|
|
Good Groceries - Chili, Wings and Things
A brief introspective by Derrick Kearney |
| |
Seven-Chili Chili
(Adapted from the Homesick Texan's A More Precise Texas Chili Recipe) |
| Lisa Fain's blog is my new favorite place for recipes. This is the best Chili I have ever eaten. It has been featured at so many potluck dinners in so many awful variations that Chili has been nearly destroyed. The New York Times Cookbook first introduced me to a Chili without those disgusting kidney beans, and surprislying no tomatoes. This traditional recipe takes Chili to its highest level. |
|
Ingredients: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 1 chipotle Chili in adobo sauce
|
|
- 4 slices bacon (cut into 1 in slices)
|
|
- 1 pound beef (cut into 1 in cubes)
|
|
- 1 pound pork (cut into 1 in cubes)
|
|
|
- ¼ tablet Mexican chocolate (grated)
|
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
|
|
Directions:
Toast the ancho, pasilla, costena, guajillo and de arbol Chilies in a pan. Cover Chilies in boiling water and let soak for 30 minutes.
Cook the bacon in a large pan until all fat is rendered, set bacon aside retaining the grease in the pan. Add the beef to the pan and brown on all sides in the bacon grease and set aside. Then add pork and brown on all sides in the bacon grease and set aside. The meat should be crispy along edges.
Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Then add the bacon, beef, coffee, beer, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne and oregano.
Once Chilies have soaked, drain them and blend in a half a cup of fresh water, and add chili mixture to the pot. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the beef is fork tender, about 5 hours, adding more liquid if required. Add pork for the last 1 ½ hours of cooking
Add the Mexican chocolate. Mix the masa harina into ½ a cup of the chili broth and add it back to the pot.
Simmer until the sauce thickens.
Serve with toasted garlic bread, old cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Or you can have it nacho chips, salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, and/or sour cream.
|
|
Zuni Roast Chicken
(Adapted from Judy Rodgers' The Zuni Cafe Cookbook) |
| I came across this recipe in the National Post thanks to Bonnie Stern, but it was simply a reprint of Judy's recipe. This recipe is normally accompanied with the Zuni Cafe's signature Bread Salad (link below) but today I am just keeping it to chicken, amazing on its own merit.
|
|
|
 |
Ingredients: |
- 1 small chicken (2½ to 3½ pounds)
|
- 4 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme, rosemary or sage, about inch or two long
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Notes:
If you have a sensitive smoke detector this recipe will set it off.
A cast iron pan heated to 475 degrees may cause additional smoke.
Use a piece of parchment paper under chicken to prevent sticking.
Directions:
If possible prepare chicken one to three days before serving, if not, at least three hours prior to cooking: Remove and discard the lump of fat inside the chicken. Rinse the chicken and pat dry inside and out. If the chicken is not completely dry the skin will stick to the pan and will not achieve crispy perfection.
Create two pockets with your finger under the skin of the breasts; do the same on the thickest portion of each thigh. Stuff an herb sprig into each pocket. Season chicken liberally all over with salt and pepper (about teaspoon per pound of chicken). Season inside cavity with pepper. Twist and duck the wing tips behind the shoulders. Cover chicken loosely and refrigerate.
To roast chicken, preheat oven to 475 degrees. Preheat oven-proof dish or pan over medium heat. Wipe chicken dry and place breast side up in pan. Place chicken in center of oven and listen and watch for it to brown in the next 20 minutes. If it doesn't, raise oven temperature progressively until it does. If the chicken begins to char or the fat begins to smoke, reduce temperature by 25 degrees.
After about 30 minutes, turn chicken over. Roast another 10 to 20 minutes, then flip to recrisp skin, another 5 to 10 minutes. Total roasting time will be 45 minutes to an hour.
To serve chicken, remove bird from oven and turn off heat. Lift chicken from pan and set on plate. Pour most of the drippings from pan, discard or save for another use. Add about a tablespoon of water to the hot pan and swirl it. Slash the stretched skin between the thighs and breasts of the chicken then tilt the bird and plate over the roasting pan to drain the juice into the drippings. Set the chicken in a warm place to rest. Set a platter in the oven to warm a minute or two.
Tilt the roasting pan and skim the last of the fat. Place over medium-low heat, add any juice that has collected under the chicken, and bring to a simmer. Stir and scrape to soften any hard drippings. Cut chicken into pieces, drizzle and toss with a spoonful of the pan juices. Makes 2 to 4 servings.
Serve with Zuni Bread Salad or your favorite roast veggies. A nice bottle of XXX |
|
Taquero /Taco Truck Salsa
(Adapted from Robb Walsh's The Tex-Mex Grill) |
I came across this recipe thanks to the HomeSick Texan. It is hard to believe that people buy salsa when it is this easy to make.
|
|
|
 |
Ingredients: |
- 1 cup (heaping) chopped tomatoes
|
|
- 1-3 hot peppers (Serrano, jalapeño) top/stem removed, cut in ½, lengthwise.
|
|
- 2 limes juiced, approx 3-4 tb
|
- Cilantro, about a handful, cleaned and chopped. Remove any large stems.
|
|
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
|
- Sugar, optional, to taste
|
| |
| |
Notes:
Peppers - Remove seeds and ribs if you do not want it hot, if using jalapeño I would remove the seeds and ribs from one.
After it is blended, it will be frothy, it will settle.
Do not touch eyes after handling hot pepper seeds or ribs.
Directions:
Put everything, up to lime juice, in blender and pulverize.
Add some chopped fresh cilantro, salt and pepper, then mix well.
Add sugar if you wish, I recommend you taste if first.
Serve with you favorite dishes, or just with chips.
Top |
|
|
