Recipes By Rick A. Martinez
8 recipes found
Greens and Beans With Toasted Crumbs
This light, plant-based main was inspired by a traditional cassoulet, a French slow-cooked casserole made with beans, pork and duck and simmered in duck fat. In this fast, vegetarian take, olive oil replaces the duck fat and chard stalks are cooked gently with scallion, garlic and thyme to create the flavor foundation. Summer vegetables are simmered in the infused olive oil until just tender, then served with toasted bread crumbs and fresh cracked pepper. The broth in this dish is the real star, so you will want lots of bread to soak it all up.
Weeknight Chicken Marbella
The chicken Marbella recipe from “The Silver Palate Cookbook” is rich and deeply flavorful, but time-consuming. It also requires overnight marinating, which doesn’t suit last-minute cravings or weeknight grocery runs. This no-marinade-needed Marbella gets the job done — and well — in under an hour. Chicken thighs are seared hard until deep golden brown to render the fat, which also helps amp up the chicken flavor. This version is also significantly less sweet than the original, but if you like your brown sugar, use 1/3 cup instead. The reduced pan sauce is easy to love, so be sure to serve with a loaf of crusty bread to mop it all up.
Roasted Vegetables and Buttermilk Grits
The buttermilk gives a cheesy-richness and tang that lifts the earthy flavor of the grits and offers a bright contrast to the roasted, caramelized vegetables. It is also a great way to use up that leftover buttermilk in your refrigerator. To make the perfect grits, cook them over the lowest heat and maintain a bare simmer. Whisking and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan every few minutes will ensure that they will not stick and will allow them to cook more evenly. If you like, stir in an extra 2 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of grated Parmesan or shredded Cheddar just before serving.
Tajín Grilled Chicken
Tajín is a Mexican seasoning made from dried, ground red chiles, sea salt and dehydrated lime juice. It is great sprinkled over fresh cut fruit like mango and pineapple, or rimmed on an ice cold margarita. But it is also an easy way to add chile and lime to your favorite grilled meats, rubs or sauces. In this dish, the lime in the Tajín balances out the sweetness from the agave syrup, while the red chiles complement the smoky flavor of the chipotles. Serve the chicken as is or on toasted hamburger buns with a schmear of mayonnaise, chopped grilled scallions, cilantro leaves and sliced pickled jalapeños. This Tajín sauce also would pair well with grilled bass, cod or salmon, or with shrimp skewers.
Papadzules (Eggs and Asparagus in Tortillas With Pepita Sauce)
A dish from the Yucatán Peninsula in southeastern Mexico, papadzules are similar to enchiladas in that they feature tortillas that are dipped and coated in a sauce, then filled, rolled and topped with more sauce. Traditionally, papadzules are served with hard-boiled eggs and topped with a toasted pepita sauce and a spicy habanero-tomato salsa. In this late-spring version, jammy eggs and blanched asparagus serve as the filling, and an uncooked sauce of pepitas and jalapeños finishes everything off. Be sure to cook the eggs for the full 6½ minutes or the yolks will be too runny.
Brown Butter Glazed Radishes
Many people think of radishes as a raw salad topper, but cooked radishes are sweet and crisp-tender and make a quick and easy weeknight side. Brown butter adds a hint of nuttiness, and a touch of sugar caramelizes the radishes, while chopped fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon lend brightness. Serve the glazed radishes warm or at room temperature. If you find radishes with beautiful green tops, toss the glazed radishes with the greens and a little olive oil for an out-of-the-ordinary salad.
Chiles en Nogada
Considered by many to be the national dish of Mexico, chiles en nogada showcases the colors of the country’s flag: green, white and red. Created by nuns in Puebla in 1821, the dish was presented to the general of the Mexican Army, Agustín de Iturbide, after he signed the treaty that recognized Mexico’s independence from Spain. The nuns used the best of the late-season harvest in the dish, including poblano chiles, peaches, pears, apples and walnuts grown in farms near Puebla. The original dish was stuffed, battered and fried, and significantly heartier than this version. Here, fresh poblanos are fried until lightly cooked, peeled, stuffed, topped with creamy walnut sauce, then eaten at room temperature. It’s served throughout the country every September, in honor of Mexico’s Independence Day.
Cod and Kimchi Stew
Kimchi is a seriously versatile kitchen staple because it’s packed with so many flavors and textures. It’s great chopped and folded into mayonnaise, cooked with your favorite taco filling or stirred in to sauces and soups. In this recipe, which is inspired by kimchi jjigae, kimchi takes center stage as the base for an umami-rich broth. Once cooked, the kimchi is tender and provides a counterpoint to perfectly poached cod. For a heartier meal, serve it over steamed rice and top it with a fried egg.