Here it is, my famous (and award-winning, if you can believe it) chili recipe. THis is one of my more time-consuming recipes, but it's well-worth the wait.
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DAY 1: Soak the Beans
1 C dry pinto beans
1-1/2 C dry kidney beans
1/2 C dry black beans
6 C water
Rinse and sort the beans in cold water for several minutes. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then cover tightly and remove from heat. Allow the beans to soak overnight.
DAY 2: Make the Sauce
6 C. Water
1 T. Worchestershire sauce
1 t. liquid smoke
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, hot or mild
1 can tomato sauce
1 12oz. can V-8 vegetable juice
1 t. cumin
1 t. Mexican oregano
1 t. chili powder
1 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 lb. green chilis, roasted and peeled
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. chopped fresh garlic
2 vegetable boullion cubes
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1 T. brown sugar
Drain and rinse the beans. Return them to the stock pot, and add the water, Worchestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Cover tightly and cook on very low heat until tender (about 3 hours), stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed. Remove from heat, cover tightly, and set aside.
In a smaller saucepan or crock pot, combine the remaining ingredients and 1 cup of liquid from the cooked beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer very slowly for 6-10 hours, or until everything disintegrates and a smooth chili sauce forms.
Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by almost half and the sauce has thickened. (The sauce should have the consistency of thin gravy.) Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
DAY 3: Add the Veggies
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 yellow), chopped
4 medium jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 C. whole-kernel sweet corn
Drain the liquid from the beans; do not rinse. Add the chili sauce, mix well, and bring to a boil. Stir in the vegetables, cover, and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes to an hour, or until all of the vegetables are tender.
Taste the chili, and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve hot over cornbread, with grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream (or corn rellish for all you vegans out there) on the side.
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VARIATIONS:
This chili is *HOT*. Those with soft pallets should (1) use mild Ro-Tel tomatoes, (2) use bananna peppers instead of jalapeno peppers, and (3) skip the crushed red pepper altogether. If it is still too hot, maybe you should stick to catsup.
Some people like it even hotter. Such daring individuals should (1) use extra-hot Ro-Tel tomatoes, (2) add 2 habanero peppers to the jalapeno peppers, and (3) balance it with 2 T. of horseradish. If it still isn't hot enough, maybe you should just drink battery acid.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Cucumber-Tomato Salad
I don't know if this is the right name for it or not, but I have been calling this dish "gazpacci" for as long as I can remember. You know that cucumber, tomato, and onion salad that is usually served in Italian restaurants? Yeah, this is that.
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Gazpacci
2 medium cucumbers
1 small red onion
6 Roma tomatoes
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. olive oil
Peel the cucumbers, and split them in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and then slice the cucumbers thinly. Place in a shallow, 1-qt. plastic bowl with lid.
Slice the tomatoes in half, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Dice the tomatoes, and add to the bowl with the cucumbers.
Cut the onion into thin slivers, and add to the cucumber and tomato.
Add the garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Toss well, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or overnight.) Serve.
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Gazpacci
2 medium cucumbers
1 small red onion
6 Roma tomatoes
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. olive oil
Peel the cucumbers, and split them in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and then slice the cucumbers thinly. Place in a shallow, 1-qt. plastic bowl with lid.
Slice the tomatoes in half, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Dice the tomatoes, and add to the bowl with the cucumbers.
Cut the onion into thin slivers, and add to the cucumber and tomato.
Add the garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Toss well, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or overnight.) Serve.
The Ultimate Tuna Salad
Oh, don't judge me. You know darn good and well that you love the tuna salad. Sure, we all pretend that it is beneath us, we snicker and call it "cat food" and balk at how fattening it is with all of the mayonaise in it...but when we are alone at the deli, we go right for it.
This is my version. It is a lot more "salad" than "tuna," since I add several different vegetables. But anyway. There it is.
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Ultimate Tuna Salad
2 cans water-packed tuna
3 Vlasic kosher pickle spears
1 medium bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 t. garlic salt
black pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 C. Miracle Whip
1 t. prepared mustard
Drain tuna well, crumble into a 1-quart plastic container with lid. Chop eggs and vegetables very finely, add to tuna. Top with Miracle Whip and mustard, stir until well blended. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Serve however you like: on saltine crackers with a pinch of dill; on a sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and Swiss cheese; on a bed of mixed greens with a vinagrette dressing...
This is my version. It is a lot more "salad" than "tuna," since I add several different vegetables. But anyway. There it is.
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Ultimate Tuna Salad
2 cans water-packed tuna
3 Vlasic kosher pickle spears
1 medium bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 t. garlic salt
black pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 C. Miracle Whip
1 t. prepared mustard
Drain tuna well, crumble into a 1-quart plastic container with lid. Chop eggs and vegetables very finely, add to tuna. Top with Miracle Whip and mustard, stir until well blended. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Serve however you like: on saltine crackers with a pinch of dill; on a sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and Swiss cheese; on a bed of mixed greens with a vinagrette dressing...
Cajun Classic
Here it is, the definitive Cajun recipe...this one in particular was adapted from a couple of different recipes that I collected from my family in Louisiana. Now, I don't know how you do your gumbo, but we use okra, tomatoes, and chicken.
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Chicken Gumbo
1 large chicken, roasted and cooled.
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 quarts water
2 pounds andouille sausage
1 cup flour
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large onions
2 bell peppers
4 stalks celery
8 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cup tomato puree
2 pounds fresh okra, chopped
2 tsp. Creole seasoning
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 bundle of scallions (green onions)
2/3 cups fresh chopped parsley
Steamed rice
Fillé to taste
The day before:
Roast the chicken if necessary. (I purchase the chicken already roasted from the grocery store deli.) Debone the chicken, and place the skin and bones in a large stock pot. Chop and refrigerate the chicken meat.
Make a stock from the chicken bones: Chop the onions, bell peppers, and celery. Refrigerate the vegetables, and throw the end pieces and tops in the stock pot with the chicken bones.
Add 3 quarts of water to the stock pot. Simmer for two hours, then strain the stock through a cheesecloth. Discard bones and vegetable ends, and refrigerate the stock overnight. Ladel off the fat before using.
Making the roux:
Cook the oil and flour in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a dark reddish brown color (about 45 minutes). The darker you cook it, the richer it will taste...but the easier it will burn. Watch it carefully while cooking. It should be dark brown, not black...if it turns black or develops black specks, you have burned it and will have to start over.
Making the gumbo:
While cooking the roux, remove the chicken stock from the refrigerator and skim off the fat. Place the stock pot on the stove and bring the broth to a full boil.
When the roux is cooked to the desired color, immediately add the chopped celery, onions, and peppers. Stir quickly. This not only cooks the vegetables, but it stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.
Pour the roux and vegetable mixture into the boiling stock. (Be careful, it will burn you if it splatters.) Add the tomatoes and tomato puree, and return the mixture to a boil.
Chop the chicken meat and sausage into bite-sized chunks, and add them to the gumbo. Chop the okra, mince the garlic, and crumble the bay leaves, and add these to the gumbo along with the thyme, Tabasco, and Creole seasoning. Return the gumbo to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.
Remove from heat, and (this is important:) refrigerate overnight for the flavors to marry.
Serving the gumbo:
Return the gumbo to the stove. Ladel off the fat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, then add the chopped scallions (tops only) and the fresh parsley. Cook five minutes. Serve over rice in large, shallow bowls. Serve with a good beer and lots of hot French bread.
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Chicken Gumbo
1 large chicken, roasted and cooled.
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 quarts water
2 pounds andouille sausage
1 cup flour
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large onions
2 bell peppers
4 stalks celery
8 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cup tomato puree
2 pounds fresh okra, chopped
2 tsp. Creole seasoning
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 bundle of scallions (green onions)
2/3 cups fresh chopped parsley
Steamed rice
Fillé to taste
The day before:
Roast the chicken if necessary. (I purchase the chicken already roasted from the grocery store deli.) Debone the chicken, and place the skin and bones in a large stock pot. Chop and refrigerate the chicken meat.
Make a stock from the chicken bones: Chop the onions, bell peppers, and celery. Refrigerate the vegetables, and throw the end pieces and tops in the stock pot with the chicken bones.
Add 3 quarts of water to the stock pot. Simmer for two hours, then strain the stock through a cheesecloth. Discard bones and vegetable ends, and refrigerate the stock overnight. Ladel off the fat before using.
Making the roux:
Cook the oil and flour in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a dark reddish brown color (about 45 minutes). The darker you cook it, the richer it will taste...but the easier it will burn. Watch it carefully while cooking. It should be dark brown, not black...if it turns black or develops black specks, you have burned it and will have to start over.
Making the gumbo:
While cooking the roux, remove the chicken stock from the refrigerator and skim off the fat. Place the stock pot on the stove and bring the broth to a full boil.
When the roux is cooked to the desired color, immediately add the chopped celery, onions, and peppers. Stir quickly. This not only cooks the vegetables, but it stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.
Pour the roux and vegetable mixture into the boiling stock. (Be careful, it will burn you if it splatters.) Add the tomatoes and tomato puree, and return the mixture to a boil.
Chop the chicken meat and sausage into bite-sized chunks, and add them to the gumbo. Chop the okra, mince the garlic, and crumble the bay leaves, and add these to the gumbo along with the thyme, Tabasco, and Creole seasoning. Return the gumbo to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.
Remove from heat, and (this is important:) refrigerate overnight for the flavors to marry.
Serving the gumbo:
Return the gumbo to the stove. Ladel off the fat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, then add the chopped scallions (tops only) and the fresh parsley. Cook five minutes. Serve over rice in large, shallow bowls. Serve with a good beer and lots of hot French bread.
Spinach Quiche
This is one of the simplest recipes I have...and for its simplicity, it is one of the tasiest and "fancy schmancy" ones as well. If you want to cook an impressive, non-traditiional meal, without working yourself half to death, give this one a try.
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Spinach Quiche
4 C fresh spinach leaves
6 eggs
1 t. garlic salt
black pepper to taste
2 T. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. grated cheddar cheese
1 ready-to-use 9" pie crust, thawed
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Punch holes in the pie crust with a fork, and bake until lightly browned (about 10-15 minutes.) Set aside to cool.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese into the bottom of the pie crust. Rinse and dry the spinach leaves in cold water, chop them coarsely, and layer them on top of the cheese in the pie shell. Blend remaining ingredients together in a mixing bowl until smooth and well-scrambled, then pour over spinach and cheese in the pie shells.
Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook an additional 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with a tossed green salad and a glass of pinot noir.
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Spinach Quiche
4 C fresh spinach leaves
6 eggs
1 t. garlic salt
black pepper to taste
2 T. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. grated cheddar cheese
1 ready-to-use 9" pie crust, thawed
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Punch holes in the pie crust with a fork, and bake until lightly browned (about 10-15 minutes.) Set aside to cool.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese into the bottom of the pie crust. Rinse and dry the spinach leaves in cold water, chop them coarsely, and layer them on top of the cheese in the pie shell. Blend remaining ingredients together in a mixing bowl until smooth and well-scrambled, then pour over spinach and cheese in the pie shells.
Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook an additional 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with a tossed green salad and a glass of pinot noir.
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