20 | August | 2009 | Edible Aria

Frijoles Rojas, Chayote, Crema Fresca

August 20, 2009 at 9:33 pm (Cereals, Grains, Legumes, Dairy, Fats, Oils, Fruits, Vegetables, Plants, Meat, Poultry, Game, Traditional Food) (bacon, chayote, chili base, cilantro, crèma fresca, epazote, Fight Back Fridays, Frijoles Rojas, tortillas)

(This is part 2 of a 2-part post- part 1 is here)

Dinner-on-the-cheap.. red beans, fried bacon, onions and tomatoes simmered in a homemade chili base, with shaved raw chayote squash, crèma fresca and fresh tortillas..

Frijoles Rojas, Chayote, Crèma Fresca

click to enlarge; take a look at the pool of thick, mahogany-colored juices on the left side

Fry diced, uncured bacon in a heavy skillet until well browned. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat.

Add chopped onions and cook until browned.

Add tomatoes and cook until the water is released but not yet evaporated.

Add 1 tablespoon homemade chili base (more or less, depending on how spicy you like it) and stir to combine.

Add red beans (dried and cooked or from a BPA-free can) and some of the bean cooking liquid and a teaspoon of epazote, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and cracked pepper if needed.

Garnish with a little salad of shaved raw chayote squash (crispy & tastes rather like a cucumber with no bitterness), chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice and dress with crèma fresca dusted with smoked chili powder. Serve with Spanish rice or fresh tortillas.

: Frijoles Rojas, Chayote Crema Fresca

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

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Smoked Chili Powder and Chili Paste

August 20, 2009 at 6:44 pm (Fruits, Vegetables, Plants, Traditional Food) (Arbol, Chilhuacle negro, chili paste, chipotle, Dorado, Morita, Mulatto, New Mexico, Pasilla, Pennywise Platter, Petines, Smoked Chili Powder)

(This is part 1 of a 2-part post- part 2 is here. You might also like this post about achiote paste)

Made from 16 kinds of peppers, herbs and spices, here’s a homemade smoked chili powder unlike anything you’ll find in the store..

Smoked Chili Powder

I strongly recommend that you wear a pair of disposable gloves while doing this..

Gather a selection of dried chiles with different flavor profiles (hot, mild, fruity and smoky). I’m using Pasilla, Petines, Arbol, New Mexico, Chilhuacle negro, Mulatto, and both Dorado and Morita Chipotles.

Using a pair of scissors, snip the tips off the peppers then split lengthwise. Spread apart and remove the stem and seed clusters.

Arrange peppers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and roast in a 350 degree oven until fragrant and crisp, about 15 minutes, or (even better) smoke the chiles outdoors over mesquite. Allow the chiles to cool.

Meanwhile, lightly toast cumin, coriander, anatto and cinnamon in a dry skillet over medium heat. Allow to cool.

Working in batches, process the chiles in a food processor with the toasted spices, dried onion, garlic, cilantro, Mexican oregano and sea salt.

Pour all into a bowl and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container away from direct light up to 6 months.

To make a paste for use in soups, stews or bean dishes, add a tablespoon of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice (especially good with chicken or pork) to the chili powder and work into a thick paste. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months..