Fried Potatoes with Spicy Aioli

Michael Symon always comes up with great recipes.  Here is one for a great potato side dish.  Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pounds 1 to 2 inch Yukon gold potatoes (about 16).
• 1 Cup Mayonnaise
• 2 TB Sriracha chili sauce
• 1 Teas. Smoked Paprika
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 1 Lime, zested and  juiced
• Kosher Salt
• 1 Scallions, thinly sliced on a bias to garnish

Procedure

• For the potatoes: To a small saucepan, add the potatoes and cool water to cover. Salt the water generously and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to15 minutes. Remove from the water and let cool. While the potatoes are cooling, make the spicy aioli. 
• For the spicy aioli: In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, paprika, garlic lime zest and juice and a pinch salt. Stir to combine and set aside. 
• To finish the potatoes: Heat a large cast-iron skillet with your favorite fat (Michael recommends Bacon fat, which everyone should save when you cook your breakfast or other bacon) until it reaches 350 degrees F. The fat should come 1 to 2 inches up the side of the pan. 
• With the heel of your hand, smash the potatoes so they are relatively flat but still holding together. Add the potatoes to the fat and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the fat with a slotted spoon and place immediately in the bowl with the aioli. Add a spoonful of the hot fat, stir to coat and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the scallions and serve immediately. I guarantee you will never look at a French fry the same way again.

Bobby Flay - Caribbean Dishes

While I am not a big fan of Pork, Mary Ann and I were viewing Bobby Flay's Caribbean show and think these receipes are worthwhile to try.   I might even give them a try too.   The show includes: Smoked Rack of Pork, Caribbean Style Sweet Potatoes, Slaw and a great drink called a Dark Stormy.  Enjoy.

GRILLED JERK RACK OF PORK

Ingredients

Brine and Pork:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 10 allspice berries
• 10 black peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 4 inches fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 head garlic, sliced in half
• 1 Spanish onion, quartered
• One 3-pound center-cut rack of pork, chine bone removed

Spice Mixture:

• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon habanero powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• Canola oil, for brushing

Procedure

• For the brine and pork: Bring 12 cups water, the salt, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon sticks, ginger, bay leaves, garlic and onions to a simmer in a large stockpot and cook until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Let cool completely.
• Submerge the pork in the brine by placing a plate on top, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Remove the pork from the brine, rinse well with cold water and pat dry. Place on a rack set over a baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
• For the spice mixture: Combine the coriander, ginger, brown sugar, garlic powder, habanero powder, onion powder, black pepper, thyme, allspice, cinnamon and cloves in a small bowl. Brush the pork rack with the canola oil and rub with the spice mixture.
• Prepare the ceramic cooker: Add the hot charcoal to the cooker, and put on the grill rack. When the grill rack is hot, put on the pork fat-side down and cook until slightly charred. Now remove the pork and the grill rack, scatter the soaked wood chips over the hot charcoal, put on the ceramic plate and the grill rack and return the pork to the grill rack seared-side up. Close the cooker and adjust it to maintain a temperature of 325 degrees F. Cook the pork until a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees F, 75 to 90 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before carving into chops.

GRILLED HASSLEBACK SWEET POTATOES WITH MOLASSES-NUTMEG BUTTER

Ingredients

• 4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 heaping tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Canola oil, for brushing
• 1/2 cup dark rum

Directions

• Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, bring to a boil and cook until a paring knife inserted into the center of the potatoes meets with some resistance. (Do not cook through.) Drain and let cool slightly.
• Mix together the butter, molasses, cilantro, orange zest and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use
• Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium high for indirect grilling.
• Cut off a thin slice of each potato lengthwise to create an even base for the potato to rest on. Slice off the ends of each potato. Rest each potato between two chopsticks or wooden spoons placed lengthwise along the potato (to act as a stop for the knife) and carefully cut vertical slits about every 1/8 inch.
• Brush the potatoes with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on the cooler side of the grill, cover and cook until lightly golden and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Place the potatoes on a platter and immediately smear the tops with the butter mixture, making sure it melts into the cuts. Heat the rum in a small saucepan, flambe and pour over the potatoes. Serve immediately.

RADICCHIO-GREEN MANGO SLAW

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3 green onions, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 large green mango, peeled, pitted and julienned
• 1 medium head radicchio, finely shredded
• 1/2 head Napa cabbage, finely shredded

Directions

• Whisk together the vinegar, ginger, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the canola oil until emulsified.
• Combine the green onions, mango, radicchio and cabbage in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

DARK AND STORMY

Ingredients

• 8 cups (64 ounces) very cold ginger beer
• 2 cups dark rum
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup simple syrup
• 2 limes, thinly sliced

Directions

• Take 2 cups of the ginger beer and fill an ice cube tray with it. Place in the freezer until firm.
• Combine the remaining 6 cups ginger beer, the rum, lime juice, simple syrup and sliced limes in a pitcher; cover and refrigerate until cold. Add the ice cubes just before serving in tall glasses.

Sesame Ginger Chicken

Kelsey Nixon has a great show entitled "Kelsy's Essentials".  She did a take-out show.  Here is her recipe for Sesame Ginger Chicken, one of my new favorite Chinese dishes.  Enjoy.

Ingredients
Chicken Marinade

• 2-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thights, cut into 1-inch cubes.
• 6 TB Sesame Oil
• 2-1/2 TB Sugar
• 2 TB Soy Sauce
• 1  Teas. Cracked Black Pepper

Stir-Fry

1 Cub plus 2 TB Cornstarch
Vegetable Oil (for dutch oven)
2 TB minced Garlic
1 TB mined Ginger
4 TB Chinese Shoaxing Rice Wine
2 TB Hoisin Sauce
2 TB Oyster Sauce
2 TB Soy sauce
1-1/2 TB Honey
1 TB Sambal Chili Sauce
1 TB Thai Chili Sauce
1 Lemon, zest and juice
Scallions, thinkly sliced on an angle for garnish
Rice, for serving

Procedures

For the chicken marinade: In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken with the Sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce and pepper.  Toss to coat, cover, place in the refrigerator and let sit 1 hour.
For the stir-fry: Remove the chicken from the fridge.  Add 1 cup cornstarch to a shallow baking dish and dredge each piece of chicken, shaking off any excess.
Fill a dutch oven or high-sided saute pan with enough vegetable oil to completely submerge the chicken pieces.  Heat over high heat until glossy and the temperature eaches 375 degrees F.  Deep fry the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes, adding your chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding and to keep your oil from dropping in temperature too much.  Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. 
In a large sauce pan, heat 1 TB vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and Ginger and cook until golden brown and fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Next, add the rice wine, Hoisin, Oyster sauce, Soy sauce, Honey and the Chili sauces; bring to a simmer.
In a glass measuring cup, mix the remaining 2 TB cornstarch with 1/4 cup of very cold water (make sure your water is very cold to avoid lumps), whisking until combined.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and simmer for an additional minute until the sauce thickens.  Adjust seasoning to taste. 
Add in the fried chicken and toss to coat with the sauce.  Add the Lemon zest and juice.  Garnish with toasted Sesame seeds and Scallions.  
Serve over warm rice.