Billy Joel's Tuna & Cucumber Salad

"Billy Joel's" because I got it out of some magazine featuring celebrity's favorite recipes.

2 servings

1/4 C Teriyaki sauce
1/4 C Fresh lemon juice
1 T chopped parsley
2/3 C & 1 t olive oil
2 (8-oz) fresh tuna steaks
2 small cucumbers, peel, seed, and slice thin
1/4 C white wine vinegar
1 T chopped cilantro
1/2 small red onion, slice thin

In glass pie plate or bowl combine teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, parsley, 2/3 C oil and 1/4 t black pepper. Add tuna steaks, making sure fish is completely covered by marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

In another bowl, combine cucumbers, vinegar, cilantro, 1 t oil, 1/4 t each salt and pepper and onion. Refrigerate at least one hour and up to overnight.

Remove tuna from marinade and discard marinade. Preheat ridged grill pan on medium-high. Cook tuna 4-6 minutes or until browned on both sides but still pink in center, turning once.

Drain cucumber salad. Break tuna into chunks and add to cucumbers.

Egg Curry

4 Appetizer portions

3 T corn oil

4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

1 t minced fresh ginger

1 C fine-chopped onions

3 scallions, white only, sliced thin

1/2 C chopped tomato

1/4 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground fennel seed

1/4 t black pepper

1/2 t ground turmeric

1/2 t salt

1 C water

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet and brown the eggs on all sides over moderate heat for about 3 minutes. Remove the eggs and set aside.

Add the ginger, onion and scallions to the oil and stir fry until the onions are light brown.  Add the tomato and stir fry for 2 minutes to make a sauce.

Add the cinnamon, fennel, black pepper, turmeric and salt.  Stir fry the mixture for 1 minute and add the water.  Bring to a boil, stirring rapidly for a minute and add the eggs.  Cook the curry over moderately low heat for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve with rice (or don't)

Pico de Gallo

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lime, juiced

1/4 C olive oil

1 t salt, coarse

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together.  Toss thoroughly.  Let sit 15 min - 1 hour for flavors to marry.

Beans a La Charra

3 C dried pinto beans
3 qt water
6 slices (about 8 oz) uncooked bacon, coarsely chopped
1/2 C diced onion
1 T chopped garlic
1/2 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 T chile powder
2 t ground cumin
1 T salt

In a stockpot, soak the beans overnight in the water - covering beans. Do not drain beans.

The next day, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 6-8 minutes.

Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir the chile powder and cumin and cook for 1 minute more.

Add reserved soaking water while stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen all brown bits adhered to pan.

Add beans and remaining water and bring to a rapid boil.

Decrease heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the beans are soft

When beans are cooked through, add the salt and cook 1-2 more minutes

Keep warm until ready to serve, or cool, cover, and refrigerate up to three days.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

5 large roma tomatoes, whole, not cored or cut in any way

1 serrano chile or jalapeno

2 cloves garlic, skin-on

1/4 C white onion, minced

1 t salt, or to taste

1/2 bunch cilantro

Put a piece of aluminum foil  in a heavy saute pan (preferably cast iron) and set it over medium high heat.

Place the whole tomatoes, chile, and garlic cloves in the pan and dry-roast them on all sides until well charred and soft.

The garlic and chiles will be done quickly, the tomatoes may take 10 minutes or longer to cook.

Peel the garlic and stem the chile.

Place the tomatoes, garlic, and chile in a food processor with the onion, salt, and cilantro.

Pulse until salsa is smooth and adjust for seasoning.

Double Chocolate Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding

1 (16 oz) French bread loaf, cubed

1 C white chocolate morsels

1 C dark chocolate morsels

4 large eggs

3 C half & half

1 C sugar

1 T vanilla extract

Sauce:

1/2 C butter

1/2 C packed light brown sugar

1 C whipping cream

1/4 C coffee liqueur

Combine bread pieces, and white and dark chocolate chips in a lightly greased 13 x 9" pan.  Whisk together eggs, half & half, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture, pressing down to soak all pieces of bread. Let stand 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Bake 40 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is set.  Let cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine butter, brown sugar and whipping cream in a saucepan. Bring to a boil 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in coffee liqueur.