A Birthday and Old Dogs (Chili Powder, Chili and Lime Chicken)

Last Wednesday was my 54^th birthday and I had a bit of a revelation.  I suppose you could start the jokes about old dogs and new tricks.  You see, I’ve always insisted on blending my own spices.  When I need herbes de Provence, I go to the garden or in winter, blended the herbs we dried from Cathy’s summer plot.  Szechwan pepper salt was always around to season Chinese fried chicken.  For paté, duck confit and rillettes, we have a house blend of quatre épices.  Well then, why have I never made my own chili powder?   

There may be a number of valid reasons.  You could put it off to laziness.  That’s where my daughter would go first and she might be right.  I tend towards sloth unless properly motivated.  I’d prefer to treat myself more charitably and suggest that commercial chili powders can be quite good when fresh.  It’s when they sit around that they get a funky, acrid, flat flavor.  Part of the excuse is that only in the past few years have high quality dried chilies become affordable and easily obtained.  Most likely, I just never thought of it.  Lots of stuff slips by these days.

What happened is that I am preparing to teach a Mexican cooking class.  After looking back on all the Mexican food that I’ve enjoyed over the years and remembering the lessons that I learned from innumerable Latino colleagues, after going back to Rick and Deann Bayless’ encyclopedic Authentic Mexican, after a shot of really cheap tequila to forget Rachael Ray’s cheddar ranch waffles with spicy chicken, I realized that I needed play with spices in a different way if I wanted to cook respectable Mexican food.  In that type of cooking, flavors are built by marination, searing and complex spicing, something that I am used to as a French chef, but the techniques are different enough that I’d have to pay attention to get authentic results.

The first step would be to do what every good cook does, try to control every variable in the preparation.  Making chili powder, an individualistic batch of seasoning, would be essential.  I settled on a reasonably uncomplicated mix of three chilies with black pepper, salt and cumin.  As always, there is a bit of technique to pay attention to, but beyond that, this is an easy recipe that results in a chili powder that has bright, vibrant flavor, mild aromatics and a rich complex chili hit that is not so spicy that it will overwhelm your food.  This is the stuff that certainly would have set Cool Hand Luke on the road to freedom.  And an old dog has learned a new trick.

Chili Powder (about 3 cups)

6 Ancho dried chilies

6 Pasilla dried chilies

8 Guajillo dried chilies

1 tbs. cumin seed

1 tbs. black pepper, coarsely ground

2 tsp. kosher salt

In a large, heavy sauté pan, toast the cumin seeds over a medium heat for five minutes while stirring constantly.  The cumin will begin to brown and may pop.  Transfer the seeds to a food processor.  Add the salt and black pepper.  Process on high speed for am minute, until finely ground.

Using the same sauté pan on medium heat, toast the chilies in batches until they begin to color, only about a minute per side.  Press down on each of the chilies with the back of a spatula, so that most of their surface browns.  Move the toasted chilies to baking sheet to cool.

Carefully remove the stem and the seeds from the chilies.  It is unlikely that you will get all the seeds, but don’t worry.  Break the chilies into roughly 1 inch squares.  Put them into the food processor with the other seasonings.  Process until the chilies have powdered, at least 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight jar.  Shake before using to remix the chilies, cumin, salt and pepper.

*This method will not produce chili powder that is as fine as the commercial variety.  If you want finer chili powder, sift the processed mixture through a fine strainer, and then return the coarse chilies to the processor for more chopping.

Try this easy recipe.  Cut up a frying chicken into 8 pieces.  Marinate the chicken for 1 hour in the juice of 2 limes, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 4 tbs. of olive oil and  3 tbs. of your freshly made chili powder.  Broil or grill the chicken pieces as usual.

Of Course You Like Cactus (Cactus Tacos with Salsa Verde)

This one is for Bunny, who already knows all about how to cook cactus.

Cactus paddles, Nopales in Spanish, probably aren’t on your every day menu.  They have an interesting flavor, somewhere between asparagus and summer squash with a little lime tossed in.  Serve cactus to guests.  Watch them squirm a bit, and then wait for the congratulations.  This is something that has a good flavor and is healthy.  100 grams have 16 calories.  Cactus is high in vitamins A, B and C.  Don’t believe the claim that nopales will automatically lower your blood sugar.  Diabetes is not that simple.  Always buy fresh instead of the canned variety that taste just like the can they came in. 

You may think that cactus would be difficult to find, however that’s not the case.  Produce Junction has them, about 8 paddles for $2.00, enough for a mound of tacos.  Also, all those little bodegas that have recently opened will carry them, along with tomatillos and a wide variety of fresh and dried chiles.  Do yourself a favor, stop in to browse.  Normally the proprietors are very willing to help.

The paddles can be cooked ahead, then reheated and served at a later time.  They also go well with pico de gallo and can also be served in a salad with chopped tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, cilantro and a lime/garlic dressing. Serve as suggested below or with cheese and fresh radishes.

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Grilled Cactus Paddle Tacos with Salsa Verde (serves 6)

6 cactus paddles

12 6-inch corn tortillas

3 tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. chili powder

juice of 1 lime

1 clove garlic, chopped

salt and black pepper       

Put a large stock pot filled with 1 gallon of salted water on the stove and bring it to a boil as you clean the cactus. 

Trim the tough outside edge of the cactus paddles, including the stem at the bottom.  With the back of a knife, scrape away any needles on the surface.  Rinse the paddles under cold running water.

When the water has boiled, put the cactus paddles in the pot, reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until the cactus is cooked through, but still firm.  Remove the cactus from the water and while still hot marinate them in a sauce made of the olive oil, chili powder, lime juice, garlic, salt and black pepper.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Overnight would be better.   

Salsa Verde

1 lb. tomatillos, paper husk removed

2 tbs. olive oil

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin powder

2 cloves garlic, chopped

salt and black pepper

Put a large stock pot filled with 1 gallon of salted water on the stove and bring it to a boil.  Boil the tomatillos until they are soft, about ten minutes.  Drain the water and put the tomatillos in a large mixing bowl. 

While the tomatillos are still hot, mix in the remaining ingredients.  With a potato masher or a large spoon, mash the salsa until all the ingredients are incorporated.  It can be as fine or as coarse as you like.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Overnight would be better.   

To assemble the tacos you will need the marinated cactus, 12 corn tortillas, 2 cups of shredded iceberg lettuce and the Salsa Verde. 

1.      On a griddle or a large ungreased pan, quickly cook the tortillas for 20 seconds on each side.  As they finish cooking, keep them warm in a covered container just large enough to hold them.

2.      In a large pan greased with olive oil or on a charcoal grill, quickly reheat the cactus paddles.  This will only take 2 minutes.

3.      Quickly transfer the cactus to a cutting board.  Slice the paddles into 1/4- inch strips. 

4.      Place some of the cactus strips onto each warmed tortilla, top with shredded iceberg lettuce and a spoonful of Salsa Verde.

*Cactus paddles can also be grilled whole without boiling.  Brush with olive oil and cook 15 minutes on each side.

"Spa" and a Greek Salad (Spanikopita)

Today's offering is a  recipe from last Saturday's Vegetable Main Courses class.  I really appreciate the folks who are coming out for the classes.  A full schedule is here and a gallery of pictures can be found here.  Next up is a pasta class on Thursday evening at 7:00 and at out usual 1:00 time on Saturday we'll meet to talk about Hors d’oeuvres and appetizers.

Spanikopita is the traditional Greek spinach and feta cheese pie.  "Spa" is restaurant slang for Spanikopita, as in "Gimmie four orders of Spa like yesterday, Malakia."  Variations, good and bad are made all over.  I learned this recipe thirty years ago from Mrs. Petsos.  Her twist was to substitute leeks for 1/3 of the spinach.  Give it a shot, it works out well.  All you have to do is wash the white part of the leeks, cut them into 1/2 inch dice and sautee them in olive oil with the onions.  

It is crucial that Spanikopita be fresh or else the phyllo dough breaks down and becomes soft and pasty.  Not good!  Spanikopita should go directly in the oven after it is assembled, since the phyllo dough will become soggy and never crisp up.   Also, buy a block of cheese, rather than getting that pre crumbled stuff.  That way, you'll know what you are getting, instead of having the feta cartel sell you sweepings from the factory floor.

Serve with a Greek salad, a simple thing with lettuce, olives, tomatoes, red onion and cucumbers.  Make the dressing out of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and oregano.

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Spanikopita (serves 6)

2 lbs. fresh spinach

2 tbs. Spanish onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated

4 eggs

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

3 tbs. olive oil

8 oz. frozen phyllo dough

salt and black pepper

Take the phyllo dough out of the freezer to thaw one hour before preparing the Spanikopita.

Preheat the oven to 375°.  Heat 1 tbs. of olive oil in a large soup pot.  Sauté the onions until transparent, lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and handfuls of spinach, until all of it has been sweated down, stirring constantly.  Season with nutmeg, salt and black pepper.  Cook for an additional minute, until the nutmeg flavor opens up, then put the spinach in a large mixing bowl to cool for about ten minutes.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and mix them.  Reserve 2 tsp. of eggs for glazing the top of the Spanikopita.  When the spinach mix is cool to the touch, add the eggs and crumbled feta.  Mix to combine, do not whisk vigorously, since that would break up the feta too much. 

Lightly brush the olive oil into a 9 x 12 inch baking pan, fully coating the inside.  Line the bottom and sides of the pan with 4 sheets of phyllo dough, using a pastry brush to oil between sheets.  It is fine if they over lap.  Pour in the spinach mixture and spread it evenly over the phyllo.  Cover the top with 4 sheets of phyllo that also have been oiled.  Fold the edges over to seal the pie.  Brush the remaining egg on the pie, glazing the top of the Spanikopita. 

Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

*Spanikopita can also be made by folding the phyllo into triangles that enclose the spinach stuffing or by oiling and lining muffin tins with phyllo.

A Quick Dinner (Mashed Cauliflower)

I’ll be spending the day shopping for all the stuff we’ll be needing for class on Saturday, which means quick trips to Assi and Produce Junction, really the best places for vegetables in the area.  Produce Junction does such volume that their stuff is always perfectly fresh.  It’s not the place to go for organic, small farm produce, but if you want standard veg, eggplant, lettuce, fruit, along with all sorts of crazy Latino/Caribbean produce, you could do far worse.  This is where I get cactus paddles.  Assi is another story.  It is a huge warehouse, a Korean owned place with every kind of Asian pickled, dried or salted food.  They have vegetables that I’ve never seen, so I buy them just because.  I’ve had great talks in the aisles with Asian grandmothers who want to tell me how to cook something that I’ve just picked off the shelf.  We’ll get to Assi some other time.  The place deserves a longer discussion.

Last night’s dinner was great.  That’s an especially big statement, since I’ll be going to the market today and the fridge was a little light.  Since today will be busy and I have to get the coffee going or else I’ll never get started, here’s the speedy rundown.   

We had just a few things hanging around, pork chops, tortellini, and cauliflower.  The chops were easy, brush them with Dijon mustard and grill them, done.  Buttered tortellini, never bad.  The star of the dinner was the cauliflower.  I had originally planned to separate it into florets and hit it with butter, but serendipity stepped in, as I dropped the head in the sink while draining.  It was a real mess.  I decided to put it back in the pot, mash it and not admit my clumsiness to the family.  Since cauliflower is not starchy, you’ll have to cook the mash for a bit to sweat out the water and tighten up the puree.  Three of us ate the whole head.  Here’s the quick recipe.

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Mashed Cauliflower

1 medium head cauliflower

2 tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 pt. heavy cream

salt and white pepper

Put 1 inch of salted water in a heavy stockpot with a lid, bring it to a boil.  With a sharp paring knife, cut off the leaves and the hard outer core at the bottom of the cauliflower head.  Leave the head intact, do not separate into florets.  Steam the whole head for 15 minutes, until a knife pressed into it cuts smoothly to the center.

Drain the water.  Put the head back into the stockpot and put it on high heat.  Add the butter and cream.  Season with salt and white pepper.  With a hand potato masher, mash the cauliflower into a coarse puree. 

At this point, the puree will be quite wet.  Continue cooking while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  The water will evaporate and the cream will reduce, making a puree about the consistency of thick mashed potatoes.  Adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.  Serve immediately.