I’ve learned eleven really important things over the past few weeks:

1. Just because this is Kansas does not mean that that it can’t get cold enough outside to freeze my eyelashes together.
2. Sometimes, snow will stay on the ground for way more than a day in Kansas.
3. I need winter boots. With a soft, fluffy lining.
4. I fully and completely understand the term “wind chill”.
5. The warmest part of my dog is her belly.
6. My dog squeals like a stuck pig when cold feet contact warm belly.
7. Braising meat on the stove for a good long time will really warm up my kitchen.
8. The condensation from all that braising liquid will freeze my patio door shut, and my dog will invariably need to go to the bathroom at that exact moment.
9. When my dog really needs to go to the bathroom, she will use her cold nose as a weapon to get me up off the couch.
10. It’s a long, cold walk through the unheated garage to the other backyard door.
11. I really need to make sure the children are out of earshot before grumpily threatening to sell the family dog on eBay.

If you’ve been dying for a recipe good enough to freeze your patio door closed, look no further! If you haven’t, or if you are one of those extremely annoying people who live someplace where the thermometers don’t even have temperatures below 32°F marked on them, I suggest you stick around anyway. I promise you, it’ll be worth it. This recipe will take care of dinner on the first night, and make a great soup for lunch or dinner the next day.

You’ll need some beef, beef bones, various vegetables and a broiler.

A little time under the broiler makes the magic happen.

Boil for a ridiculously long time and you will be well rewarded. Check out that broth. Yes, it really was as rich and beefy as it looks.

Bollito Di Manzo – Italian Boiled Beef
Adapted from Livia Tistarelli

2 lb beef chuck roast or brisket
2 lb beef soup bones
3 quarts water
1 large onion, Quartered
2 large carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup canned, diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp fresh basil (1 tsp dried)

Place the beef, beef bones, onion, carrots, celery and garlic on a roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet. With oven rack about 6 inches from broiler, broil the beef and vegetables for about 5 minutes per side, flipping once. The meat and vegetables should be nicely browned, but not cooked through. Place the roasted meat and vegetables, and the remaining ingredients in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered for about 3 hours or until meat is pull-apart tender. Remove the meat and slice thin or chop. Strain remaining the stock through a fine sieve or double layered cheesecloth, I use a cotton cloth. Discard the vegetables and beef bones. Reserve one cup of broth and store the remainder in the refrigerator to make stracciatella soup (Recipe coming soon to a blog post near you).

Printable Recipe

The boiled beef is traditionally served with various condiments such as salsa verde. But since I’m about as traditional as burgers and fries on Thanksgiving, I decided to do things my way, as usual. Sometimes this works out wonderfully. Sometimes – not so much. Just ask my husband.

If you Really, REALLY feel the need to do things the old fashioned way, this recipe for salsa verde from Whole Foods is really quite good.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, scroll down for my Italian Boiled Beef with Tomato, Anchovy and Caper Sauce recipe. It also has crushed red pepper flakes which are absolutely essential, since they help to defrost the windows. I served this over  Polenta, but you could also serve it with a penne or tagliatelle pasta, if you really want to go there.

The essentials. Without them the sauce is nothing. Less than nothing. Like, negative even.

If you really like the salty, fishy taste of anchovies, feel free to use 2 or (gasp!) 3 fillets. Mince ‘em up fine.

Ditto for the capers.

If you are feeling especially daring -and you don’t have children that hate them with a passion only a preteen can muster- you might want to add in some black olives.

Italian Boiled Beef with Tomatoes, Anchovies and Capers

2 tbsp olive oil
1 med onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tbsp capers, chopped
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup broth from bollito di manzo
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
Boiled beef from bollito di manzo recipe, coarsely chopped

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients, except for the boiled beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the boiled beef and simmer until heated through. Taste for seasoning and serve over polenta or pasta.

 Printable Recipe

You might also enjoy:<:

1. Roman Egg-drop Soup – Stracciatella
2. Risotto with Smoked Italian Sausage
3. Asian Beef Sandwich with Ginger Wasabi Mayo

©EclecticCook.com, 2010. | Permalink toBollito Di Manzo – Italian Boiled Beef with Tomato, Anchovy and Caper Sauce | 12 comments |

Sometimes it really is the simplest things that make me the happiest.

In our home during October and November, the days are always filled to overflowing with activities; birthdays, anniversaries, school events, commitments at work, finding a cure for cancer, establishing world peace, etc, etc, etc. The weeks zip by and the weekends disappear in the blink of an eye.  Before I can say “pass the gravy, please”, Thanksgiving is knocking at the door and Christmas is just a few blocks away.

I find that it’s during these busiest of times that the little things mean the most; like taking just a few extra minutes at night to brush my daughter’s hair because she is in the middle of telling me all about the latest boy/girl scandal at school; or giving in to that lazy impulse and having popcorn and ice cream for dinner while snuggled under blankets, catching the latest episode of Glee; or maybe, just this once, leaving the to-do list in the bottom of my purse, piling kids and dog into the car, and heading to the park to gather pine cones.

With Thanksgiving on the calendar next week, I find myself compiling my mental list of things I am always and forever grateful for. Right after family, friends and home come those little, stolen “perfect moments” that give me a warm glowy feeling from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. And right after that comes the Dog (capital D), who keeps my feet warm and cleans the kitchen floor every night after dinner.

In the spirit of warm, glowy feelings, I will share with you my recipe for the ultimate comfort food; chili. Nothing too fancy or too complicated, just combine ingredients in your favorite comfort food pot, put it on the stove and forget about it until the house starts to smell really good and your tummy starts to grumble. This is a snapshot of an ever-evolving recipe, filled with love, warmth and a generous pinch of “me” added in for good measure.

Did I mention the beer? Canadian beer, of course!

Just Chili

1 tbsp grapeseed or canola oil
2 onions, diced
5 or 6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
1tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chopped chipotle chiles in adobo
2 tsp oregano
1tsp thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp chipotle chili powder (can substitute cayenne)
3 lbs ground chuck
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 bottle beer, I use a lager
1 ½ cups beef broth or stock
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Salt to taste

Sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat in a Dutch oven until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, chipotle chiles, oregano, thyme, coriander and chipotle chili powder. Cook for another few minutes, until the spices are fragrant. Add the beef and cook over medium-high heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, beer, beef broth or stock, brown sugar and the kidney beans. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer partly uncovered until chili has thickened, 1½ to 2 hours. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve with crackers, grated cheese and vinegar or lime juice to add a splash of tang, if desired.

Printable Recipe

You might also enjoy:<:

1. Chili Egg Bake and my Weekend Horribilis
2. Bollito Di Manzo – Italian Boiled Beef with Tomato, Anchovy and Caper Sauce
3. Pork and Apple Stew

©EclecticCook.com, 2009. | Permalink toJust Chili | 16 comments |

Fall is in the air, or so I’ve been told. In the Northeast, fall makes a spectacular entrance.  The days grow short, the nights are crisp, and the maple trees put on a show of color that rivals a Fourth of July fireworks display. Kansas has more cottonwoods than maples, and I’ve missed the loud display of color that always signaled the start of sweater, fuzzy blanket and hot cocoa season. But life has a way of reminding us that there are two sides to every coin.

On the spur of the moment, we went for a random, meandering drive this past weekend, which we do quite often. Some of the best times we have had as a family have been on these spontaneous little day trips to nowhere in particular.

We found ourselves at El Dorado Lake and State Park, about half an hour from Wichita. It was sunny and the perfect kind of warm; not too cold and not too hot.

There was a gentle breeze that smelled fresh and green, and everywhere we looked, Kansas was in bloom. Wild sunflowers of a half dozen varieties covered the landscape with pools of vibrant yellow that stood out against the bright blue sky.

Butterflies were dancing above the flowers, adding sprinkles of orange to the canvas.  Grasshoppers were singing, and bees were buzzing all around us, and little living ‘somethings’ hopped out of our way with every step we took. We spent the whole day taking pictures and exploring, soaking in the life that was all around us.

And I found myself on the receiving end one of those unexpected little life lessons; even though I still miss the fall maple forest of Canada, I have my sunflowers and butterflies to remind me that there is color and beauty to be found in all places and in every season.

So while my friends up north are winterizing their cars, raking up leaves and trying to remember where they put the hats and mittens last spring, I’ll be out in my backyard, grilling up steaks and burgers until sometime in November.

Maybe I melt in the triple digit summers, and maybe I don’t see a maple tree in every yard, but two full months of fall weather every year is not too shabby as far as compensation goes. I’d stick out my tongue right now, but I’m waaaaaay to mature for that kind of behavior. Yes indeedy.

The first time I made this, I blended everything in the blender and drizzled in the oil.  Tastes great, not very attractive. It’s best to just stir in the oil at the end to keep the gorgeous, vibrant green color of the herbs.

KC strip steaks don’t need any help from a marinade to come out tender and juicy when cooked to a perfect medium rare on the grill. But a little drizzle of Argentinean chimichurri sauce adds a tangy zip that enhances the flavor without drowning out the meaty goodness.

 Strip Steak and Chimichurri Sauce

2 lbs KC strip steaks (about 4)
Chimichurri Sauce (recipe follows)

Allow steaks to come to room temperature before grilling. Preheat grill to high. Season steaks generously with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat for 10-12 minutes, turning once, for medium rare.  Internal temperature will be 130°F to 135°F. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with chimichurri sauce and serve with additional sauce on the side.

Chimichurri Sauce

1 1/2 cups fresh, flat-leafed parsley
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 shallot
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a small food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Add the olive oil and mix well with a spoon. Can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for 1 week.

(Printable Recipe)

You might also enjoy:<:

1. Moroccan Chicken Brochettes with Chermoula Sauce
2. Bollito Di Manzo – Italian Boiled Beef with Tomato, Anchovy and Caper Sauce
3. Fish and Noodles with Lemon Ginger Sauce

©EclecticCook.com, 2009. | Permalink toStrip Steak and Chimichurri Sauce | 15 comments |

Tomorrow is August 17th, 2009, which means that today, August 16th, 2009, is almost done and gone forever and ever and ever. Never to be recaptured. Gone, like a puff of smoke in the breeze….

*cue violins…..or maybe a whole string quartet*

I think that maybe I’m feeling a little melancholy because my rug monkeys are back to school tomorrow, going into grades 4 and 6. Summer just dried up and blew away before I even had a chance to take it in. Yeah, it’s still hot out, bug season is still in full swing, and people are still grilling in their backyards. But the beginning of the school year is a huge red star on the calendar that tells me that the boys of summer are almost gone, and it’s time to get back on some sort of a schedule, stock up on pencils, and make sure the kids aren’t “secretly” reading the book they can’t put down with a flashlight under the covers, after the call for lights out. I know there is good stuff coming up to look forward to, like holidays and family gatherings, school plays and recitals, puberty and boys….ok, not so much the last two, but you know what I’m saying. Still, I think that I will finish this post, put away the dishes in the dishwasher, get lunches ready for the morning, and then sit out on the back patio and take in the summer night sky just one more time. The bugs can keep me company.

Yesterday I found myself with a loaf of focaccia I hadn’t even opened yet, a slab of top round roast, and some carrots that really needed to get used up before they sprouted or mummified, whichever came first.

I thought maybe a sandwich, my favorite summer meal. But what to do with the carrots?

This is the sandwich I came up with, very loosely inspired by that Vietnamese sandwich that seems to be all the rage these days. A soy marinated, grilled, and thinly sliced top round roast, served on a loaf of focaccia slathered with a ginger-wasabi mayo and topped with shaved carrots and cucumbers that were briefly pickled in sweetened rice vinegar.

Turned out pretty darn good, thankyouverymuch.

Asian Beef Sandwich with Ginger Wasabi Mayo

2 lbs top round steak
½ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 chopped scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp sesame oil
1 loaf of dense bread. I used focaccia, but you can used whatever bread you prefer
Pickled Carrots and cucumbers (recipe follows)
2 tbsp ginger wasabi mayo or to taste (recipe follows)

Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, scallions, garlic, ginger, honey, and sesame oil in a bowl. Place the top round in a plastic freezer bag and pour the marinade over the top. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible.Marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Prepare the wasabi mayo at this time as well. Preheat the grill to medium, and cook the beef turning once, for 7-10 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F. Set aside to cool.
While the steak is cooling, prepare the pickled carrots and cucumber according to the recipe below.
When the beef has cooled and the pickled vegetables are ready, slice the beef as thinly as possible. Slice the loaf of bread in half, lengthwise. Spread about a tablespoon of the mayo on each cut side of the bread. Layer the beef on the bottom slice and top with a generous amount of the pickled veggies. Cover with the top slice and cut into individual servings.

Pickled Carrots and Cucumber

2 large carrots, peeled
1 medium cucumber, peeled
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
¼ cup rice vinegar

Using a potato peeler, shave thin slices of the carrots and cucumbers. Add the remaining ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the carrots and cucumbers, and stir to coat with the vinegar mixture. Let sit for 20 minutes, stirring a few times to redistribute the vinegar mixture. The veggies will be tender, but still have a bit of crunch when they are ready.

Ginger-Wasabi Mayo
Adapted from Chef Duncan Gott

1 tbsp wasabi powder
1 tbsp water
1 cup mayo
¼ cup pickled ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp soy sauce

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate overnight before using.

(Printable Recipe)

You might also enjoy:<:

1. Fish and Noodles with Lemon Ginger Sauce
2. Asian Noodle Salad
3. Affordable Beef Stroganoff

©EclecticCook.com, 2009. | Permalink toAsian Beef Sandwich with Ginger Wasabi Mayo | 20 comments |

I found myself pondering mushrooms and marriage the other day.

Back in the early days of our relationship, I would often quiz my husband about foods he liked to eat, foods he disliked, and foods that he wouldn’t eat if they were the last edible items on earth. One dish he said he loved was Beef Stroganoff. I thought,”Sweet! So do I!” However, mushrooms were in the “not with a ten foot pole” category. This led me to my first question: how can anyone hate mushrooms? Which was quickly followed by my second question: how exactly do you love beef stroganoff and hate mushrooms? Mushrooms are as integral to Beef Stroganoff as, well, beef! And finally, my third and most important question: could I still marry him after such a glaring flaw was pointed out to me? The conversation may, or may not, have gone something like this:

Me: What do you mean you don’t like mushrooms?
The husband: I just don’t.
Me:  All mushrooms?
The husband: Yes, all mushrooms.
Me: Poop.
The husband: Sorry.
Me: Beef Stroganoff is made with mushrooms.
The husband: No it’s not.
Me: Yes it is.  I’ll google it, you’ll see.
The husband (post goggle): Huh. The kind I always had didn’t have mushrooms.
Me: What kind was that?
The husband: You know, the one in the commercials. The box has a picture of a hand with a face on it.
Me: You mean Hamburger Helper?!?
The husband: Yeah! That’s it!

*sigh*

Years went by, during which time I tried countless variations of a mushroomless Beef Stroganoff, trying to find one that was so good, you forgot it was missing the best part.  Some turned out ok, some not, but none of them were the real deal, just homemade hamburger helper.  This mushroom-free era was a dark and difficult time in my life, but I like to think it made me stronger in the end.
Skip ahead to the present day. I prod the husband for dinner ideas, like I often do. He suggests Beef Stroganoff.  The conversation may, or may not, have gone something like this:

Me: So you know I have this food blog thingie, right?
The husband: Uh-huh.
Me: I’d like to post this recipe.
The husband: Ok..
Me:  Well, how would you feel if, um, I made it…..with mushrooms?
The husband: Sure.
Me: I’m sorry, what?
The husband: I said sure. I love everything you cook, so I’m willing to give the mushrooms a try.

*blink*

So what do mushrooms have to do with marriage? These flavorful fungi, besides tasting wonderful sautéed with a little butter, have helped me become more aware of a few things; that I did indeed marry the right man, that any good relationship stays healthy through mutual compromise, and that someone you thought you knew as well as you know yourself still has the capacity to surprise and delight you.

And for the record, he wasn’t thrilled with the mushrooms, but loved the overall flavor, and he ate every bite.

Most Beef Stroganoff recipes call for beef tenderloin, or top sirloin, and you can go ahead and use that cut with this recipe, just skip the marinade step. For those of us (me) on a tighter budget, use a more affordable top round roast and a buttermilk marinade.  The buttermilk tenderizes the meat without adding any unwanted flavors that acids like vinegar or lemon juice bring to the party. The tang of the buttermilk blends in with the tang of the sour cream.  The other trick is to slice the meat at least 1/4 thick and fry it for no more than 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, otherwise it will dry out and get tough. 

Many of the ingredients in this recipe have been scaled or substituted to make this an affordable, budget friendly, family dish that doesn’t need to come out of a box.

Some people sprinkle paprika as a garnish when serving.  I think it deserves a starring role, so I add it during the cooking.

Mushrooms, glorious mushrooms. How I missed you.

You must, *must* have plenty of sauce to drizzle over the egg noodles. It is required.

Affordable Beef Stroganoff
Adapted from Bon Appétit, September 1999 via Epicurious
Serves 6

2 lbs top round roast
2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp canola or grapeseed oil
3 tbsp butter
1 med onion, diced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced thick
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth or stock
2 tbsp dry Sherry
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cut the meat into strips about 2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick. Place the meat in a large plastic freezer bag and add the buttermilk. Seal the bag and massage to make sure the meat is completely coated in buttermilk. Marinate at least overnight and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Drain the meat and pat dry with paper towels. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet on med high heat. Fry the beef in batches until lightly browned, about 30 seconds per side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet.  Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme and paprika and cook until the mushrooms have softened and any liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, stir and cook for about a minute. Add the beef broth and the Sherry, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 more minutes. Return the meat and any juices to the pan and cook until just heated through, 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, Dijon and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice or egg noodles.

(Printable Recipe)

You might also enjoy:<:

1. Bollito Di Manzo – Italian Boiled Beef with Tomato, Anchovy and Caper Sauce
2. Asian Beef Sandwich with Ginger Wasabi Mayo
3. Just Chili

©EclecticCook.com, 2009. | Permalink toAffordable Beef Stroganoff | 14 comments |