Elvis Presley & Martina McBride - Blue Christmas

Chili-Lime Pecans

Recently, I found a copy of Southern Living I had not read yet.  Buried in the Food section was "12 New Ways With Pecans".  All of the "ways" are so appetizing but when I see chili & lime in a recipe, it's  a "gotta make".  After all, it is the Holidays and this is Texas and pecans are a standard, I always welcome a spiced pecan recipe with no sugar or egg.

Chili-Lime Pecans
Southern Living - November, 2009

Stir together
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. red pepper (cayenne)
Add 3 cups pecans; toss

Spread in a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan.  Bake at 350º for 12 to 14 minutes or until pecans are toasted adn dry, stirring occasionally.  Cool completely.

My notes:  The lime juice is key, used fresh squeezed it possible.  The first batch I made to recipe and it could use more heat.  The next batch,  I eliminated the paprika and substituted more cayenne and even more salt and chili powder.  Smoked paprika or other chile would be excellent.  I have a feeling that this recipe would work with other nuts especially almonds and pistachios.

By the way, these Chili-Lime Pecans are a perfect beer snack, particularly served with Shiner Bock or Dos Equis.
















Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns


Beth in Texas
Snacked Out On Pecans

The Cachucha, Sofrito And A Quesadilla Maker

Cachucha - Bountiful Harvest 2010
Sofrito - On My Recipe To Make Wish List
Quesadilla Maker - Tool On Hand To Make A Cuban Ham Sandwich

The Cachucha is an aji dulce, a seasoning pepper of the Capsicum chinense species, similar flavor and aroma of a Habanero-type chile sans the heat.  The Cachucha is popular in Cuban and Puerto Rican cuisine as is the Sofrito, of which the Cachucha is a key ingredient.  I originally found the pods in the Fiesta market years ago and 2010 was going to be the last year I would be able to carry on this strain.  Besides qualities of a heatless habanero, I have always loved the curious squashed shape of the Cachucha.  By the way, I was told that Cachucha translates to "little hat" in Spanish.  That makes sense!

I found a recipe I though sounded authentic and gathered the ingredients, including the ripe Cachucha I had recently harvested.

Sofrito (recipe found at AllRecipes.com by Fivebrigs

 
Ingredients

    * 2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
    * 1 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
    * 10 ajies dulces peppers, tops removed
    * 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
    * 4 onions, cut into large chunks
    * 3 medium heads garlic, peeled
    * 25 cilantro leaves with stems
    * 25 leaves recao, or culantro
    * 1 tablespoon salt
    * 1 tablespoon black pepper

Directions

In a food processor, combine green peppers, red peppers ajies dulces, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Add cilantro, recao, salt, and pepper. Process to the consistency of semi-chunky salsa (not watery). Place in a ziplock freezer bag, and use as needed, or freeze in portions.

Fivebrigs Comment: 

"Sofrito is the base for most Puerto Rican dishes, and this one is better than store bought (difficult to find in the stores in the Western United States). This can be added to beans, rice, soups, stews, you name it."

My Notes:  I suppose my version was not so authentic, I did not have the culantro so I added more cilantro.  This makes a very large batch and it does freeze very well.  I added some to sour cream and cream cheese for a dip, very good.  I really like all of the garlic in the recipe.

 Here you can see that wonderful Sofrito on my Cuban Ham Sandwich
 Now read more to see how that Cuban sammie came out.....

A Piquillo Personality

Like the Oaxacan chiles, the Piquillo was a star performer this year.  I stepped it up to a 10 gallon container and that did the trick.  Of course, I wanted the seed for Peppermania but I was just pleased to have fresh pods for munching.  With their sweetness makes, many became salad and pasta companions, the rest ended up in the freezer for the near future's smoke out.

I am not into stir fry put if I was the Piquillo would be a perfect candidate.  I have never had them out of the can or jar where they come packed in oil, nor did I stuff any of my harvest.  If I had found this recipe before they landed in the deep freeze, I would have tried this with them fresh.



Very similar to roasting the New Mexican pods.  And now that you have roasted your harvest, view on for a simple recipe for tapas.....

Sleeping On The Pod

Well, not actually sleeping on the "pod" but I looked out the back door recently to find one of my cats, The Monkey, sleeping on the grill with his paw clutching a Pasilla pod I had out there drying.  I went to grab the camera and of course, he was nerved when I opened the door to take the shot.  I just like this photo of my boy and Monkey now thinks he is famous.

It takes a whole lot more that a ripening chile pod to get my old cats to play but there was a day when they would find lost pods on the floor and make a fun time swatting it around.  Eventually, I would find it dried up under the hutch along with the rabbit fur mousies.

Beth in Texas and The Monkey Gumbo