The Wall Street Journal-20080119-WEEKEND JOURNAL- Food - Drink -- Chefs At Home- Crossing the Border- Two chefs play with the strong- sweet flavors of Mexico
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WEEKEND JOURNAL; Food & Drink -- Chefs At Home: Crossing the Border; Two chefs play with the strong, sweet flavors of Mexico
THE CHEFS: MARY SUE MILLIKEN AND SUSAN FENIGER, owners and chefs of Border Grill, modern Mexican restaurants in Las Vegas and Santa Monica, Calif., and of Ciudad, a Latin restaurant in downtown Los Angeles.
KNOWN FOR: Putting a twist on authentic regional Mexican dishes. Instead of preparing skirt steak without a marinade as can be the norm in Mexico, for example, the pair rub their version with a paste of garlic, toasted cumin seeds, cilantro and chilies. "These flavors make the steak so much more delicious," says Ms. Milliken.
THE MEAL: In the chicken dish, breast meat can be used but using dark chicken meat gives a richer flavor that better complements the sauce.
KITCHEN TIP: Using freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice is key in emphasizing the strong, spicy flavors of Mexican cooking. The acidity from the juice -- or sometimes vinegar or wine -- can bring out and balance all the complex flavors.
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For wine pairings from our columnists, go to WSJ.com/articles/ChefsAtHome. --- Chicken with Figs, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Yield: 6 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or legs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups white wine
1 cup chicken stock
8 ounces (about 2 cups) sun-dried tomatoes (not the ones stored in oil), cut into strips
8 ounces (about 2 cups) dried Mission figs, stemmed and quartered
1 cup pitted green olives, halved
1/2 cup caper berries, stemmed and halved
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar, or to taste
1 bunch fresh oregano leaves, chopped
4 to 6 cups cooked couscous or rice
-- Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large nonreactive skillet over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add chicken to the hot pan without crowding. Brown chicken on both sides about 10 minutes total per batch, transferring chicken to a plate as they are ready.
-- Add the remaining oil to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add garlic to the pan and saute, stirring constantly, until soft but not brown, about 1 minute. Return heat to high, add white wine, and simmer, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add any chicken juices that have accumulated on the plate, chicken stock, tomatoes, figs, olives, and caper berries and bay leaf, and cook for 5 minutes.
-- Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, and oregano. Adjust salt and pepper, and sugar and vinegar as necessary. There should be a good balance of sweet and sour.
-- Return chicken to the pan and simmer gently until chicken is just cooked through, in about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf and serve immediately over a bed of couscous or rice.
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Pear and Ginger Crisp With Golden Raisins
Serves 8 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 to 45 minutes
Topping:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger root or chopped candied ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup medium-fine chopped pecans or walnuts
Filling:
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup rum
6 medium Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and sliced
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons minute tapioca
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Whipped cream or ice cream
-- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
-- To make the topping, in a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, ginger, mace, nutmeg, and salt. Add the flour and pecans or walnuts and gently mix just until crumbly.
-- To make the filling, combine the raisins and rum in a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to plump and cool.
-- Meanwhile, put the pears, sugar and tapioca into a large mixing bowl and toss to mix well. Add the lemon juice, raisins, and rum and toss until combined. Spoon the fruit mixture into a 9-inch round baking dish, preferably glass. Sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the top.
-- Bake until bubbling and golden, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
