Asparagus - courtesy Aleksandra P. stock.xchng

The Key to Cooking Asparagus

Whether you’ll be steaming, boiling, or grilling the key to cooking asparagus is preparation. You can even cook asparagus is the microwave or it can even be cut into small pieces and used in stir fry. Many will also process it for use in a vegetable dip. The key to getting the best taste out of you asparagus is its freshness. After purchase you can maintain peak freshness for up to three days if it is stored properly.

The best way to trim asparagus is by using your hands and bending the stalk until it snaps. The snapping is the key, if it just bends without breaking you’re not going to get that fresh flavor. When cooking asparagus some cooks will peel the outer layer in preparation. This is not essential, but it can really make the stalks extra tender. Even though the majority of the fiber is inside the stalk it’s still important that you soften the outer layer. One good technique is to not peel the whole thing, but instead a few spots on the outer layer. This will allow enough heat to cook the asparagus completely through.

If you want to peel prior to cooking asparagus lay to stalk on a flat surface such as a counter or cutting board. Then use a vegetable peeler starting at the top of the stalk and work your way down. Like mentioned before you may want to peel it completely, but if you’re hurried then peeling just one side will do.

When Cooking Asparagus Make Sure the Stalks Are Facing the Same Direction

Once you have trimmed and peeled the stalks to your liking they’re ready to be placed in a pan with roughly one inch of water on the bottom. If necessary you can trim the asparagus from the bottom to make sure they all stand up vertical. Using kitchen string tie the bunch of them together to keep them from separating and to ensure they all cook evenly. Don’t be afraid to use one string at the top and another at the bottom just to make sure when cooking asparagus. The cooking time will depend on the thickness, but 5 – 10 minutes is usually enough.

If you’re going to boil the asparagus make sure you use just enough water to cover them and face all the stalks in the same direction when you lay them down. When cooking asparagus with this method it will take roughly four to six minutes. If you choose to grill them make sure you use a cooking screen over the fire. You can also use skewers to make sure the asparagus doesn’t fall through the grating. When cooking asparagus with this method it is fast and only takes about 30 – 60 seconds depending on the size.

If you decide that cooking asparagus should be done by roasting, then lay them flat on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. It only takes about two to three minutes at this temperature and gives you a tender stalk with a wonderful roasted taste. You can the season with salt and pepper as you desire.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 Tbls vanilla extract (to taste)
• 2 cups or so of overripe bananas, mashed

Instructions – Traditional

1. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. Cream together butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl
3. Stir eggs, vanilla, and bananas into butter and brown sugar mixture until well mixed
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry
5. Don’t over mix, stir or fold until the flour is just moistened

Instructions – Food Processor

1. With steel chopping blade, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. Move to another bowl
3. Blend butter, brown sugar and then add bananas, eggs, and vanilla
4. Add flour mixture to bowl and pulse until flour is moist, do not overwork the dough

Instructions – Continued

1. Pour mixture into a buttered loaf pan or cake pan, depending how you like your bread.
2. Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for about an hour.
3. You will know it is done when a toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
4. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack, if you can wait to cut it!

Vitals

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• ½ lb Black Beans
• 4 cups Rice
• 4 Shallots thinly sliced
• 4-6 chopped Green Onions
• ¼ lb Cubed Ham
• Salt

Instructions

1. Cook the black beans in a pressure cooker with extra water for 25 minutes.
2. Cook the rice in a rice cooker or large saucepan using the liquid from the black beans instead of water.
3. Sauté the ham in oil and add the shallots and green onions.
4. Pour about half of the ham mix on the cooked rice and mix well.
5. Place in a serving bowl and cover with the remaining ham.

Red Salsa - Salsa Roja © Jon Griffin

Probably the most famous salsa from Mexico. This uses ingredients that everyone should be able to buy at any market. Just follow the easy direction, and you can change the heat by adding more or less chiles. This one is medium for your reference.

Ingredients

• 2 medium red tomatoes
• 3-4 serrano peppers or 1-2 jalepeno peppers
• 1 slice of white onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 10 sprigs  cilantro
• 1 Tbls salt (optional)

Instructions

1. Break the stems off  the peppers.
2. Add the  tomatos and peppers to a pot of boiling water.
3. Let them boil for 5-7 minutes until the tomato skins start to split.
4. You can peel the tomatoes by placing them under cold water and pulling off the skin.
5. Add the onion, garlic, cilantro and salt to a blender along with the tomatoes and peppers.
6. Blend the ingredients to a fairly smooth puree .
7. You may need to add some of the water if the salsa is too thick.
8. Remember that it will thicken in the refigerator.

Notes

Keep tomatoes under cold water while you are peeling them so you don’t burn your hands.

Okra, ready to be made into a refreshing salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb Fresh Okra
• Olive Oil
• 1 Lime

Instructions

1. Clean, Slice and Boil the okra.
2. Drain and place in a salad bowl.
3. Sprinkle with oil and the juice of one lime.
4. Salt to taste and serve.

Turkey Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 3-4 loaves of white bread (or 5 if you like leftovers)
• water
• chicken broth
• insides of the turkey
• 2 bunches of celery
• 1 or 2 onions
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1/2 tsp. sage
• oysters (optional)
• mushrooms (option)

Instructions:

1. The night before you want to eat the stuffing, break the bread into small pieces (about 1 inch squares) into 2 huge bowls or pots. Let the bread sit overnight to dry out.
2. The next day, after you remove the insides of turkey, boil them in water in 2/3 qt. sauce pan until cooked (about 20/30 minutes). Remove insides for later use or discard. Keep water and put aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Chop onion and celery and place into food processor until minced.
5. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in large saucepan.
6. Saute onion and celery until heated through. Do not brown! (Saute mushrooms also at this time if wanted). Depending on how much stuffing you want and how much celery and onion you’ve chopped, you may have to saute the onion and celery in two parts.
7. Once cooked, pour the onion/celery mixture directly over the dried out bread.
8. Pour 1/2 tsp. sage over bread/onion/celery mixture.
9. Then take your reserved water and pour slowly over bread. The bread will shrink as you do this. Be careful not to pour too much water in.
10. Mixture thoroughly and smell/taste for perfect stuffing.
11. If you need more liquid, open a can of chicken broth and pour over bread. If you need more spice, add more sage.
12. If you are using oysters, add them now.
13. Once stuffing is of a consistency that it will stick together and does not look too dry, do not add more liquid.
14. Either stuff in turkey to be baked in oven, or put in 9 x 13 pan.
15. If using oysters, it is recommended that you bake the stuffing in a pan so as to ensure the oysters will be cooked through.
16. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. You want the stuffing to have a nice brown crust on top.

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Roast Turkey

A Thanksgiving staple, roast turkey can be made many different ways. Here is one simple, but flavorful recipe using an herbal rub.

Ingredients

• 1 13-Pound WHOLE TURKEY fresh or thawed
• 1 Medium onion quartered
• 1 lemon quartered
• 1/4 Cup vegetable oil
• 1 Teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Remove giblets and neck from turkey and reserve for broth.
3. Rinse turkey with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place onion and lemon quarters in neck and body cavities.
4. In a small bowl, mix oil with herbs, salt and pepper. With your finger tips, gently loosen skin from the breast without pulling off the skin.
5. Place 1 tablespoon of herb mixture under skin; replace skin. Rub cavities and outside of turkey with remaining herb mixture.
6. Secure the neck skin to the back with skewers. Fold wings under back of turkey. Place legs in tucked position. May be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for several hours.
7. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (no more than 2-1/2 inches) deep roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful it does not touch the bone.
8. Cover bird with a loose tent of foil. Roast turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven for about 2-1/2 hours.
9. Remove foil and baste bird with pan juices. Continue to roast for about another hour until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh.
10. Remove turkey from oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Transfer to a large platter and serve with gravy.

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• 1 lb tomatillos
• 3-4 serrano peppers or 1-2 jalepeno peppers
• 1/4  thick“slice of white onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 10 sprigs  cilantro
• 1 Tbls salt (optional)

Directions

1. Peel the husks of the tomatillos and if they are dirty rinse them off.
2. Break the stems off  the peppers.
3. Add the  tomatillos and peppers to a pot of boiling water.
4. Let them boil for 5-7 minutes until the tomatillos change color.
5. Add the onion, garlic, cilantro and salt to a blender along with the tomatillos and peppers.
6. Blend the ingredients to a fairly smooth puree.

Notes

You may need to add some of the water if the salsa is too thick. Remember that it will thicken in the refigerator.

Check the tomatillos for worms that sometimes bore into them. There is no need to worry about the sticky feel. Since these are getting boiled, just clean of any peel and dirt.

Salt is very important, don’t leave it out or it will be very bland.

Ingredients

• 1lb Cleaned Black Beans
• 1 Diced Green or Red Pepper
• 1 Chopped Onion
• Cumin
• Salt

Instructions

1. Soak beans for 1 hour and cook for 30 minutes in a Pressure Cooker (Optional add ham hock)
2. Sauté the onions, peppers, garlic and cumin in oil.
3. When beans are cooked add the mixture to the beans and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice.

Here are more recipes and a DVD showing all about Cuban cooking.