We decided to celebrate my wife’s birthday a little early this year. She recently told me that this dish is no longer her favorite thing I cook, but wanted me to fix it because it has become tradition.
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I had picked up a bottle of Brandy Barrel La Tache from Ale Apothecary a while back for this occasion.
I wanted to revisit this recipe from Jose Garces again. This time, I skipped the Salsa Criolla. As I did previously. I also used Mama Lil’s Peppers instead of roasted red peppers in the stuffing. I served it with it was sautéed spinach with roasted garlic.
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I decided to go with a bottle of Exquis from Bale Breaker.
I was already a member to the Cult of Chili Crisp when Eater recently published an article about other varieties that are available. I ended up buying four different jars. One of the companies – Fly by Jing – had free shipping if you order was over $35, so I also ordered some fresh Gongjiao Sichuan Peppercorns. That meant that I had to find a recipe to use the peppercorns in. I stumbled upon this recipe, which is unlike any grilled chicken recipe that I have seen – so I knew I had to try it. I made some Dry-Fried Green Beans to go with it.
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To drink, I went with a bottle of Saison Musqué – barrel-aged farmhouse ale with Chardonnay Musqué and Brettanomyces – from Wolves & People.
I had been wanting to try this recipe for a while, and the three day Easter weekend was a good opportunity. There’s a local restaurant that makes Tacos Al Pastor and they also do a version with melted cheese they call the ‘El Gringo’. Unfortunately, since the pandemic they have not been making the ‘El Gringo’ and the Al Pastor tacos don’t hold together when you pick them up to go. You end up with a container full of loose meat and some tortillas. So, I’ve been wanting to learn how to make them. I also made some Yucatán-Style Pickled Red Onions in Sour-Orange Juice and picked up some guacamole for the tacos as well.
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I went with a bottle of Tenmile from Draper Brewing.
Jouer avec le feu. 