Rick Bayless

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RICKbayless

This week, the legendary Smokey Robinson—the satin-voiced “King of Motown”—returns to the Hollywood Bowl to perform his classics. The romance and sophistication that he gave Motown is akin to what our featured chef, Rick Bayless, has done for Mexican cuisine. His recipes and passionate commentary convey a soulfulness that pairs well with an evening of Smokey Robinson.

“Music and entertaining go hand-in-hand. Whenever I’m preparing to entertain, whether at my restaurants or at home, I always listen to a playlist that is reflective of the gathering ahead. Good music is the easiest way to set the right vibe, no matter what the occasion, and food that complements the music further enhances everyone’s experience.”
—Rick Bayless

For more information visit:
www.redorestaurant.com
www.rickbayless.com


[+click here] for our weekend entertainment guide

Performances Magazine PRESENTS THIS WEEK’S RECIPES:
ALMENDRAS ENCHIPOTLADAS (CHIPOTLE-ROASTED ALMONDS)
ENSALADA DE BETABEL, CEBOLLA MORADA, POBLANO Y LIMÓN (ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH RED ONION, POBLANO AND LIME)
POLVORONES SEVILLANOS (SEVILLE-STYLE “SANDY” SHORTBREAD COOKIES)



ALMENDRAS ENCHIPOTLADAS
(CHIPOTLE-ROASTED ALMONDS)

Makes 4 cups

CHEF’S NOTE:
Wanting a sweet-spicy nibble to set out for guests, I concocted this sweet chipotle glaze for almonds (though it works just as well on peanuts and other nuts). And you’re reading the list of ingredients right: I used ketchup as the medium to work the chiles, lime and brown sugar together into one pretty fine coating that’s easy to distribute evenly. When the nuts are ready to remove from the oven, they will no longer feel sticky—but they won’t be crisp. That’ll happen as they cool off. If the almonds you buy are blanched (peeled) but not toasted, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 325°F oven until they’re aromatic and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

Working Ahead: The cooled nuts can be stored in an air-tight container for 4 or 5 days. If we need to keep them longer, we avoid them becoming sticky by storing them in a sealed container with moisture-absorbing limestone (available from companies that supply equipment and ingredients for candy and pastry making).

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 canned chipotle chiles
  • 2 tablespoons adobo (tomatoey sauce in the can of chiles)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups (1-1/4 pounds) toasted blanched almonds

PROCEDURE

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F degrees.
  2. Scoop the chipotle chiles, adobo, lime juice, ketchup, sugar, and salt into a blender and process to a smooth purée.
  3. Pour into a large bowl along with the almonds and toss until the nuts are evenly coated.
  4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly spread the nuts on it. Bake until they are fragrant and no longer moist, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Cool the almonds on the sheet pan, then scoop into a serving bowl and set out for all to enjoy.



ENSALADA DE BETABEL, CEBOLLA MORADA, POBLANO Y LIMÓN
(ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH RED ONION, POBLANO AND LIME)

Serves 6-8

CHEF’S NOTE:
This roasted beet salad skates into new territory for most North American eaters. Rather than pairing the natural earthy sweetness of beets with sweet-tartness (balsamic vinegar), boldness (blue cheese) and nuttiness (walnuts)—you’ve probably had that now-classic modern American salad more than once—I’ve gone green and bright. I love roasted beets with poblano chiles, red onions, lime and cilantro, plus a little Worcestershire to add depth. When I’m in the mood for a touch of dairy, I’ll add a little Mexican fresh cheese (queso fresco) or crumbled goat cheese or shards of Spanish manchego shaved with a vegetable peeler. And during the summer, I choose a variety of different beets from the farmers market and grill-roast them, along with the onion and poblano, in a perforated grill pan over a charcoal fire.

Working Ahead: The vegetables can be roasted several hours ahead (even the day before in a pinch); just cover and refrigerate. Finish the salad within a couple of hours of serving, leaving it at room temperature.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-1/2 pounds small beets (about 1-1/2 inches in diameter), well-scrubbed, stem- and root-ends trimmed, quartered (you’ll have about 4 loosely packed cups)
  • 1 large red onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 2 fresh poblano chiles
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

PROCEDURE

    Roast the Vegetables:

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the beets, onion and poblanos.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Drizzle mixture over the beets and toss (I like to use my hands here) to coat everything evenly and break the onion apart.
  4. Scoop onto a rimmed baking sheet, slide in the oven and roast, stirring carefully every 10 minutes, until the poblano is blistered and soft, about 20 minutes.
  5. Remove the chiles, then continue roasting, stirring every 10 minutes, until the beets are tender, 20 to 30 minutes more. Cool.
  6. When the chiles are cool enough to handle, peel off the blistered skin, pull out the stems and seed pods, then quickly rinse to remove any stray seeds and bits of skin. Cut into 1/4-inch slices about 2 inches long.
    Finish the salad:

  1. In a wide shallow serving bowl, combine the beets, onion and poblanos.
  2. Drizzle with the lime juice, sprinkle with the cilantro and toss to combine.
  3. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if you think necessary. Your roasted beet salad is ready to serve.


POLVORONES SEVILLANOS
(SEVILLE-STYLE “SANDY” SHORTBREAD COOKIES)

Makes about 4 dozen

CHEF’S NOTE:
These polvorones are the real deal—soul satisfying flavor poised elegantly on the cusp of sweet and savory, delivered in the most remarkable, meltingly rich, farinaceous texture. Think of them as the most delicate shortbread you’ve ever put in your mouth. They’re so fragile, in fact, that they’re always individually wrapped like tiny gifts, which is exactly what they are to me. Learning the intricacies of making them was a gift, too, as I watched Gabriela Bojalil turn out hundreds of them one December afternoon in Puebla.

Judging by how diligently you have to search for them nowadays in Mexico, however, not just anyone is tackling their old-fashioned preparation. I think it’s the ingredients, the toasted flour and the fresh pork lard. Both stop most American cooks in their tracks—the flour simply because of its oddity, the lard because, well, because it’s lard, and for five or six decades now we’ve bought the bunk that food made with lard will taste, ipso facto, a little off, greasy for sure, maybe, dare I say, even morally inferior to lardless preparations. Butter’s where it’s at, we’ve been schooled. Which is a little narrow, don’t you think, when there’s no arguable reason for it? Fresh lard contributes a pure, clean-tasting richness; greasiness is just the result of bad cooking; and that moral stuff, well that’s just cultural prejudice.

Bad nutrition, then? The scientific community has even determined that lard’s actually less harmful than butter. So what are you waiting for? Oh, maybe you’re waiting to encounter fresh lard, which seems to have been so marginalized that even well-stocked groceries aren’t carrying it—or they’re only carrying the tasteless, couldn’t-be-worse-for-you hydrogenated cubes distributed by large meat companies. The real fresh lard comes from butchers who render it or from ethnic markets that have connections to those who do. Or you can render cubed pork fat yourself in a 325°F oven. It’s a no-tend process that takes about an hour. Before using your fresh lard, be sure to strain out the browned bits. They’re delicious added to beans.

Working Ahead: Polvorones can be made a couple of weeks ahead. Store them in air-tight containers.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3-1/2 cups (1 pound) all-purpose flour (divided use)
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) powdered sugar, plus a cup or more for coating the finished cookies
  • 3 scant tablespoons cinnamon, preferably fresh ground Mexican canela
  • 1 cup fresh pork lard, at cool room temperature

PROCEDURE

  1. Toast Flour: Heat the oven to 350°F degrees. Measure 1-3/4 cups flour into a large skillet, set over medium-high heat and stir regularly until the color is uniformly creamy-beige and the flour smells toasty, about 8 minutes. Cool, then sift through a medium-mesh strainer onto your work surface.
  2. Make Dough: Sift the remaining flour, the powdered sugar and the cinnamon on top of the toasted flour. Using your fingers, mix the dry ingredients until the mixture has a uniform color. Make a well in the middle, then scoop in the lard. Use your fingers to work the flour mixture into the lard, creating a uniform—but somewhat crumbly—dough. Work quickly so as not to melt the lard.
  3. Cut and Bake Cookies: Press half of the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick round. (The dough will crack a little around the edges.) Use a 1-1/2-inch cutter or Mexican shot glass (caballito) to cut out cookies, transferring them to an ungreased cookie sheet as you go. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake for about 14 minutes to set the cookies (they will not brown, but will develop a slight skin of tiny bubbles on top that will stick to your fingertip when touched.) When you think the cookies are done, break one open and (carefully) taste it: they shouldn’t have baked so long that they developed a crisp crust (they should melt in your mouth), the texture should be noticeably less pasty than the raw dough, and the flavor more integrated. Cool for an hour or more, to ensure that the cookies are completely set.
  4. Sugar the Cookies: Spread powdered sugar into a pie pan or small baking dish. One by one, turn the cookies in the sugar, coating them completely. Set them on a serving dish or wrap each one in tissue paper a la mexicana.


Peju Province Winery proudly offers pairings to complete your Hollywood Bowl picnic:

ALMENDRAS ENCHIPOTLADAS
(CHIPOTLE-ROASTED ALMONDS)

Paired with 2008 Merlot, Napa Valley, $35 (New release)
A bold and alluring wine, the 2008 Merlot unfolds layer after well-integrated layer of rich, luscious flavor. What starts as bright plum and juicy Bing cherry moves into black current and rich, black fruit. Hints of anise, cigar box and vanilla peek out to entice you for more.
[+buy now]
ENSALADA DE BETABEL, CEBOLLA MORADA, POBLANO Y LIMÓN
(ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH RED ONION, POBLANO AND LIME)

Paired with 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, $22
The 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is an irresistible expression of fruit. Luscious and complex on the nose, this wine glows with dried apricot, peaches, and bright citrus to finish. A warm mouthfeel and modest acidity makes this a quaffable gem.
[+buy now]
POLVORONES SEVILLANOS
(SEVILLE-STYLE “SANDY” SHORTBREAD COOKIES)

Paired with Provence-California Red & White Blend, $22
A proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel along with barrel fermented Chardonnay and French Colombard. Refreshing finish that begs for a second glass.
[+buy now]

Visit our tasting rooms and gardens including a 50-foot French Provincial tasting room tower complete with moat and dancing fountains in Rutherford, Napa Valley. www.peju.com


HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR TICKETS TO THE BOWL? DON'T MISS:

JOSHUA BELL PLAYS MENDELSSOHN
Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 8:00pm
Thursday, July 19, 2012, 8:00pm

Virtuoso bassist and composer Edgar Meyer, who has amassed countless fans through his stunning playing and uniquely American music, joins Joshua Bell to give the West Coast premiere of Meyer’s Double Concerto for Violin and Double Bass. In addition to hearing Bell soar through Mendelssohn’s lyrical masterwork, the Bowl audience will be among the very first to hear what promises to be another Meyer masterpiece.
[for TUESDAY tickets]
[for THURSDAY tickets]

SMOKEY ROBINSON
Friday, July 20, 2012, 8:00pm
Saturday, July 21, 2012, 8:00pm

King of Motown, satin-voiced vocalist and brilliant songwriter Smokey Robinson is known for classic hits such as “Tears of A Clown,” “I Second That Emotion,” “Tracks of My Tears” and many more. His show is pure romance, sophistication, soul and above all cool!
[for FRIDAY tickets]
[for SATURDAY tickets]


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