Ode to Chipotle

We love spicy food in our house.  High on the list is anything featuring chipotles.  But I have a bad habit of buying chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, using 1-2 for a recipe, and then letting the rest languish in my refrigerator until I wind up throwing them out weeks later.  It's not as if I don't enjoy chipotles, or don't have 10+ recipes that feature them, or don't plan out all my dinners a month in advance (true story).  I just keep forgetting about it.  With a new house purchase on the very imminent horizon, I made a resolution to be more consciously thrifty with my grocery store spending.  That means not purchasing superfluous ingredients that are just for garnish, wasting as little food as possible, and stacking up recipes with similar specialty ingredients.  


Today was the last in a series of recipes that use chipotles - this week has featured Roasted Sweet Potato Salad and Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes (also making the most of sweet potatoes.  see what I did there?) but I also considered a few of our favorites - especially Honey Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches or Spicy Poblano Burgers with Chipotle Crema.  


I've had this recipe on my to-make list for a while but this was the perfect opportunity to go for it.  This was featured both in the New York Times several years ago and on Simply Recipes, one of my favorite recipe blogs.  


The verdict: very, very tasty with a good heat level.  We served this over my favorite baked brown rice and I hope to enjoy the leftovers tomorrow.

Chipotle Meatballs

(originally by Rick Bayless, adapted from Simply Recipes)

3 slices bacon, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs 
1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground oregano

1 tsp chipotle powder

1 lb ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 lb ground _____ 
(I used lamb, but pork would work too)
1 cup chopped onion
2 chipotle peppers, chopped 
1 tsp adobo sauce
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a food processor, combine bacon and 3 garlic cloves and pulse until chopped. Add eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, oregano, and chipotle powder and pulse to combine.  Add ground meats and pulse just enough to combine.  Form meat into 16 balls and place in greased baking dish.  Bake until lightly browned, about fifteen minutes.  While meatballs bake, saute onions over medium heat until just browned.  Add garlic and saute one minute.  Add chopped peppers, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Simmer until meatballs are done cooking or until sauce is acceptably thick.  

Chicken Tamale Casserole

This one is much closer to the lowbrow end of the spectrum, but still good.  Doable in 45 minutes from preheating the oven to serving, mostly just baking time.  Reheats better than the original.  

Chicken Tamale Casserole

(adapted from Cooking Light, Nov 2008)

The ingredients hint at the pedestrian nature:

6 oz cheese (I use a Trader Joe's Mexican blend)
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ancho chile pepper
1/4 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1 14.75 oz can cream-style corn

1 4 oz can chopped green chiles, drained

1 8.5 oz box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce (I also like to use Salsa de Chile Fresco on occasion, available at any Kroger worth its money)
1.5 cups shredded, roasted chicken breast
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 400.   Combine in bowl: 1 oz cheese (about 1/4 cup), milk, egg, spices, corn, and green chiles.  Stir in corn muffin mix until just moist.  Spread in 9 x 13" pan coated with cooking spray.  Cook until just set, about 15 minutes.  Pierce surface all over with fork and pour enchilada sauce or salsa de chile fresco over top.  Top with chopped chicken and remaining cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted and sauce bubbly, 13-15 minutes.  Let sit for five minutes before serving.  

Habanero Soup

8.23.10:

Habanero Carrot Soup

I have been on the lookout for a spicy soup recipe ever since our trip to the Outer Banks in the fall of 2007.  We ate at Chilli Pepper's (MP 5.5 on the bypass) on a whim.  They had a menu that (at least at that time) specialized in spicy foods and fresh seafood.  Yes, and yes please.  Aside from the best swordfish either of us has ever had,  I also had an outstanding habanero soup.  

I'm not going to post the recipe for this one since I found my reproduction disappointing.  Interesting flavor combinations (leeks, carrots, sweet potato, habanero, coriander) but a little bit bland(!).   Other reviewers noted that it was too spicy as is - so I foolishly believed them,  made it as instructed, and was disappointed.   Should have chopped up the whole habanero and included it.   For me, the rest of the flavors were just not outstanding enough to try a second time, but here's the link for anyone who's interested:

Carrot Habanero Soup

A Currant Affair

Breakfast (guest appearance by Patrick):

Flaky Currant Scones 

(from Rose Leventhal's The Bread Bible)

As part of Patrick's adventure through baking, he is working his way slowly through The Bread Bible.  The scones were flaky and very tasty, although the currant flavor was somewhat muted.  

Dinner:

Black bean tostadas

(adapted from Cooking Light January 2006)

Salsa: 

1/2 cup chopped avocado

1/2 cup chopped yellow tomato

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

Freshly ground black pepper

Tostadas:

Habanero & lime tortillas (from Trader Joe's)

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

15 oz can spicy black beans, drained

1 cup roasted chicken breast, shredded

Grated cheese (I used a blend of Jack & Cheddar)

Shredded lettuce

Sour cream

Combine together avocado, tomato, lime juice, salt, and cumin; add black pepper to taste, set aside.

Broil tortillas for 2 minutes on each side or until just crispy.

Combine 2 tbsp lime juice, cumin, salt, cayenne, and black beans.   Mix with immersion blender until desired consistency.  

Spread 1/2 cup black bean mixture on each tortilla.  Top with 1/4 cup chicken and 3 tbsp cheese mixture.   Broil for 2-3 minutes or until tortillas are just brown on edges.  Top with lettuce, salsa, and sour cream.

Ad Hoc

FINALLY after seven months of patience my library hold of Thomas Keller's ad hoc at home finally came to fruition.  After flipping through the whole book I have to admit it's probably not something I will add to my permanent cookbook shelf, but I'm looking forward to making as many of the recipes as I can over the next several weeks.


Tonight:

Sauteed chicken breasts with tarragon

Essentially chicken breasts dusted with sweet paprika & curry powder then pan-seared.  Sauce is shallots cooked in butter deglazed with wine and chicken broth with more butter & tarragon stirred in at the end.  Tarragon is one of those flavors that I like only occasionally, since I feel lukewarm about licorice-type flavors.  I was a little skeptical of what sounded like a very French sauce in combination with paprika & curry powder, but the more I ate of this the more I loved it.  This had spectacular layers of flavor for the time it took - will definitely add this to the weeknight rotation.

Summer vegetable gratin 

Deceptively simply.  Layers of thinly cut (~1/4") squash, zucchini, Roma tomatoes, and Japanese eggplant, all layered with breadcrumbs and Asiago cheese and plenty of salt, on a bed of sauteed onions and garlic.  All roasted for fifty minutes at 350 degrees.  Probably some of the best vegetables I've ever had.  This will definitely be a repeater.

Other recipes I'm looking forward to trying out: 

• Buttermilk fried chicken
• Braised beef short ribs
• Meatballs with pappardalle
• Crispy fried fish
• Heirloom bean and escarole soup
• Leek bread pudding
• Scallion potato cakes
• Brioche

Curried couscous and chickpea salad with dried cranberries

Curried couscous and chickpea salad with dried cranberries

(adapted from Cooking Light, July 2001)

1 1/2  cups  uncooked couscous (about 1 [10-ounce] box)

1  cup  dried cranberries (about 4 ounces)

1  cup  frozen green peas, thawed

1 1/2  teaspoon  curry powder

1/4  cup  thinly sliced green onions

1/3  cup  finely chopped fresh basil

15.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 

1/3  cup  fresh lemon juice

1  tablespoon  grated orange rind

2 tablespoons water

1 1/2  tablespoons  olive oil

1  tablespoon  thawed orange juice concentrate

4  garlic cloves, crushed

To prepare salad, combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Pour 2 cups boiling water over the couscous mixture; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool. Stir in onions, basil, and chickpeas.  To prepare dressing, combine lemon juice and the remaining ingredients in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Pour over couscous mixture, and toss well to combine. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

I intended this to be a meatless entree, but the garlic herb rotisserie chicken smelled so good at the Teeter that I couldn't not buy it.  I added about 1.5 cups of shredded chicken to flesh this out a bit.  

Corn, green onion, and bacon tart

Since I overcame my fear of my tart pan, my production of tart-like dishes has increased exponentially.  They have all involved bacon.  The most recent endeavor from last night was no exception.  Because of this, I have to cook two to three times as much bacon as I actually need to end up in the recipe, since I am physically incapable of refraining from eating delicious crispy bacon.

Corn, Bacon, and Green Onion Tart 
(adapted from Cooking Light, May 2003)

4 slices applewood-smoked bacon
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough


Preheat oven to 375°.  Cook bacon slices in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until bacon is beautiful and crispy.  Promptly eat at least 50% of bacon.  Remove and chop any remaining bacon.  Add corn, onions, and chopped bacon to bacon fat remaining in pain.  Salt and pepper to season and sauté 3 minutes. Place the corn mixture in a large bowl. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt, pepper, egg whites, and egg; stir until well blended.


Coat a 10 1/2-inch round removable-bottom tart pan lightly with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto lightly floured surface, and let rest 5 minutes. Pat dough into bottom and up sides of prepared pan.  Add pie weights and pre-back for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove tart pan from oven and place on a baking sheet. Pour bacon mixture into the dough, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until set. Cool tart in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Makes four generous servings.  Does NOT reheat particularly well.



When I make it again:
I would use a real tart or pie crust, not refrigerated pizza dough.  It worked surprisingly well for a time-efficient recipe, but real crust is so delicious it would be a mistake not to include it.  I also thought the filling was a bit too much for the tart pan, and I would probably use a pie dish next time.