Category: Dave’s Blog

Chicken Tinga Tacos

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 white onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 cups chicken stock

One 14-ounce can tomato puree

1 oregano sprig

2 bay leaves

5 pounds bone in, skin on legs and/or thighs

Twelve 5-inch flour tortillas

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Kosher salt

Pepper

Cilantro, lime wedges and sliced onion, for serving

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook over moderately high heat until the onion is softened. Add the stock, tomato puree, oregano and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Add the chicken, cover partially and simmer until cooked, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred the meat and remove the skin. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat your tortillas to a slight char over a gas flame or on a grill.

Discard the bay leaves and oregano sprig. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve with cilantro, lime and onion.

Crab Cakes

Ingredients for 6-8 beautiful cakes, about 4 ounces each

2/3 cup mayonnaise

6 egg yolks

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons hot sauce (I like Crystal)

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon blackening seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup crushed, chopped parsley

2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

2 lbs crab meat

1.Mix all ingredients together.

2.Make into 4 oz. patties

3.Coat with flour and fry in 1 inch of oil until golden brown.

All Day Fall-Off-The-Bone Smoked Baby Back Ribs

1 rack Baby Back Ribs

2 Tbsp yellow mustard

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 cup apple juice

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Rub:

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika

2 Tbsp. Chili Powder

1 Tbsp. Garlic powder

1 Tbsp. Onion powder

1 Tbsp. Cumin

2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1 packet fajita seasoning (trust me, it works)

Remove the membrane on the bone side of your ribs. Start by running the handle of a spoon under the membrane at the thinner side of the ribs. Pull the membrane up until you can pull it with your fingers. Use a paper towel and pull the membrane towards the other end of the ribs until it pulls completely off. You may need to repeat the process if it didn’t come off in one section.

On a large rimmed sheet pan, soak the ribs in the apple cider vinegar for 30 minutes.

Pat the ribs dry with paper towels and place the ribs on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the mustard on both side of the ribs until they are completely covered. Set aside.

Mix the dry rub ingredients together. Sprinkle the rub on both sides of ribs, completely covering the entire rack. Pat lightly so the rub will stick to the surface. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

When you are ready to grill, take the ribs out of the refrigerator to warm to room temperature. In the meantime, heat your pellet grill to 225°.

Once the smoker is up to temperature, place the ribs, bone side down, directly on grate. Smoke for 2 hours.

In a spray bottle, add 1/4 cup apple juice and 1/4 cup water. Spritz the ribs every 30 minutes with the apple juice/water mixture.

After 2 hours, remove the ribs to a heavy-duty foil sheet. Mix together 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce and the remaining apple juice and pour it over the ribs. Seal the foil around the ribs so that the liquid cannot escape and return the foil packet of ribs to the smoker. Continue to smoke for 2 hours at the same temperature.

Once the 2 hours are up, carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place the rack back on the grate. Brush with barbecue sauce.

Continue to cook for 1 hour. At this point, the internal temperature should be 145° and the ribs are safe to eat.

However, to get all off the bone ribs, continue to cook on the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 202°F. Depending on your grill, another 1-2 hours.

Remove the ribs, cover and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Sticky Honey-Soy Chicken Wings

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup honey

Sesame seeds, for garnish

2 pounds chicken wings, drums & flats.

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup Hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon chili sauce or Sriracha, or both

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

Sesame seeds and chopped cilantro or scallions, for garnish.

Rinse chicken wings and pat dry. Remove tip and discard; separate each wing at the joint into 2 pieces. Place wings in a shallow dish or Zip-Loc bag and pour over the soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, chili sauce or Sriracha, ginger, cilantro, garlic, and lemon juice. Toss well to coat; marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours.

Remove wings from marinade and pat dry; season with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. When the butter stops foaming, add the honey and chicken wings and fry until browned on each side, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking the wings, turning them over often to coat them as the glaze reduces. Cook until the wings are sticky and cooked through. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro or scallions and serve.

Damn Fine Sweet and Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Home-Made Slaw

For the Shrimp:

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Finely grated zest from 2 limes

1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for cooking shrimp

For the Slaw:

1 small head purple cabbage, cored and shaved thin

1 whole jalapeno, minced

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon white sugar

Kosher salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

For the Tacos:

12 corn tortillas, warmed

Pico de Gallo (off the shelf or home-made)

Avocados, sliced

Lime wedges for, squeezing

First, let’s prepare the damn marinade for the shrimp. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and lime zest. Then, pour in the canola oil and mix together. Add the shrimp to the bowl and mix together. Set aside and marinade for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, let’s make the damn slaw. Combine the sliced cabbage and chopped jalapeno in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix the milk, mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper. Pour the mixture over the cabbage, and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes (or up to an hour if you have the time).

Now, we will cook the damn shrimp. Preheat a couple of turns of canola oil in a large skillet or Blackstone on high heat. Add the marinated shrimp and cook until opaque and cooked through, turning once (2-3 minutes per side). Remove from heat.

Finally, let’s assemble the damn tacos. On top of the warmed corn tortillas, add the slaw, Pico de Gallo, shrimp, and avocado slices. Serve with lime wedges, for squeezing.

Steak & Shrimp Skewers with Bourbon Teriyaki Sauce

Bourbon Teriyaki Sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup bourbon

1/4 cup mirin

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons sriracha

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lime

Skewers:

32 extra-large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and deveined, tail on

2 strip steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes to make 32 pieces

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Canola oil, for brushing the grill grates

1 navel orange, cut into wedges

3 scallions, sliced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preheat a gas grill to high heat.

For the bourbon teriyaki sauce:

Add the soy sauce, bourbon, mirin, sugar, honey, ginger, sesame oil, mustard, sriracha, garlic and lime juice to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce to drizzle on the finished skewers.

For the skewers:

Skewer alternating pieces of shrimp and steak on each skewer until you have 4 pieces of each per skewer. Put the skewers on a baking sheet or in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lightly season with salt and season generously with pepper. Brush the skewers with some of the remaining bourbon teriyaki sauce.

Brush the grill grates with canola oil. Grill the orange wedges until grill-marked and slightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side; set aside. Grill the shrimp and steak skewers for about 2 minutes. Flip and brush with more of the remaining bourbon teriyaki sauce and grill another 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium low and grill the skewers another 2 minutes per side, basting with more sauce.

Transfer the skewers to a platter and garnish with the oranges, scallions and sesame seeds. Drizzle with the reserved bourbon teriyaki sauce.

Optional add ons:

Red onion

Pineapple

Bell pepper

Mushrooms

Cherry tomatoes

Copycat #2 Zingerman’s Reuben

1 loaf unseeded and un-sliced Jewish Rye bread

2 pounds corned beef, sliced

12 ounces Russian dressing, recipe follows

12 ounces sauerkraut

12 slices Swiss cheese

4 tablespoons butter, melted

Russian Dressing:

3/4 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons chili sauce

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 teaspoons chopped curly parsley leaves

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced Spanish onion

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced dill pickle

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix all the ingredients together. Refrigerate until use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle the corned beef with a little water, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and steam it in the oven.

Meanwhile, put the whole loaf of rye bread (unwrapped) into the oven. Bake the bread until the crust is very crunchy, about 15 minutes. Set the bread on the counter and let it cool for about 5 minutes.

When the rye bread is cool enough to handle place it on a cutting board. Slice the bread into 12 slices.

Take the corned beef out of the oven and unwrap it. Spread each slice of bread with Russian dressing. Layer half of the slices with corned beef, sauerkraut and slices of Swiss cheese, then top the sandwiches with the remaining slices of bread (dressing-side down).

Heat 2 large heavy skillets over medium heat. Brush the bread with butter. Put the sandwiches in the pans and weight them down with a lid or heat proof bowl topped with something heavy. Cook until the first sides are crisp and golden about 7 minutes then flip the sandwiches. Cook until the second sides are also well toasted and the cheese is melted. Lift the sandwiches onto a cutting board. Cut each in half diagonally and serve.

Bowtie Pasta with Italian Sausage

1-pound bowtie pasta

1-pound Italian sausage, casings removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Cook the bowtie pasta in heavily salted water, according to package directions. Drain well, do not rinse and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, crumbling with a spoon. Drain off any excess grease.

Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the sausage. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the marinara sauce, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cooked bowtie pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat evenly.

Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Let stand for a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Serve hot with some good garlic bread!

Pasta al Forno

For the sauce

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 pounds Italian sausage, casings removed

1/2 cup onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

24-ounce jarred marinara sauce

8 ounce can tomato sauce

For assembly

16 ounces rigatoni or other short pasta, cooked in salted water

2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded

2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9″x13″ pan with cooking spray.

For the sauce

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the sausage to the pan.

2. Cook the sausage for 3-4 minutes, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon. Add the onion to the pan. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until sausage is browned and cooked through and onion is softened.

3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the marinara sauce and tomato sauce to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer.

4. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes or until just thickened

For assembly

1. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce.

2. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and top with mozzarella.

3. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until pasta is bubbly and cheese is melted and browned.

4. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.