Red Wine Candied Figs

Many of us are probably most acquainted with figs through fig newtons, those odd little soft cookies we had as kids. But as I got older I started to really enjoy them in many more ways like on pizza, with cheese or prosciutto, and in salads. But if you happen upon some really good and fresh ones I like to let them stand alone more. Pictured above is simply halved figs drizzled with red wine and sugar. Just pop them in the oven on about 375F for around 12 minutes to caramelize the sugar and reduce the wine. You will feel like you have been transported to the French countryside with this little treat.

• Fresh figs
• Sugar
• Red wine

Thai Inspired Pork Salad

Pork chops are great, they can be grilled or braised, or pounded and fried for German schnitzel, or stir fried and on and on. And they can go with lots of different flavors and spices. I really enjoy Thai food but don't necessarily always want to be weighed down with rich curries or fried noodles. I often opt for Thai salads; they are much lighter but do not skimp on flavor. Pictured above is a spicy pork Thai salad with onions, poblano peppers, and crushed peanuts.

The first step is to cut the pork into short thin strips.

Next slice an onion, pepper, and ginger (also garlic if you have any).

Once those are prepped, place the ginger into a heated pan with some oil and let the essence infuse before adding the meat.

After a few minutes add the pork and begin to brown then add some chili garlic paste and stir.

Next, add some mirin (sweet rice wine) and a few dashes of soy sauce, reduce then add the onions and peppers.

Prepare a plate with a bed of lettuce and some vegetables (I used carrots and broccoli).

Lastly, crush and chop some peanuts and sprinkle on top of the pork (make sure there are plenty of juices drizzled onto the lettuce).

Enjoy this very low fat meal that bursts with flavors leave you satisfied without ordering out.

• Pork chops
• Onions
• Poblano pepper
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Peanuts
• Ginger
• Mirin
• Soy sauce
• Chili garlic sauce (paste)

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

If you have chicken leftover, enchiladas are a good option for dinner. I had both leftover chicken and lots of mole sauce (see below for the recipe) to work with. The only other things I needed were corn tortillas, iceberg lettuce (the most common in Mexican cuisine), carrots, a tomato, a green onion and come cilantro (which I recommend growing yourself). First thing to do is shred the chicken. I microwaved it for a few seconds to make it more pliable.

Next use a pan to warm your tortillas so they wont rip. In traditional Mexican cooking they will dip them in very hot oil for a second.

Then begin assembling the enchiladas with chicken and cheese, roll them up, and cover with sauce.

Once all are assembled cover them with the remainder of sauce and cheese. Then cover with foil and bake on 350F for about 45min.

Remove it from the oven and as it cools prep the plates with a bed of lettuce, green onions, carrots, tomatoes, and some fresh cilantro.

Dish it up and enjoy!

• Mole sauce (see recipe in previous post)
• Shredded chicken
• Mexican cheese (queso blanco, jack, cheddar, or colby will all work)
• Corn tortillas
• Head of lettuce
• Carrot
• Green onions
• Tomato
• Cilantro

Braised Lamb Necks with

Red Cabbage Pomegranate Slaw

Neck meat is the best meat. I will take a neck over a filet any day.We don't often get a chance to eat it not because of the price or scarcity but because of the time. A good filet mignon is really good, don't get me wrong, but it's hardly transformative like a good roast can be. The filet is good because it's tender and flavorful and rare. In fact it is precisely the most tender muscle group on the entire animal and accounts for only about 1.5 pounds of the entire 1700 pound beast. That's just 0.09 percent! But once you procure that meat you really don't have to do anything at all, thus carpaccio and steak tartare. The neck on the other hand is tough and full of connective tissue and bone; it takes work to make it consumable. It needs to be cooked low and slow like other cuts with lots of connective tissue, i.e. ribs. It needs to undergo what is called a Maillard reaction. Named after the scientist who discovered it, this is the process that accounts for the brown crust of bread, the flavor or caramel, the taste of coffee, and the consistency of brisket. Strictly speaking it is the process of creation and destruction of new compounds that occurs when protein, sugar, heat, and time come together. And it is because of these transformations that make low and slow cooking so cherished and savory and celebratory. But before we get to the low and slow part we must brown the meat to really bring out the best flavor (as always season with s&p).

Once it is seared, add mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery), garlic, potatoes, beef bullion, and white wine.

Of course, try the wine for quality control purposes and then place the pot in the oven on about 285F for several hours (5-7hrs).

Next remove from the oven, take out the meat and veggies and leave the liquid in the pot.

Whisk the liquid over low heat with a little butter, wine, and perhaps some mint jelly. Mint goes very well with lamb. However, I had just received some fresh pomegranates from a friend of mine so I used the juice of that since I was also pairing this with a pomegranate cabbage slaw.

I prepared the slaw with pomegranate berries and juice and orange muscat vinegar along with s&p and scallions to top.

This meal will literally melt in your mouth and leave you dreaming of sheep, not just counting them.

• Lamb necks
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Yellow onions
• Garlic
• Celery
• Beef bullion
• Red Cabbage
• Scallions (green onions)
• White wine
• Pomegranate
• Vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Butter

Pollo Mole using Snickers

Mole is a rich sauce originating around Puebla Mexico and can come in many forms with the common ingredients being chiles, tomatoes, spices, nuts, and something sweet (usually fruit or chocolate). I have loved pollo mole ever since I had a great one in Mexico City and again in Puebla. I made this one using a can of chipotle peppers (very spicy, smoked chilies), a can of crushed tomatoes (fresh would be even better), three yellow onions, a few cloves of garlic, some cumin, and s&p. I put all of those in a large baking dish and added chicken thighs and legs that I had seared off in a pan to add greater and texture and flavor along with some red and white wine I had opened. I covered the dish and baked on 375F for about 2.5 to 3 hours. After that I removed the chicken and set aside and poured everything else into my cast iron pot. Into the pot I added some halved small snickers (to add the nut and chocolate portion of the mole) and a small handful of fresh cilantro. Then I got out my immersion blender and blended until smooth. I served it by covering corn tortillas with the mole and chicken and a side of cabbage salad with cilantro. The taste is sweet and tangy with a spicy after bite.

• Chicken thighs and drumsticks
• Tomatoes (can be canned)
• Onions
• Chipotle chilies (can be canned)
• Garlic
• Cumin
• Cilantro
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable oil
• Wine (red and/or white)
• Snickers candy bars
• Corn tortillas

Korean Style Chicken and Salad

I got this idea from having a hankering for spicy Korean chicken wings but not wanting to work through all those tiny wing bones and the desire for that delicious salad we often get along with our sushi or Chinese food. Korean style chicken wings are amazing and super spicy and sweet and I recommend them to everyone. This is tamed (and not fried) take on those. The marinade is simply mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine), gochujang (Korean fermented red chili paste), soy sauce, and sliced garlic.

Whisk the ingredients together and then pour over the chicken in a baking dish. Make sure to thoroughly coat with the sauce.

Next, cover with foil and cook on 375F for about an hour stirring every 10-15 minutes.

You can add some hoisin sauce as well when you remove to stir. For the last 10 minutes or so cook with the foil off to brown the chicken and reduce the sauce. For the salad dressing simply mix mirin, mayonnaise, and some soy sauce. Serve it with some cucumbers or veggies of your choosing.

• Chicken drumsticks
• Mixed greens
• Mirin
• Soy sauce
• Korean chili bean paste (gochujang)
• Garlic
• Hoisin sauce
• Mayonnaise
• Lemon
• Cucumber

Curry BBQ Chicken and

Grilled Corn Salad

I love the flavor of curry along with a sweet and acidic accompaniment. For this BBQ chicken I made a dry rub of brown sugar, yellow curry powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper (a little spicier than black pepper, often associated with Chinese food like hot and sour soup). BBQ on low heat turning frequently in order to keep it moist and tender. Also on the grill, place a few ears of corn (shuck first, we want the grill marks and grill flavor) seasoned with sat and pepper. After the corn has become a little tender remove it from the heat and let sit until it cools enough to handle (ideally room temperature). Then use a knife and cut the kernels off the cob and place in a large bowl. Into the bowl add chopped romaine (or cabbage), thinly cut red onion, and sliced plum. Mix all the ingredients with a dressing of vinegar, honey, and a bit of olive oil. Lastly, top with some goat cheese (it has a sweet, tangy flavor) and some fresh berries.

• Chicken thighs
• Corn on the cob
• Romaine lettuce (or cabbage)
• Red onion
• Plum
• Raspberries
• Goat cheese
• Brown sugar
• Yellow curry powder
• Onion Powder
• Garlic powder
• White pepper
• Salt
• Vinegar
• Honey
• Olive oil

Les Moules

Mussels and french fries are a staple in Belgium and France and I wish would become one here as well. They are really easy and fast to prepare and living in the Bay Area allows us to get very good seafood year round. Prep your mussels by rinsing them off  in cold water and throw out any that are already opened (that means they have died and wont taste all that great). In a large pot saute shallots (or onions) and garlic in butter and s&p. After a few minutes stir in the mussels then cover for about two min. Next add a few cups of dry white wine and add some fresh herbs like thyme and parsley. I didn't have any chardonnay or anything like that but I did have some bubbly, so I used that and it worked fine. Continue simmering several minutes until the wine has reduced by about half. Serve immediately and discard any mussels that did not open (again, they are most likely ones that had died a while ago). Top it with some more fresh herbs, green onions, or chives.

• Mussels
• White wine
• Butter
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper
• Herbs (thyme, parsley, chives, scallions)

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Bisque

I love autumn because in addition to post-season baseball and the start of football we get to start having all those warm and hearty meals of winter. Here is a nice transition from the light meals of summer to the heavier meals of winter, bisque. Traditionally bisques are made with crustaceans but I say if it's creamy, if it's smooth, then it's a bisque. For this one I used eggplant and tomatoes. The first thing I did was thinly slice the eggplant.

Next I put olive oil and s&p on a baking sheet and laid out the slices before drizzling oil and seasoning on the top side.

I baked two sheets on 375F and got started on the soup. I wanted kind of rich and carmalized flavor to go along with the roasted eggplant so I julienned an onion and slow cooked it in olive oil, garlic, s&p and some basil at the end.

Next I added fresh quartered tomatoes.

When the eggplant was sufficiently roasted I removed it from the oven and added it to the pot.

Once everything was all in I added some whole milk, heavy cream, and a bit of water. I also put in a few leaves of basil but not so many that you would think you're just eating pasta sauce.

Then I got out a brilliant little gadget, the immersion blender. But if you dont have this you can transfer to a blender.

Blend until smooth and taste along the way. You may need to add more salt and pepper. I hit mine with a dollop of anchovy paste for a little hint of delicious briny flavor.

Lastly plate it, maybe crack some pepper on top and pour yourself some wine.

• Tomatoes
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Basil
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Sugar
• Whole milk, cream
• Anchovies (optional)