Rick's Mild Chili for a Party

Made a big pot of mild (but mighty tasty) chili for Ruth's garden club meeting last night. Folks seemed to like it, so here is the recipe;

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef (chuck)
8 ounce Heintz Ketchup (1 cup)
1⁄2 cup chili powder (I use Mexene brand, available on Amazon)
1 can Rotel Mild Tomatoes and Green Chile
2 cups water
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire
1 15.5 oz. can Dark Red Kidney beans
(note: add 1 or more teaspoons ground cayenne pepper if you like hotter chili)

Directions:
Brown beef in a Dutch oven; drain.  Add ketchup, 2 cups water, paprika, cumin, onion flakes, garlic salt, chili powder and the Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chile.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kidney beans and optional ground cayenne pepper to taste.  Simmer an additional 15 minutes.  Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips or diced peppers for garnish.

"Day After Thanksgiving" Turkey Enchiladas

With Thanksgiving behind us, I thought about what to do with all the leftover turkey.   Then, I remembered our trip to Santa Fe several years ago, and the wonderful cooking class that Ruth and I took at the Santa Fe School of Cooking.  We made chicken enchiladas in the class, and I figured that turkey would make a good substitute.

Enjoy!

Green Chile Turkey Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
2-4 ounce cans of chopped green chiles
¼ tsp cumin
1/3 tsp oregano
1/3 tsp coriander powder
1 ½ cups shredded turkey
2 cups cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
1 pack corn tortillas
1 pint sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
Salsa for topping (optional)

Directions:
Add the butter to a warm sauté pan, then add onions and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and cook until it becomes aromatic. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring to incorporate the flour and eliminate lumps.  Pour both cans of green chiles into the pan and add cumin, oregano, coriander, chicken broth and a little salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes at low heat. Cut the turkey into bite-size pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add 1/3 cup of the cooked green chile mix, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 1/3 of the cheese mixture and salt and pepper. Mix well.  Grease a 13x9 baking dish.  Put 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in each tortilla and roll up. Place the rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam-side down. Continue to add rolled tortillas until the dish is filled.  Pour the rest of the green chile on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Serve with sour cream, green onions and salsa.

Rick's Tuna Salad Tacos

If you ever get bored with tuna salad sandwiches, make some of these tacos.  It's a refreshing change!

Ingredients for the tuna salad:

2 cans tuna
1 small red bell pepper, diced
2 scallions, sliced thin
2-3 Tbs Mayonnaise
2 tsp OLD BAY® Seasoning
2 tsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire
1 tsp horseradish
1 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped fine

Ingredients for Serving:

taco shells, toasted
fresh tomatoes, diced
sharp cheddar cheese
Lettuce, shredded
hot sauce, to taste

Drain, rinse and squeeze the excess water from the canned tuna.  Add all the ingredients for the salad and mix well. Toast the taco shells in the oven.  Add the tuna to the tacos and top with fresh tomato, cheddar cheese and lettuce.  Top with hot sauce, if desired.  Enjoy!

Marinated Steak and Chicken Fajitas

Marinated Steak and Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lime juice from 6 to 8 limes
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp Wright’s Liquid Smoke
2 tsp ground cumin seed
2 tsp  freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs chili powder
3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced (about 1 Tbs)
1 pound trimmed skirt steak (cut crosswise into 5 to 6-inch pieces)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 Vidalia onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
6-8 fresh flour or corn tortillas, heated
Guacamole, for serving, if desired
Pico de Gallo, for serving, if desired
Sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa and hot sauce for serving, if desired

Directions

Combine soy sauce, lime juice, peanut oil, brown sugar, cumin, black pepper, chili powder, liquid smoke and garlic in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer 1/2 cup of marinade to a large bowl and set aside. Place steaks and chicken in a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag and add remaining marinade. Seal bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Massage bag until meat is fully coated in marinade. Lay flat in the refrigerator, turning every couple of hours for at least 3 hours and up to 10. Refrigerate until ready to use.  When ready to cook, remove steaks from marinade, wipe off excess, and transfer to a large plate. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.  Place a cast iron skillet over the cooler side of grill to pre-heat. Place the steaks and chicken directly on the grate on the hot side of the grill. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, basting with the reserved marinade. Flip the steaks and chicken, cover and cook for another minute. Continue cooking in this manner—flipping, covering and basting until the steaks and chicken are well-charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted into their center of the steaks registers 125 to 130°F for medium. The chicken should be cooked to 175 to 180°F. Transfer cooked steaks and chicken to a large plate, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, transfer cast iron skillet to hot side of grill and allow to preheat for 2 minutes. Add pepper and onion mix and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to char in spots, about 10 minutes. When vegetables are cooked, transfer the steaks and chicken to a cutting board and pour any accumulated juices from the plate into the skillet with the vegetables. Toss to coat.  Transfer vegetables to a warm serving platter. Thinly slice meat against the grain and transfer to platter with vegetables. Serve immediately with hot tortillas, guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and other condiments as desired.

Rick's Ragin' Baked Beans (for a crowd)

I published the recipe for making my "secret recipe" BBQ Ribs. Now it ain¹t
a BBQ without great "sides," so here is the secret recipe for Rick¹s Ragin¹
Baked Beans. This recipe serves 15, so it¹s great to take these to a party
or family gathering. You can cut all the amounts in half to make a "family
sized" batch. Now the first secret to my beans is to wash off all the
"goop" that they came in and replace it with my "good stuff!" I use BOTH
hickory smoked bacon and ground beef in my beans, so they are rich and
meaty. The spices give the beans their Southern flavor.

Ingredients:
1 #5 can (or four 1 quart cans) of Bush¹s Pork and Beans, drained and rinsed
1-1/4 cups Vidalia Onion, chopped
6 strips thick-cut hickory smoked bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 lb ground beef (chuck)
1/2 lb dark brown sugar
3/4 cup "Rick¹s BBQ and Broilin¹ Baste", or other BBQ
sauce )
1 Tbs Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
3 Tbs Rick¹s BBQ Rub , or use the rub from my rib recipe)
1 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp yellow prepared mustard

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add just enough vegetable oil to coat
the bottom of the pan. Fry the bacon pieces until they render out some fat
and become translucent, but do NOT brown them. Add the chopped onion and
cook, stirring constantly, until they are also translucent. Remove the
cooked mixture to a large bowl lined with paper towels to absorb the excess
fat. Wait several minutes and remove the saturated paper towel and discard.
Clean the pan and place over high heat again. Add 1 Tbs vegetable oil and
swirl to coat the pan. Add the ground beef and cook until it is well
browned. Turn off the heat and push the beef to one side. Tip the pan
slightly toward the empty side so the fat collects there. Place a crumpled
paper towel in the pan to absorb the excess fat and discard the saturated
paper towel. Mix the beef with the bacon and onions cooked previously.

Wash and drain the beans to remove the liquidy goop they come into into a
"doubled" disposable aluminum roasting pan (nest 2 aluminum pans so they are
strong enough to hold the heavy ingredients). Place the beans into the
roasting pan and stir all the remaining ingredients together. Bake
uncovered in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 2 hours, stirring gently
once every half hour. The beans are done when the BBQ sauces caramelizes,
but the beans near the center are still slightly loose when the pan is
shaken.

It's Hatch Green Chile Time!

Labor Day weekend heralds the beginning of the annual Hatch New Mexico Chile Festival, a two-day celebration of their world-famous crop. The festival attracts over 30,000 visitors from all over the United States. Festival goers can sample famed green chile recipes, watch the crowning of the “Chile Festival Queen”, or toss a horseshoe in celebration of their most famous crop.  In a “wonder-of-wonders” moment, I found out that Wegman’s in Hunt Valley was having a “Hatch Chile Event” this weekend.  I got some on Friday and made Green Chile Cheeseburgers (See my recipe here: http://ricksragin.blogspot.com/2013/03/green-chile-cheeseburgers-ala-owl.html )

Having been to Albuquerque and Sante Fe, Ruth and I savored these delicious chiles in everything from Omelets, Green Chile Stew and Green Chile Cheeseburgers. I went and bought 6 bags of them at Wegman’s to process and freeze for the coming Fall and Winter nights when you need a heart-warming bowl of Green Chile Stew to warm you up. (See my Green Chile Stew recipe here:  http://ricksragin.blogspot.com/2013/03/hatch-green-chile-stew.html)

To savor these delicious chiles, you first need to remove the skins.  This is done by roasting them over an open flame. Wegman’s had two big roasters on-site and would roast the chiles for you if you bought a 40 lb case.  Since I have a 160,000 BTU wok burner, I decided I would do that myself.

After charring the chiles, I put them in a big covered pot to steam for about 20 minutes.  This makes removing the skins much easier, which you do by gently scraping them with a sharp knife.

Once the skins are removed, you can cut them open and remover the seeds and veins.

Then you run the roasted and cleaned chiles through a food mill.

I use the coarse grinding blade so the chiles retain some texture. 10 pounds of chiles yielded about 7 cups of pureed chile.

To prep them for storage, I lightly oiled a muffin tin and spooned in the chile puree.

I popped them in the freezer until they were frozen solid.  Once frozen, the 1-cup portions are removed from the tin, put in a vacuum bag and sealed.  These can be stored in the freezer and thawed to make your favorite Southwestern dishes!
 

'Aw Shucks' Grilled Corn

Years ago, there was a food vendor at the PA wine festival called "Aw Shucks" that sold grilled ear corn slathered with a delicious mixture of cheese, mayo, sour cream, fresh cilantro and spices. Since they didn't share their recipe, I reconstructed it from my taste memory. It's a great side dish with grilled meats or steamed crabs, although it could almost be a meal all by itself!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use Duke's)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup finely crumbled feta cheese, plus some additional to add at the table
1/2 tsp each chili powder and Old Bay Seasoning mixed together (also, make some to use at the table)
1 medium clove garlic, finely minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro 4 ears shucked corn
2-3 Tbs butter, melted
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Light a chimney full of charcoal. When the charcoal is lit, build a two-stage fire by spreading most of the coals evenly over half of the grill and just a few coals on the other half.  Set the grill grate in place, close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for about 5 minutes. While the grill is heating, combine the mayo, sour cream, cheese, chili powder, Old Bay, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro in a large bowl. Stir until mixed well and set aside.  Place the shucked ears of corn in a one-gallon Ziploc bag and microwave them on high for about 3-4 minutes to partially cook them.  Uncover the grill and using tongs, brush the grates with a folded paper towel dipped in vegetable oil to both clean them and keep the corn from sticking.  Brush the microwaved ears of corn with melted butter and then place them on the hot side of the grill.  Rotate the ears occasionally and move them to the cool side of the grill (as needed,) until they are slightly and evenly charred on all sides (about 8 minutes total.)  Transfer the grilled corn to a shallow bowl and slather the ears with the Feta cheese mixture, using a large spoon or spatula to evenly coat the ears on all sides.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, some additional chili powder and Old Bay, if desired, and garnish with some cilantro.  Serve immediately with sliced lime wedges to squeeze over the corn.

Rick's "Special Sangria"

Made a batch of "Rick's Special Sangria" today. Yummo!

2 bottles Chambourcin wine
1 orange, zest and slices
1 apple, cored and sliced
1 pear, cored and sliced
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground Saigon Cinnamon (McCormick)

Rick's New Orleans BBQ'd Shrimp

Its been over 20 years since I traveled to NOLA for a broadcast convention (back when I worked for Westinghouse Broadcasting.)  I remember walking along the “Mississippi Riverwalk” (about 2 blocks from the famous Café Du Monde) and stopping at a restaurant for dinner.  I wish I remembered the name of the place, but that brain cell is long gone.  It might have been Mr. B's, as they are famous for the dish. Anyway,  the menu said "New Orleans BBQ’d Shrimp," so being a BBQ nut, I thought I’d give it a try.  It wasn’t at all what I expected, but it was absolutely delicious!!  Now in New Orleans, BBQ’d shrimp means sautéed shrimp in a Worcestershire-spiked butter sauce.  I did some research on-line and looked through my cookbook library to find a recipe, and over the years, I have made this dish many times, tweaking the recipe to make it “just right.”  Mr. B's Restaurant in NOLA has their recipe on their website and that one uses THREE sticks of butter!! Hell, mine uses two sticks, but I like my recipe with its hint of rosemary,  thyme and Old Bay.  As Mr B's said "There is enough butter in this dish to scare you into cholesterol shock, but the butter is the key to the flavor and consistency of the sauce."  It’s also critical not to overcook the shrimp, or they’ll become tough and hard to peel.  The best part about eating this dish is sopping up the spicy sauce with the crusty French bread.  The shrimp ain't bad either!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

16 Tbs. butter, (2 sticks) cut into 1 Tbs sized chunks
1 Tbs. garlic, minced
2 lbs jumbo shrimp, un-peeled and still in their shells (heads on, if you can find them)
¼ cup clam juice
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 cups beer
1 Tbs. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs “Rick’s Ragin’ Cajun Seasoning”
2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tbs cider vinegar
1 Tbs black pepper
2-1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp. cayenne sauce
1 loaf French bread

***or you can make a basic blend from the recipe at the bottom of the page:

Directions:

Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the minced garlic, black pepper, rosemary, thyme and the other seasonings and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until the sauce is reduced by 1/3. Add the fresh lemon juice and the Worcestershire sauce and whisk well to emulsify the ingredients.  Add the shrimp (still in their shells) stirring to coat them well.  Keep the shrimp moving around in the pan so they cook evenly.  Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and are just cooked through.  Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a large serving platter or to individual shallow bowls and serve the sauce on the side. Serve immediately with slices of warm, crusty French bread. Remove skillet from heat. Place shrimp in a bowl and pour sauce over top. Serve with French bread for dipping.

Rick's Ragin' Cajun Seasoning: 
 
Ingredients:

1/2 c. paprika
4 tsp. salt (opt.)
4 tsp. garlic powder
4 tsp. onion powder
4 tsp. cayenne
1 tbsp. white pepper
1 tbsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. oregano leaves, crushed
1 tbsp. thyme leaves, crushed
2 tsp. dry mustard

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Store in a jar tightly sealed. Makes about 2/3 cups

Rick's "Cinco de Mayo" Hot Carrots and Peppers

I was traveling on Route 1 in Jessup, MD earlier this week to pickup some equipment for work.  Along the way I noticed at least three Mexican food trucks doing BBQ by the side of the road, and the smells were amazing!  I decided to stop and pickup lunch for my crew at the office, and I noticed the vendor had a huge 1 gallon glass jar filled to the brim with a clear juice and packed with sliced carrots and yellow and orange pepper slices.  The lunch order came with a serving of this garden mix and oh boy, they were HOT and delicious.  I asked the cook how he made them.  He told me that he just sliced the carrots and peppers, put them in the jar  and poured the juice from pickled jalapenos into the jar.  He said that he also added some habanero hot sauce, salt and garlic to give it more “zing” and let them sit for a day or two in the spicy brine.  How easy can it get?  They were so good that I made a batch of them yesterday and they came out fantastic!  They go great on sandwiches, or as a side dish with BBQ’d meats.  Make some for your “Cinco de Mayo” party and they will be a big hit!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb sliced carrots
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jars pickled jalapeno slices
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tsp Kosher salt
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs habanero hot sauce (like Rick’s Tequilanero Hot Sauce*)

*available at www.ricksragin.com

Directions:

Slice the carrots into 3/16” slices.  Slice the bell peppers into 3/16” slices.  Place the carrots and peppers into a glass or other non-reactive container.  Dump in 1 whole jar of the pickled jalapenos and only the juice from the second jar.

Add the remaining ingredients, making sure the vegetables are covered with the juice.  Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least a day.  The longer they sit in the hot brine, the hotter they get, so be careful!  Serve on your favorite sandwich or as a side dish with any meal.

See all my recipes on my new blog site: http://ricksragin.blogspot.com

Rick's "Empty the Freezer" Paella

Ruth and I were planning on going out for lunch today, but we got started doing chores around the house and promptly lost our motivation.  I really wanted something tasty, but I also wanted to use stuff I had in the house and the freezer to avoid a trip to the store.  I had some frozen boneless chicken thighs, chorizo, rockfish, peas and homemade fish stock, so I thought a nice paella would fill the bill.  I threw all the frozen stuff in the microwave to thaw,  and set up my paella burner on the patio.

A little prep work and everything came together beautifully!

It was great to cook lunch on the patio while sipping a cold Corona with a lime wedge.

Rick’s “Empty the Freezer” Paella

Ingredients:

1/2 lb boneless chicken thighs
1/2 lb chorizo sausage
1/2 lb firm white fish (like rockfish)
1 green pepper, sliced
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup short grain rice
3 cups fish or chicken stock
1 Tbs smoked paprika
1 pinch saffron threads
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Directions:

Thaw the frozen ingredients in the microwave.

Cut up the chicken and chorizo.

Cut the pepper and onion into slices and mince the garlic cloves

Heat some olive oil in the pan until it just starts to smoke and add the chorizo

When the chorizo starts to brown, add the chicken

Cook until the chorizo and chicken are nicely browned and remove them from the pan.  In the same oil, add the garlic, onion and green pepper

When the pepper and onion are wilted, add the smoked paprika


Stir and cook until the paprika evenly coats the vegetables.  Add 1 cup of short grain rice (like Spanish “Bomba” rice)


Add 3 cups of fish or chicken stock

Add a healthy pinch of saffron threads and the cut up fish

Cook over medium heat until the rice is cooked, the stock is absorbed and a nice fond (crust) forms on the bottom of the pan, being careful to avoid burning it.

Turn off the heat and cover with newspaper or foil for 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Rick's Ragin' BBQ Ribs

I became a BBQ rib fanatic about 30 years ago while working in Nashville, Tennessee, and eating them twice a week (at least) at Bobby-Q’s on West End Blvd. Now Southerners take their "Q" seriously and I have learned how to cook ribs from some master BBQ cooks in Nashville, Memphis, Florida, and Arkansas. While I can't show you how to do it in person, I can give you some of my secrets for great backyard BBQ ribs. With these tips and some practice, you can become the "King of the Grill" in your neighborhood.  First and foremost, you MUST have enough time to make good BBQ ribs. DON'T RUSH! Be prepared to spend an hour or two to get things ready.  Pick Your Ribs Carefully. I prefer pork spareribs over baby back ribs because I think they have more flavor from the marbling of fat throughout the meat. Slabs of spare ribs come in weights of 2-5 lbs. and may contain as many as 12 to 13 bones. A two pound slab will come from a young hog and will be more tender. Buy slabs that are three pounds or less (butchers call these "three down" spare ribs). You should look for the leanest slabs you can find, then trim any visible fat.

Cut off the thick flap of meat on the back side with a boning knife. (You can season and throw all these trimmed pieces in the smoker.  They make a great BBQ snack after the ribs are all gone.)

Remove the thick membrane on the back side of the ribs if the butcher has not already done so. This is best done with a dull oyster knife or a large, clean screwdriver.. .honest! Place the knife or screwdriver under the membrane next to a bone end. Carefully follow the bone and lift. The membrane should loosen and can then be pulled off with a paper towel.

Cut through and along the top of the rib bones to remove the thick fatty part, leaving a nice lean trimmed slab.

Place the ribs, meaty side up, on a cookie sheet, a piece of foil or paper towels. Good BBQ ribs need a "rub" or dry seasoning mix which I sprinkle on the meat prior to cooking. You can make a pretty good one from the recipe below.

Basic Sweet Dry Rub for Ribs

6   Tbs light brown sugar
3   Tbs paprika
3   Tbs Kosher salt
3   Tbs ground black pepper
2   tsp garlic powder
2   tsp onion powder
2   tsp Coleman’s dry mustard powder

After applying the rub to the ribs,

let the ribs rest about 20 minutes until they begin to "sweat."  By "sweat," I mean that the meat will begin to glisten as the spices do their work (as shown  in the picture above.) The rub provides the flavor background for both the mopping sauce and the finishing sauce. Finishing sauces should only applied at the very end of the cooking process.

My BBQ sauces contains brown sugar and should not be applied until the last few minutes of cooking so the sugars don’t burn. To keep the meat moist during cooking, use a thin, sugarless vinegar basting sauce to to keep the meat from drying out. Here's a recipe for my quick and easy mopping sauce or “spritz” (when placed in a spray bottle).

Quick & Easy Mopping Sauce

1 Cup Heintz Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Lea & Perrins Worcesterchire Sauce
1/2 Cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Olive Oil

The mopping sauce should be applied throughout the cooking process with a new, clean rag-type dish mop. Don't use a brush! Dribble the basting sauce over the meat with the mop because a brush will wipe the seasonings from the meat. You can also put the mopping sauce in a new, clean, plastic spray bottle and mist the meat with a fine spray to add moisture, which is what I do.

Light a charcoal fire, use a gas grill or a electric smoker if you have one. Place the seasoned slab of ribs in the smoker, curved side down. Cook at about 225 degrees for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Baste or spritz the ribs with the mopping sauce every 1/2 hour  Repeat the process until the ribs are both cooked and tender.

You can tell when the ribs are done by grabbing the slab with tongs about half way. If, when you gently push on the free end of the slab, the meat begins to tear near the bones, the ribs are "tender" and done. When this happens, baste the slabs with your favorite BBQ sauce and let them glaze.

Now the secret part! Immediately after taking the ribs off the grill, completely wrap them in foil. Then, place the foil-wrapped ribs in a brown paper sack and fold the sack over the ribs. Allow the ribs to rest for 1/2 hour at room temperature. This causes the meat juices and the spices to be drawn back into the meat as it cools slowly. The bag holds in the heat and moisture so the ribs don't cool too much. It sounds weird, but it works!

Finally, heat up your favorite BBQ sauce on the stove, unwrap the ribs, swab on the warm sauce, cut the slabs into individual bones and have at it! Serve the remaining sauce at the table. if you follow these directions, you will be rewarded with ribs that are moist, tender, and tasty beyond your wildest imagination!

Kung Pao Chicken

Ruth had a garden club meeting on Thursday, so I went to the Szechuan House in Lutherville for dinner to satisfy my craving for some good Kung Pao chicken. Uncle Lee’s at 33rd and Greenmount Avenue in Baltimore used to be my favorite spot to get this dish until it closed many years ago.  Szechuan House, at least to me, now makes the best in town!  I learned to make this dish at home out of necessity because the closest Chinese place is over 10 miles away. I prefer to make it with chicken thighs rather than breasts, because the dark meat has a much richer flavor and is less likely to dry out. You can substitute plain rice vinegar for the black rice vinegar (available in Asian markets), but the black vinegar adds complexity to the dish. By the way, do not eat the charred whole chiles in the finished dish!

Ingredients:

1     lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs , trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
1     Tbs dry sherry or rice wine
2     tsp soy sauce
3     medium cloves garlic , minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2     inch piece fresh ginger , peeled and minced (about 2 teaspoons)
3     Tbs peanut oil
1/2     cup roasted unsalted peanuts
6     small whole dried red chiles (each about 1 3/4 to 2 inches long)
3/4     cup low-sodium chicken broth
2     tsp black rice vinegar or plain rice vinegar (available at Asian market)
2     tsp toasted sesame oil
1     Tbs oyster sauce (available at Asian market)
1     Tbs hoisin sauce (available at Asian market)
1 1/2     tsp cornstarch
1     medium bell pepper , cut into 3/4-inch dice
3     medium scallions , sliced thin

Directions:

Toss the chicken thigh pieces with the sherry and soy sauce in medium bowl and marinate until they have absorbed flavors, about 10 minutes. Mix the garlic, minced ginger, and 1 tablespoon of the oil in small bowl and set aside. Combine the peanuts and chiles in small bowl and set aside. Mix the chicken broth, vinegar, sesame oil, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch in small bowl or measuring cup; set aside.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the dried chiles and cook until they darken. Add the chicken and cook without stirring for 2 minutes, allowing chicken to brown on one side; stir and cook about 2 minutes more, until no longer pink. Stir the peanuts into chicken and continue cooking until peanuts have darkened slightly, 30 to 40 seconds longer. Transfer chicken, peanuts, and chiles to a bowl and set aside.  Return the skillet to the burner and reheat about 15 to 30 seconds. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the bell pepper; cooking until slightly softened, about 45 seconds. Clear center of pan, add garlic-ginger mixture, mash into pan with spoon or spatula, and cook until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds; stir into peppers until combined. Stir broth mixture to recombine, then add to skillet along with reserved chicken, peanuts, and chiles; cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, until sauce has thickened to syrupy consistency, about 45 seconds. Stir in the chopped scallions and serve the dish with steamed rice.

Cliff Newman's Jerk Chicken

One of my former employees at WJZ, Cliff Newman, was quite the cook.  We would often trade recipes, and sometimes we would share dishes we each made at lunch.  Cliff liked spicy food as much as I do, and he made this jerk chicken recipe one day.  Now I make a pretty mean jerk chicken, but Cliff’s wet marinade recipe was “off the charts.”  I hounded him for it until he finally relented and gave it to me just before he retired. Thanks Cliff!

Ingredients:
 
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 medium scallions, coarsely chopped
2 habanero chiles, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 Tbs 5 spice powder
1 Tbs allspice berries, coarsely ground
1 Tbs black pepper, coarsely ground
1 tsp thyme, crumbled
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
½ cup Kikkoman soy sauce
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 whole chickens, quartered

Directions:
 
Combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor and process to a paste.  While the machine is running, add soy sauce and oil in a steady stream till well incorporated.  Pour marinade into a Ziploc bag and add chicken pieces, turning to coat all sides. Refrigerate overnight. Grill on a charcoal grill.

Helen Seaby's Sour Beef and Dumplings

There is a real chill in the air,  so I had a craving for one of my favorite “stick to your ribs” dishes, namely Sour Beef and Dumplings.  Imagine wonderfully flavorful, tangy, tender chunks of beef in a delicious rich gravy thickened with ginger snaps, and served with silky potato dumplings.  My history with this dish goes back to my childhood.  My Mom has made this dish for as long as I can remember.  Now this is not a recipe you can throw together in 20 minutes, so I offer it as a “culinary plan” for a special Sunday dinner where the prep starts on the prior Wednesday.

Ingredients for the Sour Beef and the Gravy:

4 lbs beef (boneless round roast or chuck), some suet left on – cut into 2” large chunks
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups cider vinegar
½ cup dry red wine
2 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbs pickling spice
6-10 ginger snap cookies, crushed fine

Place the beef chunks in a large ceramic bowl.  Mix all the ingredients together and pour over the meat. Place a small plate on top to keep the meat from floating above the marinade.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate the beef in the refrigerator for 3 days, turning the meat several times.  Pour the meat and marinade into a large crock pot and simmer slowly for 6 to 8 hours (or more) until the meat is tender.  Crock pots vary, so use a dinner fork to test for tenderness.  Remove the meat from the crock pot to a large bowl.  Strain the stock into a stainless or other non-reactive cook pot and bring to a boil.  Add crushed ginger snaps and simmer until the gravy reaches the desired thickness.  Adjust the flavor, as desired, by adding beef bouillon cubes, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.  Return the meat to the gravy and hold in the crock pot to keep warm while you make the dumplings..

Potato Dumplings

1-¼ cups water
½ cup milk
3 Tbs butter
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
2 cups Betty Crocker Potato Buds
1-1/4 cups All-Purpose flour
2 eggs
1 small onion, grated (optional)
2-3 slices white bread (or use packaged pre-made seasoned croutons)

Place the above ingredients in a 3 quart cook pot and heat until the butter is melted.  Add 2 cups of Betty Crocker Potato Buds and stir until all the liquid is absorbed.  Let cool to room temperature

To the cooled potato mixture, add 2 eggs, slightly beaten, 1 small grated onion (optional) and 1-¼ cups of flour.  Knead this into a dough on a well floured board about 15 times.  Shape the dough into a roll about 2” in diameter.  Cut the roll into 12 to 16 one-inch pieces.  Cut 2-3 slices of white bread into ½” cubes.  Fry the bread cubes in butter until they start to brown.  Remove the fried bread cubes to a paper towel to drain.  Place a butter fried bread cube in the center of each dough ball and roll in your hand to a golf ball sized dumpling.  Drop the dumplings into boiling water and simmer uncovered about 15 – 20 minutes.



Cut one in half to test for doneness and cook longer if necessary.  Remove the dumplings to a platter. Place 2 – 3 dumplings on each plate with several chunks of beef.  Smother the beef and dumplings with the gravy and enjoy!

Tomato Granita over Green Olive Pate'

One of the appetizers we made on our trip to Spain was this “Tomato and Olive Granita” from the Catacurian cooking school, with a few of my own twists.  This dish is super easy to make and delightfully refreshing, so give it a try,

Ingredients:

5 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled seeded and pureed (or one 28 oz. can of pureed San Marzano tomatoes)
1 cup green Spanish olives (or one jar of green olive pate’)
1 oz. Vodka
fresh thyme sprigs
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
¼ tsp Tabasco pepper sauce (or more to taste)

Directions:

Skin and seed the tomatoes and place them in a food processor (or use the canned San Marzano tomato puree.)  Add one shot of vodka, a few twists of freshly ground black pepper, the Tabasco and process until smooth.  Pour the pureed tomato mixture into a shallow glass dish and place in the freezer for an hour or so until it freezes.  Check it occasionally and scrape with a fork so it had a fluffy crystalline texture and doesn’t freeze solid.

Soak the green olives in cold water for 20 minutes or so, rinsing them and changing the water several times to remove as much brine and salt as possible.  Place the rinsed olives in the food processor and pulse until almost a paste.

In the bottom of a martini glass, spoon about 2 Tbs of the olive paste.  Remove the dish of tomato granita from the freezer and using a fork, scratch the top to fluff it,  Spoon about 3 Tbs of the tomato granita on top of the olive pate in the martini glasses.  Gently tap the bottom of the glasses on a dish towel to compact the ingredients slightly.  Sprinkle a few granules of gray sea salt on top of the tomato granita, then pour about 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil on top around the edge of the glass.  Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and serve immediately.