Kangaroo Kabobs

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

Cook these meat kabobs separately from vegetables; vegetables should be cooked for a longer time at a lower heat. You can use some of the orange chile marinade for the vegetables as well; divide it before you pour marinade over the meat. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds kangaroo loin, cubed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon red chile flakes

Instructions

Put the cubed meat in a large resealable plastic container or zippered storage bag. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the meat. Add the other ingredients and shake vigorously until the mixture is combined and the meat is coated. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high.

Thread the meat cubes onto long metal skewers. Grill over high heat, turning at least once, until the meat is cooked no more than medium rare. Remove the meat from the grill and allow it to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

If you want to use the marinade as a sauce, pour the remaining liquid into a blender and puree completely. Then heat the sauce to a boil in a saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes and pour over the kabobs.

Short Ribs With Baby Bellas And Port Wine

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

I like to use my smoker like an oven—this recipe is a perfect example of such a use.

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 pounds beef short ribs
  • Dr. BBQ’s Five Spice Salt
  • 1 pound baby portobellos mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3/4 cup beef broth
  • 3/4 cup port wine

Instructions

Prepare the cooker for indirect cooking at 250°F, using cherry wood for flavor.

Season the ribs liberally with the Five Spice Salt and put them in the cooker. Cook until they are nicely browned, about 2 hours.

Put the ribs in an aluminum foil pan. Spread the baby bellas and the garlic on the ribs evenly. Pour the wine and beef broth over the top. Cover with foil and return to the cooker. Raise the temp to 350°F and cook until the ribs are tender. This should take about another 2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure the liquid hasn’t dried up and add some more broth and wine as needed.

Remove the ribs to a platter, spoon the bellas into a bowl and add as much of the liquid as you desire.

Homemade Noodles

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

I thought that these noodles would go well with the short ribs. If you are making them a day ahead of time, store them in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups semolina flour (available in gourmet shops and health food stores)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Place the flour on a mixing board. Make a well in the middle and place the eggs and olive oil in it. Mix with your hands and then knead for 10 minutes. Cover the dough, and let it sit for 1/2 hour.

Using a rolling pin (or a pasta machine), roll the dough very thin (1/32 inch or less). Cut into 1 1/2 inch wide strips.

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water for 1 to 2 minutes—no more. Drain, place on a kitchen towel, and cover with plastic wrap until you are ready to use them in your recipe or serve them.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Tired of pumpkin pie? Then try this fancy (for me) pumpkin cheesecake. Sip a little of that leftover whiskey to help you digest this dessert.

Ingredients

For the Crumb Crust:

  • 1 cup graham cracker crumb
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

For the Pumpkin Filling:

  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 (16 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs

For the Sour-Cream Topping:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In 9-inch-by 3-inch springform pan, use a fork to stir together the graham-cracker crumbs, melted margarine or butter and sugar until moistened. With your hand, press the mixture onto bottom of the pan. Tightly wrap the outside of pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leakage when baking in the water bath later.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, using a mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth; slowly beat in the sugar until blended, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl often with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer at low speed, beat in the pumpkin, sour cream, bourbon or vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pre-baked crust and place it in large roasting pan. Place the pan on the oven rack. Carefully pour enough boiling water into pan to come 1 inch up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the center barely jiggles.

Meanwhile, prepare the Sour-Cream Topping. In a small bowl, with a wire whisk, beat the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until blended.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, leaving the water bath in oven, and spread the sour-cream mixture evenly over the top of the cake. Return the cake to the water bath and bake 5 minutes longer.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath to a wire rack and discard the foil. With a small knife, loosen the cheesecake from the side of the pan to help prevent cracking during cooling. Cool the cheesecake completely. Cover and refrigerate the cheesecake at least 6 hours or overnight, until well chilled. Remove the side of pan to serve.

Belligerent Butter Scotch

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

This candy recipe makes good use of the syrup created as a byproduct when making candied chiles. Depending on the chiles used, the syrup can get pretty hot. Typically it has a consistency somewhere between corn syrup and molasses and looks clear, lightly tinted.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chile syrup

  • 1/2 cup butter (125 grams)

  • 2 oz. (60 grams) pecans, walnuts or almonds, chopped

    • Instructions

    Butter a baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper. Cover an area as large as a letter size page with the chopped nuts and set aside.

    In a microwaveable cup, cautiously warm butter so it just melts to a liquid stage.

    Put syrup in a one quart saucepan. Place over high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes to a boil. Continue stirring until the syrup begins to thicken and turns a little darker. Insert a candy thermometer if available.

    Slowly pour the butter into the saucepan, keep stirring. 

    Attention: This stuff is getting very hot, and if working on a ceramic stovetop, be sure not to splash any of the sugar.

    Keep at a bubbly boil and keep on stirring—ignore phone calls and the door bell, this stuff burns easily!

    Remove from heat when the candy thermometer indicates what candymakers call soft-crack stage, about 270°F, or if the mixture changes its color to light brown, whatever comes first (any longer, and the mix will burn).

    Pour over the chopped nuts and let cool for a couple of hours (optionally, spread chopped nuts also on top, after about 15 minutes).
    Crack into 1/2″ pieces, store in airtight container and enjoy!

    At lower temperatures, the candies would stay chewy. But as I don’t want to pull my crowns, I prefer mine crunchy…Of course there are plenty of toffee and caramel recipes around – just experiment, using your spicy chile syrup instead of corn syrup and sugar.