Dry aged Standing Rib Roast

I was recently taught how to dry age beef and it truly makes a difference. This is the second time I have dry aged something and it couldn't be easier. The "standing" in this recipe means it has bones and "stands" on them. I did this somewhat on the spur of the moment while visiting friends in Ocean City, Md. Since my friend Gail had a Christmas party after I bought the beef, I was able to solicit a few of our mutual friends for a mid week dinner party. One last comment: if you are hesitant to try this, just google "dry aged rib roast recipes" and your fears will go away.

Ingredients:

5-7 lb. Prime rib roast (with bones). One bone per two people.

pepper

butter

For au jus: 1 cup beef broth, 1cup red wine, 2T flour

Aging the roast sometimes depends on how much time you have. You need at least two days and 3-5 would be better. I had three days. Doing this brings out additional flavor (aging allows the natural enzymes to break down some of the protein in the meat). The first day: unwrap the roast from its packaging and wrap in a plain white cotton dish towel. This allows the beef to release excess water. Put on a rack on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (coolest spot). On the second day, remove the towel and allow to air age on the rack in the same location in frig for another 2 to 4 days. You will notice that the beef gains a deeper red color and the outside becomes dry. On the day you will be cooking, take the roast out 3-4 hours before cooking to allow the roast to come to room temperature. Also, shave off and discard the dried outer layer of meat and fat. Leave behind as much of the good fat as possible. Once the roast comes to room temperature, smear butter on the meaty ends of the roast and season generously with pepper. The cooking and resting process takes about two hours prior to serving. Preheat oven to 450F and cook for about 20 mins; then 325F for about an hour to an hour and a half or until the internal temperature reaches 125F. Then rest the roast for 30mins. before carving.

For Au Jus: remove roast from pan to separate plate. There should be juice from the roast along with bits in the pan. Heat pan over medium heat and add the wine and stir until alcohol is largely evaporated. Add 1C of beef broth or consomme and stir. Add flour or cornstarch and stir until desired consistency.

Yellow Rice

I got this recipe from Steve's grandmother (Mom-Mom). We lived next to her when we were first married. Mom-Mom came from northern Italy and said that one of the best things about America is that things are pre-packaged; so everything doesn't have to be done from scratch. This recipe is no exception. Since I learned how to make Yellow Rice, it has evolved and I doubt that I have made it exactly the same way twice. You can vary it indefinitely and love it equally each time. It is also the most requested dish that I make and the left overs are equally as good. Most recently, I have even found the best quality yellow rice so this is a change from previous recipes I may have supplied.

Ingredients:

One box of Goya yellow rice mix (In the Spanish section of your market)

1/2 Cup of white long grain rice

1 24 ounce box of Chicken Broth (your choice)

One pound of ground sausage (I like Bob Evans and Hatfield)

1/2 Cup of white wine to deglaze pan

2 tablespoons butter

Parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley

Directions:

In a deep skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat until the pink is gone. Add the wine and scrape the bits.

Add the yellow and white rice and stir briefly. Add 3/4 of the liquid and cover over medium heat. Once you see the steam come from under the lid, lower the heat to medium low. Cook for 15-20 minutes and stir. At this point, it will probably need liquid so; add more broth. Continue this process until the rice is cooked to your level of doneness (ie. al dente: less liquid, less cooking time). It usually takes 30-40 minutes in total. When you are ready to serve, add butter to the pot and stir, then add the parsley. Use the parm cheese once it has been dished.

The variations to this include the type of meat you can use (type of sausage or chopped meat or even chicken livers). Also, you can use half beef broth or vegetable broth. You can add cooked mushrooms or other cooked vegetables.

The secret to this is simple: cook the meat first, add the rice and add the liquid in at least two periods during cooking. Also, if the rice needs more liquid, water always works.

Green Tabasco Chicken

This is my best new recipe find of the year. I have made it a dozen times. It has been posted by several sources but it seems to be originated by Bill Smith in his book Seasoned in the South. I with the help of others modified his recipe.

1 chicken 4-6 lbs. (I prefer any with the automatic temp popper)

salt

ground pepper

2 jalapenos cut in half

1 lemon, cut in half

1 small bottle of green tabasco sauce

2 cloves of garlic

melted butter for basting

1 cup dry white wine (or vermouth) for gravy

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove giblets and save for gravy (remove liver). Salt and pepper the chicken cavity and add jalapenos, lemon and garlic to the cavity. Put chicken in roasting pan on a rack and cover with the green tabasco sauce. Add more salt and pepper to the outside of the chicken.

Bake chicken for 20 minutes at 500 and then reduce to 350. In the meantime, add enough water over giblets and bring to a simmer. This becomes a base for the gravy. Baste chicken in melted butter every 20 minutes. The chicken should be done in another hour to hour and a half. (Heres' where the value of the auto pop is so great). This chicken can be overcooked and still be moist so err on the side of overdone.

Remove chicken from roasting dish. Add drippings and jalapenos to gravy (minus the giblets); add wine and boil until reduced about 10 minutes. Add flour to thicken and stir.

If gravy intimidates you, don't make it, but put the juice in the drippings aside for a pure chicken gravy. Serves 4 to 6 depending on your carving skills.

Ellen's Better Cheddar

Inspired by the cheese sold by the Back Burner in Hockessin, this is a family favorite.

10 oz. white cheddar cheese, grated
4 scallions chopped fine, including bottom half of green stems
3/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped by hand, not too fine
1/2 cup mayo 

Mix all ingredients together and chill.

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

This morning, I really wanted to make Janine's coffee cake, below, but I didn't have sour cream. I did have cottage cheese, though, so I made these yummy sticky rolls.

Cooking spray for the pan. 

For the dough: 

3/4 cup cottage cheese (4% milk fat)

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling

1 Tbs. baking powder

1/2 tsp. table salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda 

For the filling: 
3/4 oz. (1-1/2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 cup (4 oz.) chopped pecans 

For the glaze: 
2-1/2 oz. (scant 2/3 cup) confectioners' sugar

2 to 3 Tbs. cold whole or low-fat milk

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. 

Make the dough: 

In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Process until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and pulse in short bursts just until the dough clumps together (don’t overprocess). The dough will be soft and moist.

Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with floured hands 4 or 5 times until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12x15-inch rectangle. 

Make the filling: 

Brush the dough with the melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border unbuttered around the edges. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Sprinkle the mixture over the buttered area of the dough and pat gently into the surface. Sprinkle the nuts over the sugar mixture.

Starting at a long edge, roll up the dough jelly-roll style. Pinch the seam to seal, and leave the ends open.

With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 equal pieces. Set the pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan; they should fill the pan and touch slightly, but don’t worry if there are small gaps.

Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 28 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a spatula around the inside edge of the pan and remove the springform ring. Transfer the rolls to a serving plate. 

Make the glaze: 

In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar, 2 Tbs. milk, and vanilla to make a smooth glaze. It should have a thick but pourable consistency, so add up to 1 Tbs. more milk if necessary. Drizzle the glaze over the rolls. Let stand 15 minutes and serve.

From Fine Cooking 88, pp. 72

Better-Than-Almost-Anything-Cake

Also made this for Christmas Eve dinner and the sweet freaks loved it better than the filet. There are dozens of variations to suit your sweet tooth, just go to the Bettty Crocker site. And only 510 calories.

1 box Betty Crocker German chocolate cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 jar or container caramel, butterscotch or fudge topping (I used 14 oz of caramel)
1 container (80z) frozen whipped topping, thawed (I used Cool Whip)
1 bag (8 0z) toffee chips or bits

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for dark or nonstick pan). I used an aluminum lasagna pan. Bake cake as directed on the box in a 13x9 inch pan. Remember to grease the pan. After cooking, let sit for 15 minutes.

2. Poke top of warm cake every 1 1/2 inches with a handle of wooden spoon. The cake may stick to the wooden spoon handle while you're using it to make the holes, so occasionally wipe off the handle. Drizzle milk evenly over the top of the cake; let stand until milk has been absorbed into the cake. Drizzle with the topping. Run knife around sides of the pan to loosen cake. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours until chilled. (I let it sit over night)

3. Spread the whipped topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with toffee chips. Store covered in the refrigerator.

I also chopped a large Symphony bar in chunks and sprinkled on the top of the cake and served it like you would bread pudding. It got lots of ooh and aws.

Streusel Coffee Cake

This recipe is at least 30 years old and was perfect for Christmas Eve dinner and the morning after.

1 package Betty Crocker Yellow Cake mix or equivalent
1/4 cup firm butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups dairy sour cream (12 ounces)

Heat over to 350 degrees. Measure 2/3 cup of cake mix (dry mix) into small bowl. Cut in the butter. Mix in brown sugar and walnuts. Combine well with a large fork. Set aside.

Beat eggs lightly with a fork; stir in sour cream. Blend in remaining cake mix, scraping bowl often. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy. Pour half the batter into a greased and floured oblong pan, 13x9 inches (I actually used a foil lasagna pan); sprinkle half the mix above over the batter. Spoon and gently spread the remaining batter into the pan; top with the remaining dry mix above. Bake 40-45 minutes. This serves beautifully when cut into squares and served on a cake plate.

Merry Christmas!

We're spending the day in the kitchen cooking, with everyone helping out. Recipes I'll post tomorrow--the pecan tart that Mary made, the Better Cheddar cheese we like, and prime rib roast.

Bacardi Rum Cake

This is a yummy cake that we always have for birthdays. I made two loaf-pan sized cakes from this recipe for Christmas.

From The Cake Mix Doctor

Cake 

• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• One 18.5 oz package of yellow cake mix
• One 3.75 oz package of Jell-O Instant Vanilla Pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup Wesson oil
• 1/2 cup Bacardi Dark Rum (80 proof) 

 Glaze

• 1/4 lb butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Bacardi Dark Rum (80 proof)

Preheat oven to 325F.  Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or 12-inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over the bottom of the pan. Mix all cake ingredients together.  Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool and invert on a serving plate.  

Prick top.  Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over top and sides.  Allow cake to absorb the glaze.  Repeat until all glaze is used.

Glaze 

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  

Remove from heat and stir in rum.

Best Key Lime Pie-Abraham's Key Lime Pie

This is the best because of the cream cheese. It's easy because you do it all in a blender.

3 egg yolks

8 oz, softened cream cheese, cut into small chunks

4-5 oz key lime juice (I like Nellie & Joe's - they sell it at the ACME in the baking section)

14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

One 9" graham cracker pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine milk, yolks and lime juice and blend. Add pieces of cream cheese (one at a time) and blend until smooth. Pour filling into pie shell and bake for 10minutes.

Allow to stand until cool before refrigeration. Just before serving, you can top with whipped cream or just have it plain. Best to make the day before because the flavor really intensifies.

My Favorite Roast Beef

This is my favorite roast. We had it two nights ago. For a real comfort food meal, serve with mashed potatoes and peas.
From Cooks Illustrated's Best Recipes 
Slow-Roasted Beef with Red Wine Pan Juices

 
Serves 6 to 8.
1 chuck-eye roast , boneless, 3 to 4 pounds, tied crosswise every inch, then tied lengthwise once or twice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup red wine , preferably full flavored
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or low-sodium beef broth 

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper as desired. Heat oil over medium-high heat in Dutch oven or large, heavy, ovenproof pot. Add roast; sear until brown, about 4 minutes each side.
 
2. Transfer pot to oven and cook, uncovered, until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of roast registers 110 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees and cook until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees, about 15 minutes longer. (Cooking times will vary depending on size and shape of roast.) Remove roast from pot; let stand 20 minutes before carving.
 
3. Meanwhile, set pot over medium-high heat; spoon all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add wine, stirring pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen brown bits; simmer until wine reduces to glaze—about 2 minutes. Add broth; simmer until sauce reduces and thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes longer. (For pan juices with a little extra body, juices can be thickened at this point with 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water.) Cut roast into thin slices, adding meat juices to pan juices. Serve immediately with juices passed separately.

Boxing Day Dinner

The day after Christmas, we always have house guests, but we don't feel like cooking too much. This year we are having slow-cooked barbecued pork.

I bought two pork shoulders, and covered each one with half the rub below. I let each shoulder come up to room temperature, then cooked it in a slow cooker for 16 hours, turning the shoulder half way through the cooking.

I then pulled off the fat and bones and shred the pork. Drain the broth, defat it, and reserve. Put the shredded pork and broth in a ziploc bag and freeze.

Serve the pork on kaiser rolls, topping the shredded pork with cole slaw.

Rub Recipe

From Bruce Aidell's  Complete Book of Pork

Enough for two pork shoulders

2 Tbsp. smoked paprika

2 Tbsp. chile powder

2 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. ground coriander

1 Tbsp. ground mustard
2 tsp. cayenne (I leave this out, as I don't want it too spicy.) 
2 tsp. ground sage

2 tsp. oregano

3 Tbsp. ground pepper

1/3 cup kosher salt

Welcome

I love to cook, and so do many of my friends. I've set up this blog to have a venue for us to share recipes.

Merry Christmas!

Ellen