Goan Pork Vindaloo

Goan Pork Vindaloo

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Created by Goan chef Francisco Marques, this is La Porte’s take on the classic, hot curry that is called “vindaloo,” a name that is derived from the Portuguese dish Carne de Vinha d’ Alhos, a combination of meat (usually lamb) with wine and garlic. Of course, Indian curry spices have transformed the original recipe. I’ve eaten many, many variations on vindaloo, but this one is my favorite. Serve with any rice dish. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

Spice Paste:
12 dried red Kashmiri chiles, or substitute santakas or mirasol, seeds and stems removed
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 cloves
1 two-inch piece of cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods
1 two-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons malt vinegar

The Vindaloo:
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder, New Mexican preferred
1 pound pork meat, cut into small, bite-sized cubes
1/2 pound bacon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 bay leaves
1 large Spanish or mild onion, finely sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 cocktail onions
Salt to taste

Instructions

In a bowl, combine all the spice paste ingredients and set aside for at least 1 hour. Grind the ingredients in a blender to a fine paste.

Combine the turmeric and the chile powder and rub onto the pork with your fingers. Set aside for 2 hours or preferably overnight.

Heat the bacon and the vegetable oil in a large pan and add the bay leaves and onion. Fry until the onion is a light golden brown. Add the Spice Paste and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring well, then add the pork and the tomato paste and a little water to prevent sticking.

Cook uncovered over medium heat for about 25 minutes. Add the cocktail onions and salt to taste and serve.

Heat Scale: Hot

Mirichi ka Salan

Mirichi ka Salan (Mild Chiles in a Nutty Sauce)

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Chef Sundeep Bhagat from Lucknow, La Porte’s specialist in vegetarian cuisine, created this marvelous recipe for chile lovers that combines the fresh pods with coconuts and other nuts.

Ingredients


For the Nutty Sauce:
2 cups freshly grated coconut meat
1 ounce raw peanuts
1/2 ounce raw cashew nuts
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon tamarind sauce

For the Chiles:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
5 teaspoons Onion Sauce (see recipe above)
1 small fresh tomato, chopped
1/2 teaspoon New Mexico red chile powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup yogurt
8 fresh New Mexican chiles, sliced on the side to remove the seeds, stems left on
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 sprigs fresh curry leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried curry leaves, rehydrated and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

To make the nutty sauce, dry-roast all the ingredients except the tamarind sauce in a frying pan, then add them to a blender with the tamarind sauce and a little water and process to a fine paste.  Set aside.

To make the chiles, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, add the turmeric and onion sauce, and heat gently. Add the tomatoes, chile powder, and salt.

Whisk in the yogurt and mix well. Continue to stir until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the nutty sauce paste and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In another frying pan, heat the remaining oil and lightly sauté the chiles for 2 to 3 minutes, turning several times. Transfer the chiles with tongs to the yogurt mixture and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves to the oil and heat until the mustard seeds pop.

Then transfer this oil to the yogurt mixture and stir everything together. Cook on low heat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Check for salt and add the lemon juice.

Heat Scale: Medium

Yelemecam Sadam

Yelemecam Sadam (Lime Rice)

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This is a popular Southern Indian recipe that is either served as a side dish to curries or on its own with mango pickle or chutney. Note the tradition of adding a thinly sliced chile to the rice. Channa dal is dried yellow chickpeas, available in Asian markets. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients


2 cups Basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 1 hour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 level teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon channa dal
1/2 medium Spanish or mild onion, sliced
2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds remove, very thinly sliced
1 sprig fresh curry leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried curry leaves, rehydrated and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 quart water
Juice of 4 limes
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro, whole cashew nuts, and lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Drain the rice.

Heat the vegetable oil in a casserole on top of the stove and add the mustard seeds and channa dal. As soon as the mustard seeds pop, add the onions, chile slices, and curry leaves. Fry until the onion is soft, and then add the turmeric powder.

Pour in the water, bring to a boil, and add the lime juice and salt to taste. Mix in the drained rice, bring to a boil, lower the heat a little, and boil gently until the water evaporates to the level of the rice, about 5 minutes.

Cover the casserole with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the rice garnished with the cilantro, cashew nuts, and lime wedges.

Heat Scale: Mild

Standing Stuffed Pork Roast

Diva Q Standing Stuffed Pork Roast

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Danielle Dimovski, known in barbeque circles as Diva Q, is a bright star of ‘Que from the frozen white north.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound andouille sausage, finely diced
1/2 medium red onion, minced
1 leek, the white and the tender greens only, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
2 cups crumbled corn bread
1 tablespoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Cajun-style rub
1 (6- to 8-bone) pork rib roast
1/2 cup honey mustard sauce

Instructions

Preheat the grill to 275 degrees F. Diva Q recommends pellets—your choice of hickory, oak, pecan, apple, or cherry.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sausage, onion, leek, and red pepper and sauté until the onion and leek are soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the corn bread, sage, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic, and half the Cajun rub and mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool completely.

Ask your butcher to open the pork roast out so you can use a meat mallet to flatten it into a rectangle. Season the pork on both sides with the remaining Cajun rub. Spread the sausage filling out onto the pork, covering the entire rectangle. Roll the pork together tightly toward the bones and secure using butcher’s twine or silicone loops.

Grill for about 2 ½ hours, or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer. During the last few minutes of cooking, glaze with the honey mustard sauce. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Herbed Chicken

Herbed Chicken

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Buddy Foster: This recipe is Buddy’s own creation, and he says it came about over 40 years of cooking. The herb mixture gives the chicken a very zesty, fresh flavor, and this is an especially tasty roasted chicken recipe for the spring and summer months, when fresh herbs are plentiful. You can use a whole chicken or pieces. Remember that pieces will cook faster than a whole, so adjust your times accordingly. Buddy’s friend Alan augmented this recipe by throwing one jalapeño into the blender while he was making the sauce, and he cooked the chicken “beer-can” style. Buddy suggests cooking extra; the leftovers are great!

Ingredients

1 handful fresh mint
1 handful fresh basil
1 handful fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 (3 1/2- to 4 1/2-pound) whole chicken

Instructions

Set up your grill to smoke at 230 degrees F to 250 degrees F. Place all the ingredients except the chicken in a blender and blend until smooth. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat it dry with paper towels. Paint the paste onto the chicken with a pastry brush. Smoke for about 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the herb mixture. Cook until the internal temperature registers at least 165 degrees F.