Бефстроганов

Ferdinand the Bull, you are safe from my teeth more so than Porky Pig would be... except when I have the craving for Beef Stroganoff.

This classic dish has been around forever. Elena Molokhovets' cookbook published in Russia in 1861 gives the first known recipe for "Govjadina po-strogonovski, s gorchitseju" or "Beef à la Stroganov, with mustard" This recipe called for lightly floured and sautéed beef cubes with a sauce of prepared mustard and bouillon, and finished with a small amount of sour cream. It was likely named after an aristocratic Russian family. Later recipes added mushrooms, onions and beef cut into the characteristic strips. Immensely popular (and kind of exotic) in the 1950's, the dish is now served around the world in many variations.

My favorite recipe is a combo of the classic 1961 Craig Claiborne recipe and my own likes and tastes. Claiborne makes a very traditional Stroganoff without mushrooms and onions, so I add those (green onions sometimes) and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, (which no one else seems to add) but with things like cornichons, tarragon and tomato sauce added to some recipes, I am safe.

I made some tonight as I was in a stay-at-home-Greta-Garbo-(I want to be alone)-mood. As I was buying a few things for it that I was lacking, I ran into a friend of mine. She asked what I was buying which led to a discussion of the dish. I told her I was omitting the noodles (it is really designed to be served over noodles or rice) since they were carb packing enemies of mine. She thought I was nuts, and thus given tacit permission, I relented. Such a great dish, easy, elegant when done well and relatively quick.

My recipe: (as usual the amounts are estimated and variable according to taste, I never measure)

Meat:
1 lb beef (sirloin, flank steak, whatever you can find just not that horrible stew meat)
salt/pepper to taste
splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 sm can of button or a handful of sliced fresh mushrooms
2-3 green onions (or handful of chopped white onion)

Sauce:
butter (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
flour (about a tablespoon)
1 can beef consummé (not canned broth, consummé is more intense and richer)
squirt of prepared mustard
splash of wine optional
sour cream, lots

Trim beef into strips, salt and pepper them and splash with the Worcestershire. Let marinate for a hour or so in fridge.

In saucepan melt about 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and then add about a tablespoon of flour to make a nice light roux. Heat consummé to boiling and add to roux, whisking until roux is dissolved and sauce is nice and thick. Here you can add a splash of wine, red or white, as you desire. Set aside.

Drain beef. In some butter, sauté the beef until browned. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until beef is done and onion/mushrooms tender.

Reheat the sauce gently and add great gobs of sour cream (I am an addict).

If you are being elegant, put the hot beef on a platter and pour the sauce over. Or just throw it all together and mix the beef in the sauce.

Gotta serve it over plain, lightly buttered noodles.

хороший (Russian for good!)

Literary Masterpiece

There is a literary masterpiece that every serious reader should know, but sadly out of print in its purest, original form. I am referring to the original 1961 Craig Claiborne "New York Times Cook Book". Coming the same year as Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", these two books opened new worlds for the average US cook. Reading through these wonderful recipes provides credence to the idea of a superior being. You can see that an omnipotent mind created the basic ingredients that when combined with human creativity and curiosity produces a piece of edible art.

The NYT book is, of course, broader in scope covering many cuisines and styles than Julia's. Some recipes are startlingly simple, for example the one for corn on the cob. Some, like the elegant Aubergines a la Boston, are more complex, but always well thought out and easy to follow, You can recreate a Brazilian Feijoada that was served to the great composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, make a traditional, classic and quite easy Chicken Kiev (in 1961 that dish was quite exotic), serve a delicious and unique black beans in rum, or find a good recipe for Sauerbraten (there are actually two in the book).

And so much fun to read with a genteel, elegant prose. The garlic in a Ratatouille Nicoise is to be added "..according to conscience and social engagements". For Lobster Americaine (Lobster in a tomato sauce with cognac) Claiborne argues that "American chefs say it was created by an American and the French say no such thing, unless it was a French chef lured to the US by the Yankee dollar."

Dear Craig misses the boat when it comes to his inadequate gumbo recipe which does not include celery or bell pepper, two parts of the "holy trinity" that are required (I think by law) for a proper gumbo.

In 1990, the book was revised and to me lost so much of its character. Some 40% of the recipes were replaced and many others changed. I am sure today's chefs look at these recipes as unadventurous, bland and utterly boring. I say to hell with their raspberry-garlic reduction coulis and constant tinkering with tradition; this is good cooking. Maybe not what mama used to make, unless you were on the Park Avenue side of life, but grand, tasty dishes considered gourmet and classic when the world was a bit simpler.

If you ever see one, grab it.

BBQ Jesse Mae Style

One of my favorite memories as a kid is that of the frequent BBQs my neighborhood had. Our little cul-de-sac loved to eat. Someone would start a grill and before you know it, salads, vegetables and beer would arrive and the party would start. The best ones were when Jesse Mae cooked.

Jesse Mae was a sort-of Southern Belle. Born in Cairo, Il (pronounced Kay-row) she was just enough genteel southern to be a bit exotic in our lilly white neighborhood. And damn she could cook. Nothing fancy, but great BBQ, salads and all that I can still taste.

The one gift I have from this remarkable lady is her BBQ sauce. Trust me, no Gregory Court BBQ was complete without it. I asked my sister to find it for me and sure enough, mom had written it down. Simple, tasty, totally unhealthy.. but damn... it is like home.

I am going to make a batch and use it this summer to remember when I was just a goofy kid, enjoying life in the suburbs.

Jesse Mae Perks' BBQ Sauce:

1/3 lb lard

2/3 qt vinegar either white or apple cider

4 tbs salt

3 tsp black pepper

2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbs paprika

Melt lard in large pan. In qt jar add all dry ingredients to vinegar and shake well to blend. Add the vinegar mix to the melted lard. Cook 15min until thicken. DO not boil.

Brush on chicken or chops.

The best.

Salt of the Earth

Supposedly, Henry Ford (not sure if it was HF I or HF II) would always take a new executive prospect to lunch. If he/she salted their food before tasting, he would have reservations about hiring them. Mr Ford seemed to think these people would act before getting all the facts and thus be a risk.

I probably would not be hired.

BUT I am getting better on cutting back on the old salt, just a short twist of my handy dandy salt grinder and I am usually fine. Unfortunately, being of the single set and a work at home person to boot, I eat out a lot. It is easier, faster and sometimes even cheaper than a home cooked dinner. And with a Micky D's up the street, it is so tempting to count out a couple of bucks and get two warm, ready to eat sausage and egg burritos for $2 than it is to prepare a fake egg omelet and turkey bacon. I am sure it is loaded with salt too, probably what makes it good.

But upon reading an article about the most salty food in the US (thankfully my burritos did not make the list) I think the old fake eggs and turkey bacon may just make more appearances. Plus, with a new used copy of the fabulous 1961 New York Times cookbook in my possession, I have all sorts of new things to try.

10 Saltiest Restaurant Meals

1. Chili’s
Jalapeno Smokehouse Burger w/ Jalapeno Ranch (6,460 mg)
Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy (1,050)
Seasonal Vegetables (490)
Total sodium: 7,770 mg

2. Chili’s
Buffalo Chicken Fajitas w/ Tortillas & Condiments (6,290)
Bowl Black Bean Soup (1480)
Total sodium: 6,950 mg

3. Denny’s
Meat Lover’s Scramble (3,180)
Hash browns with Onion, Cheese and Gravy (3,820), Small Milk (100)
Total sodium: 6,165 mg

4. Red Lobster
Admiral’s Feast (4,400)
Caesar Salad w/ Caesar Dressing (1,120)
Creamy Langostino Lobster with Mashed Potato (1,110)
Cheddar Bay Biscuit (350)
Light Lemonade (55)
Total sodium: 5,925 mg

5. Olive Garden
Tour of Italy (lasagna) (3,830)
Breadstick (with garlic-butter spread) (400)
Garden Fresh Salad w/ House Dressing (1,930)
Coca Cola (5)
Total sodium: 5,725 mg

6. Olive Garden
Chicken Parmigiana (3,380)
Breadstick (with garlic-butter spread) (400)
Garden Fresh Salad w/ Dressing (1,930)
Raspberry Lemonade (15)
Total sodium: 5,320 mg

7. Denny’s
Spicy Buffalo Chicken Melt (3,820)
Vegetable Rice Pilaf (820)
Small Tomato Juice (680)
Total sodium: 5,090 mg

8. Dairy Queen
Spicy Chili Bowl (3,900)
Large French Fries (1,040),
Large Mountain Dew (150)
Total sodium: 4,625 mg

9. Arby’s
Large Beef ‘n Cheddar Sandwich (2,200)
Large Mozzarella Sticks w/ Marinara Sauce (2,380)
Dr. Pepper (Small Cup) (45)
Total sodium: 3,280 mg

10. KFC
Large Popcorn Chicken (1600)
Biscuit (530)
Macaroni & Cheese (880)
Jalapeno Peppers (480)
Large Lipton Green with Peach Tea (280)
Total sodium: 2,760 mg

10 Saltiest Packaged Foods

1. Hungry-Man
Grilled Bourbon Steak Strips in sauce with rice and green beans (one prepared meal)
Total sodium: 6,990 mg

2. Boston Market
Meat Loaf with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy (one prepared meal)
Total sodium: 5,680 mg

3. Maruchan
Instant Lunch Chicken Vegetable Soup (recommended serving = 64g)
Total sodium: 1,420 mg

4. Celeste
Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza for One (one pizza)
Total sodium: 1,230 mg

5. Rold Gold
Pretzel Rods, (recommended serving six pretzels)
Total sodium: 1,220 mg

6. Hormel
Chili with Beans (recommended serving one cup)
Total sodium: 1,200 mg

7. Jimmy Dean
Breakfast Bowl with sausage, egg, potatoes and cheddar cheese (one prepared meal)
Total sodium: 1,090 mg

8. Hebrew National
Quarter Pound Franks (one frank)
Total sodium: 1,070 mg

9. Oscar Mayer
Lunchables Lean Ham and Cheddar Cracker Stackers (one prepared meal)
Total sodium: 1,060 mg

10. Kraft Easy Mac
Microwavable Macaroni and Cheese Dinner (one prepared meal)
Total sodium: 1,050 mg

I think I could make a Chicken Parmesan without using 3,380 mg of salt.

Coupl'a Things XXXIV

1) First photo of my new clean head:

2) Further proof Republicans are loony to the max:

Virginia Governor restores Confederate History, rewrites history by ignoring issue of slavery.

and:

Wisconsin DA wants to criminally charge teachers for teaching sex education, which is required by law

3) Gotta love the Midwest in spring, storms, hail and 80 degrees on Tuesday. Clouds, wind and 40s on Wednesday.

4) My little apt is awash in the aroma of a wonderful sausage, mushroom and onion pasta sauce. Damn the diet, diabetes and all that.. I am going to enjoy this!

5) Finally, although I will be munching Italian, I am listening to Ravi Shankar, the man responsible for bringing Indian classical music to the world on his 90th birthday.

Ravi Shankar at 90

Turkey Time

I have a couple days to work here at the palace, then Wednesday sneak off in Dunbar with Her Majesty and head to my sister's. She has our menu planned out for the whole time; I know as she calls me frequently to see if I want rice or potatoes for dinner on Saturday and if I want to take a break and have Mexican as we usually do. Hopefully I will survive the weekend.

Whatever you are doing or going, give thanks this week, be with (or tolerate) family and friends. As the tradition started 386 years ago decrees:

Governor William Bradford's Thanksgiving Proclamation 1623.

"Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes and garden vegetables and has made the forests to abound with game the sea with fish and clams; and inasmuch as he has protected us, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now I, do proclaim, that all Pilgrims do gather at the meeting house, on the hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November the 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three, and in the third year since Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock there to listen to the pastor and render thanksgiving for all His blessings."

Happy Thanksgiving From D and P at Puggingham Palace

Slimy, Spicy Stalks of Goodness

Sitting in the "cool, dry place" that is the corner of my little underground kitchen for the next two weeks are three freshly packed jars of spicy, garlicy, vinegary, crunchy-slimy spears of good eats called pickled okra.

No one is ambivalent about okra; you'd either murder nuns and orphans for the stuff or you place it in the same category as boils on your ass or maybe Hitler. As for me?... "take that, Sister Mary."

I never made the stuff before, but sure have eaten a ton. So with the garden still producing a bumper crop, I decided to try it. I scoured the net and found what looked like a recipe I would like, with lots of spice, vinegar and chile.

What I did not count on was that you had to have laboratory sterile conditions to make the stuff. I know grandma never used clean sterile towels, fresh laundered and not used for other purposes, hand sanitizer, sterilized tongs, rubber gloves and new, never used jars. She probably boiled the jars, but that was about it. I used most of the above, but the towels were not fresh from the drier and the rubber gloves were no where in sight, so I hope I am making a delicacy, not botulism.

It said if you follow the instructions to the T, you can safely can foods for long periods without fear of bacteria or contamination. I don't think I can wait that long. The minimum for sufficient pickling was two weeks and I am sure I will not resist temptation to try my creation.

But damn it, the three jars are already bothering me. I can hear the one lone bacterium spreading its doom, multiplying with no help from any of its friends..taking over..

Ah, fear not. There is enough garlic, vinegar, mustard seed and chile in the concoction to kill anything. At least I hope. If this is my last post, you will know the outcome.

Morrocan Spiced Olives

For a Moroccan themed party I am preparing this dish I found on RecipeSource.com . It is quite good, really easy and different.

1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1/4 tsp Cardamom, ground
1 pinch Crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch Nutmeg, ground
1 pinch Cinnamon
1 tb Olive oil
1 1/2 c Green olives, brought to room temperature
1 tb Lemon juice
1 tb Orange juice
3 Garlic cloves, minced


Heat first 8 ingredients in a small skillet over medium heat until
fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat & add olives & toss to
coat.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate in an airtight container
for at least 4 hours or up to 3 weeks. The longer they marinate, the
better they taste. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Mary Thurman's Potato Salad

Bruce's mother, Mary, was frequently called upon to assist with the post funeral meals a family would have. One of the staples of these events was Mary's own special potato salad. A few years ago, Bruce told me the recipe, or at least the basics of it, and I made it for a party. It was a hit. Now every party has to have a big bowl of this frankly unique salad. Since posting about it on Facebook, I have been innundated with requests for the recipe. I kept warning people that it was not an easy thing for me to give the recipe, but they persisted.

So what's all the drama?

I never wrote it down, like most of my favorites. And I never make it the same way twice, like most everything else I make. Plus, I only know how to make huge quantities.

So here it is folks.... as it is. Adapt it to your quantity. And enjoy.. it is good.

Cook potatoes to just slightly underdone, you don't want them mushy. Peel and chop roughly. Place in a large bowl and cover with bottled oil and vinegar type Italian salad dressing. Just the regular old kind, not the balsamic reduction-red wine-shallot-dijon style, just plain ordinary tangy dressing. To give you an idea, for 10 lbs of potatoes I used 1 whole 28 oz bottle. Just enough to cover but not swim in. Got it? Marinate this overnight (oh yes, this is a two day affair).

By the morning, the potatoes should have all absorbed the dressing. Add to this celery seed, a bit of celery salt (not much, the bottled dressing is usually salty enough), raw white sweet onions finely chopped, freshly chopped celery (lots of it, you want it nice and crunchy) and a jar or so of chopped green salad olives with pimentos, drained (Ok I confess, not in the original recipe, I add a bit of the juice from the olives), a couple of finely chopped hard boiled eggs, a squirt or 2 of mustard and a bit of mayo to hold everything together.

I think that is it. If I remember anything else, I'll let you know.

Bon appetit!

Redeeming a Culinary Nightmare

Salisbury Steak. The very name synonymous with the culinary hell of TV dinners, school cafeterias and cheap, "family" dinners found in the frozen food section. But have you ever made real Salisbury Steak? It is actually quite good if you make a good gravy and use lean, fresh hamburger.

The Salisbury Steak was actually invented by a man named Salisbury, an American physician and nutritionist from the mid 1800's. He believed fruits and vegetables created toxins and advocated a diet of chopped beef and coffee. While his ideas have been found to be wanting in many respects, his legacy lives on in the form of his steak.

I found this recipe in an old cookbook on casseroles and skillet dinners. Sounds like something worth trying. And wouldn't it be fun to shock your guests and tell them you are making Salisbury Steak for dinner?

Steaks:

1.5 lbs ground beef (get the good stuff, don't be cheap)
1 10 oz can of condensed French Onion soup (think Campbell's makes it) (divided use)
1/2 cup dry plain bread crumbs
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 tbs ketchup
2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbs dried onion flakes (or a couple tbs of finely chopped fresh)
salt and pepper to taste

1 tbs oil
1/4 cup flour

Gravy:

1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Remainder of onion soup

Garnish:

2 Cups mashed potatoes
2 tbs butter
paprika
Parmesan cheese


Mix beef, 1/4 cup of the soup (reserve remainder of soup) and rest of ingredients for the patties. Shape into 6 oval patties. Brush skillet with the oil and dredge the patties in the flour. Brown both sides over medium heat. Remove patties and arrange in a 9X13 baking pan. Drain off most of the fat from the skillet, reserving a scant 1/4 tsp or so. Mix gravy ingredients and remainder of soup in the skillet and heat through until begins to thicken, de-glazing the skillet. Pour gravy over patties and cover with foil. Bake in 350deg oven for 25 min, turn patties over, recover and bake an additional 20 min.

Remove cover and drop spoonfuls of the potatoes around the edges of the baking pan. Brush potatoes with butter and sprinkle with paprika and cheese. Bake an additional 15min uncovered until potatoes are nicely browned and steaks are fully cooked.

Never had these in a cafeteria!

Welsh Rarebit

My faithful reader, Callalilly, commented that she lives vicariously through my description of the food I prepare and recipes I post. Should I describe the Asparagus with Crab Hollandaise I made for Mardi Gras, or the Shrimp Creole? How about one of the most misunderstood dishes around... Welsh Rarebit.

Some think it is a rabbit dish and that the word rarebit is an old English or Welsh word for rabbit. And it may be; the Betty Crocker Cookbook claims that Welsh peasants were not allowed to eat any rabbits caught on the nobleman's estate, so they used melted cheese as a substitute. There are many theories about the origins of the name. At any rate, we are most familiar with it from the frozen food section, courtesy of Stoffer's. But have you ever had it?

It is easy to make, and quite fun. Great with a steak, or roast beef... whatever.

So, have some for fun. The otherwise obnoxious Elton Brown on Food Network has a good recipe:

Welsh Rarebit

So, hwylfawr! And of course Cymru am byth!