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Non-Grilled

May 23, 2013

The Ranting Chef Cheese, Kosher, Lunch, Recipes, Snack, Vegetable, Vegetarian , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

What do you call it? It is some form of bread with melted cheese on it and possibly between two pieces of bread.

I’ve heard toasted cheese, cheese toastie, cheese jaffle, tosti and, of course, grilled cheese. I use the term grilled cheese. While variations in ingredients can produce a croque monsieur, panini or patty melt, the original is often best.

When I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever grilled a grilled cheese. My typical method is to butter the outside and pan fry it. I have put it under the broiler, but never heated up the grill for the task. Franky, it seems a little overkill.

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This variation uses a French baguette and has tomatoes on it.

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This was good with a regular tomato but I think it could really be interesting with different heirloom varieties.

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Making a quick spread for the bread.

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Broiling them up as I didn’t want to fire up the grill for this task.

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Adding the tomatoes.

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Laying out the cheese. I sprinkled some Italian seasoning on top of the cheese.

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Yum!

Open-Faced Tomato Grilled Cheese

Prep Time: 0 hours 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 hours 10 minutes | Makes: 6-8 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 baguette, halved lengthwise
  • 1 large clove garlic, halved
  • 1 medium tomato, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/4 pound sliced provolone cheese

Directions:

Preheat a grill to medium high. Combine the olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Brush the cut sides of the baguette with some of the flavored oil. Grill cut-side down until toasted, about 4 minutes.

Rub the grilled sides of the baguette with the garlic. Top with the tomato slices, season with salt and cover with the provolone. Grill, covered, until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining flavored oil and season with salt. Cut into pieces.

Source: http://m.foodnetwork.com/recipes/recipe/546677

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Yam Fries

May 22, 2013

The Ranting Chef Kosher, Lunch, Recipes, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian , , , , , , , , , , , , 17 Comments

Here in North America, the term sweet Potato and yam are used interchangeably even though the yam is a different species and is rarely seen here. In almost every case when a yam is called for a sweet potato is used. While some dishes sound fine either way (Candied Sweet Potatoes or Candies Yams) others sound very unfamiliar. Today, we’ll serve Yam Fries.

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It takes quite a bit of time for them to get crispy in the oven as they are 3/4 water.

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Note: Five large sweet p…..I mean yams, yield a lot of fries.

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It filled two trays and even then they were not spaced far enough apart.

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The spices are just right to work with the sweetness.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Makes: 3 to 5 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

House Seasoning:

  • 1/2 tbsp salt
  • 1/4 tbsp  black pepper
  • 1/4 tbsp garlic powder
  • Olive Oil, for tossing
  • 5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch long slices, then 1/4-wide inch strips, using a crinkle cut knife
  • Oil
  • 1 tablespoon House Seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a sheet tray with parchment. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and paprika. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are no longer limp, turning occasionally, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-sweet-potato-fries-recipe/index.html

Too Easy for the Blog

May 21, 2013

The Ranting Chef Cajun, Low Carb, Pork, Recipes , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

Some recipes are just to simplistic to put on the blog. This is one of them.

;-)

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This ham steak was on the thick side but this picture makes it look even more so.

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Yup. Four ingredients.

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Spicy and succulent.

Cajun Ham Steak

Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 8 min | Makes: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoon(s) Cajun season blend
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) sugar
  • 1 fully cooked smoked ham steak, 1/2 inch thick, 1 1/4 pounds
  • Lime wedges
  • Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat ridged grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. In small bowl, combine Cajun seasoning and sugar. Rub seasoning mixture on both sides of ham steak.

2. Place ham steak in grill pan and cook until heated through and lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Source: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/cajun-ham-steak-2738?click=recipe_sr

Maggie Monday: Vegetable Beef Soup

May 20, 2013

The Ranting Chef Beef, Kosher, Lunch, Soup, Vegetable , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

For dinner, I think my wife enjoys what I make more than what she makes. Not that the actual quality of food or even menu choices are different, but it comes down to the effort vs satisfaction equation. When I make something, her effort is low (until time to clean up afterward) and the satisfaction is hopefully high. When she makes it, the satisfaction is high but the effort moves somewhere up the scale. There are several times that a recipe is decent but I’ve deleted it from my catalog because the effort was just not worth it. Maggie comments on the effort in a lot of prep work below and give some quick time saving suggestions. Here’s Maggie….  

I love to make soup, and vegetable beef is one of my favorites. For years I tried to make it, and never got it to taste the way I remembered it growing up- beefy, tomatoe-y goodness. I landed on Paula Deen’s recipe, and it was really close. With a few tweaks, I got it where I wanted it. I added wine, fresh garlic, beef soup base, and a little ketchup. That did it! Yum!

The soup can be a lot of work, so when I am not in the mood to chop tons of veggies, I just buy two bags of frozen veggies, and it works perfectly. Frozen potatoes work too. No sense in working harder than we need too, right? I do still use fresh onion and celery even when I use frozen veggies.

This recipe make a lot of soup, so be prepared to feed a crowd or freeze some of this, or cut it in half. This makes the house smell soooooo good!

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Vegetable Beef Soup

What you need:

1 cup diced potatoes

1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

1 cup butter or lima beans

1 cup diced celery

1 cup sliced green beans, fresh or frozen

1 cup carrots

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 Tbs seasoned salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1Tbs Italian seasoning

3Tbs dried parsley

½ cup red wine or cooking sherry

4 quarts water

3 lbs beef short ribs

4Tbs beef soup base

4 Tbs ketchup

½ uncooked elbow macaroni or barley (optional)

 

What you do:

Place beef ribs, water seasonings, onion, soup base and tomatoes in a large stock pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover pot, and reduce  heat so the liquid simmers and cook for 1-2 hours until the meat is very tender. Remove ribs from the pot, cut the meat from the bones then return meat to the pot. Add the remaining vegetables, wine, ketchup and macaroni or barley. Return the soup to a boil, stirring to incorporate. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for another 30-45 minutes. Add additional seasoning to taste, serve with bread or oyster crackers.

Maggie

So Much for Cooking Classes

May 19, 2013

The Ranting Chef Kosher, Low Carb, Recipes, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian , , , , , , , , , , , , 13 Comments

A number of years ago for Christmas, my family purchased a cooking class voucher for me. I could view that as a plea from them that I improve my cooking skills, but I take the positive view on that event by thinking that my family knows of my love for cooking and thought it would be interesting to me. I looked though the catalog and settled on a knife skills class.

I was (and am) envious of those chefs that can quickly slice or chop nice even pieces. I can get it done, but not to the chop-chop-chop-chop speed. I was more like slice….slice….slice. I attended the class and it was a good primer on different knives, care for knives, how to properly hold the knife and the best ways to chop.

To hold the knife, I learned to pinch the top of the blade right before the hilt with my index finger and thumb, letting the rest of the fingers wrap around the handle. To chop, create a “wall” with the second part of your fingers on your other hand (curl your fingers in) and move your knife up and down against that wall.

I proceeded to go home and tell them all about what I learned. The next day, using the wall, I chopped away. On my second item my thumb forgot to curl and SLICE – right into the tip of my thumb. So much for cooking classes!

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The best part of this is the carmelized onions.

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Simple recipe.

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I used a mandoline to cut this onion thin. And I still have the tips of all my fingers!

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Cooking the beans.

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Draining.

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Toasting the almonds.

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Carmelizing the onions.

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A great side.

Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Almonds

Prep Time: 0 hours 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 hours 40 minutes | Makes: 6 to 8 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • Kosher salt
  • 3 pounds green beans, trimmed of stem end
  • 1/2 cup skin on sliced almonds
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large onions, sliced thin
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Fill a large high sided skillet with some water, adding enough to be just shy of the rim of the pan by about 1 inch. Place over high heat and bring up to boil; add a big pinch of salt and the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans should still be crisp. Drain the beans and then run them under some cold water to stop them from cooking. Reserve the beans while you start the onions.Return the skillet you cooked the beans in to the cook top over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast stirring every now and then until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the almonds from the skillet and reserve. Return the skillet to the heat and add the butter and olive oil and heat until the butter has melted. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until the onions caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the thyme, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cooked cooled green beans and almonds, and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Source: http://m.foodnetwork.com/recipes/recipe/33625

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