Showing posts with label Meats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Meats. Show all posts

Makes 4 servings

Pork tenderloin should be called “the cook’s best friend.” It can be braised
or roasted, sliced into cutlets and pan-seared or cut into cubes, as it is here,
and quickly skillet-cooked in a sauce that’s got more complexity and flavor
than you’d expect from anything this easy. The sauce, which lightly coats the
meat, gets its creaminess from a small amount of tahini and its sophisticated
flavor from spices most closely associated with North Africa. Because of the
tahini, a paste made of ground sesame seeds, I like to finish the dish with a
sprinkling of the same seeds.
If you don’t have tahini in your cupboard, you can use an equal amount of
creamy peanut butter and, if you’d like, finish the dish with chopped
peanuts instead of sesame seeds.
Sautéed spinach is delicious with this.

½ teaspoon harissa powder or chile powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
1 pound (454 grams) pork tenderloin, cut into 1½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons tahini (stirred well before measuring) or creamy peanut butter
Juice of 1½ lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
Freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro, for finishing
Sesame seeds, for finishing

Stir together the harissa or chile powder, ginger, cumin, turmeric and salt to
blend. Toss the pork with the spices, coating all sides.
Mix the tahini with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The tahini will
thicken, and that’s fine.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet — I like nonstick for this — over
medium heat. Add the pork cubes and cook for a minute or so, just to brown
them on all sides. Pour in the honey, stir to coat the meat and cook for
1 minute. Add the vinegar, quickly followed by the water, and stir to deglaze
the pan, picking up whatever bits have stuck to the pan. Lower the heat, stir
in the tahini mix and cook for a few minutes until the sauce is smooth and
the pork is cooked through. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining
lemon juice, taste for salt and season with pepper.
Turn the pork out onto a serving platter and sprinkle with the cilantro
and sesame seeds.

S TO R I N G : While you can keep any leftovers in the refrigerator overnight
and reheat them gently the next day, the dish is really best just-made.

LIGHTNING-FAST TAHINI PORK

by on 05:19
Makes 4 servings Pork tenderloin should be called “the cook’s best friend.” It can be braised or roasted, sliced into cutlets and pan-seared...
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Makes 4 to 6 servings

A boneless leg of lamb, rolled, studded with slivers of garlic and rubbed with
herbs, oil and lemon zest, is a feast worthy of a very special occasion yet
doable on any weeknight. One part of what makes this roast so delectable is
the rub; the other is the way it’s cooked — it’s oven-braised. A quick run in a
hot oven, followed by less than an hour of unattended slow cooking, turns
out a succulent, potently aromatic roast. If it’s spring, serve the lamb with
something green; if the weather’s cold, something rich, like the Potato
Tourte, would be splendid.
Depending on your market, you may find a leg of lamb that’s already
rolled up (some are wrapped in ovenproof netting and ready to roast).
Otherwise, buy a boneless leg of lamb and roll it yourself, rolling it so that
the layer of fat is on the outside, and tying it into a chubby bundle with
kitchen twine.

1 head garlic
1 boneless leg of lamb, 2½ to 3 pounds (1 to 1½ kg), rolled (see headnote), at room
temperature and patted dry
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary and/or oregano (reserve
the stems)
1 lemon
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, sliced, rinsed and patted dry
3 to 6 sprigs fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary and/or oregano
¼ cup (60 ml) white wine
1¼ cups (300 ml) chicken broth

WOR K I NG A H E A D
If you prefer lamb that isn’t rare, you can make the roast up to 3 days ahead and reheat
it very gently in a covered Dutch oven, adding a little more wine, broth or water if
needed.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
Remove 1 or 2 garlic cloves from the head, peel them and slice them into
slivers with a knife or do this with a small (Benriner-type) mandoline. Using
the tip of a paring knife, pierce the lamb all over and then stud it with the
garlic, using the knife to help you push the slivers into the meat. Separate
the remaining cloves (no need to peel) and toss them into a Dutch oven.
Mix 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the minced herbs together in a small
bowl — toss the stems into the Dutch oven — and grate the lemon zest over
the oil. Season generously with salt and pepper and rub the seasoned oil
over the lamb.
Thickly slice the lemon and add the slices to the Dutch oven, along with
the onion and herb sprigs. Pour over the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the
white wine, season with salt and pepper and stir to mix well. Center the
lamb in the pot.
Roast the lamb for 15 minutes, then cover the pot and lower the oven
temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue to cook until a thermometer
inserted into the center of the roast reads between 120 degrees F (rare) and
135 degrees F (medium-rare), about 30 minutes. The total cooking time will
be about 45 minutes. If you’d like the top of the roast to be a little darker,
run it under the broiler very briefly. Remove the roast and tent with foil; let
it rest while you make the pan sauce.
Put the Dutch oven over high heat and bring the liquid in the pot to a boil,
crushing the garlic cloves as you do. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the
broth, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper
and strain the sauce.
Slice the roast and serve, either moistening the meat with the pan sauce
or passing it at the table.

S TO R I N G : If you like your lamb rare, your only chance to have it the way you
want it is to eat it as soon as it’s ready or at room temperature for a few days
after that. Leftovers make great sandwiches, and they’re also good in
Mediterranean Shepherd’s Pie — cut the lamb into small cubes and use it
instead of the ground meat.
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Makes 4 servings

I fell in love with lamb shanks, braised until tender enough to eat with a
spoon, at New York bistros during the time when every chef with good
classic training was going rustic. I knew the dish was actually simple, yet
there was something about the way the slow-cooked meat seemed almost
glazed, and the sauce, chunky and natural, seemed to tack between sweet
and acidic, herbaceous and fruity, that made me think it was beyond the
reach of mortal home cooks. Good thing I got over that! In truth, shanks are
as easy to make as stews — they just look more impressive. The secret is
patience. Spend a little time browning the meat and then just a few minutes
more building the layers of flavor in the sauce — a mix of tomatoes, olives,
herbs and strips of citrus zest that looks meek but, over time in the oven,
turns bold and gives character to the dish.

a word on leftovers
The sauce is great over pasta — I like it with a short pasta, like fusilli. If
you’ve got leftover meat, shred it over the pasta.

4 lamb shanks
2 tablespoons grapeseed, peanut or other neutral oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic head, loose skin removed
2 carrots, peeled, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 large or 2 medium onions, finely chopped, rinsed and patted dry
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
One 28-ounce (794-gram) can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, with their
juice
1 tablespoon anchovy paste or 4 oil-packed anchovies
1½ cups (360 ml) white wine
1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
1 cup (about 150 grams) oil-cured black olives, pitted
2 wide strips tangerine, orange or lemon peel, white pith removed
¼ teaspoon Urfa pepper or a pinch of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes

WOR K I NG A H E A D
Like all classic braises, this is even better the day after it’s made. Keep it well covered
in the refrigerator — you can hold it for up to 3 days — and reheat it gently on the
stovetop or in a 325-degree-F oven.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Line a baking
sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat — your insurance
against drips on the oven floor.
Choose a stockpot, Dutch oven or a large deep skillet with a cover —
although the shanks will shrink as they cook, you need to be able to arrange
them in a pot with all the other saucy ingredients and give everything room
to bubble.
Pat the shanks dry with paper towels. Heat the vegetable oil in the pot
over medium heat and brown the shanks on all sides, about 10 minutes.
You’ll probably need to work in batches. When the shanks are browned,
transfer them to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour out the oil in
the pot and pour in the olive oil. Cut off just enough from the top of the head
of garlic to reveal the cloves, and toss the garlic, carrots, onions and
rosemary into the pot. Season with salt and cook over low heat, stirring,
until the vegetables are softened but not colored, 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, plunge kitchen scissors into the can of tomatoes and snip
until they are bite-sized (or break them up with your hands).
Stir the anchovy paste or anchovies into the pot and cook, stirring, until
dissolved into the mixture, a minute or two. Add 1 cup of the wine, turn up
the heat and boil until it is just about evaporated. Add the remaining ½ cup
wine, the broth, tomatoes with their liquid, the olives, citrus peel and pepper
and stir everything around. Return the shanks to the pot, doing your best to
almost submerge them. Seal the pot with a piece of foil and then the lid.
Place the lined baking sheet in the oven and put the pot on it.
Braise for 2 hours and then check the shanks — if the meat is falling off the
bone, they’re done; if it’s not, give them another 30 minutes or so. Pick out
the garlic if you can — it may have fallen apart — and serve the shanks with
the sauce.

S TO R I N G : Wrapped airtight, leftover shanks and sauce can be frozen for up
to 2 months.

LAMB OR VEAL OSSO BUCO

The shank is the cut that gives us osso buco, thick rounds of meat with the
marrow bone in the center. If you’d like, ask the butcher to cut the shank
into rounds, and cook the pieces as you would the full shanks, but for about
half the time — check the pot after 1 hour. You can also do this with veal, the
more traditional meat for osso buco.
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Makes 6 to 8 servings

If you’ve never made stuffed cabbage, I urge you to stop everything and do it
now. Earthy and rustic, stuffed cabbage is beloved in many cultures, revered
in Europe and known to cause arguments among cooks who are convinced
that their recipe is superior to all others. My version, which mixes beef,
pork, rice and my mother-in-law’s long-secret addition, ketchup, is
idiosyncratic but one I’d argue for. Passionately. I make my stuffed cabbage
in bundles, the way I had it when I was growing up. It’s a nod to childhood
memories, but I do it this way partly because I enjoy the arts-and-crafts
nature of the project. That it makes the dish easier to serve and more
attractive is a bonus. For me, the sauce, both pungent and a little sweet, is
the prize: It’s built on tomatoes, sweetened with apple juice and spiked with
vinegar. The cabbage packets are layered between the sauce and a cushion of
grated apples, shredded onions and cabbage and braised for 3 hours — the
aromas draw everyone into the kitchen.

For the cabbage bundles
1 large head green cabbage — regular or Savoy
1½ pounds (680 grams) ground chuck
½ pound (227 grams) sausage meat — sweet, hot or a combination (or an equal
amount of ground chuck)
1 medium onion, finely chopped, rinsed and patted dry
2 shallots, finely chopped, rinsed and patted dry
2 garlic cloves, germ removed (see sidebar) and finely chopped
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup (100 grams) basmati or other long-grain rice
Grated zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup (60 ml) ketchup
1½ tablespoons soy sauce

For the sauce and add-ins
Two 28-ounce (794-gram) cans whole tomatoes, with their juice
⅓ cup (80 ml) unsweetened apple juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 onion, sliced, rinsed and patted dry
1 apple, grated

WOR K I NG A H E A D
I like to make this a day ahead if I can. An overnight in the fridge gives you the chance
to easily spoon off and discard any fat, and it gives all the flavors a chance to deepen.

TO M A K E T H E C A B B AG E R O L L S : Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, pull off and discard any tough outer leaves from the cabbage.
Turn the cabbage upside down and, working carefully with a heavy knife, cut
out the core. I usually have to do this in increments — cutting out a divot and
then going back in to cut away more. Pull off the outer 18 or so leaves (the
largest on the head). Drop a couple of leaves at a time into the boiling water
and leave them there for a minute or two, just until they’re softened. Shake
off the excess water as you remove the leaves from the pot and then pat
them dry.
Working with one leaf at a time, spread it out on a cutting board, with the
outer part — the side where the thick center rib sticks up — facing up. Using
a paring knife or a strong vegetable peeler, cut or shave down the thick rib so
that it’s (kind of) even with the leaf and, most important, flexible — don’t
worry about being precise. Set the trimmed leaves aside; they’re the ones
you’ll stuff. Thinly slice the remaining cabbage — think thick-cut coleslaw —
and set aside for the sauce.
Put the ground chuck and sausage in a bowl, add all the remaining
ingredients and mix together as though you were making meatballs — be
thorough, but try not to knead or work the stuffing too much.
To construct the bundles, lay a cabbage leaf inner (cup) side up on a work
surface. Shape about ¼ cup of the stuffing into a little log. Place the log
horizontally across the cabbage, keeping it within the bottom third of the
leaf, and lift the bottom of the leaf up and against the meat — or over it, if
you have enough leaf. Fold the two sides over the log and then start rolling
the log up in the leaf until you get to the top. (Imagine that you’re making a
burrito and the cabbage leaf is the tortilla.) Make the roll as compact as you
can and secure the seam with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining leaves
and stuffing.

TO M A K E T H E S A U C E A N D CO O K T H E B U N D L E S : Center a rack in the oven
and preheat it to 350 degrees F.
Open the cans of tomatoes and, using kitchen scissors and working in the
cans, snip the tomatoes into small pieces (alternatively, you can break them
up with your hands). Pour the tomatoes and juice into a large bowl and stir
in the apple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and cayenne. In another bowl,
toss together the sliced onion, grated apple and reserved sliced cabbage.
Pour one third of the sauce into a large Dutch oven or a large ovenproof
sauté pan with a lid. Cover with half of the apple mixture and top with half of
the cabbage bundles. Repeat with half of the remaining apple mixture and
the rest of the cabbage bundles. Finish with a layer of the remaining sauce
and apple mixture. Cover with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit snugly
inside the pot and against the ingredients (or seal the top of the pot with
aluminum foil). Cover with the lid and slide the pot into the oven.
Let the stuffed cabbage cook undisturbed for 3 hours. Taste the sauce,
which will be thin, and add more sugar, vinegar, salt or cayenne if you think
it needs it. Then test a cabbage bundle to make certain that the rice is
tender. If it isn’t — unlikely, but . . . return the pot to the oven until it is.
The stuffed cabbage can be served now or cooled, refrigerated and
reheated when you’re ready — I think the flavors get even better after an
overnight rest.

S TO R I N G : You can keep leftover cabbage bundles and sauce in a covered
container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The stuffed cabbage can be
frozen for up to 2 months packed in an airtight container. If frozen, gently
thaw before reheating in a covered pot.

STUFFED CABBAGE

by on 08:37
Makes 6 to 8 servings If you’ve never made stuffed cabbage, I urge you to stop everything and do it now. Earthy and rustic, stuffed cabbage ...
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Makes 6 servings

Brisket’s a tough cut of meat that needs long, slow cooking to make it tender
and flavorful. You can get that gentle heat by cooking it in a Dutch oven on
the stovetop, in a low oven or in a slow cooker, a tool that’s perfect for the
job. No matter how I’m going to braise the brisket, I like to give it a
preliminary sear over high heat to color and lightly crust it; ditto the carrots
and sweet potatoes that make this a one-pot dinner. The quick high-heat
treatment gives everything a roasted flavor, which is nice in a long-cooking
dish. (If you’re in a hurry, you can skip this step and just stir everything
together in the pot.)
a word on cooking methods
If you want to make the brisket on the stovetop, use a large Dutch oven and
cook, covered, over low heat. If you choose the oven, put the brisket and
other ingredients in a roasting pan, cover with foil and cook in a 350-degree-
F oven. In either case, add the bigger cuts of carrots and the sweet potatoes
after about 1½ hours of cooking. Start checking the meat at the 3-hour mark
and, if necessary, continue to cook until fork-tender.

1 pound (454 grams) carrots, peeled and trimmed
About 3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
1 large or 2 medium onions, halved, thinly sliced, rinsed and patted dry
4 garlic cloves, germ removed (see sidebar)
2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
One 3-pound (about 1½-kg) beef brisket, trimmed, but with a thin layer of fat on one
side
2 cups (480 ml) fruity red wine, such as Syrah
One 14-ounce (397-gram) can diced tomatoes, with their juice
12 pitted prunes
1 bay leaf
1 whole star anise
½ teaspoon Urfa pepper or a pinch of smoked paprika
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Flake salt, such as Maldon (optional)

WOR K I NG A H E A D
The brisket is easiest to cut when it’s chilled, so if you have time, refrigerate the meat
and the sauce separately — it will be easier for you to spoon off and discard the fat if the
sauce is in its own container. You can make the brisket up to 5 days ahead. Reheat over
gentle heat.

Cut 3 of the carrots into 2-inch-thick pieces — these will go into the pan at
the start. Cut the remaining carrots into thirds and set them aside.
Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in
the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add
the smaller pieces of carrot and the celery, season with salt and pepper and
cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. If the pan seems dry, add a little more oil. Turn
up the heat and stir the vegetables around for a minute or so to get a little
char on them. Scrape the vegetables into a slow cooker and discard whatever
oil is left in the skillet.
Put the skillet over medium-high heat, add another tablespoon of oil to
the pan and add the brisket fat side down. Cook until browned, about 3
minutes, then turn and brown the other side. Season with salt and pepper,
then transfer the beef to the cooker and discard whatever oil remains in the
skillet.
Put the skillet over high heat, add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping
the bottom of the pan to pick up whatever bits have stuck to it. Lower the
heat and add the tomatoes with their juice, the prunes, bay leaf, star anise
and Urfa pepper or paprika. Stir well, then pour the mixture into the slow
cooker.
Give everything a good stir, cover, set the slow cooker to low and cook for
4 hours.
Drop in the remaining carrots and the sweet potatoes and cook for 4 more
hours, or until the beef and the second-round vegetables are fork-tender.
(The brisket and vegetables can be covered and refrigerated now for up to 5
days, or wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. While the dish is cold,
skim off any surface fat and slice the brisket — it’s much easier to cut when it’s
cold, and you’ll get neater slices.) Taste for salt and pepper, adjust the
seasonings as needed and, if you can find them, remove the star anise and
bay leaf before serving (if not, warn your tablemates).
Cut the meat into long slices, always cutting against the grain, and reheat
in the sauce over low heat.
Arrange the sliced meat, vegetables and sauce on a large platter and
sprinkle with parsley and flake salt, if you’d like.

S TO R I N G : You can freeze the brisket for up to 2 months.

C H O I C E S : Because the braise has carrots and sweet potatoes, you can serve
it on its own, but I think it’s especially good over mashed potatoes, small
pasta, chewy barley or toasty kasha. Also, if you’d like, about an hour before
the brisket is done, you can stir in some shredded greens, such as kale, chard
or spinach.
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Makes 2 to 4 servings, depending on the steak

The big flavors in this dish come from the dual-purpose marinade, which is
first used to flavor and tenderize the steak and then to sauce it. The
marinade itself is Asian-ish with ingredients that hold their own after
cooking. The base is soy and oil (the oil helps the marinade stick to the
meat), and the aromatics are ginger, garlic, lime, cilantro and Thai red curry
paste.
As for the steak, my favorite cut here is hanger steak, often referred to as a
butcher’s steak. Some people say it got its name because it was an
inexpensive, chewy cut that was hard to sell, so the butcher would take it
home. Others say that the butcher kept it because it was so delicious. I’m
happy with story number two.
There is just one hanger steak on a cow and so the cut is not very common.
If you find it, you’ll see that the grain runs somewhat the way it does in other
sinewy cuts like skirt or flank steak. Any of these would be great with this
marinade. And all of them can be cooked on an outdoor grill but, city girl at
heart, I reach for a stove-top grill pan or cast-iron skillet.

a word on the marinade
If you’re cooking a large steak or more than one, you may want to double the
marinade. Use what you need, and if there’s any that you didn’t pour over
the steak, refrigerate it and use it to marinate chicken cutlets.

For the marinade
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste, or a tad more to taste
8 quarter-sized pieces peeled fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, germ removed (see sidebar) and minced, or more to taste
Pinch of sugar
½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil or neutral oil
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 large or 4 small limes
12 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped (including the stems)
1 hanger steak, 1 flank steak or 2 skirt steaks
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
WOR K I NG A H E A D
You can marinate the meat overnight.

TO M A K E T H E M A R I N A D E : Put the curry paste in a small bowl, add the ginger,
garlic and sugar and mash together. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir
to blend. Divide the marinade in half; cover and refrigerate one portion.
Put the meat in a dish that holds it snugly and pour over the remaining
marinade. Rub it into both sides of the meat, cover the dish and let it sit at
room temperature for at least 1 hour. (The meat can be marinated at room
temperature for about an hour or in the refrigerator for as long as overnight.
Remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.)
When you’re ready to cook, remove the meat from the marinade; discard
the marinade. Scrape off and discard whatever solids may be stuck to the
meat and pat the meat dry.
If you’re going to cook the steak(s) on an outdoor grill, I leave you to it. If
your grill or cast-iron pan needs it, spray it with cooking spray, then place it
over high heat. When the pan is hot, slip in the meat — if you’re cooking 2
steaks, don’t crowd them — and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the
thickness. (A flank steak will cook faster than a skirt or hanger — it may need
just 2 minutes on a side.) Flip the steak(s) over and cook until done just as
you like. To see how it’s doing, cut into the meat and take a peek,
remembering that it will continue to cook a bit after it comes off the heat.
Transfer the meat to dinner plates or a cutting board, season with salt and
pepper and let sit for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, bring the refrigerated marinade almost to a boil in a
microwave oven or in a saucepan on the stove.
Cut the steak(s) into portions or slices, spoon the “sauce” over the meat
and serve.

S TO R I N G : Leftovers, which make great sandwiches and salads, will keep for
up to 3 days wrapped in the refrigerator.
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