1-pound dry pasta (spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter
12 cloves garlic, sliced
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup white wine
2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons red Chile flakes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, give it a stir and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil, butter, garlic and salt. Sweat the garlic for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook while stirring, about 1 minute. Add the wine, lemon juice and Chile flakes and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
Reserve some of the pasta water, then drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti and a little of the reserved pasta water to the pan with the shrimp and toss to combine. Toss in the parsley and serve.
Happy Friday! What the hell! I’m makin’ chile verde this weekend. This recipe has made many a man happy on our annual houseboat trips. I’m gonna serve it with that fantastic rice I got from rice farmer, Gary Hansen of the Jim Hansen Ranch in Willows.
Chili Verde
Vegetable oil
3-4 large yellow onions, diced
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 serrano peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
5-6 pounds pork shoulder, cubed
1 quart chicken broth
15 to 20 Anaheim peppers
12 to 15 tomatillos
4 tablespoons garlic powder
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup corn flour
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Flour tortillas, warmed, for serving
Mexican rice, for serving (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 1/2 cup of olive oil. Stir in the onion, garlic, serrano and jalapeno peppers and cook until soft. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place the pork shoulder in a large heavy bottomed pot, coated with oil, over medium heat and sear until well browned on all sides. Deglaze with the chicken broth, and then add sauteed onions and peppers. Turn heat to low, cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the Anaheim peppers on a sheet pan.
Peel the outer paper skins off the tomatillos, then coat with olive oil and place on another sheet pan. Place both pans in the preheated oven and roast until the peppers are nicely charred and the tomatillos are soft, about 20 minutes.
Remove pans from the oven and place the peppers in a plastic bag to let them steam for 5 minutes.
Peel and seed peppers, and then puree them with the tomatillos in a food processor or blender. Add the puree to the pork mixture, stir, and then let simmer on low heat.
Combine the garlic powder, black pepper, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, ground coriander and salt in a small bowl, then add to pork mixture and stir well.
In a small sauté pan, mix 1/2 cup olive oil with the corn flour, stirring over low heat for 2 minutes to make a masa roux.
Let the chili mixture simmer for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours on medium-low heat, or until pork is nice and tender. Then stir in masa roux and simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve in bowls with tortillas and rice. Garnish with cilantro.
Mexican Rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 white onion, diced
1 jalapeño, minced
2 cups white rice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup (8 oz) tomato sauce
Kosher salt, to taste
Cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Juice of one lime
Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Let the rice drain for 5 minutes.
In a pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and jalapeno for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.
Add the rice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and oregano and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often until the rice is toasted. Add the broth, tomato sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, and salt and stir well. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
After the 20 minutes, turn off the heat, leave the rice covered and let it rest for another 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, add chopped cilantro, and squeeze in lime juice.
Back to school means a good sandwich. This one calls for sauerkraut. Salt and Savour sauerkraut, made in Dunsmuir, is available at R&R Quality Meats & Seafood in Redding. It’s damn fine kraut!
Reuben Sandwich with Ruthie’s 1000 Island Dressing
Butter, at room temperature
8 slices of your favorite rye bread (I like the marbled)
16 slices Swiss cheese
2 pounds corned beef, sliced
2 cups sauerkraut, drained
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
Bread & Butter pickles, for serving
Build the sandwiches. Spread one side of each of the slices of bread with butter. On the other side of the bread, spread the dressing on each slice. Top each slice with Swiss cheese, top one of the slices of each sandwich with sauerkraut, and corned beef. Top with the other slice of bread.
Set a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Place the sandwiches on the pan and weigh down with another skillet (you might need to do this in batches). Cook for a few minutes a side until the cheese has melted and the bread is nicely toasted. Using my Blackstone, I like to grill the corned beef a bit and build the sandwich on the Blackstone. Serve ‘em up with a big pile of bread & butter pickles.
Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup ketchup
¼ cup sweet pickle relish
Juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons minced green onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Place mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, lemon juice, cider vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, green onion, and parsley in a bowl. Whisk together until ingredients are well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours
Happy Taco Tuesday! Oil up your Blackstone and get busy! I love cooking on my Blackstone. Easy cleanup and no mess in the kitchen. Plus, I get to choke down a couple of cigs while cooking! Just like the good ole days when I was a line cook at Denny’s!
Steak Fajitas on the Blackstone
2 pounds skirt steak or steak of your choice
Olive oil, for marinating
Vegetable oil, for cooking
1 green, yellow and red bell pepper, sliced
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into half-moons
4 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh cilantro, for serving
Sour cream or crema, for serving
Juice from two limes, plus wedges, for serving
Cotija or queso fresco cheese, for serving
Flour tortillas
Fajita Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Mix fajita seasonings in small bowl and set aside.
Slice steak against the grain into small slices. Place into bowl or gallon sized zip-loc bag and add olive oil, toss to coat. Then add half of the fajita seasoning to meat and toss to coat. Add a squeeze of lime. Marinate the meat for 30 minutes.
In another bowl or gallon sized zip-loc bag, add vegetables and olive oil. Toss to coat then add in remaining fajita seasoning and mix until coated. Marinate the vegetables for a few minutes.
Preheat the Blackstone for about over high heat. Pour vegetable oil on the preheated griddle and spread out.
Put the steak and vegetables on the griddle. Discard the marinade. Cook for 8-10 minutes, tossing the steak and vegetables a few times. You want these to be slightly charred and cooked through. During the last few minutes add garlic and a squeeze of lime.
Place tortillas on the griddle to warm.
Remove the steak, vegetables and tortillas from griddle and serve with your toppings.
Back on the air today after taking care of some Asphalt Cowboys duties. BTW…I have tickets for sale for our 71st annual Community BBQ. PM me and I’ll hook you up.
Pan-Seared Garlic Butter Steak with Mushroom Cream Sauce
4 6-ounce steaks (sirloin, rib-eye, NY strip)
Garlic salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Season the steaks with garlic salt on both sides.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the steaks to the skillet and sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they reach desired doneness. Remove from the skillet and let rest.
In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add butter. Once melted, add minced garlic and sliced mushrooms. Sauté until mushrooms are golden brown.
Pour in the heavy cream and add Dijon mustard, stirring to combine. Cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
Serve the steaks topped with the mushroom cream sauce and garnish with chopped parsley.
I missed National Oyster Day yesterday. No matter. As a God fearing, tax paying, law abiding, Constitution loving, flag waving, red blooded American man, I can eat oysters any damn day I choose.
Grilled Oysters with Romano and Creole Sauce
1 stick unsalted butter
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, washed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
2 dozen freshly shucked oysters, on the half shell with their liquor (juice)
2 cups fresh grated Romano cheese
Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Melt butter over medium-low heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Add scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until just tender. Add garlic and Creole seasoning and cook an additional minute.
Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, wine, thyme and pepper flakes to pan. Simmer gently until wine is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and put a lid on the pan.
Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Carefully place oysters on grill and keep as much oyster liquor in shell as possible. When the oyster liquor starts to bubble, sprinkle Romano over each oyster. Let cheese melt. When oysters begin to slightly brown at the edges, remove. Spoon sauce over each oyster and serve.
Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Add sliced onions and cook slowly for about 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and soft.
Add a small splash of water or balsamic vinegar to deglaze if needed. Set aside.
2. Assemble the Sandwiches:
Butter one side of each slice of bread.
On the unbuttered side, layer: cheese slice, brisket, caramelized onions, BBQ sauce, and another slice of cheese.
Top with the second piece of bread, buttered side facing out.
3. Grill:
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Grill sandwiches until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted — about 3–4 minutes per side. Press down slightly with a spatula for that crispy crust.
4. Stack & Serve:
Slice in half and stack them up for that epic look.
Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.
Santa Maria/Mexican Tri-Tip Tacos with Guacamole and Pico
4 lbs. Tri-Tip
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Kosher salt, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon. cayenne pepper
Roasted yellow onions
Sliced radish
Cotija cheese, for tacos
Pickled jalapeno, for tacos
Chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
Cilantro for guacamole, pico and tacos
Corn or flour tortillas
Lime wedges, for squeezing
1. Combine ingredients, rub over meat, and allow to rest at least 30 minutes at room temperature or as long as 24 hours in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic.
2. Grill on a medium-hot grill until the internal temperature is about 140 degrees. Allow to rest at least 10 minutes. Slice the tri-tip in half, then dice or slice into strips against the grain.
3. Meanwhile, roast a couple of onions in the oven or on a closed grill at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Guacamole:
2 large ripe avocados, mashed
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
Fresh lime juice, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Combine ingredients, adjust seasoning.
Pico:
2 large tomatoes, diced
½ medium red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Fresh lime juice, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season. Allow to rest 30 minutes before serving.
Serve tri-tip on charred corn or flour tortillas with guacamole, pico, sliced radish, roasted onions, pickled jalapeno, cilantro leaves, cotija cheese and chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce. Serve with lime wedges.
It’s a Whiskey Wednesday! A couple of years ago, I had some really terrific ribs at Tony Roma’s inside the Fremont in Vegas. I had a notion that they were par-boiled and grilled. Being a Whiskey Wednesday, I paired these with Tappan Out’s Bourbon-Peach BBQ Sauce.
Par-Boiled-Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Bourbon-Peach BBQ Sauce
1 rack baby back ribs
2 lemons
1 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Put the ribs in a large stockpot and fill with enough cold water to cover. Squeeze the lemons into a bowl and strain the juice into the pot; add the lemon rinds as well (remove any seeds). Add the salt, peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Soft boil until the ribs are slightly soft but not falling apart, about 20-25 minutes.
Prepare a grill for medium heat.
Transfer the ribs to the grill, meatier-side down. Grill for 10 minutes; brush with the bbq sauce, then grill another 3 minutes. The finished ribs should be slightly charred and fall apart tender.
For the Bourbon Peach BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup bourbon
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 cup peach preserves
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Bring the bourbon to a boil over medium-high heat. Be careful of a flame up.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil stirring frequently.
Reduce the heat and cook on low stirring frequently for about 15 – 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat and let cool at room temperature. Store in a lidded jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.
