tasty

Cornmeal-Dusted Sauteed Pork Ribs

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So who decided that the only good ribs are BBQ’d Ribs ?!
Once you have tried these here knock-out babies, you might be hooked on this very different spin on one of Americas favorite pork cut’s.
I for one prefer this preparation to the traditional way of barbequing ribs. This way you will actually be able to taste the rib meat, as well as enjoy the unique texture of the ribs, all of which is lost after hours of grilling, smoking and then drowning in a bucket-load of bbq sauce.
Of course, there are some great bbq’d ribs out there, but in my own humble opinion, they are few and far between.
So here we go, great ribs served with a wonderful German potato and cucumber salad.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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German Potato Salad
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Cornmeal Dusted Sauteed Pork Ribs

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Preparation :
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: single-cut pork ribs

: simmer ribs in salted water until tender but NOT falling apart, drain

: season with dijon mustard, sriracha, kosher salt , oregano and granulated garlic

: coat with a mixture of corn starch and corn meal ( 50/50)

: saute in peanut oil until golden and crisp

: meanwhile, prepare the potato salad from cooked, warm sliced potatoes and cucumbers (see link for instructions)

: remove ribs to absorbent paper, let rest for a minute

: Cornmeal Dusted Sauteed Pork Ribs

: Cornmeal Dusted Sauteed Pork Ribs

: Cornmeal Dusted Sauteed Pork Ribs

: Cornmeal Dusted Sauteed Pork Ribs

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Tortilla Española (Tortilla De Patatas) (Spanish Omelette)

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While a Spanish tortilla is steeped in tradition and has it’s long-standing recipes (usually just thinly sliced potatoes and eggs,) I like to make my own, more elaborate versions by adding “stuff”, such as ham, bacon, vegetables, mushrooms, shrimp, or any other ingredient I find suitable to a dish I love but would find boring after a while had it only the two original ingredients. I justify calling these versions “Tortilla Española” because of the fact that while I was traveling in Spain, I encountered many such versions with different ingredients, all the same called “Tortilla Española”. As for browning the potatoes in the version containing diced potatoes instead of thinly sliced potatoes, this just seems to result in a different texture (better, in my opinion) than if using potatoes without a crispy crust.
I hope the Tortilla Española Purist’s out there will forgive me and everybody else will experiment until they find their own favorite version of this great dish 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Tortilla Española (Tortilla De Patatas) (Spanish Omelette)

Tortilla Espagnola

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: whisk whole eggs with kosher salt, granulated garlic and hot sauce

: saute diced potatoes in olive oil, season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

: when potatoes are lightly browned, add diced onions, saute until onions are translucent

: add diced chorizo and sliced scallions ( I also added a bit of leftover mortadela I had in the fridge), saute until sausages start to brown

: add egg mixture, put into 350F oven until set

: slide on a plate, flip onto other side and continue to cook in oven until set and golden brown but still moist on the inside

: to serve, sprinkle with freshly grated manchego cheese and chopped cilantro, serve hot or at room temperature

: Tortilla Española (Tortilla De Patatas) (Spanish Omelette)

: Tortilla Española (Tortilla De Patatas) (Spanish Omelette)

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Udon Noodles With Tenderloin Tips And Bell Peppers

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Udon, the Japanese noodle-love of my life !

Apparently, Alison Spiegel (and many others) caught the same love bug) :

( Excerpt from : The Huffington Post | By Alison Spiegel )
“Ramen may be everyone’s favorite Japanese noodle soup these days, but just because it’s the trendiest doesn’t mean it’s the best. We’re huge fans of ramen — don’t get us a wrong. We could eat ramen for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night snacks any day of the week, instant or otherwise. But it’s time to get to know other Japanese noodles, like soba and udon. Because they’re made with buckwheat, which is gluten free, soba noodles have gotten their due lately. Udon noodles, however, have been falling by the wayside, and we’re here to tell you why you should give them plenty of attention this winter.

Thick, chewy and ridiculously satisfying, udon noodles are in a league of their own. These long, Japanese wheat noodles are great hot or cold, and with a neutral flavor, they’re an unmatchable foundation for everything from miso soups to curry. In Japan,kake udon is one of the simplest and most common ways to eat these soft yet sturdy noodles. Udon noodles are served in hot dashi, a Japanese broth made with kombu and bonito flakes, and are topped with scallions. They might also come with tempura or fish cakes. Other popular ways to eat udon noodles include yakiudon, in which the noodles are stir-fried, and zaru udon, in which the noodles are served cold with a soy-sauce based dipping sauce. However you eat udon noodles, they will leave you feeling full but not stuffed, comforted but not sluggish, and completely nourished.”

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All about Udon
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Udon Noodles With Tenderloin Tips And Bell Peppers

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: slice tenderloin tips into batons, season with oregano, chili flakes, whole chilies,and soy sauce

: stir fry in very hot peanut oil until nicely browned but still rare, remove to absorbent paper, discard most of the oil

: in the remaining oil, stir fry sliced onions and garlic paste until fragrant

: add finely sliced bell peppers, stir fry another minute

: add 4 tblsp water, 3 tblsp soy sauce, 2 tblsp oyster sauce, 2 tblsp hoi sin sauce, 1 tblsp ketchup

: simmer for one minute, remove from heat, add a few drops of chili oil and a few drops of sesame oil, check / adjust seasoning

: add cooked udon and stir fried beef tips

: mix well

: Udon Noodles With Tenderloin Tips And Bell Peppers

: Udon Noodles With Tenderloin Tips And Bell Peppers

: Udon Noodles With Tenderloin Tips And Bell Peppers

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Ahlbecker Meeresfrüchte Suppe (Ahlbeck-Style Seafood Soup)

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Back when my wife Maria and I were owners of Restaurant Gildenkeller in Neubrandenburg, (in the former East Germany), one of our short weekend trips took us to the island of Usedom, which is about an hours drive by car from Neubrandenburg, where our restaurant was located.
I remember the quaint little Inn’s and the few stately, but outdated and mostly dilapidated grand hotels of better times past (before the communists took over). However, there were also a number of small, new restaurants, run with much enthusiasm and love by their newly capitalist owners, which excelled in their standards of food and service. In one such gem in the town of Ahlbeck (I forgot the name of the restaurant but not the food we ate) Maria and I had a most wonderful lunch, consisting of an delightful appetizer of “Matjes Herring” with “Pumpernickel“, a superb main course of “Ahlbecker Meeresfrüchte Suppe” and a great dessert of “Rote Grütze“.
Today I prepared the soup as I remembered it from so many years ago and it did not disappoint 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
Check the bottom of this page for “Bella’s Salmon Stew” 🙂
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Ahlbecker Meeresfrüchte Suppe

: fresh salmon, fresh cod fillet, shrimp, chopped smoked salmon, squid (replace with mussels for more authenticity)

: simmer cut fish in water seasoned with salt, white pepper and lemon juice

: when fish is almost done, add squid (or mussels) and shrimp, remove from heat, let steep another minute

: drain seafood, save the stock

: saute onions, anchovy paste and garlic paste

: add smoked salmon, saute another minute

: add a bit of a/p flour, saute another minute

: add clam juice (there is not enough flavor from the small amount of seafood in the stock)

: add the stock, simmer for 15 minutes

: add heavy cream, check / adjust seasoning

: plate the warm seafood, sprinkle with chopped parsley or dill

: ladle the hot soup over the seafood

: Ahlbecker Meeresfrüchte Suppe

: Ahlbecker Meeresfrüchte Suppe

: Ahlbecker Meeresfrüchte Suppe

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Bellas Fish Stew
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: for your four-legged friend (dog or cat), simmer the salmon trimmings in a bit of water

: Bellas Salmon Stew 🙂

: spoil her to smithereens, 🙂

: Happy Bella 🙂

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Carlo’s Veal & Leek Soup

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Soup……….
(Excerpt from “FoodTimeline”)
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Food historians tell us the history of soup is probably as old as the history of cooking. The act of combining various ingredients in a large pot to create a nutritious, filling, easily digested, simple to make/serve food was inevitable. This made it the perfect choice for both sedentary and travelling cultures, rich and poor, healthy people and invalids. Soup (and stews, pottages, porridges, gruels, etc.) evolved according to local ingredients and tastes. New England chowder, Spanish gazpacho, Russian borscht, Italian minestrone, French onion, Chinese won ton and Campbell’s tomato…are all variations on the same theme.
Soups were easily digested and were prescribed for invalids since ancient times. The modern restaurant industry is said to be based on soup. Restoratifs (wheron the word “restaurant” comes) were the first items served in public restaurants in 18th century Paris. Broth [Pot-au-feu], bouillion, and consomme entered here. Classic French cuisine generated many of the soups we……read more about Soup here
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Many years ago when Maria and I visited one of my friends in Germany, Carlo (better known in Germany’s food community as “Kräuter-Carlo” aus Trebenow), served us this great soup which has stayed in my repertoire for home cooked comfort food ever since. It is so tasty and the texture so pleasant that every time I prepare a large pot full in order to be able to re-heat it in batches in the next few days, I usually end up finishing most of the whole pot right then and there :-).
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Carlo’s Veal & Leek Soup

Carlo’s Pork & Leek Soup

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: saute onions and garlic paste in butter

: add ground veal, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: saute until all meat is crumbled

: add finely sliced leek

: saute another minute

: add a small amount of a/p flour

: add chicken/or vegetable stock, simmer for twenty minutes, add small pre-cooked potatoes, simmer another ten minutes

: add heavy cream and grated nutmeg, check / adjust seasoning

: to serve, sprinkle with grated asiago cheese and Italian parsley

: Carlo’s Veal & Leek Soup

: Carlo’s Veal & Leek Soup

: Carlo’s Veal & Leek Soup

: Carlo’s Veal & Leek Soup

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Choucroute Garnie (Kleine Schlachtplatte)

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Today’s late lunch / early dinner has send me way back to my day’s of gluttony. I will have to live on apples for the next few days to make up for today’s culinary excess, but it was well worth it 🙂
After a few days of eating mostly fruits and vegetables, my cravings for some hearty soul food got the best of me and I gave in to my innermost desires of preparing and enjoying a beautiful “Choucroute Garnie”, also known in some parts of Swabia as “Kleine Schlachtplatte”.
(A “Kleine Schlachtplatte” consists of sauerkraut, boiled pig such as belly, loin, or knuckles, sausage such as blood pudding, fresh liverwurst or knackwurst and bread or potatoes – as opposed to a real “Schlachtplatte”, which is eaten only on the day of butchering and processing a Hog and usually consists of sauerkraut, boiled pigs head or belly, fresh liverwurst and fresh blood pudding. Obviously, I had to make do with a “Kleine Schlachtplatte” today, which nevertheless was divine and deeply satisfying.
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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good ! (And sometimes fattening) 😦 🙂
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More on Choucroute Garnie
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More on Schlachtplatte
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Choucroute Garnie (Kleine Schlachtplatte)

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: select a good quality sauerkraut for this dish

: cover fresh ham hocks with salted water, bring to a boil

: turn down to a simmer, cook until tender but NOT falling apart

: meanwhile, saute onions in bacon fat, when onions are translucent, add sauerkraut

: add stock from the ham hocks, season with cayenne pepper, garlic paste and a dash of sugar

: simmer sauerkraut until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes

: add a bit of corn starch slurry to bind the juices

: check / adjust the seasoning

: add smoked pork chops, blood sausages (morcilla) and the knuckles, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the sauerkraut does not burn at the bottom

: meanwhile, saute small cooked potatoes in bacon fat with caraway seeds, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: Choucroute Garnie (Kleine Schlachtplatte)

: Choucroute Garnie (Kleine Schlachtplatte)

: Choucroute Garnie (Kleine Schlachtplatte)

: Choucroute Garnie (Kleine Schlachtplatte)

: Choucroute Garnie (Kleine Schlachtplatte)

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Shannons “Spinach & Fruit Smoothie”

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When I started to watch my nutrition some time ago, one of the first thing I tried were healthy smoothies. Usually bright green and healthy looking, with all kind of supposedly healthy ingredients, I had tried many of them in many different places. One thing they all had in common – they smelled and tasted awful 😦
So when I met Shannon the other day, I was naturally pessimistic, especially since she was selling a blender for a considerable sum of money which made me even more suspicious of the quality and taste of the free smoothie’s she handed out. I am not an expert on kitchen blenders and their prices and I think you usually get what you pay for, so I will leave the verdict for the actual blender to the experts of such equipment. I am however an expert on food-taste and -texture and can therefore wholeheartedly attest to the exceptionally great taste, color and smell of the featured smoothie. It is a recipe which will be a welcome addition to my “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan.

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Cheers ! Life is Good !
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Link to “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food”
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Spinach & Fruit Smoothie

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: raw spinach, mango, banana, lime (with peel), pineapple (including core)

: put all ingredients in blender

: add ice and water

: blend at high speed until smooth

: Spinach & Fruit Smoothie

: Spinach & Fruit Smoothie

: Shannon Hewlett with my very own “Spinach & Fruit Smoothie”

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Red Rubies Salad

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This was all the food I consumed today (in two stages). I am surprised with how little food I get through the day sometimes without feeling hungry. Just a few short years ago, this would have been nothing but an appetizer for me 🙂
The great thing is that by eating a bit less quantity and a lot more health-conscious, I have stayed at the exact weight from February when I started with my “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” Meal Plan, when I shed 28 lbs in one month.
It took me a while to get used to all those salad and fruits on a daily basis, but now I don’t want to miss them anymore. It also took a bit getting used to some of the other adjustments (mostly the absence of lots of refined sugar), but now I fully enjoy my way of healthier eating and therefore healthier living) 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Link to “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food”
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Red Rubies Salad

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Preparation :
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: mix diced red beets (red rubies) with Italian vinaigrette and diced onions

: romaine, baby arugula, sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, radiccio rosso, yellow grape tomatoes

: dress with italian vinaigrette

: arrange salad on serving dish, top with marinated artichokes

: top with batons of italian salami, bologna and sharp aged cheddar

: drizzle with buttermilk dressing, top with “red Rubies”

: Red Rubies Salad

: Red Rubies Salad

: Red Rubies Salad

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Hungarian Beef Goulash

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Today I combined breakfast, lunch and dinner all into one fabulous meal.
(I did however have a few fruits throughout the day).
Goulash is one of the dishes which were a staple in the South of Germany when I grew up and it was enjoyed in most homes and simple and even fine restaurants frequently. Goulash is quite different from other beef stews. There is now flour to thicken the sauce as in most other stews (the collagen in the beef will take care of that) and there are much more onions and sweet paprika to give the goulash its characteristic taste and color. Goulash is usually reddish in color and it’s heat level can be high, depending on the amount of hot chili or chili powder added (if any). To obtain the original flavor of good goulash, season with equal parts of finely chopped lemon peel, thyme and caraway seeds.
I usually prefer my goulash to be accompanied by Knödel (dumplings) or Spätzle, but frankly, today this was too much effort for me and I substituted the Knödel or Spätzle with pasta 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life Is Good !
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All about Goulash
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All about Knödel
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More ChefsOpinion on Spätzle
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Hungarian Beef Goulash

Hungarian Beef Goulash With Pasta And Schmelze, Romaine In Vinaigrette

Hungarian Beef Goulash With Pasta And Schmelze, Romaine Salad In Vinaigrette

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

: saute diced onions in olive oil (covered and simmered slowly until onions are broken down and very soft)

: add beef, cover again, saute until liquid is evaporated and meet starts to brown

: add garlic paste and water

: add paprika and chopped tomatoes

: add salt and cayenne pepper

: cover and simmer slowly until meat is tender but NOT falling apart, about 1.5 – 2 hours

: almost…..

: when meat is tender, check / adjust seasoning

: while the meat simmers, cook, drain and strain the pasta, add a bit of butter, keep warm, start the schmelze

: to make the schmelze for the pasta, melt butter, add bread crumbs, season with salt and pepper

: saute until crumbs are browned

: Hungarian Beef Goulash With Pasta And Schmelze, Romaine In Vinaigrette

: Hungarian Beef Goulash With Pasta And Schmelze, Romaine In Vinaigrette

: Hungarian Beef Goulash With Pasta And Schmelze, Romaine In Vinaigrette

: Hungarian Beef Goulash With Pasta And Schmelze, Romaine In Vinaigrette

: Hungarian Beef Goulash With Pasta And Schmelze, Romaine In Vinaigrette

: Hungarian Beef Goulash With Pasta And Schmelze, Romaine In Vinaigrette

: Romaine In Vinaigrette

: Pasta With Schmelze

: Hungarian Beef Goulash

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Summer Feast Salad

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Today the temperature was hovering around 100F and the humidity was almost unbearable.
So what, you say; You have A/C, you say….
Well, we do, but Bella and I spend half a day at the Topeekeegee Yugnee Park, which is just a few miles up the road from our house. It was very relaxing and beautiful, but oh so hot.
So when we got home, a light meal was in order and what better than a salad and a pool of iced tea to cool a scorched body down 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
I usually don’t use much fruit in my salads, but the firm, slightly tart nectarines perfectly complimented the cheese, salad and nuts.
P.P.S.
Instead of croutons I used tarallini (Small Taralli , (sometimes marketed as “Italian Love Knots”)