YumSugar

Do You Own a Grill Pan?

YumSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:45:05 -0700

In the Summer, I prefer to eat light flavors and - especially if it's as hot as it is in San Francisco today - avoid the oven as much as possible. For these reasons, I'm obsessed with my Calphalon grill pan, possibly the best $40 investment in the world. What about you? Are you a frequent user of the grill pan?

Holy Grilled Cheese

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 07:51:32 -0700

Remember when the grilled cheese with the Virgin Mary on it sold for $28,000? I was totally mystified, I couldn't believe someone would pay that much for a grilled cheese. If Mary fetched that much, imagine how much one with Jesus on it would go for. Actually, I don't know if it would go for that much, thanks to the Jesus Pan everyone can make their own Jesus grilled cheese. I think grilled cheese just got a little more heavenly...

This "As Seen On TV" gadget (although I've never seen it on TV), comes in a set of two for $29.99. And if you're not into grilled cheese (and if that's the case I'm not sure how we can remain friends), don't forget, you can always make heavenly hotcakes, or steaks instead.

Southern (Indian) Thanksgiving

Yum Community — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:42 -0800

This story was written by member courtneyd and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community.

For a few years now I've wanted to try to marry the traditional Southern Indian food my husband grew up enjoying with Thanksgiving as I know it (Southern girl with a love of spice and heat). So this year I did a trial run of a tandoori-style turkey made in the oven.

By next year I hope to build my own tandoor, or at least grill this guy, because it needs a little more heat to crisp up properly. Even so, the meal turned out great! Tandoori turkey, tamarind gravy, creamed saag, masala mashed potatoes, and Whole Foods' naan, which has a slight dinner roll texture, so it works out perfectly for this blended meal. The tamarind gravy was an original creation (that I cannot believe turned out properly, it was sooooo good), and the other recipes were either inspired by or taken directly from The Food of India from Whitecap Books. I love their "food of" series, and my husband is impressed with the Indian recipes.

For the turkey, I followed the instructions from November's Martha Stewart Living to spatchcock a turkey and cooked according to their instructions after marinating for about 7 hours. Not including the marinade time, this meal came together in about 2 hours on a Friday night. Also, we discovered New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc complements Indian food perfectly.

To get her recipes for this Southern Indian feast, keep reading.

'Wich of the Week: Spanish Monte Cristo

partysugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:08 -0700

I'm not much of a Monte Cristo fan. The classic sandwich straddles breakfast and lunch by placing ham, turkey, and cheese between two slices of French toast. The entire thing is topped with powdered sugar and jam resulting in a dish that to me, is messy and too sweet.

However, when I came across this Serrano ham and manchego cheese variation, my love for all things Spanish overcame me, and I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, this sandwich is wonderful!

The quince paste isn't as cloying as strawberry preserves and the addition of mustard provides a delightfully savory tang. Although the bread is dipped in egg before being placed in the saute pan, it tastes more like a really crispy grilled ham and cheese than French toast. To check out the recipe, read more.

Spanish Ham and Cheese Monte Cristo Sandwiches
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough or country-style French bread (each about 5 x 3 inches)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced
2 ounces thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto
4 tablespoons membrillo (quince paste) or quince preserves
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

Directions

Arrange 4 bread slices on work surface. Spread each with 1/2 tablespoon mustard. Top each with 1/4 of cheese, then 1/4 of ham, folding to fit.
Spread 1 tablespoon quince paste on each of remaining 4 bread slices; place bread, paste side down, atop ham.
Beat eggs in pie dish until well blended.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large skillets over medium-low heat.
Working with 1 sandwich at a time, hold sandwiches tightly closed and dip into beaten eggs to coat on all sides. Place 2 sandwiches in each skillet.
Cover and cook until bottoms are golden, about 4 minutes. Turn sandwiches over. Cover and cook until bottoms are golden, cheese is melted, and egg coating is cooked through, about 4 minutes longer.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images

How to Care For Your Cast Iron Cookware

YumSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:00:54 -0700

Cooking with cast iron can be intimidating - not to mention heavy - but once you try it, it's easy to become a convert. I love my pan; it's great for making skillet breads or indoor grilling, and distributes heat incredibly evenly. Cast-iron pans can even help boost your iron intake.

But be warned: you can't treat cast iron like any old pot. To make sure it lasts as long as possible - basically, forever - you have to do some things differently. Before using your cast iron for the first time, you need to "season" it. This process will protect your pan's surface from moisture and rust. Find out how to care for cast iron.

Shrimp Cocktail With a Taco Kick

YumSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:30:13 -0700

Until I discovered this recipe, I'd never considered eating raw corn off the cob. But since devouring these chile-rubbed shrimp with avocado-corn salsa, I've been adding raw corn to all of my salads. Now that you're a pro at cutting corn off the cob, try enjoying Summer's sweet bounty in a spicy shrimp taco.

Though the recipe is designed as a shrimp cocktail, I rolled up the salsa and shrimp in warm corn tortillas and served it with a side of black beans. The chile rub is richly decadent but not fiery, and it's easy to make on any type of indoor grill though I used a stove-top grill pan. Don't let the ingredient list intimidate you, either. Because the shrimp and salsa can be prepared in advance, this can be a fast and easy dinner, perfect for Summer nights. So try it for yourself.

Say Cheese! Pancetta Smoked Mozzarella Skewers

partysugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:15:42 -0700

A couple of weeks ago I read an article on the Atlantic's food blog that recommended making a grilled skewer appetizer with smoked cheese cubes wrapped in pancetta. The story reminded me of a delicious tapa I had years ago in a Spanish dive bar. Anxious to re-create the dish, I headed to the store and purchased thinly sliced pancetta and smoked mozzarella. There's really no recipe, you simply wrap a 1/2-inch cube of cheese with pancetta, skewer, and place on the grill. This is where I ran into trouble. The cheese melted before the pancetta could fully cook, sticking to the grill. I transferred the skewers to a frying pan to try and salvage them, but the cheese continued to melt, clumping together. While the final bite tasted wonderful, the technique needs some fine tuning.

Do you have any advice for getting the pancetta to cook before the cheese melts? Have you ever made cheese skewers?

View 15 Photos ›

Bobby Flay Shares Suggestions For Making Supreme Burgers

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:49 -0700

Although he'd just given President Obama a lesson on grilling steaks, Bobby Flay was back on the burger track at his seminar in Aspen, where, like fellow Iron Chef Michael Symon, he had plenty of his own venting to do. "I've never met a vegetarian burger that I like," he declared, as he wowed the crowd with a Cheyenne burger (barbecue sauce, bacon, cheddar, and onion rings), garlic-parsley bistro fries, and a chocolate milkshake. "And I can't stand a cheeseburger that's not fully melted." To right all the world's burger wrongs, Bobby offered plenty of pointers for plating the perfect burger patty. Be burger-equipped for the holiday weekend when you read more

Fast and Easy Dinner: Tenderloin With Grilled Corn Relish

partysugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:30:10 -0700

While thick, marbleized chunks of grilled beef tenderloin may be a dish dad has had a million times, the accompaniment - a creamy corn and bacon relish - is an innovative and unexpected surprise. To add depth of flavor, the corn is grilled before being tossed with the remaining relish ingredients. You can cook the relish in a saute pan over the coals like the recipe does, or if you prefer, throw things together in the comfort of your kitchen. To show dad you love him, make this meal, and check out the recipe: read more.

Tenderloin With Grilled Corn Relish
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

3 ears corn, husks and silks removed
4 center-cut beef tenderloin steaks, cut 2 inches thick (about 2 lb. total)
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup half-and-half or light cream
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon

Directions

Lightly coat corn and steaks with extra virgin olive oil. Season steaks with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Let steaks stand at room temperature while grilling corn.
For charcoal grill, place corn on rack over medium-hot coals. Cover; grill 10 minutes or until golden, turning occasionally. For gas grill, preheat grill to medium-high. Grill as above. Set corn aside.
With grilling tongs, carefully push coals to one side of grill and, if necessary, add more coals for medium-hot heat.
Place steaks on rack directly over coals. Cover and lightly sear on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Move to unheated side of grill. Cover and grill 13 to 15 minutes more for medium rare (145 degrees F); remove. Cover with foil; set aside.
For corn relish, in skillet over medium coals, cook bacon. Drain on paper towels; reserve drippings in skillet.
Cut kernels from cob. Cook onion in drippings over medium coals until tender, 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add corn and half-and-half. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer 3 minutes or until thickened. Add crumbled bacon and herbs; spoon over steaks.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images

Fast & Easy Dinner: Sausage and Summer Squash

partysugar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:15:53 -0700

After a long week, the last thing you need to worry about is preparing a complex meal. Instead, throw together this filling and simple dish. Although the recipe cooks the Polish sausage and Summer squash in a saute pan over the stove, feel free to bring the ingredients outdoors.

Grill the meat and veggies then toss with the Italian dressing. Char the bread on the grill and you've got a no-mess meal ready to eat in under 20 minutes. Sound scrumptious? Get the recipe when you read more.

Sausage and Summer Squash
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1/3 to 1/2 cup bottled Italian salad dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. cooked Polish sausage links, halved lengthwise, sliced diagonally
3 small yellow summer squash and/or zucchini, quartered lengthwise
4 wedges Italian flat bread, split
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Preheat broiler. In small bowl combine dressing and garlic.
In extra-large skillet cook sausage and squash in 2 tablespoons of the dressing mixture for 8 to 10 minutes or until sausage is heated through and squash is almost tender, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, place bread on broiler pan; brush with 1 tablespoon of the dressing mixture. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly toasted.
Serve sausage and squash with toasted bread. Drizzle remaining dressing; sprinkle green onions and oregano. Pass Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images