BAKED TOMATO AND JALAPENO SAUCE; PINEAPPLE-CHIPOTLE SAUCE; FRESH GREEN CHILE SAUCE..RECIPES FOR SPICY MEALS

BAKED TOMATO & JALAPENO SAUCE

THIS IS GREAT ON ANY EGG DISHES, GRILLED PORK, CHICKEN OR EVEN SHELLFISH

yields 4 cups..freezes well

2 1/2 pounds  Italian/Roma tomatoes, halved
7 jalapeno peppers cut in half and seeds removed
2 cups finely chopped onion
2tbsp olive oil
8 cloves garlic, roasted and smashed
1tsp salt
1 cup  unsalted butter
1tbsp cider vinegar

 PREHEAT OVEN 400F

TOP SHELF

Lay the tomato halves cut side down and same with the chiles on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 20-30 mins until lightly toasted.
Remove  from oven and cool slightly on cookie sheet.

meanwhile 
in a large skillet heat the oil and saute the onions & garlic for 4 mins .
Add the tomatoes and peppers,then blend until smooth.

In same skillet heat the butter and sugar and then add the pureed tomato-pepper mix.
Cook for 10 mis on low simmer then bottle or serve.

PINEAPPLE-CHIPOTLE SAUCE
Great for anything BBQ'd, sauteed seafood or in place of Asian plum sauce


Yields 3 cups

4 cups canned crushed pineapple in it's own juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced

Cook together in 1/2 cup water  on medium simmer until 3 cups remain.

Place in a blender with 3 canned chipotle peppers and 2 tsp adobe sauce (chipotles are packed in adobe sauce)
Juice and zest 2 fresh limes

Blend until smooth.
Return to heat and cook for 3 mins..serve warm or bottle & store.

GREEN CHILE SAUCE
Serve with chicken, fish, potatoes, eggs or as a a base for Green Chile Stew

Yield 3 cups

4 pounds Anaheim chiles and 4 green jalapenos
Roast under a broiler until nicely blackened then put in a plastic bag to steam and cool.
Peel without using running water to preserve their oils.

10 cloves garlic smashed and minced
4 cups water
4tsp Mexican oregano
 2tso ground cumin
2tsp salt

Place the cooked and peeled/seeded pepper in a blender with all ingredients and coarsely chop. DO NOT PUREE.
return to pan and heat for 10 mins. Serve warm or bottle and cool

RECIPE: "ANTS CLIMBING A TREE" FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR OF THE HORSE JAN 31ST 2014

Here is a wonderful recipe..and can be made with any ground, lean meat.
In the photographs I used ground, lean turkey.

This is before adding the noodles which the client did at their home

This feeds 4

6 dried shitake mushrooms (optional)- soak in hot water for 30 mins..reserve soaking liquid, slice thinly

1 pound fresh mushrooms air dried for 3 days, then sliced thinly
2 bunches well washed and sliced, leaves and stems fresh kale/ Swiss chard/Field spinach
2 tbsp peanut/grape seed oil
1 inch ginger minced (no need to peel)
1 pound ground meat
2 tbsp light/low salt soy sauce
2tbsp sherry/rice wine/Madeira
sesame oil
1/2tsp dried chili flakes
1/2 cup chicken broth ( plus 1/2 cup reserved liquid from soaking dried mushrooms)
1/2 cup minced scallions
2 cloves garlic smashed and minced
salt and pepper to taste
Cornstarch to  thicken
1 cup minced cilantro


8 ozs Noodles. broken into 2 inch pieces...pasta/buckwheat/rice vermicelli*

Method:

Blanch the greens in boiling water which has had 1/4 tsp baking soda added.
Drain well and squeeze out excess water, then chop finely...allow to cool.

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet and add the ginger and garlic  cook for 30 seconds, then add the meat in small batches and cooking until, the meat is no longer pink, remove.

Add the Sherry, soy sauce and 1/4tsp sesame oil and the cooked meat, & mushrooms, stir well then add the greens, chile flakes, stock and cook for 3 mins.
Add salt and pepper to taste

Add the noodles*

Rice vermicelli soak in hot water for 5 mins, until they are softened..then drain and add to the wok with the meat
Pasta and buckwheat noodles precook to al dente in boiling water, drain and add with the meat.

Cook  over high heat for 3 mins and thicken sauce with a little cornstarch and water.
Remove from heat & stir in scallions, minced cilantro & 1/4 tsp sesame oil serve at once, on hot plates/bowls

Ants climbing a tree before adding the trees, roasted half chicken, salads..all photos and tips..COMPLETING ASIAN THEMED MENU FOR DELIVERY TODAY

Steamed carrots, butternut squash and zucchini

sauteing the ground turkey in batches for Ants climbing a tree

Adding the sauteed turkey and dried and fresh shitake mushrooms for Ants

Crystallized ginger, fresh ginger, cucumber, cilantro, scallions, olive oil and lemon juice..Cucumber-ginger salad

Ants climbing a tree, before adding soba noodles..cooked turkey, mushrooms, scallions, ginger, garlic, sherry, soy sauce, chicken stock, kale, Salt & pepper

Fresh SEASONAL fruit salad with jicama, kiwi, bananas, berries, pineapple, apple, orange

Asparagus and parsnip soup; Asian style Vegetable & Chicken Soup; Hot and Sour mushroom-Chicken soup; Recipes for great Chicken broth... Prep in photos for delivery tomorrow

Allow mushrooms to dry at room temp for 2 days before using for better texture..on no account wash them EVER

All vegetables brought home from market and plunge-washed, now air drying

Bok Choy leaves for the chicken and vegetable soup

Bok Choy stems for the Chicken-Vegetable soup

Hot & Sour Mushroom-Vegetable with egg white..no spice but rice wine vinegar, dark soy sauce and very strong flavored chicken broth

Asparagus, coconut cream and parsnip soup

Egg yolk and coconut cream for thickening the asparagus-parsnip soup

partially blend and add more asparagus and top with coconut cream

Pot sticker for the Chicken-Vegetable soup..don't pre-cook as the hot soup will cook it

The Chicken-Vegetable and pot sticker soup

Hello world of GOOD Eaters..I am posting the entire menu for delivery tomorrow on this blog rather than Goodeliphe.blogspot, as all the entrees and soup contain chicken/turkey.


The important thing to do when making broth type soups is to make good home made broth..canned or boxed stock will not be strong or flavorful enough:

When making good broth at home use chicken backs, necks and wings.  Giblets are good but NO LIVERS.
Always remove as much fat from the carcasses ( although when it is finished & the broth cools, clean chicken fat will solidify on surface and can be removed next day..I store mine in airtight containers and use to roast my chickens)


French style chicken broth: raw or roasted golden brown chicken carcasses, necks and wings, cold water, carrots, onions, celery, bay laurel, thyme parsley sprigs, salt & pepper to taste.
bring to boil and simmer for 1 1/2 hours  covered, and skim , skim, skim the surface from any scum.
You may also add garlic cloves unpeeled.
Allow to cool and strain, remove any meat from chicken bones and use later in soups.
Store in fridge.


Asian style Chicken broth:
raw chicken backs, necks, feet ( they add a good gel), giblets. Cold water
Onions/leeks, scallions, garlic cloves, ginger root chopped (unpeeled)
Bring to boil and simmer 2 1/2 hours.
Strain while still hot.
Store when cold in fridge


Use either broth for any good soup..adding meat and vegetables as required..both broths will set up as a gel overnight.
Remove any chicken fat when cold.

The entrees are roast chicken and  carrots, squash and yams; mashed potatoes

A ground turkey dish called Ants Climbing a Tree which is mushroom, kale, ground turkey and soba noodles, sesame oil..I will post more photos of the meat entrees tomorrow when I make them


A Ginger-cucumber salad

Fresh Fruit salad with Pineapple, Jicama, kiwi, oranges, bananas, berries

OVEN BRAISED GRAPES & SAUSAGES WITH SMOOTH POLENTA

I love this dish, having first experienced it over 40years ago while cruising the Northern Italian Coast, while cooking on private yachts.
It  reminds me of pork and apple sauce and even bangers and mash..but much more yummy.

This feeds 4..good servings for supper or lunch along with a simple green salad

1 pound sweet grapes..green or black, seedless preferred.
Wash well in running water and drain well.

1 tbsp fresh herbs ( rosemary, sage, marjoram, chervil & etc.)
or 1tsp dried herb of choice

1 pound sausage ( 4 links) your choice

3 cups water or chicken broth

3/4 cup polenta or coarse corn meal

Method:

Put the grapes on a cookie sheet or ovenproof dish, cover with foil and bake in a preheated 400f oven, middle shelf for about 20 mins..when they begin to feel soft.

Stir the rosemary into the grapes.
Then pierce each sausage with tines of a fork, several times and place on top of the grapes.
Return to oven and bake approx 20 more minutes until sausages begin to brown.

Meanwhile in a 2qt ovenproof dish mix the broth and polenta.
Bake in oven on lower third shelf level.
Turn over the sausages and stir up the grapes and continue to bake uncovered until the sausages have browned and grapes have caramelized.
Also the polenta has absorbed all the liquid and is still soft ( 25-30 mins)...stir the polenta often as it cooks and also more the sausages and grapes around as well.

To serve:
Spread the polenta in a smooth layer over the base of the warmed serving dish.
Top with the sausages, then with a slotted spoon top this with the grapes, and leftover juices may be used to dress the green salad.

Serve hot.

Variations: 

in place of grapes try chopped seasonal apples, peaches, plums ( stones/pits removed but leave the skin on..maybe cook a little longer before adding the sausages)

you may also add some olive oil or melted butter to the polenta before baking for a richer dish

SPICY-WALNUT CRUSTED CHICKEN PIECES..RECIPE

Here is a gorgeous recipe almost French inspired......

1 X 4 POUND CHICKEN cut into pieces, drumsticks, thighs, breast with wing, and breast tip.
 OR you may use pork or veal chops 1 inch thick

1/2 cup prepared English mustard or horseradish
3 tbsp honey
2tbsp molasses ( UK 1tbsp black Treacle)
6 cloves garlic smashed and minced


2 cups toasted walnut pieces..processed chunky
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 tsp dried herbs( thyme, cumin seeds, oregano, sage, rosemary - your choice)
1/2 cup olive oil

Sea Salt &  crushed black pepper to taste

Wash and dry well the chicken pieces, you may skin or leave the skin on (your choice, I prefer mine with the skin on).
Place the chicken pieces In a deep casserole dish,  and pour over the honey, molasses, mustard and garlic and mix well.
Seal with  plastic wrap and place overnight in refrigerator.

next day...


PREHEAT OVEN 400F MIDDLE TO HIGH SHELF

Mix the walnuts, breadcrumbs, dried herbs, oil &  seasonings and dredge the chicken pieces, shaking off excess.
Place pieces on a greased cookie sheet, skin side up.

Bake for 10 mins at 400F

Then turn temp down to 350F and bake for 30-35 mins, until the pieces are tender and golden browned.
Remove from oven and then serve with green salad or coleslaw.

Variations: You may add hot sauce and minced ginger/soy sauce.
Try another nut..pecans, almonds, even coconut works as long as it is not sweetened.
Great for picnics or game night

Very tasty and very different flavors.