St. Paddy's Day Weekend Recap

Corned Beef Hash with Root Vegetables
{recipe inspired by Martha Stewart}

Wow, what a weekend! We celebrated my mom's 60th birthday in true Irish fashion. Irish coffees -- spiked with Kahlua, Jameson & Baileys and topped with whipped cream. The Pogues playing in the background throughout the day, followed by traditional Irish jig music to cap off the evening. A house full of people & a gorgeous spread of food -- it was a celebratory occasion indeed. 

One of our contributions to the party was a corned beef hash we made with corned beef that we prepared late last week, as has become an annual tradition around this time of year. This corned beef has was a real crowd pleaser & was a great way to reinvent leftovers.

Last week, we followed Elise's baked corned beef recipe over at Simply Recipes. Honestly, we were a bit disappointed with the results - not sure what went wrong, but it was overly salty (even though we followed her boiling instructions) and it was a bit tough (perhaps this method lends itself to boiling out all of the fats that keep the meat moist?). I was raised on the annual ritual of corned beef & cabbage and this did not even come close to my mom's version. Next time around, we will surely revert back to boiled corned beef or slow cooker style. 

If you happened to make a corned beef this year & have any leftovers, I would highly recommend this corned beef hash. I would take this comforting dish any day over a corned beef sandwich!

ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 parsnip, diced
1 heaping handful of parsley, finely chopped
~ 12 fingerling potatoes, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
3-4 turnips, diced
~12 baby carrots, diced
1 box low sodium vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1 corned beef, diced
whole grain mustard (optional)
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1. place garlic, parsnip, potatoes, turnips & carrots in a large cast iron skillet pan. pour vegetable stock to cover & bring to a boil. reduce heat, to a slow simmer until vegetables are tender to the touch of a fork.

2. drain vegetables, reserving 1/2-1 cup stock for later use.

3. heat olive oil in a large pan. add onions & saute until onions begin to brown. 

4. add vegetables & reserved cooking liquid. cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 25 minutes. stir in corned beef, chopped parsley, whole grain mustard & fresh ground black pepper. cook until beef is warmed.

5. serve with parsley to garnish or with a fried egg for a complete breakfast.

Valentine's Dinner

Happy Valentine's Day!

Whether your Valentine's dinner will be a romantic evening for 2 or a more festive gathering among friends, here are a couple of menu suggestions to ensure your celebration is one of substance & style.

Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Roasted Carrots

Its the perfect holiday to play up bold reds! This pairs excellently with a robust red. We recently discovered an Italian red, Taurino Salice Salentino, compliments of our friend Steve - an excellent cooking companion with good instincts in the kitchen & purveyor of the finer things in life.

ingredients:
Rib Eye Steak, bone-in
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 glug of olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

1. when using high quality ingredients, a  simple approach lets the flavors shine through - a dusting of nutmeg, a glug of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt & pepper will go a long way to bringing out the flavors of a grilled steak.

2. make sure your grill grates are clean to prevent the meat from sticking. use an oiled paper towel & a wire brush to clean the grates. 

3. once the steaks go on the grill, the cooking process is fast. for approximately an one inch thick steak, if you are looking for a medium-rare temperature, the cook time will be about one minute on each side on a really hot grill. if you are careful with your steak placement - 12 o'clock position followed by a 1:30 position on each side, you can achieve diamond pattern grill marks that appear oh so professional.

4. pay attention to the "give" of the meat - a medium rare steak should be firm yet maintain a good amount of give. 

5. resting your meat once it comes off the grill is one of the most important aspects of the "cooking" process. let your steak rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it or serving, depending on the thickness of the steak. 

Roasted Carrots with Leeks & Honey

ingredients:
6-8 carrots
1 leek, sliced into coins
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
freshly ground salt & pepper, to taste

1. pre-heat oven to 400F.

2. peel carrots & cut really thick carrots in half.

3. line a baking sheet with carrots. spread leek coins over the carrots. drizzle honey & sprinkle with salt & pepper. a dusting of cayenne pepper plays nicely against the honey drizzle.

4. bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until carrots are tender to the touch of a fork.

Ponzu Braised Chicken with Bok Choy

If your persuasions lie on the white & sparkling side, try this whole roasted chicken recipe & serve with a bottle of champagne, prosecco or even a hoppy craft beer.

ingredients:

1 chicken

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 onion, diced

1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced

1 tbsp ponzu

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock

1. pre-heat the oven to 350F.

2. if you are working with a whole chicken, rather than pre-cut chicken, then you will need to cut the chicken in half. we used our kitchen scissors for this job, but a butcher knife would work just as well.

3. cover all sides of the chicken with salt & pepper

4. warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat-high, sear the chicken skin side down, until the skin is nicely browned.

5. remove the seared chicken from the pot. toss garlic, onion & ginger into the cooking liquid from the chicken, stirring until the onions brown. 

6. once the onions have browned, add ponzu, soy sauce & rice vinegar. using a wooden spatula, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

7. return the chicken to the pot, with juices and braising liquids. add enough chicken stock to have about 1 inch of liquid in the pot.

8. cover the pot & cook the chicken in the oven until the meat is falling off the bones. 

Sweet & Spicy Bok Choy 

We paired this chicken with sweet and spicy bok choy, and frankly the jury is still out about which one was better?!

ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 tsp seasame oil
8-12 stalks of baby bok choy
1 shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp sriacha

1. warm olive oil in a skillet pan. add seasame oil once warmed.

2. once the seasame oil is fragrant, add the bok choy, shallots & garlic. stir to coat.

3. once the shallots soften a bit, add soy sauce, honey & sriacha. continue to stir fry until the flavors blend the the bok choy has absorbed the flavors.

---
Collage Photo Credits (left to right, top to bottom): Lonny, Southern Living, Lonny, Lonny, Lonny

Wintering Menu

Braised Beef with Spinach Salad

This braised beef recipe honors simple, quality ingredients with tested braising techniques. This is one you put in the oven & forget about, until the smells draw you back to the kitchen (plenty of time for a round of scrabble in between). The resulting beef is so rich, you will want to keep portions light & sides refreshing. This spinach salad made a nice match & was easy to pull together while the beef cooled off a bit. A slice of crusty white bread could be used to sop up all the savory drippings.

Beer-Braised Beef Shanks

ingredients:
2 bone-in beef shanks, or according to desired serving number
salt & pepper to cover shanks
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, thinly sliced
6 brussel sprouts, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 oz amber ale (we used ommegang rare voz)

1. pre-heat the oven to 325F

2. season the beef shanks on all sides with salt & pepper

3. bring olive oil into a large dutch oven pot to medium heat & then add beef shanks. be careful to not crowd the pot.

4. sear meat, rotating as necessary, until all sides have taken on a rich brown color. then remove cooked meat & set aside.

5. in the drippings from the meat, saute onions, carrots, brussel sprouts & garlic. stir frequently over medium heat & cook until onions have reached a caramel-like brown color. be careful to not scorch your ingredients.

6. once vegetables have browned, add the ale. using a wooden spatula scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

7. return the meat to the pot, with juices & braising liquids. add more ale as necessary, but do not submerge the meat. 

8. bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover & cook in a 325F oven until meat is falling off the bone to the light touch of a fork. 

note: about 45 minutes after you place the meat in the oven, you may want to check that there is enough braising liquid - add more if there is less than an inch of liquid remaining. on the other hand, if you have too much sauce as the meat finishes, you will want to reduce the sauce. remove the meat & any vegetables from the sauce, skim fat off the surface, then simmer down the sauce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 15-20 minutes). return the meat & any vegetables to the pot to heat through.

Spinach Salad with 
Sauteed Pears, Shaved Parmesean & Pine Nuts

ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 bosc pear, thinly sliced
1/4 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
2 cups baby spinach
shaved aged parmesean
handful of pine nuts
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard
honey, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste

1. warm olive oil over low heat in a non-stick pan

2. add pears & onions & cook until pears caramelize & onions brown a bit

3. in a medium sized bowl, combine cooked pears & onions with spinach, several shaves of aged parmesean & a handful of pine nuts. note: the cooked vegetables will cause the spinach to wilt a bit - if you prefer the spinach to maintain its raw shape, wait to combine ingredients until pears & onions have cooled completely. 

4. in a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar & mustard. add honey, salt & pepper to taste.

5. fold olive oil dressing into the spinach

6. serve immediately on the side of the beef shanks & a slice of crusty white bread

Grilling Delight

Burger with Feta & Pickled Red Onions

Remember those pickled red onions we paired with pulled pork. Here is another dish that pairs nicely with them. Over the weekend, we grilled burgers & served them bun-less, topped with sliced feta, pickled red onions & parsley vinaigrette. 

ingredients:
1.5 lbs ground chuck (i used 80% fat)
2 oz feta, sliced
pickled red onions
1/2 bunch parsley
1.5 tsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
yield: 6 burgers

1. gently form 3/4 inch patties of even thickness with the ground beef, be careful not to over handle the meat as it will become tough and dry (avoid the meatloaf sandwich temptations & keep these patties simple!)

2. using your fingers make a shallow well in the top of each patty & season with salt & pepper to taste (note: do not salt meat until patties are formed - best time being within minutes before they hit the grill, as salt dissolves proteins and draws out moisture)

3. before you light the grill, brush the grate clean so the burgers will not stick. for even better results, brush the grate with olive oil using tongs & a paper towel, a note of caution here to be careful about potential flare-ups. light the grill & let the fire settle to a medium heat

4. cook the burger with the indented side up first. the burger should be easy to release when ready to flip, about 4-5 minutes. cook on the second side, another 4-5 minutes. do not press or flatten the burger - you want the juicy goodness to remain with the burger. a medium burger should register 155F, if using a meat thermometer.

5. to make the parsley vinaigrette - coarsely chop a handful of parsley, add a glug of olive oil, whisk in salt & pepper to taste. a splash of white wine vinegar makes it light & tangy.

serve burgers with a slice of feta, pickled red onions & a spoonful of parsley vinaigrette. enjoy! 

A lamb burger with melted brie and pickled red onions would work nicely, as well Lamb Kebabs with Pickled Red Onions & Cilantro-Mint Yogurt Sauce. Let me know how it works out if you give either of those a try!


---
illustration source: real simple

Light & Easy Week Night Dinners

Boston Bibb Lettuce Wraps

After party filled weekends throughout the holiday season, lighter week night dinners make for a nice break. Boston Bibb lettuce makes a great vehicle for wraps, as it has a perfect cup-like shape that holds up well to the weight of a variety of fillings. Experimentation here is encouraged - below are a couple of suggestions.

Crab Stick & Avocado Lettuce Wraps

ingredients:
1 head of Boston Bibb lettuce, leaves separated
1/2 package of fake crab stick, thinly sliced
1 avocado
2 carrots, peeled & thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
cilantro for garnish

assemble & enjoy! 
hint: i find it works well to layer the avocado onto the lettuce first, as other ingredients will stick better

Shrimp & Grapefruit Lettuce Wraps

ingredients:
3/4 dozen cooked & peeled shrimp
1 avocado
2 carrots, peeled & thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
~1/3 grapefruit, segmented, white pith removed
cilantro for garnish



assemble & enjoy! 
hint: again, i find it works best to layer the avocado first

Vietnamese Style Ground Beef Wraps

ingredients:
1/2 pound ground chuck
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 dash fish sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 leek, cut into coins
2 carrots, peeled & cut into coins
cilantro for garnish


1. season beef with salt & pepper to taste

2. in a small bowl combine the soy sauce, lime juice, fish sauce & honey, set aside

3. add oil and garlic to a frying pan, bring to a low heat, swirl oil around the pan & cook until garlic softens a bit

4. add the ground chuck to the pan & brown on all sides, stir only as needed

5. remove cooked beef & put aside in a medium sized bowl

6. add leeks & carrots to same pan, while cooking add the soy sauce mixture

7. once carrots soften, add cooked beef into the pan & cook until flavors combine & sauce thickens slightly

8. assemble wraps and enjoy!

the real joy of these wraps comes in the endless possibilities of dipping sauces that enhance the flavors of the wraps. click here for some easy, Paula Deen inspired dipping sauces.