"Kitchen Sink" Meatloaf

"Kitchen Sink" Meatloaf

• 2 pounds good lean ground beef
• 1 large onion chopped fine
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup oat bran
• 1 cup tomato juice (I use the juice from the canned tomatoes that go on top streched with wine if I need more liquid)
• 3 - 5 tbsp. (or more) red chile powder. (The kind I use is just chile, no added cumin or garlic) Your choice of heat level.
• 2 tsp cumin
• a lot of garlic, chopped, minced crushed or whatever.
• 1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted peeled red or green chile (or bell pepper if you can't get chiles)
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes (I like the plain ones but the seasoned ones are good too)

Mix everything except the beef and canned tomatoes together in a large stainless or other non-reactive container. This mixture can be stored in the fridge for a while to blend flavors. (Do not leave it to sit out for more than a few minutes because of the eggs.)

Prepare your baking pan by lightly oiling it with a little olive oil. Add a nice thick layer of sliced onions and then a layer of sliced potatoes.

Mix the ground beef into the other stuff, shape into a blob, plop in onto the layer of potatoes, cover it with a layer of canned diced tomatoes, and bake for about 1-1/2 hours at 350° F. I generally use a meat thermometer and call it done at 170° F internal temp.

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Judy's Appetizer

Judy's Appetizer

Hard Salami slices
Green chilies
Cream cheese

Spread softened cream cheese onto salami slices, add a strip of green chili and then wrap them up.  These go fast!!

Judy
(12/29/07)

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Chili Verde (Green Chili Stew)

Here's a Green Chili Stew recipe that was given to me by the folks who ran the roasted Hatch chile stand where I bought roasted chiles this year.

Hatch chilies are a long, wide-shouldered chili in the New Mexico chili family. Use something similar if you can't find New Mexico or Anaheim chilis. Some recipes assume that the chilis will be roasted and peeled before using. Since this recipe doesn't mention it either way, use your judgment. Personally, I use the already roasted ones. You can roast the ones you buy fresh from the store, use already-roasted and frozen ones, and probably even canned ones.

(I tend to use chile and chili interchangeably; sorry about that to anyone who finds it disconcerting.)

Chili Verde (Green Chili Stew)

3 pounds pork (cubed into 1/2" pieces)
3 onions (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp Oregano (crumbled)
8 Hatch Green Chilies (seeded and cut into 1/2" strips)
3 tbsp flour
water
salt and pepper
lard or olive oil to saute meat

Cut away excess fat from pork and cut into cubes. Brown pork in lard or olive oil. Remove from pan and sprinkle pork with flour. Brown onions and garlic in frying pan until transparent, but not brown. Add pork, oregano and chilies to onion garlic mixture and add water to cover the other ingredients. Simmer 2 to 3 hours. Add salt and pepper during last 1/2 hour.

jp
(11/29/06)

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Chile Verde from the Valley of the Sun

Here's a recipe from The Border Cookbook, by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison. The book's subtitle, which describes its content, is "Authentic Home Cooking of the American Southwest and Northern Mexico." (Valley of the Sun refers to an area near Phoenix, Arizona)

Chile Verde from the Valley of the Sun
Serves 6.
...Green chile stews in northern New Mexico can be fiery. Farther west in Arizona, similar dishes more often sooth than sizzle, like this pork version made with mild pods and tomatoes.

2-1/2 pounds pork Boston butt, trimmed of fat and cut in 3/4" cubes
1 cup chicken stock
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14-1/2 oz) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cups chopped roasted mild green chile, preferably New Mexican or Anaheim, fresh or frozen
1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 tsp salt

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the pork, 1/4 cup of the stock, the onion, and the garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the liquid evaporates and the meat is browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Add the remaining stock and scrape up and browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomatoes, chiles, oregano, and salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is quite tender.

The chile can be served immediately, but the flavor improves with a day's refrigeration and reheating. Serve steaming hot in bowls.

Hmmm... I thought the book had a few recipes for the green chile stews of northern New Mexico, but I can't seem to find them. Soup, yes. Sauce, yes. Enchiladas, yes. Stew, no.

jp
(11/29/06)

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Green Chile Stew

This recipe is from the Santa Fe School of Cooking Cookbook by Susan Curtis. It is similar to some green chile stew I ate in a Los Alamos diner a few years ago.

There are so many recipes and adaptations for green chile stew that it is impossible to list them all, and local cooks usually add what they have on hand. The following recipe consistently produces a rich, hearty stew. The piquancy of the stew depends upon the heat level of the chiles used, so choose the chiles that suit your taste. (They recommend roasted green chiles, a mix of hot and mild for a balanced flavor.) We use a tender cut of meat in classes due to the limited time frame. However, simmering a less-tender cut of meat prior to adding the vegetables will work perfectly well. This recipe is actually better when made a day ahead. Serves 8.

Green Chile Stew

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1-1/2 pounds beef sirloin or pork butt, cut in 1" cubes
1-1/2 cups diced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
6 cups chicken or beef broth
1 pound red or white potatoes, cut in 1" cubes
2-3 tsp salt, to taste
3 cups roasted, peeled, chopped green chilies
3 tbsp diced red bell pepper
2 tbsp chopped cilantro, or to taste

Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over high heat and brown the meat in batches. Set aside. In the same oil, saute the onions until golden. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Return the meat to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated. Add the broth, potatoes, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender. Add the green chiles and the red bell pepper, and cook 15 to 20 minutes more. Add the cilantro, stir, and serve.

jp
(11/29/06)

---

Here are a couple of websites that have recipes for green chile stew. Most share the New Mexico sensibilities.

http://www.vivanewmexico.com/food.recipes.cocinas.html
http://www.santafe.com/history/green_chile_stew.html
http://www.premiersystems.com/recipes/mexican/green-chile.html
http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/nmcuisine.asp

You can see a lot of the variations that creep in, depending on the cook and the local style. I'm looking forward to seeing Jen's version of this dish.

jp

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Bisteces a la Mexicana

Bisteces a la Mexicana

• Thin steaks
• onion
• roma tomatoes
• jalapeno peppers (fresh)
• water
• salt and pepper to taste

Amounts can vary. I usually have about 5 steaks, 1/4 onion (we don't LIKE onions, though), 4 tomatoes, and 2 jalapenos.

Chop your onion and tomatoes. Cut stems off of peppers and cut in half. We leave the seeds in, but you don't have to. Salt and pepper your steaks and cook them just a smidge under where you want them. Add onion, tomato, and peppers. Add water to cover. Put lid on and let the tomatoes stew. When they look good to you, eat!

Yet again, the way it's eaten here is with fresh warm tortillas, crema, arroz rojo, and sometimes beans on the side.

Jen in Mexico
(11/28/06)

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Chiles Rellenos

Chiles Rellenos

4 Poblano peppers, try to get pretty ones with long stems that aren't deeply indented or
     they will be a bitch to peel
monterey jack cheese (or your preferred filling)
2-3 roma tomatoes
a tbsp of tomato bullion
1/2 of an average white onion
a clove of garlic
3 eggs, separated
a small amount of flour (I dunno how much, maybe a 1/4 cup?)
oil or lard for frying
toothpicks, unless you like to live on the edge

Wash and dry your peppers. Blister (blacken) the outsides of the peppers (I do this over the flames of my gas stove, but you can use a griddle, just takes longer). The peppers will get lighter in color. Wrap the peppers with a damp towel.

Grate your cheese and separate your eggs and/or make your side dish.

Rub the skin off of the chiles. It doesn't have to be perfect, but get as much as you can. Make a slit in each chile. Clean out the seeds and stems, but be careful! Those suckers BURN (ask me how I know!). Stuff your chiles with cheese and toothpick them shut. Flour your chiles.

Heat oil/lard for chile frying. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat the yolks in their separate bowl. Fold yolks into whites, being careful not to deflate the whites. When oil is hot, dip/roll chiles, 1 at a time, into the egg mixture and fry them. This works best if you bathe the top of the chile with oil while the bottom is cooking. When the bottom is a nice golden color, roll the chiles over and let the top cook. Remove to drain on paper towels.

Heat a little oil/lard in a sauce pan big enough to fit your chiles. Roughly chop your tomatoes (3 or 4 pieces is good). Put in blender with onion, garlic, bullion, and a bit of water (just enough to blend). When thoroughly pulverized, fry sauce in the oil until the color turns a nice deep red. Add water to get the consistency of tomato soup. Put your chiles in the sauce to reheat.

In our opinion, these are best served with fresh warm tortillas and mexican cream, with arroz rojo on the side.

geeze...it really looks more complicated than it is. I made these just a couple days ago and it took probably about 1/2 hour to make the whole meal, including the rice. If you choose not to use the bullion, you will need to add salt. If you do use it, don't add salt or it will be too salty.

~Jen
(11/28/06)

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Enchiladas (the real ones from "el rancho")

Enchiladas (the real ones from "el rancho")

1 chile pasilla, stem and seeds removed (dried chile)
6 chiles california, stem and seeds removed (dried chile)
2 cloves
2 peppercorns
1 small clove of garlic
a piece of onion (how much do you like onions??)
salt
corn tortillas
shredded meat of your choice or cheese
queso cotija, queso fresco, or panela for garnish

Soak the chiles for an hour or 2, until they are the consistency of a fruit roll-up. Stick everything in the blender and pulverize to a thick liquid. Force it through a strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl.

Heat up some oil in a pan. Dip tortilla in sauce and fry it quickly, just until soft. Put filling on tortilla and roll up or, easier and more authentic, fold in half. Sprinkle queso cotija, queso fresco, or panela on top.

Eat.

Jen in Mexico
(11/28/06)

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Chile Mac n' Cheese

Chile Mac n' Cheese

For those of you truly having winter (unlike us), this is the best comfort food when you're frozen to the core. This may have been posted before in the 'way back time. Not for the faint of heart or hard of artery! Some of the measurements are variable, depending on your personal tastes.

8 oz. elbow macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1-1/2 to 2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (Tillamook Extra Sharp at our house)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan (the good stuff, not from the green can)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 can (undrained) chopped green chilies,
     or 4 roasted and peeled Hatch green chilies, chopped (depending on your heat preference)
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
fresh ground pepper
parsley (fresh if you've got it, dried if you don't)

Cook pasta to al dente, drain, rinse to cool, set aside. Set oven to 350º F.

Make cheese sauce: melt butter, stir in flour. Cook a few minutes then add mustard and a few grindings of pepper. Begin adding milk, stirring to remove lumps. Add cream cheese and continue cooking on low until cheese melts. Stir in chilies & can juices. Set aside. Sauce will thicken as it cools, add a bit more milk if you think it's needed.

Assembly
In a casserole (spray with Pam to help the clean up later), layer 1/3 each of the drained pasta, then sauce, cheddar, parmesan, and dusting of parsley. Repeat layering, end with sauce, top with parsley.
Bake 1/2 hour or until casserole is bubbling well. Absolutely the best when served still molten and creamy.

Deb
paca_mama
(1/16/03)

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Veggie Cashew Chili

Veggie Cashew Chili

I could swear that I put this on the sheepthrillsmansion website a while ago, but I can't get on that site right now, so here it is again. It may differ slightly from that recipe, as I don't write recipes down, unless someone asks. . This makes a lot of chili, and can be frozen etc.

2 medium sized eggplants, peeled and diced into 1" pieces
   (NOTE: there are "boy" eggplants and "girl" eggplants. Really.
  Use the boys, as they have fewer seeds. These have a narrow tapered bottom)

4 good sized onions, chopped
a lot of garlic -- at least half a head, peeled and chopped
4-5 carrots, cut into small rounds
3 green or red bell peppers, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
3 cans dark red kidney beans, or black beans, drained and rinsed well, or
   one lb dried beans, soaked and cooked until tender but not mushy
2 large cans crushed tomatoes, or alternatively, 4-5 smaller cans diced
tomatoes with green chiles (this latter option is better)
one can beer
4 tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3 tbsp ground ancho chile
1 tbsp freshly ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 cup UNSALTED roasted cashews
handful chopped cilantro
1/4 cup vinegar -- pref. red wine or balsamic
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté eggplant and garlic together in olive oil. Eggplant will absorb all of the olive oil at first (use a nonstick pan so you don't have to keep adding oil), but eventually it will start to release it again. Add onions, peppers, carrots, saute for about 10 minutes more. Add all spices, and continue to stir and saute a few minutes more until fragrant.

Dump sautéed vegetables, cans of tomatoes, beans into a large slow cooker or stock pot on the stove. Add beer. Turn crock onto high for one - two hours, then put it on low for a few more hours or until guests arrive and vegetables are tender. Alternatively, if on the stove, bring to a boil, then lower and simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours.

About a half hour before serving, throw in the cashews, balsamic vinegar, and cilantro.

Serve with brown rice, shredded cheese. Whole milk yoghurt or sour cream on top is also good.

Carolyn
(9/16/02)

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Shelley's Vegan Black Bean Tostadas (with Guacamole)

Shelley's Vegan Black Bean Tostadas (with Guacamole)

Cooked Black Beans for adding to other recipes...
Soak 1 cup of beans over night. Discard soaking water and rinse beans. Place in pot with 5 cups water and bring to a boil. Skim foam. Add a small amount of Kombu or Nori seaweed (hint: soak dried seaweed for a few minutes before adding to beans. I once got a bean pot full of tiny periwinkles that were all hidden in my nori). The seaweed softens the beans and makes them easier to digest (if ya' know what I mean ;-) . Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Begin timing when heat is lowered, checking and replenishing water as needed. Hint: adding salt to beans while cooking or reusing soaking water will cause beans to be tough.

Black Bean Tostada
Serves 4-6
The black beans are even more flavorful the next day, so make them ahead of time if it's convenient.

8 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil for frying
1-1/3 cups black beans
3 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin seeds
1-1/2 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. minced chilies
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or butter if not a vegetarian)
1 medium tomato, chopped
juice of 2 oranges
salt to taste

Guacamole
2 large ripe avocados
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed (to taste)
juice of 1-1-1/2 lemons (to taste)
salt to taste
shredded lettuce
grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (I'm using soy cheese)
salsa

Cook the black beans as above.

Pour vegetable oil into a small skillet to about 1/2" depth. Heat until the oil is hot enough that when you drop in a tiny piece of tortilla, it quickly rises to the surface. Fry the tortillas, one at a time, for about 1 (one) minute on each side until they are crisp. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and set aside.

To make the black beans, sauté the onions, garlic, cumin coriander and chilies in the oil using a large skillet or medium saucepan, until the onions are soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain the cooked black beans and add them to the skillet. Mash with a potato masher or spoon until most of the beans are mashed. Add the tomatoes and orange juice. (Throw in the orange halves after squeezing out the juice if you like. Just remember to remove them before serving.) Cover and simmer on very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add salt to taste.

For the guacamole, slice the avocados in half. Remove the pits and scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon. In a mixing bowl, mash the avocado until fairly smooth. Add the garlic, lemon juice and salt to taste. Or use a food processor for a very smooth guacamole.

Now it's time to layer the tostadas. You can make them for you guests or have them make their own. For each serving, start with a crisp tortilla; cover it generously with shredded lettuce and then black beans, topped with grated cheese, guacamole, and salsa. Top with sour cream, if desired.

Shelley
(5/3/02)

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Chipotle Pot Roast

Chipotle Pot Roast

• one large beef roast -- whatever is on sale, about 4-5 lbs, not too fatty
• half a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, chop the chipotle peppers
• onions (3 or so), coarsely chopped
• garlic
• salt
• pepper
• cumin (about a teaspoon)
• oregano (about a teaspoon)
• potatoes (one per person, plus a few for the pot)
• about a half can of beef boullion or a half a can of beer, or some wine

Put roast on rack-- you can sear it first, but if you are in a rush, it won't matter too much. Smear the roast with the chipotle and adobo, sprinkle salt (liberally, there is nothing worse than undersalted pot roast), pepper, oregano and cumin all over. Scatter onions and halved potatoes all around (quarter them if they are very large). Add liquid of choice. Cook all day.

When ready to eat, pour gravy into a large cup, drain off fat, and pour hot gravy over sliced meat (you can thicken with a little flour cooked in butter if you are fussy, or not, if you are really pressed for time).

Carolyn D.
(2/10/02)

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Turkey - Southwest Style

Turkey - Southwest Style

If I could 'weigh in' on Turkeys (pun intended), we've got a terrific recipe that we've been using for a bunch of years that spins that bird in a whole new direction - if you like southwestern flavors.

Take 1 or 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, slice longways into slivers.

Grab a vegetable peeler (the long thin kind), and use it to poke deep holes in the meat of the bird - all over (a big knitting needle would substitute). Poke a jalapeno sliver into each hole. The fresh pepper is rigid enough even as slivers to (usually) not break as you stick it in the hole. I usually put nearly a dozen slivers in each side of the breast, another half dozen on each side across the thighs and legs, and don't bother with the wings since they usually get pretty crispy as we cook the bird on the grill.

Stuff the bird with fresh tamales (unwrapped from the husks, and sliced into pieces). A dozen tamales will probably be more than plenty. Secure all of the cavities.

Before it goes on the grill/in oven, mix about a tablespoon or so of some mild chili powder with about 1/3 cup olive oil and rub it all over the bird. Be careful with this, it gets as slippery as a wet baby!

Cook until done. The bird has a lovely red-brown color because of the chili. Make gravy from the drippings (the chili flavor usually comes through nicely if the drippings aren't too burnt. The fresh jalapenos tend to lose their heat during cooking, but the pepper flavors sink into the meat.

This has been our bird preparation of choice for a bunch of years. And tamale stuffing with chili gravy is almost the best part of all!

The original recipe came out of a Chicago newspaper.
Enjoy!

Deb
paca_mama
(11/18/01)

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Ann's TX Chili

Ann's TX Chili

I finally made a batch of chili and actually measured amounts. This is a richly flavored, mild chili. Adjust the heat with cayenne pepper or seeded, chopped chipotles en adobo. Real chili takes time to prepare, and tastes best when made a day or two ahead and reheated. This chili also freezes well.

Vegetable oil
9 medium ancho chilies
1 head garlic, chopped
3 large yellow onions, chopped
2 tbsp. whole cumin seed
3 (14 oz. each) cans beef broth
4-1/2 pounds lean stew meat
1 (12 oz.) bottle dark beer
1 (16 oz). can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. liquid smoke
1 tbsp dried whole oregano
1/3 cup masa harina (corn tortilla flour)
2/3 cup water
Salt to taste
Cayenne or chipotles en adobo to taste

Slit dried chilies open. Remove and discard stems and seeds. Rinse chilies. Place in a deep bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for at least one hour. Drain, reserving liquid. Chop chilies finely and add to stew pot.

In large skillet, sauté garlic in oil until translucent but not browned. With slotted spoon, remove to stew pot. Sauté onions in remaining oil over medium heat until golden brown. Add cumin seed and cook 1 minute more. Transfer onions to stew pot. Deglaze skillet with a little of the broth and add to pot. Wipe skillet dry. Working in batches, brown stew meat in skillet, using just enough oil to prevent meat from sticking. Keep the skillet uncrowded enough and the heat high enough that the meat is browned by hot oil rather than steaming in its own juices.

Remove cooked meat to the stew pot, deglazing the pan with broth once or twice during the browning process and after the last batch of meat is done. Add remaining broth to pot along with beer, tomatoes, oregano and liquid smoke. Add reserved chili liquid, avoiding grit and solids that have settled to the bottom. Add water to cover meat about 1-1/2". Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 2-1/2 hrs, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed to cover meat.

Combine masa and water. Stir until smooth and set aside while chili cooks. Slowly add to simmering chili after time has elapsed, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue simmering, uncovered, stirring frequently until chili is thickened, about 20 minutes. Add salt and cayenne or chipotles to taste.

Ann
(10/9/01)

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Carolyn's Lamb Chili

I have been asked for my lamb chili recipe, which we had last weekend, at our loom loading party. I didn't use a "recipe" per se, but I will try to reconstruct it. This makes a lot of chili.

Carolyn's Lamb Chili

3.5 lbs ground lamb, or a mixture of ground lamb and beef
5 good sized yellow onions, peeled and chopped
a lot of garlic -- at least half a head, peeled and chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, minced and seeded
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 smaller can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 glass of red wine (can you tell that I like to cook with wine?)
1 tbsp ground cumin
     (preferably, whole, toasted in a dry skillet and then ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle)
2 tsp oregano
pinch cinnamon
bay leaf
about half a small can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
     (look for this either in gourmet shops or, much more cheaply, in Hispanic grocery stores)
1 large (32 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 green bell peppers, diced
handful of chopped cilantro
red wine vinegar

Brown lamb in large heavy skillet. Drain most of the fat. Add onions, garlic, jalapenos, and dried spices. Saute for a while until the onions wilt and become golden. Add wine to the pan and scrape the browned bits up from the bottom.

Pour into slow cooker (or into large heavy stewpot). Add tomatoes and chipotles (whiz the chipotles around in a food processor, or chop them up finely first).

Cook in slow cooker on low for about 8 hours, or on very low flame covered, on the stove, for about 3-4 hours.

Add beans and bell peppers, continue to cook until bell peppers are soft (if using the slow cooker, turn it to high, and cook for another hour, if on the stove, just cook them until they are soft but not mushy).

Just before serving, add cilantro, and a glug of red wine vinegar.

I did the chili overnight in the slow cooker, then added the beans and peppers in the morning. Use fewer chipotles if you like it milder.

Carolyn
(12/6/00)

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Salsa with Tomatillos

Salsa with Tomatillos
Tomatillos, yum! Makes a real kick ass salsa, among other things. BTW- these guys are related to gooseberries. Ok, first you need:

• 2 pounds of nice green tomatillos - they have the paper husk, but are fresh, green and a little sticky under that. Get rid of the paper husks and rinse the tomatillos in cold water. Some folks allow them to sit a few minutes in a bowl of salty water.

While the tomatillos are soaking, gather together the following:

• 1 cup of half and half, or light cream, or (our favorite!) sour cream.
• 3 medium green Anaheim chiles. These need to be charred a little, and the seeds and peels removed.
• 1 medium tomato, charred until the skin blisters
• 2 or 3 Jalapeño chiles, with the veins and seeds mostly removed. Don't clean everything out, or your salsa will be kind of bland. In other words, leave a few of the innards (that's where most of the Iy-yiy-yiy is concentrated).
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and coarsely sliced.
• 2 tablespoons of good grade olive oil.
• 1/3 cup of good cider or wine vinegar, with the juice of a large lemon added - about a 1/2 cup total.
• 1/2 cup of good chicken soup stock. Problem - commercial preps have too much salt, as a rule. A can of 'reduced salt' broth is about right, if you boil it down to about 1/2 its original volume.
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (fresh) - Note: some folks react to cilantro, so check with your prospective diners on this one.
• Pinch of ground oregano
• Pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste - Do not overdo it!
• Dribble of Tabasco or other pepper sauce sauce. This will adjust the 'heat' - again, all that is needed is a few drops, at most!!!.

Putting it together:
Put everything into your blender, EXCEPT the cilantro, and 1/2 of the vinegar/lemon mix. Pulse the motor, and make a puree. Transfer the blender contents to a heavy saucepan, and rinse the blender jar with the left over vinegar/lemon mix. Dump this on top of the puree. Bring it up to a simmer, and stir in the 1 cup of cream/sour cream. Continue to stir and simmer for about 10 minutes more. Cover and chill.

When cool, stir in the cilantro. Transfer to glass jars for storing in the fridge. Do not use plastic containers. This makes about 4 cups of salsa. Is it good? I have seen people eat this a spoonful at a time, making yummy noises as they do so. It is a great dip and taco sauce. Kind of lemony garlic fruit taste. It is not especially 'bravo' but you can boost that somewhat via the Tabasco adds. It does not enhance the flavor to up the hots..

If you have never 'toasted' chiles or tomatoes - what you are doing is charring their surfaces, not cooking them. Well, you are cooking them, sort of, but the purpose is to develop a flavor profile that cannot be obtained in any other way. The ideal way is to grill them over oak or mesquite.. but you can do all right over a gas flame. We have even done it over at the forge. Enjoy!

Billy Goat Gruff
(8/13/00)

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Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili

Olive oil
5 decent sized onions
a lot of garlic, you decide how much.
1 tbsp cumin
   I prefer to use whole cumin, toast it in a dry skillet, and grind it in a mortar and pestle,
   but you may not be as anal as this. It is a step worth taking, imho)
a pinch of cinnamon, just a pinch
2 tsp. oregano
2 - 4 chipotle chiles (the kind canned in adobo sauce, see note below)
one eggplant, peeled and cut into 1" dice
1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped
4 bell peppers, red and/or green, diced
one cup diced carrots
3/4 cup unsalted cashews
   (if you can only get salted ones, rinse them off before using)
1 lb of black beans dried, or three 15 oz cans of same
   (you can use red kidney or pinto, or all three, doesn't really matter)
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes in puree
1 bottle beer (need not be fancy beer, but don't use yak piss either)
handful of chopped cilantro

(If you are using dried beans, the night before soak them in cold water. Then drain, refresh water, and simmer them for 90 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside. If using canned beans, just dump them into a colander and thoroughly rinse the slimy stuff off of them before putting them into the chili when the recipe directs you to.)

Peel and chop onions and garlic. Sauté in olive oil till onions begin to become translucent. Add spices, including chiles. Add eggplant and mushrooms. Sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add carrots and sauté for a few more minutes. Add tomato, beer and cashews, cover, lower heat and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes.

Add peppers and beans. Simmer until beans are heated thru and pepper is soft but not mush. (10 minutes is fine). Add vinegar, cilantro, and correct for salt and pepper.

Serve over rice, passing cheddar, guacamole (mash up some Haas avocado with minced garlic, lime, green chili and salt), or salsa, or all of the above!

This recipe is legendary in my family, and I make it every year at our holiday Christmas party, as most of DH's family are vegetarian. Even meat eaters like it. Leftovers are good filling for burritos, or you can make tamale pie out of it.

About chipotles: These are generally available canned, in adobo sauce (a concentrated spicy puree) in hispanic markets. They taste like smoked jalapenos, which in fact, is what they are. They are worth seeking out because they lend a wonderful smokiness to this meatless dish. One pepper will make a mild chili, three will be fairly hot. I like to use two, and a spoonful of the sauce. (Leftover chiles freeze well). If you can't get them, use regular jalapenos.

Carolyn D.
(1/24/00)

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Peanut Butter-Stuffed Jalapenos

Peanut Butter-Stuffed Jalapenos

The perfect appetizer for wild game. Wait...don't gag...they are great and not that hot!

Take pickled jalapenos, the thick walled kind, slice long ways and remove seeds and stuff with peanut butter.

Make sure you eat the whole thing in the first bite. Excellent with margaritas, venison, elk or bison.
...AND NO I AM NOT A BLOODTHIRSTY CLUB CARRYING CAVEMAN, sometimes I just eat like one. I'm not kidding-they ARE good!!

elaine in northern colorado
(12/16/99)

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Mary's Broccoli and Pasta

Mary's Broccoli and Pasta

Was it the recipe for broccoli and pasta? If so it's a snap.

Cook the broccoli, a pound or more, in medium sized pieces, but not too done. A little crunch is OK.

While the broccoli is cooking you can also start the pasta water.

Take a hot chile pepper. We bought a whole plant from a neighbor, and hung it in the kitchen. Failing the neighbor's plant, you could use some hot chile flakes. Or add cayenne but not at the start of the recipe.

Cut the stem off the pepper, and slice in half. Remove seeds and inner membrane. Or leave in if you want it hotter. Chop the pepper coarsely.

Heat some olive oil (don't use expensive extra virgin, all the aroma will cook away, or use canola) in a small pot, maybe a butter melter. Heat the pepper gently, ok if it browns a little.

While it's heating, chop a couple of garlic cloves finely. Add to the oil. When it's cooked, set aside.

Chop the broccoli into about 1/2" dice. Put in a larger pot and pour on the oil/chile/garlic. If you want to add tofu, cut into 1/2" squares, or smaller, or even puree it. Add to the mix.

Cook the pasta.

I guess Carolyn D., an official Italian sauce maker, would say to put the broccoli sauce into the pot of drained pasta. But we usually put the pasta in our own plates and add as much sauce as we want.

You can make this with a little or a lot of olive oil. Sometimes I'll add extra virgin in the dish, because it tastes so good. You can also use grated romano cheese.

I don't like tofu all that much, and it just disappears into this dish.

Mary
(12/12/99)

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