer should read 120 - 125 degrees.  It's always a good idea to check the temperature 30 minutes prior to taking out of the oven, as each oven varies.  Let the roast sit covered with foil for 20 - 30 minutes on the counter before slicing.  It's a perfect roast every time.

Seafood and Chorizo Paella

I've always been intrigued by Spanish cuisine like tapas, but we especially love paella.  It's so versatile too, you can combine all kinds of different combinations of fabulous flavors.  Originally paella was made with chicken and rabbit and was made with a variety of garden vegetables. Today, there are thousands of varieties of paella.  Typically we make our paella with a cut-up roasted chicken, chorizo slices, shrimp and mussels.  This version we went heavier on the seafood and left out the chicken.  David combined a few recipes and he came up with this amazing dish.  A true seafood extravaganza with great, authentic flavors. 

1 1/4 cups of Spanish Bomba rice
4 cups of chicken stock (or fish stock)
1 cup of white wine for the paella
3/4 cup of white wine for the mussels and clams
1 TBSP saffron threads
30 mussels*
20 clams*
15 large prawns or shrimp
3 large lobster tails, steamed or boiled
1 onion
3 stalks of celery
6 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups Spanish chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
olive oil
lemon wedges

Finely chop the onion, celery and garlic. Scrub the mussel shells, and de-beard*.  Scrub the clam shells.  Peel the shrimp, and de-vein if required.  Discard any mussels or clams that have broken shells, or are open and don’t close up tight when you scrub them.

In a small pan warm the stock over a low heat.

Put the saffron threads in the cup of white wine, and let it infuse for at least 10 minutes.

Heat the paella pan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil.  When the oil is hot add in the onion and celery.  Cook until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add in garlic, and cook for another minute.  Stir in the rice, and let it absorb some of the oil.  Add in the chorizo.  Turn up the heat and pour in the white wine.  Let this boil for a minute, and then add in most of the stock, stirring well.

Let this boil gently for 5 minutes.  Add in the prawns, and cook for a further 15 minutes.  You will want to gently stir this from time to time, to make sure everything is heating evenly.  If it looks like the rice is absorbing all the stock too early, before the 15 minutes is up then add a little more in.  Stir in the peas.

For authentic paella you want to stop yourself from stirring the dish during the last half of cooking.  Authentically the best paella has a crust on the bottom of the rice, where the rice is in contact with the pan.  This is only achieved through not stirring.

With a few minutes to go in the cooking process, put a large pan over a high heat.  Add in the 3/4 cup of white wine and get it boiling.  When it has reduced by about half, toss in the mussels and clams.  Cover with a tight fitting lid and turn the heat down to medium-high.  These will take about 3 minutes to steam open.  You should be able to hear them pop open.  Discard any mussels or clams that haven’t opened.

Arrange the lobster, mussels and clams in the paella, sprinkle with the basil and parsley.  Let everything sit for a few minutes to heat through and to let the flavors meld together.  Serve with the lemon wedges.

*A few notes on buying and cleaning mussels and clams:

A lot of fishmongers really don’t store mussels and clams well.  Mussels should be kept in lots of ice, not just sitting on a bed of them.  Take a good look at them...they should be closed.  If they're open, they're not good and should be discarded.

Clams can bet kept on ice for a little bit, but should ideally be kept in moving water, at a specific salt level.

To clean a mussel...first inspect the shell for any visible damage.  If it is cracked, or is open and doesn’t close when you tap it discard those as well.  Gently scrub the shell removing anything that is crusted on.  With a firm yank pull off the beard of the mussel, the hairlike bit sticking out of the shell, if one is still attached.

To clean a clam simply scrub the shell.  Again discard any that are open or damaged.  Clams have much thicker shells than mussels and the likelihood of damage is minimal.

It's best to buy mussels and clams on the same day you wish to eat them.  As soon as you get them home, take them out of their bags and put them in a bowl with lots of crushed ice.  Put in the fridge and drain the bowl of any melted ice every few hours.  

Chicken Piccata

This is an Italian classic, so easy but looks and tastes so elegant.  A perfect dish to serve company.  You can substitute veal for the chicken...Either way this dish is sure to please.  I did do a little tweaking, instead of butterflying the chicken, I pound the chicken thin with a mallet. I find this way much easier and just as effective.  I added several whole, smashed garlic cloves to the oil/butter saute. I removed the cloves before they turned golden brown, then returned them to the pan with the liquids. After simmering in the sauce a bit, the cloves are easy to smash up and stir into the silky sauce.  Also, I doubled the sauce than what's called for here and added about 1/4 cup white wine. A word of caution, do not overdo the lemon juice or it can ruin the sauce and make it way too sour.  I served this with pasta and made an additional sauce for the pasta consisting of olive oil, garlic, basil, parsley, a touch of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and some red pepper flakes...I also topped it off with a little of the cooking liquid.  The perfect salad to serve with this would be slices of tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese topped with basil leaves.  Other good sides would be some steamed, fresh asparagus, wild mushroom risotto...no matter what sides you serve you gotta have some good, crusty bread to dip into the sauce.  Yet another fabulous dish that will become a permanent addition to our repertoire.  Grazie Giada!   


Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentis.  



2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 TBSP unsalted butter
5 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley and capers.

Bolsa Mercado

I've mentioned Bolsa, one of our favorite restaurants, many times and am thrilled to tell you about their new, high-end grocery store and deli...Bolsa Mercado in Oak Cliff is just a few doors down from the popular restaurant.  Being the foodies we are we love stopping in to see what kinds of goodies they have every time we're in the area.  They serve breakfast, lunch and our favorite is their chef-prepared "Dinners for Two," which changes daily. The space is very unique and cool with all kinds of sitting areas inside and out to enjoy the day's specials.  They have comfy couches and chairs where you can sip a latte and read a book or they host all kinds of private parties as well.  The last time we were in we bought a "Dinner for Two" for $25 that included pork ribs, mixed green salad, honey whole wheat bread, potato salad and hericot vert*.  Dinner was fabulous and the portions were very generous feeding four of us.  I highly recommend you stopping by Bolsa Mercado next time you're in the OC and make dinner easy on yourself with a gourmet-cooked meal.  I promise you'll be glad you did!  =)

*Haricot vert is indeed French for green beans. Haricot meaning beans and vert meaning green. French green beans are longer and thinner than most American varieties. They are also more tender and have a more complex flavor.  If your recipe specifies haricot vert and you are unable to find them, substitute with the thinnest young green beans you can find. 

Banana Bread French Toast

Happy New Year...now that it's already March.  I've taken a bit of a blogging break, but I'm back ready to get cooking and experimenting with all kinds of new recipes.


I've had the idea of making French bread with banana bread for awhile now, although, I'm sure it's been done before.  Use any kind of breakfast bread, strawberry or zucchini bread would work well also.


1/2 loaf banana bread, sliced into 1" slices
2 eggs
1 TBSP whole milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Butter
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar 


Beat eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla together in a bowl large enough to accommodate dredging bread slices.  In a large skillet melt a pad of butter; add slices of dredged banana bread and fry both sides until golden in color.  Place a slice or two on a plate.  Top with a pad of butter, warmed maple syrup and a light dusting of powdered sugar.  Serve warm.

Homemade Salsa

The day after Christmas David and I were at it again in the kitchen and made homemade chips and salsa with peppers we grew in our backyard.  Pretty simple and can be done in under an hour. This salsa is good on just about anything.  For homemade tortilla chips, quarter corn tortillas and fry in hot vegetable oil, turning once, until golden.  Drain on some paper towels and salt immediately while still hot.  Muy delicioso!

8 cloves of minced garlic
1 cup of diced red onion
3 cups of diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 medium chili peppers
4 habanero peppers, seeded
1 cup of distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons white sugar

Over medium heat in a large saucepan, heat oil and add the onion, chili peppers, habanero peppers and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Stir continuously.

Reduce heat. Add the vinegar, tomatoes, salt and sugar. Stir until the tomatoes break down. Roughly 6 minutes.

Place mixture in blender and blend until a puree is formed.

Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

Let mixture cool for an hour.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is comfort food at it's best!  Need I say more?!  =)


Filling:
3 TBSP unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
6 oz carrots, sliced
4 oz celery, sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 purchased rotisserie chicken or 2 whole, bone-in chicken breasts roasted
4 oz frozen corn
4 oz frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley
sometimes I add steamed green beans or snow peas as well

Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 STICK) unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
A dash or two of Frank's Hot Sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper

Crust:
1 Pkg (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) Puff pastry, defrosted or 2 Pillsbury ready made pie crusts
1 egg

To Make The Filling:
Melt the butter in a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the onion and potato; saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots and celery, and saute about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the crushed red pepper and add salt and pepper to taste.

While the vegetables are sauteing, skin the chicken, pull the meat off the bones, and shred the meat or cut into bite-size pieces. Stir the peas, corn, parsley and chicken into the vegetable mixture. Set the filling aside.

To Make The Sauce:
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chicken stock and cook the sauce over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup. Add the hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken filling and stir to combine.  Set aside.

To Make The Crust:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Unfold a sheet of puff pastry or pie crust on a lightly floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out slightly. Measure the diameter of the pot pie bowls, and cut out dough rounds that are slightly larger in diameter. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 8 circles in all for 4 pot pies.  Place one dough round in each individual 1 1/4-cup capacity oven-safe bowl or aluminum tin, pressing dough onto the bottom and sides.  Add creamed chicken filling three-quarters of the way to the top.  Lay the remaining dough rounds on top of the pot pies.  Whisk the egg in a small bowl.  Brush the dough lightly with the beaten egg. Bake the pies for 45 minutes to an hour, until golden brown. Serve immediately.

**You can freeze any leftover pies and/or filling for up to 6 months for a quick fix dinner.

Chocolate Truffles

I've been wanting to try to make homemade chocolate truffles ever since I saw Ina Garten's, aka "The Barefoot Contessa" feature them on one of her shows.  They were fairly easy to make and decadently delicious.  These will make great gifts for the holidays.



1/2 pound good bittersweet chocolate such as Lindt
1/2 pound good semisweet chocolate such as Ghiradelli
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, optional
1 tablespoon prepared coffee
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar
Cocoa powder

Chop the chocolates finely with a sharp knife. Place them in a heat-proof mixing bowl.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour the cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the bowl with chocolate. With a wire whisk, slowly stir the cream and chocolates together until the chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in the Grand Marnier, if using, coffee, and vanilla. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

With 2 teaspoons, spoon round balls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least an hour or until firm.  Roll each dollop of chocolate in your hands to roughly make a round ball. Roll in confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, or both. These will keep refrigerated for weeks, but serve at room temperature. 

Danish Roast Pork, Potatoes and Red Cabbage with Apples

This is a beautiful, hearty, simple "go-to" dish for the holidays.  Foolproof and inexpensive, anyone can pull off this delightful feast.  I do have a few pointers though...when making the compound butter be sure you grate the onion over the butter so that you get all the juices from the onion, because that adds an incredible amount of flavor.  In this recipe you cut the potatoes in half and cook them on the stove in the roasting pan on one side until golden brown (more golden than pictured above).  Then you flip them and let the other potato halves slow roast under the pork, soaking up all the compound butter and wine.  The potatoes turn out nice and juicy from all the juices on one side and good and crispy on the other.  About a half hour into cooking the pork roast start on the red cabbage and apple side dish.  It couldn't be easier to make and is the perfect accompaniment to the roast pork and potatoes.  Happy cooking and Happy Holidays!  =)


This recipe is adapted from Rachael Ray's.



1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup grated onion, 1 small
1 tsp dried marjoram, lightly crushed
1 tsp ground sage
2 TBSP olive oil
3 lbs medium white-skinned potatoes
1 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
Salt and pepper
1 3- to 4-pound pork loin roast
1 medium red cabbage
2 crisp apples, chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup cloudy apple cider
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 round TBSP light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp caraway seed, half a palmful


Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine butter with onion, marjoram and sage.

Heat a metal roasting pan on the stove over medium high heat with 2 turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Halve potatoes and place cut-side down in the hot pan. Cook until golden brown, flip and turn off the heat. Add the wine or stock to the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Rub pork with flavored butter and aggressively season with salt and pepper. Arrange the pork over the potatoes and dot with remaining butter. Roast about 1 hour and 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145°F on a meat thermometer.

Meanwhile, shred the cabbage and add to a large covered pot with the apples. Season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Add cider, vinegar, sugar and caraway; bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cook covered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Slice pork and serve with potatoes and cabbage alongside.