Les Dames Takeover series continued at the Market at Pepper Place with Dames Sherron Goldstein and Rebel Negley teaming up. Goldstein shared a great, tasty idea for late-summer tomatoes with a colorful Fattoush (bread salad), and Negley offered tips on how to get the most from your pressure cooker and shared a recipe for Pot Roast in a Pressure Cooker.
Goldstein and Negley are members of The Birmingham chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, a 501(c)(3) organization of leaders and experts in food, beverage and hospitality. The group is dedicated to growing, creating, promoting and sharing our local food culture through education, mentoring, advocacy and philanthropy.
The live cooking demonstrations — at 9 a.m. every Saturday at the Market — feature some of the most prominent chefs in the Birmingham metropolitan area and always include tastes of the Alabama-grown foods being presented.
For the complete schedule, follow this link. The free event will take place rain or shine.
To learn more about Les Dames Takeover, which will continue through Saturday Sept. 29, visit www.pepperplace.com or contact [email protected].
The venue is at 2829 Second Ave. S.
Fattoush
Ingredients:
2 white or whole-wheat pita rounds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons za’atar (a Middle Eastern blend of herbs)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves (finely chopped)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 large English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into half moons
8 radishes, thinly sliced
½ small red onion, finely chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay the pita rounds on a large baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and completely cool. Break into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, yogurt, za’atar spice, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, stir together the tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, red onion, scallions, parsley and mint. Gently fold in the toasted pita chips. Drizzle the dressing over the mixture and toss to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Pot Roast in a Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2- to 3-pound beef roast (rump roast cut preferred)
1/4-1/2 cup soy sauce
1 bay leaf (whole)
1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
Black pepper to taste
Water to fill about ½ inch above the roast
Small red potatoes, carrots
Instructions
Heat olive oil in the bottom of the pressure cooker until hot. Braise beef on all sides until golden brown, turning with a meat fork. This will require your full attention to rotate and sear the juices in. Once the roast is braised, move the pressure cooker to the sink. Hold the lid up to the light and make sure the pressure valve is not blocked, add black pepper, soy sauce and bay leaf, add water (water should be about ½ inch over the top of the roast. Bring pressure cooker up to high until the jiggler starts rocking back and forth, immediately turn to medium high (a steady rocking motion, not too fast). Let it cook under pressure for 25-30 minutes. Carefully and slowly remove from heat and transfer to the sink (do not remove jiggler or try to open; contents will be under high pressure and could cause serious burns). Run cold tap water over pressure cooker side until all pressure valves move back into the safe-to-open position. Once it is in the safe position, remove jiggler and open lid. Use a fork to test tenderness, add carrots and potatoes. Repeat the same process of checking the lid hole by holding the lid up to the light. Return the pressure cooker to the stove, tighten the lid and put the jiggler on top. Take it back to high temperature until it begins to jiggle and move it back to medium. Pressure cook on medium high/medium for another 10 minutes. Repeat the sink cool down. If the roast is not as tender as you like, remove the veggies and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Tip: If you like a little more salt than just the soy sauce, sprinkle the roast with Himalayan salt before braising.
