Cayenne pepper

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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While there are a million and one jerk chicken recipes out there, the basic seasoning is usually brown sugar or molasses, all spice, garlic, cinnamon, scotch bonnets (as much as you can handle), ginger, thyme, nutmeg and salt. Most folks I know also add soy sauce and scallions (I do).
Then, if you have a wood burning grill, grill very slowly, covered until the chicken is charred on the outside and juicy on the inside. Since I don’t presently have a proper grill, I started my jerk chicken in a cast iron grill pan and after a light char developed, covered it and finished cooking it in the oven. The result was a very tasty, very juicy, close to perfection jerk chicken 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is good !
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P.S.
As I was cooking this inside the house, I used all dry herbs and spices.
However, for a more authentic experience, if cooking outside on a wood grill, you want to use fresh spices and herbs, minced and mixed with the soy sauce to a paste and rubbed into the chicken and its cuts. Cooking this on a covered grill will develop the flavorful smoky taste associated with authentic jerk chicken.
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: cut a fresh chicken in half

: make a few incisions all the way to the bones

: grill chicken on both sides, set on a few chopped scallions, cover

: bake in oven at 350 F until cooked through but still juicy

: Jamaican Jerk Chicken

: Jamaican Jerk Chicken

: Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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Shrimp Sliders

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After having a monstrous burger with all the trimmings at Fuddrucker for lunch, dinner was a bit more quaint.
The attraction of these sliders is the flavorful butter in which the shrimps are sauteed. Lots of garlic paste, horseradish and sriracha make these sliders exceptional and extraordinary.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Shrimp Sliders

Chicken Tostada

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I used to eat tostadas two or even three times a week when I was living in Cancun.
There was this small bar/restaurant on the beach of the lagoon across from where I lived, about a five minute walk away. (I believe it was on Blvd. Kukulcán KM 21 – I wonder if the place still exists?) On one side of the road is the ocean, on the other side, less than five hundred yards across the street, was this tiny place on the beach of the lagoon with a wooden pier protruding about thirty yards into the lake. Many a night I gave the waiter a small tip to set up a table for me at the end of the pier, to enjoy the night and a few drinks and snacks all by myself, usually while on the phone for a while with Maria who was back in Miami, taking care of things there. On most nights I had shrimp or chicken tostadas and a few “Negra Modelo” .
Happy times ! Aaahhhh, the memories 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !
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Link to Salsa Mexicana
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Link to Guacamole
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Link to Tostadas De Camarones
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Chicken Tostadas

flour tostadas, chicken in chipotle, salsa mexicana, tomato/onion salad, sour cream, guacamole, pickled chili

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: marinade chicken drumsticks with pureed chipotle and kosher salt

: saute in olive oil until golden

: add chicken stock, cover, simmer until done

: chicken should be soft enough to be easily removed from bones

: boneless chicken, cilantro added

: make sure you eat enough veggies 🙂

: tomato, red onion, cilantro, olive oil, garlic paste, white vinegar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper

: flour tostadas, chicken in chipotle, salsa mexicana, tomato/onion salad, sour cream, guacamole, pickled chili

: Chicken Tostadas

: Chicken Tostadas

: Chicken Tostadas

: Chicken Tostadas

: Chicken Tostadas

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Tandoory Style Cod Filet With Potato-Onion Mash

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When you first lay your eyes on the pictures of this dish you might think that the cod filet is the star of the show. While this might be so for some folks, for me the star was the potato-onion mash. Seldom have I experienced a richer, tastier and more scrumptious potato dish than this one. Even by itself it would have completely satisfied my requirements for an excellent lunch. Of course, adding the salad and fish made it just more perfect and rounded out the meal. Great lunch experience and one which I will definitely repeat soon.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
Looks like lettuce with honey/mustard dressing has become my go-to green side dish.
(Could be worse) 🙂
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Tandoory Style Cod Filet With Potato-Onion Mash

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: bake potatoes and onions until soft

: let potatoes and onions cool a bit to be able to handle them, then remove peel

: add plenty of butter, sriracha, garlic paste, greek yogurt and kosher salt to potatoes

: add onions, mash lightly

: combine everything, check / adjust seasoning, cover, keep hot

: meanwhile, marinade cod filet in a paste of ghee, garam masala, cumin, allspice, lemon juice, yogurt, paprika, cinnamon, grated ginger, garlic paste, black pepper and kosher salt

: cook without fat in a very hot cast iron pan

: plate a bed of lettuce dressed with your favorite vinaigrette

: top lettuce with potatoes, top potatoes with cod filet

: Tandoory Style Cod Filet With Potato-Onion Mash

: Tandoory Style Cod Filet With Potato-Onion Mash

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Filet Au Poivre Avec Pommes De Terre Lyonnaise

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The plan was to prepare a traditional pepper steak when I realized that I had no demi glace in the freezer for a proper pepper sauce. I usually have demi glace, tomato sauce and curry base/sauce in the freezer, but today I was out of luck with the demi glace. So there were four options to choose from :

– sit down and cry,
– prep a new batch of demi glace which will take a couple of hours
– use the curry sauce,
– use the tomato sauce.

I decided to go with the tomato sauce and the result was excellent. Very little different from the demi glace version, just as creamy and tasty as a “proper”, traditional pepper sauce. Great lunch in no time 🙂

(Have to prepare a batch of demi glace now )
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Traditional Pepper Steak (Steak Au Poivre)
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More Steak @ ChefsOpinion
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Filet Au Poivre Avec Pommes De Terre Lyonnaise

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: Season a 8 oz beef tenderloin steak with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, saute in garlic oil until rare, remove from pan and let rest (carry-over heat will continue to cook the meat until medium rare)

: saute sliced blanched potatoes in duck fat until golden, add sliced onion, garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, continue sauteeing until onions caramelize

: meanwhile, deglace pan with heavy cream, reduce until slightly thickened

: add a dollop of tomato sauce, simmer another minute, check / adjust seasoning

: plate potatoes, sprinkle with sliced chives

: drizzle with pepper sauce

: Filet Au Poivre Avec Pommes De Terre Lyonnaise

: Filet Au Poivre Avec Pommes De Terre Lyonnaise

: Filet Au Poivre Avec Pommes De Terre Lyonnaise

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Hans’ Giant Balls

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My plan for today was to prepare a couple of burgers on the grill since the weather was really nice this afternoon and I had planned to spend some time outside reading. But as usual, it was just too hot and steamy for Bella and I, so I decided to stay inside and change the menu to meatballs with spaghetti aglio e burro.
When I used to live and travel in Italy many years ago, I never came across giant meatballs like you find them in the US. More likely than not this is an American invention, like so many other “Italian” dishes you find in your run of the mill Italian/American restaurant.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this version and will definitely prepare it again.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Link to : Spaghetti Aglio E Burro
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Link to : All About Meatballs
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Hans’ Giant Balls – Italian Meatballs With Spaghetti Aglio E Burro

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: mix ground beef with 1 whole egg, finely diced onions, panko breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, grated parmesan, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, dijon mustard and a small amount of ketchup, form into large balls (tennis ball size)

: bake in 350F oven until 3/4 done, about 45 minutes

: 3/4 done

: saute garlic paste in olive oil, add chopped tomatoes, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: add the meatballs to the sauce

: simmer covered until meatballs are fully cooked

: saute garlic paste and chili flakes in butter

: add al dente spaghetti and chopped Italian parsley, season with kosher salt, mix well

: plate spaghetti aglio e burro

: top with meatball

: add tomato sauce, sprinkle with finely grated parmesan

: Hans’ Giant Balls – Italian Meatballs With Spaghetti Aglio E Burro

: Hans’ Giant Balls – Italian Meatballs With Spaghetti Aglio E Burro

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Sautéed Smoked Salmon Patty

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If you love smoked salmon as I do, but are a bit weary of it on toast or bagel for the ‘thousand’s time, you might want to try this dish. Different, super easy to prepare, very tasty, great texture and not too shabby looking either. Accompanied by “simpleton potato salad”, romaine lettuce in honey/mustard dressing and a dip of spicy ranch dressing. (3/4 ranch, 1/4 sriracha and a good dose of garlic paste)
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Sautéed Smoked Salmon Patty

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: diced cooked potatoes, diced cucumbers, mayo, dijon mustard, sriracha, garlic paste, kosher salt

: Mix all ingredients, check / adjust seasoning

: diced smoked salmon, panko bread crumbs, mayo, sliced scallions, diced peppers, ketchup, cayenne pepper

: mix well, form patties

: coat patties in panko bread crumbs

: saute patties in olive oil

: Sautéed Smoked Salmon Patty

: Sautéed Smoked Salmon Patty

: “Simpleton Potato Salad”

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Grilled Tenderloin With Mushrooms And Cannellini Beans

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Although I have cut back on my consumption of red meat, I still crave a rare steak once in a while. Tenderloin is not usually my cut of choice (that would be bone-in rib eye), but my Argentinian butcher had a special of grass-fed, cleaned and trimmed beef tenderloin for 26.85 per pound. Who could say no to that ? – not me, since the same quality and cut runs usually a lot higher around here.
This cut and quality needs no fru fru, just some kosher salt, garlic oil and chili oil and that’s it – beef heaven 🙂
The mushrooms with cannellini beans are the perfect side dish, spicy, flavorful and hearty.
What a great dinner, Bella and myself perfectly happy and ready to plan the next meal 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Grilled Tenderloin With Mushrooms And Cannellini Beans

first bite for Bella, as usual 🙂

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: season tenderloin with kosher salt and rub with chili oil and garlic oil

: grill in a very hot grill pan until marked on one side, turn and finish in a 325F oven until medium rare

: saute mushrooms in olive oil

: add cannellini, garlic paste, sriracha, kosher salt, a dash of maggi and a small amount of grated asiago cheese, simmer one minute, check / adjust seasoning

: add a few scallions (seasoned with salt, garlic oil and chili oil) during the last few minutes of cooking the steak

: Grilled Tenderloin With Mushrooms And Cannellini Beans

: Grilled Tenderloin With Mushrooms And Cannellini Beans

: Grilled Tenderloin With Mushrooms And Cannellini Beans

: Grilled Tenderloin With Mushrooms And Cannellini Beans

: first bite for Bella, as usual 🙂

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The Bollywood

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During the year I was living in Karachi, Pakistan, a large part of the TV programming besides the national programming were Indian music shows and Indian movies of the “Bollywood” Variety, which I came to appreciate and like, so much so that I actually miss it sometimes. So, in honor of the great “Bollywood” shows and movies, I name this sandwich “The Bollywood” 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

The Bollywood

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
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: marinade boneless chicken tighs overnight in a paste of ghee, garam masala, cumin, allspice, lemon juice, yogurt, paprika, cinnamon, grated ginger, garlic paste, black pepper and kosher salt

: bake chicken on a rack at 425F until cooked through (165F in the center on the bone)

: meanwhile, make a salad with halved grapetomatoes, diced seeded cucumbers, diced chillies, chopped parsley, garlic paste, yogurt, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: toast naan, brush with butter or ghee, sprinkle with kosher salt

: naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

: naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

: naan, tandoori chicken, tomato/cucumber/yogurt salad

: The Bollywood

: The Bollywood

: The Bollywood

: The Bollywood

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Curried Lentil Salad With Tandoory-Style Chicken

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Today, let’s make a salad that is both full of flavor and easy to prepare.
Curried lentils are of course one of my favorite lentil recipes, served either hot or cold (vinaigrette added), by them self as salad or as a sexy side dish (again, either hot or as salad). And tandoori chicken?- well, anytime, please 🙂
While I don’t have a tandoori oven in my kitchen (neither do you, I guess), cooking the chicken without fat in a VERY hot cast iron pan will give satisfying, similar results.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Tandoori Chicken Salad

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: marinate chicken thighs overnight in a paste of ghee, garam masala, cumin, allspice, lemon juice, yogurt, paprika, cinnamon, grated ginger, garlic paste, black pepper and kosher salt