This recipe was served at the Spoon River Charcuterie in Charlotte, North Carolina. At Spoon River, John Wysor, says, “We smoke our own bacon and chicken, and we make about five kinds of chorizo, including a chorizo borracho, made with Jose Cuervo Tequila, that we use in this dish. Any flavorful Mexican-style sausage will be wonderful, however, and smoked turkey can be used in place of the chicken.”

Ingredients

• 10 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed

• 1/4 pound smoked slab bacon

• 1 12-ounce package blue corn fettuccine

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions

• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/4 cup tequila

• 3 cups chicken stock or water

• 1 pound ripe tomatoes

• 1/2 pound Mexican-style chorizo, in links

• 1/2 pound smoked chicken meat, chopped or shredded

• 1 or 2 cups grated queso blanco or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

Place the anchos on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven for about five minutes until you can smell them roasting. Take care that they do not burn.

Saute the bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until it renders some of its fat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are soft. Add the cumin and oregano and cook for three minutes, stirring. Add the tequila and the stock or water and bring to a simmer. Add the roasted ancho chiles, remove from the heat, and steep for five or ten minutes. Cut the tomatoes in half and roast them in a heavy skillet, cut side down, over medium heat, until blackened.

Puree the ancho mixture with the tomatoes in a blender or food processor until quite smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender and adding more liquid as needed. Return to the sauce pan and simmer for about 1/2 hour. The sauce should be smooth but not too thick. Add more liquid as needed.

Add the chorizo, taking care not to boil the sauce at this point, lest the sausage burst. Simmer about twelve to fifteen minutes, remove the sausage, slice it, and return it to the sauce, along with the smoked chicken, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more.

Cook the pasta according to the instructions, drain it, and divide it between four plates. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with the grated cheese.

The Moghlai dishes, popular across India, but particularly in Delhi and the neighboring Uttar Pradesh, owe their ancestry to sixteenth and seventeenth century Moghul rulers, Akbar and Shehjehan, who were connoisseurs of music, literature, architecture, and food. Unlike their immediate ancestors, who invaded India, and who were too busy consolidating their empire to pay much attention to cuisine, Akbar and Shehjehan recruited the best chefs in northern India, and encouraged them to create dishes that carried the influence of the ingredients of central Asia and India. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, chopped

• 1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled

• 10 cloves garlic

• 2 cups plain yogurt

• Salt to taste

• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder

• 1 tablespoon cumin powder

• 1 tablespoon coriander powder

• 1 tablespoon commercial garam masala

• 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces

• 1/4 cup ghee or vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 4 green chiles, such as serranos, stems removed, finely minced

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 1 lime, cut into small pieces, for garnish

• 1 large tomato, diced, for garnish

• ½ cup raw cashew nuts, for garnish

• 1 large onion, cut into rings, for garnish

• 1/4 cup cilantro or mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

In a food processor or blender, grind the chopped onion, ginger, and garlic into a smooth paste. Combine the paste with the yogurt, salt, cayenne powder, and half of the cumin, coriander and garam masala. Add the chicken pieces, mix well, and marinate at room temperature for 6 hours.

Place the chicken in a large skillet, and cook, covered, for about 12 minutes over low heat.

In another skillet, heat the ghee or oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the mustard seeds, and when they begin to pop, add the chiles. Pour the ghee or oil (along with mustard and chiles) over the chicken, and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat or until the moisture evaporates.

Place the chicken in a serving dish. Squeeze the lime juice over the meat, and sprinkle the remaining cumin, coriander, and garam masala over the mixture. Garnish with the lime pieces, cashew nuts, tomato and onion rings, and coriander leaves.

This roast chicken recipe with pizzazz is practically a meal in one.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Devil Drops

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Juice of 1 lime

• Juice of 1 orange

• 1 teaspoons salt

• 5 cloves of garlic, sliced

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)

• 4 carrots, cut into large chunks

• 1 large yellow onion, cut into large chunks

• 2 baking potatoes, cut into large chunks

• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Combine the hot sauce, the juices and the salt. With a small sharp knife, make little slits all over the chicken and slide the garlic slices into the slits. Put any remaining garlic in the chicken cavity. Pour Devil Drops and juice mixture over the chicken, adding some to the cavity. Let stand, basting frequently for one hour. Or, place the chicken in a basting bag and turn frequently.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chicken in a large baking dish. Add the carrots, onion and potatoes. Grind black pepper over the chicken and the vegetables.

Bake for 45 minutes, turning the vegetables and basting the chicken occasionally. Lower heat to 325 degrees and cook for another 45 minutes or until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through.