Sous Vide Ribs
I have this fun kitchen machine called an immersion circulator, also known as a sous vide immersion circulator. They are used to cook food at very exact temperatures. It is a kitchen tool that is becoming more popular, but still unknown to a lot of people. They can be expensive, although prices seem to be coming down as more models hit the market. The one I have costs around $200, but you can find them for a lot less these days.
So why would you want to use/invest in one and how exactly is the food cooked?
Sous vide involves cooking your food in a bag, submerged in water. I know that doesn’t initially sound all that appealing, but it is pretty cool and has some advantages.
Have you ever fretted about overcooking a really expensive cut of meat? Or do you have trouble with the ends getting too done before the middle is cooked?
In an immersion circulator, you set the temperature that the water will be. If you like medium rare beef, you would set the temp at around 135 degrees F (57 Celsius). That means the water would maintain a temp of 135 degrees. When you put the meat in the circulator it can’t overcook. It will only get to a max of 135 degrees, or whatever temperature you like. The meat can’t overcook, even if you leave it in for several hours. It also will be cooked the same from one end the the other. This gives you the opportunity to cook less expensive cuts of meats for long periods, making them tender, but still rare. The leg of lamb we had for Easter was wonderful. When a guest was delayed, I didn’t have to worry about it getting overdone, either.
The sous vide machine is attached to a pot that is filled with water. Once you set it to the temperature you want, you place the bag with the meat in it, in the water. Set the timer and let the circulator do its job. You can also buy machines that are self contained. Check water levels once in awhile, but they don’t go down very much, even after long cooks. A friend uses his to hard cook eggs. They get to just the temp he wants from fully cooked or still runny in the middle depending on the temp he sets.
One disadvantage is that the meat will not get that nice sear on the outside that comes from more traditional methods of cooking. To remedy that, you remove the meat from the bag, once it has cooked, and brown it then. I like to use a smoking hot skillet for this. You brown the meat over high heat, turning it until it looks the way you want it to look. This actually worked great for the ribs. You could also place the meat under the boiler for a few minutes or even on a hot grill. You can also sear the meat first, then put it in the bag and sous vide.
Another slight disadvantage, is not smelling the meat cook. Because everything is sealed up in bags, there are no yummy aromas in the house. At least, not until you open the bags to brown the meat. I have confused guests, who arrived for dinner, but smelled nothing cooking.
It is a nice way to cook in hot weather. Sous vide does not nearly generate the heat that an oven would.
Cooking the Ribs
So for my spare ribs, I wanted them to be very tender, but not mushy. I set the pork to cook at 145 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Celsius. That is the minimum safe temperature for pork. You can cook it at a slightly higher temperature- but not lower. I seasoned the meat with salt and my Ethiopian seasoning. I used a freezer Ziploc bag. I made sure I got as much air out of the bag as I could, and made sure it was sealed. I then double bagged the ribs, to be safe. Using a vacuum sealer or pump will help remove more air. Nice, but not a must.
I cooked my ribs for 12 hours the first time I made them. I have cooked them for as long as 24 hours. There is a lot of leeway for how long you have to sous vide meat. Tougher cuts should be cooked longer, to make them more tender. The 12 hour ribs were very tender, but the 24 hour ribs were better. Once the time was up, I took the ribs out, heated up my skillet, and browned the ribs on both sides. This is when you can add sauce, if you like. I added a sweet and sour sauce to this batch. They were tender and very juicy.
Unlike poaching, the meat is never in contact with the water, so all the flavor stays in the meat. Because you have such precise control, you don’t end up with overcooked meat, either.
There are videos all over the internet that discuss and share sous vide cooking as well as groups on Facebook. I am still learning and don’t consider myself an expert. I just wanted to try cooking my ribs this way. I was very happy with the result. I can’t say whether an immersion circulator is a good investment for you or not. I will say that I love mine and am using it several times a week.
Cranberry Pasta Salad
It’s salad season and I’m always looking to share more recipes. This pasta salad is a winner. Lots of veggies adding texture and flavor and a non conventional dressing. The magic ingredient is cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce? I know, most of use think of cranberry sauce as a Thanksgiving side dish, but it can be enjoyed in so many other ways.
In this recipe the tangy, sweet and sour cranberry sauce adds both flavor and color. Its neither the traditional mayonnaise based dressing or the very popular Italian dressing. Both are fine options, but sometimes its nice to try something really different.
I made my own cranberry sauce for this recipe, but the canned stuff is just fine. I already had a bag of cranberries in the freezer. I used half of the 12 oz. bag. I put the berries in a saucepan and added 1 cup of water. I simmered the berries for about 10 minutes until they starting popping and had softened. I then added sugar. About half a cup, but use your own taste on how much you want to add. Once cooled, I used it to make the dressing.
We had this salad in class and it was a big hit. People said they loved the color and thought the flavors worked well together. I agree, I love this salad, too. I thought it might also be a fun salad to make after Thanksgiving. Use that leftover cranberry sauce and serve with turkey sandwiches. Yum.
So here is the recipe.
Cranberry Pasta Salad
1 lb. Pasta, cooked, drained and cooled
2 c. shredded cabbage
2 c. cherry tomatoes, split
4 green onions, chopped
2 sweet peppers, seeded and chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 carrot, shredded
Dressing:
¾ c. olive oil
2 T. fresh lime or lemon juice
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. dried basil
2 t. dried parsley
1 t. orange peel
1 c. whole berry cranberry sauce
Add vegetables to pasta. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over pasta mixture. Stir until well combined. Chill before serving. Serves 10-12.
Note: Of course you can play around with which veggies to add. The combination in the original recipe works great, but use what you like and what you have on hand.
I’m pretty sure I got the original recipe, or a version of it, from my friend Dale. Thanks, Dale.
Cooking with Rosemary
I love cooking with rosemary. It adds such a wonderful, unique taste to foods. Rosemary has a spicy flavor with pine notes. It is a strong flavor, though, and needs to be used with a light hand. Subtle is the key to successfully cooking with this herb.
I must admit, I had to learn to love rosemary. The first time I cooked with fresh rosemary, I used too much. I ended up with lamb chops that tasted like menthol cough drops. I decided I didn’t like rosemary. Eventually, I tried it again and decided I had been too quick to dismiss rosemary.
Rosemary pairs well with lamb and pork. I like it in tomato sauce and it goes great in breads and baked goods. It also goes well with poultry and is an ingredient in poultry seasoning.
I grow rosemary in pots and bring the pots in for the winter. I live in a climate where rosemary may- or may not- survive winter. I don’t take the chance. It is easier to just bring the potted plants in for winter. I keep them in the basement, under grow lights. That way I have the added bonus of enjoying fresh rosemary year round. If you live in a more temperate area, you can plant rosemary right in the ground. It needs a fair amount of sunlight and well drained soil. Rosemary really is easy to grow.
So here are a few of my favorite rosemary recipes.
Rosemary Oatmeal Bread
5-5 ½ c. flour
1 package active dry yeast
3 T. fresh rosemary or 1 T. dried, chopped
1 ½ t. salt
1 1/3 c. water
¼ c. milk
¼ c. molasses
¼ c. butter
1 egg
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
In large bowl mix 1 cup of the flour with yeast and salt. In small pan heat together next 4 ingredients until warm. Pour into bowl with flour mixture and beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup additional flour and egg and beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in oatmeal and 1 cup more flour and stir, adding enough flour to form soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough on a greased bowl, turning to grease top and cover, allowing to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Grease a large baking sheet and set aside. Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a ball and place on prepared sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until done. Loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.
This versatile dough can also be shaped into loaves and places in 8×4-inch greased loaf pans. Baking time will remain the same. Dough can also be divided into 24 equal pieces and shaped into dinner rolls. Bake rolls at 375 for 15 minutes.
Rosemary Biscuits
3 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1 ¾ c. biscuit mix, like Bisquick, I use homemade.
½ c. milk
2 t. minced fresh rosemary or ¾ t. dried
In mixing bowl cut cream cheese into biscuit mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk and rosemary and stir until soft dough forms. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough holds together, about ten times. Shape dough into a 6-inch square and cut into 4 3-inch squares. Cut each square in half diagonally and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Makes 8.
Cranberry-Rosemary Vinegar
This is a favorite food gift of mine. It is so festive and it tastes good, too.
All you need are bottles with corks or screw top lids. If using corks, be sure they are food grade. You’ll also need cranberries, bamboo skewers, fresh rosemary and vinegar- 5% acidity. I use red wine vinegar. Other vinegar will work, too. If you use white vinegar or cider vinegar they will pick up color from the berries and turn a pretty reddish shade. Not as red as with the wine vinegar, but still very pretty.
Since I bring my rosemary plants inside for the winter, I have access to fresh rosemary. Your local grocery store probably has some in the produce department. You can use other herbs, if you can’t find rosemary.
Make sure the skewers will fit in the bottles. Cut them down to fit, if needed. Skewer the berries on the skewers leaving a little room on the top of the skewer. If your cranberries are really big, test to make sure they will fit the neck of the bottle. The skewers keep the berries from floating around.
Place a few sprigs of rosemary in each bottle and then add the berry- filled skewers. Pour in the vinegar, leaving a little room for the cork. Sometimes you need to add a little more vinegar the next day as some will absorb into the cranberries and the skewers. I make decorative labels and give them as gifts. Ready to use in a week.
Poultry Seasoning
¼ c. dried parsley
3 T. dried marjoram
3 T. dried rosemary
3 T. dried thyme
2 T. dried savory
1 T. celery seed
1 T. dried sage
2 t. dried oregano
2 t. dried basil
1 t. ground allspice
1 t. fresh ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Store in a cool, dry place to maintain freshness.
Lovage- How to Grow- How to Use
Lovage is one of my favorite herbs. I feel like it doesn’t get enough attention. So many people have never even heard of lovage. Its leaves taste just like celery leaves, so it is very useful in the kitchen. As an added bonus, lovage is easy to grow- and it is a perennial.
I love celery in so many foods. I don’t think you can make a decent stock without it. I especially like using celery leaves. Problem is, often the celery I see in the store has few, if any, really nice leaves. The solution? Lovage.
Lovage leaves can be used in any dish you would use celery leaves: soups, stews, stocks and salads. The seeds can also be used as a substitute for celery seeds in recipes.
Lovage grows to a height of 2-3 feet, except when it is in bloom. When blooming, lovage sends up stems that can reach 6 feet!
The stems of lovage are tough, almost woody. While they can’t be used chopped like celery, the stems are hollow and can be cut to size and used as straws in drinks like Bloody Marys or vegetable juices.
I’ve never seen lovage sold as a fresh herb. As far as I know, the only way you can enjoy this lovely plant is to grow it yourself. It thrives in sun, but will tolerate some shade. For a little effort you can have fresh “celery” leaves whenever you want. I also freeze plenty for use throughout the year.
Here is a favorite recipe of mine using lovage. Perfect for Spring.
Fresh Pea Soup with Lovage
2 T. butter or oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 c. fresh English peas, pea pods (sliced), or sugar snaps (sliced)
¼ –½ c. fresh lovage leaves, chopped fine
3 c. chicken stock or veggie stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. sour cream
Heat butter or oil in medium saucepan. Sauté onion until tender. Add peas, lovage, stock, and salt and pepper. Cook until peas are the desired tenderness, about 3 – 7 minutes. Puree soup in batches until smooth. Place sour cream in a small bowl. Ladle 1 cup of hot soup into the sour cream, and stir to smooth. Pour this mixture into the soup and cook, barely simmering, until soup is heated through, about 2 minutes. To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with lovage sprigs. Serves 3 – 4.
Note: You can also serve this soup cold.
Lemon Cheesecake Squares
I recently made these cheesecake squares. It had been awhile since I had them. I forgot just how good they are. Between the crust and lemon cheesecake topping there is a layer of raspberry jam. They are just so good. As an added bonus, they are also very easy to make.
This is a slightly non-traditional cheesecake. For starters, the crust is oatmeal-based not graham cracker. This cheesecake is also not baked in a spring form pan, but in a 9×13 inch pan.
Like other cheesecakes, they can be frozen.
So here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Lemon Cheesecake Squares
Crust
¾ c. butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
1¼ c. flour
1 c. oatmeal, old-fashioned or quick cooking
¼ t. salt
Filling
½ c. raspberry jam
2 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
¾ c. sugar
2 T. flour
2 eggs
3 T. lemon juice
2 t. grated lemon peel
Heat oven to 350-degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Beat together butter and brown sugar then stir in rest of crust ingredients. Press into bottom of prepared pan and bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Crust should be golden around the edges. Spread jam over hot crust. As the jam warms it get easier to spread. Beat cream cheese sugar and flour until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in juice and peel. Pour over jam and bake for 25 minutes, or until set. Cool then chill. Store covered in fridge. Makes 24 squares.
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Mint chocolate chip ice cream is a favorite of mine. I have tried a lot of mint chocolate chip ice creams, but was not always happy. I wanted to make my own and see how that turned out.
The tricky part is getting chips that aren’t hard chunks, but rather, little flecks of chocolate, that melt on your tongue when you eat the ice cream. In the past, for chocolate chip ice cream, I have brushed melted chocolate in thin sheets, chilled it, and then broken it into tiny pieces. It worked, but kind of a pain to do.
I tried something different this time, and with a few adjustments, it worked out great. In the past, I posted a recipe for homemade chocolate magic shell. You remember magic shell, the chocolate syrup that hardens when you drizzle it on ice cream. The recipe is quite simple. Chocolate, coconut oil and powdered sugar, melted together. It remains a liquid at room temperature. So, to create the “chips”, I just added some of the magic shell to the ice cream as it froze in the ice cream maker.
After a little playing around, I got the knack of drizzling it slowly. The end result, little flecks of chocolate through the ice cream that were tender and melted as you ate the ice cream. We had the ice cream served on a homemade brownie, then topped with more magic shell and some whipped cream. You will note that my “mint” ice cream is not green. I opted to omit food coloring, but feel free to add some, if you prefer. And, if you just want chocolate chip ice cream, don’t add the mint extract.
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2 c. half and half
1 c. whipping cream, or 1 more cup of half and half
½ c. sugar, or to taste*
2 t. mint extract
1 t. vanilla extract
About ½ c. magic shell- recipe follows
Combine half and half, cream, sugar and flavorings. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add more sugar, if needed, to suit your taste. Place mixture in an ice cream maker and start freezing it. Once it starts to thicken, drizzle the magic shell in slowly as the machine is running, to create little flecks of chocolate throughout the ice cream. I have to guess that I used about ½ a cup. Add until you have the amount of chips you like. Once ice cream forms, place in freezer until ready to serve. Makes about a quart.
*The mixture might taste a little sweet to you, but when you freeze it, it will taste less sweet. When making ice cream, the base should be a little”too” sweet to allow for the taste change after freezing.
Homemade Magic Shell
1 c. chocolate chips- I used dark chocolate chips
3/4 c. coconut oil- I used the unrefined
1/2 c. powdered sugar
Heat all together until melted. I melted mine in a microwave for 1 minute, but you could also melt over a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Store at room temp. To use, drizzle over ice cream, wait about 10-20 seconds- and it will harden.
Spinach and Artichoke Quiche
I love quiche. It is a perfect dish for any time of the day. It is also so versatile. You can really get creative with the ingredients you put in your quiche. As an added bonus- quiche freezes well. I can make a couple, and freeze one for a day when I am too busy to cook. Leftover quiche is a favorite breakfast of mine. too.
I had planned to make a quiche with artichoke hearts. Seemed like a nice, Spring kind of dish. When I was starting to put the quiche together, it occurred to me that I also had a bag of spinach.
Made sense to put the two together. Sort of like spinach and artichoke dip. Why didn’t I think about this sooner? The combo made for a wonderful quiche.
I used about a pound of fresh spinach, cooked, drained and chopped, but a box of frozen spinach would work, too.
Here is the recipe.
Spinach and Artichoke Quiche
1 unbaked pie crust – enough for a deep dish pie
4 oz. diced cheddar cheese – I like a sharp cheddar, but I could see using Swiss in this recipe, too.
2 T. flour
1 lb. fresh spinach or 1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, cooked, chopped and squeezed dry
3-4 artichoke hearts, drained and chopped coarsely (about 1/2 of a 14 oz. can)
1 c. milk or half and half
3 eggs, beaten
2 T. fresh chopped parsley
Hot pepper sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
In 9-inch (deep dish) pie pan place the crust. Toss cheese with the flour and place in crust. Add the spinach and artichoke hearts. Combine milk with the eggs and add seasonings to taste. Pour over the spinach mixture. Place pan on a baking sheet to collect any drips and place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 30 minutes then turn down oven to 325 and continue baking until quiche is firm near the middle, about 25-30 minutes more. To test for “doneness” insert a butter knife about an inch from the center of the quiche. If it comes out clean, the quiche is done. Serves 4-6.
Mixed Fruit Crumble
I was looking to empty my freezer out a little. I find it also helps me to be more creative. I was looking to make a fruit-based dessert. Something to suit the warmer temps this week. I decided the first three fruits I found were the ones I would use. Turned out to be blackberries, blueberries and red grapes. Pretty nice mix. I thawed out the fruit and tossed them with some sugar, a little cornstarch and a squeeze of lemon juice. I had about 7 or 8 cups of fruit, but I knew they would cook down. I put them in a 9-inch glass baking dish and made the topping next.
Baked it until the top was golden and the fruit was all bubbly. It was a big hit and if I hadn’t admitted that it was just a matter of what I found first I think my guest would have though I’d planned it from the beginning. Fresh fruit would have also worked. This is a versatile recipe and a great way to use up fruit you might already have in the freezer.
Mixed Fruit Crumble
The filling
7-8 cups mixed fruit- I used blueberries, blackberries and red grapes -thawed if frozen
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 T. cornstarch
2 T. lemon juice
The topping
2 c. rolled oats
1 c. flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 stick butter
Combine the fruit with the other filling ingredients and place in a baking dish. I used a 9×9 inch glass baking dish but use whatever casserole you like. Place all the topping ingredients, except the butter, in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Mixture will be crumbly. Sprinkle over the fruit mixture and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until topping is golden and fruit is bubbly. Serves 6.
Coffee Cake Muffins
These came about when I was playing around with an old family recipe. The original recipe was for a coffee cake that my Busha ( Polish grandmother) taught me to make when I was about 12. I wanted to make something more portable, so the muffins seemed like a logical option. The recipe was changed a bit from the original, but I was very happy with the end result.
The dough is rich, but not heavy or too sweet. Sour cream is the magic here. It makes for a moist, tender muffin. Then they are topped with a nutty crumble. I added a drizzle at the end which worked well. Your family and friends will love them!!
So here is the recipe.
Coffee Cake Muffins
Topping
½ c. light brown sugar
3 T. butter, softened
2 t. cinnamon
½ – ¾ c. chopped nuts
Batter
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1½ t. vanilla
3 eggs, room temperature
1 c. sour cream
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
Drizzle
1½ c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 T. milk
1 T. lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper or foil liners. Set aside. Mix first 4 ingredients together and set aside. Beat together sugar and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and beat well. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in sour cream. Combine dry ingredients and add to egg mixture. Stir until just combined. Divide batter in the cupcake pans. They will be half full, or a bit under. Top with the topping, crumbling to spread evenly. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Once cooled down, combine drizzle ingredients and pour over the muffins. Makes 24.
Creamy Spinach Pasta Sauce
The sauce reminds me of creamed spinach, a favorite childhood dish of mine. The recipe makes enough to generously sauce a pound of pasta. It is very tasty and easy to make. Great when you need a home made meal, but don’t have a lot of time. You can also use this sauce on hot cooked rice or baked potatoes. I could see adding chicken to the pasta, too.
The recipe uses frozen spinach, but you can use fresh spinach , if you prefer. Just cook down 12-16 oz. of fresh spinach and use like the frozen spinach.
There is Parmesan cheese in the sauce. I like to serve extra on the side.
Creamy Spinach Sauce
1/4 c. butter
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 t. salt
1 c. ricotta cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. milk
Heat spinach in butter for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and heat gently until warmed through. Do not boil sauce. Toss sauce over hot, cooked pasta. Makes 2 1/2 cups, enough for about a pound of pasta.
