We have a tradition in my family. Most every Sunday we sit down to a scratch pancake and sausage breakfast. Well, I don't exactly make the sausage from scratch but you get the picture . I say most every Sunday because there are some Sundays when I, for some reason, don't whip up a batch of hotcakes and links and I almost always hear about it. Traditions are very important to us and this one ranks right up there with the Elf on the Shelf. Well, almost. Nevertheless, sitting down to breakfast with your family doesn't have to be an event. In fact, breakfast is relatively easy to prepare. And why not breakfast? Isn't it most important meal of the day?
If you've read this far, then your probably interested in my TTPs. My tools, techniques, and procedures. So I won't make you wait another minute.
First, by a griddle. I have a Westbend and it works very well for my family of four. You need a griddle because it offers a large cooking surface. If you have a large family, then consider purchasing two griddles.
Next, you need to find a recipe that you and your family like. I've memorized a pancake recipe I obtained from the cookbook Joy of Cooking which I'll share with you in a moment.
Third, figure out what sort of sausage your family likes to eat. And don't limit yourself to the heat-and-serve variety you find in your standard grocery store. I happen to like Bass Farm brand sausage but my boys are still young so we stick to Johnsonville brand links because they're mild.
So now you have a griddle or two, a pancake recipe, and sausage. Let's get started. Set up your griddle and set it to 350 degrees. While the griddle heats up combine your wet and dry ingredients separately. For about 10-12 pancakes, 6-8 inches in diameter combine
Dry:
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
Wet:
1 1/4 cup of whole milk
1 egg, beaten lightly
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons of sugar
Whisk together the dry ingredients for a few minutes until blended. Then warm the milk, melt the butter, and combine. Whisk the eggs and sugar together and temper the egg mixture by pouring a little of the warm milk mixture in the eggs to bring the temperature up slowly.
Now that you combined the the wet and dry ingredients pour the wet into the dry and mix together with a spatula. Use as few strokes as possible to avoid overbeating the mixture. If you overbeat, you encourage glutin, which results is tough pancakes. You'll have a few lumps but no 'knead' to worry. Get it? No. Anyway, let the batter sit for about 10 minutes to give the baking powder an opportunity to do its thing.
This is about the time I start the sausage. Follow the instruction on the package. Avoid cooking sausage on high heat or it'll burn before it cooks through.
I use a 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Make your pancakes as small or as large as you like but be prepared to live with the consequences of your decision. I can usually get about 4-6 pancakes on at a time. pour the batter and cook until the top of the pancakes bubbles and pits. Take a look at the underside to be sure it's browned before you flip. Once you flip the pancakes, cook for about another minute and set them aside on a plate and cover with a clean dishtowel. Finish up the rest of the batter and serve the pancakes with syrup and butter.
If it's Strawberry or Blueberry season, then kick it up a notch and make a seasonal syrup.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
My French Oven
If you are any sort of cook, then you must own a french oven. I cannot overstate the pot's versatility. From boiling water to Coq au Vin, no other pot in my kitchen gets more use than my fire Red Le Crueset french oven.
I recently dropped the pot's cover and broke the OEM knob. A quick search for Le Crueset knobs on the web produced several potential replacements. I found a stainless steel knob that is oven safe at all temperatures. Check it out.
I recently dropped the pot's cover and broke the OEM knob. A quick search for Le Crueset knobs on the web produced several potential replacements. I found a stainless steel knob that is oven safe at all temperatures. Check it out.
Red Beans and Sausage Over Rice
1 pound of lean sausage
2-3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne (optional)
3 tablespoons of oil
1 bean recipe (replace black beans)
1 white rice recipe
Cut the sausage into 1/4 inch slices. Cut it on the diagonal if you feel fancy. Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan and brown the sausage. Keep in mind that the sausage is already salty so avoid salting it further. Add the spices, water, and cook for one minute more.
Combine beans with sausage and heat through. Pour over white or brown rice and enjoy. My toddlers go nuts over beans and sausage.
2-3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne (optional)
3 tablespoons of oil
1 bean recipe (replace black beans)
1 white rice recipe
Cut the sausage into 1/4 inch slices. Cut it on the diagonal if you feel fancy. Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan and brown the sausage. Keep in mind that the sausage is already salty so avoid salting it further. Add the spices, water, and cook for one minute more.
Combine beans with sausage and heat through. Pour over white or brown rice and enjoy. My toddlers go nuts over beans and sausage.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Easy Black Beans - Latin Style
Ingredients
2 cans of black beans
6 cubes of Sofrito ( See my Sofrito recipe)
2 teaspoons of cumin (optional)
2 teaspoons of Olive oil
1/4 cup of water
Place the oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer place add the sofrito and cook until the cubes melt. Add the cumin and cook for 1 more minute. Add the beans and water and bring to a boil. Once the beans come to a boil cover and simmer for about 10 minutes and serve.
By the way, to make black bean soup, add a one cup of chicken broth in addition to the water. Cook as directed, blend half the bean mixture, recombine and serve.
2 cans of black beans
6 cubes of Sofrito ( See my Sofrito recipe)
2 teaspoons of cumin (optional)
2 teaspoons of Olive oil
1/4 cup of water
Place the oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer place add the sofrito and cook until the cubes melt. Add the cumin and cook for 1 more minute. Add the beans and water and bring to a boil. Once the beans come to a boil cover and simmer for about 10 minutes and serve.
By the way, to make black bean soup, add a one cup of chicken broth in addition to the water. Cook as directed, blend half the bean mixture, recombine and serve.
Oven Roasted Roast Pork - Latin Style
Ingredients
One Pork Shoulder or Boston Butt
Fresh Garlic (2-3 cloves per pound)
Fresh Oregano (2-3 sprigs per pound)
Olive oil (1 teaspoon per pound)
Vinegar (1/2 teaspoon per pound)
Salt (1/4 teaspoon per pound)
Pepper (1/4 teaspoon per pound)
Sofrito (2 cubes; see sofrito recipe)
Rinse the meat in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Prep the seasoning. Separate the oregano leaves from the stem, peel the garlic and set aside. In a mortar and pestle mash the oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper to a paste. Add the oil and vinegar to loosen the paste.
Pierce the pork all over with a paring knife but do not pierce the skin. In fact, you can peel the skin away from the meat, pierce the meat, and season underneath. Place some of the seasoning mixture in the holes you made and slather the remaining mixture all over. Wrap the meat tightly with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove the meat from the refrigerator about 1 hour prior to cooking. Set the oven to 400 degrees. Place the meat in a foil lined baking pan. Place the meat in the pan and pour two cups of water in the bottom of the pan. Place the meat in the 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, then lower to 350 and cook 35 minutes per pound. The cooking time is a rule of thumb so please use a thermometer to ensure the meat is done. The meat should literally fall apart from the bone and the bone should slide out easily.
The following steps aren't necessary but preferred. Remove the roast pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and de fat the au ju. In a medium sauce pan, fry up 2 cubes of sofrito and pour the au ju in the pan and reduce for about 5 minutes. Pull (or shred) the roast pork and pour the au ju over the meat.
Serve this perfect Sunday dinner with my white rice and black bean recipe.
One Pork Shoulder or Boston Butt
Fresh Garlic (2-3 cloves per pound)
Fresh Oregano (2-3 sprigs per pound)
Olive oil (1 teaspoon per pound)
Vinegar (1/2 teaspoon per pound)
Salt (1/4 teaspoon per pound)
Pepper (1/4 teaspoon per pound)
Sofrito (2 cubes; see sofrito recipe)
Rinse the meat in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Prep the seasoning. Separate the oregano leaves from the stem, peel the garlic and set aside. In a mortar and pestle mash the oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper to a paste. Add the oil and vinegar to loosen the paste.
Pierce the pork all over with a paring knife but do not pierce the skin. In fact, you can peel the skin away from the meat, pierce the meat, and season underneath. Place some of the seasoning mixture in the holes you made and slather the remaining mixture all over. Wrap the meat tightly with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove the meat from the refrigerator about 1 hour prior to cooking. Set the oven to 400 degrees. Place the meat in a foil lined baking pan. Place the meat in the pan and pour two cups of water in the bottom of the pan. Place the meat in the 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, then lower to 350 and cook 35 minutes per pound. The cooking time is a rule of thumb so please use a thermometer to ensure the meat is done. The meat should literally fall apart from the bone and the bone should slide out easily.
The following steps aren't necessary but preferred. Remove the roast pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and de fat the au ju. In a medium sauce pan, fry up 2 cubes of sofrito and pour the au ju in the pan and reduce for about 5 minutes. Pull (or shred) the roast pork and pour the au ju over the meat.
Serve this perfect Sunday dinner with my white rice and black bean recipe.
Perfectly Easy White Rice
ingredients
2 cups of white rice (long grain)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups of water
Cooking rice is very easy if you adopt the appropriate technique and tools. I use a pot with a rounded bottom that you typically find in Hispanic or Asian grocery stores. However, you can use a standard pot as well. You'll also need a spatula or wide spoon to turn the rice over on itself during the latter stages of cooking.
Place your pot on medium-high heat. Once hot, add one tablespoon of oil, 2 cups of rice, and a teaspoon of salt. Stir well to coat the rice with oil, about 1-2 minutes. Next, add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. The minute your rice is at a boil bring to medium-low heat and wait for the water to reach the same level as the rice. Once the water evaporates to the same level as the rice, bring to low heat and cover. I line my pot with a piece of foil large enough to cover the mouth of the pot and then place the lid on the pot creating a tight seal.
Let cook for about 20-25 minutes on low heat at which point you will uncover and turn the rice over on itself using a large spoon or spatula. To turn the rice over on itself simply dig deep and flip the rice over on itself one spoonful at a time. Please resist the temptation to stir your rice any more than necessary to avoid gumming it up. Cook for another 10 minutes on low heat and serve.
Goes great with the my bean recipe. My toddlers love beans and rice.
2 cups of white rice (long grain)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups of water
Cooking rice is very easy if you adopt the appropriate technique and tools. I use a pot with a rounded bottom that you typically find in Hispanic or Asian grocery stores. However, you can use a standard pot as well. You'll also need a spatula or wide spoon to turn the rice over on itself during the latter stages of cooking.
Place your pot on medium-high heat. Once hot, add one tablespoon of oil, 2 cups of rice, and a teaspoon of salt. Stir well to coat the rice with oil, about 1-2 minutes. Next, add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. The minute your rice is at a boil bring to medium-low heat and wait for the water to reach the same level as the rice. Once the water evaporates to the same level as the rice, bring to low heat and cover. I line my pot with a piece of foil large enough to cover the mouth of the pot and then place the lid on the pot creating a tight seal.
Let cook for about 20-25 minutes on low heat at which point you will uncover and turn the rice over on itself using a large spoon or spatula. To turn the rice over on itself simply dig deep and flip the rice over on itself one spoonful at a time. Please resist the temptation to stir your rice any more than necessary to avoid gumming it up. Cook for another 10 minutes on low heat and serve.
Goes great with the my bean recipe. My toddlers love beans and rice.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Chicken Fricassee - Latin Style
Ingredients
3 pounds of chicken pieces, trimmed
6-8 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of sofrito
4 oz tomatoe paste
1 cup of green olives with pimentos
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of capers
2 cups of carrots chopped 1-inch thick
2 cups of Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup of red wine
1 cup of water
1 cup of chicken broth
My initial attempts at chicken fricassee were doomed from the start because many recipes use, in my opinion, too much oil. My family and I prefer a clean recipe with relatively little fat. I came up with my recipe via trial and error.
Start with about 3 pounds of chicken thighs and/or drumsticks. Keep the skin on but trim the fat and excess skin from each piece of chicken to reduce the total fat. In a large dutch oven, heat about 3-4 table spoons of oil to a shimmer. Brown your chicken on both sides on medium to medium-high in batches and set aside. Once you place the chicken in the pot, don't move it until the skin lets go. If you try to move the chicken before it's ready, you'll just tear the skin. Be patient and let it brown. If you brown in batches, then add enough oil to cook the next batch.
If the fronds in the bottom of the pot burn, then it's better to continue the cooking process with a clean pot, than to continue on to the next steps. Once you brown the chicken set it aside and turn the heat down. Add the sofrito, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Saute until just fragrant. Next add the green olives with pimentos, bay leaves, and capers.
Layer the chicken in the pot and then evenly layer the carrots and potatoes . Combine the chicken broth with the water along with good white wine. Remember, you're braising the chicken so the top half of the chicken and all of the carrots and potatoes should remain exposed . Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
Serve over plain white rice and enjoy.
3 pounds of chicken pieces, trimmed
6-8 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of sofrito
4 oz tomatoe paste
1 cup of green olives with pimentos
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of capers
2 cups of carrots chopped 1-inch thick
2 cups of Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup of red wine
1 cup of water
1 cup of chicken broth
My initial attempts at chicken fricassee were doomed from the start because many recipes use, in my opinion, too much oil. My family and I prefer a clean recipe with relatively little fat. I came up with my recipe via trial and error.
Start with about 3 pounds of chicken thighs and/or drumsticks. Keep the skin on but trim the fat and excess skin from each piece of chicken to reduce the total fat. In a large dutch oven, heat about 3-4 table spoons of oil to a shimmer. Brown your chicken on both sides on medium to medium-high in batches and set aside. Once you place the chicken in the pot, don't move it until the skin lets go. If you try to move the chicken before it's ready, you'll just tear the skin. Be patient and let it brown. If you brown in batches, then add enough oil to cook the next batch.
If the fronds in the bottom of the pot burn, then it's better to continue the cooking process with a clean pot, than to continue on to the next steps. Once you brown the chicken set it aside and turn the heat down. Add the sofrito, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Saute until just fragrant. Next add the green olives with pimentos, bay leaves, and capers.
Layer the chicken in the pot and then evenly layer the carrots and potatoes . Combine the chicken broth with the water along with good white wine. Remember, you're braising the chicken so the top half of the chicken and all of the carrots and potatoes should remain exposed . Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
Serve over plain white rice and enjoy.
Sofrito - The Foundation
If you are of Spanish or Italian decent, then you instantly recognize the fragrance associated with your mother's or grandmother's cooking. Much of that smell is likely the result of the Sofrito that forms the foundation of many recipes. The French boast a Sofrito they call Mirepoix, a mixture of onions, celery, and carrots; Cajuns call it the Holy Trinity. Whatever you call it and whatever the ingredients, the herbs, vegetables, and fat combine to develop a complex and utterly Pavlovian smell that instantly sends your salivary glands into overdrive.
Sofrito, then, means a lot of things to a lot of people and I'll be the first to agree that no two recipes are alike. In it's basic form sofrito is any combination of vegetables, herbs, spices, and fat that you saute to form the base of a recipe. Traditional Spanish ingredients include onions, green peppers, red peppers, garlic, and cilantro.
The good new is that few things culinary are easier to make and preserve for later use. If you can operate a food processor and a spatula, then you have all of the requisite skills to consistently add multidimensional flavor to your cooking that your family will grow to appreciate and ultimately love.
My version of Sofrito goes well with just about any thing, especially beans. Ill show you how. Roughly chop and add the following ingredients to a food processor and puree to a smooth but thick consistency.
Let's try it! Get you hands on one can of red or black beans. Saute three frozen cubes (roughly 1/4 cup) of Sofrito at medium heat in two teaspoons of oil and two teaspoons of cumin until melted and fragrant. Add the can of beans and simmer until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Pour beans over my white rice recipe and enjoy. If the beans become to dry, then reconstitute with a splash of water. Even the pickiest eater will find the beans and rice irresistible. My wife and toddlers love it.
Sofrito, then, means a lot of things to a lot of people and I'll be the first to agree that no two recipes are alike. In it's basic form sofrito is any combination of vegetables, herbs, spices, and fat that you saute to form the base of a recipe. Traditional Spanish ingredients include onions, green peppers, red peppers, garlic, and cilantro.
The good new is that few things culinary are easier to make and preserve for later use. If you can operate a food processor and a spatula, then you have all of the requisite skills to consistently add multidimensional flavor to your cooking that your family will grow to appreciate and ultimately love.
My version of Sofrito goes well with just about any thing, especially beans. Ill show you how. Roughly chop and add the following ingredients to a food processor and puree to a smooth but thick consistency.
- 1 large Spanish onion,
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 1 head of garlic (yes, an entire head minus the papery skin)
- 1 large green pepper (preferably a Cubanelle)
- 1 large red pepper
- 1/4 cup Spanish olives, pitted (with or without pimentos)
- 1 tablespoon of capers
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 tablespoon of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
Let's try it! Get you hands on one can of red or black beans. Saute three frozen cubes (roughly 1/4 cup) of Sofrito at medium heat in two teaspoons of oil and two teaspoons of cumin until melted and fragrant. Add the can of beans and simmer until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Pour beans over my white rice recipe and enjoy. If the beans become to dry, then reconstitute with a splash of water. Even the pickiest eater will find the beans and rice irresistible. My wife and toddlers love it.
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