January 22nd, 2007
Best. Steak. EVER.
...
OK, so that may be an exxageration - I'm sure I've had better steaks at some of the nicer restaurants I've had the priviledge of eating at over the years, and I'm sure that places like Peter Luger's (a very famous and high-class steakhouse in New York) would blow this puppy out of the water. However, it was difficult to remember any of that once I put the first delicious bite in my mouth. Certainly, this is the best steak we've ever made at home, and the best part is that the entire recipe is our original creation.
The star of the show was a thick, juicy sirloin steak that was marinated for several hours, then hit with a wet herb rub and pan-broiled in a dry skillet until seared on the outside and just medium on the inside. Topping the steak was a mushroom and onion sautee in a sherry wine reduction, something I first started making about 6 months ago and have been slowly but surely improving upon each time I make it. The flavors of this dish are rich, deep, and savory, with an earthiness from the mushrooms and fresh herbs that compliments the natural flavor of the beef incredibly well. And, surprisingly enough, it is not difficult tomake AT ALL. The most important thing is getting the right cut of beef and then cooking it just right - a thin cut of beef wouldn't stand up well to the bold flavors of the sauce, and a steak thats been overcooked will be tough and tasteless.
( Recipe and photo behind the cut )
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iheartcooking
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...
OK, so that may be an exxageration - I'm sure I've had better steaks at some of the nicer restaurants I've had the priviledge of eating at over the years, and I'm sure that places like Peter Luger's (a very famous and high-class steakhouse in New York) would blow this puppy out of the water. However, it was difficult to remember any of that once I put the first delicious bite in my mouth. Certainly, this is the best steak we've ever made at home, and the best part is that the entire recipe is our original creation.
The star of the show was a thick, juicy sirloin steak that was marinated for several hours, then hit with a wet herb rub and pan-broiled in a dry skillet until seared on the outside and just medium on the inside. Topping the steak was a mushroom and onion sautee in a sherry wine reduction, something I first started making about 6 months ago and have been slowly but surely improving upon each time I make it. The flavors of this dish are rich, deep, and savory, with an earthiness from the mushrooms and fresh herbs that compliments the natural flavor of the beef incredibly well. And, surprisingly enough, it is not difficult tomake AT ALL. The most important thing is getting the right cut of beef and then cooking it just right - a thin cut of beef wouldn't stand up well to the bold flavors of the sauce, and a steak thats been overcooked will be tough and tasteless.
( Recipe and photo behind the cut )
X-posted to
iheartcooking- Mood:
hungry
So Thursday night I had to get creative. I had a bunch of people I was supposed to serve dinner on Friday night, and wanted to make Potato Soup. Whenever I'm feeding a lot of people, I dig out my 8 quart oval crock pot and get to work. The preparation time for such meals is usually 1+ hours, but because it can cook while I'm away at work I don't have to worry about serving a late dinner. Well, that's the theory at least.
The first step was to peel and wash 5 pounds of potatoes. This ... takes a while. I have an oxo y-grip peeler, which I adore, and so at least my hands don't cramp.
By the time I was finished washing and peeling all the potatoes, I still had to cube them. I'm not a fanatic about getting my squares just right - but I do try for having similarly sized potato bits. This helps the food cook more evenly. So I cut all the potatoes in half, then into strips, and finally into cubes. When I was done even my desire to play with knives was fading.
I dug out my food processor and skinned and cleaned 2 onions, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 large carrots (more peeling!), and 2 large stalks of celery. Then I threw all these ingredients into the food processor, one bit at a time. It is so much easier on the hand to push a button than to dice the veggies; but I suppose either would work.
With the vegetables finely diced, I added it all on top of the potatoes in the crock pot. The food processor does not make vegetables pretty, but since this dish will be puree'd later (and the potatoes are supposed to fall apart), I figured what the hey. BTW - if you do this - make sure to get all the liquid out of your food processor and into the crockpot.
The recipe calls for chicken bouillon cubes, and 5 cups of water - but I don't use bouillon. Instead I thawed 5 cups of homemade chicken stock and added it. It didn't quite cover the potatoes. Oh well, I though. I added a teaspoon of salted herbs and covered the crock pot. I stored it in the fridge and got to work cleaning my kitchen.
The next morning I found many of my delicious cubed potatoes blackened. I had forgotten to cover them with liquid. I picked out the worst of them and put the crock pot on low before going to work.
When I came home the smell was divine. The potatoes had collapsed and the liquid was gone! I took out 4 cups from the crock pot and ran it through the food processor (picking out the potatoes that were too dark from either being too close to the sides of the crock pot, or not covered by liquid). As I pureed I added a little bit of milk to the mix to make it easier on my food processor.
I then dumped the resulting liquid into a pot for the stove. My crockpot had a blackened ring around it - and there was more black stuff in the corners. Not willing to risk more blackening - I figured it best to change venues.
I continued pureeing all the soup and transferring it into the pot on the stove.
Then I diced up 1 cup of Monterey and Colby cheese. I added it to the pot with a bit more milk. I didn't keep close track of the amount, but I added enough that I could actually stir the soup.
I turned the heat on low, covered the pot, and crossed my fingers.
It came out a bit bland - mostly because of my choice of cheese. While serving I added grainy mustard to the soup and found it quite good. It was also more like a gumbo than a soup - so thick you could eat it with a fork. I still don't know if this was a bad thing. We served it with fresh egg bread, butter and lots of mustard.
Crock Pot Potato and Cheese Soup
Ingredients
5 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon salted herbs
1 cup sharp cheese, cubed
5 cups chicken broth, defatted (approximate)
1 tsp salted herbs
1 cup milk (approximate)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Peel and cube your potatoes.
2. Place the peeled vegetables in a food processor and reduce to a good pulp.
3. Put all your potatoes and other vegetables into the crock pot with at least 5 cups of broth. Note that the potatoes must be covered completely. If necessary add more water (or broth) to ensure the potatoes are submerged.
4. Turn the crock pot onto low and cook for 8-10 hours, or until the potatoes fall apart and the liquid is absorbed.
5. Take 4 cups of soup out of the crock pot and puree. Add a little bit of milk if your food processor has difficulty.
6. Put the pureed soup back into (either) your clean crock pot or a clean pot for the stove.
7. Repeat with the rest of the soup.
8. Add a bit more milk to make the soup liquidly enough to stir.
9. Add your cheese. The sharper the cheese the better the taste will come out in the soup.
10. Adjust seasoning to taste and heat slowly until the cheese is melted and the soup is hot.
11. Serve warm.
The first step was to peel and wash 5 pounds of potatoes. This ... takes a while. I have an oxo y-grip peeler, which I adore, and so at least my hands don't cramp.
By the time I was finished washing and peeling all the potatoes, I still had to cube them. I'm not a fanatic about getting my squares just right - but I do try for having similarly sized potato bits. This helps the food cook more evenly. So I cut all the potatoes in half, then into strips, and finally into cubes. When I was done even my desire to play with knives was fading.
I dug out my food processor and skinned and cleaned 2 onions, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 large carrots (more peeling!), and 2 large stalks of celery. Then I threw all these ingredients into the food processor, one bit at a time. It is so much easier on the hand to push a button than to dice the veggies; but I suppose either would work.
With the vegetables finely diced, I added it all on top of the potatoes in the crock pot. The food processor does not make vegetables pretty, but since this dish will be puree'd later (and the potatoes are supposed to fall apart), I figured what the hey. BTW - if you do this - make sure to get all the liquid out of your food processor and into the crockpot.
The recipe calls for chicken bouillon cubes, and 5 cups of water - but I don't use bouillon. Instead I thawed 5 cups of homemade chicken stock and added it. It didn't quite cover the potatoes. Oh well, I though. I added a teaspoon of salted herbs and covered the crock pot. I stored it in the fridge and got to work cleaning my kitchen.
The next morning I found many of my delicious cubed potatoes blackened. I had forgotten to cover them with liquid. I picked out the worst of them and put the crock pot on low before going to work.
When I came home the smell was divine. The potatoes had collapsed and the liquid was gone! I took out 4 cups from the crock pot and ran it through the food processor (picking out the potatoes that were too dark from either being too close to the sides of the crock pot, or not covered by liquid). As I pureed I added a little bit of milk to the mix to make it easier on my food processor.
I then dumped the resulting liquid into a pot for the stove. My crockpot had a blackened ring around it - and there was more black stuff in the corners. Not willing to risk more blackening - I figured it best to change venues.
I continued pureeing all the soup and transferring it into the pot on the stove.
Then I diced up 1 cup of Monterey and Colby cheese. I added it to the pot with a bit more milk. I didn't keep close track of the amount, but I added enough that I could actually stir the soup.
I turned the heat on low, covered the pot, and crossed my fingers.
It came out a bit bland - mostly because of my choice of cheese. While serving I added grainy mustard to the soup and found it quite good. It was also more like a gumbo than a soup - so thick you could eat it with a fork. I still don't know if this was a bad thing. We served it with fresh egg bread, butter and lots of mustard.
Crock Pot Potato and Cheese Soup
Ingredients
5 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon salted herbs
1 cup sharp cheese, cubed
5 cups chicken broth, defatted (approximate)
1 tsp salted herbs
1 cup milk (approximate)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Peel and cube your potatoes.
2. Place the peeled vegetables in a food processor and reduce to a good pulp.
3. Put all your potatoes and other vegetables into the crock pot with at least 5 cups of broth. Note that the potatoes must be covered completely. If necessary add more water (or broth) to ensure the potatoes are submerged.
4. Turn the crock pot onto low and cook for 8-10 hours, or until the potatoes fall apart and the liquid is absorbed.
5. Take 4 cups of soup out of the crock pot and puree. Add a little bit of milk if your food processor has difficulty.
6. Put the pureed soup back into (either) your clean crock pot or a clean pot for the stove.
7. Repeat with the rest of the soup.
8. Add a bit more milk to make the soup liquidly enough to stir.
9. Add your cheese. The sharper the cheese the better the taste will come out in the soup.
10. Adjust seasoning to taste and heat slowly until the cheese is melted and the soup is hot.
11. Serve warm.
I made shrimp scampi for lunch today, and subsequently for my boyfriend's dinner, since there was plenty leftover. I used this recipe, but substituted sweet white wine for dry white wine because it's all I had. I added some sauteed onion and red pepper, and the shrimp I used were already cooked.
It turned out pretty darn good I have to say. My only concern is, I think the dry wine would have been better. The flavor of the wine came out a little too strong in this endeavor. But, I did what I could with what I had in the house.
One more picture...
It was a great game and the Indianapolis Colts finally made it to the Superbowl but I think that's going to be a problem for a lot of us here. Two Sundays from now it will be time to put out the traditional feed that features dishes native to both team's home towns. The Chicago side of the buffet table is easy; there will be ribs, and Polish sasuage and hotdogs with everything and soupy pizza and, well, there is a lot to choose from. But, what do you put on the Indianapolis side of the table? Number 2 field corn?
Sorry if this is off topic, let me know and I'll delete it...
Did anyone else watch Iron Chef last night...Morimoto vs. Cantu?
Thoughts?
Did anyone else watch Iron Chef last night...Morimoto vs. Cantu?
Thoughts?
I'm going to be helping my sixteen year old sister throw a Valentine's Day dinner party for her friends. She wants it to be formal and "grown up." However, I'm totally clueless about the progression of the menu. I've heard of things like "cheese course" and "soup course" but I don't know what order they're supposed to be in. It shouldn't be extra fancy, probably only three to four courses with a desert, but can anyone recommend a menu plan?
- Mood:
curious - Music:Grapefruit Moon -- Tom Waits
Hee hee.
The last post was meant to go to my journal, not here.
The last post was meant to go to my journal, not here.
I am having a small wedding, and I want to do a Moroccan feast, complete with a tent in my yard and lots of pillows. I am going to do this 1/2 catered 1/2 cooked by my family. What should I feed my guests??? I am really up for anything. And, I'm not too concerned if it isn't strictly Moroccan.
I was thinking:
hummus
pitas
kebabs
chicken with some kind of plum, apricot, or lemon
lentil/chickpea soup
cous cous
grilled vegis & fruit
cheese, olives
stuffed grape leaves
I'd like more suggestions. And tried recipes for those items listed above.
I know there's a lot of good food out there, but I don't know the names of such dishes.. so I am having a hard time finding recipes.
I'm looking for sensual foods. You know... I'm not afraid to make them get a bit messy and eat with their hands. This is a lounging dinner, not a sit down suit & tie deal.
THANK YOU!!! I will definitely be posting these pictures after the event. I'm really excited to see what you guys might suggest.
I was thinking:
hummus
pitas
kebabs
chicken with some kind of plum, apricot, or lemon
lentil/chickpea soup
cous cous
grilled vegis & fruit
cheese, olives
stuffed grape leaves
I'd like more suggestions. And tried recipes for those items listed above.
I know there's a lot of good food out there, but I don't know the names of such dishes.. so I am having a hard time finding recipes.
I'm looking for sensual foods. You know... I'm not afraid to make them get a bit messy and eat with their hands. This is a lounging dinner, not a sit down suit & tie deal.
THANK YOU!!! I will definitely be posting these pictures after the event. I'm really excited to see what you guys might suggest.