IMPORTANT POINTS Natural Tenderizers: Pineapple, Ginger, Papaya, Honeydew, Tomato, Vinegar, Wine, Buttermilk, Mango, Figs, Beer, Kiwifruit, Citrus, Yogurt

RECIPES:

Nachos are considered more "Tex Mex" than Mexican, being an invention of one Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, a restaurateur serving American servicemen in the 1940s. At their essence, they are simply a layer of tortilla chips with melted cheddar cheese and jalapeno peppers. A giant helping of crispy tortilla chips smothered with our chili and topped with cheddar cheese, ADD YOUR CHOICES: onions, mixed peppers, jalapenos, black beans, white beans, frijoles, black olives, tomatoes, ground beef, mixed veggies, bacon, mozzarella cheese, chicken, feta cheese, mushrooms. Topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Shrimps 'en papilotte'          2 lb Shrimps ~ julienne of carrot, leek, celery(6 oz total) ~ 2 chopped shallots ~ 1/4 pt fish stock ~ 2 tomatoes, concasse ~ 1 glass dry white wine ~ Pinch saffron ~ 1 clove garlic, julienne ~ 2 oz butter ~ 1 sprig thyme ~ salt & pepper.

Shell and clean the Shrimps. Prepare 4 aluminium foil sheets, approx 12" x 18" Butter half of each of the foil sheets. Lay out on the bench. Season the foil sheet with salt & pepper and fold into an envelope shape. Seal the two shortest sides, try folding over twice. Put fish stock, white wine and shallots on to boil and add saffron, take off and cool a little. Carefully lay each envelope on the table and put the Shrimps inside. Make sure that the buttered inside is on the table. Now sprinkle some vegetable julienne, tomato concasse, garlic and thyme into each envelope. Carefully pick up the envelope so that the sealed side is downwards and pour some stock into each. Seal the remaining open side to seal the envelope firmly. Lay each envelope on an individual baking sheet buttered inside downwards and put into oven 200 c. Bake for about 8 minutes and then carefully take out. Put the baking sheet onto a gas fire and allow to inflate the envelope. Serve quickly, opening the envelope by piercing with a large knife in front of the diner.

Chicken in Salt Crust #2           5 cups all-purpose flour ~ 3 cups kosher ~ salt ~ 3 Tb fresh ground black pepper ~ 5 egg whites ~ 1 1/2 cups water ~ 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, and/or sage) ~ 1 Large Chicken (1.7-1.8 kg / 4 lb.).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.............Place the flour, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and water and add to the dry ingredients along with 2 tablespoons of the herbs. Combine with a potato masher until the mixture begins to come together. Then knead with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes. The dough should be smooth and come away from your fingers easily. Divide into two pieces. Transfer the mixture to a large zip-top bag, seal, and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours, or up to 24 hours. Roll out one part to a thickness of 3-4 mm (1/8") and place it on a baking sheet. Place the chicken on one of the dough-piece and season with parsley, rosemary and lemon rind. Roll out the rest of the dough and place over the chicken, pressing the edges well to seal. The chicken should be firmly encased in order to steam it. Cut off the excess dough or crimp the edges attractively if you wish to serve it at the table. Bake at 200° C (400° F) for about 60 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Kabab Koobideh       4 servings                  500 gr Ground beef ~ 2 Large onions (grated) ~ 1 clove Garlic (crushed) ~ 1 Large egg (beaten) ~ 4 Medium tomatoes (for Garnish) ~ Salt and Black pepper ~ 1 ts Turmeric (optional).

Mix meat, onions, garlic, egg, salt, pepper and turmeric well and leave in the refrigerator overnight (or for several hours). Press the meat around long, thick metal skewers and shape evenly. Thread whole tomatoes on another skewer. Barbeque each side for about five minutes, turning frequently. (If skewers are not available or barbequing is not possible, kabab-e koobideh can be shaped into long, thin portions on aluminium foil and grilled at high temperature in the oven. The oven should be pre-heated and kabab-e koobideh should be placed as high as possible near the source of the heat. Again, turn a few times.)

Tea Smoked Cat Fish          1 serving Light Tea Smoking Mixture: 1/3 cup long-grain rice ~ 2 Tb loose black tea ~ 2 Tb brown sugar ~ 5 dried red chilies, optional.

3/4 Lb Cat Fish cleaned, filleted and portioned.         Marinade:    2 ts sugar ~ 2 ts caraway seeds ~ 1 ts salt.   Combine sugar, salt and caraway seed in 1 cup of water. Stir to dissolve. Add Cat Fish. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Basic Wok Smoking Method : Combine ingredients in a bowl. Line a 12-14 inch wok with aluminium foil allowing 4 inches of overhang. Put smoking mixture in bottom of wok. Set a 10 inch cake rack about 3 inches above mixture. Set wok over moderate heat until thin streams of smoke begin to rise. Arrange food to be smoked on rack in a single layer and place cover on wok. Crimp the foil all around the lid to completely seal the wok. Smoke 7-8 minutes.

Serve with a remoulade sauce or sweet and hot mustard.

Saganaki           1 Lb Kasseri, Graviera or Kefalotiri Cheese ~ Flour and Cornstarch mixture ~ 1/2 cup (1 stick) clarified melted butter ~ 1/4 cup lemon juice (from fresh lemon) ~ 2 Tb Ouzo or Brandy, heated just until lukewarm (optional).

Cut the cheese into four 1/2-inch slices. Rinse under cold water and shake to remove excess water. Sprinkle cornstarch on a piece of wax paper. Dredge the cheese in the cornstarch until lightly coated. Pace cheese in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours before frying. Heat clarified butter in a large non stick skillet. When it is very hot, almost to the point of smoking, fry the cheese slices on both sides until lightly browned. Sprinkle each slice with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Have the brandy warmed. Ignite it and pour over the cheese. Place the cheese on warm serving plates and serve immediately with a Greek Country Salad and bread.

Chicken Under a Brick - - POLLO al MATTONE           This recipe it's extremely old: Frescos depicting what appears to be a grill with a chicken being flattened by a stone occur in Etruscan tombs. Chickens sufficient to feed your party and The herbs of choice Clean the bird, chop off the neck, and split it up the breast, then press it flat and pound it well with the flat of a thick-bladed knife, as if you were pounding a cutlet. Make a rub by mincing a few leaves of sage, one or two cloves of garlic, salt, abundant freshly ground black pepper, and a little red pepper. Rub the rub into the meat, rub it with abundant olive oil, and set it aside until you are ready to grill it (if you do this do this the day before, letting it marinate in the oil, you won't have to baste as you grill). Heat a cast Iron Fry Pan and press the chicken, skin side down, on the pan. Place a foil-wrapped brick on top of each chicken half. (Instead of the bricks, you can preheat cast-iron skillet to use as a weight). Roast for 30 minutes …. OR….. Cook on a gas or Charcoal Grill. Once the coals are ready -- you want them hot but not searingly hot -- lay the bird over them and place a well-cleaned brick over it to help keep it flat. Use a potholder to lift the brick when it's time to turn the bird over. I often grill chicken for close to an hour. Exactly how long you do cook the bird will depend upon its size and the heat of the fire; it will be done when you sick a skewer into the wing joint and the juices run clear. A Red wine is perfect; a lively Chianti Colli Fiorentini would be nice, as would a zesty unoaked Barbera D'Asti.

Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken under a BRICK #2      serve 2           1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), halved, back and breast bones removed (leave the rib bones) ~ 1 Tb ground cumin ~ 1 Tb coarse sea salt or kosher salt ~ 1/2 Tb ground cinnamon ~ 1/2 Tb ground allspice ~ 1/2 Tb freshly ground black pepper ~ 1/2 Tb ground turmeric ~ 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil ~ Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish.   Lemon wedges for serving.

This chicken is incredibly crispy and intensely flavourful, making it an exciting alternative to milder roast chicken recipes. Weighting the chicken ensures that each piece is of the same thickness, so they cook quickly and evenly. The weight also causes the fat under the skin to render, melting out and leaving the skin deliciously crisp. When you buy the chicken for this recipe, ask your butcher to remove the back and breast bones so that there is a drumstick and wing on each side. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. In a bowl, mix together the cumin, salt, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and turmeric. Pat the mixture onto the chicken and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12 hours. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking. Place a 14-inch skillet or heavy-duty roasting or baking pan in the oven, along with 2 foil-wrapped bricks, and preheat the oven to 500°F for 15 minutes. Rub the chicken with the olive oil and press it flat. Wearing oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven and press the chicken, skin side down, on the pan. Place a brick on top of each chicken half. (Instead of the foil-wrapped bricks, you can preheat another baking sheet and/or a heavy heatproof object such as a thick cast-iron skillet to use as a weight. Place the baking sheet on top of the chicken and weigh it down with the weight.) Roast for 30 minutes. Garnish the chicken with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

Italian Sausage Panini Makes      4 servings                 4 (6-inch) hot or mild Italian sausages (about 1-1/4 pounds) ~ 1 green bell pepper, cut lengthwise into quarters, stems and seeds discarded ~ 1 small onion, sliced ~ 4 Hoagie breads ~ 1Tb olive oil ~ 1 cup prepared marinara sauce ~ 1/2 ts dried basil ~ 1/4 ts dried oregano leaves ~ 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Italian blend cheese or 2-3 slices provolone cheese (depending on size of slices) (or other toppings).

Put sausage in small pot and cover with water. Bring to boil over high heat. Once water boils, prick the sausage with a fork several times so that the grease comes out as it cooks. Boil sausage for 5 minutes, or until it looks at least halfway cooked. Remove sausage from water, and either rinse it under warm water (there might be some scum on it), or wipe it with a clean paper towel. Sauté peppers, onion in olive oil until just tender. Slice sausage in half, lengthwise. Place sausage cut-side down on hot grill, and cook until done (about 5 minutes or so). Place cheese in bun, then add sausage, and top with sautéed onions, peppers herbs and Marinara sauce and/or your own favourite additions such as hot banana peppers, olives, tomatoes, fresh basil, etc, etc. Close sandwich and grill until the bread is golden and crispy.

BANJA GUI    Barbecued Beef in a Lettuce Wrapper                3/4 cup soy sauce ~ 2 Tb minced garlic ~ 1 Tb plus 1 ts sesame oil ~ 2 ts mirin ~ 1 ts red pepper flakes ~ 2 Lb sirloin or flank steak, sliced thinly on the bias ~ 1/2 cup julienned green onions (scallions) ~ 2 ts hot red chili powder ~ 2 Tb toasted sesame seeds ~ 40 very thin slices garlic ~ 20 large green or red lettuce leaves.

In a large, non-reactive bowl, combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of the mirin, and the red pepper flakes. Add the meat toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally. Preheat the grill. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce with remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Add the green onions (scallions), and garlic, and toss to combine. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the remaining teaspoon of mirin, the chili powder and sesame seeds. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry. Grill for 1 minute on each side for medium-rare. Lay the lettuce leaves on a flat work surface and rub the mirin mixture on the insides of the leaves. Set aside. Lay several slices of cooked steak in center of each leaf, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of the seasoned green onions (scallions), and top with 2 garlic slivers. Fold the lettuce over the steak and wrap tightly. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

Plank-Roasted Salmon            1.5 lb good quality salmon showing good color, and clear marbling ~ 3-4 cloves garlic ~ 2 ts fresh rosemary (chopped) ~ kosher salt to taste ~ 1 ts hot cayenne pepper ~ fresh cracked black pepper ~ 3 Tb extra virgin olive oil.

Good quality cedar plank for cooking salmon.       Wash your fish in cold water, taking care not to injure the flesh. Pat dry with thick paper towel. With a sharp knife, cut 1.5-2 inch width portions. Make small slits on the side of the fish. Slice garlic into slivers, and press into these slits. Coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, kosher salt and cayenne. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place seasoned cedar plank in oven for ten minutes and allow to heat. Place fish fillets gently on the plank and allow to cook till done (about 15-20 min). Do not overcook fish. Remove promptly from oven, and serve right on the plank.

Deep-frying whole Chicken or Turkey              One 4 Lb Chicken ~ 1-1/2 to 2 gallons peanut oil, or other oil with a high smoking point ~ 4 ounces of your own favourite liquid seasoning or marinade for injection (there is no standard for this ... everybody does his or her own, as it turns out. You can buy some ready made from the Cajun Injector folks.) ~ 2 cups water ~ Creole seasoning ~ Kosher salt

First, of course, you need the equipment to cook the Chicken on and in. Try a gizmo called a King Cooker for outdoor use; it heats and cooks using a propane tank and stand. Otherwise, use a large, TALL, thick stockpot, preferably 30-quart sized or larger. Heat the peanut oil to 350-365 degrees -- use a deep-fat frying thermometer clipped onto the side of the pot. Be VERY careful not to exceed this temperature, as the oil can begin to smoke and actually catch fire. Keep constant watch over the temperature and you'll be okay. Using a flavour injector (available from cooking and restaurant supply stores and gourmet shops) inject your favourite marinade throughout the Chicken. Make sure the outside of the Chicken is completely dry (you know what happens when water hits hot oil). Sprinkle the entire Chicken generously with your favourite dry rub, Creole seasoning. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Rub the skin to make sure the dry rub sticks. Cook for about 3-1/2 minutes per pound for a whole Chicken. Remove the Chicken from the oil carefully, and immediately wrap it with aluminium foil. LET THE CHICKEN REST FOR 30 MINUTES before carving.

Rotisserie Pork Tenderloin Tandoori            2 Pork Tenderloin.

Marinade: 1 cup plain yogurt ~ 1 Tb fresh ginger, minced ~ 1 Tb paprika ~ 1 Tb olive oil ~ 2 cloves garlic, minced ~ 2 ts salt ~ 1 1/2 ts cumin, ground ~ 1 ts turmeric ~ 1/2 ts cayenne pepper.

Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Pat the Tenderloin dry. Place Pork in a deep dish, coat with yogurt mixture, cover and allow Tenderloin to marinate in refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Preheat Tandoor or the grill. Remove Pork from dish and discard marinade. Place Pork on rotisserie spit and cook over indirect high heat for 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches between 175-180 degrees F. If heat is too high, reduce and cook over medium heat instead. Let Pork Tenderloin rest for 5 - 10 minutes before carving.

Grilled Pork Souvlaki       serves 3 (4 skewers per person) as a main dish            2 1/2 Lb of Pork Loin, cut in 3/4 inch cubes ~ 1 ts of ground Greek oregano (rigani) ~ 1/2 ts of freshly ground pepper ~ 1/4 ts of Paprika ~ 1 Tb of sea salt ~ 1 Tb of Garlic minced ~ 2 Tb of red wine (or good red wine vinegar) ~ 2 Tb of olive oil.

In a bowl, pour wine (or vinegar) and oil over the pork and toss to coat. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and oregano, and toss again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Note: If using vinegar, do not marinate longer than 2 hours or the meat can absorb too strong a vinegar taste. If using wine, the meat can be marinated for up to 2 days as long as salt is also used. Using 8 inch skewers, thread approximately 6 pieces of meat on each. This should make about 12 skewers. Grill the meat turning until well browned, about 15 minutes. Serve on the skewers with a squeeze of lemon. Note: If using a gas grill, use wooden skewers. If using a charcoal grill, use metal skewers. If broiling in the oven, use either, but wooden skewers should be soaked in water for several minutes before using. As a meze: To prepare this recipe as a meze, use smaller skewers (5-6 inches long) and put 3-4 pieces of meat on each to make approximately 20 skewers.

Montreal Spice Mix #1              2 ts Dehydrated Garlic Flecks (probably any garlic powder, will do (not garlic salt) ~ 4 ts coarsely ground coriander seeds ~ 2 Tb coarse salt (kosher or sea) ~ 4 ts dill weed ~ 4 ts paprika ~ 4 ts crushed red pepper flakes (or cayenne pepper) ~ 4 ts fresh ground black pepper (coarse).

Montreal Spice Mix #2               2 tsp peppercorns ~ 1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds ~ 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds ~ 2 tsp fennel seeds ~ 1 tsp mustard seeds ~ 1 tsp dry mustard powder ~ 1 Tb celery seeds ~ 2 allspice berries ~ 1 Tb smoked paprika ~ 2 cloves garlic, minced ~ 2 Tb brown sugar ~ 1 1/2 Tb kosher salt.

Over medium heat, toast the peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds mustard seeds, allspice berries, celery seeds in a small sauté pan or cast iron frying pan until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. Grind spices coarsely in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Combine with the ground spices with the dry mustard powder, smoked paprika, garlic, brown sugar and kosher salt.

Montreal Spice Mix #3            4 Tb Kosher Salt (Large crack) ~ 1 Tb Black Pepper (Large crack) ~ 1 Tb Dehydrated Onion Flecks ~ 1/2 Dehydrated Garlic Flecks ~ 1/2 Tb Crushed Red Pepper ~ 1/2 Tb Dried Thyme ~ 1/2 Tb Dried Rosemary ~ 1/2 Tb Dried Fennel.

Blend Thoroughly.

Creole Seasoning #1          2 Tb onion powder ~ 2 Tb garlic powder ~ 2 Tb dried oregano leaves ~ 2 Tb dried sweet basil ~ 1 Tb dried thyme leaves ~ 1 Tb black pepper ~ 1 Tb white pepper ~ 1 Tb cayenne pepper ~ 1 Tb celery seed ~ 5 Tb sweet paprika.

Combine in food processor and pulse until well-blended, or mix thoroughly in a large bowl. The recipe doubles or triples well.

Creole Seasoning #2            2 1/2 Tb paprika ~ 2 Tb salt ~ 2 Tb garlic powder ~ 1 Tb onion powder ~ 1 Tb black pepper ~ 1 Tb cayenne pepper ~ 1 Tb oregano ~ 1 Tb dried leaf thyme.

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container. Makes about 2/3 cup.

Marinade #1           1/2 Tb sea salt ~ 1/2 Tb cracked black peppercorns ~ 1 Tb minced garlic ~ 1 Tb grated fresh ginger root ~ 1 Tb soy sauce ~ 1/2 Tb white pepper ~ 1 Tb brown sugar.

Mix all the ingredients well, cover the meat with them and place in plastic bag in refrigerator at least an hour, better overnight.

Marinade #2         4-6 cloves crushed garlic ~ 1 oz Jack Daniels ~ 1/4 Ts Balsamic vinegar ~ 1/2 Ts honey ~ 1/4 Cup olive oil.

Mix ingredients and proceed as above.

Burgundy Marinade for Beef Steaks              1/2 ts salt ~ 1/4 ts pepper ~ 1 garlic clove, minced ~ 1/2 cup oil ~ 1/2 cup Burgundy or dry red wine ~ 2 Tb catsup ~ 2 Tb molasses.

In small bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Makes 1 1/4 cups of marinade.

Apple Juice Marinade             1/2 cup apple juice ~ 1/4 cup soy sauce ~ 1/4 cup honey ~ 2 Tb lemon juice ~ 1/2 ts garlic powder ~ 1/4 ts dry mustard ~ 1/4 ts ginger, ground.