Black Pepper

Roasted Piglet

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Once in a while I like to roast a whole pig. When Maria was still alive and we had once or twice a month a party at the house for 30 or 40 friend’s, I usually cooked two 45 pounder. Last night I only had one friend over for dinner at 9.30 pm and another one at 1.00 am, so 25 lbs seemed just fine.
I seasoned the pig with sea salt, sriracha and soy sauce on the inside, then stuffed the cavity with lots of garlic, cilantro, orange wedges, lemon wedges and onion wedges. The outside got sea salt, sriracha, granulated garlic and soy sauce. Roast for half an hour at 425F, then 4 hours at 275F, then the last half hour at 425 again. Basting the little darling every 15 minutes with beer is the secret to the beautiful skin and great taste. After removing the piglet from oven, let it sit for 30 minutes before carving. The result: Perfectly crisp on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, extremely flavorful. Accompanied by sour dough bread, cornichons, horseradish, mustard and sea salt mixed with freshly ground black pepper. A couple of Stella Artois during the meal and a couple of shot’s of Chivas afterwards. Aaahhhhhhh…. 🙂
Bella and I had the last little bits and pieces for lunch today.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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: suckling pig

: roasted piglet

: roasted piglet

: roasted piglet

: roasted piglet

: roasted piglet

: freshly baked sour dough bread

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Almost Vegetarian

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Yesterday’s dinner plan was simple enough – just a few grilled vegetables and some tonkatsu dipping sauce. But when I started grilling and looked what was cooking, I felt I had to add a few little things, namely a New York strip steak, pork chop, morcilla and chorizo. Now I had a meal 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Tonkatsu Dipping Sauce Recipe

grilled strip steak, pork chop, morcilla, chorizo, tomato, asparagus, tomato

sauteed strip steak, pork chop, morcilla and chorizo, grilled tomato, asparagus, potato

: season meat’s and veggies with sea salt and black pepper

: meanwhile, blanch asparagus in generously salted water. Shock in ice water, drain

: tonkatsu dipping sauce

: season asparagus with sea salt and black pepper. Grill

: almost vegetarian

: sauteed strip steak, pork chop, morcilla and chorizo, grilled tomato, asparagus, potato

: almost vegetarian

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Grilled Skirt Steak, Spicy Chimichurri, Greek Yogurt & Salad In Honey/Mustard Dressing

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Five minutes is all you need to prepare this great dinner.
Jamie Oliver, your ” Fifteen Minute Meals ” are taking too long !
(Just kidding, that’s one of the best cooking shows on tv right now) 🙂

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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Grilled Skirt Steak, Spicy chimichurri, Greek Yoghurt & Salad In Honey/Mustard Dressing

Grilled Skirt Steak, Spicy chimichurri, Greek Yogurt & Salad In Honey/Mustard Dressing

season steaks with sea salt, granulated garlic and freshly ground black papper

grill steak until desired temperature has been reached. remove from grill

grill steaks until desired temperature has been reached. remove from grill

meanwhile prep salad from romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, chopped cilantro and honey mustard dressing

arrange salad and steaks on serving platter, top steaks with spicy chimichurri and greek yoghurt

arrange salad and steaks on serving platter, top steaks with spicy chimichurri and greek yogurt

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Beef Short Rib’s Braised In Merlot

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The other day my friend Leo invited me for short rib’s Argentinian Style ( Tira De Asado), grilled slowly over wood coal, seasoned with just some kosher salt and served with a hearty bread and chimichurri.
While I love to eat the rib’s prepared this way, I like them even more done the classical German and French way: Braised with vegetables in red wine.
As usual, please cook them until very tender but NOT falling off the bone. In my humble opinion, anything falling off the bone is overcooked and it’s texture ruined.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Beef Short Rib’s Braised In Merlot

Beef Short Rib’s Braised In Merlot With Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

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: beef short ribs

: season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

: when browned, remove ribs, saute carrots, onion and garlic until browned

: add chilis, tomatoes and fresh oregano

: fresh oregano in the living room 🙂

: deglaze with merlot

: add beef stock, salt and pepper

: return ribs to stock

: cover, SLOWLY simmer until tender

: remove ribs, set aside

: strain vegetables, making sure to press as much vegetables as possible through the strainer to thicken the sauce and add even more flavor. Simmer and reduce until “Nape “texture. Check/adjust taste

: Beef Short Rib’s Braised In Merlot

: Beef Short Rib’s Braised In Merlot

: Beef Short Rib’s Braised In Merlot

: Beef Short Rib’s Braised In Merlot With Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

: Beef Short Rib’s Braised In Merlot With Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

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Whole Roast Pork Filet, Green Peppercorn Cream, Twice Baked Beets / Potato & Gratinated Broccoli

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This made my day today.
Old fashioned, work and time intensive and probably a bit ridiculous to prepare for just one person, but oh so worth the trouble. Reminded me of my time as executive chef years ago, when chef’s and guest’s still valued real food and service and the world was a better place (Maybe? Maybe not) 🙂
The stuffed potato with sour cream, beets and diced apples was excellent, seemed to be a bit Scandinavian in it’s taste and appearance. Gratinated broccoli, what’s not to like! And anything in green peppercorn cream – Hello !
All in all a meal I can recommend to anybody who has a bit of time on he’s/her hand and values quality over the “in”-factor.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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roast pork tender loin

: Season pork tender with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, saute until medium well

: let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing

: in same pan, saute diced onions and garlic cream, degaze with white wine and cocnac Careful- the alcohol will ignite! Add cream, simmer

: reduce by half, add salt and papper

: add demi glace, simmer one minute

: check seasoning, correct if necessary

: remove cooked baked potato from oven, cut in half, remove pulp, put through ricer

: add red beets, diced apples, egg yolk, salt & pepper

: mix well. If too loose, add a bit of mie de pain

: empty potato shell

: stuffed potato shell, ready to bake

: baked potato/beets, topped with sour cream and chives

: blanched broccoli florettes

: napped with sauce mornay

: baked until golden

: Whole Roast Pork Filet, Green Peppercorn Cream, Twice Baked Beets / Potato & Gratinated Broccoli

: roast pork tender loin

: roast pork tender loin

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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

Hans’ “Special” Fries

: Rib Eye, Red Wine Jus, Cream, Whole Black Pepper CornSea Salt, Cognac

: 40 Oz Beauty

: Saute To Your Preferred Doneness

: Remove Steak, Set Aside. Deglaze With Cognac (Be Careful Of The Flare-Up !!!), Add cream And Reduce. Add Jus, Reduce To “Nape” Texture

: Pepper Steak

: Entrecôte Au Poivre

: Pepper Steak

: Hans’ “Special” Fries

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Breakfast Of Champions # 28 – ”Steak & Eggs”

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This morning I had my usual two bananas and a large pot of peppermint tea for breakfast.
One hour later I remembered a bone in rib eye in the fridge and although I tried to forget about it for the time being, I did not succeed. So at about 8.30 am I gave in to my craving for a proper breakfast and prepared this beauty :
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Breakfast Of Champions # 28 – ” Steak & Eggs”

saute potatoes, grill steak

Duck Fat Sauteed Potatoes

top with sliced ttomatoes

top with medium-rare steak

Top with soft-boiled eggs

Drizzle With Chili Oil, Sprinkle With Freshly Ground Black Pepper & Scallions

Drizzle Egg’s With Chili Oil, Sprinkle With Freshly Ground Black Pepper, Kosher Salt & Scallion’s

Top With Fresh Basil

Breakfast Of Champions # 28 – ” Steak & Eggs”

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Stew Of Black Beans, Chicken & Baby Rainbow Carrots

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After a hearty, early breakfast today, I skipped lunch, so at 4.00 pm hunger was knocking strongly and I felt like having something rustic to eat.
It was too late to soak dried beans of any kind, so I opened a can of black beans, peeled some potatoes, cleaned a few baby rainbow carrots and chopped up and seasoned a chicken I bought the day before. After only about 15 minutes prep and another 45 minutes of cooking time, this beautiful, tasty dish was on the table :
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Spicy Stew Of Black Beans, Chicken, Potato & Baby Rainbow Carrots

: Spicy Stew Of Black Beans, Chicken, Potato & Baby Rainbow Carrots

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Ingredient’s :

Chicken stock
Potatoes, cut into wedges, cooked, tossed in butter and parsley
Black beans, canned, rinsed
Chicken, cut into 16 pieces
Baby rainbow carrots,
Onion, finely diced
Scallion, sliced
Garlic, paste,
Tomato paste,
Scotch bonnet hot sauce,
Apple cider vinegar,
Red wine,
Kosher salt,
Black pepper corn, freshly ground
Thyme,
Bay leaf,
Olive oil,
Butter,
Parsley, chopped

Method :

Season chicken with salt and black pepper, saute in olive oil until golden brown, add onions and garlic, continue to saute until fragrant, add tomato paste, deglaze with wine. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf and carrots and simmer until chicken and carrots are done, about twenty minutes. Adjust salt and pepper if necessary, add a bit of vinegar and scotch bonnet sauce to taste. Finaly, add potatoes and sprinkle with scallions.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Pork Blade Steak Gratinated With White Asparagus, Spicy Asiago Yoghurt & Fresh Horse Radish

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Most folks I know would shun a blade steak as inferior cut, too lowly to use as a steak. But let me assure you, as far as pork steaks go, you will be hard pressed to find a better cut. The blade has a wonderful texture and taste, very juice, tender and yes, very economical (we don’t say cheap 🙂 )

Season steaks with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Season yoghurt with sea salt and cayenne pepper, mix with some grated asiago cheese. Season asparagus with sea salt and cayenne pepper. Grill steak until medium well. (It will continue cooking to well done while it gratinates). Place steak on baking dish, sprinkle with freshly grated horse radish. Top with asparagus. Brush asparagus tips with melted butter. Nape asparagus with yoghurt, sprinkle with asiago cheese and scallions. Gratinate until golden.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Pork Blade Steak Gratinated With White Asparagus, Spicy Asiago Yoghurt & Fresh Horse Radish

: Pork Blade Steak Gratinated With White Asparagus, Spicy Asiago Yoghurt & Fresh Horse Radish

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Bone-In Rib Eye, Naan With Gorgonzola, Tomato & Walnut

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This morning at work Gene and I were talking about steaks and how great a good steak would be for lunch. Well, don’t just talk about it, do it ! S0 I went to the market and bought two great bone-in rib eyes, 80 oz in total weight. After work, straight home and put these babies on the heat, seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Got fancy with the naan too. Instead of doing the more traditional thing and putting the gorgonzola on the steak, I put it together with walnuts, grape tomatoes, scallions and lot’s of black pepper , then baked them in the oven for about five minutes. This would have been a great meal just by itself, but together with the meat and all the juices the bread soaked up – unbeatable 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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