Monday, November 19, 2012

Bolognese Sauce

Modified from teen cookbook Clueless in the Kitchen by Evelyn Raab.



Bolognese Sauce II
Serves 6


2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely grated
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cups or one 14-oz. can beef broth
1 pound lean ground beef, 10 percent fat or less
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
2 ½ cups whole milk
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in heavy 4-quart pan.
2. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring, over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the grated carrot, the chopped celery, and half of the beef broth, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up the lumps, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the rest of the beef broth, and cook just until liquid has nearly evaporated, about 4 minutes.
6. Add the tomato paste, half of the milk, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until much of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the rest of the milk and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Cook the pasta while sauce is simmering.
8. Serve over 14 ounces spaghetti cooked al dente. Pass grated Parmesan cheese.


NOTE: Loved it with smoked pepper.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Salsa Verde

Without further ado, my assignment for the Secret Recipe Club this month was:


Amy has many tempting recipes, including the Puffy Apple Pancake (quite similar to my Baked Pancake, but with apples!), Baked Vanilla Doughnuts (doughnuts, again?!!), and Pollo al Chilindron.  In the end, I ran across this Salsa Verde recipe (link below), and I had to make it for several reasons:

  • It is one of Rick's recipes.  
  • I love salsa verde, but I have never made it.   
  • Reading the recipe made me crave it, so I ran to the store for tomatillos and chips!  

I doubled it from the start, except I left out half of the water.  Below is the double batch recipe, follow the link for Amy's proportions.
This recipe is easy to put together, and tastes fresh and delicious!  Enjoy some today!




Salsa Verde
makes about 2 cups

1 pound (10 to 12 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded
10 or 12 sprigs fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup water
coarse salt
 
Roughly chop the tomatillos and the chiles.
 

In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos, chiles, cilantro and water. Pulse briefly to a coarse puree; scrape down sides.  


Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove excess moisture. Pulse a couple times into the salsa, then scrape into a serving dish.
 

Season with salt to taste.






Secret Recipe Club

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Double-Chocolate Bundt Cake

My cooking goal: Never to use another cake mix. Here's a recipe that is helping me to achieve this.




Double-chocolate  Bundt  Cake
Serves 16

1 cup cocoa powder

6 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate

¾ cup boiling water

10 tablespoons butter at room temperature

2 cups brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

5 eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups sour cream

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

Powdered sugar


1. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan and then dust with cocoa powder.

2. Add cocoa powder and chopped chocolate to 4-cup Pyrex 
     measuring cup.

3. Add boiling water to combined chocolate, and stir until bittersweet chocolate is melted. If necessary, microwave in 30-second intervals until chocolate is completely melted, stirring after each 30 seconds. Allow to cool.

4. Cream butter.

5. Add brown sugar and vanilla to butter, and beat well.

6. One at a time, add eggs to creamed mixture, blending well after 
     each addition.

7. Add baking soda and salt to creamed mixture.

8. Fold sour cream into melted chocolate.

9. Add the chocolate mixture to the creamed mixture, and blend 
    well.

10. Gently fold in flour just until combined.

11. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan, and bake at 350°F. for 65 to 70 minutes or until the cake passes the toothpick test.

12. Cool slightly in pan before removing cake to wire rack to cool 
       completely.

13. Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar before serving.


NOTE: May be served with whipped cream. May use chocolate 

              glaze in place of powdered sugar.


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