Being of Filipino descent, the craving for pork hits hard and often. We take pig seriously, but until someone can tell me how to make lechon in an apartment kitchen, I’ll have to settle for something more manageable.

Whenever squares of pork belly lie in the fridge, my gut instinct tells me to consult the Chinese. Only recently have I realized that our neighbors across the pond revere Wilbur as much as we do. Fergus Henderson’s and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s homages to all animals snouted and hooved are as enjoyable to read as they are to cook from. When they say kill it and use the whole thing, they mean it. Now that’s something I can relate with.

There are no weird or nasty bits here, though. Just the tame stuff that BLTs are made of. The belly is brined with juniper berries, cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaves, presumably to thoroughly season instead of prevent the meat from drying out. Short of dipping the belly in a drum of napalm, you’d be hard-pressed to overcook something that is half lard.

After roasting for two hours, the skin wasn’t as crackly as I wanted it to be. The solution? Grab heatproof gloves and broil inches away from the heating element. Consider wearing protective eyewear as it puffs and sputters.

recipe adapted from Fergus Henderson’s The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating

Crackling Pork Belly Roast

makes 4 to 6 servings

Juniper berries, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves for the brine.

Ingredients:

4 to 5 pound piece of skin-on pork belly, preferably including the ribs

For the Brine:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
10 ounces / 280 grams salt (see notes)
12 juniper berries
12 cloves
12 black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
4 quarts of water

For Roasting the Pork Belly:

2 onions, peeled and chopped
a splash of olive oil
a pinch of salt

Notes:

• Don’t turn your pork belly into a salt lick. The original recipe specifies a volume measurement for the salt (2 1/4 cups of coarse sea salt). Depending on the coarseness and brand of salt you use, the actual weight could vary significantly. Consult this helpful guide on brining (PDF file) to determine the amount of salt you’ll need. I used 2 cups of Diamond Crystal kosher salt for the 4 quarts of water needed in this recipe.

I own a box cutter, but it’s not for opening packages from Amazon.

Directions:

1. Brine the pork belly. Place all of the brine ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour the brine into a non-reactive container (such as food-grade plastic or stainless steel) and allow to cool completely. Place the pork belly in the brine. If necessary, pin the meat down with a small plate to keep it fully immersed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.
2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF / 190ºC with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
3. Drain the pork belly and pat dry with paper towels. Using a very sharp knife or box cutter, score the rind.
4. Rub the rind with the olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Place the chopped onions in the center of a roasting pan or cast iron skillet and set the pork belly on top.
5. Roast the pork belly at 375ºF / 190ºC for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6. If the rind is not crisped to your liking, broil the pork belly under high heat. Move the belly around as necessary to evenly crisp the skin.
7. Let the pork belly rest for 15 to 30 minutes before slicing.

Fill in the blank: The secret way to a Filipino’s heart is through his / her ___.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Crackling Pork Belly Roast

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1. Braised Pork Belly – Hangzhou Dongpo Pork
2. Pork Belly Recipe – Braised in Soy and Dashi
3. Baby-Back Pork Ribs Adobo
4. Pork Shoulder Braised with Oranges – Puerco en Naranja
5. Feed a Crowd: Red Cooked Pork Shoulder
6. Afelia – Pork Braised with Red Wine and Coriander Seeds

Any mention of oxtails in Filipino food probably involves kare-kare, a rich peanut-based vegetable stew. Beef shanks, tripe, pork hocks, and other tough parts tenderized through long simmering may also be added, but it has to have the oxtails. Leaving the bony segments out is unacceptable. Hindi maaari (no frickin’ way).

I didn’t have the other dozen ingredients for kare-kare so I made adobo for dinner instead. Adobo is an indigenous Filipino method of simmering in vinegar, akin to pickling. Food spoils rather quickly in oppressive tropical heat so this is our way of dealing with that little dilemma. We take the vinegared stuff seriously regardless of the weather forecast, though.

The sourness also supposedly stimulates your appetite during hot and humid weather, not that I’ve had any such craving-related problems lately.

The following recipe makes a light broth meant to be served like a soup, in contrast to versions enriched with coconut milk. Before serving, grill or broil the oxtails to crisp up the fatty bits. Silky and tender is great, but that additional hint of smoke can only make it better.

Oxtail Adobo Recipe
Adobong Buntot ng Baka

makes 4 servings

Meet datu, my spear-wielding ancestor. He likes loincloths and long walks on the beach.

Ingredients:

2 to 3 pounds oxtail, segmented
1/2 cup vinegar, preferably cane or cider vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
2 to 3 bay leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large pot, place the oxtails, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Pour in enough water to cover the oxtails.
2. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 2 hours, replenishing the water as necessary to keep the oxtails fully immersed.
3. Tilt the pot and skim the rendered fat, if desired.
4. Prepare a grill or preheat a broiler. Remove the oxtails from the broth. Grill or broil the oxtails until well-browned and slightly crisped. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with warm rice and a small bowl of the adobo broth.

Oxtail adobo, pre-incineration. You go eww, I go ooh.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Oxtail Adobo

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1. Beef Short Ribs Adobo
2. Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk
3. Baby-Back Pork Ribs Adobo
4. Coda alla Vaccinara – Eat Like a Roman Butcher
5. Ginataang Kalabasa – Kabocha Squash in Coconut Milk
6. Chicken in Red Sesame Seed Sauce

This ancient Berber dish is prepared around March or April in Morocco, when both green almonds and fava beans are seasonally available. The lamb is slow-cooked with ground mace and finished with the almonds, the beans, and a generous helping of sauteed onions.

I know next to nothing about traditional Moroccan cuisine and the recipe looked simple enough, so why not? I was more interested in cooking with green almonds, though, because I have only tasted it raw.

After a brief simmer, the almonds reminded me of crunchy green beans, which went rather nicely with the creamy favas and fork-tender lamb. The broth, with nothing but mace and onions, had a surprisingly deep flavor, but not so strong that it overpowers the almonds and favas.

recipe adapted from Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Maninas

Agneau aux Fèves Vertes et aux Amandes
Lamb with Fava Beans and Green Almonds

makes about 6 servings

Mace (from The Spice House) and Fresh Fava Beans.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds lamb leg or shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 cups water
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground mace

2 onions, chopped
1 cup green almonds
3 cups shelled fava beans, about 1 pound
1 tablespoon honey

Notes:

• I honestly can’t tell the difference between mace and nutmeg. Feel free to use one in place of the other if you agree. Mace is supposedly milder.
• The original recipe suggests using blanched almonds instead of the green almonds.

Green almonds.

Directions:

1. In a large heavy pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the pieces of lamb and brown until evenly colored on all sides.
2. Add the water, salt, pepper, and mace. Bring to a boil and immediately lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and braise for about 2 hours, adding more water if necessary.
3. Start sauteeing the onions towards the end of braising. In a separate pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and saute the onions, just until golden. Stir in the green almonds.
4. Add the onions and green almonds, along with the fava beans, to the lamb. Stir in the honey and continue cooking over low heat for about 15 minutes, just until the favas are soft and cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Trying a completely random recipe pays off sometimes.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Lamb with Fava Beans and Green Almonds

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4. Ginataang Gulay – Vegetables Simmered in Coconut Milk
5. Sandwich Merguez Au Harissa
6. Hobakjuk – Korean Pumpkin Porridge

You’ll likely spend more effort looking for the key ingredient than preparing this simple grilled chicken (see below for a substitution suggestion). The original recipe mentions Fox & Obel, a Chicago grocer that makes Whole Foods seem like Cheap Eats Galore by comparison, as the only source for Espelette peppers around here ($17.99 for 45 grams).

Fox & Obel is a last resort for me because I can drive myself into serious debt just by getting a few ounces of this and that. Groceries aren’t supposed to be a threat to my measly credit limit, but good judgment flies out the window after a few minutes of walking around that tasty-sexy food haven. I wonder what the employee discount is like.

Espelette peppers are coarsely ground dried chiles with a brick red hue. It has AOC status, so the peppers are exclusively sourced from specific French communes and follow strict production methods. It is an essential ingredient in classic Basque dishes such as Pipérade and Poulet Basquaise.

A suitable substitute is paprika with a pinch of cayenne, as suggested in Anne Willan’s The Country Cooking of France. This approximates the distinctive mix of sweetness and mild heat in Espelette peppers.

recipe adapted from The Publican via Time Out Chicago
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Prof. Kitty

The Publican’s Grilled Chicken with Espelette Pepper and Oregano

makes about 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon espelette pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 whole chicken or 2 cornish hens (about 3 lbs), spatchcocked

Notes:

• Never spatchcocked poultry before? Here’s a helpful video of Alton Brown spatchcocking a cornish hen.

Directions:

1. Mix together all of the seasonings in a container big enough to contain the chicken.
2. Add the spatchcocked chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate to marinade for at least one hour and up to overnight.
3. If using a charcoal or gas grill: Heat charcoals on one side of the grill or light half of a gas grill. Grill the chicken skin-side down over indirect heat while covered.
   If using an oven: Preheat a lightly oiled cast iron skillet in a 350ºF / 175ºC oven. Place the chicken skin-side down in the hot skillet and return to the oven.
4. Grill or roast for about 30 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut into the chicken. If using a digital thermometer, the temperature in the thickest part of the thighs should reach 170ºF / 77ºC.
5. Remove the chicken from the grill or oven and let rest for about five minutes before carving.
6. Serve with lemon halves. Grill or roast the lemon halves for a few minutes if you feel like it.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Grilled Chicken with Espelette Pepper

Similar Posts:

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2. Croque Madame – Grilled Cheese, Ham, and Egg Sandwich
3. Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk
4. Chinese White Cut Chicken
5. Sumac Chicken – Roasted over Onions and Pita Bread
6. Chicken Braised with Ancho Chiles

Afelia is a classic Cypriot dish of pork marinated and braised in red wine and coriander seeds. With the short ingredient list (the only other items are olive oil, salt, and pepper), it’s as easy as braising gets.

The coriander seed is a mild spice that adds a sweet citrus note. It is used extensively in traditional Cypriot and Greek fare. Any dish prepared à la grecque (in the greek style) is almost guaranteed to have some.

The braising liquid of red wine and crushed coriander seeds gives the pork a subtle sweetness and sourness. Most afelia recipes call for coarsely ground coriander seeds and no straining. The grittiness may seem distracting at first, but I find that it contrasts nicely against the tenderness of slowly cooked pork.

recipe adapted from Diane Kochilas’ The Food and Wine of Greece
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Cheryl

Afelia
Pork Braised with Red Wine and Coriander Seeds

makes 4 to 6 servings
start the preparation one day in advance

Coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle.

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork shoulder, sliced into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups dry red wine
2 heaping tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Notes:

• Crush the coriander seeds right before using. It rapidly loses aroma once ground.

Directions:

1. Marinate the pork. Put the sliced pork in a bowl and add 1 1/2 cups red wine. Coarsely crush 1 heaping tablespoon of coriander seeds and mix with the pork and red wine. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
2. Braise the pork. Remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry. Reserve all of the marinade.
3. In a heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Lightly brown the pork on all sides, a few pieces at a time if necessary.
4. Pour the marinade along with the remaining 1/2 cup of red wine and just enough water to barely cover the pork. Season lightly with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the braising liquid will be reduced. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and braise for about 2 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender. Add more water during the braise if necessary.
5. About 20 minutes before removing the pork from the heat, coarsely crush the remaining 1 heaping tablespoon of coriander seeds and sprinkle over the pork. Reduce the braising liquid until thick.
6. Serve hot with crusty olive bread. Also try Ivy’s version cooked with potatoes.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Afelia – Pork Braised with Red Wine and Coriander Seeds

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1. Braised Pork Belly – Hangzhou Dongpo Pork
2. Pork Shoulder Braised with Oranges – Puerco en Naranja
3. Pork Belly Recipe – Braised in Soy and Dashi
4. Baby-Back Pork Ribs Adobo
5. Red Wine Granita
6. Feed a Crowd: Red Cooked Pork Shoulder

White-cut chicken is a traditional Chinese preparation that calls for poaching, cutting on the bone, chilling, and serving with a flavorful dipping sauce. Chicken doesn’t have to be fried, crisp, or golden brown to be delicious. When it comes to Chinese dishes, “traditional” usually implies “old as hell” and “bajillions served,” so they must be eating something right. If you’re still not convinced after trying this recipe (highly unlikely), here’s another example of pale but tasty steamed chicken.

recipe adapted from Eileen Yin-fei Lo’s The Chinese Kitchen and The Chinese Chicken Cookbook

白切雞 (Bai Qie Ji)
White Cut Chicken
With Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce

makes 4 to 6 servings

3 1/2-pound chicken
1/4 cup kosher salt

For the Poaching Liquid:

10 cups water
6 scallions, trimmed and cut in thirds
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar

1-inch piece of fresh ginger, smashed (optional)
1/2 cup fresh coriander / cilantro, stalks cut in half (optional)
1/4 cup Chinese white rice wine (optional)

For the Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chicken stock or reserved poaching liquid
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions, white parts only
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar

Equipment:

• A heavy pot, preferably a dutch oven

Notes:

• This recipe is based on two versions from the same author. The list of optional ingredients is the difference between the two.
• Also try this ginger-scallion dipping sauce recipe.

To Wash the Chicken:

1. Wash the chicken under cold running water. Remove any excess fat and rub with about 1/4 cup of kosher salt. Rinse again under cold running water and drain.

To Poach the Chicken:

1. In a heavy pot or dutch oven, add all of the poaching liquid ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes.
2. Place the chicken in the pot and add just enough water to cover the chicken. Return to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook while covered for about 30 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let the chicken cool to room temperature in the poaching liquid.
4. Remove the chicken from the pot, drain well, and cut into bite-sized pieces. The chicken can also be chilled — refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. Reserve at least 2 tablespoons of the poaching liquid for the ginger-soy dipping sauce if chicken stock isn’t available.

To Serve:

Mix all of the ginger-soy dipping sauce ingredients and spoon into individual small dishes. Serve the sliced chicken slightly chilled or at room temperature.

Links about Chinese White Cut Chicken:

• Kits Chow
• Sunday Nite Dinner

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chinese White Cut Chicken

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5. Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk
6. Sumac Chicken – Roasted over Onions and Pita Bread

Not getting enough butternut in your risotto? Has this ever happened to you? (Warning: video contains choice words from British chef)

This basic butternut squash risotto recipe comes from a less disgruntled (gruntled?) British chef whose cooking style I really admire. The dish may be simple, but the garnish makes it a bit more interesting.

In addition to the chopped sage cooked slowly with the rice, whole sage leaves are quickly pan-fried and used as a seemingly out-of-place topping. Resist the urge to push the browned herbs to the side of the plate in favor of the bright orange morsels. The crispy sage leaves crumble and release a mellow smokiness that nicely complements the sweet butternut squash and creamy rice.

recipe adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Cookbook
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Diary of a Fanatic Foodie

Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Sage

makes 4 servings

Arborio rice and sage.

For the Butternut Squash Risotto:

2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade and lightly seasoned
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
a dozen fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
3/4 cup Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano rice, unwashed
8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/4-inch dice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Crispy Sage:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
a dozen fresh sage leaves

For Serving:

Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Notes:

• The cooking time will vary depending on the cooking vessel and type of rice you use.
• If short on stock and the rice is still not done to your liking, feel free to use boiling water instead of additional stock.

Instructions:

1. Heat the stock and keep at a gentle simmer over low heat.
2. In a separate heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook while stirring until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped sage leaves and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, taking care to keep the onions from browning.
3. Add the rice and stir until the grains are well-coated with the olive oil and the outer layers of the grain are slightly translucent.
4. Pour enough stock to barely cover the rice, about 1/2 cup. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon, wiping the sides and bottom of the pot clean while doing so, until the stock is fully absorbed.
5. Add the diced butternut squash along with another 1/2 cup of stock. Continue adding the stock in 1/2-cup increments and stirring as described above, until the butternut squash is soft and the rice is done to the desired level of doneness.

To Serve:

When the risotto is almost done, heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Fry the sage leaves quickly, about a few seconds, until dark brown and crispy.

Add the butter and stir until completely melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve immediately in wide platters and top with the crispy sage leaves, with cheese and a grater on the side.

Pan-fried crispy sage leaves.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Sage

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2. Ginataang Kalabasa – Kabocha Squash in Coconut Milk
3. Morel Mushroom Pilaf
4. Dal Makhani (Kali Dal) – Buttered Black Gram Beans
5. Ginataang Gulay – Vegetables Simmered in Coconut Milk
6. Hobakjuk – Korean Pumpkin Porridge

Since the Japanese have high life expectancy, it follows that this braised pork belly recipe is health food, doesn’t it? Green vegetables are also involved and a hefty portion of the fat is melted away through slow cooking, so the corollary holds true so far.

A few glasses of Japanese green tea or red wine can help negate the unsavory effects of rich foods anyway, so there’s absolutely no reason to worry. Right?

pork belly braising instructions adapted from Tom Colicchio’s Think Like A Chef
adapted from the Nagasaki-Style Braised Pork recipe in Shizuo Tsuji’s Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art

Pork Belly Braised in Soy and Dashi
Served with Simmered Snow Peas and Pearl Onions

makes 4 servings

Snow peas and pearl onions.

For the Braised Pork Belly:

2 pounds skin-on pork belly, preferably including the ribs, cut into 4 square pieces
kosher salt
vegetable oil

3 1/2 cups dashi
1 cup sake
2 tablespoons mirin
6 tablespoons dark or regular soy sauce
6 tablespoons sugar
6-inch knob of ginger, peeled and crushed

For the Simmered Vegetables:

a handful of pearl onions, peeled
a handful of snow peas, trimmed

1 1/4 cups dashi
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons light or regular soy sauce

For Serving:

2 tablespoons Japanese or Dijon mustard

Notes:

• If using bone-in pork belly, have your butcher cut the pork belly into square serving pieces, unless you like wielding huge meat cleavers.
• Use instant dashi granules, also known as dashi-no-moto or hon-dashi, for convenience. It takes about 1 teaspoon of instant dashi for every 3 cups of water.

To Braise the Pork Belly:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 177ºC. Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels and season lightly with kosher salt.
2. In a large container, mix together the dashi, sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Brown the pork belly pieces, skin side down, until well-browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the pork belly pieces from the skillet.
4. Add half of the dashi-soy mixture to the skillet. Stir and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon or spatula.
5. Return the pork belly pieces to the skillet, skin side up. Add the necessary amount of the leftover dashi-soy mixture to immerse about two-thirds of the pork belly. Add the peeled and crushed ginger.
6. Bring to a boil over high heat. Place the skillet in the 350ºF / 177ºC oven and braise while uncovered for about 2 hours.
7. Allow the pork belly to cool in the braising liquid. Alternatively, you can also cool the pork belly to room temperature and refrigerate overnight.

How to give the impression that you know what you’re doing: use an old cast-iron skillet.

To Serve:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF / 205ºC.
2. Using a small knife, remove the skin by lifting it gently from the layers of fat underneath. Score the fat with a cross-hatch pattern and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the pork is heated through and the fat is browned, about 20 minutes.
3. While the pork belly is in the oven, simmer the vegetables.

Scored fat on the braised pork belly.

To Simmer the Vegetables:

1. Mix together the dashi, mirin, and soy sauce for simmering the vegetables.
2. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
3. Parboil the snow peas in the lightly salted water for about 2 to 3 minutes. Wash the snow peas with cold water to stop the cooking.
4. Parboil the pearl onions in the lightly salted water until slightly translucent. Wash the pearl onions with cold water to stop the cooking.
5. Discard the lightly salted water and replace with the dashi, mirin, and soy sauce mixture. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
6. Simmer the snow peas and pearl onions until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Discard the simmering liquid.

Place the snow peas and pearl onions in a shallow bowl. Place the heated pork belly on top with a few tablespoons of the braising liquid. The braising liquid will be strongly flavored — a little goes a long way.

Serve with a dab of Japanese or Dijon mustard.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pork Belly Recipe – Braised in Soy and Dashi

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1. Braised Pork Belly – Hangzhou Dongpo Pork
2. Crackling Pork Belly Roast
3. Pork Shoulder Braised with Oranges – Puerco en Naranja
4. Afelia – Pork Braised with Red Wine and Coriander Seeds
5. Baby-Back Pork Ribs Adobo
6. Feed a Crowd: Red Cooked Pork Shoulder

“Traditional” and “simple” rarely belong in the same breath when it comes to Mexican recipes, but if you can find ancho chiles, this braised chicken recipe makes great weeknight fare without being light on flavor. It’s the antithesis to festive Mexican dishes that have several sub-recipes — you only need a few spices, pantry staples, and fresh tortillas.

When selecting ancho chiles, look for pliability and a shiny dark exterior. Holding it up against light will reveal a reddish-brown hue. Since poblano chiles are naturally mild and sweet, its dried version in ancho chiles lend a similar quality to sauces and moles.

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Pollo en Ajo-Comino
Chicken Braised in Ancho Chiles, Garlic, and Cumin

makes 6 to 8 servings

4 ancho chiles, veins and seeds removed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
12 black peppercorns
1 whole clove
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
4 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 1/2-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces

Equipment:

• A molcajete and tejolote (mortar and pestle)
• A blender
• A heavy pot

Instructions:

1. In a small skillet, cover the ancho chiles with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then soak for another 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Using a molcajete or mortar, grind the cumin, black peppercorns, clove, salt, and garlic. Add about 1/4 cup of water to form a thin paste.
3. Blend the soaked ancho chiles with 3/4 cup of water until smooth.
4. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt.
5. In a heavy pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Fry the chicken pieces until pale gold, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
6. Immediately add the cumin and garlic mixture to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes while stirring constantly.
7. Add the pureed ancho chiles and cook for another 3 minutes while scraping the bottom of the pot constantly.
8. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and return the browned chicken pieces to the pot. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Braise while uncovered for about 45 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally.
9. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

To Serve:

Serve warm with freshly made tortillas.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chicken Braised with Ancho Chiles

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1. Chicken in Red Sesame Seed Sauce
2. Pork Shoulder Braised with Oranges – Puerco en Naranja
3. Afelia – Pork Braised with Red Wine and Coriander Seeds
4. Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk
5. Pork Belly Recipe – Braised in Soy and Dashi
6. Grilled Chicken with Espelette Pepper

Creamy coconut milk is tinged a shade of yellow in this easy Filipino recipe for squash and shrimp simmered in coconut milk. This is my “macaroni and cheese,” with rice and tender kabocha squash assuming the roles of pasta and cheddar.

As with most comfort foods, ginataang kalabasa has countless variations. Other ginataan recipes call for fermented shrimp paste (bagoong) and fish sauce (patis), but for squash and shrimp, my preference lies with milder seasonings.

recipe adapted from Gerry G. Gelle’s Filipino Cuisine: Recipes from the Islands
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Kalyn’s Kitchen

Ginataang Kalabasa at Hipon
Kabocha Squash and Shrimp Simmered in Coconut Milk

makes 3 to 4 servings

The butt end of kabocha squash.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
1 small onion, diced

1 cup chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
1 small kabocha squash or any winter squash varietal, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
1/2 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 1/2 cups coconut milk (12 to 14 ounce can)

Instructions:

1. Peel and seed the squash. Slice into 1 to 1 1/2-inch chunks.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth or water, salt, pepper, and squash pieces. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender but still firm.
4. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes while stirring. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Ginataang kalabasa at hipon (squash and shrimp simmered in coconut milk)

To Serve:

Serve immediately with rice.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Ginataang Kalabasa – Kabocha Squash in Coconut Milk

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