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.

 

Jalapeno Black Bean Chili

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Turtle, or black beans, have always been a favorite in both Central and South America and have been gaining in popularity in the country. These are also the beans that the Chinese ferment for their black bean sauce. This is a great recipe to serve your vegetarian friends and is so tasty you won’t even miss the meat.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups black beans, sorted, rinsed, and soaked overnight

  • 6 to 8 jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

  • 3 cups vegetable broth

  • 1 15-ounce can peeled tomatoes

  • 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry, optional

  • Salt to taste

  • Garnishes: Sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, add the jalapeños, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

In a large saucepan or stockpot, combine the beans, onion mixture, cumin, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are soft, about an 1 ½ hours. Add the tomatoes and vinegar and continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes or until the chili has thickened.

Remove the chili from the heat and stir in the sherry and season with salt. Ladle the chili into bowls, garnish with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle the cilantro over the top and serve.

Award Winning Barbeque Sauce

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To the members of the Madd Momma and The Kid barbecue team, sauce should be a finishing touch and only used during the final stages of barbecuing. In this recipe, they use honey to get the sweet heat they like.

This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

The Heat of Competition: The Jack Daniels’ Championship

 

Ingredients

  • 1 32-ounce bottle ketchup

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3/4 cup white vinegar

  • 3/4 cup honey

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let the mixture boil. Allow sauce to cool; then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.