Sauteed Achiote Chicken & Cauliflower

I have an ongoing obsession with achiote paste, which is a seasoning mix made and extracted from the annatto seed.

It is used extensively in Central American and some Asian dishes.  I developed my recipe for achiote paste based on the paste used to season Nicaraguan dishes.  I've noticed the actual achiote paste starting to populate the shelves of some mainstream supermarkets in the Hispanic foods section, so you may even be able to buy it off the shelf.  Personally, I prefer either making it myself or going to my local Nicaraguan "mercadito" (market) and buying it there.

Aside from the beautiful red color it imparts on foods, it adds a deep rich, earthly flavor to proteins (yes even tofu!). I find this is especially true on grilled meats such as chicken, pork, beef even seafood.

But I wanted to take it indoor and use it in a sauté for a quick dinner. And the results were simply put deeeeelicious! The Hub had seconds and took leftovers to work the next day.

• 1 pound sliced chicken breast** - 2" strips (like you'd use in a stir-fry)
• 2 tablespoons canola or nut oil of choice
• 1 tablespoon Achiote Paste
• Juice and zest of a small lemon
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 medium onion diced
• 4 mini sweet peppers or one medium red or orange pepper
• 1/2 head of cauliflower broken down into florets

1. After brining** your chicken (optional), place all the ingredients except oil and onion in a zip bag and allow to marinate 8 hours or best overnight. Take out of the fridge,  Remove chicken pieces from marinade shaking off excess liquids as you remove. Set marinade aside, do not discard it. Blot chicken on paper towels and allow to come to room temperature.  
2. Heat large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil.
3. Add 1/2 the chicken pieces - do not over crowd pan - brown chicken lightly. Remove and place on plate while you cook the remaining pieces in remaining tablespoon of oil.
4. Lower heat to medium and add onions and peppers to pan. Saute for 3 - 5 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.
5. Add cauliflower and saute for an additional 2 minutes.
6. Place all the chicken back into the pan and stir to blend with cauliflower.
7. Add reserved marinade liquid and bring to a boil over high heat.  Allow to boil for 1 minute.
8. Lower heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes or till chicken is cooked through.

Serve with fluffy white rice, sweet plantains and an ice cold beer. Enjoy!

**Recipe Notes: You can find brining instructions here or you can skip the brine step altogether. I just have a habit of brining chicken when I use breast meat. It really helps keep it juicy.

Grilled Achiote Skirt Steak - Churrasco Nicaraguan Style

Grilled Achiote Skirt Steak, served with shoestring french fries
 and Spicy Tomato Jam (recipe coming soon)

Most folks think of churrasco (CHEW-ROSS-COE) a.k.a skirt steak as a purely Argentinian dish, but I can tell you it is not. I had never eaten skirt steak (churrasco) until I met The Hub, who is Nicaraguan. Nicaraguans are big on grilled meats, especially beef and particularly churrasco, which is skirt steak. This is my take on blending the spices used in Nicaraguan grilled cuisine. The achiote powder, which also goes by the name of annatto, is one of my favorite spices in this cuisine and it has an earthy, sweet peppery flavor. My spice blend does not cover up the beefy flavor of the skirt steak but rather enhances it. Achiote can be found in the hispanic or asian section of the supermarket. And, if you can't find it locally, remember there is always Amazon or eBay.

Note: You'll notice that I don't specify amounts for the spices and that's because I literally just dust it over each piece of meat.  Use generous pinches of each spice and sprinkle over top.

Serves 2 - 3

Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Achiote Powder
1 1/2 pounds of skirt steak cut into steak sizes portions

With a fork piece the surface of each steak on each side. Generously dust each side of the skirt steaks with the salt, pepper, onion, garlic and achiote. Rub into the meat. Place into a zip bag or a lidded container and let rest in the fridge over night or 2-4 hours before grilling.

Fire up your grill on high (if using gas) or over direct heat with hot charcoal. Make sure you lightly oil your grill racks to get nice grill marks. Place steaks on racks and grill 3 - 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from grill onto a platter, tent with foil and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with your favorite sides, like shoestring french fries, and ice cold beer.  Enjoy.

Best of The Fork's Seasonings, Marinades and Rubs

Memorial Day Weekend has always been the quintessential start to the summer.
It means warm, sunny days, lots of rain if you are in Florida and the grilling season. Although for me it's always the grilling season. Today I am posting the best of my seasonings, marinades and rubs for your weekend, weekday and summer long enjoyment. Cheers to summer!

Achiote Paste - Make Your Own - This has become my "go to" for everything grilled, roasted or sauteed!

http://goo.gl/hChVPE

Beef & Pork Marinade Version 1 & 1.1 - One marinade two versions, what more could you ask for?!

http://goo.gl/Hg6EhP

My Parent's Authentic Cuban Roast Pork - You can use this marinade on anything and it will be delicious.

http://goo.gl/ilCUUO

Brine, Brine, Brine That Turkey! - And anything else your heart desires.  Brining will make even the toughest cuts juicy and flavorful!

http://goo.gl/AAnVFB

Succulent Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb - Not just for leg o' lamb but lamb chops, lamb shanks, lamb anything!

http://goo.gl/xvsnKt

Make Your Own Cuban Sazon Completa / Adobo Seasoning - Skip the MSG hidden in the store bought kind and make your own Sazon Completa. This stuff is is great on anything - even grilled fruit.

http://goo.gl/bduUql

Nicaraguan White Rice - Arroz Banco Nicaraguense

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

The first time I had Nicaraguan white rice, I realized what I had been missing out on and what all the fuss was about. To me, white rice was white rice, you boil it, add some salt, cook it for 20 minutes and you're done. BOY was I wrong! I could eat this stuff all by itself, in fact, I do.

By slowly cooking the onions and the peppers in the oil first, the vegetables release their delicious juices into the oil, which is absorbed into the rice as you lightly "fry" it before bathing it in water, a little salt and the secret ingredient my father-in-law, Aurelio, told me about ... a tablespoon of sour orange juice. Don't worry if you don't have access to sour oranges, you can make your own. See my post "Don't Have Sour Oranges? Make Your Own!"
Like most every Nicaraguan recipe I post, I learned how to make this from my in-laws ... so a big ¡Gracias! (thank you) to both Aurelio and Lupe for sharing. This recipe isn't for plain old white rice, it's for white rice taken to a new and yummier level ... a Nica* level!


Serves 4

1/4 cup of canola oil (do not use olive oil for this)
1/2 an onion, cut in thick lengthwise strips
1/2 green pepper, roughly chopped
Pinch of salt
2 cups of white rice
3 1/2 cups of water
1 tablespoon sour orange juice
3/4 teaspoon salt

Nicaraguan Salpicón! Chopped Beef in Zesty Lime with Onions and Peppers

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

Today I am taking you on a culinary trip down south to Central America, Nicaragua to be precise. The Hub and his family are from Nicaragua. Nicaraguans refer to themselves and anything Nicaraguan as "Nica". So if you see me using the term "Nica", now you know what I am referring too!

I was introduced to this Nicaraguan dish, like most of the Nicaraguan food I have come to love, at my in-laws. My father-in-law, Aurelio, is a fantastic cook and he taught me how to make Salpicón (pronounced SAL-PEE-CONE). And by taught, I mean he told me what goes in it (no exact measurements) and what the process is. That's the sign of what I call a "natural chef"! This dish is tooted as being dietetic because there is absolutely no fat in it, and uses a lean cut of meat ... eye round. When you look at the actual recipe you tend to think it's too simple and can't possibly be all that flavorful, but I got to tell you, it is! The lime juice breaks down the rawness and mellows the flavor of the onions and peppers and gives the finely chopped meat a light and tangy taste. Traditionally, Salpicón is served with Nica white rice and boiled or fried plantains. However, it's absolutely divine served in a lettuce wrap with pickled onions, radishes and cucumbers, sprinkled into a simple salad, or wrapped in a tortilla, preferably a Nica tortilla, with "crema" (similar to crème fraîche) and a little crumbled "queso ahumado" (similar to Feta, only smoked) over top. So pack your culinary taste buds as we head into the land of Nica food!

2 pounds eye round, trimmed of any fat, cut down into smaller chucks,
roughly 2"
2 quarters of water
1/2 of a head of garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
2 onions:

• 1 onion, chopped into quarters 
• 1 onion, finely diced about 1/8"  

2 bell peppers, 1 green, 1 red:

• 1/2 a green and 1/2  red, chopped into quarters
• 1/2 a green and 1/2  red, finely diced about 1/8"

1/2 - 3/4 cup of lime and the zest of the lime
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt

Nicaraguan Cabbage Slaw or Ensalada de Repollo Nica

Add caption

Cabbage is one of those vegetables that I think gets overlooked a lot.  It's pretty darn versatile and lends itself to so many different uses.  Here's a vinegary cabbage slaw that is a Central American staple at meal time.  Each country has its own take on it. This recipe, given to me by my father-in-law, is the Nicaraguan version I am most familiar and totally infatuated with. 

I can tell you it is great on just about everything. From grilled meats, chicken, and seafood to cheese and plantains - versatile is it's middle name.



Serves 4

1/2 a head of cabbage, cored and outer leaves removed, thinly sliced.
1 large red tomato, coarsely chopped.
1 medium carrot, julienned.
1/4 cup white vinegar*.
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar*.
1/8 cup of water
1 lime juiced.
1/2 generous teaspoon of salt.
Pepper to taste.

Mix all the ingredients together. Place in a storage bag or lidded container so that you can mix up or shake every so often. It is best after sitting a few hours in the dressing, even better overnight.  Store in fridge.
Serve with meats, cheese, tortillas, just about anything goes great with this simple but delicious slaw.

*Adjust vinegar levels to your liking.

Ground Beef Nicaraguan Style - Carne Enchorizada Nicaraguense

This recipe is a Nicaraguan dish. The name is deceptive - (enchorizada = sausage) because there is no sausage in the dish, it just looks like crumbled cooked sausage. 

I had this dish at my in-laws when I first started dating then boyfriend, and now my husband, back in 1980. It looks similar to my favorite Cuban dish ... Picadillo. Notice I said looks, the taste is completely different, not that there is anything wrong with that!
A few notes about the ingredients. I know what you are going to ask when you read the recipe, why the 85/15 ground beef? Simple ... taste, tradition and you will need the juices the beef expels as it cooks. You can use the leaner cut 93/7 but it will be drier and in my opinion not as rich in flavor.
One particular ingredient used in this dish, that you may not be familiar with, is Achiote paste. Achiote paste is made from the the seeds found inside the pods of the achiote bush and is a common ingredient in Nicaraguan dishes. Here's a link so you can see what the bush, pod and seed look like: 
http://twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com/2011/07/lipstick-tree-or-achiote-bush.html. 
In some cultures it is also referred to as annato. Achiote paste is made by grinding the seed with spices, garlic, vinegar and few other ingredients into a thick paste. It is used mainly for color but I personally love the taste it gives to food, especially grilled meats. If you can't find it, skip it! If you are feeling adventurous you can make your own, read my post on Achiote Paste!

2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 generous teaspoons of yellow mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped
2-3 potatoes, peeled, 1/4" dice 
2 carrots, peeled, 1/4" dice 
7 ears of baby corn, sliced,1/4" coins
1 teaspoon achiote paste (optional)
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup beef stock