If you ever plan a trip to come visit me in New York, it is imperative that you understand: I am a terrible tour guide.

So when I lead you aimlessly around the East Village, the Lower East Side, Nolita, and Soho for three days straight, you shouldn’t take it personally.

My parents were pretty gracious about it this past weekend when they came from Maine for a visit. They followed me without complaint as I ambled us around between random activities that I had scheduled, like meeting my cousin for lunch followed by an impromptu trip to Little Italy for coffee at one of a dozen identical outdoor cafes. This was after we spent 45 minutes watching the dogs at the dog run, another activity that I find fascinating. 

I’d also booked us for a tour at the Tenement Museum. If you’ve never been, I really hope that you make it there soon. The museum has preserved a tenement building and set up the apartments to tell stories of the people who lived there during different periods of New York City history. The guides do an amazing job bringing the stories to life.

On Sunday we braved Katz’s deli where we hoovered whole pounds of meat in one gross sitting (and many sour pickles too), and then, too full to stay awake, headed back to the apartment, where we took a group nap. I should make T-shirts: “I came all the way to New York City, and all I got was a few hours shuteye!”

Sometime in the late afternoon, I finally started cooking the Mexican feast that Brian and I had planned for our last evening of their trip. I had selected a number of easy recipes that I had never tried from the most recent Bon Appétit, so I wasn’t too stressed.

These two recipes were the best of the bunch. The mango-avocado salsa was absolutely perfect. It helped that the mangoes I picked up at Whole Foods were the best of the season – juicy and sweet with firm texture. The avocado was also primo – and I love when I don’t have to touch every one in the bin before I find one that isn’t rock hard. Unlike most mango salsas I’ve tried, this one does not rely on a vinegar base and has mint as the fresh herb, instead of cilantro. It provided a nice contrast to the shrimp that Brian grilled for our meal.

The beans were also really tasty, with their nice spicy flavor from the chorizo and cumin, which get sauteed in the pot with some cilantro before adding the beans. I wasn’t expecting too much of these beans, but they were deliciously hearty and paired nicely with the salsa, shrimp, and everything else on they plate. I served them with a drizzle of chipotle cream – which gave them a smokey kick.

It was the first visit we’ve had from my parents since we moved into our new place a little over a year ago, so it was really nice to finally be able to kick back and enjoy a meal with them in our space. I always find it a little amusing when I stand back and watch us interact as adults together. They’re so used to me being the kid, and I’m still subconsciously stuck in a time where they were the figures of authority, I think it feels a little surreal for both parties when we have our rare visits together. It always feels like we’re evolving, which is a good thing.

Spicy Black Beans with Chorizo and Chipotle Cream
Adapted from Bon Appétit June 2009

Beans:

1 1/2 cups dried black beans (about 10 ounces)

2 peeled onions; 1 halved, 1 chopped (about 2 cups)

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 links fresh chorizo sausage (6 to 7 ounces casings removed)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for garnish

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons minced seeded jalape&entilde;o chile

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Chipotle cream:

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/4 teaspoons chipotle-flavored hot pepper sauce or ground, dried chipotle peppers

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

For beans: 
Place beans in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Let beans soak overnight.

Drain beans. Return to saucepan. Add onion halves, bay leaf, and oregano. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered until beans are very tender, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depending on age of beans). Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. Discard onion halves and bay leaf.

Heat oil in heavy large deep nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook until brown, breaking up with back of spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to small bowl. Add chopped onion to drippings in skillet. Cook until soft and golden brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin; stir 1 minute. Add beans, 3/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, and chorizo to onion mixture. Stir to distribute evenly. Simmer over medium-low heat until heated through and flavors are blended, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.

For chipotle cream: 
Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk before serving.

Transfer beans to large bowl. Garnish with chipotle cream and chopped cilantro.

Mango-Avocado Salsa
Adapted from Bon Appétit June 2009

1 mango, peeled, pitted, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, diced

1 large shallot, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

1 jalapeño chile, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

I made these a few months ago and came very close to never ever posting them, for fear that you would take one look at the photos of the finished product and wretch in complete revulsion. 

Are you still here after that lovely introduction?

Picture, if you will, a bed black beans, allowed to cook long enough to be a touch more than tender, which means that they have also lost their shiny luster and are looking a little rough and brown. On top of that, picture a mound of tender brown meat, completely detached from the bone, cloaked in a lighter brown sauce and literally melting before your eyes.

A food stylist would have added a nice sprig of something green to spruce up the vignette. Any dolt with a camera would have advised me to have a steadier hand or at least check the screen on the back of the camera to confirm that the shot had come out OK. 

I did neither one of these things, and ended up with a photo of the finished short ribs that my boss might describe as “something that looks like the dog’s breakfast”. And come to think of it… he’d be spot on.

Which is totally unfair, because my poor photography skills should not be allowed to detract from such a beautiful recipe. The amazing sauce, which features the smoky flavor of chipotles combined with the subtle sweetness of ancho chilies and molasses, is drool inducing as it cooks, filling the kitchen with garlic-y, bacon-y aromas. These flavors are the perfect compliment to the beef, which will be so tender that you could eat it with a spoon by the time it’s done.

I liked the beans in theory, but in the end, they were protein overkill, and next to the superstar- the short ribs – they seemed like a bland afterthought. Next time I’ll skip the beans entirely and opt for some Spanish rice or even just a green salad instead. Oh, and it might help if I held the camera still, next time. Don’t hold it against the recipe. I’ll leave you here to meditate on the gorgeous sauce instead.

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Braised Chile-Spiced Short Ribs with Black Beans
Adapted from Gourmet, February 2009

For beans:

1 pound dried black beans (about 2 1/4 cups)

8 cups water

1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

For short ribs:

1 1/4 ounces dried ancho chiles (3 to 4 medium)

2 cups boiling-hot water

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup red wine vinegar (this was my idea, and I’d do it again)

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotles in adobo plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons molasses (not robust or blackstrap)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 whole cloves

2 1/3 cups cold water, divided

5 pounds beef short ribs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 pound sliced bacon, chopped

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

Accompaniments: chopped white or red onion; chopped cilantro

Quick-soak beans: 
Put beans in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches.

Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour.

Make chile purée: 
Wipe anchos clean, then stem and seed. Discard ribs and tear anchos into pieces.

Soak anchos in boiling-hot water until softened, about 20 minutes. Transfer anchos to a blender, reserving soaking liquid.

Purée anchos with onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, molasses, cumin, cloves, 1/3 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Braise short ribs:
Pat ribs dry and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper (total). Heat oil in a wide 6-to 8-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown ribs in batches, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer as browned to a platter. Discard fat from pot.

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Cook bacon in pot over medium heat until browned, then transfer with a slotted spoon to platter.

Stir chile purée into fat in pot (it may spatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 6 minutes. Stir in reserved chile-soaking liquid, remaining 2 cups water, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Return ribs and bacon to pot and braise, covered, in oven until ribs are very tender, 3 to 3 1/4 hours. Skim fat from sauce.

Cook beans while ribs braise: 
Drain beans, then return to pot and add fresh water (8 cups), bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until beans are just tender, 1 1/4 to 2 hours (depending on age of beans). Drain just before serving.

Serve short ribs with beans.