Categories: "Flesh"

Salmon with sweet chili roasted vegetables — Ninja Speedi

by Don  

Source:  Ninja Speedi Perfect Salmon Served with Sweet Chilli Vegetables

Holey moley, I just tried this recipe, and it came out perfect the first time.

Ingredients

  • One head of cauliflower
  • A similar amount of brocolli
  • One red bell pepper
  • About a pound of salmon
  • Sweet chili sauce

Method

  1. Remove crisper tray from Speedi pot.
  2. Chop cauliflower into flowerets. Put down a layer that covers the bottom of the pot.
  3. Chop brocolli into flowerets.  Put down a layer that covers the cauliflower.
  4. Chop bell pepper into strips about a quarter of an inch wide and 2-3 inches long.  Lay on the brocolli.
  5. Cut the salmon into fillet strips of about 6oz.  Season with salt, black pepper and garlic.  Lay on the bell pepper strips.  This will protect the bell peppers from burning.
  6. Set the Speedi to 15 minutes at 350°F on the "steam and bake" setting.  Note:  we are not adding water to the pot.
  7. Check the salmon at seven minutes into baking.  It should read about 145° at the thickest part.  Stop cooking when we get there.
  8. Toss the cooked vegggies with sweet chili sauce.

2023-07-09:  I used "Slap ya mama" seasoning plus garlic powder.

Notes:  Although the recipe worked perfectly, I found I didn't like the fishy taste on the vegetables eaten as left overs.  Henceforth, do the vegetables first and separately.

Photos

Layered vegetables

Salmon on top

Final dish with a side of left-0ver curried lentils.

Fiery orange jalapeño salmon, attempt 1

by Don  

I'm starting to experiment with salmon, which I'm not sure I have ever cooked before, and I want to do it in my air fryer.  I purchased a 6 oz portion of fiery orange jalapeño salmon at Sprouts.  First I tried it using the broil function for five minutes with the crisper raised high.  Not nearly sufficiently cooked, so I added five minutes of baking at 300°F.  Oddly enough, that came out perfectly.

It might be more sensible, though, to do a simple bake function for a longer period of time.

Bacon in toaster oven

by Don  

2023-04-27:  first attempt.  Four slices at 400°F for 20 minutes in baking mode, starting cold.  That wasn't crispy enough for me, so I added ten minutes.  The result with a total of 30 minutes cooking time was really good.

Next time:  try 400°F for 20 minutes but in broil mode.

2023-04-28:  second attempt.  Four slices at 400°F for 20 minutes in broiling mode, starting cold. Perfect results.

2023-07-02:  I tried the same directions as last time using jalapeno bacon from Sprouts.  The bacon burned.  I'm not sure if this is a summer-time issue, or if it's a bacon quality issue.  Certainly the bacon was much fattier.  If I use that bacon again, next time I'll try 15 minutes.

2023-07-04:  This time I again cooked jalapeno bacon from Sprouts.  I again tried 400°F for 20 minutes in broiling mode, but this time I put the try on the lower shelf, not the mid shelf.  It came out almost perfect.  Next time I should try 18 minutes.  I'm thinking the difference between summertime starting-heat and wintertime starting heat makes the difference between 18 and 20 minutes cooking time.

Steak in the air fryer

by Don  

Source of idea from time-stamp 1:50:  YouTube

2023-04-23:  I got a one-inch thick ribeye from the butcher; the saleswoman at the counter was kind enough to request when she heard that I thought the others were too thick; the on-duty butcher was glad to oblige.   At home I patted it dry, dry-brined it (just salt and pepper) ten hours before cooking and put it in into the fridge on a wire rack.  An hour before cooking I put the rack on the countertop so the steak could come up to room temperature.

I intended to cook it at 250°F for four minutes per side, which was not hot enough according to my thermometer since rare is 120°F.  I ended up doing that sequence twice for a total of sixteen minutes.  In a small frying pan I added olive oil, heated it quite a bit (medium high?), and added a head of garlic cut in halves to flavor the oil.  Seared the steak.  Turned out well.

For next time:  I must remember to ask the butcher myself to make the 1" cut since they probably won't have one that skinny in the butcher case.  Next time I'll try 250°F for eight minutes on the first side and seven on the second.  I'll also use a larger frying pan and less oil--say, enough to cover a fourth of the pan--and a bit higher heat for searing.

Poor man's Beef Stroganoff

by Don  

Ingredients

  • 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 6 ounces cooked bacon, diced.  That's six slices of my favority Hempler pepper bacon.
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • 1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup sour cream, light or regular
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried

Method

  1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil and saute diced bacon over medium heat until crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside, leaving any grease/oil in the pan. Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about one minute (if the pan is too dry, add a teaspoon of oil as needed). Add salt. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are softened and have given up most of their juices. Transfer them to the same plate as the bacon.
  2. In the same skillet, brown the ground beef or turkey with the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the grease.
  3. Stir in the flour and tomato paste to the meat mixture and mix to combine well. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the beef broth and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking to combine all the ingredients. Simmer vigorously for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is slightly reduced and thickened. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and paprika. Cook until flavors blend, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add sautéed mushrooms and bacon back to the skillet. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sour cream, mixing well to avoid lumps. Stir in the parsley.
  4. Serve over egg noodles, hot cooked rice, or potatoes.

2023-04-03:  This was really good, best version of poor man's stroganoff I've ever had.  Definitely a repeater.  I served it over a baked potato.

Chicken paprikash experiment 2

by Don  

This is a minor variation of the "chicken paprika" recipe from "The Joy of Cooking."

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts
  • 1.5 tbsp butter
  • 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onions
  • 2 tbsp Szeged paprika
  • 2 cups of chicken broth
  • 2 tsp flour
  • 1 cup sour cream

Method

Cut chicken into largeish chunks. Heat butter and oil in pan. Add onions and paprika, fry till glossy and red. Add chicken and broth. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Simmer uncovered till liquid reduces a bit. Add flour to sourcream. Add sourcream to pan a bit at a time and stir it in. Don't bring to a boil, but let the sauce thicken.


2020-03-28: This was my first attempt. I'm pretty pleased with it. Definitely a repeater.

The original recipe called for a 2.5 pound fryer, but I just used chicken breasts. I wanted thighs, but the store was out of them thanks to the coronavirus lockdown. If find myself wondering whether it would be better just to simmer it uncovered. I'll try that next time.

Butter chicken

by Don  

Source: video

Ingredients for the chicken

  • 300 gms chicken breast boneless
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • Oil to pan fry

Ingredients for gravy

  • 500 gms roughly slit tomatoes
  • 100 gms roughly cut onions
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 50 gms cashew
  • 1 tsp kasoori methi
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp cream
  • 2 tbsp malt vinegar / 1.5 tbsp White Vinegar
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • Marinate the chicken with ginger paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder. Salt and keep it aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • In a pan heat some oil, then fry the marinated chicken pieces in it. Once done place it into a bowl.
  • In the same pan add onion, oil, a spoonful of butter. Once the onions are cooked, add tomatoes and cashews.
  • Add some water and garlic paste, salt, malt vinegar, sugar, garam masala, and chilli powder. Evenly mix it and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes
  • Churn the mixture into fine puree with a hand blender.
  • Strain it back into the same pan. Make sure there is minimal wastage.
  • Add butter, cream, chicken and kasoori meethi. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.
  • Garnish it with cream and kasoori meethi.

2019-01-18: I tried the recipe for the first time, but didn't have all the ingredients. Here are my comments.

  • I substitute Szeged paprika instead of Kashmiri chili.
  • I used rice wine vinegar instead of malt vinegar.
  • I didn't have garlic/ginger paste, so I substituted chopped garlic from a jar and ginger paste from a plastic container.
  • I used curry powder instead of garam masala.
  • Make sure to cut the chicken into thin chunks.

I like the result. It was rather more savory than the butter chicken I had the other day at Curry Corner.

Pomegranate rice

by Don  

Pomegranate rice

Ingredients

  • 1 Pomegranate
  • 2 Cups Rice
  • 1 lb (454g) Chicken Drumsticks
  • 1 oz (28g) Cilantro
  • 1/2 Cup Raisins
  • 1/4 Cup Sliced Pistachios
  • 1 Tsp Ground Coriander Seeds
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tsp Saffron
  • Turmeric
  • Salt

Preparations

  1. Soak the rice in water and 1 tbsp salt for 4 hours.
  2. Deseed the pomegranate
  3. Mince the cilantro.
  4. Soak the saffron in 1 tbsp water for 20 minutes.

Directions

  1. Transfer the drumsticks onto a small pot.
  2. Add as much turmeric and salt as you would prefer.
  3. Add enough water to cover the drumsticks.
  4. Cover the pot with a lid (leave a crack open), simmer for 40 minutes or until cooked.
  5. Boil the soaked rice for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat or until tender.
  6. Transfer the cooked chicken drumsticks over to a large bowl.
  7. Debone and shred the drumsticks.
  8. Stir in pomegranate, raisins, cilantro, and ground coriander seeds.
  9. Drain the rice.
  10. Remove half of the rice from the pot.
  11. Stir in one tablespoon vegetable oil.
  12. Add the chicken mixture over the rice and cover with the half (rest) of the rice.
  13. Combine a tablespoon vegetable oil with one tablespoon water and add to the rice.
  14. Cover the pot with a napkin and a lid.
  15. Over medium heat, cook the rice for 30 minutes.
  16. Remove the napkin, pour the saffron over the rice and place the lid back on the pot.
  17. Continue heating for another 5 minutes.

2018-09-15: first attempt

Okay, there is a lot about this recipe that sounds ridiculous. First off, why the hell would you soak rice for five hours? My rise is usually done in 20 minutes. So here's what I did differently.

Rice: I cooked it via my regular 20 minute route with a scant teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder in it. Plus I'm thinking this should be not two cups of raw rice, but two cups of cooked rice. Next time: a tablespoon.

The store had no sliced pistachios. I used half a cup of sliced almonds instead of a quarter cup of sliced pistachios.

I used 2 lbs of drum sticks. I used 1 tsp of turmeric and 1 tsp of salt. Next time probably a tbsp of turmeric would be better.

I skipped the cilantro, of course. It's the herb of the antichrist.

Once I added the chicken to the rice, I cooked it on low for 25 minutes. Once I added the saffron water, I cooked another 5 minutes.

I have the feeling that the purpose of the later cooking is to partially dry out the rice and separate it. If so, my approach failed.

On the whole the result was entirely edible. I look foerward to improving it next time.

Rice Shirazi

by Don  

Haven't tried this yet.

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups (1 lb / 453g) Rice
  • 8 oz (227g) Stew Beef
  • 1/2 Cup (3.5 oz / 100g) Lentils
  • 4.5 oz (127g) Cabbage
  • 1 Bunch (2 oz / 57g) Parsley
  • 1 Bunch (2 oz / 57g) Cilantro
  • 1 Bunch (1 oz / 28g) Leek
  • 1 Small Onion
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Turmeric
  • Salt

Pre-preparation

  1. Soak the rice in water and 1/2 Tbsp Salt for 2 hours.
  2. Dice the Onion and cabbage.
  3. Mince the herbs (parsley, cilantro, leek).

Method

  1. Place the lentils in a small pot.
  2. Add salt (Approx. 1 Tsp) and enough water to cover the lentils in one inch deep.
  3. Cover with a lid (leave a crack open), and simmer for 25 minutes over medium-low heat.
  4. Meanwhile, fry the dice onion with vegetable oil until translucent.
  5. Stir in turmeric.
  6. Add stew beef and stir to mix. Continue the heat for 10 more minutes until the beef turns brown.
  7. Add water and a pinch of salt.
  8. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes.
  9. Fry the diced cabbage in a separate bowl for 5 minutes.
  10. Stir in the minced parsley, cilantro and leek to the pot and continue frying for 5 more minutes.
  11. Simmer the rice for 10 minutes until tender.
  12. Drain the rice and rinse with cold water.
  13. Add the beefs and lentils to the cabbage and herb mixture and stir thoroughly.
  14. Transfer 2/3 of the rice out of the pot to a container.
  15. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
  16. Add a layer of the mixture and top with a layer of the rice (1/3) from the container.
  17. Repeat step 16 until all the ingredients are added to the pot.
  18. Pour another tbsp of vegetable oil on top.
  19. Cover the pot with a napkin and a lid.
  20. Cook the rice for 20 minutes (over medium-low heat).
  21. Stir before serving.

Bacon, potato and cheddar tart

by Don  

Serves eight

  • Two pounds or so of room temperature bacon
  • One minced onion
  • Four minced garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon of minced fresh thyme
  • Four cups of grated medium aged cheddar
  • Five or six large unpeeled baking potatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a ten-inch, non-stick sauté pan with a small round of parchment paper. Carefully arrange the bacon in a radial pattern from the center of the bottom of the pan to the lower edge of the rim and continuing up and over it. Let the ends hang over. The slices should overlap slightly around the sides of the pan. To reduce the thickness of the bacon in the center stagger every other piece starting it two inches from the center and extending it further than the adjacent slices. With the palm of your hand, flatten the center area, leaving no gaps in the bacon. Season the bacon with pepper then sprinkle on several tablespoons of the grated cheddar.

Slice the potatoes as thinly and uniformly as you can, about a quarter inch thick. Arrange a circular pattern of overlapping slices around the inside bottom edge of the pan. Continue arranging overlapping layers of the potatoes until the bottom is evenly covered. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Mix together the onions and garlic and sprinkle some of the mixture onto the potatoes. Continue with a layer of the grated cheese. Cover with another layer of the potato pressing it down firmly before continuing with alternate layers of the potatoes, onion mixture and cheese until the pan is full. Continue with several more layers insetting each a bit from the edge of the pan until the top is an inch or so higher than the pan’s rim. Fold the overhanging bacon neatly up and over the top of the potatoes. Trim a small piece of parchment paper and place it in between an ovenproof lid and the bacon. This lids weight will prevent the bacons ends from pulling back and shrinking during cooking.

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for at least two and a half to three hours. You’ll know it’s done when a small thin bladed knife inserts easily. Pour off as much of the fat around the edges as possible. Let the tart stand for fifteen minutes then carefully cover with a plate and flip over. Slide onto a cutting surface. Slice into wedges and serve immediately. You may refrigerate any leftovers and reheat them later it in a microwave.

Feel free to try

Try mixing a few tablespoons of your favourite herb into the onion mixture. Thyme, rosemary and tarragon all work well.

Hints

Medium aged cheddar works best because it wont ‘break’ like an older cheese and release lots of oil. It also has more flavour than a younger cheddar. Kitchen specialty stores carry a French slicing tool known as a mandolin. It’s a fancy chef tool but easily slices the potatoes into even rounds. Its not absolutely necessary though, a sharp knife works well too!


So up above you see the recipe as I found it. I wanted to try it. Alas, the bacon they had at my butcher shop didn't seem long enough. Plus I had a 12" pan and an 8" pan, but not a 10" saute pan. So I decided to work with the 8" pan for the first time. Skipped the thyme.

My mandolin seemed to cut things thinner than 1/4 inch... not to mention a chunk of my thumb. I probably should have alternated more layers of potatoes on top of each other. Anyway, it's in the oven now. Even after less than ten minutes it smells exquisite.

Here's a picture of the pan before I put potatoes in.

Bacon, potato and cheddar tart

Frankly, this recipe rocked. Okay, it's not a particularly interesting flavor, but it is a hearty and satisfying flavor. I will definitely make it again.

Bacon, potato and cheddar tart
Bacon, potato and cheddar tart

If I remember correctly, I only used about 5 medium sized potatoes, not the big bakers, and I think I pulled it out at 1 hour 45 minutes because of the smaller size.

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