2015 Chili Cook-Off ~ People’s Choice Award - Texas Style

Authentic Texas-style chili contains no beans and is usually made with diced beef. Some purest use only beef and spices in their chili. We use brisket that has been smoked for 24 hours. Once the brisket has cooled, it is finely diced before being added to the remaining ingredients.

Ingredients:
2 pounds (or 1 kilo) smoked brisket (“Pecho” en español), shredded and trimmed of fat. We smoke the brisket for 12 hours and then finish it in the oven for another 12 hours. (If you don’t have brisket, you could use ground beef, browned and drained, or chuck roast (posta) that has been diced into ¼” cubes. You will need to increase the liquid smoke to 1/3 cup.
1 pound Italian sausage, browned and drained
1 medium onion, diced small
1 – 14.5 cans of diced tomatoes
1 – 6 oz. cans of tomato paste
2 cups of chicken stock
¼ cup liquid smoky broth from the brisket, with all fat dripping removed. Alternately, you can use “Colgin Liquid Smoke” sold in most grocery stores, including AutoMercado in Costa Rica
1 cups of water
½ pint of Pace salsa picante (medium) or 1 can of La Costeña Salsa Mexicana
1 tablespoon of beef stock concentrate 
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoon masa (corn flour) dissolved in ½ cup of water for thickening
2 tablespoons homemade chili powder (more, or less, according to taste)

Directions:
Brown the ground sausage and drain.  Add the meat and sausage to the pot with all the onions, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, beef concentrate, salsa, garlic, oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of water. Bring mixture to a steady boil, stirring frequently for at least an hour.  Mix the masa (corn flour) with enough cold water to create a thick batter and add it to the pot.  Simmer for 4 hours, or more.
Top with grated cheddar and diced onions before serving. Corn tortillas or chips go great with a bowl of chili.

Yield ~ 1 gallon

*Homemade Chili Powder
4 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili de árbol powder (Tree chili is a small Mexican Chili with a woody stem that is sometimes called bird’s beak chili.) 
2 whole chipotle chili peppers with stems removed, minced, and ground to a powder (Chipotle chili is a smoked Jalapeño chili pepper used primarily in Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking.)
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons smoked Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons fresh finely minced oregano
1 tablespoon fresh ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground clove
4 tablespoons Hot Chili Powder (Purchased from MySpiceSage.com. Ingredients: Chile Pepper, Salt, Cumin, Oregano, Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, and Crushed Red Pepper)

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp over Linguini

This Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp over Linguini is the perfect 30-minute meal for two. For those of us that don't like doing dishes, this is a one-pot meal, making cleanup a breeze. Most of the ingredients used are kitchen staples most of us have readily available and if you don't have fresh shrimp, use frozen. I grow a lot of my own herbs, so I like to make my own blend of Italian seasoning with fresh ingredients when possible, but store-bought will work just fine.

Ingredients:

• 250 grams (8 ounces) Linguine Pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ kilo (1 pound) large shrimp (cleaned & deveined) (Note: You can use frozen shrimp in this recipe, but make sure it is completely thawed before cooking.)
• 1½ cups fresh spinach
• ¼ cup of fresh chopped basil
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Herb blend: (If you don't want to make your own, use a teaspoon of Italian seasoning)

• ¼ teaspoon fresh chopped oregano
• ¼ teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
• pinch of dried thyme
• pinch of dried tarragon
• pinch of dried marjoram
• pinch of ground fennel

Directions:

• In a large pot cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Using the same pan, heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Using medium-low heat, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. Watch it closely because garlic can burn quickly.
• Add the shrimp and salt and pepper to taste. Cook just until the shrimp start to turn pink. Add all the herbs and spinach and cook until the spinach and basil are wilted.
• Add the pasta back to the pot with the remaining butter and parmesan. Gently toss the pasta until the butter is melted.
• Add the lemon juice before serving and serve hot.

We find this the perfect meal for two, but it can easily be scaled up for a crowd. ¡Buen Provecho!

Mac & Cheese with Smoked Pimiento Peppers & Bacon

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of Penne pasta or elbow macaroni 
• ¼ cup diced smoked Pimiento peppers
• 5 strips of bacon diced and fried until crispy
• 1½ cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1½ cups of grated queso Maduro or Monterrey jack cheese
• 1½ cups of grated mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of bacon grease drippings
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 2 cups of milk
• Salt & Black pepper to taste
• ½ cup Panko bread crumbs (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until just al dente (about 9-11 minutes). Then drain the pasta and set it aside in a covered bowl.
• While the pasta cooks, dice the pimiento peppers and set aside.
• Fry up the diced bacon and set aside.
• Grate all the cheeses and set them aside.
• Make a roux with the butter, bacon drippings, and flour by stirring with a whisk constantly over medium heat until the flour is well cooked and you have a thick paste.
• Gradually add the heavy cream to the roux and continue whisking.
• When the cream is thoroughly incorporated, gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until you have and nice sauce that isn't too thick. If it is very thick, add more milk to thin it out.
• Add the diced pimiento peppers and bacon to the sauce, then fold in all the cheeses. This will thicken the sauce up as the cheese melts. If it is too thick to pour, add just a bit more milk to thin.
• Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to your liking.
• Layer half the pasta in a large casserole dish and pour half of the cheese sauce over the pasta to coat it evenly. Layer the rest of the pasta on top and pour the remaining cheese sauce evenly over the top.
• Top the casserole with the Panko bread crumbs.
• Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake about 10 minutes more to brown the bread crumbs.   

Poor Man's Paella

One of the main ingredients for a great Paella is Saffron. Saffron is hard to find in Costa Rica, but Achiote Paste is available everywhere, and it is also a cheap ingredient.

Ingredients

Herb Blend
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice
• ½ pound of Andouille sausage
• 1 pound raw shrimp
Broth
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes or 2 chili de arbol
• 1 teaspoon salt
Paella
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Achiote* paste
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 sweet red pepper diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup of diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup of corn kernels
• 1.5 cups Arborio rice
• 2 tablespoons of chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon of drained and diced Pimento peppers

Instructions:

• Cook the Andouille Sausage and allow the sausage to cool completely. Once cooled, cut the sausage into ¼” - ½” coins and set aside.
• Clean and peel the shrimp, leaving the tails, and set aside.
• Prepare the Herb Blend and set aside.
• Prepare the Broth with the chicken stock, smoked Spanish paprika, turmeric, chili flakes and salt in a small saucepan. Bring the broth just to a simmer and keep warm.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet, or paella pan, over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When oil is hot, add the achiote paste. Once melted, add the onion and sweet peppers and sauté for 5 minutes, until they are softened and turning translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
  
• Add the rice and stir fry until the rice is completed coated with the oil and achiote.
• Stir in the seasoned broth and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add in the sliced sausage and cook for about 5 more minutes.
• Arrange the shrimp on top, pressing the heads into the rice, leaving the tails exposed. Continue cooking for 10 more minutes or so, until liquid is evaporated and the rice is almost thoroughly cooked.
• 
  The secret to great Paella is the socarrat, the crusty crispy bottom of the paella that becomes caramelized and toasted on the bottom of the pan. When the rice is almost finished cooking, take the pan with the paella off of the heat, cover it, and let the rice absorb any remaining liquid. This will let the rest of the rice continue to cook while the heat from the bottom of the pan creates a crust.
• Sprinkle chopped basil and the diced & drained Pimento Peppers on top and serve.

Notes: 

* Achiote Paste can be found in most supermarkets in the Latino food aisle.

This is also delicious with the addition of mussels, shredded chicken, etc.

Coconut Adobo Chicken

This is a deliciously simple one skillet dish that you can have on the table in about 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo of chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless)
• black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce 
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek sauce (We love the heat, so we add 2 teaspoons. Adjust for your palate)
• 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 4 dried bay leaves
• green onions and limes, for serving

Directions:

• Season the chicken all over with black pepper. 
• In a large glass measuring cup, combine the Soy, Sambal and Hoisin sauces, with the vinegar, coconut milk, honey, and 1/4 cup of water.
• In a large heavy bottom skillet with deep sides (I use my cast iron skillet), heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken, working in batches if needed. Sear on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side.
• Add the garlic, and cook about 1-2 minutes, being careful to not burn it.
• Reduce the heat to low and pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken. Add the bay leaves. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, uncover and cook another 10-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickening slightly. 
• Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve the adobo chicken over rice, topped with green onions and a squeeze of lime juice.

Note: If the sauce gets too thick, add more water in ¼ cup increments. If the sauce is not getting thick, simmer on low for a few more minutes.

Spicy Asian Rice Bowl

This is a easy spicy Asian shrimp, chicken, or pork dish with vegetables served over Jasmine rice. You can change up the ingredients to use your favorite proteins and vegetables. The first time I made this, we had it with shrimp and it was fabulous. The second time, we had it with chicken, asparagus, green beans, sliced carrots, sweet peppers and onions. Again, it was delicious. 

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce (I use a mix of light and dark soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 roasted Hatch chili peppers pureed in a blended. The chili should be roasted with skin, seeds and stems removed. (You can substitute 1 tablespoon of chili paste for the Hatch chili peppers.)
• 2 tablespoons pineapple marmalade/jam
• 1 pound raw shrimp w/tails, headed and de-veined 
• or
• 1 pound of chicken/pork cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups of mixed sweet peppers cut into 1/2-inch dice. Use yellow, red & green pepper for color.
• 1 cup spring onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 cups of broccoli florets 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root, or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:

• Whisk soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, chili puree, and pineapple marmalade together in a bowl. Stir shrimp into the marinade; refrigerate for one hour.
• Add the Jasmine rice to a medium saucepan with high heat and cover the rice with 3 cups of boiling water. Cover the saucepan and lower the heat to a slow simmer for 20 minutes. Do not remove the lid.
• Turn off the heat to the rice and let it rest with the lid on for another 15 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Cook the vegetables in the oil until they just start to soften, 2-4 minutes. 
• Add the shrimp with all the marinade, and the garlic, ginger, and sesame oil into the vegetables.
• Sauté just until the shrimp is pink and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. 
• Serve over hot jasmine rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Note: This recipe is very versatile and you can change it up to use different vegetable and proteins like sugar snap peas, leaks, bok choy, cauliflower,  diced chicken or pork.

Spicy Coconut Shrimp and Pasta

So, what do you make when you’re craving Shrimp Alfredo with Linguini, and you have no milk, no butter, no cream, and no parmesan cheese? Spicy Coconut Shrimp and Pasta!

Ingredients

• 500 grams of Pasta (spaghetti, linguini)
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced (or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)
• 1 Panamanian chili pepper (Scotch Bonnet or Jalapeño work too, or even ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
• 300 - 500 grams of shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, freshly chopped
• 1 lime
• ½ cup coconut milk

Directions

• Bring a big pot of salted water to boil and add pasta when ready. When the pasta is al dente, rinse it and set it in a bowl of cold water to stop it from cooking.
• Mix all the dry spices in a small bowl and set aside. Your spice mix should include the cayenne pepper and ground ginger if you’re not using fresh.
• Add olive oil and coconut oil to the same pot used to make the pasta and bring it to medium heat.
• Stir in chili pepper, garlic, fresh ginger and coconut flakes.
• Sauté just until the color starts to change, then add the shrimp and increase the temperature to high.
• Sprinkle the entire seasoning blend over the shrimp, and give it all a good stir.
• Sauté the shrimp for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they turn pink and just start to brown. Do not overcook, or the shrimp will become rubbery.
• Drain the pasta.
• Squeeze half a lime over the shrimp and toss the pasta back in the pot. Stir the shrimp and pasta.
• Add the coconut milk and stir to mix and re-heat the pasta.
• Top with cilantro and the rest of the lime juice just before serving.

Taco Mac & Cheese

When my boys were small, and money was tight, we ate our fair share of "Hamburger Helper" as it got closer to payday. These comfort foods are still a treat now and then, but instead of buying a mix of who knows what chemicals, I make my own from scratch.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbs taco seasoning --- Click on link for recipe.
3/4 cup picante sauce (mild, medium, or hot, according to your preference)

1½ cups milk
¾ cup cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
2 cups grated Mexican 4-cheese blend

1 lb. dry pasta shells (you can use elbow macaroni, penne pasta, or whatever you have on hand)

1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro

Directions:
Cook pasta until al dente and drain.

Cook meat and onions together and drain grease. Stir in taco seasoning and simmer for another minute. Add minced garlic and picante sauce, and cook another minute or two. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt cream cheese and sour cream with milk, then add the grated cheese and stir over low heat until everything is melted.

Add meat and melted cheeses to pasta, mix well, top with cilantro and serve.

Yield: 6 generous servings

Home Cured Corned Beef Brisket

Next week will be Saint Patrick's Day and for the first time since we've been in Costa Rica, we have a corned beef brisket ready to cook to celebrate this American Irish holiday. I had been hungry for some corned beef brisket for a few years now and decided a couple of weeks ago we really needed to try our hand at making a brine and home curing a brisket. This is amazingly easy if you have 10 days of preparation time. This is not something you decide to make from one day to the next.

The first challenge was to locate all the spices I would need for the brine solution. I had enough Prague Powder #1 (InstaCure Pink Salt) on hand that our daughter had brought from the States, so I just needed to track down the rest of the spices. It turned out most of the ingredients can be found at our local spice vendor's booth at our Feria (Farmers' Market) every Friday morning. I was able to find a couple of the spices he didn't carry at the Mercado Central (central market) in Alajuela, including a new local source for the Prague Powder #1, called "Sal de Cura" at vendor booth #34. The only spice I couldn't locate was juniper berry. With just a little research I found sprigs of Rosemary make an acceptable substitute, and the Rosemary will impart the same earthy pine flavor and scent as a juniper berry.

If you have the time to brine, and you're ready to try your hand a making a home-cured corned beef brisket, here's how to do it.

Ingredients:

Spice Mix:
4 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces (canela)
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (semillas de mostaza)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns (granos de pimienta negra)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds (semilla de culantro)
2 teaspoons Star Anise (estrellas de anís)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (hojuelas de chili rojo)
24 whole cloves (clavo de olor)
24 whole allspice berries (granos de Jamaica)
24 whole juniper berries or 8 sprigs of rosemary (ramitas de romero)
6 bay leaves, crumbled (hojas de laurel)

Thoroughly mix all the spices together and store in an airtight jar.

Corned Beef Brine:
3 quarts of water
1½ cup kosher salt (we use swimming pool salt because it is pure with no iodine or fluoride)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 ounces Prague Insta-Cure #1 (by weight, not by volume) (Sal de Cura)
5 tablespoons of Spice Mix
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger (jengibre molido)
4 sliced cloves of garlic (optional) (clavos de ajo)
2 pounds ice
1 (6 to 7 pound) beef brisket, trimmed (pecho entero)

Directions:

Curing the Meat:
Place the water into a large 6 to 8-quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, Prague powder, and all the spices. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon container (or zip-top bag) and add the brine. Seal the container, and refrigerate for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged, turn it over as necessary and stir the brine.2. After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water and remove the old spices. Put the corned beef in a pot slightly larger than the meat and cover it with cold water. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours in order to remove excess salt from the meat. If you can change the water once or twice.

There are two cooking methods you can use to finish the Corned Beef: A Stovetop or Sous Vide method with an Immersion Circulator.

STOVETOP:

When you are ready to cook, place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, cover with water, bring to a boil and reduce to low for 30 minutes to remove the salt. Pour off all the salty water, add the onion, carrot, and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. If you like additional spice, add 1 tablespoon of the leftover mix. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender. If you want, you can add cabbage and potatoes during the last 45 minutes of cooking. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

SOUS VIDE:

Prepare sous vide immersion circulator and set the water temperature for 80°C/175°F.

Remove the desalinated corned beef from the pot and place it in a gallon-size sealable freezer bag. 

Carefully submerge the freezer bag in the water bath until most of the air has been removed and then seal the bag. 

Once the bag is submerged, cook the corned beef for 10 hours.

Fill a large container with a 50/50 mix of ice and water. Place the bag of cooked corned beef in the ice water for 30 to 60 minutes to quickly reduce the meat's core temperature to 34 to 38ºF. Place the meat in the refrigerator until ready to slice (up to two days ahead of time). When ready to serve, thinly slice the corned beef across the grain.

(Modified from Alton Brown’s recipe on the Food Network, 2007)

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

I came up with a simple new recipe for Sunday's Pork Roast dinner, using honey and balsamic vinegar. The meat came out wonderfully rich and flavorful, and perfectly fork tender. I put this on to cook on high, at 7 AM, and it was ready to serve by 1 PM. This recipe will definitely go on my "make it again" list. 

Ingredients:
4 pound boneless pork roast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon all purpose steak rub
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup of honey
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of chicken stock

Directions:
Grease the slow cooker with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Thoroughly coat pork with steak rub and place it in the slow cooker with the fat side up. Mix all of the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour this mixture over the pork, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-6 hours. The roast is ready when the meat shreds apart easily.

Serve with a side of rice, or potatoes, and steamed broccoli.

Mac 'n Ham 'n Cheese Casserole - Grown-up Style

Ready for some grown-up macaroni and cheese with ham?  It is not your everyday Kraft and it takes a little work, but it is so worth it.

Ingredients:
1 large sweet pepper (a red, yellow or green bell works fine)
1 pound of uncooked Penne pasta
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Palmito cheese in Costa Rica (In North America, you can probably find "Queso Oaxaca" with the Mexican cheeses in the dairy case.)
1 cup diced cooked ham
½ cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning salt
½ teaspoon course ground black pepper
¾ cup of milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F
Place the whole sweet pepper on a cookie sheet and roast it in the oven for 15 minutes on each side. While the pepper is roasting grate the cheeses, mix them together in a bowl and set it aside. Dice the ham into small pieces. Cook the Penne pasta in salted boiling water about 10 minutes. It should still be firm since it will finish cooking when it bakes in the oven. Rinse the pasta in cold water. Mix the pasta with the cream cheese, mayonnaise, seasoning salt, pepper and ham until will blended and set it aside. The sweet pepper should be just about roasted by now, so take it out of oven and let it rest for 10 minutes so the skin loosens. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Rinse the pepper in cold water and the roasted skin should slip right off. Remove the seeds and stem and coarse chop the pepper. Fold the roasted pepper into the pasta mixture.

Place a layer of the pasta mixture (about a third) in the bottom of a casserole dish and top it with a third of the mixed cheeses. Repeat with two more layers of pasta and cheeses. Pour the milk evenly over the top and bake the casserole at 350° for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and it starts to brown on top.

Chicken Enchiladas

Today we had a craving for some good old Tex-Mex, so I found some of my homemade enchilada sauce and whipped up some Chicken Enchilada for lunch.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts cut into thick strips
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green, red or yellow sweet pepper, diced
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded &  minced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup of canned/frozen corn kernels, drained
¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
¾ cup grated mild white cheese
12 8 inch flour tortillas
1½ cups enchilada sauce (store bought, or go to this link for my homemade red enchilada sauce)
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. This part can be done ahead of time, and stored in the refrigerator a few day in advance of assembling the enchiladas. Season the chicken with the salt pepper and cumin.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and add the chicken to the hot oil. Sauté the chicken until thoroughly cooked and nicely browned. Set the chicken aside until it cools.  When the chicken is cool, shred it into thin strips.
2. Prepare the filling. Sauté the onion and sweet peppers over medium heat in the remaining olive oil until translucent.  Add the garlic and jalapeño pepper and stir for another minute.  Add the diced tomatoes and the corn. 
3. Lightly grease a large 15-inch x 10-inch x 2-inch rectangular baking/casserole dish.  Pour about ½ cup of enchilada sauce in the dish.  Dip each of the tortillas in the sauce and stack them on a dinner plate.
4. Assemble the enchiladas.  Place about 2 tablespoons of shredded chicken in a tortilla and top it with a heaping tablespoons of the onions, peppers, tomato & corn mixture.  Add a little of the cheeses and roll the tortilla so that it is about an inch in diameter.  Place it in the baking dish with the open seam to the bottom.  Continue with the remaining tortillas.  You should be able to get 10 enchiladas vertically, with 2 at the top horizontally.
5. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining filling, enchilada sauce and cheese.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until all the cheese is melted.  

Serving suggestions:  Top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Potato & Chorizo Casserole with Jalapeños

This is one of my favorite casseroles because it's one dish, fast to put together, and a real crowd pleaser.  The Jalapeños enhance the flavor the sausage and potatoes without overpowering them with spice.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of potatoes
1½ pounds of chorizo (or other favorite spicy sausage) 
1 medium red onion
1 medium yellow onion
1 - 5½ ounce can of pickled "Malher* Chili Jalapeño" halves in brine (Depending on your tolerance for hot and spicy, you may want to try this the first time with just a ½ can and work your way up.)
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Wash potatoes and cut up into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Slice onion into ½ inch slices and then quarter each slice. Slice the chorizo into 1 inch chunks. Toss everything with seasoning salt in olive oil and place in a baking dish. Pour the brine from the Jalapeño over the potatoes and onions. Remove any stems on the Jalapeño halves and slice each half in thin strips lengthwise and toss them with the chorizo, potatoes & onions. Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove cover, top with cheese and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are done and cheese is toasted. Serve

* The Malher brand of Jalapeño chili peppers are found everywhere in Costa Rica, but they are hard to find in the States. These peppers are milder Jalapeños than what you'll find in most of the grocery stores Stateside. This particular brand will enhance the flavor of any food and not over power it. If you can't find the Malher brand, you will need to adjust the amount of brine and Jalapeños to suit your taste.

Olla de Carne - Costa Rican Beef Soup

This is an absolutely delicious Costa Rican staple that used to be served at every evening meal. Now it is served anytime. You will find it on the menu at many "sodas" (small diners) and "restaurantes". It is a stew-like soup with large chunks of beef and vegetables. The broth isn't as thick as the broth found in a typical American stew.

Ingredients:

½ pound of yucca

½ pound sweet potatoes (camote)

½ pound of tiquisque* (optional)

½ pound carrots (zanahoria)

½ pound of potatoes (pappas)

½ pound of calabaza squash (ayote)

1 chayote

1 green plantain (platano verde)

2 ears of tender corn sliced in 1½” rings (elote)

1 bunch of fresh cilantro (culantro)

1 cup diced celery (apio)

1 cup coarsely chopped onion (cebolla)

3 cloves minced garlic (ajo)

1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano

2 cups of chicken or beef stock (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in water)

1 teaspoon of achiote paste (annatto)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 pounds bone-in beef, cubed beef or rib pieces cut into about 2 inch pieces

Directions:

Place the meat in a large pot with the onion, garlic, cilantro, oregano, celery and salt and pepper. Add enough water to cover everything and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer until the meat is almost tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Cut all of the vegetables into large chunks, about 1” to 1½” thick. Put the vegetables and chicken or beef stock in another large stock pot in the order they take to cook. Reserve the potatoes, sweet potatoes and squash until later because they need less cooking time. Bring the vegetable to a boil over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Then add the remaining vegetables and lower the heat to a simmer, transfer the meat to the vegetable pot and continue to simmer until everything is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Olla de carne is usually served "family style" with a bowl of plain broth (or caldo) for everyone. The cooked meat and vegetables are placed on a large platter in the center of the table with a large bowl of white rice. Everyone adds a little rice to their broth and then tops it with some meat and their favorite vegetables.

* Tiquisque is commonly called Taro, Cocoyam or Ñampi. I'm not fond of this root vegetable, so I usually don't add it.

Gallo Pinto

"Gallo Pinto" is a typical Costa Rican breakfast dish. It is generally accompanied by fried eggs, meat and sometimes with a side of fried ripe plantain (Platano Maduro).

Ingredients:
2 cups Rice (pre-cooked/leftovers)
1 cup Black Beans (pre-cooked/leftovers)
2 cloves Garlic minced
½ cup Onion diced
¼ cup Sweet Peppers diced
¼ cup Celery diced
Cilantro
Salsa Lizano
Tabasco

Saute garlic, onion, sweet peppers and celery in a large skillet. Add cooked rice and stir until throughly heated. Add beans (with or without broth) and stir until throughly heated. Add Salsa Lizano and Tabasco to taste and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro just before serving.

If you want to kick this up a notch, dice up whatever leftover meat, or chicken and saute it with the garlic, peppers and celery. Just a little bit of minced Jalapeño will push it over the top.

Serves: 4

Originally posted 11/10/07

Chorreadas (Costa Rican Corn Pancakes)

(español, ver mas abajo)

Costa Rican Chorreadas are quick and easy to make, especially if you have lots of fresh corn on hand. There are different ways to prepare corn pancakes: sweet, plain, savory or cheesy. These are great for any meal; breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a side dish. It is typical to serve them with fresh sour cream, but they are delicious with lots of different toppings; refried beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo, just to name a few.

Sweet :
4 cups fresh corn
¼ cup milk or water
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup of favorite sweetener
Oil

Savory:
4 cups fresh corn
¼ cup milk or water
1 tsp. salt
2-4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp. oregano
Oil

Cheesy:
4 cups fresh corn
1/4 cup milk or water
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup grated cheese
Oil

Plain:
4 cups fresh corn
1/4 cup milk or water
1 tsp. salt
Oil

Mix everything (except the oil) in a blender till smooth. Pour into a bowl and warm oil in a heavy or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat. Scoop out about 2 large spoonfuls into the pan and spread into a circle like pancakes. Reduce the heat to medium and let it brown lightly (about 2 minutes), flip it over and cook the other side until golden brown. Place the Chorreadas on a warm plate covered with a towel and keep making more till the batter is gone.

The great thing about the Chorreada is it can be made totally dairy-free, vegan and wheat-free.

Chorreadas (panqueques de maíz de Costa Rica)
Costa Rica Chorreadas son rápidos y fáciles de hacer, especialmente si usted tiene elote de maíz fresco. Hay diferentes maneras de preparar tortitas de maíz, dulce, sencillo, sabroso o con queso. Estos son ideales para cualquier comida, desayuno, almuerzo, cena o como guarnición. Es típico que los sirven con natilla fresca, pero son deliciosos, con unos otros ingredientes diferentes, frijoles refritos, guacamole y pico de gallo, sólo para nombrar unos pocos.

Dulce:
4 tazas de maíz fresco
¼ taza de leche o agua
1 cdta. sal
¼ de taza de edulcorante favorito
aceite

Savory:
4 tazas de maíz fresco
¼ taza de leche o agua
1 cdta. sal
2-4 dientes de ajo machacados
2 cucharadas. orégano
aceite

Queso:
4 tazas de maíz fresco
¼ taza de leche o agua
1 cdta. sal
¼ taza de queso rallado
aceite

Sencillo:
4 tazas de maíz fresco
¼ taza de leche o agua
1 cdta. sal
aceite

Mezclar todo (excepto el aceite) en una licuadora hasta que es liso. Vierta la mezcla en un tazón. Caliente el aceite caliente en una sartén o hierro fundido a fuego medio-alto. Saque unos 2 cucharadas grandes en la sartén y se extendió en un círculo como panqueques. Reducir el fuego a medio y dejar que se dore ligeramente (unos 2 minutos), darle la vuelta y cocine del otro lado hasta que estén doradas. Coloque el Chorreadas en un plato caliente cubierta con una toalla y seguir haciendo más hasta que la masa se ha ido.

La gran cosa sobre la Chorreada es que puede ser totalmente libre de lácteos, trigo y vegana.

Latin Fusion Pasta with Grilled Chicken

We went to dinner at our favorite upscale Latino restaurant, the Red Onion, and discovered something new on the menu. While we didn't try it then, it sounded so good, I had to come home and try to invent it using ingredients that fit with our healthy weight management plan. The recipe sounds complicated, but much of can be prepared ahead of time. It's pretty awesome, even if I do say so myself. You be the judge, try it, and be sure to leave a comment...

Ingredients:
1 cup cilantro lime pesto sauce (click here for my pesto recipe)
4 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon spicy seasoning salt (click here for my seasoning salt recipe)
1 16-oz package of whole wheat bow tie pesto
1 cup frozen white corn
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh pico de gallo (click here for my pico de gallo recipe)

Directions:

• Make the pico de gallo and chill until ready to serve.
• Make the lime pesto sauce, cover and leave it at room temperature.
• Season the chicken with a spicy seasoning salt, cover and store it in the refrigerator until ready to grill.
• Using medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and then saute the corn until lightly toasted. Add the black beans to the skillet, cover and turn off the heat.
• Bring salted water to cook the pasta to a boil in a large pot and heat the grill to cook the chicken to medium-high (I use a panini grill)
• Cook the whole wheat bow tie pasta "al dente". While the pasta is cooking, grill the chicken.
• Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and gently toss the pasta with the pesto sauce.
• When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, slice each breast on an angle. You should get about 8 slices per breast.

To Serve:
Layer a plate with a serving of pasta, 3 tablespoons of the sauteed corn & black beans, 4 slices of chicken and top it with the chilled pico de gallo.

Yield: 8 servings

BBQ Beef Brisket

Ingredients:

Beef brisket, 1-1½# per adult, but don’t try less than a 7 pounder (however much yer want -- 15-16# makes a feast)
1-3 c. Texas Universal BBQ Sauce/Marinade (depending on how much meat there is)
Adolph’s meat tenderizer or similar brand using the ingredient papain

Trim off any really disgusting looking fat, but remember, we’s lookin for flavor, not the arteries of some 16 year old stud-muffin kid. Turn the meat fat-side up and cut score lines1/2”-3/4” apart, diagonally across the whole brisket through the fat, down to the meat. Similarly, slit through any membrane (eeeoooo!). Generously rub BBQ sauce into the slits and all over the surface. Turn ‘er over and place fat side down in a glass cake pan or porcelained roaster. Cover the lean side generously with the sauce. Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least 12 hours (this stuff eats foil).

After this marinating period wipe the residual sauce from the meat into the pan (try yer hand, but resist lickin it -- un fricasseed meat juices an all, ya know; and don’t pour it back into the bottle.). Save the sauce in the refrigerator for later. Lay the meat out on a board and sprinkle the surface very copiously (Reader’s Digest, October ‘83) with meat tenderizer. Stab the entire surface with a regular dinner fork, spacing the stabs 1/4”-1/2” apart, tryin to penetrate the full depth of the fork. Flip ‘er over and repeat the tenderizer & stabbin routine on the other side. Knock the old crud offin yer smoker & build a real serious mesquite fire (or, fer you yankees, that’s probly gonna havta be Kingsford charcoal, about 10#, in the (gag) Weber). Damp down the firebox (and push the coals all to the outside, Weber-heads) and put a loaf pan of water in the center no-coals area, or fill the smoker’s water pan. Cover the grill area with heavy foil in the area that the meat will cover. Grease, oil or Pam the foil. Put the meat, fat side down onto the foil & close the cooker. Iffin you has a cooker thermometer, we’s lookin fer 180-225 F as the stable cookin temperature. Smoke for about 4 hours, watchin & replenishin the water & coals as required. After them 4 hours, open the cooker & slather the meat with the sauce saved from the marinadin, adding fresh sauce iffin yer need it to cover all the meat. Keep that temperature down & let’er go to fork tender, about another 4-20 hours, depending on the size of the cow. You will have to do a bunch of coal & water restockin, re-saucin and maybe a bit of foil covering on thinner sections that are goin to crunchy before the thick end gets there. The meat should be fairly smoke-black all over, pull apart with a fork, and sample slices (its allowed ... blame it on the dog) should be tender in the middle, completely rimmed with a 1/8”-1/4” red “rind” (soaked through sauce & smoke) and knock-ya-down juicy & tasty.

Remove from smoker and slice across the grain (start at the pointed, thinner “tip” end, cutting so the tip is a little triangle, informing the crowd that it’s important that the chef sample this tip for edibility). Other than that tip, cut thin slices, no more than 1/8” thick. Your slicin angle will change as you move up the brisket and the grain orientation changes. Serve with heated Universal Sauce on the side (or over, under, sideways, down). This should yield the yummiest, fork-tender eating orgy yer ever chompped. Traditional other meal fare is potato salad, cole slaw, white bread, ranch-style beans, whole jalpeños & iced tea. Go nuts.

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Originally posted 9/15/07

Grilled Ahi Tuna w/Teriyaki & Sesame Seeds

Ingredients

8 oz Ahi Tuna Steak
1 tbs canola oil
1 tbs sesame seeds
2 tbs sugar free teriyaki sause (Seal Sama with Splenda)

Directions

Bring the tuna steak to room temperature on a covered plate. Once it's at room temperature, set the panini grill on high. Toast the sesame seeds in a small non-stick fry pan on high heat until golden and set aside. Brush both sides of the tuna with canola oil and place it on the hot grill for about 3 minutes. Remove the tuna from the grill and gently coat both sides with the sesame seeds. Pour 2 tablespoons of the sugar free teriyaki on top. Delicious served over a bed of rice or sauteed spinach with garlic.

Number of Servings: 2

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 10.2g
• Carbohydrates: 2.1g
• Calories: 222.7
• Protein: 29.8g

Originally posted 8/08/09

Pasta al Forno

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat penne pasta (dry)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin light olive oil
1small onion -- finely chopped
3 cloves garlic -- chopped
1-1/2 cups of grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 20)
3/4 cup half-and-half, fat free
2 pinches ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
3 ounces prosciutto -- 1 thick slice from deli, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Enough softened butter to coat a medium baking dish

Directions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water to al dente on the chewy side. Whole wheat pasta will take about 9 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Saute diced prosciutto in a medium skillet until it starts to brown and remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add the olive oil to the skillet and cook onions and garlic in oil 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion are clear. Add in the tomatoes and mash them a bit. When thoroughly heated, add cream and season sauce with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add the prosciutto to sauce and stir in the cooked pasta and the chopped basil to combine. Coat a medium casserole with the butter. Adjust seasonings and transfer to to baking dish. Cover pasta with Parmesan and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve hot from oven.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 347.4 Calories; 15.8 Fat (29.7% calories from fat); 14.7g Protein; 37.1g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 23mg Cholesterol; 721mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 21 1/2 Fat.


Originally posted 7/16/09