Sous Vide Pork Ribs

These came our really great, other than being too salty.  Next time I would cut the salt in half.  I used Diamond Kosher Salt).

2 Racks of Back Ribs

For the Spice Rub:

1/3 cup paprika

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt (cut this in half?)

2 tablespoons whole yellow mustard seed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons granulated garlic powder

1. Remove silver skin from the bony side of the ribs:  Use a table knife to get under the silver skin between any 2 ribs, then peel it off the rest (it holds together well).  
2. Dry rub in the bag for 12 hours at 165F. 
3. Chill in ice water
4. Refrigerate until ready to finish
5. Reheat on the grill with only half the burners on for 10 minutes.  No need to dry before grilling.
6. Finish with some cider vinegar brushed over the ribs, all burners on low for 5-10 minutes until you get a barque.

Butter Chicken

In the vegetarian Indian class, we recently did Paneer Makhni - butter chicken, but with paneer instead of chicken.  Of course, this recipe works well for making the classic Butter Chicken.

Interestingly, butter chicken is not an authentic Indian dish - it was invented in Britain by an Indian chef who wanted to make a dish for the European palette.

400 g Chicken or Paneer

Marinade Paste:
175 g Yogurt
15 g Garlic Paste
15 g Ginger Paste
10 g Coriander Powder
10 g Tandoori Spice
5 g Chili Powder
5 g Cumin Powder
5 g Turmeric
1 x Lemon Juice
10 ml Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of Orange-Red Colouring Powder

Sauce:
100 g Butter
1 Large Onion, chopped
Garam Masala - TO TASTE
5 g Sugar
500 g Canned Tomatoes, crushed
500 ml water
50ml (approx) Cream (35%)
5 g Kasoori Methi, lightly toasted
Salt, to taste

1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped

To prepare the chicken or paneer:
1)  Mix together all ingredients for the marinade paste.  Combine with chicken or paneer and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2)  Preheat the oven to 400F.  Cook the chicken or paneer approximately 10 minutes until lightly crisped (or until cooked through for the chicken).

To prepare the sauce:
1)  Heat the butter in a large pan and saute the onions until golden brown.
2)  Add the garam masala and sugar, and cook briefly.
3)  Add the tomatoes and water.  Simmer until slightly thickened and less tart.
4)  Add the cream, kasoori methi, and adjust seasoning.  It may need more Kasoori Methi, Sugar, or Cream - adjust accordingly.
5)  Blend the sauce until smooth

To Finish:
Add the chicken or paneer to the sauce pan.  Bring to a light simmer for a few minutes, and finish with cilantro.

Char Siu BBQ Pork

Char Siu is that salty-sweet, reddish Chinese bbq pork that comes sliced-up on a bed of rice, drizzled with drippings.  By definition, Char Siu means "Fork Roasted."  This recipe, from GBC's BBQ class, is relatively simple, and quite good.

3 lb Pork Shoulder, cut into 2-inch thick, long strips

Marinade:

• 300 ml Hoisin Sauce
• 200 ml Oyster Sauce
• 100 ml Honey
• 50 ml Soya Sauce
• 30 ml Chinese Cooking Wine (or Brandy)
• 5 g Cinnamon, ground
• 5 g Star Anise, ground
• 5 g Sichuan Peppercorn, ground

Combine all ingredients of marinade.  Coat and marinade pork strips (overnight, if possible).

There are several ways you could cook it.

In class, we made hooks out of coat hangers and hung the strips of meat in a vertical oven (over a drip pan with water) at 350F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Then we mopped the meat in excess marinade and cooked at a higher temperature for the last 10 minutes, to get a nice crispy-caramelized finish.  Drippings were lightly salted and reserved for drizzling/ dipping.

Alternative method:  In a bbq, cook over indirect heat on the upper rack with a skillet (with about 1 cm of water) underneath to catch the drippings.  Baste with drippings.  Cook until pork is tender an caramelized.

Let the meat rest before slicing thinly.  Serve on steamed jasmine rice with drippings as a soaking sauce.

Jerk Chicken Legs

This is the recipe from GBC's BBQ cooking class... it packs a serious punch!

• 4 large Chicken Legs, skin on and bone in
• 1 can Coconut Milk (optional)

For Marinade/ Mop:

• 4 cloves Garlic
• 2 bunches Scallions
• 1 bunch Thyme
• 3 Scotch Bonnet Peppers
• 20 g Black Peppercorns, crushed
• 30 ml White Vinegar
• 10 g Allspice, ground
• 5 g Cinnamon, ground
• 30 ml molasses
• Olive oil as emulsifier
• Gingerbeer or 7UP (optional)
• Salt to taste

Combine all marinade ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.  (Note:  Letting the marinade sit for several days to several weeks will allow for the flavors to come out, and the heat to mellow.)

Reserve half of the marinade for grilling mop, and marinate chicken - the longer the better.

Grill over medium heat then place on BBQ shelf skin-side up for indirect cooking at low temperature with lid down.  Constantly mop with marinade.  Cook low and slow.  Wood chips can also be added to the grill area in a separate pan to add a smoky flavor.

Optional:  Finish the last ten minutes with coconut milk lightly brushed on.

Slow-Cooked BBQ Pork with Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Slow-cooked pulled pork speaks for itself.  This is the recipe from George Brown's BBQ class:

10 lb Pork Butt or Shoulder

RUB:
1 cup Smoked Paprika
1/4 cup Sweet Dried Chili Powder
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Onion Powder

BBQ Sauce:
1 small Onion, brunoise
4 cloves Crushed Garlic
2 Dried Red Chilies

1 Red Pepper, brunoise
Veg Oil

2 cups Heinz Chili Sauce
1 cup Ketchup
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Prepared Mustard
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
90 ml Bourbon (Jack Daniel's)
1 pc Star Anise

Salt

Sauce Preparation:
1)  In a medium-sized sauce pot on medium heat, sweat off the onions, garlic, chilies, and red pepper until soft.  Do not caramelize.
2)  Add whiskey and reduce by half.  Be careful not to flambe.
3)  Add sugar, and stir until dissolved.
4)  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until desired consistency.
5)  Puree with an immersion blender, or in a food processor until smooth.  Adjust seasoning.

Method to cook pork:
1)  Dry pork butts/ shoulder of excess purge and blood.
2)  Remove outer skin if not done already, but keep on as much fat as possible.
3)  Coat dried pork butts with rub.  A marinate of several hours is better, but not essential.
4)  Preheat oven or smoker to 285F.  If using a BBQ, have one side burner on with lid cracked open using a rock or brick.
5)
Smoker Method:  Place on a rack and slow smoke for 6 to 8 hours.
Oven Method:  Place pork in a large cast iron pan with as much sauce as possible, cover with aluminum foil lightly and cook in oven for 5 to 6 hours.  Baste frequently. 
BBQ Method:  Place on indirect heat, on opposite side, and cook for 6 hours.  Baste frequently.
6)  In all cases remove meat when tender and falling apart.  Reserve cooking sauce or drippings and use as a mop or side sauce.

Asian Beef Short Ribs

These are tasty and tender Miami Ribs.

1.5 lb short ribs (Miami ribs)

Marinade:
1 Cup Pineapple Juice (or Papaya, Apple, Orange, Guava, Cranberry)
60 g Ginger, grated
2 cloves Garlic, chopped coarsely
1 Thai Chili, minced
1/4 Cup Soya Sauce
1/4 Cup Hoisin Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil

1)  Marinate the ribs for at least 3 hours, preferably 6 to 8 hours. 
2)  Reserve the marinade.
2)  Grill on medium-high heat, approximately 5 minutes in total.  At the 4 minute marker, dip the ribs in the marinade to get a nice glaze.

Seekh Kebabs

These are similar to Afghani-style lamb kebabs... juicy, spicy, and delicious.  Goes well with mint chutney.

• 400 g Ground Lamb
• 10 g Ginger Paste
• 10 g Garlic Paste
• 2 x Green Chilies, finely minced
• 1/2 medium Onion, finely chopped
• 5 g Garam Masala
• 5 g Cinnamon Powder
• 5 g Clove Powder
• 1/4 bunch Cilantro, chopped
• 1 sprig Mint Leaves, chopped
• 1 x large Egg
• Salt and Pepper

1)  Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and work it until the ground meat is fine and pasty.
2)  Wet your hands (or a measuring scoop), pick up some meat and roll into a log (4" to 5" long, 1/2" diameter).  Skewer the meat, and grill, turning onto all 4 sides as they cook.  They will be firm to the touch when cooked through.
3)  Optionally, finish with some chaat masala and lemon juice. 

Pork Vindaloo

 Marinade:
1 Stick Cinnamon
6 Cloves
1 tsp Brown Sugar or Jaggery
10-12 Dry Red Kashmiri Chilies, soaked in warm water (stocks removed)
10 g Cumin Powder
20 g Coriander Powder
40 g Ginger-Garlic Paste
100 ml Malt Vinegar
10 pc Black Peppercorns
2 Bay Leaves

500 g Pork, diced

Combine the above ingredients and blend into a paste, adding water as necessary.  Toss the pork with the marinade and let sit for several hours.  (Note that the Kashmiri Chilies are not super hot, and are required to get the right colour.  In contrast, Kashmiri Chili Powder is very hot.)

60 ml Canola Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 Tomato, chopped

1)  Heat the canola oil, and thhen saute onions until golden grown.  Add ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute.  Then add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
2)  Add the pork and marinade, and approximately 1 litre of water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until the pork is tender.  Reduce the sauce if necessary. 

Lamb Curry

A delicious, rich, soft, and spicy Indian lamb curry.

• 400 g boneless Lamb, diced
• 40 g Ghee (or veg oil)
• 5 g Cumin Seeds

• 1 stick Cinnamon
• 2 pc Cloves
• 3 pc Cardamom
• 1 Bay Leaf

• 1 medium Onion, diced

• 15 g Garlic, minced
• 15 g Ginger, minced

• 5 g Peppercorn Powder
• 5 g Turmeric Powder
• 5 g Coriander Powder
• 2 g Garam Masala

• 400 g Canned Stewed Tomatoes (coarsely chopped up)

• Salt, Pepper, Cayenne or Cashmere Chili Powder

• 1/4 bunch Cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 Lime's Juice

1)  Rinse, and dry the lamb.  Salt it lightly, and set it aside.
2)  Melt the ghee in a large pot on medium-high.  Add the Cumin Seeds and cook until they begin to crackle.  Add the whole garam masala (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaf).  Add the onions, and cook to a golden-brown colour, stirring frequently. 
3)  Add minced ginger and garlic.  Cook for further 2 minutes on a low heat.
4)  Add the ground spices (peppercorn, turmeric, coriander, garam masala), and saute for 2 minutes.
5)  Add the tomatoes, and saute for 5 minutes to cook off liquids.
6)  Add the lamb, and enough water to just cover it.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 45 minutes.
7)  If necessary, boil off excess liquid to thicken the curry.  Adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste.
8)  Remove from heat.  Finish with cilantro and lime juice.

Baby Back Ribs

These ribs are amazing - spicy, smoky, sweet, and soft.  The recipe is actually adapted from Bonnie Stern's smokey barbecued brisket recipe.

For 4 racks of baby back ribs.
 
Dry Rub:
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Cumin

BBQ Sauce:
1 1/2 cups Bulls Eye bbq sauce
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Chipotle puree


Combine dry rub ingredients and rub over ribs.  Let sit up to overnight (can also be used immediately).

Braise ribs at 300F for 2 to 3 hours, depending on thickness, until tender.  Brush with bbq sauce, and broil briefly until the sauce has thickened.

Beef and Sausage Chile

I made this recipe with Matt, who in turn got the recipe from his mom.

• 1 lb Beef Round (or other stewing cut), 1/2" cubes
• 1 lb Italian Sausage
• 4 Onions, chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 28 oz can Stewed Tomatoes
• 7.5 oz can Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 cup dry Red Wine
• 3 Tbsp Chile Powder
• 1/2 tsp Chili Flakes
• 1 Tbsp dry Basil
• 1 Tbsp dry Oregano
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 can Red Kidney Beans
• Salt and Pepper

Brown the beef with vegetable oil in large pot or dutch oven. Set aside.

Cut sausages open and cook in the pot until no longer pink. Add onions and garlic and saute until softened. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, chile powder, chili flakes, basil, oregano, mustard, brown sugar, and simmer for 1 hour with lid off.

Add kidney beans and continue cooking uncovered for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and chopped green onion.

Adobo Chicken

As far as I'm concerned, there are two foolproof methods to making meat: Marinate it as long as possible, and don't overcook it.

Adobo chicken (or pork) is a Filipino style of marinating. It's simple, and effective:

• 4 Chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves sliced garlic

The key here is to MARINATE FOR AT LEAST 24 hours, then grill to perfection.

The result is a beautiful deep red/ brown tender and tangy chicken. I have a feeling that the acidity from all the vinegar helps to break down the meat, much like a ceviche.

Chicken Mole Poblano

I saw Tyler Florence make this one on tv a while ago and really wanted to try it. There's a whole shopping list of ingredients, but nothing too out-of-the ordinary aside from some dried peppers which can be tricky to find:

• 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried anaheim chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried chipotle chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup whole almonds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick, preferably Mexican, broken in pieces
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 serrano peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 6 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Mexican, chopped
• 1 capon or large chicken, cut into 10 pieces
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, juiced
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Cooked white rice, for serving

"For the mole: Tear the ancho, anaheim, and chipotle chiles into large pieces and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until they change color a bit, about 2 minutes. Put them into a bowl with the raisins and cover them with hot water. Soak unti softened, about 30 minutes. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the almonds, sesame seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, oregano, and thyme. Toast for 2 minutes, grind in a spice grinder, and add the powder to a blender. In the same skillet over medium-high heat add the olive oil, onions, garlic, and serrano. Cook until lightly browned, then add the tomatoes. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 to 15 minutes, then add to the blender. Add the chocolate and the soaked chiles and raisins to the blender along with some of the chile soaking liquid. Puree, adding more soaking liquid as needed, to make a smooth sauce. (This makes about 4 cups sauce, the recipe uses 2 cups, the extra can be frozen).

Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and season it well with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet and brown the chicken on all sides; remove the browned chicken to a plate leaving the oil in the pan. Pour 2 cups of the mole sauce into the hot skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and return the chicken pieces to the pan. Simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the onion and radish slices into a bowl. Add the lime juice and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt. Mix well and serve with the chicken.

Serve over cooked white rice with the onion and radish salad. Garnish everything with cilantro leaves."

I wasn't able to get the dried peppers, so I substituted with a blend of fresh ones: banana hot, jalepino, and Anaheim as well as a few dried chili peppers... I removed the seeds and veins so that I could control the spice level. I probably used a lot more chocolate than recommended, but hey... how could you go wrong with chocolate? I left out all garnishes except for cilantro.

This recipe worked out well. The contrasting rich chocolate and spicy heat are a great combination in my books. One of my guests said that there was only one thing missing: beans. So next time I'll probably incorporate some navy beans.

Chicken Tagine

In this week's column for the New York Times, Mark Bittman made a Tagine. The term describes both the type of pot - traditionally a large clay pot with a conic lid - and the style of food: a slow cooked stew. It originates in the North African region, being made in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

Mark's recipe and instructions are good, so I've just copied them here:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup chopped tomato (fresh or canned or boxed, with juice)
• 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained, with the liquid reserved
• 1 to 2 cups chicken stock, bean liquid or water, or more as needed
• 1/2 cup bulgur
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish.

"1. Put oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add chicken and brown well on both sides; remove from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add onion to the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes; add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, dried apricots and tomato. Cook and stir just long enough to loosen any brown bits from bottom of pan.
2. Add chickpeas and 1 cup of stock or bean liquid to the pan and turn heat back to medium-high. When mixture reaches a gentle bubble, return chicken to the pan. Cover pot, turn heat to low and cook, checking occasionally to make sure the mixture is bubbling gently, for about 15 minutes or until tomatoes break down and flavors begin to meld. Stir in bulgur, adding more stock if necessary so that the mixture is covered with about an inch of liquid. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover and cook until the chicken and bulgur are both done, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasonings and serve in bowls garnished with parsley.
Yield: 4 servings."
It was easy to make, and delicious. I would definitely make it again and serve with a side of rice or couscous.

Stuffed Chicken Breast

For whatever reason, I decided to make stuffed chicken breasts. The challenge: I couldn't use cheese or bread because it has to be both kosher and kosher for passover, respectively.

Here's what I used:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk celery
4 pieces matza
2 to 3 cups artificial chicken stock
1/8 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries, soaked
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary

6 chicken breasts

A pan was preheated in the oven with some oil at 350F. Meanwhile, the chicken breasts were butterflied and stuffed, tied with string, and seasoned with paprika, pepper, and chopped parsley. The breasts were then placed seasoned-side down onto the hot pan and cooked for about 30 minutes until cooked through (165F with temperature probe).

I was pretty happy with the result. This type of stuffing might have worked a little better with chicken thighs, but I'll have to save it for next time.

Bolognese Sauce

This is a recipe I got from Martha James, via Matt James about a year ago. It's excellent. Goes well over spaghetti or on a piece of baguette.

• 2 lb lean ground beef
• 1 lb hot italian saussage (good quality) - remove from casing and crumble
• 2 large onions diced
• 6 large cloves garlic minced
• 2 x 28 ounce of pastene brand canned tomatoes
• 1 x 6.5 ounce can of tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tspn thyme (dry)
• 2 tspn basil (dry)
• 1/2 cup fresh italian parsley
• 1 tspn chili flakes
• s + p to taste

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until tender (4 min). Add beef and sausage, sautee until lightly brown stirring constantly. add all other ingredients. simmer 1.5 hours. taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Turkey and Beef Sheppards Pie

Technically, shepherd's pie is made with minced lamb meat... when it's made with beef, it's properly called "cottage pie." Anyhow, we make turkey and beef shepherd's pies at work as entrees... they sell pretty steadily, and are pretty good if you're in the mood for it.

The turkey mix gets covered in a smooth coating of yam puree, while the beef is covered in a piped layer of potato puree.

For the meat mixes:

• 10 lb ground turkey or 8lb ground beef
• 2 cups tomato paste
• 1/2 cup garlic, minced
• 1 L stock (chicken or beef)
• 1 L sherry
• 2 Tbsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp oregano for turkey
• 2 Tbsp thyme for beef
• 1 lb onions, diced
• 2 lb carrots for turkey
• 2 lb corn for turkey
• 2 lb peas for beef
• 2 lb sliced mushrooms for beef
• 1 L bread crumbs
• Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper

I added: chili powder, more garlic, more cumin, fresh thyme, bay leaves (in cheesecloth), 1 L extra bread crumbs and 1 cup Parmesan cheese to stiffen it up... it's important that it is stiff so that it cuts and presents cleanly.

The potato and yam purees are fairly simple to make. We steam them for about 40 minutes until they are very very soft, immediately throw them into a large mixer with lots of melted butter (sometimes some cream too), and use the whisking bit to create a fine puree.

Pork Ribs

I can hear mom groaning at the title... this is something I made at work, not something I would really even eat...

It's pretty simple. We place the ribs into a deep pan, throw in some onions (or onion scraps), some bay leaves, and some whole peppercorns. Cover with water, cover the pan with foil, and put it into the oven for 2 hours. I put it in for 3 hours because that's what the recipe said to do... they were overcooked and super soft. Anyhow, We take them out of the water bath, dip them in barbecue sauce, then bake in the oven for 10 to 15 more minutes.

I never knew this before, but pork should reach a minimum temperature of 150F. It's like chicken in that there are no degrees of rareness - it's either cooked or not... of course there are degrees of over-cooking, so going beyond the 150F probably isn't great. I can certainly say that taking chicken much beyond 165F dries and toughens it.

Florentine Meatballs

I made these today at work... it's really just a variation of hamburger... it's a large recipe, but you get the idea:

• 15 lb medium ground beef
• 1/2 cup minced garlic
• 1.75 lb finely chopped spinach
• 1 bunch finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 cups tomato paste
• 1.5 L panko
• 7 eggs
• 2 Tbsp chili flakes
• 2 Tbsp dry basil
• salt and pepper

Form and bake or grill until the inside has reached 155F.

They came out pretty nice and juicy... nothing overly special. Note that we don't include parmesian cheese in our recipe, which seems to be an authentic/ traditional ingredient for Florentine Meatballs.

Maple Burgers

The meat guys are always testing out new ways to market their product and yesterday they made maple-flavored hamburgers. They were amazing.

As for any excellent hamburger, you need great meat. Fresh beef chuck does nicely. They recommend using meat with 20% to 25% fat. To this they added maple syrup, minced sage, salt and pepper.

Simple, but excellent.