The following is a basic recipe.  It can be spiced up by adding bell pepper and garlic or a hot pepper.   But remember, overcomplicating this recipe will destroy it.  It will look prettier but taste worse.

Ratatouille (4 servings)

• 1 onion or 2 shallots, rough diced
• 1 zucchini, cut into ¼ inch cubed
• 1 eggplant, cut into ¼ inch cubed
• 3 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Heat one tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and sauté onion until translucent, adding salt to taste.  Once done, place to the side, wipe the frying pan clean and repeat for the zucchini and eggplant.  Wiping the frying pan between vegetables is important because you want their tastes to be unique and unmingled.

Add the final tbsp of oil to the pan, put in the tomatoes flesh side down.  Cover and steam until the skins begin to wrinkle and separate from the fruit.  Lift off skins with a fork and mash tomatoes into a paste.  Then turn up heat and stir until the liquid is thickened.

Place the tomato paste and sautéed vegetables in a ovenproof casserole.  Sprinkle on oregano and pepper and gently, briefly combine ingredients.

Place in the oven for half an hour, or until the top crisps.

Note:  make this into a vegetarian main course by adding baked eggs….  Before putting it in the oven, use a wet spoon to create a depression in the ratatouille and crack an egg into each depression.  Bake for twenty minutes, or until the egg starts to go from translucent to white.  At this point the white should be fully cooked and the yolk still custardy.

So play with this and come up with something that works for you.  The neatest thing about this recipe’s that, with a little practice, it can be done entirely on autopilot and early in the morning.

Nothing Special to Look at

Frittata (serves 4)

• 4 eggs
• 1 russet potato, cubed for frying
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 tomato, seeded and sliced
• 2 pieces prosciutto, diced (exclude for vegetarian)
• ½ cup shredded swiss cheese
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350° F.  Select a small all metal frying pan, one without teflon  or rubber on the grip.  You also want to have the cream and egg mixed and spiced before you start cooking.

Place oil and butter in the pan over a medium high heat.  Fry the potato and garlic as though you were making hash browns.  My preferred method is to salt and pepper the potatoes, cover them, and let them steam for the first ten minutes of cooking (people also get touchy about cooking potatoes – go figure).  Then uncover, add garlic, and cook until the garlic softens.

Sprinkle the prosciutto and swiss cheese on top of the potatoes, pour the egg and cream mixture over this, and then lay the tomato slices on top. Then pop the frying pan into the hot oven for about twenty minutes.  It will be done when the egg begins to brown on top.

Let this sit for fifteen minutes before serving, and serve from the frying pan like a pie.

Wet or Dry, the Trick’s to Go Low and Slow

So get over it.  Take a breath.  Have a drink.  Enjoy the ribs.

  Pork Ribs in the Oven, Wet or Dry (serves 10 or more)

• 10 lbs pork ribs, cut St. Louise style

Come Out and Play

Wet Prep

• 1 cup Soy Sauce
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 inch ginger segment, sliced
• ½ head of garlic, peeled
• 10 peppercorns (or ½ tbsp crushed black pepper)
• 2 cups barbecue sauce

For this recipe you want to keep the membrane on the back of the ribs.  You can make a single slice between individual ribs if you want it parted for cooking.

Mix soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic and peppercorn in a 10-quart (or larger) pot.  Let this sit over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Better than a Marinade

Cut the ribs into segments of three and arrange in the pot.  Add water to cover if necessary.  Raise temperature to a low boil, reduce to a simmer, partially cover and let cook for 45 minutes.  It’s done when the meat is still firm but beginning to pull back from the bone.

Move the meat to a rack, let it cool for a few minutes, and then baste with barbecue sauce.

Place in a 300° F oven for up to one-and-a-half hours, basting and turning the meat on the half hour.  The ribs are done when the meat separates with the prick of a knife.

They Fall Apart So You Don’t Have To

Dry Prep

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp spice  (I like to use Old Bay or dried oregano)

For this approach you should remove the membrane from the back of the ribs.  Then cut them into segments of three ribs each.

Mix the dry prep in a large metal bowl, add the ribs, and thoroughly rub the mixture into the meat.

Place the meat on a cooking rack and into a 300° F for up to two-and-a-half hours, turning on the half hour.  As above, it’s done when the meat separates with the prick of a knife.

Low and Slow for all that Porky Goodness

As you can see all of this can be done with a minimum of attention, which is the way it should be.  The one thing to be careful about is letting the meat cool enough between stages.  And always use tongs with unless you want a few scars to go along with those picnic memories.

It’s done when the meat’s ready to fall off the bone

Osso Bucco (4 servings)

• 4 medium veal shanks, bone and marrow in
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 10 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• flour
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish

• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1 tbsp minced flat-leafed parsley

Use a large metal frying pan for this recipe, one with no coating on the inside or plastic on the grip.  (That’s right , you know who you are.)  

Preheat oven to 300° F.  Prepare the veal by making vertical incisions to the membrane around the outside of the shank.  This will keep the meat from gathering up while cooking.  Then rub salt and pepper into the meat and dredge in flour.

Place the frying pan over a medium high heat and add butter and olive oil.  Brown the veal on both sides and then remove.

Add carrots, onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent.  Throw in a splash of chicken stock if the vegetables begin to stick.   Once the vegetables are cooked deglaze the pan with the wine and remaining chicken stock.

Place the veal over the vegetables and then spread the crushed tomato over the top.  Cover the pan and place in the oven for an hour to an hour and a half – enough time to fully braise the veal.

This should rest between twenty and forty minutes before being served.  Just before serving combine garnish ingredients and sprinkle over the top.  The grated lemon can also be cut up and fanned on the side as an additional garnish.  The dish is best served over a smear of polenta or plain mashed potato.

Say Hello to Your Little Friend

The technique is 3 cuts.  Once you get good you can do this with barely moving your hands over the board.

Easier than Dancing, but More Dangerous

First Cut

      

Second Cut

Third Cut

The wing tip and flap of connecting skin can be saved for stock.  Or thrown out or fed to pets.  It could also find its way under the couch of a neighbor you’re not to fond of, but that’s for a different blog.

With a little practice you should be able to prep a single wing in under 10 seconds, meaning that you’ll be able to turn a 4 pound container of wings buffalo friendly in a matter of minutes.  Don’t forget that you’ll be cutting through bone and cartilage, so it’s important to spread your finders away from the knife blade.  Or get lots of bandaids.

Don't Lose Sight of the Fingers!

Cooking wings is also really simple.  These things are served in bars and, from service to personal relationships, everything done in a bar has to be quick and easy.  Here are a couple of suggestions:

Traditional Buffalo Wings

• Oil for deep frying
• 1 lb trimmed wings
• 1 tbsp softened butter
• 1 tbsp hot sauce or ¼ cup barbeque sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Toss the wings in salt and pepper, then place in hot oil and fry until the skin is golden brown.

Once cooked, place wing in a metal bowl and toss with butter.  Butter’s important because it ensures that the sauce clings to the chicken and does not run off.  This is not a time to be calorie conscious (face it, if you were you wouldn’t be doing this)

After the butter has melted and coated the wings, toss with hot sauce or your favorite barbeque sauce.

This can be served immediately of kept uncovered in a warm oven (170^o F).

Baked Wings (a health conscious alternative)

If you must, the wings can be baked without adding extra fat.  But, just like potato chips, baked wings can take some getting used to.

• 1 lb trimmed wings
• 1 tbsp hot sauce or ¼ cup barbeque or teriyaki sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 300^o F.  Pat wings dry with a paper towel.  Then season with salt and pepper and toss with sauce.

Place the wings on a rack, making sure that the pieces do not touch or overlap.  Bake for one to one and a half hours, turning the pieces after thirty minutes.  Keep the wings in the oven until the chicken skin is brown and crispy.

Dry Rub Baked Wings (almost identical to health conscious but less healthy)

• 1 lb trimmed wings
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tbsp salt
• ½ tbsp paprika, chili powder, Old Bay or any other favorite dry seasoning.

Preheat oven to 300^o F.  Pat wings dry with a paper towel and toss with dry seasoning.

Place the wings on a rack, making sure that the pieces do not touch or overlap.  Bake for one to one and a half, turning the pieces after thirty minutes.  Keep the wings in the oven until the chicken skin is brown and crispy.

Pairings:  Goes best with beer.

Healthy(ish) Double Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 cup of coconut milk or milk
• 4 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tablespoon of instant coffee or espresso powder
• 1/3 of a cup of canola oil
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3/4 of a cup of sugar
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/3 + 2 tablespoons of cup of cocoa powder
• 3/4 of a teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 of a teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 of a teaspoon of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin pan with paper liners.

In a microwave or on the stove top, heat the coconut milk until it is hot (but not boiling).  In a small bowl Pour the milk over the chocolate and coffee powder, let it sit for a minute and then stir it.

Whisk the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract in to coffee mixture.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add them to the wet ingredients and beat the mixture until few lumps remain.  Pour the batter into the liners, filling each to the 2/3 point.

Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before frosting them with chocolate or vanilla buttercream frosting.

Enjoy!

Fudgey Mini Cakes (4 mini 3 layer cakes)

• 2 ounces of chocolate
• 1 cup of coffee
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1 cup of coco powder
• 1 1/3 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1/2 of a teaspoon of baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 of a cup of oil
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1/2 of a teaspoon of vanilla

Preheat the oven to 300F and grease a 9×13* inch baking pan. Line the bottom wax paper and grease the paper.

Chop the chocolate and combine it with hot coffee. Put it aside for a few minutes and then stir it until it is smooth.

In a medium bowl sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl beat the eggs with an electric mixer until it is slightly thickened and lemon colored.

Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beat them until they are combined.

Add the dry ingredients and beat them until they are combined well.

Pour the butter into the pan and bake it in the middle of the oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto a cutting board.

Carefully remove the wax paper and cool the layers completely.

Then cut out the rounds with a 3 inch round cookie cutter.

Finish with chocolate or vanilla buttercream frosting.

Note – you can also bake these in two 9-inch pans.

Frosting or cake?  I’m a cake person, hands down.  I don’t even touch frosting unless I have to.  I actually eat cupcakes from the bottom up to avoid it, but this frosting very well may have made a frosting convert out of me.

• 5 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 4 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar
• 3 sticks of room temperature unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons of half-and-half or whole milk
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Place all of the frosting ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well incorporated, then process them until the frosting is smooth.

Omit the chocolate if you want a vanilla buttercream (it will be sweeter).

Pipe or spread to apply.  Make sure you’ve let the cake or cookies cool first .

For breakfast, lunch, dinner or any special occasion.

• 3/4 of a cup of milk
• 1/2 of a cup of water
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 tablespoon of sugar (Omit for savory crepes)
• 1/2 of a teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 of a teaspoon of cinnamon (omit for savory crepes)
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

In the bowl of a blender or food processor, combine the milk, water, eggs, flour, salt, and   sugar and cinnamon (if using). Pulse them for a few seconds until the mixture is smooth. With the blade running, add the melted butter.

If you find the batter too think, add up to 1/4 of a cup more of milk.

Strain the batter into a bowl and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

When you are ready to make your crapes, remove the batter from the fridge and stir it.

Heat a skillet to medium high, and brush it lightly with butter.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and tilt it to spread the batter out. Continue to do this until the batter in the pan has solidified. (this is easier than it sounds)

Return the pan to the heated stove and, with a spatula carefully turn the crepe over.

Repeat this process until all of the batter is used. (I got 12 crepes)

Enjoy!

Suggested sweet toppings:

• Blue berries (or any other berries) and whipped cream
• Apple sauce and apples
• Nutella

a great winter meal

As for the tomatoes, there’s little difference between store-bought and canned.  If you want, you can substitute two 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes or tomato puree.  The advantage of this is that you won’t have to deal with the peeling and mashing.  I use fresh because it’s fun (I like to play with my food ).

Vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes from a farmer’s market are much better than canned or store-bought.  You might want to practice with this recipe while waiting for the summer markets.

Tomato Soup (8 servings, about 2 quarts)

Basic Ingredients

• 2 lbs plum tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Additional Ingredients

• 1 onion, shredded
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 Zucchini, shredded
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp thyme

only a few ingredients

Fill a 6-quart pot half way with water and bring to a boil.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.  The tomatoes will be done when they’re skins begin to split.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a mixing bowl.

Empty the water from the pot and return to the stove over a low heat.  Add olive oil, onion, carrot, zucchini and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper, give it a stir, and let cook over the low heat to bring out the flavor in the vegetables.  While these sauté move on the next step.

The tomatoes should be cool enough to handle by now.  Use a pairing knife to remove the caps.  Then peel off the skin with your fingers.  Then go at it with a potato masher till it’s at a fine consistency.  A food processor can be used if you want a puree.  The seed can be squeezed out at this point if you’re going for a smoother texture.  I prefer to keep them in because I like the taste.

Add the tomato mixture and stock to the pot.  Raise the heat to medium and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.  

If the soup is too thin, use a tbsp of flour to make a roux.  To do this, place the flour in a shallow bowl, add a half tbsp of broth from the soup, and whisk till the flour is completely saturated.  Add another spoonful of broth and whisk to work out any lumps that may have formed.  Then add additional spoonfuls of broth, one at a time, and whisk until the mixture is a thick liquid.  Stir this liquid back into the soup.  It should thicken within two minutes.

The soup can be served immediately or stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Pairings: This can be served with bread and butter, or a grilled cheese sandwich.    You can add a dollop of sour cream or a short pour of heavy cream to each bowl before serving.  A sprinkle of fresh parsley’s also a nice touch.