Feb 17, 2010

Oh – I’ve been here. LOL – I know how you guys get when I’m gone for a while.

Hey – by the way, you can always check me out on Twitter – I tweet often – @dariustwilliams – or you can catch me on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/everydaycookin

Okay, so where have I been? Did you know I’m working to become a millionaire before I turn 30? Check out my other blog – http://www.millionbythirty.com. That’ll keep you abreast of all my business ventures. On the flip side – I’ve been cooking and taking photos – just haven’t had a chance to post them. You know how that goes, right?

So, here’s a mid-week/weeknight quickie! It’s chicken – but done my way – sauteed and then topped with a leek and artichoke ragout over some quite delicious smashed potatoes! This one was a winner – although – I’m not a fan of that marinating liquid they used for bottled artichokes. Nevertheless – here are the photos and the process – there’s no recipe cuz I pulled this one out of the thin air – lol – but it’s easy to follow…I think.

Saute of the leeks and bacon. So, bacon should totally be a seasoning instead of a protein – lol.

Such a perfect sear on those chicken breasts! Gotta make sure the internal temp is correct too.

A touch of butter in the end makes this all worth while.

Yes, more butter – but what’s potatoes without butter?

The finished plate!

Feb 9, 2010

All I could think of was the way Julie (think the movie ‘Julie & Julia’) kept mocking Julia Child. She kept saying “boof borgonyon” and well, so did I. In my best French accent which wasn’t so good. I was a Spanish studying dude – not French. Anyway, I had fun mocking last night even if it was to amuse myself.

Here are the pics – the recipes are below:

See that little yellow – it was what was left from my flambe action!

The finished plate!

My Caesar salad – with Kalamata olives, English cucumbers, and homemade buttered croutons – lol – so not Caesar – but it’s how I like my salad!

Let’s get to the food!

So, I made beef bourguignon last night. This has come out of frustration of going to restaurants and food being sucky. It’s jut that all the restaurants I’ve been to for a while haven’t been hitting on a thing. NO worries, I come to my rescue.

Here’s the recipe I followed – it’s a bit of everyone’s rolled into one. I also substituted a few things too – I think my version came out just right!

2 tablespoons olive oil
10 strips of bacon cut into cubes
2 1/2 pounds beef cut into cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Whiskey
1/2 cup of red wine
2 cups of beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
3 tablespoons of water

In a large oven proof pot cook bacon on low heat until oil renders and bacon is light brown. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain well. In the same pan sear the cubes of beef AFTER they’ve been liberally seasoned with salt and pepper. Continue with all the beef pieces until they’re all seared.

Set aside with the bacon.

Add in carrots and onions and cook them until the onions are translucent – about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic, salt, pepper, and whiskey. Be sure to add the whiskey to a small glass first and then into the pot – never pour directly from the bottle. Add back the bacon and beef. Add the wine, beef broth, tomato paste, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and then load into a preheated oven (350-degrees) for about 90 minutes. The meat should be fork tender after about 90 minutes.

Create a slurry by mixing cornstarch and water together. Pour into the pot and simmer on low heat for about 3 more minutes – sauce should thicken nicely.

Serve over buttered egg noodles.

Caesar Salad Dressing – From Stacey Snacks’ Blog

1/2 can flat anchovies, chopped fine (you can use more if you like)
1 heaping tbsp of Hellman’s REAL mayo (instead of a raw egg)
juice from half of a lemon
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (my secret ingredient!!!!)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup of good mild flavored olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano curls for the top

I just mixed everything together and – voila – I had Caesar dressing!