Category: Recipes

4-5 Ancho Chiles Stems and Seeds Removed
2 T Vegetable Oil
1/2 Red Onion Sliced
2 Cups Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
2 T Good Quality Tequila
In a medium sauce pan sauté the chiles in the oil until soft and fragrant. ( Do not burn )
Remove chiles with tongs and reserve. Add the onions to the chile oil and cook until tender. Add the orange juice along with the sautéed chiles and cook until the mixture is reduced by about one half. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool for a couple of minutes. In a food processor pulse the mixture to make a coarse salsa. Pour the salsa into a bowl and stir in the tequila with a little salt to taste.
We love this salsa on grilled fish tacos. Here is a picture of some Skuna Bay Salmon with salsa borracha. Enjoy!

Kate and I have just returned from a trip to the Caribbean . I wanted to make a Caribbean inspired dinner on my day off this past Sunday. I have not made this rice for a couple of years and I love this recipe. The recipe is a little time consuming and working with a fresh coconut can be a little difficult. I assure you that it is well worth the effort . With just one fresh coconut, rice, a little sugar and salt you will be amazed at the flavor of this rice. ENJOY!
Coconut Rice
1 Fresh coconut ( shake to make sure full of liquid.)
4 cups boiling water
3 1/2 cups of water ( including coconut water )
2 cups of Basamati Rice
2tsp.salt
1 T. Sugar

Take a fresh coconut and open the “eyes” with a clean phillip’s head screwdriver or something similar. Drain the coconut water in a bowl and reserve. Break the coconut, remove the meat and peel off the brown skin with a pairing knife. Cut the white meat into small pieces and divide into two portions. Put one portion at a time in a blender with one cup of boiling water and blend for 2-3 minutes. Be sure to cover the top of the blender with a towel to avoid a hot liquid burn. Pour through a fine strainer and press out all the liquid into a pan. Blend again the squeezed coconut with another cup of boiling water and press again. Discard the pulp. Repeat above procedure with the second portion. Set this coconut milk to boil until it almost reduced and the oil starts to form. Reduce the heat to medium and stir the bottom of the pan continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture just starts to turn blond. Do not let it get dark. Rinse the rice under cold water until water runs clear and add to coconut mixture. Stir mixture over medium heat 2-3 minutes and then add the liquid (coconut water and water to make 3 1/2 cups). Increase heat to high and when water comes to boil add sugar and salt. Decrease heat to very low, cover pan and simmer gently until liquid is incorporated. This will take 12-15 minutes. Keep an eye on this. Remove from heat and fluff rice with a fork. Serve rice within 1/2 hour. Serve with anything you can imagine. The photo that accompanies this recipe is grilled red snapper with a ginger citrus sauce and simple sautéed spinach.

For The Salmon

Six 7-80z. salmon filets

3/4 cup sake

3/4 cup mirin
1 T fresh ginger minced

Combine and marinate salmon in the refrigerator for 4 hrs. or overnight.

Ginger soy butter sauce

1 shallot thinly sliced

1 T fresh ginger minced

1 T vegetable oil

Saute above ingredients until tender .

Add  the following ingredients and reduce to a little less than a cup.

1 orange juice and zest

1/2 cup sake

1/4 cup mirin

2 T rice vinegar

2 T soy sauce

1 T sweet soy

1 T hot dry mustard

1 t ground ginger

2 T honey

Reduce and whisk in 1 T cream and 1lb. of unsalted butter that has been cut into small pieces  one piece at a time.

Grill salmon and spoon sauce on top of fish .

Serve with steamed rice and stir- fried vegetables.

This salad is a perfect refreshing way of utilizing the spring produce available now.

This ultra fresh seasonal salad is being served now at The Cork and the response has been WOW!

Farmer’s Market Salad with Aged Sherry Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette

1/4 cup very good quality aged sherry vinegar

1 cup best quality extra virgin olive oil

(The Cork uses Extra Virgin Olive Oil Company oil delivered

on bicycle by Andy Hampsten himself!)*

1 t. coarse dijon mustard

1 t. honey

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 T. minced fresh chives

1 t. minced fresh shallot

Combine above ingredients in a a glass or plastic jar.  Shake vigorously before dressing the salad.

For the Salad

Mix the following amounts of fresh produce to your liking:

Arugula, mixed lettuces, green onion, tomato, radish cucumber, avocado, and Haystack feta cheese.

Toss produce and cheese lightly with the vinaigrette.

*Andy’s EVO is available at Cured gourmet store on Pearl Street.