Spherified Picklebacks Recipes

PICKLEBACK SHOTS

Steps:

• Cut each pickle in half across the equator. Use an apple corer, melon baller or the tip of a small knife to hollow out the interior of each pickle half, leaving an 1/8-inch-thick border of pickle intact. Slice the closed end of each pickle shot glass just enough to make it sit flat. Be sure not to cut too deep and create a hole in the shot glass.
• Fill each pickle shot glass with 1 tablespoon of bourbon. Serve immediately.

VEGGIE TAMALES

Steps:

• For the filling: Add the shortening to a large skillet over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the squash and cook, stirring only once, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, jalapenos and garlic and stir to combine. Add the onion, chili powder and cumin and cook until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes and salt and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer a bowl and chill to cool.
• For the tamales: In a stovetop pressure cooker, add 3 cups of water along with the corn husks. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for locking on the lid. Cook under high pressure just until the pressure is reached. Quick-release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. Remove the husks and cover with a damp towel, reserving the hot liquid.
• Place the masa in a medium bowl and whisk in the salt and baking powder. Add the vegetable shortening by pinching it together with the masa, rubbing it together to disperse. Add all of the hot water from the pressure cooker and stir until a batter is formed.
• Lay the husks out and spread a large golf ball-sized amount of the masa in a thin layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Add about two tablespoons of the chilled filling. Fold the tamale like an open-ended envelope, starting with the sides and then the bottom. Place the tamale seam-side down in a steamer basket to let gravity hold it in place. Continue with the remaining husks and filling. Very carefully wrap the whole bunch of tamales in foil, leaving the tops exposed, and stand the tamales on their ends so they stand upright in the steamer basket. If your steamer basket has handles, this will help. Add 1 cup water to the pressure cooker, then lower in the filled steamer basket, and pressure cook over high heat at high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick-release the pressure, then remove the basket and plate your hot tamales.

STEAK SANDWICHES WITH QUICK-PICKLED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk white vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add carrots and radish. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, combine brown sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Add beef and turn to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour, turning once. Drain beef, discarding marinade., In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook steak until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), 7-10 minutes on each side. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing., Meanwhile, place baguette on an ungreased baking sheet, cut sides up. Broil 3-4 in. from heat until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Drain carrots and radish, reserving 1-1/2 teaspoons vinegar marinade. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce and reserved vinegar marinade; spread half over cut sides of baguette. Top with steak, cucumber, pickled vegetables and cilantro; replace top. Cut crosswise into 6 slices. Serve with remaining mayonnaise mixture.

FAJITA CHIMICHANGAS

Steps:

• For the marinade: Combine the lemon, lime, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and garlic in a large bowl. Add the skirt steak and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge until your grill is preheated.
• Preheat a charcoal grill over medium-high heat.
• Toss the peppers and onions in a bowl with 2 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper, to taste. Grill the skirt steak and prepared vegetables until the steak is medium-rare and the veggies are tender and charred, about 5 minutes. (It'll cook further in the chimichangas.) Set aside on a plate or platter.
• For the salsa: Bring a pot of water to a boil and carefully add the tomatillos. Cook until the tomatillos begin to rupture, about 10 minutes. Drain, shock in an ice bath, and transfer to a blender. Add the jalapenos, garlic, cilantro and salt and pulse until incorporated. Transfer to a container, then cover and chill.
• For the tortillas: Mix the flour and 1/4 cup water together to form a paste. Lay the tortillas out and rub some of the paste over the top edges of the tortillas. Divide the meat and veggies in the lower thirds of the tortillas. Fold the sides in, then the bottoms. Roll up and allow to rest on the "glued" seal.
• Heat a deep-fryer or large Dutch oven with oil to 375 degrees F.
• Carefully lower the chimichangas in the hot oil and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drizzle some of the crema on the bottom of a large platter. Top with the chimichangas, more crema, tomatillo salsa and cilantro.

STUFFED DATES

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the duck skin in the hot oil until crispy. Remove from the oil, dice and toss with a pinch of salt.
• In a bowl, combine the peanut butter, citric acid, evaporated cane juice and 6 pinches salt. Stuff the dates with the peanut butter mixture.
• Julienne the nori and sprinkle on top of each date. Garnish with duck skin and bonito flakes.

SUMAC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix up the butter and sugar until really combined. Mix the flour, sumac, baking powder and salt, and then add to the creamed butter slowly, mixing together until a dough is formed. Divide the dough into thirds, wrap in wax paper and place in the freezer to speed chill for 45 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to the fridge to keep cool while rolling out. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• On a clean work service, sprinkle some powdered sugar. Also sprinkle some powdered sugar on a rolling pin or wine bottle. Roll out the dough to desired thickness. Work quickly to keep the dough COLD. Keep in mind that the thinner you roll them, the shorter the cooking time. Do you want wafers or cookies? Your choice. Bake these guys, in batches if necessary, on a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet until they are just golden brown on the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. It might be wise to rotate the sheet halfway through baking, depending on your oven.
• Remove from the oven, let them cool and give them to the kids to decorate. Celebrate sumac.

HOW TO MAKE A PICKLEBACK SHOT

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Pour one shot glass full of whiskey and fill a separate shot glass with pickle juice.

MUSHROOM AND SWISS WELLINGTON PIE

Steps:

• Set a crisping pressure cooker to sear/saute on high, then add the olive oil to the pot. Season the meat liberally with salt and pepper, When the crisping pressure cooker has preheated, sear the meat in the pot, 3 minutes on each side. Add the garlic, shallot, thyme, parsley, mushrooms and about a teaspoon more salt to season the mushrooms. Add the red wine and mustard. Set to high pressure for 25 minutes, then lock on the pressure lid.
• After 25 minutes, release the pressure, then stir in the instant flour. Place the cheese slices over the roast pieces, then add the puff pastry, tucking the corners up. Brush the egg wash on the puff pastry. Air-fry at 390 degrees F for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

SHAAK-NO SAMBHARO (QUICK PICKLED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Pre-Prep: Trim fresh vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, radish, and others into bite sized pieces, and no larger than the container they will be stored in. Flash steam firm vegetables like cauliflower and carrots in a colander over boiling water for just a minute or two: the pieces should still be firm. Lay them on a kitchen towel to dry. If using fresh turmeric, cover the chopping board in plastic wrap, and wear gloves. Scrape off the skin with a spoon as you would for ginger and rinse it clean to wash away any tough bits. Pat each fingerling down and slice into thin rounds or to match the ginger, and place on a paper towel to air dry. All vegetables must be dry to touch before pickling. To prepare ginger, peel and slice ginger into eighth-inch-thick slices, and chop them to look like carrot sticks. Spread on a paper towel and set aside to air dry for 15-20 minutes.
• If using whole mustard seeds or whole fenugreek seeds, in two separate sets, crush each in a spice mill in short bursts until they each are broken down but not powdered. They should be the consistency of coffee grounds.
• Method: Heat the oil in a large, wide mouth saucepan until it is hot but not smoking. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly add all the spices: mustard halves, fenugreek halves, asafetida powder, cayenne pepper if using, along with the serrano pepper if using, and ginger sticks. Add vinegar and salt. Allow this to sizzle for a minute on low. Stir to allow the heat to distribute evenly. When the oil is aromatic, slowly add the trimmed vegetables and stir in well. Turn up the heat and let this cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables appear to have absorbed the spices a little. Turn off the heat and cover with a paper towel to capture any steam. Allow this to come to room temperature before storing.
• To Store: Use smaller (4 - 6 oz.) sanitized and dried glass jars to store the pickle. Using a clean and dry spoon that is smaller than the mouth of the jar, ladle out portions of the pickle into each jar. Don't worry if you don't get the oils or juices when first filling the jars. Fill jars at least a half inch below the rim of the jar. Shake them once to allow the pieces to settle. Divide up any of the liquid over each of these jars, taking care that each jar has some of the spicy sauce. Lightly shake each jar to ensure the liquid finds its way into the nooks and crannies of vegetable pieces. Close the lid and store in the fridge. The pickle is ready to eat immediately after it is made, but the flavors are pronounced after a day or two. Serve using a clean and dry fork or spoon for each serving to avoid contamination.