I think everyone should keep a package or 2 of puff pastry in their freezer, ready to use at a moments notice. I’m not talking about homemade puff pastry, but the stuff you can find in most grocery store freezers. Sure, the store bought stuff doesn’t compare with the rich, buttery flakiness of homemade, but let’s face it, making puff pastry is a time consuming process. Don’t get me wrong, I think everyone should try their hand at making puff pastry, but let’s face it, going out and buying it is much more convienent.

There seems to be this feeling that puff pastry is some “fancy” food. Sure, beautiful gastronomic delights can be created using puff pastry, but I like because it makes a quick and flaky crust to wrap around all sorts of everyday fillings. Wrap it around a couple pieces of Hershey’s dark chocolate and a teaspoon of raspberry jam for a quick and tasty dessert. Fill it with thick chili for a latin inspired “empanada” or fill it with a mixture of browned ground beef and vegetables for a British inspired “pasty.” The ideas are endless and definitely need not be high cuisine.

I wrote up this recipe to help use up some stuff from our CSA box. We’ve gotten a little behind in using up the stuff as we were gone on vacation for a week and the vegetables started to pile up. We had plenty of kohlrabi to use up and half a head of Napa cabbage that was starting to get a little limp. Because I wasn’t particularly in the veggie mood I decided to cook them up with a bit of ground beef making a great filling for individual “pies.”

While these taste great on their own you could serve these with some sort of dipping sauce. An herbed sour cream, horseradish sauce or even applesauce would make a companion to these little “hot pockets.”

Individual Beef and Vegetable Pies
makes 8 pies ( usually serve 2 per person although paired with a salad 1 would make a nice light lunch)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 head Napa Cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cups kohlrabi, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt
pepper
1 box (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed per directions on box

Blanch the kohlrabi in boiling, salted water until tender but not mushy (anywhere from 1-5 minutes depending on how tender it is). Shock in ice water to stop the cooking then drain. In a large skillet brown the ground beef along with the onion and the garlic, seasoning with salt and pepper. Once the beef is cooked drain off all the fat. Return beef mixture to skillet and add the cabbage along with 1 cup of water. Cook until the cabbage is tender and all the water has evaporated. Add the kohlrabi, dried thyme and worcestershire. Cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Check seasoning and adjust. Place in the fridge to cool completely.

Once the meat mixture is cool, unroll 1 sheet of puff pastry and cut into 4 equal squares (they will not be exact squares but don’t worry). Preheat the oven to 375°F. Working with 1 piece at a time, place 1/2 cup of the meat mixture into the center of the square.

Lightly brush the edges with a bit of water to dampen, then bring up 2 corners to form a triangle. Pinch the sides closed then use a fork to crimp the sides together to ensure that they don’t separate during baking.

Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of pastry then unroll the other sheet and repeat the process until you have 8 pies. Place onto 2 greased baking trays and place in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the trays and bake 10 minutes longer or until the tops are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cook for 5 minutes before serving.

It’s time to dirty a few dishes. Okay, more than a few, but making pastitsio is worth the pile of pots and pans it requires to make it. If you are not familiar with pastitsio, it is a layered pasta dish, kind of similar to Italian Lasagna, most often associated with Greek cuisine although a similar dish can be found thoughout the Mediterrian and Middle East. Often made with lamb, although beef is common also, the dish starts with a layer of pasta, then a layer of meat sauce, followed by another layer of pasta, and finally topped with with a rich bechemel, often enriched with egg and cheese. While the dish, and all of its components, seem quite familiar, there is just enough nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice to lend an exotic flair to it, which makes it a great starting point from which a novice can start to explore the world of Greek cuisine.

One of the great things about making pastitsio is that it doesn’t require a whole lot of special ingredients. In fact you will probably have almost all of the ingredients in your house already. Of course if you want to get really “authentic” about it, there are few ingredients you need. First is a special, hollow pasta noodle that is used to make pastitsio, but any hollow pasta, such as penne, ziti, or macaroni will do. In fact, we had cavatappi around so that is what we used. Secondly you will need Kefalotiri cheese. This Greek hard cheese is made from sheep’s and goat’s milk. It can be difficult to find, but Pecorino Romano makes a great substitute. Failing that, a good parmesan works well. Just stay away from the stuff in the green can. You know the stuff that I mean.

Lastly, the only other decision to be made is whether to use lamb or beef. Some people will say that lamb is more traditional, but many “authentic” recipes I’ve seen say you can use either. My wife is not a big fan of lamb so we usually go with beef. So, now, let’s dirty some pots and pans!!

Pastitsio
serves 8-10

The Filling
1 Tbs. butter
2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
2 Tbs. parsley, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (or 1 15oz can diced tomato)
1 each egg white

Melt butter in a large saute pan, over high heat and add the ground beef, onion and garlic. Cook until brown then add all the remaining ingredients except the egg white. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, allow to cool to room temperature and then stir in the egg white. Set aside.

The Cream Sauce
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
4 cups milk
Salt
Pepper
Ground nutmeg
1 cup Kefalotiri cheese or substitute (see above)
2 eggs

Melt butter in a sauce pot and add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute then add the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring to ensure that sauce is smooth. Once the sauce thickens add the seasonings, to taste and remove from heat. Meanwhile beat eggs and stir in the cheese. To this mixture add about 1 cup of hot sauce and mix to temper so that the eggs won’t curdle. Pour egg mixture back into the sauce,stirring to combine, then set aside.

The Pasta and Assembly
1 pound of hollow pasta (see above for details)
1 cup Kefalotiri cheese, grated (or substitute)

While making the sauce, bring to a boil, in a large pot, 1 gallon of salted water. Cook pasta per directions on the package. Drain and rinse. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Place half the pasta in the bottom of the dish, topped with 1/3 of the grated cheese.

Over this layer spread the meat filling.

Then the other half of the pasta, followed by another 1/3 of the grated cheese.

Finally, pour on the cream sauce and top with the remaining 1/3 of grated cheese.

Bake in a 350°F oven for about 45 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Tomato Bowl 2011 is alive and well. Half way through the competition Team Green Bay is ahead of Team Pittsburgh by a touchdown. I’ve been kind of slacking so it is time to add another blog post in support of the Packers and my team of bloggers!!

Today’s recipe is one of my favorites. I love tamales, but they can be time consuming to make so I don’t make them very often. When I am having a serious tamale jones but don’t have time to make the real thing I often make this recipe. It’s basically chili topped with a thick batter of masa harina and Bisquick mix then baked until bubbly and golden brown. It’s not a tamale, but much of the flavor profile is there.

While you are more than welcome to use this recipe as is, if you have a favorite chili recipe just use that and then follow the recipe for the topping.

It used to be that masa harina was difficult to find unless you lived out West or in a major city. Nowadays, it can be found in most larger grocery stores, in the Hispanic section. While masa is a corn flour, cornmeal is not an acceptable substitute.

Tamale Casserole
serves 6-8 people

FOR FILLING:
2 pound Ground beef
2 each Onions, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 tablespoon Chili powder
2 cans (14.5oz) Red Gold diced tomato
1 can (15oz) Kidney beans
1 1/2 cups Water
Salt
Pepper
FOR TOPPING:
1 cup Masa Harina (mexican corn flour-do not substitute corn meal)
1 cup Bisquick® baking mix
2 cups Water

To Make the Filling:
Combine ground beef and onions in a large stock pot and brown over high heat. Add garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add diced tomato, kidney beans and water and cook for 30 minutes or until thickened (liquid should be reduced by about 1/2). Adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove from heat. Recipe can be made up to this point and refrigerated. Preheat oven to 350. Pour filling into a 9×13 casserole dish or cast iron skillet.

To Make the Topping:
Combine remaining ingredients and stir just until smooth. Pour over top of filling and spread it out evenly. Bake for approx. 30 minutes or until top is lightly golden brown. Will take longer if filling was made earlier and cooled. When done remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Growing up in small town mid-America I wasn’t exposed to a whole lot of ethnic foods beyond the standard Americanized Italian, Chinese and Mexican. While I loved “Mexican” food, I really hadn’t realized that there was much more to the cuisine than tacos and burritos stuffed with either ground beef or chicken and served with a side of beans and rice. Sure, I encountered the occasional enchilada and even more rarely, the occasional tamale, but my experiences were rather limited. Once out of high school though, and able to travel, I discovered that Mexican cuisine was filled with all sorts of wonderful foods, from complex moles to delicate ceviches to a vast array of street foods.

I have particularly become enamored of masa harina, the ground “flour” made from corn soaked in a lye solution. Masa is the basis for corn tortillas, tamales, and sopes. It can also be used a thickener for soups and stews and makes a wonderful addition when breading foods before frying.

The other day I was hungry for some good Mexican inspired food, specifically tamales, but I really didn’t have the time or the energy to get that involved so instead I decided to make some sopes. For those of you not familiar with sopes the best way to describe them is like a very thick corn tortilla that is crispy on the outside yet soft and tender inside though that doesn’t quite do them justice. They are then topped with a whole variety of fillings. This day I decided to braise up some beef and top my sopes with shredded beef. Add a little lettuce, some avocado and salsa and you have fantastic meal!

Shredded Beef Filling
this recipe makes more than you will need for 1 meal’s worth of sopes

2 1/2-3 pounds beef arm roast, or chuck roast
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can Rotel (canned tomatoes and green chile peppers)
salt
pepper
water
1 can tomato paste

Season the roast with salt and pepper and place in a large pot. Add the onions, garlic, Rotel and enough water to come 3/4′s of the way up the side of the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 1/2-3 hours, or until tender enough to shred with a fork. Remove meat from pot, allow to cool for 5 minutes then shred. Meanwhile increase heat to high and start reducing liquid. Once shredded, return meat to pot along with tomato paste and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the meat is thickly coated by the sauce. Remove from heat and serve or cool and package for later use.

>Sopes con Carne
1 1/2 cups masa harina (dried masa flour)
3/4 cup water
vegetable oil
Shredded Beef Filling
Pico de gallo
avocado
lime
shredded lettuce
sour cream

Combine the masa harina and water. Knead for 5 minutes. Masa harina continues no gluten so the kneading is really to make sure the dough is fully hydrated. Adjust consistency by adding more water or more masa, a little at a time, until you have a soft dough that is only slightly sticky. Divide the dough into 6 balls.

Flatten each ball into a circle about 3-4 inches in diameter. Meanwhile heat a skillet over high heat. In another deep sided pan heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil to 350°F. In the dry skillet briefly cook the masa disks for about 1 minute per side, just until they brown a little.

Remove from pan and while still warm (as soon as you can handle them) create a 1/4 inch lip all around the edge.

Drop into the oil and fry for about 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Drain on paper towels. While draining, dice up the avocado and mix in a little lime juice and salt. Stir just enough to bring together and mash it up enough for it to hold all together. Fill the sopes with the shredded beef, top with shredded lettuce then the avocado, pico de gallo and sour cream. Serve 1-2 per person.

If you make the sopes bite sized they make the perfect appetizer hors d’oeurves. You can then fill them with anything from BBQ chicken to melted cheese to mashed plantains.

Meatloaf just doesn’t get any respect. It has never been able to rise above the ranks of “home cooked meal.” While other comfort foods such as mashed potatoes and mac and cheese have found their ways onto all but the most snobbish of menus, meatloaf hasn’t made many inroads. Sure, it has seen brief moments of popularity, and there are a few chefs out there that regularly menu meatloaf, but on a whole it has never caught on beyond home cooking.

That’s too bad, because meatloaf is one of those infinitely variable dishes. It can be made “old school” like Mom used to, with “ketchup glaze” and Lipton’s French Onion Soup mix or it can be flavored with any variety of herbs and spices, recalling the flavors of a world of cuisines, from Mexican to Indian to German.

Meatloaf is also great for busy families. It can easily be put together in the morning and left in the fridge all day long, while people are at work, then when someone arrives home, all that needs to be done is to toss it in the oven to bake. You can’t get much more simple than that.

I have to admit though, as much of a fan as I am of the humble meatloaf, I definitely prefer it the day after. It makes the perfect sandwich and it is one of the few leftovers that never spoil when I am around. This recipe makes exceptionally good sandwiches and my wife didn’t get much of a chance to eat this, beyond the first night.

Italian Meatloaf

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 oz. sundried tomatoes, rehydrated and chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Saute the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil until they release all their juices. Add garlic and continue to saute until dry. Cool to room temperature. Combine with all remaining ingredients and form into a free form loaf approximately 5-6″ wide and about 12-14″ long.

Place in a preheated oven and bake, at 350°F, for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a thermometer, inserted into the center, reads 155°F. Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

I came to a conclusion this weekend. I am terrible at keeping friends. It’s not that I am a mean or vile person. I am very personable and make friends quite easily, but I am terrible at keeping long term friendships alive. I have moved around alot in my life, both somewhat as a kid and more so as an adult and I have come to the realization that I tend to close out chapters of my life, when I move, to the point of letting old friendships fade away. You psychologist types out there would probably tell me that I do this to protect myself from the pain of leaving friends and loved ones behind as I move on with my life, and you’d probably be right. It’s a coping mechanism that has suited me well, in the short term, but I am now realizing that, in the long run, it wasn’t such a great thing.

So what has brought about this epiphany? Well, this weekend we got together with a couple of my old friends from culinary school, who are now married to each other. It was a fun time, hanging out, at the park, grilling out for Father’s Day, and enjoying the company of old friends, but as conversation turned to others we went to school with I realized I had pretty much lost touch with everyone and only knew about their lives by what they posted on Facebook. I then realized that it was the same with many other chapters in my life. I had made many wonderful friends, but, with a few exceptions, had allowed all those relationships to fade away.

Thanks to Facebook, I now have the chance to try and reestablish some of those friendships, but I wonder if that is even possible. I’m not the same person I was years ago and neither are they. We’ve had so many years to grow in different directions I wonder if there would even be any common ground any more. But even more importantly, I hope I have learned my lesson, and will not follow the same path as I have in the past.

But enough of my maudlin, introspective mood. That’s not what you came here for. You can to check out the new dishes I have created and the recipes I have come up with. Well, the next few posts will revolve around some of the food I prepared for our Father’s Day picnic/cook out.

These skewers that I am sharing with you today are pretty simple but require a little work the night before which leaves you with more time the day you are preparing them. Make sure, if you are using bamboo skewers that you start soaking them the night before you plan on cooking. If you don’t they will go up in flames and your skewers will fall part during cooking which is a pain!

Onion Balsamic Glaze
1 onion, large
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar

Peel and slice the onion. Place in a sauce pot along with the oil and saute until just starting to brown. Add the water and cook until almost all of the water has evaporated. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly then blend until almost smooth. Chill.

Beef and Mushroom Skewers with Onion Balsamic Glaze
makes 16 skewers-serves 6-8
3 pounds sirloin roast, trimmed of all fat and silver skin
24 cremini mushrooms, large
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
5 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced and lightly crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
salt
Onion Balsamic Glaze
16 skewers (I use bamboo, but if you have metal skewers they can be used also)

Cut beef into cubes approximately 1-1 1/2″ square. You should end up with about 48 cubes. Place beef, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil in a zip lock bag. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste and close bag. Gently massage bag to evenly distribute oil and seasonings over beef. Place in fridge and marinate overnight. Soak skewers, overnight, in water.

The following day, cut mushrooms in half. Make skewers using 3 pieces of beef and 3 mushroom halves, starting with a mushroom half and alternating with the beef. The mushrooms will have a tendency to split apart when being skewered. To avoid this press them gently, but firmly down on the skewer while roating the skewer. This will prevent most of the mushrooms from splitting. Season with salt and more pepper, if desired and grill over medium high heat, trying to keep the bottom, exposed, part of the skewer from sitting directly over the coals.

Grill for 3-4 minutes then flip the skewers over to cook the other side. After 3-4 minutes longer brush with glaze and cook 2-3 minutes longer. Longer than that and the sugar in the glaze will have a tendency to burn. If you like your meat a little more done, cook longer before adding the glaze. When done remove from grill and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Sometimes, I’m not so smart. This is sometimes true even when I haven’t been drinking. Take this post, for example. I was planning on posting this recipe last night, but in my excitement I made up my sandwich and ate it before I remembered to shoot a picture of it. Luckily I had plenty of beef leftover so tonight I “forced” myself to eat another one, just so I could take a picture of it to share with you, my readers.

Okay, so it really wasn’t much of a sacrifice since I absolutely love Italian beef sandwiches. While you can find them in most major cities nowadays, Chicago is where it was created and it is in Chicago where this sandwich reaches its apex.

For the uninitiated, a Chicago style Italian beef sandwich is made up of thinly sliced, highly seasoned roast beef that has been warmed in jus, stuffed into a long roll, drizzled with more of the jus, and topped with either fried sweet peppers or giardiniera-a mixture of sliced hot peppers and vegetables. It rivals the Muffuletta (the famous New Orleans sandwich) for its shear messiness, and kicks the Philly Cheesesteak’s ass flavor wise, in my opinion (I’m willing to hear a rebuttal on this, but good luck changing my mind!).

While the sandwich, itself, is not complicated to make, finding a couple of the ingredients may be slightly difficult. First off trying to find the proper giardiniera can be difficult. Any slightly spicy mix of pickled vegetables might be called giardiniera, but not all really work with this sandwich. You want to find a brand that contains mostly sliced hot peppers with just a few other vegetables thrown in, mainly carrots, celery, bell peppers,etc. There are many brands out there that are mostly cauliflower and carrot. Stay away from those, as they don’t provide the right flavor. Scala’s is the brand most recognized in Chicago and I believe you can buy their giardiniera online. The other difficult item to find is the bread. In Chicago there are numerous bakeries that specialize in making loaves for Italian beefs. It can be difficult to find a bread the right size with the right crust and crumb consistencies. Most baguettes are too hard, most “Italian” breads are too large and too soft. Outside of Chicago I have found the best bet is the cheap, grocery store baked “French” bread. I usually stay far away from these loaves that tend to make a mockery out of the French baguette but in this case they work perfectly. The crust is just tough enough to hold all the jus for just about the length of time it takes to eat a sandwich (don’t delay in eating too long or the bread will dissolve into nothing) while the soft interior is perfect for soaking up all that just.

One final word about this recipe. I often try to stay far away from those little beef bouillion cubes, but they are virtually essential to making a jus of the proper flavor so I make an exception in this case.

It is best to roast the beef at least 1 day in advance to cool it down completely. This will help with slicing, especially if you don’t have an electric slicer.

Italian Beef Sandwich

3 pounds beef, sirloin roast (or other less fatty roast)
1/2 Tbsp. oregano, dried
1/2 Tbsp. basil, dried
1/2 Tbsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. black pepper
salt
4 cubes beef bouillon
5 cups hot water
1 loaf french bread
1 jar giardiniera

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly season roast with salt. Mix the spices and dried herbs together along with the peppers. Generously sprinkle over the roast, coating it well on all sides. Place the roast on a rack over a 9×13 pan. In the pan place the beef bouillon and the hot water. Add any remaining season. Roast to an internal temperature of 140°F.

When meat and jus has cooled add meat to jus and refrigerate overnight. The following day slice the beef as thin as you can. This takes a little patience if you don’t have an electric slicer, but try to cut as thinly as possible. Your efforts will be rewarded in the long run. In a pot, heat the jus to a low simmer or just below. You don’t want it boiling or you will overcook your beef. Cut the bread into 6 inch sections and slice open but leave a thick hinge. Taking about 6 oz. of beef, dip it into the hot just and allow it to warm for about 45 seconds, give or take, depending on how out the jus is. What you don’t want to happen is for the beef to start to curl. This means you have overcooked it and it will be dry and tough. When the meat is warmed just through, use tongs to transfer to the bread. Don’t shake off the excess jus. Try to transfer the meat leaving it as wet as possible. Drizzle a little more jus over the top then top the sandwich with as much giardiniera as your mouth can handle, drizzling a little of the oil, the vegetable are packed in, over the top of everything. At this point you want to eat this thing pretty quickly or you find your bread disintegrating before your eyes

I’ve been having fun playing with my new food dehydrator, thanks to Chef Talk. I don’t know that the infatuation will last but it is fun right now, and, at the very least, I think it is something that I will pull out occasionally and play around with, even if it never becomes a “vital” appliance in my kitchen.

This weekend I got a chance to play around with making jerky, and I have to say, I was rather pleased with the results. It sure beats out most of the big name brand jerkys out there and is a heck of a lot less expensive than buying any of those “gourmet” jerkys you see at fairs and festivals. I made both a Spicy Asian jerky, marinating it in soy sauce accented with Chinese 5 spice powder and Siracha (a spicy chile garlic sauce). I also made a Southwestern Chipotle Lime jerky, using ground chipotles to add a nice light smoky accent to the jerky. Of course you can always smoke your jerky before drying it in the dehydrator. I can be smoked afterwards but the meat will take up more smoke, more readily if you smoke it while still raw.

A couple of things to remember, if you are making jerky. First off you will yield about 1/4-1/3, by weight, of the original amount of meat you purchased due to the drying process so purchase accordingly. Secondly, it’s very important to remove as much outer fat as possible and choose meat with as little interior marbling as possible as the fat as a tendency to go rancid sometimes. For longer term storage I suggest placing in the refrigerator. I did not use any curing salts (nitrates or nitrites) in the making of these jerkys so long term storage, at room temp might be problematic. I wouldn’t worry about leaving it out for a day or 2 but for longer storage, play it safe and refrigerate.

Spicy Asian Jerky

1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. Chinese 5 spice powder
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. Sriracha (chile garlic paste)
1 lb. lean beef (I used an Inside Roast roast)

Chipotle Lime Jerky

1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. chipotle powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. lime juice
1 lb. lean beef (see note above)

For each recipe, combine all the ingredients except the beef. Slice the beef so it is approximately 1/4″ thick then into strips about 1 1/2″ wide. Toss the beef in to the marinade and mix to coat. Because the Chipotle marinade is more of a paste you will really need to work at getting it distributed evenly. Tightly cover and allow to marinate for 10-12 hours in the refrigerator, stirring it every few hours.

Spicy Asian Jerky in marinade

Chipotle Lime Jerky marinating

Place meat in dehydrator, blotting off excess moisture from the Asian Jerky. Dry following the manufacturer’s directions. You will want to dry somewhere between 140F and 160F.

Drying time will be anywhere from 3 1/2 to 10 hours, depending on several factors, but if you made sure to cut your meat 1/4″ thick it should take 3 1/2 – 5 hours. To test for doneness remove 1 piece of jerky and let it cool to room temperature. It should crack along the grain when bent but it shouldn’t break apart. When done remove to a cooling rack, blot off any excess fat that rendered out and allow to cool completely before packing it way.

I can’t believe that this is my first stew recipe here on “Once a Chef…” I love stews and usually make them often during the cold, winter months, but I’ve been slacking in that department this year, it seems. There’s just something so comforting about a big pot of stew cooking away on the stove top when the wind is howling, the snow is blowing and the temperatures plummet. While I like all types of stews, I have to admit that I am partial to simple beef stews chock full of hunks of meat, carrots, onions, potatoes and other root vegetables.

Like so many of the recipes I offer up here, stews can easily be modified to suit your tastes. Add a little red wine, or mushrooms. Vary the herbs, or add a whole variety of root vegetables. Finish the stew with sour cream, yogurt, or a little fortified wine, or leave it plain. The possibilities are endless and you can build it to suit your own tastes and cravings.

I’ve kept this one rather simple, but have added a bit of flair by using Guinness in the dish. The maltiness of the beer helps to elevate the sweetness of the rutabage, while the caramel tones compliment the well browned meat. The bitterness just kind of fades into the background, but be careful how much you use or that bitterness can ruin the dish.

Beef & Guinness Stew
serves 4 with a few leftovers

1 1/2 pounds beef (I usually look for chuck or round) cut into 1 1/2″ cubes (fat and sinew removed)
4 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 medium onions, peeled, large dice
2 ribs celery, large dice
3 each carrots, peeled, large dice
1 1/2 bottles Guinness (that leaves 1/2 a bottle for drinking while cooking because it would be a shame to waste good Guinness!)
2 cups water
1 medium rutabaga peeled, large dice
3-4 potatoes peeled, large dice
1 each bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
salt
pepper

Season the flour with salt and pepper, and toss with beef to coat. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy bottomed pot heat the oil over high heat. Add half the floured beef to the pot and cook until deep brown on all sides (people have a tendency to want to stir meat too often as it is browning-once added to the pan let it cook for 3-4 minutes before stirring, then only stir enough to mix it around so that other sides brown, allow to cook a few minutes before stirring again). Once meat is sufficiently browned remove from pot and cook remaining beef. Remove that also and add onions, carrots and celery. Add a little more oil if necessary and cook until lightly browned. Deglaze pan with the beer, stirring to scrape up all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook for 5 minutes then add the beef, along with any juices that have accumulated, the water, bay leaf, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a hard simmer, reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer, slowly, for 1 1/2 hours. Add the rutabaga and potato, cover, and cook until meat and vegetables are tender, about another 30 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary. If the stew is a little thin for your tastes (I like my stew pretty thick) mix a couple of tablespoons of flour with just enough water to make a thin paste. Add to stew and bring back to a brief boil to thicken. Serve with homemade biscuits.

Well, winter has finally arrived here in Wisconsin, and it has arrived with a vengeance, if you can believe the forecast for the next few days. We are expecting 1 to 2 inches of snow today, and possibly 10-13 inches on Tuesday and Wednesday! Time to pull out the winter jacket, gloves, hats and boots. I guess that also means that I’ll need to pull out the shovels.

In anticipation of our first big snow, I made up a big pot of chili, my first of the season. I’m a little late as I usually have made a couple of batches by the time December rolls around, but I never got around to making up a batch this Fall. But with the impending blizzard, and the thought of having to spend a good amount of time shoveling out, I figured now was the time to get a big old pot full of soul warming chili going.

I have a number of recipes for chili, each distinct from the the others in various ways. Some contain beer, others contain whiskey, while others do without any form of alcohol. Most contain tomatoes and beans though a few do not. Some are thickened with corn tortillas or masa harina, while others are thinner and more soup like. Another thing I like to do is add both dried and fresh chiles to my chili as I feel it gives a more complex flavor to the heat. I rarely make the same kind twice in a row and allow my whims to dictate how the chili will turn out. In fact, I hate to say that I have a number or “recipes” for chili, as they are more of a general guideline, that I follow, than anything else.

Yes, I know that last paragraph contained two ingredients that make any chili purist shudder; tomatoes and beans. Okay, I understand, “traditional” chili does not contain these 2 ingredients, but I never claimed that what I make is a historically accurate rendition of the true “chili con carne,” containing only meat, chiles, onions, seasonings, and water. I’m fine with the addition of tomatoes and beans to my chili, but I do draw the line at the addition of pasta, especially spaghetti. Chili with pasta seems to a favorite up here in Wisconsin, but I just don’t understand it, nor do I want to. It’s just wrong!

The recipe I offer up today is a pretty straight forward chili without a lot of complicating flavors, and while it does contain tomatoes and beans, I think that good Texan would still find it comforting and tasty.

Chili

3-4 each Dried Guajillo peppers
2 cups Water
4 pounds Beef, rump roast, cut into 1/2″ cubes
2 each Onions, large, diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2-6 each Jalapenos, seeded and roughly chopped (the amount depends on how hot you like your chili)
1 can (6oz.) Tomato paste
2 cans (14.5oz. each) Diced or Chopped Tomatoes
1 cup Water
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
2 tsp. Chili powder
2 cans (15.5oz. each) Kidney Beans, drained
Salt
Pepper

Roughly tear up the guajillo peppers, discarding the seeds. Place in a pot with the 1 1/2 cups water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand, at least, 10 minutes longer. Meanwhile season the meat with salt and pepper and in a large pot brown it, in oil, over high heat. This will need to be done in at least 4-5 batches so as to not cool down the pan too much by overcrowding. This is one of the most important steps that most people fail at when making any kind of stew (which chili essentially is) or braised dish. Take the time to get a nice dark sear on the meat.

Remove each batch of meat from pan as it browns and give the pan a minute to heat up again before adding the next batch. After all the meat is done add the onions, garlic and jalapenos to the pan and saute until the onions start to wilt, scraping up any of the meat juices that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile puree the guajillos and water in a blender until smooth. Add the pepper puree to the onions and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the can of tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t burn. Add the 1 cup of water along with the diced tomatoes and stir until the tomato paste dissolves into the liquid. Add the spices.

Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the chili doesn’t burn. After 2 hours, add the kidney beans, cover again and simmer 30 minutes longer. Once the 30 minutes are up remove the cover and allow to continue to cook until the meat is tender and you have achieved the desired consistency. I like this chili rather thick so I let the liquid reduce down considerably. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve as you like. Personally, I like mine with a side of tortilla chips, though my wife likes to top hers with minced onions, sour cream and shredded cheese.