Justin & Meredith Winokur's Kitchen Cooking Notebook
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posts/2013/11
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English Muffin Pizzas -- back to top
Meredith and I were starving and wanted something fast. I defrosted wholewheat english muffins in the microwave and opened a can of pizza sauce. I also had pepperoni in the fridge. We made simple english muffin pizzas using the toaster oven on bake
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6846, 2013-11-02_091500
Corned Beef Hash, Fried Eggs, and Roasted Asparagus -- back to top
I made corned beef hash using the basic idea of last time. I didn't really measure the ingredients but I added some ketchup and sriracha while cooking it. I microwaved the potatoes for 5 minutes and then added them to the onions and (3 small) poblano peppers being sautéd. Towards the last 10 minutes I added about 1/2 pound of corned beef cubes (asked for two 1/4 in. slices). After adding seasonings and then ketchup and sriracha, I pressed into the pan to let it crisp.
I also fried 4 eggs (two meals worth) to top on them. Finally, I roasted asparagus in the oven at 425 for 15 minutes. I think next time I do asparagus in the oven, I will cut it into smaller pieces first since it is so hard to cut once cooked.
Anyway, the hash was extremely flavorful. Lots of heat from the poblanos (and maybe Sriracha) but an incredible amount of flavor. Maybe a bit too much salt but not by much.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6849, 2013-11-04_091613
Rutabagas Bravas -- back to top
So this really should be called "nabo sueco bravas" since "nabo sueco" is spanish for rutabaga. Anyway, I made the patatas bravas sauce inspired by what we have done in the past. I used a 14oz can of tomatoes and I just added the spices to taste. I also added some sriracha. I lightly used the immersion blender on the tomatoes in the can. I roasted the rutabaga for about 45 minutes at 425°F.
The dish was very good. Maybe a bit too spicy but still, lots of flavor from the onion and the paprika. Rutabaga is slightly sweeter and less starchy than potato but it wasn't too noticeable
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6858, 2013-11-05_221902
Broccoli Fritters (Two different ways) -- back to top
I had about 2.5 lbs of broccoli I was going to use for something else but I didn't have the time. So, I decided to make broccoli fritters. But, since I had so much broccoli, I decided to experiment. The idea was to make half using a method similar to the cauliflower fritters. I actually found a Smitten Kitchen Post(they also did the cauliflower ones) and I used that for inspiration.
The other idea was to finely chop broccoli and make it in the food processor. This idea was more a la falafel. I went as far as to also add half an onion for extra flavor.
Anyway, my recipe and procedures are below. I really had to bake them for a long time. It took 40 minutes on the one side for them to get brown and then 12 on the other. I wonder if the silpat made them brown less. Next time, I'll go back to non-stick aluminum foil or parchment.
The mashed version was better. The flavors were more what I liked which is probably from the broccoli being more cooked. And, maybe the onion was a bit too overpowering in the food-processor one. In both photos, the ones on the left are food processor and the ones on the right are mashed.
Broccoli Fritters 1 (Food Processor)
Combine in food processor
Pulse to chop and combine. You may need to use a spatula to help mix.
Form into patties on pammed tray with something to prevent sticking (silpat, non-stick aluminum foil, parchment). Pam other side of patties.
Bake at 425 for 35-45 minutes or until bottom is browned. Flip to cook other side (about 10-15 min)
Broccoli Fritters 2 (Mashed)
Chop broccoli and steam until tender (about 5-8 minutes). Drain and let cool slightly and mash with a potato masher.
Add the rest of the ingredients and combine. Adjust flour to desired consistency.
Form into patties on pammed tray with something to prevent sticking (silpat, non-stick aluminum foil, parchment). Pam other side of patties.
Bake at 425 for 35-45 minutes or until bottom is browned. Flip to cook other side (about 10-15 min)
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6862, 2013-11-06_221958
I made Pozole at Meredith's for lunch. I had bought most of the stuff but didn't get to make it so I brought it with me and made it there. I use the standard recipe but I again broiled the tomatillos. I also sliced the poblanos (I did 3 small ones) and broiled them so that I didn't have to deal with flipping them or deal with the seeds.
I also used two jalapeños instead of serrano since it's what I had. I actually used the spinach which I think is the first time. Usually, I skip it.
The flavor was interesting. It had a good aroma and the initial bite was flavorful but then it fell kind of flat. Maybe it needed to cook down and concentrate more.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6867, 2013-11-08_120947
African Peanut Soup, Kale Salad and Pumping Croquettes -- back to top
This was a big and complicated meal. I will try to remember all of the different things. We made food for us and Meredith's room mate. We wanted to make something fancy but we didn't want seafood and we were avoiding dairy. We also had a pumpkin with no plans. So, we made the following: Baby Kale Salad with Pomegranate, African Peanut Soup and Pumpkin Croquettes.
The recipe it is based on is below. The salad was AMAZING. It was my favorite part of the meal. We used a "baby power green" mix that was baby kale, baby chard and baby spinach. It was well chopped. We used a full pomegranate's arils and finally, wild black rice. We also made the dressing. We sautéd the shallots with a lot of added minced garlic in a good bit of olive oil (and then went much lighter on it in the mixing it all). I used the immersion blender to emulsify everything and that worked really well. The dressing had a huge amount of flavor and the garlic was prominent (which was a good thing). We used about the amount of walnuts that it called for but it needed more. Finally, the feta cheese was served on the side.
The texture of the salad along with the pomegranate was perfect. Everything melded nicely and all of the flavors really came together. We will certainly do this again!
We did something likethis before and we followed the general idea but totally different seasonings. Since we were trying to avoid cheese, we went heavy with fresh herbs (sage, rosemary and thyme). We again used bacon (6 thick slices, about 2/5 lbs, half Maple and half Dry rubbed. Cooked in the oven) and used some bacon grease in place of the olive oil. We used about 1/2 cup chickpea flour instead of what it called for since we made extra pumpkin.
To soften the pumpkin, we deseeded it and sliced it into 8 slices. We microwaved them for about 20-25 minutes instead of roasting since we didn't want to take too long. The slices were the right size that between a fork to hold and a spoon to scrape, it was pretty easy to get the meat off. It was a pie pumpkin so it wasn't huge but did have a lot more flavor.
We mixed everything together and formed croquettes. We pressed them into Panko and baked them around 425 for 45 minutes, flipped them and baked for 10 more.
Meredith and her room mate thought they were good. I thought they were a bit too rich and maybe even a bit smokey. They browned nicely enough. I would do them again but I'd first look into alternative flavors than we used.
This recipe is one of Meredith's favorites and she did most of the construction. The soup was very good. You could really taste the different flavors meld. I got hints of carrot soup and tomato soup with a bit of a peanut flavor and a bit of spice.
Her recipe/instructions are as follows: Note that this is just a rough guide. It is pretty forgiving and you can adjust to taste
Sweat the onions with the jalapeno over low heat in a little olive oil until translucent. Add in the carrots and peppers and crank the heat up to medium. Stir in cumin, tumeric, cayenne and powdered ginger. Toss in peanuts and brown a little and add the fresh grated ginger and garlic. Stir until fragrant. Add the broth and tomato paste
Bring to a simmer
Ladle out a cup or so of the warmed broth and stir it into the peanut butter/combine until smooth and creamy, then transfer this back into the soup.Add apple cider vinegar
Use immersion blender to thicken the soup, but you want to keep a chunky texture
To serve:
Place chopped kale in bowls for serving and ladle the hot soup on top to wilt slightly.
scatter some roughly chopped peanuts over the top and serve with sriracha
Pomegranate, Kale and Wild Rice Salad with Walnuts and Feta (from Pinch of Yum)
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Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6870, 2013-11-09_121243
Brussel Sprout Hash Pizza plus sides -- back to top
We weren't sure what to make but we wanted to use up some extra stuff and we were at Trader Joes. We decided to buy potato skins and make a pizza to split.
The pizza is 8 oz of the Trader Joes Garlic and Herb crust. We made a brussel sprout hash with half a package (also from Trader Joes but we already had it) of shredded sprouts and some turkey bacon. We then added some white-wine garlic sauce from TJ's. We also spread the sauce on the pizza before we topped with the had. We finally topped it all with grated parm cheese. So overall, we each only had 4 oz of dough.
The pizza was pretty good. The crust added a lot to it but I don't think I like it independently of a pizza that can actually work with the strong flavors of it.
2013-11-22 Update:
I forgot to add that we also made the pure chocolate mousse as we had tried before. We followed the same basic idea but I think we stopped too soon. It was more like pudding than mousse. Oh well. It was still rich and decadent. I would do it again.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6877, 2013-11-10_170123
Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Sauce with Sausage and Pepperoni -- back to top
I made spaghetti squash with homemade sauce. As I have done many times in the pasts, I did the squash in the microwave by first halving it and scooping out the seeds, lightly oiling it, added salt+pepper, and microwaving for 10-15 min. This time, they squash was small so I did two of them with the intent to make 3 portions.
I made the sauce with just browned onions and a 28oz can of tomatoes. I_slightly_ drained the tomatoes but not much. I let it cook down and added seasonings including salt, pepper, garlic powder, Trader Joes 21 Seasoning Salute and finally some balsamic vinegar. I separate chopped Low Fat Garlic Chicken sausage and some pepperoni. I tossed them in a separate pan to let it all cook down (and the pepperoni fat to render out).
I scooped all of the squash into a bowl, added the sauce and meat, and tossed. I split it into one dinner and two lunch portions (one for the next day, one for the freezer).
The whole thing came out very good. Not as sweet as last time, but still good. I think the pepperoni flavor got a bit lost. I should either use more or skip it next time. The garlic sausage was nice. I liked the flavor and it complimented well
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6885, 2013-11-12_115214
This was a pretty simple side dish. I just took mushrooms, washed them and then I steamed/boiled them in a mixture of white wine and extra dry sherry. I added salt, pepper and some seasonings.
Kind of plain but easy and a good side. I would serve it as a meal with a few poached eggs to make it more interesting.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6899, 2013-11-14_093619
Roasted Veggies with Chicken Sausage -- back to top
I made my regular roasted veggies. All I did was mix two small potatoes, most of a butternut squash (it was on the way out), two peppers, and half an onion. I mixed it with olive oil and a bunch of seasonings (salt, pepper, rosemary, TJ's 21 Seasoning Salute). I roasted them in the oven 400 for 25 minutes, then I added two chicken sausage links and let it go for another 20 minutes or so.
It was very good as usual. There wasn't much to it but it had a lot of flavor. And the roasting rosemary made it all smell great.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6902, 2013-11-15_093644
Brew 08: Dirty Brown Ale -- back to top
Homebrew 008
(PDF) (TXT) (HTML) (xml local)
Dirty Brown (From Jamil)
By Brewing Classic Styles
Method:
All Grain
Style:
American Brown Ale
Boil Time:
60 min
Batch Size:
1.25 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size:
1.7 gallons
Efficiency:
70% (brew house)
Boil Gravity:
1.043 (recipe based estimate)
Original Gravity:
1.059
Final Gravity:
1.015
ABV (standard):
5.77%
IBU (tinseth):
41.2
SRM (morey):
23.02
Fermentables
Amount
Fermentable
PPG
L
Bill %
2.5 lb
American - Pale 2-Row
37
1.8
87%
2 oz
American - Caramel / Crystal 40L
34
40
4.3%
2 oz
American - Dark Chocolate
29
420
4.3%
1 oz
American - Caramel / Crystal 60L
34
60
2.2%
1 oz
American - Victory
34
28
2.2%
Hops
Amount
Variety
Time
AA
Use
Type
IBU
0.11 oz
Horizon
Pellet
13
Boil
60 min
23.14
0.25 oz
Amarillo
Pellet
9
Boil
15 min
18.06
0.44 oz
Amarillo
Pellet
9
Boil
0 min
---
Mash Guidelines
Amount
Description
Type
Temp
Time
3.7 qt
Heat to 165
Infusion
152 F
60 min
--
Mash Out
Temperature
168 F
10 min
4.4 qt
Dunk into 175
Sparge
168 F
10 min
Starting Mash Thickness: 1.3 qt/lb
Yeast
Wyeast - American Ale 1056
Attenuation (avg):
75%
Flocculation:
Med-Low
Optimum Temp:
60 - 72 F
Starter:
No
These are my notes. I was also bottling Brew 006 at the same time
I had put the fermenter in the fridge on Thursday Night to cold crash (about 48 hours)
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6907, 2013-11-17_210518
Cauliflower Fritters and Chicken Cordon Bleu -- back to top
I made cauliflower fritters using my regular recipe/procedure. This was the first time I actually used feta and I liked it a lot. It gave a nice salty flavor and really made the fritters more interesting.
I also made something like chicken Cordon Bleu. I took chicken tenders and pounded them somewhat thin (though I should have gone thinner. I then laid a small slice (~1/3 oz) of swiss cheese and then a slice of ham. I folded it over and pressed it together. I tossed it in a bit of flour that had been salt and peppered. I then cooked them in the cast iron pan. I had a few problems with the pan. Most notably, I was unsure of how hot it was and I think it was still too cool when I added them.
Also, since my meat thermometer died, I was not able to check the temp. This led me to overcook them. Still, a combination of the gooeyness of the cheese and the saltiness of the ham made it pretty flavorful. I would do them again. Or something like it.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6917, 2013-11-17_232459
Beef Bulgogi, Stir-Fried Broccoli and Pickled Red Onions -- back to top
I made Beef Bulgogi based on the recipe below, but I made a bunch of changes. I will still include the recipe, but here are my changes:
I used tri-trip beef which had some more marbling and only 0.6 lbs. I froze it for 40 minutes to become easier to cut. I then thinly cut it. I marinated it overnight and cooked it on the cast iron pan. I deglazed with white wine and added that sauce
They were very, very good. One piece was not really cooked enough but the rest of very good. Maybe a bit salt, but still, it had lots of flavor. I would certainly do this again
I also tried to make stir-fry broccoli by first steaming it and then mixing it with a sauce of 1/4 cup Soy Vey and 2 Tbsp vinegar and 1 Tbsp sriracha. However, it was too wet and basically just cooked the crap out of it. The broccoli was good, but way over cooked.
Finally, I had pickled red onions. I made them based on the recipe below but I used regular salt instead of kosher salt. I used less but it was still too much. It was way too salty! I would definitely do it again but with_lots_ less salt
Beef Bulgogi (from AllRecipes)
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Pickled Red Onions (from Smitten Kitchen)
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Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6924, 2013-11-18_084308
Mushroom Wontons and Sliced Seitan -- back to top
I had been wanting to try making wontons "fried" in the oven so I decided to make them with mushrooms. I took a small onion and cooked it down / sautéd it (but slower and with more oil than usual). I used about 2 Tbsp of canola oil. I then thoroughly chopped 8 oz baby bellas and 8 oz crimini. I let them really cook down and added some white wine and I let it cook down even more. I then took half out and immersion blended it so it was a mixture of chunks and smooth mushroom.
I then made a bunch of different wonton types as you can see from the above and below picture. The complete half-folds held the most which was good to know for the future if I want to use something else and actually fill it. Some of the other kinds were cook but really didn't hold much. Actually, the trick I figured more and more was to use less filling. I also used a pastry brush to wet the edges instead of my fingers so that it was easier keep my hands dry.
I cooked them at 350 for 20 or so minutes
I also made seitan using the same idea as here with even less soy. I also used white wine in the sauce. I made 2x the recipe and froze half for another time. Again, I mixed it first in a bowl and then the food processor. That works really well to not make a mess.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6930, 2013-11-19_202919
Lentil Taco Stew -- back to top
I made a lentil version of my normal taco stew. I did the normal recipe without the meat and I separate simmered 3/4 cup lentils in 1-1/2 cups water for about 10-15 minutes until it was mostly cooked. iI then added the lentils to the stew base.
I also added a big squeeze sriracha and a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar for some tang.
I really liked it with the lentils. I actually think I tend to like most ground beef things with the lentils. I guess I did miss the beef a bit but the lentils also had a bunch of flavor unto itself.
Oh, I also added a potato since I had them.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6937, 2013-11-21_203622
Cauliflower Pizza -- back to top
I made cauliflower dough pizza. I had seen various recipes for it in the past but I was hesitant because I though any calorie savings were negated by the cheese. But I cam across it again and realized that it was really not that much cheese.
I followed the recipe below. After making the cauliflower "sand" and cooking it, I laid it out on a pan sandwiched with paper towel and pressed it (stood on it). I wonder if that was not enough because it was pretty wet when I added the egg. Still, I made it as large as I thought it would fit on the bottom of my cast iron pan. Here is where I made another mistake. I should have just split it since it was a bit too thick. After I cooked it (see below), it was still pretty wet. I would have preferred it to be smaller and thinner.
Anyway, because it was so thick, it didn't really crisp very well, even though I did the first cook for about 15 minutes. I made my own sauce with 1 14 oz can of tomatoes. I immersion blended it a little bit and added oregano, a bit of olive oil and seasonings (oregano, basil, salt, pepper, etc). I also topped it with some ham (from a ham steak) and peppadews.
The whole thing was pretty good and I'd do it again but I would improve it as I mentioned above. I had to eat it with a fork a knife but hopefully I won't have to next time if I cook it well. I do think that the idea is pretty cool, even if it will never be as good as the_real_thing.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust (from Tasty Kitchen)
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Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6955, 2013-11-23_172820
Bailey's Irish Cream White Chocolate Cheese Cake -- back to top
I made my Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese cake. I did the pretty regular recipe. I do have two notes. First is that this was the first time that I actually used a 9" pan and therefore the original recipe numbers. However, I realized that the way that my Dad had scaled it wasn't overly clear. And I always knew liked to have extra crust. So what I did was use the 10" pan numbers for the crust. And for the rest, I did a 4/3 x multiplier. It was a bit too much but it was better than not having enough.
The only other note was that I had to buy a type of fake Bailey's that has less alcohol. It didn't taste like it had the same bite which I attributed to the lower alcohol. So, I used Irish Whiskey to scale the recipe.
I usually have V cups of 17% ABV Baileys. I have 13% fake irish cream and 40% irish whiskey. So, the math is as follows: (Vb= Volume Bailey's, Vw= Volume Whiskey)
Vb+Vw=V
0.13Vb+0.40Vw=0.17V
in matrix form, this is [1 1;0.13 0.40]*[Vb;Vw]=[V; 0.17V]
V=0.44 cup so we find that Vb=0.3748 cups and Vw=0.652
Overall, the cake came out pretty good. I think maybe a bit undercooked. And it was served the first day too cold and the second too warm so it was hard to get a great idea of it. Oh well. What was amazing was how much easier it is to make this as I have done it many times and I am comfortable following complex recipes.
Original Wordpress ID and Date: 6959, 2013-11-26_174505