One of my favorite cooking show is Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello. One problem I have with this show though is that it seems to cater to those with unlimited budget. Watching Michael cook, the extra virgin olive oil seems to flow like water from the tap and every fancy ingredient seems to grow from his backyard ready for the picking. The show is shot I believe at Michael Chiarello's vineyard at the Napa Valley. So if you are a cook on a budget, some of his recipes might set you back on a no food diet for a couple of weeks.
One episode from the show that I drew inspiration from (in other words, affordable) was the Pub Crawl episode. On it, he made a version of shepherd's pie and a beer flavored onion soup accompanied by a beer-based cocktail named Snake Bite for their drink. Since I'm off alcohol at the moment, the Snake Bite has to bite the dust, no pun intended. Both the pie and the soup are definitely worth trying though.
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| Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen Blogs |
The soup was a total surprise to me though. I love onions but I always thought having a soup with just onions was a bit of an overkill. Once you try it though, you realize that it all makes sense. Use the crustiest bread you can find as it lends flavor to the soup once it has soaked up the liquid. Another crucial ingredient is the cheese. Gruyere was the traditional choice but the recipe called for Irish Cheddar cheese. Since I could not find Irish Cheddar cheese here in Bozeman, I settled for a mild Cheddar variety. I also used red wine vinegar as I totally forgot that I had a bottle of sherry in my cupboard. White wine I think will do equally well if you can't find sherry vinegar. I actually had to readjust the flavor by adding a bit of white sugar to balance the acidity of the vinegar.
*Shepherds Pie with Scallion-Cheese Crust - Adapted
Filling:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 lbs ground lamb
3 lbs diced beef
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped very small
1 lb cremini mushrooms
2 level tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup red wine
3 cups beef stock
salt and black pepper to taste
Crust:
4 lbs potatoes
4 tbsp butter
salt and black pepper
1 cup scallions, cleaned and chopped
1 cup cheddar, coarsely grated
4 lbs potatoes
4 tbsp butter
salt and black pepper
1 cup scallions, cleaned and chopped
1 cup cheddar, coarsely grated
1. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or deep
saute pan. Add the onions to the pan and saute until the onions are
tinged brown at the edges, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat and
be patient. You may have to do this in batches. Alternatively, you
can brown the beef prior to sauteing the onions.
3. Add thyme, parsley and cinnamon. Stir and saute for 2 minutes. Next,
stir in the flour, which will soak up the juice, then stir in the wine
and the beef stock. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.
4. Cover, turn down the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes
5. In another pan, brown the lamb at medium high heat. Once browned,
add the lamb to the beef that has been simmering for 30 minutes
together with the mushroom and the carrots. Add the tomato paste.
6. Simmer for another 30 minutes or until the beef is fully cooked.
Check for flavor and adjust accordingly. Keep warm.
7. Peel the potatoes, cut them into large even-sized pieces and place
into a pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook
potatoes until they are tender, about 10 minutes. When the potatoes
are done, drain off the water, return them to the saucepan, cover
with a clean tea cloth to absorb the steam and leave them for about
5 minutes. Next, with a ricer, mash the potatoes. Add the butter and season with salt and pepper.
8. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spoon the meat stew and level it out
with the back of the spoon. After that, spread the mashed potato
evenly all over. Sprinkle the scallions on top of the potato, scatter the cheese over the scallions.
9. In a preheated oven, bake the pie at 400°F until the top is crusty and
golden, about 25 minutes.
*Killian's Red Onion Soup with Cheddar Crouton - Adapted
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| Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen Blogs |
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves minced garlic
8 cups thinly sliced onions
Gray salt
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 cup sherry vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
1 1/2 cups dark beer (I used Killian's Red)
6 cups beef stock
6 slices country bread cut 1/2-inch thick, toasted
1/2 lb Cheddar cheese, grated
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and
cook briefly to release aroma. Add the onions and season with salt
and cook for about 5 minutes stirring often. Reduce heat to low and
cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden brown.
2. Add the thyme, vinegar, and beer. Reduce beer by half and add the
beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes.
beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes.
3. To serve, preheat the broiler. Transfer the soup to an ovenproof
serving dish or individual ovenproof soup bowls. Top with toasted
bread slices and sliced Cheddar. Broil until cheese melts and starts to brown slightly. Serve piping hot.
serving dish or individual ovenproof soup bowls. Top with toasted
bread slices and sliced Cheddar. Broil until cheese melts and starts to brown slightly. Serve piping hot.
