Pork, Chile, and Tomatillo Stew--and positive ravings about La Perla

Ingredients:

• 3 LB pork loin, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 ancho chiles and 6 guajillo chiles
• 1 cup water, reserved from rehydrating the chiles
• 2 garlic clove, peeled and chopped finely
• 1 small small onion, diced finely
• 1/4 tsp cumin seed
• About 16 tomatillos with the husks attached
• flour, if necessary to the thicken the stew.

Directions:

• Put the pork in a large pot and cover with water, cook over medium heat while preparing the other ingredients.
• Remove the stalks from the dried chiles, cut in half and scrape out veins and seeds.
• Cover with hot water, and soak for about 15 minutes.
• In a mortar and pestle add salt and the garlic clove and grind into a paste.
• Chop rehydrated ancho peppers into small pieces and scrape the flesh out of the guajillo peppers, discarding the skins.
• Add the peppers and cumin seeds to a spice grinder or blender and blend into a paste.
• Add the pepper mixture and the onions to the mortar and pestle and blend into a thick paste.

• Add the blended ingredients to the pork.
• Slice the tomatillos into quarters, leaving the husks attached, they will give flavor to the stew.
• Add the reserved water from the peppers.
• Let the meat cook for about an hour to let all the flavors blend.
• If the broth is still watery, place a tsp of flour in a small bowl and slowly blend in some broth from the stew, stir this paste into the stew and continue to cook until thickened.
• Do not eat the tomatillo husks.

Note: If you live in the Little Rock area, La Perla off of Rodney Parham is a great location to find a variety of dried peppers and other Mexican ingredients. I was quite chagrined to have paid $5 for 5 ancho peppers at Fresh market and then walk into La Perla later that evening with a friend and find them in bulk for much cheaper. The proprietor was very friendly and helpful as well. Other positives about La Perla included Mexican snacks, such as the spoons of spicy/sweet/sour tamarind paste that I adore, and they had fresh, perfect little loafs of bread for tortas, and a small quantity of fresh produce including tomatillos and plantains and jicama.

chilaquiles

These eggs, from Mexican: Healthy Ways with a Favorite Cuisine by Jane Milton has been a quick dinner lately. The author calls them huevos rancheros, but we've always seen them referred to as chilaquiles at our local restaurant and rancheros usually have a hot sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 corn tortillas, several days old, fried crisply
• oil, for frying
• 2 fresh green jalapeno chiles, diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup light cream
• small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Directions:

• Heat 1 Tb oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the garlic and scallions and saute gently for 2-3 minutes, until soft.
• Stir in the diced tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the chiles and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour the eggs into the pan and stir until they start to set.
• When only a small amount of uncooked eggs remains visible, stir in the cream so that the cooking process is slowed down and the mixture cooks into a creamy mixture rather an a solid mass.
• Stir in the chopped cilantro.
• Arrange the tortilla strips on four serving plates and spoon on the eggs.
• Serve immediately.

Mexican Style Hash

This is one of my favorite dishes to serve with Mexican food. I can't remember where I got the recipe, so I always throw it together from memory.

Ingredients:

• 1 TB vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 6-8 small red potatoes, small dice
• 3 pickled jalapenos, sliced into thin rounds
• A small handful of fresh oregano, or a tsp dried
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parmegiano Reggiano to taste

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a skillet and add garlic clove, sauteing until fragrant.
• Add potatoes and fry until golden brown.
• Add jalapenos and oregano, salt and pepper and fry for a couple of minutes longer.
• Add shredded parmegiano on top and serve.

Getting Ready to Make More Chili--Home Made Chili Powder

To give credit where credit is due: I copied this recipe from Alton Brown's chili powder, substituting the chiles that I had in the house. I only made a 1/3 of the recipe because I needed a 1/4 cup non-commercial chili powder for the Old West Jerky Chili I'm planning to make. The jerky already has plenty of salt so I need a chili powder without any salt, thus an excuse to make a home made chili powder which I was planning on starting to experiment with anyway. And who else to riff off of than AB? He's one of my reliable starting places for beginning my own experiments in the kitchen and one of the few food network cooks that I have much use for.



Ingredients:

• 2 guajillo chiles
• 1 chipotle chile
• 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/3 tsp sweet paprika (since it was in the house and since I was using chipotles for a smoky flavor)

Directions:

• Place all the chiles and the cumin into a cast iron skillet over high heat.
• Cook, moving the pan around constantly until the cumin becomes fragrant and starts to pop.
• Set aside and cool.
• Once cool place the chiles and cumin into a coffee grinder along with the garlic powder, oregano and paprika.
• Process into a fine powder.

Cheesy Beef and Chipotle Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• A garlic clove, diced
• 1/2 a chipotle pepper, soaked in hot water for 1/2 an hour and chopped
• A sprig of oregano, chopped
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• A pinch of commercial chili powder
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• Shredded cheddar cheese to taste
• 6 flour tortillas

Directions:

• Saute the onion and garlic until soft.
• Add the oregano and the chipotle pepper
• Add salt and pepper and chili powder.
• Saute until fragrant.
• Add ground beef and brown.
• On a griddle head some more oil, lay down a tortilla and cover with shredded cheese, 1/3 of the meat mixture, and then more cheese, and top with another tortilla, press together with a spatula.
• After a couple of minutes, when the bottom tortilla is browned, flip and cook the other side.
• Repeat twice.

Huevos Rancheros with Guajillo and Chipotle Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 dried guajillo pepper
• 1/2 chipotle pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, small dice
• 1/2 TB minced garlic
• reserved water from rehydrating the chili peppers
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 TB white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• small handful oregano leafs
• 1/2 TB lime juice
• 4 eggs

Directions:

• Bring water to a boil and cover peppers in a jar with the lid on for half an hour.
• Meanwhile dice garlic, onion, tomatoes, and oregano.
• Dry toast the cumin in a frying pan until fragrant and begins to pop.
• Add the oil, onions and garlic.
• Saute for two minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, including 1/3 cup of water from rehydrating the chilis, and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Remove the seeds from the pepper and scrape the meat off the skin, chop finely and add them to the saucepan.
• Add another 1/3 cup of chili water if the sauce is thick, cook another five minutes.
• Break the eggs into the sauce and cover tightly with a lid for another 5 minutes or so, depending on how cooked you like your eggs.
• Serve with tortillas.

So, we're pretty sure the sign at the farmer's market said that this mushroom is hen of the wood. Which is also known as maitake--so I thought I'd go with a Japanese recipe for this one. We love ramen, for one because it's easy, and two because it's versatile. I've made ramen so many different ways before I blogged that I can't remember all the yummy variations. One of the reasons I'm doing this blog is purely so that I'll have access to all my mad experiments after I've forgotten them!

Promise, this one's pretty sane! And to be completely honest, it's a riff off of Alton Brown's Ramen Shrimp Pouch

My recipes are generally for two people, but this one serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken thighs
• 3 package Ramen noodles
• 6 cups chicken broth (from cooking the chicken thighs)
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 tsp sesame oil
• 1 clump hen of the wood or oyster mushrooms
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 small parcel of bok choy, chopped
• 1/2 cup scallions sliced
• Fresh ground white pepper to taste
• Honey to taste

 

Directions:

1. Place the chicken thighs in a small sauce pan and cover with 7 cups of water, bring to a boil, then turn down to medium low heat and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
2. Remove the chicken thighs from the liquid and put in the fridge to cool, when it is cool enough to handle shred the chicken.
3. Strain the liquid and reserve six cups.
4. Cook the ramen noodles per package instruction, but discard the seasoning packets. Strain the noodles, run cold water over them, and put to the side.
5. Combine reserved chicken broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil, bring to a boil and add the bokchoy.
6. Turn down to a slow boil and cook the bokchoy and onions for about 5 minutes or until the tenderness is to taste.
7. Add the mushrooms and the scallions and the shredded chicken.
8. Sprinkle on white pepper.
9. Drizzle over honey.
10. Place cooked ramen in the bottom of each bowl and ladle soup over.
11. Serve with ichimi.

Chili is Serious Business at our House

Chili, sans beans, which will be added right before serving.


Midmorning today I started the first pot (no doubt of many) of the season.

Ingredients:

• 2 LB pork loin cubed
• 2 TB oil
• 1 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 4 dried gaujillo chilis
• 2 chipotle chilis
• 2 TB chilli powder
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• A small handful of oregano leafs
• 12 oz bottle of beer
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 x 15 oz can of beans (I used 1 can kidney and 1 can pinto)

• I chopped the vegetables while defrosting the meat.
• I also brought water to boil in a pot to have on hand to rehydrate the peppers.

• When the meat was defrosted, I cut it into cubes.
• When the water came to a boil I put the peppers into individual jars and filled to the rim with boiling water. I used a pint size jar for the chipotles and a larger jar for the guajillos.

• I set the kitchen timer for 30 minutes and put the peppers to the side.
• I browned the pork.

• And sauteed the vegetables in the oil for 5 minutes.

• I then combined the meat and vegetables and poured the tomato sauce over and stirred well to combine.
• Next I prepared the cumin seeds.

• I dry fried them in a small cast iron skillet until they were fragrant and began to pop.

• And then ground them in a mortar and pestle.

• I broke off several sprigs of oregano from the window box and chopped the leafs into small pieces and added it, the cumin, and the chilli powder to the meat and vegetable mixture.

• When the peppers were ready I cut off the stems and cut in half, and then removed the seeds and chopped the peppers into small pieces.
• I reserved the water that the chipotle peppers had soaked in and added it to the chili mixture.

• I added the peppers to the chili and then poured a bottle of beer over the mixture and stirred well to combine everything.

• I cook my chili all day long, starting in the morning and then 10 minutes before I'm ready to serve it I add the salt, sugar, and canned beans.
• I keep coffee and reserved liquid from rehydrating the guajillo peppers on hand, just in case the chili gets too thick.

Getting Ready to Make the First Pot of Chili of the Season

Guajillo chilis



Chipotle Chilis


Chili Powder

So You Think You Know How to Boil Water?

L'Aigo Boulido

This is a variation of the "tonic" soups that come out of Provence. Literally translated, "boiled water," they are traditionally eaten when ill, hungover, or a daily breakfast to keep in good health. Personally, since I discovered it, I crave it when I'm sick or sometimes just on a cold winter day.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• Salt
• 12 to 15 Cloves of Garlic, peeled
• Bay Leaf
• Several Sprigs of Fresh Herbs (I've used Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme)
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• Thick Slices of Bread, from scratch
• Freshly Grated Parmesan Reggiano Cheese

On the Stove:

• Salt the water, add garlic, and bring to a boil.
• Boil for 10 minutes.
• Add bay leaf and other herbs, a dash of olive oil, cover and let steep for 10 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast the bread, and break into chunks in two bowls.
• Strain the broth, and pour into the two bowls.

Serve with freshly grated parmesan reggiano.


Ideas:

Want something a little more filling? After straining the broth, return to the stove, and poach a couple of eggs in it. Serve eggs on top of bread and pour over the broth--I like the eggs runny, it adds a slight creaminess to the broth.

Nutella French Toast

Yummy, yummy french toast. I used old challah and spread nutella between two slices, and just followed the rosemary french toast recipe, without the rosemary.

 Mid morning today I started the first pot of chili for the season.
Ingredients

• 2 LB pork loin cubed
• 2 TB oil
• 1 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 4 dried gaujillo chilis
• 2 chipotle chilis
• 2 TB chilli powder
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• A small handful of oregano leafs
• 12 oz bottle of beer
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 x 15 oz can of beans (I used 1 can kidney and 1 can pinto)

  Directions

1. I chopped the vegetables while defrosting the meat.
2. I also brought water to boil in a pot to have on hand to rehydrate the peppers.
3.   When the meat was defrosted, I cut it into cubes.
4. When the water came to a boil I put the peppers into individual jars and filled to the rim with boiling water. I used a pint size jar for the chipotles and a larger jar for the guajillos.
5. I set the kitchen timer for 30 minutes and put the peppers to the side.
6. I browned the pork.
7. And sauteed the vegetables in the oil for 5 minutes.
8.  I then combined the meat and vegetables and poured the tomato sauce over and stirred well to combine.
9. Next I prepared the cumin seeds.
10. I dry fried them in a small cast iron skillet until they were fragrant and began to pop.
11.  And then ground them in a mortar and pestle.
12. I broke off several sprigs of oregano from the window box and chopped the leafs into small pieces and added it, the cumin, and the chilli powder to the meat and vegetable mixture. 
13. When the peppers were ready I cut off the stems and cut in half, and then removed the seeds and chopped the peppers into small pieces.
14. I reserved the water that the chipotle peppers had soaked in and added it to the chili mixture.
15. I added the peppers to the chili and then poured a bottle of beer over the mixture and stirred well to combine everything.
16. I cook my chili all day long, starting in the morning and then 10 minutes before I'm ready to serve it I add the salt, sugar, and canned beans.
17. I keep coffee and reserved liquid from rehydrating the guajillo peppers on hand, just in case the chili gets too thick.