... from the Perspectives’ Kitchen ![]() How you doin’? It’s not hard to be green especially if it’s key lime green—Key Lime Pie. Key lime pie is an American dessert consisting of a graham-cracker or chocolate wafer crust, an egg custard (primarily egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and key lime juice) and a topping of either whipped cream or meringue. The sweet and tart pie originated in Key West, Florida, in the late 19th century. The use of canned sweetened condensed milk is an essential ingredient because fresh milk and refrigeration were uncommon in the isolated Florida Keys until the 1930s. There are numerous variations of the dessert, and a nontraditional twist is the chocolate-dipped key lime pie sold on a stick in Key West. Key Lime Pie—named the official pie of Florida in 2006—is found in restaurants throughout the Florida Keys although the same cannot be said of the tart key limes. The small yellowish orbs have not been commercially grown in the Keys in decades, mostly because of damaging hurricanes and citrus canker, a plant disease. I use a hybrid Key Lime found in mesh bags in the produce section of upscale stores. Though the limes are still occasionally grown privately, even in backyards, many pies are made with imported Key Limes or pasteurized bottled juice. Prep time: 30 minutes (include baking the crust) Instant Pot cooking time: 30 minutes Natural release time: 15 minutes Cool time: 2 hours Chill time: 3 hours Yield: 1 9-inch pie serves 5 to 6 people Ingredients For the pie crust 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 crackers) 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled For the key lime pie filling 1 tablespoon key lime zest 1/2 cup key lime juice 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk 4 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons cornstarch For the key lime pie topping 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup sour cream 1/2 tablespoon key lime zest for garnish Directions To make the crust
Quip of the Day: “When you’re dead you don’t know you’re dead… all of the pain is felt by others. The same happens when you’re stupid.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #InstantPot #KeyLimePie #KeyLimes #KeyWest #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024
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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? This is a great soup that can even be made vegetarian with just a few substitutions… and the best part is that it is still rich and delicious (see ChefSecret). It is fast to prepare in your trusty Instant Pot. As in many cases relating to the history of foods the origin of tortellini is disputed. Both Bologna and Modena, cities in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, claim to be the birthplace. The first recipe I found for "torteletti" appears in 1570 from Bartolomeo Scappi. Vincenzo Tanara's writings in the mid-17th century may be responsible for the pasta's renaming to tortellini. In the 1800s, legends sprang up to explain the recipe's origins, offering a compromise. Castelfranco Emilia, located between Bologna and Modena, is featured in one legend in which Venus stays at an inn. Overcome by her beauty, the innkeeper spies on her through a keyhole, through which he can only see her navel. He is inspired to create a pasta in this shape. This legend would be at the origin of the term ombelico di Venere (Venus' navel), occasionally used to describe tortellini. In honor of this legend, an annual festival is held in Castelfranco Emilia. Another legend suggests that the shape comes from Modena's architecture, which resembles a turtle. No matter the history or which story you believe, my Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup is very delicious! Make it a little spicey with Italian sausage… or without. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 2 minutes, plus pressure build-up and release Natural Release: 5 minutes Yield: 6 servings Ingredients For the basic soup 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped yellow onion 1/2 cup chopped carrots 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves 4 tablespoons minced garlic 3 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup white wine 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice Added after pressure cooking 8 to 10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini (you can also use refrigerated ravioli) 1 cup loosely-packed fresh baby spinach 1/2 cup heavy cream For the garnish 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley (flat parsley) 1/2 cup ground Parmesan cheese Directions To make the stock
ChefSecret: To make this soup vegetarian, skip the sausage, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, use a veggie-filled tortellini and use almond milk instead of cream. Quip of the Day: “Wrinkles mean you have laughed, grey hair means you have thought, tears mean you have cared and scars mean you have lived.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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. #InstantPot #Soup #TortelliniSoup #Modena #Bologna #Emilia-Romagna #ItalianSausage #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? At Lawry’s California Center (near downtown Los Angeles) they served some of the best Barbacoa this side of the border. Barbacoa is a method of cooking meat (historically lamb or goat) that turns tough cuts of meat into tender and juicy shards of protein. Traditionally steam-cooked in an underground pit, today’s modern barbacoa can be prepared over a barbecue, on the stove top, in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Barbacoa is cooked in a flavorful marinade and, when tender, it is shredded before it's served in tacos, burritos, enchiladas or other plated entrées. Barbacoa and carnitas look similar, but don’t get them confused. Spicy barbacoa can be made with lamb, goat, beef, or pork. Carnitas is made only with pork. Many food historians believe barbacoa originated in the Caribbean and that the style of cooking eventually made its way to Mexico. Mexican barbacoa is traditionally prepared in an underground brick-lined oven and is cooked with herbs, spices and chiles for hours, but you can make barbacoa in your trusty Instant Pot . Barbacoa is heavily seasoned. My recipe calls for a marinade made with beef broth, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. Do not skimp on the quantities. I use beef chuck roast (or beef cheeks if available) for the meat because they are flavorful and perfect for shredding. Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes Yield: 12 servings Ingredients 5 dried chipotle chile peppers 1 cup roughly chopped yellow onions 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 1/4 cup tomato paste 1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 6 tablespoons garlic 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon dried oregano 3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed 3/4 cup beef broth 3 bay leaves 1 teaspoon whole cloves 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes Directions
ChefSecret: Use fewer peppers (and remove more seeds) for a milder flavor. Quip of the Day: “I never thought the comment I wouldn’t touch them with a six-foot pole would become a national policy… just another one of Covid-19’s gifts!” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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. #Entrees #Beef #BeefBarbacoa #InstantPot #Lawrys #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How 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 [email protected]. 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. …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() Happy New Year! Hope your holidays were wonderful... and that 2023 has gotten off to a great start. How you doin’? If you look closely, you’ll find a slow cooker setting on most Instant Pot models. Why? Sometimes it’s a matter of convenience and at other times certain foods just cook better in a slow cooker. If you’re suffering from a shortage of cabinet space for all those one-use gadgets you bought and seldom use, your Instant Pot allows you to sell the larger of the two and use your Instant Pot for a multitude of cooking procedures. My Slow-Cooked Sticky Honey-Garlic Chicken is a favorite. While leaning toward Asian tastes, it is an anytime, anyplace single pot meal. The side dishes chosen will determine which way your meal is themed. Slow-Cooked Honey-Garlic Chicken can easily be served with white or fried rice, noodles and lightly steamed green vegetables. The aroma emanating for the Instant Pot will permeate your kitchen and be a great preview of wonderful flavor to come. Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 6 hours Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 1/4 cup chicken stock 5 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger 3-4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs 2 tablespoons sesame seeds for garnishing 3 tablespoons green onion circles Directions
ChefSecret: Serve over rice, fried rice or noodles with sautéed vegetables! Quip of the Day: What do chickens order at a Chinese restaurant? Eggroll, of course! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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. #Entrees #SlowCooker #InstantPot #Chicken #Hoisin #ChickenThighs #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2023 |
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