DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE AFTER TASTING THIS POST: JALAPENO-MINT MARGARITA

Are you getting tired of the same old margarita?  Well if your not, stop reading and continue to lead your predictable life.  If you are in dire need of a change, the next three words are your savior.  JALAPENO-MINT MARGARITAS.

Yes, you read correctly.  It is time to spice up your adult beverage.  It tastes very similar to your typical Monday favorite but with a twist.  You will feel a slight pleasant heat on your lips, followed by sweet and sour-minty freshness that will make you crave more.  

Recipe:

2ea Lemons, Juiced

2T  Sugar

2oz  Tequila

1ea  Jalapeno, thinly sliced

1/4C  Mint

Most margaritas are made with a simple syrup.  Which is equal parts water to sugar.  I make the simple syrup using juiced lemons and sugar.  Because you are shaking and pouring the drink over ice, it will take on more water which I  want you to limit.  Nobody desires a watered down drink.

Lets start with the simple syrup (this mixture will last a week in the fridge)...Juice two lemons either with your hands or a juicer.

Cut the lemons in half...

...squeeze the lemons into a measuring cup straining the seeds.

Mix two spoons of sugar into the lemon juice.  Mix until dissolved.  Set aside until ready to shake.

 In a shaker, add the mint.

Pour the lemon simple syrup into the shaker with the mint.

Muddle the mint until it breaks up using a muddler.  I am using the end of a wooden spoon here because I obviously do not have a muddler.  Make sure you really grind the mint up in this step.  The simple syrup will take on the mint flavor and refine this drinks profile.

Measure and add 2 ounces of preferred tequila into the shaker with the muddled mint and simple syrup.

Add no more than 4 ice cubes into the shaker...

Shake vigorously for 30 seconds...That may not seem like a long time but trust me, it is! Keep on shaking...Its a good workout and an even better show for your guests.

 Slice the jalapeno as thinly as you can.  Your knife may not allow you to get paper thin if it is not sharp.  Jalapenos can be super spicy right now so depending upon your threshhold, the thinner the better (you may want to taste the jalapeno before adding to the final drink).

Add 4-7 slices (or as many or little as you would like) of jalapeno to an iced rocks glass.

 Pour the shaken mint margarita over the ice and jalapeno.  Serve with a garnish of mint.  Feel free to sugar or salt the rim if your heart desires.  (Before you add anything to the glass just dip the rim on a wet paper towel and dip again into sugar or salt).

Make sure you have one for me. CHEERS!!!

INSIDE THE KITCHEN: STEAMED BLACK MUSSELS IN SAKE

Summer is in full force here in Southern California.   This is absolutely the best time of year in my opinion. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the weather outside is asking you to steam some mussels.  

Mussels that are bathed in butter, sake, and soy married with the garlic and bacon creates an absolutely amazing sensation in your mouth.  The sweetness, the saltiness, will make you want to toast some bread and soak up some of those juices.  You wont want this dish to end.

RECIPE:

1#  Black Mussels, scrubbed, debearded

4ea  Bacon Strips, rough chop

1/4ea  White Onion, brunoise

4ea  Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2C  Sake

3T  Soy

4T  Butter, unsalted

2T  Chinese Leeks, cut into 1/2" batons

First things first...wash the mussels under cold water.  Scrub them with a brush on both sides.  Next you are going to debeard the mussel.  This is a process that removes the byssus which is a long tough filament that may adhere to the the mussel.  It actually looks like a little beard...Once you locate the beard...

...grab a hold of it with your fingertips or a kitchen towel...

...Pull it straight out...

Yes...it can be a long sucker.

Almost out, just pull it towards the top of the mussel and you are left with...

THIS

In a large saute pan, heat the bacon, 1T of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and garlic over medium heat. Do not use to much oil because the fate of the bacon will coat the bottom of the pan and that is the flavor you want.

Cook until the bacon is cooked thru and the garlic is golden brown...4 minutes.

Add the washed/debearded mussels and saute for 30 seconds so you coat the shells with the flavor of the garlic-bacon.

Deglaze the pan with sake and using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pan releasing all the good bits from the bottom.

Reduce the sake by half and add the soy.

Cover the pan with a fitted lid and steam the mussels until all shells have opened.

Add the butter, the Chinese leeks, and serve.

Make sure each bite gets a piece of bacon, garlic, Chinese leeks and a mussel.  I just want to ensure maximum flavor.

 

INSIDE MY KITCHEN: BLACK PEPPER DUNGENESS CRAB

So I decided to take a field trip to a local Korean market that everyone raves about here in Los Angeles.  I have been working in the industry for 9 years and I have not seen or heard of some of the ingredients this market has.  I was taken back in "awe."  Asian herbs, weird fruits, 10+ varieties of live fish including Dungeness crabs and abalone...If you all havent had abalone,  I highly recommend that you do.

The minute I laid eyes on the live crab, my dinner thoughts had begun.  What better way to serve crab than crushed black pepper?!

This is a very popular dish in Singapore.  The simple peppery fragrance brings out the buttery richness of the  Dungeness crab.  The majority of the time I always put a Japanese twist on most the meals I create.  Traditionally this dish is made with Chinese yellow wine but, I used sake instead.

Serve with a side of Garlic Noodles and you have yourself a complete meal.

RECIPE:

2# Live Dungeness Crab

6qts  Water

1oz  Black Pepper, coarsely crushed

1/4C  Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1stick  Butter, unsalted

2/3C  Garlic, minced

3T Soy Sauce

1/2C  Sake, Rice Wine

1bu  Chinese Leeks, cut into 1/2" batons for garnish

Bring a large stock pot with 6quarts of water to a boil.  Salt the water with three pinches.  When the water starts boiling add the live crab and cover.  Steam for 8 minutes.  Remove from the water and let the crab cool down so it is manageable to handle.

In a large saute pan add the olive oil, garlic and coarse ground peppercorns.  Saute until fragrant over medium heat for 1 minute.  Add the sake, soy and butter and reduce by a quarter. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

  Now that the crab has cooled down, start breaking off the legs one by one.  Make sure you keep the body of the crab.  There is money meat in there. 

Now you are going to crack the claws and boyd to make the dish easier to eat.  Otherwise you may be stuck at the table with shell crackers for hours...I am going to give you a faster way to crack the crab.

Holding the leg in one hand, reverse your chefs knife so you are using the blunt side to crack the crab.  This way you do not dull your blade.  Raise the knife up (dull side down) and give the one side about 3 hard hits...

...same thing with the other side...

 Rotate the leg and continue to crack the shell with three more hits...

 ...and then flip it to the other side...3 more hits...this is definitely a great way to relieve some stress...

After you have repeated this process with the remaining claws and legs...you are left with a pile of goodness...are you hungry yet...go ahead and snack...

With the top of the body facing up, give it a good whack and break the shell.

Remove the top half and discard...you are now left with the eggs...very high in cholesterol but so very very delicious.  Serve over a bed of rice if you so desire and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Using the sharp side of your knife cut the bottom half of the body in half...great meat hides in the hips of that baby.

Cut the Chinese leeks into 1/2" batons...

  

Reheat the sauce in the pan...Place the cracked crab into a large mixing bowl and top with sauce and leeks.  Toss, using two hands.

So fragrant...give it one more toss so the sauce gets into the cracked shell and lathers the meat with sex.

You are now left with this...

INSIDE MY KITCHEN: GARLIC NOODLES

Everybody says that Beverly Hills restaurant, Crustacean, made "garlic noodles" famous!  Well I will have to disagree.  I grew up eating garlic noodles.  Im talking 25+ years of experience with these bad boys. My mom made these for us when she was pressed for time and had a limited pantry/fridge.

What kid does not like pasta with butter?!  I feel like "butter and noodles" is on every kids menu from here to Georgia...and I am not talking about the state within the United States!  

I have added baby bok choy for color and to get my vege fix, I replaced the salt with soy sauce, and the sugar (what kid doesnt like sugar, sugar???) with mirin or Japanese sweet rice wine.

You can make a big batch of these crowd pleasers for that late night addiction or a Sunday Funday brunch special...Garlic Noodles with Sunny side up egg and Bacon.  You know you want to try it.

RECIPE:

Noodles

1# Soba Noodles

2Qt  Water

2ea  Baby Bok Choy

Sauce

1/4# Butter, unsalted

3T  Garlic (minced)

4T Soy Sauce

4T Mirin

Bring 2qts of water in a stock pot to a boil.  Add a pinch of kosher salt to season the water.  Add the soba noodles in every direction into the water to keep them from sticking to one another.  Cook for 5 minutes and strain in a colander under cold running water reserving the cooking liquid for the bok choy.  If you do not cool the noodles down they will continue to cook and become very mushy and inedible.  Set aside and reserve until sauce is done.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, saute garlic in the butter.  DO NOT LET THE BUTTER BURN.  You must be very careful with the heat of the stove when using a fat solid butter.  Clarified butter will not burn because the fat solids have been removed thru the process of clarification.

After 1 minute of cooking the garlic in the butter, add the mirin to the pan deglazing what food deliciousness has stuck to the pan.  Reduce the sweet rice wine half way...

Now add the soy sauce and the noodles.  Quickly toss to coat and reheat.

Using the same pasta water the soba noodles were cooked in...add two pinches of salt so it tastes like the Pacific Ocean.  Now add the quarted baby bok choy and cook for 30 seconds.  Strain the bok choy from the water and garnish around the noodles.

Using your tongs, scoop and twist the soba noodles into a pasta bowl and enjoy the simple decadence immediately.

INSIDE MY KITCHEN: GRILLED SHRIMP ENCHILADAS WITH GUAJILLO SALSA

Last night I made these grilled shrimp enchiladas for "SUNDAY FUNDAY."  The shrimp make this ordinary dish into a luscious delight.  I guarantee it will be love at first bite.  

If you dont have the time to grill or cook the shrimp, cooked shrimp is a quick alternative.  Just promise me you will NOT give into canned shrimp.

RECIPE:

Shrimp:

1#  Fresh Shrimp (size 16/20 if you can; that means there are anywhere between 16 - 20 shrimp per pound)

2T  Garlic (minced)

1T Herbs De Provence

1t  Ichimi (Japanese chili powder)

2T  Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Enchiladas:

8ea  White Corn Tortillas

1/2C Jack Cheese (shredded)

1/2C Cheddar Cheese (shredded/mild)

2C  Guajillo Salsa (recipe follows)

Time to peel the shrimp.  If you lack patience, some markets carriy frozen peeled and deveined shrimp.  Beneficial if you are in a rush.  Using a fork insert at the opening on the belly side at the top.  Grab the spine and pull the fork down splitting the shell open.  

Pinching the tail meat out, peel and pull the shell off the meat.

Continue the same process for the next 20 shrimp.  HAHAHAHA...If you would like, you can save the shells to make a shrimp stock which would be a great base for Thai Tom Yum Soup.

When you are 3/4s of the way thru peeling the shrimp, preheat the grill on medium high heat.  Cover and let whatever you left on there last bbq session burn off.  Brush the grill residue and using an oiled paper towel, carefully grease the grates of the grill..If it flares up, PULL YOUR HAND AWAY!!!

Marinate the shrimp in a stainless steel or plastic bowl.  Add the oil, herbes de provence, garlic and ichimi powder. Marinate for 10 minutes.

One by one add the shrimp to the grill...

Grill each side, including the back, for one minute.

At this point your neighbors are going to be your new best friends.

Remove the shrimp from the grill with tongs and begin a rough chop on them...

Feel free to cut them as small or as large as you would like...I have found that cutting it too small wastes more shrimp per enchilada and too big does not enable me to roll the tortilla.  Place the chopped shrimp back into a bowl and warm up the tortillas on the grill.

At this point you are just heating the tortillas up so they become pliable without falling apart when you stuff and roll them.  30 seconds per side.  Remove the tortillas and turn of the grill (if it is propane).

Preheat your oven to 350*F.

Using 2 ounces of chopped shrimp, start rolling out the tortillas.  Create a tight wrap by pressing the end of the tortilla with your thumbs over the shrimp and your index fingers to tuck the tortilla under the meat.

How did your first one turn out?  Dont worry you have 7 more tortillas to master the roll.  Do not get discouraged.  As long as you have the tortilla, the shrimp, the sauce and the cheese on your dish it will be delightful.

Okay once you are finished stuffing and rolling the tortillas, place about a quarter cup of guajillo salsa in a glass casserole dish as shown.  Place the bottom seal of the rolled tortillas onto the sauce.  

Place one by one next to each other.

Once they are all in the pan cover with the remaining salsa and cheese.

Are you smacking your lips...This is definitely a great way to celebrate "Margarita Mondays."

Place the enchiladas into the oven and back for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Using a spatula, carefully place two enchiladas onto your plate.  Serve with Asian Tri-Colore Cabbage Salad.

GUAJILLO SALSA:

2oz  Dry Guajillo Chiles

1/4ea  White Onion

1ea  Tomato

5ea  Garlic

2T  Red Wine Vinegar

salt and pepper

Toast the chiles until fragrant...about 2 minutes on medium heat constantly shaking the pan.

Place toasted chiles in the blender...

Core the tomato and saute the garlic cloves, white onion and tomato together until brown on all sides.  

Add the toasted veges and the red wine vinegar to the blender.  On puree add 1/4C of water to help thin out the salsa.

Add salt and pepper to taste.  Reserve in the fridge until ready to use.  This is great for chips and dip, a marinade for carne asada, and garnish for tacos.