Wonderfully Rich and Flavorful Roasted Red Pepper and Red Wine Sauce

Last nights dishes were fabulous if I say so myself.  I wanted to do something different this week and came up with a winner.  The sauce for the beef was full of flavor and richness.  I could also be used on a London Broil, or some other cut of beef.  Due to the richness of the sauce, I don't think it would pair well with chicken.  I wanted something to serve with the beef that was different and came up with the idea for a savory bread pudding.  When I was shopping for the pudding I was looking for a crusty bread then I saw the dark rich pumpernickel bread and knew that was what I needed to use.  I didn't take the pictures last night but someone else has them.  As soon as I get copies, I will add them to this posting.

Petite Beef cubes in Roasted Red Pepper and Red Wine Sauce

1 ½ lbs lean beef bites

5 Fresh Shitake mushrooms (2-3inch)

3 cloves of garlic

Olive oil

1 pkg More Than Gourmet Red Wine sauce

1 16 oz jar of Roasted Red Peppers

2T Basil Pesto

Add the garlic to a pan and sauté until lightly brown.  Add the beef and cook until nicely browned and the juice is caramelized.  Add 2 oz red wine to the pan and reduce the wine to half it's original volume. Purée the roasted red peppers. Add 1 cup pureed roasted red peppers and one container red wine sauce and cook until it slightly thickens. Add the beef back in to the pan along with the sliced mushrooms and cook on low until the mushrooms are done.  Salt & pepper to taste.  This can be served over the bread pudding (recipe below) or noodles.

Savory Black bread Pudding with vegetables and red pepper and avocado puree

6 slices toasted Pumpernickel bread

3 eggs

½ cup heavy cream

1 ½ c milk

¾ c Romano cheese shredded

2T Basil Pesto

Chopped onion

Garlic

Shitake mushrooms chopped

Fresh spinach

3 small colorful sweet peppers chopped

¾ c Snow peas chopped

Shredded carrots chopped

1 granny smith apple chopped

1 cup pureed roasted red peppers

Sun-dried tomatoes

1 Haas Avocado

To a pan, add olive oil and onions, garlic, peppers, apple, snow peas and carrots.  Cook until tender then remove and set aside.  Add more olive oil to the pan and add the mushrooms, pesto and chopped spinach cook until slightly soft.  Cut the bread into ½ inch pieces and put into a greased  8 or 9 inch baking dish.  Add the vegetables and toss until the mixture is well distributed.

In a separate bowl add the eggs and whisk until mixed.  Add the milk, heavy cream and cheese.  Stir then pour the mixture over the bread and vegetables.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until all the moisture is absorbed.

Sauce

Puree the roasted red peppers and avocado in a food processor until smooth if it needs more moisture use the juice from the peppers. Add 2T basil pesto.  Add Salt & pepper to taste. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.  Pour over the warm Bread pudding.

Homemade Sausage and Chinese Mustard Greens

Although we only had a few people for the cooking this Saturday, I still made same amount of food that I do for a larger group.  I am glad I did because the meat was wonderful.  I don't like a lot of heat to my foods so my sausage is more on the savory side.  You could easily spice this up with a tablespoon or two of chipotle powder and it would still go well with the Apricot Glaze.

Homemade sausage meat on Crustini with apricot mustard glaze

1 lb ground pork

1t powdered sage

5 basil leaves chopped

½ bulb elephant garlic chopped

½ teaspoon Smoked sea salt

¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

½ small onion chopped fine

½ teaspoon Fresh ground nutmeg

2 teaspoon Garam Marsala

Apricot Mustard Glaze from Stonewall Kitchens

1 loaf French bread cut and toasted as crustini

Add the garlic and herbs to a pan with 1T olive oil. Cook until they are soft but not browned.  Cool the mixture then add salt and pepper.  Add the mixture to the pork and mix well.  Form into small patties (size of a silver dollar).  Cook the patties until browned and cooked through.   Near the end of cooking time add the apricot mustard glaze.  Serve on Crustini.  Garnish with chopped sage leaves.

Chinese Mustard Greens and Spinach Braised in Butternut Squash Oil with

Bacon Horseradish Seasoning

7 leaves mustard greens

3 cups fresh spinach

½ bulb elephant garlic chopped

3T sliced greens from the top of the garlic bulb

3T Butternut Squash Oil

Chopped fresh sage

Chopped fresh basil

1 pkg Wind & Willow Bacon Horseradish Dip Mix

Chopped pecans

Add oil to pan on low heat.  Add the mustard greens, garlic and herbs to the pan stirring to coat the leaves Cook on medium heat until the greens are tender.  Add the spinach to the pan and cook until lightly soft.  Add more oil if needed.  Sprinkle 3 T of the powdered dip mix and sitr until completely mixed.  Serve with a pecan garnish on top,

Beets like you've never had them before

I saw fresh beets at the store and thought I would play with them for the cooking demo on May 4th.  

Beets and parsnips with Roasted Garlic onion jam.

3T olive oil

4 3-4 inch fresh beets.

2 Parsnips-julienned

2T chopped garlic

2 Leeks sliced

6 baby portabella Mushrooms sliced

Beet greens

¼ t fresh ground nutmeg

3T brown sugar

3 large leaves of Fresh Basil chopped

2 oz Red wine

2/3 cup Roasted Garlic Onion jam

2T Blueberry balsamic vinegar

½ cup toasted edamame garnish

Add the beets and parsnips to a pan.  Put ½ cup of water and cover.  Cook the beets until the water boils off.  Add the Olive oil, garlic, mushrooms and leeks, stir to prevent burning. Add the remaining ingredients (except the greens) and stir until the jelly melts.  Cook in the glaze until the vegetable are soft add the beet greens and cook until the greens are soft.  Sprinkle the edamame on top before serving.

Shrimp pastries, Shrimp with Smoky Barbeque Aioli and Brussel Sprouts with Radishes

Last night was an eventful night.  We had 11 guests for the demo.  I decided that shrimp was on the menu  and thanks to John, my husband,  I decided to use the Smokey Barbeque Aioli.  He cooked dinner Friday night and made egg noodles with the aioli and Pig Pen Seasoning and I loved it.  We just started carrying Squash Seed Oils.  They are very unique and flavorful. I thought it would be a great taste to add to Brussel Sprouts.  It was wonderful, so it is.

Shrimp in pastry with Smoky Barbeque Aioli mushrooms and bacon

1 lb medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)

½ pound bacon

1 pkg premade pie dough (2 rolls)

Portabella Mushrooms (chopped)

½ cup Smoky Barbeque Aioli

Pig Pen seasoning

2 stalks Celery (chopped small)

1 med Onion (chopped small)

Olive oil

Cut pastry into 4 inch squares.  Fry the bacon until crisp and set aside on paper towel.  Put the mushrooms, celery, carrots and onions into the pan and cook until tender.  Remove the vegetables from the pan and add the shrimp. Sauté until pink and add ½ cup aioli and ¾ t pig pen seasoning.  Place 2-3 cooked shrimp on pastry square and add a spoonful of vegetable mix on top. Crush bacon in small pieces and add a small amount on top of the veggies.  Moisten the edges of the pastry and fold the sides up and seal.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Use  

This can also be served as a main course by combining the vegetables and the shrimp together.

Egg noodle salad with Smoky Barbeque Aioli

By John Chinners

Boil up egg noodles until a cooked.  Add ½ teaspoon Pig Pen Seasoning.  Add ¼ cup smoky Barbeque Aioli. 

 

Sautéed Brussel Sprouts and Radishes in Squash Oil with Sunflower Seeds

Olive oil

1 pound Brussel sprouts.

6 large radishes sliced thin

1 large portobella Mushroom, sliced

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Oil

Sunflower seeds

Smoked Sea salt

Place 3T olive oil in a pan.  Add the quartered Brussel Sprouts and sliced Radishes.  Sauté until tender.  Once browning starts put a lid to help veggies cook.  Remove from the pan.  Add 3T Roasted Pumpkin Seed Oil and stir. Sprinkle with Smoked Sea salt and sunflower seeds.