Gourmet meals made at home for way less
While some folks may have headed out on New Year’s Eve for a
fancy meal at a fancy restaurant, I opted to cook my own haute
cuisine right at home. Some recipes that may seem complicated at a
restaurant really aren’t that hard to prepare
– they just need plenty of time.
Gourmet meals made at home for way less
While some folks may have headed out on New Year’s Eve for a fancy meal at a fancy restaurant, I opted to cook my own haute cuisine right at home. Some recipes that may seem complicated at a restaurant really aren’t that hard to prepare – they just need plenty of time.
A few years ago when flipping through the “Something Extra” recipe from Raley’s Nob Hill, I saw a recipe for Dijon herb encrusted prime rib that my parents thought looked delicious. Not being much a steak person, I figured I would go along with them. When we got to the store, we couldn’t find a cut that said prime rib on it so we inquired at the meat counter. The helpful man at the counter said prime rib is not the cut, but refers to the way the meat is cooked. He helped us pick out a nice (expensive) roast for the recipe.
After two to three hours in the oven the meat turned out tender and tasty, and it even made me into a convert, though I still don’t go for the horseradish that the rest of the family uses with it. We don’t make this recipe often since a good 5-6 lb. roast can cost up to $50, but we will splurge when the cut is on sale from time to time. Right before Christmas, I picked up one for $35 that offered up about eight servings. When compared with what eight servings of prime rib would be in a restaurant, I figured that wasn’t too bad.
The roast can be served with any vegetables on the side, but I prefer it with mashed potatoes to use up the juices from the roasting pan. The key to a good gravy is to use flour to make a roux with the drippings before adding in any extra liquid.
One other thing I love at restaurants is creamy leek and potato soup, but I’d never made it at home. The process of pureeing hot soup always seemed like a dangerous proposal to me. But after a trip to Macy’s where I purchased a Cuisinart hand blender (thanks to Christmas gift cards), it seemed like it might be a reasonable task. Like the roast, this soup needs a little time on the stovetop. The leeks need to cook down slowly for half an hour, then the broth and potatoes go in to cook for another 45 minutes. Once the cooking is done, the vegetables are pureed with the blender and then heavy cream and buttermilk is added to give the soup a decadent finish.
These two recipes may not be the healthy options people are looking for in the New Year, but they are definitely recipes to save for a special occasion.
Dijon Herb Cross Rib Roast
Raley’s “Something Extra”
1 (6-lb.) USDA Choice Beef cross rib roast
1/2 c. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1 tbsp. coarse black pepper
1/2 tbsp. each: basil, rosemary, sage and thyme
Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 2 to 3 hours
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place roast, fat side up, in a large shallow baking pan. Stir together the remaining ingredients and spread over the top and sides of roast. Insert an oven-proof meat thermometer so the tip is in the center of the roast.
Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until meat thermometer reaches 135°F for medium-rare or 150°F for medium. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Pan gravy
2-3 tbsp. flour
drippings from the pan
1-2 c. beef broth
Carefully drain the liquid from the roast pan into a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat and whisk in flour. Allow to cook for two to three minutes. The drippings should thicken up into a roux. Slowly pour in beef brother, whisking constantly until desired thickness of the gravy is reached. Keep in mind that the gravy will thicken slightly as it cools.
Leek potato soup
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown
1 lb. leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium
3 tbps. unsalted butter
Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
14 oz., approximately 3 small, Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 qt. vegetable broth
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 tbsp. snipped chives
Chop the leeks into small pieces and wash thoroughly.
In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.
Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.
