Cooking With Tequila with Chef Nathan Fong
I found this post from about Cooking with Tequila from 2012 with some great recipes from, Chef Nathan Fong, from a demo at the Cambie Kitchen at the BC Liquor Store. Why not cook a few to honour his memory and delight your guests. Sadly, Nathan Fog passed in March 2020.
Born and raised in Vancouver, Chef Nathan Fong was a top graduate of the Dubrulle French Culinary School in 1989. After having cooking stints with some of Vancouver’s top restaurants and establishing a successful catering company, Nathan combined his applied design background with food and has established himself as one of Canada’s premier food and props stylists for culinary print and film advertising. His client base is extensive and includes McDonald’s Canada, Safeway, Pizza Hut, Air Canada, Kraft Foods, and General Foods, to name a few.
He has assisted and coordinated many culinary experts such as Madhur Jaffrey, Barbara Kafka, syndicated writer and featured “Opinionated Palate” columnist of Gourmet Magazine; Mark Bittman of the New York Times; the late R.W. Apple, senior correspondent of the New York Times; noted San Francisco journalist Joyce Goldstein, Harvey Weinstein, editor of Wine Spectator, Linda Kulman, associate editor U.S. News & World Report, celebrated London author Sri Owen, James McNair, famed cookbook author and writer as well as the famed Iron Chefs of Japan. Besides styling, Nathan also does recipe development and testing for various corporate clients. His personal tours of the Vancouver markets and cooking classes are popular with the public as well as corporate clients including Tourism BC, Tourism Vancouver, the Smithsonian Institute, and the American Institute of Food & Wine. He’s also an expert on Cooking with Tequila!
Spicy Tequila and Lime Shrimp with Tequila Cilantro Lime Sauce
1½ lbs (750 g) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on 1 cup (250 ml) Blanco tequila
1 tsp (5 ml) sea salt
½ tsp (2 ml) freshly ground coarse black pepper
½ tsp (2 ml) ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp (15 ml) red pepper flakes
½ tsp (2 ml) smoked paprika
¼ cup (50 ml) fresh lime juice 1 tsp (5 ml) lime zest
½ cup (125 ml) cilantro, chopped
Place all ingredients in a heavy resealable plastic bag and marinate, turning the bag over a few times, for about 1 hour. Remove shrimp, reserving marinade and skewer shrimp. Place on a hot grill, basting often with the tequila marinade. grill for 5 to 6 minutes, turning over until they are opaque and tender. drizzle with Tequila Cilantro Lime sauce (recipe follows).
Tequila Lime Sauce
1½ cups (375 ml) cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 small shallot, coarsely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) lime juice
¼ cup (50 ml) tequila
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Add ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add more olive oil if you’d like a smoother texture. serve drizzled over grilled spicy shrimp.
Corn Chowder with Roasted Tomatoes, Tequila and Crab serves 6 to 8
½ lb (250 g) large cherry tomatoes, halved 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) fresh thyme, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 to 5 strips of thick-sliced side bacon, cut into ½-in (1 cm) dice 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
½ small red pepper, finely chopped 4 cups (1 L) chicken stock
½ lb (250 g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-in (1 cm) dice, soaked in cold water
3 ears of fresh corn, husked
½ cup (125 ml) Blanco tequila
¼ lb (125 g) fresh Dungeness crabmeat
¼ cup (50 ml) cilantro, coarsely chopped
fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish chopped green onion, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). In a large mixing bowl, lightly toss cherry tomatoes, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer tomatoes into a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat and add bacon. Fry until crisp and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off excess bacon fat except for about 2 tbsp (30 ml). Add butter, onion, carrot, celery and red pepper, sauté for about 2 minutes or until vegetables soften. Add stock and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover with a lid slightly ajar and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut off kernels from corn collecting as much of the juices from each cob as possible. stir kernels and collected juices into chowder and increase heat to medium. season to taste with salt and pepper. Add tequila, crabmeat and chopped cilantro. Ladle into warm serving bowls and garnish with roasted tomatoes, cilantro sprigs and green onions. Enjoy Cooking with Tequila!
Seared Ling Cod with Tequila Cilantro Chive Cream, Fresh Peas and Asparagus
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh oregano leaves, chopped
¾ cup (175 ml) fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
4 6oz (180 g) each, portions ling cod fillets, with skin on salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
⅓ cup (75 ml) resposado tequila
¾ cup (175 ml) fresh shelled green peas (or frozen)
4 medium stalks asparagus, cut into ½-in (1 cm) pieces
¼ cup (50 ml) chives, finely chopped, for garnish
fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Add cream, oregano and cilantro to a blender or food processor. Process until fairly smooth, transfer to small saucepan and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). dry fish fillets with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. when hot, add the oil, then butter and swirl pan to mix. Add fish skin side down. sear for 2 minutes or until crisp and golden. using a metal spatula, flip fish in skillet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook until fish starts to flake, about 3 minutes. Baste with reserved juices in pan and allow to rest a couple of minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, heat cream mixture over medium heat and add tequila, peas and asparagus. Bring to a boil, reducing until thickened, about 3 minutes. season to taste and divide among warm serving plates. Place fish fillet on top and garnish with chopped chives and a cilantro sprig. Enjoy Cooking with Tequila!
Braised Pork Carnita Sopes with Lime, Tequila and Chili
1 cup (250 ml) blanco tequila
¼ cup (50 ml) red wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) chili powder
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander
2 chipotle chilis, finely chopped
2 tsp (10 ml) lime zest
juice of two limes
½ tbsp (22 ml) kosher salt
½ tsp (3 ml) freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 3½ lb (1½ kg) boneless pork shoulder
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the pork. Mix well until salt has dissolved. Add pork and coat well with the marinade.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, turning pork occasionally.
Preheat oven to 225 F (110 C). Adjust a rack in centre of oven. Remove pork, discarding marinade, and place in a shallow baking or casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 8 hours, or until meat is fork-tender. Alternatively, the pork can be cooked in a slow cooker. simply sear roast in a large hot skillet, then transfer to slow cooker with lid. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions, until meat is fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Pull apart meat and shred using two forks. Cover and keep warm until ready to use. Enjoy Cooking with Tequila!
Sopes
1½ cups (375 ml) masa harina (corn flour)
¼ tsp (1 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (3 ml) salt
¾ cup (175 ml) warm water
In a large bowl, mix masa harina, baking powder and salt. slowly stir in warm water until mixture has a soft, doughy consistency. Add more of the masa or warm water as needed to get this consistency. Knead for 1 minute and then form into small balls, 1½-in (3.5 cm) in diameter, set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
Heat an ungreased flat top cast iron griddle over medium heat or use an ungreased electric griddle. Press each masa ball with the palm of your hand into a disc about 4-in (8.25 cm), and about ¼-in (.5 cm) thick. Carefully place on the hot griddle and cook over low to medium heat until the underside
of the tortilla (sope) is opaque and speckled with brown, about 2 minutes. Flip over and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Remove from the griddle and immediately pinch up the dough around the periphery forming a rim.
Return to the griddle and cook for another 2 minutes or until firm and cooked through. Continue with the rest of the masa balls.
Assemble
melted lard or vegetable oil, for frying sopes iceberg lettuce, finely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) Pico de gallo (tomato) salsa
½ cup (125 ml) crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
sour cream
To assemble, heat a small amount of the lard or vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add a few sopes at a time and fry until warm, or until crisp and hot, depending on how you like them. Top with a generous ladle of warmed carnitas, then garnish with iceberg lettuce, salsa, crumbled cheese and a small dollop of sour cream. serve immediately.
