Fish Tacos - Rubios style

RECIPE:

• Cod fillets -cut into 4-5 inch pieces
  
• 1 package of corn tortillas
• Vegetable oil for deep frying. Amount will vary depending on your fryer.
• 1 Cup all purpose flour
• 1 Cup beer. I recommend dark beer such as Guinness
• Garlic powder to taste. Start with less and add as you like.
• Black Pepper to taste. Start with less and add as you like.
• 1 Cup of Rubio’s™ White Sauce
• 3 Cups of finely shredded cabbage
• 3 medium tomatoes diced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 cup of chopped cilantro
• 2 Limes cut into wedges

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine the flour with the garlic powder and black pepper. Mix this with the beer and let it sit for a while. It’s best to let it sit at least an hour.
2. Wash the fish in water with a bit of salt or some lime juice then dry it completely.
3. Heat the vegetable oil to 375 degrees. You can check the oil temperature by dropping a 1″ cube of bread and watching for it to float. If it takes a while to float it’s not hot enough. Don’t overheat the oil or your batter will burn and the fish won’t cook.
4. Vigorously whisk the batter before dipping the fish. This will help make the batter lighter and crispier.
5. Dip the fish into the batter and immediately into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown, turning as necessary.
6. While your frying the fish, begin warming your tortillas.
7. Make up the “Pico de Gallo” in a separate bowl. Combine the tomato, onion and cilantro. Set this aside in the refrigerator.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Place a warm tortilla on your plate.
2. Place a piece of the fish on the center of the tortilla.
3. Spoon a small amount of the white sauce over the fish. Be liberal with it, but you don’t want it to drip out while you’re eating.
4. Spoon some of the “pico de gallo” over the fish.
5. Put a small handful of the cabbage on top
6. Squeeze a wedge of lime over the top

The absolute best burger ever! Hands down THE BEST BURGER ever.

The burger: Beef burger nestled between sesame bun toasted with butter and garlic, covered with American cheese, topped with Guacamole and chipotle mayo. WOW Delicious.

1/4 pound Ground Beef
Chipotle Mayo (recipe below)
Guacamole (recipe below)
Bun
American cheese (Land o Lakes if you can)

Shape burger with hands. Be careful not to over handle the meat. Lightly form it. Using your thumb make an impression in the middle on top. This is important to hold in the juices. Generously season the burger with Salt and Pepper. Grill it up! Do not push down on the burger while cooking. I know noises are great, but it will drain the juice. Melt the cheese on top.
Meanwhile - butter the roll and sprinkle garlic powder on it. Grill it face down till crispy.
Spread chipotle mayo on bottom of bun, place burger on top, place guacamole on top of burger. ENJOY!!! It is so juicy and amazing. Seriously the best ever.

Guacamole:

3 ripe avocados
1 garlic clove
1 tomato (guts squeezed out)
1/2 cup white onion
1 Lime juiced
Salt and Pepper

Combine all the ingredients and let sit in fridge for 30 minutes.

Chipotle Mayo - The new #1 condiment?

See you later ketchup!

I absolutely LOVE chipotle mayo and I am beginning to think it may be the new #1 condiment. It goes great on everything from burgers to fries, to pasta, to ham and cheese sandwiches, to meatloaf, to egg and cheese sandwiches. It is clearly the ultimate condiment.

Does anyone else feel the same way?

Quick and simple recipe:

A few Chipotle peppers and adobo sauce
Light Mayo (The chipotle masks the gross taste of light mayo)
Lime juice (half lime)
Salt and Pepper to taste

I use a Magic Bullet for this. Toss equal parts mayo and chipotle peppers and adobo sauce into bullet(bowl). Squeeze in lime juice. Add s&p to taste. **I add more chipotles for more heat. Warning they are spicy. Mix it all up and thats it. Refrigerate after making.

English Muffin pizza's - Chicago Style.

Love this classic easy to make dish. I do highly recommend making them "Chicago" style with the sauce on top. It made them 10x's better.

Recipe:
Thomas' English Muffin (the original nooks and cranny's)
Store bought pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese (grated)
Oregano
Salt and Pepper

*Feel free to add any toppings. These are great personal pies.

Toast the English muffin, spread pizza sauce on top, spread cheese on top, sprinkle oregano and salt and pepper to taste, put more sauce on top! Toast in the oven/toaster over for 5 minutes on 350 or until cheese is melted. These are simple and amazing.

Homemade Lobster Ravioli -Feb 14th, 2009

Rolling out the dough was tough especially without a roller. I used a wine bottle with wax paper taped to it. I since have purchased two rolling pins.

Lobster Ravioli with Crabmeat Cream Sauce - Recipe courtesy Lilly's Gastronomia Italiana, Boston, MA

Lobster Ravioli:

• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
• 16 ounces cooked lobster meat
• 4 ounces cooked snow crabmeat
• 2 ounces Cognac
• 2 ounces ricotta
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• Pasta dough, recipe follows
• Egg white, slightly beaten

Crabmeat Cream Sauce:

• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
• 4 ounces whole chunk Maryland crabmeat
• 2 ounces Cognac
• 5 ounces tomato sauce
• 10 ounces heavy cream
• Salt

Directions

For the Lobster Ravioli: In a large saute pan, add the butter and melt. Add the garlic and shallots and saute until golden brown. Add lobster, crab, and chives and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add Cognac and reduce for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes, until room temperature. Chop lobster mixture into small chunks. In a large bowl, combine lobster mixture and ricotta and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Lay out the first piece of pasta dough on the table and place 1/4-ounce mounds of stuffing 2 inches apart. Using a pastry brush, brush egg white around each bit of stuffing, making the dough damp not wet. Take the second piece and cover the bottom piece with the stuffing. Press around each ravioli being careful not to squeeze the stuffing out. Using a round ravioli cutter, cut each ravioli round and put on a sheet pan sprinkled with semolina. Gently place ravioli in boiling water and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente.

For the sauce: Using a 12-inch saute pan at medium heat, add butter, shallots, and saute until shallots are translucent. Add the crabmeat and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the saute pan from the burner and add Cognac then place pan back on the heat to cook off the alcohol. (Please beware: the Cognac will create a large flame.) Once the flame stops, add the tomato sauce and cream with salt and cook until it reduces half way and becomes creamy. Add the cooked ravioli to the sauce and let cook together for about 1 minute before serving. Garnish with chives.

Pasta Dough:

• 8 ounces durum flour
• 8 ounces semolina
• 1 egg
• Water, as needed
• Pinch salt

Add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl until all ingredients are blended. Place mixture on countertop and knead until the texture is smooth and well mixed. Separate the pasta dough into 2 equal pieces and put one piece aside. Flour the first piece, just enough to prevent sticking and roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/8th-inch thick. Repeat procedure with second piece making it as close to the shape as the first.