New York Strip & Potatoes a la Holstein

I was at Bunzel's today to get a corned beef brisket for dinner tomorrow and picked up some New York strips that were on sale. I usually don't have have time to age steaks, and didn't this time, but it's worth it if you can.

Season the steak with salt & pepper to taste. Sear over high heat for about 30 to 60 seconds per side. Turn the heat down and cook until done. Remove from heat, top with blue cheese, tent, and let rest for about ten minutes.



The potatoes are my standard, fried potatoes. Dice, saute over medium heat in a little oil for 30 - 45 minutes. Add diced onion half way through.


This time I added the "a la Holstein" twist: i.e., crack a couple of eggs over the potatoes, cover, and cook until done.

Everything's better a la Holstein!

Pork Medallions, Rice Pilaf, & Green Salad

Cut the pork loin into quarter inch medallions and pound flat.
Dunk them in milk and dredge in corn meal. Saute in canola oil over medium high heat, about two minutes per side. Take care to not over-crowd the pan.

We usually get Parmigiano-Reggiano, but I picked up a Wisconsin Stravecchio Parmesan , which is also excellent. A little creamer, but quite tasty. Pick some up if you can; it's worth a try.

It was my brother Chas who first pointed out to me that "Parmesan cheese does not come in green cans." Maybe that should be a Rule.

Moules & Frites

Is there anyone who doesn't like moules and frites?
Get 1 -1.5 lbs of moules per person. Throw out any that don't close when you tap them. Scrub them clean and de-beard them.
Saute some celery and shallots in unsalted butter in a pot until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the moules, about a cup and a half of white wine, some thyme, parsley and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes.
Scoop the moules into a bowl. Add blue cheese to the sauce and stir until melted. Ladle over the moules and serve with crusty bread and frites.



Now doesn't that look delicious?

That's Laurie's famous aioli.

See all the photos here.

Fried eggs

Fried eggs with toast, large curd cottage cheese, and grape juice.
Heat butter in a frying pan. When ready, add eggs. Cook over medium low heat until they almost look done. If they look done in the pan, they're overcooked. I think that's one of the rules of cooking. Plate.


This is a pizza dough blowing up like a football. I had to poke a bunch of holes in it. We made an Italian sausage, onion, and fontina pizza.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I usually make this recipe with a white cheese such as fontina or grueyer, but I had some curds that were getting in my way, so I used them. Maybe not so good a choice as they are a bit oily.


Mix breadcrumbs with some herbs and spices, cheese, and tomato juice to make a stiff paste. Allow it to sit for about ten minutes.



Pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts to a uniform thickness.

Form the stuffing into an oval and cover with the chicken. Salt & pepper to taste.
Bake at 375 for 30 - 40 minutes.

Let rest for ten minutes before serving.

Pesto Pizza with Shallots and Peppers

Our grocries now sell pizza dough. We've grilled pizzas several times before, but tonight we made a pesto with shallots and red pepper pizza in the oven. It was great and very simple to do.



Preheat the oven to 435F with the pizza pan or stone. We use a pan with vent holes in it. Roll out the dough on a floured cutting board. Saute shallots and peppers.
When oven is hot, put dough on pan and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove pan from oven and add toppings in layers: pesto, vegetables, fontina. DO NOT overload the crust! Bake for about 10 minutes or until it looks done. Let the pizza rest for 5 - 10 minutes before cutting.

Pork Roast with Beets & Mashed Potatoes

Pork roasts in general take on sweet flavors well. I use maple syrup in this recipe.

Let roast warm up to room temperature. Oil lightly and rub with a herb blend.
Brown roast well – you know the second rule! Brown food tastes better! Put roast on a v-rack over a baking pan.

Mix cumin and cayenne pepper into maple syrup. Baste over roast, coating all sides.

Cook in a 325°F oven until it reaches and internal temperature of 150°F, about an hour.

Sara made the gravy out of the fond in the pan. Amy did the carving.

Laurie handles the beets and mashed potatoes. The roasted beets with blue cheese are a nice accompaniment to the pork.