Fresh Ricotta

Before beginning this recipe, I must admit that the ingredients and steps here actually, officially, make a "queso fresco".  Ricotta is normally made by "recooking" whey, but the difference between using this easy to make cheese in lieu of store bought ricotta or a more labor intensive recipe (with the whey) is almost negligible.

Makes approximately 3/4 pound of Ricotta Cheese.

Ingredients
1 Half Gallon (2 Liters) of fresh whole milk
1/4 Cup of Vinegar
1/2 Ts Salt

Cheese Cloth

Directions
Before starting this recipe you should take a large piece of cheese cloth and place it in a large bowl and put it to the side.  When your milk/ cheese is ready to be strained you will need to pour the liquid into the lined bowl to separate the ricotta from the whey.

Heat the milk in a large pot on medium heat, stirring from time to time.

When the milk starts to steam, add the vinegar, stir and remove the pot from the heat.

Allow the pot to sit for approximately 2 minutes while the milk separates.

Using a ladle or measuring cup pour the contents of the pot into your lined bowl.  Continue to do this until all of the liquid from your pot has been poured into your lined bowl and is being strained.

Allow the cheese in the cheese cloth to drip and drain for 10-15 minutes.

 After it has drained, you are ready to eat, use your cheese.

Chicken Marbella

Serves 5

Ingredients
2 Lb of Chicken pieces (I used a mix of breast and small drumsticks)
1/8 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
4 Garlic Cloves (Crushed)
2 Bay Leaves
8 Prunes (Scored)
8 Green Olives (Halved)
Pinch Salt
Pinch Oregano
1/8 Cup Olive Oil
Splash of Olive Juice
1/3 White Wine
1/8 Cup Brown Sugar

Directions
Marinate the chicken overnight with everything except for the wine and brown sugar.

The next day, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and pan sear the pieces, in a large, deep welled frying pan (with some vegetable oil) until they are brown on each side.  I would suggest that when you sear the chicken that you transfer as little marinade as possible into the pan with the chicken.

Then, after the chicken has browned, lower the heat on the burner, and add the brown sugar and wine.  Also add any marinade left over in the bowl.  Partially cover the pan and allow the chicken to braise and the liquid to cook down for approximately 20-30 minutes. 

When the liquid has cooked down by approximately 3/4 you are ready to eat.

Fried Potstickers

Makes 20 Potstickers

Ingredients
1/2 Lb of Braised Beef (see previous recipe) minced
2 Tb Shredded Carrot
1.5 Tb Mayonnaise
2 Tb Cheddar Cheese
2 Tb Bbq Sauce
2 Tb Glass Noodles (Cooked)
1 Tb Shredded Cabbage

20 Wonton Skins

2 Eggs (beaten)
Bread Crumbs

Directions
Mix the sauce, noodles, cabbage, carrots, beef, mayonnaise, and cheddar cheese.  This is your filling.


Take a Wonton skin and brush it with water.  This will allow it stick and seal more easily.  Now, add approximately 1 Ts of the filling mixture to the bottom third of the Wonton.  Now, fold the Wonton skin over with the next third of the skin, so that the last third is still protruding.  Be sure that the Wonton skin is sealing itself and that there are no air pockets.  Lastly, fold the last third over the first fold.  Thus, the filling is encased and sealed in the Wonton skin.  The folds you are doing here are similar to how you would fold a letter to place in an envelope.  Lastly, connect the two ends to make a "ring".  You may want to even consider wrapping the Wonton around your finger.

Now, cover the potsticker in an egg wash and cover it with bread crumbs.

Lastly, cook the potsticker in hot oil until golden brown.  Once it cools you are ready to eat!

Braised Beef

This recipe creates a tender braised beef that can be used in other recipes.

Ingredients
1 Lb Stewing Beef
16 Oz Light Beer
300 Ml Beef Broth
1/2 Onion, Finely Cut
1 Ts White Wine Vinegar
2 Ts Brown Sugar

Directions
Add all of the ingredients to a medium pot and cook on low for 2.5-3 Hours.  As your reach approximately the 2.5 hour mark, test the tenderness of the beef to see if it is ready.  The beef should be so tender that you do not need a knife to separate it.

After the meat is ready strain it and retain the liquid.  Then separate the beef from the onions.  The onions can be retained or discarded.

The meat can now be used as an ingredient in other recipes.  The cooking liquid can be reduced and mixed with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and brown sugar to make a barbecue sauce.   

Beef Burgundy

Ingredients
1 Lb of Stewing beef (Cubed)
500 Ml Red Wine
250 Ml Low Sodium Beef Broth
2/3 Onion
1 Large Carrot
2 Potatoes

Directions
In a medium pot, pour in the wine and broth and heat at medium-low heat.  Cut the onion into small, 1 cm pieces and add to the pot.  Also, add the beef to the pot at this time.

Cover the pot and allow the beef to cook in the liquid for approximately 2.5-3 hours.  I would suggest that you start to check the tenderness of the beef at about the 2 hour mark.

For your carrots and potatoes, peel them and cut them into 2 cm pieces.  Try to make sure that the pieces are approximately the same size. The vegetables should be added about 10 minutes before the beef is fully tender.  Thus, it should be added at about the 2 hour and 20 mark.  Also, I would suggest adding the carrots about 3 or 4 minutes before the potatoes as they take a little bit longer to cook.

After the vegetables and beef are cooked, make sure that the stewing broth is the correct consistency.   The liquid remaining should be able to coat a spoon.  Thus, if not enough has cooked down, make sure to raise the heat at the very end of the stewing process to cook down the liquid.