Carnitas con Rajas

I decided it was time to explore something I haven't cooked... carnitas. There are a few ways to cook this tasty dish, but basically all of them involve slow cooking a Pork Butt (shoulder) for about 3 hours. The yield from this patience is well worth it, especially if you have to "tend the stove" and there happens to be a football game on.


Carnitas are cooked traditionally in Michoacan by simmering cubes of pork shoulder in a copper pot filled with lard. Most people today a)don't have a bunch of lard lying around, and b) want to try to keep their cholesterol under 350. In this first go-round, I decided to try a semi-traditional method by simmering lightly seasoned meat on the stove and then reducing the liquids till done. To accompany the carnitas, I added Rajas and Avocado-tomatillo salsa.

I love Rajas, and the recipe got me of to a simple but pretty good start. It was fairly mild, and I might add a little more heat next time. The avocado tomatillo salsa is an excellent version, and I'll use it again.


Carnitas (adapted from DianaKennedy)

Ingredients:
3 pounds of pork butt
Orange juice and water in a 3 to 1 ratio, enough to cover the meat
2 teaspoons of salt

Method:
1. Cut pork into strips (three inches by one inch), add to a large pot or cast iron skillet with the liquids and salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered on low for 2 hours. Do not touch the meat.
2. After two hours, turn heat up to medium high, and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork fat has rendered (about 45 minutes). Stir a few times, to keep pork from sticking to bottom of pan.
3. When pork has browned on both sides, it’s ready (there will be liquid fat in the pan). Serve either cubed or shredded (pork will be tender enough that just touching it will cause it to fall apart).
 Serves 4-6

Notes: The key to this recipe is that the meat has fat, so don't trim it! If there's not enough fat on the meat the recipe will turn out too dry. The brilliance of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Add rubs or spices as desired, or simply season with salt.


Hasson's famous Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

1 ripe avocado

1 medium tomatillo

1 stemmed jalapeño pepper, quartered*

1 Cup water

1 Tablespoon white distilled vinegar

3/4 Teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 Tablespoons diced onion

Chef's note: 

For less heat, remove seeds from the jalepeños.

To make it hotter, substitute serrano peppers to the recipe.

In a blender or food processor puree all ingredients.  Add 1/4 to 1/2 lime to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Makes 1-1/2 cups

Basic ChilePoblano Rajas

You can use different peppers or seasonings but this is a good basic recipe, by Rick Bayless.

I N G R E D I E N T S
4 medium, fresh chiles poblanos, roasted and peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2/3 cup crema or whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon mixed dried herbs (thyme, Mexican oregano, marjoram)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Chiles: Stem and seed the roasted chiles. You can remove the veins if you want a more mild rajas. Slice the chiles crosswise into 1/4" strips.

Heat the oil in a heavy sauté pan over medium heat and fry the onions until they brown, about 7 -8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chile strips, cook 2 minutes.

Add the cream, herbs, and bay leaves and simmer until the liquid reduces enough to just coat the vegetables. Remove the bay leaves, taste and adjust salt as needed. 

Korean BBQ Beef - (Pulgogi)

Almost 30 years ago my wife and I visited Korea, and we still have the memories of two well known fares: Kimchi and Bulgogi. I had a Jones for pulgogi and decided to use the steak I had in the freezer to fulfill my craving. I found a few recipes that were very authentic, and combined the features into a marinade that made me very happy. I have reproduced my recipe below, along with a couple of the different background explanations from each recipe I used for inspiration. I have had this best served over simple and sticky white rice...

Korean barbecued beef (pulgogi) 

Next to kimchi, pulgogi may be Korea's best-known dish. Thin strips of spicy beef are cooked over a pulgogi, a dome-shaped charcoal grill. The beef is flavored with a complex, sweet and salty marinade - made with minced pear or kiwi, garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds and rice wine - which tenderizes and flavors the beef. Garlic is a key, and be sure to toast those sesame seeds!


Although it is often eaten during the summer as picnic fare, this dish is good any time. Thinly sliced pork loin or tofu can be substituted for the beef, and can be grilled with optional mushrooms and onions for an authentic Korean dish.


This version was cooked on a charcoal grill with hickory.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
• 5 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pear - peeled, cored, and minced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Chefs note (optional): for a little extra spice, I added a bit of Asian chili-garlic sauce, which added to the complexity with some heat at the back end; you could also simply add freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Directions to make korean barbecued beef (pulgogi)
In a large bowl or ziploc bag, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, black pepper, garlic, green onions, and sesame seeds.

· Slice beef thinly into 1/2 x 2-inch pieces. (It helps in the beef is partially frozen when you slice it) Add meat to soy sauce mixture in bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.

· Grill meat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until brown.

· Serve with vegetable side dishes, such as the onions and mushrooms, broccoli, or zucchini or spinach, and rice. (*)

(*) Barbecued beef or pork also works well as a finger food. Place several slices of beef on a leaf of romaine lettuce and top it with 2 teaspoons of hot cooked rice and a dash of cayenne pepper. Roll up the leaf and enjoy.

Preparation time: 25 to 25 minutes
(plus chilling time of 1 to 2 hours)
Cooking time: 4 to 6 minutes
Serves 6

Curious Hasson makes a pie

I am not a baker. I never will be... don't think that way. I don't like it. And I REFUSE to do it! And I don't like Granny Smith apples... call me strange.

But we happen to have an apple tree that produces some really nice apples, and we happen to have a BILLION of them... and so I begrudgingly decided to make a pie.

Now don't shame me for buying frozen pie crusts... it was my first pie and I didn't want to mess with it.

I called my friend Tom Seibert (a pie making LEGEND who of course shamed me for using frozen pie crusts) and got a recipe that sounded good... because it had pecans in it. Tom likes this particular recipe because the apples come through rather than just sugar... I'd have to agree. He also advised me that you must peel the apples in one peel with a paring knife... at least I had something to shoot for.

He had used a recipe from Emeril, and I have always had good luck with those. Okay, I decided,  I'll give it a shot.

The only adjustments I made below is that 1) I used only Granny Smith, 2) I coarse chopped them instead of slicing, and 3) I added some uncooked apples to the sautéed apples later. I had read that Granny Smith tend to get mushy if that is all you use, so this added some less cooked apples into the mix (and it worked well).

For those of you that know the saying "an apple pie without some cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze", this is the recipe for you. Melted cheddar at the end. (I actually forgot this step and by the time I remembered it the pie had cooled)

Hey... actually it turned out really good. Ugly maybe, but good! Up next: my daughters amazing "live apple pie" recipe...

Apple Pecan pie

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005

Prep Time:

40 min

Inactive Prep Time:

1 hr 30 min

Cook Time:

1 hr 28 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 pounds Macintosh Apples, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 recipe Pie Dough, recipe follows
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 ounces Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar, grated
• 8 scoops vanilla ice cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter. Add the apples and saute for 2 minutes. Add the sugars, lemon juice and flour. Continue to saute for 2 minutes. Season the apples with nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Mix thoroughly and remove from the heat. Mix in the pecans. Cool the mixture.

Lightly dust a surface with flour. Cut the dough in half. Roll out each half to 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick. Fold 1 circle of dough in fourths. Carefully lift the dough and place in a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Unfold the pie dough and spoon the apples into the pie shell. Place the second round of dough over the apples. Using a sharp knife cut away the excess dough. Using your fingers, crimp the edges of the pie firmly to seal the dough completely. With the same sharp knife, make 3 slits, about 4 inches long and 2 inches apart, across the pie dough. Brush with the beaten egg, place the pie in the oven, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Return the pie to the oven and continue to cook for 8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Let cool to room temperature before slicing, about 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Pie Dough:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

11 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

5 tablespoons ice water

Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingers, work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 4 tablespoons of ice water and work with your fingers until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together. Add more water as needed just until the dough comes together, being careful not to over mix. Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Yield: enough for 1 double crust pie

Hasson's Famous New Years Day Bean dip

Okay, well maybe it's not famous yet... but it has potential!



20 min
10 min prep

SERVES 10

16 ounces refried beans
16 oz Ranch Style Beans

8 ounces pepper jack cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 C milk or Half & Half

About 5 or so slices of american cheese
Grated Cotija Cheese (can be found in the mexican foods section of most groceries. This cheese has a nice bite to it and enhances Mexican recipes)


1 chopped jalapeno (more if you like the heat!)
1/3 C chopped Red onion
About 1/3 bunch fresh Cilantro, chopped fine
Juice of 1 lime
lime zest


Combine pepper jack, milk, and cream cheese over medium low heat and stir until smooth and creamy.

Add beans and jalepenos and stir until uniform consistency.

Add chopped cilantro and lime juice... grate some of the lime zest into the pan. Blend.

If the consistency appears too runny, add some of the american cheese and stir till blended so that sauce thickens. (Remember, the sauce will thicken up when off the heat)


Pour into a small bowl and top with grated cotija cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.


If you want to cut the recipe, just keep proportion of cheeses in equal thirds, and add beans to taste.