Make Ahead Mac and Cheese (with a twist)

1lb short pasta
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
3 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 clove garlic minced or grated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1lb colby cheese shredded
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded


Optional:
6 slices thick cut bacon sliced and cooked crisp
6 tablespoons cream horseradish or 3 tablespoons regular horseradish

Cook pasta according to directions and leave al dente. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a dutch oven, cook garlic, mustard powder and cayenne for 60 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and stock and simmer until thickened (about 2-3 minutes)Remove from heat and stir in cheeses. Sauce will be thin so that after you freeze or refrigerate the mac and cheese it remains creamy and loose after you bake it.

Mix pasta, bacon, and horseradish into the sauce and pour into a 9X13 glass dish. Top with crumbed Ritz crackers (1 and half sleeves)tossed with 3 tablespoons butter and some parsley. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes to crisp the topping.

You may refrigerate this dinner for up to 2 days before cooking or freeze for up to one month. To bake from frozen, thaw for 24 hours and then bake as directed above

Tennessee-Whiskey Pork Chops

Tennessee-Whiskey Pork Chops

From the episode: Regional Chops

A popular restaurant serves a "Jack Daniel’s" pork chop that sounds better than it really is. The concept, however, sounded good enough that we wanted to perfect it at home.

Serves 4.

Refrigerate the marinating chops in a shallow bowl in case the zipper-lock bag leaks. Watch the glaze closely during the last few minutes of cooking—the bubbles become very small as it approaches the right consistency.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey or 1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
4 bone-in, center-cut pork chops , about 1 inch thick
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
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1. Whisk whiskey, cider, brown sugar, mustard, cayenne, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons vinegar together in medium bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup whiskey mixture to gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag, add pork chops, press air out of bag, and seal. Turn bag to coat chops with marinade and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Reserve remaining whiskey mixture separately.
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2. Remove chops from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and discard marinade. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Season chops with salt and pepper and cook until well browned on both sides and a peek into thickest part of a chop using paring knife yields still-pink meat 1/4 inch from surface, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chops to plate and cover tightly with foil.
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3. Add reserved whiskey mixture to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Cook until reduced to thick glaze, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and, holding on to chops, tip plate to add any accumulated juices back to skillet. Add remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar, whisk in butter, and simmer glaze until thick and sticky, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
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4. Return chops to skillet and let rest in pan until sauce clings to chops, turning chops occasionally to coat both sides, and a peek into thickest part of a pork chop using paring knife shows completely cooked meat (145 degrees on instant-read thermometer), about 5 minutes. Transfer chops to platter and spoon sauce over. Serve.

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata
Serves 4

2 large lemons
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed and pounded thin
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small shallot, minced, or 1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves (I used 2 tsp dried)

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set a large heatproof serving or dinner plate on the rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees.

2. Halve one lemon pole to pole. Trim the ends from one half and cut it crosswise into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch think; set aside. Juice the remaining half and whole lemon to obtain 1/4 cup juice; reserve.

3. Sprink both sides of the cutlets generously with salt and pepper. Measure the flour into a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Coat cutlets with flour and shake off excess.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Lay half of the cutlets in the skillet. Saute until lightly browned on first side, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook until second side is lightly browned, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes longer. Remove the pan from heat and transfer cutlets to the oven. Add the remaining oil and repeat process with remaining cutlets.

5. Add the shallot to the now-empty skillet and return the skillet to medium heat. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds (10 seconds for garlic). Add the broth and lemon slices, increase the heat to high, and scrap the pan bottom to loosen browned bits. Simmer until the liquid reduces to 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved lemon juice and capers and simmer until the sauces reduces again to 1/3 cup, about one minute. Remove from heat and swirl in the butter until it melts and thickens the sauce. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Tangerine Stir-Fried Beef with Onions and Snow Peas

Tangerine Stir-Fried Beef with Onions and Snow Peas
from the Episode: Let's Do Chinese


Two to 3 oranges can be substituted for the tangerines. If available, substitute 1 teaspoon toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns for the red pepper flakes.

Serves 4 as a main dish with rice 4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar plus 1 additional teaspoon
12 ounces flank steak , cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3/4 cup tangerine juice plus 1 teaspoon grated zest from 3 to 4 tangerines
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon black bean sauce
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion , halved and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
10 ounces snow peas , ends trimmed and strings removed (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons water


See Illustrations Below: Browning Meat for Stir-Fries

1. Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar in medium bowl. Add beef, toss well, and marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining tablespoon sugar, tangerine juice, sesame oil, and cornstarch in medium bowl. Combine tangerine zest, garlic, ginger, black bean sauce, pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in small bowl.

2. Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef in single layer, breaking up clumps. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to clean bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in skillet and repeat with remaining beef. Rinse skillet and dry with paper towels.

3. Add remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add snow peas and continue to cook until spotty brown, about 2 minutes longer. Add water and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Push vegetables to sides of skillet; add zest-garlic mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Combine zest-garlic mixture with vegetables. Return beef and any juices to skillet and stir to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve.




Step-by-Step: Browning Meat for Stir-Fries



Solution: Cooking the meat in two smaller batches allows it to brown quickly without drying out or becoming tough.
Problem: Cooking the meat in one large batch causes it to steam in its own liquid. The meat will be chewy, dry, and gray.

Teriyaki Stir-Fried Beef with Green Beans and Shiitakes

Teriyaki Stir-Fried Beef with Green Beans and Shiitakes
from the Episode: Let's Do Chinese


You can substitute 1 tablespoon white wine or sake mixed with 1 teaspoon sugar for the mirin.

Serves 4 as a main dish with rice 4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar plus an additional 1 teaspoon
12 ounces flank steak , cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon mirin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms , wiped clean, stemmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces green beans , ends trimmed and halved
1/4 cup water
3 scallions , cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, white and light green pieces quartered lengthwise


See Illustrations Below: Browning Meat for Stir-Fries

1. Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar in medium bowl. Add beef, toss well, and marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, broth, mirin, pepper flakes, and cornstarch in medium bowl. Combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon oil in small bowl.

2. Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef in single layer, breaking up clumps. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to clean bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in skillet and repeat with remaining beef. Rinse skillet and dry with paper towels.

3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add water and cover pan; continue to cook until green beans are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Uncover skillet and push vegetables to sides to clear center; add garlic-ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Combine garlic-ginger mixture with vegetables. Return beef and any juices to skillet, add scallions, and stir to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve.




Step-by-Step: Browning Meat for Stir-Fries



Solution: Cooking the meat in two smaller batches allows it to brown quickly without drying out or becoming tough.
Problem: Cooking the meat in one large batch causes it to steam in its own liquid. The meat will be chewy, dry, and gray.

Best BBQ Beef

Shredded Barbecued Beef
From the episode: Texas Beef Barbecue

If you prefer a smooth barbecue sauce, strain the sauce before tossing it with the beef in step 4. You will need a disposable aluminum roasting pan for this recipe. We like to serve this beef on white bread with plenty of pickle chips.

Serves 8 to 10.

Ingredients
Spice Rub and Beef
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 boneless beef chuck-eye roast (5 to 6 pounds)
3 cups wood chips , soaked for 15 minutes
Barbecue Sauce
1 onion , chopped fine
4 garlic cloves , minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/4 cups ketchup
3/4 cup brewed coffee
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions
1. For the spice rub and beef: Combine salt, pepper, and cayenne in small bowl. Following photo 1, quarter roast and remove excess fat and gristle. Rub meat all over with salt mixture and transfer to large disposable aluminum roasting pan. (Salt-rubbed meat can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for 24 hours.)

2. Seal soaked wood chips in foil packet and cut vent holes in top. Open bottom vent on grill. Light 50 coals; when covered with fine gray ash, pour in pile on one side of grill. Arrange foil packet directly on coals. Set cooking grate in place and heat, covered, with lid vent open halfway, until wood chips begin to smoke heavily, about 5 minutes. (For gas grill, place foil packet directly on primary burner. Heat all burners on high, covered, until wood chips begin to smoke heavily, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and shut other burner[s] off.) Arrange roasting pan with beef on cooler side of grill and barbecue, covered, until meat is deep red and smoky, about 2 hours.


3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Following photo 3, flip meat over, cover pan tightly with foil, and bake until fork inserted into meat can be removed with no resistance, 2 to 3 hours. Transfer meat to large bowl, tent with foil, and let rest 30 minutes. While meat rests, skim fat from accumulated juices in pan; reserve 2 tablespoons fat. Strain defatted juices; reserve 1/2 cup juice.



4. For the barbecue sauce and to finish: Combine onion and reserved fat in saucepan and cook over medium heat until onion has softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients and reserved meat juices and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Using 2 forks, pull meat into shreds, discarding any excess fat or gristle. Toss meat with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. Serve, passing remaining sauce at table.

Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles (Lo Mein)

Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles (Lo Mein)
from the Episode: Let's Do Chinese


Use a cast-iron skillet for this recipe if you have one—it will help create the best sear on the pork. When shopping for Chinese rice wine, look for one that is amber in color; if not available, sherry wine may be used as a substitute. If no hoisin sauce is available, substitute 1 tablespoon of sugar. If boneless pork ribs are unavailable, substitute 1 1/2 pounds of bone-in country-style ribs, followed by the next best option, pork tenderloin. Liquid smoke provides a flavor reminiscent of the Chinese barbecued pork traditional to this dish. It is important that the noodles are cooked at the last minute to avoid clumping. See below for information on buying noodles.

Serves 4 3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (see note)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 pound boneless country-style pork ribs , trimmed of surface fat and excess gristle and sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch pieces (see note)
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine (Shao-Xing) or dry sherry (see note)
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms , stems trimmed, caps cut in halves or thirds (about 3 cups)
2 bunches scallions , whites thinly sliced and greens cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 small head Napa or Chinese cabbage , halved, cored, and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (about 4 cups)
12 ounces Chinese egg noodles (fresh) or 8 ounces dried linguine (see note)
1 tablespoon Asian chile garlic sauce


See Illustrations Below: Noodles for Lo Mein

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat.

2. Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice powder together in medium bowl. Place 3 tablespoons soy sauce mixture in large zipper-lock bag; add pork and liquid smoke, if using. Press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Whisk broth and cornstarch into remaining soy sauce mixture in medium bowl. In separate small bowl, mix garlic and ginger with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil; set aside.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch cast-iron or nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork in single layer, breaking up clumps with wooden spoon. Cook, without stirring, 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons wine to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is reduced and pork is well coated, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer pork to medium bowl and repeat with remaining pork, 1 teaspoon oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.

4. Return skillet to high heat, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add scallions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes longer; transfer vegetables to bowl with pork.

5. Add remaining teaspoon vegetable oil and cabbage to now-empty skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Clear center of skillet; add garlic-ginger mixture and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into cabbage; return pork-vegetable mixture and chicken broth-soy mixture to skillet; simmer until thickened and ingredients are well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

6. While cabbage is cooking, stir noodles into boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, 3 to 4 minutes for fresh Chinese noodles or 10 minutes for dried linguine. Drain noodles and transfer back to Dutch oven; add cooked stir-fry mixture and garlic-chili sauce, tossing noodles constantly, until sauce coats noodles. Serve immediately.




Step-by-Step: Noodles for Lo Mein
Developing the recipe for our Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles, we discovered that not any old noodle will do.



NO THANKS
Vacuum-packed fresh noodles from the grocery store labeled “Chinese-style” were gummy and pasty.
BEST BET
The slightly dry and curly fresh egg noodles labeled “lo mein” from an Asian market boasted firm texture and the best flavor.

BEST ALTERNATIVE
Dried linguine, though not authentic, offered a firm chewiness similar to lo mein.