Cooking With Dee -
December 2009
Let’s Celebrate with Beef!
Thanksgiving is over and the leftover turkey sandwiches, potpies and soups are all gone. The Holiday season is now officially upon us. There will be many opportunities for you to entertain and show off your culinary skills!
This is your time to shine in your kitchen and get together with friends, family and coworkers. Time to break out the cookbooks and all the magazines on entertaining. Now is when you start making your lists and filling out your invitations. You are probably avidly looking for the most appropriate themes or party ware for all the company and parties you are planning. Making sure that everything is just right and that your menus are the perfect party fare. In this segment we are going to talk about how beef can play an important part in your Hors D’oeuvres and recipes for holiday meals.
I was having a hard time coming up with something for November since Turkey plays such a large role in our country’s tradition. Instead of butting my head against the wall I decided to concentrate on entertaining with beef for the four main holidays this season Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Years. For the month of December, beef can certainly play an integral part of not only the Christmas celebration but for the other three as well. There are many delicious Hors D’oeuvres that have beef in them and let us not forget festive main courses like a Roast or an amazing Beef Wellington.
For Hanukkah although things that are fried such as Potato Pancakes (Latkes) are the star you can never go wrong with a recipe served along side a Brisket with Herbed spinach or Portobello Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries. For Christmas, try your hand at a succulent Beef Wellington. For Kwanzaa why not try an African Dish such as Beef and Groundnut Stew. To top it off who can resist seeing the New Years in with a glorious Rib Roast!
Lets not forget the Appetizers we have everything from Cocktail meatballs to Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps. All of these recipes can help with a successful party and make your guests beg you for the recipes. I tried to include as many varieties as possible for you to experiment with. So read on and enjoy the recipes. Let us know how your celebrations went. Just remember that while your are preparing your celebrations to keep love in your heart and it will show up in your cooking!
Appetizers:
Beef & Roasted Pepper on Crostini
Total Preparation and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
¾ lb. thinly sliced rare roast beef (Sliced rare Tri Tip or Tenderloin can be substituted
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 loaves (8 oz. each) French bread (about 2½-inch diameter), cut into ½-inch thick slices
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 450°F. In 1-cup glass measure, combine oil and garlic; microwave on high for 30 seconds. Lightly brush topside of each bread slice with oil mixture; arrange on 2 baking sheets. Bake in 450°F oven 6 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown.
Layer equal amounts of beef, red peppers and cheese over toasted bread. Return to oven; bake an additional 2 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Cocktail Meatballs (moms recipe)
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/2c milk
1tbs soy sauce
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp onion powder
1 5 or 6 oz water chestnuts drained and finely chopped
½ lb Ground Round
½ lb bulk Pork Sausage meat (salt and pepper no fennel)
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine the first 6 ingredients and mix well. Add the ground round and the sausage and mix well with your hands until all the ingredients are incorporated. Using a teaspoon, form small meatballs. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet that has sides to it.
Bake the meatballs for 18 minutes until done in the oven turning them halfway through. Serve with toothpicks. Should make 5 dozen.
Albondigas (Meatballs in spicy sauce)
Meatballs
½ lb ground pork
½ lb ground beef
3 cloves garlic
2 cups bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp cumin
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp nutmeg
1pimch cinnamon
salt and pepper
Olive Oil for frying
Sauce:
1 chopped onion
1 clove finely chopped garlic
1 16 oz can chopped tomatoes
3 to 4 tsp tomato paste
½ tsp cayenne pepper
4 oz white wine
4 oz chicken broth
4 oz frozen peas
Freshly ground pepper
1 tbs olive oil
In a bowl, mix together the first 10 ingredients until incorporated well. Cover and leave in the fridge for about half an hour. When ready, make your meatballs, taking about a tbls of mixture for each one. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs in batches on a med-high heat adding more oil as needed for each batch. Drain paper towel and keep warm.
Using the same frying pan, drain any excess fat using the caramelized fond on the bottom of the pan. Add oil if necessary and cook the onion until soft and translucent, then add the garlic, a few grinds of black pepper and cook for another minute or so. Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will taste bitter. Deglaze the pan by adding the wine and increase the heat to high, let the wine boil for a minute or so to intensify the flavor. Add the can of tomatoes, the tomato paste and the chicken broth. Bring back to the boil then simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the peas, stir in the cayenne pepper and the meatballs and continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Serve with crusty bread
Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps:
12 oz skirt steak
1tbs Thai Chili sauce
1 Jalapeno thinly sliced (wear gloves and never touch your eyes while handling chiles)
2 tbs Fish Sauce
½ Spanish onion thinly sliced
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
1 line cut into wedges
½ c carrot peeled and grated
1 head bibb lettuce washed and dried, leave separated
Heat a grill or pan over high heat. Season the beef with salt, pepper and place on grill or in pan. Cook on each side for about 4 minutes. It should be firm but yielding to the touch. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Mix chili sauce, fish sauce, and the juice from one lime in a small sauce pan over low heat to form sauce.
Slice the steak thinly against the grain. Drizzle warm sauce over the slices. Set out the beef, lettuce, jalapeño, onion slices, cilantro, and carrots
Use the lettuce as a wrap, and add beef and toppings. Add some lime juice and sauce to wraps as you eat them.
Beef Satay:
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. salad oil
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 lb. boneless sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 med. Spanish onion
3 tbsp. smooth peanut butter
In large bowl mix first 5 ingredients. Stir in steak and onion cut into 8 wedges. Let stand 15 minutes, then put on skewers and broil or grill until desired doneness. Reserve marinade.
In small saucepan over medium heat, bring reserved marinade to boil. Whisk in peanut butter and 1/3 cup water. Heat through and serve sauce on side to dip
Asparagus Beef Rollups
½ c heavy whipping cream
¼ c sour cream
2 to 4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Thinly sliced rare roast beef
1 bunch cooked asparagus spears, drained
one jar of roasted red pepper sliced into strips
Chopped Chives
In a small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold in the sour cream, horseradish, lemon peel, salt and pepper.
On 2 asparagus spears each place a strip of red pepper per bundle and wrap each bundle with a slice of roast beef. Top with each with cream mixture, garnish with the chopped chives and serve.
Bourbon Beef on Crostini
2 lbs. filet mignon trimmed
1 C. Bourbon
salt and pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 C. thin sliced white onion
1 C. thinly sliced red onion
1 baguette French bread
Topping:
1/2 C. sour cream
1 Tbs. horseradish
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
mix well and set aside until ready to serve.
Marinate the beef for 1 hour in Bourbon.
Remove beef from bowl and salt and pepper it well. Add the olive oil to a sauté pan large enough for the beef. Over high heat brown the filet quickly on all sides. Place filet in preheated oven at 350°F. for 15-18 minutes or until medium rare.
Let the fillet sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
To prepare the Crostini:
3/4 C. olive oil
1 head of roasted garlic cloves
Slice the baguette into 36 pieces that are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Brush with a mixture of the oil and roasted garlic.
Coat the bread lightly on both sides and toast in the oven until lightly brown at 400°F.
To assemble:
Slice beef into 18 thin slices. Cut down the center so that you have 36 pieces. Put a piece of the filet on the crostini and top with a small amount of the sour cream mixture.
Main Courses
Brisket with Herbed Spinach Stuffing Courtesy of Epicurious.com
Stuffing
3 tbs olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
2 whole matzo sheets, finely crumbled (about 1 cup)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
Brisket
1 4-pound flat-cut brisket
2 pounds onions, thinly sliced
2 1/4 cups canned chicken broth
3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 celery stalks, sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Make stuffing:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
Add onions, garlic and thyme; sauté until onions soften, about 5 minutes.
Cool 15 minutes.
Mix in spinach and matzo.
Season stuffing with salt and pepper.
Mix in egg.
Make brisket:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut deep pocket in 1 side of brisket, leaving 3/4-inch border of meat uncut on remaining 3 sides.
Fill pocket with stuffing.
Skewer or sew pocket closed.
Sprinkle salt and pepper all over brisket.
Arrange half of onions in bottom of large roasting pan.
Place brisket, fat side up, on onions.
Top brisket with remaining onions.
Pour 1/4 cup broth into pan.
Bake brisket uncovered until meat and onions begin to brown, about 1 hour.
Add carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf to pan around brisket.
Pour remaining 2 cups broth over.
Cover pan with foil.
Reduce temperature to 300°F. Bake brisket until tender, about 2 1/2 hours longer. Remove from oven.
Uncover pan; let brisket stand 30 minutes.
Thinly slice brisket across grain.
Overlap slices on platter. Surround with vegetables from pan.
Spoon off fat from pan juices; season juices with salt and pepper.
Serve brisket with pan juices.
Brisket with Portobello Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries courtesy of Bon Appétit
Brisket
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup canned beef or chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 large onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 4-pound trimmed flat-cut brisket
12 ounces medium Portobello mushrooms, dark gills scraped away, caps thinly sliced
1 cup dried cranberries (about 4 ounces)
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Whisk wine, broth, cranberry concentrate and flour to blend in medium bowl;
Pour into 15 x 10 x 2-inch roasting pan.
Mix in onion, garlic and rosemary.
Sprinkle brisket on all sides with salt and pepper.
Place brisket, fat side up, in roasting pan.
Spoon some of wine mixture over. Cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil.
Bake brisket until very tender, basting with pan juices every hour, about 3 1/2 hours.
Transfer brisket to plate; cool 1 hour at room temperature.
Thinly slice brisket across grain.
Arrange slices in pan with sauce, overlapping slices slightly. (Brisket can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place mushrooms and cranberries in sauce around brisket. Cover pan with foil.
Bake until mushrooms are tender and brisket is heated through, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if brisket has been refrigerated).
Transfer sliced brisket and sauce to platter and serve
Beef Wellington (courtesy of Cooks.com)
1 (6 lb.) whole beef tenderloin roast
Butter
1 (17 1/4 oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry
1 med. sized onion, minced
1 (8 oz.) pkg. mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. red wine
1/2 lb. goose or duck liver pate OR 17 oz. can liver pate
1 egg, separated
2 tsp. milk
Bordelaise sauce
Parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. I
n large oven roasting pan on rack, form tenderloin into ring so that thick end rests on thin end to hold securely.
Brush beef with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
Insert meat thermometer into center of tenderloin.
Roast tenderloin 40 minutes or until thermometer reaches 120 degrees F (very rare). Remove tenderloin from oven and let stand 30 minutes.
Do not turn oven off.
Thaw pastry as label directs.
Meanwhile, in 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat, in 3 tablespoons hot butter, cook onion until tender.
Add mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until all liquid evaporates.
Stir in red wine and cook over medium heat until mixture is dry.
Remove skillet from heat; cool slightly.
On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll 1 sheet puff pastry into 14 x 12 inch rectangle.
Place puff pastry sheet on ungreased large cookie sheet.
Center partially roasted tenderloin ring on dough.
With knife, cut pastry with 1 inch border all around tenderloin.
Spread pate evenly over tenderloin; top with mushroom mixture.
With pastry brush, brush some egg white on pastry around tenderloin.
On lightly floured surface, roll second sheet puff pastry as above; place loosely over tenderloin ring, pressing pastry around base of tenderloin to seal; crimp pastry border to make a pretty edge.
In cup, with fork, beat egg yolk with milk; brush top and sides of pastry with egg mixture.
Bake Beef Wellington 10 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees F; bake 20 minutes longer or until crust is golden.
With 2 pancake turners, transfer roast to warm platter.
Let stand 15 minutes for easier slicing.
BORDELAISE SAUCE:
In heavy 1 quart saucepan over low heat, in 3 tablespoons hot butter, cook 1 tablespoon minced onion until tender.
Stir in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; cook until lightly browned; add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Slowly stir in one 10 ½ ounce can condensed beef broth (bouillon), 1/2 cup red wine, and ¼ cup water.
Increase heat to medium-high; cook mixture, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens.
To serve, garnish with parsley, cut Beef Wellington into wedges.
Serve with Bordelaise Sauce.
Makes 10 servings.
Beef with Groundnut Stew
1 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck pot roast, cut into 1 - inch cubes
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cups water
2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped (1 ½ cups)
½ cup finely chopped fresh, mild green chili peppers (such as Anaheim)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¾ cup peanut butter
3 cups hot cooked rice
6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced (optional)
Trim fat from meat.
In a 4-quart Dutch oven brown half the beef in the hot oil.
Remove from pan.
Brown remaining beef with the onion, adding more oil if necessary.
Drain off fat.
Return all beef to pan.
Stir in water, tomatoes, chili peppers, salt, and crushed red pepper.
Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
Simmer, covered, about 1 ½ hours or until meat is tender.
Remove about 1 cup of the broth from the meat mixture; stir into peanut butter. Return peanut butter mixture to Dutch oven.
Heat through.
Serve over hot cooked rice.
Garnish with egg slices, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.
Bobotie
a mixture of Ground lamb & ground beef
butter,
vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 tbs curry powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 slices bread, crumbled
¼ cup milk
Finely grated rind and juice of 1/2 small lemon
1 egg
1 teaspoon) salt, milled black pepper
3 ounces dried apricots, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and chopped
¼ cup sultanas (golden raisins)
1 ½ ounces) slivered almonds, roasted in a dry frying pan
6 lemon, orange, or fresh bay leaves
TOPPING
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven ato 325°F.
Butter a large casserole.
Heat butter and oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until translucent.
Stir in the curry powder and turmeric, and cook briefly until fragrant.
Remove the pot from the heat.
Mix in the ground beef.
Mix together the crumbs, milk, lemon rind and juice, egg, salt, pepper, apricots, apple, sultanas (golden raisins) and almonds and mix in.
Pile into the casserole and level the top.
Roll up the fresh leaves and bury them at regular intervals.
Seal with foil and bake for 1 1/4 hours.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
Mix together the topping milk, eggs and salt (you may require extra topping if you've used a very large casserole), pour over and bake uncovered for a further 15 minutes until cooked and lightly browned.
Serve with rice.
Standing Rib Roast
1 (5-pound) standing rib roast
Salt
2 TB coarsely cracked pepper
4 cloves garlic, ground into a paste
2 TB chopped rosemary
2 TB chopped thyme
2 TB chopped parsley
2 TB chopped oregano
Olive oil
Mix the herbs garlic paste and 1 tsp olive oil together.
Rub roast with mixture
Allow roast to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degree F.
Place roast on a rack in the pan with the rib side down and the fatty side up.
Insert Meat thermometer in the center of the meat avoid hitting the bone.
Cook until internal temperature reaches 125 in the center.
Allow to rest 15 min before slicing.
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