Easter Ham (easiest recipe ever)

  

It's Easter next weekend. Time for another family meal. You better have a Costco membership card in your wallet...otherwise you will miss out on one of the greatest epicurean delights known to modern man. Kirkland Ham. Bone-in and spiral sliced. Pre-cooked. Hickory smoked. I'm here to tell you it is the greatest ham you will ever taste.

Not only is the taste of this ham astounding, the price will absolutely blow you away. It's just $2.49 a pound. Cheaper than ground beef. Cheaper than wieners. Cheaper than that 47-week supply of Kirkland toilet paper. You've gotta be plum crazy not to take advantage of this. The world's greatest ham at the world's greatest price.

The ham also comes with a package of glaze. My advice.....throw the glaze away the minute you get home. The pit master has put the absolutely perfect amount of hickory smoke in this ham. The glaze is over-the-top sweet and detracts from hickory greatness. Plain ham and Becky's cheesy potatoes for my Easter dinner, please.

So let's tick off the boxes. World's best tasting ham. World's cheapest ham. And now for the trifecta...world's easiest ham recipe! 

Ingredients
One Kirkland spiral sliced ham (7-10 pounds)
Aluminum foil
1 cup water


Directions

1. Remove ham from store packaging and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
2. Add water to bottom of slow cooker, then add ham and cover.
3. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours. When done, remove foil and serve.

Wine pairing: Zinfandel

Little Bites

 

I love garlic. I use it in almost every meal I prepare. But I hate peeling garlic. In the past, I'd buy a 5-pound bag of freshly peeled garlic at Costco. It would last for about 3 weeks, then mold would set in and I would have to toss it. But I did a little reading and found out that freezing garlic is a great way to preserve it as it retains all of the natural flavor once thawed. So now I only buy one $15 bag every six months. I keep it in the freezer until the bag is empty. Problem solved.

I love garlic. I use it in almost every meal I prepare. But I hate chopping it. So in an effort to avoid chopping. I'd haul out my food processor. I keep it in my pantry, which is a separate room from the kitchen. It would not be such a big deal if it were lighter, but my Breville Food Processor weighs the same as a small block Chevy engine. Huge hassle.

Then I stumbled upon this Kuhn Rikon Manual Food Processor ($29 on Amazon). It's small and weighs but a few ounces, so it stores in a convenient drawer in my kitchen island. You just drop your garlic (or any other food you want to chop) and then pull the spring-loaded rope. One pull gives you big pieces of chopped garlic. An additional pull or two gives you finely minced garlic. Problem solved. 

Spaghetti Cups

 

Becky and I just returned from a 10th anniversary trip to Santa Barbara. We love that city for three reasons: we were married there; it has a perfect year-round climate (usually high 70's and never any humidity); and finally because it has one of the best Italian bistros we have ever dined at...Tre Lune.

(click to enlarge) 

It's small, quaint and packed with charm. Everything on the menu is made from scratch....the vast majority of ingredients are locally sourced from the lush, surrounding farms. It is a wonderful reminder of just how spectacular and beloved Italian cuisine can be. And we can't wait to go back.

So in the Italian spirit, I'd like to share a modified Ellie Krieger recipe for Spaghetti Cups. While it's not something you will find at Tre Lune, it makes a great weeknight meal. It's fast and easy...especially if you happen to have leftover spaghetti. And, again, you just can't go wrong if you are hankering for something Italian. This dish also makes for a spectacular plate presentation (see top photo).  The recipe serves 4 to 6 people and makes 12 Spaghetti Cups.

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt

6 ounces dried spaghetti

1-1/2 cups marinara sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed

16 ounces bulk hot Italian sausage

1/2 small yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (12 tablespoons)

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill a Dutch oven with water and add Kosher salt (1 tablespoon per gallon). Bring to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until 1 minute shy of al dente (about 9 minutes). Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 cup of marinara sauce, then set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375º.
3. Prepare the filling. Return the Dutch oven to medium-high heat and heat the 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and onion. Cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage into small pieces with a wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink and the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, another 30 seconds. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of marinara and remove from the heat. 
4. Toss the cooled spaghetti with the eggs to coat evenly, then distribute the spaghetti into 12 wells of a muffin tin, creating a divot in the center of each to hold the filling. Distribute the filling evenly among the spaghetti cups (it’s okay if it comes above the top of the wells), aiming for about 3 tablespoons per cup. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of the parmesan cheese and bake until warmed through and nicely browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then use an offset spatula to carefully remove each spaghetti cup from the muffin tin and serve. (Note: If desired, Spaghetti Cups can be stored in the fridge for 4 days and reheated quickly in a microwave.)

Wine pairing: Chianti Classico

Little Bites

 

WAGYU BEEF TALLOW: Growing up, I had a passionate desire to eat every single McDonald's French Fry I could get my hands on. Why? McDonald's had discovered the Holy Grail....French Fries with a big, beefy taste. They accomplished this by cooking their fries in beef tallow. But then THE KARENS came along and determined that all fats are bad. Beef tallow fries died a quick and oh-so sorrowful death.

Fast forward to present day. Fats and beef tallow are back in a big way. I get my tallow from Amazon, where a 42-ounce container will set you back $32. I use it on everything for a huge flavor boost. Instead of using oil on a steak when grilling, I rub tallow all over the meat and use it as a binder for my seasoning. I also use it when cooking burgers on the griddle. I've even started using it as a binder on my pork ribs when smoking...it adds a ton of flavor.

I also get to re-live my McDonald's centric youth. I melt a tiny bit and use it as the oil when cooking shoestring French Fries in our air fryer. Wagyu fries? Damn.....that's tasty!

McCORMICK'S  HIMALAYAN PINK SALT WITH BLACK PEPPER AND GARLIC: In my pantry, I have 6 drawers dedicated to spices and seasonings. While all get used in some form over time, I find that I am gravitating more toward simplicity in my old age. Since much of my cooking is grilling, I find myself using this seasoning for about 90% of my cooks.

Everything is in one jar. And the jar contains the King's trifecta when it comes to seasoning: salt, pepper and garlic. The flavors are so pure and they go with everything: grilled meat, pasta, salad, etc. If you don't find it at your local grocery store, Amazon sells this 18.5-ounce slice of heaven for just $11.

 

Brisket Crostini

 

I like eating brisket...but I hate making it. While I have enough patience for a 6 hour cook for pork spareribs, I will not put in the 12-18 hours it takes to smoke a brisket. BBQ purists will be aghast at my solution, but I found a way to enjoy smoked brisket. Instead of a smoker, I use my Costco Visa card to put brisket on the table.

For $30, you get 2 pounds of perfectly smoked and sliced beef brisket. Heat it up in the microwave for 30 seconds and you are good to go. While it's a distant second to the brisket my friend Tim Kosir creates on his smoker, it's still immensely satisfying.

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And since you are at Costco, grab a fresh baguette back in the bakery section. Then the only thing else you need to make this recipe is a little horseradish and your favorite BBQ sauce. For the former, I use Woeber's Horseradish Sauce. For the latter, I use Wachan's Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Your personal preference should guide your selections, but you can't go wrong if you use these  two products.

So it's about as simple of a recipe as you can get. Slice the baguette and toast the slices...microwave the brisket for a few seconds...then top with  fiery horseradish and sweet BBQ sauce. It's a substantial feast...perfect for  heavy hors d' oeuvres...or throw three on a plate and call it dinner. 

INGREDIENTS

1 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1-inch thick slices

1 package, Mission Hill Smoked Brisket (from Costco)

Horseradish Sauce

BBQ Sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast the bread. Use a toaster or place slices in a 400º oven for roughly 5 minutes. You can also toast them using the broiler for about 30 seconds per side.
2. Use a microwave to warm the brisket.
3. Put a slice of brisket on each piece of toast, then top the brisket with horseradish and barbecue sauces. Serve.

Wine pairing; Malbec

Italian Wedding Soup with Mini Meatballs

 

Becky found this recipe online and sent it to me last week. So I made it on January 30th....and I'm here to tell you this is a great recipe. When I first looked at the recipe, I wrongly assumed it would be a big, hearty soup. Quite the contrary, the soup was delightfully light....and the flavors were bright and elegant.

The recipe I am sharing with you here is modified. I actually modified the ingredient quantities so that it makes four entree servings. Perfect for two retirees and leftovers. Nicole Keshishian's original recipe would easily feed eight plus....and had you making about 50 mini meatballs!

For the pasta, you can easily use orzo, mini farfalle or mini elbows. I used  Creamette Rings. Make sure you use small pasta as it only plays a very minor role here...you don't want to turn it into a pasta-heavy soup.

INGREDIENTS 

For the Meatballs

1 pound mild Italian Sausage, bulk

1/2 pound ground beef

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1 egg

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

For the Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 small onion, diced

1-1/2 celery sticks, chopped

1-1/2 carrots, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 cup mini pasta (rings, orzo, etc)

1/3 cup white wine

3-1/2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1-1/2 cups fresh spinach

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded and divided

DIRECTIONS

For the Meatballs

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl and mix to incorporate well. Form mini meatballs (about a tablespoon or so in size) and place them on an oiled sheet pan. Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the Soup

1. In a large pot, add olive oil. Turn burner to medium heat and add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring often.
2. Then pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the broth, lemon juice and meatballs to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Add the spinach and allow to cook for 15 minutes so the flavors meld and the spinach wilts.
4. Divide soup between 4 bowls and top each bowl with 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese. Then serve.

Wine pairing: Chianti Classico

Bolognese Baked Tortelloni

 

I like eating lasagna, but I don't like making it. It's just a little too tedious for me....and I also am not a fan of ricotta cheese. So I find myself drawn to recipes that give me all of the taste of lasagna...but in a dish that is far easier to make and foregoes ricotta.

And so it goes with this dish. The only real work involved is making the "Bolognese Sauce". I put that in quotes because this Lauren Miyashiro recipe uses a simpler, quasi-Bolognese Sauce. Bolognese Sauce, the real deal, requires massive amounts of knife-chopping prep and 3 to 4 hours of simmering. Her sauce comes together in about 10 minutes. Becky and I found it to be a delicious and reasonable facsimile.

So the bottom layer is a breeze....uncooked tortelloni. Just spread it on the bottom of the dish and it gets cooked as the dish bakes. You can use ravioli or tortellini as well...really makes no difference. The next layer is the Bolognese Sauce. Then you top it with a heap of mozzarella cheese and slide it into the oven.

This makes for a perfect weeknight dinner. You just cut it into squares to serve....just like lasagna. Lauren's recipe will serve 6 to 8 folks, depending on how hungry everybody is. We served it as a Saturday night dinner for four and had enough to freeze for another like gathering.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 pound ground beef

3/4 pound hot Italian sausage

1/2 cup red wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1, 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2, 9-ounce packages fresh (refrigerated) cheese tortelloni

3 cups shredded mozarella

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup sliced basil, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a large baking dish with oil. In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add ground beef, sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat.
2. Return beef mixture to skillet over medium heat and pour in wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Cook until reduced by about half, then add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, oregano and season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
3. Put uncooked tortellini in prepared baking dish. Pour over meat sauce and stir until coated. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan, then cover dish tightly with foil.
4. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove foil and cook for additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is browned. Then slice and serve, garnishing each serving with basil.

Wine pairing: Chianti

Gulaschsuppe

 

Last month I introduced you to Hungarian Goulash....a hearty stew that is the national dish of Hungary. This month, I am introducing you to a German variation of that stew. While many of the same flavors are present, this recipe is actually a beef soup. Gulaschsuppe is German for Goulash Soup. It's a hearty and oh so delicious take on the stew...seasoned with paprika, thyme, caraway, marjoram, onion and garlic.

This is a slow cooker recipe, as I like to use chuck roast for its spectacular marbling. After 8 hours of cooking, the beef will just melt in your mouth. If you want to eat on a shorter schedule, substitute lean sirloin for the chuck roast. You'll still brown the meat, sauté the onions and garlic and dump them in a large pot. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, then cover and simmer for just one hour...and you are good to go.

And one last thing....make sure you serve this soup with crusty bread. It is considered a crime against humanity to not serve bread with soup. Don't be that person. And warm that bread in a 350º oven for 15 minutes before serving.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons avocado oil

2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1" cubes

2 medium onions, diced

5 cloves of garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1-1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground in a mortar and pestal

4 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil, then brown chuck roast in batches (about 2 to 3 minutes per side). When done, add beef to slow cooker.
2. Add onions to skillet and sauté until soft (about 5 minutes). Add garlic to onions, sauté an additional 30 seconds, then add onion/garlic mixture to the slow cooker.
3. Add the next 12 ingredients to the slow cooker and mix well. Set slow cooker temperature to low, cover and cook soup for 8 hours.
4. After 8 hours, taste soup and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as desired.
5. Serve soup in bowls with crusty bread for dipping.

Wine pairing: Syrah