Chilied peanuts with toasted pine nuts

“You can buy tangy chilied peanuts from street vendors all over Mexico,” Rick Bayless writes in “Fiesta at Rick’s” (W.W. Norton & Company, $35). “The vendors will likely have salted toasted pumpkin seeds, too, which I like to mix with the peanuts. A very good (and quite good for you) snack — so good, in fact, that we’ve set a bowl of the stuff on every table in Frontera Grill for nearly two decades.”

If you want to work ahead, use fresh, preferably vacuum-sealed peanuts and pumpkin seeds. “The finished mixture will keep for several weeks in a tightly closed container,” Bayless writes. “For longer storage, keep them in the freezer (I’d vacuum-seal them with a Food Saver or the like if one is available).”

I didn’t have pumpkin seeds on hand when I made this dish, and it was approaching midnight, so I made do with what I had on hand: pine nuts. I toasted them lightly and tossed them with the peanuts. The end result worked well, especially for the pine nut fans, who loved the heat that the chilied peanuts brought to their favorite nut.

Chilied Peanuts and Pumpkin Seeds (Cacahuates y Pepitas Enchilados)

2 cups roasted peanuts (preferably without salt)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons ancho powder or guajillo powder, plus a little árbol chile powder if you like it spicy
Salt, to taste
1 cup hulled, raw pumpkin seeds or pepitas

Turn on the oven to 250 degrees and position a rack in the middle. In a medium bowl, toss the peanuts with the lime juice until all the nuts have been moistened. Sprinkle evenly with chile powder, then toss until the chile evenly coats the nuts. Spread the nuts into a shallow layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Slide into the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the chile has formed a light crust on the nuts. Remove from the oven and sprinkle generously with salt, usually about 1 teaspoon.

In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the pumpkin seeds. Spread the seeds into the skillet and, when the first one pops, stir constantly until all have popped from flat to oval, about 5 minutes. Scoop on top of the peanuts, toss the two together, allow to cool, then scoop the mixture in a serving bowl.

Makes 3 cups.

From “Fiesta at Rick’s” by Rick Bayless with Deann Groen Bayless

Chili con carne, a bowl of red, Texas style.

What is chili? It all depends on whom you ask. And where.

Most would agree it’s a stew seasoned with chili powder, but the common ground stops there.

Geography plays a key factor in the answer you’ll get. In Texas it’s a meat stew with chili powder. In the Mid-West and elsewhere, beans are added while the heat has been turned down. In Cincinnati, except a milder blend with cinnamon and chocolate added to the pot.

Vegetarians often use beans and tomatoes to fill the stew, while some opt for a blend of chicken, white beans, onion and garlic with green chiles.

“Whatever one’s orientation or preference as it relates to chili, this special dish, in its many forms and in so many ways, has become part and parcel of the culture of North America, some would even say the world,” writes W.C. Jameson in “The Ultimate Chili Cookbook. ” (I would disagree, at least as far as Germany is concerned. Chili remains a mystery there. I once shared a bowl there with numerous friends and family who had never tasted it before. To me, there was no discernible heat in the bowl, yet all of the others who tasted it complained it was too hot.)

The spelling of the dish sometimes gets a little messier than a chili stain on a white linen napkin. But Jameson clarifies the matter: “Chile, with an ‘e’ at the end instead of an ‘i,’ refers to peppers from the capsaicin family. ‘Chile’ is synonymous with chile pepper, whether red or green. Chile peppers, of course, are a principle ingredient in chili.”

Serve your Cincinnati chili however you want it.

So, let’s get cooking.

We present three variations on chili. One from culinarians Ron Bechtol and Cynthia Guido Williams is an old-fashioned favorite that tastes like the bowls of red one used to find from the Chili Queens in San Antonio’s marketplaces.(Click here.)

A second recipe comes from chef Scott Cohen, who’s chili take is from the heart. The award-winning recipe played a savory role in the early days of his romance with his wife, Jamie. (Click here.)

Last is Cincinnati-style chili, which is made and seasoned very differently from any other chili you may have tried. This unorthodox is made with boiled beef and is seasoned with cinnamon. But once you acquire the last for it, you’ll include it in your rotation for the rest of your life. (Click here.)

Yali Wetland Merlot Rosé 2009

Fact: This watermelon-colored rosé from Chile’s wetland region near Maipo has plenty of pink with a touch of orange underneath. The aromas mingle strawberry and cherry with summer flowers. The tastes are lush and fruity yet dry, with a long finish. Serve it chilled with grilled shrimp, cool pork tenderloin or a seafood salad. The screw cap makes it perfect for taking along on a picnic. The price is an attractive $7.99 a bottle at Costco.

Feeling: The wine’s color may remind you of cotton candy, but its dryness will refresh you on a hot summer afternoon. I opened a well-chilled bottle at a party recently, and it disappeared in short order. It held up nicely with the salty tang of pickles and cut through the gooey richness of grilled cheese sandwiches.

Casa Lapostolle Rafael Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Fact: Chilean Cabernet Sauvignons are can be fine wines at good prices. This one is a good example, priced as it is in the $12.50 range. Aromas of bright red fruit, including plums, greet you on first sniff. The flavors are a little more complex, with currant and blackberry mingling with a touch of oak, cocoa and smoke. Supple tannins and a good acid structure are friendly on the tongue; the wine dances to a tart finish.

The wine is a blend of 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 8 percent Syrah, 5 percent Carmenère and 2 percent Cabernet Franc.

Feeling: I visited Chile a few years ago and so I’ve been following news of the earthquake and its aftermath fairly closely. One way to support the country at this difficult time is to buy its products, so I have been searching out  new Chilean wines to add to the list of ones I already love. This may not be quite as full-bodied as some cult Cabs from California, but it is far more food friendly. It was paired with braised short ribs, a combination that made both better.

These scones are flaky and just slightly sweet, which makes them an ideal starting point for strawberry shortcake, writes Cindy Mushet in “The Art & Soul of Baking.”

“Feeling adventurous? You can adapt these scones to your taste by adding flavorings to the dough, such as citrus zest, spices, chopped and toasted nuts, flavoring extracts or oils, and dried fruit,” she writes.

But don’t let them sit around too long. As Mushet says, “Once baked, serve the scones within 2 hours, when they are at their freshest and most appealing. Keep them uncovered at room temperature until serving time.”

Cream Scones

2 cups flour
½ cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar, or for more crunch and a touch of brown sugar flavor, 2 tablespoons turbinado or raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and position an oven rack in the center. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a thin silicone mat. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of the food processor and process for 10 seconds to blend well. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse 5 times at 1-second intervals, or until the butter is cut into medium pieces. Add the cream and pulse another 20 times, or until the dough holds together in small, thick clumps. Use a spatula to scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently squeeze the clumps together until they form a cohesive dough.

Pat the dough into a circle 7 inches in diameter and about 1 inch thick. Use a chef’s knife to cut the dough into 8 equal wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Brush the tops with a thin coating of the lightly beaten egg (you will not use all the egg). Sprinkle evenly with the sugar. Bake the scones for 14 to 16 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden brown. (See note at bottom.) Transfer to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve the scones warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Once the sough is prepared and cut, the wedges (without the egg brush) can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Brush with egg shortly before baking. The scones won’t rise quite as high as when freshly mixed, but they will be attractive and tasty.

The dough can also be cut and frozen for up to 1 month. Place the wedges on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Transfer to a resealable plastic freezer bag. To bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then place on the prepared baking sheet and proceed with egg brush and sugar sprinkle before baking. Or thaw at room temperature on the prepared baking sheet for about 20 minutes, until cool to the touch but no longer hard in the center.

Variations

Chocolate Cream Scones: Use only 1 ¾ cups flour and add ¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder to the flour mixture. Increase the sugar to 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Scones: Add ¼ cup poppy seeds and the finely grated zest of 2 large lemons to the flour and sugar mixture. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes (this dough is a bit thicker than the original so it will take a couple extra minutes to bake).

Cream Scones with Currants: Add ½ cup dried currants after the butter has been cut into medium pieces the size of large peas, and just before adding the cream. (Make sure the dried fruit is moist and pliable. If it isn’t, pour boiling water over the currants and let them soak for 5 minutes. Drain them, pressing out any excess moisture; then pat dry and let cool before adding to the dough.) Bake scones for 17 to 20 minutes (this dough is a bit thicker than the original so it will take a couple extra minutes to bake).

Cream Biscuits: This is a savory version, perfect for the dinner table. Omit the sugar and follow the recipe as direct for light, tender biscuits.

Chile, Cheddar and Cornmeal Biscuits: These can also be cut into 1-inch rounds and filled with thinly sliced ham, sweet-hot mustard and watercress, or other small greens for a fun, crowd-friendly hors d’oeuvre. To vary the flavor of the biscuits, add a handful of chopped fresh herbs, fresh corn kernels, crispy bacon bits, several finely chopped scallions or flavorings of your choice (add just after you finish cutting in the butter and right before you add the cream).

Reduce the flour to 1 ½ cups and add 1/3 cup of fine yellow cornmeal. Omit the sugar. Increase the baking powder to 1 tablespoon, the salt to ½ teaspoon, and add 10 grinds of black pepper. Decrease the butter to 3 ounces (3/4 stick). Add 2/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons diced roasted poblano chiles (fresh or canned). Pat into an 8-by-4-inch rectangle, about 1-inch thick. Cut in half lengthwise and then into quarters crosswise to form 8 (2-inch) squares. Just before baking, brush the top with egg and sprinkle and additional 1/3 cup grated cheese over the top. Bake 15 to 18 minutes.

[amazon-product]0740773348[/amazon-product]Note: My oven is apparently warmer than Mushet’s. I tried the Lemon-Poppy Seed Scones, and they baked at 425 in less than 14 minutes. So you may want to set your timer a little ahead of time and monitor for the last few minutes. But the end result was quite good with jam, clotted cream or butter, and a cup of tea.

Makes 8 scones.

From “The Art & Soul of Baking” by Cindy Mushet

The inclusion of ancho chile powder adds an unexpected richness to these light, chewy cookies. As baker Cindy Mushet writes, “The could of chile powder adds an intriguing backnote – not heat exactly, but a sultry earthiness that enhances the chocolate flavor.”

Mexican Chocolate Crackle Cookies

3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur or cooled brewed coffee
6 ounces 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar, divided use
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted and cooled completely
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsifted powdered sugar

Bring 2 inches of water to boil in the bottom of a double boiler. Place the butter, liqueur or coffee, and chocolate in the top of the double boiler (off the heat). Turn off the heat, then set the chocolate over the steaming water. Stir occasionally with a spatula until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove and cool slightly while you whip the eggs.

In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs and 1/2 cup of the sugar on high speed until very light in color and thick, 5 to 6 minutes. You can also use a hand mixer and a medium bowl, though you may need to beat the mixture a little longer to achieve the same results. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs and whip until blended, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

First roll in granular sugar

Then roll in powdered sugar

Place the flour, nuts, cinnamon, baking powder, chile and salt in a food processor and process until the nuts are very finely chopped, 60 to 90 seconds. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Stir gently. a few times with a spatula to make sure there are no patches of unincorporated flour lurking near the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until firm.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and position an oven rack in the center. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.

Pour the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the powdered sugar into two separate bowls. Scoop the chilled dough into tablespoon-sized balls using an ice cream scoop or a spoon. Roll each dough ball in the sugar and then in the powdered sugar. Be sure to coat the dough generously with the powdered sugar — in this instance, more is better. Space the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets.

[amazon-product]0740773348[/amazon-product]Bake the cookies one sheet at a time, rotating the sheet halfway through the baking time, for 11 to 14 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and cracked. If you nudge a cookie, it should slide on the sheet rather than stick. It is better to underbake these slightly than to go too far — when overbaked they are dry and unpalatable. Transfer to a cooking rack and let cool completely.

Makes 36-40 cookies.

Adapted from “The Art & Soul of Baking” by Cindy Mushet

Caption: Jerry Cain, a student at the Culinary Institute of America's San Antonio campus, grills Chilean-style Lamb Chops in Adobo.

At the recent Latin Flavors, American Kitchens conference, Chilean chef Pilar Rodríguez introduced many of the chefs and culinary experts visiting the Culinary Institute of America’s San Antonio campus to the wonders of merkén, a blend of dried and smoke chiles (cacho de cabra, or goat’s horn).

The spice also features ground coriander and salt, and is available at specialty supermarkets like Central Market.

Merkén was created by the Mapuche Indians, who are native to Chile.

The label of one version, exported to the U.S. by Chilean Gourmet, says to “sprinkle it on fish, shrimp, poultry, beef, vegetables, soups and sauces. Add to potatoes, cheese and pasta. Use in tuna or tossed salads. Great for dipping with olive oil.”

Rodríguez used the spice in Chupe de Locos (Chilean Abalone au Gratin), Ostiones Sellados en Aceite de Oliva al Ajo y Pebre Verde (Seared Scallops in Garlic Olive Oil With a Chilean Herb Sauce) and Chuletas de Cordero en Adobo (Chilean-style Lamb Chops in Adobo).

She even infused an olive oil with the spice to use in a tomato confit that accompanied the lamb chops.

Chuletas de Cordero en Adobo (Chilean-style Lamb Chops in Adobo)

10 lamb chops
Salt, to taste

Adobo:
2 tablespoons merkén
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh garlic paste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika, ground

Confit:
1/4 pound white pearl onions, skin on
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup merkén-infused olive oil
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh tarragon leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh oregano
1 tablespoon roasted garlic, puréed
Pinch of sugar
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Season the lamb chops to taste.

For the adobo: Mix together merkén, oreganos, garlic paste, olive oil, vinegar, sugar and paprika. Rub the lamb. Marinate overnight.

For the confit: Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place the pearl onions on a sheet pan, add the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and mix well. Bake for at least 30 minutes until done. Once cooked, remove from the oven, peel the skins off and reserve the onions. Keep warm.

Reduce heat to 200 degrees. On the same sheet pan, add the cherry tomatoes and toss with the merkén-infused olive oil, basil, tarragon, mint, roasted garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes or until the skins are just broken. Mix with the onions and reserve.

Increase oven heat to 375 degrees. Pan-sear the lamb and finish cooking in the oven until desired doneness (about 15 minutes for medium rare with an internal temperature of 125 degrees). Serve with the confit.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Adapted from Pilar Rodríguez/Latin Flavors, American Kitchens

Roberto Santibañez offered this recipe at his class Friday at the Culinary Institute of America’s conference, Latin Flavors, American Kitchens.

Manzano Chile Salsa

3 ounces manzano chile
3 small cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound fresh tomatillos, cut up into smaller pieces
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice, ground
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, ground
2 scallions (green onions), sliced
Salt, to taste

Make sure all ingredients except onions and spices are carefully washed. Blend everything together until it is a smooth mixture.  Then season with salt, to taste.

Makes 3-4 cups salsa
From Roberto Santibañez

Wilo Benet of San Juan Puerto Rico demonstrates how to make sofrito

In Mexican kitchens, many dishes were born out of leftovers and a desire to make something new. Women would see what they had on hand and create a wholly different meal with it.

A bowl of leftover boiled plantains and leftover black beans, if such a thing ever exists there, might be turned into Torundas de Platano Macho, or fried plaintain balls, with a black bean sauce.

That’s what Tomas Dominguez of Café Santa Cruz in Coatepec, Veracruz, and Iliana de la Vega of the San Antonio campus of the Culinary Institute of America told the audience Wednesdsay at the beginning of the second annual Latin Flavors, American Kitchens conference, a three-day event that’s drawn a host of international chefs to discuss the culinary treasures of Central and South America.

Alfredo Ayala adds cilantro to Habichuelas Guisadas

The same story was heard from chefs visiting from Brazil, Chile and Puerto Rico.

Take manioc, for example. It’s “the staple food of Brazil,” said Teresa Corcao from Rio de Janeiro. It can be known by numerous names, including tapioca, which is the most common form found in the U.S.

But it’s also the “invisible food,” she continued. “They eat it a lot, but they don’t talk about it.”

Yet you’ll find it in everything from farofa, a powdery dish used as a condiment, to a tapioca brulee.

Beans are the same with most of the Latin American cuisines. They are expected, rather than analyzed.

You might have one type of bean with lunch and another type with dinner, culinary historian Maricel E. Presilla said.

They could be as common to North American palates as pintos, garbanzos or black beans, or as select as Puerto Rican gandules.

Evan Martinez, Art Stahl, Elizabeth Kossick and Cynthia Rodriguez listen to a panel of speakers during the Latin Flavors, American Kitchens conference. Kossick is the CIA's Latin Cuisines Specialist, while Martinez, Stahl and Rodriguez are graduates of the San Antonio program.

The iconic foods of these countries will be explored more fully in the two remaining days of the conference. “There’s so much we still don’t know about the foods and flavors of Latin America,” Mark Erickson, vice president of continuing education for the CIA, said during his opening remarks.

That’s the focus of the San Antonio campus at the Pearl Brewery, according to Ken Halliday of Silver Ventures, which manages the site. “We see food at the center of everything we do here,” he said. “And a unique component to this project is education.”

So, if all goes well, the chefs in attendance will take what they learn “back into your kitchens and your menus,” he said.

Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Bean Stew)

1 pound white navy beans (see note)
1 ham hock
½ pound smoked ham, cubed
2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
Whole culantro leaves

Sofrito:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped or tomato paste, to taste
4 tablespoons Cubanelle chiles or Anaheim chiles, finely chopped (see note)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Cilantro leaves, chopped, to garnish

Soak the beans overnight in 2 quarts of cold water. The next day, drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer the beans to a medium-sized pot, and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add the ham hock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.

For the sofrito: While beans are cooking, heat the olive in a sauté pan on medium-high heat and add the onion, bell pepper, tomato, chiles, garlic, cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. After the beans have cooked for 1 hour, and add the sofrito, ham, butternut squash and culantro leaves, and cook for 30 minutes more or until tender.  If the beans are too dry, add a little bit of water or chicken stock. Remove culantro leaves.

Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with white rice.

Note: Either pinto or kidney beans can be substituted for white navy beans. Season with hotter chiles, if you prefer a spicier dish.

Makes 8 servings.

Adapted from Alfredo Ayala/Latin Flavors, American Kitchens

Viña Casas del Bosque Casablanca Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Fact: Last week, we recommended another Chilean Sauvignon Blanc from 2008. This week, we found another just as good, if not even better. A classic nose of lemon peel, citrus juice and passion fruit leads to a bracing jolt of acid that tingles the tongue. Lemon, a little grapefruit and gooseberry sweep through the mouth, cleansing the palate, leading to a clean, bright finish.

Serve it icy cold or just chilled and discover a wealth of tangy flavors and aromas at either level. It sells for about $10 a bottle.

Feeling: In the summer, Sauvignon Blanc rules, and this exciting bottling offers enough oomph to stand up to the heat. From the first sip, I felt transported back to the vineyard, where I shared a memorable lunch last spring.

Pair it with a shrimp salad coated in a mayo/sour cream dressing and watch it cut through the richness of the food.

What other treasures does this vintage from Chile have to offer?