Spherified Picklebacks Food

VEGGIE TAMALES

Steps:

• For the filling: Add the shortening to a large skillet over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the squash and cook, stirring only once, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, jalapenos and garlic and stir to combine. Add the onion, chili powder and cumin and cook until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes and salt and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer a bowl and chill to cool.
• For the tamales: In a stovetop pressure cooker, add 3 cups of water along with the corn husks. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for locking on the lid. Cook under high pressure just until the pressure is reached. Quick-release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. Remove the husks and cover with a damp towel, reserving the hot liquid.
• Place the masa in a medium bowl and whisk in the salt and baking powder. Add the vegetable shortening by pinching it together with the masa, rubbing it together to disperse. Add all of the hot water from the pressure cooker and stir until a batter is formed.
• Lay the husks out and spread a large golf ball-sized amount of the masa in a thin layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Add about two tablespoons of the chilled filling. Fold the tamale like an open-ended envelope, starting with the sides and then the bottom. Place the tamale seam-side down in a steamer basket to let gravity hold it in place. Continue with the remaining husks and filling. Very carefully wrap the whole bunch of tamales in foil, leaving the tops exposed, and stand the tamales on their ends so they stand upright in the steamer basket. If your steamer basket has handles, this will help. Add 1 cup water to the pressure cooker, then lower in the filled steamer basket, and pressure cook over high heat at high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick-release the pressure, then remove the basket and plate your hot tamales.

KOFTA WITH FETA CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the kofta: Add the frozen lamb shoulder and breast cubes to a food processor and pulse until a ground meat mixture is formed. Alternately, use a meat grinder. Place the ground lamb in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with the chili powder, cumin, sumac, salt and pepper. Using wet hands, form into 8 oval patties.
• Add the oil to a Dutch oven fitted with a deep-frying thermometer and bring the temperature of the oil up to 375 degrees F. Place a rack in a sheet pan. Place the patties in the hot oil in batches and fry until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on the rack.
• For the sauce: Combine the sodium citrate with 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and stir to dissolve. Place over medium heat along with the milk and feta. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and blend into a sauce using an immersion blender.
• To serve: Place a kofta patty inside half of a pita and top with cucumber slices, a drizzle of some feta sauce and some dill. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 7 more.

BIG GAME PIZZA BALL

Steps:

• Pulse the heck out of everything except the tomato sauce, pepperoni and pita, scraping the bowl to ensure even mixing. Shape this mass as you'd like. Make some wells on top. Put the tomato sauce in the wells. Shingle the pepperoni around the exterior. Serve with pita points.

MACE AND BLACK PEPPER BRANDY ALEXANDER

Steps:

• Make an ice bath in a heatproof bowl or a high-sided saute pan. Set aside.
• In a pot over medium-low heat, add the mace to the heavy cream. Bring the heavy cream up to a simmer, then remove the pot from the heat directly to the ice bath and stir until fully chilled. (If not using right away, transfer to a container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.)
• Combine the cream, brandy and creme de cacao in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until very cold. Strain into a tall cocktail glass and garnish with black pepper, then serve.

STUFFED DATES

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the duck skin in the hot oil until crispy. Remove from the oil, dice and toss with a pinch of salt.
• In a bowl, combine the peanut butter, citric acid, evaporated cane juice and 6 pinches salt. Stuff the dates with the peanut butter mixture.
• Julienne the nori and sprinkle on top of each date. Garnish with duck skin and bonito flakes.

FAJITA CHIMICHANGAS

Steps:

• For the marinade: Combine the lemon, lime, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and garlic in a large bowl. Add the skirt steak and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge until your grill is preheated.
• Preheat a charcoal grill over medium-high heat.
• Toss the peppers and onions in a bowl with 2 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper, to taste. Grill the skirt steak and prepared vegetables until the steak is medium-rare and the veggies are tender and charred, about 5 minutes. (It'll cook further in the chimichangas.) Set aside on a plate or platter.
• For the salsa: Bring a pot of water to a boil and carefully add the tomatillos. Cook until the tomatillos begin to rupture, about 10 minutes. Drain, shock in an ice bath, and transfer to a blender. Add the jalapenos, garlic, cilantro and salt and pulse until incorporated. Transfer to a container, then cover and chill.
• For the tortillas: Mix the flour and 1/4 cup water together to form a paste. Lay the tortillas out and rub some of the paste over the top edges of the tortillas. Divide the meat and veggies in the lower thirds of the tortillas. Fold the sides in, then the bottoms. Roll up and allow to rest on the "glued" seal.
• Heat a deep-fryer or large Dutch oven with oil to 375 degrees F.
• Carefully lower the chimichangas in the hot oil and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drizzle some of the crema on the bottom of a large platter. Top with the chimichangas, more crema, tomatillo salsa and cilantro.

SHAAK-NO SAMBHARO (QUICK PICKLED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Pre-Prep: Trim fresh vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, radish, and others into bite sized pieces, and no larger than the container they will be stored in. Flash steam firm vegetables like cauliflower and carrots in a colander over boiling water for just a minute or two: the pieces should still be firm. Lay them on a kitchen towel to dry. If using fresh turmeric, cover the chopping board in plastic wrap, and wear gloves. Scrape off the skin with a spoon as you would for ginger and rinse it clean to wash away any tough bits. Pat each fingerling down and slice into thin rounds or to match the ginger, and place on a paper towel to air dry. All vegetables must be dry to touch before pickling. To prepare ginger, peel and slice ginger into eighth-inch-thick slices, and chop them to look like carrot sticks. Spread on a paper towel and set aside to air dry for 15-20 minutes.
• If using whole mustard seeds or whole fenugreek seeds, in two separate sets, crush each in a spice mill in short bursts until they each are broken down but not powdered. They should be the consistency of coffee grounds.
• Method: Heat the oil in a large, wide mouth saucepan until it is hot but not smoking. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly add all the spices: mustard halves, fenugreek halves, asafetida powder, cayenne pepper if using, along with the serrano pepper if using, and ginger sticks. Add vinegar and salt. Allow this to sizzle for a minute on low. Stir to allow the heat to distribute evenly. When the oil is aromatic, slowly add the trimmed vegetables and stir in well. Turn up the heat and let this cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables appear to have absorbed the spices a little. Turn off the heat and cover with a paper towel to capture any steam. Allow this to come to room temperature before storing.
• To Store: Use smaller (4 - 6 oz.) sanitized and dried glass jars to store the pickle. Using a clean and dry spoon that is smaller than the mouth of the jar, ladle out portions of the pickle into each jar. Don't worry if you don't get the oils or juices when first filling the jars. Fill jars at least a half inch below the rim of the jar. Shake them once to allow the pieces to settle. Divide up any of the liquid over each of these jars, taking care that each jar has some of the spicy sauce. Lightly shake each jar to ensure the liquid finds its way into the nooks and crannies of vegetable pieces. Close the lid and store in the fridge. The pickle is ready to eat immediately after it is made, but the flavors are pronounced after a day or two. Serve using a clean and dry fork or spoon for each serving to avoid contamination.