New Barbarian Cookbook

The New Barbarian Cookbook 
This is a collection of recipes I use on a regular basis.  I live in Texas, so my food has a Tex-Mex and barbeque bias.  I grow a lot of hot chiles, and love to eat hot chiles.  One of my favorite things is to combine the barbeque and the hot chiles, like this, making Habapotles, a smoked and dried Habanero Chile.  Eat the heat...

This is a PLT, Pork Lettuce, and Tomato, on a onion bun with a cup of Black Beans.  The Pork Butt is brined and hickory smoked.  Then sliced for the PLT...

Engineers, and Hackers seem to have a thing about noodles, and I am no exception.  One of my favorite noodle dishes is Pho Ga, or Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup.  Of course I used my Hickory Smoked  Chicken, and you can see the Chile-Garlic sauce there with it...

Speaking of Chicken, my wings get Hickory Smoked as well.  I use Tony Chachere's Season Salt, and fresh ground Black Pepper to get the heat, and the smoke mellows, and blends the flavors.  Then add some Cayenne Chile Sauce, and these are some of the best wings I have had...

My regular chicken pieces get a similar treatment.  I will brine them for a day or two, then season with Tony Chachere's and Black Pepper.  Then into the Hickory Smoke until they are Golden, Brown, and Delicious...

Thanksgiving brings the Big Bird, and I make it extra fancy.  I add many flavorings to the brine such as, Rosemary, sage, Onion, Garlic, Orange, Lemon, and Cloves.  I never use chiles on the Thanksgiving Bird.  Got too many sensitive mouths in the family...

A lot of the cooking I do is preserving what I grow in the garden.  I make Salsa's and Pickle Veggies for over the winter.  The Salsa I make for me is usually really hot, like the Habapotle Nirvana, and Loco Casa Salsa.  I make mild Salsa for the Gringos in the family.  I Pickle Jalapenos, but not like the store bought stuff.  My Pickled Jalapenos are crispy, and have a fresh flavor, most are pickled too long, mushy, and don't mave much taste.

No, I don't use the grill/smoker to cook everything.  I can use the flat-top as well.  But it still has Salsa on it.  This is my variation of Huevos Ranchera with Salsa Verde...

When you live in the Southwest, you develop an appreciation for Southwestern Cuisine.  Ubiquitous is the Taco.  It is everywhere, Baja style with fried fish, Tex-Mex style with Chile seasoned Beef, Mexican style with grilled Chicken, Cilantro, and Lime, or even Breakfast Tacos of many varieties.  For me Tacos are comfort food...

 

Here is something I do with Winter Cabbage.  I use the Crock Pot, and slow cook a Corned Beef Brisket.  when the Corned Beef is done I'll take it out, and put the sliced Winter Cabbage into the au jus, and let it braise for a couple hours.  Then I take the sliced Corned Beef, and some Winter Cabbage and put them on some dark Rye Bread.  I griddle the sandwich on both sides to get the Caraway in the bread to bloom, and serve with some Russian Dressing...

When I cook a Corned Beef, I use some root vegetables as a stand off, to keep the Corned Beef above the au jus.  Later I'll use the Carrots, Potatoes, and Onions to make Orange Flannel Hash and Eggs for breakfast...

Asian food is another comfort food for me.  Especially the soups, but also Stir Fry.  Beef and Peppers is one that is a favorite.  The hot Chiles, and Sesame Oil give it better than average flavor, and Nom-liciousness...  Nom nom nom...

Of course you also have than Country Cooking thing in Texas.  Country food, or Diner food, is just as popular as Southwestern Cooking.  One of the Staples of this kind of cooking is Biscuits and Gravy.  This is a country Scramble with Biscuits and Gravy, and more hot sauce, LOL!

I also enjoy other International Cuisine.  This is a Beef Curry on Biscuits with Eggs.  I stewed the Beef Curry to make it very tender, and gave it extra heat with my homegrown Cayenne Chiles.  This one was very hearty, needed a nap afterwards...

Oh, can't forget the Pizza.  I make Pizza on a daily basis.  I keep a stock of dough in the fridge.  Thin Crust, Pan Style, Hand Tossed, Sfincione, and even Chicago Style I've explored everything Pizza.  This is what my typical Hand Tossed Pizza looks like.  This one is three quarters Pizza and one quarter Italian Bread...