Posole Rojo

• 4 or 5 dried ancho chiles
• 6 cloves garlic (2 smashed, 4 finely chopped)
• Kosher salt
• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut in half
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 15-ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
• Diced avocado, shredded cabbage, diced onion, sliced radishes and/or fresh cilantro, for topping

Break the stems off the chiles and shake out as many seeds as possible. Put the chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water; weigh down the chiles with a plate to keep them submerged and soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chiles and 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid to a blender. Add the smashed garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and blend until smooth. Strain through a
fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pushing the sauce through with a rubber spatula; discard the solids.

Rub the pork all over with the cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high. Push the onion and garlic to one side of the pot; add the pork to the other side and sear, turning, until lightly brownedon all sides, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, the chicken broth, oregano, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the chile sauce (depending on
your taste). Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Partially cover and cook, turning the pork a few times, until tender, about 3 hours.

Stir in the hominy and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the pork starts falling apart, about 1 more hour. Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the pork to a cutting board; roughly chop and return to the pot. Add some water or broth if the posole is too thick. Season with salt. Serve with assorted toppings and the remaining chile sauce.

Hott Curry Chicken

Spice Blend:

• 1 rounded tablespoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Chicken:

• 4 chicken chicken breasts
  
• 2 to 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sauce:

• 2 tblp vegetable or peanut oil
• 4 lg cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 Fresno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• Salt
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 c chicken stock
  

For the spice blend: Combine the turmeric, coriander, cumin, paprika, dry mustard, cardamom and cinnamon.

For the chicken: Place the chicken in a shallow dish and season with half of the spice blend, the garlic, lime juice and some salt and pepper. Cover and let marinate for 1 hour.

For the sauce: Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, bay leaves, chile pepper, ginger, onions and the remaining curry spice blend. Season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock then bring to boil. Slide in the chicken and partially cover with the lid, allowing some steam to escape. Reduce the heat to a simmer and poach the chicken in the sauce, about 30 minutes.

Serve the with choice of garnishes over the rice, and naan on the side.

Variations for this recipe include substituting tofu, lamb or turkey for the chicken.

Pork Stew with Ancho Chiles

• 1 med red onion, sliced
• Juice of 2 limes
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 or 6 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 4 c chicken stock
• 1/2 c blanched whole almonds
• 1/2 c unsalted peanuts
• 1 tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or made into a paste
• 1 sm yellow onion, chopped
• 1 c raisins
• 2lbs pork shoulder, cut into bite-size cubes
• About 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 lg bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 12 flour or corn tortillas
• Queso fresco, crumbled

Place the ancho chiles in a pot and cover with the chicken stock. Turn on the heat and warm the stock to reconstitute the chiles, 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, toast the almonds and peanuts over medium heat until browned. Transfer the nuts to a food processor. Reserve the pot. Add the ancho chiles with the stock to the food processor along with the cocoa powder, cloves, garlic, yellow onions and raisins. Season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. (You may need to do this in two batches.)

Pat the pork dry and heat a thin layer of oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, then brown in two batches, adding more oil between batches as needed. Return all the pork to the pot and pour the ancho sauce over it. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the pork is very tender, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours (depending on how large you cubed the meat).

Warm the tortillas. Serve the stew with crumbled cheese and the tortillas.

Thai Coconut Soup

• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 tbsp ginger, grated
• 1/4 c lemongrass, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 Thai chile in oil
• 1 chicken breast, cubed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 bunch bok choy, shredded
• 4 cups water
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• cilantro to taste

Saute garlic, ginger, lemongrass, 1 teaspoon each cumin and coriander, and a Thai chile in oil until fragrant. Add chicken and onion; cook 5 minutes. Add bok choy, water, coconut milk, cilantro and fish sauce; simmer 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Poblano, Mushroom and Corn Tacos

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 poblano chile, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup salsa verde
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 8 lime wedges

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to mushrooms. Stir in onion and next 5 ingredients (through poblano); cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn and beans to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; stir in salsa and next 3 ingredients.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide vegetable mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro, and 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream. Serve with lime wedges.

Two Sauce Lasagna Bowls

• Salt
• 1 pound Campanelle pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta, chopped
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 small to medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped, 1 peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• Nutmeg, to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta and render 2 to 3minutes then add meat and break up as it browns. When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4 to 5 minutes, add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice, salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more to soften onions and carrots bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer.

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot overmedium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then seasonsauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8 to 10 minutes.

Toss pasta with white sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

• 3-pound chuck roast, rinsed and dried
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
• 1 18-ounce bottle barbecue sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sandwich or hamburger buns

In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, roughly chopping them in the pot. Add the barbecue sauce, increase heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chuck roast. Bring to a low simmer, cover and slow cook until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours.

Remove the meat from the pot. Use a fork and knife to separate the roast into small pieces. Set aside.

Increase the heat on the pot to medium/medium-high, uncover, and reduce the liquid until thick. Stir often to prevent burning.

Return the meat to the liquid in the pan. Warm both thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on buns. Makes approximately 12 sandwiches.