1.) DParker - 03/25/2013

This isn't a recipe, but it is about cooking. And I'll argue that it's site-appropriate because I validated it by making chili with ground elk and some venison sausage (yeah, that's it). Also, it's not actually about chili. That's just what I used it for. It's just as applicable to any other dish using fresh/dried chiles in a sauce. So, here goes...

When making my homemade chili (patent pending), in addition to standard chili powder I always add 1 Ancho (dried poblano), 1 Cascabel and 1 Chile d'Arbol per pound of meat. I keep all 3 on hand in their dried form, because

[LIST=1]
[*]They store much, much longer than fresh peppers (of course),
[*]They take on different (and much better) flavors when dried, especially the Poblanos, and...
[*]It's easier to toast them in a skillet along with the comino seeds (which I then grind into cumin powder) to create even more complex flavors than would be fresh peppers.
[/LIST]

Deseeding and toasting this small amount of peppers each and every time I make a batch of chili isn't really much work, but it is just one more thing to add to the prep effort that I'd like to eliminate. Also, since I'm working toward eventually entering my creation into a cook-off competition, and the judges frown on any solid bits of vegetation in the chili's "gravy", putting the dried chiles through an electric grinder just wasn't producing satisfactory resuts, as they couldn't be ground fine enough to visually and texturally disappear into the sauce. I tried a coffee bean grinder, a food processor and a blender, all to no avail. So I solved the problem by rehydrating them after the toasting step in just a wee bit of the beef stock that the recipe calls for, and then using a hand blender (one of the older Braun models) to blend them into a nice, smooth puree. Great...except that now I've added yet two more steps to what is already a 3.5-4 hour total prep and cooking time operation.

The obvious answer was to go with efficiencies of scale by doing all of this toasting, rehydrating and pureeing once ahead of time in a quantity large enough to be used for several batches. Of course this involves freezing the puree in single-batch servings to be pulled out, defrosted and used each time I make a batch of chili. My concern was that the freezing process might negatively impact the flavor and/or heat of the chile paste, as I know refridgeration does with them and other herbs/spices over time. So about a month ago I tried it out by making just enough puree for one batch, so as to not waste any if it didn't work out. Yesterday I pulled the frozen puree out, let it sit in some warm water while I did all the other prep work and then tossed it into the pot, one half at a time over the course of two spice dumps (as per usual). I'm pleased to report that I was unable to detect any discernable degradation in either the flavor or the heat of the finished product.

So, if you have any recipe that you make on a regular basis that involves the use of peppers in which a pureed form of them would be preferred or at least acceptable, consider adopting this technique as a handy little labor-savor.

2.) Leighton - 03/26/2013

Any tips for cooking beans ?

3.) DParker - 03/26/2013

[QUOTE=Leighton;3863]Any tips for cooking beans ?[/QUOTE]

1) Open can of beans.

2) Pour contents into sauce pan.

3) Heat.

4) Serve.

You're welcome.

4.) Deerminator - 03/26/2013

[QUOTE=Leighton;3863]Any tips for cooking beans ?[/QUOTE]

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

5.) bluecat - 03/26/2013

How did you freeze your puree? Did you put it in a freezer bag or small plastic container?

6.) DParker - 03/26/2013

This time I just used a small plastic Tupperware-like container. But when I make more of it I'm going to use ice cube trays so that I can just pop out however many cubes of it that I need. It freezes pretty solid, and you wouldn't be able to scoop any out of a large container full without mostly defrosting it first.

7.) bluecat - 03/26/2013

[QUOTE=DParker;3879]This time I just used a small plastic Tupperware-like container. But when I make more of it I'm going to use ice cube trays so that I can just pop out however many cubes of it that I need. It freezes pretty solid, and you wouldn't be able to scoop any out of a large container full without mostly defrosting it first.[/QUOTE]

That's a good idea. And you could stick that ice cube in someone drinking a bloody mary and then stand back and watch the fun.

8.) Lonescout - 09/06/2013

Hey DP, do you dry your own chilies? If so how do you do it? I have a bunch of plablanos, jalapeņos and bhut jolokias this year and would like to try drying some. Tried stringing and hanging last year and they all just molded.

9.) DParker - 09/06/2013

[QUOTE=Lonescout;10425]Hey DP, do you dry your own chilies? If so how do you do it? I have a bunch of plablanos, jalapeņos and bhut jolokias this year and would like to try drying some. Tried stringing and hanging last year and they all just molded.[/QUOTE]

I tried exactly the same thing with mine last year, with nearly the same results. But I got lucky and only [I]most[/I] of them molded. :re:

The problem is that unless it's very hot and dry where you're hanging them they just don't dry quickly enough to prevent the molds from setting up shop. I hung them in the kitchen, which should have been obvious to me was a bad idea (cool with some moisture in the air). So this year I'm going to try the oven method with very low heat instead for anything that I don't just puree and freeze for my chili mix.

10.) Deerminator - 09/06/2013

Wish I could try some.
My taste buds are shot to hell right now:-)