KitchenCUE

I say Chilie, you say Chili

It's that time of year here in Colorado.  The chilie roasters line the streets with their iron drums filled with fresh Hatch green chilies, turning them over an open flame just to char the skin and flavor the meat with a delicate smokiness.

There are hundreds of chilies from fresh to dried and from mild to fire hot.  My palate prefers the mild chilies like the Anaheim, the Poblano or the mild hatch green chilies; they give food the flavor without all the heat.  Realizing that I am in the minority, I show you some of the spicier possibilities!  Feel free to boost your chilie experiences to the heat level you desire, using jalapenos, serranos, thai peppers or even habaneros!

Now don't be fooled; the round ones with the papery skin in the top center of the photo aren't chilies.  They are tomatillos or tomate verde as they are affectionately known in Mexico.  They are actually a member of the tomato family and I use them in stews and braises to add a delicate tang to the dish. Try them out, if you never have; just remove the papery skin and rinse them off.

Here is my recipe for a pork green chilie that is full of the flavors of Mexico with a little spice to remind me that it is actually warm in October...somewhere other than Colorado!

PORK GREEN CHILIE

yield: 8 servings

½ c. flour

1 T. each, ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano

1/2  t. ground pepper

2 t. kosher salt

3 # pork shoulder, trimmed of cartilage only, cut into 1½” cubes

Olive oil, to sauté

1 c. diced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1T. plus 2t. chili powder

1 - 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained

2 c. diced, roasted* (mild )green chilies, plus others as desired to increase heat

3 tomatillos, husks removed, chopped

Approximately 4 c. chicken broth

Sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, cheese, cilantro, tortillas, etc., as desired

Combine flour, cumin, oregano, pepper and salt in a flat dish or plate.  In a large braising pan, heat a thin film of olive oil over medium heat.  Lightly coat pork cubes in seasoned flour and shake off excess flour.  Working in batches if necessary, place an even layer of floured pork in the hot pan and sear until lightly browned on all sides.  Remove pork to a bowl.

Add a little more oil if necessary and add onions, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and continue to sauté until onions are transparent.  Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant.

Stir in tomatoes, green chilies, tomatillos and seared pork cubes.  Add broth just to cover pork and simmer, covered, 2-3 hours until pork is tender.  Alternatively, green chilie can be transferred to a slow cooker and cooked for 4-6 hours until tender.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Serve hot.

*Note on Roasting a Pepper:  Peppers can be “roasted” on the top rack of an oven set to “broil” or on a grill.  Wash and dry whole peppers.  Brush very lightly with oil.  Place in preheated oven or on the grill.  Turn every 3-5 minutes, until skin is blistered and charred. Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic to steam.  When cool enough to handle, peel and discard charred skin, stem and all seeds.

KitchenCUE is an interactive DVD series that shows you how to be a better cook not just how to follow a recipe. Distilling techniques down into easy steps gives you the ability to create hundreds of dishes using a simple process.  Make your recipe books better, enjoy your kitchens more and easily add variety to your meal routine. Visit us at www.kitchencue.com

How to Sauté Mushrooms

In cooking, as in life, there is a correct way of doing something.  If that approach, method or technique is followed, the results will be everything you dream of.  If you go rogue, you may or may not get what you expect. 

 When it comes to food and cooking, I will minimize your risk of failure by sharing the proper way to cook.  This is what KitchenCUE is all about.  For example, there is "a way" to sauté mushrooms so that you get full rich flavor and not a gray, flavorless mass scarcely resembling what could have been. 

Here are a few tips that will put you on the righteous path to lusciously caramelized mushrooms.  Once you "get" the technique, go rogue, with different spices, herbs and pairings you like.

• Cut each variety of mushroom the same size to allow for even cooking.
• Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and melt enough butter to completely cover the bottom of the pan.  (Other fats can be used as well, such as bacon fat or olive oil.)
• Add enough mushrooms to cover the bottom of the pan.  Don't pile them up.
• Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
• Now, step back!  Resist the urge to stir and futz!  Have some conversation and a glass of wine.  The mushrooms will begin to leach out their water (as you can see in the pan) and then begin to caramelize.  Once that happens, stir away!
• Do not succumb to their quiet plea for more fat; they are little sponges and will soak up as much fat as you give them.  You will then have greasy mushrooms and nobody likes that!
• Continue stirring until the mushrooms are nicely caramelized.
• Remove this batch from the pan and start the process again.