Satay Daging (Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce)

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Satays, or sates, are popular throughout Malaysia and the 13,000 some islands that comprise the county of Indonesia. They are miniature brochettes or kabobs made of bite-sized pieces of meat and grilled on bamboo skewers over glowing charcoal. Eaten as a snack, appetizer, or part of the meal itself. They can be made of beef, chicken, pork, as well as lamb, depending on local custom and individual tastes. They contain meat only, never vegetables, and are served with a spicy sauce, such as Sambal Kacang, on the side for dipping. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 Thai chiles, stems removed, or substitute serrano chiles

  • 4 green onions, chopped including some of the greens

  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil plus oil for basting

  • 2 tablespoons tamarind juice

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh preferred

  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk

  • 1.5  pounds sirloin beef, cut in 1-inch cubes

  • Sambal Kacang 

Instructions

Place the chiles, onion, ginger, and garlic in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, adding some of the peanut oil, if necessary, to make a paste.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy saucepan, add the spice paste and saute the mixture for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except the beef, and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 15 minutes. If the marinade becomes too thick, thin with hot water. Allow the mixture to cool.

Place the beef cubes in a heavy plastic bag and add the marinade. Marinate the beef overnight in the refrigerator. Remove the beef and thread on skewers.

Preheat a gas gill to high or, if using charcoal, the coals should be glowing. Grill the satays until done, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Brush them constantly with the oil and turn frequently to prevent burning. Cut one cube to check for doneness, they should be slightly charred on the outside and just done on the inside.

To serve, place the satays on a platter, and serve the Sambal Kacang sauce on the side for dipping.

Blue Cheese Dressing

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This is an easy to prepare, and very tasty, alternative to bottled dressings. Increase or decrease the amount of blue cheese to suit your taste.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise

  • ½ cup sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons minced onion

  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

  • 4 ounces crumbled blue chees

Instructions

 

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Use within 10 days.

 

Rice Mole

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This recipe combines pasillas, cascabels, and pickled jalapeños to form a trilogy of chiles. This is certainly one of the more simple mole recipes we’ve come across. It’s also very good.

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken, sectioned

  • Water to cover

  • 2 medium onions, sliced

  • Salt to taste

  • 1½ cups rice, cleaned and soaked

  • 4 pasilla chiles, seeds and stems removed

  • 3 cascabel chiles, seeds and stems removed

  • 4 tablespoons oil

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • 6 black peppercorns

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 4 green tomatoes, chopped

  • Salt to taste

  • ½ to 1 head lettuce, shredded

  • Pickled jalapeños to taste

Instructions

Place the chicken parts in a pan, cover with water, and add the onions and salt to taste. Cook the chicken until it is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the broth, keep it warm, and set the broth aside.

Measure the broth to 3 cups, adding more water if necessary. Cook the rice in the broth until done, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick.

In a separate pan, fry the chiles in a little oil, then add the cumin, peppercorns, garlic, onions, tomatoes and green tomatoes until the chiles become soft. Remove to a blender and puree, then return to the pan. Add the rice and cook for a few minutes.Serve the rice with the chicken and decorate with the lettuce and jalapeños.

Ceviche Mexicana

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This is a basic Mexican version of ceviche that is easily varied with the addition of fruits and vegetables that are in season. I like to add diced avocado, or jicama, or even cucumbers to add not only different flavors but also textures to the ceviche. By adding tomato juice and pulp to the recipe and serving in a large parfait glass, you transform the ceviche into the very popular, seafood cockteles found all over Mexico.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound firm white fish, such as snapper, pompano, flounder, or bass, cut into 3/4 to 1-inch cubes

  • Juice of 8 Mexican limes or Key limes

  • 2 jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped or substitute serrano chiles

  • 1 medium tomato, chopped

  • ½ medium onion, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Garnish: Lime wedges

Instructions

Place the fish and chiles in a nonreactive bowl, add the lime juice and toss to coat the fish. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours, turning occasionally until the fish loses its translucency and turns opaque.
 

Just before serving add the tomato, onion, and half of the cilantro, then gently toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Put the ceviche in tall parfait glasses, garnish with the remaining cilantro, place a lime wedge on the rim of the glass and serve.

 

Piri Piri Sauce

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Cuvée Executive Chef Dean Brunner notes: “It consists of habaneros (and a few other seriously hot donations from local fans), plus jalapeños. We like the burn to have great spirit but also be well balanced.” He suggests marinating the shrimp in the sauce for at least an hour before grilling them.

Ingredients

  • 1 red bell bepper, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 4 jalapeno chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 4 mirasol chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 4 habanero chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 2 rocotillo chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped (or substitute serranos)

  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

  • 1 cup white wine vinegar

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a blender or food processor. Pulse blend until somewhat smooth. Pour into a jar and mix in the oil and salt and pepper. Note that chiles vary with seasonal availability.