How you doin’? ¿Cómo te va? When you make this salad for your family you will be doing very well, thank you.
 
For some of us, salads can be very boring… most families use them as the first course for dinner—a little lettuce, shredded carrot and a tomato slice or two. Why is this salad so different? Yes, it’s made with fresh, crisp produce, but it’s also loaded with different flavors and textures. It incorporates many of the ingredients found in Mexican cuisine. It is easy to make with both store-bought canned corn or fresh corn off the cob that you can grill or roast. You can use a store-bought taco mix (like Lawry’s) or you can use the Perspectives recipe below. You can use store bought chips, but freshly fried tortilla chips are so much better. And finally, if you want to get really showy, you can fry flour tortilla bowls and serve the salad in the bowl. Actually, you can add or delete ingredients at will according to the tastes and the whims of the chef.
 
I have had a lot of people ask over the last several weeks, where do all our recipes come from? We have over 10,000 recipes in our data base that come from our cookbooks, restaurants and The California Kitchen (our test kitchen). Our recipes are tested by chefs and cooks and meal providers (with no professional experience) to make sure that the recipes are understandable, easy to make and, as advertised, delicious. Let’s get cooking!
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
For the crisp tortillas and beef
1/4 cup light frying oil
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1-pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken)
1/4 cup fresh tomato salsa
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (see recipe below or Lesson #24)
 
For the dressing
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fresh tomato salsa
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
 
For the salad
1 head romaine, chopped, rinsed and dried (about 6 cups)
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, picked
6 medium green onion tops, thinly sliced
1 (15-oz) can corn kernels, drained or 2 cobs of corn roasted or grilled, removed from the cob
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1-pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 medium avocado, diced
 
Directions
To make the crisp tortillas and beef

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tortilla strips and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the tortilla strips and drain on a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt.
2. Carefully drain any excess oil from the skillet and return it to medium-high heat. Add the ground beef (turkey or chicken) and cook, breaking the meat up into small pieces with a stiff spatula, until cooked through and starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the salsa and taco seasoning and cook until the liquid in the pan thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes more.
4. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside as you build the rest of the salad.

To make the dressing

1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

To build the salad

1. Place the romaine, cilantro and scallions in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add the corn, black beans, tomatoes, cheese and avocado if using. Just before serving, add half of the dressing to the salad and use tongs to toss until well coated. Taste and add more dressing, if desired.
2. Portion out the salad, and top each serving with the browned beef (turkey or chicken) and tortilla strips.

 
                                                        Taco Seasoning
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 cup
 
Ingredients
1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 
Directions

1. Measure out and whisk all the ingredients into a medium bowl making sure to break up any clumps.
2. If not using the spice mix immediately, transfer to an airtight container for long term storage at cool room temperature.

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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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.  Thanks for reading.

#Salad #TacoSalad #BeefTacoSalad #ChickenTacoSalad #RestaurantStyleTacoSalad #TurkeyTacoSalad #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                              ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020

How you doin’? How is your Stroganoff IQ? Who was Count Pavel Stroganoff? You don’t know much about it, you say? Here’s a brief primer on Stroganoff 101. The Stroganoff (or Stroganov) family didn’t gain fame on beef and noodles fare, but it is now their legacy. History tells us Count Pavel Stroganoff made his fortune in 18th century Russia trading salt and furs, but nowadays the name is mainly associated with the popular Russian beef dish. Stroganoff (the dish) probably goes back to a much earlier time as peasant fare, sans the beef.
 
Although written after the Count’s death, Tolstoy’s War and Peace paints a vivid picture of a Russian society of the time which was fascinated with French culture, language and food. The chefs of day, within the great households, were striving to create dishes in a more elegant and refined style to outdo one another. The reinvention of Beef Stroganoff probably came about because of these dynamic changes in society. The first recorded documentation of the dish was in a cookbook in 1871. By the middle of the 20th century Stroganoff had become popular fare in America, with variants such as Turkey- or Hamburger-Stroganoff making their way to tables across the land.
 
Maybe you’re feeling the pandemic budget squeeze a bit? Not many ingredients are as versatile and budget friendly as ground beef. You couldn’t begin to think about how many recipes from sandwiches to casseroles, and everything in between require ground beef.
 
Joan is a fan of most comfort foods and Beef Stroganoff fits the bill. Usually Beef Stroganoff is made from thin slices of round steak—I didn’t have on hand for this recipe but I know I can always use ground beef as a replacement. This is an easy one-pot version of a classic recipe that comes together in minutes—noodles included. You can almost have it done in the time it takes for the water to boil and the thick egg noodles to cook. This is recipe is perfect for most anytime. Maybe not for breakfast unless you’re making a Stroganoff omelet (interesting idea). 
 
Keep the stress down to a minimum—you have most of the ingredients on hand, it’s easy and everybody loves Stroganoff.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  40 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2-pounds lean ground beef
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
1-pound sliced white mushrooms,
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups beef broth
8 ounces (half package) uncooked thick egg noodles
3 tablespoons corn starch
3 tablespoon cold water
1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, plus optional dollop for serving
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoon fresh cut parsley, garnish
 
Directions

1. Set the Instant Pot SAUTÉ.
2. Add the oil; when it shimmers brown the beef with the onions until the beef is no longer pink.
3. Season with the onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper.
4. Add the mushrooms, garlic and mustard and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes longer until they start to brown.
5. Add the wine and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pot.
6. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
7. Stir in the uncooked noodles.
8. CANCEL the SAUTÉ function and lock the lid in place.
9. Set the Instant Pot to HIGH PRESSURE for 15 MINUTES.
10. While waiting, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth to make a thickening slurry.
11. After the pressure timer is done let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes; set a time. Then carefully OPEN THE PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE and then open the lid.
12. Turn on the SAUTÉ function and while beef mixture boils, slowly add the cornstarch slurry stirring constantly until it starts to thicken.
13. Stir in the sour cream throughout.
14. Dish up, garnish with parsley and serve.

ChefSecrets: 

• I like my Stroganoff creamy and saucy. This is the amount of corn starch and water I use to thicken the Stroganoff the way I like it. You might need more or less depending on your tastes. Always use equal amounts of corn starch and water.
• You can easily use strips of beef instead of ground beef using the same recipe for an excellent result.

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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

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.

#Stroganoff #BeefStroganoff #Beef #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #InstantPot #ComfortFoods #FeedingAmerica
                                            
                                        ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

                   (An Homage to Peter Luger Steak House Style Sauce-Brooklyn)

How you doin’? As I write this blog my mouth is watering for a slice of Peter Luger’s Porterhouse Steak. You may have heard of it or if you travel to NYC often you might have gone there at least once. I had a friend who made Luger’s a once-a-week visit to satisfy his inner carnivore (definitely not a place for vegetarians).  Due to the pandemic, the restaurant is currently closed for dine-in service, but they are making some items available for pick-up or delivery.
 
Peter Luger is still the one and only “monument to meat” in Brooklyn. Since 1887 they have been serving buttery 26-day house-aged, USDA Prime Porterhouse Steaks. And then there is the service—all I can say is, “it’s Brooklyn” and the servers are “Noo Yawkers” who speak “Brooklynese.”  Zagat defines the service, “… cantankerous career waiters in a “busy” “old-time” German beer hall setting.” This rough-and-tumble style only adds to the charm.

The prices are steep even by New York standards. Bring a bundle of cash ‘cause they don’t take credit (debit cards are accepted, and credit cards are accepted for online ordering). The best deal, if you just want to kick the tires a bit, is the Peter Luger lunch burger. They grind the USDA steak trimmings from their prized dry aged porterhouse to make a no-fills, lunch-only burger for under 15 bucks.
 
But as delicious as their beef is, I didn’t come here to talk about steaks—I want to talk about their sauce. Peter Luger Steak House Old Fashioned Sauce is an all-purpose condiment that is not only great on steak, but also as a salad dressing, on slabs of red ripe tomatoes and avocados, burgers, chicken and even a great base sauce for pizza. Like most things Luger, it is the best!
 
They began bottling and selling their sauce after customers begged for it. The taste is somewhere between cocktail sauce (spicy with a touch of horseradish) and traditional steak sauce. I started hacking it nearly 20-years ago. Another plus… the sauce is fat-free.
 
So, with great humility, I would like to share with you my hack on Peter Luger Steak House Old Fashioned Sauce.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Cool time:  30 minutes
Yield:  24 ounces
 
Ingredients
12 ounces ketchup (I prefer Heinz)
4-3/4 ounces apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3.75 ounces Worcestershire Sauce (I prefer Lea & Perrins)
2 tablespoons freshly minced white onion
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh, finely-grated horseradish
 
Directions

1. Measure all ingredients first, then combine them in a medium saucepan.
2. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Cool, cover and refrigerate.

 
ChefSecret:  If you are running out of time, some supermarkets carry Peter Luger Sauce in the meat department—it is a bit pricey.

#Sauce #Steak #PeterLuger #Dressing #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19

How are you doing? It’s been a challenging couple of weeks/months, and we are all trying to keep our wits about us. It is hard when you have been getting up and going to work every day for the last 40 years. You try to save for a raining day, but this is far more than that.

So, I thought why not find a reason to celebrate? In my house, celebrations were always at Lawry’s the Prime Rib on La Cienega, Beverly Hills. Over the weekend I put up some holiday decorations and we all pretended it was Christmas. That seemed to cheer up all the “inmates.” I ordered a 2-bone prime rib roast—perfect for two. I like the idea of having lots of leftover meat for a second or third dinner, sandwiches—both hot and cold—and my famous Prime Rib Chili. 

Read the recipe completely. You’ll find it’s easier than it looks. Order the best quality Prime Rib roast you can find… it’s called PRIME for a good reason. It should be well conformed with perfectly marbled fat. I asked my butcher to cut loose the bones from the eye roast and season it the rib roast and the bone rack with a mixture of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and a touch of BBQ seasoning. The butcher should tie the bones back on the eye roast.

A two-bone roast is perfect for 2 to 3 people. A three-bone roast will easily feed 4 to 6 people with leftovers. You will also need a digital thermometer and a roasting pan.

Ingredients
For the meat
1 standing rib roast, 2-7 ribs bones cut away from the roast, seasoned and tied back to the roast with kitchen string (ask your butcher to prepare the rib roast this way)

For the gravy
Drippings from the roasting pan
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Herbs, to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (optional)
 
Directions

1. Remove the rib roast from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before you start to cook it.
2. Preheat an oven to 500°F (yes, I said 500⁰F—don’t be scared).
3. Pat the rib roast dry with paper towels (pre-salting should have made the roast release some moisture).
4. Sprinkle with more salt, if desired, all over the meat and let it sit, loosely draped with a damp kitchen towel. Do not coat the outside of the roast with additional pepper as it will burn.
5. Allow the rib roast to come as close as possible to room temperature before it goes into the oven for a more even cook.
6. Roast the prime rib at a 500°F in the oven for 15 minutes; set a timer.
7. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. To figure out the total cooking time, allow about 11-12 minutes per pound for rare and 13-15 minutes per pound for medium rare. The actual cooking time will depend on the shape of the roast, how cold your rib roast is when it goes into the oven and the particular oven. A flatter roast will cook more quickly than a thicker one. A chilled roast will take more time than one closer to room temp.
8. There are different variables involved that affect cooking time, therefore you should always use a good thermometer. A prime rib roast is too expensive to guess. If you are going to err, do it on the rare side; you can always put the roast back in the oven to cook it longer if it is too rare for your taste.
9. Roast in oven until thermometer registers 115°F for Rare or 120°F for Medium Rare for internal temperature. Thanks to the residual heat, the internal temperature of the rib roast will continue to rise while the it is resting after you take it out of the oven for about 20 minutes.
10. Cut away the butcher strings that were used to hold the roast to the rack of rib bones. Remove the bones. Save them for barbecued beef bones as one of the leftover meals.
11. Then, using a sharp carving knife, slice the meat across the grain for serving. The House-Cut should be 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick. The Diamond Jim Brady Cut should be 1-inch to 1-1/2-inch cut with a bone. For light eaters—the English cut is perfect—thin slice of roast beef.

For the gravy

1. Transfer the meat to a cutting board to rest.
2. Skim off excess fat from the pan juices leaving about 1/4 cup of fat in the pan.
3. Place the roasting pan on the stove top over medium heat.  Use a metal spatula to scrape up drippings that might be sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. When the pan juices are bubbly, sprinkle the flour over drippings in the pan. Stir with a wire whisk to incorporate the flour into the fat. Let the flour brown to cook it out completely for the best flavor.
5. Slowly add 3 cups of beef stock and one cup of red wine. Continue to cook slowly, whisking constantly, breaking up any flour lumps. The gravy will simmer and thicken, resulting in about 2-1/2 cups of finished gravy.
6. Season the gravy with salt, pepper, garlic power and herbs to taste. You can also add a 2-tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, if desired, for enrichment.

ChefSecrets:  Some cooks think you should remove excess fat from the roast. That means any fat that’s more than an inch thick on the roast. You need this fat to give your entrée a great roasted flavor and to make it juicy and tender. Your butcher should have already removed any excess fat.

#PrimeRib #Beef #DiamondJimBrady #RoastBeef #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #ComfortFoods

 How you doin’? Here’s what I’m planning today. I’m going to grill steaks for dinner. I picked up a couple of bone-in rib-eye steaks at Huntington Meats yesterday and I lightly marinated them in what I thought to be expensive balsamic vinegar. It comes from a canister-like dispenser at Gelson’s markets and it costs about $35 bucks for a small bottle when they have it in stock. They make all kinds of claims they I never really paid much attention to; I just love the flavor of this brand of balsamic vinegar and use it on a lot of different things… I add it to salads and dressings, to sous vide chicken breasts, over-ripe strawberries, I even use it to add a punch to my Italian sauces and Bloody Mary Mix.
 
I was a happy “balsamic camper” until I heard from George—George Salmas, The Food Lawyer. George exclusively represents food and beverage companies. The Food Lawyers have been in the biz for over 30 years advising and protecting food industry clients. We (Perspectives and The Food Lawyers) have common clients but do different things.
 
Let me tell you a little bit about George… first of all, he is an attorney (that’s not all bad) with a quirky sense of humor and often writes about some of the really stupid things that people sue food people over. In California there are lots of litigious crackpots who will sue anyone at any time for anything… but I digress. 
 
So last week I receive a new article from George, Drop the Vinegar and Come Out With Your Hands Up!  He goes on to tell us—well, I’ll let you read it in George’s own words (be sure to scroll down to the recipes below).

                             Drop the Vinegar and Come Out With Your Hands Up! 
One of the great scams that has gone on for years, and still goes on today, is counterfeit balsamic vinegar. Most of it in stores is bogus.
 
Real, traditional, authentic balsamic vinegar comes from two regions in Italy and starts with specific strains of white wine grapes that are crushed into juice with the skins, seeds and stems. This concoction is cooked down to about 50% volume into a concentrated syrup and then aged in a progression of barrels made from chestnut, cherry, oak, mulberry, ash or juniper for at least 12 years. Some of the premium products are aged for as many as 50 to 100 years.
 
Well, this is all very expensive—and this is where the con-game begins. But this one is doubly tricky because it can be a double-con—one of which is actually legal.
 
All crooks have two things in common. 1) They want to make as much money as possible with as little work as possible. 2) They are smarter than everybody else.
So, they do things like rob banks, print counterfeit money and smuggle drugs. Some of them even go into politics. But those chumps are all pikers compared to the real gravy train: Food fraud.
 
If you can take cheap food and palm it off as something exclusive, you can run that scam over, and over and over to the same people—forever (or until you get caught). Even when you catch them red handed, they act surprised and try to keep it going.
 
One of the really great scams that has gone on for years and still goes on today, is counterfeit balsamic vinegar. Most of it in stores is bogus.
 
Real, traditional, authentic balsamic vinegar comes from two regions in Italy and starts with specific strains of white wine grapes that are crushed into juice with the skins, seeds and stems. This concoction is cooked down to about 50% volume into a concentrated syrup and then aged in a progression of barrels made from chestnut, cherry, oak, mulberry, ash or juniper for at least 12 years. Some of the premium products are aged for as many as 50 to 100 years.
 
Well, this is all very expensive—and this is where the con-game begins. But this one is doubly tricky because it can be a double-con—one of which is actually legal.
 
The illegal con: Mostly originating in Italy, counterfeit balsamic starts out as “plonk” (cheap generic table wine grapes) that is palmed off as the expensive varieties. Then, it might be aged for a couple of years (or less) and then diluted with cheap white vinegar and pumped up with thickeners and coloring agents. The product is then labeled “balsamic vinegar” and sold without disclosing its sordid past. 3.38 oz of real 25-year-old balsamic vinegar can cost more than $150, and a bottle of 50-year-old can be $300. Even a bottle of 12-year-old (the minimum allowed) can go for $75. So, when it costs $10 or so to make a fake, that’s some serious profit. Last year, the Italian police conducted a sting and seized over 9 tons of bogus balsamic stock. And no one thinks they got all of it.
 
The legal con: It’s OK to label something “balsamic vinegar” and put a bunch of bogus junk in it, so long as you list the bogus junk in the little ingredient statement on the back. Common additives are white vinegar, GMO brown sugar and caramel coloring.
 
So here is a little advice from The Food Lawyers:

1. Admit to yourself it’s impossible to be sure without a DNA test. I believed my parents when they told me I was their kid. I never bothered with a DNA test. I’m not suggesting one here.
2. Be prepared to spend some real money. If it’s $20 a bottle, like we used to say in South Philly, “Feggeda Bout It.”
3. Look at the ingredient statement. The only ingredient should be “grape must.” “Must” is the grape juice, seeds, skins and stems before they’ve been cooked down to 50% volume. If you see anything more than “grape must” listed, you know it’s watered down, bogus balsamic. And if the ingredient list names wine vinegar before the “grape must,” you know it’s more than 50% watered down.
4. Look for the designation, D.O.P. Denominazione di Origine Protetta—Italian for “Protected Name of Origin” – is the EU certification of authentic balsamic. Odds are good you’re getting the real thing. I.G.P. denotes a much cheaper blend with white vinegar from Modena, Italy. Any other combination of letters is just B.S.

But there’s another alternative: If you like the cheap, watered-down stuff that’s normally served in Italian restaurants (it can actually taste pretty good), go ahead and use it. Just don’t pay $300 for 4 ounces.
If you’ve got a problem and need legal food advice, call or email George Salmas, Phone: 310-556-0721 or email george.salmas@thefoodlawyers.com.
      
So, now that you know all the interesting “cons” relating to balsamic vinegar, here a couple of recipes you can make with it. For these two recipes you can use the “cheap” stuff.
 
                                                 Inexpensive Balsamic Vinaigrette
 
This is a great tasting balsamic vinaigrette that does not require the expensive, aged vinegar.  It is simple and works well as a dressing or marinade.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
 
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
salt and ground freshly-ground black pepper to taste
 
Directions
Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, salt and black pepper together in a glass jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until thoroughly combined.
 
 
                                                        Boneless Balsamic Italian Beef
Ingredients
1-3/4-pound boneless roast beef (chuck or round roast)
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
 
Directions

1. Place roast beef into your Instant Pot cooking insert.
2. In a small mixing bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients and pour over the beef.
3. Set the Instant Pot on HIGH PRESSURE for 45 MINUTES. At the end of the cook cycle let it NATURALLY RELEASE for 10 MINUTES and then open the valve to release the remaining steam. Alternatively, you can also use your slow cooker--4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low.
4. Transfer the cooked beef from the pot with tongs to a serving dish. Break apart lightly with two forks and then ladle about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid over the roast beef.
5. Serve over pasta, rice or couscous.

ChefSecret: I keep any leftover cooking liquid in a Food Saver bag in the freezer and use it as a cooking starter for the next braised beef dish I make.

Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Click here to send your thoughts.

Please remember when making purchases—Give our American farmers and ranchers the business—source local foods, shop small (neighborhood owned stores) and buy when you see Made in the USA on the label.

To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Thanks for reading!

#BalsamicVinegar #BalsamicVinaigrette #ItalianBeef #Beef #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #InstantPot #ComfortFoods #HuntingtonMeats #TheFoodLawyers