Food

Picanha (Rump Cap) With Sauteed Potatoes, Morels And Cognac Cream

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Is the act of cooking a steak well done treason to the cooking profession? 🙂
While many folks will answer me with a hearty YES to this question, I believe the beauty of enjoying the perfect meal is to get exactly what YOU like, not what others dictate you. I am a big fan of cooking my beef steaks rare to medium rare, yet I will completely support the well done camp if that’s what you prefer. So when my friends Peter and Marina requested well done steak for dinner last night, I tried to make the best of it. I went to my Argentinian butcher in Hialeah and bought a whole Picanha. Picanha (rump cap) is not a well known cut in many countries and therefore seldom cooked a la minute. You will more likely find it as a braise on the menu. While there is nothing wrong with that, you will miss out completely on one of the very best cuts of beef steak. Just know that you have to cook it VERY slowly. I cooked this one in the following manner:
Seared on all sides in a very hot grill pan, then removed to a rack and roasted in the oven at 145 F for 3 hours. Then one more time to a very hot grill pan for another 30 seconds on each side. Removed to a rack, lightly covered with foil and rested for twenty minutes before cutting into it.
The result was the most amazing, butter-tender, juicy, medium well done piece of meat you can imagine.
If you want to try Picanha at its best, try a “Brasilian Rodizio” or “Argentinian Parilla” where you will find it as the star of the menu 🙂
We all enjoyed this great meal with a couple of bottles of 96 Bodega Catena Zapata 2005 Argentino which they brought with them.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Rump Cap With Sauteed Potatoes, Morels And Cognac Cream

Rump Cap (Picanha) With Sauteed Potatoes, Morels And Cognac Cream

: Picanha (rump cap)

: cleaned picanha (rump cap)

: cognac cream sauce

: sauteed potatoes

: sauteed potatoes with morels, chili and scallion

: sauce mirror

: sauteed potatoes, morels, chilies and scallion on cognac cream sauce

: Picanha (Rump Cap) With Sauteed Potatoes, Morels And Cognac Cream

: Rump Cap (Picanha) With Sauteed Potatoes, Morels And Cognac Cream

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Tomato Bisque , Morcilla Dumplings & Pasta

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Morcilla lovers – this dish is a knock-out !
As far as morcilla dishes go, it does not get much better, I can assure you 🙂
I know that not everybody shares my love for morcilla, but for those who do, this soup is magic.

Morcilla –
(blood pudding, blutwurst, boudin noir, sanguinaccio, blodkorv, boldpølse, kaszanka).

If you do re-create this dish, make sure the dumplings are as light as possible but holding their shape. The should easily fall apart when lightly pressed with a spoon.
If you are not a fan of morcilla, you can use any other protein such as fish, seafood, veal, game, pork or even finely diced vegetables.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Tomato Bisque, Morcilla Dumplings & Pasta

: tomato bisque – quartered tomatoes, celery, onions, sauteed garlic, red wine, small amount of diced potato, sea salt, cayenne pepper, sugar, 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

: add heavy cream

: tomato bisque

: remove morcilla from casing, add egg yolk, dijon, cayenne, scallions, chilies, panko, mix well, shape into small rounds

: simmer dumplings in salted water until floating

: add pasta to plate

: add tomato bisque

: add dumplings

: sprinkle scallions

: Tomato Bisque, Morcilla Dumplings & Pasta

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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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Donkatsu

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Yesterday’s dinner was one of these dishes which are so universal that most countries have their own version of it, distinguishable only by it’s different presentation and condiments.
Tontkatsu is one of these dishes. It is basically a breaded pork cutlet, which in its home, Japan, is served in many variations. The version I prepared last night is served over a bowl of rice with egg, so “Tonkatsu ” becomes “Donkatsu”. Tonkatsu dipping sauce is served separately.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Tonkatsu Dipping Sauce Recipe
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Gyū katsu Recipe
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Donkatsu

season cutlets with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, bread in flour, egg and panko bread crumbs. Fry. Remove to absorbent paper. Slice

add steamed rice to bowl

add sliced cutlet, eggs and orange wedge

Donkatsu

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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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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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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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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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