Ingredients

• 3 lb. pork butt, cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 8 ounces cola, plus more for cooking
• 1/8 cup soy sauce or teriyaki
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• Juice and zest of 2 oranges
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 dried habanero or ancho chile
• 4 flour tortillas
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 recipe Grilled Peach and Corn Salsa

Preparation

Combine paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder and rub into pork cubes.

Mix cola, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lime juice and zest, orange juice and zest, garlic and cumin and cover pork. Marinate pork in the refrigerator 2 to 6 hours.

Remove pork from marinade (reserve liquid), and sear meat in olive oil on all sides in a heavy-bottom pot. Add reserved marinating liquid and dried chili and simmer for approximately 2 hours. Liquid should reduce to a glaze by the 1 1/2 to 2-hour mark. To keep meat moist during earlier cooking time, add additional cola as needed. Meat should be falling apart tender. Can keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Saute to reheat.

Serve in flour tortillas with slices of avocado and grilled peach and corn salsa. Serves 4.

Rachel Mabb

Ingredients

• 1 giant, round crusty loaf
• 2 good steaks (boneless)
• 5-6 tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
• 7 oz. shallots, diced
• salt and pepper
• some garlic
• some brandy
• Worcestershire sauce
• horseradish
• Dijon mustard

Preparation

Slice the top off of your crusty loaf, and hollow out the middle. Melt the butter, and cook the shallots and mushrooms. Add garlic, brandy, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Sautee your steaks in some butter or oil of their own, seasoned w/ salt and pepper. Place one of the steaks into the loaf. Add all the mushroom mixture. Top with the other steak. Spread horseradish and Dijon, to taste, over the top. Take the whole loaf, wrap in parchment paper, string, and tin foil, and weight down with a cutting board and some nice heavy books, overnight (preferably in your cool basement, not in the refrigerator). The next day, slice into wedges as you’d cut a pie (just cut through the paper/foil), and enjoy.

The Grauniad

Ingredients

• Iceberg, red or romaine lettuce leaves, washed and chilled
• Fried rice [Mom: I’ve been making Yangzhou Fried Rice (Epicurious, 7/08)]
• Bamboo shoots
• Snow peas
• One large pork chop
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. mirin, rice wine, sherry, etc.
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 6 oz. mushrooms, sliced thinly

Preparation

Julienne bamboo shoots and snow peas. Thinly slice pork and marinate in soy, wine, and sugar. Stirfry all together with bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Serve in wraps with fried rice.

Ingredients for Dolmades

• 2 lbs. ground lamb
• 2 large onions, grated
• 1/2 cup minced parsley
• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 2 egg whites (save yolks for sauce)
• 2 TBSP minced fresh mint
• s & p
• 1 jar grape leaves
• chicken broth

Preparation for Dolmades

Combine all filling ingredients and mix well. Rinse, drain, and separate grape leaves. Cover the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan with 4-5 leaves. Roll 1 TBSP filling in each grape leaf. Place close together in even layers in saucepan. Add enough chicken broth to cover rolls. Place a small plate directly on top of rolls to weigh down. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Ingredients for Sauce

• 2 to 3 cups broth from pot
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 TBSP cornstarch

Preparation for Sauce

In small saucepan, boil broth. Combine eggs, yolks, juice, and cornstarch in blender. With blender running, slowly add hot broth. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat until thickened. Pour sauce over rolls. Eat.

Grandmommy

Ingredients

• 1 mango, peeled and diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
• 1 c. thinly sliced scallions
• 1 c. chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 c. cooked quinoa, cooled (~3/4 c. raw)
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-2 finely diced jalapeño peppers (optional)

Preparation

Mix everything together and serve over greens.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound fettuccine
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 cup grated Asiago cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preparation

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic slices and sauté until light golden, about 45 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to bowl.

Increase heat to medium-high; add sage to same skillet and stir until beginning to crisp, about 10 seconds. Add sausage and sauté until browned and crisp in spots, breaking up with fork, about 8 minutes.

Drain pasta; add pasta and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Using tongs, toss pasta with sausage mixture. Add crushed red pepper, if desired; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Top with crispy garlic and grated Asiago cheese.

Bon Appetit, March 2008

Ingredients

• 1 3-ounce package pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 large red jalapeño chiles, seeded, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 large fennel bulbs, stalks trimmed, cut into thin wedges with some core attached
• 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano or Pecorino Toscano cheese, divided

Preparation

Sauté pancetta in large skillet over medium heat until pancetta is golden. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Add 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in skillet. Add garlic and chiles; sauté over medium heat 1 minute. Add fennel; cook until beginning to soften, 5 minutes. Mix in broth, 2 tablespoons parsley, lemon juice, and fennel seeds. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until fennel is very tender, 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta until tender; drain. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Uncover skillet with fennel mixture and return to high heat. Cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add fennel to pasta. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 cup cheese, and pancetta. Add cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Toss pasta; transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons parsley over. Serve with cheese.

Bon Appetit, January 2010

Ingredients

• 1 3 1/2-lb. chicken
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 6 tablespoons peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
• 1/4 cup finely shredded fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, green part included, trimmed and cut into fine strips, 4 inches long
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry or shao shing wine
• 1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (optional)

Preparation

1. Place the chicken in a covered stock pot filled with enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken stand in the cooking liquid until just warm. Drain, reserving the broth for another use. Rinse the chicken under cold water, pat dry, and rub lightly with sesame oil.

2. Cut the chicken into pieces. Arrange neatly on a platter.

3. Heat the peanut, vegetable, or corn oil in a small saucepan, and when it is hot add the ginger and scallions. Cook about 30 seconds; remove ginger and scallions with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan.

4. Scatter the ginger and scallions over the chicken.

5. Add the remain ingredients to the oil, bring to a boil and pour over the chicken. Serve at room temperature.

Epicurious, January 2001

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini plus 1 cup liquid from jar
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 8 ounces penne pasta
• 3 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese
• Sliced fresh basil (for garnish)
• Additional grated Asiago cheese

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add sausage; cook until browned, breaking into pieces, about 4 minutes. Add peperoncini, shallots, and next 6 ingredients; cook until shallots are tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add pepperoncini liquid; stir until most of liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add Marinara, cream, and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are cooked through, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in another large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring often. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Transfer pasta and 3 tablespoons cheese to pot with sauce; stir to incorporate. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with basil and additional cheese.

Storie Street Grille, Blowing Rock, NC

Ingredients

• 1-2 TBSP butter
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• 3 small Yukon gold potatoes, halved and sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3 large fennel bulbs, halved, cored and sliced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 TBSP shallot, chopped
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup grated white cheddar or other white cheese
• S & P

Preparation

Heat 1 TBSP each butter and oil in heavy soup pot. Add potatoes, toss to coat, and season with S & P. Cook over medium-low heat until tender and beginning to caramelize, adding more butter or oil if they seem dry. (Aim for some browned potato bits on bottom of pan.) Add wine, and stir to deglaze.

Meanwhile, put fennel on cookie sheet, lightly salt, and toss with 1 TBSP olive oil. Spread in a single layer and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes, or until tender and brown around the edges. Add to soup pot with stock and cook over low heat.

Meanwhile - again - saute onion and shallot in remaining olive oil until edges start to brown. Stir in garlic and cook a few minutes more. Add to soup pot.

Add milk, cream and cheese and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Puree either in batches in blender or with boat motor. Thin with water or stock to desired consistency. Serve hot garnished with fennel fronds.

Variations: Top each bowl with 1 TBSP cooked, crumbled spicy Italian sausage (we did this – sooo good) or chiffonade of raw baby kale. For vegan, omit milk, cream, and cheese and use vegetable stock.