How To Cook Chicken Cutlets With Sherry Cream Sauce

Yes I cook outside on live fire most of the time. But to be a strong cook outdoors, you have to be just as good of a cook indoors. There are many differences but the fundamentals and principles are the same. The best pitmasters that I have had the pleasure of working with are also talented in the kitchen.
This is one I made up after Trevor's football practice this week. I wanted something fast but rich with flavor. Speaking of fast, I used gluten free rice noodles not because they are gluten free but because they cook in 3-5 minutes and taste just as good.
Chicken Cutlets with Sherry Cream Sauce
2 chicken breasts, each cut in half lengthwise
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup roasted red pepper, diced
¼ cup sherry
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp parsley, fresh chopped
¼ cup heavy cream
6 oz pasta, cooked according to instructions
Season the chicken cutlets with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
Season the flour with the rest of salt and pepper. Dredge the cutlets in the flour and knock off the excess.
Pre-heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of butter and oil.
Saute the cutlets for 3 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temp of 160f. I had to do this in batches because I couldn't get them all in one skillet.
Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the roasted red pepper and cook for another minute.
Deglaze the pan with sherry and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add the butter and parsley, stirring until the butter is melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Delicious Food: Beef And Noodles

I have been on the road and Alexis has been working more 12-hour shifts back to back at the hospital because she was helping a co-worker out by exchanging shifts. So dinner wasn't ready and served until 8:48 PM tonight.
Fortunately that was right when Alexis walked in the door from work. I was actually going to make beef stroganoff but I didn't have several ingredients so I used what we had on hand. This really isn't an exact recipe because I was just winging it and not measuring but it's pretty close. I think... maybe....kind of.
Beef and Noodles
2 cups baby carrots
1 Tbsp butter
1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb beef strips (I used milanesa style sliced sirloin)
1 ea shallot, peeled and diced
1/4 cup marsala wine
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 springs thyme
2 tsp demi glace
slurry made from 2 Tbsp water 2 Tbsp corn starch
2 cups of cooked egg noodles (about a cup pre-cooked measurement)
Toss carrots in 1 Tbsp of melted butter and then roast them for 30 minutes in a 400f oven. I like to use a preheated cast iron griddle pan like this to get the sear marks. Flip them half way through the cooking time.
Meanwhile boil your noodles.
A heavy cast iron skillet works best for this dish. Have you ever noticed how most comfort foods are better when prepared via cast iron grates, dutch ovens, roasters or skillets?
Preheat a cast iron skillet and add your oil. Season your beef with salt and pepper. Working in small batches, sear your beef strips, tossing them rapidly to cook all sides. This should only take 1 minute or a little more for each batch. Remove cooked beef to a plate to rest.
Add a little more oil if necessary and saute the diced shallot for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. It probably took 3-5 minutes for mine to get the softened texture I was looking for.
Leaving the shallots in, deglaze the skillet with the marsala wine. Reduce heat and simmer until all but about 2 Tbsp has evaporated.
Stir in the beef broth & water, bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered until reduced by half (about 10-15 minutes).
Add the demi glace & thyme - simmer covered for 5 minutes. (Strip the leaves from the stem.)
Add the corn starch slurry as needed to thicken the sauce. Taste for seasoning (more salt and pepper if needed).
Return the beef and collected juices to the skillet. Add the cooked carrots. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
Add the noodles and serve.
I also made some mozzarella biscuits to go with this because comfort food requires biscuits.
I am desperately looking forward to this weekend so I can relax and have fun cooking at a relaxed pace. And maybe even eat dinner before 9pm!
Our average dinner time is around 8pm. I'd rather it be earlier but with our work schedules it doesn't work out. What time do you usually get dinner on the table? Any tricks for getting it done sooner?

How To Cook Beef Rib Roast

I've mentioned this before but the "prime" in "prime rib" is just a common term, it is not referring to the USDA grade of prime. It's also called a standing rib roast or beef rib roast. [Click here for my 20 Tips for Beef Rib Roasts]
This year I cooked a USDA choice boneless rib roast for Christmas and I used the reverse sear method on my Big Green Egg. I have cooked rib roasts a variety of ways (high temp roast, low temp roast, sear/roast) and in my opinion, a reverse sear gives the most tender and evenly cooked rib roast. If you cook it at 350f straight, you'll end up with the outer edges (the "lip" or "cap") a dull grey medium while only the center is medium rare. Reverse searing a roast creates the same degree of doneness all the way through, edge to edge.
You can do this on any grill that you are comfortable with holding low temps for several hours. Heck, you could also do this method in your oven and broiler, but I promise it would be better on a grill or smoker.
Beef Rib Roast
serves: 8-10
Ingredients
5 lb boneless beef roast, left off refrigeration to temper for up to one hour
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
1 tsp dried minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups beef stock
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed but left whole
1 sprig rosemary
Instructions
Set up your grill for indirect heat and preheat to 225f as measured at the grate (250f dome temp on a Big Green Egg).
Tie your roast and season on all sides with a dry rub made of the salt, pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes.
Place the roast on a roasting rack above a roasting pan filled with the stock, garlic, and rosemary.
Place the roasting rack/pan on the grill over the indirect (no coals or heat) area. Roast until the internal temp reaches 10 degrees less than your desired final temperature (see chart).
Rest the roast while you raise the grill temp to 500-550f and change to a direct heat set up.
Remove the garlic and rosemary from the au jus that has formed in the roasting pan and discard. Season au jus with salt and pepper as needed.
Sear the roast directly over the coals for 1 minute per side on all sides.
Allow roast to rest another 10-15 minutes after the sear. Slice and serve.
Notes
For your guests that want more than medium rare, a quick "bath" in beef broth in a heated skillet will quickly make the pink disappear and get the slice of roast to their liking.
Big Green Egg set up details: lump coal, no wood, platesetter in "legs up", V-rack set on top of platesetter and stoneware drip pan.

Broccoli Rice Burrito Recipe

I am telling you… broccoli is everywhere and cheap. So I need to cook off all this broccoli before it goes bad on me.
As the official caterer to my mom and aunt while my grandma was in the hospital, I decided to make something they would both enjoy, knowing how picky and particular my aunt is about vegetarian food. She says she likes it… but then she has certain rules like she only eats avocados with rice… go figure!!!
These burritos are super easy to make… their portable and can be eaten warm or at room temperature. But warm are better in my opinion. Perfect for a picnic, brown-bag lunch and even to bring to someone in the hospital…
Broccoli Rice Burrito
½ broccoli head, florets only
½ cup cooked whole grain rice
2 ounces of cream cheese
1/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ cup of toasted walnuts
2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves
8 slices of tomato
4 tbs of Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 whole grain flour tortillas or flatbreads
In a medium covered skillet with about ¼ cup of water, add the cooked rice and the broccoli florets. Cover the skillet and over medium heat that bit of water will steam both the rice and the broccoli. After about 10 minutes, just turn off the stove and the rice and broccoli will be done.
Drain any excess water, but there usually isn’t any every time I make it this way. In that same skillet add a drizzle of olive oil, the cream cheese, parmesan, walnuts. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine.
You can warm up the tortillas or the flatbreads if you’d like… I do it on the oven or in a skillet, depending on which ones I’ll use. Sometimes, the flatbreads are just perfect as is.
Place about ¼ cup of rice on each tortilla/flatbread. Spread 1tbs of tomatillo salsa over it. Top with the baby spinach and tomato slices. Roll up the tortilla/flatbread and wrap in parchment paper before you put any aluminum foil over it. This way you’ll be able to stick them in the oven to warm up and they’ll stay warm for a while.