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.

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.

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.

Pineapple Habanero Barbecue Sauce

Printable version

McDonald’s introduced the Bacon Habanero Ranch Quarter Pounder recently and as soon as I saw the advertisement I knew I had to try it. I love spicy food and can handle it as long as I limit the amount that I consume.

In the past, when fast food chains introduce new products billed as “spicy” I usually try them and think “wimpy,” so I ordered the new offering with my expectations low.

The Bacon Habanero Quarter Pounder really surprised me - it was spicy! Hot enough to make my nose run a little after trying it for the first time.

I was so impressed that I decided to make my own sauce featuring habanero peppers. To tame the extreme heat I simmer them in pineapple juice. As the juice reduces, it takes on their heat and flavor. I then use the juice to make a barbecue sauce with enough sweet to balance the heat. The end result is a spicy sauce different from McDonald’s, but perfect for adding a little fire to the next backyard barbecue.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I hadn’t worked with habanero peppers in a couple of years before creating this recipe. They’re just way to hot to deal with. I love spicy food but chopping up a raw habanero and throwing it into a dish is almost guaranteeing that it will be to hot to eat. Delicious spicy food is one thing, insane, agonizing, set your ass on fire the next morning food is another.

Food can be painful and habanero pepper will deliver if not treated with the proper respect. The technique employed here is the best way to extract flavor and heat from the pepper, it provides the dish with a hint of the habanero’s power and allows you to actually taste it’s fruity apricot-like essence.

I’m starting work on a habanero aiolo for the near future. I want to create a dipping sauce for french fries that is creamy and spicy. I’m not sure how to accomplish that but it seems like a nice habanero challenge. I just hope that I can get it right the first time and don’t have to suffer through a habanero overload.

They're painful.

Eat well, cook often... 

THE RECIPE
Makes 3 cups; 1 hour
3 Habanero peppers
2 Cinnamon sticks
1 can Pineapple juice (46 oz)
1/4 C Red onion diced
1 Tbs Garlic minced
1 C Ketchup
1/4 C Cider vinegar
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs Honey

Make pineapple reduction
Cut slits in sides of the habanero peppers. Place peppers and cinnamon sticks in sauce pan then pour in pineapple juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until pineapple juice is reduced by two-thirds or about 1 1/2 cups, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat, discard peppers and cinnamon.

Sauté vegetables, finish sauce
In a sauce pan over medium heat sauté onion in a little olive oil until soft 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Add pineapple reduction, ketchup, vinegar, dijon mustard, worcestershire and honey. Mix together with a whisk and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, let cool. Use on grilled meat or as a finishing sauce on burgers.

Five Pepper Steak Tacos

Printable version

I was reading about Creole and Caribbean cooking recently which inspired me to invent a peppery rub. I went to my pantry and was able to find a number of different pepper spices. I chose five, with two of them smoked. I use white pepper, cayenne pepper and black pepper to cover different areas of the tongue and chipotle and smoked paprika to provide the smoky flavoring. (Paprika is made from dried red pepper, hence the fifth pepper of the rub.) I add onion and garlic powder for depth and salt because, well, everything needs salt.

The end result is a spicy rub that I would label XXX on a store shelf. This rub is hot and when it’s used in a dish there should be something else on the plate to balance it. In my world, mild spice is most people’s hell fire, so when I say hot, please beware.

I use a sweet pineapple salsa to balance the heat of the rub. The salsa contains red pepper to compliment the paprika. The pepper could also be roasted to bring out more sweetness if so desired.

Overall, I really enjoyed this taco, it's not for the faint of heart and it is made for a spice lover like myself.

BEHIND THIS BITE
When I made this rub I knew it would be hot but I was surprised at how hot it actually was. I think this could be one of the dry rubs at Buffalo Wild Wings or a secret weapon for extra kick in a pot of chili.

I was planning this as two posts, but the rub was so hot that I was kind of obligated to include a tasty balance to the heat, so I decided to combine everything which culminated in a delicious taco and one of the biggest recipe graphics I have ever made. The step-by-step graphic contains 23 photographs, 6 major steps and 16 ingredients. That’s way bigger than what I usually do but I think it's necessary. If you like fiery food, this is the recipe for you, but if spice isn’t your thing - Use this rub as a substitute.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 12 to 15 tacos; 1 hour
THE RUB
3 Tbs Salt
2 Tbs Smoked paprika
2 Tbs Chipotle chili powder
1 Tbs Black pepper
1 Tbs White pepper
1 Tbs Garlic powder
1 Tbs Onion powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 1/2 lb Skirt steak

THE SALSA
1 1/2 C Tomato diced
1 C Pineapple diced
1 C Red pepper diced
1/2 C Red onion diced
1/2 C Cilantro chopped
Juice from 1 Lime

12 to 15 Flour tortillas

Make rub
In a bowl mix together salt, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Season, marinate steak
Season and rub spice mixture over surface of skirt steak. Let steak rest for 25 minutes to marinate in spices.

Make Salsa
In a bowl mix together tomato, pineapple, red pepper, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Refrigerate and let mixture rest at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld.

Grill steak
On a prepared grill over medium-high heat cook meat for 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare, turning once during cooking. Let rest at least ten minutes before slicing.

Prepare tortillas
Toast tortillas on grill or microwave on high, wrapped in paper towel for 1 minute.

Assemble tacos
On tortillas place steak and a spoonful of salsa, roll and serve.

Spicy Thai Curry Beef

I made this recipe to challenge myself. I haven't had that much experience cooking Asian food, let alone Thai food specifically. I thought making a dish adapted from the Spicy Thai Curry Beef from Fine Cooking's One-Pot Meals would be a great place to start and introduce me to some new flavors or ingredients. I have eaten food similar in flavor at restaurants but I have never made anything like this at home.

I thought the recipe was delicious.

It starts with shallot and ginger, lots of ginger actually – a quarter cup. For a dish this size, it's the most I had ever used. I was worried that it might over-power the other ingredients and make it taste like eating a fancy bar of soap, but it didn't. It turned out to be the perfect amount and the right aromatic to go with the spicy red curry paste and unsweetened coconut milk that form the flavor base of the dish. I cooked the beef rare, because bloody is the way I like it, and the snap peas were the perfect vegetable compliment to round out the dish. I served it over rice. It was easy to make and loaded with flavor.

I can't wait to use these flavors in a creation of my own. I would like to try it with chicken or in a recipe that requires some braising, I think the spicy sauce would make a good base for a yummy stew. I might just make it again the way it is here though, it's good enough to make over and over!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Adapted from:
Fine Cooking
One-Pot Meals
Winter 2013
Page 29
Serves 4; 25 minutes

Spicy Thai Curry Beef
Ingredients
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb Sirloin tip
1/2 Shallot, thin sliced
1/4 C Fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp Red curry paste
1 13.5 oz can Unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 C Chicken broth
1 Tbs Fish sauce
1 1/2 C Frozen Sugar snap peas
2 C Cooked rice
Cilantro for garnish



How I made it
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Season sirloin with salt and pepper to taste. Sear on each side for a minute or two to get a nice crust, remove to a plate. Add shallots and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes, add ginger cook another minute. Add chicken broth, scrap up any brown bits from the bottom of pan. Stir in curry paste until completely dissolved into liquid. Add coconut milk and fish sauce. Return beef to pan and simmer until cooked through, 10 minutes. Remove beef to cutting board. Stir peas into sauce, cover and remove from heat. Slice beef thin and on a bias, return to sauce.

Serve curry beef mixture over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Spicy Ramen Pepper Steak

Printable version

I bought a bundle of ramen noodles recently at the Dollar Tree as an impulse buy. I thought it would be fun to incorporate them into a tasty soup or salad. When I was in college I loved ramen noodles, not just because they were cheap, but for their flavor. When I worked at Bloomberg News they offered them for free at the snack bar and it seemed like I  ate a bowl or two a week for the three plus years that I worked there.

I wanted to take these noodles to a new level though. I decided to go with a pepper steak theme.

I started by browning the steak. Once it was just barely cooked through I remove it from the pot and started the aromatics – red pepper, onion, jalapeno, fresh ginger and garlic. Once they were soft I returned the steak to the pot with 5 cups of chicken broth and two tablespoons of sriracha sauce. Yup, TWO tablespoons! I brought it to a simmer, then added three packages of noodles. I threw away the little flavor packets that come with each bundle of noodles. After a few minutes they  were ready to eat, just as if I were making them between classes or returning home for a snack after a night of debauchery back in college.

I couldn’t get enough of this dish. I absolutely destroyed two bowls before I could even get the pictures for this blog done. It was a great beef and noodle dish with a hint of Asian flavor from the ginger. The sriracha added enough heat to give it an addictive quality.

I think this is a great dish for a party and really shows how delicious ramen noodles can be – rather than just a cheap meal for college students.

BEHIND THIS BITE

I learned something about ramen noodles when I made this dish – they don’t stop absorbing liquid. The first bowl of this recipe I consumed was like a soup. The second was more like noodles with a little broth - the next day it was just noodles! All the flavor was there, so nothing was lost - except the heat.
As the noodles soaked up the broth it also soaked up the spice and made it less potent. The first couple of bowls really packed a nice punch with the sriracha, but the next day, with the liquid gone, the heat was really tame. My mom tried a spoonful when it was fresh off the stove and she complained that it was too spicy. She took a container to one of her friends who likes hot stuff. She ate it the next day and had the same experience as me - the heat disappeared with the broth! There was some spice but not like in the beginning. Even I thought it was spicy when I first tried it, and as my family knows, my mild is usually another man’s hellfire - so needless to say, it really had some kick at the start.

I can’t wait to make this dish again, the recipe makes a large amount, so I think it will be a good dish to make for our first get together at the family camp ground – which should be opening in the next few weeks – weather permitting.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Serves 4 to 6; 30 minutes
1 lb Sirloin, sliced thin
2 C Red pepper, chopped
1 C Red onion, diced
1 Jalapeño, seeded, sliced
2 tsp Ginger, minced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
5 C Beef broth
2 Tbs Sriracha
3 packages Ramen noodle, seasoning discarded

Brown steak; Sauté vegetables
In a large pot over medium heat sear steak until just cook through, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and set aside. Add a little olive oil to pan and sauté onion, red pepper, jalapeno and ginger until soft. 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more.

Add broth, steak; finish
Add broth, sriracha and return steak to pot. Bring mixture to a simmer. Stir in noodles, break up if desired, return to simmer and cook 3 minutes or until noodles are soft. Remove from heat. Spoon into a bowl, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Chipotle Mac and Pepper Jack Cheese

Printable version

When I was 11, I used to love mac and cheese with sliced hot dogs, to me it was like gourmet sauce and pasta mixed with filet mignon. I could gobble down a bowl and ride my bike for miles through trails in the woods or go play second base in a little league double header.

At that age my palate preferred french fries, breaded chicken and the aforementioned macaroni with cheese sauce made from a packet of neon colored powder.

Then something changed.

Vegetables started to taste better, I began to get nervous around certain girls and some of the clothes Mom wanted me to wear made me feel like a freak at school. Things have just become more complicated ever since. One thing that hasn’t – my love for mac and cheese. I prefer a more sophisticated version these days, but nothing says comfort  on a cold winter day more than a bowl of elbow macaroni smothered in cheese sauce – add some bacon and heat from chilies, and I’m just a kid in a candy store.

BEHIND THIS BITE
This is the second time I have made mac and cheese for the print column. The first time was a more traditional dish, made from scratch of course, but nothing out of the box creativity-wise. This time I went for it. The smoky bacon compliments the chipotle, which along with the pepper jack, provides the fire.

I really liked this dish, and to my surprise, so did my niece. The kids have not warmed up to the idea of spicy food yet. Thankfully she actually tried it, then she kept going back for nibbles - I was pretty excited about that. I’m hoping the kids grow up to be adventurous eaters. She wasn’t adventurous enough to eat one of the whole jalapeño slices that garnish the dish, but the fact that she liked it is a great. It’s a start - Uncle Justin will have her sampling some habanero salsa by the time she can drive.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 6; 1 hour
6 strips Bacon, diced
3 Tbs Flour
2 C Milk
3 C Pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 Tbs Chipotle peppers, minced
1/2 lb Macaroni
2 Jalapeño, sliced
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, fresh grated

Cook macaroni
Bring 2 quarts of salted water to boil in a large pot, add pasta, return to boil. Cook 7 to 9 minutes for al dente. Then drain.

Fry bacon, make roux
After starting the macaroni, In a large oven safe skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Sift in flour, wisk with bacon drippings until well incorporated then cook 2 to 3 minutes, stir often.

Make sauce
Add milk, bring to a simmer and let mixture thicken, 4 to 5 minutes, stir occasionally. Once thickened add two tablespoons of cheese, stir constantly until melted. Repeat until cheese is gone and a sauce has formed.

Finish
Stir in macaroni, bacon and chipotle peppers. Top with jalapeño slices and fresh grated parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Remove and serve.

Spicy Chicken Stir Fry, Anytime!

It’s 5:10 p.m., I’m at the grocery store and looking for something to make for dinner. This scenario plays out ever day in America – What am I going to make for supper? Most of the time, I start by looking for meat and fresh vegetables that are on sale.

This time, I find a special on boneless chicken breast and decide to make a stir fry. I opt for a $2 bag of frozen vegetables to get a nice variety for a fraction of the cost of fresh ones. I then grab some fresh ginger on the way to the check-out. That is all I need at the store.

For this recipe, all other ingredients that will turn this into an Asian stir fry are at home in the pantry. At any time, I can turn meats and vegetables into a Mexican, Italian or Asian treat just by keeping a few items around in the fridge or cupboard. When I run out of a pantry item, I put it on the list just like bread or milk. All these items at once can be costly, but by planning and understanding the right ingredients to suit your taste, it is relatively easy to make a semi-gourmet meal like this whenever the urge hits.


BEHIND THIS BITE
I had made an entirely different recipe for this week's column when I was at the store getting the chicken, vegetables and ginger for the stir fry. On the way home it hit me – what I was doing at the moment – is what millions were doing at the same time. I love to make gourmet meals, but I don't cook like that every time I eat. Most of the time, I'm looking to make something quick, affordable, somewhat healthy and tasty.

I always have the pantry ingredients that are listed in this recipe. The hoisin sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce help make a yummy stir fry – and I make it a lot. I also use this combination of ingredients to make a barbecue sauce. (find recipe here)

Building a well stocked pantry is expensive initially. It becomes cost effective over time, because the hoisin and soy sauce go in the fridge, like ketchup, and the rice vinegar and sesame oil go in the cupboard. The next time you make stir fry, these ingredients are ready – and should last for a while. For me, The hoisin sauce runs out first, but a 9 ounce bottle should last for a few meals at least.

From time to time, I am going to do more of these "stock the pantry" recipes. It's more about practical cooking rather than the newest take on mango-wango fondu. (Which is fun to create also) With these simple ingredients you can make an endless amount of meals with a delicious Asian inspired flavor.

Eat well, cook often ...