Fort Fromage

1/2 to 3/4 lbs Beemster Vlaskaas, room temperature (more is better)
1/4 to 1/2 lbs red-rind Gouda (enough to get to 1 lbs with above)

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

1 clove garlic

Remove any rinds from hard cheeses and grate. Place cheese, wine, butter, herbs and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 1 hour for a firmer consistency. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Blend it until smooth. Remove from fridge 60-90 minutes before serving.

Chili Oil

3/4 cup oil
2 star anise
1/2 of a small cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
3 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Place the pot over very low heat and let everything toast together slowly for 15 minutes. Take care not to burn the spices. Use a slotted spoon to remove the spices, and turn off the heat. Let the oil cool for about 5 minutes, and then add the chili flakes. Slowly toast these in the hot oil until very fragrant (it should almost smell like popcorn), and very red. Stir in the salt and sugar.

Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad

2 long, seedless cucumbers (1 to 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons chili oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
small handful of chopped cilantro

Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean towel. Make the salad dressing by combining the salt, sugar, sesame oil, light soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Set aside.

On a cutting board, lay a large knife flat against the cucumber, and smash it lightly with your other hand. The cucumber should crack open and smash into four sections.

Repeat along its full length. Once the whole cucumber is completely open (usually into 4 long sectional pieces), cut it at a 45-degree angle into bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, mix the cut cucumber with the prepared dressing, garlic and chili oil (or cooked plain oil), and toss it well. Serve, garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Da Corradi Restaurante London

Arroz con Pollo

4 - 5 chicken thighs; with skin and bones
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
1 - 2 shallots; chopped
3 cloves garlic; chopped fine

2 anchovies

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 single-serve bottle white wine
10 - 30 saffron threads
3 - 5 Campari tomatoes; quartered
1/2 - 1 cup "Greek Mix" or pitted Kalamata olives

1 1/2 cups Bomba rice
3 cups chicken broth
salt
pepper

Heat oven to 375. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Add saffron threads to wine.

In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil on medium-low. When hot, add chicken skin side down and brown uncovered until thighs no longer stick. Turn and brown for another 3 minutes. Don't over crowd Dutch oven. Remove chicken and set aside. Do not discard the oil. 

In the now seasoned Dutch oven, increase the heat to medium, cook scallions until soft; 2 minutes. Add garlic; 1 minute. Add and combine anchovies, tomatoes paste; 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives and combine lightly; 1 minute. Deglaze pan with all the saffron-wine; simmer until moisture is reduced by half; 3 minutes. Stir in rice and cook briefly; 1-2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock; 1 minute. Return the chicken and collected juices. Rest the chicken skin side up on the rice mixture. 

Cover and bake in oven for 25-30 minutes. At 25 minutes, check doneness of rice by sliding a spoon between the rice and the side of the pan. The rice will very slowly ooze back when it's ready. 

When ready, remove from oven; let stand cover for 5-10 minutes covered; serve.

Salt and pepper along the way as needed.   

Ancho Chili Powder

Dried ancho chilies, seeded, stemmed, cut into 1 inch strips.

In a dry Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, roast chilies on stove top until fragrant with light whiffs of smoke. Remove & cool. Add to food processor slowly and process for a long time; 10  minutes total.

Enchilada Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1.5 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
2 tablespoon ancho chili powder
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoon tomato paste

Heat butter in a medium size sauce pan over medium heat.
When melted, add flour gradually; stir to mix. Thick mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add in the spices and tomato paste. Stir to form a thick paste. Cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the broth. Stir until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer then reduce the heat.
Stir occasionally.
Step aside and let Lou create Her Enchiladas© or save for use as a base Tex-Mex sauce, whatever that means.

Chili

2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
2 tablespoons; 1.5 - 2 cups water
salt
pepper
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 dried ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1-inch pieces
1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 F. Toss beef with 2 tablespoons water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Yoast anchos in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes, reducing heat if anchos begin to smoke. Transfer to food processor and let cool.

Add tortilla chips, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, oregano, thyme, and 2 teaspoons pepper to food processor with anchos and process until finely ground, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl. Process tomatoes and their juice in now-empty work bowl until smooth, about 45 seconds.

Heat oil in now-empty pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef and cook, stirring to break meat up into 1/4 inch pieces, until beef is browned and fond begins to form on pot bottom, 12 to 14 minutes. Add ancho mixture and chipotle; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add tomato puree, remaining 1.5-2 cups water and agave nectar. Bring to boil, scraping bottom of pot to loosen any browned bits. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until meat is tender and chili is slightly thickened, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Remove chili from oven and let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in any fat that has risen to top of chili, then add vinegar and season with salt to taste. Serve. (Chili can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; add water as needed when reheating to adjust consistency.)

Start to finish: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Joan Crawford Party Dip (adapted for the 21st century)

8 oz. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
1 packet Hidden Valley ranch seasoning
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 to 1 tsp. horseradish (to taste)

Soften cream cheese with milk; add sour cream and beat well with wire coat hanger. Add remaining ingredients and make stand in the corner for 30 minutes. Serve with Frito’s King-Size corn chips or Lay’s potato chips.

Smoked Salmon and Boursin Quiche

3 eggs
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tspn fresh dill, chopped
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn white pepper
9” frozen deep dish pie shell
1/4 smoked salmon (Nova Scotia or Scottish)
1 5.2 oz Boursin garlic and herb cheese

Preheat oven to 375.
Whisk eggs until fluffy. Whisk in cream, dill, salt, white pepper.
Pour mixture into pie shell. Add salmon and Boursin evenly over the top.
Bake 40-45 minutes until just set.
Let stand 20 minutes before serving.