this is a page for
Category: Main Dish
Today I want to share with you how I make chicken fried steak. There are many recipes for this delicious breakfast (typically) and I won’t even profess mine is the best – but I will say it is satisfying and has never received a complaint! This dish is easy to prepare – it is very much like a beef version of schnitzel – except this dish has a different breading. This is my go-to breakfast when out and I don’t know why since I am typically disappointed by the results. I think it must be the deep fat frying most restaurants use for this dish. I won’t be deep frying anything, but I will shallow fry it. Are you ready for…
Tonight, let’s go old school European with this famous Hungarian dish made with pork, paprika, caraway, and sauerkraut. I have found many variations of this recipe and this one from the Daring Gourmet is the one I found most interesting (and easily adaptable to Cooking for One and a Half). I like the simplicity of this dish and really doesn’t take much time to put together before it is slow simmered until done. Now this isn’t fast food either, it does take 45 minutes or more to simmer until done, but it is perfect for a simple weekend dinner served with a crusty bread and a salad. And don’t be turned off by the sauerkraut. It melds into the rich…
Today’s recipe is a delicious Dominican staple made from mashed green plantains, served with cooked onions, fried cheese, and/or a fried egg or fried salami. My wife makes this amazing dish for me, but today I made it for myself since she is away visiting family in the Dominican Republic. I was missing her and craving her cooking so I took matters into my own hands. This dish is simple to prepare – a real treat for a busy weeknight dinner or a relaxing weekend breakfast. Now I know some of you that have never enjoyed plantains may think mashed ‘bananas’ sounds gross, but plantains are a magical ingredient. Whether enjoyed fried and mashed as mofongo or twice fried as tostones, these tropical…
This week I tried a work night dinner that can cook all day and be ready when you get home for finishing and enjoyment. For this experiment, I tried the Kroger Cook-in-Bag Carnitas. The 32 oz package would be great for a family of four. The process for this experiment is simple; heat the water oven to 145 degrees F in the morning before you go to work, remove the labels, place the package in the water bath, and head off to work. When you get home, simply pull the package out, place the meat into a large bowl, shred it, fry it, and enjoy it on tortillas with shredded lettuce or cabbage, cheese, sauce, cilantro, etc. Add a side dish to complete the meal –…
Here is a recipe straight from my wife’s culinary repertoire – even if she has never made it before! After hearing all my friends rave about mofongo after their trips to the Dominican Republic – and hearing my wife describe the deliciousness of this dish – I just had to make it. Well, she had never made, so I took the challenge of perfecting this dish while she is away on a short trip. This dish relies on mashing the fried plantains in a mortar and pestle and my wife actually gifted me with one recently (Hmmm, maybe she knew I would be tempted to make this for myself!) There are several variations of mofongo based on substituting the fried pork rinds (chicharrón) with bacon…
Tonight I was feeling like I needed a little Oktoberfest inspired meal. I was also feeling a bit creative, so I put the two feelings together and came up with this dish. Whether using traditional or sous vide methods, this dish is simple to prepare. I really like the flavor of wurst cooked in sauerkraut (especially when bacon is involved), so I figured why not give sous vide a try. For those who don’t know, weisswurst is a delicately flavored veal and pork sausage from Bavaria. Traditionally made in the morning, the sausage contains no preservatives and is uncured/un-smoked so it would be eaten in the morning as they would spoil by the afternoon. Today, the sausages contain preservatives, are vacuum packed and refrigerated…
How does shredded beef in a rich, flavorful sauce sound? This Caribbean dish has roots in the region’s Spanish influence, specifically from the Canary Islands. Ropa Vieja is known as the national dish of Cuba and Puerto Rico also has a famous variant. The beauty of Ropa Vieja is in braising the beef in a rich sofrito, then shredding the beef into the sauce before adding sauteed peppers and onions along with briny green olives and cilantro. My variant is a bit different – an experiment to see if I can replicate the braised results using sous vide. How do you think I did? You will have to read the results below! Save Print Ropa Vieja Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 6 hours…
Hot on the heels of the Sous Vide Corn on the Cob comes the best burger I think I have ever tasted – sous vide wagyu burger. I was feeling a bit flush this week and bought some wagyu ground beef at my local grocery store. Of course, the only thing on my mind was how this choicest of choice meats was going to taste prepared sous vide. Well, it is fabulous – plain and simple. The burger was tender, juicy, and flavorful like no other burger I have ever had. I paired it with sous vide corn on the cob for a perfect Summer dinner. Splurge a little on yourself with some wagyu burgers. Your taste buds will thank you profusely! Save Print Sous Vide Wagyu Burger…
Tonight’s dish is a Japanese favorite that I had never heard of until today. The name Oyakodon roughly translates into Parent and Child Bowl. That is pretty twisted way to reference the two primary ingredients chicken and eggs. But even if that name a bit out there, this dish is delicious. It is simple to prepare (when you use a dashi powder!) and easy to tweak and augment if desired. This dish is referenced as Japanese soul food, which really causes me a bit if discomfort. How could I never have heard or experienced of this beauty before? It truly is satisfying – the simple melding of a salty, sweet, umami filled broth soaking into the rice topped with tender, flavorful chicken thigh bits, softened and…
Tonight’s recipe is another Louisiana classic, etoufee. Completing the triad of well known Cajun cuisine alongside gumbo and jambalaya, this dish showcases the shrimp in a deeply browned roux based sauce paired with rice. Clam juice, garlic, tomatoes, and the ‘holy trinity’ of bell pepper, celery, and onion round out the major players, delivering that famous base flavor. Spices add the pizazz – creole seasoning, three types of pepper, and thyme. Louisiana hot sauce is optional, but delivers a nice kick worth the addition. Crystal or Tabasco, it’s your choice as either works fine. Making the roux is the only time consuming aspect of this dish. It does indeed take patience and quite a bit of stirring, but the reward is well…