Archive for the All Category
Churrasco with Chimichurri Sauce….
Posted in All, Meats on August 15, 2011 by rroach2
Ingredients
For the chimichurri sauce:
- 1/4cup hot water
- 2teaspoons dried oregano
- 2teaspoons kosher salt (see note)
- 1 1/3cups loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2/3cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
- 6medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1/2teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the churrasco:
- Churrasco 8 to 12 oz ( weight can vary however thickness is generally the same due to the cut of meat)
- 2 tbsp of a good extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp of kosher sea salt
Instructions
For the churrasco:
- If frozen remove from the freezer the night before and place in the refrigerator in a dish
- The following day remove from the fridge and allow the churrasco to come to room temperature
- Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over the steak
- Add salt to both sides of the steak and allow to sit for 20 min
- Steak can be cooked on an outside grill or done on a stove top with a cast iron skillet
- Depending on method of cooking used; pre-heat your choice of cooking method to high heat until it appears to be slightly smoking
- Place steak on grill and cook 5 to 7 min on either side or 140 F for medium /160 F for well done.
- Remove steak and place in a dish; cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 min before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute in the steak.
- Enjoy your trip to Argentina!!
For the chimichurri sauce:
- Combine hot water, oregano, and salt in small bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften oregano.
- Pulse parsley, cilantro, garlic, and red pepper flakes in food processor until coarsely chopped, about ten 1-second pulses.
- Add water mixture and vinegar and pulse briefly to combine.
- Transfer mixture to medium bowl and slowly whisk in oil until incorporated and mixture is emulsified.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour
Pumpkin Soup (Butternut Squash)….
Posted in All, Paleo Approved, Soups on August 13, 2011 by rroach2
Ingredients
- 2 Cups organic low sodium chicken broth (broth from free range chicken if available)
- 2 Cups of cooked pumpkin (1/2 of a butternut squash can be substituted for pumpkin)
- 1/4 small onion peeled
- 1/4 medium apple
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp dried sage
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Cut pumpkin into quarters and scoop seeds out with a spoon
- Place pumpkin skin side up on a baking pan
- Bake for 25 to 30 min or until pumpkin is soft
- Allow to cool slightly then remove skin from pumpkin and discard
- Add pumpkin flesh and all other ingredients except the heavy cream to a blender of food processor
- Blend on high setting or puree for 3 to 4 min or until mixture appears to be smooth
- Add heavy cream and blend or mix for another 25 sec
- Transfer mixture to a 3 quart saucepan and gently heat until slightly simmering.
- Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy!!
New York Cheesecake….
Posted in All, Desserts on July 22, 2011 by rroach2
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1cup graham cracker crumbs (4 ounces, 8 whole crackers, broken into rough pieces and processed in food processor until uniformly fine)
- 1tablespoon granulated sugar
- 5tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus additional 1 tablespoon melted butter for greasing pan
Cheesecake Filling
- 2 1/2pounds cream cheese, cut into rough 1-inch chunks and left to stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes
- 1/8teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
- 1/3cup sour cream (2 1/2 ounces)
- 2teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large egg yolks
- 6 large eggs
Instructions
For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar in medium bowl; add 5 tablespoons melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened. Brush bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with most of remaining melted butter, making sure to leave enough to brush pan in step 3. Empty crumbs into springform pan and press evenly into pan bottom. Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.
- For the cheesecake filling: Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula; add salt and about half of sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; beat in remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add whole eggs two at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, and scraping bowl between additions.
- Brush sides of springform pan with remaining melted butter. Set springform pan on rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spills if springform pan leaks). Pour filling into cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening oven door, reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of cheesecake registers about 150 degrees, about 11/2 hours. Transfer cake to wire rack and cool 5 minutes; run paring knife between cake and side of springform pan. Cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (Cake can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)
- To unmold cheesecake, remove sides of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving plate. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.
Simply Lasagna….
Posted in All, Pastas Italianas on July 13, 2011 by rroach2
Serves 6
Ingredients
- Butter for greasing the ramekins
- 12 lasagna sheets
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 3 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 1/2 cup whipping cream, at room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (4 ounces) finely grated Romano cheese, plus 1/2 cup (2 ounces)
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
For this recipe, you’ll need six 10-ounce ramekins, each 2 1/2 inches tall and 3 1/2 inches in diameter.
- Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter six 10-ounce ramekins. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Using 2 cooked lasagna noodles in an “x” shape, line each ramekin, pushing the noodles gently into the bottom of the ramekins and allowing any excess pasta to overhang the side.
- In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Pour the pancetta and any cooking juices onto a paper towel-lined pate.
- In a food processor, blend the corn, cream and garlic until chunky. Add the mascarpone cheese, 1 cup Romano cheese, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add the basil and pulse until just combined. Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling into the bottom of each ramekin. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon pancetta and about 2 tablespoons of provolone cheese on top.
- Fold 2 overhanging pieces of pasta over the filling (trim the ends of the pasta with scissors, if necessary). Add another 1/4 cup of filling and top with the rest of the pancetta and another 2 tablespoons provolone cheese. Fold over the 2 remaining pieces of pasta. Spoon any remaining filling on top of the ramekins. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/2 cup Romano cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Let the ramekins cool about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the outside edge of the ramekins to slide the mini lasagna out of the mold onto a small plate. Once the lasagna is out, flip the lasagna back over onto your serving plate so that the golden cheese is on top.
- To serve: Run a knife around the edge of the ramekins to loosen the lasagnas. Unmold the lasagnas and transfer to serving plates.
Pan-Seared 8 oz Filet Mignon….
Posted in All, Meats, Paleo Approved on July 13, 2011 by rroach2
Ingredients
- 4 center-cut filets mignons, 1 1/2 inches thick, 7 to 8 ounces each, dried thoroughly with paper towels
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. When oven reaches 450 degrees, heat 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet (not nonstick) over high heat on stovetop until very hot, about 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, rub each side of steaks with 1/2 teaspoon oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place steaks in skillet and cook, without moving steaks, until well-browned and a nice crust has formed, about 3 minutes. Turn steaks with tongs and cook until well-browned and a nice crust has formed on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat, and use tongs to transfer steaks to hot baking sheet in oven.
- Roast 2 to 4 minutes for very rare (center of steaks will appear cherry red and feel very soft and loose when cut with tip of paring knife), 4 to 6 minutes for rare (centers will appear red and soft), 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare (centers will appear pink and feel firm but juicy), or 8 to 10 minutes for medium (centers will appear light pink and feel firm and compact). (After transferring steaks to oven, proceed with pan sauce of your choice.) Transfer steaks to large plate; loosely tent with foil, and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.
