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One of our many kitchen offerings is red wine demi-glace, which is heavily reduced veal stock flavoured with red wine.  It is great to use in a pan sauce, and now I want to give you two options for how to best use it with a steak (maybe a striploin that’s on sale this weekend?). These recipes are to be made in a pan which a steak had just been cooked (which will have all the delicious bits of beef remnants (aka “fond” from the steak), and are meant for approximately 2 steaks.

Peppercorn Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tbsp                   unsalted butter
1 tbsp                   shallots, minced
2 branches          fresh thyme
2 tsp                     cracked black peppercorns
3 tbsp                   brandy
1 tbsp                   green peppercorns (optional)
3 tbsp                   demi-glace
1 tbsp                   35% cream
to taste                salt

Method:

1. Drain any excess fat from the pan you had just used to cook a steak.
2. Return the pan to a medium heat and add the butter. When melted, add the shallots, thyme, and cracked pepper. Use a wooden spoon to stir well for a couple of minutes, picking up any bits of the fond as you stir.
3. When the shallots are translucent, add the brandy. Reduce by half.
4. Add the green peppercorns (if using) and the demi-glace. Reduce by a quarter.
5. Add the cream, bring to a simmer, then take off the heat. Remove the thyme branch, taste for seasoning, and serve, poured over your recently cooked steak.

 

Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups                  red wine (preferably something juicy that you would drink yourself, but also cheap and cheerful)
½ cup                   port wine
1 tbsp                   unsalted butter
1 tbsp                   shallots, minced
2 branches          fresh thyme
1                            bay leaf (dry or fresh)
4 tbsp                   demi-glace

Method

1. Pour the red wine and port into a small sauce pot, then place over medium high heat. Reduce the wine until a quarter cup remains.
2. While the wine is reducing, drain any excess fat from the pan you had just used to cook a steak.
3. Return the pan to a medium heat and add the butter. When melted, add the shallots, thyme, and bay leaf. Use a wooden spoon to stir well for a couple of minutes, picking up any bits of the fond as you stir.
4. When the shallots are translucent, add the wine reduction and bring to a simmer.
5. Add the demi-glace and reduce by a quarter and the sauce is glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
6. Remove the thyme and bay leaf and serve alongside your steak. If you want a totally smooth sauce, strain the shallots out as well using a fine mesh strainer.

Not sure which recipe to use to roast your turkey this weekend? Never fear, here is your hit turkey recipe! Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and your favourite holiday side dishes.

Roast Turkey with Stuffing

recipe abridged from Cooking Meat by Peter Sanagan

Note: If you don’t have a stockpot large enough to hold the turkey, ask us for a brine kit, which already comes with the brine ingredients. Be sure to start this recipe the day before the celebration.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

Roast Turkey

3 quarts water
1 cup salt
1 cup granulated sugar
6 garlic cloves
8 thyme sprigs
4 bay leaves
1 quart ice cubes
1 (15 pounds) turkey
Vegetable oil for drizzling

Compound Butter

2 cups unsalted butter
1 bunch sage, leaves picked and chopped
1 bunch thyme, leaves picked and chopped
1 bunch chives, chopped
1 Tbsp ground allspice
Salt and pepper
½ cup Madeira or port

Stuffing

1 cup butter
2 large onions, cut in small dice
2 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves
Giblets from the turkey, finely chopped
Liver from the turkey, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
1 carrot, grated
1 bunch sage, leaves picked and sliced
½ tsp grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground allspice
Salt and pepper
½ cup Madeira or port (optional)
1–2 cups turkey or chicken stock
4 cups 1-inch cubes of stale bread (cube it the day before and leave it to dry out)

Gravy

2 cups white wine (divided)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp cooking fat (from the turkey)
1 turkey neck (from the bird), roughly chopped into smaller chunks
2 shallots, finely diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 thyme sprigs
4 sage sprigs
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
3 cups dark turkey or chicken stock

Method

1. In a stockpot large enough to hold the turkey, bring the water to a boil with the salt, sugar, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. When the salt and sugar are dissolved, turn off the heat and add the ice. Allow the brine to cool until you can stick your finger into it, pain-free.
2. Remove the giblets, liver, and neck from the turkey (usually these are in the neck cavity). Set them in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Place the turkey in the stockpot with the brine (or place it in the brining bag, add the brine, and then place it in a bowl). Refrigerate for at least 15 hours (allow 1 hour per pound).
3. To make the compound butter, cut the butter into slices and arrange them on a plate at room temperature to soften. In a small bowl, mix together the sage, thyme, chives, allspice, salt and pepper to taste, and Madeira. When the butter is soft, add it to the herb mixture and, using a spatula, fold them all together. Shape the butter into a rectangle on a layer of plastic wrap, roll up, and refrigerate overnight.
4. On the day of the celebration, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Discard the brine and set the turkey aside at room temperature while you make the stuffing.
5. To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and bay leaves, cover, and, stirring frequently, sweat until the onions start to change color slightly, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the giblets and liver, cook for another 5 minutes, and then add the celery, carrots, sage, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper. Turn up the heat to medium and sauté, stirring frequently, until the celery starts to take on a bit of color.
6. Add the Madeira (or port), if using, and reduce by half. Add 1½ cups of the stock and bring to a simmer. Place the diced bread in a medium bowl and pour the stock mixture over top. Mix thoroughly. If you find the mixture too dry, add a little more stock, ¼ cup at a time, until the stuffing is moist. Add some salt and pepper if required. Set aside.
7. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Have a roasting pan with an elevated roasting rack ready.
8. To prepare the turkey, lift the skin at the front of each breast and use your fingers to make a pocket between the skin and the breast meat. Cut the compound butter into ½-inch slices and slide the slices under the skin so they cover the breast. Stuff the cavity of the bird with the bread stuffing. Place the turkey on the roasting rack. Season the bird with salt and pepper and drizzle enough oil over it to cover the skin.
9. Place the pan on the center rack in the oven and roast, basting every 30 minutes or so with the pan juices, until a thermometer plunged into the thigh of the turkey reads 180°F and the breast or stuffing reads 165°F, 4½–5 hours. Remove from the oven and transfer the turkey to a cutting board. Wrap the turkey in aluminum foil and then a towel to keep warm while it rests.
10. To make the gravy, tilt the roasting pan slightly and skim the fat off the top of the drippings, reserving 2 Tbsp. Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium-low heat and add 1 cup of the wine. As it simmers, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to lift up all of the bits of caramelized roasting juices. Turn off the heat and set aside.
11. In a separate saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the reserved fat. Add the turkey neck, cook until brown, add the shallots and garlic, and sauté until golden. Add the flour and stir vigorously to make an aromatic roux. Add the thyme, sage, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste, and then deglaze the pot with the remaining 1 cup wine. Turn down the heat and stir constantly for about 5 minutes to cook the alcohol from the sauce. Add the stock, whisking to incorporate, and then add all the drippings from the turkey pan, mixing well to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes to incorporate the flavors. Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a gravy boat.
12. Use a spoon to remove the stuffing from the cavity and place some in a bowl and some on the turkey serving platter. Carve the turkey, and present on a platter with the stuffing and gravy to your hungry (and happy) guests.

To “confit” meat refers to a technique where a fatty cut of meat (duck is very popular) is slowly cooked in its own fat. The process renders the meat very tender and flavourful, and the skin can be roasted until crispy, creating an amazing mouthfeel.

I learned this technique from a popular food blog – RecipeTin Eats – and I have to say it yields the most consistent crackling I’ve ever had. You can easily change the dry rub to suit your tastes, but stick close to the method, as it will work every time. Note: for best results you’ll need to dry the skin of the pork in your fridge for at least 8 hours; preferably overnight.

Confit Pork Belly

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs                      pork belly with skin on, skin not scored
1.5 tsp                  olive oil, divided
2 tsp                     Sanagan’s Porchetta Rub (alternatively use 1.5 tsp salt & 0.5 tsp pepper)
½ tsp                    salt

Method

1. Place the pork belly on a plate, skin side up. Dry the skin with a paper towel, then allow to rest in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. Preheat your oven to 285°F.
3. Drizzle the meat side of the belly (not the skin) with 1 tsp of olive oil, rubbing it in. Sprinkle the porchetta seasoning all over the meat (not the skin), rubbing it in well.
4. Place 2 pieces of aluminum foil on your work surface. Each piece should be about 12” x 12”. Place the belly in the center of the foil. Fold the sides in to enclose the belly, leaving the skin exposed (the “package” should resemble an open box. Pinch the corners of the foil to seal tightly, then place the meat on a baking tray.
5. Pat skin dry, then rub with the remaining tsp of olive oil. Season with ½ tsp salt, evenly sprinkling over entire skin from edge to edge.
6. Place in the oven and roast for 2.5 hours. After 1.5 hours, remove and tighten the foil (pork will have shrunk), and continue cooking.
7. Remove pork from oven, then increase temperature to 465°F.
8. Remove pork from foil and place on a rack set over a baking tray (this allows full air circulation). Use small scrunched up balls of aluminum foil positioned underneath the belly, propping the meat up to make the skin as level and horizontal as possible. This is key for a uniform crackling.
9. Place tray back in oven and roast at the higher heat for 30 minutes, or until the skin is uniformly crackling and crispy.
10. Take the pork out of the oven and rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Use a serrated (bread) knife to cut through the crackling.

This pretty, classic breaded cutlet will be a winner in any household. Breading any cutlets is a great technique to get a crispy coating, as well as making the overall volume of your main course a little bigger. And bread is still cheaper than meat (for now…)!

Recipe abridged from Cooking Meat.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

7 Tbsp                  olive oil (divided)

1                            small onion, finely diced

2                            garlic cloves, minced

1 ¼ cups              tomato passata (aka tomato puree)

6                            basil leaves, chopped

To taste               Salt and pepper

2                            boneless, skinless chicken breasts (each about 9–10 ounces) – ask your butcher to fillet   each breast in half, and pound the cutlets lightly to about a ½ inch thickness

1 cup                    all-purpose flour

2                            eggs

1½ cups               breadcrumbs

1 tsp                     dried oregano

½ cup                   freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

8 ounces             fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced in 8 rounds (or 2 cups of grated mozzarella)

 

Method:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat until slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, turn down the heat to medium-low, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the passata and basil and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and tastes sweet. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Set aside.
2. Prepare a breading station on your work surface. Place the flour in a large bowl. Crack the eggs into a second bowl and whisk them well. In a third bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, oregano, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Set a clean plate beside the bowls to receive the chicken.
3. One piece at a time, press the chicken into the flour, coating it on both sides and shaking off any excess. Next, dip the chicken in the egg mixture, shaking off any excess again, and then dredge it in the breadcrumbs, ensuring it is well coated but shaking off any excess. Set the breaded chicken on the plate. Repeat until all the chicken is breaded.
4. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
5. Heat the remaining 6 Tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the breaded chicken and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.
6. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the baking tray. Cover each breast with a few spoonful’s of the tomato sauce, 2 Tbsp of the Parmigiano, and 2 pieces of mozzarella (or ½ cup grated mozzarella). Bake until the cheese is slightly golden and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

This is one of my favourite recipes to cook short ribs. The bitterness of the dark ale works well with the sweetness from the caramelized vegetables, and the beef is simply succulent. This recipe is abridged from Cooking Meat, available at the shops or wherever fine books are sold.

Short Ribs with Dark Ale

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients:

1 cup                    all-purpose flour

6                          flanken cut beef short ribs

To taste               Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp                  vegetable oil

1 cup                    chopped onions

1 cup                    chopped carrots

½ cup                   chopped celery

½ cup                   chopped leeks

4                            garlic cloves, minced

1                            herb bundle (4 sprigs thyme, 4 sprigs rosemary, 4 bay leaves) tied together

2 Tbsp                  tomato paste

2 L                         Beef Stock

1 L                         dark ale

¼ cup                   fancy molasses

¼ cup                   malt vinegar

¼ cup                   cornstarch

¼ cup                   cold water 

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Fill a bowl with the flour. Liberally season the ribs with salt and pepper. 

2. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Dredge the ribs in the flour, rolling them around to coat them and shaking off any excess, before placing them in the pot. Brown the ribs, one or two at a time, then transfer them to a plate. 

3. Turn down the heat to medium-low and return the pot to the heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and garlic and stir, scraping the dark brown bits of cooked meat from the bottom of the pot. Cook until softened, about 15 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper. 

4. Add the herb bundle to the pot, along with the tomato paste. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes. Add the stock, ale, molasses, and vinegar, and bring to a simmer. 

5. Return the ribs to the pot, making sure they are completely submerged. If not, add more stock or a little water. Cover with a lid, place the pot in the oven, and braise until the beef is soft and just coming away from the bone, 2 to 2.5 hours. Remove the pot from the oven and allow the ribs to cool, covered, in the liquid at room temperature for a few hours. 

6. Remove the ribs from the braising liquid and reserve, keeping warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, discarding the solids. Bring the braising liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce it by half, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium-low. 

7. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry. Starting with half of the slurry, slowly drizzle into the sauce and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon, adding more slurry if needed. Season with salt and pepper. 

8. To serve, arrange the ribs on a serving platter and coat with some of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce into a gravy boat and serve alongside the ribs.

Pita bread is a leavened flat-bread, common in the Mediterranean, Levant, and neighbouring areas. Like many in Toronto, I was introduced to pita via Greek restaurants, where it would be grilled and either served on the side of a meal or wrapped around garlicky souvlaki skewers. I have tried many pita breads, and we are lucky in Toronto to have so many bakeries making great versions.

My favourite pita bread used to be made by a restaurant called “Fat Lamb Kouzina”, who unfortunately no longer supply retailers. The pita would be toasted in a skillet and would come out so warm and fluffy, they were the thing of pita dreams. In any case, I wanted to recreate that at home, and I’d like to share my version with you!

Pita Bread

Makes 6 pita bread

Ingredients:

360g                     lukewarm water
3 tsp                     dry instant yeast
1 tsp                     sugar
500g                     bread flour
1 tsp                     salt
2 tbsp                   olive oil, divided

Method:

1) In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the water, yeast and sugar until the yeast dissolves. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until yeast froths.

2) Add the flour and salt and mix using the dough hook for 6-8 minutes.

3) After mixing, the dough should become an elastic, and easily pull away form the sides of the bowl.

4) Remove dough from mixer and place in a bowl. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and rub all over. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in a warm area of your kitchen for 20 minutes, or until it doubles in size.

5) Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured work area. Divide dough into 6 evenly sized balls. Place dough on a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Rest for an additional 15 minutes.

6) Use a floured rolling pin to form each dough into a disc about 10” in diameter.  You can also form by hand stretching. If desired, make dimples in the dough with your fingertips.

7) Add a bit of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Pan-bake each pita for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden. Use a lid to cover the pan during cooking – this will allow the bread to steam slightly. Repeat until all pita are complete!

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Meatballs are a great, versatile, menu option: you can stuff them inside crusty bread, pile them on a mountain of spaghetti, or simply eat them on their own without the sauce. This recipe is abridged from my book “Cooking Meat”.

Makes 15 to 20 meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound               ground beef
1 pound               ground pork
1 ounce               prosciutto, finely diced
¼ cup                  finely chopped onions
2 Tbsp                 chopped garlic
2 Tbsp                 grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 Tbsp                 chopped Italian parsley
1 Tbsp                 salt
1 tsp                    pepper
1 tsp                    dried oregano
4 cups                 Sanagan’s Tomato Sauce (any of your favourites will also work)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, with a clean hand mix together the beef, pork, prosciutto, onions, garlic, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano until well combined, and slightly tacky (the action of mixing extracts protein from the meat which acts like a glue). Pinch off bits of the meat mixture and roll them into balls about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Place the meatballs on the baking tray, set it in the oven, and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, turning once during cooking.
3. Heat the sauce in a large pot over medium-low heat until it is simmering. Add the baked meatballs, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours.
4. To serve, remove from the heat and enjoy.

 

 

When I left high school, I went straight to work in restaurants. Unlike my siblings who left home to study at university, I was surrounded by good food and never went hungry. Then, as now, many students moved away from home barely knowing how to heat a can of soup, let alone eat well on a budget. This recipe is for them and other cash-strapped reluctant cooks, as well as families looking for an easy recipe that the kids will (probably) love!

Abridged from Cooking Meat

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp                   salt (divided)
1 Tbsp                               olive oil or vegetable oil
1                                        medium onion, cut in medium dice
½ tsp                                  pepper
2                                         garlic cloves, finely diced
1 pound                              ground beef
1 Tbsp                                paprika
1 pound                              pasta of your choice (small noodles work best)
1 (10 ounces) can              chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp                                tomato paste
3 Tbsp                                sour cream
1 cup                                  grated cheddar cheese
½ bunch                             green onion, chopped

Method

1. Fill a large pot with water, add the 1 Tbsp of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. While the water is coming to a boil, set your biggest frying pan over medium heat and add the oil. When it’s hot, add the 1 tsp of salt, the onions, and pepper. Turn down the heat to low, cover the pan, and allow the onions to cook, stirring every minute or so, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.
3. Add the beef, then turn up the heat to medium. Using a spoon, mash the beef with a spoon so it browns all over. Stir in the paprika and cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until the beef is no longer red.
4. When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta, stir, and cook according to the directions on the package until al dente. Drain and set aside.
5. Stir the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste into the beef mixture and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
6. Stir the sour cream into the beef mixture and turn down the heat to low. Stir until the beef is well coated and saucy, then add the drained pasta and cheese, stirring well to allow the cheese to melt into the sauce.
7. To serve, scoop the hamburger helper into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

I am a traditionalist when it comes to my hamburger accoutrements. Lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and of course ketchup and mustard. That was until we developed this recipe for burger sauce that removes the need for both ketchup and mustard and adds in mayonnaise for some extra flavour. We sell tons of it at the shop, but I thought I’d share the recipe with you in case you want to whip up a batch at home.

Sanagan’s Burger Sauce

Makes one liter

Ingredients: 

2 cups                  mayonnaise
1.5 tbsp                tomato paste
1 tsp                     Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp                   grainy mustard
2 tbsp                   dill pickles, chopped finely
1 tsp                     prepared horseradish
pinch                    sumac
pinch                    onion powder
pinch                    garlic powder
1 tsp                     hot sauce
to taste                salt and pepper

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well to incorporate. Store in fridge for up to two weeks.