Recipes by their Ingredients

long grained white rice

  • Burrito, West Coast Mission Style

    Burrito West Coast Mission Style
    Burrito, West Coast Mission Style
    (Serves 2)

    1 lb Skirt steak (or Flank steak)
    4 slices Monterey Jack Cheese
    ½ cup refried or whole beans
    ½ cup Mexican rice, long grain
    ¼ cup cilantro, minced (optional)
    ⅓ cup yellow onions, diced small (optional)
    ⅓ cup salsa, your favorite brand or home-made (optional)
    1 avocado, mashed (optional)
    1/3 cup sour cream, whipped (optional)
    2 - 12 inch flour tortillas

    NOTES: Much of the time, your not getting that authentic bean flavor in the refried beans because the beans are cooked down with lard, ancho chili powder, garlic and onions!
     

    Have your beans and rice already made, seasoned and warm. For Mexican style rice, you can cook the rice in chicken stock and add in ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder and a tsp of tomato paste. Optionally you can add chili powder and cumin.

    Mise en place, have all your cheese, salsa, onions, cilantro, etc prepared and ready for the final wrap.

    Sprinkle the steak with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. For authentic flavor, grill the steak for 3-4 minutes each side (depending on how thick it is) and let it rest for 5 minutes.

    You don't want your tortilla crunchy before you roll it! If you are unable to steam your tortillas, the next best way is to warm them up slowly on a flat top, (in a pinch use your oven set at 300°F., no need to flip add cheese right away) once both sides are warm and the tortillas is much more flexible. If you're using cheese, add it now, both slices next to each other in the center so it fully or partially melts (since the heat of the rest of the ingredients will melt it the rest of the way. Remove from heat. (I have seen Mission burrito makers put the final rolled burrito on a flat top, but you better be really good burrito roller for your ingredients not to come spilling out!)

    Lay out the tortilla and place beans on top of cheese covering only the bottom third of the tortilla, (drain liquid if they are whole beans). Now add the rice on top, evenly across the entire layer of beans.
    Chop the steak (or chicken) into bite size pieces about ¼ inch, add to the top of the rice.
    Add any extras in on top of the meat like cilantro, onions, salsa or some extra shredded cheese. You see we are sandwiching the ingredients that we don't mind hot and the last ones are chilled and on the outer edge once we wrap it. Top it off with sour cream and guacamole if you are using it.

    The Roll (Here's a 23 second video on YouTube from Thrillist.)
    Pull the two sides up, half folding in, while maintaining those sides with bottom three fingers, now use your thumb and fore finger on each side and grab the bottom of the tortilla, pulling it over the ingredients, while tucking in the side and finish the roll by tucking it all in evenly in one swift movement.
    Place on top of some aluminum foil wrap and wrap up closing the bottom off from any drips and the top you peel away the foil to eat a few bites at a time. Always leave the foil on the lower portion to keep the structure of the burrito intact until it's time to peel away the foil and eat the next bite burrito! Enjoy!

  • Gumbo, Shrimp and Sausage

    Gumbo, Shrimp & Sausage
    Gumbo, Shrimp & Sausage
    (Serves 4)


    1/4 cup vegetable oil
    1 pound Andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices (or smoked sausage)
    1/3 cup all-purpose flour
    5 tablespoons butter

    The Holy Trinity
    1 large onion, chopped fine
    1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
    3 stalks celery, chopped fine

    4 cloves garlic minced
    1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
    salt, to taste
    pepper, to taste
    Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, to taste
    1/4 bunch flat leaf (Italian) parsley, coarsely chopped (plus chopped leaves for garnish)
    2 tsp gumbo file
    4 cups chicken stock
    1/2 can (3 oz) of hunts tomato paste
    1 lb sliced okra
    1 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined [36/40]
    1 can (10oz) or more good quality crab meat w/juice
    2-4 green onions diced
    long grained white rice, cooked, optional


    NOTES: Gumbo File (1 tblsp), a Roux (flour and butter or oil or pork fat) and/or okra, will all thicken the gumbo on their own, so you can use one of these in this recipe and adjust the other accordingly. Remember that the darker the roux, the longer it will take to thicken a liquid. Also, it doesn't matter if your using fresh or frozen okra, as long as you cook it 30 minutes or more the 'sliminess' will be gone. Personally I added a tsp of each spice listed, to taste. You can remove the crab from this recipe or you can add more, adjust your thickening agent accordingly! The holy trinity is the Cajun and Louisiana Creole variant of mirepoix; traditional mirepoix is two parts onions, one part carrots, and one part celery, whereas the holy trinity is typically one or two parts onions, one part green bell pepper, and one part celery.
     

    Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until browned on both sides and remove.
    Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the oil and then add in the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes.
    Do not go too brown and burn the roux if your using butter.

    Lower the heat to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter.
    Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery and cook for 10 minutes.

    Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the parsley (except the garnish parsley). Cook for 10 minutes, stir frequently.

    Add the 4 cups chicken stock while whisking. Add the sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

    Add the tomato paste and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes. Just before serving, add the green onions and chopped parsley.