Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Fruit stuffed pork tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins, spiral cut, (or just with a pocket in it)

2 apples, peeled, small diced
6 prunes, small diced
6 apricots, dried
2 tbsp walnuts, minced
1.5 oz. brandy
1 tsp nutmeg
2 egg whites, whipped slightly
salt and pepper, to taste

Ground caraway, salt, pepper to taste

2 tbsp shallots
1 oz. brandy
2 c. brown sauce

Spiral cut or pocket cut tenderloin to produce a flat sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, pound to an even thickness, maybe 1/4".
Combine all stuffing ingredients (apples to salt and pepper), mix. Season pork, then spread filling in a thin even layer over the pork, then roll it up to form a tight cylinder. Truss the tenderloin with string to hold its shape. Sear in a hot skillet (not nonstick) on all sides. Remove pork to a roasting pan, cook at 350 to an internal temperature of 145.
Meanwhile, sweat shallots in the pan you seared the pork in. Deglaze with brandy, add brown sauce, simmer 10 minutes.

Source: Pennsylvania Culinary Institute "Oktoberfest" enthusiast class, Chef Art Inzinga, October 14, 2006

Friday, July 4, 2008

Halushki

Halushki (cabbage and noodles)

1 cabbage head (small)
12 oz. wide egg noodles (or 1 egg, 2 c. flour, 1 pinch salt, milk as needed; combine, roll out to 1/8 inch thick, cut into strips, let dry)
24 oz. cottage cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 egg
1 onion, mild (small)
1/2 c. butter or margarine
salt and pepper

Boil noodles, set aside.
Dice onion, saute in 1/3 stick of butter until they get a little color, set aside.
Remove stem, chop cabbage into bite-sized pieces (about 3/4 inch). Saute in 2/3 stick of butter until tender and have a little color. Add to noodles.
Blend cottage cheese, sour cream, egg. Add sauted onions and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add cheese mixture to noodles and cabbage, mix well. Pour into a glass 9x13 baking dish lightly coated with non-stick spray. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes to crisp edges and top layer. Serve hot.

Note: do not saute onions and cabbage together; onions will burn before cabbage is done. This also helps to better distribute the butter throughout the dish.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Polish Enthusiast course, 11/6/07

Bigos

Bigos (Polish hunter's stew)

1/4 c. dried mushrooms
1 c. pitted prunes
8 oz. lean pork
16 oz. chuck steaks
8 oz. kielbasa or other polish sausage
1/4 c. flour
2 onions, sliced
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. dry madeira wine
2 lb. sauerkraut, rinsed
4 tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. dried dill
2 1/2 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Cover prunes, dried mushrooms in boiled water. Let stand for 30 minutes, then drain.
Cut all meats in 1-inch cubes, put in ziploc bag, add flour, close bag and shake.
Saute onions in oil until soft, remove.
Brown meat on medium until just browned, not fully cooked, remove and set aside. Add wine, simmer for 2 minutes, stirring.
Return meat to pan with onion, sauerkraut, tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, dill, mushrooms, prunes. Pour in stock, season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, simmer 1 1/2-2 hrs. Uncover for the last 20 minutes to let liquid evaporate.
In the meantime, peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Boil in water until tender, drain and toss with parsley. Add potatoes to bowl, top with stew, sprinkle with parsley.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Polish Enthusiast course, 11/6/07

Pierogi

Potato/cheese filling:
1 tbsp grated onion
2 tbsp butter
2 c. cold mashed potatoes
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
salt and pepper
Saute onion in butter until tender, combine with potatoes and cheese, season to taste.

Sauerkraut filling:
1 lb. sauerkraut, rinsed
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 lb. bacon, crispy, in pieces
salt and pepper
Saute (do not stir too much or it'll never brown).

Prune filling:
2 c. dry cottage cheese
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp melted butter
6 tbsp chopped prunes
salt
2 egg yolks
cinnamon
Combine.

Pierogi dough:
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 tsp vegetable oil
3/4 c. warm water
bacon, crisp, chopped (optional)
onion, chopped, lightly browned in butter (optional)

Mix flour with salt in a deep bowl. Add egg, oil, water to make a medium soft dough. Knead on a floured board until smooth (not too much, though, or it'll toughen).
Divide dough into 2 parts, cover, let stand for at least 10 minutes.
Roll dough thin on a floured board. Cut rounds with a biscuit cutter or the open end of a glass. Put a spoonful of filling in it, form a half circle, press edges together with fingers, make sure it seals well.
Place pierogi on a floured board, cover with a tea towel to prevent from drying out. Drop a few (not too many) into a pot of boiling salted water. Boil 3-4 minutes. They'll be ready when they're puffed. Remove with a perforated spoon or skimmer, drain thoroughly.
Place in a deep dish, sprinkle with melted butter, keep them hot. Don't pile/crowd them.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Polish Enthusiast course, 11/6/07

Chicken salad wrap

1/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 lb. chicken, in small cubes
kosher salt, pepper
1/4 c. crumbled roquefort cheese
1/4 c. blue cheese dressing
1/4 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped arugula
two tortillas

Toast walnuts on a baking sheet (350, about 10 minutes or until shiny). Saute chicken with salt and pepper, brown all sides. Cool.
Mix roquefort, blue cheese dressing, cherries, celery, chicken. Can refrigerate and finish later.
To serve: add arugula and walnuts, wrap in tortillas.

Source: Aunt Jill and Uncle Marc

Dan's note: it's kinda a guideline, nothing hard and fast. Seitan actually works well here. Celery is pretty important, though, or something else crunchy.

Marinara Sauce

2 oz. olive oil
1 cup onion, small diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
4 c. diced or ground tomatoes (canned)
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
salt, pepper, sugar to taste

Sweat onions in olive oil in a saucepan. Add garlic, sweat until aromatic. Add oregano, sweat 1 minute. Add tomatoes, simmer 15-20 minutes. Check consistency. Add basil, season to taste.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Vegetarian Enthusiast course, 2/16/08

Wild Mushroom Risotto

1 onion, diced
1/2 lb. wild mushrooms (or butternut squash, carrots (some pureed, some in chunks), whatever.)
4 tbsp butter or olive oil
5 c. vegetable stock
2 c. Arborio rice
salt and pepper
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Melt the butter over medium heat, add onion and mushrooms, stir and cook until onion is soft and translucent (do not brown).
Meanwhile, in a different pan, bring stock to a simmer, and maintain at a simmer.
Once the onion is soft, add rice, cook on medium, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary. Do not brown the rice.
Ladle in the stock, 1/2-3/4 c. at a time. Stir constantly. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so nothing sticks. There should be little bubbles from time to time; if there are more than that, reduce heat to medium-low.
When most of the liquid is absorbed, add a little more, keep stirring, as before. It'll take about 20 minutes to add everything. Taste it to see if it's done. If you need more stock, heat some more up, or use water.
Add salt and pepper, stir, add cheese and stir, serve immediately in warm bowls with extra Parmesan on hand.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Vegetarian Enthusiast course, 2/16/08

Eggplant Parmesan

2 cups flour
2 oz. milk
4 eggs
4 cups panko bread crumbs
2 eggplants
1 c. marinara sauce
1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese
2 oz. parmesan cheese
1 oz. chopped parsley
oil as needed

Peel and slice eggplant, lightly salt each slice.
Mix egg and milk.
Bread each slice: flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, place on a parchment-lined sheet.
Heat oil in skillet, pan fry eggplant until golden brown on each side. (a few minutes on each side, a lot of oil)
Top with marinara and mozzarella, bake at 350 until cheese is melted, garnish with parmesan and parsley.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Vegetarian Enthusiast course, 2/16/08

Marinated asparagus, edamame, and roasted red pepper salad

2 asparagus bundles, cut into 2 inch length
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, julienned
1 cup edamame
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 red onion
salt and pepper

Fill 2 sauce pots with water, salt it to seawater taste, boil, blanch asparagus for 30 seconds, edamame for 1 minute, shock in ice water. Roast peppers on an open flame until skin is black, place in bowl covered with saran wrap.
Peel peppers, deseet, cut into 2 inch fine strips.
Combine vinegar, onion, oregano, oil in a blender, pulse until blended. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine peppers, asparagus, edamame, and coat with dressing.

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Vegetarian Enthusiast course, 2/16/08

Multi Bean Chili

1 oz. vegetable oil
8 oz. onion, diced
4 oz. red and green bell peppers, diced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 chipotle pepper, minced (from can)
1 tsp adobo sauce (from chipotle pepper can)
20 oz. assorted beans (recipe used 8 oz. pinto, 4 oz. kidney, 4 oz. black, 4 oz. garbanzo), cooked
2 green hot peppers
1 pt. vegetable stock
2 c. diced tomatoes in juice

Sweat onions and peppers in oil. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano. Cook until garlic aroma is apparent (do not burn). Add all other ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes until flavors marry and consistency thickens. Adjust seasonings and/or consistency (w/ cornstarch slurry).

Source: Chef S. Culp, PA Culinary Institute, Vegetarian Enthusiast course, 2/16/08