Category Archives: Meat Dishes

Easy to Prepare, Low Brow Treats, Main Courses, Meat Dishes, Recipes, Sandwiches

Ham Salad

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Ham salad or deviled ham is seemingly pedestrian, but man, is it good.  Just as a rotisserie chicken can be transformed by dijon mustard, tarragon and apples, into sumptuous chicken salad, so too can baked ham be blended into deliciousness with rosemary, shallots and mayonnaise.  To truly make this some devilish goodness, add some paprika and cayenne to make things a little more fiery.  We used to make this after Easter with the tons of leftover ham from the feast the day before.  It kept incredibly well in the fridge for quick sandwiches and was always a treat…for as long as it lasted.

This recipe makes a pretty dry salad, like I like it, but if you want things a little more moist, add a few more tablespoons of mayo to smooth things out.

Recipe for

Ham Salad

Ingredients
1 lb. of ham (leftover baked ham or deli ham works fine)
1/4 tsp. of white pepper
1/4 tsp. of black pepper
1 tbs. of dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 tbs. of minced shallots
1/2 tbs. of dijon mustard
3 tbs. of mayo

In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.  Spread on crackers or eat as a sandwich spread on crusty bread.

Friends Recipes and Hacks, Main Courses, Meat Dishes, Pasta Dishes, Recipes, Soups and Stews

Italian Wedding Soup

Just as ancient tales are easily bungled by funky translations (like Charles Perrault’s original story Cinderella, with confusion over a slipper of glass [verre], squirrel fur [vair] or even iron [fer]…a hot mess that Cinderella was), so too do recipes often have translation mix ups.  Although Italian Wedding Soup, a popular dish in this country, hints at origins surrounding Tuscan weddings, the actual name of the soup is minestra mariata or “married soup” – a reference to the melange of greens, broth, meat and cheese.  An apropos name, given that all of the flavors in this soup blend together into something akin to a warm hug.  I’m all about that marriage, if I do say so myself.

Traditional versions of the soup involve a slow simmering stock that can include soup bones (prosciutto to be super authentic) and a variety of greens and broccoli.  I love this soup with pastina, or little pasta pearls that puff up in the broth, but this version, as inspired by the cracked-out craziness of the Canadian show “Bitchin’ Kitchen” uses cheese tortellini.  If you don’t have tortellini, you can swap it out for ditalini (short pasta tubes) or any mini pasta you’d like.  You call the shots – this is your wedding and I don’t want you getting all bridezilla on me.

Recipe for

Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef
1 lb. of pork
1 small hoagie roll
1/2 c. of parsley leaves
1 egg
1/4 c. of parmesan
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
1 clove of garlic, very finely minced
pinch of oregano

8 c. of chicken stock
baby spinach
cheese tortellini or ditalini

In a food processor, grind up the hoagie roll, parsley leaves and garlic.  Toss into a standing mixer or mixing bowl and blend with the beef, pork, egg, parmasean, salt, pepper and oregano.  Roll into very small meatballs, about 1/2 of a tablespoon of filling at a time.  Set aside.

In a pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.  Add the meatballs and let simmer away in the soup for at least 20 minutes.  Grab another pot, fill with water and bring to a boil.  Salt the water and chuck in the cheese tortellini or ditalini pasta, cooking according to the package directions.  Drain.

To assemble the bowl of soup, add a handful of baby spinach and 1/2 c. of pasta to a large soup bowl.  Ladel over the broth and meatballs, top with some cracked pepper and parmasean cheese.

Appetizers and Small Plates, Holiday Dishes, Meat Dishes, Recipes

Post-Thanksgiving Stuffed Mushrooms

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Thanksgiving leftovers go from absolute wonder to total boredom as the days pass after turkey day.  By day three, you’re still hiding under mounds of potatoes and gravy, but so over the leftover sandwich.  You don’t want to waste, but you’d like a taste profile different from the original meal.  While mashed potatoes are easy to repurpose (shepard’s pie, pierogies, croquettes), stuffing gets old.  But yet, with a little bit of ingenuity, you can make a glorious appetizer out of the remnants of the holiday.

These mushrooms are stuffed with a combination of ground beef, spinach and cheese to make a mini-meatball as a baked, one-bite delicacy.  Feel free to chuck in leftover vegetables (roasted red peppers or caramelized onions work well) or different greens (kale or swiss chard) to make the same deliciousness with whatever solid ingredients you have on hand.  You’ll be most pleased with the increased fridge space and the dying of the rumble in your tummy, not to mention the end of turkey malaise.

Recipe for

Post-Thanksgiving Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients
1/2 lb. of ground beef
1 c. of leftover stuffing
1/4 c. of spinach leaves, defrosted and squeezed of liquid
1 lb. of mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed.
1/2 c. of parmasean
1 tsp. of fennel seeds
1 c. of mozzarella cheese

Wipe the mushrooms clean and remove the stems.  If you’d like, chop the stems and add to the filling that you’ll mix in a bit.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and grease with olive oil or melted butter.  Place the mushroom caps on the cookie sheet and preheat the oven to 375°.

In a standing mixer (or with your hands in a mixing bowl), blend the ground beef, stuffing, mushroom stems, spinach, parmasean and fennel.  Fill the mushrooms with a few tablespoons of filling, using a spoon to smooth the mounds into round balls.  Sprinkle with parmasean cheese and bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes, until the mushrooms are golden on top and cooked through.  Serve with toothpicks.

Friends Recipes and Hacks, Holiday Dishes, Meat Dishes, Recipes, Side Dishes

Sausage, Pumpkin and Kale Stuffing

This recipe is decidedly a hack – upon researching recipes for Thanksgiving, I came across a stuffing that looked to be a welcomed alternative to my tried and true Classic Stuffing.  Given that this year’s celebration was a pot luck extravaganza, why not two stuffings instead of one?  Truthfully, I wanted to do a third Oyster Dressing like the ones we used to have at my paternal grandmother’s house every year, but not enough people were into oysters, so I skipped it.

The original recipe from Food Network Kitchens is good, but I lost the leeks and butternut squash for caramelized red onions and canned pumpkin – MUCH easier, which is really what you are going for at Thanksgiving.  The result was moist, flavorful and complex – a nice accompaniment to turkey and gravy, if I might say so myself.  Give this one a try if you are looking to make a new tradition or two – how can you form a tradition if you don’t try something out for the first time, right? Right?!?

Recipe for

Sausage, Pumpkin and Kale Stuffing

Ingredients
2 round loaves of foccacia (onion or herb)
1 stick of butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 can of pumpkin
1 can of chicken stock (or 2 cups of homemade stock)
1  red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbs. of olive oil
2 tbs. of butter
1 lb. of sweet italian sausage
1 bunch of kale
1 tsp. of whole fennel seeds
1 tsp. of rubbed sage
1 tsp. of white pepper
shredded pecorino romano

Cube foccacia and spread on a cookie sheet.  Bake in a 350° oven until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add the white pepper, sage, fennel seeds, pumpkin and chicken stock and mix until incorporated.  Set aside.

In a skillet, brown the sausage and remove with a slotted spoon.  Add the olive oil and sauté the kale until wilted.  Remove with a slotted spoon and add to sausage.  Add the butter to the pan and turn the heat to medium low.  Let the onions sweat it out in the pan until dark brown and soft, about 10 minutes.

In a huge bowl, add the foccacia cubes, sausage and kale, and caramelized onions.  Toss to combine and then pour in the pumpkin mixture.  Turn out into a greased 13x9x2 casserole and bake in a 375° oven until puffy and golden on top, about 35-45 minutes.

Cheese Dishes, Meat Dishes, Pasta Dishes, Recipes

Lasagna Bolognese

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This one, my darlings, is a labor of love.  With a toothsome, slow-simmering bolognese in the style of Marcella Hazan (which some might even call blasphemy for even mentioning her name in conjunction with a sauce that is not her exact recipe – to which I proffer that there are as many bolognese recipes as there are mammas in Bologna making their personal “secret” recipes) and a creamy bechamel in lieu of layer of ricotta and mozzarella, this true take on lasagne bolognese is something special.

Don’t be deferred by the time it takes to make this (at least 5 hours) and the list of ingredients – you’ll have lasagna for 6-8 comfortably, plus extra bolognese to dress around two pounds of pasta, so expect to not have to cook for some time afterwards while relishing in the glorious Italian leftovers.  The only time saver in the bunch comes in the form of the no-boil lasagna sheets – these babies, though instant, are lovely in their thin, delicate texture.  Much better than dealing with blubbery, curly edged classic lasagna noodles and far more refined in taste.  Though this is work, it’s very rewarding, and those that get to sample a bit will make you realize that maybe all that time was well worth it. Continue reading Lasagna Bolognese →

Main Courses, Meat Dishes, Poultry Dishes, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Seafood Dishes

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya

For as long as I’ve known, my family has been whipping up several varieties of comforting rice dishes – I can recall many a time coming into the kitchen to a pan of Arroz con Pollo finishing up in the oven, or a pot of Jambalaya simmering away on the stove.  This version of the simple dish, a combination of rice, chicken, sausage, seafood and veggies, reminds me of home each and every time I whip up a batch.

This version is far from super traditional, but I love it because it is way easy to prepare and incredibly piquant and flavorful.  Some of the harder ingredients to find are substituted with pantry and supermarket staples.  Though cajun purists would call this Creole Rice for its inclusion of tomatoes, culinary great Paul Prudhomme puts tomatoes in his, so I feel that I’m not in the wrong.  Plus, this dish’s roots are born of the freshness and availability of ingredients, so use whatever suits your fancy – tasso ham (or smoked ham), seafood of any kind, smoked andouille sausage, duck, and homemade stock all have a place in this dish.  Case in point, this recipe originates from the Spanish classic, paella, and if it weren’t for a few noble chefs swapping out a few ingredients, we wouldn’t have the jambalaya that we know today.

Recipe for

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya

Ingredients
1/2 lb. of raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 kielbasa, thinly sliced into rounds
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks

2 tbs. of olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 plum tomatoes

1 can of tomatoes with chilies
seafood stock (can substitute beef or chicken)
1/4 tsp. of white pepper
1/4 tsp. of black pepper
1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
1/8 to 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper (to taste)
pinch of oregano
1 tbs. of Worcestershire sauce

2 c. of converted rice (such as Uncle Ben’s)

splash of white wine vinegar
scallions or parsley for garnish

Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven and add the chicken.  Brown very well on both sides and then add the onion, scallions, celery, bell pepper and garlic.  Once vegetables begin to soften, add the kielbasa, thyme and bay leaves.  Allow to cook for a minute and then add the chopped tomatoes, white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne and oregano.  Stir in the rice.

In a 4 cup pyrex or a measuring cup, drain the juices of the can of tomatoes into the cup.  Dump the tomatoes into the dutch oven.  Add the tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce into the measuring cup, and then add enough stock to make 3 3/4 cups of liquid.  Add the mixture to the pot and stir.  Bring the pot to a boil, cover and turn it down to a simmer.  A trick, if you are careful, is to stick your ear to the bottom of the pot – you should hear a gentle bubbling.  If it sounds like hell boiling over, turn the heat down.  If you hear nothing, turn the heat up.  Cook for 20 minutes, undisturbed.  After 20 minutes, take the top off and add the shrimp.  Recover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and remove lid.  Stir a splash of white wine vinegar into the jambalaya and taste rice for doneness – it should be tender at this point.  If not, turn heat back to low and cook another few minutes.  If the rice is done but there is too much liquid, let rice sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes so that the liquid will be absorbed into the rice.

Serve with scallions or parsley and tabasco sauce.

Appetizers and Small Plates, Cheese Dishes, Meat Dishes, Recipes

Ricotta, Prosciutto and Fig Crostini

This one is so simple, it hardly really qualifies as a recipe.  The result, however, is no less than spectacular – the perfect amalgamation of sweet and salty, with a pleasing crunch from the toasted bread.  I first tried this combination at NYC restaurant Nizza, sister restaurant of Simon Oden baby, Marseille.  Maybe it was that I was dining with two friends that also studied in Orvieto with me, but it harkened back to those days where a simple lunch of prosciutto, pecorino, bread, honey and wine became a revelation.  The ingredients so fresh and earthy, you felt like you were tasting a bit of heaven.  Though this recipe is certainly humble in terms of preparation, it’s a reminder that it doesn’t take much to secure bliss in a bite or two.

Ricotta, Prosciutto and Fig Crostini

1/2 c. of whole milk ricotta
black pepper
pinch of white pepper
kosher salt
olive oil
a couple of slices of prosciutto
fig jam (found in nice grocery stores or online)
slices of ciabatta (9-12)

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Line the slices of ciabatta on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil on both sides.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.  Bake until golden and toasty, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

In a small bowl, mix the ricotta, a pinch each of white and black pepper, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil.  Stir well to combine.  Set aside.

Once your ciabatta has cooled, spread with a small amount of fig jam.  Spread a few tablespoons of ricotta on top to cover.  Gently place a bit of prosciutto on top, tearing each slice into smaller pieces if necessary.  Crack a bit of fresh pepper on top and drizzle with a bit of additional olive oil (use a good, fruity one for drizzling).  Serve.

Main Courses, Meat Dishes, Recipes, Rice Dishes

Porcupine Meatballs (Italian Beef Meatballs with Rice)

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Nope, no bits of real porcupine in this one.  Just a good ole-fashioned Italian meatball recipe with the inclusion of rice – imagine the filling for stuffed peppers as a standalone dish.  That’s the goodness that is this porcupine free recipe.

This one holds a very special place in my heart as it is, on record, my first memory of ever cooking anything by myself.  As a means of breaking me into the long line of great female cooks in our family, my grandmother and mother purchased me a cookbook for kids when I was 9 or 10.  I remember pouring through the pages, wanting to be a part of the group of kids in the test kitchen pictured creating and devouring the many recipes.  I particularly like the cooked dishes – the idea that I could be responsible for more than a PBJ cut with a cookie-cutter was exhilarating.  One of the recipes, called “Porcupine Meatballs” was particularly interesting to me and seemingly edible for the family, so my mom said that it’d be a good one to start with. Continue reading Porcupine Meatballs (Italian Beef Meatballs with Rice) →

Main Courses, Meat Dishes, Recipes

Pork with Bamboo Shoots

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In Virginia, not too far from where I grew up, there is this great gem of a Chinese restaurant that has been a favorite in town for ages.  The Peking Gourmet Inn is the definition of old school – red leather banquettes, rich mahogany and waiters and waitresses in tuxes, carving paper-thin slices of peking duck tableside.  The restaurant is beloved by just about every US President and dignitary that you could possibly imagine, and the walls of the place are adorned with photos of each and every one of them.  It’s a real treat to go there, but unfortunately, just about everyone in the DC Metro area feels the same way.

I often find myself jonesing for their Garlic Shoots, the mildly-flavored, inner sprout of the garlic clove specially grown on their farm and then sauteed with the protein of your choice.  Or the Stuffed Eggplant with Springtime Vegetables – only served there around Chinese New Year and so very addictive with its savory shrimp filling and tender japanese eggplant flash-fried and served in a delicate sauce.  But its when these incredibly seasonal dishes are sold out or not on the menu that I turn to my tried and true – Pork with Bamboo Shoots.  The Peking Gourmet Inn knows the joys of simplicity – thin strips of pork and bamboo shoots comprise this dish, all within a ginger-enriched sauce and nothing else.  There’s something to be said about not mucking with success and letting individual ingredients shine.

When I don’t feel like a 2 hour wait, or I’m not in town, I turn to this even more simplified version of their dish.  It’s not an exact replica, but so close in flavor profile that my cravings subside.  I even serve it with another rip from Peking Gourmet Inn – their Un-Fried Rice with Eggs and Peas.  A couple of bites in and I feel like I’m at home.

Recipe for

Pork with Bamboo Shoots

Ingredients
2 scallions, white part only
1 can of bamboo shoots
1 inch of ginger, peeled
1 lb. of fresh pork
3 tsp. of sugar
1 tbs. of sherry
1 1/2 tbs. of corn starch
1/4 tsp. of white pepper
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 tbs of soy

3 tbs. of oyster sauce
1/4 c. of vegetable oil
sesame oil

Slice the scallions into 2 in. long pieces and then julienne into matchsticks.  You should have thin slivers of scallion.  Drain the bamboo shoots and slice them lengthwise into matchsticks as well.  Slice the ginger into very, very thin matchsticks.  Set all three aside.

Starting with the pork – I like to use eye round chops or thin loin chops because they are lean and easy to slice well.  Trim pork of all visible fat.  If the chops are more than a 1/4 in. thick, halve them so that they are thinner.  Slice into narrow strips and place into a mixing bowl.  Add the sugar, sherry, corn starch, white pepper, salt and soy.  Mix thoroughly and set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

In a wok or large pan, heat vegetable oil over very high heat until shimmering.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add pork and stir vigorously until almost cooked through.  Add scallions and oyster sauce and stir to combine until pork is completely cooked through.  Turn off heat and drizzle with sesame oil.  Serve with rice.

Appetizers and Small Plates, Meat Dishes, Recipes, Rice Dishes

Swiss Chard Dolmades

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Recently, my good friend Joey (owner of Maple Ave Restaurant in Virginia – if you haven’t eaten there yet and are near by, shut down your computer and go right now.  Or at least bring this with you on a laptop and get someone to drive you there) posed the question on her Facebook page “What’s your favorite Fall vegetable?”  I was completely in line with people’s responses of pumpkin and squash.  I even gave a silent nod, though no one mentioned it, to artichokes (oft thought of as a Spring veggie, artichokes actually love the cold).  But my answer, which came with not a moment’s hesitation, was swiss chard.

These noble leaves are the kings of greenery in my book – tender yet hearty, and full of earthy flavor that so much more refined than spinach.  Members of the beet family, the stalks vary in shade from paperwhite to golden and garnet (just as you’d see of beets in the market).  While I typically love my chard sautéed simply with olive oil and garlic, or luxuriously bathed in locatelli, cream and melted shallots, the leaves are so versatile, you can work them into pretty unique formats.  This recipe not only showcases the greens, but also leverages their quick cooking time.  Typical dolmades, or stuffed grape leaves, involve a lot of soaking and braising of the leaves to coax them into tenderness.  Swiss chard needs no such thing – just a quick dip in some boiling hot water to make them pliant, and a short cooking time of a mere half an hour.  Something to think about during the week when extra time is at a premium (“What? The Office is about to start?  Let me hurry up and finish cooking already…”)

These dolmades are made with ground lamb and rice, but feel free to replace the lamb with beef for simplicity, or leave the meat out entirely and make a batch with just rice and herbs.    I top the leaves with an Avoglomeno sauce that’s adapted from Greek queen of chefs, Cat Cora.  It’s a luscious blend of eggs, lemon and dill and is equally devourable hot or cold, and just elevated the dolmades to a whole ‘nother level.

UPDATE: For a kickass vegetarian filling, check out this recipe over at My Darling Lemon Thyme.  It’ll have you praising Spring for being one of the sexiest seasons around.

Let’s get crackin…

Recipe for

Swiss Chard Dolmades

1 bunch of swiss chard leaves (about 12-15 individual stalks)
1 lb. of ground lamb
1 c. of instant rice
1 tbs. of dried mint (can use fresh)
1 c. of onion, finely minced
1/4 tsp. of white pepper
1/8 tsp. of black pepper
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 tsp of olive oil
1 can of chicken broth

4 large eggs
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp. of pepper
1 tsp of dill
scant pinch of salt

Set a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.  While that is coming up to temperature, make your filling.

In a large bowl with your hands (or gently with a stand mixer) mix the beef, onion, mint, rice, pepper, salt and olive oil.  Make sure to combine all ingredients but not overmix.  Set aside.

Prepare your swiss chard leaves by cutting out the fibrous middle stem while keeping the rest of the leaf intact.  Set aside.  Once your water is boiling, take the leaves, one at a time, and plunk them into the boiling water for 1-2 seconds and then remove them to a plate.  Since we are not shocking them with a cold water bath after removing them from the hot water, the leaves will continue to cook a bit as they cool.  This is perfect for getting them pliant.  After you’ve cooked all of the leaves, set up a station where you can roll the dolmades.  On a clean cutting board, place a leaf flatly on the surface and add a heaping tablespoon of meat filling.  Fold the two sides of the leaf in over the filling and roll the whole thing up like the world’s smallest burrito.  Place the stuffed chard in a 13x9x2 pan, seam side down.  Repeat with remaining leaves until you run out of filling.

Pour a can of chicken broth over the leaves and cover with foil.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the leaves are tender and half of the stock has been absorbed.  Remove from the oven and let sit.

In a mixing bowl with egg beaters or a stand mixer, beat the eggs, lemon juice, salt, pepper and dill until frothy and pale golden.  Continuing to beat the mixture the whole time, carefully pour in the remaining chicken broth from the pan of dolmades.  Make sure to do this slowly, or you’ll have lemon flavored scrambled eggs instead of a smooth sauce.  Once it is all incorporated, pour the mixture into a sauce pan and turn the heat to medium.  Continue to whisk the sauce until it thickens enough to  coat the back of the spoon.  Pour sauce over your dolmades.

Serve them immediately as a hot dish, or let rest to room temperature or even cool as a variation.  These little guys are good every which way.