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Meat

CHALUPA

January 25, 2011
Beans, food, Meat, Mexican, Pork, Spicy
3 Comments

 

Pork and smoky chile’s green,
Marry with the pinto bean.

Chalupa is it’s formal name,
It’s in my family’s hall of fame.

Cook the beans and shred the pork,
So tender you just need a fork.

Serve it at your next big party,
It’s healthy, spicy, warm and hearty.



This is a great recipe for an informal party. In fact, I might just make it again for Super Bowl Sunday. With 3 pounds of pork and 2 pounds of beans, it makes quite a big pot. All you need are the accoutrements, such as tortillas, guacamole, salsa, cheese and chips.
*Preparing this is easy but there are 6 hours of cooking time so you may want to start early.
*Read through all of the directions before starting because they are different depending on how you prepare the beans.
Thank you again, Mom, for another great recipe!

CHALUPA
3 lb. Boneless Pork Roast
2 lbs. Pinto Beans, dry
2 large yellow Onions, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
2 cans Ortega Green Chile
5 T Chile Powder
3 tsp. Oregano
1-2 T Kosher Salt
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 cups Chicken or Beef Stock
4-5 cups Water

To save cooking time, prepare the beans by soaking them over night in cold water. Rinse them thoroughly.

If you do not have time to soak the beans, saute the onions and garlic in a large pot coated with olive oil until they are tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the stock, water and beans. Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer. Cook the beans, onions and garlic for 1.5 hours.

If you soaked the beans over night, add them to the sauteed onions and garlic along with the pork, green chiles, chile powder, oregano and salt. Add the stock and water, making sure that there is just enough liquid to cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then down to a low simmer for 6 hours.

After 6 hours, the pork should be falling apart. Take it out of the pot, remove any remaining fat, and shred the pork into small pieces. Add them back into the pot and mix thoroughly.

Serve in bowls topped with tomatoes and cheese, in burritos with all of the fixings or with tortilla chips. Serves 12-15

Koussa – Stuffed Squash

November 10, 2010
Lebanese, Meat, Vegetable
3 Comments

I’m at a loss for words tonight,
There’s nothing that I want to write.

I don’t want to be verbose,
So I’ll just say adios.


Koussa Recipe
1.5 lbs. lean ground sirloin
2 large red onions
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 sweet red pepper or red bell pepper
3/4 cup long grain rice, uncooked
1 1/2 T coarse salt
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. allspice (optional)
2 tsp.cumin (optional)
4-5 cups tomato juice
2 T butter
1/3 cup olive oil

Wash and dry the squash. With a corer, gently scoop out the inside. Scoop out as much as possible without poking any holes in the squash. After all have been cored, set aside.

In a food processor, add mint, 1/2 a large onion, and red pepper. Mix until almost pureed. Set aside.

In a bowl, add the top sirloin, rice, allspice, cumin, 1 T salt, pepper and pureed mixture. Thoroughly mix until well blended (it is best to use your hands for this).

To stuff the squash, take a little bit of the meat and rice mixture and gently fill the squash. The squash should be completely filled but not too tightly or else the rice will not cook. Fill all squash and set aside. If there is any of the meat and rice mix left over, consider stuffing a potato or just making some meat balls to add in with the squash.

In a pot, place the squash as close to standing upward as possible so the meat does not fall out. Add the tomato juice, butter, and 1/2 T salt and bring to a boil. Bring the heat down to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.

In a pan with olive oil, slice the remaining onions and saute until translucent. They can be added directly to the pot or placed on top of the squash when serving.

Easy Empanadas

October 15, 2010
Appetizer, Meat, Pastry Dough
12 Comments

Like my belovedEnchilada,
How I adore the Empanada.

I don’t want to take the time.
To write another wordy rhyme.

I just want to eat it up,
I’m not waiting for my sup.

Onions, peppers, garlic, meat,
Eggs and olives add a treat.

No, I didn’t make my dough,
Purists, you know where to go.

Crispy,  juicy tasty wrap,
In my hand I’m gonna trap.

Hurry, hurry take a bite,
This finger food is out of sight! (literally) :)

I attended a fantastic party in San Francisco last weekend where all of the food was catered by mobile food vendors. The empanada I had there was the best I have ever had and I am sorry I don’t know the name of the vendor. I attempted to make one like hers and although I am really pleased with the outcome, I will always remember hers as the best. This is my attempt:

EMPANADA RECIPE

1 lb. ground sirloin (left-over steak, minced – much better!)

2 medium onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. red chili flakes

2 1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved

2 hard boiled eggs, thinly sliced

2 T. olive oil

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, beaten

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Take puff pastry from freezer to thaw.

In a pan, add the olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and yellow pepper with the oregano, paprika, cumin, red chili flakes, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook on medium low for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.  Place the mixture in a strainer to drain.  Set aside.

In another pan, cook the sirloin on medium high. Add 1 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.  Cook until browned.  Strain the meat as well.  In a mixing bowl, combine the onion mixture and the meat and mix well.  Set aside.

On a floured cutting board, roll out the pastry to twice it’s size. Using a small bowl with a wide rim, cut round pieces of pastry.  The leftover pastry can be re-rolled and used to make a few more pieces. Each sheet should make about six large empanadas. 
In the center of the pastry, add 1 1/2 – 2 T. of the meat and onion mixture.  Place 2 olive halves and a slice of egg on top.  Carefully fold one end of the pastry over.  With the times of a fork, seal the mixture in so that no liquid escapes.  Lightly brush the pastry with egg-wash and poke a few holes in the top with a fork.  Repeat until all of the pastry has been used.
Place cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until empanadas are golden brown.

BEEF WELLINGTON – THE DARING COOKS CHALLENGE TWO

December 14, 2009
Beef Wellington, Crepe, Meat, Pastry Dough
5 Comments

Daring Cooks time, challenge two,
Coming off a shaky debut.

Though some made gorgeous fish en croute,
I could not bear to follow suite (refer to previous sushi challenge).

Beef Wellington I chose instead,
With fortitude I forge ahead.

So many layers, so complex,
Fear it may not cook to specs.

Pastry, crepe and thick pate,
Seared and seasoned pink filet.

Start with crepe, paper thin,
Blanket for meat to lay within.

Next pate of spinach n ‘shroom,
Layer threatened, almost consumed.

On to kitchen nemesis,
“Pastry dough!” I viciously hiss.

Past attempts, so unfair,
Picture flour in my hair.

Held held high, I cube the butter,
All the while I darkly mutter.

Add the water spoon by spoon,
Mix awhile and almost swoon.

Feelings toward my never friend,
Are clearly changing, on the mend.

Not too dry, not too wet,
Place it in the fridge to set.

Roll it out like Christmas wrap,
Fold the meat up, tuck the flap.

As the oven does it’s job,
I eat a little broccoli raab (I just wanted to say that).

The final moment here at last,
Crust golden brown, my hopes surpassed.

Cut with knife, firm and swift,
My Wellington, a perfect gift!




Who ate the cheesy potatoes?!

Thank you to Simone at JungleFrog-cooking.com for coming up with this challenge. I’ve always wanted to make Beef Wellington and now I can check it off my list.

I’d Rather Eat The Leaves

October 19, 2009
Grape Leaves, Lebanese, Meat, Mediterranean, Rice
5 Comments

WARAK ENAB – STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Hummus

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Hummus


I often wonder of the vine,
That grows the grapes that make the wine.

Around the world we share this juice,
It tastes so good. It makes us loose.

Of this drink I do partake,
But wake up with a great headache.

To shun this vitis all together,
Would make me sad, under the weather.

So I don’t remain dejected,
To this stem I stay connected.

Outside I go, roll up my sleeves,
Get right down and pick the leaves.100_0787

Not for display or pretty bouquet,
These go on my dinner tray.

I would not mind to eat alone,
But before you judge or throw a stone,
Try one stuffed with meat and rice,
You might think it tastes quite nice.

Soaked in a bath of lemony stock,
A little tart but it won’t shock.

There really is no good excuse
Grab one, dip it in hummus.

No longer will you be polite,
For them you will gladly fight.

And you will find out just like I,
Both  fruit and leaf can make you high.

RECIPE FOR STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

100 fresh grape leaves or 2 jars of grape leaves

1 1/2 lbs. ground top sirloin

1 1/2 cups rice

1 medium sized onion (quartered)

1 cup fresh mint leaves, washed/dried & loosely packed

3 Yukon Gold Potatoes, sliced rounds 1/4 inch thick

2 garlic cloves, whole

1/4 red chile pepper

1 TBSP allspice

1 TBSP kosher salt

2 TBSP Butter, cut in small pieces

2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup lemon juice

3 1/2 cups chicken stock

In a food processor, add the onion, mint and red chile pepper. Mix until pureed.  Place meat in a large mixing bowl.  Add the pureed mixture, uncooked rice, allspice, salt and pepper.  Mix well (preferably by hand.)  Place in refrigerator.

For fresh grape leaves, give them a rinse in cold water and pat dry.  Cut off all stems.  For jarred grape leaves, soak them in cold water for ten minutes.  Drain the water and soak again for another ten minutes.  Take them out of the water and pat dry.  Cut off all stems.

Take the meat mixture out of the refrigerator.  Lay a leaf in front of you, vein side up so that the shiny part of the leaf is on the bottom.  Put about one tablespoon of meat at the stem part of the leaf.  Roll the bottom part of the leaf up to encase the filling.  Next, fold in the sides of the leaf.  Finish it off by rolling upward. (See photos below)

100_0805100_0803




Once the leaves have been rolled, add the olive oil to the bottom of the pot. Line the bottom with the sliced potatoes and add a pinch of salt. Then start layering the leaves on top of the potatoes, starting from the outside and working your way inward. Once you have completed one layer, begin another on top.

100_0818

When the grape leaves are all in the pot, add the chicken stock, lemon juice, whole garlic cloves and butter. Place a plate, face down, on top of the grape leaves to keep them from unwrapping while they cook. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, bring the heat down to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Let stand for another fifteen. There should still be a little liquid at the bottom of the pot. Pour it over the leaves once they have been served, or sop it up with a piece of pita bread!


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