ONLINE EXTRA: Alex Rodriguez’s Baked Kale Chips . . . Albert Pujol’s Dominican Beans and Rice . . . Chase Utley’s Ultimate Mud Pie, etc.

Alex Rodriguez’s Baked Kale Chips

1 10-ounce bunch kale

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Pull off the rib from each kale leaf. Wash the kale and spin dry in a salad spinner. Some water droplets will remain in the curls of the leaves; pat dry with paper towels and let kale air dry for an hour or so. The leaves should be as dry as possible.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. Spread the leaves on two rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil, and toss leaves to coat with the oil. Arrange the leaves so they overlap as little as possible.

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, just until the kale becomes crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook the kale or it could become bitter. Sprinkle chips with salt, transfer to a platter and serve.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 95 calories, 63 percent of calories from fat), 7 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat, 5 grams monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 2 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 30 milligrams sodium.

Albert Pujol’s Dominican Beans and Rice

RED BEANS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 slice of bacon, coarsely chopped

1 2-ounce link smoked chorizo sausage, chopped

¼ cup chopped yellow onion

¼ cup seeded and chopped green bell pepper

¼ cup peeled, diced calabaza or butternut squash

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed

2 19-ounce cans small red beans, drained and rinsed

RICE:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups medium-grain rice

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in 1½ cups water, the chorizo, onion, green pepper, squash, tomato paste, garlic and bouillon. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Make the rice according to package directions, adding the oil and salt. Serve the rice and beans together or separately.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 336 calories, 22 percent of calories from fat), 8 grams fat (2 grams saturated, 5 grams monounsaturated), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 10 grams protein, 55 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 1,021 milligrams sodium.

Alex Rodriguez’s Grilled T-Bone Steaks with Balsamic Onion Confit

CONFIT:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 large onions, peeled and sliced about ½-inch thick

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons honey, preferably acacia honey

STEAKS:

4 14-ounce T-bone steaks

½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To make the onions, melt the butter in a nonstick large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and stir well. Add 1 cup water. Cook, stirring often, until the water evaporates and the onions are softened, about 20 minutes. Stir another cup of water into the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the water evaporates and the onions are tender and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes more.

Stir in the vinegar and honey. Cook, stirring often to avoid scorching, until the onions are caramelized and the liquids are syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover the skillet to keep the onions warm.

Meanwhile, prepare a hot fire in an outdoor grill. Season the steaks with the salt and pepper and let stand at room temperature while the grill heats.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the steaks on the grill and cover. Grill, turning after 3½ minutes, until the tops of the steaks feel somewhat firmer than raw when pressed with a finger, about 7 minutes for medium-rare steak.

Transfer each steak to a dinner plate. Top with a heap of onions and serve at once.

Yield: Serves 4.

Ryan Howard’s Cobb Salad with Balsamic Shallot Vinaigrette

VINAIGRETTE:

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced shallots

SALAD:

2 8-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 8-ounce romaine hearts, washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces

2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced

8 strips turkey bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped

2 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped

1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat blue cheese

To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually add the oil. Add the shallots and pulse briefly to combine. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Pound each chicken breast half between 2 heavy duty plastic bags with a flat meat pounder to an even ½-inch thickness. Season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning halfway through cooking, until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Add ¼ cup water, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer until the chicken feels firm when pressed in the center, about 8 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to high, and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the chicken is sizzling, about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to a carving board and let cool. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Spread the lettuce on a large platter. Top with the chicken, tomatoes, avocados, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and blue cheese arranged in rows. Serve immediately, with the vinaigrette passed on the side.

Yield: Serves 4.

Josh Hamilton’s Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 3½-pound boneless pork shoulder or butt roast, rind and excess fat trimmed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 18- to 22-ounce bottles of your favorite barbecue sauce

8 sesame seed buns, toasted

Lightly season the pork with salt and pepper. Place in a slow cooker insert, add the barbecue sauce, and cover. Cook on low until the pork is fork-tender, 8 to 9 hours.

Skim off any fat from the sauce surface. Transfer the pork to a carving board. Let stand for 5 minutes. Using two forks, shred the pork, discarding any excess fat. Return to the slow cooker.

Heap the meat and sauce onto the buns and serve hot.

Yield: Serves 8.

Chase Utley’s Ultimate Mud Pie

CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST:

1½ cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pie pan

1 tablespoon sugar

FILLING:

3 cups half-and-half

2/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ cup cornstarch

4 large egg yolks

5 ounces high-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

TOPPING:

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons chocolate wafer crumbs, for garnish

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie pan.

To make the crust, combine the crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl until moistened. Press firmly and evenly into the pie pan. Bake until the crust is set and smells like warm cookies, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.

To make the filling, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 2½ cups of the half-and-half, the sugar, and the salt, stirring often to dissolve the sugar, until simmering. Pour into a heatproof bowl. Rinse out the saucepan.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the cornstarch over the remaining ½ cup half-and-half and whisk until dissolved. Whisk the yolks in a medium bowl, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Gradually whisk in the hot half-and-half mixture and return to the rinsed-out saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a flat wooden spatula (to keep the mixture from scorching), until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture bubble, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, butter, and vanilla, and whisk until the chocolate melts completely. Strain through a wire sieve into a clean bowl.

Pour the filling into the cooled crust and press plastic wrap directly on the filling to keep a skin from forming. Let cool completely. Refrigerate until the filling is chilled and set, at least 2 hours.

To make the topping, whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla in a chilled medium bowl with an electric mixer set on high speed until stiff. Uncover the pie. Spread and swirl the topping over the filling. (If you wish, transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, and pipe the cream onto the pie.) Sprinkle pie with cookie crumbs. Slice and serve chilled.

Yield: Serves 8.

Johann Santana’s Reina Pepiada Arepas

FILING:

2 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts

½ small onion, sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and coarsely chopped

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

½ jalapeno, seeded and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup seeded and diced (¼-inch) red bell pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped

AREPAS:

3 cups lukewarm water, or as needed

1¼ teaspoons salt

3 cups Venezuelan cornmeal, or as needed (see note)

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil, plus more for the griddle

To make the filling, place the chicken breasts and onion in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the saucepan and let cool completely. Tear the chicken into shreds.

Mash the avocado, mayonnaise, and vinegar together in a medium bowl with an immersion blender or large fork until smooth. Stir in the cilantro, parsley, jalapeno, and garlic. Add the chicken, red pepper, red onion, and scallion and mix together. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more vinegar to give the filling a pleasant, but not sour, tang. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the arepas, stir 3 cups lukewarm water and the salt together in a large bowl to dissolve the salt. Gradually add 3 cups cornmeal, mixing with your fingers to dissolve any lumps, adding enough to make a soft dough that holds its shape without cracking when molded. Set dough aside to rest for 3 minutes. Add the oil and work it in with your hands, adding cornmeal or water to return the dough to the proper consistency.

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Shape each into a 4-inch diameter disk, about 1 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a large nonstick skillet or griddle and heat over medium heat.

In batches, place the arepas in the skillet. Cook until the underside is a splotchy golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side. Return arepas to the baking sheet.

When all of the arepas are browned, transfer them directly to the oven rack (without the baking sheet). Bake until the surfaces of the arepas have formed a taut skin—if you rap your fingers on one, it will feel and sound like a drum. Return arepas to the baking sheet and let cool slightly. Split each arepa in half and fill with the chicken mixture. Serve warm.

Note: For arepas, you must use precooked cornmeal (labeled harina or harina precocida), imported from Venezuela. American cornmeal or corn flour and Mexican masa harina will not work. The most popular brand of precooked cornmeal is P.A.N., found at Latino markets or online at www.amigofoods.com. Use white (blanco) cornmeal only.

Yield: 6 arepas.

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