Stir-Fried Asparagus and Snake Beans with Chile Jam and Kaffir Lime

Fish sauce and dried shrimp add earthy flavor to this side dish. The glossy kaffir lime leaves bring a citrusy, floral aroma and taste to the dish—and look beautiful on the serving platter, too.

Yield:

8 Servings (As Part Of A Multi-Course Meal)

Ingredients

1. CHILE JAM
2. =============
3. 1 2-inch square seedless tamarind pulp (from 16-ounce block; there may be some seeds), cut into pieces
4. 1/2 cup (or more) hot water
5. 1 1 1/4-inch-long piece fresh galangal or peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
6. 3 cups vegetable oil
7. 2 cups thinly sliced red onions
8. 18 garlic cloves (about 3/4 cup), chopped
9. 10 small dried red chiles (such as chiles de árbol), soaked in water 30 minutes, drained
10. 1/2 cup small dried shrimp (about 2 ounces), soaked in water 30 minutes, drained
11. 1/2 cup palm sugar
12. 3 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
13. .
14. ASPARAGUS AND SNAKE BEANS
15. =============
16. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
17. 2 garlic cloves, minced
18. 1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths
19. 6 ounces snake beans (Chinese long beans) or green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths
20. 4 kaffir lime leaves
21. 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
22. 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions

1. FOR CHILE JAM
2. Remove any seeds from tamarind pulp and place pulp in mini processor. Add 1/2 cup hot water and puree until smooth, adding more hot water if mixture is thick. Using rubber spatula, press enough tamarind mixture through fine sieve to measure 1/3 cup. Set aside.
3. Heat heavy large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add galangal and dryroast until charred and tender, stirring often, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl. Heat oil in same wok over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions to paper towels to drain. Add garlic to same oil. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with galangal. Add chiles to same oil. Cook just until slightly darker in color, about 10 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer chiles to bowl with galangal. Add shrimp to same oil. Cook 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve oil in wok.
4. Combine galangal, garlic, and chiles from bowl, onions, and shrimp in processor. Blend until paste forms (paste may not be completely smooth). Transfer paste to heavy medium saucepan. Mix in 1/4 cup reserved oil from wok and stir over medium heat until very hot. Add palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind pulp. Stir chile jam to blend. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Transfer to bowl, cover, and chill.
5. FOR ASPARAGUS AND SNAKE BEANS
6. Heat oil in large wok or heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add asparagus, beans, and lime leaves; toss to combine. Add broth, sugar, and chile jam. Stir-fry until vegetables are tender and sauce thickens enough to coat, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl and serve.

Notes:

Barbacoa Burritos

Chipotle Mexican Grill describes their Barbacoa as a spicy shredded beef slowly braised in a chipotle adobo, cumin, garlic, cloves and oregano. It’s a delicious and flavorful beef that will can be used for a number of entrees including tacos, enchiladas and more.In Mexico, barbacoa is traditionally cooked in a pit and buried for hours with moist dirt.  It’s often part of a wedding celebration and will be made with goat meat.  If you want a nice twist, substitute pork roast for the beef.  You can actually make them at the same time and offer up a nice variety.

Yield:

6-8 burritos

Ingredients

1. Barbacoa
2. ===============
3. 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
4. 3 Tbsp lime juice
5. 3-4 chipotle peppers – canned
6. 4 cloves garlic
7. 4 tsp cumin
8. 2 tsp oregano – dried Mexican variety is best
9. 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
10. 1 ½ tsp salt
11. ½ tsp ground clove
12. 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
13. 4-5 lbs beef roast (chuck roast is fine)
14. 3/4 cup chicken broth
15. 3 bay leaves
16. .
17. Pico de Gallo
18. ===============
19. 4 tomatoes – diced
20. ½ cup red onion – diced
21. ¼ cup cilantro – diced
22. 2 Tbsp jalapenos – diced
23. 2 Tbs lime juice
24. ¼ tsp salt
25. .
26. Pinto Beans
27. ===============
28. 3 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans – canned are fine or make some fresh.
29. 3 Tbs bacon fat – cook up about 4 pieces of bacon and you should have enough.
30. ½ tsp oregano – dried Mexican variety is best.
31. .
32. Cilantro Lime Rice
33. ===============
34. 3 cups water
35. 2 cups uncooked white rice
36. 3 Tbsp butter
37. 1 ½ tsp salt
38. 1/3 cup cilantro – chipped
39. 2 Tbsp lime juice
40. .
41. Burrito
42. ===============
43. 8 (12 inch) Flour Tortillas
44. Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
45. guacamole
46. sour cream

Directions

1. Combine the lime juice, vinegar, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt and clove in a blender (you can also use a food processor) and blend at the highest speed until it’s smooth and creamy.
2. Cut the roast up into several smaller pieces and remove any excess fat.
3. In a large dutch oven, heat approximately 2 tbsp of oil and cook each side of the pieces of meat until lightly browned.
4. Pour the adobo sauce sauce over the meat and ad in the chicken broth and bay leaves.
5. Cover and let simmer for about 4 hours, turning every 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Uncover and cook an additional 1 to 2 hours until the meat is easily pulled apart.
7. While the baracoa is cooking, prepare the pico de gallo by combining all of the listed ingredients in a large bowl.
8. Let this chill in the refrigerator until everything is ready to serve.
9. In a medium pan heat the bacon fat over a medium to medium low heat and add in the pinto beans and oregano.
10. Simmer for 45 minutes stirring periodically. Cover and lit sit until you’re ready to assemble the burritos.
11. In another large sauce pan prepare the rice. Combine the water, rice, salt and butter.
12. Bring the water and rice to a boil and then cover.
13. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
14. Remove the cover and stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Cover and let sit until you’re ready to make your burritos.
15. To make your burrito, start with a warmed flour tortilla. This is best done on a dry skillet or in a ziplock bag in the microwave. It shouldn’t take more than a minute, but keep an eye it so you don’t overheat them.
16. Place a good pile of the barbacoa in the middle of the burrito. Next put a few spoons of the rice, beans and then the pico de gallo. If you’d like cheese, guacamole and/or sour cream, place that on top.
17. Fold in both sides of the tortilla and then roll up as tight as possible from bottom to top, keeping the sides closed in as you go. There’s a bit of an art to it, so you may have to practice some. If you mess up, start over. Or enjoy it in bowl.

Notes:

Spaghetti alla Fiamma - Flaming Spaghetti

This dish has it all, veggies, a little spice (not too hot though so don’t be afraid - but if you can stand it go ahead & chuck some more in), some glorious pancetta, and well we could just be done there. Pancetta the Ferrari of bacon!

Ingredients

1. 1 lb dried Spaghetti
2. 1 small bag of frozen peas
3. 100g of Pancetta (or bacon) - chopped
4. 50g of Unsalted Butter
5. 1 Onion - chopped
6. 1 Bouillon Cube - crushed
7. 1 small piece of Red Chili Pepper
8. 1 good handful of Fresh Rosemary - chopped fine
9. 1 shotglass of Brandy
10. 1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
11. 4 tbsp of Grana Padano - Grated
12. Salt

Directions

1. Put a large pot of generously salted water onto boil for pasta. Into a large saute pan add the Oil, Pancetta, Rosemary & Onion & cook over medium heat until bacon is cooked, and onions are translucent. Once cooked, add in peas & stir well. Sprinkle the bouillon on top & then Pour 1/2 of the shot glass of Brandy on top. Add in a ladle full of warm water and let it cook for approx 10 mins over low heat. In the meantime, cook your pasta until al dente. When pasta is done, drain and return to pasta pot. Add in the butter & cheese & toss until combined well. Transfer Pasta to saute pan and toss again until well combined. Transfer to serving plate. CAREFULLY Heat the remainder of Brandy over stove top & when warm pour on top of Spaghetti. CAREFULLY set the Spaghetti aflame with your kitchen torch. When flame is extinguished serve immediately.

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