lobster

Braised Beef Neck In Merlot/Mushroom Sauce With Bread Dumpling (Geschmorter Rindernacken In Merlot/Champignon-Soße Und Semmelknödel)

>

Braised Beef Neck In Merlot/Mushroom Sauce With Bread Dumpling (Geschmorter Rindernacken In Merlot/Champignon -Soße Und Semmelknödel)

>
>
The texture of beef neck is absolutely stunning. I wish I’d be able to buy just a slab of the meat, without the bones. That would make the perfect goulash or braised roast. In the meantime, I’ll just have to make do with the neck bones and the meat on them. They are of course the same wonderful texture and flavor as a large boneless slab would be, but naturally, the presentation suffers a bit.  😦
>
Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more  Beef Neck  on  ChefsOpinion
>
>
P.S.
These bread dumplings are a typical example of the fact that most savory recipe measurements are at best guidelines. In this case, there are too many possible variables for the ingredients to use ANY measurements. Rather, the measurements are loose guidelines. For dumplings especially, experience is the key to a successful dumpling. As I mentioned in previous posts, most young (or old) cooks and chefs have never perfected the art/craft of proper dumplings for that particular reasons  – one needs experience and  “feeling” to get the ratios of the ingredients just right. Dumplings of any type (fish, meat, liver, potato, bread, lobster and so forth must be very light without falling apart while cooking. By just following measurements, because of the many and large variables, this is impossible to achieve. One needs practice, practice and practice – THEN one needs feeling, feeling and feeling. I believe the reason why we hardly see dumplings on menus anymore is the same as the reason why most cooks embraced the idiotic habit of eating fish, pork vegetables and other food items “seared on the outside, raw on the inside”, – any moron can achieve that without any skills, knowledge or experience 😦
Anyway, don’t be discouraged if by the first try you don’t succeed, – just put in lots of practice, lots of love and lots of feeling, and soon you too will be able to enjoy homemade dumplings (and properly cooked protein) as often as you crave it 🙂

>
>
>

Braised Beef Neck In Merlot/Mushroom Sauce With Bread Dumpling (Geschmorter Rindernacken In Merlot/Champignon -Soße Und Semmelknödel)

>

Braised Beef Neck In Merlot/Mushroom Sauce With Bread Dumpling (Geschmorter Rindernacken In Merlot/Champignon -Soße Und Semmelknödel)

>

Braised Beef Neck In Merlot/Mushroom Sauce With Bread Dumpling (Geschmorter Rindernacken In Merlot/Champignon -Soße Und Semmelknödel)

>

Braised Beef Neck In Merlot/Mushroom Sauce With Bread Dumpling (Geschmorter Rindernacken In Merlot/Champignon -Soße Und Semmelknödel)

>

Braised Beef Neck In Merlot/Mushroom Sauce With Bread Dumpling (Geschmorter Rindernacken In Merlot/Champignon -Soße Und Semmelknödel)

>

Semmelknödel – Bread Dumpling

>
>
>

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

>
>
>

>
>
>
>

Arugula & Crab Salad In Yogurt Dressing

>

Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

>
>
Lately, I eat a lot of salad as a main course, any time of the day, even for breakfast if I have leftovers from the previous day.
The key to a great leftover salad to enjoy the following day is to look at the total quantity of all ingredients BEFORE you add the green leaves and dressing, then set them aside separately, cover airtight and store in the fridge overnight, so that the leaves will not wilt and the salad does not get soggy. Only mix and add the finishing touches to the salad you can actually eat for the one meal you’re about to have.
Seems logical enough, but sometimes when everything looks so tempting and delicious, the eyes are bigger than the stomach and we are stuck with a beautiful salad that will turn messy in just a short while 🙂
>
Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
>
>
P.S.
Use any type of crabmeat that suits your taste buds and wallet, or substitute crabmeat with lobster, crayfish, shrimp or scallops.
>
>
Click here for more  Crab  on  ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more  Salad  on  ChefsOpinion
>
>
Yogurt Dressing Recipe :

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic paste
1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/4 cup EVO
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon chopped oregano (or 1 pinch dried oregano)

>
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk ’til smooth.

>
>
>

Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

>

Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

>

Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

>
>
>

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

>
>
>

 

 

>
>
>
>

Corkscrews, Shrimp, Bok Choy and Eggs

>
>
I recently  came across an article which proclaimed “Pasta actually makes you lose Weight”.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe that ANY food I love (I love most 🙂 ) will make me loose weight, especially pasta. Why? Because if I love something, I consume it in excess quantities.
But then, a lot of food which falls into the category of “food I love”, will never make me fat, for the simple reason that it is too expensive to become fattening – caviar, lobster, fresh stone crab claws, foie gras, chanterelle, matsutake, wagyu (the real McCoy), and a bunch of other stuff I had the privilege to eat plenty of in the 70’s, when most of these delicacies were still affordable in their countries of origin.
I used to have a few cans of caviar in my fridge when we did black sea cruises in the mid-seventies, when one was able to exchange a pair of used jeans in St Petersburg’s black market for 1 kg of caviar. Matsutake and wagyu was expensive in Yokohama and Kobe, but not excessively so. Chanterelles in Germany in the 70’s and 80’s when I went home on vacation – same thing, not cheap but affordable. And so it was with most of these specialties at the time – not cheap but within reach, at least for me and my friends who traveled the world, loved good food and after visiting a place a couple of times, knew where to get a bargain.
But now let me get back to pasta.
Fortunately, pasta is one of the most affordable food stuffs which have a special place in my heart (and stomach).
Consequently, I eat it too often, and usually way too much, packing 2 or 3 portions into one meal – which is good for my happiness 🙂 , bad for my weight 😦 .
So there you have it – while pasta “does not actually make me lose weight”, it does actually makes me happy .
>
Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more  Pasta  on  ChefsOpinion
>
>
P.S.
All the food you see on  ChefsOpinion  is cooked and served in my home, usually just for myself and Bella. I like to pick and hold the shrimp by their tail (Bella just eats the whole shrimp, tail and all, including the tails from my shrimps). If you are not comfortable with the tails on the plate, just remove them before adding the shrimp to the dish 🙂
>
>
>

Corksrews, Shrimp, Bok Choy and Eggs

Corkscrews, Shrimp, Bok Choy and Eggs

>

Corkscrews, Shrimp, Bok Choy and Eggs

Corkscrews, Shrimp, Bok Choy and Eggs

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


>
>
>
>

Portuguese Eggs

>
>
While Maria and I were living in Funchal, Madeira, we became friends with a wonderful local couple, Balduino and Felicidade. They invited us to their home often, where we usually had an early brunch and then set out to explore the island, usually by car and sometimes by scooter. After a while this became a wonderful routine and it was Balduino’s pride (and our enjoyment) to prepare a different variation of “Portuguese Eggs” each time we met at his house. Over time, we were able to enjoy this dish with squid, octopus, lobster, shrimp, espada (the most popular local fish), chorizo, ham and different greens and herbs. He sometimes sprinkled grated local cheese on top of the eggs before baking, but he never included the more common ricotta cheese. Always accompanied by hearty, home-baked bread and local wine, it was the perfect delicious and fortifying meal to keep us going for hours on our expeditions around the island 🙂
(To be truthful, sometimes we replaced the tours with more wine and a bottle of port and just talked about past and future island-explorations).
Let me say here that Madeira is one of the most beautiful places Maria and I had the luck and privilege to live together 🙂
Here now is today’s version of “Portuguese Eggs” in memory of great friendship, great places to live, happier times and the great love of my life, Maria, who passed away exactly 3 years ago.
>
Love ……….
>
>
>
Click here for more memories of  Madeira  on  ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for all about  Madeira
>
>
>
>

Portuguese Eggs

Portuguese Eggs

>

Portuguese Eggs

Portuguese Eggs

>

Portuguese Eggs

Portuguese Eggs

>

Portuguese Eggs

Portuguese Eggs

>

Portuguese Eggs

Portuguese Eggs

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


>
>
>
>
>

Salad Portuguese

H'LHCF Logo?
?
This  beauty of a salad will conclude Week One of “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan. (There will be an initial 4 week plan)
For everybody not yet interested in a bit of a healthier lifestyle, I suggest you try this salad anyway. Healthier and lighter food in my case does certainly not mean tasteless and boring. 🙂  (As is the case with so many other lifestyle food suggestions out there) 😦
Now, I understand that sardines are not everybody’s favorite seafood, but as usual, feel free to replace them with the seafood of your preference, such as shrimp, lobster, sole, salmon, clams, mussels, scallops, crab meat, etc.
>
Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
?
?
P.S.
So far I have lost 12 lbs in two weeks of “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan.
I feel much better, sleep much better and on top of all the benefits of living a bit more on the sensible side of life, I eat as much as I want. (Except on the two days of the week which allow me a dinner of anything I crave, although in much smaller portions).
If you want to read more about my new, very much improved lifestyle, click HERE.
?
P.P.S.
ChefsOpinion will of course keep its original format, content and attitude 🙂
?
?
?

Salad Portuguese

Salad Portuguese

?

Salad Portuguese

Salad Portuguese

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


?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?

Chirashizushi (Scattered Sushi) (ちらし寿司

>
>
I am  trying today to continue with my quest for a healthier living.  After a substantial, healthy breakfast,  I decided that sushi will be light and healthy enough. Usually I would have been right, but there was a problem – I, as usual, was so looking forward to it that I prepared way too much and therefore ate too much, as usual 😦
But boy, was it worth the sin 🙂

The “Chirashizushi” included:

Lobster, crayfish, crab legs, octopus, mussels, shiitake mushrooms, avocado, cucumber, nori, black sesame seeds, egg, scallion, sushi rice.

Sushi Rice Recipe Here  (# 3 of the good part)

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
>
>

Chirashizushi   (Scattered Sushi)    (ちらし寿司

Chirashizushi (Scattered Sushi) (ちらし寿司

>


>
>
>
>