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Pan Sauce

Pan Sauce

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Yield: Easily adjustable, but this is for 2 servings
Scott Nowell

This is a generic pan sauce recipe. It should work with almost anything. The stock is listed as beef or chicken, but you can use others depending on the dish. The recipe assumes you have just cooked steak or poultry in a pan on the stove.

  • 2sprigs thyme
  • 1small shallot, minced
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • ⅓cup beef or chicken stock
  • 1½tsp powdered gelatin (optional, see below)
  • ⅓cup red or white white
  • 1tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
  • 2tsp soy sauce
  • 1TBS minced fresh chives
  • 1TBS minced fresh parsley leaves
  • 1TBS minced fresh tarragon leaves
  • 2-4TBS unsalted butter, room temperature

Stock: The term stock opens an ocean of possibilities.  The best stock is home made from bones and other reserved scraps from previous recipes.  Canned or boxed stock from the supermarket is always an option, but is a huge step down from home made.  Stock base, in particular Better than Bouillon brand is better than most canned stocks.  Just mix it in water to make instant stock substitute.  Their beef and chicken versions are available in most supermarkets.  Others are available on-line.

Note: If you’re using store bought or bouillon based stock, add the powdered gelatin to the stock and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Pour fat from pan, but do not wipe pan. Add a little oil or butter if pan is too dry. Add thyme (or other herbs) and shallot. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, wine, soy, mustard (if desired) and herbs. Whisk to deglaze pan. Bring to boil, reduce to low and cook until reduced by half.

Remove pan from the heat and add butter. Swirl or stir until melted and sauce thickens.

Gravy

Gravy

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“I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage.” ― Erma Bombeck.

It doesn’t come much simpler unless you buy it in a can, jar or packet of powder (but, please don’t!)

  • Unsalted butter
  • All-purpose flour
  • Stock – homemade, low sodium or regular
  • Salt (or equivalent)
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For an optional flavor boost:

  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1tsp dried parsley
  • ½tsp onion powder
  • ¼tsp dried thyme
  • ¼tsp dried oregano, paprika
  • ¼tsp paprika
Gravy needed
(Cups)		 Butter (TBS) AP Flour (TBS) Stock
(Cups)
1 1½ 1½ 1
2 3 3 2
3 4½ 4½ 3
4 6 6 4

Stock: The term stock opens an ocean of possibilities.  The best stock is home made from bones and other reserved scraps from previous recipes.  Canned or boxed stock from the supermarket is always an option, but is a huge step down from home made.  Stock base, in particular Better than Bouillon brand is better than most canned stocks.  Just mix it in water to make instant stock substitute.  Their beef and chicken versions are available in most supermarkets.  Others are available on-line.

Gravy is basically three steps. Make a roux, add stock to create gravy, season to taste.

All gravy should start with a roux. The ratio of butter to flour is always one to one. Only the amount changes depending on how much stock is being thickened and what the result is desired. For most gravies the ratio of roux to stock is 1½ TBS to one cup of stock. So for one cup of gravy you need 1 cup of stock, 1½ TBS of butter and 1½ TBS of flour.

To make the roux, heat a sauce pan large enough to hold the desired amount of gravy over medium high heat.

Add the butter and melt.

Add the flour and mix to combine with butter. Wooden spoons are recommended, but anything works. I like to use a whisk.  Some chefs use a flat whisk.  The key is to be able to get into the corners of the pan between the side and bottom to get all the flour incorporated into the butter.

Turn heat down to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes for most uses. Stir often to prevent burning. When the roux turns golden brown it is ready for most gravies. The goal of the roux is to cook out the raw flour flavor. Roux develops a nutty flavor the longer it cooks, but it loses its thickening power.

When roux is at the desired color slowly pour in the stock while whisking continually. Cook until the gravy starts to boil and then turn heat down to low.

You typically want to use chicken stock for chicken gravy, beef for beef, etc. For pork gravy I use half beef and half chicken.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can use bouillon crystals instead of salt. Chicken or Beef bouillon brings flavor to supplement the stock. Whisk and taste between additions.

If you think the gravy is too thick, add a little water or stock to thin.  If it is too thin, simmer for a while until it thickens to the desired consistency.

For darker gravy add a dash of Kitchen Bouquet. Whisk between additions until you see the final color.

Gravy in a Snap

Yield: 4 Servings
Better Than Bouillon

I use Better Than Bouillon as a stock substitute a lot.  Be careful though.  As written this might be quite salty.  Might test this before you need it.  I use a teaspoon per cup or water, but this is over twice that much.

  • 2½TBS Better Than Bouillon® Beef, Chicken or Turkey Base
  • 4cups water for gravy
  • ⅓cup corn starch
  • ½cup cold water for corn starch slurry
  • ⅛tsp ground white pepper
  • For Chicken or Turkey gravy, add ¼ tsp poultry seasoning (optional)

In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil.

Add Better Than Bouillon Base, whisk to combine.

Reduce heat to medium.

In a small bowl, add corn starch and cold water, whisk to combine.

Slowly add starch slurry to saucepan, cook and stir until gravy thickens, about 2

minutes.

Breaded Cutlets

Breaded Cutlets

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Yield: 2-4 SERVINGS
Scott Nowell

Pick a meat, any meat. Boneless chicken breast, turkey cutlet, pork, veal, cube steak. This technique works with about anything, including fish. Cutlets are also called Schnitzel (German), Escalope (French), Paillard (French), Scaloppini (Italian), Cotoletta (Italian), Kotleta (Russian).

  • 1lb of boneless meat, fish or poultry.
  • 2TBS all purpose flour
  • 1cup milk
  • 1large egg
  • 1-3cups dried, panko or fresh breadcrumbs.
  • 2TBS butter
  • Chopped fresh parsley – optional

Get your meeze together.

Chefs use a French term, mis-en-place (everything in place) to refer to the setup. Basically it means get everything out and ready before you get your hands dirty or start cooking.

Place flour in medium bowl and season with ½ teaspoon salt and some fresh cracked pepper.

Beat milk, and egg in another bowl to blend.

Place breadcrumbs in third bowl. You can also season the crumbs with salt and pepper or other seasonings.

Plastic bags can also be used to substitute for the first and third bowl.

Prep the meat.

If using meat or poultry you will want to pound it to a uniform thickness. Turkey cutlets often come uniformly sliced. Fish varies with type and cut. Some is even, some not.

Chicken breast tends to have a thick edge that tapers to fairly thin on the other edge. Lay the chicken on a poultry cutting board with the length perpendicular to you and the wide side opposite from your knife hand. Use a chef’s knife and make a horizontal slice starting where the chicken is half the thickness of the thickest side. Slice to within 3/8 to a half inch of the thick edge and fold the breast open like a book.

You can use the safe technique for fish, to get a thinner uniform thickness.

The word meat is used throughout the rest of this recipe, but it means the meat, fish or poultry of your choice.

Use plastic wrap above and below the meat to keep the board and mallet from sticking. A gallon plastic bag works good for this. It also helps to sprinkle or spray the meat with a bit of water to reduce friction.

Pound the meat with a mallet or a small heavy pan from the center toward the edges. Use a sliding motion to help spread the meat to a uniform thickness. Thickness can vary with what you want or the recipe recommends, but a ¼ to 3/8 inch is typical, but let the recipe dictate. Try not to pound or tear a hole through the meat or the plastic. Freezer bags have an advantage here due to their thickness. You are going for uniform thickness on all the pieces so everything cooks for the same length of time.

  • Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Dredge in (or sprinkle on) the flour, shaking off excess.
  • Dip and turn to coat in egg mixture.
  • Dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere on both sides.
  • Set on a plate or baking sheet. Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Chill.

Some chefs recommend a minimum of ½ hour in the refrigerator to let the crumbs set and dry a bit. This can help the breading to stick to the food during cooking. Opinions vary on this, so try both ways over time and see which gives you best results.

Most chefs recommend the dry hand/wet hand or single handed approach to breading. Whatever you use, your hand or a utensil, it never goes backwards in the coating process. Oh, OK, almost never.  Some dishes call for two trips through the egg and crumb/flour mix to get a thicker coating.  Be careful though or you’ll have messy glop by the time you are finished.

When ready to cook, melt some butter or oil in heavy large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. If you are using both butter and oil, let the butter melt and the foaming stop before adding the oil. Wait until the oil is hot before adding the food. Drop a bit of flour, crumbs or the like in the oil near the edge. If it sizzles, the oil is hot enough. You can also touch the edge of the food into the oil. If it sizzles, the oil is hot. If not, then put it back on the plate until the oil gets hotter. You can sometimes see the oil shimmer a little or the butter start to brown slightly. Don’t let the butter get too brown unless your recipe is calling for brown butter, but that’s not what we’re doing here.

Add meat and cook until golden brown, About 2-3 minutes on the first side. The final time depends on what you are cooking and the thickness. Thicker pieces will require extra time.  Use tongs or a spatula to lift the edge and check. When ready, turn over and cook the other side. Again the time may vary and it also depends on whether your recipe is done at this point or there are additional cooking steps.

Transfer to warm plates (or a sheet pan in a 200 degree oven) and keep warm. The oven can add a slight bit of additional cooking, but that is not the goal here. You are just keeping the food hot until all of it is ready.

Garnish to suit and serve.

Sautéed Mixed Vegetables

Sautéed Mixed Vegetables

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Yield: 4 Servings (double or half to suite)
Scott Nowell

This is a simple sauté for mixed vegetables. You can substitute about any vegetables you like here. Asparagus and Pea Pods both work well. Harder vegetables like carrots will need a little blanching before you start. Add other seasonings to suit the rest of the meal. Try a few red pepper flakes or some minced garlic added when the cover is removed, and the sauté time starts.  That’s easily enough for 4 in the photo above.

  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1onion, sliced (red is nice for this)
  • 4-8oz mushrooms, thick sliced
  • 8oz green beans, trimmed.
  • 1/2cup water
  • salt and black pepper
  • grated parmigiana cheese, optional

Put olive oil in a cold 10- to 12-inch sauté pan. Turn heat to medium high. Add vegetables and water. Cover and heat over medium high heat for 8 minutes. Most of the water should boil off.

Remove cover, sauté 3-5 more minutes, tossing occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper. Option: sprinkle with a little parmigiana

Note:  If using medium to large asparagus, cut off the bottom 2 to 3 inches and peel the next two inches. If using pea pods, remove the string along the spine of the pods.

Chipotle Shrimp Wontons

Chipotle Shrimp Wontons

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Yield: 30 pieces
Colorado Collage Cookbook

1995: This recipe was in the great Colorado Collage Cookbook. I’ve made it for parties and guests. The toughest bit is having the mini-muffin tins.

  • olive oil
  • 116-oz package wonton skins
  • ½lb shrimp, cooked, peeled, and coarsely chopped
  • 1yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and chopped
  • 1red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and chopped
  • ½cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, drained and finely chopped
  • 8oz fontina cheese, shredded
  • Special Equipment: mini-muffin tin


Skins and filling may be prepared in advance and assembled just before baking.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Brush mini-muffin cups with olive oil. Press 1 wonton skin into each cup. Bake about 10 minutes until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

In large bowl, combine shrimp, roasted bell peppers, cilantro, chipotle pepper, and cheese. Remove cooled skins from muffin pan and place on baking sheet. Fill each skin with reserved shrimp mixture and bake 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington

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Yield: 4 – 6 servings
Adapted from Elizabeth E. Skipper

Circa 1988: Beef Wellington is a masterpiece of a dish. It’s really not all that hard to make, but you need to be careful and follow all of the directions. There are many variations for the recipe. Some insist on using mustard to coat the seared meat. Others wrap the duxelle coated meat in crepes to keep the puff pastry dry. Individual Wellingtons are also a nice touch when made from filet steaks.

  • ½box puff pastry
  • duxelles (see below)
  • 6oz foie gras or pork liver pate (optional, but recommended)
  • 1center of a trimmed filet of beef (tenderloin), about 2 – 3 lb
  • dorure (pastry glue) made with 1 egg yolk and 3 TBS milk
  • vegetable oil


If starting from a whole tenderloin, trim it to remove the center cut (chateaubriand).  Remove any remaining silver skin.  Click this link for detailed instructions on preparing a tenderloin.

Season the meat all over with salt and pepper, then lightly coat meat with a film of oil and broil or sauté to sear – about five minutes on each side. Using a pair of tongs, sear the ends also. This will not cook it, only brown it. Set aside to cool.

When cool, put a hole through the center of the meat (down the length of it), and fill with the foie gras. Spread on three sides and the ends with the duxelles and set aside once again while you roll out the pastry.

Roll out the pastry into a rectangle large enough to enclose the meat with an overlap, about 1/8″ thick. Set the meat upside down on the pastry, and fold the pastry up over the meat. Seal the flap with dorure and trim the sides (ends) to just fit with a slight overlap , Seal these with dourer also. Invert the pastry-wrapped meat onto a baking sheet, decorate with pastry cutouts made from the scraps (affix with dorure), and chill for an hour.

Make some steam holes in the dough.

Bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is cooked a nice brown color.

Allow to rest for ten minutes before carving with a serrated knife.

Duxelles:

  • ½onion, minced
  • 2shallots, minced
  • 12oz mushrooms
  • ½cup madeira or sherry
  • ½cup heavy cream

Sauté onion and shallot until soft but not brown in 2 TBS butter. Add mushrooms, salt. Turn heat up high and cover until they exude juice (a l’étuvée). Uncover and cook until juice evaporates. Add ¼ – ½ cup dry sherry/madeira and cook until evaporated. Add heavy cream. Cook until cream appears to disappear.

Chicken Liver Pâté

Chicken Liver Pâté

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Yield: 6 servings
Felicity Cloake / the Guardian

Dec. 2016: This is the first pâté I’ve actually made. It came out great, with a wonderful flavor. All pâté’s are an aquired taste. I love all kinds from mousse style like this to country pâté with its chunky texture.

  • ¾lb chicken livers, cleaned
  • 12TBS butter, diced
  • 1shallot, finely chopped
  • 1tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
  • ¼cup Madeira
  • ¼cup double cream
  • ½tsp salt
  • 1allspice berry, ground
  • ¼tsp ground ginger


Cut the livers into roughly 1/2 inch pieces, and heat a knob of butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot and thyme and soften, then turn up the heat to medium-high, add the livers and sauté for a couple of minutes until browned on the outside but still pink inside. Tip into a food processor.

Add the Madeira to the pan and boil until reduced to a couple of tablespoons. Tip into the food processor, add the cream, salt and spices and whizz until smooth. Add all but 4 tablespoons of the butter, and whizz again. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Pass through a sieve into a serving dish and chill for half an hour. Melt the remaining butter and pour on top, then refrigerate until set.

Sautéed Green Beans With Mushrooms and Caramelized Cipollini Onions

Sautéed Green Beans With Mushrooms and Caramelized Cipollini Onions

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Yield: 6 to 8 servings
J. Kenji López-Alt / Serious Eats

Nov 2014: Probably should rename this to feature the onions first. They really are the star of this dish. A bit of a lenghty cook for beans, but the onions and mushrooms make this a winner for a special meal. We used it first for Thanksgiving.

  • 4TBS unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1lb Cipollini onions, trimmed and peeled
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2lb green beans, trimmed
  • 2TBS canola or vegetable oil
  • 1lb button mushrooms, washed, trimmed, and cut into quarters
  • 1medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 4medium cloves garlic, minced (about 4 tsp)
  • 1tsp picked fresh thyme leaves
  • 1tsp soy sauce
  • 1tsp juice from 1 lemon

Melt 3 tablespoons butter (or heat olive oil) in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add Cipollini onions, season well with salt and pepper, reduce heat to low, and cook, turning occasionally, until onions are a deep, caramel brown, about 45 minutes total.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and run under cool running water until at cold. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat until lightly smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’ve released all their liquid and are browned, about 10 minutes total, reducing heat if oil starts to smoke excessively. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add shallots, garlic, thyme, and remaining tablespoon butter (or olive oil) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and toss to combine. *

Add green beans, onions, and lemon juice to mushrooms and toss to reheat and combine. Serve immediately.

* Can be made ahead through this step, refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, combine beans, mushrooms, and onions in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until hot.

Gayle’s Coleslaw

Gayle’s Coleslaw

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Yield: 12 servings
Adapted from Robert Irvine
  • 6cups shredded cabbage
  • 1cup shredded carrot
  • 1cup mayonnaise
  • ¼cup white wine vinegar
  • 1teaspoon celery seed
  • ¼cup sugar
  • Salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine cabbage and carrots. In a smaller bowl, make dressing by combining mayonnaise, vinegar, celery seed, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss dressing into cabbage mixture and let chill. Serve in a family style bowl.

Original Copyright 2006, Robert Irvine