Barbeque 101—Basic Steak

Summer is the season where much of the cooking moves outdoors to the grill. Men who couldn’t find their way in the kitchen during winter now find themselves “masters of their domain” on the porch or in the back yard. Cooking meat outdoors must reach back to our caveman heritage because food cooked this way not only seems to taste better, but it feels good, too!

I know everyone has his own “tricks of the trade,” but I would like to share some of my basic tips for those who are novices and those who would like to improve a little.

Gas or Charcoal?

Purists insist charcoal makes food taste better and go through the ritual of lighting the coals—please no lighter fluids—stacking them properly, adding more coals as necessary, washing dirty hands and spending much time with a water pistol to keep the flames down. I changed over to a gas grill many years ago for the convenience, versatility and lack of stress. I only use my charcoal grill when smoking a turkey or roast. (See “wood chips” below.)

Getting Started

First, make sure you have enough propane gas to finish your cooking. The gauges on most gas grills are not very accurate, and, when in doubt, check the weight of the propane tank and refill when it seem light. Some locations that sell propane will only charge for the amount they re-fill. Check around.

Start with clean grates. Good cleaning tools are available everywhere and should be used immediately after you have finished cooking a meal while the grates are hot. I have stainless steel grates and find them worth the extra cost as I can clean them in my self cleaning oven at the same time. While this method will discolor the grates, they will come out clean and will last longer.

Before turning on the gas, oil the grates with either a spray can or a paper towel soaked with a tablespoon of cooking oil and wiped over the surface.

Wood Chips

I love the taste of food that has been exposed to smoldering wood chips. I use hickory most of the time, but apple, cherry or mesquite are also good and can also be used. You can find them in the hardware store or any place that sells Weber grills. Soak a handful or so of wood chips in a cup or two of water for at least an hour before starting to cook so that they smolder and do not flame. On charcoal grills, the chips are spread right on the coals.  But on gas grills, the chips must be put in a metal container placed on the lower left corner under the grate.

Pre-heat

With a clean, oiled grill and soaked wood chips in place, we are now ready to light up. Turn all burners to “high.” Close the lid and give it at least 15 minutes to reach 500°. The wood chips should just begin to smoke. This is a good time to prepare the salad, boil water for corn and have a glass of wine.

Great Steak Recipe

First, when buying steak, look for well-marbled meat as the fat flakes provide much of the flavor. Most important is that the meat be at least 1 ¼ inches thick. I try to buy meat that is 1 ¼” to 1 ¾” thick. Ask the butcher to cut it. If this results in too much meat, I cut the portion in half and freeze the rest. Grilling calls for thicker cuts, so don’t compromise.

Season the meat with seasoning salt. (I use Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up Salt or a special formula I get from The Salty Chef, Web site in development.) Add little pepper and tenderize the meat by poking lots of holes with a four-pronged fork. Slosh on Worcestershire Sauce. Turn the steak over and repeat. Let the steak marinate for up to a half hour. You can use this method for strip steak, rib eye, Porterhouse or sirloin. Don’t forget to tenderize both sides well.

With the oven at 500°, the chips beginning to smoke, put the steak on, shut the middle burner off, and close the lid. I give each side about six minutes or so for dark on the outside and rare in the middle. If you are unsure, use a digital meat thermometer –140^o for rare, 160° for medium, 170° for well done. Use tongs to turn the meat—not forks! Keep the lid closed to maximize the smoke flavor and keep the temperature up.

I love using my grill almost all year. Please let me know how this recipe works for you. Happy cooking! 

Chef Rick Levy

chefricklevy@hotmail.com

7-6-5 Grilled Pork Tenderloin

If the weather cooperates, in a few weeks it will be time to get out your grill. This master grilling recipe works perfectly, no matter how you flavor the pork. Choose one of the glazes I suggest for a beautiful crust or use your own favorite dry rub, as long as it’s low in salt. Be sure to buy pork tenderloins that haven’t been treated or soaked in any kind of solution by the producer.

Serves four to five.

·        2 pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs. total) brined.

·        1 recipe concentrated fruit glaze (use Rosemary-Orange Glaze) or one of your own creations or other seasoning.

·        Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Brine the 2 tenderloins – in a medium bowl, mix ½ cup kosher salt and ½ cup kosher salt and ½ cup sugar with 1 quart cool water until dissolved. Trim the tenderloins of excess fat and silverskin and submerge them in the brine; let stand about 45 minutes. Remove the pork from brine, rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

Season and grill – Rub the brined tenderloins all over with the glaze and then season with the pepper. Or, season to taste with another flavoring of your choice.

Heat a gas grill, turning all the burners to high until the grill is fully heated, 10 to 15 minutes.

Put the pork on the hot grill grate. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes. Turn the pork over, close the lid, and grill for another 6 minutes. Turn off the heat (keep the lid closed) and continue to cook the pork for another 5 minutes. At this point, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the thickest end of the tenderloin should read 145° to 150°F. (If not, close the lid and let the pork continue to roast in the residual grill heat.) Remove the pork from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. Cut across the grain into ½ inch slices and serve immediately.

Rosemary-Orange Glaze

This glaze is equally good made with 2 tsps. dried rubbed sage instead of the rosemary.  Yield enough to glaze two pork tenderloins.

·        ¼ cup frozen OJ concentrate, thawed

·        1 teaspoon brown sugar

·        4 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

In a small saucepan, bring the concentrate, brown sugar and rosemary to a simmer. Simmer until the mixture reduces to about 2 tablespoons. Set aside to cool slightly.

Aunt Pauline's Honey Cake

My favorite aunt, my mother’s youngest sister and the last of  five siblings,  passed away last month leaving behind her children, grandkids, a few nieces and nephews and her favorite nephew – me! She was a simple woman whose life revolved around her family. She was far more interested in giving than in getting.  At one point in my childhood, I lived with my grandparents and Aunt Pauline, who was 13 years my senior. We spent quality time together. Growing up with Aunt Pauline, we shared a mutual love for cooking. Over the years, she would send me recipes I asked for which were the “family” recipes that many of us remember.  These recipes were usually quite simple with just a few ingredients. The measures were approximate since measuring spoons and cups were a luxury.

          Among Aunt Pauline earthly possessions were the usual pictures, some letters and cards we saved, a piece of jewelry that had special meaning to her daughter and in my case a few recipes written in her hand with personal commentary in the instructions.

          So today, in memory of this wonderful woman, I made her version of honey cake, one of my favorites. Since it is close to Passover, I substituted Matzoh flour instead of all-purpose flour, an act which changed the taste and texture significantly. But as the cake baked in the oven and the aroma filled my kitchen, my dear Aunt Pauline was with me once again.

          Be sure to gather and save those family recipes to hand down to future generations. It is said that the sense of smell is the best to recall memories. When you think about it, you will detect a scent which will immediately evoke a memory, be it perfume or food. 

          Please say “thanks” to my Aunt Pauline as you try this recipe.

Ingredients:

·        3 eggs

·        2 tsp baking powder

·        1 tsp baking soda

·        Grated rind from one orange

·        1 cup sugar

·        1 cup honey

·        2/3 cup strong coffee

·        ½ cup oil (vegetable or canola)

·        3 cups flour

·        ½ cup plump raisins (optional)

Directions:

1.     Grease and flour a loaf pan.  Preheat oven to 350°.

2.     Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda.  Set aside.

3.     Beat sugar and oil and add eggs one at a time.  Beat well.

4.     Add grated orange rind.  Add honey and coffee.

5.     Add flour mixture and mix well.

6.     Pour batter in loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.

7.     Let cake cool in the pan!!! (Emphasis by Aunt Pauline)

8.     Enjoy.

Scaloppini al Marsala

Let’s face it – sometimes we don’t have the exact ingredients called for in a recipe. There are those who only feel comfortable following directions exactly and they miss a lot of fun in cooking. There are many recipes that can be modified with just some handy substitutes. Don’t shy away from recipes that call for hard-to-find ingredients or ingredients that your family doesn’t like. I don’t care for foods like cabbage, brussel sprouts or cooked green peppers. So I eliminate these when called for in a recipe and find substitutes. Red, yellow or orange peppers work just as well as green ones and add interesting colors and flavor which appeal to me. And there are many easy substitutes for ingredients that you may not have on hand or prefer to limit due to dietary needs. Here are some examples: 

       Original Ingredient          Substitute

           1 cup butter milk          1 cup yogurt

                   1 cup butter          7/8 cup corn oil or vegetable shortening

                            Cream          Ice cream (vanilla)

                Crème Fraiche          Equal sour cream

        Orange peel, grated          Equal amount of orange marmalade

                      Fish stock          ½ cup bottled clam juice & ½ cup water

   Tomato paste (1tbsp)          1tbsp ketchup & ½ cup tomato sauce

     Dried mustard (1tsp)          1 tbsp prepared mustard

                          Shallots          ½ clove garlic & equal amt minced onion

                        Molasses          ¾ cup brown or white sugar + ¼ cup water

          Here’s a nice recipe that allows for some creative substitutes and gives your pantry a chance to help.

Scaloppini al Marsala

          Normally, scaloppini, a thinly sliced cut of meat, served in a restaurant will use veal. This is an expensive meat and the thought of killing those sweet baby calves is not very appetizing to me.

Ingredients

·        1 lb meat scallops – I use turkey or chicken breast pounded thin to 3/8”.  Use veal if you choose.

·        1 tsp salt

·        1 tsp pepper

·        1 cup flour – if you only have cake flour, use 1 cup plus 2 tbsp

·        2 tbsp butter or 1 ½ tbsp corn oil or vegetable shortening or equal amount of margarine

·        3 tbsp olive oil

·        1 small box mushrooms, sliced (8 ounces)

·        1 cup Marsala wine or substitute 1 cup dry white wine plus 4 tbsp brandy

·        1 cup chicken stock or equal amount of beef stock or bullion cubes dissolved in hot water

·        2 tbsp butter

To Prepare:

1.     Pound chicken breasts to 3/8” thickness. Put breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with mallet (or large empty soda bottle).

2.     Season with salt and pepper.

3.     Dredge in flour and shake off excess.

4.     Heat 2 tbsp butter and oil (or substitute) in heavy 10-12” skillet.

5.     When butter foam subsides, sauté meat, 3-4 slices at a time, about three minutes per side. Don’t crowd the meat.

6.     Transfer to a warm plate or keep warm in oven.

7.     Add mushrooms to pan and sauté until brown (about 5 minutes); add Marsala wine and ½ cup stock. Boil over high heat for 2-3 minutes.

8.     Return meat to skillet, cover and cook over low heat for an additional 2-4 minutes.

9.     Remove meat scallops and mushrooms and keep warm.

10. Add 1/3 cup stock to empty sauté pan and boil over high heat, scraping brown bits from bottom the pan.

11.   When sauce becomes a syrupy glaze, add last 2 tbsp butter. Stir and spoon over scallops.

Remember, most good chefs are creative in their cooking, using unusual ingredients and substitutes to change the usual to the unusual. If you have any questions or comments, please write to me at chefricklevy@hotmail.com. I hope to hear from you.

Shrimp Scampi

My dining room is kind of small and eight people seem to fit just right – more than eight and I start thinking “get some help to serve and clean.” But I like to do things by myself and, as you will see, this dish allows me to “show off,” yet spend more time with my guests than in the kitchen.

I am amazed at how differently various restaurants prepare their “shrimp scampi.” I’ve tried numerous variations. After countless efforts, I suggest the following, which can be prepared well in advance, giving you a chance to share most of the pre-dinner cocktail hour with your guests.

To begin, you need jumbo shrimp—an oxymoron, if I’ve ever heard one. In New Orleans, where I lived for four years, you can get fresh shrimp with their heads on. But up north here, virtually all shrimp available to us are farm raised and frozen before market. Choose unshelled shrimp 16-20 per pound. Smaller shrimp than that will not do.

The most difficult part of this dish is preparing the shrimp. In order to expose most of the meat, turn the shrimp so that the underside is toward you.  With a small paring knife, slice the shrimp from end to end without cutting through the shell. Leave the legs on. Using your thumbs, push the shell on the top side so that the meat is exposed and the shrimp is bent slightly at the middle. The effort will be worth it.

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt butter and olive oil. I use a half cup of butter and a half cup of olive oil, but you can adjust the combination to suit your taste as long as it equals one cup. Next add the garlic, lemon juice, dry mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, red pepper, spices, salt and minced parsley. Mix ingredients well, simmer for three to five minutes and turn off heat.

When cooled, dip each shrimp in the mixture and arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Next, add a half cup of white wine to the saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Spoon the contents over the shrimp. Be sure to distribute all the spices and garlic over the shrimp. This can all be done a day in advance. Cover it and place in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Before serving, heat oven to 400 degrees and bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil.

About 15 minutes before your guests are seated at the table, put the shrimp in the oven for eight to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your shrimp. Put your linguini in the boiling water for nine minutes for “al dente.”

Drain the pasta and put a small mound on each plate. Arrange the shrimp on the pasta, spoon remaining sauce over the shrimp.

Add a nice Caesar salad, some crusty bread, a bottle of Chianti and some nice Andrea Bocelli music in the background and you are ready to dine at home—Italian style!

Ingredients for Shrimp Scampi

(serves eight)

Shrimp– depending on size, 5-8 shrimp per person—try 16-20/lb

3-4 tbsp. minced garlic

½ cup butter *

½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil *

          * (Use any combination of these two ingredients as long at it totals          one cup)

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

¼ generous tsp. crushed dried red pepper

1 tsp. fresh oregano *

1 tsp. fresh basil *

1 tsp. fresh tarragon *

          * (Note:  You can substitute dried spices or even a dried “Italian herb      seasoning,”           in which case you would use two teaspoons total of dried      herbs or generous three teaspoons of fresh ingredients.)

½ tsp. salt

3 tbsp. minced parsley

1 ½ pounds linguine

Sautéed Chicken with Almonds and Cherries

          It was a laid-back Sunday with plans to watch the Academy Awards that evening. My wife, Leslie, came home this week with a recipe from Weight Watchers for sautéed tilapia with almonds and cherries. It sounded like an interesting dish to try so I assembled the ingredients using substitutes for some.

          I keep certain basics in my freezer (i.e., shrimp, lamb chops, chicken pieces and fish), which make it convenient to produce those last-minute dinners. I took a nice 12 ounce piece of cod from the freezer, even though the recipe called for tilapia—a  easy substitute. I soaked a handful of dried cherries in warm water for a few minutes (the recipe called for fresh, but this is February, not July). And by pounding in a baggy, I chopped a half cup of almonds because I didn’t have the “sliced” variety.

          I defrosted the fish in a bowl of room temperature water for 20 minutes or so, only to discover that I had defrosted a nice boneless chicken breast by mistake!

          What do I do now? Keeping to my philosophy that anything you like to eat separately can be combined and eaten together, I changed the “fish” dish to a “chicken” meal. It turned out to be a tasty variation of the Weight Watchers recipe. Just slice the chicken breasts into medallions, approximately 4 to 6 ounces each. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan for two to three minutes. Cook the medallions for two minutes or so on each side until browned. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add one tablespoon of oil and next add the onions in the same pan. At the end, I added some chicken broth, instead of vegetable broth, to the sauce.

          I’ll bet this dish would work well with shrimp, too. But here’s the original recipe, courtesy of Weight Watchers – 4 points per serving.

Ingredients:

·        1 tbsp. sliced almonds

·        1 lb. raw tilapia, 4-oz. fillets (or try sole or flounder)

·        ¼ tsp. table salt

·        ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

·        3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

·        1 small onion, chopped

·        2 tbsp. dry white wine, or dry vermouth

·        ½ cup sweet cherries, pitted and halved (if using frozen cherries, thaw first)

·        ½ cup reduced-sodium, fat-free vegetable broth

·        ¼ tsp dried thyme

Directions:

1.     Toast the almonds in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-low heat until aromatic and golden, shaking the pan often, about four minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2.     Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp. of oil in the skillet, and then add the fish. Cook until firm and lightly browned, about two minutes, then flip and cook about two more minutes. Remove fish to four serving plates.

3.     Heat remaining teaspoons of oil in the skillet, then add the onion. Cook until softened, about two minutes. Add wine or vermouth; loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for 20 seconds, and then add cherries, broth, and thyme. Heat until simmering; cook for 30 seconds to reduce slightly, divide sauce and toasted almonds among the fish. Serve at once.

Comfort Foods—Pot Roast, Tsimmes, Noodle Kugel

Thick ice on the roof, snow “flurries” that need shoveling and temperatures in single digits all signal that it’s time to warm your soul and return to some basic foods turning winter “blahs” into winter “aahs.”

My wife, Leslie, and I do not share many interests but small dinner parties at our home are something we enjoy doing as a team. Since our kitchen is rather small, it requires us to carefully plan our cooking time so that we each have the kitchen to ourselves. Two people working in a small space can lead to problems, so this month’s column combines several dishes that can be prepared in advance and reheated just before serving.

Recently, we had a small gathering of old friends for dinner. Leslie and I served a meal that I describe as “Jewish comfort food,” although pot roast is not just an exclusive ethnic dish. Some recipes call for cooking the meat in a 350° oven, but I prefer slow cooking on top of the stove which fills my home with wonderful aromas. The combination of brisket, tsimmes and noodle kugel sounds a little heavy, but on a cold winter night, it seemed just right. The brisket is cooked the day before and actually tastes better when reheated the next day.

Pot Roast with Garlic and Prunes

Ingredients:

·        4-5 lbs. brisket, trimmed of fat

·        1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks

·        5-6 stalks celery, chopped in 1-inch chunks

·        5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

·        2 medium onions, cut into wedges

·        ¼ cup ketchup

·        Vegetable oil

·        Salt and pepper to taste

·        2 cups beef broth—I prefer using beef bouillon cubes

·        1 cup red wine

·        1 dozen pitted prunes

·        2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

·        ¾ cup port wine

Season de-fatted brisket with salt and pepper and brush ketchup on both sides of meat.

Place 2 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large heavy pot and heat (medium high) for two minutes.

Brown meat in pot approximately 3 minutes per side. If meat is too large to fit into the pot, cut brisket in half so that the meat can be browned. Remove meat and add carrots, celery, garlic and onions and cook for about 5 minutes to soften vegetables. Add a little beef broth and scrape bottom of pot to release the brown bits. Place meat on top of vegetables and add rest of broth, wine and enough water to barely cover the meat.

Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover pot tightly with lid. I use a layer of aluminum foil between the pot and its cover, which creates a nice tight seal.

Cook meat about 3-3½ hours until meat is quite soft. I turn the meat over once during cooking and spoon vegetables over meat to finish. When done, remove meat, let it cool and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.

In a small sauce pan, bring vinegar and port wine to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Place cooked vegetables, juices and garlic and six prunes in a blender and puree until smooth.

Add vinegar/wine mixture to puree and add six remaining prunes.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

When cool, the meat and the gravy can be kept in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, simply re-heat meat and gravy in the same pot. When warm, remove meat, slice across the grain, and add some sauce on top.

Vegetable and Dried Fruit Tsimmes

Ingredients:

·        10 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

·        2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

·        ½ cup pitted prunes

·        ½ cup light raisins

·        ¼ cup honey

·        ¼ tsp. cinnamon

·        ¼ tsp. nutmeg

·        grated orange peel from one orange

·        1 cup orange juice

·        1 tbsp. butter or margarine

Cook carrots and sweet potatoes in boiling water for 10 minutes, until barely tender. Drain liquid. Combine with all the remaining ingredients except butter. Turn the mixture into a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Dot with butter. Bake for 30 minutes in 350° oven until brown.

Grandma Sarah’s Noodle Kugel

(Note from Leslie: This recipe is from my life-long friend, Susan, who lives in my hometown of Baltimore. Susan adapted it from her grandmother to accommodate a healthier approach to food. I’ve been making it for years and every time I make it, I get raves from my guests.)

In a mixing bowl, combine:

·        4 eggbeaters

·        1 egg

·        1 tbsp. vanilla

·        ¾ cup sugar (you can also use ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup Splenda)

·        1 1/3 cups skim milk

Optional:

·        1 tsp. cinnamon

·        ½ tsp. nutmeg

Spoon in:

·        16 oz. fat-free cottage cheese

·        16 oz. farmers cheese or skim ricotta cheese

·        4 oz. no fat sour cream

Set aside.

Cook 12 oz. medium noodles (I use noodles without yolks) for 8 minutes. Drain. Rinse. Toss with a few tablespoons of margarine. Add to egg, cheese and milk mixture. Pour into an ungreased 9 x13-inch glass or ceramic pan. Bake at 350° for 1¼ hours. Remove from oven and sprinkle with topping (optional).

Topping (optional);

·        1 cup crushed cornflakes

·        ½ tsp. vanilla

·        1tbsp. sugar

·        2tbsp. melted margarine

·        ½ cup raisins