[CH] tomatillo & chile recipes
Judy Howle (howle@ebicom.net)
Sat, 23 May 1998 17:39:18 -0500
I was looking for tomatillo recipes and I found these in my file:
FRESH TOMATILLO SALSA
1 lb tomatillos (about 12 large)
2 fresh, small chiles (jalepeno or serrano)
1/4 cup chopped green onions, with green part, or 1/2 c. chopped red onion
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
Remove dry paperlike skins from tomatillos. Coarsely puree first 4
ingredients in blender. Add salt and sugar.
Serve with soft tacos, burritos, tostadas, or as a dip with chips.
TOMATILLO SAUCE (COOKED)
1 lb tomatillos
1 cup cold water
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 jalepeno or serrano peppers, chopped
fresh cilantro (optional)
2 T. salad oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Remove outer husk from tomatillos. Cook in 4 cups water for 10 minutes.
Drain. Place in blender container with 1 cup cold water, garlic, peppers,
onion, and cilantro. Puree until almost liquid. Heat oil in saucepan and
pour in sauce. Season with salt and sugar. Lower heat and simmer 5 minutes.
If too sour, add another tsp. sugar. Variation: for a sauce with a
"toasted" taste, heat the tomatillos on a heavy skillet or griddle, turning
frequently, until the husks are quite brown and the fruit is soft. Remove
the husk and use the tomatillos. Do not puree the sauce for a chunkier,
salsa-type sauce.
Excellent with poultry, pork, or beef, burritos, tacos, chicken enchiladas
and tostadas.
Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
2 Anaheim chile peppers, roasted, peeled, chopped
12 tomatillos (1 lb.)
2 fresh Serrano chiles, cut in half
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Lime juice
1/4 tsp. Salt
Pulse tomatillos in food processor until coarsely chopped. Add peppers and
next 3 ingredients; pulse until diced (do not puree). Pour into a serving
bowl. Stir in oil, lime juice, and salt until well blended. Cover and
chill at least one hour.
JUDY'S EASY TOSTADAS WITH FRESH TOMATILLO SALSA
Fry flour tortillas in oil until crisp. Use a wok if available so that
edges turn up. Pile on ground beef prepared with taco seasoning as directed
on package, and canned or home-cooked refried beans. Top with lettuce,
tomatoes, jack cheese and FRESH TOMATILLO SALSA. Absolutely delicious!!
TOMATILLO SALSA FOR FREEZING
1 gallon fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed in cold water
2 cups coarsely chopped green chiles with a few jalapenos or serranos, if
desired
2-3 onions, quartered
4 cloves garlic, cut in quarters
In a large pot, bring tomatillos, onion, and garlic to a boil and simmer
5-10 minutes until tomatillos change color. Drain water and cool in large
colander. Stir in chiles. Process in food processor in batches until
well-chopped but not pureed, then return all to large pot and stir well to
mix evenly. Place in pint-size freezer bags, about 1-1/2 cups per bag,
squeezing out air.
When ready to use, thaw salsa. Place 2 Tbsp. oil in skillet and heat on
medium until hot. Add salsa. Cook and stir about 3-5 minutes. Add broth
or water if needed, and add salt, cilantro, or other desired seasoning to
taste.
(The amounts listed are approximate and can be adjusted according to your
own taste, or amount of produce available.)
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH TOMATILLO-SOUR CREAM SAUCE
Poach 1 whole chicken or 4 chicken breast halves in simmering water until
cooked through. Reserve broth. Remove meat from bones and shred. You
should have about 3-4 cups shredded chicken.
Other ingredients:
12-16 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz. sour cream
1 pkg. frozen tomatillo salsa
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 Tbsp. flour
2 pkg. (10-12) corn tortillas
oil for frying tortillas
Melt margarine in saucepan. Add flour and cook about 1 minute. Do not
burn. Add broth and stir until thickened. Stir in sour cream. Stir in
tomatillo salsa which has been cooked as in above directions.
Start with 12 tortillas. Fry tortillas in 1/2" oil in small skillet for a
few seconds until limp. Place on paper towels. In each tortilla, place
some chicken meat, some chopped onion and some grated cheese. Roll up.
Place in long baking dish. Do as many as you have meat for. (Are delicious
reheated in microwave.) Pour sour cream mixture over top, covering all
exposed tortillas. Put leftover cheese on top. Bake at 350 d. for 20-30
minutes until heated through and bubbly.
The following are from the April 1996 issue of
Food & Wine in an article by Diane Kennedy.
CHILPOTLES EN ADOBO
Makes about 3 cups
4 ounces chilpotle mora chiles (about 60)
3 ancho chiles, seeds and veins removed
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Leaves of 2 fresh marjoram sprigs or 1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
Leaves of 2 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of cumin seeds, crushed
1 bay leaf, torn into small pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup mild vinegar
3/4 cup strong vinegar
1/4 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
1.Rinse the chilpotles and drain. Pierce each one all the way through
with a sharp fork or skewer. Place in a pressure cooker with water to
cover and cook at low pressure for about 15 minutes; they should be soft
but not mushy. (Alternatively, cook the chiles with water to cover in a
tightly covered nonreactive medium saucepan over low heat for 30 to 40
minutes.)
2.Drain the chilpotles, remove the stems and wipe off any stray seeds
clinging to the outside. Set aside.
3.Meanwhile, in a medium nonreactive saucepan, cover the anchos with hot
water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add 1
cup of water plus the garlic, marjoram, thyme, cumin seeds, bay leaf and 4
of the cooked chilpotles and blend until almost smooth.
4.Heat the oil in a shallow nonreactive skillet. Add the blended
ingredients and fry over moderately high heat for about 3 minutes,
scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. Add the vinegars,
brown sugar, salt and 1/2 cup of water and cook for 5 minutes longer.
Then add the remaining chilpotles and cook over moderate heat, scraping
the bottom of the pan from time to time to prevent sticking, until the
sauce has reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. (MAKE AHEAD: The
Chilpotles en Adobo can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to
1 month. Before using, place in a medium saucepan, moisten with a little
vinegar and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes.)
CHILACA CHILE SNACK
(Botana de Chilacas)
8 servings
8 chilaca chiles or 7 small poblano chiles - charred and peeled, with
stems, seeds and veins removed
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
3 tablespoons finely crumbled 'queso fresco' or cream cheese
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Tear or cut the chiles lengthwise into thin strips. Place in a meduim
bowl and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Set aside for the flavors
to meld, aabout 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir thoroughly. Serve
at room temperature.
CHILES WITH BEER AND CHEESE
(Rajas con Cerveza)
6 appetizer or 4 first-course servings
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup thinly sliced white onion
Salt
1 pound poblano or Anaheim chiles (about 6 medium chiles) - charred,
peeled, with stems, seeds and veins removed and flesh cut into narrow strips
1 cup strong beer
6 ounces medium-sharp Cheddar or domestic Muenster cheese, cut into
thin slices
1.Heat the oil in a deep, nonreactive, medium skillet or shallow
flame-proof casserole. Add the onion, season with salt and cook over
moderate heat until translucent.
2.Add the chile strips, cover the pan and cook until just tender but not
soft, about 4 minutes. Add the beer, increase the heat to high and boil,
uncovered, until it is absorbed by the chiles, aobut 7 minutes.
3.Spread the slices of cheese over the chiles and heat until melted.
Serve immediately.
FRESH SALSA MEXICANA FROM JEREZ
Makes about 1 3/4 cups
1 poblano chile - stems, seeds and veins removed and flesh finely chopped
1 red jalapeno chile - stems, seeds and veins removed and flesh finely
chopped
2 yellow chiles - stems, seeds and veins removed and flesh finely chopped
2 serrano chiles, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
1 ripe medium tomato (about 4 ounces), finely chopped
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
Salt
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl; season with salt to taste. Set
aside to macerate for about 1 hour.
PASILLA CHILES STUFFED WITH POTATO
(Chiles Pasillas Rellenos de Papa)
Senora Maria Herrera Redondo de Williams
6 servings
1 pound new potatoes
12 pasilla chiles
6 ounces 'queso fresco', feta cheese or cream cheese, crumbled
Salt
1/3 cup vegetaable oil
(TOMATILLO SAUCE):
2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 heaped tablespoon dark brown sugar
Salt
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
1.In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook the potatoes until
fork-tender, aobut 20 minutes. Drain, cool slightly and peel. Transfer
to a large bowl and mash roughly.
2.Using a small sharp knife, slit the chiles lenghtwise, leaving the stems
intact. Carefully remove the seeds and veins. Place the chiles in a
bowl, cover whit hot water and let soak until just beginning to soften,
about 20 minutes (depending on how dry they were in the first place). Drain.
3.Add the cheese to the potatoes, season with salt and mash together well.
Stuff the chiles fully with the filling, but leave enougfh room so that
the seams almost close.
4.Heat the oil in a large nonreactive skillet. Gently fry the chiles in
batches, rolling them over from time to time so that they cook evenly
without browning too much, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to
darain. Reserve the oil in the skillet.
5.Make the tomatillo sauce: In a large nonreactive saucepan, cover the
tomatillos with water and simmer until soft, about 10 minutes. Drani and
transfer to a blender. Add the onion and garlic and blend until almost
smooth (but still textured)>
6.Preheat the oven to 350. Heat the reserved oil iln the skillet. Add
the brown sugar and fry for a few seconds. Add the tomatillo sauce,
season with salt and cook over high heat until reduced, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the chicken stock.
7.In a baking dish large enough to hold the chiles in one layer, arrange
the chiles side by side. Pour the tomatillo sauce over the chiles and
bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH ANCHO CHILE SAUCE
(Sopa Seca de Fideo con Chile Ancho)
from "Libro di Cocina" by Jules Gouffe, pub. in Mexico in 1893
4 first-course servings
4 ancho chiles - stems, seeds and veins removed
2 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
2 whole cloves
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces angel hair pasta or very fine vermicelli, preferably in nests or
skeins
1/3 cup finely grated queso anejo or Romano cheese, avocado slices and
quartered limes
1.In a nonreactive medium saucepan, cover the chiles with water and simmer
for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let soak until soft, 5 more
minutes. Drain.
2.Pour 1/4 cup of the chicken stock into the blender, add the cloves,
garlic and cumin seeds and blend until smooth. Season with salt. Add 1
more cup of the stock and the drained chiles, a few at a time, and blend
until smooth, adding more stock if necessary.
3.Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the pasta and fry, turning,
until it has turned a deep golden color, about 3 minutes (keep the nests
intact). Strain off excess oil.
4.Add the blended sauce to the pasta in the skillet and fry over moderate
heat for about 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent
sticking. Cover and cook over low heat, adding the remaining stock a
little at a time to prevent sticking, until the pasta is just cooked
through, 5 to 8 minutes.
5.Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the cheese and serve with the
avocado and limes.
PORK STEW IN RED CHILE SAUCE
(Asado de Chile Colorado)
4 servings
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of some but not all of its
fat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Salt
15 seco del norte chiles
Boiling water
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf, preferably Mexican
1 heaped teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1.Arrange the pork in one or two layers in a wide, heavy, flameproof
casserole. Barely cover with water, and season with salt. Cover and cook
over moderate heat until almost tender, aobut 30 minutes. Drain off most
of the broth and reserve, adding enough water to make 2 1/2 cups.
Continue to cook the pork uncovered until the fat has been rendered and
the meat is slightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.
2.Meanwhile, using a small sharp knife, slit the chiles lenghtwise and
remove the stems, seeds adn veins. Cover with boiling water and set aside
to soak for 15 minutes. Drain.
3.Pour 1/3 cup of the reserved pork broth into a blender. Add the garlic,
cinnamon, bay leaf and oregano and blend until smooth. Add the mixture to
the pork in the casserole and fry for a few seconds.
4.Add 1 more cup of the reserved broth and the drained chiles, a few at a
time, to the blender and puree. Strain the chiles over the pork through a
fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract as much of the flesh and juice as
possible. Fry the pork, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent
sticking, for about 5 minutes longer.
5.Add the remaining pork broth to the casserole and cook over low heat
until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of
a wooden spon, about 1 hour. Season with salt. Serve warm.
(MAKE AHEAD: The stew can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Rewarm over
moderately low heat.)
and cook over low heat until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick
enough to coat the back of a wooden spon, about 1 hour. Season with salt.
Serve warm.
(MAKE AHEAD: The stew can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Rewarm over
moderately low heat.)
Judy Howle
howle@ebicom.net
Flavors of the South
Recipes for "heat lovers"
http://www.ebicom.net/~howle
Hot and Spicy Food Editor
Suite 101
http://www.suite101.com/topics/page.cfm/462