International Cooking Takes Center Stage

Compiled by Denice Skrepcinski

Each year the guest chefs at the National Fiery Foods Show® prepare delectable dishes featuring Thai, Southwestern, Mexican, Pacific Rim, and Cajun specialties. The following recipes should give you some ideas on how to use the hot and spicy food products you've purchased, particularly in gourmet cooking. Please enjoy this sampling from the chefs featured at the 11th annual National Fiery Foods Show®.

Miang Khum (Spinach Leaf Wraps with Satay Roasted Coconut Salsa)

Foo Swasdee, a restaurant owner and sauce manufacturer in Austin, Texas, offers a unique and very flavorful appetizer that should be made a few hours before your party or dinner.

• 30 single spinach leaves, fresh, cleaned and dried
• 3/4 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened, toasted
• 1 tablespoon lime, whole, fresh, diced
• 1 tablespoon shallot, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, diced
• 1 tablespoon ginger root, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup peanuts, fresh roasted
• 1/2 tablespoon Thai chile pepper, fresh, diced
• 4 ounces Satay Thai Roasted Coconut Salsa

Place the spinach leaves flat on a serving platter.

Place 2-3 peanuts, one teaspoon of toasted coconut and a few pieces of all other fresh ingredients in the center of each spinach leaf.

To serve, add 1/2 teaspoon of Satay Thai Roasted Coconut Salsa on top of each spinach leaf; roll the leaf into a ball and eat the whole topped leaf in one bite. This results in an explosion of delicious varied flavors and textures.

Yields: 30 appetizer pieces

Green Mustard Slaw with Red Plum Vinaigrette

Flynt Payne, Executive Chef at the Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, New Mexico, offers a unique side dish recipe which combines unusual flavors with fabulous results. The vinaigrette can be made in advance.

Green Mustard Slaw

• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced into rings
• 1/2 cup cilantro, whole leaves
• 4 cups mustard greens, thinly sliced

Combine all of the slaw ingredients well, and toss with the Red Plum Vinaigrette (recipes follows). Divide the slaw evenly onto four salad plates.

Red Plum Vinaigrette (to toss with slaw)

• 2 red plums, pitted
• 1 ounce orange juice
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 ounce rice wine vinegar
• 2 sage leaves
• 2 ounces olive oil
• Kosher salt to taste

Place the pitted plums and orange juice in a blender and puree well. Remove the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the minced shallots, garlic, honey, vinegar, finely chopped sage, oil, and salt. Combine and taste for correct seasoning and set aside.

Serves 4

Southwestern Fettucine

Executive Chef Donald W. Louie from the Golden Dragon Restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado offers easy and quick dishes that are perfect to prepare for a special dinner or party.

• 1 pound smoked chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 roasted New Mexican chile, peeled and seeded
• 1 red and yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 cup carrots, parboiled and drained
• 1 pound fettucine, cooked and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons AiKan Extra Hot Sweet and Spicy

Lightly spray your wok or pan with cooking oil and place over medium high heat. Toss in the smoked chicken, vegetables and pasta. Add AiKan Sweet and Spicy sauce and toss well.

Serves 4

Crazy Charley's Meat Loaf

Crazy Cajun Charley Addison shares a recipe for meatloaf that is not anything like Mom's! This meatloaf has a Cajun twist and is delicious. This dish can be made ahead and is even better reheated or sliced for sandwiches.

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons sage
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup each onion, bell pepper and celery finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 cups Cajun Sauce of choice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the ground meats, sage, egg, salt, pepper and vegetables until well blended. Add bread crumbs and one cup of Cajun Sauce and fold until mixed. Shape into a ball and pack into a loaf pan, pour remaining Cajun Sauce over the top. Bake the meatloaf in the oven for 1.5 hours, or until done. Next let it set for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with roasted potatoes or rice, green beans, fresh sliced tomatoes and bell peppers.

Serves 4

Dry Rubbed Chicken Breast Sauté with Sweet Red Chili Sauce over Buttered Penne Pasta

Chef Jim Heywood teaches at the Culinary Institute of America, and is a Fiery Foods Show favorite. He always offers a lot of cooking tips and information, as well as incredible food!

Dry Rub

• 1/4 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon green jalapeño powder
• 1 tablespoon mild chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Tellicherry pepper
• 2 teaspoons granulated onion
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in a tightly covered jar.
• Chicken Breast Sauté
• 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 8 teaspoons dry rub
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2-3 ounces dry sherry wine
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, cut in julienne strips 1" long
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 3 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 3/4 cup sweet red chili puree
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Salt to taste
• 1 pound cooked, drained penne pasta

Garnish: 1/2 cup aged Monterey jack cheese, fresh oregano sprigs

Rub each chicken breast with 2 teaspoons dry rub. Refrigerate until needed. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. When the butter is hot, sauté the chicken breast until golden brown and done through. Remove from the pan. Add the shallots, jalapeños and garlic to the pan and sauté briefly. Add the sherry wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and then add the sweet red chili puree. Bring to a simmer, and stir well. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cream. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

To serve toss the sauce with the hot penne pasta, but save a little sauce for the chicken. Put the coated pasta on a dinner plate, place a coated chicken breast in the center. Garnish with grated aged Monterey jack cheese and some sprigs of fresh oregano.

Serves 4

Bock-Battered Quail with Cider Adobo

Grady Spears has three restaurants and has just published his cookbook A Cowboy in the Kitchen. Here he offers an unusual quail dish, for which you can prepare the Cider Adobo in advance.

• 1 cup club soda
• 1 cup good beer (Shiner Bock preferred)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 4 semi-boned quail, cut into quarters
• 6 cups peanut oil
• 1 cup Cider Adobo (to follow)

Beer batter: combine the soda, beer, salt, and red pepper flakes in a large, stainless steel bowl. Using a whisk, gradually add the flour, blending to avoid lumps. Stick your finger into the batter. If the batter is thick and sticks to your finger, it is ready. Add more flour if the batter seems thin.

Quail: heat 2 1/2 inches of oil in a large, heavy skillet to 350 degrees. Dip each piece of quail into the batter and slide it into the oil. Do not crowd pieces of quail. Cook about 8 to 10 minutes turning once. Remove the quail to a paper towel-lined sheet pan to drain. Drizzle with Cider Adobo.

Cider Adobo

• 3/4 cup red wine
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 scallion, thinly cut on the diagonal
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves.

Place all of the ingredients in a large, heavy pan and stir well to combine. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, watching carefully so it does not boil over. Reduce heat to medium and cook the adobo uncovered stirring occasionally, until reduced by about 50 percent (to 1 cup). This will take about 20 to 25 minutes, and the consistency should be like syrup. Serve with the quail, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Serves 4

Sambal Goreng Udang (Hot Sauteed Shrimp)

In this recipe, cookbook author Esly Vande Weerdt-Schiefflers highlights the unique and wonderful tastes of Indonesian cuisine.

• 2 red chiles, unseeded and minced
• 1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-5 scallions, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon shrimp paste (trassi)
• 1/2 teaspoon tamarind (asam)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 piece lemon grass blade (sereh)
• 1 small bay leaf (daun salam)
• 1/2 inch laos or 1/2 teaspoon powder
• 4 lemon leaves (jerukpurut)
• 1/2 pound cooked shrimp (mini shrimp)
• 8 ounces coconut milk
• Dash of sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water

Using a wok set on medium heat, sauté the red chiles, garlic, scallions, shrimp paste, tamarind and salt in butter until the onions are light brown. Add the lemon grass, bay leaf, laos and lemon leaves. Stir. Add the cooked shrimp and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and sugar, stir. Add hot water, stir and let simmer 8 to 10 minutes, uncovered. Check water level often, adding additional hot water as necessary so that the sauce is plentiful.

Serves 4

 

Denice Skrepcinski is a chef, food stylist, and producer of the guest chef segments at both the National and the Florida Fiery Foods Shows.

Top of Page