Extra Schmaltz!

We make this really easy recipe often enough that it's worth posting. It's chicken in a simple sauce, often served on a tostada with refried beans and whatever tasty toppings you want (esp. avocado and cotija cheese). A local restaurant near us has this style of chicken as one of their standard meat options, and it's supposedly their specialty. I personally think this recipe produces something very, very close to the same. The adobo peppers tend to be a bit spicy for some eaters - one way to moderate this is to alter how much of the sauce you mix with the shredded chicken. I also suggest making a double version of this recipe and reserving some sauce - that way, next time you want to make it, you just throw sauce on chicken and you're done. You can use raw chicken, or you can use the sauce to cleverly use leftover poultry from other meals (this actually might make turkey edible). The recipe below is adapted from the recipe here , in turn adapted from the Minimali...

These are meatballs for when your grandmother isn't  coming over. They are garlicky and full of spices, with jolly hard-boiled eggs for added satisfaction, providing a great mess of comfort food for a cold winter night. I got the recipe from Cracking Curries , and added the pressure cooker option, which makes the meatballs oh-so tender. The great thing about this meatball is that you don't need to pre-fry them, saving time and mess. You could also stew them in the crockpot (though the sauce-making takes some advanced prep). Delicious over basmati rice. Orange juice serving suggestion from Dan. 1 lb ground lamb 1 small onion 1/2 bunch cilantro 1 egg, beaten (or less) 1 tsp. cayenne 1 tsp. black pepper 2 tsp. salt 3 Tbsp. butter 1 large onion, sliced 2 medium tomatoes, diced 1 Tbsp. tomato paste 6 cloves garlic, minced 1" knob ginger, minced 2 tsp. ground coriander 1/2 tsp. cayenne (to taste) 2 tsp. salt (to taste) 1 c. boiling water 4 eggs, har...

Sometimes you just want a pile of hot beef, and you don't want to chew. This is the recipe for you. It can be made in the pressure cooker or slow cooked. The onions, carrot, and celery cook down and make a delicious gravy, which you could blend if you want it to be smooth. Fortunately, my cooking is much better than my photography. This is the short ribs served over potato gnocchi, with a side of turnip greens. I kept the onion/meat juice mixture chunky and used it as a sauce for the gnocchi. 3 lbs short ribs 1 large onion, minced 3 stalks celery, minced 2 carrots, grated 3-5 shallots, minced 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 1/3 c. dry sherry or 1 c. dry red wine 1 large bundle fresh thyme, or 1 tbsp. dried 1 pkg French onion soup mix Salt and fresh ground black pepper 1/4 c. cooking oil ~3 c. water Sprinkle the short ribs with salt and black pepper. Heat the oil until very hot and brown the short ribs in a few batches, to avoid overcrowding the pot. Do this in the base of ...

My original tonkatsu recipe has been tested many times, and I've learned a few things. Mainly I have improved the salad dressing. Also I include a more detailed description of how to make the cutlet. Not pictured: mochi ice cream. Ganbatte! Improved Salad Dressing The key to the improved salad dressing is the miso. Hint: even if you are using the pre-packaged instant miso soup, you can repurpose one of the packets for the salad dressing. 2 Tbsp. white miso 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger 1 dash roasted sesame oil 1 Tbsp. roasted sesame seeds Combine all ingredients and toss with lettuce and finely julienned carrots, daikon, and red onion. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds. I like to let it rest while I'm cooking the other things so that the veggies marinate a bit. Grated Daikon This forms the bed for the cutlet. I have found that if you grate the daikon, then squeeze out the water, sprinkle...

If your chive plant is anything like mine, you need to hack it back so it doesn't compete with the rest of the herb garden. Also, it's going to be months before we have an abundance of basil, so here's a yummy spring pesto! 1 large handful of chives 1 medium handful of parsley 1 small handful of oregano, mint, or other fresh herbs 4 cloves garlic 1/4 c. blanched almonds or pine nuts 1/4 c. olive oil 2 tsp. black pepper 2-3 tsp. Kosher salt 1/4 c. grated Pecorino Romano cheese Wash all herbs thoroughly and remove the thickest stems. Use kitchen scissors to cut them into manageable pieces. Lightly toast the nuts in a dry pan. Remove the nuts and then lightly toast the whole garlic cloves to remove some of their pungency. When the nuts are cool, add them to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the herbs a small handful at a time until well chopped. Add the black pepper and salt and pulse. With the food processor running, drizzle in the o...

These cupcakes are completely bonkers. Moist, springy, flavorful, but not overly rich. They are based on my Apple Cupcakes recipe with a vanilla-bean version of Frances Frosting.  The basic principle could be used with any flavor--and I've had it as a sheet cake with orange jello and mandarin oranges, which was fantastic. You can go 100% trailer trash and frost it with Cool-Whip, but I recommend the frosting variation below. You can see the incredibly moist strawberry interior of a completed cupcake in the lower right. 1 recipe Apple Cupcakes (or other white or yellow cake) 1 package strawberry Jell-O 1 c. boiling water 12 strawberry fruit snacks for garnish foil cupcake liners with paper lining pink sprinkles ~2 c. frosting (see below) Place the paper liners in the cupcake pan, saving the foil liners for later. Fill each cup to within 1/4" of the rim. Bake as directed (22 minutes). Allow to cool to about room temperature in the pan. Poke 10-12 holes in each c...

I tried to write this as a comment to Lillian's post on mayonnaise sandwiches or something, but then it was way too long. So here is a good start on what you need to know about making aioli, though there is plenty left un-said. This is a base-line aioli recipe that I have used in restaurants: 1 egg yolk ~1/2 clove garlic 1 cup oil pinch salt squeeze lemon ~1TB water On emulsification : There are a few different kinds of emulsification, achieved via different emulsifiers. The compounds in egg yolks are what we would consider true, or chemical emulsifiers, as they actually bond to fat molecules, keeping them separate from one another in a matrix of water. When the fat in your mixture does all run together, it is "broken," meaning that you have a puddle of liquid with a big oil slick on top; not aioli. As oil exhibits cohesive properties, it does not want to be parted from itself once it has been allowing to join together, so the key, and the purpose of the slow additi...

I never would have expected that one of the best meals I ever made would be a sandwich. Of course, the roast beef could be served as-is or with a sauce, but combined with the aioli (garlic and olive oil mayonnaise) and served on a roll with some roasted red peppers it's outstanding. This is a case when 'slow food' really pays off. The white bits on top are real provolone, which doesn't slice well, but tastes great. Roast Beef 3 lb. rump roast, rolled with butcher's twine ~1.5 quarts of warm water 3 Tbsp. wine 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 c. Kosher salt 1/4 c. brown sugar 2 cloves garlic, smashed 2 bay leaves 5 allspice berries 10 black peppercorns, lightly crushed 1/4 tsp. celery salt Dissolve the salt and sugar in the warm water, wine, and Worcestershire sauce to make 2 gallons of brine. Add the spices. Place the rump roast and brine in a one-gallon ziploc and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 325°. Pat the roast dry and then coat ...

Is this the true alfredo sauce? I have no idea, as I have not been to Italy. (Answer is: No, a true alfredo is just butter and parm. I wanted to make something with reduced cream, though.) This is, however, amazingly decadent and delicious and is made with simple ingredients. It also kicks the pants off of any pre-made alfredo sauce. A meal that could possibly make vegetarianism bearable (hah!). 3/4 lb. fettuccine noodles* 1 pint heavy cream 3/4 stick butter 1/3 c. grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano 1/3 c. grated Pecorino Romano Salt for noodle water Lots of freshly ground black pepper Place the cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer until it reduces by half (about 25 minutes). Whisk in 4-5 tablespoons cold butter, alternating with the cheese. Boil the the noodles in well-salted water until firm al dente (10 minutes). Reserve one cup of the cooking water and drain the noodles. In the pan that you used to cook the noodles, heat the remaining table...

Whenever I buy miso, I wonder if I could do anything with it other than making soup, especially since it often comes in absurdly large packages. Mysteriously, the package of miso I has some tantalizing tips about its use as a marinade, but no recipe. I poked around online, and the recipes range from crazy complex to just lame sounding, so I made my own version. I used it to marinate chicken prior to BBQing, but I think it'd probably be good with pork or even fish if you're into that sort of thing. It was really delicious, and I highly recommend it. The ingredients are given in approximate proportions, but you should mix it to taste before putting it on the meat. This made about enough to marinate an entire cut chicken. Ingredients 2 Tbsp miso (the kind you use will change the flavor of course) 1/3 c. warm water (enough to dissolve the miso) 2 Tbsp cider vinegar 1 tsp honey 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp sesame seeds 1 tsp light soy sauce 1 tsp dark soy sauce I didn't ad...

Call it chicken parmesan, parmigiana, or parm, most of the time this winds up being a soggy, insipid dish. BUT--never fear, dear readers, I have improved it! The trick is to put the chicken (or veal) cutlets on top of the sauce, which keeps the breading from getting soft. I keep the cutlets small so that they have more crispy surface area and I use noodles instead of spaghetti, so it serves like a casserole. Overall, it helps to use high-quality ingredients for maximum flavor--the ones listed below are ideal, but you can use block mozarella, canned sauce, etc... Cutlets 1.5 lb. chicken breasts 1.5 c. flour 3 eggs, beaten 1.5 c. panko crumbs Salt and pepper Oil for frying Sauce 1 large can plum tomatoes 1 large can diced tomatoes 1/4 c. olive oil 2 tbsp. tomato paste 1 medium onion, minced 3 cloves + 2 cloves garlic 1/4 c. red wine 1 Tbsp. oregano 2 tsp. dried basil or a handful of fresh 1 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 2 bay leaves Salt to taste + m...

I don't know if this is a true chimichurri: if you want a discussion of what that means, read here . What it is is a zingy green-ish sauce that's good on meat and fish. It's very intense when you first make it, but it will mellow in the fridge. I used the herbs I had on hand--you can certainly alter these if you like. I actually left out the oil last time, since I wanted to use it as an extra-zingy topping. If you are going to use it as a marinade, add the oil, which will help with heat transfer when you cook with it, and will protect the herbs from scorching. 1/2 c. mild olive oil or grapeseed oil (optional--see note above) 1/2 c. onion 3 garlic cloves 1 c. chopped tomatoes 1 small medium-spicy chili 1 bundle cilantro 1/2 bundle parsley 2 limes, juiced 1/4 c. red or white wine vinegar 1 Tbsp. dried mint, or several branches of fresh 1 Tbsp. thyme 1 Tbsp. marjoram 2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. salt 3 Tbsp. salt or to taste 2 bay leaves G...

Hooray for cheezy comfort food! The key to this recipe is to slice waxy potatoes ethereally thin (no more than 1/8", ideally more like 1/16"). I accomplished this with the slicing side of my grater. I tried using the food processor, but it didn't slice them thin enough. Even if you can't get them that thin, it will still taste good, but the texture won't be as nice. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 7"x11" baking dish.  1 quart very thinly sliced peeled, waxy potatoes (such as red potatoes or Yukon gold) 1 can Cream of Onion Soup 1.5 c. milk 3/4 c. grated Swiss cheese 3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese (mix cheeses together to form 1.5 c) 2 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. flour 1 tsp. ground mustard 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. seasoned salt 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. cayenne Make a roux: heat the butter in a small pan until it starts to shimmer, then add the flour. It will bubble up; stir frequently until it is a slightly browned pa...

Where better to turn for down-home comfort food than a church cookbook? We had these at Christmas and they were delicious in an old-fashioned way. They're basically like meatloaf in ball form, and can be spiced up according to taste. From Elim Centennial 1883-1983 Cookbook, Elk River MN. Makes about 55 1" balls. Great with mashed potatoes and a veggie side. Preheat oven to 375° Meatballs: 2 lb ground beef 1 c. quick cooking oatmeal or breadcrumbs 1/2 c. milk 2 eggs 1 package onion soup mix Roll into balls and bake on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 375°. Sauce: 1 c. catsup 4 Tbsp. butter 4 Tbsp. light molasses 2 Tbsp. vinegar 4 Tbsp. water Simmer the sauce ingredients for 15 minutes. Mix the meatballs into the sauce.

This is a simple-yet-flavorful meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. It helps if you can season the porkchops an hour or more ahead of time, but not required. Here I serve them over couscous, with Couve Mineira on the side. I used boneless pork chops, but you could use bone-in. In fact, this would probably be good with chicken breasts too. Make as many as you would like for dinner and leftovers--this is for 4 chops. Serving Suggestion 1 Serving Suggestion 2 4 pork chops 3 Tbsp. Kosher salt 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 tsp. Aleppo pepper flakes 1 tsp. ground black pepper 2 medium red peppers, diced 3 shallots, minced 1/4 c. white wine 1/4 c. water or chicken broth 1 tsp. sugar salt and pepper to taste olive oil Combine the seasonings and rub it on the pork chops (honestly, I just eyeball the seasonings and sprinkle them on directly). If you have thin chops, score the fat & silverskin layer on the edge at 3/4" intervals so that they don't warp and cook u...

Well, we can't have a red enchilada recipe without a green enchilada recipe! Heck, we even have a half-assed mole enchilada recipe . I took it upon myself to make these from scratch, since it seems like there are always tomatillos for sale around here, and my food processor is working again. You can use canned sauce instead, if you like. Salsa Verde 1.5 lbs (6-7) tomatillos 1 large onion 2-4 chiles verdes 3 cloves garlic 1 lime, juiced 1 small handful cilantro 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. salt, or to taste 1 tsp. sugar, or to taste 1 c. chicken broth, with extra chicken boullion added Remove tomatillo husks and cut onion in half. Place tomatillos, onion, and chiles underneath the broiler (or on the grill) to roast, turning a few times as needed. When they have lots of brown, roasty edges, remove them and let cool. Remove the roasted skin from the chiles. Feed all sauce ingredients into food processor and process until you have a chunky-smooth sauce. You will probably have sauce le...

You know what they say about the importance of food presentation...wait, what is it they say? This zingy green sauce is often served with Afghani food. It's sort of a Central Asian version of pesto, though it does not contain oil. It's easy to make and keeps well. It's great on grilled meat, or anything really. You will need a blender or food processor. 1 large bunch cilantro or 2 smaller bunches 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed 3 garlic cloves 4 walnuts 1 c. white vinegar 1 Tbsp. salt 1-2 Tbsp. sugar, to taste Chop the cliantro, hot pepper, garlic, and wanuts in a food processor, until very fine. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar to taste. Alternately, combine all ingredients in a blender at once and blend until fine. Makes a watery chutney that tastes best after it sits for a couple of hours. Store in a tightly closed container in the fridge--should last for several weeks. You can add some lemon or lime juice, but do not substitute it entirely for the vinegar, which gives an i...

Herd tu feegoore-a oooot hoo I nefer treeed mekeeng thees clesseec Meennesuta deesh beffure-a. It ceme-a oooot greet! Börk, börk, börk! Ahem....what I mean to say is that this is delicious, especially served over mashed potatoes with lingonberries or cranberries and pickles on the side. It's a fair amount of work, but very worth it in the end. Veal mixed with beef will give the best texture--the velvetiness of the veal combined with the heartiness of the beef. If that's not an option, use pork instead. For two people, halve the recipe or freeze some of the meat for later. 1 lb ground veal (or pork) 1 lb ground beef 1 medium onion 2 slices of white bread, crusts removed ~3 Tbsp. milk 2 egg yolks 2 Tbsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. allspice pinch of nutmeg copious butter and oil for frying This goes best with a food processor. Chop the onions until very fine, almost puree. Mix in the meat and egg. Grind the white bread into breadcrumbs and mix it with the mil...

Alternate name: Alex's not-quite-beef-stroganoff. This dish started out as a creative way to use up some leeks that were on sale, and evolved into something more complicated since I wanted to make something fancy. It's very similar in some ways to beef stroganoff, but more subtly flavored and not quite as heavy. Ingredients: 1 pound steak (I used top sirloin which was reasonably priced at about $5/#) 1 leek, cut in half then chopped into thin half circles 2 + 1 shallots (the first two should be larger), diced 5-7 mushrooms, sliced (optional) 2 Tbsp butter 1 1/2 Tbsp flour 1/3 c. heavy cream 1/2-1 c. milk 1/3 c. dry white wine Salt and Pepper. Preparation: 1) One hour before cooking, heavily salt both sides of the steak, then cover in plastic and place in refrigerator. After an hour has passed, wash off the steak. It will look a bit dried out - that's fine. Put as much as a tablespoon of pepper on each side. 2) Heat a heavy skillet to quite hot, then add a small amount of hi...

UPDATE! Here is an improved salad dressing recipe and a detailed description of making the cutlet from scratch. The dressing below is still good, but not quite as good as the miso style! Technically tonkatsu is a breaded pork cutlet, but you can make chicken-katsu or veal-catsu or chickenmcnugget-katsu (as pictured). It's traditionally served as a full meal with rice, shredded cabbage, miso soup, and some pickles. The cutlet is generally sliced so that it can be eaten with chopsticks and dressed with Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce ('sosu'). I forgot to take a picture of rice, so don't forget to include it! For the meal pictured I used salad with ginger vinaigrette instead of the cabbage. Here's how to put together the meal: Make the Sosu: 1/2 c. catsup 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce 1/4 c. rice wine 3 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. ginger, minced 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced Combine all ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Rice : Make some short-grained w...