Quick Fajitas with Pico de Gallo

Grilled Steak and Vegetable Pizza

2 pkgs. (7.5oz.) Martha White Deep Pan Pizza Crust Mix
1 ¼ -pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut ¾ inch thick
2 tablespoons corn meal
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small eggplant (6 to 7 inches long), cut crosswise into ½ inch-thick slices
1 large yellow bell pepper, quartered
2 medium plum tomatoes, very thinly sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda Cheese

Sprinkle corn meal on 2 large baking sheets. Combine pizza crust mixes in large mixing bowl; add 1 cup hot water and prepare according to package directions. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Place on corn meal coated pans; roll or press out into free form rectangles, about 3x5-inches. Brush lightly with some of the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Brush eggplant and bell pepper with oil. Grill vegetables and steak, uncovered over medium heat about 13 -16 minutes or until steak is medium rare to medium doneness and vegetables are tender; turn occasionally. Remove steak and vegetables from grill to cutting board. Cut eggplant slices into quarters while grill is cooling to medium-low heat. Cut bell pepper pieces into thin strips and carve steak crosswise into thin slices.

Place pizza crusts, corn meal sides down, directly on grid. (Grill in 2 batches, if necessary.) Grill, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes or until bottom is brown. Turn crusts over. Arrange one-fourth of the eggplant, tomatoes, beef and bell pepper on each crust; sprinkle with cheese. Grill, covered, 2 to 3 minutes or until crusts are browned on bottom and cheese is softened. (Cheese does not melt completely.) Watch carefully so that crusts do not burn; rotate pizzas as necessary. Makes 4 pizzas.

Note: If you prefer, grill second side of crust 1 minute. Remove from grill and top with steak, vegetables and cheese. Return pizza to grill and cook until bottom of crust is brown. May substitute mushrooms, zucchini, or yellow squash for vegetables.

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Ground Beef Pizza – A Party Pleaser

This is the time of year for celebrations: end-of-the-year club meetings, the lastgame of the season or a party honoring the recent graduate. These events call for food that is convenient and something everyone will enjoy. Versatile pizza is perfect. It can be a complete meal, a light luncheon or a special treat. No matter what the occasion, Southwest Beef and Chilies Pizzas with that zippy South-of-the Border flavor will be a quick favorite with everyone.

Prepare Martha White Pizza Crust mix and set aside. Great –tasting, economical ground beef is first cooked until the beef crumbles are no longer pink. (Remember to rinse the browned meat in warm water to reduce the fat by 50%.)

Roll out pizza crust and place on baking sheet. Top with salsa, cheese, beef, sprinkle with jalapeno chilies, tomatoes, and onion.

Top with remaining cheese for delicious homemade pizza in 11 -13 minutes – quicker than delivery and much tastier!

Serve the pizza with your favorite fruit or vegetable salad, some cool, refreshing drinks and it’s party time.

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Blanch asparagus spears quickly in salted boiling water. Do not overcook. Cool in ice water bath. Cream cheese, blend in parsley and horseradish.

Blanch scallions quickly and immerse in ice water bath. Place thinly sliced roast beef on waxed paper. Spread each slice with cream cheese/horseradish mixture. Place asparagus spear on each slice so tip is exposed. Roll each slice and tie with scallion sprig or chive. Chill covered until ready to serve.

Variation: Substitute blanched marinated green beans for asparagus.

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Flat Iron Steak Strips with Grilled Red Onions

Serves: 4

2-pounds flat iron steak                                                            
1 medium red onion, sliced into ½-inch thick slices
1 TB extra virgin olive oil

Marinade for Meat
1 Cup vegetable oil
2 TB hot smoked Spanish paprika
4 garlic cloves, minced

2 TB fresh thyme leaves

2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Combine oil and paprika in small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat 5 minutes to infuse oil, whisking occasionally.  Cool to room temperature.  Pour oil mixture into blender and add garlic, thyme leaves,  rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Blend marinade until herbs are finely chopped.  Arrange steaks in glass baking dish and pour marinade over.  Turn to coat meat evenly, cover and chill at least 1 to 2 days.

Prepare barbecue on medium-high heat.  Scrape off most of the marinade from meat.  Grill steaks until just cooked through, about 5-10 minutes per side.  Transfer to a platter, cover and keep warm.

Drizzle 1 TB olive oil over the onions and season with salt and pepper.  Grill or sear the onion until charred and just lightly softened, about 5 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a plate, cover to keep warm and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut the corn bread into rectangular strips.  Grill the corn bread slices to warm and spread a thin    layer of the pineapple salsa on the corn bread.  Slice the steaks into strips and top the corn bread with the steak, scatter some red onions over each, and garnish each serving with a tsp. of the pineapple salsa.

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Jalapeno Cornbread with Pineapple Salsa

1 C stone-ground white cornmeal

1 C self-rising flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 TB sugar (optional)

1 egg

¼ C vegetable oil

1 C Buttermilk

2-3 fresh jalapenos or more to taste
Jar Pineapple Salsa 

Mix dry ingredients together and add liquid to mix.  Grease a cast iron skillet or a loaf pan and baked in a 350 oven.

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Andrea Conte’s Great Burgers

One Onion
Unsalted butter, about one tablespoon                                                
2-3 lbs. Lean ground beef ( allow 1lb. for 10 smaller burgers; 1/4 – 1/3 lb. per person for regular size burgers)
Beer, bottled or canned, a few ounces                                        
2 TB Dijon mustard
Dried herbs: oregano or basil or both
Salt and pepper
Buns, ketchup, pickles, etc.

1. Grate the onion into small pieces.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat.
3. When butter is melted, place chopped onions into skillet & cover the skillet.
4. Continue to cook on low heat.
5. While onions are cooking, place ground beef into a shallow bowl.
6. Using two forks gently separate the meat.
7. Pour a few ounces of beer, a good dollop of mustard, the dried herbs (about ½ tsp or more if you like herbs), salt and pepper to taste into the beef.
8. Gently mix all of this together. The gentler the touch, the better the burgers.
9. Check you onions, turning as necessary. Whey they are starting to get golden brown, remove the lid for a few minutes, turning the onions once or twice.
10. When onions are done to a turn, add them to the meat and once again, mix gently.
11. Form patties & then grill. If you do not have a grill available, burgers can also be cooked in a skillet on the stove on medium heat.
12. Serve up on buns with a generous slice of fresh garden tomato and your favorite condiments.

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It is my pleasure to share with you a collection of my favorite holiday recipes in this brochure.  Included within are a few menu items Tennessee Executive Residence Chef Hilda Pope often creates for guests visiting the residence.  These recipes include many of Tennessee's finest agricultural products and the featured ingredients represent a sampling of our state's rich food supply.
I hope you enjoy this brochure, the recipes, and have a happy holiday season.

Andrea Conte
First Lady of Tennessee


       

Oven-Braised Short Ribs

6 lbs. beef sort ribs with bones
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Martha White Flour for dredging
1/4 cup Wesson Oil
2 onions, chopped
6 Strickland's carrot sticks, sliced
4 stalks Strickland's celery, sliced
1 Tennessee tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Tennessee dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp each H2O Farms oregano, parsley and thyme

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Season ribs with salt and pepper.  Dredge in flour.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Brown ribs on both sides and place in one layer in lighly oiled roasting pan.
2. In same skillet, saute onions, carrots, celery and garlic until just tender.  Pour vegetables over meat.  Whisk wine into hot skillet.  Pour into roasting pan.  Combine stock and herbs; pour over ribs.  Cover and roast for 2 1/2-3 hours or until meat is tender, basting several times while cooking.  Cut into individual ribs and serve warm.

Serve with Tennessee Merlot

When deciding what size roast to buy to satisfy holiday appetites, plan to serve 6 ounces of cooked beef per person.  Let roast stand 15 minutes after removing from oven.  For a roasting timetable, click here. 
                                                                                                       
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Open-Faced Tenderloin Sandwiches

Makes: 30 to 32 sandwiches

2lbs. whole beef tenderloin, trimmed
2 loaves French bread, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1-10 oz. bag of Strickland's baby spinach
1-12 oz. jar of Moody Dunbar roasted red pepper
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Artichoke puree

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle freshly ground pepper on tenderloin and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until it registers at 125 degrees.  Remove from oven, tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes.  Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until very cold.  Slice thin and set aside.
2. Spread a tablespoon of artichoke puree on sliced French bread, top with a spinach leaf and slice of tenderloin.  Cut roasted red pepper into strips and place one strip on each sandwich. Sprinkle freshly ground pepper and serve cold.

Serve with Tennessee Carbenet Sauvignon or Merlot

Artichoke Puree

1-16 oz. can artichoke hearts or quarters
1 cup JFG mayonnaise
1-2 garlic cloves, mashed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pepper

Using a food processor, pulse artichoke hearts, add rest of ingredients and pulse for few more minutes.  It's best to have some consistency and not pureed too finely.  Yields 2 cups.

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Stuffed Mushrooms

Makes approx. 36

2- 8 oz. packs of Monterey Mushrooms
7 oz. log goat cheese - room temperature
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper
2 sprigs of fresh H2O Farms basil

1. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel.  Remove stem and with a melon baller, scoop out some of the center to create a cavity for the filling.
2. Combine softened goat cheese, minced garlic, salt & pepper and some chopped basil, reserving 1 sprig for garnish.  Using a teaspoon or a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, fill each mushroom with some of the filling.  Garnish with a sprig of basil on top. 
3. Broil mushrooms under a broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown slightly and finish in a 350 degrees oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve with Tennessee Sauvignon Blanc

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