Jamaican Beef Patties

Jamaican Beef Patties
adapted from a base recipe found on Eatjamaican.com

PASTRY

2 cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt (leave out if using salted butter)
1/2 tablespoon curry powder (I will double this next time)
1/4 cup Solid shortening
1/4 cup Butter
1/3 cup Cold water


Sift the flour, curry powder and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the shortening and butter until crumbly. (I do this quickly by placing this all in my food processor and pulsing it until it looks like sand.Then I add in the ice water and quickly incorporate it.) Add the cold water to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Lightly flour a wooden cutting board and roll out the dough until about 1/8-inch thick and roughly circle shaped. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to chill. Cover with wax paper or damp cloth until ready to use. You can place the dough in the refrigerator overnight.

MEAT FILLING

2 tablespoon oil
1 Small white onion, finely chopped
(1/4 teaspoon Chopped Scotch Bonnet pepper - I did not have this)
1/2 lb. Lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Curry powder (I used Madras Curry)
1/2 teaspoon Dried thyme
(2 cups Frozen Peas)*
(1 - 1 1/2 cup Rice, cooked)*
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Beef or chicken stock
(1 Egg, beaten - I did not use this)
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

In a heavy skillet, sauté the onion and Scotch Bonnet Pepper in olive oil until they become limp. Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is done. Drain if needed. Next, salt, pepper, curry powder, peas, rice and thyme and mix well.

Add the breadcrumbs and stock and combine all the ingredients well. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all the liquids have been absorbed, the filling is ready. It should be moist but not watery. Remove the skillet from the stove and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Uncover the dough circles and place 4-5 tablespoons of filling on half of each. Top with the shredded cheese, if desired. Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough circle over the meat filling. Pinch the edges closed with a fork. Bake on a lightly greased baking sheet (or a cookie pan with a silpat liner) for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry are golden brown.

Serves: 5 Patties

The Races in Salida - The TT Course

The Salida Omnium is our favorite set of races for the entire Road season. This year it is the Salida Classic and it is also part of the Rocky Mountain State Games. The place we usually stay in was not available this weekend so we were going to camp. However, two kids on our team wanted to race this weekend, but their parents were not available to go, so we worked out a great deal. I take all of the kids to the races and Barb rented a big room for all of us to share. Ellie was very happy with the deal.

We left the house at around 7:15 am.m to make sure that we had plenty of time should there be any sort of delays. The idea was that the kids would sleep part of the way, but they were little chatter boxes and played games instead. Davis and Skylar are siblings as well as great kids.

Once we arrived in town we drove all of the three courses so that the kids could see where they would be going. Ellie loves the TT course. When we were driving it we saw several sets of deer with their fawns. One little fawn was just a few feet from the car window. It was a treat to see them. We checked in early, enjoyed each other's company, put the TT bars on Ellie's bike, etc. I also watched the weather closely. Last year it was very cold and rainy during this race. This year we were lucky and mostly dry.

Davis was keyed up to do well as he is very close to winning the Best All Around Rider (BAR) award. Ultimely, he placed fourth, which made him unhappy. His main competitor won the race. He is now setting his sights on the Road Race on Sunday.

Skylar ran a great race. She is new to racing and had a good time, coming in third. That means she will earn one of the beautiful medals that the Rocky Mountain State Games folks award.Her competition is much more stiff during the next two days of racing.

Ellie was awesome, coming in ahead of the second place rider by more than a minute and a half.

This is Davis and Skylar being silly. Aren't they cute?

After the race I took the kids down to see the river. We also had a really lovely dinner at 216 Ferraro's where they made the pasta by hand. It was a bit of a splurge, but well worth it. I had the best Caesar salad that I have ever tasted. That was served with ciabatta bread and butter. My main dish was Eggplant Parmesan. Carbs are good the night before a race and this hit the spot. Davis was in the mood for Fettuccini Alfredo and the girls simply wanted noodles. I will have to go there again.

Mike's Flexible Frittata

Mike's Flexible Frittata
via Mike Rathbun

12 eggs, large
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Cream
1 1/2 tea. Dry Mustard
2 TBL. Oregano (fresh is best, but dried will do)
Salt and Pepper - just a bit
4 Potatoes, large Russets *
2 TBL. Butter or Olive Oil
1 tea. Italian Seasoning
1 c. Spinach (clean and stems removed)*
3-4 Roma Tomatoes, large, sliced *
1 1/2 c. Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded

* Note: I did not have these items so I substituted 3/4 # Italian Sausage, cooked, 1 c. Zucchini, shredded and Grape Tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil your pan well. Mike used a lovely Calphalon Dutch Oven pan with high sides. This caused her frittata to dome. I had to use a 9" x 13" pan. It worked, but the frittata was much more dense.

Begin by prepping the potatoes if you are using them. This involves scrubbing them and then microwaving each one on high for 5 minutes. Once cooled, slice them. Saute' them until they are brown in a small bit of olive oil or butter with a bit of Italian seasoning as well as salt and pepper.

In a bowl mix the eggs, milk, cream, dry mustard, salt, pepper and oregano. Fluff it up using a whisk to incorporate some air.

Gently pour in about half of the egg mixture into the pan. Next, layer the potatoes (or sausage), followed by spinach (or zucchini) and then the tomatoes. Sprinkle about half of the cheese on top of this. Next, whip up the remaining egg mixture and gently pour it over the ingredients in the pan. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour, or until it is done. let it sit for a few minutes before serving. Mike likes to offer creme' fresh or sour cream on the side.

Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars
via: Sweet Pea's Kitchen Blog

For the Filling:

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Crumble and Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar ( I used about half the amount of sugar as was called for.)
1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest
3/4 cup butter, softened and cubed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook blueberries, lemon juice and lemon zest until fruit is tender, about 8-10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Stir into fruit mixture and continue cooking until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes, until thick. Scrape berry filling into a medium bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse together flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, baking soda, salt and vanilla extract until thoroughly blended and resembles coarse crumbs.
Reserve 1 ½ cups of the mixture and set aside. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan.
Spread the blueberry filling evenly on top of the crust. Sprinkle the reserved 1 1/2 cup crust mixture evenly on top of the filling.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.

Yields: 20 bars

Source: adapted from Baking Bites, originally adapted from Land O Lakes

Ciabatta Buns and BBQ Brisket - Crockpot Style

In between stints of writing I managed to do a bit of stress relieving baking lately. I am trying to recreate the artisan breakfast sandwiches you can get at Starbucks. I think this ciabatta bun is pretty close, though much lighter and less chewy than the Starbucks version. The recipe comes from the King Arthur Flour website. Their recipes are ALWAYS reliable. If they ever come traveling through your town and offering baking lessons, be sure to make time to attend.

Extra Light Ciabatta
via King Arthur Flour

Sponge
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

Dough*
sponge (from above)
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix the sponge ingredients, in a small bowl or in the pan of your bread machine, until well combined (program the machine for Dough, then cancel it once the ingredients are mixed, after a couple of minutes). Let the sponge rest overnight, covered, or for up to 15 hours.

Mixer Method: Place all of the dough ingredients into the bowl of your mixer, and beat it at medium speed, using the flat beater, for 5 to 8 minutes. The dough will never completely clear the sides of the bowl, though it'll begin to acquire some shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours; it will get very puffy.

Bread Machine Method: Place all of the ingredients into the pan of your bread machine, program the machine for Manual or Dough, and press Start. Examine the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the second kneading cycle; it should be very tacky, but should be holding its shape somewhat. Adjust the dough's consistency with additional flour or water, as necessary. Allow the machine to complete its cycle.

Transfer the dough to a well-oiled work surface. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet, and your hands. Using a bench knife or your fingers, divide the dough in half. Handling the dough gently, stretch it into a log about 10-inches long, and place it on the baking sheet. Flatten the log with your fingers till it's about 10-inches long and 4 to 5-inches wide. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. (I made squarish buns so I divided my dough into eight pieces.) Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 1 hour; it'll become quite puffy. Oil your fingers, and gently poke deep holes all over the dough. Re-oil the plastic wrap, re-cover the dough, and allow it to rise for an additional hour.

Dust the dough very lightly with flour. Bake it in a preheated 425°F oven, throwing four or five ice cubes on the floor of the oven as you put the bread in. Allow the ciabatta to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it's golden brown. Turn off the oven, remove the ciabatta from the baking sheet, and return the loaf to the oven, propping the oven door open a couple of inches with a folded-over potholder. Allow the ciabatta to cool completely in the oven; this will give it a very crisp crust.

* This bread begins with an overnight sponge, which means the finished loaf has just the barest of sour tangs. As the sponge ferments, it creates certain acids that not only give the bread flavor, but affect the gluten, making the bread chewier. The use of a sponge will also increase the loaf's shelf life.

Carol Field, in her wonderful book The Italian Baker, claims that this dough is one that simply can't be kneaded by hand; it's just too sticky. Keep this in mind when you're preparing the dough. During the winter you'll need to use the greater amount of water in the range indicated below. In the dog days of August, when your flour's been in a humid kitchen all summer, you'll use the lesser amount. Your goal is a dough that is very sticky, but holds its shape; when you scoop it out onto your work surface, it will settle into a flattened mound that is best approached with oiled hands and a bench knife or bowl scraper.

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When I was checking for that recipe I noticed that the King Arthur blog was featuring BBQ Brisket sandwiches so I searched for a good recipe for that one, too.

BBQ Brisket
via My Fiance Likes it, so it must be good blog

For the Brisket:

4 lb. beef brisket
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

For the Barbecue Sauce: (I did not have time for this, but I will try it next time. I just used bottled sauce instead.)

1/4 to 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup crushed tomatoes (or you could use ketchup also)
3 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon Sriracha

Coleslaw:

3 cups red cabbage, shredded
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar


Sourdough Rolls, for sandwiches (I used the ciabatta rolls I made using the recipe above.)

To prepare the brisket: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, cumin, paprika, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and then rub mixture all over beef brisket. Cover brisket with plastic wrap and let sit in fridge overnight.
On the next morning, preheat your crockpot onto high and add brisket (you may have to cut it in half to fit it all in there!). Add about 1 cup of beef stock to crockpot and cover. Let cook for about 6 to 7 hours, or until brisket is fork tender.

To prepare barbecue sauce: Combine desired amount of apple cider vinegar (the more you add, the acidic the sauce), tomatoes (or ketchup), brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and Sriracha. If using crushed tomatoes, run the immersion blender through your mixture until it is smooth, or at your desired texture. If using ketchup, no need to worry about that step.
You can use the barbecue sauce on the side, or like me, add it to the crockpot with the brisket and let it meld for about an hour longer.

To prepare the coleslaw: Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar in a large bowl. Add cabbage and carrots and mix well. Let sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

To assemble sandwiches, toast your sourdough buns and add a decent amount of pulled brisket on the bottom half (the messier the better!). Top with desired amount of coleslaw (or you can always eat that on the side) and top with remaining bun half.

Dig in and enjoy. You might need a fork for this one - and plenty of wet naps!

Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing

Here's a recipe that was popular this week:

Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing
via: Cooking Light magazine, June 2011

* YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
* HANDS-ON: 30 MINUTES
* TOTAL: 30 MINUTES
* COURSE: Main Dishes, Salads

Ingredients

* 8 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta
* 1 cup shelled green peas (about 1 pound unshelled green peas) or frozen green peas
* 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 cup thinly sliced radishes ( left these out and added in diced cucumber in its place)
* 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
* 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

* 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add peas and shrimp during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.
* 2. Combine pasta mixture and radishes in a large bowl. Combine mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Pour over pasta mixture, tossing to coat. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature, or cover and chill until ready to serve.
* Wine note: Sweet shrimp, peppery summer radishes, and the refreshing dill and buttermilk dressing all point to a wine with tangy acidity, fresh berry fruit, and a zip of citrus. The Fleur, Pinot Noir, Rosé (2009, Carneros, Calif.; $15)—with its shocking bright-red hue—is a hands-down crowd-pleaser and an excellent value.—Alexander Spacher

Golden Rod Eggs

Golden Rod Eggs
from: The Alford Family

For four servings:

Hard boil 8 to 10 eggs. (About 12 minutes at this altitude) Cool immediately in cold water.

Peel cooled eggs, then separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Put the egg yolks in a separate bowl, and chop the egg whites into small pieces.

Make a white sauce out of:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup flour
(melt & whisk these together before adding milk)
about 2 cups milk (add it bit by bit)

and season it with:
2 to 3 tsp. powdered mustard
a dash or two of white pepper (if you don't have it, you can use black pepper)
salt to taste
1 - 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Whisk and cook until thick and smooth. Taste it and adjust the seasonings. Add chopped egg whites and keep warm on low heat, stirring occasionally.

In separate bowl, break up egg yolks and stir with a clean, dry whisk to crumble finely.

Serve over buttered toast strips: first sauce, then yolks, then paprika lightly sprinkled over the top.