ACTIVE 30 MIN. - TOTAL 30 MIN.
SERVES 4
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
4 large (about 1 lb. total) portobello mushrooms, stemmed, gills removed, and sliced 1/2 inch thick (8 cups)
3 small assorted bell peppers, sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 small red onion, sliced
1/4 inch thick (about 1 cup)
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic (about 2 garlic cloves)
1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder (optional)
5 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. ketchup
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
Toppings: fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges, salsa, and sour cream
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high until shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms in a single layer, and cook, turning once halfway through, until browned and softened, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
2. Without wiping skillet clean, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; heat over high until shimmering, about 30 seconds. Add bell peppers, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Return mushrooms to skillet with garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle chile powder (if using), and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and ketchup; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are evenly coated, about 1 minute. Serve immediately with warm tortillas and desired toppings.
ACTIVE 35 MIN. - TOTAL 3 HOURS, 30 MIN.
1 (3-lb.) rack St. Louis-style pork spareribs
4 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. smoked paprika
4 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. light brown sugar
2 tsp. black pepper, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup yellow mustard
6 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup bottled barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1. Preheat oven to 300°F with rack about 8 inches from heat source. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set an oven-safe wire rack inside lined baking sheet, and set aside. Remove thin outer membrane on back of ribs by loosening with a sharp knife and pulling it off; discard membrane. Set ribs aside.
2. Stir together salt, paprika, chili powder, brown sugar, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Transfer 1 teaspoon spice mixture to a small bowl, and set aside. Sprinkle remaining spice mixture on both sides of ribs, gently patting to coat. Wrap ribs in heavy-duty aluminum foil; place on prepared wire rack.
3. Bake in preheated oven until ribs are fork-tender, 2 hours, 45 minutes to 3 hours. Meanwhile, whisk together mustard, honey, barbecue sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and reserved 1 teaspoon spice mixture in a small bowl until well combined; cover and chill until ready to use.
4. Remove ribs from oven. Unwrap and discard aluminum foil. Brush top of rib rack evenly with 1/3 cup of the mustard sauce. Increase oven temperature to broil; return ribs to oven. Broil until sauce starts to caramelize, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven; brush with 1/3 cup of the sauce. Let rest 5 minutes. Slice ribs in between bones; transfer to a platter. Serve with remaining mustard sauce, and garnish with pepper.
ACTIVE 30 MIN. - TOTAL 35 MIN.
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup plain yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper, plus more for garnish
1 (1-oz.) envelope ranch dressing mix, divided
1/2 cup bottled ranch dressing (such as Hidden Valley), plus more for serving
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 lb. jumbo peeled, deveined raw shrimp, tail-on
Chopped fresh dill
1. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a large Dutch oven; heat over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325°F.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the ranch dressing mix in a shallow bowl until well combined; set aside. Whisk together bottled ranch dressing, milk, egg, and remaining 2 teaspoons ranch mix in a medium bowl until well combined. Working in batches, dip shrimp in milk mixture, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press shrimp into cornmeal mixture, turning to coat all sides. Transfer to a baking sheet; repeat with remaining shrimp.
3. Working in batches, add about 6 breaded shrimp to hot oil; fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon; transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining shrimp, adjusting heat as needed to maintain temperature. Serve with additional ranch dressing, and garnish with dill and pepper.
ACTIVE 40 MIN. - TOTAL 1 HOUR
4 (8- to 9-oz. each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic (about 4 garlic cloves)
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. paprika
Sliced scallions Flaky sea salt (optional)
1. Add chicken breasts, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper to a large bowl; toss until chicken is fully coated. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat a gas grill to high (450°F to 500°F) on one side. While grill preheats, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high. Whisk in honey and hot sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and syrupy, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar and paprika. Transfer 3 tablespoons hot-honey glaze to a small bowl, and set aside for serving.
3. Place chicken on oiled grates over lit side of grill. Grill, covered, until grill marks form, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken, transferring to unlit side of grill. Brush top of each chicken breast with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the hot-honey glaze. Close lid; grill until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F, 10 to 12 minutes, brushing each chicken breast with about 1 1/2 teaspoons hot-honey glaze every 2 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from grill, and place on a platter. Let stand 5 minutes. Brush with reserved 3 tablespoons hot-honey glaze. Garnish with sliced scallions, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
ACTIVE 35 MIN. - TOTAL 35 MIN.
1 Tbsp. hot sauce
1 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. finely grated fresh garlic (from 2 garlic cloves)
3/4 cup Thousand Island dressing
1 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 lb. ground chuck
2 tsp. kosher salt
4 (3/4-oz.) American cheese slices
4 sesame seed hamburger buns, toasted
Toppings: shredded lettuce, thinly sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, and dill pickle chips
1. Stir together hot sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, grated garlic, Thousand Island dressing, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. Transfer 1/4 cup sauce to a small bowl; set aside for basting. Cover and reserve remaining sauce until ready to assemble burgers.
2. Portion ground chuck into 8 (2-oz.) loosely packed meatballs; season with salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over high until smoking, about 4 minutes. Working in batches, add 2 meatballs to skillet; flatten each to 1/4-inch thickness using a wide, sturdy spatula. Cook until bottoms are crisp and deeply browned, about 45 seconds. Baste tops of patties with about 3/4 teaspoon of sauce from small bowl. Flip patties, and brush each with about 3/4 teaspoon sauce from small bowl. Place a slice of cheese on 1 of the patties; cook until bottoms are well browned and cheese is melted, about 30 seconds. Stack plain patty on cheese-topped patty. Transfer stack to a plate; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Quickly wipe skillet clean, and repeat process with the remaining 6 meatballs, sauce from small bowl, and 3 cheese slices.
3. Spread 1 tablespoon of reserved sauce from medium bowl on the bottom half of each bun. Add stacked burger patties; layer desired toppings. Spread 1 tablespoon reserved sauce on the top half of each bun, and cover burgers with bun tops. Serve with potato chips and remaining reserved sauce on the side.
photographs by GREG DUPREE