Liver and Onions

Here's a nod to a classic diner dish. Growing up, my Mom's side of the family ate a lot of liver and still to this day they love ordering this from our local diner. 

Liver is definitely an acquired taste and it may seem a little unappetizing coming straight from the store. But liver is packed with nutrients and can be transformed into a tasty, complete meal by serving applesauce and mashed potatoes on the side- the way my family prefers!
                                                                                                   
Ingredients:

Steer or Calf 's Liver--- 1 Lb.
Onion (sliced)--- 1 C.
Sugar--- Pinch
All Purpose Flour--- 1/4 C.
Salt and Pepper--- To Taste
Butter--- 1 Tbs.
Olive Oil--- 1 Tbs. 
                                                                                                   

In a large frying pan, melt butter saute onions over medium to low heat. Caramelize onions by mixing in sugar. 

Coat liver in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan and fry liver for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Because the liver is so thin and tender, it's important to not overcook your protein.   

Serve warm with a heaping pile of onions and sides of mashed potatoes and apple sauce. Enjoy!

Kebabs (Beef & Veggie)

I needed a "K" dish for my Alphabet challenge so Kebabs were a no-brainer! Although I went with a fairly standard kebab recipe, you can get very creative with what you put on your skewer. The beef kebabs were great but I'd love to try chicken and even veggie kebabs in the future. The grilled vegetables are really what make this dish as they seem to help season the meat and vice-versa. And for even more tender and flavorful kebabs, marinate your beef a few hours before grilling!
                                                                                                   
Ingredients:

Sirloin Steak (cubed)--- 1 Lb.

About a Cup of Each Vegetable/Fruit:

Bell Pepper
Onion
Zucchini 
Eggplant
Tomato
Mushroom
Garlic
Pineapple 

Salt and Pepper--- To Taste
Olive Oil--- 1 Tbs.
                                                                                                   
Preheat grill to Medium-High. Thickly slice vegetables/fruit so they will stay secure on a skewer. Cube beef and season with salt and pepper. Feel free to add other rubs, spices and/or herbs at this point.

 

Assemble skewers any way you want- you can put as much or as little on each as you desire!

Place kebabs on a lightly oiled grill. Allow time to cook to your preferred doneness. My family likes ours on the rare side which takes about 5 minutes. Medium would be about 6 to 7 minutes. 

Remove from grill and plate on a large serving platter! 

Jalapeno Cornbread

This is such a summery dish that can be made a number of different ways. As pepper season is coming into full-swing, you may be wondering what to do with all those garden left-overs. Although jalapenos are great in salsas, they can be added to this cornbread recipe to give an added kick! 

(Goya Canned Jalapenos do the trick)

In this recipe, I used both fresh and pickled jalapenos. Because not every one like spicy foods as much as I do, I had to adjust the recipe to give the bread a bite but no so much heat that your mouth is on fire. Using pickled peppers inside the bread while topping the batter with fresh jalapenos gave me the perfect balance of spices.
  
                                                                                                   
Ingredients:  

Yellow Corn Meal--- 1 C
All Purpose Flour--- 1 C
Baking Powder--- 3 Tsp
Salt--- 1 Tsp
Brown Sugar--- 1/4 C
Jalapeno Peppers (Pickled)--- 1 12oz Can
Milk--- 1 C
Egg--- 1 (Large)
Vegetable Oil--- 1/4 C
Garlic Powder--- To Taste
Chili Powder--- To Taste
Jalapeno Peppers (Fresh)--- 2
                                                                                                   

Begin by Preheating your oven to 400F. If using pickled peppers, slice into bit-size pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (Flour, Corn Meal, Baking Powder, Sugar and Salt)

In a separate bowl whisk egg, oil and milk until evenly stirred. Add jalapenos as well as wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth batter is formed.

Pour batter into a 7x7 baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray. Using a spatula, even out the top of the cornbread. 

 For added flavor slice and remove seeds from fresh jalapeno peppers. Place slices on the top of the batter. Also season the top of the cornbread with extra brown sugar, chili and garlic powder. The sugar will caramelize and the chili will add a hint of red to the already colorful dish.

Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes. Allow a few minutes for bread to cool before serving and enjoying!

Incan Stew

The easiest way to experience another culture is through their food! Lately, I've had such a travel bug and am looking to fill up my passport. By making these dishes, I get a literal taste of a certain country, region, or culture. 

The Inca Empire was a historic civilization found in modern day Peru. This country noted for it's beautiful scenery most notably from the Andes Mountains. The Incan diet is based on hardy vegetables and grains that can survive in the rugged, high-altitude climate. And as it turns out, Quinoa originated in Central and South America making this dish not only delicious but historical!

I would say this is a "stew" in name only. The potatoes and quinoa absorb most of the liquid so this dish is more like a side rather than a soup. Be sure to add the chipotle peppers- they add a smoky flavor that really steps up the taste!
                                                                                                   
Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes--- 1.5 Lbs.
Quinoa--- 1.5 C
Chipotle Peppers--- 1 ( 7oz ) Can  
Water-- 3.5 C
Garlic Powder--- 1 Tbs.
Salt--- To taste
Pepper-- To taste 
                                                                                                   
Begin by peeling potatoes and cutting into bite-sized pieces. Prep chipotle peppers by slicing into small strips. 

In a large pot bring 2 cup of water to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover your pot. Let quinoa cook alone for 5 minutes, then add potatoes, peppers and the remaining water.

Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stew is ready once quinoa is tender and has absorbed the majority of the water. Enjoy!

Honeydew Sorbet

Just in time for the 4th of July! Here's a cool, refreshing and colorful dish that is a fun alternative to the typical party fruit tray. 

                                                                                                   
Ingredients:

Honeydew--- 2 (Medium sized)
Water--- 1/2 C
Mint--- 2 Tsp.
Honey--- 2 Tbs.
                                                                                                   

Start by removing the seeds from inside the fruit. Cut honeydew into small pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours.

Working in small batches, combine frozen honeydew, water, mint and honey and puree in a food processor until smooth like water ice. 

Pour pureed honeydew into a cake pan and let firm by freezing for an additional hour. 

Enjoy!

Gnocchi with Basil and Oil

The Recovery Kitchen is all about making things from scratch and much like the Homemade Pasta post, I had a go at making gnocchi by hand.

Some takeaways from making these little Italian dumplings:

1. They are really easy to make. It's pretty much mashed potatoes with flour.

2. Gnocchi are the Italian version of Slovak Halušky. I love drawing food parallels between two different cultures.

3. Unlike other pastas, gnocchi aren't all that labor intensive. In other words you don't have to be like my Great-Grandma who would spend all day making pasta in the kitchen. 

Overall, gnocchi are a delicious accompaniment to an Italian feast and can be enjoyed plain or smothered and covered in your favorite sauces!    
                                                                                                     
Ingredients:

Potatoes--- 1 Lb
All-Purpose Flour--- 3/4 C
Ricotta Cheese--- 1/4 C
Egg--- 1 
Basil (Dried)--- 1 Tbs
Salt and Pepper--- To Taste
Olive Oil--- 1 Tbs
                                                                                                     
Start by baking potatoes at 425F for about an hour. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool enough to handle. The skin should peel off easily and once the potatoes are peeled, mash in a large mixing bowl. To making the dough easier to work, try and mash any big potato lumps. 

To make the dough, gently knead in the flour, ricotta and a whisked egg. Season dough by working in salt, pepper and basil.

Once dough is formed, divide into smaller loaves and roll into long, narrow strips (almost like a kielbasa/sausage). Flour your knife and slice dough into small pieces (mine were about the size of dice).

To give the dumplings that classic gnocchi look, roll on the back of a fork to give them a nice pattern and rounded shape.

On the stove, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add gnocchi to the pot and let cook until they float to the top of the water. Because they are so fresh, it'll only take 1-2 minutes for the gnocchi to cook.

Strain from water and top with your favorite sauce or simply with basil, grated Parmesan and oil!

French Onion Soup

The French style seems to be the most elite type cooking in the culinary world. I love trying these recipes because while they can be challenging, they are very rewarding in the end. My sister LOVES French Onion Soup (according to her, it's her favorite type of soup) and with "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in hand, I decided to channel my inner "Child" and try this dish.

Overall, it's a really easy dish- just saute onions and add broth. Of course it's the garnishes that make the meal so be sure to top your soup with a baguette and Gruyere cheese. Although some may be hesitant to try an Onion soup, the sweetness of the wine and meatiness of the stock perfectly balance out the strong onion flavor.
                                                                                                     
Ingredients:
Sweet or Yellow Onions (sliced)--- 3 C
Butter--- 3 Tbs
Olive Oil--- 2 Tbs
All Purpose Flour--- 2 Tbs
Salt and Sugar--- Pinch of each
Beef Stock--- 1 Qt (32oz)
White Wine (Pinot Grigio)--- 1/2 C
Baguette 
Gruyere Cheese (grated)--- 1 C
                                                                                                   
Begin by cutting onions into thin slices. In a large saucepan, heat oil and butter until melted. Saute onions for 15 minutes on low heat. Season with salt and sugar (Julia says the sugar helps brown the onions) Cover pot to keep onions tender and moist. 

Add flour to onions and stir for 3 minutes until they thicken. In a separate pot, bring stock to a boil. Remove onions from heat and pour stock into the large saucepan. Return the saucepan to heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow about 30 minutes for the soup to simmer.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 375F. Slice baguette into thick pieces, drizzle olive oil over bread and roast for 30 minutes until baguette is dried & golden brown. 

Remove soup from from heat and ladle into an oven safe bowl. Place toasted baguette on top of the soup and cover with the grated Gruyere cheese. Place bowl in oven and bake for 20 minutes so the cheese melts into soup.   

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!