Cuban Black Beans and Rice - Favorite Recipe

The woman, Maile who makes this says it is the recipe she gives out the most.

1 lb. dried black beans (2 C)
12 C water, divided
2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1 c red wine )Cabarnet Sauvignon)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole bay leaf
1 T dried Mexican oregano
1 T epazote
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. coarse black pepper
1 T sea salt
2 T sugar
2 T red wine vinegar
3-4 C cooked, long-grain brown rice

Rinse the beans well, discarding any debris. Put the beans and half of water in a large stockpot and saod for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight. Just before cooking, drain and rinse the beans. Place in a pot with remaining water.

Add the olive oil, wine, onion, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, epazote, cumin, pepper, salt and sugar to the pot. Place pot over medium-hih heat nad bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes until the beans are soft.
Add the red wine vinegar and simmer, uncovered, to thicken the beans until ready to serve, about 15 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf and serve over 1/4 c cooked rice per serving.

Serves: 6-8

Side dish Recipe: Parsnip Puree with Roasted Garlic

2 garlic cloves
1 T olive oil
1 lb. parsnips
4 oz. cream cheese

Roast garlic at 350F for 30 minutes
Wash, peel parnips and cut into 1 inch pieces. Add them to a 2 quart saucepan filled with enough water to cover them.
Cover and cook 15 minutes. Drain water and mash parsnips, cream cheese and roasted garlic until smooth. Add salt and pepper.

Soup Recipe: Oven Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

3 Medium Butternut Squash
1 quart chicken stock
1/2 lb butter
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
3 t brown sugar
1 bay leaf
Pinch of nutmeg and cinnom
Salt and white pepper to taste

Split and roast the butternut squash in oven at 350F for 30 minutes, until soft, lightly brushing with butter. Cover for first 15 minutes with tin foil.

Lightly saute the chopped onions in a pot in butter until translucent. Add the brown sugar, spices, chicken stock and simmer 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Add the remaining butter and puree using a handblender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Note: You can adjust the consistency with a little chicken stock or water.

Recipe for the Best French Onion Soup

Soupe A L'oignon, Maison

6-8 Servings

Onion soup is simply a large quantitiy of sliced onions slowly cooked and browned in butter, then simmered in beef bouillon. To achieve the tru home-made taste, you'll need a homemade bouillon- beef bones and shank meat simmered for several hours with the usual carrots, onions, celery, seasonings and herbs. If not, you can subsitute canned beef bouillon.

A heavy 4-quart saucepan or casserole
3 T butter
1 T olive oil
A bout 1 1/2 lbs. or 5-6 C thinly sliced yellow onions
1 t salt
1/2 t sugar
3 T flour
2 qts. hot beef bouillon
1 C red or white wine
1 bay leave
1/2 t sage
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter with the oil in the saucepan or casserole; add the sliced onions and stir up to coat with the butter. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent. Then uncovr the pan, raise heat to med-high, and stir in the salt and sugar. (Sugar, by carmelizing, helps onions to brown.) Cook for 30 minutes, stirring often, until onionis have turned an even deep golden brown.

Then lower heat to moderate, stir in the flour, and add a bit more butter if flour does not absorb into a paste with the onions. Cook slowly, stirring continually, for about 2 minuts to brown the flour lightly. Remove from heat.

Pour in about 1 cup of the hot bouillon, stirring with wire whisk to blend flour and bouillon. Add the rest of the bouillon and the wine, bay, and sage, and bring to the simmer. Simmer slwoly for 30-40 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, and the soup is done.
Serve with French bread and grated Parmesan cheese, or bake with cheese as follows:

Soupe a ;'Oignon Gratinee
A loaf of French bread
Melted butter
Optional: 1/4 C cognac
1 peeled 2-inch raw onion
A 2-ox. piece Swiss cheese
1 1/2 C grated Swiss and Parmesan cheese, mixed. (Can also use Gruyere).

Cut the braed into slices 1 inch thick, paint lightly with oil or butter and arrange in a layer on baking sheet. Bake in 325F oven for 15-20 minutes, until beginning to brown slightly; turn over and brown lightly on other side 15 minutes. These are called croutes.

Pour the hot soup into a serving casserole or baking dish. Pour in optional cognac, grate in the onion and shave the piece of cheese into fine slivers and strew over the soup. Place a closely packed layer of croutes over top of soup and spread on the grated cheese, covreing the croutes completely. Sprinkle a T of oil or butter over the cheese, and set the soup in middle level of a preheated 350F oven. Bake for approximately 30 min, or until soup is bubbling slowly and cheese has melted.

Just before serving, run the soup under a red hot broker in oven to melt brown the cheese lightly. Pass remaining croutes in a bread tray along with the soup.

Julia Child's recipe from the 1960s and the best!

Recipe for Cheese Popovers

Here is the recipe to the popover served at BLT Steak in Manhattan. Cheese Popovers
The recipe was featured in Saveur magazine. The secret to making these light, oversized, beautifully puffed-up beauties is to bake them in a convection oven.


4 cups flour
1 1⁄2 tbsp. salt
8 eggs
4 cups milk, warmed
Nonstick unflavored cooking spray
1⁄3 lb. gruyère, grated on small holes of a box grater
(about 2 cups)


1. Preheat convection oven to 350°. Sift flour and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside. Put eggs into the bowl of a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat eggs on medium-low until frothy and slightly thicker, about 3 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and beat eggs until thickened, 1–2 minutes more. Increase speed to high and beat eggs until very thick and foamy, about 2 1⁄2 minutes more. With the motor still running, add half the milk and mix until well combined. Then add half the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Scrape down bowl. Repeat process with remaining milk and flour mixture. Strain batter through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Set aside to let rest for 5 minutes, then skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface.


2. Generously spray the insides and edges of 12 (2⁄3-cup) nonstick popover tins with cooking spray. Divide batter among the tins (tins will be just shy of full). Carefully top each popover with 2–3 tbsp. cheese, making sure that the batter doesn't spill over the edges. Gently put the tins into the oven and bake, rotating tins halfway through, until popovers are deep golden brown and puffed, about 50 minutes. Popovers may be eaten immediately or allowed to cool on a wire rack and then reheated in a 350° oven.

Easy Popover Recipe

Here is an easy recipe for popovers to serve with jam or butter in the morning.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Break eggs into a mixing bowl; add milk and beat until well blended. Add sifted flour and salt; continue beating until batter is smooth and thick. Bake in hot greased iron muffin cups or greased glass custard cups which are very hot. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, depending on size. Serve right away. Make a small slit in each popover to allow steam to escape. Makes about 6 to 8 large popovers.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad Recipe

Delicious and healthy - no mayo!

1 (6-ounce) can tuna
1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/2 cup red peppers, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup greek olives, sliced
1/2 small red onion, minced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf or Italian parsley, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dry/fresh oregano
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine tuna, red onion, parsley, greek olives, artichoke hearts, fresh basil, garlic, salt and pepper, and squeeze with fresh lemon juice.
Mix and serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Easy Waldorf Chicken Salad Recipe

2 cups bite size cooked chicken pieces
1 small apple, diced
1/2 small onion, minced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a large bowl, combine chicken, apple, onions, celery, walnuts and raisins.
In separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice and salt& pepper.
Pour dressing over chicken mixture and mix.
Chill until ready to serve.