Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 2 teaspoons salt, partially cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, then return the potatoes to the pot and coarsely mash with a large spoon. Cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce: Pulse the parsley, cilantro, olive oil, shallot, garlic, vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a food processor to form a coarse paste.
Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt and pepper. Lightly brush the grill pan with olive oil, then grill the chops until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the pork chops and potatoes with the chimichurri sauce.
**NOTE: I don't have a grill pan, so I just cooked the pork chops using the broiler instead. They still turned out great, and they taste delicious with the chimichurri sauce!
Heat the oil in a heavy 9 1/2-inch-diameter skillet over medium heat. Add the potato, onion, and garlic. Season the potato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute over medium-low heat until the potato is golden and crisp on the outside, tender inside, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, cream, Parmesan, prosciutto, and basil in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the egg mixture into the potato mixture in the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until the egg mixture is almost set but the top is still loose, about 3 minutes. Place the skillet under the broiler. Broiluntil the top is set and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from skillet and slide the frittata onto a cutting board. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve.
Place the corned beef in a large slow cooker and scatter the pickling spices on top. Layer the rutabaga, carrots, potatoes and leek in the cooker (in this order for even cooking). Add enough hot water (4 to 5 cups) to cover the meat by at least 1 inch, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high, 7 to 8 hours.
Remove the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm. Put the cabbage in a microwave-safe dish with 2 cups cooking liquid from the slow cooker, cover and microwave until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil another cup of cooking liquid in a small skillet until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Mix with the horseradish and creme fraeche in a small bowl.
Slice the corned beef and serve with the slow-cooked vegetables, cabbage and sauce; reserve about a quarter each of the meat and vegetables and 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid for Corned Beef Hash.
Preparation time 25 minutes; cooking time 40 minutes; serves 4
Ingredients:
500g (17.6 oz) diced shoulder of lamb
1 liter (34floz) of cold water
1 liter (34floz) chicken or lamb stock
120 ml (4floz) of Guinness stout (optional)
Yummy Traditional Irish Stew from the Burlington Hotel
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaves
4 large peeled potatoes, cubed
2 medium white onions, cubed
2 large carrots, cubed
6 sticks of celery, cubed
1 bunch of fresh chopped parsley
Directions:
Firstly, remove the impurities from the lamb to ensure the stock is clear and grease free by doing the following:
Put the lamb into a large pot along with the cold water and place over a moderate heat until it begins to boil.
Once it has begun to boil, empty the contents of the pot through a large colander allowing the liquid to run off.
Rinse the lamb under cold running water until all the residue has been removed – now you have refreshed the lamb.
Place the pot over a moderate heat and add in the chicken/lamb stock with the Guinness stout, if using, and the refreshed diced lamb.
Add the thyme, bay leaves and season with salt and milled white pepper.
Allow to simmer for 20 minutes until lamb becomes tender.
Now add the diced potatoes, onions, carrots and celery, and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes. (Keep the lid off the pot during the cooking process to allow water to evaporate for a more intense flavour.)
Add the freshly chopped parsley and serve in large bowls.
Chicken in Bacon Sauce (Huhn in Specksauce, from Germany)
from How the World Cooks Chicken by H.J. Muessen
Bacon-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
from Food Network Magazine, September 2010 issue
Chicken in Bacon Sauce
Ingredients:
-1 3lb chicken, cut up
-4 tablespoons butter
-4-5 strips fat bacon, diced
-livers of the chicken, diced
-juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
-1 shallot, chopped finely
-2 cups chicken stock
-salt and freshly ground black pepper
-parsley for garnish
Directions:
Melt the butter in a large deep skillet with a cover, and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Add the diced bacon and livers, then add the lemon juice and grated rind, the shallot, the broth, and the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until done. Remove to a warm platter and arrange the parsley over and around the chicken. Serve the gravy in a sauceboat. Serves 4.
Bacon-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
Simmer 2 lbs small potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes, drain. Cool slightly, then peel. Heat 1 cup milk with 1/2 stick butter. Mash the potatoes with the hot milk and stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar. Top with crumbled cooked bacon and sliced scallions.
*NOTE: Instead of 1 chicken cut up, I used 4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs, you can also use breasts if you prefer. I also didn't use the chicken livers.
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce), plus more for topping
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook 10 minutes, then add the broccoli and pasta and cook as the pasta label directs.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Cook until soft, about 7 minutes.
Put the lettuce in a colander. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta, broccoli and potatoes over the lettuce to wilt it. Return the pasta and vegetables to the pot.
Add the leeks to the pot and stir in enough of the reserved cooking water to moisten. Stir in the cheeses and season with salt and pepper. Top with more parmesan.
I made this when my sister visited over the weekend, and it was a big hit with her and my roommate! Menu: Steak with Bearnaise sauce Garlic Mashed Potatoes Spinach salad with strawberries
From Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten
Steak with Bearnaise Sauce
Ingredients
For the Sauce: 1/4 cup champagne vinegar 1/4 cup good white wine 2 tablespoons minced shallots 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 extra large egg yolks 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
6 (1 in thick) rib-eye steaks Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Olive oil
Directions: For the sauce, put the champagne vinegar, white wine, shallots, 1 tablespoon of tarragon leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for about five minutes, until the mixture is reduced to a few tablespoons. Cool slightly.
Place the cooled mixture with the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon salt in the jar of a blender and blend for 30 seconds. With the blender on, slowly pour the hot butter through the opening in the lid. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of tarragon leaves and blend only for a second. If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of white wine to thin. Keep at room temperature while you cook the steaks.
Season the steaks liberally with salt and coarsely ground black pepper on both sides. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steaks on each side for 1 minute. reduce the heat to low and cook the steaks for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle. Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Serve with the bearnaise sauce. (You can make the sauce up to an hour in advance and allow it to sit in the blender. Before serving, add 1 tablespoon of the hottest tap water and blend for a few seconds.)
**Note: I halved this recipe and it still turned out great since there was only 3 of us and it serves 6.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients: 1/2 cup garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 head) 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered Kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or creme fraiche
Directions: In a small saucepan, bring the garlic and oil to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly browned. Turn off the heat and set aside. The garlic will continue to cook in the oil.
Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. With a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the water, reserving the cooking water, and remove the garlic from the oil, reserving the oil.
Process the potatoes and garlic through a food mill fitted with the medium disc. Add the reserved olive oil, 2 teaspoons of salt, the pepper, cream, and 3/4 cup of the cooking water to the potatoes and mix with a wooden spoon. Add more cooking water, if necessary, until the potatoes are creamy but still firm. Season to taste and serve hot.
I was so excited to be in charge for the Easter menu that I went a little overboard: I made brunch, dinner, and cake for dessert. Luckily, everything turned out great!
Menu: Brunch: Paula Deen's Baked French Toast Casserole Dinner: Dearborn Ham, Grandma's Hot German Potato Salad, & Steamed Asparagus Dessert: Todd's Orange and Raspberry Cake
Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.
Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.
**NOTE: We found that the maple syrup wasn't necessary at all, this french toast is sweet enough!
For the cake: Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of 2 nonstick, 8-inch round, baking pans. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cake mix and orange zest. Mix for 20 seconds at low speed until the zest is incorporated. Add the orange juice, egg whites, and vegetable oil. Blend at low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 to 32 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.
For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and creme fraiche at high speed until smooth, about 10 seconds. With the machine running at medium-low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add the raspberry jam and increase the speed to high. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable, adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed.
To assemble the cake: Arrange 1 cake layer, flat side up, on a cake stand. Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting on top leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread 1/4 cup of raspberry jam on top of the frosting. Arrange the other cake layer on top. Using a spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with fresh raspberries. Cut the cake into wedges with a slightly wet knife and serve.
Store the cake in a plastic container in the refrigerator. Allow the refrigerated cake to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
**If you like citrus-flavored cake and homemade frosting, this cake is to die for!
Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6.
Make small slits just large enough for garlic slivers evenly in the leg of lamb, and insert the garlic slivers.
Rub all over with lemon juice, then pat the rosemary and black pepper evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with salt to taste. If you're using fresh rosemary, just insert the sprigs with the garlic slivers into the cuts you made.
Place lamb, fat side up on a rack in an uncovered pan.
Roast 30 minutes to a pound or until the internal temperature reaches 175-180°F, for meat well done. If you prefer slightly rare lamb, roast until 160-165°F.
When done, remove from oven, cover the roast in foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
If you also want delicious rich gravy, place a 1 1/2 cups of lamb or beef stock in the bottom of the pan before you put the lamb in the oven, making sure that the rack sits above the liquid and the meat doesn't touch it. You can also add a sprig or two of rosemary to it and if you want baste the lamb a couple of times while it's roasting. Just before serving bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove top, making sure you whisk it well and scrape all the bits from the sides and the bottom of the pan. If you want more gravy you can add some extra stock or some of the water you have cooked your vegetables inches Mix 1tbsp of cornflour with 2tbsp of water and whisk it into the stock. Simmer until thickened and you have a wonderful gravy.
Scalloped Potatoes (the recipe calls for creme fraiche, which I didn't use and it was still delicious!)
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds waxy potatoes (such as Yukon gold or Yellow Finn), peeled
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the garlic all over the inside of a 3-quart baking dish, then mince it. Grease the dish with about 1/2 tablespoon butter.
Slice the potatoes about 1/8 inch thick (a mandoline works well). Combine in a large saucepan with the minced garlic, the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, the half-and-half, creme fraeche, flour, thyme, mace, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chives and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, shaking it to distribute the potatoes evenly. Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 1 hour 5 minutes, occasionally spooning some of the liquid over the top. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
You can also make the scalloped potatoes in individual ramekins; bake about 40 minutes.
