Appetizers

Superbowl LI  Habanero Wings

Ingredients:

3 lbs wings
2 bottles Jamaican Habanero Barbecue Sauce
1 bottle Creamy Blue Cheese or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
4-5 leaves green leaf lettuce or arugula

Prep:
  Refrigerate dressings for 2-3 hours prior to serving. Pre-heat grill on high for 10 minutes, turn down to medium. (If cooking indoors preheat oven to 450). Grill wings rotating and turning often until completely cooked through, remove from grill. If cooking indoors, cook wings for about 45 min-1 hr (depending on if they are frozen or fresh), remove from oven, drain fat. In a large kettle add 2 bottles of Jamaican Habanero Barbecue sauce, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add wings to sauce, coat thoroughly. On a large serving plate or platter arrange lettuce leaves in a circle. Place wings on top of lettuce, serve with Buttermilk Ranch and Blue Cheese in dippers on the side.

 

Tapas with Prosciutto, Fig, and Maple Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients:

3 or 4 thin slices prosciutto (about 1 1/2oz. total)
4 fresh basil leaves
3-4 thin shavings imported Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 Tbs pine nuts
2 firm-ripe figs (2 to 3 oz. total)
1 small African Queen heirloom tomato (or any super sweet tomato)
3 oz Maple Balsamic Dressing

Prep:

Layer prosciutto, overlapping slightly, on a plate. Rinse and dry the spinach. Rinse figs, trim off stems, and cut fruit into quarters lengthwise; scatter figs over prosciutto. Drizzle Maple Balsamic Dressing lightly over figs. Sprinkle with pine nuts and cheese. Garnish with spinach. Serve with Beaujolais wine or another wine low in tannins.

 

Veracruz Street Tacos: 

Ingredients:

2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat 
1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows
Olive oil, for coating the grill
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 
16 (7-inch) corn tortillas 
Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce, for serving 
Chopped white onion, for serving 
16oz Salsa Veracruz
2 limes, cut in wedges for serving

Prep: Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy. 

Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal. 

Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable. 

To make the tacos, stack up 2 of the warm tortillas, lay about 4 ounces of beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, and onion. Top each taco with a spoonful of Salsa Veracruz and garnish with lime wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. 
Mojo: 

4 garlic cloves, minced 
1 jalapeno, minced 
1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
2 limes, juiced 
1 orange, juiced 
2 tablespoons white vinegar 
1/2 cup olive oil 

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Use as a marinade for chicken or beef or as a table condiment. 

Yield: approximately 1 1/4 cups