Shredded-Pork Tacos

October 11, 2009 at 3:39 pm (bay leaf, boneless pork shoulder, canned chipotle chiles, canned whole tomatoes, cilantro, coarse kosher salt, corn tortillas, dried thyme, garlic, olive oil, onion, oregano, pepper, queso fresco, stovetop, tomato paste)

Good served with Crunchy Slaw with Radishes.

Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 3 hours 45 minutes
Serves 8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder, cut in half lengthwise
28 ounces whole tomatoes in juice
1 large chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
16 (6-inch) toasted corn tortillas
1 cup crumbled queso fresco, feta, or goat cheese
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
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1. In a large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add pork, tomatoes (breaking them up) and their juice, chipotle, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaves.

2. Using tongs, transfer meat to a large bowl; shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle. Return meat to pan, and simmer until sauce is thick, 30 to 45 minutes more. Season, if necessary, with salt and pepper. Proceed to next step, or cover and refrigerate, up to 1 day.

3. Spoon pork and sauce into toasted tortillas, using 2 tortillas for each serving; top with queso fresco and cilantro. Serve with Crunchy Slaw with Radishes , if desired.

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Chipotle-Beef Fajitas

August 21, 2009 at 11:41 am (Autumn, boneless beef sirloin steak, canned chipotle chiles, flour tortillas, fresh tomatoes, green bell pepper, grill, guacamole, honey, lettuce, lime juice, Main Dish, Mexican, Quick Dishes, red bell peppers, red onion, sour cream, Summer, taco seasoning mix)

Makes 2 servings.

2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 lb boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin bite-size strips
1 medium green or red bell pepper, cut into thin bite-size strips
1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
4 fat-free flour tortillas (8 inch), heated
Guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce and/or chopped tomatoes, if desired
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1. Heat closed contact grill 5 minutes. In shallow nonmetal dish, mix taco seasoning mix, lime juice, chipotle chiles and honey. Add beef, bell pepper and onion; toss to coat.

2. When grill is heated, place beef and vegetables on bottom grill surface. Close grill; cook 4 to 6 minutes, turning mixture occasionally, until beef is desired doneness and vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. Spoon beef and vegetables evenly down center of each warm tortilla. Top with guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce and/or chopped tomatoes. Roll up each tortilla around filling.

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Orange and Chipotle Pork Kabobs

June 26, 2009 at 7:00 pm (canned chipotle chiles, garlic, grill, light brown sugar, Main Dish, onion, orange juice, oranges, pork tenderloin, vegetable oil)

Work: 25 min
Total: 3 hr 35 min
Serves 6.

Sweet citrus balances the spicy punch of chipotle in this perfectly seasoned dish.

1 C orange juice
2 T light brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeds removed, peppers minced
1/2 t kosher salt
2 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, silverskin removed, cut into 1″ pieces
1 small onion
1 orange
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1. Whisk together orange juice, sugar, garlic, peppers, salt and oil. Toss meat in marinade, cover and refrigerate in a glass or plastic dish, 3 hr or overnight.

2. When ready to cook, heat grill to medium. Cut onion and orange into 1″ pieces. Discard marinade and thread meat, onions and oranges onto skewers. Oil grill grates and cook kabobs, turning, until meat is done, 10 to 12 minutes.

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Chipotle Rice

May 22, 2009 at 2:37 pm (7 ingredients or less, canned chipotle chiles, chicken broth, long-grain white rice, Quick Dishes, scallions, Side dish, stovetop)

1 C long-grain rice
2 C chicken broth
1/4 C thinly sliced green onions
1/2 t minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
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1. Combine rice and broth in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

2. Stir in green onions and minced chile. Yield: 4 servings.

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Enchilada Strata

April 9, 2009 at 3:51 pm (black beans, canned chipotle chiles, canned pinto beans, cheddar, cheese, corn, corn tortillas, eggs, fresh tomatoes, green bell pepper, ground beef, ground chicken, ground cumin, ground pork, half-and-half, Main Dish, milk, olives, orange bell peppers, oven, pepper, red bell peppers, salsa, salt, scallions, sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, stovetop, yellow bell pepper)

If you can’t find the pureed chipotles, get whole ones and chop them very finely. Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen; add small amounts to chili, bean soups, scrambled eggs, or any dish that you’d like to kick up a notch.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 90 minutes
Servings: 6

1 1/2 – 2 cups cooked ground beef, turkey, or chicken (12-16 ounces before cooking)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup tomato mild, medium or hot salsa
1 tablespoon canned pureed chipotle (optional)
1 1/4 cups half-and-half or whole milk
2/3 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
9 six-inch corn tortillas
2-3 cups grated sharp cheddar (4-5 ounces)
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Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cooked ground meat, green onions, salsa and chipotle puree in a bowl. Combine half & half, sour cream, eggs, cumin, salt, and pepper in a second bowl; whisk until smooth.

Place 3 of the tortillas in the bottom of a round, 8-inch soufflé dish (or similarly sized deep baking dish), overlapping them to cover the bottom of the dish. Spread a third of the meat mixture over tortillas. Pour a third of the egg mixture over meat. Distribute a third of the grated cheese over this. Repeat these layers two more times. Bake uncovered until liquid is barely set, 65-70 minutes.

Serving Suggestions:
Add any of the following to this dish (or replace the meat with them): cooked black or pinto beans, roasted corn, chopped sweet peppers, sliced olives, or chopped tomatoes. Substitute mild cheddar or other cheeses for the sharp Cheddar.

Copyright by Terese Allen

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