Meatloaf

Mark here...I got this recipe from Nigella Lawson and honestly it's the best meatloaf I've ever made/had.  Key to it I think is using good ground meat and duck fat.  I've tried other recipes involving different meats and none compared to this.

Ingredients:

2lbs ground beef ( I believe we used sirloin from our neighborhood butcher, McCall's)
duck fat (the original recipe calls for 5 tablespoons, I was quite liberal and eyeballed it)
4 eggs
4 onions
bacon
kosher salt
breadcrumbs (I used store bought)
Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Boil 3 eggs in water for 7 minutes.  Peel and chop the onions and heat the duck fat in a large pan.  Once heated add the onions and lightly brown, then remove from heat and let cool.

Separately add a tablespoon of worcestershire to the meat.  Add the (cooled) onion mixture to the meat and add about a cup and a half of breadcrumbs (I eyeballed this as well as I was using store bought and did not want my meatloaf to get too dense).  Finally, crack the last egg into this.  Gently mix with hands, trying not to let the mixture get too dense.

Separate the meat in 2, and mold one part into the bottom of the meatloaf on a sheet pan or roasting tray.  Peel the boiled eggs and nestle them in a row (on their sides) on the bottom meat portion.  Then gently apply the top portion of meat over the eggs and mold the entire thing into a meatloaf.  Be careful not to break the eggs as they may still have soft centers.

Wrap the whole meatloaf in bacon, trying to tuck the bacon so it won't curl up.  Put it in the oven for an hour or until juices are clear, then slice and serve.

Sautéed Kale

Mark here... This recipe is a bit inspired by a recipe from the "2 Fat Ladies"  The original recipe uses swiss chard and real anchovies...

Ingredients:
Butter
Kale
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Anchovy Paste
Lemon Juice

First, I used about half of a bunch of kale (and had leftovers), cut the thick stems out from the leafy parts.  Chop both the stems and the leaves but keep them separate, they cook at different times.

I melted about 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium heat.  Add maybe 2 inches of anchovy paste and 3 garlic cloves (sliced).  Cook another minute.  Add the cut stems and about a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper.  Stir and cover.  Turn the heat down slightly so the stems steam and don't burn.  Check on them but it should take about 10 min., Once they are soft, add the leaves, some lemon juice (1 tablespoon) and stir.  It should only take a couple minutes until the leaves wilt and cook, then its ready to serve.

Seafood Newberg

Mark here... I originally saw this recipe on an episode of Food Network's show Party Line with the Hearty Boys.  After watching the Mad Men episode where Betty Draper orders it, I thought it would be appropriate.  Laurel doesn't eat shellfish (though I think some day I may be able to get her to try scallops) so I tried to find a firmer fish to substitute.  In this case I used Sea Bass and Halibut.  I also made more than enough and was able to give leftovers to friends.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs of fish (Sea Bass and Halibut in this case)
Salt
10 Black Peppercorns
2 Bay Leaves
1 Large Shallot, chopped
4 tablespoons of flour
butter
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon curry powder
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
tomato paste
dry sherry
parsley

asparagus
salt
pepper
olive oil
white rice


First poach the fish in boiling water with about a teaspoon of salt, the bay leaves and the peppercorns, for about 2 minutes.

In a separate pan, heat the milk, cream and add a tablespoon of tomato paste.  Do not let it boil, but bring to a simmer.

In a large sauce pan, sauté the shallot in 4 tablespoons butter for a few minutes, until shallot softens but doesn't brown.  Then add the flour.  Let the flour cook about a minute then add the spices (paprika, curry, nutmeg and cayenne).  Add 1/4 cup of the sherry, and let the alcohol cook off.  Slowly add the milk and cream mixture to this. Finally, cube and add the fish.

Serve over white rice with a side of roasted asparagus (I just tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted on a sheet pan for about 15 min).  Top with chopped parsley.

Farfalle Abruzzese

This recipe was from Mario Batali.  His original recipe called for ground veal.  I couldn't find any and had to go with ground beef.  While the result was definitely tasty, I think the veal would've been better.

Ingredients:

3 oz dried porcini mushrooms soaked in hot water to rehydrate
olive oil
5 thinly sliced garlic cloves
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or veal)
salt
pepper
tomato paste
white wine
basic tomato sauce I used Mark Bittman, which can be found under the Eggplant Parmesan posting)
1 box farfalle
8 oz baby spimach
grated parmesan

First drain (set 1 cup of liquid aside) the mushrooms and chop them.  In a large pan, add olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and heat over medium high.  Add garlic and cook a minute, then add mushrooms and the meat.  Cook until browned evenly.  Add salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons tomato paste, then cook another 5 minutes.  Add a cup of white wine and the mushroom liquid.  Cook until wine has evaporated and then simmer.

Cook the farfalle in boiling salted water, drop one ladle of the pasta water into the sauce, then add the spinach to the sauce.  Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, tossing it through.  At this point I added some grated parmesan and let it melt through and then added sprinkled some more on each of our plates after serving.

Baked Stuffed Potatoes

Mark here...this recipe was my contribution to the Mad Men pilot night...I believe I may have re-appropriated a Tyler Florence recipe

Ingredients:
2 Baking Potatoes
White Truffle Oil
Sea Salt
Pepper
Bacon
Chopped Broccoli
Butter
Flour
Milk
Grated Cheddar
Chives

Preheat the oven to 400.  Coat the 2 potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper and bake for about an hour.

While the potatoes are baking, chop the bacon and fry in a frying pan.  Blanch the broccoli in boiling salted water for about a minute or two.

To make the filling, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauce pan.  Add 1 tablespoon of flour and cook another minute.  Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the milk slowly.  Then add about 1/4 cup of grated cheddar. Add the bacon, broccoli and chives.

At this point, when the potatoes are done, I just cut them in half, scooped out some filling and mixed it with the sauce.  Then I re-filled the potatoes, topped with some more cheddar and baked a couple more minutes.

Demi-Glace / Foyot

This recipe is from way back when we watched the Buffy Season finale, "Prophecy Girl".  I won't repeat the recipes for steak or fries.  The Bearnaise recipe is also already posted, the difference with the Foyot Sauce is that I added about a tablespoon and a half of demi-glace.

This recipe uses Anthony Bourdain's recipe as a base, though I was nowhere near as exact as he is about it...:)

Ingredients:

Bones (I had beef/steak bones)
Tomato Paste
Flour

Peeled, roughly chopped onions
Peeled, roughly chopped carrots
Peeled, roughly chopped celery
2 bay leaves
peppercorns
fresh thyme

Bourbon
Peeled, chopped red onion


First preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  On a baking sheet toss the bones with about a tablespoon or so of tomato paste (depending on how many bones) and same amount of flour (just dust the bones). Roast the bones to a brown color.

On a separate baking sheet, add peeled onions, carrots and celery.  The Bourdain recipe says to add about half as many onions as you have bones. I certainly didn't do that.  I probably had equal as many onions, only a couple carrots and a quarter celery.  Be careful about adding salt and pepper.  I may have added a little but remember this will reduce.

When everything has roasted and is carmelized/browned.  Dump into a large pot, top with water, add 2 bay leaves, a bunch of fresh thyme and some peppercorns.  Simmer for several hours. When done, you'll have made stock.

This is where I deviated from the Bourdain recipe.  In another stockpot, I added some Bourbon and chopped red onion, then added all the stock and reduced.  It takes a while and you only get a little demi-glace in the end, but I only use a little each time.  Again, for the Foyot Sauce, I only added about a tablespoon and a half.  The rest can then be frozen.

Little Girl I Want to Marry You

Mark here... We're on to the next episode, "Little Girl I want to Marry You".  This was another really good episode with lots of character development. Laurel and I discussed how the show is so good with conveying even subtle points.  One plot line here is Tyra trying to get her mom to stop being dependent on men and get herself a job.  As it turns out there's a position at Buddy Garrity's for a receptionist.  Tyra convinces Buddy (with Tim Riggins help) to give her mom an interview.  On the way to the interview they have a flat tire and the mom can barely handle fixing a tire.  Tyra has to convince her mom that they can change a tire without a man and the mom is barely willing to even try.  When they finally arrive, it's after the big game and Tyra goes up to tell Buddy his mom is here.  Buddy tells her he filled the position, but once he sees Tyra's mom he conveniently forgets this and hires her.  With just a look Tyra conveys that she knows whats going on.  We've seen the good and bad in Buddy but we can't help thinking the mom got the job because of her looks.  When the mom tells Tyra she got the job, Tyra asks how her mom did with the typing test (it was supposed to be 50 words per minute) and what the salary was.  Her mom responds it never came up.  Tyra at first questions this while the mom is oblivious.  You can see Tyra choose to just let it go...one battle at a time!

Separately Matt Saracen's dad has to go back to Iraq.  Unfortunately he has to leave before the big game.  It's the right decision for all, but it's too bad the dad can't express any emotion.  Even leaving, Matt hugs him goodbye and he can barely manage a hug in response.

There's also a subplot of the Taylors going to dinner at the Mayor's house.  The town mayor is a tough salty older woman, who apparently has a female partner the town is unaware of.  Laurel and I talked about how the town doesn't see that the mayor is a lesbian.  I think the town just sees what they want to see. Also the fact that the mayor is an older women means that (unfortunately), the town just doesn't see her as a sexual being, so it's easier to just see her as a single older woman.  In any case, she wants Tami Taylor to be a part of her re-election campaign.  I can't help but thinking trouble is ahead, this being a small town in Texas.  The coach is clearly uncomfortable and thinks the mayor just wants the coach's wife on her campaign (probably true).  But Tami's response is classic, "Get Over It".  She knows this may be true but she sees potential for what she could get done.

Also, Smash's steroid use is finally discovered by his mother.  It sorts itself in a not so dramatic way though.  Eventually Coach and his mom forgive him and it seems like all are willing to brush it under the rug, provided Smash agrees to private drug testing. It's a bit anticlimactic to be honest, but Smash is an interesting character so its good he didn't get kicked off the team.

Hi Laurel here..I just wanted to add in the Smash situation what a tough position both the coach and Smash's mom are in...The mom immediately ran to the coach to chew him out when she found the steroids because she couldn't even imagine that her son would have done this on his own.  This put coach in the terrible position of reporting this like he should and ruining Smash's football career, or keeping it to himself and sticking his neck WAY out in the process.  We'll see what happens but it's not a good situation for anyone.  It just goes to show how much pressure these kids are under, and that they don't see any other path besides being successful in football whatever the cost.

Also I think it's so awesome that the show is exploring a lesbian character.  The whole town is obviously totally in denial about the Mayor's sexuality and it would be super easy for the show to not address this but I think it's a real credit to the writers that they are making this an issue, even if it doesn't go anywhere.  At this point it remains to be seen...

Also Mark and me talked a bit about Tyra and her mom.  I think their whole family (mom, Tyra, and sister) are stuck in a situation that they all decide to handle in different ways.  They are all super hot, and of course they all want to use their feminine wiles to their advantage...The mom in just oblivious that men are trying to take advantage of her, the sister is fully aware and just goes with it, but Tyra is trying to walk the line somewhere between the 2.  She is too smart to ignore her feminine powers completely but also knows she is much more than that and she shouldn't put herself in a position to be disrespected.  I see both sides it's tough to know where to draw the line with that stuff.  We'll see what happens...