RESEP MASAKAN ORIENTAL

Photo (c) David Blaine's Flickr Photostream I get lots of requests for Beef Wellington, especially around the holidays. In case you don't know, Beef Wellington is a whole tenderloin of beef, covered in foie gras pate, coated with a rich mushroom paste, wrapped in buttery puff pastry and baked to a golden brown. Sound good doesn't it? That's the problem. The idea of Beef Wellington is amazing, and the aforementioned list of ingredients is spectacular together, but I've always considered the actual dish more of a risky showpiece than anything else. I can sear a filet mignon steak, top it with mushrooms and foie gras, serve it on or near some perfectly baked puff pastry, et viola! That way I can control each component of the dish. When you take the same ingredients and try to perfectly cook them wrapped in puff pastry, you're adding significantly to the degree of difficulty. Having said that, I'll admit it really does make an impressive special occasion dinner...

I've received a lot of great feedback from those who tried the " Method X " technique for cooking prime rib, and the verdict is in.... Guilty of medium-rare perfection on all counts! I'm sure glad you guys didn't screw it up and then try to blame me. To celebrate our success cooking such an expensive and intimidating hunk of beef, I bring you this short, two-part video of a slightly different method. Enjoy! Part 1 "Now that's a fire..." Part 2 "The water seems to make it worse..."

This New Year’s Eve splurge special is dedicated to all of you who’ve used the cost as the excuse for not doing a beef tenderloin, when the real reason is the intense fear of screwing up such an expensive cut of meat. The thought of paying all that money for such a luxury item, only to have it end up a dry, overcooked platter of corn-fed humiliation, is just too much to take. Well, I have some very good news. Using these very simple techniques, anyone can achieve a perfectly pink and juicy roast. One secret is the slow oven, which allows for a gentle roasting, and produces an even, rosy hue throughout the muscle. The other trick is roasting the beef on top of the pan sauce, which not only flavors the meat, but also humidifies the oven for a moist, aromatic cooking environment.  Of course, both of those are dependent on you being able to give this a serious sear before it goes in the oven, but I have complete confidence in you. This particular cut of beef is extremely tender, but ve...

About 10 years ago my in-laws bought a Prime Rib for Christmas dinner. No matter what meat is served, usually ham, we also do a meat-less lasagna since my sister-in-law Jennifer is a vegetarian Anyway, I roasted the rib to rosy-pink perfection and served it with a Porcini au jus. It was magnificent. As we sat and ate - you know, one of those meals that are so good everyone sto ps talking (which for a large Italian family is quite a rarity) - I could see Jennifer starring at the prime rib as she ate her meat-less lasagna and meat-less salad. All of a sudden she said, "Okay, cut me a slice, I have to try this." I waited a moment to see if she was kidding, but her bloodthirsty stare said "cut the meat, and cut it now." It was, and still is my proudest moment as a chef. Bringing a vegetarian back over from the dark side is usually one of those tall tales cooks tell over a post-service beer. She had been a vegetarian since high school, and except for a little fish here a...

Many people become paralyzed with fear when faced with having to cook a really expensive cut of meat to a perfect medium-rare. Prime rib of beef may be the best example -- everyone sitting around the holiday table; drinking, laughing, waiting for you to appear from the kitchen with a magazine-cover-worthy slice of beef. The method you'll see below is something I've really wanted to test for my American Food site . The problem is I normally don't have prime rib laying around to test recipes on. But, while grocery shopping this w eek, I noticed a great sale on small prime ribs and was able to snag a 3.75 beauty for $18.00. That's enough for four servings, and a great deal any way you slice it. Okay, here is the formula for "Method X." The rib is brought to room temperature (this is CRITICAL), and seasoned anyway you like. Then you multiply the exact weight times 5 minutes. For me it was 3.75 x 5 = 18.75 minutes. This is said to work for any size prime rib. The ...

It only took about 300 food wishes before it finally came true, but here is my favorite lasagna. Since this is such a traditional Italian-American Christmas recipe, I figured what better time to post it? By the way, this is simply my rendition of Italian-American lasagna, and not intended to claim any type of superiority, authenticity, or other such nonsense. If your Nonna uses fresh pasta, or insists on a béchamel, then bless her heart, but that's not how this half-Italian rolls. There are only two things you need for great lasagna; a thick, rich, super-meaty meat sauce, and lots of it; and a ricotta filling where only the finest cheeses are welcomed. For the sauce I love a combination of half Italian sausage and half lean ground beef. I also like lots of sauce. If you use too much sauce, the worst that can happen is you have a plate of pasta with sauce, but if you don't use enough, you end up with dry lasagna, and there's nothing sadder than dry lasagna. For the cheese m...

This Cornish pasty is one of those rare recipes that novice cooks will find easier to make than experienced bakers. That’s because to make this to its original, and very sturdy specifications, you’re forced to over-mix the dough…a cardinal sin that literally gives pie makers nightmares. Like any pastry dough, we’re just adding just enough ice water to bring everything together, but unlike classic pie dough, we’re going to knead the mixture for a couple minutes past that point.   Thanks to a little thing called muscle memory, this is not going to be easy for some of you. Get over it; because once you taste and feel the final product, it will all make sense. The tougher, but not tough dough is the perfect delivery system for the meaty filling. Speaking of which, I went with a fairly traditional version, and provided the recipe below, but this great crust will work with all sorts of stuffings. You could use cooked meat in these, but part of what makes them so good, is how the raw ing...

Tri tip of beef is a common summer grill option, but I don’t think I’d ever seen it done as a holiday roast. I tried to think of a reason why it wouldn’t work, but I couldn’t come up with anything. In fact, I decided that not only would this make a great, and more affordable alternative to prime rib, but it would also remind guests of mid-July, which is a proven treatment for winter blues. Side effects may include seconds and thirds. This is not as tender as a prime rib, but if cooked to the right doneness, you’ll be enjoying juicy, flavorful, and plenty tender enough meat. To that end, I’d avoid the temptation to cook this rare, which can make it too chewy. I like to pull it at 130 F. internal temp, which after resting will give you something closer to medium. For me, this provides the best texture, and an even beefier flavor. Having said that, there should be something for everyone. Plenty of nice pink meat to go around, and the narrower end will provide just enough well-done for y...

This delicious winter stew video recipe, produced for About.com , uses something they call oxtails, but are really just cow tails. Does that make you feel any better? Oxtail stew is probably the most flavorful beef stew possible, as the tail pieces have more connective tissue than just about any other cut of beef you can get, even the shank. This makes for a very satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs (literally, from all the collagen) dish. Oxtail stew is sort of like eating lobster. Once it's cooked, which takes a looooong time, the meat is very soft and succulent, but nestled in the nooks and crannies of the tailbones. Remember that turkey neck you were sucking on a few weeks ago? It's sort of like that only bigger and more delicious. I won't do any lame "if you're not getting enough tail, try this recipe" jokes. Just watch this clip, and get your tail to the store for some of this delicious beef. I'm sure you'll be very happy with the "end" resul...

This is what our 6-pounder looked like. Would a 20 pounder work as well? Spoiler Alert: Yes. The most common question after we posted our now famous “ Method X ” for making perfect prime rib was “will this work with much bigger, full-size roasts?” Since I ' d only used the method on smaller specimens, I was hesitant to green-light much larger pieces of beef without having tested it myself. Well, thanks to Bill in Salt Lake City, we now have visual proof that this great technique does work on the big boys. Here’s what the fearless cook had to sa y : “Your recipe does indeed work on larger bone-in prime rib roasts . I followed the recipe to the tee, on three 18 to 21 lb. roasts using three different ovens in three separate ski condo ovens, all with different thermostats. All came out perfectly. I had 29 very pleased snowmobilers!” As everyone knows, there are few groups harder to please than a bunch of starving, probably drunk snowmobilers, so this must have really been amazing. Be...

There is something comforting about the minute steak. It's probably the fact that the name of the recipe is also the recipe. You take piece of sirloin, pound it thin, and fry it for a minute per side. That's it. Si mple, faster than fast, and easily repeated under pressure. Of course , everyone knows that a minute steak is only as good as the pan sauce, and here we offer an ultra-simple ba rbecue butter sauce. Actually, there's only a very small amount of butter, but the way it emu lsifies into the beef broth and tangy BBQ sauce somehow amplifies the effect. Be sure to use a great barbecue sauce. The SFQ I used is a rich, clas sic American barbecue sauce with a touch of chocolate, hint of coffee, and balanced with aged red w ine vinegar. It's subtly exotic spices and sweet heat made it a perfect choice here. Ideally, you'll follow the link below and order some , but if not, make sure the sauce you choose has some personality to it. You'll also want to taste the...

Even though this trendy shooter’s sandwich has been requested many times, I’ve resisted making one because I’ve always felt there were better handheld delivery systems for steak and mushroom ingestion. Like a panini for example, or maybe even a cheesy quesadilla; but pressed into a cold, hard wedge? Then, I had an incredibly small epiphany. I ran across the origins of the shooter’s sandwich online, and realized I might have been missing the point. This wasn’t something you make for just any lunch; it was something you make to take on a foxhunt (or what you Americans call a “tailgate party”). I can’t remember the last time I was on a foxhunt, but after giving this a try, I can see the advantages of this very filling, very flavorful, and very sturdy sandwich. But, as I stressed in the video, you really need a couple huge steaks to make this work. Even cooked slightly pass medium, this was okay, but another half-inch of tender, pink meat would have made the whole affair significantly be...

I do not speak French. This is not something I'm proud of, as I could have, and should have, picked it up by now. With that said, the mispronunciation of French culinary terms is one of my great guilty pleasures. I know it's "oh" jus, and not "ahhh" jus, but that's how I grew up saying it, and I don't have any plans to start saying it right at this advanced age. Besides, the proper pronunciation sounds like you are surprised you're getting a sauce, and my way sounds like you are happy about it. This is the most minimalist method for doing a quick au jus for your prime rib of beef. In a restaurant that specializes in prime rib, they have the benefit of massive amounts of bones and scraps to make a reduced, rich jus without having to thicken it. At home however, we need to cheat a little bit. You can do this without the flour step, but I think most people prefer this beefy dipping sauce to have a little body to it. Not thick like gravy, but just a...

It's an iconic holiday table scene; you carving a juicy, perfectly pink prime rib while a roomful of friends and family watches, in awe of your awesom eness. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, it's sometimes more like you cutting through a dry, o vercooked r oast while they stare daggers at you. You can almost hear them thinking, "Way to screw up $80 worth of beef, jerk. I hope there's lots of gravy." Well, hopefully this proven mathematical method will increase your chances for success significantly. This is a new video revisiting the same method I featured in this Prime Rib post a few years ago, which only used photos. There are lots of great comments on the original post, and if you're skeptical, you should go check them out . Here is the formula for what was called, "Method X." The rib is brought to room temperature. Overnight is good, but at least 6 hours (this is CRITICAL)! Season anyway you like. Then multiply the exact weight times 5...

Whenever there’s a discussion about the history of celebrity chef pop culture, one name is invariably left out, and this Swedish Meatballs recipe served as a reminder of that sad fact. How anyone can talk about the pioneers of food television without including the Swedish Chef from the Muppets is beyond me. His frenetic energy and charisma makes Gordon Ramsey seem like a shrinking violet by comparison. His technique surpasses Emeril's on every level, and if we’re just talking catch phrases, how can you even begin to compare “Yummo” to “Bork, Bork, Bork?” Some use the excuse that he wasn’t actually real, that he was just a bunch of stained, smelly fabric, wrapped around some dude’s hairy forearm. Well, that may be true, but it goes beyond that. I believe there’s been a systematic discrimination against Swedish chefs, which has made advancing upward impossible. I call it the ice ceiling. Do NOT forget the Lingonberry jam! Anyway, in related news, these Swedish meatballs rocked! Unli...

This delicious Beef Pot Roast video recipe is dedicated to all you hungry prep cooks ou t there. In a restaurant kitchen, real diner breaks are more theory than practice. There is often not enough time to get everything done, and you can't really tell the chef that you didn't get around to dicing the mushrooms because you were enjoying a nice leisurely supper. It's not that you starve; someone is usually assigned to cook a "family meal," as it's referred to. Leftovers are pulled together and laid out buffet-style to grab when you have a chance. This thankless job is normally done by the youngest cooks, who gain valuable experience, as well as learn profanity in several languages as the results of their labors are critiqued by the older line cooks. Prep cook ragout or ragu, is what I call the stewed vegetables that are leftover from the making of stocks, sauces, or from roasting meats. This soft, cooked-to-death "mirepoix" (onions, celery, carrots) is...

The weather just turned cold and wet here in San Francisco, and when that happens I always crave something hot and comforting, ladled from a steaming pot. I do have a brand new video to post for Friday that fits the bill nicely, but due to circumstances beyond my control, it will not be up until late in the day.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this video recipe for beef merlot that I posted a few years ago. It’s an easy take-off on beef bourguignon, and one of my all-time, cold-weather favorites. Be sure to read the original post here , to find out why the heck I used merlot. Enjoy!

I've gotten a ton of food wishes for a pressure cooker demo, all unfulfilled due to my serious lack of a pressure cooker. So, when my friends at IMUSA asked me if I was interested in testing their pressure cooker, I answered with an enthusiastic yes. When you ask someone why they don't use a pressure cooker, one of the most common replies is something to the effect of, "I'm really not into being killed by an exploding stew." Well, I'm here to tell you, if used properly (meaning you actually read and follow the directions), the chances of a pressure cooker injuring you in an explosion is in credibly slim. You have a better chance of breaking your toe by dropping a bowling ball on it, and this assumes you don't bowl. While the video features a quite acceptable beef stew-style chili recipe, which I've always called chili Colorado, the point of this post is to give someone new to pressure cookers an overview of the basic steps, tips, and techniques. I...

Today is my sister’s wedding, and I wanted to thank everyone for all the nice wishes and thoughts, and also for all the comments regarding my About.com try-out. I passed the second stage and the final decision comes on Monday. As I said before, I’m sure there are lots of great candidates, with more time, and no weddings to go to applying, so I’m not getting my hopes up too high, but I still appreciate all the encouragement I’ve gotten on this blog. By the way, regarding the title of the post; my sister Val and fiancé Rick first met when she was a new police officer and received a call that a large truck carrying cattle had the back gate come open and dozens of very large and annoyed cows were running all over the road and terrorizing the surrounding areas. Rick, who is also in law enforcement, happened to be in the same area, and got a call from the dispatcher to help the local cops (Val) round up the cattle. So, that’s how they first met, and the rest is history!

As promised, this is how I do roast beef for "beef on weck." In episode one, we made the weck rolls , which are awesome, but become significantly more so when filled with freshly roasted beef and horseradish. And, don't even get me started on the au jus. There are many cuts of beef used for this, including top round, rump roast, and brisket, but I like to use a nice thick top-sirloin roast. Instead of cooking it in the oven, I like to pan-roast this on the stovetop. There are many advantages to this approach. Since top sirloin roasts are only a couple inches thick, they cook relatively fast. They're also tender, flavorful, and because of their shape, very easy to slice thinly, which is one of the keys to this amazing sandwich. As far as the au jus goes, it’s only going to be as good as the beef broth or stock you use, but I have a great tip regarding where to find the nice stuff. Most of your higher-end grocery store chains, which have in-house butchery departments, u...