Basmati Rice Pilaf with Whole Spices, Saffron & Mint

• 1 cup uncooked white basmati rice, preferably Indian or Pakistani
• 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 6 green or white cardamom pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches each)
• 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
• 1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 tsp. kosher or coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. saffron threads
• 1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves (from about 3 oz. mint sprigs), finely chopped

Put the rice in a bowl and gently rinse with three or four changes of water, until the water runs fairly clear. Fill the bowl halfway with cold water and let the rice soak at room temperature for 30 min. to soften the kernels. Drain.

Heat a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; pour in the oil and swirl it around. It should appear to shimmer; if not, continue heating until it does. Add the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaves, which will sputter and crackle and smell aromatic. After 20  to 30 seconds, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion turns golden brown, about 5 min.

Add the drained rice and toss gently with the onion and spice mixture. Pour in 1-1/2 cups cold water and sprinkle on the salt and saffron. Stir the rice just once to incorporate the salt and saffron. Leaving the pot uncovered, bring the water to a boil over the same medium-high heat. After about 3 min., when much of the water has evaporated or been absorbed (if you move some of the rice with a fork, the water should look like it comes about halfway up the rice), stir the rice once more to bring the partially cooked layer from the bottom of the pan to the surface. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and turn down the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook covered for another 10 min. Without removing the cover, turn off the heat and let the pan stand off the heat, undisturbed, for another 10 min.

Remove the lid and add the mint. Fluff the rice with a fork to let the steam escape and to incorporate the mint leaves. Remove the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves and instruct your guests not to eat the cardamom pods.

Couscous Salad with Tomatoes and Hot Green Peppers

Couscous is a fine pellet made from semolina flour, each golden grain a bit larger than the head of a pin. Some chefs call it “Moroccan pasta” because it is made with the same durum wheat used to make pasta. Here, cooked couscous is combined with roasted green peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The resulting salad is similar to Middle Eastern tabouleh and perfect for a summer picnic.

• 1-1/2 cups couscous
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 green bell peppers, roasted and diced 
• 2 cups coarsely chopped cherry tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 hot green or red chili pepper (jalapeño or serrano), minced 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or coriander leaves
• 5 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 to 4 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Freshly ground black pepper

Wash the couscous in cold water and drain immediately. Lift and rake the grains with your fingertips to separate them. Let rest 10 minutes.

Heat water in the bottom of a soup pot fitted with a steamer. The steamer should fit snugly into the pot, and the bottom of the steamer should not touch the water. Line the steamer with 3 layers of cheesecloth that cover both the bottom and the sides of the steamer and go up over the top. Add the couscous to the steamer and steam for 20 minutes, fluffing the grains halfway through the cooking.

Remove the couscous from the steamer and put it into a baking pan. Combine the water and salt. Sprinkle the couscous with the salt water. Lift and rake the grains with your fingertips to separate them. Let rest 10 minutes.

Place the steamer back in the soup pot and return the couscous to the cheesecloth-lined steamer. Steam slowly for 15 minutes. Remove the steamer and the couscous. Let the couscous cool completely.

The couscous can be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance.

Place the couscous in a bowl and add the peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, chili pepper, parsley, and cilantro.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with the couscous and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

Couscous Salad with Tomatoes and Hot Green Peppers

Couscous is a fine pellet made from semolina flour, each golden grain a bit larger than the head of a pin. Some chefs call it “Moroccan pasta” because it is made with the same durum wheat used to make pasta. Here, cooked couscous is combined with roasted green peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The resulting salad is similar to Middle Eastern tabouleh and perfect for a summer picnic.

• 1-1/2 cups couscous
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 green bell peppers, roasted and diced 
• 2 cups coarsely chopped cherry tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 hot green or red chili pepper (jalapeño or serrano), minced 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or coriander leaves
• 5 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 to 4 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Freshly ground black pepper

Wash the couscous in cold water and drain immediately. Lift and rake the grains with your fingertips to separate them. Let rest 10 minutes.

Heat water in the bottom of a soup pot fitted with a steamer. The steamer should fit snugly into the pot, and the bottom of the steamer should not touch the water. Line the steamer with 3 layers of cheesecloth that cover both the bottom and the sides of the steamer and go up over the top. Add the couscous to the steamer and steam for 20 minutes, fluffing the grains halfway through the cooking.

Remove the couscous from the steamer and put it into a baking pan. Combine the water and salt. Sprinkle the couscous with the salt water. Lift and rake the grains with your fingertips to separate them. Let rest 10 minutes.

Place the steamer back in the soup pot and return the couscous to the cheesecloth-lined steamer. Steam slowly for 15 minutes. Remove the steamer and the couscous. Let the couscous cool completely.

The couscous can be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance.

Place the couscous in a bowl and add the peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, chili pepper, parsley, and cilantro.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with the couscous and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

Sweet Chili Glaze (for grilled pork tenderloin)

• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed

In a small saucepan, heat the oil, chili powder, and cumin over medium heat. When the mixture starts to sizzle and the spices are fragrant, add the concentrate. Simmer until the mixture reduces to about 2 Tbs. Set aside to cool slightly.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Warm Spices

These potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to Six-Spice Braised Short Ribs.

• 2-1/2 to 3 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and quartered
• Kosher salt
• 1 Tbs. corn oil
• 1-1/2 tsp. yellow split peas
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 large white onion, cut 1/4-inch dice (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. Coleman’s mustard powder
• 3/4 cup whole milk; more if needed
• 2 Tbs. heavy cream
• Freshly ground black pepper

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, add cold water cover by at least an inch, 1 tsp. salt, and bring water to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium to maintain a steady (not raging) boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender all the way through but don’t fall apart when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the corn oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the split peas and cook just until they start to turn golden brown (watch carefully: split peas can quickly go from golden brown to dark brown to burned), about 3 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the butter, onion, and turmeric and cook until the onion is transparent, 4 to 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the honey and mustard powder until smooth. Stir in the milk and cream and then add this mixture to the onions and spices. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it sit on the burner.

When the potatoes are tender, drain them and return them to their saucepan over medium heat. Dry the potatoes, shaking the pan and stirring with a rubber spatula, until they look floury and leave a light film on the bottom of the pan. Put the dry potatoes through a ricer or food mill, or mash them with a hand masher until they’re lump-free.

Pour the hot creamy onion mixture into the pan with the warm mashed potatoes. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine. If the potatoes seem dry, moisten with a little more milk. Transfer the spiced mashed potatoes to a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Warm Spices

These potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to Six-Spice Braised Short Ribs.

• 2-1/2 to 3 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and quartered
• Kosher salt
• 1 Tbs. corn oil
• 1-1/2 tsp. yellow split peas
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 large white onion, cut 1/4-inch dice (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. Coleman’s mustard powder
• 3/4 cup whole milk; more if needed
• 2 Tbs. heavy cream
• Freshly ground black pepper

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, add cold water cover by at least an inch, 1 tsp. salt, and bring water to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium to maintain a steady (not raging) boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender all the way through but don’t fall apart when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the corn oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the split peas and cook just until they start to turn golden brown (watch carefully: split peas can quickly go from golden brown to dark brown to burned), about 3 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the butter, onion, and turmeric and cook until the onion is transparent, 4 to 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the honey and mustard powder until smooth. Stir in the milk and cream and then add this mixture to the onions and spices. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it sit on the burner.

When the potatoes are tender, drain them and return them to their saucepan over medium heat. Dry the potatoes, shaking the pan and stirring with a rubber spatula, until they look floury and leave a light film on the bottom of the pan. Put the dry potatoes through a ricer or food mill, or mash them with a hand masher until they’re lump-free.

Pour the hot creamy onion mixture into the pan with the warm mashed potatoes. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine. If the potatoes seem dry, moisten with a little more milk. Transfer the spiced mashed potatoes to a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once.

'Mo J' Marinated & Grilled Flank Steak

Toss a few red onions on the grill to serve with this dish; a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers rounds out the meal nicely. My family loves this versatile mojo on chicken as well as on flank steak. For this recipe, half of the “Mo J” mojo is used to marinate the steak; the other half is drizzled on as a sauce.

For the mojo:

• 12 cloves garlic (or 4 Tbs. minced garlic)
• 2 habaneros or other spicy chiles, cored, seeded, and minced (wear rubber gloves)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 tsp. whole cumin seeds, toasted
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup sour orange juice (or 1/3 cup fresh lime juice plus 1/3 cup fresh orange juice)
• 1-1/2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the steak:

• 1-1/2 lb. flank steak
• 1 or 2 large Bermuda onions, thickly sliced and brushed with olive oil (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To make the mojo:

Mash the raw garlic,chiles, salt, and cumin together in a mortar and pestle until fairly smooth. (Alternatively, use a food processor, pulsing until the ingredients are finely chopped but not puréed.) Scrape the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Heat the olive oil until fairly hot but not smoking, and pour it over the garlic-chile mixture (the oil should sizzle when it hits the cool ingredients), stir, and let stand 10 minutes. This will cook the garlic slightly. Whisk in the sour orange juice and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool completely.

Put the steak in a zip-top bag or a shallow bowl and pour in 1 cup of the cooled mojo. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Refrigerate the remaining 1 cup of mojo.

To cook and serve:

Light a charcoal or gas grill. When the grill is very hot, remove the steak from the marinade (discard the marinade), pat dry, and season with salt and pepper; cook 5 to 7 minutes on one side and 3 to  4 minutes on the other for medium rare. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes (If you like, grill the Bermuda onions as well—you can put them on at the same time as the flank steak; grill 6 to 7 minutes per side.) Meanwhile, warm the reserved mojo over low heat. Slice the flank steak very thinly on the bias and serve with the reserved mojo and the grilled onions.

Tex-Mex Rub for Steak or Chicken

• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 1-1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store dry spice rubs in the pantry for two to three weeks. Store rubs with fresh ingredients in the refrigerator for up to two days. Apply rubs just before grilling, or for more flavor, rub the mix into the meat and refrigerate for several hours before grilling.