Rachel Ray New Mexican Green Chile Chili

One of my besties made this chili this summer and it was so yummy that I really wanted to try making it myself. It was super hearty and actually made a great winter meal. When Amanda made it, it was a little less thick and more like a soup. She's really good at feeding lots of people for very little, so I'm willing to bet she went with less meat than the recipe called for. As it was, I only went with 2 lbs of pork butt and I found that it was quite heavy on the meat, so you could probably go with just 1 1/2 lbs and still get a delicious meal that is a little less stewy in consistency. 

I also used grape seed oil for browning the pork as I recently learnt it has a higher smoke point and won't set off the fire alarm in your house. Key when you have a little one sleeping.

I couldn't find Mexican oregano, but the amount is so small that using regular oregano really didn't change the flavour too much. I wish you successful cooking! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 1 pork shoulder/butt (2-3 pounds)
• Salt and pepper
• 3 medium yellow onions, 2 thinly sliced, 1 chopped
• 1 bottle Negra Modela or other Mexican beer
• Juice of 3 limes, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (1/3 palmful)
• 1 tablespoon cumin (a palmful)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander (a palmful)
• 2 cans or 12 fresh tomatillos, chopped, divided
• 4-5 New Mexican green chili peppers or 3 poblano peppers, charred, peeled and seeded
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons masa or cornmeal
• 1 can pinto beans (optional)

Toppings:

• Cilantro
• Raw red onions, finely chopped, or pickled red onion rings
• Fritos or corn tortilla chips
• Queso fresco, crumbled, or other mild cheese, shredded
• Lime wedges

Serves 4-6

PREPARATION

Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.

Heat a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and brown on all sides until deep golden in color.

Top the browned pork with a pile of the sliced onion; add the bottle of beer and juice of two limes to the pot. Cover and roast for 2-2 1/2 hours until very tender. Shred the pork with forks and set the meat back into the drippings.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the remaining EVOO, two turns of the pan. To the hot oil, add the chopped onions and garlic; season with salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and coriander. Cook to tender.

If using canned cooked tomatillos, add one can of them to a food processor with the roasted chili peppers, seasoned cooked onions, garlic and honey. Puree, then return to the stove top and stir in the remaining can of tomatillos and stock.

If using fresh tomatillos, soften the onions for 5 minutes, then add the tomatillos and cook for 10-12 minutes more until the color of the tomatillos pales and they have cooked down into a thick sauce. Puree the cooked tomatillo sauce with the chili peppers and honey, then return the puree to the pot and stir to combine with the stock.

Marry the pulled pork and its drippings to the chili base; stir in the masa and pinto beans, if using. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes to thicken. Serve in shallow bowls with the toppings of your choice and wedges of lime.

Lobster Tails with Dill Butter & Pistachios on Saffron Risotto with Leeks

Eek it's Wednesday and I'm only posting about my Sunday meal now. Oops. Moving along...

I've burnt the last two weeks meals. Both salvageable, but nonetheless I was determined not to overcook this week's meal. And I almost accomplished it. I say almost because I did overcook the lobster ever so slightly but the flavour was so good it didn't really matter. Plus this isn't Top Chef and no one at the table was complaining. 

Today's recipe comes courtesy of the Ontario Government. Odd I know, but our government controls our liquor in Canada. The downside is that it limits the variety and is very corporate, almost like a Walmart. The upside is they fund this AMAZING magazine called the LCBO Food & Drink. And for all you non-Ontarians, they post the recipes to past issues on their website with an excellent search engine. These recipes are created by some of the top culinary experts in the country and it's rare that one disappoints. And this one is no exception. The dill butter poaches the lobsters to perfection and they are perfectly matched with the creamy flavour of the risotto. Enjoy!

Large Lobster Tails with Dill Butter & Pistachios

This is among the simplest of entrées to prepare and is quite festive. Cooking lobster in the shell results in a concentration of seafood flavour.

1 cup (250 mL) shelled pistachios (see TIP)
1 lemon
⅓ cup (75 mL) salted butter, softened
1/4 cup (50 mL) finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
6 large lobster tails, each 10 to 12 oz (300 to 375 g), defrosted

1 Finely chop pistachios by pulsing in food processor; however, leave large enough so pieces of nut are recognizable. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.)

2 Finely zest lemon with a rasp. Stir zest with butter, dill and pepper. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Bring butter to room temperature before using.)

3 To prepare lobster tails, place each one, smooth-side up, on a cutting board. Use heavy kitchen scissors to snip open shell along midpoint from front (where meat is visible) going back to the tail. Using your fingers, force shell open and loosen the meat. Stuff butter between meat and shell and over the exposed meat. Tails can be covered and refrigerated for up to half a day.

4 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

5 Place stuffed tails, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Fan out each tail to steady. Bake 25 minutes or until lobster separated with 2_forks at thickest point has lost grey centre and reads at least 165°F (73°C) on an instant-read thermometer.

6 To serve, force open shells more widely. Grasping meat with tongs, loosen at bottom and pull out. Place lobster on a bed of risotto (below). Nap with butter and juices from broiling pan; liberally sprinkle with pistachios. Serve right away.

TIP
The pistachios need to be bright green, which means shelling large salted California pistachios, as already-shelled pistachios sold in bags are usually too darkly roasted. Nearly 3 cups (750 mL) of nuts in the shell are needed to yield 1 cup (250 mL) of shelled pistachios.

Serves 6

Saffron Risotto with Leeks

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice, but thankfully a little is all that is needed and too much actually decreases the pleasure of the flavour. Saffron is often sold in tiny 2-g boxes—use about one-sixth of the contents for this risotto. If purchasing broth in a 900-mL carton, simply use water to make up to 1 litre. 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine Generous pinch of saffron threads

4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 medium finely sliced leek (white/light-green part only), about 1 cup (250 mL)
1⅓ cups (325 mL) arborio rice, about 8 oz (250 g)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp (1 to 2 mL) salt (optional)
Sprigs of fresh herb such as dill, parsley or thyme

1 Measure wine; add saffron. Let threads soak 1 hour or more. Heat broth in a small saucepan or in microwave, until just boiling. Keep hot over low heat.

2 Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add leek; stir 3 to 5 minutes or until transparent. Then add rice all at once; stir 2 to 3 minutes or until coated and edges are becoming transparent. Add wine, including saffron threads; stir until absorbed.

3 Continue to cook slowly, adding 1/2 cup (125_mL) hot broth at a time, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until each ladleful is absorbed. This takes about 25 minutes. The rice ultimately is creamy and tender to the bite. If more liquid is needed, simply use water. Taste; add salt if needed.

4 Heap risotto into warmed shallow soup bowl or deep plates. Garnish with sprigs of fresh herb.

Serves 6

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Breakfast's been on my radar for a few weeks and as I'm serving my in-laws a frozen tourtière I made back in December for dinner, today seemed as good a day as any. It was either breakfast or cupcakes. They're still on my list though - I LOVE cupcakes - and I've been eying a few yummy recipes on Pinterest, one that includes bacon and another with marshmallows. Can't go wrong with either of those things. In fact, bet they'd go well together? Hmmmm...

I could use some reader feedback on this Pinterest recipe (if you're out there!) from the Lovin From the Oven blog. The flavour is spectacular. But I was a little bummed with the cooking instructions as the heat didn't seem high enough to caramelize the brown sugar mixture, even after 50 mins. I ended up broiling it for a minute or two which did caramelize the sugar but burnt a few of the higher bread pieces in the process. Next time I'll try it at 375 F for a shorter period of time. I'd also completely remove the white sugar next time. The recipe is über sweet and I think the brown sugar on top is more than enough. Also, I completely forgot to grease the pan. Duh! Hey future Kathy - don't forget to grease the pan.

But as said, the flavour was really good so I'll definitely make it again. I served it with bacon, because I love to cut sweetness with salt. Enjoy.

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Ingredients
1/2 loaf stale bread (i used challah)
4 whole eggs
1 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/8 cups sugar
1 tablespoons vanilla
1/4 cup ap flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick cold butter, cubed

Directions
grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.
tear the bread into chunks and place them in the greased pan.

mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. pour the mixture evenly over the bread. cover and refrigerate overnight.

in another bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. add the butter and mix until the batter comes somewhat together, like little pebbles. store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
take your pan with the soaking bread inside and sprinkle crumb mixture on top.

if you like soggier french toast, bake for 45 minutes. for a firmer and less liquid-y french toast, bake for an hour.
serve warm with maple syrup and butter, if desired.

Superbowl Sunday - Buffalo Chicken Potstickers, Veg Nachos and Parm Potatoes

This Sunday my husband was the winner winner chicken dinner. Not only did he get an amazing spread cooked by moi for the Superbowl, but I let him pick the menu. It's too bad his football pick wasn't as strong as his menu picking. You gave a good fight post-blackout SF 49ers. 

He was most stoked about the unworldly Bufffalo Chicken Potstickers. The recipe from the Add a Pinch blog was found via Pinterest and Robyn is a creative genius for combining potstickers and buffalo sauce after noticing how busy both wing houses and Chinese restaurants could be. Bravo Robyn! I'll definitely be back. The Parm Potatoes were also found on Pinterest at Family Favourite Recipes and the Veg Nachos were adapted from a Pinterest recipe linking to Healthy Happy Life. Hmmm I see a theme, I may be Pinterest obsessed. 

Buffalo Chicken Potstickers

Author: Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded
• 1½ cups buffalo sauce
• 3 green onions
• salt and pepper
• 48 wonton wrappers
• water for sealing wonton wrappers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ⅓ cup chicken stock

Instructions

1. Combine first four ingredients (through salt and pepper) in a large bowl. Place 1 tablespoon of buffalo chicken mixture into the center of a wonton wrapper. Brush water along all edges of wonton wrapper for sealing. Bring two corners of wrapper together in a point and then seal edges of wrapper closed. Form filled wrapper into a crescent at the bottom to help the potsticker stand during and after cooking. Place on a baking sheet covered with a damp towel to prevent wrappers from drying out before cooking.
2. Add olive oil to the bottom of a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add 10-12 wrappers to the skillet at a time and cook for two minutes. Then, pour chicken stock into skillet and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for two more minutes.
3. Remove lid and remove potstickers from skillet. Place onto a baking sheet and keep warm in a 225 degree oven until all potstickers are ready to serve.

Parmesan Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

• 6 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
• 1/4 cup butter
• grated parmesan cheese
• garlic powder
• other seasonings (to personal preference)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9x13 inch pan and spread evenly across the bottom. Generously sprinkle parmesan cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings all over the butter. Place potato halves face down on the butter and seasonings. Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve on a plate with a side of sour cream for dipping.

Vegetarian Nachos

Ingredients

• 1 bag of your favourite tortilla chips
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 avocado
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1 bell pepper
• Cilantro
• 1 can of corn (or cooked and cut fresh from 2 cobs if you have)
• 1/2 an onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 green onions
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 cup Veggie broth
• Olive oil
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Chilli powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Roughly chop and mix together avocado, tomatoes, pepper, corn and cilantro in a large bowl and set aside. Simmer the beans, onions and garlic in veggie broth until tender adding cumin, garlic powder and chilli powder to taste. Reduce bean mixture on simmer until liquid is almost completely evaporated. Spread one layer of tortilla chips on an oven proof sheet or dish. Cover with layer of bean mix, then cover with layer of avocado mix and top with cheddar cheese. Repeat layering step. Place baking dish in oven and bake until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. 

Serve with sour cream.

Funday Tips

1. I halved the buffalo potstickers recipe as serving 12 was not my intention. Just 4 hungry Superbowl partakers and we were happy to have some leftovers.
2. I put my potatoes on parchment paper to prevent sticking which worked really well. I also used thyme, a no brainer for the flavours already present. Next time I think I'd do fresh garlic rather than garlic powder.
3. I was a bit distracted and burnt the nachos a little. Eek! I used the 'burnt toast' method and just broke off any super burnt pieces. So heed my warning, don't forget about the nachos!

Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding and Bearnaise Sauce with Garlic Rosemary Smashed Potatoes

Every Sunday I ask my husband what he wants to eat and every week he says roast beef. Ugh. I hate roast beef. First of all, it's boring. Second of all, my dad use to make me eat it all the time and it was always overdone and dry and I just can't seem to get over it no matter how many times I've had good roast beef. 

But I got over myself and found a recipe in the LCBO Food & Drink. F&D is a magazine funded by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Yup the government controls our liquor consumption. I'd complain, but they also put out this unbelievable magazine for FREE with the incredible recipes created by some of Canada's best culinary personalities. 

This has been one of the better recipes I've made. There have been a few that have been sort of blah, this is not one of them. I will definitely make the potatoes again. For a lesser main, the side could have taken over the plate, but not this beef. It was amazing. And the bearnaise sauce just took it over the edge.

I used this recipe for the roast beef and this recipe from Canadian Living magazine for the smashed potatoes.

First Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding and Bearnaise Sauce:

In order to have all elements of this dish come together at the same time it’s best to prepare a mise en place, French for having everything “put in its place.” It simply means to have all the ingredients washed, cut and measured before beginning the recipe.

2 eggs (for Yorkshire puddings)
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour, sifted
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
¾ cup (175 mL) milk
1/3 cup (80 mL) water (at room temperature)
1½ lbs (750 g) beef tenderloin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup (60 mL) vegetable oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) white wine vinegar
1 egg yolk (for Béarnaise Sauce)
2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh tarragon, finely chopped
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted
6 cups (1.5 L) arugula, washed and dried

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2 To prepare Yorkshire pudding batter, in a medium bowl whisk together eggs, flour, salt and milk. Once combined, whisk in water until smooth. Pour batter into a measuring jug or pitcher, set aside.

3 Season beef generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In an ovenproof pan heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef in oil until well browned, about 4 minutes per side.

4 Place beef in oven and cook to desired doneness. Medium-rare is achieved when a meat thermometer reads 135°F (57°C), about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove meat from oven, cover with foil and let rest.

5 Increase oven heat to 450°F (230°C).

6 Using a 12-cup muffin tin place just under 1 tsp (5 mL) of remaining vegetable oil into each hole. Place muffin tin in oven and heat for 3 minutes. Carefully remove hot pan from oven and divide pudding batter equally between each hole. Place back in oven and bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

7 To make Béarnaise sauce, in a small saucepan boil vinegar to reduce by half. Let cool slightly and place in medium bowl with egg yolk, tarragon, a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.

8 In same saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, skim off any foam with a teaspoon and pour melted butter into a measuring cup, leaving the solids behind in the pan. Slowly whisk clarified butter into egg yolk mixture 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time; continue to whisk in all the butter until the sauce has thickened. Set aside.

9 Slice beef very thinly so that it is pliable and roll into “rosettes.” Tear an opening into each of the puddings and fill each with beef, allowing each to overflow from the opening. Divide arugula between 6 plates, top each with 2 puddings and generously drizzle Béarnaise sauce.

Serves 6

TIP Another option for a classic condiment for this dish is horseradish cream. Stir together ½ cup (125 mL) mayonnaise, desired amount of horseradish, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and freshly ground pepper.

Next Garlic Rosemary Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Rosemary Smashed Potatoes:

Everyone loves a good roasted potato, and this recipe does not disappoint. Boiling them ahead saves time the next day. Use the bottom of a skillet to gently flatten several potatoes at a time. These potatoes are just as delicious whole, so if you're looking for something more traditional, omit the flattening step. 

Ingredients 
3 lb (1.4 kg) small (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches/3 to 4 cm) yellow potatoes or white potatoes, scrubbed 
1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil 
1 tsp (5 mL) chopped fresh rosemary 
1 clove garlic, pressed or grated 
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt 
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper 
Preparation

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; add 15 minutes to baking time.) 

Lay foil on a baking tray and gently flatten potatoes just until split. Combine oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper; brush over both sides of potatoes. 

Bake on foil-lined baking sheet in 400°F (200°C) oven, turning potatoes halfway through, until crisp and warmed through, about 30 minutes.

Funday Tips

1. This past week while browning short ribs for another meal I set off the smoke alarms. I Googled it and learned that it was because I used olive oil which has a low smoke point. This recipe calls for vegetable oil which worked far better for my sleeping baby.

2. The smashed potatoes recipe didn't mention the foil until after the smashing directions. I know I'm suppose to read recipes first, but sometimes when they seem easy I just work as I read. Lesson learned for the 800th time. Anyhow, I fixed the adaptation above.

3. I put the potatoes in when I turned the oven up to 450 for the Yorkshire puddings, and because they were in at a higher temperature I did them for 20 mins, 10 mins per side. They came out perfect.

Crock Pot Beef Carnitas Tacos

Today's post is inspired by my friend Jasmine who cooked it for a Christmas Party a few years back. Jas is brilliant in the kitchen, so I offer to help her whenever I can in the hopes that I'll learn something via osmosis. It must not be working because I helped with this one but couldn't remember a damn thing. So with a little Google action I came across this recipe. Be sure to check out my tips at the bottom of the page as I made A LOT of changes.

It was pretty tasty when it was all said and done. And required little to no work, a necessity as we were out celebrating my daughter's first birthday all day. I love a recipe that cooks in the slow cooker!

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Beef Carnitas Tacos

serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 lbs flank steak
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
for spice rub—
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
for serving—
corn tortillas
avocado slices
cilantro
your favorite salsa
limes

Directions:

Mix together all spices in a small bowl. Rub the spices all over your flank steak—be generous here! Then, place your steak at the bottom of your crock pot.

Cover the steak with the chopped onions, bell peppers and jalapeno pepper. Turn heat on LOW and cook for 8 hours.

After 8 hours, remove meat from crock pot and shred with a fork. It should be incredibly easy to shred. You can either stick the shredded meat back in the pot for another hour or serve as is.

To serve, heat your corn tortillas in a skillet on the stove. Spoon some carnitas on a tortilla then top with salsa, avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Enjoy with a margarita for best result.

Time:

active time–10 min
total time—8 hours

Funday Tips

1. Jasmine used beer for hers, so I did the same. A nice dark ale. However, I think I should have seasoned it more because when I tasted it with my other foodie genius, Amanda, it tasted under seasoned. So we added a ton more of all of the spices listed above.
2. Also, we found the meat was quite tough, even after 8 hours in the slow cooker, so we added balsamic vinegar and lime juice to try to break down the meat a bit more. Next time I think I would try a softer piece of meat, like perhaps a roast beef.

Garlic Butter Steak and Chimichurri Sauce

It's Monday morning again. It's hard to write the blog after an evening of cooking, you know? You don't mind if I get a good night's sleep first do you? Good.

I love this steak recipe so much. It's so simple, but utterly delicious. It's from one of my favourite cookbooks, Anita Stewart's Canada. Anita is a 'culinary activist and gastronomer' or so says her bio. But I actually love her take on Canadiana food. She looks at recipes that have come to be a part of the Canadian food landscape due to immigration.  As a result, there are recipes from all difference cultures in the book. The only issue I have with the book is the GLARING exclusion of poutine in the potato section. I mean come on! You can't write a cookbook on Canadiana food and not include poutine! I may be a tad bit biased as it's my last meal request food. Hmmmm on that note I've yet to do a poutine yet for the blog. Mental note.

The other thing I love about this cookbook is that Anita does a little preamble to every recipe with information on where she first ate the food or tidbits about the person who wrote the recipe. So you read a little Canadiana experience before each recipe. It's so integral to the book, the recipes felt incomplete without it's inclusion. 

Frederique's Fabulous Garlic Steak

My friend Frederique Philip came to Canada from France in 1978 and moved to Vancouver Island the following year. As the co-owner of Sooke Harbour House, one of the finest inns on earth, she has very little time to cook for herself. Her dinners are simple and fast and full of flavour. She showed me this amazing recipe when she visited Elora one autumn. The amounts can be varied to suit your personal taste and how many servings you need. Grilled medium-rare with fresh garlic from the Guelph Farmers Market, it was the best steak I've ever eaten. We drank the finest Niagara red wine we could afford, and I served the steak with barbeque-roasted Bijou Rouge potatoes, a variety that will be in general distribution soon. Watch for them - they taste as though they've already been buttered. For extra zip, serve this steak with Sarah's Chimichurri Sauce.

For each serving:
1 filet or strip loin, 4 to 6 oz (125 to 175 g)
Salt
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1 tsp (5ml) butter, slightly softened

Lightly salt the steak and grill it to the desired doneness. Meanwhile, crush a clove or 2 of garlic onto the dinner plate; top with the butter. 

When the steak is done, simply lay it on top. Grind a bit of pepper over top.

Sarah's Chimichurri Sauce

After a trip to Buenos Aires, where red meat is a huge part of the day-to-day diet, Sarah Mitchell developed this recipe to serve with the wild venison and the Highland beef that her sister raises on her ranch in norther British Columbia. "Make it as spicy or mild as you wish by adding a variety of fresh chilies," says Sarah. "The only prerequisite is a tremendous amount of garlic. The best garlic is local; imported bulbs lose their pungency with travel. For additional heat, leave the seeds in the jalapeno." Being a bit of a culinary nationalist, she substituted cider vinegar but says a great red wine vinegar can also be used.

This sauce is absolutely perfect with grilled steak or filet. Actually, I rather like heaping it onto crusty bread or using it to jazz up simple barbecued chicken. One word of caution about the garlic content: if you're having guests, everyone must eat this dish!

Yeild: 4 to 6 servings

8 to 10 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 or 3 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup minced fresh coriander
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive or canola oil
1/2 tsp salt

In a food processor, combine the garlic, jalapeno pepper, red pepper and onions. Pulse off and on to chop finely, scraping down the sides once or twice. Transfer to a mixing bowl; stir in the coriander, cider vinegar, oil and salt. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftovers, well covered!

I served the steak and sauce with my Mom's Perogie Recipe and mixed winter vegetables I bought at a local market. 

I love this bag of veg, it includes heirloom carrots, garlic scape, radishes, beets and sunchokes. So delish. I cooked them for 30 min in the oven at 350 with butter, chicken broth, salt, pepper and a bit of rosemary. So good.

Funday Tips

1. I found that the Chimichurri recipe called for FAR too much garlic. Next time I would probably go with 6 cloves. My culinary genius bestie was over and suggested we try to cook some of the pungency out of the garlic, so we put the finished sauce on low for about 20 mins. This also helped reduce down some of the vinegar, as there seemed to be a bit too much of this too. I'd probably go with 1/3 cup next time.
2. When I tried to do Mom's Perogies the other night, I defrosted them first and they stuck together. A total bummer as peeling them apart caused some to loose their filling. Last night I tried cooking them straight from frozen. This helped with the sticking issue, but they did come out a little a la dente. Not sure if I need to cook them more or if this was because they were cooked from frozen? One more bag left in the freezer to find out!

Cheers!