Smoked Black Bean Dip

Dave DeWitt 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 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced (or 2 chipotles reydrated in wine vinegar)
1 cup cooked black beans
Diced yellow bell peppers for garnish
Cilantro leaf for garnish 

 

Instructions

Heat the oil in a skillet and add the onion and garlic and saute until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, salt, and chipotles and cook for about two minutes.

Puree the beans in a food processor with a little water until you have a smooth paste. Add the paste to the mixture in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Fresh Horseradish Sauce

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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.)

Chipotle-Corn Salsa with Poblanos and Morels

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

5 ears of corn in husks
5 tablespoons diced morels (or other wild mushrooms, rehydrated if dried)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, stems and seeds removed, diced
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, minced
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 tablespoon minced chipotles in adobo
2 teaspoons fresh marjoram, minced
1 teaspoon freshly squuezed lime juice
Salt to taste

 

Instructions

Place the corn on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, turning often, until the corn is blackened on all sides. Allow to cool.

Cook the morels in 2 teaspoons of the olive oil until well browned, about 10 minutes.

Shuck the corn and brush with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Grill or broil the corn until the kernels brown, about 10 minutes. Cut the kernels from the cob and reserve.

Combine the corn and the morels with the remaining ingredients (and the remaining olive oil) and mix well. Serve warm on a bed of greens.

Smoked Serrano and Roasted Tomato Salsa

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

2 large tomatoes
1 tablespoon Chipotle Texas Red Serrano Powder, buy here
1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Instructions

Grill the tomatoes and chiles by placing them 3 to 6 inches above hot coals.  Turn them often until they are soft and the skins are charred.  Place them in a blender along with the Red Serrano Powder. Puree for about 30 seconds.  Strain the salsa and add the salt, mixing well.

Albondigas en Salsa Chipotle (Chipotle Meat Balls)

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

4 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped fine
1 small white onion, chopped
5 medium tomatoes, chopped fine
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a saucepan, combine the chipotles, onion, tomatoes, carrots, celery, cilantro, broth, and salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and fashion into meat balls. Bake the meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove, drain, and add them to the chipotle sauce. Simmer in the sauce for 20 minutes, and serve.