Author: Dave Tappan

Our Chief Engineer at Q97, Barry, brought a crock-pot of tri-tip soup. It is fantastic! Job well done, Barry! He doesn’t have a recipe, so I thought of a bunch of good ingredients and wrote my own recipe. I hope it’s good. It sounds good. Grilled Tri-Tip Soup 1/2 C all-purpose flour (optional)One 3 lb. tri-tip, seared and cubed3 Tbs olive oil1 bag frozen pearl onions8 cloves garlic, peeled2 Tbs balsamic vinegar2 Tbs tomato paste2 C dry red wine4 C beef broth1 bay leafDried thyme4 large carrots, peeled and cut into one-inch pieces4 stalks celery, trimmed and cut into one-inch pieces2 cans kidney beans1-pound white button mushrooms, quarteredFresh parsley, choppedKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste Season the tri-tip with salt and pepper. Sear the tri-tip on your grill just until it gets good color, about five minutes, or so.Remove the tri-tip and place on a plate, to drain and cool. Cube the tri-tip. Reserve the juicesPlace the flour in a large resealable plastic bag and season it with salt and pepper. Add the tri-tip cubes to the flour, close the bag, and shake to coat well. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Remove the tri-tip from the flour, shaking off any excess and carefully add it to the hot oil. Brown the tri-tip, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove the tri-tip from the pot and set it aside.Add the onions and garlic to the pot and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the vinegar and scrape up the brown bits from bottom of the pot. Add the tomato paste and cook for one minute more. Place the onions and garlic mixture in a crock-pot. Add the tri-tip to the pot, with the juices. Add the wine, beef broth, reserved cooking juices from the tri-tip, bay leaf and thyme. Stir to combine. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low for about 4 hours.After 4 hours of cooking, add the carrots, beans, celery and mushrooms. Cover and cook another 2 hours or until the vegetables are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Today is National French Fried Shrimp Day. Now, I don’t know the difference between French fried and just fried, but I’ll be bustin’ out the ol’ Ninja Indoor Grill & Air-Fryer tonight. Happy Saturday! Air-Fried Shrimp 2 lbs. large shrimp peeled, de-veined, tails intact1 cup flouronion powdergarlic powderOld Bay SeasoningCajun SeasoningKosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste2 large eggs, beaten1-1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbsCooking spray or vegetable oil Mix flour, onion powder, garlic powder, Old Bay Seasoning, Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Add beaten eggs to another bowl. Add breadcrumbs to a another bowl.Dredge the shrimp into the mixed flour mixture, then into the beaten egg, and then into the breadcrumbs.Preheat the air fryer to 390. Spritz the shrimp with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket leaving a little room in between the shrimp. Cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

If you’re still trying to come up with a sexy Christmas Eve dinner, this ought to do the trick.   Steak Marsala   1cup chicken broth ½-ounce dried porcini mushrooms 3 tablespoons olive oil 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced thin Kosher salt and fresh-pepper, to taste Four 6-8-ounce sirloin steaks 1 shallot, minced 1 tablespoon flour 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced ¾ cup sweet marsala, plus one tablespoon 4 tablespoons butter, chilled and cubed 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 2 teaspoons lemon juice   Add ½ cup of broth to dried porcini mushrooms in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 1 minute until steaming. Let sit for about 5 minutes until softened. Drain and reserve liquid. Chop mushrooms until fine. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a nonstick skillet over medium-high. When hot, add fresh mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper and cover. Cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with tinfoil to keep warm. Pat steaks dry and season with salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. When hot, add steaks and cook until brown on one side. Turnover and cook until meat thermometer registers 125º for medium rare, 130º for medium. Time will vary depending on how thick the steaks are, but about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with tinfoil. Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat and add shallots, flour, garlic, rosemary, dried mushrooms, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the shallots have softened. Stir in ¾ cup of Marsala, reserved mushroom liquid and ½ cup of broth. Cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and whisk in butter a piece at a time. Next add parsley, lemon juice, the browned fresh mushrooms and 1 tablespoon Marsala. Season with salt and pepper. Slice steak and spoon sauce over steak.

Christmas Eve is one week from today…Yikes! Cioppino is a must for many families during the Holidays. This one comes from the Putah Creek Cafe in Winters. It’s expensive, time consuming and a lot of work, but if you want to show your friends and family a lot of love on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, have a big pot of this on the stove. Cin Cin! San Francisco Style Cioppino Cioppino Tomato Base:1/4 cup olive oil1 small carrot, chopped1 small yellow onion, chopped1/2 green bell pepper, chopped2 ribs celery, chopped5 cloves garlic, chopped1 small serrano chile1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped1/2 bunch fresh oregano, chopped1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns1 bay leaf1/2 bottle good red wine2 teaspoons red wine vinegar2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons hot sauce10 cups canned pureed tomatoes, about five 15-ounce cansFish Stock, recipe follows Seafood:6 tubes of squid, with tentacles, cleaned and cut into rings3 whole Dungeness crab legs and bodies, with the crabmeat intact18 littleneck clams, scrubbed clean18 black mussels, bearded and scrubbed clean1 1/2 pounds fresh firm fish, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces12 peeled and deveined prawns (shells reserved for stock Fish Stock:1 pound fresh fish bones, plus the head if you can get it2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped1 small carrot, coarsely chopped1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped2 cloves garlic, mashed1/4 bunch parsley stems1 bay leaf1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns1/2 teaspoon fennel seedsShells from the prawns10 to 12 cups clam juice Fish Stock:In a large pot, add all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain, reserving the broth and discarding the solids. For the tomato base: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the carrots, onions, peppers, and celery, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chile, herbs, and seasonings and cook until fragrant. Add the wine, vinegar, Worcestershire, and hot sauce and reduce until the liquid is almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes and all of the fish stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain through a fine strainer, discarding the solids. For the seafood: Place the strained liquid into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Add the crab, squid, clams, mussels, and fish, cover the pot, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the prawns and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. To serve: Divide the seafood into 6 large bowls and ladle the broth over top. Serve with good, crusty garlic bread to sop up all the heavenly goodness!

Yesterday, Beth asked me, “Wadaya want for Christmas Eve dinner?” I really didn’t have an answer. Then, I found a recipe in my annals. BTW…what are YOU doing for Christmas Eve dinner? Steak Diane Four 6–8-ounce steaks…your favorite cut.Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste1/2 cup beef broth4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons Dijon mustard2 teaspoons tomato paste2 tablespoons butter1/2 cup finely minced shallots4 tablespoons cognac or brandy1/3 cup heavy cream2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped Pat the steaks dry and sprinkle salt on both sides of the steak and set aside at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.Whisk together broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and tomato paste; set aside.Melt the butter in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Increase the heat to high and sear the meat for 1 to 4 minutes, depending on how thick the steak is. Turn and sear on the other side and cook until done to your liking.When the steaks are done, move to a cutting board and tent with foil.While the meat is resting, sauté the shallots in the pan, 2 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring once or twice.Add the cognac to de-glaze the pan. Increase the heat and cook until the cognac is almost evaporated.Stir in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.If you want, thinly slice the steak to serve. Otherwise serve individual steaks. Drizzle warm Diane sauce over the steak and garnish with fresh-ground pepper and chives.

Skyline Chili in Cincinnati is famous for their Cincinnati style chili they’ve been serving since 1949. Since I’ve never been and probably won’t go, I had to find the recipe and do it myself. BTW…I like mine “Four Way” This is perfect for a cold, rainy weekend in Redding.   Cincinnati “Skyline” Chili   1 quart cold water 2 lbs ground beef 2 cups crushed tomato 2 yellow onions, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa 1/4 cup chili powder 1 tsp cayenne 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tbsp cider vinegar 1 whole bay leaf 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp salt Finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese for serving 1 pound spaghetti for serving Red kidney beans for serving Diced yellow onion for serving   1. Add beef and water to a 4-quart pot. Bring to a simmer while stirring until the ground beef is in very small pieces. Simmer for 30 minutes and add all the rest of the ingredients. 2. Simmer uncovered on low for 3 hours. Add water as needed if the chili becomes too thick. 3. Boil spaghetti in well salted water according to package directions 4. Follow the “Skyline” guide below for serving The Cincinnati “Skyline” Chili Ordering Code   1. Just the chili (“One Way”) 2. Chili served over spaghetti (“Two Way”) 3. Chili, spaghetti, and grated Cheddar cheese (“Three Way”) 4. Chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions (“Four Way”) 5. Chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans (“Five Way”) All are served with oyster crackers.