Eat the Best Food Ever

This is really delicious. I’m publishing Pat’s original recipe, but it’s pretty easy to make completely from scratch, as I do.

Shopping list:

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch kale

1 large onion

1 medium bulb garlic

2 Jalepeno peppers

2 fresh Green Poblano peppers

1 package smoked Anduoille or Spanish style chorizo (or both, if you want more meat)

(I use some ground beef in mine. AW)

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can corn

1 can whole tomatoes

1 can (or homemade) good chicken stock

1 small can of El Pato chili freso as seen here:

http://www.mexgrocer.com/1276.html

2 dried chili peppers (either guajilla or pasilla) as seen here:

http://www.mexgrocer.com/catagories-spices—herbs-chilipods.html

Step 1:

cut off the tops of the 2 dried chili peppers and dump out the seeds. crumble the chili peppers in a coffee cup, and add 1/2 cup chicken stock to this cup. Nuke in the microwave for 4 minutes. Set this cup aside for later.

Step 2: Prep the veggies

chop 1 bunch of Kale

mince the whole onion

mince about 1/2 head garlic

deseed and chop up the fresh jalapenos, and fresh poblano peppers

Step 3:

In a pot, Dutch oven or really large sauce pan, add 1 bunch of fresh kale that has been chopped into fine pieces.

add 2 tbsp olive oil and saute for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken stock , just enough to keep this covered.

Throw a lid on it and steam for 15 minutes Make sure kale stays wet.

Step 4: saute the veggies – in a separate sauce pan – saute onion, garlic, and all the fresh chopped peppers for 10 minutes with olive oil

Step 5:

Get out the blender:

Add the following to the blender:

1 small can of El Pato from above

3 tbsp of that sauteed veggies from above The cup of chicken stock/dried chili mixture from earlier Blend this on high until it is smooth liquid.

Step 6:

Go back to the large pot where the kale is now steamed.

Add all of the blended mixture from above Add all of the remaining sauteed vegetables (onion, garlic, peppers) Add all of the cut up sausage (cut on the bias) Add all the canned stuff (corn, whole tomatoes, beans) Add 1 bunch chopped cilantro.

Step 7:

The seasoning: – At this point we haven’t really added any extra seasoning or salt. I like to wait until here because some sausage is saltier than others and those dried and fresh peppers may be plenty spicy enough.

But usually to finish, I season to taste with Kosher salt, Ground Chill pepper, garlic powder and any hot sauce.

Step 8:

Let the whole thing simmer on low for another 30 minutes to gain flavor

Note:

As for the corn and beans above, feel free to change the ratio to suit your personal taste.

When I was a kid, my mom used to make a simple stew known as Grizzly Bear. It involved things like a can of Campbell’s Tomato Soup, something you won’t find in my pantry. Last night I had a yen for some GBS, so I picked up a hunk of meat and a couple of vegetables and did some improvising. It turns out that whatever I did was the best batch of said stew EVER.  When that happens, I try to record what I did so it has a chance to be replicated.

2# chuck roast

1/2 white onion, chopped fine

couple cloves garlic, minced

1 pint frozen roasted tomatoes (or 1-14 ounce can roasted tomatoes)

1/2 # sliced mushrooms

a couple of roasted red peppers, chopped fine

2 small carrots, peeled and sliced thin

2 sticks celery, sliced thin

1 small white potato, peeled and sliced thin

sherry

seasonings: some spice blend (I used Penzeys Mural of Flavor, herbes de Provence would be a good substitute), salt, pepper, dried basil, bay leaf

Chop beef into 1” cubes. dredge in flour seasoned with spice blend, s and p

Brown beef cubes in cast iron skillet with oil. Do smallish batches so the meat is not crowded, adding more oil as needed.Toss meat in crock pot as you go. Brown onions and garlic, add to crock pot. Deglaze pan with lots of sherry, around 2 cups. Add liquid to crock pot. Add roasted peppers and frozen tomatoes, no need to thaw them. Add two bay leaves. Add a little bit of cold water to the last of the flour you were dredging in, mix to remove lumps, and add to crock pot.

Cook overnight on low heat. In the morning, add mushrooms, carrots, celery, potato, dried basil. Adjust seasonings as needed. Cook just until the vegetables are soft.

Enjoy with bread and butter and a green salad. This dish freezes well, and is better the second day.