cook

Gravlax

I have prepared gravlax a thousand times over the years, starting at the beginning of the 70’s when I worked in Torekov/Sweden for the first time, and usually, it comes out perfect, or at least close to perfect. It is one of those dishes which actually require an effort to mess it up. So every time I prepare it, I am sure that the outcome Is a predictable “10” on a scale from 0 to 10. But then came this baby !!!
I had to increase the scale by another point to accommodate its level of excellence. It was so off the chart, in taste, texture, and color. Just a perfect “11” 🙂
It was probably a combination of the quality of the fish, the freshness, the amount and quality of the dill, the ratio of the ingredients of the brine and finally, the time I left the salmon in the brine to cure. Whatever it was, this gravlax is the one all future gravlax will be judged by.
But, I can not give you the EXACT amount of time or ingredients, only approximates. Like with most savory cooking, recipe-measurements and times can only serve as guidelines. Usually, there are too many variables to cook EXACTLY by a recipe. (I am sure you have often heard folks say “I followed the recipe to the dot, but it did not turn out to be like in the picture or in the book or the video?- well, that’s the reason why – too many variables. It is also the reason why a professional chef “interprets” a recipe because, with his/her experience over many years, he/she has learned to factor-in these variables and make the necessary adjustments accordingly.
To quote myself – “Cooking is easy – if you know how to do it !” 🙂
So here now is the recipe I used for this specific gravlax. Again, there are a million and one recipes out there. Every Scandinavian cook, housewife and home cook guards at least one gravlax recipe they swear by, and most of them are pretty awesome, just slightly different from each other.
>
2 lbs raw salmon, skin on
2 cup kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 jigger vodka
1/2 cup sliced dill leaves plus 1/4 cup
1/2 cup red beet juice
2 tblsp dijon mustard
1 tblsp fresh-cracked>
black pepper
>
Dill/Mustard Sauce
(Traditional condiment for gravlax)
Good quality mustard, white wine vinegar, kosher salt, neutral tasting oil, sugar, fresh dill leaves, pepper(optional), mix all ingredients well.
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Gravlax on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Gravlax

add the salmon and onions (for a prettier presentation / restaurant presentation) put the egg and capers together with the onions on top of the salmon, however, the way I did it here will keep the capers and egg from rolling off when you eat the sandwich)

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: 2 lbs skin on raw salmon, 2 cup kosher salt 1 cup granulated sugar 2 jigger vodka 1/2 cup sliced dill leaves plus 1/4 cup 1/2 cup red beet juice 2 tblsp dijon mustard 1 tblsp fresh-cracked black pepper

: cover salmon with1/2 cup sliced dill leaves plus

: Mix the dry brine ingredients

: place a small layer of it in a non-reactive dish

: top with the salmon

: (day 1) cover the salmon with the remaining dry brine, cover airtight, keep refrigerated for 4 days (if you like the texture of the salmon softer, remove from brine after 3 days)

: (day 2)

: (day 3)

: (day 4) after 4 (or 3) days, rinse the salmon under running water, pad dry, then cover flesh side with another 1/4 cup of sliced dill (optional)

: Slice the salmon as thin as possible

: easy now, save some for the next day 🙂

: Gravlax

: Gravlax

: Gravlax

: for these sandwiches, I used ciabatta rolls, herb and garlic boursin, hard boiled egg, capers, sliced onions and sweet chilli sauce; usually I use dill/mustard sauce with gravlax, but the ciabatta rolls are pretty rustic and can do with a bit of spice

: top the boursin with a bit of greens, 1/2 a hard boiled egg and capers

: add the salmon and onions (for a prettier presentation put the egg and capers together with the onions on top of the salmon, however, the way I did it here will keep the capers and egg from rolling off when you eat the sandwich)

: Gravlax

>
>
>
>

Crappy Weather Food – Beef, Beans And Other Stuff

Meanwhile, in Florida…….

>
Hurricane season has finally arrived in Florida, and boy, has it ARRIVED 😦
While God has spared us a hurricane so far, we had constant rainstorms for the past two weeks, resulting in extensive flooding, turning many streets into rivers and parking lots into lakes.
Hearty food is the partial answer to that misery, making up for the fact that outside grilling and outside cooking in general, is suspended for the moment.
This beef stew with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garbanzos, white beans, red beans and black beans is the perfect food to enjoy while looking out the window, watching the world drowning in rain and misery 😦
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Stew on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Crappy Weather Food – Beef, Beans And Other Stuff

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: 2 lbs beef ribs

: blanche ribs for one minute, drain, rinse

: to 3 qt water add the ribs, 2 med white onions, large dice, 1 tblsp garlic paste, 1 pinch grated nutmeg, kosher salt and grd black pepper to taste, bring to a simmer

: simmer slowly until ribs are very tender but NOT falling apart

: remove ribs from stock, let cool enough to handle

: remove and discard bones, cut meat into bite size pieces

: the stock should be reduce to about 1 qt; if too much, simmer until 1 qt remains, if there is not enough, add some more water to reach 1 qt

: cut 1/2 ea red pepper, 1/2 ea yellow pepper and 1/2 ea green peppers into large dice; drain and rinse 10 oz kernel corn, 10 oz black beans, 10 oz white beans, 10 oz red beans, 10 oz diced tomatoes, 10 oz small cooked potatoes

: add the beef, all the veggies, 1 lb finely sliced beef sausage and 1/2 cup sliced scallions to the stock, simmer for 3 minutes

: check/adjust seasoning

: to serve, sprinkle with fresh grated Asiago cheese and 1/2 cup finely diced raw white onion, red pepper, green pepper, yellow pepper and scallion (optional, but in my opinion the raw veggies add a great “freshness” and texture)

: Crappy Weather Food – Beef, Beans And Other Stuff

: Crappy Weather Food – Beef, Beans And Other Stuff

: Crappy Weather Food – Beef, Beans And Other Stuff

: Crappy Weather Food – Beef, Beans And Other Stuff

: Crappy Weather Food – Beef, Beans And Other Stuff

: Meanwhile, in Florida…….

>
>
>
>

Another Day, Another Wonderful Salad (Plus A Great Grilled Chicken Breast)

Grilled Chicken Breast With Red Beet/Broccoli Salad And Chimichurri

>
In my ongoing (and admittedly, so far not very successful) quest for a more healthful lifestyle, I do eat a lot more vegetables and salads.
Unfortunately, most of the time when I choose a healthy dish for one meal, I offset the good effect with a not so healthy dish for the following meal. But, I keep trying………
Today’s lunch was a rather salubrious choice, grilled lean meat, accompanied by a delicious vegetable salad with olive oil dressing and, for a bit of extra zing, a few pickled chilies and a herb-laden chimichurri.
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here to know everything about Chimichurri
>
Click here for more Chimichurri on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Grilled Chicken Breast With Red Beet/Broccoli Salad And Chimichurri

Red Beet/Broccoli Salad

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: cut 8 oz of cooked red beets, 6 oz of blanched broccoli, 1 small onion and 2 yellow mild chillis according to the pic

: dress with 2 tblsp olive oil, 2 tblsp white balsmic vinegar and kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: Red Beet/Broccoli Salad

: season 2 ea chicken breasts and some scallions with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, cook on a lightly oiled grill until cooked through

: Grilled Chicken Breast With Red Beet/Broccoli Salad And Chimichurri

: Grilled Chicken Breast With Red Beet/Broccoli Salad And Chimichurri

: Grilled Chicken Breast With Red Beet/Broccoli Salad And Chimichurri

: Grilled Chicken Breast With Red Beet/Broccoli Salad And Chimichurri

>
>
>
>
>

Hot Legs

Easy, peasy, but soooo delicious 🙂
When you don’t feel like spending lots of time in the kitchen, but you want to have a great, hot meal just the same, these beautiful, juicy, spicy and wonderful delicious babies can come to the rescue.
5 minutes prep time (max), 45 minutes total time, – voilà !
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Chicken on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

” Hot Legs “

” Hot Legs “

” Hot Legs “

” Hot Legs “

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: 2 tblsp organic honey

: 3 tblsp sriracha

: 2 tblsp say sauce

: 1 tblsp garlic paste; mix well

: 4 large chicken legs

: incise on both sides all the way to the bone

: put legs on a rack which is suspended above a baking sheet with 1 inch water(to prevent the drippings from burning), brush with half the marinade on both sides

: bake at 420F for 20 minutes

: remove legs from oven, brush with the remaining marinade on both sides, return to oven until done (162 on the thickest part on the bone); serve with steamed rice or flat bread

: ” Hot Legs “

: ” Hot Legs “

: ” Hot Legs “

: ” Hot Legs “

: if serving the legs with steamed rice, use the pan drippings to pour over the rice; otherwise, reserve for stir fried noodles

>
>
>
>

Bone-In Rib Eye With Sautéed Potatoes And Brussel Sprouts

>
>
A dish like this demonstrates to the foam and tweezers-camp cooks why good, old-fashioned, well-established and expertly prepared great food will never die!
Give me this over a plate of “edible earth, foraged spring moss, chocolate covered ants topped with wheat-grass foam”, anytime ! 🙂
But then again, maybe that’s just me……?
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Steaks on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Bone-In Rib Eye With Sautéed Potatoes And Brussel Sprouts

Caramelized Onion Slice

Bone-In Rib Eye With Sautéed Potatoes And Brussel Sprouts

>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>

: season one 20 oz bone-in rib eye per person with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: cut 3 thick slices of firm tomato and one thick slice of white onion per person, season generously with kosher salt

: peel, cut into slices, blanch and drain 1/2 large potato per person

: clean, cut in half, blanch, shock and drain 6 oz brussel sprouts per person

: saute steak to your preferred temperature, remove from pan, let meat rest at least 10 minutes

: saute potato slices in garlic oil until golden and crisp, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: saute onion slice until caramelized

: when onion is almost done, add tomato slices to heat through

: in another pan, in 1 tblsp olive oil, saute finely diced salami and onion until onions are translucent

: add 1/2 tsp garlic paste and the Bruessel sprouts, saute until heated through

: plate the steak

: top the steak with onion slice

: top the onion with tomato slices

: add the potatoes to the plate, top the potatoes with the Brussel sprouts

: Bone-In Rib Eye With Sautéed Potatoes And Brussel Sprouts

: Bone-In Rib Eye With Sautéed Potatoes And Brussel Sprouts

: Bone-In Rib Eye With Sautéed Potatoes And Brussel Sprouts

: Bone-In Rib Eye With Sautéed Potatoes And Brussel Sprouts

>
>
>
>

Shrimp And Black Beans Taco Bowl

>
>

I do realize that taco bowls are sooo 80’s, but I feel they still look great today, and this piece of once “in” popular food culture deserves a place within the classics we should re-visit once in a while so as not to forget them 🙂
In order to be a bit more colorful, instead of the usual flour tortilla, I have used a brightly colored spinach wrap here. Wraps come in all kinds of colors, so this opens up the visual spectrum to be a bit more varied.
As far as the filling is concerned, today I felt like bean salad, avocado, greens, and shrimp, but of course, the sky is the limit, as long as it is not liquid and you serve it right after preparation in order to avoid the shells to become soft.
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Shrimp on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for Salsa Mexicana Recipe on ChefsOpinion

>
>
>

Shrimp And Black Beans Taco Bowl

ready to go……………serves 2

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: spinach wraps

: lightly oil two molds of your choice with olive oil, drape wraps over them, bake at 350F until crisp

: cool bowls before removing from molds

: saeson 16 oz of med size, tail-on peeled shrimp with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and garlic paste, saute in 1 tblsp whole butter until cooked through, remove to cool to room tempereture

: mix one 10 oz can of drained black beans or other beans of your choice with 1 cup salsa Mexicana

: dress a small amount of frisee salad or other greens of your choice with honey/lime dressing

: ready to go……………serves 2

: Shrimp And Black Beans Taco Bowl

: Shrimp And Black Beans Taco Bowl

: Shrimp And Black Beans Taco Bowl

: Shrimp And Black Beans Taco Bowl

>
>
>
>

Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

>
>
As I have mentioned before, I love to prepare my own pizza dough, pie dough, tortillas, fresh pasta, and a myriad of other things which are usually better (although not always) when home made.
On the other hand, sometimes this is just not very practical or sensible, for example at times when there is simply no time or space to do so.
Also, I have cooked just about anything one can cook, mostly? with good results, so I am not embarrassed to sometimes use good- quality convenience products, such as the crust I used for this pie. I actually bought it without a plan, just because it looked so delicious and I wanted to find out if it tastes as good and has the great texture it promised when I looked at it on the shelf in my neighborhood grocery store. Well – it did, even much better than I had expected 🙂
I absolutely love it and have used it already twice since I made this pie, once for an onion pie and once as a base for sandwiches.
It is supposed to be used for pizza, but for that, I will stick with my homemade dough for now.
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Easy Does It on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: pre-baked pizza shell

: brush shell with garlic oil

: top with sliced brie, scallion, mild chilies and grape tomatoes, sprinkle with fresh-ground black pepper and fresh or dried oregano

: bake at 400F until brie starts to melt, remove from oven

: top with finely sliced capocollo

: drizzle with EVO

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

: Easy Does It # 33 – Brie and Capocollo Pie

>
>
>
>

Bella’s Fault ! (“Any Cook Can Turn Gold Into Crap, But Only A Good Cook Can Turn Crap Into Gold”)

Greek Lamb Sandwich

>
>
So today, at around noon, I seasoned and seared this wonderful boneless leg of lamb I bought earlier, then put it in the oven to roast it slowly until rare, let it rest a bit, then serve with a nice salad for a great lunch.
Well, THAT did not happen ! 😦
As soon as I’d put the meat in the oven, Bella insisted that we go for a walk. I thought to myself ok, just around the corner, then back to take care of lunch.
But, as soon as we started our walk, she pulled me towards the park by the lake and I forgot all about the lamb in the oven. Needless to say, when we got back 1.5 hours later, the meat was well done. After kicking myself (mentally), I cut the leg into smaller, flat pieces, wrapped them in alu-foil and put it back into the oven at 375F for another 2,5 hours, at which point the meat was very tender and almost falling apart. I let it cool off a bit, then pulled it into fine shreds with two forks, seasoned it with olive oil, kosher salt, cumin, cayenne, oregano and voilà – the perfect topping for a Greek sandwich.
When I was an apprentice, my chef, Herr Mueller, used to say about cooking:
.
” Any Cook Can Turn Gold Into Crap, But Only A Good Cook Can Turn Crap Into Gold. “
.
And there you have it ! 🙂
.
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Lamb on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Greek Lamb Sandwich

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: season lamb leg with granulated garlic, oregano, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, set on alu-foil, top with olive oil and some water, wrap tight and cook at 375 for at least 3,5 hours

: meanwhile, slice 1 ea cucumber around the seeds into fine slices, discard the seeds, add 1/4 cup greek yogurt, , 1 tsp honey, a pinch of oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic paste and kosher salt to taste

: mix all ingredients, check/adjust seasoning

: when the meat is cooked, remove from foil, let cool until able to handle, pull into fine shreds, season with a dash of lemon juice, cayenne, kosher salt and granulated garlic to taste

: season some green leaves with honey/yogurt dressing, toast 3 ea pita breads, slice 1 ea tomato and 1/2 red onion, assemble as shown in the following pics

: drizzle sandwiches generously with EVO, top with sliced onions and a dollop of Greek yogurt

: Greek Lamb Sandwich

: Greek Lamb Sandwich

>
>
>
>

Not Your Typical Poolside Snack

Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

Lately, the weather has been perfect for poolside meals – not too hot, not too windy, no rain.
Bella has taken on to take a swim in the pool whenever we are in the back. She used to hate the water, but all of a sudden she has become a big fan. For me, the water is still a bit too cold to enjoy swimming, but I love to cook outside and eating al fresco next to the water. Life is Good 🙂
>
Bon Appetit ! Living In Florida Is Great (Mostly) 🙂
>
>
Click here for more Shrimp on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: soak 1 pck rice flakes in hot water until pliable, drain

: toss rice flakes with sesame oil

: stir fry 10 thin slices of spicy sausage of your choice, 1 lb med size shrimp, tail-on, peeled and de-veined in 3 tblsp peanut oil until shrimp are half-done

: add 1/4 head of white cabbage (1 inch squares), stir fry until cabbage starts to wilt

: add the rice flakes, 1 tblsp chili paste, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/4 tsp grated ginger, 1 tblsp soy sauce, 2 ea fine-sliced mild chilies, 4 ea scallion, cut into 1 inch pieces

: stir fry another minute until well mixed, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

: Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

: Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

: Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

: Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

: Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

: Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

: Stir Fried Rice Flakes With Shrimp And Spicy Sausage

>
>
>
>

Balls Galore

Balls Galore……..

>
>
“Chicken Soup With Matzo Balls And Chicken Dumplings”
>
If you love balls (pun intended?), this soup will make you happy. In my own opinion, these chicken balls (ok then, dumplings ! 🙂 ) and these Matzo Ba… Dumplings 🙂 are some of the best dumplings you can find .
I have previously published quite a few dishes with matzo balls, but this is the first time I combine them with chicken dumplings.
One would think that chicken dumplings are nothing special, but these certainly are an exception to the sea of mediocre or even outright nasty stuff usually being served as chicken dumplings these days.
Very light and full of flavor, they are a far cry from the stuff which many “cooks” will serve you. How do I know that? Because I have been served so much crap labeled as chicken dumplings that I usually don’t order them in restaurants anymore. Mostly they contain less than fresh meat, lots of fillers and they look and taste as if somebody want’s to punish you by making you eat them.
Not these here baby’s !
Prepared from fresh chicken meat with no fillers, tasty and pretty to look at, accompanied by another gift to comfort food in the form of fluffy matzo balls and served in a strong, delicious chicken broth, this is comfort food as wonderful as it can get 🙂
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Matzo Balls on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Soup on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for Chicken Soup Recipe on ChefsOpinion
Pls note that this chicken soup recipe is just one version of many 🙂
>
>
>

Balls Galore

notice how juicy the chicken dumplings are………..

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: de-bone 2 ea 6 oz fresh (not frozen if possible) chicken breasts

: dice into very fine cubes

: add 1 tblsp panko, 1 whole egg, 1/2 tblsp fresh-grated parmesan, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste (this was a small egg, if the eggs you are using are large, you might want to use only part of the egg)

: add 1 tpls finely sliced scallions, mix ingredients well but do NOT overwork or balls become dense 🙂 ; put in fridge for 30 minutes, then form into balls, return to fridge

: mix 1 cup matzo meal, 3 eggs, 3 tblsp oil or rendered chicken fat 1/4 cup seltzer (exact amount depends on the size of the eggs and the coarseness of the matzo meal) 3 tblsp finely chopped parsley (optional) Kosher salt and white pepper to taste; mix all wet ingredients together, then fold in matzo meal, salt and pepper and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes; shape into golf ball sized balls, drop into boiling water, cover, turn down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes

: after 20 minutes, add the chicken balls, simmer covered until cooked through but NOT dry, about 12 minutes; to serve, place 3 ea of chicken balls and matzo balls in a serving bowl, add chicken soup and sprinkle with finely sliced scallions