Geek Can Cook

Cubed Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

2006-01-15T22:23:00.000-05:00

Growing up, I was fortunate to have not just one, but four women who patiently put up with my endless curiosity, turning what would have been annoyance for many into an opportunity to teach. They weren't gourmet cooks, and they certainly had far more important things to do than put up with a little boy's constant "whys," but they always took the time to let me lend a hand, to explain what they were doing, and why, and to involve me in the process of cooking -- in the process of life.

My mom had a few mainstays and like many busy moms, ground beef was often called upon to perform. When we'd just about had our fill of "goulasch", tacos, and American chop suey, she'd pull out the big guns -- cubed steaks, swimming in cream of mushroom goodness, served over white rice, usually with a side of french-style Del Monte green beans.

I found two packets of forgotten cubed steaks in the freezer today, along with an intense craving for comfort food. Never one to leave tradition alone, however, I decided to give a childhood favorite my own slant. I think I did okay, but in honor of the woman who always let me stir the pot and slice the tomatoes, I'll give you her version first.

Mom's Cubed Steaks

Ingredients

4 cubed beef steaks
1 can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can water
Adolph's meat tenderizer
Nature's Seasons seasoned salt
Garlic powder
Black pepper
3 tbs butter

Directions

1. Season cubed steaks with meat tenderizer, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper and let sit 10 mins.

2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sear cubed steaks 2 mins. on each side, or until browned.

3. Meanwhile, mix together cream of mushroom soup and water in a bowl. Add a bit of garlic powder and black pepper for good measure.

4. Once the cubed steaks are nicely browned, add the mushroom soup mixture, cover and reduce heat to simmer 30 mins.

5. Meanwhile, prepare 4 servings white rice according to instructions on box.

6. Warm a can of french-style Del Monte green beans with a knob of butter, some garlic powder, Nature's Seasons and black pepper.

7. Serve cubed steaks with gravy over rice with green beans on the side.

Geek Can Cook Cubed Steaks in Beef Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

4 cubed beef steaks
Sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
12 oz. white button (or crimini) mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium yellow onions, frenched (or thinly sliced)
1/2 tbs Bovril, Marmite, or similar beef extract (or half a boullion cube)
1/4 cup cooking wine or sherry
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp herbs de provence
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Melt 1 tbs butter in a large saucepan, adding 1 tbs EVO to prevent burning.

2. Sautee onions over medium-high heat for 5 mins. seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper, paprika, and herbs.

3. Add sliced mushrooms, soy sauce, and wine and sautee until mushrooms are soft, about 5 mins. Meanwhile, mix the Bovril with the water and corn starch, stirring to remove any lumps.

4. In another saucepan, heat the remaining butter and olive oil, and sear the cubed steaks over high heat, about 2 mins. on each side. Add the mushroom mixture, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for about 30 mins.

5. Serve over rice with your favorite side. I like a succotash of corn, carrots, onions, and lima beans with just a little fresh garlic and butter.

Okay... so my recipe is a lot more involved, and not the best for the busy mom on the go. It was delicious though, and called back all those memories of being apron-high to the woman of my dreams.

Serendipity Rulez: Or How I Learned to Love the Cookie

2006-01-14T21:21:00.000-05:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm not a big dessert fan, so my skillz as a pastry chef are perhaps the weakest in my cooking arsenal. As an imperfection, it's one I can live with, and yet -- well, it's an imperfection, and I hate not being perfect like a fat kid hates gym class.

So I try. I strive. I yearn. I read, and attempt, and experiment. Usually, I succeed with at least mediocrity, and everyone knows that dessert is like sex: even when it's uninspired, it's still the best thing going.

Today, however, I succeeded in creating what I believe just might be the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever tasted. You might disagree, for no two people make chocolate chip cookies the same way, so I have to conclude that no two people agree on what constitutes the perfect chocolate chip cookie. For me, however, this was the apex... the epitome of chocolate chip cookiedom. This was the Ur-Cookie.

It began with an entry in the Carnival of the Recipes (#74), which purported to be Mrs. Field's chocolate chip cookie recipe. Not the urban legend recipe, mind you, but the honest-to-gods, original recipe from none other than Debbie Fields herself. Since I had a bag of chocolate chips left over from the cookies I neglected to make for Christmas, I thought I'd give it a try.

So, hunted down the necessary implements, and began to gather my ingredients, only to find that I'd used most of the flour in my pursuit of Tourtiere. Undaunted, I decided to press on, partially for the fun of experimenting, but mostly because I already had two (now rather gooey) sticks of softened butter sitting in my mixing bowl. I had some oatmeal, and I had some almonds, and with a bit of manipulation, they filled in for the flour admirably.

The resulting cookies, while a bit sticky, firmed up nicely in the refrigerator, and baked up exactly the way I like -- crisp on the bottom and around the edges, and almost fluffy in the center. If I had to change anything at all, I'd use bittersweet chocolate chips next time instead of semisweet, but that's a very small bone to pick, and I'm probably the minority opinion.

So, without further ado, I give you:

Serendipity Cookies

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
12 oz. semisweet (or bittersweet, or milk) chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.

2. Cream butter, sugar, and salt. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on high until fluffy.

3. Beat in oat flour and almonds.

4. Sift in the flour and baking soda a bit at a time. When the mixture becomes too thick to easily work with the beaters, incorporate the remaining flour with a spatula to avoid overmixing.

5. Fold in chocolate chips.

6. Depending on how soft the butter was when you started, this dough may be a little sticky. No worries, just stick it in the freezer for 5 mins. By the time your oven has come fully up to temp, it'll be firm enough.

7. Roll hefty tablespoonfulls into balls and place on a cookie tray lined with wax paper. These cookies will spread, so I recommend 6 per tray, rather than 12. Alternatively, you could make crispier mini cookies by using a teaspoon instead, and make a whole dozen at a time.

8. Bake on the center rack of the oven for approx. 20 mins.

9. Remove, let cool slightly, and enjoy with a tall glass of milk!

Carr Family Clam Dip

2005-12-20T16:35:00.000-05:00

This is my father's clam dip recipe, copied from rote, as even I am loathe to part with tradition that extends back to my great-grandfather's time. It is fantastic enough to stand on its own with no additions from me, and has a special place in my heart as being something that has been handed down through generations unaltered. In these days of instant dips, it is one which never fails to impress, and I have yet to find a way to improve on its simplicity.

Carr Family Clam Dip

Ingredients

1 pkg cream ceese (use Neufatchel cheese if you must lower the fat, but Philedelphia original is best)
1 can minced clams w/juice
1 tsp salt
1 tbs coarsely cracked black pepper
3 tbs milk (whole, skim, 2%, half and half... your choice)

Directions

1. Remove the cream cheese from the package and let stand at room temperature for 15 mins. or until softened.

2. Drain the clams, reserving the liquid.

3. Give the clams a few pulses in a food processor, or a few good whacks with a chef's knife, until finely minced.

4. In a largish bowl, combine cream cheese, minced clams, salt, pepper, milk, and a few tablespoons of clam liqueur.

5. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes, or until fully incorporated and fluffy. The texture should me only semi-liquid at room temperature and will firm up in the refrigerator. If the mixture is too wet, add a bit more cream cheese, if it is too dry, add more clam liqueur or milk (according to taste). This is a thick dip and shouldn't be at all runny.

6. Add additional salt and black pepper to taste.

7. Transfer to a bowl or Tupperware container and refrigerate overnight if possible, or at least 2 hours.

8. Serve with hearty, thick ripple potato chips.

Carnival of the Recipes #70

2005-12-18T23:05:00.000-05:00

The holidays are almost upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a bevy of holiday-themed goodness. The Carnival of the Recipes #70 rings in the Solstice with a plethora of delicious goodies, hosted by Caltechgirl at Not Exactly Rocket Science.

The hollydays wouldn't be complete without cookies...

2005-12-13T20:01:00.000-05:00

I'm usually not a big one for sweets, but around the holidays, there are certain treats that call back such nostalgic memories, it is incumbent upon me to recreate them -- waistline be damned.

These are my favorite Christmas cookies, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that they are devoid of color, bits of sugary frosting, or cutesy designs... my mother made them for us every year, and her mother before that, and her mother before that, so there's a history in there that makes them taste even better. Not that any of us is even remotely Swedish, but there ya go.

Swedish Butter Crescents

Ingredients
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder (optional)
1 1/2 cups ground almonds
1 tbs vanilla extract

1/2 cup powdered sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325F.
Cream room temperature butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.
Add ground almonds and blend until mixed.
Slowly blend flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture.
Finish by kneading any unmixed dry ingredients until the whole is a firm, slightly crumbly ball.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill 10-15 mins.
Roll out appoximately 1 tbs of dough into balls, then shape into crescents, leave as is, or garnish with a candied cherry.
Bake for 18-20 mins. or until light golden brown.
Upon removing from the oven, carefully roll warm crescents in powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture, or use a sifter to dust.
Enjoy!

Carnival of the Recipes #54

2005-08-26T11:58:00.000-04:00

Just in time for all your back to school cooking needs, Caltechgirl at Not Exactly Rocket Science hosts this week's Carnival of the Recipes #54.

After a hiatus, a sweet comeback...

2005-08-22T19:19:00.000-04:00

Wow. It's been some time since I've been able to post anything. Well, I guess technically I've been able to post all along, but with the house remodel and death-by-work, things tend to get lost in the shuffle.

I've been working at a perfect creme brulee for some time, and have never really achieved perfect results, until yesterday. Well... nearly perfect. My brulee torch decided to give up the ghost last night, forcing me to use the oven broiler, which tidily spoiled the contrast between warm crunchy top and chilled, creamy custard. No matter -- these brulees were still delicious, with exactly the velvety texture I've been going for all along.

Creme Brulee

Ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar + 8 tsp for bruleeing(?)
6 egg yolks

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a heavy saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until slightly thickened and pale yellow.
Slowly add the warm cream to the egg yolk/sugar mixture, beating constantly.
Ladle the mixture into ramekins.
Bake in a water bath for 45 mins. The water should come at least halfway up the side of the ramekins.
Remove from the oven and let come to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours covered in plastic wrap.
Sprinkle the top of each brulee with granulated sugar and use a torch to burn.
Enjoy!

A Summer Minestrone

2005-06-24T00:32:00.000-04:00

The garden is really beginning to get going. The summer squashes are threatening to overwhelm if not picked on a regular basis, the corn is as high as a well... you know, and the peas and green beans have produced their first flush. A pefect time to make a summer minestrone.

A Summer Minestrone

Ingredients
1 medium-large zucchini (about 8")
1 medium summer squash (crook or straight-neck - about 6")
4 leeks, sliced (whites and light green only)
1 sweet onion, diced
1 sprig each fresh thyme, oregano, marjoram, and savory
¼ C fresh Genovese basil
¼ C fresh Italian parsley
4 cloves fresh garlic , coarsely chopped
½ cup white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
1 cup chicken consomme
3 cups water
1 large can crushed tomatoes
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp white sugar
1 tsp coarsely crushed black pepper

Directions

Add onions, leeks and garlic to a stock pot with about 3 tbs olive oil and sautee until translucent but not browned (about 5 mins. over medium heat).
Meanwhile, cut zucchini and summer squash into spears, then into 1" triangles. Once the onions are translucent, add the squash to the mix and sautee about 3 mins.
Add wine and bring to a boil for 3-5 mins. then add chicken stock, water, tomatoes, the remaining salt & pepper and sugar.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins. or until squash is tender but not mushy.
Turn off the heat, then stir in herbs and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, sugar and acidity.
This is best if the flavours are allowed to mingle overnight in the refrigerator, but it can be served immediately, or held until ready and reheated just before serving.

Carnival of the Recipes #44

2005-06-18T21:13:00.000-04:00

The Carnival of the Recipes #44 is up, hosted by Michele at Meanderings.

As always, oodles of tasty recipes for your cooking pleasure!

Chili Cookoff

2005-06-17T00:18:00.000-04:00

After a langorous day spent working from home, laptop in... well, lap, reclined on my sofa coding like the good monkey I am, the evening brought a bit of coolness and with the setting sun, a longing for the warmth of a good bowl of chili.

I'm not from Texas, but I'll admit to taking inspiration from the "original" Texas-style chili. While I'm prone to adding vegetables such as celery (and even the occasional carrot) to my stock, and am divided over the issue of tomatoes, I feel that the dish can stand a bit of variation. The chili I cooked up today is a fair representation of my signature recipe... optional ingredients can be added or subtracted at will.

I like to use a combination of beef and pork, as well as a fair sampling of different types of chiles to add depth to the dish. If there's beef stock on hand, I'll use that for additional flavor, but if not, a bit of Worschestershire sauce usually suffices. Herbs include whatever is currently in my garden, which in the summer is quite a handful. Like so many other dishes I cook (especially liquid dishes,) I'm going for a blend of the sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and bitter.

The ingredient list is quite daunting, but well worth the while. If you're lazy (like me) it is probably best to double or triple this batch and freeze the leftovers for later use.

Chile con Carne

Ingredients

1 lb. ground chuck
½ lb. lean ground pork
3 tbs olive oil
2 sweet onions, diced
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, split and sliced
¼ cup fresh herbs (oregano, marjoram, savory, thyme, basil, sage, cilantro)
12 chiles (I used 3 New Mexico, 3 California, 4 ancho/pasilla, and 2 chipotle)
6 sun/ovendried tomatoes
2 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp celery seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
½" cinnamon stick
1 tbs cocoa powder
¼ cup Worschestershire sauce
½ cup dry Marsala wine (my secret ingedient)
4 plum tomatoes, diced
juice of 1 lime
2 tbs molasses (or 1 tsp brown sugar)
2 bottles beer (lager or light ale)
½ cup pinto beans
½ cup small red kidney beans
2-3 tbs salt

Directions

Soak the beans overnight, or in boiling water for 1 hour. Simmer in salted water for 45 mins. or until just tender.
Unless you like a really hot chili, seed the dried chile pods thouroughly, then soak in water just off the boil for 20 mins.
Prepare a chile paste in a food processor together with the sundried tomatoes, garlic, spices, and half the herbs.
Meanwhile, add olive oil, onion, celery, and a bit of salt to a soup pot over medium-high heat and sweat about 5 mins.
Add meat and brown approx. 10 mins.
Add beer, Worschestershire, molasses, cinnamon, bay leaves, and Marsala wine, and simmer 5 mins.
Add chile paste and tomatoes, and simmer, uncovered for 30 mins.
Add beans and lime juice, and adjust salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
Serve over basmati rice, or in a bowl with saltine crackers, cheddar cheese, diced onions, and minced herbs.

Thai Pork Salad (Larb Moo)

2005-06-15T21:37:00.000-04:00

Thai cuisine as it is most often proffered here in the States seems to be composed mostly of soupy curries in rainbow hues -- redolent in their coconut milk and spices -- and of the old standby Tom Yum Goong, a lemongrass and galangal flavored broth with shrimp and lime leaves. Alas, good those these dishes no doubt are, Thai restaurants do themselves a disservice (in much the same way as American "Chinese" restaurants) by not offering up a larger array of dishes from such a complex and aromatic cuisine.

Having spent close to 6 years in Southeast Asia, I often crave the sort of food that could commonly be had for less than $1 on the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, or Bangkok. Fortunately, I have access to the very best source for authentic recipes in existence -- my housekeeper Nong. While Nong is not a gourmet cook, and should be let near the kitchen only with supervision, when she keeps it simple she can produce Bangkok street food par excellence. I try to tinker with her recipes very little... the tastes are simple, yet sublime, and impart the quintessence of Thai cuisine -- a marriage of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy that explodes on the taste buds and causes a gentle sweat.

Thai Pork Salad (Larb Moo)

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground or minced pork
4 tbs Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)
2 tbs roasted rice powder*
1 tbs roasted chili flakes (for three star hot -- more or less to taste)
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp palm sugar (substitute brown if you can't find palm)
3-4 spigs fresh spearmint, chopped
2-3 shallots (Thai red shallots are best, but French shallots or even red onion will do in a pinch), thinly sliced
½" galangal**, minced (optional)
2 small Thai chillies (Prik Kee Noo), thinly sliced (optional)
2 Kaffir lime leaves, jullianed (optional)

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the ground pork for approx. 5 mins.
Meanwhile, chop and add the rest of the ingredients to a bowl, mixing with a whisk to get all the flavors good and happy.
Strain the pork, toss with the dressing, and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

* To make roasted rice powder, take about a ¼ cup of uncooked rice and heat it in a dry pan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once the rice has turned toasty brown, blend in a food processor or mortar and pestle into a coarse powder.

** Galangal is sometimes referred to as blue ginger. It can be substituted with young fresh ginger, but the taste is quite different. Look for galangal, along with Thai chillies, authentic jasmine rice, palm sugar, and fish sauce in your local Asian market, or in better supermarkets (though you'll probably pay more for less).

Carnival of the Recipes #43

2005-06-10T22:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, the Carnival is up, delivered with amazing attention to detail by Songtress over at News from the Great Beyond.

Amazing work, and some really amazing recipes!

Campfire Cooking -- Kebab Style

2005-06-09T21:58:00.000-04:00

Ah camping... it puts me in mind of eggs and bacon cooked over a Coleman stove, of cheap hotdogs roasted on sticks, of gooey smores and cans of pork n' beans.

Alas, I've grown up some since I last went camping, and the thought of subsisting on pork parts just isn't as appetizing as it might have once been (I was young, mmmkay?) So, for this particular trek into the wilderness, I've decided that a bit more upscale fare could certainly be purveyed... and right easily at that.

To wit: kebabs. Those sticks of meat and veg that marry so well with the campfire to provide cuisine even an Eagle Scout would envy. To mark this momentous occasion, I've put together a little East-West marinade to spice it up a bit:

A Marinade for Campfire Kebabs

Ingredients
1 sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
c. 12 curry leaves
2 sprigs each, sweet marjoram, thyme, oregano, and summer savory
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs sea salt
12 black peppercorns
1" ginger, peeled and sliced
2 bay leaves
2 tbs brown sugar
juice of 4 limes
2 tbs cider vinegar
1 heaping tbs tandoori spice
½ cup water
½ cup soy sauce

Directions

In a food processor blend, herbs, curry leaves, black pepper, salt, sugar, garlic, onion, ginger, olive oil, and tandoori powder to a pastelike consistency.
Mix paste with vinegar, water, and lime juice.
Taste and adjust... once again, we're looking for a good balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy.
Place skewered kebabs in a gallon Ziploc bag and pour the marinade in. Zip and remove as much air as possible.
Refrigerate until ready to use... at least one hour, but preferably overnight.

For the kebabs themselves, take some bamboo skewers and soak them in water for about an hour. Once waterlogged, thread meat and vegetables in alternating rows. I'm partial to meat, onion, mushroom, meat, pepper, tomato, meat... which is a pretty full kebab. Marinate the whole thing... you want the flavour to penetrate into every pore.

Cooking is as simple as adding fire. If you're roughing it (like I'll be,) I'd suggest a fish basket of some sort to hold the kebabs in place while turning over the campfire. If you're just at home grilling, remember that medium rare is probably no more than 5 minutes on each side over medium heat. Don't worry if the olive oil drips and they catch on fire... it's just a little more flavah.

Veal Loin Chops Marsala

2005-06-08T01:25:00.000-04:00

When I ran into Veal Loin Chops for half-price at Harris Teeter just the other week, it was clear to me what was in store for dinner. Veal is an awesome meat that is eaten far less in the US than in Europe, probably due to the fact that we have some innate sensibilities that prevent us from slaughtering and eating cute little baby cows with big eyelashes. Or (perhaps more likely) it could have something to do with the fact that the beef industry in America is huge. America is one of the biggest consumers of beef per capita, although recent "health" trends have skewed those numbers towards turkey and chicken. The fact remains, however, that with so much beef cheaply available, veal is bound to take second place -- which is a shame.

Veal brings a certain taste wholly unlike adult beef to the table, a tenderness and milky quality that is arguably unparalleled. It is a taste that is easily overwhelmed, but one that marries extremely well with Marsala wine, a fortified wine from the city of Marsala in Silicy, Italy. Marsala is aged (like Sherry) in soleras. Like sherry, it is a fortified wine with a dry, woody character. In sauces, it reduces to a syrup that blends the sweetness of the grape with an earthy undertone. In short, a perfect match for a creamy cut of young cow.

Marsala Sauce (a la Geek Can Cook)

Ingredients

4 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet Spanish or Vidalia onion, diced
1 cup button or crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh herbs (such as marjoram, oregano, thyme, savory, parsley, and basil), chopped
1 cup Dry Marsala Wine
½ cup veal broth
1 tsp white flour
salt and fresh black pepper

Directions

Melt butter and olive oil in a saucepan over med-high heat.
Add onions, and sautee until just soft, but not brown (about 5 mins.)
Add garlic, salt and pepper, and sautee another 2 minutes.
Add Marsala and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 mins., or until the wine has reduced to a syrupy consistency.
Add flour, and sautee 2 mins. to thicken.
Add veal broth (or if veal broth is not available, substitute water with 3 tbs Worschestershire sauce mixed in) and bring to a boil.
Add herbs and simmer 5 mins.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Inaugural

2005-06-02T23:41:00.000-04:00

After some time at LiveJournal, it seems that the cooking section of my blog -- food entries, recipes, and the like -- has grown to the point where it veritably demands separate treatment. This blog is a means to that end.

Geek Can Cook shall endeavour to chronicle my escapades in culinary art, as well as providing some history and other geekery around various food items and preparations.

In the words of the immortally campy Chairman Kaga of Iron Chef fame:

Allez Cuisine!