My secret weapon for dinner parties, when I don't have time to ruffle through
the many cooking magazaines I subscribe to, I go online to epicurious.com. It
is a combined effort from the folks at Bon Appetite and Gourmet magazines. Not
only do they list all the recipes from current issues and old, visitors rank the
recipes and comment on them. You really know if there is an error or if it is
fabulous. Some of my favorite recipes from epicurious.com are:
jamaican jerk burgers with orange-chipotle mayonnaise
Bon Appétit | September 2002
(ranked four forks with 94% would recommend)
Makes 6 servings.
Automatic Slim's Tonga Club, Memphis, TN
Orange-chipotle mayonnaise
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chilies*
Jerk sauce
1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 small habañero chili or 2 medium jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
6 sesame-seed hamburger buns, toasted
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tomatoes, sliced
6 romaine lettuce leaves
For orange-chipotle mayonnaise:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For jerk sauce:
Finely chop first 4 ingredients in processor.
Add sugar and next 3 ingredients; process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
Set aside 3/4 cup jerk sauce. Shape ground beef into six 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick patties; place in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup jerk sauce over patties and turn to coat; let stand 20 minutes.
Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper.
Grill to desired doneness, brushing occasionally with remaining jerk sauce, about 4 minutes per side for medium.
Spread mayonnaise over cut surfaces of buns.
Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Top with onion slices, tomato slices, lettuce, and bun tops. Serve, passing reserved 3/4 cup jerk sauce separately.
* Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Top with onion slices, tomato slices, lettuce, and bun tops. Serve, passing reserved 3/4 cup jerk sauce separately.
* Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
Visit eWineMatch.com for wine pairing advice!
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.
AND
tropical spring rolls with chile sauce
Gourmet | May 2004
(four forks with 100% would recommend it)
The consistency and flavor of bottled Asian chile sauces can vary, as can the heat of fresh chiles, so make adjustments to taste. For these tropical rolls, we found the thinner Wei-Chuan brand spring roll wrappers worked best.
Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr
Makes 4 first-course servings.
Adapted from Carlisle Bay, Antigua
For chile sauce
1 cup Asian sweet chile sauce* (preferably Mae Ploy brand)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon palm sugar* or packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh hot chile (such as Thai or serrano, preferably red), including seeds
For spring rolls
1 1/2 lb shrimp in shell, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 Chinese spring roll wrappers*
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
About 1 cup vegetable oil
Make chile sauce:
Stir together sauce ingredients in a bowl until just combined. Chill, covered.
Make spring rolls:
Stir together shrimp, cilantro, and salt.
Put 1 spring roll wrapper on a work surface with a corner nearest you, keeping remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap.
Spread 1/2 cup shrimp mixture across wrapper, 3 inches from bottom corner, to form a 4-inch log, leaving a 1 1/4-inch border at each end.
Fold bottom corner over filling, then fold in side corners and roll up snugly to enclose shrimp. Stir together water and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth, then brush seams with mixture to seal. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a baking sheet lined with wax paper and keep covered with plastic wrap. Make more spring rolls in same manner, transferring to baking sheet as formed.
Heat 1/4 inch oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry 2 or 3 spring rolls, seam sides down, until golden, about 2 minutes.
Turn over and fry until other side is golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining spring rolls in same manner. Halve and serve hot or warm with sauce.
Cooks' notes:
• Sauce can be made, without cilantro, 1 day ahead and chilled.
Add cilantro just before serving.
• Spring rolls can be formed (but not cooked) 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap.
* Available at Asian markets.
Fold bottom corner over filling, then fold in side corners and roll up snugly to enclose shrimp. Stir together water and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth, then brush seams with mixture to seal. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a baking sheet lined with wax paper and keep covered with plastic wrap. Make more spring rolls in same manner, transferring to baking sheet as formed.
Heat 1/4 inch oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry 2 or 3 spring rolls, seam sides down, until golden, about 2 minutes.
Turn over and fry until other side is golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining spring rolls in same manner. Halve and serve hot or warm with sauce.
Cooks' notes:
• Sauce can be made, without cilantro, 1 day ahead and chilled.
Add cilantro just before serving.
• Spring rolls can be formed (but not cooked) 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap.
* Available at Asian markets.
Visit eWineMatch.com for wine pairing advice!
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.
Advertisement:
jamaican jerk burgers with orange-chipotle mayonnaise
Bon Appétit | September 2002
(ranked four forks with 94% would recommend)
Makes 6 servings.
Automatic Slim's Tonga Club, Memphis, TN
Orange-chipotle mayonnaise
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chilies*
Jerk sauce
1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 small habañero chili or 2 medium jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
6 sesame-seed hamburger buns, toasted
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tomatoes, sliced
6 romaine lettuce leaves
For orange-chipotle mayonnaise:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For jerk sauce:
Finely chop first 4 ingredients in processor.
Add sugar and next 3 ingredients; process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
Set aside 3/4 cup jerk sauce. Shape ground beef into six 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick patties; place in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup jerk sauce over patties and turn to coat; let stand 20 minutes.
Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper.
Grill to desired doneness, brushing occasionally with remaining jerk sauce, about 4 minutes per side for medium.
Spread mayonnaise over cut surfaces of buns.
Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Top with onion slices, tomato slices, lettuce, and bun tops. Serve, passing reserved 3/4 cup jerk sauce separately.
* Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Top with onion slices, tomato slices, lettuce, and bun tops. Serve, passing reserved 3/4 cup jerk sauce separately.
* Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
Visit eWineMatch.com for wine pairing advice!
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.
AND
tropical spring rolls with chile sauce
Gourmet | May 2004
(four forks with 100% would recommend it)
The consistency and flavor of bottled Asian chile sauces can vary, as can the heat of fresh chiles, so make adjustments to taste. For these tropical rolls, we found the thinner Wei-Chuan brand spring roll wrappers worked best.
Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr
Makes 4 first-course servings.
Adapted from Carlisle Bay, Antigua
For chile sauce
1 cup Asian sweet chile sauce* (preferably Mae Ploy brand)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon palm sugar* or packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh hot chile (such as Thai or serrano, preferably red), including seeds
For spring rolls
1 1/2 lb shrimp in shell, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 Chinese spring roll wrappers*
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
About 1 cup vegetable oil
Make chile sauce:
Stir together sauce ingredients in a bowl until just combined. Chill, covered.
Make spring rolls:
Stir together shrimp, cilantro, and salt.
Put 1 spring roll wrapper on a work surface with a corner nearest you, keeping remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap.
Spread 1/2 cup shrimp mixture across wrapper, 3 inches from bottom corner, to form a 4-inch log, leaving a 1 1/4-inch border at each end.
Fold bottom corner over filling, then fold in side corners and roll up snugly to enclose shrimp. Stir together water and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth, then brush seams with mixture to seal. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a baking sheet lined with wax paper and keep covered with plastic wrap. Make more spring rolls in same manner, transferring to baking sheet as formed.
Heat 1/4 inch oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry 2 or 3 spring rolls, seam sides down, until golden, about 2 minutes.
Turn over and fry until other side is golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining spring rolls in same manner. Halve and serve hot or warm with sauce.
Cooks' notes:
• Sauce can be made, without cilantro, 1 day ahead and chilled.
Add cilantro just before serving.
• Spring rolls can be formed (but not cooked) 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap.
* Available at Asian markets.
Fold bottom corner over filling, then fold in side corners and roll up snugly to enclose shrimp. Stir together water and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth, then brush seams with mixture to seal. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a baking sheet lined with wax paper and keep covered with plastic wrap. Make more spring rolls in same manner, transferring to baking sheet as formed.
Heat 1/4 inch oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry 2 or 3 spring rolls, seam sides down, until golden, about 2 minutes.
Turn over and fry until other side is golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining spring rolls in same manner. Halve and serve hot or warm with sauce.
Cooks' notes:
• Sauce can be made, without cilantro, 1 day ahead and chilled.
Add cilantro just before serving.
• Spring rolls can be formed (but not cooked) 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered with plastic wrap.
* Available at Asian markets.
Visit eWineMatch.com for wine pairing advice!
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.