Bistek - A Very Simple, Yet Extremely Tasty Filipino Dish
One of my friends likes to cook up some Filipino dishes every now and then. Some of my favorites that he makes include lumpia, chicken adobo, and pancit. Recently, he taught me how to cook bistek (pronounced “bee-stek”) and I gotta say, it is one awesome tasting main dish! As with many Filipino foods, the ingredients are very simple, but the finished product has quite a punch! The flavor is very strong, so it goes great with some white rice, as is the Filipino custom to eat with just about every meal.
The ingredients for bistek include beef steak (any thin cut steak is fine), onions, black pepper, and of course, soy sauce. Filipinos like to eyeball the amounts in their recipes, so if you want to make it truly authentic, just set aside those measuring cups and spoons for this dish.
Cut up the steak into small 3-inch strips and throw them into a small pot. Now pour some soy sauce in, just enough to cover the bottom of the pot (maybe a tad more, just don’t make it deep). Then pour water in deep enough so that all the meat is completely covered. After you have the meat, soy sauce, and water in the pot, bring it to a boil and let it sit for about 3 minutes, then turn down the heat and let it just simmer for around 20 minutes to half an hour. After it’s simmered long enough, go ahead and slice up your onions and toss them in, along with your preferred amount of black pepper, then just keep it simmering until the total amount of soy sauce has reduced by about half.
Voila, you have now cooked bistek. I hope you’ve also cooked a pot of white rice to go with it, because eating this dish without rice is just wrong! Well I suppose it’s your call since you’re the cook, but it does go great with rice. Bon apetit!
Ethan has been writing for the past 2 years and has been a musician since first picking up a guitar 18 years ago. In addition, he also enjoys creating informational websites. Check out one of his latest sites on Christmas sweaters and holiday clothing.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu - The Easy, Healthy Way
By Kim Steele
Despite its nice French name, no one is entirely sure that chicken cordon bleu originated in France. It is however a very popular dish in France and one you can make yourself with little fuss, following the easy method given here. And since it has a French name, of course it has a French story to enjoy along with it.
A Little History
Before we start cooking, I thought you might like to know what the cordon bleu was all about. You’ve probably heard of the cooking school by that name, but the actual cordon bleu had been around for centuries before the cooking school was started in the late 1800’s.
During the religious wars that shook Europe for much of the 16th century, King Henry III initiated a special order of knights, known as L’Ordre du Saint-Esprit, to fight for Catholicism. To distinguish themselves the knights wore a Maltese cross hanging from a blue cord around their neck.
In later years, this same order of knights would gather for huge feasts, some of them cooked by accomplished chefs. Hence the blue cord become associated with excellence in cooking (as well as excellence in general) and this was reinforced when the Cordon Bleu cooking school opened it’s doors in Paris.
An Easy Recipe
So now that you know a little story to entertain your diners with, let’s get cooking.
Lots of Chicken Cordon Bleu recipes ask that you deep fat fry the rolled meat and cheese bundles, but that can be messy and add a lot of unnecessary calories. The dish is actually quite satisfying and delicious when baked. For those of you who miss the extra calories, you can make the shallot cream sauce to serve alongside it.
Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
- 4 chicken breast filets, skinned
- salt and pepper
- 4 slices ham
- 4 slices of cheese, such as Swiss
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 4 tablespoons butter
Using a wooden meat hammer, pound the chicken breasts to about 1/4 inch thick. Or place the breasts between pieces of wax paper or in a heavy plastic bag and use your rolling pin to flatten them.
Lay out the chicken breasts and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Top each with a slice of cheese and a slice of ham. Roll the chicken up tightly.
Dredge the rolls in the beaten egg and then in the bread crumbs, coating them well. Use toothpicks to hold them together if you wish. Place the rolls in a greased baking pan, seam side down. Place 1 tablespoon of butter on top of each roll.
Bake at 350°F for about 30 to 35 minutes.
Serves 4.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
- 2 shallots, chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
Melt the butter in a small saucepan on low heat and add the shallots. Cook the shallots for 7 or 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and warm through. That’s it, ready to serve.
Makes about 1/2 cup.
If you like these recipes, you’ll find many more French chicken recipes on Easy French Food. Chicken Fricassee is another popular method for cooking poultry and this Moroccan Chicken Recipe, although not exactly French, is served so often in France, you might think it was. Enjoy.
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Napa Valley Gourmet Standing Rib Roast Paired With Cabernet Sauvignon
In the Diamond Mountain region of Calistoga is a working estate with plenty of personality and old Napa Valley charm, and it was there that I was given the winemaker’s ’secret’ recipe for this outstanding, crusted rib roast:
Assemble these ingredients:
One 10-pound, quality standing beef rib roast
1/3-c Dijon mustard
4-T chopped fresh rosemary
4-T chopped fresh thyme
3-teaspoons of minced garlic
Sea salt, pepper
1-small package of about 40 baby carrots
16-large shallots, peeled
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Place beef fat side up in a shallow roasting pan. Spread mustard all over beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix rosemary, thyme and garlic in small bowl and lightly press into beef to completely coat.
Roast the beef uncovered for 15 minutes with the roasting pan positioned just below the center of oven. Then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and continue roasting for 90 minutes. Remove from oven, and pour or spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings. Add the carrots and shallots to the pan and stir them lightly to coat with the drippings; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the beef and vegetables together until thermometer inserted into center of beef registers 125°F for medium-rare, for approximately another 60 minutes. Sir the vegetables occasionally. Transfer the beef and vegetables to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Discard the drippings from the roasting pan and place it over 2 burners on the stovetop. Add 3-T of butter to the pan and melt over medium heat. Add 3-T flour; whisk until smooth and just beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1-C of red zinfandel and 2-C of good quality beef stock. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve the beef and vegetables with potato gratin and salad, and pair the feast with a rich Cabernet Sauvignon to highlight all the flavors.
You can order Graeser Estate Cabernet Sauvignon direct from the winery today. A portion of all sales are donated to animal rescue and care organizations: Click here to order: http://graeserwinery.com And be sure to visit the winery. It is a destination you won’t want to miss. —————– © 2008 -Suzanne de Cornelia. All worldwide rights apply. This article may be reprinted on websites as long as the entire article, including website link and resource box below are included and unchanged. Suzanne de Cornelia is a freelance writer, and author of “French Heart.” Contact Suzanne on Facebook, or Twitter @SuzanneDeC. And click-on her site now for a blogroll of free and fascinating resources: http://suzannedecornelia.com/
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Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup
There is nothing quite like a hot, soothing bowl of homemade chicken soup, especially when your sick or when the weather starts getting cold. I am sure many of us have fond memories of Mom or Grandma fixing up a hot bowl of chicken soup when we were younger. Remember how comforting it was and how good it made you feel? I sure do and I look forward to making chicken soup at least once a month during the cold days of winter. I am going to share with you one of the most delicious recipes for chicken soup, passed down to me from my Grandmother. It is quite easy to make and I promise you will enjoy this again and again…
I rarely follow exact measurements while cooking, so the ingredients below are approximated. Please forgive me in advance..
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Chicken Breasts on the Bone, Skin on
3 Large Celery Stalks Sliced (Reserve Leaves)
3 Large Carrots Sliced
1 Medium Onion Chopped
3 Cloves of Garlic Crushed
2 Medium Russet Potatoes Cubed
1 Cup of Small Pasta for Soup (Orzo, Ditalini)
Water
Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Grated Italian Cheese (Optional)
Bouquet garni of Thyme, Sage and Rosemary (Instructions Below)
DIRECTIONS
Step 1 - Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts skin side down and brown.
Step 2 - Add water and chicken stock to the pot. Add a 50/50 mixture of water and chicken stock. The chicken stock gives the soup a boost in flavor. Add enough liquid so that the chicken is completely submerged, plus a little more.
Step 3 - Add celery leaves, garlic and Bouquet Garni (instructions follow). Bring liquid to a boil, then cover and simmer. Cook chicken on a low simmer until you can easily pull the chicken off the bone. One chicken is done, remove it from the pot and place it on a large plate. Remove the garlic and bouquet from pot and discard.
Bouquet Garni Instructions/Description
A bouquet Garni is just a fancy French name for a bundle of herbs that can be added to stocks, soups and stews. When translated to English it means: “garnished bouquet”. It is very easy to make. You can either tie the bundle together using strings or you can wrap it in cheesecloth. I like to use the cheesecloth as it keeps the herbs contained so that they do not fall off and become part of the soup. If you don’t mind the herbs in the final soup, you can wrap it with string. This bundle of herbs will impart a deliciously rich flavor to the broth.
Step 4 - Add the onion, potatoes, celery and carrots to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Step 5 - Add your pasta and cook along with vegetables until pasta is al dente.
Step 6 - While the pasta is cooking, pull chicken from the bone and shred into bite size pieces. Add the chicken to the pot and stir.
Step 7 - Serve. Top with grated cheese if desired. Enjoy!
A Baked Halibut Dish You Will Love!
By Anne Clarke
If you are looking for great-tasting, low-fat entrée high in nutritional value - try cooking with fresh fish. Many baked fish recipes are extremely low in calories and fat for the amount of nutrition they contain. This baked halibut recipe definitely falls into the category of a scrumptious, low-fat dish that you, your dinner guests, friends, and family members will absolutely love. Fried fish is yummy, but anything fried comes with a significant portion of unwanted calories. Baked fish on the other hand tastes great, seems more refined, and can be complimented with low-calorie fruit and/or vegetable side dishes that won’t increase your calorie count too much.
You can, however, beef up the carbohydrate count with a nice pasta or rice side dish as well. So plan your meal perfectly, depending on your guests, your personal taste, and choose from all of your favorite sides. You won’t be disappointed! Almost any fresh fish dish goes well with a nice bottle of your favorite white wine. This baked halibut entrée serves four to six people and, as always, you can double the recipe for the perfect dinner party!
You will need to have the following ingredients on-hand before you begin:
- Two pounds of halibut fillets
- One teaspoon of sea salt
- Two tablespoons of margarine or butter
- 1/4 cup of cooking sherry
- Paprika
- One fresh clove of garlic (sliced)
- 14 ounces of sliced fresh mushrooms (or more if you love mushrooms)
- Sprays of fresh parsley for garnish
- Lemon wedges
- 1 cup of sour cream.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Sprinkle halibut fillets with sea salt and bake them in the oven for 10 minutes. While your fish are baking sauté the fresh, sliced mushrooms and garlic slices in two tablespoons of butter or margarine in a medium-sized saucepan. Remove the pan from the stove and add the sour cream, cooking sherry, and a pinch of paprika. Remove the fish fillets from the oven when ready, and then pour the sauce mixture over your baked halibut. Add the sprays of parsley and freshly-sliced lemon wedges for garnish.
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes teaching, gardening, and fashion. For more of her useful articles on seafood recipes, please visit Seafood, supplier of fresh seafood and seafood recipes.
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