Category Archives: Beef and Pork

Mustard Crusted Prime Rib with Roasted Onions

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I love a good prime rib roast – such a treat.  Mustard and beef are perfect together, add a little horseradish in there and the house will smell amazing.

Sunday dinner treat - the house smells amazing!

Sunday dinner treat – the house smells amazing!

 

For about a 5 pound prime rib roast:

2 generous heaped tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 generous heaped tablespoon horseradish

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 tbsp. mustard seeds (lightly toasted first – and cracked)

finely minced parsley

blend all this together with 1 tbsp. good quality olive oil

Season prime rib with salt and pepper, then rub the mustard all over the surfaces of the rib.  Allow to rest on the counter to bring the roast to room temperature before roasting.

 

Quarter 4 medium size onions, and scatter around the roast – drizzle with olive oil and any of the remaining mustard mixture.

Gently massaged with mustard horseradish rub and ready for the oven.

Gently massaged with mustard horseradish rub and ready for the oven.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place roast in oven and roast for 20 minutes – then turn oven down to 350 and continue roasting – anywhere from 1-2 1/2 more hours depending on the size of your prime rib (you can also use this method with any other good quality cut of beef that does not require low slow roasting). Right about the same time the onions should be tender, sweet and so delicious.

Please make sure to use your meat thermometer – there is no point in overcooking a beautiful cut of beef!  (for medium rare it should take about 20-25 min per pound)

Backstrap Venison ….. Thai style!

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We had the good fortune to have backstrap venison grilled at our good friend Rob and Mandy’s ….Rob being the hunter … and further good fortune as they sent us home with the leftover, rare grilled venison.  It was amazing the first time, and just as fabulous as a “leftover”  … repurposed as a Thai style salad.

The instructions for this are VERY loose.  It involved what I call creative cooking, or clean out the fridge.
Thai Style Backstrap Venison

Pan roast some peanuts, and if you are fortunate enough to have a mortar and pestle, grind them up a bit with about 1 tsp chili flakes (obviously to your taste).  Add tamarind, palm sugar (2 tsp?) freshly squeezed lime juice, light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, roasted sesame seeds and even a bit of peanut oil.  A little of this, a little of that.  Keep doing that until your taste buds sing and you can hardly wait to dress your salad.

Thinly slice red onion, and pour boiling water over.  10 seconds later, yes, TEN SECONDS, pour the water off – add a bit of kosher salt, a few chili flakes, and cover with freshly squeezed lime juice …. (if you run short top it up with regular vinegar)

Cook up a few ramen noodles, or rice noodles, or whatever you have on hand.

Lay the cooled noodles over a serving platter, and build your salad on top of that with whatever strikes your fancy. (and is in your fridge)   Add some thinly slivered protein – i.e. the venison, or you could use cooked chicken, steak, and prawns.  Again – totally up to you!  (and if you are looking for a vegetarian option – do some tofu!)

Top with the quick pickled red onion, some of your roasted peanuts, sesame seeds – and although I didn’t have any today – I would have loved some bean sprouts and fresh cilantro over it all …..

Sweet Basil Pesto

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I think one of my favorite herbs is basil – always makes me think of summer and freshness – drinking Holy Basil Tea right now in fact!!

Basil Pesto

3 cloves garlic

4 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/3 cup finely grated best quality parmesan cheese

2 tbsp lemon juice

2/3 cup olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

drop garlic cloves into food processor while it is running, continuing with basil, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice and salt.  Pulse after it is finely chopped, and with motor still running slowly add oil – scrape down the side of the bowl a few times. Do another couple pulses just to make sure it is all finely blended.

This keeps easily in the fridge for up to a week, and will store well in freezer also.  Either freeze in small containers, or in ice cube trays.  Once they have frozen in the trays, pop them out and store in a ziplock bag.

This makes an amazing pasta dish – toss it with freshly cooked pasta, adding either a bit of the pasta cooking water or heavy cream, whichever is your preference that night!  

Other suggestions:

Pizza topping, with prawns and carmelized red onions – sprinkle with fresh spinach

Blend with butter and spread on french bread for an alternative to garlic bread

Top a grilled steak with a tbsp of pesto

blend 1 tbsp with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar & 5 tbsp olive oil for a salad dressing

SUSHI – (deconstructed and in a bowl!)

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deconstructed sushi 2

On a hot night like this it is hard to think of cooking, or even standing over a grill ….. in fact standing and rolling cold items like sushi seemed a bit of a stretch …. this was just perfect – so cold and refreshing and really hit the spot.  Give it a try with any of your favorite sushi ingredients.  Great for a family too – serve it the way I did – on a large platter and let each person make their own bowl up as they go.

SUSHI SAUCE

zest 1 lemon and 1 orange, and reserve

juice of each: 1 lemon, 1 orange

1 tbsp. brown sugar

On medium heat cook on a gentle boil for 2 minutes, stir in:

3 tbsp. soy sauce

3 tbsp. rice vinegar

Heat again on a gentle boil for about 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Taste!!!!  I can’t say this enough …. you need to make sure the flavours are balanced, playing with each of the simple ingredients above.  If you think it can stand a bit more citrus, add in the zest.  If you like your sushi spicy, add in either wasabi paste or a minced chili pepper.

Toast nori sheets lightly, just until crispy.  Slice in thin strips, and again dice if you like small pieces or leave it in strips. 

Cook some sushi rice according to directions on rice

Finely slice whatever ingredients you like in your sushi

For us today this included:

imitation crab meat

shrimp

cucumber

carrot

avocado

cabbage

green onions

toasted sesame seeds

But really – use whatever you like!  Put a little rice in the bottom of your bowl, assemble a few of each of the ingredients and lightly drizzle with the sushi sauce – have fun – you will love it!

Greek Style Pork Baby Back Ribs

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Greek style ribs in Phoenix

Every so often I crave a simple rib without barbecue sauce ….. yes it is true, ribs can be fabulous minus the barbecue sauce (even one as great as mine!)  Try these, very easy to do and fall off the bone tender.  Serve with a greek salad, some grilled vegetables and garlic toast – pretty darn yummy.

2 racks baby back ribs (membrane removed from back)

olive oil

juice and zest of 1 lemon

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

basil

rosemary

oregano

dry mustard powder

dry garlic powder

Combine all the dry ingredients, mixing well.  In season I like to use fresh herbs, but in the winter when we just can’t get them I use either dried or frozen herbs.

Give the ribs a nice little massage with the olive oil – drizzle lemon over top.  Now generously sprinkle herbs with seasoning and the lemon zest, and give it another little rub to make sure all these seasonings are covering every surface.

Cover tightly and allow to marinate.  A couple of hours will do the trick, but I really prefer to do this the night before so the flavours go right through and the lemon has a bit of time to make those ribs even more tender. 

I find it easiest to do this right on a foil covered baking sheet, with the ribs covered in another sheet of foil – that way you can just put the whole thing in the oven without any further fuss.

Bake in a slow oven – about 300 degrees for 2 1/2 – 3 hours – until they are tender but not off the bone.  Finish on the grill just to crisp up the edges – drizzle lemon over top and serve!

Pork Tenderloin with Cumin Chile Marinade

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P1110015

This is MOST excellent served with Sesame Peanut Noodles and Spicy Cilantro Salad.  That trio will make a meal complete.  Maybe a few steps, but WELL worth it! Our house is filled with tree planters right now, and I had to fight to get a few leftovers for lunch!

2 tbsp cumin seeds

4 scallions – 3 roughly chopped, 1 thinly sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped  (remove seeds if you prefer mild flavor…)

1 2 in piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp oil, plus more for grilling

1 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tsp soy salt (plus 1/4 cup soy sauce for dip)

1 tsp chinese 5 spice powder

 kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

2 pork tenderloins

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

If you want to do these on skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling.

To serve family style, simply slice pork tenderloin lengthwise, then in half – ending up with 4 pieces per tenderloin.

Toast cumin seeds untily lightly browned – set aside.

Combine scallions, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, 1 tbsp oil, brown sugar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 5 spice powder, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in food processor or blender.  Pulse until a smooth paste forms.  Add cumin seeds and pulse lightly until seeds are cracked.

Lightly season pork with salt and pepper.  Rub well with about 3/4 of the paste.

Cover with plastic wrap, or do this in a ziplock bag and seal in fridge for at least an hour.

Sauce:  Combine 1 tsp of cumin paste with 1/4 cup soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and 1 tbsp water. Set aside to drizzle after meat is cooked and to serve at table. Stir in sliced scallion and set aside.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Add 1 tbsp cumin paste to 2 tbsp oil and set aside to brush on while grilling.

Grill pork and brush with oil/cumin paste. 

Serve with sauce on the side, drizzling some of it lightly over the meat just before serving.

 

Yummy Greek Burgers

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Sorry, no photo yet – I was in such a hurry to eat these I didn’t take a picture first …. soon I promise as I will be making them again quickly!

 

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound mild Italian sausage meat

½ a medium size onion, grated fine (about ½ cup)

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp freshly chopped basil (if it is out of season use dry)

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes

1 tsp kosher salt

 

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

 

Gently mix together and allow to rest until firm.  Lightly oil and grill.

Serve with flatbread buns, tsatsiki aioli, grilled tomato slices and crunchy lettuce.

Thai Style Grilled Pork

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Tonight I felt like a Thai inspired meal – which started with Vegetarian Penang Curry – I wanted a protein to grill that would complement the sauce and flavour of the curry.  This was perfect – my only disappointment was that as it was ready – the skies opened up with crazy rain, hail, thunder and lightning.  Nope, no grilling going on here.  So – it was grill pan.  Second best always, but it turned out quite delicious!
Thai Style Grilled Pork

DIPPING SAUCE

1/3 cup white sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper, freshly ground

Blend well and set aside for serving.

PORK

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp low salt soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp freshly ground ginger

1 tsp chili flakes

1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely minced

1 pound pork steak, or tenderloin

(be flexible with the pork – tonight’s was pork steak on a grill pan – but this would be great threaded on to skewers)

I let this marinate for an hour before grilling, but up to 24 hours would be even better.

This is easiest if you mix the marinade in a ziplock bag or tightly closed container, add the pork and allow to marinate until ready to cook.

Grill pork, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and green onions – serve with dipping sauce.

The meat is great all by itself, but served with the dipping sauce it is over the top yummy.  

We served it tonight with Penang Curry and Jasmine rice.

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Barbacoa (Mexican Beef Tacos)

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If you love beef tacos, don’t look any further than this recipe.  We have enjoyed more than our fair share of Mexican street tacos, and these fit right in there.

6-8 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp mexican chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce

1 tbsp mexican oregano

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock

Blend all ingredients together in food processor – be sure to taste it and adjust seasonings.  You really want it tangy and full of taste – if you are cooking this the next day put roast in a ziplock bag with the adobo sauce and marinate overnight.

Taste the sauce before putting it over the beef – if necessary you may have to adjust a bit – keep tasting for balance of flavour!

3 pound bone in chuck roast – MAKE SURE YOU USE A CUT WITH SOME FAT RUNNING THROUGH IT – a leaner cut of beef won’t give the same result!

Put roast in the bottom of a slow cooker, and then pour adobo sauce over.  Add enough water to come half way up the roast.  Put lid on and cook on slow for 6 hours.

Remove liquid from cooker and reduce in saucepan until sauce has thickened and is deliciously rich.  Shred beef with two forks.  When liquid has reduced by about half, return liquid to meat.

Serve with fresh tortillas, cole slaw, pickled red onions, and slices of avocado.  You will think you are on the streets of Mexico City!

Sundried Tomato and Almond Pesto

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Such a great taste, easy to have on hand and in the freezer.  You can use this in a variety of ways – toss with pasta, use it for a burger topping – blend it with mayonnaise for a quick dip – spread on baguette – blend with cream cheese to serve with crackers – top grilled meat … really, so amazing to eat in so many ways.  Have fun trying, and let me know if you come up with more creative ways to get that taste of sun drenched tomatoes!

Don’t you just want to taste this?

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted until golden

4 cloves garlic

2 cups dry pack sun dried tomatoes (soak in very hot water for a few moments, then drain)

1 tsp salt                                          

1/2 tsp pepper

2/3 cup olive oil

This is easiest if you use a food processor, but possible in a mortar and pestle … just be prepared to work hard!

In food processor, pulse roasted almonds and garlic until a coarse grind.  Add tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Pulse until a smooth paste.  With the motor running add the oil in a slow, but steady stream.  Finish with any leftover tomato water from soaking them.

This can be used within a few days in the fridge, or frozen in smaller containers to use all year long.

If you can’t get the dry pack sundried tomatoes, just use the oil packed ones but drain well.