How Hot Do You Like Your Heat?

My grandmother used to make pepper vinegar.  And in practically every bar-b-q joint or road side cafe in the south, you'll find a bottle of pepper vinegar.  I use it on collards, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, in soups, stews, etc.  Easy to make and you can keep adding the vinegar to the bottle until the peppers lose their kick. I have a bottle of this in my fridge.  From Garden and Gun magazine.  

(Makes 1 pint)

In Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, pique is what they call a bottle of peppers steeped in vinegar. “Sport peppers” is the name for the bottle of peppers and vinegar you find on your table at restaurants in Louisiana. You sprinkle the pepper-laced vinegar on your food. You can make pique in any bottle. Just increase or decrease the proportions to fit. I like to use a glass pancake-syrup dispenser with a plastic top, which allows you to remove some peppers and hot vegetables and mash them in your food.

5  habanero-type chiles
1  carrot, peeled and chopped
1  small onion, chopped
4  garlic cloves, peeled
1  1-inch cube peeled fresh ginger
1 thyme sprig
1¾  cups cane, cider, or white wine vinegar
1  tsp. rum

Make a small slit in each chile with the point of a knife to allow the liquid to penetrate it quickly. Stuff the chiles, carrot, onion, garlic, ginger, and thyme into a pint-size syrup dispenser. Add the vinegar and rum and wait a week for the flavor to develop, or you can hurry things up by heating the vinegar first. If you use hot vinegar, the pique will be ready in a few hours. When you use all the vinegar, just add more. One bottle of peppers is good for three or four batches of pique.

 

Recipe reprinted with permission from The Hot Sauce Cookbook by Robb Walsh, copyright 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Blueberry-Banana Cream Pie

I saw this in Atlanta Magazine and thought it looked to die for.  It had three of my favorite things in a pie-bananas, graham crackers and blueberries.  Won't this be delicious for the family picnic or reunion?  Courtesy of cookbook author and chef, Cynthia Graubart.  Dig in with a big spoon! (Photo by Patrick Heagney)




Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Banana Cream Pie Filling :
2 medium bananas, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Meringue:
5 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
8 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.To make the graham cracker crust, toss together the crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press into a 9 1/2 inch deep-dish pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then let cool.

2. For the filling, arrange the banana slices in the cooled crust. Sprinkle with blueberries in a single layer. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a heavy saucepan. Stir together until there are no lumps. Mix together the milk and egg yolks and whisk them into the sugar-cornstarch mixture until smooth.

3. Over medium heat, stir the mixture constantly until the custard comes to a boil, taking care to scrape the bottom and sides. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook, stirring, until thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat in the butter and vanilla. Pour the custard over the bananas and blueberries. Cool 20 minutes at room temperature, covered with wax paper or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.

4. Meanwhile, make the meringue by beating the egg whites and cream of tartar until the whites form firm peaks. Fold in the sugar and beat again, if necessary, to peaks. Spread the meringue over the custard, all the way to the crust. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown. Cool to room temperature before serving. (Refrigerate if you’re not eating it right away, but then allow the pie to come to room temperature again before serving.)

This article originally appeared in our May 2013 issue.

Shredded Brisket Tacos with Chipotle Sauce

Honestly, I'll give you the brisket recipe but to make a brisket for tacos...really?  I'd say "bitch this"!  Unless you've leftover brisket or want leftovers, I'd go down to the local bar-b-que joint and pick some up.  But that's just me.  Serves 10!

For the brisket
4 lb. trimmed beef brisket, preferably the flat half 
1 large yellow onion, chopped 
10 black peppercorns 
4 dried bay leaves 
3 medium cloves garlic, crushed 
2 serrano chiles, coarsely chopped 
1 Tbs. kosher salt 

For the chipotle dressing
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
1/4 cup fresh lime juice 
1/4 cup red wine vinegar 
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1 7-oz. can chipotles in adobo 

To serve the tacos
30 6-inch fresh corn tortillas, preferably homemade 
Toppings of your choice, such as: sliced avocado or guacamole, chopped ripe tomatoes, shredded iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced radishes, crumbled queso fresco, small sprigs of fresh cilantro, chopped fresh or pickled jalapeños 

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Cook the brisketPut the brisket ingredients in a 6-quart Dutch oven and cover with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and partially cover. Simmer until the meat is falling-apart tender,about 4 hours. Add hot water as needed during cooking to keep the meat submerged.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle. Reserve the cooking liquid. Scrape away and discard any fat from the brisket. Using your fingers or two forks, tease the meat into shreds. Cut the shreds crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Transfer the meat to a medium mixing bowl and moisten with 1/2 cup of the reserved broth.

Make the dressingIn a blender, pulse the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper until mixed. Drain the canned chipotles, pouring all of the adobo sauce into the blender. Add chipotles to taste and purée the dressing. (One chipotle will give the dressing a little heat, two or three will produce a medium-hot dressing, four or more will make a fiery dressing.) Chop any remaining chipotles and serve them on the side, if you like.

Add just enough of the dressing to the shredded beef to moisten it. Cover the bowl and chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or so.

To serveAfter chilling, the dressing will have pooled in the bottom of the bowl; toss to redistribute. Transfer the meat to a serving bowl or platter and drizzle with a little more dressing. Serve cold, as is customary, at room temperature, or warm with the fresh tortillas, letting guests assemble their own tacos with the toppings of their choice. (You won’t need all of the dressing—serve the remainder on the side.)

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : per 3 tacos (without toppings); Calories (kcal): 690; Fat (g): 33; Fat Calories (kcal): 290; Saturated Fat (g): 10; Protein (g): 40; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 15; Carbohydrates (g): 63; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3; Sodium (mg): 755; Cholesterol (mg): 5; Fiber (g): 7;

photo: Scott Phillips

Fine Cooking

Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail

Unfortunately, just recently my family lost our eldest aunt, my father's twin sister.  She was a wonderful woman and as tough as the Texas hill country.  When I went to stay with my sister, she offered me a blood orange spritzer.  Basically blood orange juice and sparkling water.  Sister, sister, I love you dearly but a little "something" in there just to take off the edge:))  I saw this and said, aha!  Nothing serious with this but a nice, light refreshing cocktail.  So here's to you sis! Makes 8 servings.

• 1/4 cup crème de cassis (black-currant liqueur)
• 1 1/2 cups strained fresh blood orange juice (from about 6 oranges)
• 1 750-ml bottle chilled brut Champagne or dry sparkling wine
• 8 blood orange slices (optional)

preparation

Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons crème de cassis into each of 8 Champagne flutes or other glasses. Add 3 tablespoons juice to each glass. Fill each glass with Champagne, then stir gently. Garnish cocktails with slices of blood orange, if desired.



From Epicurious.com

Holy Moly That's a Lot of Guacamole

Mama mia that's a whole lot of guacamole! (Who cares what language as long as it gets the point across.) Just in time for Cinco de Mayo or any old time you have a bar-b-que.   First up: Fresh Corn and Avocado Guac (from Epicurious.com):

• 2 large ripe avocados (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved, pitted, peeled
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 ear of fresh corn
• 1 plum tomato, seeded, diced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 canned chipotle chile, finely chopped*
• 1/4 cup sour cream

preparation

Mash avocados with lime juice in medium bowl. Using sharp knife, remove corn kernels from cob and add to avocado mixture. Stir in tomato and green onions. Combine chipotle and sour cream in small bowl; whisk to blend. Stir cream mixture into avocado mixture. Season with salt. Do ahead: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of guacamole and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

*Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapeños canned in adobo sauce. They are available at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and at Latin markets.

Next up for you foodies out their: Edamame Guac:

• 1 c. frozen edamame beans, thawed
• 1 c. fresh broccoli florets
• 1 c. avocado, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. jalapeño, minced
• 2 Tbsp. tomato, chopped and seeded
• 1 Tbsp. red onion, minced
• 1 Tbsp. green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

BRING a medium pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath and set aside.

COOK the edamame beans at a rolling boil until tender, 10 to 11 minutes. Drain the beans into a strainer and shock in the ice bath. Drain well.

PUREE the avocado, lime juice, garlic, and jalapeño in a food processor at high speed. Add the edamame beans and the process on high speed.

MEANWHILE, cook the broccoli at a rolling boil until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the broccoli and shock in the ice bath. Drain well and pat dry.

ADD the broccoli to the edamame mixture and process on high speed until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to incorporate all the ingredients.

TRANSFER the mixture to a medium bowl and fold in the remaining ingredients, mixing with a rubber spatula until well incorporated.

TRANSFER the guacamole to an airtight container and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour, before serving with accompaniment of choice. (The guacamole will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days.)

Next up...Guacamole with Roasted Tomatillos

• 12 medium tomatillos (about 1 1/4 pounds), husked, rinsed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 serrano chiles, seeded, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 pounds avocados (about 3 large), peeled, pitted, coarsely chopped

preparation

Preheat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place tomatillos on prepared baking sheet. Broil until tomatillos are just blackened in spots and tender, about 8 minutes per side.

Combine onion, cilantro, chiles, and lime juice in large bowl. Add roasted tomatillos and any juices from baking sheet to onion mixture. Using fork, mash coarsely. Add avocados and mash with fork until mixture is very coarsely pureed and some chunks remain. Season guacamole to taste with salt. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Mexican Rice, Tomatoes and Beans

Looking for a nice accompaniment to go along with grilled chicken or fish?  This would be it.  If you don't want to eat white rice, simply use brown.  Don't like to mess with jalapenos?  Then buy a can of Rotelle tomatoes and substitute them for the diced tomatoes and penos. If you want to add some crunch, add in some chopped bell pepper. 

Yields 6 cups

1 cup uncooked medium-grain white rice 
1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes (preferably “petite-cut”) 
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
6 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1 medium fresh jalapeño, cored and finely chopped (if you like spicy foods, leave in the ribs and seeds; if not, remove them) 
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 
2 tsp. kosher or fine sea salt 
2 tsp. ground cumin 
1 tsp. chili powder 
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano leaves and tender stems 
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems 

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In a 1-quart saucepan, combine the rice with 2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 min. Remove from the heat and let the pan stand, covered, for another 5 min.
While the rice steams, set a fine sieve in a bowl and drain the can of tomatoes. Pour the tomato juices into a 1-cup liquid measure. Add enough water to the tomato juices to equal 1 cup.
Heat a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the oil and stir-fry the garlic and jalapeño until the garlic browns and the jalapeño smells pungent, about 1 min. Add the black beans, salt, cumin, and chili powder; stir two to three times to incorporate the mixture and cook the spices, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato juice and water mixture and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans absorb much of the liquid, 5 to 7 min. Add the tomatoes, oregano, cilantro, and cooked rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is warm, 1 to 2 min. Serve immediately.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : based on eight servings; Calories (kcal): 200; Fat (g): 4.0; Fat Calories (kcal): 35; Saturated Fat (g): 0.5; Protein (g): 6; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 3.0; Carbohydrates (g): 34; Polyunsaturated Fat (g):0.5; Sodium (mg): 620; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 5;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 71 , pp. 49

May 1, 2005

Quick Beef Enchiladas

I loves beef enchiladas.  As I mentioned in my post on El Real restaurant in Houston, I had their beef enchiladas.  Of course they were smothered in cheesy goodness. This is a little simpler and not so calorie ridden.  If you don't want to make your own salsa verde, there are plenty of good ones at any market.  But for freshness sake, try the real stuff.  So if you use the market stuff, skip the first part of the instructions.  From Fine Cooking: 

Serves 4

Kosher salt 
1 lb. tomatillos (about 15 medium), husked and rinsed 
3 jalapeños, stemmed and halved lengthwise (seeded, if you like) 
1 large yellow onion, half cut into 4 wedges, half chopped 
2/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro 
1-1/2 Tbs. canola oil 
1 lb. lean ground beef 
2 tsp. ground cumin 
Freshly ground black pepper 
8 6-inch corn tortillas 
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 

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Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion wedges; cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a blender along with 1/3 cup of the cilantro. Purée until just slightly chunky and season to taste with salt.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, chopped onion, cumin, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir 1/2 cup of the salsa verde into the beef.
Position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Grease a 9x13-inch metal or ceramic baking dish with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil.
Wrap the tortillas in a few slightly damp paper towels and microwave on high until warm, 30 to 45 seconds. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon some of the beef mixture down the center of the tortilla and sprinkle with 1 Tbs. of the cheese. Roll up snugly and transfer to the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and beef mixture. Pour the remaining salsa verde over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Broil until golden brown and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 580; Fat (g): 31; Fat Calories (kcal): 280; Saturated Fat (g): 12; Protein (g): 36; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 12; Carbohydrates (g): 40; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3.5; Sodium (mg): 790; Cholesterol (mg): 110; Fiber (g): 6;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 98 , pp. 84-86

March 5, 2009