Fear Factor - Phobia V: Tacos de Lengua

Before you turn to your Spanish dictionary for confirmation, yes, these tacos are made from beef tongue.  Please don't run away kicking and screaming, you'll really be missing out!

I pride myself on not being a picky eater.  That being said, I have never really eaten or cooked any sort of offal - "the nasty bits" as Anthony Bourdain would say, nose-to-tail, the organs that often get discarded.  To be honest, I'm afraid.  Very afraid.  The smell of liver and onions that would permeate our house once a year as a child still gives me nightmares.  I don't like pate, foie gras or any other "delicacy" made from those other cuts.

But I do want to try new things, grow some cajones, conquer my fears and explore different cultures.  Traditionally (and in many places even today), meat was very expensive and these were often the only cuts the average person could afford.  They learned how to cook them well, make them delicious, and many of our favorite dishes today were the result of such ingenuity.

I figured that the best place to start my foray into this whole new world was with a cut that was still a muscle, just like the steak harvested from other parts of the cow.  I'd heard good things about beef tongue from everyone who'd tried it and it's almost a religious experience for taco truck obsessives. So when a sign posted at Springfield Farm alerted me to FREE beef tongue (along with livers, kidneys and other, scarier meats), I figured why not.  After all, if I didn't like it I could throw it away without the guilt.  My philosophy always when trying something new is not to vary too much from the classic preparation.  Therefore, I set out to make some beef tongue tacos.

And I have to say, I'm so glad I did.  Cleaning the tongue was the hardest part, with a bit of an ick factor, because there's no doubt what you're dealing with.  Most recipes call for boiling the tongue, then peeling back the skin, but I chose to cut the skin off first so that I could sear and braise the meat.  Although this was a bit more difficult then cooking it first, I think it allowed me to develop more flavor and quickly disguise the cut for the squeamish.  Once braised in a tomato and chile based sauce, it was tender and super flavorful, the essence of what a beef taco should be.  At this point, it looked and felt just like pot roast, not scary at all.  If you're on the fence, do give it a try.  Sandwiched in a corn tortilla with fresh salsa and sharp cheddar, I honestly think these might be the best tacos I've ever had.

Tacos de Lengua (Braised Beef Tongue Tacos)

Note: this makes WAY more sauce then you will use for the amount of meat, but it is necessary to properly braise the meat.  The extra freezes well and is a great enchilada sauce or base for a mexican soup or chili.

1 3-4 lb. beef tongue
1 quart tomatoes (alternatively substitute canned stewed tomatoes and skip the skinning step)

2 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
spice rub of your choice
1 large onion
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp chile powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup red wine
3-4 cups beef stock

1 tsp olive oil
6 inch corn tortillas
grated sharp or extra sharp cheddar
fresh (preferably homemade) salsa
other toppings of your choice (ex: sour cream, guacamole, radish, shredded carrots or lettuce, avocado, etc)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.  Slit each tomato with a paring knife.

When the water is boiling, add the tongue and boil for 5 minutes or so.  Emerge in ice bath to cool down.  Use a sharp serrated knife to trim away the tongue of all skin and any meat that seems to have an odd texture (such as where the tongue attaches to the mouth of the cow) and discard.  Meanwhile, immerse the tomatoes in the boiling water until their skin starts to peel away, then plunge them into an ice bath.  After they've cooled, peel and remove any tough cores, then set aside.

Drain your pot of water, add 1 Tbsp of oil and put over medium high heat. Split the tongue into 2 pieces, preferably similar in size.  At this point it should resemble a chuck roast or another normal beef cut.  Rub each piece with the spice rub.  I used McCormick's Cowboy Rub.  Any sort of Mexican, steak or BBQ rub will do.  Sear the tongue on each side until well browned.  Remove and set aside.

Add the remaining Tbsp of oil and saute onions until soft.  Add chipotle, tomato paste and seasonings.  Saute until slightly caramelized and beginning to brown on the bottom of the pan.  Add red wine and stir to deglaze.  Reintroduce the tomatoes and tongue and transfer to a slow cooker.  Add enough stock to almost cover the meat.  Cook on the high setting in the slow cooker for 4 hours.

Remove beef tongue.  Puree sauce (I recommend a stick blender for this) and bring it to a boil to reduce. Meanwhile, chop the meat.  The sauce should reduce until thickened, a little bit less thick then a marinara.

When this consistency is reached, heat up a tsp of oil in a small skillet.  Fry up the tongue meat (about a cup for every 3 tacos) for a couple of minutes before adding a big spoonful of sauce.  Let cook about another minute in the sauce.  Meanwhile, spritz tortillas with cooking spray and toast in a large nonstick pan until slightly charred.

To assemble, sprinkle tortilla with shredded cheese, pile in meat and top with salsa and other toppings of your choosing.  Then sit back and enjoy taco nirvana, preferably alongside a cold Corona with lime.

Dinner's Going Green

"Green" - it's no longer just a color, it's a catchphrase for easy environmental fixes. One thing is for sure, we've abused our planet for a long time, selfishly exploiting its resources, and now it's fighting back. We're entering a period of consequences, and unfortunately we are not yet rising to the challenge in a way that will ensure our future. Green has become the word of the moment, but only for baby steps. As much as every little bit counts, baby steps will not take us the miles we need to go before time runs out.

Hot, Flat and Crowded is a fantastic book about the challenges we are facing and the best ways to rise up and seize the American entrepreneurial spirit to reduce the effects of our dependence on fossil fuels. I highly recommend it to everyone, since this is an issue we will all have to face. I hope President Obama has read it as well. If America leads the world towards higher efficiency standards and cleaner fuels, the world will follow, and probably respect us a little more as well.

As for steps we all can take without the government's help, green baby steps are still better than a lack of forward motion. Energy star appliances, SMALL hybrid cars, reusable grocery bags and compact florescent bulbs are tremendously helpful in cutting CO2 admissions when everyone starts to use them. Reducing electricity use, by using power strips that cut power to appliances and chargers when not in use and driving less are a huge help. We have only used the air conditioner in our house a handful of days this summer. A little sweat has paid off with more money in our pockets.

CSAs are a great way for foodies to be a little more green. Community supported agriculture means food travels only a few miles from farm to table, drastically reducing its carbon footprint. Plus local small farms stay solvent, not caving to sell their valuable land to developers of McMansion complexes. And we get the freshest produce possible, so everyone wins. One Straw Farm gives me so much organic produce that I've only had to go grocery shopping once since school let out. Which has meant way less miles on my car and way more money in my pocket.

So here's a green meal with a green sauce that will rock your taste buds and get you going on a greener path to change.

Grilled Stuffed Patty Pan Squash and Fish with Salsa Verde


Grilled Salsa Verde
4-5 tomatillos, husked and washed then halved
2 tomatoes, washed and halved
1 small red onion, halved
1 jalapeno
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat a grill to high heat. Brush the tomatillos, tomatoes, onion and jalapenos with vegetable oil. Grill them all over high heat until tomatillos and tomatoes are carmelized and onion and jalapeno are charred. Chop up the tomatillos, tomatoes and onion. Seed and stem the jalapeno and mince. Toss them all with lime juice and cilantro. Let sit for 15 minutes for flavors to meld. (Leave the grill on low for the squash.

Stuffed Squash
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup white rice
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese

6 medium patty pan squash

Bring chicken stock, lime juice and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and spices and reduce to low. Cover and cook until rice has absorbed the water, and is al dente, about 20 minutes. Toss in about a third of the salsa verde and the rest of the cilantro along with the cheese.

While you're waiting for the rice to cook, slice the tops off of the patty pans and hollow out the insides with a spoon. Brush the squash with olive oil and put top side down on the covered grill to cook and char a bit. After the tops are charred, stuff with rice and put back on the grill, but right side up this time. Cook until tender and evenly charred.


Finishing it off...
2 (1/3 lb.) filets of firm white fish, such as halibut or cod

Brush the fish with vegetable oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until just cooked - about 2 minutes per side for thick filets. Serve over remaining rice with squash on the side and salsa on top.

Apologies...

I am a bad bad blogger and I repent for my sins...

It's not that I haven't been cooking, I've hosted big dinner parties and simmered slow braises and uncovered the grill on nicer days...

It's not that it hasn't been post worthy, with fabulous roast beef in a port wine dijon reduction, white pizza with sausage, fried eggs and truffle oil, aged gouda mac and cheese, classic fish and chips. With so much good food coming out of my kitchen I have no excuse.

I guess the truth is that blogging was just too daunting for someone inundated with coursework, grading, entertaining, mentoring, wedding planning and renovating.

And I stand by my earlier statement (see last year) that March is evil.

So I'm begging you not to give up on me, not to write me off as dead, at least to the blogging world. I promise I'll be back, and probably posting almost every day again next summer. And for now, to stave off metaphorical hunger, here's the recipe for what L calls "the absolute best chicken soup I've ever tasted". It's light, with a good amount of bright acid, plenty of heat from peppers (feel free to reduce to your taste), the richness of the tender chicken and creamy contrast of fresh avocado.

Mexican Chicken Soup


1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, minced
1/2 cup light colored beer
3 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 Tbsp adobo seasoning
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 cup basmati rice
13.5 oz. canned low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup banana pepper rings and about 1/8 cup of the vinegar they come in
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cups torn leftover roasted chicken (rotisserie chicken is good for this)
2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large avocado, chopped

Saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and chipotles and saute another minute. Deglaze with beer. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, seasonings and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked. Add black beans, peppers and their juice, chicken, lime juice and corn and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add cilantro, tomatoes and avocado right before serving.

Enchilada Night!

There's nothing like a good mexican dish. I'm not talking a greasy, only slightly spiced flour tortilla wrapped monstrosity drowning in too much cheese, but the real, homestyle mexican rich with lean meats, intense flavors, healthy veggies and redolent of cilantro. One of L's favorites has always been my shredded chicken enchiladas. Here's an even healthier, even more flavorful twist.

Smokey Shredded Chicken, Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas



1 tsp olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 - 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
2 minced chipotle chiles in adobo
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp chile powder
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp red annatto powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
3 chicken breasts

15.5 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
16 oz bag of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of all liquid
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/4 cup minced onion

16 small corn tortillas
8 oz. 2% shredded mexican cheese (1 bag)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste, let cook until slightly caramelized. Add tomatoes, chipotles, chicken broth and seasonings. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Use a stick blender to puree most of the sauce, leaving a few chunks of tomato and onion. Continue to simmer over low heat, adding the chicken to cook in the sauce.

While the chicken is cooking, combine black beans, spinach, cheese, cilantro and onion in a large bowl and mix well.

When chicken is just cooked through, remove it to a cutting board. Go at it with a couple of forks until it's well shredded. Add to filling mixture along with a couple ladle-fulls of sauce and mix well.

Fill each tortilla as much as possible, wrap it around and place it seam side down in a large baking dish. Repeat for 16 enchiladas. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.

Serve with salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Pizza For Breakfast?

Of course. Especially when it's a socially acceptable breakfast pizza. What can I say, sometimes I need something spicy in the morning!


Mexican Breakfast Pizza


1 large jalapeño herb tortilla
2 pickled serrano chiles, minced
1/4 cup tomato, diced
1/8 cup onion, diced
1 small avocado, skinned and pitted, diced
1 cup shredded mexican cheese
chile powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper for sprinkling

2 medium eggs, scrambled in butter
2 Tbsp packed cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 400 F. Top tortilla with chiles, tomato, onion and avocado. Smother with cheese. Sprinkle with seasonings. Bake until cheese is melted and tortilla is crispy. Top with egg and cilantro. Cut into wedges and serve with a fork and knife.

Saying Goodbye

About a year ago, L found out his uncle had leukemia. He felt badly because this was a man he hadn't taken the time to get to know, one he hadn't seen since he was a child. So the very next weekend, the car was packed for a day at his uncle's house in New Jersey. And then I got sick. Uncle H was just about to start chemo, and the last thing he needed was a compromised immune system. So I stayed home. I've regretted it ever since.

In the past year, L got to know his uncle better than ever before, and we were all touched by how he stressed the importance of family, even to those who had blown him off for so long, saying it was too far, would take too much time to visit. His emails and phone calls were daily for some time, and we all felt that we were in this fight together.

In April, H took a turn for the worse, right before his scheduled Independence Day bone marrow transplant. The NJ hospital refused to treat him until he was fully recovered. Fearing that would never happen, H and his wife packed up and stumbled down to a hospital in Texas known for their success rates. This is about when that ominous feeling in the pit of my stomach started. L had told his uncle all about me and his uncle had said "I can't wait to meet her." Although we'd spoken on the phone, I'd begun to feel that might never happen.

In May, L's mother was declared a perfect match for a bone marrow transplant. This was more than we'd been hoping for, and everyone, Uncle H included, was walking on air. August came and the transplant was made. Problem was, it wasn't taking. In order to transfer bone marrow, they must first kill off all of the patient's own. The hope is that the transplanted marrow will start growing and take over blood cell production for the body. This was slow going. The autoimmunity designed to protect our bodies from invaders worked against him, rejecting the new cells. H was getting worse and the medication was putting him through so much pain. He kept asking for them to stop and let him go home. Because of this he had to be sedated.

Yesterday his suffering came to an end. L received an email at 11am from H. One line: slow going but still fighting. At 4pm his mind lost the battle against his body. And I sit here watching my blinking cursor without the words to describe what the world has lost. We're glad there's no more pain, but we wish we could have fought harder.

So H - here's to you. A bright and cheery recipe for the person who was always smiling and joking, even in the midst of the fight of your life. I'm sorry we never did meet, but you've touched my life more than you know.


Southwestern Chicken Pizza


1 recipe of your favorite pizza dough, prepared through the first rise
chile sauce, recipe follows
sliced chipotle chicken, recipe follows
2 cups shredded Colby Jack

salsa fresca, recipe follows
creamy lime sauce, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone on the middle rack. Roll or stretch dough out to a 16 inch oval (or the size of your pizza stone).

Remove the preheated pizza stone from the oven and place on the stove's surface. Transfer pizza dough to it. Let the bottom cook about 3 minutes or until slightly crisp, then use tongs to flip the crust over (this seals the dough so it doesn't get soggy).

Spread on chile sauce. Top with chicken, then cover with cheese. Bake 7-10 minutes, or just until cheese melts and crust is cooked through.

Top pizza with salsa fresca and drizzle with lime sauce. Cut and serve. If you're afraid of the messiness, eat with a fork. I'm daring, messes don't scare me!



Recipe components are listed in the order they should be prepared.


Chipotle Chicken
2 chicken breasts
2 chipotle in adobo, finely minced
1 Tbsp adobo sauce
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp worchestershire sauce

Put chicken breasts in a bag. Add all other ingredients and squish to mix and coat chicken. Marinate in the fridge 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat a grill on high. Grill chicken over high heat until cooked through and well charred. Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.


Salsa Fresca
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 cup ripe tomato, diced
2/3 cup roasted corn
1/3 cup black beans
3 pickled serrano (green) chiles, finely minced
3 Tbsp finely minced cilantro
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Let sit so flavors can develop, at least one hour.


Creamy Lime Sauce
zest of one lime
juice of half a lime
2 Tbsp minced cilantro
1/2 cup ranch dressing

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Set aside.


Chile Sauce
2 chipotles in adobo, finely minced
2 tsp adobo sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

The Art of Sun Worship

I have been known to wish that there were only two seasons in the year: fall and spring. I love mild to slightly cold weather and I have a equal aversion to muggy middays and frigid mornings. But were it not for summer, I would miss out on some of the best produce to be had. And when our Mid-Atlantic temperatures are regulated to high 70s during the day and 60s at night, I become a bit of a sun worshipper.


Tomatoes, corn, basil and zucchini all take on new layers of sweet flavor from the kiss of the warm summer sun, and jalapenos seem to suck the heat from the rays. These last days of summer call for lounging in a hammock in the shade with an icy glass of lemonade, long walks by the stream that rambles through the woods and making the most of the land's bounty by cooking it quickly and simply.


After a weekend of red meat and not-so-healthy (albeit tasty) food, I am craving vegetables. Today has been a vegatarian day for me, and my body already feels better. In a recent issue of Gourmet magazine, this recipe for jalapeno poppers caught my eye. While away this weekend, I had the privilege to raid the Skoda family garden, with permission to take as much as I could. I came home with sacks of vegetal booty, not least of all a bag of jalapenos. Finally a chance to try those poppers! These were the perfect midafternoon snack - but be forewarned - these are HOT. You will need a glass of milk and some soft bread so cut the burn. If you are not a chile-lover these are not for you. But if you're like me, they're a pleasant wake up call on a lazy day.


Jalapeno Poppers
adapted from Gourmet August 2008

9 freshly picked jalapenos
2/3 cup shredded 2% mexican cheese
1 Tbsp. Frank's Red Hot
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp oregano leaves, crumbled between your fingers
4 cups canola, vegetable or peanut oil


Cut each jalapeno open along one side, slitting from stem to point. Cut a small slit across the top under the stem, perpendicular to the first. Use a paring knife or your index finger to scrape out the seeds and ribs of the peppers, being careful not to split off any part of them. Rinse the insides of the peppers.

Mix together cheese, hot sauce and seasonings. Ready 2 shallow bowls, one with beaten eggs, one with breadcrumbs and oregano (well mixed). Stuff each pepper with cheese mixture, then dunk in egg and toss in breadcrumbs. Return to egg and again toss to coat with breadcrumbs. Set aside and repeat with other peppers.

Heat oil to 325 F in a deep narrow saucepan. Fry five peppers at a time until they are golden and rise to the top. Transfer to a cooling rack placed upside down atop paper towels. Repeat with remaining peppers. Serve immediately.




In addition to my spicy snack, Triple Creek Farm produce showed up in my dinner in the form of a fresh, light summer pizza. H's baseball bat zucchini is paired with a lovely pesto made from her thriving basil bushes. Maryland sweet white corn and plum tomatoes are worthy partners, and it all gets a little bite from brilliant red onion.



Summer Veggie Lovers Pizza


2 lbs of zucchini, seeded if necessary and cut into coins or half rings
1 cup Thai marinade (I used Wegman's but any brand will do)

3 cups fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese
1 tsp freshly minced garlic
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp olive oil

one recipe pizza dough through both rises

8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Italian 4 cheese blend
1 cob sweet white corn, kernels removed
5 plum tomatoes, sliced thin
1/2 large red onion, sliced into thin half moons

Prepare zucchini and toss with marinade. Let marinate in fridge at least 2 hours or overnight. Preheat a grill on high. Use a grill pan to grill zucchini until moderately charred. Set aside.

Preheat oven with a pizza stone inside to 500 F for 30 minutes. Combine basil and macadamias in a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add cheeses, garlic and seasonings. Pulse until finely ground, then drizzle in olive oil while food processor is running. Set aside.

Roll or stretch pizza dough to stone size on a floured surface. Make sure all other ingredients are prepped. When pizza stone is preheated, remove from oven (carefully!) and place dough on hot stone. After a couple of minutes the dough should release from the stone. Flip crust before topping (this seals the dough's surface, preventing mushy crust).

Spread pesto sauce onto "toasted" surface. Top with grilled zucchini in one even layer. Distribute cheeses evenly, and follow with corn kernels. Lay down tomato slices in an even layer and top with onion.

Return pizza stone to oven and let cook 20-30 minutes, or until crust is crisp, tomatoes and onions caramelize and cheese is bubbly. Slice and serve.

Oh, How Semi-Homemade of Me...

Well, I'd say my 100th post was a success, what with 36 comments and counting - the most traffic my blog has seen yet! and my boyfriend begging, whining and generally driving me crazy to bake that cake again (this from a man who NEVER eats dessert, except the occasional ice cream, "hates" buttercream and requests anything but cake for his birthday - if that's not an endorsement I don't know what is). So after that, anything was bound to be anticlimactic. The perfect time to reveal my inner Sandra Lee. No I don't always cook from scratch (who does?) - what's it to ya?

So this barely counts as a recipe.... But it quickly became a family tradition at Thanksgiving, and it enjoys a spot in my regular rotation, most often alongside barbecued ribs or chili. It's a simple, easy side dish and I think it should be shared. So even though it's kinda cheating, and can't exactly be called an original recipe, I'm posting it anyway - share the love and all that jazz...

Mexican Corn Bake



2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 cans creamed corn
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1/3 cup pickled jalapenoes, chopped fine
1 cup shredded mexican cheese
2 Tbsp orange blossom honey
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp hickory smoked salt
1 tsp smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pyrex baking dish. Mix together all ingredients. Empty into the greased dish. Top with a sprinkle of paprika, chile powder, garlic powder, coarse kosher salt and black pepper. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the cornbread starts pulling away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Shred it up!

I've had a huge bag of zucchini sitting in the fridge for the past week. Normally, I'd have no problem using this up, but I just haven't been in the mood for my usual grilled zucchini. These were a delightful alternative. If you have a food processor, fit it with its shredding blade and it will make quick work of the veggies.

New Mexican Zucchini Fritters



Makes about 15 fritters.

5- 6 cups shredded zucchini (about 3 medium zucchini)
1/2 large onion, shredded
4 oz. shredded maple smoked cheddar
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp hickory smoked salt
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp olive oil

Combine all ingredients (except for butter and oil) in a mixing bowl and mix well by hand. Let sit while you preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil in it. This waiting time allows the cornmeal to soak up some of the moisture and keeps it from being gritty.

Once the pan has reheated, form flat patties with your hands and transfer them to the skillet (about 3 should fit at a time - make them about 3 inches in diameter). Pan fry until golden, then flip and press down with a spatula t flatten them and maximize your crispy surface area. When second side is brown, transfer to a cookie sheet and keep warm in an oven set at 250 degrees. Add 1/2 Tbsp butter and 1/2 Tbsp oil between each batch. Repeat until all of the batter has been used.

Serve with roasted potatoes and a dipping sauce of maple syrup and "red hot" sauce in a 3:1 ratio.



Simple Roasted Potatoes

2 lbs. small waxy potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut potatoes into small chunks. Toss with olive oil. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until crispy on the outside, soft in the middle. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

¡Hola Vegetarian!

I've been trying to eat several vegetarian meals a week lately. I'd love to tell you it's for health reasons, but really those are just the icing on the cake. The real deal is with the economy being so bad, and everything costing so much more with no raise in my salary, I just need to cut back. Meat made up 1/3 of my grocery bill. Now it makes up less than 1/6. Plus I'm reaping the nutritional benefits!

I have to admit, vegetarian is challenging! I'm finding myself having to plan ahead. I can't just come home and throw something on the grill. And it is really challenging to come up with meals that don't seem like a bunch of side dishes. I love a challenge though, and the results have been tasty. (Not to mention that saving money on meat let me get some slightly more pricey cheeses that are really fantastic).

I've found that some cuisines lend themselves better to vegetarian cooking then others. Thai, Italian, Indian and Japanese have some of the most memorable dishes. Mexican is also extremely versatile and this dish makes the most of it's satisfying flavors. I must admit it is not particularly photogenic, but it is tasty!



Baked Chile Rellenos

5 poblano chiles

2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup long grain mahogany rice (or brown rice)
1/2 packet low sodium taco seasoning
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp hickory smoked salt (I get this at an Amish market - you could sub salt and liquid smoke 1/2 tsp each)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 13 oz. can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 large onion, diced
1/8 cup pickled jalapenos, diced
1/4 cup shredded 2% mexican cheese

1 cup shredded 2% mexican cheese

Roast poblanos over direct flame on a grill or gas stove, until skin is charred all the way around. Put directly into a metal mixing bowl sealed tightly with a good lid or plastic wrap (The peppers should steam themselves, making the skin easier to remove). Set aside.

Bring stock and oil to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and seasonings and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is cooked (for mahogany it's about 45 minutes).

In the meantime, peel the blackened skin off the peppers. Although this is easier when under running water, I think it washes away the flavor you worked so hard to develop. Split chiles along one side and remove seeds and toughest part of ribs. Lay in a greased 8" square pyrex dish.

Preheat the oven to 400.

When the rice is al dente, stir in black beans, onion, hot peppers and 1/4 cup cheese. Use a spoon to fill chiles. Smother with the remaining cheese.



Bake until cheese is melted. Serve the extra rice on the side.

Mexican Fiesta

Watching Boy Meets Grill always makes me crave mexican food. Such was the case this morning. It led to this Mexican feast.

Black Beans and "Rice" Pasta Salad



2 1/2 cups orzo, cooked, rinsed and drained
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 large red onion, diced
1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 poblano chile, roasted with skin and stem removed, minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
lightly packed 1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. lime juice
4 Tbsp. vinegar from a jar of hot peppers
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano

Combine all ingredients and toss. Let sit for an hour for the flavors to meld together.


Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Chile Dipping Sauce



1 large sweet potato (about a pound), peeled
olive oil
sea salt

3 Tbsp of the darkest maple syrup you can find
1 tsp good chile powder

Preheat oven to 400. Section the sweet potatoes into french fries (this will take an extremely sharp knife and some elbow grease). On a large jelly roll pan, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about an hour, turning every 15 minutes. These will get mushy at first, but they will crisp up as they blacken. Even though they turn black in spots, they are not really burnt.

For sauce, just combine syrup and chile powder and mix well. (BTW - this makes a fabulous topping for grilled corn when you use it to make a compound butter)


Spice Rubbed London Broil



2 lb. london broil steak, trimmed of exterior fat
3 Tbsp chile powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp guacamole if desired (I Sandra Lee this a bit: 2 avocados, a packet of guac mix, fresh diced tomatoes and red onion and 2 Tbsp lime juice)

Combine all spices and rub onto steak. Let sit in the refrigerator at least an hour. Bring to room temperature. Preheat a grill. Grill over high heat no longer than 2 minutes on each side. Let rest at least 5 minutes for the juices to redistribute. Slice thin against the grain. Top with guacamole.

Game Day Dinner

It's about 20 degrees outside with a biting wind and today is playoff day. That means I'm stuck watching the patriots vs. chargers and giants vs. packers games that are back to back this evening. It may not be my ideal way to spend a Sunday afternoon, but I have to give a little bit during the playoffs, or else face built up levels of testosterone that are frankly scary. So I've resigned myself to sitting with eyes glazed over watching bulky guys of diminished intelligence run back and forth in spandex, slapping each others behinds and jumping on top of each other with bone crunching force.

My one solace during football season is game food, which is comfort food at it's best. This meal, with a cold Sam Adam's Winter Lager is enough to make football tolerable. At least until halftime.


Southwestern Corn Bake
Ingredients:
2 packages Jiffy corn bread mix
2 cans creamed corn
2 cans regular corn
1 stick softened butter
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 minced chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 cup diced banana pepper rings
2/3 cup shredded mexican cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Transfer into a greased 9 x 13 pyrex baking dish. Bake until edges brown and pull away from the pan, about 50 minutes. It will be slightly soft in the center.


My two cents:
This is an extremely easy go-to cornbread. I love the no fuss preparation and the flavor is rich and satisfying.



Game Day Chili
Ingredients:
1 medium Mayan sweet onion, chopped coarsely
3 strips bacon, sliced thin
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 paket low-soium taco seasoning
1 Tbsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. chile powder
1 minced chipotle chile in adobo
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. oregano
3/4 bottle beer
1 8 oz. can italian style diced tomatoes
1 16 oz. can baked beans (brown sugar style)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp espresso powder
1/2 cup diced banana pepper rings

1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup liquid from banana pepper jar


Directions:

Saute onions and bacon in a large saucepan until all the fat is rendered and onions start to caramelize. Add ground beef and seasonings, including chipotle and tomato paste. Continuously stir to break up meat and mix thoroughly until meat is cooked through.

Deglaze pan with beer. Add tomatoes, beans, mustard, syrup, Worchestershire, liquid smoke, cocoa and espresso powder.

Combine pepper juice and flour to make a slurry. Add to chili and bring to a boil to thicken.

Serve brilliantly hot with a large wedge of cornbake, topped with shredded cheese and red onion.

My two cents:
One of my many takes on chili. Good, hearty and quick.