Carne Asada Recipe

Servings: 6 people

Ingredients 

• 2 pounds skirt steak trimmed of excess fat (recipe note #2)

Carne Asada Marinade

• 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
• juice of 1 orange
• juice of 1 lime
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large glass baking dish whisk together Carne Asada marinade ingredients (jalapeño through black pepper) until combined. Add skirt steak in a single layer, turning to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 8 hours (longer will begin to break down the meat – recipe note #3).
2. When you're ready to grill: preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Grill steaks for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once for medium-rare. Remove steaks and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
3. Slice thinly across the grain and serve.

Notes

1. To make this version, we started with a recipe from Tyler Florence and switched it up to make it our own: swapping in apple cider vinegar, reducing the oil a bit and adding a third citrus flavor (lemon) and some cumin. Adding lemon juice to the mix happened by chance. I’d just finished a batch of homemade tonic water which left us with a slew of lemons, limes and oranges, flesh and juice intact, sans zest. And I love the citrus trifecta – now I may always use making tonic water as an excuse to make Carne Asada!
2. Ask your butcher or grocery meat counter for ‘outside skirt steak’ for the most flavorful and juicy results.
3. Note that the longer you marinate the skirt steak, the more tender and flavorful it will be come. But be sure to grill it within 8 hours to maintain the texture of the meat.

From: https://pinchandswirl.com/carne-asada-recipe/

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (8 Tbsp), softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 medium/large bananas, (very ripe), about 1 3/4 cups mashed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided, or mini chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Butter and flour a bread loaf pan (9.25"L x 5.25"W x 2.75"D)
2. Cream Butter and Sugar – In a mixing bowl using paddle attachment, cream together 1/2 cup softened butter and 2/3 cup sugar. Add 2 lightly beaten eggs.
3. Mash bananas with a fork until consistency of chunky applesauce and add them to the mixing bowl along with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix until blended. 
4. Whisk together dry ingredients in a separate bowl: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Add to the mixing bowl and mix until incorporated. 
5. Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips then transfer to prepared bread pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate over the top and bake at 350˚F for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let banana bread rest 10 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool. 

From: https://natashaskitchen.com/chocolate-chip-banana-bread/

Copycat Raising Canes chicken tenders

Ingredients
Chicken Tenders

• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lb. chicken tenders
• 2 1/2 cups (300 g.) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• Vegetable oil, for frying (4 to 6 cups)

Cane's Sauce (from CJ Eats recipes)

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, finely cracked
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions
Chicken Tenders

1. In a large bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, 2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
2. In a large shallow bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, a few grinds of pepper, and remaining 3 tsp. salt.
3. Into a large, heavy pot fitted with a deep-fry or candy thermometer, pour oil to a depth of 2". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°.
4. Working one at a time, remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Toss in flour mixture until coated. Dip into marinade again, then toss in flour mixture once more. Arrange on a baking sheet.
5. Working in batches and adjusting heat to maintain oil temperature, fry chicken, turning occasionally, until deeply golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165°, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
6. If chicken is not fully cooked in fryer, bake at 400deg for 15 min (~10min in convection oven).

Cane's Sauce
Mix everything. Refrigerate

Chicken recipe from: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a64644428/copycat-raising-canes-chicken-and-sauce-recipe/

Sauce recipe from: https://cjeatsrecipes.com/raising-canes-sauce-copycat/

Garlic Confit Recipe

Ingredients

• 10 heads of garlic cloves peeled, around 2 3/4 cups (I highly suggest buying pre-peeled garlic)
• 8-10 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
• 2 small bay leaves
• 2 ½ cups pure olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Instructions

1. To a medium-large sized saucepan/pot add all the ingredients and over on low (do not boil) for around 30 minutes or until garlic is perfectly buttery and creamy.
2. Use a slotted spoon to transfer
3. the garlic to a large jar and store for up to 3 weeks in the fridge.

Based on: https://www.foodbymaria.com/garlic-confit-recipe/

Japanese Beef Curry (or any meat of your choice)

Yield: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2 inch chunks
• 1.5 onion, chopped
• 2 potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 2-3 carrots, cut into large chunks
• 4oz box curry roux
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp apricot jam or preserve
• 2-3 Tbsp oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Season beef chunks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add beef chunks and sear till they get a brown color all over. Plate them out. Do not overcrowd, cook in batches if necessary.
2. In the same pot, sauté chopped onions till golden brown. Add in garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Add in potatoes and carrots, along with beef chunks and mix well. Stir in 3.5 to 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook till meat is tender.
4. Add in curry roux and stir till it dissolves. Add in ketchup, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce and apricot jam. Cook for 10-15 additional minutes.

From: https://gypsyplate.com/japanese-beef-curry/

Garam Masala Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup (35 grams) coriander seeds (daniya)
• ¼ cup (30 grams) cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 tablespoons (17 grams) green cardamoms (elaichi)
• 2 tablespoons (12 grams) cloves (laung)
• 1 tablespoon (9 to 10 grams) black pepper corn (kali mirch)
• 8 grams (8 pieces) cinnamon (∼ 3 inch each, use Ceylon cinnamon, cut down to half to use cassia)
• 4 medium (1 gram) dried bay leaves (tej patta)
• 3 (4 grams) star anise (chakri phool, helps in digestion)
• 1 tablespoon (8 grams) fennel seeds (saunf, avoids acidity)
• ½ small (2 grams) nutmeg ( jaiphal, helps in digestion)
• 3 to 4 (3 to 4 grams) black cardamoms ( badi elaichi, for flavor, refer notes)
• 3 strands mace (javitri/japatri, for flavor)

Preparation
Roast Spices

1. A word of caution- do not toast the spices on high heat or burn them. Heat a pan & add cardamoms, bay leaf, star anise, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cloves and pepper.
2. Roast them on a low heat without burning until they begin to smell good & turn crunchy. Transfer to a large tray/plate.
3. Add coriander seeds and roast on a low heat until they turn slightly deep golden or light brown but not burnt. They smell good & turncrunchy when they are ready. Transfer this as well to the plate.
4. Add fennel seeds & dry roast until aromatic. They don't need to be toasted for long. Transfer these to the same cooling tray. Add cumin &repeat roasting until cumin begins to smell good & the color changes slightly deeper but not burnt.
5. Transfer to the same plate and cool completely.

Grind

1. Add all these spices to a spice grinder jar. Grind to a fine powder, in intervals of 40 to 60 seconds.
2. If you do not own a powerful grinder, sieve the garam masala and powder the coarse spices again. If you have a small grinder, grind in 2batches.
3. Store this garam masala powder in an air tight dry glass jar.

From: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/punjabi-garam-masala-powder-recipe/

Palak Paneer Recipe

Ingredients

• 150 grams (1¼ cups) paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
• 3½ to 4 cups (100 to 120 grams) palak (spinach)
• 2 tablespoons oil (or half oil & half butter)
• 2 green chilies (deseeded) (less spicy kind)
• ¾ cup (90 grams, 1 small) onions (fine chopped)
• ½ cup (1 small) tomatoes (deseeded & chopped or pureed)
• ¾ teaspoon ginger garlic paste (read notes for substitute)
• ½ teaspoon salt (use as per your taste)
• 8 to 10 cashew nuts (read notes for substitutes)
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) (skip if you don't  have)
• ¼ cup water to blend spinach
• ¾ cup water to cook the gravy
• 3 tablespoons cream (can sub w/evaporated milk) (optional)
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera) (optional)

Whole spices

• 2 green cardamoms (elaichi) (optional)
• 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini) (optional)
• 2 cloves (laung) (optional)

Instructions
Preparing the Spinach

1. Pluck only the young & tender spinach leaves and discard the stems as they may leave a bitter taste. If using baby spinach you can use the stems as well.
2. Heat half tablespoon oil in a pan. Saute green chilies, cashews and spinach for 3 to 4 mins until the leaves wilt off thoroughly & raw smell of spinach has gone away. OR another option is to blanch the palak in 4 cups of hot water with ¼ tsp salt for 2 mins. Then immerse in ice cold water. Drain completely.
3. Cool this completely. Blend this along with water to a smooth puree. The puree should be smooth and thick. You may add 1 to 2 tbsps more water to help in blending.

Cooking

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and half tablespoon oil to the same pan, Once they melt, add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds.
2. When the spices begin to sizzle, add onions and fry till they turn transparent to golden.
3. Next saute ginger garlic paste for 1 to 2 minutes or until you begin to smell it nice.
4. Then add tomatoes with salt. Saute until they break down and turn mushy.
5. Add garam masala & saute until the masala smells good. This maytake 2 mins. (for a smoother curry refer notes)
6. Pour water and cook covered until onions are completely soft. There should be some water left in the pan. (for consistency check video)
7. Lower the flame, add kasuri methi and pureed spinach. Mix well and cook until it begins to bubble for about 2 to 3 mins. If the curry is too thick you may add a few tbsps of hot water.
8. Avoid overcooking. Add paneer & mix well. Turn off and remove to aserving bowl. Optionally garnish with cream.
9. Serve palak paneer with naan

From: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/palak-paneer-recipe-easy-paneer-recipes-step-by-step-pics/