Chipot-what? Never heard of it.

But of course I have. And like millions of Americans, I love it deeply. This past weekend I tried my hand at some Mexican fare and ended up recreating most of what they heap in to my burrito bowl. The guacamole, black beans and rice and corn and tomato salad were tasty, I won't bother you with recipes (hint: take all of those nouns and add lime juice and cilantro), but the real stars were the carnitas and roasted tomato salsa. Both simple, make-ahead dishes perfect for a summer party.



Carnitas
Adapted from David Lebovitz and Chow
Serves 10ish

Ingredients:

• 7 lbs of pork shoulder, cut in to large chunks, about 5 inches long/wide, fat left on
• Kosher salt
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 whole dried ancho chile peppers
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp oregano or marjoram
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cloves garlic
• Water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in large roasting pan over the stove. Salt pork and the brown on all sides, in batches so that you don't crowd the pan
2. When all the pork is browned, remove and deglaze pan with about a cup of water, scrapping up the browned bits. Stir in spices and garlic.
3. Add pork back to pan and pour over enough water to cover it about 2/3 of the way. Roast for 3 hours or so, until it shreds easily with a fork.
4. When done cooking, remove pork from pan and shred with two forks.  Discard chile peppers and cinnamon. Carefully pour pan juices in to a fat separator and then add them back in to pan with the shredded pork. Serve with variety of taco accoutrements like guacamole, salsa (see recipe below), queso cotiija, rice, beans, etc

Roasted tomato salsa
Adapted from Everday Food, May 2011

Ingredients:

• 3-4 largish tomatoes
• 3 jalapenos, seeded or not depending on the level of spice you'd like and the potency of your peppers. (I seeded two of mine and it still had quite a kick.)
• 1 large white onion, halved
• 3 cloves garlic
• juice from one lime
• handful of cilantro leaves
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler. Place tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic on baking sheet and broil until the skins start to blacken.
2. Remove garlic skin and toss the roasted vegetables in to a food processor. Process until just smooth. Season with salt and pepper and add cilantro. Process for just a few seconds more to combine.

End of the weekend, Start of the season

Crab season, that is. Photos courtesy of Chris, whose fingers were not encrusted with Old Bay. This was my first trip to Cantler's in Annapolis and it totally lived up to it's rep. All of the crabs were excellent but the last few they brought me were gorgeous (and huge).



A very special thank you to my friend Missy at Freezer Full, who chronicled her misadventures traveling to Cantler's today on Facebook and made me realize just how badly I needed crabs and what a perfect way it would be to waste away the evening. I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Weekend. I'm so sorry you missed it!

And of course, thanks to my brother Bird and the men and women that serve with him. I very much enjoy that blanket of freedom I sleep under every night, in case you were wondering.

Wet and wild weekend

Friday bliss: Lobstah rolls

From day and a half old Luke's Lobster in Penn Quarter. (The shop is a day and a half old, not the lobster. I don't think.) Lots of lobster meat, a tasty bun and an excellent way to kick of summer.

Quick and Dirty: Antipasto Pasta Salad

An oxymoronic entree. It's similar to pantry pasta, but cold and summery and with a few added elements (really, whatever else antipasto-like that was in my fridge). The real recipe here is for the balsamic vinaigrette. It is my go-to for any green salad and I love it with mixed greens, blue cheese and pear. But it works equally well with the classic Italian flavors of this pasta dish.



Antipasto Pasta Salad
Serves 4 as an entree
Adapted from Everyday Food, June 2011

Ingredients:

• 12 oz cooked pasta is some fun shape
• 1/4 c. pepperoncini, diced
• 1 c. artichoke hearts, diced
• 1/2 c. sundried tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 2-3 oz prosciutto, diced
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, diced or crumbled
• handful fresh basil, chiffonaded 
• For vinagrette:
• 2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs water
• 1 tsp fancy mustard
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Directions:

1. Combine first seven ingredients in large bowl. 
2. Either wisk together dressing ingredients or shake in a small jar (I like to use the empties from this stuff)
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Serve at room temperature.

Habit-forming

This was not going to be another pretty flower post. But then it was.



It was this or the cell phone pic of my kid covered in yogurt. This is way better, Internet. I promise.

Quick & Dirty: Five Spice Salmon and Roasted Cauliflower

Some simple Asian flavors for a weeknight. The hot and spicy cauliflower is a nice balance to the rich salmon and they all roast up for a quick and easy meal. The cauliflower is based on this Chow recipe. And boy, do I love Chow. Have you visited yet? So much inspiration. I'm proud to say that I was probably one of their only print subscribers. For all two issues. Stupid dying media grumble grumble.



Five Spice Salmon and Roasted Cauliflower
Serves 3 (Odd portion, I know)

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut in to smallish florets
• 1/8 c. soy sauce
• Splash of olive oil
• One shake of crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp or more freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 salmon filets
• Olive oil
• 1/8-1/4 Chinese Five Spice powder
• Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450. Combine first five ingredients in large bowl and toss. Toss every few minutes while you prepare the salmon.
2. Drizzle salmon with olive oil and rub with spice and add a good pinch of Kosher salt.
3. Spread cauliflower in an even layer on a baking sheet. Place salmon on separate sheet. Pop both in the oven for 20 minutes or so. Stir cauliflower occasionally. Fish will be done when the center is opaque and flakey, cauliflower is done when it’s tender.