Archive for Rick Bayless
Salmon On The Grill – Mojo De Ajo Style
Posted by: | CommentsIn a continuation of my love letter to that fabulous recipe Rick Bayless which has me completely enamored, Mojo De Ajo, he came up with a great recipe for the grill that he spotlighted on a recent Rachael Ray episode (shush – do. not. judge!). Over the holiday weekend, I played with the recipe a bit and have put in my tried & true arsenal. Best thing besides the flavors that pop due to the liquid gold aka mojo de ajo – the fact that they are all cooked in foil and on the grill – saving me from turning my house into a sauna during this heat wave from Hades that Philly is dealing with. This dish was so easy and elegant and is perfect for a dinner party, grill style
Mojo de Ajo Salmon Pockets
Recipe adapted from Rick Bayless
Ingredients:
- 2 6 oz. salmon filets, skin removed
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes, sliced into thick rounds
- 4 tbsp. (roughly) of mojo de ajo (or slow roasted garlic in oil)
- 2 spring onions, ends & tips trimmed
- 2-4 sprigs of thyme
- Salt
- Freshly cracked pepper
- Aluminum foil
Directions:
- Preheat the grill to medium high/high setting.
- Precook the Yukon potato rounds for 30 minutes in boiling water that has been salted liberally.
- On a foil portion, roughly 8 x 10, place a bit of the mojo de ajo in the center.
- Lay 3 – 4 of the potato rounds in a straight line over the mojo de ajo.
- Drizzle some more of the mojo de ajo over the potato rounds.
- Lay the spring onion over the potatoes.
- Lay the salmon over the potato and onion mixture and season with salt & pepper.
- Drizzle more of the mojo de ajo over the salmon and garnish with 1 – 2 springs of thyme (or, if thyme isn’t your favorite, why not try a sprig of rosemary or some cilantro or flat leaf Italian parsley).
- Seal the foil packets, rolling the top of the foil down and folding the sides inward.
- Place on the grill for 10 min. or so, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easy.
- Open the packets, plate and enjoy!
Gather Your Ingredients
Layer the Potatoes over the Mojo and follow with more Mojo – how can that be bad?
Layering the onions…
And the fish – see the pattern.
Packages Ready For The Grill
Voila – elegant AND easy!
Liquid Gold aka Mojo De Ajo Made Easy
Posted by: | CommentsRick Bayless recently had an episode that featured “Mojo de Ajo” or Liquid Gold and I have to say, I was intrigued. However, with my recent chaotic schedule, I haven’t had time to play in the kitchen. Over the holiday weekend, I decided to put cooking at the forefront and, after Rick Bayless made Mojo de Ajo on a recent Rachael Ray episode with a recipe that was perfect for the grill, I figured it was time to make my own batch of “Liquid Gold.” Rick Bayless gave the blessing to use pre-peeled garlic if one didn’t have the time to peel four heads of garlic. Thanks to the convenience of Whole Foods, they had organic pre-peeled garlic that was easy to locate and it was time to experiment.
This recipe was beyond easy to and, while the most laborious part was actually mashing the garlic at the end, I can see why it would be considered “Liquid Gold.” I’ve been using it all weekend for cooking, marinades and, quite frankly, I don’t think that this batch will last long in my fridge.
Take a few minutes for yourself and try this recipe – you will thank me later.
MOJO DE AJO
Recipe courtesy of Rick Bayless
Ingredients:
- 4 Heads of Garlic, peeled
- 2 cups of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. of kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- Juice and zest of 2 limes
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
- Peel the 4 heads of garlic and place the whole cloves in an 8 x 8 baking dish.
- Add the salt over the garlic cloves.
- Pour the olive oil over the peeled garlic and put in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, add the juice and zest of the limes and the red pepper flakes.
- Place back in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Upon removing from the oven, mash the garlic with a potato masher.
- Let cool slightly and put into a jar, refrigerate immediately. The mojo de ajo will last for about 3 months as long as the mashed garlic remains under the oil.
Gather the ingredients
Pre-peeled Garlic Roasting In Olive Oil – Love This! (Save the judgment please – this time!)
Mash Mash Mash
Liquid Gold aka Mojo De Ajo…
On an episode of “Mexico – One Plate At A Time”, Rick Bayless mentioned his Pork Tinga recipe which apparently was the best thing ever according to his daughter. I filed that recipe in my mental “must try” recipe box. The other day, while in the grocery store, I saw a gorgeous cut of pork that was on sale and thought “No time like the present” as I was craving some seriously good tacos for dinner.
While it takes some time, I have to tell you that patience is your friend when it comes to this dish. I caught the sous chef more than once pacing in front of the slow cooker due to the aroma wafting through the house.
Now, substitution wise – I could not find any Queso Fresco nor chorizo in the grocery store so I substituted a mild feta cheese and hot italian sausage. The flavors were amazing and I also added some creme fraiche (or sour cream for a substitute) to cut on the heat. I’m still a novice when it comes to all things spice but this heat was “good heat”. I could only handle one (big) chipotle pepper and that little thing packs a punch!
This is tried & true and would be a great addition to any Superbowl festivities. Now that’s a touchdown if I ever saw one.
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PORK TINGA WITH POTATOES, AVOCADO AND FRESH CHEESE
Recipe Courtesy of Rick Bayless
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 pound lean, boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 ounces chorizo sausage, removed from its casing (I substituted Italian sausage)
- 4 to 5 medium (about 3/4 pound total) red-skinned potatoes, quartered
- 1 large white onion, sliced 1/4–inch thick
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, in juice (preferably fire-roasted)
- 2 to 3 canned chipotle chiles, en adobo, finely chopped
- 4 teaspoons chipotle canning sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- Salt
- About 1/2 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese like salted pressed farmers cheese (or mild feta)
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and diced
- Warm corn tortillas (I used flour)
Directions
Heat the oil in a stovetop-rated slow cooker liner over medium-high heat. (If your slow cooker liner isn’t made from a material that can be used on a stovetop, use a very large (12-inch) non-stick skillet.) Once the oil is very hot, add the pork and chorizo in an single layer and cook, stirring until the meat has browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and if you’re using a skillet, transfer the meat and its juices into the slow cooker. Add the potatoes.
In a large bowl, combine the onions, garlic, tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce, Worcestershire, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour mixture into the slow cooker and stir to mix thoroughly. Cook for 6 hours at the highest temperature.
After six hours, gently stir the tinga. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a little water. Taste, and season with salt if you think the dish needs it. Scoop into a large bowl, sprinkle with the fresh cheese and diced avocado, and serve with warm tortillas.
(Note, I made an avocado cream with a bit of lime to drizzle over the top – delish)
Lining Up The Ingredients
This Little Chipotle Packs A Punch!
All The Fixins’ To Go With The Pork Tinga
The Final Product…
