Weeknight Gourmet

Tim and I are back after a wonderful trip to Grand Cayman.  We were sad to come back to the frigid weather but very happy we were able to get away to somewhere tropical before the baby comes.

After reuniting with Angus yesterday, we drove up to the Berkshires.  It was 5 degrees as we crossed the Becket border!  Brrr…  The roads were not in great shape late yesterday afternoon when I was planning to go grocery shopping so I decided I’d have to make due with what was in the house.

I defrosted some kabob cubes from the half-steer and planned to cook them on a grill pan.  I was looking for a good marinade when I found this Bobby Flay recipe.  The garlic-mustard glaze was super flavorful and very easy.  It was tasty on the grill pan but I can’t wait to try it out on the grill this summer!

I didn’t have much in the house to accompany the kabobs other than couscous.  To make some plain couscous more interesting, I followed this Barefoot Contessa recipe.  I didn’t have any dried currants (or other dried fruit) on hand so I added some roasted red peppers which would at least have some sweetness.  The couscous was very tasty!  I plan to make it again with the dried currants.

Overall a great meal for something whipped up with only ingredients in the house.

Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers
Bobby Flay

• 1 (2-pound) beef tenderloin, halved and cut into 1-inch slices
• 6-inch wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
• Garlic-Mustard Glaze, recipe follows

Heat grill to high. Skewer 2 pieces of the beef onto 2 skewers so that the meat lies flat. Brush the meat liberally on both sides with the Garlic-Mustard Glaze. Grill the meat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked to medium-rare doneness, brushing with the remaining glaze while grilling. Remove from grill and serve.

Garlic-Mustard Glaze:

• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup grainy mustard
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.

Moroccan Couscous
Barefoot Contessa

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup chopped shallots
• 3 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• 1/2 cup pignoli nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup currants

Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Off the heat and add the couscous. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Add the pignoli nuts and currants to the couscous, stir and serve.

Homemade Chicken Stock:

• 3 (5-pound) chickens
• 3 large onions, unpeeled and quartered
• 6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
• 4 celery stalks with leaves, cut in thirds
• 4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in 1/2, optional
• 20 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 15 sprigs fresh thyme
• 20 sprigs fresh dill
• 1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

Yield: 6 quarts