Runners World magazine has turned out to be a great source for great recipes. These are courtesy of  Italian restaurant legend Joe Bastianich, who is also a marathoner.

The Pomodoro Sauce is so easy and so good I plan on keeping it on hand for last minute meals. I think the trick is to use San Marzano's which taste better than regular canned tomatoes. But regular will work too. Jim went back for seconds, which rarely happens even when he really likes something. He likes his meat but was left satisfied with his vegan dinner(he skipped the cheese).

I made the sauce a few days ahead of time. I didn't use rigatoni. I used whole grain fusilli. And my oregano is Turkish not Sicilian.


Pomodoro Sauce
Pomodoro (or tomato) sauce is the base for all of Chef Joe Bastianich's pasta dishes featured in these pages. Use a full batch of pomodoro for each recipe.

1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 16-ounce cans of peeled, whole Italian plum tomatoes, such as San Marzano
1 teaspoon Sicilian oregano (optional)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) Today's food marathon begins with what
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium. Add garlic and saute until golden brown, about three minutes. While garlic browns, pour tomatoes into a bowl. Squeeze with your hands to break them up. Add tomatoes and their juice to the saucepan. Add oregano (if using), salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 45 minutes. Add a little water if needed to keep sauce from becoming too thick (it should be bright red; if it turns brick red, it's too thick). To make oreganata, simmer sauce with sprigs of fresh oregano. Make arrabiata by adding red pepper flakes to taste. Makes six one-cup servings.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 139
CARBS: 9 G
PROTEIN: 2 G
FAT: 9 G


Rigatoni a la Norma
"The very best eggplant is like filet mignon," says Bastianich. Here it's lightly fried "and incredibly tender and flavorful."

Pomodoro sauce
1 medium eggplant, peeled, then cut into one-inch cubes Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons flour
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 pound rigatoni
6 tablespoons ricotta cheese

Boil a pot of salted water. Heat pomodoro in a saucepan. Sprinkle eggplant with salt. Place on paper towels to drain for 10 minutes, then dust with flour. In a saute pan on medium, saute one garlic clove in 1 1/2 tablespoons oil until golden. Add half the eggplant; saute until brown on the outside but tender inside. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and remaining garlic and eggplant. In the same pan, saute onion in last tablespoon of oil until tender (seven minutes). Add to pomodoro sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta to boiling water. Two minutes before pasta is cooked, remove from water and add with the eggplant to the pomodoro sauce (with some pasta water if needed to keep the sauce liquid). Cook until pasta is tender. Divide into six servings. Top each with a tablespoon of ricotta.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 559
CARBS: 74 G
PROTEIN: 14 G
FAT: 21 G

I have never made cinnamon rolls before but love them. But with a cinnamon roll hating boyfriend it seemed like I would be the only one eating them. So when my supper club did brunch I seized the opportunity. Based on reviews, Alton Brown's Overnight Cinnamon Roll recipe was the one to try.

This recipe seems a lot more intimidating than it is. I hate rolling dough because I suck at it but I pulled up the youtube video of Alton Brown making these rolls and moved right along with him.When I pulled them out of the oven cinnamon hater said they smelled awesome and said he's like to try one.

These tasted amazing! The dough was light and the filling was the perfect mix of cinnamon and brown sugar. I used Penzey's Vietnamese Cinnamon and did not adjust the measurements. They were a huge hit at the brunch and I manged to save one for Jim. His verdict? He liked it. A lot! But when he talked about other rolls he's had he did say they were soggy and unappealing. So now he's a fan.

Recipe HERE

I was first introduced to this salad about 20 years ago by a Thai friend. I was battling a bad sinus infection and she insisted her papaya salad would give me relief. I heard "papaya" and "salad" and assumed the Vitamin C would be the cure. Um no it was the handful of chile peppers. Sinus infection was gone that day. I'll spare you the details.

She made it quite a bit and when she couldn't get green papaya she would use shredded carrot.

This is one of my favorite Thai dishes of all time. I did cut back on the chiles from her handful. Dried shrimp are found in the refrigerated section of my Asian grocery. They also had bags of shredded green papaya in the produce section. I pounded the dressing in my giant mortar and pestle and added the papaya because that's how she did it.

You can definitely add to this. I suggest green onions, peanuts, carrot, radish or green beans.

Green Papaya Salad

This isn't a great picture of a fantastic dinner. I LOVE fish tacos and have made a few variations but this recipe is by far my favorite! I didn't add the taco garnishes the recipe suggested. We just stuck to the slaw and it was perfect. If I were to add anything it would be avocado. 

 Grilled Fish Tacos

The recipe is courtesy of Eating Well May/June 2010

6 servings, 2 tacos each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Adobo-Rubbed Fish

• 4 teaspoons chili powder, preferably made with New Mexico or ancho chiles. (I used Penzeys Med-Hot)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds mahi-mahi or Pacific halibut 1/2-3/4 inch thick, skinned and cut into 4 portions(I used mahi)

Coleslaw(can be made up to 4 hours ahead)

• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 cups finely shredded red or green cabbage
• 12 corn tortillas, warmed (see Tip)

Preparation

1. To prepare fish: Combine chili powder, lime juice, oil, cumin, onion powder, garlic power, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub adobo rub all over fish. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes for the fish to absorb the flavor.
2. To prepare coleslaw: Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix until smooth and creamy. Add cabbage and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high.
4. Oil the grill rack or use a grilling basket. Grill the fish until it is cooked through and easily flakes with a fork, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a platter and separate into large chunks.
5. Serve the tacos family-style by passing the fish, tortillas, coleslaw and taco garnishes separately.

Nutrition

My first experience with Piri-Piri was THIS recipe from Marcus Samuelsson's The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa. Back then I said I wanted to make this a lot. And then I didn't... So when I saw Steve Raichlen's recipe for Piri-Piri Chicken in the July 2010 issue of Bon Appetit I got all excited!. His recipe calls for bottled Piri-Piri but it's so easy to make yourself I recommend doing exactly that. Samuelsson's recipe makes a cup which is more than you'll need so you can make the shrimp later in the week. 

The chicken was more tangy than spicy which surprised me considering the marinade had eight red bird chiles. It was very good and we will definitely make it again.

The slaw is dead easy. I thought it would be cool after the chicken but that one tiny pepper gave it some kick. I used a bagged slaw instead of shredding cabbage because I'm lazy like that. 

Piri-Piri Chicken

This is a very refreshing summer salad that takes very little effort. The only cooking required is boiling the shrimp. I use Rick Bayless's method and simmer the juice and rind of one lime in water in a covered pan for 10 minutes, then add the shrimp. It gives it a lot more flavor.

One item that's a challenge to find is celery leaves. Seems the stores like to trim them off which is a shame because they really are a good addition to salads and stocks.

This dressing would also be great as a dip for vegetables.

Recipe courtesy of The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift

Crispy Cucumber Shrimp in Retro Goddess Dressing
Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a first course

Dressing

2 tight packed tablespoons of fresh tarragon leaves
3 large whole scallions
1 tight packed tablespoon of fresh parsley leaves
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Asian Fish Sauce
1 tsp dark spicy mustard
1 tbs white wine or cider vinegar
1 ripe Haas avocado
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used Kewpie-it's Japanese and fantastic!)Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine everything in a food processor and blend till smooth.

Salad

8 oz cooked shrimp
1 medium cuke, peeled seeded and cut into pieces(I didn't peel or seed)
1 medium head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
1-2 tight packed tablespoons of celery leaves chopped.

Combine salad ingredients and toss with dressing.

 


I love cold noodle salads in the summer and my friend Liz must have known that because she saw this recipe and though of me! Thanks Liz!

This recipe is courtesy of Bill Granger, who is an Australian Chef. It's easy to put together and Jim kept commenting about all the different flavors going on. He liked the chicken but honestly I'll leave it out or replace it with cold cooked shrimp when I make it again.  Also the additional 3 tbs of sugar in the dressing seemed excessive so I added to taste and for the chiles I used 2 Thai Bird chiles.

Recipe is HERE courtesy of BBC.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese
• 4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Farro is my favorite grain and this dish is divine! I used vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.It was really hard for me to store the leftovers. I wanted to eat it all!!!

Jim, who isn't much of a vegetarian, suggested the addition of chicken sausage or shrimp but I thought it was perfect in its original incarnation.

Farrotto with Artichokes

Eating Well March/April 2009

•  1/2 cups farro, rinsed 
• 1 leaf fresh sage
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1 10-ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2-2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1. Place farro in a large saucepan and cover with about 2 inches of water. Add sage and rosemary. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the farro is tender but still firm to the bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the herbs and drain.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the farro, tomatoes, artichokes, basil, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.
3. Add 1/2 cup broth (or water), bring a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring, until most of the broth is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining broth (or water), adding it in 1/2-cup increments and stirring until it’s absorbed, until the farro is creamy but still has a bit of bite, about 10 minutes total. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese and lemon zest. Serve sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Nutrition

When I saw the Mojo de Ajo episode of Mexico: One Plate at a Time I knew I had to make it. Rick Bayless calls it liquid gold and made several recipes with it on the show. His daughter even used it on popcorn!

This recipe is especially good as I always have shrimp, pasta and chiptles in adobo available.  I made the mojo a couple of weeks ago. It was a bit time consuming to peel four heads of garlic. No matter how good my aim is skins always end up on the floor. After that you just slow roast the garlic in olive oil and add lime juice. Your house will smell wonderful!

The shrimp dish has amazing depth of flavor and was not too spicy for my pepper averting boyfriend. And once you have the mojo made this couldn't be easier.

I've posted both recipes below.

Slow Roasted Garlic Mojo

Ingredients

Directions

Garlicky Linguine with Seared Shrimp, Chipotle and Queso Anejo

Ingredients

Directions

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 pound), trimmed of fat
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup chopped chives, (about 1 bunch)

Preparation

1. Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow glass baking dish and dredge the chicken in it. Discard the excess flour.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.
3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir to coat. Add wine, broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring often.
4. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until heated through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Stir in sour cream and mustard until smooth; turn the chicken to coat with the sauce. Stir in chives and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 8 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk (see Tip)
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Snipped fresh chives for garnish

Preparation

1. Place cauliflower florets and garlic in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place florets and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl with 1/4 cup water, cover and microwave on High for 3 to 5 minutes.)
2. Place the cooked cauliflower and garlic in a food processor. Add buttermilk, 2 teaspoons oil, butter, salt and pepper; pulse several times, then process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garnish with chives, if desired. Serve hot.

Nutrition

1. Combine the water, sugar, and salt in a large container with a lid or a large freezer bag, and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the chicken to the brine, cover or seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and no more than 6.
2. Set up a steamer on the stove. Drain the chicken and discard the brine. Put the chicken in the steamer basket (if you are using a stacking Chinese-style bamboo steamer, put the legs in the bottom level and the breast on the top). Turn the heat to medium and set the lid of the steamer ever so slightly ajar. Steam the chicken for 40 minutes, then remove it from the steamer and put it on a cooling rack to cool. Chill it in the refrigerator, preferably on the rack, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you fry it.
4. In a deep skillet, heat enough oil for the chicken to be submerged to 375F. Fry the chicken in batches, turning once, until the skin is deep drown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
5. Cut the chicken into a few pieces: cut the wing from the breast, cut the breast in half, cut through the knee to separate the thigh from the drumstick. Put in a large bowl, toss with the vinaigrette, and serve hot.

 

I really wish I could try these at the Momofuku restaurant for a point of reference. I know people who have and they've said they couldn't stop eating them and even had dreams about them. With endorsements like those how could I not try the recipe in the book?

The verdict....

Holy crap are they ever good!!!! David Chang's are probably better but my little buggers are addictive! I'm really glad I only kept 4 buns out and sent the rest of them and the meat to the freezer. These are totally worth the full day commitment and there's plenty of inactive time to get things like laundry and housework done.

I made the pork in the early morning. The pork recipe is really simple.Rub, bake, refrigerate and slice.

The buns were a bit trickier for me because I sucked at rolling them into the perfectly formed clamshell buns in the book. I used my food scale which helped and despite their non uniformity they still tasted good.

Chang says cutting the recipe in half doesn't work. That's OK because we'll definitely finish these off and I'll make another batch.

Full recipe and picture of Chang's prettier bun is HERE. I think these directions for the buns are a bit easier than in the book. I also used my bamboo steamer. I also should have stuffed mine with more pork belly.

It doesn't mention to quick pickle the cucumber slices, which I thought added more flavor than plain cukes. All you do is slice 2 kirby cukes into 1/8 inch slices (the mandoline is my friend here). Toss with 1 tbs sugar and 1 tsp salt. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Taste and if the slices are too salty or sweet, rinse in a colander and taste again and adjust sugar or salt and let sit for an additional 5-10 minutes Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

This is David Chang's take on the Korean dish, Bo Ssam, which is traditionally steamed pork wrapped in a leaf and served with a condiment known as ssamjang and topped with kimchee.

I've never had the dish but if it's anything like this it's seriously good!

David Chang is the chef/owner of Momofuku, which is an award winning Asian restaurant in New York City. I was steered towards this recipe by Josie on her One Kitchen, Two dogs and a Girl blog. She used the pork as a sandwich filling but after looking at other blogs featuring the recipe I decided to make the whole shebang as it is featured in the restaurant and in Chang's Momofuku  cookbook. I had a gift certificate and a coupon so I went ahead and bought the book and it's fantastic!

Instead of steamed pork this is a rubbed pork butt roasted low and slow (mine took about 10 hours) until it is easily shredded with a fork.. It is then served in a lettuce leaf with rice, kimchee, a ginger scallion sauce, Changs version of ssamjang and topped with oysters.

Oysters? On pork?  I admit my first reaction was not positive. I wavered on them because it sounded weird and I hate shucking oysters. Or at least I did many years ago when I worked in a restaurant that served platters of oysters and I would literally shuck hundreds in a night. But I decided to suck it up and bought a few oysters. I did not think they added a "wow factor" to the finished dish so you can skip the oysters. Unless you like a bit of slime in your pork.

I do suggest you plan a LOT of time for the pork. I thought mine would be done in 6-7 hours but it took much longer. The benefit of that is you have plenty of time to make the sides.

The ginger scallion sauce is to die for. It's not really a "sauce" as I define it though. Too chunky. It's also featured in the book served on ramen and apparently that dish is very popular. I will try that soon!

I also used store bought kimchee from the Asian grocery.
Anyway, we LOVED this dish! Loved it!

Bo Ssäm
adapted from Momofuku
Ingredients

Serves 6 to 10.

1 (8- to 10-pound) bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse salt

7 tablespoons light-brown sugar

12 oysters, shucked, for serving

1 cup Napa Cabbage Kimchi, for serving

1 cup Napa Cabbage Kimchi, pureed, for serving

1 cup Ginger-Scallion Sauce, for serving (see recipe here)

1 cup Ssam Sauce, for serving (recipe follows)

2 cups steamed short-grain white rice, for serving

3 to 4 heads Bibb lettuce, leaves separated, washed well, and spun dry

Sea salt
Directions

1. Place pork in a large bowl or roasting pan. In a medium bowl, mix together granulated sugar and 1 cup coarse salt. Rub sugar mixture all over pork and cover bowl with plastic wrap; transfer to refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

3.Transfer pork to a large roasting pan, discarding any accumulated juices (or drain accumulated juices from roasting pan that pork is in). Transfer roasting pan to oven and cook, basting every hour with rendered fat in roasting pan, until meat is tender and easily shredded with a fork, about 6 hours.


4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together remaining tablespoon coarse salt and brown sugar. Rub mixture all over pork.

5. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Return pork to oven until sugar has melted into a crisp crust, about 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Serve hot with oysters, kimchi, ginger-scallion sauce, ssam sauce, rice, lettuce, and sea salt.

Ginger-Scallion Sauce
Makes about 3 cups.

2 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions (from 1 to 2 large bunches)

1/2 cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

3/4 teaspoons sherry-wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoons coarse salt

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before using. Sauce may be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Ssam Sauce

Note-I didn't have the Korean chili pastes so I mixed Sriraccha with the vinegar and oil to taste.

Makes 1 cup

1 tablespoon ssamjang (soybean and chile-pepper paste)

1 1/2 teaspoons kochujang (Korean chile-pepper paste)

1/4 cup sherry-wine vinegar

1/4 cup grapeseed oil


Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Sauce may be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

I haven't had a Sloppy Joe in years and this has been on my "to try" list forever. I wish I had made this sooner as it is the best Joe I've ever had. there are layers of flavors but none of them overwhelm each other.

Oh and like a traditional Joe it couldn't be easier. Not as easy as opening a can of Manwich (yuck!) but there's minimal chopping and attention required. This is an easy weeknight meal if you're pressed for time.

I'm expecting the leftovers will be awesome since the flavors will have marinated.

Recipe from Gourmet magazine, Oct 2007, HERE

I actually found this recipe on the Cooking Light message boards. This has got to be the tenderest juiciest chicken I have ever had. it's incredible!

I had no luck finding the beer by the bottle but I don't care because I will happily make this five more times. The beer actually tastes pretty good too. I associate dark beers with Guinsess and other bitter heavy beers. Negra Modelo is neither of those things.

Anyway you must make this! Often!


Beer-Marinated Chicken Tacos
Source: weber.com

Many Americans are accustomed to guacamole loaded with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and fiery chiles, but a more traditional version in Mexico and parts of Texas is simply mashed avocados with a bit of salt and lime juice. It's rich and buttery and a fabulous topping for these juicy chicken tacos.

For the marinade:
1 cup dark Mexican beer, such as Negra Modelo
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 4 ounces each

For the guacamole:
2 ripe Haas avocados
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 flour or corn tortillas, 6 to 7 inches in diameter


To make the marinade: In a small bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Rinse the chicken thighs under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place them in a large, plastic resealable bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place the bag in a bowl, and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

To make the guacamole: Cut the avocados lengthwise around the pits, twist the halves apart, and remove the pits. Scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Add the lime juice and salt. Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash the ingredients together. Cover with plastic wrap, placing it directly on the surface to prevent browning, and refrigerate until about 1 hour before serving.

Remove the chicken thighs from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken thighs over Direct Medium heat until the meat is firm and the juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cut the thighs into thin strips.

Warm the tortillas over Direct Medium heat for about 1 minute, turning once halfway through grilling time. Pile the sliced chicken inside the tortillas. Top each taco with a spoonful of guacamole. Serve warm.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

I first made this recipe after it won the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1998. It was one of my regular dinners for a long time, then it disappeared off my radar as recipes tend to do.

Last week I was reminded in an email that the dish has a cult following on Chow.com for good reason. It's easy and delicious. Even though it has salsa the flavors are more Moroccan than Mexican. And did I mention it's delicious?

I served it with long grain rice instead of couscous and my salsa was not Old El Paso but other than that I followed the recipe to the letter.

Salsa Couscous Chicken recipe HERE.

I have three bags of panko in my pantry and I don't know why. Well actually I do know why. Sometimes I find myself at the store and I realize I forgot to check if I have a certain ingredient so I buy it just in case. Since I moved I've been slacking of my inventory spreadsheets.

Since the older pictures on my blog have disappeared I'm more motivated to go back and repeat my recipes so I can replace them (and back them up). I only hope I can use up my pantry odds and ends in the process. The above picture is quite blurry so I'll be making it again to replace it.

This recipe was so easy, so quick and so good! Do not be alarmed at the amounts of mustard as the flavor is muted by the cooking. I could taste mustard but it was not overwhelming. By the way I had three jars of Dijon and was able to dispose of one tonight thanks to this recipe.

The recipe is courtesy of Bon Appetit's test kitchen and was published in the Oct 2009 issue. It can be located HERE.