Colombaccio in salmì (Pigeon)

Break the pigeon in four parts, keeping the giblets.

Chop finely onion, celery, sage, a leaf of laurel, olive oil, salt and pepper; then fry lightly the giblets and the pieces of pigeon.

Add some dry white wine and peeled tomatoes.

When the stuff is cooking, take away from the pan the sauce with giblets, sieve it or mince it. Then put it again in the pan with the pieces of pigeon, add some broth and black olives.

Serve it on roasted canapés.

Braised pigeon with olives

Pluck and draw the pigeons (two for four people) and remove the legs and breasts in sides of one piece.

Then make a stock from the remainder of the carcass and giblets (but not the livers). To make this stock, place the carcasses and giblets in about half a pint of water, add one or two carrots and half an onion. Allow two hours for cooking in an ordinary pan, though a pressure cooker would reduce this time to half an hour.

Other ingredients required are: 2 oz. Of fat, 4 rashers of bacon, 2 dessert spoons of flour, a dozen stoned olives, half teaspoonful mixed herbs, a large onion, half lb. of carrots.

Melt the fat into a casserole and fry up the bacon, which should have been chopped into small pieces. Add chopped up onion and carrots and fry until brown, and then add the herbs and slowly stir in the flour.

Gradually work in the half-pint of stock and stir it well. Finally add the olives and pieces of pigeon and cook them in a low oven for at least two hours.

To serve- fry some rounds of thick bread (or make a similar quantity of toast) lay a pigeon leg and breast on each, arrange the olives and pour the hot sauce over the lot.

Beef Burger

Makes 4 burgers

1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped (slowly fry them to soften before you add them)
2 Garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Beef steaks, chopped (approx. 100-120g per burger)
1 Lime, juice only
Roasted Cumin seeds - ground
Fresh Coriander leaves
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Egg
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

1. Place all the ingredients for the burger into a food processor and whizz together until blended. Don't over whizz, you want some texture there.
2. Using wet hands, divide the mixture into four even sized portions and shape into burgers.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the burgers for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked through.
4. Serve immediately.

If you are starting with mince beef, mix it in with the other ingredients by hand.

Hint: Make these a day ahead, that way they "solidify" which means they don't fall apart on the barbeque.

Mexican Chicken

by Paul Rankin
from Ready Steady Cook

Serves 1

Ingredients
1 chicken breast
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking
¼ red pepper, sliced
¼ red onion, sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
85g/3oz spinach

Method
1. Preheat a medium frying pan and a griddle pan.
2. Combine the spices and seasoning in a small bowl.
3. Cover the chicken breast in the spices.
4. Heat the olive oil in the frying pan.
5. Add the chicken and sauté for at least 10 minutes or until the breast is well cooked and the juices run clear.
6. While the chicken is cooking place a little olive oil in the griddle pan.
7. Add the pepper and onion and griddle for 4 minutes.
8. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the pepper and onion and remove from the heat.
9. Place the spinach on a serving plate.
10. Place the chicken on the spinach. Serve the griddled vegetables on the side.

Refried Beans

Onion - finely chopped
White Pinto Beans (canned, drained, but keep the liquid)
Lard or Vegetable Oil

1] Heat the Lard or Oil in a big pan and gently fry the Onion until they start to soften.
2] Add in the beens and start to mash them up with a fork or the back of a spoon.
3] If it looks like it is too dry, add in some of the liquid from the tin.
4] Stir around and cook for a while until they are cooked through.

Mexican Descriptions

Albondigas: meatballs.
Atole: a thick, hot gruel made from corn.
Biscochitos: an anise-flavored cookie.
Burrito: a white flour tortilla, filled with meats, beans, cheese, or a combination of these, and rolled. Often served smothered with chile sauce and melted cheese.
Capirotada: a raisin and walnut pudding.
Carne Adovada: cubes of pork that have been marinated and cooked in red chile, garlic and oregano.
Chalupas: (little boats) corn tortillas fried into a bowl shape and filled with shredded chicken, and/or beans, and topped with guacamole and salsa.
Chicharron: pork skin, fried crisp.
Chile con queso: chile and melted cheese mixed together into a dip.
Chiles Rellenos: roasted, peeled and stuffed (often with cheese) chiles, usually dipped in a batter and fried.
Chimichanga: a burrito that's deep fried, and smothered with chile and cheese.
Chorizo: a spicy pork sausage, seasoned with garlic and red chile.
Cilantro: a pungent green herb used in salsas, etc; the seeds are coriander.
Empanada: a turnover, filled usually with a sweetened meat mixture or fruit.
Enchiladas: corn tortillas filled with meat, beans or cheese, and either rolled, or stacked, and covered with chile sauce and cheese.
Fajita: strips of grilled steak or chicken that come with tortillas, sauteed peppers and onions, and other side dishes to make do-it-yourself burritos.
Flan: caramel custard dessert.
Flautas: tightly rolled, fried to a crunch, enchiladas.
Frijoles: beans.
Guacamole: mashed avacado, usually with chopped onion, tomatoes, garlic, lime and chile. Horno: outdoor, beehive-shaped ovens.
Huevos Rancheros: corn tortillas, topped with eggs, usually fried, smothered with chile and cheese.
Jalapenos: small, fat chiles, very hot, frequently used in salsa.
Menudo: a soup made with tripe and chiles (known as "breakfast of champions").
Nachos: tostados topped with beans, melted cheese, sliced jalapenos, sometimes served "Grande" with ground beef, or shredded chicken, guacamole and sour cream.
Natilla: soft custard dessert.
Pico de Gallo: salsa with chopped fresh chiles, tomatoes, onions and cilantro.
Posole: a thick stew made with hominy corn simmered for hours with red chile and pork.
Quesadilla: a turnover made of a flour tortilla, filled with cheese or other ingredients, then toasted, fried or baked.
Refritos: beans that have been mashed and fried, most often in lard.
Salsa: generally an uncooked mixture of chile, tomatoes, onions.
Sopaipilla: a puffed, fried yeast bread, that's eaten split and filled with honey-butter.
Taco: a corn tortilla either fried crisp, or just softened, and filled with meats, cheese, or beans, and fresh chopped lettuce, onions and tomatoes.
Tostados: corn tortilla chips, also, a open face corn tortilla covered with refried beans, salsa, cheese, and chopped lettuce and tomato.

http://www.abqjournal.com/venue/dining/glossary.htm