Let’s see a lot of people.  Need good food.  Drink Cigars.  What should I make?

AHA…..yes!!!!!!!!  Need to get to Fairway Market.  38 degrees a little breezy, grab my Liga Privada.. Flying Pig… Take a walk to Fairway.  60 blocks, just enough to finish the cigar (with my coffee in the thermos of course)

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

-       2 Pork Butts about 10lbs each.

-       BRINE / MARINADE

• Garlic (A lot)
• 2 liters Black Currant Soda.
• Kaffir Lime Leaves
• 2 Apples
• Serrano Peppers
• Red Onion
• Cilantro
• Green Peppers
• Dry Chiles (I Anjo)
• Kosher Salt
• Pepper
• Herbs de Provence
• Sugar
• 1 Liter Apple Cider Vinegar
• Juniper Berries
• 2 Limes

-       Poke slots in the Butts.  Slide in garlic cloves (as much as you want). I did about 5 cloves each piece.

-       I use a deep Tupperware to marinate the meat.  Place the meat inside. Skin side up.  Cover (I mean cover) with Kosher Salt.  Now you can add Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste.  Next Herbs de Provence, Juniper Berries, Sugar.

-       After that everything else goes in. Be sure that you have enough liquid to cover the meat. I use water after the soda and vinegar.

-       The most important thing is that you place it in a cold spot (refrigerator). It is wintertime here. I am using the terrace.

-       I like to leave it in for at least 24 hours.  If longer, add Ice to keep the temperature down.  But it is 38 degrees cloudy going down to low 20s.  Better than my fridge that is packed (LOL)!!!!!!

-       NOTE- PREHEAT THE OVEN AT 225 15 minutes prior to cooking

-       24 HOURS LATER – TIME TO COOK

-       Pull the pieces out of the marinade. In a pan, no oil needed.

-       Distribute all of the solid items from the marinade / brine into the pan.

-       DATS IT!!!!!!!!!!

-       I play it safe and add two cups of the marinade into the pan.  It helps to keep the butt moist until the fat starts to melt.

-       Remember this is going to take a while. I do one hour per pound.  10 lbs. = 10 hours.

-       TURN THE MARINADE TO SOME BBQ SAUCE

• Place in a separate pan.
• Let simmer low and concentrate.
• I add two cans of diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of Hoisin and Oyster Sauce
• Lemon Soda
• Two table spoons of brown sugar.
• Honey
• Cumin
• It is going to cook on low eat for at least two hours.  Stir constantly. Check for taste. Adjust to your liking.   When its done, strain and cool. Use it to coat the meat when it is done.
  • I use a blender some time to smooth out the sauce. Also does not hurt to add a little butter for texture.

-       TO SERVE:

-       Separate the skin from the meat. Pull it off. Should fall off the bone.

-       Grab some Bread.  I am using Challah Buns (lightly toasted)

-       Also have some coleslaw (yeah I made it)!

HOPE YOU ENJOY

It was one of those rare days in Miami where the temperature was below 60 degrees and you almost needed to turn the heat on!

I decided to make breakfast and invite some friends over. So as always “What’s in da Fridge”…

You know since I ever thought about cooking, I always loved Eggs. I have some fond memories of Eggs, like My Uncle Jones making Eggs for me at the Air Force base and one of his workers teaching me how to do omelets …Than I can remember 1st time in Europe, having a slice of Torta from a café because it was one of the rare things I could afford.

So let’s make some food for our friends.

I found the following in “da Fridge”:

- Eggs and Egg Beaters
- Linguica
- Green Onions / Scallions
- Poblano Pepper
- Cubanelle Peper
- Yellow Onion
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Chinese Five Spice
- Paprika
- Sage
- Oregano
- Dried Anjo Chile Powder
- Lettuce
- Cucumber

This breakfast is dedicated to mi Amigo….Grandissimo….Rafa Caballero….I miss you my Brother…. Sempre te quiero!!!

So watch the Video and see how they were prepared.

- 1 pack of Linguini imported from Italy (Barilla or DeCecco)
- 5 medium-sized vine tomatoes or 7 small vine tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves
- 5 miniature spanish white onions
- 1 1/2 fresh Mozarella di Buffalo imported from Italy
- Romano, Pecorino or Parmigiano Grated Cheese
- Salt
- Dry hot pepper
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil imported from Italy
- 1-2 leaves of Fresh Basil

Preparation:

Chop oinions in small pieces and slice each garlic cloves in 3-4 pieces. Simmer in the olive oil over high heat until garlic and oinions are about to become sligthly golden. Chop tomatoes in 4 and add to pan when garlic and oinions are slightly golden. Add salt and lower the heat to low. Add fresh basil.

Bring water to boil in a large pot with salt. Boil pasta until it is a bit less cooked than ‘al dente’. Drain pasta. Place back in pot, add olive oil and hot pepper.

When sauce is ready, add to pasta. Slice mozzarella into small pieces and add to pasta so that it melts in the pasta. Add Pecorino, Romano or Parmigiano cheese to pasta and toss.

Pasta is ready to serve. More Parmigiano, Pecorino or Romano can be added according to taste.

Hello Guys…how are you?!

Well this is another favorite dish of mine!!!

Ingredients:

- Ox Tongue;
- Onions;
- Carrots;
- Potatos;
- Tomatos:
- Garlic;
- Fresh Parsley;
- Salt;
- Crushed Red Pepper;
- One Tablet of Knorr “Meat”
- 2 oz. of Red Wine.
- Olive Oil.

Preparation:

First you get the Ox Tongue and a pressure cooker add water a little bit of salt….let it boil till the tongue is well very well cooked….then take the skin out out the tongue cut in slices and put aside. Now on another pan add olive oil the onions, garlic, the knorr tablet and the red wine let it fry for a little bit till gets a little brown…..add the tomatos let it melt add the carrots and the potatos….let it fry for a little bit….add water let the carrots and the potatos get cooked and then add the ox tongue…….and the fresh parsley. Cover and lower the heat and let it cook for another 15 minutes.
Done!!!!!!!!
Enjoy it!!!!!!

Well this one of my favorite dishes…..this taste so good!!! I love Meat!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

- Oxtail;
- Tomatos;
- Carrots;
- Potatos;
- Onions;
- Garlic;
- Crushed red pepper;
- Salt;
- Olive Oil;
- Fresh Parsley.

Preparation:

Ok let’s get ready!!!

First get a nice tall pan or pot, chop the carrots, potatos, tomatos, onions, garlic and the fresh parsley….all in diferent pots…..Now add the olive oil in the pan add the onions, garlic, salt, crushed peppers and the Oxtail….let it fry…..add a little bit of water let fry and cook at the same time……when the water dry it out…add the tomatos….let fry till they melt it…..add more water, add the potatos, carrots and the fresh parsley…..lower the heat….let it boil till vegetables are well cooked….when they are ready…..make sure the table is set…..make some white rice and a nice mixed green salad.
LET”S EAT!!!!!!!!

If you like…get a nice bottle of red wine as well!!!!

Hello Guys…..Well tonight i decided to make a gnocchi bolognese style with a little touch of my imagination……believe me…taste soooooooo good!!!

Ingredients:

- One or Two packs of gnocchi or if you prefer you can make the pasta (mass) your self.
- One Whole Onion;
- Garlic;
- Tomatos;
- Tomato Paste;
- Basil;
- Salt;
- Red Crushed Pepper;
- Bacon;
- Ground Meat;
- Olive Oil.

Preparation:

First you will make the sauce…..chop the onions, garlic, tomatos and on a pan with a little bit of olive oil and add the bacon, let it fry. Now add the ground meat, salt and crushed pepper as much as you like…let it fry a little and then add the tomato paste and a lilttle water as well. Let it cook for a while….then add fresh basil……let it sit on low heat for a while…..in the mean time you get another pot or pan heat up water with salt and oil….let it boil…when its ready throw the gnocchi in it…..when all the gnocchi are floating….IT’S READY.
Now drain the water out……put in a nice dish and add the sauce….AND DONE….LET’S EAT!!
DON’T FORGET THE PARMESAN CHEESE!!!!!!

DON’T FORGET A NICE BOTTLE OF RED WINE!!!!

While I stole this from my buddy, Wallace on www.everydayguy.tv, I wanted to give you a good basic recipe also for making fresh gnocchi

1. Boil the potatoes whole with the skin in salted water until cooked.
2. Once cooked drain the potatoes and then peel them being careful not to burn yourself.
3. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer and into a bowl.
4. Add the flour, egg and a good pinch of salt.
5. Mix until you have a nice pliable ball of dough.
6. Prepare a work area and dust it with flour.
7. Take the dough, a piece at a time, and roll it out with your hands until you have rolls about 3/4 inch in diameter.
8. Cut the tubes of dough into pieces about one inch long.
9. With a fork, holding the tines against the work surface, use your finger to press a piece of dough gently against the fork and roll it slightly then letting it fall to the table.
10. The result should be gnocchi with an indent on one side from your finger and a pattern on the other side from the fork.
11. Handle the gnocchi carefully so they don’t loose their shape. Place them on a lightly flour plates. Keep them apart so they don’t touch one another or they’ll stick together.
12. Bring a big pot of water to a boil and then add the gnocchi carefully a plate or two at a time. When they float to the surface they are ready just remove them with a slotted spoon and set them in a strainer to drain off the excess water.
13. Add more gnocchi to the water and serve the others right away

NOW YOU SHOULD BE READY!!!!!!!!!!

Remember – gnocchi is create with anything, stuffed, a little sage butter, crab meat, spinach, you can really get imaginative with them.

Dont forget the RED WINE!!!!!!!!

Hello guys…this is one great recipe and I love to eat great dishes and I love to cook sometimes. Today I decided to make a fish stew where it origins is from Bahia – Brazil, but first made by indians in a very diferent way.

Ingredients:

- Fish: Whiting or any other like white grouper, hake yellow.
- Tomatos;
- Onions;
- Potatos (not a must);
- Few Leaves of Cilantro;
- Oil Palm known as “Oleo de Dende” (in portuguese);
- Coconut Milk;
- Salt (as you like);
- Black Pepper (as you like);
- Green, Red and Yellow Peppers;
- Garlic (not a must);
- Olive Oil.

As some of you may know, I love meat and salads. Have company coming over. Need to do some more things. I am going to make an appetizer (will be in the next post) my take on an Italian Rice Cake. But for sure, Brazilians need Beans (Feijao) well at least I think (haha).

So I really don’t understand how you can do Feijao in Brazil and make it light. I mean I am trying to watch the diet but every now and than, you need some good hearty food.

Wally’s Feijao includes the follow:

- Pack of Beans (1lb) – (Soaked over night in water with Garlic, Onions, bay leaf and salt).
- Assorted Dry Herbs (that is what I can get), including oregano, bay leaf, thyme and basil.
- Fresh Cilantro
- Garlic
- One whole Onion
- One Green Pepper
- One Red Pepper
- One Serrano Pepper (wanted to go hotter but decided to leave it on the side).
- a small piece of thick cut bacon – about 3 strips.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Curry

In a large pot, go the onions and peppers that have been diced. let them “sweat” for about 2 minutes. Now remove the beans from the water and add them to the pot. I like to let everything at this point begin to “Combinate” (not a word but I am branding it – hahaha) Combination and Marination is the key to Wally’s cooking.

Add in the herbs, salt, pepper, cumin, curry.

Now I typically let everything sit on low to medium heat for at least 5 minutes. Constantly stirring, add a little more Olive Oil. Now the Beans are really seasoned. Coated with all the seasoning – they have been through the C & M process.

Add water to cover the beans. Cover. Let it stay on a low-medium heat for about 1.5 – 2 hours. You will need to constantly check the pot and add cups of water so not to burn. After the 2 hours – turn up the heat about 20% uncover and began to stir the beans while mashing some of them with something like a wooden spoon. The starch in the beans will assist in thickening the beans. The beans are almost done. – About 15 minutes of stirring and they should be ready.

Hope my friends like them!!!!!!!!!