Dinner
05/25-05/31
Shopping list
Meat/Seafood
2 lb london broil or chuck roast
12 slices bacon
2.5 lb chuck beef
1 lb chicken breast
Produce
2 lg beets
1 shallot
4 tbsp parsley
6 carrot
1 green bell pepper
2 red bell pepper
3 yellow onion
15cloves garlic
Cilantro
2 lime
2 yellow plantains
1" ginger
1 cup celery
5 scallions
Dairy
8 eggs
14 oz sour cream
7 oz feta
2 stick butter
Goat cheese
Parmesan
3 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup cheddar shredded
Seasonings/Spices/Condiments
Salt & Pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
4 bay leaf
1 tbsp white vinegar
1-2 tbsp red harissa
2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 beef bouillon cubes
3/4 tsp thyme
1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp yellow mustard
3 tbsp spicy mustard
Baking
Olive oil
1 tbsp canola oil
5 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Canned Goods/ Soups
2 cup canned tomato puree
2 6 oz can tomato paste
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
28oz can crushed tomatoes
5 cup chicken broth
1/2 green olives
1 14oz can chickpeas
Dry Goods
1 1/2 cup green lentils
Toasted almonds
1 lb pappardelle pasta
Beverages
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup redwine
Roast Beetroot & Feta Tart
Ingredients
- 2 large beets, peeled and each cut into 8 wedges
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 4 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
- 14 oz sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 7 oz feta, crumbled
Shortcrust Pastry
- 12 oz plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
- 5 1/2 oz chilled butter, chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons iced water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- To make the shortcrust pastry, put the our and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add the water, a little at a time, until the mixture starts to come together. Turn out onto a clean work surface and form the dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Put the beetroot in a baking dish and drizzle over a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Lightly grease a 10 inch round loose-bottomed tart tin, about 1 1/4 in deep.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry out to a 1⁄4 in thick circle. Transfer the pastry to the tart tin - it should be large enough to line the base and side of the tin, with enough excess pastry to hang over the edge. Place on a baking tray and chill for 30 minutes.
- Line the tart base with baking paper and add some baking weights. Blind bake for 20 minutes, then remove the weights and baking paper and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes, or until the base is golden. While the pastry is still warm, trim the edge of any excess pastry. Reduce the oven temperature to 320°F.
- Whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, shallot and sour cream in a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then fold in the parsley and half of the cheese. Pour the mixture into the tart base, making sure the feta is evenly distributed. Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven (the tart will be wobbly and only half cooked at this stage). Top with the roast beetroot and the remaining feta. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until set. Serve warm or cool.
Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja
w/ Plantain Bacon Fritters
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 pounds London broil or boneless chuck roast (flank steak or brisket also work well)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 carrot, scraped and sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 whole head of garlic, cloves peeled and roughly chopped (10 cloves or 3 1/2 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (Vermouth works well)
- 2 cups good quality canned tomato puree
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Garnish
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 lime or two, cut into wedges
INSTRUCTIONS
- Season meat on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Heat oil in a heavy (preferably cast iron) skillet. Brown meat over high heat for 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the bowl of a slow cooker. Toss in the sliced carrot.
- Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet along with the garlic, onions and peppers. Turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 6-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and starting to caramelize, stirring constantly for the first minute, to make sure the garlic doesn't brown. Add wine and simmer for a minute, stirring and scraping the browned bits from the pan. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl whisk tomato puree, tomato paste, broth, dried spices and 2 teaspoons salt. Pour over meat. Cook on high for 6 hours. After 5 1/2 hours remove the meat. Shred it by pulling it apart using two forks. Return it to the slow cooker. Stir in olives and vinegar. Continue to cook for 30 minutes more.
- Serve ropa vieja with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro and lime wedges on the side.
- Traditional accompaniments are white rice and black beans.
Ingredients
- 2 large yellow plantains
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- First, cook bacon over medium-hi heat until crisp, drain on paper towels and save 1/4 cup of rendered bacon fat
- Cut off the ends of your plantains and score the sides to remove the peel. In a large bowl, mash the plantains with a potato masher until smooth (a few lumps are fine)
- Crumble the cooked bacon and add to the mashed plantains. Also add the salt and pepper and mix.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (no hotter) and add the 1/4 cup bacon fat
- Form the plantain mixture into 8 small patties and fry in the bacon fat over medium heat, adjusting the heat to avoid burning. Cook on each side until golden brown and crisp.
Moroccan Lentil & Chickpea Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups green lentils
- 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 inch knob of fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth
- 1-2 tablespoons red harissa
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- goat cheese and toasted almonds for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- In the bowl of a crockpot, combine the lentils, onion, ginger, garlic, carrots, red pepper, tomatoes, veggie broth, 1/2 cup water, the harissa, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and a large pinch of both Kosher salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
- Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice, chickpeas, and cilantro, cook until heated through. If the soup is thick, add more water or broth to thin. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with whipped goat cheese, almonds, and fresh cilantro. Eat!
Beef Ragu Pasta
Ingredients
Ragu
- 1.2kg / 2.5 lb chuck beef or other slow cooking beef cut, cut into equal 4 pieces (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp salt
- Black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 onion , diced
- 1 cup carrots , diced (Note 2)
- 1 cup celery , diced (Note 2)
- 800g / 28oz crushed canned tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled (Note 3)
- 1 cup / 250ml red wine , full bodied (like merlot, cabernet sauvignon), or sub with beef broth/stock
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml water (Note 3)
- 3/4 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 dried bay leaves
To Serve (Not all Sauce is used)
- 1 lb /500g dried pappardelle , or other pasta of choice (Note 4)
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano
- Fresh parsley , finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Sear Beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece aggressively on all sides until very browned (3 - 5 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
- Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
- Soffrito: Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining Ragu ingredients and return the beef to the pot (including pooled juices). Turn the stove up and bring it to a simmer, then turn it down to low so it's bubbling very very gently. (Note 7)
- Slow cook: Cover the pot and let it cook for 2 hours or until beef is tender enough to shred. (Note 5 for slow cooker and pressure cooker).
- Shred: Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened - beef will soften slightly more during this step.
- Final season: Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. ALSO, add 1/2 tsp sugar if sauce is a bit sour for your taste (Note 6). Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it's even better the next day and freezes well for months!).
To Serve (Note 4):
- Bring a very large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to the boil.
- Add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time as per the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, place 5 cups of the Ragu in a very large fry pan, dutch oven or use 2 normal size fry pans. Heat over high heat while the pasta is cooking.
- When the pasta is ready, transfer it directly from the pot into the fry pan using tongs.
- Add 3/4 cup of pasta water into the fry pan.
- Gently toss the pasta (I use 2 wooden spoons) for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce water evaporates and leaves you with a thick Ragu sauce that coats the pasta.
- Yell for your family to sit down at the dinner table because you need to serve it immediately!
- Serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, or even better, with parmigiano reggiano.
Fried Chicken & Waffle Sandwich
For the Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (55 grams) light-brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (8 grams) baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (4 grams) salt
- 2 teaspoons (14 grams) freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (76 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 cups (484 grams) buttermilk, room temperature
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup (100 grams) cheddar cheese, shredded
- 5 scallions (green onions) thinly sliced
- cooking spray, for waffle iron
Instructions
- Preheat waffle iron.
- In a large bowl stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and black pepper. Make a well in the center of the bowl and set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk together. Pour into the center of the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter and buttermilk. Using a wooden spoon, stir the waffle batter until just combined. It should be sightly lumpy. If the batter appears to be too thick, add a splash of buttermilk and stir until pouring consistency is reached. Fold in the cooked chopped bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions.
- Lightly grease the waffle iron with cooking spray or melted butter. Pour in about ½ cup batter in each waffle cavity, more or less depending on size of waffle iron. Cook until the waffles are golden brown and crispy. Mine were about 4 to 6 minutes. Place the cooked waffles on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Place in a 200° F oven to keep the waffles warm until ready to eat. Continue cooking until all the batter is used up. Serve warm with maple syrup or maple mustard sauce (recipe follows). Or make them into fried chicken and waffle sandwiches (recipe follows). Waffles will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. To rewarm, place the waffles on a baking sheet in a 300° F oven for about 5 minutes until crispy. Enjoy!
For the Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast cutlets, cut in half
- 1½ cups (363 grams) buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) hot sauce, optional
- 1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) black pepper
- canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Cover with buttermilk and add the hot sauce, if using. Toss together until evenly mixed and all the chicken is submerged in the buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. If you don't have the time, this step is not crucial but it will help make the chicken tender and juicy.
- In a shallow dish combine the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and black pepper. To coat the chicken, grab a piece from the buttermilk bowl, slightly drain off, and throw into the flour. Pat the flour into the chicken, on both sides. Return to the buttermilk bowl (with the rest of the chicken) and coat both sides. Place the chicken back into the flour, once more, and coat both sides. We're double dipping the chicken. Lay the coated chicken on a rack placed over a baking sheet. Repeat in this manner until all the chicken is coated. Allow the coated chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes, this will allow the fry to dry a bit and stick to the chicken.
- In the meantime, heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy duty pan, such as a cast iron skillet. Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken in batches. Cook for about 5 minutes on the first side, turn over once golden brown and crispy, continue to cook for another 4 minutes on the other side. Drain the chicken and place on a separate rack set over a baking sheet. You can keep the cooked chicken warm in a 200°F oven until all the chicken is fried and you're ready to serve. Make into fried chicken and waffle sandwiches with bacon cheddar green onion waffles (recipe above) and layer with lettuce, sliced tomato, avocado, and maple mustard sauce (recipe follows). Enjoy!
Maple Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (50 ml) real maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) spicy brown mustard or dijon mustard
Instructions
- Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Will keep in refrigerator for 1 week. Enjoy!