easy recipes

Hans’ Wonder Bread – Best Bread Ever? Nope, But……

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Yesterday afternoon I prepared some pizza for myself and had some leftover dough. Today I came home late and did not feel like cooking up a storm, so I made this stuffed bread for dinner. I guess I could call it a calzone?, but I am more comfortable with “Stuffed Yeast Bread”.
I ate the whole thing piping hot and I must say: Simply delicious 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Pizza Dough Recipe

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Stuffed Yeast Bread

pizza dough, diced salame, spicy tomato salsa, gorgonzola, corn meal, red onion, olive oil, sage, rosemary, thyme, scallion

roll dough, top with salame

top with gorgonzola

top with spicy tomato salsa, thyme and sliced sage

top with another sheet of dough. Coat finely sliced onions and chopped rosemary with generous amount of olive oil. Sprinkle over bread. Sprinkle with corn meal. Place on corn meal dusted baking pan. Cook at 375 F. When done, sprinkle with scallions and chili flakes

Stuffed Yeast Bread

Calzone

Hans’ Wonder Bread

Stuffed Yeast Bread

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Tomaten – Käse Spätzle (South German Tomato/Cheese Pasta)

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Käse Spätzle is tasty homemade pasta tossed with onion and Emmentaler cheese. A German version of mac and cheese you might say. Typically eaten in the alpine regions of Austria, Switzerland and Germany, as well as in other non-alpine South-German regions. (Especially in Baden Wuertemberg, the original home of spätzle).
In order to prepare Käse Spätzle, make the spätzle as usual but add some tomato paste and oregano for color and taste. After you cook and drain the spätzle, saute diced onions in butter until golden, add spaetzle, kosher salt and black pepper. Then layer the spätzle in a bowl or platter with grated Emmentaler cheese and schmelze (butter sauted brown bread crumbs). Repeat once or twice, then sprinkle top with sliced chives.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Schmelze Recipe
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Spätzle Recipe
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Tomaten – Käse Spätzle

: cook Spaetzle

: remove to ice water, strain

: saute diced onions in butter until golden

: add spaetzle, chopped parsley, kosher salt and black pepper

: first layer spaetzle

: add emmentaler

: add schmelze

: add second layer spaetzle

: add second layer emmentaler

: add second layer schmelze, top with chives

: Tomaten – Käse Spätzle

: Tomato/Kaese Spaetzle

: lettuce, grape tomatoes and honey/herb vinaygrette

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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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Creamed Spinach

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Like so much other comfort food, creamed spinach is hardly found on menus (or homes, for that matter) anymore, with the exception of steakhouses where it usually is one of the standard side dishes. I just love spinach, no matter how it is prepared, but the price goes without a doubt to creamed spinach. Following is the simple instruction how to prepare this great dish.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Creamed Spinach

blanch spinach in generously salted water.

shock in ice water ( screaming BOOOOO does not work )

saute onions and garlic in butter

add flour (ratio butter flour = one to one)

add half milk and half heavy cream, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for five minutes. sauce must be VERY thick, chopped spinach contains lot’s of water

chop blanched spinach to the texture you prefer

add to sauce. simmer for 5 minutes. check/adjust seasoning

add to sauce. Simmer for five minutes. check/adjust seasoning

Creamed Spinach

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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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Spicy Lamb Tortilla Wraps

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These lamb wraps are even tastier than they look.
Twice ground lamb, lots of seasoning and good salsa, a few squirts of lime and fresh guacamole made this a great, quick, economic ( we don’t say cheap 🙂 ) lunch.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Guacamole Recipe

Salsa Mexicana Recipe
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serve with guacamole and salsa mexicana

Spicy Lamb Tortilla Wraps

: saute onion and garlic. Add ground lamb, saute while getting rid of all lumbs

: Add finely diced celery, peppers, chilies, five spice powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, tomato sauce

: add a bit of red wine, simmer until most liquid has evaporated. Check/adjust seasoning

: hot tortilla

: spread a good amount of meat

: add white cabbage and red onions

: sprinkle diced peppers and chilies

: add freshly grated extra sharp cheddar, top with sour cream

: roll into tight wrap

: serve with guacamole and salsa mexicana

: Spicy Lamb Tortilla Wraps

: Spicy Lamb Tortilla Wraps

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Bayrisches Kraut, Geräucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilien – Kartoffeln

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Cabbage is one of the most used vegetables, yet these day’s it has a less than stellar reputation. In my opinion the reason for this is that most cooks in this part of the world have no clue what to do with it, except maybe coleslaw or the crappy so called “Sauerkraut” they put on even crappier hot dogs. ( However, a properly prepared sauerkraut can be culinary heaven.
On the other hand, in Asia and Europe, all types of cabbage are highly valued players in a myriad of recipes were cabbage is either the main ingredient or one of many ingredients in a dish.
One of my favorite cabbage dishes is “Bayerishes Kraut”, (cabbage bavarian style).
It is very simple to prepare, yet it’s very tasty and unusual in its texture and flavors. The secret is to plan ahead and cook the cabbage one day before consumption, then reheating it after one day in the fridge. (Same goes for sauerkraut)
Served with smoked pork knuckles and sauteed parsley potatoes – aaaahhhhhh 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Bayerisches Kraut, Geraucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilie- Kartoffeln

Bayerisches Kraut, Geraucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilien – Kartoffeln

simmer smoked pork knuckles inwater seasoned with kosher salt and plenty of garlic, chili flakes

simmer smoked pork knuckles in water seasoned with kosher salt and plenty of garlic and chili flakes

Saute peanut oil and sugaruntil sugar turns light brown. Add salami (or bacon) and onions, deglace with white wine

Saute peanut oil and sugar until sugar turns light brown. Add salami (or bacon) and onions, deglaze with white wine

add white vinegar of your choice,

add some of the stock from the knuckles

add finely sliced white cabbage, bay leaves and caraway seeds

mix well, let simmer for approximately 20 minutes

after 20 minutes there should be very little liquid left. Add a small amount of corn starch slurry, simmer one more minutes

Once the pork knuckles are very tender without falling apart, remove from stock and bury in the cabbage. Let cool and store overnight in fridge. Next day, reheat and serve with sauteed parsley potatoes. Serve with mustard and horseradish

Bayerisches Kraut, Geraucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilien- Kartoffeln

Smoked Pork Knuckles, Bavarian Style Cabbage & Sauteed Parsley Potatoes

Smoked Pork Knuckles, Bavarian Style Cabbage & sautéed Parsley Potatoes

Smoked Pork Knuckles, Bavarian Style Cabbage & Sauteed Parsley Potatoes

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Roast Turkey (After-Thanksgiving Dinner)

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My friends had to work on thanksgiving until late at night, so they asked me to cook them a turkey today.
This is what I took over to their house this evening:

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Roasted Turkey

turkey roasting

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Chinese Style Ginger & Garlic Crabs

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Last night’s dinner was truly special.
Special food, special digestive (very old cognac) and most of all, special friends.
This is the first Chinese recipe I ever learned, way back in 1974 while working on Royal Viking Sky. My assistant was a Chinese fellow named Chang. Whenever we were in Vancouver, instead of going ashore, he took his fishing line and a few pieces of chopped up fish and went up to the aft deck to fish for crabs. In these days there were very few cruise ships and fewer still went to Alaska during the three months summer season. So, crabs and other seafood were still plentyful and as I remember from watching him fishing once, all it took for him was to lower the fishing line with a bit of fish on the hook into the water, wait maybe a minute, then pull it out with the biggest crab attached to it. It took him less then an hour to fill three buckets of the freshest, largest crabs you have ever seen. He kept them alive in the cooler until the next evening, then he cooked them for a few of us for a late dinner. He supplied the food, I supplied the beer – everybody happy 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Saute very finely slivered garlic and very finely julienned ginger in peanut oil until garlic starts to turn yellow. Deglace with sherry wine, add seafood stock or clam juice, sea salt and cayenne pepper. Add crabs, cover tigtly and steam until crabs are just done. Remove crab into serving dish. Thicken stock with corn starch slurry. Using a wire whisk, stir sauce slowly in one direction, add egg whites. Remove from heat, add sesame oil and scallions. Check/adjust seasoning. Ladle sauce over crabs. Enjoy 🙂
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