Cayenne pepper

Beef And Bean Burrito

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Nowadays, most folks are familiar with burritos. International cuisine with its many variations has come to the farthest corners of the world and that’s a great thing. Not so great is the fact that most of the ethnic food has been bastardized to the point of no return. I am not talking about changing and improving the originals, which is fine as long as you can still figure out the origin behind the dish. No, I am talking about replacing good, simple, honest ingredients with cheap crap, third-rate fillers which have the sole purpose to make a buck. When it comes to burritos, I have come across some incredible bad, tasteless excuses for the real thing lately in a variety of “Mexican” eateries here in South Florida. The filling usually has consisted of mainly rice and shredded lettuce wrapped in a tortilla, then re-heated in an oven and served with the usual condiments for laughable prices. Seems that instead of burritos on the plate, there are burros in the kitchen ? ! 😦
I prepare burritos often at home and the one thing they all have in common is the quality of ingredients I use for the filling and the fact that I cook them on a Comal or cast-iron pan to get that great crispy outside so essential to a great burrito (In my Opinion, anyway :-).
As long as you use a great filling, burritos are easy, quick and they ROCK 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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More Beef Burritos Here

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Beef And Bean Burrito

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Preparation :
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: trim a strip stak of all fat and silver skin

: cut into 1/2 inch cubes, season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic

: saute in a VERY hot pan, add sliced onions, cook until meat is browned on the outside and still very rare on the inside

: remove meat, spread out, let cool to room-temperature

: beans, grape tomatoes, chopped cilantro

: add mexican four-cheese mix, kosher salt, cayenne pepper and garlic paste

: add cooled-down meat, mix all ingredients

: fill flour tortillas

: roll into burritos

: griddle on lightly oiled cast iron pan or comal until flat part is crispy and golden and filling is heated through

: Beef And Bean Burrito

: Beef And Bean Burrito

: Beef And Bean Burrito

: for a bit of a change of the usual suspects, serve burritos with marinated chilies and a crisp lettuce salad sprinkled with bbq’d korn kernels

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Midnight Snack – Good Stuff ! Not Crappy Bags of “Nachos & Salsa”

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Life is Good – mostly because life is what you make of it 🙂
Take the snack I prepped for myself an hour ago for example. Rather than opening an over-prized bag of crappy nachos (Totopos), a can of over-prized, VERY crappy cheese dip and a tub of sometimes surprisingly decent salsa Mexicana, why not grill up a good quality naan and cover it with a few slices of great quality coppa ham, pecorino cheese and a few marinated chilies and pronto ! – great food for about the same price and effort. Life (and a midnight snack) is what you make of it 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Midnight Snack - Coppa & Pecorino Sandwich

Midnight Snack – Coppa & Pecorino Naan-Sandwich

Midnight Snack – Coppa & Pecorino-Sandwich

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Preparation :
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: grill home made or store-bought naan until heated through

: cover with coppa ham

: sprinkle with black pepper

: add thinly sliced tomatoes and a few drops of EVO, sprinkle with kosher salt

: add thinly sliced pecorino and pickled chilies

: Midnight Snack – Coppa & Pecorino Naan-Sandwich

: Midnight Snack – Coppa & Pecorino Naan-Sandwich

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Paniertes Rinderschnitzel (Breaded Beef Cutlet With Pickled Onions)

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Breaded anything – can’t go wrong with that.
Anything breaded topped with pickled onions – got a winner every time 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Paniertes Rinderschnitzel (Breaded Beef Cutlet With Pickled Onions)

Pickled Onions

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Preparation :
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: red onion julienne, chopped cilantro, grape tomatoes, mild chilies, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste, cider vinegar, olive oil

: marinade onions overnight

: Pickled Onions

: clean a strip steak of all fat and silver skin

: butterfly steak

: butterfly again

: pound flat between plastic film

: season with dijon, cayenne and kosher salt, bread scallop with flour, egg and panko

: saute in clarified butter

: rest for a minute on absorbent paper

: to serve, top with pickled onions

: Paniertes Rinderschnitzel (Breaded Beef Cutlet With Pickled Onions)

: Paniertes Rinderschnitzel (Breaded Beef Cutlet With Pickled Onions)

: Paniertes Rinderschnitzel (Breaded Beef Cutlet With Pickled Onions)

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Delicious Quickie – Bucatini Con Sarde

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Definition of Quickie : “something done or had quickly”.
– Ok now, time to get your minds out of the gutter 🙂
We are talking about a wonderful dish, quickly and easily prepared, light on the wallet yet tasty and pretty to look at.
– Did I mention – time to get your mind out of the gutter 🙂
While I absolutely LOVE fresh sardines, for this recipe I prefer good quality! canned sardines in tomato sauce.
This dish is one of my go-to dishes when I want something tasty and quick either just for myself and Bella, or in good company when unpretentious food is welcome (Midnight snack anyone ?)
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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !
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Bucatini Con Sarde

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Preparation :
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: saute onions, garlic paste and anchovy paste in olive oil until fragrant

: add canned sardines in tomato sauce (reserve 3 filets per portion), add chopped italian parsley and chopped oregano (or dry oregano), simmer until sardines are heated through and break into chunks

: the good stuff 🙂

: add fresh-cooked bucatini with some of the cooking liquid to the sauce, add a few dollops of whole butter, season with fresh ground black pepper and kosher salt, simmer for one minute, check / adjust seasoning

: plate bucatini, sprinkle with chopped italian parsley

: garnish with reserved sardines and basil leaves

: Bucatini Con Sarde

Filet Mignon With Sautéed Potatoes, Shiitake And “Hoi Sin Delight”

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For 50 years I have prepared and eaten Filet Mignon with either Sauce Bernaise or a Demi Glace derived sauce, such as Sauce Chasseur, Sauce Bordelaise, Sauce Chateaubriand, Sauce Perigueux, Sauce Robert, etc, just as any hot-blooded, french-trained chef would do 🙂
Yet yesterday, although I had demi glace at hand ( I usually make a batch of demi glace and freeze it in individual portions ), for this dish I wanted to try something new, especially something to go well with the shiitake mushrooms.
So I mixed together the following ingredients which are a staple on my cupboard :
” Hoi Sin Delight ” –
Hoi sin sauce, soy sauce, garlic paste, chili sauce, lemon juice and – hold on to your hat -ketchup ! From this I got one of the best sauces I ever had with grilled or sauteed meat. I liked it so much that from here on I will use this concoction often, whenever I need a quick and delicious sauce or dip for any protein – seafood, chicken, beef, pork or what-not. Even as a drizzle for fried rice or grilled vegetables, this stuff rocks !
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Filet Mignon With Sautéed Potatoes, Shiitake And “Hoi Sin Delight”

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Preparation :
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: mix 2 tblsp hoi sin, 1 tblsp ketchup, 2 tblsp soy, 2 tblsp water, 1 tsp chili sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, simmer for one minute

: Season 5 oz beef filets with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: Sear in a VERY hot cast iron pan on both sides, finish cooking in a 350F oven until cooked to the temperatore of your preference, remove from pan, let rest for 10 minutes before serving

: meanwhile, saute potatoes in garlic oil until golden

: add reconstituted shiitake, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: when mushrooms are heated through, add a generous dollop of butter and chopped cilantro

: Filet Mignon With Sautéed Potatoes, Shiitake And “Hoi Sin Delight”

: Filet Mignon With Sautéed Potatoes, Shiitake And “Hoi Sin Delight”

: Filet Mignon With Sautéed Potatoes, Shiitake And “Hoi Sin Delight”

: Filet Mignon With Sautéed Potatoes, Shiitake And “Hoi Sin Delight”

: Filet Mignon With Sautéed Potatoes, Shiitake And “Hoi Sin Delight”

: Filet Mignon With Sautéed Potatoes, Shiitake And “Hoi Sin Delight”

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Mac & Cheese – Boss Level

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(Beef Tenderloin, Three Cheeses And Whole Grain Pasta Casserole With Pesto)
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When you want something a bit more exciting than this :

OK, but………..

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Adding a few more ingredients and a lot more love will give you a much more satisfying culinary experience 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Pesto Recipe
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Mac & Cheese – Boss Level

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Preparation :
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: swiss and pepper jack (plus parmesan – not in the pic)

: diced beef tenderloin – head and tips

: season with kosher salt, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper, sear in VERY hot pan until outside is browned but meat still rare

: mix whole-grain penne, beef, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, carrot julienne, sliced scallions, ketchup, sliced chilies, GARLIC PASTE, heavy cream, shredded pepper jack, grated parmesan and diced swiss

: place into an ovenproof dish (cast iron pan works fine for me)

: sprinkle generously with grated parmesan, top with butterflakes, bake until top is golden and crisp, serve with pesto

: Mac & Cheese – Boss Level

: Mac & Cheese – Boss Level

: Mac & Cheese – Boss Level

: Mac & Cheese – Boss Level

: Mac & Cheese – Boss Level

: Mac & Cheese – Boss Level

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Beef Kebab With Rainbow Puree

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I was thinking of preparing beef kebab and mashed potatoes – which I did, but the name “mashed potatoes” will not do justice to this tasty and colorful potato dish.
So therefore, “Rainbow Puree” was born 🙂
The addition of the sautéed peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and freshly grated horseradish and lot’s of garlic paste lift’s this basic dish to a whole new level…….
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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More about Kebabs
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Beef Kebab With Rainbow Puree

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Preparation :
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: Cut beef tenderloin head and tips into cubes, cut bell peppers into large dice

: skewer meat and peppers onto water-soaked bamboo skewers, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: saute kebabs in garlic oil until rare, let rest for at least five minutes

: while the kebabs are cooking, squeeze freshly cooked, drained potatoes through a potato-ricer

: chop the peppers-trimmings into coarse pieces, chop oil-preserved sun-dried tomatoes coarsely

: saute the peppers in garlic oil

: to the potatoes add the peppers, tomatoes, chopped cilantro, grated horseradish, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, cream and butter, mix all together, check/adjust seasoning,

: plate the rainbow puree

: top the rainbow puree with the kebab, serve with grated horseradish

: Beef Kebab With Rainbow Puree

: Beef Kebab With Rainbow Puree

: Beef Kebab With Rainbow Puree

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Breakfast Of Champions # 50 – Salmon Rillette And Fried Eggs

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This morning I finished-off the last of the salmon rillette I prepared last week. (The next rillette will be pork, can’t wait for it to munch on) 🙂
This dish is VERY rich, so you might want to restrict yourself to enjoying it about once a month, otherwise you might soon need to buy bigger clothes and increase the frequency of your cardiologist visits 😦
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Salmon Rillette
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Click here for more Breakfast of Champions
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Breakfast Of Champions # 50 - Salmon Rilette And Fried Eggs

Breakfast Of Champions # 50 – Salmon Rillette And Fried Eggs

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Preparation :
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: grill sourdough bread on both sides

: plate the bread

: top bread with salmon rillette

: fry eggs in clarified butter , season with kosher salt and chili flakes

: top rillette with fried eggs, add a small salad

: Breakfast Of Champions # 50 – Salmon Rillette And Fried Eggs

: Breakfast Of Champions # 50 – Salmon Rillette And Fried Eggs

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Steak Sandwich – Boss Level

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If you come to my house and I offer you a sandwich, don’t except two limp slices of wonder bread with mayo and a few thin slices of mystery meat……
Rather, expect something like the following goody 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Steak Sandwich – Boss Level

top caramelized onions with fried eggs

top guacamole with caramelized onions

top sliced steak with guacamole

top bottom-half of roll with sliced steak

spread dijon mustard on 2 garlic/onion rolls

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Preparation :
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: clean a tenderloin, strip or other steak you prefer of all silver skin and excess fat, season with cayenne papper, kosher salt and granulated garlic

: add eggs to fry

: grill or saute to your desired temperature, add sliced onions, cook onions until caramelized, renove onions

: let staek rest at least 5 minutes before slicing

: spread dijon mustard on 2 garlic/onion rolls

: top bottom-half of roll with sliced steak

: top sliced steak with guacamole

: top guacamole with caramelized onions

: top caramelized onions with fried eggs

: top fried eggs with second half of garlic/onion roll

: Steak Sandwich – Boss Level

: Steak Sandwich – Boss Level

: Steak Sandwich – Boss Level

: Steak Sandwich – Boss Level

: Steak Sandwich – Boss Level

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Panko Coated Flounder Fillet With Shrimp And Cucumber-Potato Salad

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While I am a great fan of traditional breaded fish fillets, this version, without the egg as part of the breading, is more suitable for a thin and delicate fish fillet such as flounder. Adding the finely diced peppers and sliced scallions to the panko-crumbs give the fish added flavor, while adding rice flour to the mix will help the coating to stick to the fish, as well as ensure a crisp crust. As for the potato salad, just add sliced, salted cucumbers to regular swabian potato salad.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Swabian Potato Salad (Schwäbischer Kartoffel Salat)
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Click here for MORE Swabian Potato Salad (Schwäbischer Kartoffel Salat)
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Panko Coated Flounder Fillet With Shrimp And Cucumber/Potato Salad

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Preparation :
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: Season fish and shrimp with lemon juice, cayenne pepper, granulated garlic and kosher salt

: mix panko bread crums, finely diced peppers, sliced scallions and rice flour ((substitute with corn starch if rice flour is not available)

: dredge fish and shrimp in the panko mix, saute in olive oil on both sides until almost done, then add shrimp and cook both until cooked through but still juicy, remove to absorbent paper