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Oaxacan Short Ribs
Oaxacan Short Ribs
This recipe for Oaxacan-style boneless beef short ribs focuses on a slow-braised, rich chili sauce (mole or adobo base) that results in fork-tender meat; perfect for tacos, quesadillas, or served with rice and beans. The flavor of the sauce consists of dried smoky chilies, chocolate, onions, tomatoes, and garlic. I turned my leftovers into tamales.
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless short ribs or 4lbs bone in short ribs
- 2 tbsp lard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cinnamon stick
Oaxacan-Style Sauce
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 guajillo peppers seeded
- 3 ancho peppers seeded
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 2 cups tomatoes diced
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tbsp achiote paste
- 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp vinegar
For Serving
- corn tortillas
- limes
- white onion finely chopped
- cilantro finely chopped
- beans
- Mexican rice
Instructions
- Soak the dried chilies in boiling water for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Melt lard in a large oven-safe pan over medium high heat. Season and add in the short ribs.
- Brown on all sides for 12 minutes.
- Purée all of the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the short ribs. Cover and place in a 300° oven for 2 1/2 hours.
- Remove from the oven and place on the stovetop uncovered over medium low heat. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Grilled Mortadella Sandwich
Grilled Mortadella Sandwich
This sandwich was introduced to me by on tv Anthony Bourdain on his trip to São Paulo, Brazil to the Mercadao Municipal. The food stall that sells this marvel of a sandwich uses 12 ounces of mortadella. 12 OUNCES!!! I’ve thought about this sandwich for countless years. I’ve recently learned he adapted this recipe in his cookbook, Appetites. So this recipe is in no way in any shape mine. It is in homage to Bourdain for his love of food and culture. This sandwich should be experienced by all.So what is mortadella, you may ask? This large cured sausage originated from Bologna, Italy. Think of it as the fanciest of bologna, with large studs of cubed fat, sometimes with pistachios. While this is obviously not the healthiest thing to eat, it is worth consuming at least once in your life.
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 Portuguese roll or brioche, sourdough, etc
- 12 slices mortadella
- 3 slices provolone
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Slice the roll in half and toast until browned; about 2 minutes max. Remove from the pan.
- Spread mayo and dijon mustard on both sides of the roll.
- Add 4 stacks of 3 slices of mortadella. Cook until crispy; about 3 minutes.
- Flip each stack. Add a slice of provolone to 3 of the stacks. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Stack the cheese stacks on top of each other, with the cheeseless stack on top.
- Place the stack on the toasted roll and eat!
Spicy Pickle-Brined Fried Chicken
Spicy Pickle-Brined Fried Chicken
Making fried chicken at home is a lot of work; and this recipe is no exception. But once you try this chicken, it’ll be worth all the effort and you’ll have one full happy belly. This chicken is marinated in buttermilk and spicy pickle brine. Both the marinade ingredients act as a tenderizer, as well as giving the chicken the tang that it needs and deserves. It’s then dredged in seasoned flour, more buttermilk, and back into the flour.
Equipment
- thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 cup spicy pickle brine
- 3 cups buttermilk divided
- 1 whole frying chicken cut into 8 pieces
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Mix together the pickle brine and 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk.
- Place the chicken in a gallon sized ziplock bag. Pour in the pickle brine/buttermilk. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours; preferably overnight.
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and seasonings.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour, the remaining buttermilk, and then back into the flour. Shake off the excess flour.
- Fill up a large pot with 3” of vegetable oil. Heat until the temperature reaches 350°. Fry the chicken in batches.
- Wings will take 10 minutes to fry. Drumsticks and thighs 12 minutes. Breasts will take 5 minutes. The internal temperature needs to read 165° for white meat and 180° for dark meat.
- Drain the grease on a wire rack.
