Smoked Bluefish with Chipotle Aioli

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Bluefish, readily available along the East coast during the spring, summer and fall, lend themselves well to smoking, as larger bluefish have a strong, oily flavor. The Chipotle Aioli diminishes the strong taste.

Ingredients

  • 4 (10- to 12-ounce) bluefish fillets

  • Fish brine (recipe above)

  • Two cups hickory chips, soaked in water for two hours

For the Aioli:

  • 1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1 clove garlic, pressed

  • 1 teaspoon lime juice

  • 1 teaspoon dried Chipotle powder

  • Kosher salt

  • Cracked black pepper

 

Instructions

For the Fish:

Rinse the fillets under cold water and brine, refrigerated, for six to eight hours. Remove fish from brine, lightly rinse under cold water and air dry, skin side down, until a sticky surface forms on the flesh, about one to two hours.

Prepare a smoker for low temperature smoking or a grill for indirect cooking and smoke fillets at 90 degrees F for two hours. Gradually increase the smoker or grill temperature to 175 degrees F and continue cooking for another three to four hours or until the fish begins to flake and has an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

Serve fillet on field greens and nappe with Chipotle Aioli (see below) or serve aioli on the side.

For the Aioli:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Chicken with Chipotle-Mulberry Sauce

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Thanks to Patrick Hancock, executive chef at El Pinto Restaurant for the concept for the sauce recipe. For the chicken, I used The Old Spice Shack’s Country French Rub, and it was delicious. Note that the sauce can be pureed or not, and that it is the most brilliant purple color that you will ever see.

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken legs with thighs attached

  • Favorite rub of choice

  • 1/4 cup red raspberry vinegar

  • 1 large clove garlic, minced

  • 1 cup crushed mulberries

  • 1 chipotle in adobo, minced

Instructions

Place the chicken on a plate and sprinkle the rub over it. All to marinate for at least ½ hour, preferably longer.

In a sauce pan, combine the vinegar, garlic, mulberries, and chipotle and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree if you want a smoother sauce.

Grill the chicken over medium heat for about 12 minutes per side, turning often.

Serve the chicken covered with the sauce.

 

Penne Pasta with Chipotle Salsa Vodka Cream Sauce

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This recipe is from John Hard of CaJohn’s Fiery Foods.

Ingredients

  • 2 (16 ounce) jars chipotle salsa

  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream

  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

  • ¼ teaspoon dried leaf basil

  • ¼ cup vodka

  • 1 (16 ounce) box mini penne pasta (prepared according to manufacturer’s directions)

  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place 1½ jars of the salsa in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Pour into a high walled skillet and add the basil, oregano and remaining salsa. Bring to a simmer. Slowly whisk in the heavy whipping cream and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes whisking often. Turn off the heat and add the vodka, stirring well

Place the prepared pasta in a large bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and toss. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese and serve.

Southwestern Chipotle Corn Chowder

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The word chowder comes from the French chaudiere meaning caldron, which traditionally were the iron pots used to cook soup, and the term refers to a thick soup or stew. This chowder combines two native Southwestern ingredients, chile and corn. The chipotle chile gives the soup a rich smoky taste which compliments grilled foods, but other chiles can be substituted. Jalapeños, serranos, and green New Mexican chiles are also tasty substitutes. This soup can be made heartier with the addition of crab, clams, shrimp, or chicken.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium potato, peeled and diced

  • 2 strips bacon

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • ½ cup diced bell pepper

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 3 cups chicken broth

  • 1 15-ounce can creamed corn

  • 1 cup whole-kernel corn

  • 2 teaspoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • ½ cup cream, optional

  • Garnish: Crumbled bacon

Instructions

Precook the potatoes in a microwave on high for 5 to 6 minutes or until just done.

Fry the bacon in a heavy stockpot or saucepan until crisp. Remove the bacon, drain on a paper towel, and reserve for the garnish. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and saute for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Add the flour into the onion mixture and continue to saute for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to cook the flour but being careful that the flour doesn’t brown.

Add the broth, both corns, potatoes, chipotle, and cumin. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly stir in the cream, if using, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Crumble the reserved bacon. Ladle the soup into a tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the bacon and serve.

Sun Dried Tomato and Chipotle Pesto

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Ancho or pasilla chiles can be substituted for the fiery chipotles if you desire a milder sauce. I’ve even used this pesto on pizza in place of the more traditional tomato sauce for a hot, south of the border taste.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained reserving the oil

  • 3/4 cup fresh parsley

  • ½ cup pine nuts

  • 2 shallots, coarsely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

  • 2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh preferred

  • Olive oil

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Garnish: Sliced black olives

Sun Dried Tomatoes, Parsley, Pine Nuts, Shallots, Vinegar, Chipotle Peppers, Lemon Juice

Instructions

Put the parsley and tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse to finely chop. Add the pine nuts, shallots, garlic, vinegar, chipoltes, and lemon juice and continue to pulse.

Measure the reserved oil and add olive oil to make 1/4 cup. With the machine running, slowly add just enough of the oil to make a smooth sauce. If the pesto is too dry, add a little more oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta until done. Reserve a 1/4 cup of the cooking water and add to the pesto to thin the sauce and make it more creamy.

Put the pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the pesto and toss to coat. Garnish with the olives and serve.