Philly Food Lovers' Chili Vinegar
Ingredients:
1 pint white vinegar
1 large jalapeno pepper (or enough fresh chilis of your choice to make about 1/4 cup pureed)
Equipment:
4 coffee filters
Sauce pan, blender, funnel, strainer (or two) medium sized bowl
Puree pepper and vinegar in blender. Heat to simmer in saucepan over low. Cool completely, and using funnel, pour mixture back into vinegar bottle. Set this aside and forget about it. The longer you let it infuse, the hotter it will be. Anything from an hour to a week works. When your aging process is complete, place coffee filter in strainer over bowl. Carefully pour vinegar into strainer and let it drip into bowl. Once filter becomes saturated it will no longer strain, so you will need to move onto the next filter. Continue this process until all the vinegar is filtered and solids are removed. Rinse bottle thoroughly. Discard the pepper solids, and, using funnel, pour strained vinegar back into bottle. Decorate as desired and present to impressed friends.
NOTE: This same process applies to fruit vinegars: peaches, blueberries and raspberries that are past their useful life as consumable fresh fruit make wonderful flavored vinegar. Use the same procedure describe above, but age on the longer side--at least 3 days.
Our friend Chef Jon Jividen has come up aces again. He combined two of our favorite things: Chilis and chocolate to create Cantina Fudge Coffee Brownies with Chipotle, or as we deem them, Love Squares (recipe below).
We have already discussed how the body's response to chilis mimics the physiological effects of erotic arousal. We recently learned that the chemical ingredients in chocolate can create the euphoric feeling we experience when in love. With the combo Jon drummed up, well, we think we know what we're doing Saturday night. (Hold on, we need a moment.)
Chocolate contains small amounts of three substances, caffeine, theobromine and phenyethylamine that, together, quite simply, make us feel good. We all know the delights of the morning caffeine burst--but chocolate contains much less caffeine than coffee or tea, so the effect is more of a gentle caress than a hearty jolt. Theobromine is also a stimulant, but much milder than caffeine. Phenyethylamine is reputed to be a mood elevator and an anti-depressant. The combination of these three substances, giving you extra energy, making your heart beat a little faster, making you a bit jumpy and slightly giddy....well, you can see how chocolate could be linked to love.
Jon says:
"This recipe has two great angles going for it; the sweet/hot flavor dance and the combination of chocolate and coffee. I have found that coffee does beautiful things with chocolate. The two complement and enhance one another and a dash of coffee in any chocolate dessert
will actually ‘bump’ the flavor and intensity of chocolate. (What could be better than a fabulous chocolate truffle and a cup of espresso)? Chipotle chilis are one of my favorites. I love the smoky richness and depth of flavor. I have utilized them in this recipe, along with de Arbol chilis.
So, what happens when you combine chocolate, coffee, smoke and heat? Something close to ethereal."
‘Cantina’ Fudge Coffee Brownies with Chipotle
6 oz. (1 ½ sticks sweet butter)
1 11 oz bag semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped ( Ghirardelli or Callebaut brand )
1 generous tsp ground chipotle chile powder
1 scant tsp ground ancho chilie powder
1 ½ TBS. finely ground French roast coffee beans (any dark roast will suffice )
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs, (room temp)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
optional: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts – (or Macadamia, cashews, almonds or pecans)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8” x 8” square baking pan. (see note below re: pan)
Melt butter and 5 oz. of the chocolate in double boiler or saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.
When melted and blended, remove from heat and add chilis and coffee. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Whisk eggs and sugar together in large bowl until smooth and light in color.
Add the chocolate/butter mixture to the bowl, then add remaining ingredients – including the extra 3 oz. of chopped chocolate.
Fold ingredients together until just blended.
Pour batter into pan and bake for 30 minutes in lower shelf of oven.
NOTE: You may also use an oblong 8"x12" pan. The brownies will be slightly thinner so reduce cooking time to 30 minutes.
Remove and let cool to room temperature. Cut into squares and wrap or store in air tight container.
Of course, it's best to proceed cautiously with love potions...just ask Ron Weasley.
The quickest way to insult a Mexican is to insinuate that Chili con Carne is a Mexican dish; the quickest way to insult a Texan is to add beans to your Chili con Carne. The pure bred Texan version is allowed the occasional onion or tomato, but beans are a no-no. Why make so big a fuss about such an unpretentious dish?
San Antonio, TX lays claim to being the birthplace of Chili con Carne, according to food researcher, Linda Stradley in her expansive account of the murky myths and folklore surrounding this popular dish (see whatscookingamerica/net).
Chili historians claim that Chili con Carne originated with cowboys on the road, who would reconstitute their rations - dried slabs of beef - and make it more palatable by boiling up the beef in water flavored by chili peppers.
The original Cowboys cheerleaders -- dig those pants.
Delve into the origin of the dried chili powder however, and all hell breaks loose...no one seems to be able to agree who devised the powdered version which underpins most Chili con Carnes made at home today.
No matter. The following recipe forwarded by our neighbor Dana's godmother is sure to upset any of our Texan readers. It's barely recognizable as a Chili con Carne, but we can't wait to try it over the Thanksgiving Holidays!
Give thanks to Diana Charnok for her exciting rendition of
Chili con Acorn Squash.
6 slices bacon 1 large yellow onion 3 cloves garlic 1/2 jalapeno pepper (or more to taste) 1 large bell pepper 2 Tbsp safflower oil 1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed 1 lb meat loaf mix (ground beef/veal/pork) 1 cup red wine 1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce 1 tsp dry hot mustard dash celery seeds 1 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp salt 6 cups fresh plum tomatoes, crushed in your hands, with liquid 1 can each: pinto, black, garbanzo and kidney beans with liquid 6 roasted and spiced acorn squash (instructions below) Garnishes: sour cream, pepitas (roasted seeds, see below), melted cheese, splash of beer
* Heat oil in large pot. Add bacon, onion, garlic and peppers. Cook 3 minutes.
* In a separate pot, saute Italian sausage ground meat.
* Drain most of the liquid from the meat.
* When browned, mix the whole mess together in large pan and add wine, Worcestershire sauce,
and seasonings.
* Simmer 10 minutes.
*Meanwhile, Squish tomatoes in your hands and add them to simmering pot.
*Add beans with liquid, and simmer all ingredients for 1 hour.
*Scoop the chili into the prepared squash shells and serve with garnishes.
For Pepitas:
Cut each squash in half, remove seeds.
Spread seeds on baking sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle seeds with cinnamon
and nutmeg. Roast at 350, stirring frequently, until toasted, approximately 10 minutes.
For Squash:
Roast the halves, on baking sheets, cut side up, at 350 degrees, for 45 mins, or until squash is
cooked through.
To serve:
Load up the squash with your chili meat. Top this concoction with sour cream, pepitas and a
Our new friend Jon Jividen, Chef at 12th Street Catering, which also operates 12th Street Cantina at Reading Terminal Market, was chatting chilis with us the other day. He invoked a version of the old adage "You are what you eat" and discussed the fact that he can glean a lot of information about people by their food selections. Jon elaborates, with respect to chilis: "Why is it that when we eat spicy foods containing hot chilis, we suppress the initial ‘burn’ of pain, only to consume another mouthful and repeat the process? That behavior has been coined ‘mouth surfing’. When our taste buds detect capsaicin, (the chemical in peppers that causes the burn), our brains release endorphins; a natural pain killer ‘feel good’ chemical. Our unconscious response is…'The pleasure was worth more than the pain;' quickly followed by 'I want to do it again!'". Kind of explains why people have more than one child.
Unless you are like Ben Stiller's character in Along Came Polly, in which case, chilis are not for you.
Fortunately, we are not in this category.
Jon also described a theory of his that is often discussed among food historians and culinary anthropologists. The idea is that spicy chilis have played a major role in contributing to the aura of particular societies. Consider Mexico. We associate Mexico with lots of color, conviviality, fiesta and excitement. Could part of this social behavior be due to extensive use of chile peppers in their diet?? He brings the point home with the following suggestion: The next time you are with friends sharing a bowl of extra spicy salsa, watch the mood of the group ramp up as more salsa gets consumed. (Leave Margaritas out of the equation….maybe try a Hot Mango Mess instead?)
We are also indebted to Jon for this fab photo, an idea on how to use chilis in a creative and colorful centerpiece. This is for a rather elaborate buffet but a scaled down version would be hot hot hot at your next dinner party.
Finally, we tip our toques both to Jon for his interesting insights into chilis, and to Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826) who is the author of the quote alluded to above; the original translation is: "Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are." Brillat-Savarin could be called the godfather of all food bloggers. A French lawyer and politician who gained fame as an epicure, Brillat-Savarin is largely credited for founding the whole genre of the gastronomic essay. Merci, Monsieur.
Marica Pariante Angelides, for her mortifying tale of unwittingly lecturing a culinary legend:
"When I first moved to the US from Italy in 1992 I worked as a lawyer for the Italian Vinegar Consortium. They sent me to a major Food Expo in California--not for my culinary knowledge, which was minimal, but because I was the only person on the team who spoke English. I was manning the booth when an elderly woman approached. I shared with her my rudimentary cooking skills as they related to balsamic vinegar. As I spoke, she nodded and I noticed a large and hushed crowd gathering around us. I was surprised how interesting they found my talk, and rambled on for several more minutes. I learned hours later that I had given a cooking tutorial to none other than Julia Child and a swath of her admirers. Now THAT was embarrassing!" Marica wins a bottle of our homemade chili vinegar (not balsamic).
We take exception to the term "amateur chef." It seems to imply a lack of competence or professionalism on the part of some cooks, simply because they don't work in restaurants. We were pondering this term as we prepared to profile one of our favorite foodies who could be (in)accurately described as such. Rodney is not paid to cook, but he is no amateur. His braises are legendary. His lemon curd sublime. And while we occasionally rue the fact that he does not showcase his culinary prowess to a wider audience, we relish the fact that this grants us more access to it.
As a frequent, dare we say, constant habitue of Reading Terminal Market, it was only a matter of time before Rodney was corralled into collaborating with us.
We thank him for sharing a chili cocktail recipe that he invented just for Philly Food Lovers:
Hot Mango Mess
2 parts vodka (he recommends Grey Goose; we concur)
5 parts mango juice
1 part lime juice
1 part chili simple syrup (recipe follows)
sweet spice for dusting (recipe follows)
Combine all ingredients in a shaker of ice. Shake well and pour into martini glass rimmed with sweet spice.
Chili Simple Syrup
1-2 chilies, seeded (depending on desired heat)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
Bring ingredients to boil in saucepan. Let boil until reduced to syrupy consistency.
Sweet Spice
1/2 cup raw sugar
dash cayenne pepper
double dash chili powder
Blend all ingredients; pour into dusting tin or flat dish to rim chilled glasses.
Maybe Rodney will snag a gig as the millennial version of the Galloping Gourmet....Unlike Graham Kerr in the clip below, we're sure he can get his souffle out when the time comes...
And for this week's contest: Come up with the successor's name--what WOULD we call Rodney if he succeeded Graham Kerr (aka The Galloping Gourmet) with his own special brand of food and entertainment? Post entries on our Facebook page. The winner will be announced Monday October 25, Rodney will cast the deciding vote, and yes there will be a prize.
According to Wired magazine, India is investigating the use of the ferocious bhut jolokia chili pepper as a replacement for tear gas in its weaponry. On the chili heat index, the bhut jolokia is over a million times hotter than its cousin - the unassuming Bell pepper and over 100 times hotter than a Jalapeno. Phewee.
Turning away from the subject of War, we return to our preferred topic, of Love. And Jalapenos. Thanks to our neighborhood friend, Farah, for confiding to us her secret weapon: Jalapeno Pakoras. Farah recollects how in Singapore she bewitched her fiance, now husband, by customizing this recipe and marrying the flavors of East and West...Of course, we know that her boundless beauty, limitless charm, and mad sex appeal contributed to his ardor, but the pakoras are pretty great, too. (Farah, who is a former Miss Singapore, is the one on the right...)
Jalapeno Pakoras (or A Mexican Starter with an Indian Twist)
1 dozen jalapenos, poblanos or any peppers good for stuffing
Filling: 8 oz Paneer or Feta, Cheddar, or any mild cheese 1 tbs mild chili powder or paprika 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder Salt to taste
Batter: 1cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp cumin powder 2 tbs garlic powder 2 tbs paprika 2 tsp salt 2 tsp ground black pepper water Breadcrumbs
Partially slice open the top of each pepper and remove the seeds keeping the top still attached.
Crumb or grate the cheese into a bowl and mix in the chili, coriander, cumin powders and salt to taste.
Massage all the spices into the cheese and mold the cheese into 12 equal balls. Stuff the peppers with this mixture.
For the batter, combine the flour and seasonings in a bowl. Add water, a bit at a time until you get a thick and sticky batter.
Dip the stuffed peppers into the batter and coat with the breadcrumbs.
Place the peppers onto a baking sheet on a baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes until golden brown or fry in hot oil for a few minutes on each side.
We can't guarantee that these will lasso you a spouse, but we promise they will taste great.
All this talk of food and love put us in mind of the old adage, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach," and of the irreverent and amusing Robert Byrnes version: "Anyone who says that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach flunked geography." Also reminded us of this bizarrely erotic food/seduction scene in 9 1/2 weeks. You won't believe what Mickey Rourke looked like before he started wearing chihuahua ashes around his neck...
