Showing posts with label Sauces. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sauces. Show all posts
Back when I was a very young woman, much younger than what I am now, I used to work as the Pastry Chef at the Old Orchard Inn, which was considered to be quite a prestigious restaurant and hotel here in the Annapolis Valley at the time. I was responsible for making all of the appetizers and the desserts for the restaurant.
I loved making the desserts. (No surprise there!) I made many different ones, including Black Forest Cake, Peach Melba and an assortment of Parfaits. Always very popular.
I think my favorites were the Creme de Menthe Parfaits. There was something very delicious about ice-cream and that minty liqueur being layered in a parfait glass. Always topped with whipped cream and a cherry.
Today I am sharing a recipe with you for a simple and very family friendly Peanut Butter Parfait. A delicious homemade brown sugar peanut butter sauce is created and then layered in a glass with vanilla ice cream and topped with crushed peanuts.
Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. You can actually make the sauce well ahead of time, ready to put together at the last minute. This is a really simple and delicious dessert that everyone loves! Its ease of prep makes it ideal for entertaining as well!
WHAT IS A PARFAIT?
A parfait is a layered ice cream dessert. A sweet sauce or liqueur is layered into a tall narrow parfait glass with ice cream. I like to begin with a layer of sauce on the bottom, then a scoop of ice cream, more sauce, etc. When you get it all in you push it down a bit from the top to make all the layers compact a bit and then top with a final dab of ice cream and sauce, and any toppings you want to use!
You can use any type of sauce or liqueur you enjoy. Even strawberry jam, slightly warmed, is lovely! A dollop of whipped cream and some nuts or a cherry on top makes for a beautiful finish which is optional but very nice!
WHAT YOU NEED
TO MAKE
PEANUT BUTTER PARFAITS
There is absolutely nothing complicated about this quick and easy dessert. Your family will love these!
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup (80ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (87g) corn syrup or golden syrup (I used golden syrup)
- 1 TBS (15g) butter
- 1/4 cup (45g) peanut butter
To serve:
- vanilla ice cream
- crushed peanuts (or peanut brittle)
Make sure you pack the brown sugar into the cup if you are using traditional measuring cups rather than measuring by weight. It should hold the shape of the measuring cup when dumped out if you have measured it properly.
I used whole milk as that is all I keep in the house.
I used golden syrup, but light corn syrup works fine.
I used salted butter and SMOOTH peanut butter, the commercial one, not the natural one.
I topped with crushed dry roasted peanuts. I did not have any peanut brittle, which would be lovely, but very sweet. This was plenty sweet for me as is.
HOW TO MAKE
PEANUT BUTTER PARFAITS
The sauce is very simple to make. Once made and cooled everything is just layered in the glass.
- Begin by making the sauce. This will have to cool before you can make the parfaits.
- Place the brown sugar, milk, butter and corn syrup into a saucepan. Cook, over medium heat, until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. (The sugar will no longer feel gritty when it is melted.)
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter until it is completely amalgamated. Leave to cool completely. (I used my small wire whisk for this.)
- Once the sauce is cold, layer alternate layers of vanilla ice cream and the sauce in a parfait glass. Top with a final layer of sauce and the crushed peanuts. (I don't own dedicated parfait glasses so just used jelly jars. They worked fine.)
- Serve immediately.
- Refrigerate any leftover sauce in a tightly covered jar. Bring to room temperature before using.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN I USE NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER?
I never have so I cannot say with any certainty if it would work well or not. The processed peanut butter has a much smoother texture and melts perfectly into the hot sauce. Natural peanut butter also has a tendency to separate, and I am not sure how that would work in this sauce either. So overall I cannot recommend.
CAN I USE CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER?
If you are not looking for a smooth sauce, I don't see why you couldn't use chunky peanut butter, but if you want a really smooth sauce, then use the smooth peanut butter.
CAN I ADD SOME VANILLA TO THE SAUCE?
I don't think it would hurt the sauce to add a touch of vanilla; however, I don't think you really need the additional flavor. The sauce is pretty delicious without it. If you do with to add it, however, don't add any more than 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract.
WHAT ARE SOME
OTHER WAYS TO USE THIS SAUCE?
You could spoon this sauce over slices of vanilla cake. Add a scoop of ice cream to the top of a square of vanilla cake and spoon some sauce over top for a really simple and delicious dessert.
It would be good drizzled over pancakes or waffles. You don't need much though as it is pretty sweet.
Use it as a dip for fresh fruit. Strawberries, pineapple, bananas, etc. All would taste really good with this sauce as a dipper.
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Yield: 4 servings
Peanut Butter Parfaits
A rich, creamy and delicious peanut butter sauce layered in a parfait glass with vanilla ice cream and topped with crushed peanuts! Fabulously simple to make!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup (80ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (87g) corn syrup or golden syrup (I used golden syrup)
- 1 TBS (15g) butter
- 1/4 cup (45g) peanut butter
To serve:
- vanilla ice cream
- crushed peanuts (or peanut brittle)
Instructions
- Begin by making the sauce. This will have to cool before you can make the parfaits.
- Place the brown sugar, milk, butter and corn syrup into a saucepan. Cook, over medium heat, until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. (The sugar will no longer feel gritty when it is melted.)
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter until it is completely amalgamated. Leave to cool completely.
- Once the sauce is cold, layer alternate layers of vanilla ice cream and the sauce in a parfait glass. Top with a final layer of sauce and the crushed peanuts.
- Serve immediately.
- Refrigerate any leftover sauce in a tightly covered jar. Bring to room temperature before using.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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When I was growing up my mother used to make what she called "Italian Spaghetti" once a week, every week. It was one of my father's favorite meals. I have to say it was not one of our favorite meals. My sister and I tended to eat just the spaghetti plain, with butter and cheese.
Mom's secret recipe was to brown a pound of ground beef in a skillet and dump in a tin of Catelli spaghetti sauce. That was her "Italian Spaghetti." Unless you were Italian, I am guessing that was every mother's special spaghetti sauce!
One recipe that every cook should have in their repertoire is a good Italian Sausage Ragu recipe. What we are talking about here is a delicious, rich and meaty sauce that goes well with pasta, but which will also stand deliciously on its own. Simple ingredients put together in a simple way to create one of the tastiest sauces on the planet.
All you need other than that is time, patience, and a good pasta to serve it with! OH, and some garlic bread. Something tasty to sop up all the extra sauce in your bowl.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A REALLY GOOD ITALIAN SAUSAGE RAGU
There is nothing too out of the ordinary here. Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way. If you buy the very best quality that you can afford, you cannot go wrong.
- 1 pound Italian sausage, skinned and crumbled
- 1 medium carrot peeled
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 small white onion, peeled
- 2 fat cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 tsp fennel seed
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dark soft brown sugar
- 3 1/2 fluid ounces (100ml) good red wine
- 2 (/14 1/2 oz/400g) tins plum tomatoes in tomato sauce, undrained
- 7 fluid ounces (200m)l water (7 fluid ounces)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Your favorite cooked pasta, to serve
- Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
My sister and I make our own Italian Sausage mix and freeze it in one-pound lots. We have been doing this for several years now. It is a sweet Italian sausage. You can use Sweet Italian Sausage, or Spicy Italian Sausage. It is your choice.
Use a good Balsamic vinegar. I doesn't have to be the most expensive one, but neither should it be the cheapest. You want one with a good flavor.
Use a wine that you would also enjoy drinking.
The quality of tomatoes that you use is very important in this recipe. Use only the very best. I prefer Italian tomatoes as they have an excellent flavor. Make sure they are canned in tomato juice for the best flavor.
IL SOFFRITTO
This is a vegetable mixture of finely chopped celery, carrot and onion, sauteed in olive oil, and is the base of many fine sauces, adding a special depth of flavor that cannot be obtained in any other way. You cannot rush a soffritto.
It is also an ingredient that can be made in advance. Many professional kitchens keep this mixture on hand at all times to use in making gravies and sauces.
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN SAUSAGE RAGU
Simple sauces like this delicious ragu are not all that difficult to make. A few simple steps and a bit of patience is all that it takes. The key is to cook the vegetables on a medium low heat so that they soften gently and release all of their flavors without catching or burning.
- Finely chop the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom. Crumble in the sausage and cook, stirring to break it up even more with a wooden spoon as it browns. Stir in the vegetables.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 8 to 10 minutes at which time they should be softened and the pan a bit deglazed.
- Add the red wine and let it bubble up and reduce. Stir in the fennel seed, rosemary sprig, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, plum tomatoes and water.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Cook your favorite pasta according to package directions and serve hot with the sauce ladled over top and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
HOW TO COOK PASTA PERFECTLY EVERY TIME
Here are my hints and tips for cooking perfect pasta each when you cook it. Whether you are cooking it to serve as a base for a delicious sauce or to add to a fantabulous casserole, this information is sure to come in handy and insure pasta perfection each and every time.
- No matter what you may read, don't put any oil in your water or on your pasta. Adding oil to the water or to your cooked pasta will cause your sauce to slip right off.
- Use plenty of cold, fresh, heavily salted water, in a large pot. This ensures that once it comes to the boil you will have plenty of room for the noodles to move about freely, enabling it to cook properly and preventing it from sticking together. The basic rule of thumb is to use three liters (3 gallons) of water to every 250g of pasta (1pound).
- Use plenty of salt. Your water needs to "taste like the sea" in order for the flavor to permeate the pasta. Three liters of water will require at least 1 TBS of fine sea salt.
- Make sure your water has come to a rolling rapid boil before you add your pasta. Don't ever be tempted to add it before this happens. If you add your pasta too soon, it is likely to end up soggy and badly cooked.
- Drop your pasta into the boiling water and then stir it immediately. This will prevent it from sticking together, or to the sides or bottoms of your saucepan.
- Follow the package directions. All brands and varieties of pasta will have a recommended cook time printed on the packaging, both for regular or al dente (firm, but tender to the tooth, my preferred).
- Different types of pasta will take different cook times. One size does not fit all when it comes to pasta. Save some of the cooking water. Just use a ladle and measure out some of it. This comes in handy when saucing up your pasta.
- Always have your sauce ready before you begin to cook your pasta. Cooking the pasta should be the last thing you do.
- Drain your pasta well, rinse and then drain again, using very hot water. Don't let it sit and get all dry. You should use it as soon as possible after this step.
- Add your pasta to the sauce, not the other way around.
- Add some pasta water to the sauce. Adding a touch of pasta water to your sauce when you add the pasta will help the sauce to stick better to the pasta. It also adds some richness and flavor as well as helping to bring a split sauce back together.
MORE EASY PASTA RECIPES TO TRY
PASTA E PISLLI - Simple ingredients put together in a simple way. Pasta, peas, water and cheese. It doesn't get any simpler or easier than this. You wouldn't think that simple things like this could come together in such a delicious way, but like magic, they do! I love this.
LEMON & GREEN OLIVE PASTA -A simple and winning combination. It always amazes me when a few simple ingredients come together in an unbelievably delicious way. If you love the flavours of lemon and good green olives you are going to adore this simple pasta dish. Incredibly tasty and very special.
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Yield: Four servings
Italian Sausage Ragu
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 65 MinTotal time: 1 H & 20 M
Rich and packed with flavour. Serve with your favourite pasta for a real treat.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage, skinned and crumbled
- 1 medium carrot peeled
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 small white onion, peeled
- 2 fat cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 tsp fennel seed
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dark soft brown sugar
- 3 1/2 fluid ounces (100ml) good red wine
- 2 (/14 1/2 oz/400g) tins plum tomatoes in tomato sauce, undrained
- 7 fluid ounces (200m)l water (7 fluid ounces)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Your favorite cooked pasta, to serve
- Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
Instructions
- Finely chop the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom. Crumble in the sausage and cook, stirring to break it up even more with a wooden spoon as it browns. Stir in the vegetables.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 8 to 10 minutes at which time they should be softened and the pan a bit deglazed.
- Add the red wine and let it bubble up and reduce. Stir in the fennel seed, rosemary sprig, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, plum tomatoes and water.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Cook your favorite pasta according to package directions and serve hot with the sauce ladled over top and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
All rights reserved The English Kitchen
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing to/following me on Grow? You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
Who thinks it's a bit of a nightmare grocery shopping these days? Put your hand up! I can see that it is a lot of us, and I cannot see things improving very soon. Everything seems to be jumping in price. Beef is almost unaffordable these days. I rarely if ever buy it. Chicken and pork are also getting expensive although they are a bit more affordable.
It's a good thing I don't eat red meat very often. Every once in a while, I do get a hankering for a steak or a chop and just have to have one. Steak is out of the question these days. I am not paying $25 for a piece of steak.
I picked up two old fashioned bone-in pork chops the other day however and brought them home with me. I was really looking forward to cooking and enjoying them. A once-in-a-blue-moon treat.
I will say right up front that I have never been to the Texas Roadhouse, but this did look like a tasty way to cook some chops. I cannot say for sure how authentic or unauthentic this recipe might be. I can only tell you that it turned out pretty tasty!
I found the recipe on All Recipes Secret. I do think their photos were AI generated, but it still sounded like a pretty sound recipe and so I decided to downsize it and make just two portions.
There is so much AI stuff around these days. You can usually tell quite easily which images are produced that way. They are a little bit too perfect and too smooth. You never have to worry about that with me. I will always show you things exactly as they turned out, for good or for bad!
My photos may not be the best in the world, but they are at least an honest representation of the recipe and you know that I have cooked whatever it is that I am sharing with you. Not just sharing a recipe I have never cooked and plucking an image out of thin air to represent it.
With me you get the real deal, and that's how I plan on keeping it.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TEXAS ROADHOUSE PORK CHOPS
Pork chops obviously and just a few other simple store cupboard ingredients. There is nothing really complicated about this.
For the chops and marinade:
- 2 thick, bone-in, old fashioned pork chops
- 2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 TBS dark soy sauce
- 1 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder, not salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder, not salt
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 TBS light olive oil
For the dip/drizzle:
- 1/4 cup (55g) full fat mayonnaise
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 TBS honey
- 1/2 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt and black pepper to taste
By old fashioned pork chops I mean the ones which have a T-bone in them. There are two sides to them. On one side of the bone a little medallion of tender pork tenderloin and on the other the main loin. Mine were about 1/2 inch thick.
Do make sure you use the powders and not the salts when it comes to the onion and garlic. Salts would make this far too salty. Taste the marinade and the sauce before adding any salt or pepper and then judge accordingly.
I used full fat mayonnaise so that the sauce was lovely and thick and rich and did not split upon sitting. It goes without saying that you should use the best ingredients that you can afford to buy.
HOW TO MAKE TEXAS ROADHOUSE PORK CHOPS
There are two elements to this recipe, the chops and the sauce. Neither one is very difficult.
Prick the chops all over with a fork and place into a container large enough to hold them in one layer. Pricking them with a fork ensures that the flavor of the marinade gets right into the meat.
Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Pour this mixture over the chops in the container, turning them to cover them in it completely.
Cover and place into the refrigerator. Chill for at least two hours or up to overnight. Obviously the longer you can marinade them the better.
To make the sauce, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small jar until well amalgamated. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until needed.
When you are ready to cook your chops, heat your grill or BBQ to medium high.
Remove the chops from the marinade allowing any extra to drip off. Add the chops the grill in one layer.
Grill for about 4 to 5 minutes per side. The inner temperature should reach 145*F/63*C. Remove from the grill and set aside to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with the accompanying drizzle/sauce.
Alternately you can pan grill these in a hot skillet over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side. The inner temperature should reach the same temperatures as above to be considered done and safe to eat.
I was quite happy with the ease at which this recipe was prepared and executed. It was quite simple really and required very little effort.
I only marinated the chops for 2 hours, but the marinade was very tasty, and I am sure went a long ways towards ensuring that the chops were juicy and tender. They did not dry out in the cooking in the least.
That sauce/drizzle really made this recipe. It was lovely and tangy and rich. I could see it going well with all sorts. Chicken, pork, fish. It's a real winner and so easy to throw together.
Are you always looking for new and delicious ways to cook pork chops? If so you might also enjoy the following recipes. I can promise you that they are both incredibly delicious.
PORK CHOPS WITH CREAM GRAVY - This recipe is for deliciously tender pork chops with pepper gravy, a creamy pepper gravy. The same type of cream gravy that you might enjoy on biscuits with sausage. The chops are perfectly cooked, well flavored and spiced. The cream gravy is rich and the perfect accompaniment. Together they are excellent eating!
MAPLE GLAZED PORK CHOPS - These simple pan-fried pork chops with their simple maple and mushroom sauce and glaze make for a really quick and easy dinner recipe. You begin by curing them with a simple brown sugar rub. With less than 30 minutes to cook, these glazed pork chops are tender, juicy and filled with flavor!
Yield: 2 servings
Texas Roadhouse Pork Chops
Prep time: 2 HourCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 2 H & 10 M
Tender and juicy pork chops, marinated and grilled to perfection, then served with a lush and tangy sauce for drizzling.
Ingredients
For the chops and marinade:
- 2 thick, bone-in, old fashioned pork chops
- 2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 TBS dark soy sauce
- 1 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder, not salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder, not salt
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 TBS light olive oil
For the dip/drizzle:
- 1/4 cup (55g) full fat mayonnaise
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 TBS honey
- 1/2 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prick the chops all over with a fork and place into a container large enough to hold them in one layer.
- Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Pour this mixture over the chops in the container, turning them to cover them in it completely.
- Cover and place into the refrigerator. Chill for at least two hours or up to overnight.
- To make the sauce, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small jar until well amalgamated. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until needed.
- When you are ready to cook your chops, heat your grill or BBQ to medium high.
- Remove the chops from the marinade allowing any extra to drip off. Add the chops the grill in one layer.
- Grill for about 4 to 5 minutes per side. The inner temperature should reach 145*F/63*C. Remove from the grill and set aside to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with the accompanying drizzle/sauce.
- Alternately you can pan grill these in a hot skillet over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side. The inner temperature should reach the same temperatures as above to be considered done and safe to eat.
All rights reserved The English Kitchen
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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