Entree – Beef

Pacholas

by // // No Comments

The necessity of on-line classes due to the Covid-19 pandemic has led to new and different ways for teachers to relate to their students.  Scripps College Professor Salés  received an enthusiastic response when he offered to share a family recipe.  

PREP AND COOKING ITEMS:

  • Cutting board
  • Knife (3in paring and 8-10in chef, but if you only have one, that’s fine)
  • Frying pan (2x)
  • A tortilla press (or just two wooden boards to press things with)
  • An insulated container to keep things warm (or a plate, not that important)
  • A fork or something to mix with
  • Non-stick paper or plastic (this is actually quite important)
  • Blender

INGREDIENTS FOR PACHOLAS:

  • 1/4 lb ground beef (90/10 or 94/6 is good, but 85/15 is fine)
  • 1/4 lb ground pork (usually 80/20) OR a non-meat substitute similar to ground meat
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup milk (substitute with soy milk possible)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • smoked paprika (non-smoked sweet paprika or any paprika really is also fine)
  • ground cumin (sort of optional; if you don’t have it, no worries)
  • any chile, if you like heat (optional)
  • oil (olive or vegetable oil ideal)
  • a small bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley (but if you have dried parsley, it might work too; but it’s essential for the distinctive taste)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE (OPTIONAL–PACHOLAS ARE SOMETIMES EATEN WITHOUT SAUCE):

  • 3-4 Roma tomatoes (or any kind of largish tomato with relatively decent meaty composition, heirloom is fine, also German queen, San Marzano, etc.–don’t stress about the kind)
  • 1/2 onion
  • dried oregano
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 red bell pepper (non-spicy type)

DIRECTIONS FOR SAUCE:

  1. Cut the onion, garlic, and red pepper’
  2. Fry with paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin until golden.
  3. Put in blender and blend with oregano and tomatoes. This will make the sauce.
  4. Put on mid-high fire until the water is reduced; should be slightly runny in the end, not pasty but also not liquid.

DIRECTIONS FOR PACHOLAS:

  1. Fry very finely chopped onion and garlic until light brown.
  2. Separately, mix crumbs, milk, and egg until it looks like cookie dough.
  3. Add fried onion and garlic.
  4. Add pepper, salt, cumin, paprika and mix everything together until it’s nicely integrated.
  5. Add the meats or meat substitute.
  6. Mix.
  7. Once integrated nicely, add finely chopped parsley.
  8. Mix very well.
  9. Heat frying pan to high.
  10. Add some oil.
  11. Make small ping-pong-size balls with the meat mix
  12. Press until thin.
  13. Add to the frying pan.
  14. Fry until golden brown on both sides.
  15. Remove from fire and let rest about 5 minutes.
  16. Add the sauce and enjoy.

Serves: 4

Source :  Scripps College Professor Louis Salés (Religious Studies focus on early Christianity), but the recipe comes from his grandmother courtesy of James Hill

Slug-a-Bed Stew

by // // No Comments

This really works!  Stick it in the oven, set the timer to turn the oven off in three hours and go shopping.  You can fancy it up with canned onions and mushrooms at the end.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can cream of celery soup (mushroom works too)
  • 1 pkg onion soup mix
  • 1/2 can water or wine
  • 1 lb beef stew meat (raw)
  • 1 c sour cream

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°.
  2. Mix everything in a casserole.  (NO, don’t brown the meat!)
  3. Cover tightly.
  4. Bake at least 3 hours.
  5. Before serving, stir in 1 cup sour cream.
  6. Serve over noodle or rice.

Serves:   3 – 4

Source:  Cooking in Bed cook book

Osso Buco

by // // No Comments

You can fake it with beef shank cross cuts but it will not be as tender (but it will be cheaper).  You will be missing the delicious bone marrow in the veal shank.

Ingredients:

  • 2 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 dry bay leaf
  • 4 whole cloves
  • Cheesecloth
  • Kitchen twine, for bouquet garni and tying the veal shanks
  • 5 whole veal shanks (about 1 pound per shank), trimmed
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • All purpose flour, for dredging
  • 1 c vegetable oil
  • 2 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 small carrot, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 stalk celery, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 c dry white wine
  • 6 c chicken stock
  • 6 Tab fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
  • 2 Tab lemon zest

Directions:

  1. Place the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cloves into cheesecloth and secure with twine. This will be your bouquet garni.
  2. For the veal shanks, pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Veal shanks will brown better when they are dry.
  3. Secure the meat to the bone with the kitchen twine.
  4. Season each shank with salt and freshly ground pepper.
  5. Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off excess.
  6. In a large Dutch oven pot, heat vegetable oil until smoking.
  7. Add tied veal shanks to the hot pan and brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
  8. Remove browned shanks and reserve.
  9. In the same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery.
  10. Season with salt at this point to help draw out the moisture from the vegetables.
  11. Saute until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
  12. Add the tomato paste and mix well.
  13. Return browned shanks to the pan,
  14. Add the white wine and reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes.
  15. Add the bouquet garni and 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
  16. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.
  17. Check every 15 minutes, turning shanks and adding more chicken stock as necessary. The level of cooking liquid should always be about 3/4 the way up the shank.
  18. Carefully remove the cooked shanks from the pot and place in decorative serving platter.
  19. Cut off the kitchen twine and discard.
  20. Remove and discard bouquet garni from the pot.
  21. Pour all the juices and sauce from the pot over the shanks.
  22. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Serves:  8 – 10

Source:  A Tasty Tour of Italy – VPWL April 2015

Red Wine Marinade

by // // No Comments

This marinade is perfect for all sorts of beef steaks. It’s especially good when making kabobs. This recipe makes enough to marinate 2 pounds of meat.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup red wine
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano

Directions:

  1. In a nonreactive bowl, combine wine, olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano.
  2. Add desired meat, and cover.
  3. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight, turning meat occasionally.

Source: Recipe By:Lol via Cathy Painter and Allison Painter

 

Slow-Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

by // // No Comments

These Easy Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches are as simple as adding the ingredients to your slow cooker and letting it infuse your house with the intoxicating aroma of beef simmering in a richly seasoned au jus until it reaches mouthwatering perfection.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 to 3 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to season the roast
  • 3 c low-sodium beef broth (or , sometimes beer and a package of onion soup mix)
  • 1 bay leaf

Directions:

  1. Remove the roast from its packaging and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Generously season on all sides with salt and pepper. (or garlic salt, Worcestershire Sauce)
  3. Heat oil in large pan.
  4. Put a roast in a hot pan, and get a nice brown crust on it. If you want to skip this step, and dump everything and go, you can, but browning it really adds extra flavor.
  5. Transfer the roast to a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
  6. Add the onions to the slow cooker. (or brown them first in the pan you browned the meat)
  7. Add the broth and bay leaf to the slow cooker.
  8. Stir to combine.
  9. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours until the roast is tender.
  10. Shred meat, serve on buns with onions, cheese and extra cooking liquid if desired.

To serve:
6 to 8 crusty French sandwich rolls, sub buns, or hoagie buns, split
Sliced provolone or Swiss cheese (optional)

Serves:  6-8

Source:  Cathy Painter, Allison Painter

Veal Cordon Bleu

by // // No Comments

Yes, it is a lot of work, many steps, but this is a classic recipe!

Ingredients: 

  • 8 (1/8-inch-thick) veal cutlets (also called scaloppine; all the same size, about 2 1/2 oz each)
  • 1 (1/2-lb) piece Gruyère
  • 4 (1/8-inch-thick) slices baked ham such as Virginia
  • 1 c plain dry bread crumbs
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp black pepper
  • 3/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tab unsalted butter
  • 2 Tab olive oil
  • Garnish: lemon wedges; fresh parsley sprigs

Directions:

  1. If cutlets are thicker than 1/8 inch, pound them between sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of meat pounder.
  2. Using cheese plane, shave enough cheese to make a double layer for each of 4 cutlets.
  3. Pat dry 2 cutlets of the same shape.
  4. Arrange 1 cutlet on a work surface.
  5. Put 1 slice of ham on cutlet, trimming ham to leave a 1/4-inch border of veal around the ham.
  6. Then arrange a double layer of cheese on ham.
  7. Top with second cutlet.
  8. Lightly pound 1/4-inch border around cutlets’ outer edges to seal veal sandwich.
  9. Make 3 more sandwiches in same manner.
  10. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
  11. Stir together bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large shallow baking dish.
  12. Stir together flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in another large baking dish.
  13. Whisk together eggs, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a third large baking dish.
  14. Dredge 1 veal sandwich in flour, knocking off excess, then dip in egg to coat, letting excess drip off, and dredge in bread crumbs, patting to help them adhere.
  15. Transfer coated sandwich to a rack set on a baking sheet.
  16. Dredge and coat remaining sandwiches in same manner.
  17. Chill, uncovered, 1 hour.  Chilling coated cutlets helps the coating to adhere when cooking.
  18. Then let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.
  19. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides
  20. Add 2 veal sandwiches, then reduce heat to moderate and cook, turning over once, until golden, about 4 minutes total.
  21. Transfer to plates and wipe out skillet with paper towels.
  22. Cook remaining sandwiches in remaining butter and oil in same manner.

Serves: 4

Source:   VPWL Guess Who is Coming to Dinner

Roast Filet of Beef with Orange Juniper Crust

by // // No Comments

A different sort of marinade – pretend the beef is venison.   If juniper berries are unavailable add a tablespoon of gin.

Ingredients: 

  • 2 tsp grated orange rind
  • 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 c chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 tsp juniper berries
  • 1 tsp chopped garlic
  • 3 lbs beef tenderloin, tied
  • 1 Tab olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 c beef or chicken stock

Directions:

  1. Combine orange rind, thyme leaves, rosemary, sage, parsley, berries and garlic in a small bowl.
  2. Brush filet with olive oil.
  3. Season with salt and pepper. P
  4. at crust all over meat.
  5. Place on a roasting pan fitted with a rack.
  6. Let rest refrigerated for at least 2 hours but bring back to room temperature before roasting.
  7. Preheat oven to 450°.
  8. Roast until rare for 25 to 30 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.
  9. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
  10. Remove the twine.
  11. Lightly salt the surface of the meat.
  12. Slice thinly.
  13. Add stock to roasting pan, scraping up bits on the base of the pan.
  14. Bring to boil and boil until reduced by half.
  15. Season.
  16. Arrange meat on platter.
  17. Spoon sauce over meat.

Serves:   8

Source:   Lucy Waverman Food Columnist Special to the Glove and Mail

Gyuniku Teriyaki Beef Skewers

by // // No Comments

When these Teriyaki Skewers are sizzling on your grill, the aroma will make everyone around you stop what they’re doing and come for a taste.

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 lb boneless, beef top sirloin, about 1-inch thick
  • 1/2 c teriyaki marinade & sauce
  • 2 Tab sugar
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 Tab vegetable oil
  • parsley – chopped
  • sesame seeds
  • short skewers

Directions:

  1. Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes
  2. Cut beef across grain into 1/2-inch thick strips, then into 1-inch squares.  If you’re having trouble slicing the steak thin, plate it in the freezer for 10 minutes before hand to make slicing easier.
  3. Combine teriyaki sauce and sugar in measuring cup, stirring until sugar dissolves.
  4. Remove 3 Tbsp. of mixture and pour over beef in large plastic food storage bag.
  5. Press air out of bag; close top securely.
  6. Turn bag over several times to coat pieces well.
  7. Marinate 15 minutes
  8. .Meanwhile, add enough water to remaining teriyaki sauce mixture to measure 2/3 cup.
  9. Blend in cornstarch.
  10. Heat and stir until thickened
  11. Skewer 3 – 4 beef cubes on each skewer.
  12. Grease the grate of the broiler/wire rack (or oven-safe cooling rack) to avoid the meat sticking on the grate.
  13. Place the skewers on top.
  14. Set the broiler to high and wait until the heating elements are hot.
  15. Broil for 3 minutes.
  16. Once one side has browned, turn over and grill until barely cooked through to the center.
  17. Baste with some sauce and lightly grill once more.
  18. Continue to broil for 2-3 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
  19. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and sesame seeds.

Servings: 15-20 skewers

Source: A riff onKikkoman

Classic Meatloaf Like My Mother Used to Make

by // // No Comments

I know, it is NOT the right meatloaf like YOUR mother made.  But it is what my mother (and I) do.  So there!  Our biggest disagreement was pickles/no pickles in our meatloaf sandwiches the next day

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 lbs lean ground beef
  • 3/4 C Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)  (We just used a large handful for each pound of beef)
  • 3/4 C finely chopped onion  (or 1/2 c dried onions, or 2 Tab onion soup mix)
  • 1/2 Cup ketchup
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 Tab Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (or a lot of garlic salt, skip regular salt)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350°.
  2. Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix lightly but thoroughly.  (Take off your rings and use your hands!)
  3. Shape meatloaf mixture into 10×6-inch loaf.
  4. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until meatloaf is to medium doneness (160°) until not pink in center and juices show no pink color.
  5. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves:   6-8

Source: Quaker Oats

Veal Cutlets Parmigiana

by // // No Comments

Never a bad meal at Helen’s!  This is one of her favorite stand-bys.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese, plus 3 Tab – divided use
  • 2 tsp dry breadcrumbs
  • 3 tsp Parmesan cheese
  • 4 veal cutlets, cut thin (about 1 1/2 lbs)
  • 2 egg , slightly beaten with 2 Tab cold water
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1/2 c chopped onion
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
  • 1/2 lb mozzarella, Bel Paese or Port du Salut cheese

Directions:  

  1. Mix breadcrumbs with 1/3 cup Parmesan.
  2. Pound the cutlets with a meat tenderizer.
  3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Dip in flour and pat off excess.
  5. Dip in beaten eggs, coating thoroughly.
  6. then breadcrumbs.
  7. Saute in hot oil until lightly brown on both sides.
  8. Place in greased shallow  baking dish.
  9. Slice the Mozzarella, or she=red the Bel Baese orPort du Salut.  (The Mozzarella will be stringy after cooking; the Bel Baese or Port jdu Salut merely soft.)
  10. Place the cheese over the cutlets.
  11. In a small pan combine the tomato sauce and oregano.
  12. Bring to a boil and pour over the cutlets.
  13. Sprinkle the cutlets heavily with grated Parmesan cheese then with paprika and salad oil.
  14. Bake at 375* for 20 – 25 minutes, or until Parmesan cheese turns brown.

Serves:  4

Source: The Playboy Gourmet and Helen Dell-Imagine