Fore more information, variations and the complete article, click here!
1 bag of baby spinach, washed and dried
8 strips bacon, diced
1/4 red onion, sliced very thinly
2 hard boiled eggs (I use 10 minute eggs), sliced into eighths
2-4 Tbl balsamic vinegar
1-2 Tbl Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet, render the bacon until very crispy over medium low heat. Drain well on paper towels and set aside and allow to cool.
Meanwhile on a large platter or salad bowl, layer the spinach and red onion. Top with egg slices.
In the skillet, reserve about 1/3 cup of the bacon grease. Return skillet to medium low heat. Add the vinegar and whisk well. Add half the Dijon mustard. Taste - this is critical. There is a huge difference in the sweetness of brands of balsamic vinegar, and in the saltiness of brands of bacon. You may need as much as 1/3 cup of the vinegar. I've made this with half and half, and I've made it with as little as 2 Tbl - all because of different brands. Make sure the dressing is well whisked, and season for salt and pepper. You'll need pepper for sure, but because of the bacon you may need no salt at all. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
To serve, sprinkle the cooled bacon on top of the salad. Drizzle the warm dressing over the salad and sprinkle with several cranks of freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately, since the warmth of the dressing will cause the spinach to begin to wilt.
More more information and links to the spice rub recipe, click here!
Start with making the mop sauce. For that you'll need:
1 cup ketchup
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 Tbl crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbl brown sugar
Cayenne - if you want real heat. Start with a scant 1/2 tsp - it will concentrate and you'll blow the top of your own head off if you're not careful.
Mix all the mop sauce ingredients together, and put them in something easily dealt with beside the grill. I use a plastic bottle for condiments that I bought at a dollar store for $.49. You'll be able to drizzle the meat with the mop sauce without actually having to deal with the mess of a mop and bowl. Mix up your spice rub ingredients as well.
Preheat your grill to 200-225F. No higher!
Pull the ribs from their packaging and place on the counter on a large baking sheet. Give yourself a generous amount of the spice rub - at least a cup, and rub it well into both sides of the rack. Actually rub it in - pretend your giving them a massage. You want as much of the spice rub as possible to stick to the ribs (ha ha ha) even when you lift it or turn it over.
Stick your ribs on the grill as far away from the source of heat as you can. With a gas grill you just get one burner on low and the ribs all the way on the other end. With charcoal, you'll have to build the bed of coals to one side, and the ribs to the other.Also, make sure that the thinner end of the ribs is furthest away from the heat source.
Every half hour or so, drizzle the ribs with the mop sauce. Give them a half hour at the beginning of cooking to begin releasing their juices and to seal on the spice rub - you don't want to wash off what you got all nicely patted on there. But then carefully drizzle on your mop sauce throughout the cooking time. If you forget for an hour, nobody will care. But try to time out even coatings so that the ribs stay moist.
After two hours, flip the ribs, and repeat the mop saucing. When you turn the ribs, make sure to keep the thinner end still away from the heat source to your best ability. I know some grills are oddly shaped or round or oval or whatever - do your best.
The total grilling time should be about four hours. At the end of this time, carefully wiggle one of the ribs. You should see the meat pulling away, but you don't want the ribs actually 'falling' apart. Texture is critical in good ribs, and the tenderness needs a little more substance.
At this point, if you wish to caramelize the outside, then carefully apply a thin layer of good BBQ sauce to both sides. Turn the heat up, and give the ribs only about ten minutes per side. More than that and the sugars in the sauce will burn, instead of becoming one with the ribs. That's not luscious.
That's done! Allow your ribs to rest for about ten minutes once they come off the grill. They've been through a lot for you - give them that courtesy and you're bombshell!
For more information and the complete article, click here!
The Method!
This is more of a method than a recipe. In this case I refer to four servings, but you can add or subtract at will. If you love a particular ingredient, use more. Hate it? Use less. You can also add veggies if you like - zucchini and sliced onion is divine when it's included in this particular recipe. Use red onion and the colors are just beautiful. If you're a fan of piccata, toss in a few capers as well.
You'll need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 large lemons
4 small prigs fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 tsp butter
4 squares of aluminum foil or parchment paper
Preheat oven to 350F.
Use the butter to grease the interior of each sheet of aluminum foil. You only need to butter where the chicken will touch on the bottom.
Lay one chicken breast in the center of each square of aluminum foil. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken.
Slice each lemon in half, squeezing the juice of one half evenly over each breast. Slice the second half very thinly, covering each breast with a few slices.This is pretty lemony - makes it really sing. If you want less, use just a half a lemon per breast.
Top the lemon slices with a sprig of rosemary. Sprinkle with the minced garlic.
Pull the edges of the foil up over the chicken and roll the, squeezing to seal each packet. If using parchment, gather the edges up top, and tie off with a little kitchen twine. This makes a really pretty 'purse' - great presentation.
Bake for 45 minutes in a 350F oven. Allow each packet to rest for five minutes before you open it.
A note - 45 minutes works really well if you have really fat chicken breasts. If yours are thinner, or if you are using fish, cut the cooking time to 30 minutes. If they are super thin, go to 20.
For more information and the complete article, click here:
The Method!
I think of this as much more of a method than a strict recipe. You'll need:
•Mushrooms - I used about half a pound, but however much you want
•Butter - about 2 tablespoons
•Olive oil - about 2 tablespoons
•5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme
•salt and pepper
1.Clean your mushrooms by rubbing them with a damp paper towel. Don't wash them - there's debate over whether or not a mushroom absorbs much water if they are washed, but they do take up some. In this application we want them very dry so they will caramelize complelely. If there's water involved, they'll steam instead and the result is very, very different.
2.You do want to clean them though - mushrooms now come pretty clean to begin with, but they do ocasionally show up with clods of the growing medium still clinging to them (it's a sterile medium, NOT what is commonly thought to grow mushrooms!). You don't want to eat that, so brush it off.
3.Slice the mushrooms thinly. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt a tsp or two of butter with a tsp or two of olive oil. You want both because olive oil has a higher smoke point - it won't burn like butter will, and using it will allow the butter to get hotter without burning. Butter however is necessary for the flavor. The little bit of milk solids will also help the mushrooms turn golden and toasty. You also only want enough to just cover the bottom of the pan. More and you'll fry the mushrooms - again, yummy, but not what we're after here.
4.Into the skillet, place a couple sprigs of the fresh thyme and a single layer of mushroom slices. Make sure you leave room between them. If they're too close together, they'll steam and won't get golden. Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt and pepper, and let them cook on the first side. If you want you can shake the pan, but don't turn them or stir them. You want the sugars to caramelize, and this happens when they stay in contact with the hot skillet.
5.The mushrooms will absorb the oil almost immediately, and the pan will appear almost dry. This is fine. Once the edges have turned golden, and the tops appear moist, flip one and check. You're looking for a deep, luscious golden brown. That's when you flip, and it can take a few minutes. Be patient.
6.Toast the mushrooms on the second side until just as golden, then turn onto a plate and keep warm in a slow oven (150F).
7. Add more oil and butter to the pan, and continue again with the remaining mushrooms.
8.These are amazing all by themselves, and I usually serve them just like that. However, if you'd like, you can make a little sherried cream to dress them with when they're done. To do that:
9. Deglaze the hot pan with about 2 Tbl dry sherry. It will nearly dry very quickly. Whisk it well to scrape all the fond - the brown bits - off the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low. Add about 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream, and bring to a simmer. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes, or until reduced to about 1/3 of a cup. Taste for seasoning, and re-season if necessary.
10.To serve, simply drizzle the sherried cream over the warm mushrooms. Garnish with the toasted thyme. Serve immediately.
For more information and the complete article, click here!
1 1 lb box elbow macaroni
8 ounces medium cheddar, grated
8 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
4 eggs
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
2 Tbl ground mustard
1/2 stick of butter
salt and pepper to taste - note - if you're used to the box stuff, it might take a lot of salt to get close - start with a tsp and then taste as you season
1. Cook macaroni in salted water according to package directions. Drain well, and set aside.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining ingredients. Mix well, stirring until warm and cheese is mostly melted.
3. Add sauce to hot macaroni and stir well to combine, and until cheese is fully melted. All done!
For more information and the complete article, click here!
The Recipe!
Click edit above to add content to this empty capsule.
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 red onion, sliced very thinly
1 red bell pepper, sliced very thinly
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups corned beef, thinly sliced
Heat oil in large skillet (I used a wok). Add cabbages, onion and pepper. Saute for about three to four minutes or until vegetables become fragrant.
Add salt, pepper, vinegar and mustard. Continue to cook for a few minutes more, or just until vegetables being barely to wilt.
Add corned beef, stirring it in. Allow it to come to temperature and serve immediately.
For more information, or to read the complete article, click here!
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup butter
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and whole
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
5 green onions, sliced, including green tops
Place potatoes in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Cover with cold water, add a tsp of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, but not falling apart. This should be about 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick the pieces are.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the milk, butter, cream and garlic to just below a simmer. Keep warm but do not boil, while the potatoes are simmering.
Drain the potatoes, and return them to the dry pot. Remove the garlic cloves from the milk/cream mixture. Add about half of the milk, cream mixture, and mash well with a potato masher or wooden spoon. As the milk and cream is incorporated, add more and continue mashing, until all of the milk, cream and butter is thoroughly mixed in.
Stir in the green onions, remaining salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, or cover and keep in a slow oven for about an hour.
