Chili Colorado

Yet another recipe from Bon Appetit.  It is simple but full of flavor.  Serve it with fresh tortillas, the corn salsa, and avocado slices. It's called chili but I serve it more like a taco and dipped it into the sauce as I ate it.

Chili Colorado

Ingredients:

5 ancho chilis, stem and seeds removed

2 pasillas chilis, stem and seeds removed

2 guajillos chilis, stem and seeds removed

3 cups chicken stock plus 5 cups chicken stock

2 lbs boneless pork shoulder or butt

salt

pepper

2 bay leaves

6 garlic cloves

1 tbs cumin

2 tsp chopped fresh sage

2 tsp chopped fresh oregano

tortillas, salsa, avocado

Directions:

1.  Bring 3 cups chicken stock to a boil.

2.  Add peppers.  Turn off heat.  Cover with saran wrap and steam for at least 30 minutes.

3.  Puree the chilis and liquid together.

4.  Cut the boneless pork shoulder into 1/2 inch cubes.  Season with salt and pepper.

5.  Heat some oil in heavy pot until hot.  Add pork and brown the meat.

6.  Add garlic, bay leaves, cumin, sage and oregano.  Stir until fragrant.

7.  Add 5 cups chicken stock.

8.  Simmer for about an hour.

9.  Add chili puree and simmer about 45 minutes until sauce thickens.

Serve with tortillas, salsa of your choice, and avocados slices.  

Asian Noodles

This is from a Nordstrom cookbook my girls gave me.  The noodles can be served warm or cold. I usually top with panko crisped chicken.

Asian Noodles
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Asian sesame oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Tabasco sauce or to taste
2 tsp peeled minced ginger
Splash of rice vinegar
2 lbs fresh Asian noodles or dry

Directions
1.  In a large bowl combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, Tabasco. and ginger.
      Whisk until sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring water to boil and cook noodles according to package directions.

Cuban Skirt Steak and Vegetables

I made this recipe tonight from Martha Stewart Living. It was a little messy but I will make it again.
The recipe called for parsley in the sauce but I used cilantro. I also precooked the corn. I addd more vegetables. I also took a little of the sauce and added some olive oil to brush the bread with instead of butter before grilling. Serves 4.

Cuban Skirt Steak and Vegetables

Ingredients
8 small garlic cloves
6 Tbs lime juice -about 2 limes
3/4 tsp cumin seeds, toasted- can use 1 tsp dried cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 c packed fresh cilantro leaves (or flat parsley)
1/2 c olive oil
Coarse salt and pepper
1 1/2 lb skirt steak, cut into 3 inch pieces
1 small sweet white onion cut into 1/2 inch wedges--about 2 cups I used 2 medium
1 large bell pepper cut into 1/2 inch strips--I used 2
2 ears corn, shucked and cut into 1 inch rounds--I precooked the corn and used 3-4
Butter at room temperature, preferably unsalted--or use some sauce with added olive oil
1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, cut lengthwise and than into 2-3 inch pieces

Directions
1.  Place garlic, lime juice, cumin seeds, oregano and cilantro in a food processor or blender.  With machine running slowly add 1/4 cup olive oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
2.  Season steak with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add steak. Cook turning once or twice until golden brown about 3-5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate. I have grilled the steak outdoors or use a grill pan on the stove and it works great.
3.  Pour off fat and wipe pan clean. Add remaining 2 Tbs oil, onion and bell pepper, cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are just browned, 3-4 minutes. Add corn, cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Return steak to pan, add 1/3 cup garlic sauce. Cook, tossing about 1 minute.
4.  Meanwhile, preheat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Butter the ciabatta bread. Cook, pressing with a spatula, flipping once until both sides are golden, about 5 minutes a side.
5.  Serve steak and vegetables with bread and remaining garlic sauce.

Cazuela

Cazuela is a Latin American dish that gets its name from the dish it is served in. This is my take on one I had at my favorite local restaurant, Va di Vi.  They made this with rock shrimp but I used large prawns instead.  It's basically Spanish rice with prawns and topped with a poached egg. I also added some grilled shishito or padron peppers.  This recipe serves four.

Cazuela

Rice
1-14 oz can tomatoes
3 tbs chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves
1/4 c canola oil
1 c medium grain rice
1/3 c each fresh or frozen peas, corn kernels, and diced peeled carrot
3 serrano chiles, slit down one side
6 fresh cilantro sprigs

1.  Put the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a blender and process until smooth.  Set aside.
2.  In a saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil.  When hot add the rice and stir until it just starts to change color.
3.  Add the tomato mixture and stir to blend.
4.  Add 2 cups hot water, the peas, corn, chilis, cilantro, and 1 1/2 tsp salt.
5.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
6.  Uncover and stir.  Recover and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Check and cook another 10 minutes if liquid is not absorbed.
7.  Let sit for 10 minutes and than fluff with a fork.
8.  Prepare shrimp while rice sits. Poach eggs if desired.
9. Remove Serrano chilis and cilantro sprigs.  Serve rice with prawns.  Add a poached egg to top.

Shrimp
24 large shelled, deveined prawns
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Limes
4 eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 400.
2.  Put olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a oven proof dish such as a cast iron pot or baking sheet.  Heat the olive oil for about 10 minutes.
3.  Add prawns, toss to coat and roast for about 8 minutes turning once until shrimp is pink and cooked through.  Squeeze juice of a lime over cooked shrimp.
4.  Poach eggs if desird for serving.  Serve with a few cilantro leaves and a lime wedge.

Beer Braised Brisket

Another recipe from Bon Apetit. This is an easy recipe that can be used to serve a crowd. Great for a Super Bowl party.  Just plan ahead because the brisket needs to marinate for a while and it has to cook for hours. A three pound brisket can serve 5-6 and an eight pound can feed 12.  The recipe is for a an 8-10 pound brisket. If using a smaller brisket just make half of the rub. Serve with BBQ sauce in a roll with cole slaw or use it in tacos.

Ingredients
6 garlic cloves
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tbs black pepper (I used less)
1 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 c kosher salt
1 8-10 lb untrimmed flat cut brisket
2 onions, thinly sliced
1-3 12 oz can or bottle lager (I found the liquid dried up before the brisket was done and had to add more beer to the pan)

Directions
1.  Finely chop garlic in food processor or use frozen garlic cubes.
2.  Add brown sugar, mustard, oil, black pepper, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and 1/4 cup salt and procees until smooth.
3.  Rub all over brisket, working into crevices.  Wrap in plastic wrap chill at least 12 hours and up to two days.  Let meat come to room temperature for an hour.
4.  Preheat oven to 325.
5.  Scatter onions in a large roasting pan or Dutch oven and set brisket fat side up on top of the onions.  Add beer, cover with foil or lid.  Braise until very tender 5-6 hours. Check periodically and add more beer as needed.
6.  Remove from oven and heat broiler.  Uncover and broil brisket for 5-10 minutes until browned and crisp.
7.  Let brisket cool slightly.  Remove from pan and shrd or slice.  Remove onions and mix into brisket if desired. Moisten with some cooking liquid.
8.  Serve with coleslaw, pickles, BBQ sauce on rolls.

Spicy Beef Tacos

This is a step above tacos made with a package mix and almost as easy. It can be made with beef or try ground lamb or pork for a change.

Ingredients
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage (about 1 meduim)
1 bunch radishes, sliced into half moons
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
3 tsps lime juice
Salt
1 lb ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced or 2 frozen cubes
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp chipolte chili powder
1/4 cup beer
1 tsp cider vinegar
8 warm tortillas
Toppings such as cheese, sour cream, guacamole, avocado slices or lime wedges

Directions
1.  Combine cabbage, radishes, cumin, cilantro and lime juice in a large bowl. Add salt to taste.
2.  Sauté beef, garlic and oregano in a large skillet over medium high heat breaking up meat until no pink remains.  Drain excess fat. Add chile powders, beer, vinegar and salt.  Cook until liquid has evaporated about 2-3 minutes.
3.  Set out tortillas and cabbage and any other toppings and let everyone make their own tacos.

Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Gochujang has become one of my favorite condiments. Think of it as Korean steak sauce. Goes with beef, chicken or pork. Adds a sweet and spicy flavor to marinades and sauces.  I found this recipe in Cooking Light and the one change I made was to double the marinade, add a little rice vinegar and use it as a sauce for the wraps.

Ingredients

2 1/2 tbs low sodium soy sauce

2 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tbs gochujang sauce

1 tbs minced garlic

(I make the above to use as a marinade. Than I double it plus 1 tbs rice vinegar to use as a sauce.)

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast thinly sliced

1 cup uncooked rice

2 tsp canola oil

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

12 Bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves

1 English cucumber

(I slice the cucumber and season it with garlic salt and rice vinegar)

4 green onions, sliced

Directions

1.  Combine first five ingredients in a large zip lock plastic bag. Double the same ingredients and add 1 tbs rice vinegar and set aside to serve with the wraps.  Add chicken slices to soy sauce mixture in the bag and seal.  Refrigerator at least two hours.

2.  Cook rice according to package directions.

3.  Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. And oil and swirl to coat pan. Add chicken and stir fry until chicken is done. Sprinkle sesame seeds over chicken. Could also grill chicken or cook on a grill pan. 

4.  Place rice in bottom of lettuce cup, add chicken, cucumber slices, green onions and sauce.