Mole-Style Pork-and-Squash Chili

Yield: Makes 6 servings

3/4 pound boneless pork-sirloin chops or pork-shoulder steaks, cut 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil
two 14 1/2 -ounce cans stewed tomatoes
8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup loose-pack frozen whole-kernel corn
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon grated unsweetened chocolate
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

Cut pork into 1/2 -inch cubes. In a Dutch oven cook and stir the pork, onion and garlic in hot oil until meat is browned. Stir in undrained tomatoes, squash, kidney beans, black beans, corn, water, chili powder, chocolate, cumin, cinnamon and oregano.

Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes or until squash and pork are tender, stirring occasionally. To serve, ladle chili into bowls.

To make ahead: Prepare Mole-Style Pork-and-Squash Chili as directed. Cool chili. Transfer to an airtight container. Cover and chill in refrigerator up to 2 days. To serve: Transfer chili to a Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium heat until heated through.

New Mexico Carne Adovada

1 1/2 cups crushed dried red New Mexican chiles, seeds included
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons dried oregano
3 cups water
2 pounds pork, cut in strips or cubed

Combine the chiles, garlic, oregano and water and mix well to make a "caribe" sauce.

Place pork in a glass pan and cover with the chile caribe sauce. Marinate the pork overnight in the refrigerator.

Bake in a 300-degree oven for 2 to 4 hours (depending on size of meat cubes), or until the pork is very tender and starts to fall apart.

Serving suggestions: Place the Carne Adovada in a flour tortilla to make a burrito, use it as a stuffing for sopaipillas or use it as a filling for enchiladas.

Makes 6 servings.

Pineapple-Apricot Empanaditas

FILLING

1 large ripe pineapple
1/2 cup good-quality apricot preserves
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp triple sec
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

PASTRY

2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz unsalted butter, slightly softened
6 oz cream cheese, slightly soft

GLAZE

1 egg, beaten with 1 t water
3 tbsp sugar


With a serrated knife, remove the top from the pineapple. Quarter the
pineapple vertically and trim away the tough core from each quarter.
Cut the pineapple flesh away from the rind. Chop the pineapple; there
should be about 2 3/4 cups. In a medium saucepan, combine the
pineapple, apricot jam, sugar, and Triple Sec. Set over medium heat
and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, until thick,
about 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature, and in a food processor
partially puree the pineapple mixture. Some texture should remain.
Stir in the bread crumbs. (Filling can be prepared up to 2 days
ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

In the work bowl of a food processor, combine the flour and salt and
pulse briefly to blend. Add the butter and cream cheese and process
until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured
work surface and divide it in half. Gather each half into a ball,
kneading briefly if necessary until smooth, and flatten each ball
into a 5-inch disk. Wrap the disks of dough separately in plastic and
refrigerate for at least 5 hours. (The dough can be prepared up to
2 days ahead.)

Let the discs of dough stand at room temperature until softened
slightly. Dust one disc of dough with flour and on a well-floured
surface roll it out to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch
circular cutter, form the dough into about 12 rounds. Lay the rounds
in a single layer on a plate or cookie sheet, wrap in plastic, and
return them to the refrigerator. Repeat with remaining dough. (The
rounds of dough can be prepared 1 day ahead.)

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat
the oven to 375F. Lightly butter two large baking sheet pans.

Let the rounds of cream cheese pastry soften at room temperature just
until flexible. Making one at a time, spread a heaping teaspoon of
pineapple filling across the center of each round, leaving a border.
Fold the round in half, then pinch the edges of the empanadita to
seal and crimp it decoratively. Repeat with the remaining pastry
rounds and filling, transferring the completed empanaditas to the
baking sheets and spacing them well apart. Brush each empanadita
with the egg wash and sprinkle it lightly with sugar. Bake the
emapanaditas, changing the position of the sheets on the racks from
top to bottom and from front to back at the halfway point, until they
are puffed, crisp, and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool them on a rack
before serving. (The empanaditas can be prepared up to 1 day ahead
and stored, airtight, at room temperature.)

Servings: 24

Pulled Brisket with Habanero-Cantaloupe Barbecue Sauce over Black Bean Cheese Cornbread

Habanero-Cantaloupe Barbecue Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 habanero chile, minced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 cups puréed tomatoes
1 medium cantaloupe, chopped
1 cup molasses
1 cup cola
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Pulled Brisket
1 beef brisket (about 4 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cranberry juice
3/4 cup veal stock


Black Bean Cheese Cornbread
2 cups cornmeal
2/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1/2 cup chopped jalapeños
3/4 cup cooked or canned black beans
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

To make sauce: In a deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat; sauté chile, garlic and onion. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To make brisket: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Rub brisket with olive oil and garlic; season with salt and pepper. In a roasting pan, sear the beef over high heat; add cranberry juice and veal stock. Cover pan with tight-fitting lid and roast in oven 2 1/2 hours. When cool, shred meat with your fingers and place in a large mixing bowl. Add barbecue sauce and allow meat to absorb the sauce. Reheat over low heat before serving.

To make cornbread: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda until well blended. Add buttermilk and eggs; mix well. Add jalapeños, beans and cheese, stirring until incorporated. Pour into a greased 8- by 8-inch baking pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

To serve, place a 4- by 4-inch square of cornbread in the middle of each plate. Scoop brisket on top of cornbread.

Makes 4 large servings. (Leftover brisket can be used for sandwiches.)

Pumpkin Empanadas

2 cup unbleached white flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup cold sweet butter
1 tbsp brandy
3 tbsp milk
16 oz canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon, or 2 teaspoons minced wild anise leaves
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
2 tsp pure vanilla
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for glaze
2 tbsp sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sift together first 4 ingredients. Cut in the shortening and butter using a pastry blender or 2 knives. The mixture should resemble coarse meal.

Combine brandy and milk, and drizzle over flour mixture, stirring with a fork to distribute. Do not over-blend.

Form into a flat disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F.

To make the filling, blend together the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, egg and vanilla.

When dough is chilled, roll out thinly on a floured board or pastry cloth. Cut into 4- or 5-inch circles. Place about 2 tablespoons pumpkin filling on the lower half of each dough circle. Fold over top half. Press the edges together with a fork. Brush tops with egg wash and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden.

While still warm, sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. These may be baked 1 day ahead. Before serving, warm in a 350F oven for 8 minutes.

Makes 14 to 16 empanadas.

Red Pork Chili Tamales

Yield: Makes 4 dozen to 5 dozen tamales

4 1/2 to 5 pounds boneless pork butt

1 large onion, quartered

3 large cloves garlic

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 recipe red pork chili sauce

1 recipe basic fresh masa

48 to 60 dried corn husks, soaked, washed, drained and patted dry

one (14-ounce) can pitted whole black olives (48 to 60)

Place the pork, onion and garlic in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, checking after 1 hour and adding water if necessary to cover the meat.

After 2 hours, add the salt and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour more, until tender.

Carefully remove the meat from the pot and place on a large platter to cool. Skim the fat from the stock and discard. Reserve the stock for use in the sauce and the masa. Cut the pork butt into 1-inch cubes.

Meanwhile, prepare the chili sauce and then prepare the masa.

Combine the cubed pork and the chili sauce in a large bowl.

To assemble the tamales, spread 1/3 to 1/2 cup masa on the smooth side of a corn husk. Spread the filling onto the top third of the husk, leaving 1/2 inch of the husk free of filling; the filling should be 1/4 -inch thick. Spoon about 1/4 cup pork and sauce onto the center of the tamale. Place 1 olive at the end of the large end of the husk so that it will sit on top of the finished tamale.

Fold the long sides of the tamale over the center, forming a bundle, then fold up the bottom to make a packet that is open on top. Repeat with the remaining tamales.

To steam the tamales, fill a large pot that has a steamer basket insert with 4 to 6 inches of water. Leaving out the insert, heat the water to a boil. In the meantime, loosely fill the steamer basket with the tamales, placing them along the sides of the basket with the tamale opening face up. (Steam needs to be able to come up between the tamales for them to cook evenly. Cook the tamales in batches if necessary.) Steam the tamales for 1 hour.

Pull 1 tamale out and unroll. If the masa rolls cleanly off the husk and is set, the tamales are done. Cook an additional few minutes if necessary.

Spicy Chicken Eggplant & Red Onion Quesadillas

1/4 cup water
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno chili, sliced
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz chicken tenders
4 slices red onion, 1/4 thick
4 slices eggplant, crosswise, -1/4 th, ick
1 vegetable oil
8 flour tortillas, 6 diameter
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
sour cream

Combine 1/4 c water, cilantro, sliced jalapeno, lime juice and olive
oil in blender. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Place chicken in shallow baking dish. Pour marinade over,
coating completely. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.

Preheat broiler. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.
Broil chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Set
chicken aside. Lightly brush both sides of onion and eggplant slices
with vegetable oil. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Broil
vegetables until tender and golden, about 2 minutes per side.

Preheat oven to 450F. Lightly brush 4 tortillas with vegetable oil.
Place tortillas, oil side down, on baking sheet. Combine grated
cheeses in small bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese mixture over each
tortilla. Place chicken atop cheese, dividing equally. Place 1 onion
slice and 1 eggplant slice atop each. Top each eggplant slice with 1
tortilla. Lightly brush tops of tortillas with oil. (Can be prepared
6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Bake quesadillas until tortillas are slightly crisp and cheese melts,
about 10 minutes. Cut quesadillas into quarters. Serve with sour
cream.

Reprinted from Bon Appetit's "Chefs at Home" magazine, Sept. 1997.

Servings: 4

Strawberry Nachos

3 cups sliced strawberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Amaretto, (almond flavored liqueur)
1/2 cup regular or nonfat sour cream
1/2 cup non-dairy whipped topping, thawed if frozen
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 (7-inch) flour tortillas, cut into 8 wedges
2 teaspoons cinnamon-sugar
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
2 teaspoons shaved semi-sweet chocolate

Combine strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and amaretto in a bowl; stir well. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Drain, reserving juice for another use.

Combine sour cream, whipped topping, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl; stir well. Cover and chill.

Arrange tortilla wedges on 2 baking sheets; lightly coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 7 minutes or until crisp. Cool on wire rack.

To serve, arrange 8 tortilla wedges on a serving plate; top with about 1/3 cup strawberry mixture and 2 1/2 tablespoons sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with almonds and chocolate.

Sweet Potato-Pepper Quesadillas

Makes 8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

1 cup chopped red bell peppers

1 cup chopped red onions

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (see note)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 pounds yams or sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

8 8-inch flour tortillas

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack (6 ounces) or cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green and red peppers, onions, jalapeno, garlic, oregano and chili powder; saute 2 to 3 minutes or until onions are translucent. Place yams in a large mixing bowl and stir in pepper mixture. Add cilantro and salt; mix well.

Place½cup yam mixture in center of 1 flour tortilla and spread evenly to within½inch of the edge of the tortilla. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons shredded cheese. Place another tortilla over filling to form a "sandwich." Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place tortillas on pan so that edges do not touch. Bake 5 to 8 minutes, or just until cheese melts. Remove from pan with a spatula and cut each quesadilla into wedges like pizza. Serve immediately.

Note: Wear gloves when handling fresh, canned, dried or pickled chilies; the oils can cause a burning sensation on your skin.

Tex-Mex Black Bean Dip

30 oz canned black beans, drained
1 tsp oil
1/2 cup onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup picante sauce, mild
1/2 tsp cumin, ground
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 oz monterey jack, shredded
1/4 cup cilantro, fresh
1 tbsp lime juice

Place beans in bowl and partially mash until chunky. Set aside.

Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add onion and garlic; saute 4 minutes or until tender.

Add beans, tomato, and next 3 ingredients; cook 5 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; add cheese and remaining ingredients, stirring until cheese melts.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with corn or flour tortilla chips or cut-up veggies.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Tex-Mex Pork Stew

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 pound boneless pork shoulder or pork tenderloin, cut in 3/4-inch chunks
2 large onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth
2 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed, rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large can hominy, drained

Heat oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add pork and brown on all sides.

Add onions and garlic and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.

To cook on stovetop: Add broth, chiles and oregano. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or until pork is tender.

Add hominy and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

To cook in slow cooker: Place cooked pork, onions, and garlic along with remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours, or on low 8 to 10 hours.

Using a slotted spoon, skim off and discard any floating chile skin. Pour stew into individual bowls, removing any more chile skin.

May be served with toppings of chopped lettuce, tomato and cilantro, or shredded cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Tex-Mex Pork Stew

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 pound boneless pork shoulder or pork tenderloin, cut in 3/4-inch chunks
2 large onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth
2 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed, rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large can hominy, drained

Heat oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add pork and brown on all sides.

Add onions and garlic and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.

To cook on stovetop: Add broth, chiles and oregano. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or until pork is tender.

Add hominy and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

To cook in slow cooker: Place cooked pork, onions, and garlic along with remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours, or on low 8 to 10 hours.

Using a slotted spoon, skim off and discard any floating chile skin. Pour stew into individual bowls, removing any more chile skin.

May be served with toppings of chopped lettuce, tomato and cilantro, or shredded cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Theresa Leon's Tamales

2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef or pork roast
2 white onions, peeled and quartered
2 whole cloves garlic, peeled
Cold water
Salt
2 bags (8 ounces each) dried cornhusks
6 ounces dried red chiles
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 pound lard
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 pounds fresh masa
Green or black olives
Parchment paper, for cooking

Place roast, onions and garlic clove in a large stockpot.

Pour in enough water to cover and add 2teaspoons salt.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until cooked through, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, soak cornhusks in water to cover until pliable, about 1 hour.

When meat is cooked through, remove from water and allow to cool. Discard onions and garlic. Reserve cooking water.

Shred meat and set aside.

Remove seeds from chile pods. Cover pods with 1 cup cold water (use more water if needed to cover) and let soak until soft and pliable, about 10 minutes. Place chiles in a blender with 1 cup of the soaking water, 1 teaspoon salt and the chopped garlic. Blend until puréed, adding more water if needed for a smooth purée. Strain mixture through a sieve; set aside.

In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add flour, stirring constantly, until golden. Add chile purée and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked meat.

With an electric mixer, whip lard and baking powder until fluffy. Mix in masa a little at a time. Mixture should be light and fluffy; add up to 2 cups of the reserved meat broth if needed for the right consistency. If desired, add about 1/4 cup of the chile mixture to give the masa some color.

Shake excess water from cornhusks. Spread each husk with about 1/4 cup masa. Add about 2 tablespoons meat-chile mixture and an olive. Fold the husk over to wrap the tamale, then wrap in parchment paper, securing with a piece of extra husk used as string.

Stack tamales in a steamer basket. Steam over medium-low heat about 1 hour, or until husk easily peels away from filling.

Makes about 45 to 50 tamales.

ALBONDIGAS ALDONZE (Mexican meatball soup)

Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes �?7-8 Cups chicken stock �?1 pound of lean ground beef �?1/4 cup rice (uncooked) �?1/3 cup Pace hot salsa �?1/2 tablespoon oregano �?1/2 cup Las Palmas, or any other brand of canned red chili sauce �?1 bunch cilantro (washed and chopped) �?3 large carrots (sliced) �?4-5 Celery stalks (sliced) �?1 large onion (large, choppped) �?1/4 cup vegetable oil �?2 cloves garlic (minced) �?1 teaspoon salt �?1 small can of hominy �?corn tortillas

1) In a large stock pot, saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. 2) Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. 3) While waiting, mix beef, salsa, rice, oregano, salt and cilantro well with hands. Form mixture into medium size meatballs. 4) When stock comes to a boil add red chili sauce, hominy and meatballs. 5) Return to a boil, cover and cook over medium low for 30 minutes. 6) Let rest for 5 minutes and serve with hot corn tortillas.

Red Chili Sauce (To Be Used With Traditional Tamales) #15301

recipe by Karen From Colorado

4 cups

1 hour 5 minutes 30 mins prep

Traditional Tamales (Pork) #15286

recipe by Karen From Colorado

50 Tamales

6 hours 2 hrs prep