From Italy with Love:

 

4th Installment Italy Series

 

Penne al Scamorza

(Smoked Cheese with Penne)

 

 

The Italian way of life is quite slow paced compared to big City Life where everything is fast and frantic.

 

As my vacation time in Italy continued, my eating scheduled got pushed further back daily.

Sometimes we ate as late as 10pm!

One reason I gained some extra weight, that one member cheerfully calls "a souvenir" from

Italy!

 

Well, that's one way to put it :D

 

So when the evening carried on late, a quick and easy meal is to make pasta; ready in 10 min

and another masterpiece is made.

 

This dish is courtesy of my nephews girlfriend. It is so simple; using garden fresh herbs and vegetables with a wonderful added twist;

Scamorza

 

A wonderful smoked cheese grated, it melts into the steamy pasta leaving a wonderful taste and aroma to this simple summer dish.

 

 

1 zucchini, washed, ends cut and sliced

6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 pkg smoked scamorza cheese, grated on large holes

(look for this cheese in your refrigerated dairy section)

4-5 large basil leafs, torn

3-6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

500g pkg penne pasta

 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Drop in pasta, stir to prevent sticking.

Continue cooking and stirring until al dente. for approximately 10 min.

 

In a preheated large skillet add 3 tbsp. oil. When heated, but not smoking add the zucchini.

Cook on medium heat until slightly softened, tossing to cook.

 

Add cut tomatoes and continue cooking for 5-10 min.

Season with salt and pepper.

 

Drain the pasta, reserving some of the hot liquid.

 

Toss the sauce into the pasta, add the remaining oil, basil leaves and toss with the grated cheese.

 

Serve immediately

 

Serves: 6

 

Enjoy with love from Italy!

 

 

 

 



From Italy with Love:

Porcini Linguini

 

Mushrooms or 'shrooms

are one of my favourite loves.

Fragrant with a chewy texture, high in fiber, low in fat; a forest fungi, a fave of mine since I was a child!

  

Fresh Porcini mushrooms here in Toronto I have yet to see.

Generally we have to buy them dry.

They must sit in hot water to reconstitute and although the fragrance is unmistakeable the texture is never quite the same as fresh.

My uncle used to forage for them after heavy rains when I was a child and I would eat a plateful of them, knowing I had to have my fill since I couldn't get them fresh at home.

In Italy you have to have a license to be able to "hunt" for mushrooms as the wrong one can be fatal!

Weekly and sometimes daily during my trip in Italy, I had fresh porcini mushrooms on my pasta, pizza, risotto and sometimes just a plate by themselves.

On my pizza I had shaved truffles with Porcini!

 

My last week in Italy I had them daily!

Heaven!!!

The Linguini above was my sister in law homemade egg pasta. 

Should I mention they grind their own wheat? 

MMMhhh~

The 'shrooms are courtesy of my nephews future father in law who forages for them when it rains.
Although he promised to take me, it rained shortly before I came home and they need days before they grow and are ready to be picked.
Sadly, I didn't get a chance to forage through the forest.

Forestry laws only allow licensed individuals to pick certain foods al bosco (from the forest) on certain days and they can only pick so many by weight to allow for a proper ecosystem.

So, if you know what to look for you can literally live and eat from mother earth!

This recipe is so simple and can be easily replicated using your favourite mushroom.
If you can afford dried Porcini, reconstitute them in a cup of hot water, then squeeze the water out and chop.

This basket of Porcini mushrooms were out at the front of a restaurant as we walked by through the streets of Ancient Rome.
I couldn't resist and grabbed one to smell the fragrance. 
The waiter was soon right beside me in case I made off with them.

At 50-70 euros a kilo, I can see why he was concerned tee hee

This restaurant was right near the Pinocchio shop!

 1 cup of porcini mushrooms, sliced

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1lb of fresh pasta

parmesan

fresh basil leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile in a small skillet add oil and turn the heat on to medium.

Tip in the mushrooms and saute for 5-10 min until

golden and crisp.

When the water boils drop the pasta in carefully.

Stir immediately with tongs so as not to allow the pasta to stick.

When the pasta rises to the top allow to cook for a minute longer.

Cook until al dente...to your bite.

Drain leaving a 1/4 cup of water in the pot.

Toss pasta with the mushrooms.

Add basil leaves and a handful of parmigiano cheese

Enjoy with love from Italy!

Classic Sausage, Mushroom & Pepperonata

Penne

 

 

 

A classic dish in many Italian households, this dish is actually served as a side at our Holidays.

An Italian grandmother would never cook just one meat!

Oh no, in my household there would be at LEAST

three!

Because it is a fattier meat, my mom would make a small platter of this mixture so that everyone could get a few pieces of homemade sausage, roasted so dark that you could debate if any fat was left.

But, it was fully caramelized and had so much flavour.

I decided to pare it with pasta to make an easy filling dinner.

 

 

 

 

500g pkg penne or any type of pasta

2 tbsp. EVOO

6 sausages

1/2 each red, orange and green peppers, sliced

1 leek, washed, sliced

1 cup cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 cup white wine

2-3 tbsp. chopped chives

cheese for garnishing

salt & pepper to taste

 

Add the EVOO to a preheated large skillet. Carefully place in the sausages. You do not want them to splatter. Brown on med. high heat turning to brown all sides. Add the chopped leeks and continue to stir and cook until softened 5-10min.

 

Add the chopped vegetables, some salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring for another 5-10min. When you begin to hear the pan sizzle the natural juices are beginning to evaporate and caramelize, add the wine. Continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through.

 

Place a large salted 3/4 full pot of water to boil.

Drop in the pasta and cook until "al dente", to your taste.

 

Before the pasta is cooked, remove the whole sausages and slice diagonally, place back in pan.

 

Drain the water immediately, put the pasta back into the large pot. This will give you some starchy water to coat with the mixture, before it is fully drained.

 

Add sausage mixture to the pasta, sprinkle on herbs and serve. Garnishing with cheese.

 

~Grab a fork~

 

 

Serves 6 with extras

 



How to:

 Shape Panzarotti or Calzone

 

It's fun to make smaller size foods!

They are easy for handling, can be frozen and stored or transported to any function you are running too.

When I have time on the weekend I mix up a batch and the kids have lunch ready.

When they were smaller I had snacks for after soccer, dance or hockey.

These "fast foods" really help out parents who are looking for  easy foods but don't want to compromise the health factor.

 

1 raw uncooked pizza dough

corn flour for sprinkling

any fixin's you have:

 

mozzarella cheese,

salami, sausage, pepperoni

mushroom, peppers,

etc.

Be adventurous

 

 

Cut the dough into portion sizes

Remember the dough will be stretched or rolled to a larger size.

 

Using your hands, stretch the dough to the desired size for each person

 

Cut, chop or grate the desired fillings

 

 Place filling in the center of the dough

 

Fold the dough over to cover filling

 

Twist edges over to create a decorative seal.

Sprinkle a baking sheet with corn meal to prevent the dough from sticking to the pan.

 

Alternatives: grease and flour a baking sheet

or place on parchment paper or silpat

 

You can brush the tops with: an egg wash or oil.

Pierce the top with a fork to allow steam to escape.

 

Bake in a preheated 350F-375 oven bake until golden on top and bottom.

 

Alternatives: you can fry them in 2" of preheated 365F canola/vegetable oil until golden on both sides.

Of course this version is higher in fat calories

If you are counting

"just sayin"

 

Enjoy with love!

How to...

 

Make Pizza Dough

No Fat Version

 

There are many types of pizza dough recipes

try some and see which suit your tastes best

This one is particularly crunchy

Be adventurous!

Change the topping to suit your needs or just add whatever ingredient's you have in the refrigerator.

 

 

2 cup lukewarm water

3 tsp traditional yeast

pinch of sugar

3 cups all purpose flour + extra

1 1/2 cup durum wheat flours

course ground corn meal for sprinkling on counter

 

Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature 100F for 5 min. Turn off heat. If you have a gas stove the pilot light will be warm enough to allow the dough to rise.

Add water to a large bowl. Sprinkle sugar over the water, then the yeast. Swirl with your finger do disperse the yeast. Allow to sit for 10min until yeasts bubbles and floats to the top like puffs of clouds.

Drop in flours, 1 cup at a time mixing with a fork. When you can no longer stir because the mixture is thick and sticky begin to mix and blend with one hand, using the other hand to turn the bowl.

When mixture is a rough ball.  Scrape mixture onto a clean, lightly floured surface and continue to knead with both hands adding flour if the mixture becomes sticky. You will see and you use your palm to push and fold the dough over itself it will begin to become elastic.  Continue adding flour until it is no longer sticky but is firm to the touch, like a babies bottom.

Place in the same bowl, no need to dirty another dish. Cover with a tea cloth. This will not stick to the dough but plastic wrap will.

 

 

 

Allow to rise in the warm oven until double in size approximately 1- 1 1/2hrs.

 

 

  

Remove from oven and on a clean, lightly floured surface with your hands, begin to shape dough to you baking sheet or stone.  Adding dough if it becomes too sticky. If it will not yield allow to rest in between stretching.

Allow to rest and rise again for 15-20min.

Spread or fill with desired toppings and bake in a 350F-375F preheated oven until edges are brown and underneath is golden brown when lifted from the sheet.

 

If you stretch the dough out on a large sheet you will get a thin crust. If you spread it out on a smaller sheet you will get thicker crust pizza.

Your choice!


Shrimp Diablo

 

What's your favourite Seafood?

Mine is Shrimp!

I could eat this all day long.

It is a costly ingredient which is why most of us utilize it around special occasions.

Well, this dish

s t e t c h e s

the budget making it an easy and affordable dish for "home company"

YOU!

Why should we always wait to have special food for special occasions?

Aren't we worth it too?

Well follow my steps to see how easy and econimical this dish can be for any night of the week

 

1 lb of 12/16 size shrimp:this is how many shrimp are in each pound

500 gr pkg. of spaghettini:if you look close I have mixed two white & wheat, so that my kids gets some fiber!

1/4 cup sliced black olives

3 cloves garlic, sliced

3 salted anchovy filets, not rinsed, chopped, this is seasoning

1 jar of drained artichoke hearts, sliced

1-2 tsp red chili flakes

3-4 tbsp chopped parsley

salt & pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil

 

 

Here are the ingredients for today

 

Bring a large pot with 3/4 filled salted water to a boil. Add in pasta, stir to prevent sticking.

 

When it reaches a boil reduce the heat to #7-8, continue stirring occasionally, until al dente.

 

Meanwhile in a small skillet, add 4 tbsp olive oil and turn the heat to med. high #7. Drop in garlic, saute for 30-60 sec. to golden. Place in anchovies and stir to disintegrate them.  They will splatter, if that happens lower the heat slightly.

 

This will flavour the whole dish. Add the chili.

Continuously stir to delicately brown the mixture.

Add the shrimp, placing down seperately to evenly cook

 

Turn over as they begin to turn pink.

Add 3/4 of the parsley

Drop in artichokes and olives.

Stir to coat and continue cooking for another minute until all shrimp are pink.

 

 

Toss pasta back into the large pot.

Tip the shrimp mixture into the large pot.

I like to grab a handful of pasta with the tongs and "wipe" the pasta into the skillet scraping every bit of goodness from the pan.

 

Drizzle 3 tbsp raw EVOO overtop to dress the dish.

Toss to coat.

Garnish with more parsley.

 

 

Serves:4-6 people

 

Enjoy with love!

 

Mexicasa Beef Ribs

Late Spring

and it is still chilly here!

So I decided to warm up our toes with nippy
Beef Ribs
Why nippy?
It has a kick with Chipotle Peppers
ESPRESSO & CHOCOLATE!
yes
you read this correctly.
Both dark aromatic ingredients lend a rich flavour to this sauce along with zesty Salsa to thicken the gravy.
A touch of stickiness to sweeten the pot
with Honey.
 

Beef Ribs family style

Stick to the Ribs kind of meal.

Pun intended!

 

 

This hearty meal is slow and low.

One of those meals you don't have to watch closely to enjoy its final gastronomic delights.

I made this on the cook top but, you can easily follow the steps and put it in the oven or crockpot and dinner is ready when you get home from work or a busy day!


 

3 lb beef short ribs

2-3tbsp vegetable oil

1 leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced

1 1/2cup mushrooms sliced

1 tsp espresso granules

1 tbsp chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced

1 tsp oregano

1/2 cup wine

1 cup beef, chicken or vegetable stock

2 tbsp  honey

1/2 cup salsa

salt & pepper to taste

 

 

Add the oil to a large preheated skillet on medium high. Place the ribs in and brown, searing on all sides.

 

 Remove to a platter. 

Add more oil if needed and drop in leeks, reduce heat to medium, stirring to soften the vegetables.

Add the mushrooms, and a pinch of salt to allow them to release their moisture. Continue stirring to brown.

 

Place ribs back into the pan pushing the vegetables so that the meat comes into contact with the pan.

 

Using a wooden spoon push over some ribs to make space and drop in the espresso. Stir to distribute the heat to toast the coffee. Add the chipotle stir to blend.

 

Pour in wine and cook, reducing the alcohol for 2-3 min.  Turning the meat over to coat with the luscious mixture.

 

Add the broth, sprinkle the oregano and drizzle the honey over the meat. Move the mixture around again to distribute the mixture to combine all of the meat with the gravy.

Taste for seasonings.

 

Cover tightly and reduce the heat to a simmer.

Cook covered for 1 1/2 hrs turning the ribs every 20 minutes to coat evenly. If the liquid reduces quickly add more water, broth or wine.

 

To check for tenderness see if the meat falls from the bone when pierced with a fork and gives.

 

If it is not tender continue cooking on low heat for another 1/2hr.

 

15minutes before the meat is tender make a hot spot and add the chocolate, stir to melt. This along with the coffee granules lends a dark richness to the gravy.

 

Remove the ribs placing over rice or potatoes.

 

Skim any excess fat from the gravy with a spoon, discard.

 

Stir the salsa into the gravy mixture stirring to blend well. The salsa will add a refreshing zestyness.

 

Spoon generously over the ribs and grab a fork!

 

 

 

 

Enjoy with love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Browned Butter & Ricotta 

Gnudi

Delicately soft fluffy pillow like dumplings.

I have always wanted to make

Gnudi from Northern Italy

A large dumpling similar to potato Gnocchi

 originating from Rome.

However I couldn't, because I had never seen or tasted them! and since these were not from my mothers part of Italy we had no clue.

Nor can they be found on any restaurant menus I have been too!

I have adapted a recipe that I have found and had enough Ricotta to try the recipe with some tweaking before I sent it to you!

I hope since I have made these for the first time and found them easy to make, that it will

encourage you to try them as well.

The "batter" can be mixed ahead of time much like Matzo Balls, refrigerated, shaped and boiled when needed.

After cooking they can be refrigerated before browning in the butter!

Wow you can't get more versatile than that.

Follow my easy step by step method
 

3 eggs

1 425 tub ricotta cheese

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup wheat flour

1/2 cup parmesan cheese+ extra for sprinkling

1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp chopped parsley, stem included

 

Brown Butter Parsley Sauce

4 tbsp cold butter

1/4 cup EVOO

1 tsp red chili flakes

2 garlic cloves, sliced
1-2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves

salt

 

In a large bowl whisk eggs until frothy. Add ricotta and whisk vigorously. Add salt, pepper, parsley and parmesan. Stir to blend

 

Slowly add flours to blend. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 days covered with plastic wrap.

 

Using two soup spoons shape into oval or round shapes 2"-3" balls.

 

Drop "quenelles" into a large pot of boiling salted water.

Turn the heat down to a simmer. Allow the dumplings to rise to the top. Cook for 1 minute.

You could check one by cutting it in half to see if it is cooked through. Taste it to see if it is the right consitancy.

 

Drain on a baking rack and tray. This can be cooled and refrigerated for 1-2 hrs.

 

Add oil and butter to a skillet on medium high heat. Begin to melt the butter.

Butter foams before the milk solids brown

Add garlic, a pinch of salt, pepper flakes

 

Continue slowly cooking on low, allowing the garlic and butter to brown adding lots of flavour

When butter has browned

add  some chopped parsley leaves

turn off the heat and allow them to flavour

the oil

 

When all of the Gnudi have drained. Cook for 1 minute on each side in the butter mixture.

 

Browning and crisping slightly

 

Enjoy with love!



TURKEY PIZZA

 Who doesn't love Pizza!

You can have it hot, room temperature

and even cold!

It's most people's comfort food

Generally I make pizza from scratch

every weekend

Every weekend it changes because the topping and even the dough are made with whatever ingredients I have in the house!

This crunchy crust was no exception.

Having used the corn meal the day before for Polenta

I decided why not add it to the pizza.

So when the dough was ready to stretch instead of white flour, I added coarse cornflour to the clean counter for rolling.

I made sure that both sides were covered liberally to make it crunchy and this is how I experiment in the kitchen!

I was not in the mood to make a tomato sauce so I substituted store bought Hummus!

Something I have in my home weekly. I use it for sandwiches, dips and spreading on the bottom of

PIZZA!

This was a great recipe and everyone loved it!

If you love it too. By all means go ahead and try it. If pizza dough from scratch is not your thing yet, buy the dough. It will save you the time.

I entered this pizza in an Ontario Turkey Contest

I would love it if you and your friends could visit the site and vote for my

Turkey Pizza!

https://www.facebook.com/OntarioTurkey?v=app_292663397533883&app_data=gaReferrerOverride%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.facebook.com%252Fl.php%253Fu%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fa.pgtb.me%25252FgX5WK6%2526h%253D5AQFS70t9AQGBGNqNMAYs_1Ld0SipxwjthfUgzfjOqHr-uA%2526enc%253DAZNVXrZga_YDCd6bYbo9e9BthyA8yaGWREoZby6cG1B5hW7UjMlhlVCyj28oPWic2v79UFBF_1wMNug5yC56-fCf%2526s%253D1

I will be having a big surprise in a few weeks!

Watch out for it, members will get first dibs!!

How to make:  No Fat Pizza Dough

This is a crispy dough

2 cup lukewarm water

3 tsp traditional yeast

pinch of sugar

3 cups all purpose flour + extra

1 1/2 cup duram wheat flours

1/2-1tsp salt

 

course corn flour for rolling; this is what gives it crispy texture

 

Preheat the oven to it's lowest temperature 100F for 5 min. Turn off heat. If you have a gas stove the pilot light will be warm enough to allow the dough to rise.

Add water to a large bowl. Sprinkle sugar over the water, then the yeast. Swirl with your finger. Allow to sit for 10min until yeasts bubbles and floats to the top like puffs of clouds.

If it does not bubble the yeast is no longer active, discard.

Drop in flours, 1 cup at a time mixing with a fork. When you can no longer stir because the mixture is thick and sticky begin to mix and blend with one hand, using the other hand to turn the bowl.

When mixture is a rough ball.  Scrape mixture onto a clean, lightly floured surface and continue to knead with both hands adding flour if the mixture becomes sticky. You will see and you use your palm to push and fold the dough over itself it will begin to become elastic.  Continue adding flour until it is no longer sticky but is firm to the touch, like a babies bottom.

Place in the same bowl, no need to dirty another dish. Cover with a tea cloth.  This wil not stick to the dough but plastic wrap will.

Allow to rise in the warm oven until double in size approximately 1- 1 1/2hrs.

Remove from oven and on a clean, lightly floured surface with your hands, begin to shape dough, flattening with your hands into a disk then stretching with your knuckles underneath the dough. Pulling and gently stretching to the size of your  baking sheet or stone.  Adding flour/cornmeal if the dough  becomes too sticky. If it will not yield allow to rest in between stretching.

Allow to rest and rise again for 15-20min on the greased baking sheet/stone.

 

You can also shape into Panzarotti's!

 

 

 

Spread or fill with desired toppings. I used Garlic Hummus!

Leftover cooked poultry makes this a nutritious and hearty meal!

Top with 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or cheddar and

bake in a 350F-375F preheated oven until edges are brown and underneath is golden brown when lifted from the sheet.

Enjoy with love!

https://www.facebook.com/OntarioTurkey?v=app_292663397533883&app_data=gaReferrerOverride%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.facebook.com%252Fl.php%253Fu%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fa.pgtb.me%25252FgX5WK6%2526h%253D5AQFS70t9AQGBGNqNMAYs_1Ld0SipxwjthfUgzfjOqHr-uA%2526enc%253DAZNVXrZga_YDCd6bYbo9e9BthyA8yaGWREoZby6cG1B5hW7UjMlhlVCyj28oPWic2v79UFBF_1wMNug5yC56-fCf%2526s%253D1

 



 I would appreciate it so much if you could add a vote to this recipe! Thank you in advance



Jalapeno & Green Pepper

Vegan Cornbread

 

 

Cornbread is technically not a bread because it is a pan "bread" that rises with baking powder instead of yeast but, it is so fast and easy, that any cook can make it in minutes and have a great dish ready for dinner and perhaps a snack later on ;)

Mix it quickly and pop it in the oven to bake and you have a steamy side with your meal.

I have seen and tried quite a few recipes. Some have been good some have been too pasty(spoonbread) for my liking. Some have had too much of a grit feel in my mouth.

I like a combo of flour and cornflour with some fresh or frozen kernels in the mix.

 

When I make cornbread as an accompaniment to a main meal, I want it savoury, not sweet as many recipes put enough sugar to classify this as a dessert, in my humble opinion.

I omitted the sugar suggested, in my quest to lower the calories and used sweetened dairy free milk, so that it would have a touch of sweetness.

Just like me!    What!

This recipe is a version that I found in a

Vegan cookbook.

It has no dairy or eggs and is even good for you with the addition of wheat flour.

As you can see by the picture it is not as yellow as expected because of the wheat and lack of eggs. But, it rose to the occasion and is very fluffy.

I added pickled jalapenos that you can find in the Mexican isle of your favourite grocery store. Thinly diced they are not too hot, even for a child.

I added a compound garlic "butter" made with margarine so that it would have some more substance because of the lack of eggs and fat.

AND

when it's hot out of the oven what else are you going to do other than slather somethin that will melt off!!

Of course use your imagination and add any ingredient your family loves and make it your

very own.

 

This is quite delish, very low in fat and high in fiber!

 

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup whole grain corn flour

1 tbsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (I only had red wine vinegar)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cup sweetened soy, rice or almond milk

1/2 chopped green pepper  (red can be substituted)

1 tbsp jalapeno fresh or canned

1/4 cup chopped chives or green onion

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (I ran out! humpf)

 

Garlic Butter

 

1/3 cup margarine

1 garlic clove, pressed

pinch of sea salt & pepper

1 tbsp chives or any herb you like

Mix together and refrigerate until needed. Spread to your hearts desire. Keeping the calories in mind of course ;)

 

 

 

Lightly oil or spray an 8"x8" casserole dish

Preheat the oven to 350F

 

In a large bowl, blend dry ingredients together

 

Mix wet ingredients together. Pour into dry ingredients and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon. Before everything is mixed, add in the herbs, and vegetables. Continue to blend, do not over mix.

 

Spoon into casserole dish. With the spatula evenly spread the mixture to the sides.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until a skewer pierced through, comes out dry.  

 

 

Enjoy with love!

Corned Beef

Sunday Supper

Although I usually make all of my meals from scratch using fresh ingredients....

Every once in a while I love to make corned beef.

It is brined and preserved from the cut of beef called Brisket.

A cut that takes hours to cook before it becomes tender.

You may be more familiar with buying sandwiches from the deli, Corned Beef on Rye.

 

I love to accompany this hearty, homey meal with roasted potatoes and sauerkraut.

Paying homage to it's German heritage.

I like to roast mine after it has boiled for 1hr to colour the beef. Do not be dismayed from the bright red colour when it is roasted.

This is the preservatives.

It generally is a one pot boiled meal but, that's too plain for this foodie.

I hope this inspires you to try it.

Because it is brined and preserved you have a tendency not to eat as much so, a small piece feeds a family of four with no problem and all the flavours are in it so you don't have to do all of the work!

I made extra for weekday sandwiches

WIN WIN

 

1- 2lb corned beef

1 jar of sauerkraut

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered lengthwise

1 onion chopped, fine

EVOO

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 tsp each of rosemary, paprika & garlic powder

1/4 cup white wine

 

Cut and rinse the corned beef. Pat dry. 

Place in a large pot filled with 3/4 full of water.

Bring to a boil. With a large spoon skim the foam that rises and discard. 

 

When it comes to a boil reduce to medium heat #5  or lower and continue simmering for 1- 1 1/2hrs.  Drain.

 

Meanwhile drain the sauerkraut and rinse under cold water to remove the brine.  Squeeze out the moisture with your hands.

 

In a pan add 2 tbsp oil and saute the onion until transparent.  Drop in the drained cabbage.  Toss to coat and cook to a golden translucent colour about 10 minutes tossing every few minutes to prevent sticking.

 

Place cabbage into a casserole dish.  Place the beef on top and distribute the potatoes between and around the beef. Nestleing them into the cabbage.

 

Sprinkle the spices and seasonings only on the potatoes. The preserved beef and vegetables have enough of their own seasonings. Finely drizzle the wine over the potatoes followed by some oil.

 

Cover with foil and roast in a preheated 350F oven for 2 hrs., turning every 1/2hr or 45min until a fork easily pierces through the meat.

 

Uncover the roast for the last 1/2hr to brown.  If more liquid is needed, add some wine or water.

 

Serves: 4 if using 1 pkg of corned beef

 

Enjoy with love!