Beef Fillet with Pommes Duchesse and Veg

• Seared Fillet of Beef
• Herbed Pommes Duchesse
• Carrot Puree
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Glazed Cherry Tomatoes
• Beurre Rouge
• Balsamic Pearls

Roast Beef

• Roasted hip of beef
• Caramelized onion and old cheddar mashed potatoes
• Wilted spinach
• Roasted cherry tomatoes
• Spaghetti squash
• Dijon sauce
• Watermelon radish

Rosemary and Thyme Buttered Roast Beef

Rosemary and Thyme Buttered Roast Beef
1 large hip of beef roast
2 pounds unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh rosemary
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 Tablespoon cracked black pepper

Blend the butter with the rosemary, thyme, garlic, and pepper. 
Rub the roast all over with the compound butter mixture, allowing the butter to coat the entire surface of the roast.
Cover the roast and slow roast, basting occasionally with the pan drippings.
The compound butter mixture melts and enrobes the beef with flavor as it roasts. The result is a moist, tender, flavorful roast and plenty of rich, tasty pan drippings than will make an excellent gravy.

Roast Hip Of Beef

• Roast hip of beef, rubbed in rosemary thyme butter
• Horseradish and sour cream mashed potatoes
• Sauteed patty pan squash
• Roasted baby carrots
• Maple balsamic glazed purple radish
• Whiskey green peppercorn sauce

Red Wine Jus

This is the sauce I served accompanying my prime rib roast. I made it using the juices and vegetables from the roast.

1. Prepare the prime rib roast as described in yesterday's post.
2. After removing the roast from the pan, you can either use that pan (especially if it is a rondeau) or transfer the contents to a pot. If the bottom of the pan is quite charred, then transfer the contents. You want the carmelized bits and vegetables but not anything which will impart a burnt, bitter flavor.
3. Choose a red wine and poor in enough to just cover the vegetables. Add the stalks of the thyme and rosemary used for the roast rub.If the roast is already carved, add in the bones as well.
4. Reduce until almost au sec. Then add some stalk (beef or veg) to completely cover. Reduce the mixture until it begins to thicken and darken. Then add more red wine and continue reducing.
5. Strain the mixture into another pot and reduce further until you have a thick, dark, rich jus. If the mixture is still too thin, it can be thickened gradually with a cornstarch slurry, just note this will become a 'jus lie' and not a true 'jus'.
6. Taste and adjust any seasonings as required. 
   

Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic, Black Pepper Prime Rib

• One prime rib roast (this one was 6 bones, and about 3.5kg)
• fresh thyme leaves
• fresh rosemary sprigs
• garlic cloves
• black peppercorns
• 2 white onions
• 3 carrots
• 1 bunch celery

1. Clean up the roast as necessary and pat dry
2. Put the thyme, rosemary, and pepper in a spice grinder and blitz until finely chopped Do not blitz too long as the fresh herbs contain moisture and will form a paste. You want more of a dry rub.
3. Mince the garlic by hand or machine and mix together with the above herb and spice mixture. This will make the rub a little wet, but it should be easy to spread on the meat.
4. Place the roast in a roasting pan or large pot (I used a rondeau). Position it so that is is resting on the bones with the fat cap up. This will serve as a natural roasting rack and the fat will baste the meat during cooking.
5. Apply the herb mixture to the meat, spreading it in an even layer all over and ensuring it sticks.
6. Roughly chop the vegetables and add to the pan around the meat.
7. I then covered this with plastic wrap and allowed it to be seasoned overnight.
8. The next day, I cooked the roast at 425◦F for about 3 hours until the internal temperature was 120◦F.
9. You can lower the oven temperature to 325◦F-350◦F after 15 minutes or so, just to get the initial browning or cook the roast at a lower temperature for longer to avoid shrinkage.
10. Allow the roast to rest, covered with foil, for an hour or so before carving.

Sunday Roast

At the restaurant where I work, Sundays are always special. We have a live Irish music session, as well as a big, special Sunday roast dish which is unique each week. Last Sunday was my first time doing the roast, and I was super excited. This is what I came up with:

• Irish style prime rib roast (flavored with rosemary, thyme, garlic, and black pepper)
• Brown butter champ mashed potatoes (green onion, garlic, brown butter, cream, black pepper, salt)
• Yorkshire pudding
• Red Wine Jus
• Braised baby onion and shitake mushrooms
• Roasted colored cherry tomatoes
• Creamed spinach

Steak Salad

Seared medium rare steak, sauteed bell peppers, toasted peanuts, red onion, and sesame seed dressing. Easy to throw together, and a different kind of main course, protein-rich salad that can be served cold.

Macaroni Beef Casserole

This is a big batch of an easy casserole I made. Of course it can easily be varied by: type of pasta, type of meat, vegetables, sauce, spices and seasonings, add-ins (cheese, sour cream, etc.), but here is what I did:

Cook two bags of macaroni pasta in boiling water until tender.
Meanwhile, cook one package of ground pork in a little oil in a large saucepan until fully cooked. Stir in two large green peppers, diced, one package of sliced button mushrooms, and one can of seasoned diced tomatoes (with juice). Add in three packages of chili seasoning and bring mixture to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes until vegetables are tender.

Pour the drained pasta into a large casserole dish, pour meat mixture over top. Stir in a couple cups of tomato sauce of choice. Mix well. Top with cheese if desired. Bake immediately to heat through, or cover and place in the fridge until ready to bake later.

Hamburger Noodle Casserole

Hamburger Noodle Casserole
2 pounds lean ground beef
12 cups hot water
3 cups milk
2 boxes or one large bag medium egg noodles
4 packets hamburger seasoning mix

In one huge or two larger skillets over medium heat, heat a little oil. Cook the meat in the oil until browned and thoroughly cooked. Stir in the remaining ingredients (if using two pots, put half in each). Bring to a boil, then boil slowly or simmer for ten minutes until the noodles are tender, stirring often. This mixture can then be left in the pot for a few minutes to thicken, or transferred to a pan or casserole dish and allowed to thicken, or kept warm in the oven. It may also be cooled and reheated later. 

This is a really quick recipe that is always a hit with those who like beef and pasta, and you can make a huge batch in just a little bit of time. The recipe is forgiving, holds up well, can be made ahead, and makes good leftovers. In order to make a quantity this large, I sort of made two separate batches, but made them at the same time, so everything I added to one pot I also added to the other. Then I combined it all in a large pan, 

Sweet & Sour Liver

I ate liver again for the second time in my life yesterday for supper. This time it was calf liver, and my father cooked it. He decided to try it in a sweet and sour sauce. This is quite possibly the easiest sweet and sour sauce ever - with only vinegar and sugar. It is amazing how something so simple could be so tasty, and it certainly goes well with the liver, and of course, onions. 

Sweet and Sour Liver
olive oil
flour
1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced calf liver
2 onions, sliced
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 Tablespoon granulated (white) sugar

Heat oil in a frying pan. Dredge the liver pieces in flour and fry for 4-5 minutes per side.
Meanwhile in a small saucepan, heat some more oil. Sauté the onion until clear. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook to reduce the mixture into a sauce. Pour sauce over liver. 

Liver & Onions

Liver tends to get a bad rap. It always seemed like a threat at our house, "What's for supper?" 'Liver and onions if you don't behave!' Nevertheless, liver isn't exactly a gourmet, expensive meal. It is actually incredibly cheap. You can still find liver and onions on the menu at restaurants, though it isn't usually a highly popular choice. I'll be honest, I am not a beef fan, or even much of a meat fan at all. However, I have been wanting to try liver for quite some time now. This is the first time I have tried it. My grandmother cooked a batch of fresh beef liver up for me with some onions. Apparently calf liver is the most tender, but there was none at the store at the time. However, this piece of liver she cooked was incredibly tender. It just melted in your mouth, and you could cut it with a fork. Liver is really the only form of beef I enjoy eating. I mean, steak and roast beef are two of my least favorite foods, yet I enjoyed the liver. Which is a good thing, because liver is incredibly nutritious. Liver is very high in protein, iron, and zinc, while relatively low in fat and calories. It is also very affordable and easy to prepare. We bought 4-5 portions for under $2. Here's how my grandmother made it:

Heat some oil in a large frying pan. Saute onions, in large rings or slices, over high heat for about a half hour or so. You don't want them to brown or caramelize, just release their flavor and soften. Transfer to a dish and keep warm. Place the beef liver, cut into small slices, in the frying pan and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the onions back in and cook for at least five minutes more, until cooked. Do not overcook, you want the liver to be tender. 

Meat-za Pie

Meat-za Pie
2 Tablespoons oil
one pound (454 grams) extra-lean ground beef
ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry seasoned breadcrumbs (or use your own seasonings)
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup ketchup (or tomato paste or tomato sauce)
1 cup sliced fresh button mushrooms (or one 10 ounce/284 mL can, drained)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or cheddar, or add some Parmesan too)

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the beef and scramble-fry until fully cooked. Transfer to a pan/pans. Season with pepper and breadcrumbs, and moisten with milk. Add ketchup, and stir it all up with the meat in the pan.  Spread the meat evenly in the bottom of the pan, then top with the mushrooms, then sprinkle with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 375◦F for about 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and entire dish is hot. Serve with potatoes, pasta, or rice.

This is a quick, tasty family meal and a good way to use ground beef (I'm sure it would work with other meats too though). It is also incredibly versatile - if you don't like mushrooms, use another vegetable. Use any cheese you like. Add more spice, chopped peppers, different cheeses, whatever. Also the dish is quite forgiving, the oven temperature and baking time may be varied, and it may be baked with other dishes too. The breadcrumbs really give the dish a lot of flavor, so you don't even need to add salt to the meat. The ketchup also adds a hint of sweetness to the dish, and has more flavor than tomato paste and most sauces, so I would recommend using this. I used slightly more than a pound of beef, so I also increased the amounts of the other ingredients, and divided it all into two 8-inch round pans. The original recipe suggest a 9x9 inch pan. Just use whatever works for you!

Beef And Broccoli Stir-Fry

Tonight we had a quick and easy supper made from mostly leftovers in the fridge. The beef came from last night's roast beef. We had a few of several different types of vegetables kicking around in the fridge, so we used those. They consisted of onion, carrot, broccoli, mushrooms, and asparagus. We also had some leftover pasta, so we cooked up  little extra rice to serve with it with our stir-fry. Pasta and rice are the best two options to serve stir-fry with. Stir-frys are quick and easy, just cut everything into bite-sized pieces and sautee in a little oil until tender, then add some seasonings and flavor. Since the beef was leftover, it was already cooked and only required a short time in the pan. I love having beef stir-fry because I am not really a fan of roast beef by itself. But when it is put into a stir-fry, especially paired with broccoli, which seems to be a classic duo, I enjoy roast beef a lot more.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Sweet and Sour Meatballs are one of my mother's signature dishes. She has been making them ever since I can remember, and I have loved eating them ever since I can remember! Although I have eaten meatballs elsewhere, Mom's meatballs have always been the best, and the true definition of "real meatballs" to me. Of course her meatballs would never be complete without the sweet and sour sauce to go with them. Actually, I have never even tried the meatballs without the sauce, it just wouldn't be right. My mom starts out with a basic meatball recipe using ground beef, chopped onion, egg, dry breadcrumbs, and ground black pepper; nothing fancy. She browns them first, then makes up the sweet and sour sauce and bakes the meatballs with the sauce. She always makes a great big batch of them, enough for leftovers. We like to have meatballs with spaghetti and rice of course, but sometimes we also pair them with potatoes. They also make a good meatball sandwich!

I have helped my mother make these meatballs before, usually I mostly handle the sauce, as I don't like touching raw meat. I have even made the sauce on my own before and used it in other recipes. It works well as a basic sweet and sour sauce for some things, but I like it best on my mom's meatballs. I always look forward to meatball night at our house!

Mac and Cheeseburger Casserole

Here is an easy, all-in-one, family-pleasing casserole. It combines all four of the food groups, and makes a complete meal. It is tasty and quick and easy to prepare. Then just put it in the oven and relax until dinner time! This dish is very convenient because although the meat and vegetables require a quick precooking time, the pasta does not. There is enough liquid in the casserole to fully cook the pasta while it is in the oven. Just make sure you use a short, quick-cooking pasta shape. The pasta is far from al dente, but still slightly firm.If you are used to very tender pasta, you may want to add a bit more liquid and increase the cooking time, or try precooking the pasta, and just baking the dish for a short amount of time.

Mac and Cheeseburger Casserole
1 pound (500 grams) extra lean ground beef
2 cups thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cups uncooked macaroni (or other short pasta)
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juices
1 can (284 mL) condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used marble)
Optional Add-Ins: 1 cup chopped red and yellow peppers, 1/2 cup chopped celery, one Tablespoon chili powder.

Preheat a large skillet with a little oil over medium heat. Add the beef and cook thoroughly. Push the beef to the sides of the pan and put the mushrooms, onion, and celery and peppers, if using. Sautee until softened, about five minutes.
Place mixture in a large, oven-proof casserole dish and add the remaining ingredients except for the cheese. Cover and bake at 400◦F for 50 minutes, until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Enchiladas

For supper I made Enchiladas, which are tortillas rolled around a filling, typically ground beef, but often chicken as well. Then they are served with a topping to cover, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, lettuce, sour cream; typical taco toppings. Enchiladas can be prepared individually, and served as is or briefly warmed, but I made an enchilada bake. I filled and rolled several enchiladas, placed them in a casserole dish, covered them with tomatoes and cheese, and baked them. To prepare, I first scramble fried some ground beef with onion, mushrooms,  and seasoning. After assembling the casserole, I put it in the fridge until it was time to bake it. Although this dish is fairly fast and easy to make, it works very well when prepared ahead too. I have also read that these types of dishes freeze well too, either before or after being baked. I used homemade tortillas for this, which I basically just folded over the filling and arranged in a casserole, dish. Store bought tortillas may be used instead, and may be rolled around the filling. I really did like the texture of my homemade tortillas and how they made a great base for the tomato, meat, and cheese. They also had a very nice texture. You can easy vary the filling, sauce, toppings, and cheese in this enchilada bake.  I baked it at 325◦F for 40-45 minutes covered with foil in a glass casserole dish. It emerged piping hot and the cheese was melted. It turned out very well, and was easy to serve. Leftovers reheat well too, or even try them cold.

Hearty Beef Stew

There is nothing like a hearty bowl of beef stew to warm you up on a chilly winter day, especially when it's your mother's homemade stew. This stew starts with a thick, homemade broth that is simmered on the stove for several hours, filling the house with delicious smells. Then cubed stewing beef, sliced onion, sliced carrots, diced potatoes, and canned peas are all added. This is simmered until just tender. The stew is excellent served with a crusty piece of bread, and makes a very filling meal that warms you right up! The recipe can also be adjusted to make more servings, and it reheats very well the next day. A nice change from the common chicken noodle soup or bowl of chili. 

Lasagna

Lasagna is a special, favourite dish in our house. We don’t make it too often, as then it would lose its special appeal. We often make it for company, as it is a perfected, delicious, crowd-pleaser every time. My mother usually does most of the cooking at our house, but my father is always the one who made the lasagna. Ever since I can remember, I would assist my father in preparing his special lasagna. We always made two 9x13 inch pans of lasagna, that way there would be enough for company and for leftovers for us. One was always meatless, as my brother used to not care for ground beef. I started out by chopping the onion and mixing up the cottage cheese mixture for my father. However as I got older, I would put together the entire meatless lasagna while he made the meat, as well as do a lot of the prep work. Now my father and I work in perfect harmony while preparing lasagna, a tradition perfected over the years. Although we never race, we take our time to put pride into the meal we are creating, I sometimes finish first, and joke to my father that I am beating him. I tell him he better watch out, that I’ll be taking over his kitchen soon, and tell him he is getting slow in his old age. I always treasure the times I spend with my father preparing lasagna together, and I am looking forward to the next time.

Spooky Shepherd's Pie

For supper last night I had to make something appropriate to the occasion. So I whipped up this Spooky Shepherd's Pie with mashed potatoes in the form of ghosts. I got the idea online, but I didn't follow their recipe, I made pretty much our usual Shepherd's Pie. I didn't go through the extra step of baking the pie in the oven either, it works just as well simply in a skillet on the stovetop. I cooked up my meat and vegetables and mixed them all  with cream of mushroom soup. Then I mashed and seasoned some potatoes, and piped them on top to resemble ghosts. The original recipe had called for the use of instant mashed potato flakes (but if you remember my thirteenth post, then you know I certainly wasn't going to use them). I am wondering if boxed potatoes are easier to pipe then real potatoes? I just used a simple zip-top bag with a large hole cut out of one corner, but I did have a bit of trouble piping them. They just don't have the same consistency of buttercream icing (not to mention being piping hot). Oh well, they turned out looking okay. I gave them peas for eyes, and piped the rest of the potatoes around the edge of the pan. A delicious and frightful meal!