Not-Your-Mama's-Meatloaf

I've made this meatloaf a couple of times and it always come out delicious, moist and it's definitely a crowd pleaser. Thanks to Mr. Alton Brown for this recipe. A few tips: I usually only use 80/20 ground chuck and omit the ground sirloin; I also bake it in the meatloaf pan instead of "free form" and lastly, if you don't have a thermometer, get one ASAP! It's best to use one for this recipe so that you don't overcook the meatloaf. Serve with a side of garliky mashed potatoes. Bon appétit!

INGREDIENTS (serves 6 to 8)

• 6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons or stale bread
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and broken
• 3 whole cloves garlic
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 18 ounces ground chuck
• 18 ounces ground sirloin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• Dash hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.

Khinkali Dumplings

My version of khinkali.
They don't look like they are supposed to, but they tasted SO GOOD!
The two in the background were already eaten by me!

If there is one dumpling I truly love (and miss) are the Suan La Chow Chow dumplings from Mary Changs in Cambridge, MA. They were these perfectly cooked and delicious pork dumplings laying on a bed of bean sprouts with a spicy, soy-sauce based sauce at the bottom. So it's been a while since I've found any new or out-of-the ordinary dumplings that grabbed my attention.

Then Matt told me about khinkali dumplings and he said they were the best dumplings he'd ever had. You had to eat them so as to sop up all the juice trapped inside. I was intrigued! I did some research online and all the khinkali recipes I found varied from the filling, to measurements for the dough, to its origins. But one thing is for sure, you HAVE to make the pleats or at least form a point at the top of the dumpling. That way you can grab it, turn it to its side and suck it up.

According to Matt, you don't eat the top, or the pleated part, of the the dough. Only the poor people eat that. And you are not supposed to let any of the meat juices trapped inside the dumpling hit your plate. Lastly, all you need to top your khinkali with is lots of black pepper!  So I gave the dough two different tries. Both failed! But the meat filling was DIVINE! And the juice it forms inside the dumpling is simply sopilicious.

Here's my recipe, but you can find many more online here, here and here.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb. ground beef (a little on the fattier side)
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (if  you use water instead of beef broth, add an additional 1/2 tsp. kosher salt)
• About 1/4 of a red onion, processed in the food processor (you have to do it in the processor or blender because you need the onion juice!)
• 1/2 tsp. ground caraway seed
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• a good pinch of red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup beef broth or water

Dough

• 4 cups of flour
• 1 1/2 cups of warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

DIRECTIONS

Filling: Mix the ground meats and onions together. Stir in the spices into the meat mixture, add broth, salt and mix it thoroughly. Set aside in the fridge.

Dough: Pour the flour into a large bowl, sprinkle it with salt, add water and make the dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. Form into a ball and let the dough rest 30 minutes.

Start boiling water in a large pot.

Take a mango sized piece of dough and roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut out circles about 3 inches in diameter with a drinking glass. Roll each round out to about 6 inches in diameter on a floured surface. Cup the round with your hand (or place in a small coffee cup to assist) and place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each round.

Fold the edges of the dough, forming as many pleats as possible and making sure it's sealed tight. Roll the nubbin of the dumpling between your finger and thumb and pinch off extra dough.

pretty bad at forming the pleats

Boil the khinkali in salted boiling water for 6 to 10 minutes. When they float to the top it usally means they are done. Serve hot sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.

This is what authentic khinkali look like, btw!

You can see the meat juice trapped inside!! YUM!!

Sloppy Joe's

I made these sloppy Joe's last night and they were quite tasty. Next time I'll omit the honey and molasses because they were a bit sweet for me. These are definitely grown-up sloppy Joe's because it has some heat and spice to it. I served mine over toasted artisanal whole wheat bread because I wanted to be fancy, but it will taste just as good over hamburger buns or regular sandwich bread.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 1 lb. ground chuck
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon ground chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper
• 1 roasted poblano pepper, peeled, seeded and finely diced
• 1 large roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded and finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey (omit if you don't want your Joe's to be too sweet)
• 1 tablespoon molasses (omit if you don't want your Joe's to be too sweet)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large skillet and brown the chuck, making sure you break it down into pieces with a metal or wooden spatula. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the oil.

To the same pan add the onion and celery and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the ground chipotle and the ground cumin powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add the peppers and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add the cooked ground chuck back into pan and add remainder of ingredients: ketchup, BBQ sauce, water, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and brown sugar and molasses (if using) and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a simmer until sauce thickens to your liking, then lower heat to medium-low and cook for 15 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve over your favorite toasted bread or in hamburger buns.

Braised Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine

I'm a sucker for sales, especially with groceries. About a month ago I saw a package of big, beautiful short ribs on sale at Albertson's and I just couldn't pass it up. I put them in the freezer in hopes that I would cook them for my hubby when he came home, and that's what I did last night. It was pretty much an all-day task, but I think it was worth it. I served the short-ribs over egg noodles, but mashed potatoes or even a side of spatzl would have been a good side dish. Since I can't drink right now, I think a good bottle of Burgundy or an Italian table wine will pair up nicely with this meal. You don't want a big, bold California red wine to overpower this dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 beef short ribs, trimmed of fat
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
• 4 cups large-diced celery (6 large stalks)
• 2 carrots, peeled and large-diced
• 1 small fennel, fronds, stems, and core removed, large-diced
• 1 leek, cleaned and large-diced, white part only
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 (750 ml) bottle Burgundy wine or dry red wine
• fresh rosemary sprig
• fresh thyme sprig
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the short ribs on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and add the onion, celery, carrots, fennel, and leek and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour the wine over the vegetables, bring to a boil, and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the rosemary and thyme together with kitchen twine and add to the pot.
3. Place the roasted ribs on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven and add the beef stock and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
4. Carefully remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Discard the herbs and skim the excess fat. Cook the vegetables and sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes, until reduced. Put the ribs back into the pot and heat through. Serve with the vegetables and sauce.

Filet of Beef au Poivre

Oh, Ina Garten! She's such a diva when it comes to really expensive (yet fabulous) food recipes, but you know once in a while we have to spoil ourselves. Now, these are difficult financial times and in no way did I buy 6 filet mignons, but I made this recipe for only 2 persons. I cut the au poivre sauce recipe in half and it was more than enough for the two filets. So, if your 401k is not completely depleted yet, rejoice and eat meat!

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

• 6 filet mignon, cut 1 1/4 inches thick
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)
• 1 cup canned beef broth
• 1/2 cup good Cognac or brandy

DIRECTIONS

Place the filets on a board and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the filets with salt and then press the black pepper evenly on both sides. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the butter almost smokes. Place the steaks in the pan and lower the heat to medium. Saute the steaks for 4 minutes on 1 side and then for 3 minutes on the other side, for medium rare (I sauted mine for 5 minutes on each side since steaks were 2" thick). Remove the steaks to a serving platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, pour all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the saute pan. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and cook over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until reduced by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Cognac and cook for 2 more minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Strain sauce and serve the steaks hot with the sauce poured on top and around the steak.

Diva's Lasagna

So why is this lasagna different than other lasagnas, you may ask yourself? What makes this a Diva Lasagna? Well, first of all, I use a poblano pepper in my meat sauce to give it that spicy kick that we all need once in a while, and I combine sirloin with turkey just so that I feel it's slightly healthy. The biggest difference is that the meat sauce is not entirely tomato-ey in flavor and I just love the combination of ricotta and cottage cheese; so when you bite into the lasagna, you can taste the meat but especially the cheesiness of it all!

INGREDIENTS (serves 8 to 10)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1/4 pound ground turkey
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups (16 ounces) your favorite marinara sauce
• 1 cup (8 ounces) canned diced tomatoes with juice
• Lasagna noodles (about 9 noodles)
• 1 egg
• 1 (16-ounce) carton cottage cheese
• 1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup cup fresh parsley, divided
• 1 bag (2 cups) shredded cheese, such as Italian or pizza blend
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS

In large skillet, add olive oil and saute onions over medium heat for two minutes. Add the diced poblano pepper and saute another minute. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute. Add ground beef and ground turkey and brown until beef is no longer pink (about 10 minutes); drain well. Add marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain (I cook my noodles very al dente).

Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine egg, cottage and ricotta cheeses, and remaining parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread a very thin layer of meat sauce at bottom of baking pan. Then add a layer of 3 noodles in prepared baking pan. Spread with 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture, then 1/3 layer of meat sauce, then 1/3 layer of shredded cheese. Repeat with second layer. Third layer end with remaining cottage cheese mixture, meat sauce and remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes covered with foil; then for another 15 minutes, uncovered. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Divalicious!

Pan Seared Rib Eye Steaks with Mushroom Sauce

Okay, okay, I know I'm probably over doing the who cast iron skillet thingy, but dang do I love cooking in it. What I love the most is the fact that if you keep your skillets seasoned, they basically become non-stick and you have to use very little oil to cook in them. Anyhoo, this recipe is great, but then again how can anyone ever go wrong with rib eye steaks? NUMMY.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

• 2 rib eye steaks, about 1" thick and 1/2 lb. each
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Montréal Steak seasoning by McCormick
• 1 shallot, minced or 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 pint pre-sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine or chicken stock
• 3 - 4 Tbsp sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning. Evenly distribute marinade over both steaks and tightly wrap with plastic wrap or place them in a zip-loc bag; marinate 30 minutes, or longer, in the refrigerator.
2. Take the steaks out of the fridge and bring to room temperature, about another 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 500ºF and place a 12" cast iron skillet that has been slightly wiped with canola oil in the oven as it preheats.
4. Unwrap the steaks. When the oven is finished preheating, take the skillet out and place on the stovetop over high heat for another few minutes. Be very careful because the pan is very, very hot. Use your oven mitt!
5. Add the steaks to the hot skillet and cook for 30 seconds on one side. DO NOT MOVE THE STEAKS! This is essential to developing the seared crust.
6. After 30 seconds, flip the steaks and cook for another 30 seconds on the second side.
7. With an oven mitt on, put the pan with steaks into the 500ºF oven for 3 minutes. Flip the steak then back in the oven for another 3 minutes on the second side (4 minutes for medium well).
8. Take the pan out of the oven and remove the steaks; tent with foil and let it rest while preparing the mushroom sauce.
9. Return the pan to the stovetop on medium high heat; the pan should still be very hot. Add the shallot and mushrooms to the pan and sauté for one minute. Add the wine (or stock) and bring to a boil and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of skillet. Simmer for another minute.
10. Remove pan from heat and add sour cream, any juices from the seared steaks, and season with salt and pepper, and cook for a minute. Serve immediately mushroom sauce with steak. Delish!

Adapted from Alton Brown's recipe for pan seared rib eye recipe on FoodNetwork.com.

Hamburger Sliders

What exactly is a slider? Basically, it's a mini hamburger that can usually be eating in one or two bites. Sliders became quite popular after White Castle started serving them back in 1923! And now, they are even more popular with stoners around the world after the movie, Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. I actually prefer these type of mini-burgers because I feel like I'm not overeating and I don't particularly like lettuce and tomato on my burgers. Anyhoo, happy 4th of July!

INGREDIENTS (makes 12 sliders)

• 12 dinner rolls (Parker House shape, 2 1/2 inches)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• About 1 1/2 cup water, divided
• 3/4 cup diced white onions
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1/2 to 1 cup water
• 12 round pickle slices
• American cheese, optional

DIRECTIONS

Place ground beef, salt and 1/2 cup of the water in a food process, and process for a few seconds to ensure that water and salt are blended through the beef.

Place plastic wrap on the counter. Place hamburger in the middle, then place another pieces of plastic wrap on top of the meat. Roll the hamburger out to 1/4-inch thick. Remove plastic wrap; cut meat into 3-inch squares. Perforate each piece five times with a plastic straw (this forms the steam holes). Cover hamburger squares with plastic wrap. Freeze until partially frozen, but no frozen solid.

Meanwhile, place onions, beef bouillon and 1/2 cup water in a frying pan. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring until the onions are translucent, adding more water as needed. Remove from heat until ready to cook hamburger patties.

To prepare patties, heat frying pan with the onions over medium-low heat; add water to onions just until the bottom of the frying pan is covered. Place patties in pan; cover with lid. It will only take a short time for the patties to cook on one side. Flip, place a bun bottom on top of the patty and cook on the other side for a very short time. The patties should be juicy and your buns steamy!

Add a pickle, a few of the sautéed onions then cover hamburgers and serve immediately. YUMMERS!

Tenderloin of Wild Boar in a Béarnaise Sauce

When I travelled to Minnesota a few months ago, I tried wild boar for the first time, and you know what? It was amazing. It tasted like rib-eye and filet mignon combined. Really!

But of course, here in San Diego we don't have wild boar available at Ralph's, but there are a couple of places you can order it online: dartagnan.com or fossilfarms.com. Below is a replica recipe of the great wild boar entrée we had at Fermentations Bistro in Northfield, Minnesota. I don't have the cabernet risotto recipe yet, but I'm working on it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 to 1½ pound tenderloin of wild boar
• salt
• pepper
• oil (grapseed or canola)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly coat cast iron pan with oil. Heat several minutes at high. Season the boar tenderloin with salt and pepper. Sear tenderloin until medium brown on both sides. Transfer pan to a 350-degree oven and roast for 12 minutes (for medium-rare) to 18 minutes (for medium-well) or until internal temperature reaches 140 F. Remove from oven and transfer tenderloin to a plate. Tent with foil and allow to rest. Slice into one inch pieces.

BEARNAISE SAUCE

• 2 tablespoon minced sweet onion, such as Maui or Vidalia
• 1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh leaf tarragon, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten and room temperature <-- very important!
• dash of lemon juice
• dash ground cayenne or chipotle chili pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine minced onion, vinegar and tarragon in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until liquid has evaporated. Add the butter and cook until melted; pour in 1/3 cup cream. Bring to a boil. Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks to temper and whisk rapidly to incorporate—you do not want scrambled eggs! Return the mixture to saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Stir in remaining cream for a creamier sauce. Add dash of lemon juice and ground cayenne or chipotle pepper to taste. Serve immediately as the sauce for the wild boar.

Prime Rib

If I could, I would eat prime rib every day, specially if it's cooked just right. I have tried prime rib in almost every state I've visited and to this day the best Prime Rib dinner I've ever had was at the Beverly Depot Restaurant in Beverly, Massachusetts. Recently, I've been craving prime rib and I decided to finally give it a try. The recipe is quite easy, it's the cooking that takes the longest. There are many recipes for prime rib out there and I combined two that I found to make this one. This is for a 6 lb. prime rib roast that has been trimmed and tied by my butcher. It serves 4 very hungry people.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp. fresh Thyme, finely chopped
• 3 Garlic cloves, passed through a garlic press
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
• 6 lbs. standing prime rib roast, trimmed and tied with butcher string

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Rub mustard marinade all over the prime rib and place it in a shallow baking pan. Let the roast sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. It is very important that your roast be at room temperature before you cook it.
3. Pre-heat oven to 500 F.
4. Put a meat thermameter through the thickest part of your roast--make sure you don't put it next to the bone.
5. Place the prime rib in the oven for 30 minutes (5 minutes per pound), uncovered, at 500 F.
6. Lower the temperature to 350 F. Tent the prime rib with a piece of aluminum foil and cook for 1 hour. After an hour, check the temperature. Cook longer until it reaches your desired doneness. 135 is rare, 140 medium-rare and 150 and above is well-done. We like ours at medium-rare.
7. Remove prime rib from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with a side of horseradish and Yorkshire pudding.

Yorkshire Pudding

Last night I cooked prime rib for the first time (pictures and recipe coming very soon) and a very traditional side dish to prime rib is Yorkshire Pudding. This isn't really a pudding but a souffle-like pastry that was originally cooked in a tin under the rotating spit. By cooking it this way the juices from the meat dripped on to it, giving a delicious flavor. You can use prime rib or roast beef drippings, melted lard or even bacon drippings in this recipe. I'm sure you can use olive oil too, but it will not give it that authentic Yorkshire taste!

INGREDIENTS (serves 6 to 8)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup pan drippings from Prime Rib, Roast Beef or bacon or melted lard

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Sift together flour and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add flour mixture, and whisk until combined. Cover with plastic; chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
3. In a baking pan pour reserved pan drippings. Heat pan and drippings on top of the stove until very hot, about 5 minutes. Remove batter from refrigerator, and shake or whisk well; quickly pour into hot roasting pan. Note: You can also make this into individual Yorkshire puddings by baking them in pop-over pans or muffin tins. Simply pour pan drippings into each tin, then the batter and bake for 10 to 15 minutes for individual pudding.
4. Bake until crisp and golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm with prime rib.

The Perfect Grill Marks

Have you ever been to a steak house or to a dinner party and the grill marks on your steak were perfect? Have you wondered, "how did they do that?" Believe me, I have, and I've been learning the art of grill marks for a while. I'm still an intermediate beginner but my husband has mastered the art. Check out his perfect steak pictured above!

To acquire the perfect grill marks on your steak you will need:

• A hot grill
• Patience, and
• Timing

Place your steak directly onto a hot grill for a few minutes. Then using tongs or a spatula give your steak a quarter turn to create the second set of marks resulting in a crisscross pattern.

When it is time to flip your steak repeat the process of grilling for a few minutes and then give it a quarter turn.

You may need to practice a few times before mastering the art of presentation, but once you've learned it you shan't forget it. Don't forget to baste your steaks in your favorite BBQ sauce or one of my new favs, Sweet Baby Ray's barbacue sauce.