Tag: main course
Tacos de Alambres
Tacos de Alambres
Here is a version of alambres in taco form. Instead of grilling skewers of beef, bacon, onions, and peppers, they are cut into small pieces and sautéed in a cast iron skillet for tacos. Serve in corn tortillas with your favorite salsa and fresh lime wedges.
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon diced
- 12 oz top sirloin cut into 1/2” cubes
- 1/2 lime juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper diced
- 1/4 medium white onion diced
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- corn tortillas
Instructions
- Squeeze the lime juice over the beef. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Sauté the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat for 4 minutes.
- Add in the beef and sear for 3 minutes.
- Add in the bell peppers and onions. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- Top with cheese. Take off the heat and place a cover over the skillet.
Smoked Pork Leg
Smoked Pork Leg
Most people I feel aren’t very familiar with raw pork leg. Once cured and smoked, you may know it as ham. But the raw pork leg is a great cut that is really inexpensive and doesn’t deserve the neglect it gets. A whole pork leg is around 10-12lbs. You can usually find half legs at any grocery store if you don’t want 10lbs of pork. For smoking purposes, you will want to trim off the outer skin.The marinade is an oniony/garlicky blend with orange juice and vinegar acting as a tenderizer. Marinate the leg for 24 hours. If you are going to smoke the leg, it will need to rest in the refrigerator on a rack for 24 hours. If you are going to roast the pork leg, it will be ready to go. Smoke for about 5 hours in your smoker at 250 degrees. If roasting, bake for 2 1/2-3 hours at 350 degrees. Let your pork leg rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Equipment
- food processor
- Electric Smoker
Ingredients
- 5 lb pork leg
- 10 garlic cloves
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 6 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
Wood Chips
- 1/2 applewood
- 1/2 pecan
Instructions
- Dry toast the onions and garlic in a sauté pan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Place the onions and garlic in a food processor along with the other marinade ingredients.
- Pulse until all of the ingredients are blended. The marinade doesn’t need to be puréed smooth. Semi-chunky is ok.
- Remove the outer skin of the pork leg.
- Place the pork leg in a gallon sized storage bag with the marinade. Marinate for 24 hours.
- Place the marinated pork leg on a rack. Allow to dry out in your refrigerator for 24 hours. Let rest at room temperature for 2 hours before smoking.
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Place the pork leg in the smoker.
- Smoke for 5 hours.
- Let the pork leg rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Hummus and Ground Beef
Hummus and Ground Beef
You probably have never seen hummus topped with ground beef before, but it is a popular dish in Lebanese cuisine. The hummus is a basic recipe with garbanzos, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini; all puréed in a food processor. The ground beef is browned and seasoned with Lebanese 7 spice. The beef is then place in the center of a mound of hummus; garnished with pine nuts, fried garlic, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil. You can serve as an appetizer or as a main course with pita as a scoop.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
Hummus
- 1 can garbanzo beans
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
Ground Beef
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Lebanese 7 spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Garnish
- olive oil
- parsley chopped
- fried garlic
- toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Purée all of the hummus ingredients in a food processor. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Add the olive oil is a small sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the ground beef until cooked through.
- Turn off the heat. Season with 7 spice, salt, and pepper.
