Red Chile Pilaf

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Here is one of our favorite ways to cook rice. The style is from the Middle East, but the chile transforms the dish into a favorite New Mexican accompaniment. Believe it or not, some people serve salsa over this rice!

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces butter

  • 2 cups long-grain white rice

  • 1 onion, chopped fine

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 red New Mexican chile pods, seeds and stems removed, soaked in hot water to hydrate them

  • 4 1/2 cups chicken stock

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the rice until golden brown, stirring often. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 3 minutes, taking care that the rice does not burn. In a blender, puree the garlic, chile, and 1/2 cup of stock. Add this to the rice and stir. Add the remaining stock to the rice, bring to a boil, and transfer to a deep glass baking dish. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, removing the lid during the final 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

 

 

Red Chile Pork Cutlets, Cervantes-Style

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Serve with your choice of calabacitas, papitas, pinto beans, Spanish rice, or posole. The meat can also be cut in strips after preparation, wrapped in warm flour tortilla and served as a burrito.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork loin, trimmed and cut in 1/2-inch cutlets

  • 1 pound sun-ripened New Mexico red chile pods (thoroughly dried)

  • 1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 16 ounces Cervantes Red Chile Sauce (Ready-to-Serve)

Instructions

For the Marinade:

Inspect the chile pods and remove the stems, seeds and white veins.* Rinse and place the cleaned pods in a large bowl or saucepan and add enough hot water to cover. Soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour. After pods are completely reconstituted (pods should appear bright red and plump), remove them with tongs and place in blender with chile water to cover the pods. Leave about one inch space or more in the blender container. Add oregano, garlic and salt. Blend for 2 minutes (puree setting). If sauce is too thick, add more water and blend until skins disappear completely.

* Be sure to use rubber or latex gloves when handling chile pods.

For the Pork:

In a shallow pan, place the pork cutlets in a single layer. Pour the blended marinade evenly over meat, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. For more intense chile flavor, marinate overnight.

Preheat the grill on high. Reduce the heat 375 degrees. Remove the meat from the marinade and place it on grill. Reserve marinade for basting. Cook each side 2 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness of the cutlet. Baste the meat with marinade on each side before turning. Watch the meat closely as it will cook quickly, don’t overcook. You will want to keep pork moist inside.

Ladle two ounces of Cervantes Red Chile Sauce (finishing sauce) on each plate. Place pork in center of plate. Drizzle additional Cervantes Red Chile Sauce (approx. 2 ounces) over the meat. Garnish with sprig of cilantro. Serve with your choice of calabacitas, papitas, pinto beans, Spanish rice, or posole. The meat can also be cut in strips after preparation, wrapped in warm flour tortilla and served as a burrito. Smother burrito with Cervantes Red Chile Sauce, add grated cheddar cheese. Melt the cheese and enjoy!

Grilled Tuna with Red Chile, Allspice, and Orange Glaze

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Anchos are the dried chiles I use most for they have the best balance of fruity, spicy and earthy flavors. Ancho powder gives this glaze its appealing brick-red color and warm—not fiery—flavor. I definitely find that tuna needs intense flavors, like orange and allspice, to lighten it up and show off that meaty texture.

Ingredients

The Glaze:

  • 3 cups orange juice

  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice

  • 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

  • 1/2 cup mild vegetable oil, such as canola

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

The Tuna:

  • 4 (8-ounce) tuna fillets or steaks, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick

  • Mild vegetable oil, such as canola

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

The Sauce 

Place the orange juice in a medium saucepan (not aluminum or cast-iron) and boil until reduced to 1/2 cup.

Transfer the orange syrup to a blender, add the vinegar, allspice, and ancho powder, and blend until combined. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: The glaze can be made a few days in advance, covered, and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.

The Tuna

Heat your grill to high.

Set aside a few tablespoons of glaze for brushing the cooked fish. Brush the fish on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the fish on the grill with the top side down (in other words, the side that will face up when you serve, so it should be the best-looking side). Grill the fish until crusty and browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the fish over and grill, brushing the top frequently with the glaze, until medium-rare, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Remove the fish from the grill and brush on both sides with the reserved glaze. Serve immediately.

Coffee Spice-Rubbed Ribeye with Smoky Tomato/Red Chile

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Roasted coffee beans can be just as intense and flavor packed as the fresh spices I use in barbecue rubs, like cumin and peppercorns. Ground with a whole pack of spices, coffee adds richness and a toasty bitterness to this rub, my new favorite for beef and lamb. And roasted coffee and smoky chipotle together have as much jolt as a double espresso.

Ingredients

 For the Rub:

  • 1/4 cup ancho chile powder

  • 1/4 cup finely ground espresso-roast coffee beans

  • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika

  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano

  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander

  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 2 teaspoons chile de arbol powder

For the Salsa:

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons chipotle puree

  • 3 ripe large tomatoes, diced

  • 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • 1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

  • 2 teaspoons honey

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Steaks:

  • 2 (24-ounce) bone-in or (20-ounce) boneless ribeye steaks, cut 2 inches thick

  • Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

For the Rub:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid and mix well.

Note: The rub keeps well for months, stored at room temperature in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

For the Salsa:

Whisk together the vinegar, oil and chipotle puree in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: The relish can be made a few hours in advance, covered, and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.

 

For the Steaks:

Heat your grill to high.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Rub 2 tablespoons of the coffee rub onto one side of each steak. Grill the steaks rub side down, until lightly charred and crusty, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the steaks over, reduce the heat to medium or move to a cooler part of the grill, close the grill hood, and grill until medium-rare, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Remove the steaks from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.

Cut the steaks into 1-inch-thick slices and serve immediately, topped with tomato salsa.

 

Chocolate Red Chile Zucchini Cake

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Red chile and chocolate is an elegant combination. The zucchini makes this cake extra moist and extra delicious. We guarantee you’ll want to have an extra piece!

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups sifted flour

  • 1/4 cup cocoa

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • ½ cup butter

  • ½ cup vegetable oil

  • 1 3/4 cups sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 tablespoon New Mexican red chile powder (or more to taste)

  • ½ cup buttermilk

  • 2 cups grated zucchini

  • 6 ounces chocolate chips

  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Next, add the vanilla and red chile. Mix in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir in the zucchini. Pour into a greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the chocolate chips and walnuts. Bake the cake for about 55 minutes. Cool the pan on a wire rack.