The Geeky Momm: beef

Showing posts with label beef. Show all posts

Friday, December 2, 2016

Recipe: Beef Osso Buco

The original recipe calls for veal shanks but we popularly substitute it with beef shanks since we don't see that much veal in our local groceries. But you still get that meaty flavorful texture of the meat and the buttery bone marrow that melts in your mouth. In my recipe, I baked my tomatoes separately instead of adding tomato paste in the stew and sprinkle gremolata over the dish just before serving. I also love to add potatoes to this dish to make it more hearty.

This is also a great party dish since a slab of shank is usually large and can serve a lot of guests. When serving, make sure you have lots of risotto or rice on the side, everyone is bound to have second helpings.

Preparation time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 1-1.5 hours

Serves 4-5 guests

Ingredients:

500 grams beef shank, cut into 2 inch thick slices across the bone

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Flour for dredging

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic

2 stalks celery sliced

1 medium carrot sliced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 medium potato cubed (optional)

1 beef cube

1 cup white wine

Water

Roux:

Heat 2 tbsp butter in a small separate pan until melted and add 1 tbsp flour. Turn off heat.

Gremolata:

Mix together

2 tsp chopped parsley

1/2 tsp rock salt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

In a small bowl

Oven dried tomatoes:

Slice 300 grams of cherry tomatoes in half. Arrange them in a flat baking pan. Drizzle olive oil, chopped parsley and salt on top.

Procedure:

1. Season beef shanks with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the shanks on both sides. Remove and transfer the meat inside a pressure cooker.

3. On the same pan, add the onions, garlic, carrot and celery. Sweat until fragrant. Add this to the meat inside the pressure cooker. Set the pan aside.

4. Add the thyme, rosemary, and potato, beef cube and white wine inside the pressure cooker. Add water until it barely covers the meat. Pressure cook for 45 mins.

5. Depressurize after 45 mins. and remove meat from the liquid. Arrange in a deep dish. Reserve liquid.

5. Use the same pan in step 2 and 3 to make the roux. Deglaze with the remaining liquid. This should thicken the sauce.

6. Pour sauce over the meat in the deep dish. Sprinkle with gremolata on top and serve with the tomatoes on the side. Alternatively you can add the tomatoes on top.

Recipe: Easy Beef Enchiladas

My kids ask, “Mom isn't this just like rearranged quesadilla? Come to think of it, yes it does. Quesadillas, tacos, burritos and chimichanga do have similar ingredients. But this time, I wanted to make something different, heavier and more filling. I also added some hidden veggies (like, malunggay, zucchini) so kids can have their veggie portion of the day.
In this recipe, i used petchay.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg. ground beef
1/2 chopped onion
1 cup chopped pechay (optional, just to hide the veggies from the kids)
1 pack McCormick Taco Mix with 1 tbsp reserved
6-8 corn tortillas
1 can diced tomatoes
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Grated cheddar cheese
Quickmelt cheese
(You may use one kind of cheese if you like)

Brown beef together with the taco mix and onion. Add petchay last and cook a little further until the veggies are done. Set aside.

To make the enchilada sauce, mix a can of diced tomatoes and the 1 tbsp of taco mix.

Pour some sauce over the base of an oven proof dish to prevent the enchiladas from sticking.

Microwave the tortillas a few seconds to make it pliable so it's easy to roll.

Lay one tortilla on the plate and add the beef mixture with cheese on top as a filling (like a lumpia).

Roll and arrange in the ovenproof dish seam side down. But if you use a small pan for oven toaster like me, you can tuck in the sides so it will fit inside the pan. Continue with the rest of the tortillas.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the prepared tortillas and generously add the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese melts and slightly browned.

Baked until cheese melts.

Single serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Recipe: Pieces of Leftovers Salad

When I was growing up, I was taught on how to prepare my own snacks. Food that doesn't require cooking like PB&J sandwich or bread and butter or Chiz Wiz. When I was old enough to reach the stovetop, I was taught how to cook simple foods like fried eggs, spam, corned beef, meat loaf and other foods that require of either scissors or can opener. No biggie. It was a matter of opening a canned food and turning on a stove. The big challenge was when you are faced with raw ingredients and making something out of it. Recipe books come in handy when it calls for a certain dish and your ingredients happen to be complete. But what if your pantry runs low on grocery and you don't have time to shop. Ding, ding, ding. It's 6:30 pm and you need to fix dinner by 7:00 pm for the kids. Time to bring out the Rachel Ray in you.

This is one of my RR moments. I opened my fridge last night and this is what got.

Iceberg and Romaine Lettuce leaves
Eggs (hard boiled and cut into wedges)
Bunch of grapes and grapefruit I bought 2 days ago. (you can substitute apples or pineapple)
About 200 grams of Leftover Sukiyaki Beef (stir fried earlier with Terriyaki sauce)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Balsamic or Red wine vinegar
Honey
Parmesan Cheese

Prepare the lettuce leaves on a salad bowl. Arrange the eggs, grapes and grapefruit on top.

Reheat the beef by quickly stir frying it in a hot pan. Careful not to overcook it. Remove beef immediately and arrange on top of the salad. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

For the dressing, deglaze the pan used for stir frying with about a couple of tablespoons balsamic vinegar to get those beef and terriyaki drippings and flavor into the dressing. Turn off heat. Add another couple or more tablespoons of EVOO and season the dressing with a bit of honey to taste. Add salt if necessary. The terriyaki sauce in the leftover beef adds saltiness to the dressing. Drizzle and toss with the salad. Serve. Great with crusty buttered baguette.

November 16, 2011: Romaine and Iceberg Lettuce, terriyaki beef, hard boiled eggs, grapes, parmesan cheese, dressing.

November 23, 2011: Romaine and Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, kutchay tips, roast beef and dressing.

Recipe: Sunday Steak with Caramelized Onions and Mushroom Gravy, Mustard Greens Sauté

Sounds complicated but it's just pan fried minute steak. With the remaining drippings, I caramelized sliced white onions and deglazed it with a bit of balsamic vinegar and worchestershire sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

For the gravy, it's just basic butter & flour roux browned just a bit with a sprinkle of beef boullion, canned button mushrooms and soup stock or water.