Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Grill Roasted Sonoran Beef Wellington

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Grill Roasted Sonoran Beef Wellington: Around our house we eat Beef or Salmon Wellington on New Years Eve.   They are elegant and so easy to make.   The addition of grill roas...

Grill Roasted Sonoran Beef Wellington

Around our house we eat Beef or Salmon Wellington on New Years Eve.  They are elegant and so easy to make.  The addition of grill roasting and the poblano chile, adds a new depth of flavor to this already amazing dish. Give it a try and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Grill Roasted Sonoran Beef Wellington

Also try salmon, pork or chicken breast Wellington.

1 Tenderloin of beef

2 C   Sonoran Duxelle

1 TBL Extra virgin olive oil

1 LARGE SHEET Puff pastry

2 Eggs, well beaten

Black pepper

Kosher salt

1. Rub the olive oil into the exterior of the tenderloin.  Salt and pepper to taste.

2. Grill over high heat until the internal temperature is 128∞.  Remove from heat and fully cool in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

3. Bring the puff pastry to room temperature.  Lightly flour a flat working surface.

4. Place 1 sheet of puff pastry dough on work surface.  Spoon the duxelle across the of the pastry --  about 4" from the bottom edge and about 3" from the sides.  Spread into a shape 1/2" thick, about the size of the tenderloin.

5. Place the tenderloin on the duxelle. At this point sort of think of this dish as a fancy burrito. You're going to wrap the tenderloin and duxelle in puff pastry.   Fold bottom edge up and egg wash seams, trim any excess dough.  You're looking for about 1/2" overlap.  Fold the sides up and then top edge, egg washing and trimming as you go.

6. Place the Beef Wellington seam side down in lightly greased sheet pan and egg wash the top.

7. Place pizza stone on grill; light burners and turn to low.  Allow grill to slowly heat to about 400∞ then turn off burners directly below pizza stone and adjust heat to maintain approximately 400∞.

8. Place sheet pan directly on pizza stone and grill-bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

Sonoran Duxelle for Wellington

a main component of any Wellington dish.

1/2 LB Crimini mushrooms, cleaned and chopped fine

1/2 LB Assorted mushrooms, cleaned and chopped fine

2 Shallots, minced

2 TBL Sweet butter

1 Poblano chile, roasted, peeled and minced

Table salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1/2 TSP Fresh-ground nutmeg

A few drops of White truffle oil

1. Sauté the mushrooms and shallots in the butter for 5-6 minutes.  Add Poblano and spices and stir well.

2. Spoon into wire strainer and drain well.

3. Cool down in refrigerator in a covered glass bowl.  Add white truffle oil and stir well before using in Wellington.

4. Makes 2C, (enough for 1 Beef Wellington.)

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: New Years Day Black-eyed Peas

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: New Years Day Black-eyed Peas: New Years Day Black-eyed Peas or Getting Lucky at my Age! Every New Years day we have our traditional “lucky” foods.   Black-eyed ...

New Years Day Black-eyed Peas

New Years Day Black-eyed Peas

or Getting Lucky at my Age!

Every New Years day we have our traditional “lucky” foods.  Black-eyed Peas are always a big favorite.  And looking back on our lives I have to say they’ve worked well!  Best to you and yours!

Black-eyed Peas

1 LB dried or fresh Black-eyed peas, in your grocer’s produce section, today… while they last. (fresh peas, skip step 1)

1 Tbl. White vinegar (for soaking the dried peas)

2 carrots, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

½ sweet onion, chopped fine

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 Tbl. Sweet butter

1 large Ham-hock

1 jalapeno, or chipotle, chile, chopped

1 14 oz. can *diced tomatoes (*if living in Texas, Rotel)

Either a few tsp. of fresh thyme or oregano, or 2 tsp of Italian seasoning.

Water to cover by about 1.5 inches

Salt & pepper

1. Remove any rocks or foreign material from peas and rinse well.  Soak overnight in a bowl of water with 1TBL white vinegar.  Drain and rinse.

2.Saute the carrots, celery, onion and garlic, in the butter until soft but not browned.

3. Place peas in croc-pot or large heavy stock pot with lid.  Add all ingredients, and salt & pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and let burble (my father’s term for just slight of simmering), until tender, for at least a 3 hours.

Serve with fresh homemade cornbread and ice cold beer!

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: A Bright Note

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: A Bright Note: A Bright Note Political infighting… murder in our streets… unheard of natural disasters… the rich get richer and the poor… well afte...

A Bright Note

A Bright Note

Political infighting… murder in our streets… unheard of natural disasters… the rich get richer and the poor… well after my last post you may be thinking, ‘what’s the use, we’re all doomed.’  And I must admit there are days when I feel like we are all getting crushed under the foot of this fast-food, throw away, life we are being spoon feed, one commercial at a time.

And then it happens, someone that is young enough to understand, that even in this world, life is still what you make of it.

I’m so proud to announce that my niece Stephanie and the world’s best mother has decided after a successful stint in the corporate world to stay home and spend the time with her kids.  But that’s not all she has always loved food and as I’ve said in the past, “she’s a darn fine cook! (I think it’s in the genes ((not a double entendre fat joke))”

She started a food / mom at home / life with kids / all things family blog and the writing is very good.  Please go check her out at Conference Calls to Meatballs  

Personal note, Stephanie I started working from home when Katie Rose went to preschool.  I walked her to school and walked her home every day.  I went to the school at least once a month and got one of the kids and took them to lunch… maybe just a sandwich, sitting on the tailgate of my truck.  But I was there and got to catch them growing up.  Too many parents trade more dollars for this precocious time.  Although there is a cost, you will never regret this decision.

Lots of love, happy blogging.

Uncle Joe

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: What’s at Steak Every now and...

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: <!--StartFragment-->
What’s at Steak
Every now and...: What’s at Steak Every now and then modern life just pisses me off.    Case in point, the modern definition of steak.   Now I know th...

What’s at Steak

What’s at Steak

Every now and then modern life just pisses me off.   Case in point, the modern definition of steak.  Now I know that the dictionary says;

steak |stāk|

noun

high-quality beef taken from the hindquarters of the animal, typically cut into thick slices that are cooked by broiling or frying : he liked his steak rare.

I could disagree with this portrayal of a steak. To me a steak is a tender cut of beef (non-locomotive), grilled to perfection and served medium-rare. 

But, it seems, every time a TV commercial for a fast food restaurant comes on the air, it’s mentioning that they now offer “steak” in their already poorly prepared dishes.  W have tacos with shaved beef and cheese whiz,  breakfast burritos with shaved beef and egg product, and then sub sandwiches with shaved beef and processed cheese.

Incase you’re not familiar with shaved beef it’s best known as the steak on a Philly Cheese Steak.  Our parents knew it from the military, a sandwich made with white bread, canned beef gravy and shaved beef, they called it “Shit on a Shingle”, maybe they were just a little more honest. 

Here’s my beef, (get it?) as with all things in this modern age, the old way of doing and making things gets thinner, tighter, mass produced, and soon the average American starts to call steak what our parents called shit!

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Things Change

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Things Change: Okay… this is a little hard for me… I have a confession.   No I meant a confession… CONFESSION!   Look, I was raised, by a Pentecostal...

Things Change

Okay… this is a little hard for me… I have a confession.  No I meant a confession… CONFESSION! 

Look, I was raised, by a Pentecostal mother and a Catholic father.  Mom took us to her church but we knew that Catholics confessed their sins, and to a priest at that. 

So you may be asking, what sin?  Sloth… lacking ambition… not a self-starter… for the love of God, I’m a lazy bastard!

So how did I, at the ripe old age of fifty-five, come to this self-abasing conclusion?

I started off innocently enough.  I was posting an answer to a question, on a discussion group, I belong to, on Linked-in.  A question about which smoker, a member should buy after his was destroyed in a storm.  I gave my two cents worth and that was that… or so I thought!

A few days later, posing as an innocent offer, Jim Van Buskirk, from Green Mountain Grills, sent me an email;

Hey Mad,
Can I get you hooked up with a grill to try out?
Jim

Jim?  He signed it Jim, good old Jim, and like a lamb to slaughter, I foolishly said, Sure.

With that one little word… sure, things changed.  And not just a little. But I digress.

I’m thinking about my next book and I have two titles in mind.  One on the baking of Artisan breads and the other on 50 years of cooking with fire.  As I said in my first book “The Sonoran Grill,”  I believe that cooking with fire is deeply ingrained in our DNA.  Some hidden code that was developed, when those that ate meat cooked over a fire became stronger, faster, more able to meet women!

Likewise, as a young man I found that food cooked over a fire was nurturing, delicious, it brought people together.  I could be good at something and so I put a large amount of my attention to learning and then developing my natural talents as a grill cook, a few short decades later and I had a name for myself. The press called me a “Grilling Guru!”

But back to good old Jim, he arranged for me to pick up a Green Mountain Grill at The Barbecue Island it south Tempe, Arizona, about an hour from my home.  The staff was great and there was even a rep form the company.  Looking back now I see I was like the mark getting those free drinks in Las Vegas.  They got me all hooked up, explained everything about pellet smokers… what?  Didn’t I mention pellet smokers yet?  We’ll the Green mountain Grill is a pellet smoker.  The idea is this, a side hopper holds different varieties of wood pellets, oak, mesquite, pecan… what have you. A screw drive feeds a small fire chamber, which in turn creates smoke and heat at a well thought out rate.  All of which, is controlled by a small computer, that keeps the smoker at a very precise temperature.  

Jason, the sales rep (and evil minion of good old Jim) even had the balls to offer me the remote control model which allows a person (me), that once had pride in their ability to control a pile of burning wood and craft it into an amazing meal (really amazing), to sit on their ass watching television reruns, while the smoker does all the work for you.  It even has a meat thermometer, so with one touch I can not only see what the internal temperature of the meat is I can also see what the internal temperature of the smoking chamber is, and with one more touch, I can raise or lower that temperature to speed up or slow down the cooking process, or even raise the temperature enough to sear and finish if need be. 

I once had a friend that was a resident of the state for 5 years for implementing an import scheme that violated several Federal Statutes.  While a guest of the state he read the entire DOS manual.  Upon regaining his freedom he felt ready to conquer the computer world as a well-trained tech, but a funny thing happened, The Macintosh computer and Windows.  The world no longer needed a guy that knew several hundred shortcut key commands, they could just click on the command from a drop down menu.  I remember him saying, “What next?  If this doesn’t change anyone will be able to use a computer… even children.”  Being a friend I assured him saying, “ what’s the chance of that happening?”  And so I thought, well what do you expect.  And that was okay but now this is happening in my world, with these pellet smokers, busy housewives can turn them on (clearly lighting the grill is a man’s province), toss the meat on the grill and walk away.  While doing other things she (yes boys, I said she) can produce fantastic, ribs, tri tip, and even the hallowed, brisket, while chatting with her mom… Ahhhhh no it’s too cruel, CHATTING WITH HER MOM!  Oh the humanity!

And once they know this (remember the garden, the snake, the first woman, and the tree of Knowledge,) will we, be able to stand out by the grill with our buddies drinking beer, Beer that I might add creates jobs, saying to her every time she needs us to do some little chore,  I can’t honey I’m watching the grill.  She might even say it’s okay honey I’ve already got the grill going and the ribs look great, so you can vacuum before my Mom gets here.

And here’s the worst part, like a junkie saying I’ll only try it once, then I’ll do every now and then, and soon you’re doing unspeakable things in a bad part of town just to get a fix.  I tried out good old Jim’s Green Mountain Grill.  I wrote him a nice thank you note.  But told my wife, “oh it’s okay, but I like working the charcoal, watching the meat as roasts, you know, a hands on approach!  But two days later we had a small dinner to cook and as always we were busy so I thought, why don’t I just save a little time and use the pellet smoker.  It’s been a few weeks now and my big grill hasn’t seen a fire since the Green Mountain Grill showed up.

Well there you have it, What did Patton say in North Africa, “Mechanized Warfare… no valor, no heroes, nothing reaffirmed, not for me, no sir!

Listen I gotta go, I have some vacuuming to do!

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Look with all the werewolves on tv and the movies ...

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Look with all the werewolves on tv and the movies ...: Look with all the werewolves on tv and the movies I'm worried about them sneeking into politics!

Look with all the werewolves on tv and the movies I'm worried about them sneeking into politics!

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Friends, Romans, CreekersSorry for not writing for...

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Friends, Romans, CreekersSorry for not writing for...: Friends, Romans, Creekers Sorry for not writing for the past several weeks.  Many family things going on.  The good news is I am servin...

Friends, Romans, Creekers

Sorry for not writing for the past several weeks.  Many family things going on.  The good news is I am serving as the officiant at the Carefree Inn for another Elrod Family Wedding.  This is my second with them and my seventh wedding ceremony.  I have also done one funeral service.

It's a wonderful thing to be a part of; a chance to witness life up close and maybe help it as it rolls forward.  As far as the cooking goes I'm baking one day a week and playing a little music which keeps the wolves away from the door!

Katie our daughter has bought a house for her and the love of her life, Israel.  Joey is engaged to Miranda and fishing in Alaska to prime the monetary pump in an effort to kick start their life together.

I'm proud of them both.

My life long partner and wife Kathy continues top bring a check home to keep our life straight and a always I so proud of her efforts and glad to be with her.

If you need recipes or advice on any of the many things I do just give a holler: I'll get back to writing soon

Warmly,

Mad Coyote Joe

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Wow! Now this is news.

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Wow! Now this is news.: Wow! Now this is news. Yesterday was our 33 rd Wedding Anniversary.   We went to see a movie and to get something to eat.   When we...

Wow! Now this is news.

Wow! Now this is news.

Yesterday was our 33^rd Wedding Anniversary.  We went to see a movie and to get something to eat.  When we started this new whole food diet we decided that we could have a treat on special occasions.  This being one we thought we could try some meat or fish.  After the movie we talked and settled on Sushi.  We started out with a soy roasted green beans… delicious.  Then it was Tempura Scallop Skewers no big deal… in fact the taste kind of put both of us off.  Next we had Roasted shrimp, again neither of us really liked the flavor, and last we had Caterpillar rolls which we both like.  I couldn’t eat them and Kathy ate the rice and avocado.   Hmmm!  What can this mean? 

Well, we both wanted to really enjoy this meal as it will be a long time until we have animal protein again.  On the way home we talked about how disappointed we both were with the meal.  Kathy suggested that I buy a really good steak and grill it myself, so I could enjoy that roasted meat flavor that we both were craving.

The news gets worse.

On the way home we stopped at our local Bashas’ and bought a beautiful, Black Angus, Ribeye, Beef Steak out of the case.  I took it home, let it come to room temperature and lit some pure Mesquite chunk charcoal.  When the coals were good and hot, I blistered two Poblano chiles and while they were finishing in a paper bag I grilled the steak to perfection!  After letting the steak rest for about 12 minutes I cut into the steak and it was just right.  I took a bite and thought, hmmm… no big deal.  After a few more bites I gave up and let my dogs have the rest of the steak.  This is quite a change for me as I have always loved a good grilled steak.  I have to admit my tastes are changing.  I enjoyed my oatmeal with a little honey and a few nuts this morning much more than anything I ate last night?

What it means… I’m not sure but it certainly is worth some extra thought. 

More to come, Mad Coyote Joe 

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: A Few Thoughts on Flavors, Tastes and Cravings and...

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog:Confessions of a One Time Meat Eater!  A Few Thoughts on Flavors, Tastes and Cravings and...: A Few Thoughts on Flavors, Tastes and Cravings and the use of Flavor Accelerators! I’m guessing that we have been eating a plant bas...

A Few Thoughts on Flavors, Tastes and Cravings and the use of Flavor Accelerators!

A Few Thoughts on Flavors, Tastes and Cravings and the use of Flavor Accelerators!

I’m guessing that we have been eating a plant based whole food diet for about a month now.  I’ve lost 15 pounds and Kathy is at about 12.   My energy is better than it’s been in a long time we are learning new tricks in the kitchen everyday. 

When this adventure started I was amazed at how delicious the different dishes we were coming up with tasted, but in the past several days I’ve been having a problem… if I eat the same thing for a few days I quickly tire of it’s taste, to the point of losing my appetite (now that’s a first.)

I’ve given this quite a bit of thought and I think I know what’s going on.  As a cook and food writer I’ve spent many years thinking about food, and how to make it taste great.  One of the first tricks I learned when I started cooking was the use of flavor accelerators.   What are flavor accelerators you might ask?  These are the ingredients and techniques that cause you to love certain dishes; they can cause you to overeat, even when it hurts.  Salt, sugar, fat, vinegar, alcohol, in combination and used in myriad ways; the crust on cobbler, the crunchy skin on fried chicken, the gooey, sticky BBQ sauce that has been caramelized onto hickory smoked pork ribs, are all extreme examples of flavor accelerators. 

In our new diet I find that flavor accelerators are what is missing.  It’s like listening to music very loud for years and then turning it all the way down, you need to retrain your ear.  

If you make a salad and put home made ranch dressing on it you can eat the same salad night after night.  We are making some very delicious dishes but without the flavor accelerators.  What this is causing seems to be that we need to keep creating new things and mixing it up at every meal. 

This is a real challenge but I think we’re up to it.  Another thing is happening, I’m no longer overeating.  When I’m full I just don’t want the extra food.  Now if the meal was dripping with a rich butter sauce or a cheese I would eat until I was very full and then some!  I think we’re on to something here we are eating more natural portions, which has to be a good thing!

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update!

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update!: Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update! Okay… we’re about three weeks in.   In case you missed the last update, after reading “The China Stud...

Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update!

Mad Coyote Joe’s Vegan Update!

Okay… we’re about three weeks in.  In case you missed the last update, after reading “The China Study” Kathy and I have decided that a plant based/whole food diet is the best thing we can do to insure our future health (even with the health problems I’ve had and continue to have.)  The goal is no meat, fish, foul, dairy, eggs or cheese and over time reducing and if possible eliminate refined and processed foods especially sugars, fats and excess oils.

The first few weeks were easy.  Lots of grains, nuts, grilled vegetables, Pasta with red sauce, black bean and corn salad, avocado and tomato sandwiches, oatmeal and fruit and fruit juice popsicles!  We’ve both lost about 10 pounds and are feeling better overall.  But as the days creep along the cravings get stronger and so we sat down and discussed it.  From my reading, I’m hearing that many people have to work through this drastic of a change.  Add the fact that most don’t understand cooking as well as we do and this can bee a struggle at best.  Kathy is adamant about not going backwards and I agree.  Here’s where we feel we are now.  As our palate develops and we get use to less flavor accelerators, heavy meat based meals, and all of the sour cream, butter, heavy cheeses, rich sauces and so on, we are allowing limited olive oil for roasting veggies and a few drops in different dishes to give it some of the punch that we are craving.  Also I’m using small amounts of Parmesan cheese and shaved bonito (a Japanese product that give tofu a wonderful flavor) and I’m using these as a seasoning not a main element.  That’s our main concession and we are working toward eliminating these.  We have decided if we start having cravings that are causing us to cheat on this plan we will simply go out and have a small portion of whatever, maybe a nice lamb chop or a small fillet.  If we are on vacation, say in Washington, we’ll have a small piece of, ocean fresh, halibut sautéed in garlic olive oil and white wine.  Oh and one more thing we are only having wine one night a week!

Tonight for dinner we had fresh pesto with light olive oil and just a touch of Parmesan cheese and oven roasted asparagus with kosher salt and a squeeze of key lime juice… it was delicious! 

So far so good,

Mad Coyote Joe