Healthy Quick Chicken Soup

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Since capsaicin breaks up nasal congestion and gives us the “salsa sniffles,” try this quick chicken soup cure for your next cold.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried epazote (optional)
  • 1 cup chunky-style tomato based salsa
  • 2 14-1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
  • 1 ½ cups frozen whole kernel corn
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
  • Vegetable oil spray

Instructions

Spray a heavy saucepan with cooking oil. Heat, and add the chicken, chili powder, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add the epazote, salsa, broth, corn, and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
To serve, stir in the cilantro and garnish with additional fresh cilantro.

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.

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Salsa Pimenton

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In this seafood specialty, the pimentón is used in the marinade and in the sauce that seasons it at serving. Salmon steaks or the steaks of any large fish may be substituted. Serve with a Caesar salad and saffron rice.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons hot pimentón

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

  • 4 tuna steaks, 1-inch thick

  • 6 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 medium purple onion, chopped

  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

  • 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  • ½ cup minced green olives

  • Italian parsley leaves for garnish.

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of pimentón, salt and peppers, and the parsley and mix well. Rub this mixture over each side of the tuna steaks. Cover the steaks and marinate for 1 hour.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, onion, another tablespoon of pimentón and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bell peppers and cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the remaining pimentón and the olives and puree. Transfer the sauce back to the pan and keep warm.

Grill or broil the tuna steaks to the desired doneness. Serve covered with the sauce and garnished with the parsley leaves.

Spanish Chorizo with Pimenton

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This is the classic Spanish sausage which was later transplanted to Mexico and flavored with different chiles. Traditionally, the links are air-dried in a cool place before being refrigerated. For a great breakfast treat, remove the sausage from the casings, crumble and fry it in a pan. Add eggs that have been whisked and scramble them with the sausage. Serve with a chile sauce made from pimentón. You will need a sausage stuffer attachment for your grinder for this recipe. In some versions of this recipe, other seasonings, such as cinnamon and coriander, are added.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds lean pork, coarsely ground

  • 3 cloves garlic, mashed in a press

  • 1/4 cup vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon oregano

  • 1/4 cup hot pimentón

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon oregano

  • 1 yard sausage casing

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Using the sausage stuffer, force the mixture into the casings and twist off links and tie them.

Green Chile Pasta with Grilled Salmon Fillet

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Any pasta can be used with this recipe. We suggest Farfalle or Ziti.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup cream or milk
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup Austin Spice Company Green Chile Salsa
  • ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 6 cups cooked pasta of choice (we like farfalle or ziti)
  • 2 grilled salmon fillets

Instructions

Melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour over butter and stir into a smooth paste. Add the milk and chicken broth. Heat until bubbly and thickened. Stir in Green Chile Salsa, then remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese and pasta.. Serve with grilled salmon. (You can add the salmon to the pasta if you wish.)