Ceviche with Habaneros

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Ceviche (also spelled “cerviche” and “seviche”) is kind of a “Latin American sushi,” raw fish “cooked” in fresh lime juice. Because of the high acid content of the ingredients, prepare this fish recipe only in a glass dish, never in a metal one.

Ingredients

  • 4 habanero chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped fine

  • 1 pound firm white fish, cut in cubes

  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice

  • 1/2 cup cooking oil

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until the fish loses its translucency and turns opaque.

 

Enchiladas Verdes con Chile Pasado

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Here’s the recipe we served to our friends in Italy. In parentheses are the Italian ingredients we used as substitutes. I have adjusted the recipe to serve four to six. Serve with refried beans and guacamole.

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • 2 cups cream

  • 6 ounces cream cheese (mascarpone)

  • 3/4 cup finely chopped onions

  • 1 ½ ounces chile pasado, reconstituted to make about 1 ½ cups, chopped

  • 5 teaspoons minced cilantro (Italian parsley)

  • 1 egg

  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 12 corn tortillas

  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place the chicken breasts and the stock in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the breasts and reserve the stock. Remove the skin from the breasts and shred the meat into small pieces. In a bowl combine ½ cup of cream, the cream cheese, shredded chicken, and the onions and mix well with a wooden spoon.

Place the chile pasado in a blender and add the cilantro and 1/4 cup of the reserved chicken stock. Blend at high speed to form a smooth paste. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of cream, the egg, and the salt and pepper and blend briefly. Remove the puree to a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet, heat the oil until hot. Using tongs, fry each tortilla in the oil for about 5 seconds a side so they are soft. If you overcook them, they will be tough. Drain each tortilla on paper towels. Place each tortilla on a plate and put about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the middle. Smooth it out and roll up each tortilla into a thick cylinder. Place in a 8 by 12 inch glass baking dish, seam side down. When all of the tortillas are placed in a single layer, cover them with blended chile pasado puree and top with the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the enchiladas are slightly browned on top. Serve immediately.

Chicken Chile Rellenos

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Be sure to serve this dish right out of the oven for the best taste.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken thigh meat
  • 1 ¾ cups diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup Red Chile Sauce
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 4 large poblano peppers, roasted and peeled
  • 2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Monterey Jack
  • ½ cup (about 2 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

To prepare the chicken stuffing, heat the oil in a saute’ pan and add the chicken. Saute’ the meat over medium heat, turning it several times, until it is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the heat and allow it to cool. Coarsely chop the meat, and put it in a bowl. Add the tomatoes, chile sauce, salt and pepper. Mix gently.

To prepare the rellenos, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put one quarter of the chicken mixture in each pepper, with the cut side facing up. Place peppers on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Mix together the Monterey Jack and goat cheese and divide it evenly among the peppers, piling cheese on top of the chicken mixture. Bake the peppers for 20 minutes or until filling is heated through and cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve at once.

Clam, Shrimp and Scallop Pan Fry

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Be sure that your shrimp, clams, and scallops are fresh. Throw away any clams that do not open when being cooked.

Ingredients

  • 2 dozen littleneck clams
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup clam juice
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 6 tablespoons your favorite habanero hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ to 3/4 pound shrimp, in the shell (12 to 16 total)
  • ½ pound sea scallops
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Give the clams a good scrubbing, discarding any with cracked or open shells. Put the clams in a bowl, cover with water, and sprinkle with cornmeal. Soak for about a half hour. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a pan that you can cover later. Add the garlic and cook for two minutes. Pour in the clam juice, wine, and hot sauce. When the mixture is bubbling, add the clams. Cover and cook until the clams open, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pull out the clams as they open and set aside and keep warm. Throw out any clams that don’t open.

Boil and reduce the pan juices over high heat for about eight minutes. Sprinkle in the crushed red pepper and Worcestershire.

Toss in the shrimp and scallops. Simmer until they’re cooked and have just turned opaque, about 4 minutes. Add the cream and basil and stirl. Return the clams to the pan and gently stir together all the seafood. Sprinkle with parsley and serve steaming hot.

Spicy Brunch Blintzes

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Be sure to put the eggroll wrappers on a greased surface or they may tear.

Ingredients

  • 2 eggroll wrappers
  • 1 cup mixed veggies of choice, steamed
  • ½ cup Champignon Mushroom Cheese, diced
  • 2 habanero chiles, seeded and minced
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper
  • Tomato sauce

Instructions

Place the egg roll wrappers into boiling water until flaccid and place on a greased surface. Saute together the veggies, cheese, habanero and eggs until the eggs begin to firm up. Split the ingredients between the two wrappers and place in the center. Fold over equally on all sides and place in an oven-safe pan. Top with a conservative amount of tomato sauce and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the top becomes light brown.