Tag: rosemary

Pot Roast

Pot Roast

Pot Roast

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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I’m all about “simple but tasty recipes for the grilling season and beyond.” yet I don’t hesitate to think outside the box and tackle something that may seem “gourmet” and  “difficult” to make. Things like Osso Bucco with three mushroom Risotto or Crab Cakes with a Garlic Aioli or even create something that I think may be relatively new like my recent Pad Thai Meatballs. 

With that in mind this particular recipe falls under the “simple but tasty…..” category because it is essentially a one pot dinner that is not only filling but flavorful in its simplicity and can be considered a budget friendly dish as well since it can feed a number of people for a relatively low price.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 3 pound Beef Pot Roast
  • 2 large Carrots – peeled and rough chopped
  • 1 large Yellow Onion – peeled and rough chopped
  • 2 Celery ribs – rough chopped
  • 4 Garlic cloves – peeled and smashed
  • 24 Baby potatoes
  • 1 20 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 cup Red Wine
  • 3 cups Low Sodium Beef Broth
  • 1/4 cup  Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 2 tablespoons Black Peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons dried Rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons dried Thyme
  • 2 tablespoons Sea Salt
  • Cheesecloth
  • Butchers Twine

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Season the pot roast with salt and pepper and place in a large Dutch Oven.
  3. Arrange the vegetables around the roast and add all liquids.
  4. Using the cheesecloth make a Bouquet Garni with the dried herbs and tie with the butcher string. Place in the pot.
  5. Bring to a boil on the stove. Turn off the heat and place in the oven for 2  hours.
  6. Remove the roast to a cutting board to rest, the potatoes to a separate bowl and discard the bouquet garni.
  7. Pour the braising liquid and vegetables into a blender and blend until you have a smooth gravy. Pour the gravy into a small pot. For a rich gravy add a dollop of butter.
  8. Slice the roast, plate with the potatoes and pour on the gravy.
  9. Enjoy. 

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

Until next time…..

                         Bon Appetit 

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Bacon wrapped baby potatoes

Bacon wrapped baby potatoes

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Sometimes finding just the right side dish can be a major chore as well as a major pain in the butt and this is exactly the dilemma I was facing not to long ago when my ever helpful and brilliant wife suggested I make the perfect side dish….. “bacon wrapped baby potatoes”.

Not much else to say after bacon wrapped potatoes except……….. “Let’s eat”.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 12 – 18 medium sized “Baby potatoes” (allows for 3-4 potatoes per person)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated Garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated Onion
  • 2 teaspoons Salt
  • 8 slices of Bacon – cut in half
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Rosemary
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Putting it all together:

  1. Blanche the potatoes in salted water for about 5 minutes
  2. Put the blanched potatoes in an ice bath and set aside
  3. Put all the ingredients except the bacon in a large mixing bowl and blend well
  4. When the potatoes have cooled add them to the mixture and coat well
  5. Wrap each potato with a half slice of bacon and put, seam side down, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper
  6. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the bacon is crispy
  7. Enjoy

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

Until next time……….

                              Bon Appetit

Entertaining and Tasty

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This recipe was originally posted about a year ago but since it’s a great one and it’s BBQ season again it bares repeating and it is easy and fun.

Now as I said this recipe for Beer Butt Chicken or if you have little ones around Beer Can Chicken is easy and fun but it is also very tasty and only requires a few ingredients and one of the main ones, as you can see from the photo, is a beer can chicken holder. This particular piece of equipment is vital because prior to its invention it was very tricky to try and balance a beer can stuffed chicken on a bbq grill without it toppling over and getting ruined. Since the arrival of the holder it’s a simple matter of stuff the can up the birds butt and put it on the grill oh and…. one of the great things about this recipe is it gives you an excuse to go purchase some beer but then again as a guy do I really ever need an excuse for beer? The other thing you can see from the photo is the tray on the bottom where you can put your veggies and grill them at the same time. The other thing that goes really well with this dish is Grilled Corn on the Cob ( see sides).

So here’s how we put the whole thing together.

Ingredients:

One Beer Can Chicken holder

One 4 to 5 pound chicken

Four to six un-husked ears of corn for grilling (see sides for grilled corn on the cob recipe)

One can of beer…… I prefer a Red. It just seems to add flavor

Your favorite chicken rub (see dry rubs and marinades)

Garlic, Rosemary and Thyme

Method:

Empty one third of the beer can, preferably into a glass for yourself

Put Garlic, Rosemary and Thyme in the beer can

Rub your favorite chicken rub on the bird making sure to really cover it (see rubs and marinades for my favorite)

Place the beer can in the holder and then place the chicken on the beer can

Put into a pre heated 350 degree BBQ and sit back and relax.

The chicken is done when the internal temperature hits 160 degrees Fahrenheit

 

People may laugh at you the very first time they see this being made but trust me once they taste how juicy and tender the chicken comes out they will never laugh again……. they will just hound you to keep making it.

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

Until next time……….

                                                Bon Appetite

Fish En Papillote

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I truly truly LOVE grilling season I mean what’s not to love? Meat, flame, warm temperatures and cold beer there really is only one thing better but this is a G rated blog so…… well never mind. Oh and I should point out that En Papillote is nothing more than a fancy cooking term for “In Paper”.

Like everyone else I struggle with what to put on the “barbie” as the Ausies would say. How many times can you do burgers and ribs and chicken and steak before you get tired of the same old same old—– Okay that was a silly question but you get the idea and if you’re like me BBQ’d veggies just don’t really do the trick —- well not always. So I made this particular dish the other day because I was in a mood for something different and I should kick myself for not remembering this technique earlier than now—— IT TURNED OUT AWESOME  and the real bonus is that it is so easy to do. Here’s how.

Ingredients:

– Fish fillets… whatever type you like. I use Tilapia

– Three lemon slices per filet

– Old Bay seasoning or whatever type of fish seasoning you like

– Spring onion

– Asparagus

– Chopped garlic to taste

– One sprig of Rosemary and Dill per filet (or more if you like)

– Parchment paper

Method:

– On a piece of parchment paper that is at least an inch and a half longer than the filet on BOTH ends lay down the lemon slices.

– Place the fish filet on the lemon.

– Sprinkle on whatever fish seasoning you happen to be using

– Lay the asparagus on top of the filet

– Sprinkle on the garlic

– Add the spring onion

– Top with the Rosemary and Dill

– Fold up the parchment like it was an envelope, place it on a cookie sheet and place it on a 350 degree BBQ for approx 20-25 minutes.

Serve with baby potatoes or rice or if you want to go whole hog (sorry couldn’t resist)  with the healthy eating thing then why not try it with herbed Quinoa.

The other really great thing about this dish is the clean up since to eat the fish you merely open the parchment paper and dig in and when you are finished your parchment paper plate simply goes in the garbage.

So there you have it a “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time—— BON APETITE

 

 

Beer butt chicken

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I just love this dish because it is so “simple and tasty”  but apparently not as wide known as I originally thought because when I mentioned it to relatives in England they wanted to have me committed since they had never heard of it and they thought I was insane.

Well nuts or not…… here goes.

Ingredients:

–          1 4kg Roaster chicken

–          1 Can of your favorite beer (less 25% for the chef)

–          2 Sprigs of Rosemary and Thyme

–          2 Peeled garlic cloves

–          Chicken dry rub (see rubs and marinades)

Method:

–          Drink 25% of the beer

–          Put the Rosemary, Thyme and Garlic in the beer can

–          Liberally “hit” the chicken with the dry rub making sure to get the rub into all the nooks and crannies.

–          Place the beer can into the chickens “butt”

–          Put the chicken et al on a baking sheet, this makes the bird easier to place on the grill, and put on a grill that has been pre heated to 350 degrees.

–          Leave the bird for 45 to 60 minutes or until the juices run clear or the bird hits 165 degrees internal temperature.

–          Serve with your favorite side.

 

Bon Appetit