5 Chile Chili

1 1/2 lb.    Bottom Round Steaks

1 lb.          Pork Shoulder Steaks

2               Onions, medium, diced

3 cloves    Garlic, minced

4-5            Japones Chile Peppers

2               Ancho Chile Peppers

2               Guajillo Chile Peppers

7 oz.         Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, can

4 oz.         Green Chile Peppers, Mild, can

1 c.           Wine

2 Tbs.       Tomato Paste

15 oz.       Tomatoes, crushed

15 oz.       Tomatoes, stewed

16 oz.        Salsa, medium

2 Tbs.        Beef broth concentrate

1 Tbs.        Cumin

2 Tbs.        Chili Powder

Made a chili over the weekend.  This one uses chunks of beef and pork seared then simmered with tomatoes, onions and chile peppers.  Let's get started!  Preheat your oven to 350F.

To begin this is chili and to most that means spicy heat.  I made this one with 5 varieties of chiles. I also tried to keep the heat to a low-medium.  Choosing chile peppers is a matter of personal taste.  I like a little variety to mine. NOTE: the numbers in () are Scoville Heat Units.  For reference, Jalpenos are 2500-8000 SHU and sweet green peppers are 0 SHU.  First I use 4 or 5 Japones (15,000-30,000 SHU) for a little fire.  These peppers don't add much flavor beyond their spicy heat. A 7oz can of Chipotle (2500-8000 SHU) in Adobo sauce for overall mellow heat and complex spice and smoke flavor.  Next 2 Ancho chiles (1000-1500 SHU) for their coffee tinged, earthy sweetness and mild heat. Then 2 Guajillo chile (2500-5000) for its tangy cranberry-like fruitiness, mild heat and subtle smoke flavor. I also added a can of mild green chiles (est. 250-1000 SHU) for added sweetness and bright flavor.  There are so many varieties of chiles available that I have a website bookmarked on my phone that I can use as a reference when shopping. 

http://www.pepperscale.com/hot-pepper-list/

For the meat I found bottom round steak and pork shoulder steak on sale.  The cook time on this dish is so long, almost any inexpensive cut of meat will work.  The longer it cooks the more tender it becomes.  I used about 1 1/2 lb of beef and 1 lb of pork.  I cut these into about 3/4 inch cubes.  Then seared them in about 2 Tbs olive oil in a medium high Dutch oven on the stove top.  Do this in small batches and avoid over crowding the pan.  This keeps the pan hot and lets moisture escape so the meat sears to a nice brown crust faster.   Remove the meat from the pan reduce the heat to medium.

 Add 2 more Tbs olive oil and 2 medium diced onions.  Allow these to soften and begin to brown then add 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves.  Add your dried chile peppers at this time.  I used my kitchen shears to cut-up the peppers right into the pan.  You can cut the stem end off your pepper and shake the seeds out before cutting up the rest of the pepper into 1/8 inch pieces. 

After the peppers are added and the onions well browned I made a well in the middle of the pan and added I  2 oz. of tomato paste.  Smear this around a bit.  You want this to get a bit scorched.  Trust me this adds a lot of flavor!  When the tomato paste is much darkened, mix it into the rest of the pan. 

Next add 1 cup of wine to the pan and scrape all the goodness from the bottom to deglaze.  You can use almost any liquid at this point.  I have made chili with wine, beer even tequila!.  When using beer use any good ale (stay away from stouts, porters or hoppy beers including most lagers as they can be bitter when cooked).   Let the wine (or whatever) reduce down at least 3/4s about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the beef back to the pan along with the beef broth concentrate, followed by the canned tomatoes and chiles.  The final seasoning is cumin, chili powder.  Chili powder is best when purchased fresh from a spice specialty store or when you make it yourself using fresh spices.  Here is a good recipe from the internet.   http://www.food.com/recipe/chili-powder-16892.

After it is all well combined let it come to a slow boil then cover with a tight fitting lid and place in to the oven.  Let this cook for at least 3 hours. (8-12 hours would not be out of the question.)  Just check it periodically to stir and add a little water if needed.  You do want it to reduce a bit to thicken to a good chili consistency that you like.

Serve with your choice of condiments, Cheese and jalapeno slices for me!

The Chiles

The Tomatoes

Bottom round steaks and
pork shoulder steaks 

 Cut meat into 3/4 inch cubes.

Don't over crowd the pan.

Small batches sear best!

Nicely browned meat.

Caramelized onions, garlic and chiles 



Add tomato paste.

Deglaze the pan.

Add the beef, tomatoes,
canned chiles and spices.

After 4 hours.

Ready to eat!



Sous Vide Pork Chops, Collard Greens and Apples & Onions

Yes, I am doing the sous vide thing again.  I am really enjoying this method,  It is simple and is proof against this particular idiot.  Heat the water to and maintain it at 140F.  I started with 1 1/2" chops liberally added salt and pepper, along with a little thyme and rosemary on both sides.  Then placed in a single layer in a gallon zip-top bag.  Slowly lower the bag in the water allowing the air to be squeezed out.  Seal the bag and cook 1 to 3 hours.

My sides are Collard Greens and Sauteed Apples & Onions.

To prepare the collard greens, first wash about 8 leaves and blot dry.  Remove the stems and cut into pieces about 3/4".  Saute over medium heat a large shallot in 2 Tbs bacon grease (or olive oil) when caramelized add 2 minced cloves of garlic.  When the garlic is fragrant add the greens, a heavy pinch of salt and 1/4 c. marsala wine.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.  Stir occasionally and cook until tender, 20-40 minutes. The older the leaves the longer they need to cook.

For the apples and onions, first toast 1 tsp .yellow mustard seeds and 1 tsp. coriander seeds over medium low heat.  Shake occasionally to prevent burning.  Toast until you begin to smell the spices. Slice a medium red onion and saute over medium heat in 2 tbs of olive oil till translucent.  Add a large sliced apple and 1 tsp. spice blend.  Cook until apples are tender and lightly colored.

Finish the chops by removing from the bags and wipe off spices and moisture. To a very hot skillet with 2 Tbs. olive oil and 1 Tbs. butter add a little thyme and rosemary.  Sear both sides of the chops by flipping every 15 seconds or so till done to your liking. Next sear and the edges and serve.

Collard Greens

Carefully cut down both sides of the stem,

Remove the stem.

Stack the leaves and slice into 3/4" pieces.

Melt 2 Tbs. bacon Grease

Saute a large shallot till colored then
add 2 minced cloves of garlic.

When the garlic gets fragrant add the greens
 and 1/4 c. marsala wine . 

Cook until tender.

Apples and Onions

Saute sliced onions till translucent.

Add sliced apples and 1 tsp. spices to pan and cook till
 lightly colored and tender.

Spice Blend for Apples and Onions

Toast mustard seeds and coriander.

Crush spices and add 1 tsp. to apple and onions.

Finishing the Pork Chops

Sear the chops in flavored oil .

Don't forget the edges.

Plate and serve.













Shrimp Curry

Tonight I made a shrimp curry. I like curries with the blend of warm, savory spices. You can blend your own or cheat like I do and buy it ready made. I like the pastes better than the dry unless you buy the dry blends fresh. Curries are good served over rice or noodles. You can make them hot or savory. Having a variety of condiments on the side, sweet, salty, sour even bitter can make the meal more interesting.

Shrimp Curry
2 tbs. - olive oil
5 - Onions,Medium, sliced...
3 - garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. - sweet peas, can
15 oz. - coconut milk, can
1 tbs - black bean garlic paste
1/2 tsp. - red pepper flake
1 c. - chicken stock or broth
2 oz. - Thai curry paste, green
16 oz. - Shrimp, 20-30 count, peeled and deveined.
1/2 - lime, juice

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and S&P. Cook until translucent and lightly colored. Mix in the garlic and peas. Add the coconut milk, black bean paste, red pepper flake, and chicken stock. Add curry paste. green is more mild and the red is hotter. Reduce the heat to simmer. Stirring occasionally allow sauce to reduce and thicken, about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook till done about 5 minutes. Squeeze the lime juice on right befor serving. Serve with sweet, savory, and salty sides. I made mine with a readymade couscous, chutney, dried dates, and cashews.

 Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

  Add onions

 Add Salt and Pepper

 Cook until translucent and lightly colored

 Mix in the garlic and peas.

 Add the coconut milk,

Stir in the chicken stock

 Stir in black bean paste, red pepper flake, curry paste.

 Add the peeled and deveined shrimp

Ready for a squeeze of lime juice, then plate and serve.

Sous Vide Tuna Steak and Grilled Asparagus with a Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce.

 

Made a sous vide tuna steak and grilled asparagus with a roasted yellow pepper sauce.  First the tuna is liberally sprinkled with S&P and thyme. Next place in a zip-top bag, add a little olive oil to the bag. Now let it chill in the fridge for at least 30min while the water temp is stabilized to 114°F.

While waiting on the tuna, I roasted yellow bell peppers on a very hot skillet. If you have a gas range, you can place the pepper directly over the flame. I suggest wrapping the peppers in foil to make cleanup easier.   Char the pepper thoroughly.  This is smoky!  When well blackened place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to let it steam.

 Now place the tuna in the water bath for 40 min. Remember to remove the air from the bag. About 20 minutes before the tuna is done remove the now cooled peppers and remove the now loosened skin. Cut the top from the pepper and remove the seeds. Puree the pepper in a blender adding a pinch of salt and drizzle in about a teaspoon of olive oil.

Grill asparagus tossed in a little olive oil till the color intensifies and they soften a little. Sprinkle with a little salt.

Remove the tuna from the bath sprinkled with sesame seeds and placed on the hot skillet in about a table spoon of olive oil for about 10-15 seconds per side. Plated with the asparagus topped with the pepper sauce and sliced tomatoes.

Salt, pepper and thyme on both sides

Allow to blacken more than this.

Let steam under wraps.

Grill the asparagaus

Ready to serve.

Smokey Eggplant Parmesan with Gouda

1         Eggplant, medium
2 c.     Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Tbs. Italian Seasoning
1 c.     Parmesan Cheese, shredded
2         Eggs
1/4 c.  Milk
2 c.     Tomato Sauce
           Gouda Cheese, smoked, sliced


Preheat oven to 350°F.

Eggplant is a flexible fruit substituting for meat in many dishes.  Select an eggplant that is firm and heavy for its size and like most produce you want to select one that has bright, intense color in its body and stem and is free from cuts, bruises and blemishes. A ripe eggplant will spring back when pressed lightly.  The skin can be eaten but if it is too thick it can be a little tough. If desired it can be peeled.  Eggplant has a slightly bitter taste, this can be greatly reduced by choosing smaller eggplants and by sweating.  To sweat your eggplant; first slice eggplant to 1/2 inch. Then liberally salt both sides and place in a colander over a bowl cover with a towel for 30-60 minutes.  The water extracted will carry away much of the bitterness.  The sex of the eggplant can also have an affect on the bitterness. (Eggplants reproduce asexually so the fruits are not really male or female but for the sake of description we pretend there are.) Male eggplants are smaller and can have fewer seeds, which makes them less bitter than female eggplants. How do you sex an eggplant?  Look at the bottom indentation. If it is deep and shaped like a dash, it's a female. If it's shallow and round, it's a male.

While the eggplant sweats.Setup your dredging station, in a wide shallow bowl mix together the panko bread crumbs,  Italian seasoning and shredded Parmesan cheese. Set aside. In another bowl, wisk two eggs and 1/4c milk.

Thoroughly rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil. Pour some of your favorite tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. NOTE- You do not need to cover the whole pan, just where you are placing the eggplant slices. Dip the eggplant in the egg wash and let the excess drip off.  Place the eggplant into the panko mixture and coat. Tip- Use one hand or tongs for the wet bowl and the other hand for the dry bowl.

Place breaded eggplant slices on the sauce and top with a slice of smoked Gouda cheese. Layer more breaded eggplant slices on top and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes. When top is toasted and the eggplant softened, remove from oven and top with more sauce and shredded Parmesan. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. 

  Served with a tomato, onion, and basil salad and mashed oven roasted parsnips.

Thoroughly salt both sides.

Dip in egg wash then panko.

Layer in pan

These need to brown a bit more.