Category: Dave’s Blog

Ninja Woodfire Grill Smoked Baby-Back Ribs

1 rack baby-back ribs

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

1 Tbsp Memphis style Rub

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. Rub all over with yellow mustard. Add barbecue rub on all sides. Slice the rack in half. Let rest while you heat the grill.

Add a cup of pellets to the Ninja Woodfire Grill smoke box. Set the function to smoker, the temperature to 300F degrees and the time to 2 hours. Press start.

Once the grill is ready, add the two halves of ribs to the grill and close the lid. Smoke for 90 minutes.

If you like saucy ribs, brush sauce on top and continue smoking for 15 more minutes.

Remove from the grill. Place on a cutting board so the bones are facing up and slice between each bone. Serve with more sauce.

Classic Italian Sub

6-8 Sub sandwich rolls

1 Pound boiled ham, thinly sliced

1 Pound mortadella, thinly sliced

1 Pound hot capicola, thinly sliced

1 Pound soppressata or Genoa salami, thinly sliced

1 Pound provolone sliced

Sliced tomato

Dried oregano

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper

Red onion, peeled, halved and sliced into half-moons

Shredded iceberg lettuce

Olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Giardiniera (optional)

1. Slice the buns with a good serrated bread knife, but not all the way through. Season the bottom of the bun with olive oil, salt and pepper and oregano. Layer the cheese, meats, onion and the tomato on the buns. Season the tomato with salt and pepper and oregano. Add the shredded lettuce and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Top with giardiniera, if using. Close sandwiches and eat!

2. Have a pile of napkins or beach towel at the ready!

Oven Baked Tacos

2lbs ground beef

3tablespoons taco seasoning

6ounces tomato sauce

Large can refried beans

Shredded cheddar cheese

12 corn or flour tortillas

Diced tomato

Diced onion

Sour cream

Salsa

Shredded lettuce

Brown ground beef and drain.

Add taco seasoning, refried beans and tomato sauce.

Heat until blended.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a glass 9×13 pan with oil.

Spoon taco filling into taco shells and stack them side by side in pan.

When shells are filled, top each with shredded cheese.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, watching so they do not brown too much.

Top with remaining ingredients, if you like.

Chicken Adobo and Mexican Rice

8 chicken thighs bone-in, skin on

½ cup white vinegar

3/4 cup soy sauce

4 garlic cloves crushed

2 tbsp brown sugar

Fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 tbsp of Mexican seasoning.

2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped

4 bay leaves

Green onions, sliced and fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish.

Mexican Rice, for serving (recipe follows)

Season chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

Brown chicken well in a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or deep-frying pan. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, pepper, bay leaves and chilies and pour into the pan. Bring to a simmer.

Add the chicken, skin-side up, and simmer with the lid ajar for 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked (165 degrees) and tender.

Remove the lid and turn up the heat. Allow the sauce to reduce, while glazing the chicken. Cook until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is glossy.

Serve the chicken with Mexican Rice. Garnish with green onions and cilantro.

Mexican Rice

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 c. long-grain rice, rinsed, drained

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained

1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add rice and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until grains are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce; season with cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is cooked through and liquid is absorbed, about 17 minutes.

Fluff rice with a fork. Top with cilantro.

Mexican Shrimp Scampi with Chipotle Butter

1 stick Butter

4 Chipotles in adobo sauce, pureed

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tbsp minced garlic (I use Christopher Ranch in the jar)

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tbsp Tajin Mexican seasoning

2 pounds medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)

1 1/2 cups white wine

Juice from one lime, plus wedges for squeezing.

Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish

1 tbsp Olive oil

For the Chipotle Butter:

Soften butter at room temperature.

Place in a mixer or in a mixing bowl and whip butter until it is smooth and creamy.

Add pureed chipotle peppers, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper, paprika, Tajin and mix well.

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

For the Scampi:

Rinse shrimp under cold water and remove tails, if any, from shrimp. Dry on paper towels.

Sauté the garlic in chipotle butter and oil for 1 to 2 minutes. DO NOT let the garlic turn brown.

Add the white wine, then the shrimp. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the lime juice during the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat.

Serve immediately over pasta. Serve with lime wedges, for squeezing and garnish with roughly chopped fresh cilantro.

Real Deal Carne Asada Tacos with Salsa Verde

Carne Asada

2 pounds Skirt Steak

1/2 white onion

6 garlic cloves

3 dried ancho chilies, seeds and stem removed

3 dried guajillo chilies, seeds and stem removed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

Kosher salt, to taste

chopped cilantro, for serving

chopped white onion, for serving

lime wedges for serving

corn tortillas, warmed or charred over a gas flame or on a grill

1 avocado, sliced for serving

Salsa Verde

3 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed

1 serrano pepper, seeds and stem removed

1/4 avocado, peeled

2 tablespoons minced white onion

1 garlic clove

2 limes, juiced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Carne Asada

Toast chilies in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant. Fill a container with hot water from the tap and soak the chilies in the water for 15 minutes, or until soft.

Add chilies, onions, garlic, cumin, orange juice, vinegar, oil and salt to a blender. Blend until a paste forms, using the soaking liquid from the chilies as needed to loosen the mixture.

Place meat in a Ziploc bag or shallow pan and cover with marinade. Spend a few minutes massaging the marinade in, seal bag or cover pan, place in fridge and allow to marinate for 4 hours or overnight (overnight is better).

Preheat a grill over medium heat. Grill meat to medium rare. Rest on a tray tented with aluminum foil for 10 minutes before slicing.

Slice thin, on the bias and serve on corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, sliced avocado and salsa Verde. Serve with lime wedges.

Salsa Verde

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth, add water if necessary to thin salsa.

Creamy Beef and Shells

8 ounces medium pasta shells

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Pinch of red pepper flakes

8 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, about 1 1/2 cups

Fresh parsley, chopped or fresh basil, torn, for garnish

In a large pot of boiling, salted (like the ocean) water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain well, but do not rinse.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat. Set aside.

Add onion and bell pepper to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk in beef stock, Worcestershire and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 6-8 minutes.

Stir in pasta, beef and heavy cream until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in cheese until melted, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Chicken Piccata

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Flour, for dredging

Olive oil

Dry white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons caper

Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

1 ½ cups chicken stock

⅓ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Angel hair pasta, cooked, for serving

Cut each breast in half lengthwise so you have 4 pieces of chicken. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top and pound to about ¼ inch thick. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

Dredge each piece of chicken in flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Pour the wine into the pan and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute.

Add the butter, garlic, and capers and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the lemon juice and chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce has slightly thickened.

Stir in the cream, then return the chicken to the pan.

Sprinkle with the parsley and turn the chicken to coat in the sauce.

Simmer for 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly, then remove from the heat.

Serve the chicken and sauce over the pasta.

Buffalo-Blue Cheese Meatloaf

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 small onion, finely diced

1 rib celery, finely diced

1/3 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

1/3 cup Buffalo wing sauce (Frank’s)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt & fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 pound ground beef

1/2-pound Italian sausage

Topping:

1/3 cup Buffalo wing sauce

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, from a wedge

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, combine egg, onion, celery, panko, wing sauce, oregano and salt & pepper, to taste. Add beef and sausage. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into a loaf in a greased baking dish or on a sheet pan.

Bake 20 minutes. Spread wing sauce over top; sprinkle with cheese. Bake until a digital probe thermometer reads 160°, 20-30 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.