Ropa Vieja Braised Beef

Ropa Vieja or Braised Beef

2 lbs of Brisket
1/4 cup of Soy Sauce
5 Garlic cloves mashed
2 Limes juiced
2 Tbs Sazon
3 Bay leaves
1 Tbs Cumin
2 Tbs Oregano
1 Tbs Adobo
1/2 Tbs Black Pepper
4 Tbs Olive Oil or Grape Seed Oil
Water - cover meat

Sauce
1 White Onion
1 Green pepper
1 Red Pepper
3 Tbs tomato paste
1/2 Cup tomato sauce
1/4 Cilantro
15 Spanish Olives, halved
3 Tbs Red wine
1/2 Tsp Red wine vinegar
1 Tsp Brown Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut brisket into large chunks and mash garlic with a pinch of salt to release juice. Set aside. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, season brisket with mashed garlic, oregano, cumin, sazon, salt, pepper, sour oranges, and soy sauce. Mix everything until it’s well combined and marinate for at least two hour or overnight in the fridge. 
3. Heat dutch oven and add oil when hot. Brown brisket in batches until all sides have browned. This will help both seal in and build flavor.
4. Once you’ve browned all of the brisket, add them back into the pot along with about 4 cups of water. You want to add enough water so that the meat is covered completely. After you add the water, be sure to stir with a wooden spoon or spatula. Scrape any bits that may be stuck at the bottom of the pot as this is full of flavor. Afterwards, add 1-2 bay leaves. 
5. Cook for one hour and check for tenderness. At this point, you will have to find your preferred texture, size, etc. Do NOT discard liquid. Set aside. 
6. I prefer to chop the brisket at this point. Some will prefer to shred. So you can figure out which way you like best. Set aside in a bowl.
7. Going back to the Instant Pot, set on saute mode again. Once broth begins to simmer, add tomato sauce and tomato paste, dry white wine, brown sugar, and cilantro. Stir until well combined. After about 5 minutes, add shredded brisket and mix. Adjust seasoning as needed. 
8. Once sauce and brisket have begun to simmer and seasonings are to your liking, add sliced onions, peppers, garlic, olives and red wine vinegar. Stir and remove from heat. Let Ropa Vieja sit for a few minutes before serving. Note that this dish will taste better the longer it sits as flavors will deepen. 

Collard Green Beef Pot

Collard Green Beef Pot

1 pound of chuck

4 teaspoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of Kosher salt

2 teaspoons of black pepper

2 small onions quartered 

2 celery ribs 1" diaganol cuts

2 large carrots 1/2" diagonal cuts

3 red potatoes 1/2" cubed

1 pound of Collard greens

1 bulb of garlic

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

1 quarter cup of Sofrito (I added a 1/4 cup of tomato sauce too)

32 ounces of beef stock

1 cup of red wine

Directions

30 minutes prep 2 hour cook

Brown beef in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add onions and cook for 2 minutes (add the garlic the last minute) then add the red wine, Sofrito and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring to a boil then add the beef stock and Collard greens.  Season to taste with the salt and pepper.  Add the oregano a bay leaf and cook on medium low for 30 minutes.  Add the potatoes and cook till tender.  

Remove and service with rice and cornbread.

Collard Green Beef Pot is a hearty meal and great for leftovers, ie LUNCH!
This recipe fits my Rustic style perfectly.  I don't care for fussy meal prep

and Collard Green Beef Pot, is EVERYTHING but not THAT.

"I want to grow my passion 

for life and share it with 
the WORLD"                 

This recipe evolved over many years and reflects my desire to change the 

RATIOS.

I took the traditional beef stew and added more vegetables and cut the meat back.  

"Good food and friends

is always the best".

Adrian joined us for lunch and enjoyed the meal.  He is finicky and I was surprised by

his acceptance of the lunch offer.  His words, "it's really good".

That was a great compliment.  Thank you,Adrian.

"Creating meals that people

enjoy is special".

Five Pepper Chili

#GudBelly

Five Pepper Chili
30 minutes prep 2 hours cook 2 1/2 hours total

Ingredients

2 pounds of chuck
1 New Mexico Chili
1 Poplano diced
1 Serrano diced
1 Jalapeno diced
1 Habanero diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspon ground oregano
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 12 oz can/bottle of dark beer
1 cup of chicken stock
1 Bay leaf
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained rinsed
1 15 ounce can of red beans, drained rinsed
1 chopped onion Lime wedges, for serving

In a large heavy pot, cook beef in olive oil until brown. Add the peppers, onion, cumin, oregano and cumin.  Cook until tender then add the garlic, beer and white/pepper. Bring to a boil and add beans and tomato sauce.

Add chicken stock and bay bring to boil.  Reduce heat and cover until beef is tender.

You can serve this with white rice, cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole and cornbread.

TC Roasted Chicken

Roasted Chicken is a classic dish that has been made and remade for hundreds of years.  Like most dishes, I wanted to make this one mine as best I could.  For my cooking uniqueness, I choose a Terra Cotta Roaster, a brine, and herbs.

Brine Time

One of the simplest techniques for making a moist Roasted Chicken is a brine.  A brine is essentially, sugar, salt, herbs and water.  

4-6 lb chicken

1/4 cup of salt, a 

1/4 cup of sugar 

4 cups of water 

2 cups of ice cubes

Ideally, soaking the chicken completely immersed in the brine for 12 hours would be great.  Don't underestimate to power of 60 minutes.  Something is better than nothing. 

Aromatics 

These are the secret flavors in soups, stews, etc…  They are a mix of vegetables, spices and herbs cooked in an oil or fat.

       

Terra Cotta

For years, I remember my mother used Terra Cotta pots for her plants.  Then I saw a recipe on the Food Network where the chef used a Terra Cotta pot for the cooking platform.  The chef extolled the amazing texture and juiciness of the finished product.  

Saturday's have turned into scavenger hunts at the Salvation Army.  I don't like to buy a lot of stuff but I can appreciate a deal.  Often times, there are amazing deals.  The Salvation Army is also a good place to find books.  

Recently, I found a Terra Cotta Roaster for $3.99.  In the day and age of Google, I was able to find the exact same roaster for $100 at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Terra Cotta Roaster Tips

Soak in water prior to cooking for 15-30 minutes

Start with a cold oven

Do not use soap (chemicals) when cleaning.  

The chicken cooks in its own juices.  The mirepoix allows the chicken to be raised and cooked on all sides.  This will create a crispy skin.  

Day 1: Roasted Chicken Breast with Greens, and Macaroni and Cheese.

Day 2: Pan Seared Chicken Breast in Herb Butter.  Presentation is key.  Psychophysics is a branch of Psychology that quantitatively examines the relationship between physical stimuli and their perceptual effects.  What your food looks like, smells like, tastes like and sound like do affect the way your guest receive your dishes.

Day 3: Short Ribs, Rice and Peas with TC Roasted Chicken.  The breast was reheated in a sauce pan with 1 tablespoon of clarified butter.  I ladled the butter over the breast to crisp the skin.  Crispy chicken skin is essential in my book.  

Leftover can get old but the variations above kept each meal fresh.  It helps that it all started with an amazing TC Roasted Chicken.

Carnitas

Last weekend I experimented with short ribs and corn tortillas.  There were plenty of corn tortillas leftover and I decided to try another recipe.

One of my favorite Taquerias in Detroit is Hot Taco (2233 Park Ave. behind the Fox).  Taqueria translated means, "place that makes tacos".  I would drive downtown at 1:00 a.m. just to get a one.

I'm not anti-pork but it's not my first, second or third choice for a protein.  Today, I'm making an exception.  The primary reason I'm venturing into the swine is the technique I will will be using.  Braising involves using both moisture and heat to cook food.  This technique works really well for tough meats.

1592 is in my playlist and I'm ready to roll out.  Let's go.

Hot Taco is funny to me.  The meat looks pre-cooked but wait times can be long.  I like the food therefore I gladly wait.  The pork taco is basically a carnita.  Carnita means, "little meat" braised then fried.  My local butcher selected a three pound boston butt which cost about $7.50.  I've already prepared 2 meals and have 95% left.  This is a great way to stretch your money.

The fun part is prepping the meat.  I don't know why but this part makes me feel like a chef.  The artistry of the food prepping process can be deterring to the uninitiated.  Cut the pork butt into cubes and remove the fat. Season with salt and pepper.  Heat a caste iron skillet over medium high.  Add three tablespoons of Grapeseed oil and sear meat on all sides.  

Searing the meat prior to braising enhances the flavor through the Maillard reaction.  Basically, it's a chemical reaction between and amino acid and reducing sugar when heat is applied.  This is the backbone of the food industry's flavoring strategy.  Don't skip the searing step to save time.  Take the time.

Dice one cup of red, yellow, orange, and green peppers.  I bought a package of mixed peppers and a bell pepper.  I like spicy so I threw a jalapeño in the mix.  Dice one cup of onion.  Braising the vegetables will break them down and blend into the meat.  It will be so good.

Sweet potatoes are a superfood but did you know they are good for Jenga pieces?  When I say cooking is fun, I mean it.  In addition to the nutritional value of the Sweet potato there are flavor and texture benefits as well.  This was my attempt at doing something unique and make the recipe mine, so you can do whatever you like.

Add all the ingredients back into the cast iron skillet and add the liquid.  One of the elements of a braising liquid is an acid.  I used Goya white wine ($2.49) and chicken stock.  The liquid should cover 2/3rds of the meat.  I seasoned with Mexican oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and a smidgen of ghost pepper chili.  In retrospect I should have added smoked paprika.  By the time the cookbook comes out this recipe will be on point.

I brought the mixture to boil then reduced to a medium low heat.  After giving the mixture a good stir, I put the lid on and let the magic happen.  I regularly stirred the meat to make sure it didn't burn on the bottom.  The total cook time was two hours.  I knew it was done when the meat begin to easily break down.  

Based on the amount of liquid still in the skillet, I turned the heat up and sautéed the mixture until it begin to look dry (not too dry).  Remove from heat and set aside.  

Here's where those corn tortillas from last week will come in handy.  I fried two tortillas in Grapeseed oil. They're done when they bubble. I wanted them soft enough to wrap.  Now I'm ready to eat.  I topped my Carnitas with cheese, diced tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream and lime.

There will be a lot of Carnitas leftover that you can freeze in portions.  One of my favorite next day meals is the Huevos Rancheros.  It uses all the same basic ingredients.  This is another great way to save money.   By clustering your recipes ingredients you can create diversity and keep cost down. 

Fall Boost

Fall is here and the trees are beginning to turn. This time of year reminds me if walking across a college campus. While I attended many schools, the feel of the campus in the Fall was always welcomed. This good feeling lets us know that college football is in full swing.  You may yell "go Pokes", "Roll Tide", or "Go Blue", doesn't matter just pass me another wing. 

As the good times give way to the inevitable sniffling season time of year,, this is a good time to double up. Apples are a good source for Vitamin C. VC will boost a persons resistance to infectious agents according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.  

An apple a day really will keep that doctor A--WAY!

Ingredients 

1 large Granny Smith Apple

2 tablespoons of Honey

5 tablespoons of Peanut Butter

Enjoy this healthy power snack. Eat the best!

K. Cook 

P. G. Chicken Pot

This dish was inspired by my friend Elvira D.  One thing about her is everyone knows she loves to dance.  Her energy is that of at 19 year old.  I will say that she is living life and found her lane.  We connected because she is a foodie and a Kappa Sweet heart (another story).  We both attended Oklahoma State University but crossed paths maybe once or never, it's been that long.  Go Pokes!

I was able to purchase my ingredients from a grocery store in Brooklyn, NY.  Three Guys from Brooklyn has to be a good market.  If now I know where to find them.  I felt like a real native as I walked up the sidewalk towards the entrance.

Single pot dishes are great for the home chef that doesn't want to do a much pampering while cooking and doesn't like to be precise.  The ingredients for this dish are really simple and easy to find.  I really like to make it on date night because the cooking level and or interest of your date doesn't matter.  You can still get them involved in cutting something.  I find that most people like to cut stuff.  Just don't let them cut themselves.  Bloody food is not better.

To kick this dish off, you will need 1 cup of Red Cabbage sliced, 1/2 cup of julienned Carrots, 1/2 cup of Broccoli, 1 medium Onion sliced, 1 cup of quartered Button Mushrooms, 1/2 cup of chopped Kale, 1 diced Jalapeno and a 12 ounce can of Goya Black Beans (rinsed and drained).

Pre-heat a large cast iron pan of med high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to a pan.  Then add all the ingredients above and toss with a wooden spoon.  If I were making this dish, I would sautee my onions first then add the remaining ingredients.  This will allow the onions to caramelize.  Honestly, the layperson

At this point you can add 1 tablespoon of your favorite salt.  I'm using a Kosher Salt at the moment.  When I get a few extra dollars, I might try a more exotic salt.  Crack black pepper to taste and a quick stir will be enough to season this dish.  I don't like a lot of salt therefore you might want to add more or less.

You can used leftover grilled chicken for this dish.  If you don't have any, here is a quick recipe. Season two large chicken breast with salt and pepper.  Slicing the breast in half length wise will yield more meat for the final dish.  Also, this will shorten the cooking time.  Pre-heat a pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of Butter.  Sauté the chicken on each side of three minutes.  The won't be totally done.  This will allow for more cooking later and prevent drying the meat out, yuck.

Add the chicken to the pot with the veggies and beans.  Add 1 cup of chicken stock and cover for 15 minutes thus reducing the liquid.  Plate and garnish with cilantro and enjoy.