Spicy sprouts, such as broccoli, arugula, or leek, give sushi rolls a delicate crunch and peppery flavor. A sushi mat makes it easy to wrap the nori and rice tightly around fillings, but it’s not necessary.
Though still debated, Tucson is generally credited as the original home of the chimichanga (fried "burro", as we call them, stuffed with meat, onions and chilies). I've combined several recipes into this one, and it's fairly authentic.
For maximum heat, leave the seeds and membranes in the pepper; habanero will be much hotter than serrano. Ever touched your lips or eyes after chopping hot peppers? Avoid those burns by wearing gloves to prevent the pepper's heat from penetrating your skin.
In this adaptation of a Philadelphia favorite, created at McNally's Tavern in Chestnut Hill, roast beef and griddled salami are stacked on a kaiser roll with cheese, tomato, and onion.
Look for caper berries near the olives in the supermarket; they should be next to the capers, but they're much bigger and have a stem. In a pinch, substitute about a tablespoon of chopped capers. Japanese eggplants have thinner skins than typical globe eggplants, so you can leave the peel on. The light purple color is pretty, too.
Chef Way Austin's The Mighty Cone food trailer has become famous for its Hot-and-Crunchy Cones: fried chicken coated in an ingenious mix of cornflakes, slivered almonds and sesame seeds, then wrapped in a tortilla with a mango-jalapeño slaw and a spicy ancho "paint."
Mexican food was never a regular part of my life until Ben also became a regular. See, my family's choice restaurant and food was Italian as I was growing up.
Using the cilantro stems for the base of the sauce (instead of throwing them in the trash) is a flavorful way to stretch a buck or two. If you can't find skin-on boneless chicken thighs, purchase bone-in and bone them yourself or have the butcher do so.
All spiced up, this home-cooked, old-fashioned meal is a classic that will have the gang salivating for more. Watch out, there may not be any leftovers!
