Garlic Basil Balsamic Dip (Ailio, Basilica e Balsamica ala Piacere)

This recipe is based on the dip served originally at the Piacere Restaurant in San Carlos, California. This bread dip was the brainchild of the Kurd owner. It was so immensely popular, patrons would literally fill up on bread hence the restaurant soon discontinued serving it.

1⁄4 cup very finest fruity olive oil

18 Cloves coarsely chopped garlic

1 Cup of freshly chopped basil

1 Cup of very good Modena balsamic vinegar

Heat frying pan until hot, then add and heat oil until it begins to glaze. Add all the garlic. Cook exactly 1 minute while stirring constantly. Add basil. Cook 20 seconds. Add vinegar. Store in jars in refrigerator,  but serve at room temperature for dipping bread.

 

Honey Lemon Lamb Riblets with Cilantro Jalapeno Dipping Sauce

 Honey Lemon Lamb Riblets with Cilantro Jalapeno Dipping Sauce

I developed the recipe as an appetizer and was first presented at the Gourmet Club dinner in Livermore, California.

4 pounds lamb riblets or enough to “feed the flock” 

4 ~ 5 lemons

Juice from one orange
1 cup chopped fresh mint
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh rosemary
Salt
Pepper

1 half a large onion cut into large full length chucks 
1 green bell pepper cut into large full-length chucks
 4 cloves of chopped garlic.
2 tablespoons olive oil

Honey Sauce

Juice from a lemon

1/3 cup of clover or orange honey

Cilantro

Jalapeños 

Marinate ribs for three to four hours with the juice of four lemons, juice of one orange, salt, pepper, chopped mint, chopped rosemary, chopped garlic, chopped remains of lemons in into large chunks.

Get the Barbecue grill hot. Skewer the onions and bell peppers and cook like kabobs for ten minutes. Cook ribs and lemon chucks until well colored from grill. Remove from grill and bake just ribs covered in a 375 preheated oven until tender. When ready to serve, reheat ribs, onion, bell pepper and lemon chunks in microwave. Reheat Honey Sauce. Toss with ribs and other ingredients. 

Garnish with Kalamata Olives and Cilantro. Serve with dipping sauce.

Kae’s Tamales

Katherine Ottesen lived in Nayarit for thirty years, and learned the cuisine of Mexico. Perhaps, I’ll live never to see a better cook! When we cooked these, we cook two, or three tiers of tamales, filling the pot.

3 1/2 cups Quaker masa harina

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup of lard (Manteca)

Cooked pork or chicken, shredded

Whole black olives, one or two per tamale

Combine masa, warm stock, and salt to taste. In a mix master, beat best lard until light and fluffy, add masa, and beat a long time. A small sample dropped in cold water should float, if not add more lard.

Sauce:

1/8 pound dried Pasilla chilies

1/8 pound dried Ancho (California) chilies 

1 clove garlic

1 medium onion

1 tablespoon lard

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Toast dried chilies on a griddle. Cool. Discard stems, seeds, pithy parts, and wash them. Cover with one cup of cold water, soak two hours. Blend until smooth. Add water to make one cup. Mince onion and sauté in lard until soft. Combine ingredients and cook until thick. Taste for salt.

Fill tamales with masa, meat and one or two olives. Wrap in top quality dried corn husks soaked in warm water and let stand overnight. Tie corn husks with strips of husk. Steam in layers in a covered pot 50 minutes.