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Category: Main Dishes

main dish recipes

  • Smoked Pork Ribs

    Smoked Pork Ribs

    This recipe is inspired by the Traeger 321; still 3 phases, we just use a slightly higher temperature to shorten the cook time for a busy family :). That said, if you can afford the time, keep the ribs on as long as possible in phase 3.

    Preparation:

    • Set pellet smoker to 225
    • Remove membrane on the back of the ribs
    • Pat dry ribs and cover generously with dry rub

    Phase 1

    • Place rib racks on the smoker bone side down and smoke at 225 for 2.5 hours.

    Phase 2

    • Remove ribs and wrap in commercial/kirkland aluminum foil with after brushing with bbq sauce. Feel free to add some apple slices, cider or sauce at this point.
    • Gently return the ribs to the smoker, careful not to tear the foil and lose the seal. Smoke the ribs in the foil for another 1.5 hours. Should be a total of about 4 hours now.

    Phase 3

    • Remove ribs by placing on a cookie sheet or pan. Be sure the pan is rimmed to protect yourself from hot grease if any leaks from the foil wrap.
    • Gently place the ribs back on the smoker bone side down and brush with a coat of bbq sauce. Smoke the ribs for another 1.5 hours or more if you can spare the time.
    • Remove ribs and let rest a few minutes before slicing.

  • Beef Wellington

    2-3 pounds Beef Tenderloin (fat trimmed)
    Salt and Pepper to taste 
    3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    4 tablespoons Butter (divided) 
    2 Shallots (minced)
    2 Garlic cloves (minced)
    1 1/2 pounds Button Mushrooms (minced)
    3 fresh Thyme sprigs (leaves pulled)
    2 pieces Puff Pastry (thawed)
    1/3 cup English Mustard
    1 Egg plus 1 tablespoon of Water (whisked)
    1/4 cup Red Wine
    1/2 cup Beef Stock
    1 tablespoon Creme Fraiche

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

    Take the streak out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook it. Season well with salt and pepper. Heat a large pan (cast iron if you have it) over medium-high. Add about 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan and sear meat on all sides until golden brown, about 8 – 10 min. Drain the excess fat from the pan and set aside to cool.

    Heat another large saute pan over medium-high. Add 3 tablespoons of butter add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and thyme, season with salt and pepper and toss to incorporate. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are cooked and there is very little moisture remaining in the pan. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

    Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 3 to 4 inches longer and 5 to 6 inches wider than the tenderloin. Brush the center area with the mustard and spread the cooled mushroom mixture onto the pastry, piling mostly in the center. Place the meat into the center of the pastry. Fold the dough around the beef to cover completely and seal by pressing gently.

    Transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet, seam-side down. Brush with the egg wash and season with salt. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is a nice golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare. Remove from pan and allow to rest. Return the original saute pan over a medium heat; deglaze with red wine, scraping up the crispy bits with a wooden spoon. Whisk beef stock, remaining butter and the creme fraiche just until warm.

  • Garlicky Beef Tenderloin with Orange Horseradish

    For Beef

    1 (4-lb) beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied
    1 Tbsp kosher salt
    1 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
    1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
    1 Large garlic clove
    2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

    For Sauce

    2 Cups crème fraîche
    1/4 Cup white horseradish
    Grated zest of 1/2 orange
    Pinch of crushed red pepper

    Got this recipe courtesy of the NY Times and it rocketed to the top of our favorites list. Enough said, just make it and reap the rewards!

    We bought our beef at Costco and cleaned it ourselves. That keeps the cost down. For more on cleaning a tenderloin, this video is helpful.

    Heat oven to 450 degrees.

    Season the cleaned tenderloin all over with the salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic. Cover the meat and refrigerate for at least two hours and preferably overnight. Let it come to room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.

    In a large, ovenproof skillet over high heat, heat the oil. Add the meat and thoroughly brown all over, 4 minutes per side.

    Place the skillet on the oven’s middle rack and roast until an instant-read thermometer shows 120 degrees (for rare), 10 to 20 minutes. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before carving.

    In a small bowl, whisk the crème fraîche, horseradish, orange zest and crushed red pepper. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors can assimilate.

  • Soy and Sesame Chicken with Cucumbers and Mint

    We adapted this recipe from Cooking Light and it was a perfect weeknight dish with amazing flavor.

    Chicken:

    6 Skinless, boneless chicken thighs
    1/4 Cup soy sauce
    2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
    1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
    1 Tbsp honey
    1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
    3 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced

    Cucumbers:

    1 English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
    1/4 Tsp salt
    1/4 Cup minced shallots
    2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
    1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
    1 Tbsp honey
    1 Tsp dark sesame oil
    1/4 Tsp ground red pepper

    To prepare chicken, place each chicken thigh between 2 sheets of waxed or parchment paper; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Combine soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl or zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to soy sauce mixture and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.

    To prepare cucumbers, place cucumber slices in a colander/strainer; sprinkle with salt, tossing well. Drain for 1 hour. Place cucumber slices on a few layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels, pressing down occasionally. Combine cucumber, shallots, and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; mix gently. Cover and set aside.

    Heat a grill pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place 4-6 thighs in pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining thighs if necessary. Serve 2 thighs over a bed of cucumbers and enjoy!

  • Philly Cheesesteak at Home

    It doesn’t get much better than a Philly Cheesesteak when it comes to comfort food! Checkout our adaptation that you can whip up at home for lunch or dinner!

    1 (12-ounce) flank steak or skirt steak, trimmed
    1/4 Tsp kosher salt
    1/4 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
    2 Tsp extra-virgin olive oil (separate each Tsp)
    1 Cup thinly sliced onion
    1 Cup thinly sliced green bell pepper
    1 Cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
    2 Tsp minced garlic
    1/2 Tsp Worcestershire sauce
    1/2 Tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
    2 Tsp all-purpose flour
    1/2 Cup 1% low-fat milk
    1 Oz provolone cheese (torn into small pieces)
    2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
    4 Hoagie rolls

    Place beef in freezer for 15 minutes. Cut beef across the grain into thin slices. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon; discard gills. Remove stems; discard. Thinly slice mushroom caps; cut slices in half crosswise.

    Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add beef to pan; sauté 2 minutes stirring constantly. Remove beef from pan. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add bell peppers, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes. Return beef to pan; sauté 1 minute or until heted through and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in Worcestershire and soy sauce; keep warm.

    Place flour in a small saucepan; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, stirring until smooth. Keep warm and stir frequently to keep the sauce smooth.

    Hollow out each half of the rolls, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell.. Divide the beef mixture evenly among bottom halves of hoagies. Drizzle sauce evenly over beef mixture; add the top half back on and serve.

  • Basil and Garlic Meatballs with Linguine

    For the Marinara Sauce:

    1 Large can of crushed tomatoes
    1 Cup of yellow onion chopped (roughly half of a smaller onion or 1/4 of a larger one)
    1 Tbsp of olive oil or canola oil
    1/2 Tbsp of butter
    2 Cloves of garlic minced
    1 Tsp of Oregano
    1/2 Tsp of dried parsley
    1 Pinch of red pepper flakes

    Melt butter in the bottom of a medium sauce pan under medium heat and add oil. Drop in onion and begin to sweat for 1-2 minutes. Add in minced garlic and stir frequently to ensure onions cook evenly. Now add the seasoning and stir for 15 seconds. This will help the aromatics of the dried seasoning. Add crushed tomatoes and lower to a simmer.

    For the Meatballs:

    16 Ounces ground sirloin
    1/4 Cup panko
    1/4 Cup breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning
    1/3 Cup of chopped fresh basil
    3 Garlic cloves minced
    Pinch of kosher salt
    Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
    1 Large egg, slightly beaten
    2 teaspoons of olive oil
    1 Oz of Parmesan cheese

    Combine seasonings, garlic and beef in a large bowl and mix using your hands. Add the egg and continue to mix the meat so the seasoning is spread evenly throughout. Shape the mixture into even balls roughly the size of a golf ball. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs, cook 5 minutes browning on all sides. Reduce heat to low and add marinara. If necessary, use some water from the pasta pot to add liquid. Cover and cook for 11 minutes (perfect time for cooking the pasta).

    Serve over linguine and enjoy!

  • Ginger Stir-Fried Tofu with Kale and Carrots

    We adapted this recipe from a recommendation in the NY Times, and one important point is that kale is a great choice for stir-fry because it retains its texture.

    1 Bunch (about 10 oz) kale stemmed and washed
    1 14 Oz package of firm tofu, sliced about 1/4 thick in the shape of dominos
    1 Tbsp soy sauce
    1 Tbsp of rice wine vinegar
    1/4 of chicken or vegetable stock
    1 Tsp of corn starch
    1/4 Tsp salt
    1/2 Tsp ground pepper (white if you have it)
    1/4 Tsp of sugar
    1 Tbsp sesame oil (canola and peanut oil work as well)
    1 Tbsp of minced garlic
    1 Tbsp of minced ginger
    1/4 Cup of carrots cut into 2 inch julienned
    1 Tsp of House of Tsang Szechuan Stir Fry Sauce

    Bring a medium sauce pan to a boil (lightly salted). Add the kale and blanch one minute. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely and set up in a bowl near your wok.

    Lay the slices of tofu flat on a paper towel and cover with another layer of paper towel.

    In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, stir fry sauce, rice wine vinegar, stock and corn starch. Combine the salt, pepper and sugar in another small bowl. Have both bowls in arms reach of the wok.

    Heat a 14-inch wok or a 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately when added. Swirl in the oil at this point, coating the lower sides of the pan and swirling the pan to coat the bottom then add the tofu. Stir-fry for one to two minutes and/or until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for no more than 10-15 seconds. Add the carrots and stir-fry for 1 minute. Then add the kale, salt pepper and sugar and then toss together. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes.

    Remove from heat, and serve with noodles or rice. For this meal we went with a basic brown rice.

    Another note from the original recipe is that blanched kale can keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

  • Almond Ginger Chicken Soup with Butternut Squash and Kale

    4 Cups of Chicken Stock
    1/2 Yellow onion, diced
    1 Minced garlic clove
    2 Cups of Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
    8 Ounces of boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces
    1/2 Cup of smooth alone butter
    1 Cup of Kale, coarsely chopped (collard greens work well too)
    2 Tablespoons of fresh ginger, minced
    Course salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 Lime, cut in wedges

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss butternut squash codes with olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper. When oven is ready roast butternut squash for 10 minutes until slightly soft. On medium heat in a large stock pot, cook onion and garlic in olive oil. When translucent, add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add chicken (raw), then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. The chicken will cook in the soup.

    In a small bowl, whisk together the almond butter and 1/2 cup of the existing soup mixture. Add the kale, ginger and squash to the soup and return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the almond butter mixture and then season with salt and pepper.

    Let soup continue to cook to make sure that greens cook through. When soup is ready, ladle into bowl and squeeze lime over soup. Do not forget the lime, this is an incredible flavor addition to the soup!

  • Mrs. Scorsese’s Lemon Chicken

    We came across this dish when on the “tasting along the wine road” November 6 & 7, 2010. The event features cuisine and wine parings by wineries all across the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County California. This particular dish was featured at Francis Ford Coppola’s Winery and was paired with his Director’s Cut chardonnay. We just attended the 2011 Wine Road event, so stay tuned for more recipes!

    1 Tbsp Olive Oil
    1 3-lb chicken, cut into serving pieces (leg and thigh separated and breast into 3 pieces)
    3 Large garlic cloves
    1-1/2 Cups lemon juice
    Salt and Pepper to taste
    1/4 Cup of water
    2 Tbsp fresh oregano, torn plus 3 additional sprigs.

    Preheat the oven to 400

    Coat the bottom of a cast iron baking dish with olive oil. Peel and cut the garlic cloves into thirds. Evenly distribute the garlic pieces in the pan.

    Rinse the chicken and pat the pieces dry with paper towel. Arrange the chicken in the baking dish, skin side up.

    In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste the mixture, and if it’s too sour or acidic add water as desired. Pour the lemon juice mixture over the chicken, turning to coat all sides. Add the torn oregano and sprigs to the top (skin side) of the chicken. If you don’t have access to fresh oregano, just use your favorite seasonings such as Italian seasoning or Fines Herbes etc.

    Put the baking pan into the oven and cook the chicken until the skin is browned, basting occasionally with the pan juices, for approximately 40-45 minutes.

    Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and pour pan drippings in a sauce boat to be served separately.

    Alternatively you can shred/pull the chicken and pour the pan drippings over the pulled chicken and serve over rice or even on a salad.

  • Easy Weeknight Chili

    This recipe is easy because you can use any meat that you might have. For this recipe, we had leftover (uncooked) pork tenderloin and flatiron steak from earlier in the week. You can also use ground beef or turkey.

    2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    1 chopped onion
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    1 can of whole kernel corn
    1 can of pinto beans
    1 can of kidney beans
    1 small can of diced green chilies
    1 can of chopped tomatoes in juice
    Your meat of choice (about 1 lb)
    2 tsp cumin powder
    1 tsp of chili powder (add more based on desired heat)
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp garlic powder
    1 bay leaf
    1/2 lb of cubed pork tenderloin
    1/2 lb of cubed flatiron steak
    1 tsp flour
    Juice of half a lime
    Shredded cheddar cheese
    Sour cream
    1 tsp adobo sauce (from chipotle in adobo)

    Warm a large pot on the stovetop. When the pot has heated add olive oil. When that is warm add onions and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the pork and steak and cook on medium heat until the meat is browned and about 75% cooked. The meat will continue to cook as you make the chili, so you do not want to overcook the meat. When the meat is browned, add the flour and stir. This will add a little bit of thickness to your chili. What makes this recipe so easy is that now you just need to add the beans, corn, tomatoes and juice, and the spices and stir. Let this mixture cook for about 40 minutes or until you get the desired flavor. A few minutes before you are ready to serve, add the lime juice. We think that this adds a little tang to the chili. Once you have put your chili in the bowl, top with shredded cheese (and sour cream if you like). One suggestion if you like sour cream and heat is to mix in a little bit of adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobe to the sour cream. A little adobo goes a long way, so be careful of how much you add. The flavor is incredible, spicy and smoky, and will add a great flavor to your chili. We love to serve this chili with cornbread, so please see our Skillet Cornbread recipe to serve with this dish. As with most stews and soups, this recipe will get better the next day, so make enough for leftovers!