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Roasted Brussels sprouts with Chorizo

   
  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pack fresh Mexican chorizo, casings off and crumbled
  • Salt
  • 2 medium shallots, chopped
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Blanch the Brussels sprouts in boiling water, drain and put them into an ice bath to shock them and retain the color. Take out of the water and pat dry. Keep aside. This can be done a day before and refrigerated.

Heat a large skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the chorizo and cook on medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes till golden brown. Add the shallots and cook, stirring and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the pine nuts and cook for a minute. Add the Brussels sprouts to the mixture, mix well and cook for 5 to 6 minutes till the sprouts are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Mexican Style Turkey Breast with Ancho Chili

   

Compound Butter

  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Zest of one orange
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Mix the butter with orange and lemon zest, garlic and salt.

Spice Rub

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon acho chili powder

Mix all the spices together and set aside.

  • 1/2 cup Chili Barbecue Sauce
  • 1 7 to 10 pound turkey breast
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 orange, cut into eight pieces
  • 1 lemon, cut into eight pieces
  • 2 cups turkey or chicken broth
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Have your gravy ready either the day before or the morning of. Transfer it to a large saucepan and keep aside.

Preheat convection oven to 325 degreed F.

Place the turkey onto a rack in a roasting pan. Turn the turkey over and place the cut up orange and lemon inside the cavity. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally and turn it breast side facing up. Loosen the skin and carefully spread half the compound butter. Spread the rest all over the skin. Sprinkle the spice rub all over the top. Pour the broth to the bottom of the roasting pan. Keep aside.

With a brush add the chili barbecue sauce (recipe below) all over the turkey. Roast the turkey glazing every 15 minutes. Roast till internal temperature reaches 158 to 160 degrees F. Take out of the oven and place onto a platter and cover with foil to rest for at least 20 minutes. While the turkey is resting, take the drippings from the bottom of the pan and pour them into a small glass bowl. Let the fat separate, remove from top and pour the liquid into the prepared gravy and bring to a boil. Check for seasonings and heat the gravy through. Serve with the turkey.

Chili Barbecue Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 dried ancho chilies, stems and seeds discarded and cut into ½ inch pieces

1 14 ounces can diced tomatoes with chilies

½ cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

Juice and zest of 3 clementines

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

Heat a medium saucepan with the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ancho chilies, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, zest, juice and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer on a low flame for about 20 minutes. Take off heat and transfer to a blender and blend till a smooth sauce is formed. Check for seasonings and take out into a small bowl.

 

 

Vietnamese Style Chicken

   
  • 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

 

  • ¼ cup tamari
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, stems and leaves separated
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • Zest and juice of one lime
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch mixed in with 2 teaspoons water
  • Peanut oil for grilling
  • 1/3 cup chopped peanuts

Add the tamari, fish sauce, brown sugar, cilantro stems, ginger, garlic, lime zest and juice and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Mix well. Place the chicken in a zip lock bag and add the marinade and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in the fridge. Take chicken out of the bag, pat dry and keep aside. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan, bring to a boil and add the corn starch sauce. Bring to another boil, taste for seasonings and keep aside.

Heat the grill on high to preheat to at least 500 degrees. Turn heat down to medium. Drizzle the chicken pieces with some peanut oil and place on the hot grill and wait 3 to 4 minutes or until grill marks form. Turn the thighs and grill on medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes with the lid on. Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer to a platter and garnish with cilantro leaves and chopped peanuts.

Pistachio Avocado Toast

   

I think everyone is serving avocado toasts these days- especially the vegan places. I am not vegan but I do enjoy an avocado toast every once in a while. I have tried some in the past and my gripe is that they all taste bland. I have no issues with vegan cooking but I feel most things I have tried at vegan restaurants or cafes, are bland. Vegan doesn’t mean without flavor??? I enjoy cooking all kinds of dishes, with or without meat- the most important thing is flavor… so, here is my version of avocado toast- a lot yummier and a lot cheaper!!

  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pit taken out and smashed
  • 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 serrano chili, chopped
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 1 teaspoon pistachio oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and check for seasonings.

  • 2 sourdough slices, toasted

Slather the avocado mixture on the toasted slices and serve!!