Grab Bag

“Easy Does It” – Tomato Bisque & Tomato Sauce

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Dear Friend’s
Although most of my followers are culinary professionals, there is also a large segment of followers who are just starting to enjoy cooking on a slightly higher than basic level. I have therefore decided to publish, under the moniker “Easy Does It“, from time to time some very basic recipe variations of dishes which otherwise might seem complicated to some folks. I will break them down to the easiest, most simple instructions, so that those of you who are intimidated by elaborate recipes will be able to prepare these dishes properly, adjusted to your taste and liking, right from the get-go.
Enjoy 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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start tomato sauce on the left, tomato bisque on the right

saute garlic in butter or olive oil before adding to tomatoes

tomato sauce - quartered tomatoes, sauteed garlic, sea salt, cayenne pepper, sugar, small amount of diced potato, water or tomato juice

tomato sauce – quartered tomatoes, sautéed garlic, sea salt, cayenne pepper, sugar, maggi seasoning,oregano, basil, small amount of diced potato, water or tomato juice

tomato bisque - quartered tomatoes, celery, onions, sauteed garlic, red wine, small amount of diced potato, sea salt, cayenne pepper, sugar, water or tomato juice

tomato bisque – quartered tomatoes, celery, onions, sauteed garlic, red wine, small amount of white rice or diced potato, sea salt, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, basil, maggi seasoning, water or tomato juice

bring to boil, turn down to simmer, simmer for 2,5 hours

put into blender and blend until smooth. The small amount of potato will make the texture silken and keep the liquid from separating from the solids. Check/adjust seasoning

put into a blender and blend until smooth; the small amount of rice or potato will make the texture silken and keep the liquid from separating from the solids. Check/adjust seasoning

add heavy cream to bisque

tomato bisque

tomato sauce

tomato sauce, ready to be frozen

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My New Year”s Eve Dinner : Steak & Farfalle , Fried Cuttlefish & Arugula, Strawberry Shortcake

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Since I stayed home on new years eve, I wanted to treat myself to the perfect dinner
(Perfect for Bella and I, anyway 🙂
Easy to prepare, yet rich and delicious .

The menu I treated myself to :

Fried Cuttlefish With Arugula
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Grilled Skirt Steak & Mushroom Farfalle
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Strawberry Shortcake

The wines I treated myself to :

Merlot (2009 Sanctus Saint-Emilion)
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Champagne (1998 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grande Dame)
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Grand Marnier Cuvie du Cent Cinquantenaire

(These special bottles had been bought and saved for the new years eve dinner Maria and I were supposed to have together this year)

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Bon Appetit ! à Votre Santé ! Happy 2014 !

Fried Cuttlefish With Arugula In Raspberry Vinaigrette

Grilled Skirt Steak & Mushroom Farfalle With Edamame

Strawberry/Cornbread Shortcake

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Fried Cuttlefish & Arugula
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: dredge sliced cuttlefish in a mixture of cornstarch, flour, salt, pepper, granulated garlic. Fry until golden, remove to absorbent paper. To serve, sprinkle with chilli flakes

: Fried Cuttlefish With Arugula

: Fried Cuttlefish With Arugula

: Fried Cuttlefish With Arugula

Grilled Skirt Steak & Shiitake Farfalle
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: Skirt steak

: grilled skirt steak

: saute onions and garlic in olive oil

: add sliced shiitake, saute two minutes

: deglaze with red wine

: add heavy cream

: add demi glace, season with porcini powder, sea salt, cayenne pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened

: porcini powder

: add freshly cooked farfalle, edamame and small amount of grated asiago cheese, mix well, check/adjust seasoning

: Grilled Skirt Steak With Shiitake Farfalle & Edamame

: Grilled Skirt Steak With Shiitake Farfalle & Edamame

: Grilled Skirt Steak With Shiitake Farfalle & Edamame

: Grilled Skirt Steak With Shiitake Farfalle And Edamame

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Strawberry Short Cake
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: corn bread batter

: freashly baked corn bread

: cut corn bread, drizzle with grand marnier

: macerate coarsely chopped strawberries overnight with sugar and grand marnier, top cornbread with strawberries

: top strawberries with grand marnier drizzled corn bread

: top with whipped cream

: dust with cocoa powder

: serve with more strawberries and whipped cream on the side

: strawberry short cake

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Link To Easy Corn Bread Batter Recipe
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Spatchcocked Sautéed Cornish Hen With Arugula In Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

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Traditionally, when spatchcocking a bird to be served in a restaurant, one should remove the backbone and sternum. Not only will that allow the bird to cook easier, but also allow the guest to eat it more comfortable with fork and knife at the table.
However, for me, one of the best part’s of eating poultry is to gnaw on the bones, especially the backbones and remove the bits of meat from there 🙂 So, In order to satisfy my bone-gnawing graving’s, I just cut the bird in half, especially a very small one such as this cornish hen, then saute, roast or grill it, usually just seasoned simply with kosher salt, sriracha and granulated garlic.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Spatchcocked Cornish Hen & Arugula In Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Spatchcocked sautéed Cornish Hen & Arugula In Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

: Cornish Hen

: cut hen in half, remove back bone, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, saute in garlic oil until cooked through but not dry

: Spatchcocked Sautéed Cornish Hen & Arugula In Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

: Spatchcocked Sautéed Cornish Hen & Arugula In Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

: Spatchcocked Sautéed Cornish Hen & Arugula In Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

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“Milanesa” – Breaded Pork Cutlet, Bucatini & Hans’ Special Pasta Sauce

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When I was an apprentice in the black forest in the sixties, “Veal Chop Milanese” (Kalbskotelett Mailänder Art), a slightly different version of the milanesa on this post, was a very popular dish. It was one that I was hoping to be able to afford to eat when I finally became a cook and earned a bit of money. It was a bread and parmesan breaded, ham and cheese stuffed chop of milk-fed veal, typically served on top of spaghetti with tomato sauce. However, while still an apprentice, a veal chop was out of my financial reach and so I had to wait a few years before I could actually afford to dig into one. In the meantime, the far more affordable version was made of a breaded pork chop instead of milk-fed veal. Great food too, but not exactly the real thing 😦
Here now is my own version of a “Schweinesteak Mailänder Art” :
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Breaded Pork Chop “Milanese”

Breaded Pork Cutlet, Bucatini & Hans’ Special Pasta Sauce

Milanesa

Ham& Cheese Stuffed Pork Cutlet

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: mise en place

: cut a large pocket into cutlet

: roll one slice of swiss with one slice of ham

: ham& cheese

: stuff into cutlet, bread with flour, egg wash and half breadcrumbs, half grated parmesan

: meanwhile, saute grape tomatoes and garlic in butter

: deglaze with red wine, reduce to almost dry

: add heavy cream, oregano, sea salt and cayenne pepper, simmer until reduced by half

: add freshly cooked bucatini and a small amount of grated parmesan, mix well, check/adjust seasoning

: saute cutlets in peanut oil until almost done, discard oil, finish with fresh butter

: Milanesa

: Schweinesteak Mailänder Art

: Breaded Pork Cutlet, Bucatini & Hans’ Special Pasta Sauce

: Breaded Pork Chop “Milanese”

: Ham& Cheese Stuffed Pork Cutlet

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Steak Sandwich & Salad

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This is the perfect, lightning quick meal that is at once fast to prepare, needs minimum prep work and packs a real punch in the satisfy-department 🙂

Bon Appetit Life is Good !

Steak Sandwich

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spread a french roll with butter and garlic paste, saute until golden

saute onion slices in butter until caramelized, top each slice with two eggs, fry to sunny side up, season with sea salt and cayenne pepper

season 16 oz striploin steaks with sea salt and cayenne pepper, grill to desired doneness, top each bread with one steak, top with egg/onion, add banana peppers. Feeds two hungry guy’s (Darryl and I on this occasion 🙂

Steak Sandwich

frissee, arugula, onions, chilies and anchovies in dijon vinaigrette

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Every Day Should Start Like This- Bauern Frühstück

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I am hoping that once I will be retired, this is how all my breakfast’s will look like 🙂

Bon Appetit And Have A great Day ! Life is Good !
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onion/garlic -focaccia, ham, emmenthaler, salame, brie, boiled egg, boursin, salted radishes, salted tomatoes, chilies & merlot

bauern frühstück

vesper

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Happy Holidays

Dear Friend’s,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank
you all for your continued support of

ChefsOpinion

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season
and a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Hans Susser
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Smoked Salmon And Vodka Risotto

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I was lusting for this the whole morning, so I decided to have an early lunch today at 11.00 am.
What a great dish to celebrate a lazy Sunday with 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

smoked salmon and vodka risotto

saute onion and garlic in butter until fragrant

add diced smoked salmon, saute one minute

arborio rice

add rice, saute for two minutes

deglaze with vodka, season with sea salt and cayenne pepper

add vegetable stock in small quantities, just enough to barely cover the rice. Stir constantly. Add more stock as the rice absorbs the liquid. This will take about 30 minutes

add vegetable stock in small quantities, just enough to barely cover the rice, simmer. Stir constantly. Add more stock as the rice absorbs the liquid. This will take about 30 minutes

when the rice is tender but sill has a bit of a bite, add heavy cream and more diced smoked salmon. Simmer one more minute, check/adjust seasoning

sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper

smoked salmon and vodka risotto

finish with more smoked salmon and finely sliced scallions

smoked salmon and vodka risotto

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Hoisin Grilled Chicken Leg’s

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Many a cook tries desperately and forever to find a great seasoning for a simple grilled chicken when the answer to the search is so simple:
Lime juice, sea salt, soy sauce, sriracha, granulated garlic and hoisin sauce. It really does not get much better and easier than that. If you’ve never tried it, go ahead and do and you will have arrived 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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hoisin grilled chicken leg’s with simple salad in white balsamic vinaigrette

grilling chicken

hoisin grilled chicken leg’s

simple salad in white balsamic vinaigrette

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Duck & Glass Vermicelli Soup – Leftover’s Made Into A Feast

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Whenever I steam meats, seafood or vegetables, I never discard the broth but transform it into a delicious soup or sauce.
When I steamed a duck for “Crispy Fried Duck With Dirty Rice Sticks” a few weeks back, I strained the stock and saved the trimmings from the duck to use for this great soup on the following day.
Below is the result:
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Duck & Glass Vermicelli Soup

simmer seasoned duck stock with whole chilies for 15 minutes. Add sesame oil. Check/adjust seasoning. Cover glass vermicelli in boiling ware, let steep for 10 minutes, strain

simmer seasoned duck stock with whole chilies for 15 minutes. Add sesame oil. Check/adjust seasoning. Cover glass vermicelli in boiling water, let steep for 10 minutes, strain

add chopped cabbage, simmer for two minutes

add vermicelli, diced leftover duck, cilantro and diced red peppers to soup. Bring back to a simmer, remove from heat at once. To serve, sprinkle with more cilantro

Duck & Glass Vermicelli Soup

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