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II
Culinary Wizardry
Let me eat it...
Asian Beef-noodle Soup
6 cups water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chili sauce or ketchup
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoons ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 packages (3 ounces each) low-fat ramen instant noodle soup
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced Chinese Cabbage or green cabbage
3 carrots, cut into slivers
1 cup sliced small mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 pound cooked top ground steak, thinly sliced
4 green onions, cut into slivers
2 teaspoons dark Asian sesame oil
1. Mix water, soy sauce, chili sauce, ginger, red pepper and 1 seasoning packet from noodles in a large saucepan. Bring to simmering.
Add cabbage and carrots; cook 5 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms, corn and ramen noodles; simmer 3 minutes. Add beef and green onions; heat through. Stir in sesame oil.
Hearty Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 strips bacon, diced
1 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large can (46 ounces) chicken broth (5 3/4 cups)
1 cup water
1 small packet lower-sodium chicken bouillon granules
1 1/4 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1. Cook onion and bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until onion is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook until liquid evaporates,
about 8 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
2. Stir broth, water and bouillon granules into saucepan. Add potatoes and sherry; simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Transfer
4 cups of soup mixture to a food processor. Puree and return to pot. Stir in cream. Gently reheat, stirring occasionally.
3. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with parsley.
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef or 1/2 pound each ground beef and ground pork
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cans (28 oz each) crushed tomatoes in puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
1/2 bay leaf
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds spaghetti
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over a medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté 12 minutes or until golden. Add
meat; brown 5 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking up with a wooden spoon.
2. Add wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, bay leaf, sugar, salt and pepper, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot with a wooden spoon.
Bring to a bare simmer; cook 1 hour or until thickened.
3. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until al dente, firm but tender. Drain well.
4. Remove bay leaf from sauce and discard. Spoon sauce over hot cooked pasta on a large serving platter.
Fettuccine with Trio of Mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 pound oyster mushrooms, sliced
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 pound fettuccine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes or until mushrooms begin to brown.
Add wine; cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broth, tomato sauce, half-and-half, salt and pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook fettuccine in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until al dente, firm but tender. Drain well. Toss pasta with sauce in pot. Sprinkle with Parmesan
and serve.
Hot Fudge Sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 squares (1 oz each) semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Heat cream, butter, sugars, cocoa powder and chocolate in a medium sized saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until smooth and sugars are melted,
10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.
2. Serve warm. Store, tightly covered, in refrigerator up to several days. To warm, place over hot water and stir.
Barbecue Chili
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 can (16 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 cans ( 15 1/4 ounces each) dark red kidney beans, drained
2 cans ( 15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained
1 can ( 15 ounces ) cannellini beans, drained
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Add meat, onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring to break up meat, until meat is
no longer pink and onion is tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in tomatoes, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in
kidney, pinto and cannellini beans; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes to blend flavors. To serve, ladle chili into bowls.
Beef Stew with Roasted Vegetables
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons black pepper
1 can (13 3/4 ounces) lower-sodium beef broth
2 large sweet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inched cubes
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 Spanish onions, cut into chunks
2 sweet red pepper, cut into 1/2-inched pieces
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Savory Biscuit Wedges for serving
1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add beef and garlic and brown about 5 minutes. Drain fat. Stir in thyme, salt, pepper and broth.
Lower heat; cover and simmer 1 hour or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees
3. Toss sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onions and peppers in 2 teaspoons oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar until coated. Spread in a baking pan in one layer; do
not overlap. Roast in heated 450 degrees oven 25 to 35 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender, tossing once or twice during cooking.
4. When ready to serve, bring stew to boiling. Stir in cornstarch mixture; cook, stirring, 2 minutes to thicken slightly. Stir in roasted vegetables and remaining
1 teaspoon vinegar. Serve with Savory Biscuit Wedges.
Savory Biscuit Wedges
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/3 cup finely chopped green onion
2 dashes hot pepper sauce
3/4 cup milk
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with 2 knives used scissor fashion until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in green onion.
3. Combine hot-pepper sauce and milk. Pour about 2/3 cup milk mixture into flour mixture. Stir just enough until dough comes together. If too dry, add remaining milk.
Knead dough on a lightly floured work surface 1 minute.
4. Pat into a 1-inch-thick round. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake in heated 375 degrees oven 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool briefly on wire rack.
Cut into 8 equal wedges.
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