02 Friday Jul 2021
Posted in Chocolate, Gluten Free, Make Ahead, Sauces, Shallots
Tags
bay leaf, beef broth, dark chocolate, dry red wine, Garlic, ketchup, olive oil, Ruby port, Shallots, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce
This is a sauce for steak. It’s particularly delicious with bleu cheese. It’s a gorgeous. Its rich, almost creamy mouth-feel, makes for a complex flavor. But, it isn’t complicated to make. And it’s best when made ahead and it reheats very well. Perfect for entertaining. Your guests will feel pampered. Continue reading
11 Wednesday Dec 2019
Posted in Barley, Carrots, Gluten Free Option, Ground beef, Make Ahead, Soup
Tags
arrowroot, bay leaves, beef base paste, beef broth, browned ground beef, celery leaves, dried mushrooms, onion, pearled barley, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce
It’s chilly here in North Carolina. I think chillier than last year at this time. And that makes it perfect soup weather. And there’s something so comforting, and well, soul-warming about beef-barley soup. Get out the soup spoons and the good bread. Continue reading
30 Saturday Mar 2019
Posted in Gluten Free, Main Course, Roast
Tags
arrowroot, beef broth, beef rump roast, dry rub, Garlic, herbs, ketchup, Onions, red wine
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”? Continue reading
23 Saturday Feb 2019
Posted in Cuban, Gluten Free, Ground beef, Main Course, Make Ahead
Tags
beef broth, bell peppers, capers, diced tomatoes, dry white wine, Garlic, green olives, Ground beef, Onions, raisins, sherry vinegar, Spices, tomato paste
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. Continue reading
11 Thursday Oct 2018
Posted in Beef, Gluten Free, Make Ahead, Spanish, Spices
Tags
almonds, beef broth, bell peppers, Bread, chuck steak, fresh herbs, Garlic, honey, olive oil, olives, Onions, plum tomatoes, sherry vinegar, Spices, white wine
This sauce is incredibly complex and absolutely delicious, with flavors leaning well into Spain and wandering just a bit into Portugal. Sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, cinnamon, olives, orange and almonds are significant players in both countries, tracing their roots back to the Moorish habitation of the peninsula for some 700 years. Make certain you have good bread to mop. You don’t want to miss a drop! Continue reading
26 Thursday Mar 2015
Posted in Make Ahead, Sauces
Sound pretty ordinary, doesn’t it? There’s nothing ordinary about this dish. It’s simplicity itself, with huge flavor. It’s a great dinner party dish, because it’s even better made ahead. Continue reading
09 Monday Feb 2015
Posted in Asian, Gluten Free, Soup
Gong Hey Fat Choy! February 19th is Chinese New Year. It’s the year of the Ram or Goat, so planning ahead, as that’s a good thing (I’m trying to remember this concept; it’s not going as well as I’d hoped), I’m giving you Asian-type recipes this week, so you can plan your own New Year’s feast to celebrate the year of the Ram. This nice brothy soup, with a real melting pot of Asian flavors, is a great place to start. It can be spiced up with chili sauce, served with or without rice noodles and can be made ahead. The little meatballs are poached in the soup broth, rather than baked or fried, making it simple to prepare and almost a one-pot meal. Continue reading
02 Monday Feb 2015
Posted in Gluten Free, Soup, Vegetarian
Tags
beef broth, Broccoli, Carrots, chicken broth, Fennel, Green beans, Onions, Parsnips, turnips
I know we’re supposed to be done with soups, but the snow is coming down by the bushel, there’s already 10 inches (25cm) on the ground and it’s still coming down. Therefore, being the benevolent Goddess that I am, I’m giving you 2, count ’em t-w-o, recipes today. The first is yet another soup, but it’s nice and simple. I have no idea why I called this Heathen Gypsy Soup…maybe because the ingredients in this soup would be readily available anywhere and would make it easy to prepare, given the nomadic qualities of the gypsy life-style. Who knows on what level The Goddess’s mind operates (or doesn’t!)? Anyway, I just ate a bowl for lunch and decided it was worth sharing after all. It’s really just a good, straight-up vegetable soup. You roast the vegetables (around the campfire where you are singing and dancing and doing other gypsy things…no stereo-types here, huh?), then make the soup. Or better yet, use leftover roasted vegetables from last night’s dinner and cut the cooking time in half. It’s a win-win either way. The real key to this soup, is to simply use whatever vegetables you have lurking in your fridge. Continue reading
