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.

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 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.

Ho Ho Humbug

Posted on December 12, 2013 by loschileros

As soon as the words are out of your mouth you want to take them back. “Pop over for a drink during the holidays.” Are you out of your mind? What were you thinking? Pop over??? That basically means: 1) come over anytime, 2) stay for as long as you want, and 3) I’ll make sure there’s plenty to eat and drink. Big mistake.

Picture the scene…you’re watching your favorite shopping channel, just about to order that 44-piece kitchen knife set (only $29.95 and if you order in the next :30 seconds they’ll throw in a set of steak knives FREE!) when ding-dong goes the doorbell. And it’s Bob from Accounting, his kids and that lovely wife of his. So you hide your bag of cheetos, turn off the TV and hope they like your reindeer pj’s.

Now of course, if you’ve planned ahead – stashed a case or two of wine and made some nibbles, it’s really no big deal. I make a batch of Chile Logs and keep them in the fridge, ready for Bob. They’re chile-cheesy and you do want to eat more and more of them. Start with a mix of cream cheese and cheddar cheese and then hot it up with some chile powder and dust with more chile powder (cuz you can’t ever get enough chile) and sprinkle with some nuts (totally optional but definitely good eating).

And if I’m really smart (50-50 chance on that one) I make an extra batch so I can bring some along when I “pop over” to see friends. If I swing by your place this season and you’re in the middle of a big shopping channel order then not to worry. Take your time answering the doorbell. I know that steak knife freebie won’t last forever.

Chile Cheese Logs

I’d like to make this sound incredibly difficult to make but it’s not. It’s kind of ‘Mad Men’ food – you could even serve it with triscuits for a really retro feel. I like to make it in a food processor because it’s easier and less messy but you decide. The logs definitely improve with age so keep in the fridge for a day or two before serving. I made one with a dusting of chipotle and New Mexico and one with the addition of toasted pine nuts – but create your own combos.

Makes two logs; serves approximately 6-10 people

12 oz white cheddar cheese, medium grated
3 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp salt
1 tsp Chile Molido hot
½ tsp Child Molido mild

Additional chile powder for rolling (I used a combination of Chipotle and Child Molido)

Toasted pine nuts (or chopped walnuts, pecans or sliced almonds would be good too).

Combine the first six ingredients, divide into two and shape into two logs. Roll the logs in the additional chile powder to coat and then roll in toasted pine nuts if using (make sure the nuts have cooled first). Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least a day – preferably 2 or 3 – before serving with crackers or bread. Any leftovers are great spread on toast or in sandwiches.

Gobble, gobble

Posted on November 26, 2013 by loschileros

My nominee for the next new Olympic sport is Thanksgiving. You got it – the whole darn tooting day. Think about it – you wake up, race to the kitchen, get a cup of joe and start cooking. Don’t sleep in, don’t pass go and definitely don’t collect $200. You are a man/woman/child/elderly person on a mission.

Because face it, Thanksgiving doesn’t cook itself. While everyone else is watching a bowl game or getting in a fight, you’re cooking. And we’re not talking about meat and 2 veg, we’re talking about a spread that would make a grown man/woman/child/elderly person cry.

It takes planning, it takes energy and it takes courage. Ask me – and this is borderline blasphemy here – it’s the sides that get me excited. Don’t get me wrong, I love a slice or 10 of turkey but it’s the side dishes that get me all hot and bothered. And numero uno on my list is stuffing. It’s not hard to figure out why. We’re basically talking about bread and fat bound with eggs (actually it doesn’t sound great when I put it that way, but you know what I mean).

Plus, stuffing is a carrier for gravy and that’s got to be a good thing. This stuffing is made with cornbread (doesn’t that make it gluten free and therefore good for you???) and laced with a healthy dose of chile and sausage. You can make the cornbread the day before – even sauté the celery and onion (pop them in the fridge overnight) – then just assemble. Stuff it in the bird if you want, although I’m a stuffing out-of-the-bird kind of guy – I find you get a nicer, crispier crust.

Best of all, if you haven’t invited over your whole extended family, you’ll have leftovers. And at the end of the day while you may not get an Olympic gold medal, l.o.’s are a pretty good consolation prize.

Chile Cornbread Stuffing

Serves around 8

I’ve included a cornbread recipe inspired by one I love from Cast Your Bread Upon the Water by Sister Schubert but use your own, if you want. You’ll want a 9” pan of cornbread. When you’re making the cornbread, add the chile to the other dry ingredients.

Cornbread

5 oz. butter, melted
1 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
¾ buttermilk
2 Tbsp water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 ¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cups cornmeal
1 Tbsp green chile caribe
1 Tbsp red chile pequin

Preheat oven to 400º. Brush your baking pan with some of the melted butter. Mix the wet ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add the dry and stir to mix, being careful not to overwork. Pour into the baking pan and put in the oven. Cook for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.

Stuffing

1 cup diced celery
½ cup diced onion
2 Tbsp butter
8 oz sausage meat
1 pan cornbread, crumbled
5 Tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro
½ cup butter, melted
2 cups turkey or chicken broth
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350º.

Melt the 2 Tbsp butter in a pan and sauté the celery and onion until soft but not brown. Remove and place in a large mixing bowl. Crumble up the sausage and cook in the pan until just cooked through. Add the sausage meat (drain if necessary), cornbread, butter, broth, parsley, and eggs to the bowl. Mix and place into a greased casserole dish. Bake for approximately an hour until a skewer comes out clean.

Pickled

Posted on November 8, 2013 by loschileros

I catch myself every now and then, staring into the refrigerator. If it weren’t for the high price of electricity and the non-greenness of it, I could stand there for days. Weeks even. I stand there waiting like I’m expecting the refrigerator to say something to me.

And in a way, I guess I am. I’m hungry but I don’t know what to eat. Surely the refrigerator should know – it’s got everything in there. But as I peruse the shelves I’m stumped. Leftover tuna fish? (My stomach churns) The mystery brick-like substance in the back? Suddenly I think it might be from last Thanksgiving. (Cue more stomach churning)

Now if I’m honest, which I always am (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), this often happens late at night when I’ve been woken up by the neighbor’s cat or a bad dream about income taxes (and aren’t they all bad?).

So I stand there until my eyes hit a jar of pickles. I smile. My stomach stops churning and my mouth starts watering. Because pickles are the perfect thing to have on hand when you just need a little something. When a burger with cheese, grilled onions, and sautéed mushroom would simply be over the top. Not to mention there’s no sign of meat, onions or mushrooms anywhere in this fridge.

No, a couple of pickles eaten late at night by the light of the refrigerator can be just the thing. It satisfies that peckishness you have. It tells you all (or at least a whole lot) is right in the world. So you slurp and nibble until ready to go back to bed.

Thanks fridge.

“Don’t mention it.”

Sweet, Sour & Spicy Pickles

Two caveats. If you’re looking for how-to-can 101, then you came to the wrong place. These pickles are fine and dandy in the fridge for a week or so but if you want to whip up a batch and set ‘em aside for your daughter’s wedding in 18 years (be honest, she’s only 1 ½ now), then you’ll want to get some advice on preserving like how to clean the heck out of a jar. Second point. This was inspired by the most inspiring of foodie blogs Food52. I bow down before them. I’ve used rice wine vinegar instead of cider vinegar but either is great. And of course, I added chile. Natch. Feel free to add more chile but remember, it gets hotter the longer it sits.

About 1 lb. small cucumbers (around 5)
¼ cup sugar
½ rice rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp Mirin
1 Tbsp salt
3 dried Chile de Arbol

Slice the cucumbers as thinly as you can without removing a finger. Place them in a clean jar – I’ve used a .75 liter jar here but don’t get fussy. You want the cucumbers to fit in nicely with some room to top it up with the pickling liquid.

Place the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour over the cucumbers. Don’t worry if the liquid doesn’t cover the cucumbers (because it won’t). The cucumbers start to go soft and yummy soon enough. Let sit at least 4 hours then get eating. Keep in the fridge if there is anything left.

Halloween Heat Wave

Posted on October 24, 2013 by loschileros

Halloween feels a bit unfair. Think about it. Kids get to dress up, go out and bag boat loads of candy. And adults? Gosh, we get to dole the candy out and hope some wise acre doesn’t decide to toilet paper our trees or plaster our windows with shaving cream. And have you noticed that kids don’t just grab the candy, say thanks and take off? Now they give your candy the once over like they’d been expecting a Godiva gift box.

Sour grapes? Okay, maybe. Let’s face it – I’d like a pillow case full of sugar packed chocs too. And why can’t I dress up like a vampire/ghost anymore?

The answer is simple: you can. Take back Halloween. Own it. Make it yours. Put on that DVD of Psycho. Crack open an extra bag (or three) of candy and eat yourself silly. Go ahead. It’s only once a year.

And while you’re at it, invite a like-minded friend or two over for some Halloween-inspired Butternut Squash Soup. You can sip it in between chowing down on mini Mars bars.

Chile Spiked Butternut Squash Soup

Makes about 5 cups of soup which is enough for me or 3-4 normal people

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 butternut squash, around 2-2 ½ lbs.
3-4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
whipping cream (optional)
1 dried whole Negro chile
¼ tsp Chipotle chile powderSea salt flakes

Sauté the onion in a pot in 1½ tablespoon of the olive oil over low heat. While the onions are cooking, peel the butternut squash and chop it into cubes. Remove the squash seeds and reserve. When the onions are soft but not brown, add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute or so.

Add the cubed butternut squash and the Negro chile. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cups of the stock, cover and cook until you can insert a knife easily into the squash.

While the soup is cooking, rinse the squash seeds to remove the fibers around them. Place the seeds in a frying pan and toast for a minute or two. When the seeds have dried out, add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil and the chipotle chile powder and a sprinkle of sea salt. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until the seeds are lightly toasted but not burned.

When the squash is cooked through, remove the Negro chile, remove the stem and seeds and chop it up. Return the chopped chile to the soup. Puree in a food processor or with a stick blender. Check for seasoning and add more chile powder if you’d like an extra bite. Add more stock and/or cream so the soup has a pourable consistency.

Serve in bowls with a drizzle of cream and topped with the chipotle squash seeds.

DIY Dinner

Posted on September 26, 2013 by loschileros

It used to be a no-brainer to have someone over for dinner. Pick up the phone, ask them over and they either say a) yes or b) no. Now it’s all a bit of a gastronomic minefield. It seems that everyone has some food no-no whether it’s an out-and-out allergy, food intolerance or something that’s verboten on their current lose 10 lbs. in 10 minutes diet.

Sigh.

It makes planning dinner a bit of a headache. So if it’s a minefield then I’m going military. I meet the enemy head-on with a menu that caters to (just about) every food need/desire/penchant. Basically, I let my guests create their own dinner.

My chile shrimp with corn tortillas is a perfect example. I whip up some green chile marinaded shrimp (it cooks super quick on the BBQ) or you could grill flank steak, chicken or simply lots and lots of roasted vegetables. Even better, serve a couple of choices – why not? Serve it with warm tortillas (look ma no wheat!) and lots and lots of sides. You like cheese? Great toss it on there! Beans your worst enemy? Give ‘em a pass.

Basically everyone tops their tortilla with what they like and gives the rest a miss. They all feel extraordinarily clever for creating such a masterpiece and it’s easy because you can sort out most of the toppings before they even ring the doorbell. Any leftovers? Sit back on the sofa with some trash TV and roll-up the the extras in a tortilla. And you know what? If you want a wheat tortilla you just go ahead. This time it’s your party.

Green Chile Shrimp with Corn Tortillas and All the Fixings

Serves 4

Substitute beef, chicken, salmon, roasted veg – you name it – for the shrimp. The marinade contains lime juice which starts to ‘cook’ the shrimp so make it a super short marinade – about 15 mins is all you need. I’ve listed a long supply of possible accompaniments but add and subtract as you like!

1 batch Green Chile Sauce
4-8 corn tortillas
1 14.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5 oz can corn nibblets, drained
1 cup shredded or crumbled cheese such as Cheddar, Goat’s cheese or Feta
¾ lb cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved depending on size
1 large or 2 small avocados, peeled and sliced
1 small bunch of radishes, sliced thinly
4-6 spring onions, sliced thinly

Shrimp & marinade
Juice of one lime, freshly squeezed
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp Green Jalapeño powder
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Make the green chile sauce according the instructions on the packet and set aside. Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place in a warm oven. Place the rest of ingredients in individual serving bowls.

Mix the lime juice, vegetable oil and green chile powder together in a bowl then add the shrimp and toss to coat. Marinade for the shrimp for about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the BBQ (alternatively you can sauté these in a frying pan). Place the shrimp on skewers and cook for a minute or two, turn and cook for another minute. When cooked through, remove and place the shrimp on a serving platter.

Take the tortillas out of the oven and place on the table with the other ingredients including the shrimp. Serve the green chile sauce on the side and enjoy!

Sweet as candy

Posted on August 29, 2013 by loschileros

Do you remember that time last winter? You know…. when the snow was up to your armpits and you were sure spring would never come. You walked into your local grocery store, staggered over to the veg department and there you saw it: a red tomato. It was a beacon saying, “Winter won’t last, I promise.” So you picked up that tomato and cradled it like a baby and went home.

But guess what? You sliced that puppy up and it tasted like nothing. Absolutely nothing. Cuz tomatoes may look nice in winter but they don’t taste so hot. So here you are – it’s late summer and winter seems pretty far away. But it’s not. So now is the time to eat your fill of tomatoes. Eat them raw, cooked and anything in between. Eat them until you’re positive you can’t stomach another.

Because sooner than you think, winter’s going to be back. So make some memories now that will last you a good long time. This Tomato tart is a great way to boost your tomato intake. We slow roast them in the oven so the flavor is super concentrated – they taste like candy only way better. We use a store bought pastry because life is short and who needs the hassle of making it? But we don’t go for the cheapo stuff – we like Dufour pastry. Why? Because it’s made with lots and lots and lots of butter. Need we say more? And we didn’t say this recipe was lo-cal, ok?

Here’s another tip. Make an extra batch or two of the tomatoes. Pop them in a plastic container and put them in the freezer. That should get you through this year’s winter.

Sweet.

Roasted Tomato, Green Chile & Goat’s Cheese Tart

Serves 4-6

1 ¾ lbs cherry tomatoes
¼ cup olive oil
1-2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp chile molido mild
14 oz. puff pastry
3 oz. soft goat’s cheese
½ package New Mexico green chile, rehydrated

Preheat the oven to 220°.

Slice the tomatoes in half and place them on a baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt and chile molido over the top. Place the tomatoes in the oven and cook for 1 ½-2 hours until the tomatoes have lost their moisture. They should be soft and slightly chewy. Remove from the oven.

Increase the oven temperature to 425°.

Place the puff pastry on another baking sheet. Place the tomatoes on the puff pastry, leaving a small border along all the edges. Slice the green chile into strips and add to the tomatoes then crumble the goat’s cheese on top.

Place the baking tray in the oven and bake the tart for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is lightly browned and the cheese warm and melted. Slice into squares and serve hot or at room temperature.