Meet the meat

Grilled, seared, sauteed, pan fried. It's all meat and it's all good.

Basil Crusted Veal Chops


¼ cup minced basil
¼ cup plus 2 tb fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup packed grated Parmesan
2 tb butter at room temp
2 tsp coarse grain mustard


2 8oz veal chops, 1 ½ inches thick
1 tb olive oil


Preheat oven to 450
Mix basil, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, Parmesan, mustard and butter in small bowl
Season with salt and pepper

Season chops with salt and pepper
Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over high heat
Cook veal 1 minute per side
Press basil mixture into top of chops
Sprinkle remaining breadcrumbs onto chops
Place in oven and bake for about 15 minutes for medium rare


Beef Stroganoff

1 pound round steak, cut into thin 1” long strips
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
flour for dredging
1 Tb paprika
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
sour cream
1 can low-sodium beef broth
¼ pound unsalted butter
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 bag large egg noodles

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Put flour with paprika and salt and pepper to taste in a large plastic bag.
Put meat into seasoned flour and coat.
When butter is melted and hot sauté onions and meat, stirring
It’s ok if bits of flour stick to the pan. More on that later.
After about 10 minutes add the minced garlic
Cook for about 5 more minute or until meat is cooked through
Deglaze the pan with the wine and broth, stirring to mix
Turn heat to low and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly
Add sliced mushrooms to mixture and cook for about 10 more minutes
Taste and adjust seasonings with s and p
Cook egg noodles in boiling, salted water. Make sure that you add the salt to the water before you heat it up. The salt slows down the boiling process, but adds lots of flavor to the noodles. Don’t put oil in the water. The sauce won’t stick to the noodles if you do. That’s a rule for all pastas.
Add sour cream to sauce and mix well. I usually add about 2-3 Tb’s at first and taste. Sauce should be kind of a gray-mocha color
Rinse noodles thoroughly in a colander under hot water.
Arrange in bowls and spoon sauce over.
If you want sprinkle on fresh, chopped parsley for garnish


Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

½ cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
3 Tb olive oil
1 Tb fresh ground pepper
1 tsp salt
3 Tb chopped fresh thyme
2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat (1 ½ pounds)
chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 425.
Stir together breadcrumbs, basil, oil, salt and pepper and thyme.
Press mixture over pork and place on rack in roasting pan.
Roast for about 25 minutes, thermometer should register 160.
Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before carving.


Tenderloin Louisianne


Got this recipe from a chef friend in New Mexico

2 6-8 oz beef filets trimmed of all fat and silver skin
2 pats unsalted butter
Cajun seasoning
Fresh Hollandaise sauce

Preheat oven to 350
Melt butter in a heavy pan
Coat filets with melted butter and then coat with seasoning
Turn up heat to med high
Blacken steaks on all sides
Transfer to baking sheet and cook for about 2-3 minutes for med rare
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Slice each filet into threes and arrange on plate
Spoon Hollandaise onto meat and garnish with chopped parsley


Roasted Pork Loin with Green Pepper Sauce


7 lb bone in pork loin roast, Frenched and tied
2 tb olive oil
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
1 tb salt
1 ½ cups unsalted chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tb flour
½ cup white wine
1 tsp Dijon
2 tb green peppercorns


Let roast stand at room temp for 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 400
Rub pork with oil and season with fennel and salt
Place in rack in large roasting pan
Cook pork 1 ½ hours until thermometer reads 140 for medium, 160 for well
In small saucepan bring stock and bay leaf to a simmer
Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes
Remove bay leaf
Transfer pork to a cutting board and cover with foil
Remove all but 2 tb of oil from pan
Set over medium heat and add flour and scrape up browned bits
Add wine, stock, mustard and peppercorns
Bring to a boil to thicken
Season with salt and pepper and serve in gravy boat