BJGOURMET's MARINADES & MEXICAN RECIPES !





MARINADES

BJGOURMET's CHINESE ROAST PORKLOIN
EXCELLENT MARINADE FOR MEAT
SECRET MARINADE RECIPE
TERIYAKI MERINADE
VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS MARINADE

MEXICAN


BJ's FLAKY MEXICALI MEAT TURNOVERS
BJ's MEXICAN CAVIAR
BJGOURMET's PICO DE GALLO SALSA
EASY TACO CASSEROLE
EL POLLO LOCO
MEXICAN CHICKEN MOLE'
MEXICAN CONFETTI RICE
PACE PICANTE SAUCE
SPANISH RICE
TACO BELL MEAT
TOMATILLO SAUCE





BJGOURMET's CHINESE ROAST PORKLOIN
This is how I cook my pork to use as an ingredient in my "Chinese Fried Rice", or to serve as either a main dish or appetizer. Trim and discard all visible fat and silverskin before proceeding with this recipe.
Yields: about 2 lbs
one 2-lb whole pork tenderloin, well trimmed
1/2 c water or chicken stock
1/4 c light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
2 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry or Japanese sake
1 tbsp yellow miso (see note below)
2 tsp crushed fresh garlic
1/4 tsp red food coloring
Place the porkloin in a large ziploc freezer bag.
In a small bowl, stir together the rest of the ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into the ziploc bag; remove as much air as possible and seal shut. Refrigerate from 6 to 36 hours (I prefer the longer marinade time).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove porkloin from the marinade (discard remaining marinade); place on wire rack in a shallow baking pan. Insert meat thermometer. Roast about 1 hour or until the internal meat temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to rest on the wire rack for 15 minutes before removing thermometer.
To serve as a main course, cut the porkloin into 1/4" slices.
To serve as a Chinese appetizer, cut into 1/4" slices; arrange on platter with separate small bowls of Chinese hot mustard and untoasted sesame seeds. Enjoy it by first dipping a slice into the mustard, then into the sesame seeds.
For "Chinese Pork Fried Rice": Cut the cooked tenderloin into 1/4" slices, stack and cut those into 1/2" julienne, then cut those into 1/2" pieces. Prepare your usual "Chinese Fried Rice". As the last step before serving, fold in the prepared porkloin.
NOTE: Miso (pronounced "MEE-soh") is a Japanese fermented soy bean paste (resembling peanut butter). Commonly available in three varieties, white, yellow and brown (brown having a higher salt content), it can be purchased in Asian markets and grocers; look for it in the refrigerator case. Miso is an essential ingredient in this recipe.





EXCELLENT MARINADE FOR MEAT
I am so pleased to send this to you all. This happens to be a recipe developed years ago by our Foodtalk friend, JLO248, and she suggested that I pass it along to all of you. I'm here to tell ya, this marinade is superb! I made this many times, marinated rib-eye steaks overnight, then broiled; outstanding!
Use this marinade for steaks; or filet mignon (cut into 1" to 1-1/2" thick steaks); or London broil, or flank steak:
Recipe:
1 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 c Kikkoman's soy sauce
1 c "Harvey's Bristol Cream" sherry
4-5 tbsp honey
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
(Do not add salt.) Stir ingredients together in a medium bowl. Place the meat in a non-reactive glass, plastic, or stainless steel container. Pour on the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Next day, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat your outdoor grill or oven broiler; use tongs to remove meat from the marinade, then cook according to your own preferred doneness. You can brush on additional marinade during the cooking process. Then discard any remaining marinade.
{{{{{ JLO }}}}}, thanks for sharing this with us all!





SECRET RECIPE MARINADE
Here's a recipe we've enjoyed since 1975. It comes from a restaurant in the Midwest famous for their delicious steaks. Devoted customers would drive a couple hours to stand in line for a table.
1 c Kikkoman soy sauce
2 large yellow onions, peeled and quartered
2 or more cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 c Kitchen Bouquet liquid seasoning
   2 tsp Beau Monde seasoning
Mix soy sauce, onion and garlic in covered electric blender for 1 minute. Add seasonings and blend for another minute.
Place meat and marinade in a large ziploc plastic bag, seal and allow to marinate for 1-2 hours (maximum) refrigerated. Excellent for steaks, chops, or flank steak; grilled or broiled.
Discard leftover marinade.





TERIYAKI MARINADE
This is particularly good with flank steak. Place in ziploc bag with the marinade, refrigerate about 1-2 hrs. Drain, place on wire rack in oven pan then broil 8-10 minutes each side. Slice very thinly on a diagonal.
1 c Kikkoman soy sauce
1/4 c clover honey
1/4 c dry sherry
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
Stir all ingredients together until honey is dissolved. Excellent for beef, chicken, pork or shrimp. Proceed with grilling, barbequeing or broiling.
Once you've marinated uncooked meat in the mixture, discard remaining marinade to avoid risk of salmonella contamination.





VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS MARINADE
Lemongrass stalks are sold in bundles in Asian markets. Not only does it lend a great flavor in marinades, but used by itself makes a wonderful hot tea.
Lemongrass stalks are quite tough to cut with a knife (and too fibrous to leave in large chunks; you'd need to strain it out before serving). Here's how I prepare the lemongrass. Trim and discard the roots. Use a vegetable peeler (I prefer the "OXO" brand) to "whittle" the stalks into thin partial slices. Do this over a large bowl so you catch all the pieces. You'll be able to use almost the entire stalk. I whittle the entire bunch, then place in a freezer ziploc bag and freeze until needed.
Prepared like this, you won't need to strain your sauces or marinades.
Now, here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
1/4 c prepared lemongrass
6 strips fresh lemon zest (optional)
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 - 3 shallots, minced
2 serrano or jalapeno chilies, minced
2 tsp light brown sugar, or to taste
3 tbsp Asian fish sauce ("nam pla")
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp Vietnamese or Thai hot sauce (or Tabasco Sauce)
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Add sliced boneless chicken or thinly sliced beef. Toss; place in a ziploc bag and refrigerate for about 2 hours, turning occasionally.
Prepare your outdoor grill so the coals are white-hot. Remove meat from the marinade and grill until done. Discard leftover marinade.
Serve with jasmine or basmati rice, or fried rice, and a fresh salad.
Finger-lickin' good!!







BJ's FLAKY MEXICALI MEAT TURNOVERS
1 pkg Pepperidge Farms Frozen Puff Pastry sheets, thawed and at room temperature
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 c diced yellow onion
1-1/2 lb lean ground chuck
2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1-1/2 c finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat skillet on medium-high temperature. Add oil, then the meat and onion; sauté and finely crumble the meat until browned. Place in a wire mesh colander and drain, pressing with the back of a spoon.
Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano and cumin.
Unfold both sheets of puff pastry, place separately on work surface (do not flour). Use a pizza cutter to cut each sheet into 4 even squares. Place 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the center of each of the 8 pastry squares. Top each with a heaping tablespoon of grated cheese. Moisten two edges of each square, and fold over triangle-style; use a fork to firmly crimp the moistened edges together; cut three small slits in the top of each. Place 1" apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes until nicely puffed and golden brown. Cool on the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes (they're very hot inside). Serves 8.





BJ's MEXICAN CAVIAR
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp Tabasco Sauce (or to taste)
two 16-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained in colander
two 11-oz cans "Mexican-Style" corn, drained
1/2 c sliced green onions
1 large ripe red tomato, diced
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
In a large bowl mix together the oil, vinegar, salt and Tabasco; set aside.
In a small bowl, gently toss the avocado with the lemon juice; set aside.
Place the drained beans, corn and onion into the large bowl containing the dressing; toss to coat. Marinate at least 3 hous, but no more than 6 hours. Just before serving, stir in the tomato and avocado.
Serve with lots of tortilla chips for scooping. This can be served as a salad, appetizer or side dish.





BJGOURMET's PICO DE GALLO SALSA
Here's one of our favorites to enjoy as a dip with tortilla chips or as a condiment served with burritos and enchiladas. Its fast and easy to make.
2 large fresh roma tomatoes
1/4 of a yellow onion
2 tsp dried cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 of a fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds removed (see note)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Place everything except the salt in food processor and pulse until you have the desired consistency. Transfer the salsa to a small serving dish and stir in the salt. Allow the salsa to sit at room temperature about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend (that's enough time to run to the store for the chips!) Makes about 1-1/2 cups (just enough for one person, heheh!)
Recipe can be doubled easily; and you can substitute fresh cilantro (to taste) if you have it on hand. I make this salsa in a small hand-cranked food processor called a "Swift Chopper"; about 8 turns of the handle and its done.
Note: If you prefer your salsa really hot, heheh, then include the jalapeno seeds.





EASY TACO CASSEROLE
Here's another of our favorites. I double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan.
1 lb ground chuck
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 c mayonnaise
2 tsp chili powder
2 c crushed corn chips
1 c (4 oz) shredded Colby or Cheddar cheese
1 c (4 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium fresh tomato, diced
2 c shredded lettuce
1 c sliced black olives for garnish
1 c sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the meat and diced onion in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring and crumbling until meat is brown. Drain off excess fat. Remove from heat and stir in salsa, mayonnaise, and chili powder.
Spoon half the meat mixture into a 2-quart baking dish and spread evenly. Top with half the chips and half the shredded cheese. Repeat with the remaining meat, chips and cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
Just before serving, top with the diced tomato, shredded lettuce, olives and a spoonfuls of sour cream. Serve with either soft flour tortillas or crisp tortilla chips.
Very good served with "Mexican Confetti Rice".





EL POLLO LOCO
2 c water
4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 tsp yellow food coloring
1 whole frying chicken with skin on, split in half down the breast bone
In electric blender, combine the water, salt, pepper, garlic and food coloring. Blend on high speed for 15 seconds.
Marinate the chicken in the liquid in a bowl or glass pan for 45 minutes. Turn and marinate for 30 minutes more.
Preheat either a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. If using charcoal, have the pan of charcoal at the lowest position (about 8-10" from the grill rack).
Remove chicken and discard marinade. Cook the chicken on the covered grill for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning every 10-15 minutes using tongs, until the skin is golden brown and crispy, and the chicken juices are clear. Serve with the following salsa poured over the chicken.
EL POLLO LOCO SALSA
2 large fresh tomatoes, in chunks
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, stemmed
1/2 tsp salt
Chop the tomatoes and jalapenos together until they have the consistency of a course puree. You can use a food processor, but stop when the mixture is still quite course. There will be a lot of liquid, which you want to use as well. Pour everything into a medium bowl.
Add the salt and stir. Pour the salsa into a covered container and let it sit for several hours to allow the flavors to develop (overnight is best).





MEXICAN CHICKEN MOLE'
Its pronounced "Moh-lay", LOL This is a traditional dish in Mexico.
one 3-lb chicken, cut up
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 c finely diced yellow onion
1/2 c finely diced green bell pepper
1 large clove garlic, crushed
16 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 c chicken broth
2 tsp sugar
1/2 oz square of Hershey's unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
dash ground cloves
dash Tabasco Sauce
Heat the oil in a large skillet; brown the chicken on all sides for 15 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, add all the rest of the ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the browned chicken pieces; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook another 45 minutes or until chicken is fork tender. Serve with rice and warm tortillas.
Recipe can easily be doubled.





MEXICAN CONFETTI RICE
4 tbsp real butter
1 c diced green bell pepper
1 c diced red bell pepper
1 c diced yellow onion
4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
2 c uncooked Basmati rice
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
4 cups hot water
4 tsp chicken stock granules
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp parsley or cilantro, crumbled (fresh or dried)
Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced peppers, onion, garlic, rice, oregano and cumin. Saute and stir constantly until the rice looks well-glazed and is slightly golden.
Add the hot water, chicken stock granules, salt and parsley or cilantro; bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer tightly covered 20 minutes; do NOT peek or stir. Remove the lid, stir very gently, and set lid ajar to allow the rice to fluff for 5 minutes.
      A few notes about Basmati rice:
If you've never eaten Basmati rice, you're in for a treat! Its considered one of the most exotic of rice grains. It requires special attention to bring out its wonderful fragrance to the fullest. Its also a delicate rice and must always be handled gently during cooking.
The best is grown on the slopes of the Himalaya Mountains. After harvesting, the Basmati is stored and allowed to age about 6 months before shipping to retail markets around the world. Most Basmati is packaged in zippered burlap bags, and costs slightly more than other rice varieties. But, its worth every penny.
Basmati is a favorite in pilaf recipes. It also transforms somewhat differently when cooked; other varieties of rice grains absorb liquid and become plumper in diameter; Basmati, instead, becomes longer. You'll notice, too, that Basmati has a delightful, somewhat nuttier flavor.





PACE PICANTE SAUCE
28 oz canned tomato sauce
28 oz can of water
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
2 fresh jalapeño pepper, with seeds, minced
  1/4 c white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. When cool, place in a quart-size glass jar, seal and store refrigerated.





SPANISH RICE
3 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
8 stalks celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
three 16-oz cans diced tomatoes (juice and all)
8-10 c cooked rice (I prefer jasmine)
Preheat the oil in deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in the oil until tender. Lower the heat if necessary so the garlic doesn't burn.
Add all the seasonings and the cans of diced tomatoes. Lower the heat and cook an additional 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in the cooked rice; its ready to serve.





TACO BELL MEAT
This recipe will exactly duplicate the meat and seasonings as you enjoy them at Taco Bell. Thanks go to author and food sleuth Todd Wilbur and his TopSecretRecipes website!
1 lb lean ground chuck
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder
dash garlic powder
1/2 c water
12 taco shells
2 c shredded lettuce
1 c shredded Cheddar cheese
In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, flour, chili powder, salt, dried minced onion, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Use your hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients into the meat.
Place the meat mixture and the water in a skillet over medium heat. Mix well using a wire potato masher to break-up the meat as it cooks. The finished product should be very smooth, somewhat pasty with no large chunks of beef remaining.
Heat the taco shells in a 375 degree oven for about 5 minutes.
Build each taco by spooning 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meat into a warm shell. Spread some of the lettuce over the meat and then sprinkle some of the cheese on top. Makes 12 tacos.
Serve with the following recipes for "Pace Picante Sauce" and "Tomatillo Sauce".





TOMATILLO SAUCE
Ever wondered how to make the delicious green sauce served at Mexican restaurants?
Tomatillos resemble small green tomatoes with a thin paper husk.
1-1/4 lbs fresh tomatillos, husks removed
    2/3 c chicken broth
2/3 c chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 c chopped green onion tops
1 large fresh jalapeño, stem removed
juice of 1 fresh lime
salt and black pepper
Cook tomatillos in a pot of boiling water to cover until soft but still whole; about 4 minutes. Drain; place tomatillos in food processor or blender. Add the chicken broth, cilantro, green onion tops and the jalapeño; pureé. Transfer to a bowl; season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour into a glass or plastic covered container and store refrigerated. Makes about 2-3/4 cups.



BJGOURMET's Middle Eastern, Salads, Thai & Vietnamese Recipes !



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