ground black pepper – Aubrey About Town http://aubreyabouttown.com The going-ons of SF party host & chef, bon vivant, homme du monde, & man-about-town Fri, 04 Jun 2021 22:31:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://i0.wp.com/aubreyabouttown.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/cropped-43DD7C41-CD23-44CF-9EC7-C1D81E967BB4.png?fit=32%2C32 ground black pepper – Aubrey About Town http://aubreyabouttown.com 32 32 58900657 Creamy Garlicky Pecorino & Parsley Noodles http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/creamy-garlicky-pecorino-parsley-noodles/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/creamy-garlicky-pecorino-parsley-noodles/#respond Fri, 04 Jun 2021 03:42:58 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3840 A quick and easy side that hits all the comfort food goodness. Pairs great with most meats, and is a perfect midweek dinner side dish. 

  • Mince garlic and parsley
  • Drain egg noodles
  • Add reserved pasta water, the starch thickens the sauce
  • Add heavy whipping cream
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Add finely grated pecorino romano
  • Add minced parsley
  • Stir gently, trying not to break the pasta
  • Reserve a cup of starchy pasta water
Creamy Garlicky Pecorino & Parsley Noodles
A perfect accompaniment to roast chicken , steak, beef and pork roasts, and lamb chops.
Servings6-8 servings
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Fill a 6-quart pasta/stock pot 3/4 full of water, place over MED-HIGH heat, add 2 tbsp kosher salt, and bring to a boil.
  2. Add wide egg noodles, and boil about 7 minutes, or until ‘al dente’, and a tad firm.
  3. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, and set aside. Drain pasta, then return to the pot.
  4. Lower the heat to MED-LOW.
  5. Stir in the finely minced garlic, and the butter into the hot pasta until the butter has melted.
  6. Add the 1 cup of reserved pasta water, heavy whipping cream, and the ground black pepper, stir to combine.
  7. Gently stirring occasionally, simmer 5 minutes longer until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the pecorino cheese and parsley, gently stir as not to break the noodles.
  8. Cover, and turn off heat.
  9. Let sit covered for 5-10 minutes, or until the noodles have absorbed most of the sauce.
  10. Stir before serving.
]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/creamy-garlicky-pecorino-parsley-noodles/feed/ 0 3840 ST. PATRICK’S DAY SUPPER: Corned Beef & Cabbage with Guinness Stout Jus and Horseradish Whipped Cream, and Irish Soda Bread http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/st-patricks-day-supper-corned-beef-cabbage-with-guinness-stout-jus-and-horseradish-whipped-cream-and-irish-soda-bread/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/st-patricks-day-supper-corned-beef-cabbage-with-guinness-stout-jus-and-horseradish-whipped-cream-and-irish-soda-bread/#respond Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:53:01 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3687 The only thing Irish about the Corned Beef & Cabbage is the Guinness & potatoes…a strictly Irish-American phenomenon; but we love it, and nothing graces the St. Patrick’s Day table more.

Corned Beef & Cabbage with Guinness Stout Jus and Horseradish Whipped Cream, and Irish Soda Bread
The rich Guinness jus (juice), is full of rich, silky, and umami notes, and when served piping hot, enriches the meat to a new level. Topped with tangy horseradish whipped cream takes it even further!
Servings8 people
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time1-1/2 hours
Ingredients
Horseradish Whipped Cream
Corned Beef & Cabbage with Guinness Stout Jus
Irish Soda Bread
Instructions
Prepare the Horseradish Whipped Cream:
  1. Line a medium-size sieve or strainer with 2-layers of paper towels or cheesecloth. Set over a bowl, being sure the sieve doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together: heavy whipping cream, hot sauce, granulated garlic, white pepper, and salt.
  3. Turn mixer on HIGH, and whip cream mixture until firm peaks form, and the whipped cream can hold its shape, about 1-1/2 to 2 mins.
  4. Turn mixer off and add horseradish. Mix on HIGH for 10 seconds to combine.
  5. Remove whisk and bowl from mixer. With a rubber spatula, clean off whisk, and scrape the bottom & sides of the bowl, folding to combine.
  6. Spoon the horseradish whipped cream into the lined sieve or strainer. Refrigerate until ready to use. Excess liquid with strain into the bowl, and the cream will thicken into a rich mousse-like consistency. Change the soaked paper towel if preparing an hour or longer before serving. This can be done a day in advance. Once the liquid has drained, the Horseradish Whipped Cream can be transferred to an airtight container, and will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Part One: Prepare the Corned Beef & Cabbage with Guinness Stout Jus
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Remove corned beef from packaging, set aside seasoning packet, if included.
  3. Rinse the meat well to remove the packing brine liquid.
  4. In a bowl large-enough to accommodate the corned beef, fill with cool water, and soak meat for 30 minutes. Repeat again with clean water for another 30 minute soak.
  5. Pat the meat dry with a clean kitchen or tea towel. Season both sides with 1/2 tsp ground black pepper.
  6. Heat a large Dutch Oven or stock pot over MED-HIGH heat. Add olive oil.
  7. Carefully place the corned beef into the hot pot, fat-side down. Brown in oil for 4 mins.
  8. Flip meat over, and brown for an additional 3 mins.
  9. Remove meat from pot, and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
  10. Carefully pour-out the grease from the pot, leaving 1 tbsp in the pot. Return pot to heat and deglaze the pan with 1 ounce of Irish whiskey, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits (fond) from the bottom.
  11. Stir in the Guinness Stout, 2 cups chicken stock, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer.
  12. Carefully add the corned beef to the Guinness mixture. Bring up to a simmer, cover with a lid, and simmer over MED-HIGH heat for 10 mins.
  13. Transfer the covered pot to the oven, and continue to cook for 1-1/2 hours.
Meanwhile: Prep the Vegetables
  1. Remove any wilted and leaves from the cabbage, rinse and pat dry.
  2. From top to bottom, slice cabbage in half. With your knife, cut a “V” into the core of each half to remove. Slice each halves into four wedges. Set aside.
  3. Rinse the baby Yukon potatoes, pat dry. Set aside.
  4. Rinse carrots. With a vegetable peeler, peel carrots, then slice at an angle into 1-1/2 inch long pieces. Set aside.
Prepare the Irish Soda Bread: When the Corned Beef is at 40 Minutes
  1. With the Corned Beef still in the oven, increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together: flour, buttermilk powder (if using fresh buttermilk, omit powder), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to combine baking powder and soda for an even rise.
  3. With a pastry blender, or with two forks (or in a food processor), cut cubed chilled butter into flour mixture until it resembles course meal.
  4. In a small bowl, beat two eggs, measure out 1 tbsp of the beaten egg and set aside to brush the top with later.
  5. Mix remaining beaten egg into the 1-1/2 cups water (or buttermilk, if using) until just combined.
  6. Add water-egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined, being sure to lift the spoon from the bottom of the dough to reach all of the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  7. Transfer dough to a floured work surface, and gently knead by hand for 15 seconds. The dough will be sticky, so dust your hands with flour, and use a pastry scraper to work the dough quickly.
  8. Roll dough into a ball, drop into greased dish.
  9. Cut a 1-inch deep cross (X) across the top of the loaf.
  10. Gently brush the reserved tablespoon of beaten egg evenly atop the crossed loaf.
  11. Scoot the pot of corned beef to the side, and place the Irish Soda Bread aside it in the 360 degree oven.
  12. Bake the Irish Soda Bread for 50 mins. The corned beef and the bread will be ready to come out of the oven at the same time.
  13. Carefully remove the bread from the oven to a cooling rack. Allow to cool in the baking dish for 10 mins, then remove loaf to the cooling rack to cool completely.
Part Two: Finish Preparing the Corned Beef & Cabbage with Guinness Stout Jus
  1. With thick pot holders, CAREFULLY remove the hot pot of corned beef from oven, and set on the stove.
  2. With tongs or a long meat fork, carefully transfer the corned beef to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil, and set aside.
  3. Turn stove on to MED-HIGH, and bring the pot of the Guinness juices (jus) to a simmer. There should be about 1-1/2 to 2-inches of liquid. If necessary, add more water, or more Guinness or stock to reach that level of liquid.
  4. Add potatoes to the simmering Guinness jus, cover, and cook 10 mins.
  5. Add carrots to potatoes, being sure the carrots are nestled in the jus. Cover, and simmer 10 mins longer.
  6. In a single line, nestle cabbage wedges, (the point of the wedge down) atop to potatoes & carrots. Cover with a lid, and allow the cabbage to steam over the other vegetables for 10 mins more. (The cabbage should still be bright green.)
  7. Immediately remove from heat, and set aside while the corned beef is carved.
  8. With a sharp carving knife, cut away the fat from the top of the meat. Discard.
  9. Carve the corned beef against the grain of the meat into 1/4 inch thin slices. In a fan fashion, lay out slices down the center of a serving platter, garnish with a couple wedges of cabbage and a couple potatoes & carrots to denote corned beef & cabbage.
  10. Serve the remaining cabbage in a vegetable serving dish, garnish with chopped parsley.
  11. With a slotted spoon, spoon the potatoes & carrots into another serving dish, pour the melted butter over the top, give a quick toss, and top with minced chives.
  12. Pour the hot Guinness jus into a gravy boat or a small pitcher.
  13. Serve the Corned Beef and Cabbage topped with hot Guinness jus.
  14. Spoon the Horseradish Whipped Cream into a sauce boat, and serve on the side.
  15. Serve the Irish Soda Bread with sweet butter, topped with sea salt. Serves 8
Recipe Notes

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/st-patricks-day-supper-corned-beef-cabbage-with-guinness-stout-jus-and-horseradish-whipped-cream-and-irish-soda-bread/feed/ 0 3687 Tabbouleh http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/tabbouleh/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/tabbouleh/#respond Fri, 08 Jan 2021 10:43:43 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3444 This classic Lebanese parsley & bulgar salad has been enjoyed throughout the Middle East since the Middle Ages. With its refreshing and zesty taste, it remains a favorite today, and is now enjoyed around the world. 

  • Soaking bulgar, Minced vegetables
  • Making a garlic & salt paste
Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh is the perfect accompaniment to richly seasoned & grilled meats, like lamb, mutton, kefte (kofta) and chicken. Or as a side to your favorite sandwich. Add bay shrimp or crabmeat for an outstanding stand alone seafood salad (see Notes below.)
Servings12 servings
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Passive Time1 hour
Ingredients
Instructions
To Prepare Tabbouleh
  1. Boil 6 cups water with 1 tsp sea salt.
  2. While the salted water comes to a boil, rinse red bulgar with cold water 5 times, or until water runs clear. To rinse, place bulgar in a medium-sized bowl, place under faucet, and cover with water, stir bulgar through water, slowly pour water out, leaving bulgar at the bottom of the bowl, repeat 4 more times, or until water runs clear. Leave rinsed bulgar in bowl, set aside until the water has come to a boil.
  3. Pour boiling water over rinsed bulgar, stir to distribute, cover bowl with a plate or plastic wrap, and let sit 35 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, prepare the Tabbouleh Dressing, and prep the vegetables - dice the cucumber, tomato, and onion, and slice the scallions. Add to a large bowl, and set aside.
  5. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the curly-leaf parsley and fresh mint for 30 seconds to a semi-course mince, add to the diced vegetables, toss with Tabbouleh Dressing.
  6. Strain cooked bulgar through a fine sieve, pressing with clean hands or a large wooden spoon, add strained bulgar to the parsley-vegetable mixture. Toss well to distribute.
  7. Cover tabbouleh with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours) to marinate. Serve chilled or room temperature.
Prepare Tabbouleh Dressing
  1. Peel and chop 2 cloves of garlic, top with 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a back and forth motion against the flat side of a kitchen knife, rub garlic and salt into a paste, add to a small bowl. Mix in lemon juice, olive oil, and ground black pepper, mix well.
  2. Pour over prepared vegetables as stated in Step 5 in the Prepare Tabbouleh instructions above.
Recipe Notes

Red Bulgar (burghul) is made from the cracked parboiled groats of durum wheat, and is often used in Middle Eastern cuisine, and can be found in Middle Eastern markets, specialty stores, and online. I use Ziyad brand ‘Red Burghul Medium #2’. You may find it HERE.


Tabbouleh Seafood Salad

For a delicious seafood salad:

Prepare Tabbouleh recipe above.

Fold in 2 large cubed (and slightly firm) avocados, 1/2 lb. tiny cooked bay shrimps, 1/2 lb. cooked lump crabmeat, 1/3 lb. cooked & shelled mussels. (All available at the fish counter), toss and serve over whole butter or iceberg lettuce leaves. Serves 12.

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/tabbouleh/feed/ 0 3444 Ham-Bone Split Pea Soup http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/ham-bone-split-pea-soup/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/ham-bone-split-pea-soup/#respond Tue, 01 Dec 2020 01:55:03 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3229 Always a staple for the week following Thanksgiving or Easter, this cozy and nostalgic classic is a must for that leftover holiday ham. But no need to wait for the ham, a large smokey ham hock does the trick just fine!

Ham-Bone Split Pea Soup
A rich, cozy, and nostalgic repurposing of that left-over Easter & Thanksgiving spiral-cut ham bone. This recipe uses the bone from a 7-pound half ham, just double the recipe if using a full/whole ham. You didn’t have a ham?... A large split smoked ham hock is a fabulous substitution. This recipe makes about 2-1/2 quarts.
Servings2-1/2 quarts
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time2 hours
Ingredients
Ham-Bone Broth
Ham-Bone Split Pea Soup
Instructions
To Prepare Ham-Bone Broth
  1. From the bone of a half ham, cut off any good ham, leaving ham scrapes attached to the bone. Cube the good ham, and set aside for later; you should have 2 cups ham.
  2. To a stockpot , add olive oil, onions, crushed garlic, ham bone, and bay leaves.
  3. Heat over MED heat until onions begin to turn translucent, occasionally stirring.
  4. Add chicken stock and water, and (stirring occasionally) continue to simmer over MED heat for 1 hour, or until liquids reduces to 8 cups.
  5. With a sieve or kitchen strainer, strain onions, garlic, ham bone & meat scraps, and bay leaves from broth. Reserve broth. Recipe should yield 8 cups of broth; if shy, adjust with water to yield 8 cups (2 quarts).
To Prepare Ham-Bone Split Pea Soup
  1. To a stockpot, add dried split peas, ham-bone broth, thyme and bay leaf.
  2. Simmer over MED heat for 1 hour, until the split peas have softened, and begun to break apart - and the liquid has reduced by a third.
  3. Add 2 cups water, carrots and celery, and 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer over MED heat 20 minutes longer until the carrots have softened, and can be easily smashed in between your fingers, and the soup has thickened. Add a bit more water, if a thinner consistency is desired.
  4. To serve, garnish top of soup with remaining cubed ham, and minced chives, if desired.
Recipe Notes

In addition to cubed ham, try topping your HAM-BONE SPLIT PEA SOUP with a dollop of sour cream, bacon bits, scallions, or cheddar. 

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/ham-bone-split-pea-soup/feed/ 0 3229 Aubrey’s ‘San Francisco Style’ Barbary Coast Sourdough & Oyster Stuffing http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/aubreys-san-francisco-style-barbary-coast-sourdough-oyster-stuffing/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/aubreys-san-francisco-style-barbary-coast-sourdough-oyster-stuffing/#respond Wed, 25 Nov 2020 05:26:52 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3196 As a native San Franciscan, I’m proud of the local delicacies that the San Francisco Bay Area has to offer. From the best Chinese food, Dungeness crab, Pacific Ocean oysters, and of course, sourdough bread, just to name a few. And this stuffing highlights two of these local delights wonderfully

The “Barbary Coast” was a nine block area of San Francisco, in-between the Financial District, Jackson Square, and North Beach neighborhoods, and was centered on a three-block stretch of Pacific Street (now Pacific Avenue), between Montgomery and Stockton Streets, and my residence is right-smack in the middle! Known to be a colorful neighborhood, full of jazz clubs, gambling, and lawlessness, I couldn’t think of a better name…so my “Barbary Coast Sourdough & Oyster Stuffing” was born, and I’ve been serving it for years, and I’m delighted to share it with you.

Aubrey’s ‘San Francisco Style’ Barbary Coast Sourdough & Oyster Stuffing
This recipe is also delicious with lump crabmeat as an addition or substitution for oysters.
Servings15-20 servings
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Passive Time1 hour
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
  2. Cut the sliced sourdough bread into 1/2 inch cubes by stacking three slices of bread at a time and slicing lengthwise, then across.
  3. Place cubed bread onto two 1/2 sheet pans, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes.
  5. Rotate sheet pans, toss bread cubes, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until lightly golden in colour, and crisp.
  6. Remove from oven, and allow to cool in the pans completely - giving them a toss now and then.
  7. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a very large bowl, add chopped parsley. Set aside.
  8. Heat a large skillet on MED-HIGH, add cubed bacon.
  9. Render fat from bacon, until bacon is just cooked and is golden brown.
  10. Drain, all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
  11. Add chopped onions and chopped celery to the cooked bacon and reserved bacon fat, sauté until onions turn translucent.
  12. To the onion-bacon mixture, add dried & fresh sage, dried & fresh thyme, ground black pepper, chicken bouillon, granulated garlic, and salt. Mic to combine.
  13. Add the chicken stock, dried cranberries, and dried apricots.
  14. Turn heat down to MED and allow to simmer 15 minutes, or until the dried cranberries plump up.
  15. Add 8 ounces butter, stir until butter has melted.
  16. Remove oysters from packing liquid (oyster liquor), and pat to dry with paper towels - patting off as much moisture as possible. Add oyster liquor to the chicken stock mixture.
  17. Salt & pepper the oysters with the 1/4 tsps of salt & pepper. Dredge seasoned oysters in all-purpose flour to evenly coat, shaking off any excess.
  18. Preheat a small skillet to MED-HIGH heat.
  19. Add olive oil, then oysters, being sure they’re spaced apart.
  20. Brown oysters for 2 minutes per side, or until they just begin to turn golden brown. Transfer to a plate to cool enough to handle (5 mins).
  21. Select 2 or 3 nice oysters, set aside for garnish. Rough chop remaining oysters. Set aside.
  22. Slowly mix chicken stock mixture into toasted bread cubes, fold in until the bread cubes have absorbed the stock.
  23. Cover bowl of stuffing with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and allow to rest 10 minutes to absorb completely.
  24. Fold in chopped oysters.
  25. Butter the bottom and sides of a large casserole dish or a 13”x9”x2” pan. Evenly distribute stuffing in buttered casserole dish, cover with foil - poking one vent hole in top. The stuffing can be kept this way for two up to two days prior to the next step.
  26. In a 325 degree oven, bake stuffing for 20 minutes. The top should begin to brown.
  27. Garnish with additional whole sage leaves (as pictured) or parsley sprigs, and with the reserved oyster in the middle to denote the oyster stuffing.
  28. Serves 15.
]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/aubreys-san-francisco-style-barbary-coast-sourdough-oyster-stuffing/feed/ 0 3196 Curried Beef Meatballs & Ginger Couscous http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/curried-beef-meatballs-ginger-couscous/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/curried-beef-meatballs-ginger-couscous/#respond Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:46:18 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=3063 This crowd-pleasing dish has great flavour and versatility. Serve as a quick midweek supper, an easy do-ahead for a special occasion buffet, or omit the pearl onions, peas, peppers, and couscous all-together for an addicting mouth-popping ‘Curried Meatballs & Mushrooms’ hors d’oeuvres at your next cocktail party.

Curried Beef Meatballs & Ginger Couscous
Full of flavour, and as the curry, garlic, onions, and ginger simmer away, it’s an absolutely sure-fire way to fill the house with warm exotic scents, exciting guests for the meal to come.
Servings4 servings
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Passive Time1 hour
Ingredients
Beef Meatballs
Curried Beef Meatballs
Ginger Couscous
Instructions
To Prepare Meatballs
  1. Peel garlic cloves, and rough chop. Top with kosher salt. Using the side of a kitchen knife, press salt into garlic, rubbing knife back & forth to make a salty garlic paste. Divide the salty garlic paste into two, set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, with a box grater, grate shallots to a watery paste-like consistency.
  3. Add ground beef, pecorino, Worcestershire, steak sauce, ground black pepper, and half of the divided salty garlic paste.
  4. With impeccably clean hands, knead meatball mixture until well combined (about two mins.)
  5. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, form mixture into 20 small meatballs, roll each ball in the palm of your hands to round them out.
  6. Place formed meatballs on to a plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour.
  7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  8. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, fit with a rack.
  9. Line-up meatballs on rack.
  10. Bake for 20 minutes or until they’ve shrunk in size, and have browned.
  11. Flip each meatball. (Flipping the meatballs will keep them from sticking to the rack as they cool.)
  12. Set aside to cool. Prepare Curried Beef Meatballs.
To Prepare Curried Beef Meatballs
  1. In a large mixing bowl, stir to dissolve corn starch in to 1-quart chicken stock, set aside.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over MED-HIGH heat.
  3. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent, and the edges just begin to golden.
  4. Add the other half of the salty garlic paste, curry powder, turmeric, and black pepper and stir until the garlic paste and spices begin to melt into the sautéed onions.
  5. While slowly whisking, pour the chicken stock mixture into sautéed onions.
  6. Whisk until sauce begins to thicken, lower heat to MED-LOW, simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Transfer sauce to the pitcher of a blender, cover, and blend until smooth.
  8. Transfer back to the skillet, add whole mushrooms, increase heat to MEDIUM, and stirring occasionally, simmer sauce until mushrooms have shrunken a bit, and the sauce has thickened.
  9. To thickened sauce, add meatballs, julienned red peppers, pearl onions, and peas.
  10. Simmer 8 minutes longer, or until red peppers have softened slightly, and everything has heated through. Cover with lid, and keep hot on LOW heat while you Prepare the Ginger Couscous.
To Prepare Ginger Couscous
  1. Cut one 2-inch finger from a hand of ginger.
  2. Using the tip of a teaspoon or a vegetable peeler, scrape out skin from ginger.
  3. Against a microplane or ginger root grater, grate ginger into a tablespoon of paste.
  4. In a small saucepan, over MED-HIGH heat, bring chicken stock, butter, salt, and grated ginger just to a boil.
  5. Stir in couscous and parsley, cover with a lid and remove from heat. Let sit covered and undisturbed for 5 minutes.
  6. Gently fluff with a fork.
To Serve
  1. For family or buffet service, arrange fluffed couscous into a layer mound onto a large pasta bowl or platter.
  2. Arrange meatballs atop couscous, spoon sauce & vegetables over top.
  3. Top with fresh chopped cilantro (optional).
  4. Or plate in the same fashion on individual shallow pasta bowls, with 5 meatballs per serving (as pictured).
  5. Serves 4.
Recipe Notes

For a marvelous hot hors d’oeuvres, follow the steps above, omitting the pearl onions, red peppers, and peas (and couscous). Serve in a candle-warming chafer with fun cocktail picks. Watch guests make a ‘B-line’ from across the room!

Curry Powder

I use “S & B Oriental Curry Powder” from Japan. It’s available at fine food grocers, or online.

S & B Oriental Curry Powder

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/curried-beef-meatballs-ginger-couscous/feed/ 0 3063 Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/salisbury-steak-with-mushroom-gravy/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/salisbury-steak-with-mushroom-gravy/#respond Sat, 10 Oct 2020 23:07:48 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2797 Invented in the late 19th century by Civil War physician, James H. Salisbury, as a means to incorporate a meat-rich diet for soldiers on the battlefield, this American original soon became a family classic that is still a favorite today. 

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Servings4 Servings
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Ingredients
Steak Patties
Mushroom Gravy
Instructions
To Prepare Steak Patties
  1. On the course grate of a box grater over a large bowl, grate one small onion.
  2. Add ground beef, minced parsley, garlic paste, kosher salt, dried thyme, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper.
  3. With clean hands, knead beef mixture until well-combined. (About 2 mins)
  4. Form beef mixture into four 5-inch long, 3/4 inch thick oval shaped patties. (For smaller family-style or luncheon size, form eight 4-inch, 1/2 inch thick patties. See notes for alternative)
  5. Season patties with the remaining 1 tsp ground black pepper.
  6. Set patties on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour.
  7. Heat a large skillet over MED-HIGH heat, add olive oil.
  8. Brown Steak Patties 2 minutes per side, or until a rich chestnut-brown crust forms, and fond (tasty brown bits) has formed at the bottom of the skillet.
  9. Remove patties and transfer to a plate, move on to Prepare Mushroom Gravy.
To Prepare Mushroom Gravy
  1. To the hot skillet, add the olive oil, then the sliced onions and mushrooms. Allow the onions to sweat.
  2. With a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the skillet to release the fond.
  3. Add brandy, and continue to scrape the bottom of skillet until all of the fond has melted from the surface.
  4. Add demi-glace (or the alternative found in the Notes below), water, Worcestershire, and ground black pepper.
  5. Adjust heat to MEDIUM. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the gravy coats the back of the wooden spoon.
  6. Add the juices that formed on the bottom of the plate from the Steak Patties.
  7. Nestle the browned Steak Patties in to the Mushroom Gravy, simmer (uncovered) 12 minutes or until sauce has thickened to the desired consistency.
  8. Serve over mashed potatoes, buttered parsley egg noodles, or buttered spätzle. Serves 4.
Recipe Notes

As an easy-to-find alternative to demi-glace, use two 24 gram packets of brown gravy mix, plus 1 cup water, plus two 10oz cans of Campbell’s Beef Consommé.

To feed a crowd or the little ones, in Step 4, form beef mixture into 48 1-inch meatballs, continue as directed. Serve over Buttered Parsley Egg Noodles.

 

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/salisbury-steak-with-mushroom-gravy/feed/ 0 2797 Summer Cooking: Firehouse Chili http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/summer-cooking-firehouse-chili/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/summer-cooking-firehouse-chili/#respond Sat, 20 Jun 2020 05:21:01 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2752 A combination of chopped chuck roast & ground beef makes for a meaty base with chunky bites of steak. 

Firehouse Chili
Servings6 servings
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time150 mins
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a 6-quart stock pot, heat olive oil over MED-HIGH heat. Add ground beef (or chopped chuck), sauté to brown.
  2. Add chopped onions and minced garlic, cook just until onions become semi-transparent.
  3. Stir in chili powder, paprika, granulated garlic, black pepper, cumin, and salt.
  4. Mix in canned tomato & green chili (with juice) and hot coffee. Lower heat to MED-LOW, stirring occasionally, gently simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
  5. Stir in cooked pinto beans (with liquids). Stirring occasionally, continue to simmer on MED-LOW for 1 hour.
  6. Add masa, simmer 10 minutes longer to thicken.
  7. Taste for salt.
  8. Serve with cornbread or saltine crackers. Top with minced onion & shredded cheddar cheese if desired. Serves 6.
]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/summer-cooking-firehouse-chili/feed/ 0 2752 Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/honey-glazed-pork-tenderloin/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/honey-glazed-pork-tenderloin/#respond Fri, 05 Jun 2020 09:45:07 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2709 The Honey-Glaze is marvelous on baked or grilled chicken, grilled double-cut pork loin chops or baby back ribs.

Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Ethiopian Ginger Rice & steamed asparagus

Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Ethiopian Ginger Rice pairs beautifully with the Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin.
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Rinse and pat dry pork tenderloin.
  3. Tuck and fold the flap onto itself, (the narrowest end of the tenderloin) securing it with kitchen twine.
  4. And continue trussing every two inches, with a total of 5 ties, making the tenderloin even in width.
  5. Rub to generously coat pork tenderloin with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Set aside.
  6. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, grated garlic & shallots, (or granulated onion) and black pepper. Mix well, set aside.
  7. In a oven-safe skillet, over MED-HIGH heat, heat remaining 2 tbsp olive oil until it slightly smokes.
  8. Add pork tenderloin to skillet, gently rotating it with tongs, lightly browning all sides (about 3 mins total).
  9. Transfer skillet to preheated 350 degree oven, with a pastry brush, brush tenderloin generously with half of the prepared honey glaze and roast 10 minutes. Brush on remaining glaze, roast 5 minutes, repeat brushing tenderloin with glaze from the pan, roasting for 5 minutes between brushings for a total of 20 minutes.
  10. Remove from oven, transfer pork tenderloin to a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 6 minutes.
  11. Meanwhile, carefully transfer skillet to the stove, add 1/4 cup water, scraping bottom of skillet to lift any caramelized glaze, reduce glaze for 3 minutes to thicken.
  12. Slice Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin at an angle into 1/2 inch slices.
  13. Serve honey glaze on the side. Serves 4.
]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/honey-glazed-pork-tenderloin/feed/ 0 2709 Scrumptious Side: Gruyère Potato au Gratin http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/scrumptious-side-gruyere-potato-au-gratin/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/scrumptious-side-gruyere-potato-au-gratin/#respond Mon, 25 May 2020 11:16:03 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2533

Gruyère Potato au Gratin
Servings6 servings
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time60 mins
Passive Time1 hour
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease a 8”x8-inch square baking dish or 2-1/2 quart gratiné dish, place on a foil-lined sheet pan. Set aside.
  3. Wash & peel potatoes. With a mandoline, or sharp knife, thinly slice potatoes (approximately 1/8 inch thick in thickness).
  4. Combine heavy cream and flour, mix well.
  5. Arrange one layer of sliced potatoes in baking dish, overlapping slices in a ‘scallop’ pattern.
  6. Sprinkle layer with 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, and 1 cup shredded gruyère.
  7. Repeat layers twice for three layers. Finish the fourth (top) layer with just potatoes (use the nicest slices for top layer.
  8. Slowly pour cream & flour mixture evenly over the top.
  9. Tightly cover with aluminum foil, poke three small vent holes in foil.
  10. Bake covered for 50 minutes.
  11. Carefully remove aluminum foil. Evenly top with 1 cup shredded gruyère. Return to 350 degree oven and continue to bake until the gratin top is bubbly and golden brown - about 15 minutes.
  12. Remove from oven, and allow to rest for 45 minutes for liquids to distribute and absorb into potatoes, making them easier to slice. Serves 6.
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