Schaner Farm’s Avocado and Citrus Salad with Green Olives

Schaner Farm’s Avocado and Citrus Salad with Green Olives

4 lbs. mixed citrus fruit (about 1/2 C. citrus fruit segments per person)
2 T. finely diced shallot
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
2 ripe but not too soft avocados
1/2 C. pitted Lucqes, Picholine, or other green olives
1 bunch watercress, cleaned, tough stems removed
1 bunch frisee (about 2 oz), cleaned
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Zest some of the citrus to get 1 tsp. fine zest. Using a sharp knife, cut the stem and blossom ends from the fruit. One by one, place each of the fruits, cut side down, on a cutting board. Following the contour of the fruit with your knife, remove the peel and cottony white pith, working from top to bottom, and rotating the fruit as you go. When the fruits are all peeled, hold them in your hand one by one, and carefully slice between the membranes and the fruit to release the segments in between. Discard all the seeds. If you’re using blood oranges, don’t cut them into segments; after removing the peel and pith, slice them into pinwheels and set aside in a separate bowl. (Otherwise, they will “bleed” on the other fruit.) You should have about 2 1/2 C. segments in addition to your blood-orange slices. Combine the shallot, 1/4 C. citrus juice (from segmenting the fruit), the vinegar, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes, then whisk in the olive oil and the zest. Taste for balance and seasoning. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise. Remove the pits and peel. Cut the avocados into 1/4 inch slices and place on a plate. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the citrus and olives in a large bowl, and spoon three quarters of the vinaigrette over them. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt. Gently toss in the watercress and frisee. Taste for balance and seasoning. Add more vinaigrette if you like. Plate half the salad on a large chilled platter. Nestle half the avocado slices in the salad, being careful not to flatten the greens. Arrange the rest of the salad on top, and tuck the remaining avocado slices into the salad, so you have a tapestry of colors. Place the blood-orange slices among the greens.

Boucheron with Grapefruit and Crispy Olives Sandwich

Boucheron with Grapefruit and Crispy Olives Sandwich

Boucheron with Grapefruit and Crispy Olives Sandwich

 

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/3 cup pitted Nicoise olives

1/4 pound slice of Boucheron goat cheese

1 large grapefruit

8 round slices from a french baguette

1 sprig fresh thyme

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the olives with the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet or casserole pan. Roast in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until crispy. Turn your exhaust fan on here, it might be a little smoky. While the olives are roasting, take the cheese out of the fridge and let it come up to room temperature. Cut the grapefruit into supremes. (Cut off the top and bottom. Sit the grapefruit with one of the cut ends on the counter or cutting board. One section at a time, start at the top of the fruit and cut down the side removing the peel and white pith. Do this one section at a time, rotating around the fruit until you’ve removed all the white and peel. Now pick up the grapefruit and hold it in your hand. Carefully, use the knife in the other hand to remove the sections of fruit from the membrane, cutting at an angle. If you’d like to see a demonstration of how to make supremes, check out Ming Tsai’s tutorial here. It’s a lot easier after you’ve seen someone do it.) Remove any seeds from your grapefruit sections and set them aside in a bowl. When the olives are crispy, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool. Once they’ve cooled, put them on a cutting board and crush them lightly with the back of your knife. You just want to smoosh them a little.  Spread your bread slices on a baking sheet and toast lightly. When you’re ready to assemble, spread the softened cheese on your bread. Top with a grapefruit section and a few crispy olives. Sprinkle with a few thyme leaves. Serve immediately. Makes 8 little open-faced sandwiches.

Polvorones de Canele (Mexican Cinnamon Cookies)

Polvorones de Canele (Mexican Cinnamon Cookies)

Polvorones de Canele (Mexican Cinnamon Cookies)1 cup butter
½ cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups bread flour
Coating
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cream together confectioners’ sugar and butter. Stir in the vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Mix into the butter/sugar mixture to form a stiff dough. In a third bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool cookies on wire racks.

BBQ Spam

BBQ Spam

1 can Spam
cracked black pepper
2 T. flour
1 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
1/2 C. good quality bbq sauce
green onions, sliced

Slice spam into 1/2 inch slices. Dust with flour and black pepper. Heat oil and butter in skillet. Add spam and cook a minute on each side. Stir in bbq sauce and lower heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions and serve. Operation blessing served little potatoes with this and a slice of bread but I recommend hot buttered egg noodles and garlic toast!

Huevo Verde

Huevo Verde

Huevo Verde

 

2 large Eggs

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

40 grams Onion, sliced

1 Green Jalapeño Chili, sliced

Salt to taste

 

3 Corn Tortillas

20 grams Feta Cheese

Avocado Slices (optional)

 

Heat the oil in a small non-stick pan at medium high heat. Add the sliced jalapeño chili and the onions and cook for one minute or until the onion starts getting translucent. Don’t overcook them, we want both chilies and onions with a bit of a bite in them still! Crack the eggs over the onion and chili and let the white cook a little before you break the yolk and scramble them. I like my scrambled eggs ‘tender’ as my mother would call them, that is fully cooked white and slightly soft-cooked yolk. Cook for a couple of minutes stirring with a spoon when necessary, until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Season with salt and remove from the heat. I always start heating tortillas while the eggs are cooking, saves time and it means the eggs are not left sitting and overcooking. So take a warm corn tortilla and add a generous spoonful of the eggs. Crumbled a bit of feta cheese on top and add a slice of avocado if you want to cool off a bit of the heat from the chili.

Cherry Limeade Jam

Cherry Limeade Jam

Cherry Limeade Jam

 

2 pounds (about 6 cups) pitted sweet cherries

1 ½ cups sugar

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons freshly grated lime zest

 

Put the cherries, sugar, and lime juice in your preserving pot; stir together. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature until about ¼ inch of juice forms on the bottom of the pot. Once there’s a good layer of juice in the bottom of the pot, return to high heat and bring the mixture to a boil that cannot be stirred down. As soon as the mixture comes to a full rolling boil, remove from heat and carefully use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until very smooth. Return the mixture to a boil over high heat, cook for 3 minutes, then add the lime zest. Continue cooking the jam on high heat, stirring frequently until the mixture no longer weeps when a dollop is placed on a plate. This will happen quite quickly, likely in about 7 minutes. Ladle into prepared half-pint jars, leaving ¼ -inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe rims. Place the lids on the jars and clip on the clips. Process in a water-bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude as needed. After 24 hours, check the seals. Label, date, and store out of direct sunlight without the bands for up to a year.

French Cherry Tomato Tart with Dijon Mustard & Chevre

French Cherry Tomato Tart with Dijon Mustard & Chevre

French Cherry Tomato Tart with Dijon Mustard & Chevre

Yields one 9- or 10-inch tart

 

One unbaked tart dough, placed on the tart pan (see recipe, below)

Dijon or whole-grain mustard, to taste

8 ounces goat cheese, sliced into 1-ounce rounds

2 pints of cherry tomatoes (or 2-3 large tomatoes, sliced)

1/4 cup olives, pitted (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or your favorite herbs

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spread an even layer of mustard on the bottom of the tart dough.  Place 4 rounds of goat cheese on top of the mustard.  Arrange tomatoes (and olives, if using) on top of the cheese. Place remaining 4 rounds of cheese on top of the tomatoes.  Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, season with salt and ground pepper, and sprinkle chopped thyme.*  Bake the tart for 30 to 40 minutes, until the dough is cooked and the cheese is nicely browned.

 

*Note: I usually add chopped herbs after about 20 minutes of baking time so that they don’t burn.  For this recipe, I added some additional chopped thyme to the dough for extra flavor.

 

Tart Dough

Yields dough for one 9- or 10-inch tart

 

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 generous tablespoon chopped thyme (optional)

4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes

1 large egg

2-3 tablespoons ice cold water

 

Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and chopped thyme in a medium-sized bowl. Add the butter and using your hands, pastry blender, or two forks, cut the butter into the flour/thyme mixture until it resembles a crumbly, cornmeal-like consistency.  Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of the water. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the beaten egg, stirring gently until the dough holds together. Add the additional tablespoon of ice water, if needed.  Gather the dough into a ball and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding only the minimum amount of flour to keep the dough from sticking to the counter. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and then unroll it over the tart pan with a removable bottom. “Dock” the dough by pressing the tart dough firmly with your fingertips to make a few indentations. Be careful not to press too hard to tear the dough.

Enchilada Suizas

Enchilada Suizas

Enchiladas SuizasA3[5]3 cups of Salsa Verde
3/4 cup Mexican crema
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat (or leftover chicken)
1 ½ cup shredded Oaxaca or Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
12 corn tortillas
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
Salt & Pepper to taste

If you want to make this dish spicy, add 1 or 2 chopped jalapeño peppers with the salsa verde in the blender.

Place 1 cup of Salsa Verde, Mexican Cream, cilantro and garlic clove in a blender, process until you have a smooth sauce. Mix with the rest of the salsa verde and set aside. Heat a skillet over medium heat; warm one tablespoon of oil and warm the tortillas one at a time to soften, giving it just a few seconds per side. Add the rest of the oil as needed. Besides softening them for easy rolling, another reason is that we do this is to keep the tortillas from breaking. Transfer onto a plate covered with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. You can also add garlic powder if you like. Spread 1/3 of the sauce in a greased 9″ X 12” baking dish. Fill the center of each tortilla with the chicken and roll it up. Arrange the enchiladas in 1 layer, seam side down. Cover with the rest of sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until cheese starts to brown. Serve immediately and garnish with onion slices.

Merguez Sausages with Scalloped Potatoes

Merguez Sausages with Scalloped Potatoes

Merguez sausages with Scalloped Potatoes1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 pounds fresh merguez (spicy beef; see notes) or lamb sausages
1 onion (about 8 oz.), peeled and slivered lengthwise
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 cups whipping cream
About 1 1/4 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
Chopped parsley

In a 10- to 12-inch ovenproof frying pan (with sides at least 2 1/2 in. tall) over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add sausages and turn until browned all over, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium, add onion and garlic to pan, and stir occasionally until slightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour in cream and 1 1/4 cups broth; stir in salt and pepper. Add potatoes. (Liquid should just cover; if it doesn’t, add more broth.) Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, gently stirring occasionally. Lower heat and barely simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender when pierced, about 20 minutes (do not boil). Arrange sausages on potato mixture and transfer pan to a 350° oven. Bake until cream mixture has thickened and is well browned on top and sausages are cooked through (cut to test), 40 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve potatoes and sausages from pan.

Mexican Menus

Mexican Menus

Taste of Yucatan: Mexican Sangria, Fiery Habanero Salsa, Fresh Corn Torillas, Yucatan Achiote Seasoned Pork, Yucatan Pickled Red Onions, Refried Black Beans

Christmas Eve Open House: Cranberry Sage Margarita, Roasted Oaxaxan-Spiced Orange & Butternut Soup, Red Chile Pork Tamales, Roasted Pork Leg in Adobo, Lime Tarts with Ancho Graham Crust and Agave Whipped Cream

New Years Dinner: Tequila Old Fashioned, Ancho Glazed Chicken Empanadas, Corn, Poblano and Lobster Bisque, Pumpkin seed Crusted Rack of Lamb with Oaxacan Red Mole Sauce, Classic Mexican Vanila Flan

Summer Fiesta: Watermelon Habanero Margarita, Guacamole, Mezcal Braised Spare Ribs with Spicy Chiptole Molasses Sauce, Mexican Grilled Corn, Flourless Chocolate Ancho Cake

Chile-Honey Glazed Pork Ribs

Chile-Honey Glazed Pork Ribs

Chile Honey Pork Ribs4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1½oz. ancho chiles
1½ oz. guajillo chiles
½ c. chicken broth
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
big pinch ground cumin
pinch ground cloves
â…› tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp. dried Mexican oregano
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. brown sugar
1½ tsp. salt

3-3½ lbs. country-style pork ribs
2 T. honey

6 (or more) large romaine lettuce leaves
small onion, thinly sliced into rings
2 radishes, quartered, diced, or sliced
fresh cilantro, in sprigs or chopped

Begin by setting a heavy, ungreased comal or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Stem and seed the chiles and rip them open so that they will lay flat. Set them on the hot skillet, pressing with a spatula for just a few seconds, until they start to change color and crackle a bit. They should smell nice and earthy and toasty – but not burnt. Flip over and repeat on opposite side. Remove from skillet and place in bowl. Do this in batches until all chiles have been toasted. Cover chiles with boiling water and set a plate on top to keep them submered; let soak ~30 minutes. Toss the garlic cloves onto the hot skillet and roast until soft and charred in spots, ~10-15 minutes. Let cool until you’re able to handle then, then slip the garlic from its paper skin. Place the garlic in the jar of a blender. Lift the chiles from their soaking water and place in blender with the garlic. Add ½ cup of broth to the blender along with the vinegar and all of the spices. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as needed. Press the puree through a sieve into a clean bowl, pushing down with a rubber scraper to release all of the liquid. Stir in the brown sugar and salt; taste and adjust seasoning as needed. You could make this chile marinade up to several weeks in advance and store it in a jar with a lid in the fridge until ready to use.

Place the ribs in a gallon-size zippered baggie and pour HALF of the marinade over them. Seal the baggie and squidge everything along until the marinade coats the pork. Refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

Combine remaining half of chile marinade with honey; stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 325° F. Dump the ribs and any marinade into a large baking or roasting pan. Drizzle ¼ cup of water around them. Cover with foil and bake until tender when pierced with a fork – this could take anywhere from 1-2 hours. Uncover and baste with the liquid in the pan. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes, this will help them develop a good crust. Carefully pour the fat and juices out of the pan. Increase heat to 350° F. Brush the ribs with the chile-honey glaze…really slather it on there…really, use it all! Bake until the ribs are beautifully glazed and crusty on the edges, ~15 minutes.

Lay the lettuce leaves on a serving platter and arrange the ribs over them. Scatter onion, radishes, and cilantro over them. Serve with hot corn tortillas. These ribs are great eaten whole or shredded and stuffed into tortillas to make some tasty tacos.

Mexican Pork Spareribs

Mexican Pork Spareribs

2 racks (6 lb.) St. Louis-style pork spareribs
16 dried guajillo or ancho chiles, seeded
1 1⁄2 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3⁄4 cup white vinegar
3⁄4 cup orange juice
1⁄4 cup canola oil
16 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 sprigs cilantro
3⁄4 tsp. ground cloves
4 cups oak or mesquite chips, soaked in water 1 hour, then drained (optional)
Salsa, for serving (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place ribs in a roasting pan. Place chiles in a bowl and pour 4 cups of hot water over them. Soak until softened, 8-10 minutes; drain, reserving ½ cup soaking liquid. Purée chiles, soaking liquid, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar, orange juice, oil, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth; rub mixture over ribs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high; bank coals or turn off burner on one side. Place soaked wood chips, if using, over coals or in a smoke box in a gas grill. Grill ribs until slightly charred and tender, 1-1½ hours. If the outside starts to burn before the ribs are fully cooked, move them to the cooler section of the grill and continue to cook until tender. Rest ribs 20 minutes; slice into individual ribs. Serve with salsa, if you like.

Jalapeño poppers a la parrilla

Jalapeño poppers a la parrilla

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4 Large Jalapenos, halved, seeded
1-12 toothpicks
4- 8 slices Turkey Bacon (crisps up well on the grill)
4 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 T. finely Grated Cheddar Cheese

Mix cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Take a T. and stuff a jalapeno half, making it fairly level. Run spoon along the outside edge so no cheese is hanging over the sides. Repeat for remaining half peppers. Wrap each half with 1-2 pieces of turkey bacon – 2 for large peppers. The bacon should encircle the jalapeno, completely covering the filling and as much of the pepper as possible. You do not want the filling to be able to spill out if the jalapeno tilts while on the grill. Use toothpicks to secure the bacon in place. Place peppers on your hot grill, filling side down and cook 4-6 minutes and then turn them over and cook the other side an additional 4-6 minutes. The bacon should be crisp and beginning to blacken, the filling hot and creamy, and the pepper softened.

Salsa de Habanero y Cebola

Salsa de Habanero y Cebola

5 habanero peppers, roasted and finely chopped
Juice of ½ an orange
Juice of 2 limes
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. white vinegar

Roast habaneros in a skillet on medium heat until they start to get a few dark spots. Cut top off the pepper and discard stem. Finely dice the habaneros. Mix the diced habaneros with the chopped onion in a bowl (or directly in the container you intend to store the salsa in, preferably in a glass jar). Pour juices over the habaneros and onions and then add the vinegar. Toss lightly to moisten and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Keeps refrigerated for about 5 days.

Carne Asada

Carne Asada

1/4 cup olive Carne Asadaoil
1 cup malt vinegar (red Wine Vinegar, more traditional)
1/3 cup lime juice or lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 T. peeled fresh garlic, minced
1 T. ground white pepper
1 1/2 T. salt
1 T. ground cumin
1 T. chili powder
1 T. Mexican oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 orange, sliced
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
5-6 pounds skirt steak

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Place meat in gallon sized freezer bag, in the bottom of a shallow baking dish, or a non-reactive (plastic or glass) storage container with a lid. Pour carne asada marinade on top of meat, cover dish or close bag, and marinate overnight up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. Grilling the marinated carne asada: Take meat out of container and grill until just cooked through. (Rare to medium rare.)

One way to serve:  Cut cooked meat into strips. Place meat and favorite toppings (salsa, cheese, guacamole, avocado slices, tomatoes, shredded cabbage, grilled sweet peppers, etc.) in a tortilla to make into tacos or burritos. You can also serve meat over rice for a carne asada bowl.

Slow cooking the marinated carne asada: After marinating for one or two days, place meat and marinade in a slow cooker. Slow cook for 10 to 12 hours on low. Meat should be extra tender and can be shredded with a fork. Place meat and favorite toppings (salsa, cheese, guacamole, avocado slices, tomatoes, shredded cabbage, grilled sweet peppers, etc.) in a tortilla to make into tacos or burritos. You can also serve meat over rice for a carne asada bowl.

Agave Chipotle Glazed Salmon with Macadamia Cauliflower Rice

Agave Chipotle Glazed Salmon with Macadamia Cauliflower Rice

Agave Chipotle Glazed Salmon is the best of both worlds – sweet and savory! Tender salmon coated in a homemade sauce of agave, chipotle peppers, garlic and lime and served over low carb Macadamia Cauliflower Rice!

Agave-Chipotle-Glazed-Salmon-with-Macadamia-Cauliflower-Rice-4Glaze:
½ cup agave nectar
2½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 chipotles in adobo
¾ teaspoon chile powder
½ lime, juiced
Salmon:
1½ pound salmon fillet
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Macadamia Cauliflower Rice
1 large head of cauliflower, chopped
½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
Garnish:
Cilantro
Lime Wedges

Glaze: In a small blender, combine the agave nectar, soy sauce, chipotles, chile powder and salt. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Salmon: Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray and place fillet on it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Pour half of the glaze over the salmon. Preheat broiler on high. Place salmon on bottom rack so it is not too close to the broiler. Broil for 10 – 12 minutes or until flakey and cooked through. (Cooking time may depend on how thick your fillet is.)

Macadamia Cauliflower Rice: In a high powered blender or food processor, add the cauliflower florets and cover with water. Turn blender on medium, until cauliflower looks like rice. Drain and place cauliflower in a towel. Ring out as much water as possible. Place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 8 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Season with the salt and garlic powder. Toss with macadamia nuts. Divide between 4 bowls.

When salmon is finished cooking, cut salmon into 4 fillets and place on top of cauliflower rice. Drizzle with remaining glaze, and garnish with cilantro and extra lime wedges.

Chipotle-Honey Glazed Bacon

Chipotle-Honey Glazed Bacon

Chipotle-Honey Glazed Bacon6 slices of premium bacon
1/2 cup of honey
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 tbsp of the adobo sauce

Heat a large skillet, placing the heat on medium-low. Cook the bacon from about 7 minutes on one side, then flip, and cook another 5-6 minutes on the other side. The goal here is to warm up the bacon, get the majority of the fat out, however retaining a nice texture being careful not to overcook it. During this time, add the honey, powders, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce into a small sauce pan and place on very low heat. You just want the honey to warm through, while you incorporate the other flavors. So once the bacon cooked on both sides, remove the bacon and place on some paper towel to remove any excess fat. Discard the bacon grease, saving it for later, or placing in your grease container. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. As your bacon is resting on the paper towel, brush some of the honey chipotle glaze on the top of each piece. Place on a baking sheet and cook for a few minutes. Remove the tray, flip over the bacon, brush with more glaze and return to the oven for a few more minutes. The outcome of this bacon is something wonderful. The texture changes just ever so slightly to create what almost appears to be bacon candy. It has a bit of chew from the honey, the awesome texture from the slow cooking, and the great heat from the chipotle pepper. This is a great snack, or better yet, served on that leftover turkey sandwich! Enjoy.

Chipotle Bacon Guacamole (Guacamole de Tocino)

Chipotle Bacon Guacamole (Guacamole de Tocino)

guac5 strips medium-thick bacon (full-flavored smoky bacon is great here)
3 medium-large (about 1 1/4 pounds) ripe avocados
1/2 medium white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
2 or 3 canned chipotle chiles en adobo to taste, removed from the canning sauce, stemmed, slit open, seeds scraped out and finely chopped
1 medium-large round, ripe tomato, cored and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed, coarsely chopped, thick bottom stems cut off
Salt
1 or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

In a large (10-inch) skillet, cook the slices of bacon in a single layer over medium heat, turning them occasionally, until crispy and browned, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then coarsely crumble. Cut around each avocado, from stem to blossom end and back again, then twist the two halves apart. Dislodge the pit. Scoop the flesh from the skin into a large bowl. Using an old-fashioned potato masher or a large fork or spoon, mash the avocados into a coarse puree. Scoop the onion into a small strainer and rinse under cold water. Shake off the excess water and transfer to the bowl, along with the chipotle chiles, tomatoes, cilantro (save out a little for garnish if you wish) and about 2/3 of the bacon. Gently stir to combine all of the ingredients. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon, and enough lime juice to add a little sparkle. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Scoop the guacamole into a serving dish, sprinkle with the remaining bacon (and cilantro if you have it), and you’re ready to serve. Tip: If the tomato is really ripe and juicy, cut it in half widthwise (across its “equator”), then gently squeeze out the jelly-like seeds from each half. That’ll keep the guacamole from becoming runny. If you’re not serving right away, wait to stir in bacon to ensure the crispy texture!

Lomo Saltado

Lomo Saltado

1__Lomo_Saltado1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped ají limo (I just used a red bell pepper and cut into thin strips)
2 pounds beef, cut into strips (I used skirt steak and cut it into strips)
1 pound red onions, sliced
1 pound plum tomatoes sliced lengthwise into sixths
2 pounds large yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into sticks (I used a bag of frozen French fries)
3 ajíes amarillos, sliced fine (I used 2 yellow bell peppers)
6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pinch of ground cumin
Red wine vinegar (about 6 tablespoons)
Salt and pepper
Oil for frying (I used canola oil)

First- this makes a TON of lomo saltado so keep this in mind if you are feeding around less than six people. Heat enough oil to coat a large pan or wok and, over medium heat, sauté garlic and ají limo (or your substitution) for 2 minutes. Raise the heat, add meat and brown all over. Season with cumin, salt and pepper. Remove meat from the pan and set aside, keeping it warm. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary and stir-fry onions until just barely soft, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add a few drops of red wine vinegar to deglaze the pan, still stir frying the onions, let the vinegar evaporate, about another minute—the onions should have some bite. Remove from pan and set aside. Repeat the stiry fry steps with the tomato and set aside as well (there’s a lot of set aside in this recipe!) In a separate skillet, deep fry the potato sticks until just slightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain potatoes on a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. If you are using frozen French fries, follow the instructions on the bag. Return meat, onion and tomato to the wok. Add ajíes amarillos (or substitute) and soy sauce and cook for about a minute. Finally, add the French friends and mix everything together carefully. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Tequila Infused Queso Fundido

Tequila Infused Queso Fundido

Tequila Infused Queso Fundido1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 large (10-ounce) ripe tomato, cored, seeded (if you wish) and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Hot green chiles to taste (roughly 1 large jalapeno or 2 large serranos), stemmed, seeded (if you wish) and finely chopped
3 tablespoons tequila, preferably a silver (blanco) tequila
8 ounces Chihuahua or other Mexican melting cheese, such as quesadilla or asadero, shredded (you’ll have about 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a very large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. Add the tomato, onion and chiles, and cook, stirring nearly constantly, until the onion begins to soften and brown, about 7 minutes. Add the tequila and cook quickly, stirring, until nearly reduced to a glaze. (If you tip the pan toward an open gas flame, it will ignite. If you choose this route, simply shake the pan back and forth until the flames subside and the tequila has reduced to a glaze.) Reduce the heat to medium-low, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the vegetables and stir slowly and constantly until just meltedtoo long over the heat and the cheese will become tough, oily and stringy. Scoop into a warm dish, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve right away with tortillas for making soft tacos. You may want a little salsa, too.

Frijoles a la Charro (Spicy Bacon Pinto Beans)

Frijoles a la Charro (Spicy Bacon Pinto Beans)

frijoles a la charro1 lb dried pinto beans, rinsed
1 white onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves
6 slices bacon, uncooked
½ small white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano chile peppers, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 tsp salt
½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Place the beans in a large stockpot or clay olla and cover with plenty of water; soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain and discard the soaking liquid. Return the soaked beans to the stockpot along with the quartered onion and whole garlic cloves. Add enough water to the pot to rise approximately 2 inches above the beans. Place the pot over medium-low heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender. Check and stir the beans every 15-20 minutes to ensure that they are covered in water and not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add more water to the pan if necessary to ensure that all of the beans are always covered with water. Once the beans are fully cooked, remove from the heat and discard the onion and garlic. Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the bacon and cook until it is crispy and golden brown. Stir in the diced onion, minced garlic and serrano peppers and cook for 3 min. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 min, or until they have softened. Add the cooked beans and their cooking liquid to the pan and stir to thoroughly combine. Season with salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes longer until the flavors have blended and most of the liquid has evaporated. Taste and season with additional salt if desired. Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro levees.

Frijoles Negros con Arroz Tradicionales

Frijoles Negros con Arroz Tradicionales

Frijoles Negros con Arroz Tradicionales1 can (15 oz) BUSH’S® Black Beans, drain and reserve juices
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic salt
3 T. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 cup cooked rice
Lime wedges (optional)

In large skillet, heat olive oil; cook onion and green pepper until crisp tender. Stir in tomatoes, beans, thyme and garlic salt; cook 3 minutes. Add vinegar, pepper sauce, and reserved juices continue to cook 5 minutes. Serve over rice. Garnish with lime wedge (optional).

Cuban Avocado, Watercress, and Pineapple Salad (Ensalada de Aguacate, Berro, y Piña)

Cuban Avocado, Watercress, and Pineapple Salad (Ensalada de Aguacate, Berro, y Piña)

Cuban Avocado, Watercress, and Pineapple Salad (Ensalada de Aguacate, Berro, y Piña)2 bunches watercress
One 2 1/2-pound pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into four 1-inch-thick slices
1 T. sugar
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 T. cider vinegar or fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 large Florida (West Indian) avocado or 2 Hass avocados
1 small red onion (5 oz.) thinly slivered lengthwise
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Preparing the Watercress: Place the watercress in a colander and rinse under cold running water to remove any grit or sand. Discard any yellowing leaves and remove the tough stems; for this salad, you want only the leaves and tender stems. Pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Broiling the Pineapple: Preheat the broiler. Place the pineapple slices on a baking pan and sprinkle the sugar evenly on top of them. Broil about 4 inches from the heat source, turning once, for 10 minutes on each side, until lightly golden brown. Let cool, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.

Preparing the Dressing: Place the garlic, olive oil, vinegar or lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.

Peeling the Avocado: Cut the avocado(s) lengthwise in half around the pit and remove the pit. Place the avocado halves cut side down on the work surface and slice lengthwise into 1-inch-wide wedges. Peel each segment by hand or with a paring knife, and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Assembling the Salad: Place the watercress in a medium bowl and toss with half the dressing. Arrange on a large platter. Add the pineapple and avocado to the same bowl and toss with the rest of the dressing. Mound the pineapple and avocado over the bed of watercress. Garnish with the slivers of red onion and serve immediately.

The Hands On Home Cook

The Hands On Home Cook

Professional Tips for the Hands On Home Cook

  • Have a menu, but be flexible – Be on the lookout for great deals, loss leaders, specialty items.
  • Waste Not, Get Fired Not – Scrape condiment jars clean, use leftovers
  • Ingredients do double or triple duty – After slicing a tomato, use the ends for salads, bits and scraps of foods are a resource
  • Outsource where it makes sense – unless you keep dairy animals, it makes more sense to buy cheese and butter, for instance.
  • Embrace simplicity
  • It’s easier to cook everyday – it becomes a natural rhythm and will be easier than going out to eat or grabbing burgers on the way home.
  • Those aren’t leftovers, they are prep – pre-clean veggies when you get them home, grill up some meat and turn your fridge to a grab and go salad bar / deli counter. Re-purpose leftovers – mashed potatoes can become the topping for a casserole, or potato pancakes. Corn from last nights dinner can be tossed with tonight’s salad.
  • Use your freezer. It’s only trivially more time and effort to make a big batch of something than to make a small portion. Use this to your advantage by making double batches of basic dinners and freezing enough for those nights when you need heat-it-and-eat-it convenience.
  • Recipes are more like guidelines. Read through a recipe carefully and make sure you understand what ingredients are needed and what kind of time commitment the recipe is going to take, but understand that a million variables—from the humidity in the air to the age of dry beans to the calibration of your oven—all effect the final outcome of your dish. Truly great cooks must trust their senses more than rigid steps in a recipe, because, no matter how well tested a recipe is, your humble cookbook author cannot predict how all those variables will come together in your home. Once you understand flavors, you can swap different herbs and spices. You can often swap out a protein (although cooking time/temp may need to be adjusted)
  • Make recipes your own.
  • Go Seasonal – in season food is fresher, better tasting, and often less expensive, and good to support local farmers. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every season. The same basic recipe, like a flat bread or fruit crisp can be re-imagined over and over by tweaking a component or two to include a local seasonal ingredient.

Essential Equipment for the Hands On Home Cook

  • Cast Iron
  • Cutting Boards
  • Dutch Oven
  • Food Processor
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Kitchen Scale
  • Knives – Chef Knife, Bread Knife, Paring Knife
  • Large Pot (Water Bath Canning)
  • Portion Scoops – Skip the overpriced and weak portion scoops available at fancy kitchen stores and go straight for the industrial versions available at restaurant supply stores. They will have color-coded plastic handles and a number that indicates the scoop size, based on how many level portions of the scoop will fill a one-quart container. A #60 scoop creates a one-T. portion, a #8 creates a four-oz. portion. Get the sizes that make sense for the items you scoop (meatballs, cupcake batter, etc.)
  • Sheet pans and Parchment paper
  • Stand Mixer
  • Whisks, Spoons & Other Hand Tools
Escabeche de Cebolla (Yucatan Pickled Red Onion)

Escabeche de Cebolla (Yucatan Pickled Red Onion)

escabeche de cebolla1 large red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Place the sliced red onion in a large mason jar (or divide if using smaller jars). In a small pot, heat the vinegar to black pepper, cumin, oregano, garlic, bay leaf and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour the hot vinegar spice mixture over the red onion. Cover and refrigerate. Your onions may not turn bright pink immediately. We found that the gorgeous bright pink color will develop and deepen as the onions rest, covered overnight. These pickled onions will keep for up to 2 weeks refrigerated.

Rajas con Crema (Roasted Poblanos with Cream)

Rajas con Crema (Roasted Poblanos with Cream)

Rajas con Crema (Roasted Poblanos with Cream)6 fresh poblano chiles, fire roasted, stemmed, seeded and skinned
1 T. butter
1 white onion, sliced lengthwise (root to tip), 1/4-inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup Mexican crema (Mexican sour cream) or crème fraîche
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Cut the chiles into long strips, about an inch wide. Many recipes call for thin strips, about a half inch wide, which you can do if you want. I just like them with thicker strips. Set aside. Heat the butter (can use vegetable oil instead if you want) in a large cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the poblano chiles to the onions. Sprinkle the chiles with salt. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the Mexican crema. Gently stir to coat the chiles. Let cook for several minutes, until the chiles are completely cooked through and the sauce is bubbly and a little reduced, then sprinkle in the grated jack cheese. Stir with the hot crema sauce until the cheese has melted and mixed in with the crema sauce. Serve with warmed corn or flour tortillas.

Ensalada de Aguacate (Golden Avocado Salad with Jalapeno-Cilantro Vinaigrette)

Ensalada de Aguacate (Golden Avocado Salad with Jalapeno-Cilantro Vinaigrette)

Ensalada de Aguacate (Golden Avocado Salad with Jalapeno-Cilantro Vinaigrette)1 C. Cilantro Leaves
2 small Jalapeno Peppers, stems removed
½ C. White Wine Vinegar
Juice of 2 Limes
1 clove Garlic
½ tsp. Salt
1 C. EVOO

½ C. Flour
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
1 C. Panko
2 Avocados, pitted, peeled and cut into 1” wedges, about 6 wedges per avocado
Salt
2 C. Canola Oil

12 C. baby Arugula
Salt
Pepper
1 pt. Cherry Tomatoes, halved

In blender puree cilantro, jalapeno, vinegar, lime juice, garlic and salt until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil until well combined and set aside.

Place flour, eggs and panko into 2 separate shallow bowls to set up a dredging station. Season avocado with salt and dredge in flour, egg, then panko. Place on parchment and repeat for all wedges. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Gently place the breaded avocado wedges in oil (in batches as necessary) into the hot oil and cook 3 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Transfer to paper lined tray to drain. Place arugula in bowl and toss with dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 plate, sprinkle with tomatoes and top with avocado.

Light Crema de Chile Poblano Soup

Light Crema de Chile Poblano Soup

Light Crema de Chile Poblano Soup1 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 large poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and veins removed
1/4-inch thick slice of a large white onion, roasted on a comal or skillet
1/4 to 1/3 cup Cacique Crema Mexicana
1/4 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
Optional garnish: Swirl of Crema Mexicana and freshly chopped chives

Roast poblano chiles and allow to sweat in a plastic bag. After 15 minutes, peel the skin off the chiles, cut them open and remove the seeds and veins. While the chiles are sweating, roast the 1/4-inch thick slice of a large white onion on a hot comal or skillet until each side starts to get some brown spots, a few minutes per side. Add the poblano chiles, roasted onion, chicken broth, crema mexicana and salt to a blender and blend on high until the contents are completely pureed and smooth. Transfer the contents of the blender to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally until it comes to a boil after about 5 minutes. It will begin to bubble toward the top of the pan; reduce the heat and continue to simmer for another 2 minutes.

Serve and garnish with a swirl of Cacique crema mexicana and about a half tsp. of freshly chopped chives.

Sopa de Chile Poblano (Roasted Poblano Soup)

Sopa de Chile Poblano (Roasted Poblano Soup)

Sopa de Chile Poblano (Roasted Poblano Soup)2 lb. poblano chiles
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
4 oz. spinach, roughly chopped
1⁄3 cup minced parsley
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄2 cup crema or sour cream
1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
Fried tortilla strips, to garnish

Heat broiler to high heat. Place poblano chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil, turning as needed, until blackened all over, about 20 minutes; transfer to a bowl and let cool. Peel and discard skins, stems, and seeds; roughly chop, and set aside. Heat butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add chopped poblanos, spinach, and parsley, and cook, stirring, until slightly wilted, about 3 minutes. Add stock and milk, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cream, and season with salt and pepper; puree in a blender until smooth, at least 1 minute. To serve, divide soup among serving bowls and then dollop with about 1 tbsp. crema in the center of each; garnish with some of the serrano chiles and tortilla strips.

Sautéed Mexican Mussels with Chorizo and Tequila

Sautéed Mexican Mussels with Chorizo and Tequila

Sautéed Mexican Mussels with Chorizo and Tequila4 Tomatoes, diced plus additional for garnishing
3 T. olive oil
8 oz. Mexican chorizo, fresh or store-bought, casings removed
1 T. shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fresh jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1½ cups dry white wine
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 tsp. salt
â…“ cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
½ cup good quality silver tequila (ex: Herradura Blanco)

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom sauté pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering but not smoking, add the chorizo to the pan and cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sausage is thoroughly cooked through. Remove the chorizo from the pan and pat dry with a paper towel to remove all excess oil. Pour off and discard the excess fat from the pan, leaving approximately 1 T. of chorizo fat in the pan. Add the minced shallot to the sauté pan and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is soft. Add the sliced garlic and diced jalapeño to the pan and cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until both are cooked through. Keep the sauté pan on medium high heat and return the chorizo to the pan. Stir in the wine and tomatoes and then mussels. Sprinkle 1 tsp. salt over the mixture and bring to a boil. Once the mixture has reached a boil, cover the sauté pan with aluminum foil or a heavy lid and cook covered for approximately 8-10 minutes until the majority of the mussels have opened. Remove the pan from the heat and discard any unopened mussels. Spoon the mussels and broth into serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and top with 4 oz. of silver tequila. Top with additional diced tomatoes. Serve with crusty bread or fresh corn tortillas.

Mejillones con tequila

Mejillones con tequila

1Mejillones con tequila tsp. vegetable oil
½ red pepper, diced
½ small onion, chopped
½ cup tequila
¼ cup water
juice of 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 T. chopped jalapeno chilies (optional)
1 kg of fresh mussels, scrubbed and beards
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the red pepper and onion. Cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add the tequila, water, lemon juice, pepper and jalapenos. Bring to a boil and add the mussels. Sprinkle the cilantro over the mussels and cover well. Let steam cook 3 to 4 minutes until all the mussels have opened (discard any remaining closed).

Rellenos de Camarones y Queso

Rellenos de Camarones y Queso

Rellenos de Camarones y Queso1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and chopped
8 poblano peppers, roasted and peeled
2 T. olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 T. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 cup crema Mexicana or sour cream
3/4 cup fat-free milk, divided
3/4 cup (3 oz.) shredded quesadilla cheese
½ cup queso fresco, crumbled
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro, and sprigs
2 T. fresh lime juice
Pomegranate seeds (optional)

Fire up a comal on the stovetop. Rinse the poblano chiles and bell pepper thoroughly and pierce each with a knife. Place them on the comal and let them roast evenly. You will have to keep an eye on them, making sure to turn them over until all sides are roasted. When done, the skins should be evenly blistered and mostly black. Place roasted chiles and pepper into a plastic bag and close the bag. Cover the plastic bag with a kitchen towel. The steam will help the blackened skin to separate. When cool, rub off the blackened skin, careful to keep the stem intact on the poblano chiles. Using a small sharp knife, carefully slit chiles open along 1 side. Remove seeds, leaving stems attached. Set aside to fill later. Chop the bell pepper and discard stem and seeds.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 tsp. salt. Add shrimp to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done. Remove from pan. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with flour and ground red pepper; cook 1 minute. Slowly add crema Mexicana, stirring with a whisk. Stir in 1/2 cup milk; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 2 minutes. Add quesadilla cheese and 1/4 tsp. salt, stirring until smooth.

Place 1/3 cup cheese mixture in a large bowl; reserve remaining cheese mixture. Add bell pepper, shrimp, cilantro, and juice to 1/3 cup cheese mixture in bowl; toss to coat. Stir 1/4 cup fat-free milk into reserved cheese mixture. Spoon 3 T. of cheese sauce on 4 plates. Stuff each poblano chile with 6 T. shrimp mixture. Place 2 stuffed poblanos on cheese mixture and garnish with crumbled queso fresco, cilantro, and pomegranate seeds (optional).

Carne Asada Roja (Red Chile Marinated Rib Eye Steaks)

Carne Asada Roja (Red Chile Marinated Rib Eye Steaks)

Carne Asada Roja (Red Chile Marinated Rib Eye Steaks)16 guahillo Chiles, stemmed, seeded, dry roasted and rehydrated
5 cloves Garlic, dry roasted and peeled
2 tsp. Cumin Seeds
1/3 T. Mexican Oregano
1 T. Cider Vinegar
3 C. Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 tsp. Canola Oil
1 T. Salt
1 T. Sugar
6 12oz. Ribe Eye Steaks (1” thick)
Olive Oil, for grill
Sliced Avacado
1 C. Salsa Roja

Puree the rehydrated chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, vinegar and 1 C. broth in blender for 5 minutes, until extremely smooth. Heat canola oil in heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat. Once oil is hot and begins to shimmer, pour the pureed chiles mixture into the pan. Be careful, as the sauce will splatter. Immediately stir and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, stirring often for 10 minutes, until sauce thickens and begins to darken. Stir in remaining 2 cups broth along with salt and sugar. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes more to reduce slightly. Remove from heat and season with additional salt if desired. Transfer to a large, shallow baking dish and set aside to cool completely prior to marinating the steak. Place steaks in marinade, making sure the pieces are well coated. Cover and refrigerate a minimum for 4 hours, to overnight. Preheat grill over medium high heat. Lightly brush grill grates with oil. Grill steaks for approximately 12 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Allow steaks to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with sliced avocado and topped with warm salsa roja and fresh cilantro if desired. Spicy Bacon Pinto Beans make a nice side.

Cochinita Pibil (Yucatan Achiote Seasoned Pork)

Cochinita Pibil (Yucatan Achiote Seasoned Pork)

Slow Cooker Cochinita Pibil Tacos2 large banana leaves
1/2 cup of Achiote Paste
2 cups of bitter orange juice, or one cup orange juice mixed with one cup of grapefruit juice
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
3 Pounds of boneless pork loin or pork shoulder cut in pieces
1 large red onion, sliced.
3-4 bay leaves
1/2 T. dried thyme
1 T. marjoram
1 T. dried Mexican oregano
1/2 cup oil or lard
1 turkey size oven bag
Salt to taste

Roast the banana leaf, if you bought it from the frozen section of the supermarket, wait until it is completely defrosted. To roast the banana leaf, place it directly over a medium hot fire of you gas stove, it will start changing color and getting some shiny while in contact with the fire. Make sure not to burn the leaves, we just want them to be pliable. Line your roasting pan with the oven bag and arrange the banana leaves overlapping as in the above picture. You can also use aluminum foil instead of the oven bag. In your blender, mix the Achiote (annatto) seasoning with the pepper and bitter orange juice. Add salt. Place the pork meat on the leaves. Pour the Achiote mixture over. And add the oil/lard to give it more flavor. Cover with the sliced onion and herbs. Fold the ends of the banana leaves over the pork. Close the oven bag and cut 3 or 4 slits according to packages instructions. If using aluminum foil wrap tightly . Add about 1 1/2 quarter of water to the roasting pan to create a steaming effect. One time, I forgot to add the water and it still came out great. Bake 2 1/2 hours in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Add more water to the pan if needed. Remove roasting pan from oven and uncover the meat. The meat should be tender. If it isn’t, cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. To serve shred the meat and cover with the juice with warm tortillas and habanero sauce.

Jalapeno Popper Wontons

Jalapeno Popper Wontons

jalapenopopper1 package refrigerated square wonton wrappers
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
3 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Vegetable oil for frying
Coarse salt

In a bowl, combine cream cheese, jalapenos, and cheddar cheese. Arrange wontons in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Add 1 tsp. of the filling to the center of each wonton (don’t overfill them). Dip your fingers in a bowl of water and run your wet fingers around all edges of each wonton. Fold the wontons over the filling, pinching the edges to seal to make a triangle and removing any air bubbles. Fry wontons in batches in hot oil until browned and cripsy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve warm.

Empanaditas de Carne (Small Beef Turnovers)

Empanaditas de Carne (Small Beef Turnovers)

Empanaditas de Carne (Small Beef Turnovers)Dough
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
4 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup ice water

Filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup white onion, shredded
1/2 bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground achiote
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup diced and cooked potatoes
1/2 cup beef broth
Salt to taste
1 egg yolk

Make the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, achiote, cumin and cook for about 6 minutes over medium heat. Add the beef and cooked potatoes, and cook for about 7 minutes. Add the broth, season with salt and cook until meat is cooked through.

Make the dough: Place the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter, and water until a dough forms. Form a ball, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. Cut out round disc shapes with a round cutter or a small plate. Fill empanada discs with beef mixture. Brush the edges with egg and close the filling by pressing the edges together to form a half moon. reheat oil in a deep pot to 375 degrees F. Fry the empanadas in the oil for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Hoisin-Glazed Chicken with Cabbage Slaw

Hoisin-Glazed Chicken with Cabbage Slaw

Hoisin-Glazed Chicken With Cabbage Slaw4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
1/3cup hoisin sauce
1T. low-sodium soy sauce
1T. plus 1 tsp. rice vinegar
2tsp. fish sauce (optional)
3cups shredded green cabbage
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
3 scallions, halved and cut into 4-inch strips
1/2cup fresh cilantro leaves

Heat broiler to high. Rinse the cutlets, pat dry with paper towels, and pound to an even thinness. Place in a broiler pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1 tsp. of the rice vinegar, and the fish sauce (if using). Transfer 2 T. of the glaze to a large bowl and stir in the remaining 1 T. rice vinegar. Add the cabbage, bell peppers, scallions, and cilantro and toss. Cover and refrigerate. Pour about 1 T. of the remaining glaze into a small bowl and set aside. Brush the chicken with the glaze that remains. Broil the chicken, brushing occasionally, until cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Spoon the reserved glaze over the top. Serve with the slaw.

Christmas Cookies – From Simple to Spectacular

Christmas Cookies – From Simple to Spectacular

Everyone is pressed for time during the holidays, but that shouldn’t stop you from making a lovely batch of Christmas cookies. Our treats look great whether unadorned or dressed to the nines, so you can tailor them to suit your interest (and schedule). They’re all made with the same sugar cookie dough and frosting, so you can mix and match. And even the most basic versions are pretty enough to decorate a tree or window. You’ll find sources for the special equipment and decorations, plus packaging ideas. Or try different cookie cutters and add your favorite colors and decorations. Just get baking!

Christmas Cookies – From Simple to Spectacular

Favorite Sugar Cookie Dough

1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat room-temperature butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Stir or beat in flour until well blended. Flatten dough into a 1-inch-thick disk. On a lightly floured board, roll dough about 1/8 inch thick. Follow directions below to make cookies.

Royal Icing

4 cups (1 lb.) powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
food coloring
Preparation

In a large bowl, combine 4 cups (1 lb.) powdered sugar, 6 tablespoons water, and 3 tablespoons meringue powder (or omit water and meringue powder and use 6 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites). With an electric mixer on low speed, beat until evenly moistened, then beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Controlling consistency of icing is simple: If icing is too thick, add a few drops of water; if it’s too thin, gradually add more powdered sugar.

Tint icing with food coloring as desired; to make all three cookie designs with Favorite Sugar Cookie Dough, divide icing into four portions and tint three blue, green, or red, leaving one white.

Ornaments
1. With a floured cookie cutter, cut ornament shapes from cookie dough.
2. Make an imprint in the center of each cookie by lightly pressing a star-shape cookie cutter into dough, making sure not to cut all the way through.
3. Use a drinking straw to poke a hole in each cookie. Transfer to baking sheets lined with cooking parchment.
4. Bake in a 300° oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool.
5. Serve when cool, or thread a ribbon through each hole, tie, and hang from a tree or in a window.
To make them special: Prepare cookies as above, but skip step 2. With a small offset spatula, spread a thin layer of tinted icing on each ornament.
To make them spectacular: Follow directions above for special version; let icing dry. With a pastry bag fitted with a #2 plain tip and filled with icing, create raised accents. Sprinkle sanding sugar over the still-wet piping, then tilt and tap cookie to remove excess. Add dragées.

Wreaths
1. With a floured 3- to 4-inch fluted-edge cookie cutter, cut out large circles from cookie dough. With a floured 1- to 2-inch cutter, cut out a circle in each cookie. Transfer cookies to baking sheets lined with cooking parchment. Gather scraps, reroll, and cut out more wreaths.
2. Bake in a 300° oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool.
3. Serve when cool, or thread a ribbon through each wreath and hang from a tree or in a window.
To make them special: With a pastry bag fitted with a #2 plain tip and filled with green icing, pipe “branches” onto the wreath. Or with a small offset spatula, spread a thin layer of tinted icing on each wreath.
To make them spectacular: Follow directions for special version; with a pastry bag fitted with a #2 plain tip and filled with red icing, apply “berries” to each wreath. Sprinkle sanding sugar over the still-wet icing, then tilt and tap cookie to remove excess.

Cutout Cookies
1. With a floured square cookie cutter with a fluted edge, cut out 20 cookies from cookie dough. Transfer to baking sheets lined with cooking parchment.
2. With smaller floured cookie cutters (we used a pear shape), cut out 20 top pieces from dough. If necessary, gather scraps, reroll, and cut out more top pieces.
3. Brush the back of each top piece with a little water and press gently onto squares.
4. Bake in a 300° oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool.
To make them special: With a small offset spatula, spread a thin layer of tinted icing on each top piece.
To make them spectacular: Follow directions for special version; use a pastry bag fitted with a #2 plain tip and filled with icing to create dots and leaves. If desired, apply a bit of gold leaf while icing is still moist.

Everything you need to make holiday treats: You don’t need many tools to make our Christmas cookies―just cookie cutters, a pastry bag, a straw, a small spatula, and some ribbon. You’ll find the following decorative sugars and candies at gourmet specialty markets, but you can also make substitutions: Use granulated sugar instead of sanding sugar, and swap in cinnamon Red Hots or nonpareils for the dragées.
Assorted cookie cutters. We used a piece of cardboard as a template for the ornament, but the fluted-edge round and square cutters for the wreath and cutout cookies can be found on Amazon.com. A similar mini pear cookie cutter is available from the Cookie Cutter Factory (866/255-9194). Pinocchio Productions sells an eight-point star cookie cutter. CopperGifts.com (620/421-0654) has a vast selection, including many star shapes, as do Michaels craft stores (800/642-4235 for store locations).
Decorative sparkle. We used a combination of dragées (dra-zhays), edible gold, matte red decoratifs, and sanding sugar. (Silver dragées are for decoration only; avoid eating them.) Look for nonmetallic dragées and sanding sugar in gourmet supermarkets, kitchen stores, Michaels, at ChefShop.com (877/337-2491), or on Amazon.com. Fancy Flours (406/522-8887) sells decoratifs, sanding sugar, and dragées. Edible gold is available at Sur La Table ($35 for 150 mg; 800/243-0852).
A pastry bag fitted with a #2 plain tip. Fill it with icing to create fine lines for making branches on the wreath cookies and adding stripes and dots to the ornament and cutout cookies. You’ll find bags and tips at kitchen stores such as Sur La Table as well as at craft stores like Michaels.

Agave Glazed Bacon

Agave Glazed Bacon

Agave Glazed Bacon6 slices thick-cut hickory smoked bacon
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon southwest chipotle seasoning, mix (Mrs. Dash, Tones, Konriko or homemade)
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange slices on baking sheet; bake until almost crisp (8-9 minutes). Drain the drippings from baking sheet and discard. In small bowl, combine agave nectar, chipotle seasoning and pepper. Brush bacon with the chipotle mixture; bake until glazed (8-10 minutes). Cool.

Holiday Dungeness Crab Feast

Holiday Dungeness Crab Feast

Start with garlic-and anchovy-laced bagna cauda for dipping raw veggies and crusty bread, followed by cracked crab and pasta in a homemade tomato sauce redolent of garlic and basil.

Juicy and briny-sweet, Dungeness is celebration food. Any evening that begins with crabcakes instantly feels festive and special. And cracked crab is great to eat with close friends and family or with people you’d like to get to know better ― because it requires rolling up your sleeves and diving in with both hands.

What could be more fun than that? Reach across the table for legs and claws and just a little more dipping sauce, dig out morsels of meat, and go for it.

Cracked Crab with Lemongrass, Black Pepper, and Basil

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, ends trimmed and coarse leave

FS=Randy Mon

s discarded
2 T. chopped fresh ginger
1 T. chopped garlic
1/4 C. honey
1/4 C. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 T. freshly ground black pepper
3 fully cooked Dungeness crabs (about 2 lbs. each), cleaned, legs cracked, and bodies quartered
3 T. peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 C. loosely packed cilantro sprigs
1 C. loosely packed Thai basil leaves or small regular basil leaves

 

Chop lemongrass. Put in a food processor with ginger and garlic; whirl until minced. Scrape into a large bowl and stir in honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Add crabs and stir to coat well. Cover, then chill at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Pour oil into a 14-in. wok or a wide 8- to 10-qt. pot over medium-high heat. With a slotted spoon, add crabs (reserve marinade). Cover and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes (omit this cooking time if using fully cooked crabs). Uncover pan, add marinade, and cook, stirring often, until crabs are steaming and meat is opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and basil, then transfer crabs and juices to a serving bowl.

Ultimate Crabcakes

4 ounces sea scallops
2 T. lightly beaten egg
3 T. heavy whipping cream
1 pound (3 cups) shelled cooked crab
2 T. diced (1/4 in.) red bell pepper
2 T. diced (1/4 in.) yellow bell pepper
2 T. finely chopped cilantro
3 T. finely chopped chives, divided
2 tsp. green hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 T. olive oil
Devil Sauce

In a food processor, pulse scallops and egg just until scallops are chopped. With motor running, pour in cream and whirl until smooth. Scrape scallop mixture into a bowl. Stir in crab, bell peppers, cilantro, 2 tbsp. chives, the hot sauce, salt, and cayenne, breaking up most large chunks of crab. Lay an 18-in. sheet of parchment paper on a work surface. Scoop 6 equal mounds of crab mixture onto parchment. Shape each into an even cake about 1 1/4 in. thick, using your fingers or, for neater sides, a 2 1/2-in.-diameter ring mold. Pour olive oil into a 12-in. nonstick frying pan and heat over medium-low heat. Using a thin, flexible spatula, carefully transfer cakes to pan. Cook, turning once, until nicely browned and no longer wet in center, about 10 minutes total. Divide crabcakes among 6 warm plates, scatter with remaining 1 tbsp. chives, and serve with Devil Sauce.
Devil Sauce

3/4 C. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
About 1 tsp. red hot sauce, such as Tabasco

In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, coriander, and 1 tsp. hot sauce. Taste and add more hot sauce if you like.