Ribs from the smoker

 

I used the smoker for ribs today. 

Franklin Beans                 Gates Beans

1 lb dried pinto beans         2-55 oz cans B&M pork and beans

1/2 yellow onion                 3 T. rub seasoning

1/2 Cl bean seasoning (recipe below)          1/2 C firm pack brown sugar

8 C. water                 3/4 C BBQ sauce

1 C. chopped brisket bark and shredded meat 1/2 C. molasses

                        1 T. liquid smoke

                        1 C. beef                 1 C. brisket fat drippings

Bean seasoning for Franklin beans In cast iron kettle, combine ingr. about 20  min before rib are done & cook 

1 C. Chili powder         until crust forms on top. about 20 minutes

1/2 C kosher salt                                         

1/4C. coarse black pepper Smoked Chili Powder

2 T. onion powder

1 tsp. ground cumin 1 C. smoked paprika

                 5T+1tsp. dried Greek oregano

CS Rub                  3 T. + 1 tsp. ground cumin

                 3T.+ 1 tsp. granulated garlic

1/2 C. Turbano sugar 2T. granulated onion

1/4C. + 2   use 2T. tsp. kosher salt 3T. 1tsp. cayenne pepper  

1/4C. Smoked Chili Powder—recipe here> Mix above together

2T.+ 2 tsp. ground cumin

1tsp. cayenne pepper CS Cherry BBQ Sauce

1T.+ 1 tsp. cracked black pepper

1 T+ 1tsp. granulated garlic 3 C. ketchup

1T. + 1 tsp. granulated onion 1 C. packed light brown sugar

Mix, store in a cool dark space 3/4 C. distilled white vinegar

                2 T. molasses

                1 T. Worcestershire sauce

OKJ Rub 1/2 C          1 tsp. chipotle chili powder

                 1T. chili powder

2 T. sugar         1T. sweet paprika

1 T. packed brown sugar 1 tsp. kosher salt

1 1//2 tsp, garlic powder         1 tsp. granulated onion

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder         1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 1/2 tsp. paprika         1 1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. cumim         1/2 C. cherry preserves

1 tsp. salt         1/2 C. sun dried cherries (Us 1C. cherry preserves)

1 tsp. onion powder in 4 qt saucepan, combine ingredients with 1/2 C.

1 tsp. white pepper         water over med. heat. Simmer, stirring 

 1tsp. black pepper continously  20 minutes, until thickened slightly.

                Set aside to cool Note try other fruit preserves  like peach or apricot instead of cherry.  

Directions to Franklin beans:  Combine beans, onion, ban seasoning and water in a large pot and let set overnight.Aadd the brisket bark and meat to the soaked beans and bring to a boil Lower heat to a slow simmer and cook, covered,3-4 hours, until tender.   Norm note I will use canned baked beans drained, soften the onion in butter, add to beans with bean seasoning to taste. Or I might use Gates seasoning instead with the onion added.

Gates Beans-my version- I only use ingredieht 2 -5 stored in a 12 ounce bottle and adding enough to however much Bushes Baked Beans I am using at the time. I put them in an open pot in the smoker and let them smoke with the meat.  I chop up some of the meat and add it to the beans and some of the juice from the meat   Next time I'll add some softened onions and see if that is an improvement. 

Chicken Shawarma

I should have served rice with this Middle Eastern dish but I had a potato salad I wanted to to try and I made it instead.  Turned out to be a bad idea because potato salad does not go well with spicy Asian food. 

 Chicken Shawarma (Middle Eastern)  4-5 servings 

Ingredients
2 lb. chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless

MARINADE

• 1 large garlic clove , minced (or 2 small cloves)
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground cardamon
• 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp to make it not spicy)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil

TO SERVE

• 1 batch Lemon yogurt sauce
• 4 – 5 flatbreads (Lebanese or pita bread or homemade soft flatbreads)
• Sliced lettuce (cos or iceberg)
• Tomato slices
• Red onion , finely sliced
• Cheese , shredded (optional) (or feta)
• Hot sauce of choice (optional)
• other sides: Pita, tahini, ch, cucumbers,  ch. parsley,

Instructions

• Marinade chicken – Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Add the chicken, seal, the massage from the outside with your hands to make sure each piece is coated. Marinate 24 hours (minimum 3 hours).
  
• Yogurt Sauce – Combine the Yogurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
  
• Preheat stove or BBQ – Heat a large non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon over medium high heat, or lightly brush a BBQ hotplate/grills with oil and
• heat to medium high. (See notes for baking)
  
• Cook chicken – Place chicken in the skillet or on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred. Turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).
  
• Rest – Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
  

TO SERVE

• Slice chicken and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad and the Yoghurt Sauce (or dairy free Tahini sauce from this recipe).
  
• To make a wrap, get a piece of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and enjoy!

TAHINI SAUCE:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2.5 tbsp water
• 1.5 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 garlic clove , pressed through garlic crusher or grated using microplane (to make sauce smooth)
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

GARNISH:  1/4 cup flaked almonds, pine nuts or pistachios 

Yogurt sauce

1/2 C. plain Yogurt

1 T. Mayonnaise

1 1/2 tsp, cider vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced ( 1-2 tsp)

heaping tsp. garlic powder

salt and white pepper

Mix the shawarma sauce: Add ingredients Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground white pepper as desired. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If you’d like to thin it out some, whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of water. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Authentic Russian Salad ‘Olivye’ 10 servings 

Ingredients

6 potatoes, peeled

1 carrot or more to taste

4 whole eggs

6 large pickles, cut into cubes 

1 (15 oz.) can peas, drained

1/2 C. cubed fully cooked ham

1 T. chopped fresh dill or to taste (optional)

1/2 C. Mayonnaise

Directions  

Gather all ingredients. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add potatoes and boil 5-0 minutes. Add carrots and whole eggs and cook until potatoes are tender< 10-15 minutes.

Drain and cool.  Chop eggs and potatoes, peel the eggs.

Mix potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles, peas, ham and dill together. Stir in the mayonnaise until evenly coated.

tip: you can use fresh parsley for the dill if preferred or dill is not available.

Larb

Earlier this week I was working on a crossword puzzle in the paper.  One clue was Laos mincemeat salad.  It was four letters and I had the first three LAR_. It looked like the last letter could be B.  LARB?   I didn't think I'd ever heard of that so I looked it up and it was a salad and looked good.  I couldn't go shopping for it until today because the car was in the shop and Charlie's car has a dead battery.  Just now as I was typing,I did a search on my computer found this from 2018.  

World's Most Famous Salads

• Salad Caprese.
• Salade Niçoise.
• Cobb Salad.
• Ceaser Salad.
• Waldorf Salad.
• Larb Salad.
• Tabbouleh.
• Olivier Salad.

I had not remembered  that list.  I printed out three larb recipes and compared them and added a little from each. I used the recipe printed and added some green beans, cucumber,  cabbage leaves  and cooked rice.  I thought it tasted better without the rice.  

  (Larb )Herby Pork with Chili also spelled Laab

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

• 3 tablespoons jasmine rice
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rounds (about 1 scant cup)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• ¼ cup lime juice from about 2 to 3 limes, plus more for serving (optional)
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 bird’s eye chili, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup torn mint leaves
• ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems
• 1 pound ground pork
• Kosher salt
• Flaky salt (optional)

PREPARATIOn

 1  In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the rice, stirring frequently, until it starts to smell nutty and turns golden in color, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or clean spice grinder and allow to cool for a minute or two. Grind or pulse the rice until it has a powder-like consistency. You should have about 1½ to 2 tablespoons. Set aside and wipe out the pan.

2 In a large bowl, whisk together shallots, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, bird’s eye chile, chile flakes, half the scallions, half the mint and half the cilantro. Set aside.

3 Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add pork, breaking meat apart with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until meat is no longer pink, but not browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.

4 Remove pork from heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to the bowl with the chile-herb mixture, add the rice powder and stir together until combined. Season with kosher salt to taste.

5 Top with remaining herbs and serve. Season with flaky salt and an extra squeeze of lime, if desired.

Sicillian Scacciata

I am not going to post the recipe for this because I will never make it again.  The crust used sour dough starter fed and composed mostly of white whole wheat flour and it took overnight plus all day to make.  The filling was kalamata olives, Italian sausage, broccoli, provolone cheese and oil packed sun dried tomatoes.
 

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala   Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 4  

Ingredients

3 T. unsalted butter

2 C. sliced cremini mushrooms

4 six oz. thinly sliced chicken breasts

1/4C. AP flour

1/2 tsp.kosher salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 T. EVOO

1/4 C.finely chopped shallots

3/4 C. Marsala wine

1C. chicken stock

1 T. ch. fresh rosemary 

Directions

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they are golden brown on the edges. Remove mushrooms from skillet and set aside. 
2. Mix salt, pepper and flour. Dredge chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess flour.
3. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium. When oil is hot but not smoking, add dredged chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove cutlets from skillet and set aside. 
4. Add chopped shallots to skillet and cook until transparent, about 30 seconds. 
5. Add Marsala to skillet and reduce until just a small amount is left to coat the bottom of the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. 
6. Add stock and rosemary to skillet and reduce sauce by half, about 5 minutes. 
7. Whisk the remaining tablespoon of butter into sauce and add mushrooms. 
1. Return chicken cutlets and coat them with the sauce. Continue cooking over low flame until sauce is thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.