Spork or Foon?

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pear, Potato and Bacon Salad and a Rosemary Mayonnaise

 
 

This is yet another recipe that I am revisiting from a page in the history of Spork or Foon?  The last time I wrote about this recipe, back in April of 2009, I discussed the friendly cooking competition that took place between Jack and myself.  Jack was an incredible cook. He was the reason I started cooking. But I never wanted to admit to Jack that sometimes his dishes were, in fact, better than mine for two reasons: 1. he's likely to rub it in a lot and 2. I'm a big baby. 

Well, since April of 2009, Jack has completely stopped cooking.  His reason, he states, is because "Why would I cook when I have a girlfriend who cooks everything perfectly?" 

First of all, I don't cook everything perfectly. I make mistakes. I'm human.  And if people tell me the food is good, I don't believe them.

But it is nice to hear.

Jack has gone so far in his self-imposed cooking strike that he doesn't even help me prep food anymore.

"Hey, Jack can you chop this onion for me?"

"I don't know how."

So. Ridiculous.

So when I was searching my archives for a meal to prepare for dinner and came across the aforementioned blog post, I had to chuckle to myself.  And I wonder, what do I like more?  Not being told that I come in 2nd place in this household or not having someone help me chop an onion.

It is a question for the ages. 

At least this dish is as good as ever.  I actually forgot how good it was.  It is another Top Chef Recipe, this time by Dale of Season 3.  It features a deliciously moist pork tenderloin perched atop a salad of roasted potatoes, crisp haricot verts, diced onions quickly cooked in red wine vinegar and a bit of sugar to give it a wonderful, almost-pickled flavor, sweet and tender pears and bacon. Sweet, sweet bacon. And of course, the incredible rosemary mayonnaise flavored with woody rosemary, soy sauce, and delicate honey that adds the perfect finish to an already wonderful dish.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin - from Top Chef

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pear:

2 pork tenderloins, silver skin removed

2 pears, peeled, diced

2T butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Potato & Bacon Salad:

1 lb new potatoes, cubed (in water until use)

4T extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 lb haricot vert, blanched, shocked

1 red onion, diced small

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

8 slices bacon, cooked to crisp

3T sherry vinegar

Rosemary Vinaigrette:

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1T Dijon

1 cup grapeseed oil

1/4 cup rosemary (ground in spice grinder)

2t soy sauce

1t honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Potato & Bacon Salad:

Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees until golden but not overcooked, about 1 hour. Cut blanched and shocked haricots into bite-sized-pieces. Place diced red onion in nonreactive pot with red wine vinegar and sugar; bring to boil and remove. Let cool and strain. Cook bacon until very crispy and drain on paper towels. 

Rosemary Mayonnaise:

Place yolks, vinegar and Dijon in blender. Slowly drizzle in oil until thick. Add in other ingredients and season to taste with remaining ingredients.  (If you want, you can use pre-made mayonnaise and just add rosemary, honey, and soy sauce).

Pork:

Grill pork until done, about 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on size of the tenderloin.  Saute pears in butter until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Season with Salt and Pepper.

To Serve:

- Season pork tenderloins and grill until desired doneness. 

- In a large bowl, toss roasted potatoes, haricot verts, onions, bacon and pears with sherry vinegar.  If it has cooled, heat up potato salad. 

- Top with slices of pork and rosemary mayonnaise.

Grilled Cheese and Braised Short Rib Sandwich with Pickled Caramelized Onions

 
 

I don't even have it in my to write a witty post about this awesome sandwich because another 1-2' of snow is currently being dumped on my doorstep.  Except, I don't have a doorstep, so I guess I'll just say... sidewalk?

The odd thing is that it doesn't actually seem to be snowing as much in Manhattan as it is in say, Long Island and New Jersey. NYC will prepare for huge storms by spreading copious amounts of salt on the already crumbling city streets in preparation for SNOWMAGGEDON or SNOWPOCALYPSE (gotta love media sensationalism), but instead the storms skirt the island of Manhattan and cover New Jersey and Long Island in a 1-2' tall blanket of white snow leaving Manhattan with, as my friend put it, "more salt than snow on the ground."

So I guess I shouldn't really be complaining. I stare angrily outside my window at snowflakes the size of plums furiously fall, but at the same time I am thrilled with the snow because Jack has a snow day and will be staying home with me today (although I won't really be able to speak to him because he will be furiously working from home, which is hard for me not to speak to him because he is so cute. I know. Gag.).  But it doesn't change the fact that I hate it, and have decided not to leave my apartment until the weather is a consistent 45 degrees and sunny. I know in August, I will be sitting here at my computer, complaining of the wretched heat wishing for this day of snow, but until then, let me complain about the snow.

WAH.

As I lock myself inside, I will be indulging in some leftovers.  Some incredibly tasty leftovers.  

The other night, I made Jack some braised short ribs with polenta.  Now, I love making braised short ribs because they are incredibly simple to make.  Sear the meat, toss it in a pot with some aromatics and wine and let cook for a few hours. Done.  It also yields a high amount of leftovers.  He thoroughly enjoyed the hearty meal, but what he enjoyed even more were the leftovers. Tender braised short ribs that melt in your mouth topped with gooey, spicy pepper jack cheese, sweet pickled caramelized onions, and fresh peppery arugula sandwiched between to pieces of buttery, crisp bread. 

My mouth is watering even as I write that.

What is funny is that as I am writing this post, Jack just requested this sandwich for breakfast.  See?  This sandwich is good at any time of the day, any time of the year.

Side Note:  Did you know that this is the first year in recorded history that it has snowed in every state in the United States? Even Hawaii.

Snowpocalypse, indeed.

Grilled Cheese and Braised Short Rib Sandwich with Pickled Caramelized Onions adapted from Bon Appetit

INGREDIENTS

SHORT RIBS

• 5 pounds beef short ribs
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups dry red wine
• 1/2 cup low-salt beef broth
• 1/3 cup medium-dry Sherry
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large fresh thyme sprig

PICKLED CARAMELIZED ONIONS

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 large red onions, halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 6 cups)
• 4 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

ASSEMBLY

• Butter, room temperature
• 16 slices country-style crusty white bread
• 12 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, sliced
• 4 cups baby arugula

PREPARATION

SHORT RIBS

• Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large wide pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook beef until browned, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. Add celery, carrots, and onion to pot and sauté until beginning to soften and brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add wine, broth, Sherry, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme sprig; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Season with salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot, propping up on sides and arranging in single layer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.

• Using tongs, turn ribs over in pot. Cover and simmer until ribs are tender and sauce is very thick, occasionally rearranging ribs in pot to prevent sticking, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Uncover and cool 30 minutes.

• Transfer ribs to work surface. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig. Spoon off fat from sauce in pot. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Cut meat into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces, trimming any fat. Return meat to pot. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill until cold; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm just until lukewarm before using.

PICKLED CARAMELIZED ONIONS

• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar and cook until almost all vinegar is absorbed, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl; cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Microwave in 15-second intervals until lukewarm before using.

ASSEMBLY

• Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with waxed paper. Butter 8 bread slices; place 4 slices, buttered side down, on each prepared sheet. Divide short rib mixture among bread slices, about 1/2 cup for each. Divide cheese among sandwiches. Spoon about 1/4 cup onions over each sandwich. Place large handful of arugula atop onions. Top with remaining 8 bread slices. Spread bread with butter. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

• Heat griddle or 2 large skillets over medium heat. Working in batches, cook sandwiches until bread is golden brown and cheese melts, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to work surface. Cut each in half on diagonal. Transfer to plates and serve.

Spaghetti tossed with Spicy Tomatoes and Arugula with Chicken Meatballs

I need to come up with a catchier, less wordy title for this dish. 

Friends and family often say to me, "Teanna, you need to post simpler things on your blog. Your recipes are too complicated."

And to them I say, "What? You mean people don't like to sweat, curse, and cry in their kitchens while trying to juggle tons of ingredients, 3 burners and an oven like I do?"

But my friends and family are right. Sometimes simple is best.  Yes, I like challenging recipes, but there are nights where I just want to throw something together with what is in my pantry.

Oh, and when I say "pantry", I mean "make-shift shelving that hovers between my kitchen and living room". This is New York City. There are no pantries in New York City unless you are a bajillionaire. 

Last night, I opened my freezer and stared into its meager depths.  Frozen fruit, veggie sausages, ice, frozen mocha buttercream (Seriously. I don't even know if you can freeze buttercream, but I did), short ribs... ah! Ground chicken.  I always keep ground chicken on hand to make my favorite go-to, simple dish: Chicken Meatballs.

I normally serve these chicken meatballs as a salad atop arugula and sprinkled with fontina cheese with a basil pesto vinaigrette, which was inspired by a favorite lunch place of mine, Penelopes (I love to adapt salads that I have at restaurants).  But this time, I wanted something different. I rummaged through my make-shift shelving.  I have 15 different types of pasta (all people should have 15 different types of pasta. You'll never know when the mood will strike for trottoloni. I'm still not even sure what trottolini is, but I bought it because it looked cool), but grabbed what tugged at my heartstrings: spaghetti. I plucked a can of San Marzano pomodori pelati (whole peeled tomatoes) from the shelves, grabbed some fresh arugula and a half a ball of mozzarella from the fridge, and, finally, a head of garlic.  I didn't know where I was going, but I knew wherever I ended up, it would be delicious. 

I ended up making a quick sauce out of the tomatoes (sans juice), garlic, and a bit of olive oil and tossed my al dente spaghetti with said sauce and some fresh arugula.  I shaved some fresh mozzarella on top and topped my dish with three tender chicken meatballs.  I was in heaven. 

So no crying, cursing, and very little sweating went on in my kitchen that night. Maybe I'll start to like the simpler things. 

 

Spaghetti tossed with Spicy Tomatoes and Arugula with Chicken Meatballs

For the Meatballs:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

For the Sauce:
1 35-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano, preferably)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 finely chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1- pound spaghetti (or other type of macaroni)
1 cup loosely packed asparagus
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:

For the Meatballs: Preheat oven to 350F. Line a two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until just incorporated. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Roll meatballs into 12 balls, approximately 2" in diameter. 

Arrange meatballs approximately 2" apart on baking sheets. Bake for 20-minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. 

For the Sauce: Remove the whole tomatoes from the can.  Reserve the juice for another use.  Roughly chop tomatoes (keep the juices that come out of the tomatoes for the sauce). Set aside. 

Heat 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  When glistening, add garlic and cook until garlic is brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes (and their juices) to pan and let cook for 2 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened.  Add parsley and red pepper.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Set aside until ready to use. 

To Assemble:  Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain and add arugula. Toss with sauce until arugula is just wilted. Sprinkle mozzarella atop spaghetti and serve immediately. 

Jean Georges Grilled Burgers with Asian Pickles

 

When summer rolls around, all I want to do is eat hamburgers and drink frozen margaritas.  But in the back of my head, there is always that annoying voice saying "Don't do it! It's summer! Go to the gym! Work on your flabby arms!" So instead of munching away on a juicy, medium rare hamburgers topped with lettuce, tomatoes, american cheese and lots and lots of ketchup sandwiched in between a doughy, toasted bun studded with sesame seeds, I stick to the salads and shrimp cocktails cursing bathing suits and sleeveless tops. 

But since we are still stuck in the depths of this long, cold, endless winter (seriously Winter, isn't it about time you head down to the Southern Hemisphere?), I will eat all of the burgers I want. And there is no better burger to chow down on than this burger created by the famous Jean Georges.  Food and Wine Magazine sums it up best when they say that "superchef Jean Georges Vongerichten gives his phenomenal burgers fun Asian touches, like a Russian dressing flavored with miso and the zippy hot sauce Sriracha, and crunchy pickles made with a rice vinegar brine."

I mean, seriously. They used the word zippy. ZIPPY. I need to find a way to use that word. 

These burgers are incredible.  They are a drip-down-the-side-of-your-hand, can't-take-big-enough-bites type of burger. Divine. Delicious. Incredible. And totally worth all of the calories. 

Jean Georges Grilled Burgers with Asian Pickles adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

INGREDIENTS
PICKLES
 
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 Thai green chile, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 small seedless cucumber, peeled and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)
 
RUSSIAN DRESSING
 
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon white miso paste
1 teaspoon Sriracha chile sauce
Salt
 
BURGERS
 
2 pounds ground beef sirloin, formed into four 1 1/2-inch-thick patties
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 kaiser rolls, toasted
4 large Boston lettuce leaves
4 slices of beefsteak tomato
 
Make the Pickles: In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt and chile to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool. Add the limejuice and pour the brine over the cucumber slices. Press the cucumber slices down into the liquid with a small plate and place a can on the plate; let stand at room temperature for 4 hours.
 
Make the Russian Dressing: In a bowl, combine the ketchup with the mayonnaise, cornichons, shallots, vinegar, miso and Sriracha and season with salt.
 
Make the Burgers: Light a grill. Season the patties with salt and black pepper and grill over high heat, turning once, until the burgers are charred outside and medium-rare within, about 6 minutes.
 
Spread the Russian dressing on the rolls and cover with the lettuce and tomatoes. Top with the burgers and pickles; serve.

Sirloin Steak with Creamy Potato "Risotto"

  
"Teanna, it smells insanely good in here."

Jack entered the apartment after yet another 15-hour day at work of running proformas and building financial models (exciting stuff) and shot straight to the kitchen (which is right next to the front door, so I guess instead of shot, I should say, "took two steps towards the kitchen and was in the kitchen").  He looked over my shoulder and captured the scents of nutty butter and caramelized onions that wafted from the saute` pan. 

"What is it?"

"Potato risotto," I informed him, feeding him a bite. "You can take it for lunch tomorrow."

"But I want it now." he insisted.

"Well, you can't have it now." I said sternly, but with a slight chuckle in my voice.

"Why not?" he stomped.

"Because it's 10:00 pm and I need sunlight. I have to photograph it tomorrow." I said matter-of-factly. 

He looked downtrodden, but acquiesed.  Frankly, this is something he has learned by know.  When one dates a food blogger, one needs to be prepared to eat the food until it is properly photographed. 

But it was well worth the wait.  Yukon gold potatoes are diced into an 1/8" dice, cooked with finely chopped onions, a bit of heavy cream, and finished off with cayenne pepper, parmesan cheese, and topped with chives.  The result is a sublimely creamy potato "risotto" with gooey parmesan cheese and a slight bit of heat in the back of the mouth as a result of the cayenne pepper. The potatoes are toothsome, and if not told otherwise, one would definitely think this was risotto. Best part is?  It takes a quarter of the time to make this dish as it does actual risotto.

Oh, and the steak is good, too.  But we all know the star of this dish. 

Sirloin Steak with Creamy Potato Risotto adapted from Bon Appetit

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, then 1/8-inch cubes
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth (I used beef stock and it was delicious)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
6 6-ounce beef sirloin  steaks (each 3/4 to 1 inch thick)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon (or more) olive oil

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add potato cubes and cayenne pepper; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken (or beef) broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, adding more chicken (or beef) broth by tablespoonfuls if dry (mixture should be creamy with some sauce, not dry), about 8 minutes. Add cream and simmer until potatoes are tender but still hold their shape, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in cheese and chives. 

Sprinkle steaks with coarse salt and pepper, then chopped thyme. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, adding more oil as needed, 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Divide potato risotto among plates. Place steaks on plates and serve.

 

Lamb and Eggplant Shepherd's Pie

  

I am always drawn to dishes that are a bit different. "Out of the norm" some may say. "Weird." say others. 

Jack and I are actually both similar in that department.  If we are at a restaurant with dishes like sweetbreads, veal cheek, or stuffed pig's feet, you can be sure we'll order it. Once, I ordered bone marrow at a restaurant and a fellow dining guest asked, "Why would you order that?"

"Hello!" I exclaimed, as if that was the dumbest question in the world. "Because it's delicious!"  And then I shoved a piece of bread covered with the fatty, brain matter-resembling marrow in her face.  

Needless to say, she was not pleased.  

Now, this dish is not that far out there, but it is different, so when I saw it on the cover of Bon Appetit last year, I always wanted to make it.  And this past week, I finally did. 

Let me tell you this. This takes all day to make.  All. Day. Each ingredient is separately sauteed in the same pan almost as if each ingredient is a building block of flavor in the walls of the pan. First, eggplant is tossed in salt and left to sit for an hour to draw out all of them moisture, then sauteed until tender. Next, lamb shank is tossed in a bit of flour and sauteed in the same pan (sans the eggplant). The lamb is then set aside and onions are sauteed until tender.  Afterwards, the pan is deglazed with white wine before the diced tomatoes, garlic, beef broth and oregano are added.  The lamb is then added back into the pan and slowly cooked for an hour.  Next, the eggplant is added back into the pan and the flavors are allowed to marry and the broth thickened for another 45 minutes.

Like I said. All. Day.

The mixture is then put into a baking dish (the recipe calls for a 9x13" dish, but I used an 8x8" dish) and topped with delicious mashed potatoes (and I will forever use this for my mashed potato recipe. Love.) and baked for an additional 45 minutes. 

The resulting dish is a wonderful marriage of of sweet, tender eggplant, deliciously moist lamb, a deliciously fresh tomato broth and creamy mashed potatoes.  This dish is GOOD.  Really, really good. And I don't think anyone would be scared of these ingredients.  If you have all day, please, please make this. 

It's always good to get out of our comfort zones. With or without stuffed pig's feet.

Lamb and eggplant shepherd's pie - adapted from bon appetit

FILLING

• 1 1-1/2-pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes
• Coarse kosher salt
• 7 tablespoons (or more) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 pounds well-trimmed boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• All purpose flour
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 3 cups beef broth (preferably organic)
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

TOPPING

• 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp  whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated sheep's milk cheese (5 to 6 ounces)

PREPARATION

FILLING

• Scatter eggplant on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt; let stand 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Rinse eggplant and pat very dry.

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl.

• Sprinkle lamb generously with coarse salt and pepper, then dust with flour to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add half of lamb. Sauté until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to large bowl. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining lamb.

• Add 1 additional tablespoon oil to same pot, if needed. Add onions. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until very tender, about 10 minutes (bottom of pot will be very dark). Add wine to pot. Increase heat and boil until wine evaporates, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, broth, garlic, and oregano and bring to boil. Add lamb with any accumulated juices. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Uncover and continue to simmer until lamb is very tender and gravy thickens slightly, about 45 minutes. Stir in eggplant. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. (I used an 8x8" baking dish)

TOPPING

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 14 minutes.

• Meanwhile, melt butter with oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add milk and bring to simmer.

• Drain potatoes. Return to pot. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates. Add milk mixture and mash potatoes until just smooth. Stir in cheese. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Drop potatoes over filling by heaping tablespoonfuls, covering completely.

• Bake pie until filling is heated through and topping is golden, about 45 minutes.

 

Meatloaf Sandwich: Baby Arugula and Russian Dressing on Whole Grain Bread

 

In my previous food experiences, if there was anything that was less appealing than meatloaf, it was leftover meatloaf.  And few things were less appealing than meatloaf except for, say, broccoli covered in Velveeta cheese.  

I shudder at the memories. 

However, since I have finally found a phenomenal meatloaf recipe that has forever changed my opinion of meatloaf, I wasn't afraid to change it up a little with the leftovers.  I had seen several recipes for meatloaf sandwiches recently.  I never imagined eating meatloaf in a sandwich before, but then again, I could never imagine eating meatloaf willingly, so the sandwich thing wasn't far off.

This sandwich, which tops the leftover meatloaf with Russian dressing (or, actually the shortcut Russian dressing:  4:1 ratio of mayonnaise and ketchup) and arugula.  The meat, which was still deliciously moist and even more flavorful the next day really  worked well when paired with the creamy dressing and peppery and fresh arugula. 

As I sit here and write this, I wonder where that picky little child in me went.  Me, a meatloaf lover?

Oh, how I've changed. 

Meatloaf Sandwich adapted from Epicurious

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon ketchup
• 2 slices whole-grain bread, toasted
• 2 slices

meatloaf, about 1/2-inch thick

1/4 cup baby arugula leaves

Stir together the mayo and ketchup in a small bowl. Spread on one side of each slice of bread. Lay the meat loaf over one slice and top with the arugula leaves. Cover with the remaining slice of bread, mayo-side down. 
 

The Best Meatloaf Ever. Even for Meatloaf Haters.

   
 
I hate meatloaf. Hate upon hate upon hate. When I think of meatloaf, I think of the dry, strange meatloaf from my youth (sorry, Mom).  Meatloaf is Public Enemy #2 in my kitchen, right there behind cilantro.

The sad thing is, Jack loves it.  We were out at a popular sandwich place in NY a few weeks back, and Jack was deciding between a chicken cutlet sandwich or a meatloaf sandwich. 

"Which should I get," he asked me, while staring up at the board. "Meatloaf or Chicken Cutlet?"

"MEATLOAF?!" I exclaimed. "That's disgusting. Chicken cutlet." The Italian in me would never let Jack pass up a chicken cutlet sandwich. Especially because I was getting a salad and I wanted a bite.

Jack looked at me incredulously. "I love meatloaf," he defended.  But as a good boyfriend, he got the chicken cutlet. 

Fast forward to a few weeks later.  I was in my kitchen, trying to decide what to make for dinner. I wanted to make something simple and delicious, and I was stumped.  I opened up some of my favorite recipe sites for some inspiration.  There, on the first page, was a large picture of meatloaf.  I clicked right past it, not even giving it a moments thought.  Then, I stopped myself from clicking any further. 

Let me try the meatloaf, I thought to myself. It'll make Jack's night.

The meatloaf is a delicious combination of pork, veal, and beef flavored by a sauteed mix of celery, carrots and onions, robust garlic, (or as we in the food world like to say, a mirepoix) Worcestershire sauce (I love saying that word), cider vinegar, spicy cloves, plenty of freshly ground black pepper, and parsley. Prunes and bacon are also listed in the recipe, but I left them out.  The last time I made Jack something with prunes in it he almost spit it out, and I forgot the bacon. 

I served it alongside mashed potatoes, but I did something along the way that made them go beyond mashed and turned them ultra-creamy and dense.  I almost threw out the mixture, but it was actually delicious. I have no idea what I did. I boiled the potatoes for an hour, peeled them, put them in my food processor (I like to do that to get very creamy mashed potatoes) and processed with some milk and salt. I must have processed way too long, but I loved the outcome. 

When it was time to serve dinner, Jack still had no idea what I was making. When I put down the plate above on the table, he almost jumped for joy. When he tasted it, he did jump for joy. Then I tasted the smallest piece, wondering if this was any good.

Not only was it good, it was delicious.  It was out of this world. And not, I wish I could throw this meatloaf into outer space out of this world. It was out of this world good. 

Maybe I'm a meatloaf convert? 

Maybe only with this meatloaf. 

The Best Meatloaf Ever adapted from Epicurious

• 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (from 2 slices firm white sandwich bread)
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 pounds ground mix beef chuck, pork, and veal
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Soak bread crumbs in milk in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic, celery, and carrot in butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low, then cook until carrot is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Add to bread-crumb mixture.

Finely chop bacon and prunes in a food processor, then add to onion mixture along with beef, pork, eggs, and parsley and mix together with your hands.

Pack mixture into a 9- by 5-inch oval loaf in a 13- by 9-inch shallow baking dish or pan.

Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatloaf registers 155°F, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Top Chef with Teanna - Season 6, Episode 8 - Pork Leg Pate

HOLLA!

I'm back! With a shiny new camera!  I am the proud new owner of a Nikon D3000, which is basically the replacement camera for the now defunct Nikon D40, but sounds so much cooler because there are more 0's in the name. 

But I am in love.  I don't know much about cameras, but I do know that it is faster, takes better photos in less light, and IS NOT BROKEN, which was the problem with my last camera. 

On another note, I swear I'll be a better blogger. I haven't been consistent, I haven't been keeping in touch with my favorite bloggers, I haven't been on Twitter, and I miss the community! When things calm down a bit, I'll be back with a vengeance! For now, I still love everyone so much! 

But on to bigger and better things.  Mainly, Kevin Gillespie and Pork. This week's challenge had the cheftestants cooking pork for the famed Charlie Palmer.  And of course, the winner of the challenge was Kevin, who is not only extremely talented, but in love with the other white meat - so much so that he has a pork tattoo adorning his arm, which he happily showed the judges.  Luckily, it wasn't adorning another part of his body (because, frankly, if you're going to have a tattoo of a pig, you may as well go all out and get it tattooed on your backside).

This has to be one of the easiest Top Chef recipes I have tried to date.  The ingredients only cost me about $15 for 1/3 of the recipe for the pork, star anise, mushrooms, cherries, and heavy cream. I only ended up getting ground pork instead of pork and fat back (um?) and had to get canned cherries instead of fresh.  Additionally, I subbed almond flour for hazelnut flour, because that is what I had on hand. I learned that quatre epices is a spice mix used mainly in France and the Middle East, but is just a fancy way of saying "2 tablespoons ground black pepper, or a combination of 1/2 tablespoon white and 2-1/2 tablespoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons ground cloves, 2 tablespoons ground nutmeg, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon." 

The recipe took a total of 20 minutes to throw together, even though there are three different segments.  Each part of this recipe was delicious on its own, ESPECIALLY the mushroom mixture, which was absolutely glorious. Almond flour was cooked in a mixture of butter and canola oil (I didn't have 1 pound of pork fat on hand, unfortunately) and used to saute a mixture of mushrooms.  The mushrooms are then tossed in a homemade mayonnaise and sprinkled with parsley. The mixture of earthy, nutty mushrooms, textural almond flour, creamy mayonnaise and lemony parsley is pure perfection.  

The pork terrine was firm, tender, and wonderfully spiced with the quatre epices. And finally, cherries, although canned, took very well to the pickling process and were the key to bringing this dish together. 

When Jack tasted the dish, he loved it so much, he didn't even have time to do his happy dance. Huge score in my book.  Although I do miss that dance.

Click here for the recipe.

Duo of Kobe Beef with Creamy Polenta

I prepared this over the summer as part of my Top Chef with Teanna series from Season 1, but never got around to blogging about it before the new season picked up.  But it really is a phenomenal dish, and although I had to use a flash (it was dark by the time we served it), it still is deserving of a post. 

This is a dish from season winner Harold, from the Season 1 Finale episode. Lorraine Bracco was a guest judge, and the chef's were asked to prepare a five-course dinner and pair wines from her vineyard with their dishes. This episode was at the height of Sopranos fame, although it was around that time when David Chase was doing very odd storylines where Tony Soprano did peyote in the dessert with some girl, which is not very mafia-like to me and forever changed the way "Don't Stop Believin'" was viewed forever. 

The beef was incredibly tender, and the two different textures of the short ribs and strip loin worked perfectly with one another.  The polenta was rich and creamy, but filled with butter and cheese, so I only had a bite, lest I wanted to gain five pounds just from my side dish.  

Funny side note:  I made this dish for our weekly dinners with our friends Chris and Chelsea while we were all living in DC.  Chelsea and I were talking in the kitchen as I was preparing the polenta, and I was so embarrassed when I threw in an entire stick of butter and a whole container of mascarpone cheese. No one should have to witness that.  If I'm going to eat that much butter, I'd rather not know about it. 

Luckily, the dish was a huge hit, regardless of the butter.  Tom Colicchio said in his blog post on the episode that this dish was lick the plate good.  And it was.  Hands down, this was one of my favorite dishes from the season (although I liked everything from that season, unlike this season).  It was very simple dish to make, and one that didn't require me to be in the kitchen for hours. 

Oh, and ere is an example of the poorly written Top Chef recipes from seasons past. Luckily, they have changed this and made much more comprehensive recipes.

Duo of Kobe Beef by Harold Dieterle courtesy of Top Chef

Ingredients
5 lbs. Kobe Short Ribs
2 qts. Red Wine 
1 qt. Chicken Stock 
2 qts. Veal Stock (I subbed beef stock)
2 pc Onions 
1 pc Celery 
5 pc Fresh Tomatoes 
1 cup White Polenta 
2 cups Milk 
1 cup Cream 
½ cup Butter 
½ cup Mascarpone Cheese 
2 oz. Morels 
2 oz. Asparagus Tips Blanched 
4 oz. Butter 
20 oz. Kobe Strip Loin 

Assembly:
Sear the Ribs in a Braising pot till golden brown. Add the vegetables and caramelize.  Add the red wine and reduce by ½. Then add the stocks and cover. Braise for 4 hours or until fork tender.  Remove the bones, portion into 3 inch cubes. Strain the reduced sauce and place the short rib cubes back in the sauce. 

In a sauce pot heat the cream and milk. Whisk in the white polenta. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Constantly stirring to avoid lumps. Add the butter and the mascarpone. Season generously. 

Heat the butter in a sauce pot, add a little drop of water and emulsifies. Place the morel and poach. Add the asparagus at the last second and season. 

Heat a sauté pan with oil and season the Strip loin heavily. Pan roast the beef on both side and place in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven baste with butter and cook till med rare. Rest beef for 4 minutes and slice 
into 2 oz. pieces.