Cuisine Eric

If it's good enough for Jacques Pepin's mother, its good enough for me. Jacques promises that it's not necessary to whip the egg whites and fret about a soufflé, according to his mother. That has always kept me away from them.  While this may not be as exquisite as one with whipped egg whites, it is easy to do and fantastically delicious.  What more do you want? Bechamel Sauce: 6 Tbsp butter 6 Tbsp flour 2 cups milk 2 cups grated Swiss or Jarlesburg cheese 1/2 tsp salt 5 extra large (or 6 large) eggs 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 lb (about 3 cups) broccoli flowerets 2 Tbsp chives, minced (or 1 green onion, minced) 2 slices Swiss cheese (optional) 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 400F.  Whisk together the butter and the flour in a small saucepan.  Fry the flour for 2-3 minutes until smelling nutty and is bubbling well.  Add the milk all at once and raise the heat to bring to a gentle boil.  Whisk periodi...

Oh say can you grill?  Finally in the eighties and I'm ready to grill full-tilt. Marinate pork chops in a rich Balsamic, soy and herb infusion to achieve a flavorful glossy glaze on your grilled chops.  Serve them to your hungry 4th of July Bubble group! 3 thick bone-in loin pork chops Marinade: 2 cloves garlic, peeled 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves 3 fresh sage leaves 1 shallot, peeled and quartered (or 1 Tbsp dried onion flakes) palmful fresh mint leaves 1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup olive oil 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar Place the garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, shallot and mint in a small food processor.  Mince by pulsing a few times.  Add remaining marinade ingredients and process to mix well. Pour marinade over chops in a resealable [;attic bag.  Close tightly and mix chops well with marinade.  Marinate at least 2 hours or until the next day in the refrigerator. When ...

This is one of the best loaves of bread I have ever made, based on a famous recipe.  Friends swear about King Arthur recipes, and now I do too.  I only modified King Arthur's recipe slightly, adding the yolk of the egg I used for the eggwash on the crust. Goes great with a big pot of bean soup.  And it toasts up so nicely - aroma therapy for the whole house! 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups bread flour 1 cup old fashioned oats 2 tsp active dry yeast 2 Tbsp honey 1-1/2 tsp salt 2 Tbsp butter, finely diced 1 egg yolk 1-1/4 cup lukewarm (about 100F) milk 1 egg white plus 1 Tbsp water about 1/4 cup old fashioned oats for topping Mix ingredients to a firm but still tacky dough.  You’ll have to adjust the final amount of dough to the humidity of your kitchen and flour - err on the sticky side for a lighter, moister loaf.  Knead dough 5 minutes.  Roll dough around in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise an hour. ...

Bake bread and make soup.  It's something to do when you are stuck home - and the rewards are numerous! 1 lb dried pinto beans 2 carrots, peeled and diced 3 stalks celery, diced 1 sweet yellow onion, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves (or 1 tsp dry) 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dry) 1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves (or 1/2 tsp dry) 3 fresh sage leaves 2 quarts broth (your choice - I used home made chicken stock) or water 1/2 lb ham, cubed 1/2 lb polish sausage (I used Teton Water’s Ranch grass fed beef sausage) 1/3 cup pearl barley 2 cups chopped kale leaves, packed 1 Tbsp favorite hot sauce (I used Texas Pete’s) Pick through the beans and discard any stones or discolored beans.  Rinse well and submerge in water at least 2 inches above the beans. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt and stir the beans to dissolve the salt.  Allow to soak at least 6-8 hours (depending on the age of the bean), unt...

Here is a quick and simple side dish for many, many different main courses. I love the very tiny bowties because it makes for a subtle pasta side. Or you may accompany with some crusty bread and a nice salad and call it a great vegetarian meal. 1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 20 mixed grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise 2 cloves garlic 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary and/or thyme (I used a mix) 5 oz baby spinach leaves, chopped 8 oz small bowtie pasta (or favorite shape) Shredded Parmesan cheese as a garnish Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.  Add the pasta when the water boils and cook just to al-dente. Mince the garlic and herbs together - I use a small food processor. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the oil in a medium skillet.  Add the tomatoes and begin sautéing a minute. Add the garlic and herbs and continue sautéing for another 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook just enough yo allow them to wilt. Reserve ...

Turkey and broccoli baked in a creamy, cheesey, bubbly brown casserole definitely counts as comfort food - a staple as we sequester in place for COVID 19.  But because our grocery escapades are somewhat thwarted, we may not have exactly what we want - so improvise! I used a delivery service at one point and ordered broccoli flowerets which looked fresh during the online ordering, but arrived in a five-pound frozen bag! What to do? Why - bake in a 'Divan'!  But I only had a few slices of deli turkey breast left - so I went for it and it was fantastic and comfy. Granted this would take another level with fresh turkey or chicken, and I'm sure to finish some of the remaining 4 pounds of broccoli accordingly.  But for now - here is a great way to use what you have on hand. Sauce: 3 Tbsp butter plus 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup flour 2 to 2-1/4 cups milk 2 tsp mustard 1/4 tsp garlic powder 3/4 to 1 lb cooked turkey 1 lb broccoli, cooked and well drained a...

Learn how to butterfly a pork loin roast - its easy once you've done it.  And it lends so much drama to an otherwise humble piece of meat. You can stuff it with almost anything you have on hand - sautéed onions or moistened croutons or sautéed greens - you name it. Just make sure you have clean butcher twine on hand before you try this! 3-1/2 to 4 lb pork loin roast (on the larger side) 3 cloves garlic, minced through a press 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced 8 oz jarred roasted red peppers 2-3 oz fresh baby spinach leaves 9 thin slices Genoa salami 1 tsp herbs de Provence (or Italian herbs) Roasting veggies: 1 small yellow sweet onion, sliced 6 small sweet mini-peppers - 2 red, 2 orange, 2 yellow, thinly sliced 2 cups oil marinated artichoke hearts, slightly drained (I used Kirkland from COSTCO), but Trader Joe’s grilled roasted hearts are superb for this! 1 Tbsp small capers Preheat to 400F.  Now carefully butterfly your pork loin roast...