Tue Apr 30, 2013
I mentioned a couple weeks back that even though I stuffed my homemade Mexican chorizo into casings this time around, I rarely actually consume this sausage in link form. The intense spicy and earthy flavor of chorizo can be a little much when eaten alone, which is why, more often than not, it finds its way into tacos, quesadillas, and other dishes that both compliment the sausage as well as lessen its impact. I found one of my favorite uses for it a while back with these chorizo-stuffed poblano peppers.
More and recipe after the jump >>
Tue Apr 23, 2013
I now have about three pounds of amazing Mexican chorizo waiting at my beck and call to fill tacos, peppers, and quesadillas. It's truly one of my favorite sausages, but has one drawback—it's not always best in link form. Heavily spiced chorizo can be intense on the taste buds with the earthy chilies and slight Christmas spice building up after each subsequent bite and becoming a bit overwhelming by the end. So when I want chorizo in links for the purpose of grilling and eating as is, I've found a variation that's perfectly suited for the job—green chorizo.
More and recipe after the jump >>
Tue Apr 16, 2013
It's never too early to start prepping for Cinco de Mayo. Yup, my favorite cooking holiday usually has me planning weeks in advance to put together the best Mexican/Tex-Mex fiesta possible. In a New York, where the standard for Mexican food is sub-par, this means doing just about everything from scratch. The combination of a hunt for ingredients and process heavy recipes almost requires a few weeks of prep to make it all manageable. Of course freshness is key to so much Mexican cooking, so I start by focussing in on the things that can be done well ahead of time and held until the holiday arrives. Sausage is one of those things—it can frozen and then defrosted—and no Cinco de Mayo passes by without at least some Mexican chorizo making an appearance.
More and recipe after the jump >>
Tue Apr 2, 2013
Hell yeah! I leave tonight for a nice long trip to Spain. It's been nearly four years since my last extended vacation out of the country, and over 14 years since I was last in Europe. Needless to say, I'm stoked. I even went back to read my old journals from my last European outing, and while I liked reminiscing about all that I saw, I was a little aghast that my backpacking buddy and I mainly sustained ourselves on pizza and pasta while in Spain—my modern day self could never go to San Sebastian without partaking in its culinary delights. With priorities changed, this trip will be decidedly different, and food culture is a top priority. In honor of my trip, and its mainly Andulician focus, I give you these pincho morunos, or "Moorish skewers."
More and recipe after the jump >>
Tue Feb 12, 2013
What to do with hoisin barbecue sauce?
Hoisin ribs, of course!
I could think of nothing else more deserving to take the inaugural brushing of my hoisin sauce then some smokey St. Louis cut spare ribs. With a fair amount of thought going into the Asian influence of the sauce, I needed to appropriately match the rest of the rib to that flavor profile while keeping true to low-and-slow barbecue as well. The results spoke for themselves, but since I have yet to find a way to deliver barbecue through the tubes of the internet, here's how it all came together.
More and recipe after the jump >>
