Mofo - Day 8 - Chile Arbol

Chile Arbol means tree-like in Spanish. The stems on the dried chiles resembles tree branches. You can occasionally find them in their fresh form. They will be green and about 2-3 inches long. Most commonly they are found in their dried form. They are beautiful and bright red. They are often used to make decorative items, especially Southwestern themed Christmas decorations. They are distantly related to cayenne and pack a bit of heat, rating 15,000 to 30,000 on the Scoville Index.

This light tomato sauce is wonderful over dishes that you don't want to overpower. The inspiration for this sauce comes from a divey little taco shop here in Phoenix. They are anything but vegan. They served a sauce similar to this over their Chiles Rellenos. While it was always a health risk to eat there, this sauce was worth the risk. I don't think I have it nailed exactly the way theirs was made, but I think you will like it for something different and lighter.

Southwestern Fresh Tomato Sauce

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chili oil

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon mexican oregano

3 medium tomatoes cut in medium chunks (about 8 per tomato)

2 dried chile arbol

1 cup vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil and add onions a garlic. Heat until garlic is fragrant and onions are just slightly softened, 1-2 minutes. Add Mexican oregano, tomatoes, and chili Arbol. Stir and saute for another minute. Add 1 cup vegetable broth. Bring mixture to a gentle boil. Turn down to a simmer and simmer for about 30 minutes. Using immersion blender, food processor or blender, blend until mixture is mixed but still a bit chunky. If you like a smoother sauce, feel free to puree. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I used a locally produced chili oil from Queen Creek Olive farm. You can see the Chile Arbol pictured here as well.

MOFO - Day 7 - Iron Chef - Mashed Potatoes

This week MrsBadMouth from the PPK picked the Iron Chef secret ingredient: Mashed Potatoes. Personally I don't think I've ever met a potato I didn't love. There is a special place in my heart for the mashed variety. In keeping with my chile theme for the month I wanted to come up with a very special mashed 'tater dish. Our garden is suddenly spewing jalapenos, so I decided I would once again use jalapenos as the chile component. I added porcini mushrooms to add a little fine-dine feel to an otherwise rustic homey dish. The results were delicious. Today's picture is a little boring, but as you will see in a couple of days, they got all dressed up for the featured dish on Tuesday.

Porcini, Caramelized Jalapeno Whipped Potatoes

Makes 4-6 servings

1/2 cup dried procini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups boiling water
5 medium red potatoes, skin on, 1 inch dice (approx 4 cups)
1/2 medium yellow onion medium dice
2 medium sized jalapenos, halved, thinly sliced cross-wise seeded
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Earth Balance vegan butter
3 tablespoons unsweetened soy creamer (I recommend Wildwood Brand)

Rehydrate porcinis in boiling water. Drain reserving all liquid. Chop mushrooms into small dice.

In medium saucepan add potatoes, reserved mushroom liquid and enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are very soft.

While potatoes are simmering, caramelize the onions and jalapenos. In a 10 inch iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat add olive oil, onions, jalapenos and brown sugar. Saute for 20 minutes until mixture is golden brown. Set aside.

When potatoes are soft, drain water and return to pan. Add black pepper, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, vegan butter and soy creamer. With a hand mixer on low speed, mix until most lumps are gone*. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula gently mix in caramelized jalapeno mixture and mushrooms. Serve immediately. These can also refrigerated and served later by gently re-heating in a saucepan.

These are excellent on their own, but I could really see dousing them with a cajun gravy. I have another serving suggestion, but you are going to have to come back on Tuesday to check out another tasty chile creation!!

Coarsely chop onions and thinly slice jalapenos.

Here is how they look all caramelized

MOFO - Day 6 - Cayenne Pepper - Not just for savory anymore!

Ah cayenne pepper. This spicy pepper usually found in powdered form is a powerhouse of heat. Rating 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville Scale, it is wise to use caution when using it in recipes lest you painfully clear your sinuses and other things. The cayenne pepper is named after a city in French Guiana. The pepper is related to the bell pepper, but it is its sassy spicy trouble making distant cousin.

The pepper is not only powerful on the heat index, but it has been proven to have health and medicinal uses as well. Cayenne is believed to help prevent prostate cancer. It is loaded with vitamin A and also  has B6, E and C. I recently had an interesting and painful experience with cayenne. I had a nasty cold and made an elixer of agave, lemon and cayenne in hot water. It soothed my sinuses and I am sure burned out some of the nasty cold. Well, Fred, who is always trying to take care of me, made a batch for me. Unbeknownst to me, he loaded it with a very healthy dose of cayenne. I took a big swig and felt this incredible burn all the way down. Holy mama! I managed to drink about half of it before I had to claim defeat. Funny but true.

I love using cayenne in savory dishes. It is fantastic in many Mexican and Southwestern dishes. I can hardly imagine any type of chili without it. However I have also found that is pairs amazingly well with Chocolate (in small amounts). I have school in about 20 minutes. It is one of my classmate's birthday. I decided to make some cupcakes to wake the class up and secretly slip them some vegan awesomeness. I made cupcakes based on the Basic Chocolate Cupcakes from VCTOTW. I added 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a very healthy pinch of cayenne to the batter. They are topped with the Chocolate Mousse Topping with a little cinnamon thrown in from the same book.

I hope my classmates gobble them up and I hope you enjoy checking them out. Have a great Saturday!!

MOFO - Day 5 - Chipotle Peppers

Chipotle chiles are all the rage these days. The chipotle is actually a smoked jalapeno. According to the Gourmet Sleuth website, these tasty smoky peppers date back to the Aztec civilization. The Aztecs took to smoking the chiles because jalapenos proved to be difficult to dry without rotting. All I know is that they are a delicious addition to many dishes and I am personally a little addicted them. The chipotle is considered medium heat rating 5000 - 10,000 on the Scoville Heat Index. You can use these delectables in soups, sauces, stews, dressing, marinades, shoot I've even used the powder in sweet baked goods. Speaking of powders, you can find chipotles in their dried pod form, chipotle powder (which is getting easier to find in many grocery stores) and my favorite form, chipotles in adobo (in a can). The canned variety is usually found in the ethnic aisle of your grocery store in little cans. If you haven't experienced the lovely smokiness of the chipotle, your life is just not complete. Find some, try them and your dishes will be transformed into smokey loveliness!

I will be sure to feature a few recipes this month with chipotles no doubt, But today is another very long day for me, so I leave you with a picture and a promise of yumminess to come.

Behold Robin Robertson's Smoky Chipotle Portobello Tacos from her upcoming cook book.

I always feel funny when I don't include recipes in my MoFo posts, so I'm going to share a soy free version of Chipotle Ranch I came up with. It is also really good as a dip on tortilla chips in it's thicker form. This is for all of the mayo haters in the house!

No Soy/No Mayo Version of Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup water (in addition to soaking water)

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder

1 teaspoon granulated onion or garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 chipotle chiles (canned in adobo sauce), leave seeds intact

Cover raw cashews with enough filtered water to come 1/2 - 1 inch over cashews. Soak overnight. Drain water and do not reserve. Pour all ingredients, including 1/2 cup water, in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Let chill for at least for hours before using.

MOFO - Day 3 - More Jalapeno Fun

Today's post is going to be short and just slightly sweet. I've got a busy day ahead of me: a full day of work and two school assignments to complete before midnight. So forgive my lack of inspiration for the day. Thankfully others are inspired and inspiring me! I am fortunate enough to be a tester for several talented and fabulous cook book authors. It keeps my fridge and my tummy full of all sorts of wonderfulness. This tasty looking post hails from Carla Kelley's upcoming project. I like to think she developed this recipe just for my MOFO theme...but that would be a bit egotistical. I can say that this was a nice change from normally sweet carrot soups. It has a spicy anti-oxidant kick! As an added boost it is believed that jalapenos have an anti-cancer quality. Yay soup!

Spicy Carrot Soup

MOFO - Day 2 - The Day of the Jalapeno

Jalapenos

Today we'll be featuring the ever-so-popular jalapeno. These babies show up on dishes all over the country and all over the world. The fun thing about jalapenos is you never really know how hot they are going to be. I have a theory (that is not proven by the way) that the more pointed they are the hotter they will be. While I find this to be the case most of the time, I have been proven wrong on occassion. I have gotten a mighty hot surprise by using this theory on some not-so-pointy-hotter-than-hell peppers. Ouch! But it hurts so good.

Most jalapenos are grown in North America, with most being grown in Texas and New Mexico. It is estimated that 5500 acres in the United States are dedicated to growing jalapenos. This pepper is named after the town Xalapa, Veracruz where the pepper was traditionally grown in Mexico. In Mexico it is also called Huachinago or chile gordo. The jalapeno is a medium sized chile pepper measuring about 2 - 3 1/2 inches long. It is most commonly green in color, but when ripened will be red. They measure 2500-8000 on the Scoville heat scale, so these are considered medium heat. Now remember even though they are considered medium heat, they pack quite a punch if you touch your eyes after handling them. So make sure you are careful when you handle them, lest you burn your delicate parts.

So I worked 12 hours today and had an appointment after work. I really am trying to make my own recipes as much as possible for MOFO. Tonight it had to be quick and simple.

Jalapeno Chickn Salad

1 cup Butler Soy Curls
boiling water
1/2 cup jicama, diced very small
1/3 cup green onions white and green parts finely chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced small
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped (will be about 1 tablespoon when chopped)
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Bill's Chicknish Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Vegannaise

Place soy curls in a bowl and cover with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Let soak for about 5 minutes to rehydrate. Drain and let cool. Once cool dice into small pieces. In medium sized bowl add all ingredients and mix until evenly distributed. Add more salt and pepper to taste if you'd like.

Now we started eating this before I had a chance to measure how much it made. I can tell you we served these in the Fillo Factory Brand Mini Fillo Shells. I love these shells, they are so cute, convenient, organic and VEGAN! It filled 15 of the shells. They are a cute tasty little appetizers. Fred loved them, so I will make them again soon and measure the volume for you. Our jalapenos were a bit wimpy tonight, so next time I might up the amount, but my heat tolerance has been pretty high lately.

Serving Suggestions

You might also like to serve these as a sandwich, a wrap with some avocado, or in a corn tortilla mini-shell. It's versatile, so have fun!

Look at this cute little guy!

MOFO - Day 1 - Welcome to the Month of the Chile

Welcome to MOFO 2010! My theme for the month is Chiles and Chilies. I will be posting some of my own original recipes. I also plan on featuring some of the dishes I have been testing for Tami Noyes, Carla Kelly and most recently Robin Robertson. I will be sprinkling my posts with a little education and trivia about different types of chiles. I may stray from my theme a bit to do restaurant reviews (if they have chili dishes you know I'll be on that). I also plan on bringing you a preview of Kelly Peloza's new book The Cookie Connoisseur. It is my goal to post every day. It is an ambitious goal and I will do my best to fulfill it. For those of you who signed up for the RSS feed, I know that you will be inundated with blog mania. I hope you will stop in often. It's going to be a hot month at the Vegan Conversion Challenge, grab a beer or a tub of sour cream to cool things down and enjoy the ride!

Today I'm going to start very simply. Salsa is a basic condiment, but the variations are anything but basic. Most everyone has their favorite recipes or favorite places to eat salsa. I love to make my own just the way I like it. When I was a young teeny bopper I was lucky enough to work in a family friend's Mexican restaurant that went out of business years ago. They had a salsa that was really unique tasting,  chunky and addicting. It is the inspiration for my style of salsa. I love big chunks of tomato,  lots of cilantro and a nice kick from jalapenos and chiletepins. Now like many people I know, my salsa is never really made exactly the same way. Here is a general guideline for a tasty salsa that you can use anywhere you want to use a great tomato style salsa. Feel free to change it up to your liking.

Chipotle Tomato Salsa

Makes 4 cups

2 fresh jalapenos
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup loosely packed cilantro
3 large green onions
1 - 15 oz can organic tomato sauce
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from can of chipotles in adobo)
3 chiletepin (Scroll down for more information on chile tepin)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 - 28 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

In food processor add jalapenos, garlic, roughly chopped green onion (white and light green part only) and cilantro. Thinly slice the dark green part of the green onions and set aside. Pulse a few times to chop into smaller pieces. Add can of tomato sauce, adobo, tepins and black pepper and blend for about 30 seconds until vegetables are chopped small. Add diced tomatoes and pulse once or twice to combine, being careful not to pulverize the diced tomatoes. Keep those babies chunky! Pour into large bowl and stir in slice green onion. You can serve this right away, but the flavors really pop if you let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Chiletepin

The chilitepin, also known as the Birdseye pepper scores a whopping 50,000 - 100,00 on the scoville scale. Here in Arizona they are pretty easy to find in local grocery stores that carry southwestern spices and chiles. Other parts of the country it may be a little more tricky. You may have to order them online...or you could talk me into swapping with you or mailing you some!! In 1997 this powerful little pepper became the official state native pepper of Texas. Here is another interesting fact-oid: the Wild Chile Botanical Area in the Coronado National Forest near Tucson, Arizona has the largest number of chiletepin chile pepper north of Mexico. 

You must use caution when using the chilitepin. They are sold in dried form in a nice safe little pod. You experience the intense heat when you crush them. Make sure not to touch your eyes if you accidentally touch them after crushing them or you will be crying for sure. I love heat and these add a beautiful dimension of heat to your dishes. If you are not a fan of hot stuff, this might not be your kind of pepper. But for me and those who like hot stuff, these are awesome in salsas and bean dishes.