Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Sauce

I posted the recipe for chipotle sauce a few weeks ago.  Since I had made the sauce I couldn’t let it go to waste so I cooked up some shrimp and made these delicious shrimp tacos.   They were so good I thought I would share the recipe with you.

You will need:

2 lbs shrimp (shelled and cleaned)

4 cloves of garlic

2 tbs olive oil

The zest and juice of 1 lime

Tortillas

coleslaw

Chipotle sauce

cilantro

Place the shrimp in a bowl, add minced garlic, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix the shrimp thoroughly.  Place olive oil in a large skillet and allow to heat up over a medium to high flame until the oil just begins go smoke and shimmer.  Place shrimp into the hot skillet and saute until done.

Build your shrimp taco.  Take a tortilla and brush on the chipotle sauce to taste, add coleslaw, and top with shrimp, shred some cilantro as a finishing touch.  Eat and enjoy.   This meal is quick simple and delicious.

 

 

 

 

Spicy Egg Skillet Brunch

I have to give my wife credit on this one.  She pulled all these ingredients together and made one hell of a dish.  It was delicious and had me dabbing the sweat from my forehead because this little skillet dish packs a wonderful burn.  I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

Basic Tomato Sauce

2 Cups canned crushed tomatoes

2 Fresh tomatoes coarsely chopped

1 Medium onion minced

2 Cloves garlic grated

2 Tsp. dry parsley and

2 Tsp. dry basil

In a pot combine the canned diced tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, minced onion, garlic, parsley, and basil.  Cook on low until the flavors meld.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Once the sauce is done, set it aside.

Spicy Eggs and Sauce

½ lb Bacon

2 Tbs. reserved bacon fat

1 Medium onion coarsely chopped

3 Cloves garlic thinly sliced

2 Jumbo jalapeño peppers seeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice

1 Tsp. hot chili flakes

4 large eggs

1/4 Cup shredded mozzarella

Shredded basil

Salt and pepper

2 – 3 cups Basic Tomato Sauce

Place bacon in a cast iron pan (optional) over medium high heat.  Cook until bacon is crisp and bacon fat has rendered.

Remove bacon from the pan and keep warm in oven.  Remove all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat.

Place the roughly chopped onion, diced jumbo jalapenos, sliced garlic and pepper flakes into the pan over medium heat.  Cook until the onion and jalapeno have softened.

Once the onion and jalapeno have softened, pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil.  Once the sauce begins to boil reduce the heat until the sauce is at a simmer.

Crack the eggs into the sauce and cook until the eggs have reached your desired consistency.

Remove from the heat and top with fresh basil and cheese.

Serve with a good dipping bread of your choice.

Enjoy.

Fruit Based Hot Sauce

I posted a basic hot sauce recipe about six months ago. Since that time I have had several people ask me if it was possible to make a non-vinegar based hot sauce. The simple answer is yes, and they are quite good. I have gone a step further with this one and made a fruit based hot sauce. You can use the basic hot sauce recipe if you don’t want to have a fruit based hot sauce. Use the same basic hot sauce recipe but instead of vinegar use water, very simple. The upside of this method is no vinegar taste and more pepper flavor. The downside is it doesn’t last long, just a few weeks at the most. Make sure you keep it refrigerated.

This fruit based hot sauce lends itself the ability to vary the texture and thickness. It all depends on how much water you use. More water creates a thinner sauce and less will create a nice thick rich sauce. Let me know what you think.

You will need.

1 pear, peeled and cored

10 – 15 peppers of your choice. Keep in mind the peppers will effect the color of your sauce.  I have selected habaneros for this sauce, and you can see they are light orange in color, which in turn ends up being the color of the sauce.

The juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder (you can add whatever herbs and spices you like the sky is the limit on this one)

Place the peppers, pear, and lemon juice into a sauce pot. For a thick sauce just barely cover the peppers and pear with water and boil. Add water as needed to keep the fruit covered. For a thinner sauce just add more water, the more water the thinner the sauce. Boil until the pear and peppers leave no resistance when pierced with a fork or knife.

Remove from the heat and let cool. Once cool enough to handle place the mixture into a blender and add your spices. Blend until smooth. Poor into a bottle and refrigerate. It truly is that easy.

Angry Potatoes

I was exposed to tapas at a very young age, my dad being from Spain.  Alicante, Spain to be more specific.  As I grew older I found one of the most common tapas was patatas bravas, which translates to angry potatoes.  I can tell you the potatoes I made last night using my friends “moruga madness” blend of dried peppers, were not just angry, they were down right pissed off.  This special blend of peppers contained  dried crushed Moruga Scorpions, 7-Pot Douglahs, Atomic Starfish, Hawaiian peppers, and Szechwan peppers.  I also used the pepper infused oil I made a few weeks ago.  If you want to take this little dish to a whole new level of heat try dipping these potatoes into the spicy aioli whose recipe is also located on this blog. 

You can feel free to use any peppers you like, you can also feel free to use regular olive oil in stead of the pepper infused oil I use here. As long as the ingredients are to your taste you will love this dish.

You will need…

2 tbs olive oil

2 russet potatoes or 3 Yukon gold potatoes.

1 tsp of your favorite dried peppers. (red pepper flakes will do if you are not a fan of too much heat)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375.

Peal and cut the potatoes to approximately 1 inch cubes.

Place the cut potatoes into a bowl and add the oil, salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet and make sure the potatoes are spaced evenly to allow for browning.

Place potatoes into the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle your dried peppers over the potatoes, toss and serve hot.

Funky Chunky Chili

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I have spent many years to get this chili to this point.  It is one of my all-time favorite dishes.  The heat in this chili is all up to you.  Depending how many and what kinds of peppers you choose to use will determine the heat and flavor of this chili.  I hope you give this dish a try and I hope you will enjoy it as much my family does.

4 lbs. Chuck

1 link Dried Spicy Chorizo sausage

2 28 oz. cans of tomato pure

32 oz. beef stock

1 tsp. (or to taste) cayenne powder

2 ½ tbsp. (or to taste) chili powder

1/8^th tsp. cinnamon powder

½ tbsp. powdered ginger

2 tsp. mustard powder

¼ cup bourbon

3 tbsp. paprika

1 tbsp. cumin

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

Salt to taste

½ bottle Worcestershire sauce

4 – 6 cloves grated garlic

2 16 oz. cans dark red kidney beans

1 16 oz. can black beans

1 16 oz. can pinto beans

2 large sweet onions minced finely

5 tbsp. olive oil

1 scorpion pepper (seeded)

1 habanero pepper

1 cayenne pepper (roasted over an open flame) and diced

6 chili peppers (roasted over an open flame) and minced

Two large red bell peppers roasted and seeded and diced

In a large pot add beef stock and tomato puree. Add cumin, paprika, cinnamon, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne powder, dry mustard, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon, garlic, and apple cider vinegar.  Put over low heat and stir occasionally.

Char the bell peppers, cayenne pepper, and the chili peppers over an open flame.  Once cool remove as much of the skin as possible, and mince the peppers.

In a pan over medium low heat add 2 tbs. of olive oil, the roasted peppers and onions.  Stir until onions are translucent.

Take 2 cups of sauce from the pot, the scorpion pepper and habanero pepper, combine in a blender and liquefy until there is no trace of the peppers, place this mixture back into your sauce pot and stir to combine.

Once the onions have turned translucent, add them to the sauce pot.

Add 2 tbs. of olive oil over medium high heat into the same pan used to sweat the onions and peppers.  Add in the sliced chorizo and cook until the seasoning is rendered from the chorizo. Place the chorizo and its rendered oil into the sauce pan.

Cut beef into 1 inch cubes and add 1 tbsp. of olive oil to the same pan in which you cooked the onions and chorizo.  Brown the beef on two sides and add to the sauce pot.  Once all the beef is cooked and in the pot turn the flame over the pan to high and deglaze the pan with approximately one cup of water.  Add this to the sauce.

Cook the beef in the sauce for approximately 2 hours or until the beef is tender.  Once the beef is tender, open, strain, and thoroughly rinse the beans.  Add the rinsed beans to the pot and cook over low heat for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Spicy Tomato and Mushroom Sauce

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This is one of my favorite dishes.  It is a very simple dish without a lot of ingredients.  In my opinion simpler is often better.  A simple dish allows the flavors of the main ingredients to shine and in this case it is tomatoes, mushrooms, chili peppers, and garlic.  This rustic meal is one of the most flavorful I have ever cooked.  I hope you will give this recipe a try, and if you do please give me some feedback.  If you change anything up I would love to know that too.  I am all for improving any of my recipes.

8 – 10 Vine Tomatoes

16oz of your favorite mushrooms (feel free to use several different types of mushrooms)

4 – 6 Cloves of garlic

2tbs olive oil

2 cups of your favorite pasta (I would recommend linguini or spaghetti)

1 – 2 Cups of unsalted pasta water

2 Chili peppers

Basil

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Roughly chop the tomatoes and mushrooms.  Slice the garlic as thinly as you can.  Mince the 2 chili peppers.  Be sure to have the pasta water coming to a boil while you are chopping, slicing and mincing.  Once you have everything chopped put the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  When the oil is shimmering place in your garlic and chilies and sweat them for a couple of minutes.  Just long enough to infuse the oil with the garlic and chili flavors.  Place all of the tomatoes into the pan at this point.

Place the pasta in the water as soon as it comes to a boil.  After a few minutes remove about 2 cups of the pasta water and reserve it for later use.  Salt the pasta water after you take your two cups out.

Once the tomatoes begin to break down place the mushrooms in the pan and stir occasionally until the tomatoes completely break down.  Place enough pasta water in the tomato sauce until it is the consistency you like.  Add the basil and simmer for a few more minutes.

Place your al dente pasta in a serving bowl, cover with sauce, top with parmesan cheese if you like and let the flavors explode in your mouth.

Texas Chili

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There are about a million different versions for authentic Texas chili. I have come to find over the years that there is no one true recipe and if there is then it is certainly among the thousands of Texas Chili Recipes out there. The one thing all of the “authentic Texas Chili recipes have in common is the fact that there are no beans, in fact all Texas chili contains is beef and a really tasty gravy. Below you will find yet another “Texas Chili” recipe. I do have another version of chili that has everything in it but the kitchen sink, but that will be for another post. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

6 to 10 chilies of your liking (some will say you must have you must have pasilla and guajillo chilies to be truly authentic, I say use the chili peppers you love, you are the one eating it after all)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne powder (you can use more or less depending on the heat level you want)

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Salt

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1½ cups finely diced onion

5 cloves minced garlic

3 cups beef stock (more may be required due to evaporation during the cooking process)

2 tablespoons corn starch (you can use ¼ cup of mesa harina if you want to keep “authentic” I find corn starch creates a silkier texture for the gravy)

3 pounds chuck roast cut into ¼ inch cubes.

Place the chilies in a 12” cast iron pan (a cast iron pan is not a must have for this recipe, any pan will work) over high heat with one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sear the chilies for about 5 minutes turning occasionally. Remove the chilies from the pan and set aside to cool.

Once the chilies are cool enough to handle give them a rough chop, place the chilies in a blender and add the cumin, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, 1/3 cup of beef stock, and salt to taste. Blend everything until there is no trace of the peppers except for very small specs. Pour out the contents of the blender into a bowl, and be sure to scrape down the sides of the blender to get as much out as possible.

In the same pan you seared the peppers in, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and brown the beef cubes over medium high heat, brown 2 sides of the beef cube. Do not crowd the pan. Brown the beef in two batches, using a tablespoon of vegetable oil for each batch and place seared beef into a bowl and set aside.

Place a tablespoon of vegetable oil in the pan and reduce the heat to low. Place the onions and garlic in the pan and sweat them until they are translucent. Once the onions and garlic are soft and translucent add 2 – 3 cups of the beef stock and the chili mixture that was made earlier in the blender.

In a jar, combine the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and ½ cup of beef stock and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds, pour the contents into the pan with the beef stock, this will ensure no lumps will form. Whisk gently to combine the cornstarch with the rest of the beef stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan while whisking to get the fond off of the bottom of the pan.

Add the beef back into the pan and cook at a very low simmer for about 2 hours. Once the meat is tender, turn off the heat and let the chili stand for 15 to 30 minutes. This will allow the beef to absorb the gravy. Once the meat has rested, turn the heat back on and bring the chili back up to temperature and serve.

Spicy Peanut Chicken

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Spicy Peanut Chicken

Below is one of my favorite recipes. The first time my wife and I made this recipe together I didn’t think I was going to like it. The combination of peanut butter with hot peppers seemed odd to me.  I am so glad I gave it a try; this is one of my all time favorite recipes.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

1 pound of chicken cubed (thighs and drumsticks are very good in this)

1 ½ cups peanut butter (creamy or chunky whichever you prefer)

½ box of spaghetti

1 cup of peas (optional)

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs. soy sauce

3 cups chicken broth

2 tsp. ground ginger

1-2 habanero chili peppers (minced finely)

Place water on high heat, once at a boil add 1 tbsp of salt and drop pasta.  Stir to make sure it doesn’t stick.

Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Once the pasta is done drain and set it aside.

While the pasta is boiling take a saute pan and brown the chicken in 1 tbs of olive oil.   After the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

Using the same pan, turn the burner to low and place the peanut butter, soy sauce, ground ginger, peas, and minced pepper to the pan.  Have your chicken broth ready.  Stir the ingredients until the peanut butter begins to soften.  The peanut butter can burn very quickly at this stage, keep an eye on it, if it looks like it’s going to burn add some chicken broth and reduce the heat.  Add approximately ½ a cup of chicken broth at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Once the sauce is ready, add the chicken and pasta back into the pan and stir to coat everything.  Serve immediately and enjoy the burn!