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Recipes

Chicken al Pastor Tacos

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This would of course also work with pork, and the proportions actually match those needed for a 5lb pork butt (you just need to cook it for 2.5 hours instead of 25 minutes).

Ingredients

  • 3 California chiles
  • 1 ancho chile
  • 1 guajillo chile
  • 1 cascabel chile
  • 1 chile de árbol (or guajillo)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 teaspooon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon achiote condimentada (seasoned achiote paste — the powder also works well)
  • 1 red onion, sliced thin, divided
  • 2.5-5 lbs. chicken breasts, sliced 1/2″ thick
  • 8oz canned pineapple, either sliced or in chunks (you can also use fresh if you have it)

Directions

Seed and stem the California, ancho, guajillo cascabel chiles, and the chile de árbol (can also be done after boiling if desired). Combine 5 cups of water and the chiles in a large pot, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain the chiles and discard the bay leaf.

Place the softened chiles in a food processor with the orange and pineapple juices, vinegar, cinnamon, sea salt, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic salt, oregano, achiote paste and half the onion. Pureé until smooth.

Add the meat to a plastic bag, and add enough marinade to cover (if you use 2.5 lbs. of chicken, you’ll probably only need about half the marinade. The leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a few days). Toss to coat and refrigerate 4 hours or more.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place half the pineapple in an even layer in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the chicken on top, followed by the remaining pineapple and the remaining sliced onion. Cover with foil and roast until chicken is motley done, about 25 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan, discard the pineapple and set aside the pan juices. Cut the chicken into the size pieces you want them to be when you add them to the tacos.

Put the meat back in the baking pan, baste it with the pan juices, layer the onions on top, and place under the broiler to crisp the edges of the meat, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook for a few more minutes, if desired.

Remove the meat from the oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Spoon pan juices over chicken if it needs more moisture. Serve with corn tortillas and condiments (i’d suggest pico de gall, sour cream, guacamole, and maybe some hot sauce), allowing everyone to make their own tacos.

Original recipe source

Recipes

Tempura Batter

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup ice water
  • Oil for deep frying
  • Food that you are going to fry

Directions

Sift together the dry ingredients.

Beat egg slightly and mix with the water.

Add the dry ingredients. Stir only until mixed; mixture will be slightly lumpy.

Dip shrimp, chunky-cut chicken and vegetables, etc. into the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Recipes

Homemade Bagels

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Makes 8 bagels:

Ingredients

  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1.25 – 1.5 cups warm water
  • Toppings: 1 T dried onion, 1 T dried garlic, 1.5 t sesame seeds, 1 t poppy seeds, 3/4 t kosher salt.

Directions

  1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a stand-mixer with the dough hook attached, and turn on mixer for a few seconds to combine. Add the wet ingredients (starting at the low end of the range on water — add more if needed during step 2 below).
  2. Knead the dough in the mixer for 5 minutes or until smooth, clinging to the hook, and not sticking to the sides (if using a Kitchen Aid mixer, run it on level 2).
  3. Cut the dough into 8 balls and let it sit for about 15 minutes. While this is happening, get a large pot of water boiling (enough so that the bagels won’t touch the bottom while being boiled).
  4. Take each dough ball and roll it into a foot long snake using your hands. Keeping your hand in the middle of the dough snake and use your other hand to bring the two ends together such that the dough is fully wrapped around your hand. Rotate the dough around so that the part where the two ends come together is under your palm. Press down to make the ends come together. (If this doesn’t work, you can also flatten one end, place the other end in it, and then wrap the dough around it to encase one end of the dough in the other.
  5. You should now have eight balls of dough with a circle in them. Let them rest for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 while you wait, and place a drying rack in a cookie sheet so that the bagels get crispy all over.
  6. Once your water is at a persistent boil, place a two bagels in the water (more if you have a wide pot). Boil on each side for about 1 minute. Chopsticks can be useful for flipping the bagels.
  7. Take the bagels out of the water (Use a spatula, they will be hot.) Sprinkle with the topping mixture (or spread on a plate and press the bagels in lightly)
  8. Once all the bagels have been boiled, place them on the rack on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes on each side. If your bagels are too puffy after the first side cooks, flip them over so that the cooked side is pointing up, and flatten them using the head of a spatula.
  9. Let the bagels cool, and enjoy with cream cheese, lox, etc.

Based on instructions by Ben Miller for a recipe by John Lee

Recipes

Asian Seared Tuna

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Ingredients

  • Leaves from 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 jalapenos, sliced
  • 4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, grated
  • 4 limes, juiced
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 (6 ounce) blocks sushi-quality tuna
  • 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated. If prepared ahead of time, marinate the Tuna in about a third of the marinade for an hour before grilling.

Place a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil (oil can be omitted if you marinated the tuna). Season the tuna pieces generously with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 2-3 minutes to form a slight crust; flip and sear the other side 2 minutes. Pour half of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish. Transfer the seared tuna to plates and serve with the sliced avocado and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate. Serve over salad greens to make a salad, using the reserved marinade as a dressing. Or serve with roasted vegetables or rice (or both!).

Based on a recipe by Tyler Florence

Recipes

Spicy Tomato Sauce Shrimp Apetizer

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A great appetizer that can be prepared quickly if the tomato sauce is made ahead of time.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1/3 cupfinely chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced and then chopped
  • 2 teaspoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika (El Rey De La Vera is a good brand)
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or a dried red chile pepper such as Spanish guindilla or guajillo
  • 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
  • 2 pinches sugar
  • 1 pound shrimp with shells and tails removed
  • A baguette, sliced into 1/2″ thick rounds (cut on a diagonal for a better presentation)

Instructions

  1. Add half the oil to a skillet or saucepan heated over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute
  2. Add the flour and paprika to the onion and garlic mixture. Stir until well combined
  3. Add the tomato sauce, wine, chicken broth, chile pepper, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. (note that you can do everything up to this point ahead of time)
  4. Heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then add the remaining oil. Add the shrimp and stir fry quickly, about a minute on each side or until fully pink on the outside. (you can also cook the shrimp on a barbeque)
  5. Add the shrimp to the tomato mixture (heated to simmering if you prepared it ahead of time), and stir to coat. Cook over low heat for about five minutes or until the shrimp is fully cooked.
  6. To serve, spoon a single shrimp onto a toasted baguette slice, then add a bit more tomato sauce if desired. You can also arrange toast slices around a bowl of the tomato sauce and allow guests to spoon the shrimp onto the toast themselves.

Based on an appetizer at Pasta Pomodoro and a recipe by Penelope Casas

Recipes

Aromatic Braised Lamb with Prunes and Pine Nuts

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Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
One 1-inch strip of lemon zest, minced
Pinch of ground clove
Pinch of ground ginger
1 cup pitted prunes
1 cup boiling water
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add half of the lamb, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned on 2 sides, about 3 min­utes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining lamb.

Add the garlic and onion to the saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, 1/2 cup of water, lemon zest, cloves and ginger. Return the lamb to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, cover the prunes with the boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the prunes with their cooking liquid and the carrots to the stew. Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

In a medium skillet, cook the pine nuts over moderate heat, shaking the pan a few times, until the nuts are toasted, about 4 minutes. Let cool.

Season the stew with salt and pepper and spoon into bowls. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and serve.

Based on a recipe from Food & Wine Magazine.

Recipes

Herbed Chicken and Dumplings

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Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 3/4 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut celery
  • 1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut carrot
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3 parsley sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

Preparation

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add celery and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute. Add broth to pan; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, chopped parsley, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, stirring just until moist. Spoon by heaping teaspoonfuls into broth mixture; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until dumplings are done. Discard parsley sprigs and bay leaf.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 285 (16% from fat)
Fat: 5.2g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.2g)
Protein: 25g
Carbohydrate: 35.2g
Fiber: 3.1g
Cholesterol: 55mg
Iron: 3.4mg
Sodium: 596mg
Calcium: 133mg

Link to original recipe

Recipes

Shrimp Tom Yum Noodle Soup

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Ingredients

  • 2 quarts chicken broth
  • 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, sliced on a bias in 2-inch pieces
  • 10 1″ kaffir lime leaves (about 2 packed tablespoons)
  • 1-inch piece fresh galangal, sliced
  • 3 thai chiles, sliced length-wise
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 package sliced shitake mushrooms
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled with tails on
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Udon noodles

Directions

Bring the stock to the boil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and chiles. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth. Be sure to keep an eye on the spiciness — remove the chiles when it’s reached the desired level of spice.

In a separate pot, boil udon noodles, then drain and set aside (if using pre-cooked noodles, you can skip this step).

Uncover and add the fish sauce, sugar, and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss in the shrimp and cook for about 8 minutes until they turn pink. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, green onions, and cilantro. Taste for salt and spices; you should have an equal balance of spicy, salty, and sour. It’s a good idea to tell your guest’s that the lemongrass and lime leaves are for flavor only and should be avoided when eating the soup.

Add noodles to each individual bowl, then ladle soup on top.

Link to original recipe

Recipes

Mojo Shrimp

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mojo shrimp mealFor a great Cuban-themed meal, serve these shrimp with Cuban black beans (Trader Joe’s has a great canned version), rice, and Plantains.

Mojo Sauce Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil (you can get away with much less if you prefer)
  • 2 Tbs. sliced fresh garlic (about 6-8 cloves)
  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 3 Tbs. orange juice
    • (Note: if you can find sour orange juice, you should use 2/3 cup of that instead of the above two citrus juices)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (add more to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

To make the mojo sauce, heat the olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium to medium-high heat. When the olive oil reaches frying temperature (tip: add one slice of garlic and watch to see when it starts bubbling), add the garlic slices and cook until they are golden brown (be careful that they don’t burn). Add the rest of the ingredients aside from the cilantro and bring to a boil, stirring to make sure the ingredients mix. Check the seasoning, then remove from heat. Let it return to room temperature, then stir in cilantro and transfer to a jar or other container.

Due to the high oil content, the mixture will separate if it sits for too long. I’d recommend adding it to a jar with a screw-top lid (like an old salsa or tomato sauce container), since you’ll want to vigorously shake the sauce up like a salad dressing before you add it to anything.

shrimp cookingClean and dry 1 lbs. of shelled, tail-on shrimp, and add to a plastic zip lock bag. Add enough marinade to cover the shrimp, press out any air in the bag and seal it up, and let sit in the fridge for about an hour.

Remove the shrimp from the marinade (but don’t shake too much off!), and cook the shrimp for about 2 minute on each side in a grill pan, under the broiler, or even skewered on a barbecue grill. If cooking in a grill pan, be sure to scrape the shrimp around to pick up any cooked sauce and garlic slices as you remove them from the pan.

Serve with cuban black beans, rice, and plantains, liberally dousing everything with some of the remaining mojo sauce.