Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes

Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes

This is a simple and quick recipe similar to aglio e olio. You can make the sauce in the time it takes to cook the pasta. Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes has a fresh light taste so I wouldn’t recommend any cheese on this one.
Spaghetti with Cherry TomatoesIngredients:
  • 1 lb. spaghetti
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • Salt, black pepper
  • Red pepper (from a pinch to a tablespoon)
  • ½ cup chopped parsley
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
Start a pot of water for the pasta and begin to cook the pasta.
Spaghetti with Cherry TomatoesSlowly cook the garlic in the oil in a large frying pan. Add the seasoning (salt, black and red pepper) and the parsley. Stir and then add the tomatoes (half of them cut in half). Cook over a medium heat until the pasta is almost done.

Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes

Add a cup of the pasta water to the sauce and then add the almost cooked pasta to finish cooking. Add additional water as necessary to keep it moist. Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes
Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes

Click here for updated GALLERY
Portfolio and Yelp

Posole

Posole

Posole is a traditional Mexican dish. It’s a thick soup made with meat and hominy.  Posole You can have your butcher cut a pork shoulder into pieces. The toppings are up to you. Use as many or as few as you like.

PosoleIngredients:
  • 5 or 6 dried ancho chiles
  • 6 cloves garlic (3 crushed & 3 finely chopped)
  • 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • Salt & black pepper
  • Olive oil for browning
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 15-ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
Remove the stems from the anchos and shake out as many seeds as possible. Put them in a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove them after about 15 minutes, let them cool a bit and then put them and 1½ cups of the liquid in a blender. Add the crushed garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt, and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pushing the sauce through with a rubber spatula.Posole

Season the pork with salt and black pepper and set aside. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pork and cook until lightly browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Posole
Add the onion to the pot and cook until soft and translucent. Add the chopped garlic and return the browned meat. Increase the heat to medium high.

Stir in the chicken broth, oregano, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup or more of the chili sauce (depending on your taste). Add enough water to cover the meat and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover, and slowly simmer,  turning the pork a few times, until tender – about 2 hours. Stir in the hominy and continue to simmer, uncovered, about 45 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf. Add some water if the posole is too thick. Check for seasoning.
Posole
Serve the posole with the remaining chili sauce and a topping  of fresh  diced avocado, shredded cabbage, diced onion, sliced radishes, and/or cilantro.

Click here for updated GALLERY
Portfolio and Yelp

Venezuelan Liver and Onions

Venezuelan Liver and Onions

Not everyone likes liver. I think that’s more because of the way liver is prepared than what it actually tastes like. Lots of people over cook it, giving it an unpleasant texture. The key to tasty liver is to serve it rare. Fry it quickly in a hot pan for just a few minutes until the exterior is brown. That’s all.

Venezuelan Liver and Onions
Ingredients:
  • 3 tbsps. olive oil for frying
  • 1 to 1 ½ lbs. calf’s liver cut into strips
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 tbsps. butter
  • 3 or 4 thinly sliced onions,
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 4 ozs. white wine
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
Pat the room temperature liver dry and season with salt and pepper.

Venezuelan Liver and Onions
Venezuelan Liver and Onions
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot add the liver strips and fry until browned on both sides. Don’t crowd the pan or the liver will steam instead of brown. Remove the liver and set aside on a plate.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the butter to the same skillet. Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the garlic to the onions and sauté and blend for about 1 – 2 minutes. Add the liver back to the skillet and pour in the wine. Let the wine reduce for 2 – 3 minutes. Remove everything to a serving platter, pour the pan drippings over it and sprinkle with parsley.

Venezuelan Liver and OnionsGravy for Venezuelan Liver and Onions – If you’d like, use the pan drippings to make a gravy. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the drippings. Stir constantly for 1 -2 minutes over medium heat, then add 1 cup of beef stock. Cook and stir until thickened. Serve over liver and onions.

Venezuelan Liver and Onions

Click here for updated GALLERY
Portfolio and Yelp