Café con Leche

When making the rubs if you can't find the pepper powder or puree you can make it yourself in just a few minutes by stemming, seeding and toasting the pepper on a dry skillet over medium heat. You will need to press the pepper against the flat surface for about 10 seconds. The pepper will become aromatic and acquired a lighter color. For the powder, just add the toasted peppers in the blender. If you are making a puree you will need to soak the toasted peppers in a covered bowl of hot water for about 30 minutes. To keep the peppers submerged you can use a plate.

Ancho Puree
Stem and seed 8 dried ancho chiles. Toast and soak as described above. Drain the pepper and transfer to a blender or food processor with 2 cups of water and puree. Mixture can be stored in a covered container a couple months.

Posted by Rosa at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This rub is good on potatoes and pork.

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 C mild paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons ground chipotle chile
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons salt

In a bowl or food processor stir together all the ingredients until thoroughly blended. Can be stored in a covered container for up to 1 month.

Posted by Rosa at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This rub is great for grilled meats. I especially like it on chicken.

4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 C ground ancho chile powder - can be bought at Mexican stores or can be made with chile anchos
4 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons ground black pepper
5 teaspoons Salt

In a bowl or a small processor stir in all the ingredients until thorough blended. Can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Posted by Rosa at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

2 aji panca seeded, ribbed, and soaked in hot water
1/2 cup tamarind paste
2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1/2 orange)
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Directions
Drain the aji panca and place it in a blender along with the tamarind paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, orange juice and garlic. Puree to make a thick paste, scraping the jar as necessary. Set aside 1/4 of the glaze for serving.

Posted by Rosa at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ingredients
LAMB
Loin of lamb
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh cumin
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 lamb tender loins (2 pounds each)
Salt

YOGURT SAUCE
2 cups plain yogurt, drained for 30 minutes
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. MAKE THE LAMB: Place oil, cumin, garlic, lime juice, cilantro and black pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a large shallow baking dish, add tenderloins and rub completely with the marinade. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours. Remove from marinade and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side for medium rare.

2. MAKE THE SAUCE: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 1/2 hour before serving. Serve with the grilled lamb.

SERVE WITH Grilled Lemons and Pita

Food & Wine

Posted by Rosa at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon ground coriander
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1 tablespoon ground chile powder
* 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients, pressing out any lumps of brown sugar.

Notes
Try the rub on beef, chicken, pork and lamb. It's especially good on skirt steak, chicken thighs and pork ribs.

Posted by Rosa at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I recently discovered the condiment Achiote (ah-chee-OH-tay) and have been having fun trying it out. Achiote is made with annatto seeds and is used to give color, and of course as an excellent seasoning. Achiote is very common in dishes from the Yucatan Peninsula in the southeast of Mexico. It's ideal for marinates or to prepare grilled meats such as fish or chicken.

Marinade
One 3.5 oz Achiote Paste
1/3 cup fresh lime juice

Break achiote paste into a food processor and add the lime juice. Process until smooth.

I use this marinate to add flavor to grilled fish. It also good with boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Posted by Rosa at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ingredients
1 small jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, rosemary or thyme (or a combination)
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley or cilantro
Salt and pepper

Directions
Heat the jalapeno pepper over the flame of your stove or in the broiler until the skin starts to blister and develop black spots, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove the stem and seeds. Chop pepper (skin and all) and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over a medium flame until bubbling slightly, not yet smoking. Remove from heat and add rest of ingredients. You will hear a melodious sizzle.

Allow to sit, covered at room temperature, for 2 hours before using. If you do not plan to use sauce within a few hours, wait to add the parsley until you use the sauce.

Drizzle it over grilled meats just before taking them off the grill then offer more on the table for extra drizzling, bread dipping, or (gasp) spoon-plunging. If there’s any left over, use it to scramble eggs in the morning.

Makes about 1 cup
Adapted from Zuni Cafe Cookbook

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Posted by Rosa at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This marinade can double as a zesty dipping sauce for grilled fish, shellfish or poultry.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons mustard seeds
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
Pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup peanut oil
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

directions
In a small dry skillet, toast the mustard seeds over moderate heat, shaking the pan, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the mustard seeds, lime juice, ginger, garlic, lime zest, salt and pepper. Stir in the peanut oil and then the cilantro and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Scrape off most of the marinade before grilling.

Marinate chicken and fish for 6 to 12 hours; shrimp 2 to 3 hours
MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS

From Food & Wine Magazine

Posted by Rosa at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This spicy, smoky-flavored marinade tenderizes poultry and meat while contributing a subtle curry flavor.

Ingredients

1 dried ancho chile
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups plain yogurt
1 small red onion, finely chopped

Directions

1. In a small bowl, cover the ancho chile with hot water. Let soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the chile, reserving 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Halve, stem and seed the ancho.

2. In a blender, combine the garlic and ancho and blend until finely chopped. Add the curry powder, oil and the reserved ancho soaking liquid and blend until smooth. Blend in the yogurt. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the onion.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

Posted by Rosa at 12:20 PM | Permalink

It's easier to buy the chili-garlic paste but sometimes you want it from scratch for your pasta or you run out.

Ingredients
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, 3 peeled and 1 minced
6 small dried chili peppers or 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Directions
1. Heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil in a small skillet over a medium flame. Add the peeled garlic and chili; cook 2 minutes, or until the garlic is golden and the chili peppers are swollen (or the chili flakes are aromatic). Cool the garlic and chili 5 minutes, then crush in a mortar with a pestle into a coarse paste.

2. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil to the skillet over medium heat and cook the minced garlic until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the prepared garlic-chili paste and cook 30 seconds.

Posted by Rosa at 03:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)