The Cookbook

[Mik]

Trying this recipe tonight, with a Caprese salad.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/31064/italian-breaded-pork-chops/

[Mik]

It’s corn season! Try this pasta. Delicious.

https://www.growingupcali.com/2016/09/corn-and-pancetta-pasta/print/2899/

This is a keeper.

[George K]

Chicken Schnitzel.

½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups plain dried bread crumbs
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Lemon wedges

1 Spread flour in shallow dish. Beat eggs and 1 tablespoon oil in second shallow dish. Place bread crumbs in third shallow dish. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Line second rimmed baking sheet with double layer of paper towels. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees.

2 Halve chicken breasts horizontally to form 8 cutlets of even thickness. Place 1 cutlet between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Sprinkle each cutlet on both sides with ¾ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.

3 Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets thoroughly in flour, shaking off excess, then coat with egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into dish to ensure very thin coating. Coat evenly with bread crumbs, pressing on crumbs to adhere. Place cutlets on prepared wire rack, taking care not to overlap cutlets. Let coating dry for 5 minutes.

4 Add 2 cups oil to large Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Lay 2 or 3 cutlets (depending on size) in oil, without overlapping them, and cook, shaking pot continuously and gently, until cutlets are wrinkled and light golden brown on both sides, 1 to 1½ minutes per side. Transfer cutlets to paper towel–lined sheet, flip to blot excess oil, and transfer sheet to oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Link to video

[Mik]

Made this salad with grilled garlic rosemary pork chops. Perfect fall dinner.

https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/apple-and-goat-cheese-salad-with-candied-pecans-recipe

Ingredients
CANDIED PECANS

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 pound pecan halves (about 2 cups)

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

VINAIGRETTE

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon orange zest

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

SALAD

3 Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced

10 ounces winter greens (such as arugula or kale)

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 pound goat cheese, crumbled (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons good-quality aged balsamic vinegar

Directions
Prepare the Candied Pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together egg white and sugar in a bowl until light and frothy. Add pecans, paprika, and salt, and stir until pecans are completely coated. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until pecans are slightly toasted but still moist, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove pecans from baking sheet, and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Prepare the Vinaigrette: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, orange zest, and allspice until combined.

Prepare the Salad: Toss together apples, greens, and onion in a large serving bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle salad with Vinaigrette, and gently toss. Top with crumbled goat cheese and Candied Pecans. Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar just before serving.

[Mik]

Simply Perfect Pot Roast

I've always braised them before, but this recipe says you don't have to, and this guy's recipes are very good. Will serve over simple mashed potatoes.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/219173/simple-beef-pot-roast/

Edit: Turned out very good. Defatted the juices, then blended the veggies into a gravy. You could do a lot of variations on this with seasonings, etc.

[George K]

Made these last night. Came out pretty good.

Air Fryer French Fries

• 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

---

Cut each potato lengthwise into 3/8-inch-thick slices, then slice sections into 3/8-inch-wide sticks. Place potatoes in a bowl of cold water. Let soak to release excess starches, about 5 minutes; drain.

Pour boiling water over the potatoes until they're covered by a few inches. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer onto some paper towels. Blot off excess water and let cool completely, at least 10 minutes.

Place cooled potatoes in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with cayenne; toss to coat.

Preheat an air fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Stack potatoes in a double layer in the fryer basket.

Cook for 15 minutes. Slide basket out and toss fries. Continue frying until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Toss fries with salt in a mixing bowl. Serve immediately.

---

My variations:

1. I left the potatoes unpeeled because ... skin.
2. In deference to the management, I skipped the cayenne
3. Before cooking I seasoned the fries with paprika, Mrs. Dash's seasoning, and a touch of Kosher salt.
4. I put them in a rotisserie for my air fryer so I wouldn't have to turn them. The rotisserie does a good job of mixing and exposing all sides.
5. Took about half an hour of cook time.

Yeah, the whole thing took about an hour to do, including prep, wait, cook.

But definitely worth the time. Very little labor involved. Came out crispy on the outside and nice and fluffy on the inside. I imagine if I cut them into thicker pieces, I'd get more of that fluff.

[Mik]

Saw this recipe and wanted to try it. Never had any luck at home with cacio e pepe

https://www.marthastewart.com/962334/cacio-e-pepe-lemon

[Mik]

It was pretty good. probably the best version I have made, but I need to get better cheese.

[Mik]

Tonight will be special:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/152156/vietnamese-aromatic-lamb-chops/

Plus Rosemary roasted pears.

[Mik]

Trying even more Mediterranean cooking this year. This is tonight but using bone in thighs. Probably add some shallots too.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/skillet-chicken-with-olives/

[Mik]

Burned the damn chicken. Jets pizza on its way.

[Mik]

Made this tonight. Delicious. I salted it a bit and added a bit more lemon zest than it called for, but it was easy, very light, but also filling. Cooked it more like 16 minutes.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cod-and-asparagus-bake/

My pics:

[Mik]

Steak Frites tonight, prime flank steak. Never made it before.

Anyone make from scratch fries in an air fryer? Any good?

[George K]

@Mik said in The Cookbook:

Anyone make from scratch fries in an air fryer? Any good?

---

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pinch cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Gather all ingredients.

Cut each potato lengthwise into 3/8-inch-thick slices, then slice sections into 3/8-inch-wide sticks. Place potatoes in a bowl of cold water. Let soak to release excess starches, about 5 minutes; drain.

Pour boiling water over the potatoes until they're covered by a few inches. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer onto some paper towels. Blot off excess water and let cool completely, at least 10 minutes.

Place cooled potatoes in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with cayenne; toss to coat.

Preheat an air fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Stack potatoes in a double layer in the fryer basket.

Cook for 15 minutes. Slide basket out and toss fries. Continue frying until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Toss fries with salt in a mixing bowl. Serve immediately.

---

I've made these several times. Comes out good.

But, I don't use cayenne (spousal unit disapproves). I use garlic powder, onion salt and paprika. Also, I leave skin on.

[Mik]

Thanks! I like skin on. I guess I will have to buy an air fryer. Tonight it’s Ore Ida crispy crinkle cuts.

[George K]

@kluurs makes air-fryer fries all the time.

[George K]

ETA: Frozen fries come out pretty good too. Just take longer.

Rule of thumb for air fryers - cook at 75% of the required temperature and 75% of the required time.

[kluurs]

Airfryer has changed our lives. We have two - and used both last night - turkey breast in one and sweet potatoes in the other - everything done in less than an hour.

[George K]

Tell me more about the turkey breast....

[kluurs]

@George-K said in The Cookbook:

Tell me more about the turkey breast....

One of the airfryers has a rotisserie feature. It works well with turkey breasts. Cooked it at 380 for about 50 minutes. Checked the temp - moist. Didn't do any brining - just the bare bird. Cooked the sweet potatoes for at 400 for a little longer.