Black Bean Soup

2 c black beans, soaked in cold water overnight or 3 15oz cans
1/3 c EVOO
2 white onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 carrot, chopped
2 red chiles chopped
2t cumin
1/4t smoked paprika
4 c veg boullion
14/5 oz can tomatoes
fresh thyme
s/p

Garnish: sour cream, red onion, limes to juice

-dried beans: drain and put in saucepain with 5 c water, boil 10 minutes, reduce and simmer for 90 minutes until soft. drain.

-EVOO in saucepan, add onion, tom, garlic, carrots until onion is soft. Add spices

-add beans after a few mintues, boullion, thyme and boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

-Take 2 cups and blend with immersion blender and return to pan, season s/p

Serves 6-8

Lettuce wraps

 

 

1lb ground chicken

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce (again)

1/4 cup white wine

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoon grated ginger

1 can water chestnuts chopped

6 scallions sliced

In a fry pan cook chicken thoroughly crumbling as it cooks In a separate pan combine onion, garlic, rice wine vinegar and 1/4 cup soy sauce cook on medium high heat until onion tender and soy sauce reduced to about 1/2. Pour into pan with chicken.

Add to the empty pan the next 1/4 cup soy sauce, white wine, hoisin, black pepper, garlic powder. Stir in corn starch so it is smooth. Add grated ginger. Bring to a boil and reduce until shiny and thick. Pour over chicken add water chestnuts and scallions and combine. If sauce is too liquid reheat the chicken mixture on the stove until reduced.

                                                                   Beef Bourgeon

                                                             (Beef Stew in Red Wine)

 

4 strips bacon cut into 1 in pieces                                             1/8 tsp. marjoram                                       

21/2 lbs. stew beef                                                                         1/8 tsp. thyme

Salt and pepper to taste                                                                1 strip orange peel from a large orange

½ lb. small boiling onions                                                              t tbsp. beef stock base plus I cup water

3 Tbsps. Flour                                                                                    1 medium sized onion

1 1/2 cups dry red wine                                                                 4 whole cloves

3 Tbsps. brandy or cognac                                                            ½ lbs. mushrooms

2 cloves garlic minced or mashed                                              2 tbsps. Butter or margarine

                                                         Finely chopped parsley

Brown bacon in a heavy frying pan and remove meat. Season beef with salt and pepper; add to the bacon drippings and brown on all sides. Transfer meats and crisp bacon to a 3 qt. ovenproof casserole.  Add small onions to the drippings and brown lightly. Set aside. Sprinkle flour into the drippings and let brown slightly.  Gradually stir in wine and brandy. Add garlic, marjoram, thyme, orange peel, beef stock base, water and the medium sixed onion stuck with the cloves. Bring to a boil and pour over the meat.

Cover casserole and place in a moderately slow oven (325) for 2-21/2 hrs. or until meat is almost tender enough to serve. Add the browned onions and cook 30 mins. Longer or until meat is very tender. Quarter the mushrooms if they are large or leave whole if small.  Sauté quickly in the butter. Add the mushrooms to the meat the last 10-15 mins. Of cooking.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Makes 6-8 servings.

 

 

Notes: As the liquids reduce I keep adding red wine-makes it richer. Also, if you want to just stick in oven with less fuss, add the mushrooms and onion after sautéing them and they’ll just be a little more done-unless you are having Julia or Simone over, not many people will notice!!

Serve with garlic bread for sopping up juices-Yum!

Pork Pate

1 cup minced onion
2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder (grind in food processor)
12 ounces bacon (8 to 10 slices), finely chopped, plus 14 bacon slices (for lining pan) (2 1lb packages)
3/4 cup Cognac
1 stick unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup sour cream
1 6-ounce piece ham steak, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
Coarse sea salt


Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F. Boil Cognac until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool.

Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes.

Combine ground pork shoulder and chopped bacon in large bowl. Using fork or fingertips, mix together until well blended.  Food process if you're not a masochist.

Add sautéed onion, garlic, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, allspice, and pepper to bowl with pork mixture and stir until incorporated. Add eggs, cream, and reduced Cognac. Stir until well blended.

Line 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan with bacon slices, arranging 8 slices across width of pan and 3 slices on each short side of pan and overlapping pan on all sides.

Using hands, lightly and evenly press half of meat mixture (about 3 1/4 cups) onto bottom of pan atop bacon slices. Arrange ham strips over in single layer.

Top with remaining meat mixture.
Fold bacon slices over, covering pâté.

Cover pan tightly with foil. Place pan in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan and transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake pâté until a thermometer inserted through foil into center registers 155°F, about 2 hours 15 minutes.

Remove loaf pan from baking pan and transfer to rimmed baking sheet.
 Place heavy skillet or 2 to 3 heavy cans atop pâté to weigh down. Chill overnight. Do ahead,  can be made 4 days ahead.
Place loaf pan with pâté in larger pan of hot water for about 3 minutes. Invert pâté onto platter; discard fat from platter and wipe clean. Cut pâté crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.