Shrimp Tacos with Chipolte Ranch Sauce

I'm not the biggest seafood fan in the world. In general, I like it best when the "fish" flavor is mild and it's breaded and fried.

Shrimp is a different story. As long as it's ultra fresh, I like it prepared almost any way.

For these tacos, I sauted the shrimp in olive oil with a little salt and pepper. That's it. The key was cooking them so they were firm but tender and burst in your mouth when bit into - that is the perfect texture for tacos!

The real flavor and seasoning for this dish is the chipolte ranch sauce that I made from scratch. I was heavy with the chipotle for it because I wanted it extra smoky with some good kick. The creamy base can really tame the kick, so more chipotle in adobo is required for extra zing.

I used corn tortillas which is not low carb, but I'm not really on a low-carb diet  — I'm just paying attention to my carb intake and trying to keep it as low as possible without being miserable. I'm not ready to throw away my corn tortillas. I'll limit my french-fry intake, but corn tortillas are off limits for now!

Honestly - I destroyed these tacos.

The bursting shrimp with the chipotle ranch sauce was mouth-watering. The onion and cilantro garnish added a real freshness to the bite. All of this wrapped in a lightly-fried corn tortilla made for some of the best homemade tacos I've had in a long time.

Try this if you are a shrimp taco fan.

Eat well, cook often ...

Chipotle Ranch Sauce
1 clove garlic
3/4 C sour cream
3/4 cup mayo
1 C buttermilk
1 pkg Ranch seasoning mix
1/4 C chipolte in adobo, minced

— With blade of a blender running, drop garlic clove in to mince. Add all other ingredients and blend 3 or 4 minutes. Stop blender and scrap down sides if needed during process. Pour into container and refrigerate 1 hour berfore serving.


Sauted Shrimp
1 lb of large raw shrimp, deveined, shell and tail removed

— In a little olive oil over medium high heat saute shrimp 1 min. to 1 min, 30 sec. per side or until just cooked through and translucent. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tacos
8 corn tortillas, street taco size
Sauted shirmp
Chipotle sauce
Finely diced onion and cilantro for garnish

— Cook tortillas through (microwave, griddle or lightly fry at 350°)


— Assemble tacos - layer shrimp, sauce, onion and cilantro — then devour!

Makes 8 street tacos, Serves 2

Note: The corn tortillas here are 19g of carbs for a serving of three.
(They are the small "Street Taco" tortillas made by Mission, that come made with either flour or corn)

Chipotle Beef and Bean Chili

Chipolte beef and bean chili

For the first time in a long time I spent my Saturday doing odd jobs around the house and watching college football. It was an unusually cool day for September. Perfect weather for a yummy pot of chili to cook and grub on while watching the action on the grid iron.

For my seasoning I replaced chili powder with chipolte sauce, which is found in the international isle with the Mexican cuisine at about any major grocery chain. The sauce is basically a stew of chipolte chilis (smoked jalapeno), onions, garlic and tomatoes. It has a nice smoky heat and is already a well developed flavor in and of itself. For extra boost, I also added cumin and oregano.

I prefer chili without beans, but when I grabbed the package of ground beef from the freezer earlier in the day to thaw, I realized it was only a pound and a half. Usually, I make it with 2 pound packages. To help the chili go further I added a can of chili beans that I had had lurking in the cupboard for some time. The beans really did help the dish go further.

Once the chili was ready I served it up and never even grabbed a spoon. I used corn tortilla chips to eat every bite. The salty chips turned out to be a great delivery method for the smoky, spicy and beefy mix. It had to have been something — because by the time the football ended — I had devoured 3 bowls of chili and a half bag chips!

Eat well, cook often ...

BEEF AND BEAN CHIPOTLE CHILI
 Serves 4 to 6, 2 hours
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs oregano
1 can chipotle sauce (7 oz)
1 can chili beans (15.5 oz)
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
2 C water
Tortilla chips for serving

Season ground beef with salt and pepper, brown in a 4 to 6 quart soup pot over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes, remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

In drippings saute onion and jalapeno until soft, 5 to 6 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

Add garlic, cumin, oregano. Cook until fragrant 1 to 2 minutes more.

Add chipotle sauce, chili beans, crushed tomatoes, water and return beef to pot. Mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until 3/4 of the liquid evaporate and mixture has thickened, 60 to 90 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve with corn tortilla chips.

Carnitas and Chipotle Salsa

Carnitas with Chipotle salsa

I had never made carnitas.

Now, I'll make them all the time! Cooking pork in a citrus liquid made for sensational grub.

While the carnitas were cooking I kept sticking my nose over the pot and letting my sense of smell drink in the flavors. It was hard waiting for the pot to finish, but it was totally worth it. The citrus didn't overpower, it added a sweet balance to the savory pork and other seasonings in the dish.

From the batch of carnitas I made four servings — tacos twice and two burritos for myself.

I harvested the pork shoulder chunks from a bone-in shoulder I picked up on special at the grocery store. I didn't realize it was bone-in until I was ready to start cooking. I wasn't quite sure how to attack it so I went to youtube and watched a video on how to de-bone a pork shoulder. It worked like a charm and I didn't waste hardly any meat.

To go along with the carnitas I made a spicy chipotle salsa. I knew I would be eating most of it myself over the next week, so I made it hot, probably way to hot for most people, but I like really bold salsa for my tacos. Removing the seeds and flesh from the jalapeno and chipotle peppers can reduce the heat significantly if a milder sauce is desired.

The carnitas and salsa were an evening project on a day off. At one point, I had both pots on the stove simmering away, releasing magical aromas that turned my kitchen air into a yummy potpourri. As I inhaled the stove-top perfume I felt the zen of culinary bliss take over my mind — which made for a great evening of relaxing and eating at home.

Cooking and creating the food that keeps us alive can be a true pleasure, these dishes were exactly that for me.

Eat, well cook often ...

CARNITAS
Serves 4 to 6, 3 hours, 30 minutes
3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into cubes
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs oregano
1 bay leaf
2 oranges, zest and juice
3/4 C pineapple juice
2 C water

In a large pot, over medium-high heat brown pork in a little oil or lard on all sides. Work in batches if necessary, season to taste. Remove pork and add onion, cook until soft 4 to 6 minutes, season to taste. Add garlic, oregano and bay leaf, cook 1 minutes more or until fragrant. Return pork to pan and zest and juice from oranges, pineapple juice and water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Let simmer 2 hours. Remove lid and cook liquid out, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Monitor closely toward the end. Remove from pot and serve. For Tacos I served carnitas with corn tortillas, onion, cilantro and salsa (recipe follows).

CHIPOTLE SALSA
Makes 2 cups, 1 hour, 30 minutes
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
3/4 C pineapple juice
1 Tbs white vinegar
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 can chipotle in adobo sauce
1 C water
1 handful cilantro
2 limes, juice and zest

In a soup pot over medium heat, saute onion and jalapeno in a little oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Add oregano and garlic, cook until fragrant or a another minute or two.  Add pineapple juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chipotles in adobo sauce and water. Bring to a simmer and let cook for an hour or until liquid has reduced by 3/4ths. Let mixture cool for a bit then pour in blender add cilantro, zest and juice of lime. Blend until smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve.

Smoky Chipotle Turkey Chili

Printable version

For the past three Thanksgivings, I have cooked a turkey or turkey breast and traditional sides with my culinary twist applied to publish here. This year, I’m doing something different for the more progressive culinary crowd.

For a main course I have created a smoky chipotle turkey chili!

To enhance the smokiness of the dish I start with diced bacon so that the flavorful renderings can be used to saute the aromatics. I removed the bacon after its cooked and use it as a garnish for the final dish.

Turkey is the star but it really just acts as a canvas for the flavors to stand upon in this recipe. I use a whole can of chipotle chiles in adobe, that I deseed and mince, with cumin and Mexican oregano for the main spice, but to enhance the smoke even further and compliment the chipotle, I add smoked ham hocks to the pot. After a long simmer that reduces the liquid and melds the flavors  – a silky, smoky and meaty chili emerges that can stand tall in any Thanksgiving spread.

BEHIND THIS BITE

My new blog work station.

I’m Back!!!!!!!

After relocating my life 120 miles to the west, I’m finally settled enough to start bloggin' again. I still have a man cave to build and a couple of other projects that will take time away that would other wise be applied here, but I’m finally settled enough to document some of my culinary creations.

I had to convert half of my dinning room into a kitchen work space and food photography studio to do it. I’ve also had to get used to a new place of employment and just move into a new home in general. In the process, I confirmed what I had thought five years ago.

Moving sucks.

Whether it’s across the street or across the country. Having to physically move every thing you own form couches to paper clips is a massive pain in the ass. But, it’s also a new beginning once all of the boxes are in place, which for me has been pretty exciting.

I had to down size significantly when I left New York, so there has been lots of stuff that had to be built or purchased in general just to have a spot to come home to watch TV without a mess in front of me. Now, I can finally do that as well as create a post like this.

I’m happy to have the blogging stuff checked off the list, but what I’m looking forward to most as part of the move is unpacking and displaying my ridiculous Star Wars collection. I just have to build the shelving to house the collectibles as well as the 80 some boxes of books that fill half my bed room!

Yep. I’m a pack rat. Which makes moving even worse!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Just a small part of the Star Wars collection!

Serves 4 to 6; 3 hours
4 strips Bacon, diced
3 lbs Turkey ground
2 C Red onion, diced
2 Jalapeños, diced, seeded
2 Tbs Cumin
1 Tbs Mexican oregano
2 Tbs Garlic, minced
1 can Chipoltes in adobe, minced (7.5 oz)
1 can Crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
4 C Water
1 lb Smoked ham hocks

Render bacon, brown turkey
In a 6-quart dutch oven over medium-high heat cook bacon until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add turkey to pot, sear until just cooked through stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Create flavor base
Add onions and jalapeño to pot, saute until soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chipotle, cumin, Mexican oregano and garlic, let cook 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Make chili
Stir in crushed tomato, water and browned turkey. Add ham hocks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, reducing mixture by one-third. If necessary add more water. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat, discard ham hocks and serve. Garnish with reserved bacon bits.

Bacon Chipotle Mashed Potatoes

Printable version

Potatoes have to be one of the most versatile and loved things to eat on the planet (or at least in the Western Hemisphere). Fried, boiled, baked or even grilled (yes, they can be made great on the grill), whatever the preparation – they are delicious when made right. They're also one of just a few items that can be cooked in the microwave and you would never know it. On a plate they are usually a compliment to the main course but they can often steel the show. Kind of like Robin to Batman.

I still like to eat at McDonalds. Why? The Big Mac? Nope. Quarter Pounder? Nope. The fries are stupid good, best in of the fast food world as far as I’m concerned. I love them. And will likely eat at McD’s from time to time for as long as I live.

Now that I have gotten that out, it time to get down to business. Potato recipes are some of the most popular posts on this site. So every once in a while I like to get creative with the spuds and share it on the interweb.

For this recipe, I use bacon and chipotle pepper to add a smoky fire to some extra creamy mashed potatoes. And yes, I devoured the s**t out of these!

BEHIND THIS BITE

Bacon Chipotle Mashed Potatoes

I have documented well over 300 recipe in information graphic form since I began doing it 4 years ago. In that time, I have created a digital pantry of ingredients that I can re-use in recipes. I am trying to get my staple ingredients, like minced chipotle pepper, shot in every amount from teaspoon to quarter cup. That way when I use it in the future I don’t have to re-shoot it. I just get it from the digital pantry, much like I do when I’m actually cooking.

The prepped ingredients in this recipe are from the there. The bacon and potatoes needed to be shot because I didn't have those amounts photographed. All other shots were taken as I cooked and presented the recipe.

Here is the catch though.

The digital pantry made this a quick recipe to turn around, but ironically, I have been sitting on it for a couple of months! So much for quick turn around. Still, I’m glad to finally be sharing it.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Bacon Chipotle Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4 to 6; 40 minutes
2 1/2 lbs Potatoes, peeled, diced
1 Tbs salt
1/4 C Unsalted butter
1/2 Milk
1/2 C Sour cream
4 slices Bacon
cooked, crumbled
1/4 C Chipotle in adobo, minced

Cook potatoes
Put potatoes in a large pot. Fill with enough water to cover potatoes by at least 1 inch. Stir in salt. Place pot over high heat, bring to a boil and cook potatoes until tender. 12 to 15 minutes.

Drain, Mash, serve
Drain potatoes in a colander. Return to pot and add butter and milk. Mash potatoes until creamy and smooth with a potato masher. Stir in sour cream, bacon and chipotle until well combined, place in a bowl and serve.

Smoky Chipotle Spice Rub

Printable version

Now that grill season is in full swing I like to make new spice rub combinations to flavor my food. Salt, pepper and the taste from a well seasoned grill is actually pretty good on its own, but the right combination of flavors in a spice rub can take food to another level of delicious or even transport a meal to different regions of the world.

I build my spice rubs much like I do a soup or a sauce. I start with base flavors like onion and garlic in their powder form, and salt and pepper is always present to enhance other flavors. Once I have the base I move onto the spices that will be more prominent and work together, like rosemary and thyme for example.

For this recipe, I have an onion and garlic base and use Chipotle chili powder as the star with cumin and oregano as compliments. Chipotle is much hotter than regular chili powder so brown sugar is added to balance the heat. In the end, this rub will add a spicy, smoky Mexican flavor to anything cooked over a fire.

BEHIND THIS BITE

A lettuce wrap disaster photo!

I used this recipe for my print column but it is only part of what I intended the recipe to be. The rub was used on chicken tenders that I grilled, topped with sauteed onions and red pepper then drizzled with a creamy lime sauce. I wrapped everything in a lettuce leaf and it tasted great. I was really happy with the results.

The only problem was the pictures.

The lettuce was out of control! I tried everything to get a good shot that looked like a delicious lettuce wrap. It’s just that the lettuce was like curly hair on a humid day. I just wasn't able to get it to look the way I wanted it. It ended up being a good learning experience. I went to plan B and made a salad-looking dish with all the ingredients, which turned out ok, but in the end, the best overall shots were focused on the rub.

I have found that lettuce is one of the hardest things to get right when styling food and photographing it. I’m sure there are many stylist and photographers that would agree. Thank god I took a few styled shots of the rub, otherwise, I might not have even had this to publish!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Smoky Chipotle Spice Rub

Makes 1/2 cup; 5 minutes
2 Tbs Chipotle chili powder
2 Tbs Brown sugar
1 Tbs + 1 tsp Cumin
1 Tbs Salt
1 Tbs Pepper
2 tsp Onion powder
2 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Oregano

Make rub
In a bowl mix together chipotle powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Liberally sprinkle on meat and rub in with fingers before grilling. Store in a tightly sealed jar.

FOR LESS HEAT
Replace the chipotle powder with regular chili powder for a less spicy and smoky rub that tastes more like a traditional Mexican seasoning.

Mini Bacon Tomato Toasts

Printable version

I think my favorite things to make in the kitchen are bite-sized savory snacks. It’s easier to experiment with tiny treats because it’s just one bite, and you’re not committed to filling your belly with it. This allows room to work with a new ingredient or add a little more heat than usual. A small snack with some spicy fire is much more tolerable than an entire main course, which can affect a person for hours afterward.

For this recipe, I make a bite sized play on the classic BLT. I use cherry tomatoes with bacon on little toasted bread rounds cut from a slice of bread. I replace the lettuce with a sprinkle of cilantro and add a special mayonnaise based sauce featuring smoky chipotle pepper, to compliment the bacon, and the juice and zest of lime to brighten up the flavor. The combination of the sauce and cilantro give this little mini bacon sandwich a spicy southwestern flavor that will help make a plate of these disappear as fast as common sense from a newly elected member of congress.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Mini Bacon Tomato Toasts

I rarely muse about my writing process, but I have a little insight to my thought process. For three years, while I lived in New York, I performed stand up comedy, which was long enough to have a few minutes of decent jokes to perform.

Good stand up is really about good writing, when I sat down to write new material I would start with a story and look for opportunities to insert something witty. Once I found a spot for a joke I would write several different punch lines until I found something that I thought would get laughs, often I would come up with a number of lines before I found the one that I wanted to perform.

I do the same thing when writing for my column and blog. I had an opportunity for a smart-ass comment in the last line of the intro. I ended up with the comment about common sense and politicians, which was my favorite line among many, that I brain stormed through. Here are some of the others that didn’t make the cut:

... help make a plate of these disappear faster than a crowd of teenagers from beer bash in the woods busted by the cops.

... help make a plate of these go down faster than glasses of beer on penny draft night at the local college bar.

... help make a plate of these disappear faster than a pocket full of change at convention for pan handlers.

... help make a plate of these disappear faster than free bullets at a gun convention.

... help make a plate of these go down faster than a 777 out of gas over the Indian Ocean. (ok, too soon)

I think I chose the best one.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Mini Bacon Tomato Toasts

Makes 24; 45 minutes
1/2 C Mayonnaise, plus more for bread
2 Tbs Chipotle in adobo, minced
zest and juice of 1 Lime
8 slices Bacon
8 slices White bread
1/2 pint Cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 C Cilantro chopped

Make sauce, cook bacon
In a bowl combine the mayo, chipotle, zest and juice of lime. Place in refrigerator at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld. Place bacon on a broiler pan and cook 15 minutes until crisp in a pre-heated 425° oven. Cut strips into thirds.

Cut, toast bread
With a cookie cutter portion three rounds out of a each slice of white bread, making 24 total. Coat each side with a little mayo. In batches, toast in a hot pan until golden brown, flipping halfway through.

Assemble
On toasted rounds layer bacon, sauce, cherry tomato and garnish with cilantro. Then serve.

Chipotle Ranch Sauce

Printable version

Back in May I was eating at my favorite taco joint in Fort Wayne called Salsa Grille and the manager was walking around, visiting with customers. When he approached me, I asked him about some of the sauces they served. He told me where I could find the recipe for one in particular - Tomatillo Ranch Dressing.

The dressing features a packet of ranch seasoning and I have been using it to punch up sauces ever since. Two of those sauces I featured here. First, the aforementioned Tomatillo Ranch Dressing, then I went out on a limb and made Sweet Pickle Ranch Sauce.

Well, I now have another – Chipotle Ranch Sauce! You can find it on grocery store shelves and Subway has a version called Southwest Ranch, but this version has more flavor punch than anything you can buy at a store or chain restaurant. It’s best after it has sat in the fridge for at least an hour to let all the flavors mingle and it’s good on anything from chicken tenders, to burgers and even tacos. I think I’ll keep a batch of this in the fridge at all times.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Chipotle Ranch Sauce

I have been using ranch seasoning packets so much that I think it is time for me to make a homemade version or at least put together a homemade ranch in general. It adds so much flavor to a sauce and gives it that mouth-watering quality.

Recently, I posted a number of items that I made for a Taco party that served 125 people. I made a quart of Tomatillo Ranch dressing and told people to use it as a finishing sauce on tacos and plates of nachos. All of the sauces I made for the party got good reviews, but I heard more about the Tomatillo Ranch than any other. That was part of the reason I went back to the drawing board and made this sauce, I figured I could get at least one more unique and delicious sauce out of the seasoning. It has become a pantry staple for me and I think I need to see how it works in a dry rub or breading next.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Chipotle Ranch Sauce

Makes 2 Cups; 5 minutes
1 C Buttermilk
1 C Mayonnaise
1 pkg Ranch seasoning mix (1 oz)
2 Tbs Chipolte pepper in adobo, seeded, minced
1 tsp Garlic minced

Make sauce
In a bowl whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, ranch seasoning, chipolte pepper and garlic until well incorporated. Place in refrigerator and let flavors meld for 1 hour before serving.

Spicy Chipotle Tomato Soup

Printable version

Tomato soup was always my favorite canned variety growing up. I loved to let it cool a little, then crumble a few saltine crackers into the bowl, stir it up, then gulp it down like a pledge at a fraternity party. Today, I can’t really say tomato is my favorite soup, because soup in general is one of my favorite things to make regardless of variety. I rarely eat the canned stuff anymore, because homemade soups are so much tastier. I use canned soup mainly as an ingredient in other recipes.

When I make tomato soup I like to start with bacon, the two seem to work well together and it’s a great flavor to build upon in general. I also like it spicy and blended into a smooth texture, which makes it the perfect compliment to a creamy grilled cheese.

For this tomato soup, I use chipotle pepper for a smoky and spicy boost to the bacon. It also features poblano pepper, cumin and Mexican oregano to give the final product a South of the border zing.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Spicy Chipotle Tomato Soup

As soon as I took the first taste of this I knew I had to throw together a grilled cheese to serve along side it. I originally planned to make the soup alone but the spiciness screamed for balance and when it comes to tomato soup there is no better compliment than a gooey grilled cheese!

This soup featured poblano peppers in the mirepoix to add a little zestiness. In my experience poblano is generally a mild pepper, but about 1 out of 10 seems to have the kick of a much hotter pepper. Well, as luck would have it, one of the poblanos in this batch was hellfire hot, therefore making this soup on the higher end of the spice scale.

The chipotle added a decent amount of heat by itself, the addition of a tongue blistering freak from the poblano family made me reluctant to share this without the grilled cheese – by itself it was hot enough to make my nose run.

A Southwest grilled cheese that I busted out to go along side this soup made for the perfect balance. Look for it in my next post.

Eat well, cook often ....

THE RECIPE

Spicy Chipotle Tomato Soup

Serves 6; 45 minutes
5 strips Bacon diced
1 C Red onion diced
1/2 C Poblano pepper, diced, seeded
1 Tbs Garlic minced
2 Tbs Flour
4 C Chicken broth
2 cans Diced tomatoes (28 oz each)
2 Tbs Chipolte in adobo, minced, seeded
1 Tbs Cumin
1 tsp Mexican oregano
Cilantro and reserved bacon for garnish

Render bacon, reserve
In a soup pot over medium heat cook bacon until crisp and fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and reserve for garnish.

Create soup base
In the bacon drippings sauté onion and poblano pepper until soft, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Add a few grinds of fresh cracked black pepper. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more or until fragrant. Sift in flour and stir until well incorporated, let cook 2 minutes.

Make soup
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, chipotle pepper, cumin and oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. With a hand blender or in a counter top blender puree mixture until smooth, adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon into bowls and garnish with cilantro and reserved bacon.

Spicy Chicken Creamy Cucumber Tostada

Printable version

The cucumber salad used to dress this tostada makes it an all star. The salad is absolutely delicious on its own, here it acts as a balance to the spicy chipotle chicken.

I used McCormick chipotle chili powder and when compared to their normal chili powder, the chipotle is off the scale as far as heat. I ate a spoonful of the chicken by itself to check the flavor and it literally made me cough – needless to say, the chicken has some kick. That's all neutralized by the cucumber salad though, it compliments the chipotle just perfectly and it allows the flavors to stand out and not be overtaken by the heat. The spice is there but the creamy ranch swoops in to tame the fire before it can set the tongue a blaze.

The end result is an absolute show stopper. If I owned a restaurant or food truck I would use this cucumber-ranch-chipotle combo in some sort of way on the menu.

It’s a winner.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Spicy Chicken Creamy Cucumber Tostada

I was so impressed by this cucumber salad that I have made three dishes with it. This dish is made from the leftovers from the first time I made it. The next dish it will appear in features a fresh batch, but that is for another post. I'm really impressed by its flavor and have just went crazy with it. When you have a winner you ride it to the championship! This cucumber salad is the Walter Payton of my kitchen right now.

I have found over three years of writing my food column that when you have something that works it’s best to go with it and see where you can take it. Eventually you’ll get tired of it but by building on flavors you can really get creative and make some outstanding stuff that is really original. I wish I could do that with every single thing I make, but for now I’ll pick and choose what I can go crazy on. This happened to be coast effective and plentiful enough to go the extra mile.

I wish ribeye were as cheap as cucumbers - that would be an experiment I could never get tired of!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Spicy Chicken Creamy Cucumber Tostada

Serves 4 to 6; 35 minutes
5 Cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 C Red onion, diced
1 pkg Ranch seasoning
1/2 C Sour cream
1/2 C Mayonnaise
1/4 C Pickle brine, strained from jar of bread and butter pickles
1 lb Ground chicken
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 Tbs Chipotle chili powder
12 Tostadas
2 C Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
3/4 C Lettuce shredded
1/2 C Cherry tomatoes halved

Mix together
In a large bowl, mix together cucumber, onion, ranch seasoning, sour cream, mayo and pickle juice until thoroughly combined.

Cook chicken
In a sauté pan over medium heat cook chicken in a little olive oil until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir and break up chunks while cooking, mix in chipotle, onion and garlic powder half way through.

Finish
In batches, place tostadas on a baking sheet with a spoonful of chicken and cheese. Cook in a preheated 400° oven until cheese is melted and tostadas crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and garnish with lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad.
Then serve.

Chipotle Aioli

Printable version

The first time I ever tried chipotle aioli was at my favorite beer joint in Astoria, Queens called Sunswick. I would always ask for a side of it when I ordered their chicken tenders. I liked dipping the crispy tender into the smoky goodness before each bite. For years I made a homemade version by mixing minced chipotle pepper with mayonnaise. It was always tasty but it was never as good as what I had eaten at the Sunswick.

Recently I had a couple of chipotle peppers left over from another recipe – which is typical. I always seem to have a third of the can or more leftover every time I use them and they usually end up getting thrown away after a month in the fridge. Instead of letting the chipotle peppers go to waste I made it a point to use them. I decided it was time to make a chipotle aioli from scratch, not the easy chipotle mayo version I’d been making for years.

I made regular garlic aioli sometime ago that was inspired by a version from Cook’s Illustrated, it was ok, but after making it, I thought the olive oil the recipe called for wasn’t the right choice. I decided I would throw out any health conscious whims and use vegetable oil for the this aioli along with a few other modifications including the addition of two tablespoons of miced chipotle peppers.

When it was all said and done, I really loved the flavor of this aioli, it took me back to the tasty chipotle aioli I enjoyed at the Sunswick.

I realized the Sunswick was making it from scratch, which is why my previous attempts of chipotle mayo were never quit as tasty as the aioli. If you have a few chipotles left in the bottom of a can I highly recommend trying this for a spread, or do what I did with this batch - use it as a dipping sauce for fries.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Chipotle Aioli

It’s hard to believe that it has been over three years since I moved from New York City and enjoyed the chipotle aioli at the Sunswick. There are times when I really miss New York but I have to admit leaving was the best choice I have ever made. I've grown creatively, spiritually and best of all – reconnected with my family.

There may be a point in my life where I decide to reside in the Big Apple once again because I will always have a soft spot for it. I didn’t leave because of New York itself, I left to explore the place I grew up and to try and reinvent myself professionally. I feel like I have (with a long way to go yet) and I’m more inspired than ever to keep creating, it’s gotten me this far and I can’t wait to see where it will take me in the future.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Chipotle aioli

Makes 1 cup; 5 minutes
2 Egg yolks
1 Tbs Lemon juice
1 tsp Garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp sugar
2 Tbs Chipotle in adobo, minced
3/4 C Vegetable oil

Make aioli in processor
Place yolks, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, chipotle, salt and pepper to taste in a food processor. Pulse to combine ingredients. Turn processor on and slowly drizzle in oil. Once all the oil has been incorporated and aioli forms, stop processor and scrap down sides. Turn on for another few seconds more, remove and place in a bowl for service.

Bacon Chipotle Chicken Salad

Printable version

I used to eat chicken salad from a number delis when I lived in New York City. It was a reasonably inexpensive lunch item in a city were everything was expensive. The chicken was always fresh, never canned, which made for a much tastier salad and there was always a gourmet twist depending on which place you got it.

Chicken salad is really basic and it only takes an element or two to turn it into a unique delicious bite.

For this recipe, I used grilled chicken with chipotle and bacon to make a southwestern chicken salad pita. The basic elements of mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice and chicken make for a refreshing sandwich on their own. I enhance the flavors with the edition of bacon, chipotle and fresh tarragon. Any number of ingredients could have taken their place. The key is finding complimentary flavors that work together and adding them to the basic recipe. It’s a great way to enhance a classic, and for me, chicken salad always reminds me of lunches in Central Park.

BEHIND THIS BITE
Years ago, my Mom was visiting me in New York and made a batch of chicken salad from leftover chicken that I had grilled the night before. It tasted so good that I have preferred to make it with grilled chicken ever since. I won’t wait for left over chicken anymore though, I grill up a batch specifically for chicken salads.

I made this as part of a spread for a gathering of 15. It was served with mini bagels for sandwiches. As snack time was winding down I noticed a couple of guys eating it on tortilla chips, I decided to give it a try and I was amazed. I thought it would be good in a soft taco, but after trying the tortilla chips I think this would be great in a crunchy taco with a little lettuce and cheese.

Which ever way it’s eaten it doesn’t matter though, this is a tasty chicken salad that will make for a delicious lunch with or without bread, tortillas or bagels.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 6; 10 minutes active,
30 minutes resting
3 C Grilled chicken, diced
1 C Mayonnaise
1/2 C Celery diced
8 strips Bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/4 C Chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded, minced
1 Tbs Tarragon, minced
Juice of 1 Lemon
6 to 8 Pitas
Lettuce for garnish

Make chicken salad
In a large bowl mix together, chicken, mayonnaise, celery, bacon, chipotle, tarragon and lemon juice. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Assemble sandwiches
Place a spoonful of chicken salad in a pita, garnish with lettuce, then serve.

Cheddar Chipotle Potato Cakes

Printable version

For my last post I created Nacho Potato Skins, which left me with 3 cups of cooked potato that I could either throw away or put to good use. Rather than throw it out, this is what I made – Chipotle cheddar potato cakes! They were fun to make and tasty to eat. I got dirty and used my fingers to make the patties for this one. It was just like mixing together a meat loaf, I could’ve used a spoon but it’s easier and more thorough to use the fingers and just get messy.

The potato is really just a canvas used to hold and present the other flavors. I decided to use my holy trinity: cheddar-bacon-chipotle, or creamy-smoky-spicy. I love that flavor combo. I bet I ate 7 or 8 of these myself, enough for the spice of the chipotle to give me heartburn and for me, That’s a lot! On second thought the pickled jalapenos as garnish may have contributed to that also. Hard to tell, one thing’s for sure though – I ate a bunch of these.

BEHIND THIS BITE
It took me a batch in the skillet to get these right. At first I had too much oil in the pan and I wasn’t getting the crust, so I had to change course. That’s when I cleaned the skillet and used just enough oil so the cakes wouldn't stick, and I left them alone until they were sizzling. It took a little patience and a change of direction, but I got the crispy skin to compliment the creamy and cheesy center.

I ate them with sour cream and pickled jalapeno but these could have been put in a sandwich just as easy. Any number of ingredients and flavors could be used to make them and I highly recommend trying something like this when there is left over baked or mashed potato. Actually, I’d be willing to cook some potatoes to just make more cakes like these again.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Make 10 to 12 cakes; 30 minutes
3 C Potato, fully cooked or mashed
1 C Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 C Bread crumbs
1/2 C Bacon, crumbled
1 Egg
2 Tbs Chipotle pepper, minced
Pickled jalapenos and sour cream for garnish

Mix ingredients, form patties
In a large bowl mix together potatoes, cheese, bread crumbs, bacon, egg and chipotle pepper. Thoroughly combine. Roll about a 1/4 cup of the mixture into a ball and flatten into a patty. Repeat until mixture is gone. Should make 10 to 12 patties.

Cook and serve
In a large skillet with a little oil cook patties in batches until golden brown. 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate, garnish with sour cream and pickled jalapeño, then serve.

Chipotle Citrus Barbecue Sauce

Printable version

I had never tried citrus marmalade until last Monday evening. I had always been seduced by the strawberry, grape or orange flavors. I wasn’t sure if I would like it actually, after all, there is grapefruit in this stuff. As soon as I got a taste, I was sold - it was awesome.

The ladies from the Tree Frog Farm, in Avilla, Indiana, gave me a jar to experiment with. I recommend using the marmalade as a spread on warm breakfast rolls first, but I thought it would make an awesome element to barbecue sauce as well. I decided to use the marmalade with chipotle. Its smoky heat would be balanced out by the sweet and citrus.

While making the sauce, I used a lot of chipotle because I like the spice. The citrus marmalade worked great as a counter to the heat though. I used it on chicken tenders and practically inhaled an entire pound by myself. It was sweet, smoky and spicy with a hint of citrus. I think it could also be used with just chili powder instead of minced chipotle for a really sweet barbecue sauce that would be amazing on pork.

BEHIND THIS BITE
This is the second recipe I have made with an ingredient I picked up at the spring farmers market at Solomon Farms in Fort Wayne, Indiana. As I was passing out samples of my Pineapple Mustard Shrimp dish I made last week at the market, the ladies at the Tree Frog Farm gave me a jar of the citrus marmalade.

At first, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do with it, but after my initial taste test I knew it would be a great element in barbecue sauce. This stuff is good enough on it’s own to eat quarts of at a time. I think my next recipe should be how to make the marmalade itself! I’m not sure if the ladies at the Tree Frog Farm will be willing to give up the recipe though.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Makes 2 Cups; 25 minutes
1/4 C Onion
1 Tbs Garlic
3 Tbs Chipotle puree
1 C Ketchup
1/2 C Citrus marmalade
1/4 C Apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs Worcestershire
1/2 tsp Celery salt

Make sauce
In a sauce pan over medium heat sauté onion in a little olive oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Add garlic, cook 1 minutes more. Stir in chipotle and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in ketchup, citrus marmalade, vinegar, worcestershire and celery salt. Season to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook 8 to 10 minutes

Chicken Kabobs with Spicy Chipotle Ranch

Printable version

Last week, I said right here on this blog that using my stove top grill would be enough to get me through to the warm weather, where I could be outside using my actual grill.

I lied.

It wasn’t enough.

Just as a snow storm rolled through the area last Wednesday, I found myself with the sudden urge to be grilling again. Unable to resist this primal desire, I busted out the stove top grill, put on a t-shirt and cargo shorts and cooked up my dinner.

For this recipe, I make chicken kabobs. Instead of putting everything on the same skewers, I separate the chicken from the vegetables. Chicken must be cooked all of the way through and requires more time. Cooking them separately helps avoid over cooking the vegetables.

I serve these kabobs in a soft taco with ranch dressing that I spice up by adding minced chipotle peppers. This yummy grilled treat has made it much easier to endure the cold as I wait for warmer spring weather.

BEHIND THIS BITE
The irony of this recipe is that another storm (Saturn) rolled through and dropped even more snow in Northern Indiana as it was being published. It was created for the weekly print column, so I made it a week in advance during a completely different weather event. It went to print Tuesday and that night we got hit with the biggest snow of the season. It was enough to have to call in my uncle to plow the driveway - something that hasn’t been needed all winter. I’m hoping it's the last hurrah for old man winter this season.

I’m so ready for warm weather, we’re getting close to mid-March so I know that warm temperatures are just around the corner, but I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve trying to fall asleep. I just can’t wait to be outside with a campfire and charcoal grill, it’s my favorite thing about the summers here in rural Indiana. Until then, I guess I'll just hangout in my kitchen wearing flip-flops, cargo shorts and a t-shirt.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 4; 35 minutes
6 to 8 Bamboo skewers
1 1/4 lb Chicken breast, cut into 1-inch squares
2 Red peppers, cut into1-inch squares
1 Red onion, cut into 1-inch squares
2 Chipotle peppers, minced
1/2 C Ranch dressing
8 Pitas or tortillas
Lettuce, shredded
Tomato, sliced 

Skewer chicken, vegetables
Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least half an hour. Place chicken on one set of skewers. On another place red pepper and onion alternating each one after the other. Brush with olive oil and season to taste. 

Make sauce, grill skewers
Mix together chipotle pepper and ranch dressing. On a hot grill place skewers, cook chicken until cook through 8 to 10 minutes per side. At same time cook vegetables until softened, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Let skewers rest at least 5 minutes. 

Serve
Remove chicken and vegetables from skewers and serve on pitas or tortillas with sauce, lettuce and tomato.