Lasagne Bolognese

Ingredients

Ragu:
1 large carrot
2 stalks celery
1 medium onion
4 oz. pancetta
2T olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 cup red wine
2T double-concentrated tomato paste dissolved in 1cup warm water
1½ cups beef stock
salt & pepper

Besicamella:
8T butter
8T flour
4 cups milk, room temperature
1 tsp. salt
4-5 grinds fresh pepper
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Pasta:
1 pound fresh spinach pasta sheets
½ cup Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese

1. Ragu: In a food processor, finely chop the onion, carrots and celery. Set aside.

2. Now in the food processer (no need to wash from Step 1), finely chop the pancetta until it resembles ground pork.

3. In a medium sauce pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil; when warm, add the pancetta and cook about 4 minutes until some of the fat starts to render out. Add the vegetables and cook an additional 4-6 minutes until vegetables are soft.

4. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef; using a spoon, break the meat up into small pieces. Continue stirring and breaking the meat into very small pieces until the meat has cooked evenly, about 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the red wine and cook about 2 minutes; add the diluted tomato paste and reduce the heat to a simmer. Every few minutes, give the sauce a stir and add a little of the beef stock so that the sauce stays moist. Cook the sauce for 1-1½ hours until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.

6. Besicamella Sauce: In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter; add the flour and stir constantly. Cook until light brown and smells like toast, approximately 2-3 minutes.

7. Add the milk while stirring. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until slightly thick, ( it should just coat a wooden spoon) approximately another 4-6 minutes.

8. Season with nutmeg, cheese, salt and pepper.

9. Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Working in batches, blanch a few noodles at a time for 1-2 minutes. Place the cooked noodles into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove the noodles from ice bath and place on a single layer on a kitchen towel.

10. Assembly: In an 8x10-inch baking dish, cover the bottom of the pan with thin layer of the besicamella then top with a layer of pasta sheets. Spread 2-3 spoons of the Besicamella on top of the pasta, then add 2-3 spoons of the ragú into a thin layer all over the pasta. Top with a handful of cheese.

11. Continue layering the pasta, besicamella, ragú, and cheese ending with pasta sheet on top. Spread with a little béchamel and sprinkle of cheese.

12. When ready to serve, preheat an oven to 350° F. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake another 20 minutes until hot and slightly golden brown.

13. Allow to sit 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

TIPS & TRICKS

• I like using a 8 X10 lasagne pan because you end up with 6 or 7 layers of pasta and sauce. But if you can use any size baking dish. You will just need to cut the pasta noodles to fit the size pan and may end up with less layers
• Ragú can be doubled and frozen. It can be also served with tagliatelle pasta noodles.
• Sauces can be made a day or 2 ahead and reheated over low heat before assembling. If the sauces get to thick, thin the besicamella out with a little milk and the ragú with little stock, then blanch the pasta noodles & assemble the lasagne.
• Traditionally this dish is made with green/ spinach pasta noodles but you can use just plain egg pasta.
• Uncooked lasagna can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Before serving remove from the fridge at least an hour to get up to room temperature.
• You can also freeze the uncooked lasagna. Remove from the freezer and allow to defrost in the fridge over night.

The Best Dang BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

Sauce:
2 slices bacon
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 cups ketchup
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
1T dry mustard
2 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. dried thyme
salt & pepper
8-10 pieces chicken, or 1 whole 4-pound chicken cut into parts

1. Sauce: In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside for another use. Leave the bacon fat in the pan. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, dry mustard, paprika, cayenne pepper and thyme. Bring the liquid to a simmer, lower the heat to low and continue simmering for 20 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Wash and pat dry the chicken parts. Trim off any extra fat that hangs off the chicken meat. Season with salt & pepper, set aside.

4. Pre-heat oven to 350º F. and preheat your BBQ grill to medium-high.

5. Place the chicken on the grill skin side up and grill for 5-7 minutes, then flip the chicken and grill for an additional 5-7 minutes until skin is nice and brown.

6. Remove the chicken from grill and place skin side down on a cooling rack on top a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spoon the BBQ sauce on top of the grilled chicken pieces; you will have some sauce left over.

7. Place in a 350º F oven for 25-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°.

8. Remove the chicken to a platter and serve with the extra BBQ sauce.

TIPS & TRICKS

• This BBQ is sauce is fantastic on beef and pork. I love to make a double batch; it can last in your fridge for weeks.

• I prefer to cook chicken on the bone whenever possible. The bone insulates the meat so that it doesn’t dry out when cooking and they are so flavorful. If you want to use boneless thigh, follow the timing of the recipe. If you wish to use boneless breast they will cook completely on the grill, no need to cook in oven. Top with BBQ sauce before serving.

• Cooking time for bone in thighs & legs are about 35 minutes, bone in breast 25 minutes

• We are going to start the chicken on the grill then finish it in the oven, so we get the smoky grill flavor and a sauce that isn’t burnt.

• Start by preheating you grill. Pat dry your chicken pieces and trim off any excess fat that is hanging off the side of the meat. This prevents the fat from catching on fire on the grill.

• Season with salt & pepper right before cooking so that the salt doesn’t bring out any moisture in the meat.

• When cooking the chicken, if the flames should flare up around the chicken, with your tongs simply pick the piece up and allow the flames to subside then place back on grill. If your fire gets to hot, lower the temperature to medium.

Yukon Gold Potato Gratin

Ingredients

1 ½ cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup dried breadcrumb, or panko
½ cup grated Parmigiano - Reggiano cheese
salt & pepper
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.

2. In a saucepan with a lid over medium-high heat, heat the milk, cream, garlic, and thyme until it comes to a boil. Turn off the heat. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and cheese. Set aside.

4. Wash and slice the potatoes into 1/8 –inch slices Place in a large bowl, toss the potatoes with salt and pepper. Place them in an 8-x10 oven proof-baking dish, layering and over-lapping the slices as you go.

5. Pour the milk mixture on top, then sprinkle the breadcrumb topping on top.

6. Bake in a 425° F oven for 45-55 minutes, until bubbly and brown.

7. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Tips & Tricks

• This dish is best cooked then served, but you can prepare all the steps ahead then assemble it at the last moment. You can steep and strain the milk/cream mixture (just rewarm in before adding to potatoes). Prepare the breadcrumb topping ahead and slice the potatoes ahead, just cover them in water to keep them from turning brown, drain and pat very well before assembling dish.

• I love using Yukon gold potatoes because the texture is so creamy and buttery. T. hey also hold their shape very well after being cooked. But you could substitute and use Idaho potatoes. Their texture is fluffier.

• Potatoes need to sit 10-15 minutes after cooking so that the cream mixture will set. They keep warm for up to 30 minutes after cooking, but if you need to reheat cover with foil and pop in oven for just a few minutes, otherwise they will dry out

Marinated Grilled Leg of Lamb

Ingredients

1 4- pound boneless leg of lamb, butterflied*
Rub:
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
4T fresh thyme leaves or rosemary
3T olive oil
salt & pepper

Pistou:
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
3 cups basil leaves
½ cup olive oil
salt & pepper

1.    *You can ask your butcher to butterfly the boneless leg of lamb for you or you can do it yourself by placing the leg of lamb on a cutting board, using a boning knife to “butterfly” the thickest part of the leg areas so that the overall thickness of the meat is 1 – 1½” thick. If necessary, trim any large pieces of fat off the meat. I then cut the leg into 2 pieces so that it is easier to handle. Set aside.

2.    In a bowl of your food processor, while running, add the garlic and process until chopped.  Add the parley and herbs; pulse until chopped. Add the olive oil and pulse until combined.

3.    Spread the rub all over the lamb. Place in a ziplock bag or sealed container. Refrigerate overnight.

4.    Approximately 1 ½ hour before want to serve the lamb, Remove the meat from the bag or container, place on a platter and let sit on your counter for 30 minutes. Preheat your BBQ grill. 

5.    Right before grilling, pat the meat dry using paper towels dry. Season with salt and pepper.

6.    Place the meat fat side up on the grill over “medium-high” heat. Let the meat achieve a nice sear before flipping it over, about 6 minutes.

7.    Flip to the other side. You may need to occasionally flip or turn the meat over if the fat should catch on fire and flare up.

9.    Remove from grill and place on platter. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

8.    Continue cooking until the thermometer reads 125º-130º F for medium rare, about and additional 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat and the temperature of your grill.

10.    Slice the lamb against the grain i.e. with the knife slicing perpendicular to the direction of the grain in the meat.

11.    Place the sliced meat on a platter, and serve with pistou sauce. 

12.    Pistou: In a bowl of your food processor, while running, add the garlic. Process until chopped, add the parsley and basil, and pulse until finely chopped.

13.    Add the olive oil, pulse until smooth, season with salt and pepper. This sauce can be made 4 days ahead, but remove from refrigerator a hour before serving. 

TIPS & TRICKS

•    If you have the lamb butterflied by the butcher, make sure to ask to have it cut so that the overall thickness of the meat is 1- 1½ inches, this will make the cooking process much easier and insure that the meat is cooked evenly.
•    You can make the pistou directly after you make the rub, so that you don’t have to wash the food processor twice.
•    Left over grilled lamb makes the most fantastic sandwiches or tacos!

Fish Saltimbocca

Ingredients

Fish:
8 6 oz. skinless fish filets, about 1 inch thick
8-16 leaves fresh sage
8 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma

Spinach:
3T olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
 2 lbs. spinach (12 cups), washed, drained and slightly damp
salt and pepper

Sauce:
3T butter
3-4 fresh sage leaves
4T fresh lemon juice

1.    Preheat oven to 400º F.
2.    Fish: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a baking
    rack on the top.

3.    On a cutting board place a filet, brush with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  

4.    Place a large sage leaf or 2 small leaves on top of the fish.

5.    Lay a slice of prosciutto on the board. Place the fish, sage side down on top of the prosciutto. Fold the ends of the prosciutto around the filet. Place the fish on the rack on the baking sheet, seam side down.

6.    Repeat with the remaining filets.

7.    Roast in the 400º F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is done and flaky and the prosciutto slightly browned.

8.    Spinach: In a large pot, with a lid, over medium heat, add the olive oil; when warm add the onions sauté 2-3 minutes.  Add the spinach, and cover with the lid.  Cook about 2-3 minutes.

9.    Remove the lid and turn the heat to medium-high. Toss the spinach for another 1-2 minutes until the greens are wilted. Season with salt and 4-5 twists of pepper.  Set aside.

10.    Sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the sage leaves and cook over low heat until the leaves are crisp and the butter begins to brown. 

11.    Remove the leaves, stir in the lemon juice and set aside.

12.    Use a slotted spoon to place the spinach on platter or plate, top with the fish, and drizzle the sauce on top. Serve immediately.  

TIPS & TRICKS

•    Use any firm fish filet. I used halibut, but you could use, sea bass, cod even salmon. 
•    You can prepare the recipe ahead till step #6, cover with plastic film and refrigerate until ready to serve. 
•    Cooking time will vary slight. Rule of thumb is for every inch of thickness the fish take 10 minutes to cook. Test for doneness by touching edge of fish with a fork. It should flake easily and be opaque in color. The fish should be slightly under cooked, as it continues to cook after leaving the oven.

Garlic & Herb Marinated Steak with Tomato Relish

Ingredients

Ingredients Steak:
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2T Herbs d’ Provence
1T salt
1T ground pepper
2T olive oil
3 pounds flap meat 

Ingredients Tomato Relish:
1½ pound (2cups) cherry tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 shallots sliced thinly
6T oil-packed sun dried tomatoes drained, chopped (reserved 3T of the oil)
2T capers
4T fresh basil leaves, julienne
3T red wine vinegar
salt & pepper

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and oil. 

Rub this spice mixture all over steak and allow the meat to sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature.  The rub can be placed on the meat and refrigerated ahead, but no more than 4 hours.

About 20 minutes before you are ready to grill, turn on the grill to heat to your grilling temperature, usually “medium-high” or the setting that gives you a good sear when the meat hits the steel grating.

Grill the meat until medium rare, 3-5 minutes a side, or until internal temperature is 130 - 135°F.  Transfer steak to a platter and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Slice the steak against the grain and serve with relish.

In a medium bowl, toss all the ingredients together.

Season well with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for a least 30 minutes.  Serve with grilled meat. Will keep in refrigerator for 3 days. 

 

Tip & Tricks

•    Flap meat is a terrible name for a delicious cut of meat. It comes from the sirloin section of the animal. The French call this cut bavette which means “bib” because of the shape of the meat which is long and skinny like a bib. When preparing your meat cut it into manageable size pieces that will be easy to grill.The texture and taste are very similar to a skirt steak but usually cost less. 
•    Marinated meat can be placed in a zip lock bag and refrigerated up to 4 hrs. before cooking, no longer or meat fibers will start to break down and get soggy. Before grilling remove the meat from the bag using paper towels blot the meat to remove any moisture that has accumulated. This will insure you get a nice sear on the meat. 

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Garlic & Herb Marinated Steak with Tomato Relish

by Nancy Madok June-28-2017

Garlic and Herb Marinated Steak cook on the Grill to sweet perfection. Topped with a Tomato Relish

Ingredients

• 3 Garlic Cloves Crushed
• 2 Tbsp Herbs d' Provence
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 1 Tbsp Ground Pepper
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Pounds Flap Meat
• Tomato Relish
• 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 Shallots - cut thinly
• 6 Tbsp Oil Packed Sun dried tomatoes drained, chopped (reserved 3T of the oil)
• 2 Tbsp Capers
• 4 Tbsp Fresh Basil Leaves, julienne
• 3 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and oil. Rub this spice mixture all over steak and allow the meat to sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature. The rub can be placed on the meat and refrigerated ahead, but no more than 4 hours. 2. About 20 minutes before you are ready to grill, turn on the grill to heat to your grilling temperature, usually “medium-high” or the setting that gives you a good sear when the meat hits the steel grating. 3. Grill the meat until medium rare, 3-5 minutes a side, or until internal temperature is 130 - 135°F. Transfer steak to a platter and let rest for 5-10 minutes. 4. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with relish. Tip & Tricks • Flap meat is a terrible name for a delicious cut of meat. It comes from the sirloin section of the animal. The French call this cut bavette which means “bib” because of the shape of the meat which is long and skinny like a bib. When preparing your meat cut it into manageable size pieces that will be easy to grill.The texture and taste are very similar to a skirt steak but usually cost less. Marinated meat can be placed in a zip lock bag and refrigerated up to 4 hrs. before cooking, no longer or meat fibers will start to break down and get soggy. Before grilling remove the meat from the bag using paper towels blot the meat to remove any moisture that has accumulated. This will insure you get a nice sear on the meat. Prep for Tomato Relish:1. In a medium bowl, toss all the ingredients together. 2. Season well with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for a least 30 minutes. Serve with grilled meat. Will keep in refrigerator for 3 days.

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 8 Servings