Cou-Cou (Caribbean Polenta)

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 pound fresh okra or 1 package frozen cut okra
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups water

1. Clean and wash okra. Dice all but 6. Add 3 cups of water to a large saucepan. Add salt. Boil. Add diced and whole okra. Boil okra for 5-8 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Save whole okra aside for garnish. Measure 2 cups of liquid from the cooked okra to use for cooking your cou-cou.\
2. Mix cornmeal in a large bowl with enough cold water to moisten and blend it together. Stir the cornmeal slowly into the reserved liquid and okra in the pot. Use a wooden spoon to mix together. Return pot to stove over medium heat and continue to stir okra and cornmeal. Cook and stir about 15-20 minutes.
3. Insert wooden spoon into center of the cou-cou. If spoon stands up in the pot and is easily removed from cornmeal, your cou-cou is done. Cou-cou should be firm when it's done. If the cou-cou is loose and creamy looking, you have used too much water. If too much water is used, let cou-cou stand uncovered over low heat to "dry out." When Cou-Cou is done, turn the entire mixture into a buttered serving bowl and garnish with whole okra. Serve with sauce made of steamed codfish or Frizz Fish and cucumber salad.

Salmon Fillet en Papillote with Julienne Vegetable

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup julienned fennel bulb
• 1/3 cup julienned leeks, white part only
• 1/3 cup julienned carrots
• 1/3 cup julienned snow peas
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon whole coriander seed, ground fine
• 1 (8-ounce) salmon fillet, pin bones removed
• 1 orange cut into wedges with white, pithy membrane removed
• 1 tablespoon dry vermouth

Directions

Take a 15 by 36-inch piece of parchment paper and fold in 1/2 like a book. Draw a large 1/2 heart on paper with fold of paper being the center of the heart. Cut out heart and open. Lay fennel, leeks, carrots, and snow peas on parchment in center to 1 side of fold. Mix together salt, pepper, and ground coriander. Sprinkle vegetables with 1/2 of salt, pepper, and coriander. Lay salmon on top of vegetables and season with remaining salt, pepper and coriander. Top with the orange wedges and sprinkle with vermouth. Fold other side of heart over fish and starting at top of heart shape, fold up both edges of parchment, overlapping folds as you move along. Once you reach the end tip, twist several times to secure tightly. Place on microwave safe plate and cook for 4 minutes, on high in microwave, or until fish reaches 131 degrees. Open parchment carefully and serve for a complete meal.

Chicken in Red Sesame Seed Sauce: Pipian Rojo del Norte

Ingredients

6 ancho chiles
3/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
5 black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1 (1/2-inch) stick Mexican cinnamon (canela)
3 1/2 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1 clove garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large fresh or dried avocado leaf, toasted and finely ground (optional)
2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved
Vegetable oil, as needed
Mixed cilantro and mint leaves, for garnish
Serving Suggestion: Warm corn tortillas

Directions

Stem and seed the chiles, reserving 1 tablespoon of the seeds, or more to taste.
Toast the chiles in a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover with hot tap water, and soak for 20 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, toast the chile seeds in the skillet. In a clean coffee or spice grinder, finely grind the chile seeds, sesame seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon.
In a blender, combine the chiles, ground spices, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and garlic and blend.
Heat the lard in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the blended sauce and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom, until somewhat reduced, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 3 cups chicken broth, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. (The sauce may be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.)
Preheat a grill or grill pan. Lightly brush the chicken with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken, turning to make cross-hatched marks, until just cooked through, about 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes.
Slice the chicken and transfer to a platter.
Reheat the sauce and stir in the avocado leaf. Ladle the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and garnish with herb leaves. Serve with corn tortillas.

Clementine Jicama Salad

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
8 clementines (1 3/4 pounds), peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks (3 cups)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup packed cilantro sprigs
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or mild feta
1/3 cup raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas), tostead


Preparation

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then whisk together with lime juice, oil, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Just before serving, add clementines, jicama, onion, and cilantro and gently toss. Season with salt. Sprinkle with cheese and pumpkin seeds.

Cooks’ notes:

Vinaigrette can be made 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.
Clementines, jicama, and onion can be cut 4 hours ahead and chilled.

Chipotle Meatballs

Ingredients

1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
6 bacon slices, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded canned chipotles in adobo
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons water
3/4 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Equipment: about 16 (6-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water

Preparation

Stir together milk and bread crumbs in a large bowl.
Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then cook onion, garlic, chipotles, cumin, and oregano in skillet, stirring, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add water and cook, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until water has evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir into bread crumb mixture, then add ground meats, egg, parsley, bacon, and 1 teaspoon salt and mix well with your hands.
Preheat broiler.
Form scant tablespoons of meat mixture into balls and thread 3 balls 1/2 inch apart onto each skewer, arranging skewers on a lightly oiled broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat (do not turn) until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Cooks' note:Meatballs can be formed and skewered, but not cooked, 1 day ahead and chilled.

Mediterranean Salad with Prosciutto and Pomegranate

Ingredients

2 cups very thinly sliced fennel bulb

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

6 cups arugula (about 4 ounces)

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 3-ounce packages thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into strips

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Preparation

Toss fennel and 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium bowl.

Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Combine arugula, green onions, mint, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in large bowl; toss.

Season with salt and pepper.
Divide greens among plates.

Top with fennel, then drape with prosciutto.

Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over.