Eat the Best Food Ever

From The Herbal Pantry

Emilie Tolley and Chris Mead

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
½ cup raisins
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Place all the ingredients except the cilantro in a large non-aluminum saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Stir in the cilantro for the last few minutes of cooking. Pack in sterilized jars and seal. Freeze or process in a hot-water bath for 15 minutes. This can also be frozen. Cilantro haters feel free to omit.

This is based on a completely different recipe. I’ve modified it so much that I need a new recipe.

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 head garlic, minced

2 jalepeno peppers, chopped

2 fresh green poblano peppers, chopped

1/2 # each ground beef and chicken

1/3 cup dried black beans

1/3 cup dried pinto beans

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn

2 cups tomatoes, chopped (if using fresh, peed and seed)

1 can (or homemade) chicken stock

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

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

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

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

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 hot chicken stock.

Saute the veggies for 10 minutes with olive oil. Blend the small can of El Pato, 3 tbsp of sauteed veggies, and the chicken stock/dried chili mixture. Brown meats.

Cook beans with vegetables and meat. Don’t add the corn until the end. Season to taste with kosher salt, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and hot sauce. Better the second day.

If you are going to freeze this, don’t add the corn until you thaw and reheat it.

I passed through Boise last week, and was so excited to check out some Basque food. Found the Basque area in town, but as it turns out, all of the Basque places are closed on Sunday. I settled on the one place on the block that was open, enjoying a better-than-average club sandwich and a cup of their Basque soup, which was extraordinary. I asked for the recipe, and they generously provided me with an ingredients list, which I worked with to formulate the following recipe. It is SO delicious.

1 c dried small red beans, soaked overnight

1 small red and green bell pepper, diced fine

1 small diced yellow onion

1 big T chicken base

1 sprig fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves

3 carrots, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped

1 14 oz. can tomato puree or canned whole tomatoes, pureed

8” Basque or Spanish chorizo, halved and sliced (don’t use Mexican)

Garlic powder or salt

Worcestershire sauce

Salt, pepper

Tabasco

Garnish with dry jack or parmesean, grated coarsely and or croutons

Saute onion and bell peppers until wilted. Put in 5 quart pan with enough water to cover beans. Cook on medium heat with fresh herbs and chicken base for about an hour until mostly cooked. Remove herbs and add canned and fresh tomato, carrots and celery, and chorizo. Cook until beans and vegetables are cooked through, then adjust seasonings, adding garlic powder or salt, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, Tabasco. The broth should be thicker than just plain stock, which is why you didn’t cook this with a lot of water to start with. Of course you can have added some of the seasonings along the way as well. Garnish as desired. Better the second day.

shamelessly purloined from France Today
OMELETTE A LA MENTHE ET AUX CHAMPIGNONS

4 to 6 servings

6 large eggs
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/3 cup (loosely packed) peppermint leaves, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pinch hot paprika
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 oz mushrooms, such as black trumpets or chanterelles, brushed clean and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Whisk together eggs and salt in a large bowl just until they are broken up. Mince the mint and whisk it immediately into the eggs along with the cheese. Season lightly with hot paprika.

2. Heat oil in a 9-1/2 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, until mushrooms give up their liquid, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Return skillet to heat and add an additional tablespoon of oil. When it is hot but not smoking add the eggs, which will puff up, and cook, using a spatula to pull the eggs back from the edges of the skillet, allowing the uncooked egg to run out to the edges. When the omelet is evenly set on the bottom but there is still a fair amount of uncooked egg on top, add the mushrooms, spreading them evenly over the omelet.

4. Cover pan and cook until the omelet is nearly but not quite solid, and there is still some liquid egg, about 4 minutes. Turn out onto a serving platter. Garnish with mint, and serve.

This recipe developed out of need, as many of the best of them do. When I’m out for several days camping and fishing, I want to eat my veg, but they need to be low-maintenance and durable. You can shred the cabbage at home, or do it the quick-n-dirty way with a bag of prepared coleslaw mix.

Shred all. I use a mandoline, or you can use a food processor. The thinner the better.

cabbage

sweet onion

red bell pepper

green bell pepper

yellow bell pepper

any other mild peppers

jalapenos, deseeded

Jalapeno ranch dressing

Shred vegetables, toss in large bowl, bag in gallon Ziplock bags. Pack in ice chest, alongside the salad dressing.  Dress right before eating. This keeps your slaw crisp and delicious. Undressed slaw will keep for up to five days.