On Cooking

Portabello Market London, England

I Love to cook! It was always a dream of mine, to one day go to le Cordon Bleu, Paris France. Why? Good question. Growing up before the advent of the food network on TV and the multitude of cooking shows, Julia Child was the reigning queen of the culinary arts! There was nothing that inspired me more than to see a French Chef with their multitude of gleaming copper pans and those lovely huge stoves and ovens! And those lovely dishes they created; creamy sauces and beautiful presentations.

So what happened? Well, I am not made of money for one thing.....But for the most part it was The reality shows that killed the dream. Oh, I still love to cook, but the idea of having a ‘chef’ yelling at me because I didn’t do one thing or the other right, just didn’t appeal to me. So I just practice my new recipes on my husband first. He is absolutely great about it. Even when he doesn’t exactly like what I have made, he eats it and then just asks that I never make it again…..That’s easy.

So what are my favorite foods to cook? Many are French, but I also love to make English, Mediterranean, Italian, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, Indian, Oriental, Mexican, Spanish and German dishes. I will try almost anything new, but I do also have limits. I do not like anything that could be considered entrails, or internal organs. So if a recipe calls for it; such as English Steak and Kidney pie; my version is either Steak and Mushroom or Steak and Sausage pie. You might mention that sausage has some stuff in it; that’s okay, as long as it is so mushed up I can’t tell!

I have cookbooks that I have collected from countries around the world; and I love each and every one of them!

Some of my cookbooks are just fun. I have a Sherlock Holmes Victorian English Cookbook, Mrs. Beetons book of Household Management, a multitude of English Tea Cookbooks, Winnie the Pooh cookies and cake book, and of course le Cordon Bleu cookbook.

If you don’t really cook; or are just starting out, there is one book that I think everyone should own; that is ‘The Joy of Cooking’. This is a cooking bible; I am actually on my second copy having worn the first one out. There isn’t much this cookbook is missing; of course there are some things they could have left out, like how to skin a squirrel. However, overall, this is one of the best cookbooks I have ever found.

There are a lot of people that think English cooking is bland; but that just isn’t true. We have been to London twice and love to eat in local pubs. The English have some wonderful curries, and dishes from fancy to simple that are just good fun to eat. Some of our favorites that I cook a lot are; Toad-in-the-hole, Beans on Toast, Bangers and Mash, Anything Curry, Steak and Something Pie just to name a few. The Irish, Scottish and Welsh have some wonderful dishes too. Once in awhile I will share a recipe or two that we love.

On cooking, there are only really two rules I have: 1) NEVER try a new recipe for the first time when you are expecting company, and 2) Have fun while you are cooking. Cooking should never be a chore. Oh and for those of you that think you have no time? That it is quicker and easier to just open a jar of this and a can of that? It may take you a bit of time the first few times that you make something from scratch; but believe me there are a lot of great dishes out there that once you are comfortable making them, don’t take much longer than opening and heating that jar of stuff………

So in closing this post, I will share a recipe with you that you can cook all day in the crock pot and pour over noodles. It is excellent!

I apologize that I don’t remember where I found this recipe, I think it might have been a magazine (maybe Better Homes? Or a cooking magazine) hopefully, they won’t get mad as I share this:

Cabernet braised beef short ribs

2 lbs beef short ribs trimmed and cut into cubes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine

2 Tbs Tomato Paste

1 cup sliced carrots

6 cloves off garlic sliced (you can remove these before you eat if you want)

1 medium size onion cut into wedges

2- 6" Rosemary sprigs or 2 tsp dried Rosemary (I have done either one of these)

1 Tbs Flour

Hot cooked Noodles (Your choice: I use the wide egg noodles)

Set up crock pot and turn to high to start warming up. Heat a large skillet; spray with cooking spray (saves calories). Add ribs and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Add broth, scrape to loosen brown bits on bottom of pan (Good Stuff). Pour meat and broth into crock pot. Add wine, tomato paste, carrots, garlic, Rosemary and onion. Keep crock pot on high until contents very hot then you can either turn it down to low and let it cook for 6 to 7 hours, or keep it on high and cook for approx. 3 hours. When done, you can either just add the flour to thicken the sauce a bit, or you can scoop out all of the meat into a dish and run the sauce through a sieve, then add the flour to the sauce. Either way is good. Then add the sauce to the meat and ladle over noodles. Excellent with a side salad and some fresh french bread with real butter.

In all the times I have cooked this; though short ribs are a 'cheap' cut of meat.....The meat absolutely falls apart when its done.

I hope you enjoy!

Bon Appetit!