Callos (non-tripe version)

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

I have been cooking Callos regularly ever since I managed to successfully cook the dish using different recipes, usually of the original Madrid variety. However, it was a trip to our local farmer's market where I was able to taste a local version of Callos and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. However, I should not really doubt that it would taste good as the same stall was selling what is now my favorite fresh ubod lumpia. I have become the Callos snob as of late thinking that Callos should be given its proper due by preparing it as authentically or as close as you can get to the Madrid version. However, I have to say that adding a few ingredients not typical of the dish do have its merit. The green olives cuts into the fattiness of the dish and gives it a good balance. The chickpeas on the other hand brings an added crunch to an otherwise mushy dish. The use of "terno" instead of tripe also lends quite a distinct taste to the dish although a single bite will assure you that what you are enjoying is indeed Callos.

Callos

10 lbs "terno" (ox tail, cheek, and legs), sliced into large portions
3 large onions, diced
8-10 bay leaves
1 whole clove garlic, roughly diced
3 large carrots, diced
1 32-oz canned diced tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato paste
12 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp Spanish paprika
1 cup canned pimientos, sliced
2 cups green olives
1 cup chickpeas
8-10 oz canned Spanish chorizo (about 1 cup), sliced
salt and pepper
*4 tbsp olive oil (optional)

1. In a large pot, boil the meat with enough water, half the onions and 4
    bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Let it boil for about an hour 
    over medium heat. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. 

2. Pour off the liquid and wash the meat pieces and trim off any hard 
    pieces. 

3. In another large pot, heat the olive oil if using, over medium high 
    heat. Saute the remaining onions, bay leaves and garlic until 
    softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and cook for
    another 3 minutes. 

4. Return the meat pieces into the pot and pour in the beef broth. Bring
    to a boil and once boiling, cover the pot and lower the heat to 
    medium low and allow to simmer for at least two hours. Add water if 
    necessary to make sure the meat is submerged while simmering. 

5. Add the can of tomatoes and simmer for an additional hour or until 
    the meat is very tender. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Make
    sure that the meat is tender enough that the bones come off easily.

6. Pick off the large bones and slice the meat into 1-inch dice. Add the
    paprika, oregano, pimiento, chickpeas, tomato paste, and olives. 
    Bring to a boil and allow to simmer at medium low heat for 30 
    minutes. Add more water if the sauce is too thick. 

7. Check for seasoning and add the chorizo. Simmer for another 30 
    minutes. Let it rest for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to 
    meld. Serve with steamed white rice. 

* The canned Spanish chorizo is stored in lard. If you want, you can use the lard instead of the olive oil to suate. It adds an extra flavor to the dish. 

Rustic Roasted Chicken Galantine

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Chicken Galantine is a French dish that is prepared to impress. It is laborious, both in the preparation and in the cooking process. The ingredients are varied but there seems to be a common thread among the different recipes I read to prepare my own rustic version of this dish. The filling is usually prepared using either ground veal or beef in combination with ground pork. The nut of choice are pistachio nuts with either apricot or raisins to add some nuttiness and sweetness respectively, to the flavor. Traditionally ground into a forcemeat, I am going to prepare my filling more like a meatloaf preserving the texture of the various ingredients intact for maximum impact. Truth be told, I'm not a big fan of cold cuts and the galantine is prepared to resemble one. Another big change is how I plan to cook my galantine. The original recipe calls for the galantine to be wrapped in cheesecloth and poached in a broth. I am baking my galantine and serving it warm.

Rustic Roasted Chicken Galantine

3-4 shallots, finely diced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
50g pistachios, shelled and roughly diced
1 whole chicken, about 2 lbs
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb bacon strips
5 tbsp heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup golden raisins
4 tbsp white wine
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Debone the chicken leaving the leg and wing bones intact. Set aside. 
    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the shallots 
    until softened. Let cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except the bacon. Add
    the shallots and mix with your hands. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Lay flat the deboned chicken, skin side down and season with salt and 
    pepper. Layer the bacon strips until it covers the inside of the chicken. 

5. Fill with the meat filling and gather the edges securing with a toothpick or 
    by sewing. Truss the chicken with a butcher's twine and place in the 
    center of a baking pan lined with aluminum foil seam side down. Baste 
    with enough olive oil to help brown the skin.

6. Bake for 1 1/2 hour or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F. Let it rest
    for 15 minutes covered with foil before slicing.    
    

Penelope Casas' Callos

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Callos, a name which to me evokes the Spanish colonization of the Philippines for over 300 years. Despite the hardships the Filipino had to endure during this period, there were influences in our culture that may or may not be a welcome choice to the Filipinos. One such influence is in our food. The original Callos may have hailed from Madrid, Spain but Callos is a staple in most celebrations here in the Philippines. I have to admit that our family came across this dish kind of late but I have been trying on different versions of this dish recently based on recipes considered as original to Spain and not the adapted local version. Why the original? Simple. The original Callos is quite rustic and meager in terms of preparation and the amount of ingredients while the local version of the dish have morphed into different varieties with the addition of white beans, chick peas and even carrots. I just want a simple dish with nothing else to distract me from its pure and clean flavor. 

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This new recipe is from Penelope Casas and uses beef tripe as the base. Pork legs are added for both texture and flavor. Morcilla or blood sausage is typically added in most recipes I've read but this particular recipe called for Spanish chorizo. I used an authentic Spanish chorizo imported from Spain and another one that is locally made (both canned). I have to admit, both are fairly similar in taste and in terms of prize, both are also quite expensive. Still, it was worth the expense. If cholesterol is not an issue for you, use the lard in the can as well. It adds to the flavor of the dish.

Penelope Casas' Callos

6-8 lbs beef tripe
4 lbs pork legs, sliced into 1-inch medallions
6-8 bay leaves
6 large Spanish onions, diced
1 bulb garlic, crushed and diced
2 tsp dried oregano
14-oz canned diced tomatoes
1 tbsp peppercorns, freshly ground
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp thyme
2 cups white wine
12 cups beef broth
1 lb Spanish sausages (Chorizo)
1/2 lb cured ham, diced
6 tbsp Spanish paprika
6 tbsp flour
1 tsp red chili flakes
6 tbsp olive oil
salt, to taste

1. In a large pot, fill with enough cold water to cover the tripe and the pig's 
    feet. Bring to a boil and immediately drain the liquid.

2. Rinse the tripe with cold water and slice into 2-inch squares. Clean the 
    pig's feet of any debris and set aside with the tripe. 

3. In the same large pot, add the tripe and pigs feet with half the onions, 
    garlic, bay leaves, oregano, diced tomatoes, white wine, beef broth, 
    nutmeg, thyme, ground peppercorns and season with a bit of salt. Bring 
    to a boil and simmer covered for 3 hours over low heat. Check 
    occasionally and add more water if needed. Stir to prevent the meat 
    from sticking to the pan. 

4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat and saute the 
    remaining onions until softened. Season with salt. Add the chorizo and 
    cook until heated through. You may add the lard from the can if desired. 
    Stir in the flour and paprika and cook for a minute. Loosen with about 
    2 cups of water and add to the large pot. Stir well to prevent any lumps.

5. Add the red chili flakes and continue to simmer for another 1-2 hours or 
    until the tripe is very tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the meat from 
    sticking to the bottom of the pan. When ready to serve, fish out the pork 
    pieces and remove the bones. Slice the pork skin and meat into smaller 
    pieces and return to the pot. Check for flavor and adjust accordingly 
    with salt. 

*The New York Times: Cooking section
    

Callos Madrileña

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Finally, a Callos recipe. The evolution of my love for Callos came a bit slow. This was not something I cooked regularly nor was it something my family loved. In fact, this was an alien concept to me until much later when I was living in the US. My friend, Nashiely, who is Mexican invited me over for dinner at their place when her parents came for a visit. Her Mom, an excellent cook made Callos and I was the only one who ate it. She made the real deal with tripe although her version also included the addition of chickpeas. Prior to this occassion however, there was another occasion where Callos was served although the exact details escape me somehow but when I went home for a visit, I requested that Callos be cooked. This was way back in 2004. 

Fast forward to now, I have been cooking Callos whenever my friends requested for it here in my hometown. I did make this dish once when I lived in Montana and my roommate who was also my landlord, banned the dish from being ever made again. He said that cooking the tripe stank the house. So there goes my Callos fix. At that time, I followed the recipe of MarketMan as written in his blog but there were a few changes I made due to the unavailability of certain ingredients so I made do with what was available. Here in Bacolod, I have learned my lesson and I now know that to make this dish, it requires planning because tripe has to be pre-ordered and so are the other beef portions that make up this wonderful dish. The good thing is that they are fairly reasonably priced.

If you ever decide that you want to prepare this dish, have the whole day set for nothing else but to making Callos. Actually, it is best if you start at night and then you serve it for lunch or dinner the next day. To make sure that the steps are described accurately, I will break down the recipe in three steps.

By the way, I am adapting the name of the dish as MarketMan named his version due to the fact that I did follow a recipe that is indeed more Spanish in origin rather than Filipino. If you notice, there are no chickpeas or potatoes in the recipe which are used as extenders. My version is indeed a meat lovers delight and a nightmare for persons with uric acid problems.   

Callos - Adapted from MarketManila*

Tripe

4 lbs ox tripe
sea salt
2 onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper

1. Clean the tripe by rubbing with the sea salt. Scrape off any residual grit 
    and rinse off with water.  Slice into manageable sizes so that they all 
    fit your stock pot.

2. In a large pot, layer the tripe and add the bay leaves, onions, garlic, white 
    vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Add enough water to cover the 
    tripe and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling, lower the 
    heat to medium low and simmer covered for about 30 minutes. 

3. Turn off the heat and leave the tripe in the stock pot until cooled. 

4. Once cooled, drain the tripe and slice into rectangular pieces or depending 
    on how big or small the dish requires them to be. Rinse with more water 
    and check if it smells clean. 

To prepare the tripe for cooking, here is the next step:

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

In a large pot, arrange the tripe and add 1 cup of white wine and 2 bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and add enough water to cover the tripe. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and once boiling, lower the heat to medium low and simmer covered until the tripe is fork tender. This will take a couple of hours so check regularly and make sure to add enough water every now and then. If using a pressure cooker, it takes about 40 minutes of cooking once it starts to whistle. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Drain and rinse with water. Set aside.

Ox Tail, Legs, and Face 

8 lbs of ox tail, legs and face
2 bay leaves
2 onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

In a large pot, arrange the ox pieces and cover with enough water. Season with the bay leaves, onions, garlic and enough salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and once boiling, lower the heat to medium low and simmer covered for about 3-4 hours or until the meat is very tender. If using a pressure cooker, cook over medium high heat for 40 minutes when it starts to whistle. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. 

Once cooled, fish out the meat pieces and rinse any muck that has stuck to the meat and slice to the desired size. Pour the broth through a sieve and set aside. 

Callos

Pre-cooked tripe and ox meat
2 onions, diced
6-8 garlic cloves, diced
3 carrots, diced
4 bay leaves
1 32-oz canned diced tomatoes
1 200-g canned pimientos
1 1/2 to 2 lbs kielbasa (or blood sausages and Spanish chorizo if available), 
   sliced into rounds
1 1/2 cups tomato paste
8 cups beef broth
1 tbsp Spanish paprika
1 tsp diced chili
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, fry the 
    sausages until slightly browned. Set aside. 

2. In the same pot, saute the onions with the bay leaves, garlic, paprika, and 
    chili. Cook until the onions have softened. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. Add the carrots and pimientos and cook until heated through. Pour in the 
    beef broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the tripe, ox meat and 
    the sausages. 

4. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer covered for 30 minutes. 

5. Add the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste and check for seasoning. 
    Adjust accordingly. Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour 
    until you achieve the desired consistency. If needed, add more beef broth 
    if it starts to thicken too quickly. Add the oregano when the Callos is 
    almost ready.

6. At this point, you can serve the Callos after you check for flavor and make 
    the necessary adjustment. The stew should be thick enough to coat the 
    meat pieces but is still loose enough that that it drips when tipped. 

If not serving right away, allow to cool and store in the fridge. When ready to serve, reheat over low flame and when needed, add a little bit of beef broth to loosen the stew. Recheck for flavor and serve hot. 

*Callos ala Madrilena: MarketManila blog.
 

Beef Stewed in Beer with Caramelized Onions

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This is a dish that I tried because it is something I cannot eat. Due to my uric acid problems, I had to sacrifice by not eating a beef dish that looked so appetizing during a meeting I attended about a week ago. I had to settle for a piece of fried chicken while my friends gorged on this beautiful beef dish topped with caramelized onions. My guess was that it was "bistek", or what is the Filipino version of beef steak. 

The term bistek is really a misnomer I think considering that this dish is referred to as our local answer to the American favorite, the steak. For one, the meat is usually marinated in soy sauce and calmondin and the only seasoning for a good steak if you ask a purist is simple salt and maybe a dash of pepper. Two, the meat is sliced very thinly so that it will take only a couple of minutes to cook without the meat becoming rubbery while a good steak is about at least an inch thick. Lastly, it is usually served with caramelized onions as a garnish while a good steak needs no condiments on the side. 

Anyway, back to our dish. With just my instinct and my imagination of what the dish might taste like, I decided to prepare something that resembled the beef dish I was deprived of using a recipe that combined stewing beef in beer and the traditional flavors for bistek. What I created was indeed a version that was surely delectable to look at and after a taste test, my friend informed me that my dish was very similar in taste to what was served in the meeting. That was indeed good enough for me.

Beef Stewed in Beer with Caramelized Onions

3-4 lbs of beef, unsliced
1/3 cup calmondin juice or lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bottles of lager
6 bay leaves
1 1/2 ponds of Spanish onions, sliced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
6 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Marinate the beef in half the garlic, 3 bay leaves, soy sauce, honey, 
    Worcestershire sauce, calmondin juice and season with salt and 
    pepper. Cover and store in the fridge for at least two hours. 

2. In a large pot, heat half the oil and saute half the garlic and the 3 bay 
    leaves over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Once the 
    garlic has softened, brown the meat in the pot on all sides.

3. Once the meat is browned, add the beer and the marinade into the pot. 
    Make sure that the meat is totally submerged and add more water if 
    needed. Bring to a boil.

4. Once boiling, adjust the heat to low and cook covered until the meat is 
    tender. This will take about 2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure that 
    it has not dried out. 

5. When the meat is tender, check for flavor and adjust with salt and 
    pepper. Add the unsalted butter and allow to melt into the sauce.

6. In a large skillet, heat the remaining vegetable oil over medium high heat. 
    Saute the onions until softened. Season with salt and keep cooking until it 
    has turned golden and is very soft. Set aside.

7. To serve, slice the beef into thin rounds and top with the caramelized 
    onions. Drizzle the sauce over the beef slices and serve with some extra 
    sauce on the side.    
  

Balbacua Cebu via Bacolod

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This is a doctor's nightmare come to life in a bowl but definitely a gastronomic delight. Considered a street food in Cebu, this dish is definitely very unique in the same manner that Kansi is unique to Bacolod or the KBL to the Visayan region. A testament to living in Asia where every bit of animal part is used to maximize the use of a domesticated animal, this dish uses ox cheeks, feet and tail. If you are from the West, you might think it very unappetizing and indeed, as Andrew Zimmern would refer to such fare, bizarre.  However, with an open mind, you might just learn to love this dish.

I normally don't use these animal parts because I never learned how to cook them properly. It was just upon the urging of a good friend that I decided to give it a try. My first introduction to the dish was months ago in a small eatery outside the hotel we were staying at during a conference. For the meager and almost dilapidated look of the place, I was surprised and thought that they had the best omelet, hands down. I ordered those bad boys for breakfast every morning with no fail. It was during one of our visit however, that I came upon this dish. My friend who hails from Cebu ordered the dish and with me having gout issues, I watched in awe and a bit of concern for him at the same time as he ate the dish with such gusto. I was also left wondering as to how he can enjoy such fare when all I see is cholesterol in stew form. I decided I wanted to give it a try the next day but unfortunately, they did not have it and we were scheduled to go home the next day so I never learned how it tasted. Thus, it was left in the back burner until it kept popping into my head a number of times. My final inducement was from the said friend who finally told me to make it and so I did using this recipe as my starting point. Do read the blog post if you have the time for it is quite hilarious.

Balbacua Cebu via Bacolod

8 lbs ox tail, cheeks or feet, cut into serving pieces
6 star anise
2 onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 bay leaves
1/2 cup dried white beans, soaked overnight
1 /4 cup salted black beans, drained
1 inch ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1 small bundle of lemon grass stalk
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 picante chile
10 cups beef broth
salt and pepper
4 tbsp vegetable oil
9 saba half-ripe bananas, peeled and halved
1/3 cup green onions, diced

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, boil the meat with the bay leaves 
    and half the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to boil for 
    another 20 minutes. Discard the liquid and rinse the meat thoroughly. 

2. In another large pot over medium high heat, saute the garlic with the 
    remaining onions in the vegetable oil until slightly browned and season 
    with salt and pepper. Add the ginger, star anise, red pepper flakes and 
    the lemon grass and saute for another minute. 

3. Add the soaked white beans and black beans and mix until seasoned. Pour
    in the broth together with the meat and bring to a boil. 

4. Once boiling, adjust the heat to medium low and simmer covered. This 
    will be the longest part of the cooking process. Simmer for about 5-6 
    hours or until the meat is very soft and is almost falling apart. Add more 
    water if necessary making sure you have enough broth covering the 
    simmering meat. 

5. Add the bananas and the picante pepper when the meat is almost ready 
    and cook until the bananas are soft and yet still hold their shape. Check 
    for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve with a sprinkling of the green 
    onions. 
 

Salisbury Steak

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Let me narrate the reason why I made this dish a few weeks ago. I teach a masteral course every Saturday in the city campus of the University that I work for. It is an hour away from the main campus and another hour away by ferry to my home in Bacolod. So I have to follow this schedule every Saturday where I wake up at 5am in the morning to haul my bags to teach at the city campus and then after my class, I go home for the weekend. Well, in one of those weekends, I sat in front of someone in the ferry boat who bought takeout food from a food chain and it was Salisbury Steak. It was torture for someone who had no lunch and was sleepy and tired from the travel and had to teach for four hours straight that very morning. 

It was then decided in my mind that I was going to make my version of the food that was now ingrained in my mind. I remember making this dish a long time ago using Rachel Ray's recipe but I wanted to try something different. Okay, I have to admit, she has been annoying me lately so whose recipe do I follow? It was none other than Martha Stewart, another person who annoys the hell out of me. Anyway, the need to make the steak was much stronger than my personal issues so I went ahead and used her recipe. Let me just say it now, it was delicious. 

Salisbury Steak - Adapted*

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup panko or white bread crumbs
1/2 cup while milk
1 large onion, grated
1 cup Shitake mushrooms, diced
2 cups beef broth
1 large egg
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp corn starch + extra for dusting
vegetable oil
salt and pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine the meat, half of the onions, bread crumbs, egg, 
    milk, parsley and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. 
    Combine well and divide into 10 patties. Set aside.

2. In a large pan over medium heat, add enough vegetable oil to fry the 
    patties. Dip each patty into the extra corn starch and tap off the excess. 
    Fry in the vegetable oil for about 5 minutes or until browned. Turn with a 
    spatula and cook for another 3 minutes or until browned. Fry all the 
    patties and set them aside.

3. In the same pan used to fry the patties, saute the onions and mushrooms 
    and cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly caramelized. Add the beef 
    broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to low and bring to 
    a simmer.

4. Dissolve the teaspoon of cornstarch in 1/4 cup water and add to the sauce.
    Season with a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce.

5. Return the cooked patties into the gravy and cook until just heated 
    through. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes or steamed rice. 

*Martha Stewart: Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy    

Bolognese (Back to Basics)

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This has become the signature dish for birthdays with my friends apparently. A commonly bastardized dish according to Italian chefs, an article was written on the Telegraph about how everyone was cooking this Italian dish wrong. Well, I'm glad that the authentic recipe is being celebrated since this is definitely one beloved Italian pasta dish that I do love a lot. Gone is the topping of ricotta cheese and in lieu is a simple shaving or dusting of Parmigiano cheese. I may also have to revert back to spaghetti, not tagliatelle or fettuccini (if I'm really desperate for tagliatelle and could not find it anywhere). This is a "spag-bol" dish in the first place, not a "tag-bol".

Tyler Florence’s Tagliatelle Bolognese

Copyright 2013 LtDan’s Kitchen blogs

I have been using Tyler Florence's recipe for ages and it is something that I hate to make but love to eat. The sauce takes a long time to prepare and it has a few odd ingredients which I'm glad the original recipe does not include. There is the white version made with milk and the more traditional version with just the red sauce. Tyler uses a combination of the two recipes by adding condensed milk to the red sauce. Yep, you read it right, condensed milk. It might sound horrifying but I used to make this spaghetti sauce with condensed milk and liver spread. However, I had no idea what an authentic Italian red sauce was at that time so I had that convenient excuse and also, that was 25 years ago. Now that I know better, making traditional sauces is actually something I always strive to do as a sign of respect to another country's culinary tradition. Anyway, let's start cooking.

Spaghetti Bolognese

5 lbs ground beef
4-6 cloves garlic
2 large onions, grated
2 large carrots, grated coarsely
4 celery sticks, grated or chopped finely
6 oz bacon, diced finely
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine
6 cups beef broth
salt and pepper
4 dried bay leaves
4 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs spaghetti
basil leaves
Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Fry the bacon 
    until golden and crispy. Add the bay leaves and saute for a minute. 

2. Add the celery, onions, and carrots and fry until softened and slightly 
    caramelized. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the beef and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until the beef 
    is browned. 

4. Add the red wine and the broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 
    the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste and stir well. 

5. Lower the heat to low and bring to a simmer. Cook covered for about 2 
    hours. Check occasionally and make sure that the sauce is not sticking 
    to the pan. 

6. Check for flavor and adjust accordingly. the sauce is ready when there is 
    barely enough liquid holding the meat sauce that is simmering. The sauce 
    will be thick.  Keep at a simmer while you cook the pasta.

To assemble the dish:

Cook the pasta as per packet instruction. When the al dente stage is reached, drain the cooking liquid and add just enough sauce to coat the pasta. Transfer into a serving plate and top with more sauce. Dust with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and garnish with juliened basil leaves. A good drizzling of extra virgin olive oil is also a nice touch.    

Pesto Burger

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

I have been basil crazy the last few weeks after having had a taste of Afrique's pesto burger. I decided to look for a recipe of a pesto burger that would rival what I considered was a pretty good burger but with a bit more of a gourmet touch. Enter this turkey burger flavored with pesto sauce and topped with more basil leaves. The final touch which was a drizzling of balsamic vinegar sold me within seconds before even reading the entire recipe. It got me excited and intrigued at the same time. 

I made the real deal a few weeks ago and was excited to take a picture and then, the blackout. To recreate the burger, I had to redo it again. Unfortunately, there were no basil leaves sold in my local grocery stores so I ended up using store-bought pesto. I also had to use organic lettuce leaves instead of fresh basil leaves again due to unavailability. However, if you have access to basil leaves, use them. Lettuce leaves pale in comparison to basil leaves when paired with this burger. Also, make your own pesto sauce. It really makes a big difference. 

Pesto Burger - Adapted*

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1/2 cup pesto sauce
salt and pepper
tomato slices
basil leaves
Gouda cheese, sliced thinly
balsamic vinegar
pesto mayonnaise

1.In a large bowl, add the ground beef and pork with the pesto sauce and 
   season with salt and pepper. With your hands, mix it until just combined. 
   Do not overmix. 

2. Divide the mixture into 10-12 portions and shape the patties. Set aside.

3. In a skillet over medium high heat, cook the patties for about 4 minutes 
    on one side before turning them over and cooking for another two 
    minutes. Top with a slice of Gouda cheese and as soon as the cheese 
    melts, scoop them out of the pan. Cook the rest of the patties. 

4. To assemble the sandwich, mix equal amounts of mayonnaise and pesto 
    sauce and apply a thin spread on the burger buns. Lay one patty on the 
    lower bun and top with a slice of tomato and a layer of fresh basil leaves. 
    Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and cap with the top half of the bun. 

5. Serve immediately with cold beer or your soda of choice. 

*Turkey Pesto Burger: Confections of a Foodie Bride.  

Ox Tongue in Mushroom Sauce with Risotto Alla Milanese

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Hosted another dinner party at the request of one of my very best friends since her family will be in town to attend a family wedding. I usually cook dinner every time she is in town after informing me a few weeks earlier of course, that she is flying in (with my godson usually) and what it is they want to eat. That or we go out if I don't have the time to cook. For this dinner however, her husband requested ox tongue which is something I've done before as a dare to my American and European friends. My only concern is whether if I could find a meat shop that carries quality ox tongue and well, the amount of work it will take to cook the dish. 

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Ox tongue is usually cooked in a sweet peppery sauce flavored with pineapples as a sweetener. For me however, I prefer to cook it in a thick mushroom gravy served over risotto or a garlic-infused mashed potato. Both are equally good but the former is typical of a dish served during weddings or fiestas while my version is more suited for fine dining in my house as it invokes touches of the French style of cooking. Okay, I'm not being snooty, I'm just saying that I prefer to cook my ox tongue a bit differently. My friends loved it so I'm relieved that my efforts paid off. Anyway, I only took the before picture but spared you from the messy in-between takes of the preparation. Might have been a good idea but pictorially, it will be a bit of a mess. So, if you are really interested in making this dish, I can direct you to a few videos that go over this in detail.

Ox Tongue in Mushroom Sauce with Risotto Alla Milanese

8-10 lbs ox tongue (each tongue weighs about 4-5 lbs)
8 bay leaves
1 tbsp peppercorns
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 lb dried shitake mushrooms
1 tbsp salt (for parboiling)
1 large carrot
2 large onions, quartered
4 garlic cloves, mashed
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp black truffle oil
6 tbsp olive oil
2 beef stock bouillon 
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
Risotto Alla Milanese

Parboiling and Cleaning:

1. In a large pot, combine the ox tongue, 4 bay leaves, peppercorns, white 
    vinegar and enough water to cover the tongue. 

2. Bring to a boil and cook for at least 30 minutes or until the tongue has 
    shrunk to about half its original size. 

3. Remove from the cooking liquid and allow to cool. Discard the cooking 
    liquid. 

4. Once the tongue is cool enough to handle, clean it off by removing the skin
    using a knife. I sometimes use a vegetable peeler. Rinse and set aside for 
    the next step.   

Main Preparation:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions, 4 
    bay leaves and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the 
    onions are slightly browned. 

2. Add the tongue and brown on both sides. Pour in enough water to cover 
    the tongue and drop in the carrots and the beef bouillon. Bring to a boil.

3. Once the pot is boiling, cover and simmer for 3-4 hours or until a knife 
    goes through the thickest part of the meat easily. Remove the tongue and 
    allow it to rest. Save the cooking liquid.

4. To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. 
    Add the flour to make a roux.

5. Pour the cooking liquid onto the pan over a sieve. Mash the carrots and 
    onions and force it through the sieve. 

6. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Add the truffle oil and 
    Worcestershire sauce. Check for flavor and season with salt and pepper. 
    If too salty, just add more water.

7. Slice the cooled meat into thin slices and add into the gravy. Simmer 
    over low heat until ready to serve. 

Sauteed Shitake Mushrooms:

1 lbs fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp black truffle oil
salt and pepper
   
1. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and
    saute until just softened. 

2. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook 
    until the mushrooms have softened. Drizzle in the truffle oil and remove 
    from the heat. 

To assemble this dish, spoon out a good amount of Risotto Alla Milanese and top with 3-4 slices of the ox tongue. Top with a tablespoon of sauteed mushrooms. Drizzle with the gravy and garnish with a sprig of parsley.