salty. on eating words, revolutionary foods, redemption, & REAL summer pasta salads

it's gonna take a miracle to get through all the recipes that i owe you for these past few, but here goes:

upon review, i noticed that within various posts, i promised readers some recipes, then went off on a tangent & forgot to post the recipes; & since the eating of words/redemption is the theme of this post, then whatever i have missed over the last few weeks shall be included among the new recipes posted.

ok so @ the cafe @ which i guest cheffed for some weeks in may/june, i did all this talking about an over-salted  falafel encrusted salmon, right?   & here it is, along w/an analysis on why the over-salting occurred:

to serve 6:

• 1 large cucumber, (english are best for this:  can be peeled or not, & are longer that US cukes, also, unwaxed) peeled, seeded and thinly sliced or cut into triangles

• 3 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, (or roma, or heirloom tomatoes) cut into cubes or triangles if you feel super fancy
• 3# salmon filets - (wild caught is best) seasoned & set aside
• 2 -3 teaspoons vegetable oil

Falafel Crust

• 1 cup cooked drained chickpeas
• 1/2 medium russet potato, peeled and finely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped leeks or 1/2 cup green onion
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut in pieces
• 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and black pepper

Hummus

• 1 cup cooked drained chickpeas
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, peeled

Lemon Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar 
• 1/3 cup olive oil

1. For the falafel crust, combine the chickpeas, potato, parsley, leek and/or green onions and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and well mixed. Add the bread crumbs, coriander and cumin and pulse to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. For the hummus, wipe out the food processor bowl. Add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Process until smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover and chill until needed.
3. Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cucumber and tomato and toss well. Chill until needed.
4. Preheat the broiler and set the oven rack 4 to 6 inches below the element. Season the salmon fillet pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick. When hot, add the salmon and sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Spread the top of each fillet piece with some of the falafel crust mixture, transfer the skillet to the oven and broil the salmon until the crust is bubbly and the salmon is cooked to taste, about 2 minutes for medium or 3 to 4 minutes for well done. (If the crust is browned before the salmon is cooked, turn off the broiler, close the oven door and let the salmon sit for a minute or two to continue cooking.).
5. To serve, spoon some of the hummus onto the center of individual plates and spoon the tomato and cucumber salad around. Set the salmon pieces on the hummus and serve right away.

over-salting deconstructed:

i wanted to revisit one of my old stomping grounds for the purposes of nostalgia.  so i decided to hit chinatown to shop, as i haven't done since '95.  i should have taken it as a sign that i stopped into a restaurant on canal (what was i thinking???) & had about the worst chinese meal i have ever, EVER suffered through.  all the most disgusting elements were in play:  rubbery, greasy squid, a rice so bad that it felt/smelled/tasted straight evil.  & no dipping sauce!?!  i know enough about chinatown to comment with authority that the myth of asian politeness is just that w/a healthy dose of pure romanticism - but the service was ominous.  i don't know why i continued my journey, but i did.  to the detriment of my pockets, fish & sanity...
when i hit my favorite old market on canal & mott, i was filled to brimming eyelids with remembrance of my early days of hustling as a young young chef upon my return to NY, newly divorced (we'll get into that later) & only 23!  how much fun is that.  EVERYTHING was just as reasonable as i remembered;  though not as vibrant, admittedly.  i picked out the finest specimens available - those dear sweeties even packed all my fish with ice - & pressed on.  but when i got to the 'lem  (been trying to re-christen harlem as the 'lem for years... you don't think that's as wack as all my friends do, do you???) & unwrapped my goodies, they were... icky.  the only way to describe them.  they smelled fresh, but the colors were dull, & the salmon, upon closer inspection, was soft.  not firm @ all.  so i went into emergency mode, & brined (see march, i believe, for brining) the salmon, then salted & iced the shellfish (shrimp, & scallops).  i was so paranoid that i let the salmon sit waaaaaaay too long in the brine, & so the flavor was then described as  'punishing'.  so i must make this one again, then provide pictures.  & i send a mental note of thanks to my chinatown comrades, b/c that mis-step led to one of the most pleasurable crow-eating contests of my entire life:

rejoined park slope food coop, y'all.  first of all it is an essential blueprint for anyone who entertains thoughts of starting one anywhere in the world.  & secondly, as much as i love whole foods/fairway, i just couldn't let another one of my entire paychecks go through the grinder like that, y'all.  just...couldn't do it, B.  so a friend was like, 'call & see if you are still a member.'  & when i protested 'from '95???'  my friend was still like 'check & see'...  i decided to put off procrastinating & call - b/c there were no more spaces for orientation, & b/c the new member fee of $125 was off-putting to say the least, on a lark, i said, 'just checking - i was a member there in '95-96, & was just wondering...'  well slap my face, y'all.  within a few minutes, i was a member again, with instructions to bring id & a piece of mail to the office, next time i showed up in their neck of the woods.

we're back together.  & it feels so right!!!

it's been all about knowing looks, winks, & triumphant nudges as the community that makes up the coop (happily more multi-culti than EVAH) knows good & kot-dayum well that they/we are doing the best we can for our bodies, wallets, families health & for the small price of 2hrs. & 45 min of service every month.  while checking out, the fellow shopper/owner/worker who was helping me (& who i discovered was traveling to the coop from 190th @ one point - soldier! - said, as giddy as i was,  'you know this WOULD have cost 2X as much anywhere else, right?'  lol!)

if that's not revolutionary food, then i don't know what is. 

so when i do the salmon again, friends, it WILL be w/wild alaskan, (fresh frozen - you DO know that all of that beautifully displayed fish @ your fave gourmet market has necessarily been previously frozen, right?) to be used @ my convenience, & with the confidence that comes w/intimate knowledge of your quality product.

yes.  chile.

now let's not get ahead of ourselves;  my plans for the ultimate coop uptown are still inching along - in fact every time i go to PSFC, the need for one closer to where i live becomes more pronounced.

talk about momentum:  on my way to a catering gig in bklyn, i was approached by an adorable grrrrl - i'll call her T, who raced up out of nowhere & said that she knew someone who needed a caterer for his spiritual circles.  i said, no problem.  three weeks later, having been asked to serve a light, informal vegetarian menu, i offered this:

theosophical society menu:


bean & cheese tacos

a simple affair:

corn tacos
1# pinto beans , dry
1 gallon water
3TBSP salt
butter to taste
2# roma tomatoes or heirloom, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, pulverized

fresh parsley, cilantro optional in a fine dice nevertheless
sea salt & pepper
olive oil
1TBSP red onion, slivered
sliced avocado
shredded lettuce
grated cheddar

just toast each taco in a dry pan, & layer beans, cheese, salsa, avocado, & lettuce atop all, then fold.

refried pinto beans:
boil pinto beans w/abundant water & salt until soft.  mash w/a potato masher, then stir & fry in butter/oil till fragrant.
salsa:
combine diced tomatoes with garlic, onion, & herbs.  let chill to blend flavors.  go on from there. 

summer pasta pt.1:

don't y'all hate those 'pasta salads' - foul little affairs w/a bunch of mayonnaise, canned tuna, & most egregiously, peas?

welcome to my world, friends.  let's set this bad boy off on the right foot for summer:

linguine checca (a fresh basil, tomato, fresh &/or smoked mozzarella salad - pasta is served @ room)

this i would like to serve as a trio with that nice butternut squash pasta above & linguine tonno, a tuna based pasta that i used to make all the time, when i lived in LA:

to serve 6 or more as part of a buffet:

2# linguine boiled in salted water, drained & tossed w/olive oil
3# roma tomatoes or heirloom, in a large dice
1 - 2# fresh or smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 - 9 cloves garlic, sliced
1 whole large bunch basil or 2 small, rinsed 3 times & jullienned
olive oil
sea salt pepper

marinate the tomatoes w/all else save the cheese & pasta for 1-3 hours.  toss w/warm or hot pasta, & serve w/cheese tossed throughout.

warm pasta salad from Ustica
1# fresh tuna
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (e.v.o.o.)
juice of 1/2 lemon
finely chopped fresh red chile pepper to taste
4 large tomatoes ripe but firm, chopped
2 - 3 TBSP chopped fresh basil
2 - 3 TBSP  chopped fresh mint
2 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
1# imported penne rigate
ss & p (sea salt, pepper)

in a glass bowl in the fridge, marinate tuna w/lemon juice, ss & p. 1/2 the garlic, & 1/4 cup the olive oil for several hours.
in a smoking hot skillet, sear the tuna 2 - 3 min on each side, then pour the marinade over all & simmer for 3-4 min.  remove from heat, & rest.  when cool, break into large chunks & save all, including marinade.  boil pasta to al dente.  toss with olive oil, ss & p.  combine all other ingredients, & serve on top of pasta.

next? a small office party for a media group in midtown:

media menu:

when i first saw this recipe, i was completely weirded out - but i loved the idea - light, bright, pretty, summery - upon sampling, diners @ a vegetarian gathering were super happy - & so was i: super easy to make, minimal heat, perfect for summer cooking, a win for all. i happened to have some roast eggplant on hand, frozen, surplus from another job, along with some sun dried tomatoes, which all received a rough chop before being thrown in with the rest...

roast butternut squash/yam, marinated feta, summer leek/ramps farfalle w/rosemary to serve 10:

3 whole butternut squash or yams, peeled & diced, large 

olive oil

butter 6TBSP, divided in half

2# farfalle, boiled in abundant salty water until al dente

2 - 3 bunches summer leeks, ramps, or scallions, cut crosswise into small rounds

8 oz feta, marinated 

2 bunches rosemary

4 - 6 cloves garlic, sliced, can be thrown in with the squash to roast, or sauteed with the scallions/ramps/leeks

4 oz sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped

3 roast eggplant: see below

1 - roast squash/yams/garlic w/butter/olive oil/rosemary till candied. no sugar is required for this - the squash/yam cubes will become translucent, glossy & browned around the edges.  when a fork inserted slides in easily, they are done about 1 hour.

2 - toss boiled farfalle with remaining cold butter

3 - saute the spring onion rings/sliced garlic till all are lightly browned around the edges/translucent, set aside

4 - roast 3 eggplant - cut into rings, salt, & leave aside, 2 - 8 hours in a strainer or colander.  after the bitter juices have drained out, rinse, then pat dry with paper/kitchen towels.  bake w/olive oil until soft, lightly browned, crispy around the edges.  when cooled, roughly chop, & set aside.

5 -serve in a large bowl, sprinkle the cheese, broken into chunks on top of the pasta, followed by all veg.
enjoy.

chicken roti:

(i bought the roti skins for this, @ my favorite indian market, India Spice & Sweet, on lexington between 27th &28th.  the best.)

2 TBSP patak's curry paste
1 TBSP curry powder, madras, preferrably
virgin coconut oil
coconut cream
curry leaves - 3- 10 to taste
1 bay leaf
chicken stock
2 onions, slivered
2 green peppers rough chopped

rinse chicken well.  season & set aside.  in a pan, saute onion & garlic, bay leaf, & curry leaves in the coconut oil till translucent.  add curry powder, stirring till smoking, then add the curry paste.  saute for 3 - 5 min, then add peppers, saute till semi soft, & the chicken, browning on all sides.  pour in the chicken stock to cover, add the coconut cream, & simmer for 1 - 1&1/2 hours. delicious chicken should slide off the bone. when it does, remove the bones - you should be able to simply pick them out of the stew, leaving the tender chicken pieces behind.

thai beef salad:  refreshing.

3 # ground beef, preferably  grass fed, @ least hormone free
1 (or more) fresh hot Thai chili peppers (prik kee noo), sliced crosswise very thin (or substitute jalapenos or serrano chilies, minced)
2 large cloves garlic, sliced crosswise very thin
1 tbsp sugar - palm or jaggery - (has the perfect rich brown sugar taste, & has the added benefit of a minimal effect on blood sugar) found in thai/asian markets
5 tbsp Thai fish sauce or nam pla
5 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (1 medium size lime)
1 head Bibb or Boston; or 1 heart of Romaine lettuce
15 sprigs fresh mint (optional), remove the leaves and discard the stems
1/2 hothouse cucumber or 1 small cucumber (seeds removed), peeled and sliced thin
2 to 3 shallots, sliced crosswise very thin or 1 small red onion, sliced very thin
6 cloves garlic, sliced paper-thin
3 or 4 sprigs cilantro, stems removed
1 small bunch basil
make a paste: in a blender, pulverize the mint, basil, & cilantro, setting aside a few sprigs for garnish.

in a smoking hot skillet, sear the garlic & shallots till lightly toasted & brown around edges.  add ground beef & cook through.  add a touch of soy, nam pla, & a bit of the herb paste to taste.
Mix garlic, chiles, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a small bowl. Add the cooked ground beef and toss with the cucumbers and shallots. Taste and add more fish sauce if desired.
Make a bed of the lettuce on a serving plate. Place the beef on top. Garnish with cilantro, mint & basil paste.
guests wrap the meat in the lettuce leaves.

Serves 2 to 3 as an appetizer or as part of a meal.

thai melon salad:

hollow out a watermelon.  chop the pieces roughly & mix them with a touch of the basil, cilantro, mint paste.

easy.  cool.  fresh.  this is my wish for you all summer - heat waves be damned!

thank you for your time.

fusion foods, fusion politics, fusion life!!!

chile, you might even call this a fusion post;  i'd like to start off by saying that i omitted a fly gorgeous black grrrl from my last post:  miss lovely brenda sykes - & i just feel like chaka khan should have her own post.  whew! was literally nauseated when i thought that i might have left them out - ok nausea NOT the best way to begin this weeks food blog, huh?  lolololol

new beginning:
 

this is the stuff i  did for my first guest stint @ Globetrippin, where i am returning this saturday to do a revisit-cum-art-show w/my grrrrrrrrrrrl, the divine miss M.   

salmon ceasar salad
semi artisan croutons with st. andre & brie, alternatively

artisan, by my definition, refers to that which is made completely by hand with a special eye for excellence.  in the case of the croutons, i made the wheat bread for them but to be honest, it was a bit dense for sandwiches, (so i'll need to play with the recipe again, before i release it) but perfect sliced into rounds, tossed with luscious grass-fed butter, garlic, & parsely.  this i alternated with a fine baguette from the whole foods nearest me @ 98th & columbus.  i think whole grain alternated with white was a perfect aesthetic choice for my crowd that night, but if you want to use exclusively wheat, that's beautiful.

this is so simple - adapted from my time @ angeli mare, in santa monica, ahhh, california kitchens - where the grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrls rule!

cut the croutons into rounds, & toss in a large bowl with melted butter, minced fresh garlic, parsely, olive oil, & butter.  lay flat on a sheet pan & bake @ 375 for about 15 - 20 min or until toasty.
add a smear of st. andre, softened, &/or brie, softened.

ceasar salad dressing:
olive oil 1 cup
red wine or champagne vinegar1/2 - 2/3 cup
6 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lemon
thai fish sauce 3 drops, 2 anchovies, or for vegans, bragg's amino acids
sea salt
pepper black or tri-colored
parsley
thyme
2 TBPS mustard
a girl's handful of grated parmesan
this is also from angeli mare.  throw everything except the  oil, parsley, & the parmesan into a blender.  when blended, add oil slo-o-o-wly till emulsified.   pulse blender to add cheese, then parsley in that order.
serve w/croutons slathered w/brie & st. andre, alternatively.

seared tilapia butter shrimp sauce
season tilapia, set aside
4 TBPS butter
1 # shrimp, shelled
lemon juice
2-4oz chicken stock reduced to a glace
white wine or champagne

heat the pan to smoking, then add the tilapia.  let it get a nice crust on both sides, thensautee till cooked through.set aside.  add shrimp to the pan till pink, then remove.  add champagne, reduce then add stock, reduce, then the lemon juice, & the butter, in 1 TBSP pieces till the sauce is mellow, sexxxy & glossy.  serve the shrimp cascading over the sauce over the tilapia.

then wow your friends.

i always look @ a bunch of books, & meditate on the romance of the region  before i experiment with a nation's cuisine.  in this case i did all of that but it was my scandalous friend, S, who supplied the advice for the finishing touch:  saffron is fat, more than water soluble.  so it makes best sense to steep the saffron in milk (or yoghurt, i think as well) rather than in water - more potency, better color/flavor.  i call that a win for you, & for your diners, right?
the other touch, also added by S, is the toasting of the nuts & dried fruit in butter, before adding to the rice.

persian rice-
1/2 cup of cream, (grassfed or other fresh, preferably hormone-free) heated almost to the boil, w/ a pinch saffron threads steeped like tea set thisaside while you assemble & cook other ingredients
basmati
butter
apricots, medium dice
dried cherries
walnuts chopped
slivered almonds
pistachios
gold leaf if you have it on hand - not as crazy as it sounds you can get this @ indian/middle eastern specialty stores such as india spice & sweet, & kalyustan's & in a pinch, pearl paint! lol - sounds industrial - but it is sterile -


1 - melt the butter in a rice pot or dutch oven
2 - stir & fry the rice in the melted butter
3 -add water, bring to boil, & bake for 20 - 25 min.
while the rice is baking, go ahead & melt some butter over medium heat.  add to the butter the dried fruit, & let them sizzle a little before adding the nuts to lightly caramelize.  then add the cream to this mixture, bring to a simmer, & add the saffron to this, (as S specified, saffron is fat soluble, so you will get a more extreme flavor/color if you add it to milk than to water.  - genius.  milk, like blood, is thicker than water.  yes.)
once the rice is baked, let it rest for a touch & then add your milk/nut/saffron miture to the rice.

yes chile.

this is pure fusion based on my parent's background(s) - my paternal grandmother is jamaican.

such a cutie.

but the rest of my dad's family is southern.  & the sauce is a cult hit from a peruvian place...whew!  jamaica/southern/persian/peruvian, huh?  i calls that fusion.

curry fried chicken
1 3-lb. fryer cut into pieces.
curry paste - patak's
yogurt
1 egg
garlic paste
ginger paste
flour
curry powder to taste mixed w/flour
mixed seasoning salts - old bay, borsin, or salt & pepper
coconut oil to fry

marinate the chicken in a mixture of yogurt, garlic, ginger, & curry paste 8 hrs - to overnight
heat the oil to popping
pull the chicken from the marinade, & dredge in flour/curry mixture.  drop in oil till the pieces float.
voila.


pio pio dipping sauce

1 bunch cilantro
1 habanero green
1 sweet green bell pepper
6 cloves garlic
blend.

aioli:
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic
2 TBSP vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1 cup olive oil

throw everything except the oil in a blender.  add the oil first in drops, & then faster till the mixture turns white & is emulsified.  if it separates @ any point, add 1 TBSP of hot water, & blend again.

now combine the two.  this is the dipping sauce for the chicken.


then returned to do an encore tilapia for these (literary) addicts uptown who kind of refuse to eat anything else that i make - got to give the people what they want, right?
& added this to that menu:
salmon baked with a falafel crust on a bed of hummus that swims in a cucumber-lemon-tomato salad
that to be honest, i over salted & for a salient reason that i will get into @ length in the recipe:

then, talk about fusion!!!

joined forces with the FAB.U.LOUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.  ms.  nucomme davis-walker's witches brew to cater some fun, truly sexxxy brunches. ms. davis-walker is a singer, bartender party-thrower whose fusion life is working out quite nicely;  every time i have worked with her, she has been on her way to another gig:  the first week, she was catering the mos def 'ting in Ft greene park, & the next, right after the japanese fusion brunch, she was on her way to another private party in williamsburg. (talk about fusion...when brunch was slow, i just packed up my operation & accepted her gracious invitation to the next gig) i trailed with her for a few events, & what i like about her set up, is that she has a set menu that can travel the world:  there is always a
pancake
fishcake
greens
some sort of potato
eggs
taco
japanese tacos, huh?  i know i know who'da thunk it but doing research, i found an actual blog featuring a japanese taco truck in japan.  yes.  in japan.
this got me thinking:  & this is what happened...



tamago (japanese omelet) stuffed with maittake-shiitake rice:

3 cups sushi rice
4 - 6 oz maiitake mushrooms,
8 oz shiitake mushrooms,
4 oz crimini mushrooms all rough chopped
1 med onion &
2 shallots, diced
1 cup dashi
3 cups water
butter
soy sauce
sautee the onions till soft, on a med-high flame.  add the mushrooms & go @ it till they are sweated out & mostly toasty brown. remove half the mixture, then add rice.  coat in sautee oil, then add dashi & water, cover & steam for 20 min. set aside, then heat the skillet again.  when popping hot, add the onion mushroom mixture, sautee for a sec, then add the cooked rice & toss for a few secs.  add soy sauce.  done.

satsumaimo (japanese sweet potato) pancakes with adzuki bean syrup

adzuki bean syrup:
1 # adzuki beans
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup maple syrup
& nucomme had some wonderful berry compote that we mixed in @ the end.  - there's that fusion again...

cook the beans & sugar to soft & process or blend to a smooth paste.  add maple syrup & the berry compote.
serve w/the pancakes.

3 satsumaimo boiled & mashed
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tspbaking soda
2 eggs
4 oz melted butter
1 & 1/2 - 2 cups yogurt, buttermilk, or milk w/a squeeze of lime/lemon (creates the same acidic environment as fermented milk & reacts well w/the soda for a high rise)

- or pancake mix w/ one egg, & milk or buttermilk -
sift all dry ingredients together, then combine all wet ingredients & to this, add the mashed sweet potato mix - just to combine.  do not over mix.  these are not flapjacks.

heat the skillet to popping, but not smoking.  add the butter to melt, & drop a pancake of whatever size you desire into this hot oil, & turn the heat way down.  when the disk is dry on top w/many holes, flip it.  there should be a nice buttery crust on that bad boy.  cook on the second side till the pancake bounces back when touched, or when a toothpick comes out clean.

tamago (japanese omelet) stuffed with maittake-shiitake rice with scallion (the beautiful purple ones from above are some stunners from park slope food co-op - more on that later)




a lot easier than it sounds:
make the omelet with 3 eggs:  heat a skillet, add butter, & the scrambled eggs. add some scallion slices. make a really thin omelet, & flip it over w/or without a spatula. add the rice mixture & fold the egg over this.


satsuma-age (deep fried fish cakes) - panko crust (((can be made w/a variety of fishes)))
i used marinated mackerel from sunrise mart - {yaaaaaaay sunrise mart!!! pne of my favorite markets in the city for both arcane & common japanese ingredients - everything from 15 different soy sauces to fresh yuzu airflown in from japan in season - LOVE.} & you can find this in their frozen section.
& salmon about 2 lbs.  you can use fresh or canned, totally up to you.
minced shallots
onion
scallions to taste
bread crumbs to mix
panko (japanese bread crumbs) as coating
1 egg
sea salt
pepper
oil to fry
while the oil is heating over a medium high flame,
mix all together except the panko.  make disks (the size is up to you i have made the anywhere from burger sized to damn near quarter sized.)
roll the disks in the panko.
fry till golden brown & gorgeous.

grilled chicken taco with miso

one whole chicken split down the middle, or a whole chicken cut up
corn tacos, about 20
2 TBSP miso
soy sauce
indonesian chili sauce (but don't be fooled ALL asians use & love this stuff)
sake
avocado
julienne shiso (japanese  cousin of basil.  unfuckingbelievable)
rice is optinal
marinate chicken in the liquids for some hours (1-6) then throw these on the grill turning frequently. once the chicken is opaque & firm, w/the meat falling off the bone or moving easily in the joint, it is done.  remove from flame & let cool.  once it is @ about room temperature, pick the meat off the bone.
dry toast the corn tacos in a dry skillet.



fold the shredded chicken & some teensy slivers of shiso into the taco shell.  optional is the avocado & the mushroom rice.  i liked it all 3 ways -

interesting week - there is an online debate raging about the question of beyonce's feminist leanings:  objectified male fantasy?  nouveau feminist who uses what she's got to get what she wants?

as a feminist/womynist who supports & advocates pornography/sex work as one of the world's oldest hustles, & as someone who makes no judgement of any woman's choices (as long as those choices do not involve self-harm or harm of another) i have to say that i am split down the middle on that one - in my grrrrrrrrrrrrl nicole moore's blog -

http://thehotness.com/2011/06/28/beyonce-the-f-word/

"the comments are flying fast & furious - w/every position from her as a modern, more convenient form of traditional woman-hood as in this comment:
i don’t really see Beyonce doing anything all that challenging to any status quo. Her numbers may be bigger but I’m betting that’s a product of a growing market and not necessarily her changing the game that much. Beyonce is succeeding in all the ways that feed into mainstream male fantasies: a strong sexy independent woman with her own loot and ideas but who knows to fall back and let her man play the lead. how is this challenging anything?"

to nigroes touting her as the second coming of the triple goddesses yemaya/oya/oshun.

as a goddess worshipper i find that one a bit hard to swallow.  but the question begs to be asked, as she is a woman of many contrasts:  modern day man tom (a woman who kow-tows to men's desires, borrowed from uncle tom), or a woman's woman who knows how to market her sexuality & milk it for its unlimited power?

i'mma have to call her a fusion feminist. 

she takes a page from a  # of books:  writes her own songs, her songs tend to lean toward self sufficiency re: bugaboo, i got it, irreplaceable & of course independent women, controls her image in media to a large degree.

as for her hyper-sexualized image, as a strident feminist, i, too was shaking my ass to 'bitches ain't shit but hoes & tricks' in the 9-deuce & i knew all the lyrics!!!

so we've all got work to do.

of course my greatest problem w/her politics is her crowing about her need to keep bbq sauce in her purse for international travel, & her burning desire to locate a mcdonald's no matter where she is in the world.

for that one, i need a sit down & an explanation - LMBAO - thoughts?

speaking of independent women (& men) - happy 4th...

peace & power