This one is not going to win any beauty contests, that’s for sure but it is a delicious and very emblematic of many Lebanese home-style stews that I grew up eating. Funny enough this one, really any okra based dish, was never my favorite when I was a kid. Yet, now, along with eggplant okra…… Continue reading Lebanese Okra and Beef Stew
Category: Beef
Grilled Sous-Vide Tri-tip, Kale Salad, Double Baked Potatoes
Combining grilling over charcoal with sous-vide precision cooking is the ultimate best-of-both-worlds approach. This is especially true for cuts of beef that are a little tricky to get right like the tri-tip. It has an uneven shape and thickness, it can also come out tough or dry if not cooked and sliced right. In this…… Continue reading Grilled Sous-Vide Tri-tip, Kale Salad, Double Baked Potatoes
Steak Cooked Directly on the Coals
This method is primitive, technology free, counter-intuitive and yet produces an amazing hunk of beef. It is also just so elemental and fun to get a piece of meat and throw it on hot coals. I have no idea if that’s how our ancestors cooked their Aurochs beef steak but I’d like to imagine they…… Continue reading Steak Cooked Directly on the Coals
Beans and Beef with Chile and Panela
It’s the season for deeply flavored stews, braises, roasts and rich bean dishes. This one is not based on any specific recipe but like most cooking I do is more based on a flavor profile, in this case American Southwestern/Mexican. The starting point was the beef shoulder roast. I wanted it more substantial, enter the…… Continue reading Beans and Beef with Chile and Panela
Lasagna al Forno: Two Excellent Versions
We are a house divided. We are a house divided when it comes to Lasagna that is. My wife and youngest prefer the one common in the south of Italy while my oldest and I prefer the luxurious northern version. Recently I figured why not please everyone? Why not make both and let peace and…… Continue reading Lasagna al Forno: Two Excellent Versions
Kafta – Ground Meat with Onions and Spices
Kafta is a Lebanese kitchen cornerstone. Like Kibbeh it’s a dish, a recipe and a staple that can be made into various preparations. For minced meat to be Kafta it has to be spiced and flavored with onions and plenty of parsley. I am sure this is not written in stone anywhere and someone else’s…… Continue reading Kafta – Ground Meat with Onions and Spices
Sous Vide Corned Beef and Great Colcannon
For St. Patrick’s Day we had corned beef and cabbage. Not the stinky slow cooker pot of meat and mushy vegetables, but some awesome home-cured perfectly cooked beef with “The Best” Colcannon. making corned beef from scratch is time consuming but pretty easy to do. I used the recipe and process from ChefSteps.com and it…… Continue reading Sous Vide Corned Beef and Great Colcannon
Lomo al Trapo – Beef Tederloin Wrapped in Cloth, Salted Potatoes, Chimichurri
I have cooked meat -usually fish- and vegetables in a salt crust before, but not like this. I saw this Colombian dish on Kenji’s Food Lab and it immediately caught my attention. It is too cool, too old and new at the same time and just plain wild. Christmas dinner seemed like an excellent occasion for…… Continue reading Lomo al Trapo – Beef Tederloin Wrapped in Cloth, Salted Potatoes, Chimichurri
Oven Dried Tomatoes 