Seared Mild Chiles Recipes

SEARED MILD CHILES

Steps:

• In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high. When oil is very hot, add chiles, working in batches if necessary. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned and blistered on all sides, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and serve.

PAN-SEARED TILAPIA WITH CHILE LIME BUTTER

Steps:

• Make chile lime butter:
• Stir together butter, shallot, zest, lime juice, chile, and salt in a bowl.
• Prepare fish:
• If using striped bass, score skin in 3 or 4 places with a thin sharp knife to prevent fish from curling (do not cut through flesh). Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until just smoking, then sauté 3 pieces of fish, turning over once with a spatula, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes, and transfer to a plate. Sauté remaining fish in remaining tablespoon oil in same manner.
• Serve each piece of fish with a dollop of chile lime butter.

EASY MILD CHILI

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef, sausage, and onion in the hot skillet until beef and sausage are completely browned, 7 to 10 minutes; drain and discard grease.
• Stir stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, light red kidney beans, dark red kidney beans, mild salsa, chili seasoning mix, and garlic powder into the beef mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the flavors meld, 90 minutes to 2 hours.

EASY MILD CHILI

Steps:

• Brown and drain the hamburger.
• Sprinkle seasoning over hamburger and stir to coat.
• Stir in water and bring to a gentle boil for about 2 minutes.
• Add beans and tomato sauce.
• Let simmer until warmed through.
• Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese and/or chopped onions and/or crushed saltines, if desired.

SLOW-STEAMED GOAT WITH MILD CHILE SEASONING

Steps:

• With a sharp heavy knife, cut the hindquarter into 2 pieces through the joint at the top of the leg. Place it in a large deep non-metal dish.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet or a griddle over medium heat. Tear the chiles into flat pieces and toast them a few at a time, pressing them against the hot metal surface with a spatula until they crackle and blister. Turn to the other side and toast again. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the unpeeled garlic on the griddle until blackened outside and soft inside. Peel, discard the skins and transfer the softened cloves to a blender. Drain the soaking chiles, reserving the soaking liquid, and add them to the blender along with the vinegar. Add the cumin, black pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 3/4 cup of the chile-soaking water. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Push the paste through a medium strainer. Remove 1/2 cup of the paste, stir the sugar in, and set it aside for the final glazing. Spread the remaining chile paste over the goat, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Set a roasting rack inside a large Dutch oven or heavy casserole. The rack should rise 1-inch above the base of the pan, if it does not, prop it up with upside-down ramekins or small empty cans. Pour 3 cans of water in the bottom of the pan and place the goat on the rack.
• Add water to the masa harina mixture if necessary to make a soft dough. Roll tennis ball sized pieces of dough between your palms to make long ropes about 3/4-inch in diameter, then press them firmly all around the top edges of the baking dish. Set the lid in place and press it into the masa to make a firm seal. Bake the goat for 3 hours.
• Break the seal by tapping the hardened masa with a cleaver or a mallet, then remove the lid and carefully lift out the goat meat, which will be very tender.
• Remove the rack from the pan and spoon off the fat. Measure the broth: you will need 1 quart, so make up the level with water if necessary. Pour the broth into a small saucepan ad again skim off the fat. In a mortar and pestle or a food processor, puree the roasted tomatoes and add them to the broth. Add the oregano and simmer the mixture over medium-low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• While the broth is cooking, remove the bones, excess fat, and large baking sheet and brush with the reserved chile paste. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes just to set the glaze and heat the meat through. Slice the meat across the grain and place it in large shallow heated bowls. Ladle over a generous amount of the broth and scatter a little diced onion and cilantro over each bowl. Serve with wedges of lime.

SEARED COD WITH CHILES

Steps:

• In small bowl, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar and chili sauce. Blend in 1 teaspoon of the cornstach; set aside.
• Place remaining 1/4 cup of the cornstarch in shallow dish. Sprinkle fish with garlic pepper and dip in cornstarch to coat.
• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add fillets; cook 3 minutes. Turn fish and cook 2 minutes more to sear. Remove fish to platter.
• Using same skillet, add onion, ginger, chiles and garlic to heat; cook 30 seconds on high. Reduce heat to medium and stir in broth misture. Cook and stir until misture begins to thicken. Return fish to skillet spooning sauce over fish to coat. Cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes more or until fish flakes with fork. Serve fish with sauce.

SEARED SHRIMP WITH CHARD, CHILES AND GINGER

Steps:

• Season shrimp generously with salt. Wash and trim chard, thinly slicing the stems.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add shrimp and sear until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, let heat for a few seconds, then add garlic, chile peppers, shallot and ginger and sauté until slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in sugar, pepper and salt and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in chard stems and sauté until they start to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Add the greens to the skillet along with 2 tablespoons water and immediately cover the pan. Keep it covered for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the greens to wilt. Once the greens have cooked down, remove the lid and continue cooking for a few more minutes to allow the water to evaporate. Add the shrimp and any liquid accumulated on the plate and cook just until the shrimp are heated through, about 1 minute longer. Drizzle with the sherry vinegar and gently toss to coat. Serve hot, garnished with the cilantro.