Beef Medallions with Fresh Horseradish Cream – Perfect for the Middle of Fallmer

This time of year can be a little schizophrenic for a cook. We’ve not quite let go of summer and its fast, fresh food; but at the same time, the cooler weather has us craving hearty, more comforting fall fare. This beef medallions with fresh horseradish cream recipe is delicious nod to that kind of seasonal culinary dilemma.

The combination of the sweet, juicy tomato salad base, along with the seared beef, and aromatic sauce works whether you’re enjoying it on a warm autumn day, or cold, rainy night. My only regret is I didn’t have any crusty bread around to soak up all those incredible juices. That's a rookie mistake any time of year!

Like I said in the video, horseradish is easy to find these days, especially in the higher-end grocery chains. It’s usually sold by the pound, so don’t be afraid to ask the produce person to cut you off a smaller piece, as the roots can get pretty big. If you’ve never used fresh horseradish before, I hope you check it out soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 portions:

2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

4 pieces (about 3-oz each) beef top sirloin, pounded into 1/4-inch thick medallions

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

flour as needed

2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp sugar

freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the horseradish cream:

1/3 cup crème fraiche

2 tbsp freshly, finely grated horseradish root

pinch of salt

Next Up: Beef Medallions with Fresh Horseradish

Perfect Polenta – Dedicated to Some Fun Girl

Not only is polenta one of the first foods I remember watching someone cook, but it’s probably also responsible for the first time I ever heard someone curse. 

I remember my grandfather standing at the stove, stirring a big pot of the stuff, and every once in a while some of the thick, bubbling polenta would burp out of the pot and on to his hand. He would jump back and yell something, which to my very young ears sounded sort of like, “hey, some fun girl!” 

Of course, years later I realized he was actually saying, “vaffanculo.” I’ll let you translate yourself. By the way, one way to avoid the wrath of the molten mush is to adjust your heat to maintain a nice gentle bubble.

Besides severe burns, there’s not a lot that can go wrong with this recipe. As long as you stir it in slowly, whisking constantly, and simmer it until it’s perfectly soft, you will have one of the world’s great comfort foods, and a beautiful base for any number of stews or braises. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Portions:

4 cups water or broth

1 cup polenta (you can use regular corn meal, but it’s not as easy to work with, and the texture isn’t as interesting)

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter

1/2  cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Note: if your question is, “can you add [blank] to this recipe,” the answer is yes.

Next Up: Polenta 101

Pork “Al Latte” – Now 100% Milk Free!

This comforting pork stew recipe is exactly the kind of homey dish you want waiting for you after a long, hard week…and maybe a 13-hour drive. Unfortunately, I made this last week, so I couldn’t actually enjoy it today, after a long, hard week and 13-hour drive, but just editing it made me feel better. It was that good.

This stew version is inspired by the classic Italian recipe, “maiale al latte,” or “pork in milk,” but instead of the usual moo juice, I decided to make my own with chicken broth and crème fraiche. I figured I’d get the same basic viscosity and fat content (okay, maybe a tad more), but also a little more flavor, and a better texture once reduced.

I topped it with some fried sage, which is an optional, messy, but delicious extra step, and makes this much more restauranty. Simply heat a 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a small pan, and toss in some (not wet!) whole sage leaves. Fry until crisp, about 10-15 seconds

The classic preparation involves braising and slicing a whole roast, but one taste and I think you’ll agree it translates beautifully to the stew delivery system. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 1/2 pound pork shoulder, cut in 2-inch cubes (note: I only had 1 pound, but the recipe will work with another half, which will make four nice portions)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 strips bacon

1 small yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup crème fraiche

2 tbsp fresh chopped sage leaves, plus more for frying

salt and pepper to taste

red chili flakes to taste

*Simmer covered for 1 hour, and then uncovered until the meat is very tender, and the sauce is thickened. Adjust with more broth if needed.

Next Up: Pork Stewed in "Milk"

Heading Home After a Wonderful IFBC Experience

I'll be driving back to San Francisco with my partner in crime, Andrew Scrivani, after a very successful and fun-filled IFBC in Seattle. Our session went very well and a good time was had by all, or at least that's what they're telling us. 

This video was posted by cookbook author and photographer, Carol Marty, on the blog Every Bite - Karen & Carol, and shows a brief snippet of our "show." You can read her post here, and/or follow her on Twitter. Thanks for sharing, Carol!

I'll be back in town late Monday evening, and hope to have a brand new video posted sometime on Tuesday. Stay tuned, and as always, enjoy!