Ingredients

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef with ground pork. Mix thoroughly together to combine. Be sure to wash your hands afterwards if you mix with your hands.
2. Blend eggs, bread crumbs, oatmeal, Parmesan cheese, onion soup mix, garlic, parsley, & Italian seasoning. Using your hands, thoroughly mix the ingredients together. Take the mixture and form into balls. Set aside & cover with a towel.
3. In a large skillet, heat the cooking oil of your choice and butter until the butter starts to foam. Place meatballs one at a time into the skillet & keep rolling around to brown all sides evenly.
4. Set aside the browned meatballs on a paper towel lined plate to drain. You can now add the meatballs to your sauce to finish cooking.

Chef’s Note: The meatballs may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to finish cooking. You can also use this mixture to make hamburgers for grilling.

Barbecue Sauce

Combine & bring to a boil.

Place ribs on a flat pan.  Sprinkle ribs with garlic powder.  Arrange onion & lemon slices on top.  Bake, uncovered, in oven at 450°F for 30 minutes.  Drain.  While ribs are baking, make the sauce.  Place ribs, onions, & lemon in heavy baking dish or pan with lid.  Pour hot barbecue sauce over ribs.  Cover and bake in 325°F oven for 1½ hours.

1. Thaw pizza dough according to directions on package.  Roll out dough to about 14-16″ square (if you can only get one side squared, then have that away from you).
2. Beat one egg & add Italian seasoning to taste.  Brush top of rolled dough.
3. Layer the deli selections meat, then cheese, then meat, etc.  You can overlap the layer closest to you, but you want to leave an inch or so on the right & left, & 2″ at the edge farthest from you.
4. The peppers are optional.  If you are adding them, liberally spread a layer just above or below the middle layer of cheese.
5. Roll or fold the layers of food away from you.
6. Brush on egg mixture on the exposed dough as you go.
7. Fold the last bit towards you over the roll of food; fold the loose dough at the sides in to the center.  Coat with egg & flip onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Coat all remaining surfaces, even if you slop some on the paper.
9. Cut 3 or 4 slices into the top of the loaf about half way deep.
10. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until the dough is browned & cheese is bubbling out of the slices.
11. Let the dish rest a few minutes before serving.  Slide into 1″ wide slices to serve.

Chef’s Note: Pizza dough is often sold as 2-1 lb. balls of dough, so you might as well make 2. In step 6, I prefer to fold about 3 times, leaving the top edge of dough that you don’t layer exposed.  You can freeze the leftovers and reheat it later.

Bring chicken, water, 2 onion quarters, & 1 tsp salt to a boil, covered, in a 4-5 qt. pot over moderately high heat.  Boil 10 minutes, then remove from heat & let stand, covered, until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a plate, reserving broth with onion.  When cool enough to handle, coarsely shred chicken, discarding skin & bones.

While chicken is cooking, heat a dry well-seasoned small cast iron skillet over moderate heat until hot, then brown garlic & remaining 2 onion quarters on all sides, turning with tongs, about 5 minutes.  Peel garlic & transfer with onion to a blender.  Add tomatoes with juice, chilies, & oregano, then puree until smooth.

Cook chorizo (spicy cured pork sausage) in oil in a 12″ heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until fat is rendered, about 2 minutes.  Carefully add puree (it will splatter & steam) & cook, stirring frequently, until thick, about 10 minutes.

Peel potatoes & cut into ¾” pieces, then add to reserved broth with remaining salt.  Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.  Add potatoes & onions to chorizo mixture along with 2 cups broth.  Stir in chicken & simmer 10 minutes.  Serve sprinkled with cheese.  Garnish with avocado slices & warm corn tortillas, if desired.

Chef’s Note: Ricotta salata or farmer cheese can be substituted for queso fresco.  The remainder of the chicken broth not used can be saved for later use.

Onion Marmellata

For the onion marmellata, place a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil & the onions.  Stir to combine & cook until starting to sizzle, about 2 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cover the pot & cook over low heat for 2 hours, stirring ever 30 minutes to scrape up any brown bits.  The onions should be a soft, jam-like consisitency & a deep mahogany color.

Meanwhile, for the pork chops, combine the rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, & pepper in a small bowl.  Using your fingers, work all the ingredients together until well combined.  Rub the herb mixture over the pork chops.  Cover with plastic wrap & reserve in the refrigerator.

About 20 minutes before the onions are finished, remove the pork chops from the refrigerator.  Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.  Grill the pork chops to medium, about 7 minutes a side depending on thickness.  To serve, spoon the onion marmellata over the pork chops. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.  Serve immediately.

Chile Sauce

1. Soak the skewers in cold water for 30 minutes prior to use.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, cilantro, garlic, sugar, & black pepper in a bowl.
3. Skewer 2 pieces of pork onto 2 skewers so that the meat lies flat.