I made potato soup last night. It didn't come out quite right, but I'm posting the recipe I used and I'll point out the mistake I made. I don't quite know how to fix it yet.
6-8 potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic,minced
2-4 strips of pork bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces
4-6 strips of turkey bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces
3 mushrooms, sliced
Ground black pepper to taste
2 liters chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 stick margarine
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup ow-fat milk
3 teaspoons freshly chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Set the bacon to fry in a soup pot. Before it gets crispy, add the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the potatoes and black pepper and toss them around. Saute for two minutes or so. Add the chicken broth and wine, stir well. Reduce the heat to minimum and let it come to a slow boil. Simmer until the potatoes begin to get tender.
When the potatoes are nearly done, melt the margarine in a separate saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Here's where I erred, by using too much flour (about half a cup). Add the milk and keep whisking. Add the cilantro and tarragon. Make sure you get a smooth, creamy mixture. I got lumps, and those things won't dissolve in the soup.
Add the mix to the soup and stir. Let it boil a second time, simmer a bit. Serve.
As I said, mine didn't come out quite right due to the lumpy flour/margarine/milk mixture. I think using half as much flour, 1/4 cup, should fix it, but I really need to try it. If/when it works, I'll post it again with pictures.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
On a break
I've been hearing a great deal about the Modern Paleo Diet lately. there is a lot of controversy around it, but some claims by its proponents are highly intriguing. Chief among them a reduction of inflammation, particularly later in life. This is huge, as inflammation causes a lot of problems. Arthritis is the most obvious, but it also plays a role in things like cardiovascular (heart) disease.
The big problem is this diet does away with grains and legumes. That means wheat, barley, lentils, beans and rice are out. A quick look at my recipes would show why that is a big issue for me. There's also the turnoff that many Paleo sites stress very simple dishes. Again, you know I like rather complicated recipes. And then there's the whole low-carb, high-protein stuff to consider, especially since Paleo advocates favor animal proteins over vegetable ones (naturally, as legumes are out).
I decided to experiment a bit anyway. But I won't be posting any recipes while I try out Paleo or Paleo-like dishes, and while I research the whole thing further. The recipes I post here must meet all my standards for taste and quality, but also of nutritional value.Since my focus so far has been low-fat, I need to know more about Paleo before I change focus.
I may post updates periodically. But don't count on it. Whatever else happens, I should resume posting next month.
The big problem is this diet does away with grains and legumes. That means wheat, barley, lentils, beans and rice are out. A quick look at my recipes would show why that is a big issue for me. There's also the turnoff that many Paleo sites stress very simple dishes. Again, you know I like rather complicated recipes. And then there's the whole low-carb, high-protein stuff to consider, especially since Paleo advocates favor animal proteins over vegetable ones (naturally, as legumes are out).
I decided to experiment a bit anyway. But I won't be posting any recipes while I try out Paleo or Paleo-like dishes, and while I research the whole thing further. The recipes I post here must meet all my standards for taste and quality, but also of nutritional value.Since my focus so far has been low-fat, I need to know more about Paleo before I change focus.
I may post updates periodically. But don't count on it. Whatever else happens, I should resume posting next month.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Mushroom Barley Soup
Third time's the charm, it seems.
The secret is to use sherry and a little flour.
Ingredients:
500 gr. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup barley
1/4 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fine herbs
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
2 liters water
3 chicken bullion cubes, low-fat, low-sodium
1/4 cup sherry
2 bay leaves
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
In a soup pot heat the olive oil, next add the mushrooms and saute for about three minutes. Add the barley (raw), garlic and onion, keep cooking until the mushroom begin to brown, or about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir well. Keep cooking until the mushrooms are a nice golden brown, or around two minutes more. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sherry. Stir well and cook for about a minute. Reduce heat to low and add the water. Bring to a slow boil. When the water's hot, add the bay leaves and fine herbs. When it begins to bubble, add the bullion cubes.
Let the soup simmer until the barley's tender. Taste from time to time and add pepper and Worcestershire as needed.
The secret is to use sherry and a little flour.
Ingredients:
500 gr. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup barley
1/4 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fine herbs
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
2 liters water
3 chicken bullion cubes, low-fat, low-sodium
1/4 cup sherry
2 bay leaves
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
In a soup pot heat the olive oil, next add the mushrooms and saute for about three minutes. Add the barley (raw), garlic and onion, keep cooking until the mushroom begin to brown, or about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir well. Keep cooking until the mushrooms are a nice golden brown, or around two minutes more. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sherry. Stir well and cook for about a minute. Reduce heat to low and add the water. Bring to a slow boil. When the water's hot, add the bay leaves and fine herbs. When it begins to bubble, add the bullion cubes.
Let the soup simmer until the barley's tender. Taste from time to time and add pepper and Worcestershire as needed.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Juicy Meatloaf
I should start with a warning: unlike almost everything else I've posted here, this recipe is not low fat.
I cooked it mostly as a challenge. I've had little experience with beef and I wanted more. Moreover, meatloaf is not common in Mexico, making it a bit exotic (it is a matter of perspective). I was pleased with the result.
I do apologize for the poor quality of the picture. I was already storing it before I thought to take a photo.
I'll post the glaze/sauce first, then the rest. Here we go:
220 gr. tomato puree or tomato sauce
1/4 Cup Ketchup
4-5 Tbsp. mustard
4 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
4 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Cup beef broth (or even chicken broth or hot water)
1/2 teaspoon ground or powdered ginger
1.5 Tbsp. Paprika
Mix the ingredients in a big enough bowl and whisk them well. The result should be rather thick, but fluid. Save 3/4 cup of it to mix in with the meatloaf.
Now the meatloaf:
3/4 Cup glaze you saved from the first step
1 Kg. ground beef, preferably lean
1/3 onion finely chopped
2 Cloves garlic finely minced
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped (optional; it tends to wilt a bit)
1 Cup wheat bran or breadcrumbs (by this I mean a coarse powder, like that used for milanesas)
First get a really big mixing bowl, next put the ground beef in it and break it up. Add the beaten eggs and mix them with the beef. Add the onion, garlic and cilantro, and again mix well with the beef.
The next step is important. Add the 3/4 cup of glaze you saved, but don't add it all at once. Add about 1/4, mix well with the beef, then another fourth and mix again, and so on until you've added all. I was advised to do this by someone who does make meatloaf often. The idea is for the beef to gradually absorb the glaze. I don't know if this is so or not, but the results were good.
Next add the wheat bran or breadcrumbs and, again, mix well.
We're done mixing now... Anyway, shape the mixture in a loaf or use a baking mold for bread (grease it first). If you shape it without a mold, as I did, just grease an oven safe baking dish or a roaster and place the loaf in it. Pour the glaze over the meatloaf. Use as much glaze as needed, but don't feel you must use it all. It's ok if some spills over onto the baking dish.
Put it int he oven at 180 C (around 350 F) for one hour. Periodically you'll want to baste it with the beef juices that will come out, and if desired add more glaze. You should also check from 45 minutes onward how things proceed. You want the center to be brown rather than pink in the end, that's when you're done.
I ate it by itself, which was ok, but it would go well with mashed potatoes, or oven roasted potatoes, and perhaps even with sauteed mushrooms.
Enjoy.
I cooked it mostly as a challenge. I've had little experience with beef and I wanted more. Moreover, meatloaf is not common in Mexico, making it a bit exotic (it is a matter of perspective). I was pleased with the result.
I do apologize for the poor quality of the picture. I was already storing it before I thought to take a photo.
I'll post the glaze/sauce first, then the rest. Here we go:
220 gr. tomato puree or tomato sauce
1/4 Cup Ketchup
4-5 Tbsp. mustard
4 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
4 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Cup beef broth (or even chicken broth or hot water)
1/2 teaspoon ground or powdered ginger
1.5 Tbsp. Paprika
Mix the ingredients in a big enough bowl and whisk them well. The result should be rather thick, but fluid. Save 3/4 cup of it to mix in with the meatloaf.
Now the meatloaf:
3/4 Cup glaze you saved from the first step
1 Kg. ground beef, preferably lean
1/3 onion finely chopped
2 Cloves garlic finely minced
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped (optional; it tends to wilt a bit)
1 Cup wheat bran or breadcrumbs (by this I mean a coarse powder, like that used for milanesas)
First get a really big mixing bowl, next put the ground beef in it and break it up. Add the beaten eggs and mix them with the beef. Add the onion, garlic and cilantro, and again mix well with the beef.
The next step is important. Add the 3/4 cup of glaze you saved, but don't add it all at once. Add about 1/4, mix well with the beef, then another fourth and mix again, and so on until you've added all. I was advised to do this by someone who does make meatloaf often. The idea is for the beef to gradually absorb the glaze. I don't know if this is so or not, but the results were good.
Next add the wheat bran or breadcrumbs and, again, mix well.
We're done mixing now... Anyway, shape the mixture in a loaf or use a baking mold for bread (grease it first). If you shape it without a mold, as I did, just grease an oven safe baking dish or a roaster and place the loaf in it. Pour the glaze over the meatloaf. Use as much glaze as needed, but don't feel you must use it all. It's ok if some spills over onto the baking dish.
Put it int he oven at 180 C (around 350 F) for one hour. Periodically you'll want to baste it with the beef juices that will come out, and if desired add more glaze. You should also check from 45 minutes onward how things proceed. You want the center to be brown rather than pink in the end, that's when you're done.
I ate it by itself, which was ok, but it would go well with mashed potatoes, or oven roasted potatoes, and perhaps even with sauteed mushrooms.
Enjoy.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Upcoming
I really should stop cooking so late...
I made meatloaf, my first (yay!), following my usual method of finding a recipe online and adapting it to my taste (and my fridge and my pantry, too). It came out rather well, very moist and tasty, with a nice glaze. I'll post the recipe as soon as possible.
Bye for now.
I made meatloaf, my first (yay!), following my usual method of finding a recipe online and adapting it to my taste (and my fridge and my pantry, too). It came out rather well, very moist and tasty, with a nice glaze. I'll post the recipe as soon as possible.
Bye for now.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Enchiladas Rojas (Red Enchiladas)
Traditionally enchiladas are either green or red, depending on whether you use red or green tomatoes to make the sauce. In fact, table salsa usually is also green or red for the same reason.
Again I made these with cottage cheese as a filling, but you can use anything else you want. Shredded chicken and pork carnitas are popular, and tasty, fillings.
As with the past enchilada recipe, I'll post the salsa apart from the rest:
Salsa
Ingredients:
4-5 red tomatoes
1/2 onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic, quartered
Cilantro to taste (about 3-5 branches, stems and all)
2-4 Serrano chilies, or other small green chilies.
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup water.
Blanch the tomatoes and peel them, or peel by your preferred method. I tried roasting them this time, at first, but I had trouble doing so. Next quarter them and put them in the blender, removing the core and seeds first. Add the other ingredients to the blender and liquefy the whole thing. You may want to do this in two batches unless you have a big blender. BTW this is the time to taste the salsa and see whether it's too hot or no hot enough, and to adjust the ingredients accordingly.
Pour the salsa into a deep saucepan or pot and turn the heat on low. Let it come to a boil slowly, stirring from time to time. Let it boil for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Then remove from heat and set aside.
Enchiladas
Ingredients:
The salsa from the previous step
200 gr. Cottage cheese (or more)
70 gr. grated white cheese suitable for melting
2 Tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream (optional; personally I don't like it in my enchiladas)
Fresh, wide, corn tortillas, as many as necessary
Chopped onion to taste
First the tortillas handle better when hot. My preferred method is to heat them on a comal on the stove. A comal is a flat, round piece of thin metal that holds 3 or four tortillas. If you don't have one, you can use a wide skillet, or even put them in the microwave for thirty seconds wrapped in a clean kitchen cloth.
So, heat the tortillas a few at a time. Carefully, as they're hot, spoon some cottage each on one and fold it in on itself. Place it on an oven safe baking dish with the fold side down. If it opens as soon as you let go, you have the wrong kind of tortilla. Repeat as many times as necessary. In the photo above there are about 8 enchiladas.
Next pour salsa generously on top, making sure to cover all the enchiladas. Try not to use it all, as a reserve may come in handy later. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on top and, if you want, the sour cream as well.
Place in an oven pre-heated to 300 degrees F (you may want to pre-heat the oven before you get started) for thirty minutes. Remove from the oven, let it cool and serve.
For serving, put freshly chopped onion on the table to sprinkle on top. Also perhaps additional salsa, as you should have some left over. If you reheat them in the microwave, BTW, they tend to dry out. When I reheat them I pour some salsa on them before putting them in the microwave, so they'll be moist when done.
I also like to serve them with Mexican rice.
Bonus recipe:
For making red chilaquiles, simply use the same sauce recipe and pour it over tortilla chips. Fried chips keep better, but baked chips do well for a fresh serving. Top with chopped onion. Some people like adding grated fresh cheese and sour cream as well.
Again I made these with cottage cheese as a filling, but you can use anything else you want. Shredded chicken and pork carnitas are popular, and tasty, fillings.
 |
| Fresh from the oven! |
As with the past enchilada recipe, I'll post the salsa apart from the rest:
Salsa
Ingredients:
4-5 red tomatoes
1/2 onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic, quartered
Cilantro to taste (about 3-5 branches, stems and all)
2-4 Serrano chilies, or other small green chilies.
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup water.
Blanch the tomatoes and peel them, or peel by your preferred method. I tried roasting them this time, at first, but I had trouble doing so. Next quarter them and put them in the blender, removing the core and seeds first. Add the other ingredients to the blender and liquefy the whole thing. You may want to do this in two batches unless you have a big blender. BTW this is the time to taste the salsa and see whether it's too hot or no hot enough, and to adjust the ingredients accordingly.
Pour the salsa into a deep saucepan or pot and turn the heat on low. Let it come to a boil slowly, stirring from time to time. Let it boil for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Then remove from heat and set aside.
Enchiladas
Ingredients:
The salsa from the previous step
200 gr. Cottage cheese (or more)
70 gr. grated white cheese suitable for melting
2 Tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream (optional; personally I don't like it in my enchiladas)
Fresh, wide, corn tortillas, as many as necessary
Chopped onion to taste
First the tortillas handle better when hot. My preferred method is to heat them on a comal on the stove. A comal is a flat, round piece of thin metal that holds 3 or four tortillas. If you don't have one, you can use a wide skillet, or even put them in the microwave for thirty seconds wrapped in a clean kitchen cloth.
So, heat the tortillas a few at a time. Carefully, as they're hot, spoon some cottage each on one and fold it in on itself. Place it on an oven safe baking dish with the fold side down. If it opens as soon as you let go, you have the wrong kind of tortilla. Repeat as many times as necessary. In the photo above there are about 8 enchiladas.
Next pour salsa generously on top, making sure to cover all the enchiladas. Try not to use it all, as a reserve may come in handy later. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on top and, if you want, the sour cream as well.
Place in an oven pre-heated to 300 degrees F (you may want to pre-heat the oven before you get started) for thirty minutes. Remove from the oven, let it cool and serve.
For serving, put freshly chopped onion on the table to sprinkle on top. Also perhaps additional salsa, as you should have some left over. If you reheat them in the microwave, BTW, they tend to dry out. When I reheat them I pour some salsa on them before putting them in the microwave, so they'll be moist when done.
I also like to serve them with Mexican rice.
Bonus recipe:
For making red chilaquiles, simply use the same sauce recipe and pour it over tortilla chips. Fried chips keep better, but baked chips do well for a fresh serving. Top with chopped onion. Some people like adding grated fresh cheese and sour cream as well.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Good news, Bad news
The good news is I tried new recipes today. The bad news is I'm beat and won't be posting them til later in the week.
I made mushroom soup, which was not as good as I'd hoped but better than my earlier attempts. I also made red enchiladas. which as you might guess differ little from green enchiladas.
I made mushroom soup, which was not as good as I'd hoped but better than my earlier attempts. I also made red enchiladas. which as you might guess differ little from green enchiladas.
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