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Living Meditation | Meditations for Everyday Life

Living Meditation | Meditations for Everyday Life

I Heart Cooking Club - Pot Roast with Cranberries

This week the theme is "Potluck". Tonight I prepared an entree from Mark Bittman's THE MINIMALIST COOKS DINNER (Broadway, 2001) called Pot Roast with Cranberries; however, I substituted a pork tenderloin for the beef.  OMG, it was fabulous! No leftovers! This is definitely a keeper.

 

Pot Roast with Cranberries

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2- to 3-pound piece of chuck or brisket
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar or good wine vinegar
• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 orange
• Cayenne

Directions

Put the butter in a casserole or a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Put the sugar on a plate and dredge the meat in it until all the surfaces are coated. Reserve the remaining sugar. When the butter foam subsides, brown the meat on all sides--this will take about 15 minutes--seasoning it with salt and pepper as it browns.

When the meat is nicely browned, add the vinegar and cook for a minute, stirring. Add the cranberries and remaining sugar and stir. Strip the zest from the orange (you can do it in broad strips, with a small knife or vegetable peeler) and add it to the skillet. Juice the orange and add the juice also, along with a pinch of cayenne. Turn the heat to low and cover; the mixture should bubble but not furiously.

Cook, turning the meat and stirring about every 30 minutes, for 2 hours or longer, or until the meat is tender. When the meat is done, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Turn off the heat and let the roast rest for a few minutes, then carve and serve, with the sauce.

With Minimal effort: Faster Pot Roast with Cranberries: Substitute a 2- to 3-pound piece of tenderloin (filet mignon) for the chuck or brisket and reduce the cooking time to about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 125 to 130 degrees (medium-rare); you can cook it longer than that if you like.

A little stuffed chickie

I joined the cooking club on blogger.com called I Heart Cooking Clubs. This week the theme is "Beat the Heat". Tonight I prepared an entree from Mark Bittman's book: How to cook Everything: Bittman Takes on America's Chefs.  My family loved it.  Yummy, yummy, yummy!!!!!  I will add a picture soon.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano

Makes 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

4 (6-ounce) chicken breast halves
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 slices prosciutto, preferably imported, halved
Several thin slices Parmigiano-Reggiano
Chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter (or use more oil)
1/2 cup white wine or water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In turn, put each of the breast pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound firmly with a mallet or other object (your fist will work, too), until evenly flattened and less than 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt (not too much since both the prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano are salty) and pepper, then layer on a couple of pieces of prosciutto, some Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a good sprinkling of parsley. Roll up and, if necessary, skewer with a toothpick or two (if your chicken is evenly flat and more or less uniform, and you roll tightly, it will self-seal).

2. Put an ovenproof skillet, large enough to accommodate the 4 rolls comfortably, over medium-high heat and wait 1 or 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter (the butter should sizzle) and, when the butter foam subsides, put the rolls in the pan. Brown the rolls on one side, 3 or 4 minutes. Flip them, then immediately put the pan in the oven. Cook until the rolls are done, about 15 minutes (they will be lightly browned and quite firm when done, but it's safest to cut into one to be sure the meat is no longer bright pink). Remove to a cutting board and let rest.

3. Put the skillet back on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Add the wine and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is all but evaporated. Stir in the vinegar and reduce by half, just a couple of minutes, then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter until it melts; taste and adjust seasoning. Cut the rolls into 1-inch slices, arrange on a serving platter, pour the sauce over all, and serve.

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Hey it's me...hehehe

I have done some journaling in the past, but not much.  I thought I would try this again.  The theme of this blog will be varied.  I want to kick down the walls and jump out of the box and start experiencing new things.  What kind of things you ask? Welllllll......trying new foods or recipes, reading new topics, learn a new language or whatever becomes up.