A Jeanne in the Kitchen

I have gotten into the habit of looking in my spam box lately, especially since I have found that some of my mail is ending up there.  I am still receiving “spam mail” and I do not know why.  Sometimes I can answer them, and sometimes I cannot.  Sometimes the only option I get is “approve” or “permanently delete”, and not a “reply” option.  Other times, I get a “reply” option.  I truly want to get back to everyone who is kind enough to leave their thoughts, but sometimes, I am unable to do so.  Believe me, I am definitely technologically deficient, so it is not intentional.  If you have left me a message, and I did not answer you back, please, please try me again at either ljbjej@q.com, my personal email address or at ajeanneinthekitchen.com.

Thanks to all.  Safe safe and stay well.

 

I just love where we live.  As I have mentioned many times, we live on the top of 6 “lakes” or ponds, and then behind that, we have a big huge opens space area too.  Even though we live in a suburb or both Denver and Boulder, we are very blessed to have a lot of nature all around us.  With all this current chaos and craziness, about all we can do is walk, so we are doing a lot of walking.  Vinnie is absolutely loving it, every step of the way too.  Poor Lucie can’t do long walks any more, so she stays at home and protects the homefront, eagerly awaiting our return.  Here are the sights we took in from our latest walk-about around the lakes.

This is our view from the bottom of our 4th lake.

Our first blue heron of the season.

We saw quite a few turtles out for a swim, but this is the only one that was not camera shy.

The prairies dogs were out to play too.

The boys on the bridge.

We’re half way home Vinnie.  In total, we walked about 5 miles.

A red winged black bird singing for his love.

These blooms are right outside in my front yard.

After our daily walk, we came home to pizza and a ZOOMed visit with friends.  We are still social distancing, but still visiting, and supporting our local businesses all at the same time.

The twins anxiously awaiting some pizza of their own.

Stay safe and stay well everyone.

 

 

Pork bellies are just what you would expect them to be.  They are the soft, fatty portion of the pig’s belly.  They are full of flavor, but it not the healthiest cut of meat to eat because it is, again, as you would expect, 90% fat and only about 10% protein.  It is NOT my favorite cut of meat for those very reasons, but we had some in the freezer that needed to be used.  Pork bellies are similar to bacon, or bacoun as it used to be known in Europe.  Up until the mid 16th century, all pork was known as bacoun or bacon.  The bellies are usually uncured and unsalted, whereas bacon is almost always salted and cured.   Though pork bellies are eaten and enjoyed in most parts of the world, they are really favored in the Hispanic, Chinese, Korean and Philippine cultures.

Because pork bellies are very popular in both the Spanish world and the Asian world, it only makes sense that the recipe I chose to make was a Spanish/Asian fusion.

Vanilla-Orange Spiced Roasted Pork Belly

3 lb slab of pork belly, preferably unsliced

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

3-4 TBSP orange juice

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp sage

1 tsp Chinese 5 spices

1 tsp orange zest

1 tsp dried thyme

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBSP butter

olive oil

 

Mix all the ingredients together well and thoroughly coat the pork belly with the mixture.  Score the the meat with a sharp serrated knife.  If you are using pork belly that has already been sliced, no need to score the meat.

I did not really pay much attention to the package before opening it, but once I did, I found out my pork belly was already sliced.  Oh well.  Live and learn.  We have one more package of pork belly in the freezer, and I think that is sliced as well.  Another great use for this is to wrap it around other meats for roasting.  Wrapping other meats with this fatty meat will help add moisture and flavor to meats while roasting them.

Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before cooking.

In a hot skillet, add the butter and olive oil and then sear all sides of the meat, about 7-10 minutes per side.

Preheat the oven to 325* F or 165* C.

 

Place the meat in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Reserve most of the sauce for later.  The cooking times will vary greatly depending on whether or not you are using a pre-sliced slab or an uncut slab of pork.  Roast for about 30 minutes is using pre-sliced pork and for about 1-1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165* F,  if using uncut pork.

Heat the remaining sauce in a saucepan by bringing it to a boil then reducing it to a simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

When the pork is done, serve it with your favorite side dishes and top with the sauce.  I served it with some green beans and rice with brown butter pecans, along side some warmed bread and a dry white chardonnay.  You want a dry white wine to accent the spiciness of the sauce.  Enjoy!  Desfruitas!

 

 

 

 

The other day when I made my Boeuf avec buerre a la Parisienne, Boeuf Avec Buerre a la Parisienne I had a lot of my roasted beef leftover.  As you all know, I just love being as creative as I can with all my leftovers.  I decided to cut up all the beef and turn in into a Southwestern tamale pie.  So the dish was originally French, then magically became Spanish, in just a wave or two of my magic wooden spoon.

What started as this  …..

ended up as this …….

 

 

Southwestern Tamale Pie

The Filling

2 lbs cooked beef roast (or any kind of beef), cubed

4 TBSP olive oil

2 jalapenos, diced fine

1/2 large onion, diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

2 tsp of either cocoa powder or spiced cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon

salt & pepper to taste

3 TBSP chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 1/2 cups corn

1 15 oz can of pinto pintos, with the juice

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup olives, sliced in 1/2

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped fine

 

Saute all the vegetables and spices together except the olives, tomatoes and cilantro, in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.

Next add the beef cubes and mix everything together well.

Add the beans, tomatoes and water, bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Add the olives and the cilantro and thoroughly combine.  Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray then add the meat filling to the pan and spread evenly.

Preheat the oven to 400* F or 200* C.

 

The Topping

1 cup flour

1 cup of either Masa Harina or cornmeal

1 1/2 TBSP sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 cilantro, chopped fine

1 jalapeno, diced fine

3/4 cup milk

3 TBSP butter, melted

1 egg

3/4 cup shredded cheese

 

Mix all the dry ingredients, the jalapeno, and cilantro together.  You can also mix in the cheese at this point, or top the crust with it after you are done, which is what I decided to do.  Or you can even make it really cheesy and do both.

Mix the egg, milk and melted butter together.

Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients then mix everything together thoroughly.  You are going to have a thick dough or masa.   Crumble the masa mixture evenly over the top of the filling, making sure to cover the whole thing.  I find the best way to do this is by hand.

Layer the whole dish with the shredded cheese.

Place in the oven and bake at 400*F for 10 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350* F and continue to bake for 30 more minutes or until the topping is cooked.

I served it with arroz verde, a little salsa and avocado, and of course, a nice, cool margarita on the side.    As per usual, I made more leftovers from my leftovers.  The Queen would be oh so proud.  🙂  One day I was saying “Bon Appetit” and the next day I say Delicioso!  Both ways were very tasty indeed.  Both ways are going to give those taste buds quite a treat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was time to use the leftover rotisserie chicken.  Since it was already cooked, that eliminated one step of the cooking process.  This dish is similar to chicken caccitore, but a much lighter version, which is perfect for the warmer, more spring-like weather we’ve been having.

Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetables

1-1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken, cut into chunks

cooked spaghetti or angel hair pasta

olive oil

1 zucchini, sliced

1-1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1 cup sliced peppers – I used the sweet peppers, but any kind will do

1 shallot, sliced thin

1 TBSP garlic

2 cans stewed tomatoes, with the juice

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup dry white wine

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 tsp each, dried oregano, basil, thyme, sage, and marjoram

salt & pepper to taste

 

Saute all the vegetables together, except the tomatoes, along with the dried herbs and salt & pepper in the olive oil.

When the vegetables are tender, add the wine and the tomatoes.  Continue to cook for about 5 minutes.

Mix everything together well then add the chicken and incorporate into the mixture.

Once everything is combined, add the lemon juice and mix well again. Continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Once everything is ready, serve it over the cooked pasta.  I served it with some warmed bread and an olive oil dip and a light and fruity chardonnay.  You can also serve it with a light red too if you prefer, but definitely NOT a heavy or bold red.  Something light is definitely best with this light dish.  This is light and zesty, full of vegetables, and full of flavor.  Mangia!

 

 

 

 

Human beings are naturally social creatures.  It is in our DNA.  Some of us more so than others.  I am most definitely a very social person and always have been.  I am a free spirit and I hate to be couped up and caged in.  These days, with all the lockdowns in place, I am definitely feeling very caged in.  But because we can’t go anywhere at the moment, we have to find other ways of socializing and connecting.  More so than ever, the internet has become our lifelines to the rest of the world.  I never thought I would appreciate the internet as much as I currently do, but thank God for the internet.

We have now successfully enjoyed our second Virtual Happy Hour with our friends Janet and Bob and their daughter Jeanette and her husband Derek.  This time, not only did we “get together” over drinks, but we added a couple of friendly games of Farkle to the party as well.

All we need for some Moscow Mermaids, a variation of Moscow Mules.

Drinks – check; snacks – check; SKYPE connections – check; dice – check.  We’re ready.  Let’s let the games begin.

Obviously it is much better to get together face-to-face, but SKYPE is the next best thing.  We all managed to have a good time.  Times may be tough at the moment, but we’re not going to let them get the best of us.

Hang in there everyone.  This too shall pass.  In the meantime, stay safe and stay well.

 

 

We have all kinds of meat in our freezers, and I never know exactly what Larry is going to pull out to defrost.  I let him pick the meats and then I fix them how I want.  This time, he pulled out a big beef roast.  OK.  No problem.  I can come up with some very tasty ways to prepare it.  And believe me, I did too.

I made the roast very flavorful and tender on its own, but then I added a compounded butter to really make it come to life.  The butter is known as Buerre a la Parisienne, or a Cafe de Paris Butter.  This butter was first created in the Cafe de Paris in Geneva, Switzerland, in the 1940’s, to accompany a variety of grilled meats, although it was originally created go with a simple meal of salad, bread and fries. What I am going to present to you is a modified version, since the actual recipe is a safely guarded secret, known only to a handful of trusted chefs, mainly in Switzerland, Portugal, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Sweden. This is perhaps one of the original secret sauces of the world.

The Roast

4-5 lb beef roast

2 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP fresh sage, chopped fine

4-5 fresh thyme sprigs, stems removed

2 TBSP olive oil

4 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

 

Mix everything together well and generously coat the beef roast on all sides.  Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 3-24 hours before cooking it.

When you are ready to cook the roast, preheat the oven to 450* F.  When the oven is hot, place the roast on the center rack in the oven, fat side up.  Roast for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, turn the temperature down to 350* F and continue to roast for about 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130* F for a good medium rare roast.  If you do not like your meat so pink, cook it longer; 140*F will get you to a medium.  You do not want to overcook it though, or the roast will lose its flavor and will become dry and tough.

Let the roast stand for about 15-20 minutes before cutting it.  It will continue to cook a bit.

 

I have served many a roast just like this, so if you do not want the Cafe de Paris butter, no need to add it.  But you will definitely be glad you did.

 

Cafe de Paris Butter

1 stick of butter, softened

1 TBSP ketchup or tomato paste

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1-2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp curry powder

salt & pepper to taste

1 shallot, minced fine

1 TBSP capers

1 tsp thyme

 

Mix everything together well then place it in plastic wrap and roll it into a log.  Place the butter roll in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set before using.

Add the butter in large pieces to the roast as soon as it has been removed from the oven, so the flavors can melt into the beef.  You can serve it up with whatever side sides you like, but they need to be strong and bold enough to support the bold flavors of the beef roast.  I made roasted potatoes and curry roasted vegetables.  YUM!

After the butter melts into the steak, slice it up in thin strips and enjoy.  A bold red is the perfect wine choice to go with this meal.  I chose a bold cabernet sauvignon.

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, it was a cold, wintery day, and today it is spring again.  This is so typical of our wacky Colorado weather.  Yesterday, we got about 1-2 inches of snow, and today, most of it is already melted and the sun is shining brightly once more.  The birds and squirrels were happy about this too and came out to play today.

 

One good thing about all this extra time on my hands is that I have become even more creative in the kitchen than usual.  I am going through my library of cookbooks even more so and finding so many great recipes that I just have to try.  Fortunately, my pantry is always well stocked, which means I usually have just about everything I need to prepare these fabulous dishes.  Not only is my pantry well stocked, but so is our liquor cabinet, so I have been cooking more with alcohol than I normally do as well.  It’s odd, we have a very fully stocked liquor cabinet, but other than wine, and the occasional margarita, neither one of us are really big drinkers.  We have some rum that’s over 20 years old, and it is only getting better and better all the time.  Luckily Larry has gotten use to not really knowing what’s for dinner and he is a pretty adventurous eater, so that gives me free reign to try just about anything I want to try.

One of my latest culinary creations was chicken with mushrooms and pearl onions.  It called for brandy, which of course we have, but I had some almond tequila that I decided to use instead.  Oddly enough, I literally had the exact amount the recipe was calling for too.  I also used some of our Costco chicken for this dish as well.  This was our first time to dine al fresco for the season, before we had another bout of snow.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

1 1/2-2 lbs chicken pieces – either breasts or leg & thighs is fine

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBSP flour

olive oil

3/4 cup pearl onions, peeled

8 oz mushrooms, quartered or sliced

2/3 cup brandy or alcohol of choice

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp thyme, fresh or dried

butter

 

Mix the flour and salt & pepper together and lightly coat the chicken.  Add the olive oil and some butter to the skillet, then brown the chicken pieces on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Once the chicken is browned, remove it from the skillet and set it aside, keeping it warm.  Since I used chicken that was already cooked, I eliminated this step.

Add more oil and/or butter if needed and saute the mushrooms and pearl onions together for about 5-6 minutes, or until they are browned.

Once the mushrooms and onions are browned, remove the skillet from the heat and add the alcohol.  Be careful of flare ups and flambeing, unless that is what you are going after.

Bring everything to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Mix the cornstarch with the chicken broth and add to the mixture, then add the thyme.  Adjust the seasoning if necessary.  Cook for about 2-3 more minutes. Finish everything off with some butter and combine well.

Add the chicken pieces back into the mixture, making sure to completely coat the chicken with the sauce, and continue to cook for about 2-3 more minutes.

I served my chicken over some rice with browned butter and pecans, alongside green beans.  My wine choice was a light, fruity chardonnay.  Delicious!

 

 

 

 

The last couple of days have been nice and warm, and very Spring-like.  I even ventured into my shorts, it was so nice.  Today, on the other hand …. not to so much.  Today is cold, damp and gloomy.  The weather forecasters are predicting snow again.  I think it will come down soon.  It sure feels like it is about to start at any minute.

That is frost on the upper branches of the trees.  It’s April already.  We’ve had our snow.  let’s let Spring begin.

More frost in the front yard too.

So far, out of all this lock down stuff, today is the worst day so far.  Maybe it’s because of the cold and gloomy weather.

I am already on my second “cuppa” today, which I never do.  Since I can’t really even go out for a walk today, I think it just might be a good day to curl up with my cuppa and a good book.  As soon as I finish here, I will be just starting it.  It is a spy novel.  I love spy novels.

Stay safe and stay well everyone.