by Buck on September 29, 2009
Some years ago when we spent a lot of time in England the Queen was coming to the seaside town, where we had a condo, to commemorate a historic occasion. As part of the event somebody decided, for some not clearly defined reason, it would be a good idea to present my wife and me to the Queen along with a few other couples. This occasion required a dinner for friends and business associates and we planned a party which grew to about 100 people.My English staff handled most details but my wife and I declared that we needed to be involved in planning the meal and working with the caterer.
As Americans with interest in food preparation we had ideas about what should be served at our party. At the dinner planning meeting, the English members looked at us with a degree of puzzlement when we asked for suggestions to consider. It was then stated that, “Buck: The fish will, of course, be Scottish salmon and the meat will be beef” There was not any expectation of other items to be considered. I suggested that I wanted the event to be more than mundane and Roast Beef would be a little ordinary. My administrative assistant Lauren asserted, in her dominating imperial fashion, that the Beef would not be mundane and she would arrange for an accompaniment that would make it especially memorable.
It turned out to be a great meal with Roast Beef done to perfection. Shortly before the beef was served two fierce looking Asian military warriors appeared fully dressed in their Class A uniforms with short swords and each carrying a bagpipe. Answering my look of surprise Laura (with a grin) explained that this beef dish would be one not soon forgotten. The pipers she had engaged for our dinner from the Royal Gurkha Rifles would see to that. The pipers started playing and the beef was served to the Gurkha piping. It seems that an old tradition of the Nepal Gurkha Rifles was to Pipe in The Beef. We have never served beef at home, or anywhere, since then without first checking for bagpipes.
You are on your own finding Gurkha Bag Piping Soldiers but here is a Rib Roast beef recipe that will impress without pipers.
Ingredients;
6-8 pound bone-in prime rib roast
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper
For the Sauce
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons prepared horse radish
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
Preparation:
Step 1. Preheat oven to 450’
Step 2. Rub roast generously with salt and pepper
Step 3. Lay meat in roasting pan, ribs down and roast for 20 minutes
Step 4. Lower temp to 325′, roast for an additional 18 minutes per pound (med-rare)
Step 5. Check temp of meat with thermometer and remove from oven when internal temp is 115’
Step 6. Cover pan with foil and set on top of stove for another 10-15 minutes. The roast will continue cooking and juices set. The meat is finished when the internal temp is 125’
Sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Taste test and add more horseradish if desired
Service: Cut meat into slices and serve with the sauce and fresh green beans. To really live is up, a baked potato or mashed potatoes will be a traditional finishing touch.
Afterthought: Some think that the roast is improved with a bit more seasoning. An extra step would be to create an interesting paste to cover the roast before cooking. If you are interested try this–
In a food processor mince
6 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 teaspoons Sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Then add
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Process all ingredients to form a paste
Coat the roast on the top and sides with the paste and then follow the roasting instructions.
The photo of the Prime Rib was from www.beefretail.org a good site for beef info
by Buck on September 24, 2009
There are a lot of green tomatoes in our neighbors canyon gardens this year. The summer was perfect for me, but a little cooler than usual with a few more cloudy days than the tomatoes needed.
Getting tomatoes to fully ripen at our altitude is problematic at best and if conditions are not perfect there are green tomatoes on the plants when snow is just around the corner.
We never have been big on growing vegetables other than a few tomato and pepper plants. This was a no brainer when we lived in the East but the mountains present problems that require dedication beyond our interest for a few tomatoes. We do have neighbors that have success with vegetables and generously share some with us. This year the vegetable growers have a bountiful crop of Green Tomatoes and snow is nearby. It is time to pull out the Fried Green Tomato recipe. This is an easy answer to this green crop bonanza.
Fried Green Tomatoes (not the movie)
Ingredients:
4 large firm green tomatoes cut into ½ inch slices
1 cup of yellow cornmeal (coarsely ground)
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
½ tsp paprika(optional)
Sea salt & pepper
Preparation:
Mix cornmeal & paprika in a bowl
Season cornmeal with salt & pepper
Beat eggs in a second bowl
Heat oil in skillet-medium heat
Dip tomato slices in eggs then dredge in cornmeal mixture
Prepare enough to fry a single layer in skillet –About 3 minutes on each side till golden.
Drain on a paper towel
Moving quickly, a second batch can be ready to fry when to first goes on the paper.
The tomatoes will be a great accompaniment to a Fall meal with a sense of satisfaction that the green tomato crop is being used purposefully. An omlette served with several fried green tomatoes works especially well on a brisk Fall morning. The Cholula Hot sauce should be kept handy when serving this meal.
Afterthoughts:
Sea salt and Kosher salt are often called for in many recipes. I use a salt that is from Utah and fills both requirements. When we were at the Winter Olympics in Utah a few years ago I discovered Redmond Minerals Sea Salt being sold in a gift shop. Those Olympics are long past but the Redmond Salt is in our cupboard permanently. I order a case when ever we get low. Pay attention to your salt. It is often overlooked for the important element it can bring to your cooking.
by Buck on September 23, 2009
The weather report for today called for up to 12 inches of snow in my area of the Rockies This was just 3 days after it was 80 degrees. The snow didn’t happen but what did happen was the first thoughts about entertaining during the upcoming holidays.
Like most folks we have the usual family gatherings on the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas are family affairs but we also hold a few holiday dinners and casual parties each year for friends. We enjoy this time of the year and start thinking about what we will do when the weather turns cold. That is happening a bit early this year but has started me thinking!
I was looking at one of our favorite cookbooks “ barefoot contessa back to basics” by Ina Garten and read for the first time a page concerning things not to serve at a dinner party. I compared my thoughts to hers and found that they were pretty close to being the same advice. If Ina thinks this is something to share I will spend a few paragraphs opining on things we have learned through the years which might help you with holiday entertaining
Seating
For a formal holiday meal invite the number of people you can seat at a table. Balancing a plate on the knee, sitting on a soft sofa, trying to keep the food from falling off a fork is not always fun. A buffet service is fine as long as the quests can move to a table properly set for the occasion. Place a name card where you expect each guest to sit.
Setting The Table
When you are setting the table(s) take a moment to sit and make sure that candles and floral arrangements do not block the view and conversation possibilities across the table.
Place Setting
Remember that forks are on the left with the first used fork on the outside. The knives are on the right with the cutting edge in towards the plate. Spoons are to the right of the knives. The first used is also on the outside with the knives and spoons
Glasses
Wine and water glasses are above the knives with the wine glass to the right of the water glass.
Linens
The table cloth and napkins should be ironed so that the creases from storage are not present.
Meal Tips
If a buffet is set make sure that a meat dish is included if fish is served. I don’t know why, but some people don’t eat fish. Where I live some people don’t eat meat
If they don’t eat fish of meat have a spare carrot or two handy.
If you are casually entertaining more people than can be seated at a table, meal planning is crucial. There should be an opportunity to fill a plate with food that doesn’t require serious cutting. Items that can easily run off the plate should be avoided and red wine is dangerous with a meal being eaten on a white sofa
If hors d’oeuvres are served with drinks before dinner make sure they are the one hand variety. If the main course is of a serious size, start with a salad and make the dessert light. Think about quantity balance which will be appreciated by most of your guests
Avoid heavily pungent items and forget liver, kidneys and any organ meat if for some strange reason that entered your mind. Ina says to avoid spinach so that no one will be talking with a green flag in their teeth. That depends on the crowd. Sometimes comic relief is not a bad thing, but for safeties sake, skip the spinach.
As a general rule we prepare as many items the day before as is possible so that we can enjoy the evening with our guests. Our dinners these days have about 8 to12 guests. When we were in the East we often had much larger numbers for dinner. Now if there is a crowd coming we make it less formal and serve drinks and appetizer items. This works well as an afternoon affair. Tension is reduced in an afternoon event and we can join in the holiday spirit even when there are a large number of guests.
Whatever format and meal you decide to use for your friends, remember that it is a holiday event. If some aspect is not perfect do not think about it for one minute after your guests arrive. The most important element has already been served and that is your invitation to share the joy of the Season with your friends.
by Buck on September 20, 2009
The Italian version of a rolled beef dish has as many variations as there are different ways of spelling the dish. Bracioli, Braciole, Braciola and Braciuol are various versions of what are very similar rolled beef recipes. In typical Italian fashion everyone’s mother (or father) has a different, special ingredient or technique that makes their Braciole the best.
I’m not even a bit Italian but have worked on my Braciole long enough to assure you that my Braciole is the “best”. I admit that I feel a little uncomfortable making that claim because I have had some great Braciole in South Philly and want to be able to visit old friends when I’m in Philadelphia a few times each year.
I think I’ll revise that claim for greatness and say that my Braciole is “pretty good” and has it’s origins close to what I have experienced in Philadelphia. That should let me back in town without too much contention from the really great Italian cooks I know in Philadelphia
Braciole (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 lbs flank steak (or round)
¼ lb Sliced Genoa salami
¼ lb Sliced Provalone
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
¼ cupFlour
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can beef broth
½ onion fine diced
3 cloves minced garlic
Green pepper fine diced
1 large carrot fine diced
Stalk celery fine diced
¼ cup Italian parsley chopped
½ tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
Salt & fresh ground pepper
Preparation::
Step 1. Divide & cut steak into 4 portions and pound between plastic wrap until flat and thin(about ¼ inch)
Step 2. Rub each steak with olive oil, salt and pepper and minced garlic on one side
Step 3. Lightly flour meat, place two slices of salami and a slice of provolone on each piece of the steak. Place these on the side that was oiled and seasoned
Step 4. Roll the steaks tightly like a jelly roll carefully tucking in the sides and secure with two tooth picks
Step 5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and then brown the rolled steaks on all sides, then remove and set aside
Step 6. Add olive oil to pan and quickly sauté the onion adding carrots, green pepper, celery, oregano basil salt, pepper and a few red pepper flakes
Step 7. After about 2 minutes of sauté add the tomatoes and beef broth
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes . Sauce should be reduced by about 1/3
Step 8. Add rolled meat and the parsley to the sauce, cover again and cook at a simmer for about 45 minutes.
Check periodically to be sure that heat is correct. Add beef broth if needed.
To serve:
Remove toothpicks. Slice in 1 inch portions and place the Braciole on a heated plate with some sauce centered with the Braciole placed on the sauce. Spoon a bit of sauce on top and garnish with parsley or fresh basil rough chopped.
Afterthoughts: Think about the garlic and how much you prefer. I not only rub it with olive oil on the meat before rolling but also add some to the sauce. I agree with Julia Child when she said she “couldn’t imagine what life would be like without the members of the onion family”. This of course includes garlic.
The great thing about Braciole is that you can make it your own. Your sauce can be more simply structured without quite as many fine diced ingredients. I feel a certain satisfaction on a dish like this by going the extra step. I’m able to say with confidence that my Braciole equals those of the great home cooks that I knew when I lived in the East. Take some time and give it a try.
