Tag: main course
Pasta alla Trapanese (Sicilian Red Pesto Pasta)
Pasta alla Trapanese (Sicilian Red Pesto Pasta)
Red Pesto sauce is a Sicilian variation of the traditional basil pesto, but using cherry tomatoes, almonds, and pecorino romano instead of pine nuts and parmesan. This sauce is raw and doesn’t get cooked other than being lightly heated from the hot pasta; giving it a fresh taste. Using a curly shaped pasta works best for catching the sauce.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup peeled almonds
- ^ garlic cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup pecorino romano grated; plus more for serving
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes
- 1 lb fusilli, gemelli, or any curly-shaped pasta cooked
Instructions
- Place the almonds and salt in the foods processor and chop as fine as possible. Add in the cheese and pulse.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and purée. Place the pesto a large saucepan.
- Cook the pasta al dente; saving 1 cup of pasta water. Strain.
- Add the cooked pasta to the red pesto. Add in the pasta water and stir.
- Top with more pecorino romano.
Tacos Vampiro
Tacos Vampiro
Tacos vampiro originates from the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The corn tortillas get a browned cheese crust on the top. The tacos are then served with a protein, usually carne asada, cilantro, onion, and a salsa. They can be eaten open-faced, like a tostada, or like a regular taco.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
- 1 cup shredded cheese mozzarella or Monterrey jack
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1 cup protein of your liking; cooked
- white onion finely chopped
- cilantro finely chopped
- hot sauce
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat up 2 tbsp of cooking oil or lard in a large nonstick sauté pan or griddle over medium low heat. Add in 4 mounds, a 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
- Place a corn tortilla over each mound. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the cheese creates a crust.
- Flip the tortillas cheese side up.
- Add the protein and cook for a minute. Remove from the pan.
- Top the tacos with onion, cilantro, and hot sauce of your liking. Serve with lime wedges.
Pork Belly Carnitas
Pork Belly Carnitas
Recently, I’ve been eating a lot of pork belly in taco form. Instead of just browning it until crispy, I wanted to prepare it like carnitas. Typically, carnitas is pork shoulder simmered with lard, then browned. Since there is a lot of fat in pork belly, I omitted the lard. Most of the fat rendered out of the belly, allowing it to brown in its own fat. The belly was nice and crispy, but still tender.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs pork belly cut into small cubes
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
Tacos
- vegetable oil
- corn tortillas
- white onion finely chopped
- cilantro chopped
- hot sauce
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Bring the water and pork belly to a boil in a sauté pan. Simmer for 1 hour on low.
- Increase the heat. Cook off all the water. Season with salt.
- Turn the heat to medium low and brown the pork belly until crispy; about 10-15 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
