Tuesday, August 28, 2012

What do you do with a spaghetti squash?

I avoided them for years because I had no idea how to cook one. After some advice from cookbooks and some experimentation, I have found it to be quite good!  It tastes mildly like summer squash.  It is a good gluten-free or carb-free alternative to pasta.


The key is to poke holes in the squash rind before baking. Cut the ends off first, then slice lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. (Seeds can be toasted like pumpkin seeds)  Put cut-side-down onto a baking sheet and poke holes with a fork.  This allows the squash to cook through and gives a consistent texture. 
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes - you can tell when it is done by gently squeezing; it should squish a little. If not, let it cook for another 5 minutes.  It is better to overcook than undercook - if not cooked enough the strands will not have the texture of pasta.

It can also be cooked on the grill, but still must be on a flat surface like a baking sheet to keep the moisture in so the insides can steam thoroughly.


The strands run side-to-side, so take a fork and scrape them out all the way down to the rind.

Drain the strands in a colander for a few minutes to get rid of excess water.  Serve just like spaghetti!
My test group preferred it with meatballs and red sauce. The tomato brings out the sweetness of the squash.  I also tried serving it with stir fry instead of rice; that was ok but not great. Since some asian recipes include winter squash, it seemed like the flavors would work; perhaps it was just that particular ginger stir-fry sauce.

Please comment with other suggestions!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Top Secret Lamb Marinade


Many people don't enjoy the flavor of  lamb, but for those who do - a good marinade can turn it from a nice meal into a transcendent experience! I have evolved my marinade recipe through years of experimentation, and it is now ready to share with my loyal readers :)

For two pounds of lamb:

1/2 c. marsala cooking wine
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1/8 tsp each - dill, mint, cumin seeds, black pepper, sea salt, oregano, basil, rosemary

Mix all ingredients in a zipper bag or plastic container with the meat. Marinate at least 3 hours; overnight if possible.  Shake or flip container occasionally to distribute marinade.  Grill large kabobs over medium heat or under broiler for 20-25 minutes.

The same marinade can of course be used for lamb roasts, however I usually add more wine to the roasting pan to keep the roast juicy.  Lamb roasts can also be done in a crockpot or stock pot; use the same marinade but add one 14oz can of tomato sauce and let stew until tender.


Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Hot Beef Convection

This is a top round roast, smoked with hickory chips and basted with spicy bbq sauce to keep it moist.

It took about 3 hours, and went perfectly with fresh local sweet corn.
Leftovers were shredded and used to make BBQ Tacos -  heat shredded beef with a little bbq sauce. Serve in taco shells with cheese and coleslaw or fried peppers & onions.

Hungry yet?