Sweet Corn Bisque

Heat 1T oil in large pan.

Add:
1 chopped yellow onion
3 diced celery stalks
Cook for 2 minutes.

Add:
2 cloves minced garlic
Cook for 1 minute.

Add:
3 roasted then seeded, cored and chopped Anaheim (or New Mexico) peppers
4 C thawed corn kernels
2 peeled and diced potatoes
5 C of chicken or vegetable stock
1 C cream
1.5 tsp salt
plenty of ground pepper
Cook for around 45 minutes on simmer.

Puree and serve.

Adapted from Southwest Flavours put out by the Santa Fe School of Cooking.. (note: if you go to the book they serve this together with the Black Bean Soup and call it Sunset. You pour the soups into the bowl at the same time so you have a two tone soup. Then you add a drizzle made of red pepper, hot sauce and oil. DO NOT MAKE THE DRIZZLE! It was an oily mess…looked nice but had little real taste. If I was going to do it again, I would still use roasted red peppers but would keep the oil down to a coupld or tablespoons at the very most instead of the full cup. The only other drawback of this generally not bad cookbook is the use of some proprietary mixtures which they sell…sin number one for any cookbook I would say.) Great soup though!!!

Black Bean Soup

In a large pan, heat 2T oil.

Add:
1 chopped red onion
2 peeled and diced carrots
3 diced celery stalks
And cook for around 5 minutes.

Add:
4 slices bacon chopped up
4 cloves garlic minced
And cook for another 5 minutes.

Add:
1T roasted and ground coriander seeds
1T roasted and ground cumin seed
2 Cans of black beans, drained
8C of chicken and/or vegetable stock (I did 4 each)
1/2 tsp chipotle pepper flakes

Simmer for about an hour. Add some salt and plenty of ground pepper.
Puree and serve.

Adapted from Southwest Flavours. (Note: they added 1T of dried epazote (I didn’t have any on hand), used something called chipotle seasoning (which I’ve never heard of), and soaked their beans overnight (I do have a life). Also, pet peeve of mine, they turn carrots and celery into cup measurements which is just plain insane when vegetables come with their own units of measurement).

Grilled Sea Scallops on Tortilla Chips with Avocado Puree and Jalapeno Pesto

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted & coarsely chopped
3 T red onion, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
2 T canola oil
¼ C chopped cilantro
kosher salt & ground pepper to taste
20 blue tortilla corn chips
Scallops

Combine avocados, onion, lime juice, oil, cilantro, salt & pepper in a food processor until smooth. Spread about 1 tablespoon puree on tortilla chip, top with a flash-fried scallop and top each scallop with the jalapeno pesto.

Jalapeno Pesto

1 ½ C cilantro
6 jalapenos, grilled, peeled & chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 T pine nuts
salt & pepper
½ C extra-virgin olive oil.
Process al but the oil and then add gradually until emulsified.

From Bobby Flay’s Grill It, PotterPublishing, 2008.

Doug’s Grilled Duck with Cherry BBQ\Mole Sauce on Field Greens

This is a long recipe, but it is worth it, and most of it can be made ahead of time.

For the Rub, combine the following:

1 ½ C dark brown sugar
¼ C coarse kosher salt
½ C paprika
3 T dried parsley
2 T each of dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried onion flakes
1 ½ T dried Worcestershire Sauce (I used regular – dried is hard to find)
1 ½ T lemon pepper
1 T garlic powder
1 tsp each of allspice and cinnamon

Seal in jar or Tupperware container. If using liquid Worcester, the rub may harden somewhat over time but just throw it in the food processor to break it up. It’s also great on pork.

(BBQ Bible Sauces Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen)

Preparing the Duck

1. Trim excess skin and fat from the breasts leaving a strip of skin about 1 ½ to 2 inches wide down the middle of the breast.
2. Apply generous amount of rub to all sides of the breasts. You cannot put too much of this on. It is gorgeous!

For the BBQMole Sauce

1. Melt 3 T unsalted butter in sauce pan over medium heat.
Add:
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced and
2 C pitted Bing cherries (fresh, canned or frozen), drained.
Cook until onions are soft but not brown.

2. Add:
2 T high-quality, pure cocoa powder
1 tsp pure chili powder (not a blend)
1 ½ C port
½ C sherry vinegar
4 tsp ketchup
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 canned chipotle, minced or teaspoons chipotle chili powder
½ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp course kosher salt, or more to taste
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
½ C honey
And bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to about 2 cups – stirring occasionally.

4. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, lemon juice or honey, or more to taste, the sauce should be a little sweet, a little sour and VERY flavorful. Use right away or put it in a jar and refrigerate. It will keep several weeks.

(BBQ Bible Sauces Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen)

For the Balsamic Drizzle:

Combine in saucepan:

1 C good commercial balsamic vinegar
1/2 C honey
1/3 C sugar
3 T soy sauce

Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
Simmer until reduced to 1 cup.
Skim and discard foam.
Strain into a jar and cool to room temperature.
Cap the bottle.
The drizzle will keep for several months at room temperature.

(BBQ Bible Sauces Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen)

For the Tangerine Shallot Dressing for the Field Greens

Mash into a paste:

1 clove garlic
2 or 3 pinches of kosher salt
Remove to a jar with a tight fitting lid.

Add and whisk together,
¼ C fresh tangerine juice
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 small shallots, minced

Add 2/3 C of olive oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth:

Taste and adjust seasoning.
Keep in jar for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

(Joy of Cooking – All About Grilling by Rombauer, Rombauer Becker and Becker)

Bringing it all Together

BBQ rubbed duck breasts to an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Remove and cover with tin foil for five minutes.

Toss field greens in dressing and put a handful in the centre of the plate.

Slice duck breast and fan pieces out on top of field greens.

Spoon a small amount of BBQMole sauce over duck. Place one or two of the Bing cherries beside the duck.
Drizzle the balsamic reduction around the perimeter of the plate.

Bon Appetite!

Bananas Doug

Serves 6

2 dozen plantain
4 T butter
4 T brown sugar
2 oz brandy
2 oz Kahlua
2 oz Grand Marnier
1 oz banana liqueur

Vanilla ice cream

Peel plantains. You don’t have to do this but it tastes really shitty
if you don’t. Melt the butter and the brown sugar in a large pan.
Flash the butter and sugar with the brandy and let burn until you
can see the sugar caramelizing.
Add the rest of the booze and simmer until thickened.
Add the plantain.
Leave them in the pan just long enough to get warm.
If you overheat them, they will fall apart and your dish will more
resemble baby food than this great dessert.

Ladle the bananas and mixture over vanilla ice cream and – voila!

Cornbread

1 cup corn kernels
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup shredded old Cheddar
1/2 cup minced jalapenos

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
In another bowl, beat eggs, milk and oil.
Stir corn, cheese and pepper to egg mixture.
Blend into dry mixture.
Pour into greased 9 by 9 pan.
Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.

Southwestern 1

Southwestern Dinner

Appetizer

Beer Margaritas (Doug)
Basic Tomato Salsa & Salsa de Molcajete (Paul)
Assorted Corn Tortilla Chips

Soup

Mango-Lemon Soup (Paul)

Salad

Spicy Black Bean and Corn Salad (Connie)

Main Course

Southwestern Lime Chicken with Ancho Chili Sauce (Laila)
Potato-Chive Cakes with Serrano Mayonnaise (Sandy)
Chiles Rellenos (Laurie)
Corn Bread (Connie)

Dessert

Bananas Doug (Doug)

Two Salsas

Basic Tomato Salsa

Chop 4 large fresh tomatoes.
Chop 2 serranos with seeds.
Chop ½ cup cilantro.

Mix with fresh lime juice, salt, a little cumin,
Stir and adjust.

Salsa de Molcajete

Roast or broil:
2 large tomatoes
2 jalapenos
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
After blackened, peel the tomatoes,stem chiles, and peel garlics.

In food processor, grind the chiles, garlic and
¼ tsp salt to a coarse paste.
Add tomatoes and pulse to a coarse texture.
Transfer to a serving bowl.

Finely chop ½ small white onion. Rinse and stir into salsa.
Leave for a couple of hours for the flavors to meld.

Add 1/3 cup or so of cilantro.
Optional is 1 and ½ tsp cider vinegar
(can’t remember if I put this in).

Add a little water if too thick. Taste and season with salt.

Source: Rick Bayless’ Mexican Kitchen.

Potato- Chive Cakes with Serrano Mayonnaise

1 whole roasted garlic bulb
5 potatoes
½ cup grated Manchego cheese
1 egg
¼ cup minced fresh chives
salt and pepper
butter

Place unpeeled potatoes in saucepan, add water to cover,
and bring to boil. Boil until tender. Drain and cool.
The grate into large mixing bowl (skin and all).
Squeeze whole roasted garlic cloves from skins into potato.
Add the cheese, egg, and chives.
Mix well.
Season with salt and pepper.
Form mixture into 6 cakes each about 1 ½ inches thick.
Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to
24 hours before frying.

Lightly brush surface of pan with butter and add cakes.
Fry, turning once, until nicely browned and heated through.
4 to 6 minutes a side.

Roasted Garlic Bulbs

Preheat oven to 375

Remove excess papery skin but leave bulbs whole.
Cut off the top ½ inch off each bulb, exposing tops.
If some cloves remain uncut, take a little slice off with
carving knife to expose the inside.
Place the bulbs, cut sides up, in a deep side casserole dish
and add water to reach halfway up the sides of the bulbs.
Drizzle olive oil evenly over the tops of the bulbs.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven.
Bake about 1 hour (until cloves feel soft when pressed).

Serrano Mayonnaise

5 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
½ bunch fresh cilantro
1 egg yolk
juice of 1 lime
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 cups olive oil (not extra virgin)

Put all ingredients, except oil into food processor.
Process thoroughly to a mash consistency.
With motor running, slowly add oil in a thin steady stream,
continuing to process until the mixture thickens and emulsifies.
Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Source: Café Pasqual’s by Katherine Kegel

Mango – Lemon Soup

Peel and chop 4 ripe mangos.
Zest and juice 2 lemons.
Process mangos and lemon juice to liquid. Reserve 2 cups of puree.
Add 1 cup of cream to the remaining puree. Pulse just to incorporate.
(Real processing will leave the mixture too thick.)
Transfer to a bowl and stir in ¾ of the zest.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Ladle chilled soup into individual bowls.
Garnish each with a swirl of the reserved mango, some lemon zest,
few raspberries, and a sprig of mint.

This can function as a faux sorbet or could easily be transformed
into a desert (increase the raspberries?)

Source: Café Pasqual’s Cookbook by Katherine Kegel.