Shortcut Beef Bourguignon

Shortcut Beef Bourguignon

This is a stove-top version, of Julia Child's famous dish. It's a little faster, but still, fairly time consuming. It's worth it.
My son Aaron, loves this. He once said " This is so good, it makes you wonder, what else is out there" It's comments like these, that keeps me, trying classic recipe's.

For the Beef:
2lbs. sirloin-cubed
3Tbl. flour
4slices of bacon-cut into lardons
1 onion-sliced
2Tbl. oil
2cups robust red wine- like burgundy, pinot noir
2cups beef broth
1Tbl. tomato paste
1/2tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2tsp. salt
1/4tsp. pepper

For the vegetables:
1 potato per person-cubed
8 to 16oz. fresh mushrooms-quartered
1 onion-sliced 
1tsp. oil
1slice of bacon-chopped
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of thyme
4Tbl. of sauce from the cooked beef.

Coat the beef with the flour, set aside.
Fry the bacon,in a 4quart pot, until crisp.
Reserving  the drippings, remove the bacon, and set aside.
Heat the bacon drippings, caramelize the onion in it.
With a slotted spoon, add the onion, to the bowl of bacon, reserving the pan drippings.
Add 2Tbl. oil to the pan, and heat on a high flame until very hot.
Brown the beef, a little at a time, and add them to the bacon and onion.
Deglaze the pan with 1cup of the wine, scraping the bottom, as you simmer, a few minutes.
Add the remaining cup of wine, the broth, tomato paste, herbs, the reserved beef, onion, and bacon.
Cook on high, until the liquid reduces to a semi-thick sauce.

While the beef is cooking, boil the potatoes, until they are just beginning to soften. Drain and chill them, with cold water. (as if making potato salad) drain.
In a skillet, fry the bacon and onion, over a low flame, until the onion has browned.
Add the mushrooms, and cook until they sweat.
Add the potatoes, and all other vegetable ingredients, and cook, gently stirring, until heated through.

Toss the beef, in the flour, and set aside.

Fry the bacon, until crisp. Remove it with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

Caramelize the onions, in the bacon drippings. Remove with a slotted spoon, and add to the bacon.

Add 2Tbl of oil to the drippings, brown the beef, a little at a time, remove it from the pan, and add it to the bacon and onion.

You'll have a lot of browned flour, and drippings, in the bottom of the pan, but that's a good thing.

Add 1-cup of the wine, and cook on a high flame, for a few minutes, while scraping the bottom of the pan, to loosen. Add all other beef ingredients, and cook on high heat, until it reduces to a semi-thick sauce.

For the vegetables: boil the potatoes, until they are just beginning to soften. Drain, and run cold water over them, until cold. Drain and set aside.

In a skillet, add the bacon and onions, brown the onion, over a low flame. Add the mushrooms, and cook until they sweat.

Add the potatoes, and all other vegetable ingredients. Heat until cooked through.

Pull-Apart Brioche

Eric, over at Happy valley chow, posted this beautiful photo, of a braided brioche, he made. I've made only one attempt, to make brioche, from one of Michel Roux's recipes, with disastrous results. (I'm always botching Chef Roux's recipes, lol) I decided to give Eric's recipe a try... one word... Euphoria! Thank you Eric!!!

This has such a delicate, buttery texture. I made this to go with Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, but skipped dinner and ate a few of these instead.

Ingredients:
1 packet of dry yeast
1/3cup very warm water
2-1/3cups cake flour
2cups all-purpose flour
1/3cup sugar
2-1/2tsp. fine sea salt
6 large eggs- room temperature
20Tbl. (2-1/2 sticks) real butter- cut into cubes and brought to room temperature

Preparation:
Dissolve the yeast, in the water. let stand 15-minutes.
Whisk together, the flours, salt and sugar, in a large bowl.
Using a mixer, fitted with dough hooks, add the eggs and yeast mixture to the flour, and and mix about 5 minutes, until well combined.
Add the butter (1/4 at a time) Beating 1-minute after each addition.
After the final addition, beat 10-minutes, until smooth.
Cover and let rise until double, about 3-hours.
Turn the dough out, onto a lightly floured surface, and knead out the air bubbles. (this dough is very soft, I cheated, and stirred it down)
Return the dough, to a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day:
Heavily butter two loaf pans.
On a floured surface, with floured hands, divide the dough, into 16-equal pieces, and shape them into balls.
Place eight pieces, in each loaf pan, and let rise 1-hour.
Preheat the oven to 350*F.
Beat an egg, and lightly brush the tops of the dough.
Bake about 40-minutes, or until browned.

Add the eggs, and yeast mixture, to the flour mixture. Beat 5-minutes.

Add the butter (1/4 at a time)Beating 1-minute, after each addition.

After all of the butter has been added. Beat an additional 10-minutes, until smooth.

Cover and let rise, 3-hours. Turn onto a floured surface, and knead out the air bubbles. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Shape into 16-equal pieces, and place into 2 heavily oiled loaf pans, let rise 1-hour.

Bake about 40-minutes. Remove them from the pan, and cool.

Cream Horns

                                                   Cream Horns
Uh-Oh, I found an easier way to make puff pastry! This pastry is the main component in most of my favorite desserts. I can feel my derriere, expanding. I'm going to try this technique on croissants too. Instead of using a block of butter, the butter is softened and whipped, then refrigerated. I found the recipe at An American Housewife. She posted, that you could use a combination of butter and shortening. I decided to experiment, and whip it together. This made it so much easier to work with, than the recipe I've always used.
A co-worker once called cream horns "Cholesterol sticks" Hahaha, I know a lot of cooks, don't like to use shortening, but a few years ago (Most) of the manufacturers reformulated their products. The kind I use, has no trans fats, no cholesterol, 4g saturated fat (butter has 51g) and 7g of the good fat (polyunsaturated) per tablespoon. It's not as if my family, will let me eat the whole batch, myself...Darn It!
Ahh... I can still remember the good ol' days when nobody liked my black walnut ice cream. The whole carton was mine, to leisurely savor. Then somebody actually tried it, now I'm lucky if I get any.

For the pastry:
3cups flour
1/2tsp. salt
1cup ice water
2 egg yolks
1cup softened real butter
1cup all vegetable shortening ( you can use 2 cups of butter, instead)


Preparation:
Cream together the butter and shortening, with an electric mixer, until fluffy. Refrigerate at least, one hour.
Meanwhile, whisk together, the flour and salt.
Whisk together the egg yolks and ice water.
Using a fork, stir the egg mixture, into the flour mixture, until it forms a ball. It should be rough and shaggy looking, Don't knead! Sprinkle a little flour, on a plate. set the dough, on the plate. Cover and refrigerate one hour.

{After an hour, dust a rolling surface, with flour, roll the dough into an 1/8-inch thick, rectangle. Spread 1/2-cup of the butter mixture on the center of the dough. Fold the dough, over the butter, overlapping the edges.This dough can get a bit sticky, just smooth a little flour over the surface. Sprinkle a little flour, on a plate. set the dough, on the plate. Cover and refrigerate one hour.}
^Repeat the steps in parentheses, three more times, waiting an hour between.


 After the last repetition, roll the dough, and refold, twice more. Set the dough on a floured plate, cover and chill overnight.

The next day, Preheat the oven t 375*F.
Divide the dough into three pieces.
Remove one piece, (refrigerate the rest). Roll it 1/8-inch thick.
Cut into strips about 12" or 15" inches, in length and up to, 1-inch wide.
Spray your aluminum forms, or  Make you own forms.
Wind each strip around a form, overlapping, a bit. Roll them in sugar.
Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. (one with sides, there will be a little melted butter.)
Bake until lightly golden. (About 15 minutes, but this may vary.) You have to let them cool on the form. Twist them off the form and fill.

Cream Horn Filling:
1cup all vegetable shortening
1cup real butter
4cups confectioner's sugar
2-4tsp. vanilla
3/4-cup marshmallow creme (you could omit this)
Cream together, the shortening and butter.
Beat in the sugar gradually, then the marshmallow creme and vanilla.
Beat well until it's smooth like whipped cream. Fill the cooled pastries, using a pastry bag.

Chill the dough for an hour. Roll it into an 1/8-thick rectangle. Spread 1/2-cup of the butter, in the center.

                                  Fold the edges over the butter.

Place it on a floured plate, cover and chill, for one hour. Repeat three more times, until you use all of the butter. After the last repetition, roll and fold two more times. Chill overnight.

The next day, cut the dough into three pieces. Roll one piece 1/8- inch rectangle that is 12-14-inches long. Using a pizza cutter, cut it into 1/2 to 1-inch strips.

Starting at one end, wrap one strip round a form, overlapping slightly. Roll it in sugar, and place it on a cookie sheet. Bake until lightly browned.

Allow them to cool completely, on the form. Then gently grasp the pastry, with one hand. With the other hand, twist the form, (don't pull, yet) until the form spins freely, then twist it out of the pastry. Fill.

Beignets

                                                          Beignets
                           These were absolutely heavenly, great recipe!
 
I am always looking for regional side dishes to serve with Gumbo. It's really is a meal in it's self, but I like  to serve a variety of contrasting flavors to round out a meal.
Beignets are a Louisiana tradition, These sweet little puffs would go well with just about anything.
 I have always wanted to make these myself, but the immense size of the recipes I've found were enough make me shy away. Finally I have decided to halve Paula Deen's recipe. Boy I'm glad I did they are much better homemade, and could not be easier. Thanks Paula!
This made 29 Beignets, next time I think I'll cut them larger

Ingredients:
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 egg- beaten
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3-1/2 cups flour- I used all purpose
1/8 cup shortening
oil for frying
1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Preparation:
Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
In another bowl, beat the egg, salt and evaporated milk together.
Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture.

In a separate bowl,add 1-1/2 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour.
Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.
Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color.
After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.

 While I was waiting on the yeast mixture I gathered together the 1-1/2 cups flour, egg mixture and remaining 2 cups flour. It went together very quickly.

                        Stir together the egg mixture and the yeast mixture.

                     Pour it into the 1-1/2 cups flour and stir well to combine.

Add the 2 remaining cups of flour, kneading it into the dough. I just did all the kneading right in the bowl until smooth. Spray a little cooking spray in another bowl. Turn the dough in it twice,cover and let rise 2 hours.

Roll the dough 1/4 thick, and cut into 1inch squares. I sprayed a pizza cutter with cooking spray, it worked perfectly. I had to stretch each piece before putting them in the oil. I'll have to practice getting them more uniform. I had a few that looked like eggrolls.

Test run: The dough puffs immediately and rises to the surface, I fried  4 or 5 at a time, flipping each every few seconds with tongs. I takes less than a minute to brown both sides. It took 8 minutes to fry the entire batch. Toss them in confectioners sugar. They are best served warm.

Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu

                                  Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
After running across the recipe for  Parmesan Crusted Chicken.
It got the wheels turning.
I love Chicken Cordon Bleu, but once again fried foods are so unhealthy.
I've made a few attempts to lighten it up, but... so-so.
But this is really close. Very easy and only the oil in the salad dressing.

Ingredients:
Butterfly- 4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbl. honey mustard salad dressing -I use Ken's steakhouse honey mustard
6-8 thin sliced smoked ham
4-6 slices Swiss cheese
breadcrumbs

Preparation:
In a bowl mix the sour cream and honey mustard until blended.
Place the chicken in a baking pan.

Spread 1/2 the sour cream mixture onto the chicken.
Layer with ham and cheese.
Followed by the remaining sour cream mixture.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over all.
Bake at 375* until chicken is cooked through and golden.

Cream Puffs

                                                 Cream Puffs
These are a lot easier than you think.
Tastes just like the ones you buy at the bakery.
I only make these in the winter, if the room temp. is to high, they fall.
Still edible, just not as pretty.

Ingredients: 
1/2cup butter
1cup water
1cup flour
1/4tsp. salt
4eggs
Bavarian cream  -or-  Instant Bavarian Cream

Preparation:
Heat oven to 400*
In a saucepan, melt butter and add water. Bring to a boil.
Add flour and salt. Stir quickly.
Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate.
Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating with a spoon after each addition, until smooth.
Drop by heaping tablespoons, 3 inches apart, onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden and puffy.
Split puffs and remove any soft uncooked dough from the inside.
(I usually don't have to do this, but it is best to check.)
Cool.
Traditionally they are filled with Bavarian cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
They could also be filled with chocolate pudding, fruit, whipped cream, etc.

                           Melt the butter. Add the water and bring to a boil.

Add the flour and salt, stir quickly, keep stirring until it forms a ball that doesn't fall apart.Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

           Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir until well blended, after each addition.

     On a greased cookie sheet, place a heaping tablespoon- 3 inches apart.

Bake until lightly browned, about 30-40 minutes. Cool, fill and dust with confectioners sugar.

Superb French Toast

Superb French Toast

Ingredients:
Oil or Butter
2 Eggs
4tbl Milk or Cream
1tsp. Vanilla
Cinnamon
6 slices White bread or sliced French bread

Preparation:
In a bowl, add eggs and vanilla.Whisk until blended.
Add a small amount of oil to a griddle or skillet. Heat to medium.
Dip bread into milk mixture, allowing excess to drip off.
Place on warm griddle, and sprinkle a little cinnamon on each slice.
Lightly brown each side. Remove from heat.
Serve with maple syrup or top with strawberries and whipped cream.

Ratatouille Parmesana

                                            Ratatouille Parmesana
I love ratatouille and also eggplant Parmesana.
One day I got the bright idea to combine the two. Layered  in some sliced Shiitake mushrooms. 
WOW It turned out great,  I prefer this over Lasagna, and it's much healthier. Now I make it often.

Ingredients for Ratatouille:
1 green bell peppers diced
1 small eggplant cubed
3 small zucchini cubed
2tbl oil
1tbl minced garlic
1 large onion diced
1tsp basil
1/2tsp thyme
1 bay leaf- remove before placing in lasagna pan
1-29oz. can petite diced tomatoes (fresh romas are better)
salt and pepper to taste

You will also need:
1 large sliced Shiitake mushroom
 8oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese


Preparation:
Heat oil in a skillet and fry the onions and garlic and spices, until onions are transparent.
Add the eggplant and stir to coat them with oil.
Add the peppers and zucchini and stirfry.
Cook for about 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are crisp/tender. add the tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Cook until it becomes a somewhat thick sauce
Using petite diced tomatoes, the sauce will thicken quickly. 5-10 minutes.

Add the Ratatouille to a lasagna pan top with a layer of  Shiitake mushrooms.
Sprinkle the parmesan, then  mozzarella over that, and a light sprinkle of Parmesan over the mozzarella.
Bake at 375* until golden and bubbly. Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

      Stirfry the onion, garlic spices, and eggplant (aubergine) for a few minutes.

                       Add the peppers and zucchini. Stirfry until crisp/tender

Add tomatoes. Cook until it thickens a bit. This is great without the cheese, but amazing baked Parmesana style

            Top with mushrooms, Parmesan and mozzarella. Bake until golden.

Beef with Mushroom Jus

                                         Beef with Mushroom Jus
                      This is revised from a recipe from Chef Curtis Stone.
                      A rich, savory wine sauce. Truly wonderful.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small beef chuck roast, cubed
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cup dry red wine- such as Merlot or Shiraz
1 large container rich beef stock
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced



PREPARATION:  note:deglaze means to add something acidic to a pan that you have been browning food, this will make the browned food stuck to the pan release and become part of the sauce, making it richer. usually wine,vinegar or citrus juices are used.
       
Heat 1tbl oil in a large heavy sauce pan over high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the beef and cook until deep golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.  Transfer the beef and any juices to a bowl.
Heat 1tbl. oil in the same pan. Add the onion and herbs and saute until the onions are golden brown, about 3 minutes.  De-glaze the pan with the red wine and simmer until it reduces and is almost dry, about 8 minutes.
Add the beef stock, and the browned meat along with any accumulated meat juices. Return to a simmer over medium-low heat for 1-1/2 hours, or until it is reduced to 2 cups.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large saute pan over high heat.
Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Add the broth/sauce from the beef, to the mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced slightly.
Add the beef back to the sauce and heat through. Serve. It goes great with mashed potatoes or rice and green vegetables.

                 In a skillet brown beef in oil, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, add oil, onion and herbs. fry until onion has browned. Pour in the wine, and simmer until it is nearly dry.

Add the beef broth and browned beef-with juices. Simmer on med-low for 1-1/2 hours or until broth has reduced to 2 cups.

In a saute pan, fry the mushrooms in a tiny amount of oil. Brown. Then add the 2 cups reserved broth from the beef. simmer about 5 minutes to reduce the broth. Add the beef and heat through.