Greens and Ferns with Santa Fe Serrano Dressing

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You should make small batches of the dressing because the avocado will discolor slightly on the second day; however, it is so good and so versatile, that it probably won’t last that long anyway. Using Champagne vinegar adds zest without the harshness associated with other types of vinegars. You can also serve the dressing over cooked chilled vegetables, such as freshly cooked asparagus or artichokes.

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled, seed removed, and cut into quarters

  • 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/2 cup unflavored low-fat yogurt or sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons cilantro

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 clove garlic

  • 1 fresh serrano chile, seeds and stem removed

  • 6 bunches of different greens, mixed together in a bowl

  • 18 fiddlehead ferns

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients (except the greens and ferns) in a blender or food processor and blend until thoroughly mixed. If the dressing seems too thick, add more water or yogurt. Place the mixed greens in 6 bowls and add 3 fiddlehead ferns to each bowl.. Add the dressing to taste.

Shepherd-Style Barbecued Goat

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The central Texas town of Brady has staged the World Championship Barbeque Goat Cook-off for more than twenty years on Labor Day weekend. And they know how to cook it correctly, using ten to eighteen pound goats that have been slaughtered at thirty to forty days of age. The older goats eat grass and develop a distinct muttony flavor. They can also be tough. The best time to find young goat is around May. Cabrito is the Spanish word for young goat.

Purists insist that the only traditional way to cook cabrito is to dig a hole in your back yard and burn mesquite wood down to coals. Then you take the skinned cabrito, season it, wrap it in wet burlap bound with wire, and set the meat over the coals. You cover it with dirt to seal in the heat and smoke, and let it cook all day.

Known in the Southwest as cabrito al pastor, barbecued young goat is a spring tradition that can be duplicated in a grill with a spit or in a smoker. The biggest problem is going to be finding a young, tender 12 to 15 pound young goat and you may have to search out butchers, farmers, or Hispanic markets.

Ingredients

  • Your favorite barbecue rub containing chile powder

  • 1 12-pound young goat, cleaned

  • Barbecue sauce of choice, chipotle recommended

  • Flour or corn tortillas

  • Guacamole

  • Salsa of choice, chipotle recommended

    • Instructions

    Sprinkle the rub all over the goat and rub it in thoroughly. If grilling the goat, build a mesquite wood fire in a large barbecue with a spit, or use natural charcoal and mesquite chips. Arrange the goat on a spit about 1 foot above the coals. You can use a motor to turn the spit, or turn it manually every 10 or 15 minutes. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 170° F., for well done.

    If smoking the goat, place the goat on a rack in the smoker with the smoke from pecan, oak, or fruitwood at 200 to 220° F. Smoke for about 1 hour per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 180° F.

    To serve, slice the cabrito thinly and top with barbecue sauce. Serve with the tortillas, guacamole, and salsa on the side, or make tacos topped with the salsa.

    Strawberries with Tex-Mex Tequila and Black Pepper

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    This is a shocking dessert if there ever was one, with the sharp flavors of the pepper tequila and black pepper strangely complementing the sweetness of the strawberries. Only a truly daring chilehead would serve this over chile-infused icecream.

    Ingredients

    • 6 cups halved strawberries

    • 1/2 cup orange juice

    • 1/4 cup chile-infused tequila (or soak crushed piquin chiles in tequila for a few hours and strain)

    • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

    • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

    • Mint sprigs for garnish

    Instructions

    Combine the strawberries, orange juice, tequila, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and toss well. Cover and chill for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Spoon the mixture into 6 small glass bowls and garnish with the mint sprigs.

    Pork and Tomatillo Chili

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    Adding tomatillos gives the variation of a traditional New Mexican chili a south of the border twist. They provide a tangy, citrus-like taste that can at times be very tart. The heat in this dish will very depending on the heat of the green chili you use. The Big Jim variety will be mild, the Sandia hot, and most will fall into the medium range.

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes

    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

    • 1 large onion, diced

    • 4 cloves garlic, minced

    • 3 to 4 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped

    • 2 12-ounce bottles of dark beer

    • 1 12 to 15-ounce can tomatillos

    • 1 15-ounce can peeled tomatoes, including the liquid

    • 4 to 6 green New Mexican chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped

    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican preferred

    • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

    • 1 16-ounce can pinto beans, including the liquid

    • Salt

    Instructions

    Heat some of the oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Brown the pork, remove and put in a large kettle or stockpot. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and saute the onions until soft. Add the garlic and serrano chile and cook for an additional couple of minutes. Remove and add to the pork.

    Pour one of the bottles of beer into the skillet, raise the heat and deglaze the pan scraping up all the bits and pieces. Add the liquid to the pork.

    Add the remaining beer, tomatillos, tomatoes, green chiles, oregano, and cumin to the stockpot. Bring the mixture to just below boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the pinto beans, adjust the seasonings and simmer for an addition 30 minutes.

    Cincinnati 5-way Chili

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    The basic recipe for Cincinnati chili is much like others containing beef, onions, and chili powder, but that’s where the similarity ends. Cinnamon and a variety of spices such as cloves, ginger, and allspice are also added to make this very unique chili. You order the chili by which “way” you like it—2-Way is chili over spaghetti, 3-Way with cheese added, 4-Way adds onions, and 5-Way is the works: spaghetti, chili, beans, onions, and cheese. No matter what “Way” you order the chile, it’s always served with oyster crackers.

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds ground chuck

    • 1 cup chopped onions

    • 2 cloves garlic, minced

    • 1 6-ounce tomato paste

    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

    • 1 tablespoon chili powder

    • 1 teaspoon ground paprika

    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

    • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne chile

    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

    • ½ teaspoon ground allspice

    • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

    • 1 bay leaf

    • Salt

    • 2 cups cooked spaghetti

    Accompaniments: Grated cheddar cheese, chopped onions, cooked  kidney beans, Oyster crackers

    Instructions

    Sauté the beef, onions, and garlic in a large kettle or stockpot over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Break up any large clumps of meat with a spoon.

    Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, chili powder, paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne, cumin, allspice, cloves, bay leaf, and salt along with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the chili for an hour.

    Taste and adjust the seasonings and continue to simmer for an additional hour, adding more water if necessary. The chili should be thick but still be able to be ladled over the spaghetti. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

    Put the accompaniments into serving bowls. To serve, place in the spaghetti into bowls, ladle the chili over the top and allow your guests to garnish the 2-Way chili with whatever accompaniments they choose. Serve the crackers on the side.