Ingredients

• 1 lb. kidney beans
• 1 lg. onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 lb. hot cured sausage
• salt and pepper
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• rice, for serving

Preparation

“Fast-soak” kidney beans. Chop onion, bell pepper, garlic.

Drain beans, and refill pot with hot water to cover beans by 2". Bring to a low boil.

Add 1/3 each of onion, bell pepper and garlic. Also add bay leaves and thyme. Simmer until beans are almost soft, about an hour.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, cook sausage and slice, or slice and cook, depending on what kind of sausage you have.

When beans are tender, add salt (it will take a lot - I add it until the broth tastes slightly too salty, and then often have to add more later), about 1/2 of the a can of tomatoes (with juice), ground pepper, and the remaining veggies.

Simmer until thick, adjusting seasonings and adding more tomato, if desired.

When nearly done, add sausage and cook about 10 minutes.

Serve over rice.

You could make this without adding the sausage (and serve it as a garnish for those who might want to add it) and it would be vegan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 lg. garlic cloves
• 6 TBSP (or more) olive oil, divided
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 TBSP chopped fresh oregano
• 1 TBSP chopped fresh mint
• 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 5 to 6 ounces baby arugula
• lemon wedges

Preparation

Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper put in a large zip-lock. Add wine, pressed garlic, 4 TBSP oil, all herbs and anchovies. Mush around to mix and coat well. Chill at least 2 hours or over night, mushing and turning occasionally.

Toss arugula with remaining oil in large platter; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Put lamb on metal skewers and either grill or broil to desired doneness - about 10 minutes for med. rare. Serve on top of arugula with lemon slices.

Ingredients

• 4 TBSP olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 New Mexico red or red jalapeno chiles, seeded and julienned
• 1 cup pecans, very roughly crushed (may substitute other nuts)
• handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
• salt & pepper
• 20 fresh basil leaves, cut in strips

Preparation

Bring water for pasta to a boil. Meanwhile, heat half the oil over low heat in a small sauce pan and add garlic, chiles, and nuts. Stir-fry 3 minutes. And parsley and stir-fry 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining oil. Cook pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water, drain and return to pot. Add nuts & pasta water as needed to keep it from sticking together. Season with salt & pepper and stir in basil. Drizzle oil over individual servings. Serves 4 as main course.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ c. onion, finely chopped
• 2 lb. tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, julienned
• 1 poblano pepper, julienned or 3 jalapeño peppers, julienned
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ c. green olives, chopped [optional]
• ¼ c. capers
• 6 fillets red snapper or other firm fish or 16 scallops
• 2 tbsp. butter

Preparation

If using jalapeño peppers, heat some oil in a small skillet and sautee until the peppers just begin to shrivel. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet and add the garlic and onions; sautee for three minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the green pepper and poblano (or reserved sauteed jalapeños) and stir, cook for two minutes; add the salt, the pepper, the bay leaves, and the oregano.

When the mixture returns to a boil, cover and cook over a low fire for eight minutes. Add the olives and capers and cook for five more minutes. Check the seasoning and remove from the fire.

Twenty minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 375 F. Wash the fillets (or scallops) and dry with a paper towel; then, season with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a skillet and brown the fillets on both sides. Place them in a oven-proof dish and cover with the tomato sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Translated from http://www.elgranchef.com/2007/10/20/pescado-a-la-veracruzana/

Ingredients

• 1 lb. hot breakfast sausage
• 10 oz. sharp grated cheese
• 2 1/2 to 3 c. Bisquick

Preparation

Let sausage and cheese stand at room temperature until soft. Mix thoroughly. Add bisquick and knead. Scoop w/ teaspoon, and roll into balls. Place on cookie sheet. Cook at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until brown.

May be frozen on a cookie sheet and kept in plastic bag until ready for use.

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, stems reserved
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves, stems reserved
• 2 small shallots, minced (about 4 tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 skinless salmon fillet (1 3/4 to 2 pounds), about 1 1/2 inches at thickest part, white membrane removed, fillet cut crosswise into 4 equal pieces
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Cut top and bottom off 1 lemon; cut into 8 to ten 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut remaining lemon into 8 wedges and set aside. Arrange lemon slices in single layer across bottom of 12-inch skillet. Scatter herb stems and 2 tablespoons minced shallots evenly over lemon slices. Add wine and water.

2. Place salmon fillets in skillet, skinned-side down, on top of lemon slices. Set pan over high heat and bring liquid to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until sides are opaque but center of thickest part is still translucent (or until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 125 degrees), 11 to 16 minutes. Remove pan from heat and, using spatula, carefully transfer salmon and lemon slices to paper towel-lined plate and tent loosely with foil.

3. Return pan to high heat and simmer cooking liquid until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 tablespoons shallots, chopped herbs, capers, honey, and olive oil in medium bowl. Strain reduced cooking liquid through fine-mesh strainer into bowl with herb-caper mixture, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Whisk to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Season salmon lightly with salt and pepper. Using spatula, carefully lift and tilt salmon fillets to remove lemon slices. Place salmon on serving platter or individual plates and spoon vinaigrette over top. Serve, passing reserved lemon wedges separately.

Cook’s Illustrated, May 2008

Ingredients

• 8 1/2 c water
• 1 cup dried small white beans
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 c mayonnaise
• 6 tbl olive oil
• 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tsp tarragon vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco
• 1 c dry white wine
• 4 6 oz cod fillets
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 tbl drained capers cayenne pepper

Preparation

Soak beans overnight or quick-soak and drain. Bring 5 1/2 c water, beans, and half of shallots to boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 45 minutes. Add 1 tsp salt and simmer until beans are tender, about 30 min. Drain.

Mix mayonase, 4 tbl olive oil, tarragon, 1 tsp vinegar, mustard, and Tabasco in a bowl.

Bring remaining 3 cups of water and wine to boil in a large skillet. Add fish, bring just to a boil. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand until fish is opaque, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbl of olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add remaining shallots, saute 2 minutes, then add beans, tomatoes, and 1 tsp vinegar. Saute until just heated through, about 3 minutes. Keep warm over lowest heat.

Mix 1 tbl poaching liquid into mayonnaise to thin. Divide bean mixture among plates. Using a slotted spatula, place fish atop beans. Top fish with sauce. Sprinkle with capers and caynne.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c coarse-grained Dijon mustard
• 2 tbl regular Dijon mustard
• 2 tbl Guinness stout or other stout or porter
• 1 tbl minced shallot
• 1 tsp golden brown sugar

Preparation

Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Can be made 2 days ahead, keep refrigerated.

Ingredients

• 6 c water
• 2 c lager beer
• 1 1/2 c kosher salt
• 1 c golden brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbl Insta Cure No. 1 (optional)
• 1/4 c pickling spices
• 6-8 lb flat-cut beef brisket, trimmed, with some fat remaining
• 12 oz bottle Guinnesss stout or other stout or porter
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tbl coriander seeds
• 2 whole allspice
• 1 dired chile de arbol, broken in half
• 12 baby turnips, trimmed, or 3 medium turnips or rutabagas, peeled, quartered
• 8 unpeeled medium white-skinned or red-skinned potatoes (about 3 lb)
• 6 medium carrots, peeled
• 4 medium onions, peeled, halved through root ends
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 2-in lengths
• 2 lb head of cabbage, quartered
• Horseradish cream
• Guinness mustard

Preparation

Pour 6 cups of water and 2 cups beer into large deep roasting pan. Add coarse salt; stir until dissolved. Add sugar, stir until dissolved. If desired, stir in Insta Cure No. 1. Mix in pickling spices. Pierce brisket all over with the tip of a small sharp knife. Submerge brisket in liquid, then top with heavy platter to weigh down. Cover and refrigerate 4 days.

Remove brisket from brine. Stir liquid to blend. Return brisket to brine; top with heavy platter. Cover; refrigerate 4 days. Remove brisket from brine. Rinse in cold running water. Can be made 2 days ahead, wrap corned beef in plastic, cover with foil, and refrigerate.

Place corned beef in a very large wide pot. Add stout and water to cover by 1 in. Wrap cheesecloth around bay leaves, coriander seeds, allspice, and chile, enclosing completely, and tie with kitchen string to secure. Add spice bag to pot with beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, about 2 1/4 hours. Transfer beef to a large baking sheet.

Add all vegetables to liquid in pot, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until all vegetables are tender, about 25 min. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to baking sheet with beef. Return beef to pot and rewarm 5 min. Discard spice bag

Cut beef against the grain into 1/4 in thick slices. Arrange beef and vegetables on platter. Serve with horseradish cream and Guinness mustard.

Ingredients

• 1 c sour cream
• 6 tbl prepared white horseradish (4 oz)
• 1 tbl finely chopped dill pickle
• 1 tbl chopped fresh chives or green onion tops

Preparation

Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Can be made at least 2 days ahead, keep refrigerated.