Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Tuscan Pork Roast




Bring a pork loin to room temperature. I used boneless, I've seen recipes that call for deboned then retied.

Smash eight or nine garlic cloves, four tablespoons rosemary (fresh if possible), a couple teaspoons of salt, and a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Grind it all up really well into a nice paste.

Rub the outside of the loin with the garlic mixture, then poke a hole through the center with a long knife. Stuff the hole with the remaining garlic mixture. Make more if necessary. Let stand for about 30 minutes to marinate.

Bake at 350º until you get a center temperature of 155º. Start checking after about an hour as the time will vary dramatically depending on the size of your pork loin.

Let rest fifteen minutes then slice thinly and serve.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Struttin' Sauce (Kansas City Style BBQ)

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup tomato puree
3/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup water
6 Tbsp brown sugar
6 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 to 4 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp corn syrup
1 Tbsp liquid hickory smoke

Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Mix in remaining ingredients and cook until it thickens, about 30 minutes. If you want it thinner add water.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Creole Chicken Stew


2 large chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup celery, chopped
1 small onion chopped
2 carrots, sliced thinly
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small can diced tomatoes
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp non-sugar sweetener
2 Tbsp Essence of Emeril
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Saute chicken in olive oil til lightly browned. Add rest of ingredients. Cook over very low heat for four to five hours, or in crockpot for six to seven. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, and Essence.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Feta Garlic Cheese Sauce

1/4 cup (half stick) butter
3 to 4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1 egg yolk

Melt butter over medium heat.
Add smashed garlic and stir briefly.
Stir in flour and whisk for about two minutes to eliminate "floury" taste.
Slowly add milk, stirring constantly.
Bring to boil, stirring constantly to prevent sticking and scorching.
Add cheese in small handfuls and stir til melted.
Add spices.
Remove from heat.
With whisk, dip some sauce and add to the egg. (This prevents the egg from curdling). Return egg and cheese mixture to sauce.

Serve over pasta.

Spaghetti ala Carbonara

My take on a classic recipe.


Cook 1/2 pound of spaghetti, angel hair, or fettuccine. I recently switched to Dreamfield's. They make a variety of low glycemic pastas which are excellent. Make sure you cook the pasta al dente (slightly chewy when you fish a piece out of the pot and eat it).

While the pasta cooks:

Mix and set aside.

1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Saute 1/2 pound Spicy Italian Sausage.

When pasta is done drain and add to egg mixture while still hot. Toss quickly to cook the egg. Top with sausage and more Parmesan cheese.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Christmas Pudding (aka Plum Duff)

And the best thing is, no candied fruit!



1 cup ground suet (Atora makes a vegetarian suet but I have not tried it)
1 cup whole wheat bread in small pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins and currents
1 cup flour
cut up ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients, stir in milk. Put in a well greased steaming bowl (I just got this one for my birthday but this is the traditional style bowl, covered with wax paper held on with a rubber band) and simmer for 3 hours in a covered pan.

Turn out.

This can be served immediately or stored indefinitely. If you are going to store it for later, wrap in cheesecloth, soak with about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of brandy or rum, and seal in a plastic container.

To serve, heat 1/8 cup brandy or rum on stovetop, pour over pudding, and light with a match. If I were a company I would put a warning label on this suggestion, but you are an adult and should be able to figure it out.

Serve with hardsauce.

Hardsauce

1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup confection sugar
1 capful rum
Mix well and chill.

Perfect Prime Rib




Let meat stand at room temperature for at least one hour (preferably three)
Preheat oven to 375º
Place meat, fat side up, in shallow roasting pan.
Cook roast for one hour. Turn off oven and let sit for one to one and a half hours. Do not open oven door for any reason.
About 30 to 40 minutes before serving, turn on oven to 375º. Your roast will be rare when the internal temperature is 120º, medium at 125 to 130º.
Cover loosely with foil and let sit for ten to fifteen minutes.
Serve immediately.