Moist and tender meatballs

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Chatty Kathy

I’ve made meatballs for so many years I can’t even remember when I started. Then, over the last few years we’ve tasted some pretty amazing meatballs, most notably and surprisingly – in Mexico! I decided I better start rethinking my meatball game. After research and the usual taste testing, these won out. They are so moist and tender you won’t believe the difference. I like to make a double batch and freeze a bunch for another day.

One perfectly moist meatball, set on a bed of saucy tangled pasta – heaven.

2 pounds ground meat (equal parts ground beef & ground pork)
1 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
2/3 cup milk, any kind
4 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more to serve
4 tablespoons finely grated parmesan
2 teaspoons coarse or kosher salt
Red pepper flakes and/or freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 large eggs
1 tbsp minced garlic cloves

Heat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a large baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup, and coat it lightly with a nonstick spray.

Add the milk, eggs and seasonings to the panko first in order to have it all evenly distributed without overmixing your meatballs.

Next -get your herbs in there.

This is where the large fork comes in handy. If you over mix the meatballs they will get tough, so this allows you to gently combine everything.

Place meat, crumbs, milk, parsley, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, onion powder, eggs, and your minced garlic in a large bowl, and mash everything together with a fork (this keeps your meatballs from getting overworked) until evenly mixed. Using wet hands if needed, form mixture into 2-inch meatballs (I used a 3 tablespoon scoop) and arrange on prepared tray. Roast for 12 minutes, until cooked through (you can cut one in half).

Ready to pop in the oven. These were on the larger size so they took about 18 minutes to cook through. Don’t overcook them! Break one open at that point and check.

If serving with spaghetti – submerge meatballs into tomato sauce and allow to simmer until pasta is ready.

Always cook the pasta for the last few minutes in the tomato sauce to allow the sauce to coat all pasta.

Serve with plenty of parmesan to grate over top.

Thanks to Deb at Smitten Kitchen for these meatballs!

Perfect Medium Rare Steak

Posted on March 3, 2019 by Chatty Kathy

Oh … winter… not a season we are ever going to taste a perfect grill marked steak. I’ve been working on achieving the perfect steak during the “off” season. Nailed it!

PERFECT. Pink inside, crusty outside, and drizzled with Cafe de Paris Beurre. I’m in heaven.

First step is to make your dry rub:

1 lemon – zested, and zest set aside to dry

Zest your lemon, and allow it to sit a bit, just to dry it out so it helps create the perfect crust. Do you buy lemon pepper dry rub? Stop! Just try this instead …

Combine:

freshly cracked pepper
sea salt
onion powder
garlic powder
mustard powder
paprika
raw sugar

I use all equal amounts of all these ingredients. You can certainly adjust to your own preference!

Stir to bring it all together, and once the lemon zest has dried out a bit, add it in there too.

We are lucky. I’d be the first to admit that. We dry our garlic and onion in the fall, and create our own powder. Yep, we even do paprika, this one is grilled poblano peppers. No, sorry, we didn’t create either the mustard powder or the salt and pepper. (But, does it give us extra points because we bring the sea salt home from a favourite region in Mexico??)

Pat the steaks dry – VERY important. Drizzle over a little neutral oil, and then press in the seasoning. Make sure to get the seasoning rubbed into the sides as well as top and bottom.

Got everything ready?? Just look at that marbling on the steak … that is what you are hoping for.

While the steak is coming to room temperature, heat up a pan that can handle the heat of a 400 degree oven. (this would be a great time to preheat your oven!)

Sear the steak on all sides – get it good and crusty! Pop it into a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. . . . check it carefully, you want to pull it out of the oven once the steak hits 120 degrees. Tent it with tin foil, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.

I couldn’t help myself, needed to top the steak with my Cafe de Paris Beurre ….. it makes everything better. I’ve eaten …. but want to eat it again. I think that says it all.

Served with baked potato and a simple iceberg wedge salad and I’m totally satisfied. You will be too! Give it a try. If you are able to grill all year ….. well good for you! Maybe you want to try it anyway, and see what you think??

Veal Scallopini

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Chatty Kathy

Need a quick dinner idea? Here you go, you’re welcome! This veal is quick cooking, and for such a short amount of effort you won’t believe how much you are going to love it!

Served with tender fettuccine noodles and sautéed vegetables you’ve got a quick easy dinner that packs a flavourful punch.

Ingredients

2 lb. (about 12) veal cutlets, also called scaloppine, pounded until ¹⁄₄” thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¹⁄₂ cup flour
1/2 cup panko crumbs
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
¹⁄₂ cup dry white wine
1 ¹⁄₄ cups chicken stock
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¹⁄₄ cup capers, drained
2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Instructions

Season veal with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat 2 tbsp. butter and oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add veal, and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter, and set aside.

Have everything ready to go when you remove the veal from the skillet, it goes quickly at this point. And … yes, make sure the wine you use is something you would be happy to drink!

Add wine to skillet, and cook, scraping bottom of pan until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add stock and lemon slices, and bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Add remaining butter, juice, capers, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over veal and serve.

Cafe de Paris Beurre

Posted on February 24, 2019 by Chatty Kathy

How to enhance an already perfect medium rare steak? Cafe de Paris Beurre. It’s that easy.

What’s that, you say???? Only the most amazing flavour packed umami bomb you will ever create. Don’t be alarmed by the list of ingredients. This makes a whack of butter, which you can give away to your best of friends, or stash in your freezer to pull out when needed.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound, 5 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 ounce ketchup
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 ounce capers, rinsed
2 ounces shallots, finely diced
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chives, snipped
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
8 anchovy fillets, rinsed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon brandy
1 tablespoon madeira
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne powder
juice of one lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
zest of 1/4 Orange
2 teaspoons sea salt

Just a few of the many ingredients needed.

Okay, it might not look appetizing right now, but it smells incredible …

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, beat the butter by hand or use an electric mixer set to slow speed, until it has a slightly creamy texture.
In a separate bowl, combine all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add this mixture to the butter and beat again until all the ingredients are completely combined.
Place a double thickness of foil, about 12 inches long, on a flat surface and line with a similar-sized piece of silicone paper. Spread half the butter along one of the foil edges and roll up to form a long sausage shape — roll it with your hands like a rolling pin to get a tidy shape and eliminate any air pockets. Twist the ends to seal. You can also use plastic kitchen wrap, which I did this time. Repeat this process with the remaining butter. Place in the fridge to chill before use.
To use, slice a ½ inch thick disc of butter and place on top of a grilled steak (or a steamed spud). Traditionally, the steak is placed back under a hot grill (broiler) to soften and brown the butter, but I don’t reckon you need to do this, just let it melt from the heat of the steak.
The butter can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few weeks or in the freezer for several months.

Ready to roll into logs and pop in the freezer (or gift bags!)

Don’t just think of steaks, top any chicken or fish dish, or use it in place of garlic butter on bread.

I tried out quite a few recipes I found, and this one from Food Republic, is the definite winner, and the most like a butter topped steak we had a “Red Door” in Whistler. If you aren’t a meat lover, don’t even worry – it’s just amazing on vegetables, scrambled eggs or melted and drizzled over popcorn!

Massaman Curry

Posted on October 23, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

I’ve had a bit of a love for Penang curry lately, but tonight Massaman won the battle. In no way is this totally authentic, since I wasn’t planning to put either carrots or potatoes in and those are both always found in Massaman curry. Served with Sticky Thai chicken wings and jasmine rice this made a fantastic dinner, quick and easy but oh so tasty.

Tonight this was a vegetarian dish with cauliflower, broccoli and bok choy but you could easily add a protein if you like. In Thai lessons we learned to add thinly sliced meat and then NOT stir it until it is cooked through.

Thai chicken curries are so simple to make, and come together very quickly.

Get everything ready first and when its time to cook it will happen before you know it!

1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped (in Thailand, every cooking class I took had us cutting 1/2 an onion into 6 pieces)
1 large garlic clove, sliced
1 tbsp each minced ginger and lemongrass
2 tbsp Massaman curry paste
1 can coconut milk (don’t use the lite version)
3-4 cups assorted vegetables, in bite size pieces

Mix together and set aside: 2 tbsp each fresh lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar

Heat peanut oil in saucepan until shimmering and add onion pieces, stir until slightly softened and add garlic, ginger, lemongrass and curry paste. Saute to bring out the flavours in the curry and aromatics. Add coconut milk and stir well. Add vegetables and cook just until crisp tender. Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar.

Thai food should have a great balance of sweet, spicy, salty & tangy. If this doesn’t yet, keep making adjustments until it does!

Korean Bibimbap

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

Quick disclaimer here …. this is unapologetically inauthentic! At Fat Boy Moves in Mexico City we ate Bibimbap a couple of times and this is my version of trying to replicate that in my own kitchen, minus of course the stone bowl to serve it in….

What’s missing you say? Any authentic Bibimbap will have a soft egg on top!

In terms of recipes, this is more of a guideline. I’m sure you can find lots of real, true Korean Bibimbap recipes out there, but for my own preferences, in my kitchen, this was pretty delicious. I think it is key to have either a cast iron frying pan or a stainless steel pan to get the rice nice and crusty.

First, make a sauce:

1/4 cup soya sauce
2 tbsp roasted sesame oil
1 tbsp chile garlic sauce
1 tbsp gojuchang

Taste the sauce, I can’t say that enough, make sure it is delicious …. each of those components will be slightly different by brand so hit a balance you like.

Second, make pickled cucumbers:

cut about a 4 inch piece of cucumber in half, lengthwise
scoops out seeds and slice very thinly

Put cucumbers in a bowl, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp each of salt and sugar. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp rice vinegar and mix well. Set aside.

To assemble you will need:

cooked rice
protein (if you like, easy to just make it vegetarian also)
stir fried veg
pickled cucumbers
sesame seeds
cilantro
slivered chives

Thinly sliver nori sheet and toast until crispy

If you are using a protein, cover your steak, chicken or prawns with a light bit of gojuchang and allow to marinade for an hour. Grill, and once rested, slice into bite size pieces.

Prepare the vegetables you are going to use, today I used coloured sweet peppers, onions, snow peas, bok choy and cabbage.

Heat fry pan until very hot, add neutral oil and sauce some ginger and garlic. Add in vegetables and stir fry just until tender. Set aside.

Reheat the pan, barely cover the bottom with sesame oil and then cover the bottom with the rice. Allow to sit undisturbed until the rice is heated through and the bottom develops a nice golden brown crust.

Centre your cooked vegetables on the rice, scatter the protein around the edge and garnish with the pickled cucumber, toasted nori and sesame seeds. Drizzle over the prepared sauce and enjoy!

Almost Shake Shack sauce!

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Chatty Kathy

Almost famous all right …. Make your own Shake Shack sauce.

This creamy sauce will take your home made burger right to the level of that famous burger at Shake Shack.

In order to replicate the burger all the way – make sure you use good beef, 1/4 pound of it per burger, and cook it on a flat surface … without greasing the pan! That creates the crisp exterior.

Use soft potato buns, lightly butter and grill or toast.

Lettuce, tomato, pickles and this amazing sauce will complete the deal. And you may never buy another burger!

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 slices kosher dill pickle
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper

Maybe not the best presentation photo, but this creamy, slighty tangy sauce takes your burger to lip smacking, napkin required level.

Cornbread Muffins

Posted on September 30, 2017 by Chatty Kathy

I’ve tried a few corn muffins or corn bread, but so often they turn out a little dry or too grainy. These were absolutely perfect, so moist and delicious with the taste of the corn. I found the recipe on “Once Upon a Chef” and for the first time, didn’t tweak a thing!

Light and fluffy, moist and delicious – what more could you want from a cornbread muffin?

Ingredients

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup milk (preferably whole but low-fat works too)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°Fdegrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. (I prefer to use non-stick cooking spray so the muffins get nice and crisp on the edges.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
In a separate bowl, break up the eggs with a whisk. Whisk in the honey and then the milk. Add the milk mixture and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Stir until just blended. Do not overmix; it’s okay if there are a few lumps. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup almost full. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are set and golden. Cool the muffins for a few minutes in the pan, then serve warm.

I served these with a slightly spicy chipotle beef stew, so I didn’t want any extra spice here, but next time I might try mixing in a little jalapeño and gouda cheese …… yum.

Beef Short Ribs in Cinnamon Red Wine Curry

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Chatty Kathy

Be prepared for the whole house to smell amazing for a couple of days after you prepare this specialty. I particularly love it in the fall or winter when it also seems to help warm the house….

Don’t be alarmed by what may look like a lengthy list of ingredients, most are items in the pantry anyway, and if not – try out something new and find more ways to use it.

Topped with fresh, fragrant cilantro this rich curry will make you feel like a super star.

2 tbsp ghee (or butter (ghee is clarified butter)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 large onions, finely diced (you should get about 2 cups)
10 cloves garlic (yes, really)
1 cup pureed fresh tomatoes (in the winter feel free to use canned)
1 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tbsp mexican chili powder
1 whole piece cinnamon bark (about 3″ long)
5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup red wine (make sure to use one you would be happy to drink!)
2 1/2 pounds beef short ribs

Use a large pot for this, with a heavy bottom.

Melt ghee or butter on medium heat. Once melted add oil and cumin seeds. Let seeds sizzle for about 30 seconds, then add onions. (Your house smells amazing already, doesn’t it?)

Take your time with the onions – part of the rich flavour in this dish is from allowing the onions to get nice and browned, slowly. Once they are a rich gold colour add the garlic and sauté until the garlic is a golden brown also. The longer the onions spend slowly getting dark the more rich flavour the curry will have.

Take your time and allow these onions to deepen in colour and caramelize enough to bring out their sweetness.

Reduce the heat to low and add tomatoes, fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, chili and cinnamon bark. Stir well and slowly increase heat to medium. Allow to cook until the ghee starts to separate from the tomato mixture (you will notice pockets of clear liquid on top).

While your onions are happily cooking, organize the rest of the ingredients so that you are ready to add them all at once – makes everything so much easier.

Stir in red wine and chicken stock – bring to a boil. Allow to cook, stirring enough so that it doesn’t stick, until once again the ghee separates from the mixture.

Add short ribs, stir, cover and allow to simmer for about 4 hours.

NOTE – the cinnamon is meant to be subtle in this recipe … just a hint of it. While it is cooking, if you notice a strong cinnamon scent, remove it from curry, it has done the job.

At this point, I have also put the curry into the oven and just forgot about it for that time, while the house simply became more inviting …

Professional chefs and equipment probably get this ready for the simmer in 20-30 minutes, but it always takes me an hour to develop that colour in the onions and complete the prep stage.

Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve with basmati rice. A perfect dish to accompany this? My roasted tandoori cauliflower with mint & cilantro sauce.

For an impressive presentation, roast the cauliflower whole with the cilantro & mint sauce to serve. If you want the cauliflower to roast quicker, and really just want to get it on the table, simply cut cauliflower into florets and roast. Florets may take about 20-30 minutes to roast depending on the size. Only cook them long enough to be fork tender.

This curry is beyond delicious. If you want to make it a vegetarian dish it is easy enough to do – use all vegetable oil to sauté the onions and replace chicken stock with vegetable stock. When it comes time to nestle the short ribs into the stock just substitute ribs with any of your favourite vegetables. If you are using root vegetables that take a long time to cook go ahead and put them into the curry early. If using vegetables that take less time, put them in the curry closer to the end of the cooking time.

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Category Archives: beef

Moist and tender meatballs

Perfect Medium Rare Steak

Veal Scallopini

Ingredients

Instructions

Cafe de Paris Beurre

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Massaman Curry

Korean Bibimbap

Almost Shake Shack sauce!

Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients

Instructions

Beef Short Ribs in Cinnamon Red Wine Curry