How you doin”? The longer the pandemic continues the more we crave “comfort foods.” This is a recipe that restaurants serve to use up “ends and pieces” or the trimmings of the beef that was cut in-house. Since many restaurants no longer cut their own meat, beef dishes like this have all but disappeared from many menus.
 
When you pressure cook in an Instant Pot the beef tips will be very tender and quite delicious. The braising and pressure cooking create a wonderful, unctuous (in a good way), rich gravy. Personally, I prefer to serve this amazing beef dish over mashed potatoes—that’s what mashed potatoes were invented for. The gravy even makes instant mashed potatoes taste great. But if you prefer, you can also serve them over rice or wide egg noodles.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Natural pressure release time:  10 minutes
Yield:  4 servings 
 
Ingredients 
For the dredge seasoning
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1-teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
 
For browning the beef
2 pounds beef filets tips, cut in 2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
 
For the gravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup red wine 
1-1/2 cups beef stock
1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
 
Directions
To make the dredge seasoning

1. In a gallon sized bag, mix together the seasoning ingredients. Set aside.

To brown the meat

1. Turn on the pot's SAUTÉ setting (high temperature).
2. Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes and put them into the bag with the seasoning mixture. Close and shake the bag to coat the meat with the seasoning.
3. When the pot is hot, add the oil. Then add half of the steak cubes in one layer. Brown both sides, but don't cook through. Remove to a plate.
4. Repeat with the second half of the meat and remove to a plate.

To make the gravy

1. Still on the SAUTÉ setting, add the butter and onion to the pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot, loosening up all of the browned bits.
2. Add the garlic, stir and sauté about 30 seconds.
3. Add the red wine to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and thyme. Cook well to blossom the spices.
5. Cancel the SAUTÉ setting.

To cook the beef

1. Add the browned beef cubes back to the pot. Seal the lid and the release the valve.
2. Set to HIGH PRESSURE for 25 MINUTES.
3. When the cook time finishes, let the Instant Pot NATURALLY RELEASE for 10 MINUTES.
4. After ten minutes, release the valve to vent to release the remaining pressure.
5. Stir, taste the gravy and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary.
6. Serve over mashed potatoes, wide egg noodles or rice.

Chefs Secret:  Not quite thick enough for your taste? Whisk together 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved.  Turn on SAUTÉ function again and stir in the amount of cornstarch mixture until thickened to your taste.
 
Quip of the Day: “God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.”
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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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #InstantPot #BeefTips #MashedPotatoes #Beef #BeefFilets #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

​How you doin’? I’m in a ducky mood today so that’s the subject of today’s edition of my recipe blog. Duck is the main ingredient of many delicious Chinese dishes. Some of the most popular ways of cooking duck include roasting, smoking, frying and steaming. I’ve brought it to a new level—Instant Pot! They couldn’t do that during the Ming Dynasty.
 
The Chinese have been eating roast duck since the 13th century, when it was first prepared for one of the emperors of China. Duck was popularized during the Ming Dynasty when Peking Duck was a delicacy at the royal table. Although the dish has evolved over the years—in many different cooking styles—duck continues to be an haute symbol of Chinese cuisine. It's one of the most important dishes in the cuisine and is iconic within Chinese cooking.
 
Migrating birds are copious over China. Both ducks and geese make plentiful fly-overs, but the “royal” birds were undoubtedly farm-raised with special care taken to what they were fed assuring that they were always tender and flavorful.
 
Duck tastes wonderful and is one of the healthier meats you can choose with good reason. Duck is a lean meat–comparable in fat and calories to a skinless chicken or turkey breast. It's also an excellent source of selenium and zinc, both of which encourage good cellular metabolism. Since duck is a red meat, it contains higher amounts of iron than other poultry.
 
When cooking, it is important to render out the subdermal layer of protective fat just under the skin. If roasting bring the oven temperature up to 450⁰F to start the rendering process. Then turn it down to 350⁰F when you start to see the fat running; then finish cooking.
 
In my Asian-Style Duck with Cashews I use smoked duck breast (8 to 9-ounces). It is already fully cooked so you don’t have to spend the time roasting it. Smoked duck comes at a price--$19 to $25. You can find it at upscale supermarkets, specialty poultry stores or on Amazon. The duck with dark sauce is an elegant and eye-pleasing dish served on a bed of steamed rice with bok choy, wild mushrooms and shallots.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  7 minutes
Instant Pot time:  3 minutes, plus 10 minutes natural release
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon Asian five spice powder
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (or more if you like it spicey, less if you don’t)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 cups sliced smoked duck
1 medium red onion, quartered
1/2 cup celery ribs, bias cut
2 cups large broccoli florets
1/4 cup chicken broth or stock
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons corn starch mixed with four tablespoons chicken stock or water
1 cup roasted cashews
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
 
Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, ginger, garlic, five spice, and red chili flakes; set aside.
2. Set your Instant Pot to SAUTÉ and heat the peanut oil.
3. Cook the smoked duck slices for about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the onion, celery and broccoli and cook for 3 more minutes.
5. Stir in the ketchup mixture and the chicken broth.
6. Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and set PRESSURE to HIGH for 3 MINUTES. It will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure.
7. When done do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE after 10 MINUTES.
8. Release the pressure and unlock the lid of the Instant Pot.
9. Check the seasoning for salt and pepper and adjust to your taste.
10. Add the cornstarch mixture and cashews.
11. Select the SAUTÉ mode and allow the sauce to thicken for 1 to 2 minutes.
12. Spoon the cook duck mixture over steamed rice.
13. Garnish with chopped parsley.

ChefSecret:  This is the perfect recipe to use smoked duck. If you can’t find smoked duck, use a raw duck breast and cook it skin side up for about 30-40 minutes (per the oven instructions above) until a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the breast.

Quip of the Day: “I went to a bookstore the other day and asked the salesperson, "where's the self- help section?" The clerk said, “If she told me, it would defeat the whole purpose.”
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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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #InstantPot #SmokedDuckBreast #Cashews #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                        ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Do you know where the best French-style baguettes are baked? If you guessed Paris, you’re wrong. The most superb bread bakes are in Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it used to be known. HCMC is the largest city in Vietnam situated in the southeastern region where the city surrounds the Saigon River. This was once the seat of government for the French Colonials. 
 
Vietnam was ceded to France by the 1862 Treaty of Saigon. The city itself was planned by the French to transform into a large town for colonization. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, construction of various French-style buildings began, including a botanical garden, the Norodom Palace, Hotel Continental, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Bến Thành Market, among many others. Saigon became known as "Pearl of the Orient" (Hòn ngọc Viễn Đông), or "Paris of the Extreme Orient." I can tell you after traveling there many times it still has that charm—both the land mass and the people.
 
On 27 April 1931, a new region called Saigon–Cholon consisting of Saigon and Cholon was formed; the name Cholon was dropped after South Vietnam gained independence from France in 1955. The city grew from 256,000 in 1930, to an influx of 1.2 million people in 1950. With this growth in citizens the French and Asian cultures “inter-married” resulting in a unique blend of cultures including Franco-Asian cuisine. It is little wonder that next to Pho, Pork Banh Mi is one of the most popular foods.

Ho Chi Minh City has a strong food and drink culture with lots of roadside restaurants,  coffee shops and food stalls where locals and tourists can enjoy local cuisine and beverages at very low prices. It's currently ranked in the top five best cities in the world for street food.
 
Okay, enough history, let’s get into sandwich making. First you have to find a source for the best baguette in your city. That’s important because bread makes this sandwich very special.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cooking time:  36 minutes
Yield:  2-1/4 cups vegetable mixture; 4 cups pork; makes 4 to 6 Sandwiches
 
Ingredients 
For the sandwiches
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup Asian rice vinegar
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Persian cucumbers
5 radishes
1 cup shredded carrots
2 to 3 soft baguettes with a crispy thin crust
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
 
For the pork
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 (1-1/2-pound) pork tenderloins
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
2 cups chicken broth
 
Directions
To make the vegetable garnish for the sandwiches

1. Add the lime juice, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt into a medium bowl and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
2. Thinly slice 2 Persian cucumbers and 5 radishes on a mandolin or with a sharp chef’s knife. Add to the bowl, along with 1 cup shredded carrots; toss to combine. Set aside to marinate.

To make the pork

1. Mix together the lime juice and the crush 2 garlic cloves.
2. Cut 2 pork tenderloins in half crosswise and season them with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with the SAUTÉ function in an Instant Pot until shimmering.
4. Working in two batches, add the pork and sear on all sides until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Return the pork to the pot.
5. Add the lime juice and garlic mixture, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons Sriracha, and 2 cups chicken broth, and stir to combine. Lock the lid on and make sure the valve is set to seal.
6. Set to cook under HIGH pressure for 10 MINUTES. When the cook time is up, let the pressure NATURALLY RELEASE for 5 MINUTES. Quick release any remaining pressure.
7. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, simmer the cooking liquid with the SAUTÉ function.
9. Trim the ends from 2 to 3 baguettes, then cut crosswise into 4 or 6 (6-inch) pieces. Split each piece lengthwise to form sandwich rolls.
10. Spread the top half of each roll with 2 tablespoons mayonnaise.
11. Thinly slice the pork crosswise, and place on the bottom half of each roll. Drizzle with some of the reduced cooking liquid.
12. Top each roll with 1/2 cup pickled vegetables and garnish with 2 sprigs cilantro on each sandwich. Close the sandwiches, cut each one in half, and serve.
13. The sliced pork and pickles can be refrigerated separately up to 4 days.

ChefSecret:  For a little added flavor, I add a light smear of hoisin sauce over the pork.

Quip of the Day:  Please join me in telling Walmart, “If I wanted to self-check I’d stay at home and shop on Amazon… for goodness’ sake, hire some cashiers."
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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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Sandwich #PorkBahnMi #Vietnamese #Saigon #InstantPot #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                   ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? There are 1001 gumbo recipes and I’ve tested and tasted a lot of them. There is no such thing as bad gumbo—just some gumbos are better than others. This recipe is traditional, very simple and a breeze in an Instant Pot. In addition to spicy andouille sausage, it’s full of chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, and other great veggies. It is wonderfully creamy with a pungent sauce. This is the original bowl of Cajun comfort food.
 
The most important ingredient is the roux. It’s not complicated even though it does sound French. It‘s just equal measures of butter and flour. Any home meal provider can learn how to make a brown roux first time out. It comes down to patience: you must keep whisking, continuously and slowly, until the roux is a rich, caramel color and full of brown butter and toasted flour flavor.
 
Gumbo is the perfect one-pot, one-bowl meal. It’s loaded with all the proteins and veggies you could want. And the sauce… that beautiful sauce is for the rice and a nice piece of crusty bread to sop it up.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes (all in including the roux)
Yield: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
2 cups dry white rice
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 bell diced peppers, (any colors—orange, green, red or purple)
3 stalks of diced celery
1 medium diced yellow or red onion
12 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5-ounces chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2-1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce (Tabasco work well if you don’t have Crystal)
3-1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
12 ounces raw shrimp
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 tablespoons cup green onion, sliced thin
 
Directions

1. To get things started, prepare the rice according to the package directions; set aside to serve with the gumbo.
2. In an Instant Pot set to SAUTÉ, combine the butter and flour over medium heat, whisking continuously until a brown roux has formed. Be patient, it takes 15 to 20 minutes. It should be the color of light caramel. Watch your roux carefully, so it doesn’t burn. If it does start to burn, start over.
3. Add the bell peppers, celery, onion. Lightly sauté the vegetables on medium-low heat until they’re sweet and fragrant, about 5 minutes. STOP THE SAUTÉ function.
4. Add the andouille sausage, chicken and garlic, scraping up any crispy bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the gumbo and stir to combine.
6. Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, the hot sauce, chicken stock, white wine and the bay leaves.
7. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Close the quick release valve and set PRESSURE ON HIGH for 15 MINUTES. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to click in.
8. When the pressure cycle is done, QUICK RELEASE the pressure valve.
9. Open the Instant Pot lid and add the shrimp and corn kernels. Stir well and put the lid back on the instant pot for 5 minutes to fully cook the shrimp.
10. Serve the gumbo in a soup bowl over rice.
11. Garnish the gumbo with sliced green onions, and hot, crusty bread.

ChefSecret:  I know you may think this won’t work, but the residual heat in the Instant Pot will cook the shrimp and corn perfectly even though the power is off.

Quip of the Day: “Things have gotten so bad in Washington, D.C. Exxon-Mobil had to lay off 25 Congressmen.”
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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.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #InstantPot #Gumbo #Andouille #Chicken #Shrimp #CajunSpice #Tabasco #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? I love Italian cannoli, but I don’t make it all that often because the fried pastry tube is a pain to make. The ready-to-use (premade) tubes just aren’t all that good. If you feel the way I do here is the best substitute for old-fashioned cannoli and I make it quite often.

Typically, cannoli consists of the tube-shaped shell of fried pastry dough, and a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta—a staple of Sicilian cuisine. They range in size from 4- to 8-inches. In mainland Italy, they are commonly known as Cannoli Siciliani.
 
Well, after experimenting in the test kitchen, I finally came up with a suitable, easy-to-make substitute by way of a cheesecake that cooks perfectly in a 6- to 7-inch springform pan fitted for the Instant Pot. This recipe is great for very special Italian-inspired dinners that can be enjoyed later with leftovers the night after. It easily lasts 3 or 4 days.
 
Garnish with Italian brandy cherries, fresh raspberries, strawberries on top, whipped cream, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup if you're feeling extra indulgent.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  50 minutes
Cool time:  4 hours or overnight
Yield:  1 6-or 7-inch cheesecake, about 8 servings
 
Ingredients
For the crust
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for the pan)
2 cups crushed graham crackers or Italian biscotti cookies  
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
 
For the cannoli filling
15 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia flavor (see ChefSecret)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup mini-bitter sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup toasted and chopped pistachio nuts
 
Directions
To prepare the springform pan

1. Coat a 6-or 7-inch springform pan with butter.
2. Cut a parchment circle for the bottom of the pan and strips for the sides of the pan.
3. Place the parchment over the buttered areas of the pan and then butter the parchment paper. The parchment paper will help the cheesecake separate easily from the sides and bottom of the springform pan.

To make the cookie crust

1. Place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor and process until fully ground.
2. Add the sugar and salt and process again.
3. Add the softened butter and process until the crushed cookie mixture loosely sticks together.
4. Drop the cookie mixture into the bottom of the pan and using your fingertips work the mixture up the sides until you have an even thickness of crust across the bottom and sides.
5. Do not bother to rinse out the bowl of the food processor as it can be used as is to make the filling.

To make the filling and the cheesecake

1. In the bowl of the food processor, mix the ricotta, cream cheese and sugar together.
2. Add the cornstarch, flour, sour cream, and Fiori di Sicilia flavor. Mix well.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips and pistachios.
5. Pour cheesecake batter into the crust.
6. Place a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add 2 cups water. Place the springform pan into the Instant Pot on top of the trivet. Close and lock the lid.
7. Select HIGH PRESSURE according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 40 MINUTES. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
8. Using the release valve, RELEASE PRESSURE after 30 MINUTES.
9. Let the cheesecake cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then cover it and place it in the refrigerator to cool completely for at least 4 hours before serving.
10. Release the springform pan and remove all the parchment paper before serving.
11. Serve with a drizzle of chocolate syrup or whipped cream as an option.

ChefSecret:  Have you ever wondered what the Italian bakers use to get the unique flavor and aroma in their baked goods? It’s Fiori di Sicilia, an intense extract that combines vanilla, citrus and flower essences. “Flowers of Sicily” is what it literally means. Many Italian bakers use this flavoring in their panettone baking. It seems clear that extracts containing flower essences are common in Italy. What is Fiori di Sicilia, you ask? The dominant flavors in Fiori di Sicilia are vanilla and orange, so a combination of those two make a fine substitute. Also a little rose flower water, to make make-up for some of the floral aromas. But don’t be afraid to omit it entirely, because to be honest, it can be just too darn strong for some people. Make sure if you are using this in place of pure vanilla extract to only use half the amount called for. This extract is available at King Arthur Baking or Amazon.

Quip of the Day: “If you can’t laugh at yourself, I’ll do it for you.”
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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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Desserts #InstantPot #Cheesecake #Cannoli #Ricotta #Pistachios #FioriDiSicilia #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021