Sass & Veracity

BBQ Beef Loin with Green Peppercorn Sauce

For the last two years, we've been experimenting with roasting meat on our barbeque.  You know, roasting it as in it could have been in our oven roasting type roasting.  And there are some who would argue that because we have a gas grill, that's not barbeque, but I gave up on that battle a few months ago.

Although we have a rotisserie on our barbeque, we most often use the method of roasting meat away from the flame.  We set it above a shallow pan to collect the juices, or sometimes filled with water, on the center rack.  Then we turn on the burners on either side of it, keeping a close eye on both the internal temperature of the meat, and under the hood of the barbeque.

The recipes I've tried vary:  marinated beef, pork pibil, herb crusted tenderloin...technically, the outcome is dependent upon temp -- just like your oven. 

The nice thing about cooking on the barbeque is that you don't have to heat up your house.  Thankfully, we rarely need to turn on the AC here, but turning on my oven would make us want to.  Even though I know the hood can take care of the heat the oven puts off, turning it on would suck any cool air the AC put out.

And sometimes, salad just isn't enough.

Hence -- barbeque.

 

Our most recent experiment with roasting meat on the barbie was with a recipe from the June 2008 issue of Gourmet:  "Smoke-Roasted Pepper-Crusted Beef Top Loin with Green Peppercorn Sauce."

Green pepper corns you say?  Well when you're me, you've probably experimented with those, too.  In fact, you've probably looked for them in your favorite pay more than you want to grocery stores, but couldn't find them.  You've called around to no avail, until you think of Williams-Sonoma.  And guess what?  They had them, so thinking you just may have another occasion in life to need green peppercorns, you purchase two cans.  Just.  In.  Case.

So yes, I had them.  The only problem with these little lovely things outside of the picture on the can, is that you don't need more than a tablespoon or two.  The last time I used them, I stored the remainder in a baggie and put it in the fridge.  After a month or so, the brine took on a bit of a grey cast, and so they ended up in the trash.  There was no using that science experiment for our Father's Day dinner, so I had to open my second can.  The remainder of that can is in the freezer.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll find out that I won't have to waste the tasty beauties this time.

If you've never had them, when you look at them, you want to have them taste like capers.  After all they're green, round, and small, right?  Um, no.  They're not spicy, but they do taste of pepper if you can imagine that without the kick.  And yes, they taste of their own earthy briney flavor as well.

But what happens when you sauce a piece of tender and lovingly roasted meat with them?  After said piece of meat has been coated in a salty, black peppery crust?

Well.

Salt & Pepper-Crusted Beef Loin with Green Peppercorn Sauce
feeds 10-12 easily

2 4-lb beef loin roasts
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. freshly ground pepper (coarse)
3-4 T kosher salt

Sauce
1 cup brandy
1/4 c. green peppercorns in brine, rinsed
2 c. beef stock
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/4 c. chopped parsley

Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Rub the beef with the olive oil, then sprinkle on all the salt and pepper, taking time to press it into the meat on all sides so it will form a type of coating.  Set both roasts on a baking rack set in a baking pan that will fit in your barbeque. Using the indirect heating method (meat will not be sitting directly over the heat source). 

Preheat barbeque to an internal temperature of 325 degrees F, and roast the beef until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of each roast registers 135 degrees F for medium rare, 145 degrees F for medium, and 160 degrees F for well done. (Please see notes below on this.)  This takes about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.  Remove the roasts from the grill when done and cover with foil for about 15 minutes before carving.

While the beef is roasting, make the peppercorn sauce...
Bring brandy and peppercorns to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat until the brandy is syrupy, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the beef stock and reduce the liquid by one third -- about 20 minutes.  Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until just thickened, about 20 minutes more.  Turn the heat to low and add the butter in pieces, stirring to melt before adding another.  Add the chopped parsley, season to your liking and serve by pouring over slices of the beef.

Notes:  When we began to experiment, we didn't rely upon one source of information.  Yes, we considered the basic recipe we were using, but we also used information from grilling cookbooks with general guidelines for roasting meat on the barbeque, our oven cooking guidelines, and our handy-dandy talking thermometer's guidelines which were much different than those given in the original recipe this time.

About the salt & pepper rub...we halved the recipe and it was still so salty that you had to avoid eating the part of the meat the rub was on.  This did not make me happy.  Strangely, the next day, the left overs weren't as salty.  Did the seasoning settle in over night, or what?  We've had run-ins with salt & pepper rubs before and understand their concept, but jeeze this was a lot of salt.  So I'd say cut it down to a quarter unless you want to waste the meat the seasoning is on.

Why two roasts and not one?  There were none in the 6-8 lb. range which is what the original recipe called for.  Logic.

About the smoke...we have this little drawer that we fill with different kinds of wood that sort of smolders and fills up the barbeque with heavenly aroma of whatever it is -- like mesquite, or hickory, or applewood, or...Now can I actually tell what kind of wood we burned for a particular roast?  No.  In fact, I probably couldn't tell you whether there was any wood smoking during the cooking time.  But we still use it.  It gives my husband something to do while he's watching the numbers on his thermometer.

And the green peppercorn sauce...well, it was quite delicious.  In fact, we're going to give this recipe a go on steaks, with much less salt and pepper, and really pay attention to the sauce.  I just happen to have another quarter cup of green peppercorns in my freezer!

This was Father's Day Saturday dinner.  Where's the dessert?  And what did we have for Sunday breakfast?

You'll have to wait for that...

Chicken Korma: A delicious gift.

I've had the pleasure of meeting and working with a lovely young woman whose family is from Afghanistan.  Being the foodie I am, I inquired about the type of food her family enjoys and asked if she could bring a recipe for her favorite dish.  Based on her description, I knew it would be something I'd enjoy as well and couldn't wait to see what recipe it would be.

A few weeks went by and I teased her with questions about where the recipe might be.  She is a busy college student, very close to finishing her degree, and so had to consult with her mother about my request.  I never once considered what I was really asking for, and am now a bit humbled by the experience.

I've mentioned that my mother made certain dishes in her own way, but I have no exact amounts of ingredients to pass along -- only the memorized motions from numerous times I watched my mother and then began making dinner for my family myself while growing up.  I began to wonder how I'd feel if someone asked me for such a recipe.  What would I write without actually making it and writing down the steps? 

Early this last week, she handed me a print out of the recipe.  I was immediately excited because I'm hopeless when it comes to trying new recipes, let alone new cuisine.  It's my favorite thing to do.  Giddy would describe my reaction quite well.  I read through the recipe while she was standing by in case I had questions, and took some notes along the way, mentally planning for when I'd prepare it.

Thursday it was.  Good thing I'd spoken to her, because my version of the "garlic paste" and "ginger paste" listed in the ingredients may not have matched hers.  To me, garlic paste is created when I sprinkle salt on minced garlic and work it through. And "rooster" hot sauce is not something I would have understood had I not asked, but vaguely recalled a very large bottle of hot sauce I've seen on the shelves at the grocery store with an image of a rooster on it. 

Sheepish doesn't quite describe how I feel right now, knowing that this dish was most likely prepared and served just to ensure that the recipe could be written down and given to me.  In spite of my incredible need to apologize for being so bold, I'm now just thankful that I had the opportunity to make this dish.  The entire time I read and chopped, and stirred, and simmered, I thought of family and how good food becomes a story that binds people together. 

What a lovely experience!

I'm going to write this recipe in a different way than I normally do with the original preceding my interpretation which is lighter in color and italicized.  Be careful not to count both in the total amount of ingredients!

Chicken Korma
Time to Cook:  approximately 1 hour.

Ingredients for 5-6
Chicken (combo)
    about 1-3/4 lbs. or 11 chicken drumettes from the wings
2 onions thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper, cut and quartered
    1 red pepper, seeded, and cut into large dice
1 medium potato, cut and quartered
    1 large russet, un-peeled and cut into large dice
2-1/2 T tomato paste
2-1/2 T vegetable oil
3/4 T curry powder
    approximately 1/2 T curry powder (this is what she cautioned about using too much of and to taste it...)
1/2 T salt
1/2 T pepper
1 c. water



Materials:
Pot or deep pan

Homemade sauce:  1 batch = 1 jar
Add all ingredients into blender until it has a "smoothie" consistency.

Garlic Paste - 1 batch
    1 entire head of garlic, peeled, about 2 oz.
Ginger Paste - 2-3
    same quantity of fresh ginger, peeled, about 2 oz.
1 lemon
    juice of one lemon
Salt & Pepper 1:1
    season to taste
3-4 T "Rooster" Hot Sauce
    1 T Tuong ot Sriracha
Rub the chicken with the homemade sauce and set prior to cooking.  (I left it sitting while I was preparing the chopped vegetables and the rice I served it with.

 

How To:

1. Place a pot or deep pan on medium heat.  Add the vegetable oil
2. When oil is heated, add the thinly sliced onions.  Stir evenly until golden brown.
3. Once golden brown, add the sauced chicken.  Add the homemade sauce.  Stir evenly until all the sides of chicken are evenly heated and tough. (I browned the drumettes until a nice dark crust could be seen on the bottom of the pan.)
4. Once everything is evenly heated, add the tomato paste, bell pepper, curry powder, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir all ingredients together for about 5-10 minutes to get the spices and juices of the sauce, chicken, and vegetables to mix well together.
6. Once mixed, add the potatoes and stir for 2-3 minutes.
7. Finally, add a cup of water and stir evenly.
8. Slowly simmer, cover, and stir the korma, on low heat until the potatoes are cooked.
9. Ready to eat.  Yummy.

Notes: I used a food processor to puree the garlic and ginger which comes together quickly and smells heavenly!  She explained that the garlic paste and ginger paste be mixed in the same quantities, so that's what I did.  I cut way back on the Rooster Sauce because my husband said he had to be able to eat it and although he does eat spicy food, I could tell that 3-4 T would be too much for both he and my son to handle.  My loss!  I chose a large, deep skillet for this dish to maximize the space on the bottom of the pan and did not cover it at any point in the cooking process.  Spend the extra time to get the onions nice and brown; they add such flavor to this dish.  Don't overcook the potatoes as leaving them firm, but done adds a good texture -- especially with the brown rice I served it with. Using the drumettes most likely cut down on the overall cooking time.  I could see that with using an entire chicken, or larger pieces, that a lid would be necessary and more time to ensure the chicken was done.  I'll have to try that next time, and there will be a next time.

The aroma of this dish cooking almost from the start was beyond wonderful.  I truly enjoyed making it, and eating it.  I had more for lunch the next day, and it's even better because all the flavors have had more time to blend.  I also added more of the Rooster Sauce to bump up the heat.  Totally delicious!

A bit of research:  As stated in wikipedia, Korma is generally characterized as a mild curry dish that originates from India and is usually made with yogurt or coconut milk. However, I did read a different reference that stated the foods of Northern India and Pakistan are actually influenced by that of Afghanistan, introduced to the area by a sultan sometime in the 900's.  I am far from being a food historian, so I'm not sure how accurate this information is.  Korma is often made with chicken, beef, or lamb, and a small amount of vegetables such as potato or onion.  To give you an idea of how different the ingredients in Korma can be, I'm including a few different recipes I found as a comparison to this one if you're interested.

Kofta Challow
Chicken Korma with Aniseed
Special Chicken Korma
Navratan Korma
Vegetable Korma

Or check out a variety of other recipes here.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Couscous & Ricotta Salata

To many, Spring represents a promise of warmth to come, a freshness in the air and longer days that allow for relaxation.  To us, it marks the beginning of the end of the busy season at my husband's office.  No spring break here.  So what do the two things call for in our house?  Slow Food.

I've been reading quite a bit about the Slow Food movement lately, considering that who I am as a cook is what it advocates:

Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Ultimately, it is about pleasure and taste, knowledge and choice. Once we begin to take an interest in the enjoyment of food, and in finding out where our food comes from, we can begin to see the effects of these choices.

I completely agree.

So when I saw the lamb shanks in the case a week ago at the grocery store, I didn't hesitate to put them in my basket knowing I'd find something wonderful to cook them with.  Something slow and relaxed. Delicious. Comforting.  Something to help soothe my husband's tummy as he presses on for another month.

And coincidentally, Ben at What's Cooking? is hosting his second Food for Plastic Challenge with a focus on Springtime faire.  As usual, I'm trying to squeeze in under the wire which is today, but that isn't because I waited until today to actually cook my dish. It's been in the works for a few days to celebrate the art of patience, knowing that if I followed the recipe's suggestion for "make ahead" allowing the lamb shanks to luxuriate in their braising liquid in the fridge for a couple of days, it would send our taste buds singing into foodie heaven.

That's exactly what happened.

The recipe for "Braised Lamb Shanks with Trahana Pasta and Ricotta Salata" by executive chef Pano Karatassos was originally published in Food & Wine in 2005 and billed as something "expat chefs eat when they're homesick."  How could I ignore that recommendation?  Besides, it's packed with  lovely herbs like thyme, dill, parsley, and chives.  And there is that garlic...

 

I followed the recipe linked above with the following changes:

1)  I used 4 shanks and cut the rest of the ingredients in half to feed 4.
2)  Brown the shanks in the pan you expect to braise them in, removing them from that pan while sauteeing  onion, garlic, and thyme in the butter.
3)  Add the shanks back to the pan with the onion mixture before adding stock.
4)  After the cooking time, cool briefly, then place in fridge well-covered for 2 days.
5)  Turn shanks over in the braising liquid before reheating at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
6)  I used a can of Italian style crushed tomatoes instead of pureed tomatoes.
7)  I used the recommended couscous because I had no idea where to get trahana pasta.

Notes:  This was an exceptional dish.  The couscous was very flavorful with the great combination of tomato and lemon juice really standing out.  The cinnamon flavor added a nice touch without being pronounced, although my son noticed and couldn't quite identify the spice.

The lamb is exceptionally tender and comes off the bone easily --  moist and rich in flavor.  Very satisfying.

This is the third lamb recipe I've made in less than a year, and for someone who grew up not ever having had lamb, I can say that it just keeps getting better and better.

Simply fabulous!