Fish and Chips with Tarragon-Malt Vinegar Mayonnaise

Mr. E. made a meal this evening in honor of my friend on the other side of the pond! I was a bit doubtful about how this would actually turn out because how, honestly, how realistic is it to imagine he could make fish and chips that taste just like they would at a stand in England? He proved me wrong and this dinner was amazing!

Ingredients
* 3/4 cup mayonnaise
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
* 1 tablespoon malt vinegar or cider vinegar
* 1 cup self-rising flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
* 1 1/4 cups lager beer
* Vegetable oil (for frying)
* 1 1/2 pounds halibut fillets, cut crosswise into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices
* 3 (8- to 10-ounce) red-skinned potatoes or russet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick rounds

Preparation

Whisk mayonnaise, tarragon, and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Whisk flour and Old Bay seasoning in medium bowl to blend. Add beer and whisk just until blended. Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1 inch; heat oil to 350°F. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Working in batches, dip fish into beer batter to coat lightly, allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl. Add fish to hot oil and fry until deep golden and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to paper towels to drain. Working in batches, add potato slices to oil and cook until golden and tender, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle generously with salt.

Divide fish and chips among 4 plates. Spoon tarragon-malt vinegar mayonnaise alongside and serve.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fish-and-Chips-with-Tarragon-Malt-Vinegar-Mayonnaise-238551#ixzz0ilXLkFW0

Cuban Black Beans & Rice

This recipe comes from The White Dog Cafe cookbook by Judy Wicks & Kevin Von Klause. The White Dog Cafe is located near the campus of the University of Pennsylvania and is the most "Obie" like restaurant in the West Philly neighborhood in that Judy tries to get all of the food on the menu from local, organic and humanely treated ingredients. When she started the restaurant she was ahead of her time!

Cuban Black Beans & Rice (Moros y Cristianos--translated as Moors & Christians--a Cuban staple).

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 celery ribs, finely diced
2 T dried oregano
1 T ground cumin
1/2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 ground allspice
1 pound dried black beans, picked over for stones and rinsed well
2 bay leaves
1 smoked ham hock (optional)--I don't know where I would get a ham hock in Oberlin so I used 1/4 lb of Betty's bacon instead.
8 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
2 T fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a large pot set over medium heat, heat the oil until it ripples. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oregano, cumin, coriander and allspice and cook for one minute more.
2. Add the beans, bay leaves, bacon or ham hock and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the beans are very tender, about 1 hour. If necessary, add a little water during the cooking to keep the beans from scorching.
3. Remove and discard the bay leaves (I often leave mine in the dish and whoever gets the bay leaf in their serving knows that good luck is coming their way!). Remove the ham hock and reserve. Ladle 1 cup of beans into a small bowl and mash them with the back of a fork. Return the mashed beans to the pot along with the cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove the meat from the ham hock and finely dice. Add back to the beans. Keep the sop warm until ready to serve or let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
4. Serve with brown or white rice. When serving top with any of the following--grated cheese, sour cream, scallions, tomato salsa or cooked egg.