Sushi Rice

• 3 c uncooked sushi rice
• 3 c water
• 1/2 c rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Wash the rice and rinse thoroughly until water is clear.

Place rice and water in rice cooker and set to cook.

While rice cooks, mix together the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.  Allow to cool.

Put the cooked rice into a large mixing bowl; pour vinegar mixture over the hot rice and mix.  Allow to cool slightly before using in sushi recipes.

Moujadara with Burghul

• 1 c dry green lentils
• 3 c water
• 1 c bulgur wheat
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lg yellow onions, finely chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• Pinch grated nutmeg
• Pinch allspice
• 3 lg onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 c chopped parsley, garnish

In a medium pot, combine the lentils and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until still firm and almost done, 15 to 18 minutes. Add the bulgur wheat and 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, and remove from the heat. Let sit until the bulgur is tender and the water is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes, adding more water is the wheat seems dry.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring, until very soft, 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and allspice, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the lentil and bulgur wheat mixture and stir well to combine. Remove from the heat.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized to a very dark brown color, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Transfer the lentil and bulgur wheat mixture to a platter and top with the caramelized onions. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, to taste. Serve either hot or at room temperature, with pita bread.

Chorizo and Garbanzo Bean Soup

• 4 carrots diced
• 1 med onion diced
• 3-4 ribs of celery with leaves diced
• 1/2 pound smoked chorizo sliced thinly on a bias
• 5-14 ounce cans of garbanzo beansdrained
• 1 qt of chicken stock
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh loaf of Cuban or French bread
• 1 c fresh cilantro chopped
• Lemons cut into quarters - remove as many seeds as possible
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• Black pepper to taste

In a large stew pot, saute carrots over medium heat in a little vegetable or peanut oil until the carrots are softened. About 5 minutes.

Add the onion to the carrots and sauté until the onions wilt. About 5 minutes.

Add the celery to the carrots and onions until the celery wilts. About 5 minutes.

Throw in a couple of grinds of black pepper to taste.

Throw in about a tablespoon of cumin.

Stir it all around.

Add the chorizo and stir it all around. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the garbanzo beans and stir.

Add the chicken stock and stir. Stock should cover the beans by an inch. Add more stock if needed.

Drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil on top.

Cover and simmer on low until the garbanzo beans are just starting to get tender. Test often at least every 30 minutes.

Puree a cup of the soup mixture and add it back to the soup.

Serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice the bread on the bias about 1/4 inch thick.

Lightly brush each side of the bread with olive oil.

Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

Bake in oven until slightly brown.

Remove from oven.

Scoop up a couple of spoons of the soup into a bowl.

Sprinkle with some cilantro.

Lightly drizzle with olive oil.

Squeeze some lemon juice on top.

Serve with toast points.

Fresh grated Manchego cheese over the top adds a nice touch.

Buffalo Chicken Subs

Buffalo Chicken

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Salt & ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 c Frank's RedHot sauce
• 2 med carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• One 36-inch fresh French loaf
• 1 c blue cheese crumbles
• Homemade Ranch Dressing

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with some salt and pepper, the brown sugar, paprika and cayenne. Sear both sides of the chicken in the skillet until golden, about 4 minutes. Add in the wing sauce, bring to a simmer and finish off in the oven until the chicken registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Let cool, and then pull the meat with your hands. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and place back in the oven at BROIL until crusty and caramelized on top, about 4 minutes.

In a bowl, the combine carrots, celery and tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Mix until combined.

Cut the French loaf horizontally. Place an even layer of blue cheese crumbles on the bottom, then the chicken and then the veggies. Serve with a side of Homemade Ranch Dressing.
 

Homemade Ranch Dressing

• 1 1/2 c mayonnaise
• 1/2 c buttermilk
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp fresh dill, minced
• 1/2 tsp honey or agave syrup
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Mix the mayonnaise, buttermilk, garlic, dill, honey, salt, mustard and pepper in a bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Green Chile Stew

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 lb boneless pork shoulder, diced
• Kosher salt
• 1 lg white onion, diced
• 1 1/2 c diced Anaheim chile peppers
• 1 sm green bell pepper, diced
• 1 sm red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 c low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 15-ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 lg bunch cilantro, leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• Flour tortillas, warmed, for serving

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork with 1 teaspoon salt. Working in batches, cook the pork, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and discard the fat from the pot.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the pot. Add the onion, chile peppers, bell peppers and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Return the pork to the pot along with the chicken broth; cover and bring to a boil. Stir the stew and reduce the heat to medium low; simmer, covered, until the pork is tender, about 30 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium high and bring the stew to a low boil. Add the potatoes, hominy and enough water to cover the pork and potatoes. Add half of the cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the stew is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

Whisk the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into the stew along with the remaining cilantro and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens, about 5 more minutes. Serve with flour tortillas.

Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Pancetta & Wilted Watercress

• 2 oz pancetta, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lg tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tsp red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 lb gnocchi
• 4 oz watercress, tough stems removed, coarsely choppe
• 1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Put a large pan of water on to boil.

Cook pancetta in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, sugar and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are almost completely broken down, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and salt. Remove from the heat.

Cook gnocchi in the boiling water until they float, 3 to 5 minutes or according to package directions. Place watercress in a colander and drain the gnocchi over the watercress, wilting it slightly. Add the gnocchi and watercress to the sauce in the pan; toss to combine. Serve immediately, with Parmesan.

Shan Style Simmered Cabbage with Beef

• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 c thinly vertically sliced shallots
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/4 lb ground sirloin
• 4 c finely shredded cabbage
• 1 c thin plum tomato wedges
• 1/3 c coarsely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Heat a wok or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add peanut oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add shallots, salt, turmeric, and red pepper; cook for 3 minutes or until shallots are tender, stirring frequently. Add beef; cook for 2 minutes or until the beef begins to brown. Add cabbage and tomato; toss well to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 10 minutes or until cabbage wilts. Stir in peanuts; cover and cook 10 minutes or until cabbage is tender.