Herb Infused Stuffed Cornish Hen

Sous Vide Details: Cook Cornish Hen at 155ºF for 4-8 hours Ingredients, Serves 1-2: 1 cornish hen (thawed) 3 tablespoons small diced celery 2 tablespoons small diced carrots 2 tablespoons small diced onions 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary 1 teaspoon chopped thyme Few sprigs of rosemary and Thyme Salt and pepper to taste Cornish hen is an interesting dichotomy for my friend.  She loves chicken, but small whole chicken?  Not so much.  Something about the movie "The Birds" early in her life causes her to have the hibijibis when it comes to small whole birds!  Well, I think...

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Irish Shepherd's Pie (with Turkey)

Ingredients, Serves 8-10: For the mashed potatoes topping: 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes 1/4 cup half-and-half cream 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 egg yolk For the meat filling: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 1/2 cup chopped onion 3 carrots, peeled and diced small 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 celery stocks, chopped 3 pounds ground turkey 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons tomato paste 2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon paptrika 1 tablespoon freshly chopped...

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Irish Lamb Stew with Guiness Beer

Ingredients, Serves 8-10: 3 pounds lamb shoulder/neck (used for stew) 1/2 cup flour 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced 6 stalks celery, cut into 1/2" slices 2 large...

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Irish Root Vegetable Medley

Ingredients, Serves 8-10: 8 carrots 4 turnips 12 fingerling potatoes 1 rutabaga 1 large parsnip 2 medium onions 2 kohlrabi bulbs 1 celery root (celeriac) bulb 1 whole head garlic 2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme Extra-virgin olive oil (EVO) Salt and pepper to taste Chopped fresh parsley or chives, for garnish I made this for a St. Patrick's Day party and it was a hit!  Healthy too! First pre-heat the oven to 400º F.  Now, prepare all the root vegetables.  You need to peel the carrots, turnips, rutabaga, parsnip, kohlrabi and celery root.  Chop them all up (including the potatoes) into roughly same...

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Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage

Sous Vide Details: Cook Corned Beef at 180ºF for 10-12 hours Ingredients, Serves 6-8: Corned Beef: 3-4 lb beef brisket 4 tablespoon curing salt (I got some at William and Sonoma) 4 tablespoon pickling spices 4 teaspoon brown sugar 4 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste 1 head of cabbage 1 cup chicken stock 1/4 cup champagne vinegar So I decided to make corned beef from a regular beef brisket.  Be for warned, it takes 7 days to pickle the brisket into corned beef! First, take your brisket and trim off most of the fat.  Mix the curing salt, brown sugar and garlic powder in a bowl.  Using a fork, punch...

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Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients, Serves 4-6: 4 cups of flour 1/4 cup of sugar 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut up into pieces 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup golden raisins or currants 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional) 1 3/4 cup butter milk 1 large egg We decided to throw a St. Patrick's Day party this year and so I decided to cook authentic Irish dishes for the first time!  On the top of the list was Irish Soda Bread, a wonderfully rich and flavorful bread that doesn't use yeast and is super easy to make! First, pre-heat oven to 425ºF.  Next, we mix all the try ingredients in a bowl.  I used a mixer bowl, but you can...

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Vietnamese Shrimp Spring Rolls

Ingredients, Serves 4: 1/2 lb headless shrimp 2 oz asian rice vermicelli Six  8.5" (22 cm)  rice sheets (you can get at an asian market) Leaves of cilantro, mint and Thai basil Lettuce Leafs Peanut sauce: 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1/2 teaspoon Shirachi hot sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce Water to thin sauce I LOVE Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls! They are fresh and aromatic and health too!  So I decided to make my own and now you can too!  It's super easy and makes a great snack or appetizer. First you need to cook the shrimp.  Peel and toss into a boiling pot and cook...

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Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

Sous Vide Details: Cook Chicken at 142ºF for 2 hours Ingredients, Serves 2-4: 1 skinless chicken breast 4 cups chicken broth 1 13oz can of unsweetened coconut milk 1 red pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced 1 cup sliced mushrooms (use your favorite mushrooms) 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/2 cup small diced celery 1 stalk of lemongrass, smashed and halved (3" length) 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 3 tablespoons minced garlic 3 tablespoons minced ginger 1/3 cup chopped Thai basil 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 fresh lime 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVO) 1-3 tablespoons chopped Thai peppers (depending on how...

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Turkey Breast Roulade with Wild Rice and Mushrooms

Sous Vide Details: Cook Turkey Roulade at 138ºF for 3 hours Ingredients, Serves 4: 1 large Turkey breast with skin on 1 cup cooked wild rice (I used a basmati herbed rice mix) 1 cup of your favorite mushrooms (I used mix of shitake and oyster) 2 cups fresh spinach 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup small toasted bread crumbs (slightly smaller than 1/2" x 1/2") 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped thyme 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Salt and pepper to taste Sauce: 1 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons finely...

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Turkey Bacon Wrapped Chicken Roulade

Sous Vide Details: Cook chicken roulade at 142ºF for 2 hours Ingredients, Serves 2: 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast 5 slices of turkey bacon 1 1/2 cup of spinach 1/3 cup parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons grape seed oil Chicken by itself, even cooked sous vide can be a little "boring" at times.  I've found that an easy way to spice it up both flavor-wise and visually is to make chicken roulade, or a chicken breast roll.  It turns a boring breast into a fancy main entree!  For this particular roulade I thought I'd spice it up even more by wrapping it with turkey bacon, a little healthier than normal bacon. Pre-heat...

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Vinaigrette Cole Slaw

Ingredients, Serves 6-8: 1 head green cabbage, julienned 1 head red cabbage, julienned 1 red pepper,  julienned 1 green pepper,  julienned 1 orange pepper,  julienned 1 cup julienned carrots 1 scallion, cut to 1" lengths and then julienned For the vinaigrette: 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVO) 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 6 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 1 tablespoon minced shallots 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon oregano Salt and pepper to taste I don't normally like cole slaw, but this vinaigrette based slaw is delish and super easy to make.  You can...

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Beef Round Roast

Sous Vide Details: Cook beef round roast at 132ºF for 8-10 hours Ingredients, Serves 4-6: 5-7 lb beef round roast Sprigs of rosemary and thyme 2 tablespoons powdered garlic Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons grape seed oil Crust paste: 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVO) 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons thyme, chopped fine 2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped fine 1 teaspoon tarragon, chopped fine 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper I was in the grocery store the other day and decided to try a round roast sous vide style with a longer cook time at a lower temperature to see if it would come out more tender than if cooked the...

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Tilapia Fillet on Arugula with Mustard Grain and Mushroom Sauce

Sous Vide Details: Cook Tilapia at 132ºF for 30 minutes Ingredients, Serves 2: 2 Tilapia fillets 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill 1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste Bunch of arugula leaves Extra virgin olive oil (EVO) 1 tablespoon grape seed oil Mustard Grain and Mushroom Sauce: 1 tablespoon mustard grain 1 cup of your favorite mushrooms (I love Shimeji, but you can use shitake, oyster, etc...), rough chopped 1 tablespoon EVO 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth Tilapia is a great light fish, but sometimes it seems to lack some taste (at least to me).  So I decided to make a nice tangy...

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Japanese Eggplant

Sous Vide Details: Cook eggplant at 185ºF for 45 minutes Ingredients, Serves 4: 3 Japanese eggplants 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVO) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 cup shaved Gruyere cheese Salt and pepper to taste Japanese eggplant makes a great side dish and cooked sous vide makes it tender and juicy. Pre-heat water bath to 185ºF.  Cut the eggplant into 3" lengths and then slice into 1/4" slices.  Discard the first and last slices.  Arrange the slices flat and next to each other on a cutting board.  Using either a food brush or an oil spray bottle, coat both sides...

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Crostini with Prosciutto, Cheese and Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients, Serves 6-8: 12 slices of a french baguette slices on a diagonal, approximately 3/4" thick 6 oz prosciutto 12 slices of your favorite soft cheese.  I like Jarlsberg or Gruyere. 6 plum tomatoes cut in half length-wise 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder 1/3 cup of fresh basil, slices thinly 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVO) This is a great party hors d'oeuvre. It's rich and yet light and has a great presentation visual. First you need to oven roast the plum tomatoes.  Pre-heat the oven to 250ºF.  Lay the tomatoes halves, cut side up) on a baking sheet, evenly spaced.  Place the baking sheet in the...

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Prime Rib Roast

Sous Vide Details: Cook roast prime rib at 135ºF for 5 hours Ingredients, Serves 6-8: 6-8 lb prime rib roast 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon paprika 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil (EVO) Several twigs of rosemary and thyme Salt and pepper to taste Mushroom sauce: 1/2 cup of your favorite mushrooms, finely chopped 1/2 cup finely chopped onions 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/3 cup good red wine 1 tablespoon EVO 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary 1 cup beef broth Salt and pepper to taste Prime rib roast is a wonderful holiday...

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Pork Tenderloin Roulade Stuffed with Apple and Porcini Mushrooms

Sous Vide Details: Cook pork roulade at 138ºF for 8 hours Ingredients, Serves 8 - 10: 2 medium sized pork tenderloins (3 lbs) 2 cups of your favorite mushrooms (porcini, shitake, shimeji, mixed, etc..) 8 oz spinach (1 large bag) 1 cup apples (your favorite type), skinned, cored and diced into small pieces 1/2 lb ground pork 1/ cup minced yellow onion 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese 8 oz prosciutto slices 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon thyme 1 tablespoon rosemary 1/8 teaspoon truffle oil 2 tablespoons brandy or whiskey Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVO) Salt and pepper to taste Believe it or not, I was just recently introduced...

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Pecan Pie

Ingredients, Serves 4-6: Pie Crust: 1 cup flour plus some for dusting 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup shortening 3 tablespoons cold water Filling 1 cup pecan halves 3 eggs 2/3 cup sugar 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted) 1 cup corn syrup (light or dark) 1/2 teaspoon salt My early memories of childhood are of my father loving pecan pie.  It was his absolute favorite thing to eat!  I too became a big fan of pecan pie.  So I had to do a blog on making this wonderfully rich and tasty dessert.  Making the pie crust from scratch is easy and definitely makes the pie worth waiting for! To make the crust, in medium bowl,...

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French Onion Soup

Ingredients, Serves 8: 5 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced cross grain thinly 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon thyme 1/2 bay leaf 56 oz of beef broth 1/2 cup dry red wine 1/2 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded 1 cup Gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese, shredded 8 slices French baguette I love French onion soup!  There's something about the savory onions and the melted cheese over the French baguette.  It's irresistible!  Making it from scratch just makes it all the more enjoyable! To start, peel onions and slice 1/8 inch thick, cross...

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Grand Marnier Dessert Souffle

Ingredients, Serves 4: 3 large eggs, whites separated from yolks 3 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur 1/2 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar cooking spray (can use any cooking oil) 4 ramekin dishes (3") I love dessert souffles, although I can't eat them often (or I won't fit into my jeans!).  I went out and got some Grand Marnier liqueur, wow not cheap!  You can actually make souffles with any flavored liqueur.  Grand Marnier has an orange flavor.  You don't even have to use liqueur if you don't want to.  Orange...

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