Corned Beef and Cabbage - More Jewish than Irish

It's almost St. Patrick's Day, and for many that means boiling up a nice authentic Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage. The funny thing is, it's not that Irish. How it came to be such an icon of Irish-American cuisine is not completely clear, but it goes a little something like this.

When Irish immigrants, fleeing the great potato famines, arrived in the Northeast they couldn’t find, or afford, the traditional cuts of meat used for their beloved braised dinner. The original Irish recipe actually used a type of lean bacon, made with a cut of pork similar to Canadian bacon.

Corned beef came into the picture as a lower-cost substitution, to replace the more expensive and harder to find cut. But, why corned beef? New York's early immigrant populations lived in very crowded neighborhoods, and there was a close proximity between the Irish and Jewish communities.

If there is one thing that history has taught us (besides, do unto others as you would have them do unto you), it's two ethnic groups living close to each other will always borrow from each other's culinary traditions. This is a common theme in many of the world's greatest recipes - the just posted Pork al Pastor was a perfect example.

By the way, I make a couple drinking jokes in the video, but I feel entitled since many of my closest friends and relatives have very deep Irish roots, and it's all meant in good fun.

I actually think it's terribly unfair that so many people believe the stereotype that all Irish people are heavy drinkers. It's just not true - I know hundreds of Irish folks, and several of them don't have a drinking problem. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
4-5 pound corned beef
spice packet
3 quarts water
1 onion, quartered
3 carrots, cut in large chunks
3 ribs celery, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 tsp salt
2 pounds red potatoes
1 small green cabbage, cut in 8ths
hot mustard and rye bread

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One Potato Gnocchi - Just Because

I don't know how I missed it, but there it was, sitting at the bottom of the white plastic bin where I store my potatoes and onions…a single russet. A single potato is never a good thing. Do you wait to buy more, and hope it blends in? Do you waste all that gas and heat, cooking one single potato? One of the few practical uses for these rogue spuds is to make a small batch of potato gnocchi.

Let me disclose right up front that I really don't like gnocchi that much. They're "Aight" as Randy Jackson might say, but I never go out of my way to eat them. However, I love to make them. This is an interesting recipe to make, and just about the most fun thing you can do with a single potato (assuming you lost your Mr. Potatohead parts long ago).

There is no such thing as an exact recipe for gnocchi. If you don’t like cooking by feel, and need exact measurements before attempting to cook something, this recipe is not for you. Potato sizes vary, the starch/water contents vary, how you cook it, and how much flour you add not only depends on the aforementioned factors, but also on the desired texture/density of the gnocchi.

I like a very potato'y gnocchi, so I go with just enough flour to form the dough. Other people prefer a denser, more pasta-like dumpling, and use much more flour. I know many of you hate it when I say this, but you'll just have to figure it out as you go. The good news is, figuring things out in the kitchen is fun. Enjoy!

Tech Note: I'm having a sound issue with the videos in Vimeo with the Mozo pre-roll at the beginning. I'll continue to work on it, but until I figure it out here is a low-res YouTube version to hold you over.



Here is the Vimeo version, and you can hear the sound distortion problem. They are working on this issue, and hopefully it will be fixed soon.



Ingredients:
1 large russet potato
1 egg
1/2 to 3/4 cup flour depending on a wide array of factors
sauce to cover

Check out these other Italian-American recipe videos:
Italian-style Cabbage Rolls
Chicken Cacciatore
Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine
Beef Braciole
Chicken Parmesan Casserole

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I'm in Corned Beef Hash Heaven

When I'm cooking corned beef, watching it simmer in the aromatic broth, I'll sometimes close my eyes and picture the delicious plate of food I have coming. The funny thing is, it's not the sliced corned beef and cabbage I'm dreaming of, it's the corned beef hash I'm going to be making with the leftovers.

There are certain dishes I would never talk someone into trying, or argue on behalf of its virtues. It's one of those, "there are two kinds of people in the world" things. Either you really love corned beef hash, or you don't eat it. It's not a dish for the indifferent.

Now, that the non-hash people have stopped reading, let's talk crust. As you well know, what separates a great hash from a transcendent hash is the "crust." You can't rush a corned beef hash crust - it's built slowly, over medium heat, with multiple turnings and pressings, the meat and potatoes crisped and caramelized in the combination of butter and beef fat.

I've always felt it's a poached eggs greatest achievement to meet its end on a pile of perfectly crusty corned beef hash. In addition to the textural pleasures, it also features one of the food world's greatest sights - the egg's golden yolk slowly running over and through the steaming hash. They don't know what they're missing. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 pounds cooked corned beef, diced
1 1/2 pounds white potatoes, peeled quartered
1/4 cup prepared roasted tomato salsa
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 bunch green onions, white parts chopped, green parts reserved for garnish
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Here are some more great breakfast video recipe ideas!
Sausage and Egg Pizza
Lemon Soufflé Pancakes
The Hangtown Fry
"Flattata" with Bacon, Potatoes, and Greens
Fancy Restaurant-Style French Toast



* Please help support free video recipes, and visit my new sponsor, MOZO Shoes. Find out why chefs (like me) are buzzing about their great shoes!

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Shepherd's Pie - the Opposite of Baker's Lamb Chops

I've never been a shepherd, but I have done a fair amount of mentoring. As hungry as that made me, I can only imagine the appetite a shepherd must build up after a long day of chasing sheep (not to mention how sleepy they must get when they have to do inventory). So, it's no wonder this incredibly comforting casserole called shepherd's pie was named in their honor.

Fair warning; this video recipe is another entry in the Kraft cooking video challenge, and is dripping with enough product placement to make Will Smith cringe. Notwithstanding my shameless attempt to win some corporate cash (I'm doing it for all the Nico's out there), this really is a good recipe with its combination of ease, frugality, and homey goodness.

Shepherd's pie recipes are traditionally done with lamb, but are great with any ground meat - turkey and beef being the most popular modern versions. Give this great casserole a try, and watch everyone flock to the table. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
3 tbsp flour
3/4 cup beef broth or stock
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp ketchup (or Kraft red pepper dressing!)
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrot, corn), thawed and drained well
1 1/4 lb gold or red potatoes, cut into large chunks
3 cloves garlic, peeled, halved
3/4 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

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NEW and IMPROVED: Eggy Potato and Pepper Pie - Now with Scintillating Narration!

By popular demand, here is a version with narration. I still wasn't in the mood, so I decided to try and have a little fun with it. By the way, it is very inspiring to know I can have a positive effect on some of you just by talking! Thanks!

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Eggy Potato and Pepper Pie - Breakfast, it's What's for Dinner

This really should have been called a frittata, but I've already done a frittata video recipe, and I'm tired of giving everything European names. Sure they made all these recipes first, but they had like a few thousand years head start, so it's hardly fair.

By the way, this video recipe doesn't have a voice-over (I wasn't in the mood), and there is no written recipe (I wasn't in the mood). I can’t confirm or deny that this has anything to do with my brunoise-sized stock portfolio.

This is simply meant to remind you that a big, broiled omelet makes a great (and cheap) dinner. This is one of my favorite combos - potatoes, sausage, peppers and eggs. This recipe can also be cut into squares and served room temperature as party snacks (a popular item in Spanish tapas bars). And, the real measure of any recipe…the leftovers are delicious in a sandwich (with some ketchup of course). To paraphrase Homer Simpson, "Eggy Potato and Pepper Pie…is this anything you can't do?" Enjoy!

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Chicken Chili (or Chile) Verde - Celebrating the Mysterious Tomatillo

During culinary school I worked at a Mexican restaurant in Saranac Lake, NY, called Casa Del Sol. Which, as we used to joke, means "Casa of Sol." My favorite dish was the Chile Verde. Large chucks of pork shoulder simmered slowly in an exotic green sauce of tomatillos and chilies. The tomatillos we used were caned - and I was fascinated by the mysterious tomatillo graphics that decorated the label - but it wasn't until I arrived in California that I saw the real thing.
What an odd vegetable, or is it a fruit? As you will see in video, it sort of looks like a green tomato, which it isn't. It has this strange, veiny, paper covering, like a giant green gooseberry - and the flavor is even more perplexing. It's sort of tart, kind of sour, with hints of citrus and green apple. I sound like one of those wine geeks (no offense). Paired with sweet onions, and savory chicken, this recipe a great way to experience tomatillos for the first time.

The real way to spell this recipe is "Chile" verde, not "Chili" verde. But, both spellings are used, and since this particular recipe is more about the chicken simmered in spicy sauce, than the green peppers, I used the Americanized "Chili." Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 chicken, cut up in 6 pieces
8 tomatillos
2 jalapenos
6 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
3 cups chicken stock
1 onion
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 lb potatoes
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
yogurt or sour cream

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Art with a Side of Fries

When I saw this video for the first time I thought to myself, "is there any artistic endeavor worth wasting perfectly good French fries?" Well, as it turns out it there was. As you'll see, this artist uses nothing but a sheet of white paper and some delicious grease to create a very impressive portrait. Enjoy!

Photo © jslander

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Potato and Cauliflower Mash - Turn Off the Carbs, the Party's Over

Well, it was fun while it lasted. Were your holiday eating patterns anything like mine? I tried to eat a balanced diet, which by that I mean I tried to eat as much fat as I did carbs. While I wasn't crazy enough to make any food denial related New Year's resolutions (if you were, renounce them immediately before it's too late), I do intend to get back to a more normal diet while I wait for the annual Valentine's Day chocolate comma. This Potato and Cauliflower Mash video recipe I did recently for About.com is a good way to gently get back into those healthier eating habits.

Yes, there's potatoes and butter in it, but you can't be expected to go from pumpkin pie and whipped cream straight to celery sticks! By the way, I never have a problem with "diet" recipes as long as they taste as good as, if not better than, the originals. The secret to this delicious combo is braising the cauliflower in the butter separately, and then mashing them into the potatoes. So many cooks boil it all together and it tastes watered down when its done. I think you'll enjoy this method better. Enjoy! Click here for the transcript and ingredients.

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Oxtail Stew - A Beef Stew You Can Really Get Behind

This delicious winter stew video recipe, produced for About.com, uses something they call oxtails, but are really just cow tails. Does that make you feel any better? Oxtail stew is probably the most flavorful beef stew possible, as the tail pieces have more connective tissue than just about any other cut of beef you can get, even the shank. This makes for a very satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs (literally, from all the collagen) dish.

Oxtail stew is sort of like eating lobster. Once it's cooked, which takes a looooong time, the meat is very soft and succulent, but nestled in the nooks and crannies of the tailbones. Remember that turkey neck you were sucking on a few weeks ago? It's sort of like that only bigger and more delicious. I won't do any lame "if you're not getting enough tail, try this recipe" jokes. Just watch this clip, and get your tail to the store for some of this delicious beef. I'm sure you'll be very happy with the "end" results. Sorry. Enjoy!
Click here for the transcript and ingredients.

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It's Almost That Time! So, Make Your Own Crust and Don't Screw-up the Mashed Potatoes

Those daunting holiday dinners are just around the corner, and while I'm unfortunately still in "can't film any new clips" mode for a few more days, I thought I would post some reruns that may be of use this time of the year. No, I'm not doing a turkey demo. That's the easiest part of the meal. The Food Network's army of talking heads will be doing every recipe and technique ever invented, ad nauseum, for the next few weeks. Not to mention the 8 million how-to-cook-the-perfect-turkey web pages.

So, I'm showing you some of the "harder" things. How to make a simple piecrust, my technique for perfect mashed potatoes, and a few vegetable sides to serve instead of the canned green beans with the canned fried onions. Anyway, here are some links to check out before it's too late:

Home-made Pie Crust: It's NOT that hard.
Mashed Potatoes: Please don't serve gluey potatoes
Roast Sweet Potatoes: So easy, so delicioius
Herb Potato Wedges: Tired of mashed? Check out this old, but delicious clip
Broccoli Gratin: Don't even try to count the calories
Spaghetti Squash: Healthy can be tasty!
Brussel Sprouts: Stop making that face
Stuffed Squash: An excuse to eat more goat cheese
5-Spice Carrots: 5 times better than 1-spice carrots

Enjoy! Lastly, I'm sorry if I don't reply to your comments instantly. It just means I've passed out for a few minutes and will get back to you as soon I come to.
photocredit (c) purpleslog

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Ex-Beatle Makes Mashed Potatoes – Hey Paul, don’t quit your day job!

First it was Christopher Walken trying to horn in on my act, now I’ve got Paul McCartney doing cooking videos online! It would be very easy to make fun of this mashed potato video Paul made…so I will. As I watched, I started writing down all the mistakes, wrong information, and bad techniques I was witnessing so I could rip him in this post. But, there were just too many, so I stopped, and just enjoyed it for what it was; A shameless plug for his wife’s cookbook. Wow, she should really have reconsidered her marketing strategy. Paul, while one of the most talented musicians ever, should never be allowed in a kitchen again.

So, instead of me recapping all the ridiculous moments, why don’t you just watch and post a comment as to what were your favorite bits. Here are a few moments I really enjoyed to get you started… the oven mitt puppet show, the “organic” salt reference (when did they start using pesticides on salt?), and the seven times he almost slices his fingers off trying to peel and chop that onion. Hey, Jude, get this guy some Band-Aids!

Just in case you actually want to see how to make perfect mashed potatoes, I’ve included my mashed potato video recipe below. Enjoy!



My Version of the Perfect Mashed Potato

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Easy Cheesy Potatoes – If you think the name is bad, wait until you see the video quality!

Warning: this is a clip from last year, shot with my web cam, and was never posted here with the other “bad old” clips due to audio problems. I had a few fans of my original blog asking for it (demanding to be more accurate), so I simply did a new voiceover and decided to post it as is.

This video’s horrible production value (I almost called this post “The Blair Witch Potato”) is more than made up for in that this really is a great recipe and technique. I really love potato gratins, but the thing I don’t enjoy, especially when I’m in a hurry is the slicing and layering. This video recipe shows you a shortcut method to achieve a very similar final product with much less work. You’ll have to watch to see how this is achieved since I don’t want to spoil the suspense and tension of the clip (unlike “Blair Witch” which we all knew was staged, and there weren’t really any ghosts).

You can use any cheese in this dish, of course, but I think a nice sharp cheddar is the way to go. I used a beautiful hunk of English Farmhouse Cheddar and it was great. Especially with the apple and shallot reduction that went over the pork loin I served with these potatoes. Also, I used low fat 1% milk for this dish. I would resist the temptation to use cream in this, as I think it makes it this recipe too rich. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
6 russet potatoes
2 cups milk
3 green onions
6 oz. cheddar cheese
4 tbl butter
salt and pepper to taste
*Bake at 400F until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes

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Lime and Chipotle Glazed Sweet Potatoes – Wham, Bam, it’s not a Yam??

OK, let’s clear up a bit of culinary confusion. In the produce department of your local grocery store, they sell both sweet potatoes and yams. The fact is they are all actually sweet potatoes. Some varieties of sweet potatoes, like Beauregard and Garnet, are often marketed as “yams.” So, in the clip when I say that you can use sweet potatoes or yams, what I’m really saying is you can use any variety of sweet potato available for this recipe. True yams are native to Africa and Asia and are rarely, if ever, seen in our markets.

This simple roasted sweet potato video recipe is a perfect side dish to all those great, grilled classics you’ll be cooking up this summer. I’m sure you already know how much better for you the good old sweet potato is than the regular russet. Not only are they much higher in fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein and vitamins, but they also taste good. It’s a win win. I hope you’ve got your silicon baking mat ready, as it makes this recipe a snap as you’ll see in the video. Of course, you can really spice these up with a bit more Chipotle than I used, but the tablespoon I put in gives it just the right kick, plus that wonderful, slightly smoky flavor. By the way, the lime Chipotle mixture we create to start the dish is actually an example of a Citronette, which we explored in another recipe clip. If you haven’t seen that one, I’ve linked it in so you can check it out. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
3 sweet potatoes
1 large juicy lime
1 tbl Chipotle chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
*Note: we baked for 30 min at 375F, then tossed in the remaining lime mixture, and then finished at 450F for another 10-15 minutes until tender and nicely glazed.

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Smoked Chicken Apple Sausage with Cider-braised Cabbage and New Potatoes – A delicious reminder that it’s not winter…yet.

This recipe clip was filmed last fall and for some reason was never posted when it should have been, which was in February when I started this blog. As I watched it, I was shocked by the difference in quality compared to the clips I’ve done with the new camera. So, please excuse the momentary return to the old webcam technology.

As you’ll hear me say in the clip, this really is a great cold weather meal. But, instead of waiting 6 months to post it, I thought I would put in on the blog now for several good reasons. First of all, while it is a classic winter dish, it’s delicious anytime of the year, and the ingredients are easy to find no matter what the season. Secondly, summer cooking is all about quick and easy, and this one-dish recipe definitely qualifies. Remember “braised” doesn’t always mean slow-cooked. Lastly, what a great reminder to enjoy every wonderfully warm second of this summer, because before you realize it you’ll be raking leaves in a sweater.

One quick note regarding shopping for chicken apple sausage. Due to the recent increase in popularity of these chicken and turkey based sausages; many larger grocery stores may stock as many as 4 or 5 different brands and varieties. But, be sure to check the labels! Some brands (usually the less expensive ones) will have just as much fat as the classic pork-based sausages they’re suppose to be a healthier alternative too.



Ingredients:
4 smoked chicken apple sausage (1 pound)
1 1/2 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 pound new potatoes (I like Yukon gold or red)
1 yellow onion
3 cups apple cider or juice
1 green cabbage, shredded (about 1 1/2 pounds)
salt and pepper to salt
Dijon mustard and fresh parsley to garnish

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Shepherd’s Pie “Moussaka” – A Culinary “Mash-up” of two Old World Classics

For those of you that aren’t hip (like me…I don’t have an iPod which automatically makes me not hip), a “mash-up” usually refers to a DJ taking two different songs and mixing and “mashing” them together to produce a new musical creation. My personal favorite, the Jay Z/Linkin Park mash-up MTV did a few years ago. If you haven’t heard any of that, and you’re under 60 years old (Hi, Mom), then check it out, it’s great stuff. Big Pimpin for real. Anyway, in that same spirit of combining two great things to make a new even greater thing, I present today’s video recipe clip.

I love classic Greek “Moussaka.” Layers of lamb and eggplant, exotically spiced and topped with a rich, almost custard-like sauce. I also love a good Shepherd’s Pie, what’s not to like about a pie made out of ground meat and mashed potatoes? So, I thought I would try a Shepherd’s Pie using the flavor components of the Greek “Moussaka.” Did it work? Damn right! It was really good, and next to a green salad, made for a very satisfying supper on a foggy San Francisco night.

A few suggestions before you watch the clip. The potato topping I do is relatively bland since I was topping a very highly seasoned meat base. You should use my spice amounts below as a rough guide, and add the cumin, cinnamon and hot pepper in increments until you have something that tastes right to you. The lamb and eggplant mixture is NOT subtlety spiced in this dish, and the ingredient amounts reflect that fact. This dish should explode with exotic and aromatic flavor. To me that’s what makes the “crispy and browned on the top, but moist and tender underneath” potato topping such a great contrast. And don’t forget the fresh mint. As you hear me say in the clip, I used chocolate mint, which you can find at the better garden centers (or order the seeds online – it’s an amazing herb), but plain supper market mint will work beautifully. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
2 lbs ground lamb
2 eggplant
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 onion
4 cloves garlic
3 russet potatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 grated parmesan cheese
1/2 stick butter
salt to taste
1 egg
fresh mint
2 tbl olive oil
Spice Mix:
2 bay leaves
3 tbl ground cumin
1 tbl cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne
1 tbl black pepper
1 tbl salt (at least, taste and adjust)
2 tbl herb de provance (or Italian or Greek dried herb mix)
1 tbl paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes
*Baked at 400F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown

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