Tamale Style Pie With Smokey & Spicy Pulled Pork

Tamale Style Pie With Smoky & Spicy Pulled Pork

This hearty casserole features rich, slow-cooked pork infused with a complex blend of smoky, fruity and spicy chilies. Baked under a tender, cornbread crust, it’s a deeply satisfying meal. Serve it with a fresh, tangy slaw to balance the bold flavors.
Ingredients:

2 medium size dried ancho chilies stemmed, seeded,
3 small to medium-size dried guajillo chilies, stemmed, seeded
4 lbs (1.81 kg) bone-in pork butt roast, cut into 3 large steaks around
bone
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil, plus more for greasing pan
1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes
1 medium-size yellow onion, cut into chunks
4 large cloves garlic, peeled, roughly chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) cumin
2 chipotle peppers in adobo
1 tbsp (15 mL) packed light brown sugar
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted chicken broth, plus more as needed
2 green peppers, halved lengthwise, stemmed, seeded
2 cups fresh corn
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
Chopped cilantro, sour cream, pickled onions, and sliced avocado for serving

Cornbread Topping
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (175 mL) cornmeal
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) shredded extra sharp cheddar
1 cup (250 mL) 2% milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) canola oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (60 mL) butter, melted, slightly cooled
Directions:
Season pork steaks generously with salt and pepper. Using same Dutch
oven, add 1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil and heat over medium-high heat.
Working in two batches, if necessary, sear pork until deeply browned,
about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate.Preheat oven to
325°F (163°C).

Drain chilies and place in a blender with tomatoes, onion, garlic,
cumin, chipotle, brown sugar and chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Season generously with salt.

Return pork to Dutch oven and pour chili sauce overtop—pork
should be mostly submerged; add a splash more broth, if necessary.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and transfer to oven. Bake until pork is fall-apart tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Remove pork from oven. Transfer meat to a large baking pan. Using
tongs or two forks, shred meat, discarding bone, extra fat and
cartilage. Stir meat back into sauce.

Meanwhile, set oven to broil. Place peppers on a foil-lined sheet pan,
cut sides down. Flatten with palm of hand. Broil in top third of oven
until nicely charred, about 4 minutes. Flip and broil for another 3 to 4
minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into small dice. Add
peppers to pot with pork along with green onions and corn. Stir to
combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly oil a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33-cm)
casserole dish.Add enough pork mixture until it’s three quarters full,
saving rest (covered and refrigerated) for another use.

For the cornbread topping, whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking
powder and salt in a large mixing bowl until combined. Stir in cheese 

to distribute evenly. Set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk milk, oil, eggs and butter. Pour
wet ingredients into dry and mix gently with a silicone spatula until

just combined- Do Not Overmix.

Top pork with spoonfuls of batter and spread evenly. Bake until lightlygolden and a toothpick inserted in middle of cornbread comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. (If edges are getting too dark and cornbread isn’t done, cover perimeter with foil.)

Cool 15 minutes, then spoon onto plates and serve with garnishes, if
using. Serves 8

Blackberry Super Sauce

                                                            

 Blackberry Super Sauce

The magic of this recipe lies in its versatility. Maybe you’ve got meat on the grill. Great—this brightens and deepens the experience. 

Perhaps you’re thinking of a fresh seasonal take on a mocktail or a mojito. Or you simply need to spice up some chicken. Either way, you’re equipped by building off the base in your chosen direction.

For Savory Applications Like BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons coconut aminos
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup tomato paste
1 whole chipotle pepper
1 small can of hatch chilis or one roasted poblano
8 ounces fresh blackberries
3 cloves crushed garlic
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Salt to taste

Directions: 

Make the sauce by combining the ingredients in a blender with 3/4 of the blackberries. Blend until blackberries are smooth.

Heat in a saucepan over medium for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pop the remaining blackberries into the pan and cook for 3 more minutes or until mixture thickens a little. Allow to cool somewhat before using. Salt to taste.                          Edible Monterey

Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Purchase canned chipotle peppers and freeze the leftovers, adding them to soups and chili when desired. When basting the burgers with barbecue sauce only use half of the sauce to begin, using more if needed. This way the bulk of your sauce won’t be contaminated with chicken juices, and it can be reused later on. Makes 3 cups (750 mL)

Ingredients:                                                                                               1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil

½ cup (125 mL) onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1½ cups (375 mL) ketchup

¼ cup (50 mL) molasses

½ chipotle pepper (or to taste), very finely chopped

1 tbsp (15 mL) yellow mustard

1 cup (250 mL) flavorful beer

Directions:                                                                                             In a small saucepan heat oil over medium heat, add onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.

Add ketchup, molasses, chipotle pepper, mustard and beer.

Bring to the boil, then lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until thickened; it should be the consistency of a regular barbecue sauce. Remove from heat and cool.

Grilled Mexican Sweet Corn (Elote Recipe)

Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

If you aren’t able to find traditional Mexican crema in your local grocery store, use regular sour cream spiked with some lime juice. You can also substitute crumbled feta for the cotija cheese.

Ingredients
6 to 8 medium ears sweet corn, husks removed
1/2 cup Mexican crema, or sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest, from 1 lime
2 tablespoons lime juice, from 1 lime
1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
Lime wedges, to serve
Directions:
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to 400°F. Once the grill is hot, clean the grates.

Whisk together the sauce:
Meanwhile, whisk together the crema, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, chipotle pepper, lime zest, and lime juice. Taste and season the mixture with salt if needed. (Crema and cotija cheese have a little salt already, so add extra judiciously.) Set aside.

Grill the corn:
Place the husked corn directly onto grill grates. Grill the corn for about 3 minutes, undisturbed, or until kernels begin to turn golden brown and look charred. Turn over and repeat. When all sides are browned, remove from the grill onto a plate.

Top the corn with sauce and cheese:
Using a brush or a spoon, coat each ear of corn with the crema mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled cojita cheese. Sprinkle with additional chipotle pepper, if desired. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges. Serves 6 to 8