Green Pea Sauce for Rice

Developed September, 2018 to be served over Peruvian rice as a side dish with rotisserie chicken.

3/4 c frozen tiny green peas
1/2 c chopped onion
2 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
2 t sugar
1/2 c water
1 T chicken or vegetable stock concentrate (Better Than Bouillon®)
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t thyme
2 T dry onion
2 T tapioca, potato, or corn starch, suspended in 2 T water

Soak the peas in hot tap water for 10 minutes. In a small skillet heat the oil to medium, add the onions,  salt, and sugar. Cover and cook until the onions are soft but not browned. Stir in the water, the stock concentrate, the dry onions, and herbs. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the drained peas, simmer for five minutes. Stir in the starch and cook until the sauce has thickened. To serve, position chicken pieces on a bed of rice and cover with sauce.

Broiled Lamb Chops

Lamb chops grilled under the broiler provide a luxurious meal in a hurry. The spice mixture enhances the savory flavor of the meat.

4 1.5 inch-thick loin chops

2 t olive oil

Dry Rub for Lamb

1 T kosher salt

1 t dry rosemary

1 t coriander seeds

1 t porcini powder

1 t dry thyme
1/2 t sumac

1/2 t granulated garlic

1/2 t black peppercorns

Process the dry ingredients to a powder in a spice/coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Blot the chops dry, drizzle oil on both sides, and then sprinkle the rub on both sides. Use a teaspoon per pound. Store the unused rub in a tight container. Marinate the chops an hour at room temperature. Preheat the broiler to the low setting (if available). Place the rack 8 inches below the elements. Position the seasoned chops on a grill pan. Broil 6 minutes on the first side, turn, and grill another 4 minutes. Check the internal temperature for 125 F.  Rest the chops for a few minutes under a cover. Serves two to four. Suggested sides: kasha and green beans.

Quick Mushroom Barley Soup

A hearty, flavorsome meal ready in less than 30 minutes from mushrooms plus pantry ingredients.

8 oz large white mushrooms

3 c water

Seasonings

1-1/2 t salt

1 t sugar

1 t lemon juice

1/2 t ground cumin

1/2 t ground coriander

1/4 t granulated garlic

2 T tomato paste

pinch red pepper flakes

2 t olive oil

1/3 c quick-cooking pearl barley

1-1/2 T tapioca or corn starch suspended in water

Wash the mushrooms in lightly-salted tap water. Quarter them, put in two-quart saucepan, add the water and salt, and bring to a gentle boil for five minutes. Remove the mushrooms to a bowl using a slotted spoon or spider. Bring mushroom stock to a boil, add the seasonings, oil, and the barley. Simmer until the barley is tender, about 15 minutes, add back the mushrooms, the starch and simmer five minutes more. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serves four.

Dry Rub for Beef

Developed over many years for steaks and roasts.

2 T kosher salt
1 t black peppercorns
2 t brown sugar
1 t dry rosemary
1 t granulated garlic
1 t mushroom powder
1 t dry thyme

Combine the ingredients in a spice grinder. Pulse a few times to form a fine powder. Store in a tight container. To use, dry the meat, sprinkle the rub on all sides, rub it in, cover in plastic, and marinate up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Use one teaspoon per pound. 

Dry Marinade for Pork

Developed over the course of many years. Chops, roasts, ribs, braises all benefit.

2 T kosher salt
2 t fennel seeds
2 t sage
1 t dry thyme
1 t peppercorns
1 t granulated garlic
1 t paprika
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 t corn starch

Add the components to a spice grinder and process until finely powdered. Store in a shaker jar tightly covered, in the dark. Use about 1 teaspoon for each pound of raw pork rubbed on all surfaces. After seasoning, bag the meat and hold for up to 24 hours below 40 F.

Poultry Rub

Use on whole chickens, turkeys, or parts before roasting or grilling.

2 T kosher salt
1 t peppercorns
1 t coriander seeds
1 t dry rosemary leaves
1 t dry sage leaves
1 t dry oregano leaves
1 t dry thyme leaves
1 t dry tarragon leaves
1 t granulated garlic

Combine the ingredients in a spice grinder and process until fine. Rinse the poultry in cold water, dry thoroughly, oil the skin, and season all sides with a 1 teaspoon per pound. Store tightly covered. 

Pork Loin Roast, Sous Vide Method

Sous Vide Roast Pork Loin

Prepared according to the procedures recommended by son Ben. The dry rub is mine. 

about 1.5 lb pork loin
about 3 T vegetable oil

Dry Rub

2 T kosher salt
2 t granulated garlic
2 t fennel seed
1 t dry thyme
1 t peppercorns
1 t paprika
1 t sage
1 t dry rosemary

Process the above ingredients in a spice grinder about 20 seconds until fine, and store in an air-tight container. Lightly rinse the pork loin and dry thoroughly with paper towels. With a sharp knife cut away most of the fat cap. Rub all the surfaces with the spice mixture, using 1 tablespoon of dry rub per pound (15 ml per 450 g). Prepare a water bath fitted with a heating circulator set to 137 F (58 C). Put the meat in a twist-tie plastic bag and force the air out by the displacement method. The thin wall facilitates squeezing the air out. Tie a tight knot at the top of the bag taking care not to let air back in. Lower the bag into the water gently. Add hot tap water, if needed, to bring the level to the maximum permitted by the circulator. Cover the pot with plastic wrap to limit evaporation. Process for 4 hours. When the time is up, remove the roast from the bag and reserve the juice rendered during cooking. Dry the surface thoroughly. Heat a stainless skillet over medium high, add the oil, and then the roast. Brown it on all sides, turning with tongs. Pour the reserved drippings over the meat. Slice thinly and serve.

Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning

Esteemed New Orleans cook Emeril Lagasse produces a creole spice blend and published the recipe widely. You can adjust the heat by how much cayenne pepper you include.

2-1/2 T paprika 
2 T salt
2 T garlic powder
1 T black pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T cayenne pepper
1 T dried leaf oregano
1 T dried thyme

Combine the ingredients in a spice mill. Mill until smooth. Store tightly covered in the dark.

Jambalaya

Developed November 2018, inspired by a jambalaya enjoyed at a friend's table in October. Packed with flavor and solid nourishment, this comfort food is a Louisiana staple. Lots of ingredients, mostly pantry, but the cooking is straightforward and the dish comes together easily.

2 oz salt pork, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 andouille sausage, cut into disks
4 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin and visible fat
2 T vegetable oil
2 c long grain rice

Seasonings

2 T tomato paste
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 T minced garlic
1 t oregano
1 t thyme
1 t smoked paprika
1/4 t cayenne or 1 t chipotle

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 c hot shrimp stock
2 t salt
12 oz medium shrimp
1 T Old Bay seasoning

In a heavy pan or dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, fry the salt pork until crisp, add the celery, green pepper, onion, and sausage. Cook until softened. Add thighs and partially cook over moderate heat for a 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Increase heat, stir in rice and oil. Fry the rice with frequent stirring for few minutes until it turns milky. Stir in the seasonings, heat until aromatic, and add the tomatoes and hot stock. Place the chicken thighs on top, cover, and reduce the heat to a fast simmer. Tear apart the chicken when done (about 30 minutes), mix into rice. Arrange the shrimp on top, and dust with Old Bay seasoning. Cover tightly and let dish rest for 10 minutes while the shrimp steam through. Combine gently and serve. Serves 6.

Hint: Double Dose Some Herbs

When using herbs in a dish, it's often not clear when they should be added. I find that most herbs are fine to add at the beginning, such as black pepper or dry thyme, some in the middle to bloom them in hot oil, but that some, such as fresh basil, should be added last and not cooked at all. Some benefit from a double dose, added at first but then given a second addition to refresh the flavor shortly before serving. I include dry thyme and dry tarragon among those that respond well to double dosing. This is akin to 'cold hopping' in brewing where an addition of new hops is made to the cold wort before fermenting and aging.

Corned-Beef Style Boiled Vegetables

Developed March, 2017. Unlike the traditional boiling method, when steam is used to cook corned beef, there may be little flavorsome stock in which to cook the accompanying vegetables. This recipe solves the problem by first creating a stock with beef base and the appropriate spices. Another approach was described earler.

2 qt water
1 T beef stock concentrate (Better than Bouillon™ is good)
2 T kosher salt
1/2 T brown sugar

Put the following in a large tea ball or wrap in cheese cloth.

2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 allspice berries
1 t peppercorns
1 t coriander seeds

1 lb yellow potatoes, quartered lengthwise
10 oz (four medium) carrots, peeled, split lengthwise
1-1/2 lb (1/2 head) green cabbage, quartered through the core
8 oz frozen pearl onions, thawed

Bring water, concentrate, salt, and sugar to a slow boil, with stirring. Add the seasonings and simmer 10 minutes to form a cooking stock. Add potatoes, cabbage, and carrots. Cook at a fast simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the onions and heat through. Rewarm corned beef slices in the stock and serve in bowls. Variation: Replace or supplement the corned beef with lengths of Polish sausage.

Easy Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin spice does its best work in this moist, rich sweet bread. Recipe from a family friend from 30 years ago.

1 29 oz can pumpkin
4 beaten eggs
3 c sugar
1 c oil
3-1/2 c flour
2 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t ground clove
1 t ground all spice
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground nutmeg
about 2/3 c water
1-1/2 cups chopped roasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, beat eggs, stir in pumpkin, sugar, and oil in sequence, mixing well after each addition. Sift dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture and stir until smooth. Stir in water and mix in nuts. Distribute batter into 3 well-greased large loaf pans. Bake 55 to 60 minutes. A toothpick inserted in middle will come out clean when done. Keeps and freezes well. Very good toasted and topped with cream cheese. Yield: 3 large loaves.

Hint: Use a Tea Ball to Hold Seasonings

Often recipes for soups, braises, sauces, mulled wine, and the like call for potent herbs and spices to be added during cooking, and for their removal before serving. This might include such seasonings as peppercorns, cloves, allspice berries, bay leaves, citrus peel, ginger, etc. A simple way to remove these after cooking is to place them in a tea ball such as the one pictured below. These are available from many sellers online for a modest sum.

Tea Ball (7 cm diameter)

Pan Roasted Salmon in a Dill-Mustard-Lemon Sauce

Prepared July, 2016. Our friendly fishmonger let us know that the wild-caught sockeye fillets on offer were fresh, never frozen, air-freighted from the Pacific coast. That fortunate gift from the seas led to this dish.

2 6 to 8-oz salmon filets
2 T olive oil, divided
garlic powder 
salt
pepper
1 T butter
2 T dry white wine
1 T coarse Dijon mustard
2 t finely-chopped fresh dill
2 t lemon juice

Remove any pin bones that remain with needle-nose pliers, and scrape off any remaining scales. Rinse and dry the fillet. Cut across the fillet to make individual portions. Oil both sides generously, and season the flesh side only with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat a 10-inch stainless steel skillet over medium high, and film the bottom lightly with oil. When oil smokes, add the fillets skin-side down. Saute undisturbed in a moderately hot pan about 6 minutes, adding extra oil if needed to prevent sticking. Lower heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes more, testing for firmness by pressing gently with a finger. Carefully transfer to a serving plate. Raise the heat, and add the butter. When melted, deglaze with the wine, stir in the mustard, dill, and lemon juice and heat through. Drizzle the sauce over the fish before serving. Serves 2, but easily doubled using a 12-inch skillet.

Ingredient: Vegetable Stock

Just as a rich chicken or veal stock forms the basis of many dishes in kitchens that use meats, a versatile vegetable stock does the same in the vegetarian kitchen. This recipe, which comprises about 40% vegetables initially, yields plenty of savory vegan stock for soups, broths, stews, gravies, and pan sauces. Developed Fall, 2015 from earlier experience with sauces and stocks.

6 qt (6 l) water
1 lb carrots, scrubbed and cut into large chunks
1 lb onions, skins on, trimmed and quartered
1/2 lb celery with leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 lb mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped
1/4 lb green cabbage, coarsely chopped
2 oz parsley sprigs
3 garlic cloves, crushed
10 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves

In a large pot set over high heat, add the water, vegetables, and seasonings. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Uncover and adjust the heat to produce a fast simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes until all is very tender and cooked through. Cover and let cool. Pour through a fine strainer into a pot, but do not press on the residue. Discard the solids. Refrigerate stock up to a week or freeze in convenient portions in plastic zip-lock bags.

Beef Pot Roast

Beef Pot Roast

Prepared Nov 12, 2012.

about 3 lbs (1.5 kg) boneless beef chuck, about 1-1/2 inches thick
2 lbs (1.0 kg) yellow onions, cut into eighths through the poles.
1 lb (0.5 kg) carrots, cut on slant
1 large or 2 medium parsnips, cut on slant
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 yellow potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise
salt and pepper
1 c (225 ml) commercial beef stock
1 to 2 c (225 to 450 ml) dry red wine, as needed to half cover the meat

Seasonings

1/4 c (100 ml) ketchup
2 bay leaves
3 T (50 ml) tomato paste
1 t (5 ml) ground cumin
2 T (15 ml) paprika, divided
5 pepper corns
3 allspice berries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (about 175 C). Trim off excess fat and loose membranes from the meat, season well with salt and pepper, and place in a roaster. Top the meat with the onions, carrots and parsnips, add the seasonings and the liquids to half cover. Roast 90 minutes tightly covered, turning every half-hour, adding water to make up for evaporation. Turn over meat, add the potatoes skin-side down, dusted with paprika and salt, and spoon vegetables and liquid over both. Roast covered for 20 minutes, and then uncovered for 15 minutes more. Let meat cool on a plate 10 minutes before slicing. To serve, separate the roast into its major muscles along the natural seams and cut across the grain. Arrange on a platter with the pan-roasted vegetables. Defat the pan gravy and serve on the side. Serves 6 or more. Dinner rolls to sop the gravy will do nicely on the side.

Dorothy's Stewed Meatballs

Reconstructed by DrDaddy from Phyllis Pliskow's hand-written notes recalling Dorothy Magid's recipe. Recorded 18 November 2005.

Carrots, Onions, Celery, Peppercorns, and Allspice Simmer

Broth:

4 onions coarsely cut through the poles (Note: preserves structure)
4 large carrots coarsely cut
1 cup cut celery
about 1/4 c ketchup (see Note)
3 allspice berries + 6 peppercorns (put in cheese cloth or tea ball)
1 T salt

Place ingredients in an 6-quart pot, cover with water, bring to boil,
and then simmer covered until onions are soft.

Meatballs:

1 lb ground sirloin
1 large onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, mashed
about 1/2 cup matzoh meal, or dry bread crumbs, as needed to form balls 
salt, pepper, garlic powder

3 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 c cabbage, coarsely chopped

Form small meatballs with wet hands. When broth is ready,
raise heat to a boil and add the meatballs, cabbage, and potatoes.
Simmer slowly, partly covered until potatoes and cabbage are tender.
Remove spices before serving. Serves 6 or more.

 Dorothy with cigarette in Phyl's garden

Note:

That is, about what can be rinsed out of an "empty" bottle, or to taste. What triggered our mom to make this dish, which we all loved, was when the Heinz ketchup bottle reached the state where no amount of robust thumping of the overturned bottle would coax any more out.