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Chile Pepper Recipes
Chileman's Smokin' Hot Turkey
- 2 tbsp. apple jelly
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 6 to 12 'NuMex Bailey Piqu'n' chiles, ground
- 3 to 3-1/2 lb. turkey breast
- Cooking oil
Mix apple jelly, cumin, and piqu'n powder together (jalapeño or habanero-flavored jelly can be substituted). Loosen turkey skin by slipping your finger under skin of turkey breast, pulling it away from meat, but leaving skin attached at one long edge. Place turkey breast, skin side up, on rack in smoker. Use a flavorful hardwood, such as pecan, hickory, or mesquite. Brush skin with oil. Grill until meat thermometer registers 170°F.
Apricot Pineapple Sauce
A nice sauce to serve with the smoked turkey is a mixture of 1 cup of chopped pineapple with 2 pitted and chopped apricots. Add 1 red sweet bell pepper, chopped, and 1/4 cup apple jelly. Mix, cover, and chill in refrigerator until serving time.
Paul's Peruvian Ceviche
- 1 pound very fresh fish filet
- Juice of 6 medium limes
- 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 sweet red or yellow onion
- 2 tbsp. minced cilantro
- 2 tbsp. high quality olive oil
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 'Aj' Amarillo' chiles, chopped
Cut raw fish into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the lime juice over the raw fish and marinate in refrigerator for 3 to 7 hours, turning the fish occasionally. In ceviche, the lime juice "cooks" the seafood, preserving it. An hour before serving, chop tomatoes, onions, and cilantro; combine and refrigerate. Right before serving, combine olive oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, chiles, tomato mixture, and fish. Serve with avocado, capers, and corn chips.
Easy New Mexican Green Enchiladas
- 6 roasted green chiles, chopped
- 1 can cream of celery soup
- Salt, garlic powder, and cumin to taste
- 1 dozen corn tortillas
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 minced onion
- Colby cheese, grated
Heat oven to 350°F. Peel, seed, and chop chiles. Add 1/2 can of water to celery soup and bring to a boil. Add chopped chiles. Season to taste with salt, garlic powder, and cumin. Continue to simmer. Dip the corn tortillas into hot oil for a few seconds, turning once with tongs, and drain. Do not overcook, or the tortillas will become tough. Dip the tortillas into the chile and soup mixture. Put a small amount of onions and cheese in the middle of the tortilla and roll up. Place in a casserole dish until full. Pour the remaining chile sauce over the enchiladas. Top with the remaining onion and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
Enchanted Jalapeño Cornbread
- 1-1/2 cups stone-ground corn meal
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1-1/2 cups nonfat buttermilk
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 4 diced pods of 'NuMex Piñata' jalapeño (colored bell peppers or plain green jalapeños can be substituted)
Heat oven to 450°F. Spray 8 by 8 by 2 square pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix all ingredients; beat vigorously 30 seconds. Pour in pan. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Chiles Rellenos
The 'Big Jim' variety of New Mexican chile makes excellent chiles rellenos (stuffed chiles) because the pods are large and meaty, but any of the New Mexican varieties work well in this recipe. Top these chiles rellenos with either green or red chile sauce.
- 4 green New Mexican chiles, roasted and peeled with stems left on
- 1/4 lb. cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, cut in sticks
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 tbsp. water
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Flour for dredging
- Vegetable oil for frying
Make a slit in the side of each chile, and stuff the chiles with the cheese sticks. Dredge the chiles with the flour.
Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat the yolks with the water, flour, and salt until thick and creamy. Fold the yolks into the whites.
Dip the chiles in the mixture and fry in 2 to 3 inches of oil until they are a golden brown. Serve with shredded lettuce and guacamole, Spanish rice, and refried beans.
Habanero Pepper Sauce
Cooking the chiles would reduce the distinctive flavor of the habaneros in this hot sauce, so add them raw. The high percentage of both acetic and citric acids keeps the sauce from spoiling.
- 12 habanero chiles, stems removed, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup distilled vinegar
- 1/4 cup lime juice
Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the carrots with a small amount of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the carrots are soft. Place the mixture and the chiles in a blender, and puree the mixture until smooth. Combine the puree with the vinegar and lime juice and simmer for 5 minutes to combine the flavors.
Strain the mixture into sterilized bottles and seal.