True Heritage Recipe: Steak Madrid

As with many that now call America their home, my family heritage began in another country and made me who I am today.  My mother's side of the family was originally from Turino, Italy and immigrated to America to make a better life for themselves.  They ended up in a community in Southwest Wyoming called Blairtown which became home to several families from various cultural backgrounds.   Within this community, there was a true bond amongst neighbors and they openly accepted each other's differences and embraced one another's heritage.   The recipe for Steak Madrid is an homage to the bond that existed in Blairtown and was taught to my Grandmother Bonatto by her dear friend and neighbor Rita Martinez.   As tempted as I am to "gourmetify" the dish, I have not simply because it is wonderful just the way it is...ok I added fresh chives as a finish, but that is it!

Ingredients

1 Small Yellow Onion diced finely

2 Cans 15 oz. Tomato Sauce

1 Can Chopped Green Chiles (mild)

1 Cup Flour

11/2 - 2 lbs. Top Round Cutlets (pounded thinly)

1/4 Cube Butter

1/3 Cup Red Wine

1 Pkg. Brown Gravy Mix

1 Cup Beef Broth

Shredded Cheddar Cheese (to your taste)

Kosher Salt and Pepper

Fresh Chives

Olive Oil

Preparation

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
2. Dice onion finely
3. In bowl or prep dish, add flour and season generously with salt and pepper and combine thoroughly.
4. Dredge cutlets on both side in flour mixture
5. In saute pan, coat bottom with Olive Oil, heat to medium.  Test to see if pan is hot, simply take a bit of flour and if it sizzles, it is hot enough.   Once hot, brown each side of the cutlet (approximately 2-3 minutes).  Remove from pan and set aside.
6. Turn burner to low and melt butter.  Once melted add the red wine and deglaze pan.  Once liquid is approximately reduced by half, then add onions and cook until translucent.  Then add tomato sauce.
7. Meanwhile in glass measuring cup, whisk gravy mix into beef stock.   Once blended, combine with sauce on cooktop and lastly add Green Chiles.
8. Allow sauce to boil and remove from heat.
9. In oven proof pan, pour sauce into the bottom and place cutlets into the sauce. 
10. Cover and bake for 45 minutes
11. Once 45 minutes has elapsed, remove from oven and add cheddar cheese to the melt. 
12. Return to oven for 15 minutes
13. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh chives

 

Enjoy a taste of Blairtown, courtesy of Rita Martinez!!!!

Chicken Caprese

Whenever possible, I go to the market and based upon what is seasonal and reasonably priced, I then conceptualize what I will be making for dinner.   Chicken Caprese was done in such a manner.  First, I spotted the beautiful ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella and then noticed the chicken was on sale.  Fresh, seasonal...bel piatto, I know what is for dinner! 

Vinegar Marinate Ingredients

1.   2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil
2.   6 Tablespoons Champagne Wine Vinegar
3.   7 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4.   1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
5.   1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

Set aside 1 teaspoon of fresh basil and keep separate from other ingredients for later use.  Combine all i remaining ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.  Remove 2 teaspoons of marinate for future use in separate bowl. 

Main Course Ingredients

1. 4 Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless, Cleaned and Trimmed)
2. 2 Ripe Tomatoes (I used Romana)
3. Fresh Mozzarella
4. Olive Oil 

Preparation

1. Place chicken in vinegar marinate, cover and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours in refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. Turn cook top to medium heat.  Add 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil to bottom of saute pan and brown chicken on each side (approximately 4 minutes)
4. While chicken is browning, cover an oven proof pan with aluminum foil and lightly cover in cooking spray.
5. Once chicken is browned on both sides, remove from saute pan and place on oven proof pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes
7. Approximately 5 minutes before chicken is done, slice the tomatoes and mozzarella thinly.
8. Once chicken has cooked for 30 minutes, remove from oven and first place slices of mozzarella, then place tomato slices on top of the cheese and sprinkle withe fresh basil that was previously set aside.
9. Return chicken to oven, set to broil and cook for 3 minutes.
10. Remove chicken from oven, and with reserved marinate that was set aside earlier, drizzle lightly over each chicken breast and serve.

Enjoy!!!!

Smoked Paprika and Sweet Mesquite Oven-Baked Ribs

Last week when our family was in Vail skiing, I asked friends to vote for which recipe I should post next.  The vote was close, but the winner was ribs. Both my father and my father-in-law make phenomenal ribs but they both use the grill.  The grill has never been my go-to choice when cooking a meal, so I decided I would experiment until I perfected oven-baked ribs.  What follows will include a dry rub recipe, a BBQ sauce recipe and the instructions on how to make the ribs.   There are many excellent versions of store bought BBQ sauce and if you have a favorite, use it.  The success of this recipe is the combination of the dry rub and cooking the ribs low and slow, the sauce is just the icing on the cake so to speak.

Dry Rub 
1/8 cup Smoked Paprika
1/8 cup Sweet Mesquite (I find this at Costco)
1 1/2 Tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/8 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt

Simply mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.   

BBQ Sauce*
2 Cups Ketchup
1 Cup Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Cup Beef Stock
1 1/2 Cup Water
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Dry Mustard
2 Tablespoons Dale's Steak Seasoning (found in most markets usually with the Steak Sauces)

In medium saucepan, combine ingredients and bring to a boil.   Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Set aside.   This recipe will allow for extra, so store in sealed container for up to 1 week.   *If you don't want to make your own BBQ Sauce, here is a hint, add 2 Tablespoons of Dale's Steak Seasoning to your sauce.   I promise you won't be disappointed in the flavor it adds to any BBQ Sauce.

Ribs 
2 Whole Slabs Pork Baby-Back Ribs

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2.  Clean and remove silver skin from ribs
3.  Place ribs meat side down on a cutting board, puncture with a fork along each bone of the rack and turn over
4.  Apply dry rub generously to meat-side of ribs only
5.  Spray heavy duty aluminum foil with cooking spray and place ribs in foil.  Seal tightly with seal face-up.
6.  Place sealed ribs on cookie sheet or shallow baking pan and bake for 3 hours.
7.  Unseal foil and remove ribs and place on new cookie sheet and brush with BBQ Sauce.
8.  Turn oven to broil, return ribs to oven and broil for 2-3 minutes or until sauce glazes. 
9.   Remove from oven and tent ribs with foil and let stand for 3-5 minutes. 
10. Cut ribs and serve with extra sauce on the side.



ENJOY!!!!!

Strawberry and Blackberry Salad

Growing up at our family table, there was always a salad course so of course when I had a family of my own, I wanted to carry on the tradition.   Well, I ran into a small problem with my husband and son with the salad course.   Granted my son is more adventurous with trying flavors, but my husband will only eat a salad if it is drowned in Thousand Island or Honey Mustard Dressing, has hard-boiled eggs, cheese and bacon.  Even with that, he still doesn't eat the lettuce so I have created many versions of salad so my boys will join me in the salad course.  It's fresh, easy, healthy and is delicious!

Ingredients
6 oz Blackberry (*note, I substitute blueberries dependent on the season and the cost)
1 Lbs. Strawberries
1 Cup Fresh Flat Leaf (Italian) Parsley
1/2 Cup Roasted/Salted Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Lemon (Juiced)
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Preparation

1. Wash berries and parsley
2. Cut strawberries into thin slices
3. Rough cut* parsley (*don't chop them too small or bruise the herbs)
4. In small bowl or measuring cup, combine balsamic, lemon and sugar.   Mix thoroughly.
5. Add pepitas and salt and pepper to taste (I know this sounds odd, but trust me, the salt and pepper works)
6. Add dressing and toss
7. Serve!

Creamy Tomato Soup

My husband has been sick for the last few weeks and requested my homemade creamy tomato soup which is a relatively new creation in my kitchen.   To be honest, I was not raised with tomato soup, instead we had minestrone, roman stew and french onion soups so this was definitely a challenge.  I had to try his favorite Campbell's tomato soup with milk (that's how he liked to have it prepared) to determine how I would give him the same feeling but recreate it in our kitchen.  It took some time, but now my version is a hit in our house!  As with many of my recipes, I usually make extra and freeze it in individual quart bags for easy meal preparation.  Simply double the recipe and you will have soup ready to go for an easy family pleasing meal! 

Ingredients

1. 2 Lbs Tomatoes (it completely depends on what I see at the market on what varietal I use)
2. 1 can Tomato Puree (28 oz.)
3. 1 Shallot (chopped)
4. 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic (chopped)
5. 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
6. 1 Cup Chicken Stock (if you want to substitute vegetable stock, that is fine)
7. 2 Tablespoons Flour
8. 2 Tablespoons Butter
9. 1 Teaspoon Sugar
10. 1 Bunch Fresh Thyme (removed from stems)
11. 1/8 Teaspoon Paprika (or to taste)
12. Olive Oil
13. Salt and Pepper to Taste

Utensils

1. Cookie Sheet
2. Large Pot
3. Immersion Blender, Food Processor or Standard Blender
4. Cutting Board
5. Sharp Knives
6. Aluminum Foil
7. Strainer*
8. Medium Sized Bowl

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Slice Tomatoes in half and place on a cookie sheet in single layer on aluminum foil, sprinkle with sugar and roast for 45 minutes.
3. Once the Tomatoes have been in the oven for about 30 minutes,  add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot and saute onions and garlic until translucent.  Add kosher salt and pepper while sauteing.
4. When shallots and garlic are translucent, remove from pot and set aside in bowl.
5. Add butter to pot on low to medium heat and melt.  Once melted, add flour and mix until thickened.   Slowly pour the heavy whipping cream in allow to mixture to thicken. 
6. Once thickened add back in shallot and garlic mixture and the remaining ingredients except for the tomatoes that are in the oven.
7. Once tomatoes have roasted for the 45 minutes.  *Place a strainer over the bowl and pour the mixture through.  With a spoon work the tomatoes through the strainer to de-seed the tomatoes.   It is OK if you skip this step and just add to the remaining ingredients.  Seeds are not going to hurt the dish. 
8. Turn to low heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.
9. Dependent on what you have, transfer the soup to the food processor or standard blender and blend until smooth (if you using a standard blender, do in batches and place in bowl.  Be careful of the hot liquid and DO NOT overfill. )
10. If you have an immersion blender, blend the ingredients until it is smooth.
11. Return to ingredients to pot and allow to simmer uncovered on low for 40 minutes.  While simmering, periodically taste and season with more salt, pepper or paprika if desired.  Remember, you can add but you can't take away when cooking.  By tasting as you cook, you will develop your palate and it becomes easier to season. 
12. Serve and ENJOY!

Penne Sausage Rustica

The other night I was watching Top Chef Texas and one of the guest judges Hugh Acheson made a comment about ingredients used in a dish.  I am paraphrasing because I don't remember exactly but essentially he said, "you go the market first, see what looks fresh and then you conceptualize your dish".   The recipe that follows came to fruition by going to the market and seeing lovely varietals of red, orange and yellow peppers and knowing I needed to use them in the dinner I was preparing for the evening.   I also wanted to do create a dish that I could essentially prepare some simple ingredients and let it cook so I could do my Sunday errands so I adapted my Grandmother Bonatto's meat sauce to incorporate the lovely peppers I saw at the market.   Whenever I am making sauce, I ALWAYS make at least enough for another meal because it freezes so beautifully.  If you do not want to have as much sauce, cut the recipe in half. But I promise you it is nice to be able to just go the freezer on days when life doesn't go as planned and you will have a dinner ready in no time.  Simply defrost the sauce, boil some pasta and presto...DINNER!  Enjoy!

PenneSausage Rustica

Ingredients

1.       1 ½ pound Hot Italian Pork Sausage

2.       1 ½ pound Sweet Italian Pork Sausage

3.       1 Extra Large Sweet Vidalia Onion

4.       4-5 Garlic Cloves

5.       1 Red Pepper

6.       1 Yellow Pepper

7.       1 Orange Pepper

8.       ½ Cup Chopped Fresh Basil

9.       1/3 Cup Fresh Oregano

10.   1 Package Fresh Thyme

11.   1/3 Cup Red Wine or Balsamic Vinegar if preferred

12.   4 Cans of Diced Tomatoes (14.5 oz)

13.   3-4 Cans of Tomato Sauce (14.5 oz) If you like a thicker sauce, use 3 cans instead of 4

14.   Shredded  Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (you can use a substitute cheese if desired)

15.   2 Lbs. Penne Pasta

16.   Extra Virgin Olive Oil

17.   Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Necessary Utensils

1.       1 Large Chopping Knife

2.       Grater

3.       Cutting Board

4.       Large Oven Proof Pot

5.       Strainer

6.       4-5 Small Bowls for Chopped Ingredients

7.       1 Large Bowl (to hold boiled pasta)

8.       2 Wooden Spoons

9.       Large Pasta Pot

Preparation

1.       Heat Oven to 300 Degrees

2.       In Large Pasta Pot, add water, palm of kosher salt and olive oil and allow to come to a full boil.   Add Penne, cook until al dente (approximately 8-10 minutes).  Drain water, coat with olive oil and set aside in Large Bowl covered with Plastic Wrap.

3.       Wash, De-Seed and Dice the Peppers.  Hold in small bowl.

4.       Dice the Onion (Hint:   Start by cutting off 1 side of the onion and peel the skin towards the other end making a tail and  keep the other root side intact.  I call this the glue, when you dice the onion this way it doesn’t fall apart on you and it gives you something to hold.  Also, if you have difficult cutting onions due to your eyes watering, cut near an open gas flame).   Hold onion in one of your small bowls

5.       Finely Chop Garlic (Hint:  Take each garlic clove, lie it on it’s side, take the side of the blade of your large knife and lie it on the clove and firmly press down with your palm.  This will loosen the skin of the garlic.  Remove the cloves and take a pinch of kosher salt and begin chopping the garlic.  The salt binds the cloves so it is easier to chop).   Hold garlic in one of your small bowls.

6.       Rough Chop all Fresh Herbs.  Hold in small bowl.

7.       Grate Cheese, hold in small bowl.

8.       On your stovetop, place large oven proof pot on medium heat and brown sausage.   Drain excess fat from meat and set aside in large bowl. 

9.       In same pot after removing the meat,  coat the bottom of the pan in olive oil and allow oil to heat (approximately 1 minute).  Add Onion and Garlic, dash of salt and pepper, cook until translucent.  Add Peppers and Cook for approximately 3 minutes.

10.   Add sausage to the onions, garlic and pepper and mix.  

11.   Add the diced tomatoes and sauce

12.   Add the Fresh Herbs, Wine and Season with Salt and Pepper.

13.   Allow to Simmer on Stove for 10-15 minutes

14.   Place Pot in Oven and Cover. Allow  it to Cook for 2 ½ hours.

15.   Reheat  Pasta either in Microwave (add more olive oil) or can reheat in sauce.

16.   Serve with Freshly Grated Cheese and Fresh Roughly Chopped Basil if Desired.

Why was Thyme Savours Created?

Starting to write about my passion for cooking is a long time in the making. It is a result of being fortunate enough to have several generations of home cooking enthusiasts from my family that have passed down delicious recipes from generation to generation. Cooking has always been an integral part of my family and my hope is that this blog will allow heritage recipes to continue to be enjoyed for years to come.

As I mentioned, cooking is always been a way of life in our family but I got side-tracked along the way and pursued other professional goals rather than following my heart and do what I love--cook. It is important to know where you come from to understand where you are supposed to go in life. There were several signs that were given to me along the way but until now I mainly ignored them. I did what was expected of me: I went to college and earned a degree, was successful in my chosen profession, had a family and each day I repeated the process of life. Then in 2008, the housing crisis caused me to rethink my choices and I slowly began walking away from the mortgage profession. I was incredibly fortunate to have the career I did, but the mortgage business never truly made me happy. Cooking is what makes me happy and with our relocation to the East Coast, now is the time to pursue my passion and hence the creation of this blog. I hope to inspire you in the kitchen to enjoy these dishes and pass them along so they are not lost to future generations.

The first recipe I want to share was created for my son Mason. He inspires me each and every day and is developing quite a palate. He can taste cumin, paprika and the tiniest hint of blue cheese and he just turned 11! Mason loves tacos so here is one of my versions of tacos. Enjoy!

Smoked Pork Tacos with Fresh Cilantro and Lime

Makes 12 Tacos

Ingredients
1. Vegetable Spray
2. 12 Corn /Flour Tortillas (I prefer the flour)
3. 3 TBSP Olive Oil
4. 2 Lbs. Ground Pork
5. 1 Red Bell Pepper (small dice)
7. 1 Yellow Pepper (small dice)
8. ½ cup Red Onion (small dice)
9. 4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
10. 1 -2 TBSP Lime Juice (freshly squeeze)I tend towards more lime, I like the citrus taste
12. 1 Cup Cotija Cheese (crumbled)
13. Sour Cream
14. 1-2 tsp smoked paprika (I tend towards more, I like the smoke taste)
15. Salt and Pepper to Taste
16. 1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro (Remove Stems, leaves should remain whole
17. 2 Cups Fresh Purple Cabbage (Shredded)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 250 Degrees
2. Spray an oven proof pan with vegetable spray
3. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable spray
4. In large sauté pan, brown the ground pork. Once browned, transfer to oven proof pan and place in oven to keep at temperature.
5. In large sauté pan, coat bottom with olive oil and add the onions and garlic. Add a couple dashes of kosher salt and saute until translucent. Add red and yellow pepper. Cook until peppers are softened.
6. Remove pork from oven and add to the pepper, onion and garlic mixture.
7. Add smoked paprika, salt and pepper (to taste)
8. Place mixture back in oven proof pan and continue to keep temperature in oven
9. If using corn tortillas, in small sauté pan, coat bottom with olive oil, allow temperature to rise, crisp tortillas. Place tortillas in 250 Degree Oven to keep warm
10. If using flour tortillas, place in microwave with layers of moistened paper towels between each tortilla and heat until warm.
11. Remove pork from oven and transfer back to sauté pan, add lime and fold into mixture on low heat (approximately 2 minutes).
12. Place remaining ingredients sour cream, cotija cheese, cilantro and cabbage in serving vessels for guests to build their own tacos.
13. Assemble tacos and enjoy!