Bacon Rings Stuffed with Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese

This dish is a perfect for dinner party hors d’oeuvres.  Smoked salmon is often served sliced very thinly on bread or crackers with cream cheese, but this approach allows you to make a unique presentation by pureeing the smoked salmon and cream cheese with capers and dill in a food processor, and piping it into crispy bacon rings.  Click the link for the complete recipe and HD cooking video.

High Definition Video of How to Bacon Rings Stuffed with Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese presenter here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NHKh_0dMRs

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
AssemblyTime: 10 minutes
Servings: 20 hors d’oeuvres, for about 6 – 8 people

Ingredients:

• 10 pieces of bacon, cut in half lengthwise for a total of 20 bacon strips
• 6 large carrots, cleaned but not pealed
• 20 toothpicks
• 1 pack of soft cream cheese, room temperature
• 250g or 1/2 lb of quality smoked salmon (I used Canadian smoked coho salmon)
• 1 small handful of dill, plus some for garnish
• 1 tbsp of capers, drained

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Working with one piece of bacon at a time, wrap it around a carrot and secure it with a toothpick.  Cut remaining carrot off at the base of the bacon strip to be used for the next piece of bacon.
3. Repeat step 1, wrapping all 20 pieces of bacon arround a carrot, and place each bacon-wrapped carrot on a cookie sheet in a stand-up position, like so:


Bacon Wrapped Around a Carrot Mould

4. Place the cookie sheet in the oven, and allow the bacon wrapped carrots to bake until crispy, about 35 – 40 minutes, or until lightly browned.
5. While bacon rings are in the oven, puree the smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, and capers in a food processor until smooth.  Remove puree from food processor and transfer to large ziploc bag ready for piping.  Cut a corner tip off the ziploc bag, creating a 1 cm (1/2 inch) hole in size.


Baking the Bacon Rings

6. Once the bacon wrapped carrots are baked, remove them from oven and allow to cool on a paper towel-lined tray until bacon and carrots are cool enough to touch.
7. Once cooled, remove toothpick from the bacon rings, and push on the end of the carrot until the bacon slides off the carrot entirely.  Be careful not to break or crack the bacon rings during this process.
8. Place bacon rings on a serving plate right-side up, ready for piping the smoked salmon and cream cheese puree.
9. Pipe the cream cheese into the bacon rings, like so:


Piping Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese

Finish by garnishing with remaining dill spigs.



Smoked Salmon Bacon Rings

Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled for up to 8 hours after making the bacon rings.  You can use any remaining salmon cream cheese puree as a tasty spread for toast or crackers.

 

Grilled Veal Chops with Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

In this recipe, I show you how to create a earthy marinade with herbs, capers, and lemon juice to enhance the delicate flavors of the Veal Chops.  I also show you how to cook them to perfection, and serve them with a side of Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus.  Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition video,

High Definition Video of How to Make Grilled Thick-Cut Veal Chops with Herb Marinade presenter here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvgFSOzyHOY

Thick-Cut Veal Chops Recipe:

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Marinade time: 4 – 8 hours
Grill Time: 12 minutes

Veal Chop Ingredients:

• 3 – 4 stalks of rosemary (stems removed)
• 3 – 4 stalks of oregano (stems removed)
• 1/2 cup of capers
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 2 or 3 glugs of olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup of chicken, beef, OR vegetable stock
• 4 thick (1″ or 2 cm) cut veal chops, bone in

Veal Chop Directions:

1. The first step will be to make the marinade.  If you have a mortar and pestle, bash up the rosemary, oregano, capers and garlic.  If you don’t have one, combine these ingredients and give them a fine chop.  Transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Add Dijon mustard, olive oil, stock, lemon juice, and mix well.  Taste and add stock to the marinade if it’s too salty or sour.


Veal Chops - Ready for the Marinade

3. Transfer about 2/3 of the marinade to a ziploc bag and save the rest for later.  Add veal chops to the ziploc bag and cover the marinade all over the chops.  Seal the bag and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.
4. Remove the veal chops 30 to 60 minutes before grilling to allow to come to room temperature.  Discard used marinade.
5. Grill the veal chops on a hot barbecue grill (500 – 600 degrees F), brushing the veal chops with the remaining marinade as you grill.  Grill about 6 minutes per side, and 12 minutes total.  Remove from the grill when a meat thermometer read 140 – 145 Degrees F.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes covered with aluminum foil.
6. Serve with 1 tbsp compound butter melted on top of each chop (1/4 cup room temperature butter mixed with 1/4 cup Boursin cheese and 1 tbsp lemon rind)

Veal Chops on the Grill

Sources: Canadian Living Magazine: November 2003. I was inspired by this recipe, and overall it’s quite good. I chose to alter the marinade, and grill in stead of pan fry the veal.

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Recipe:

Serves:4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Grill Time: 12 minutes

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Ingredients:

• 16 to 20 stalks of Asparagus
• 4 long strips of bacon (preferably smoked bacon)

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus Directions:

1. Break off the woody base of each piece of asparagus.  The natural break point will be between the woody stalk end and the tender tips of asparagus.
2. Arrange the asparagus in bundles of 4 or 5.  Wrap each bundle with a piece of bacon, and secure by piercing with a toothpick, like so:

Preparing Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

1. Place bacon-wrapped asparagus on a preheated grill, at the same time as you start grilling the veal chops.
2. Grill asparagus bunches on all sides, turning regularly.
3. The asparagus will be cooked through when the bacon is light-brown and slightly golden, or about the same time as when the veal chops are ready to come off the grill.

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus on the Grill

Wine Pairing:

Le Gravillas Sablet Côtes du Rhône Villages 2010

I served these chops with Le Gravillas Sablet Côtes du Rhône Villages 2010.  I chose this wine because it has fruit notes that compliment the marinade, but can stand up well with the veal chop and smokey bacon flavors.  At about $14 per bottle, it’s good value for your money.

From the Globe and Mail:

“Medium-full-bodied, this red leans to the savoury side, with herbs, pepper and earth dominating.”

From LCBO web site:

“Wonderful nose of citrus, banana, pineapple, mineral, Bosc pear and white flowers. The palate is dry, crisp and adds a touch of orange zest to the mix before closing with a bright minerality on the finish.”

Sounds Hoity-toity, but it’s good.

Skirt-Steak Fajitas with Homemade Salsa

I serve it with my homemade Jalapeno Salsa on a flour tortilla with all the trimmings.  Click the link for the compete recipes and instructional video on how to make this barbecue treat.

High Definition Video on how to make Skirt-Steak Fajitas with Homemade Salsa:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LO5urCj2Js

Skirt Steak Ingredients:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Marinade time: 4 – 24 hours

Skirt Steak Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and minced
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 2-3 glugs of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of tomato ketchup
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Skirt Steaks, about 1 lb (.45 kg) each, with fat trimmed off

Skirt Steak Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the cumin, garlic, jalapeno pepper, brown sugar, olive oil, tomato ketchup, lime juice, and salt and pepper.  Mix well.  This is your skirt steak marinade
2. Place the skirt steaks in a Ziploc bag (resealable bag) and pour in the marinate from step 1.  Press the air out of the Ziploc bag and seal it tightly shut.  Leave in the refrigerator for 4 – 24 hours to marinade

Jalapeno Salsa Ingredients:

• 4 – 5 large ripe tomatoes, chopped OR 28 oz can of diced tomatoes (drained)
• 1 large ripe avocado
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 – 3 green onions (green part only), chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and minced
• Juice of 1 or 2 limes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

Jalapeno Salsa Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the jalapeno salsa ingredients.  Mix well and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Jalapeno Salsa

To Make the Steaks:

1. Remove the steaks from the Ziploc bag and discard the marinade.  Allow them to come up to room temperature before grilling
2. Prepare your grill.  If you’re using a gas/propane grill, allow it to heat to its highest temperature, usually about 600 degrees F.  If you’re using a charcoal grill, concentrate the coals in one location just large enough for the size of your skirt steaks
3. Place the skirt steaks on the grill over direct heat for 2 – 3 minutes per side, or until well seared.  Turn over and grill on opposite side for another 2 – 3 minutes


Skirt Steak on a Charcoal Grill

4. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes


Grilled Skirt Steak - Let it Rest!

5. Cut the steaks against the grain into 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick slices
6. Plate on flour or corn tortillas.  Add jalapeno salsa, and any other toppings you like, such as lettuce, grated cheese, and sour cream

Enjoy!

Snow Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli Dip

I’m not a Crab Cake purist;  I tend to use any ingredients that compliment the sweet flavor of the crab meat, but don’t overwhelm its delicate taste.  Click the link for the complete recipe and HD video on how to make my Panko-Crusted Snow Crab Cakes.

High Definition Video on how to make Panko-Crusted Snow Crab Cakes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb-oazbriKQ

Crab Cake Recipe:

Prep Time: 20 minutes if using de-shelled crab meat (60 minutes if you plan on de-shelling the crab legs yourself)
Cooking Time: 5 minutes per side, 10 minutes in total
Servings: 9 – 10 large crab cakes

Panko-Crusted Snow Crab Cakes Ingredients:

• 1 lb of de-shelled crab meat.  If you plan on de-shelling the crab, you’ll need 2.5 lbs of cooked crab legs, shell on to yield about 1 lb of crab meat
• 1 large yellow or white onion, finely diced (minced)
• 1 cup of finely crushed soda crackers or bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped dill
• 1 tablespoon of mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 or 3 large tablespoons of mayonnaise (regular or low-fat)
• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 3 glugs of olive oil
• 1 cup of panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Using your fingers or a fork, break up the cab meat into small pieces so that they mix well with the other ingredients


Snow Crab Meat

2. In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients: crab meat, minced onion, crushed soda crackers, dill, mustard powder, and chili, and mix well
3. Add the wet ingredients: eggs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and mix well.  The result should be the consistency of ground beef
4. Using your hands, form crab cakes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, and 2 – 3 inches in diameter.  Lay each formed crab cake on a parchment-paper lined tray so they don’t stick to the surface


Crab Cakes Taking Shape

5. Once all of your crab cakes are formed, preheat a frying pan with butter and olive oil.  Once heated, working with one crab cake at at time, coat the crab cake in the panko bread crumbs all around, and place it into the frying pan


Snow Crab Cakes in the Frying Pan

6. Fry for 3 – 4 minutes per side on medium-high heat, or until golden brown.  Flip the crab cake over and do the same on the reverse side
7. Once the crab cakes are completely cooked on both sides, remove them and place on paper-towel lined tray to absorb any extra oil
8. Serve warm with a side of chipotle aioli (see recipe below).

Chipotle Aioli Dipping Sauce Recipe:

Servings: Makes four servings of 1/4 cup each for dipping

Chipotle Aioli Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon (seeds removed)
• 2 chipotle peppers, seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce (this is the sauce chipotle peppers come in)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 pinch each of salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon of mustard
• 3/4 cup (188 ml) of olive oil

Chipotle Aioli Dipping Sauce Directions:

1. In a blender, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper,  and mustard.
2. Turn on the blender, and allow everything to fully incorporate, ensuring that the chipotle pepper is finely puréed
3. Once all of the ingredients are fully incorporated, slowly (with the blender on) begin adding a steady but slow stream of olive oil through the top of the blender
4. Add the full amount of olive oil and continue blending until the aioli thickens to a mayonnaise-like consistency
5. Stop the blender, and scoop the aioli into individual serving dishes for dipping, much like I’ve plated here:


Panko-Crusted Snow Crab Cakes

Important Note: The mustard acts like an emulsifying agent. You can play with the flavors and add different ingredients and spices to this aioli, but don’t leave the mustard out!

Lamb Loin Chops with Rosemary and Garlic Aioli

In this recipe, I show you how to create a marinade for lamb loin chops, and use it to impart flavors that compliment lamb’s unique and bold taste.  And for even more indulgence, I’ll show you how to make a Rosemary and Garlic Aioli for dipping each and every morsel of these delicious lamb loin chops.  I’ll serve it with roasted root vegetables, and a side of Sauteed Green Beans.  Click the link for the high definition video and complete step-by-step cooking instructions.

High Definition Video on how to make Lamb Loin Chops with Rosemary and Garlic Aioli:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD1fF84wbp8

Lamb Loin Chops Recipe:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes per side, 10 minutes in the oven, 20 minutes total
Rest time: 5 Minutes
Servings: Four normal people or two really hungry people

Lamb Loin Chops and Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 4 – 6 anchovies (trust me on this!  It won’t taste ‘fishy’)
• 2 garlic cloves
• Peel (rhind) of one lemon
• 6 glugs of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 8 Lamb loin chops, cut to 1 – 1 1/2″ (3 cm) thickness1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, fat removed from loin side:

Lamb Loin Chops

Lamb Loin Chop Directions:

1. If you have a mortar and pestle, combine the seeds and ground them into a fine powder.  If not, then use cumin powder and mustard powder instead
2. If you’re using a mortar and pestle, add anchovy filets, garlic, lemon peel, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and grind together until all of the ingredients are mixed together to make a fine marinade.  If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a blender.  combine all of the above ingredients and blend together for 30 seconds
3. Marinade the lamb loin chops in this marinade for about 4 hours, or overnight if possible.
4. Prehead oven to 400 degrees F
5. Heat a few glugs of olive oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat
6. Place the lamb chops in the frying pan, and allow to sear on each side for 3 – 5 minutes, or until each side is golden brown, like so:


Seared Pork Loin Chop

7. Place the frying pan with the loin chops in the oven for 7 minutes for medium-rare chops, 10 minutes for medium done chops, and13 minutes for medium to well done chops.
8. Remove the chops from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes
9. Plate the lamb chops and serve with a side dish of the rosemary and garlic aioli (recipe below), it’s like a flavored mayonnaise for dipping the lamb loin chops.

Consider serving with roasted root vegetables (pictured here) and a side of green beans (recipe below).

Roasted Root Vegetables

Rosemary and Garlic Aioli Recipe:

Servings: Makes four servings of 1/4 cup each for dipping

Rosemary and Garlic Aioli Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon (seeds removed)
• 1/2 stalk of fresh (not dried) rosemary, stalks removed
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 pinch each of salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon of mustard
• 3/4 cup (188 ml) of olive oil

Rosemary Garlic Aioli Directions:

1. In a blender, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, rosemary, salt and pepper, garlic, and mustard.
2. Turn on the blender, and allow everything to fully incorporate, ensuring that the rosemary leaves are finely chopped
3. Once all of the ingredients are fully incorporated, slowely (with the blender on) begin adding a steady but slow stream of olive oil through the top of the blender
4. Add the full amount of olive oil and continue blending until the aioli thickens to a mayonnaise-like consistency
5. Stop the blender, and scoop the aioli into individual serving dishes for dipping, much like I’ve plated here:

Rosemary and Garlic Aioli

Important Note: the mustard acts like an emulsifying agent.  You can pay with the flavors and add different herbs and spices to this aioli, but don’t leave the mustard out!

Serve with a side of green beans.

Green Beans Ingredients:

• 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper

Green Beans Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a large stock pot of well-salted water
2. Add the green beans to the water and boil until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 3 minutes (taste one to be sure they’re done)
3. While beans are boiling, melt butter in large frying pan on medium heat, and fry bread crumbs in butter for 1 minute
4. Drain green beans though colander and add to the frying pan, like so:


Sauteed Green Beans

5. Toss the green beans in frying pan to evenly coat green beans with butter and bread crumb mixture
6. sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss evenly, and serve hot as a side dish

Wine Pairing:

I paired this with a wine appropriate for rich meat such as lamb: Hardys Bankside Shiraz.  If you read any of my other wine pairing suggestions, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of medium to full-bodied wines that are bold in flavor and easy on the wallet.  There are some incredible wines out there that offer tremendous value ($15 – $25), and this is one of them.

Tasting Notes (from Toronto Life):

“A drier, more savoury Aussie shiraz with peppery, meaty character that’s reminiscent of French syrah. It’s medium-full bodied, a bit sinewy, but filled with fruit and some tobacco on the finish. Very good length.”

Score: 88
Price: CAD$15

Hardys Bankside Shiraz 2010

Steakhouse-Style Broiled Lobster Tail

The result is a dish perfect for that special-occasion, when you’re pulling out all of the stops.  This broiled lobster tail can be served with traditional steakhouse-style sides like Cesar salad and a baked potato, but for a different and more luxurious twist, I’m serving it with a Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy and Pickled Radishes, as well as a Creamy Risotto.   Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition instructional video.

High Definition Video on How to Broil an Atlantic Lobster Tail:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hVcNcpswFc

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cooking Time: 4 – 6 minutes, depending on the size of the lobster tail

Servings: 4 (one tail per serving)

Lobster Tail Ingredients:

• 4 Atlantic Lobster Tails (about 4 – 6 oz each, or 113g – 170g)
• 1 cup of clarified butter (recipe here)
• 1 tsp of paprika powder
• 1 Lemon
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Lobster Tail Broiling Directions:

1. Lay out your lobster tails on a flat working surface, like a cutting board as such:


Atlantic Lobster Tails

2. Using your sharpest cutting scissors or shears, cut along the top of the tail, lengthwise down the tail.  Start from the opening, and cut all the way to the last link in the tail, without cutting through the tail itself
3. Flip the tail over and make cuts in the strong membrane (these look like rungs on a ladder) that runs across the width of the tail.  This will make it easier to open the top of the tail to pull the meat up through, as these ‘rungs’ provide rigidity to the tail
4. Using your middle and index finger, insert them into the opening in the tail and use your fingers to push up on the lobster tail meat until it’s fully pulled up through the incision you made in step 2, above
5. There will be a dark ‘vein’ visible that runs down the length of the tail.  Remove and discard this vein
6. The lobster meat tail should rest on the top of the now empty shell, as depicted below:


Atlantic Lobster Tails De-Shelled

7. Once the lobster meat is pulled through, brush the lobster meat with clarified butter, and sprinkle with paprika powder, salt, and a touch of pepper
8. Place lobster tails on cookie sheet, and place 6″ (15 cm) under broiler for 4 to 6 minutes (but not much longer than this!).  Once the tail has just a hint of color on the top, the rest of it is sure to be cooked through, so remove from the oven at the first hint of color
9. Remove and serve immediately with side dishes such as Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy and creamy Risotto
10. Squeeze the juice of a lemon wedge into the remainder of the clarified butter, mix, and pour the clarified butter into small bowls for each serving.  Your dinner guests will enjoy dipping their lobster meat into this lemon-flavored butter.

Wine Pairing:

I paired this dish with a Louis Jadot Chardonnay (~ CAD$18).  It’s a crisp white wine that works well with this combination of rich and decadent seafood.

From the LCBO web site:

Clear pale yellow colour; inviting aromas of apple, citrus and white nut with floral, vanilla and mineral notes; dry, medium body, well balanced and lively on the palate with refreshing acidity; flavours of pear, apple/citrus fruit, with notes of mineral and nut on the finish.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve with creamy pasta, roasted chicken, mussels or grilled fish and white meats such as pork or poultry.

Louis Jadot Chardonnay

Blue Cheese-Crusted New York Strip Steak

In this recipe, I create a Blue Cheese-Crusted New York Strip Steak using nothing more than my oven broiler.  The result is a golden-brown steak crust that brings out the very best in any cut of meat.  And the best part is that you don’t even need to step outside to make it.  Perfect for those cold winter months!

High Definition Video on How to Broil a Blue Cheese Crusted New York Strip Steak Presented Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB1_U_7wXxk

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 – 14 minutes (5 – 7 minutes per side
Rest time: 10 – 15 Minutes

Servings: 4 large steaks (12+ oz) or 6 regular steaks (6 – 10 oz)

Blue Cheese Crust Ingredients:

• 2 1″ (2.5 cm) thick slices of good quality loaf of bread (sourdough, olive, rye, etc.)
• 4 green onions (scallions)
• 3 – 4 oz (100 g) of Danish blue cheese, softened to room temperature (I recommend Castello-Rosenborg Danish Blue Cheese)
• 1/8 cup of butter, softened to room temperature
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Blue Cheese Crust Directions:

1. In a food processor, chop the bread and green onions
2. Adding one tablespoon each of blue cheese, butter, salt and pepper and chop until desired taste and texture is achieved.  The mixture should resemble pay-dough when rolled in a ball

Rosenborg Danish Blue Cheese

Steak Ingredients:

• 4 large or 6 regular steaks such as rib eye, new york strip, tenderloin, or filet Mignon
• 6 glugs of olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Blue Cheese Crust (see above)

Steak Directions:

1. Turn on your oven broiler and allow to come up to heat
2. Cover each piece of steak with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper


New York Strip Steak

3. Place each Steak on a cooling rack placed on top of a flat cookie sheet(or pan).  This will allow air to circulate around the steaks as they broil from the top broiler in your oven.  If you don’t have a cooling rack, simply place the steaks on a flat cookie sheet:
4. Place the cookie sheet with the steaks on it in the oven about 6″ (15 cm) under the broiler, and broil for 5 – 7 minutes, or until nicely seared on top
5. Remove the steaks from the oven, and flip them on their opposite side, return to oven.  Broil for another 3 minutes
6. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and coat each steak with about 1/2″ (1.5 cm) of the steak crust you made above.  Try to keep the crust even thickness across each steak


Blue Cheese Crust

7. Place the steaks with the crust back in the oven under the broiler for about 2 – 3 minutes, or until the crust is golder brown.  be careful the crust will burn very quickly, so check on it often!
8. Serve with roasted red potatoes and asparagus, for a nice contrast of colors from the golden-brown steak crust, red potatoes, and green asparagus.  Garnish with thyme or rosemary

Wine Pairing:

I paired this with one of my go-to wines for hearty steak dinners:  Angus The Bull Cabernet Sauvignon.  From Angus the Bull web site:

Angus the Bull Cabernet Sauvignon

The philosophy behind Angus The Bull is to create a unique and innovative wine that provides an ideal accompaniment to prime beef.

Tasting Notes:

From LCBO:

“clear ruby colour; blackberry, plum, eucalyptus and spice aromas; dry, medium to full body; rich, ripe blackberry and black fruit flavours with balanced acidity; touch of spice and soft tannins in good, medium length finish”

Predictably, with a name like Angus the Bull, you can’t go wrong with this full-bodied wine by serving it with a hearty slab of beef.

Pan-Seared Oven Roast with Red Wine Reduction Sauce

In this recipe I take a small Inside Round Roast, pan sear it with an herb crust, and oven roast it to medium-rare perfection.  I then drizzle it with my own red wine reduction sauce and serve it with root vegetables and a side of couscous.  Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition video.

High Definition Video Presented Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM_28S6mglk

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 4 – 6 people

Oven Roast Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of beef roast (A small inside round roast is recommended) or similar cut of beef
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, stem removed and finely chopped
• 4 sprigs of thyme, stem remove and finely chopped
• Coarse sea salt and ground pepper
• 3-4 glugs of olive oil

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Spread the rosemary, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper evenly over a cutting board
3. Drizzle olive oil on the beef roast, coating kit completely
4. Place the roast on the cutting board with the chopped herbs, and roll the roast across the board, evenly covering the outside with an herb crust
5. Pre-heat a frying pan on medium-high heat with a few glugs of olive oil in it.  Place the roast in the frying pan and sear evenly on one side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.  Using tongs, keep turning the roast until all sides are evenly browned


Pan-Searing Roast

6. Once all sides are evenly browned, place the pan with the roast in the oven
7. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast to ensure proper internal cooking temperature
8. Remove the roast from the oven when the thermometer reads 135-145 degrees F for medium-rare doneness (see beef internal temperature guide below).  Allow to rest on a cutting board, covered with tin-foil for at least 15 minutes before carving into medallion-sized pieces:

Carving the Roast

Red Wine Reduction Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of chopped carrots
• 1 cup of chopped onions
• 1 cup of chopped celery
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 750 ml bottle of wine
• Salt and pepper
• 1/8 cup of non-salted butter
• 1 tbsp of honey

Directions:

1. Using the same pan as used for pan searing the roast on medium-high heat, saute the carrots, onions, celery until softened.
2. Add the garlic and saute for another minute
3. Add the wine and allow it to come up to a boil in the pan


Reducing the Red Wine

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste
5. Reduce the wine by 1/2 until it’s a thick syrup-like consistency
6. Strain the contents of the frying pan through a strainer into a dish, set the liquid aside
7. Heat the butter in the frying pan until completely melted, add the reduce wine back into the frying pan and whisk together
8. Add the honey and wish again until red wine, honey and butter are completely incorporated
   Drizzle over medallions of the beef roast after plating

This red wine reduction sauce works well with any cut of beef or steak.

Below is a cooking chart for cooking beef.  Remember, you should always use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness of a roast. The internal temperature will rise about 5-10 degrees during resting time, so remove the roast 5-10 degrees before desired doneness.

Beef Internal Temperature Guide:

Source:  http://www.themeatsource.com

Wine Pairing:

Château de Fontenelles Cuvée Renaissance 2007.  ~ CAD$19

Chateau de Fontenellles

From the LCBO web site:

“Description
Winner of a Gold Medal at the 2009 Concours des Grands Vins du Languedoc-Roussillon.

Tasting Note
Cassis, spice, coffee, chocolate and black cherry notes on the nose. Dry, medium-full bodied with lush dark fruit, lovely depth and structure, and a generous finish. This will reward short-term cellaring of 2-4 years. Pair with meat dishes.”

Veal Scallopini

Although the recipe works well with high-quality veal, chicken breast and even pork tenderloin chops would work too.  Click the link for the complete recipe and high definition cooking video.

High Definition Video Presented Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAFXxIBa09U

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 6 people

Veal Scallopini Recipe:

• 1 kg  or 2lb Veal Cutlets
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp of  ground pepper
• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 2 cups of Italian or seasoned breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil (enough for 1/4″ of oil in your frying pan)

1. Place individual veal cutlet between two pieces of plastic or saran wrap.  Using a meat mallet (spiked side) to pound the veal cutlets.  Make sure you evenly and thoroughly tenderize the entire cutlet on both sides.  Don’t overdo it, as you can tear the cutlet which ruins the presentation — but not the flavor!
2. Setup of a ‘breading station’ for your veal.  You’ll need a plate with flour, a bowl with the beaten egg liquid (with mixed-in salt and pepper), and a plate with the bread crumbs.  Finally, you’ll need a frying pan with oil heated to 375 degrees F.
3. Dredge cutlets in flour to dry them; dip the cutlet in the egg mixture to wet it; then dredge with breadcrumbs.  Place in frying pan and fry for 2-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.


Breaded veal

4. Remove veal from frying pan and place on paper towel to allow the excess oil to drain off.
5. As you make your way through frying the veal cutlets, you may need to refill the flour, egg mixture, and/or bread crumbs.  These are consumed as you prepare the veal for frying.

Marsala, Gorgonzola, and Mushroom Cream Sauce Recipe:

Cremini, Shitake, and Oyster Mushrooms

• 3 glugs of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups each of Cremini, Shitake, and Oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of Marsala wine
• 1/2 cup of table cream
• 200 g of Gorgonzola cheese (about 1/2 cup)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 500 g of penne pasta
• 1 small handful of flat-leaf parsley for garnish

1. Using the same pan used for sauteing the veal, add olive oil to the pan over medium-high heat
2. Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute until softened


Sauteed Mushrooms

3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, saute for 1-2 minutes
4. Add the Marsala wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, simmering for 3 minutes or until the Marsala wine volume is reduced by half


Marsala Wine and Gorgonzola Cheese

5. Stir in the cream and simmer another 2 – 3 minutes
6. Add the Gorgonzola and stir until it completely melts into the sauce; remove from heat
7. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired
8. Serve over a bed of penne pasta
9. Garnish with parsley

Enjoy!

Grilled Calamari Dressed in Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette

As an added benefit, it’s actually a great low-fat alternative to the usual deep-fried calamari that doesn’t compromise on taste.  Click the link for the complete high-definition cooking video and recipe for this Grilled Calamari Dressed in Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette

High Definition Video Presented Here on How To Make Grilled Calamari with Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnkSizgIsek

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 6-8 minutes

Serves: 4 servings as an appetizer

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Orange peel rind from one naval orange
• 8 glugs of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 chili pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix lemon juice, orange peel, olive oil, chili pepper, salt and pepper in a bowl large enough to hold your calamari.  This is your vinaigrette

Grilled Calamari Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 squid (calamari), cleaned with innards and cartilage removed
• 5 sprigs of thyme, stalks removed

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat your grill to at least 500 degrees F
2. Score or create slight cuts on each side of the calamari in a cross fashion, without cutting all the way through the squid body.  This helps the calamari cook quickly (without drying out) and creates a surface area for the vinaigrette to stick to
3. Grill the calamari about 3 – 4 minutes per side


Grilling Calamari

4. Once you have a little bit of color on the grill-side of the calamari, flip it over to the other side, cooking for another 3 – 4 minutes


Calamari on the Grill

5. Once both sides are grilled, remove the calamari from the grill and onto a cutting board.  Cut 1/2″ (1 cm) thick rings from the calamari by cutting along the width of the calamari body
6. Place the calamari rings in the vinaigrette bowl and toss evenly to coat each calamari piece with the vinaigrette
7. Serve on a large plate and drizzle the calamari rings with remaining vinaigrette.  Garnish with thyme leaves and season with a bit more salt and pepper.

Enjoy with a cool and crisp dry white wine

Grilled Calamari Dressed in Lemon and Chili Vinaigrette