Perfect Easy Beef Kebabs

Ingredients:

* 1 1/4 lbs beef (see description above)
* 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
* 1 onion, cut in 2-inch squares, and layers separated (optional)

Directions

1. 
   

   Cut the beef into 1-1/2" to 2" cubes. Cut each cube almost in half (it will look like an open book) This lets the marinade get inside to flavor the beef further.

2. 
   

   Combine the remaining ingredients, except onion, in a medium bowl. Add the beef cubes, and thoroughly combine. Make sure that the marinade gets into the cuts in the cubes. (I use my hands). Cover, and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 1-6 hours.

3. 
   

   Preheat and clean your barbeque. Skewer the beef, closing the slit you cut earlier in each piece. (If you think of the cube as looking like a book, the skewer is piercing the front and back covers) Alternate with onion pieces (if using). Grill over indirect heat until done to your preference. Serve.

The Ultimate Lasagna

Ingredients

• 2 pound dried lasagna noodles
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 quarts ricotta cheese, (2 containers)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Grated Parmesan and mozzarella, for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the lasagna noodles in plenty of boiling salted water until pliable and barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles thoroughly and coat with olive oil to keep them moist and easy to work with.

Coat a large skillet with olive oil, add beef and sausage and brown until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor, combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, parsley, an oregano. Process until pureed, add to the pan with the ground meat and stir to combine. Stir in the flour. Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes and add the heavy cream and the cinnamon.

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta and the parmesan. Stir in the eggs and season with salt and pepper.

To assemble the lasagna: Coat the bottom of a deep 13 by 9-inch pan with olive oil. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping layer on the sauce. Then, line each end of the pan with a lasagna noodle. This forms a collar that holds in the corners. Dollop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the pasta, spread to the edges with a spatula. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the ricotta. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on top of the ricotta. Top with a ladle full of sauce, spread evenly. Repeat with the next layer of noodles, ricotta, sauce, and cheeses. Top last layer with noodles, sauce, shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Tap the pan to force out air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes so the noodles will settle and cut easily. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Tomato and Feta Strata Recipe

Ingredients

4 large eggs
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp sage, chopped
1 tbsp tarragon, chopped
½ to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
16 oz. canned diced tomatoes with juice
salt/pepper
3 to 4 cups of bread (of your choice), cut into 1-inch cubes
4 oz. feta, crumbled

How to make Tomato and Feta Strata:

Preheat the oven to 450. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yogurt together. In an oven-safe skillet, heat the oil and add the onion, garlic, sage, tarragon and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat, until onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the bread and feta. Pour the egg mixture on top and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool and serve.

Grilled Polenta with Sage, Ham and Melted Fontina Cheese

Ingredients:

9 oz (250 g) or ½ x 500g pack ready cooked polenta (you buy it in one block)
6 sage leaves
6 slices Parma ham (85 g pack)
3 oz (75 g) Fontina or Gruyère cheese, cut into 6 slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Pre-heat the grill to its highest setting for 10 minutes.

Method :

First of all measure the olive oil into a saucer. Now cut the polenta into six ½ inch (1 cm) slices and arrange these on the baking sheet, side by side. Then brush each piece with olive oil, season generously with salt and freshly milled black pepper.

If you're cooking for two they can be joined into threes; if not leave a gap in between each one, then place the baking sheet under the grill about 4 inches (10 cm) below the heat source. Time it for about 3 minutes.

Next loosely roll up the pieces of Parma ham and when the 3 minutes is up place a rolled-up piece of ham on top of each polenta slice. Next place a slice of cheese on top of the Parma ham and finally dip the sage leaves into the remaining olive oil and lay on them on top of the cheese.

Now pop the baking sheet back under the grill and give it another 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and turning golden and the sage leaves are crisp.

Serve immediately with some warm ciabatta bread.

Berry Parfaits Recipe:

Summer is the time for berries. The English are correct in saying that the best way to eat fresh berries is with cream. So that is what we have done with these Berry Parfaits. Four of our most popular summer berries; strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are lightly sweetened and then layered with a rich and creamy topping made with heavy whipping cream and Mascarpone Cheese.

The first step in making Berry Parfaits is to combine the berries with a little sugar, which sweetens the berries and allows them to soften and release their juices. (Although I have used fresh berries for these Parfaits, feel free to use any combination of fresh berries and/or fresh fruit.) Once the berries have started to release their juices, after about 30 minutes, we begin layering our parfaits. You can use long stem wine glasses, water glasses or any pretty glass. Also, you can make these Berry Parfaits as big or as small as you please, so use this recipe as a guide only. As I mentioned above, the 'cream' part of the recipe combines heavy whipping cream with Mascarpone Cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. (Mascarpone Cheese (pronounced mas-kahr-POH-nay) is a thick, buttery-rich, delicately sweet and velvety, ivory-colored cheese is produced from cow's milk.

Its texture is similar to that of sour cream and it is sold in plastic 8-ounce tubs that you can usually find it in specialty food stores and in the deli section of your local grocery store. But if you cannot find Mascarpone a good substitute would be regular cream cheese.) Then we simply place a scoopful of berries in each glass, followed by a dollop of cream and repeat the layers. If you have fresh mint on hand you can decorate each glass with a sprig and, if not serving immediately, cover and place in the refrigerator until serving time. Try to remove this dessert from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving as berries are always at their best when served at room temperature.



Berry Parfaits: Place all the berries (cut the strawberries into pieces if they are too large) in a large bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Stir to combine and leave to macerate for about 30 minutes.

In bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer or wire whisk) beat the mascarpone, heavy whipping cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract just until soft peaks form. Take four wine or parfait glasses and layer the berries with the cream. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, if desired. The parfaits can be made several hours before serving. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Makes four parfaits.

Berry Parfaits Recipe:

3 - 4 cups assorted berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and/or raspberries) or other fresh fruit

2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated white sugar, or to taste

Cream:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese,

1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons (25 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Orange Soy Pork Loin

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 (5 pound) boneless pork loin roast

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, red onion slices, rosemary and garlic. Place the pork roast in a baking bag, and set in a roasting pan or baking dish. Pour the orange juice mixture over the roast, making sure to coat entirely. Close the bag according to package instructions.
3. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the loin is at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove from the oven, and let stand for about 10 minutes to settle the juices. Carefully open the bag and remove the roast. Slice and serve with a little of the drippings drizzled over.

Spicy Tangerine Beef

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 pound flank steak or tri-tip, cut in thin strips on the bias
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice
  
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 tangerine, zested
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

In a resealable plastic bag combine the soy sauce and cornstarch and mix well. Add beef, cover, and let marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

Whisk together the sherry, hoisin, honey, chili sauce, soy sauce, and tangerine juice until completely combined.

In large pan or wok, heat oil on high. Add the ginger and beef and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add sauce mixture and cook for another 2 minutes on medium heat until sauce thickens. Serve on warm platter, garnish with scallions, tangerine zest and sesame seeds.