Meat Appetizers

In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat. Stir until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir in ginger and garlic and cook for two minutes. Add coleslaw and cook until slaw is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat and let cool for at least 40 minutes. Spoon 1/4 cup of mixture onto the center of each egg roll wrapper. Fold three corners of each wrapper over filling, one at a time. Lightly brush remaining corner with water. Tightly roll filled portion toward the remaining corner and press to seal. In a deep skillet, pour canola oil to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat to 375 degrees F and fry in batches until golden brown (turning once). Drain on paper towels and serve while hot with Spicy Sauce for dipping.

Combine first 6 ingredients and whisk well. In a skillet, warm the sesame oil over medium heat and add the garlic, ginger, onions, peppercorns and chile paste. Stir briefly and remove from heat. Add the soy mixture, and then the cilantro. Serve in two small bowls for dipping.

Asian Barbecued Ribs

Makes 8 servings

2 pounds baby back ribs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 green onions thinly sliced

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons hot chile paste

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Fit a roasting pan with a flat rack. Sprinkle both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper. Place on the rack in the pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer the glaze to a bowl, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Remove the ribs from the oven; leave the oven on. When they are cool enough to handle, slice the racks into individual ribs. Toss the ribs in the prepared glaze, coating well. Place the ribs on a baking sheet and bake until the glaze caramelizes and the ribs are tender, 20 to 30 minutes more. Serve with small plates.

Three Bears, 1936, Quincey Tahoma, Navajo, #51437/13. Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Cultural Affairs, www.miaclab.org. Photo by Blair Clark.

Mustard and Honey Spareribs

Makes 12 to 16 servings

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon sage

1 tablespoon salt

10 pounds spareribs, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 (12-ounce) bottle beer or ale

1 cup honey

4 peeled and minced shallots

3 stemmed, seeded and minced serrano chiles

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all the spices and rub on the ribs. Mix the beer, honey, shallots, chiles and lemon juice and then pour mixture over the ribs. Marinate overnight. Roast uncovered for 2 hours. Serve hot with plenty of napkins.

Pork and Currant Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

3 tablespoons peanut oil, separated

1-1/2 cups finely chopped onion

2 pounds ground pork

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup dried currants

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

6 sheets filo pastry

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and fry, stirring, until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pork and 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan and cook, breaking up the pork until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pork mixture to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients, except pastry, and mix. Cut filo sheets in half crosswise. Place a half sheet on a work surface; cover remaining sheets with a damp towel. On half of the sheet, spread 1/12 of the pork mixture in a rectangle 3 inches long by 3/4 inch wide, leaving the bottom edge and sides uncovered. Fold the bottom edge over the mixture, and then fold in the sides and roll up the pastry. You should have a triangle-shaped pastry roll. Using a pastry brush, oil a baking sheet with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Arrange rolls on the sheet 1/2 inch apart and lightly brush each pastry with some oil. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes, and then serve.

Ham Appetizer

Makes 16 servings

6 eggs

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup cracker crumbs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

2 cups minced cooked ham

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and thick. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Pour into a greased 9 x 9-inch casserole dish and bake until brown, about 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Ham Balls

Makes 120 balls

1 pound ground ham

1 pound ground steak

1 pound pork

2 cups soft breadcrumbs

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Sauce for Ham Balls

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup vinegar

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 cup water

Mix all ingredients for balls together. Form into balls the size of a walnut. Drop meatballs into sauce and cook slowly for 1 hour. Serve with Sauce for Ham Balls.

Cook all sauce ingredients in a saucepan until bubbly. These freeze well.

Picadillo Dip

Makes 12 servings

1/2 pound spicy sausage

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes

4 chopped green onions

2 tablespoons drained capers

1/2 cup almond slices

1 clove garlic, diced

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

2 jalapeños, seeded and diced

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/2 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives

In a large bowl, mix the meats together by hand. Pour water over meat to barely cover. Add salt and pepper and stir meat until well blended. Remove to a skillet and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook 30 minutes. Serve hot in a chafing dish with chips.

The Rendezvous, 1950, by E. Martin Hennings. Collection of the New Mexico Museum of Art. Photo by Blair Clark.

Steak with Scotch Sauce

Makes 8 servings

3 pounds New York strip steak, cut in bite-size cubes

Kosher salt

Ground green peppercorns

1/2 cup butter, divided

1 cup scotch

1 cup canned beef broth

2 teaspoons dry tarragon

1 tablespoon arrowroot

Season the steak with salt and green peppercorns. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a pan over high heat. Add steak and sear for 3 minutes. Turn and sear other side for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium high and sauté for 10 minutes on each side. Remove steak to cutting board. Add and melt remaining butter; then add scotch and reduce to a glaze. Add beef broth and tarragon; cook 2 minutes. Stir arrowroot into sauce in a chafing dish. Return steak cubes to the chafing dish. Serve with toothpicks.

Marinated Flank Steak and Horseradish Sauce

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Horseradish Sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped horseradish

2 green onions, finely chopped

Steak

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 pounds flank steak

Horseradish Sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill, covered, until serving time.

Steak: Combine the soy sauce, wine, onion, rosemary, olive oil and garlic in a bowl and mix well. Pour over the steak in a shallow dish, turning to coat. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours, turning occasionally. Drain the steak, reserving the marinade. Grill the steak over hot coals or under a broiler for 6 minutes per side for rare, basting occasionally, if desired, with the reserved marinade. Remove the steak to a serving platter. Let stand for 15 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain and serve with Horseradish Sauce and small sliced buns.

Sauerkraut Meatballs

Makes 8 servings

1/2 pound sausage meat

1/2 pound buffalo ground round

1 cup diced onion

1 (16-ounce) can drained and finely chopped sauerkraut

3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs

1 (6-ounce) package softened cream cheese

4 tablespoons parsley

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 beaten eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 cups breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet, sauté meats and onion until meats are brown. Pour off the fat. Add sauerkraut and panko breadcrumbs. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, parsley, mustard, garlic and pepper. Blend into meat mixture. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls and coat each with flour. Combine the eggs and milk. Dip the balls into the milk-and-egg mixture. Finally, roll them in the breadcrumbs. Heat the meatballs in the oven for 30 minutes, and then serve.

Savory Oriental Lamb Chops

Makes 4 to 8 servings

4 tablespoons dark sesame oil

12 to 16 tiny lamb riblets, trimmed of fat

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons oriental chile paste

1 cup orange marmalade

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot

Heat oil in a large enough skillet to hold all the lamb chops. Add the chops and brown lightly on both sides. Remove from skillet to paper towels to drain. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Return chops to skillet. Cover and cook over low heat for about 8 minutes. Turn once. Serve immediately with plenty of napkins.

Savory Chicken Wings

Makes 8 servings

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons tequila

2 pounds chicken wings, cut in half

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix all ingredients except wings; add wings and marinate in refrigerator overnight. Drain wings. Arrange in single layer on a baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Variation: Simmer wings in soy mixture for 1 hour, stirring often. Drain and serve.

Navajo Rug, 1900–1920, #16032/12. Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Cultural Affairs, www.miaclab.org. Photo by Blair Clark.

Meatballs in Chutney Sauce

Makes 20 servings

2 pounds lean ground round

1 pound ground Italian or spice sausage

All-purpose flour

1-1/4 cups sour cream

1 (8-ounce) jar of mango or peach chutney

3/4 cup dry sherry

Freshly ground pepper

Combine meats and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll each in flour to lightly dust. Sauté meatballs in a skillet over medium heat until done. Drain. Combine other ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until well blended. Add meatballs and heat until they have absorbed some of the juices. Serve in a chafing dish to keep hot.

Chipotle Sauce for Meatballs

Makes 5 cups

1-1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes

6 to 10 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1/4 cup chopped shallots

4 to 5 tablespoons canola oil

(Note: Buy frozen meatballs or prepare your own.)

Place tomatoes in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for at least 6 minutes. Remove from water and peel. In a blender, mix tomatoes, chiles and shallots until smooth. Over medium heat, heat oil in a Dutch oven, then add the tomato mixture. Cook and stir for about 7 minutes. Add the stock and seasonings and simmer for 5 minutes. To cook meatballs, add them to the sauce, cover and cook over low heat until done.

Barbecue Venison

Makes 16 to 20 servings

1/4 cup vinegar

1/8 cup brown sugar

1 (3-pound) venison roast

1 large onion, diced

1-1/2 cups chopped celery

1 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1-1/2 cups water

4 tablespoons liquid smoke

Salt and pepper

1/4 teaspoon oregano

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Mix vinegar and brown sugar. In a roaster, marinate meat in vinegar and brown sugar for 30 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Tightly cover and bake for 5 to 6 hours, or until meat will shred. Serve on hot buttered cocktail-size rolls.

City Different Beef Dip

Makes 8 servings

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

2 tablespoons milk

1 (2-1/2-ounce) jar diced dried beef

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon grated onion

1/2 cup sour cream

4 tablespoons grated onion

Topping

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Combine first nine ingredients and mix until well blended. Put into an 8-inch pie pan or ovenproof dish of the same capacity. Sauté pecans and salt in butter until nuts are lightly browned. Sprinkle over cheese-beef mixture. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Serve hot with low-salt crackers or Melba toast.

Teriyaki Beef Nuggets

Makes 24 pieces

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon grated onion

1/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 pound boneless top sirloin, cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices

1 (6-ounce) can water chestnuts, halved

In a shallow bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, onion and wine. Wrap 1 slice of meat around each water chestnut half and secure with a toothpick. Marinate beef nuggets in soy sauce mixture for 1 hour. Place nuggets in a broiler pan and broil for 3 to 4 minutes on rack, 5 to 8 inches from heat, turning once or twice. Serve immediately.

Indian Chicken Balls

Makes 36 balls

1/2 pound cream cheese

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 cup chopped, cooked chicken

1 cup chopped, blanched almonds

1 tablespoon chopped chutney

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 cups Angel Flake coconut

Beat together cream cheese and mayonnaise. Add chicken, almonds, chutney, salt and curry powder. Shape into walnut-size balls and roll in coconut. Chill.

Eastern Lamb Kebabs

Makes 18 servings

3 pounds lamb shoulder or rump, boned, and cut in 1/2 x 2-inch slices

1 medium chopped onion

1 cup yogurt

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Pinch finely ground sumac

Alternate Marinade For Lamb

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon rosemary

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 medium onion

Minced garlic

Flatten lamb pieces slightly on both sides. In a deep dish, mix onion, yogurt, salt, pepper and sumac, and then add the meat. Marinate meat for 2 days in the refrigerator. Remove and run small skewers through each piece of meat lengthwise. Place kebabs on a rack 3 inches from heat in preheated broiler. Broil 20 minutes, turning once. Serve hot.

Cornish Beef Pasties

Makes 25 pieces

Pastie

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 pound ground beef

6 chopped green onions, including tops

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dough

1/4 cup softened butter

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese

1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend all ingredients for pasties in a bowl and set aside. Cream together the butter and cheese. Add flour. Chill the dough. Roll the dough on a floured board to 1/8-inch thickness, or as thin as possible. Cut into 2-inch squares or circles. Place 1 teaspoon filling on half of each piece. Wet edges and fold remaining half over. Press edges together. Bake 20 minutes and serve.

Photo by Peter Vitale

Won Ton Chicken Bites

Makes 36 won tons

36 won ton wrappers

1/2 (16-ounce) bag coleslaw

1 cup chopped cooked chicken

1 (8-ounce) can finely chopped water chestnuts

5 thinly sliced green onions

2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil

4 tablespoons Chinese plum sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut a 1/2-inch strip off one side of each won ton skin; pleat wrappers into oiled mini-muffin tins to make cups. Bake until golden, 8 minutes. Let stand at least 5 minutes. Place coleslaw, chicken, water chestnuts and green onions in a large bowl and stir in the sesame oil and plum sauce. Spoon the filling into the cooled won ton cups.

Bacon-Wrapped Duck Breast Hors D’oeuvres

Makes 8 to 10 servings

2 cups dry red wine

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 to 6 duck breasts, boned, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 pound thinly sliced bacon strips, cut in half

Plum Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cognac

1 (10-ounce) jar red plum jelly

In a large bowl, combine red wine, garlic powder, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Add duck pieces and marinate, refrigerated, for 24 hours. Remove duck pieces from marinade and wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around each piece. Secure with wooden skewers. Can be prepared ahead to this point, covered and refrigerated. Roast at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with Plum Sauce for dipping.

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar, cognac and jelly. Mix well and heat until bubbly. This recipe works with wild goose, dove, quail or pheasant.

Barbeque Wings

Makes 9 servings

18 whole chicken wings (about 3 pounds)

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

1 cup blue cheese dressing (use a good quality)

12 to 16 celery sticks

Halve wings. In a small dish, combine lemon juice, oil, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce. Reserve half of sauce in a separate bowl. Place wings in shallow dish and pour remaining sauce over them. Toss the wings to coat completely with sauce. Let stand 30 minutes. Prepare a hot fire. Grill the wings, turning often and brushing with reserved sauce (do not use sauce in which chicken marinated), 14 to 18 minutes, or until skin is browned and crisp and chicken is no longer pink near the bone. Serve on a large platter with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

Cumin–Coconut Chicken Skewers

Makes 15 servings

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1-1/2tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1-1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 cup coconut milk

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

30 (6- to 8-inch) wooden skewers soaked in water 1 hour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Cracked black pepper for garnish

Combine the garlic, cumin, chili powder, coriander, paprika, coconut milk, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Slice each chicken breast into 10 pieces by first cutting in half horizontally, then cutting each half into 5 strips. Thread each strip of chicken onto a skewer, place the skewers in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over them. Cool and put in refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. In a large skillet, heat the oil and pan-sear the chicken skewers for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Or bake them at 400 degrees F on a greased baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and serve.

Mimbres black-on-white-bowl, Men with Arrows, ca a.d. 1060–1110, #43438. Museum of Indian Art and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology, Department of Cultural Affairs, www.miaclab.org. Photo by Blair Clark.