My Menu Blog

• 1 head savoy cabbage (¾ head regular green cabbage can be substituted)
• 6 slices bacon, cut into 6 to 8 pieces each
• 1 onion, cut into small dice
• 8 ounces (1 cup) water, plus additional if needed
• 4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, plus additional for garnish
• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling over roasted fish
• 4 small knobs butter (a “knob” is about 1 teaspoon)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper

• 1 bottle (1 liter) plus 1 cup (225 ml) of red wine
• 1 onion, cut into a 1-inch (2.5-cm) dice
• 1 carrot, cut into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices
• 1 celery rib, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) slices
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tbsp (14 g) whole black peppercorns
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 whole chicken, about 3.5 lb (1.35 kg) “trimmed”–meaning guts, wing tips, and neckbone removed
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp (28 ml) olive oil
• 6 tbsp (75 g) butter, softened
• 1 tbsp (14 g) flour
• ¼ lb (112 g) slab or country bacon, cut into small oblongs (lardons) about ¼ by 1 inch (6 mm by 2.5 cm)
• ½ Ib/225 g small, white button mushrooms, stems removed
• 12 pearl onions, peeled pinch of sugar

DAY ONE

The day before you even begin to cook, combine the bottle of red wine, the diced onion (that’s the big onion, not the pearl onions), sliced carrot, celery, cloves, peppercorns, and bouquet garni in a large, deep bowl. Add the chicken and submerge it in the liquid so that all of it is covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

DAY TWO

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry. Put it aside. Strain the marinade through the fine strainer, reserving the liquids and solids separately. Season the chicken with salt and pepper inside and out. In the large Dutch oven, heat the oil and 2 tablespoons/28 g of the butter until almost smoking, and then sear the chicken, turning with the tongs to evenly brown the skin. Once browned, remove it from the pot and set it aside again. Add the reserved onions, celery, and carrot to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and golden brown. That should take you about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and mix well with the wooden spoon so that the vegetables are coated. Now stir in the reserved strained marinade. Put the chicken back in the pot, along with the bouquet garni. Cook this for about 1 hour and 15 minutes over low heat.

Have a drink. You’re almost there …

While your chicken stews slowly in the pot, cook the bacon lardons in the small sauté pan over medium heat until golden brown. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain it on paper towels, making sure to keep about 1 tablespoon/14 g of fat in the pan. Sauté the mushroom tops in the bacon fat until golden brown. Set them aside.

Now, in the small saucepan, combine the pearl onions, the pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons/28 g of the butter. Add just enough water to just cover the onions, then cover the pan with the parchment paper trimmed to the same size as your pan. (I suppose you can use foil if you must.) Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the water has evaporated. Keep a close eye on it. Remove the paper cover and continue to cook until the onions are golden brown. Set the onions aside and add the remaining cup/225 ml of red wine to the hot pan, scraping up all the fond on the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and reduce over medium-high heat until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Your work is pretty much done here. One more thing and then it’s wine and kudos …

When the chicken is cooked through—meaning tender, the juice from the thigh running clear when pricked—carefully remove from the liquid, cut into quarters, and arrange on the deep serving platter. Strain the cooking liquid (again) into the reduced red wine. Now just add the bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons/28 g of butter. Now pour that sauce over the chicken and dazzle your friends with your brilliance. Serve with buttered noodles and a Bourgogne Rouge.

1 (3 1/2 lb.) flat-cut and well trimmed corned beef brisket
1 onion, studded with 10 whole cloves
3 large cloves garlic
3 large sprigs each of fresh thyme, and flat-leaf parsley, tied together
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp. mustard seed
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
12 small (2 oz.) white onions, peeled
12 small red potatoes, well scrubbed
6 peeled carrots, cut crosswise into thirds
1 (2 lb.) head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

1. Place beef in an 8-qt. pot. Add cold water to cover by 1 in. Cover; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 min. Skim foam from top.
2. Add onion, garlic, herb bundle, bay leaf, mustard seed and peppercorns. Cover; simmer 2 1/2 hrs. With slotted spoon, discard onion with cloves, garlic, herb bundle and bay leaf.
3. Add white onions; cover. Simmer 20 min. Add potatoes, carrots and cabbage. Cover; simmer 20 min., until beef is fork tender and vegetables are crisp tender. Remove from heat.
4. To serve: Transfer vegetables to platter, halve potatoes. Place beef on cutting board; slice thinly across grain.

2 lbs. of beef stew meat, cut into 1 in. cubes
3 tbs. of veg. oil, divided
1 cup water
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, sliced
1 large bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp. of salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
2 tbs. beef boullion granules
1 sugar pumpkin

1. Heat 2 tbs. oil in a large saucepan over med.-high heat. Place beef in the saucepan and cook until evenly brown. Mix in water, potatoes, carrots, green bell pepper, galrlic, onion, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer approximately 2 hours.

2. Dissolve the bouillon into the beef misture. Stir in the tomatoes.

3. Preheat oven to  325°.

4. Cut top off the pumpkin and remove seeds and pulp. Place the pumpkin in a heavy baking pan. Fill the pumpkin with the beef mixture. Brush outside of the pumpkin with remaining oil.

5. Bake in the preheated oven 2 hrs., or until tender . Serve the stew from the pumpkin, scraping out some of the pumpkin meat with each serving.

3 tbs. canola oil
1 (4 lb.) boneless rump roast
3 onions, sliced
2 tbs. Hungarian sweet paprika
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups reduced-fat, low-sodium beef broth
1 cup water
1 cup dry red wine
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs. new potatoes, scrubbed
8 carrots, cut into 1½” thick pieces

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
3. Add the roast and sear on all sides. 8 to 10 min. (a good dark brown sear)
4. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
5. Reduce the heat to medium.
6. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 min.
7. Add the paprika, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme and garlic. Stir to combine and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.
8. Add the broth, water and wine. Bring to a boil.
9. Return the roast plus any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven.
10. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hr.
12. Turn roast, add the potatoes, carrots and stock. If necessary, cover and bake an additional hr. or until tender.
13. Remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the roast to a warm platter.
14. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
15. Remove and discard bay leaves.
16. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
17. Spoon sauce and vegetables over roast and serve immediately.

1 tbs. vegetable or peanut oil
2 to 3 tsp. Thai red curry paste
1 small onion, sliced into rings
½ lb. tofu, cut into cubes (optional)
1 red bell pepper, seed removed, cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, cut into strips
¼ cup chopped fresh Thai basil leaves
1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk
1 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs. soy sauce
¼ lb. snow peas
1 small zucchini, cut crosswise or lengthwise into strips
1/3 cup (2 oz.) canned bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
2 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, stir together the oil and red curry paste until well combined.
2. Add the onion and tofu, if using, and cook until tofu begins to sear.
3. Add the red and green bell peppers and Thai basil
4. Cook and stir until the peppers start to get tender and their colors brighten.
5. Add the coconut milk, brown sugar and soy sauce and stir to combine.
6. Let simmer for 4-5 min., then add the snow peas, zucchini and bamboo shoots.
7. Cook until snow peas are crisp-tender and zucchini is just tender 4-5 min.
8. Serve over rice with cilantro.

½ lb. bacon, diced
2 (6½ oz.) cans minced clams, juice reserved
2 (8 oz.) cans oysters, chopped, juice reserved
2 med. onions, chopped
3 cups diced red potatoes
2 cups sliced baby carrots
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 lb. veleeta cheese, regular or pepper jack
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ cup to 1 cup milk
Pepper and salt to taste.

1.  In a soup pot, cook the bacon over med. heat until crispy. Pour off the grease.
2. Add the juice only from the clams and oysters (reserve the clams and oysters until later.
3. Add the onions, potatoes, carrots and butter to the pot.
4. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 min.
5. Add the cheese and garlic powder and stir until soup comes to a simmer.
6. Add the reserved clams and oysters, then enough milk to bring the mixture to the consistency of a thick soup.
7. Season to taste with pepper and additional garlic powder; use salt sparingly.

1 lb. lean beef for stew
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning blend
1 large onion (for about 1 cup chopped)
20 peeled baby carrots
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup brown rice
2 cans (14 oz. each) fat-free beef broth
4 cups water
1 can (14½ oz.) petite diced tomatoes
Black pepper to taste.

1. Cut any large chunks of beef into pieces that are no more than ½”.
2. Place the beef in a 4-6 qt. slow cooker.
3. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the beef.
4. Peel and chop the onion, and layer it over the beef.
5. Add the carrots (whole, with any extra-large ones split lengthwise) and garlic.
6. Sprinkle the rice over the rest of the ingredients.
7. Add both cans of broth, the water and the tomatoes with their juices. Make sure the rice is submerged in the liquid (pressing any stray pieces into the liquid—but do not stir).
8. Cover the slow cooker, and cook stew on low for 8 to 10 hrs.
9. Season with black pepper to taste and stir well.

2 tbs. vegetable oil
1 med. green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 med. yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 (14½ oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (10¾ oz.) can tomato puree
1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
1 (14½ oz.) can chicken broth
1 (12 oz.) bottle dark beer, such as Guinness
2 tbs. dark chili powder
1 tbs. ground cumin
2 tbs. salt
1 tbs. black pepper
1 tbs. cayenne pepper
½ cup dark molasses
¼ cup or more masa flour

1. In a large pot, heat oil over med. heat. Add green pepper, onion and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent.
2. Add ground turkey and cook until browned. Do not drain.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato puree, kidney beans and corn. Stir in broth and beer. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat, cover and cook for 30 min., stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in molasses. If the chili is too thick, add additional broth or beer. Cook 5 min. If it is thin, stir ¼ cup masa flour into an equal amount of water, then stir into chili. Adjust seasonings to taste.

3 lbs. ground turkey
4 cups chopped onions
2 rotisserie chickens, skin and bones removed and meat shredded
3 (15 oz.) cans chopped tomatoes
1 (10¾ oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10¾ oz.)  can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup ketchup
½ cup hot chili sauce
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 qts. chicken broth, as needed
2 (15 oz.) cans creamed corn
1 (15 oz.) can whole yellow corn, drained
1 tsp. salt

1. In large stockpot, brown ground turkey, drain off excess fat.
2. Add onions, simmer until transparent, about 5 min.
3. Add shredded chicken meat, chopped tomatoes, the canned condensed soups, barbecue sauce, ketchup, chili sauce, Worchestershire sauce, hot sauce, ginger and pepper.
4. Add 1 qt. chicken broth. Stir well.
5. Bring to simmer then reduce heat to low, partially cover with lid, simmer at least 2 hrs. or up to 6 hrs. stirring occasionally.
6. In the last hour of cooking, add the creamed corn and whole corn. Adjust seasonings to taste.