Although there were a ton of great dishes to be sampled at the foodbuzz Food Festival in San Francisco this November, only a few dishes really stood out as exceptional.  The other dishes that stand out most in my memory aren’t the ones that were done perfectly the first time.  The dishes that always stick with me are the ones that were almost perfect. Those dishes that I find myself wondering just what tiny little detail made them less than everything they could have been.

One of those dishes was Mezzetta’s Beer Braised Flank Steak.  Sure it was good, but it wasn’t great. It had all the right flavors just not enough of them somehow to compete with the other dishes at the same event. (Don’t blame the chef… competition in that room was fierce!)

The memory of that dish has stuck with me since the festival and when I came across the recipe card in my swag-bag I decided to see if I could take the dish up by that one much needed notch.

Now I have nothing against polenta, which is what the chef originally paired this dish with, but as a good southern boy, I don’t necessarily have polenta on hand, but I always have grits, so my first change was obvious.  The second thing I didn’t want to do was to use a bunch of pre-made store bought products to make the dish, regardless of the quality, both because they’re too hard to change to my liking and because I wasn’t terribly thrilled with the first attempt.

Don’t let the seemingly large list of ingredients frighten or deter you.  Basically I just built a pasta sauce in a braising liquid and let it thicken as it went.  You’ll be amazed how quickly it all goes together and how absolutely powerful the flavors are.  It’s simply an awe-inspiring dish and one I recommend that you give a bit of time to while the weather is chill.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: #fbzfest, Beef, Braised, Foodbuzz Food Festival, main course, main dish, Recipes, Winter

It sometimes amazes me that in today’s world of high-end restaurants and lofty food shows the simpler cuts of meat are either forgotten or worse, are thought of as something only useful for the most basic of culinary tasks. My issue with this trend is that some of the cuts now shunned by most shoppers have the capability of producing the most wonderful and intense flavors when treated correctly. These ingredients should be commonly used, not relegated to a back shelf in the meat aisle with labeling spelling out their least delectable use.

Take this poor misunderstood specimen:

When I went into the market the other day, I had no intention of braising anything.  It’s still full-blown summertime hot here in Far Northern California with temperatures well in excess of 100 degrees on most days, so having something simmering on the cook top wasn’t the first thing on my mind.  Fortunately for me, my first reaction to the above label was something like;

“For Stock!  Are you kidding me? That’s a perfect braise!”

And with just a little love, it was.

I think too many people get caught up in the idea that braising takes a very long time. In fact, the secret to a great braise is less about the actual cooking time than it is about the love put into the first few steps of the process.  A good sear, the proper accouterments and the ability to simply sit back and let the thing happen are all that is really required to achieve stunning results for very little effort and even less money.

In the case of this dish, a bit of good port, some onions, garlic, vegetable broth, a few herbs and some aggressive seasoning was all that it took to elevate this humble shank cut to new levels of perfection.

Granted, I did use a bottle of port valued at over $30.00, but only because I had it lying about.  An equal amount of a $7.00 port or a $5.00 Marsala would have served just as well in this case. (Even a cheap Burgundy or Zinfandel would have been fine.) A great braise is about methods.  It’s about deep, rich flavors. It’s about taking all the love you can give a dish and letting the meal return the favor.

This recipe won’t let you down.

It may be the dog days of summer, but winter will be here before you know it.  This is most definitely a recipe you should explore and make your own.  Add some tomato paste, a few mushrooms, a bit of whatever else you like.  Toss some potatoes in about 30 minutes before serving.  Top a salad with the beef and make a vinaigrette from the jous.  It really doesn’t matter.  This is worth exploring.  It will satisfy your heart, your mind and hopefully, a good portion of your soul.

It’s that good.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beef, braise, Braised, entree, Garlic, main dish, Onions, Recipes, slow cooked, wine

When the weather turns chill and you’re looking for something to warm you from the inside out, a good braised dish is the perfect choice.  Today was that day.  We woke this morning with snow on the ground and a bitter chill in the air that really didn’t get a whole lot beter as the day went on, though it was hard to notice the cold weather with the aroma of this dish permeating the house all day.

I decided to braise beef in tomatoes early on in the day.  I had originally thought of serving the dish with pasta or plain old white rice, but a quick trip to the pantry convinced me otherwise.  Sitting forlorn and lonely at the back of the shelf that holds both my rice and “enriched macaroni products” I found a small bag of brown rice and an even smaller bag of pearled barley. The combination sounded so perfect that I immediately shifted gears in that direction and I couldn’t be happier that I did.

The result was a warm and completely satisfying meal that did not leave room for dessert, but did leave more than enough leftovers for beef and barley soup tomorrow and most likely some other concoction the day after.  There really isn’t much that makes me happier than a meal that does double or triple duty and this one fits the bill perfectly.

This recipe is a keeper.  I hope that at least one of you gives it a try and then lets us all know what you think of it in the comments.  I can’t tell you how strongly I feel that this dish should be made in every home in America when the weather is horrid.  It’s just that good.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: barley, Beef, Braised, stew, Tomatoes

The other night I was looking for a recipe idea that just screamed Holidays. We’ve been going over plans for the move, getting paperwork in order and dealing with a sudden and potentially devastating problem that came just one month too early. I needed something realy holiday flavored to get me back in the spirit of the season before it fizzled out on me and this dish was just the ticket.

When I walked into the kitchen, all I was sure of was that I wanted to pair the pork with a few apples I had left over.  What I ended up with is one of those “hooRah!” moments that simply come together perfectly.  A blent of svaory, sweet and spicy that we just couldn’t get enough of.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.  It really is something close to perfection, especially during the holidays.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2008. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: apples, bourbon, Braised, Holiday-Recipes, pork

When the weather is cold the oven goes on low and slow and roasts and stews are the order of the day.  From now until the weather starts to warm our home will most likely be full of the aromas of simmering liquids and hearty winter herbs like sage and rosemary.  Stone fruits and jams replace fresh herbs as flavorings and the calorie counts rise to cope with the need to stay warm.  It’s my favorite time of the year, and roast chicken is one of my favorite dishes to make.

The smells of slow roasting poultry immediately get me thinking of the Holidays.  Thoughts of family gatherings past and things that were said around hot meals on blustery evenings with much laughter and joking, holiday specials on television for us kids and veiled references to what was bought for whom.  The good times in our family were always most pronounced when the weather got cool, and for me this type of food epitomies family, friends and love.

This chicken recipe is one of my mother’s go-to’s.  I share it with all of you in the spirit of the Holidays and I hope that you enjoy it with family and friends.  With laughter and joy and perhaps a holiday movie on for the kiddos so that they too have memories like mine when they get to be our ages.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: apricot, Braised, chicken, Fruit, Recipes, roasted, Winter

The weather in our part of the world finally got chilly.  The moment that happened I had a definite urge to slow cook something for a very, very long time. Luckily i had just picked up a pork butt roast at the store a few days before.  Originally I’d planned on grilling and smoking, but with the mercury in the 40’s the roast suddenly had a new direction in life. the only question was exactly how I was going to braise it.

The answer came more from a need to get going than it did from planning.  There on the counter sat a few onions that needed to be used and a few heads of garlic that are on their way to getting woody, so those looked like prime candidates.  On the other counter sits a bottle of Sherry that’s past its prime for baking, but would still go wonderfully in a sauce.  Then there was a lonely 1/2 stick of butter and most of a box of vegetable stock in the fridge… I was good to go!

With just a little effort and a little patience we had what is very likely the best pork roast I have ever made. The pork was tender, so packed full of flavor that a little goes a very long way, and with the potatoes…  Well, let’s just say that on winter days when I don’t have a post for this blog, I’m probably making this dish again! I hope Y’all enjoy it as much as we did.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2008. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Braised, Garlic, pork, Potatoes, Recipes

Slow cooked, rich, sumptuous and packed with flavor. Braised short ribs are well worth the time and effort to make them. If you’ve had a dish like this before, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, shame on you! Rush down to the store right this minute with a printed copy of this recipe and get cooking!

You’ll be glad you did, I assure you.

Go ahead, I’ll wait…

…

Are you back with the ingredients? Good, I’ll continue.

Meals like this can be cooked on the stove, but I prefer the oven method, mostly because I don’t have to worry about charring the bottom of the dish. The oven gives more control over the process, but this is also a great slow cooker dish. Just sear your ribs first, then deglaze that pan with onions and wine, add everything to the slow cooker and set it to low, forget it for 8 hours and viola! Perfect braised numminess each and every time.

Any way you cook these, just do.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2007. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Braised, pork, Recipes

Mine is one of the many American households where Ham is a staple at several holidays. I have slightly different methods for preparing this noble cut of meat, depending on the holiday in question.

For Easter, braising is my preferred method. No cloves will be found in my Easter ham, not that I’m against them, I’m not. I just prefer the first ham of the year to be something a bit simpler, with the essence of apples and the robust backdrop of a good red wine, rather than the more traditional pineapple and clove-studded affair.

It’s rich, flavorful and oh so decadent, especially when compared to the lighter foods that seem to come to the fore after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season.

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2007. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Braised, Ham, Peppers, Potatoes, Recipes, wine

I feel like I’m breaking some sort of oath with myself by releasing this recipe. I’ve guarded this one with my life on more than one occasion, refusing to allow the grail of roast preparation out of the confines of my own kitchen. For me this is something akin to letting a national secret slip into the wrong hands, but the decision has been made and there’s no going back now.

It’s probably guilt that’s motivating this decision. I’m not usually wont to be a recipe hog. Generally I’ll chat and give (and receive) recipe hints anywhere that I can. In the grocery store, at the checkout, at the bank, at dinner at someone’s house, or on the phone. But not this… This one is different.

This is, quite simply the best damned beef roast short of a standing rib roast that you’ll ever eat, and for the first time in my life, I’m going to spill the recipe.

“Please take note, Mr or Mrs Bond, this message will self destruct 10 seconds after completion and will not be repeated”

… [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2007. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beef, Braised, brandy, butter

Beef and tomatoes go together just as perfectly as pork and apples. One of my favorite methods of preparing a Round Roast is braising, since the meat has little fat and tends to be tough without the proper love and attention paid to it.

To top it off, it just doesn’t get a lot easier than this. It’s almost a “Set it and forget it” kind of main dish, which is always great in my opinion. … [visit site to read more]

© Jerry D. Russell and Cooking... by the seat of my Pants!.com, 2007. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Beef, Braised, comfort foods, roast, Tomatoes