kosher salt

The Slammer

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It is great to have the liberty to name the dishes one creates, even using somewhat goofy but fitting names, such as “The Slammer” 🙂
This is one of the dishes which owe their creation to the fact that sometimes I think I have nothing in the fridge to prep a great meal and going to the shop is not an option. Out of this familiar dilemma, sometimes a wonderful dish finds the light of day, as happened with this mouthwatering, sexy sandwich.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Link to Hans’ Homemade Buffalo Sauce
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The Slammer

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: grill a thick and a thin slice of whole wheat bread which you generously brushed with garlic paste

: spread both slices of bread on one side with Hans’Homemade Buffalo Sauce

: season chicken breast with kosher salt, cayenne pepper, soy sauce and granulated garlic, saute in canola oil

: slice tomamto and radish, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: add sliced avocado tothe thicker slice of bread, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

: add the sliced tomatoes

: top with cucumber shavings

: top with parmigiano reggiano shavings

: top with sliced chicken

: top with radish

: top whith second, thin slice of grilled bread

: The Slammer

: The Slammer

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Gebratene Schweinehaxe, Saure Linsen & Schnittlauchkartoffeln (Roast Pork Hock & Sour Lentils)

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This was the third and final Dish I made from the leftovers of the Roast Pork Ham I prepared on 25th December.
(I’ll post # 1 next week) 🙂
It brought back memories of spit-roasted pork and veal hocks on food , beer and song filled evenings with friends, spend in “gemuetliche” (cozy) rustic restaurants in Swabia and Bavaria 40 years ago when food like this could be had in most of the simple restaurants (Gaststätte, Gasthaus, Gasthof, Wirtshaus) in the South of Germany and in Austria, any day of the week, usually accompanied by potato dumplings or bread dumplings and sauerkraut.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Link to original dish – ROAST FRESH HAM WITH CARAWAY JUS
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Link to the first leftover dish – RÔTI DE PORC AVEC SAUCE AU CÈPE PORCINI
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Link to the second leftover dish – THE GERMAN DIP
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Gebratene Schweinehaxe, Saure Linsen & Schnittlauchkartoffeln (Roast Pork Hock)

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Preparation:
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: saute chopped smoked hamehocks and diced onions in porkfat, add washed lentils and chickenstock, simmer slowly until tender but not falling apart

: season with rice vinegar, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, simmer another 2 minutes, check/adjust the taste

: add fully cooked pork hock to the lentils, brush generously with melted butter, cover and bake in oven until pork is heated on it’s thickest part to 165F

: saute cooked small potatoes in olive oil , add sliced chives, season with kosher salt. To serve, add potatoes to lentils, brush pork with olive oil

: Gebratene Schweinehaxe, Saure Linsen & Schnittlauchkartoffeln (Roast Pork Hock)

: Gebratene Schweinehaxe, Saure Linsen & Schnittlauchkartoffeln (Roast Pork Hock)

: Bella – Iron Will 🙂 Look but don’t touch……

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Pollo En Escabeche (Fried Chicken In Vinegar And White Wine)

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Like so many other “classical / original dishes, there is a million and one ways to prepare “en escabeche”, which in Spanish simply means marinated or pickled.
As usual, I have picked my favorite one to be featured on ChefsOpinion.
Of course you can also do vegetables, seafood, and other proteins “en escabeche”. (For my German-speaking friends, how about “Brathering 🙂
But today we are going to savor one of the goodies which I used to serve many times in our house to my family and friends in times past.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more on Escabeche
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Pollo En Escabeche

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Preparation:
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: season chicken parts with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic, dust in flour and fry until internal temperature reaches 165F

: when chicken is fully cooked, remove to absorbent paper

: meanwhile, mix 1/3 water, 1’3 white vinegar and 1/3 white wine, olive oil, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste, bay leaves, sliced peppers and onions, bring to a boil, add chicken, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature

: Pollo En Escabeche

: Pollo En Escabeche

: Pollo En Escabeche

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“The German Dip”

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This is the second dish I prepared with the leftovers from the roast pork ham I prepared on the 25th. It turned out to become a masterstroke of a sandwich, and since I have not heard of a national German sandwich, I hereby declare this sandwich the “Official German Sandwich”, also known as “The German Dip”.
(Without the dipping jus, it shall simply be known as “The German”).
You are welcome Germany, glad to help 🙂
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Guten Appetit ! Das Leben Ist Wunderbar !
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“The German Dip”

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over pictures
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Link : Löwensenf
Link : Allgäuer Bergkäse
Link : Rotkohlsalat
Link : Schweinebraten

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: brush halved rye sub liberally with melted garlic butter, toast on both sides

: smear one half with “Löwensenf”, the other half with horseradish

: add sliced cooked ham, sliced cucumber, sprinkle cucumber with kosher salt

: add sliced roast pork (schweinebraten), sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper

: top with red cabbage salad (rotkraut salat)

: top with sliced bavarian cheese (allgäuer bergkäse)

: top with German salami

: heat in 400F oven until outside of sandwich is hot and crispy

: “The German Dip”

: “The German”

: “The German Dip”

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Roast Fresh Ham With Caraway Jus (Gebratene Schweinekeule Mit Kümmelsoße)

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Like last year, this year again I celebrated Christmas eve with my dear friends Dieter and Chacha, who were gracious enough to invite me to their family celebration. As usual, the food was out of this world. This years star of the dinner was a wonderful, tasty and succulent standing rib roast with all the trimmings and for dessert we all enjoyed Dieters traditional, perfect soufflé.
After everybody ate, there was one leftover soufflé, which I bravely volunteered to put out of it’s lonely misery.
(All this great food plus two soufflé’s on one evening – no wonder my belly looks so muscular). 😦
Earlier, just before I left my home to go to dinner, my friend Curtis showed up with Christmas gifts. Among the goodies was a fresh ham of generous size, about enough to feed 7 people with a healthy appetite. In other words, enough for Bella and I to pig-out for two days 🙂 So, before I took off to Chacha’s and Dieter’s dinner, I scored the skin of the ham, salted it very generously with kosher salt and put it in the fridge to be cooked the next day. (This helps to draw the moisture from the skin and gives you a superior crackling). The next day, Thursday, I cooked the ham by starting it off at 420F for 20 minutes, then turning down the temperature to 325F for 4 hours and finishing the last twenty minutes at 420F again to crisp up the cracklings.
On this occasion I have forgone more traditional sidings such as vegetables, beans, rice, pasta or potatoes in favor of a simple guacamole, seeded rye bread, the pork jus, the onions which cooked together with the ham, grey poupon mustard and horseradish.
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Bon Appetit ! Life Is Good !
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Click here for Guacamole Recipe
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P.S.
I will post a follow-up on the dishes I prepared with the leftovers.
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P.P.S.
I believe it is time to live a bit more “light” for at least the next few months, so starting January, I will change my food (and therefore my post’s) to a bit of a lighter fare 5 days a week, while the weekend will feature the same type of food as usual, just smaller portions – and, sad to say, a drastic cutback on sweets.
Look for ” Hans’ Lighter Comfort Food “ in upcoming post’s. See you there 🙂

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Roast Fresh Ham

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: fresh ham

: score skin, salt generously with kosher salt, rest overnight in fridge

: onions, caraway seed, granulated garlic, chili flakes

: place ham on rack over onions, place in 420F oven, add water to baking pan, roast at 420F for 20 minutes, then 4 hurs at 320F, then another 20 minutes at 420F

: remove ham from oven, let rest for 15 minutes in a warm place before cutting

: Roast Fresh Ham

: Roast Fresh Ham

: Roast Fresh Ham + MY knife 🙂

: remove shank, reserve for another meal

: meanwhile, remove and reserve onions, strain jus, remove most fat, check / adjust seasoning

: Roast Fresh Ham

: Roast Fresh Ham

: pork jus, guacamole, braised onions, horseradish, grey poupon mustard

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Chili-Kissed Chicken Cutlets With Couscous

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Chili-kissed you ask ?
Well, who wouldn’t like to be kissed by something hot and spicy once in a while (or maybe often). Certainly these chicken cutlets, which are transformed from ordinary to divine by the addition of fresh chili and plenty of garlic-confit paste. Tasty couscous with lots of bell peppers and sriracha add more flavor and a good quality olive oil, drizzled over the finished dish, rounds out this light and flavorful dinner, which I enjoyed after an extensive walk around the lake with madam, marveling at all the beautiful Christmas and Holiday decorations.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Chile-Kissed Chicken Cutlet With Couscous

Chili-Kissed Chicken Cutlets With Couscous

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: bring salted water, butter, garlic paste and sriracha to a simmer

: add diced bell peppers and couscous, stir, cover, remove from heat, set aside, after 10 minutes, fluff with a fork

: meanwhile, season chicken cutlets with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and garlic paste, dredge in half panko breadcrumbs and half corn starch, saute in butter l with chilis

: plate couscous

: top couscous with chicken cutlets and chilis, drizzle with good quality olive oil and a few spritz of fresh lime

: Chili-Kissed Chicken Cutlets With Couscous

: Chili-Kissed Chicken Cutlets With Couscous

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Surf & Turf

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For most folks with ordinary disposable income, it used to be that “Surf & Turf ” was a “special occasion dish”, something you ordered on your anniversary or birthday at that special place you went to once or maybe twice a year. As for myself, ditto, – plus I would not normally think of cooking meat and seafood at home for one dish, it is usually Either – Or .
It just so happened tonight that I had a craving for shrimp and steak. Since I live alone with Bella, it felt okay to just serve everything at once, instead of eating it divided into three courses, as would be more traditional and “proper”.
So, instead of the menu being:

“Sautéed Shrimp In Garlic Butter”
“Hearts of Romaine Lettuce In Raspberry Vinaigrette”
“Aged Rib Eye Steak With Spicy Herb Butter And Toasted Sour Dough Bread”

It was rather simply :

“Surf & Turf”

What a feast, all prepared quickly, served quickly and devoured even more quickly 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Garlic/Herb Butter Recipe
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Surf & Turf

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: season rib eye and shrimp with kosher salt and fresh grated black pepper, saute in garlic oil, meanwhile dress romaine with raspberry vinaigrette

: meanwhile, grill sour dough bread

: arrange steak on top of toasted bread

: top steak with shrimp and garlic / herb butter

: Surf & Turf

: Surf & Turf

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Curried Beef & Pasta

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Sunday lunch is supposed to be the highlight of the week, when traditionally the whole family gathers around the dining table for the culinary highlight of the week. So sad to see traditions like that slowly but surely disappear 😦
However, Bella and I keep the tradition alive as best as we can, gathering on my chaise-lounge and enjoying a great lunch while watching a good movie (the movie substituting the lively conversation which is supposed to take place among the family during Sundays lunch).
We do converse though – she begs, upon which I sternly say “don’t beg, which she follows with a moan or bark, followed by me giving her a morsel. Then I have a few bites until she begs again, which is usually as soon as she swallows her bit. And so on, until the meal is finished 🙂
So, here we go, without further ado – today’s lunch :
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Curried Beef & Pasta

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
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Click here for Garam Masala Instructions
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: skirt steak

: cut skirt into strips, season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, saute in VERY hot garlic oil until rare, remove to absorbent paper, set aside

: saute onions in garlic oil

: add sliced peppers and scallion sticks, season with one table spoon garam masala and one table spoon curry powder, add half cup of heavy cream, simmer one minute

: remove from heat, add beef, check / adjust seasoning

: add pasta of your choice (I love broken lasagna sheets)

: Curried Beef & Pasta

: Curried Beef & Pasta

: Curried Beef & Pasta

: Curried Beef & Pasta

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Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

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Cod used to be the cheapest fish you can buy – but look at it now : 4 pieces for $ 38.00 at the fishmonger ! 😦
But once in a while I have to splurge a bit and this cod just fit the bill 🙂
Tomorrow we’ll have dry bread again……
Not really, but I really wish basic food items would be priced a bit more affordable. Shops get fancier all the time, advertising cost’s millions and all these costs have to be covered by the food we consume.
But then again, we are blessed to have this abundance available to us, unlike many (most?) folks in the world who consider them self lucky just to fill their belly every (some) day with whatever scraps they can find.
So with that in mind, on to last nights feast –

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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good (For some of us at least, blessed as we are)

P.S.
if you wonder what happened to the other 3 pieces of fish – Bella had one and I had three 🙂
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Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

Sautéed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

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Preparation :
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To read instructions, hover over picture
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: Carrots & Scallions

: season cod filets with granulated garlic, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, dust with rice flour

: saute in butter until just done but not dry

: meanwhile, simmer carrots in perrier water and butter with a bit of sugar, kosher salt and cayenne pepper until perrier has evaporated

: saute carrots in the remaining butter until starting to caramelize, set aside

: add scallions, saute one more minute

: almost……..

: serve cod and carrots with fresh lemon wedge and thai chili sauce

: Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

: Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

: Sauteed Cod Filet & Honey-Glazed Carrots

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Shrimp-Loaded Twice Baked Potato & Cucumber/Tomato Salad In Chili/Lime Vinaigrette

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Versatile is an understatement when describing this dish.
Tasty, great, satisfying, lecker , delicious and wonderful on the other hand are highly accurate.
Because of the large amount of shrimps added to the potatoes, there is fair amount of stuffing left over. You can shape this into patties (2 ounces for hors d’oeuvres, 4 oz for appetizers, 6 oz for main course) and freeze them between oiled plastic film (airtight) for at least one month, then just saute them in butter until heated through and golden. Or, you could forgo the whole stuffed potato thing and transform all of it into patties :-).
Either way, I am sure whether you are a novice in the kitchen or a seasoned veteran, you will love and appreciate this simple yet sophisticated dish.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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