Author: Chef Debbi Dubbs

How to Cook Barley

Barley Basics

 

There are several types of barley, flaked, flour, grits, hulled, pearl and more. Most of the barley you’ll find in the supermarket is pearl barley or polished barley, which has had its hull removed, and most of the nutrients that go with that, but also reduces the cooking time (slightly). An un-hulled barley can take up to 20 minutes longer to cook but it’s an excellent source of fiber and keeps you fuller longer. Bob’s Red Mill has a great ‘hull-less’ barley that still contains the bran. It’s an ancient variety that grows in a loose hull thus saving much of the nutrition but it does take as long to cook as the un-hulled barley. Use 3 parts water or stock to 1 cup of barley; if using pearl barley start checking after about 20 minutes of cooking, barley can take up to 1 hour to cook. Try using a pressure cooker making a larger batch than you need and freezing the cooked barley in 1 or 2 cup packets for later use in soups or salads or as a side dish.

 

Some people like to soak their barley overnight or even for just a few hours. It doesn’t cut down much on cooking time and may alter the appearance or color of the grain but if you have trouble digesting whole grains this may work for you. Whole grains contain an anti-nutrient called phytic acid which binds with certain minerals (e.g.  zinc, phosphorous, calcium and iron) and prevents them from being absorbed by the body.  Phytic acid is also very hard on the digestive system.  Most of the phytic acid is contained in the exterior bran and germ layers of the grain.  Ironically, whole grains are much higher in minerals than polished or refined grains, but we won’t receive those benefits unless we neutralize the phytic acid. Soaking your grains before cooking them will neutralize the phytic acid and release the enzyme inhibitors, making them easier to digest and the nutrients easier to absorb. Soak overnight with a little squeeze of lemon juice or other acidic liquid (apple cider vinegar etc.), drain and rinse before using.

Barley Basics

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To make in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot check the manufacturer’s instructions or try this website for info, https://instantpot.com/instantpot-cooking-time/

  • 3 cups water or stock
  • 1 cup barley
  • 1 generous pinch of salt, optional

Combine the barley and water or stock in the saucepan. Add the salt if using.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, cover and simmer, checking at 20 minutes for pearl or polished barley. Keep an eye on the pot as barley will give off a lot of foam at first and can cause the pot to boil over, for hulled barley, start checking at 40 minutes. The barley is done when it has tripled in volume and is soft yet chewy. Add more water if the pan becomes dry before the barley has finished cooking; check every 5 minutes until desired chewiness is reached.

When the barley is done, it will have absorbed most of the water. If there is a little water still left in the pot, just leave the barley to sit for 10 minutes, covered, until it has all been absorbed. If there is a lot of water left, drain the barley. If you want to cool it quickly to freeze, spread it out on a half sheet pan until cool, then measure and freeze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salisbury Steak

 

 

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

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Here’s a great recipe for a weeknight dinner, easier than stopping at the store or fast food for dinner. Make sure to stock your pantry ahead of time.

  • Salisbury Steak
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or 1/3 cup ordinary breadcrumbs)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Large pinch of sea salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ onion, finely chopped
  • 1 package mushrooms, sliced or 5 oz.
  • Gravy
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Sea salt and pepper

Be sure to form the patties into ¾” thick ‘burgers’ and cook according to directions. This will ensure that your Salisbury Steaks come out perfectly cooked and not overdone. The recipe is really as easy as cooking one of those frozen dinners and tastes so much better! Serve with mac and cheese, mashed or roasted potatoes.

Mix the Salisbury steak ingredients with your hands or a wooden spoon, form into 4 thick patties (about ¾” thick) and set aside.

In a deep sided skillet, heat oil and when hot add onion and sauté until translucent. Add the mushrooms into the pan and cook, stirring until lightly browned. Transfer into a bowl.

Add a splash of oil, if needed to the pan and add the meat patties, cook the first side for 1 minute or until browned, then flip and brown the other side (they will still be raw inside).

Take the skillet off the stove and transfer meat patties onto a plate. Turn the heat down to medium low.

Return skillet to the stove and add butter. Once melted, add flour and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in remaining Gravy ingredients until smooth. Increase heat to medium then transfer the reserved onions and mushrooms into the gravy. Stir, then add the patties into the gravy along with the juices on the plate. Cook for 7 minutes, or until gravy is thickened and patties are just cooked through, stirring occasionally around the steaks. If the gravy thickens too quickly, add more water.

Remove steaks onto a plate. Adjust the seasoning, if needed, with salt and pepper.

Adapted from Recipe Tin Eats

Photo: Recipe Tin Eats

Holiday Roast

Prime Rib actually refers to the grade of the beef that you are using, prime grade is the best you can buy and you will pay dearly for it but it’s a true holiday treat. You could purchase a Choice grade standing rib roast and still have a very lovely dinner for a lot less money. If you don’t like meat rare to medium then you’ll be better off serving another cut of meat for a special dinner as the roast can be dry and tough if overcooked.

Prime Rib

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The easiest holiday roast you can make. Add some scalloped potatoes, a great salad or side vegetable and you’re done in the kitchen.

  • Serves 2 – 4
  • 1 Bone in standing rib roast, prime or choice grade, about 2 ½ - 3 lbs.
  • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, I like Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
  • Mild flavored olive or vegetable oil
  • Butcher twine, optional
  • Probe meat thermometer (not optional)

Preheat your oven to 400°. Line a baking or sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

*If you’d like to make the roast easier to carve when hot, cut the bone off the meat before cooking. Use a boning knife and slice as close as possible to the bone between the bone and the meat. Now tie the bone back on to the meat with butcher twine, when the roast is ready to slice just cut the twine and remove the bone, saving to make stock or soup, and slice the meat as desired. Remember to always cut across the grain of the meat.

Remove the meat from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking. Dry the meat well then rub it with a little of the oil and season generously with sea salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan that’s just a little larger than the roast over medium high heat, when hot add roast and brown all sides of the meat. Do not add oil to the pan, sear the roast quickly and remove to the prepared sheet pan. If you can stand the roast to rest on the bone then do so, otherwise place on the sheet pan on one side. Insert a probe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat without touching any part of the bone.

Cook the roast for 10 minutes and then turn down the oven temperature to 350°. Continue to roast until temperature reaches 130°, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and loosely cover with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes. The temperature will rise, this is called carry over cooking time and the roast will be rare to medium rare when sliced. If you’d like the roast closer to medium, cook until the temperature reaches 135°; do not overcook.

Fudgy Peppermint Brownies

If you google how to bake brownies in a skillet you will find recipes that actually cook in the oven in a skillet rather than a recipe you can cook in a skillet on the stove top. Why bother unless you’re going to serve the brownies to your guests in the pan? I’m talking about actually BAKING them in a skillet on the stove top. This makes them super fudgy but a little difficult to get out of the pan so be sure to use a good nonstick skillet. Here are two recipes, one traditional and one cooked in a skillet (a cheater recipe as I used a box mix-yes a box!) You decide which one works for you!

Fudgy Peppermint Skillet Brownies

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This recipe yields 2 pans of yummy, fudgy brownies using an 11″ skillet (w/lid) or sauté pan.

  • 1 box brownie mix, plus ingredients on box
  • ¼- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • peppermint candies, crushed

Mix brownies according to package directions, adding peppermint extract.

Add ½ of the batter to skillet and stir it around over low to medium heat while it ‘bakes’ and solidifies. Cover and cook over low heat for approximately 10 minutes or until the sides start to crisp. Add candies to the top of the brownies, turn off heat and let the pan sit for about 5 minutes before cutting.

Fudgy Brownies

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  • 1 cup flour
  • ¾ cup Dutch cocoa powder
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 lg. eggs
  • ½ cup butter, melted (8 Tb)
  • ¼ cup oil, vegetable, olive or flavored olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla, substitute any flavored extract
  • ¼ cup chopped nuts, chocolate chips, peppermint pieces etc.

Preheat the oven to 375° and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

Add all the ingredients to a large bowl in the order they are listed. Stir together and beat until the mixture is smooth. Mix in nuts, chips etc. that you’d like to use.

Spoon into the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes, or until just barely beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, remove from oven and let cool.

Mexican Skillet Fry

 

I use this mix for tostada’s and scoop it over some great refried beans or top with tamale topping and bake or even spread on nachos or in tacos and burritos. Feel free to use other ingredients as well, look to see ‘What’s In Your Pantry’

Mexican Skillet Fry

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  • 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 bell peppers, diced, I used 1 red & 1 green
  • 1 8oz can diced tomatoes with green chile
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 2 cups chicken or beef stock
  • 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
  • Sea salt
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese or a mixture of jack & cheddar cheese*
  • 3 green onions, sliced to garnish
  • Optional
  • Tamale Topping:
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

In a large pan skillet with a lid, brown ground beef (sauté the meat until you can break it up but don’t cook all the way through before adding next ingredients. Do not drain, if using ground turkey, you may have to add a little vegetable oil to the pan.

Add onions & peppers and cook until they are soft, then add spices and a little salt to taste, mix well.

Add can of tomatoes with green chile’s (including juice), rice, and stock and stir together, cover and let simmer until liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 10 minutes. Taste and re-season if needed, top with cheese and cover, cook over low heat until the cheese has melted. Garnish with chopped green onions.

Serve with soft tortillas or chips.

*Omit cheese if using the tamale topping.

Follow these instructions for Tamale Pie:

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk with 1 teaspoon salt and the butter. When the milk is hot, but not boiling, gradually stir in the 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal. Continue cooking until thickened, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir add the cheese and beaten eggs. Stir to blend.

Place meat mixture into an oiled baking dish and top with tamale mixture, bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cranberry, Apple & Pear Relish

Cranberry, Apple and Pear Relish

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A perfect relish or conserve for fall and winter use. Serve it with chicken, beef, duck or other game meat; it also makes a great spread or dip mixed with cream cheese.

  • 2 cups peeled and chopped apples
  • 2 cups peeled and chopped pears
  • 12 oz. fresh cranberries
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 orange, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 6 - 8 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Makes 6 pints, approximately

In a large pot combine apples, pears, cranberries, sugar, water and orange juice.

Simmer, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.

Stir in the nutmeg and walnuts, and then cook for 5 more minutes.

Use fresh or can for future use. To process follow these instructions.

Place a whole cinnamon stick in each sterilized jar, then ladle the hot relish into jars leaving 1/4″ headspace.

Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Adapted from Farmers Daughter

January Cooking Demo

Join Us

Thur., Jan 18th & 25th

6:30 – 8:30, approximately

Menu

Citrus – Avocado Salad

      With Basil Vinaigrette

 Chicken Cacciatore

     Mini Gnocchi with Cheese Sauce

      Garlic Roasted Broccoli Rabe

Chocolate Amaretti Cake

   

 

$45.00

For reservations call

Temecula Olive Oil,  148 Main St. Seal Beach

(562) 296-5421

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Out In the Field

Some set-up photo’s of our far out-in-the-field event for Debs Kitchen. Travel out Santa Rosa Creek Rd. to farmlands and the hills of Central California. Far from the city to abandoned Santa Lucia Ranch for a delightful day.

 

 

 

 

Growing Amaryllis

3 Ways to Plant Amaryllis

A lovely amaryllis in bloom is a sure sign that the holiday season is in full swing. By planting in November, you can ensure gorgeous flowers come Christmas.
TV gardener Andrea Mason shares easy techniques for growing amaryllis in three different mediums:

 

WATER PLANTING

Fill a clear vessel with a three-inch layer of stones or pebbles.
Add the amaryllis bulb, then add more stones around it for stability.
Add water just below the bulb, but not touching it, and monitor the water level to make sure it remains consistent.

 SOIL PLANTING

Partially fill a pot with well-draining potting soil; add bulbs.
Fill in with soil 2/3 of the way up the bulb, keeping the “neck and shoulders” above the soil level.

Water and let pot drain; cover the soil surface with moss or pebbles for decoration. Potted amaryllis can thrive for more than 15 years if properly maintained. 

COCO PEAT PLANTING

Place coco peat disk in a container and add warm water.
Allow disk to absorb water and expand for about 15 minutes; stir.
Fill the bottom half of a pot with coco peat mixture and position bulb with roots down. Add remaining mixture so about 1/4 of the bulb is above the surface.

 Care Tips

After planting, place bulbs in a warm, bright spot. Bottom heat, such as a germination pad or the top of a refrigerator, will help force the bulbs out of dormancy.
Water sparingly until green growth appears, then water regularly. Try to keep the soil moist but not soggy.

Stake the stalks with twigs when they grow tall so they don’t topple over.
After flowers fade, cut stems an inch from the base of the bulb. Water as needed and apply household fertilizer monthly until midsummer. Then, cease watering and let bulbs rest for two months, at which point they’re ready to begin the forcing process once again.

Article from Martha Stewart

Photo Smithsonian Inst. Diane Shaw

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Cooking from the Pantry

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An easy roasted red pepper dip for any occasion. Quick and easy to prepare; serve with pita bread, cocktail bread or any cracker.

  • 1 cup walnuts -- toasted
  • 1 slice Italian bread -- torn into pieces
  • 1 cup red peppers -- roasted
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper -- ground or Hungarian paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar -- optional
  • pita bread -- sliced into wedges

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and puree into a

smooth paste, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Refrigerate

if not serving immediately. Let come to room temperature before serving.

Serve with pita wedges.

Cooking From The Pantry

Easier than pie recipe for seasonal sweets. Great on the buffet table, to take to a pot luck or just for an afternoon snack.

Pumpkin-Cranberry Bars

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My aunt-in-law gave me this great recipe and I’ve adapted it by adding cranberries and powdered sugar frosting; although the bars a great without a frosting too!

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves etc.)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cups sugar
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • Frosting:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350 °.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, baking spice and salt. Stir in cranberries; set aside.

Using an electric mixer beat together eggs, sugar and oil; add pumpkin puree and mix until just blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Spread mixture into a 9 x 11” pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Frosting:

In a small bowl, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Drizzle in milk, stirring until you have a smooth mixture.

Cut the bars and place them on a cooling rack over a piece of parchment paper. Drizzle with the powdered sugar frosting and let set for a few minutes.

You can purchase a baking spice from Penzeys, you won’t regret it. Replace all your ingredients, nutmeg, cinnamon etc. with the baking spice for an extra special flavor!

December Cooking Demo

 

Last Class of the Year

Festive Family Dinner

Thursday December 7th

6:30 – 8:30, approximately

Menu

Artichoke Bruschetta

Tomato Bisque with Gruyere & French Ham Croutons

 Italian Roasted Beef in Barolo Wine Sauce

Balsamic Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts & Pecans

Stuffed Shells with Homemade Ricotta

Cranberry-Orange Olive Oil Cake

$45.00

For reservations call  Temecula Olive Oil, Seal Beach

(562) 296-5421

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