Boudro's Famous Guacamole

Ingredients
Juice of 1/4 of an orange
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1 avocado seeded and scooped out of skin
2 Tbs roasted and charred Roma tomatoes diced
1 ea Serrano pepper roasted, seeded, and diced
1 Tbs diced red onions
1 tsp chopped cilantro
coarse ground salt to taste (sea salt is better)

Directions
1. Roast serrano peppers and roma tomatoes (Broil on grate over baking sheet, turn once, check for doneness. Serranos will be done quickly)2. Squeeze juices into bowl. Add avocado and coarsely chop. Add diced onions, roasted tomato, serrano and cilantro. Fold into avocado mixture. Add salt (more is better). 


Result should be crudely chopped not mashed.



Source: Boudro's Restaurant in ?, TX

Chickpea, Cauliflower, and Cabbage Curry

Adapted from Maddhur Jaffrey's recipe in "From Curries to Kebabs"

Ingredients

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/8 of a congo pepper (scotch bonnet, habero), without seeds, or 3 bird's-eye chilies, chopped

4 T olive oil

1 T hot curry powder (Bolst's)

1 tsp roasted and ground cumin seeds

3 medium cauliflower (or potatoes, peeled), cut into 3/4 in dice

1.5 tsp salt

4 cups green cabbage, cut into 1/2 in squares

2 cups vegetable broth

Directions

1. Put the onion, garlic, peppers, and 4 T of water into a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Pout the oil into a heavy, lidded pan and set over medium-high heat. Put in the paste from the blender. Stir and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, removing the lid to stir frequently. Add the curry powder and roasted cumin. Stir once and put in the chickpeas cauliflower, salt, and about 2 cups vegetable broth and an additional 1 cup of water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the cabbage has just softened.

Serves 4-6

Salmon Curry

From Mahdur Jaffrey's "From Curries to Kebabs"

Serves 6

Ingredients

For marinating the fish:

2 lbs skinless salmon fillet, preferably center-cut

1/3 tsp salt

1.3 tsp cayenne pepper

1.3 tsp ground turmeric

For the poaching sauce:

3 tsp whole brown mustard seeds

1.5 T ground coriander (best if ground fresh)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp curry powder (Bolst's Hot Curry Powder is best)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 tsp salt

1 can drained diced tomatoes (or 1 cup fresh diced tomatoes)

2 T olive oil

1 T mustard oil (if possible, more olive oil fine too)

1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds (optional)

15 to 20 fresh curry leaves (these are critical to the dish!)

Directions

1. Cut the salmon into manageable serving pieces, about 2x3 inches. Dust both sides with the salt, cayenne pepper, and turmeric and rub into the fish. Place the fish in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 to 6 hrs.

2. Grind 2.5 tsp of the mustard seeds in a spice grinder. Put in a bowl. Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt, tomato, and 1/2 cup of water. Mix well and set aside.

3. Pour the two oils into a large pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the remaining 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop, a matter of seconds, add the fennel seeds. Stir once and put in the curry paste, as well as another 1 cup of water and the curry leaves. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. (This sauce can be refrigerated for several hours.)

4. Reheat the sauce in the pan and lay the fish pieces in it in a single layer. Simmer on a low heat until the bottom of the fish pieces appear to be done, about 5 minutes. Carefully turn the fish pieces over and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through.

Chicken Biryani

Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Goat Biryani recipe in "From Curries to Kebabs"

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1/2 tsp saffron threads

1/2 cup warm milk

2 cups basmati rice (or jasmine rice - see directions)

3/4 vegetable oil (or for somewhat lighter recipe, enough to coat bottom of pan, and ignore direction #4)

3 medium onions, sliced into fine half-rings

1/2 in piece of ginger (or about 1.5 tsp fresh ginger paste)

4 cloves garlic, crushed

4 pods cardamom, lightly crushed but left whole

1 3-in stick of cinnamon

2 black cardamoms (these are large and quite distinct flavor from the small green kind)

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp whole cloves

1/2 tsp whole peppercorns

Either use a spice grinder for previous 6 spices (our preferred), or tie in a square of cheesecloth and remove later (Madhur Jaffrey's suggestion).

1-2.5 lbs chicken thighs (bone-in and skin-on)

1.5 tsp plus 2.5 tsp salk

1.5 tsp cayenne pepper (or spicier and redder chili pepper)

1 can drained diced tomatoes

1.5 T tomato paste

Directions

1. Put the saffron threads in the warm milk. Cover and set aside.

2. If using jasmine rice, cook almost all the way (if cooked all the way, biryani will be somewhat soggy, but that's better than crunchy rice). If using basmati rice, wash the rice in several changes of water, then drain and leave to soak in water that covers in generously for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 3 hours, then drain and cook.

3. Pour the oil into a large, wide, ovenproof, lidded pan and set over medium-high heat. Add half the sliced onions and fry, stirring, turning the heat down as needed, until the onions are both a rich medium reddish-brown color and crisp. Remove all the onions with a slotted spoon or mesh spatula and spread out on a tray lined with paper towels.

4. (If using a lot of oil) Carefully remove about 1/4 cup of the hot oil and set aside near the saffron milk.

5. Add the remaining sliced onions to the remaining oil. Also put in the ginger, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, black cardamom, bay leaves, and the cheesecloth bundle. Stir and fry until the onions turn golden with hints of brown. Add the chicken thighs, 2.5 tsp of the salt, and the cayenne pepper, and stir and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Add 3/4 cup water and continue to stir and cook for a further 10 minutes. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring now and then.

7. Remove the lid and stir in the tomatoes. Add the tomato paste and keep stirring for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, relace the lid, and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until the meat is tender, stirring occassionally and adding a little water if needed.

8. Preheat the oven to 300 F.

9. When the meat is tender and the sauce very reduced and thick, remove the spice bundle. Put the whole covered pan in the over to keep it warm.

10. Once the rice is about 3/4 done and drained, work quickly to do the following: Put a T of the reserved oil into the rice pan. Cover with a third of the rice. Cover this with a little less than half of the meat and juices. Sprinkle a third of the browned onions over the top. Cover all this with another third of the rice, then a tsp of oil (if using, not necessary), then most of the remaining meat, a then a third of the onions. Cover with the final layer of rice, the last of the oil, meat and juices, the onions, and finally all the saffron milk.

11. Cover, first with foil, and then with a lid. Put the pan briefly over medium-high heat so the oil at the bottom heats up, and then put the pan in the oven for 25 minutes. Stir gently before serving.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2 14 oz cans Navy/great northern/cannellini beans, drained
1 Large onion, diced

1/4 cup vermouth or dry white wine
1 Stick butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1+ tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin (best if freshly ground from seeds)
8 oz green chili's, diced (serrano or jalepeno, seeds removed)
1 lb cooked chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie, broiled or sauteed)
1 1/2 cup grated Monterrey jack cheese (or pepper jack for spicier dish, or extra sharp white cheddar for more bite)
1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup diced cilantro

Directions:
1. Saute onion until transparent in 2 T butter, add white wine

2. Add 6 T butter and flour to make a golden brown roux (about 3-5 min). Add spices during this time. (They might get somewhat stuck to the bottom, just scrape thoroughly when adding the broth.)
3. Gradually add the broth, and then the milk, stirring constantly to mix everything in.
4. Bring to almost a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add chicken, beans, chillies, and cheese and lightly simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes
6. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cilantro. Serve.

Serves 5-6.

Squash, White Bean and Kale Ragout

Published by: NY Times, November 14, 2007 Time: 1 1/4 hours 

1 3-pound butternut squash

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

2 tablespoons maple syrup 

2 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar 

1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Pinch of cayenne 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

4 large leeks, cleaned and chopped, white and light green parts only 

2 large garlic cloves, pressed 

2-3 large rosemary sprigs (remove twigs after cooking)

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 

2 cups vegetable broth 

1.5 bunches kale, center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 bunches or 1 large farmer's market bunch) 

2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (with box grater, not microplane) ( 1/2 cup), more to taste

1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped, plus whole berries for garnish 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, peel pumpkin or squash. Trim stem, then halve pumpkin or squash and scoop out seeds (save for roasting if desired). Cut flesh into 1-inch cubes. 

2. Spread cubes out on a large rimmed baking sheet. In small saucepan, combine butter or canola oil, syrup, 1 teaspoon vinegar, kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cayenne. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until butter melts; pour mixture over squash and toss to coat evenly. Roast, tossing occasionally, until pumpkin or squash is very tender and caramelized at edges, about 30 minutes. 

3. In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks, garlic, rosemary and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft and not at all browned, about 15 minutes. Add beans and broth and simmer for 10 minutes. 

4. Stir in kale, and cheese if desired. Simmer until kale is cooked down and very tender, about 10 minutes. 

5. Stir in pumpkin or squash and chopped cranberries; season with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Garnish with additional cranberries and sea salt, and serve. 

Yield: 8 to 10 side-dish servings; 6 main-course servings.

Delicious; and an instant thanksgiving classic. Make sure not to skimp on the cider vinegar and maple syrup, more cayenne pepper would be easily tolerated by most.

Chicken Canzanese

We served this with the polenta recipe below to absorb extra sauce, but potatoes or couscous could work too.

Ingredients

1	tablespoon olive oil
2	ounces thick cut bacon or proscuitto (1/4 inch thick), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
6	garlic cloves , sliced thin lengthwise
8	chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and skin
2	teaspoons all-purpose flour
2	cups dry white wine
1	cup low-sodium chicken broth
4	whole cloves
2	sprigs fresh rosemary (we threw it in whole, but we could try mincing it too)
12	fresh sage leaves
3	bay leaves
1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1	tablespoon lemon juice
2	tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Instructions:

   1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring frequently, until just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic slices and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden brown, about 1½ minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic and prosciutto to small bowl and set aside.

2. 2. Increase heat to medium-high; add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and heat until just smoking. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with ground black pepper. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until well browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate.

3. 3. Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan. Sprinkle flour over fat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly add wine and broth; bring to simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cook until liquid is slightly reduced, 3 minutes. Stir in cloves, rosemary stem, sage leaves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and reserved prosciutto and garlic. Nestle chicken into liquid, skin side up (skin should be above surface of liquid), and bake, uncovered, until meat offers no resistance when poked with fork but is not falling off bones, about 1 hour 15 minutes. (Check chicken after 15 minutes; broth should be barely bubbling. If bubbling vigorously, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.)

4. 4. Using tongs, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with foil. Remove and discard sage leaves, rosemary stem, cloves, and bay leaves. Place skillet over high heat and bring sauce to boil. Cook until sauce is reduced to 1¼ cups, 2 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in minced rosemary, lemon juice, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce around chicken and serve.

   
   

   Tasty! Tender chicken, a slight spicy bite, and just delicious with Alton Brown's polenta.