Leftovers? What leftovers???

It was a fun weekend for me on the culinary standpoint, as I was virtually inundated with fodder for today's entry.  I was exposed, mostly voluntarily, to the widest variety of cuisines possible today, both in a dining standpoint and from a televised perspective.  It was AWESOME!!!  The question was: "What would POSSIBLY be interesting enough to captivate an audience, and how in the WORLD would I pen all of it?"

So here goes...

It started late Friday evening, on a cold almost-winter's night.  Horns were blaring in the streets and music was bumping and thumping from the... oh, good grief... this is starting off like a bad novel..

We were at my wife's company Christmas Party and the dinner was.. umm... good? I think?  There was a veritable buffet of Mexican Food, and I started on the wrong side of the line.  (Actually, I think they had set the line up the wrong way.)  In the first chafing dish was the ubiquitous Tex-Mex starch option - Rice & Beans. Really.  Moving along, I encountered picadillo*, shredded chicken, fajita chicken and steak, and plenty of flour tortillas.  It was the true trifecta of starch, starch, starch.  Better to load up once than have to stand in line a second time.  So.  Tacos and $7.00 margaritas in a 6 ounce cup? Awesome.

Needless to say, we left there just a little unsatisfied, wondering if we were going to have to run into a 24 hour joint to get some true sustenance, or hold out until the morning. 

Turns out we decided to wait. But boy, was it worth the wait.

Somehow, in our travels on Saturday, we ended up at Golden Wok.  Yum.  Had a craving and ordered enough to satisfy the craving, fully anticipating that we would have, as always, leftovers to take home for the next night's meal.  I ordered off of the Dim Sum menu.  My old standard.  Har Gou, Shrimp Siu Mai, and Beef Spare ribs.  Kim ordered the Shrimp and Broccoli and pan-fried chicken Potstickers, and my younger daughter ordered a bowl of their Egg Drop Soup.  As the food started arriving, I realized that we might be in some trouble.  Not because of the quantity, but because of the flavor profiles that we would be encountering.

One of the cardinal sins in the dining world is to work backwards in taste.  One should NEVER serve the tastiest, most seasoned dish first, or else your subsequent course or menu item will not satisfy you.  (Hence the whole "serving the palette cleansing sorbet thing" in fancier restaurants.)

Thankfully, either because the servers and chefs knew of this rule, or through blind luck, our food was served in the proper order.  (I am guessing the former, because our food was never brought out by the same person.)  The chicken potstickers were tasty, and crispy, which is how they MUST be served, or else the skin will stick to your teeth. yuck...  The dipping sauce added a spicy and tangy dimension to what would otherwise have been bland, because right after we got the potstickers, the Har Gou showed up.  Shrimp, wrapped in rice paper, much more flavorful than the potstickers.  Then came the Siu Mai, the Beef Spareribs and the Shrimp and Broccoli.

The look on my wife's face when the spareribs showed up was classic.  (What the heck is THAT?  How come it doesn't look like what is in the picture?!?!?)  But, to give her credit, she did try it, but didn't like it.  The black bean sauce that the spareribs were cooked in was quite tasty.  But it is an acquired taste.

Leftovers? What leftovers? There may have been half a portion of the Shrimp and Broccoli left after all was said and done, and even our younger daughter was stuffed.  Such a good thing...

I knew it was going to be tough to follow that act the rest of the weekend, so I didn't try. Really. Why set myself up for failure?

Grilled Cheese sandwiches the rest of the way.  (With pancetta and salami, a heart attack lover's delight!)

On Sunday, between football games, I managed to watch Cake Boss, Cooking with Gordon Ramsay Live and Iron Chef America - A match up special featuring Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentis versus Mario Batali and Rachel Ray.  It was fun watching the match-up, because Rachel Ray, who drives me nuts yet has some easy to cook recipes for quick food on the go, seemed truly out of her element, out of her comfort zone.  The mystery ingredient was...wait for it... Cranberries!!  I saw some true inspiration in the dishes that were presented, as well as variations on an old favorite, and I saw some safety.  Ideas to cook by? Absolutely!!

The most engaging show of the day, however, was definitely Gordon Ramsey's Cookalong Live, featuring a curse-free Gordon Ramsay, with celebrity accompaniment of Leann Rimes, Cedric the Entertainer, and Alyson Hannigan.  I would have LOVED to have been a part of the studio audience, but only if I would have been able to partake of the dining experience and taste his food.  Gordon Ramsey did a good job of, in his frenetic, almost frantic pace, guiding many different families and the celebrities through the basic steps of cooking fun and flavorful dishes as part of a 3 course meal.  On the menu: a shrimp-and-pasta appetizer, steak Diane served with sauteed potatoes and peas as the main course, and a quick tiramisu for dessert.  The most fun element of the show for me was watching just how FAST the man can cook.  Pure economy of motion, no wasted movements, no unnecessary flair.  (Although the FLAMBE action with the sauce for the steak Diane was cool.  Don't know how I am going to do that without a lighter, as I have to cook with *sob* electricity...)  It makes perfect sense to me why the numbnuts on Hell's Kitchen stand such a little chance of succeeding.  If you can't cook a meal for 4 in an hour, on a Tuesday night, then you sure as heck won't survive in HIS kitchen. 

I was wondering, however, how in the world anyone would be able to stop and eat, if all of that food was to be cooked in an hour.  I am going to have to give that whole meal a spin. 

(Honey, you remember what we need to add to the shopping list for next week, right? Oh, crap, okay... call me and I will tell you.)

*My recipe for a delicious picadillo, as done at Chino's Cafe:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

7 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper

3 pounds lean ground beef

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 dried bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (Cholula is my favorite)

6 cups canned stewed tomatoes, half-drained

Directions

In a large stock pot, heat 1 tablespoon of  oil over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion and green pepper until onions are transparent. Transfer onion mixture to a bowl and set aside. In the same pot, heat the remaining oil and brown the ground beef.

In a separate saucepan, combine vinegar, salt, pepper,  bay leaves and hot sauce. Let simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Place the seasoning mixture and the onion mixture into the pot with the ground beef. Add the half drained tomatoes and cook for 1 hour over medium heat; stirring occasionally.

Yum... Good Eating, Friends...

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cooking, Martin Yan, Gordon Ramsey, Asian Stir Fry, Chino's Cafe, Chinese Food, Asian Stir Fry

Beef Recipes

Colin's Beef Stroganoff

*Two hours before service, pat dry then cut a tender piece of raw beef into small cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper, garlic powder and onion salt..

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs tender beef
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• 1/4 lb butter
• salt
• 2 spoons flour
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1.5 pounds of hamburger meat

Take 1 pound of raw egg noodles, toss in boiling water, bring back to a boil, and strain. While egg noodles are cooking, saute chopped onions and sliced mushrooms in butter until onions become transparent and mushrooms just soften up. Use a splash of red wine to deglaze the pan, then toss in marinated beef. After the meat is browned evenly, toss in cooked egg noodles and let sit for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons very fresh sour cream before serving. (For an extra kick, 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard can be added, as it gives a new dimension to the flavor.)



Cheesey Beef Alfredo Casserole

• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• parmesan cheese
• cheddar cheese
• 1 box of  Ditalini (or any other small pasta)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Brown the hamburger meat while starting a pot of water to boil. After the meat was seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper, and well browned, drain. The pasta was then cooked to "al-dente" then drained.

Take 2 tablespoons of butter, melt over medium heat, poured the cream in, let it cook to just below boiling, then mix in 1 cup of parmesan cheese. When the parmesan cheese had just started to melt, combine the meat and noodles, season it lightly with salt and pepper, and stirred in half of the grated cheddar cheese. Put it into a 9" round stoneware dish and topped it with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven and serve.

 

Steak Diane by Colin

Ingredients

• 
  
  4 x small sirloin steaks, approx 7 ounces each
  
• 3 shallots, peeled
  
• 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  

                   (if crimini unavailable use button mushrooms instead)

• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 -2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, to taste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup brandy or cognac

                   (I used Hennessey, as it was all I had available, with great results)

• 
  
  1 cup heavy cream
  
• Small handful of flat-leaf parsley
  

Using a rolling pin, roll out the steaks to flatten and cut off any excess fat. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet pan large enough to accommodate the 4 steaks in one layer. Quickly sauté the steaks for up to a minute on each side then remove from the pan and set aside to rest.

To make the sauce for the steaks, heat some olive oil in a separate pan. Slice the shallots and add to the pan, allow to soften briefly before slicing and adding the mushrooms with a tablespoon of butter. Crush in the garlic using a garlic press.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, then the mustard and heat through for a minute. Turn up the heat and tilt the pan away from you. Pour the brandy into the far end and allow it to ignite - be careful that the flame that flares up doesn't singe your eyebrows! Once the alcohol has burnt off, swirl the juices around the pan. Add the cream and allow the sauce to thicken before turning down the heat.

Introduce the steaks back into the pan and cook a little further depending on how well done you would like them. Chop the parsley and add half to the pan.

 

Chino's Picadillo

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 7 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (Cholula is my favorite)
• 6 cups canned stewed tomatoes, half-drained

Directions

In a large stock pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion and green pepper until onions are transparent. Transfer onion mixture to a bowl and set aside. In the same pot, heat the remaining oil and brown the ground beef.

In a separate saucepan, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, bay leaves and hot sauce. Let simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Place the seasoning mixture and the onion mixture into the pot with the ground beef. Add the half drained tomatoes and cook for 1 hour over medium heat; stirring occasionally.

Ground Beef with Beijing Sauce Over Noodles

If you don’t have bean sauce, it is acceptable to substitute hoisin sauce or oyster sauce and omit the sugar. To save time, boil your noodles according to package instructions while you’re cooking. I’ve added dried peppers, but of course you can leave them out if you’d like. If you enjoy spice, try the “hot bean sauce” instead of the regular bean sauce, add more dried chilies and leave the seeds in or use chopped fresh chilies instead. Serve over your grain of choice.

serves 4

• 1/4 cup stock (chicken/beef/veg)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground bean sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon cooking wine
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1/4 cup minced onions
• 4 dried chili peppers, cut in half, seeds shaken out/discarded
• 1 pound lean ground beef or chicken
• 1/2 cup frozen vegetables (I used carrots and peas), no need to defrost
• 1/2 cup chopped baby corn (1/2 can)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch slurry
• cooked rice or noodles

 Mix the sauce ingredients together, set aside. In a wok or large over high heat, add the cooking oil. When the oil is just getting hot, add the garlic, onions and the chili peppers, fry until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add the ground beef and stir fry for 1 minute until browned.

Add the frozen vegetables and baby corn and stir well. Pour in the sauce and turn the heat to medium. Bring sauce to a boil.

Add in the corntarch and stir for about 10 more seconds, until sauce has thickened and vegetables have achieved a shiny glaze. Taste and adjust for seasoning – you may add a little more soy sauce if needed. Serve over noodles or rice.

Pan Seared Steak Rolls

•  8 ounces flank steak (4 inch x 6 inch piece) or 8 thin sliced sirloin

 Marinade

• 
  
  1 tablespoon soy sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  
• freshly ground pepper
  

 Sauce

• 
  
  1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
  
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  
• ¼ cup canned chicken broth
  

Filling

• 
  
  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  
• 1 carrot, cut into 2 inch matchsticks
  
• ½ red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch matchsticks
  
• 2 ribs celery, sliced thin on diagonal
  
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  
• 12 green onions, cut into 3 inches long
  
• 4 ounces enoki mushrooms
  
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  
• 2 teaspoons butter
  
• ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
  

Freeze steak for 30 minutes until partially frozen. Slice steak against the grain, on the diagonal, into 8 equally thin pieces. Use a meat mallet to pound each piece of meat to 1/8 inch thick. If using thin sliced sirloin, skip this step.

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl and add meat slices. Let stand 15 minutes to 2 hours.

In a separate bowl, combine sauce ingredients.

To prepare filling, heat a wok or skillet over high heat. When hot, add vegetable oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add garlic and ginger and fry for 20 seconds. Add carrot, bell pepper, celery and stir fry for 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and stir. Transfer to bowl and let cool.

To make the beef rolls, lay beef slices out with short side facing you. Equally divide chives, enoki mushrooms and vegetable mixture among the pieces of meat. Roll the beef up, over the filling and secure with toothpick.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and butter, swirling to coat bottom. When hot, add beef rolls, seam side down, not touching and pan fry for 1 minute, turn roll. Add sauce to the pan. Cover and simmer over medium heat until beef is just cooked through, 1-2 minutes. Remove toothpick, sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

Yields 4 servings

Colin's Hunan Spicy Orange Beef

Made with dried orange peel, this spicy and flavorful dish originates from the Hunan region. Best Practice: deep-fry the beef twice if desired to make it extra crispy.

Serves 3 - 4.

 Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound flank steak

 Marinade:

• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 egg white
  
• 1 ounce cornstarch slurry
  

Sauce:

• 
  
  2 tablespoons water or low sodium chicken broth
  
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
  
• 3 teaspoons Tomato Paste
  

                       (Ketchup will suffice if you don't have any tomato paste lying around the house)

• Sesame oil
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, or to taste
• 1 fresh orange, including the peel
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Veggies

• 
  
  2 slices ginger
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 2 green onions
  
• 2 medium celery ribs
  
• Oil for deep-frying and stir-frying
  
• 6 dried red chili peppers
  

Preparation:

Cut the flank steak across the grain into thin strips. Add the salt, egg white and cornstarch. Marinate the beef in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Complete the next three steps while the beef is marinating.

To prepare the sauce, in a small bowl combine the water or chicken broth, dark soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, ketchup, sesame oil and white pepper. Squeeze the juice from the orange and add to the sauce, along with the sugar. Set aside.

Remove all white rind from the orange peel. Cut the peel into thin strips. Peel and mince the ginger and garlic. Wash the green onions and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. String the celery and cut into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal.

Heat the wok over high heat. Add oil for deep-frying and heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. When the oil is ready, add the beef. Deep-fry on both sides until it changes color and is nearly cooked. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Add the celery and submerge briefly in the hot oil (the celery should not be in the hot oil for more than a few seconds). Remove and drain on paper towels.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Add the dried chili peppers and the orange peel. Stir-fry briefly until the chilies darken, then add the minced ginger and garlic. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Stir in the green onion.

Push the vegetables up to the side of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle. Add the beef back into the pan. Heat through and serve hot.

Sloppy Joe's

Ingredients

• 
  
  3 pounds ground beef
  
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
  
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle tomato-based chili sauce
  
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon prepared
  
• yellow mustard (optional)
  

 Directions

Crumble the ground beef into a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently until evenly browned. Drain off grease. Add the onion and celery, and cook until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. 

Reduce heat to medium and pour in the chili sauce. Stir in the vinegar and sugar. Add mustard if using. Simmer until the mixture is your desired thickness. Serve on buns.

Colin's Stew-Stuffed Potatoes

 Ingredients

• 8 cups low-sodium beef stock
• 3 large russet potatoes
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Water, as needed
• 1 1/2 cups sliced onions
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the beef stock in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, leaving 4 cups.

Put the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until just tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half lengthwise and using a spoon, remove the potato flesh and set aside, leaving 1/2-inch thick rim around the edges. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the baking sheet and put potato shells on it, cut side down; bake until the cut side is golden brown and skin is crispy, about 20 minutes.

Pat the meat pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven and sear the beef on all sides to a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat to a plate and carefully add a tablespoon of water to the hot pot, scraping up the brown bits from bottom of the pan. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and saute the onions and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook about 7 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to caramelize, adding water, as needed, to deglaze the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the onions are a deep golden brown, add the reduced beef stock and the beef and their juices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the meat is tender, skimming fat off the top, if necessary, about 35 to 40 minutes

Pass the reserved potato flesh through a ricer or mash with a masher until smooth, adding hot water to loosen them. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, butter, sour cream, then season with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix well.

Ladle the stew into the crisp potato bowls, top with a spoon of mashed potatoes and enjoy.

Colin's Easy Barbeque Steak

Ingredients:

• 
  
  2 pounds lean, boneless beef steak
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
  
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  
• 2 teaspoons soy jam (thick soy)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
  
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  
  

Preparation:

1. Braise the steaks on a hot grill until done to your taste.

2. Make a sauce blending the scallions, garlic, soy sauce, soy jam, mustard, and sesame oil.

3. When the steak is done to your taste, smother it with the sauce mixture.

4. Serve over rice with your choice of vegetable side.

Colin's Tomato Beef

Ingredients:

• 
  
  1/2 pound flank steak
  
• 4 Tablespoons oil
  
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
  
• 1 Tablespoon chopped scallions
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• salt to taste
  
• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
  

Marinating sauce:

• 
  
  1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  
• 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  
• 1 teaspoon dry sherry
  
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  

Preparation:

1. Cut beef into thin slices, and mix with the marinating sauce, and allow to stand for at least fifteen minutes.

2. Heat two Tablespoon oil until very hot and saute scallions until they are light brown. Add the tomatoes and while stirring, add the salt and sugar. Cook about two minutes until the tomatoes are barely limp. Remove and set aside.

3. Rinse and dry the wok or pan and heat the rest of the oil. Saute the garlic half a minute then fry the beef until no longer red. Return the tomato mixture to the pan, mix well, and cook one minute longer then remove to a serving platter. Serve with steamed rice.