Chile Rellenos

|
By
|
8 comments

As a girl who used to turn her nose up at Mexican food, I’m a million miles away from where I started. One of my very favorite things to order at a Mexican restaurant is chile rellenos. A pepper that’s been stuffed with potato and cheese, then fried? Sign me up. Now that summer is upon us, and in another month or so I’ll be picking a basket full of poblano peppers every couple of days, I figured it was only prudent to buckle down and come up with my ideal relleno recipe.

A big misconception is that chile rellenos are super spicy. Not the case, so don’t let the word “chile” scare you off. We don’t mind a little heat, but if you’d like them even milder – just remove all of the seeds from inside the pepper before filling. I fried this batch to keep it authentic, but often I skip the batter entirely and just stick the stuffed peppers under the broiler for a few minutes. Shaves some time and calories, which is always a good thing! When paired with some Spanish rice, these make a delicious and satisfying summer meal. Enjoy!

Chile Rellenos

4 poblano peppers
2 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
vegetable oil, for frying

For the sauce:
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly, place in a large bowl, and set aside.

To make the sauce; combine the onion, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and chicken stock, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside.

Make a slit down one side of each pepper. Place them in a dry skillet over medium heat, turning them frequently until the skins blister. Place the chiles in a Ziploc bag and seal closed to steam peppers. Set aside for 20 minutes, then carefully peel off the skins and remove the seeds, if desired, keeping the chiles whole. Dry the chiles with paper towels and set them aside.

Put the cream cheese and shredded cheese in the bowl with the potatoes. Add salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Spoon some of the potato filling into each chile, and squeeze it back closed.

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites to firm peaks. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale, then fold in the egg whites. Scrape the mixture onto a large, shallow dish. Place the flour in another shallow dish and season it with salt.

Add 1/2″ oil to a heavy bottomed skillet and heat to 375. Coat a few chiles first in flour and then in egg before adding carefully to the hot oil. Fry the chiles in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Serve on a bed of chile sauce, with some sauce drizzled on top as well.

Source: adapted from The Complete Mexican, South American & Caribbean Cookbook

Crispy Cajun Potato Rounds

|
By
|
6 comments

I’m so glad that I made these to share with you guys, because I had forgotten how much I loved them. I first had them back in my order-out almost every night days of my youth. I would always get a veggie wrap from a local waterfront restaurant on Chincoteague, and if I was lucky, these crispy potato rounds came alongside. That “luck” pretty much coincided with the fact that they had leftover baked potatoes from the night before.They eventually took the veggie wrap off the menu, and I started making my own spicy potato rounds.

Now, I don’t usually have extra baked potatoes hanging out, but it’s worth it to bake a few in advance to make these. I’ve also successfully done a quick cook on the potatoes by microwaving them for a few minutes, then letting cool for about 20 minutes before slicing and frying. They’re absolutely delicious, a cross between a potato chip and a french fry. And, I love the spicy kick that the Cajun seasoning adds! Make sure you add it as soon as it comes out of the oil, adheres to the potato much better while they are still hot. These make a simple sandwich for dinner a little more special. Enjoy!

Crispy Cajun Potato Rounds

2.5 lbs russet potatoes (about 6 medium), cooked and cooled
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt, optional
1 quart vegetable oil, for frying

Line a large plate or platter with several layers of paper towels. Place vegetable oil into 5 qt dutch oven and bring to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, slice potatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Fry potatoes in batches, being careful to not overcrowd the pan, for about 2 minutes. Remove potatoes to paper towel lined platter to drain. Season with seasoning and additional salt (if desired) immediately. Repeat with remaining potatoes.

Note: the fried potatoes can be kept warm (and remain crispy)  in 200 degree oven for up to 30 minutes.

Stuffed Artichokes

|
By
|
6 comments

I don’t watch a lot of “trash” TV, but I will admit that “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (and various other sundry cities) is a guilty pleasure of mine. The new season started last night, so to mark the occasion, I made a dish from Teresa Giudice’s second book, Fabulicious. She’s full of herself, talks a lot of smack, and is completely wonky – but hey, what woman on those series of shows honestly isn’t? Surprisingly, the recipes that I’ve tried from her book have been good. A super quick marinara, which I’ve made a couple of times, and will be sharing later this week. And, these stuffed artichokes – which were absolutely delicious. A perfect side dish or light main course for the summer months!

Last weekend I went to see Titanic in 3D with an old friend, the very same friend I saw it with 6 times in the theater. I had to drive 3 hours to get to an IMAX theater (go big or go home – right?), so I took the opportunity to stop by Trader Joe’s on the way home to stock up on pantry staples. Artichokes are in season right now, so I picked up 4 and brought them home. I also picked up one of their artisan red wine salamis – they are so good diced up and topping a Greek salad, or in a pasta salad. Or, in stuffed artichokes.

I followed the recipe, up until the point of cooking method. I decided to bake them, as opposed to cooking them in a dutch oven on the stove top. Some other recipes called for parboiling the artichokes first, but I didn’t bother with that. Just let them bake a little longer. The sauce that forms in the bottom of the baking dish was absolutely delicious. Perfect to scoop up with the artichoke leaves you pull off to eat one by one. Will definitely be making these again, everyone really enjoyed them!

Stuffed Artichokes

4 large artichokes
1 lemon, halved
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
4 oz dry Italian sausage or hard salami, diced small
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup water
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (for topping)

Preheat oven to 425. To prep the artichokes, cut off the stems so they sit securely in the baking dish. Trim off and discard 1 inch of leaves from the top of each artichoke. Using kitchen shears, snip off the thorny tips from the remaining leaves. As you work, rub the cut surfaces with the cut side of the lemon half to keep the artichoke from discoloring.

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, sausage, parsley, Romano cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Working with one artichoke at a time, using your fingers, pack 1/4 of the filling between the outer layers of the tougher leaves, spreading the leaves as best you can. Press and remaining stuffing over the top of the artichoke. Place into baking dish.

Combine the marinara and 1 cup water, and pour into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes, or until the artichokes can be pierced easily with a knife.

Remove from oven, and turn on broiler. Top artichokes with Parmesan cheese, and return to the oven to broil for about 1 minute – until cheese is starting to brown.

Transfer each artichoke and some sauce to a bowl and serve warm.

Source: adapted from Fabulicious! by Teresa Giudice

Grilled Baby Bok Choy

|
By
|
4 comments

Grilled bok choy is one of my favorite vegetable side dishes. I usually cook it when we’re putting something on the grill anyways – steak, chicken, kabobs.  Often I’ll just keep the seasoning simple – olive oil, salt, and pepper. But, whenever I want something a little more special,  I made a wonderful spicy Asian vinaigrette to go on top before grilling.

Some people steer clear of bok choy because it falls under the cabbage category. If you think you don’t like cabbage, give this recipe a try. I too, was a “cabbage hater”, but bok choy really brought me around. It’s a very mild flavor, so it’s a great place to start. Feel free to play around with the flavorings in the vinaigrette too. I like the flavors that the soy sauce and Sriracha lend, but just most things in the kitchen, the possibilities are endless! I like to use  baby bok choy if I can find it, because it cooks so quickly and is tender. Large heads of bok choy will work as well, but you should quarter them before grilling.

Grilled Baby Bok Choy

4 heads of baby bok choy (or 1 head of full-sized)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat for 15 minutes, and lightly oil the grate.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, and black pepper. Slice the bok choy in half, lengthwise. Brush the cabbage with the soy sauce mixture on the cut side, letting the vinaigrette fall into the grooves.

Lay the bok choy on the preheated grill, cut side up. Cook until the stalks show grill marks and the leaves are crisp at the edges, about 2 minutes. Turn the bok choy, brush with remaining soy mixture, cover, and grill the other side for about 2 more minutes. Remove to platter and serve.