Mongolian Lamb
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
1 ½ pound lamb fillets
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 medium onion wedges
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Directions:
- Trim meat of any fat and tendons. Slice across the grain evenly into thin slices. Combine garlic, ginger and sesame oil; add meat coat.
- Heat peanut oil in wok or heavy-bottom pan, swirling gently to coat base and sauté onion. Stir-fry over medium heat for 4 minutes until soft. Remove from wok and keep wok warm. Cook meat quickly in small batches on high heat until browned but not cooked thoroughly. Remove from wok and drain on paper towels.
- Combine cornstarch, soy sauce, and sherry to make a smooth paste. Return meat to wok and add cornstarch mixture. Stir-fry over high heat until meat is cooked and sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and top with onion and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Steak Kabobs
1 ½ lb. steak
2-3 bell peppers
1 red onion
1 can pineapple chucks
3- 4 zucchini
Marinade
Directions:
- Cut steak in cubes. Wash and cut all vegetables into bite sized pieces.
- Soak skewers in water to prevent burning during cooking
- Make Kabobs alternating different vegetables and steak.
- Make a marinade or use a pre-bought marinade. Pour over kabobs and let stand at least 15 minutes
- Broil on high until steak is at desired eating type.
Easy Baked Chicken Kiev
4 whole chicken breasts (about 4 lbs. total)
½ cup each fine dry bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese
1 ½ teaspoons oregano leaves
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
4 ounces jack, cut into 8 strips (each ½ inch thick and 1 ½ inches long
5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
~Place chicken breast, one at a time, between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. With flat side of a mallet, gently pound breasts until each is about ¼ inch thick; set aside.
~In a rimmed plate or pie pan, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, garlic salt, and pepper; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together t5he 4 tablespoons softened butter, parsley, and remaining ½ teaspoon oregano.
~Spread about ½ tablespoon of the herb-butter mixture across each breast about an inch from lower edge; lay a strip of jack cheese over butter mixture. Fold lower edge of breast over filling then fold in sides and roll up to enclose filling.
~Dip each bundle in the melted butter and drain briefly; then roll in bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Place bundles, seam side down, without touching, in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Drizzle with any remaining butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until next day.
Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink when lightly slashed (cut just a small slash so filling doesn’t ooze out). Makes 4-8 servings.
White Veal Scaloppine
1 pound boneless veal cutlets, cut 1/3 inch thick and pounded ½ to ¼ inch thick
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons salad oil
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup chopped onions
¼ pound mushrooms, sliced
1 or 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
½ cup each dry white wine and regular strength chicken broth
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon all purpose flour
½ cup sour cream
~Dust cutlets with the ¼ cup flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. When fat is hot, add veal in a single layer, without crowding, and cook until browned on both sides (about 1 to 2 minutes on each side). Remove from pan and set aside.
~Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic; cook, stirring until onions are soft. Stir in wine, broth, lemon juice, and thyme. Return meat to pan and bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Lift out veal; arrange on a platter and keep warm. Stir the 1 teaspoon flour into sour cream; add to pan, blending well. Cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens slightly. Spoon over veal. Makes 4 servings.
Scampi
Scampi are actually a type of shrimp available only to Italy and her Adriatic neighbors, but this recipe produces something very similar.
About ¾ pound medium-size raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon minced green onion
1 tablespoon olive oil or salad oil
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced parsley
¼ teaspoon grated lemon peel
Dash of liquid hot pepper seasoning
~Pat shrimp dry with paper towels; set aside. Melt butter in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Stir in green onion, oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt; cook until bubbly.
~Add shrimp to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink (4-5 minutes). Stir in parsley, lemon peel, and hot pepper seasoning. Makes 2 servings.
Sweet and Sour Pork
½ to 1 pound lean boneless pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup water
1 slice fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 egg
½ cup cornstarch
About 4 tablespoons salad oil
1 medium-size onion, cut into wedges, with layers separated
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 small tomatoes cut into wedges
½ cup canned pineapple chunks, drained
1 recipe sweet-sour sauce (recipe below)
~Place pork, water, ginger, and soy sauce in a pan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and let cool. Prepare sweet- sour sauce and set aside.
~Beat egg in a small bowl. Place cornstarch in a bag. Dip pork cubes in egg, then shake in cornstarch until lightly coated; shake off excess. Heat about 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or wide frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add meat ( cook half at time if using more than ½ lb) and stir fry until browned (2-3 minutes). Remove meat and set aside; discard pan drippings.
~Increase heat to high and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add onion, green pepper, and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute, adding a few drops of water if pan appears dry. Stir sweet-sour sauce, add to pan, and cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens slightly.
~Stir in tomatoes, pineapple, and meat and cook just until heated through (about 30 seconds). Makes 2 to 4 servings.
~Sweet-sour sauce: In a bowl, combine ¾ cup water; 1 tablespoon each cornstarch, catsup, and soy sauce; ¼ cup each sugar and wine vinegar, and a few drops of liquid hot pepper seasoning.
Pan Poaching to Suit Any Fish
In the classic method of poaching, fish is completely immersed in seasoned liquid. After the fish cooks, the liquid is reduced (cooked down), then combined with butter and flour to make a sauce.
~But in the short cut method that follows, you poach with less liquid, then boil the pan juices alone for just a few minutes to make a naturally thickened sauce. Our directions include 2 poaching broths. The onion wine broth suits fish with a mild to moderate flavor, such as ling cod, halibut, snapper, and sole. The herb- tomato broth is best with moderate to more richly flavored fish, such as rockfish, salmon, and swordfish.
~Have read 1 to 1 ½ pound fish fillets, steaks, or small whole cleaned fish, or a 1 pound package of frozen fish fillets. Prepare a poaching broth (recipe follows) in a wide frying pan and bring to a slow boil. Arrange fish in a single layer in pan, or place frozen block of fish in pan. Cover pan; reduce heat to keep broth simmering.
~Simmer thin fillets (¼ to 1/3 inch thick) without turning until they test done- takes 3 to 4 minutes. Simmer ½ to 1 inch thick pieces, or whole fish up to 1 ½ inches thick, until they test done- takes 4 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness. Simmer block of frozen fish in the hot liquid for 15 to 18 minutes ( spread frozen fillets flat in pan when they’re thawed) or until they test done.
~With a wide spatula, remove fish to a warm plate; cover and keep warm. Boil juices in pan over high heat until reduced to a medium-thick sauce. Season to taste with salt pepper, and lemon juice; pour over fish. Garnish with chopped parsley or avocado slices, if desired. Makes 3-4 servings.
Onion-wine broth:Melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced, or 2 shallots, finely chopped; and 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed. Cook, stirring, until soft (about 3 minutes). Stir in ¼ cup each dry white wine and regular-strength chicken broth, or ½ cup chicken broth only