Tag: cup

Beef Short Ribs "Sauerbraten" – Oh, Snap!

I had heard that some sauerbratens were finished by
thickening the sauce with ground gingersnaps, but had
never tried it since it just sounds so wrong. It certainly doesn’t seem very
German. Cookies in a sauce? What’s next, laughing in public?

Anyway, I’ve had a lot of “do something German!” food wishes
lately, and since I’ve wanted to post another short ribs recipe, this seemed
like the perfect opportunity to go full cookie. The results shocked and amazed
me. This was comfort food at it’s finest.

The 24-hour marinade ensured the succulent rib meat had that
signature tanginess, and those little cookies not only gave the sauce a
beautiful texture, but also added a great spicy sweetness. I am now officially
in favor of using cookies to finish savory sauces.

With cooler weather on the way, it’s time to rediscover the
simple joy of slowly stewed meat, and what better way than with this delicious
take on a German classic? I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the marinade

3 lbs short ribs, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2/3 cup cider vinegar

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups water, plus 1 cup cold water at end to cool
marinade down

2 bay leaves

9 whole cloves

12 juniper berries

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

*Marinate at least 24 hours

Then stew with:

1 chopped large onion

1 chopped carrot

2 ribs celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup water

1 cup chicken or beef broth

2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps

salt and pepper to taste

Incoming search terms:

Lambage Rolls! Lamb & Rice Stuffed Cabbage Leaves with Almonds and Currants

My love of cabbage rolls is deep and unconditional. I almost
always make the same version, based on my Aunt Angela’s famous recipe, but once
in a while, just for the hell of it, I’ll use lamb instead of beef.

I love lamb
burgers and lamb meatballs, so it’s no surprise that I love lamb-stuffed
cabbage rolls, and I’m happy to report that these particular “lambage” rolls
were the best non-beef version yet!

I remembered a middle-eastern restaurant Michele and I used
to frequent, which served a lamb meatball stewed with tomatoes and spices, and
served over a rice pilaf studded with almonds and currants. I really loved that
dish and tried to incorporate those elements into these cabbage rolls.

I loved the results. Big, bold flavors, yet not too heavy,
and like all cabbage rolls, these were very, very comforting. I used a pretty
lean grind for the lamb, but ideally the butcher will give you something close
to a 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio.

As far as the rest of the stuff, you’re on your own, and as
usual I’ll ignore most of the “can I leave out the [insert delicious, totally
necessary ingredient here]” questions. You are the boss of your cabbage rolls,
so act like it. Anyway, I hope you share my love of cabbage rolls, and if you
do, I really hope you give this version a try. Enjoy!

Makes 8 Lambage Rolls

1 lb ground lamb

1 cup rice

1/4 cup butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cayenne

pinch dried oregano

1/4 cup packed Italian parsley

1 tbsp dried currants

2 tbsp sliced almonds

1 cup tomato puree

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 onion sliced

1 head cabbage

salt and pepper to taste

feta and parsley to garnish, optional

Incoming search terms:

Crab-Stuffed Corn Muffins – Just One Frosting Away From Being Cupcakes

I was originally going to call these “crab and corn
cupcakes,” but since I’ve still not perfected my bacon frosting recipe, I
decided to hold off and go with the slightly less exciting sounding
“crab-stuffed corn muffins.” And no, I’m not kidding about the bacon frosting.

Besides, since these were inspired by the food wish for new,
easy and interesting football party snacks, I think “muffins” sounds a little
more gridiron than cupcakes. Regardless, they were simple to make, and (as I
tested personally) quite delicious eaten while watching a football game,
possibly with beer(s).

As some of you longtime viewers may have noticed, this is a
variation on something we posted many years ago called “Kernel Porker’s Barbecued Pork-Stuffed Corn Muffins,” and I always
wondered how it would be with crabmeat. When I got the usual autumn avalanche
of football-themed food wishes, I figured the time was right to find out, and I
was very happy with the results!

As I mention in the video, they reminded me of a New England
crab or lobster roll, where they simply pile warm, buttery seafood on those
toasted rolls. This was heavier, but just as pleasurable. Anyway, unlike the
replacement referees that are now calling the games, these didn’t suck, and
certainly won’t be a season-long embarrassment to the league. I hope you give
them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 Crab-stuffed Corn Muffins
For the crab filling:

8 oz crabmeat

1 1/2 tbsp mayo

1 tsp crushed red chili sauce

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp fresh grated lemon zest

2 oz grated pepper Jack cheese (about 1/2 cup)

salt to taste

For the corn muffins:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup corn meal

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp minced green onions

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup melted butter

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.

Incoming search terms:

gordon ramsay crab cakes