Mexican Chorizo and Corn Chowder

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Mexican Chorizo and Corn ChowderA few weeks ago a huge box of goodies arrived on my door sent by the good folks at V&V Supremo. They specialize in Mexican products – chorizo, cheeses, cremas ans sour creams. I have a hard time finding good, authentic Mexican ingredients here in my rural area, so it was a real treat to have so many yummy ingredients at the ready!

I’ve long wanted to make a spin on my Southwestern Potato & Corn Chowder using chorizo for a Mexican twist. So, that’s pretty much what I did. The flavor from the chorizo just melts down into every bite of the soup. Chunks of tender potato and crunchy corn make for a filling soup that fills you up, but doesn’t weigh you down. I used some quesco fresco to crumble on top, and a little fresh cilantro. It was amazing!

I’ll definitely be stocking up on more of their chorizo next time I’m doing a stock-up trip in the big city. It’s great to have around for so many applications, and has so much more flavor than traditional sausage…that isn’t spicy either – just intensely flavored. If you’ve never used chorizo in your kitchen before, this soup is a great place to start! Make this one soon, guys – it’s a winner!

Mexican Chorizo & Corn Chowder

1 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz. pork or beef chorizo, casing removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups starchy potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1 cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, for serving

Heat olive oil in large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and cook, breaking up into chunks until it breaks down – about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and peppers. Cook 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and cumin. Cook 3 minutes. Slowly add in broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.

Add the corn, the sour cream, and the cooked chorizo – cook for about 15 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want a thicker consistency, give the chowder a few mashes with a potato masher to break down some of the potatoes and thicken the mixture.

To serve, ladle chowder into bowl. Top with crumbled cheese and fresh cilantro.

Disclaimer: I was provided with products courtesy of V&V Supremo. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dill Pickle Soup

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Dill Pickle Soup

I know. I know what you must be thinking…pickle soup? WTF? Right? I thought the same at first when I’d overheard several people mention this soup. It’s also on the menu at one of my favorite little spots to grab a bite here on Chincoteague, Poseidon’s Pantry. So naturally, I had to give it a try at home.

Last week Jon ventured to San Francisco for work stuff. What better place to have to go to for a 49ers fan? I was at home with our 3 boys, and we survived. I’m blessed with pretty well behaved kids! Towards the end of the week I had two of my best girlfriends over to for dinner to try this odd soup…

Turns out it’s REALLY good. Chunks of potato, dill pickles, carrots, chicken broth, sour cream and fresh dill all combine together to create a wonderfully rich, and filling – yet light soup. I think the key is to use really good quality refrigerated pickles in the soup. They stay crunchy and retain their briny flavor. Whereas some of the guys from the shelves in the jars are flabby and crunch-less from the get-go.

We all really enjoyed it, especially the boys. With all the bright flavor from the pickles and the dill, it’s a great soup to welcome springtime. Definitely one I’ll be making again and again, it’s just too much fun not to!

Dill Pickle Soup

5 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 3/4 pounds russet potatoes (about 5 large), peeled and diced
5 carrots, peeled and shredded (2 cups pre-shredded)
1 cup chopped dill pickles (about 3 large)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
2 cups dill pickle juice
1-1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp fresh dill, chopped
kosher salt
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
sliced dill pickles (for garnish)
fresh dill (for garnish)

In a large pot, combine broth, potatoes, carrots and butter. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add pickles and continue to boil.

In a medium bowl, stir together cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Whisk into soup, stirring constantly until thickened. Whisk in the sour cream until combined.

Add pickle juice, Old Bay, dill, black pepper, and salt to taste. Cook 5 more minutes and remove from heat.

Garnish with slices of pickles and fresh dill before serving.

Souce: adapted from The Noble Pig

Soprano’s Sunday Gravy

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Soprano's Sunday Gravy

I’ve talked before about my love of all things mafioso. While I was always a fan of the classics like Goodfellas and The Godfather trilogy, it was really The Sopranos that really cemented that love. One of my favorite cookbooks is The Sopranos Family Cookbook. Every single recipe I’ve tried from it has been wonderful. The first one that I ever made from it’s pages is this recipe for Sunday gravy…

Italians call a meaty sauce that’s been simmered all day a “gravy”. This one is made with the addition of country pork ribs, sausage, and veal – which I leave out (I just can’t get past the baby cow thing). Now, if you’ve never added pork to your red sauce – with all due respect, but you’ve sorely been missing out. It adds such a wonderful richness and complexity that is unparalleled. Sausage is great, but the pork ribs are really where it’s at.

It’s wonderful simply tossed with pasta, or if you want to doll it up even more you can add mozzarella cheese and mini-meatballs to make Ziti al Forno. No matter what you do with it, you can’t go wrong with this sauce. It’s really a staple. Do yourself a favor and make it soon, you won’t regret it! Bada-bing.

Soprano’s Sunday Gravy

For the sauce:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb meaty pork neck bones or 1 lb pork spareribs
1 lb Italian sausage
4 garlic cloves
1?4 cup tomato paste
3 (28 ounce) cans peeled Italian tomatoes
2 cups water
6 leaves fresh basil, torn into small pieces
kosher salt
black pepper

For the meatballs:
1 lb lean ground beef (at least 80/20)
1?2 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1?2 cup parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp kosher salt
black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Pat the pork dry, season with salt and pepper, and place the pieces in the pot. Cook turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer pork to a plate.

Place the sausages in the pot and brown on all sides. Set the sausages aside with the pork. Drain off most of the rendered fat from the pot.

Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes or until golden. Remove and discard the garlic. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until starting to brown.

Using clean hands, gently squeeze the tomatoes to break them down slightly, and add to the pot (along with the tomato juices). Add the water; and salt and pepper to taste. Add the pork, sausages, and basil and bring the sauce to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs: Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a large bowl. Mix together thoroughly. Rinse your hands with cool water and lightly shape the mixture into 3/4 inch balls.

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet. Add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides. They will finish cooking in the sauce. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.

After the sauce has cooked for its two hours, add the meatballs and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the meats are very tender.

To serve, remove the meats from the sauce and set aside. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese.

Serve the meats as a second course, or reserve them for another day.

Source: adapted from The Sopranos Family Cookbook

Hearty Beef Stew

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Beef Stew

The chapter we call winter is finally coming to a close. And while I’m super excited to welcome spring, I’ll definitely miss those warm stick-to-your-rib meals that we get to enjoy during those cold months. One of my favorites is this hearty beef stew. It’s a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that I’ve been making for close to 10 years now, and for good reason – because it’s absolutely delicious.

I love taking a tough cut of beef like a chuck roast and turning it into the tender chunks that melt in your mouth. The addition of red wine to the stew adds such wonderful richness and depth of flavor, and really compliments and brings out all the wonderful flavors in the beef. Red potatoes, carrots, and peas also come to the party for a dip in the tub. Troublemakers.

It makes a large pot full that is plenty for supper one evening, and then enough leftovers for several lunches worth. And like with all stews and soups, it just gets better as time progresses. It also freezes wonderfully for an easy meal when you don’t feel like cooking. Definitely one of our favorites!

Hearty Beef Stew

3 lbs. beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes
Salt and ground pepper
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1/4 tsp salt
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine (Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
2 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
4 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large carrots (about 1 lb.), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup frozen peas
Season beef generously with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add half the meat so that pieces are not touching and cook not moving until brown (about 2-3 min). Use tongs and rotate pieces until all sides are browned (about 5 additional min.). Transfer beef to medium bowl and add another 1 Tbsp oil to pan, repeating previous steps with other half of beef.

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 Tbsp oil to now empty pan and swirl to coat bottom. Add onions and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, scraping bottom of pan for brown bits until softened (about 5 mins). Add garlic and continue to cook for 30 sec. Stir in the flour and cook until lightly colored (1-2 min.). Add wine, scraping the bottom and stirring until thick and flour is dissolved.

Slowly add the beef broth, stirring constantly, scraping up the remaining browned bits on bottom of pan. Add bay leaves and thyme and return to simmer. Add beef, return to simmer, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 1 hour.

Add potatoes and carrots, leave uncovered, increase heat to medium and cook for additional hour.

Add the peas, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 min.

Discard bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

SOURCE: The New Best Recipe by America’s Test Kitchen