Deliciously Creamy Brainy Beef Stroganoff...

 

When Beef Stroganoff is served, you should be thinking... rich and creamy and romantically delicious! Given that, you could easily imagine that you are at some far off tucked in European bistro...

For this dish you will need: quality cuts of beef (stew meat or thick sirloin cut into chunks), one medium onion, dark brown Bavarian mushrooms, beef stock, heavy cream and wide egg noodle pasta - Parppardelle.

To begin, marinate the beef in balsamic vinegar and pink Himalayan salt for 30-40 min. When that time is nearly finished, in a large skillet saute the onion in olive oil until dark brown on the edges.

Remove from skillet and in the same skillet, brown the mushrooms, adding 3 tbs of butter. Once the mushrooms are darker and tender, remove from the skillet putting them aside with the onion and sear the beef in chunks (drained) in the same skillet, adding a drizzle of olive oil.

Bring back into the skillet the onion and mushrooms, pour in about 3 tbs of beef stock, a half shot of either white wine or vermouth a, stirring on high heat. Then turning down the heat, add the heavy cream about 1/2 cup, cover and let simmer while you prepare the pasta and a side of blackened asparagus.

Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until tender, drain and ladle onto a low lipped plater. The asparagus should be flash stir fried in olive oil, then cover to simmer on medium high adding 1 tbs of beef stock.


 Serve all together, start the music and pour the wine...

~ Tutti a Tavola

Brainy Roast Lamb with Ratte Potatoes and Sweet Peas...

Many cultures enjoy roast lamb on their menu. This one would be found on the menu of a French Bistro...Viola!

Yes, there are a number of delicious ways to roast lamb but I always prefer to be brainy about it and make the easy way. Rub the lamb with the following and roast in the oven on 400 (preheated on 425) in a deep glass baking dish drizzled with olive oil... cook until the meat thermometer says - done! *I like to turn the temp down on the last 20 min to 375.


You will need:
1 leg of Lamb, about 2-4 pounds
Two tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 or 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup of beef stock to use as basting liquid

This meat dish is really very simple to prepare and cook. I think oven cooking is a no brainer. Once you get everything in, you can pretty much do something else in meantime. As for a side, fingerling 'Ratte' potatoes 'skin on' were popped in the oven using a copper mesh oven basket. Make sure that each potato is pricked to avoid exploding. As the lamb nears its finish, add fresh green peas to the meat... all around the sides.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Wintry Skillet Stew ~ Moroccan Style...

Stews... you can find them just about anywhere and make them in just about any cookware; even a skillet!

As you probably know, the main Moroccan dish most people are familiar with is couscous; beef is the most commonly eaten red meat in Morocco. Chicken is also stewed or roasted.

For this dish, you will need skinless, boneless chicken breasts, one onion, one green pepper and red grape 'cherry' tomatoes, buttermilk and peanut butter.

Begin this dish by sauteing the onion, green pepper and tomatoes on med. heat in coconut oil, adding some red pepper flakes, garlic powder, ginger, paprika and cumin as well as either white or black pepper to taste. Most Moroccan recipes make use of a lot of ginger, cumin, and turmeric.

Set aside the onion, pepper and tomatoes, and brown the chicken breast meat cut into chunks in the same skillet adding a drizzle of olive oil. Then return the veggies to the same skillet.

To this, add about 1/4 cup of whole 'fat rich' buttermilk and 1/4 cup of heavy cream along with 1 tbs of creamy salted butter and the same amount of peanut butter. Stir and let simmer on low heat while you prepare a side of couscous or mashed potatoes. Once the couscous is ready and or when the potatoes are tender, drain and mash with butter and sour cream until thick and smooth. Ladle onto a low lipped plate, pour the chicken stew over the top and serve.

~ Tutti a Tavola