Rujak (Spicy Padang Fruit Salad

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World traveler Jeff Corydon, who provided this recipe, says that the secret of this spicy salad is in the sauce, and the local taste is honored by including crushed peanuts and additional chiles. Any firm fleshy fruit can be used, such as under-ripe bananas, carambolas, Asian pears, and even some vegetables like jicama or cucumber.

Ingredients

  • 1 quart water

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 pomelo or tart pink grapefruit, sectioned

  • 2 mangoes, slightly underripe, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

  • 2 tart apples, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

  • 1 small pineapple, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

  • 4 serrano chiles, seeds and stems removed

  • 2 tablespoons dried tamarind pulp

  • 2 tablespoons hot water

  • 1/4 cup palm sugar or dark brown sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 1/2 cup unsalted, roasted crushed peanuts, or 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

Instructions

Mix the water with the salt and add the pomelo or grapefruit, mangoes, apples, and the pineapple and soak overnight in the refrigerator.

Place the chiles in a blender and process until smooth.

Make the tamarind water by mashing the dried tamarind in the 2 tablespoons of hot water until it softens and dissolves. Strain the mixture to remove any seeds or tissue.

Melt the brown sugar in a pan with 1 cup water over low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed peanuts, processed chiles, the tamarind water, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until a fairly thick, sticky syrup forms. Put the syrup in the refrigerator to chill.

When ready to serve, drain the water from the fruits. Pour the syrup over the fruit and toss to coat evenly. Serve at once.

Creamy Green Chile and Bay Shrimp Chowder

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This soup started as a seafood sauce for enchiladas, but the staff at the Mountain Road Cafe couldn’t keep their spoons out of it, so W.C. turned it into a soup. It’s very rich and hearty and can be garnished with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups W.C.’s Green Chile Sauce (see recipe)

  • 4 cups homemade chicken stock

  • 3 cups white sauce (see Joy of Cooking)

  • 1 cup peas, shelled or frozen

  • 2 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic

  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaf

  • 3/4 teaspoon basil leaf

  • 1 pound bay shrimp left whole

  • 1 cup milk

Instructions

In a pot, combine the Green Chile Sauce and chicken Stock and heat to a simmer. Blend in the white sauce by whipping vigorously. Add the remaining ingredients except the milk and simmer for 15 minutes. Then add the milk slowly, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Serve hot, garnished with croutons.

W.C.’s Green Chile Sauce

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This recipe dates to 1976, when W.C. created it for his first restaurant, the Morning Glory Cafe. It is meatless and dairyless, but “designed for a meat-eater’s taste,” according to W.C. It is easily frozen or canned.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups chopped hot New Mexican green chile

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1/2 tablespoon red chile powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 10 cups water

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1 1/2 cups water

Instructions

In a large pan, combine the green chile, garlic, onion, coriander, red chile powder, white pepper, cumin, salt, and water. Bring to a boil and boil, uncovered, for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and mix thoroughly. Add to the chile mixture and cook until the mixture clears, about 20 minutes.

Wild Mushroom Bisque with Grilled Chicken

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Every year on the Saturday preceding the Super Bowl, Wild Oats Market in Albuquerque sponsors the Chef’s Invitational Souper Bowl Soup Contest. In 1995, W.C. defeated a dozen of other Albuquerque chefs with this grand prize winner. Use whatever wild mushrooms you have to make 9 ounces—we have suggested a mixture, below. W.C. gathered most of the musrooms from the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque and urges aficionados to learn about wild mushrooms.

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 pound chicken breasts, marinated in ½ cup teriyaki sauce and 1 ½ tablespoons grated ginger for 20 minutes

  • 9 ounces mixed wild mushrooms (suggested: 2 ½ ounces, boletes, 2 ½ ounces cepes,
    2 ounces morels, 1 ounce golden trumpets, 1 ounce black trumpets)

  • 2 large shallots, minced

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 4 quarts homemade chicken stock

  • ½ medium onion, chopped fine

  • 3/4 cup butter, divided in thirds

  • 1 pound domestic mushrooms, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour

  • 2 ounces hard romano cheese, finely grated

  • 1 quart cream

  • ½ cup dry sherry

  • 2 cups V-8 juice

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

Grill the chicken until done, chop fine, and set aside.

Soak the wild mushrooms in 3 cups warm water for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and repeat in 2 cups water. Reserve the water. Remove the mushrooms from the water and chop fine. Place the mushrooms, reserved water, shallots, garlic, black pepper, and chicken stock in a stock pot and boil for 30 minutes, adding water to keep to the original volume.

Saute the onion in the 1/4 cup butter and set aside.

Saute the domestic mushrooms in 1/4 cup butter with the garlic. Add the sauteed onions, mushrooms, and garlic to the stock pot.

Melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter in a pan, add the flour, and make a roux until lightly browned. Add the roux to the pot, stirring well. Add the chopped chicken breast and romano cheese and stir well. Add the cream, sherry, V-8 juice, and salt and heat for 10 minutes.

 

Homemade Tabasco Style Sauce

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Because the chiles are not aged in oak barrels for three years, this will be only a rough approximation of the famous McIlhenny product. You will have to grow your own tabascos or substitute dried ones that have been rehydrated. Other small, hot, fresh red chiles can also be substituted for the tabascos.

Note: This recipe requires advanced preparation. 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh red tabasco chiles, chopped

  • 2 cups distilled white vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

Combine the chiles and the vinegar in a saucepan and heat. Stir in the salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool, and place in a blender. Puree until smooth and place in a glass jar. Allow to steep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Remove, strain the sauce, and adjust the consistency by adding more vinegar if necessary.