Chef Mik's Brownies

Brownies have been around for over a hundred years now and are a true American treat, first created in Chicago but made their way from coast to coast faster then it takes to bake them! If your kid is failing in school these are all the incentive they'll need to turn those grades around... At least they were for me...

While recipes may very, for me at its core is good quality semi sweet chocolate and unsalted butter. As for nuts I love walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts in my brownies but any nut is fine or none at all

so easy and so yummy!!

Shopping List

Semi sweet chocolate bars or chips

Unsweetened butter

Coco

Coffee, optional

Sugar, (you can blend sugars if desired)

Eggs

Vanilla

Flour

Salt

Nuts, optional

My Mad Method

Working over a water bath melt 150g chocolate and 120g butter, stirring while doing so, when melted half way through, remove from heat and finish mixing until smooth

 Add 2-3 TBS coco powder; you may also add 2-3 TBS coffee or espresso if desired

Add 200g sugar, mix to combine 

Add 3 eggs (I like to beet mine first before adding them), and 1 tsp vanilla extract

Add a pinch of salt and 100g white flour, sifted (its ok if you don't sift it)

If using nuts fold them in now, you may also use chocolate, white chocolate or other chips

Pore into greased sheet pans or cupcake pans 

Bake in a 175c preheated oven until a toothpick comes out slightly sticky

  I am topping my brownies with a chocolate ganache which will firm up when chilled 

Serve at room temperature or chilled, ready to eat!!!

 

 

 

 

 

   

Chef Mik's Pan-Fried Pork Loin

Today I preparing a pan-fried pork sirloin which comes from the front end of the beast but the loin or tenderloin also work well for this dish. I will be using a spice rub as my key flavoring agent and wetting it with olive oil. I love pork in general while some might not eat it do to religious restrictions which I respect and would suggest substituting chicken, I have to say that part of me that harks back to the Viking era comes out every time I eat it! As a people we have been eating pork products as far back as civilization can recall, spices and sauces came along not just as a means to season the meat but to hide the flavor of spoiling flesh do to pore preservation techniques that were pervasive before refrigeration, the most common and oldest of all techniques is undoubtedly air drying which we still employ to this day other means of preservation include salting, smoking, preserving in oil or fats and so on. The cooking of meats and other foods is one of the most widely used ways to extend the shelf life of the product. But I digress as for this recipe it’s a great one and my favorite part super easy!

Shopping List

Pork loin, sirloin or tenderloin

Olive or canola oil

Cumin

Granulated garlic

Paprika

Smoked paprika

Cayenne pepper

Chipotle chili powder

Ancho chili powder

Brown sugar

Kosher salt

Black pepper, try smoking the pepper wrap it in foil and toss it in the next time you use the BBQ

My Mad Method

Spice mix: 1 TBSP each brown sugar, granulated garlic, cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, 1 tsp each chipotle chili, and ancho chili, to taste cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt

Portion the meat and clean it well, but leave a little trim for cooking purposes

Cover with the spice mix

 Add enough oil to coast about a ½ dl, mix to combine well, let rest at least 2 hours or over night in the refrigerator 

 In a hot iron skillet add a little oil heat to just smoking, add the meat presentation side down (make sure it is room temperature before hand)

When browned flip the meat and place in a 175c preheated oven for about 7 minutes or until the meat is cooked through (77c recommended by board of health)

Ready to eat!!

Shown here with grilled asparagus, rice pilaf, and a homemade apricot – jalapeño chutney

 

 

 

Chef Mik's Cheescake Bar

At my company FoodPerfected we offer all kinds of cheesecakes including bars like these which are great for luncheons or cut up in small bite size portions for a cocktail party or an opening, premier what have you. We make all kinds of bars and in my humble opinion they all taste great, they are easy to make and make a great alternative to more traditional cakes and cookies. This recipe pretty straight forward I am using a short bread cookie base which is great for other types of pasties to I might add but you can always use a gram cracker base or why not substitute some of the flour in this recipe for gram cracker crumbs? (if you live in a region that does dot carry gram crackers use digestive cakes) The cheese cake topping is simple to prepare and very standard not unlike countless others out there and once you taste it you’ll know too why it’s the standard.

Shopping List

Cream cheese

Eggs

Butter

Baker’s Sugar

Confectioners/powdered sugar

Lemons

All purpose flour

Vanilla

Strawberry or berry jelly

My Mad Method

 Begin by whisking together two extra large eggs

Shortbread Base: combine 225g sweet unsalted butter, 1 ¼ dl powdered sugar, and 5 dl a.p. flour in a food processor

  Puree until smooth dough has formed

Spread evenly onto an non greased 23cm by 30cm sheet pan 

  Brush with a little of the egg wash and bake in a 175c preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes 

  Meanwhile start with the topping by combining 450g cream cheese, the remaining egg wash, 1.5 – 2 dl sugar, 1 tsp each: vanilla extract and lemon zest in a food processor 

Puree until smooth

 When the cookie base is ready allow it to cool for 15 to 20 minutes

Pore the cheese cake batter over the cookie base making sure it coats evenly

Using a squeeze bottle or pastry bag press three lines of jelly over the cheese cake batter

 Run across jelly with a tooth pick or knife create zig zag pattern and Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the batter has solidified

When ready allow the cake time to cool thoroughly 

Portion accordingly and it’s ready to serve!!

Ready to eat!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chef Mik's Prime Rib!!

Prime Rib, what’s not to love? Taken from the saddle area of the beast sometimes referred to as a standing rib roast, the name “prime rib” referring to the classification as “prime” or top shelf the most tender cut with the most amount of marbling, other classifications include “choice” which is also a very nice cut of meat a little less marbling perhaps then prime which will yield a nice tender cut of meat though not quite so much so as prime. Lastly there is a cut known as “select” not at all a bad cut of meat whatsoever though it has the least amount of marbling which means it runs the greatest risk of drying out through the cooking process which simply translates into more attention so as not to over cook it, however from a price point perspective this is the most economically feasible selection of the 3. Today I am preparing non other  then that top shelf verity “prime” rib  in Europe it also goes under the heading of contra filet and in Sweden sometimes as entrecote rod. I will prepare this roast nice and slow, and it will be like slicing through butter, tender as can be and I guaranty it will taste like taking a bite out of heaven! But there still countless other ways this cut can be savored and it’s a classic cut to be sure!! For example it can be cut up into steaks which I often do, or braised in a nice stock or broth, in fact one of my favorites is a dish known as “slottstek “ which is a very great dish I highly recommend! But back to basics, it’s also great simply on it own enjoyed with a little au jus and horseradish the classic way it is served Stateside. It can be served bone in or bone out and I might add the bones themselves make a hearty treat. This is so simple and yet so rewarding don’t be intimidated, just four simple steps…

Shopping List

Prime rib

Fresh rosemary

Fresh thyme

Smoked black pepper, or regular black pepper

Coarse ground sea salt

Cooking spray, butter, oil, or fat

My Mad Method

Clean off roast well

Season generously with all seasoning

Roast in a 125c preheated oven until the roast is 60c internal temp, let rest 10 minutes and slice

Ready to eat!!

Shown here with horseradish sauce, red wine au jus, baked potato and baby broccoli

 

 

Chef Mik's Tasty Peanut Butter Bar

These are the easiest desserts to prepare you can imagine, they taste great and take mere minutes to set up. While you can enjoy them anytime you like they are great for catered lunches or functions where in you can simply lay out a tray of them and you are done. I like to lay out a combination of several bars example being chocolate (brownies),fruit, nut, and cheese what have you in bite size portions however of all the bars we offer these are far and a way the easiest with next to no cooking whatsoever! The recipe is pretty standard and straight forward not unlike countless others out there, some melt the butter for the peanut butter bar portion while others such as myself don’t. I will say that it is easier to portion if not completely set. It will hold in the refrigerator for up to a week but if left out it will become soggy and less appealing

Shopping List

Smooth peanut butter

Butter or margarine, I like high fat European style,

Gram cracker crumbs, in lu of them puree digestive cakes

Confectioners or powdered sugar

Dark, semi sweet or milk chocolate

My Mad Method

Combine 225g (2.5dl) butter, 2.5dl peanut butter, 5dl gram cracker crumbs, and 5 dl confectioners sugar in a food processor

Puree until smooth

 

Spread evenly into a 23cm by 30cm sheet pan

Place 224g chocolate and 3 heaping TBSP peanut butter in a microwavable bowl covered with plastic and microwave for 30sec to 1 minute

  Stir until smooth and tempered

Spread the chocolate evenly over peanut butter base

Cool for 15 minutes to a half hour, then portion accordingly, chill thoroughly before serving 

Ready to eat!!

 

 

 

 

 

Chef Mik's Sweet Ars Ribs!

I love ribs!! I love short ribs, prime rib, spare ribs, and baby back ribs you name it, I love ribs! Ok so baby back ribs aren’t exactly ribs they still label them that way and are treated the same way so for all intensive purposes their ribs. I remember back in Sweden around Christmas time they make these ginger ribs I refer to as "Viking style" that in my humble opinion are to die for; they are from the pork loin area of the pig and are just mouth wateringly delicious! Not to say that the ribs I am preparing today aren’t also great just different. They are semi sweet with hints of Asia, Europe and the U.S. I prepare this recipe quite often and will say there is one extra step I like to take just before service, dunking them once again in the vat of glaze which I keep warm then toss them in the oven on high heat for just a minute or so then serve them with heaps of napkins! However I have forgone that step today because of whom I’m serving, I might add who are shall we say a bit more fussy when it comes to messy food which is fine by me, to each their own I suppose and as long as they are happy then so am I!

As for technique there are some especially here in the States that poach (some say they boil the ribs but that would just make the meat tough, not tender at all. It is a good way to clean bones though) their ribs first, lather on the BBQ sauce and finish them off. While I don’t typically follow that method I have a few chef friends who do and will confess they make great ribs. I am of the mind if you bake the ribs first this method results in a nice tender product then you can finish with a glaze or (BBQ) sauce. Alternatively smoke on very low heat basting as you go over the course of a few hours resulting in a very moist tender product, lather on a sauce or glaze and finish. But that’s just me, if you want to poach your ribs first so be it!   

Shopping List

Pork loin, baby back or spare ribs

Beet syrup

Honey

Sweet Soy

Fresh ginger

Oranges

Semi Sweet Sherry, optional

Salt

White pepper and other spices if you like

My Mad Method

Begin with the under carriage, if there is any sinew remove that first then season generously

Flip the ribs and season the other side as well sometimes referred to as the presentation side, place on medium rack and bake in a 150c preheated oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes 

 Prepare the glaze reduce the juice from 1 orange together with 2 TBLS honey and 1 TBLS sherry until thickened, add 2 tsp ginger, 1dl syrup, 1 TBLS sweet soy and heat through 

The meat has begun to recede from the bone, and the juice has begun to run clear a tell tail sign the ribs are ready, cool on a wire wrack

When ready to finish the ribs baste well with a generous amount of the glaze and return to a 200c and finish them heating through and caramelizing the ribs 

The ribs are dune and ready to serve!! Smelling great to if I may say so myself…

Ready to eat!!

(shown here with potato - chive pancakes)