Author Archives: Andy

Green Bell Peppers Stuffed with Ground Beef and Cheese

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Ingredients:

6 large green peppers;

 1 pound of ground beef;

 1/2 cup of chopped onions;

1 (16 ounce) can of diced tomatoes;

 ½ cup of long grain rice (any available rice is fine, but it may affect the cooking time);

 1 cup of water;

 1 teaspoon of salt;

 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; and,

 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, (about 4 ounces).

Directions:

 Cut off the tops of the green peppers and discard the seeds and membranes;

 Chop enough of the pepper tops to make 1/4 cup and set aside. Cook the whole green peppers, uncovered in boiling water for about five minutes, invert to drain well.

 Sprinkle insides of the peppers lightly with salt;

 In a skillet cook ground beef, onion and a 1/4 cup of chopped pepper (from step 2) till meat is brown and the vegetables are tender; Drain off excess fat. Add drained tomatoes, salt, Worcestershire sauce and a dash of pepper;

 In a separate pot filled with the cup of water; bring to a boil, add rice and cook until rice is soft, if needed add more water;

 Add the rice to the beef mixture; stir in cheese and stuff the peppers with the meat mixture, Place in a 10 x 6 x 2 baking dish;

 Bake, covered in a 350° oven for 30 minutes and in the last five minutes add any remaining cheese to the top of the peppers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portuguese Stew Recipe by Pars

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  • Few Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 Pounds Boneless Pork Shoulder, trimmed and cut into 11/2 inch cubes
  • 11/4 Pound Sweet Potato peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 11/2 Cups Dry White Wine
  • 11/2 Cups Chicken Stock
  • 1/3 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 11/2 Cups Chopped Onions
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Italian Leaf Parsley
  •  6 Large Cloves Garlic Minced
  • 3 Tablespoons Capers
  • 1/2 Teaspoons Cumin
  • 2 Cups Cooked Black beans
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch Combined with 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
  • Preheat oven to 350*

 Coat a large skillet with olive oil and brown the pork in small batches. Drain and put in a large ovenproof casserole.  Add sweet potatoes, wine, Chicken stock, vinegar, onions, parsley, garlic, capers and cumin. Mix well and heat over medium heat until hot (just starting to boil); Cover pot with aluminum foil and seal well with lid. Place in hot oven for 11/4 hours.

Remove from oven and add black beans, butter, pepper and cornstarch mixture. Stir well and cover. Bake for 15 minutes more.

Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Serve with a platter of watercress, sliced oranges, chopped tomatoes and good black olives. encourage everyone to use all the condiments for the proper taste. Particularly squeezing the orange.

Cornbread made with chopped jalapeno and corn kernels also pairs nicely with this dish!

Turtle Brownies

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  • 1  14 ounce package of caramels
    2/3 of a cup of evaporator milk
    1 box of German chocolate cake mix
  •  3/4 of a cup of butter, softened
  • 1 cup of walnuts
    12 ounces of chocolate chips

    Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the caramels and 1/3  cup of milk in a double broiler. Combine the cake mix, remaining milk and softened butter, blend. Stir in nuts.

    Place ½ of a cake mixture into a 13” x 9” pan, greased. Bake six minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Pour melted caramel over top. Put remaining cake mix over caramels and bake 350° for 15 to 20 minutes.

English–cut beef short ribs and sauce

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Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of extra – virgin olive oil
3 pounds of bone–in, English–cut beef short ribs, cut into 2 inch pieces (See Note below)
Kosher salt and pepper
2 medium onions, finally chopped
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
3 garlic clothes, minced
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
2  28 ounce cans of whole peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 medium carrot, peeled
2 pounds of spaghetti

Instructions: Active: 50 minutes; Total time five hours. Serves 8 to 10

1. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until simmering. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and add them to the casserole in a single layer. Cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, 10 minutes. With tongs, transfer the short ribs to a plate.

2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the casserole. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic and oregano and cook, stirring until fragrant, about two minutes. Add crushed tomatoes with their juices and the carrot and bring to a boil.

3. Return the short ribs and their juices to the casserole, cover partially and simmer over low heat, turning the short ribs occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick, about four hours.

4. Transfer the short ribs to a plate; discard the carrot. Discard the bones and cut the meat into 1½  inch chunks. Return the meat to the sauce and season with salt and pepper; keep warm over low heat.

5. In a large sauce pan with salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a 1/2  cup of the cooking water. Transfer the spaghetti to the pot with the sauce, toss well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add a splash of the cooking water if the sauce is too thick. Serve the pasta immediately.

Note: Ask the butcher to cut the short ribs as specified.

Serve with a spicy red wine.

 

Spaghetti With Black Truffles and Sausage

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Ingredients:

  • 1 pound spaghetti chitarra (or linguine)
  • 2 black truffles
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ anchovy filet
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 Italian sausages
  • 8 ounces vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ cup Parmigiano, grated

Instructions:

Total Time: 1 hour. Serves: 4

 Clean the truffles with a brush to remove any excess dirt. Finely chop the truffles (reserve a small piece for shaving on top).

Add ½ cup of olive oil and the anchovy to a small pot. Simmer on low heat and break up the anchovy with a small whisk. Add the chopped garlic and thyme and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chopped truffles and promptly remove from heat. Set off to the side and let cool.

Finely chop the shallot.

Remove sausage from casing. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in medium skillet and add the sausage, and then break it up into small pieces. Sauté until golden brown. Add shallots and continue to sauté. Deglaze with vegetable stock and reduce slightly. Add the cooked truffles and season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente. Strain the spaghetti and add to the sauce. Add butter and the toss spaghetti over medium heat until it is a creamy consistency. Remove from heat and toss with grated Parmigiano. Finish with freshly grated black truffle.

Serve Immediately.

 

Roast Chicken With Radishes

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Ingredients:

  •  1 (4- to 4 1/2-pound) roasting chicken
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 pounds radishes, preferably mixed heirloom, trimmed and scrubbed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan or ceramic baking dish just large enough to hold the chicken and radishes, and sprinkle the cavity liberally with salt and pepper. Put the lemon and thyme in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings under the body. Cut any larger radishes in half so they are all about the same size and place around the chicken.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Brush the chicken and radishes all over with the melted butter and sprinkle them both liberally with salt and pepper.

Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. Cover the pan or baking dish with aluminum foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Carve the chicken and serve with the radishes and pan juices.

 

Rigatoni con Ragù alla Napoletana (Gravy and Braciola)

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  • Ingredients
  • 4 slices of beef, preferably rump steak (about 6 ounces each, sliced or pounded thin, to about 1/4″)
  • 4 slices bacon or pancetta
  • 4 slices salami (Genoa or other Italian variety)
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 ounces Pecorino, Parmigiano or provolone cheese, grated or cut in small pieces
  • 1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 28-ounce cans Italian peeled tomatoes, puréed
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound rigatoni (or penne)

Instructions

Boil the eggs until hard. Let cool, cut into small pieces, set aside. Finely chop the salami, garlic, and parsley and mix together.

Pat dry the beef slices. Lightly salt and pepper the top side of each. Line them up on a work surface. Place a slice of bacon on the center of each. Evenly spread the salami mixture on top of the bacon, evenly distribute the egg and cheese. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Starting with the narrower end ([of the beef)], carefully roll up each slice, tightly, and fasten with tooth picks.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the braciola, carefully turning until each side is lightly brown. Add the wine and cook for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 2 hours, stirring, frequently and carefully.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Cook the pasta until al dente (about 2 minutes less than the package directions), drain, and add to a serving bowl, lightly coat with ragu. Serve immediately with additional sauce and a sprinkle of Parmigiano.

Serve the braciola on a separate platter.

Pappardelle with Mushrooms

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Ingredients:

1 pound of pappardelle (or penne)
1 onion, finely diced
1 pound of mushrooms (porcini or you a choice)
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1/2 cup of olive oil,
12 ounces of mild Italian sausage, de-cased (optional)
one 28 ounce can of peeled Italian tomatoes, puréed
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions in olive oil until lightly golden. Add the sausage and break apart with a fork. When the sausage is lightly browned, add the white wine and allow to evaporate.

In a separate skillet, heat some olive oil and add the mushrooms, cooking until they are render liquid and then reduce. Add the sausage mixture. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 minutes until reduced

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente (one minute less than the package instructions). Drain and add to the skillet with the mushrooms. Mix well. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmigiano.

Possible additions or substitutions: add 1 cup of peas to the skillet 5 minutes prior to ending the cooking. Or add 1/2 cup of heavy cream when the tomatoes are added. Or, substitute 6 ounces of pancetta, cut in thick strips, in lieu of the sausage. 

Roasted Chicken Provencal

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Ingredients:

4 chicken legs or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 lemon, quartered
8 to 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 to 6 medium-size shallots, peeled and halved
1/2 cup of dry vermouth
4 sprigs of thyme, for serving

Heat oven to 400°. Season The chicken with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow pan, and lightly dredge the chicken in it, shaking the pieces to remove excess flour.

Swirl the oil in a large roasting pan, and place the floured chicken in it. Season the chicken with herbes de Provence. Arrange the lemon, garlic cloves and

shallots around the chicken, then add the vermouth to the pan.

Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, then baste it with the pan juices. Continue roasting for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through.

Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnish with the thyme. 

Maple Roasted Carrot Salad

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Ingredients:

  •  2 pounds of carrots (preferably with leafy tops).
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil.
  • 1/4 cup of pure Grade A maple syrup.
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries.
  • 2/3 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges).
  • 3 tablespoons of sherry wine vinegar.
  • 2 garlic clothes (grated).
  • 6 ounces of baby arugula.
  • 6 ounces of goat cheese.
  • 2/3 cup Marcona almonds (roasted, salted) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste).

 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F

 2. Trim and scrub the carrots. If the carrots are more than 1 inch in diameter, cut them in half lengthwise. Cut the carrots in large diagonal slices 1-inch wide x 2 inches long ( they may shrink when they are roasted) and place in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well and transfer to two sheet pans. (If you use just one, they will steam instead of roasting). Roast for 20 minutes, tossing once, until the carrots are tender.

 3. Transfer all of the carrots to one of the sheet pans, add the maple syrup, toss, and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges are caramelized. Watch then carefully! Toss with a metal spatula and set aside for 10 minutes.

 4. Meanwhile, combine the cranberries and orange juice in a small sauce pan, bring to a simmer, then set aside for 10 minutes

 5. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the arugula in a large bowl and add the carrots, cranberries (with their liquid) goat cheese, almonds and the vinaigrette. Toss with large spoons, sprinkle with salt, and serve at room temperature.

Tip: Delicious with squash and other root vegetables