NAUSET Chowder [for the health of it!]

This comes from a VERY traditional nor'easter chowder recipe. Made according to the 'original' recipe, its a stroke in a bowl. So with the help of the American Heart Assoc. and The Belly-Off Club, I now offer a MUCH more HEART Friendly and (according to my wife) tastier version.

PREP:

1 lb. Seafood MIX: scallops, calamari, sushimi, octopus, lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, etc. Allow mix to air-dry.

2 med. Yukon Gold potatoes - rough chopped..DO NOT peel! Cut away any bad spots. 1/3 of what makes a tater healthy is in the peel, DUH!

2 med. carrots - Same as above.

1 lg. sweet green pepper, rough chopped

3 Tbl. unbleached flour

1/2 cp. frozen corn kernels. DO NOT Use the artery clogging canned variety!!

1/3 cp. shredded fresh spinach leaves...NOT frozen!

4-5 scallions or green onions, chopped-including the stalks.

2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed, chopped. DO NOT use the chopped garlic in a jar, because What makes garlic heart friendly is gone.

1 tsp. Kosher or sea salt. Use the 'table' salt variety and it's anyone's guess what you just put in there.

1-2 Tbl. cracked black pepper. Info: same warning as salt.

1 Tbl. favorite hot sauce. Don't have a favorite---THEN GET ONE, Sissy tongue!

2 cp. boiling water

2 cp. low fat, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

2.5 cp Skim or 1% milk, scalded!...DO NOT USE that Soy milk crap, Duh!

1 tsp. dried marjoram

1 slice CENT CUT bacon, chopped

2 slices low sodium turkey bacon, chopped

2 Tbl. Canola or Peanut oil, DO NOT use Soy/Vegetable oil >>> Evil for your heart.

COOK:

In a dutch oven- heat up the oil. Add the bacon's. Render until just crispy. Remove and reserve bacon pieces.

Add scallions and garlic. Stir until scallions are just golden. Lower heat to simmer.

Add half of potatoes.

Slowly stir in the flour a little at a time until you get a paste (roux). Add in rest of veggies, stirring. Slowly stir in broth until mixture begins to thicken and lightly brown.

Add salt and half of pepper. Stir.

Using a slotted, wooden spoon, stir in water. Keep stirring until blended well.

Cover. Bring heat to medium high for 6-7 minutes.

Lower heat to simmer.

Add marjoram. Stir.

Add hot sauce and rest of potatoes. Stir. Cover for 10-12 minutes.

Add Seafood mix. Stir. Cover for 5-6 minutes.

SLOWLY stir in scalded milk.

Add half of spinach.

Cover for 10-12 minutes at simmer.

Remove from heat. Allow to cool for 6-7 minutes.

Sprinkle on rest of spinach.

Serve warm with crusty bread or low-fat croûtons AND chilled wine.

ENJOY!!

Cool Heat Gazpacho

This is not the restaurant-smooth Gazpacho. The ingredients are mostly traditional, but this version packs punch!

In a blender add the following:

1/2 cp rough chopped carrots (clean, but leave the skin on)

1/2 cp " " sweet green peppers

1/2 cp " " sautéed poblano peppers

1/4 cp " " " sweet onions

2-3 " " " garlic cloves

1/2 cp " " celery

1 cp Vegetable juice (V-8) or tomato juice - USE LOW-SODIUM variety!

1/3 cp DRY white wine

1 " " sautéed and seeded jalapeño pepper

1/4 cp " " cilantro or Italian parsley

1/4 cp ' " fresh spinach or dark-leaf lettuce

Juice of one lime and one small orange

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Blend on medium high just until the large pieces are gone.

There should be an slightly coarse texture.

Chill for at least 4 hours...Much better if chilled overnight.

Serve as an light lunch or dinner appetizer.

Enjoy!

Habanos in Your Cocina

Still some good natured debates on which to use: the first - Crock-Pot or the cast iron dutch oven. One solution is: TIME. If you have a fairly active/busy lifestyle, by all means use the Crock. If the kitchen is your Castle, use the dutch oven. The second - using rum or not. I don't like using the clear or 'cristal' rums, much too much aftertaste for me. The dark rums work better, taste better. But even without the booze, the recipe still tastes great.

CUBAN PULLED-PORK

1-2 lb. pork roast or pork chops (uncured)
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 sm. red onion, rough chopped
1/4 cp of chives or the green ends of scallions, chopped
Sea salt
cracked black pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1/3 cp extra virgin Olive Oil
8-10 whole peppercorns
1 cp water

1) in crock or dutch oven, pour half of water, add peppercorns, and place pork in center. For crock turn to low, allow to cook 6-8 hours or until meat can be easily pulled apart. In dutch oven, add same ingredients, cook on med high heat until outside of pork begin to caramelize. Cover, lower heat to simmer, add more water to prevent searing, turning pork occasionally.. Cook until meat can be easily pulled apart.
2) When pork is done, turn off or remove from heat, allow to set for 15-20 minutes..Don't touch! After setting time, gently pull pork apart. Remove fat tissue (its OK to leave a small amount of fat for flavor).
3) In a heavy skillet, add rest of oil, let rise to temp., then add rest of ingredient's, except lime juice.
4) Low heat for a slow sautee'.
5) When onions begin to caramelize-
6) Add pulled pork, turn up heat to Med. and
7) Stir contually, mixing well until onions are completely caramelized.
8) Lower heat to simmer, slowly add lime juice (booze optional at this time)
9) Stir for 2-3 minutes-
10) Reduce heat to low, cover, allow to cook for 15 minutes
11) Serve warm. Make sure the Sangria, or Cuba Libre's, or Margarita's are chilled.
Buenos Suerte'!

Bread #2

Pan de tierra incomoda' or loosely translated: 'rough country bread'

This is a chewy bread (that's how it's described on this old recipe card)-

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1-1/2 cps warm water
3 cps. sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cp. masa trigo....this is a high gluten flour [sub: bread flour]
1 tsp salt
2 tsp masa harina
1 tsp coarse grind cornmeal

esponja
1. mix together: yeast, 3/4 cp of water and 1 cp unbleached flour, blend well. Cover with warm towel and set in a warm, dark spot. Allow dough to rise, double in size, about 30-40 min.
2.stir in the trigo, salt and remaining water. Slowly add remaining unbleached flour until you have a slightly moist and manageable dough.
3. knead the dough on a board with flour and the masa harina. Work the dough with the base of your hands for 6-7 minutes. form dough into ball
4. place ball in a lightly oiled, deep bowl. Cover with warm towel and allow dough to again double in bulk, about 1 hour.
5. repeat steps 3 & 4
6. to keep this authentic, you will repeat steps 3,4,&5 two more times. Now's the time to start that novel you've been thinking about.
7. Finally, knead the dough one last time for 5 min.
Divide the dough in half. Form into football (USA) shapes. Lightly coat with clarified butter or canola oil
8. place each in it's own greased 8"-9" layer cake pan
9. Sprinkle each with remaining masa harina and cornmeal...cover and allow to set for 30 minutes.
10. Pre-heat oven to 500...yep, 500!
11. place an oven proof bowl half filled with cool water on lower rack. As soon as you see steam rising -
12. put bread into oven on upper rack.
13, bake bread for 15 min. keeping an eye on the water, adding more if necessary.
14. reduce oven temp to 400, cook for 15 min.
15 as soon as the loaves are a nice, brown color, remove from oven.
16. outer crust should be slightly 'separated' from rest of bread
17. allow to cool. Outer crust very crunchy. Middle, slightly firm and chewy.
Enjoy!

Give me a pan, I'll give you bread

Both of these breads or pans, have their orgins lost to the past. But, both of these breads are seeing a 'rebirth' in our east and west coast upscale restaurants. I tried to find the oldest versions of these recipes. But I just saw TV super-chef Bobby Flay make his version of this one on his Super-Bowl show as an accompaniment for chili.

Bread #1

Fry Bread
3-4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cp masa harina
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbl sweet butter
[1/2 tbl Cal, 1/2 tbl corn starch] This took a little research, but, if you can't find Cal, use 1 tbl baking powder instead of the Cal and starch.
3/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening or 1/2 cp canola or vegetable oil
(NOTE: this can be made healthy by using a light coating of shortening or oil on a cast iron flat pan)
2 cps warm water

1. mix together, by hand, all dry ingredients
2. crumble in the butter and blend well with hands
3. slowly add in the water, blending, until you get a dough that is soft yet mold able. If the dough does not hold together, add the water until it does. BUT, you do NOT want a 'wet' dough.
4. form the dough into a fat pancake and cover with fresh corn husks or plastic wrap.
5. Place in cool, dark area for 2-3 hours or in your refrigerator for 1-1 1/2 hours.
6. When ready to use, put shortening/oil in deep cast iron skillet. Heat on med. high.
7. cut the dough into several golf ball size pieces and on a floured surface roll out each piece in an oblong or football shape about 1/4 inch thick.
8. test the oil by dropping a small piece of dough into it. If the dough floats and bubbles, its ready.
9. slowly lower the dough into the oil away from you. Fry only two at a time.
10. Keep moving the dough around and turning it slowly until it is a golden brown on both sides. Remove immediately.
11. Allow to cool and drain.
12. With soups, stews, chili's, chowders. Dip it into good honey or balsamic vinegar or dark olive oil. ENJOY!!

The Sonoran cocina

If you want to keep it traditional, here are some items:
As much terra cotta cooking and bake ware as you can use: casseroles, pots, etc.
A variety of substantial wooden utensils-
Several cast iron dutch ovens, skillets, and sauce pans-
If you can find one, a paella pan.

Several varieties of dried peppers, fresh peppers. Face it, if you 'wuss' down Sonoran cuisine, you can't really call it Sonoran anymore. Shame on You!
Yellow onions and cebolla onions,
A lot of fresh garlic, if it comes out of a factory container, fresh it ain't!
Roma tomatoes, tomatillos, and nopalitos, cilantro, sweet peppers-
Kosher or sea salt, peppercorns to grind for full black pepper taste-
dried thyme, rosemary, oregano
Much Cumin!
potatos, any variety-
chicken, beef, and vegetable broths
flours: pozole', masa harina, UNbleached all purpose flour, whole wheat flour-
a variety of dried beans-

This will get you started.....

Easy as falling off a yucca-

This is one of the older recipes in my scattered collection. These are are good for a filling and quick energy lift.

1/2 cp coarse ground yellow corn meal
1/2 cp pozole' flour [this may require a search. I make my own. I buy dried hominy and using my indispensable coffee grinder, grind the hominy into a flour]
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne (sub: a very good chili powder)
1 tsp good honey
1-2/3 cp canola or vegetable oil [do not use olive oil] (sub: use a 0 trans fat vegetable shortening)

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in bowl
2. heat 1 cp of oil
3. add rest of oil and honey to dry mix....blend well
4. with some flour on your hands roll 1 tsp of mixture into balls or footballs or any geometric shape that excites you...set on floured surface.
5. test oil...drop a small amount of mixture into oil..if starts cooking, its ready!
6. slowly put 'balls' into hot oil (you know what I mean!)
7. stir with spider or similar utensil until the corn balls turn a light golden brown. This could take less than a minute.
8. place on paper towels [option: drizzle with remaining honey while still warm]
9. enjoy!