Red-wine braised beef shoulder, parmesan white polenta, gremolata #rustic #foodgasm #foodporn #slowcooker #soupmama #polenta #recipes #comfortfoods (at Soup Mama Mel’s Kitchen)

Cheesy Soft Polenta Recipe:

You first want to purchase high quality fine polenta meal, yellow or white.  Moretti and Anson Mills are a few familiar brand names.  Stone-ground cornmeal must be refrigerated as it has a shorter shelf-life. Degerminated cornmeal has a longer shelf life and can be stored at cool room temperature.

1:5 (polenta:water) is a standard soft polenta ratio.

I start with boiling water with a pinch of kosher salt.  While whisking the boiling water, I stream in the polenta meal and continue whisking until it reaches a boil again.  Once it is bubbling, I lower the heat to a very low simmer and continue whisking every 10 minutes or so to prevent sticking.  Cook until the polenta meal is soft (at least 1 hour).

Melt butter in a pan with a smashed clove of garlic.  Once brown bits begin to form and the butter browns (do not burn it to the point where it’s black), remove from heat and carefully add fresh whole sage.  It will pop so becareful!  Strain this sage brown butter into the polenta.  Stir the polenta carefully to incorporate the melted butter.  Add large handfuls of grated parmesan cheese (or whatever cheese you desire, cheddar is good too!).  Taste it and season with additional salt if necessary.  I like to add lemon oil to my polenta!

Serve under any braised dish, grilled shrimp, or even a poached egg with veggies!

Here is the link to my Red-Wine Braised Beef Shoulder Recipe: 

http://soupmamamel.tumblr.com/post/39612816718/red-wine-beef-stew-with-buttermilk-cornbread

Caper Salsa Verde

SALSA VERDE!! It is great with just about everything!  Above I topped the verde on my steak for a quick flavorful sauce.  You can try it with fish, chicken, or even just grilled bread or a fried egg!

Recipe:

1 Tbs capers (drained and chopped)

1/2 small garlic clove (finely minced) a little goes a long way!

large handful of italian parsley leaves (chopped)

juice of half a lemon or splash of red wine vinegar

about 1/4 cup - good quality olive oil

maldon sea salt

fresh ground pepper

The key is to have a very sharp knife when cutting the herbs.  This prevents bruising and really exposes the freshness of the herbs.  Mix the chopped parsley, capers, garlic together in a bowl.  Add a few pinches of maldon salt and fresh cracked pepper. THEN add the olive oil.  If you do not mix them first before adding the oil, you will end up with large raw clumps of garlic which is not fun to bite into.  Then add a few squeezes of lemon juice to your liking and adjust seasonings.  It should not be drowning in olive oil, just like a paste in the picture above.  You want to be able to taste each individual flavor.

Suggestions:  Try playing around with different oils, acids, and fresh mild herbs.  Mint and tarragon are good choices.  If you’re looking for more depth of flavor, add anchovies!  YUM!

Beef Chili with Kidney Beans

Amount: Feeds your whole DANG family!

2 lbs of Beef Chuck (ground or I prefer small dicing by hand, removing tough sinew)

1 each - onion (small dice)

1 each - green bell pepper (small dice, no seeds)

1 each - jalapeno (small diced, no seeds)

1 stick - celery (small diced)

4 cloves - garlic (minced)

1 large can - tomatoes, crushed or diced, no salt

1/2 small can - tomato paste

1 can - kidney beans (drained, rinsed)

3 Tbs - rice vinegar

1/4 cup - ancho chili powder

1/4 cup - ground cumin

1 tsp - paprika

1 tsp - garlic powder

1 tsp - powder (unsweetened)

1/2 tsp - ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp - dried or fresh chopped oregano

1/2 tsp - chipotle powder (optional for heat)

few dashes - Tabasco sauce (optional for heat)

1/4 tsp - cayenne (optional for heat)

salt/black pepper

Sweat onion, peppers, jalapeno, celery, garlic, heavy pinch of kosher salt with oil on med-high until very soft and slightly caramelized (not burnt!) about 5-10 minutes.  Add diced meat.  When meat is all brown, add spices and cook for 2 minutes.  Add tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes.  Add canned tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Cover with lid and lower heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 1 hour+ or until meat is tender and all the flavors start to blend together into one.  Add rice vinegar.  Adjust seasonings by adding more spices, heat, or salt, and cook down the spices for another 15 minutes.  If it gets too dry, add stock/water.  If it’s too wet, cook it with the lid off to reduce.  Add beans at the last minute and warm through.  Try serving with sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, red onion, cilantro and CORNBREADDDDD!

The BEST QUACAMOLE in the world...MINE.

Soup Mama’s Guacamole

Makes enough for your super bowl party!  Go 49ers!!!

Recipe:

2 each - Japaleno (seeded, fine mince)

1/2-1 each - Small Red Onion (fine mince)

5 cloves - Garlic (fine mince)

1 bunch - Cilantro (chopped)

5 each - Limes

5-6 each - Large Ripe Avocados

Kosher salt/black bepper

Finely chop the peppers, garlic, and onion.  If you want it spicy, add serrano chilies or use the seeds of the pepper.  Add fresh lime juice and a pinch of kosher salt, and let this marinate for 5 minutes like a ceviche.  As it sits in citrus and salt, the natural juices in the aromatics will release, this equal FLAVOR!  Smash the onion mixture with a muddler or the back of your spoon to really extract all that flavor.  Better yet, if you have a mortar pestle, now we’re talking!

Add your chopped cilantro!

Mix together!

Add avocados!  And mix and mash away!!  Season generously with salt.  Remember, avocados are pretty bland and salt/citrus help to boost the flavor.  Adjust your seasonings by thinking, does it need more acidity?  more salt?  more cilantro? is it spicy enough?  I personally like it really heavy on the lime, salt, and heat, and chunky!  Enjoy!

Red Wine Beef Stew with Buttermilk Cornbread

I’ve had several requests for my beef stew recipe this weekend.  It made for a perfect holiday braise in our new slow-cooker.  Glad you all enjoyed it!

RED WINE BEEF STEW

(makes 1 large crock pot: approx. 20 ppl)

3 lbs. Beef Chuck Roast (large dice) **

1 onion (small dice)

3 stalks of celery (small dice)

4 garlic cloves (chopped)

3 parsnips (large dice)

3 carrots (large dice)

1 lbs potatoes (fingerling or small white potatoes, halved or diced)

1 large can of tomatoes (diced, unsalted)

1 small can tomato paste

1 can of beef broth (unsalted)

thyme sprigs

1 Cup of red wine (merlot or cabernet)

Slowcooker method:

• Season beef generously with kosher salt and pepper.  On high heat in a LARGE PAN or cast iron, brown the diced meat on all sides (5 minutes).  Transfer seared meat into slowcooker.  In the same pan, add onions, garlic, celery and saute on high heat until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add tomato paste and saute for another 2 minutes.  Deglaze with red wine and reduce until pasty.  Reduce liquid by half on high heat.  Transfer everything into a slow cooker.  Add canned tomatoes, beef broth, thyme springs, potatoes, carrots, parsnips.  Set on high for 6-8 hours with the lid on until meat is fork tender.

Stovetop method:

• Season beef generously with kosher salt and pepper.  On high heat in a LARGE POT, brown the diced meat on all sides (5 minutes).  Add onions, garlic, celery and saute on high heat until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add tomato paste and saute for another 2 minutes.  Deglaze with red wine until pasty.  Add canned tomatoes, beef broth, thyme springs, potatoes, carrots, parsnips.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 2-4 hours with the lid on until meat is fork tender.

Serves well over bread, steamed rice, or cornbread.

** I prefer to buy my meats whole and butcher them myself.  You can do this yourself with this particular cut of meat.  I bought my chuck roast from whole foods.  Chuck is the shoulder blade of the cow and is very tough, full of fat and connective tissues which is great for stews and braises.  You can also look towards purchasing top round.  I try not to purchase “stew meat” since it’s already diced up by the butchers and there is less control over which part of the animal the meat has come from.  This recipe is a great way to learn the standard techniques to braising.  You can play around with switching out types of meat (chicken, pork, lamb), different wines (white vs. red), and different herbs/vegetables to make a different type of stew! ENJOY!