Cuban Beans and Rice

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This is yet another variation of the classic and popular dish, black beans and rice or “Moors and Christians.” The recipe gets its name from the black of the beans and white of the rice. Not only a great entree, it can also be used as a filling for tacos and for burritos. Red kidney beans can be substituted in the recipe for a slightly different taste.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, cut in wedges and separated
1 small green bell pepper, cut in strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 habanero chiles, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup long-grain raw white rice
1 small tomato, cut into wedges
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and liquid reserved
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and habanero in the oil until the onions are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme and black pepper.
Add the rice to the pan and saute until the rice becomes opaque. Stir in the tomato and beans.
Pour the bean liquid into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 2 cups. Add to the rice and bean mixture, stirring once. Cover the pan and cook on low for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is done.
To serve, remove the bay leaves and ladle onto a platter and serve with warmed flour tortillas.

Seafood Broth (Caldo de Mariscos)

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A Recipe From:

Mexican Modern

New Food From Mexico

 

by Fiona Dunlop 

 

Photographs by Jean-Blaise Hall


Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 jalapeño chilies, seeded, deveined, and sliced, or 2 oz. (55g) canned jalapeños in escabeche (pickled chilies)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 bay leaf

salt, to taste

14 oz (400g) fresh raw shrimp, shelled

10 1/2 oz (300g) fresh raw crayfish

1 lb 5 oz–1 lb 9 oz (600-700g) trout filet, cut into chunks

juice of 1 lime

 

Seafood Broth 

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion, jalapeño chilies, garlic, and tomatoes. Fry over low heat until the onion has softened and the tomato has become a pulp.


Add 1 3/4 pints (1 liter) of water, the cilantro, bay leaf, and some salt. Cover with a lid and slowly bring to a boil. Carefully drop the seafood and trout into the broth and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes or until cooked all the way through.


Before serving, remove the bay leaf and add the lime juice.

Tacos with Shredded Duck and Orange

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A Recipe From

Mexican Modern:
New Food From Mexico

by Fiona Dunlop 

 

Photographs by Jean-Blaise Hall


Ingredients

2 fl oz (50ml) vegetable oil
3 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
5 1/2 oz (150g) pasilla chilies, roughly chopped
2 medium tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp Mexican orégano (or sage mixed with Italian oregano)
3 1/2 fl oz (300ml) fresh orange juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cooked duck, meat shredded
12 soft corn tortillas
2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced, to garnish 

 

Shredded Duck Tacos

 

Instructions

In a frying pan, heat the oil, and sauté the onion, garlic, and chilies until softened. Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook gently for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Transfer to a food processor and blend to a purée.

Pour into a saucepan, stir in the vinegar and orange juice, and warm over low heat. Mix in the shredded duck meat, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Heat the tortillas on a griddle or in the oven (they should stay soft, not crisp). Place a tablespoon or two of the duck mixture along the center of each, and fold in the sides to close. Serve garnished with avocado slices.

Grilled Spring Lamb Chops with Kentucky Rub and Basamic Reduction

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Before advances in livestock husbandry made young lamb available all year long, it was especially popular in the spring, when the lambs were born. Still, spring lamb is particularly tender and non-gamy.  I’m using a rub popular in Kentucky, where they barbecue the lamb. Finally, the balsamic reduction finishes the grilling.

Ingredients

8 spring lamb chops, thickly cut

For the Kentucky Lamb Rub:
2 teaspoons commercial chili powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried onion

For the Balsamic Reduction:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

Start the grill or build a charcoal fire in the grill.

Wash and dry the chops.

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the rub. Spread the rub evenly over the lamb chops on both sides.

In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the balsamic reduction.  Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and remove the garlic and the rosemary.

Grill the chops over a medium fire (150 degrees internal temperature for medium-rare).  When almost done, brush the chops on both sides with the balsamic reduction.  Heat each side of the chops, remove to a platter, and serve.

Big Bob Gibson’s Hickory-Smoked Chicken with White Sauce

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Here it is, Big Bob Gibson’s recipe for his infamous White Barbeque Sauce. This recipe has been published for years on the Internet, but I trust that this one is the real thing. This is the version as published by Mike Mills in the fantastic book, Peace, Love and Barbeque. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, finely ground
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 whole chicken, cut in half
Finely ground kosher salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

To prepare the sauce: Combine all the first six ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Place in an airtight container or bottle and refrigerate until you’re ready to use. Keeps up to 4 days.

To prepare the chicken: Wash the chicken and season it liberally with salt and pepper. Smoke over hot coals and hickory wood at 300 to 350 degrees for 3 to 4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees. Halfway through the smoking process, baste the chicken with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper once more.

After you take the chicken off the pit, immediately place it in the bowl of white sauce, turning the chicken to coat evenly. Place the chicken on a cake rack and allow it to rest for a few minutes prior to serving. Discard any sauce that you’ve used for coating the chicken.