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Gyro with Tzatziki Sauce

Published by Mike on May 11, 2009

3/4 lb. ground lamb
1/4 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup onion, shredded & squeezed dry
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground marjoram or oregano
1 tsp ground rosemary
1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly by hand or in a food processor for 1-2 minutes. Form into small patties. Cook about 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat, until dark crust forms. Slice meat and serve in a pita with toppings (tzatziki sauce, feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, olives, etc.).

Tzatziki sauce:
2 English cucumbers, halved crosswise
Kosher salt
1¾ cups whole-milk Greek or low-fat Greek yogurt (not fat-free)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
3+ tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Grate the cucumber on the larger holes, rotating around to avoid the seedy core. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt, toss, and set in a colander to drain for 10 minutes.

Whisk yogurt, oil, garlic, mint, dill, and vinegar in a bowl.

Squeeze the cucumber shreds in a cheesecloth or kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible, reserve 2 teaspoons of the cucumber liquid. Finely chop the squeezed cucumber, then stir into yogurt mixture. Stir in the reserved cucumber liquid and ½ teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with additional mint and dill.

Blackberry Sorbet

Published by Mike on May 7, 2009

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1 lb fresh or frozen blackberries (about 3 cups)
4 tsp lemon juice (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp)
1 Tbsp liquer (triple sec or chambourd)

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Stirring constantly, let the simple syrup boil for 1 minute then remove from heat, transfer to a mixing bowl, and let chill for 3 hours.

In a blender, puree blackberries and simple syrup for about 1 minute. Use a chinoise or spatula and fine mesh strainer to remove the pulp and seeds from berry mixture. Stir in the lemon juice and liquer.

Place in ice cream maker and follow the directions in the manual (or freeze in a sealed container for a couple of hours). Makes 4 servings.

Pear, Walnut, & Gorgonzola Green Salad

Published by Mike on April 27, 2009

3 cups arugula or field green mix
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 D’Anjou or Bosc pear, thinly sliced
2 oz Gorgonzola or blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Dressing:
1 Tbsp shallot, minced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp vinegar (white wine, red wine or apple cider)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until emulsified, set aside. Toast walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes, set aside. Peel pear, remove core, thinly slice, and immediately toss with some lemon juice & water (to prevent oxidation).

When ready to serve, toss greens with dressing in a large serving bowl. Top with pears, Gorgonzola, and toasted walnuts.

Makes 4 servings.

French Onion Soup

Published by Mike on April 27, 2009

4 lbs. yellow onion, sliced lengthwise
3 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup dry sherry
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1 tsp thyme (several sprigs)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
cracked black pepper and salt to taste
french baguette, 1/2 inch slices
1/4 lb. gruyere cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the onions, halve them, and slice lengthwise. Spray the inside of a dutch oven with cooking spray then add the butter, onions, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover with the lid and place in the oven and cook for 1 hour.

Stir the onions after the one hour of cooking, being sure to scrape any browned bits away from the edges. Replace the lid, leaving it cracked open about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring again after 1 hour.

Place french bread slices on a baking sheet in the 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Move the dutch oven to the stove over Medium-High heat. Stir the onions often and watch carefully while cooking for 15-20 minutes while a fond develops. Add 1/4 cup of water to deglaze the pan and cook until water evaporates and another fond forms, about 5-7 minutes. Repeat this process 2-3 times until a rich, dark mahogany color develops in the onions. Add 1/2 cup dry sherry and cook off the alcohol for about 5 minutes.

Add the 4 cups chicken broth, 2 cups beef broth, 2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt, thyme, and bay leaf to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into 6-8 oven safe bowls, float french bread croutons in each bowl, and top with shredded gruyere (about 1/4 cup for each bowl). Place under the broiler until cheese bubbles and begins to brown (about 2-3 minutes).

Garden Minestrone

Published by Mike on March 31, 2009

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped carrot
3 cups chopped zucchini (about 2 large or 3 medium)
1 cup fresh white shoepeg corn kernels (about 2 ears or 1 can)
4 cups chopped tomato, divided (2 15-ounce cans diced tomato)
3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
Salt, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup uncooked macaroni or ditalini pasta
1 (15.5-ounce) can Cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmigiano cheese

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add oregano, thyme, basil, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in zucchini, carrot, and corn; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

Place 3 cups tomato and 1 can broth in a blender; process until smooth. Add tomato mixture to pan; return pan to heat. Stir in remaining 1 cup tomato and remaining 2 cans broth; bring mixture to a boil. Add salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Add pasta and beans to pan; cook 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach and let wilt. Serve with a sprinkle of cheese

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Published by Mike on March 27, 2009

Preheat grill on High for about 10 minutes. Oil the grill grates thoroughly. Put pork tenderloin on grill, close the lid, and cood 7 minutes. Flip the pork and cook 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cook 5 more minutes. Remove the pork and check temperature (should be 145-150 degrees). Let rest for at least 5 minutes. Cut into 1/2″ slices.

*This applies to any marinade, rub, or other seasoning method.

Poole’s Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie

Published by Mike on March 5, 2009

8 ounces all purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups sifted)
1 tsp salt
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
about 3 Tbsp ice water
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 bourbon
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
1 cup dark chocolate chips (65%-70% cacao)

To make the crust, combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut the butter into the flour mixture. The mixture should have a coarse, sandy texture with some pea-size butter pieces.

Mix in just enough ice water so that the dough forms into a ball. Do no knead the dough. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a deep 9-inch pie dish. Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Line the greased pie dish with the dough and trim the edges. Fill the pie with weights (dried beans or rice will work) and bake about 18 minutes, rotating halway through, until the edges of the crust are golden brown. Remove the pie weights and set pie shell aside.

To make the filling, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs with the sugar, brown sugar, salt, butter, vanilla, and bourbon, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Layer the pecan pieces and chocolate chips in the bottom of the hal-baked pastry shell. Carefully pour the filling mixture over the pecans and chocolate chips. Bake until the filling is set (the edges should be firm and the center is still slightly jiggly), checking after 30 minutes and rotating the pie. Continue to check every 5 minutes. Allow pie to cool completely before serving.

Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: 747 calories, 46g fat, 185mg cholesterol, 74g carbs, 4g fiber, 10g protein, 632mg sodium, 48g sugar

Jerk rub

Published by Mike on February 14, 2009

1 Tbsp all-spice berries
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp cayenne, or to taste
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp salt
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger

Grind all-spice, nutmeg, peppercorns, and thyme to a fine powder in a coffee grinder. Mix in the remaining ingredients and use the rub immediately. Makes about 1/4 cup.

Mongolian Hot Pot

Published by Mike on January 8, 2009

2 1/2 Tbsp ginger, peeled and grated
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces flank steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch wide strips and thinly sliced

1 Tbsp peanut or canola oil
6 cups thinly sliced bok choy (about 1 pound)
1 cup (about 2 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup carrot, sliced
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
2 cups hot water
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
4 ounces uncooked soba (buckwheat) noodles
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil, divided

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 1/2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Heat oil in a small Dutch oven over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add beef mixture to pan; stir-fry 1 minute or until browned. Remove beef mixture from pan; set aside.

Add bok choy, mushrooms, carrot, and green onions to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes or until bok choy begins to wilt. Add water, hoisin, soy sauce, and broth; bring to a boil. Stir in noodles. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until noodles are done. Stir in beef mixture and vinegar. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; drizzle each serving with 1/4 tsp sesame oil.

Italian Woods Bean Soup

Published by Mike on January 2, 2009

8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage, sliced into small pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup carrot, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (15oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
2 (15oz) cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 (6oz) bag fresh baby spinach leaves (about 3 cups)

Heat a large saucepan with olive oil on medium-high heat. Cook sausage for 5-8 minutes, until it browns, and remove from the pan.  Add carrots, onion, and garlic; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, herbs, salt, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender (be sure there is no sausage in the soup), and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to pan and add in the cooked sausage. Simmer an additional 5-10 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add the spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.