Noodle and Shrimp Salad with Oriental Cucumber Salsa

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This quick and easy basic salad can be changed by using a different salsa to dress the noodles. Try a commercial peanut-based salsa and if your salsa is too thick, thin with a little oil or vinegar.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

•    2 cups cooked vermicelli or Chinese noodles
•    ½ cup cooked shrimp or shredded cooked chicken
•    1 recipe Oriental Cucumber Relish (see recipe below)
•    1/4 cup chopped peanuts
•    Chopped fresh cilantro

For the Relish:

•    3 serrano or Thai green chiles, stems removed, minced
•    1 large cucumber, peeled and finely diced
•    1/4 cup shredded carrots
•    4 green onions, chopped, including the tops
•    2 tablespoons vinegar
•    1 tablespoon peanut oil
•    1 teaspoon soy sauce
•    1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
•    ½ teaspoon sesame oil
•    ½ teaspoon sugar
 

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients for the relish and allow to sit for at least an hour to blend the flavors.

Toss the noodles with the shrimp and cucumber relish. Garnish with the peanuts and cilantro and serve.

 

Louisiana-Type Hot Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This recipe is from The Hot Sauce Bible, by Dave DeWitt and Chuck Evans. They say that the key to success with this sauce is to use fresh rather than dried chiles and that any small fresh hot chile can be used.

Ingredients

  • 15 to 20 large fresh Tabasco chiles, stems and seeds removed, cut in half lengthwise, or substitute fresh piquins or cayennes

  • 2 cloves garlic, cut in half

  • ½ cup distilled white vinegar

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

Place the chiles, cut side down, on a broiler rack. Broil for about 5 minutes or until the skin blisters and blackens. Transfer the peppers to a paper bag and let stand for about 10 minutes. Peel the chiles when cool.

 

Place the chiles and garlic in a blender or food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the vinegar until the mixture is well blended. Add salt to taste. Keep covered and refrigerated until you use it.

Yield: ½ cup

Heat Scale: Hot

 

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This is the recipe that most people will tell you is the way they make wings in Buffalo. It’s easy to alter to suit your tastes.

Ingredients

Chicken Wings, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Blue Cheese Dressing, Vinegar

Instructions

This is the recipe that most people will tell you is the way they make wings in Buffalo. It’s a recipe that’s easy to alter to suit your tastes.

  • 4 pounds chicken wings

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Vegetable oil for frying

  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine

  • 2 to 5 tablespoons of commercial Louisiana-type hot sauce, or recipe below

  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar

Accompaniments:

  • Blue cheese dressing either commercial or recipe below

  • Celery sticks

Wash the chicken wings and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut the tips off each wing and discard. Using a sharp knife, separate the two remaining pieces at the joint. Sprinkle the wing pieces with salt and pepper.

Pour enough oil in a deep-fat fryer or large heavy pot to cover the wings and heat to 375 degrees. When the oil is hot, add half the wings and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the wings are golden brown and crisp, remove them and drain well on paper towels. Add the remaining wings and repeat the process. Put the wings in a large bowl.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the hot sauce and vinegar and stir to combine.

Pour the hot sauce over the wings and toss to coat. Arrange the wings on a platter and serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

Yield: 48 individual wings

Heat Scale: Medium to Hot

Yak Black Bean Chili

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

This recipe is also attributed to Big Daddy. Since yak meat is impossible to find, substitute buffalo or very lean beef.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds yak meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 1 large red onion, chopped

  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped

  • ½ cup vegetable oil

  • 1 quart veal or beef stock

  • 2 cups tomato juice

  • 1 red bell pepper, diced

  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced

  • 1 green bell pepper, diced

  • 1 jalapeño chile, seeds and stem removed, minced

  • ½ poblano chile, seeds and stem removed, diced

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder

  • 3 tablespoons red chile powder

  • 2 tablespoons barbecue rub

  • 3 cups cooked black beans

  • 3/4 cup pureed cooked black beans

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

In a stock pot, brown the meat and onions in the vegetable oil until the onions are soft. Add the stock and tomato juice and cook, covered, over low heat until the meat is almost tender, 3/4 hour to 1 hour. Add the bell peppers, chiles, cumin, chile powders, and rub and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes. You may have to add more stock at this point. Add the black beans and black bean puree, stir well, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Sweet Potato Hash

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

The credit for this recipe goes to Big Daddy, whoever he is. Feel free to spice this up by adding a couple of teaspoons of minced serrano or jalapeño chiles.

Ingredients

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, diced, and steamed

  • Olive oil

  • 1/4 pound bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces and rendered until crisp

  • 1/4 red onion, diced

  • ½ red bell pepper, diced

  • ½ yellow bell pepper, diced

  • 2 ears steamed corn, kernels cut from cob

  • 2 tablespoons minced cilantro

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a skillet, fry the sweet potatoes in the olive oil until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and place in a warm oven until serving time.