I’ve been reading this really interesting cookbook, ****************. Actually, it’s less of a cookbook, though they have some wonderful recipes, and more of a reference work. At least for me it is. The authors are a chef and a specialist in scents. What a combination, right? Continue reading
Braised Beef with Orange and Figs
03 Tuesday Dec 2019
Posted in Beef, Braising, Comfort Food, Fennel, Figs, Gluten Free, Make Ahead, Onions, Orange, Pressure Cooking, Stew, Sun-dried
Tonkatsu, simply put, is the Japanese version of chicken-fried pork cutlets. Usually the breaded pork is deep-fried, but we’re going to shallow fry the cutlets and serve them with homemade “Bulldog” sauce…yum!
Who the hell is Dom Pedro you’re asking? And what does he have to do with pot roast? The Portuguese-born Dom Pedro I was the first ruler of the Empire of Brazil back in the 19th century. He has nothing to do with pot roast per se, but here we join together some of the best of both Portuguese and Brazilian flavors, for a winning combination.
Lamb makes a wonderful sauce to splash over pasta, or better yet, cheese-filled tortellini. This version of ragú is wonderfully complex, with a deliciously interesting combination of herbs and spices. This is company fare.
I know we’ve talked about this before…I am a dyed-in-the-wool lamb lover. It’s special and it’s delicious. Lamb tends to be a bit more expensive than beef or pork, but shoulder chops are an economical option. They can be fried quickly, but braising them really develops some lovely flavors.
Small meatballs are a great tapa. This is a really nice blend to form into patties for breakfast sausages, either with or without the mustard-cream sauce…though, you know…it’s all about the sauce! Or it should be.
You know how sometimes the culinary gods intervene? This dish came about because those gods were playing and romping through my life. However, as happens now and again, those gods led me to deliciousness! This is redolent with Mexican flavors, it’s filling and it’s flexible!
Caramelized onions….mmmmm…a little sweet, a little sour, and just plain yummy. The apple butter, with its hint of cinnamon, the saltiness of the feta and the crispness of the bacon juxtaposed against the creaminess of the caramelized onions, makes for a perfect “storm” of flavor!
Nothing says Sunday dinner like a nice hunk of roast beef, right? Some good gravy, roasted or mashed potatoes, maybe some green beans, asparagus, carrots or rutabaga…these, however will only be bit players. It’s all about the meat. Now, doesn’t that just scream “Sunday dinner, call the kids”?
Every Cuban woman (or man, I suppose) knows how to make Picadillo. It’s quick and delicious, but it’s never as good as “mami makes”! Some things transcend cultures, don’t they? I learned how to make this from my mother-in-law and from The Latin Lover’s great-aunt, both damn fine cooks. It’s a very valuable recipe to have.