Green Chili Stew with Fried Black Beans and Garlic Roasted Chicken
Hatch chilies and roasted tomatillos are simmered in chicken stock thickened with fresh corn flour and served with cumin-fried black beans and garlic-roasted chicken..
Green Chili Stew with Fried Black Beans and Roasted Chicken
For the Beans
1 cup dried black beans
3 cups filtered water
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon leaf lard
1/4 teaspoon epazote
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Rinse beans and pick over. Put in a bowl, cover with cool water and allow to soak overnight. Drain, rinse and put into a heavy saucepot with 3 cups of filtered water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving some of the liquid and set aside.
Toast cumin in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Add lard, onions and tomatoes and cook until onions are brown and tomatoes have lost their shape. Add beans, a little bean cooking water, oregano and epazote and simmer, uncovered until tender, about 20 minutes. Add a little water if necessary to keep beans from drying out. Mash beans with the back of a wooden spoon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the Chicken
fresh chicken pieces
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Melt butter over medium heat then add garlic, paprika and chipotle and allow to steep 15 minutes. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Brush liberally with butter mixture and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven, turning twice until juices run clear, about 35 minutes.
For the Green Chili Stew
1 pound tomatillos
1/3 pound fresh Hatch or Anaheim chilies
1 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white onion, minced and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon piloncillo or rapadura (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse corn flour
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Remove stems and husks from tomatillos and rinse. Split in half across the equator then place face down in a heavy skillet and roast until browned. Transfer roasted tomatillos to the bowl of a food processor and coarsely pulse together with chilies, cilantro, garlic and onion. Transfer mixture to a heavy saucepan, add 1/2 cup chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add vinegar and piloncillo and simmer 20 minutes. Add corn flour, stir and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon fried beans in the center of a serving plate, Ladle green chili stew around the perimeter, then arrange pieces of roasted chicken over the top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and dress with crèma Mexicana or sour cream.
Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Garlic-Lime Butter and Chili-Fried Onion Rings
Local, pastured bone-in rib-eye steak is basted with garlic-lime butter as it is grilled over a wood fire, then served with crispy chili-fried onion rings..
Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Garlic-Lime Butter and Chili-Fried Onion Rings
For the Compound Butter
1/4 cup pastured butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white onions, finely diced and rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
sea salt and smoked black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
For the Onion Rings
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 cup fresh milk
1 cup sprouted wheat flour
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
beef tallow for frying
Soak the onion rings in the milk for 30 minutes. Combine flour and seasonings in a bowl and set aside. Heat tallow in a heavy, high-walled skillet over medium heat just until a wisp of smoke appears, then quickly drain the onions and toss in the seasoned flour. Working in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the pan, fry the onions until golden brown. Drain briefly on a clean kitchen cloth before serving hot.
For the Steaks
Lightly oil the steaks with peanut oil and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour while the fire is prepared. Grill the steaks on the hottest part of the grill for 3 minutes without moving them, then turn 90 degrees and grill 2 minutes more. Turn the steaks over, move them to the cooler side of the grill and cook to the desired degree of doneness (approximately 8 minutes for medium-rare, depending on thickness), basting frequently with compound butter.
Remove from grill, baste again and allow to stand 10 minutes before serving topped with onion rings.
Ancho-Seared Duck Breast with Mole Rojo and Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
Duck breast pan-seared in ancho and garlic-infused rendered duck fat and served with crispy duck skin, classic mole rojo and crunchy tomatillo-avocado salsa..
Ancho-Seared Duck Breast with Mole Rojo and Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
For the Ancho-Infused Duck Fat
1/3 cup rendered duck fat
1 large ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and torn
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 teaspoon organic annatto seeds
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
Melt duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add ancho, garlic, annatto and oregano and cook just until it begins to sizzle a little. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow to steep 1 hour before straining into a clean container. Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
For the Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa (recipe by Rick Bayless)
8 ounces (about 4 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped cilantro
Hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 small serranos or 1 small jalapeño), stemmed and roughly chopped
1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Salt
Roughly chop half of the tomatillos and scoop them into a food processor with the cilantro and green chiles. Measure in 1/4 cup water and process to a slushy, coarse puree. Roughly chop half the avocado, add it to the processor and pulse until it is incorporated into the salsa. Scrape into a serving dish. Scoop the onion into a small strainer and rinse under cold water. Add to the salsa. Finely chop the remaining tomatillos and add them, too. Finally, chop the remaining avocado into 1/4-inch pieces and stir them into the salsa. Taste and season with salt, usually about 3/4 teaspoon.
For the Mole Rojo
Made right, classic mole is a rather elaborate and time-consuming affair. If you haven’t made it before, I would suggest studying Rick Bayless’ recipe for Mole Rojo Classico. In a pinch, you can use store-bought El Conquistador Teloloapan Red Mole.
For the Cracklings
1/4 cup duck skin with fat, julienned
1 teaspoon Ancho-Infused Duck Fat
1/2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
coarse sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
Heat duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the julienned duck skin and sauté, stirring continuously, until dark golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a napkin to drain and toss with cilantro, salt and pepper while still hot.
For the Duck
Use a sharp, thin knife to score a cross-hatch pattern into the fat side of the duck breast, taking care not to cut into the muscle. Season on all sides with salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg, then lay bay leaves against the flesh, loosely wrap in butcher’s paper and refrigerate overnight (Thomas Keller).
Allow to duck breast to sit on the counter for 20 minutes while you pre-heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the duck breast skin-side down to the hot pan, then reduce heat to medium low and cook, moving often, until the skin is golden brown and much of the fat has been rendered out.
Flip the breast over and sauté for 1 minute, then pour off the fat and place the pan in a 375 degree oven and cook until until rare, about 8 minutes. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and allow to rest at least 15 minutes.
Heat ancho-infused duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add inch-thick slices of rare duck breast and quickly sear on all sides until medium rare.
To serve, spoon mole into the center of a dinner plate. Position duck on top of the mole standing upright, dress with tomatillo-avocado salsa and garnish with cracklings.
Sweet Potato, Bacon and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Fresh flour tortillas spread with mole rojo and topped with pan-roasted sweet potatoes, bacon, red onions, poblano peppers with crumbled goat cheese and fresh cilantro..
Assembling Sweet Potato Quesadillas
Sauté diced bacon in a heavy skillet until some of the fat has rendered and it begins to brown. Add diced sweet potatoes and continue to cook until browned and softened.
Add cumin seeds, diced red onions, diced poblano peppers and sauté until softened. Add Mexican oregano and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Lightly spread fresh tortillas with thinned mole rojo (a thick paste of Ancho and Guajillo chiles, onion, tomatoes, pecans, peanuts, sesame, garlic, oregano and a hint of chocolate).
Top tortillas with sautéed vegetables, fresh cilantro and crumbled goat cheese. Place a second tortillas over the top and press the edges together to form a seal.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is bubbly, about 12 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly, then cut into wedges and top with fresh diced avocado, quartered grape tomatoes, diced white onion, garlic, s&p and avocado or olive oil.
Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon
Roasted sweet corn with poblano peppers, onions, seared scallops and smoked bacon..
Roasted Corn Chowder with Scallops and Bacon
(informed by a recipe by Rick Bayless)
3 cups fresh corn kernels, divided
1/2 small white onion
1/2 large poblano chile
1 red Fresno chile
1 clove garlic
1 cup fresh whole milk
1 cup fresh cream
6 oz dry sea scallops
4 oz smoked bacon, diced
1 teaspoon cultured butter
1/4 teaspoon smoked chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Roast the poblano, Fresno, onion, garlic and 1/2 of the corn in a 450 degree oven until the peppers are blackened. Place the peppers in a paper bag or under an inverted bowl to steam a bit- the skins will peel right off.
Pulse the uncooked corn in a blender with the milk, cream and smoked chili powder, then transfer to a heavy pot set over medium-low heat. Stirring frequently, allow to simmer until reduced by 1/4.
Chop the roasted peppers, onion and garlic and add to the pan. Stir to combine.
Meanwhile, sauté diced bacon over medium-high heat until well browned. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat and add 1 teaspoon butter, paprika and cilantro. Add the scallops and sear until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to the soup, stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper if necessary and serve steaming hot.
Pindi Chana
A traditional, healing curry of tomatoes, onions, chiles, cashews and spices fried in ghee with chickpeas, plump raisins, fresh pomegranate seeds and cilantro.
Even people who “don’t like Indian food” tend to love this dish..
Pindi Chana
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 plum tomatoes
1 small white onion
2-4 small green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
2 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
1/2 cup large black raisins
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
1/4 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon crushed star anise
1/2 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet cinnamon shards
1 1/2 teaspoons hulled cardamom
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon minced curry leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup filtered water
Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and all of the whole spices (including bay) and sauté until onions are browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in turmeric and paprika to form a thick paste.
Add chiles and tomatoes and continue to cook until tomatoes have released their water, about 5 minutes.
Add chickpeas, water, raisins and remaining spices and simmer 15 minutes.
Add cashews, pomegranate seeds and cilantro and stir to combine.
Serve accompanied with aged basmati rice or flat-bread.
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