Thinly Sliced Beef Tenderloin Atop A Bed Of Pasta Primavera.... Perfect Simplicity

Last week I realized that I hadn't made Pasta Primavera in quite some time, so I got with it. If you're trying to get in the recommended 5-7 servings of fruits and/or veggies, this is your vehicle to success. Make enough and you have at least one more night's dinner and several lunches as well. It's a total *win win* deal.

I had leftover beef tenderloin as well as leftover buffalo steaks, so I simply used them instead of having to cook fresh steaks. I also wanted them cold and sliced as thinly as possible. Hello.

Normally, I would make dressing from scratch but we've been having pipes replaced in the midst of our current kitchen plumbing problems. Oy me! So, I simply used a store-bought Balsamic Vinaigrette, which substituted quite well under the circumstances. Here's how I worked it:

Thinly Sliced Beef Tenderloin Atop A Bed Of Pasta Primavera:

Ingredients:

2 cups Rotini pasta, plain & cooked al dente

2 cups Rotini pasta, mixed & cooked al dente

fresh broccoli, steamed to personal preference

fresh asparagus, steamed to personal preference (however I used leftover sauteed asparagus), chopped

1/2 fresh green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1-1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes, chopped (or the equivalent with medium tomatoes)

1 bunch of green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 medium red onion, sliced and chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 - 4 ounce container of Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions, al dente. Set aside to cool.

2. Chop all veggies or use a food processor to hurry it along. Add to cooled pasta

3. Mix or toss well.

4. Add Blue Cheese. Toss again.

5. Add dressing, toss again, and cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge for at least 2 hours.

6. Slice beef tenderloin as thinly as possible.

7. Place pasta pleasingly on the plate then add the sliced beef as much like an accordion as possible.

8. Add additional dressing to the top of the beef.

9. ENJOY!

Fried Oysters Served On A Bed Of Pasta With Steamed Green Beans & Hollandaise

Whenever I go to visit my good friend in San Antonio I always take a couple of large ice chests for when we make our trip to Groomer's Seafood. I adore Groomer's Seafood and they know I love them for all of the wondrous seafood they supply me with.


It's difficult to get good, fresh seafood out here in the dry flatlands of West Texas, so when I go there I drool a lot. I think they like that.

Anyway, the last time I went there, I stood and watched as the employees shucked my oysters. Yes, I was drooling in anticipation of having fried oysters. I also looked on as they cut up my fresh tuna into 2" steaks. I was also able to buy some lovely salmon, some flounder, huge shrimps and some Red Snapper.


They always pack everything in ice for me, with enough to last me the five-1/2 hour trip home. I love that place!

Anyway, once I arrived home it was decided that we should have the oysters first. While draining the oysters, I found a lovely little pearl, which is the second I've found in a year. If this keeps up, I'll have a necklace in about 15 or 20 years. So here is my recipe for Fried Oysters:

Fried Oysters:

Ingredients:

1 dozen oysters, shucked

1 cup of flour

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 egg, beaten (with 1 tablespoon water added)

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

cooking oil

Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper .

2. In a medium size bowl, beat the egg with water added.

3. On a newspaper, combine the breadcrumbs and cornmeal. I like to use surgical gloves in the kitchen, which really come in handy for messy jobs such as this

4. While the oil is heating in the pan, roll each oyster lightly in the flour mixture.

5. Roll each oyster in the egg then dip in the breadcrumbs mixture, making sure that each is evenly coated.

6. Once your oil is heated to almost smoking, you can begin adding each oyster.

7. While these are cooking, you can bread another batch of oysters and have them ready to go.

8. When the first batch is done, drain them on a wire rack with paper towels and place in a warm oven.

9. Repeat this process until all oysters are done.

10. Serve with Hollandaise sauce and/or Horseradish Cocktail sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce: Ingredients:

1 cup of butter
4 eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh minced parsley  


Directions:

1. Heat butter until melted & bubbling.

2. Combine with all other ingredients in a blender.

3. With blender turned on, pour butter into yolk mixture in a slow stream until all is added.

4. Turn blender off and use the sauce or store in refrigerator up to 4 days.

Veal Marsala With Mushrooms and Red Bell Pepper

I realize there are those out there in the blogosphere who do not approve of using veal, so if you're one of those people, then you'll want to leave now and possibly never return. We eat veal along with other things that many people "Tsk Tsk." us for. I don't care. I live in Texas where everyone that has any sense eats beef... any way they can get it. I am that type of person.






Veal Marsala With Mushrooms, Red Bell Peppers & Onions:



INGREDIENTS:


4 Thinly Sliced Pieces of Veal Scallopini

1 Medium Size Red Onion, thinly sliced

4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 Egg, lightly beaten

3 Heaping Tablespoons of All Purpose Flour

1/3 Cup Grated Fesh Parmesan

Salt & Pepper, to taste

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter1

1/2 Cup Dry White Wine

1/3 Cup Organic Chicken Broth

DIRECTIONS:

1. On a heavy chopping board, pound out the pieces of scallopini until they are very thin, almost see-through.

2. Combine the flour, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl or or deep pan.

3. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg and place the bowl next to the flour bowl.

4. Add 1 Tbls. of the butter and the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium flame.

5. Dip each scallopini in the flour mixture, immerse in the egg, then back to the flour mixture, adding each to the pan as it's ready. Cook until browned on each side, then set aside on a platter.

6. Add the other Tablespoon of butter to the pan and add the red onions, then the mushrooms, allowing them to cook for a few minutes.

7. Next, add the sliced red bell peppers and the garlic, allowing them to cook a couple of minutes.

8. Return the pieces of scallopini to the pan and cover with the veggies.

9. Add the 1/2 cup of white wine and the 1/3 cup of chicken broth and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.

10. Serve over your favorite type of cooked pasta.