Korean Short Ribs

This one is adapted from Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Fast and Slow. I didn't want to add a Daikon radish, but feel free to add it. I chopped up three baby bok choy and put it in near the end of the final saute. It was delicious. I garnished with lots of scallion slices (both white and green) and lots of sesame seed. Gerry had a hard time eating only one serving (makes 4.)

2-1/2 to 3 pounds short ribs

1/2 cup soy

1/2 cup sake (I substituted 1/4 c. rice vinegar and 1/4 c. mirin)

8 medium garlic cloves

4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

3 T packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds (if you need to toast them, put them in a dry pan and toast until brown. Don't burn!) And more for garnish.

1 ripe pear, Asian preferred, roughly chopped

10 dried shitake mushrooms (I used fresh) cut in half

1 medium carrot, sliced into1inch slices (I would use more)

1 small diakon radish, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

6 scallions, sliced white and green

Rinse the short ribs in cool water for 10 min to and hour and then drain and let dry. 

Blend the liquids (soy, sake etc.), garlic, ginger, sugar, pear, sesame seeds. Puree until smooth and pour this mixture into the instant pot. Place short ribs in the instant pot. Add the mushrooms.

Lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to sealing. Select pressure cook on high for 55 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, let the pressure reduce naturally for 15 minutes and then release to vent. Press cancel on the pot.

Remove the ribs. Skim off and discard the fat in the pot. Cut any fat from the ribs. Select Normal/Medium saute and add the carrot (and diakon) to the mushrooms and sauce. Cook for 15 minutes until the sauce is a glaze. Add the meat (and bok choy) near the end.

Press cancel and stir in 1/2 of the scallions. Serve over sushi rice and sprinkle with more sesame seeds and scallions. Serve also with cucumbers sprinkled with salt, rice vinegar and sesame seeds.

Swedish Meatballs

 I came across a meat mixture in Aldi the other day - ground beef, veal, and pork. It's a meatball and meatloaf mix from Thomas Farms. I'm not a meatloaf-maker, but what came to mind was Swedish meatballs that I had as a kid a hundred times. I usually get them at Ikea when we stop for lunch after shopping. There's something so comforting about this simple food. Ikea serves

I went to my trusty New York Times International Cookbook from the 1970s. I relied on the book many times in the past - especially for stuffed cabbage. I found three Swedish meatball recipes on pages 529 and 530 and chose the one that sounded closest to what I was looking for and adapted it Swedish Meat Balls II.

That recipe actually is very nearly like one that I am sure my mother used from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, of which she was a devotee. Here is my adaptation:

Meatballs (small; make 30-40)

1-1/4 lbs. meatball and meatball mix

1 cup bread cubes or large crumbs (I used some large crumbs from sourdough baguettes that I had frozen)

6 T. light cream

3 T. finely grated onion

1 clove garlic, finely minced (I used one T roasted garlic)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

1/4 ts. grated allspice

1 egg, lightly beaten.

Brown the meatballs in 2 T oil and 1/8 c. butter on all sides. Remove from the pan and place in a baking dish. Cover with 2-1/2 cup beef stock and bake for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.

Sauce

Blend 1/8 c. butter with 2 T. all purpose flour. Stir the bits left in the pan into this roux and cook a few minutes. Mix in the broth (using something like Kitchen Bouquet to darken the sauce.)  Add the meatballs to the sauce. Serve hot over cooked
egg noodles. 

Just like home as a kid!

Lamb Shanks Curry

 We love lamb shanks and I find them at Whole Foods consistently. They freeze well, too. Rather than make the traditional lamb shank recipes I've posted before, I thought I'd try them with Indian spices. I served them over while basmati rice cooked in the rice cooker with a few Star Anise and a bit of butter and salt. I minced a handful of cilantro and tossed it in when the rice was hot. 

This recipe is adapted from Archana Mundhe's The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook. 

Start with 4 lamb shanks. The recipe called for them to be cut into 2 inch pieces. I used whole shanks. Pat them dry.

Make a paste with 2 T fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp. kosher salt, 2 tsp. minced garlic, 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger, 2 tsp. ground coriander, 1-2 tsp. Kashmiri red chile powder or another mild chili powder, 1 tsp. cumin and 1 tsp. turmeric. Rub the paste all over the shanks.  I placed them in a plastic bag and put heaping teaspoons of paste on them and used the plastic bag to spread them. Massage the paste into the shanks.

Let sit 3 hours to overnight.

Slice 2 large yellow onions, thinly.

When ready to cook, pour 1/4 cup oil into the instant pot and saute the onions until limp and yellow. Do not burn or brown heavily. Press cancel and place the shanks in amongst the onions, covering each shank with some onion. Make sure any browned bits of onion are scaped off the bottom of the pot. Pour 1/2 cup water into the plastic bag - shake to combine any spice that was not on the lamb. Set this water aside.

Secure the lid and set the pressure release to Sealing. Select Meat/Stew and set the cooking time for 40 minutes on high pressure. The pressure will adjust and the seal will seal after 5-10 minutes. The countdown to 40 will begin. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Move the pressure release to vent to allow all steam to escape. Remove cover. Return meat to the pot.

Remove hot shanks to a meat board and remove all the meat in chunks. 

Stir 1-2 tsp. garam masala into the 1/2 cup reserved water. Pour into the pot with the onions, broth and lamb. Stir and saute for about 5 minutes. It will thicken slightly.

Spoon the meat mixture onto the prepared rice. Serve with Naan pockets if desired, filling them in halves.

Italian Plum Torte

One of my professional colleagues and Facebook Friends posted a terrific photo and recipe for Italian Plum Torte. Italian plums (prunes fruit) are abundant in September - even in New England. Thanks Christi and April for the inspiration!

I decided I wanted to make Marian Burros' famous torte, too! (NYT has some great articles about the recipe and its history.)  The farmstand I was referred to was too far away.  I didn't know that the local grocery stores sold the plums and was thrilled to pick up two bags.

The torte is delicious. I had made a dried plum cake a few years ago that everyone loved. Why had it taken so long to make the fresh version?

You should have a 9-inch or a 10-inch cake pan. But, I imagine any low ceramic dish would do. I preferred to use parchment paper, turn the torte over onto a plate, and then turn it back onto the cake plate under my cake dome. So I used the cake pan.

First, slice the plums in half and remove the pit. The torte calls for 24 halves, but I think I used 30. The size will make a difference. 

Cream 3/4 or 1 cup of sugar with 1/2 c. butter at room temperature. I always over-cream these days, until the sugar and butter are really incorporated. Add 2 eggs and cream a bit more. Add 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, and a pinch of salt and mix well. It's that easy.

Spoon the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Place the plums skin-side up on top of the batter, covering it. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes until a cake tester is batter-free.

The NYT article suggests adaptions you might make with spices, extracts and flours. Go for it! 

Cardamom-Coriander Syrup (for Finnish Nail cocktail)

Beth gave me a great book from the Portland Alpine & Hunt Club in Portland, ME. One of their specialty cocktails is the Finnish Nail (do you see what they did there?)

First, you make the cardamom-coriander syrup:

Take two broken-up cinnamon sticks, 1-1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, 1 T black cardamom pods roughly-broken up (NOT green cardamom), and toast in a 450-degree oven on parchment paper. See my photo. The PA&HC book says about 8 minutes. NOT. After 6, they burned. I went for 4 minutes.

When they are still warm, blend in a spice blender with 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes until evenly ground. Add 4 ounces of high-proof rum. Blend quickly (you may lose some of the rum out of the spice blender. Just replace it in the next step.

Combine 15 oz. hot water (very hot, but not boiling) and 3/4 c. finely granulated sugar. Stir to dissolve.

Use a coffee filter in a sieve or strainer over the sugar water and let the spice/rum mixture filter through, spreading the spices to let all the water go through slowly. 

Transfer to a clean bottle and label. Refrigerate for up to two months, shaking with each use.

For the drink, combine:

2 ounces blended Scotch

1/2 ounce Drambuie 

1/2 ounce syrup

Add ice to the glass and stir 20-30 seconds. Strain into a double Old Fashioned glass with a large ice cube. 

Lemon peel and garnish

One-Pan Pasta

"All you need is one pan and eight ingredients, and this delicious dinner is on the table in 20 minutes." Martha Stewart

We've been making this one-pot pasta since COVID, when I began buying large bags of fresh basil at our local specialty farm stand/gourmet store here in Marion (Fieldstone.) I have a bumper crop of basil this year that I need to use up before we leave for Florida in September. 

This is adapted from Martha Stewart, and you can find plenty of adaptations on cooking sites. 

Photo snip from Chew Out Loud dot com

This is, simply, the fastest, healthiest, most delicious meal.

If you are using ground beef or sausage, cook it first and remove from the pan, and set it aside.

Place the oil at the bottom of a large skillet. (If you have meat drippings, don't use the oil.) Saute the garlic for a minute or so until fragrant.

Place the pasta in the middle of the pan and arrange handfuls of the onion, peppers, tomatoes, and basil. Add the liquid (all broth, all water, or a combination of all - 1/2 cup white wine if preferred.) Add red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Simmer until the pasta is the desired consistency. Don't overcook. Mix all in the pan, adding meat, and serve with grated parmesan and sprigs of basil. 

Ingredients:

12 ounces pasta (dry, not fresh) and I like bucatini, long fusilli or curly thin lasagna noodles

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cups sliced multi-colored peppers

2 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

1 cup fresh basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

2 T. olive oil

Salt and pepper

4-1/2 cups liquid (broth, bone broth, and white wine or water)

Freshly grated parmesan for serving

Cooked ground beef or cooked, sliced sausage

Pasta with Scallops and Fresh Garden Vegetables

I love to hunt for interesting pastas from TJ MAXX stores - Marshall's, Maxs and Home Goods. They are a bargain compared to the gourmet prices on imported Italian pastas. 

Tonight we had Barilotti with scallops and fresh vegetables. I searched our frig and garden and came up with a 23-ingredient dish! It was easy to cook, despite all those ingredients. (WHAT IS BARILOTTI? It's a hearty pasta made of semolina flour and water. Shaped like an empty pea pod, it's a perfect form for cradling sauce, according to Ciao Ciao Bambina.)

Ingredients: Sea scallops, pasta, Manchego cheese, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, celery salt, olive oil, butter, bacon, spinach, basil, chives, shallots, roasted garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, shishito peppers, olives, cream, white wine, egg,

First, I cooked and drained about 8 oz. of the Barilotti pasta. Interestingly, I couldn't find Barilotti in my pasta encyclopedia. The $6.00 bag cost me $3.99 at Home Goods. It's a pasta that creates a nice pocket for a rich creamy pasta sauce. I cooked it just past al dente so as not to have any crunchiness. I drained it and set it aside. 

I gathered olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, butter, heavy cream, white wine, 1/4 c. sliced olives,  and one egg. Grated some Manchego cheese (or Parmesan or other hard cheeses.)

While I was cooking the pasta, I chopped my veggies:

• 1 ripe tomato, diced
• 10 stems of fresh chives, sliced 1/8 
• 10 sprigs of Globe Basil (less of sweet basil leaves)
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 T. roasted garlic
• 2 shishito peppers or mixture of bell peppers to make 1/2 cup thinly sliced
• 1/2 yellow and 1/2 zucchini squash, sliced vertically and sliced into1/4 in. slices

I tossed the zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, shallot and garlic with olive oil and 1/4 tsp. celery salt, salt and pepper and roast in 400 degree oven about 10 min. until roasted (not crisp, but not too soft.)

In a hot skillet, I cooked 4 slices bacon diced.  When cooked, I tossed the pasta in the bacon and remove it to to another pot to stay warm. I added a few large handfuls of fresh spinach leaves and olives. Covered to keep warm.

In the empty skillet, I added a T butter to the bacon grease left in the pan and placed about 20 washed and dried sea scallops, seasoned with salt and pepper. Quickly sauteed so they were seared. 

I added 1/4 c. white wine and cooked for a scant minute. Removed scallops to the pot with pasta and bacon and spinach. Added 1 Tsp. red pepper flakes to the pot. Covered again to keep warm and wilt the spinach. 

To the white wine and scallop liquid, I added 2 T. butter and 1/4 c. heavy cream. Cooked about 1 minute and added diced tomato and basil leaves. Slowly whisked in 1 egg, whipped with a fork. Turned off heat. This was nice and creamy. Added in the roasted vegetables. Stirred.

Poured this mixture over the pasta/spinach/bacon/scallops in the pot. Mixed quickly. Plated and garnished with cheese and chives and some basil leaves. 

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

I needed a quick cake for dessert a few Friday nights ago and found this one on the Dance Around the Kitchen blog. I adapted it somewhat because I didn't have lemon pudding. Well, I did, but didn't see it in the pantry!

It was delicious and moist (as all cake mix Bundts are).

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare your Bundt pan, making sure you get the spray into every nook and cranny. 

Cake ingredients:

1 box lemon cake mix (I used one with pudding in the mix)

1 3.4 oz box instant lemon pudding mix (I added some powdered lemon juice instead and used vanilla pudding)

1 c sour cream

1/2 c vegetable oil

1/2 c butter melted

4 eggs

1/2 c water (you could add Limoncello!)

In a large bowl (or stand mixer), beat together the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, melted butter, eggs and water. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed, stopping halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl; set aside.

1 c fresh  blueberries and 1 tbsp flour. In a small bowl, add the blueberries and sprinkle the flour over them. Gently stir to coat the blueberries.

Pour the blueberries into the cake batter and gently fold them in. You might want to pour some right into the Bundt pan so that you have some on the top of the cake. 

Pour the batter into a well-greased bundt pan.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. (A few moist crumbs are okay, but it shouldn't be doughy).

Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan onto a cooling rack.

Glaze

Mix 1 1/2 c powdered sugar and 2-3 tbsp lemon juice (I used lemon paste because I LOVE lemon.) Dizzle on cake when it is cool. 

If you want to make it spectacular, top with candied lemon peel.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Spicy, Sweet Peach Barbecue Sauce

 

Gerry found a recipe for Blackberry Barbecue Sauce and I knew that some ripe peaches would make another great sauce for chicken or pork ribs. You’ll want ripe, sweet peaches. I used several online recipes for inspiration. 

5 large peaches, peeled and quartered

1 large sweet onion, cut into large thick slices

1T roasted garlic (optional)

½ c. white wine or cooking wine

1 habanero pepper, diced

1 t. mustard seeds

Salt and pepper

Cook the onion in a deep saucepan until softened and add the peaches and pepper and salt and pepper

Cook on low heat about ½ hour until softened to use an immersion blender to blend into a fine-to chunky sauce.  I take a long piece of aluminum foil and fold it in thirds and cut a hole in the center to fit the immersion blender. This stops hot droplets of liquid.

Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until it is a reduced, rich sauce (20 min. to 1 hour). Taste for salt and pepper.

¾ c. brown sugar

¼ c. honey

1 T. Worcestershire Sauce

2 t. ground coriander

2 t. smoked paprika

½ c. Peach balsamic vinegar

½ c. Balsamic vinegar (add a few T. Fig or Pear-induced balsamic)

¼ c. Bourbon

Few dashes Liquid Smoke

Star Anise Ice Cream

I made the Star Anise Ice Cream using the base from Jeni's ice cream cookbook. I love star anise and add it to anything Indian, including all rices as they are cooking.

I added the star anise to the cooked custard as it cooked. Next time, I will definitely add it to the custard as it is cooking and then strain to remove. I will also add a tsp. of 5 Spice powder (Chinese Five-Spice is traditionally cinnamon, anise, cloves, anise seed, ginger and fennel seed) to the custard as it cools.

I sprinkled the ice cream scoops with Five-Spice/Sugar and topped with a star anise.

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce

Gerry found a recipe on the Food Network. This is slightly adapted from one by MICHAEL SYMON.

In a small bowl, combine 1 T. coriander, 1 T. paprika and 1 T. salt. Pat 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels, season on both sides with the spice mixture and place in a gallon-size zip-top bag. Refrigerate for several hours but preferably overnight.

Brush the chicken thighs with olive oil and grill, basting with the sauce.

Blackberry Barbecue Sauce

3 pints fresh blackberries

12 oz. dark beer

1/2 c. peach balsamic vinegar

1/2 c. Moderna balsamic vinegar

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 c packed light brown sugar

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 T. roasted garlic)

1 habanero pepper, seeded and diced

1T. ground chipotle chile powder

1T. finely ground coffee

1T. ground coriander

1 T. ground cumin

In a large saucepan, combine the blackberries, beer, vinegars, sugar, onion, garlic, habanero, chipotle powder, coffee, coriander and cumin. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Carefully puree the sauce in a blender or food processor, then strain or not (seeds are not obnoxious.)

Store extra sauce for the future.

Lamb Shanks in the Pressure Cooker

Foodie Eats - Lamb Shanks Gordon Ramsey Style

I have another recipe for lamb shanks (Honey & Fig Balsamic Roast Lamb Shanks) but wanted to try the instant pot given that it was late in the afternoon. I searched for lamb shanks everywhere and finally found them at the Fort Myers Whole Foods. I found this recipe on Foodie Eats after searching through the few IP books I brought with me to Florida. No lamb shanks somehow in either the Mediterranean IP or Indian IP books I had here.

Glad to find this one!

In a large bowl, combine seasonings below and 1/4 cup oil. Marinate 30 minutes or overnight. 

1 green chili pepper, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T smoked paprika

1T oregano

2 Tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

2 T brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half with no fine slivers

Use the saute setting and heat the IP. add 1/4 cup oil and thoroughly brown on all sides. Once browned, set aside.

Add 1 medium onion roughly chopped, 3 medium carrots roughly chopped, 2 bay leaves. Saute until onions are translucent - approximately 5 minutes. 

Add 1 cup of red wine to deglaze the instant pot getting all the stuck bits off the bottom. Return lamb shanks to the pot and simmer, reducing the liquid by half - maybe 10 minutes.

Add 4 cups of beef stock. Lock the lid and cook for 30 minutes High Pressure. Allow the pressure to naturally release. This whole process (getting up to pressure, cooking at high pressure, and natural release will be at least 45 minutes.) Remove the shanks. Strain the liquid and return to the pot, discarding the cooked vegetables and bay leaves.

Combine 3 T corn starch and 1/4 cup hot water. Add to the pot of liquid and cook on the saute setting until thickened. Return the lamb the pot, covering with sauce.

Serve the lamb with smashed potatoes, white beans tossed with fresh herbs and heated, or polenta and plenty of sauce.

Veal Chops with Smashed Potatoes

 I looked for recipes for veal chops for the instant pot or crock pot - because I was feeling lazy. After reading a ton of recipes, I decided to just do what they suggested and cook them on the stove.

This recipe is adapted from Yummly's Delmonico's Chef's Veal Chops Hongroise.

4 veal chops - I used two very large, thick (1 inch) chops I bought on a whim at Fresh Market

Fry the veal chops after seasoning with some salt, pepper and about 1 tsp. paprika on both sides. Add one chopped onion to the pan. Cook them to your desired color. Remove from the pan and place on plates with smashed small Yukon Gold potatoes. Or mashed potatoes. Or orzo. Whatever.

To the pan with onions and butter, add 1 cup of cream, 2 chopped tomatoes, thin slices of red/orange/yellow peppers and some fresh thyme leaves and heat. 

Cover the potatoes and veal chops with this creamy mixture and sprinkle some fresh lemon juice on top! Garnish with fresh sprigs of thyme. 

Delicious. 

Eggplant Parmesan

I used to saute slices of eggplant (after salting and letting stand to get the moisture out.) This was after dipping in an egg mixture and breadcrumbs. It was always delicious and I often added browned sausage meat the sauce. I learned this technique watching my then mother-in-law.

After visiting our yummy produce market here in our Florida community of Verandah, I took home a beautiful fresh eggplant. I decided to look up a recipe online and happened upon Martha's. I was skeptical, but it is delicious and I've adapted it somewhat. My next trip to Produce Buddies,  I bought two medium eggplants and used the same amount of ricotta, sauce, cheese, etc. You want a full, rich eggplant dish! (You can use two large.)

First, cut the stem end off the eggplants and slice lengthwise into 1/2" slices. Brush with olive oil and lightly salt and pepper each side and place on a grill sheet or cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, turn over and bake on the other side another 10-15. Watch them - you don't want them drying out. I don't peel the eggplant. 

Place slices of the eggplant in the bottom of a baking dish and then cover with a large jar of your own or store-bought favorite marinara (mushrooms might be yummy!) Then cover with the ricotta mixture below. Repeat and place sliced provolone or mozzarella in the middle. Repeat the first and second layers for four layers of eggplant. Cover with a bit of sauce and a few spoonfuls of ricotta mixture. Cover with an Italian blend of cheeses or just parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes until bubbling.

Ricotta Mixture:

1-1/2 to 2 cups ricotta

3-4 T  fresh oregano or 2 T dried

1/2 tsp pepper and 1-1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

3-4 eggs, beaten

For Martha's recipe, click here and search for Eggplant Ricotta Bake

Curried Meatballs with Brown Basmati Rice and Peas

Here's a recipe for ground lamb that's delicious. Serve with brown basmati rice (cooked with a few star anise pods) and fresh or frozen just-cooked peas on the side. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Makes a pretty plate. You can serve this with Egg Curry with Potatoes and warm Naan.  This recipe is adapted from Six Spices by Neeta Saluja. 

I've been trying many Indian recipes using the instant pot - this one does not. 

Meatballs:

2 pounds ground lamb

2 eggs

6T chickpea flour

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp garam masala

6 dried apricots (quartered)

Make the meatballs (Kofta) by kneading the meat with the eggs, flour and spices. Wrap the meatball mixture around a quarter apricot. Makes 24 meatballs. 

Place the meatballs on a greased baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Discard the fat and cover the meatballs until the sauce is ready.

Sauce:

1 finely chopped large white onions (or two small)

4 T finely chopped fresh ginger

4 large cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped

Make a paste with 4 T water and the onion, ginger and garlic by using an immersion blender or food processor.

Place 10 T cooking oil in a medium hot pan and add onion paste when oil is hot. Stir and roast the onion paste until the oil is oozing on the sides of the mixture - about 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add:

2 tsp. cumin and coriander powders

1 tsp. red chili and turmeric powders

Stir well and add tablespoons of water 5-6 times during a few minutes of cooking. The mixture should easily make a thick mass in the middle of the skillet. Add 2 tsp. salt

Stir in 2 cups (or a 15 oz can) of tomato sauce and 1 cup yogurt. 

Cook 5 min. on medium heat. 

Add meatballs and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Do not boil. These can sit until rice and peas are ready.

Cover all with chopped fresh cilantro.