Blue Corn Chile Cheese Muffins!

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I like to use blue corn in this recipe because of its nutty taste. But if you don’t have blue corn available, substitute yellow cornmeal. They will still be just as good. Another tasty variation is to add crumbled bacon to the mix. Normally I use 4 chopped jalapenos but I substituted the jalapeno pulp for this experiment. Serve these in place of cornbread with barbecues, picnics, or even as a breakfast muffin.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup blue cornmeal

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 3 teaspoons baking powder

  • 3/4 teaspoons salt

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

  • 3 tablespoon melted margarine

  • 1/4 cup jalapeño pulp

Instructions

Preheat an oven to 425°F.

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

In another bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir to just mix them.

Lightly oil a muffin pan and divide the batter evenly among 12 to 15 muffin cups, filling up each one about halfway. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool the muffins on a rack and serve them warm or at room temperature.

Caribbean Crab-Stuffed Deviled Eggs

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Stuffed eggs are the most obvious (and delicious) ways to use up left-over Easter eggs. There are any number of variations of the old standard, but these are special enough for an hors d’oeuvres party table. Because older eggs are easier to peel, be sure to use them when you need a smooth, clean egg. Use a pastry bag and pipe in the filling for a fancy presentation.

Ingredients

  • 8 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

  • ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

  • ½ teaspoon habanero hot sauce

  • 1/4 teaspoon Dijon-type mustard

  • 6 ounces flaked crabmeat

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • Garnish: Finely chopped fresh parsley

    • Instructions

    Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Put the yolks from 5 of the eggs in a bowl and mash them with a fork. Sprinkle the vinegar over the yolks and toss to combine.

    Add the mayonnaise, thyme, hot sauce and mustard and mix to combine. Mix in the crab and season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow the filling to sit for 15 minutes so flavors can blend. Adjust the seasoning before filling the eggs.

    Mound about 1 tablespoon crab mixture in the cavity of each egg-white half. At this point, the eggs can be covered and refrigerated for future use. To serve, arrange the filled eggs on a platter and garnish with the parsley. 

    Enchiladas Stuffed with Hard-Cooked Eggs (Papadzul)

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    Eggs play an important role in the cuisine of Yucatán, especially hard-cooked eggs, which are a major ingredient in many popular recipes. Very unique to the Yucatán, these enchiladas are traditionally served garnished with a green oil that is squeezed from toasted pumpkin seeds, but they taste good with or without it. This is a very old Mayan recipe originally made with turkey eggs and it has reputed to have been served to served to the Spaniards when they arrived in the New World. After the Spaniards arrived, chickens and their eggs replaced turkeys in popularity.

    Ingredients

    • 2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

    • 1 habanero chile, stem and seeds removed

    • 1 tablespoon dried epazote

    • 2 cups chicken broth

    • 1 small onion, chopped

    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

    • 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, finely ground

    • 8 corn tortillas

    • 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

    Instructions

    Combine the tomatoes, chile, epazote, and broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and strain, saving both the tomatoes and the broth.

    Heat one-half of the oil in a skillet and saute until hot and add to the tomato mixture. Place the mixture in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Saute the sauce in the remaining oil for 5 minutes.

    Heat the tomato broth in a another skillet and slowly stir in the seeds. Simmer until the mixture thickens and is the consistency of thick cream, stirring constantly. Be very careful that the sauce does not boil or it may curdle.

    Dip the tortillas in the warm pumpkin seed sauce to coat and soften. Place some of the chopped eggs in the center, roll up, and place on a platter. Pour the remaining pumpkin seed sauce over the top, then the tomato sauce, and serve.

    Note: If your tortillas are stiff, heat some vegetable oil until very hot and dip the tortillas in the oil for a couple of seconds. Drain on paper towels.

    Hot and Spicy Pickled Eggs

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    I was first introduced to pickled eggs in college, where a group of us would hang out in an old wood-paneled bar, drink beer, shoot pool, and eat pickled eggs and pretzel sticks. Even after all these years, I still like pickled eggs and pretzels. When making them, I add a little juice from pickled beets to color them just like the original eggs, but you can color them yellow with ground turmeric or leave them natural. To prevent the dark green line that sometimes forms around the yolk, immediately plunge the egg in cold water to cool them down. The ring forms because of a reaction with the iron in the yolk and the sulfur in the whites. Over the years, I began adding chiles to “jack-up” the heat level. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

    Ingredients

    • 12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

    • 4 jalapeño chiles, cut in half, stem and seeds removed or substitute habanero chiles

    • 1 tablespoon kosher or pickling salt

    • 1½ cups white vinegar

    • ½ cup water

    • 1 tablespoon commercial pickling spice

    • 1 tablespoon pickled beet liquid, optional

    • 1 teaspoon white peppercorns, crushed

    • 1 bay leaf

    • ½ teaspoons allspice, crushed

    Instructions

    Put the eggs and chiles in a clean glass jar.

    Combine the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for mixture for 10 minutes. Let the pickling liquid cool for 15 minutes and then pour over the eggs.

    Cover the jar and refrigerate for a week to allow the eggs to absorb the flavors. The eggs will keep for several weeks under refrigeration.

    To serve, place an egg on a square of waxed butchers wrapping paper, add some pretzel sticks, and pop the top off a cold one.

    Smoked Oysters with Ancho Chile Sauce

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    This is a recipe that requires hot smoke and a lot of it for a short period of time. Instead of 200 degree smoke from your smoker or grill, try for about 400 degrees. Oysters can also be grilled by placing the on the grill over high heat until the shells open, about 6 to 10 minutes, then top with the sauce and serve.

    Ingredients

    For the Oysters:

    • 24 large oysters, shucked, reserving the liquid

    For the Lime Marinade:

    • ½ cup reserved oyster liquid

    • ½ cup clam juice

    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

    • Juice of 1 lime

    For the Ancho Chile Sauce:

    • 1 ancho chile, seeds and stems removed

    • 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce 3 tablespoons tomato sauce

    • 2 tablespoons chopped onions

    • 2 cloves garlic, chopped

    • 2 tablespoons vinegar

    • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

    • Pinch ground cloves

    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

    • 1 tablespoon lime juice

    • Chopped cilantro for garnish

    Instructions

    Shuck the oysters, saving the liquid. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Place the oysters in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Marinate the oysters for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove and drain. Keep refrigerated until used.

    Soak the ancho chile in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes until soft remove and drain.

    Combine the chiles, onions, garlic, and the vinegar in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add a little water if necessary. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and the spices and continue to puree until smooth. Saute the sauces in the oil until almost dry, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice and cilantro.

    Build a hot fire in the smoker or grill and add hickory or other hardwood chips or chunks, as you need a lot of smoke.

    Put about ½ to 1 teaspoon of sauce on each oyster. Place the oysters in a grill basket on the grill, close the cover and smoke for 10 minutes

    Serve immediately with any additional sauce on the side. Oysters remaining on the grill too long will overcook.