Ingredients

• 3 tbs olive oil
• ½ cup sliced sweet white onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup brown ale, divided in half
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbs honey
• ½ tsp red chili sauce (such as Sriracha) plus additional if desired
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1-2 tbs flour

Preparation

In a cast iron skillet over medium heat add the olive oil. Add the onions and caramelize over medium heat until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in the garlic then add ½ cup brown ale, balsamic vinegar, honey and chili sauce. Simmer until reduced and thickened, remove sauce from pan and set aside.

Sprinkle the chicken thighs on all sides with salt, pepper and flour.

Increase heat to medium-high, cook the chicken thighs until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.

Pour the sauce back into the pan along with the remaining ½ cup brown ale.

Cover loosely with a lid, lower heat to maintain a simmer and allow to cook until chicken is cooked through, about an additional 10 minutes. Turning once during cooking.

The Beeroness

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup plus
• 1 1/2 tablespoons
• Pernod or pastis
• 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs

Preparation

In a food processor, pulse together parsley, garlic, salt and pepper until finely chopped. Pulse in butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons Pernod until mixture is combined. Scrape into a bowl.

In a soup pot with a tightfitting lid, combine mussels, 1/4 cup pastis and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until mussels have opened, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer mussels to a bowl until cool enough to handle; remove meat from the shells (reserving shells) and transfer to a bowl.

Pry apart mussel shells and arrange half the shells on one or two large baking sheets; discard remaining shells. Place one mussel in each shell. Top each with a small spoonful of herb butter and a sprinkling of bread crumbs. Mussels may be made up to 1 day ahead up to this point; wrap baking sheets and mussels in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, heat broiler to high and arrange a rack 4 inches from the heat. Transfer tray(s) to the oven and broil until bread crumbs are golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

Melissa Clark, New York Times

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 3/4 cups unseasoned dried breadcrumbs, divided
• 1 lemon, half juiced, half thinly sliced
• 1 orange, half juiced, half thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon dried currants [CP: can sub cranberries, white raisins]
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts [CP: can sub pecans]
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
• fine sea salt and black pepper
• 1 pound swordfish, sliced into 8 thin pieces [CP: can sub flounder]
• 12 bay leaves, preferably fresh

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the bottom of a medium baking dish with olive oil.

Combine the 1/4 cup olive oil and onion in a medium skillet and cook over medium-high heat until softened, about three minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, mixing everything together until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the oil. Return to low heat and toast the breadcrumbs slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon and orange juices, the currants, pine nuts, and mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lay a piece of swordfish on a work surface and put a heaping tablespoon of the breadcrumb filling (squeeze it in your hand to compact it) in the center and roll up. Repeat with the remaining swordfish and filling.

Pour some olive oil into a shallow bowl and fill another shallow pan with the remaining 2 cups breadcrumbs. Dip each roll-up first in the oil, then dredge in the breadcrumbs until lightly coated. Place the swordfish roll-ups snugly in the baking dish and tuck the bay leaves and lemon and orange slices between the rolls. Drizzle with some more olive ol and bake until the fish is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

Fabrizia Lanza, via Ciao Chow Linda

Ingredients

• 1 pound(s) salt cod, soaked overnight
• 1 medium russet potato
• 2 clove(s) garlic, finely minced
• 1 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup(s) light cream
• 1/2 cup(s) poaching water from baccala

Preparation

Soak the salt cod overnight in a large bowl of cold water, changing the water often, to remove the excess salt. Cut the cod into 6-inch pieces and put them in a saucepan with water to cover by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil and cook the salt cod for about 20 minutes, until it just begins to flake. Do not let the fish break apart. Reserve 1/2 c. of the poaching liquid from the fish. Remove the cod to a colander to drain and cool.

Meanwhile, rinse the russet potato, but leave it whole and unpeeled. Cook the potato in its skin until it is cooked through and easily pierced with a knife. Let it cool, and then peel the skin away with the back side of a knife.

Set up a food processor with steel knife blade. Put in the cooked salt cod and pulse it a few times to break up the fish. Add the minced garlic and pulse a few more times. Add the potato and light cream and turn the food processor on. Puree the mixture while adding the olive oil in a thin stream. If the mixture is too dense, thin it with some of the cod poaching liquid. Season with freshly ground pepper. The baccala is best served warm as a spread for grilled country bread or crostini, or even as a dip for crudités.

Delish

Ingredients

• 1 lb. spaghetti, prepared per package directions
• 1/4 to 1/2 lb. sea urchin roe (uni)
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 bunch chives, minced
• 1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Whisk sea urchin roe, chives, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper (to taste), and half the olive oil together. Set aside.

Heat remaining olive oil and garlic in a large skillet for a few minutes. Remove garlic. Toss with spaghetti. Transfer to a bowl and toss with sea urchin mixture. Serve.

from Weird Combinations, edited

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• Interior scrapings of 1/2 split vanilla bean, preferably Tahitian
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

For Classic Shortbread:

• 1 cup granulated, raw, or turbinado sugar

For Five-Spice Shortbread:

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground star anise
• 1/4 cup turbinado or other granulated sugar

For Double Chocolate-Ginger Shortbread

• 1/4 cup turbinado or other granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup extra-brut cocoa or regular unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup minced candied ginger
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, or bittersweet chocolate chopped into small chunks

For Caramel Macadamia Nut Shortbread

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound macadamia pieces, or whole nuts, roughly chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325°F. In the bowl of a mixer, combine butter, sugar and salt and cream on medium speed until blended, about 2 minutes. One by one, add the egg yolks, mixing until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and the scrapings of the vanilla bean. Scrape down the bowl.

Turn the mixer off and add the flour. Turn the machine to low and mix until the flour is completely incorporated. Remove the dough from the bowl. Working on parchment or wax paper, form dough into 4 logs 10 inches long and 1 1/4 inches in diameter; wrap and chill.

For the Classic, Five-Spice, or Double Chocolate-Ginger Cookies: In a small bowl, combine the ingredients listed.

Cut the chilled log into twenty 1/2-inch rounds. Dip one cut surface of each round into the mixture and arrange the rounds 2 inches apart on all sides on a parchment-lined or nonstick cookie sheet or sheets.

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cookies with a spatula and cool on a wire rack.

For the Caramel Macadamia Cookies: Grease a baking sheet, preferably rimmed.

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Heat over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan and continue to simmer, allowing steam from cooking mixture to wash down the sides of the pan. Remove cover and continue to simmer until the mixture turns golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Immediately remove from the stove, and, to avoid mixture bubbling over, carefully pour cream in a slow, steady stream into the pan; do not stir. Return the pot to the stove, reduce heat to low, and, using a wooden spoon, gently stir mixture until cream is completely incorporated.

Transfer the caramel to a medium heat-proof bowl, add the nuts, and stir to coat the nuts evenly. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet, spreading it evenly, and bake until dark brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the brittle to room temperature and chop mixture coarsely using a food processor, a cleaver or by hand.

Cut the log into twenty 1/2-inch rounds, press one cut side of each round into the brittle, and arrange the rounds 2 inches apart on all sides on a parchment-lined or nonstick cookie sheet or sheets.

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cookies with a spatula and cool on a wire rack.

Ming Tsai, via Epicurious

Ingredients

• vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups oysters, drained and chopped

Preparation

Heat about 1/2 to 1 inch of oil in a deep heavy skillet to about 365°. Combine eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, and salt; blend until smooth. Stir oysters into the batter and drop by spoonful into the hot fat. Brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Diana Rattray, About.com

The Corpse Reviver #2, tweaked by yours truly.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. gin (pref. citrusy, like Plymouth or Bluecoat)
• 1 oz. Lillet blanc
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• dash bitters

Preparation

Shake with ice, strain into a martini glass, serve with a lemon wheel.

Charles Pence

[CP: Originally meant to go on steak, this goes on everything. Mom did quail in it and it was really nice.]

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
• 3–4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 Fresno chile or red jalapeño, finely chopped
• 2 cups minced fresh cilantro
• 1 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Combine vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, shallot, and chile in a medium bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and oregano. Using a fork, whisk in oil. Remove 1/2 cup chimichurri to a small bowl, season with salt to taste, and reserve as sauce. Put meat in a glass, stainless-steel, or ceramic dish. Toss with remaining marinade. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. Cook meat, serve with sauce.

Matt Lee and Ted Lee, Epicurious

Ingredients

• 1 lb tiger prawns or jumbo prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact
• 6 metal skewers or bamboo kewers (soak in water before using)
• Oil, for brushing

Marinade

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 lemongrass, white part only, grated
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 (big) clove garlic, finely minced

Chili-Calamansi Dipping Sauce (optional)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 small calamansi, extract the juice (or 1 wedge lime)

Preparation

Clean the shrimp with cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and transfer the shrimp into a bowl.

Add all the ingredients in the Marinade into the bowl. Stir to combine well with the shrimp. Marinate for 15 minutes. Thread three shrimp into each skewer. Brush the surface of the shrimp with some oil. Grill the shrimp on both sides until they are charred and cooked through. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce (optional).

Rasa Malaysia