Cinco de Mayo Hot Tootin’ Sale

Posted on April 24, 2014 by loschileros

Okay, listen up. This is where I’d normally put everything in cap letters (LIKE THIS), but I’ve been told it’s “not polite”. So here goes…Order online and you get 25% off everything. EVERYTHING (sorry, I had to do that).

THIS INCREDIBLE OFFER IS FOR THREE DAYS ONLY!
APRIL 28, 29 AND 30, 2014 @ WWW.LOSCHILEROS.COM
JUST WRITE “CINCO” IN THE PROMO DISCOUNT BOX
TO ENJOY YOUR 25% OFF

Q: What if I oversleep and wake up on the 31^st and realize I haven’t ordered yet?
A: Too bad.
Q: What if I develop amnesia and forget about the offer?
A: See above.

Why are we being so ridiculously generous? Trust us, it hurts. But it’s our way of celebrating Cinco de Mayo. As Wikipedia kindly tell us, Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for the fifth of May (thanks for that guys). It commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over the French (those darn French). Now it means big time party.

And parties mean food. I’ll leave the menu up to you but why not try something different like a Mole? It’s a traditional Mexican dish and we make it easy with our Southwestern Mole mix. It will taste like you’ve slaved over a hot stove for days but you didn’t. We like that kind of thing. Or if the weather looks good, throw some steaks on the BBQ – a little Abiquiu Steak Marinade adds some extra zing.

But whatever you do, make sure you’ve got some nibbles on hand. There is nothing worse than a hungry crowd. They get restless and they get mean. We’ll be whipping up a batch of our Spicy Garbanzo Beans. They’re very easy to make (a plus when you’ve got a crowd) plus they go down a treat with a beer or margarita (or three).

So party on and don’t forge to type in those five magic letters — CINCO — to get your 25% off OKAY?

Spicy Garbanzo Beans

Makes enough for me if I’ve had a bad day or 4-6 more civilized people.

2 ½ Tbsp olive oil
14.5 oz can of garbanzo beans
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground green chile

Place the beans in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain. Heat up the olive oil in a large frying pan until hot but not smoking. Add the garbanzo beans – careful because they may spit. Cook over high heat until the beans are crisp and crunchy – this will take about 10 minutes depending on the heat of your stove.

The beans will shrink and change in color from a light creamy color to a deeper golden brown. Try one – it should be crispy on the outside and slightly yielding inside. Remove from heat, add the spices and put back on the stove for another minute or two to toast the spices. Add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes if you like and serve hot or at room temperature.

And the Golden Chile goes to…

Posted on April 8, 2014 by loschileros

Today we’re awarding the Golden Chile to someone who speaks eloquently and passionately for all us non-native heat-lovers. We may not have the genes of chile-popping people, but we’ve more than made up for it with a profound love—obsession might be a better word—for the feeling that peppers give us. That warmth! That kick to the senses! That anything-but-subtle reminder that, yes, we are very, very lucky to be alive!

Her name is Thomasina Miers and she’s the author of the aptly titled, Chilli Notes: Recipes to Warm the Heart (Not Burn the Tongue) and the co-founder of Wahaca restaurants.

She was recently featured in this beautiful “Nowness” video, preparing preserved peppers and speaking about her bottomless love for culinary heat. As our mission is to “Spread the Chile Love,” we couldn’t agree more with what she has to say. You can follow this link, or click on any of this post’s larger images to see the video: Preserving Chilies with Thomasina Miers on Nowness.com

The Waiting is Over

Posted on March 27, 2014 by loschileros

I know. You’ve been worried, haven’t you? Up late at night – pacing the floor. Distracted at work – unable to concentrate. Well, let me put you out of misery – the preserved lemons I made a few weeks ago are fine. Whew! What a relief, you say.

No, let me rephrase that. They’re better than fine – they’re tasty. What? You say you don’t remember them? Cue shock/horror. Well let me refresh your memory. I whipped up a batch of preserved lemons – lemons stored in a briny mixture of salt and lemon juice with an extra kick of spices and chile. You can find the original recipe here.

Well, they’ve been hanging out (as you do when you’re preserving) but they’re ready now. There are loads of things you can do with them — they’re great chopped up and served with grilled or poached chicken or fish and non-stop fabulous with fresh vegetables or grainy salads.

That’s what I’m going to do with some from this batch. I’ve used bulgur wheat but you could use a can of beans or some pasta or coucous. Go crazy. The key is, you’re going to scoop out the pulp and use the skin of the lemon only. And a little goes a long way. Go easy on the seasoning too because these lemons have been bathing in salt, lemon juice and chile so they mean business. For an extra kick, I added a couple of tablespoons of the brining liquid.

The result? It’s good. Darn good. So stop your pacing and get cooking

Chile Preserved Lemon & Bulgur Wheat Salad

4 side portions

1 cup bulgur wheat
2 cups water
1-2 Tbsp olive oil.
2 Tbsp of the liquid from the jar of preserved lemons
1 ½ – 2 Tbsp chopped preserved lemon – skin only
¼ cup chopped apricots
¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted
Chile pequin flakes, to taste
Chopped chives or parsley, optional

Place the bulgur wheat in a heat-proof bowl. Boil water and pour about 2 cups over the bulgur wheat. Place a plate over the top of the bowl and let the wheat steep for about 15 minutes. If you’re using fine bulgur (I used coarse for this recipe) it will take less time.

Remove the plate, test a few kernels – it should be tender but still chewy. Drain thoroughly. Toss with the rest of the ingredients and add some chile pequin flakes to taste. Can be served warm or at room temperature.

A Garlic Getaway

Posted on March 13, 2014 by loschileros

Haven’t you ever felt like Greta Garbo in Grand Hotel (minus the ballet shoes and tutu) and wanted to utter in your best German accent, “I vant to be alone!” Of course you have. Like Marlene, we all need a little space sometimes. And Greta never had to deal with email, texts or twitter.

You know what I’m talking about. It’s moments when you want the world to back off and give you a bit of space, for crying out loud. Why does everybody, everywhere want something from you yesterday?

So do a Greta and tell everyone politely but firmly that you want to be alone. Hide you cell phone where you can’t see it. Turn off the computer. And close the curtains. Get out the box set of Breaking Bad – or better yet watch Grand Hotel on Netflix.

If folks continue to pester you, allude to some very nasty illness (a tapeworm always makes people run in the other direction) and feign doctor-ordered bed rest. Desperate times require desperate measures. Then curl up on the sofa. It helps if you have a dog to join you (consider borrowing a friend’s if you don’t) and chill.

But hold on. Before the chill phase you’ll need sustenance. You can’t be relaxed on an empty stomach. Plus all that tummy rumbling upsets Greta. I suggest a big ole bowl of Garlic Soup.

Garlic Soup? Yes, you heard me. We’re talking about 4 cloves of garlic. Your breath? Who cares. You’re alone for heaven’s sake. Plus you should know better than to have friends/loved ones/partners who don’t like garlic. It’s very easy to make and comforting like a hot water bottle or a favorite blanket (note to self: get both of these ready too before the movie starts).

You’ll emerge a few hours later refreshed and ready to face your inbox. Promise.

Garlic Chipotle Chile Soup

This makes enough for 2 good-sized bowlfuls.

4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 bay leaves
2 cups water
Stale bread, torn off into chunks (about 1/3 cup)
1 egg, beaten well
1/8-1/4 tsp Chipotle powder
Salt to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

Optional

Parsley, chopped
Parmesan cheese, grated

Place the chopped garlic and bay leaves into a pan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Taste the broth, add salt if needed and remove the bay leaves.

While the broth is cooking, place the bread in the bottom of your soup bowl. Add the chipotle powder to the egg and mix well.

Remove the broth from the stove and carefully pour the beaten egg into the broth, continuously stirring as you incorporate the egg. This is key as you want the egg to form nice ribbons – not big clumps of scrambled egg. Ladle the soup into the bowl on top of the bread. Sprinkle with a bit of parsley, drizzle with a good quality extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of cheese, if you like. Taste and add more chile as desired. Serve while hot and enjoy.

Cookbook Crush

Posted on February 27, 2014 by loschileros

Can a grown man have a crush? Darn straight he can. Can he fall in love with a book? Why not? As relationships go, it can be a whole lot more rewarding than the human kind. And if the book happens to be Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison then all these questions are just plain silly because VL (for short) is a one of a kind.

How to describe it? It’s a mixture of food, cooking, gardening with some botany thrown in. Deborah is the author of 11 cookbooks, started her career at Chez Panisse in California and ran her own restaurant Greens. And did I mention she lives in New Mexico?

I rest my case.

In Vegetable Literacy she covers the veg gamut including chile – of course. You’ll find it in the chapter on the nightshade family (peppers, potatoes, eggplants and tomatoes to name a few august members). Just read the opening line in that chapter and you’re hooked: “The nightshades have been loathed and loved and regarded as lethal and luscious.” Sounds like someone I used to go out with…

I digress.

The book is also packed with 300 recipes including my fav for Chilled Avocado Soup with Poblano Chile and Pepitas. Are you hungry yet?

So for all its 405 pages (weighing in at over 4 lbs so you can use it as an alternative to a workout at the gym) we say, “Bring on the Golden Chile!”

Sour Power

Posted on February 12, 2014 by loschileros

When life gives you lemons, forget the lemonade. Instead, make an extra-dry martini with a twist (so much more refreshing). But hold on – why is it so bad to get a bunch of lemons anyway? Lemons are lovely (just think about that martini) and we can all use a whack of sour in our lives, can’t we? Sour is good. Sour makes your lips pucker and wakes your mouth up. Not to mention that thanks to lemons you don’t run around like a toothless sailor with a bad case of rickets. Lemons are essential any time of the year but they’re much appreciated in the cold, dark, dregs of winter when we really need something – dare I say it? – zippy. And there is nothing zippier than a jar of preserved lemons. Loved in Middle Eastern cooking, preserved lemons are a must on any shelf. Now you may be lucky enough to have a grocery store near you that sells them but don’t bother. Save your money. Preserved lemons are a dawdle to make. The only caveat is that they should sit in their wee glass jar and steep for about 4 weeks before you use them. However, there are lots of recipes for ‘quick’ preserved lemons although lets be honest, there’s not a lot of preserving going on in a few hours.

How to use them once they’re done? The real question is how not to – they’re incredibly versatile. You use the flesh and can chop that up and add it to stews, tajines, roasted veg, salads – you name it. Of course, never content to let well enough alone, I add chile and other spices to give it an extra kick. So sue me. I can’t help myself.

(Recipe after the break.)

A year ago today…

HOT LOVE &
CHIPOTLE CHILE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
If chile is the food of love — and let’s be honest, it is — this is the perfect Valentine’s recipe.

Preserved Lemons with Chile and Spices

If you can, use unwaxed lemons because be honest, do you really want to eat a bunch of wax? The recipe is for four lemons but you can scale it up or down based on the number of lemons you’ve got. Basic math is that you’ll need a tablespoon of sea salt and the juice of a lemon for each lemon you’re using.

4 unwaxed lemons
4 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 cascabel chile (rehydrated with hot water)
Sprinkle of cumin and coriander seed
Juice of 4 lemons

Get a jar that’s just large enough to fit your lemons. Fill the jar with boiling water, let it sit for a minute then empty the water out. Let the jar dry and it’s ready to go.

Wash the lemons and make four lengthwise cuts from the top almost all the way to the bottom. Don’t cut all the way through – you want the lemon to stay in one piece. Stuff each lemon with a tablespoon of salt each. Place the lemons into the jar – squeeze them in tight. Sprinkle a bit of cumin and coriander onto the lemons and add the cascabel chile. Squeeze in the lemon juice (the juice of one lemon for each lemon you’re storing) and close the lid. Store for about 4 weeks before using.

Big Game, Big Offer. One day left!

Posted on January 24, 2014 by loschileros

See our great Campfire Chile recipe here.

Strike while the iron is still hot!

Posted on January 23, 2014 by loschileros

See our great Campfire Chile recipe here.

Big Offer. Big Bowl. Big Game.

Posted on January 22, 2014 by loschileros

Is it just me or have bowl games become more competitive? I’m not talking about the players – I’m talking about the parties. It used to be that when someone invited you over to watch the Big Game you were pleased as punch if they slapped a tub of French onion dip and a bag of potato chips on the table.

Now people invite you over for a ‘spread’ or ‘buffet’. It feels more like a wedding than a football game. And the problem is that you’re expected to do the same when you return the favor. So guess what? You end up spending the whole time in the kitchen so you don’t watch the game, don’t scream your lungs out and don’t raise your blood pressure to stratospheric heights. And where’s the fun in that?

And be honest – does anyone really want a bunch of foofy food anyway? What they want is stick-to-your-ribs, coat-your-stomach food and a lot of it. So don’t bow down to Big Game Pressure (BGP). Serve up the food people want and make sure you don’t miss out on the half-time show. This year, I’ll be making a big ‘ole batch of Campfire Chili. And before you get all cutesy, no you don’t need a campfire to cook it.

It’s quick, easy and mighty tasty. I serve it up with lots of condiments on the side– extra chile, diced avocado, shredded cheese, chopped scallions – you get the idea.

Make it on the day or better yet the day before (it just gets better and better). Bring the pot to the table and let everyone fix up their own bowlful. And please – whatever you do – don’t forget the French onion dip and chips. Promise?

Campfire Chile

Campfire Chile Kit
2 ½ lbs lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
3 cups water

Optional:
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained
1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained

Brown the meat, add water and the Campfire Chili seasoning and simmer 30 minutes. Add tomatoes (and beans, if you’re using them). Simmer 10 minutes. If you want more heat, crumble the dired chiles and add a bit at a time to get to your preferred ‘burn’ level.

Continue cooking for 15 minutes. For a thicker chili, combine the contents of the masa evelope (yellow corn flour) with ½ cup warm water and stir to dissolve. Add this mixture to the chili a little at a time to reach your desired thickness. If adding masa, continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes. Salt to taste.

Ham it up

Posted on January 7, 2014 by loschileros

Is there too much of a good thing? Before you answer ‘yes’, let me introduce you to the ham I made on New Year’s Day. It went down a treat the first day – studded with cloves and brown sugar, it was a dream way to start the New Year. Subsequent days brought a succession of ham leftovers to the table. At first everyone put on a brave face but by day 3 there was dissent within the ranks – threats of a kitchen coup d’etat and lots of eye rolling and mutterings.

And the darnedest thing? I swear that puppy regenerated every night. I’d wrap the ham up, pop it up in the fridge and the next day I’d pull it out and it looked as big as when it first came out the oven. No matter how much we ate, there was always more. It started to feel like an Edgar Allan Poe story (The Tell Tale Ham?) or an episode from X-Files.

Finally, it was time to take drastic action. Knife in hand, I sliced and diced and made a massive pot of Chile Spiked Split Pea & Ham (natch) Soup. I made it with ham broth from when I first cooked Mr. Ham but water would do well too. The recipe is pretty standard – how can you improve on a classic? But never content to let well enough alone, I jazzed the soup up with some chile and then topped it with chile croutons. Croutons sound so classy when let’s be honest – it’s only fried bread. But fried bread is a good thing.

This make a healthy pot of soup – put the leftovers in plastic containers and pop in the freezer for a rainy/snowy day. Just don’t blame me if you find the containers breeding in your freezer. Ham has a way of doing that.

Chile-Spiked Split Pea & Ham Soup

Makes 4-6 servings

Soup
1 medium onion, diced (about ¾ cup)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Green jalapeno powder
2 cups green split peas, rinsed
5 cups ham stock or water or vegetable broth
1 medium carrot, diced (about a heaping ½ cup)
1 heaping cup chopped ham (already cooked)

Croutons
1 thick slice bread, cut into cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil
Chile Molido (mild or hot)
Salt

Garnish
Extra virgin olive oil
Chile pequin

In a large casserole or soup pot, sauté the onions in the olive oil over low heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add the green jalapeno powder and stir to coat the onions and garlic. Add the green split peas and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the peas are almost – but not completely cooked through. If the soup creates any scum, skim this off. Add the carrot and ham and continue cooking until the split peas are cooked through and soft but not mushy.

While the soup is cooking, toss the bread cubes in a bowl with the olive oil and a generous sprinkle of the chile molido and salt. Place on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven until crisped – about 5-10 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with some chile pequin and garnish with the chile crotons.