Spicy Turkey & Hominy In A Chile Broth

Spicy Turkey & Hominy In A Chile Broth

This is a wonderful recipe that I created to use up left over dark meat turkey. I was quite frankly sick of turkey at this point and wanted something that was light and didn't highlight the turkey itself. The leftover turkey recipes I was finding were at least as heavy and fat laden as the original Thanksgiving dinner itself and seemed beige and unappetizing i.e. tetrazzini, pot pie, shepherd's pie.

This is more or less Posole but I hesitate to call it that until I have a real handle on what a truly authentic version consists of. By toasting, soaking and pureeing a combination of Ancho, Pasilla and Guajillo chilies and adding it to the turkey broth that Manly made out of the carcass a deep, rich yet light soup was created and I barely cared that there was turkey in it. Bonus! This was also an opportunity to use the can of hominy in the back of my pantry. When I opened the can and tasted hominy for the first time I wasn't thrilled. In fact I hesitated to use it at all. However when cooked in this broth for 20-30 minutes it became quite another thing. It adds a very soft mellow corn flavor while acquiring the flavors of the soup itself. I am very glad I ventured to add it.

You can easily swap out the turkey for chicken or leave out the meat altogether. My understanding is that real posole is traditionally made with pork butt that's braised for 2-3 hours so making it this way cuts the prep time and the fat content way down. We were really blown away by this soup and it's definitely worthy of being posted here. The only thing I wish I had had on hand was some avocado. That seemed to be the one thing missing from an otherwise splendid supper. I've suggested traditional garnishes below so that you can pick and choose your favorites. Enjoy!

Recipe: Spicy Turkey & Hominy In A Chile Broth
Recipe by Danielle

Ingredients

2 oz. ancho chilies

1 oz. pasilla chilies

1 oz. guajillo chilies

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
4 cups turkey or chicken meat
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
cayenne pepper, optional
5 cups broth or stock

2 garlic cloves smashed

salt and pepper

3 cups broth or stock

1-36.5 oz. can hominy, drained and rinsed well

Garnishes

Limes

Cilantro

Red Onion

Pumpkin Seeds, toasted

Avacado, cubed

Sour Cream

Tortilla Strips

Directions

Remove stems and seeds from all of the dried chilies and tear them into large pieces.

Heat a large skillet and add chile pieces. Toast until fragrant being careful not to scorch them. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same skillet heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add onion and jalapeno. Sautee until soft. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Add turkey, garlic and seasonings, mix well and simmer 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a dutch oven or soup pot, Add toasted chilies and 5 cups of broth or stock and 2 smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and let stand 20-25 minutes or until chilies have softened. In 2 batches add chile/stock mixture to a blender and puree. Strain back into soup pot. Add 3 more cups of broth or stock, turkey mixture and hominy. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered for 20-30 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.

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Chicken Breast With Clementine Salsa

Chicken Breast With Clementine Salsa

Ah, what to do with those beautiful boxes of clementines? Here's one idea. I love this recipe because it gets dinner on the table fast without sacrificing flavor. Bon Appetit's version pounded chicken breast into paillards which would make a lovely presentation but when in a hurry there's no need to bother. I omitted the half cup of chopped celery because I just didn't think it went well but that's just me. Make some plain rice on the side and you're good to go and it's just as nice to look at and just as delicious to eat as the original. Enjoy!

Recipe: Chicken Breast with Clementine Salsa
4 servings
Adapted From Bon Appetit Magazine; December 2009

Ingredients
4 5-ounce chicken breast halves
4 clementines, peeled, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 serrano chile, seeded, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh clementine juice (from about 6 clementines)

Directions
Mix clementines and next 8 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Salsa can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until slightly browned and cooked through. Transfer chicken to platter. Add clementine juice to skillet; boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Drizzle sauce over chicken. Spoon salsa over and serve.

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Ina's Amazing BBQ Chicken and Dill Potato Salad

Ina's Amazing BBQ Chicken and Dill Potato Salad

No, I haven't lost my mind! It IS a bit strange to post a recipe for barbequed chicken at this time of year but even some of us crazy people in Chicagoland like to grill out when it's a balmy 20 or 30 degrees. Actually we grill a fair bit in the winter (we grill on January 1st every year). I think it's our way of feeling like maybe hell hasn't frozen over and summer isn't THAT far off. Also, many of my readers live in warmer climes and other countries where Thanksgiving isn't a holiday so I thought why not?



These two recipes are now my standard go to's for barbequed chicken and potato salad. I will not make them any other way. Oh, that Ina! Don't you just love her sometimes? The sauce recipe requires a well stocked pantry, I must admit, but it makes a lot so I usually only have to make one batch to last all summer (or all winter). I just keep it in the fridge next to the ketchup and the sriracha and forget about it. Ina really put together a combination of ingredients in the BBQ sauce that have a major affinity for each other. I would never have thought to put soy sauce and hoisin in my sauce but they work wonderfully well with the other more traditional ingredients.


The potato salad has fresh dill and Dijon mustard that makes it so fresh tasting. I knew the first time I made it that this was what I had been looking for and with this chicken? Dynamite!  You're going to love me for this! I wouldn't lie to you about something as serious as BBQ'd chicken and potato salad!

So I suggest you put on your hats and gloves, pop open a cold one, fire up the grill and have the taste of summer, anytime. Or as I like to say, 'Pull down your pants and slide on the ice'!!! Might be a good thing to do this weekend before the holidays get rolling? (Or save it for summer, if you must, but do save these recipes). Have some fun and as always enjoy!


Recipe: Barbecued Chicken
Copyright, 1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved
Serves: 6

Ingredients
2 chickens (2 1/2 to 3 pounds each), quartered, with backs removed
1 recipe Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows

Directions
Marinate the chickens in 2/3 of the barbecue sauce for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.


Heat the coals in a charcoal grill. Spread the bottom of the grill with a single layer of hot coals and then add a few more coals 5 minutes before cooking, which will keep the fire going longer. Place the chicken quarters on the grill, skin side down, and cook for about 45 minutes, turning once or twice to cook evenly on both sides. Brush with the marinade as needed. The chicken quarters are done when you insert a knife between a leg and thigh and the juices run clear. Discard any unused marinade.


Serve with extra barbecue sauce on the side.


Recipe: Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup tomato paste (10 ounces)
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup honey
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes


Directions

In a large saucepan on low heat, sauté the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator. Yield: 1 1/2 quarts


Recipe: Dill-Potato Salad
Copyright, 2006, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients
3 pounds small white potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion


Directions
Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.


When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Mixed Peppers

Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Mixed Peppers

While you've got that grill fired up...make these wonderful peppers to have with drinks!



The first time I made this recipe I accidentally bought hot banana peppers instead of sweet ones...well, if it had just been Manly and I it would have been a pleasant surprise but we were having dinner guests and pleasant isn't exactly how I would describe their reactions. Oops! We all had a good laugh about it after they recovered but consider yourselves warned! I love this recipe because you can use any kind of small-medium sized peppers you like, they're easy and you can make them ahead. That's my kind of recipe! One note: I tried using goat cheese instead of the cream cheese but we didn't care for the texture so I would stay with the cream cheese.
Give these a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Recipe: Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Mixed Peppers
Recipe by Robert Perkins and John Lancaster
Published in Food and Wine Magazine, April 2009

Robert Perkins and John Lancaster, the wine directors at San Francisco’s Boulevard restaurant, love making this snack at backyard barbecues using all types of medium-sized peppers: As the peppers blister, the cheese mixture tucked inside turns warm and gooey.

Ingredients
1 cup ricotta cheese (8 ounces)
1 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Anaheim or Cubanelle peppers
4 baby bell peppers
4 small poblano chilies
Extra-virgin olive oil, for rubbing


Directions
1. In a medium bowl, blend the ricotta with the cream cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with salt and pepper.


2. Light a grill or heat a grill pan. Using a small, sharp knife, remove the stems from the peppers and reserve. Cut around inside the peppers to detach the membranes and remove the seeds. Using a butter knife, fill the peppers with the cheese mixture and reattach the tops. Rub the peppers with olive oil.


3. Grill the peppers over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until blistered all over and the cheese filling is piping hot, about 7 minutes. Transfer the peppers to plates and serve.


Make Ahead
The cheese-filled peppers can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

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Gourmet Traveller's Lemon, Garlic and Riesling Pot-Roast Chicken W/ My Brandied Mushrooms

Gourmet Traveller's Lemon, Garlic and Riesling Pot-Roast Chicken W/ My Brandied Mushrooms

I am writing my first linkback post and I hope that I can do justice to Gourmet Traveller's recipe for Lemon, Garlic, Reisling Pot-Roast Chicken. I get so sick of just plain old roast chicken, especially since I really go for more bold flavors when I am cooking, but it's one of Manly's favorites so I occasionally have to acquiesce. When I read this recipe I knew it was going to be great and I was right! Reisling and Apple Jack Brandy? I mean really...how bad could that be? Right? I took G. Traveller's suggestions of using an off-sweet Reisling, Kabinett to be exact and to serve the chicken with some sauteed spinach.
My only tweak to the recipe was to sprinkle the chicken with Essence (you know, that Emeril stuff) instead of salt and pepper (I don't make any kind of chicken without it) and I  contributed  Apple Jack Brandied-Cremini Mushrooms (see recipe below) as a side which were a nice earthy compliment to the dinner.

So after a quick jaunt to the liquor store for the wine and the brandy I had everything I needed and went to town!


I am going to post her recipe here so that I have it in my permanent collection but please go check out her blog. It is one of my new favorites! Her Lemongrass-Prawn Skewers are next on my list! Thank you, my dear, for this wonderful chicken recipe!


Recipe: Lemon, Garlic and Riesling Pot-Roast Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 medium whole chicken
1 lemon, halved
3 tbsp olive oil
1 head garlic, halved
12 shallots, peeled
large bunch parsley
1 bay leaf
500ml (2 cups) riesling
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
60ml (4 tbsp) cider brandy
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
black pepper
sea salt


Directions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).


Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the parsley and lemon halves, then tie the legs together with string. Rub the bird with 1 tbsp of the oil and season generously with salt and pepper.


Heat the remaining oil in a cast iron pot (dutch oven) over a medium flame and toss in the garlic and shallots. Cook until lightly browned and fragrant, then add the chicken, breast down, to the pan. Sear, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, then turn over and colour the other side for a further few minutes.


Pour in the brandy to deglaze the pan (making sure you scrape up the bits stuck to the sides and bottom of the pot). Add the wine, stock and bay leaf, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and leave to simmer gently. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and roast in the preheated oven for an additional half hour, or until the chicken is cooked through.


Remove the chicken and let it rest on a serving dish. Return the pan to the heat and boil the cooking liquid until reduced by a third. Roughly mash together the butter and flour then add to the pan to thicken the sauce. Simmer for another 2 minutes then strain the sauce into a serving jug.


Carve at the table and serve with the gravy and a side of steamed veg (green beans or spinach would do nicely).


Recipe: Apple Jack Brandied-Cremini Mushrooms

Ingredients
1 lb. cremini mushromms, cut to about the same size
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons of Apple Jack Brandy
zest and juice of 1 lemon
Some fresh thyme or parsley
 
Directions
Heat butter and olive oil in a medium sized skillet
Add mushrooms and saute until they are golden
Deglaze with brandy and cook until the mushrooms have soaked up the brandy.
Turn off heat. Squeeze lemon juice onto them and sprinkle with zest and thyme.

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Spiced-Roasted Cranberry Sauce W/ Port

Spiced-Roasted Cranberry Sauce W/ Port

While I have vowed to never re-post a recipe (with so many still left unmade, why would I?) but I decided to break the rules...just this once, I promise. The reason for this exception is two-fold. First, when I posted it last year it was after Thanksgiving and it went mostly unnoticed because, of course, by that time nobody really wanted to look at another cranberry again for a really long time! Second, and more importantly..it's just that damn good! Roasting the berries and adding port elevates this to the moon! I've made it to go with a basic kind of ho-hum pork roast and it made the entire dinner. And for the part of Thanksgiving dinner I look forward to more than the dinner...the leftover turkey sandwich! These cranberries on said sandwich is out of this world!

If you want to add a wonderful twist to your traditional Thanksgiving dinner this is where you just might be able to get away with it. I still have to put the canned jellied stuff on the table for the less adventurous types...sigh...but maybe this year I'll have some converts more importantly? Leftovers.
 
Recipe: Spiced-Roasted Cranberry Sauce W/ Port

From Saveur Magazine; Issue 115; November 2008
MAKES 2 CUPS

The relish featured here employs a novel technique: cranberries are roasted with orange peel, jalapeño, and spices until their skins burst, to concentrate their flavor and draw out their sweetness and juices; then they're tossed with orange juice and port.

Ingredients

1 orange
1 lb. fresh or thawed cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 green cardamom pods, smashed
4 whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
1 small jalapeño, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 1⁄2 tbsp. port

Directions
1. Heat oven to 450°. Using a peeler, remove peel from the orange, taking off as little of the white pith as possible. Cut peel into very thin strips about 1 1⁄2" long. Squeeze juice from the orange; strain and reserve 1 tbsp. juice.

2. In a bowl, combine peel, cranberries, sugar, olive oil, salt, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, and jalapeños. Toss and transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Roast until cranberries begin to burst and release their juices, about 15 minutes.

3. Transfer cranberry mixture to a bowl; stir in reserved orange juice and port. Let sit for at least 1 hour so that the flavors meld. Remove and discard cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon before serving.

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Sticky Ginger Cake With Burnt Honey Ice Cream

Sticky Ginger Cake With Burnt Honey Ice Cream

I was wandering around the library one day, looking through their cookbooks of course, and found one that I actually hadn't seen there before. It is called From Artichoke To Za'atar by Greg and Lucy Malouf. Greg Malouf is the executive chef of MoMo in Melbourne, Australia where he showcases his wonderful dishes. I wanted to make so many of the recipes in this book I actually considered not returning it to the library! Bad girl!

One of the first recipes in the book is for Almond Fritters and that recipe led me to the Burnt Honey Ice Cream which led me to The Sticky Ginger Cake. That's how this cook book works. Cool, huh? I haven't tried making the fritters yet but they sound amazing and their recommended accompaniment, as well as for the cake, is this ice cream which I can't find words to describe.



As many of you already know that I don't bake very often but every once in a while something different and special pops up on my radar screen and I have to make it. This is one of those times I'm glad I did. Very very glad.

This is a beautiful book and layed out in an encyclopedic fashion rather than in a traditional cookbook format (it literally goes from A to Z). And the recipes! Oh the recipes! They are not the traditional recipes of old, thankfully, but they contain the remnants of the past or the essence, if you will, of times long ago and simultaneously standing firm in the here-and-now with a focus on the future.

Recipe: Sticky-Ginger Cake And Burnt-Honey Ice Cream
From "From Artichokes to Za'atar: Modern Middle Eastern Food.
By Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf; University of California Press.
Published in 1999, 2nd Run in 2006 and 3rd run in 2008.

Recipe: The Cake
"This cake uses both fresh grated ginger and dred ginger powder. It is deliciously moist, and mouth-tinglingly hot and gingery. Serve warm as a snack or turn it into dessert with a generous dollop of creme fraiche, Ginger Cream or Burnt Honey Ice Cream."

Ingredients
2/3 cup molasses or golden syrup
1.5 cups sour cream
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
2 Eggs
4 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
10 ounces (2-1/4 sticks) butter
1-1/3 cups plain flour
1-1/3 cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 tablespoons unsalted, shelled pistachios

Directions
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease an 8" Springform pan.
Whisk together the molasses, sour cream, brown sugar, eggs, grated ginger, and lemon zest. melt the butter and whisk into the mixture. Twice sift the flours, baking powder, salt and ginger powder. Fold into the warm batter, whisking gently if necessary to break down any residual lumps of flour. The batter will be fairly runny.

Tip it into a well-greased 8-inch springform pan and bake in the center of oven for 35-45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Soak the pistachios in boiling water for 2 minutes, then use a very sharp knife to peel away the skins. Pat dry and chop finely. Sprinkle over the top of the cake and serve.

Recipe: The Ice Cream
"Carmelizing honey just to the point of burning takes it from super sweet to the very edge of bitterness. It makes a very rich ice cream."

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons honey
2 cups milk
1 quart cream
8 egg yolks

Directions
Dissolve 1/2 cup of the sugar with the water and boil until it reaches 234-degrees on a candy thermometer. This takes approximately 8 minutes. Then add the honey and cook to a dark caramel, which will take an additional 8-10 minutes. Be careful that it does not burn, and remember that the residual heat will continue to cook it once you remove it from the heat.

Meanwhile, in a sauce pan bring the milk and cream to a boil. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks with the remaning sugar. Slowly temper the egg yolks while whisking then add everything to the pot. Mix in the caramel and stir over a very gentle heat until it thickens. You should be able to draw a clear line through the custard on the back of a spoon.

Remove the pan from the heat and cool in a sink of cold ice water, stirring from time to time. When the custard is completely cold, pour it into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacture's instructions.

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Sweet Black Pepper Cornbread Muffins

Sweet Black Pepper Cornbread Muffins

The next time you're servin' up some chili whether its Texas Red, Turkey-White Bean, or El Cid's version  you really should whip up a batch of these. It's taken me quite a while to come up with just the right combination of ingredients. These are moist from sour cream, buttermilk and melted butter, a little sweet from the added sugar and have loads of corn flavor from the meal and creamed corn. As muffins or a traditional bread these are a winner every time! I have been known to put some shredded cheddar cheese in these as well. Enjoy!


PS: I just did a batch using those candied jalapenos I posted last week instead of the green chilies and oh my goodness! Talk about turning up the volume!!! Holy Smokers was that a stroke of creativity and some genius!


Recipe: Sweet Black Pepper Cornbread Muffins
Makes 16 regular sized muffins

Ingredients
1.5 cups corn meal
1/2 cup flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
8 ounce can cream style corn
3 eggs
1-2 small cans of mild green chilies (optional)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Lots of fresh ground black pepper


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tins and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine remaining wet ingredients. Pour dry ingredients into wet and stir until just combined. Spoon into muffin tins and sprinkle tops with black pepper. Bake for approximately 22 minutes depending on your oven. 

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The Real Deal: Texas Red Chili

The Real Deal: Texas Red Chili

Like many people I love a good pot of chili. Some may have noticed by my blog posts that I REALLY love chili but, despite my enthusiasm, I had never truly investigated what a good bowl of Texas Red was all about. Two things this Yankee did know was that this chili cannot contain beans. Hear me on this...NO BEANS and that the meat cannot be ground but rather it must be cubed (Championship Chili Cook-Offs require 3/8", to be precise). However a pot of cubed beef does not a chili make. So were there other rules and no-no's? Well, as it turned out yes.

 1. To a Texan, adding tomatoes means you're making spaghetti sauce NOT chili.(I used them in my bastardized version but they cooked down and were barely discerable, I think I'll live).


2. If you use anything that even closely resembles the chili powder blend found on your local grocery store shelf you will, I mean you WILL be shot on sight.


3. Beef suet, Yes! Lard, okay. Anything else and it's curtains for you.


After that the specifics proved to be as ellusive as finding a real cowboy on horseback in New York City (it's a fantasy of mine but I'll spare you the details).




Some use pork, beef or both. Some add chocolate which brings it into the realm of a Oaxacan Mole Negro (Very Aztecy) and some add beer while others do not (one recipe added beer AND bourbon---my kinda guy). Some are so hot you can't even be in the same room with them, some so mild you almost don't notice that they're there.



So, armed and dangerous I headed into the kitchen. What I ended up with was nothing short of fandamtastic! This New Yorker turned Wisconsinite turned Chicagoan heard the mission bells of San Antonio and  saw the rising of the Texas sun! (I'm pretty sure I heard a chorus of angels somewhere in there too). This is my hands-down, all-time favorite way of making and eating chili now. I am a true convert (and you know how they can be)! Served with some of my world-famous cornbread muffins...this dinner will bring that cowboy home and maybe some of his tall, dark and handsome friends too :). Enjoy!



I found this quote that I loved and want to share it with you before I get to the recipe:

"It can only truly be Texas red if it walks the thin line just this side of indigestibility: Damning the mouth that eats it and defying the stomach to digest it, the ingredients are hardly willing to lie in the same pot together." John Thorne, Simple Cooking.

Recipe: Texas Red Chili
Notes: My version yielded a medium-hot chili so you may want to add more or less heat depending on your preferences. Also, in all of my readings I never saw mentioned anything about toppings, garnishes, fixins, etc.
We like green onion, cilantro and cheese but I think this may be a mortal sin. Oh well, I can live with that.

Ingredients
2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 3/8" cubes
1/4 cup beef suet or lard, or vegetable oil if you must ;)
1/4 cup ground ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons ground guajillo chile powder
1 large onion, diced
2 poblano peppers, seedes and diced
2 jalapenos, diced
3 chipotle peppers, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 14 ounce can beef broth
12 ounces of Guiness beer
2 14.5 ounce cans diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
2 tablespoons masa harina


Directions
In a dutch oven heat your fat of chose over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef cubes and remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Turn heat down to medium and add ancho and guajillo powders. Stir until fragrant, a minute or two. Add onion, poblano and jalapeno cook until starting to wilt, about 5 minutes.
Add chipotles, garlic, cumin and oregano. Cook 1 minute. Add beef stock and deglaze the pan. Then add Guiness, tomatoes and masa harina. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook covered, 2 hours or until beef is tender. If the chili isn't quite thick enough, simmer uncovered until done.

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Black Pepper-Molasses Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Black Pepper-Molasses Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

While I was visiting my family in Florida a couple of weeks ago I made my annual trip to the local citrus grove so I could bring Manly back some ruby red grapefruits which he loves to make vodka with fresh squeezed juice out of. While there I found a jar of candied jalapenos. I had to have them! Once home they became my contribution to this sandwich from Cooking Light magazine. My son, Michael flipped out over the jalapenos and went back to the restaurant kitchen where he works and decided he wanted to try and make his own. We concocted a recipe as a starting point and they came out perfect on the first try! His boss, Christy, tried them on mini burgers and chili and even brought some home to her husband who also loved them. They then had the idea to candy some habaneros!!! My kind of people. That worked very well also and I believe those would be a great accompaniment to anything jerked. Yum!


I've included our recipe for the candied peppers in case you'd like to try this at home. It's quick and easy and the peppers are ready to eat once they've cooled. If candied peppers aren't your thing, you can use pickled jalapenos or the dill pickle slices that were originally included in this recipe. Enjoy!


Recipe: Black Pepper-Molasses Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
With Mango Slaw And Candied Jalapenos
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine; November 2009

3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon molasses
3/4 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Chicken stock
8 skinless chicken thighs
4 hard rolls, cut in half horizontally
1 recipe Mango Slaw, recipe follows
12 candied jalapenos, pickled jalapenos or dill picles


Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl, set aside. Lay chicken thighs in a single layer in a baking dish. Sprinkle w/ salt and pepper. Pour in broth to about a 1/4". Pour sauce over chicken. Cover and bake until chicken is cooked through, 25-40 minutes depending on the size of the thighs. About half way through the cooking time remove foil. This is to allow the sauce to thicken. When chicken is done and sauce has condensed remove from oven and shred the chicken with 2 forks, removing bones a you go.


To serve: pile some of the chicken onto the bottom half of a hard roll, top that with jalapenos or pickles and top with mango slaw. Dig in!


Recipe: Mango Slaw

In a large bowl combine 4 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw mix
1 cup chopped mango
1/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
Add 1/4 cup of mayonaisse
1 tablespoon agave nectar or sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Toss well to coat. Let stand and re-season if necessary.


Recipe: Candied Jalapenos

1 pound jalapenos, washed and sliced
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt


In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water and vinegar to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and add peppers, sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Bring slowly up to a boil and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off heat and let peppers cool. They're ready to eat!

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The Real Deal: Sunday Gravy and Meatballs

The Real Deal: Sunday Gravy and Meatballs

This is quite a long post but I promise it will be worth the read. Stay with me, it's worth it.


I grew up on Long Island where every other person was at least half Italian if not all Italian. In high school I dated guys with last names like Castiletti, Mazzei and Alleva and my friends were Carolla's, Ferraros, Faloticos and Caldarallis. I am a German from the Engels family. I knew how to make lasagna long before I knew how to make Sauerbraten and knew the taste of espresso and Sambuca long before I had my first beer.


The Italian-American community and their foods had permeated even my German grandfather's cooking who made his own version of slow-cooked Sunday gravy. I remember the big production that was made. The sharpening of the chef knife, the trip to the butcher for the best sweet Italian sausage, the smell of garlic sautéing in olive oil, the all day simmering of the sauce, the making of the gargantuan meatballs and FINALLY, after what seemed like days, everyone gathering to the table. It is one of my favorite memories of my grandfather. I found a fascinating website called "Almost Italian: Recipes and Stories from the ‘Little Italy’ Communities Across America: An Online Book-in-Progress" and have copied and pasted their page pertaining to Sunday Gravy after the recipe for those that might also be fascinated.


This trip back to when I was 5 on up through high school and a few years beyond all started because I saw an article and recipe in Cook's Illustrated for Sunday Gravy. I know crazy, right? One recipe and all of that comes flooding back. Food is indeed a powerful thing. How I had not already learned how to make real Sunday Gravy is beyond me. Better late than never? I guess I can live with that. Especially since the end result of my labor yielded what is probably the best version of spaghetti and meatballs I've ever eaten and that is saying something. You will almost never see me write an all out atta-girl, high-five, pat-myself-on-the back rave about my own recipes (primarily because I am too critical of myself and my cooking) but there is not one single thing I would do to change this recipe. It ended up being a combination of Uncle Junior's Sunday Gravy from the Sopranos Cook Book, the original Cook's Illustrated recipe and some red wine thrown in for good measure. If you have the time and inclination to spend a Sunday making dinner for those you love I can't think of a better recipe to make than this one.




Recipe: Sunday Gravy With Meatballs and Italian Sausage
Easily Serves 8

For the Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound meaty pork neck bones or spareribs
1 pound veal stew meat or 2 veal shoulder chops
(I used 1 to 1 1/2lbs. veal bones and 1 lb. pork spare ribs)
1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
1 lg. onion, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 garlic cloves
1\4 cup tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
Three 28- to 35-ounce cans Italian peeled tomatoes, crushed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces


For the Meatballs
1 pound ground beef or a combination of beef, pork and veal
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, preferably homemade
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons very finely minced garlic
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 oz. prosciutto, finely chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil


6 Italian Sausage Links, Sweet or Hot


1 to 1-1/2 pounds shells or rigatoni, cooked and still hot Freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano(That's Uncle Juniors way) or an equal amout of linguini or fettuccini (C.I. and I concur on this). Use whatever your family likes.


The Sauce
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Pat the pork/veal dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook (will likely need to do in 2 batches), turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer the pork/veal to a plate.
Place the ground Italian sausage in the pot and brown. Remove with a slotted plate to the pork/veal plate.


Add the onion and oregano and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until fairly dark but not burned.
Add beef broth and red wine and stir to get up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add crushed tomatoes, stir. Return the meats to the pot. Stir, bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to oven. Cook until spare ribs are tender, about 2 hours.


The Meatballs

Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a large bowl. Mix together thoroughly. Rinse your hands with cool water and lightly shape the mixture into 12 individual meatballs. Keep in the refrigerator until ready.


Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet. Add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides. (They will finish cooking later.)
Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Put Italian Sausages into the pan and brown on all sides. (These will also finish cooking later).


After two hours, add the meatballs, sausages  to the sauce.

Return to the oven and cook for 30 more minutes or until the sauce is thick and the meats very tender.


Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and salt and cook until al dente, reserving 1/2 cups pasta water. Drain pasta and return back to pan.


To Serve
Remove the bones, discard. Remove the meatballs and sausages to a platter, cutting the sausages in half.
Stir basil into sauce. Toss the pasta with about 1 cup of sauce and the pasta water so that the sauce lightly coats the pasta. Serve pasta, passing remaining sauce and the platter of meat separately.

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Lemongrass-Sweet Corn Soup with Sweet Corn Relish and Creme Fraiche

Lemongrass-Sweet Corn Soup with Sweet Corn Relish and Creme Fraiche

What is it about soup? It is the lowly can of tomato soup when we were young, to mom's chicken soup when we were sick and feverish, to the exalted soups of a five star restaurant. It's comfort, it's love-the unconditional kind. It satisfies, it nourishes, it rejuvenates. It reminds us of home when we are away and transports us to exotic locales when we are tucked in safe and sound. It can be at the beginning, middle or end of a meal as well as being a meal in itself. It can be inexpensive and humble or luxurious and sinful. Hot or cold, broth or chowder. Drunk from a cup or slurped with a spoon. Served from the pot or from a fancy terrine. Carried in a thermos or presented on fine linen. It's the love we crave, the nourishment we need and the comfort we cherish.


This recipe comes from a relatively new cook book that I received recently, The Modern Vegetarian. I learned of this from Cookbook Digest who did a write up of it and included three recipes from the book---all of which immediately went into my over-stuffed recipe files. I immediately ordered the book and this is the first recipe I've made from it. I am not a vegetarian as the plethora of beef, pork and chicken recipes posted will alert you to, however I love vegetables whether as supporting cast or playing the lead and this London Chef, Maria Elia, has some fantastic, creative and innovative recipes for many of them. Modern twists if you will. This soup is light and luscious and packed with flavor. She says that the crème fraiche and sweet corn relish are optional but I disagree. They are essential. Enjoy!


Recipe: Lemongrass-Sweet Corn Soup with Sweet Corn Relish and Creme Fraiche
The Modern Vegetarian: Food Adventures for the Contemporary Palate; by Maria Elia
Kyle Books; 2009

Ingredients
3 ears of corn, husked
1-1/2 tablespoons butter
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 red chile, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons of flour
1 liter of milk
5 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
4 tablespoons creme fraiche
salt and pepper


Directions
Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the corn kernels from the cob. Set cobs and kernels aside.
Gently heat the butter; add the onion, ginger and chile. Saute until softened but not browned (about 5 minutes). Add flour, stir and cool, 1 minute. Add the milk, lemongrass, corn and the cobs and stir, bringing to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.


Discard the corn cobs and blend the soup in a food processor until smooth, then pass through a sieve and season. Serve with a swirl of creme fraiche.


Sweet Corn Relish
1 corn cob, husked
5 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 red chile, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped


Roll the corn in a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook on a preheated grill pan or over a charcoal fire until tender. When cool enough to handle, remove the corn kernels from the cob, place in a bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

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Merlot-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Rosemary-Parsnip Mashed Potatoes

Merlot-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Rosemary-Parsnip Mashed Potatoes

So what does one make for dinner on a Sunday when the Packer's and the Viking's are playing at 3:15? Why something that braises for 3 hours, of course! Everything for this dinner could be prepped and cooked before and during the game. Heat up the sides, blend the gravy and reduce and you've got dinner! Hey football is serious around here!


This is Bon Appetit's Short Rib Recipe that they labeled under "New Beef Stew". It's nice to see recipes being published that utilize the "lesser" cuts of meat for the sake of being economical but...for those of us who have been cooking for a long, long, long time we already knew that many of the "cheaper" cuts yield some of the most flavorful and divine dinners! This recipe appealled to me primary because of the addition of parsnips to the braising liquid and the mashed potatoes. I wasn't dissapointed. There were no carrots in this recipe and at least in my house it's not beef stew, new or old without them. That's where A.B.'s glazed carrots came to the rescue. The ginger ale glaze was a welcome addition. The original recipe used Zinfandel but I had 2 bottles of Merlot so one went into the pot and one went alongside the dinner. The only other thing I did was use an immersion blender on the sauce because I wanted it to be more like gravy. Ah, watching Brett Farve win again and a delicious dinner to boot. It was a wonderful Sunday ;). Enjoy!


Merlot-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Rosemary-Parsnip Mashed Potatoes (And A. Browns Ginger-Ale Glazed Carrots) Bon Appetit, May 2009

Ingredients
8 beef short ribs (If you have a big enough pot you could easily add another 2-or 3)
3 tablespoons room-temperature butter, divided
8 3- to 4-inch-long meaty beef short ribs (about 4 pounds)
Coarse kosher salt
2 1/2 cups chopped red onions
2 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled parsnips
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 750-ml bottle Merlot or Zinfandel 
2 cups low-salt beef broth
1 tablespoon all purpose flour



Potatoes
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound large parsnips, peeled, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary



Directions
Ribs: Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle ribs with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot in single layer and sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer ribs to large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon butter to pot. Add onions; sauté until brown, about 6 minutes. Add parsnips; sauté until beginning to color, about 6 minutes. Mix in garlic, then rosemary. Add wine and broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits.


Return ribs and any accumulated juices to pot, arranging in single layer. Bring to simmer; cover and place in oven. Braise until ribs are very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.



Using tongs, transfer ribs to clean bowl. Spoon fat from pan juices. Boil juices until just beginning to thicken, about 10 minutes. Mix 1 tablespoon butter and flour in small bowl to smooth paste. Whisk into juices in pot; simmer until thickened enough to coat spoon, about 5 minutes longer. Season gravy with coarse salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot; spoon gravy over. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over low heat before serving.


Potatoes: Cook potatoes and parsnips in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.


Meanwhile, bring milk, butter, and rosemary to simmer in small saucepan.
Drain potato mixture and return to pot. Stir briefly over medium heat to evaporate excess moisture. Add milk mixture and mash well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer ribs and gravy to large shallow bowl. Serve short ribs with mashed potatoes.


Recipe: Glazed Carrots
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown


Ingredients
1 pound carrots, approximately 7 medium, peeled and cut on the bias 1/4-inch thick
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Heavy pinch kosher salt
1 cup good-quality ginger ale
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves



Directions
In a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat, combine the carrots, butter, salt and ginger ale. Cover and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, remove the lid, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cover again and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add the chili powder and increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the ginger ale is reduced to a glaze, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.


(I omitted the chili powder for this dinner but it does add a nice flavor for other applications)

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