Chicken and Okra Fricassee

INGREDIENTS:

1. One 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2. Salt and freshly ground pepper
3. 1 tablespoon minced oregano
4. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5. 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
6. 1 small onion, finely chopped
7. 1 garlic clove, minced
8. 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
9. 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10. 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
11. 2 large stalks of lemongrass, lower half cut into 3-inch lengths and lightly smashed
12. 3/4 pound baby okra

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the chicken in a large shallow dish and season with salt, pepper and the oregano. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Heat the oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add half of the chicken pieces and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a large plate; repeat with the remaining chicken.
3. Add the ginger, onion and garlic to the casserole and cook over low heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the flour until blended, then stir in the chicken broth, coconut milk and lemongrass and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and its juices and simmer over low heat, turning the pieces once, until the breasts are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the breasts to a plate. Cook the dark meat for about 10 minutes longer.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the okra until bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain well. Return the chicken breasts to the stew and stir in the okra. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 3 minutes.

Pasta Sauce with Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Italian sausage links
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can canned tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can canned tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Removed casing from sausage links and cut into 1/2 inch slices. In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat for about 10 minutes; remove and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat ground beef, olive oil, garlic and onion over medium heat until meat is nicely browned; drain.
3. Pour in tomatoes and tomato sauce; mix in salt, ground black pepper, basil, oregano, bay leaf and cooked sausage. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
5. Mix cooked sauce with hot pasta and remove bay leaf from sauce before serving.

Frijoles a la Charra

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry pinto beans
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 (3.5 ounce) can sliced jalapeno peppers
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Place pinto beans in a slow cooker, and completely cover with water. Mix in garlic and salt. Cover, and cook 1 hour on High.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until evenly brown, but still tender. Drain about half the fat. Place onion in the skillet, and cook until tender. Mix in tomatoes and jalapenos, and cook until heated through. Transfer to the slow cooker, stirring into the beans.
3. Cover slow cooker, and continue cooking 4 hours on Low. Mix in the beer and cilantro about 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.

Chicken with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Cheesy Grits

INGREDIENTS

1. 8 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 4 large rosemary sprigs
5. One 3 1/2-pound chicken
6. 2 white onions, cut into wedges
7. 1/2 cup dry white wine
8. Creamy Cheese Grits

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Turn the tomatoes cut side down and scatter the rosemary around; bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until very soft and starting to brown. Let cool, then discard the skins.
2. Meanwhile, in a roasting pan, rub the chicken all over with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the onion wedges around the chicken, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken and onions in the upper third of the oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
3. Increase the oven temperature to 450°. Add the wine to the pan and roast the chicken for about 20 minutes longer, until the onions are well browned and the chicken is golden and the cavity juices run clear. Pour the cavity juices into the pan. Transfer the chicken and onions to a platter; let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.
4. Set the roasting pan over moderately high heat and add 4 of the tomato halves and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits and mashing the tomatoes, until reduced by one-third. Strain the jus into a saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Carve the chicken and serve with the tomatoes, onions, tomato jus and Creamy Cheese Grits.

Creamy Cheese Grits

INGREDIENTS:

1. 5 1/2 cups water
2. Salt
3. 1 1/2 cups stone-ground grits
4. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5. 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6. Freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and gradually whisk in the grits. Cover and cook over low heat, whisking often, until the grits are thick and just tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the butter and cheese, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Green Peppercorn Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

1. Eight 6-inch-long rosemary branches
2. 4 garlic cloves—2 minced, 2 crushed
3. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4. Four 3/4-inch-thick boneless pork chops
5. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6. 8 very thin slices of lardo (see Note) or unrolled pancetta
7. 1/2 cup dry white wine
8. 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
9. Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
10. 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
11. 2 tablespoons green peppercorns in brine, rinsed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using your fingers, strip off the leaves from the bottom 4 inches of the rosemary branches and finely chop enough leaves to make 2 tablespoons. In a large, shallow dish, mix the chopped rosemary with the minced garlic and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Season the pork chops with salt and black pepper, add them to the rosemary marinade and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Wrap 2 slices of the lardo around the edge of each pork chop and secure with a toothpick. On the side opposite the toothpick, skewer each of the chops with 2 stripped rosemary branches.
3. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the pork chops and cook over moderately high heat until richly browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the chops and cook over moderate heat until browned on the second side and just cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer the pork chops to a platter and keep warm.
4. Pour off the fat in the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the crushed garlic and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the wine and boil over high heat, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken broth, grated lemon zest and crushed red pepper and boil until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Discard the crushed garlic and stir in the brined green peppercorns. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove the toothpicks from the pork. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve.

NOTES

Lardo is available at Italian markets and specialty-food shops.

Pork Chops with Lemon Butter

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2. 4 thin-cut, bone-in pork loin chops (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
5. 1 garlic clove, minced
6. 2 tablespoons drained capers
7. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
8. 1 tablespoon chopped chives

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Lightly season the pork chops with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chops and sear until just cooked through, about 2 minutes; transfer to a platter.
2. Add the butter and garlic to the skillet and stir over moderate heat until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Stir in the capers, lemon juice and chives. Spoon the sauce over the chops and serve.