El Diablo

Human nature has masochistic tendencies, inadvertent or not.  Everybody is bound to do something painfully stupid.  The only hope is to do so in sanctuary.  I tend to perform these acts in the kitchen, because I firmly believe that a lot of good things in a cooking vessel will create something greater than the sum of its parts.  This time, I discover that there is an exception to the aforementioned rule, chiles.

 I have a lot of experience with various fresh green and red chiles, and even habaneros, but not much with dried chiles.  I dabble with chile de arbol, but dishes never come out very spicy.  So logically, if I were to increase the dosage of these chiles--by say, 'a bunch'--I should finally get achieve some burn to combat Chicago's frigid weather.  The result is a dish I am still facing the consequences a day later, what will now be referred to El Diablo.

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It's What's For Dinner

Still captive to the tiny kitchen in the mountains, time for another meal approaches.  I ponder what to make for dinner when a hit 90's ad campaign comes to mind.  Copland's Hoe-down plays louder and louder from the recesses of my mind, seducing me to fulfill the role.  The nearest rodeo is still a few miles away, but I know it's time for our most iconic protein; a protein, that I don't often cook.  Beef.

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A Hot Red Mess

For a long time, I've wanted to experiment with saurkraut-laden Polish dishes and use a different cabbage preparation, kimchi.  The problem is, these dishes are already perfect as they are, and I don't want to offend various family members.  Most saurkraut dishes also involve kielbasa, which is a very distinct flavored sausage.  Kielbasa shines in a sea of saurkraut, or mass of white starch.  Kielbasa isn't meant for flavor competition.

My first attempt for experimentation is with a classic dish that I showcased last year after an infuriating episode of Next Food Network Star.  It's something I grew up with; a soul-warming combination of kielbasa stewed in a pot of saurkraut, apples, and potatoes.  This time, I decide to use chicken legs instead of kielbasa, throw in an asian pear, and substitute kimchi for saurkraut.

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Game On

At my last visit to Green City Market, I decided to buy an elk roast and 'soup bones' to satisfy a chronic craving for game meat.  When I came home, I inspected the elk bones package and found that I had been given two one-pound elk shanks ([veal] shanks are the same cut used for osso bucco).  I checked the label to see if I had been given the wrong item, but I had not.  Making a mere soup, as I originally intended, from these beautiful cuts would be a crime; for these bones were filled with marrow, and had rivers of fat running through the meat--an uncommon characteristic of elk.  These shanks must be braised, and the marrow sucked from the bones.

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No Tortillas

This weekend was the 2nd Annual HOA BBQ for my complex.  After last year's success, I had no choice but to go to the animal everyone else strayed from, and to make it awesome.  I decided to braise pork shoulder in salsa verde, which isn't something I'd done previously, but think will work.  Then after braising, I'd pull the shoulder for taco meat, and top with pickled red onions, and cotija cheese.

I already experimented with braising chicken thighs in salsa verde, and it turned out tasty, which is why I think using a superior animal should turn out satisfactory for my neighbors.  The pork fat will richen the salsa/braising liquid, and any leftover will make a good dip for chips.  Since I'm counting on fat to make the dish, I start by picking up a Berkshire's shoulder from Becker Lane Organic, who happens to attend every Green City Market.

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