Simple Roast Beef

3 pounds chuck roast beef

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Marinate the beef in salt, pepper overnight. Take the roast out 1 hour prior to cooking to bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Sear the roast in the vegetable oil on a fry pan to get a nice browned outer crust.

Transfer the roast to a roasting pan and finish cooking in the oven for 2 hours. Leave roast in the oven for an additional 30 minutes with the oven turned off. Do not open the oven.

The roast will be perfectly done.

Sweet and Salty Chicken Drumsticks

Try this take on Chinese food. It is easy to prepare and healthy for you. Add some steam broccoli or snap peas on the side and you have a complete meal. Let me know what you think…

For the chicken:

¼ cup Hoisen sauce

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoon of soy sauce

3 large garlic cloves mined

1 tablespoon of ginger minced

12 chicken drumsticks

Toasted sesame seeds and spring onion for garnish ( about 2 tablespoons each). Score the chicken. Marinate the chicken over night in mixture of hoisen, honey, soy garlic and ginger mixture.

Preheat the broiler setting. Transfer chicken into a baking dish, lightly oiled. Cook until the chicken is done, about 15 minutes, rotating the chicken for even browning. Transfer chicken to a large platter.

For the rice:

Place Jasmine rice in a rice cooker and follow instructions on the package.

Snap Peas:

Steam 2 cups of snap peas in the steamer for 15 minutes or until tender but not over cooked.

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Chicken Stew with Lentils

Want a nice warm dinner waiting for you when you get home that feels that you slaved all day in the kitchen? Be sure to try this out. It is my ultimate chicken stew with lentils.

2 lbs chicken drumstick

1 cup black or yellow lentils

2 cloves of garlic

2 onions finely chopped

1 can diced tomato

4 teaspoon red wine

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp dry thyme

Place all ingredients with the chicken on the top

Cook on low heat for 8 hours.

Serve with long grain Basmati rice.

Lamb with Port Wine Sauce

I am not too familiar with making lamb, but I came across a simple recipe and have loved this dish ever since. It provides a nice alternate to ham on Easter and is still festive. Try it out and let me know what you think…

Lamb with Port Wine Sauce

1 boneless leg of lamb trimmed and tied approx. 4 lbs

10 cloves of garlic cut into halves

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 2 more sprigs for garnish

1 cup port wine

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cut ½ inch slits through the lamb and insert the halved garlic cloves. Tuck the rosemary sprigs through the twine used to tie the leg. Season well with salt and pepper. Place in a large freezer bag and then pour in the port wine. Seal well and place in refrigerator over night.

Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325F. Place lamb in shallow dish, and cook in the oven on the lower rack for 2 hours, basting with the marinate every 15 min.

Remove from the oven when the meat thermometer registers the following:

For rare 120 F

For medium rare 125 F

For medium 130 F

Place on cutting board and let stand for 15 minutes to redistribute the juices. Make the port wine sauce in the meanwhile (see recipe below). Carve into ¾ inch slices, arrange in a platter, and pour the port wine sauce. Garnish with 2 sprigs of rosemary.

Port Wine sauce:

1 cup port wine

½ cup heavy cream

3 tsp butter.

Scrap all the dripping in the shallow dish, deglazing the bottom of the hot pan with the wine, over high heat. Once you have lifted all the bits at the bottom of pan lower the heat to medium and add the cream and whisk. Let reduce by half over medium to low heat. Do not let the cream boil. Add the butter and melt into the sauce. Pour over the lamb. Serve immediately.

Veal in Marsala Wine Sauce

Veal Marsala

1 lb veal cutlets cut 1/4" thick
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
4 Tbsp butter
1 lb sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup beef stock
1/4 cup Marsala wine

Method:

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Coat veal slices lightly on both sides with flour mixture. Melt 2 Tbsp (30mL) butter in skillet over medium-high heat.

Cook veal slices 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown, turning once. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add remaining butter to skillet and cook mushrooms to golden brown. Add beef stock, bring to boil and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.

Add Marsala wine and return meat and any accumulated juices to the pan. Reheat 1 to 2 minutes.

Try Thai for a change

Thai coconut shrimp curry and rice

Try Thai tonight for a change. Let me know what you think of this recipe.

½ Cup lite coconut milk

2 cloves garlic minced

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp fresh ginger minced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp hoisen sauce

1 tbsp maple syrup

¾ cup Thai basil chopped finely

16 ounces of large shrimp

Place the reduced-fat coconut milk, minced garlic, lime juice, minced ginger, low-sodium soy sauce, maple syrup and Thai basil in a blender and puree until smooth.

Using two medium sized wooden skewers assemble small kabobs of shrimp. The amount of shrimp on each kabob will be determined by the size of shrimp that is used. For medium sized shrimp, there should be about 4 shrimp per kabob for a total of 8 kabobs.

Put the shrimp in the bottom of an oblong Pyrex dish and add the marinade. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (overnight is best).

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a non-stick grill pan or skillet in the oven and let it heat for at least 10 minutes. When hot, add the marinated shrimp skewers. As they sear on one side, top the other with about half of the marinade.

The shrimp will grill fast and should be turned after about three minutes. Spread the remaining marinade over the top of the shrimp and grill for another 4 – 5 minutes.

Serve over Jasmine Rice with 2 tablespoons of Thai Peanut sauce.

Spicy Beef Liver

Do you care for Spicy Beef Liver? Well, I made one yesterday , It was delicious and I would like to share with you.

Ingredients

1 lbs beef liver cut into small cubes and soaked in plenty of water for 10 mins

1 medium onion chopped fine

4 cloves of garlic

½ tsp fresh ginger

1 heaped tbs of tomato paste

1 heaped tsp of coriander powder (available at supermarkets in the spices isle)

1 level tsp of garam masala (available at supermarkets in the Indian food isle)

1 tsp of salt

½ tsp of pepper

½ cup of fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

3 tsp of vegetable oil

Method

Heat oil over high heat in a large skillet and brown the onions till golden brown. Add garlic, and ginger and saute for 1 min lowering the heat to medium. Careful not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter. Add the tomato paste , coriander powder and garam masala pepper and salt. And fry for one more minute till you smell the toasted spices.

Add the strained and pat dried liver pieces and raise the heat back to high. Stir well to incorporate all the spices through the meat. Let the meat cook in medium heat, stirring frequently, for twenty minutes till the meat is nicely fried.

Turn the heat of and add parsley leaves. Serve immediately with heated pita or Naan (Indian Flat bread) and raita… recipe follows.

Raita

½ cup full fat yogurt

¼ cup finely chopped cucumber

1 tsp of finely chopped onion

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together for a cool dipping sauce to accompany the spicy liver.

Pasta Carbonara - Italian Style

Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed and chopped

5 slices of bacon, cut into strips

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 eggs

2/3 cup grated cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley

Spaghetti or linguine

Fresh ground pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan, over a medium heat. Add garlic and bacon, then cook for 3 minutes over a low heat. Drizzle with wine and cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat and put to one side.

Beat eggs in a bowl, season, then add cheese, stir well. Pour over warm, strained pasta and stir briskly. Add pepper. Add the garlic and bacon, and then sprinkle with parmesan and parsley.

Feelin’ Crabby?

Feelin’ Crabby? Why not try Maryland’s own Crab Soup. That is what’s for dinner. It is not expensive and is a great way to stretch a meal. It is great as an appetizer or the main course. It cooks in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1 half green pepper, finely chopped
6 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups crabmeat (canned or fresh)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
3 tablespoons dry sherry
Splash of Tabasco sauce
Chopped parsley for garnish

White Sauce Preparation

1. In a medium sauce pan melt 2 tablespoons of the butter on medium-low heat.
2. Add the flour, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or whisk to remove any lumps to make a roux.
3. Cook the butter and flour mixture for a minute or so to cook out the floury taste.
4. Remove the mixture from the heat, and begin to add the milk a bit at a time. Whisk well to remove lumps. Strain if necessary.
5. After all the milk has been added; return the sauce to the heat. Gently heat the sauce, stirring occasionally.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep on low heat while you prepare the rest of the soup.

Crab Soup Recipe Preparation

1. In soup pot, melt remaining butter on medium low heat.
2. Add onion, green onion and green pepper. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until onions are soft.
3. Add crab meat, cook for a few minutes to warm the crab meat through.
4. Pour in the white sauce, stir everything together.
5. Add cream. Gently heat the soup until it is hot, steering frequently to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot.
6. Add Tabasco, sherry, and serve garnished with parsley.Serve with crusty bread and salad. Enjoy!