I got a request for a Cuban-style mojo marinade recently, which sounded like something I’d enjoy making, but to be honest I wasn’t exactly sure what it was. I knew I was probably pronouncing it wrong, but other than that, I couldn’t remember having it anywhere.
I’d seen “mojo” sauces before, but they were at Spanish restaurants, and seemed to be chili-based; so I did a little of research, and of course, every single recipe I looked at was different. They all had garlic, citrus, and olive oil, but after that, the spices and seasonings varied greatly. So, this is basically a composite of what I saw, and it really came out well.
I think this would work great as an all-purpose marinade for just about any thing destined for the grill, but as I mentioned in the video, skirt steak would be my top choice.Unless horribly overcooked, it always comes out juicy, and tender, as long as you slice it across the grain.It also tends to really soak in the flavors of the marinade quite well, which I believe is due to it being such a well-marbled cut.
Once again, please excuse my makeshift brick grill, but I’m happy to report there’s help on the way.So stay tuned for me to show that off soon, but in the meantime I really hope you get this delicious Cuban inspired mojo marinade a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions: 2 pounds beef skirt steak, cut into smaller pieces
I received a lot of email after publishing our classic demi-glace video, but not the kind I was expecting. Instead of being showered with praise for finally granting this popular food wish, I was being chastised for posting a recipe that required veal bones.
This seemed a little unfair, since veal bones are sort of a key ingredient when making what’s basically a reduced veal stock. However, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I sometimes forget that people don’t live in restaurants, where things like veal knuckles are as ubiquitous as kale.
For your average home cook, veal bones can be expensive, and tricky to find. Plus, they come from baby cows, which many people are against harming. Nope, using adorable young calves is just not an option, although using the bones from ugly, fully-grown chickens is apparently fine.
Anyway, possible hypocrisy aside, this alternative method worked amazingly well, and above and beyond the almost identical look and feel, the flavor was surprisingly close. This didn’t taste like chicken, or like beef, but was somewhere in the middle, which is basically how I’d describe the taste of veal. I really hope you give this cheaper, easier, and possibly more ethical version a try soon. Enjoy!
Makes about 2 quarts of “Cheater” Demi Glace:
5 pounds whole chicken wings
2 pounds beef shanks (about three 1-inch thick slices)
As you may know, I haven’t posted for a while due to the sudden passing of my mother, Pauline. It’d been a tough few weeks, but she was the ultimate, “the show must go on” kind of lady, and so that’s what we’ll do. She had multiple surgeries in recent years that made it difficult, and often painful, to move around her kitchen. Despite this, she’d still somehow manage to bake a cake (or two), or make a big batch of cookies to bring to whatever family event she was attending.
While cooking and eating with family was her greatest joy, she also loved going to restaurants. Going out for dinner on Friday night was one of our great family traditions, and while I don’t remember having Steak Diane cooked table-side, this dish represents that bygone era for me. Looking back, I realize this weekly respitemeant much more to her than just a short break from cooking anddishes.
Before I get into the recipe, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for all the amazing thoughts and prayers I received during the last couple weeks. I’ve never met the vast majority of you, but nevertheless, it felt like I was hearing from hundreds of old friends, who somehow knew exactly what to say. There’s no easy way to lose someone you love, but your kind, comforting words, gave me strength.
With that in mind, I present this incredibly delicious, Steak Diane, which I’m hereby renaming Steak Pauline, in my mother’s honor. Of course, there’s no official way to do this, except to simply do it, and hope it catches on. Even if it doesn’t, at the very least, many years from now, while surfing the web, I’ll stumble across a recipe for it, and I’ll smile, thinking of her.
The procedure here is very straightforward, and relatively safe, except maybe for the exploding fireball step. As long as you turn off the flame, and keep your eyebrows at a safe distance while igniting the liquor, there shouldn’t be any real danger, and all those Oo’s and Ah’s are well worth the risk. Hey, that’s what insurance is for.
However, the pyrotechnics are very much for show, and if you’re concerned, you don't have to ignite the cognac. The alcohol will still evaporate as the sauce boils, and the end result will taste the same. By the way, even if you don’t ignite the pan with a lighter, it can still flame up when you turn up the heat to reduce, so you still need to be a little careful.
If you do decide to make this, I hope that above and beyond calling it “Steak Pauline,” you will also enjoy it surrounded by the people you love. While the flames in the pan eventually die out, the smiles they ignite, and the memories they produce, will be with you forever. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 portions:
For the sauce mixture:
1 generous tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup demi-glace (Or substitute 2 cups rich, low-sodium or salt-free chicken broth. It will take longer to reduce, but will still produce a great sauce. Just be careful with the salt.)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
two (8-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, fully trimmed, pounded to 1/2-inch thick (top sirloin will also work nicely here)
First, let me give credit where credit’s due; and by “credit,” I mean possible blame. I got the idea from this article in Bon Appetit, where they showed how to use koji rice to simulate dry aging a steak. They say they borrowed the idea from Trentina chef, Jonathon Sawyer, and we’ll take them at their word.
Anyway, I tried it out, and had mixed results. The smell and flavor were vaguely reminiscent of dry-aged beef, but it didn’t have those same cheesy/funky/earthy background notes. As far as the texture goes, there was no difference from a regular steak, and it may have even given it a somewhat firmer texture.
That may have come from letting it go almost three days, instead of two, but hey, I was within the range. Besides, I’m not even sure anything happened. The idea here is that the fungus on the koji rice, which breaks down the proteins in beans, to make things like miso, would work the same magic on a steak.
While it did look like the koji had “bloomed” a bit, and there was more “white stuff” at the end of the process, there was no obvious signs that the meat had been “broken down.” The appearance was darker, and it kind of had that waxy look of dry aged meat, but that could’ve simply come from sitting uncovered in the fridge.
I found it a bit suspicious that there were no other posts regarding this online, but maybe it’s just too new. Time will tell. I'm looking at you, food blogger. In the meantime, any and all feedback is welcomed, especially if you are familiar with using koji rice. I’m not sure if you should give this a try, but, as always, enjoy!
I have no idea why this amazingly flavorful Genovese-style meat sauce isn’t way more popular than it is. It’s quite simply one of the best pasta sauces you’ll ever taste, thanks to a very slow cooking process, and massive amounts of onions.
So, I just thought of two really good reasons why this isn’t way more popular. The recipe takes you a good 10 hours to make. In case you haven’t heard, this is roughly 9.9 hours longer than your typical Millennial is willing to spend doing something.
Also, slicing six pounds of raw onions by hand is no one’s idea of a great time. And no, you can’t use a food processor, or veggie cutting gizmo you bought at 2AM. These machines will crush and bruise the onions, releasing harsh compounds that negatively alter the taste. Cut your onions by hand, with a sharp knife, or not at all.
As I suggest in the video, cut them one or two at a time, near a breezy window, while you brown the meat, and you’ll be done in no time. Once everything is prepped, the recipe couldn’t be easier. Simmer until the meat and onions melt into each other, and serve. I really hope you give this very old, virtually unknown, but very tasty meat sauce a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for enough sauce for 2 pounds of dry rigatoni (8 servings):
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces pancetta or salt pork, diced
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, seasoned with 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup white wine
4 pounds yellow onions, sliced
2 pounds red onions, sliced
water or broth as needed to adjust liquid level during simmering
salt to taste
-- To serve, simmer finished sauce with al dente pasta for a few minutes until pasta is cooked through. Finish with fresh marjoram, cayenne, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Other than a completely unnecessary braising step right in the middle of the video, this oxtail ragu came out amazingly well. My thought was to roast the oxtails in the sauce, in a slow oven to see if I could achieve the tender-sticky meat I know and love, whileslowly reducing the sauce at the same time. I couldn’t.
Well, actually, it would have eventually gotten tender, but I wasn’t prepared to find out how long that was going to be. Like I said several times during the video, I want you to roast your oxtail and onion until nicely browned, but then transfer everything into a pot, add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer until the meat comes off the bones with minimal effort.
The only way to screw up this incredibly succulent cut of beef is to not cook it long enough, which is why I better not read any 3-star recipe reviews that say, “Good flavor, but wasn’t as tender as I wanted.” Just remember to not braise, and keep simmering until it yields completely to your fork. I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions:
(Pro tip: since this does take so many hours to simmer, it's almost always best to make this the day before you serve it)
3-4 pounds oxtail, cut into 2-inch sections, rubbed with olive oil, and seasoned generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
-- Roast at 425 F. for 45-60 minutes until browned
-- Transfer into a sauce pot, and add the following
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
4 cups tomato sauce or puree, or more if desired
2 cups chicken broth, or enough to cover the oxtails
* You can add as much sauce and/or stock as you want, as long as you have at least enough to cover
1 sprig rosemary
2 springs thyme
2 springs oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Simmer on low, many hours, until tender
- Should be enough sauce and meat for 1 pound of pasta
I’m still trying to figure out how this video for super deluxe steak nachos ended up being over nine minutes long. I’ll blame the fact that I showed you how to do the steak and faux refried beans, but still, I always feel a little uneasy whenever we go past seven or eight minutes. Also, I don’t get overtime.
Be that as it may, this is one of my all time favorite party foods, and I’ve wanted to show you my version for a long time. As you may have heard, the Super Bowl is just a few weeks away, and this should get serious consideration when formulating your snack line-up.
Feel free to cook your meat medium-rare, or less, but as I mention in the video, I think medium works best if you’re using the recommended skirt steak, or flap meat. These cuts have a beautiful, beefy flavor, which, in my experience, is only maximized if cooked to a certain point.
Even though the meat is reheated when we melt the cheese, I still think medium is the way to go, and not just flavor-wise. I think the texture is better as well. These cuts are a little on the chewy side, which is accentuated if cooked rare. Having said that, whether you used raw, or completely well-done beef, you’re still going to be thrilled with the results. I still hope you give these super deluxe steak nachos a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 3 of the same sized platters as I used:
For the steak:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak or flap steak (aka flap meat) seasoned on both sides with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chipotle to taste
- cook to a medium (about 135 to 140 F. internal temp)
For the beans:
2 tablespoons bacon fat or lard
1 yellow onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 (15-oz) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups water or chicken broth, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
You also need:
corn chips
12 ounces sharp cheddar
12 ounces Monterrey Jack diced avocado (tossed in lemon juice and salt) diced white onion diced tomato finely diced jalapeño pepper sour cream freshly chopped cilantro * serve with hot sauce on the side, and lots of beer
In a bowl combine together baking soda, cornstarch, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce and sesame oil, mix well.
Add the beef and using your hands mix it well to distribute the marinade evenly, set aside for 15 minutes.
Place wok in a stove top and place in really high heat, once it starts to smoke add oil and swirl it around to coat the surface.
Let it reach the oils smoking point then add the beef in single layer as possible, leave it there without mixing for 30 seconds to a minute until brown on one side. Turn to the other side and leave it again for another minute. Now start to stir fry, continue doing so for 2 minutes. Remove beef from the wok.
Soak rice noodles in boiling water in a big bowl for 3 minutes, drain then set aside.
Combine the soy sauce, dark soy sauce and brown sugar, set aside.
Add the noodles and the soy sauce sugar mixture, stir fry continuously for 2 minutes until sauce is evenly distributed. Add small amounts of water if needed so it does not dry out.
Add the beef back together with the bean sprouts and chives, season with salt if needed then stir fry for 30 more seconds.
Remove beef from pot, slice and place it back in pot.
Add the bell pepper and carrots towards the end.
Cook for an additional 15 minutes or until carrot are soft.
Potatoes:
In a frying pan, heat oil on medium heat.
Add potatoes and cook until brown and soft.
Plating:
In a bowl serve stew with potatoes
You can also serve with white rice (which is awesome)
Notes: If the gravy for the beef stew is too thick, add a bit more water. Add a quarter cup at a time until it reaches desired thickness. Place a wooden spoon in the pot and place in stew. Remove from pot and draw your finger along the spoon so that it creates a path through the gravy. If the path fills in, the mixture isn't thick enough. If it feels like paste, it is too thick. If it stays put, it's ready. Source: A Well Fed Life
Peel the ginger and crush lightly with the blade of a knife. Do the same with the garlic cloves.
Peel the tamarind fruit and lightly pound with a kitchen mallet, to enable the fruit juices to seep into the broth well.
Place the goat meat in a pressure cooker together with the onions, garlic, and ginger, and pour enough water to cover an additional 1 inch above the ingredients.
Cook for thirty minutes to tenderize the meat.
Remove onions and ginger. Transfer to a deep saucepan and add salt and pepper.
In a pot, boil goat meat with adequate amount of water. Add salt, ginger and onion and boil until the meat is tender. Boiling it with salt, ginger and onion lessens the smell of the meat. Use a fork to pierce the boiled chevon. If it’s tender enough, turn off the heat and drain it. Set aside.
Once done, add the boiled goat meat. Fry it until it becomes golden brown in color before adding the green and red bell peppers. Simmer it for 10 minutes before adding ¼ cup soy sauce and 1 cup water. Pour ¼ cup vinegar before simmering it again for 5 minutes.
When done, pour 2 cups of coconut milk. If you prefer a little kick of spicy flavor, sprinkle chili flakes. Mix thoroughly and let the goat meat absorbs the sauce.
Before serving, taste the sauce. Add salt and sugar according to your taste. Best serve warm with a steaming plate of rice.
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce, or 2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 stalks green onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat the oil over medium heat in a pot or dutch oven then add the garlic and onion. Stir to prevent from burning. Cook the garlic and onions until softened.
Add the ground beef and saute until no longer pink. Add the tomato sauce, water, carrots, sweet potato and potato. Reduce to low and let simmer for 20 minutes until the carrots and potatoes have softened. Turn the heat up and add the green onions, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Cook for 5 to 10 more minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
