Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 t oil
2 bay leaves
1/2 t smoked salt (not too much because the ham is salty)
1 t black pepper
2 t ancho chili pepper
1 t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
several grinds of South African Smoked Pepper
1 ham bone with some meaty bits still attached
5 c pre-soaked beans
1 carton of chicken broth
water to meet the fill line

Leave the lid off and hit the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Add oil and heat for a minute. Add the veggies to the Pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add seasonings and fry until fragrant. Add beans and ham bone, broth and water. Make sure sauté function is off. Put on lid and seal. Make sure the valve is closed. Hit the soup function and set for 30 minutes. It will take some time for the pot to come to pressure and then normalize after cooking.

Serve with rice, cilantro, and sour cream

Pre-Soaking Beans - Instant Pot

One of the best things abut the Instant Pot is preparing dried beans. Here is my method and quantities for my eight-quart Instant Pot.

5 C rinsed and sorted black beans
10 C hot water
5 t salt

Seal the lid of the Instant Pot, make sure that the pressure valve is closed, and hit the pressure cook button. Set at 4 minutes (when you push the button and set the time, wait for a few seconds and it will beep and will say "On"). It will turn off and it will automatically turn on the "Keep Warm" function. Let it run for 10 minutes and then turn the pot off. Let the pressure normalizes naturally or you will spray bean juice all over your kitchen.

Note: Only fill the Instant Pot half full for cooking beans because they expand when they cook.

Rinse beans and use in your favorite recipes (soups, salads, etc) for the week. You can freeze them for later as well.

Instant Pot Cooking - Another feature for the new year 2018

I just got an 8-quart Instant Pot so I will be recording the recipes that I try on this blog as well. 

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

It has been awhile since I last posted a recipe. I just had to share this one. The beef is so tender and delicious and it fits well with our busier lifestyle in making a large batch of something on the weekend to eat during the week.

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
2 lb stew meat
2 onions, large dice
6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb mini potatoes

5 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

2-3 slices of ham or bacon, chopped

1 spring of fresh rosemary

2-3 springs of thyme

2 bay leaves

1 pkg fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c flour

1 Tb of Chicago seasoning (other other seasoning)

2-3 t black pepper

1 t salt

2 t smoked pepper or paprika

1/4 c olive oil

1 c red wine

2 c chicken stock

1/4 c soy sauce

1 sm can of tomato paste

1 can tomato paste can of water

1/4 c seasoned flour (reserved from ingredients above)

1. Add onions, garlic, mini potatoes, carrots, ham, shiitake mushrooms, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme to the slow cooker.

2.  In a small bowl combine flour, seasoning salt, pepper, salt, and smoked pepper. Heat oil in a large frying pan to medium/high. Dredge beef chunks in seasoned flour and fry in oil on each side for 2-3 minutes or until and brown crust forms. Fry the beef in batches so the pieces don't touch each other. Add beef to the slow cooker.

3. Add red wine to the fry pan and scrape up all of the browned bits. Let red wine reduce for a few minutes. Add chicken broth, soy sauce and tomato paste. Whisk in remaining seasoned flour, it should be about 1/4 c, cooking/whisking until smooth. Add to slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours or until the beef is tender.

You can always add more vegetables if you have them: parsnips, cabbage or rutabaga would be nice.

Serve with some crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.

Ramen in a Jar

I saw this on Eating Well's website. We often eat ramen noodles for lunch at the office. This looks like a much healthier version than the noodles on their own. I haven't really done the food in jars conception much. I tried the overnight oatmeal awhile back. It was good but didn't seem worth the effort. Maybe this time it will be different.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/256287/spicy-ramen-cup-of-noodles/

New Year, New You

I've always been a proponent for eating wholesome foods. I like using fresh, local ingredients whenever possible, but as you may have noticed I also love international foods and cooking. As I've become more busy professionally, I've started to find it even more important to prepare foods that are all of the above but that are inexpensive and quick to make. We have vowed to do more weekend prep for the weeks meals both to take as lunch and for weeknight dinners when we have kids doing various activities throughout the week.  I'll blog this out for the next 30 days and label these recipes, New Year, New You so you can cook along with us.

Eggplant Parmesan

Easier Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan can be made really loosey goosey depending on the time that you have on hand. I've combined these different methods in different ways and always had delicious results. Occasionally  I like using the America's Test Kitchen method for preparing the eggplant if I am going to go for a lighter option. Oven-frying is less oily and more tasty in my opinion. Sometimes if I'm in a rush I will forgo the breading step altogether. Bread crumbs could be added to the top of the casserole if desired. I make this easier by using jarred sauce. 

If you want to go the extra mile just make this recipe from Bon Appetit. It is really easy to make your own sauce and make it with these loose directions http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/article/eggplant-parm-groat

olive oil
garlic, 4-5 cloves, chopped
 1/4 to 1/2 onion, chopped
12 - 16 plum tomatoes, stemmed and skinned if you wish, or do what I do and put them in with the skins on and pick them out later (or not) or 2 cans of whole tomatoes
basil and oregano

Then simmer for a long time until everything falls apart. Th olive oil really is the key to good sauce. Add more than you think you need and then add a little more!

1-2 globe eggplants, sliced
3-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 chuck of fresh mozzarella, sliced
sauce

I don't peel eggplant. I like purple.
Slice eggplant into 1/2" to 3/4" slices. Line a tray with paper towels and put slices down then sprinkle with kosher salt. Let them rest for 10-20 minutes, then blot dry.

Season some flour with salt and pepper, Dredge eggplant slices in flour and set on a drying rack. Beat some eggs and dip the slices in the egg wash; then dip in Italian-seasoned bread crumbs putting them back on the drying rack as you finish. Then, you can choose to oven fry or pan fry the eggplant.

Pan-frying:
Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan. Then pan fry each side until golden brown. Place fried slices on paper towels to blot oil.
Oven-frying:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread some oil in a sheet pan and put in the oven for 10 minutes. Add eggplant slices and cook for 15 minutes. Flip slices and add more oil if necessary. Cook for an additional 15 minutes or until slices are crispy on the outside.

Make casserole:
Put about 1/2 c sauce in the bottom of a 9x 13 pan. Place eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Add more sauce, eggplant, shredded cheese until you run out of eggplant. Finish with slices of fresh mozzarella on top. Bake in the oven for around 45 minutes. You may want to broil the top at the end of cooking to brown the cheese.

Take out of the oven and let it set for around 15 minutes. Enjoy the heavenly goodness with a salad and some garlic bread.