Beef Bourguignon and Parmesan Polenta

 Beef Bourguignon

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

3 lb chuck or rump beef roast

1 Tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp black pepper

2 leeks, cleaned, trimmed and sliced

3 cloves garlic

2 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste

3 cups roughly chopped carrots

1 lb Cremini mushrooms

1 cup pearl onions, frozen and slightly thawed

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups beef stock 

1 1/2 cups red grape juice (100% juice o sugar added)

1/2 cup red grape vinegar

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.  In a 6 or 8 quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.  While heating, cut the beef into roughly 1 1/2 inch pieces, removing any excess fat. Salt and pepper the pieces of beef making sure to coat all sides.  When the oil is heated add about 1/3 of the beef, making sure the pieces do not touch each other.  Allow to brown well on all sides, turning only once it is browned, about 2 minutes per side.  If the Dutch oven becomes too dark on the bottom between browning, add a few Tbsp of water to break up browned bits.  Add more oil before continuing.  Continue to brown meat and set aside on a plate.

3.  Once removed, add in the chopped leeks and garlic.  Stir to briefly saute, then add tomato paste.  Stir and cook the tomato paste until the bottom of the Dutch oven is coated, 2-4 minutes.  Add the carrots, mushrooms, and onions, along with the browned beef.

4.  Sprinkle the entire mixture with the flour and add the beef stock, grape juice, vinegar, thyme, and bay leaves.  Bring to a simmer and place in the oven without the lid.  

5.  Cook until the liquid has reduced by half and the beef is fall-apart tender, 3-4 hours.  Right before serving , make the polenta

Parmesan Polenta

4 cups water

1 Tbsp Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups polenta

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

1.  In a 6 quart stockpot, bring water to a boil.  Add salt.  While whisking, slowly add the polenta, making sure not to add too fast to prevent lumps from forming.

2.  Add the rest of the ingredients and continue mixing to a creamy  and smooth.

3.  Serve under the Beef Bourguignon

 

Garlic Parmesan Baked Eggplant

 1 large eggplant

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

1.  Start by preparing the eggplant: Wash the eggplant and trim off the green end.  You can peel the skin but you don't have to. I like leaving it on. Next, slice eggplant into 1/2 inch disks.  Place all disks in colander or cooking rack set over baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

2.  Next, melt butter in a bowl.  Mix breadcrumbs, spices and Parmesan cheese in another bowl.

3.  Dip each eggplant disk into butter first, then breading mixture.  Place on aluminum foil or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

4. Bake in a 400 degrre oven for 15 minutes, then flip each disk and bake for 7 more minutes.  The eggplant should be golden brown and the breading crispy. 

5.  Serve as a side dish, appetizer or use in eggplant Parmesan.

Cabbage (Halushki) with Dumplings

1/2 lb ham, cut in small pieces

1 stick butter, cut into tsp pieces

1 onion, sliced

1 green cabbage 

salt and pepper

paprika (good amount)

sour cream (for garnish)

parsley (for garnish)

 

Over medium-high heat the butter and ham in a large pot to crisp up the ham.  Add onions, salt,pepper and paprika.Mix.  Add the cabbage and top with a lid to steam.  Uncover after a few minutes to continue browning.  

 

Dumplings

3 eggs

3 oz milk (or water)

salt and pepper

1 1/2 - 2 cups flour  

In a bowl mix together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Add flour slowly and mix.  Should be sticky but smooth.  Wet a wooden cutting board and place dumpling dough.  Wet a scraper and scrape evenly into a pot of rolling boiled salted water.  Continue boiling until dumplings float to the top and add 2-3 more minutes. Add 4 large soup spoonfuls of pasta water into the cabbage.  Mix.  Strain dumplings and add to cabbage.  Top with sour cream and parsley

Asparagus Soup

 2 bunches of asparagus, cut up into 2 inch slices

butter

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic

6 cups chicken broth

salt and pepper

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

parsley (for garnish)

Separate asparagus tops and set aside.  In a pan with butter saute onion and garlic. Add chicken broth, asparagus and salt/pepper.  Boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.  15 minutes with the lid on and 15 minutes with the lid off.  Use an immersion blender to mix up soup in pot until smooth.  Meanwhile, boil the tips in water. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon and add 1/2 a cup of Parmesan cheese and mix together.  

Serve in bowls and add a few asparagus tips and a little Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Popcorn Balls

 12-14 cups popped popcorn (1/2 cup unpopped kernels)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

3 Tbsp molasses

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

1.  Pop the popcorn in one Tbsp oil and set aside in a large bowl.  A large heavy-bottom kettle works well..

2.  In a 4 quart heavy-bottom kettle, combine the sugar, water, molasses, butter, and vinegar.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the mixture begins to boil.  Continue to boil until the temperature reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.

3.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla an baking soda.  Stir to combine until the mixture is lighter in color and foamy.

4.  Pour over prepared popcorn.

5.  Stir until all the popcorn is coated in the caramel mixture.  Allow to cool slightly and become sticky, 3-5 minutes.  

6.  With well-oiled hands, create balls approximately 3 inches in diameter.  If the balls are not sticking together, allow popcorn additional time to cool.

Cornbread

 6 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 /12 cups stone-ground cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Add butter to a 9 inch cast-iron skillet and place in the oven while preheating.  Once the butter has completely melted and browned, remove from the oven, 10-15 minutes.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, sal, and sugar.  In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until combined.  Pour immediately into the hot skillet.

3.  Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Ham and Beans

 1 lb dried white or navy beans (about 2 cups)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups roughly diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

3/4 cup diced onion

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 ham bone/hock

1 4-6 inch Parmesan rind

6 cups chicken stock

1.  Cover dried beans with water and soak for 6-8 hours.  Once soaked, drain beans and set aside.

2.  Over medium heat, warm olive oil in a 6 quart stockpot or Dutch oven.  Saute the carrot, celery, and onion with salt and pepper.  Saute until  the onion is translucent, 5 minutes.

3.  Add soaked beans, ham bone, Parmesan rind, and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Cook until the beans are tender, 2-4 hours.

4.  Once the beans are tender, remove the Parmesan rind and ham bone.  Allow the beans to rest for 20 minutes so the liquid will continue to thicken.  Remove any meat from the ham bone and add back to the beans.  Alternatively, more ham can be added.  Adjust beans for salt to taset and serve with cornbread.