Cooking Out? Try these recipes

As summer is the time most people cook out, here are some recipes to spark up the regular old burgers and dogs.   Enjoy!

I did these for a graduation cook out early this summer and they were a big hit.  They will be slightly bigger than a regular hamburger so make sure you have buns that can handle the larger burger.

Stuffed Hamburgers

Ingredients

3 lbs. Ground Beef

Filling of Your Choice – See Below

Suggested Fillings

 Roasted Red Peppers & Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Bacon, Mushroom, & Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Blue Cheese & Spinach

Peppers & Onions

Ham & Swiss

Jalapeno and Jack Cheese

Directions:     For the Fillings:  Roasted Peppers $ Shredded Mozzarella:  Either roast the peppers yourself or purchase roasted peppers at your local Italian Market.  Slice the peppers into strips. Bacon, Mushroom, and Cheddar:  Cook the bacon to well done and let drain on paper towels.  Slice the mushrooms and sauté in olive oil until tender but still with some body.  Set aside.  Blue Cheese and Spinach:  Pick through the spinach to remove the large stems.  Peppers and Onions:  Use Italian frying peppers.  Core and devein them and cut into strips.  Cut the onions into julienne strips as well.  Sauté in olive oil with a little salt and pepper and garlic until they are soft and the onions are translucent. Ham and Swiss:  No special preparation needed.  Jalapeno and Jack Cheese: Core and devein the jalapenos and shred the Jack Cheese.

For the Burgers   Divide the ground beef into two equal portions.  With one portion, make several burger patties, slightly smaller than you normally would. Place a portion of the filling in the center of each.  With the second portion of ground beef, make same sized burger patties.  Place a second patty on top a patty with the filling and seal the edges.  Then form the burger into as flat a double patty as possible. If you are making these in advance, separate them with wax or parchment paper to keep them from sticking together.  Cook them as you would a regular burger on the grill, slightly further away from the heat source as they will need a little longer than usual to cook through.  Serve with normal burger accompaniments like sliced raw onion and tomato.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Ingredients

Corn on the Cob - in the husk

Melted Butter

Salt & Pepper

Optional Herbs, Spices & Seasonings

Onion Powder

Old Bay

Paprika

Garlic Salt

Basil

Oregano

Cilantro

Directions:     Peel of the outside one or two layers of husks.  Soak the un-husked ears in water for 30 minutes making sure that the corn is completely submerged.  After the corn has soaked, peel the corn half way from the point end and remove the silk.  Brush the corn with the melted butter and season with your choice of the seasonings.  Re-wrap the ears with the husks that are still attached.  Heat the grill to medium or start the charcoal and set the height of the grill to half way.  Grill the corn, turning frequently until the dark outlines of the kernels are visible.  Remove the corn from the grill with tongs as it will be very hot.  Serve immediately but warn your guests that the corn will be very hot!

Grilled Potato Wedges

Ingredients

Large Russet Baking Potatoes cut into Long Wedges

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Optional Ingredients

¼ Cup Mayo

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary

1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice

Directions:     Scrub the potatoes under cold running water to clean the skins then dry thoroughly.  If using the optional ingredients, combine all in a bowl.  Add the potatoes and mix to cover completely.  Heat a gas grill with one burner on medium high heat and another to medium low heat.  Place the coated potatoes over the medium high heat and grill on all sides until grill marks form.  Move them to the medium low heat side to finish cooking.

If not using the optional ingredients, coat the wedges with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Follow the grilling directions above.  If desired, use the optional ingredients to make a dipping sauce for the potatoes cooked with olive oil.

New Recipes

Since the summer is a usually slow time for catering......I've been doing some menu adjusting and recipe testing.  A friend of mine, Freddie, was born in Puerto Rico and will regularly share some of his wife's cooking with me.  He would be quick to correct me that he is also involved in the creation of the recipes that he shares - which I have no doubt is true!

When I was with catering company we used to regularly make Empanadas. A disk of bread type pastry dough, filled with a ground meat or cheese mixture, folded over to make a puffed disk, then either deep fried or baked. They can also be filled with a sweet filling.  Most recipes for the dough of the sweet filling called for the addition of sugar to the ingredients.  Freddie shared some of what he calls Empanadillas but instead of being smaller as you might expect by the suffix to the name, they were much bigger - sandwich sized disks which he deep fries.  The seasoned meat filling is very robust in flavor to which Freddie adds sliced Spanish Olives.  To make the meat taste right, sofrito is added when the meat is being browned.  Sofrito is a mixture of onion, red and green peppers (the addition of the red pepper is my choice, not in the original recipe but I like the additional flavor), garlic, and seasonings almost pureed in a blender or food processor with some olive oil.  The sofrito can be frozen in small amounts to save for other recipes or when you next make empandas.

There are many recipes available on line for the dough.  Some call for the use of shortening only, some call for shortening and eggs.  I opted for one that used eggs thinking that it would be lighter than those using only shortening or lard.

So here's what I came up with.  I haven't seen Freddie to see what his expert opinion is but I will be making them for the next time I see him and I'll let you know what he says.

Empanadas

Ingredients

For the Dough

3 Cups All Purpose Flour

(Plus More for Handling the Dough)

1 Teaspoon Salt

1.2 Cup Cold Water

3 Tablespoons Shortening

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Vinegar

For the Sofrito

1 Medium Onion – Rough Chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper – Cored, Seeded, and Rough Chopped

1 Red Bell pepper – Cored, Seeded, and Rough Chopped

1 Italian Frying Pepper – Cored, Seeded, and Rough Chopped

3 Cloves Garlic – Rough Chopped

½ Bunch Cilantro – Chopped

(If your taste buds tell you that cilantro tastes like soap, use parsley instead)

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil – More or Less

For the Meat Filling

1 lb. Ground Beef (I use the 80/20 lean to fat version for this recipe)

½ cup Sofrito

10 Spanish Olives Stuffed with Pimentos

Oil for Frying (if frying the assembled Empanadas)

In traditional Spanish recipes, olive oil is used for frying.  If you use olive oil, be careful not to heat it beyond the 375 degree mark as it will start to smoke.

Directions:       For the Dough:  Sift the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl and set aside.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and vinegar and set aside.  Cut the shortening into the flour mixture with two knives until the flour looks like small floured pebbles.  Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the wet ingredients a bit at a time with a fork until the liquid is all incorporated.  Place the dough on a floured cutting board or flat surface.  Knead the dough until all of the flour is mixed in and the dough is no longer sticky.  Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for no less than an hour and not more than a day.  When you are ready to assemble the empanadas, Pull a section of the dough from the ball and roll with a rolling pin (again on a floured surface) to about 1/8 of an inch.  Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into 3 inch circles.

For the Sofrito:  Combine all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor and pulse until completely ground together.  Add the olive oil a little at a time until the mixture resembles a wet paste. You can use ice cube trays to freeze in small amounts for later use.

For the Meat Filling:  Brown the meat in a sauté pan over medium heat.  Drain the excess grease then add the sofrito and cook until mixed completely.  When the mixture is completely cooked, set aside to rest in a mesh strainer over a bowl to allow the remainder of the grease to drip away from the meat.   

To Assemble:  If baking, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.  If deep frying, heat the frying oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat to 375 degrees. Place a tablespoon or so of the filling mixture on one side of a dough circle.  Moisten the edges of the circle with water and fold the other side over to form a half moon.  Using the tines of a fork, press down along the curved edge to seal and scallop the edge.  If baking, place on a sheet pan, brush with egg wash, then place in  the oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown.  If frying, carefully place up to four pieces in the oil making sure they do not stick together.  When they are golden brown and the surface of the dough is bubbly, remove the pieces to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. 

Recipes from Appetizer Demo

Back again.  A bit of a hiatus - been very busy but as promised, here are the recipes from the Appetizer Demo at Domas on Thursday 21 July.  Enjoy!

Asian Noodle Twists

Ingredients

For the Noodle Twists

3 Eggs

½ lb angel hair pasta

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup Thai fish sauce

1/4 tablespoons sesame oil

1/8 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon hot sauce (more or less to taste)

1 green onion – minced

½ bunch cilantro minced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

For the Garlic Ginger Soy Sauce

1 cup lite soy sauce

1 tablespoon minced garlic

 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced green onion – green part only 

Directions:       Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions to al dente.  While the water is coming to a boil, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs.  Then add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly.  When the pasta is done, drain and rinse with cold water until luke warm.  Add the pasta to the mixture and combine completely.  Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray.  Twirl the pasta with a two pronged fork and spoon to desired size.  Place on the sheet pan.  When all the nests have been twirled, place in the oven and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the nests are firm and set.  For the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour.  To serve – place the noodle twists on a platter with a bamboo skewer inserted through them and drizzle with the dipping sauce.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Smoked Salmon Mousse in

Cucumber Cups

Ingredients

4 oz. Smoked Salmon

8 oz. Softened Cream Cheese divided into 8 pieces

¼ Cup Heavy Cream (or more if necessary)

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Dill – Chopped

1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper

1 Hot House (English) Cucumber

Dill Sprigs for Garnish

Special Equipment

Piping or Pastry Bag with Decorative Tip

Food Processor

Channel Knife

Melon Baller

Directions: Put the salmon into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it becomes a paste.  Add the Lemon Juice and pulse a few more times.  Add the cream cheese one piece at a time and mix until smooth.  With the processor running, add the cream (add more if the mousse is too thick.)  Add the chopped dill and pepper and pulse a few more times.  Put the mousse in the piping bag using a baking spatula and set aside to rest while preparing the cucumber.

Cut the ends off the cucumber and discard.  Using a channel knife or dinner fork, score the entire length of the cucumber on all sides.  Cut into 1 inch pieces and with the melon baller, scoop out one side to make a small bowl for the mousse.  Squeeze the mousse into the cucumber cups in a circular swirling fashion.  Carefully put a small sprig of dill on top of the mousse and serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 – 60 minutes covered.

Cremini Mushrooms Stuffed with

Herbed Goat Cheese

Ingredients

20 Cremini Mushrooms – stems removed

Olive Oil

Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

8 oz Goat Cheese - Softened

1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme – Chopped

1 Teaspoon Fresh Rosemary – Chopped

1 Teaspoon Fresh Dill – Chopped

1 Teaspoon Fresh Basil – Chopped

1 Tablespoon (or more) Heavy Cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

Equipment

Mixing Bowl

Wooden or Bamboo Spoon

(Or use a Food Processor)

Piping or Pastry Bag

(Or gallon sized plastic bag)

Cooking Spatula

Sheet Pan

Directions:  Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Using the end of a small spoon, clean out the mushrooms to make rooms for the goat cheese mixture.  Put the mushrooms in a mixing bowl and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper and gently mix to coat.  Place the mushrooms right side up on a sheet pan and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove the mushrooms to a plate covered with paper towels to drain any excess liquid. 

You can process the goat cheese mixture in a food processor or by hand in a mixing bowl.  Whichever you choose, mix the goat cheese, herbs, cream, and pepper together thoroughly.  Put the goat cheese mixture in a piping bag.  If using a plastic bag, cut a small hole in one of the corners to allow the mixture out. Turn the mushrooms out upside down on a sheet pan.  Fill each mushroom with the goat cheese mixture.  Turn the oven on to high broil and move the oven rack to the highest position.  Broil until the goat cheese bubbles and begins to brown, about 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

If you would like the recipes for the other menu items from that night just let me know!

More Fun Food Facts

Thought I'd share some morfe of these fun facts that I've come across while searching the web for recipes and such.  Enjoy!

*  Popcorn has existed for 60,000 years.  ( I have no idea how they figured that one out)
*  The hamburger was invented byLouis Lassen in 1900.  He took some ground beef, broiled i, and served in in between two pieces of toast
*  Spinach is one of the most nutritious and highest ranking vegetables in nutrient and antioxidant capacity.
*  2 - 12 oz servings of freshly juiced pears, apple, celery, leafy greens, and carrots can generate the same effect of two times the recommended dosage of a laxative.  WHOA - stay close to home after drinking that!!
*  Applesauce can be substituted for oil in muffin and cake recipes.
*  The smaller the berry, the sweeter it will be.
*  Honey enters your bloodstream 20 minutes after consumption


More next time.

Later

Luau Cocktail Party

This past Tuesday, we did a Luau Cocktail Party at the apartment complex where I've started doing cooking demonstrations.  The Menu was Coconut Shrimp with Garlic Chili Sauce, Maui Pulled Pork, Huli Huli Chicken and Pineapple Skewers, Hawaiian Spare Ribs, and Hawaiian Pizza.  The recipes are listed below.

There is a great Asian influence in  Hawaiian cooking, as I suppose there is in much of their culture.  So, if you regularly cook Asian dishes, your pantry will probably be stocked with many of the ingredients used here.  If not, check out the recipes and if any of them sound good to you, make sure you take a trip to your local Asian food market or at least to a local grocery store that has a good variety of international or specifically Asian products in stock. 

Hawaiian Pizza

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust

(I used Boboli to save time instead of my homemade)

Chicken Breast – Grilled and Cut into ½ inch cubes

Ham Steak – Grilled and cut into ½ inch pieces

Pineapple – Cleaned and cut into ½ inch pieces

Pizza Sauce

(Recipe will follow in a later post)

Italian Cheese Mix

(Mozzarella, Romano, Parmesan, and Asiago)

Special Equipment:

Pizza Stone

Pizza Peel

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees with the pizza stone on a rack in the middle position in the oven. Place the crust on the pizza peel.   Spread the sauce on the crust, add the cheese mix evenly, sprinkle the chicken, ham, and pineapple over the cheese. Sprinkle a little more cheese over the top.  Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned slightly brown.  Remove with the pizza peel and let rest for 10 minutes.  Cut with a pizza slicer or sharp knife into 8 pieces and serve immediately.

Hawaiian Spare Ribs

Ingredients:

5 lbs. Spare Ribs

(You can use baby backs or to save some money and have more meat, use St. Louis Cut of regular spare ribs)

4 – 5 Clove of Garlic – Crushed

1 - 1 inch piece of Fresh Ginger – crushed

1 tablespoon Salt

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Lite Soy Sauce

1 cup ketchup

1 cup Fish Sauce or Oyster Sauce

Directions:

Cut the rack of ribs into individual ribs and place in a large stock or soup pot.  Cover with water and add the salt, ginger, and garlic.  Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a simmer.  Cook for about an hour and a half or until the ribs are tender.  Meanwhile, prepare the marinade.  Combine the Ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, and fish or oyster sauce in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  When the ribs are tender, remove from the water and let cool until just slightly warm.  Place in a container that has a tight fitting cover; pour the marinade over them and the lid on tightly.  Let marinade overnight.  When ready to cook, prepare a charcoal or gas grill, or turn on the broiler.  Grill or broil on all sides and serve immediately.

Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 lb. 21 – 25 sized Shrimp – washed and peeled

1 cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut

½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1 cup Corn Starch

1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 tablespoon Onion Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Pepper

 1 teaspoon Chili Powder

4 – 6 Eggs (depending on size)

2 Cloves Garlic – minced

¼ cup Asian Chili Garlic Sauce

½ cup Mayo

2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce

Peanut Oil for Frying

Special Equipment:

Bamboo Skewer – soaked in water for 30 minutes

Directions:

Put enough oil in a sauce pan to allow the shrimp to be covered completely when frying. 

For the dipping sauce, combine the mayo, chili sauce, minced garlic, and hoisin sauce in a bowl.  Place in a tightly covered container in the fridge.  Let the flavors meld while you prepare the shrimp. 

Heat the oil to 375 degrees over medium high heat.  Mix the corn starch, cayenne, salt, pepper, onion powder, and chili powder in a bowl and set aside.  Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside.  Combine the coconut and panko bread crumbs in a bowl and set aside. Set up your production area so that the coconut mixture is closest to the stove, then the egg wash, then the corn starch mixture.  Have a platter lined with several layers of paper towels ready to drain the cooked shrimp.

 When the oil is up to temperature, skewer a shrimp, dust completely with the corn starch mixture, then dip into the egg wash, and then into the coconut mix.  Prepare up to six skewers then place them into the oil and fry until golden brown.  Remove from the oil and drain on the paper towels.  Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Huli Huli Chicken and Pineapple Skewers

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Chicken Breast - cut into 1 inch pieces

1 Pineapple – cleaned and cut into ¾ inch pieces

1/3 cup Ketchup

1/3 cup Lite Soy Sauce

½ cup Brown Sugar

1/3 cup Sherry

1 – 1 inch piece Ginger – crushed

1 Clove Garlic – crushed

Special Equipment:

Bamboo Skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

(I used the shorter 6 inch skewers for this recipe)

Directions:

Combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, garlic and ginger and mix well.  Add the chicken pieces and let marinade for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.  Slide one piece of pineapple followed by one pieces of chicken on a skewer.  Repeat until all ingredients are used.  Place the remaining marinade in a sauce pan and bring to a boil for at least 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  You will use this to baste the skewers as they cook.  Fire up the charcoal or gas grill.  (I had an indoor Jennair downdraft grill at my disposal for the Luau which worked very well).  When the grill is good and hot, grill the skewers, turning regularly, until cooked through.  Baste them regularly to keep them moist and flavorful.

Maui Pulled Pork Sliders

Ingredients:

1 3 – 4 lb Pork Picnic Roast

1 Medium Onion – large dice

2 Cloves Garlic – minced

Dry Rub

(paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, Chinese five spice, chili powder - as much or as little of each as you wish)

1 cup White Wine or Beer

Olive Oil

Teriyake Marinade (bottled will work)

Carolina Style BBQ Sauce (You can use store bought, off the shelf or you can use mine, the recipe for which will be in a future post)

Asian Chili Sauce – if you want to add some heat

Salt

Pepper

Small Dinner Rolls

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.  Rub the pork roast generously with the dry rub making sure to rub it in good.  Place the rubbed roast on a sheet pan with a rack. Pour the beer or wine into the sheet pan.  This gives moisture to the roast as it cooks.  Cover the roast tightly with aluminum foil and place in the oven.  Let it slow cook for 5 – 6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees.  At this temperature, the pork should ‘pull’ apart with the aid of a couple of forks.  Once the pork has been ‘pulled,’ heat a large sauté pan over medium heat until hot.  Add about 2 tablespoons of the oil and let it get hot – but do not let it smoke!  Add the onion and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook the onions until they are translucent – about 5 minutes.  Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant – about 30 seconds.  Add the pork and cook until the ingredients blend and the pork gets some color.  Depending on how wet you like your pulled pork, add a quantity of the Carolina Style BBQ sauce and the Teriyake sauce (and the hot sauce if you so desire).  Bring the pork mixture to a boil then reduce the temperature to low, cover, and let cook for about 30 minutes.  Pull a small amount of the pork into each roll and serve as appetizers or serve on larger rolls as an entrée.

Did You Know...........

That 'French' Fries were originally brought back to America by GI's during WW2?  But they were found in Belgium and since the language that was being spoken was French, they were labeled French Fries?  As far as the proper way to cook them - they should be fried twice.  Once for 3  -5 minutes at 350 degrees and then a second time for another 2 - 3 minutes at 375 degrees.  The first frying cooks them through and the second browns them. 

The McDonalds in New Delhi, India make their burgers with mutton since Hindus do not eat beef.

There are 1200 varieties of watermelon.

It is necessary to drink 4 - 5 cups of green tea daily to get the full therapeutic benefits of the tea.

Female pigs are used to sniff out Truffles in the ground. They can cost up to $1500 per pound.

And a Good Time Was Had By All - I Think.....

Well, many thanks to Nadine Spano for referring me to her friend Briana Scazafabo, who invited me to present a cooking demonstration at the apartment housewhere she does the event planning in Philadelphia.  Tonight was the first of many (I hope) cooking demonstrations at that location. (The recipes are listed in my last post).  Great people (attentive, appreciative, and great questions), great facility (you should see this set up!), and great food (of course I'm going to say that.)  I've decided that my next investment has to be a movie camera so that I can record these sessions and upload them to my website and here, if I can figure out how to do it.

The "finger food" presented to the guests along with the demonstration food included salsa and chips, hummus and toasted pita chips, Chorizo en croute, chicken, jalapeno, and cheese quesadillas, and fried peppers in marinara sauce with garlic crostini. 

Going back on 21 June to do a Luau themed cocktail party.  More on that to come.

On a somewhat humorous note......As I was leaving, I pulled out of the loading dock onto Ludlow Street and made a left onto 34th Street.  Pulled into the left lane, right past a Philly Police Officer and made a left turn onto Chestnut.  Flashing lights in my rear views told me I did something wrong.  Well yes, Steve - 34th Street is a two way street and you just pulled into the oncoming traffic lane.  The police officer let me go with a warning.  Thank you officer, your leniency is much appreciated!

Cooking Demonstration 6/14/2011

Happy Flag Day! This evening I'm doing my first of hopefully many cooking demonstrations in Philadelphia. The recipes below are what I am doing in the "Things That Are Rolled" demo.

Enjoy!

Flank Steak Roulade

With

Spinach and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

·         1 Flank Steak - Butterflied

·         1 Package Baby Spinach, washed and picked through to remove large stems

·         1 Shallot – minced

·         2 Cloves Garlic – minced

·         Olive Oil as needed

·         2/3 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts

·         Salt and Pepper

Equipment Needed:

·         Large Sauté or Fry Pan

·         Roasting Pan with Rack

·         Butcher’s Twine

·         Colander

·         Mixing Bowl

·         Meat Tenderizer

Directions: 

Cook the spinach in batches.  Heat a sauté pan over medium heat.  Add one tablespoon of the olive oil and heat until shimmering.  Add half of the shallot and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add half of the spinach and a pinch of salt and a couple turns of a pepper mill and turn constantly with tongs until wilted.  Add half of the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.  Remove to a colander over a bowl to let the liquid run off.  Repeat with the remaining shallot, spinach, and garlic.  Wipe out the sauté pan for later use.

To Butterfly the flank steak, lay the meat on a cutting board.  Place your non-cutting hand on top of the meat and with a long thin slicing knife; carefully slice the meat length wise almost all the way through.  Leave about ¾ of an inch uncut.  Open the two sides like a book and pound with the rough side of a meat tenderizer to a thickness of about ¼ inch. 

Put an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Squeeze any excess liquid from the spinach mixture and spread evenly over the opened steak.  Sprinkle the pine nuts evenly over the spinach.  With the long side facing you, roll the meat jellyroll style into a long log.  Tie the meat with the butcher’s twine.  Rub the tied up steak with olive oil then sprinkle the entire outside with salt and pepper.  Heat the sauté pan over medium high heat until hot.  Sear the meat roulade on all sides then place on the roasting pan with rack.  Roast the roulade for about 25 – 30 minutes or until the internal temperate reaches 130 degrees for medium.  Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 before slicing into ½ inch slices.

Rolled Turkey Breast

With

Sage and Reduced Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients:

·         One Turkey Breast (with or without skin)

·         ¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar

·         3 – 4 Fresh Sage Leaves

·         Salt and Pepper

·         Olive Oil

Equipment Needed:

·         Sauté Pan

·         Roasting Pan with Rack

·         Butcher’s Twine

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Place the balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan over medium heat and reduce by half its volume. When reduced, set aside to cool. Place the turkey breast skin side down on a cutting board and butterfly with a sharp knife.  Spread the reduced balsamic over the cut side of the turkey then spread the sage leaves evenly over the vinegar.  Fold the sides in and over themselves then tie with the butcher’s twine.  You should have something that looks like a skinny football.  Rub the entire outside of the rolled breast with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat until very hot.  Sear the rolled breast on all sides.  Place the rolled up breast on the roasting pan rack and then into the oven.  Cook for about 30 minutes or so until the internal temperature is 170 degrees.  When it is done, let it rest for about 10 – 15 minutes before slicing into ½ inch slices on the diagonal.

                        

Apple Strudel

Ingredients:

·         2 – 3 gala Apples – peeled, cored, and sliced

·         1 Sheet thawed Puff Pastry

·         2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Butter

·         2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Butter - Melted

·         1 Tablespoon Sugar

·         ½ Tablespoon Cinnamon

·         2 Dashes Nutmeg

·         1 dash Allspice

·         Pinch of Salt

·         1/3 Cup Raisins – Optional

·         Cooking Spray

Equipment Needed:

·         Sauté Pan

·         Sheet Pan or Cookie Sheet

·         Pastry Brush

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a sheet pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.  In a sauté pan over medium high heat, melt the butter.  Add the sliced apples and stir to cover evenly with the butter.  Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt and cook until the apples are tender and have given up their juices.  Remove from the heat and let cool.  If you are including the raisins, add them to the apple mixture now. Unfold the Puff Pastry on a lightly floured workspace.  Using a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry until you have a rectangle about 1 ½ times as big as the original.  With the long side nearest you, spread the cooled apple mixture in a single line about 2 inches from the front side and an inch to an inch and a half from either side.  Fold the bottom up over the apple mixture, then fold the sides in, then continue rolling from the bottom until you reach the top.  Just before finishing the roll up, wet the top edge of the pastry to assist the seal.  Place the roll on the greased sheet pan or cookie sheet with the seal side down.  Paint the roll with the melted butter.  Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.  Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.  Remove when done, let cool for about 10 minutes then serve with your favorite ice cream or whipped cream.