January 31, 2008 in Recipes by danky
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
for steaks
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic, minced and mashed into a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
two 7-ounce filets mignons (each about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick)
for sauce
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
2 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
DIRECTIONS
Prepare steaks:
Preheat oven to 500°F.
In a small bowl stir together chili powder, cumin, black pepper, allspice, and sugar and stir in garlic paste and Worcestershire sauce. Evenly rub spice mixture onto top and bottom of each steak. Marinate steaks on a plate, loosely covered and chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
In middle ofoven heat a small flameproof baking pan 5 minutes. Add steaks to pan and roast 20 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to a cutting coard, reserving juices in pan and let stand 5 minutes.
Make sauce:
While steaks are roasting, in a small saucepan simmer water, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and garlic until garlic is very soft and liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 20 minutes.
Pour garlic mixture into reserved juices in baking pan and deglaze pan over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits in pan. Pour deglazed mixture through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing and forcing garlic through sieve to mash it, and stir in any beef juices that have accumulated on cutting board.
Cut each steak crosswise into 8 slices. Spoon some sauce onto each of 4 plates and top with steak.
Tags: Filets, Mignons, Rubbed, Spice
January 31, 2008 in Recipes by danky
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
2 navel oranges
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons grand marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
20 shelled natural pistachios, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
DIRECTIONS
With a vegetable peeler remove zest from oranges in strips (about 2 by 1/2 by 1/4 inches) and in a small heavy saucepan simmer strips in water to cover 10 minutes.
With a sharp knife cut a slice from top and bottom of each orange to expose flesh and arrange, a cut side down, on a cutting board. Cutting from top to bottom, remove peel and pith. Cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on 2 dessert plates.
Drain zest in a sieve and return to pan. Simmer zest with sugar and 1/2 cup water over moderately low heat 10 minutes, or until zest is translucent and syrup is thickened. Add liqueur and simmer 1 minute.
Arrange candied zest decoratively on and around orange slices and top with syrup. Sprinkle oranges with pistachios.
Tags: Candied, Freshange, Pistachios, Slices, Zest
January 31, 2008 in Recipes by danky
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh spinach, coarse stems discarded, washed well, drained, and chopped coarse (about 8 packed cups)
1/2 small onion, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper to taste
a pinch freshly grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook spinach 2 minutes and drain in a sieve, using the back of a large spoon to press as much water as possible out of spinach.
In a skillet cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in spinach, cream, pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste and cook until most of cream is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
Tags: Creamed, Spinach
January 31, 2008 in Recipes by danky
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 pound boiling potatoes (2 to 3 medium)
1 tablespoon mixed chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and/or oregano or 1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs, crumbled
1 garlic clove, chopped fine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and in a saucepan of boiling salted water cook 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Drain potatoes well in a sieve and transfer to a 6-cup gratin dish (1 1/2-quart) or other shallow baking dish, 11 by 8 by 1 1/2 inches. Toss potatoes immediately with remaining ingredients and pepper and salt to taste and bake in upper third of oven 20 minutes, or until potatoes are pale golden.
Tags: Browned, Herbed, Oven, Potatoes
January 31, 2008 in Recipes by danky
This recipe was created to accompany Red Snapper Papillotes with Lemon and Thyme.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Serves 2 as a side dish.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup couscous
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 large garlic clove, chopped fine
1 plum tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and cut into slivers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves (wash and dry before chopping)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan bring water, salt, and 1 tablespoon oil to a boil and stir in couscous. Remove pan from heat and let couscous stand, covered, 5 minutes.
While couscous is standing, in a skillet sauté onion, garlic, tomato, and zucchini with salt to taste in remaining tablespoon oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until vegetables are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in olives, parsley, and pepper and remove skillet from heat.
Fluff couscous with a fork and stir into vegetables.
Tags: Black, Couscous, Olives, Vegetable
