Sous Vide Char-Siu Style Ribs

• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce

• 1/3 cup dark soy sauce

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

• 1 tablespoon fermented bean paste

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

• 1 1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 3 pounds baby back ribs, membrane removed

• Cilantro leaves, for serving (optional)

• Step 1

  Set the Sous Vide Cooker to 167ºF (75ºC).

• Step 2

  In a large bowl, stir together hoisin, dark soy sauce, sugar, honey, sherry vinegar, fermented bean paste, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, salt, white pepper, and black pepper.

• Step 3

  Transfer about 1/3 cup of the marinade to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for later use.

• Step 4

  Add ribs to the remaining marinade. Mix to coat the ribs well. Divide ribs between 3 large zipper lock or vacuum seal bags. Seal the bags using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting.

• Step 5

  Place the bags in the water bath and set the timer for 4 hours.

• Finishing Steps

• Step 0

  When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the ribs from the bag. Heat a grill to 400ºF.

•  

  Step 1

  When the grill is hot, add the ribs. Brush some of the reserved marinade over the ribs. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip the ribs and brush with additional marinade. Continue to cook for 3 minutes.

• Step 2

  Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

• Step 3

  Slice the rack into individual ribs. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Dig in to your sumptuous sous vide char siu style Chinese baby back ribs!

Chicken with black beans and rice

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Flaky sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
2 green or red bell peppers, halved, seeded and sliced
2 ½ cups chicken stock
2 red Fresno chiles or jalapeños, halved, seeded and chopped
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken in half
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
⅓ pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed in a sieve until the water runs clear
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, pickled chiles, sliced fresh chiles, sour cream and sliced avocado, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet (the pan size is very important) over medium-high. (I used an enameled cast iron pan.)
4. In two batches, brown the chicken on both sides to give it good color, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
5. Add the onion and bell peppers to the pan and sauté until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. In a small saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil.
7. Meanwhile, add the chiles, cinnamon, garlic and cumin to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes.
8. Add the black beans and cherry tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
9. Sprinkle the rice on top in an even layer. (It’s important that the black beans are beneath the rice and chicken. The rice will burn otherwise.)
10. Add the stock and return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up.
11. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. The chicken should be lovely and golden, the stock should be absorbed and the rice should be tender.
12. Sprinkle with the cilantro.
13. Serve with lime wedges, pickled chiles, sliced fresh chiles, sour cream and avocado (squeeze some lime juice over the avocados in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper), as desired.

 

Sheet Pan Roasted Fish with Peppers

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small bunch lemon thyme or regular thyme
• 1 ½ pounds hake fillets
•  Fine sea salt and black pepper
• 3 large bell peppers, preferably 1 red, 1 orange and 1 yellow, thinly sliced
• 4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ¼ cup pitted, sliced black or green olives, or a combination
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves, chopped

• PREPARATION

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pull 1 tablespoon thyme leaves off the bunch and finely chop.
  2. Season fish all over with a large pinch or two of salt and pepper and rub with chopped thyme leaves. Let rest at room temperature while you prepare peppers.
  3. Spread peppers on a rimmed sheet pan, and toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper to taste. Top peppers with the remaining thyme sprigs. Roast, tossing occasionally, until peppers are softened and golden at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Push peppers to the edges of the pan, clearing a space in the center. Lay fish out on that empty space and drizzle with oil. Scatter olives over the top of fish and peppers. Roast until fish turns opaque and is just cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, make a vinaigrette by combining vinegar, garlic and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, then whisk in parsley. Taste and add more salt or vinegar, or both, if needed. Serve fish and peppers drizzled with vinaigrette.

Roasted Squash Bread Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch wedges
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
•  Kosher salt and black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
• 3 (1-inch thick) slices country bread or round peasant loaf, torn into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro, parsley or dill, or a combination of all three (optional)

• PREPARATION

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. In a large bowl, toss the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season well with salt, black pepper and red-pepper flakes (if using) and toss again. Spread the squash in an even layer on the sheet pan and roast until it begins to brown in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. While the squash roasts, in the same bowl (no need to wipe it out), toss the bread with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. After the squash has roasted for 10 to 15 minutes, remove from the oven and turn the squash pieces over. Add the bread to the sheet pan. Roast 10 to 15 minutes more, turning the bread halfway through, until the croutons are golden and crisp and the squash is tender.
  3. While the squash and croutons roast, whisk together the tahini, lime juice, honey and 2 tablespoons water. Season to taste with salt.
  4. Arrange the squash and croutons on a platter or in a bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Scatter with the herbs, if using.

 

Picadillo

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 ounces dried chorizo, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 ½ pounds ground beef
•  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped, or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
•  Pinch of ground cloves
•  Pinch of nutmeg
• ⅔ cup raisins
• ⅔ cup pitted stuffed olives.

• PREPARATION

  1. Put the olive oil in a large, heavy pan set over a medium-high flame, and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add onions, chorizo and garlic, stir to combine and cook until the onions have started to soften, approximately 10 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef, and allow it to brown, crumbling the meat with a fork as it does. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  3. Add tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaves, cloves and nutmeg and stir to combine. Lower the heat, and let the stew simmer, covered, for approximately 30 minutes.
  4. Uncover the pan, and add the raisins and the olives. Allow the stew to cook for another 15 minutes or so, then serve, accompanied by white rice.