Real life has prevented me from writing much here, so let's do a little catch-up. Which brings me to ketchup. I don't like it on my fries, but it is a wonderful ingredient when cooking, as are other basic bottled sauces. I don't mean the prefab marinades, stir-fry sauces, and whatnot - they're not usually as good as what you can whip up yourself - but you can add a lot of flavor and save a lot of ingredients by using ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and the like.
By the way, I'm one of the only people in the country who doesn't like Heinz ketchup. I prefer Del Monte and Hunt's, and the latter doesn't have high-fructose corn syrup.
I was overwhelmed with work the other day, and looking to cook a brisket in the easiest possible way. I found a recipe that called for a cup of ketchup, a packet of onion soup mix, and a can of ginger ale. I didn't have the soup mix, but I salted the meat well, put it in the slow cooker with a sliced onion on top, poured on the other ingredients, and cooked it all day on low. The original recipe was for the oven, so I had a lot of extra gravy at the end. I thickened it with a little roux, sliced the meat, and put it all back in the slow cooker. Great brisket, and I owe it all to ketchup.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Improvising...
...is my favorite way to cook. Take whatever is at hand, and turn it into something delicious (or at least edible!). I had fun improvising with a lot of must-be-used vegetables tonight.
I seasoned and floured a cut-up chicken, and browned it in a little oil. Then I removed it from the pan, and threw in half an onion (all I had), a couple of stalks of celery, and a green pepper, all diced. I seasoned these with a little of Emeril's Essence, since I have it and rarely remember to use it. I then added a diced zucchini and a minced garlic clove, and when it was finally sliced, about two cups of okra.
After all of this had cooked a bit, I put the chicken back in the pot, along with a can of low-sodium chicken broth. Half a can would have been fine, but I wasn't sure whether I intended to make stew or soup. I peeled a couple of large tomatoes, cut them up, and threw them in as well. Once the chicken was done (about half an hour) I added about a cup of cut-up green beans and the kernels from a cooked ear of corn. When the beans were about done, I added salt and pepper, a handful of chopped parsley, and what was edible from an aging bunch of scallions.
At this point it was done and still somewhat stew-like. However, I had forgotten to put my son's fish sticks in the oven, so we had to wait a bit. By then, it was more of a soup than a stew. I ate as a soup with a little rice, but I served it to my husband as a spoonful of veggies over rice with chicken pieces on the side. We both enjoyed it. If I hadn't had the okra, I would have used the eggplant that's crying out to be cooked. Not sure what I'll do with that.
Well, that was my most boring post to date. To anyone who reads this to the end: you have my gratitude, but you need to get a life. :-)
I seasoned and floured a cut-up chicken, and browned it in a little oil. Then I removed it from the pan, and threw in half an onion (all I had), a couple of stalks of celery, and a green pepper, all diced. I seasoned these with a little of Emeril's Essence, since I have it and rarely remember to use it. I then added a diced zucchini and a minced garlic clove, and when it was finally sliced, about two cups of okra.
After all of this had cooked a bit, I put the chicken back in the pot, along with a can of low-sodium chicken broth. Half a can would have been fine, but I wasn't sure whether I intended to make stew or soup. I peeled a couple of large tomatoes, cut them up, and threw them in as well. Once the chicken was done (about half an hour) I added about a cup of cut-up green beans and the kernels from a cooked ear of corn. When the beans were about done, I added salt and pepper, a handful of chopped parsley, and what was edible from an aging bunch of scallions.
At this point it was done and still somewhat stew-like. However, I had forgotten to put my son's fish sticks in the oven, so we had to wait a bit. By then, it was more of a soup than a stew. I ate as a soup with a little rice, but I served it to my husband as a spoonful of veggies over rice with chicken pieces on the side. We both enjoyed it. If I hadn't had the okra, I would have used the eggplant that's crying out to be cooked. Not sure what I'll do with that.
Well, that was my most boring post to date. To anyone who reads this to the end: you have my gratitude, but you need to get a life. :-)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Okra soup
Well, I haven't been cooking much this week - too much "real" work - and the farm veggies in the fridge are crying out to be used. I love okra and went to the trouble of picking a fair quantity the past couple of weeks. The batch from last week was looking pretty sad, but I decided it was still good enough for soup.
I looked up some okra soup recipes and use the most common type as a guideline, although I winged it as far as quantities and method. Still, it worked, and the soup is delicious. Here's what I did (more or less):
Okra Soup
Chop three slices bacon and saute in soup pot (I used precooked bacon and added some olive oil). When bacon is brown, add a chopped onion or two, then a chopped green pepper and a minced small hot pepper (like jalapeno - I don't know what type I used as it came from the farm). Season with salt and pepper. Add 3 to 4 cups sliced okra, a minced garlic clove, and the kernels of one ear of corn and saute a few minutes. Add two cans (about 4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth and two cups water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook about half an hour, then add a diced tomato and a stick of cinnamon. Cook another 15-20 minutes, then remove cinnamon stick. Season to taste, if needed.
N.B. None of the above, needless to say, has to be done exactly like that or in exactly that order. It will still be soup and still be good.
I looked up some okra soup recipes and use the most common type as a guideline, although I winged it as far as quantities and method. Still, it worked, and the soup is delicious. Here's what I did (more or less):
Okra Soup
Chop three slices bacon and saute in soup pot (I used precooked bacon and added some olive oil). When bacon is brown, add a chopped onion or two, then a chopped green pepper and a minced small hot pepper (like jalapeno - I don't know what type I used as it came from the farm). Season with salt and pepper. Add 3 to 4 cups sliced okra, a minced garlic clove, and the kernels of one ear of corn and saute a few minutes. Add two cans (about 4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth and two cups water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook about half an hour, then add a diced tomato and a stick of cinnamon. Cook another 15-20 minutes, then remove cinnamon stick. Season to taste, if needed.
N.B. None of the above, needless to say, has to be done exactly like that or in exactly that order. It will still be soup and still be good.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Flo's Famous Baby Back Ribs
Well, no, they're not really famous. But that sounds like the way it would read on the menu at Flo's Diner.
Roast 3-4 lbs. baby back ribs in a shallow pan at 400 degrees F (how do you get a degree sign on this website?) for 15 minutes, then turn and roast 15 minutes more. Drain and discard the fat. (I have always done this with the ribs still "on the rack," but next time I think I will cut them apart first.)
While the ribs are roasting, prepare the sauce.
Combine in a small saucepan (preferably nonstick):
1/2 cup ketchup
2 T brown sugar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T cider vinegar
dash Tabasco
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer while the ribs roast. (Note: this does not make a lot of sauce, so if you want extra sauce for dipping, double the recipe.)
Place ribs in a slow cooker with the sauce; turn to coat. Cook 6-8 hours on low, or half that on high if you're pressed for time. Meanwhile, wash the baking pan and sauce pot; you'll need them later.
Remove ribs to the baking pan. Pour the sauce and juices into a fat separator, then pour off the "good part" into the same saucepan you used before to cook the sauce (or another, if you have a lot of them - I don't care). Reduce the sauce over med-high heat until it is as thick as it was before. Brush it on the ribs and roast again (at 400 degrees) until they are nicely glazed, turning and brushing with sauce again (10-15 minutes total).
These are good. Even my son eats them.
Roast 3-4 lbs. baby back ribs in a shallow pan at 400 degrees F (how do you get a degree sign on this website?) for 15 minutes, then turn and roast 15 minutes more. Drain and discard the fat. (I have always done this with the ribs still "on the rack," but next time I think I will cut them apart first.)
While the ribs are roasting, prepare the sauce.
Combine in a small saucepan (preferably nonstick):
1/2 cup ketchup
2 T brown sugar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T cider vinegar
dash Tabasco
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer while the ribs roast. (Note: this does not make a lot of sauce, so if you want extra sauce for dipping, double the recipe.)
Place ribs in a slow cooker with the sauce; turn to coat. Cook 6-8 hours on low, or half that on high if you're pressed for time. Meanwhile, wash the baking pan and sauce pot; you'll need them later.
Remove ribs to the baking pan. Pour the sauce and juices into a fat separator, then pour off the "good part" into the same saucepan you used before to cook the sauce (or another, if you have a lot of them - I don't care). Reduce the sauce over med-high heat until it is as thick as it was before. Brush it on the ribs and roast again (at 400 degrees) until they are nicely glazed, turning and brushing with sauce again (10-15 minutes total).
These are good. Even my son eats them.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Gumbo, by gum!
This blog is supposed to be for cooking successes, but I'll include the gumbo anyway. Not that it was bad, but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped and I had to eat almost the whole pot over the course of this past week. My husband liked it but had only one bowl. :-(
I basically followed Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo, roux and all (available at http://www.foodnetwork.com/), but I used boneless chicken thighs and modified the proceedings accordingly (cut up and browned chicken, added it back later and cooked for 30-45 minutes). I also used okra instead of file powder, and added it with the chicken. I only had three cans of chicken broth, so I cut back most ingredients by about one third. However, I used full amounts of the veggies. Also, I used kielbasa to please my husband who hates spicy foods. It would be much better with andouille.
If I make gumbo again, it won't be authentic. In other words, no way am I making a roux again. Not that it's difficult, but the result is just way too greasy. I took off a ton of fat, but it was still far too rich for my taste. Too rich, because it's poor people's food. Flour and fat are cheap calories. But I sure don't need the calories and I would like my soup lighter.
For the last bowl of leftovers, I cooked myself some extra okra. A little butter (1 tsp) in a nonstick pan. Throw in a couple of handfuls of whole fresh baby okra and squeeze a little lemon on top. Saute on med-high heat until lightly browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and enjoy.
I have some better things to add, but it's bedtime.
I basically followed Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo, roux and all (available at http://www.foodnetwork.com/), but I used boneless chicken thighs and modified the proceedings accordingly (cut up and browned chicken, added it back later and cooked for 30-45 minutes). I also used okra instead of file powder, and added it with the chicken. I only had three cans of chicken broth, so I cut back most ingredients by about one third. However, I used full amounts of the veggies. Also, I used kielbasa to please my husband who hates spicy foods. It would be much better with andouille.
If I make gumbo again, it won't be authentic. In other words, no way am I making a roux again. Not that it's difficult, but the result is just way too greasy. I took off a ton of fat, but it was still far too rich for my taste. Too rich, because it's poor people's food. Flour and fat are cheap calories. But I sure don't need the calories and I would like my soup lighter.
For the last bowl of leftovers, I cooked myself some extra okra. A little butter (1 tsp) in a nonstick pan. Throw in a couple of handfuls of whole fresh baby okra and squeeze a little lemon on top. Saute on med-high heat until lightly browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and enjoy.
I have some better things to add, but it's bedtime.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)