Roasted Fresh Chile Salsa

Posted on August 1, 2012 by TheLittleGSP

Our pepper plants are on a roll! They’ve yielded over a dozen peppers so far and there are new peppers growing and ripening in the garden right now. After harvesting 2 “big boy” green jalapeños, 5 small red jalapeños and 4 small serranos all in one afternoon I realized that we needed to find a good recipe to take advantage of all of this spicy goodness. We turned to the pages of our trusty Mexican Everyday cookbook and found this recipe for Roasted Fresh Chile Salsa.

Our mid-July bounty: green beans, tomatoes, jalapeños and serranos!

Salsa de Chile Fresco Asado (from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless)

You will need…
4-5 fresh Jalapeños (the recipe calls for green chiles but ours were red)
4 fresh Serranos (omit if you want a milder salsa)
4 cloves Garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons Lime Juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Directions:
Trim the stems off of the chiles and slice in half lengthwise, then place face down in a glass baking pan. Arrange the garlic cloves between the peppers. Broil in the oven for 4-5 minutes or until the chile peppers are soft and starting to form blotchy black spots. Remove from broiler and carefully transfer the roasted chiles and garlic to a blender. Add the lime juice and water and blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl and, if necessary, stir in more water to reach your desired consistency. Taste the salsa (watch out though, it might be super hot!) and add salt if needed.

OK… so now you have a bowl of freshly roasted liquid fire. What the heck are you supposed to do with it?

Our chile peppers must have been extra potent because our “salsa” was so hot that we could barely inhale near it. (I say “salsa” in quotes because I could never, ever handle a serving of this stuff on a chip… I’d die!) Luckily there are plenty of things that you can do with hot salsa that don’t involve burning your mouth and sweating profusely. Here are some ideas:

Use it anywhere that you’d normally add hot sauce. We used a few drops on our Jalapeño Garlic Chicken Quesadillas and it brought a great amount of heat to the dish. It would also be good (in moderation!) on Tortas with Chorizo and Black Beans and Chicken Fajitas.
Use it as a steak marinade. (This is Rick Bayless’s suggestion.) Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the salsa and brush it onto all sides of a nice steak (we shared a NY strip, yum!). Sear both sides of the steak over high heat and then grill over indirect medium heat until cooked to your desired temperature.
Use it to season potatoes. (Also Rick’s idea.) Quarter two yukon gold potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and microwave on high in a covered bowl for 4 minutes to soften. Brush some of the salsa onto the potatoes and finish cooking them on a grill in a grill basket over direct medium-high heat.

What is your favorite way to use a surplus of chile peppers? Please share!

Southwestern Turkey Burgers

Posted on April 6, 2012 by TheLittleGSP

After making our delicious Guacamole-Chipotle Burgers on Wednesday, we had a few leftovers, namely chipotle mayonnaise, guacamole, poblano pepper, cheese, and buns (everything but the burger!). We decided to put our toppings to good use and try out the Guacamole-Chipotle Burger recipe using ground turkey instead.

We followed the same basic recipe as the beef burgers with a few exceptions. We were worried that the lower fat content of the turkey would produce dense, dry burgers so we chopped up the pepper jack cheese and mixed it plus a little shredded Monterey Jack directly into the turkey mixture. We also added slightly less pepper (just under 1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat) and Matt grilled the burgers longer — approximately 5 minutes per side over direct high heat — to make sure they were cooked through.

The turkey burgers turned out nice and juicy thanks to all of the cheese and the overall combination of turkey, chipotle mayo, poblano, cilantro, and guacamole was delicious! Next time we make fancy beef burgers we’ll definitely plan to make the healthier turkey equivalent with the leftovers.

Homemade Guacamole-Chipotle Burgers

Posted on April 4, 2012 by TheLittleGSP

Every January we go to Las Vegas for a week to exhibit at a big trade show. Although this sounds like a great opportunity to let loose and go wild in Vegas, the reality is that after 9 1/2 hours of standing in a booth on a concrete floor (and with another 9 1/2 hours ahead of us the next day…) we typically find ourselves just looking for a solid meal that doesn’t involve walking through too many casinos. After checking out many of the restaurants in our immediate area, we decided that our favorite place to eat was the Grand Luxe Cafe, conveniently situated right at the bottom of our hotel elevator at the Palazzo.

The Grand Luxe Cafe’s menu is practically a small novel, boasting page after page of offerings from Italian, Asian, Mexican, and American cuisine. Matt’s go-to dinner was the Avocado-Chipotle Burger which, according to the menu, is a “chop house burger topped with fresh avocado, fire-roasted poblano peppers, melted cheese, chipotle mayonnaise and cilantro.” Yum!

With this description in mind, we set out to make our own version of this delicious dinner. Judging by the look on Matt’s face as he bit into his burger tonight, I think we succeeded!

Burgers with Pepper Jack, Chipotle Mayo, Roasted Poblanos, Guacamole and Cilantro

Chipotle Mayo, Cilantro & Guacamole

You will need…
1 Poblano Chile Pepper
1/4 Cup Cilantro Leaves
1/4 Cup Guacamole
4 Slices Pepper Jack Cheese
2 Hamburger Buns, cut in half lengthwise and lightly toasted

For the Chipotle Mayonnaise…
1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
Juice from 1/2 Lime
1 Chipotle Pepper plus 1 Teaspoon Adobo Sauce (from a small can of Chipotles en Adobo)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Poblano Peppers

For the burger patties…
3/4 – 1 pound Ground Chuck
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
Olive Oil Spray for the Grill

Directions:

Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Once hot, place the whole poblano pepper on the grill grates and allow it to roast for approximately 12 minutes, turning occasionally. When the poblano skin is charred and starting to peel remove it from heat, place it in a glass bowl, and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. (This will loosen up the poblano skin and allow it to cool enough so that you can handle it.)

Transfer the poblano to a cutting board and peel off the outer skin with your fingers. Cut the stem off and squeeze the seeds out. Slice the pepper into 1/2″ squares and set aside.

Combine the chipotle mayonnaise ingredients in a small food processor and blend until the pepper is broken down into small pieces. Transfer the chipotle mayonnaise into a bowl and set aside.

To make your burger patties, place the ground chuck in a shallow bowl and spread out slightly. Add the salt and pepper evenly over the surface of the meat, then carefully mix the meat with your hands. The key to a good burger is not to over-mix or over-compress the ground beef so mix gently! Split the meat mixture in half and form each section into a very loose ball by transferring the meat back and forth between your hands.

Place both burger “balls” on a plate and press down gently to flatten them ever so slightly… your finished patty should be about 3/4″ thick and 4-5 inches in diameter. Form a small indent (about 1/4″ deep) in the center of each patty.

Place the burgers, indent side up, on a preheated, oiled grill over direct high heat. Close the lid and allow to cook for 2 1/2 minutes, then flip the burgers and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add the slices of pepper jack cheese to each burger and allow to cook (lid closed) for another minute.

While the burgers are grilling, spread some of the chipotle mayonnaise on the bottom of your hamburger bun and spread some guacamole on the top of the bun. Place the cooked burgers onto the bun and top with roasted poblano peppers and cilantro.

We enjoyed our burgers with a side of Alexia Sweet Potato Chipotle Fries and a Dill-Cucumber Salad. This was a pretty spicy meal so the cucumber had a very nice cooling effect.

Ready to eat!

Simple Grilled Zucchini

Posted on April 3, 2012 by TheLittleGSP

We’ve had a busy week! It was Matt’s birthday yesterday so we’ve been going out to dinner a lot and haven’t cooked anything elaborate lately. Despite our lack of exciting culinary exploits, I still wanted to share a recipe so here’s a very simple one for tonight: Grilled Zucchini.

Simple Grilled Zucchini

You will need…
2 small Zucchinis (or 1 large one)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Garlic Powder and/or Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute (optional)

Directions:
Slice the zucchinis in half lengthwise. Pour a small amount of olive oil onto the cut side of the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. You can add extra seasonings like garlic powder or Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute at this point as well.

Place the zucchini halves skin-side down over direct medium-high heat on a preheated grill. Grill for approximately 5 minutes and then flip the zucchinis over so that they are face-down on the grill. Grill for another 5-7 minutes (longer for a thicker zucchini) or until they are tender. Remove from the grill and enjoy!

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Sandwiches

Posted on March 13, 2012 by TheLittleGSP

Last night we bought an 8 pack of sandwich buns since we needed rolls for our yummy salmon burgers. We knew that we’d have lots of rolls left over so we planned another sandwich-centric meal for tonight with some of my favorite grilled ingredients: sausage, peppers, and onions! It was still 70 degrees at dinnertime so we built a fire in our fire pit and spent the evening sitting out on the patio.

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Sandwiches

You will need…
1 Red Pepper, cut into thin strips
1 Yellow onion, cut into thin strips
Olive Oil
2 Sausages (Matt had Kielbasa, I had Hot Italian Sausage)
4 Sandwich Buns, sliced in half lengthwise

Directions:
Place the red pepper and yellow onion on a bowl together and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Transfer the peppers and onions to a grill pan and place on a preheated grill. Cook for approximately 10 minutes until the peppers and onions are tender. When we cook peppers and onions (or any small veggies that benefit from a good “toss” as they grill) we use a stainless steel Grill Chef’s Pan with a removable handle.

Uncooked Peppers and Onions in the Chef's Grill Pan

While the veggies cook, place the two sausages on the grill. If you have the ability to control the heat on the sausage side of the grill, increase it to high heat (but leave the veggies at medium). Cook the sausages over high heat for approx. 6 minutes per side (or longer if you’re using medium heat).

Sausage, Peppers and Onions Grilling

If desired, lightly toast the buns on the grill by placing them cut face down over medium heat. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!

In order to fit the sausages neatly on our round sandwich buns, we sliced the cooked sausages in half and then sliced each piece lengthwise. Place the sausage on the buns and top with grilled pepper and onion mixture. Enjoy your completed sandwich while lounging outside by a fire pit if at all possible… it makes it taste even better!

Salmon Burgers with Dill Sauce, Asparagus, and Fries

Posted on March 12, 2012 by TheLittleGSP

Daylight savings time has begun! In southeastern PA our first week of daylight savings also happens to be the most beautiful week of March weather that we’ll probably ever see (65-70 degrees and sunny every day!) so we are taking full advantage of our extra hour of daylight by doing huge amounts of yard work. Today after work Matt dug up the last of two enormous boxwood bush stumps while I cut up the boxwood branches into manageable trashcan-sized pieces. By the time we were done our outdoor work we were tired and not in the mood to make a crazy, involved dinner. We went to our favorite grocery store (The Fresh Market in Glen Mills) and picked up a few ingredients to make this yummy, fancy-looking meal! (Well, I think it looked fancy… maybe it was just the rectangular plate!)

Salmon Burgers with Dill Sauce, Grilled Asparagus, and Oven-Baked Waffle Fries

You will need…
1/2 Bag of “Family Size” Alexia Waffle Fries
2 Premade Salmon Burgers (from The Fresh Market or your favorite grocery store)
Asparagus Spears (Thin, tender spears are the best!)
Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to Taste
2 Hamburger-sized Sandwich Rolls, cut in half lengthwise (we used The Fresh Market’s Sandwich Rolls, sold in an 8 pack)

For the Sour Cream Dill Sauce…
3 Tablespoons Sour Cream
2 Teaspoons Dried Dill
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Spread half of the fries out on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 400°F oven for 28 minutes (or use whatever temperature and time your oven-baked fries need).

Place a flat grill pan on your grill and preheat the grill to medium heat. This year we’re trying out a Weber Grill Pan and so far we’ve been very happy with it. (The Kitchenaid pan that we bought from Target didn’t hold up very well last summer.) Place each salmon burger carefully on the preheated grill pan. Grill the salmon burgers for approximately 7 minutes per side.

Asparagus and Salmon Burgers cooking on our Weber Grill Pan

Wash the asparagus spears and then toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread the asparagus spears out on the grill pan next to the salmon burgers. Grill the asparagus for approximately 10 minutes (longer if you have thicker asparagus).

While the burgers and aspargus are grilling, assemble your sour cream dill sauce by mixing the sour cream, dill, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a small bowl.

Sour Cream Dill Sauce

When the grilling is complete, place your burgers on the sandwich rolls and top with a dollop of sour cream dill sauce. Add your asparagus and waffle fries to the plate and voila! you have a beautiful Monday-night-of-daylight-savings meal. Enjoy!

Tequila Shrimp

Posted on March 2, 2012 by TheLittleGSP

We’ve had an unusually warm Winter this year. Usually January and February are characterized by nightly (and sometimes daily) below-freezing temps, salt-brined roads, and melting snow piles in parking lots. This year, it has hardly dipped below freezing at night and we’ve gotten a grand total of around 2 inches of snow. It’s not all bad though because the warm temperatures mean that we can use our grill to make yummy meals like Tequila shrimp! This recipe is from our Weber Book of Grilling with a few additions from me.

Tequila Shrimp

You will need…
1/3 cup Tequila
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Lime Juice
3-4 cloves of Minced Garlic
1 fined chopped Jalapeño Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro
1 teaspoon ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
1 pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:
Place the first 8 ingredients (Tequila through Black Pepper) in a large resealable bag and ‘mix’ by squeezing/shaking the bag gently. Add the shrimp to the bag and coat them with the marinade. Put the bag in the fridge for approx. 30 minutes.

Preheat your grill and grill pan (we have a large wok-shaped skillet with small holes it in but a flat grill ‘tray’ works well too). Remove the shrimp from the fridge and slide them out of the bag onto the hot grill pan. Grill over direct heat for 3-5 minutes until they turn nice and pink. Serve warm!