How you doin’? As we continue to be glued to our televisions either watching reruns of NCIS or the Covid-19 news, we are all learning how hard all the scientists and health care providers are working to bring this war on coronavirus to an end as soon as possible. It seems it has the capacity to devastate our country men and women. The germs are relentless. We remind you to maintain social distancing (at least 6-feet) and wear a mask. We are doing our part to beat these little bastards.
 
Okay, on to today’s cooking lesson. I love green chicken enchiladas, but many times I just don’t have the time to make them—prepare the filling, fry the tortillas, grate the cheese, roll the tortilla, bake them and get them on the table. 
 
I creatively copied this simple recipe from a Mexican dish I saw at El Coyote Cafe in Los Angeles. I wanted to find a way to cut the cooking time and eliminate some of the repetitive steps. You won’t be surprised to hear that I use my trusty Instant Pot which cuts cooking time and improves the taste and texture of the filling.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes (estimated Instant Pot cooking time)
Assembly time:  10 minutes
Oven time:  20 to 25 minutes
Yield:  8 stacks
 
Ingredients
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs (you can use chicken breasts if you prefer white meat)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 can (28-oz) green enchilada sauce, divided (I use Las Palmas brand)
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 can (4-oz.) mild chopped green chilies
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 red jalapeno peppers, chopped, more or less to taste
1/2 cup peanut oil or other stable vegetable oil for frying
16 corn tortillas, or more to taste
1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
 
Directions

1. Mix the chili powder, salt and cumin together in a bowl. Rub the mixture over the chicken.
2. Chop the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
3. Pour the chicken broth and 1 cup of green enchilada sauce into an Instant Pot.
4. Add the chicken and select HIGH PRESSURE and set the timer for 5 MINUTES. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, 1 cup green enchilada sauce, green chiles, onions and jalapenos. Stir to thoroughly blend.
6. Preheat the oven to 350⁰F.  
7. Release pressure on the Instant Pot using the NATURAL RELEASE method according to manufacturer's instructions for 5 MINUTES. Release remaining pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
8. Remove the chicken from the cooking liquid and cool for about 20 minutes. Discard the cooking liquid.
9. Transfer cooled cooked chicken to the mixing bowl with the cheese mixture. Stir until chicken mixture is blended.
10. Heat the peanut oil in a skillet. Fry the tortillas to soften them, 1 at a time, by dipping into the hot oil for 10 to 15 seconds per side. Drain the tortilla on paper towels.

To assemble the stacks

1. Lightly spray 8 individual baking dishes with food release (Pam).
2. Place 1 tablespoon of green enchilada sauce on the bottom of each baking dish.
3. Place a fried tortilla on top of the sauce.
4. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons chicken mixture onto the tortilla.
5. Place the second tortilla on top, add a little green sauce and another 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture. 
6. Repeat steps 3-5 with the remaining seven baking dishes.
7. Combine the remaining green enchilada sauce with the red enchilada sauce in a bowl and spoon it evenly over enchilada stacks in the baking dishes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese over the tops of each stack.
8. Bake the dishes in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese begins to brown.

ChefSecret: If you’re not cooking for a crew of eight, cook/finish only what you need and cover with food film the rest keep in your refrigerator or cover with food film and foil and freeze for later.

#InstantPot #GreenEnchiladas #ElCoyote #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19

 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

How you doin’? Do you know who Leonard Heuberger was? He was a very important man. No, he’s not the inventor of the hamburger—the name is spelled differently. Well, according to barbecue historians in the know, old Len founded a barbecue restaurant in Memphis named Leonard's in 1922. Leonard was the inventor of the classic Memphis pulled pork barbecue sandwich. This sandwich was prepared on a bun with pulled pork, a tomato-based barbecue sauce and coleslaw.
 
If you love original barbecued pulled pork sandwiches as much as I do, you’ll love this simple recipe that takes just over an hour to prepare—most of that time is watching the “pot boil”.
 
Root Beer BBQ Pulled Pork is easy to make, juicy and fall-apart tender. The secret is in the second Instant Pot cook after you pull the pork apart. Please read below and check out my ChefSecret on making a great recipe even greater.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cooking time:  1 hour 30 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3- to 4-pound pork shoulder cut into 4 to 6 large chunks
1 can root beer soda
2-1/2 cups barbecue sauce (I use KC Masterpiece Original)
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
6 toasted over-sized hamburger buns for serving
1 cup coleslaw
 
Directions

1. Add the pork to a lightly greased Instant Pot.
2. Pour the root beer over the pork.
3. Stir together 2 cups barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pour mixture over the pork.
4. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, sliding into the locked position. Set to PRESSURE COOK for 45 MINUTES.
5. When the pressure cook is complete, run a NATURAL RELEASE for 10 MINUTES, then turn valve to the vent position. Once float valve has dropped, remove lid.
6. Remove the pork chunks from the pot and drain them. Place the drained pork chunks on a cutting board. Using two forks shred the pork into small pieces.
7. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork back to the Instant Pot insert. Set to PRESSURE COOK for 15 MINUTES. Immediately, and carefully, do a QUICK RELEASE. This will further tenderize the pork.
8. Drain and discard the liquid from the Instant Pot and stir the remaining 1/2 cup barbecue sauce together with shredded pork.
9. Pile the pulled pork on the base of a toasted hamburger bun and add coleslaw over it. Top the sandwich with the toasted bun crown.

ChefSecret: I leave the shredded pork in the cooking liquid and chill it down for a couple of hours and then refrigerate it overnight. Before using the pork, I lift off and discard the layer of fat. I reheat the amount of shredded pork needed in the microwave and serve on a burger bun topped with chopped coleslaw.

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!

#PulledPork #RootBeer #BBQPulledPork #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #InstantPot #ComfortFoods #KCMasterpiece

How you doin’? Do you have a lot of time on your hands? (Warning: If you are working from home or home schooling the kiddies, this may be too much for you to handle—Ben & Jerry’s Frozen Yogurt may be a better option and more rewarding.)

Do you want to feel that you really accomplished something beyond just pushing buttons on your Instant Pot? Well, here’s the 2020 Quarantine Kitchen Challenge—making yogurt from scratch in your Instant Pot.
As fair warning there are other, simpler ways to get your daily dose of yogurt. If you don’t mind all the sugar and additives there are plenty of brands at your local grocer. Check the labels… some may be cleaner than others.

Or, you can always purchase a single use appliance—a yogurt maker. They cost between $27.99 to a couple a hundred bucks. They are not very complicated to use. They are fairly automatic but take up a lot of room on your kitchen counters or cupboard and will eventually wind up in the same place as your juicer, automatic bread maker and slow cooker.

Let’s face it, you already have an Instant Pot that you are using for everything else, why not take a flier and make some yogurt in your trusty Instant Pot?

Here are some tips for making homemade yogurt. I do guarantee—homemade yogurt tastes so much better than the store-bought stuff. Now that you have plenty of time on your hands, give it a try.

Yogurt Making Tips
For your yogurt culture, you can use either store-bought plain yogurt with active cultures, a freeze-dried heirloom starter, or yogurt from a previous batch of homemade yogurt. A yogurt starter culture contains live bacteria that convert milk into yogurt—that’s a good thing. The bacteria feed on the lactose and convert it into lactic acid. This ferments the milk, making it thicker and giving it that tart flavor associated with yogurt. Every starter culture has its own blend of bacteria which gives the yogurt a specific taste and texture—it’s alive. Check out the internet to find the style of yogurt you prefer.

If you are using freeze-dried heirloom starter for the first time, read the directions that come with it. Instead of adding 2 tablespoons of yogurt, you’ll add the entire packet of freeze-dried starter in step 3.

Smell your Instant Pot gasket before you begin. If it carries a strong aroma of chili or curried lamb, you may want to order an extra gasket, as the yogurt can absorb those smells. Reserve the neutral gasket for making yogurt only.

 Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 4 to 12 hours, plus chilling time (most good things take time)
Yield: about 6-1/2 cups of homemade yogurt
 
Ingredients
 1/2-gallon pasteurized milk (we like organic, whole cow’s milk)
2 tablespoons yogurt culture
 
Directions

1. Pour the milk into the Instant Pot’s insert. Lock on the lid. It does not matter if the steam vent is open or closed. Press the YOGURT button, then press ADJUST so the digital readout says BOIL.
   On some Instant Pot models, you'll need to press the START button. Eventually it will bring the milk to 180° F (this kills off undesirable microorganisms). It usually takes about 30 minutes. When it's done, the Instant Pot will beep and its readout will say YOGT.
   For a thicker yogurt, keep the lid on, press YOGURT, then press ADJUST so the digital readout again says BOIL. Start a timer for 5 MINUTES; once the time is up, proceed with the recipe below. This cooks the milk a little longer and leads to thicker yogurt.
2. Right after the Instant Pot beeps, turn it OFF and lift out the insert of hot milk. Put the thermometer in the milk and wait until it’s 116°F. This may take as long as an hour. To speed the cooling, set the insert of hot milk in a bath of ice water and stir the milk; the temperature will drop in about 5 minutes. (If it dips below 110°F, pop the insert back in the cooker, press YOGURT, then ADJUST and monitor the thermometer until it reaches 116°. Remove the insert from the cooker.
   Remove the thermometer. There will be a film of coagulated milk on the surface of the milk; carefully lift this off with a spoon and discard (this film won’t ruin your yogurt, but it creates a distracting texture once it’s finished).
3. Put the starter in a medium bowl and add about 1/2 cup of the warm milk. Whisk until smooth, then pour into the insert of remaining milk and whisk to combine.
4. Set the insert of milk back in the Instant Pot, lock on the lid (once again, the steam vent may be open or closed), and press YOGURT. If the readout does not say 8:00, add time using the + button until it does to correct.
   The Instant Pot will incubate the yogurt for 8 hours before switching itself off (the display will read YOGT once the 8-hour default programming is complete). You can use the +/- button to adjust the incubation time.
   Note that, when incubating yogurt, the timer counts up (when pressure cooking with your Instant Pot, the readout counts down). When the readout says 2:45, it’s been incubating for 2 hours and 45 minutes.
5. Start checking on your yogurt after 4 hours. As the yogurt incubates, you don’t want to jostle the Instant Pot—it will keep the yogurt from setting well.
   It can take anywhere from under 4 to over 12 hours for your yogurt to set. A lot of it has to do with how active the cultures in your starter are—fresher starter takes a lot less time to incubate. Be patient and don’t lose hope! It will all pull together and it’s worth it.
   Open the lid carefully when you peek; a lot of condensation forms around the gasket and you want to minimize it dripping back onto the yogurt.
   The yogurt is set when it jiggles all as one unit when you carefully nudge the insert, and it does not run if you tip the pot a bit. You may see some clear liquid (the whey) floating on the surface and at the edges.
6. Once your yogurt is set, gently lift the insert from the cooker. Pouring it out or stirring at this point can make your yogurt runny, which you don’t want. You can set the insert on a rack to help it cool faster, but don’t pop it right in the fridge, since rapid temperature changes can also thin your yogurt. Once it’s at room temp (about 2 hours), set it in the refrigerator.
7. The yogurt might seem lumpy after it's been chilled, but a vigorous whisking will smooth it out. At this point, you may strain it or transfer it to sterile containers (I like sterilized mason jars).
8. Homemade yogurt can be stored for up to two weeks. As it sits in your refrigerator, it will get tangier and lose some of its body.

Hey, you did it!  You made homemade yogurt for the first time in your Instant Pot. Isn’t that rewarding? I am so proud of you!

ChefSecrets:

• To make yogurt in individual heatproof jars (of any size), put the steam rack inside the insert. Add 1 cup of water. Fill the jars with milk, stopping 1/2 inch from the rim. Set them on the rack, lock on the lid. Press the STEAM button and use the “-/+” keys to adjust the time to 1 MINUTE. When the cooker beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
• Open the cooker and use canning jar lifters to remove the jars. Stick a thermometer in one and wait for the milk to cool to 116°F. This can take up to an hour. Remove and discard any skin from the top of the milk in the jars.
• Divide the appropriate amount of starter among the jars—it’ll depend on how much the jars hold. Live on the wild side—experiment a little. Return the jars to the cooker, lock on the lid, press the YOGURT button, and proceed with Step 4.
  

#InstantPot #Yogurt #HomemadeYogurt #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19

Come stai? How you doin’? Aren’t you thoroughly impressed with my mastery of the I-talian language? Well fortunately, I cook Italian better than I speak the language. Italian food is more than just a bowl of meatballs and spaghetti.
 
Risotto is like a blank canvas—you can do just about everything with it—flavors, add-ins and textures. This recipe, Instant Pot Italian Risotto, is one of my favorites. For this version I used medium sized peeled and deveined frozen shrimp.

I like to use frozen shrimp that has been left out on the counter for 30 minutes or so to slack out a little before adding them into the cooked risotto at the very end. See the directions later in this recipe.
 
Let me explain the less-than-perfect photo image. I forgot to take the picture when it was originally plated up. So, what you’re seeing is a bowl that has been already been half devoured. Sorry about that… it looked so good I just couldn’t wait.
 
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine (cheap white wine works well)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1-1/2 cups medium-sized peeled/deveined frozen shrimp (slacked out for 30 minutes).
 
Directions

1. Heat the broth in the microwave until it is hot. This is to avoid pouring it into the Instant Pot when it is cold.
2. While the broth is warming, chop the shallot and grate the cheeses (so they are ready when needed).
3. Set the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and add the olive oil. Add the chopped shallot and sweat it until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 4 MINUTES.
4. Add the rice to the pressure cooker and stir until every grain is coated with the butter and oil. Continue stirring the rice until the edges have turned translucent but the center is still opaque and starts to lightly, about 5 MINUTES.
5. Turn OFF the SAUTÉ function and add the white wine, scraping to remove any bits and stuck rice. Continue to stir until most of the wine has evaporated, about 4 MINUTES.
6. Add the heated broth, secure the lid, and set the cooker to MANUAL, HIGH, and dial down the time to 6 MINUTES. The pot should take about 4 MINUTES to come to pressure.
7. Immediately release the pressure using a QUICK RELEASE. Carefully remove the lid and, using oven mitts, remove the insert from the cooker to prevent overcooking.
8. Add the shrimp, 1 tablespoon of butter and the cheeses quickly, stirring to combine and taste. Add salt and pepper, as desired.
9. Serve the risotto immediately.

ChefSecret:  The longer the finished risotto stands, the more the starches and cheeses will set, and you'll lose the creamy silkiness.
#Risotto #Shrimp #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #InstantPot #ComfortFoods