You do a little dance then you drink a little water...

In my experience frequently corn soups have an abundance of ingredients, leaving way for the corn to get lost behind layers of bacon and heavy cream. My intention, to create a soup that allows the flavor of the corn to fully shine through.  Do not be discouraged by all of the separate components, you do need to start the cashew cream the night before but it only takes a few minutes to prepare. This cashew cream creates a divine silkiness throughout the soup. It achieves a much richer flavor than adding heavy cream. It adds the fall dimension that I seek this time of year as the temperature is cooling.  The roasted corn guacamole is bold and bright, it delivers the freshness needed to complete this soup. By using the cashew cream this becomes an excellent vegan option.(I had leftover corn from the summer in my freezer, if you do not have access to fresh corn frozen may be substituted.)

Corn Cashew Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole

For the cashew cream:

2 cups raw cashews

water to cover by one inch

For the soup:

6 ears of sweet corn

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion diced

3 cloves of garlic

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

For the roasted corn guacamole:

1 medium avocado pitted and diced into cubes

1 jalapeno finely diced

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

3 cups reserved corn kernels from the soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

To make the cashew cream:

Soak the cashews overnight with enough water to cover by an inch.  Let sit 8 hours or overnight.  Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 3 minutes until you get a smooth creamy mixture.

For the soup: 

In a dutch oven or large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are translucent but don’t let them brown, add the garlic and paprika and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the mixture is fragrant.  Cut the kernels off the cob into a bowl and using the back of your knife scrape the cobs to release any additional corn “milk” Add the cobs and 3 cups of the corn and 2 quarts of water to the pan.  Cook the mixture for 15 minutes uncovered. Remove the cobs from the mixture and in two batches puree the mixture in a blender until smooth.  Strain the soup through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.  Whisk in the cashew cream, taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.  

For the roasted corn guacamole:

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.  Put the corn kernels on the baking sheet with the tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper to taste.  Roast the corn for 20 minutes until the corn is golden brown and caramelized.  To finish combine the corn with the jalapeno, lime juice and avocado and toss gently.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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It's these little things, they can pull you under Live your life filled with joy and wonder...

Today I have a super simple, but satisfying appetizer. Spicy warm corn dip. I used fresh corn for this, but am sure when it is not in season canned corn would work just fine. I was in charge of bringing an appetizer to a recent dinner party, and decided this was a dish that would cater to almost all taste buds. I knew the dinner menu was going to have a Mexican flare, so this was truly fitting. You simply combine corn, cheese, chipotle peppers, a jalapeno, and some spices and then bake. Once the dish is removed from the oven a simple garnish of cilantro, onions, and tomatoes delivers completion. I warmed the tortilla chips I served alongside, but this is a personal preference. This will certainly be a go to dip for me in the future (excellent for game day). 

Spicy Corn Dip

Ingredients

• 2c cheddar cheese, grated
• 1c jack cheese, grated
• 1 chipotle in adobo, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
• 1/2c mayonnaise
• 1/4t garlic powder
• 4 ears corn, cooked and taken off the cob
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 2T cilantro, chopped
• 2T green onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, mix together cheeses, chipotle, jalapeño, mayo, garlic powder, and corn. Reserve remaining ingredients. Spread into a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden, melted, and bubbly around edges. Sprinkle tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions on top of hot dip. Serve promptly with corn chips.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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Don't criticize what you can't understand...

Today I have a whirlwind of flavors for you, think twice baked potato (only in a roasted poblano pepper) nestled into a chipotle enhanced veggie mixture topped with marinated chipotle lime shrimp. This is a real winner in my book. What a perfect recipe for any left over mashed potatoes. They will not even seem like baked potatoes after you fold in fresh corn, zucchini, cheese, cilantro and cumin. It also is a dish that comes together rather quickly. The poblano pepper is rather mild, but still carries a deep flavor. You are able to pick up on hints of heat through the chipotle veggies and shrimp, followed by sweet notes from the corn. This would be an excellent meal to entertain with, as it would be pleasing to many palates. 

4 poblano peppers

2 large potatoes mashed ( I added roasted garlic)

fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)

1 small zucchini, diced

1 ½ cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ t. ground cumin

2 large fresh tomatoes, diced (or 2 15 oz. cans fire-roasted tomatoes)

½ medium white onion, diced

1 chipotle pepper, minced

2 T adobo sauce, divided (from can of chipotle peppers)

¾ t kosher salt

3 garlic cloves, crushed

juice of 1 lime

2 T. olive oil

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (approx. 1 pound)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and veins; set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine potatoes, corn, zucchini, ½ cup of the cheese, cilantro and cumin. Spoon potato mixture evenly into the peppers (mixture should mound high, not be flush with peppers). Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together tomatoes, white onion, 1 T of adobo sauce and salt. Place mixture into bottom of 13×9 baking dish. Nestle filled peppers into mixture.
5. Combine garlic cloves, lime juice, remaining 1 T adobo sauce and olive oil in a large, resealable plastic bag or shallow baking dish. Add shrimp, toss to coat and place in refrigerator.
6. Place peppers in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle peppers with remaining shredded cheese and place back in oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.
7. Meanwhile, remove shrimp from refrigerator. Drain excess liquid and place shrimp onto sheet pan. Roast shrimp alongside peppers for approximately 5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through (you can time this so both peppers and shrimp are removed from the oven at the same time).
8. Place one stuffed pepper onto plate, top with some tomato mixture from bottom of pan and about 5-6  shrimp. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, if desired.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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Did you know that you could be wrong and swear you're right...

I am attending a going away party this weekend, and want to take a dish. I imagine there will be many bite sized appetizers, so naturally I want to take something different. I was not sure if this idea would work, so I wanted to try it out prior to the occasion. Mini tacos, made from fried wonton wrappers. They are a perfect bite. They were not not only delicious but fun. I am sure I will be using this idea again for parties. The small package delivered a massive crunch full of flavor. I chose to stuff mine with seafood, some fish some shrimp simply because it is so available. I have full confidence that they will be a hit Sunday.

There are two ways you can make your wonton shells. One is by folding the wrappers over the oven rack and baking until stiff.  The other way allows for a crispier, more airy shell but takes time. I placed the wonton wrapper in hot vegetable oil flat...then as soon as it starts to fry and get the air bubbles, I folded it over with a fork, holding it up slightly so that it would have the opening for the stuffing.

I stuffed mine half with shrimp and half with fish. Then all the normal taco toppings. 

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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Well you can tell by the way I use my walk I'm a woman's man...

A little Mexican for you today. I could eat Mexican daily, the spice and flavors are right up my alley.  These are baked burritos with chicken and beans, but the showstopper is the roasted poblano sauce that tops the burritos. I actually believe this sauce would enhance tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas. It serves as a refreshing change to the average cheese sauce. I also added some fresh pico de gallo on top for coolness. These burritos freeze beautifully, allowing you to have a delicious meal on hand for a busy night. Adult pleasing, and kid approved an excellent weekend dinner.

For the burritos:

1 T canola oil

1 large onion, diced

1 lb thinly sliced chicken (or diced) chicken

3 cloves garlic, minced

T tomato paste

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 serrano (if you want to boost the heat)

1/4 C water

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t oregano

1 1/2 t chili powder

1/8 t cayenne

1 t brown sugar

Kosher salt

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese

4-10 whole tortillas, depending on size (4 for burrito-sized, more for soft taco sized)

Cooking spray

For the sour cream-poblano sauce:

2 poblano peppers

2 T butter

2 T flour

2/3 C chicken broth at room temperature

1/2 C sour cream (light is fine) or non-fat Greek yogurt

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

To make the burritos: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and then add the oil. Once hot, add the onions (and serrano if using) and cook for 3-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Place the chicken in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds before adding in the beans. Add the water, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, brown sugar and salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon). Reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese at the end of each tortilla (depending on size) and then spoon some of the chicken and bean mixture over the top. Roll tortilla. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and lightly spray the tops of the burritos with cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tortillas are golden brown and crispy.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the poblanos directly over a gas burner, or on a sheetpan under the broiler. Using tongs, turn occasionally until skin is blackened on all sides. Place in a bowl and top with plastic wrap or a clean towel, until cool enough to handle.  Peel the peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and dice them.

Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter; stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and then the diced poblano; continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened. Stir in the sour cream/yogurt and warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce over the baked burritos.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

Today is Mr. Rogers birth date. This fact is totally irrelevant to my post, but I was a loyal fan of his for many years. I threw caution to the wind and did some deep frying today, I must admit the result was fantastic. I decided that homemade chile rellenos were in order. Chile rellenos literally "stuffed chiles" originated in Puebla, Mexico. They consist of roasted fresh poblano peppers (a mild chile pepper named after the city of Puebla) that are stuffed with cheese. I selected to add homemade refried beans to my stuffing in order to supply them with additional substance. I used egg whites as the batter for the chiles, and this formed a light airy coating. An elementary sauce serves as a base for these fried delights. This is an excellent vegetarian option.

 

Chile Rellenos

Sauce:

5 red plum tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

1 medium onion, halved

1 jalapeno

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Filling:

1 1/2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 medium onion diced

1/2 can green chiles

1 cup refried beans (recipe below)

6 poblano chiles, charred, seeded, and deveined *

3 egg whites, at room temperature

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

All-purpose flour, for dredging

Vegetable oil, for frying

Sauce: Put the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees until tender. Place roasted veggies in the food processor until smooth. Heat in a saucepan.

Chile rellenos: Saute onions and green chiles over medium heat until soft. Mix the cheese and oregano in a small bowl, add sauteed veggies and beans. Cut a slit through 1 side of the charred chiles and fill each chile with 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture. Close with toothpicks to hold the filling in place. Place the stuffed chiles on a tray and put in the freezer (this makes the frying process easier), until firm.

 In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the egg yolk and continue to beat for about 1 minute. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees. Dredge the filled chiles in flour until fully covered. Shake off any excess flour, then dip the chiles into the egg mixture, until well coated. Fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels.

Arrange the chiles on a serving platter, spoon the sauce on top and serve.

*To char the chiles (or any fresh chile): Put the chiles over a gas flame or underneath the broiler and cook until they are blackened on all sides. Enclose them in a plastic bag and let stand for 10 minutes to steam, which will make them easy to peel.

For the refried beans. Dice one onion and 3 cloves of garlic. Saute in a saucepan with 2 T olive oil. Once the onions are soft add one can of pinto beans, 1 bay leaf, 2 T tomato paste, 3/4 C chicken stock, 1 t cumin and 1 t chili powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on medium low until soft, about an hour (remove bay leaf) then gently mash.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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If the thrill is gone, it's time to take it back...

Soft tacos, the possibilities are amaranthine. Today I constructed Barbacoa beef short rib tacos. Barbacoa is a form of cooking meat that originated in the Caribbean with the Taíno people, from which the term "barbecue"  is derived. In contemporary Mexico it most commonly is associated with meat that is slow cooked until perfectly tender. This classification of cooking receives the greatest results with meat that has fat marbled into the cut. By depositing the short ribs in the slow cooker this meal was fairly effortless. The meat was complete by evening, and was melt in your mouth tender. I prepared homemade refried beans to be the underlying layer of my tacos, then mounted on the beef along with homemade salsa and guacamole. The salsa, guacamole, and refried beans may all be composed in advance allowing for brisk assembly after a days work. I have adulation for taco bars with countless toppings when entertaining. This grants guests the ability to interact, and design a taco molded to their desire. 

Barbacoa Beef Short Rib Soft Tacos

3 lb boneless (or bone in) beef short ribs

2 limes halved

2 C beef stock

4 garlic cloves peeled and smashed

2 T chili powder

1 t cayenne

2 t cumin

1 t oregano

1 t ground coriander

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

Place all above ingredients in a slow cooker, and cook on high or 4 hours, then reduce to low and cook until ribs are fork "butter" tender. Shred beef and place on a platter, use some cooking liquid to moisten if you like.

For the tacos

homemade refried beans (recipe below)

fresh salsa*

fresh guacamole*

shredded lettuce

sour cream (optional)

shredded cheese (optional)

flour tortillas (warmed)

For the refried beans. Dice one onion and 3 cloves of garlic. Saute in a saucepan with 2 T olive oil. Once the onions are soft add one can of pinto beans, 1 bay leaf, 2 T tomato paste, 3/4 chicken stock, 1 t cumin and 1 t chili powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on medium low until soft, about an hour (remove bay leaf) then gently mash.

You may use any toppings you like radishes, olives, pickled jalapenos, corn relish, queso...use your imagination.

Assemble the tacos with any toppings that you desire.

* Recipe for salsa and guacamole are on post titled "We're all in the mood for a melody" 2.18.12

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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We're all in the mood for a melody...

Earlier today I addressed a Mexican craving I was experiencing. The recipe beneath is for chicken taquitos. A challenge was proposed to me last night by a friend to create a recipe with bison. As I did not have bison readily available today, I tried to compile a recipe that would accommodate different meats. I chose chicken, but these taquitos could harbor pork, beef, shrimp, or even bison. Adopt the approach for the chicken and alter the cooking time in accordance to the meat choice. Baked taquitos are an impetuous option for a fresh Mexican meal. They adduce the crunch that a taco offers, and behold the comparable savory satisfaction granted from enchiladas. I have also injected some facile recipes for homemade salsa and guacamole to accompany the taquitos. Be liberal with your toppings, sour cream, shredded lettuce, or black olives. These are splendid for a party because people may dress the taquitos themselves, and they may also be prepared in advance. Any extras freeze easily.

Baked Chicken and Bean Taquitos

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 C black beans

3 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 C salsa (recipe below)

1 T fresh lime juice

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t chili powder (more for chicken)

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t garlic powder

2 T chopped cilantro

3 scallions chopped

1 C shredded cheddar cheese

Tabasco sauce

9-12 small flour tortillas

kosher salt

cooking spray

olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. Drizzle chicken breasts with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Season with chili powder. Bake until cooked through. Allow to cool, once the chicken is cool enough to handle shred and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425. Combine beans, cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, cheddar, scallions, spices and Tabasco to taste mix well. Stir chicken in.

Place approximately 3 T of filling near one end of a tortilla and roll, place seam side down. Repeat until filling is gone. Spray taquitos with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake until crispy and golden brown, 10-15 minutes.

Guacamole

1 avocado

3 T chopped tomatoes

2 T chopped red onion

1 T chopped cilantro

2 T chopped jalapeno

season salt to taste

1 t black pepper

1 t hot paprika

juice of 1/2 a lime

Squeeze lime juice in a bowl. Remove avocado from skin, place in juice and mash. Mix with all other ingredients.

Salsa

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can Rotel

1/2 red onion

1/4 C jalapenos

1/8 C fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic

2 t season salt

2 t black pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Until tomorrow...Peace.

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