Tag Archives: recipe

Roasted Purple Tomatillo Salsa

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Yes! Purple tomatillos and they make the prettiest salsa. I was so excited last week to find purple tomatillos by Hedge Family Farm on the High Country Food Hub. To me, they are a little sweeter than their green cousins. Of course green tomatillos work for this recipe. All the ingredients (except lime) in this recipe were purchased from a local farm via the food hub. I just love having access to it here. Get this recipe in a bowl, whip up some margs or ranch water, head out to the deck and enjoy.

  • 3 pounds tomatillos (husks removed, rinsed)
  • ½ medium red onion (use white or even green for green tomatillos)
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 2-4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • Juice of lime
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • Honey (only if it’s a bit tart)

Once the tomatillos are husked place them on a baking sheet and roast or broil for 10 minutes until they get a little charred and blister a bit. During that time, you can also roast the onion, jalapeno and garlic in a separate pan at the same time until charred or you can grill or sear in a skillet. You just want them to get a little color, yet stay fresh and crisp.

Once the tomatillos and veggies have that toasty look, drop them in your blender or food processor and pulse them until nearly your desired consistence. Add the cilanto and lime juice and give it another pulse or two. Less if you want it chunky, more if you like it less chunky. (Are we still saying chunky?). Add salt and pepper, hot sauce and more lime or cilantro if you need it. If you’re using green tomatillos and they’re tart, a drizzle of honey could balance it out. Serve with excellent chips.

If you make this recipe, let me know, give me a shout on social media. That’s where you’ll find me more often than on this keyboard. Enjoy!

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“Red Weapons” Pot Roast w/ BFR Meats

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Slow cook Sundays is our current collaboration for the month of February with our friends at BFR Meats. You can find BFR’s meats including steaks, ground beef, sausages, ribs. pork, jerky. Check them out online and on High Country Food Hub.

Here’s my spin on Mississippi Pot Roast, featuring one of my favorite ingredients, Red Weapons. It’s a fun twist on an already twisted viral recipe.

Unless you’ve been under a rock the last few years, Mississippi Pot Roast is an insanely popular recipe all over the interwebs, and pinterest is full of a host of different versions. It’s quite delicious, but often laden with dried dressing or seasoning blends and soup mixes, which means the recipe can reach stratospheric sodium levels. On this collaboration with BFR Meats, I wanted to try a different version of MI Pot Roast, using their boneless chuck roast but with an Eastern NC spin, mainly featuring famed Chef Vivian Howard’s “Red Weapons,” which I keep on hand in my fridge as an aptly named flavor hero.


We love to serve our pot roast with mashed potatoes or pureed cauliflower but I thought with the slight spiciness and acidity of Red Weapons, that making creamed corn and then pureeing to a rustic texture it would be delicious. I was right and it’s quite rich, so not an every day combo for us. It was pretty too and a nice departure from potatoes.


About Red Weapons: From Chef Howard’s book, This Will Make It Taste Good, it’s a pickled tomato and jalapeño mixture that is filled with aromatics like ginger, garlic and scallions, mustard seeds and spices. You allow the mixture to boil then you jar it for a few days and watch the science happen as the veggies and brine settle to the bottom and the flavorful “oil cap” rises to the top. After 3 days of “pickling”, it’s ready to be used for as long as you have it. There’s some suggestion that it’ll last up to 3 months in the fridge simply jarred if you don’t use the canning method, but I have not died and it’s been at least four months. Need to make more now. This is by far my favorite recipe in her cookbook and I encourage you to support authors and buy this book as I will not be placing the Red Weapons recipe here, however during the promotion of the book, the recipe was shared online so you can easily find it. But buy the book! Make RW then come back to this recipe in 3 days, mkay?

Red Weapons Pot Roast

Ingredients:
2-3 lb chuck roast
Ranch seasoning blend (I used a tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, dill weed, basil, thyme, parsley, salt). You can use a ranch packet if you prefer.)
Packet Au Jus Seasoning (optional) Note: I used BFR Meats au jus but you can use better than bouillon or anything that may further ratchet up the beefiness. Have fun with this part
1 1/2 cups Red Weapons Twin B (the veggies and brine)
3 TBS Red Weapons Twin A (the solidified oil)
1 cup (approx) beef broth or water if needed
Salt/Pepper

Directions:
Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast. Sear on both sides until browned. This step is optional but does add depth of flavor. It’s helpful if you can do this in your slow cooker providing it’s equipped but again, if you don’t want to mess up two pots, skip it.

Add the seasonings, Red Weapons veggies, brine and oil to the roast then add about 1/2 cup of broth, just enough to reach halfway up the roast. Keep the remaining if needed toward the end of cooking. Set the slow cooker for 8 hours on low. Give it a peek near the end and add a little broth if needed. See Pressure Cooker method below.

After the scheduled time, the meat should be very tender, juicy, and falling apart. She won’t be the cutest thing you’ve ever seen but she’s succulent and unbelievably good. Beefy, tangy, slightly spicy and soul warming. Serve the roast and its gravy on mashed potatoes, or if you’re feeling indulgent, pureed creamed corn. Make it keto or paleo by serving on pureed cauliflower.

We hope you give this recipe a try and if you do, please let me know. Be sure to check out BFR Meats on the website as well as High Country Food Hub.

Note:
This is the perfect recipe for the Instant Pot or pressure cooker as well. In fact, that’s usually the way I make this version of pot roast. Simply reduce the water or broth by half and cook on high pressure for 65 minutes, allowing for a natural pressure release. Shred the meat and serve as suggested above.

“Lusty” Mustard Pepper Burgers + Giveaway

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Hi, friends!
The past couple of weeks I’ve been collaborating with Lusty Monk Mustard, coming up with different creations like this Chicken Schnitzel. My friends at NC’s Lusty Monk have jumped on board for a giveaway of their trio pack of mustards! Keep reading for the recipe and how to win.

Way back 150 years ago when I worked at the Village Tavern in Reynolda Village in Winston Salem, my favorite burger was called the Mustard Pepper Burger. All I know about it is that it had a peppery kick and the bun was spread with dijon. It was kind of like an au poivre meets Dijon and very simple with lettuce, tomato and cheese if you wanted it. It’s no longer on the menu but it was such a good burger, I decided to make my own with Lusty Monk Original Sin mustard. I tried this recipe a number of times and the last time, I got it just right.

Mustard is inside the mixture with a pepper crust

The burger meat (I used local Shipley Beef) is “marinated” with the mustard, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and plenty of pepper. The mustard inside the meat mixture is key and there needs to be a crust of pepper on the burger. I like to sear this burger in a cast iron skillet so I don’t lose any pepper and because it makes such a good crust, plus at the time of this posting we were 25 degrees with gusts of 20 and that’s not grilling weather. Once the burger is cooked, place on buns and top with a bit more mustard and your choice of fixings. It really doesn’t need much in the way of toppings. Honestly, I never want mayo on a burger unless it’s a patty melt but something about mayo is good with this Lusty Mustard burger. Let me know if you make this and what you think. If you do make the Lusty Mustard Pepper Burger, tag me on Insta!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs of ground beef
2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. garlic powder
2-4 tbs. Lusty Monk Original Sin mustard (the more you use, the kickier it is)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper (enough to make a crust)

4 quality hamburger buns (potato or brioche)
Toppings of choice (lettuce is good here and I like a spread of mayo on this burger)

Instructions:
Mix the ingredients for your meat mixture and allow to rest in the refrigerator for about an hour. When time to cook, patty the meat out to your desired size. We like 1/3 pound burgers. Crank your skillet to a high heat and add a little oil to prevent any sticking. Sear the burgers on either side until desired doneness. Add cheese if you want. Muenster or Swiss are good here but you don’t need cheese. Remove from heat to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Build your burger with more mustard and toppings of choice. Enjoy!

Fun note: My hubby added the sweet Into Temptation mustard to his burger and really liked the contrast of the peppery crust and spicy kick of the original.



We’re giving away a trio pack of Lusty Monk Mustard featuring Original Sin (a grainy dijon), sweet IntoTemptation (a grainy honey) and Burn in Hell (a spicy Chipotle). Want to win? Comment below and for additional chances to win, head over to my Facebook and Instagram and comment how you’d love to use these mustards. I’ll draw a winner next week, March 5.

Corn Dog Minis w/ Lusty Monk Mustard

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The following is the first in a series of posts featuring NC’s Lusty Monk Mustard. I was gifted a set of mustard to give some new recipes a go. We are so thankful to Lusty Monk to be invited in on the fun.

It might make me a grown child, but I love hot dogs, fixed all kinds of ways. I love corn dogs just as much. Here’s my once a year do-it-myself treat featuring corn dogs using local corn meal, with Lusty Monk Mustard waiting close by for the dipping. Actually it’s so yummy, I might do this more than once a year.

Ingredients
2/3 cup flour plus another 1/4 cup for dredging
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal (I used Old Mill of Guilford)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper (I like it speckled)
sprinkling of onion powder, garlic powder or any seasonings you desire
1 cup milk
1 package of regular hot dogs, cut into thirds or fourths (smoked sausage is also great)
Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Instructions:

Preheat oil in a pot or pan. You’ll need about 3 inches. When the oil sizzles with a tester of batter, it’s ready. About 350 degrees is what you’re aiming for.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the milk. You want the batter to be almost pancake like, not too thick but not runny. The longer it sits, the thicker it gets.

Toss the hot dogs or sausages in the 1/4 cup flour until lightly coated. Then dip into the batter ensuring even coverage and shaking off excess.

Note: There are a number of ways to do this and I find a fork is great. But if you skewer the ends and you’re using sausages, they make these perfect round balls (you can see in the photo) which I love. Longer skewers allow you to place them in the oil and pick them up by the stick.

Place a few in the hot oil and cook until completely golden brown. You may need to turn them a bit for even cooking. They might look a bit rustic. I wasn’t going for perfect ovals here. But the sausages did get round like hushpuppies and they were super cute!

Place cooked doggies on a paper towel lined plate. You may need to keep warm in an oven while the rest of them fry, if they make it that far.

Serve with ketchup and/or mustard …we recommend Lusty Monk Mustard’s Original Sin, which is a grainy, almost dijon like mustard with a great kick of heat.

About Lusty Monk:

Our fellow mountain-dwellers are located in Candler, NC, just outside of Asheville. It’s made in small batches and I love the grainy, course texture and spicy kick. Perfect with pretzels, on a hot dog, on sandwiches. You can choose from Original Sin, Temptation (a spicy honey mustard) or Burn in Hell ( a chipotle version of Original Sin and my personal favorite). Lusty Monk can be found in the Triad and High Country and in 22 states nationwide. You’ll find them in the refrigerated section at markets like Earth Fare (Boone), Town & Country Meats (Greensboro), Canteen Market (Winston-Salem), Over Yonder (Valle Crucis). Check their website for locations. You can also order online.

Stay tuned for more ways I’m using Lusty Monk as we dive into the sweet and heat of this amazing mustard.

Red, White & Blue BFR Beef Burgers

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I’ve once again partnered with BFR Beef to test and recipe develop burgers for your next burger feast. All opinions are my own. 

This recipe  would’ve come at you well before your July 4th grill out, but I didn’t get my hands on these beautiful BFR Beef burgers until the day before, so bookmark this recipe for 2021. As a matter of fact, these burgers are delicious any time and I hope you try them as soon as possible this summer.  You can order BFR Beef online or shop at High Country Food Hub. You can read more about the food hub here. Essentially, it’s an online farmer’s market featuring multiple farmers and producers all across the High Country. It is my go-to for shopping and has been a life-saver during the time of stay-at-home orders.

My last post showcased Browns Farm Ridge’s Beef Osso Bucco and how lovely they cooked up for a nice Sunday dinner.  Daniel at BFR asked if I’d like to test out their ground beef for grilling and well there’s only one correct answer. BFR sells ground beef in bulk but for added convenience you might be like me and love the pre-pattied options. You can get them in 4 oz patties for a thinner, diner style burger (or to double up like I did), or a thick, 7oz portion for a bigger burger. Nothing wrong with either. I opted to make 2, 7 oz thick burgers for the kids (yes, the kids) and 2, 4oz burgers each for mr. Foodie and myself (yes, I can eat that much, no shame here). We wanted double red, white, & blue burgers and they did not disappoint. The burgers were juicy and full of flavor, which I would wholeheartedly expect from my recent experiences with BFR Beef. These are pretty straightforward and besides the ketchup, the whole ensemble is done on the grill. You can sub out other ingredients for your red and white here (tomato instead of bacon, blue cheese or swiss cheese instead of onion or blue cheese for another “blue” …really the blueberry ketchup is all kinds of awesome so I’d keep it in there no matter what).

Red, White & Blue Burgers 

Ingredients:
Beef patties, portioned to your desired thickness
Bacon, 1 slice per burger (okay you can do more if you want, no judgement)
Onion, sliced into rings, as many as desired per burger
Blueberry ketchup (recipe below)
Hamburger buns, one per person

Anytime before, prepare the ketchup and allow to rest.

Prepare the onions by slicing. Place onion rings on a medium size piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with oil, salt & pepper. Heat grill on high, and cook burgers until desired doneness. Thinner burgers, of course, take less time. Top with cheese if you like and allow to melt. While the beef is cooking, grill your bacon on the opposite side of the grill if possible at medium high temperature, until crispy.  Next to the bacon, add the onions on foil and cook until very lightly caramelized. They’ll just hang out there on the foil and do their thing.

For serving:
Smear a good bit of the blueberry ketchup on the top hamburger bun. Once everything is finished on the grill, place the burger on the bottom bun, place onions on the burger, then bacon on top of the onions. Add the blueberry coated top bun and there you have it….a Red, White & Blue Burger.

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Smoky Blueberry Ketchup (adapted from Saveur)
2 lb. fresh blueberries
1- 1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. onion powder
1 chipotle in adobo sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 lime, juiced

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Place over high heat and allow to come to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 35-40 minutes until thick, stirring occasionally. Taste along the way and adjust seasonings if needed.  Once thickened, remove the sauce and blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Fun fact: a blender works better for a smoother puree but for burgers, chunkier is fine. This ketchup is great with sweet potato fries and anything pork.

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If you make this burger, be sure to let me know and let us know what you think!

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Microfoodie approved!