Meat

Lamb Köfte
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Lamb Köfte

Whole foods had ground lamb on sale last week so we bought 2 pounds and froze in 1 pound packages. Our original intent was to make Gyros or as Lyn calls it Lambie Pie  but then she saw this Gojee.com, so we cut this recipe in half and had a delightful meal. The original recipe is from Mehan’s Kitchen. We enjoyed this and I can’t wait to make again making a few adjustmetns to the spice amounts to our likings.

Yogurt tahini

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  • 1 cup yogurt (I used Greek)
  • 2 T tahini
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • pinch of salt

Mix this all together and set aside to come to room temperature

Ingredients

Steve note to me remember I cut this recipe in half made 9 meatballs

Kofte

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  • 2 lbs ground lamb
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 c fresh, chopped mint
  • 1/4 c coarsely grated onion (this was messy)
  • 6 garlic cloves, pressed (original recipe called for 4)
  • 3 T paprika
  • 1 T ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 t kosher salt
  • 1 t freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cayenne pepper
  • 1 chopped green chili (optional)

 Caramelized Onions

  • 1 1/2 – 2 large onions, cut in half and sliced

 Muhammara

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  • 1/2 c finely chopped, drained roasted red peppers from jar
  • 1/2 c water
  • 2 T pomegranate molasses
  • 1 T freshly chopped flat leaf parsley

 

How

In large pan (I used a cast iron skillet) heat up some olive oil and sautee onions on medium-low (salt, pepper) and allow to caramelize, this should take about 40 minutes.

While this is cooking down combine all ingredients for the kofte in a large stainless steel bowl and form meatballs (however large you want, I made 20).  Place formed meatballs on pan (line it with something disposable).

Remove onions from skillet, place in a small serving bowl and set aside, next to the tahini yogurt.

Heat up oil in the same skillet on medium and in two batches cook the meatballs, turning them over halfway through the cooking process (about 15 minutes total).  Steve Note I found on my second batch  that more turning came out with a more evenly browned/ cook meatball. Let meatballs rest on clean pan and cover with foil.  Steve note I might try flatten the meatballs slightly making cooking a little easier.

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In the same skillet (don’t worry about cleaning it) sautee the chopped red peppers on medium high for a few minutes.  Pour in water, and then molasses and allow to reduce for about 5 minutes or so (It will start to glisten and get thick).  Toss in parsley.

Spoon out mixture into a small bowl and place next to the onions and tahini.  Toast up some bread, throw on some meatballs, spoon over some tahini, onions and muhammara and enjoy.

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Mehan's Kitchen

Mehan’s Kitchen

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Roast leg of lamb lemon garlic and rosemary Stevesacooking.com

More lamb reciepes from Stevesacooking

 

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Game Day Burrito Bowl

Game Day Burrito Bowl.

Thanksgiving tradition memory that my cousin Rand reminded me of with this picture from his table.

image

Triple Play Meatloaf (gluten free)
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Triple Play Meatloaf (gluten free)

Meat loaf is one of those comfort foods and everyone thinks they have the best recipe. For a long time I thought I did – it was right off the oatmeal box and it was a staple for me during my bachelor days. Lyn was nice about it but she finally won and I was forbidden to make it any longer. It was not until I tried a few more recipes that I understood why, and agree. I think everyone I make is slightly different because I am a cook from the gut or pantry kind of guy. There are tons of things that will never make it to this site I open the frig look around and throw something together and then say Blank I should have taken pictures or paid more attention to what I put in there. Anyway…..

For a long time I wanted to try making a meatloaf that utilized 3 types of ground meat, Hamburger, Veal and Pork. Lyn found this recipe on Pinterest and I made it today. The name is mine and I tweaked some of the ingredients to meet my taste. The sauce was good but not a keeper to me, smelt much better cooking. You could use the standard ketchup topping, BBQ sauce, maybe even Salsa etc. etc…..

Ingredients

Meatloaf

  • 1 pound ground veal
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh chives, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh thyme leaves, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh Italian parsley, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups finely ground gluten free panko (place panko in food processor to finely grind)
  • 2/3 cup whole organic milk
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
  • 1 large Spanish onion, finely diced

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 2 cups chicken stock, homemade or good quality purchased
  • 8 to 10 cloves roasted-garlic
  • 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh chives
  • 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh Italian parsley

Sauce1

How

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Place the veal, pork, beef, chives, thyme, parsley, eggs, panko, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.

Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle or 2 of extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the celery and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened. Remove the celery and onion from the pan and let cool.

Suate Onions and celery

When the mixture is cool, add it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.

Mix the ingredients until well combined and everything is evenly distributed.Mix throughly

Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan (it should have sides at least 1-1 1/2 inches high to prevent grease runoff from the pan). I used 90% lean and did not have a lot of fat.

Place the meat on the sheet pan and pat it and punch it down to remove any air pockets. Shape the meat into a loaf (about 14 1/2 inches long by 5 inches wide by 2 inches high). Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer indicates an internal temperature of 155 degrees. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Mold to loaf 2 inches high

bake 350 40-45 minutes

Sauce – Meanwhile, for the sauce, combine the broth, roasted garlic and butter over medium-high heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly thickened. Add 1 teaspoon of each of the chopped thyme, chives and parsley.

Heat and simmer sauce Add herbs

Slice the meatloaf into serving portions and spoon the hot sauce over the meatloaf and serve.

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Reign On Game Day Recipe Week 5: Spicy Southwest Meatloaf Minis – Stevesacooking.com

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Meatloaf with a hint of Mexican – well Texmex – Stevesacooking.com

Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb with Carrots and Parsnips
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Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb with Carrots and Parsnips

Last week Lyn went shopping for a few things on her own and there were a few impulse buys. We all do that I did it yesterday and ended up with American Chop Suey nice comfort food for a snowy day. Anyway she got a 4 lb. boneless leg of lamb. I used 1 lb to make ground lamb last weekend for Gyros. Today we made this roast and it was well worth the impulse buy well worth it.

Ingredients

Glaze

  • 1 1/2 cup Pomegranate juice
  • 3 tablespoon Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground

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Veggies

  • 4 whole carrots, peeled
  • 1 1/2 cups large parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced – STEVE NOTE I did not have parsnip so I used potatoes
  • 1/3 cup Water

Lamb

  • 3 lb Boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 teaspoon Minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon Cumin seeds – STEVE NOTE I did not have used ground Cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoon Chopped fresh mint

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How:

Look for a mini boneless leg of lamb roast that weighs approximately 3 lb. These small roasts sometimes come prepacked in netting. For a leaner, cleaner tasting lamb we like to trim the fat off the surface. This requires removing the netting, trimming the fat, and retying your roast. The extra work is definitely worth it.

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine pomegranate juice, sugar, 1/2 tsp. of the black pepper, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

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Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer until mixture is thick and syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 20 to 25 minutes.

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3. Cut carrots and parsnips in half lengthwise and then cut into 3-inch pieces. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and toss vegetables with 2 Tbsp. of the pomegranate glaze.

4. Place lamb in the center of a large baking dish or roasting pan. Rub garlic into roast. Season with 1/2 tsp. of the salt, remaining 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and cumin seeds. Brush the top and sides of lamb liberally with pomegranate glaze. Distribute vegetables and their liquid around the roast. – STEVE NOTE – I rubbed the roast with garlic and the spices wrapped in plastic wrap and set in refrigerator for a few hours. Took out and let get to room temperature.

5. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring vegetables once or twice, until meat is cooked to about 115 degrees. Brush roast with any remaining glaze (if it has thickened, microwave for 15 seconds). Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Cook until meat begins to brown in spots and the temperature reaches about 125 degrees for medium-rare, 140 degrees for medium, and 160 degrees for well done, according to your preference (about 10 to 20 minutes).

6. If you prefer your lamb more well done and it begins to overbrown, lower heat to 475 degrees and cover meat loosely with foil.

7. Transfer lamb to cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spread vegetables evenly over baking dish and return to oven to bake until all the juices have evaporated and vegetables have begun to caramelize, about 4 to 5 minutes; watch that they don’t burn. Remove baking dish from oven and stir butter and mint into the vegetables.

8. Remove strings and use a sharp knife to cut lamb into thin slices. Transfer vegetables and lamb to platter and serve warm.

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Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, September – October 2008
Food Processor Ground Beef
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Food Processor Ground Beef

Did this last week with lamb so you can use lamb, beef, chicken, turkey whatever your heart or honey desires.
I had seen this on the food shows always said I would try but then we had a food grinder attachment for the blender, I just never got around to it.
Sorry I did not do sooner.

Benefits you get to control the fat content.

Ingredients

What ever poundage of meat needed -depending how much fat you trimming you may need slightly more that required for final ingredient.

Cube the meat trimming away and discarding the fat

Place on a flat cookie tray and into the freezer for 25-40 minutes until very firm

In batches put in food processor and pulse until desire texture is reached

 

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Related

American chop suey

American chop seuy and Mom’s old recipe

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Reign On American Chop Suey – Week 15
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Reign On American Chop Suey – Week 15

Everyone has their own comfort foods, I have many but one of my favorites is American Chop Suey. This recipe is what I have come up with that is closest to what my mind remembers as my mother’s plus the red hot pepper flakes. The Pat’s are getting ready to grab the division and top place but they are playing in the nice warm weather, so as we  prepare for 8-12 inches of snow depending where you why not try this nice warm me up game time treat.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. lean Ground beef I MADE FOOD PROCESSOR GROUND BEEF
  • 1 onion chopped roughly
  • 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 green pepper cored, seeded and chopped
  • 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
  • 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 lb. box Elbow macaroni
  • Salt, pepper, oregano, basil, red-hot pepper flakes to taste about 1 tablespoon each
  • Ketchup (optional, not for me)

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How:

In a fry pan cook hamburger, onion, and celery until meat is browned and the veggies are limp but still have some crunch left. While browning chop up the beef into small chunks. Drain off the grease.

Step 1

Crush tomatoes by hand over the pan, pour in the juice from the can and the tomato sauce.

Add whatever spices you are comfortable with. I use salt, pepper, oregano, basil, (I suppose a short cut could be Italian seasoning mix) a good pinch of crushed red pepper flakes depends on your hotness taste. Add the chopped green pepper at this point I feel it kept them a little crunchier but I suppose you could add in the first step.

Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes.

step 2

Meanwhile, bring five quarts of water to a boil, add the macaroni, and cook for about five minutes. The pasta should be aldente, not thoroughly cooked. Drain, return to pot and add the contents of the other pan. Gently simmer for five minutes to finish cooking the macaroni and to let it absorb the liquid.

Remove from heat, and put it to the side. I find that letting it sit for at least a half hour lets the flavors really come together I also stir occasionally to help cool and not over cook the pasta.

step 3

Ok now I was raised to top with ketchup when served but this is strictly optional, it just does not taste right to me without, what can I say?

step 4

Pan Seared Oven Roasted Buffalo Steak
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Pan Seared Oven Roasted Buffalo Steak

Ingredients

NY strip buffalo about 1 “ thick

How

Preheat oven to 350 degree
Heat oven proof fry pan over medium hig heat
Sprinkle a little Olive oil pan
Sear the steak about 3 minutes
Turn and place pan in oven for about 4 minutes
Remove tent loosely with tin foil let sit for 5-10 minutes – rule of thumb I use is about the same time it took to cook.

Slice against the grain and serve

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The Benefits of Eating Buffalo

I like knowing that by buying and eating buffalo I’m supporting one of the last remnants of wild food on the American continent. I like the wild, untamed nature of the animals, their rugged character, and toughness. They stand in stark contrast to the rest of our cultivated diet.

Buffalo, what’s in it for you?
Ounce for ounce buffalo meat contains 69% more iron than beef and slightly more protein than beef. Everyone can benefit from eating bison on regular basis to prevent or rectify iron deficiency anemia. Men, women, children, and former vegetarians and vegans can benefit from is tonifying food. Like beef, bison is a great source of B-vitamins, zinc, and other brain and body-building nutrients that are poorly supplies and poorly absorbed from plant foods.

Photo right by Rachel Albert-Matesz, © Copyright 2009

Cholesterol, a non-issue
Although buffalo is promoted as a lower cholesterol meat, that’s a bit of misnomer. A 100 gram serving (3 1/2 ounces) of buffalo contains approximately 82 milligrams of cholesterol whereas the same size portion of beef (or pork) contains 86 milligrams. The difference of 4 milligrams is hardly signfificant. (That’s 0.0002% of what most bodies produces in a day!)

Now you may be wondering why eat cholesterol if you body can make it? Although your body can manufacture cholesterol, it is actually better to obtain it from dietary sources. Traditional human diets have always contained significant amounts of cholesterol.

According to Nora T. Gedgaudas, CNS,CNT, author of Primal Body––Primal Mind, “Restricting or eliminating its [cholesterol] intake indicates a crisis or famine to the body. The result is the production of a liver enzyme called HMG-COA reductase, that in effect, then overproduces cholesterol from carbohydrates in the diet. Consuming excess carbohydrates while decreasing cholesterol intake guarantees a steady overproduction of cholesterol in the body.”

“The only way to switch this over production off is to consume an adequate amount of dietary cholesterol and back off on the carbs. In other words, the dietary intake of cholesterol stops the internal production of cholesterol. (Schwarzbein, 1999).”

Back to the Buffalo
Buffalo is usually lower in fat than beef. The specific fat content of a particular cut of buffalo will depend on upon the particular animal, its diet age at the time of slaughter, and how much fat is trimmed from the carcass or cut you buy.

The lean of the land?
USDA handbook data includes comparisons showing a 100 gram (3 1/2 ounce) portion of beef at 9.28  to 14 grams of fat and the same size portion of buffalo at 2.42 grams of fat. However, I’ve seen 6 ounce (128 gram) buffalo burgers in gourmet markets boasting 30 grams of fat (ground meat may contain more fat if it’s processed with trim from the rest of the carcass, particularly if it was not 100% grassfed). However, fat isn’t bad.

Eating more fat and protein and less carbohydrate can provide many health benefits.  Still most buffalo on the market, particularly if grassfed, will contain significantly less fat than factory farmed beef.

For the pictures on the right, I used a small buffalo steak from Arizona Buffalo Company, located in Buckeye, Arizona. It turned out really great. Although it was a lean steak, I found it easy to cut and easy to chew.

Buy local whenever you can
When I buy meat, or anything else, I support small local farmer means and help them stay in business. I reduce fuel use because my food doesn’t log thousands of miles to reach me. I cut out the middle man. I usually save money, and have contact with the people who are raising my food. I much prefer this to buying anonymous meat whenever I can, although I’m flexible in this respect. I don’t think it has to be all or nothing.

How to cook a buffalo
Cook it one piece at a time. As with grassfed been and other lean, wild, or game meats, you’ll get the best results cooking steaks, roasts, and burgers, rare or medium rare. Well done will be overdone, tough, dry, and leathery. Reduce the cooking time, the temperature, or both to produce the best results. And don’t rush a roast, long slow cooking is required for certain cuts to make t hem moist and tender. Marinades help with some cuts.

How does it taste?
I like the flavor. You might expect buffalo to taste gamey and have a tough texture, but I find it tender and juicy (as long it’s not overcooked), with a slightly sweet undertone. I like to sear the steaks on both sides and leave them blood red on the inside. You’ll notice buffalo meet has a deeper, darker, redder color than beef. Stay close and remove it from the heat when it’s under done, so you don’t lose all that color in cooking.

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Reign on Mashie-Topped Meatloaf Cupcakes – Week 12
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Reign on Mashie-Topped Meatloaf Cupcakes – Week 12

Someone asked me if I am a huge football fan is that why I do these weekly game day recipes? Yes I am a fan but I also am a fan of my son and patriotslife.com   the blog he is involved in. I would do it for CelticsLife.com  but I just can’t come up with that many recipes, beside the schedule would kill me or I would be 900 Lbs.,  anyway……

Meat and potatoes a man’s meal, a football man’s meal, a meal that will satisfy any half time hunger.

cows                                                                   Potato

Now grab that pastry bag or a plastic bag, stuff it with mash potatoes and start decorating the top of your meatloaf cupcakes. What you’re unsure of your manliness, afraid of a little Dolphin treatment in the living room? We all know that when watching a football game we live by a different set of rules.

Ingredients

Meatloaf

Ground Beef

  • 1 1/4 lbs. extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)
  • 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute or egg whites
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper


Mashies

Mashed Potaotes

  • 20 oz. (about 3 medium) white potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 2 1/2 tbsp. light sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. paprika
  • Optional seasoning: black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups, or spray it with nonstick spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients. Thoroughly mix.

3. Evenly distribute meatloaf mixture among the muffin cups, and smooth out the tops with the back of a spoon. Bake until firm and cooked through with lightly browned edges, 20 – 25 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and once returned to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Cook until very tender, 15 – 20 minutes.

5. Drain and transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients for mashies except paprika. Thoroughly mash and mix.

6. Evenly top mini meatloaves with mashies, and sprinkle with paprika. Makes six servings; two cupcakes per serving. Eat up!

HG Tip! Use a piping bag to distribute the mashies. You can even create your own makeshift piping bag! Just transfer mashies to a plastic bag, and squeeze them down toward a bottom corner. Snip off that corner with scissors, creating a small hole for piping. Ta-da!

Serving Size: 2 meatloaf cupcakes – Steve says: Ya right, these are poppers .

Mashie-Topped-Meatloaf-Cupcakes
This recipe was from hungry-girl.com
For further inspiration, Hungry Girl just released her official “Top Ate” reasons to love potatoes:
  1. Potatoes are seriously satisfying! A study of nearly 40 common foods found that potatoes deliver the most satisfaction.
  2. A 5.3-ounce skin-on spud (the size of a computer mouse) has 45% the daily value of vitamin C and only 110 fat-free calories. Potatoes also have fiber.
  3. Dining out? Top a plain baked potato with salad-bar goodies like broccoli & salsa.
  4. White veggies are underrated and provide key nutrients we need. In fact, potatoes have even more potassium than bananas.
  5. Gluten-free alert: Potatoes are a great alternative to pasta and bread. You can even make lasagna with spud slices instead of noodles, Lillien adds.
  6. Russets, reds, purples, fingerlings, yellows, whites & petites… So many possibilities!
  7. HG Lisa’s favorite way to eat a potato? Twice-baked, stuffed with light cheese and veggies.
  8. Potatoes are ALWAYS in season. “Put ’em on your grocery list today,” she says.

Thanks hungry girl even more reason to eat a manly potato.

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Hilltop Steak House Marinated Beef Tips
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Hilltop Steak House Marinated Beef Tips

Years ago in another life, the life of a movie theater manager, I used to frequent the Hilltop Steak House in Saugus MA with the fake cows corralled out front.

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There were 3 of us, all mangers, who would gather there for drinks and dinner. The other managers had it down to a science, I was the newbie and just learning the power a movie passes. Years later while with 20th Century Fox and Orion Pictures I found that premium movie screening passes would get fake train ticket punches on the commuter rail. I rode the rails for month at no cost besides the $1 parking fee. Yep it was a while back….. Anyway back to Hilltop back then you had no choice but to get a number and wait sometimes up to an hour.

hilltop line

We would get our number, wander upstairs to the bar, tell the bar tender to let Big Rosie know we were here, order our drinks (tip an occasional movie pass). Within a few minutes our number was called and we would wander down to Rosie’s smiling face. Her family size as she did fit her nickname. After our meals were on the table and maybe half to three-quarters gone Rosie would whisk our plates away, apologize for the meal not being perfect,  and would return with three new meals. She kept us feed with plenty or left overs to take home to our refrigerators – home was the theatre, our days were long especially with mid night showings. Anyway her family and friend had plenty of movies to go to between Peabody, Saugus and Stoneham.
Why am I bringing up the Hill Top, well after 52 years they are finally closing their doors I heard that someone even stole a cow from the front.

cows

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• Chopped Parsley
• 4 chopped garlic cloves
• Oregano to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 4 lbs. sirloin steak tips
• 2 lbs. sm. white onions
• 2 red peppers
• 2 green peppers
• lg. pkg. Mushrooms

How:

Marinate steak tips in the first 8 ingredients for at least 6 hours. (Can be done 24 hours ahead). Cut Vegetables in large pieces and add to marinade mixture 1 hour before grilling (can be added as you grill, but it is not as tasty).

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Grill steak and vegetables together in a grill pan.

tips

Hilltop Steak Tips

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