Category Archives: Sauces

OXTAIL RAGU

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OXTAIL RAGU

Ingredients: 4- 5 pounds of oxtail; 2 tablespoons of olive oil; Salt and pepper; 1 large yellow onion; 6 cloves of garlic; 2 large carrots;  2 ribs of celery; 1/4 cup of flour; 1/4 cup of sherry vinegar; 4 cups tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes; 2 cups of chicken or beef broth; 2 teaspoons of Rosemary; 2 teaspoons of Thyme; Salt; 1 cup of red wine; 1/2 cup of chopped parsley; 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon of cocoa unsweetened.

Preparations:

1. Mix 1/4 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper;

2. Shake oxtail in flour mix, then browned in 2 tablespoons of oil for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove to a platter and let sit while doing next step.

3. Sauté the carrots, onion, garlic in remaining oil. Add one more tablespoon of oil if necessary. When onion is translucent add sherry vinegar, tomato sauce, broth, Rosemary, Thyme and red wine. Place oxtails back into sauce and simmer for 4 hours. Remove the oxtail and remove the meat. Add meat back into sauce.

4. Add parsley, nutmeg and cocoa before serving.

Penne al Sugo di Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce)

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Ingredients:

  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 28-ounce can of peeled plum tomatoes, puréed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4-5 basil leaves coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sugar – optional. (See notes below)
  • 1-pound penne – or any pasta
  • Grated Parmigiano for serving

Instructions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil until it’s golden. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Add the basil, and a little sugar as desired. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced, 20 – 30 minutes.

 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente (about 2 minutes less than package directions). Drain, add to the sauce, and mix together over medium heat. Serve immediately with grated Parmigiano. Total Time: 45 minutes. Serves 4-6

 

LINGUINE WITH WHITE CLAM SAUCE

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  • Extra virgin olive oil to coat a large sauté pan;
  • 9 cloves of garlic;
  • 5 Dozen claims scrubbed under cold running water;
  • 1 Cup of dry white wine;
  • ½ Cup of water;
  • 1 large pinch of crushed red pepper;
  • 1 Pound of pasta;
  • 2 Tablespoons of butter;
  • 2 Tablespoons of chopped parsley; and
  • 1 Cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Heat olive oil & ½ of garlic on medium high heat & cook until garlic is golden brown & remove garlic. Place 3 ½ dozen clams in pan with wine & ½ cup of water; cover and bring to a boil and continue cooking until clams open (about 10 minutes).

Let clams cool slightly, & then remove from shells & reserve.

 Pour the cooking liquid into a measuring cup.

 Coat same pan with olive oil & add the remaining garlic & pinch of red pepper. Cook under a medium high heat until garlic is golden and discard garlic. Add remaining clams & liquid to pan cover & cook until the remaining clams open. Do not remove these clams from shells.

Add the butter and cream to sauce. Cook the pasta & then combine the sauce, clams and pasta and cook until the sauce clings to the pasta. Turn off heat & add the Parmesan cheese.

 Serves 6

 

SALMON WILD WITH GREEN SAUCE

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  • 1-½ pounds of either wild King or Sockeye salmon fillet with skin on;
  • Salt & pepper;
  • Olive oil;
  • 2 Pounds of new potatoes;
  • 1 Pound of haricots verts or a mixture of small green & yellow beans;
  • 1 Finely diced shallot;
  • 2 Tablespoons of red vinegar;
  • Zest & juice of 1 small Meyer lemon;
  • 1 Teaspoon of Dijon mustard;
  • 1 Tablespoon of rinsed and roughly chopped capers;
  • ¼ Cup of finely chopped parsley;
  • ¼ Cup of finely chopped chervil or a mixture of parsley & tarragon;
  • Lettuce leaves; and
  • 2 hard-cooked (9minutes) eggs, roughly chopped.

Using pliers, remove the pin bones from the salmon (or have your fishmonger do it). Season salmon on both sides with salt & pepper & place on a baking sheet skin side down. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil & set aside at room temperature. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

 Scrub potatoes & simmer in well-salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain & keep warm. Top and tail the haricots verts & simmer in well-salted water until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Spread out on a platter to cool (or rinse briefly in cold water) & leave at room temperature.

 Make the sauce verte: Put shallot in a small bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt & cover with red vinegar. Macerate 5 minutes, & then stir in lemon zest & juice, mustard & capers & then whisk in ½ cup of olive oil. Just before serving add parsley, chervil & black pepper to taste.

 Bake salmon, uncovered, until just done, 10 to 12 minutes 7 & then remove & let cool slightly. Put beans in a medium bowl, season with salt & pepper, & dress with 2 tablespoons of sauce verte. Line a platter with lettuce leaves & then make a pile of beans on top of the lettuce. With a spatula, lift the salmon from the skin & place on top of the beans. Dab salmon with 2 more tablespoons of sauce verte, garnish with chopped eggs and serve. Pass potatoes & remaining sauce separately

MAYONNAISE – FOOLPROOF LEMON – GARLIC

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  • 1 clove of garlic, minced;
  • 4 oil-packed anchovies, minced (optional);
  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature;
  • 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard;
  • ½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil;
  • 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste; and
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a small food processor or container of an immersion blender, combine garlic, anchovies, egg yolk and mustard. With machine running, slowly drizzle in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and process mixture until mixture is smooth and starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.

 With the machine still running, slowly add remaining olive oil, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of very hot water. (A small splash from the kettle or tap is the right amount). Process just until mixture reaches a loose mayonnaise consistency. If it curdles or becomes too thick, mix in more hot water a little at a time, pulsing the machine so as to not overmix. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve immediately, using a spoon to drizzle over salad, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours. Best served fresh, but keeps for 2 days.

 

ROAST BEEF AU JUS

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  •  1 standing rib roast any size.

Let roast stand at room temperature for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rub meat well with salt and sprinkle with pepper.
Place meat fat side up in shallow pan. Do not cover.  Put roast in oven
and roast for just one hour.  Turn off heat, but do not open oven door at any time until ready to serve.  Regardless of the length of time the meat has been in oven, 30-40 minutes before serving, turn on oven again and set to 375 degrees.  Roast meat for 30-4- minutes.  Now open oven door and remove meat to serving platter.

ANOTHER VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

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  • 3 T. white wine or champagne vinegar

  • 1 t. Dijon mustard

  • 1 extra large egg yolk at room temperature

  • 1 t. kosher salt

  • ½ t. ground pepper

  • ½ cup olive oil

For endive, walnut salad:  5 heads endive, 1 cup walnuts, 6-8 oz. stilton crumbled, and ¼ cup whole fresh flat-leafed parsley.

SHRIMP SPREAD

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  • 2 three ounce packages of cream cheese

  • 2 packages of Good Seasonings Italian dressing

  • 4 t. lemon juice

  • 1 ½ cup sour cream

  • 2 cans of de-veined shrimp

Mix everything, but shrimp.  Then, fold in drained shrimp.