recipes for carnivores

[ApostateAbe]

I am looking for some good ways to cook meat-heavy (but not meat-exclusive) breakfasts, lunches and dinners. My current diet is getting monotonous. For breakfast I have steak and eggs. For lunch at work I have a can of chili and a can of fruit. For dinner I have a taco consisting of ground beef fried with onions, cumin, chili powder, paprika and cooking sherry, and topped with cheese, sour cream, salsa.

Any ideas for a switch?

[Petra]

Any ideas for a switch?

Hmmm....

I'd go with the taco for lunch, the steak and eggs for dinner, and the can of chili for breakfast. :D

[livius drusus]

Before I start blathering endlessly (just a friendly warning), do you have any other dietary standards like low-carb or only red meat or some such thing?

[ApostateAbe]

Before I start blathering endlessly (just a friendly warning), do you have any other dietary standards like low-carb or only red meat or some such thing? I usually disclude dairy products except for cheese.

[livius drusus]

Okey dokey. My first suggestion works for breakfast or dinner: chicken sausage. I prefer it to pork because it's far leaner, and as long as you can find one with good Italian spices it tastes great. You can grill them whole or butterfly and pan fry them for faster cooking. I like a combination of country dijon and horseradish on the side for dippin'.

A really basic, easy chicken dinner is just a plain old spice rub on a boneless, skinless breast either grilled or baked in the oven. Toss a bunch of dried spices together (garlic, fennel seed, cayenne, paprika, thyme, oregano, whatever you've got that doesn't suck together, basically) and grind them up a bit. Rub the mixture into the flesh of the chicken and cook. If you've got a George Foreman grill (as well you should), the whole process takes maybe 15 minutes.

For a slightly more complex but infinitely delicious beef dinner I recommend Steak Au Poivre. There's butter in the sauce, but not much now that I've cut it back a little, and the flavor really is worth it. I'm fiddling with the proportions so it works for one person. You'll have extra sauce this way, but that's not a bad thing, believe me.

1 6-8 oz sirloin steak (originally the recipe called for 4)
salt
1 Tblsp coarsely ground black peppercorns (originally called for 3)
olive oil
1 cup red wine (Pinot Noir works well)
4 Tbs. butter, sliced (originally called for 6)

Heat the oven to 500 deg. Sprinkle the steak with salt on both sides, and then press the ground peppercorns into the steaks on both sides. You want to make sure they're good and in there.

Set a large cast iron skillet over med-high heat and add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom. When the oil is very hot (flick water on it; if it sizzles, it's ready), add the steak, cooking until browned on one side, about 3 min.

Flip the steak over and put the skillet in the oven. For med-rare (my personal favorite), roast for 3 min. for 6-oz. steaks; 4 min. for 8-oz. steaks. Put the steaks on a (preferably) warm plate and cover with foil.

Remove any fat from the skillet with a spoon. Put the skillet back on the burner and heat to medium high. Add the wine and deglaze until it's reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 min., making sure to scrape up the crunchies.

Whisk in the butter a slice at a time, whisking until completely melted. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, drizzle the sauce over the steak, and serve with more sauce on the side.

[ApostateAbe]

livius, that Steak Au Poivre seems phenomenal. How do you pronounce it?

[Dingfod]

livius, that Steak Au Poivre seems phenomenal. How do you pronounce it?
Stake Aw Pwah-vruh

I never met a French person, ever. But I slept in a Holiday Inn Express one night.

[livius drusus]

He he... warren's basically got it. Just to be entirely anal, I'd pronounce it "stehk oh pwah-vruh" with the "uh" kinda swallowed. It really is a superb dish, classically served with a field green salad (heavy on the frisee) and french fries.

Are you looking to focus particularly on red meat, AA? How about fish?

[ApostateAbe]

He he... warren's basically got it. Just to be entirely anal, I'd pronounce it "stehk oh pwah-vruh" with the "uh" kinda swallowed. It really is a superb dish, classically served with a field green salad (heavy on the frisee) and french fries.

Are you looking to focus particularly on red meat, AA? How about fish?
Fish, poultry, pork, lamb, it's all good.

[pescifish]

Fish, poultry, pork, lamb, it's all good....when grilled in a George Foreman Grill (http://www.esalton.com/store/application?namespace=esalton_main&origin=browsecatalog.jsp&event=link.browse&wlcs_catalog_sourceKey=wlcs_categories&wlcs_catalog_destinationKey=wlcs_siblings&wlcs_catalog_category_id=7).

I use the grill for all of those (except fish, I don't like fish), sometimes seasoning with salt and pepper first, usually just grilling the slab of meat with no additional prep.

[ApostateAbe]

Fish, poultry, pork, lamb, it's all good....when grilled in a George Foreman Grill (http://www.esalton.com/store/application?namespace=esalton_main&origin=browsecatalog.jsp&event=link.browse&wlcs_catalog_sourceKey=wlcs_categories&wlcs_catalog_destinationKey=wlcs_siblings&wlcs_catalog_category_id=7).

I use the grill for all of those (except fish, I don't like fish), sometimes seasoning with salt and pepper first, usually just grilling the slab of meat with no additional prep. I have a George Foreman Grill. I have been through two of those grills, and the main trouble is the short-lived teflon surface. After the surface wears out, it is hard to clean, and even after I clean it, it grows fungus. I much prefer an outdoor barbecue, but the one I have needs some repairs and a propane tank. So I usually stick with an oven and a stove. My roommate also has a crockpot, so maybe I can use that sometime.

[livius drusus]

Here's another tasty chicken recipe with an excellent return on effort investment.

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tblsp honey
3 Tblsp prepared mustard (classic dijon works)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley. Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken, and brush to cover. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

[Kamen]

Remove any fat from the skillet with a spoon. Put the skillet back on the burner and heat to medium high. Add the wine and deglaze until it's reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 min., making sure to scrape up the crunchies.

Whisk in the butter a slice at a time, whisking until completely melted. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, drizzle the sauce over the steak, and serve with more sauce on the side.

Livius, this is one of my favorite recipes, but I add one more ingredient. I bake 3-4 coarsely chopped shallots per steak until soft, about 15 minutes. I add them to the sauce midway through deglazing. Try it, it is delicious. Hungry now :D

[livius drusus]

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I love, love, love shallots, particularly roasted shallots, and I can almost taste how amazingly delicious they would be in this recipe.

Outstanding tip, Kamen. Thank you. :bow:

[Rene]

Oooooh, did you say crockpot? A crockpot is the best way (IMO) to make luscious pulled pork. It's simple. Get a pork roast (Boston Butt works the best), cut it into medium/large chunks, put in crockpot. Dump in your fave BBQ sauce, cook on low/medium until pork falls apart (you can throw everything in the crock in the morning and let it cook on low all day). Shred with a fork, add more sauce if you want, and voila. Carnivore heaven.

You can do the same with a beef roast. A cut from the chuck (shoulder) works best from my experience.

[livius drusus]

I didn't know you could make pulled pork in a crockpot. I'm not usually a fan of bbq, but if I found the right sauce I would definitely give it a try.

[Ronin]

I didn't know you could make pulled pork in a crockpot. I'm not usually a fan of bbq, but if I found the right sauce I would definitely give it a try.

I know I'm showing my bias here...but Jack Daniels has a fine bbq sauce for the crock pig.

:piggy:

[livius drusus]

Jack Daniels actually sells a bottled bbq sauce? I did a quick Google for it and found lots of really delicious looking recipes calling for the Captain, but I couldn't find any pre-made stuff.

[livius drusus]

I find what looks like a really yummy carnivorous recipe on the JD site. Check it out (http://www.jackdaniels.com/tennesseetable/steaks.htm), AA.

[Rene]

I'm not usually a fan of bbq, but if I found the right sauce I would definitely give it a try.

Actually, you don't have to use BBQ sauce. You can put the pork in the pot, add water until it comes about 1/3 of the way up on the meat, and go from there. Season it any way you like afterward (cider vinegar spiked with hot sauce makes a great sauce for this).

[livius drusus]

When do you add the seasoning? At any point during the day or at the very beginning or...?

[livius drusus]

While I'm at it, here's a great classic cheeseburger recipe, a staple for any true carnivore. It makes 4 burgers.

Mmmm... Cheeseburger with Mushrooms & Caramelized Onions

2 cups vertically sliced onions
2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
8oz sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
4 toasted buns
1/2 shredded Swiss

Heat a medium nonstick skillet with enough oil to just barely cover the pan over med heat. Add onion, cover and cook 5 min, stirring occasionally. Add sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, cook, uncovered, for 5 min or until tender, stirring frequently. Remove onion from pan and keep warm.

Heat pan covered with more oil over med-high heat. Add mushrooms and 1/4 tsp salt, sautee 5 min or until tender.

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, W sauce, and beef. Divide mixture into 4 equal parts, shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty.

Preheat broiler. Grill the patties. Arrange buns on a baking sheet. Top each bottom slice with a patty, 1/4 cup onion, 1/4 cup shrooms, and 2 Tblsp cheese. Broil 2 min or until cheese melts and chow down.

[wei yau]

(By your command, livius...)

South Beach Coconut Chicken

2 tbsp e.v. olive oil
1 lb. chicken tenders

1 tbsp chicken broth
1 medium onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dried cilantro
pinch of tumeric

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp chopped macadamia nuts
1 tsp sugar substitute
pinch of ground red pepper

2 tsp water
1 tbsp tamarind paste

Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides and cook until no longer pink in the middle.

Remove chicken from skillet. Heat chicken broth in skillet (NOTE: I ended up using a lot more than 2 tbsp of broth, to keep the sauce from drying)

Add onions, garlic, cumin, tumeric and cilantro to broth. Cook until onion is tender. Then add coconut milk, nuts, sweetener and red pepper.

Add back chicken to sauce and cover skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove chicken, but retain sauce in skillet

Mix water and tamarind paste in small bowl, then add to sauce. Stir until thickened.

Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with sliced scallions.

(NOTE: I served the chicken on a bed of sauteed spinach)

[livius drusus]

Wow. That actually looks delicious, and I usually don't like coconut milk either. I'll just replace the dried kudzu with parsley and see what happens. Well done, thou good and faithful eldar. :appl:

[viscousmemories]

That does look really good, eldar. Thanks for posting it. I'll need to buy half of the spices but I should have them around anyway. I've been wondering what to do with the coconut milk for a long time.

[wei yau]

It is a pretty good recipe. Although, next time I make it, I'm gonna ease off on the tamarind paste. The taste is very intense and I'd rather tone it down a bit.

Now that I think about it, however, I might just actually measure the ingredients faithfully. I tend to guesstimate measurements and tend to be somewhat heavy-handed.

(I take great pride in my cooking. Most likely because my father is a chef in midtown Manhattan. A damned good one. I probably tend to overcompensate with my cooking due to unresolved father issues. Oh well. There are worse ways to deal with father issues.)

[Rene]

You can add seasoning at the beginning, during cooking, or afterward. That's the beauty of crockpot cooking - it's hard to screw it up. Any flavorings you add at the beginning will be absorbed by the meat. Garlic and onion are good to add at the beginning as they are pretty versatile and lend a good flavor.

[livius drusus]

It is a pretty good recipe. Although, next time I make it, I'm gonna ease off on the tamarind paste. The taste is very intense and I'd rather tone it down a bit.

I'll definitely mod it down when I try the recipe. I'd hate to have tamarind overwhelmed some of the more delicate flavors.

(I take great pride in my cooking. Most likely because my father is a chef in midtown Manhattan. A damned good one. I probably tend to overcompensate with my cooking due to unresolved father issues. Oh well. There are worse ways to deal with father issues.)

I, for one, am thrilled to use your deeply-rooted emotional upheaval for my culinary advantage. In fact, I'll probably mention your dad "in passing" just to goad you to reach even greater heights. I hope that's cool with you. :innocent2:

[livius drusus]

You can add seasoning at the beginning, during cooking, or afterward. That's the beauty of crockpot cooking - it's hard to screw it up. Any flavorings you add at the beginning will be absorbed by the meat. Garlic and onion are good to add at the beginning as they are pretty versatile and lend a good flavor.

Duly noted. Thank you, Rene. All I know about crockpottery is my dad's killer Boston Baked Beans recipe (with sliced up hotdogs, natch). I haven't explored the options at all.

And now, just to add a bit of variety to Abe's diet of animal products, here's a yummy North African recipe I've enjoyed.

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Algerian Tomato Sauce

Marinade and fish:
1/2 bunch parsley
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
juice of 2 lg lemons
4 tuna steaks, 4-6 oz each

For the Sauce:
1 T olive oil
2 lb (8-10) tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 bunch parlsey, finely chopped

Pound together the ingredients for the marinade in a mortar and pestle or blend in a food processor. Transfer to a baking dish and marinate the tuna steaks in it for at least an hour, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan and simmer over med heat for 30 min or until thick. Correct seasonings. Grill the tuna steaks, just searing them on both sides so that they are still rare in the middle (about 3 min per side). Remove from heat, top with sauce and serve. Leftover sauce will keep in the fridge for a few days or you can freeze it.

[Ronin]

Jack Daniels actually sells a bottled bbq sauce? I did a quick Google for it and found lots of really delicious looking recipes calling for the Captain, but I couldn't find any pre-made stuff.

Insane (http://www.insanechicken.com/jack_daniels_bbq_sauce___hot_and_spicy_.html) :chicken2: Chicken (http://www.insanechicken.com/jack_daniels_bbq_sauce___hot_and_spicy_.html)

Make ya slap ya momma.

[livius drusus]

That looks killa, killa. It passes the liv test with flying colors: real foodlike ingredients and no high fructose corn syrup to be found. Thank you kindly.

[Petra]

Jack Daniels BBQ sauce is delicious. I got lucky when Rita (Zoe's Godmother) sent me a bottle from Florida about a month ago.

:eat:

yumyum.

[ApostateAbe]

I just finished that Steak Au Pwuvra, and lots of things went wrong. I wasn't sure I had the right wine. I wasn't sure I had a good skillet. I wondered why the olive oil burned to the surface. I wasn't sure I had the right amount of pepper, either too much or too little. It took me long time to ground it up. The wine sauce didn't seem to taste right, and it wasn't throroughly consistent when I mixed it with the butter.

Which augmented my surprise when I sat down to eat it and I doscovered that each bite was like an orgasm while having sex with a petite teenage girl just out of puberty. It was the best eating experience I had in a very long time.

I am still a little drunk from that red wine. Thank you, liv. I love you.

[livius drusus]

Oh my God, Abe, you totally had me going! I swear my heart was sinking as I read your post. Now it's leaping in glee at the surprise ending. I am thrilled, Abe, completely and totally thrilled. Gastronogasms rule!

:woohoo:

[RevDahlia]

Ahem. Here is a post-gastronogasm recipe for Abe.

This will feed a lot of people, or one person who likes delicious leftover meat for several days in a row.

Unconventional Pot Roast chez Rev

You need

1 3 lb chuck roast (just read the labels on the meat at the supermarket and you'll be fine)
1 bottle okay red wine (I confess I have used Two Buck Chuck and all was well)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
Many cloves garlic, peeled (I use about 10, but it depends on how garlicky you like your food)
A good glug of olive oil (about 3 tbsp)
A pinch of rosemary, thyme, and oregano, and 1 bay leaf
Flat-leaf parsley, a good handful

Preheat oven to 300.

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it spits when you flick water at it.

In the oil, brown roast on all sides. And I do mean BROWN. Don't worry, you won't overcook the meat. This will take about 5 minutes per side. Remove meat to a plate.

Soften onions and garlic in the leftover grease. This will only take about 5 minutes. Then add meat, half the can of tomatoes, half the bottle of okay wine, and all the herbs. Give it a stir. Then put the cover on and park it in the oven for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours. While you are waiting, go about your business and/or drink the rest of the wine. Save the leftover tomatoes for spaghetti sauce. Pot roast is done when the meat will shred if mashed with a fork. Add parsley, chopped well. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Eat with boiled new potatoes and green beans.

Leftovers are delicious over polenta. (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/106225) They will be even more delicious if you saute some bacon, cut into 1/2" slices, until it is done, then cook some mushrooms in the bacon grease and add it all to the leftover pot roast. Simmer mushrooms and bacon with leftovers for about 15 minutes, then pour over polenta. Yum.

[ApostateAbe]

Thanks, Rev, that will probably be my next cooking adventure.

[ApostateAbe]

Rev, I just had your pot roast, and although it wasn't as pedophilic as the Stead Au Pwuvra, it tasted great nonetheless. I made a mistake when I added the herbs. I thought the parsley was included in it at the time. Parsley is never cooked now that I think about it.

[dave_a]

Wow. That actually looks delicious, and I usually don't like coconut milk either. I'll just replace the dried kudzu with parsley and see what happens. Well done, thou good and faithful eldar. :appl:

you must not have seen that it called for cilantro :P

[livius drusus]

Oh I saw. Hence the comment about replacing the dried kudzu with parsley. ;)

[dave_a]

Oh I saw. Hence the comment about replacing the dried kudzu with parsley. ;)

ah, didn't get the reference

[ApostateAbe]

liv, tonight, I try your Grilled Tuna Steaks with Algerian Tomato Sauce.

Whenever I cook fish, someone complains about the smell. Does anybody know how to solve that problem?

[livius drusus]

I actually prefer the smell of cooking fish to, say, bacon, which is virtually impossible to eradicate. But in both cases I'm afraid I have no solutions for you besides ye olde open windows and running the attic fan for hours idea.

Good luck with the tuna, Abe. Meanwhile, it's clearly time to dig up a few more recipes for you to keep the experimentation going.

[ApostateAbe]

I thought I'd share the lastest Red Meat comic:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/apostateabe/index-1.gif

[livius drusus]

He he... I like the smell of racquetball courts. Then again, I like gorgonzola too.

[ApostateAbe]

He he... I like the smell of racquetball courts. Then again, I like gorgonzola too. liv, I figured that if anyone knew what gorgonzola is, it would be you.

[viscousmemories]

I know gorgonzola. It's that rancid shit too often smeared all over a perfectly good piece of filet.

[ApostateAbe]

liv, I just finished that grilled tuna dinner. It was delicious, as I expected.

Pedophilia rating: 7

When you say "simmer," should the lid be on or off? I simmered the sauce for thirty minutes with the lid on, but it still wasn't thick, so I took the lid off and heated it on med-high until it was thick.

[livius drusus]

Not only do I know gorgonzola, I use it frequently. I'll have to post my barley BLT&G salad recipe sometime (although it's nowhere near carnivorous enough for this thread).

I'm thrilled the tuna was yummy, and yes, I definitely simmer with the lid off unless the recipe tells me to keep the cover on. Condensation on the lid can keep the sauce wet for ages. I also like to keep an eye on the simmer to be sure it's bubbling at the right speed. It often results in a splattered range, but whaddareyagonnado...

[ApostateAbe]

Tonight is going to be Baked Honey Mustard Chicken night.

[Dingfod]

On my menu tonight: Grilled cajun spiced chicken breast.

[livius drusus]

Don't tease, Warren. What's your recipe?

[Dingfod]

2 boneless skinless frozen chicken breasts
Cain's Cajun Spice powder

Place seasoned chicken breasts on George Foreman grill, plug in and come back in 10 minutes, place on plate with a garden salad and eat hearty. Mmmm, good.

livius, I'm into KISS* right now. It is many times faster and cheaper to fix what I fix than it is to go out to a restaurant or even a fast food emporium.

*KISS = Keep It Simple, Stupid

[livius drusus]

Aw hell, I thought you mortared and pestled yourself up a rub based on your great-grand pappy's spice blend. :sadnana:

[viscousmemories]

Don't let her get ya down, Warren. I often make a cajun rub the way livius taught me using the fancy mortar and pestle thingamajob, but as lazy as I am I'm just as likely to use Lawry's Hot Pepper Seasoned Salt. :D

[Dingfod]

Aw hell, I thought you mortared and pestled yourself up a rub based on your great-grand pappy's spice blend. :sadnana:My Kansas great-grandpappies didn't cook at all, but they sure did know how to eat because my great-grandmas sure could cook. However, they didn't cook no fancy schmancy go nancy, frenchified foods except for crispy french fries made from real potatoes. They cooked the usual Mid-American fare, almost always meatloaf, fried chicken or chicken-fried steaks, mashed taters and gravy, biscuits or rolls and always served dinner followed by some kind of pie for dessert. They didn't use any recipes, they just tossed stuff together like they was taught, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, lard, butter, milk, etc. and it always --always-- tasted great even if it clogged your arteries before you could push away from the table.

[Penni]

We're making stew tonight. It's very easy, you just have to remember to start cooking it 2.5 hours before you want it. Here it is, if you are looking for some good comfort food:

2 lbs. stew meat (it's already cut up for you!)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can sherry
3/4 can water
veggies to your taste (we throw in tons of potatoes, carrots and celery, but the amount is up to you)
bay leaves, ground coriander (liv, do you hate coriander, too???), rosemary, thyme; all to taste


So, preheat to 350, throw meat in with soup, sherry, water and your seasoning. Cook for about 1 hour. Then, throw in veggies and cook for another 1-2 hours, depending on state of meat and how soft you like your veggies.

mmmm, I feel like lighting up a nice cozy fire and having hot chocolate after that!

[livius drusus]

That sounds delicious. I always find stew deeply satisfying. (It's lovely to see you posting again, Penni. :) )

[Dingfod]

Canned sherry?

[viscousmemories]

That looks like a good crockpot dish, Penni. No? Anyway it looks delicious. :)

[viscousmemories]

Incidentally fried chicken is my favorite food, and has been since I was a child. I don't know if that important fact is recorded anywhere yet. I confess my tastes have matured a bit, though, so I no longer favor Banquet brand over homemade.

[ApostateAbe]

I have finished tongiht's dinner of the Baked Honey Mustard Chicken.

The guy from Lolita would give it a rating of: 6.

The sauce was great, but it tasted like there wasn't enough of it. I tasted too much plain chicken whie I was eating. The next time I prepare the dinner, I will try cutting up the chicken into pieces before pouring on the sauce, and maybe that would make the sauce more thorough. Also, there is a lot of water that drains out of the chicken, and it dilutes the sauce that sits on the bottom of the pan. I am thinking of cooking the chicken halfway, draining the water, and then applying the sauce. What do you think?

[Penni]

:tongue3: the sherry isn't canned! You just use the mushroom soup can as a measurer!

ALERT! We forgot something quite critical in our recipe last night, which I also forgot as I typed it here! It also needs one packet of onion soup, added at the beginning with meat and liquid ingredients! It was still ok, but not as good as usual. Stew is never something I'd describe as orgasmic, but on a cold winter night, it can make you feel safe and cuddly...

P.S. vm, I'm sure you can make a great stew in a crockpot, but we don't have one, so I don't know what the procedure would be.

[viscousmemories]

P.S. vm, I'm sure you can make a great stew in a crockpot, but we don't have one, so I don't know what the procedure would be.
Oh I don't have one either, but this seemed like it might be another good reason to get one. :)

[livius drusus]

The next time I prepare the dinner, I will try cutting up the chicken into pieces before pouring on the sauce, and maybe that would make the sauce more thorough. Also, there is a lot of water that drains out of the chicken, and it dilutes the sauce that sits on the bottom of the pan. I am thinking of cooking the chicken halfway, draining the water, and then applying the sauce. What do you think?

That makes good sense to me. I can't say I've ever noticed a water drain problem, and I'd probably just make more sauce instead of cutting up the chicken, but I really like the idea of chicken nuggets. Just to be on the safe side, I'd say make a double recipe of the sauce anyway in case the chunks end up drier than the whole breast.

:meatcook:

[Dingfod]

A crockpot was made for stews. Nothing like slow cooking without the potential for burning stuff on the bottom for making all the various flavors blend together and making the ingredients melt-in-your-mouth good. I use the crockpot a lot. Betty Crocker (tm) has come out with a line of crockpot meals in a bag you can get from the frozen foods section of supermarkets now. The are quite good, rivalling homemade in my opinion. Of course, being a carnivore, I add meat to what they already have in them.

[wei yau]

Alright, I've got bratwurst, potatoes and onions. Tell me what to do with them.

I have a rough idea of how they should be prepared, but no real sense of what's best. I have a reasonably stocked pantry, so no worries about other ingredients.

I've even got a beer or two somewhere in the fridge.

[viscousmemories]

I would slice up the potatoes and onions and sautee them (adding salt, pepper, and whatever other seasonings appeal to you) with the bratwurst. Then put the bratwurst in a bun with some of the onions and some spicy mustard and eat it up with the potatoes on the side.

[Dingfod]

Got a crockpot? Bratwurst and beer stew. Chop all that stuff up, put in the crockpot, pour in the beer and spice it up to taste, cook for half a day and enjoy.

[wei yau]

Got a crockpot? Bratwurst and beer stew. Chop all that stuff up, put in the crockpot, pour in the beer and spice it up to taste, cook for half a day and enjoy.

Chop up the brats, too? Would that cause the brats to overcook? Lose their internal juices?

[Dingfod]

Got a crockpot? Bratwurst and beer stew. Chop all that stuff up, put in the crockpot, pour in the beer and spice it up to taste, cook for half a day and enjoy.

Chop up the brats, too? Would that cause the brats to overcook? Lose their internal juices?Well, yeah, but the flavors of those juices would infuse everything else in the crockpot.


Note: If you cook Pronghorn Antelope meat with potatoes in a crockpot, throw away the potatoes, they absorb all the nasty gamey flavors from the meat. I ended up eating a whole antelope mostly by myself because my wife took a bite of potato first.

Note: Pronghorn meat cut up in chunks, battered and fried make excellent "Antelope McNuggets". Serve with honey-mustard, BBQ sauce, or ketchup as desired.

:D

[LianaLi]

We're making stew tonight. It's very easy, you just have to remember to start cooking it 2.5 hours before you want it. Here it is, if you are looking for some good comfort food:

2 lbs. stew meat (it's already cut up for you!)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can sherry
3/4 can water
veggies to your taste (we throw in tons of potatoes, carrots and celery, but the amount is up to you)
bay leaves, ground coriander (liv, do you hate coriander, too???), rosemary, thyme; all to taste


So, preheat to 350, throw meat in with soup, sherry, water and your seasoning. Cook for about 1 hour. Then, throw in veggies and cook for another 1-2 hours, depending on state of meat and how soft you like your veggies.

mmmm, I feel like lighting up a nice cozy fire and having hot chocolate after that!

So, I'm a cooking dunce. I preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the food in there? I thought stew was something you boiled to death over the burner....

-Liana, who has the ingredients and plans to attempt this recipe tonight.

[livius drusus]

I don't hate coriander (sorry I just noticed that, Penni :shy: ) and yes ma'am, Liana, you can make stew in an oven. It simmers happily for ages at one even heat and all you have to do is stagger the meat and veggies and test for doneness at the end.

[LianaLi]

So, for the next time I try this, I'm supposed to cook the stew in the oven in a....? *blank look* In my defense I got banned from the kitchen at age 14 and I'm making up for ten years of never really cooking now.

[livius drusus]

Ohh... Pardon me. Do you have a casserole dish? A dutch oven? Hell, what do you besides baking sheets that goes in the oven and has some height?

[LianaLi]

I actually have a few small casserole dishes that I aquired when I learned how to bake fruit crisp. I don't think they'll have enough room to actually hold the stew. What size dish would that take?

What are these dutch ovens I keep hearing about anyways?

[ApostateAbe]

I made Penni's stew yesterday night.

Michael Jackson rating: 7 out of 10.

I didn't have any kind of stewing container to put in the oven, so I used my roommate's crockpot for the first time. I discovered that I should check up on it sporadically to make sure that mushroom soup doesn't spew out of the lid and make a mess. The end result was satisfying, and it makes good leftovers.

[ApostateAbe]

livius, tonight I feasted on your cheeseburger.

I thought it was so-so, but my local Catholic archdiocese council was especially impressed. They gave it a Godly rating of 8 out of 10. They said it was among the best cheeseburgers they ever had. They will be having it for dinner every day this week except Friday (lacking with the Lord's permission) and they are hoping that the cheeseburger dinners will help them fend off temptation.

I didn't have anything to "grill" with, so I fried up the patties in the skillet instead. The recipe seems to call for three different heating mechanisms, which is perhaps too much coordination just for cheeseburgers.

[Petra]

Allspice Crusted Lamb Chops with Roasted Pepper Sauce

INGREDIENTS

For Roasted-Pepper Sauce

3 red bell peppers
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 shallots, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For Allspice Crust

2 tablespoons whole allspice
2 tablespoons whole black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt

Eight 1 1/2 -inch-thick lamb chops
1/4 cup olive oil

What to do:

For Roasted-Pepper Sauce

Preheat the broiler. Char the peppers until blackened all over. Place them in a paper bag and seal it. When the peppers are cool to the touch, after about 15 minutes, peel off the skin. Seed, dice, and set the peppers aside.

In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and sautè the shallots, garlic, onions, and carrot for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender but still firm.

Add the wine and stir to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook to reduce by half. Add the chicken stock or broth and cook to reduce by half.

Add the cream, peppers, and pepper flakes. Bring to a slow boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

Pureè the sauce in a blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper. Serve warm.

For Lamb Chops

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the allspice, pepper, cumin, and sugar in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Mix in the salt.

Spread the allspice crust mixture in a shallow pan. Dip each chop into the mixture on both sides. Set aside.

In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and brown the lamb chops on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Be careful not to burn the crust.

Place the chops on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare. Serve with the Roasted Pepper Sauce and Cinnamon-Scented Lentils.


Cinnamon Scented Lentils

3 cups dried lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deveined, and finely diced
1 poblano chili, seeded and finely diced
6 cups water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or 1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground curnin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Rinse and pick over the lentils for stones. Set aside.

In large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and sautè the onions until they are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, bell pepper, and poblano. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but firm.

Add the lentils, water, and remaining ingredients. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but firm. Remove and discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, if using.



Bon Appetit!

:eat:

[ApostateAbe]

It is time for me to share a recipe that I know you all will love. When that leftover turkey runs out, prepare yourself some Groundnut Stew from the country of Ghana. I found it in a "World Community Cookbook."

In heavy frypan, brown in 1 T. oil:

1 lb. round steak, chuck, or stewing beef, cubed

When browned, add 1 T. oil and saute:

2 c. onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Add:

1/2 t. ground ginger or 1 T. minced ginger root
2 c. stewed tomatoes or 2 large fresh tomatoes, mashed
1 t. salt
ground red pepper to taste
2 c. water
1 beef bouillon cube
(I substituted 2 c. beef broth for the last two items to avoid the chemicals in bouillon cubes)

Cover and simmer 30 min. or until meat is tender. In small bowl, mix:

1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 cup liquid from stew

Slowly stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, another 30 min. Add more water to thin, if necessary, and more red pepper and salt to taste. Serve with rice.

In the end, you willl have a nutty taste like you never had before, and you will love it. If the prophet Muhammad were still alive, he and his 9-year-old missus would give this an 8.

[Godless Wonder]

Beef (or whatever meat you like) Vindaloo

This is easy, and good during cold weather.

A skirt steak, or other meat suitable for stewing.
Some new potatoes
a 9 oz (or so) jar of vindaloo curry sauce (they sell "India Chef" brand at Kroger where I live, I don't think it's hard to come by, Rogan Josh is also a good kind, similar to vindaloo, but not as hot.)
an 8 oz can of tomato sauce

Depending on how much meat and potatoes you have, you
may need 2 containers each of curry sauce and tomato sauce.

peel and dice the onion.
Cut the skirt steak and the potatoes into bite sized pieces.
Open the curry sauce and the tomato sauce.

Get a big pot, and put it on a burner, put some olive oil, when the oil is hot, throw in the onions and stir it around until the onions are translucent. Throw in the meat, and brown it. Throw in the curry sauce and the tomato sauce and the potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked (they generally take the longest of all the ingredients.) Sometimes I put a little bit of vinegar in.

Serve with rice, and naan, (if you're lucky enough to have it) if not, some slices from a loaf of italian bread make a good substitute.

[Dingfod]

I highly recommend using a high quality double-quilted toilet paper after that beef vindaloo. Whoooo!