Spicy Hunan Beef with Scallions and Sweet Red Peppers

Spicy Hunan Beef with Scallions and Sweet Red Peppers

Ingredients:

1 pound round or flank steak, trimmed of fat and gristle

Marinade:

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

4 teaspoons corn starch

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon corn or peanut oil

The Sauce:

3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce

¾ teaspoon of sesame oil

8 whole scallions

1 red pepper, cored , seeded and cut into thin strips

2-3 teaspoons of finely minced garlic (about 3 cloves)

2-3 teaspoons of finely minced fresh ginger

½ to ¾ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

cannola oil 

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

·         Prepare beef and marinade. Holding cleaver or knife at angle, cut beef against grain into long strips about 1/8 inch thick and ½ inch wide. Cut strips crosswise into 2-inch lengths.
Using fork, blend marinade ingredients in large bowl until smooth.  Add beef and toss well to coat each slice. Seal and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour prior to preparation.
In small bowl stir to combine the sauce ingredients.
Trim wilted tops and root ends from scallions. Cut on sharp diagonal in thin ovals about 1 inch long.
Core and seed pepper. Cut lengthwise into thinnest possible strips.
Combine garlic and ginger and dried red pepper flakes in another small bowl.

·        
.   1. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a wok or large frying pan.
    2. When oil is hot, stir fry beef until mostly cooked.
    3. Remove the meat to a clean bowl.
    4. Wipe out the wok or frying pan.
5  5. Add a small amount (2 TBS) of oil to wok or frying pan and heat oil
    6. Add garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes and stir fry for about 10 seconds.   
    7. Add pepper strips and stir fry for about 10 seconds the sprinkle with salt and sugar
    8.  Stir the sauce mixture, and then add to the pan, stirring to combine. Raise heat slightly to bring mixture to the bubbling point. Add beef and toss briskly to coat with sauce, about 5 seconds. Add scallions and toss briskly to combine and glaze with the sauce about 5 seconds.
    Serve with white steamed rice.

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Chicken Mole Torta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe from Jeff Mauro (The Sandwich King)

Ingredients

Chicken Mole:

• 2 dried ancho chiles
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
• 2 1/2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 cups chicken stock
• One 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 4 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)

Sandwich Build:

• One 16-ounce can refried beans (with chorizo if available)
• 4 fresh bolillo rolls, warmed
• 2 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce
• Pickled jalapenos
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Tomatillo Salsa, recipe follows
• Lime wedges, for garnish

Directions

For the chicken mole: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the stems and seeds from the ancho chiles and bake for 5 minutes. When cool, roughly chop and set aside.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, a couple pinches of salt and saute until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved ancho chiles and minced chipotle. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chocolate, cinnamon, cloves and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant and the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, almond butter, raisins and sesame seeds. Gently simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Place the mole into a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add the mole back to the Dutch oven. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken in the sauce in one layer, making sure each breast is entirely coated, and gently simmer, flipping once during cooking, until the breasts register 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside off the heat and let rest.

Using your hands, remove the skin and meat from the bones and discard. Shred the chicken into smaller chunks and place back into the mole to keep warm. Season if necessary.

For the sandwich build: Heat the refried beans in the microwave until warm. Spread on the bottom of the bolillo rolls. Place the chicken on top of the beans with a little extra mole. Place some queso fresco on top of the chicken, slather the top bun with sour cream and adhere the lettuce. Top with the pickled jalapenos and cilantro and drizzle with the Tomatillo Salsa. Close, cut sharply on the bias and serve with fresh lime wedges. Two hands, bite hard.

Tomatillo Salsa:

• 1 pound fresh tomatillos, husk removed and rinsed well
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and halved
• 1/2 yellow onion, cut into thirds
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Toss the tomatillos, garlic, pepper and onions with the olive oil and place evenly on a baking sheet. Bake until the tomatillos and onions are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. If necessary, remove the garlic sooner to avoid scorching. Remove the stem, ribs and seeds from the jalapeno (or keep them in if you want it hot). Add roasted vegetables, fresh cilantro and lime juice into a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and transfer to a bowl.

Chicken Tikka Masala

From Cooks Illustrated
Serves 4 to 6.   Published September 1, 2007.  

Why this recipe works:

Our goal was to develop a simple chicken masala recipe with readily available ingredients. To get there, we rubbed the chicken with a mixture of salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne, then dipped it in yogurt mixed with oil, garlic, and ginger. For a year-round tikka masala recipe, we chose the broiler rather than the grill and cooked the chicken in large pieces to prevent it from drying out.

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

Ingredients

• Chicken Tikka
• 1/2teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1teaspoon table salt
• 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
• 1cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
• 2tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• Masala Sauce
• 3tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
• 1tablespoon tomato paste
• 1tablespoon garam masala (see note above)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2teaspoons sugar
• 1/2teaspoon table salt
• 2/3cup heavy cream
• 1/4cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. 1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.
2. 2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. 3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
4. 4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Step-by-Step

Chicken Tikka Masala

1. RUB: Coat chicken in salt and spice mixture and refrigerate.

2. MAKE SAUCE: Prepare creamy tomato-masala sauce.

3. DIP: Dunk chicken in protective coating of yogurt and oil.

4. BROIL: Broil chicken, then allow to rest.

5. COMBINE: Cut chicken into chunks and add to sauce.

Shopping

Key Ingredients for Chicken Tikka Masala
All of the ingredients for Chicken Tikka Masala are available at the supermarket. Here are notes on what to buy.

Crushed Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes form the base of the masala sauce. Muir Glen was highly rated in a recent tasting.

Garam Masala: This combination of warm spices seasons the masala sauce. McCormick won a recent test kitchen tasting.

Plain Yogurt: Whole-milk yogurt forms a protective barrier on the chicken. Brown Cow is our favorite brand.

Chicken Breasts: Lean white meat pairs well with the rich tomato-cream sauce. The test kitchen prefers Bell and Evans.

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon, Green Olives, and Thyme

Ingredients:

 8-10 chicken thighs or 4 whole legs

1 tablespoon olive oil with a pat of butter

2 preserved lemons, cut into strips

6 ounces cracked green olives

1-2 teaspoons dried thy me or oregano

For the Marinade:

1 onion, grated

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

Small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

Pinch of saffron threads

Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade. Put the chicken thighs or legs in a shallow dish and coat thyme in the marinade, rubbing it into the skin. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Heat the olive oil with the butter in a tagine or heavy-based casserole dish. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and brown them in the oil. Pour over the marinade that is left in the dish and add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the chicken pieces. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 45 minutes, turning the chicken from time to time.

Add the preserved lemon, olives, and half the thyme to the tagine. Cover again and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes. Check the seasoning and sprinkle the rest of the thyme over the top. Serve immediately from the tagine.