Marie Rama's Blog, page 9
November 25, 2013
November 20, 2013
Beth Fish Reads: Weekend Cooking: Bacon Nation by Peter Kaminsky and Marie Rama
Great review of Bacon Nation by foodie Beth Fish. Thanks, Beth!
A collection of hand selected articles from #Bacon Nation: Why Bacon is Good For You
A long list of reasons bacon isn’t a “bad food;” in fact, there might just be some good reasons to eat more of it. Read on.
Perfect Easy Holiday Appetizer: Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Garlic and Ginger
Not for bacon fans only! Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Garlic and Ginger from Bacon Nation.
November 19, 2013
Eat More Squash!
Want a simple meal that’s cheap and loaded with antioxidants? Eat more hard-shelled squash like Carnival, Sweet Dumpling and Acorn.
I came home tonight with not a clue what my husband and I would eat for dinner. Then I spied it — a beautiful hard-shell Carnival squash, speckled green and orange and sitting in a bowl on my kitchen counter. I’d bought it about two weeks ago, at a local farm stand in upstate New York — one of the last-harvested vegetables of the season, and something in me, prior to this night, didn’t want to cut it up and eat it; it just looked so beautifully ornamental, in my kitchen.
But the right time had come to roast it up. I preheated the oven to 350 degrees, set the squash on a hard, flat surface, and pull out a Chinese cleaver (my attack weapon of choice for squash!) from the knife rack.
Warning!!!! Cutting a round, hard-shelled squash in half is a dangerous job. The orb is hard (like its name) and doesn’t lie flat. You need to lay the squash on its side on a sturdy, preferably wooden cutting surface, and holding it, while please keeping your fingers out of the way, make a deep cut lengthwise into the squash from stem to blossom end. Unless you’re really strong, you probably won’t cut it in half on your first whack. I like to make an initial cut and then use a wooden mallet or hammer to pound the clever deeper into the squash until it finally splits in two.
Then you have two halves that can be stuffed, seasoned and baked. But first use a spoon to scrape away any of its seeds and excess fibers.
I like a combination of brown sugar, freshly chopped ginger to taste, salt and pepper, and for this recipe I added a little chopped red pepper for extra color and crunch. Just layer these ingredients, to taste, in the little “bowl” in the center of each squash half; then top each with about 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Or, skip the butter and add to each half a piece of coarsely chopped bacon, which will release smoky flavor and crisp up nicely by the time the squash is fully roasted.
Set the two halves into a baking pan or dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 to 50 minutes or until you can slip the tip of a knife easily into the orange flesh.
A piece of broiled chicken or some browned sausage, as I show here, is all you need to complete this hearty, healthy, simple and delicious meal.
One last suggestion, stuffed squash halves make a nice presentation on a dinner party table and are perfect for Thanksgiving and other fall or winter holiday occasions. However, I wouldn’t recommend them for parties of more than 8 dinners, unless you have some help in the kitchen to cut and remove their seeds and fibers.
November 17, 2013
Wrap It in Bacon!
My new video shows you how to make easy holiday appetizer, Shrimp Wrapped in Bacon with Ginger and Scallions. Enjoy!
November 11, 2013
Potato Gratin for the Holidays
When looking for recipe inspiration, especially during the holidays, I often turn to food magazines and even catalogues of kitchen supply companies like Williams-Sonoma for inspiration. I modified this potato casserole dish from their catalogue, and apologize for not having a photo of the finished dish. When it came out of the oven, we ate it so fast that I forgot to snap a picture.
2-1/2 pounds russet potatoes (3 large) peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks, white and light green portions, rinsed well and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch rings
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 ounces (2 cups loosely packed) Gruyere cheese, grated
2 ounces (1 cup loosely packed) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1.) Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the potatoes crosswise into thin slices about 1/4-inch thick. (The potatoes may darken slightly after they’ve been cut, but this won’t affect their flavor.)
2.) Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and stir to coat them in the butter. Cover the skillet and cook about 10 minutes or until the leeks are tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Recipe Tip: You’ll have a better result cleaning the sand and grit from leeks if you cut them first, then toss the cut pieces into a strainer and rinse under running cold water.
3.) Add the cream, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered, adjusting the heat as necessary and stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.
4.) Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
5.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
(Recipe Tip: To make this casserole a day ahead, don’t preheat the oven, but do complete the recipe through step 7; refrigerate the potato mixture overnight, bring it to room temperature, and then bake as directed about 75 minutes before serving time.)
6.) Combine the Gruyere and Parmigiano cheeses in a medium bowl.
7. Grease a deep 12-inch oven-proof saucepan with the remaining butter. Layer one-third of the potatoes in the saucepan …
… spread one-third of the leek mixture over the potatoes; sprinkle with a third of the cheeses and a third of the chives. Repeat the process twice more to finish the layering …
Recipe Note: Bacon fans could add 4 slices of chopped and browned bacon, layering it into the casserole with the cheese.
8.) Cover the saucepan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking about 20 to 30 minutes more or until the potatoes are cooked and the top layer of crust is a golden brown.
Serves 6
Recipe Note: I carefully poured off the excess oil that rose to the surface after the dish was baked and it didn’t diminish the flavor one bit.
November 7, 2013
Free Bacon (Yeah!) for Kansas State Women's Basketball Fans
What’s a sure-fire way to bring fans to Kansas State’s women’s basketball games? Offer everybody free bacon!
November 6, 2013
Top Ten Tips for Holiday Cooking
1.) Start the Planning Now!
2.) Order those specialty foods like country hams, smoked turkeys, artisan bacons, and fruit baskets for family and friends.
3.) Make and freeze cookies, baked goods, and other gifts from your kitchen now. Involve your kids in making and wrapping up your goodies; great family traditions begin in the kitchen!
Bacon Nation’s Chocolate Peanut Bacon Toffee makes a great holiday gift from the kitchen and can be frozen now for giving later.
4.) Send your friends and family members online, “save the date” messages.
5.) Start visiting food websites and buying food magazines for recipes and decorating ideas. Make a list of different dishes to try this year. Good cooks, experienced or not, are always trying new dishes to expand their repertoire. But take time to test a new dish out before serving it to guests. A test-run in the kitchen now will save you from apologizing to guests later if the dish doesn’t work.
6.) Locate local food banks and other organization like the YMCA that prepare and serve holiday dinners for those of use less fortunate. Your help as a cook will be greatly appreciated.
7.) Be a guest at your own party. Entertaining isn’t only about food preparation; it’s also about planning, shopping, table-setting, decorating and cleaning up. A menu that’s too ambitious will stress you out even before you begin the preparations. Include some foods you can simply buy and platter or that can be made ahead, like assorted cheeses and crackers with Bacon Jam. Our Bacon Jam is a sweet-sour condiment made with bacon, apple-cider vinegar, fresh ginger, Bourbon, jalpeno pepper, and assorted spices. Make a batch several days before the party, store in the refrigerator, and then bring it out with great pride at serving time. Everybody loves a little bacon jam on a cracker with cheese, and you can’t buy it in any store.
8.) Stick to a budget! Food is expensive and you don’t want to experience after-party-sticker shock. Your friends and family will be just as happy with ham or turkey as they are with shrimp and filet, especially if your side dishes and desserts are dazzling.
9.) Make it a friend and family affair. Why have all the fun yourself when you can invite others to join in? Plan the menu, then assign friends different dishes to bring along or help you make.
Or, when guests arrive get them cooking in your kitchen! Hand them the recipe, the ingredients, and a drink, and let them all join in to make a party appetizer. It’s an instant ice breaker, and everybody wants to hang out in the kitchen anyway. So, make them useful!
10.) Just before the first guest arrives, dim the lights just the way you want them, pour yourself a glass of wine, and have a quiet moment to take in the beauty of your home and anticipate the happiness you’ve created and are about to share with those you most love.
November 4, 2013
Beef Filets Wrapped in Bacon for the Holidays
In another few weeks, holiday home cooks are going to look past Thanksgiving to ask, “What will I serve my guests for Christmas or New Year’s Eve?” The easy answer is a tenderloin filet. Unless you’re a vegan, a beef tenderloin filet roasted to perfection is the simplest of ways to feed and please. As long as you don’t overcook the meat (and I prefer mine medium-rare), even a novice cook can make this roast perfectly.
Wrapping the tenderloin in bacon strips infuses the roast with smokiness, and if you’re worried about bacon fat, most of it is rendered before the roast is served.
Here’s my recipe, with cooking notes and pictures to guide you. Bon Appetite, friends!
l beef tenderloin roast, 3 to 3-1/2 pounds, untied
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound bacon (12 to 13 slices)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh, minced rosemary leaves
Place 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap that are a few inches longer than the tenderloin on a work surface. Place the roast in the center of the plastic wrap. Season with salt and pepper; sprinkle the rosemary.
Cooking note: Most tenderloins this size are tied with butcher’s twine. Remove the twine before seasoning the roast and wrapping it in the bacon.
Starting at one end, wrap a bacon slice around the roast, tucking the ends under. (If the slice is especially long, continue to wrap it around the roast, starting another slice where the previous one ended.)
Use the remaining slices to finish wrapping the roast, overlapping each slightly.
Pull up the plastic wrap around the roast to cover it completely and to hold the bacon in place. Transfer to a large baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Lay the roast on a large cutting board; remove the plastic wrap and cut the roast crosswise down the middle into 2 equal pieces. Add the oil to a large cast iron skillet and warm it over medium heat. Add one of the wrapped tenderloins, seam side down …
… and sear for about 5 minutes or until the bacon is browned and much of the fat is rendered. Using tongs, gently turn the tenderloin over and sear the other side for 5 minutes or until the bacon is browned. Then turn and sear on the remaining 2 sides until all the bacon is browned and much of the fat is rendered.
Cooking note: The bacon will not brown and crisp much more after you put the tenderloin into the oven to finish cooking. So, brown thoroughly at this stage, but without allowing the bacon to burn. Use tongs to turn the roast and keep adjusting the heat. You want the bacon to sizzle, so that it browns fairly quickly without burning.
When it’s fully browned the roast will look like this …
Transfer the tenderloin to a large roasting rack set over a roasting pan.
Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet. (You can pour it into a jar, as our grandmother’s did, to save for later use. Be sure to refrigerate.) Set the skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tenderloin, seam side down. Repeat the browning process.
Transfer the tenderloin to the roasting rack alongside the other roast, and place in the preheated oven. Roast each until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 130 to 135 degrees F for medium rare, 20 to 25 minutes.
Let the roasts rest, loosely covered with foil, about 10 minutes before carving.
To carve, transfer the roasts to a carving board and cut into slices each about 1-inch thick …
Arrange the slices on a serving platter and serve immediately with a potato gratin of your choice. (See my next post for a Layered Leek and Potato Gratin that is very good with this Bacon-Wrapped Tenderloin!)
Serves 6 to 8.
