Tag: asparagus

Steak Oscar

Steak Oscar

Steak Oscar

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

This is one of those dishes that may seem a bit intimidating especially when you consider that Bearnaise is the sauce used to elevate it but it is actually very simple and the Bearnaise is really not that hard to make.

Cooks note: I used strip loins for this because I happened to find them on sale but any decent steak cut will do.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 4 Strip Loin steaks
  • 1 bag 31 – 40 Shrimp – tail off
  • 12 -15 Asparagus spears
  • 3 tablespoons minced Shallots
  • 2 large Egg Yolks
  • 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted Butter
  • 2 tablespoons White  Wine Vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped Tarragon
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay® seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons Granulated Garlic
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

Bearnaise Sauce:

  1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir to coat. Stir in vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vinegar is evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking shallots, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer shallot reduction to a small bowl and let cool completely.
  2. Meanwhile, fill a blender with hot water to warm it; set aside. Melt remaining 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is foamy. Transfer butter to a measuring cup.
  3. Drain blender and dry well. Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in warm, dry blender. Purée mixture until smooth. Remove lid insert. With blender running, slowly pour in hot butter in a thin stream of droplets, discarding milk solids at bottom of measuring cup. Continue blending until a smooth, creamy sauce forms, 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce into a medium bowl. Stir in shallot reduction and tarragon and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. This can be made 1 hour ahead of time. Cover and let sit at room temperature.

Steak, Shrimp and Asparagus:

  1. Preheat your grill to 375°.
  2. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and set aside.
  3. Prep the Asparagus by cutting off the woody, fibrous ends.
  4. Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in a saute pan and add the granulated garlic and Old Bay® mixing well. Add the shrimp and saute until pink.
  5. Put the steaks on the grill for 6 to 8 minutes a side for medium,
  6. Steam the asparagus for 5 minutes.
  7. Plate the steak and top with the asparagus, shrimp and warmed Bearnaise.
  8. Enjoy.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……

                           Bon Appetit

Advertisement

Baked Mexican Breakfast Bars

DSC01110 (1)

Baked Mexican Breakfast Bars

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?

Anthony Bourdain

While breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day it can also be the most challenging one to make. I mean how many times can you have bacon and eggs or pancakes with bacon or French toast with bacon before you get tired of it and want something completely different?—- okay let’s be serious…. NO ONE ever gets tired of bacon but you get my drift.

This was the conundrum I found myself in this morning and as I remembered reading about this kind of dish recently I set out to make it and of course put my own spin on it.

These are also great to freeze and use on days when you are in a hurry because you can just heat and run.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 3 cups diced Ham
  • 1 medium white Onion – diced
  • 1 cup chopped Asparagus spears
  • 1 8 ounce can Corn kernals – drained
  • 1 8 ounce can Black beans – drained and rinsed
  • 10 large Eggs 
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated Garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Chipotle powder
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dried Parsley
  • Salsa – (optional)
  • 1 9 x 12 x 1/12 Mini loaf pan

Putting it all together:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°. While the oven is heating mix the eggs in a 4 cup measuring cup and set aside.
  2. In a large non reactive bowl mix all the remaining ingredients.
  3. Spray the loaf pan with a non stick spray, spoon the ham and veggie mix equally into the mini loaf pan.
  4. Pour enough eggs into each slot to just cover the mix and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and serve with salsa if using.

There you have it “another simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time………..

                            Bon Appetit

 

Grilled Veal Chops

  • Servings: ”2″
  • Difficulty: ”easy”
  • Print

Grilled Veal chops

 

There are some things that my wife and I love to eat but rarely get to enjoy( unless we dine out and that’s not often) because my daughter does not like them and I’m not certain about my grandson. Things like Veal, Lamb, Chili and Sausage—- so when we recently found ourselves in the house alone for the weekend it was time for date night and that meant cooking something we have not had in quite some time…… in this case it was Veal.

Now part of the problem with cooking something like Veal is finding the right side dish to go with it. I mean it’s not like you can cook a perfect piece of veal and then slap a bunch of boxed macaroni and cheese down beside it and call it complete….. well I guess you could but I don’t see that as being very appetizing. What I decided to to do as my sides was steamed Asparagus on top of combined mashed potato celery root puree and frankly it worked quite well.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • Two Veal shoulder chops
  • One medium Celery Root– peeled and rough chopped
  • Three Cipollini onions or one small yellow onion– peeled and rough chopped
  • Four to five large yellow flesh potatoes
  • One bunch Asparagus– trimmed of woody end
  • Two garlic cloves – peeled and smashed
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • Canola oil
  • Salt and pepper

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  2. Put approximately two inches of water in a large pot
  3. Place the celery root,garlic and onions in a steamer basket and place over the pot of water and steam for 10 minutes
  4. In a separate pot cook the potatoes until just fork tender
  5. While the potatoes and celery mix are cooking grease your grill pan (see Kitchen gadgets) or add Canola oil to a large fry pan
  6. Season the Veal chops with salt and pepper and sear on both sides– about 4 minutes
  7. Pop the chops in the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 164 degrees
  8. Put the Celery root mix in the bowl of a food processor along with 1 ladle of the steamer water and the butter
  9. Puree the mix for about three minutes
  10. While the food processor is running pour in the heavy cream and puree until blended
  11. Mash the potatoes and add enough of the puree to get the consistency you would like- the puree acts like the butter and milk you would normally use
  12. In another pot with a steamer insert steam the Asparagus for about 7 minutes or until tender
  13. Plate the Veal and potatoes and top the potatoes with the asparagus.
  14. Enjoy

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time………

                 Bon Appetit

Seafood Alfredo with Proscuitto wrapped Asparagus

  • Servings: ”4-6″
  • Difficulty: ”medium”
  • Print

72345_10151484555029770_1137844005_n

 

Pasta and Seafood…….. What’s not to love? Both are tasty, good for you and very easy to prepare and when you combine the two you can’t help but arrive at a very memorable meal. Oh and adding some proscuitto wrapped asparagus takes this already very tasty dish to a whole new level.

Before we go any further I do have to mention that my ever lovely and talented daughter Alison was a tremendous help in putting this whole dish together and I could not have pulled this one off without her…….. Kudos kiddo. Thanks for the help.

Here’s how we do this one………

Shopping List:

  • One bag 31-40 deveigned Shrimp
  • One bag Sea Scallops
  • 2 pounds live Mussels– scrubbed and de-bearded
  • One package Fettuccine noodles
  • 12-18 Asparagus stalks – trimmed of the woody end
  • 8-12 slices Proscuitto
  • 1/2 cup of butter
  • 1 1/2 cups Heavy cream
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmigiana cheese (I love Parmigiana so I use a lot)
  • Chopped parsley (optional)

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  2. Wrap 3-4 asparagus spears in one or two slices of the proscuitto
  3. Place the asparagus on a sheet tray and pop in the oven until the proscuitto is crisp and the asparagus is tender – about 15 minutes
  4. In a large sauce pan melt the butter being careful not to burn it
  5. Stir in the heavy cream
  6. Add the parmigiana and blend until smooth. With this step it is advised to remove the sauce from the heat so the cheese does not clump
  7. In a separate pan saute the shrimp until pink and the scallops until firm
  8. Steam the mussels until they open – about 4 minutes. Discard any that do not open
  9. Cook the pasta according to the package directions
  10. Add the pasta, shrimp and scallops to the sauce and mix well
  11. Plate the pasta and sauce mix
  12. Place the mussels around the edge of the plate and put the asparagus in the middle
  13. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley if desired and enjoy.

There you have it—– another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                      Bon Appetit