My favourite recipes for you to try!
And sometimes chicken, too! This is the best combo I’ve made recently for my flatiron steak. Happy grilling!
1tsp sweet paprika
1tsp hot smoked paprika
1tsp granulated garlic
1tsp onion powder
1tsp cumin
.5tsp coriander
1tsp salt
1tsp sugar
1tsp ancho chile powder (optional)
Keep in a glass jar for freshness. This makes about 3/4 cup powder.
Two words: pressure cooker! Braising for the impatient! This is a pressure cooker recipe, but it would work just fine in the regular oven (350ºF for 1 hour per pound should do it). Also note that this recipe does NOT cook the meat in lard, which is traditional carnitas. I find the flavour to be just as good and of course, not NEARLY as fatty. This recipe is NOT written for lard! No substitutions!
2-3# Pork roast (tenderloin is good or shoulder if you can find one small enough)
Dry Rub (Garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, ancho powder, cumin, coriander and hot paprika is mine. Equal parts.)
1 large onion, 1″ pcs
1 HEAD garlic (10-12 cloves), cracked, not cut up
1 can pineapple chunks IN JUICE not syrup
1 can mandarin oranges IN JUICE not syrup
1 small can ranchera sauce **use half if you are sensitive to spice! (Herdez makes one – look in International aisle.)
2/3 bottle of beer
salt and pepper
Rinse and DRY the pork. Cut into large chunks. Put on rub and let stand while you do the veg prep.
For Pressure cooker: Cover the bottom of the pressure cooker with olive oil and brown the chunks on all sides. Remove pork and put in the insert for meats (or use a metal steamer if your cooker does not have an insert). Put the roast back in and add the veg, fruits with juice, beer and just a little salt and pepper. Close the cooker and bring to pressure on HI. When pressure is reached, set your timer for 40 minutes. Let the cooker depressurize naturally.
For oven: Preheat oven to 350F. Brown meat in oil in the bottom of a large dutch oven. Add veg, fruit w/ juice, beer and a little S/P. Cook covered at 350 for one hour per each pound of meat. 3# = 3 hours. Remove the cover for the last 45 mins of baking time.
When done, remove roast, let cool and pull apart. Strain liquid from the veg/fruit sauce and put over pulled pork. Use the soft veg/fruit sauce on the pork when you serve it.
I served the lovely carnitas with yellow rice and black beans. Fetzer Gurwerztraminer was awesome with this.
I updated this recipe [April 2017] to add more veg and to streamline the process. It has a nice curry spice that you can turn up or down to your taste. The raisins add a nice little pop of sweet to break up the spicy curry. You can find garlic and ginger pastes and curry paste at the Indian or Asian market. I strongly recommend seeking them out! The prepared garlic paste is great for soups and sauces where you want the flavor, but not the pieces of garlic.
4 Boneless skinless chicken thighs seasoned with S/P (or 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts)
1/2 head cauliflower cut up bite sized (or one bag frozen is fine)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery diced
1/2 small box of mushrooms, diced
3 scallions sliced on the bias (white and green, reserve some for garnish)
1 can garbanzos (chick peas) drained
2/3 cup golden raisins
1 Tbl curry powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dry ginger
2 Tbl garlic paste (or 5 cloves garlic minced to paste)
2 Tbl all purpose Curry paste (red Madras style; use less if you’re heat sensitive)
1 Tbl ginger paste
2 Tbl flour
2 Tbl mirin
1 small can coconut milk (or a full 14oz can if you want this creamier and less spicy)
3 cups chicken stock
Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 Tbl fresh basil, chiffonade, for garnish and toss the rest into the soup at the end
Dry the chicken and season with salt and pepper, then brown on both sides (med hi) in olive oil in the soup pot until you get a good golden sear. The chicken will not be fully cooked. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Once cooled, dice the chicken and set aside.
Mix together all the dry spices (not the flour) in a small bowl and the pastes in another.
Put the veg (except scallions) into the pot with the chicken drippings/fond over med heat and season with about 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper (add a little more olive oil if needed). Cook the veg for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make a space in the middle of the pot and add about 2/3 of the powdered spices. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the pastes and stir with spices, cook for another couple of minutes. Stir all these spices into the veg thoroughly and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in flour, stir thoroughly and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add in remaining spice mix, raisins, garbanzos, reserved chicken, coconut milk, mirin and stock. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes, with the lid ajar. Turn off heat, add in scallions and check seasoning. This soup tends to thicken after it cools, so you might need extra stock to loosen it up. This soup freezes well.
Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt, scallions and fresh basil. This would pair with a Riesling or Gewurtztraminer wine.
My friend Stormy can’t have mayo, so I decided to think up a substitute for making this Southern staple. Crème Fraîche came to mind, so that’s what I used. It turned out to be BETTER than mayo! Cheers!
8 hard boiled eggs, halved
2-3 Tbs crème fraiche (the Alouette brand is thick and lovely)
1-2 tsp dijon (I actually used a “medium” German mustard. You could use yellow.)
1-2 tsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
2-3 dashes of lime or lemon juice
1 tsp dill
salt
garnish with capers
Put the cooked yolks in a mixing bowl. Break them up with a fork and add the crème fraiche one Tbs at a time. The measurements are not precise because it depends on the type of crème fraiche you use; some have more liquid than others. Add the rest of the ingredients except the capers. You’ll have to gauge the ratio of ingredients by the type you’re using and the consistency of the yolk filling. When the consistency and flavour is right, put into a plastic bag, snip the corner off and pipe into the egg whites. Garnish with capers and a sprinkle of dill.
UPDATED! Much easier recipe with fewer ingredients and better flavour. My take on the classic! Veal meatballs and chick peas added for fiber! A delicious main course soup!
Angela’s Italian Wedding Soup
Meatballs:
1 pkg ground veal (about a pound)
.5 cup Bread Crumbs (Plain or seasoned)
1 egg, slightly beaten
.5 tsp Salt
.5 tsp pepper
.5 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Basil, Dried
2 tsp garlic paste (find it in the Indian foods or paste 2 cloves)
about 3/4 cup more bread crumbs to roll the meatballs in
olive oil
Soup:
1 med onion, large dice
1 sm pkg creminis, sliced
1 Tbl garlic paste
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbl dried basil
1 tsp herbes de provence
2 Tbl worcestershire sauce (L&P is best)
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 package Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 can chick peas
4 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 cup dried small pasta
2 Tbl sherry vinegar
zest of one lemon
to serve:
ground parmesan
Parsley, Fresh chopped
fresh squeezed lemon
Directions
Combine first eight ingredients to make meatballs. Heat heavy wide pot (dutch oven) to med hi and add olive oil to cover bottom. Form small balls about a teaspoon each, roll in breadcrumbs then place into pot and brown on all sides. When the meatballs are browned, remove from pan and set aside.
In same oil, add next eight ingredients, reduce heat a bit. Cook until the veg is softened. Add frozen spinach, up heat to med hi. Once spinach has thawed a bit, add chick peas and stock. Turn up to high, bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Add in small pasta, meatballs (with any juice), vinegar and zest.
Cook at a simmer for about 15 mins. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Finish with the fresh parsley and juice of half the lemon.
Serve with parmesan and a squeeze of lemon.
