Las Vegas Food Adventures

Roasted Beef Rump Roast

I love making a roast on Sundays. It doesn’t matter if it’s a pork roast, a whole chicken, a ham or a beef roast. Sunday roasts are the starting point for many of our meals for the next few days.

Beef roasts aren’t the extravagant purchase many people view them to be. With a little planning and a few basic recipes for soups, stews, sandwiches and salads, even a prime rib roast can be a thrifty cut of meat.

Here, I have roasted a 5 ½ pound rump roast that cost me about $15. After the initial delicious Sunday roast beef dinner, the leftover roast will be turned into roast beef sandwiches on Monday, a spicy Thai beef salad on Tuesday and the remaining meat will be cubed and turned into a classic beef stew or chile on Wednesday. This means I will have spent less than $3.50 per day for the protein portion of meals for two people for four days–more cost effective than boneless chicken breast or ground beef.

A beef rump roast that is at least five pounds and as uniform in shape as possible is simple to prepare. Because it’s very lean, I recommend that it be roasted to no more than medium rare and sliced thinly across the grain for serving. Since it has no fat marbling, this cut of meat will be tough if roasted to well-done. A meat thermometer is a fool-proof way to ensure the roast is cooked to perfection. Serve with roasted or mashed potatoes and whatever vegetables are in season. You won’t find a better (or easier) Sunday meal.

Roast Beef Rump Roast
5 ½ lb beef rump roast
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 tsp brown sugar (to aid browning)
1 tsp soy sauce

One hour before roasting, pat the roast dry with paper towels. Tie the roast with kitchen twine to help keep it’s shape while roasting. Make a paste with the remaining ingredients and rub all over the roast.

Place the meat on a rack in a shallow baking pan and roast for approximately 20 minutes per pound in a preheated 325 degree oven or until a meat thermometer registers 125-130 degrees for medium rare. Permit the roast to rest for at least 15 minutes to make slicing easier. Slice thinly with a sharp knife across the grain and serve.

2012: 01/23
CATEGORY: Recipes
1 comment

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

When my favorite produce is in season I tend to binge on it. Meyer lemons are in season right now and this recipe is the result of my current binge. This variety of mellow lemon, a cross between a lemon and a tangerine, is my favorite citrus fruit.

Meyer lemons may be used just like their more harsh cousin, the Eureka lemon. With their thin, fragrant skins, I actually find them superior to the common supermarket lemons. They are juicier and easier to squeeze. It’s the flavor that fascinates me the most. They are tart, just like the common lemon, but much less puckery.

This no-fail marmalade recipe is a perfect way to stash away the essence of this fruit for use when they are sadly out of season. Marmalades are tart/bitter fruit spreads that made from the entire fruit, peels and all. Most often they are made from a type of bitter orange, but any citrus fruit will work. The white bit of pith just under the colored portion of the peel is where the bitterness is located. Since the peel on a Meyer lemon is so thin, there is very little of this bitter pith, making them perfect for a marmalade that is less bitter than those made from other citrus fruits.

This marmalade is fool-proof. Because of the abundance of natural pectin found in the peel, no additional pectin is needed to gel the spread. The peel is easy to slice into very thin strips using a sharp knife and juicing the lemons is a snap, especially with one of these clever Mexican lime juicers (I found mine on Ebay).

Don’t worry if you’ve never made a jam or jelly before. This small-batch fruit spread is perfect for beginners and the end result is a jar of lemony sunshine that is delicious on toasted bread or English muffins.

Meyer Lemon Marmalade
12-16 Meyer lemons (approx 3 lbs)
3 cups sugar
5 half-pint canning jars with lids

Wash, dry and halve the lemons. Squeeze the juice and set aside. Using a spoon, scrape the pulp and seeds from the halves. Roughly chop the pulp, discarding only the seeds, and set aside with the juice. Using a sharp knife, slice the peels 1/8 inch thick.

In a large saucepan, cover the strips with cold water and bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Drain the strips and rinse under cold running water. Blanch two more times; the final time, drain the strips but do not rinse them.

Return the strips to the saucepan. Add the reserved juice, pulp and the sugar. Bring to a boil then lower and simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar, until the marmalade slightly thickens, about 20-30 minutes. The marmalade will continue to set up as it cools.

Spoon the marmalade into five hot 1/2-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top, and close with the lids and rings. No need to process the marmalade if the jars are refrigerated and used within a few weeks. If you wish to store the marmalade for up to a year in your pantry, it should be processed by boiling the jars for 15 minutes in water to cover.

Makes 5 half-pint jars

2012: 01/15
CATEGORY: Recipes
5 comments

Green Beans with Meyer Lemon Gremolata

Gremolata is a wonderfully fragrant Italian condiment made from finely minced parsley, garlic and lemon zest. Traditionally served with braised meats, it is also outstanding on fish, seafood, soups and vegetables. With less than ten calories in a serving, this topping is a perfect way to transform plain meats & vegetables into something spectacular without adding fat.

Recipes for gremolata always start with lemon zest. Parsley is the most common herb used, but any fresh herb that will compliment your meal may be used. Since there are only a few ingredients in this vibrant topping, you’ll want to use the freshest herbs for the most flavor and aroma. However it’s used, a little gremolata goes a long way, so only small amount is needed for a big punch of flavor.

Meyer lemons are in season right now and that’s what I prefer to use when they are available. Meyer lemons, a cross between the regular lemon and a tangerine, are more fragrant and less harsh than the common supermarket lemons. They are worth seeking out for this or any recipe calling for lemon juice or zest. If Meyer lemons aren’t available to you, any fresh, unwaxed lemon will do, or experiment with other citrus zest (lime is particularly nice with seafood).

Tossing a few teaspoons of the savory blend into hot, cooked green beans as I’ve done here elevates an ordinary vegetable into something special. Try it tossed with hot, boiled baby potatoes, asparagus or stirred into a bowl of hot vegetable soup for something very tasty.

Classic Gremolata
1 small bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley (appox 1 cup of leaves)
1 small clove garlic, mashed
1 lemon (regular or Meyer)
¼ teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

Wash and thoroughly dry the parsley. Remove the leaves and finely chop.

Finely mince the garlic and mash with the back of a spoon with a pinch or two of salt (I prefer coarse sea salt).

Using a lemon zester or the fine holes on a box grater, remove the zest only from the lemon. Meyer lemons have very little of the bitter white pith, if using common lemons be careful to avoid the white part as much as possible taking only the bright yellow part of the peel.

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl using the back of a fork or teaspoon to lightly crush and release the oils in the zest. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

To use, toss into hot, cooked fresh green beans or soup right before serving…or on top of seafood or chicken.

Makes about 2 tablespoons

2012: 01/08
CATEGORY: Recipes
Write comment

Blueberries & Cream Tart

This is one of my standard go-to recipes and is always big hit whenever I take it to pot-lucks. No one believes that it only has a handful of easy to find ingredients, takes about ten minutes to make and can be made a day or two in advance. It’s also very versatile. I’ve used blueberries here, but other berries may be used, or omitted altogether (raspberries are particularly good).

The beauty of this recipe is that no cooking is required. The reaction of the lemon juice with the condensed sweetened milk results in a luscious, creamy filling that sets up every time without fail. Make certain you purchase sweetened condensed milk, plain evaporated milk is much different and will not work here.

I like the crust recipe described below, but if you must, a store-bought graham cracker crust will do just fine. The filling makes enough for an 8-9 inch pie or tart.

Blueberries and Cream Tart
Crust:
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
½ stick melted butter

Filling:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup lemon juice
8-11 ounces fresh blueberries

Place the graham cracker crumbs and chopped nuts in a bowl and add the melted butter. Combine until all the crumbs are coated with butter then press evenly in the bottom of a spring form pan, pie pan or tart pan using the bottom of a small glass. No baking is needed.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and lump free. Add the can of sweetened milk and combine well, making sure there are no lumps of cream cheese visible.

Stir in the lemon juice and blend well before adding the berries. Immediately pour into your prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Serves 6-8

Starting on Thursday, January 26, check out other potluck dishes fellow gojee contributors shared. Go to gojee.com and enter “gojeepotluck” into I Crave. You can also follow #gojeepotluck on Twitter.

2012: 01/04
CATEGORY: Recipes
5 comments

Preserved Lemons

Moroccan food seems to be popping up on lists as one of the top food trends for 2012. I’m starting the new year off by making one of the ingredients that frequently shows up in Moroccan and other Middle Eastern recipes, preserved lemons.

Luckily this is the start of the season for one of my favorite citrus fruits, the Meyer lemon. A cross between a lemon and a tangerine, Meyer lemons are less tart and have thinner skins than the usual supermarket varieties that are available year round. Any variety of lemon will work perfectly for this recipe, but if you have a choice, go for the Meyer lemons.

The procedure couldn’t be easier, quartered lemons are simply packed with a good amount of salt. After 30 days, the rinds become silky and intensely lemony. It’s the tender peel that is typically rinsed & chopped for use in recipes that call for preserved lemon, although many people love the salty lemony juice for Bloody Mary cocktails.

No special equipment is needed other than a clean glass jar with a lid. Preserving food doesn’t get easier (or safer) than this thanks to the high acidity of the lemons and the large amount of salt. The recipe below makes a one pint jar, and is easily doubled if you happen to have a lemon tree in your back yard. The number of lemons listed is approximate since some lemons are larger than others.

Preserved (Salted) Lemons
7-8 Meyer lemons (or 5-6 common lemons)
Kosher or coarse sea salt
1 pint glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

Release the pulp and juice with your fingers, letting the juice run into the jar. Rub each quarter with a teaspoon of salt and place in the jar.

Continue squeezing the juice out of each quarter into the jar and rubbing with salt as above, tightly packing into the jar as you go until you reach the top of the jar. Squeeze the juice from any extra lemons to top of the jar to cover the last of the lemons with juice.

Tightly cover with the lid and turn the jar upside down a few times to help distribute the juice & salt. Place the jar on your kitchen counter for 30 days, shaking it daily. The lemons are ready to be used at this point as called for in recipes, or stored in your refrigerator up to 6 months. Makes one pint.

2012: 01/02
CATEGORY: Recipes
Write comment

Creamy Crab Poppers

Creamy Crab Poppers
These pretty appetizers flecked with green & red and full of sweet crabmeat are a holiday favorite. Very good crabmeat is now available all year round. The markets here in Vegas sell it in eight ounce cups. It’s cooked, pasteurized and ready to use right out of the container. We love it for our crab cakes and in these terrific bites loosely based on my current passion, Spanish chicken croquettes.

The creamy seafood filling is a simple thick béchamel sauce. When cooled, the filling hardens sufficiently to be rolled into balls and coated with those crunchy Japanese-style breadcrumbs, panko. When fried, the exterior is crisp, and the interior is luscious and creamy.

I almost always use panko bread crumbs in place of traditional bread crumbs. They remain crispy for hours after frying, perfect for appetizers cooked in advance. Panko can be found in just about every supermarket these days either in the Asian aisle or next to traditional bread crumbs in the baking aisle. We particularly like the Kikkoman brand.

These appetizers are great as is or served with a cocktail or tartar sauce for dipping.

Creamy Crab Poppers
4 tablespoons butter
4 ½ tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup light cream (half & half)
1 teaspoon sherry
½ teaspoon minced dehydrated onion
2 tablespoons minced pimiento
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely minced
8 ounces fresh crabmeat
Salt & pepper to taste

2 eggs, beaten
Flour for dusting
Panko bread crumbs (Kikkoman)
Oil for shallow pan frying

Melt the butter over medium high heat and add the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the cream, sherry, and onion. Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture is bubbly and form a thick paste. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

When cooled to room temperature, stir the pimiento, parsley and crabmeat into the paste and combine well, Taste for seasoning and add salt & pepper to taste.

Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the mixture and refrigerate a few hours until cold and very stiff (this can be done a day ahead, if desired).

Form the paste in to small balls and dust lightly in flour. Roll in the beaten eggs, then coat well in the panko breadcrumbs. Place in the freezer while heating the oil for frying or until ready to cook. Quickly fry in pre-heated medium-high temperature oil until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 24 bite-sized appetizers.

2011: 12/26
CATEGORY: Recipes
1 comment

Quick Seafood Sauté, Italian Style

Traditional Italian menus for Christmas Eve often feature seven types of seafood served as separate courses. Living a way from reliably fresh seafood and cooking on small scale can make this old-style seven-course affair a little impractical. This fragrant seafood dish is a practical solution. It’s a close first cousin to the San Francisco seafood stew, Cioppino and the French Bouillabaisse, but much easier and scaled down to serve two people.

While the freshest fish and seafood combination will yield the best result, frozen seafood is an acceptable alternative, just purchase the best you can find. However, even in landlocked areas, many large supermarkets these days sell a nice selection of fish and seafood. Don’t let the prospect of purchasing seven different kinds of seafood scare your budget. One and a half pounds of seafood is all that’s needed for this recipe that will feed two people well. A half dozen mussels, a few small clams, a handful of calamari rings, eight large shrimp…you get the idea.

Any combination of shrimp, scallops, mussels, calamari, small clams, crab, lobster, and firm white fish such as halibut, cod or even salmon will be perfect. Don’t worry if all of these items aren’t available. Just look for the freshest or highest quality. Serve with a crusty loaf of Italian bread for dipping into the delicious broth, a simple tossed salad and a sparkling white wine for a special seafood dish perfect for Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve or any night of the year.

Quick Seafood Sauté, Italian Style
1 ½ lbs assorted raw fish or seafood (all about the same size to cook evenly)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic,finely minced
½ tsp dried tarragon
½ cup white wine
½ cup clam juice or chicken broth
½ cup crushed Italian tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon cold butter
Salt & pepper
Hot pepper flakes (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the shallots and garlic until transparent. Add the tarragon, white wine, broth and tomatoes. Simmer over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the seafood to the pan and continue to simmer for about5-7 minutes, tossing gently a few times, until everything is just cooked through (don’t overcook). Remove the pan from the heat and add the parsley & the butter. Swirl the pan to incorporate the butter. Taste for seasoning and add salt & pepper to taste as well as the red pepper flakes, if using.

Divide the seafood and broth into two bowls and serve right away. Serves two.

2011: 12/22
CATEGORY: Recipes
Write comment

Japanese Fried Chicken (Kara-Age)

Kentucky doesn’t have a monopoly on fried chicken. Meet Japan’s version, Kara-Age. Pieces of boneless chicken are seasoned in a ginger and soy flavored marinade before being breaded in a thin potato starch coating. The result is something that comes very close to fried chicken teriyaki.

The thin coating of seasoned potato starch becomes thin and crisp, almost tempura like. Cornstarch could be substituted, but lacks the crispness that comes from the potato starch. If potato starch isn’t available to you, look for Kikkoman Kara-Age coating mix in the Asian aisle of your supermarket. The Kikkoman mix makes this even easier. The one-step, no-fuss coating mix is already seasoned, eliminating the marinating, and is very good. The chicken in these photos was prepared using the Kikkoman mix.

Plan to make more than you need. The leftovers are excellent the next day served cold for lunch in a sandwich, or sliced and served on top of mixed salad greens dressed with an Asian sesame/rice wine dressing.

Kara-Age
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sherry or Japanese mirin
1 tsp sugar
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 cup potato starch for dusting
oil for shallow pan frying

If using chicken breast, cut the chicken into strips or cubes. If using thighs, cut each into half or thirds if large.

Marinate for 30-45 minutes in the garlic, soy sauce sherry and sugar. Drain any excess marinade from the meat and coat with the potato starch.

Heat enough oil over medium heat to shallow fry the chicken pieces. Fry, turning once or twice until deep golden brown and cooked through.

2011: 12/18
CATEGORY: Recipes
Write comment

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Almonds

Brussels sprouts have been given a bad reputation by well-meaning cooks hell-bent on overcooking them. When overcooked, Brussels sprouts become mushy, bitter and not very pleasant. When quickly cooked and seasoned with bacon and almonds, they are transformed into a veggie side dish even kids will eat.

Choose firm, bright green sprouts with no blemishes. When squeezed between two fingers, they should feel quite hard.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Almonds
1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts
¼ lb bacon (thick cut is best)
1 shallot, minced
½ cup slivered almonds
Salt & pepper to taste

Trim the Brussels sprouts and remove any bruised outer leaves. Drop into boiling salted water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove from the water and drain. When cooled, slice in half (or quarters if your sprouts are very large) and set aside.

Cut the bacon into ½ inch pieces and fry until crisp. Drain off as much of the bacon grease as possible. Add the almonds and minced shallot and cook over medium heat until the shallots are transparent, about 2 minutes.

Add the halved sprouts and sauté for 2-3 minutes or just until the sprouts are barely tender (do not overcook). Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6

2011: 12/12
CATEGORY: Recipes
2 comments

Buffalo Roast Chicken

If you love spicy Buffalo chicken wings but are looking for a more substantial version, you’ll love this zesty whole roast chicken infused with Buffalo wing zing. Any brand of one of the bottled Buffalo wing marinades work perfectly for this, but we particularly like the Lawry’s brand. The overnight marinating is quick brine that results in a juicy, flavorful chicken.

If you’re lucky, you’ll have some leftovers. I remove the meat from the bones and chop it finely. Then toss with a bit of minced celery and a dressing made with mayo mixed with blue cheese dressing. It’s a nice twist on the usual chicken salad and is outstanding on crackers or as a sandwich filling.

Buffalo Roast Chicken
1 whole fresh chicken
1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 bottle Buffalo wing marinade

The night before, rinse and dry the chicken well with paper towels, removing any excess fat around the cavity opening.

Sprinkle the chicken generously with the seasoned salt, inside and out. Place the chicken in a large ziploc bag large enough to hold the bird and pour ½ of the bottle of marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and rotate the bag to make sure the marinade reaches all of the bird.

To roast the bird, remove it from the ziploc bag and place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help the chicken roast evenly. Roast in a 325 degree oven for approx. 90 minutes, or until the internal temperature taken in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees, generously basting occasionally with the remaining bottled marinade.

Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.