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Iron chef: Beef and red wine casserole.
23 Jun 07 02:54 pm
It's a nice wintery Saturday afternoon, cold,
overcast, threatening to rain, and it's Iron Chef
time.
But this one's extra special because this afternoon/evening we get to take the Chasseur out for a spin!
[Japanese accent on]
Allez Cuisine!
[Japanese accent off]
This recipe is based on an old Women's Weekly one, and there are a few differences today, mainly because I'm using a casserole dish that you can put on a hot plate, fry/sauté with, then put in the oven. Yes, I know, I keep on harping on about this dish but it really is quite something being able to do that. If you don't have something similar then a normal casserole dish and a frying pan will do quite nicely. The other difference is that we go the slow gentle approach with a long cook time rather than just a "quick" 1.5 hours the original recipe calls for. This is intentional: when you have the time, cooking should never be a chore, it should be a relaxing pastime. Give it time to develop, and for the aromas to permeate the house. Just so comforting done this way.
This is deliciously hearty, somewhat healthy, and will easily stuff four people to the gunnels. We eat on this for days if we don't freeze some of it (which it does very well.)
Okay, let's get started. Ingredients:
~500g of good beef, preferably a good thick cut fillet, but you can just as easily use something like topside or round steak
3-5 bacon rashers
6 small onions (about 2.5cm in diameter)
2-3 carrots
6 small potatoes (again around 2.5cm in diameter)
10-12 button mushrooms
butter
oil (Olive, sunflower, whatever you prefer)
2 gloves of garlic crushed (or 2 heaped teaspoons of the jar stuff)
3 tablespoons of plain flour
lots of tomato paste (140g)
500ml of beef stock (salt reduced if you can get it)
1/2 cup red wine
Method:
Peel the carrots, chop into 2cm rounds, scrub the spuds leaving the skin on. Peel, top & tail the onions. Don't be scared by the size of these, by the time the dish is done they'll be soft, caramelised, and able to be cut with a fork. Really, they're magic, trust me on this.
Put the carrots and spuds in the
casserole dish. While we're at it mix the tomato
paste, beef stock and wine in a bowl.
Pre-heat the oven to ~170-180° C.
Chop the bacon into bits at least 1-2cm a side. This way you get nice little bursts of bacon rather than it just dissolving and fading into the background. Dice the beef into nice big chunks, about 2-2.5cm aside. Again, these will shrink a little but they need to retain coherence. With the long cook time they'll end up just falling apart. [insert Nigella-esque 'MMMMM!' here...]
Melt a good tablespoon of butter with a slosh of olive oil on high heat, then seal and brown the beef in batches (don't let them stew!) and set aside in the casserole dish keeping the oil in the pan. In the same pan add the onions (place them in with tongs so you don't get splash-back) and the bacon, stirring around until the bacon is cooked and the onions are just starting to brown, turn the heat right down, then when it's calmed down, set the onion and bacon aside in the casserole dish, again keeping the oil.
Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan then when it's melted and bubbling, add the flour and stir to a rue (smooth paste) letting it brown a little so you don't end up with a raw flour taste. Add the stock mix, stirring constantly, then when it's a consistent texture bring to the boil.
Now add the sauce to the casserole dish, distribute everything evenly making sure as many of the ingredients are submerged, then cover and place in the oven.
And now aside from taking it out of the oven every 45-60mins for a stir, we wait as long as you can stand.
If it starts getting too gluggy (you'll know what you like) add a little more beef stock.
When you get within about an hour of serving, clean the mushrooms, chopping just the dried bit of the stem off, then add them to the dish, returning it to the oven. You could also prep and steam some greens like chopped broccoli or broccolini to go on the side. I'd also recommend a nice batard or small bread rolls.
Serve in smaller than you think necessary servings (remember it'll be very hearty at this stage) with the greens and bread. Enjoy!
But this one's extra special because this afternoon/evening we get to take the Chasseur out for a spin!
[Japanese accent on]
Allez Cuisine!
[Japanese accent off]
This recipe is based on an old Women's Weekly one, and there are a few differences today, mainly because I'm using a casserole dish that you can put on a hot plate, fry/sauté with, then put in the oven. Yes, I know, I keep on harping on about this dish but it really is quite something being able to do that. If you don't have something similar then a normal casserole dish and a frying pan will do quite nicely. The other difference is that we go the slow gentle approach with a long cook time rather than just a "quick" 1.5 hours the original recipe calls for. This is intentional: when you have the time, cooking should never be a chore, it should be a relaxing pastime. Give it time to develop, and for the aromas to permeate the house. Just so comforting done this way.
This is deliciously hearty, somewhat healthy, and will easily stuff four people to the gunnels. We eat on this for days if we don't freeze some of it (which it does very well.)
Okay, let's get started. Ingredients:
~500g of good beef, preferably a good thick cut fillet, but you can just as easily use something like topside or round steak
3-5 bacon rashers
6 small onions (about 2.5cm in diameter)
2-3 carrots
6 small potatoes (again around 2.5cm in diameter)
10-12 button mushrooms
butter
oil (Olive, sunflower, whatever you prefer)
2 gloves of garlic crushed (or 2 heaped teaspoons of the jar stuff)
3 tablespoons of plain flour
lots of tomato paste (140g)
500ml of beef stock (salt reduced if you can get it)
1/2 cup red wine
Method:
Peel the carrots, chop into 2cm rounds, scrub the spuds leaving the skin on. Peel, top & tail the onions. Don't be scared by the size of these, by the time the dish is done they'll be soft, caramelised, and able to be cut with a fork. Really, they're magic, trust me on this.
Put the carrots and spuds in the
casserole dish. While we're at it mix the tomato
paste, beef stock and wine in a bowl.
Pre-heat the oven to ~170-180° C.
Chop the bacon into bits at least 1-2cm a side. This way you get nice little bursts of bacon rather than it just dissolving and fading into the background. Dice the beef into nice big chunks, about 2-2.5cm aside. Again, these will shrink a little but they need to retain coherence. With the long cook time they'll end up just falling apart. [insert Nigella-esque 'MMMMM!' here...]
Melt a good tablespoon of butter with a slosh of olive oil on high heat, then seal and brown the beef in batches (don't let them stew!) and set aside in the casserole dish keeping the oil in the pan. In the same pan add the onions (place them in with tongs so you don't get splash-back) and the bacon, stirring around until the bacon is cooked and the onions are just starting to brown, turn the heat right down, then when it's calmed down, set the onion and bacon aside in the casserole dish, again keeping the oil.
Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan then when it's melted and bubbling, add the flour and stir to a rue (smooth paste) letting it brown a little so you don't end up with a raw flour taste. Add the stock mix, stirring constantly, then when it's a consistent texture bring to the boil.
Now add the sauce to the casserole dish, distribute everything evenly making sure as many of the ingredients are submerged, then cover and place in the oven.
And now aside from taking it out of the oven every 45-60mins for a stir, we wait as long as you can stand.
If it starts getting too gluggy (you'll know what you like) add a little more beef stock.
When you get within about an hour of serving, clean the mushrooms, chopping just the dried bit of the stem off, then add them to the dish, returning it to the oven. You could also prep and steam some greens like chopped broccoli or broccolini to go on the side. I'd also recommend a nice batard or small bread rolls.
Serve in smaller than you think necessary servings (remember it'll be very hearty at this stage) with the greens and bread. Enjoy!
|
New addition to the family.
20 Jun 07 05:35 pm
The cookware family, that is.
Today it arrived. The Excalibur of cookware, a Chasseur casserole dish.
"A casserole dish!?" I hear you say? Yes. "But dude. A casserole dish!?" I hear you say? Yes. But this is no mere casserole dish, it is the casserole dish of casserole dishes. Made of cast iron and porcelain these treasures are the biz when it comes to slow cooking and oven cooking. When you see a good cooking show chances are you'll see one of these. Can't wait to try it out this weekend with a nice hearty beef casserole.
Enough of the preamble, here's the cookware porn (clicky!):
Today it arrived. The Excalibur of cookware, a Chasseur casserole dish.
"A casserole dish!?" I hear you say? Yes. "But dude. A casserole dish!?" I hear you say? Yes. But this is no mere casserole dish, it is the casserole dish of casserole dishes. Made of cast iron and porcelain these treasures are the biz when it comes to slow cooking and oven cooking. When you see a good cooking show chances are you'll see one of these. Can't wait to try it out this weekend with a nice hearty beef casserole.
Enough of the preamble, here's the cookware porn (clicky!):
And hats off to Kitchen Warehouse who not only offer really efficient service (8 days from ordering to our regional address), but offer prices way lower than retail. e.g. we probably saved a good $100 on the above. If you're in Australia, I highly recommend them.
Last w/e's Iron Chef: Chicken and Vegetable Soup.
08 May 07 05:56 pm
The weekend just gone was a long weekend (YAAAY!) so
that meant two non-school nights, and two Iron Chefs!
The second was one of the ultimate comfort foods,
Tuna Mornay, but I'll forego explaining that one
since there are so many excellent recipes and takes
on it that it's kinda like making the perfect pasta
sauce. You just have to read a range of different
recipes, get an idea of the underlying themes,
ingredients, and make your own.
For Saturday Tuna Mornay was a little too quick and simple for my liking so we (K's so patient and accomodating!) decided to go with Chicken and Vegetable soup.
[insert wavy line effect...]
If memory serves me right, the first time I tasted this style soup was when working for a government agency in Brisbane about eight years ago. There was this small takeaway place under the building that, in winter months, used to do a knee-weakeningly yummy chicken and vegetable soup that you could buy by the cup. Since then (and since I live nowhere near there these days), I've been dying to do this myself, but only first gave it a go a few months ago. I think it's pretty close.
[drop wavy line effect]
Chicken and vegetable soup
[Japanese accent on]
Allez Cuisine!
[Japanese accent off]
This one's a repeat, but it's very yummy and there's something really comforting about having the smell of the soup permeating the house in the afternoon. Yes, while this can be done quite quickly, I/we find that the slow gentle approach produces something pretty special. Since this also makes a great work lunch and freezes well, I often wildly over cater for leftovers: the following will easily serve four but it's great for leftovers too.
So, ingredients:
1 huge BBQ chicken (you'll use a lot but the rest is great for sandwiches the next couple of days)
2 medium/large brown onions, chopped
2 medium/large carrots, chopped
3 decent sticks of celery, chopped
1 leek, cleaned, finely chopped
frozen peas
corn kernels
2 x 1 litre packs of liquid chicken stock (you can get away with stock cubes and water but it'll be salty)
2 bay leaves
3 tsp minced garlic (or 3-5 cloves through a garlic press)
Freshly ground pepper
Ground sage
Dried (or fresh chopped) parsley
Olive oil
Some good bread (I mean really, what's soup without bread!?)
Butter for said bread
Method:
When the BBQ chicken is cool enough to handle, strip the flesh off and chuck the carcass. I'm useless at this but thankfully, K's really good at it.
In a very large saucepan (I use the one I cook pasta in) on med/high heat, put a good dash of olive oil, then the onions, celery and carrot, sautéing until the colours go beautifully vibrant. Next add the leek and let that soften, still stirring. Add 1 litre of the chicken stock and let that start simmering, add some of the second litre and start adding pieces of the chicken. It's really up to how chickeny you want this to be but I'd add only a third of your total desired quantity at this stage since these bits will end up shredded in the soup by the time we're done. Add a good dash of sage, some ground pepper, and some more stock until it gets to a semi-watery consistency then drop the heat right down low and cover. Again, here's where it's up to you as to how long you simmer it, we let it go very slowly for 2-3 hours, adding stock occasionally, uncovering if it starts simmering too quickly, stirring every once in a while. It's probably overkill but the smell that comes from the kitchen is really special. Don't worry about the celery losing colour, the goodness and taste is still there!
As you check on it once in a while, have a taste, add some more chicken pieces, and add what stock you think it needs, but remember as the stock reduces, it will get more salty, so leave adding any salt until it hits the table. Pepper will add a - well - peppery touch (duh! ) and sage will add a really nice
base note to the flavour.
About 20 mins out from oh-my-God-I-can't-stand-it-any-more-I've-gotta-eat add a half sized can of drained corn kernels and a good handful of frozen peas (you'll know how much you want.) It'd also be a good time to heat up some sort of bread like a batard, soup rolls or toasted muffins. Serve piping hot and have butter handy for the bread, pepper for the soup. Don't go for huge servings since it'll be very filling, and seconds are always good!
For Saturday Tuna Mornay was a little too quick and simple for my liking so we (K's so patient and accomodating!) decided to go with Chicken and Vegetable soup.
[insert wavy line effect...]
If memory serves me right, the first time I tasted this style soup was when working for a government agency in Brisbane about eight years ago. There was this small takeaway place under the building that, in winter months, used to do a knee-weakeningly yummy chicken and vegetable soup that you could buy by the cup. Since then (and since I live nowhere near there these days), I've been dying to do this myself, but only first gave it a go a few months ago. I think it's pretty close.
[drop wavy line effect]
Chicken and vegetable soup
[Japanese accent on]
Allez Cuisine!
[Japanese accent off]
This one's a repeat, but it's very yummy and there's something really comforting about having the smell of the soup permeating the house in the afternoon. Yes, while this can be done quite quickly, I/we find that the slow gentle approach produces something pretty special. Since this also makes a great work lunch and freezes well, I often wildly over cater for leftovers: the following will easily serve four but it's great for leftovers too.
So, ingredients:
1 huge BBQ chicken (you'll use a lot but the rest is great for sandwiches the next couple of days)
2 medium/large brown onions, chopped
2 medium/large carrots, chopped
3 decent sticks of celery, chopped
1 leek, cleaned, finely chopped
frozen peas
corn kernels
2 x 1 litre packs of liquid chicken stock (you can get away with stock cubes and water but it'll be salty)
2 bay leaves
3 tsp minced garlic (or 3-5 cloves through a garlic press)
Freshly ground pepper
Ground sage
Dried (or fresh chopped) parsley
Olive oil
Some good bread (I mean really, what's soup without bread!?)
Butter for said bread
Method:
When the BBQ chicken is cool enough to handle, strip the flesh off and chuck the carcass. I'm useless at this but thankfully, K's really good at it.
In a very large saucepan (I use the one I cook pasta in) on med/high heat, put a good dash of olive oil, then the onions, celery and carrot, sautéing until the colours go beautifully vibrant. Next add the leek and let that soften, still stirring. Add 1 litre of the chicken stock and let that start simmering, add some of the second litre and start adding pieces of the chicken. It's really up to how chickeny you want this to be but I'd add only a third of your total desired quantity at this stage since these bits will end up shredded in the soup by the time we're done. Add a good dash of sage, some ground pepper, and some more stock until it gets to a semi-watery consistency then drop the heat right down low and cover. Again, here's where it's up to you as to how long you simmer it, we let it go very slowly for 2-3 hours, adding stock occasionally, uncovering if it starts simmering too quickly, stirring every once in a while. It's probably overkill but the smell that comes from the kitchen is really special. Don't worry about the celery losing colour, the goodness and taste is still there!
As you check on it once in a while, have a taste, add some more chicken pieces, and add what stock you think it needs, but remember as the stock reduces, it will get more salty, so leave adding any salt until it hits the table. Pepper will add a - well - peppery touch (duh!
) and sage will add a really nice
base note to the flavour.
About 20 mins out from oh-my-God-I-can't-stand-it-any-more-I've-gotta-eat add a half sized can of drained corn kernels and a good handful of frozen peas (you'll know how much you want.) It'd also be a good time to heat up some sort of bread like a batard, soup rolls or toasted muffins. Serve piping hot and have butter handy for the bread, pepper for the soup. Don't go for huge servings since it'll be very filling, and seconds are always good!
Iron Chef part 2: Lamb Rogan Josh.
29 Apr 07 03:40 pm
Oops, sorry, forgot to tell you about the rest of the
Rogan Josh.
So, Sunday around lunchtime we dig the dish with the lamb and marinade out of the fridge and start on Act 2.
Put the lamb and marinade (yes, all of it, including the ghee that's settled to the top) into a large saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Just keep it ticking over - we're going for the long slow gentle cook. Stir it every now and then. After a good couple of hours we're ready to add some spice. And here may I introduce you to one of our secret weapons, a good solid Braun coffee grinder. I've had this one for years and did actually use it for grinding coffee beans but it's been idle for a while. When watching one of my favourite programs, The Cook and the Chef, (hello Maggie and Simon!) I noticed Simon used the very same grinder as a spice mill, so I thought why not re-purpose our one. So it is now our spice grinder, and what a brilliant job it does. I must admit I'm just dabbling my toe into fresh whole spices thing, but I can tell you right now it's a whole new level of vibrance, with very little hassle.
So, into the grinder goes 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp cardamon, and buzz it for a short time. Make sure you take the time to appreciate the delicious aroma when you take the lid off. These sensations are the things cooking is made of. Add a little (1/2 tsp) of garam masala too. While you're at it, get some minced garlic handy.
Use a small frying pan to heat a good 4 tbsp of ghee to a scarily hot temp. I'm talking turn-your-back-on-me-for-a-second-and-I'll-ignite hot. Drop the garlic and the spices in and fry vigourously for a few seconds until your nose tells you it's nice and fragrant. Pour this over the lamb mix and stir in. Also stir in 1/2 cup of cream. Now here's the hard part. Take it off heat and let it rest at room temp for two hours. Yes, two hours. See why we start around lunchtime?
When you're ready, bring the curry back up to temperature, cook some rice (I cannot recommend rice cookers enough, but whatever method works for you is fine), nuke some papadams, prep some raita (grated continental cucumber, garlic, greek-style yoghurt, lemon juice, dill) and get your taste buds ready.
Plate up with rice, and a good serving of the curry. The lamb will be at the point where it falls apart in your mouth. Mango chutney is also a must have accompaniment for this dish too.
For the original (slightly confusing) recipe, look up recipe 49130 at RecipeZaar.
So, Sunday around lunchtime we dig the dish with the lamb and marinade out of the fridge and start on Act 2.
Put the lamb and marinade (yes, all of it, including the ghee that's settled to the top) into a large saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Just keep it ticking over - we're going for the long slow gentle cook. Stir it every now and then. After a good couple of hours we're ready to add some spice. And here may I introduce you to one of our secret weapons, a good solid Braun coffee grinder. I've had this one for years and did actually use it for grinding coffee beans but it's been idle for a while. When watching one of my favourite programs, The Cook and the Chef, (hello Maggie and Simon!) I noticed Simon used the very same grinder as a spice mill, so I thought why not re-purpose our one. So it is now our spice grinder, and what a brilliant job it does. I must admit I'm just dabbling my toe into fresh whole spices thing, but I can tell you right now it's a whole new level of vibrance, with very little hassle.
So, into the grinder goes 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp cardamon, and buzz it for a short time. Make sure you take the time to appreciate the delicious aroma when you take the lid off. These sensations are the things cooking is made of. Add a little (1/2 tsp) of garam masala too. While you're at it, get some minced garlic handy.
Use a small frying pan to heat a good 4 tbsp of ghee to a scarily hot temp. I'm talking turn-your-back-on-me-for-a-second-and-I'll-ignite hot. Drop the garlic and the spices in and fry vigourously for a few seconds until your nose tells you it's nice and fragrant. Pour this over the lamb mix and stir in. Also stir in 1/2 cup of cream. Now here's the hard part. Take it off heat and let it rest at room temp for two hours. Yes, two hours. See why we start around lunchtime?
When you're ready, bring the curry back up to temperature, cook some rice (I cannot recommend rice cookers enough, but whatever method works for you is fine), nuke some papadams, prep some raita (grated continental cucumber, garlic, greek-style yoghurt, lemon juice, dill) and get your taste buds ready.
Plate up with rice, and a good serving of the curry. The lamb will be at the point where it falls apart in your mouth. Mango chutney is also a must have accompaniment for this dish too.
For the original (slightly confusing) recipe, look up recipe 49130 at RecipeZaar.
Today's Iron Chef: Lamb Rogan Josh.
28 Apr 07 06:20 pm
Aahh, love Saturdays with Kathy!
Today is threatening rain (bring it!) so we're on to comfort food this time. This week's Iron Chef is a two-parter. Lamb Rogan Josh (pt. 1) and Chilli Con Carne! (or if you're a Trekkie, Chillie Con KAHHHNNNNNNN!!!)
[japanese accent on]
allez cuisine!
[japanese accent off] Read More...
Today is threatening rain (bring it!) so we're on to comfort food this time. This week's Iron Chef is a two-parter. Lamb Rogan Josh (pt. 1) and Chilli Con Carne! (or if you're a Trekkie, Chillie Con KAHHHNNNNNNN!!!)
[japanese accent on]
allez cuisine!
[japanese accent off] Read More...
Today's Iron Chef: Corned beef with mustard sauce.
21 Apr 07 05:20 pm
If you've not yet seen Iron Chef (and I'm talking
the genuine Japanese edition, not the crappy
wannabe US version - no offence, Mark Dacascos, I thought you were
really cool in Wing Commander IV but really, it
just missed the Iron Chef point) you'll know why
Kathy and I do our own version of Iron Chef.
Yes, each Saturday (or leading up to it) we plan and cook a dish we've never cooked before but always wanted to. Today I'm cheating a bit (and Kathy is letting me) by doing one I've done a few times before: Silverside with Mustard Sauce and Roast Veges. My mum used to do an amazing version of this when I was growing up and I've been trying to replicate it ever since. It's not rocket science, but it's double plus good when you do eventually get it right: the sauce takes a little practice. Ob. disclosure: in the research of this I did what most people do and borrowed/copied from others' excellent recipes improvising just a bit. Hope those people don't mind...
[japanese accent on]
allez cuisine!
[japanese accent off]
Read More...
Yes, each Saturday (or leading up to it) we plan and cook a dish we've never cooked before but always wanted to. Today I'm cheating a bit (and Kathy is letting me) by doing one I've done a few times before: Silverside with Mustard Sauce and Roast Veges. My mum used to do an amazing version of this when I was growing up and I've been trying to replicate it ever since. It's not rocket science, but it's double plus good when you do eventually get it right: the sauce takes a little practice. Ob. disclosure: in the research of this I did what most people do and borrowed/copied from others' excellent recipes improvising just a bit. Hope those people don't mind...
[japanese accent on]
allez cuisine!
[japanese accent off]
Read More...