Scallops and Corn Cakes with Bacon Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1/4 pound thickly sliced bacon, diced
2. 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. 1 small shallot, minced
4. 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
5. 1/4 cup chicken stock
6. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
7. 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper
9. 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
10. 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
11. Pinch of cayenne pepper
12. 3/4 cup milk
13. 2 eggs, separated
14. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
15. 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels
16. 12 jumbo sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds)
17. 1 head of frisée, leaves torn

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a bowl and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the shallot to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the shallot is softened. Add the vinegar and stock and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the Dijon and whole-grain mustards. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the cayenne. In another bowl, whisk the milk, egg yolks, and melted butter. Stir in the dry ingredients and the corn. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the corn batter.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°. In large skillets, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add several 2-tablespoon-size dollops of batter to the skillet, forming 3-inch cakes. Cook over moderate heat until the edges are deeply browned and the tops are bubbling about 2 minutes. Flip the cakes and cook until lightly browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes longer. Drain the corn cakes on paper towels and repeat with the remaining batter, adding up to 2 more tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Transfer the corn cakes to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
4. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the remaining 1 teaspoon of butter. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet. Cook over high heat, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the scallops and cook until golden, about 3 minutes longer.
5. Stir the bacon into the vinaigrette. In a medium bowl, toss the frisée with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and mound on 4 plates. Arrange the scallops and corn cakes on the plates and drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Serve right away.

MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 up to 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat the corn cakes before serving.

SUGGESTED PAIRING:

In the Edna Valley of California's Central Coast, cool ocean breezes and morning fog help give Chardonnay a refreshing acidity even as it retains enough richness for these hearty scallops with their bacony vinaigrette.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

 1 (3 1/2) pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
 1 teaspoon black pepper
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon paprika
 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 2 cups buttermilk

For the seasoned flour:

 2 cups flour
 1 teaspoon salt
 1/2 teaspoon paprika
 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
 2 1/2 quarts peanut oil for frying

Directions:

1. Toss together chicken pieces, black pepper, salt, paprika, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, white pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl to coat.
2. Stir in buttermilk until chicken is coated. Refrigerate for 6 hours.
3. Combine flour, salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, white pepper, and onion powder in a large shallow dish.
4. Remove chicken from the buttermilk and dredge each piece in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess and transfer to a plate.
5. Heat peanut oil in a large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Add all the chicken to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Turn chicken pieces and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
7. Remove chicken from the oil and transfer to a cooling rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Grilled Shrimp with Oregano and Lemon

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1/2 cup salted capers—rinsed, soaked for 1 hour and drained
2. 1/2 cup oregano leaves
3. 1 garlic clove, minced
4. 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5. 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
6. 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
7. Freshly ground pepper
8. 2 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
9. Salt

1. On a cutting board, finely chop the drained capers with the oregano leaves and garlic. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season the sauce with pepper.
2. Light a grill. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Thread the shrimp onto metal skewers and grill over high heat, turning once, until the shrimp are lightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the skewers and transfer them to a platter. Spoon the sauce on top and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The sauce can be refrigerated overnight. Bring it to room temperature before serving. SERVE WITH Crusty bread.

Linguine With Scallops, Brown Butter, and Peas

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 12 ounces linguine (3⁄4 box)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 16 sea scallops (about 1 1⁄2 pounds), patted dry
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the bread crumbs and lemon zest with 1 tablespoon of the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bake, tossing once, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes; let cool.
2. Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to the package directions, adding the peas during the last minute of cooking. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta; reserve the pot.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the scallops with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes more.
4. Wipe out the pasta pot and cook the butter over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pasta and peas, scallops, tarragon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water and toss to coat (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve sprinkled with the toasted bread crumbs.

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool.
2. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a small saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 12 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Peel the eggs and coarsely chop.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the macaroni, chopped eggs, scallions, celery, and parsley and toss gently to combine.

Molasses-Smoked Baby Back Ribs

RIBS

1. Two 3-pound racks baby back ribs—membranes removed, racks halved
2. Kosher salt
3. Freshly ground pepper
4. 3 cups hardwood chips, such as hickory or applewood, soaked in water for 1 hour and drained

MOP

1. One 12-ounce bottle lager
2. 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3. 1 cup un-sulfured molasses
4. 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
5. 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
6. 1/4 cup Creole or brown Mustard
7. 1/4 cup chile powder
8. 1/4 cup smoked paprika
9. 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10. 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
11. 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
12. 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
13. Pinch of ground allspice

1. MAKE THE MOP Light a grill. In a large bowl, combine all of the mop ingredients and whisk until smooth.
2. PREPARE THE RIBS Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper. Layer two 18-inch sheets of foil on a work surface and set a half rack of ribs in the center; pull the edges of foil up around the ribs. Spoon 3/4 cup of the mop over the rack and seal tightly in the foil. Repeat with the remaining 3 racks. Grill the rib packets over moderate heat, covered, for 45 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the rib packets to a baking sheet and let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, transfer the remaining mop to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1 cup, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool completely.
4. Wrap the wood chips in a double layer of foil and poke holes in the top of the packet. Remove the grill grate. Turn the heat off on half of the grill or rake the coals to one side. Set the wood chip packet directly on the flames or on the coals and replace the grill grate. When the chips are smoking, carefully open the rib packets and arrange the racks on the grill over indirect heat. Discard the foil and juices. Cover the grill and smoke the ribs until the meat is very tender, 1 hour. Brush the ribs with the reduced mop, transfer to a platter and serve.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Little goes better with sweet, sticky, smoky ribs than a refreshing beer. Try these with a crisp Lone Star lager (from one of Texas’s largest breweries) or Le Petit Prince, a farmhouse-style ale from craft brewer Jester King in Austin.

Classic Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

2/3 cup white sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup grated carrot(optional)

2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion, celery, green pepper, carrot, pimentos and macaroni. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.

Osso Bucco

Ingredients:

• Four 1½ in (4cm) thick veal shanks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ cup beef stock or water, as needed
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 anchovy fillets in oil, minced
• Grated zest of 1 lemon

Special Equipment:

• Large flameproof casserole

Directions:

1. Season the veal with salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off any excess.
2. Melt the butter with the oil in a large flameproof casserole over medium-high heat. Add the veal and cook, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes, or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate. Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened but not colored.
3. Stir in the stock and tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Return the veal to the casserole. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 1½ hours or until the veal is tender. Check the stew occasionally, and if the cooking liquid has reduced too much, add more stock. The finished cooking liquid should be quite thick.
4. Stir the parsley, anchovies, and lemon zest into the casserole, Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.

Blackened Barbecued Pork Fillets

For the Marinade:

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 cloves
• 1 heaped tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• A small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked and very finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped
• 150ml/5 ½ fl oz Heinz organic tomato ketchup
• 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 4 x 400g/14oz pork fillets, preferably free-range or organic
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: a handful of fresh coriander, leaves picked and chopped
• Optional: juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

To make your marinade, crush up the cumin, fennel seeds and cloves in a pestle and mortar and mix with the paprika, orange zest and juice, thyme, garlic, ketchup and balsamic vinegar. Season the pork fillets with salt and pepper, then toss them in most of the marinade until completely coated. Feel free to marinate for half a day, but at least an hour. If you have metal or wooden skewers, lay the fillets side by side and skewer them together about 2.5cm/1 inch apart.
When you’re ready to cook, simply put the meat on to a barbecue or under a hot grill for 15 to 20 minutes or until nicely charred. Every time you turn the meat, brush it generously with the leftover marinade so you build up a sticky, blackened glaze. When they’re done, put the fillets on a big platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the meat between the skewers, or just slice each fillet in half, and sprinkle over some chopped coriander or squeeze over some lemon juice if you fancy.

Southern Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients:

Marinade:

• ½ cup canola oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 3½ pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 cup ketchup
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

To make the marinade, whisk together the canola oil, lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and thyme. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken to coat on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and arrange in a single layer in a baking dish.
Bake the chicken for 25 to 30 minutes and remove it from the oven. The chicken will not be cooked through.
To make the barbecue sauce, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, mustard, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne in a bowl. Put half of the sauce in a separate saucepan to reheat later and serve with the chicken.
Brush the grill grate lightly with oil and preheat the grill. When the grill is hot, place the chicken on the grate and grill for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Baste the chicken with the barbecue sauce and grill on each side for 5 to 7 minutes more. To test for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a piece of the chicken, but don’t let the thermometer touch the bone. The chicken is fully cooked when the thermometer reads 165°F.
To cook the chicken indoors, remove the chicken from the oven after 25 to 30 minutes.
Brush the sauce on the chicken and bake for 20 to 25 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer says 165°F.
Reheat the reserved sauce and serve with the chicken.

Chile Jam Chicken with Caramelized Sweet Potatoes and Peaches

Ingredients:

 For the Chicken:

• 4 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs 
• Sea salt 
• Fresh-cracked black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 4 tablespoons chile jam (some of my favorites: Hell Fire Pepper Jelly from Jenkins Jellies or INNA Jam's Plenty Spicy Jalapeño for heat seekers) 
• Juice of 1/2 lemon 
• Caramelized Sweet Potatoes and Peaches (recipe follows)

For the Caramelized Sweet Potatoes and Peaches:

• 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, room temperature (if it is cold, the coconut oil will solidify on contact)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Iodized salt
• 1 medium sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 medium peaches, pitted and sliced into 4 wedges each
• 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and quartered

Directions:

To Make the Chicken:

1. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and arrange the chicken thighs inside (cast iron works really well to get a nice crispy crust). Brown the chicken on one side, giving the chicken time to unstick itself from the pan surface and form a good, crispy coating, about 10 minutes (you can give it some help with your tongs or spatula if needed). Flip the chicken thighs and brown for 6 to 10 minutes, or until you can insert a knife to the bone and no red liquid emerges.
2. Lower heat to medium-low and spoon a quarter of the chile jam over each thigh. Melt the jam over the chicken and on all sides, using tongs to flip and swirl the thighs in the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the jam to form a glaze. Remove the thighs to a serving plate and spoon the glaze on top. Scrape up any bits stick¬ing to the bottom of the pan--these will be the crispiest and the first to go!
3. Just before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the chicken to brighten its flavors and heighten the sweetness and spice. Serve with Caramelized Sweet Potatoes and Peaches.
To Make the Caramelized Sweet Potatoes and Peaches:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the coconut oil, syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Put the potato and peaches in 2 separate bowls. Put three-quarters of the syrup mixture over the sweet potato and one-quarter over the peaches and toss. Spread the potato in an even layer in a large baking dish and roast for 10 minutes. Toss the potato and roast for 5 minutes more. Add the onion and roast for 15 minutes. Toss the potato and onion, add the peaches in an even layer, and roast 10 minutes, or until the potato and onion are fork tender and the peaches have caramelized.