Mad Coyote Joe’s Grilled Chicken Coq Au Vin

Mad Coyote Joe’s Grilled Chicken Coq Au Vin

Coq Au Vin is basically the French version of meat-and-potatoes cooking.

This recipe tells you how to grill the chicken, make the wine sauce and roux, and put them all together for a wonderful flavor that looks great on any plate. It's just like Mom used to make -- if Mom ate snails and spoke with an accent!

1 Large free-range chicken

8 OZ Pearl onions

1/2 LB Hardwood-smoked bacon

1/2 White onion, diced

3 Shallots, diced

3 CLOVES Garlic, minced

4 Large carrots, sliced thin

1 Ground chipotle chile

1-1/2 TSP Kosher salt

1 TSP Fresh-ground black pepper

1/2 C Cognac

1/4 C Italian parsley, chopped fine

4 Cloves

1 Bay leaf

1 TSP Herbs de Provence

3-1/2 C Pinot Noir wine

6 TBL Sweet butter

1-1/2 TSP Dark brown sugar

1/2 C Chicken broth

1 LB Small Italian brown mushrooms

2 TBL All-purpose flour

2 Roasted poblano chiles, peeled, seeded and diced

Garnish

1/2 BUNCH Italian parsley, chopped fine

1. Cut the chicken into legs, thighs, wings, and breasts; then cut the breasts in half, rendering 10 pieces of chicken. Save the giblets.

2. Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until browned, but not cooked all the way through.

3. Meanwhile, drop the pearl onions in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from water; when cool, remove peel and set aside.

4. In a large Dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp. Set aside, allow to cool, then crumble. Remove all but 3TBL of drippings.

5. Sauté the giblets, diced white onion, shallots, garlic, 1/2 of the carrots, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper over medium heat until onions are soft and browned, about 8 minutes.

6. Spoon off any excess fat. Add grilled chicken and gently pour the cognac, taking care to coat all pieces of chicken. Carefully light the cognac with a match.

7. Allow flames to die down. Add parsley, cloves, bay leaf, herbs de Provence, and wine. Bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is fully cooked. While chicken is simmering, put 2TBL of butter in a sauté pan. Add the pearl onions, remaining carrots, brown sugar, and chicken broth. Simmer until onions and carrots are tender, chicken broth has mostly evaporated, and vegetables are glazed -- about twenty minutes.

8. In a separate pan, sauté mushrooms in 2TBL of butter until brown.

9. When chicken is fully cooked, remove it, but not giblets, from the sauce. Set aside and cover with foil to keep warm.

10. Pour sauce through a strainer, discard solids, and set sauce aside.

11. In the Dutch oven fry the flour in 2TBL of butter until medium brown (called roux), whisking constantly. Degrease the wine sauce and slowly add to the Dutch oven while whisking. If sauce needs thickening, simmer until reduced.

12. Add the bacon, glazed vegetables, roasted poblanos, and mushrooms to the sauce; stir well, then add grilled chicken. Allow to simmer for 5 more minutes for flavors to blend.

13. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley.

Cinnamon and Rum-Grilled Bananas

Cinnamon and Rum-Grilled Bananas

15 minutes

Due to the fact that the rum flares up while cooking, I make this delicious dessert on a burner outside. Be careful, as the flames can get a little wild.

2 ripe bananas, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1/3 cup dark rum

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon sweet butter, melted

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

1/4 cup pistachios, shelled

4 lime wedges

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, whisk together rum, molasses, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until well blended. Be careful, as the rum will most likely ignite. Rub the bananas with oil. Grill each side, over medium heat, for about 2 minutes. Place the bananas on separate serving dishes. To each dish add a scoop of ice cream, drizzle a little rum sauce over the top, sprinkle on a few pistachios, and garnish with a wedge of lime. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Makes 2 Servings

Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Ganache

This amazing with fresh mango slices!

1/3 C Heavy cream

1/2 C Semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 TSP Grand Mariner

1. In a double boiler, heat the cream just until it simmers.

2. Add the chocolate.

3. Remove from heat and stir with a robber spatula until chocolate is fully melted.

4. Drizzle in the liqueur and stir.

5. Serve warm. Use for dipping fruit, cake, or anything that can use a bit of chocolate

Molé Negro Oaxaqueño... Oaxacan Black Molé

Molé Negro Oaxaqueño

Oaxacan Black Molé

This famous dish is considered the king of all molés. It is traditionally served on “The Day of the Dead.” Yes, it’s a little work. So put on a little “Musica Tropical,” ice down a few Negro Modelos and do as they do in Mexico. Have a few good friends over and put everybody to work: someone toasting chiles, someone cutting and then cooking the chicken, someone measuring ingredients, and so on. Before you know it, you’re having a molé-making fiesta.

2 roasting chickens

61/2 quarts water

2 chiles de arbol

1/2 teaspoon dried, ground thyme

2 whole allspice

11/2 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 chile negros

5 chile guajillos

5 chile anchos

5 chile mullatos

2 chipotles

1/4 cup raw almonds

2 tablespoons raw peanuts, skinned

1 stick canela, about 1 inch long

4 black peppercorns

3 whole cloves

6 tablespoons corn oil plus some for lightly oiling comal

1 tablespoon bacon drippings

11/2 tablespoons raisins

1 slice egg bread

1 small ripe plantain, cut into slices

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 tablespoon pecans

5 plum tomatoes, chopped

4 medium tomatillos, chopped

1 sprig fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 medium white onion, quartered

8 cloves garlic

1 avocado leaf

41/2 ounces Ibarra chocolate, broken into small pieces

Salt to taste

Cut the chickens into leg, thigh, wing, and breast pieces. Remove the skin but save along with the backs, necks, and giblets. In a large stock pot, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the chicken (including the skin, giblets, necks, and backs), chiles de arbol, thyme, allspice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the chicken juice runs clear when pierced. Remove pieces of chicken. Strain stock and discard spices, skin, giblets, necks, and backs.

While chicken is simmering, remove all remaining dried chile stems and veins and discard but save the seeds. Toast all the chiles on a dry comal or iron frying pan until dark brown but not until burnt (if the chiles burn they will become bitter). Place all the toasted chiles in a large bowl and cover with 11/2 quarts of boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water and run them through the blender a few at a time, with just enough of the soaking water to purée them to the consistency of a thin ketchup. (Be careful; hot liquids expand in a blender and can spill out the top and burn you.) Pour the sauce through a sieve into a bowl, working sauce through the sieve with the back of a spoon, until only the chile solids are left. Discard chile solids. Set sauce aside.

Meanwhile (I like to do this next step outside): On a dry comal or iron frying pan, toast the almonds, peanuts, canela, black peppercorns, and cloves; be careful not to burn. Set aside. Reduce heat and toast the seeds that you saved from the dried chiles until just blackened; be careful not to burn, and watch out—the smoke is very intense. Remove comal from heat; push the seeds together, light with a match, and allow to burn out. Place the blackened seeds in a cup of cold water and let soak for 10 minutes. While seeds are soaking, lightly oil the comal and sauté the onion and garlic until lightly browned. Set aside. Drain the blackened seeds and set aside.

In a deep, heavy iron frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons corn oil and bacon drippings until very hot. Fry the raisins for 1 minute and remove from pan, leaving the oil. Set aside. Fry the slice of bread until brown and remove from pan, leaving the oil. Set aside. In the same pan over medium heat, fry the plantain slices until browned. Set aside. Reduce heat and toast the sesame seeds until they start to turn color. Add the pecans and toast 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Set aside. Place the blackened seed in the spice grinder and grind to a powder. Add blackened seed powder to the chile sauce and stir well.

In the frying pan, cook the tomatoes, tomatillos, thyme, and oregano until most of the juices evaporate. Add 1/2 cup of chicken stock, stir well, and remove from heat. Set aside.

In a blender, purée the almonds, peanuts, canela, black peppercorns, cloves, raisins, bread, plantain, ground sesame seeds and pecans, 2 cups of the chicken stock, and onions and garlic until smooth .

Okay, this is the part you’ve waited for. In a large stock pot, heat remaining 3 tablespoons corn oil until very hot. Reduce heat to medium low and fry the chile sauce until almost dry, stirring constantly. Don’t let it burn. Add tomato mixture and fry until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add mixture from blender and 1 cup of chicken stock and stir well. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often.

Toast the avocado leaf and add to the pot along with the chocolate. Keep simmering and adding chicken stock as needed for 30 more minutes. Molé should be thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon. Taste molé and adjust salt level. In a separate pot, simmer the chicken pieces in remaining chicken stock until hot. Place 1 piece of chicken in a shallow bowl and spoon on enough molé to totally cover. Serve with fresh, hot corn tortillas.

Serves 10

The Devil's Pasta Salad

The Devil's Pasta Salad

This is the Pasta salad we’ve been serving for the past 25 years. This is the recipe that is most requested by vegetarians the flavors are amazing! Try it at your next barbecue or pool party.

Vinaigrette

1/3 C Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 C Chopped Cilantro

1 1/2 TSP Dijon Mustard

1 1/2 TSP Dark Brown Sugar

2/3 C Olive Oil

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced

1 1/2 TSP Salt

1 TSP Ground Black Pepper

Salad

3 C small pasta (orzo is a good choice!)

1 Yellow and Red Bell Pepper cut into 1/4" pieces

2 Habanero Chiles Diced (add the seeds for unreasonable heat)

1 C Whole, medium, pitted, olives

1 C Golden Raisins

1/2 C Chopped Italian Parsley

1/3 C Diced Red Onion

10 OZ Frozen Sweet Peas, cooked and chilled

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes until just tender.

2. Remove from water, rinse well in warm water and drain.

3. In a large salad bowl whisk all vinaigrette ingredients except oil together and then drizzle in the oil while whisking.

4. Add the orzo and toss well.

5. Add all other ingredients, toss again.

6. This salad is best if chilled over night in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to marry.

7. Serve at room temperature.

Jalapeno Mustard with Lime & Wasabi

Jalapeno Mustard with Lime & Wasabi

I made this recipe for grilled brats, but I just love it with leftover grilled beef or pork on a sandwich.

1/3 C Dark mustard seeds; Use caution with fresh-ground mustard powder, it's very acidic and can burn

1/4 C Water

1 TBL White vinegar

1 TBL Lime juice

2 TSP Wasabi powder

1 TBL Dark brown sugar

2 Jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced fine

1/2 TSP Kosher salt

1. Coarse-grind mustard seeds with a spice grinder.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine mustard, water, vinegar, lime juice, and Wasabi powder. Stir well and allow to stand for 2 hours for flavors to blend.

3. Add all other ingredients; mix well.

4. Makes 3/4C mustard.

Joe’s World Famous, Extra Decadent, Kahlua Cheesecake

Joe’s World Famous, Extra Decadent, Kahlua Cheesecake

Easy to make and fabulous flavor!

Graham Cracker Crust

1 ½ cups ground graham crackers (Try the chocolate or cinnamon)

6 Tbl melted butter

¼ cup sugar

¼ tsp cinnamon

Mix together all ingredients well with a fork or in a food processor. Press mixture into the bottom ½ an inch up the sides of a pie pan or a spring form pan (for the cheesecake use a spring form pan). Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up a bit. Use with cheesecake or other cream pies.

Cake:

The trick to making this Cheesecake so smooth and creamy is baking it in a water bath and letting it cool down in the oven.

2 lbs. Cream cheese

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 large eggs

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup sour cream

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbl. Kahlua or any coffee liqueur

Cut up the cream cheese and work it a few pieces at a time, until creamy, in the bowl of a tabletop mixer or food processor, on medium or high. Work in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl or processor with a rubber spatula between each egg. Then set on low and work in the cream, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Pour the batter into the pan with the crust and smooth out the top. Drizzle the Kahlua over the top. Place a sheet pan or shallow baking dish large enough to hold the spring form pan in a pre heated 375ºf oven and then place the spring form pan in the sheet pan. Add cold water about ¾ on an inch deep be careful not to spill any of the water into the cheesecake. Bake for 20 minutes reduce heat to 300ºf and continue baking for 40 minutes more or until the center of the cheesecake sets. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for 1 hour in the oven. Remove from oven allow to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes and then place in the refrigerator to cool fully. Work a pastry knife or butter knife around the edges of the spring form pan and remove the ring. Cut it up into pieces and eat it… Yumm!

Serves 12

Tropical fruited, soy glazed Salmon fillet with Habanero

Tropical fruited, soy glazed Salmon fillet with Habanero

This is the most amazing salmon recipe. The flavor is lightly tangy and delicious. People always ask for the recipe. I’ve been serving it for years and never… yes I mean never, had a complaint

1-2 Lb. Salmon fillet, skinned

2 tsp. White pepper

vegetable oil spray

¼ cup Frozen apple, mango and passion fruit juice concentrate, thawed

¼ cup coarse grain Dijon mustard

1 Tbl. Soy sauce

2 tsp. Your favorite habanero sauce, use more for extreme heat

1 fresh lemon

1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped

Light the grill. Remove any pin bones from salmon fillet. Rinse under cold water quickly and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut fillet into 6 to 8 individual steaks. Sprinkle both sides with white pepper. Spray both sides with vegetable oil spray. In a small mixing bowl stir together the fruit juice concentrate, mustard, soy sauce and habanero sauce. Turn grill to medium. Place the salmon steaks on the hot grill with the side that had the skin up. After about 10-15 seconds gently lift the salmon fillet up from the grill surface and set back down (This keeps the fish from sticking). After 2 minutes gently turn the steaks and once again gently lift them to prevent sticking. Spoon the glaze over the fish reserving some for the other side. Depending on your grill you will need to cook the fish for about 8 more minutes. The rule for grilling fish is 10 minutes of grilling for each inch of thickness…. more or less! So after 8 more minutes turn the fish one more time spoon on the remaining glaze and let cook for 30 seconds and remove from grill. Plate, drizzle a little lemon juice and top with fresh dill.

Serves 6-8

Habanero Chile and Dark Jamaican Rum Barbecue Sauce

Habanero Chile and Dark Jamaican Rum Barbecue Sauce

If you love Barbecue and spicy foods this Caribbean twist on Barbecue Sauce will blow your mind! It easy to make and absolutely delicious. If you want the heat over the top use the whole Habanero and the seeds and veins. It works very well on any grilled or slow smoked, pork, beef, poultry or for a real Island treat try it on deep pit roasted Cabrito (goat).

2 TBL Safflower oil

2 Large white onions, peeled and diced

2 TBL Fresh ginger, grated

5 CLOVES Fresh garlic, minced

1 C Meyers Dark Jamaican Rum

1 C Catsup

1/2 C Red wine vinegar

1/2 C Dark molasses

1/4 C Dark brown sugar

1/2 Habanero pepper, seeded and minced

1 TBL Ground allspice

PINCH Mace

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Sauté the onions in hot oil, in a medium saucepan, until translucent. Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté for about 1 minute more to allow flavors to blend.

2. Add the rum, catsup, vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, Habanero, allspice, and mace. Bring to a full boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour. Remove from heat, season, allow to cool.

Tequila Discussion and Tequila Recipes

Tequila Discussion (From my book, A Gringo’s Guide to Authentic Mexican Cooking)

If your impression of tequila is that of a cheap, clear beverage mainly used by power-drinking college students on spring break trying to drink themselves into oblivion, you are not in the minority. However, you are missing what this extremely well-produced national treasure of Mexico is all about.

Tequila, like so many things from Mexico, is meant to be slowly savored, like any fine liquor. Chugging it down would simply be a waste of good tequila, not to mention the fact that you will get as drunk as a cow and everyone will know you're from out of town.

The Mexican government officially recognizes the four following types of tequila:

Blanco

Basic, inexpensive white tequila used for margaritas cooking and bar mix. Made from 51 percent or more Blue Agave.

Oro

Gold tequila is either tequila that has a flavor added or an aged tequila that has had a little white tequila added to it. It's commonly used in the United States for premium drinks. Also made from 51 percent or more Blue Agave.

Reposado

Meaning rested, reposado is tequila that has been aged in large oak tanks for between two and twelve months. This tequila is the most popular among tequila drinkers in Mexico due to the fact that it has a full agave flavor. Usually made from 100 percent blue agave. This is also my personal favorite, so before buying I always look for "Reposado" and "100% Agave Azul" on the label.

Añejo

Añejo, meaning aged, in this case for a minimum of one year in small oak barrels. It is considered by many Americans to be the finest of tequilas, mostly because the select-oak aging process creates a flavor reminiscent of premium whisky or cognac, a flavor they recognize. After awhile, most premium tequila drinkers develop a palate for the distinct agave flavor and switch to Reposado.

Below are several of my favorite tequila recipes. Give them a try. They will add a new dimension to your cooking

Buttermilk Tequila Salad Dressing

For the show, we poured this over a Garden Salad mix. Try this on your favorite greens.

6 TBL Buttermilk

2 TBL Mayonnaise

1/2 C Crème Fraiche or sour cream

1/4 C Plain yogurt

2 TBL Tequila Repesado

1 Roasted Poblano Chile, Seeds and veins removed, chopped very fine

1/2 TBL Finely chopped Italian Parsley

2 CLOVES Garlic, minced

2 TSP Key lime juice

1/2 TSP Salt

1/2 TSP White pepper

1/2 TSP Brown sugar

1. Whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, crème fraiche, yogurt and tequila. Stir in all other ingredients.

2. Set aside in the refrigerator for 1 hour for flavors to marry.

3. Makes two cups.

Tequila Shrimp

My friends Ryan And Claire live in Houston. They often take a drive down to Corpus Christie and play in the surf with their baby boy, Layne. They sent me a T-shirt that says “The White Trash Rivera” along with this delicious recipe. It takes about 15 minutes to make. I think it tastes even better with a cold Margarita while I’m wearing that Shirt.

1 Tbl. olive oil

2 Tbl. Sweet butter
1 white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
20 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/3 cup tequila reposado
3 Plum tomatoes, diced

2 Serrano chiles, chopped fine
Juice of 2 key limes
3 Tbl. chopped cilantro
1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted, diced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions
Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil and butter, in a medium sauté pan. When the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned, add the shrimp and continue to sauté for 2 minutes on each side, until bright pink. Then add the tequila and flame the alcohol. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the limejuice, Serrano, cilantro and avocado. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with white rice

Serves 4

Chipotle Tequila Butter with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Excellent on grilled chicken or fish.

1 Stick Sweet butter

2 Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine

1 Tbl. Premium dark tequila

juice of 1 key lime

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 tsp. Ground chipotle chile

1 tsp. Mexican oregano

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Fresh-ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. Dark brown sugar

Whip all ingredients together in a blender or food processor, then roll mixture into a log waxed paper and chill. Cut into slices wrap and freeze. Then pop a few slices out of the freezer whenever you want to add a Sonoran taste to your grilled chicken or fish

Soften a little before serving.

Grill-baked Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake, with Sauza Tres Generations Aenjo Tequila

We have received a lot of e-mails for this one. Fans of our show on that certain diet, (you know the one), wanted a recipe for a cake without flour. Try using any favorite liqueur instead of tequila.

1 LB Semi-sweet chocolate

1 LB Butter

6 OZ Water

2 OZ Sauza Tres Generations Aenjo Tequila, cognac or your favorite liqueur (Please note that regular tequila will not work in this recipe)

1 TBL Espresso powder (you may replace this and the water with brewed coffee)

1 C Sugar

8 Eggs

1. Melt butter and chocolate in double boiler. Slowly stir in espresso powder, then set aside.

2. Beat eggs thoroughly. Mix sugar and eggs together, then stir in Tequila and water.

3. Slowly stir in chocolate mixture. Pour batter into an oiled 9-inch baking pan

4. Grill-bake indirectly at 335∫ for 1 hour in warm water bath. Halfway through cooking, rotate cake to insure even baking.

5. Allow to cool before serving. Serves 8.

Sangrita Mexicana

This drink is very popular in Mexico. There are many different recipes. I put this one together by talking to several bartenders in Guadalajara over a four-day visit. Sure, I got a headache, but that's the price I pay for giving you a great new drink recipe to enjoy!

1-1/2 C Tomato juice

1/2 C Clamato

3/4 C Orange juice

2 TSP Grenadine

1 TSP Salt

1/2 TSP Black pepper

1 DASH Worcestershire sauce

1 DASH A-1 Steak Sauce

1 DASH Tabasco

Juice of 4 key limes

Tequila

Key lime wedges

premium quality Reposado

1. Stir together all Sangrita ingredients. You will need two three-inch goblets per serving. Put about one shot of Sangrita in one and about one shot of tequila in the other. Sip a little tequila, sip a little Sangrita, and every now and then take a little bite of the lime wedge. Oh, and one more thing... slow down a little, life is good.

More Tequila... The Bloody Maria

On a warm, lazy Sunday morning out by the pool, a Bloody Maria is just the thing to get the day started. Vodka is for Russians!

1 1/2 ounces white tequila

4 ounces tomato juice

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Juice of 1 key lime

1/2 serrano chile, seeds removed and finely minced

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

Sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper

Scallion or lime wedge for garnish

Stir together tequila, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, chile pepper, and horseradish. Pour into a glass filled with ice, sprinkle with pepper, and garnish.

Makes 1 cocktail

West Texas Tequila Slammer

West Texas Tequila Slammer

Around my house we keep the Tequila in the freezer, the bottom 1/3 of the bottle, frozen in a block of ice. The tequila comes out of the bottle thick and viscous. It’s so much sweeter than out of a hot cupboard. I learned this trick while I was a guest of the Cuervo Company in Mexico. If you are going to make West Texas Slammers it’s best to use tequila that is as cold as you can get it… and give someone your car keys.

1 ½ oz. Jose Cuervo Traditional tequila, ice cold

a dash of Tabasco Habanero sauce

a Splash of soda

Pour the tequila and Tabasco in a small bar glass. Pour in a little club soda. Put one hand over the top of the glass and then slam it down on the bar. Then slam it down your throat while its still fizzing. So the order is slam the slammer, then slam the slammer. A process, which, by the way, when repeated, has landed many a Texan in the local slammer.

Fresh Pesto

Fresh Pesto

This time of year there is nothing like Pesto, pasta and a good red wine. It is light and makes you feel refreshed and satisfied without getting too full!

1 LB Basil leaves (more or less)

1/4 cup Pine nuts, lightly toasted

1/2 C Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C Freshly grated Romano cheese

1/2 C Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Mix all ingredients, except salt and pepper, together in large bowl. Place 2/3 of mixture into food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Add last 1/3 of mixture to food processor and blend until lightly coarse. The combination of well-blended with coarse-blended pesto gives the sauce the correct feel and releases all the flavor of the basil.

3. Salt and pepper to taste.

Eastern North Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich

Eastern North Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich

This is the authentic Eastern North Carolina Pulled Pork sandwich that is a staple of the South. If you live in North Carolina or the surrounding states you know there is an ongoing argument between Eastern and Western North Carolina Barbecue Sauce; as to which is better. The Eastern being vinegar based and the Western being Tomato based. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “There ain’t but two people, in this part of the country that know about proper barbecue, and I’m both of them!” Having said that I can tell you the Eastern is far superior. The sandwich comes piled high with savory pulled pork wet with the vinegar BBQ sauce and a generous mound of the coleslaw. The true aficionado then splashes the sandwich with a blast of Louisiana Hot sauce

Pulled Pork Rub

1/4 C Ground Ancho chile powder, mild New Mexico chile powder or paprika

1 TBL Dark brown sugar

1 TBL Ground cumin

1 TBL Kosher salt

1 TBL Sugar

1/2 TBL Fresh ground black pepper

1 TSP Cayenne pepper

Sauce

3/4 C White vinegar

2 TBL Louisiana hot sauce

1 TBL Brown sugar

1 TBL Sugar

1 TBL Kosher salt

1 TSP Crushed red chile

1 TSP Fresh ground black pepper

1/2 TSP Cayenne pepper

Coleslaw

3/4 HEAD Green cabbage, shredded

1/4 HEAD Purple cabbage, shredded

3 Carrots, grated

1-1/2 C Heavy mayonnaise

1/2 C White vinegar

1 TBL Celery seeds

Salt & pepper to taste

Pulled Pork Rub

1. Mix together well. Rub over roast, and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes, or if time allows wrap in plastic and let the rub do it’s magic overnight in the regenerator, before smoking.

2. Makes enough rub for a 4-5 pound pork shoulder.

Barbecue Sauce

1. Mix in a glass bowl and cover.

2. This sauce will keep fresh in the refrigerator for 2 months.

3. Makes 1 1/2 cups

Coleslaw

1. Mix the cabbage and carrots together.

3. Whisk together all other ingredients.

4. Stir the dressing into the cabbage and mix well.

5. Refrigerate before serving.

Slow smoke the shoulder, indirectly with pecan wood and cherry wood, chips soaked in an inexpensive white wine with citrus peelings. Once the internal temperature reaches 192°f. Remove the shoulder and allow a half hour resting period with a cover or foil drape. Using two forks shred the meat add the sauce and mix well. Let flavors marry for 20 minutes before making sandwiches.

Makes about 12 sandwiches.

Prickly Pear-Margarita Sorbet

Prickly Pear-Margarita

Sorbet

I came up with this wonderful sorbet years ago, it’s still a family favorite.

Juice and pulp from 6 key limes (remove seeds)

zest of 1 lime

1 cup sugar

2 Tbl. 100% Agave Tequila

1/4 cup corn syrup

2 1/2 cups very cold water (use bottled)

1 Tbl prickly pear syrup

Stir the tequila, water, sugar, and corn syrup, until sugar dissolves. Stir in lime juice, lime zest, and prickly pear syrup.

Transfer ingredients to an ice-cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.

Put the sorbet in the freezer for 10 minutes before serving. Sorbet will be hard enough to scoop into servings. Garnish with mint leaf and wedge of lime.

Camarones en Mojo de Ajo (Mexican Shrimp wet with Garlic!)

Camarones en Mojo de Ajo

Shrimp Wet with Garlic

From my book A gringo's guide to Authentic Mexican Cooking

Mexico’s version of scampi: Mmmm . . .

5 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon coarse salt

5 black peppercorns

2 chiles de arbol

3 tablespoons butter

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled

In a molcajete, (Mexican Mortar and pestle) crush and grind the garlic and salt to a paste. Then grind in the black peppercorns and chiles de arbol. Set aside.

In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter until it is bubbling but not browned; add the shrimp. Sauté until almost done, then add the garlic mixture. Continue cooking until the shrimp are done and the garlic has fully cooked.

Serves 4

Whole Grill-roasted Sea Bass

Whole Grill-roasted Sea Bass

This technique applies to grill-roasting any fish.

1 2-3 LB Sea Bass, scaled

1 TBL Olive oil

Kosher salt

Fresh-ground black pepper

1 SLICE Lemon

1 SLICE Orange

1 SLICE Lime

2-3 LEAVES Basil (or whatever herb you prefer)

1 TSP Ancho chile powder

2 Green onions, chopped fine

1 Lemon

1. Rinse the fish under very cold water, then dry with a paper towel.

2. Cut 4 deep slits down each side of the fish. Rub both sides of the fish well with olive oil. Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper.

3. Place the slices of citrus and basil in the cavity of the fish. Roast the fish on a very clean, medium-hot grill, turning only once.

4. After turning, sprinkle with chili powder and dress with green onions. To check for doneness you can look inside the slits.

5. Remove from grill; squeeze a little lemon over the fish and serve.

6. Serves 2.

Meawhile Back at the Bread 7-27-11

We are now getting a very stable product. It is uniformly rising to a round, full shape. The crust is crunchy and the sponge is chewy. We now have a constant, mild, back palate, sour flavor. The loaves are stable for about four days and the bread freezes well. At this point the area of concentration needs to be in the firing of the oven.

As our loaf requirements grow we will need to extend the number of bakings that one fire will allow. I’m finding the gas re-firing with a roofing torch, for about 4 minutes is helpful, allowing a second, third and even forth baking. If you are learning about bread baking, I suggest “Tartine Baking” as a great reference book. Pay attention to all of the mechanical components of the dough development. The times allow flavor maturation and the tensioning of the dough causes the oven spring to do its job, creating a full rise.

My mistake was in not building enough tension into my dough and I had semi-flat loaves. In the bake you need to understand a proper level of oven moister; too much and the crust is too thick, too little and the crust is weak. Well it’s time to run half of the bread through the slicer and to drop it off with my ever-growing customer list.

See you back at the bread. And remember if you have any questions please ask and I’ll do the best I can, in finding an answer.

Shipping Container Building Update

Connex Box update

As some of you know I’m interested in low cost housing. My reasoning is simple. In a world where the average American worker makes $20,000 to $35,000 a year and the average house sells for around $200,000 the average family will soon be renting instead of owning. We need an alternative that an unskilled laborer can handle; so I’m looking at Rammed Earth, Straw bale, Adobe bricks, Cast in Place Adobe, a product called Super Adobe and Connex box; also called Shipping container, buildings. I’m building a cooking school out of straw bales and a studio out of Connex boxes.

Let’s talk about the Connex box structure. I chose a decommissioned box (no longer being used for international shipping) that was 40 feet long and 8 feet wide and what is called “High Cube” 9.5 feet tall (standard boxes are 8 feet tall.) These boxes come with wooden floors and can handle a properly engineered roof load of around a half million pounds, which allows them to be stacked in interesting ways.

Foundation poured of concrete with rebar to hold fencing a center of wall

The box cast me $2700, delivered, which is cheaper and stronger than the pre-fabed sheds and garages offered currently. I use a cutoff wheel to cut in my windows and doors and if need be it can be moved.

I’m wrapping three sides in 2-inch foam for insulation and on the south side I’m attaching a 1-foot thick cast in place adobe wall.

Fencing in place, notice the scrap wood I use to hold the form at proper width

In the wall I’m adding a diaphragm of used chain link fencing in the center of the wall and attaching more 2-inch foam on the outside of this wall, for insulated thermal mass.

Rebar holding the foam, all of this had to be replaced, the wire is working fine

I had been tieing the fence to the box and the foam to the fencing, creating tension to hold the foam in place and giving me the ability to tie wire mesh at a later point for a stucco finish.

I was doing the tieing with cheap nylon twine, which is strong and wont rust like tie wire.

I drilled hundreds of hole to hold the twine. The new strapping is a much better choice

The other day I was getting some adobe poured in the forms and the chain link fencing came loose from the box. What I hadn’t planned for was the fact that the twine is not UV resistant and all of my twine had basically decomposed.

Plan B, I’m now using Plumber’s tape which is a cheap form of strapping.

This shot shows how strong the twine is and it will work well if you are not waiting to stucco

I can use a screw gun to pull the screws and then re-screw the plumber’s tape in place to hold the fencing at center wall and then I’m using galvanized wire to hold the foam in place and I can use it to attach the stucco wire later. I plan on making a living roof to finish the studio off. Please comment or ask any questions that you may have. This project is a learning lab and I will post my findings.

Sweet and Spicy, Pepsi Cola BBQ Baby Back Rib Sauce and Jack Daniels Barbecue Sauce

Being a barbecue purest, I’m a guy that uses rubs and believes that barbecue sauce should be served on the side. However its not just about me, so if you want the stickiest, gooiest, twelve napkin usingest, ribs you’ve ever eaten try out either of these recipes. Oh and wear an old shirt they’re more than messy!

Sweet and Spicy, Pepsi Cola Baby Back Ribs

1 Cup Pepsi Cola

1 Cup Tomato sauce

1/2 Cup Dark brown sugar

1/2 Cup Dark molasses

1/2 Cup White vinegar

1 6-oz. Can Tomato paste

1/4 Cup Sweet butter

1/4 Cup Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbl Balsamic vinegar

2 Tbl Maple syrup

1 Tbl Dry mustard

1 Tbl Ancho chile powder or paprika

1/2 Tbl Kosher salt

1/2 Tbl Fresh-ground black pepper

1 tsp. Cayenne pepper

1 tsp. Marjoram

1 tsp. Granulated garlic

1 tsp. Onion powder

2 dashes Tabasco® Habanero Sauce

1. Mix all ingredients together and simmer over low heat until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Baste over Baby back ribs while slow smoking or barbecuing

Jack Daniels Barbecue Sauce

1/2 C Jack Daniels whiskey

1/2 White onion, chopped

4 CLOVES Garlic, minced

2 C Ketchup

3/4 C Dark molasses

1/2 C Brown sugar, packed

1/3 C White vinegar

1/4 C Worcestershire sauce

1/4 C Tomato paste

1 Jalepeño chile, minced

1/2 TBL Salt

1/2 TSP Fresh ground pepper

1/2 TSP White pepper

2 DASHES Tabasco Habanero sauce

1-2 DROPS Liquid Mesquite Smoke

1. Saute` onion, garlic and bourbon in a medium saucepan until onion and garlic are soft, translucent and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, bring to boil, reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 20 min. stirring constantly. Strain if you want a smooth sauce. Makes 4 cups.

"The life" from my ongoing online novel "Willie"

With a quick poke, the needle pierces the big, pulsing vein on Willie’s right arm just below a three and a half inch line of tracks that follow the vein to his current injection site, revealing several years of intravenous drug use. He pushes a small amount of the dark brown liquid into his arm. It is still warm from cooking it up in the spoon, with the burned bottom, that is laying on the table next him. He pops loose the rubber surgical hose, tying his arm off, and starts to feel the warm rush. Drawing blood back into the syringe it mixes with the sweet brown nectar, a swirling cloud of narcotic heaven that Willie is now shooting three or four times a day. He slowly pushes the plunger down. As the syringe empties he feels the opiates ooze into every pore in his body; like warm honey. Fading into a tranquil dream and then nodding out, he is floating in the arms of his one true love… Heroin.

After about twenty minutes, Willie slowly opens one lazy eye; with a sleepy smile he thinks to himself, “well… time to earn.”

He unbuttons his fly and picks up a second syringe, filled with smack that is lying on the table next to the burnt spoon. Checking to make sure the plastic cap covering the needle is secure he then tapes the syringe, point down, to the inside of his thigh, just below his crotch, with a wide strip of surgical tape, and then pulls his pants back up.

Driving over to the job, Hank Williams is on the crackling old radio in his 1965, piece of shit, Plymouth Valiant.

Even though it’s the middle of the night and snowing outside, he’s warm and toasty, partially from the heater but mostly from the heroin. With a dreamy smile on his face he follows along, “Hear that lonesome whippoorwill, he sounds too blue to fly…”

His mind wonders over to thinking about her… hotter then doughnut grease, that one. It’s not his fault, if her old man doesn’t know what she really needs. Most straight johns have no idea how to treat women. He snickers to himself, ”It’s okay honey we can try again next month.” She couldn’t get enough of him, then he turned her on to the shit and that was the end of her Betty Crocker days. By now he’s singing at the top of his lungs with the old car radio, “And as I wonder where you are, I’m so lonesome I could cry!”

“Man oh man is this some great shit,” he thinks s to himself.

She told Willie about her boss, the middle-aged lawyer, with thinning hair and a huge paunch. He was always standing too close, with his perpetual bad breath and those eyes that were always peaking down her blouse. Then one afternoon, as Willie was leaving her house, before her husband got home, she mentioned the safe in his office.

“Does he keep cash in it?” Willie asked.

“Not usually, but he’s been meeting with a client that owns topless bars all over town and he always pays in cash. My boss keeps bitching about it,”

She tells Willie “I’m pretty sure he’s holding the cash in the safe, so he won’t have to claim it.”

Twenty minutes later, Willie drives into the parking space in back of the law office. He wonders around to the trunk of his car to get his tool bag. Checking his pocket to make sure he brought the key, he heads into the empty office. Once inside he waits a few minutes with his eyes closed, to adjust to the darkness. While he waits he hums the Hank William’s tune he had been singing earlier enjoying the warm narcotic haze.

Opening his eyes, there is enough light to proceed with out a flashlight. First he throws furniture and the contents of desk drawers around the room knowing full well that the safe is upstairs. If he goes directly to the safe the cops will know it was an inside job. He then goes upstairs and ransacks the other offices, saving her bosses office for last.

Once at the safe, he points a small flashlight at the dial and puts on the stethoscope. Three full turns to the left to clear the tumblers.

Hank starts singing in his head “I’ve never seen a night so low.”

Concentrate, he firmly tells himself.

“When tears get in your eyes”

The dial starts to look a little fuzzy.

Willie quickly realizes, he’s way to high to open the safe. Plan b… He’ll have to take it back home and crack it after he comes down. A quick nudge and he can tell it’s been bolted to the concrete floor… no problem.

Willie gets out his pocketknife and walks over to a beautiful dark brown leather couch in the center of the office. He cuts out a 20-inch square of the leather from the seat cushion. Looking through his tools he takes out a splitting wedge and a 12-pound sledgehammer. He wraps the wedge in the soft leather and tucks the edge under the front of the safe. He adjusts the light to shine on the wedge and stands up. Holding the sledgehammer like a golf club, he pretends to look down a fairway and quietly says, “four” to himself and takes a full swing at the splitting wedge. The leather muffles the sound, but the safe doesn’t budge. For the next 10 minutes, Willie constantly beats on the wedge, occasionally taking out his frustrations by smashing the expensive walnut furniture, lamps and assorted decorations that are scattered about the room.

The safe finally gives; a few more whacks and it breaks free. He lifts the safe, checking the weight. It’s heavy, maybe 125 pounds. Lifting it all the way up he thinks, “I’ll need a shortcut.” Willie drops the safe on a coffee table just for fun, and looks around the room. He walks on over to the huge picture window that has the words Law Office painted backwards in black and gold old English letters. Looking up and down the street, the coast is clear. Willie walks back, picks up the safe and runs at the window, raising it up as high as he can, as he gets closer. One last heft and the safe sails through the second story window. As it breaks through the glass the silence is shattered with the screaming clang of an alarm.

“Shit” he says out loud…”Time to go!”

Not wanting to waste second Willie steps out through the broken window on to the ledge. The safe is lying down on the sidewalk surrounded by the shattered glass, about 12 feet below. He leaps down, but what he doesn’t see is the ice covering the sidewalk. When he hits the ground his feet fly out from underneath him and the back his head smashes into the corner of the safe. Lying in broken glass he feels the warm blood dripping down his neck and back. The police cars sirens are now drowning out the clang of the alarm. Several squad cars screech to a stop a few feet away. The cops jump out and surround Willie, guns drawn.

He blurts out, “Man, am I glad to see you guys! I was walking down the street, minding my own business when that safe came flying out the window and hit me right here on the back of my head. I’m lucky to be alive. Just wait tell my lawyer gets a hold of these guys.”

The cops, less than convinced, spend the next five minutes cuffing and kicking the shit out of Willie, followed by a quick search. They empty his pockets and overlook the dope hidden in his pants. At the jail, Willie gives a call to his lawyer and they toss him in a cell with a few drunks and assorted Nair-do-wells. The guard leaves, Willie reaches inside his pants and pulls out the syringe.

“Anybody want to party?” he asks the other men. They all decline. Willie tears off a piece of his shirtsleeve and ties off his arm. He shoots the dope as the other men look on in horror. His eyes roll back in his head and the world is once again right. After about 10 minutes he comes to and bums a smoke off of one of the other men. Leaning back with a big smile, he takes a slow drag off the cigarette, blows a few rings and starts singing, “And as I wonder where you are, I’m so lonesome I could cry!”

By Mad Coyote Joe