Category: Old World

Frenched Rack of Lamb

This method will rival the best French Restaurants, yet is simple and easy enough for any home cook.

The hardest part is finding a Frenched rack of lamb. Ask your butcher to do it for you, or keep in mind that lamb chops and lamb loin chops, or even a boneless leg of lamb will all work just as well. This technique utilizes sous vide but remember: You can get nearly the same results going low-and-slow. The simple marinade is really the key to this dish.

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Killer Garlic Bread with Roasted Garlic

This garlic bread is so good that it’s easy to eat it in place of eating dinner by mistake; for whatever reason, it is highly addictive. 

Also, it’s guaranteed to keep the vampires away but won’t leave you feeling like a giant bulb of garlic due to the fact that its primary garlicky-ness comes from roasted, not raw, garlic.

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Quick Basic Breakfast Skillet

Many recipes for breakfast skillets take about an hour to complete, because they have you adding water to your skillet with the potatoes.  You have to wait a least 40 minutes for your potatoes to cook through.  In the morning, if I’m hungry and hankering for a good old fashioned breakfast skillet, I ain’t got time for that.  The secret?  Nuke the potatoes in the microwave for 6-10 minutes (depending on their size).  This also has the added benefit of being able to brown them, rather than steam them, in the skillet.

Ingredients:

  1. 4 slices thick bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
  2. 1 small onion, diced
  3. Optional:  Bell peppers, mushrooms, whatever veggies you have on hand/feel like using
  4. 1 stalk green onion, finely sliced
  5. 2 eggs
  6. 2-3 potatoes, nuked on HIGH until soft

Instructions:

  1. Begin my microwaving the potatoes.  Be sure to prick them all over with a fork so they don’t explode.  Start with 6 minutes, then check them.  If they need more time, flip them over and nuke them for another 6 minutes.
  2. While the potatoes are cooking, dice up your onions and veggies and set aside
  3. Heat a 10 or 12 inch cast iron (or stainless steel) skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon slices.  Fry bacon until nice and crispy; remove with a slotted spoon and reserve on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess grease.  Pour off all but 2-3 tablespoons(ish) bacon fat.  Remove skillet from heat.
  4. Dice up your nuked potatoes into 1″ chunks and add them to the pan.  Return skillet to medium heat and fry potatoes in bacon fat until they are golden brown all around.  Try not to move them around too much so they develop a nice crust.  Once browned, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
  5. Add the onions and other veggies to the skillet (along with a little more bacon fat, olive oil, or butter if needed) and sauté until soft and onions are translucent, 5-7 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, while veggies are cooking, make eggs in a separate, non-stick pan.  For a breakfast skillet, I like my eggs over-easy and still runny in the middle, but do what you want.
  7. Final assembly:  In a medium bowl, add potatoes, followed by sautéed veggies, bacon and fried eggs.  Garnish with green onions and dig in.

 

Antipasto Salad

This salad is a meal in itself.  Variety is the key here:  Do what you like, but be sure to include lots of different veggies, greens and Italian deli meats.  Also, be sure to make the dressing from scratch – the dressing really livens up the salad, and since you’re having salad for dinner, you might as well go all out.  Store bought dressing in a salad like this one just won’t meet expectations.

Ingredients & Instructions

For the Dressing:

  1. 1/2 cup olive oil
  2. 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  3. Juice of one lemon
  4. 4-5 cloves garlic, minced or run through a microplane zester
  5. 1 tablespoon dried powdered oregano
  6. 1 teaspoon salt
  7. 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  8. 1 teaspoon sugar

Whisk all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Dressing can be made 1 day in advance.  When left standing for a while, dressing will separate – not to worry, just re-whisk to incorporate right before serving.

For the Salad

  1. 10oz Romaine lettuce hearts
  2. Jar of marinated artichoke hearts (6-8oz), drained
  3. Jar of pepperoncini (6-8oz), drained
  4. Croutons, as desired
  5. Assortment of fresh veggies: Mushrooms, Asparagus, Broccoli, Tomatoes (steam certain veggies first and the shock in an ice-bath if necessary)
  6. 6oz assorted Italian Deli Meats:  Salami, Prosciutto, Capocollo, Calabrese
  7. Mozzarella or Provolone cheese

Combine ingredients 1-5 in a large tossing bowl.  Chiffonade Deli Meats and cheese into fine strips and add to bowl.  Toss well to combine.

Final Assembly:

Dress salad all at once or allow eaters to dress for themselves in individual serving bowls.