Slow Cooker Tangy Beef Stew

• 2 pounds trimmed boneless Chuck Roast, cut into 2 inch cubes.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided 
• 3 medium yellow onions, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 (12-ounce) nut brown ale
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted beef stock (such as Swanson), divided
• 1 1/2 pounds baby Dutch potatoes, halved
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

1.      Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

1. 2.      Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of beef to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning until well browned on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Repeat procedure with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef; remove beef and any juices from pan.
2. 3.     Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onions and garlic; sauté 4 minutes. Add beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. 4.    Stir in 1 cup stock, remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer. Carefully pour mixture into a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Add beef, potatoes, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours.
3. 5.    Combine remaining 1/4 cup stock and flour, stirring with a whisk. Stir flour mixture into stew; cook 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in mustard and vinegar. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Sprinkle with parsley.

Beef Osso Buco

• 1.25 tsp Kosher Salt, Divided
• 3 lbs cross-cut, bone-in, Beef Shanks
• 1 tbsp Canola Oil, Divided
• Cooking Spray
• 2 Cups sliced Onions
• 3/4 Cup chopped Celery
• 3/4 Cup chopped Carrots
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 8 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 1 cup unsalted Beef Stock
• 1/4 ounce dried Porcini Mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup Dry Red Wine
• 2 tsp Cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 8 plum tomatoes
• 6 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp grated lemon rind
• 1 tbsp minced garlic

1. Preheat Broiler
2. Sprinkle Beef with 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
3. Heat large skillet over medium heat, Add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add Beef and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until browned.
4. Add beef to a 6 quart slow cooker, coat cooker with Cooking Spray
5. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, tomato paste to skillet and saute for 4 minutes, Add stock and mushrooms. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. 
6. Add stock mixture, wine, cornstarch, black pepper and bay leaf to slow cooker.
7. Place tomatoes in baking dish and broil for 8 minutes or until blackened\
8. Place tomatoes on beef, pressing lightly to crush.
9. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 Hours
10. Remove meat and discard bones, return to slow cooker and add remainder of salt and discard bay leaf
11. Combine parsley, rind and garlic and sprinkle on top before serving.

Makes 8 1 Cup Servings

Royal Carribean Chops Steakhouse Salad

For the Salad:

• 12 Baby Beetroots, scrubbed clean
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 5 ounces Baby Arugula
• 10 ounces Mesclun Mix
• 4 Plum Tomatoes, washed and cut into wedges
• 8 Hardboiled Eggs, peeled and cut into wedges
• 12 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces

Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup EVOO
• 8 shallots, peeled and halved
• 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Cabernet Wine
• 1/3 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• Salt and Freshly Ground White Pepper

Garnish:

• Baby Beetroot Leaves

Directions:

1. Place beetroots in a large pot filled with hot water that is seasoned with salt, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes or until beetroots are cooked through. Drain and refresh under cold water.
2. Peel beetroots with back of a knife and cut into quarters.
3. Season with salt and pepper, cut into quarters and sprinkle with sugar, then saute in butter for 5-7 minutes until carmelized.
4. Using a small saucepan on medium heat level, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté shallots with brown sugar for 5 minutes. 
5. Deglaze with wine and reduce by half. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, cover with aluminum foil and simmer for 15 minutes or until shallots are falling apart.
6. Strain liquid through a sieve and process shallots into a fine puree into a stainless steel or glass bowl and allow to cool.
7. Stir mustard into cooled shallot reduction, add vinegar and whisk in remaining olive oil. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
8. Assemble lettuces on chilled plates. Garnish with tomatoes, eggs, bacon and baby caramelized beetroots. Drizzle with shallot vinaigrette and decorate with baby beetroot leaves.

Jack Daniels Habernero BBQ Sauce

• 1 #10 can of catsup
• 1 #10 can of tomato puree
• 1 liter water
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 3 cups molasses
• 36 bay leaves
• 7 habanero peppers cut in half with seeds removed
• 1 1/2 pound dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup tamarind paste (available at Mexican or Indian specialty stores)
• 5 pounds diced tomatoes
• 1 cup finely chopped garlic (24 whole cloves)
• 3 medium onions diced and caramelized
• 3 teaspoons spiced smoked salt
• 2 teaspoons white pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 3 cups Jack Daniels whiskey 

1. Mix all ingredients together except cayenne pepper and Jack Daniels. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning. Add more water if the sauce becomes too thick. A half hour before sauce is ready, add cayenne pepper and Jack Daniels. Use sauce on ribs, lamb, chicken, or beef. 

Yields 1 1/2 gallons of sauce. 

Garlic Roasted Leg of Lamb

• 1 5-6lb leg of lamb trimmed of fat
• 12 small cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemar
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped carrot
• 1 quart dark chicken stock

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut 12 slits into the lamb, about 1/2 inch in length; push the garlic cloves into the slits. In a small bowl combine the oil and herbs and rub the mixture all over the lamb. Season with salt and pepper. 
2. Roast the lamb in a large flameproof roasting pan for 1hour and 45 minutes or until medium-rare, basting occasionally with the pan juices. 
3. Transfer to a warm serving platter and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Spoon off the fat from the roasting pan and leave the natural juices behind. 
4. Place the pan over medium heat; add the onion, celery, and carrot; cook, stirring, until browned. The meat juices should caramelize on the bottom of the pan and separate from the fat. Spoon off the fat. Add the chicken stock and any juices from under the lamb. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and stir to dissolve them. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced by one third. Adjust the seasonings. To serve, strain the juices through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth into a warmed sauceboat. Serve alongside the lamb. 

Yields 4 servings 

Chicken Kiev

• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 cups flour
• 4 eggs beaten
• 2 cups breadcrumbs

For the Filling

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1. Mix all the ingredients for the filling and refrigerate overnight. On the thickest part of the breast, the skin up, cut a pocket in the breast about one inch wide by about two inches deep. Fill the hole with the butter mixture, about two tablespoons. Put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs into separate containers so that you can bread the chicken in them, flour first, egg second and breadcrumbs last. Deep fry the breaded chicken until brown and then bake at 350 degrees until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. 

Yields 4 servings

Key Lime Pie

For the Filling

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 baked 9-inch pie shell

For the Meringue

• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 3 large egg whites
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt 

1. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in the top of a double boiler. Add the water and stir to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk the lime juice and egg yolks until well mixed; add to the cornstarch mixture and whisk until blended. Place the double boiler over 1 inch of boiling water and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick and no starchy taste remains, about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the mixture from the hot water; let cool slightly. Whisk in the grated lime zest, vinegar and butter until completely incorporated. Pour the mixture into the pie shell; cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until cold.

Meringue

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk until blended; add the boiling water and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is clear and thickened. Remove from the heat and let stand until completely cold. In a large grease-free mixing bowl beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed and gradually add the vanilla and salt; gradually beat in the cornstarch; increase the speed to high and beat until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Spread the meringue over the cooled pie filling and bake for 10 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.