Epimeles

the Pence family cookbook

Recipes in Category “Main Course”

Onions Toluca

Main Course Chorizo Mexican Pence

Ingredients

  • 4 large sweet onions
  • 4 oz. Mexican chorizo
  • 4 oz. ground beef
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 4 thick slices Mexican goat cheese or Muenster (4"x4")
  • chopped cilantro
  • 4 flour tortillas

for serving: additional flour tortillas, picante sauce or pico de gallo, guacamole

Preparation

Peel the onions. Cut an area off the top on which to set the onion. Hollow out the onions from the root end until about half the center has been removed. [I use the parings for my salsa and/or guac.] Place the onions in a steamer for about 20 minutes or until translucent but not too soft. [I use my microwave steamer, which only accommodates one onion at a time, for about 51/2 minutes per onion.] Remove and let cool on paper towel.

Saute meats and salt and pepper over medium heat for about 12 minutes, stirring constantly until well blended. Drain grease and fill onion cavities with stuffing. Place onions in a casserole and top with a slice of cheese. Cook uncovered in a 350 degree over for about 10 minutes, then broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately on the center of a warm flour tortilla with additional tortillas, picante and/or guacamole.


Cornbread Salad

Main Course Side Dish Pence Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 packages jalapeno cornbread mix - cooked and crumbled
  • 1 can drained niblet corn
  • 1 cup chopped green onion
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped bell pepper
  • 8 slices chopped crisp bacon
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese - chopped in small pieces or coarsely grated
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

Optional: sliced avocado to garnish. Can be served with salsa.

Preparation

Combine salad ingredients in large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and stir in. Refrigerate - it is better the second day.


Curried Quinoa Salad

Main Course Side Dish Quinoa Salad Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2 c. water
  • 1 c. quinoa
  • 2 tsp. curry powder or garam masala
  • 8 green onions, chopped
  • 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 c. shredded carrots
  • 1/2 c. dried cranberries
  • Yogurt-cumin dressing, recipe below

Preparation

Heat the water to boil in a large saucepan. Add the quinoa and curry powder; lower heat to a simmer. Cover pan; cook 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the green onions, chickpeas, carrots and cranberries in a large bowl; arrange on top of quinoa, or stir all ingredients together. Serve drizzled with dressing.

Yogurt-cumin dressing: Combine 1 c. plain non-fat yogurt, 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro, 3 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. each grated lemon zest and hot chili sauce, and 1/4 tsp. ground cumin in a small bowl. Refrigerate before serving.

You can substitute a 4-oz. piece of cooked salmon, tuna, or other fish for the chickpeas. Also, the dressing is optional.

Chicago Tribune


Adrian’s Tomato Pie

Main Course Tomato

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 c fresh bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp pasta sprinkle (Penzey’s)
  • 3 c sliced ripe tomatoes (about 6 large)
  • 3 tb dry shallots or 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 shredded swiss cheese
  • 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1/4 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg
  • 5 slices bacon, dried

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter a 9" pie dish. Mix the bread crumbs with 1 tbsp pasta sprinkle. Spread half of the bread crumbs evenly on the bottom of the dish. Arrange half the tomatoes, overlapping, on bread crumbs. Top with half the shallots, salt, and black pepper, the sprinkle on half the swiss cheese. Make a second layer with the rest of the tomato slices, shallots, salt, pepper, and cheese. Pour the eggs over the cheese (don’t worry if the eggs don’t cover the entire top). Spread on the remaining bread crumbs. Sprinkle on nutmeg, top with bacon pieces. It is important to dice the bacon or the pie will be hard to cut and eat. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45-50 min, until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the oven, cool, at least 10 min, slice and serve.

Penzeys Spices


Betty Sabo’s Hungarian Cabbage Rolls

Main Course Cabbage Hungarian Pork

Ingredients

  • 2 lb ground pork
  • 2 chopped onion
  • 1/2 c rice
  • 2 medium or 1 large head of cabbage
  • bacon
  • 1 lb Boarshead package sauerkraut, drained but not rinsed
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 c brown sugar
  • 1 can tomato soup (or a second can tomato sauce)
  • sour cream for serving

Preparation

Mix together the ground pork, one chopped onion and rice.

Heat a large pot of boiling water. Cut the core out of the head of cabbage and submerge it in the boiling water, cut-out up. Tease the leaves off of the outside of the cabbage as it heats, cutting out more core if you need to. You want about 12 to 18 leaves, cooked in the boiling water until wilted. Drain.

Line the bottom of a covered casserole with bacon. Add a layer of sauerkraut, chopped onion, one can tomato sauce, and 1/2 c brown sugar.

Make cabbage rolls with meat and cabbage leaves, rolling up as you would an eggroll.

Put one layer of cabbage rolls in casserole and top with a layer of sauerkrat. Repeat.

Pour one can of tomato soup over the top. Cover and bake at 325 F for several hours. Serve with sour cream.


Carnitas Tacos with Green Onion Rajas

Main Course Chile Mexican Pork

Ingredients

  • 1 4-pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
  • 3 cups (about) water
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
  • 4 red bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
  • 4 poblano chilies, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
  • 12 green onions, cut into matchstick-size strips
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • 3/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
  • 18 warm 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
  • Lime wedges

Preparation

Place pork in heavy large pot. Add broth. Add enough water to cover pork by 1/2 inch. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cover partially; simmer until meat is very tender and liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Shred meat. Season with salt. Cover; keep warm.

Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add bell peppers and poblanos; sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Add green onions; sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add cheese and cream. Simmer until cheese melts and liquid thickens. Stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon some shredded meat onto half of each warm tortilla. Top with pepper mixture. Fold tortilla over filling. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

Bon Appetit, June 1998


Cashew Pork Tenderloin

Main Course Pence Pork

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 c soy sauce + 2 tbl
  • 1 tbsp dry sherry
  • 1 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • 1/2 c finely chopped salted, roasted cashews
  • 2 pork tenderloins, 3/4 lb each
  • 1/2 tsp grated ginger

Preparation

Combine vegetable oil and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Let stand 5 min.

Stir in soy sauce, sherry, sugar, and garlic until sugar dissolves. Add cashews.

Place pork tenderloins in a shallow, foil-lined baking pan. Pour cashew mixture over pork, roll to coat on all sides. Let stand 30 min, turning occasionally. Bake pork in sauce at 325 F for 50-55 min. Remove from oven and let stand 10 min. Cut across the grain into small slices. Mix together 2 tbl soy sauce and grated ginger and serve over pork.


Chen Kenichi’s Chili Prawns

Main Course Chinese Shrimp

Ingredients

  • 18-20 peeled jumbo shrimp, about 12 oz
  • 1 tbl salt
  • 1 tbl minced garlic
  • 1 tbl minced fresh ginger
  • 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbl Heinz chili sauce or 1 tbl tomato paste
  • 2 tbl hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbl shaoshing rice wine or sherry
  • 1 tbl soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Asian chili garlic sauce or Sriracha hot sauce
  • 1/4 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbl peanut oil
  • 1/4 c chopped scallions

Preparations

Dissolve 1 tbl salt in 4 c warm water and put the shrimp in to brine for 10 to 15 min.

Peel and mince the garlic and ginger and set them aside in a small bowl with the dried red pepper flakes. Mix all the remaining ingredients except the peanut oil and scallions in a bowl.

Heat a wok or saute pan over high heat until it’s very hot, then put in the peanut oil and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan. When it sizzles, put in the garlic, ginger and red pepper mix and stir fry briefly, until the vegetables are translucent. Add the shrimp and chili sauce and stir fry just until shrimp are cooked through and pink, adding a small amount of water if the sauce becomes too thick and dry. Stir in the scallions and serve with plenty of steaming white rice.

Iron Chef Chen Kenichi


Garlic Shrimp

Main Course Mexican Shrimp

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped white onion
  • 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 16 uncooked jumbo shrimp, shells intact, deveined (about 1 pound)

Preparation

Puree 1/2 cup oil, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper in blender until almost smooth. Place shrimp in small bowl. Stir in oil mixture. Let shrimp marinate 1 hour.

Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp with marinade and sauté just until shrimp are opaque in center, about 4 minutes. Divide shrimp and marinade from skillet among 4 plates and serve.

Serve with Mexican White Rice.

Bon Appetit, May 2003


Massive Pork Tenderloin

Main Course Pork

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp coarse black pepper
  • 1 tbsp red chili flakes
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 6 lb pork tenderloin
  • 1 c white wine

Preparation

Mash the first five ingredients into a paste and rub it on the pork tenderloin. Marinate for at least two to three hours.

Sear the tenderloin on all sides (including the ends) and place it in a baking dish. Add about one cup of white wine to the dish. Cook at 325 F for 15-20 minutes per pound, to an internal temperature of 135 F. Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 10 min.