Carissa’s Cuban Black Beans and Rice

She won your votes for the 'Cook 4 Sam' contest and now here she is in her video debut.

Makes 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb packaged dry black beans
• 8 cups water
• 1 ham hock
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into a small dice
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, small diced
• 1-2oz jar of pimentos
• 10 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. The night before, rinse the beans in cold water, drain and place in pressure cooker. Cover beans with 8 cups of cold water. Let them soaked overnight 
2. When you are ready to cook, add ham hock and salt to the beans in the pressure cooker. Place on lid, set pressure to high and cook for 30 minutes
3. While beans are cooking in pressure cooker, heat olive oil in a large saute pan on medium-high. Add onions, green peppers and pimentos and cook until onions are translucent, 5-7 minutes
4. Stir in tomato sauce, lower heat and simmer about 10 minutes.
5. When the 30 min is up and the pressure has reduced naturally, remove ham hock, then return pressure cooker to low heat
6. Add tomato sauce and onion mixture to the beans in the pressure cooker-then stir in lemon juice, vinegar and sugar - stir to combine and allow to thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste
7. Optional- shred ham hock and add to bean mixture
8. Serve over steamed rice

SEE HOW IT'S MADE

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These small, little bites of deliciousness are always welcome - and easy to make especially if you keep frozen, precooked meatballs in your freezer.  

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 pound ready made mini meatballs (in the freezer section)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 green onions, white & light green parts only, thinly sliced on an angle
• sesame seeds for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a pot and heat on the stove over medium heat until sauce comes to a slight boil - then turn down heat and simmer
2. Place the meatballs in the pot, simmer 10-15 minutes until heated through
3. Serve over rice, garnish sesame seeds and green onions on top.

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Mongolian Beef

This old-school Chinese food classic just showed up in your kitchen. Have at it... 

1 lb flank or skirt steak, cut against the grain, bite sized pieces

1/3 cup corn starch

1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil, divided

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

2 red Holland peppers, sliced lengthwise then across into half moons

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

2 green onions, the dark stems, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

• Put the beef in a large bowl and add the cornstarch, 3 tablespoons of soy and 1/2 of the sesame oil - mix really well to combine, then set aside

• In another bowl put the water, remaining soy and brown sugar - stir well to mostly dissolve the sugar

• Heat a wok or skillet on medium/high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil then add 1/2 the beef

• Cook, letting it brown on both sides until almost cooked through - remove to a plate and repeat with remaining beef adding more oil if necessary

• Return the pan to the heat with a little more oil and put in the onion and peppers - stir fry a couple minutes then add the garlic & ginger - stir again about 30 seconds or until very fragrant

• Add the soy/water/brown sugar to the wok - mix and bring to a quick, then turn down slightly add put the beef back in

• Let simmer a couple minutes, stirring well to thicken, add the green onions, mix well and serve

Chicken Soup with Rice, Dill & Spinach

Simple simple simple.

Makes about 8 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 3 ribs of celery, each sliced lengthwise down the middle then crosswise into thin pieces 

• 1 small yellow onion, diced small

• 8 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 cup rice, uncooked

• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

• 3 ounces (roughly 2 cups) packed fresh spinach leaves, rough chopped

• 3/4 ounce chopped fresh dill

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

• Lemon wedges for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Put olive oil, celery and onion in the bottom of a medium pot

2. Cook until softened - about 5 minutes

3. Add broth (carefully cuz it'll steam) and bring to a boil and add rice

4. When it comes to a boil again, turn down to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes or until rice is softened

5. Add chicken, spinach and dill - stir and let simmer about 5 minutes more

6. Season with salt & pepper

7. Serve in bowls with a lemon wedge squeezed on top

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

(in the video I use leek instead of onion, but you don't have to) 

SHIITAKE MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Serves 4

This is the most delicious risotto. And while shiitakes are certainly not 'magic' mushrooms, the effect will be nearly the same. You'll be like "oh crap...what just happened?

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 5 cups of chicken broth

• 1 3/4 cup Arborio rice

• 1/2 cup dry vermouth

• 1/2 cup frozen edamame

• 1 pinch Kosher salt

• 6 grinds fresh black pepper

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup of butter

DIRECTIONS

1. In large pot on medium/high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter add shiitake and onion, stir, cook 2 minutes

2. Add garlic, cook 1 minute

3. Add rice stir to coat with butter, let it toast a little for 1 minute

4. Simmer chicken broth in a separate pan

5. Add vermouth to rice mixture, stir, cook 1 minutes or until absorbed

6. Add chicken broth about a half cup at a time to rice mix, wait until absorbed each time – stir frequently throughout

7. Add one pack of frozen edamame, cook 2 minutes

8. Add Kosher salt, black pepper, Parmesan cheese, butter and stir well.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS... 

Tonkatsu with pork

I made this for Pork Day on SAM THE COOKING GUY TV show, I LOVE this dish!

Serves 3

INGREDIENTS

• pork tenderloin (my pork was from COOK PIGS RANCH)
• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup (Japanese) Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup All Purpose flour
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Fresh black pepper 
• steamed white rice for serving

TONKATSU SAUCE:

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• big pinch white sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut medallions, place in a piece of wax paper with a rolling pin or bottle flatten out the pork to even thickness
2. Season pork both side with Kosher salt and pepper 
3. Breading station: 3 bowls for flour, beaten eggs, Panko
4. Coat pork with flour, egg, then Panko
5. In a small bowl mix oyster sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and sugar
6. Preheat oil in deep skillet to 350 degrees (test: dip a chopstick into the pan, if  the oil bubbles it’s ready)
7. Cook breaded pork in oil for 3 minutes each side until golden brown, drain on paper towel
8. Slice pork, serve on bed of rice, top with Tonkatsu sauce, garnish with green onions. 

WATCH ME MAKE THIS...

FEATURED RECIPE ON PORK DAY EPISODE OF SAM THE COOKING GUY TV SHOW. RELEASE DATE: JUNE 7th 2015

SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP JAMBALAYA

Serves 4-6

Remember in Seinfeld when Newman gets his hands on the jambalaya?

• 1 cup each diced celery, onion and green pepper

• 1 pound fully-cooked chorizo or andouille sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4” slices

• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 cup white rice

• 1 tablespoon creole or Old Bay seasoning

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced

• 1 pound raw, peeled & de-veined shrimp

• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large skillet (that has a lid) on medium high, add about a tablespoon of oil and when hot put in celery, onion and green pepper - cook until softened and just until they get some color, about 5 minutes

2. Add sausage and cook 5 minutes or until it starts to brown

3. Add garlic and when fragrant, add creole or old bay and stir well to mix through

4. Add rice, stirring really well and let toast a couple minutes, then add broth, tomatoes and mix well

5. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes

6. Add shrimp, stir well and cover again - and in about 5 minutes the shrimp should be perfect or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is soft

7. Add parsley and serve!

Fried Rice Pancakes

Serves 4

Fried rice – fantastic. 
Fried rice pancakes – ridiculously fantastic, in a weird ‘east meets west’ sorta way.   

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 1 cup leftover chilled fried rice
• 1 cup prepared pancake mix (I use "just add water" kind)
• Hoisin sauce for serving
• 2 green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Re-heat rice
2. Pre-heat non-stick skillet, add some oil and ¼ cup of the rice, spread out slightly
3. To about a 4 inch circle
4. When it starts to sizzle, pour just enough pancake batter slowly over the top to cover
5. Cook a couple minutes or until just set on the bottom, then flip and cook until done
6. Serve rice side up with a little drizzle of Hoisin sauce and green onions for garnish

Gochujang and Bacon Fried Rice

Serves 4

Gochujang, Korean 'red chili paste' is so good you could put it on old shoes and it would be amazing.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bacon, diced (not ready bacon)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/3 cup raw or frozen peas
• 2 cups cabbage, shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 cups cooked & very cold white rice
• 2-3 tablespoons Gochujang
• 2 green onions, chopped

Directions

1. Heat a wok and cook bacon until just crispy, set aside bacon, take out most of fat but leave a couple tablespoons in the wok
2. Add peas, cabbage, peppers and cook for 2 minutes
3. Add onion, cook until onions soften, about 4 minutes
4. While it cooks, beat the egg in a small bowl & stir in the sesame oil and soy sauce, set aside
5. Add garlic and ginger to wok - cook about 1 minute until fragrant
6. Crumble the rice into the wok, break it up and cook until it's very hot throughout
7. Pour in beaten egg and mix until egg is cooked through - about a minute
8. Add bacon, Gochujang paste & stir really well to combine everything
9. Serve, garnished with green onions

Leftover Celery & Chicken Stir Fry

Serves 2

A stir fry is one of the greatest ways to use up leftovers - so use this merely as a guide, and throw in anything you have.

Ingredients

• 6 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 3 raw chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1-2 cups shredded cabbage (any kind really)
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• Fresh rice for serving

Directions

1. Heat wok till almost smoking then add oil and chicken - cook about 3 minutes or until just cooked through - set chicken aside
2. Heat wok again (don't clean it) add oil and the celery and cook for 1 minute, then add cabbage, onion & stir fry about 3 minutes or until softened
3. Push veggies to the side, add the ginger and garlic to the middle with a splash of oil and wait till it gets super fragrant - about a minute
4. Then add chicken back in with the vegetables, the sesame oil and soy sauce
5. Stir well to combine everything and serve on the rice

Thai Chicken Curry

This is the perfect place to use any already cooked chicken - grilled, roasted whatever.

1 tablespoon oil

1 small onion, diced

1 small red pepper, diced - or even better 3 or 4 red Holland peppers, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1-14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken

2 tablespoons apricot jam

Chopped fresh basil to garnish

• Heat oil in a medium pot, and add onion - cook a couple minutes then add red pepper and cook a couple more until just softened

• Add garlic, and stir though about a minute then add flour and curry powder together - mix in well, and yes it’ll look really really dry

• BTW, if you want it spicy, this is when you would add the cayenne

• Stir well for a minute, and add the coconut milk, stirring though well and add the apricot jam

• When it’s mixed in, add in the chicken and allow it to warm through

• Serve on rice and garnish with a little fresh chopped basil

Baked Risotto

Serves 8

The thing that makes risotto a pain in the ass (oops, can I say ass?) is that you have to baby-sit it by stirring, stirring and stirring. My recipe is not traditional, but it's also not a pain in the ass. Give it a whirl.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons onion, diced small

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1 cup risotto (Arborio rice)

• 1/3 cup dry vermouth

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup whipping cream

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cook onion and garlic in olive oil and teaspoon of butter until softened

3. Add risotto and stir until rice has absorbed all the oil and butter

4. Add vermouth and cook for another minute or two

5. Stir in chicken broth and whipping cream, mix well and bring to a boil over high heat

6. Remove, cover and place in the oven for 18-20 minutes

7. Remove from oven and stir in butter and Parmesan

8. Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little more Parmesan and fresh cracked pepper

Fridge Fried Rice

The quantities here are pretty much up to you. You will not make any mistakes - trust me.

The key is to add what you like - basically just clean out the fridge. If you love mushrooms, add a bunch. If you hate mushrooms, give 'em to the dog and add something else.

Makes about 6 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• 2 cups diced vegetables: carrot, celery, peppers, onions, green onions, mushrooms - pretty much anything you have
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 4 cups cooked rice, cold - and cold is the important rice, so preferably day old
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Diced green onions for garnish

Directions

1. Heat pan or wok on medium heat and cook bacon until just getting crispy - remove bacon and drain on paper towels but leave a couple tablespoons of grease in the pan
2. Add vegetables and stir fry until just softened, about 5 minutes
3. Add bacon and rice - stir with spatula constantly, breaking up pieces 3-5 minutes until hot
4. Beat eggs in a small bowl and stir in soy & sesame oil
5. Add egg mixture to rice and stir really well to combine and cook the eggs - 2 to 3 minutes
6. Serve topped with green onions.

Mixed Jambalaya

Makes 8 - 10 servings

Simple as pie, or in this case Jambalaya - which normally tends to not be so simple.

Ingredients

• 1 pound spicy smoked sausage, the fully cooked kind - cut lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch half circles
• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined (31/40's are perfect)
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into bite sized pieces
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (not instant rice)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• One -7 oz can diced green chilies
• 1-2 tablespoons Creole seasoning

Directions

1. Put everything into the rice cooker, stir well, close the lid and turn it on
2. When the rice cooker goes off - it's ready...and really great

Cheater Seafood Paella

Serves 8

Paella can be one big pain in the, well - you know. This...is not.

Ingredients

• Two 7-ounce packages Rice-a-Roni Spanish Rice
• One 28 ounce can tomatoes to make the Rice-a-Roni
• 3/4 pound raw shrimp, peeled & de-veined
• 1 pound fresh mussels
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions
2. When the rice has about 7 minutes left to cook, add shrimp and mussels and re-cover
3. Remove the lid, stand back and marvel at your excellence
4. Serve with a big fat wedge of lemon on the side - but don't serve any mussels that didn't opened - because they were d.o.a. and that's no bueno

Spicy Hoisin Tofu with Eggplant

Serves 4

Ok, I know what you're thinking..."Tofu Sam, really? No...really.

Ingredients

• One 14 ounce block firm Tofu
• 2 Asian Egg Plants, the long thin kind
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1/4 cup Hoisin
• 1 tablespoon Chili Paste
• 2 tablespoons green onion light green and white parts only, chopped

Directions

1. Remove Tofu from package, wrap in a double layer of paper towel and let dry about 15 minutes
2. Cut off ends of eggplant, slice lengthwise and cut into even 3/4 inch slices
3. Add peanut oil and eggplant to hot pan or wok and cook for 5 minutes, stir often
4. Remove eggplant from pan and set aside
5. Cut Tofu into even medium size cubes, about the same size as eggplant and put in hot pan or wok with a little oil and stir fry about 5 minutes
6. Add eggplant back to pan with tofu and add Hoisin and Chili paste, stir well until well mixed - but don't be too rough or you'll bust up the tofu
7. Garnish with green onion and serve

Simple Teriyaki Chicken

Serves 4

If there's Chinese comfort food (and why wouldn't there be) this would be it. And just keeping a bottle of teriyaki sauce around makes the comfort even faster.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 1 bunch green onions, 1/2 of them cut into 1 inch pieces and the rest finely chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped fine

• 1-1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 lb chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1/4-1/3 cup bottled teriyaki sauce

Directions

1. Add oil to pan or wok and heat until almost smoking

2. Add green onion, garlic & ginger - stir fry 2 minutes, remove from pan

3. Get pan super hot, add a little more oil and add chicken

4. Cook quickly until almost done then add vegetables and and sauce

5. Mix all together well until heated through and serve on steamed rice

6. Topped with finely chopped green onion

Loco Moco

Makes 4

Perhaps the epitome of Hawaiian comfort food. Only food snobs wouldn't like this. Oh and my wife, but not because she's a food snob. Because she'd just find this whole combo disgusting.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 1.5 cups beef gravy
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups cooked rice

Directions

1. Mix ground beef with soy sauce, season well with salt and pepper & shape into 4 patties
2. Heat your grill, pan or whatever to medium high
3. Brush patties with olive oil and and ccok burgers until done - and by done I mean medium rare
4. While burgers cook, put onions and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook until nicely softened, about 5 minutes
5. Heat gravy with Worcestershire in a small pot
6. Cook eggs, ideally maintaining a runny yolk
7. Serve like this from the bottom up: rice, hamburger, onions, egg, gravy
8. Oh my