Kahlúa Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds of 60% cacao chocolate
• 1 cup of butter, cut into pieces and at room temperature
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon of Kahlúa
• 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

Method

1 Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2 In a double boiler or using a bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter together.

3 With an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar and salt. Add the chocolate mixture and the vanilla extract and Kahlúa. Mix until smooth.

4 Slowly sift in the flour.

5 Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool for thirty minutes.

Chili and Honey Chicken

• 2 tablespoons chili powder (not pure chile powder)
• 1 tablespoon mild honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• chicken

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Line bottom of a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan with foil and set an oiled large metal rack in pan.

Stir together chili powder, honey, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then add chicken and turn to coat completely.

Transfer chicken to rack, arranging in 1 layer, then bake, turning over once, until cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.

Creamed Onions with Bacon and Herbs

• 3 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 9-ounce boxes frozen creamed pearl onions
• 3 tablespoons chopped assorted fresh herbs (such as parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil)

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off drippings. Heat same skillet over medium heat. Add wine; simmer 30 seconds. Add onions and cook until sauce melts and onions are heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in herbs and bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garlic dipping sauce

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Stir together all ingredients until sugar has dissolved.

Paprika Chicken with Sweet Onion

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• chicken
• 1 sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in upper third.

Mix oil with spices, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then add chicken and onion, tossing to coat. Arrange chicken, skin side up, and onion in a 3-quart shallow baking dish.

Bake until chicken is just cooked through and skin is golden, about 30 minutes. Skim any fat from pan juices in dish.

Pork Cutlets with Smothered Parmesan Green Beans

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 to 4 large shallots, thinly sliced lengthwise (1 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped sage
• 2 (12-ounces) packages frozen frenched green beans (do not thaw)
• 4 (1/2-to 3/4-inch-thick) boneless pork cutlets or chops (1 to 1 1/4 pounds total; preferably sirloin)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides. Cook shallots and garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes.

Add wine and boil until reduced by half. Add cream, 1/2 cup water, sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and bring just to a boil. Add green beans and simmer, tightly covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and liquid is slightly thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm, covered.

Clean skillet, then heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pat pork dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then cook, turning once, until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer pork to a plate. Pour off oil in skillet. Return skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining tablespoon water, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Stir in bean mixture and meat juices from plate and heat over medium heat. Stir in parmesan.

Serve pork over green beans.

Pork Katsu

• 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 large carrots
• 2 scallions, very thinly sliced diagonally
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 2 (3 1/2-to 4-ounces) boneless center-cut pork chops
• 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Whisk together vinegar, water, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, shave as many ribbons as possible from carrots. Toss carrots and scallions with dressing.

Lightly beat egg in a shallow bowl. Combine panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper on a large plate.

Pound pork chops to 1/8 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin. Season both sides with 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper (total).

Coat with egg, letting excess drip off, then with panko, pressing to help adhere. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook chops (in batches if necessary), turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total, adding remaining tablespoon oil if necessary. Drain briefly on paper towels.

Jamaican Beef Dumplings

• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups vegetable oil, divided
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
• Hot sauce (preferably Jamaican)
• About 30 dumpling or wonton wrappers

Cook scallion, onion, curry powder, and thyme in 1 1/2 tablespoons oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in beef and bread crumbs and cook until meat is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with hot sauce. Cool.

Put a rounded teaspoon filling in center of a wrapper. Lightly brush edge of wrapper with water, then fold in half (diagonally if square) and press to seal. Form remaining dumplings.

Heat 1 inch oil to 350°F in a 12-inch skillet. Fry dumplings in 3 batches, turning once or twice, until golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch.

Tortilla Crusted Chicken

• 8 ounces lightly salted corn tortilla chips
• 4 teaspoons chili powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large egg
• chicken breasts
  

• Accompaniment: lime wedges

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Oil a large 4-sided sheet pan.

Pulse chips, 2 teaspoons chili powder, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until coarsely ground, then transfer to a shallow dish.

Whisk egg and remaining 2 teaspoon chili powder in a bowl.

Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dip chicken in egg, letting excess drip off, then coat with crumbs, pressing to help them adhere. Transfer to sheet pan.

Bake, without turning, until cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes.

Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice or long-grain white rice (10 to 11 ounces)
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1 8-ounce package stringless sugar snap peas

Cook rice according to package directions. Cover to keep warm; set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk juice, soy sauce, and cornstarch in medium bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Mix in orange peel.

Heat oil in large wok or nonstick skillet over high heat. Add onion and crushed red pepper. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to wok and stir-fry until onion is crisp-tender and chicken is just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and juice mixture. Toss until sauce thickens and comes to boil and peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice.

Chipotle Pork Cheeseburger

• 1 pound ground pork (not lean)
• 2 teaspoons minced chipotle in adobo plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
• 4 slices Muenster cheese
• 4 hamburger buns, toasted
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 large tomatillo (1/4 pound), husked and rinsed, then sliced
• 1/2 cup cilantro sprigs

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat; see Grilling Procedure .

Gently mix pork, chipotle, garlic, and a scant teaspoon salt until just combined. Form into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties.

Oil grill rack, then grill patties, covered, 4 minutes.

Flip patties and top with a slice of cheese. Grill, covered, until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Spread buns with mayonnaise and assemble burgers with cilantro and tomatillo.

Lemony Potato Salad

• 3 pounds small boiling potatoes
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Cover potatoes with water in a large pot and season well with salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, 12 to 20 minutes.

While potatoes cook, stir together mayonnaise, chives, lemon zest and juice, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Drain potatoes and cool completely, then halve or quarter. Add to dressing and toss to coat.