Two Steak Recipes! Steak and Potatoes and Steak and Pasta!

Bone-In Rib Steak with Oven Roasted Potatoes and Fresh Herbs

The Fourth of July causes people to gleefully break out and shine up their grills and cast iron skillets, prepping them to be clean and ready to be used on one of the busiest Q days of the year in the USA. Due to a ban on charcoal grills where I live (someone improperly disposed of hot coals which caused a dumpster fire on the property) I had to cook inside. 
I chose bone-in ribeye steaks with an ulterior motive, to give them to my little dog, Gus. 

I had my local butcher season the steaks, both sides, with their special seasoning and allowed them to come to room temperature.  I had tossed the potatoes in 3 tablespoons grape seed oil and seasoned them with salt, pepper, fresh thyme, rosemary, sage and oregano and garlic and about two rounded tablespoons of coarsely chopped onion.  

I began sauteing the potatoes on the stove top over high heat, then oven finished them at 400-degrees for twenty minutes. 

I went a little overboard with the fresh herbs for dramatic effect, but to be honest, the flavors, when basted with three tabs of butter and garlic were mouth-watering and it was almost more fun to just smell the plated steak than to eat it.  ALMOST!!!

Another view before infusing the butter with the fresh herb's flavors and basting the steaks. 

I ate one of the steaks on Independence Day and used the other steak for a simple and delicious recipe that follows this one!

I plated simply, steak and potatoes garnished with finishing salt and fresh herbs.  So delicious!!!

The next recipe involves steak and pasta, plated differently than above. Tons of flavor, a simple and easy dish from start to finish, and, only one pot!

Steak and Pesto Zucchette Pasta

This next dish is a basic thirty minute dish. In this case, the steak is already done from the previous night's dish. The ingredients for this dish is very small and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 medium red or red onion

3 large or 6 medium cloves garlic, grated

1 4-ounce jar pest or your own homemade pesto

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

salt for the water

steak, sliced

3 tabs butter

Parmesan 

Bring four quarts of water to a roiling boil. Liberally salt the water and the appropriate amount of pasta of your choice; I used a round hollow pasta, Zucchette which would catch the pesto easily. 

Cook the pasta about twelve minutes. Strain the pasta and add the butter. Add the onion and stir with a pinch of salt when the butter foams. Saute about three minutes. Add the garlic, the dried Italian seasoning and half of the pesto and the pasta.  Stir to incorporate to coat the pasta with the butter and add the remaining pesto. Continue to stir.  

Plate the pasta evenly and garnish with fresh herbs and Parmesan. Top with Parmesan and fresh herbs and a drizzle of a blend of olive oil and balsamic.  

I served this family style but it could certainly be served per person. What a great way to show someone you love them!

With that, Thank You for your readership and viewership!  I am, as always, grateful for you all!

Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!

~Martin

In-House Cook

Smoked Dakota Sandwich with Sauteed Onion on Sourdough Bun

Smoked Dakota Sausage with Sauteed Onion Sammies

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Just about in time for the Fourth of July holiday, two recipes for your bbq!  Please see my previous post for Ian Schwartz's Elote: Mexican Street Corn and here, for my Smoked Dakota Sausage Sandwich with Sauteed Onions. Smoked Dakota's are easily found at your local butcher shoppe. Let's get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Smoked Dakota sausages, 1 per person

Sourdough or French bread buns

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped, for four

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

few sprigs fresh cilantro

1 rounded tablespoon white wine whole seed mustard

salt and pepper

your favorite condiments

*I used mustard, mayo, Chipotle Mayo and sriracha

2 cups your favorite grated cheese (I used mozzarella) 

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

To a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add three tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and two tablespoons butter.  As the butter melts and starts to foam, add the chopped onion.  Stir to coat the onion, add a good pinch of salt and pepper and stir well.  Allow to simmer three minutes, then add the garlic and stir.  Reduce the heat and simmer fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should be just about translucent before serving. 

Meanwhile, in a larger skillet over high heat with a tablespoon of evoo, or, out on the grill, add the Dakota Sausages and cook until the skin is crispy. The aroma is going to be festive and bring back memories of bbq's past. 

Add your favorite condiments to the buns, toasted or not, and pile on the cheese and onions, add cilantro as garnish and and have at it! Let the festivities begin!

Now!  Go out there and cook for someone you love!  Your family, loved ones and You will love the smoky sausage, the mustard bite of the onions and the tang of the condiments!  Serve with Ian Schwartz's Elote: Mexican Street Corn, and the party is on!!!

As always, Thank You for your time and consideration!  

Again, Happy Independence Day!!!!

~Martin

In-House Cook

ELOTE: Grilled Mexican Street Corn By Special Guest Blogger: Ian Schwartz

Elote

Grilled Mexican Street Corn

By Special Guest Blogger:  Ian Schwartz

I first got to know meteorologist Mr. Ian Schwartz when I'd recruited him to come present to my class about severe weather. One of the things I learned about him is that he is an incredibly amazing cook and master of the grill.  Just in time for July 4th, please enjoy this delicioso recipe, courtesy of Ian! 

It's summer and the heat is here in many cities around the nation. 

I live in Phoenix and as crazy as it sounds, I grill outside even on a 110 degree day. 

The idea is to keep the home cool, and not use the oven! 

One of my easy favorites on the grill is Elote, also known as Mexican street corn. 

Usually this is sold off of carts in Mexico, on the cob. 

Mine version is a bit different, but delicious none the less! 

I prefer to take mine off the cob so you don't have to floss as much afterward. Ha! 

Ingredients 
8 ears of corn
Mayo
Tajin spice
Salt
Pepper
Crumbled Cojita cheese
Fresh lime juice
Finely chopped cilantro 

Directions
Grill the corn with some butter or oil you paint on. Cook it until the kernels have a light char to them. Next take a knife and cut the corn off the cob into a large bowl.

In the large bowl mix the corn with a few tablespoons of mayo. It's up to you how much or little to use, but at least two tablespoons for a large bowl. 

Squeeze a couple of limes into the mix and add a handful of finely chopped cilantro. Add some Tajin spice too, around 2 tablespoons. Add salt and pepper as desired. 

You can mix the cojita cheese into the whole thing or just put a layer of the crumbles on top. Up to you. I do both! 

Cut a thin slice of lime to put in the center of the bowl for garnish. 

Serve at room temperature.

Easy and delicious!  

Chappli and Tikka Chicken with Naan

Tikka & Chappli Chicken Thighs with Garlic Naan

I am an obsessive fan of Indian and Middle Eastern spices. The aromas they give off, toasted or not, cooking or not, are insanely wonderful! People are oftentimes afraid to cook with the myriad spices used to make spice blends, such as Garam Masala an Chappli and Tikka, because they do not know what taste to associate the aroma with.  Is it hot? Is it flavorful, or flavorful and hot? Until you try the food at an Indian or Pakistani restaurant, or another middle eastern restaurant, you might not ever know.  With that, however, people are increasingly more knowledgeable about Turmeric, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, thyme, cloves, anise and more. Are you saying:  "Oooohhhhhh, Those are in Garam Masala and Tikka and Chappli?"  So are ginger, chiles, cardamom, cinnamon and fenugreek leaves.  Fenugreek has a kind of sweet, almost maple syrup, aroma. 

*Just an FYI:  Chappli spice has a degree of heat!

You can find many of the above spices in your own grocery store in the spices aisle.  Garam Masala is one of those where it rather depends; I purchase a bag full of the spices and leaves already measured out to grind up in my processor and store for a good six weeks.  Please note: different sources may vary on how long you can store your Garam Masala and other spice mixes.  Some are two or three weeks, some are up to three months.  

Rather than grind my own Chappli and Tikka spices, I buy them professionally packaged from my local Pakistani store.  They can be purchased as ground spices, packaged, or, you can purchase them as sauces, also professionally bottled. 

Regardless, I love them and use them in many of my dishes.  Do not be afraid to experiment!  As you have seen, many of the spices are spices you already have individually in your own spice cabinets!

Now, to my simplest pantry meal EVER.  This meal is for the night when you are tired, your frig and pantry and freezer are a bit on the empty side but you have mouths to feed. Have a package of chicken thighs, whether or not they're boneless skinless?  Have a can of tomatoes (peeled, stewed, diced)? Have a package of spices I have mentioned above, and you have a meal in the making!  Let's go with what I had on hand. 

Ingredients

1 package chicken (thighs or breasts)

3 tablespoons Grape Seed oil

2 rounded tablespoons Chappli spice mix

2 rounded tablespoons Tikka spice mix

1 16.8-ounce can of sliced tomatoes 

2 tablespoons Mirin

1/2 onion, coarsely chopped*

2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

I purchased Garlic Naan at the local grocer.

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.

On a cutting board for meats, remove the chicken thighs and add the spice mixture to both sides of the chicken thighs. 

In a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, add three tablespoons -- three rounds around the skillet -- of grape seed oil.  When the oil begins to ripple, reduce the heat to medium and place the chicken open side down (if boneless/skinless) and sear for three minutes.  The chicken may be ready to turn at that time in the oil. IF not, let it sear a couple of more minutes.  Do not force the turn of the chicken.  Once the thighs have been turned, add the onion, garlic and tomatoes.  Stir to incorporate and snuggle the in the chicken. 

*As I expressed earlier, this was a true pantry meal.  I did not have fresh onion and garlic at that time, so I used dried onion and garlic powder and added those to the Chappli and Tikka spice mixes in a bowl and whisked them together thoroughly. 

If I had fresh onion and garlic on hand for this dish, it would appear much differently than above.  I would also add fresh cilantro to the skillet.  But, I did not, making it a pantry meal.  That makes this a very flexible dish, with great potential. 

I love to make videos for promotion. 

Finally, add the Mirin and stir that in as best as possible. Place the skillet into the oven and roast for twenty minutes.  You may use a thermometer to check if the chicken is ready, or, if the chicken oozes clear fluids, it is done.  Trusting your nose and your eyes is best.  Like your hands, they are among your best kitchen tools. 

I let the chicken rest a few minutes prior to serving.  The aroma was just soothing and stimulating all at the same time. Delightful, overall. 

I served the chicken and tomatoes with garlic naan, which was a perfect decision, and grated parmesan to catch pieces of chicken and mop up the incredibly flavorful juices.  

Next time I make this, and I will, I promise to have fresh ingredients, but for now, this is what a pantry meal is all about: simplicity and flavor, satisfying. 

This dish serves up to three people easily, or four fairly light eaters. 

As Always, I am grateful for your time and consideration!  Please try something new like this, and enjoy an adventurous meal with new and delightful spices. Now, Go Cook for Someone You Love!

~Martin

In-House Cook

Stuffed Pork Loin Roast with Oven Roasted Potatoes and Scallion Tomato Marinated Salad

Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin Roast with Marinated Tomatoes and Scallion and Marinated Oven Roasted Potatoes

Well That title sure is a mouth full! And oyyyy, the confessions I have for you!  Let me narrate that along the way. To start, I'd planned to slice open the pork loin roast, unrolling it, roulade style. I had planned to stuff it with marinated mozzarella, onion and chive cream cheese, scallions and herbs. I was going to tie it together, bracciole style, and roast it over baby Yukon Gold potatoes, whole. I had also  planned to marinate thin slices of baby tomato medley and scallions (keeping the scallion theme).  Only part of that actually happened:  the marinated tomatoes and scallions and the roast stuffing. 

Before I start my confessional, let's get to the recipe for the pork loin roast and stuffing.  

Ingredients

6 tablespoons cream cheese (I had chive and onion)

1 log marinated mozzarella

1 rounded tablespoon dry Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

2 teaspoons finely grated garlic

1/4 cup scallion whites and greens, sliced on a bias

2 teaspoons dried or fresh oregano

1 cup Greek Vinaigrette

1 pork loin roast (about 1.5 pounds)

*bacon

Prep the scallions, garlic and cheeses. Set aside. 

On a separate cutting board or plastic cutting board, dry off the pork loin roast.  Using a very sharp chef's knife or paring knife, roulade* slice  the roast.  The concept is to begin a small slice down across the top side of the roast (whichever top side is comfortable for you) and slice and continue slicing and unrolling the roast like an unrolling sleeping bag. Once sliced open, cover with plastic wrap and flatten, using whatever utensil you have, to flatten out the meat. 

Well, here is where my lesson begin-eth. I had planned to start prepping at 4:30PM and cooking by 5:00PM, eating at six. I was a bit disgruntled by national events of the day and spent time - far too much time - trying to learn how to be useful and battle evildoers and I ended up wasting four hours!  I started at 8:30pm, then, roulade slicing the pork loin roast and I tore both ends of it. I fretted about it and was upset.  You see, I try to make everything look perfect as possible for you, my gentle, awesome readers, and I failed in quite an epic way.  Ugg!!!  

I went ahead and seasoned the opened roast with salt and pepper on both sides, then added the six tablespoons cream cheese, some scallions, the mozzarella, and more scallions, the garlic and half of the dried Italian seasoning and the fresh oregano. 

Oh!  I forgot! I added some of the Greek vinaigrette to the roast prior to adding the cream cheese!!!

Scallions atop the cream cheese. 

Now......

Confessional Part Two:  As you can see, I really stuffed that little pork roast.  And when I tried to roll it up like a bracciole, or like a sleeping bag, the scallions and cheese fell out of the tears. I then had a brilliant idea!  Bacon!  🥓🥓🥓🥓

Momentary interruption.....Preheat the oven to 450-degrees. 

The problem with bacon -- as if there is any problem with bacon -- was that the main idea behind this whole meal was trying to make a fairly healthy dish.  Keep in mind, the cream cheese was "light" and the mozzarella was "low fat" or "skim". Bacon tossed that concept out of the kitchen!

I lay out bacon strips, thin side, thicker side, in such a pattern where the roast could fit thoroughly. 

Problem number three:  The bacon I had purchased a couple of days ago was short.  Most bacon, when left to warm to room temperature stretches.  Not this package. Short and firm.  I had to break out my box of toothpicks and before long, my poor torn up once beautiful pork loin roast looked like a pork-u-pine roast with toothpicks sticking out all over.  I was so embarrassed.  As I mentioned above, I just want everything to look as perfect for my readers as possible  This was not going to be the case, and I needed to suck it up, confess what I had done and why I tried to wrap my roast in bacon, and just carry on.  I did just that last night on my blog's FB page, and my blog's Instagram page, in case you want to read it, however, I plan to wrap up the lesson in just a little bit. 

The roast wrapped in bacon with toothpicks holding it together and looking like a porkupine.  Misspelling intended. I'd poured some of the Greek vinaigrette across the top, letting it get into the groves of the bacon and sprinkled the remaining dry Italian seasoning atop that.  

Prior to adding the roast to a baking pan lined with foil and drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and  vinaigrette, salt and pepper, I halved a pound of baby Yukon gold potatoes and lay them in the pan, cut side down.  I placed the roast into the oven (remember, set at 450-degrees).  I wanted the bacon to begin rendering its fat and shrink tokeep the roast from falling completely apart.  I roasted it for twelve minutes, then, I reduced the heat to 350-degrees for 45 minutes.   

The bacon rendered and shrank, some cheese oozed out, which I had expected, and which would flavor the potatoes drenched in vinaigrette and bacon fat.  And again, I cringed:  So much for a healthy meal!

Checklist:  Roast, done! ✔

Potatoes done! ✔

Now to the simple salad!

On a cutting board not contaminated by meat protein, I used a comfortable but sharp culinary knife to slice the tomatoes (I had a baby tomato medley of Romas, Heirloom, cherry and grape, and various colors). I sliced the scallions on an extreme bias, because, fancy and pretty, and placed them all in a bowl.  I then added pepper and some of the Greek vinaigrette and let them marinate overnight. They marinated so long because I had started four hours later than I had planned and the roast did not finish until about after 9:45PM and I was not going to eat that late!

 My pretty, simple, flavorful salad. 

This evening, at an appropriate time for dinner, I sliced the roast after having reheated it in the oven at 300-degrees for thirty minutes.  Mind you, I had removed the roast and potatoes from the baking pan and did not add any of the renderings to a high-sided skillet I'd used this evening.

The roast turned out pretty darn fantastic, I must say, the potatoes crisped up this second round, and the simple salad was so flavorful I ate the whole salad!

 I garnished the small plate with Celtic Sea Salt and fresh oregano from my patio garden. I used a small plate because, as I mentioned in my two previous blog posts, I am trying to take some pounds off.  While the bacon threw off the healthy part of this dish, portion control just may have saved the day!

A side view.  The dollop of cream cheese had fallen out of the stuffing from that slice on the plate.  In the next photo, you will see the slices of the roast, stuffing and all!

May not be the prettiest, but I have to say the bacon gave it an incredibly crispy crunch and additional texture and taste explosion.  

In my state of feeling completely inadequate and frustrated by my own lack of self monitoring (time), I was quite reluctant to post the roast recipe, particularly. I saw things from a different perspective, however, and realized, I had made the best of a sloppy situation.   The final lesson is this:  In both life and in the kitchen, professionally or cooking for your family and loved ones, mistakes happen.  We mess up. It's part of life. We learn from the mistakes, as I tried to compensate for my sloppy mistakes.  I had originally thought: If I had just started on time, I would have done a vastly better job and not have torn the ends of the roast.  Maybe that is true, but maybe not. It is how we adjust to our mistakes, let them be known, if need be, and not beat ones-self up over it, that is important.  Even the pros make mistakes!  Forgive yourself and carry on.  

Here endeth the lesson.* 

As always, Thank You, my awesome readers, for your time and consideration!  I hope you enjoy the recipes from this post and let me know if you try them and what you think!  Make them your own!  Make your own mistakes that lead to great successes!  The big thing, Do Not Be Afraid To Make Mistakes.      Now, go cook for someone you love!  

~Martin

In-House Cook

*Thanks to Chef Paul and Chef Ricky for their vocabulary lessons!

*"Here endeth the lesson" I took from Buffy TVS, Season 7.  My all-time favorite show!!!

Saffron Rice, Sausage and Egg Quiche Pie

Leftovers Magic!
Saffron Rice, Sausage, Cheese and Egg Quiche Pie

In order to understand this delectably delightful leftovers meal, please check out my previous blog post about stuffed bells. The leftover rice, sausage and cheese mixture goes into this quiche pie. It is fast, easy as pie -- pun intended, but it is true -- and insanely delicious! it is quite filling; I had one piece and I was done, so it is quite a one-serving meal for most people. Easily, this serves 4-6 people.

This is another one of my true pantry meals. I had the leftovers in the frig, and I have had croutons that I was going to use for a dinner for a friend but we changed our minds to tsukemono, rather than traditional salad. This ingredients list is rather long, so settle in, okay?

Ingredients

leftover saffron rice

4-6 eggs

1 bag croutons (I had garlic) 

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, halved

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

cheese

Alright, it was a little longer than I'd thought, but you get how simplistic this is. Here's the fun part.  Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.  Melt the butter (I have old metal measuring cups so I just put it on a small burner on low). 

As the butter melts, open the full bag of croutons (or bags of croutons, if you have more than one and are freezing them), and add them to your blender or food processor. Process until they are mere crumbs. Set aside. 

Using a paper towel drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, or, using cooking spray, oil a pie plate, rim included. Pour the crouton crumbs into the pie plate, drizzle the butter around the crumbs, circularly, which is my preference for forming the crust, but you do what is good for you. 😃 Use your fingers (washed, please) to form a crust up to an just over the rim of the pie plate. I added a tiny sprinkle of dried Italian herbs.  

Bake the buttery crouton crust for ten minutes. 

Meanwhile, as the crust is baking, add 1.5 cups of the rice and sausage mixture to a bowl and add 4-6 eggs.  Four large or six medium eggs. Use a large fork to thoroughly mix the two together.  Smush the rice apart and make sure the only lumps are the sausage. You could add cheese now, if you have not made my stuffed bells dish, and are just using leftover rice, but my mixture has both mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in it already. That is why I did not have salt and pepper on the ingredients list.  I had added enough salt and pepper to the rice mixture from the previous meal and, I also added a little more Parmesan to the top of the pie. If you want to add more to meet your taste needs, feel free! I also added some Chile powder to give it some heat to complement the saffron. 

Once the crust has finished pre-baking, remove it and carefully add the eggy rice mixture.  It may slurp over the rim a little. That is why I said try to work the crust up to and over the rim. It will cling on to the egg. I also suggest, at this point, to place a rimmed baking pan under the pie plate.  Sprinkle a little more Italian seasoning atop the mixture and bake for 30 minutes at 350-degrees. At that time, pull out the rack and add your favorite cheese to the top. I used a 4-cheese Italian mix I bought at the grocer.  Continue to bake for 12 more minutes (really, 12 is perfect for my old 1982 oven). 

Finally, remove the pie and set it aside to rest.  You probably do not want to serve it immediately, so the egg and rice mixture settle and firm up.  Let it rest about five solid minutes. 

 OH yes, it smells just as good as it looks! The crouton pie crust has held the egg pretty firm at the rim and is golden brown. Time to cut and serve!

The egg has filled in all the gaps in the rice mixture. Great taste and texture!

I garnished with fresh oregano, my favorite herb. 

Now, enjoy this beauty!

As always, I want to Thank You for your time and consideration. I appreciate your taking the time to give to my humble blog!

Now, Go Cook for Someone You Love! 

And remember, the Best ingredient is love!

~Martin

In-House Cook