Shrimp Stroganoff

This is the recipe and cooking instructions for a shrimp stroganoff, a dish that originated in Russia and somehow became very popular around the world. This is my version of this dish.

Have white rice cooked before hand.

The ingredients:

-2lb peeled raw shrimps, size 30-40/lb, no tails.

-1 onion

-2 table spoons minced garlic

-4 table spoons butter

-1 table spoon chopped parsley

-1 table spoon chopped green onions

-2oz cognac or brandy

-2 cups sliced mushrooms

-1 cup corn

-1 tea spoon tarragon, dry or chopped fresh

-1 tea spoon olive oil

-2 cups table cream

-2 table spoons tomato paste

-1 tea spoon black pepper

-Kosher salt

-Straw potato chips

Here's the potato chips.

Table cream.

Brandy.

Wash the shrimps, drain well and add 1 table spoon salt and black pepper, combine and reserve.

Chop the green onions and parsley and reserve.

Chop onions medium size.

Add butter to hot saute' pan, then add onions.

Saute onions for a minute and add the garlic, cook until golden.

Add the shrimp, cook stirring at high heat for 2 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and corn, both previously drained. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, mix well to combine.

Remove from heat, add the cream, stir to combine, then return to low heat. Simmer for 1 minute.

Add the tarragon and brandy, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add salt to taste.

Add the green herbs, stir and remove from heat. It is done!

Here's how to serve, with rice and the potato chips. Sprinkle olive oil on top.

Beef Stew

This recipe includes the beef stew and beans, served with white rice.

Cook the white rice before hand.

Ingredient list:

-2 1/2lb beef chopped in 1in cubes. Could be eye of the round, bottom round roast or tri-tip roast.

-1lb carrots

-1lb yellow potatoes

-2 15oz cans kidney beans ( water and salt only )

-1 big onion

-3 table spoons minced garlic

-1 tea spoon tarragon

-1 tea spoon ground thyme

-1/2 tea spoon ground cumin

-Kosher salt

-1 table spoon colorau ( or annatto or achiote or colorau) - optional - natural red coloring or 2 table spoons of tomato paste

-2 table spoons vegetable oil

-2 table spoons worcertershire sauce

-2 tea spoons ground black pepper

-1 cup merlot wine

Photo of ingredients.

Trim off any visible fat from meat and chop in 1in cubes.

Season with 1 table spoon of salt, worcestershire sauce, tarragon, thyme, cumin and 1 tea spoon of black pepper. Combine and reserve.

Divide onion and chop one half fine and one half medium size.

Add 1 table spoon oil to a pan at high heat, add fine chopped onion and saute' for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add garlic and cook to golden.

Add 1 tea spoon black pepper.

Canned beans should contain only beans, water and salt. Some have sugar also, so try to avoid those.

Add beans and let it simmer at low heat for few minutes, then turn heat off, cover.

On a pressure cooker, add 1 table spoon oil at high heat and onions. Cook for 1 minute.

Add 2 table spoons of garlic and cook until golden.

Add beef and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Add wine.

add colorant (optional).

Close pot and let it sit at high heat until steam start to come off, then change heat to medium and let cook for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, the meat should be cooked. Open pan (assuming you know how to use a pressure cooker).

Chop potatoes in big pieces and add to the pot.

Add also the carrots. Add salt to taste. You would probably add 1 to 2 tea spoons of salt so you get all vegetables properly salted.

Close the lid and set heat to high. Wait steam to come off and cook for 8 minutes.

Remove from heat, open the cooker and this is how it would look like. Meat is melting and vegetables cooked to perfection :-)

Served with prepared beans and white rice.

Escargot Bourguignon

Quick and delicious Escargot recipe. Can't go wrong with the step by step pictures, check it out!

Ingredients:

- 4 1/2oz escargots. Large snails would be about a dozen.

-1 table spoon fine chopped shallots

-1 tea spoon minced garlic

-1 table spoon chopped parsley

-3 table spons butter

-Kosher salt

-A dozen snail shells (optional)

Few utensils that help serving escargots:

A baking sheet.

Snail tong and fork.

Here's a close up on the snail can.

And the shells. All from Amazon.com

Boil the shells for 3 minutes.

Drain the can and wash the snails in cold water.

Fine chop the shallots

Combine the butter, garlic, shallots, parsley and a dash of salt.

Let the shells cool, drain completely, then stuff each with a snail. If you don't have the shells, that is fine, just lay each snail on a baking sheet and top each with some butter mix.

And close it with the butter mix.

Bake at 450F for 5 to 10min and voila'.

Can't get better than that!