Sauteed Kale

 INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
• 1 large bunch kale, stemmed, with leaves coarsely chopped
• ½ chicken stock
• 1 medium tomato (optional)
•  Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and red-pepper flakes to taste
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar (or orange juice)

PREPARATION
Cook bacon in hot pan. Add garlic, then tomatoes if using and cook until soft.
Add kale to the pan, turn the heat to high and add the stock. Use a spoon to toss the greens in the oil and stock, then cover and cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, until it is soft and wilted, but still quite green. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has evaporated, another 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and peppers, add vinegar and toss to combine.

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Smothered Pork Chops

FOR THE PORK CHOPS

 1 pound bone-in pork chops, 1-inch thick
 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or seasoning salt
 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
FOR THE ONION GRAVY
 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
 pinch of salt
 3 cloves garlic, minced
 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
 1/4 cup heavy cream
 chopped fresh parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Season pork chops with seasoning salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter is melted.
3. Add pork chops to skillet and sear for 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. If skillet isn't big enough, cook the pork chops in batches.
4. Transfer to a plate and keep covered.
5. Return skillet to heat and add a tablespoon of butter; melt over medium heat.
6. Stir in sliced onions and add a pinch of salt.
7. Cook onions for 12 minutes, or until very soft and caramelized, stirring frequently.
8. Add garlic and fresh thyme; continue to cook for 30 seconds.
9. Pour in chicken broth and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
10. Whisk in heavy cream and simmer for 1 minute.
11. Return pork chops and all the pork juices to the skillet.
12. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 3 more minutes, or until pork is completely cooked through and sauce has thickened.
13. Remove from heat; garnish with parsley and serve.

Skirt Steak with Paprika Butter

Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
1 ½ teaspoons smoked hot paprika
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
5 pounds skirt steaks
Vegetable oil (for rubbing)
Freshly ground pepper 

DIRECTIONS

Step 1
Light a grill or heat a grill pan. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt; keep warm.

Step 2
Rub the skirt steaks with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until nicely charred and medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steaks across the grain. Spoon the Sunchoke-Kale Hash with Farro onto a large platter and top with the steak. Spoon the paprika butter over the steak and serve right away.

Make Ahead
The paprika butter can stand at room temperature for up to 4 hours; reheat the butter gently.

Kefta Dinner

Ingredients

Pita breads

for the kefta
1 pound ground beef 

1 pound ground lamb
1/2 medium sweet onion (chopped very fine or grated)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoon cumin
3 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
1/4 cup fresh mint (chopped)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Metal or bamboo skewers

for the rice

1 cup basmati rice

1 3/4 cup water

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chicken buillon

salt to taste

for the cucumber salad

2 cups mini cucumber, cut in semicircle disks

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes or cut tomatoes on the vine

2 tbsp roughly chopped red onions

1 tsp finely chopped mint

1 tsp finely chopped parsley

salt and pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar

for the mint yogurt

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
1 medium cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Mix all of the kefta ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and cover. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or longer to allow the flavors to blend.
2. Make mint yogurt sauce. Place yogurt, mint, garlic, lemon juice, cumin  in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 30 minutes, then serve, or transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to a week.
3. Make the rice.  Add the oil in a small saucepan, add the rice and cook over medium heat until it starts to toast lightly (this will take a while since the rice is wet) then add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, lower the heat to low, simmer for 15 minutes.  Cover then remove from the heat and let it set aside. 
4. Preheat broiler.
5. While preheating oven, make cucumber salad. Combine all salad ingredients to a bowl.
6. Make kefta kebabs, take small amounts of kefta and shape them into cylinders or sausage shapes. Skewer the meat, squeezing it to mold it to the skewer.
7. Cook kebabs approximately 5-7 minutes each side, total of 10-14 minutes.
8. Serve kebab immediately with the rice, pita bread cucumber salad and mint yogurt sauce.

Spatchcocked chicken

Ingredients
4 1/4 lb whole chicken butterflied
generous amount of salt and pepper

for Flavored Butter:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
1 Tbsp olive oil plus more to drizzle
1 Tbsp parsley finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
salt

Vegetables;

Potatoes

carrots

Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper about 1 hour before cooking.
2. Preheat oven to 425F.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flavored butter ingredients. Mash with fork for a couple of minutes until lemon juice is mostly incorporated into butter.
4. Spread 2/3 of mixture under the chicken skin and and dot/spread remaining butter all over chicken.
5. Place prepared vegetables all around the chicken and drizzle everything with olive oil. Sprinkle chicken and vegetables generously with salt and some black pepper to taste.
6. Bake uncovered at 425˚F for 45 min or until instant read thermometer reads 160˚F when inserted into thickest part of chicken breast**. Remove form oven and rest uncovered 10 minutes on a cutting board before serving.

*Allow the raw chicken to sit at room temp for 30 min before using for even baking.
**Don't over-bake or the breast will be dry. Keep in mind internal temp will rise another 5-10 degrees after it comes out of oven.

Aldrin's Iberian Chicken

1 whole chicken
one cup garlic clove, peeled
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (optional)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

1. Marinate chicken for at least 1 hour.  Place all garlic cloves inside cavity before roasting.
2. Roast for 1 hour at 400F [or 2 hours at 200F].

Avocado Salad

Ingredients
4 Hass avocados, ripe but firm
1 small sweet onion
lime
salt and pepper

Cut onions in rings and soak in cold water for a few minutes.
Cut avocados lengthwise or in semi circles.  Arrange in a platter.
Squeeze juice of 1/2 lime to avocados.
Drain onions then rinse thoroughly with cold water.
Top avocados with onions.
Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.