James Beck’s Habanero and Bacon Mac ‘N Cheese

James Beck’s Habanero and Bacon Mac ‘N Cheese

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James Beck of eatmoreheat.com concocted this seriously hot take on mac ‘n cheese. Of course, for you wimpy Denny’s-loving mama’s boys out there, you can reduce the amount of pepper-bearing cheese materiel and substitute plain old cheese.

Ingredients

6-10 Slices Cooked Bacon, Chopped
1 Tsp. Garlic
1/2 Cup Minced Onion
1 1/2 Sticks Butter
3 Cups Milk
1/2 Cup Flour
1 Tsp. Salt
2 Tsp. Black Pepper
2 Tsp. Green Chile Powder
3 Cups shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
3 Cups shredded Habanero Cheddar Cheese
3-6 New Mexican Chiles, Roasted, Chopped, Seeded and Rinsed
1 lb. Large Elbow Macaroni
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs

Instructions

Cook the bacon, and set aside the bacon fat. Sauté the onion and garlic in that fat in a large skillet until the onion is tender. Heat the milk over medium heat in a sauce pan. While the milk is heating, add butter to the garlic and onion. When the butter is completely melted and begins to bubble, add the flour and whisk until well mixed. Pour the warm (not boiling) milk into the butter, whisk it until thick. Reduce this mixture to low heat and add the salt, black pepper, and green chile powder. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes to marry the flavors.

Boil the macaroni until al dente. Preheat your oven to 375 F. Add 3 cups of habanero cheddar, 2 1/2 cups of pepper jack cheese, and the chopped New Mexico chiles to the sauce. Mix this well and remove it from the heat.

Spray a 9×13-inch casserole pan with cooking spray. Place the drained pasta in the pan, then pour the cheese sauce over the top. If the cheese sauce is too thick, mix it gently with a whisk. Sprinkle the pasta mix with the bread crumbs, bacon pieces, and remaining 1/2 cup of pepper jack cheese. Bake it until brown and bubbling (approximately 30 minutes).

Belizean Habanero Sauce

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To preserve the distinctive flavor of the habaneros, don't cook them 
with the sauce but add them afterwards. This sauce will keep for weeks 
in the refrigerator. Use it to spice up eggs, sandwiches, soups, and 
seafood. This was the original, classic habanero sauce that has been 
imitated in commercial products countless times.

Ingredients

1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 cup water
3 fresh habanero chiles, seeds and stems removed, minced
1/4 cup lime juice

Instructions

In a sauce pan saute the onion in the oil until soft. Add the carrots 
and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots 
are soft. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature.
Add the habaneros and lime juice to the carrot mixture. Place the 
mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.

Chipolte-Habanero Hot Sauce

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Jalapeno, habanero and Scotch bonnet are the most common types of fresh chiles found in Miami cuisine. Plenty of chipotles (smoked jalapenos sold both dry and canned) are used too, as well as the many other dried varieties available. Though most recipes call for some type of chile, the real source of heat in many Latin and Caribbean dishes is the hot sauce. Here, I have included two versions. The Chipotle-Habanero Sauce is a thinner, Latin-style sauce with a scorching finish, and the other is a chunky Caribbean-style version with a little sweetness to temper the heat.

Note: this recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

  • 3 dried chipotle peppers
    1 tablespoon canola oil

    1 medium onion, chopped

    Salt and pepper, to taste

    1 tablespoon mustard seeds, ground in a mortar or spice grinder (or 1 tablespoon mustard powder)

    1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped

    1 clove garlic, chopped

    1/4 cup pineapple juice

    3 habanero chiles, chopped

    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

    1 teaspoon tomato paste

    1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses

    2 tablespoons white vinegar

    1 teaspoon red curry powder

    1/2 teaspoon chile powder

Instructions

Soak the dried chipotle peppers in warm water for 1 hour. Drain the chipotles, reserving the soaking water, and finely chop.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground mustard seeds and chopped chipotles and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the remaining ingredients, bring the contents to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

If you have an immersion blender, put it directly into the saucepan and run it until you reach the desired consistency. If you want a thinner sauce, add small amounts of the reserved chipotle soaking water.

If you are using a regular blender, be sure to leave the air hole open so steam can escape. Hold a dish towel loosely over the hole while blending. Puree to the desired consistency. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Habanero Parmesan Chicken

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Rex Swank invented this recipe based on Blair’s Habanero Chips.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 2 2-ounce bags Blair’s Original Habanero Chips, finely crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the cheese, seasoning salt, crushed Habanero Chips, and garlic powder together in a bowl. Moisten the chicken with water and coat with the cheese mixture. Place in a shallow baking dish, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked throughout.

Cranberry-Habanero Glazed Pork Tenderloin

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Pork is an inexpensive, flavorful and versatile meat that lends itself to a variety of preparations. This marinated and stuffed tenderloin is glazed with a spicy cranberry-habanero jelly and served with an apple compote, garlicky mashed potatoes and sugar snap peas. Tenderloins are packaged in pairs; this recipe uses both tenderloins and requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

For the Pork:

•    1 whole pork tenderloin (two pieces, about 1 1/4-pound)
•    3/4 cup Cranberry-Habanero Jelly, melted

For the Marinade:

•    3 cloves garlic, minced
•    1/2 cup chopped green onion
•    1 (12-ounce) bottle Woodchuck Amber hard cider
•    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
•    1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
•    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Stuffing:

•    2 tablespoons olive oil
•    1 medium red onion, finely diced
•    1 rib celery, finely diced
•    2 Cortland or Macintosh apples, seeded and diced
•    2 cloves garlic, minced
•    2 cups day-old bread, cubed
•    3/4 cup Woodchuck Amber hard cider
•    1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
•    1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
•    2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
•    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 

Instructions

Remove any silverskin and extraneous fat from the tenderloins.

Prepare the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Place the tenderloins in a resealable food-grade bag, add the marinade and marinate the tenderloins, refrigerated, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Saute the onion and celery until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add apples and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hard cider and bread cubes and cook until moisture evaporates. Stir in herbs, salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste. Cool completely. (Stuffing may be prepared one day ahead and held, covered and refrigerated.)

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade; discard marinade. Using paper towels, pat the tenderloins dry.

Brush the inside surface of the tenderloins with the cranberry-habanero jelly. Put a layer of stuffing atop one of the tenderloins. Place the second tenderloin, jelly side down, on top of the stuffing and tie the tenderloins together with butcher’s twine. Spoon any remaining stuffing in a buttered casserole dish and reserve. (If desired, the remaining stuffing could be cooked in a buttered casserole dish, covered, in a 350 degrees F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes.)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Roast the stuffed tenderloins for 30 minutes. Brush melted jelly atop the stuffed tenderloins and continue cooking for another 20 to 25 minutes or to an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. Let the pork rest, tented with aluminum foil, for 5 to 10 minutes then bias-slice into 1/2-inch slices.