The Epicurious Cookbook (9 page)

4.
Stir in the remaining ½ cup cilantro and serve the pozole in deep bowls with accompaniments.

do ahead:

The
CHICKEN
can be cooked and shredded 1 day ahead and chilled in 4 cups reserved broth. Measure out 1 cup broth before proceeding.

grilled jerk chicken
with papaya salsa
This spicy standout nails the difficult balance of sweet and fiery that characterizes the best jerk, cutting the heat of the Scotch bonnet chiles with a mixture of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. The soy sauce adds a sticky-salty-caramel note when the meat is grilled. Because jerk seasoning can burn easily, make sure to use indirect heat when grilling the meat. Serve with rice, beans, and plenty of ice-cold beer. (And be sure to use gloves when handling the peppers.)
YIELD: MAKES 8 SERVINGS
FOR JERK MARINADE
3 green onions, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 to 5 fresh Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, stemmed and seeded
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons black pepper
¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR CHICKEN
4 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (3 pounds), halved crosswise
2½ to 3 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
Papaya Salsa (recipe follows)
Special equipment: Gas or charcoal grill (optional)
MAKE MARINADE
Blend all marinade ingredients in a blender until smooth.
MARINATE AND GRILL CHICKEN
1.
Divide the chicken pieces and marinade in 2 sealable plastic bags. Seal the bags, pressing out excess air, then turn bags over several times to distribute marinade. Put bags of chicken in a shallow pan and marinate, chilled, turning once or twice, for 1 day.
2.
Let chicken stand at room temperature 1 hour before cooking.
COOK CHICKEN USING CHARCOAL GRILL
1.
Open the vents on the bottom of the grill and on the lid. Light a large chimney of charcoal briquettes (about 100) and pour them evenly over one side of a bottom rack (you will have a double or triple layer of charcoal).
2.
When the charcoal turns grayish white and you can hold your hand 5 inches above the rack for 3 to 4 seconds, sear the chicken in batches on a lightly oiled rack over the coals until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Move the chicken as seared to the side of the grill with no coals underneath, then cook,
covered with the lid, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes more.
3.
Serve the chicken with the
papaya salsa.
COOK CHICKEN USING GAS GRILL
1.
Preheat the burners on high, then adjust heat to moderate. Cook chicken until well browned on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust the heat to low and cook chicken, covered with lid, until cooked through, about 25 minutes more.
2.
Serve the chicken with
papaya salsa.
COOK CHICKEN USING AN OVEN
If you can’t grill, you can roast the chicken in two large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pans in the upper and lower thirds of a 400°F oven, switching the position of the pans halfway through the roasting, 40 to 45 minutes total.

“This is an excellent marinade—something magical happens when it hits the grill. In the future, I’m going to make this marinade in batches and keep it in the fridge for easy access—it turns boring old chicken breasts into something amazing.”

A cook, Los Angeles, California

papaya salsa
YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 4½ CUPS
2 pounds papaya (2 preferably pink-fleshed strawberry variety), peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch dice
1½ cups diced (¼-inch) fresh pineapple (from ½ small pineapple)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients; serve. This can be made up to 1 hour ahead, kept at room temperature, or kept, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.
asian pork and mushroom
burger wraps
Soy sauce, sriracha, hoisin, and Asian sesame oil assert an Eastern influence on the traditional burger. Since the burgers and sauce can both be made ahead of time, this is a versatile, no-fuss meal perfect for a dinner party or after-work bite. With the lettuce, bell pepper, carrot, and cilantro in separate bowls, guests can customize their burgers as they please.
YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS
2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass (from bottom 3 inches of about 4 stalks)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps chopped
1 teaspoon kosher or other coarse salt
1¾ pounds ground pork shoulder (from Boston butt)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
¾ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
½ cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
Nonstick vegetable-oil spray
2 heads of Bibb lettuce, cored, leaves separated
1 cup matchstick strips of red bell pepper
1 cup matchstick strips of peeled carrot
⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Special equipment: Gas or charcoal grill
1.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lemongrass and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt; sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat; cool in skillet.
2.
Place the pork in a large bowl. Mix in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, the cracked pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, then fold in the mushroom mixture. Using 2 generous tablespoonfuls for each, shape mixture into 18 patties, each about 2¼ inches in diameter; arrange on a plastic-lined baking sheet.
3.
Whisk the hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, chili sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil in small bowl. Set sauce aside.
4.
Spray a grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Grill the burgers until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
5.
Arrange burgers on a platter; set out sauce. Place the lettuce, bell pepper, carrot, and cilantro in separate bowls. Serve, suggesting guests wrap burgers in lettuce leaves and add sauce and vegetables as desired.

“Used a beef/pork/veal mixture and didn’t bother making patties. Browned meat, added mushrooms and seasonings and mixed everything together in a big bowl and, WAL-LAH, lettuce wraps. Very delicious!”

Honoree77, Point Pleasant, New Jersey

old-fashioned ham
with brown sugar and mustard glaze
This sweet and savory ham, created by chef and Edna Lewis confidant Scott Peacock, gives us a whole new reason to look forward to Easter. Smothered in mustard and drizzled with honey, this is an old-fashioned Southern dish that’s simple and impressive.
YIELD: MAKES 10 SERVINGS
1 (10-pound) smoked ham with rind, preferably shank end
1 cup unsweetened apple juice or apple cider
½ cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
⅔ cup (packed) light brown sugar
¼ cup honey
1.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the ham in a large roasting pan. Pour the apple juice over the ham. Cover the ham completely with parchment, then cover the ham and roasting pan completely with heavy-duty foil, sealing tightly at edges of pan. Bake the ham until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of the ham registers 145°F, about 3 hours 45 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.
2.
Remove the foil and parchment from the ham. Drain and discard the liquids from the roasting pan. Cut off rind and all but a ¼-inch-thick layer of fat from the ham and discard. Using a long sharp knife, score the fat in a 1-inch-wide, ¼-inch-deep diamond pattern. Spread the mustard evenly over the fat layer on the ham. Pat the brown sugar over the mustard coating, pressing firmly to adhere. Drizzle the honey evenly over.
3.
Bake until the ham is well glazed, spooning any mustard and sugar glaze that slides into the roasting pan back over the ham, about 30 minutes. Transfer the ham to a serving platter; let cool at least 45 minutes. Slice the ham and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

“For the mustard, we usually mix half whole-grain and creamy mustards—mostly because we never have enough of one or the other. We also baste the ham a couple of times after putting the glaze on, and it seems to get down into the ham a little better when we do that. Leftovers from this recipe are heavenly.”

Krich231

Pork Tenderloin with Spiced Rhubarb Chutney

pork tenderloin
with spiced rhubarb chutney
Tender pork is roasted with rich, warmly
spiced chutney so that the fruity condiment gets a chance to cook into the meat. The woody, sweet notes of the chutney are also great atop chicken, lamb, or duck—or just on a spoon, straight. Rhubarb is at its prime in spring so for a fall-friendly chutney, replace it with fresh apples and figs.
YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS
FOR CHUTNEY
¾ cup sugar
⅓ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
4 cups (½-inch) cubed fresh rhubarb (about 1½ pounds)
½ cup (generous) chopped red onion
⅓ cup dried tart cherries or golden raisins (about 2 ounces)
FOR PORK
2 pork tenderloins (about 1½ pounds total), trimmed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish
MAKE CHUTNEY
Combine the sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and red pepper flakes in a heavy large Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the rhubarb, onion, and dried cherries; increase the heat to medium-high and cook until rhubarb is tender and mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.
MAKE PORK
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Sprinkle the pork with the cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the pork and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a roasting pan. Brush with 6 tablespoons chutney. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 155°F, brushing occasionally with 6 more tablespoons chutney, about 25 minutes. Slice the pork into medallions. Garnish with cilantro and serve with remaining chutney.

“The leftover chutney made amazing toasted sandwiches with ham and Camembert the next day.”

Nzjulz

do ahead:

The
CHUTNEY
can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

pan-seared rib-eye steaks
with porcini and rosemary rub
Master the art and science of meat preparation with this simple recipe from Aidells Sausage founder Bruce Aidells. He starts with grass-fed boneless rib eye and a simple soy-sauce marinade. But the secret to this meat’s success is the porcini-focused spice rub. Dress it up with
Wild Mushroom–Potato Gratin
or down with fries and beer on a Friday night in.

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