Daube Provençale Made Simple

I don't claim this to be as amazing as the traditional Daube Provencale. That one takes days to prepare and I just don't have that luxury. Yet this slow cooked version is just as hearty and delicious in it's own way.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. beef chuck cubes

sea salt & cracked black pepper

1 T flour

1 T butter

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 c green olives

1/2 c black olives

1/2 c dry white wine

1 c beef stock (or 1/2 c if a thicker consistency is preferred)

bouquet garni of bay leaf, fresh thyme & rosemary

Directions

Season beef with salt & pepper then dust with flour.

Heat oil and butter in a pan.

Add beef. Cook for 5 minutes, browning all sides.

Move beef to slow cooker.

In the same pan, add garlic and onion. Saute until onions are transparent.

Add tomato and olives. Cook for 3 minutes.

Add wine to deglaze pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add beef stock. Mix well.

Now move everything in the pan to the slow cooker.

Correct seasoning with salt & pepper.

Place bouquet garni in the middle of the stew.

Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.

Remove bouquet garni before serving.

Note: Serve with roasted brussel sprouts & mashed potatoes or over egg noodles.

Braised Pork Belly

I was at the grocery the other day with the intention of buying Dungeness crab and only crab. On the way to the seafood section, I had to pass by the meat area. I caught a glimpse of the pork belly and just couldn't resist...Rrrrrrr

Ingredients:

2 lbs Pork belly cut into 2" cubes

1/3 C cane vinegar

1/4 C soy sauce

8 cloves garlic, peeled & pounded

2 dried bay leaves

1/8 t dried oregano

1/4 t peppercorns, cracked

1T golden brown sugar

1/4 C water

1 t salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a pot. Marinate for 30 minutes

Bring to a boil without stirring, lower heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes

Stir, continue cooking uncovered for another 30 minutes or until pork is fork tender

Separate pork & garlic from sauce and fry in a skillet until toasted

Add sauce to meat. Serve

Ragù di Carne con Cioccolato

Haven't posted anything in awhile. The past few months have been a blur. But when I finally got my mojo back, I could think nothing but pappardelle (my current pasta fav) with a rich savory meat sauce. I was bored with the usual bolognese so I decided to create something with a twist....why not with chocolate?

Ingredients:

2 lbs Pappardelle pasta, cooked using package directions

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pound ground pork

1 1/2 pound ground beef

salt & pepper to taste

2 small carrots, finely grated

2 small onions, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6 sprigs thyme, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped

2 bay leaf

2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 t ground cloves

1 c whole milk

1 c dry white wine

1/2 c tomato paste

3-4 c chicken stock

2 c grated pecorino romano cheese

Directions:

While the pasta is working, in a dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking.

Add the pork and beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until browned.

Stir in the carrot, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, cocoa and cloves; mix well.

Add the milk and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the milk is completely evaporated.

Add the wine and simmer until evaporated.

Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the chicken stock a cup at a time. Lower the heat and simmer until slightly thickened.

Discard the bay leaf.

Stir in the cheese. Mix well

Adjust seasoning, serve over pasta

Chicken Tinola Soup

Another one from my list of comfort foods. This clear soup with chicken, green papaya and spinach leaves is perfect for dinner especially during cold winter nights in SF.



Ingredients:
1 Tbsp, Cooking Oil
1 whole chicken breast with bone, cut up (or 6 pieces Chicken thighs)
2 tsp. Peeled Ginger, grated
1 clove Garlic crushed, peeled
1 medium sized onion, sliced
1-2 Tbsp. Fish Sauce (Filipino)
Salt to taste
5-6 cups Water
1 medium sized green papaya sliced, makes about 2 cups
1 bunch spinach leaves

DIRECTIONS:
In a pot, sauté the ginger, garlic and onions in oil until onion becomes transparent. Add the Chicken pieces and sauté until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the water, season with the fish sauce and salt. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer of about 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Add the sliced papaya. Cook for 5 minutes more or until the papaya is tender. Add the spinach leaves. Correct seasoning is needed. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Sinigang

Although a very popular dish among Filipinos both in the Philippines and abroad, this was a regional dish that was never adapted in my childhood home. So it was such a delight to me when I finally had a taste. This is now one of my favorite comfort foods...especially during cold nights in SF.



3 lbs. Pork baby back ribs or Pork shoulder, cut into 1-1/2" pieces
1 T oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
6 cups water
1 packet sinigang tamarind soup mix
2 pcs. serrano peppers
1 daikon radish, peeled and sliced in thin round slices
2 pcs. taro root, peeled and sliced in thin round slices
1/2 pound fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
1 bundle spinach leaves, rinsed and trimmed

In a soup pot, saute onions and tomato in oil until onions are transparent and tomatoes are soft and mushy. Add pork and saute until no longer pink. Add water and bring to a boil. Skim off scum. Add in tamarind soup mix and serrano peppers, mix well. Bring to a boil again then simmer covered on low for an hour or until meat is tender. 15 minutes before the hour is up, add in radish, taro and green beans. Cover and simmer. Add spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Mix well. Adjust seasoning. Serve with rice.

*Add more water if needed
*Variation: Beef short ribs or beef chuck may be used instead of pork, cooking time is increased from 1 hour to 2 hours.

Thyme & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This is probably the best garlic mashed potatoes I've tried so far. Recipe below was given to me only as an estimate and I finally had the chance to test it out for the first time last Christmas. Needless to say, it was a big hit! Even my sister who does not like potatoes loved it...believe me, that says a lot!




Ingredients:
5 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) butter
fresh thyme
3 tablespoons sour cream
2/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes about 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork; remove from heat and drain.

Melt butter and then throw in a bunch of thyme leaves with it and let it simmer for a bit. It turns into Thyme butter. Also, chop a bunch of tiny pieces of garlic and throw them in a pan of Olive oil and cook until they turn golden brown and crunchy. (Never use a garlic press) Then throw them in the potatoes and mix.

Mash potatoes, add sour cream, and heavy cream; blend until well mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Variation:

Thyme & Leek Mashed Potatoes: Substitute garlic with 5 leeks (white & pale green parts only), chopped, washed well and drained

Erik's Meatballs "Best Balls in Town!"

Today, hard as this may be to believe, I tried my very first meatball sandwich and it was mighty delicious! Sooo good in fact that I had to ask for the recipe. My friend Erik B. made it and used his Mom's recipe (I did ask his permission if it was ok to share this here btw)...And you know what they say, nothing beats Mom's cooking... ;)




Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. Ground beef
1 lb. Ground pork
3-4 eggs beaten
1 small onion, minced
Handful grated Romano cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
Handful bread crumbs

Water
Olive oil

Mix all ingredients except water and oil. Mixture will have a "meatloaf" consistency, so add some water to the mixture until it almost has a "spread" consistency (Add more breadcrumbs if it breaks apart). Form into 2-3" meatballs.

Heat oil in a skillet. Brown meatballs on both sides and cover to simmer on low for 20-30 minutes until completely brown.

Put in sauce and simmer about 10-15 mins.

Meatball sauce

3 T. Olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 can small tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 - 3/4 C. Red wine
1 pack fresh basil, chopped
2T sugar
Pinch of oregano or Italian seasoning
28 oz can tomato sauce
28 oz crushed tomatoes
28 oz tomato purée

Sauté onions in oil until transparent or almost brown. Add tomato paste, garlic and red wine. Simmer till wine evaporates and tomato paste caramelizes on the side of the pan. Add in half of the fresh basil, 2T sugar, Italian seasoning. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes more. Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and tomato purée. Simmer for 2 hours. Add water if necessary to thin down sauce. Add remaining basil at the last half hour.
*meatball sauce, could be prepared a day in advance*