It was a fabulous Saturday.  It reminded me of my adventures many moons ago when cinema and art ruled my life.  It seems I don’t get to indulge in the world of cinema nearly as much as I use to, but still have a grand appreciation for film.  My Mom and Dad introduced me to one of their favorite directors, Stanley Kubrick, at an early age. I remember watching some of his most controversial films and being happy I was exposed to his genius.  His work expanded my mind and made me open thinking doors that maybe would have stayed closed for a few years more.  Stanley is one of the many directors that I celebrate as an adult.  I was thrilled to see that the LACMA had dedicated an exhibit to his body of work and legacy.  A few of my closest friends gathered and we headed off to find out more about Mr. Kubrick.

Okay, so we geeked out a little on the director’s chair and all his cool lenses.  Surprised to see so many handheld rigs and awesome vintage cameras on display.

Sue Lyon as Lolita….  1962. I love the expression on Kubricks face, it looks like he’s in love with her too.

The old in out in out!  A Clockwork Orange – 1971. Malcolm McDowell (who played Alex in the film) has said that him and Kubrick were insanely close during the filming of A Clockwork Orange and when the film wrapped he never heard from the director again.

The Shining- 1980.  In my opinion, the best psychological horror movie ever made.  It can still scare the crap out of me to this day, especially those awful twins.  For the maze scene at the end of the film they used salt for the snow and misted olive oil to make fog.

Red (which happens to be my favorite color) was a recurring color that Stanley used in many of his films.

Full Metal Jacket- 1987

At the end of the exhibit, I turn and look to my friends…. Kristen, Lacey, Ford, and Mando and ask if anyone felt like taking this amazing Kubrick afternoon to the next level with a bowl of Chicharones?  To my surprise, with the exception of Mando, none of them had ever tried the dish so we all met back at my place and I whipped up a batch.  I usually make them with a green chile but since we were celebrating Stanley K, I made them in RED.  Here’s the recipe to friends, Kubrick, phenomenal filmmaking and a bowl of RED chicharones!

CHEERS!

Ingredients for Red Chicharrones: 

• 3 – tomatoes
• 2- ounces of Guajillo dried chile
• 2 – ounces of Ancho dried chile
• 1 – ounce of New Mexico dried chile
• water
• 1 -teaspoon olive oil
• 5  – cloves of garlic
• 1/2 – onion
• 2 – chipotle chiles with a teaspoon of adobo sauce
• 1 – teaspoon chicken bouillon
• 1/2 – teaspoon oregano
• 2 – pounds of chicharones ( I buy the kind that still have a little meat on them, from the Mexican markets, but if not you can use the bagged kind, Break them up into 2 inch pieces)

Directions:

1. In a pot filled halfway with water over a medium high flame bring to a boil.  Add tomatoes, guajillo chile, ancho chile, and new mexico chile, and let boil for 30 minutes in covered pot.
2. In a small frying pan with with olive oil over a medium flame add garlic and onion and brown slightly. Set to the side.
3. Add tomatoes, chiles (stems removed, and seeds if you don’t like food extra spicy), garlic, onion, chipotle chiles, chicken bouillon, oregano, and one cup of water (that chiles boiled in) to a blender and blend until smooth.  Set to the side.
4. In a large frying pan over a medium flame, add in chicarones and let them brown a little.
5. Pour the blended chile mixture from the blender into a sieve to strain out all the seeds.  Then pour the chile into the pan with the chicharones and let them simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. MMMMMmmmmmm.
6. Serve hot. Enjoy with a side of beans or with an avocado, take your choice with a corn or flour tortilla.