Wonderful Homemade BBQ Sauce

This is a wonderful homemade BBQ sauce that resulted in two very memorable dishes this summer and certainly an appreciation for home made BBQ sauce. The first application was on a smoked skirt steak and the second, smoked pork ribs.

• (BBQ sauce recipe courtesy of Joseph Realuto's Townline BBQ via The Barefoot Contessa.)
  
  Makes about 3 quarts that refrigerates well.

• ¼ pound butter
• ¾ cup minced onion
• ½ cup minced garlic
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 ¼ cups ketchup
• 1 cup tomato juice
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons molasses
• ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup chili powder
• 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons chilpotle puree (I used San Marcos ChilpotlePeppers in adobo sauce, extracting the peppers & shaking off the adobo without rinsing, and making it into puree with the food processor.)
• Pinch of kosher salt
  
  Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, ketchup, tomato juice, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, vinegar, chilpotle puree, salt and 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
  
  http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=50&S=0
  Townline BBQ Sauce

Revisiting Classic Potato Salad

Potato salad is a must in the Summer, paired with a smoky BBQ and of course some coleslaw. As I've been re-visiting basic recipes in The Joy of Cooking (75th Anniversary Ed.), I found that for years I had been skipping ahead to the American Potato Salad recipe - the one you'll find in pretty much every deli in the U.S.


For me, the discovery was that the basic recipe, which although has several steps in the preparation, is a refreshing change. I was also reminded how nice it is to have a freshly made Vinaigrette on hand.

There are many variation decisions you can make along the way, in short I went with a marinade of both chicken stock and Vinaigrette, heavy on herbs & fresh ingredients, finishing with sour cream (instead of mayonnaise) for a fresher taste.

VINAIGRETTE
1 cup
1 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice - should be juice from 2 lemons (or red wine vinegar)
1 small minced shallot (Recipe actually suggests 1 teaspoon.)
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
Whisk until blended. Add gradually, whisking constantly after each addition:
3/4 cup olive or walnut oil
Cover and refrigerate.

POTATO SALAD
8 servings

Boil in salted water until tender:
2# potatoes

Drain; when cool enough to handle, peel & slice. Marinate in:
1/2 cup Vinaigrette
1/2 cup warm chicken stock

(I marinated the potatoes for about an hour. The smell was incredible.)
Add:
2 teaspoons salt
Paprika
Pinch of ground red pepper
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 celery stocks including leaves (chopped)
1/2 cup chopped black olives
3 tablespoons flat parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh baby dill (chopped)

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Add:
1/2 cup sour cream
Refrigerate 1 hour longer. Before serving, toss in:
Coarsely chopped watercress

MEDITERRANEAN SEARED TUNA SALAD

A remarkable take-out lunch on a day of landscaping and fence building.

MEDITERRANEAN SEARED TUNA SALAD - sushi grade tuna, avocado, mango and sesame seeds from Heffner Grill in OKC formerly branded Lakeside...

Corn Cakes

A family favorite with fresh corn from Everyday Food.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions

1. In bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 large egg, and 1/3 cup milk just until combined; fold in 2 cups corn kernels.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in large skillet over medium heat; working in two batches, drop scant 1/4 cups of batter into skillet. Flatten slightly; cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add more oil if needed. Serve immediately.

Coleslaw Recipe - Chicago style hotdog inspired.

I was looking around for a crispy kosher coleslaw recipe. I've been unable to find one in this area of the country. The one I had in mind has no dairy, no mayo, & typically has poppy seeds. Anyway, in my search, a friend recommended this Chicago Dog Salad.

Wow. Good stuff. If you like a Chicago style hot dog or fresh crispy coleslaw, you'll appreciate this. I added shredded carrots and poppy seeds. I think mini, pickled green peppers (called Sport Peppers, which are served on a Chicago dog) would also be a good idea. I haven't had it with hot dogs, but it would certainly work well. Yum.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons vinegar, eyeball it
• 1 rounded teaspoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 of a 16-ounce sack shredded cabbage blend for slaw salads
• 1 romaine heart, shredded
• 2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
• 3 large half sour or garlic pickles, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• [3 carrots, shredded]
• [1 tablespoon poppy seeds]
  
• 8 pork or beef hot dogs, cut into 1-inch-thick slices on an angle

Directions

In the bottom of a large bowl, combine mustard, vinegar, sugar, and about 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onions, cabbage, romaine, tomatoes, and pickles and toss the salad. Season with salt and pepper, adjust seasonings, and reserve.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (1 turn of the pan) then arrange the sliced dogs in a single layer. Sear them a couple of minutes on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Mound up the salad on plates, top with seared dogs, and serve.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicago-dog-salad-recipe/index.html

Venison, bacon wrapped with rosemary

I think this was a leg cut. I made it into filet-looking medallions by making thick slices, removing the membrane, marinating in vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, then wrapping them in bacon affixed with two crosswise skewers.

I pre-heated an oven safe skillet @ 450F, seared them on the stove top on all sides (including the bacon edges) and returned them to the oven, serving them medium rare with a deglaze of balsamic.

Next time I will cook the bacon more on all sides which, with a thick cut can be done by placing them upright turning them on the edges - the skewers got in the way, so I will cut the skewers more or try some other arrangement of fasteners.

Thanks again Dan P. for the protein.

Seth's Pablano Rice

* 1 dried pablano (ancho, or other variety) pepper (see prep below)
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 large yellow onion, chopped
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 cups rice (typically long-grain, in this case we used arborio (short-grain, aka, risoto rice.)
* 3 1/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
* 3/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare a dried pablano. (see Rick Bayless )
In hot skillet, roast the dried pepper, turning until browned and fragrant.
Place in warm water to reconstitute.
Slice, discarding seeds and inner flesh to reduce heat.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and pepper; sauté until onion is translucent, about 9 minutes. Mix in rice; stir 2 minutes. Mix in broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is just tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (If needed add additional water.) Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Serve with home brewed beer.

Based on Rick Bayless + Epicurious via Bon Appetit.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Rice-109800