Author: Hans Susser

Germany/USA

Grilled Portuguese Sardines

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During  the time Maria and I were living in Madeira, Portugal,  we usually had grilled sardines at least twice a week. There was this beautiful restaurant, built into a cave in the rock’s below our apartment building, just a three minute walk, which served these wonderful, fresh, juicy, tasty sardines off a wood fired grill. Adorned with just lemon wedges, a small green salad with onions and rustic sour dough bread, this was the perfect meal every time and I remember them very fondly, both for the great food, as well as the romance the surroundings provided to Maria and I.
I usually had all my dinner’s in Madeira with a bottle (or two) of Gatão Vinho Verde, while Maria usually stuck to her diet coke.
While shopping for food on saturday, I came across these great looking (frozen) Portuguese sardines and I just had to get them. I prepared them the way they are usually prepared in simple restaurant’s and homes by the sea – some sea salt inside and out, brushed with olive oil and quickly grilled or sauteed. Then a squirt of lemon or lime and voilà – sardine heaven.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

– and yes, Bella and I had all twelve of them at once…….. 🙂
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Grilled Portuguese Sardines

Grilled Portuguese Sardines

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Wings Glazed With Fermented Black Bean Sauce

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Wing’s  (like life itself) can become a bit boring if you don’t change the method of preparation once in a while, so last night’s wings got a different twist of flavor by marinating them for 24 hours in fermented black bean sauce, lime juice, hoisin sauce, sriracha, soy sauce and granulated garlic. Then roasted at 385 F for ninety minutes, basting often with the marinade. Good Stuff 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Wings Glazed With Fermented Black Bean Sauce

Wings Glazed With Fermented Black Bean Sauce

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Rabo Encendido ( Oxtail Stew )

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Rule # 1 :

All  food and drink consumed in the company of dear friend’s tastes infinitely better 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for Ox Tail Recipe   (Add Mushrooms as option)
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Chacha, Dieter, Bella & Rabo Encendido

Chacha, Dieter, Bella & Rabo Encendido

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Asian Inspired Fiery Lamb With Egg Noodles And Vegetables

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This  is comfort food at it’s finest.
What quick, easy and affordable food can be more comforting than spicy, juicy noodles with ground meat of any type, vegetables of any sort, seasoned to that just slightly burning mouthfeel that feel’s oh so good and satisfying after your taste buds have adjusted to the heat after the first few bites.
Tonight I have used lamb, egg noodles , cabbage, peppers, onions and scallions, but you could use any protein, such as pork, beef, chicken, shrimp, scallops. You  could also substitute the egg noodles with any other type of pasta, as well as use the vegetables of your choice/ availability. This is such a versatile dish that only your fantasy  limits your choice of ingredients.
Experiment for a bit and you will arrive at your very own favorite version of this dish 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Fiery Lamb With Noodles And Vegetables

Fiery Lamb With Noodles And Vegetables

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Saute Fine diced Onions, Garlic Paste And Grated Ginger

Saute Fine diced Onions, Garlic Paste And Grated Ginger

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Add Lamb, Saute Until All Lumps Are Broken Up

Add Lamb, Saute Until All Lumps Are Broken Up

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Add Salt, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Maggi Seasoning, A Bit Of Corn Starch Slurry And Chicken Stock. Simmer until Meat Is Tender

Add Salt, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Maggi Seasoning and Chicken Stock. Simmer until Meat Is Tender

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Add vegetables, Simmer For One Minute

Add vegetables And A Bit Of Corn Starch Slurry , Simmer For One Minute

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Boil Egg Noodles, Drain, Mix With Sesame Oil

Boil Egg Noodles, Drain, Mix With Sesame Oil

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Add Freshly Cooked Egg Noodles And A Splash Of Lime Juice. Adjust Seasoning If Necessary. Mix Well.

Add Freshly Cooked Egg Noodles And A Splash Of Lime Juice. Adjust Seasoning If Necessary. Mix Well.

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Fiery Lamb With Noodles And Vegetables

Fiery Lamb With Noodles And Vegetables

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Malay-Inspired Shrimp & Salad

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Last
 night’s light dinner had most of the ingredient’s of a typical satay dinner – shrimp, cucumbers, onions, garlic, peanut sauce and chili. I did not attempt to go “authentic”, but rather enjoy great food with as little fuss as possible. The whole thing did not take more than fifteen minutes to prepare, but it tasted like a million bucks and reminded me of the sometimes simple, but alway’s wonderful meals my friend’s and I had so many times, so many years ago in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and other places in South East Asia and the Pacific / South Pacific. Sometimes, when I have a meal like this and I am in the mood and have the time to reflect, it connect’s me vividly to people, times and places in my distant past 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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The Good Stuff :-)

The Good Stuff 🙂

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Mise En Place

Mise En Place

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Season Shrimp With Granulated Garlic, Kosher Salt And Ground Chili, Saute Or Grill

Season Shrimp With Granulated Garlic, Kosher Salt And Ground Chili, Saute Or Grill

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Dice Onion, Tomato, Cucumber, Slice Scallions. Dress With White Balsamic Vinegar, Oil, Salt , Chili and Roasted Garlic Puree.

Dice Onion, Tomato, Cucumber, Slice Scallions. Dress With White Balsamic Vinegar, Oil, Salt , Chili and Roasted Garlic Puree.

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Sprinkle Salad With Salted Cashew Nuts

Sprinkle Salad With Salted Cashew Nuts

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Serve Shrimp Over Salad, Accompany With Lime, Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

Serve Shrimp Over Salad, Accompany With Lime, Peanut Sauce And Sweet Chili Sauce

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Malay-Inspired Shrimp & Salad

Malay-Inspired Shrimp & Salad

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The Good Stuff :-)

The Good Stuff 🙂

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Entrecôte Au Poivre (Classic French Pepper Steak)

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When  was the last time you have seen a classic  steak au poivre  on a restaurant menu outside of Europe?
The best you can usually find elsewhere is it’s poor cousin, a steak covered in  green peppercorn sauce (Entrecote Au Poivre Vert).
While this can be excellent, it’s flavor and texture is far removed from a steak covered in freshly crushed black pepper and sauteed, then served in a sauce build from it’s very own pan drippings and some other goodies.
Last night I served this with my “special” fries. What makes them “special” is the fact that I fry them only once instead of the usual required two times. I start them in cold peanut oil ( or better yet, duck or goose fat if available) and let the temperature slowly rise to 385 F. By the time the oil is hot and the fries are golden brown, they will be creamy on the inside and very crisp on the outside. I season them with both fine salt and sea salt. The fine salt adheres better to the fries while the sea salt gives me the taste and crunchiness associated with sea salt.

Bon Appetit !   Life Is Good !
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Entrecôte  Au Poivre

Entrecôte Au Poivre

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Hans'

Hans’ “Special” Fries

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Frisée Salad With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

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A  light lunch will leave room for a big dinner to come later in the day 🙂

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Frisée With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

Frisée Salad With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

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Sour Dough Bread, Sauteed In Garlic & Herb Butter

Sour Dough Bread, Sauteed In Garlic & Herb Butter

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Frisée With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

Frisée Salad With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

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Frisée With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

Frisée Salad With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

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Frisée With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

Frisée Salad With Shrimp, Egg, Corn, Peppers & Honey / Lime Vinaigrette

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There Is A Monster On My Plate !!!

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My  friend Peter was supposed to be here at 4.00pm for a late end of week lunch.
He had “ordered” (nicely requested) chicken cordon bleu and I was happy to oblige.
As soon as I got home, I took care of Bella, took a shower and started with my food prep.
Ten minutes later Peter cancelled. Rather than being upset about the late cancelation,
I welcomed the chance to make a real monster of a cordon bleu out of the ingredients I had prepared for two regular portions. Of course, I omitted the side dishes (fries and salad) after I had a good look of the size of this baby.  Bella and I finished the whole thing and we were happy for it. Seems to me after all these year’s I finally figured out the proper size of a cordon bleu 🙂

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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Serve with Lime Or Lemon Wedges

Chicken Cordon Bleu

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Gratinated Beef, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

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This  must be my 25th different use for beef ribs other than just plain BBQ.
Incidentally, this is also without a doubt one of my best loved way’s to cook beef rib’s.
It is a bit robust for this time of the year here in Florida, but as I said often –
thank’s God for A/C 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

Gratinated Beef Ribs, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

Gratinated Beef Ribs, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

Beef Ribs, Potato, Cannellini, Garlic, Onion, Shiitake, Cilantro

Beef Ribs, Potato, Cannellini, Garlic, Onion, Shiitake, Cilantro

Simmer Ribs, Garlic, Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper Until Ribs Are Almost Tender

Simmer Ribs, Garlic, Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper Until Ribs Are Almost Tender

Add Potatoes, Simmer Until Potatoes Are Almost Tender,

Add Potatoes, Simmer Until Potatoes Are Almost Tender, Set Aside

Saute Onions And Shiitake In Olive Oil Until Onions Are Translucent

Saute Onions And Shiitake In Olive Oil Until Onions Are Translucent

Add Beans

Add Beans

Add Ribs, Potatoes And Stock, Bring To A Simmer. Sprinkle With LOT'S Of Finely Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Add Ribs, Potatoes And Stock, Bring To A Simmer. Sprinkle With LOT’S Of Finely Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Bake Until A Golden Crust Is Achieved

Bake Until A Golden Crust Is Achieved

Sprinkle With LOT'S Of Fried Onions

Sprinkle With LOT’S Of Fried Onions

Gratinated Beef Ribs, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

Gratinated Beef Ribs, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

Gratinated Beef, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

Gratinated Beef, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

Gratinated Beef, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

Gratinated Beef, Beans & Potato Stew With Fried Onions

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Pizza With Mushroom, Gorgonzola, Gruyere, Tomato, Onion & Arugula

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Tonight,  my culinary enthusiasm was a bit limited by my lack of sleep last night.
( I went to sleep early at 11.30 pm, but Bella thought 2.30 am was a good time to get up, so she pestered me until I gave in and took her for a walk at 2.45 am.
Since I had my alarm set for 3.30 am ( busy 1st   day of school ), there was no point of going back to bed afterwards.
So, when I got home at 4.00pm, a quick and easy pizza had to make do for dinner.
( However, quick and easy should not mean crappy ! )
This little gem was far from crappy, on the contrary, I thought it was pretty awesome.
Quick, easy,crispy, tasty, juicy, delicious 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for Pizza Dough Recipe

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Pizza With Mushroom, Gorgonzola, Gruyere, Tomato, Onion & Arugula

Pizza With Mushroom, Gorgonzola, Gruyere, Tomato, Onion & Arugula

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