taste of the west - western recipes
Soup's On!
Warm, rich, and aromatic, a roomy bowl of soup is the perfect pause in a cold day.
Black Bean and Chorizo Chili
Serve with cornbread and you've got a great meal for a casual dinner party. This chili smells so good while it's simmering that your guests will be clamoring to eat as soon as they walk in the door. The chipotle chiles and Spanish chorizo combine to give this dish a kick.
Cooking spray
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained and finely chopped
1 ¾ cups chopped onion
1 ½ cups chopped green bell pepper
1 ½ cups chopped red bell pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 links Spanish chorizo sausage, diced (about 6 ½ ounces)
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 (14-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (8 ½-ounce) can no salt-added, whole-kernel corn, drained
1 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chiles, onion, bell peppers, garlic, and chorizo, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add chili powder and next 7 ingredients, stirring to combine; bring to a boil. Reduce hat; simmer, covered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate, salt, and black pepper. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 cup).
Calabaza and Poblano Stew
Redolent with honey, cinnamon, and aniseed, this stew highlights the exotic flavors that are typically associated with European cuisine but are also commonly used in Mexico. Crema Mexicana, which is similar to crème fraiche but has a thinner consistency and a sweeter flavor, helps to tone down the spiciness of the stew.
5 poblano chiles (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon aniseed
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 ½ cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
10 cups (2-inch) pieces peeled calabaza squash (about 3 pounds)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
3 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons crema Mexicana
½ cup roasted pumpkinseed kernels
Preheat broiler. Cut chiles in half, discard seeds and membranes. Place chile halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 5 minutes or until blackened. Place in a heavy-duty, zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel chiles; discard skins. Chop chiles. Place aniseed and cinnamon stick in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add cinnamon mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add chopped chiles, squash, broth, water, honey, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Ladle stew into individual bowls. Drizzle each serving with cream Mexicana, and sprinkle with pumpkinseeds. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 ½ cups stew, about 2 teaspoons cream Mexicana, and 1 tablespoon pumpkinseeds).
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