Brainy Veal Marsala... A Visit to the 'Old Country'...

Veal is young beef and is relatively inexpensive. But, finding it can be a problem. So, even if you don't have veal, you can make a brainy 'veal' Marsala using lean pork.... boneless pork loin.

To begin, make sure you cut the pork loin thin and pound flat with a meat hammer. After you have pounded the meat, marinate the 'veal' or pork for at least 30-40 minutes in a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of sweet Marsala wine (or sweet non alcoholic cider with a touch of nutty flavored balsamic vinegar), garlic infused olive oil and a few dashes of sea salt.

This dish works best with some lovely brown Bavarian mushrooms and linguine pasta - infused with mushrooms. While the meat marinates in the Marsala, wash and slice whatever mushrooms you can find (preferably Bavarian) and then saute in butter along with a few garlic cloves.

Once the mushrooms have browned, push them aside in the skillet and lay in the 'cutlets' of marinated veal/pork. Flash fry on high heat, reduce the heat and bring the mushrooms back in and add 1/4 cup of Marsala wine and 1/4 cup of beef stock...bringing this skillet mixture to a bubbling richness.

Finally, add fresh dried herbs: rosemary, mint, and oregano and 1/4 cup of heavy cream (optional), let simmer on very low heat until the pasta is tender.

Drain your pasta and pour out the Marsala sauce, top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and dried or fresh green parsley...

~ Tutti a Tavola

Brainy Blackened Brussel Sprouts in Sherry...

Brussels Sprouts were very likely first cultivated in Ancient Rome. Since then, Brussels Sprouts as they are now known have been mostly grown in what is now Belgium in the early 13th century. In the U.S. most Brussels sprouts are grown in Northern California, the state of Washington and New York.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Sherry Wine Reduction

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients

Brussels sprouts/1 lb., 1 whole red onion
½ cup sherry wine, a little olive oi and a pinch of sea salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Slice off the very tip of the stem of each Brussels sprout and cut in half lengthwise. In a bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute one sliced red onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-10 minutes in olive oil.

Stir frequently until the onions start to blacken. Add the sherry to the pan and continue cooking and stirring for another 5 minutes until the alcohol has burned off. Transfer the Brussels to a serving plate and top with the onions and pan juices.

*This can be done in a skillet also. Just steam the sprouts in a bit of stock until it reduces. Add olive oil and the chopped onion with the pinch of salt and stir fry until blackened; splash the sherry over the top for a flash finish. 

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Good Chicken Vesuvio...

Someone asked me what Italian dish do I order out. I said that I really enjoy ordering Chicken Vesuvio; eating it out or eating it in...The French eat a similar dish called,  Poulet Bonne Femme.

For this dish you will need: chicken thighs (as many per person... picked up six at Aldi for less than 4$) with the skin on and bone in, potatoes, onion, bacon (optional), peas and onion. To begin, saute the onion along with the bacon until browned and crispy. Remove from the skillet, saving the bacon grease and set aside. Add some olive oil to the skillet and fry the chicken thighs skin side down and then the other side.

Remove the thighs and keep in 375 degree oven while you saute the potatoes (washed and diced) in the same skillet; adding, 2 tbs of butter.  Next, toss in the peas (frozen or fresh) along with a dash of salt, black or white pepper, garlic powder and dried herbs of your choice.

 Bring back the onion and bacon...

Bring the chicken back into the mix along with 1 cup of beef stock and 1/2 cup of beer...let simmer!

Serve with a good Chianti...

~ Tutti a Tavola!

*This dish can be prepared in the oven as well!!! Basically, combine ingredients and bake/roast in the oven.

Stay at Home Cooking ~ Its Brainy Therapeutic!

Stay at home and cook...

How can cooking at home be therapeutic? Its comforting in a way that may not be so apparent. It calms the soul stirring the creative imagination that truly sings to the spirit. This is especially good for you when faced with the daily stresses of life and especially challenging crisis like pandemics.

When you cook at home you should always cook what you like; and, keep it simple by not getting all tied up in this or that recipe. Why? Following a recipe 'going by the book' can be very stressful and you can end up buying expensive 'exotic' ingredients (as well as spices/seasonings) that you will likely never use again.

The Brainy Gourmet has always advocated to keep a simple basic pantry stock and go from there. To start cooking at home and enjoying the benefits of doing so... start with a soup.

Keep in mind that soup is not stew. Soup is lighter having more liquid. Most often, it is treated as a starter but it can be the main meal if you serve with bread and meat (usually that which can be taken out of the soup stock).

Every soup begins with stock which is made by boiling a piece of meat or a few vegetables. You can use whatever meat or vegetable base you prefer straining out the meat/vegetables once the stock is finished. Now, you have the basic stock to make any soup you want.

Once you decide which soup you want to make, consider how far you want to stretch the liquid stock. It is better Not to add rice, pasta, potatoes or any other vegetables to the stock because down the road it will be difficult to change up the soup. For instance, if you have beef stock and want to make a beef vegetable soup use whole carrots, onion and or leek that can be strained out and served separate.

Don't add rice or pasta or even potatoes to the stock. Cook those items separately to be added to individual bowls of stock. This way, the stock (beef/chicken\turkey) you made can serve a different soup the next day or be used as a liquid to stir fry or to make a gravy or sauce for another evening's dinner.

When you cook frugally in this way, you discover that you are in charge of your kitchen/cooking and it's a very satisfying and rewarding experience.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Beef Burgundy with Garden Carrots, Asparagus and Potatoes...

Beef bourguignon or known as "Beef Burgundy", is a beef stew braised in red wine, often red Burgundy, along with beef stock, generally flavored with carrots, onions, garlic, pearl onions, and mushrooms. Its a traditional countryside but elegant French dish.

The simplest recipe if you need one... is this famous Julia Child recipe. She called it the best beef dish ever concocted by man. And, it just so happens to be the one I use to cook up this delicious beef dish. 

3/4 lb boneless beef sirloin cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes ( a cheaper cut try chuck roast)
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 cup sliced mushrooms 

You can cook the beef and mushrooms in a skillet on the stove while you roast in a glass dish in the oven some garden fresh carrots, asparagus and tiny new potatoes.  

Sear the beef cubes in olive oil, add the salt and pepper and dried herbs of your liking... I recommend rosemary, mint, oregano and thyme. Add to that, 1/3 cup of beef stock and 1/4 cup of red wine. You may wish to add a little more of either stock or wine depending on your preferences.  

Personally, I like to cook the mushrooms off side in another skillet in butter and cream with a dash of red wine and dried herbs; same as above. Lastly, adding them to the beef just before serving.  

~ Tutti a Tavola!

 
*As for desert... a crepe Suzette is the perfect end to a delicious meal. If you want to be Brainy frugal about it you can use leftover pancakes fried in butter with splash of brandy. Serve on a plate with heavy cream and homemade raspberry jam or halved ripe red plums or cherries. 

What makes a 'Brainy' Good Omelette?

Good ole eggs... that's what.

Why are eggs good at all? According to healthline.com., eggs are loaded with high-quality proteins, vitamins, minerals, good fats and various trace nutrients. ... Only 77 calories, with 5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein with all 9 essential amino acids. Rich in iron, phosphorus, selenium and vitamins A, B12, B2 and B5.

Wondering how to make the perfect omelet? There is more than one way of making omelets. Many different ingredients can be used for the fillings and the possibilities are endless.

Use one or more of your favorite foods. Some classic omelet fillings include shredded Cheddar or Gruyere cheese, sour cream, diced ham, crisp bacon, sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers or tomatoes, caramelized onions, fresh herbs, even tasty leftovers from last night’s dinner.

Feeling elegant? Combine broccoli, Brie and toasted almonds. In a south-of-the-border mood? Try corn, salsa, chorizo and jalapeño cheese ~ taken from: the incredible edible egg ~ [https://www.incredibleegg.org/cooking-school/egg-cookery/make-an-omelet].

Pad Thai Meatballs with Stir Fried Zucchini...

Asian food is full of flavor and easy to prepare if you stick to basics....like a good stir fry!

For this dish you will need: 1lb ground meat (pork/turkey/veal + 1 egg), one purple 'sweet' onion, one green pepper and two young zucchini. Also, bread crumbs, dried herbs, lemon juice, buttermilk and jarred or bottled original Pad Thai sauce.

You can make your own 'original' Pad Thai sauce using these ingredients: 1 cup Tamarind paste (substitute using mashed dried plums with vinegar /lemon juice), ¼ cup Water, ¼ cup Fish sauce (substitute using oil from canned tuna/mackerel or sardines), 1 Tbsp Soy sauce, preferably low sodium, and ⅓ cup Brown sugar.

To begin, saute chopped onion and green pepper in 3 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs coconut oil. Once browned, set aside while you mix up ingredients for the meatballs. In a bowl, combine ground meat with 1 cup of bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of buttermilk and dried herbs: lavender, mint and basil with a pinch of sea salt. The mixture should be pasty.

Roll balls of the meat mixture in more bread crumbs and then squeeze fresh lemon juice on each meatball. In the same skillet as the onion and pepper were browned, gently fry the meatballs adding a 1 tsp more of coconut oil. When fully cooked, remove and in the same skillet stir fry strips of zucchini.

Allow the zucchini to singe on the edges. Remove from skillet, bring back to the skillet the onion, green pepper and meatballs. Add the Pad Thai sauce and let simmer while you prepare spinach infused pasta or use whatever pasta you prefer and or rice noodles.

~ Tutti a Tavola!