Recipe: Miso Glazed Black Cod over Soba Noodles

I've honestly had so many different versions of this dish because it is one of my favorites in Japanese cooking. I've made some modifications to make it easier for we American cooks to recreate the dish. I also add a spicy note to mine that is not typical in most Japanese versions. Also, the citrus is not common either - but I think it just adds excellent flavor to what is a relatively oily and fatty fish. "Black Cod" is the American name for the sablefish and it is very common and accessible here on the West Coast. On the East Coast, sea bass is likely more accessible and can be used. However, regular varieties of "cod" should not be used here - they won't be able to stand up to the marinating and glaze process. Some recipes go from marinade right to cooking - others from glaze to cooking. Personally, I find the combined process produces the most intense flavor and goes best with the heartier soba noodles.

Miso Glazed Black Cod over Soba Noodles

Ingredients

Marinade

2 cups of water

1 cup of dashi stock

3/4 cup of soy sauce

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/3 cup fish sauce

8 small thai chiles, minced

Glaze

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

3/4 cup red miso paste

2/3 cup sake

2/3 cup mirin

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon of orange zest

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon corn starch

Main

2 lbs. of sablefish (black cod) filets

16 oz. of cooked soba noodles

2 cups of chopped bok choy, steamed

2 cups dashi stock

2 tbsp. black sesame seeds

2 teaspoons togarashi powder 

Directions

Whisk marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Place fish filets into the marinade, cover, and marinade at least 8 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk all ingredients of the glaze together in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking until the glaze mixture reduces to about 1 1/2 cups and easily coats the back of a spoon, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove fish from marinade onto paper towels and pat dry thoroughly. Heat an oiled outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan to medium high heat. Coat filets thoroughly in the reserved glaze. Place on the grill for 2 - 3 minutes on each side to sear. Transfer to a casserole dish and baste each piece in the remainder of the glaze. Bake an additional 10 - 12 minutes until fish is cooked through, turning over halfway through cooking time.

Place equal amounts of soba noodles, bok choy, dashi stock, sesame seeds, and togarashi powder into large bowls and toss to mix. Place a fish filet on top of each bowl. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Brunswick Stew

I admittedly only make this recipe a few times a year because it requires the aforementioned pulled pork to make it work - something that I don't take the opportunity to make very often. Technically, you could do this recipe with an equivalent amount of pulled chicken - about the amount of chicken you'd get from 2 BBQ'ed or rotisserie whole birds. Very often in the south such substitutions are made when someone gets a hankerin' for this recipe yet doesn't have the necessary pulled pork on hand - it's just how we roll in true southern cooking :) The recipe has its origins with one of the deacons and close family friends at the Baptist church I grew up attending in the small town of Lizella, Georgia. I've taken the roots of the recipe my mother could remember and combined those up with modifications I've made over the years (mostly due to ingredients on hand being very different in California) to land on this particular recipe. I've got a few more vegetables in mine because, well, I like the vegetables. However, feel free to make whatever substitutions or additions you'd like in that department - in general, I end up putting whatever I have on hand in the freezer or canned in the pantry in it.

Brunswick Stew

Ingredients

Main

All pork from oven-roasted pulled pork recipe

1 16 oz. can or frozen package of butter beans

1 16 oz. can or frozen package of sweet corn kernels

1 16 oz. can or frozen package of sweet peas

1 16 oz. can or frozen package of cut green beans

1 16 oz. frozen package of chopped collard, mustard, or other bitter greens

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

Stew Broth

5 cups water

4 cups low salt chicken broth

1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, diced (about 2 cups)

1 stalk of celery, stems removed, diced (about 2 cups)

2 large carrots, diced (about 2 cups)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 cups ketchup

1 cup Djion mustard

1/2 c. dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or similar)

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

5 tbsp. minced garlic (approx. 15 cloves)

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. liquid smoke

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1/2 tbsp ground white pepper

2 tsp cracked red pepper

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

2/3 cup brown sugar

Directions

Put all of the ingredients for the stew broth together in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes to allow flavors to combine, stirring occasionally. 

Add pulled pork. Bring back to a simmer and simmer an additional 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, add all remaining frozen/canned vegetables. Bring back to a low simmer and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Because of the number and amount of ingredients, the final consistency should be that of a thick, hearty stew. If not thick enough to your liking, use a corn starch slurry (2 tsp corn starch whisked into 2 tbsp of water) to thicken up, adding additional slurry every 5 minutes or so to get to desired consistency. I do not recommend using a roux as a thickener for this stew given the amount of retained fat from the pulled pork. 

Makes enough servings to feed a small army :).

Prep Class & Recipe: Oven-roasted Pulled Pork

You honestly cannot make Brunswick Stew without a good pulled pork - it's at the core of the recipe. However, versions have been made that use pulled chicken or slow cooked shredded beef brisket - feel free to substitute those if pork is just not your thing. Because of the weather here in San Francisco, I don't get to fire up the grill with my smoker unit as often as I'd like, so I've come up with a version of pulled pork that can be done more easily in the oven. Unfortunately, the process is still a 2 day affair, but the advantage of the oven version is that almost all of that time is unattended. This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days before being used to make my stew recipe.

Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork

Ingredients

7 - 9 lb. boneless pork butt (butchers often call it "Boston Butt")

Brine

1 gallon of water

1 cup of soy sauce

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of Kosher salt

1/4 cup of hot sauce

Rub

2 tsp of liquid smoke

1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Kosher salt

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tbsp ground white pepper

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp ground mustard

2 tbsp brown sugar

Directions

Whisk together the brine ingredients until sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Using a fork, poke many deep holes all over the meat. Place the meat into the brine and cover. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Remove meat from the brine and pat as dry as possible with paper towels. Rub liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce into the meat until it is well absorbed. Mix all dry spices together thoroughly. Coat the meat completely with all of the spices ensuring all adhere to the meat. Place the meat into a deep roasting pan and place into the oven. You will need to cook approximately 1 hour per pound of meat. Every two hours, use a spoon to take the juices that have collected in the pan and pour them over the meat. Cook the meat until it reaches an internal temperature of approximately 185 degrees. Remove from oven at that point, cover with foil, and rest for an hour.

Once rested, use two forks to pull meat apart into shreds in the roasting pan, allowing the meat to soak up the juices in the pan. You can serve immediately with your favorite BBQ sauce. Or, save it for my Brunswick Stew recipe coming soon.

Recipe: Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

This is one of my favorite salads. I've both had and made many different variations on this and this is the one I've landed on as my favorite version to make. As with many recipes, I have to go by memory from restaurant versions and then spend a little effort to eventually perfect my own version.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

Ingredients

Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts - butterflied and pounded to 1/3" thick, cut into 4 filets

3 cups of water

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup sriracha

3 tbsp sugar

Salad

1 pound of shredded red and green cabbage

1 cup of carrots, julienned

1 large cucumber, thin sliced

6 Thai chiles, chopped

1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 large handful of fresh mint, chopped

1 large handful of fresh basil, chopped

1 large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bunch of scallions, chopped
3 slices of thick slab bacon, diced
2/3 cup of minced shallot

1/2 cup crushed peanuts

Dressing

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp minced ginger

2 Thai chiles, minced

2/3 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup water

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp rice vinegar

Directions

Whisk together the water, soy sauce, fish sauce, sriracha, and sugar for the chicken in a medium bowl. Place chicken in the marinate, cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours up to 6 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and pat as dry as possible with paper towels. Heat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat and oil the grates well. Cook chicken for about 4 - 5 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Place chicken on a plate and cover for 5 minutes. Remove cover and allow chicken to cool for an additional 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife and fork, shred the chicken into thin strips.

Cook diced bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until browned. Remove pieces and allow to drain on paper towels. Leave bacon drippings in the skillet and add minced shallot and cook until medium brown and the shallot starts to become crispy. Remove shallot and place on paper towels to drain.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients thoroughly until sugar is fully incorporated. Mix together all salad components including drained and cooled bacon and fried shallots. Pour dressing over salad and toss together liberally. Add chicken and toss again to incorporate. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: The Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich

I grew up with Chick-Fil-A. As a Georgia boy born and bred, they were everywhere growing up and admittedly I often get major cravings for their chicken sandwiches. Their controversial politics aside (which is why I can't in good conscience eat at their restaurants for now), I can't deny how good their food actually is. So, I decided to try and recreate it - and I admittedly achieved a recipe that I think might be a bit better than the original. But, you're welcome to be your own judge.

Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

4 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half longways
Juice from one large container of dill pickles
1 quart chicken broth
2 tbsp Sriracha or Tabasco
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp whole cloves
1/4 cup + 2 tsp sugar
1/8 cup kosher salt
2 cups self-rising flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. celery salt
Peanut or other high smoke point oil for frying
8 potato buns
Cooking spray
Dill pickle slices (optional)

Directions

Mix chicken broth, pickle juice, Sriracha, peppercorns, cloves, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/8 cup of kosher salt into a large sealable container. Poke chicken breasts liberally with a fork on all sides to create small holes to absorb brine. Add chicken breasts, making sure they are fully submerged, and seal. Brine at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.

Preheat oil to 350 degrees in a deep dutch oven or large pot. Mix together black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, ground cumin, ground mustard, and celery salt. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Mix 2 tsp of sugar into the flour in another bowl. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of the spice mixture to the flour and mix in well. Add 4 tablespoons of the egg/milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix through with fork until the batter is coarse all around. Take chicken breasts out of the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with the remaining spice mixture, pressing the mixture into the chicken to coat well. Working one piece at a time, coat in the milk/egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then the flour/spice mixture. Shake off excess flour then submerge slowly into the hot oil, turning frequently. When dark brown, remove from oil and place on a rack to drain off excess oil. Spray the potato buns lightly with cooking spray or brush with melted butter and place on a griddle on medium heat to toast. Place 2 dill pickle slices on the toasted bun and then a piece of cooked chicken. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Turkey Pastrami and Root Vegetable Hash

I had a bunch of root vegetables in my fridge that just needed a good recipe to go with them.  I'm fond of "hashes" like corned beef hash & bubble and squeak and thought I'd give this a go.  I used turkey pastrami instead of corned beef or beef pastrami as I wanted a dish full of flavor, but not so full on the waistline.  The process is easy, it just takes some time to cook...

Ingredients:

3 large new or white potatoes, diced

5 large rutabagas, peeled and diced

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

4 large beets, peeled and diced

2 parsnips, peeled and diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large Vidalia onion, chopped

2 red jalapenos, finely chopped

1 1/3 lbs turkey pastrami, diced

2 tbsp Herbs de Provence

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp sea salt

3 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place all of the peeled root vegetables into a large casserole dish. Add the Herbs de Provence, minced garlic, cumin, brown sugar, sea salt, and all but 1/2 tbsp of the olive oil. Mix thoroughly with a large spoon. Place into the oven, covered, for 35 mins then remove the cover for 10 additional minutes to allow the vegetables to start browning.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the jalapenos, onion, and turkey pastrami. Cover, and cook until the onions start to become translucent. Remove cover and continue cooking until most of the remaining liquid has cooked out. Add the whole mixture to the large casserole with the root vegetables in the oven and mix thoroughly. Re-cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serve immediately (preferably with a poached or soft-fried egg on top :)).

Makes 10 servings.

Recipe: Sirloin Burgers

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb. ground sirloin (93% lean/7% fat)
1 1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 onion, finely diced (or pureed)
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint
3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil

Directions:

Mix all ingredients into a bowl with hands until ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Make 4 equally sized patties from the mixture.  Heat your griddle, grill, or cast iron pan to medium-high heat.  Place patties on the heat and cook up to 4 - 5 minutes on each side to desired doneness (5 mins will cook to medium well).  Serve on whole wheat buns with sharp cheddar, two slices of bacon, lettuce, and tomato.  I do not recommend any other condiments are the burgers will be very strongly flavored.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Pad Kee Mao

Ingredients:

2/3 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
2/3 lb. boneless/skinless chicken thigh, thinly sliced
1 leek, finely chopped
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
1 large habanero, finely chopped
3 tbsp. minced garlic
3/4 cup loosely packed holy basil (Thai basil is OK if you can't find holy basil)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. white wine
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 package (500 g/18 oz) of wide rice noodles, cooked
2 tbsp. canola oil

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions, chilling immediately with cold water after cooking.  Heat canola oil in the wok over high heat.  Add leek, scallion, habanero, and garlic.  Cover, cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.  Add chicken, mix vigorously.  Re-cover for about 3 minutes.  Remove cover and continue cooking until chicken is about 2/3 cooked.  Add bell pepper and holy basil.  Cover and cook for about 3 minutes more until the bell pepper is tender and the holy basil wilts.  Once chicken is fully cooked, push all ingredients to one side in the wok.  Add the beaten eggs to the other side.  Once the egg is close to set, vigorously mix all of the ingredients together.  Whisk lime juice, oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soy, and white wine together.  Add to the wok and mix vigorously.  Add the cooked noodles and cilantro and turn off heat.  Mix all ingredients together completely, coating noodles completely in the mixture.  Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Seafood Enchiladas

Made this last night for a Cinco de Mayo party and it was a HUGE hit!!!

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lbs. lump dungeness crab meat (I got a 3 lb. live crab and had it cracked and cleaned)
3/4 lbs. shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped
3/4 lbs. sea scallops, coarsely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk of green garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp. cracked red pepper flakes
3 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
2 cups good quality red enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups good quality salsa verde
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
12 corn tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Heat the butter and oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the green garlic, onions, and spices, saute until the onions start to become soft.  Add the mushrooms to the mixture and cook until the mushrooms start to soften.  Add all of the seafood and cook until the shrimp just starts to turn pink.  Add the spinach in a final step and cook until the spinach is wilted.  Remove the mixture from heat.

Prepare a large casserole dish by spraying with cooking spray.  Soften the corn tortillas in the microwave by placing them in on high for 40 seconds.  Put about 3/4 ladle full of the seafood stuffing into each tortilla, roll, and place into the casserole dish.  Pack the rolled tortillas in as tightly as you can.  Pour the enchilada sauce and salsa verde evenly over all of the tortillas.  Top with the shredded cheese in an even layer.  Place into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until all the cheese is melted and starts to brown.  Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Chinese Greens

I made this as a side dish on Tuesday night and it was a big hit with the roomie and my date.  It's very simple and cooks really fast.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of collard, mustard, or other bitter greens (I used collard) - chopped, about 4 cups
1 1/2 cups of maitake or other fancy wild mushrooms, loosely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 red jalapenos, finely chopped
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tbsp. of canola oil
1/2 cup dry sherry

Directions:

Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, leeks, and jalapenos, sauteing until the leeks start to become translucent, about 10 minutes.  Deglaze the wok with the dry sherry and add the mushrooms, cooking until the mushrooms soften, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Add the collard greens and cover the wok to allow the greens to wilt, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Remove the cover and continue cooking until all the greens are fully wilted, but only just past the wilting point (you want the greens to still be a little crunchy).  Add the oyster sauce and saute for another 1 - 2 minutes, stirring everything together frequently.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4 side dish portions.

Recipe: Spicy and Quick Pho Lon (Pork Pho)

Making traditional pho broth can take days... so I cheat mightily to get this recipe down to a more manageable time frame AND add more veggies than would be traditional because, well, it's healthier.  Oh, and I pull the Japanese trick of adding a whisked egg to the soup at the end to add some richness :)

Ingredients:
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 cups water
1 cup dry sherry
1 package bonito flake, approx. 4 oz. (available in bulk in Asian markets)
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. chili/garlic paste
1 tbsp. minced ginger
2 tsp. ground corinader
2 star anise cloves
2 tsp. ground white pepper
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. sea salt
1 1/2 lbs. of pork butt, VERY thinly sliced (have your butcher do it)
1 1/2 cups of chopped spring onion or leeks
2 cups of fresh carrots, thinly sliced
1 whole Napa cabbage, cored and shredded
2 cups of chopped rapini (i.e. broccoli rabe)
1 cup chopped shitake mushrooms
1 cup chopped Tokyo turnips or other soft turnip
1 large package (20 - 24oz.) of thin rice noodles (Vietnamese vermicelli)
10 large eggs

Directions:
Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions, shocking with water at the end to chill.

In a large stock pot, combine chicken broth, water, sherry, and all spices and condiments.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes to allow the flavors to fully combine.  Remove the star anise cloves with a slotted spoon before continuing.

Add the pork butt and onion.  Simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Add the carrots, mushrooms, and turnips.  Raise heat to return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Add the cabbage and rapini, return to boil, then reduce heat to simmer again covered for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Place approx. 1 cup of cooked noodles into the bottom of a bowl.  Ladle in 1 1/2 cups of the soup mixture.  Crack an egg into a separate small bowl and whisk with chopsticks then pour into the hot soup bowl.  Mix the egg into the soup with chopsticks thoroughly before eating (this will cook the egg).

Makes approx. 10 servings.

Recipe: Southwestern Pork and Cabbage

I had a red cabbage that I needed to use, but wanted something a little lighter than the typical German or Eastern European variations I normally do.  So, I decided to apply some southwest flavor and came up with something that was just really, really darn tasty.

Ingredients:


1/2 head of a large red cabbage, shredded
1 1/4 lbs. boneless pork loin chops, pounded thin and sliced thin
6 tomatillos, peeled, blanched in hot water for 3 - 4 minutes to soften
1/2 large white onion, diced loosely
2 red jalapenos, chopped fine
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped fine
3 tbsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1 tbsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 tbsp. dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. canola oil

Directions:


Heat the canola oil in a large, deep pan over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and chopped jalapeno.  Saute until fragrant.  Add the sliced pork.  Cook until the pork is almost done, about 8 minutes.  Add the vinegar, white wine, dry spices, salt, and 1/2 of the chicken broth (1/4 cup).  Cover, reduce heat to medium.  Simmer the pork for approximately 15 minutes to tenderize.  Add the cabbage and remaining chicken broth.  Recover.  Cook until the cabbage is completely tender, about 20 - 25 more minutes, stirring infrequently.  Stir in the cilantro and remove from heat.

In a food processor, puree the blanched tomatillos and onion together.  Serve as a side sauce with the pork/cabbage.  Warm some small flour or corn tortillas and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Shrimp and Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 bunch of spinach, loosely chopped

3 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. white pepper

2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup dark soy sauce

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 head of magenta or other leafy lettuce, washed and left as whole leaves

2 tbsp. canola or other neutral oil

Directions:

In a large wok or stir fry pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper. Cover and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until the peppers are soft. Add the ground chicken. Add the dry spices, lemon zest, and sugar. Cook for approx. 7 - 8 minutes, stirring frequently until chicken is fully cooked. Add the shrimp and cook for approximately 1 - 2 minutes until shrimp are pink. Add the soy sauce and sherry and combine. Add the spinach, recover and cook for 4 - 5 minutes until the spinach wilts. Uncover, stir well, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for an additional 10 minutes to reduce. Serve with the lettuce leaves.

Makes 4 - 5 dinner servings or 8 - 10 appetizer servings.

Recipe: Indian Roasted Chicken with Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Salad

I have been watching way too much Food Network and Cooking Channel lately and have been getting inspired yet again. The roast chicken was inspired by some of the newer shows that feature American cuisine influenced by flavors of India. The salad is just a very simple dish I actually make quite often. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Roast Chicken

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 3/4 lbs.)

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 whole red chile, minced

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Salad

2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into large cubes

1 cucumber, cut into large cubes

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

6 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. Herbs de Provence

Small sprinkle of sea salt

Directions:

Leave the butter out in a dish at room temperature until it is fully pliable so you can work with it. Go ahead and make the dressing for the salad to allow the dried herbs to infuse. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Herbs de Provence, and sea salt in a sealable small bowl. Seal up, shake vigorously until fully combined, then place in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Once the butter is pliable, add the minced garlic, butter, all of the dried spices, and the salt and pepper to the bowl and use a large fork to mash and mix the ingredients into the butter. Coat a 9 x 13 porcelain baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts skin-up into the dish. Coat every breast equally with the spiced butter, using your fingers and the fork to get the butter underneath the skin to coat the flesh completely. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and place into the oven. Cook for 90 minutes. Take off the foil, coat the top of the chicken generously with the juices that have fallen off into the dish, and place back into the oven. Raise the temperature to 375 and cook for an additional 20 - 25 minutes to crisp the skin. Remove from the oven.

Chop the tomatoes and cucumber into cubes and mix together evenly. Serve the chopped vegetables directly onto your plates. Shake up the dressing you made earlier one more time before drizzling over the vegetables generously. Serve the chicken on the side. Bon appetit! :)

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Shrimp Creole

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of peeled and deveined shrimp

3 bell peppers, preferably red or yellow, diced

3 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried tarragon

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 habanero peppers, finely diced

1 1/2 cups of yellow onion, diced

3 cups of diced tomatoes (1 large can), drained

1/4 cup of butter (approx. 1/2 stick)

1/4 cup of canola oil

4 tbsp. rice flour

1/2 cup of water

2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, habaneros, and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent - approximately 10 minutes. In a deep pan, heat the butter and canola oil over medium heat until the butter is fully melted and the mixture is hot. Add the flour to the oil mixture slowly, stirring to make a thick roux. Heat the roux until it turns a light brown color, stirring frequently. Stir in the water, dry spices, shrimp, tomatoes and the sauteed onion/pepper mixture. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 10 - 15 minutes until the shrimp are pink. Final consistency should be similar to a gravy. If not thick enough for you, mix 2 tsp. of cornstarch into 1 tbsp. of warm water and stir into the plan to thicken. Serve over rice.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Easy Pepper Gravy

Serve over grits and/or biscuits on a Sunday morning, be in a food coma by lunch... guaranteed!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of unsalted butter

1/4 cup of canola oil

3/4 cup rice flour

2 teaspoons sea salt

2/3 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped

2/3 teaspoon ground black pepper

2/3 teaspoon cracked red pepper

2/3 teaspoon ground white pepper

2/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups milk

Directions:

Melt the butter into the canola oil over medium heat. Once the butter is melted into the oil, whisk in all of the rice flour to make a roux. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the roux starts to turn a light brown. Whisk in the milk one cup at a time, blending thoroughly. Add all of the salt and spices and whisk in thoroughly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue heating, whisking occasionally, until the mixture becomes a thick, creamy crazy. Whisk in the fresh chives. Remove from heat and ladle over biscuits, grits, chicken, steak... whatever makes you comfortable.

Makes 8 - 10 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb. of okra, stems cut off

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

2 cups of shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 inch chunks

4 medium tomatoes, chunked into 1 inch cubes

10 garlic cloves, cut into 1/8 inch slivers

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

6 tbsp. of Thai red curry paste (4 - 5 tbsp. if heat is a problem for you :))

3 tbsp. of fish sauce (to make this truly vegetarian, substitute 2 1/2 tbsp. of rice vinegar mixed with 1/2 tbsp. of sea salt for the fish sauce)

2 tbsp. minced lemongrass

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1 1/2 cups of coconut milk

1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

In a large wok or stir-fry pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, scallions, ginger, and lemongrass and saute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, okra, and carrots and saute until the mushrooms begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, vegetable broth, fish sauce, and curry paste. Stir to combine all ingredients. Turn the heat to high and heat until the mixture is boiling vigorously. Then reduce heat to a steady simmer, cover, and cook for 40 - 45 minutes. Remove the lid and check the consistency of the curry. It should be of medium thickness, akin to a gravy. If the curry is really thin, whisk 1 tbsp. of corn starch with 2 tsp. of warm water and add to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh cilantro as a final step. Serve immediately over jasmine rice.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Beef Stroganoff

This ended up a total winner... so very tasty... and comforting :)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean beef tenderloin, cut into small cubes

2 tbsp. peanut oil

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 1/2 tbsp. sea salt

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

3 habanero peppers

3 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 large sweet onion (Vidalia or equivalent)

4 cups crimini mushrooms

1 cup beef broth

1/3 cup bourbon

2 cups of sour cream

1 1/2 lb. egg noodles

Directions:

Heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Add the beef and sear lightly on all sides. Remove beef from the oil and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and melt. Finely chop the onion, mushrooms, and habanero peppers. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, cover, sweating them for about 5 - 6 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the mushrooms, habaneros, salt, Dijon mustard, beef broth, and bourbon and stir to combine. Turn heat to high and bring to boil, boiling on high for about 2 - 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add the beef back to the pan (including any juices), cover, and simmer for about 45 - 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Remove cover from beef mixture and turn heat to high until the pan returns to a boil, boiling vigorously for about 10 minutes to reduce the mixture to a very thick consistency (mix 1 tbsp. of corn starch with warm water and stir in to thicken more quickly if not the right consistency within 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream as a final step. Serve over the egg noodles.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Recipe: Nawlins Cali Po' Boy

This recipe is inspired by my recent trip back to New Orleans, one of my favorite cities. I am a big fan of po' boy sandwiches, especially the ones with fried seafood. However, I honestly cannot resist putting a Cali twist on a Nawlins classic...

Ingredients:

Crab salad:

1 tbsp. crushed garlic

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 cups of fresh lump dungeness crab meat

Sandwich:

1 two foot long sourdough French baguette (if you find somewhere that makes New Orleans style French baguettes, feel free to get one of those!)

2 lbs. of peeled, deveined, and de-tailed small shrimp (if you can get Gulf Coast "popcorn" shrimp, they are the best)

1 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of corn meal

2 tbsp. of sea salt

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

3 cups of canola oil (for frying)

1/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3 tbsp. of finely chopped chives

2 large heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 1/2 cups of fresh arugula

Directions:

Crab salad:

Combine everything but the crab meat into a small bowl. Using a whisk, whip all of the ingredients together until a creamy emulsion forms - an aioli. In a larger bowl, place the lump crab meat and use your fingers to well separate the strands and parts. Add the aioli to the bowl and mix together thoroughly using a wooden spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator.

Sandwich:

Combine the flour, corn meal, and all of the dry spices well together in a large bowl. Heat the canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the shrimp into the flour and spice mixture first to coat, then into the egg wash, then back into the flour and spice mixture before placing into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 5 - 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels or a large paper sack.

Add the chopped chives to the room temperature butter. Using a fork, mix the chives into the butter thoroughly. Slice the baguette in half lengthwise. Spread the chive butter all over the bottom half. Spread the arugula out evenly on top of the butter. Place the tomatoes evenly atop the arugula. Spread the fried shrimp out evenly on top of the tomatoes. Top the shrimp evenly with the crab salad. Place the top of baguette back on and push down to tighten the sandwich. Cut width-wise into 8 equal portions. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Cabbage and Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
3/4 cup shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup julienne cucumbers
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, green and white parts
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cup of sour cream
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Directions:

Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with cold water until the chicken is fully submerged plus 1 1/2 inches. Add 2 tsp. of the salt to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Poach the chicken for 20 minutes until it can be easily shredded with a fork. Shred it thinly and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the reamining 1 tsp. salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, lime juice, lime zest, and sour cream. Using a whisk, whip the mixture until all ingredients are fully combined and it thins out a bit. In a large bowl, add the cabbages, cucumber, and scallion. Add the shredded chicken. Pour the sour cream dressing over the mixture and use a large wooden spoon to fully combine with all the ingredients. Place into the refrigerator for about an hour before serving.

Makes 4 servings.