Yes, now I'm designing and building as I go, ahem...the surround of the A/C - Heater device that lives at ground level. It's a big square box...6' by 3' and on it's own concrete pad. To build the deck addition meant enclosing it on 3 of it's 4 sides and pretending that the top 6 inches doesn't show. A joke but there IS a plan about that will partially negate it's appearance. A piece of deck furniture will fit on top and allow it's full operation but pretty much hide the infernal (but well loved) beast. The deck addition has been a two person task with Kelly providing painting activities to protect the el cheapo nature of the douglas fir decking by applying a coat of grey primer then a coat of grey epoxy paint on the topside. It's not the most glorious deck ever built but it will serve the purpose of allowing us the use of the southside of the house and beautify it at the same time. I started the project about the same time that Kelly's Prius bellied up last month so we've been at it for about 6 weeks. Of course I'm not complete yet. Left to do is the painting bu Kelly of the existing decking from the old deck and touch up of the new one from walking on it prematuredly with dirty shoes. Then there is the part around the AC/Heater unit. Projects like these are pretty rewarding, it looks immeasureably better that before and will lead into the painting of the east and North sides of the house before winter really arrives...hopefully.
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I'm preparing Carnitas (Braised pork, pulled pork Mexican style) for dinner tonight. I use roasted dried chilies, chopped tomatoes, a piece of cinnamon, a teaspoon of mace, another of Cumin, 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of Apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 rouchly chopped white onions onions to make the braising liquid. Then brown a 3 - 4 lb whole pork butt rubbed with dried chipotle or chipotle en adobo, salt and pepper. Chop up the roasted peppers and add all the rest to a large pot. Boil, then simmer for 20 minutes before adding the thoroughly browned pork butt to the pot, it should be about 1/2 way submerged in the braising liquid. Cook coverred for 1.5 hrs turning over every 1/2 hour. Remove the lid and continue braising for another 1/2 hour. (Total of 2 hours in the liquid.) This is all done on the stovetop, you can use the oven if you wish.
Remove the butt from the liquid and place in a baking dish. Tear off chunks and ribbons of the pork and spread them over the dish in one layer or use a second dish if it will not fit. Place this in a preheated 400 degree on the bottom shelf set the oven to roasting (top element ON). Brown the pork by cooking for 10 - 15 minutes. In the meantime, saute some fresh corn tortillas, put aside to cool and drain fat. Heat black beans and serve as tacos with tomatoe, strips of red and green bell pepper, and red onion.
Delicious! Vibrant and earthy!
Showing posts with label Mexican. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexican. Show all posts
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Monday, Blue Monday
Well yesterday I turned my kitchen over to Kelly to develop a new recipe for us. We'll call it Kelly Lute's Mexican Minestrone. Nice catchy name for one very delicious and nutricious soup. Let me say that all of the ingredients except ONE were left over from Sunday evenings Braised Chicken Taco feed with Sue and Dave. Here goes, give it a try and let me know what changes you made and how it came out.
2 whole 1/2 chicken breasts or 6 thighs
1 Qt chicken stock
6 Dried California/New Mexico Chilis, roast and cut up remove stems.
1 lg. canned plum tomatoes chopped coarsely
2 medium fresh tomatioes coarsly chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic crushed
1 can (2 cups dry) black beans
2 corn tortillas, julienned wide
2 large white onions coarsely chopped
2 Teaspoons smoked paprika
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
8 small radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 head red/black cabbage coarsely chopped
OPTIONAL: 1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh corriander (cilantro)
4 Tablespoons grated monterey jack or cheddar cheese.
Soak beans overnight or cook til just done (3 hours)
Chop the chicken into 1 1/2" pieces, fold into smoked paparika and saute in olive oil til just done.
Combine all the rest of the ingredients except the CILANTRO in a large pot. Simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hrs.
Serve in large bowls and cover with tablespoon of cilantro and a tablespoon of the grated cheese.
Easy filling meal for 4 - 6. Serve with slices of fresh bread and butter for dipping.
Did you know in the middle ages the word "SOUP" was the piece of bread to be dipped in the porridge of the day.
Have fun! Be healthy!
2 whole 1/2 chicken breasts or 6 thighs
1 Qt chicken stock
6 Dried California/New Mexico Chilis, roast and cut up remove stems.
1 lg. canned plum tomatoes chopped coarsely
2 medium fresh tomatioes coarsly chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic crushed
1 can (2 cups dry) black beans
2 corn tortillas, julienned wide
2 large white onions coarsely chopped
2 Teaspoons smoked paprika
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
8 small radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 head red/black cabbage coarsely chopped
OPTIONAL: 1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh corriander (cilantro)
4 Tablespoons grated monterey jack or cheddar cheese.
Soak beans overnight or cook til just done (3 hours)
Chop the chicken into 1 1/2" pieces, fold into smoked paparika and saute in olive oil til just done.
Combine all the rest of the ingredients except the CILANTRO in a large pot. Simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hrs.
Serve in large bowls and cover with tablespoon of cilantro and a tablespoon of the grated cheese.
Easy filling meal for 4 - 6. Serve with slices of fresh bread and butter for dipping.
Did you know in the middle ages the word "SOUP" was the piece of bread to be dipped in the porridge of the day.
Have fun! Be healthy!
Friday, October 02, 2009
Food, Sex, Music, anything else?
No. That is THE short list of major worldly motivations. Everything else is a distraction. Now back in sunny, warm California, a certain State of Dreams. Mexican food comes to mind. It's everywhere and a favorite. All of it, anything of it, the flavors, textures, subtle and not so. A party, no, a fiesta for the taste buds. I dearly LOVE the stuff. I was simple at it in the beginning, tacos...folded, fried corn tortillas, tomato, ground beef, onion, a cheddar cheese. Simple, too simple actually.
Needs a kick...add some jalapenos minced or a big slice to each steaming folded beauty. More...braise skirt steak for 4-6 hours in typical flavors of cumin, marjoram, onion, garlic, cilanto leaves, lime, tomato. Then slice thinly and use it instead of the benign and boring ground beast. Chicken, grilled after marinating with olive oil, garlic, cilantro and cumin cut thinly as well or chunked or torn. Delicious! Not cheddar...not typical at all...monterey jack or questo, much better. Now we are getting somewhere. A dollop of mexican sour cream. Ohhhh. Fish...or Shrimp, yes, yes, yes! All good. Enchilladas, rolled tortillas, corn of course, around questo or chicken or pulled pork, beef, goat, whatever. A few leaves of cilantro, diced tomato, red onion coverred by a fresh tomotillo (green) sauce. My or my.
___
I make it all now after such a humble beginning. Sicilian, California, Mexican fusion. Fabulous food with all the ingredients available at Larry's Produce amidst the vines and olive groves outside of Fairfield. Wow, spoiled I am, no...RUINED! I always thought France was for Foodies...and certainly it is a popular thought, but dear friends...THIS is the Holy Grail of Food! The quality has improved oh so very much in the last 10-15 years with the growith of the Slow Food movement and the extensive list of local farmer's markets. We have food on our collective minds now and we are all better for it.
Needs a kick...add some jalapenos minced or a big slice to each steaming folded beauty. More...braise skirt steak for 4-6 hours in typical flavors of cumin, marjoram, onion, garlic, cilanto leaves, lime, tomato. Then slice thinly and use it instead of the benign and boring ground beast. Chicken, grilled after marinating with olive oil, garlic, cilantro and cumin cut thinly as well or chunked or torn. Delicious! Not cheddar...not typical at all...monterey jack or questo, much better. Now we are getting somewhere. A dollop of mexican sour cream. Ohhhh. Fish...or Shrimp, yes, yes, yes! All good. Enchilladas, rolled tortillas, corn of course, around questo or chicken or pulled pork, beef, goat, whatever. A few leaves of cilantro, diced tomato, red onion coverred by a fresh tomotillo (green) sauce. My or my.
___
I make it all now after such a humble beginning. Sicilian, California, Mexican fusion. Fabulous food with all the ingredients available at Larry's Produce amidst the vines and olive groves outside of Fairfield. Wow, spoiled I am, no...RUINED! I always thought France was for Foodies...and certainly it is a popular thought, but dear friends...THIS is the Holy Grail of Food! The quality has improved oh so very much in the last 10-15 years with the growith of the Slow Food movement and the extensive list of local farmer's markets. We have food on our collective minds now and we are all better for it.
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