Tourtiere - A Traditional Canadian Christmas

I was inspired to make this tourtiere by More Than Burnt Toast.  At the time I didn't have any pie plates but hers is made in a log form and can be cooked on a baking sheet.  I am invited for Christmas dinner and would like to take something with a Canadian flavour to share.  My friends, Scott and Jayson, have a tradition of making tourtiere every Christmas season.  This is typically served Christmas eve, especially in Quebec.  My homemade green tomato relish will go perfectly with this.



Since I moved to Swift Current I have had many requests for this Christmas treat. Who would have thought?

This can be served warm or at room temperature.  It also freezes well but I'm not sure if you would cook it first or freeze to cook later.  If anyone has done this, perhaps you could make a note in the comments on this posting.  Merci beaucoup!



I have combined a lot of the ideas I have seen in recipes.  I like the added flavour of cinnamon and cloves.  I also liked the way it is cooked in Jean Chretien's recipe.  His recipe cooks the meat for 1 1/2 hours.  This makes a nice fine filling without lumps.  I used my sour cream pastry recipe because it is so easy and tasty, too.  I have used pork and beef, but it can also be made with wild game ground meat.

Tourtiere

1 lb ground pork

3/4 lb ground beef

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground cloves

1/4 t black pepper

1 t salt

1/2 t dried thyme

1/2 c beef or chicken broth

2 T breadcrumbs



Put the stock in a large pan or pot and bring to a boil.  Add the pork, beef, onions, and seasonings.  Cook with the lid on until the meat is completely broken down and cooked, about 1 1/2 hours.  Remove the lid and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated.  Add bread crumbs one tablespoon at a time to soak up any oil.  Cool completely before filling the pastry.



Roll the pastry into a rectangle.  Put a strip of filling done the middle and fold the pastry over on the long sides and then fold up the ends.  Trim the excess pastry otherwise it may not fully cook.  Milk can be used to help 'glue' the seams so it doesn't fall apart.  Place on a baking sheet, seam side down.  Cut a few steam vents in the top and decorate with more pastry, if you wish.  Brush with milk.  Bake at 425F for about 20 minutes or until golden in colour.

























This is my contribution to the Canadian Food Experience this month.

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The Ultimate Asian Inspired Flank Steak

Quality ingredients and simplistic preparation create delicious results. Isn't that what you look for when you eat out at fine restaurants?



This dish begins with quality beef. The flank is a less tender cut. Usually this would mean a long and slow cooking time but if properly cut this steak is beautiful when cooked to medium rare.



The flavour of the less tender cuts is full and delicious. Flank stands up well to the bold flavours of black bean sauce and balsamic vinegar. Sweeten this with honey and add the aromatics of orange zest, fresh ginger and garlic. Add more flavour with searing the meat and then cooking slowly until to desired doneness.



Serve with jasmine rice and stirfried bok choy for a complete meal.

Asian Flank Steak

1 ( 1 1/2- to 2-pound) flank steak

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons honey

1 large and fresh clove of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced  ginger, minced

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon black bean sauce

zest of one orange

Mix honey and vegetable oil over low heat until the honey is melted. Add the rest of the ingredients except the steak. Stir to mix. Use a large enough pan or a resealable plastic bag in a large bowl. Add the steak to the bag,
flipping it to coat it in the marinade, and then seal the plastic bag.

Place the steak in the fridge and marinate it overnight, or for a minimum of 10 hours. To speed up the process, this can be marinated at room temperature for 2 - 3 hours.



When ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade and preheat your
cooking surface. A grill or stovetop grill pan are ideal. Sear the steak on each
side until it's cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Let the steak
rest for 5 minutes and then slice it against the grain and serve.



Strain the marinade and return the liquid to the pan. Reduce to half and use as a sauce with the steak.

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Cuban Style Beef and Peppers

Welcome everyone to my dinner party! It is my turn to host the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club and I have chosen a Cuban Dinner theme.

Cuban food has a rich history. It was the first and last Spanish colony in the Caribbean. In addition to Spanish influences there are flavours from Africa, Portugal and various indigenous cultures.



Cuban food at is heart is simple, country cooking. Meal times are family times and each celebration features traditional home cooked meals.



Many Cubans have sought refuge in the United States and Florida in particular. It was no surprise that the best Cuban food I have ever had was in Orlando. I visited Cuba several years ago and although the restaurants were charming and quaint, the supply of fresh food and ingredients was limited. We dined at the DuPont Mansion and Al Capone's seaside villa. There was no lack of fascinating dinner venues.

So I have invited everyone to make some Cuban food today. I am preparing the main course with Cuban Style Beef and Peppers. I decided to use brown basmati rice rather than white rice. Lots of black beans here! Please check these wonderful dishes from the team -


Sandi –Whistlestop Café Cooking  with Black Bean Soup



Jerry- Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants   with Cuban Black Bean Dip



Val - More Than Burnt Toast  with Black Beans and Rice



Susan Linquist –The Spice Garden  with Arroz con Dolce

Cuban Style Beef and Peppers

 

   
1/4 cup raisins

    1/4
cup hot water

    1
pound flank steak

    2
tablespoons olive oil

    3
cups thinly sliced onion

    1
cup yellow bell pepper strips

    1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper, seeds removed

    2
garlic cloves, minced

    1
tablespoons capers

    1
teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

    1
teaspoon ground cumin

    3
plum tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges

    4
cups hot cooked long-grain rice

    salt and pepper to taste

   
Combine raisins and hot water in a small bowl.  Let stand 30 minutes.

   
Trim fat from steak, and cut steak into thin strips.

   
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion,
bell pepper, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Add steak and
garlic, and sauté 4 minutes or until beef is browned. Add raisin mixture,
capers, thyme, jalapeno, cumin and tomatoes. Reduce heat; simmer 7 minutes or
until steak is done, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

   
Calories: 562

   
Calories from fat: 30%

   
Fat: 18.5g

   
Saturated fat: 5.6g

   
Monounsaturated fat: 9.6g

   
Polyunsaturated fat: 1.2g

   
Protein: 29g

   
Carbohydrate: 69.6g

   
Fiber: 4.3g

   
Cholesterol: 57mg

   
Iron: 5.6mg

   
Sodium: 466mg

   
Calcium: 67mg

Cooking Light

JUNE 1999

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Low and Slow Beef Brisket Makes Amazing Chili

I have been holding out on you with this recipe. A couple of weeks ago I became a registered barbecue judge. Yep, I can judge anywhere in the Pacific Northwest in both Canada and the USA. Yeah! I will try to get and see some good 'cue.



The same weekend I jumped right in and judged at the North Battleford 'Those Were The Days'. What I find interesting about judging is that any meat I don't eat, I can take home. We each bring our own personal cooler. My low and slow barbecue brisket became this amazing chili.



I don't know if this authentic Texas chili but it is loosely taken from a recipe by that name. I had a squash on hand. Bonus! I love the flavour of it in chili and would never have thought to use it. Usually I find beans of some sort in chili.



Low and Slow Beef Brisket Texas Chili



1 lb. fully cooked barbecue brisket, cubed

1 c. chopped onions

6 slices bacon, diced

1/2 butternut or kabocha squash, seeded, peeled and cubed

1 can whole tomatoes

1 fire roasted poblano chili, finely chopped

2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro stems

1 dried ancho chili

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. cumin

2 large garlic cloves, peeled



Soak dried ancho chili in 1/2 cup boiling water for 30 minutes or more.



In a Dutch oven, cook bacon until tender but not browned. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add beef.



In a blender, puree the ancho chili, garlic cloves, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Pour over beef. Add can of tomatoes and remainder of ingredients to the beef mixture.



Bake in a 350F oven for 1 hour. Serve. Garnish with sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro leaves and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Serves 6 generously.

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Casual Friday - Beef au Jus

I write a food column for a weekly farm newspaper. Often I wonder if my recipes are too fussy for the lifestyle but I just like good food made from scratch. It usually isn't any more work than tossing it together with a mix. There are only 8 ingredients and all of them can be kept on hand in your pantry.



This is so easy and so tasty! Just toss it all in a slow cooker and you are ready. Nice side dishes with this are coleslaw, baked beans or oven baked fries.

Beef au Jus

3 lb. beef chuck roast                                    

1 large onion, thickly sliced

1 tbsp. butter                                                

2 c. beef broth                                               

1 c. cooking sherry                                    

1 large garlic clove, minced

3 tbsp. Italian seasoning                        

1/2 c. soy sauce                                    

grated mozzarella, if desired

Saute onion in butter and add to
slow cooker. Place roast on onions, add other ingredients. Cook on low setting
6 to 10 hours.

Shred meat with two forks until
all large chunks are gone. Serve immediately or continue to simmer for 30
minutes to 1 hour.

Strain beef from liquid. Reserve
the ‘au jus’ for dipping. Can be refrigerated overnight. Remove hardened fat
from top before reheating. Serve on toasted crusty buns. Top with cheese and
place under the broiler, if desired.

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Cooking Class Monday - Pressure Cookers

Using a pressure cooker
offers two benefits. You can use less expensive foods for healthy meals and you
can cook them quickly.

I regularly cook dried
chickpeas without presoaking in 15 minutes or a turkey stock in 30 minutes of
active cooking time. The term active cooking time indicates the prescribed
cooking time but you must allow the cooker to cool to room temperature before
you can remove the lid. This may take 10 to 15 additional minutes.

A pressure cooker is a
specialized heavy aluminum pot with a lid that locks into place and seals
tightly. The lid has a rubber gasket to create the seal. The lid has a
regulator that maintains the build up of pressure.  Pressure cookers come with either a jiggle top or with a
gauge that rises with the pressure.

Under pressure a higher
temperature and greater humidity are reached and the food cooks more quickly.
Modern pressure cookers have safety features if too much pressure builds up in
the pot.

Liquid is required. The pot
has measurement lines to indicate half and two thirds full. The pot must not be
filled more than two thirds full. Be sure to submerge any solids so you can
accurately read the fill level.

Place food and liquid in
pot; secure lid and place on high heat. Once pressure has been reached, reduce
heat just to maintain pressure. You can judge that the pressure has been
reached by the sound the pressure regulator makes. It will have a constant
stream of steam. Start your cooking time now. Continue cooking for the
prescribed time and then turn off heat. Allow pot to cool naturally until no
steam is being released from pressure regulator. Now the lid can be opened
safely.

Pressure cookers can be
purchased in most home cookware departments. Price varies from $49 to $250.
Usually they are made of an aluminum core with a stainless steel outer surface
for easy cleaning and attractive appearance. Their aluminum base maintains a
more even temperature so the food does not burn on the bottom.

All parts should be hand
washed. The rubber gasket should be removed and washed to remove any greasy or
sticky residues. Dry thoroughly before placing the lid on for storage.

Foods that take a long time
to cook are ideal to prepare in a pressure cooker. This includes the less
tender cuts of meats, dried beans and grains, stews and stocks. The active
cooking time will vary but usually is between 10 and 45 minutes. Vegetables and
other foods that cook in less than 15 minutes are not good candidates. They
will turn out soft and mushy.

Turkey Stock

1 turkey carcass

1 onion

1 stalk celery

1 large carrot

1 or 2 bay leaves

Whole spices including black
peppercorns, juniper berries, allspice to equal 1 teaspoon 5mL

Remove all fat and skin from
the carcass and discard. Place bones in the pressure cooker. Roughly chop the
onion, celery and carrot. Add to pressure cooker. Add whole spices. Fill with
cold water to the 1/2 or 2/3 line. Place lid on pot and secure. Place pot on
high heat. When the steam regulator allows a steady stream of steam to escape
reduce heat just to maintain this level. Cook like this for 30 minutes. Turn
off heat and allow the pot to cool naturally until no steam escapes from the
regulator. Open.

Strain the solids through a
colander over a large bowl. Discard solids. The liquid is the stock and can be
used right away, be frozen or pressure canned for future use or pressure
canned.

Oxtail Stew Cádiz Style     as shown above

Oxtail is commonly
discarded. The gelatin in oxtail creates a silky mouth feel resembling fat but
without the calories. The garlic mellows out with the long cooking time so
please use the prescribed amount. (Adapted from Tapas the Little Dishes of
Spain by Penelope Casas)

2 lbs small oxtail                                                            

1 head garlic, separated and
peeled

1 bay leaf

1 whole clove

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine,
optional                                    

1/4 cup canola or olive oil                                                

1 cup water                                                                       

1 cup chicken broth                                                            

Combine all ingredients in
your pressure cooker pot. Cook as prescribed in the instructions above for 45
minutes. Turn off heat and let pot cool naturally.

Pour the stew into a
strainer. After cooling, pull the meat off the bones and return the broth and
meat to the cooking pot. Discard the bay leaf and clove. In a food processor or
blender purée the garlic and onion. Beat in about 3/4 cup of the broth
gradually, then stir this mixture into the pot. This recipe may be made ahead
and reheated. Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer.

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High Temperature Eye of Round Beef Roast

I do not make roast beef often enough.   I am very insecure about it.  But  I have sandwiches to make on Sunday and do not use processed meats.  I bought this little 3 pound eye of round beef roast and it was perfect.



I generously seasoned it with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.  I preheated the oven to 500F.  Then I put the roast in the oven and reduced the heat to 475F.  I roasted it for 7 minutes per pound = 21 minutes.  I turned off the oven and let it sit in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.  I did not open the oven once! See all that wonderful carmelization on the surface?  It makes the beef so tasty.   It was perfect.  And eye of round is so nice to slice thinly for sandwiches.

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Saucy Meatloaf

This is so thin because I used a full size loaf pan for only one pound of ground beef.  I should have used a small size loaf pan.  But so tasty.

I have never eaten meatloaf!  Can you imagine?  All this time and I have never tried it.  I don't eat a lot of ground beef, or any meat, for that matter.  I had a pound of ground beef, some braised short ribs and all the other ingredients in my freezer and pantry.  I had a whim to make a meatloaf sandwich.



Upon researching recipes it was evident that you can do what ever you want.  This is so tasty and I know the sandwiches will be succulent and flavourful.  The addition of the braised short rib meat with the ground beef adds so much texture and flavour.

Sarah's Version of Meatloaf

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound braised short ribs

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 slice of my homemade multigrain bread

warm water

2 tablespoons finely minced onion

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste



Preheat the oven to 375F.



Soak the bread in warm water until soggy.  Squeeze out all the water and discard water.



Mix the ground beef, short ribs, seasonings, and bread until evenly mixed.



Press into an oiled small loaf pan.



Bake for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160F.  Take out of the oven and brush the top with more barbecue sauce.  Return to the oven for 15 minutes.



Drain excess fat and serve immediately or chill and slice for sandwiches.

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Christmas Eve Tourtière

Today I am making a big batch of tourtière.  This is a traditional Quebeçois meat pie that is usually served Christmas eve and throughout the Christmas season.



I rarely make pies, sweet or savoury.  It is a meditation to roll the pastry, fit it in the dish, fill the pie, roll the pastry and crimp the edges.  I am making 4 at a time.



I forget little things like not trimming the bottom crust until after the filling is added.  This way it won't shrink down too low.  I also leave the top crust to rest for awhile before trimming.



Eight are in the freezer and it looks like I have enough filling for 3 or 4 more.  Find my recipe by clicking here.

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Grilled Sirloin Steaks with Blue Cheese Walnut Butter

This is another recipe using a home made nut butter.  I loved the last Daring Cooks challenge and made several different recipes.   I am combining walnut butter with blue cheese to make a luscious topping for a grilled steak.  Such an easy way to ramp up your next barbecue.



For a more polished presentation, this butter can be formed into a log by wrapping it in plastic wrap.  Chill until firm and slice thickly.  Put a pat on each steak.

Grilled Sirloin Steaks with Blue Cheese Walnut Butter           

• 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled  


• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature


• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley


• 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, finely crumbled 


• 1/4 cup walnut butter 


• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely minced


• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt


• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper


• 2 - 1 1/2-to 1 3/4-pound sirloin steaks (1 inch thick) 

• Combine cheese, butter, parsley, garlic and rosemary in medium bowl. Stir to blend well. Mix in walnut butter.


• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer blue cheese butter to small bowl. (NOTE: Blue cheese butter can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring butter to room temperature before using.)


• Season steaks as you like.  I like Montreal steak spice but you can simply use salt and pepper.   Cover and let stand 1/2 hour at room temperature.


• Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Grill steaks to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to platter and let stand 5 minutes.


• Cut each steak into 3 equal portions. Top each portion with a spoonful of blue cheese butter and serve.


• Serves 6.

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Brining Your Own Brisket

Traditional corned beef dinner with boiled potatoes, cabbage and carrots.  This is basically the boiled dinner so popular in the Maritimes.

I have never cooked a corned beef brisket.  Ever.  It is so easy but just has not been on my radar.  So I decided it was time.  Then go back one step and I wondered how much fun it might be to brine my own beef?  My butcher cut me a 9 pound brisket tip and I was on my way.

 

I used the bottom drawer of my fridge to brine it…works like a charm, and there’s no worry about rips in a ziploc bag or dripping onto other food! It was a great tip I read somewhere.



There was way more food than I could eat so I pressure canned some of the corned beef and I can enjoy it later.



From Michael Ruhlman's blog



The following recipe is from Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing.



Home-Cured Corned Beef

2 cups kosher salt*

½ cup sugar

4 teaspoons pink salt (sodium nitrite), optional

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons pickling spice

1 5-pound beef brisket

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in two

1 celery stalk, roughly chopped.



In pot large enough to hold brisket, combine 1 gallon of water with kosher salt, sugar, sodium nitrite (if using), garlic and 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.

Place brisket in brine, weighted with a plate to keep it submerged; cover. Refrigerate for 5 days.

Remove brisket from brine and rinse thoroughly. Place in a pot just large enough to hold it. Cover with water and add remaining pickling spice, carrot, onion and celery. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer gently until brisket is fork-tender, about 3 hours, adding water if needed to cover brisket.



Keep warm until ready to serve. Meat can be refrigerated for several days in cooking liquid. Reheat in the liquid or serve chilled. Slice thinly and serve on a sandwich or with additional vegetables simmered until tender in the cooking liquid.



*A note about the salt. Salt level not hugely critical here because it’s basically boiled and excess salt moves into cooking liquid.  You can weigh out 10 ounces here if you feel better using a scale.  Or you can simply make a 5% brine of however much water you need to cover (6.4 ounces per gallon).  When you cook it, season the cooking liquid to the level you want your meat seasoned.  Another option is wrapping the brisket in foil and cooking it in a 225 degree oven till tender.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Pickling Spice

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

2 tablespoons mustard seeds

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons allspice berries

1 tablespoon ground mace

2 small cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces

24 bay leaves, crumbled

2 tablespoons whole cloves

1 tablespoon ground ginger



Combine peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds in a small dry pan. Place over medium heat and stir until fragrant, being careful not to burn them; keep lid handy in case seeds pop. Crack peppercorns and seeds in mortar and pestle or with the side of a knife on cutting board.

Combine with other spices, mix. Store in tightly sealed plastic or glass container.

I love this mace.  I bought it in India at least 4 years ago and just grind it as I need it.  I swear it is as potent as the day I bought it.  And it is so moist and soft when it is freshly ground.



If I can borrow a corny phrase from Rachel Ray or Emeril Legasse, I wish there was 'smell-a-vision".  The aroma from this spice mixture is amazing!  I cannot imagine buying pickling spice ever again.

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Beef Brisket in my New Crock Pot

I won a crock pot!  Just as buffalodick was telling me to go out and buy one, I won one.  Julie from Dinner with Julie had a contest and I was the lucky winner.  Thank you, Julie!  In honour of this much appreciated gift, I went out and bought a brisket tip.  I used a portion of it in this recipe.  This sounds a lot like my chili.

Chile Braised Beef Brisket

• 1 star anise


• 1 teaspoon fennel seed


• 12 pasilla chiles, seeded


• 4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin and cut into large cubes


• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


• 3 cups boiling water


• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar


• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


• 1 medium onion, cut into fine dice


• 3 ripe tomatoes, grated on the largest holes of a box grater, or 1 (14-ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes with juice


• 2 cups chicken stock

In a small skillet over a medium heat, toast the star anise and fennel seed. Move the pan across the heat, letting the spices gently roll inside. Do

that for about 3 to 4 minutes or until you begin to smell the toasting spices. Transfer into a spice mill or a coffee grinder. Add 5 of the chiles and grind until finely ground. Season the brisket with salt and pepper, rub with the spice blend, cover, and refrigerate while continuing with the recipe. 

Put the remaining 7 chiles in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Set aside and let soak until the chiles have softened, about 30 minutes. When soft, reserve the chiles and 1 cup of the reconstituting water. Discard the rest of the water. In a blender, liquefy the chiles, the 1 cup reserved soaking water, and the sherry vinegar. Set aside. 

In a large cast iron pan, heat the olive oil over high heat and sear the brisket in the hot oil on all sides until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the brisket from the pan and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until they become translucent, about 3 minutes. 

Stir the tomatoes, stock, vinegar, chicken broth and chile mixture in the crockpot. Add the browned meat and onions.  Cook on high for 4 hours.

When done, serve hot with the braising liquid alongside. Complete your meal with rice and black beans and roasted vegetables of your choice.

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Sarah's Chili

I have been obsessing about making chili.  Deana from lostpastrembered knows!  One of you had an intriguing recipe a couple or so months ago and I should have book-marked it.  It used chunks of beef and a variety of chilis.  And no tomatoes!  If you know who has this recipe, please tell me.



I brought back a few dried chilis from the South and have been dying to try them.  And I know I told Deana that I was 'beefed' out but when in Rome.....    Unless I want to have a feast on Mennonite, German or Farmer's sausages on a regular basis, beef is next in line here in cattle country.



In Neville, Saskatchewan we are in the centre of Hutterite and Mennonite country.  Hence, the sausages.  I also see lutefisk at the grocers.  Perhaps I will gather the courage.



So, back to the chili.  I decided to invent my own recipe.  And you wanna know what?  It wasn't half bad.  I loved the complexity of using the different dried chilis and the subtle flavours.  I grew up serving chili with rice - a little odd for a farming community perhaps.  I also love it with homemade bread. 

Sarah's Chili

1 lb. chuck or stewing beef, cut into cubes

1 can black beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1 dried mulato chili

1 dried ancho chili

1 dried guachillo chili

1 t dried red chili flakes

1 star anise

1 T rich, dark chocolate

1 t ground cumin

1 yellow onion, finely diced

1 c water



Saute the beef chunks and set aside.  In the same pan, warm all of the chilis and spices (grind in a coffee grinder or mini-prep first).  Add the onions and saute until clear.  Add back the beef.  Add the canned tomatoes, chocolate and water.  Cook in a 350F oven for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender.  Add the rinsed and drained canned black beans about 30 minutes before the dish is done.

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Braised Beef Short Ribs with Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I bought Cooking Light this month and there were a number of interesting recipes.  They didn't at all look like diet food.  Today I made the Braised Beef Short Ribs.  I adapted their recipe and added a few interesting ingredients I had on hand.



Short ribs are a less tender cut of beef and also less expensive.  They benefit from a slow, moist cooking method.  All of the connective tissue becomes tender and the collagen breaks down offering the dish a nice richness.  There was a lot of fat in my short ribs so I cut a lot out before cooking and then after cooking, I chilled the resultant sauce and skimmed off any fat that hardened on top.  The result is relatively low fat.



To keep with the low fat theme for dinner, I made whipped Yukon Gold potatoes with plain yogurt rather than sour cream or butter.

To top off the meal, I made No Knead Bread and used this Robin Hood bread blend.  It was delicious.  I used the bread blend (with multi-grains) cup for cup for the white flour in the recipe.  I cooked it in a Pyrex casserole with a lid this time.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

about 2 lbs of beef short ribs

1/2 c flour

salt, black pepper

2 T olive oil

1 celery rib, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

1 leek, white part only, diced

1 garlic clove

10 whole black peppercorns

5 juniper berries

2 bay leaves

3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 t dried thyme

2 T veal demi-glace

1 c water

1/2 c robust red wine

1 T Apple Quintessence 



 Season beef short ribs with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.  Sear them a few at a time in a large ovenproof casserole.  Sear on all sides and set aside.



To the same pot, add the celery, onion, carrot, leeks and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add the remainder of the ingredients.  Add the beef.



Bake in the oven at 350F for about 2 hours or until fall apart tender.



Remove the beef from the pot and remove any excess fat.  If all of the liquid has evaporated from the pot then add one or two cups of water and bring to a boil.  Strain to remove all the vegetables and other solids.  Chill the broth so you can remove any fat that hardens on the top.



After de-fatting, you may thicken the sauce if you wish.  Add one tablespoon of flour or cornstarch, whisk to incorporate and bring to a boil.  Pour this sauce over the short ribs.



Serve with creamy mashed potatoes or mushroom risotto.

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Home again...finally!

After 5 days and 3000 miles I am back in Canada.  What a nice feeling to be home!  If it had not been -21C (-5F) I would have bent down and kissed the ground!

Thank you everyone for keeping tabs on me!  I love my blogging friends!  I am so frustrated without reliable internet.   Today I am in Calgary catching up on a few months of mail and errands.  Plus, I have a sister in town having surgery so I am glad to be here to help her out.  On Monday I am back to the little house on the prairie.

New experiences are wonderful but coming home is always exciting.  I don’t know if I have mentioned, but I am homeless at the moment.  I have sold my house in Calgary and now I have the task of finding a new house to call home.

In the meantime, I am living in a friend’s house in Neville, Saskatchewan.  I know, I had never heard of it either until they moved here.  It is in the middle of NOWHERE!  The village has about 10 houses, a post office and one grain elevator.  I am 37 km from a small city.   It is mixed ranching and grain farming in this area.

This is a picture of what I arrived to – freshly fallen snow.  This is the little house I will be living in for the time being.

Hey, I found an advantage to this cold.  Check out this Canadian champagne chiller!  It works really well and it was free!

I have no cell phone service or internet and I have finally figured out the satellite television.  This is quiet!  But I do have television!  Yeah for the Canadian Food Network – Chef Michael Smith is one of my favourite.  And Restaurant Makeover is another favourite program.

I had an overwhelming urge to make cabbage rolls.  This is the recipe from The Joy of Cooking.

Cabbage Rolls           adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Combine in a large bowl:

1 lb. lean ground beef

½ c white rice

1 large egg

½ c breadcrumbs

½ c water

1 carrot, shredded

1 onion, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Bring to a rolling boil in a pot large enough to hold the head of cabbage:

Water to cover the package

1 ½ t salt

With a small sharp knife cut the core out of the cabbage.  Cook in the boiling water for 4 or 5 minutes or until the outer leaves are soft enough to pull off.  Remove the cabbage from the water and remove as many leaves as possible.  Return the cabbage to the boiling water for a few more minutes.  Remove the rest of the leaves.

The cabbage can also be frozen for 24 hours rather than boiling to soften the leaves.

Trim off the back spine of each leaf so it will be supple and can be easily rolled.  With the core end of the leaf near you and the hollow side up, put enough filling to leave a 1 ½ inch space at each end.  Roll firmly and fold in the right end as you roll up.  Tuck the left end into itself, closing the opening.  Repeat until all the filling and leaves are used.

Coarsely chop the leaves that were too small to use and a half onion.  Sauté in olive oil until soft.  Add:

1 28 oz can of plum tomatoes, puréed, cut up or broken

1 c water

2 T brown sugar

Put this sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and place the cabbage rolls on top.  Be sure to fit the rolls in tightly.  If they are not covered in the tomato sauce, add water or stock to cover.  Simmer for 1 ½ hours or bake in a 350F oven for 1 ½ hours.

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