Fresh Horseradish Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Horseradish is a root, similar to wasabi, and a member of the mustard family. Prepared horseradish is grated horseradish root combined with distilled vinegar. It has almost no taste until grated when the cells are crushed to release a volatile oil that produces the “heat.”

Ingredients

1 7-inch (11-ounce) horseradish root
2 tablespoons water
White vinegar

Instructions

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the horseradish root and cut into one-inch cubes.

Place the cubes in a food processor and add the water. Pulse until the horseradish is somewhat smooth. Process the horseradish, scrapping the sides of the work bowl, until it is the consistency you desire.

(Be careful not to get too close to the grated horseradish when removing the cover. This is powerful stuff and will bring tears to your eyes and clear out your sinuses!)

Allow the horseradish to bloom to the desired heat level and add enough vinegar to cover. Pulse to incorporate. Drain the horseradish through a fine strainer and transfer to a storage container.

The horseradish will keep, refrigerated, for about one month although the flavor will diminish over time. Discard the horseradish if it turns brown.

Vinegar stabilizes the degree of hotness; the longer you wait before adding the vinegar, the hotter the horseradish will be. (My recommendation is to wait at least five minutes before adding the vinegar.)

Chuck’s Chipotle Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This recipe is part of a five-part series devoted to chipotles–those many varieties of smoked chiles. You can go here to start reading–and cooking with–chipotles of all kinds.

Ingredients

12 reconstituted chipotle chiles
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
3 cups water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup tomato sauce
Salt to taste
2 cups white distilled vinegar (or more or less)

 

Instructions

Place all the ingredients except the white vinegar in a saucepan, cover and simmer over low heat for about an hour or until the liquid is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree.

Combine the puree and the white vinegar in a bowl and mix thoroughly to the desired consistency. Strain the sauce through a sieve and discard the solids. Bottle in sterilized jars.

Chipotle-Tomatillo Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This recipe is part of a five-part series devoted to chipotles–those many varieties of smoked chiles. You can go here to start reading–and cooking with–chipotles of all kinds.

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound tomatillos, halved
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 teaspoon vinegar
Salt to taste

 

Instructions

In a skillet, saute the onions and garlic in the oil until soft and slightly browned.

In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients except the salt and puree. Transfer the puree to a skillet and simmer for 20 minutes to thicken slightly. Salt to taste.

Wild Boar in Peanut Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Rick Browne, Ph.B., host of the PBS show “Barbecue America” and the author of The Best Barbecue on Earth and nine other books, is supplying articles and recipes to the Fiery Foods & Barbecue SuperSite.

Ingredients

 

Wild boar gives commercial pork a run for its money.

2 to 3 pounds of wild boar cut into bite-sized or serving-sized pieces
3 onions, chopped
3 small tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup peanut butter (natural or homemade)
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

oil for frying

Instructions

Heat a few spoonfulls of oil in a large pot. Add the meat and fry it until it is browned but not done. Reduce heat. Add water, salt, and pepper and simmer for about half an hour.

Add the tomatoes and onions and contine to simmer until the meat is done and becoming tender.

Remove some of the liquid and mix it with the peanut butter to make a smooth sauce. Add this to the meat-tomato-onion mixture.

Continue to simmer on very low heat until the meat is very tender.

Chipotles Adobados (Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce)

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This recipe is part of a five-part series devoted to chipotles–those many varieties of smoked chiles. You can go here to start reading–and cooking with–chipotles of all kinds.

Ingredients

½ pound dried chipotle chiles, stems removed

Water to rehydrate

1 quart vinegar

1 head garlic, peeled and crushed

½ cup piloncillo, or ½ cup packed brown sugar

1 cup roasted and peeled green chile, such as poblano or New Mexican

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

6 black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt to taste

 

Instructions

Soak the chipotles in water until they rehydrate, at least one hour, then drain.

In a saucepan, add ½ of the vinegar, ½ of the garlic and the brown sugar. Cook this mixture for about 20 minutes, then add the chipotles.

In another pan, combine the green chile, tomato, remaining garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, cumin, remaining vinegar, and salt to taste. Cook for about 30 minutes, covered, over a medium heat. Add the chipotle chile mixture, stir well, and store in sterilized jars.