Recent Posts
Morita Chilies Salsa
Morita Chilies Salsa
Morita peppers are dried jalapeños that have been slightly smoked. They have the spiciness similar to a chipotle pepper. What’s different about this salsa is that the dried peppers and garlic are fried in olive oil then soaked in hot water for 10 minutes to further hydrate them. Then they are purred with the water they were soaked in and the oil they were fried in. This salsa reminds me of the canned chipotle abodo sauce that chipotle peppers are packed in, but less smokey in flavor.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 12 dried morita peppers
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 cup hot water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat up olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Fry the morita peppers and garlic for 2-3 minutes. The peppers will puff up. That’s when you know that they’re done.
- Scoop out the peppers and garlic and let them soak in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes.
- Add the peppers, garlic, soaking water, and the oil they fried in to a blender. Purée until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
San Bei Ji (3 Cup Chicken)
San Bei Ji (3 Cup Chicken)
San bei ji literally translates to 3 cup chicken; the 3 cups referring to the sesame oil, soy sauce, and cooking wine. The braised chicken dish originated from southern China, but has become one of the most popular staples in Taiwanese cuisine. What is unique about this dish is the addition of basil at the end, which isn’t normally used in Chinese or Taiwanese cooking. The chicken is traditionally prepared in a clay pot, but a Dutch oven or a wok will do the trick. Serve the San bei ji with steamed rice.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 whole chicken legs drums cut into 2 pieces, thighs cut into 3 pieces
- 3/4 cup sesame oil
- 15 whole garlic cloves
- 3” knob ginger peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 red chilies cut length wise
- 4 green onions cut into 1” pieces
- 3/4 cup light soy sauce
- 3/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 30 basil leaves
Instructions
- Heat up sesame oil in a Dutch oven or wok over medium high heat. Add in the garlic, ginger, chilies, and green onion. Fry for 2 minutes.
- Add in the chicken and brown for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the soy sauce and cooking wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high to evaporate any extra sauce. You don’t want the chicken to be swimming. Stir in the sugar. Turn off the heat and mix in the basil leaves.
Argentinian Style Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Argentinian Style Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Argentinians love beef. They happen to have the second highest consumption rate of beef in the world, consuming an average of 125lbs per person annually. They are the third largest beef exporter in the world, right behind Brazil and Australia. It’s safe to say, they know beef.Argentinian style steaks are prepared very simply; nothing more than olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper. Their steaks are always grilled over a charcoal flame. The steaks are served with chimichurri sauce, which is the Argentinian version of steak sauce. Chimichurri is red wine vinegar based, with cilantro, parsley, garlic, and onions. Great steak options for grilling include ribeye, ny strip, porterhouse, top sirloin, flank steak, and skirt steak. Before you cook your steaks, let them rest at room temp for 30 minutes. To get a perfect medium rare, I like to have my steaks 1 1/4”thick, cooked 5-6 minutes a side. If you don’t have a charcoal grill: broiling, pan frying, or even baking in the oven are still good methods of cooking. High heat is the key to great steaks, so get your grill, broiler, pan, or oven hot. Your steaks will only need to be flipped once, so don’t futz around with it. Once the steak is finished to your desired doneness, let them rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Equipment
- food processor
- chimney starter
- charcoal
- charcoal grill
Ingredients
- new york strip, ribeye, porterhouse, or t-bone 1 1/4” thick
- olive oil
- coarse ground sea salt
- coarse ground black pepper
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 medium white onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp coarse ground sea salt
- 1/2 tsp corase ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp hot chili flakes
Instructions
Chimichurri Sauce
- Blend all of the ingredients together. Let sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours before using.
Argentinian Style Steak
- Rub a very small amount of olive oil on your steak. Coat each side with a generous amount of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Let rest at room temp for 30 minutes.
- Let your charcoal turn gray in your chimney starter. Pour in the grill and place on the grate. Place the steak directly over the charcoal.
- Grill the steaks for 5-6 minutes a side for medium rare, flipping only once. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Spoon chimichurri over your steak.
