Huevos Rancheros with Black Bean Salsa

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Probably the most famous of all the chile breakfasts is huevos rancheros, or ranch eggs. This was the meal traditionally served to Mexican ranch hands after a hard early morning’s work. The basic recipe calls for salsa, tortillas, and eggs, but there are an endless number of variations of the recipe. For instance the eggs can be fried and placed on the sauce or poached right in the sauce, and the salsa can be made with red or green chile, which can be homemade or prepared.

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 1 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1 medium tomato, diced

  • ½ cup diced red onion

  • ½ cup diced green bell pepper

  • 6 serrano chiles, stems removed, diced

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • Eggs:

  • 4 eggs

  • 4 corn tortillas

  • Vegetable oil for frying

  • 1 small avocado, peeled and diced

  • Garnish: Grated Monterey Jack cheese and chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients and let the mixture sit for at least an hour. Or if you prefer, prepare the night before and refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Before serving, pour the sauce in a pot and simmer to heat.

Pour the oil in a small skillet to a depth of an inch and heat until hot. Fry each tortilla in the oil for a few seconds on each side to soften, remove and drain. Pour off all but a couple of teaspoons of oil.

Add the eggs to the pan and fry to desired doneness.

To Assemble: Place a tortilla on individual plates. Stir the diced avocado into the sauce and ladle some of the sauce on each tortilla and top with an egg. Garnish the eggs with the cheese, sprinkle the cilantro over the top, and serve.

Caribbean Chicken Drumsticks

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This recipe is the Caribbean answer to Buffalo wings. Although it calls for the chicken to be grilled, the drumsticks can also be broiled, baked, or even deep-fried before being dipped in the sauce.

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • ½ cup chopped onion

  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 cup chicken broth

  • ½ cup catsup

  • 1 to 2 habanero chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 6 allspice berries

  • 5 juniper berries (optional)

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

  • 2 pounds chicken wings

Instructions

In a saucepan, saute the onion, ginger, and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the sauce is reduced and thickened. Remove the bay leaves and place the sauce in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

 

To form the drumsticks, cut off the wing tips, remove the skin, and cut apart the two bones. Twist and remove the smaller bone. Cut the meat from one half the bone, keeping the meat in one piece. Turn the loosened meat over the attached meat for a mock drumstick.

Brush either the drumsticks or the grill lightly with vegetable oil to keep from sticking to the grill. Cook over a slow fire, turning frequently for 20 to 30 minutes.

To deep fry the drumsticks, heat the oil to 375°F and fry until golden, remove and drain. To bake, place some all-purpose flour in a paper bag, drop in the drumsticks and toss to coat. Shake off any excess flour, and place on a baking pan. Bake in a 350°F oven until done. If you don’’t want to mess with making the drumsticks, just use chicken wings.

 

Southwestern Green Chile Cheese Log

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Although it’s easy to prepare and extremely tasty, believe me, this ain’t your grandmother’s cheese ball. Although this type of appetizer has graced party tables for years, this one will soon become a new favorite. I use pecans because they are so plentiful here, but substitute walnuts or almonds if you prefer.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped green New Mexico chile, which has been roasted and peeled

  • 1  8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

  • 2 tablespoons ground red New Mexico chile

  • 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

Instructions

Combine the chile and the cheeses in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until firm.

Toss the pecans in the ground chile until well coated.

Roll the cheese between 2 pieces of wax paper to form a log. Then roll the log in the crushed nuts and chill for 8 hours before serving.

To serve, place the cheese log on a platter and arrange crackers around the cheese and place a knife on the platter for spreading.

Habanero Mustard Marinated Mushrooms

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This recipe has a double hit of habanero both in the oil and in the mustard. For a milder version, cut down the marinating time and/or use unflavored olive oil.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Cremini or white button mushrooms
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh preferred
  • 1 cup habanero-infused oil
  • 3 tablespoons habanero mustard
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • Salt to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Clean the mushrooms well using a soft brush. Trim the tough end, remove any dark spots, and leave the stems on the mushrooms. Place in nonreactive saucepan, sprinkle with a little of the lemon juice, and cover with water. Simmer until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, drain and place in a nonreactive bowl.

Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, mustard, and garlic and pour over the mushrooms. Marinate at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.

Toss with the onions and capers and season with salt. Refrigerate for up to 1 week before serving.

Bring to room temperature, drain, and garnish with the parsley before serving.

 

Chicken Peanut Satay

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Pronounced “saa-tay”, these very popular Southeast Asian snack foods make delicious appetizers or a great barbecue dish, and are made with a variety of meats and seafood. For this recipe I have used chicken, cut in traditional strips and threaded on wooden skewers. Substitute pork, or even chicken wings.

Ingredients

  • Wooden or metal skewers
  • 2 tablespoons crushed dried red chiles
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Asian-style chile oil
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh preferred
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • ½ cup chunky peanut butter
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

Mix the chiles, vinegar, soy sauce, oil, lime juice, and ginger together in a nonreactive dish or plastic bag. Place the chicken in the marinade and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator, turning frequently. Remove the chicken and save the marinade.

If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for ½ hour to prevent them from burning on the grill. Thread the chicken strips on the skewers. Grill the chicken over charcoal, basting frequently with some of the marinade, until done.

Combine the reserved marinade, peanut butter, coconut milk, and cumin in a saucepan. Simmer the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, to thicken.

Arrange the satays on a platter and serve with the peanut sauce on the side for dipping.