Sunny's Kitchen (20 page)

o
xtails should be filed under the “good things come to those who wait” category of cooking. It’s a two-day process, but well worth it and pretty easy even given the length of preparation. If you like the idea of fall-off-the-bone beef in a dark, rich stew of onions, garlic, and creamy lima beans, this is a must try. Like gumbo, it works best over a scoop of plain white rice, but egg noodles are fun, too.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1
Soak the beans.
Put the lima beans in a large bowl with 2 quarts water. Drape a dishtowel over the top and soak for 8 hours on the counter.

2
Marinate the oxtails.
In a large stockpot with a lid, combine the oxtails, onions, scallions, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, paprika, bay leaves, hot sauce, tomato paste, salt, gravy enhancer, and wine. Stir to coat the oxtails, cover, and marinate 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.

3
Cook the oxtails.
Remove the oxtails from the fridge. Add enough water to cover them by ½ inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 2 hours. When you’re 30 minutes into the cooking time, add 2 cups of the beef broth, stir, and cover. Continue this process in 30-minute intervals, with the last 2 cups of broth added 30 minutes before the 2-hour mark. After 2 hours, drain the lima beans and add them to the pot. If the liquid level is below the level of the solids, add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 2 more hours, skimming the fat off the top and stirring occasionally. In the last half hour of cooking, remove any visible thyme stems and the bay leaves. Taste and season with salt if needed. Serve hot with white rice.

 

tip!
If you can’t find oxtails, use beef cubes sold for stew, but a quick conversation with your grocer’s butcher could help; they often save these good parts for themselves.

d
on’t be afraid to make this at home, because what might look complicated is actually easy. This is just like rubbing down a steak, wrapping it, and resting it. I picked up this recipe after a trip to Hawaii. Among the Polynesian spread of poi, poke, and laulau was a bowl of bright salmon with flecks of cilantro. It looked simple, but when I tasted it, the flavors were all over the place in a really good way. This is a salty, sweet, tangy, and tender way to enjoy salmon and it has just the right amount of fresh cilantro to cut through it all. This is a winner on crackers or with white rice tossed with scallions and chopped fresh cilantro.
SERVES 4

1
Wrap and refrigerate the salmon.
Rinse the salmon in cold water and pat it dry. In a small bowl, mix the salt and sugar. Lay 2 long pieces of plastic wrap on top of each other to form a cross. Layer half the unchopped bunch of cilantro in the middle of the plastic wrap, add half the salt-sugar mixture, and press the salmon into it, covering the bottom well. Top the salmon with the remaining salt-sugar mixture, rubbing it in well. Then place the remaining unchopped cilantro on top. Wrap the salmon tightly in the wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2
Rinse and prepare the salmon.
Unwrap the salmon, rinse off in cold water, and pat dry. Cut into ¼- to ⅓-inch cubes and place in a medium bowl. Add the chopped cilantro, tomato, scallions, and lime juice and toss. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

 

tips!
You can substitute fresh parsley or basil for the cilantro for an equally rewarding infusion of flavor.
•
If you like gravlax with cream cheese on bagels, use this same technique, but substitute a bunch of dill for the cilantro and add an extra ½ cup salt.

t
his is a quick and easy way to visit the bayou in your kitchen. I talk plenty about New Orleans, but actually lived in Kenner, Louisiana, two towns over on Lake Pontchartrain. If I got a good grade at Loyola, I’d stop at the fish market in Metairie on the way home and stock up for a shrimp boil. I never had anyone over for these boils, as would usually be expected; it was just me and my newfound love of seafood. There are plenty of working parts here, but it’s truly as simple as tossing things in a pot and letting it rip. Easy is as easy does.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1
Brown the sausage.
Put the butter and sausage in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until it blisters on one side, then flip it and cook until the other side blisters as well, about 10 minutes.

2
Build the flavor and serve.
Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and Old Bay to the pot. Cook, stirring, until everything is tender but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the potatoes, lemon juice, hot sauce, and stock. If needed, add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Add the corn and shrimp. Stir and cook until the shrimp become opaque and curl up, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve warm in a bowl or remove with a slotted spoon and serve family style on a platter.