Recipe Archive

Irish Lamb Stew

• 1 1/2 lbs thickly sliced bacon, diced
• 6 lbs boneless lamb shoulder cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 cups beef stock
• 2 teaspoon white sugar
• 4 cups diced carrots
• 2 large onions cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 potatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup white wine

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

2. Put lamb, salt, pepper, and flour in large mixing bowl. Toss to coat meat evenly. Brown meat in frying pan with bacon fat.

3. Place meat into stock pot (leave 1/4 cup of fat in frying pan). Add the garlic and yellow onion and saute till onion begins to become golden. Deglaze frying pan with 1/2 cup water and add the garlic-onion mixture to the stock pot with bacon pieces, beef stock, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

4. Add carrots, onions, potatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and wine to pot. Reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Serves: 10

Time: 2 hr 45 min

Black-eyed Pea Cakes with Grilled Shrimp & Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Ingredients for Grilled Shrimp:
•1/2 cup peanut oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 24 large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
• 12 strips smoked bacon, cut in half

Ingredients for Vinaigrette:
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Tbs. fresh basil
• 1/2 medium roasted red pepper
• 1-1/4 cups peanut oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbs. cold water
• 1 Tbs. brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Black-Eyed-Pea Cakes:
• 1 pound dry black-eyed peas, cooked and drained
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 2 to 3 Tbs. flour
• 1 Tbs. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• Cayenne pepper to taste

Preparation:
First prepare vinaigrette: puree garlic, fresh basil and red pepper in a blender. Add the peanut oil, red wine vinegar, water, brown sugar, salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator and shake before using.

Next prepare the Black-Eyed-Pea Cakes. In a skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat and saute onion and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour; season with thyme, parsley and cayenne pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, and set aside. Puree half of the peas in a blender until nearly smooth; set aside. In a large bowl, mash the remainder of the peas on the sides of the bowl. Add the pureed peas, onion mixture, egg yolk, salt and pepper and mix well. Form cakes roughly with a spoon on a waxed-paper-lined plate; chill for 2 hours so the cakes can be formed better. Lightly flour the cakes and fry them in the peanut oil, approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Now prepare the shrimp. Combine oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and soak shrimp in this mixture. Wrap each shrimp with half a strip of bacon and grill about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Drizzle a pool of Red Roasted-Pepper Vinaigrette onto a serving plate. Place a hot Black-Eyed-Pea Cake on top of the vinaigrette and arrange shrimp around the cake. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Decadent Chocolate Valentines Hearts

Ingredients:
• 4 Slices (1/2 oz each) marble poundcake.
• 3 Strawberries, divided
• 2 Drops red food coloring
• 1/2 cup Whipped topping

With a 3 inch heart shaped cookie cutter, cut each poundcake slice into a heart shape.

Place 1 strawberry in small bowl. With fork, mash well. Fold mashed strawberry and red food coloring into whipped topping.

Place a heart on a dessert plate. Spoon strawberry topping mixture onto each heart. Top with remaining hearts. Garnish with remaining strawberries.

Makes 2 servings.

Valentine's Day Caviar Heart Kisses

Ingredients:
• 1 sm Cucumber, scrubbed and trimmed
• 1/3 cup Sour Cream
• 1 ts Dried dill weed
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 Jar red salmon caviar
• Fresh dill sprigs
• 8 Thin slices whole-wheat bread
• Butter or margarine

Slice cucumber into 1/4-inch rounds.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, dried dill and pepper. Place one teaspoon of the sour cream mixture on each cucumber slice. Garnish each with about 1/2 teaspoon caviar and a dill sprig

Cut bread slices with heart-shaped cookie cutter. Toast and butter. Place cucumber slices in center of serving plate and surround with toast hearts.

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Corned beef got its name before refrigeration, when meat was preserved with coarse grains of salt called "corn." Today beef is corned with spices for flavor, not for preservation. The meat must be refrigerated.

Ingredients:
• 2- to 2-1/2-pound corned beef brisket*
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
• 3 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise
• 2 medium parsnips or 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
• 10 to 12 whole, tiny new potatoes
• 1 small cabbage, cut into 6 wedges (1 pound)

Instructions:
Trim fat from meat. Place in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven; add juices and spices from package of beef, if available. Add enough water to cover meat. Add bay leaves and pepper (if using). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 2 hours or until meat is almost tender.

Add carrots, parsnips, and onions to meat. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Scrub potatoes; halve or quarter. Add potatoes and cabbage to Dutch oven. Cover and cook about 20 minutes more or until vegetables and meat are tender. Discard bay leaves. Remove meat from Dutch oven.

To serve, slice the meat across the grain.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Roasted Rack of Lamb

If we assume four chops per person, each rack will feed two people. Multiply the recipe accordingly.

• 1 full rack of lamb
• Olive oil, as needed
• 2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
• 2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter

Make sure your butcher has removed the chine bone from the rack. Most do but double-check. The chine bone is part of the spine and if not removed you will be unable to cut the roast into individual chops. Trim some of the excess fat from the rack but don’t overdo it. You need some fat to naturally baste the meat while it cooks and furnish some drippings to make a sauce. Lightly brush the rack with olive oil. Then sprinkle both sides with half of the rosemary and thyme, and salt and pepper. Place the rack in a roasting pan, preferably with a grate on the bottom, and then into a preheated 375 degree oven.

The next thing people often ask is how long to cook it. Forget time. Cook by temperature. Remove the lamb when a thermometer placed dead center in the meat reads 125 degrees for rare, 130 for medium rare and 135 for medium.

When the roast is finished, place it on a serving plate and cover it with aluminum foil. Roasts need to rest after cooking so the meat will re-absorb its juices. If you cut them immediately after cooking all of the juices will run out. The foil will keep it warm while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, place the roasting pan on top of the stove and turn the burner on high. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil and deglaze the pan, scraping the browned bits off the bottom. Add the remaining rosemary and thyme, garlic, and salt and pepper. Reduce the sauce to at least half, add the butter at the end, and then strain it. Carve the roast into individual chops and pour the sauce over them. For a delicious variation, you can substitute homemade beef or veal stock for the wine, or better yet, use a combination of stock and wine.

Grilled Tuna With Teriyaki Fruit Sauce

Ingredients:
• 1 pound tuna fillets or steaks -- 3/4-1" thick
• olive or salad oil
• 1 papaya
• 2 teaspoons crystallized ginger -- finely chopped
1 green bell pepper -- julienne
Teriyaki Fruit Sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup saki or dry sherry
• 3 slices fresh ginger root or
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions:Teriyaki Fruit Sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine soy sauce, sugar, sake and fresh ginger slices. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil until reduced to 1/3 cup. Discard ginger slices and keep sauce warm. Fish: Rinse fish (which has been cut into 4 equal portions), pat dry and brush lightly with oil. Place fish on grill about 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals. Grill over medium coals, turning once, just until browned on outside but still pale pink in center; cut to test (3-4 minutes). To serve: Place each piece of fish on a plate. Arrange 3 papaya slices each piece of fish; then top each serving equally with soy-ginger sauce and candied ginger. Garnish with julienne bell peppers.

Archive: culinary comments from the chef

November 2006

The holidays are soon in arriving and with them the tried and true tradition of cooking a turkey. Here are some tips on how to best prepare a turkey and stuffing to ensure you don’t end up with a dry, overcooked bird. Enjoy and happy holidays from all at Kingswood:

A. Prepare the stuffing in advance.
B. Remove the turkey from it's packaging, removing any giblets from the cavity inside.
C. Stuff your turkey to keep it moist while cooking and to give it a yummy flavor.
D. Only stuff the neck cavity of the turkey - never the body cavity as the temperature inside never gets hot enough to cook the stuffing.
E. For the body cavity you could use a sliced onion, lemon or orange and fresh herbs to infuse the meat with addition flavors.
F. Stuff the neck cavity and tuck the flap of skin over the cavity entry, securing with a small skewer.
G. Before cooking, season the turkey with salt and freshly ground pepper, and smear the skin with butter.
H. Place the turkey, breast side down in a roasting tin to cook. This way the turkey will baste itself and the meat will remain moist.
J. If you are using foil, cover loosely and remove the foil for the last 20 minutes of cooking time, to allow the turkey to brown.
I. Alternatively, you can cover your turkey with streaky bacon, which will not only protect the meat from burning, but will also keep it moist and add that irresistible bacon flavor too.

January 2007

The Tradition of Eating Black-Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day

The tradition is an old one. Black-eyed peas are considered a humble food in many cultures and the act of eating them signifies “humility”. In the United States, this yearly tradition originated in the South, and has spread through out the country over time. The classic southern meal is generally accompanied by turnip greens. The copper color of the beans and green color of the turnip greens represents money and eating them on New Year’s is said to bring financial prosperity. I have provided a more modern, gourmet spin on the age old tradition by including my recipe for Black-eyed Pea Cakes with Grilled Shrimp and Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette. Happy new Year and enjoy!

February 2007

Bavarian Cream, Creme Bavaroise

With Valentine’s day approaching the amount of candies and sweets consumed will soon be on the rise. So I felt it would be appropriate to have a little history lesson on an old classic sweet ingredient, Bavarian cream.

Bavarian cream was originally a French (or German?) cold dessert of egg custard stiffened with gelatin, mixed with whipped cream (sometimes with fruit purée or other flavors), then set in a mold, or used as a filling for cakes and pastries.

No one is sure about the origin of Bavarian cream, but during the late 17th and early 18th centuries many French chefs worked at the court of the Wittelsbach Princes (a German family that ruled Bavaria from the 12th century to 1918). This would have given them the contact to have learned it in Bavaria. The famous French chef Carême (1783-1833) gives recipes for it in the early 18th century. The suffix 'crème' in German speaking lands, is the term for the gelatin mold - (Schokolatencreme, Weincreme, etc.) and there are many variations, flavored with chocolate, lemon, kirsch, etc.

So - in summary, the most likely origin is that the French chefs working for the Bavarian rulers (the Wittelsbachs) learned something either the same or very similar while working in Bavaria, and when they returned to France continued to make it, and called it Crème Bavaroise (Bavarian Cream). And since, in addition to being served in a gelatin mold, it was also used as a cake filling, the next step to its use as a doughnut filling at Dunkin Donuts was inevitable.

March 2007

A Little History on Corned Beef

With the arrival of St. Patrick’s Day, many will be preparing the traditional favorite: Corned Beef & Cabbage. With that in mind I felt an explanation of what exactly Corned Beef is, would be in order.

Corned beef usually comes from the brisket. The brisket is a cut taken from the breast section. It is rather tough and requires long, slow cooking. It is best when braised. Corned beef is made by curing it in a seasoned brine. Curing refers to various procedures employed primarily to preserve foods, but also add flavor. Foods can be cured with smoke, salt, or a brine. A basic brine is a mixture of water and salt but customarily, as in corned beef, the mixture will also include seasonings to enhance flavor. The term “corned” has nothing to do with corn (on the cob). “Corn” is an English word for any small particle. Hence, it is derived from the “corns” of salt used to preserve meats.

All of those that endeavor to prepare their own Corned Beef this year, enjoy, as will those dining in Kingswood’s Bristol Dining Room on St. Patrick’s Day as we will be preparing it along with Fried Green Cabbage, Boiled Potatoes, Glazed Carrots and Irish Lamb Stew.

April 2007

Celebrate Easter with Roasted Lamb

Historically, feasting on lamb was a traditional means of ushering in the spring season. The natural breeding cycle of sheep produces lamb in the months of March and April; hence the term spring lamb. This however, is an informal definition.

A lamb is a sheep less than one year old. A baby lamb is six to eight weeks old while a spring lamb is three to five months of age. After a year it is referred to as a yearling and once it reaches its second birthday it becomes mutton. As the sheep ages its meat will become darker colored, develop a stronger, gamier taste, and be less tender. A young lamb will be pink to pinkish red in color. Nowadays, modern animal husbandry allows for lamb of varying ages to be available year round.

Lamb is far more popular in other parts of the world, particularly the Mediterranean, than in the US. In America, the average person consumes about a pound of lamb per year. While ham may be the meat of choice for the American Easter dinner, lamb is the favorite the world over. It is also a common Passover meal.

June 2007

Summer Grilling Techniques

Nothing epitomizes summer cooking more than grilling. However, grilling can be very confusing. The more recipes, cookbooks, and perspectives you encounter, the greater the diversity of opinion that arises. When do you apply the barbeque sauce? Gas or charcoal? Flip the food only once or frequently? High heat or low heat? Dry rubs or marinades? Cover closed or open? Let’s explore the different variables.

Barbeque sauce. It is generally recommended to add it toward the last end of cooking since it is high in sugar and can burn easily. Some question whether applying it near the end limits how much the sauce will infuse the food. You can marinate the food in the barbeque sauce beforehand but be sure to remove all the excess before cooking. Then add more near the end.

Gas or charcoal? That depends on how much you care for that smoky charcoal flavor in your food. Some hate it, some won’t live without it. Charcoal grills are cheaper but more troublesome to light and keep at a steady temperature. So do you want that charcoal taste or ease and better control? If you have large parties with extended periods of cooking, I’d go with the gas.

To flip or not to flip? Many people place their food on the grill and then immediately start moving it around and/or flip it frequently. They think this will prevent sticking but actually they are encouraging it. Just as in a sauté pan, high heat is what prevents sticking, (in addition to wiping the grill with oil beforehand). High heat sears the outside of the food and creates intense flavor. This is what grilling is all about. The seared exterior also prevents sticking. Frequent flipping lowers the temperature of the food and prevents a proper sear. To summarize, wipe the grill with oil, get it very hot, place the item on the grill, leave it alone, and flip it once half way through.

Hopefully these tips will make your summer grilling a bit easier for you. Enjoy.