Appetizers

Picante Fish and Red Chilie Shrimp

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Texas Style Cuisine

 

I had some old friends drop by and visit the other night. They showed up hungry and expecting something great. I chose a recipe I got from a friend and one of my own. While I was in the outdoor kitchen taking care of the seafood the wife fixed a couple of sides in the house.

Picante Fish

  • 1   Onion
  • 1   Stick of butter
  • 1   Bunch of cilantro
  • 10 tilapia fillets
  • Picante Sauce
  • Fajita seasoning
  1. Start fire
  2. Slice onions into rings
  3. Slice butter into thin slices
  4. Season fillets
  5. Make a foil boat to cook fish in
  6. Place onions on boat over the fire
  7. Spread butter pats around on the onion rings
  8. Place fish on the rings
  9. Pour sauce over the fish
  10. Sprinkle cilantro across fillets.
  11. Cook till the fish heats through and becomes flakey

While the fish was cooking I prepped the shrimp and started cooking it. I had already peeled and deveined the shrimp, I just had to season and cook the shrimp, the shrimp cooks much faster then the shrimp. Remember shrimp is cooked when it curls into a C and is overcooked when it curls into an O.

  • 3 lbs   Shrimp (peeled and deveined w/tail)
  • 4-6        Serrano Chilies (red if you can get them) sliced thin
  • 6        Garlic cloves minced
  • TT     Spanish Paprika
  • TT     Sea salt
  • Olive Oil
  • White wine or sherry
  1. Heat oil in cast iron skillet
  2. Add chilies and saute
  3. Add garlic
  4. Add shrimp
  5. When shrimp is almost cooked, add paprika and salt
  6. Toss shrimp in the hot oil and seasonings
  7. Add wine till warm

With the shrimp and fish finished we headed to the house. We had a great salad, squash and red potatoes.

Categories: Appetizers, Entrees, Grilling, Texas Style Cuisine | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Alpine Cowboy Gathering

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Texas Style Cuisine

West Texas Sunset

Libby and I headed out west to see the boy and enjoy time with friends. The drive was excellent, a beautiful day for the 350 miles out to Alpine. We hit town about 3:30 and went straight to the football field to catch some of the teams workout. When that was finished we greeted John, his friends and a couple of the coaches. We headed to check in at the motel and John headed home to clean up. We had reservations at The Reata for 5:30. now for y’all that have not heard of it is the claim to fame for Grady Spears. Grady is the author of a series of cookbooks on Cowboy Cooking, the most popular I would say is Cowboy in the Kitchen. Now last time we were there I was less than impressed, but this time it was excellent. Sorry for no pictures at the Reata, I was so excited about seeing the boy and celebrating his 21st, which was last Friday, I forgot all about it. The place was packed and we sat out on the patio. It is still a little cool out but with the help of a nice fire and some propane heaters we had a wonderful time. We started out our meal with some bacon wrapped shrimp, served with pico and onion jam. John ordered a New York strip with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans, Libby got the chicken fried chicken with he same sides and I got the carne asada and enchiladas served with rice and beans. The food and service were excellent and we had a wonderful time.

Jeff Gore and some of his family were in for the weekend also, Jeff was performing at the Cowboy Gathering. So we met up with them and had a great visit and we decided to meet at 7:30 the next morning for a chuckwagon breakfast. Saturday started with a beautiful sunrise and a cool temperature of 34 degrees. Jeff, Libby and I were the only ones to wake and make the breakfast. The chuckwagon folks were serving scrambled eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy along with some stout coffee.

One of our host with a big pot of coffee

Might not be gourmet but it's good

Jeff at the campfire getting a coffee refill

A couple of the dutch ovens our breakfast was cooked in

After breakfast Jeff headed to pick up his family and get ready for his performance, Libby and I headed downtown to the Grandada to look over the items in the auction, that was supporting the Museum of the Big Bend. There were many nice items but nothing that got us really excited so we headed down the street to some of the shops on the main drag of Alpine. After picking up John we headed to the Cowboy Grill a new place out on the Marfa highway for burgers. We had a nice meal, then headed to the campus of Sul Ross for some of the cowboy entertainment.

Jeff performing in the University Center

John wanted to have supper at his house instead of going out. So we headed to the grocery store and picked up some supplies for the evening meal. Libby grabbed items for baked potatoes and green bean casserole. John and I went to the meat section and picked up 10 T-bones and 4 New York strips. I had brought some stuffed jalepenos and roasted corn and poblano salsa with me. So we got to John’s and started cooking. Well actuallyl we started cleaning the kitchen so we could cook. John had invited a few of his friends, Jeff Gore brought his family over along with Robert Barge so we started the fires outside and the ladies got going in the kitchen.

Starting the fire in the Texas Hibachi, a barrel grill

The steaks seasoned up and waiting on the grill

Steak Rub

  • Kosher Salt
  • Course Ground Black Pepper
  • Dark Brown Sugar

Steaks are ready and so is the crowd

Rob looks happy

Earnest with a full plate

John enjoying his birthday dinner with friends and family

Saturday finished great. Libby and I headed to the motel, so did Jeff and his family. Robert headed home and the boys laid back and rested a full belly. We will be up early Sunday for church then lunch and head back to Lytle before to late.

Categories: Appetizers, BBQ, Entrees, Grilling, Hors d'Oeuvres, Texas Style Cuisine | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Hors d’oeuvres for an Open House

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Texas Style Cuisine

Roasted Corn Salsa

We had never had a Grand Opening for the new kitchen so I had an Open House during Career and Technology month. The kids prepared on Monday and Tuesday, then on Wednesday we entertained guest from 1:00 – 7:00.

We had a large array of guest show up. The superintendent of school, school board members, teacher, administrators, local restauranteurs, friends and parents of the students. A nice group from Ace Mart showed up as well as student chefs from St Philip’s College. It was my pleasure to have Chef John McGinty one of my chef instructors drop by also.

The menu was diverse and did not really follow a theme. I did not realize that it was Ash Wednesday until Monday so we had to add some vegetable dishes. On the grill and smoker we make ABT’s (stuffed jalepenos), Chipotle Bombers (recipe at bottom), various chicken breast skewers. We also smoked a brisket for BBQ sundaes and two pork butts for pulled pork sliders. We made some mozzarella crustinies, cucumber canapes and stuffed mushrooms. We made a roasted corn and poblano salsa and salsa quemada to serve with chips. Dessert was cherry cheese cakes, a mistake, and petit fours. I say the cheese cakes were a mistake because we had planned on serving mini cheese cakes with 4 different toppings. The young man making them did not read the whole recipe so when he saw cherry pie filling he just dumped a can of dark sweet cherries filling and a can of red tart cherry pie filling. We had enough cheese cake for 200 so I was not sure what would happen. The worry was it may not set up, but it did. Once we saw it was set up we topped it with a Chantilly cream. That was the only road bump that we ran into, so it was an excellent day once again.

I will drop in the pictures this evening so drop back by.

Chipotle Bombers

This is an easy recipe, although you can increase every difficulty by making everything from scratch.

  • 10 lbs     precooked 1 oz meatballs
  • 80            slices bacon
  • 1 Gal       your favorite BBQ sauce
  • 1              28oz can chipotle peppers in adobe, pureed
  • 12 oz      honey
  • 1 btl        red wine or 16 oz red wine vinegar
  • TT           fajita seasoning
  • 160        tooth picks

Combine all ingredients and heat to a boil. defrost meatballs and wrap with 1/2 slice of bacon, secure with toothpick. Season meatballs with seasoning and cook 3/4 the way through, about 140 degrees. The time will depend if you are cooking them in the smoker or the oven. Remove meatballs and generously coat with the sauce. Return to oven to finish cooking through and candy the sauce.

BBQ Sundae

This is an excellent and fun dish that is simple to put together.

  • shredded beef brisket
  • pinto beans (I use borracho or ranchero)
  • Coleslaw
  • pickle spears
  • 9 oz clear squat cups

In the bottom 1/3rd of the cup fill with the brisket then add the beans. When you are ready to serve add the coleslaw on top and the pickle spear stuck down the side.  This is a great presentation that takes little time and people seem to love it.

Pulled Pork Slider with Creamy Coleslaw and a Stuffed Jalepeno

Categories: Appetizers, BBQ, Grilling, Hors d'Oeuvres, Texas Style Cuisine | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Great Nachos and Excellent Music

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Texas Style Cuisine

I headed out to Cora’s Grill with the wife, daughter and a few of her friends Saturday night. We were anticipating good food and some great music. Waco Richards, a talented young man I have know all his life,  his wife Julie and his cousin Jeremy teamed up to entertain friends and family. Upon arrive we ordered two trays of bean and cheese nachos and something to drink. Now two trays may not seem like much for a party of six, but at Cora’s their large order of nachos come on a cafateria tray. The music was great all the kids, I say kids heck they are all closer to 30 then 20, did a wonderful job. They sang classice rock, honky tonk classics, some modernday hits for the younger part of the crowd and Waco and Julie sang a new song that Waco had written. If your out in West Texas stop by and hear them or catch on of Jeremy’s shows in the San Antonio area. If your up for some excellent nachos take a short drive out of San Antonio and visit Cora’s 471 Grill.

Starting on tray #1

The ending of tray #2

Categories: Appetizers, Texas Style Cuisine | Tags: , , , , | 3 Comments

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