The Yuca Diaries

I love it when corned beef goes on sale!  It’s one of those things we don’t eat very often, but  I truly love it. I served this with some roasted baby carrots and some spinach mashed potatoes. The perfect end to our weekend.

Ingredients:

1 package corned beef (about 2.5-3 lbs.)

8 cups water

For the sauce:

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. dijon or coarse mustard

1 garlic clove, grated

4 tbsp. Guinness

First remove the beef from the package and rinse off the liquid it’s packed in.  Make sure to rinse it really well.  Place the water into a pressure cooker and then add in the beef.  If the corned beef has a little seasoning packet in it, go ahead and add that to the water.  Close the lid and cook on medium heat for one hour.  Once the pressure has released from the pot, take the meat out and place it, fat up, on a cookie sheet.  Trim off the excess fat from the top of the corned beef.

Next prepare the glaze by combining the mustard, honey, Guinness and garlic in a small mixing bowl.  Blend everything well and brush the tops and sides of the beef with this glaze.  Broil the beef about 6″ from the burner until you have a nice golden color.  Remove the tray from the oven and slice the beef.  If there are any sauce drippings, collect them (adding a little water to thin it out) and serve over the beef.

That title was a mouthful huh? I didn’t want to leave out any part of the dish, but truly, I think this is one of those instances where the picture speaks a 1000 words. There are a lot of things going on in this dish, but they work beautifully together.  The warm and delicate dough, the smooth and creamy sauce that has just the right amount of kick, and the sweetness of the onions and mushrooms just melt in your mouth along with the steak- get ready to experience bliss in one bite.  If you’re vegetarian or aren’t into steak, you really could just omit it altogether- just bump up the the onions and mushrooms.

For the onions and mushrooms:

5 medium onions- I used sweet white onions but really any will do.

3 cups button or cremini mushrooms

1/3 cup whiskey ( I used Dewar’s 12)

3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

2 tbsp. olive oil or butter

Begin by slicing the onions into rounds. Not too thick or not too thin- about a 1/4″ thick.  Add the butter or oil to a non-stick skillet and turn the heat up to medium high.  Place the onions in the pan and saute, stirring periodically to make sure the browning is somewhat even.  The onions will go from being crunchy, to soft and translucent, to brown, soft and sweet but it will take about 25 minutes for them to cook down to this level.  Once the onions are soft but not fully browned, add in the Worcestershire sauce, the whiskey and the salt and pepper and stir around.  This will aid the caramelization process. Continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and set aside until you’re ready to assemble the flatbread.

Repeat the same process for the mushrooms.

Side note: I made the onions and mushrooms separately, but they’re made exactly the same way.  You could save time by doing them all in one shot, but I was scared that they’d stew (since mushrooms release so much water when cooked) instead of saute nicely.  If  you do make both at the same time, just make sure to keep you heat up high and stir around constantly to avoid stewing.  Add the butter or oil to a non-stick skillet and turn the heat up to high.

Ingredients for the steak:

2 lbs. beef tenderloin

1 tbsp.  oil or butter

2 tsp. herbs de Provence

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

First, start out by trimming the tenderloin of any visible fat.  I ended up cutting the tenderloin into steaks about 3/4″ thick. Add the oil or butter to a non-stick skillet and turn the heat up to high.  Let the pan get really hot while you season up the tenderloin with the salt, pepper and herbs de Provence. It’s important to get the pan really hot in order to achieve that nice sear on the outside.  Add the steak to the skillet and cook about 2 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a holding plate and cover with foil.

For the horseradish cream:

2 tbsp.  grated horseradish

1/2 cup mayo

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

Blend the horseradish and the mayo until it’s well combined.  Next add the lemon juice, garlic, sugar and salt and whisk well.

To assemble the flatbread:

Bake the dough until it’s nice and tender, but has a bit of firmness to it.  I used this recipe for the dough which I had frozen from the last time I made the California Flatbread.  If you don’t have dough already made you could buy the pizza dough that comes in the tube or go to your local pizzeria and buy the raw dough there.

Once the dough is cooked, spread a layer of the horseradish cream on the bottom.  Next place some fresh baby spinach leaves or arugula all over the top of the dough.  Then top the dough with the mush rooms and onions.  Slice the steak into strips and place over the top of the flatbread.  Season with a little freshly cracked pepper serve hot.

Enjoy!

I’ve mentioned here before how there are a few restaurants I really miss from back home. One of these is The Beverly Hills Cafe in Miami. Actually not in Miami, because it closed, much to our dismay on our last trip to Miami. B. and I used to go there often; we just couldn’t get enough of their hot rolls, great salads, dressings and for me, the healthy bowl. A rice bowl with lots of veggies and your choice of protein from steak, chicken, shrimp or salmon. Beverly Hills cafe specialized in casual American cuisine- so this is an Americanized take on an Asian dish. Not any dish in particular, just Asian elements like Teriyaki sauce, and bean sprouts etc… So here’s my attempt below.

Please note, you can make this dish vegetarian by omitting the steak and using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock for the rice.

For the Yellow rice:

2 cups parboiled rice

2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 onion finely diced

1 red pepper finely diced

2 tbsp annatto oil or 1/2 tsp. saffron threads

1 tsp salt

First dice up the onions and red pepper. Add the annatto oil to a pan (with a lid for steaming later). Or if you’re using saffron instead, add 2 tbsp. of olive or canola oil to the pan and then transfer the onions and peppers and sauté. Wash the rice well in a sieve and remove all of the excess water. Transfer the rice to the pan and sauté on high heat, mixing in the peppers and onions. Next add the stock, the saffron threads and salt, and stir well. Let the rice cook on high heat until about half of the liquid has absorbed, then cover with a lid and turn the heat to low.

For the Teriyaki sauce:

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar (I used z sweet and a dash of honey since we’re trying to cut the amount of sugar we’re eating)

2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, grated

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Add all of the ingredients to a small sauce pan (except the cornstarch and water which you’ll add at the very end to thicken up the sauce a bit) and let it simmer until you have the consistency of a glaze or the sauce coats a spoon well. Mix the water and cornstarch and add to the sauce to thicken it a little. Use half of the sauce for the flank steak and reserve the rest for drizzling on top later.

For the steak:

Trim the steak of any visible fat, rinse and pat it dry. Transfer it to a meat cutting board and place a piece of plastic wrap over the top, large enough to cover the whole piece. Use a meat mallet to pound out the steak and really tenderize it. Flip the steak over and pound on the other side. Brush one side of the steak with the Teriyaki sauce and place face down on the grill. I used my outdoor grill for this dish as the flame-grilled flavor reallyis closer to the original dish. Let the steak cook undisturbed for about 6 minutes. Flip it over and brush the Teriyaki sauce on the other side. Let the flank steak cook for another 4-5 minutes on this side. Let it rest for about 8 minutes before slicing on the bias.

Vegetables:

1 carrots

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups sliced red cabbage

1 red pepper

1 green onion bunch

1 cup bean sprouts

Peel and cut the carrot into small pieces. Slice the cabbage into thin shreds and cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces. Steam gently until the veggies are cooked, but still have a little bite. Slice the green onions and red peppers and set aside.

To assemble:

Scoop a bed of rice on a serving platter. Next place a layer of vegetables in the middle. Next add the steak and drizzle with a little Teriyaki sauce. Lastly top with crunchy Asian noodles and serve.

Lomo Saltado is a popular Peruvian dish.  I had it many many years ago one day on my lunch break at this little Peruvian restaurant in Miami and instantly loved it. People often refer to it as a Peruvian stir-fry.  I made it tonight for dinner and wondered why I had waited so long to make it again.  It’s pretty simple, and really really tasty. Plus you probably have many of these ingredients in your kitchen already.

Ingredients:

2 lbs.  flank steak

3 small or 2 large potatoes

2 large onions

3 tomatoes

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 orange or yellow bell pepper

4 cloves garlic

2 limes

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp. ketchup

1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp olive oil (two for stir frying and one to bake the potatoes)

Salt and pepper to taste

First turn up your oven to 450 degrees.  Peel the potatoes and cut them into strips like if you were making french fries.  Essentially that’s exactly what you’re doing.  Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Add one tbsp. of the olive oil to the pan, add the potatoes, and coat the potatoes with oil- just enough to lightly coat- one tbsp. should be more than enough. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and cook the fries until they’re nice and golden brown.  While the potatoes cook, slice up the flank steak into thin strips, cutting against the grain.  Add a little olive oil to a deep pan, turn the heat to high and begin sauteing the beef once the pan is really really hot. Don’t add any salt yet because you will add soy sauce later and the dish may be too salty if you do both.  You’ll also want to add the meat in small batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan and get a braising effect- we’re going for a nice sear for this dish. Once you cook the beef through, transfer it to a holding plate (with any juices) and set aside.  Now begin dicing your onion, peppers, and tomatoes into long thin strips. Grate your garlic at this time too.  Add a little olive oil to the pan and then transfer the peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic to the pan and saute on high heat.  Once the veggies are tender, add the beef (and any juices) back into the pan, mixing it well with the veggies.  In a separate bowl combine the white wine, ketchup, lime juice and soy sauce.  I know it sounds weird, but it works…  just trust me on this one.  Add the sauce to the pan and combine it well.  Now would be a good time to taste for salt.  Add a little salt if necessary.  Add the parsley to the pan reserving about 1 tbsp. for the garnish at the end. The potatoes should be done by now.  You’ll want them to be nice and golden brown before transferring them to the pan.  Once ready toss the potatoes into the pan, mixing gently as to not crush the potatoes.  Serve with white rice and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

This was an easy meal with lots of crunchy broccoli and tender flank steak.  It only took me about 30 minutes to make- perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. flank steak

1 onion

1 tsp. fresh grated ginger

3 garlic cloves grated

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup water

2 tbsp. hoisin sauce

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

canola oil for stir-frying

First thing to do is add a little canola oil to a wok.  Slice the flank steak against the grain and lightly dredge in cornstarch.  Once the wok is hot, add the beef and quickly sear the meat.  Do this in batches to avoid over crowding the wok and creating a braising effect. In a separate pot, add 1/4″ of water and ever so lightly steam the broccoli.  Remember, you’ll add it back in later so it should be a little firmer than you’d like at this point.  Once all of the beef is cooked, remove from the wok and set aside. Finely slice your onion, and grate the ginger and garlic.  Next add a little more canola oil to the wok and transfer the onions, garlic and ginger.  Cook on high heat stirring frequently. Next transfer the broccoli and steak.  In a separate bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil. Stir well and dump this sauce into the wok, tossing around all of the ingredients.  The cornstarch on the beef will add as a thickener.  Cook for about 2 minutes before removing from the heat.  Serve with steamed white rice.  Enjoy!

Growing up, this dish was not made too frequently because my brother Ozzy was a really picky eater.  Unfortunately, this meant my mom would not make dishes that he didn’t like too often.  This was one of those dishes.  Now, he’s grown up and his palette has changed thankfully.  One day I was making this for dinner and he showed up.  He raised the lid of the pot and said “Oh you’re making Brain for dinner”  He calls this dish “brain” because the center is stuffed with cheese and as the meatloaf cooks in the sauce the cheese oozes out. Don’t let that bizarre introduction turn you off.  This dish is absolutely delicious- and it’s one of those more obscure Cuban dishes that is definitely worth sharing. I think it my duty to preserve these family recipes so that we can continue to pass them down throughout the generations. Oh yeah and did I mention that it’s delicious?

Side note- This recipe calls for ground beef.  Lately I have been using the food processes to grind up my own meats.  It gives me a little peace of mind to know that there’s no “mystery meat” or fillers in the meat I’m using.  I had no idea that the food processor could do this until recently and it’s my new favorite kitchen trick.

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Ground Beef (I ground up my own, using brisket)

4 eggs (two for the meatloaf mixture, and two for the breading station)

2 cups plain breadcrumbs or cracker meal (1/2 cup for meatloaf mixture, and 1 1/2 cups for the breading station)
8 mozzarella string cheese sticks (four per loaf)

2 large onions

1 green pepper

6 cloves garlic

3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil

1/2 cup canola oil

2 small cans tomato sauce

1 can petite diced tomatoes

2 tbsp. ketchup

2 1/2 cups dry white wine

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 bay leaf

salt to taste

My first step was grinding up the beef in the food processor. You’ll skip this step obviously if you’re using beef that’s already ground.  Another advantage to using the food processor is that after you’re done grinding the meat, you can just add all of the seasoning and blend instead of having to use your hands and a separate bowl.  This is a shortcut, and it’s the first time I’ve done it this way though.  I added the two eggs, salt, garlic powder, and 1/2 cup of bread crumbs to the food processor and blended everything.  If you’re not using a food pro, then just mix everything in a bowl.  Next remove the beef mixture and transfer to a cutting board.  Press the meat down like if you’re making a massive hamburger and then add four pieces of string cheese in the center of the patty.  Fold the sides and ends over to create a large loaf.   Make sure to seal the sides well so that the cheese doesn’t all ooze out during the cooking process.  You will have some cook out, but that’s just part of the beauty of this dish.  Who doesn’t like cheese oozing out into sauce??

Ingredients:

2 Slices rye bread

1/4 lb. sliced organic corned beef

1 1/2 slice Swiss cheese

1/3 cup sauerkraut (drained well of liquid)

2 tbsp. 1000 island dressing

1 tbsp butter (to spread on the outer pieces of bread)

Assemble the sandwich by laying down the cheese, then the sauerkraut, then the sauce, and then the cheese.  Spread softened butter on either side of the outer sides of the bread and transfer to a grill pan which has been turned on to medium-low heat.  Allow the sandwich to toast, applying a little pressure with your spatula to flatten the sandwich down a bit.  Flip when the first side is golden brown.

Variations:

I personally like my Reubens better with French dressing as opposed to 1000 island or Russian dressing which is impossible to find apparently.   I also much prefer not using rye bread but for the sake of keeping the recipe with some semblance of the real thing, I kept the rye bread.

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs ground turkey or beef (I used turkey)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion

4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 tbsp. dark brown sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1 small can tomato paste

1/3 cup water

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. hot sauce

Salt to taste

6 hamburger buns

Sliced cheese (optional, I like mine without it, Brandon likes his with)

Finely dice the onions and sauté them in a little olive oil.  Once the onions are tender, add the ground turkey.  In case you wonder why I always do 2.5 lbs, it’s because that’s the amount in the individual package that I get at Sam’s Club, but really we could have done these with 1 lb.  That just means we have a little left over. Cook the turkey and break up big pieces using a spatula or spoon.  Add the vinegar, sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.  Combine and let it simmer for a bit.   Next add the can of tomato paste and combine well.  You can thicken or water down the consistency to your liking by adding more or less water.  I like mine to be kind of thick so I added about a third of a cup. Lastly add the Dijon mustard and mix well.  Grate the garlic and add it to the pan. Let everything simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes on medium heat to make sure all the flavors meld and the meat is cooked through.  Ladle a scoop or two of the meat unto a hamburger bun or Kaiser roll.  Ta-da there you have it folks a super easy meal perfect for those weeknights that you wish you didn’t have to cook.