Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Turkey Picadillo






This is my new go-to taco meat. I have been making this since having it at a friend’s house and questioning him closely on how it was made. Traditional picadillo is made with ground beef, and calls for a potato instead of carrots. I make it that way sometimes as well, but developed this version since we usually eat more poultry than beef at home. You’ll notice some flexibility in the ingredients and their amounts. Make this to your taste. If you like it hot—throw in more of those jalapenos (and/or) serrano peppers; if you aren’t sure about the number of garlic cloves—add or subtract! Serve this traditionally in tortillas, or roll into a lettuce wrap, or simply eat it with a spoon. Picadillo keeps well if refrigerated for leftovers, and microwaves easily, so don’t be afraid to make a lot!



Olive Oil

2 large Poblano (or Anaheim, or Hatch) Peppers, diced

1 large Red, Orange, or Yellow Pepper, diced

Several Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers, seeds removed, diced small

1 large Onion, diced

5-6 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Carrots, peeled, diced small

2 Lbs. lean ground Turkey Meat

Seasonings:

3 Tbsp. Chili Powder

3 Tbsp. Cumin

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. dried Oregano

1 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Onion Powder

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 can diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis



Drizzle about 2 tablespoons olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add all the diced peppers to the skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned. Remove from skillet and reserve in a bowl. Drizzle 2 more tablespoons of olive oil into the skillet and add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned and softened. Remove to the bowl with the peppers. Drizzle a tad bit more olive oil into the skillet and add carrots, cooking and occasionally stirring until lightly browned. Remove to bowl with peppers and onions.



Drizzle 2 more tablespoons olive oil into the skillet and add ground turkey, spreading it to cover the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle the seasonings over the turkey and work into the meat with a spoon or spatula. Once turkey is browned on the bottom, flip it over with spatula, in sections, and allow to cook a couple more minutes until browned on bottom. Using spoon or spatula, break meat up into small bits. Add the peppers, onions, and carrots and the tomatoes with green chilis: stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover, lower heat to simmer, and allow the flavors to get acquainted for at least 30 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.



Enjoy!

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Salsa Mexicana


Many, many years ago, Christmas 1999, to be precise, a dear friend gave me a cookbook of Salsa recipes. This book has 50 recipes for salsas. Tomato salsas, chile salsas, fruit salsas, tropical salsas, and corn salsas. So Many Salsas! Page 8 of this book is the most stained and dripped upon page in this book, because it is the page with our favorite go-to homemade salsa. Super simple to make, with easy to find ingredients, it’s a keeper. Enjoy.

2 Tbsp. finely diced white onion
8 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 Serrano chiles, finely diced*
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh Cilantro
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Place the onion in a mesh strainer, rinse with hot water, and drain. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. Yield: approximately 2 cups.


*To amp up the heat leave the serrano seeds in!

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Beef, Vegetable, and Wild Mushroom Soup


from Bon Appétit | January 2008


This soup gets a rich, earthy flavor from dried porcini mushrooms, which are available in the produce section of many supermarkets and at Italian markets and specialty foods stores. Perfect for a chilly day with a loaf of good, crusty bread.
Makes 6 servings

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4- to 1-pound cross-cut meaty beef shank bone
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
3 bay leaves
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups diced celery
5 1/2- 6 1/2 cups beef broth (depending on how 'soupy' you like it)
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
1 large parsnip, peeled, diced
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, larger pieces chopped small
 
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shank bone and meat cubes to pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until meat is brown and juices are reduced to glaze, turning shank bone occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons thyme and bay leaves to pot; stir 1 minute. Add onions and celery; stir 3 minutes. Add beef broth, tomatoes with juice, carrot, parsnip, and mushrooms. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Discard shank bone and bay leaves. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle soup with remaining 1/2 tablespoon thyme and serve.


Monday, April 2, 2018

Martha Washington’s Bean Soup



When I was a young wife and mom, a Texan married to a Pennsylvanian and living in Germany, cooking for my husband was complicated. He was not raised on the staple dishes of my own upbringing, and I was unfamiliar with the foods of the North. Enter Jo. Jo and her husband lived downstairs from us. She was from Pennsylvania, and besides being an avid cook, she had a desire to have someone to "mother." Jo and Roger quickly became dear friends to us, surrogate grandparents to our firstborn, and in her kitchen I learned to make the mysterious meals that my husband loved. This soup is one of our favorites. So good for a cold or rainy day. This soup is a reason to have ham- so you can have a ham bone to make soup! (And I still don't know what Martha Washington has to do with it!)



From Jo Durbin



1 lb. Mixed dry beans

ham bone or two ham hocks

1 large onion, chopped

1 28 oz. can tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp. peppercorns

3-4 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste



Rinse beans the night before, put in large pot, cover with water and soak *overnight.  Drain in the morning.  Add 2 quarts of water and ham bone or hocks.  Simmer slowly 2 ½ - 3 hours.  Remove ham bone or hocks, and add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for another 30 minutes.  Once ham is cool enough to handle, separate meat from bones and fat, chop into small bits, and return the meat to the soup.



Serve with cornbread- yum!  


*If you spontaneously decide to make this and haven't soaked your beans overnight, all hope is not lost! Simply put the beans in a large pot and cover with water as described above, bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to sit for 1 hour. Drain, and continue with the recipe.