Beef Tenderloin Stew with Mushroom & Raisin Chutney

Comfort food made in the blink of an eye! Jacques Pépin's "Instant Beef Tenderloin Stew" was a cinch to make and didn't require hours of cooking. From start to finish it took about 30 minutes. The beef tenderloin was a bit of a splurge but well worth it. Prepare and serve this stew in a high sided, large skillet with a lid. Make sure your pan is on medium-high heat to sear the vegetables. I didn't get the pan quite hot enough so I had to cook a bit longer and didn't get that nice sear, but it still tasted wonderful! The cold chutney adds another depth of flavor and really enhances the stew.

Recipe

STEW
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
1-1/2 c. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes (keep in a bowl of water until ready to use to prevent discoloration)
8-10 small carrots, peeled
8 oz. small button mushrooms
1/3 c. chopped onion
1 T. chopped garlic
1 c. peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-1/2" pieces
2-4 oz. dry white or red wine (for deglazing the pan)
Chopped chives or parsley for garnish

Heat 1 T. of the butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the potatoes, carrots and whole mushrooms; cook partially covered for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and lightly browned. Add the onion and cook for a minute longer. Add the garlic, peas and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook for another minute or two. Set aside, covered, while you prepare the meat.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in another skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper on the steak and add it to the skillet in one layer so the meat sears. Saute for 2-3 minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to the vegetable mixture in the other skillet. Add the wine to the skillet you cooked the meat in and boil for about 10-15 seconds, then pour over the meat and vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped chives. Serve with mushroom and raisin chutney.

MUSHROOM & RAISIN CHUTNEY
Put all of the following ingredients in a stainless steel saucepan, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and boil gently for about 10-15 minutes. Cool. Serve cold. Will keep refrigerated for about two weeks.
1 lb. button mushrooms, quartered
1/3 c. dark raisins
2 T. olive oil
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
2 bay leaves
1/3 c. dry white wine
1 T. chopped garlic
2 tsp. chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/2 c. coarsely chopped onion
2 T. red wine vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt

– Jacques Pépin, "Fast Food My Way"

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin on Grape Tomatoes

A butterflied pork tenderloin is stuffed with fresh spinach and cheddar and served over a bed of sautéed whole grape tomatoes. A 1 to 1-1/4 lb. tenderloin serves 4 people. If you're uncomfortable butterflying the tenderloin, have your butcher do it for you.

Watch Jacques prepare this dish here (at about the 8:25 mark)

Recipe

4 T. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 8-oz. package baby spinach
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Pork Tenderloin (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley

Heat 2 T. of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 1 minute, then add the spinach, pushing down into the skillet, and the salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, uncovered, until the liquid from the spinach has evaporated. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

Trim the tenderloin of any fat and silverskin. I had a bit of trouble butterflying it, so I sliced it lengthwise to within about an inch of the other side, laid it open as flat as I could, covered it with saran wrap and pounded it to an even thickness and wide enough that it would enclose the stuffing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, turn over and lay half of the spinach down the middle, then the cheese, and the rest of the spinach on top. Fold up the sides to enclose the filling. Wrap two strips of foil, about 1" wide, around the tenderloin to keep the stuffing inside. You can also put a bit of foil over the ends so the stuffing doesn't fall out.

Preheat the oven to 350. Heat the remaining 2 T. oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle the outside of the tenderloin with salt and pepper and place it in the skillet over medium high heat to brown it on all sides. This takes about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, take off the foil strips and put the skillet in the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the pork tenderloin). When done, transfer to a platter.

Add the tomatoes to the hot skillet and season with the remaining salt and pepper and add the chopped parsley. Saute over high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes until softened.

Slice the tenderloin crosswise into 8 pieces and spread the tomatoes all around and serve.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Razor Clams with Pecan Crust and Lime Aioli

The best fried razor clams ever! I've been preparing this recipe for over 15 years now, but for some inexplicable reason, this time I made a few changes. Not a good idea. First of all, instead of a food processor, I decided to use the Vitamix to mix the pecan crust ingredients. The motor is much too powerful and within a few seconds made a nut butter out of the pecans. Second mistake was using a nonstick pan rather than my tried and true cast iron. You just can't get that perfectly even high heat sear with nonstick! So much for experiments. I'll continue to make this fantastic recipe the way I always have.

Recipe

Razor clams (pounded VERY lightly to an even thickness)
Buttermilk
Flour

PECAN MIXTURE
2 c. toasted pecans
3/4 c. flour
1 to 2 tsp. cayenne (depending on your taste)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

LIME AIOLI: Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and keep refrigerated.
2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. minced garlic
1/8 c. minced shallots
1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 c. lime juice

For the pecan crust, pulse the flour, cayenne, brown sugar and salt until grainy in a food processor; add the toasted, cooled pecans, then blend. Lay out a plate with flour, a bowl with buttermilk, and another plate with the pecan mixture. Dredge the razor clams in the flour, then dip in the buttermilk, then press into the pecan mixture.

Fry in peanut or vegetable oil in a searing hot pan for 45 seconds per side ( no more, no less). Serve immediately with the lime aioli.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I'm always on the lookout for a good Indian restaurant but in the last few years I have been unimpressed. My brother's favorite dish is chicken masala so I decided to make it at home. This recipe is fabulous, a real keeper! Serves 3 to 6, depending on how hungry you are. If you like more heat, increase the amount of cayenne and/or add a chopped jalapeno pepper with the onion.

Perfectly spiced chicken tikka masala, served with basmati rice, naan, and cucumber-mint raita.

Recipe

2 T. ghee
1 finely chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1 T. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 T. fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
14-oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. heavy cream
1-1/2 tsp. paprika
1 T. sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 tsp. curry powder
Cilantro for garnish (if desired)

Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cumin, salt, ginger, cayenne, cinnamon and turmeric, stir, and fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in the cream, paprika and sugar, bring back to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Meanwhile, heat 1 T. peanut (or vegetable) oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, sprinkle with curry powder, and sear, stirring, until the chicken is lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the chicken (and any juices) to the tomato sauce. Simmer for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with basmati rice.

Shrimp & Scallop Pillows

A fun recipe with a shrimp, scallop and sour cream puree stuffed between two round wonton wrappers. Steamed and sautéed, these are crunchy outside and creamy inside. Figure one each for an appetizer, and three each for a main course (this recipe is enough for 12 potstickers). These paired well with a Rex Hill Shea Pinot.

Recipe

1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled
1/2 lb. scallops
1/3 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
(24) 3-inch potsticker rounds
2 T. peanut oil

Cut the tail ends off the shrimp and add to a food processor with the scallops. Cut the remaining shrimp into pieces and set aside. Process the shrimp and scallops for 15 seconds. Add the sour cream, salt and pepper, and process until smooth, about another 15-30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the reserved shrimp pieces.

For the potstickers you want the tops to be larger than the bottoms so they can enclose the puree. Stack 3 high at a time and use a rolling pin to enlarge them to about 4" diameter. Lay out 12 regular size (3") potstickers and put a heaping spoonful of puree in the middle of each one. Brush the larger tops lightly with water and place them, wet side down, on top of the puree. Pick them up and press all the way around to seal the edges. 

In a large non-stick skillet pour about 1/2 c. water and 1 T. peanut oil in the pan. Add as many of the potstickers to the pan to create one layer (don't let them overlap or they will stick to each other). Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. Uncover and cook over medium-high to high heat until all the liquid is gone and the potstickers start to brown. Flip them over and be sure to brown on both sides. Repeat with the rest of the potstickers.

Serve over torn Boston lettuce leaves (5-6 cups loosely packed) that have been lightly dressed with 2 T. olive oil, 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

– Jacques Pépin, "Fast Food My Way"

Shellfish and Chicken Paella

Hands down the best paella I have ever eaten! I'm definitely going to make each and every recipe in Jacques Pépin's "Fast Food My Way" and "More Fast Food My Way" cookbooks. I have been thrilled with every recipe (and techniques). I had a tough time, however, finding authentic Spanish dried chorizo, rice, and saffron, so I ordered from Amazon Prime and wasn't sorry! Starting with quality ingredients is key. You don't need a paella pan for this, and you don't have to cook it on the grill outdoors. I used a large, nonstick fry pan with lid and cooked on the stovetop.

Serve this amazing dish with Gazpacho and Pineapple in Dark Rum Sauce accompanied by a good Spanish red wine.

From Jacques Pépin's "More Fast Food My Way." Video and recipe can be found here.