Two Minute Calamari: Sicilian Lifeguard Style

I first tried this dish on a tasting menu at the B&B Ristorante in Vegas and was immediately converted to a Mario Batali fan.  Before tasting this I was convinced that he was a television personality with mediocre cooking skills; sometimes it's fun to be wrong.  The flavors are intense, unique, and work perfectly together.  The recipe below is verbatim from Mario, but I would recommend keeping the tomato sauce thin and scaling back on the Calamari. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons currants
• 1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup caperberries
• 2 cups basic tomato sauce*
• 1 1/2 pounds cleaned calamari: tubes cut into 1/4 inch rounds, tentacles halved
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, set up an ice bath
2. cook the couscous in the boiling water for 2 minutes
3. drain and immediately plunge in the ice bath.  Once cooled, remove to dry on a plate
4. in a 12 to 14 inch sauté pan heat oil until just smoking
5. add the pine nuts, currants, and red pepper flakes and sauté until the nuts are just golden brown (about 2 minutes)
6. add the caperberries, tomato sauce, and couscous; bring to a boil
7. add the calamari and simmer until just cooked and completely opaque
8. season with salt and pepper to taste
9. pour into large bowl, sprinkle with scallions, and serve immediately

*Basic Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon dried)
• 1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
• 2 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes
• salt 

Directions

1. in a 3 quart saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat
2. add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and and light golden brown (8 to 10 minutes)
3. add the thyme and carrot and cook for 5 minutes more
4. hand crush the tomatoes and add them with their juices
5. bring to a boil, stirring often
6. lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes

Old Fashioned Baked Beans

These beans are simple to prepare and gain flavor from a long cook time.  This combination creates the perfect companion for any smoked or grilled food since you don't have invest much into the preparation and they can take care of themselves while you focus on the pit.

Ingredients

• 2 1-pound cans (4 cups) pork and beans in tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup ketchup

Directions

1. combine sugar and mustard in a bowl
2. empty 1 can of beans into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish
3. sprinkle half of the spice mixture over beans
4. add the second can of beans and top with the remaining spice mixture, bacon, and ketchup
5. bake at 325° for 2 1/2 hours

Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes"

I was skeptical the first time I tried these, but they make a great substitute for mashed potatoes.  You don't get the same thick heartiness that you find in homestyle mashed potatoes but it's more of a creamy style that is similar to the boxed version.

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup cream
• salt

Directions

1. steam the cauliflower until it is tender (about 10 minutes)
2. drain and coarsely mash the cauliflower
3. scrape the cauliflower into a food processor
4. add the butter and cream (add the cream slowly to ensure that you end up with the correct consistency.  The end product should be creamy but not runny.)
5. process until smooth and serve immediately

Steve's Basic BBQ Rub

This is the basic BBQ rub from Steve Raichlin.  This can go on anything that is smoked and impart the classic American BBQ taste.  It's also a great launching pad to create more intricate rubs, but it beats any pre made mix you'll find on a grocery store shelf as is.

Mix Thoroughly:

• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sweet paprika
•  3 tablespoons black pepper
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon hickory smoked salt or more coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Smoky Chipotle Rub

Courtesy of Rick Bayless.  This is an incredibly versatile rub that can be used on chicken, beef, or pork.  I particularly enjoy it on a thick grilled pork chop.

Makes 1 1/2 Cups


Thoroughly Mix:

• 4 garlic gloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mild paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground chipotle chile powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar*
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

*brown sugar is a nice substitute

Trout with Macadamias, Serrano and Green Beans

Recipe courtesy of Rick Bayless, the king of Mexican food in America.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 pan dressed (head and tail off) boneless trout
• salt
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 2/3 cups chicken broth
• 12 ounces green beans
• 2 fresh serrano peppers, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted macadamia nuts
• 2/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (this will only take a few seconds)
3. Add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the green beans.  Cover.
4. Cook until the green beans are barely tender (6 to 7 minutes)
5. When the green beans are ready, uncover and add the chiles.  Increase heat to high and cook a minute longer to concentrate the broth.
6. Add the macadamias, cilantro, and lime juice.  Mix well, salt to taste.

Meanwhile...

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. If the skin of the two halves of each trout is still connected, cut apart.
3. Generously sprinkle with salt and lay skin side up in the hot oil.
4. Cook until golden (2 to 3 minutes)
5. Turn skin side down and cook a minute longer until the flesh easily separates from the skin.
6. Divide filets among four plates and spoon sauce over the top.

**The original recipe calls for cooking the fish first and keeping them warm in the oven as you make the sauce.  I've found that there is usually time to make the fish while the green beans are cooking and that the trout tends to taste better without sitting in the oven, but if you only have one large skillet this is definitely an option.

Grandma Louise's Spaghetti and Meatballs

My grandmother was the best cook I've had the fortune of meeting.  She would type all her recipes on index cards and keep them in a box in the kitchen, and I was always particularly excited when this one came out.  The star here is the meatballs.  These aren't the dry mounds of flavorless beef that often get passed off as meatballs.  These suckers are delicious and bursting with flavor.  The trick she used to tell me is not to try to cook the meatball in the fat, you just want to give it a crispy shell and allow the meat to cook through in the sauce.  I've never succeeded in making this taste the way she did, but this is the standard by which I judge all spaghetti dishes and it has yet to be beaten.

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fat (olive oil can be substituted...if you are willing to sacrifice a little flavor)
• 1 can (2 1/2 cups) tomatoes
• 2 six ounce cans tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf

For the Meatballs:

• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1/4 pound ground pork (beef can be substituted)
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 sprig parsley, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 well beaten eggs
• salt and pepper

Directions

Brown onion in hot fat.  Add: tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and seasonings.  Cook slowly 1 hour.  Combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Form in small balls and brown in hot fat.  Add to sauce and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Black Pepper Chicken

This was a recipe we found courtesy of Gwyneth Paltrow on goop...and she found courtesy of Charles Phan in Food and Wine magazine.  I'm a big fan of Chinese food - from actual quality dishes to the indistinguishable gunk served on buffet lines, but since discovering this dish not only have we stopped ordering take out but I've lost any urge to do so.  Trust me, if you are a fellow lover of Chinese cuisine this dish will take over Kung Pao Chicken, Beef and Broccoli, Spicy Garlic Pork, or whatever crap you currently think is your favorite Chinese dish.  As an added bonus you will be finished eating in less time then it takes a delivery driver to find you.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons grated garlic
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons course black pepper
• 2 fresh chile peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts

Directions

1. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, water, garlic, ginger, black pepper, and chiles.  Set aside.
2. In a skillet heat the oil over medium heat and cook the shallots until softened and slightly browned.  
3. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 1 minute.
4. Add the sugar mixture and cook over high heat until the chicken is cooked through and the mixture has caramelized.  Add the peanuts as the mixture begins to caramelize.  (Have patience with this step, at times the caramelization process takes longer then it feels like it should but eventually the runny mixture will turn into thick, sticky, delicious sauce.)