spicy chipotle salsa

 I absolutely love this recipe for chipotle salsa! It's sort of sweet and savory -- but also nice and spicy (of course).  A milder version would be equally as good -- if you're not into the heat -- just reduce the number of chiles.

Recipe --

4 large firm-ripe tomatoes (or 8-10 smaller ones), whole

2 medium unpeeled onions, halved horizontally

20 unpeeled garlic cloves

8 dried chipotle chiles (use around half this amount for a milder version)

3 tbl olive oil

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

salt, to taste

The first step is grilling the vegetables -- this works best with a grill pan or heavy bottomed saute pan lined with foil.  Heat the pan over high and place tomatoes, onions and garlic on foil.  Grill until browned in spots, turning occassionally -- this takes around 10-12 min.  Remove vegetables and cool.  While these are cooling add dried chiles to pan and cook until just slightly softened and darkened in spots (turning often) -- this just takes a few minutes.  Let cool.

Slit chiles and remove stems and seeds.  It's best if you use gloves to do this...otherwise you'll be feeling the effects for a while afterward.  Chop chiles into small pieces and add to a blender (for best results) or a food processor.  Core tomatoes and rough chop into chunks, add to blender with chiles.  Peel and chop onions and garlic, add to blender.  Puree mixture until smooth, scraping sides periodically to ensure that all particles are incorporated.

Pour olive oil in a large saute pan or dutch oven and heat over medium-high.  When oil is hot, add tomato-chile mixture and cook until it begins to simmer rapidly (being sure to stir often).  Then add lime juice and cook 10-15 minutes longer -- until salsa has thickened slightly.  Once cool, adjust seasoning to taste.  I ended up adding another squeeze of lime juice to bring up the acid just a bit.

This salsa is great served with chips -- but I think it would also make an excellent marinade or accompaniment for chicken or pork.  I'm going to trying it on chicken tacos for dinner this week and will share the results!

Recipe: Sunset Easy Party Food

organic beer, wine + spirits

 

CCOF is hosting their fourth annual organic beer & wine tasting event Friday (Oct. 23) at the SF Ferry Building. The event will showcase a wide selection of award-winning organic wines, beers and spirits alongside food pairings from some of the Ferry Building’s acclaimed restaurants and specialty food vendors! 

Event goes from 4-8 pm. Tickets are $25 for 10 tastes or $15 for 5 tastes.
Sounds like a great way to unwind after a long work week... 

scary good

No clue what to be for Halloween (any thoughts?)...

For all of the sweet tooth's out there (myself included) -- check out the Field Guide to Candy cookbook from author Anita Chu. A DIY guide to your favorite candies, sweets and confections. I'm going to try these made-from-scratch candy corn -- I think this project would be especially fun to do with the kiddies! (click here to download the recipe) 

Photo and Recipe: Field Guide to Candy by Anita Chu via Tasting Table

saucy

Trying to save money = eating at home on Friday night.  I made this three cheese ravioli with roasted tomato sauce for dinner last night.  It turned out really REALLY good!  The sauce it verily easy (honestly) and so much better than your typical store-bought, comes-in-a-jar tomato sauce. So I wanted to share...I'm also planning to post the recipe for the cheese filling AND a tutorial on making your own fresh pasta.  Coming soon!

Recipe for roasted tomato sauce --

2 tbl tomato paste

2 tbl extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

salt + pepper

2 lb vine-ripened tomatoes (9-12 med), cored + halved

6 garlic cloves

1 small onion, peeled + cut into 1/2 inch rounds

1 tsp red wine vinegar

granulated sugar, to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Combine tomato paste, 1 tbl oil, thyme, pepper flakes, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in large bowl.  Toss tomatoes, garlic and onion in tomato paste mixture until evenly coated.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack on top.  In center of rack place a 4" square of foil -- place garlic and onion on the foil square.  Then place tomatoes, cut-side down, directly on the rack.

Roast until vegetables are soft and tomato skins are well charred -- 45 to 55 min.  Remove from oven and cool 5 min.  Transfer garlic and onions to food processor and pulse untill finely chopped.  Add tomatoes, vinegar and 1 remaining tbl oil to food processor.  Pulse until broken down, but still chuncky.  To finish sauce, adjust seasoning and add sugar to taste (this will add an extra touch of sweetness -- the amount of sugar needed will depend on the ripeness of the tomatoes).

When serving the sauce -- you can adjust the consistency by adding some of the pasta cooking water.  For a chunkier sauce, serve as is.  Enjoy!

end of summer salad

Quick salad of mixed baby greens, feta cheese, heirloom tomatoes and honey-lemon vinaigrette  -- taking advantage of the last heirlooms of the season!

Dressing recipe --
2 tbl rice wine vinegar
1 lemon, juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbl honey
about 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
cracked pepper, to taste

portrait of a foodie

Photos: C2 styled by Marcella Hayward

it's beginning to feel like fall

It's been rainy and a bit overcast here in SF...and all I want to do is curl up on the couch with a blanket and a good book. It also makes me want something warm in my belly.  I made this white (...err green) chili the other night -- the perfect compliment to the weather -- and really delicious!

Recipe--

(serves 6)

3 lbs. chicken breast (bone-in, skin-on)
1 tbl vegetable oil
3 medium jalapeno chiles

3 medium poblano chiles, seeded, cut into large pieces

3 medium anaheim chiles, seeded, cut into large pieces

2 medium onions, cut into large pieces

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbl ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

2 cans cannellini beans (15-oz), drained + rinsed

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3 tbl lime juice (2-3 limes)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced

4 scallions (white + light green parts), thinly slices

Heat veg oil in a large dutch oven (or another heavy bottom pot). Season the chicken, liberally, on both sides and add to the pot skin-side down. Cook until skin is golden brown (about 4 min), turn and brown on other side -- transfer chicken to a plate, remove and discard skin.  While chicken is browning, mince 2 of the jalapenos (seeds + ribs removed).  In a food processor, process other chiles (poblano + anaheim) and onions until consistency of a chunky salsa.

Pour off all but 1 tbl excess fat from the pot (careful to reserve drippings) and add minced jalapenos + chile-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriander and 1/4 tsp salt.  Cover and cook until vegetables soften (about 10 minutes).  Transfer 1 cup of the cooked veg mixture to the food processor, add 1 cup broth and 1 cup beans -- process until smooth.  Add this veg-bean mixture to the dutch oven with other cooked vegetables along with the remaining 2 cups of broth and reserved chicken breasts.  Bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for another 15-20 min (until chicken is cooked through).

Remove chicken breasts from pot, stir in remaining beans and continue to simmer (about 10 min more).  Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones.  Stir in the shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions and remaining minced jalapeno (include seeds for additional heat).  Adjust seasoning and serve!    

I like to serve this chili with a few lime wedges, dollop of sour cream and tortilla chips. And make a little extra -- it tastes even better the next day!

Note: you could easily make this a vegetarian chili by omitting the chicken.

Recipe: Cook's Illustrated Jan & Feb 2007