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Beef with Snow Peas

Beef with Snow Peas

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Yield: 3 to 4

Adapted from: Omnivore’s Cookbook

Beef with snow peas features thin slices of beef with crisp snow peas and a hearty brown sauce. The sauce has a savory and slightly sweet flavor.  The beef is marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch to help tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor.

Marinade:

  • 1lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain (or skirt steak)
  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • 2TBS Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1TBS vegetable oil
  • 1TBS cornstarch

Sauce:

  • ¼cup chicken stock
  • 1½TBS oyster sauce
  • 1TBS Shaoxing wine
  • 1tsp dark soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
  • ½tsp sugar
  • 1tsp cornstarch
  • 1tsp sesame oil

Stir fry:

  • 1-2TBS peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2cups snow peas
  • 1onion 
  • 1tsp ginger, minced
  • 1clove garlic, minced


Note:
Flank steak is usually too wide for bite sized pieces, so it’s best to cut it in half lengthwise and then thinly slice each half.

Marinate steak:
Combine the steak, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, and oil, in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well with your hands to knead and coat the beef evenly. Add the cornstarch and knead that in. Marinate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.

Prep veggies:
Pull the strings from the snow peas and slice the onion in half, trim the root end and tip, then slice lengthwise (julienne) in ½-inch wide strips.

Premix sauce:
Combine all the sauce ingredients, chicken stock, oyster sauce,  Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, sugar, and corn starch  in a small bowl.  Stir to dissolve the sugar and cornstarch. Add the sesame oil and set it aside.

Stir fry steak:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spread the marinated steak into a single layer, cooking in batches to avoid overcrowding if necessary. Sear on one side for 1 minute or until the bottom is lightly charred. Flip and sear for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the other side is cooked but the inside is still slightly pink. Transfer the steak to a plate, leaving any excess oil in the pan.

Stir fry vegetables:
If the pan looks dry, add another TBS of oil to the pan. Add the snow peas and onions. Cook and stir for about 1 minute.

Add the ginger and garlic. Continue to cook for another 30 seconds.

Finish and serve:
Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely and pour it into the pan. Add the beef back to the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens. Immediately transfer everything to a large plate and serve hot as a main dish.

Pork with Black Bean Sauce

Pork with Black Bean Sauce

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Yield: 3 to 4

Woks of Life

Slices of pork tenderloin with black bean sauce is a tasty combination. The dish is also flexible as you can use the vegetables of your own choice.


Velvet pork:

  • 12-16oz pork tenderloin
  • 2tsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2tsp oyster sauce
  • 2tsp vegetable oil
  • 1-2TBS cornstarch

Sauce:

  • 1½cups beef or chicken stock
  • 2TBS black bean and garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • 1tsp sugar
  • 1tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • ⅛tsp ground white pepper (or to taste)

Stir Fry:

  • 2TBS vegetable oil
  • 1onion, diced
  • 1red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1green bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1cup green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1TBS Shaoxing wine
  • 1cup snow peas (trimmed)
  • 2TBS cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 TBS water)


Velvet pork:

Then add the cornstarch, vegetable oil, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine. Mix well and marinate the pork for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight if you’d like to make this ahead.

Premix sauce:

In a liquid measuring cup, mix the stock, black bean garlic sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper, and set aside.

Stir fry:

Heat your wok over high heat until it starts to smoke lightly. Add 1 TBS of oil around the perimeter of the wok. Add the pork in 1 layer and sear the pork on both sides until browned (this should only take 2-3 minutes). Turn off the heat, remove the pork from the wok, and set aside. Do in two batches.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, and add the remaining 1 TBS of oil, onions, and bell peppers. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until the onions and peppers have very light sear on them.

Next, add the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the wok.

Stir in the sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer and add the pork (along with any juices) back to the wok. Stir, then add the snow peas.

Bring the contents of the wok to a simmer.

Stir the cornstarch and water until incorporated into a slurry, and gradually add the slurry to the sauce, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened to your liking (if it’s too thick, add a splash of water or stock, if it’s too thin, add more slurry).

Cook until the snow peas are just crisp-tender.

Serve immediately with steamed rice!

Brisket IP

Brisket IP

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Yield: 2 to 6

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Pressure cooking this low-and-slow cut of beef, accompanied by stewing vegetables, turns out a quick-braised brisket meal.

Note: Recipe based on a 4 lb brisket. Adjust other quantities for smaller size.

  • 1TBS vegetable oil
  • 2-4lb beef brisket, fat cap trimmed to ¼-inch thickness, cut into 3 or 4 pieces
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1-2yellow onions, thinly sliced (4 cups)
  • 2cups beef broth
  • 1cup red wine
  • 2TBS tomato paste (optional)
  • 1packet slow cooker pot roast seasoning
  • 3stalks celery, cut into 1-inch lengths
  • 1½lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths (halved lengthwise if thick)
  • 1½lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • chopped parsley leaves, for serving


Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ HIGH setting. Add oil and heat until shimmering.

Generously season brisket with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add brisket to pot; cook, flipping occasionally, until golden brown all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add onions to pot and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

In a bowl whisk together the broth, wine, tomato paste, and pot roast seasoning. Pour into IP. Return brisket to IP.

Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 60-90 minutes depending on size.

Once time is complete, turn off machine and manually release pressure; carefully remove lid. Very carefully lift the brisket from liquid and transfer to a cutting board. Tent with foil to keep warm.

Add carrots, celery and potatoes to pot. Secure lid, readjust pressure valve, and cook on MANUAL HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. Once time is complete, turn off machine and manually release pressure; carefully remove lid (do not let vegetables sit on the warming setting). Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a platter.

Set machine to SAUTÉ HIGH setting and bring liquid to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Thinly slice brisket against the grain and transfer to platter, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Use remaining liquid to make gravy.

Creamy Chicken Chowder

Creamy Chicken Chowder

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with poblano and crispy tortillas

Yield: 2 Servings

Adapted from: Home Chef

Diced chicken combined with sweet corn and feisty poblano, then simmered in cream to achieve a delightful soup. Topped with cheese and crunchy tortilla strips. Add bacon, sausage or shrimp as an option.

  • 1medium/small yellow onion
  • 1poblano pepper
  • 3oz corn kernels
  • 1lime
  • 12oz diced boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1TBS chili and cumin rub
  • 4oz light cream
  • 2tsp chicken base
  • 1oz shredded Oaxacan cheese
  • ½oz tortilla strips
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Options:

  • 4strips bacon
  • 4oz pork, andouille, or kielbasa sausage links, sliced
  • 8oz shrimp

Prepare the ingredients:

Halve and peel onion. Cut halves into ¼” dice. Stem poblano pepper, seed, and cut into ½” dice. Wash hands and cutting board after prepping. Quarter lime. Pat diced chicken dry, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Sear the chicken:

Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp olive oil. Add chicken to hot pot and stir occasionally until browned on two sides, 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Chicken will finish cooking in a later step. Reserve pot, no need to wipe clean.

Start the chowder:

Return pot used to sear chicken to medium heat and add 2 tsp olive oil. Add onion and poblano (reduce quantity if spice-averse) to hot pot and stir often until vegetables are slightly softened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in corn and seasoning rub until combined.

Options:

If using bacon, sausage or shrimp, line a plate with a paper towel. Place a medium non-stick pan over medium heat and add bacon, sausage slices or shrimp to hot pan. Flip occasionally until cooked, 6-8 minutes (3-4 for shrimp). Transfer to towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle bacon, crumble.

Stir half of the options into finished chowder and reserve the other half for garnish.

Finish the chowder:

Add chicken and any accumulated juices, ½ cup water, cream, and chicken base to pot. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir occasionally until slightly thickened and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, 5-7 minutes. For a thinner texture, stir in additional water 1 TBS at a time until desired texture is reached. Remove from burner. Season with a pinch of pepper.

Finish the dish:

Divide between bowls, garnishing chowder with remaining half of optional protein, cheese, and tortilla strips. Squeeze lime wedges over to taste.

Miso Maple–Glazed Salmon

Miso Maple–Glazed Salmon

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with Toasted Sesame Rice & Sweet Potato Jumble

Yield: 2

The key to a clean release for fish skin? Leave it alone! Once the skin crisps up, the fish will separate from the pan on its own and be ready to flip.
Prep: 10 Cook: 35

  • ½cup jasmine rice
  • 1zucchini
  • 10oz salmon
  • 1TBS sesame seeds
  • 1sweet potato
  • 1red bell pepper
  • 1red onion
  • 1oz miso sauce concentrate (optional)
  • 2TBS maple syrup
  • salt & pepper
  • 2tsp cooking oil
  • 2TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Peel and slice sweet potato into ½-inch-thick rounds.

Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise, thinly slice crosswise into half-moons.

Core, de-seed, and dice bell pepper into ½-inch pieces.

Halve, peel, and cut onion into ½-inch-thick wedges.

Cook rice:

In a small pot, combine rice, ¾ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until riceis tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Toast & roast:

Heat a small, dry pan over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, 1- to 2-minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

Toss sweet potato, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Roast on middle rack, tossing halfway through, until browned and tender, 25-30 minutes.

Cook fish:

Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season generously all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add salmon to pan, skin side down. Cook until skin is crisp, and fish is almost cooked through, 5- to 7-minutes.

Flip and cook until opaque and cooked through, 1- to 2-minutes more.

Remove from pan and set aside.

Make glaze:

Heat the same pan over medium-high heat. Add stock concentrate, maple syrup, ¼ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Simmer until slightly thickened, 2- to 3-minutes.

Turn off heat. Stir in 1 TBS butter until melted.

Finish & serve:

Fluff rice with a fork, stir in 1 TBS butter and half the sesame seeds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide sweet potato jumble, rice, and salmon between plates. Garnish rice with remaining sesame seeds. Spoon glaze over salmon, drizzle any remaining over jumble and serve.

Kabobs, Steak and Vegetable

Kabobs, Steak and Vegetable

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Yield: 2 servings

Scott Nowell

Wow, chunks of tenderloin will give you a happy face 😊. You can use other steak cuts if you must. Everything comes off the grill tender and delicious.

Update: Electric grill and broilers just don’t have enough power. I’ve been using the broiler indoors with mixed results. Flavor is great, but the crispy edges are missing. Next try it will be skip the skewers and do it in a skillet or cast iron pan. Vegetables need more time than meat.

  • 12oz beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 8 pieces.
  • Italian dressing
  • 1red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1½-Inch pieces
  • 1green bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • 1sweet onion, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
  • 1zucchini, trimmed and sliced into ¾-inch thick rounds
  • 8oz mushrooms, whole or cut in half if larger than the other veg pieces
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper


Marinate beef:

Place the beef pieces in a plastic bag and add enough Italian dressing to coat all the pieces. Message them through the bag and refrigerate for 45 minutes to overnight.

Remove from refrigerator up to an hour before cooking. Drain marinade and pat the pieces dry with paper towel.

Skewered:

Heat your grill of choice.

Thread the skewers with pieces of red onion, beef, zucchini, mushroom, and bell pepper. You can alternate the order.

Spray with cooking spray and season top side well with salt and pepper.

Place the kabobs, top side down on the preheated grill. Spray and season the now top side and cook about 5-7 minutes per side. The kabobs are done when the steak is cooked your desired temperate and the vegetables are lightly charred, about 15 minutes.

No Skewers:

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a TBS or two of cooking oil and heat until it ripples. Then add in the steak and sauté to medium rare (or desired doneness). Remove to a dish and loosely cover with foil.

Add all the vegetables and sauté to almost done and return the steak to the pan. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve.

Sam’s Friend Kate’s Mom’s, Neighbor’s Holiday Stuffing

Sam’s Friend Kate’s Mom’s, Neighbor’s Holiday Stuffing

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Yield: 10 to 14 Servings
Vance Neighbor’s Holiday Stuffing

Divide in half unless you want enough for an army. I made a half batch and used one 12-oz bag of stuffing. Fills a 9 x 13 baking dish.

  • 2lb Jimmy Dean Sausage, special sage recipe
  • 8TBS butter (1 stick)
  • 8celery stalks, sliced
  • 1large onion, chopped
  • 2Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 2cans GOLDEN mushroom soup
  • 1soup can water
  • 38 oz bags seasoned Pepperidge Farm stuffing crumbs

Brown the sausage in a LARGE skillet, breaking it up as it browns.

Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon allowing the drippings to remain.

Add the butter to the pan and brown the vegetables and apples. When celery is transparent, but still crisp (8-10 minutes), return the sausage to the pan.

Add the soup plus the 1 soup can of water. Stir to mix. Sneak a bite.

Now add the crumbs a little at a time. You will probably only need 2½ bags of crumbs. (Sneak another bite).

Correct the seasoning. Allow stuffing to brown a bit while adding crumbs, stirring occasionally.

Put the stuffing in a pan you can bake it in; (eat the crumbs that spill), store in the fridge until 1 hour before dinner. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to an hour.

Chicken Noodle Soup, Scrap (IP)

Chicken Noodle Soup, Scrap (IP)

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Yield: 6 Servings
Loosely adapted from jocooks.com

This tasty soup is made with scrap chicken and/or turkey bones, skins, etc. that you have saved in the freezer. This gets all of the flavor from the scraps and makes them easy to discard.

  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1large onion chopped
  • 3 to 4medium carrots chopped
  • 3 to 4stalks celery chopped
  • 1tsp salt plus more to taste
  • ½tsp pepper or to taste
  • 1tsp thyme dry
  • 1tsp parsley dry
  • 1tsp oregano dry
  • 8cups water
  • 4lb chicken scraps, thawed if previously frozen
  • 1chicken breast
  • 2 to 3heaping tsp Better than Bouillon chicken
  • 6oz egg noodles uncooked, (about 2½ cups)
  • Special Equipment: Instant Pot, Soup Bag/Soup Sock, available at Amazon.


Set Instant Pot to the HIGH SAUTÉ setting.

Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery, Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.

Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme, parsley, oregano and stir. Pour in half the water. Add the chicken scraps to a soup bag and place in Instant Pot . Add the chicken breast to the Instant Pot (not in the bag!). Add remaining water, but do not exceed the MAX FILL line.

Close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 20 minutes.

Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, use a quick release. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.

Remove the chicken breast and set aside. Remove and discard the chicken scraps in the soup bag.

Dice or shred the chicken breast

Set the Instant Pot to the HIGH SAUTÉ setting again and return to a boil. Add the Better than Bouillon and mix. Check for seasoning and adjust.

Add the noodles to the soup and cook for 5 to 6 minutes uncovered, until the noodles are cooked al dente.

Turn off the Instant Pot. Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot, taste and adjust seasoning.

Garnish with additional parsley if preferred.

Roasted Onions Stuffed with Prosciutto & Parmesan

Roasted Onions Stuffed with Prosciutto & Parmesan

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Yield: 4 Servings
Gordon Hammersley / Fine Cooking issue 23

This is a great side dish for braised or roasted meats.

  • 4medium onions
  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1½cups dry white wine
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2sprigs fresh thyme
  • ⅔cup dry breadcrumbs
  • ½cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • ¼lb prosciutto, coarsely chopped
  • 2TBS heavy cream
  • 1½tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1TBS chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


Heat the oven to 425°F. Slice off the top quarter of the onions. Peel them and trim the bottoms just enough to make them sit flat.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based ovenproof skillet until hot. Put the onions, cut side down, into the pan and cook just the cut side until well browned, about 5 min. Take the pan off the heat. Turn the onions cut side up and pour the wine over them. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Add the thyme sprigs to the pan and bake the onions until just tender when poked with a knife, about 1 hour.

Remove the onions from the skillet (reserving the liquid in the pan) and let them cool slightly. With a spoon, scoop out the inside of each onion, leaving a rim 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick (about two layers of onion). Chop enough of the scooped-out onion to make about 1/3 cup.

In a medium bowl, mix the chopped onion with the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, prosciutto, cream, chopped thyme, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the filling among the hollowed onions, return the onions to the skillet with the liquid, and put the skillet back in the oven. Bake until the onions are very tender and the filling is hot, about 20 minutes. Serve with some of the pan juices spooned over the onions.

Tuscan Vegetable Medley

Tuscan Vegetable Medley

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

This recipe was originally part of a baked Tuscan fish dish. The vegetables make such a great combination that they are worth making as a side.

  • 1medium onion chopped
  • olive oil
  • 1can (15 oz) great northern, cannelloni or navy beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 1small zucchini, chopped
  • 1-2garlic clove, minced
  • ¼cup white wine
  • ½tsp salt, divided
  • ¼tsp pepper, divided

Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped onion to a 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat and sweat just until the onion starts to soften.

Increase heat to medium high and add all of the remaining ingredients. Mix and cook until everything is hot, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve.