Cheesy Jalapeno Pull Bread

When I first came across this recipe on Simply Recipes I just glossed over it and moved on. But a few days later as I was debating what to make/bring to a Superbowl party, I thought back to this. This is a pretty simple finger food to put together that has a very unique appearance (make sure to click on the link above to see what it looks like) and is a hit with people. After all, who doesn't like bread and melted cheese?

Ingredients

• 1 rustic loaf of bread, unsliced, either Italian or French
• 12 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup (less or more to taste) chopped jalapeños
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the bread almost all the way through (not all the way) in a cross hatch pattern, spacing an inch between the slices.
2. Place the shredded cheese in a large bowl. Toss with the jalapeños. Pour over with melted butter and use your hands to toss and distribute the butter evenly through the cheese.
3. Place the bread on a large sheet of aluminum foil (large enough to wrap the bread) on a baking sheet. Stuff every crevasse with the cheese mixture. Wrap with the aluminum foil. At this point you can make ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.
4. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Then uncover the foil from the bread and cook for 10 minutes more, until all of the cheese has melted.

Serves a lot. Eat and enjoy.

Roti Chicken

People, I've discovered a new and awesome food blog. It's called Kayotic Kitchen, and it is run by a Dutch girl who, for someone who lives in the Netherlands, provides an amazingly diverse collection of recipes. More impressively, she takes amazing food pictures for her posts, making all her recipes look colorful and appetizing.

Even though most of her recipes look amazing, this one for roti chicken is the one I decided to make first. Roti chicken is a Caribbean dish of chicken and bread, and this version is apparently a Surinamese version. Tasty as the chicken is, the roti (bread) is by far the best part of the dish. Normally I do not make bread, but this roti was not too difficult and the little effort is well worth it, as the mixture of mashed potatoes, chile, and garlic provide incredible flavor. Also, even though this recipe calls for a habanero pepper, the final products are not overly spicy.

Ingredients

Roti potatoes

• 2 large chicken fillets (about a pound), cut into bite-sized pieces.
• 27 oz potatoes
  
• 7 oz green beans, washed, trimmed, broken in half
  
• 1/2 habanero pepper
  
• 2 medium onions, chopped
  
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
  
• 1 tbsp curry powder
  
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
  
• pinch ground cumin
  
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
  
• 1-2 chicken stock cubes
  
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil
  
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water
  
• Salt and pepper

Roti pancakes

• Mashed potatoes, from above
  
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 habanero pepper
• 9 oz self rising flour (if you don’t have self rising flour, for each cup of all-purpose flour add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and about 1/2 tsp salt. Instant self-rising flour.)
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp lukewarm water
• Salt

Instructions

1. Make the roti dough. Peel and wash all the potatoes. Take 1/3 of them and cut into coarse pieces. These will be used to make mashed potatoes. Salt the water, bring to a boil, and cook the potatoes until very tender. Cooking time depends on how small you cut the potatoes. (Cut the rest of the potatoes into slightly smaller pieces, and save them for the chicken.)
2. De-seed the habanero, put half in a mini food processor, add 2 garlic cloves and a pinch of ground cumin, and blend.
 Alternatively you can use a fork or a mortar and pestle to mash it all up.
3. Drain the boiling potatoes. Add the garlic/chili mix and a tiny knob of butter, and mash them. Try to get them as lump-free as you possibly can. Season with a generous amount of salt and some pepper.

4. Put 1 1/2 cup self rising flour in a bowl, add 2 tbsp sunflower oil, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp lukewarm water to the flour. Knead until it’s a supple dough, put it in a bowl, cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes.

5. Make the sauce. 
Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil, add half the chopped onions, 1 grated garlic clove and cook for about 3 minutes.

6. Add 1 1/2 tsp curry powder, crumble up half the stock cube(s) and add it. Cook for a minute while you drain the potatoes you’ve kept in the water until now. Add the potatoes and green beans, give it all a good stir, and cook for another minute before pouring in 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water in there as well. Put the lid on and simmer, over low heat, for 10 minutes.

7. Cook the chicken. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp sun-flower oil and add the remaining onions, garlic, and habanero. Cook for 3 minutes before adding 1 tbsp curry powder, the remaining stock cube (crumbled), and 1 tbsp tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute to sweeten the tomato paste.

8. Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes, until the chicken loses its rawness. Add the chicken mix to the potatoes and beans and stir.
 Season the chicken and potatoes with a generous amount of salt and optionally some pepper. Put the lid back on and simmer for another 20 minutes, until the chicken and potatoes are well done.

9. Make the roti bread. Divide your dough in 4 pieces. Sprinkle flour on top of your cutting board or counter top and form a ball out of each piece of dough. Push a hole in the middle. Put about 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp of the mashed garlic potatoes in the hole, and fold the dough around it.
10. Flatten the dough with your hand, sprinkle flour on top of it and roll it with a dough pin until you end up with a 1/4 inch pancake-ish type of construction.
11. More sunflower oil abuse! Pour some in a hot skillet and place the roti in the skillet. Now brush the top of the roti with the sunflower oil from the skillet and cook until it starts to form bubbles on top. Flip it over and brush it with oil once more. After about 2 minutes you flip it over once again and give it an additional minute.
12. Make all the roti pancakes and keep them on a plate, covered with a cloth, until you’re done. Serve with the chicken.

Serves 4-6. Eat them slowly.

Choripan with Chimichurri

I was introduced to choripan on my recent trip to South America. The choripan is to Argentina as the taco is to Mexico, the burger is to the US, and the gyro is to Greece (I think). It's street food that is the national obsession, and most of the time it satisfies your hunger just perfectly. It is simply a grilled sausage that is put into a roll and slathered with chimichurri, Argentina's wildly popular condiment. Think of it as Argentinian pesto, although many people will vehemently object to that description. There are as many versions of chimichurri as there are gauchos, and I took my recipe from here.

Anyway, make sure you use a meaty sausage like pork or beef, and one that is neutral in flavor. Also use a French baguette; you need something that can soak up the juices, so save the Italian rolls for your Philly cheesesteaks.

Ingredients

Chimichurri

• 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 Tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes
• 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 Teaspoon dehydrated minced garlic
  
• 1 Teaspoon red chili flakes
  
• 1 Teaspoon paprika or powdered sweet pimenton
  
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground or flaked laurel (bay leaf)
  
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• Your favorite vinegar (e.g. white, red wine, etc.)
• Olive oil
  

Choripan

• Argentinian chorizo or any mildly-flavored pork or beef sausage
• French roll or baguette
  

Instructions

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together. First add 2 tablespoons each of water and vinegar and allow the mix to rehydrate for about 15 minutes. Then add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and mix together well. Let sit for at least 30 minutes for flavors to blend.
2. Grill the sausage. Keep whole or butterfly down the middle.
3. Put sausage in the bread and add chimichurri to taste.
   

Serves one, with extra sauce for many more. Eat and enjoy.

Ultimate Sriracha Burger

I found myself in an Urban Outfitters one day, and one of the eclectic books they had was The Sriracha cookbook. As you might guess, every recipe not just involves but highlights this famous "rooster sauce", from sauces to entrees to even desserts. One that caught my eye was for the ultimate sriracha burger, which I feature here. You might think that there are too many competing flavors, but surprisingly the final product tastes amazing. The ingredients just work.

This hearty recipe will feed 8 hungry people, which was perfect for a recent trip I took with friends to Lake Tahoe.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds ground beef (preferably chuck, 80/20)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 10 tablespoons Sriracha
• 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon
• 2 large sweet onions
• 3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
• 8 sesame seed buns
• 8 thick slices Swiss cheese
• Arugula or romaine lettuce
  

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of the Sriracha, and the pepper. Do not overmix. Form the mixture into 8 patties, and set aside, on a parchment-lined baking sheet, covered, in the refrigerator.
   
2. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium high heat.
   
3. In a medium frying pan over medium-low heat, cook the bacon, turning as necessary. While the bacon is cooking, peel and quarter the onions. Cut each section into 1/4-inch slices. Once the bacon is cooked through and slightly crispy, remove the slices from the pan, cut each in half crosswise, and drain onto paper towels, reserving the remaining bacon fat in the pan. Cook the sliced onions in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until they caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Grill the burgers, turning once, 4 to 41/2 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer registers 130° to 135°F for medium-rare.
5. While the burgers are cooking, in a small bowl, combine the blue cheese dressing with the remaining 5 tablespoons Sriracha. Lightly toast the buns on the grill during the last minute of cooking time.
   
6. To assemble, spread the blue cheese mixture on both halves of each hamburger bun. Stack a burger patty, Swiss cheese slice, bacon, caramelized onions, and a small handful of arugula between each hamburger bun.

Serves 8. Eat it like it's hot.

Falafel

I love hot, freshly-made falafel, and so finding the perfect recipe has been difficult ... but now, thanks to Bobby Flay's throwdown with the falafel queen of New York, I have found it. This recipe creates a perfectly textured and spiced falafel, and it's hard not to eat half of them as they come out of the oil, piping hot.

The recipe is very simple, but there is one subtle but very important point to keep in mind: use dried chickpeas. Do not buy cooked or canned chickpeas. You must buy dry chickpeas, soak them, drain them, and then grind then. Let me reiterate: falafel must be made from raw chickpeas. Cooked chickpeas will always make the falafels disintegrate as you fry them. If you don't believe me, do a quick google search (which is what motivated me come back for round two, after I learned the hard way in round one that canned chickpeas don't work), or just try it yourself. A pot of hot oil with floating fried chickpea pieces is not appetizing, or a good use of chickpeas.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried chickpeas
• One small onion, coarsely chopped
  
• At least one clove garlic, chopped (or more, to taste)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  
• A few mint leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Oil, for frying
  

Instructions

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl, add water to cover by about two inches, and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, drain the chickpeas and toss them in a bowl with the onion and garlic. Run the mixture through a food processor (or meat grinder if you have one). Toss the chickpea mixture with the parsley, cilantro, mint, salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander, and run through the food processor again.
3. Heat four inches of oil to 350F in a large pot over medium heat. Using a tablespoon, shape the falafel mixture into balls and fry, adjusting the heat as necessary, until browned, about three minutes. Drain on paper towels.
   

Makes approx 40 falafels. Eat them all.

Hummus

More chickpeas, people. I've never made hummus myself, so I tried this great recipe from guest contributor Abe (creator of prosciutto-wrapped dates.) Make sure to rinse the garbanzos well and to use lots of lemon juice.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 small cans of garbanzo beans
• 8 ounces tahini
  
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 4-8 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 Tbs of olive oil
• 1 tsp of salt
• Paprika (optional)
  

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients except paprika into a food processor and blend until smooth. If too thick, dilute the mixture with a little water.
   
2. Pour into a bowl, top with olive oil and paprika, and serve.

Serve 4-8.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

This may be the best-ever spaghetti and meatballs recipe, which is probably what Frank Pellegrino wants them to be. Pellegrino is co-owner of Rao's in Harlem, the ultra-exclusive Italian restaurant. Lucky for me, he shared his spaghetti and meatballs and marinara sauce recipes in Fine Cooking. While it is painful using three types of meat, the final product is very tasty. Also, although adding water to the meat mixture may seem odd, it combines with the breadcrumbs to create a very moist meatball.

Ingredients
Marinara sauce

• 3 28-oz. cans Italian plum tomatoes, whole or crushed (ideally, San Marzano)
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 6 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
  
• 1 Tbs. kosher salt; more as needed
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Meatballs

• 1/2 lb. ground beef
  
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
  
• 1/2 lb. ground veal
  
• 1 Tbs. kosher salt
  
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced, plus 1 clove garlic, lightly smashed
  
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano; more for serving
• 1-1/2 cups plain dry breadcrumbs, preferably 4C brand
  
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil; more as needed

Spaghetti

• 1 lb. dried spaghetti
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. Making the marinara sauce. If you're using whole tomatoes, put them in a large bowl and crush them with your hands. Discard any cores.
2. In a 7-quart or larger saucepot, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour; the sauce will reduce and thicken slightly but shouldn't get too thick. Stir in the basil, pepper, and oregano.
   
3. While the sauce is simmering, make the meatballs. Break up the ground meat into a large bowl. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, minced garlic, eggs, grated cheese, breadcrumbs, 1-1/2 cups water, and parsley. Mix with your hands until everything is nicely distributed, but don’t overmix. Shape into twelve meatballs by gently scooping up a handful of meat and rolling it into a nice even ball; each meatball should weigh about 4 oz. and be about 2-1/2 inches in diameter.
4. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil and the lightly smashed garlic clove over medium heat (there should be enough oil to come about halfway up the sides of the meatballs.) When the garlic is lightly browned, the oil should be hot enough to start frying. (Remove the garlic from the oil once it becomes fully browned.)
   
5. Gently set six of the meatballs in the oil and fry until they’re lightly browned on the bottom half, 5 to 6 min. Carefully turn them over using a slotted spatula and brown the other side. Drain the meatballs on a few paper towels to soak up excess oil. Fry the remaining six meatballs the same way.
6. When the marinara has finished its initial simmer and you’ve seasoned it, add the meatballs to the simmering sauce and cover the pot. Simmer them together for 30 minutes to let the sauce permeate the meatballs and the meat flavor infuse the sauce.
7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the meatballs and sauce have been simmering for about 20 minutes, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and boil until it’s just about al dente.
8. When the spaghetti is done, drain it and return it to the pot it was cooked in. Add the chopped fresh basil and a couple of ladlefuls of the marinara sauce to the spaghetti. Put the pot over high heat and, with a wooden spoon or tongs, constantly toss the pasta until each piece is coated with sauce, about 1 min.
   
9. Transfer to serving bowls and ladle more sauce over the spaghetti, along with two to three meatballs (or transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and set it on the table). Serve with grated cheese.

Serves 6-8.

Okra Stew

Okra is an interest vegetable. It is at once firm and slimy, covering your hand with its sliminess if you cut it open. It also has a unique star-shaped cross section. If you can get past it (you should), this is a terrific and smoky stew that tastes similar to a gumbo; if you can't get past the sliminess, once you cook it for so long, the okra almost dissolves. This is from the NY Times' Minimalist.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 pork ribs, or 4 country-style ribs or pork chops
• 1/2 pound bacon or ham, cut into chunks
• 2 small dried red chilies, optional
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 pound okra, trimmed and roughly chopped (frozen is fine)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
  
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish.

Instructions

1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or large pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the pork, bacon, and chilies, and cook, stirring and turning the pork occasionally, until browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove everything from the pan with a slotted spoon or tongs, leaving the fat behind.
2. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and okra to the pan and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
   
3. Add the wine and stir for about a minute to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the tomatoes and 1 cup water.
4. Return the pork, bacon, and chilies to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, cover the pan and cook, checking every now and then, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 2 hours.
   
5. Take the pork out of the pan, remove the meat from the bones, roughly chop it, and return it to the pan. Smash the pork against the side of the pot with the back of a wooden spoon to shred it.
   
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve garnished with parsley

Serves 4. Eat it all.

Herb-Seared Tuna

An excellent dish for two, this pan-seared tuna is very easy and quick to prepare. Make sure to buy high-quality, sushi (or sashimi) grade tuna, making sure it doesn't smell fishy. When cooked properly, the inside of the tuna is essentially pink and raw.

Ingredients

• 2 sushi-quality ahi tuna steaks (1 pound total)
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley

Instructions

1. Rub a little olive oil on the tuna and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Lay the tuna in the chopped herbs, making sure to cover all sides of the fish with the herbs.
3. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil gets hazy, lay the herb-coated tuna in the hot pan and sear for approximately one minute on each side; as the tuna cooks, the red meat will become white. Make sure not to overcook.
   
4. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and slice.

Serves 2. Eat them.

Barbecue Chicken

Barbecue has become my latest fascination. Barbecue is an art, and there is much more to it than simply throwing meat on the grill. There are many important nuances to this cooking technique, most important of which is patience and attention to both the grill and meat. The Paupered Chef has an excellent synopsis of the theory, definition, and strategy of proper barbecue. In short, it's all about "low and slow", cooking your meat at very low heat, and slowly. What I've always considered barbecue -- slapping meat onto a hot grill -- is more accurately called grilling.

This recipe was my first venture with low and slow. I've combined the recipes from The Paupered Chef and Simply Recipes to come up with the recipe below. My only suggestion is to avoid using chicken breasts, as the white meat dries out easily. Feel free to use any store bought or homemade BBQ sauce.

Ingredients

• Several pounds of your favorite chicken parts (legs, thighs, and wings work best)

Magic rub

• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons mustard powder
• 1/4 cup chile powder
• 1/4 cup ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup granulated garlic
• 2 tablespoons cayenne
  

BBQ sauce

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon magic dust (recipe above)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Hot sauce (such as Tabasco) to taste

Instructions

1. Combine dry rub ingredients in a container and mix thoroughly. This makes two cups, much of which can be saved for another use.
2. Sprinkle rub pretty liberally all over the chicken. While you can proceed right away, see if you can plan ahead long enough to let the chicken sit, covered loosely in the refrigerator, for a few hours or even a day. The magic dust has salt in it, so there's no need to salt the chicken otherwise.
3. Prepare the barbecue sauce by putting all the ingredients into a small saucepan and bringing them to a boil. Turn down the heat so that it just bubbles a tiny bit and simmer it, whisking once in awhile, until it's dark and thickened, 10-15 minutes.
4. Prepare your grill. If using gas, turn on only one side of the grill (or turn down all the burners to low) and add chicken. In the case of charcoal, bank all the coals on one side of the grill and line up the chicken on the cool side. Cover the grill to build up some heat and cook until the chicken starts to turn golden and brown, 25-30 minutes.
5. Turn the chicken pieces over and paint them with with barbecue sauce. Cover the grill again and allow to cook for another 30 minutes. Repeat, turning the chicken pieces over, basting them with sauce, covering, and cooking for up to another 30 minutes. Try to cook skin-side down as much as possible.
   
6. Just as the sauce starts to turn syrupy and caramelized, the skin should be crisping up beautifully. If you want, you can finish with a sear on the hot side of the grill. To do this, put the pieces, skin side down, on the hot side of the grill. Allow them to sear and blacken slightly for a minute or two.
7. Remove. Paint with more barbecue sauce and serve.

Serves 4-6. Eat this.

Barbecued Buffalo Wings

I have always wanted to make buffalo wings but have never been a fan of deep-frying, mostly because it's never worked out well for me. I came across this recipe in Simply Recipes, which caught my eye immediately because the wings are barbecued, not fried. I definitely recommend a homemade sauce (e.g. the one listed below) as it is probably half responsible for making what I consider the best wings I've ever had (the other responsible half is the grilling method itself.)

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken wings
• Salt
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

For the sauce

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 12 Tbsp hot sauce (Crystal, Texas Pete, Tabasco, etc)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. To make the sauce, mix all of the ingredients together in a small pot set over low heat and stir constantly until the butter melts. Once the butter melts, whisk the sauce vigorously off the heat and set aside. It should remain liquid throughout the cooking process. If it starts to solidify, heat it up just enough to melt it, whisking all the time. You don't want this sauce to boil.
2. Using a sturdy chef's knife or poultry shears, cut off the wing tips and either discard or reserve (we usually freeze) for making chicken stock. Use the knife or sheers to separate the drumettes from the flats (the mid-joint wings).
3. Toss the wings with the vegetable oil and the salt, and arrange in one layer on the grill set over low heat. If you are using charcoal or wood, it will be very difficult to do this, so set your fire on one side of the grill and arrange the wings on the other side, away from the direct heat. You want them to cook slowly, with little or no sizzle. Cover the grill and cook like this for 30 minutes.
4. Turn the wings and paint with the Buffalo wing sauce. Close the grill and cook for another 30 minutes. Repeat the process, until the wings are done to your liking, this time painting the wings every 15 minutes or so. Make sure you have a little leftover sauce to toss the wings with at the end.

Serves 1-12, depending on your appetites.

Pork Braised in Banana Leaves

As one of the hosts of the recent Cantina Amir y Amir, a friend and I put on a Mexican eat-fest for friends. I found this recipe for pork from Fine Cooking and used it as the filling for tacos. The sauce is called manchamantel (or “tablecloth stainer”), a specialty of Oaxaca, Mexico. Also banana leaves are used (find them in Asian or Mexican food markets), which adds a tea-like flavor to the pork. This tasty dish can be used in pulled-pork sandwiches too.

Ingredients

For the pork

• 1 Tbs. cumin seeds
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 1 Tbs. sweet paprika
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
• 2 Tbs. packed light or dark brown sugar
• Kosher salt
• 4-1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 16 pieces (2-1/2- to 3-1/2-inch cubes)
• 2 fresh or thawed frozen banana leaves
• 1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes
• 5 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1/4 cup)

For the manchamantel sauce

• 1 (8-oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1/2 large white onion, cut into chunks (about 1 cup)
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeds removed, plus 1 Tbs. adobo sauce
• 1 medium clove garlic
• 1 Tbs. smoked sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves
• Kosher salt
• 1-1/2 Tbs. bacon fat, peanut oil, or corn oil
• 1 small ripe banana, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 tsp. fresh lime juice; more to taste

Instructions
Braise the pork.

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Toast the cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant; let cool. In a spice grinder, finely grind the cumin seeds, oregano, paprika, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Transfer the spices to a small bowl and stir in the brown sugar and 1 Tbs. salt. In a large bowl, toss the meat with the spice mixture to coat.
3. Rinse the banana leaves and pat dry. If using fresh stiff leaves, use tongs to briefly hold the leaves over a gas stove burner on medium heat, or under the broiler, moving them around constantly to avoid singeing, until they are flexible, 15 to 30 seconds. (If using frozen, this step is not necessary.)
4. Line a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven with one of the banana leaves, allowing the excess to hang over the edge of the pot. Cross the second banana leaf over the first, again allowing the excess to hang over the edge. Spoon the pork onto the banana leaves.
5. Place a sieve over a medium bowl and drain the tomatoes, pressing them to extract the juice. Pour 1-1/2 cups of the tomato juice over the pork. Reserve the tomatoes for the sauce and discard or save the remaining juice for another use.
6. Sprinkle the pork with the garlic. Cover the meat with the overhanging banana leaves and then cover the pot with its lid. Braise the pork in the oven, basting occasionally with juices from the bottom of the pan, until fork-tender, 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
7. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a colander set in a bowl and let drain for 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the banana leaves and pour the pan juices into a fat separator or large measuring cup. Add any juice that drained from the meat and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Separate the fat from the juice and discard it. If there is more than 1 cup of juice, reduce it in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat to just about 1 cup; transfer to a heatproof container.
   
8. Shred the pork into the Dutch oven; keep warm.

Make the sauce

1. In a blender, purée the reserved tomato pieces, pineapple, onion, chipotles and adobo sauce, garlic, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, and 1/4 tsp. salt until smooth.
   
2. Heat the bacon fat in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the purée, cover, and simmer rapidly over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and darkens slightly, about 20 minutes.
   
3. Let cool slightly; then return the mixture to the blender. Add the banana, pine nuts, and lime juice and purée until smooth. Add the reserved meat juices and more lime juice to taste.
   
4. Add the sauce to the shredded pork, toss to coat, and reheat if necessary before serving.

Serves 10-12. Eat all.

Sangria

This is a terrific sangria recipe that has the perfect combination of wine, fruit, sweetness, and alcohol. It is also very simple to make. The secret it probably the brandy ... or the sugar ... or the refrigeration that allows the fruit to soak up the sangria. Either way it's tasty.

Ingredients

• 4 TB sugar
• 1 lime
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange
• 4 TB brandy
• 1 bottle dry red wine
• Soda water or sparkling mineral water
• Ice
  

Instructions

1. Slice the lime and lemon into 1/4" rounds. Cut the orange in half and cut each half into 1/4" slices. Place all fruit in a pitcher or large bowl.
2. Add the sugar, brandy, and wine and stir until well mixed.
3. Refrigerate the mixture for about an hour or until thoroughly chilled.
4. Chill the soda water or mineral water, and just before serving, add approximately 2 1/2 cups to the mixture.
5. Pour over ice into large wine glasses, and add a few pieces of sliced fruit into each glass.
   

Serves 4-8. Drink up.

Bourbon Whiskey BBQ Sauce

For the first time ever, I wanted to make my own BBQ sauce instead of buying it in a jar. After extensive web scouring, I came across this recipe from Allrecipes.com, a site I don't visit it too often. There were over 400 positive reviews for this BBQ sauce, and if I were the type of person that commented online, I would have added positive review #401. I do not like chunks of onions in my food, and so I blended the sauce at the end to puree the onions. It tastes even better if you let it sit refrigerated overnight, to let the flavors meld together. This is a great addition to any of the pulled pork recipes on this site.

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup bourbon whiskey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic, and whiskey. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Mix in the ground black pepper, salt, ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Run sauce through a strainer if you prefer a smooth sauce.

Makes 4 cups. Slurp up.

BBQ Smoked Pork

This recipe for pulled pork was taken from the "Bobby Flay's Throwdown!" book, with this particular recipe from his competitor (who was the winner of the throwdown), Lee Ann Whippen, a decorated Virginia pitmaster. This recipe has won her many awards, and rightfully so.

This very tasty pulled pork involves a heavily spiced rub rubbed all over the pork the day before you roast it. Also interesting is that apple juice is added to the roasting pan to help impart flavors. Once the pork is pulled apart, top with your favorite BBQ sauce and slaw.

Ingredients

Pork butt:

• 1 (6- to 7-pound) bone-in butt pork shoulder, with 1/4-inch fat cap
• Wood Chick's BBQ Rub (see below)
• 6 to 8 cups apple juice
• 3 to 4 cups BBQ sauce

Wood Chick's BBQ Rub:

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet Spanish paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon taco spice
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  

Instructions

1. The night before you roast the pork, coat it heavily with the dry rub. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove the pork from the refrigerator two hours before cooking. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
3. Put the pork butt, fat side up, in a roasting pan with enough apple juice to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook in the oven until the exterior of the pork is mahogany colored, about four hours, adding more apple juice as needed. If the exterior is drying out, spray the pork with apple juice.
4. Carefully transfer the pork to long pieces of double-layered heavy-duty foil. Pull up the sides of the foil, add 1/2 cup apple juice to the foil, and wrap so it's as airtight as possible. Return to the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the pork is 190 to 195 degrees F, four to five hours.
5. Unwrap, let cool slightly, and pull apart to the desired consistency. Top with BBQ sauce.

Serves 10-12. Eat these.

Thai Fried Chicken

After finally receiving my new mortar and pestle in the mail, the first recipe I set out to make -- rather, the very reason I purchased the mortar and pestle -- was this Thai fried chicken. I originally read about it in the Paupered Chef, which in turn got it from The Atlantic.

The Atlantic journalist who posted the recipe was raving with passion about this fried chicken prepared and sold by a Thai street vendor, claiming it crispier and tastier than even Southern fried chicken. The journalist finagled the recipe, and now it's been posted on a few different sites, such as Sleepless Foodie. (I do recommend reading the Paupered Chef and Atlantic links above, as they each have interesting stories of the chicken.)

I made this for a small group of friends, and it was not a total success. I had never fried chicken before, and halfway through the evening oil was splattered everywhere in my kitchen and on my person. To top it off, much of the chicken was undercooked ... necessitating re-frying. Intolerant of culinary imperfection, I made another bath the next day (yes just for myself) with much greater success. This is one great fried chicken.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs chicken legs and thighs, skin on
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro (or about 25 stems), leaves and stems, finely chopped
• 3 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 14 cloves garlic, medium-sized, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
• ¾ cup rice flour, plus another 1.5 cups
• About 5 oz chicken stock or broth
• Peanut oil, enough for a depth of about 2″ in your favorite pan (a Dutch oven works well)
• Cilantro, chopped, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Finely chop the cilantro and stems, and peel and roughly chop the garlic.
2. Place coriander and peppercorns into a mortar and pestle and pound to a paste, then add garlic and cayenne pepper and salt, continuing to pound to a fine paste.
3. Stir in fish sauce and chicken stock and mix well. Then, gradually incorporate the first 3/4 cups of rice flour until you have a smooth, wet batter.
4. Marinate chicken in this batter for at least two hours (ideally overnight.)
5. Take chicken out of the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature. Place the remaining 1.5 cups of rice flour in a shallow pan. Heat 2″ of peanut oil to about 365F in a deep-sided pan or dutch oven, then dredge each chicken piece in the rice flour just before frying until just past golden brown, about ten to fifteen minutes total. Allow chicken to cool on paper towels for a few minutes, or hold it in a warm oven while you finish frying the remainder of the pieces.
6. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over chicken and serve. A little sriracha on the side makes a nice accompaniment for those who want to add some spice!

Serves 6-8.

Chicken Paprikash

Chicken Paprikas (or paprikas csirke) is a traditional Hungarian dish that contains chicken, peppers, and onions. It does not involve too many ingredients, nor does it take much time to prepare. However, making the nokedli (small dumplings) is by far the most fun part of preparing this dish, or any dish for that matter. I adapted this recipe from numerous sources.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 3 pound chicken, cut into its 8 parts (2 each breast, thigh, drumstick, wing)
  
• 2 tablespoon of lard
  
• 1 large onion
• 1 tablespoon of paprika
  
• 1 large tomato or 1 can of canned tomatoes
  
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 2/3 cups of sour cream mixed with 2 Tbsp flour
• Salt and ground black pepper

Nokedli

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large pot filled with salted boiling water
  

Instructions

1. Put the lard into a roast pan heat it up.
2. Add all of the onions to it. Stir it and when the onion is getting glasslike, add the paprika to the onion and reduce the heat immediately.
   
3. Stir it and put the chicken pieces in the pan. Stir and season them. Add the tomato to the chicken.
4. Simmer it until it is tender, approximately one hour. Ideally the chicken is cooked only in its own juices, but add water if needed. Add peppers about 15 minutes before the chicken is done, since otherwise they will dissolve if left to cook too long.
   
5. While the chicken is cooking, make the nokedli. Place large pot filled with salted water and bring to boil. Combine eggs, salt, and water, beating well with whisk. Add flour, a little at a time, until all is used. Let mixture rest for about 10 minutes.
   
6. Beat mixture again. It should be sticky, goopy, and wet at this point. Note that it will not be thick like dough.
7. Pour a half-cup or so at a time through a large grater over the large pot of water, letting the little droplets of batter drop into the boiling water. The noodles are done when they float to the top.
   
8. Remove from water with large slotted spoon, and place in colander. Rinse with cold water.
   
9. You may want to make the dumplings in 2 or 3 batches so they dont overcook.
   Serve with chicken paprikas.
   

Serves 4-6. Eat some.

Nasi Goreng

After eating my way through Indonesia recently, I had to try my hand at preparing an Indonesian dish back here at home. I took a great cooking class in Bali and here is the nasi goreng (nasi means rice, goreng is fried), a very traditional dish. As with most Indonesian dishes, it is based in rice.

There are some specialized ingredients, which I found easily at an Asian supermarket. Kecap manis is a thick and sweet soy sauce; you can try using soy sauce with some sugar or molasses dissolved in it (no promises though). The maggi sauce is a cross (very roughly) between soy sauce and Worchestire sauce. Just go to an Asian market and make life easy on yourself.

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breast, finely chopped
• Oil
• 8 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 4 red chillis, chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 2 cups of chopped bok choi
• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
• 5 cups steamed rice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 6 tablespoons kecap manis
• 1.5 tsp fish sauce
• 3 tsp maggi sauce
• Sea salt and black peper to taste
  

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a wok over a medium-high flame.
2. Fry the chicken in the oil until it shrinks for, about two minutes. If there is too much water coming from the chicken, remove chicken and wash the wok. Add same amount of oil back and reheat oil with chicken.
3. Add the shallots and garlic. Toss for one minute.
   
4. Add the leek and chili and mix thoroughly.
5. Add the rice and vegetables. Add the sauces and mix well.
6. Keep tossing until vegetables are wilted.
7. Check seasonings and serve.
   

Serves 3-4. Eat up.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Parmigiano

This is an easy way to prepare Brussels sprouts. I've adapted this from several different sources.

Ingredients

• Brussels sprouts
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Freshly grated Parmigiano
  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Halve Brussels sprouts and mixed with olive oil and salt. Roast until golden brown and tender.
3. Toss with freshly squeezed lemon juice and grated Parmigiano.
   

Serves a few. Eat them

Whiskey Smash

GQ calls this drink "The only whiskey drink girls and guys can agree on", and I definitely agree with that sentence ... at least half of it. This is among the tastiest cocktails I have ever tasted. It's amazing. This recipe is one I came up with on my own tailored to my own tastes, drawn from several different versions I've encountered.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. rye whiskey or bourbon
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 4 lemon wedges (each wedge = 1/8 of a lemon)
• 6-8 mint leaves
• Glassware: Old fashioned glass
• Garnish: 1 small sprig of mint
  

Instructions

1. Muddle the lemon wedges in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add the mint leaves and bruise them up a bit. Not too much.
3. Add simple syrup and the rye/bourbon. Shake with ice.
4. Strain into a glass filled with with ice.
5. Garnish with a mint sprig
   

Serves 1. Drink it.

Moscow Mule

First up, the Moscow Mule. The Mule originated in downtown Hollywood in the 1940s, the brainchild of Jack Morgan (owner of the Los Angeles bar Cock and Bull Tavern), John Martin (president of Heublein spirits distribution company), and Ralph Kunett (owner of the Smirnoff Vodka company). Vodka wasn't an American favorite, and these three created this drink one night while "shoving toward inventive genius". The drink was a hit and still remains most popular in LA.

As far as my favorite cocktails go, the Moscow Mule is the reining champion. I came up with this version on my own. Make sure to use a ginger beer with some integrity, like Cock 'n Bull or, even better, Fentiman's. The bamboo/ginger combination is a nice and luxurious touch, but by no means required.

Ingredients

• 2 oz ginger beer
• 1 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• Glassware: Copper mug (ideal) or old-fashioned glass.
• Garnish: lime wedge and small bamboo skewer piercing a piece of candied ginger (optional).
  

Instructions

1. Mix ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well.
2. Pour into mug or glass and garnish with lime.
   

Serves 1. Drink up you lucky bastard.

Cocktails

That's right, peoples, it is time to start enjoying tasty drinks with these meals. I have become increasingly interested in mixing cocktails lately, and I need to remember how to make them the way I like.

My goal is to have a modern repertoire of meticulously-prepared and high-quality drinks that have a simple ingredient list. No mixes, no artificial flavors, and no syrups (except, of course, simple syrup). When suitable, there will be a very brief history of the drink.

Cheers!

Zucchini Pizza

Tonight I found myself hungry with a ball of Trader Joe's pizza dough and lots of zucchini in my fridge, so I started searching for a zucchini pizza recipes online. After a few strike-outs, I came across this great recipe from this very entertaining cooking website called Eat Live Run. I modified the recipe to eliminate ricotta, as I don't like ricotta. You can also halve the recipe easily. Once you smell the final product, you'll definitely want to follow the original instructions and stuff your face.

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchinis
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
  
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• sea salt
  
• pepper
  
• red pepper flakes
  
• pizza dough: either regular or whole wheat.
  

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Either dust cornmeal on a baking sheet or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
   
2. Grate the zucchinis and press with paper towels to soak up the liquid. Mix the zucchini with the mozzarella cheese, garlic, and a dash of sea salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
   
3. Work the pizza dough into whatever shape you want. Spread the ricotta onto the dough, and then top with the zucchini mixture. Add some red pepper flakes if you like spice in your life.
   
4. Reduce oven temperature to 450 and bake pizza for about 12 minutes, or until the crust begins to turn golden and the cheese has started to bubble.
5. Cool, slice, and serve.
   

Serves 2-4. Eat it quickly.

Sweet and Spicy Roasted Nuts

As of now, these is the perfect roasted nuts recipe. It's simultaneously salty, sweet, spicy, and crunchy. The nuts don't need to be raw -- in fact they probably should already be roasted. Got this recipe from, where else, Fine Cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. mixed unsalted almonds, pecans, and cashews
• 1-1/2 Tbs. light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp. chipotle powder
• Kosher salt
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Spread the nuts on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until they start to brown, about 10 minutes.
2. While the nuts are roasting, combine the sugar, thyme, chipotle powder, and 1 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Transfer the nuts to a large bowl, add the butter, and toss well. Add the sugar mixture and toss again to coat evenly. Season with more salt to taste, transfer to small bowls, and serve while still warm. (These are also good at room temperature and will keep in an airtight container for at least 3 days.)

Serves 6-8. Eat them all.

Dinner Party #2

Held myself a small dinner party last for six guests. It was more of a "guys' night", so I had to make something that's more rugged and less delicate/pretentious. I'm not really sure what that even means. Anyway, the menu was as follows.

Drinks

• Moscow mule
• Painkiller daiquiri
• Scotch -- Macallan 12 (smooth) and Ardbeg 10 (very peaty)

Appetizers

• Blue cheese croutons
• Sweet and spicy roasted nuts
• Ricotta dip

Main course

• Pulled pork sandwiches

Good times had by all.