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.

Sirloin Steak aux Trois Poivres

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

This intriguing dish violates at least two laws most people have concerning steak: never season it heavily and never fry it in a pan. But since the taste of this steak is so remarkable, we’ll forget the rules. Three varieties of pepper are recommended, but it works just fine with just coarsely crushed black peppercorns. Varying the hot sauce used can produce peppered steaks with intriguingly different flavors. Also, experiment by using brown, red, or rose peppercorns. Wrap the black peppercorns in a cloth and crush them in a mortar with a pestle. Grinding them in a peppermill makes the pepper too fine.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed

  • 1 tablespoon white pepper powder

  • 1 tablespoon green peppercorns, crushed in a bowl with a spoon

  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 4 aged and marbled sirloin steaks, at least 1 inch thick

  • 4 tablespoons butter

  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/4 cup brandy

Instructions

Coat both sides of the steaks with the crushed peppercorns and the white pepper. Press the pepper into the steak with a blunt instrument and leave the steaks out, uncovered, at room temperature, for at least one hour.

Sprinkle the salt in a large skillet and heat until the salt begins to turn brown. Sear the steaks on each side quickly. Add the butter and cook the steaks for one minute on each side. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the hot sauce and cook another 1 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steaks and the doneness desired. Pour the brandy over the steaks, wait 10 seconds, and then set aflame. When the flame goes out, remove the steaks to a serving platter. Reduce the remaining liquid in the skillet and serve it over the steaks. Ideally, the steaks should be served medium rare.

Variation: For a heavier sauce, add 1/4 cup cream after removing the steaks.

Chipotles Adobados (Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce)

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Here’s a pickled chile recipe from Tlaxcala. These sweet-hot pickled chiles can be the basis of a sauce of their own if they’re further puréed

Ingredients

Chipolte chiles, Vinegar, green chile, tomatoes, black peppercorns, ground cumin.

Instructions

Here&rquo;s a pickled chile recipe from Tlaxcala. These sweet-hot pickled chiles can be the basis of a sauce of their own if they&rquo;re further puréed, or they can be served as a condiment with enchiladas and other main dishes. Note that this recipe requires advance preparation.

  • ½ pound dried chipotle chiles, stems removed

  • Water to rehydrate

  • 1 quart vinegar

  • 1 head garlic, peeled and crushed

  • ½ cup piloncillo, or ½ cup packed brown sugar

  • 1 cup roasted and peeled green chile, such as poblano or New Mexican

  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

  • 6 black peppercorns

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • Salt to taste

Soak the chipotles in water until they rehydrate, at least one hour, then drain.

In a saucepan, add ½ of the vinegar, ½ of the garlic and the brown sugar. Cook this mixture for about 20 minutes, then add the chipotles.

In another pan, combine the green chile, tomato, remaining garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, cumin, remaining vinegar, and salt to taste. Cook for about 30 minutes, covered, over a medium heat. Add the chipotle chile mixture, stir well, and store in sterilized jars.

Yield: About 1 ½ quarts

Heat Scale: Hot

Additional Chipotle Information

Steak aux Trois Poivres

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

This intriguing dish violates at least two laws Americans have concerning steak: never season it heavily and never fry it in a pan. But since the taste of this steak is so remarkable, we’ll forget the rules.

Ingredients

Sirloin, black peppercorns, white pepper powder, salt, Worcesteshire sauce, brandy

Instructions

Stuffed Rocoto Chiles

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

‘The heat factor in this dish can be very high, but the other ingredients will temper it somewhat. Serve it with hot slices of fresh corn and rounds of sweet potatoes. ‘

Ingredients

Pork, garlic, peanuts, peas, Jalepenos

Instructions