…from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Many people shy away from lamb or mutton as the flavor can be a bit gamy, but when you use shanks from a young animal, Lamb Shanks are one of the most delicious dishes to be served up on a plate. Where did Lamb Shanks come from? Lamb Shanks are basically the ankles of the lamb. When you look at one end you see bone, some tough-looking muscle and lots of tendons. Some of the world's most memorable and satisfying meals are made from ingredients that are less than desirable cuts of meat. And yet when they are properly braised with aromatic vegetables, garlic, herbs and wine, they make a meal for the gods. After cooking, Lamb Shanks are chunks of meat, tender yet holding their form, in a sauce that seems to concentrate and elevate the flavor of a young lamb and garden veggies. Lamb Shank recipes come mostly from the people who raise sheep for wool. The British and Commonwealth countries eat both mutton and lamb and the shanks are called "trotters." The French do wonderful things with lamb shanks, as do the chefs of the Middle East and India. No matter what the country of origin, there is one common technique for the recipes: The shanks must be browned well all over and then simmered long and slow with a lot of liquid. That is until the Instant Pot was employed to pressure cook Lamb Shanks and aromatic spices and vegetables together that infuse the meat with same incomparable flavor and texture during cooking as a slow braise. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 75-90 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients For the marinade 1/4 cup olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1 cinnamon stick For the Mediterranean lamb shanks 3-pounds skinless lamb shanks (about 4 shanks) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup yellow onion, chopped 1 cup carrots, chopped 2 bay leaves 2 cups red wine 4 cups warm beef broth 3 tablespoons cornstarch 3 tablespoons cold water 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley for garnish (optional) Directions
ChefSecret: My preference is for young New Zealand milk-fed lamb. It is lighter in flavor and smoother in texture. Ask your trusty butcher to order it in for you. Quip of the Day: “Last night the devil whispered to me, I’m coming for you. I whispered back, Bring a pepperoni pizza.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a with our readers? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind.
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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! If you’re like me, you don’t like to go out to restaurants on “amateur” days when many restaurants are over-booked, understaffed. If you want to make your sweetie a special homemade dessert here is one recipe you ought to put in your Survival Guide. My crêpes will make you the star of Valentine’s dinner and it so easy. If you can scramble an egg, you can make a sophisticated French dessert. This is one of the most romantic desserts you can easily make at home. Don’t be intimidated by the thought of making crêpes at home. My crêpe recipe yields perfectly delicate, tender results that are failure proof every time. Crêpes are very thin pancakes that can be served with a wide variety of sweet and savory fillings and toppings. This dessert or breakfast staple dates back to at least 13th-century France. Making homemade crêpes is easier than you think. You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics first. Crêpes are easy to make with just the basic ingredients you already have on hand. Basic French crêpes start with a cup of all-purpose flour for the basic matrix; eggs act as a binder to hold all the batter ingredient together; milk adds moisture and keeps the crêpes light and tender; water helps thin the batter to keep the crêpes thin; just a pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor; and butter lends richness and moisture to the crêpes. You can fill and top your crêpes with whatever you like! Popular choices include whipped cream, fresh fruit, fruit sauce, cream cheese, chocolate sauce, Grand Marnier and granulated sugar and chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella) or peanut butter. They make perfect blintzes and you can also make savory crepes with a variety cheeses, meats, and veggies. Prep time: 10 minutes Batter rest time: 20 minutes Cook time: 3-5 minutes Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 large eggs 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup water 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract( for sweet crêpes) 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter, melted Directions
ChefSecret: Stack the crepes with wax paper in between each layer. Place them in an airtight container or zip-top bag, then store in the refrigerator for up to two days. You can freeze the crêpes for up to a month. Quip of the Day: I checked in to one of the haunted bed and breakfast places in France last summer. I had to leave because the place was giving me the crêpes. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Desserts #Crepes #SweetCrepes #SavoryCrepes #DarkChocolate #ValentinesDayDesserts #HappyValentinesDay #Covid19 #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar How you doin’? It’s finally Super Bowl time… it’s been a long season for some more than others. This cocktail is a call-out to all the ladies (and pink lemonade lovers) who have supported their favorite teams week-after-week during the season. The Super Bowl's origins lie in the creation of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. Started by a group of businessmen who wanted their own pro football franchises but were frustrated by the NFL's unwillingness to expand, the AFL forged ahead as an alternative league playing a more wide-open brand of football. On January 15, 1967, the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) smashed the American Football League (AFL)'s Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10, in the first-ever AFL-NFL World Championship, later known as Super Bowl I, at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. The Super Bowl is the 2nd most-watched sporting event in the world. More than 100 million people worldwide watch the Super Bowl every year. In fact, Super Bowl XLIV in 2010 unseated M*A*S*H's series finale as the most-watched show in television history with over 106.5 million watchers. I predict that these Sweet Pink Señoritas will be the most consumed cocktail in the history of the Super Bowl. Well… probably not any more accurate than my picks for Super Bowl contenders this year, but at least there’s a reward with this one. Cheers! Prep time: 10 minutes Yields: 4 servings Ingredients Lemon wedge, for rimming glasses Coarse kosher salt, for rimming glasses 2 cups ice cubes (mini’s work best) 2-1/4 cups pink lemonade (frozen concentrate is okay) 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur) 1 cup white tequila 4 lemon slices, for garnish 4 mint leaves Directions
ChefSecret: Grand Marnier is an orange liqueur in the Curaçao tradition and Cointreau is a triple sec. Grand Marnier is a blend of cognac and triple sec, so although it's not a traditional curaçao, it's a similar product. Cointreau, on the other hand, is straight up a triple sec. Feel free to use what you have on your bar shelf. Quip of the Day: Q. Which football player wears the biggest helmet on Super Bowl Sunday? A: The one with the biggest head! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #HappyHour #PinkLemonade #GrandMarnier #WhiteTequila #Cheers #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? I recently took a survey from the National Peanut Board asking about my top five peanut inspired candy bars. I only had to get to #2 to call out Butterfinger (PAYDAY being #1). There is something about the layers of crispiness, peanut buttery flavor and chocolate that make this such a scrumptious bar. In 2018 Nestlé sold the Butterfinger brand (and others) to Ferrara Candy Company. This was the most recent turn of events in the long ownership of the Brand starting with the original Curtiss Candy Company. Curtiss Candy was originally founded in 1916 by Otto Schnering near Chicago, Illinois. He wanted a more American-sounding name due to recent anti-German sentiment following World War I. Mr. Schnering named his company using his mother's maiden name—Curtiss. In the American standard he wanted to use only quality ingredients—real creamery butter, a good quality milk chocolate, and large roasted peanuts grown in the USA. The first confectionery bar of the Curtiss Candy Company was Kandy Kake, later refashioned in 1920 as the log-shaped Baby Ruth (the company denied that it was named after the famous baseball player, but after the eldest daughter of President Grover Cleveland. Of course the name was contested and wound up in court. It’s hard to believe, but the real Babe struck out in that game. Their second confectionery bar was the chocolate-covered peanut butter crunch Butterfinger; it was introduced in 1926. In 1931, Curtiss marketed the brand by sponsoring a famous air racer and his team of aviators, to fly over selected events and drop free candy bars from the planes—whoopee, free candy! In 1964, Standard Brands purchased Curtiss Candy. Standard Brands merged with Nabisco in 1981. In 1990, RJR Nabisco sold the Curtiss brands to Nestlé. Nestlé made various changes to the candy bar that had been a mainstay in Chicago for over 70 years. The concept of making Butterfingers is surprisingly easy. The filling is essentially a hard candy mixed with peanut butter, to create a crispy, crunchy, and buttery texture. To make the hard candy base, you simply need to boil pure maple syrup or honey until it reaches the “hard crack” stage, at 300⁰F and go from there. I was told the secret to making the flaky layered center was to use a certain percentage of left over nougat and incorporate it into the new stuff. Butterfingers can be used to make great cookies. While many think of traditional chocolate chip as the cookie dough flavor, cookie dough comes in a variety of flavors. Using Butterfinger candy as an option is a great choice. Prep time: 20 minutes Bake time: 5 to 7 minutes (flour only; see ChefSecret) Chill time: 30 minutes Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 4 (1.9 oz) Butterfinger Bars, coarsely chopped & divided 5 ounces 60% cacao semisweet chocolate 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1 ounce milk chocolate, melted, (optional) Directions
Truthfully, the hardest part of this dessert recipe is having to wait 30 minutes for the cookie dough to sit in the refrigerator. You could sneak a bite while they chill, but it can be more satisfying to wait. ChefSecret: It has been found that raw, unbaked flour can contain a microorganism known to cause salmonella a food borne illness. That’s why it’s always best to toast flour used for an unbaked (or uncooked) confection or dish. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I was just thinking, if you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Snacks #Desserts #Butterfinger #MilkChocolate #DarkChocolate #PeanutOil #NPB #Covid19 #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? While they may look a little complicated because of the intricate designs of some pans, every baker loves the simplicity of a Bundt cake. It doesn’t require heavy frostings or complicated layers. It simply bakes in a single Bundt pan and emerges with a decorative built-in design that’s easy to slice and ready to eat. It’s the ultimate snack cake, and yet at its best, it’s a scrumptious dessert and pretty enough to complement most any meal. This Chocolate Peppermint Topped Bundt Cake is the richest of chocolate cakes—pleasingly dense thanks to the full-fat sour cream. It’s topped with a peppermint-laced white chocolate glaze and crushed peppermint candies. The glaze delightfully hardens like a thin peppermint bark, topped with a cool and crunchy surprise. Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 50 to 55 minutes Cool time: 10 to 15 minutes Frosting prep time: 10 minutes Yield: 12 to 16 servings Ingredients For the cake 2 sticks unsalted butter, chopped 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 1 tablespoon for the baking pan 1 cup water 2 cups granulated sugar 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract I prefer Nielsen-Massey 1 cup sour cream 2 cups all-purpose flour For the topping: 8 ounces white chocolate (I prefer Guittard) 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil 1 teaspoon pure Peppermint Extract (we tested with Nielsen-Massey) 1/4 cup crushed left-over candy canes Directions To make the cake
To make the topping
ChefSecret: The sour cream not only contributes to a tender, moist crumb, it also cuts the sweetness just a bit. And we’re not kidding about the density of the chocolate cake! Pair it with a glass of milk or a cup of black coffee. Quip of the Day: “A word to the wise isn’t necessary… it’s the stupid ones that need it.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #Desserts #DarkChocolateCake #CocoaPowder #Peppermint #CandyCanes #SourCream #Guittard #Nielsen-Massey #Covid19 #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 |
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