Spanish Padron Peppers with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

This year I was able to successfully grow Padron peppers in my garden without critters munching them down by covering them with plant cages until they reached about 12" in height. I've never eaten these peppers before but know that they are a popular tapas staple in Spain. From everything I've read, Padron peppers are generally medium spicy with an occasional hot one (similar to Japanese Shishito peppers). So I cooked our first batch assuming that the spice level would be totally tolerable. NOT!!! Our lips and mouths were burning, burning, burning, even though the flavors were great. Maybe we had some errant pepper plants that were happenstance outliers from the norm. Anyhoo, this is a simple and delicious tapas dish, but I think I'll scrape out the seeds next time just in case to tame down the heat level.

INGREDIENTS:

12 Padron Peppers (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea salt (e.g., Maldon or Fleur de Sel)

1. If you're spice averse, cut a slit lengthwise along each pepper and scrape out the seeds (otherwise, leave them whole); set aside.

2. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a cast iron or heavy skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add the peppers. Turn occasionally with tongs until the skins are slightly browned/blistered on all sides. 

3. Remove the peppers and any oil in the pan to a serving dish. Season with a generous amount of sea salt. 

Padron pepper plant in the garden.

Use good quality olive oil.

Arugula & Baby Greens Salad with Tomatoes, Fig Jam Pancetta, Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Inspired by a salad we had at the Red Marin Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego. Their pancetta was candied with black pepper, so I added some fig jam to the fried pancetta bits along with some coarse ground black pepper to replicate the taste. In addition to the arugula, I also added some baby lettuce greens for variety and to tame the bitter bite. A great summer salad with just a few simple ingredients that's replete with flavor!

INGREDIENTS:

5 oz. diced pancetta

1 tbsp. fig jam

1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup arugula

1 cup baby lettuce greens

3 mini Burrata cheese balls, each cut in half

Balsamic vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil 

1. Brown the diced pancetta in a medium skillet over medium heat until crispy, stirring occasionally. Drain the fat and stir in 1 tbsp. of fig jam and 1/2 tsp. coarse ground pepper; set aside.

2. Combine arugula and baby lettuce greens and place onto a platter. Top with halved cherry tomatoes and halved burratas cheese balls. 

3. Sprinkle the top with the fried pancetta and drizzle generously with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. 

Drain the fat from the pancetta and stir in fig jam and black pepper.

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

Philly Cheese Steak is my all-time favorite sandwich in the world. Thinly shaved steak, grilled onions and cheese are the staples, but I also love the addition of bell peppers, a jalapeño for a little heat, and sliced mushrooms. 

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 green bell peppers, seeded and sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

Vegetable oil

Unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Black pepper

1 1/2 lbs. shaved beef steak

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Sliced provolone or American cheese

4 Hoagie-style buns, split in half lengthwise

Unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

Optional garnishes: spicy pickled peppers

1. Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil and 1 tbsp. unsalted butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat; add the sliced onions and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. Season with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, stir to combine, then remove to a bowl and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, add another 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil. Add the sliced bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes until lightly browned. Season with 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt and stir to combine. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, add another 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes until they are softened and lightly browned. Season with 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt and stir to combine. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

4. In the same skillet heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil over high heat. Add the shaved beef and break up using a spatula or tongs; season with 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. granulate garlic, and 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce. As soon as the beef has lost most of its pink color, remove to a bowl and set aside.

5. Butter each side of the buns and place butter side down on the same skillet over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn the buns over and let toast for another 1-2 minutes. Remove the buns to a plate and cover with aluminum foil; set aside.

6. Place the reserved beef back into the skillet, along with the caramelized onions and peppers; stir to combine. Top the beef mixture with slices of Provolone cheese and place a cover over the pan. 

7. Place the toasted buns onto plates. When the cheese has melted on the steak mixture, remove the cover and use a spatula to scoop equal portions onto the bottoms of the buns. Garnish with shredded lettuce and/or spicy pickled peppers if desired; place the tops of the buns over the mixture and cut each sandwich in half for easier eating.

Roast Beef Tenderloin

I ran out of time to pre-order a prime rib roast for New Year's Eve so, with a couple days to spare, I ended up just going to Albertsons to seek out a something proteinaceous to fill the bill. I lucked out and found ONE beef tenderloin left in the meat case that was calling out to me. Having never roasted a beef tenderloin before, I was nervous about screwing it up. But, after watching a ton of YouTube videos and scanning recipes in cookbooks and online, I came to the conclusion that the key to a successful roast was using very few ingredients (basically just salt and pepper), hard searing the meat before putting it in the oven, and carefully watching the cook time. With fingers crossed and the help of a new Meater thermometer, this beef tenderloin came out, well, beyond my expectations and with a huge sigh of relief! Great served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, horseradish sauce and roasted asparagus on the side.

INGREDIENTS: 

4-5 lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat and silver skin

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

2 tbsp. grape seed or avocado oil

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes https://thegrubfiles.blogspot.com/2014/12/roasted-garlic-mashed-potatoes.html

Roast Beef gravy https://thegrubfiles.blogspot.com/2021/01/roasted-beef-gravy.html

Horseradish sauce https://thegrubfiles.blogspot.com/2012/01/prime-rib-with-thyme-gravy-horseradish.html

1. If you buy beef tenderloin untrimmed, here's a great article & video from Serious Eats on how to do this yourself: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-trim-a-whole-beef-tenderloin

2. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then season on all sides with salt and pepper. Place the tenderloin on a wire rack set on a plate or baking dish and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 10 hours or preferably overnight. This will help the tenderloin develop a great crust during roasting.

3. Remove the beef from the refrigerator and tie up with twine (see photo below), and let sit 2 hours before cooking to let it come to room temperature. 

4. Preheat the oven to 425F. 

5. Heat 2 tbsp. of grape seed or avocado oil (both have a high smoke point) over medium high heat in a large cast iron skillet until it reaches about 375F (a laser thermometer is useful here to measure the heat); otherwise, just wing it - oil should be shimmering and almost smoking. Sear the tenderloin, about 3-5 minutes per side, including the ends, until nicely browned. 

6. Insert a thermometer into the middle of the seared beef and place (in the cast iron skillet) into the oven; roast for 30-40 minutes or until the internal reaches 115 to 120F, depending on your desired level of doneness. Remove the beef from the oven and place onto a chopping board; let rest for 20 minutes (the temperature will continue to go up: 120-125F for medium rare; 130-135F for medium). 

7. Slice the beef into 1" thick slices and serve with gravy and/or horseradish sauce. Garlic roasted mashed potatoes and asparagus are great sides. 

4.5 lbs. of beef tenderloin

Trim any fat or silver skin from the roast.

Season the roast liberally on all sides with 2 tsp. of kosher salt and 1 tsp. cracked black pepper.

Place the roast on a wire rack in a baking dish and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight at least 10 hours.

Tie the roast together with kitchen twine.

Let the tenderloin sit at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil over medium high heat in a cast iron skillet until it reaches 375F. Sear the tenderloin about 3-5 minutes per side until well browned. 

This is my new kitchen gadget, the "Meater" thermometer, operated via iPhone app. For this size of tenderloin, it will take about 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches about 120F. When it reaches 120F, remove the roast to a chopping board and let rest for 20 minutes. The roast will continue to increase in temperature during the resting time. 120-125F for medium rare, 130-135F for medium.

Let the roast rest for 20 minutes uncovered.

Slice the meat into 1" slices.

Serve with garlic roasted mashed potatoes, gravy, and roasted asparagus.

Italian Cream Cake with Pastry Cream Filling

Italian Cream Cake is actually a classic dessert from the Southern U.S., although I'm sure its origins somehow trace back to Italy. What I've garnered from my research on this iconic confection is that it is a super moist cake incorporating buttermilk, vanilla, shredded coconut, pecans or walnuts, and filled/frosted with either a cream cheese or buttercream frosting. It sounded so good that I decided to make this cake for my sister's birthday earlier this month, but decided to substitute the traditional uber sweet buttercream with a lighter Creme Diplomate (a mixture of whipped cream and pastry cream). The cake recipe itself comes from Maryam, the amazing baker of Cakes by MK https://cakesbymk.com/recipe/moist-italian-cream-cake/

FOR THE CAKE:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

6 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature (yolks & whites separated)

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature 

3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 

3/4 cup roughly chopped pecans

FOR THE PASTRY CREAM:

2 batches Creme Diplomate (Diplomat cream)

https://thegrubfiles.blogspot.com/2024/12/creme-diplomate-diplomat-cream.html 

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING:

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

MAKE THE PASTRY CREAM:

Make two batches of the Diplomat Cream according to instructions and refrigerate up to 2-3 days before use.

MAKE THE CAKE:

a. Preheat oven to 350F. 

b. Prepare two 8" cake pans by greasing the bottom and sides with unsalted butter. Place 8" parchment rounds on the bottoms of each pan, and grease the tops with additional butter; set aside.

c. Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl; whisk together until well-combined and set aside.

d. Place unsalted butter, vegetable oil and sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy; add egg yolks and mix on low speed until well combined. 

e. Add vanilla, almond extract and buttermilk and mix on low speed until well combined; use a spatula to scrape mixture down the bowl.

f. Add the sifted dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined (do not over mix).

g. Add the shredded coconut and chopped pecans and fold gently until just combined; set aside.

h. In a medium bowl, add the egg whites and whip on medium speed to stiff peaks, about 2-3 minutes.

i. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the cake batter and gently fold until just combined; add the remaining egg whites and gently fold until just combined.

j. Pour the cake batter evenly between the 2 cake pans and use a spatula to level out the batter. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven to cool for about 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the cakes, invert to remove and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

a. Using a serrated knife, remove the browned tops, bottoms and sides of each cake layer.

b. Combine the ingredients for the whipped cream topping into a bowl; using an electric mixer, beat over medium high heat to stiff peaks; set aside.

c. Place the first cake layer on a cake pedestal stand or turntable, lined with a cardboard round and/or paper doily. Pipe 3/4 of the pastry cream over the top, then smooth with a spatula. Top with the second cake layer, then pipe the remaining 1/4 of the pastry cream on top, smoothing over with a spatula.

d. Using a spatula, spread a generous amount of whipped cream around the sides of the cake until totally covered. Place the remaining whipped cream into a pastry bag with a star tip, and pipe decoratively on top of the cake, as desired. I like to add gold star sprinkles for extra pizzaz! 

Grease the bottoms and sides of the cake pans with unsalted butter.

Place two 8" parchment rounds on the bottoms of the cake pans and grease the tops with butter.

Sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl.

Whisk the sifted ingredients together to combine.

Cream the butter, oil and sugar together on medium high until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the egg yolks and beat on low speed until well combined.

Add vanilla, almond extract and buttermilk and mix one low speed until combined.

Beat egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form; set aside.

Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and fold very gently until just combined.

Add the coconut and pecans and fold until just combined.

Gently fold in 1/3 of the beaten egg whites to the batter; add the remaining egg whites and gently fold in until just combined.

Pour the batter equally into the cake pans. 

Spread the batter with a spatula to even out.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let rest for 20 minutes in the pan.

Remove the cakes from their pans and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Shave off the browned tops, bottoms and sides of each cake layer with a serrated knife. 

Pipe 3/4 of the pastry cream on top of the 1st cake layer.

Smooth and level out the pastry cream with a spatula; top with 2nd cake layer and top with remaining pastry cream.

Make the whipped cream; use this to frost the sides of the cake and pipe on top with a star tip.

I decorated this cake with gold star sprinkles and gilded butterflies for my sis Elaine's birthday.