Ropa Vieja, Broccoli Soup and Eggplant Confit

Jones Creek Beef #2 --  Old Rags for Eight

I gotta tell you folks, cooking this grass-fed, free-range, no-hormone added Jones Creek Beef is unlike anything you've done to a cow! This meat is so lean that it's more like bison than your average megamart beef. You really want to cook this grass-fed goodness either Medium Rare (that's how I'd do burgers) or braised until it's nearly falling apart, surrounded by liquid and goodies like onions, bell peppers, garlic, and such. 

That's what happened this week when my foodie friend Sara and I made Ropa Vieja, the classic Cuban dish. We then served the "Old Rags" up to several of our friends at the marina, aboard Sara and John's 52 foot cruiser called Star Dust.

We started by searing the roast in a splash of bacon fat, to get that great caramelized color and flavor we all love. Then we popped it in a slow cooker for about four hours with a 6 oz jar of sofrito and a couple cups of homemade (well, boat-made in this case) chicken broth. Sofrito is a wonderful "flavor base" kind of salsa made from onion, tomato, garlic and spices. You can make your own sofrito, as I described here several weeks ago, but we decided not to this time around. 

While the roast was cooking we sliced up three yellow onions, three colors of bell peppers, a half dozen small heirloom tomatoes I'd acquired, and an equal number of cloves of smashed garlic. At the 4 hr. mark we added the vegetation, put the cover back on and watched videos for two more hours while the aroma inside the boat started to make us drool.  

 Sarah had a large pot of pre-cooked rice to which we added a Sazon Tropical tm packet while re-heating, and I'd brought a package of corn tortillas to serve with the Ropa. At the end of the six hours, I pulled the roast apart with a pair of forks and returned the shredded meat to the wonderful liquid in the pot.

When the guests arrived we plated the Ropa with the rice and warmed corn tortillas, and toasted each other with a nice red wine! Succulent, unctuous, and flavorful. And that's just the beef! The "gravy" of broth, onion, bell pepper and garlic was frosting on the beef-cake!

2 lb Jones Creek Beef tm Chuck Roast

2-3 cups Chicken or Beef broth

6 oz Goya tm Sofrito

3 Yellow Onions, sliced into strips

1 Red Bell Pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips

1 Green Bell Pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips

6 cloves (at least) Garlic, smashed and chopped

This recipe fed six hungery boaties, and there was leftovers enough for at least two more meals!

Broccoli & Feta Soup

Sally is a big fan of soups, particularly vegetable soups. She found the original of this in an Oprah! magazine.

1 cup diced Onion

1/2 cup diced Celery

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, skin-on, cut into 1/2" dice

4 cups no-sodium Chicken Stock

6 cups Broccoli florets (about 1-1/2 lbs of crowns)

1/3 cup Parsley, plus more for garnish

2-4 Tbsp chopped fresh Dill, for garnish

1/3 cup Feta crumbles, plus 1/4 cup for garnish

S&PTT

Saute the onion, garlic and celery until soft, with a pinch of salt & pepper. Add the potato and the stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered,until the potato is soft -- about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook until barely tender -- about 4 more minutes. Add 1/3 cup parsley and 1/3 cup feta.

With a stick or jug blender, puree the soup, in batches if needed, to get a creamy consistency. Season again with salt & pepper, to taste. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with additional parsley, feta and dill.

Eggplant Confit

It's that time of year again in South Florida -- Aubergine Season. From tiny globes to huge footballs, the white and purple eggplant is supreme this time of year! I usually make Stuffed Eggplant, Eggplant Parmesan in several versions, the dish called Imam Fainted, various iterations of roasted slices of eggplant, or an Eggplant Mint & Honey spread. Use the Search tool to see the dishes I've featured here over the past couple years.

This time we're doing Eggplant Confit. Sally found a recipe in the newspaper, and suggested we try it. I did some research and came up with my own version with additional flavor elements.

Confit usually refers to something cooked low and slow in its own fat -- like the classic Duck Confit -- as a way to preserve the item. Eggplant doesn't have any fat to speak of, but that's OK, we'll add some olive oil, among other things, and preserve the result in jars. Since we're not interested in preserving the eggplant for months, we don't need as high a proportion of fat as when making Duck Confit.

Eggplant marries well around the world with garlic, onion, bell peppers, and tomatoes in any combination, and we're going to add those here as well.

1-1/2 lbs mini Eggplant (nothing much bigger than a golf ball)

1 cup chopped Bell Peppers -- mixed colors are nice

1 cup diced Red Onion

1-1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes, we like the yellow ones

4 large cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Kosher Salt as needed

1/2 cup EVOO -- sounds like a lot but it really isn't

12 leaves fresh Basil, julienned

1/4 cup fresh Dill stripped from the stems

Trim the tops from the eggplants and halve them. If they're bigger than a golf ball cut them into quarters. Place them in a plastic bag with a good amount of Kosher salt. Twist the bag shut and shake to coat the eggplant well. Place cut side down on a couple layers of paper towel on a tray of some kind. Let them sit for at least half an hour to draw out some of the moisture.

Meanwhile, chop up all the other veggies. Spread everything (except the fresh herbs) in a 9x13 baking dish, and pour the olive oil over all. Roast in a pre-heated 275F oven for at least an hour until everything is very soft.

Cool a bit and pack the confit into screw-top jars (the recipe should make two pint jars plus a bit) adding half the basil and dill to each jar. Cool fully, seal and store in the fridge.

To serve, toast a nice crusty roll of bread and schmear some confit on top. Serve with a salad, as a side, or as an appetizer!

Great Salmon Technique

I found a really great way to prepare Sockeye Salmon filets, the other night. Thaw the filets, dust with Pride of Szeged Fish Rub tm, and drizzle some oil in your skillet. Place the fish skin-side down in the hot oil and cook for 10-12 minutes, covered. Then drizzle each filet with a few drops of Toasted Sesame Oil, and a splash of Balsamic Vinegar, and cook another couple minutes until the fish flakes easily. Extra yummy!!

Jones Creek Beef #1 & I'm on a roll -- Casserole that is

Ever notice that you can cook almost anything in the universe at 350F? It's just that a rack of brontosaurus ribs will take longer than a Cornish Game Hen.... The first dish this week cooks much lower and slower though.

Jones Creek Beef #1 -- Bajan Pepperpot Beef Roast

At long last, I was able to find the local Walmarts carrying Jones Creek Beef tm. Special thanks to Mike W from the Jones Creek Beef Ranch in Springville, UT, for his assistance in my quest. Those of you outside Southwest Florida should not have the problems I did! Here in Fort Myers I found that the "new" Walmart on San Carlos Rd just off Summerlin Rd has The Good Stuff. There's also one in Naples at I-75 and Immoklee Rd. Others in the area will be getting JCB soon.

Bajan (bay-jaan) is what the people of Barbados call themselves. This former British possession in the Western Caribbean has a long history of beef in their island diet. Of course in the old days, the good cuts went to the upperclasses while the ordinary folks got the bits and pieces. Originally, Pepperpot was a dish similar to Ossa Bucco, made from joint meats and other marginal cuts cooked into submission low and slow to bring out all the flavor and goodness. Today you can make Pepperpot with a really nice cut of beef, like a Jones Creek Beef Rump Roast.

Bajan Style Pepperpot Beef Roast

This is not a quick recipe, but it's worth the time. Cook this in an electric skillet or slow cooker. This looks like a huge ingredient list; but it's "a pinch of this and a bit of that". Combine everything after the roast and the Bajan Seasoning in a bowl, and mix it up before you surround the roast with it.

2 lb Jones Creek Beef Rump Roast

1/4 cup Bajan Seasoning

--------------------

1 large Red Bell Pepper, diced large

1 cup Butternut Squash or Yam cubes

1 large Sweet or White Onion, sliced

½ Red Onion, sliced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Tbsp whole Allspice Berries

1 Teaspoon whole Black Peppercorns

2 Bay leaves

4 oz Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

1 Lime, juiced

Optional -- for a bit more heat add a red Jalapeño or Scotch Bonnet pepper, minced.

When you unwrap the roast, you discover that it is a largish triangle of meat a couple inches thick. Sear the open roast in a very hot skillet. Not to seal in the juices, that's a fallacy. You're searing to get that extra tasty 'not quite burnt' crusty goodness!

Now put the Bajan seasoning on the "inside" of the meat, fold the meat back over itself,with the Seasoning in the middle, and pin it closed with a couple pieces of bamboo skewer.

Bajan Seasoning wrapped inside the Chuck Roast

Put the seared roast in an electric skillet or slow cooker. Surround the roast with the other "below the line" ingredients.

Roast surrounded by the 'gravy' ingredients

Cover and cook low and slow at 200-225F. The aroma while this is cooking is out of this world!

After 45 minutes, check the internal temperature with your meat thermometer. You really don't want "shredded beef" here, you want a sliceable roast. When the internal temperature reaches 135-140, take the meat out and put it on a platter with the surrounding veggies and liquid to rest for 10-15 minutes. Then slice thin and serve with a helping of the "gravy" of cooked veggies and liquid and whatever sides you like.

Pepperpot Roast, 'gravy' veg (top) and Bajan Chilled Vegetables

I gotta tell you folks, this is some TASTY beef! Tender, slightly sweet, and just a bit of fat. That means you really want to treat this right. If you do, you'll have slices of heaven on your plate! Thaw the roast naturally. Sear it brown, then cook, covered, low and slow with plenty of surrounding liquid to keep the meat moist (because grass-fed beef has much less fat than grain-fed/feedlot beef). Four to six hours in a slow-cooker would be just about right.  Then slice it thin and enjoy!

Jones Creek Beef is all-natural, grass-fed, humanely treated beef from happy cows. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am. Stay tuned for next week's JCB recipe.

Bajan Chilled Veggies

On a Caribbean island, anything chilled is extra special, like this simple vegetable side dish.  If the cabbage was sliced rather than shredded, you might call this a slaw.  I call it darn tasty, and served it alongside the Bajan Pepperpot Roast.

2 cups shredded Carrots

1½ cups Green Beans, steamed

1½ cups shredded White Cabbage

1 Cucumber, Shredded

2 cloves Garlic, minced

½ tsp Black Pepper

3 Tbsp Barbados sugar (use Mexican pillocillo, turbinado, or just plain Dark Brown)

3 Tbsp Cider Vinegar

1 Lemon, juiced

1 tsp ground Turmeric (I used part of a Badia Sazon Tropicaltm spice packet)

Combine carrots, green beans, cabbage and cucumber in a bowl. In another container mix together the remaining ingredients as a dressing. Toss the veggies in this dressing and chill for 4 hours or more before serving.

Whatchagot Leftover Casserole

Whattyado with leftover chicken breast, aroz amarillo, some broccoli stems and a wedge of Bruschetta Jack cheese? Especially when you need something fast? Make a casserole, of course!

In a 9x9 dish I laid down some leftover rice which had been cooked with Sazon Tropicale tm . On top of that, I layered peeled and sliced rounds of raw broccoli stems leftover from Sunday night's broccoli side dish. That was followed by slices of cooked chicken breast also from Sunday's "lunches for Sally" chicken cooking. Pop it in a pre-heated 350F oven for about 25 minutes and there you are!

Asparagus-Onion-Mushroom Casserole

This is loosely based on a Paula Deen recipe. I had all those butt ends leftover from making two Asparagus Tarts in the last couple weeks, and needed the space in the freezer.

1/3 cup butter
4 cups of 1" cut pieces of 'pencil' Asparagus (see Sally's note, below)
1 cup diced Onion
1 (8-ounce) package sliced baby bella Mushrooms
1/4 cup all-purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups whole Milk or half & half
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
zest of 1 Lemon

Salt & Pepper to taste
1 (6-ounce) can French-fried Onions (see my substitution, below)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large skillet cook the asparagus, onion, and mushrooms for 6-8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and the liquid has evaporated.

In another pan, melt the butter and add the flour to make a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, don't let the roux go brown. Add the milk, whisk to break up the flour-fat mix, and you have a Béchamel or White sauce. Stir until the sauce thickens. Add the lemon and cheese to make a Mornay sauce and season with salt & pepper.

Combine the asparagus-mushroom-onion mixture with the Mornay sauce. Spoon into the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Top with the 'French Fried' onions, and bake for another 5 minutes. I found these wonderful baked Vidalia Petals tm, which were cheaper and tastier than the traditional can of French-fried Onions. If you can find them locally, they're MUCH better than the others.

Wow!  Is this every a rich recipe!  All that cheesy Mornay goodness! 

Sally Says: If you make this with the butt ends rather than tender tips, cut the asparagus into much less than 1" pieces, and cook it really well done before adding it to the casserole. Otherwise the asparagus can be too stringy and fiberous.

I think some diced ham (Sally said chicken) would go well in this dish too. Of course it would go well with a good bunch of bacon crumbles (doesn't everything?).  If you cut the 'gras small, it would also make a great dip/topping for bruschetta or crackers.

If I were to make it again, I would add some smoked paprika, Cajun spice, the zest of the lemon -- something to cut the almost cloying richness of the cheese sauce.  As much as we both love cheese, this was almost too much of a good thing.

Bajan Seasoning, Updates, and more.

Kinda slow this week for some reason. Not that I haven't been cooking, but it's been dishes I've told you about long ago.

Bajan Seasoning

We brought some of this back from Barbados two years ago, but it's long gone. Since I'm going to do a Bajan Pepperpot recipe for the Jones Creek Beef posts, I knew I had to buckle down and make a batch rather than trying to shop around and buy the pre-made stuff. 

There's no such thing as a single recipe for Bajan Seasoning, although you can buy it in packets and jars on the island of Barbados and certain special places in the U.S. Every good cook has his/er own version. This is mine. 

Bajan Seasoning is great for everything - meats, fishes, poultry, soups and stews, etc. A tablespoon or two will kick up the flavor of almost anything (well, maybe not ice cream...). Vinegary, oniony, a touch spicy, you'll really like this, trust me!

Make a batch and store it in an airtight jar in the fridge -- it will last for a couple months at least. Pretty fast and easy to make, too -- if you've got decent knife skills. Still easier and faster to make if you have a food processor rather than good knife skills.

1 bunch of Green Onions, minced

1 Red Jalapeño pepper, minced (want it hotter? Use a Scotch Bonnet or Habañero.)

1 cup minced Parsley

1/2 cup minced fresh Dill (or 1 Tbsp dry)

2 Tbsp Thyme (dry) or 2-3 fresh sprigs of leaves, minced

2 Tbsp Marjoram (dry) (fresh seems very hard to find for some reason)

12 leaves fresh Basil, minced

3 pressed Garlic cloves (minced fine, if you don't have a garlic press)

3/4 cup minced Onion

1 Tbsp grated fresh Ginger

Juice of 3 Limes

1/2 cup White Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mince, chop, grate everything as fine as possible, and combine in a bowl. Makes 1-2 cups depending on how fine you chop and whether you used many dry herbs rather than fresh. Seal in a zip top bag or snap top container and let it 'marry' in the fridge for a few days before using. 

The result should be sort of like a pesto.

But this pesto is a flavoring agent for meats, fish, stews. etc You can think of this Seasoning as the Bajan equivalent of Sofrito, the Cajun Trinity or a French Mirepoix -- a collection of vegetables and herbs used a flavor base for hundreds of dishes, which enhances the flavor of each and every one.

Asparagus Tart Update

It was so good the first time we just had to have it again. Here's a better photo to show you what the whole thing looks like. This time, rather than the expensive Gruyere cheese, I used shredded (not grated) Parmesan. Equally tasty and half the cost. Stay tuned for more variations (cheeses, dressings, spices, who knows).

Jones Creek Update

Speaking of beef, I finally got the Wal-mart Gift Card frome the Jones Creek marketing folks. But then I discovered that, oops!, the products aren't here in Florida yet. According to the Jones Creek folks and marketing company, it will be "a week or so" before the beef gets to two of my local Wal-Mart Superstores. "An-tic-i-pa-tion, is makin' me late; keepin' me wa-ait-n'."

Punjabi Chhole

No that's not a finger-stumble typo on the keyboard. It really is spelled C-h-h-o-l-e (don't ask why). Chhole is a Punjabi name for Chickpeas/Garbanzos. Chhole Masala means "chickpea spice blend", and it can be found in virtually every Indian Market in the world. This recipe comes driectly from the spice box, and couldn't be simpler. The only bad thing about making dishes from dried chickpeas is that they seemingly take forever to cook -- about two hours of simmering. This, I've decided is a good use for a pressure cooker if you have one (I don't). If you had a PC, cooking the beans would probably take 20-30 minutes... rather than two hours.

8 oz dry Chickpeas

1 large Onion, diced

1 Roma Tomato, diced

1 Poblano Chile, diced (use jalapeño or guajillo or serrano peppers for more heat)

1" fresh Ginger, minced

1-3 tsp Chhole Masala spice blend

Cook the chickpeas in at least 4 cups of water, simmering about 2 hours. Add more water as necessary, until they are plump and tender.  I added a teaspoon of Chhole Masala spice to the cooking water, to "pre-flavor" the beans a little.

Meanwhile, dice the onion, tomato, chile and mince the ginger. Cook the vegetation in a small pan until the onion is soft and the tomato is pretty well dissolved.

Drain the chickpeas, reserving the remaining liquid. Add the cooked veg to the beans, and add back some of the cooking liquid. Add 2 teaspoons of the Chhole Masala and stir to combine. Simmer for a couple minutes and taste. Need more masala? Add some a teaspoon at a time. If 2 teaspoons of masala is too spicy for you, add a 1/4 cup of plain yogurt to the bean pot and stir to combine.  The yogurt will mellow things out a lot as well as adding a creamy texture to the sauce.

This is a great side dish to a curry, or any meal for that matter. This time I made the dish for Sally to take to work for an appreciation potluck lunch, where at least two of the guests were from the Indian subcontinent, and many others were vegetarians.

Leftover Lamb Crumble Crackers. What???

Now you've got to read all the way to the end! 

Blueberry And Apple Crumble

Here's the dessert I made for Easter Sunday brunch. Sally wanted apple and blueberry, and I wasn't sure I'd care for the flavor combination. It was tasty, but I'd still rather have just blueberry or just apple.

For the filling:
3 Apples, peeled and cored1-1/2 cups Blueberries (18 oz box, or frozen)

 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Water

For the crumble:
1 3/4 cups AP Flour
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup melted Unsalted Butter

Chop the apples into 1/2 inch cubes. Combine with cinnamon, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook, covered, over a low heat for 12–15 minutes, until apples are soft but still hold their shape. You will need to stir them occasionally. Allow the apples to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350F and find your 9x9 baking dish.

Spread the apple mixture over the base of the baking dish, top with blueberries, and stir to combine.

Combine the crumb ingredients with a fork in a medium bowl until all the flour is incorporated. Hint: It's not really "crumbly" but that's OK. Crumble the mixture in an even layer over the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden.

Leg of Lamb Moroccan Style

A departure for us. This year Sally suggested leg of lamb for Easter dinner. We found a nice boneless leg at a good price from Costco.

4 lb boneless Leg of Lamb

1-2 Tbsp Ras al Hanut Spice Blend

3 lbs Baby New Potatoes, coated with EVOO

Peas & Carrots (I spiced them with a shake or three of Everglades Seasoning)

Liberally rub the room temperature roast (still tied) with the Ras al Hanut. Place roast and potatoes in a pan (or pans) and roast at 350F for about 20 minutes per pound of lamb. Time isn't the key; use your meat thermometer and cook to an internal temp of 135 for the dark side of Medium Rare. Remove from oven when temp equals 130F and it will continue to cook during the 15-20 minute rest. 

 

Mary Berry's English Mint Sauce

Well known English baker, food writer and television presenter, Mary Berry is the senior judge of the best cooking show on TV -- The Great British Bake Off. Not just a baker, here's her recipe for classic English Mint Sauce. You'll never use mint jelly again!

1 small bunch of Mint (1 oz packet from the produce department)

2 Tbsp Honey or Golden Syrup (I used Cane Syrup)

2 Tbsp White Wine or Cider Vinegar

Pick the leaves off the stems and chop them as fine as possible. Mix together the vinegar and syrup, add the mint, and stir to combine. Let rest at room temperature to extract all the wonderful mint flavor, before serving. Spoon a bit on your lamb, and SHAZZAAM! 

 

Great Leftover Discovery! Mary's Mint Sauce, with the addition of a bit more vinegar and some EVOO makes a fabulous viniagrette salad dressing!

REAL Shepherd's Pie

This is what you do with leftover leg of lamb in England.... Shepherd's Pie DOES NOT contain beef, or pork. It's Sheep Herder Pie, not Cowboy Pie or Pig Farmer Pie!

3/4 lb Lamb, minced

15 oz bag of Frozen Peas

1/2 Onion, diced

3 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce

1-2 Tbsp Bisto tm gravy powder

Potatoes for mashing (I used 4 large reds, skin on)

Milk, Butter, Yogurt for making mashed potatoes

Paprika for dusting

Cut up the potatoes, boil until done, and make a batch of mashed potatoes. I like mine rustic - that means "skin on" in this case.

Combine the onion, minced or fine-diced lamb and frozen peas, in a deep baking dish. Pour the Worchstershire sauce over all. Dust with a tablespoon or so of Bisto, and stir to combine everything. Use a spatula to layer the mashed potatos over the entire surface of the pie. Dust with paprika and bake at 400F for 45 minutes or so until the potatoes are crusty.

Leftover Moussaka

Other cultures, other leftovers! Here's a classic Greek casserole of eggplant and leftover lamb. 

2 medium Eggplant (or 1 large)

3/4 lb ground/minced Lamb

1/2 large Onion, diced

2 Tbsp (at least) Garlic, minced

8oz Tomato Sauce

1 tsp dried Oregano, to taste

Salt to taste*

Fresh ground Black Pepper to taste*

Olive Oil, as needed

For the cheese sauce:

3 Tbsp Butter

1⁄2 tsp Salt*

1⁄2 tsp Black Pepper*

2 Tbsp AP Flour

1 cup Half-and-half

1 egg

1⁄2+ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

* substitue Cavenders Greek Seasoning for salt & pepper.

Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan.

Peel the eggplant and slice 1/4-inch thick. Brush both sides with olive oil and seasoning. Broil about 5 minutes, turn and broil the other side. Repeat with all the eggplant. Reserve.

In a skillet, combine the lamb and onions and cook until the onions are soft; drain fat. Add the garlic, tomato sauce, oregano, and seasoning to taste.

Arrange half the cooked eggplant in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour half the meat mixture over the eggplant. Layer the remaining eggplant slices over the meat mixture, and top with meat sauce.  

Prepare the cheese sauce

Make a roux: melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, season to taste. Cook for a couple minutes, before gradually stirring in the half and half. Stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly and lump free.

In a small bowl or mug, beat the egg; stir in some of the hot cream sauce to temper the egg, then add the egg mixture to the cream sauce and mix well. Add the Parmesan cheese, and stir again until smooth.

Pour the cheese sauce over the layered meat and eggplant.

Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 45 minutes until the cheese topping is nicely brown.

Parmesan Cream Crackers

Got this recipe from Mark Bittman. Simple and easy and oh, so tasty.

1 cup AP flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup cream or half-and-half

Coarse salt, pepper, sesame or poppy seeds, minced garlic or whatever for sprinkling. I like these crackers eithr plain, or with just a hint of Cajun seasoning!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While that's going on, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut a sheet of wax paper to the same size.

Put flour, salt, cheese and butter in bowl and "cut" the butter into the dry mix (use your clean fingers or a pastry cutter) until the mix is fine crumbs. A teaspoon at a time, add the half-and-half ( used maybe 5 or 6 tsp). Mix with a spatula until the mixture just holds together but is not sticky. If it gets sticky, add a bit of flour...

Put the dough in the middle of the parchment paper and pat it flat. Top with the wax paper, and roll out gently until you get an 1/8" thin layer of dough between the two sheets. Gently peel away the wax paper and slide the dough-covered parment paper onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt or other topping if desired.

Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a rack; serve warm or at room temperature. Store in a tin for a few days (unrefrigerated) if you have any left after an hour!