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.