The Recipe

4 pounds beef short ribs (about 8 ribs)
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
Some dried Arbol and Guajillo chiles. The Arbol add heat and the Guajillo add a deep earthy flavor. The number of each you use depends on how spicy you like it. The chiles are the main flavoring for this soup though, so don’t go light.
A few tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cloves
Some corn on the cob, each one cut into 3 pieces
A few potatoes, cut into chunks
A handful or two of string beans, trimmed and cut into 2 or 3 pieces
One or two zucchini, cut into 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ strips. Or roughly cut into chunks.
One bunch of cilantro

For serving:
Tortillas, grilled or heated in oven
Lime wedges
Sliced Radishes
Chopped onion
Chopped cilantro, optional

Simmer the short ribs in water to cover with the onion, carrot, and celery.

While the ribs are cooking, make the salsa roja. Place the dried chiles in hot water for a few minutes, to reconstitute them a little. Remove from water and place in a blender with the tomatoes, the chopped 1/2 onion, the garlic, and the two cloves. Blend until smooth.

After the ribs have cooked for about two hours, add the salsa roja to the pot with the ribs.

Simmer for another 1/2 hour or so, then add the corn and the potatoes to the pot. When they’re about half cooked, add the string beans. Then after a little bit, add the zucchini and cilantro. It doesn’t matter so much when you add each vegetable, as long as none of them overcook.

Taste the stew, and adjust seasoning. If it’s not spicy enough, soak and puree more dried chiles, and stir it in. If the stew tastes bland, add salt. If it’s spicy enough but not balanced, add some lime juice; the citric acid will lift the flavors.

To serve, ladle the stew into bowls. Serve the tortillas on side plates with a couple lime wedges, some chopped onion, and radish slices, and maybe some chopped cilantro.

The best way to eat mole is to cut off some short rib meat with a spoon, wrap it in a tortilla with some onion and radish, and dip the whole in the soup to moisten it with the fiery flavor.

Enjoy!

The Recipe

Source: Second Helpings from Union Square Cafe by Danny Meyer

4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 4 to 5 ears); corncobs cut into 2-inch pieces and reserved
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup well washed and diced leek, white part only
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
pinch of ground turmeric
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 cup sliced (1/8-inch-thick rounds) fingerling or small new potatoes (about 12 ounces)
1 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

Combine half of the corn kernels, the cut-up corncobs, the cream, and milk in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and use tongs to remove and discard the corncobs. Puree the corn and cream mixture in a blender in as many batches as necessary. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and into a large bowl, and set aside.

Melt the butter over low heat in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, jalapeño, ginger, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the remaining corn and the potatoes and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the reserved pureed corn mixture to the saucepan with the vegetables. Pour in the vegetable or chicken stock, bring to a simmer, and cook gently, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with chives, and serve.

The Recipe

Source: Cucina del Sole: A Celebration of Southern Italian Cooking by Nancy Harmon Jenkins:

2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced or cut into chunks
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sweet peppers, preferably red and yellow
1 pound ripe fresh tomatoes, diced, or 1 cup chopped drained canned plum tomatoes
1 fresh or dried red chili, or more to taste

Combine the onions and olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold all the ingredients and set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, then stir in the potatoes along with salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender enough to pierce with the point of a knife.

Meanwhile, peel the sweet peppers, using a vegetable peeler to remove the thin filament on the outside. Cut the peppers into long, inch-wide strips.

Add the pepper strips to the pan, stirring carefully to mix well without breaking up the potatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the peppers are beginning to soften, then stir in the tomatoes. (Note that because the peppers are raw, they will take longer to soften than roasted peppers would.) Cut the fresh chili in half, discard most of the seeds and white membrane, cut it into very thin slices, and add to the pan; if using dried chili, break it shaking out and discarding most of the seeds (which is where a lot of the heat is located) and crumble into the pan. Stir once more and cook for another 15 minutes, until the tomato sauce is thick and all the vegetables are very soft. If there is still a lot of liquid in the pan, raise the heat and boil rapidly until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy sauce.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Peperonata is also often served at room temperature.

The Recipe

Source: Saveur Magazine

(Makes about 2 quarts)

4 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried mustard powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
juice of 1 lime

Combine corn, garlic, onions, jalapeños, and peppers in a bowl. Divide corn mixture evenly between 2 one-quart glass jars with tight-fitting lids. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard, turmeric, and 1 cup water in a 4-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove pan from heat; stir in lime juice. Pour vinegar mixture over corn; seal jars. Let cool. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

The Recipe

Source: Cucina del Sole: A Celebration of Southern Italian Cooking by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, if necessary
1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds refreshed salt cod or fresh fish
all-purpose flour for dredging fresh fish
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato concentrate, extract, or paste
3 sweet red peppers, roasted and peeled
½ small fresh hot green or red chili, roasted and peeled
2 tablespoons golden raisins, soaked in hot water to plump
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts
½ cup minced flat-leaf parsley

In a medium skillet, heat ½ cup of the olive oil over medium heat until it has reached frying temperature (360 F).

While the oil is heating, cut the fish into 1-inch pieces. Pat refreshed salt cod dry with paper towels. If you’re using fresh fish, pat it dry, then dredge it lightly in flour, spread on a plate. (Do the drying and dredging right before you’re ready to fry; otherwise the coating will get gummy.)

When the oil is hot, add the fish pieces to the pan a few at a time and fry briskly until golden on all sides, transferring the finished pieces to a rack spread with paper towels to drain.

When all the fish pieces are done, lower the heat to low. Discard the oil, wipe the pan out, and add 2 tablespoons of fresh olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft. Add the tomatoes, raise the heat slightly, and cook vigorously. As the tomatoes yield their liquid, stir in the tablespoon of concentrate. Continue to cook the tomatoes until they have disintegrated into a chunky sauce.

While the tomatoes are cooking, slice the peeled peppers into long 1/2-inch-thick strips. Chop the chili coarsely. Drain the soaking raisins.

Lower the heat under the tomato sauce again, then taste and add salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the salt cod my be very salty. Stir in the peppers, raisins, and pine nuts. Finally, fold in the pieces of fried fish. Cook the fish in the sauce over low heat for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors together, then serve immediately, garnished with the minced parsley.

The Recipe

Source: A Taste of Southern Italy by Marlena de Blasi

4 fat cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
zest of 1 large orange, removed in strips with a potato peeler
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1 small, dried red chile pepper, crushed, or 1/3 to ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 cup good red wine
4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, drained of their oil and thinly shredded
4 ounces dried black olives, stones removed
12 ounces bucatini or other dried string pasta
coarse sea salt for the water
1 handful of torn basil leaves

With a mezzalune or a very sharp knife, mince the garlic and the zest to a paste.

In a sauté pan over a medium flame, heat the olive oil and add the almonds, sautéing them a minute or two in the oil, taking care not to let them get too dark. Remove from the flame and add the garlic/orange paste and the crushed chile, stirring them about and permitting them to scent the oil and the almonds. Set the pan aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the wine and add the sun-dried tomatoes and the dried olives, bringing the mixture just to a simmer. Remove the pan from the flame, cover it, and permit the tomatoes and the olives to plump up a bit for 10 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and the olives with a slotted spoon and add them to the sauté pan with the almonds. Reduce the remaining wine over a lively flame to a tablespoon or so and add it to the sauté pan.

Cook the pasta in abundant boiling, sea-salted water to al dente, draining it but leaving it somewhat wet. Transfer the pasta to a large, shallow, warmed bowl, tossing it with the just rewarmed sauce, coating each strand. Strew the pasta with a few torn leaves of basil and present it with good red wine.

The Recipe

Source: Pasta Improvvisata : How to Improvise in Classic Italian Style by Erica de Mane

Ziti with Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce, Prosciutto, Black Olives, and Hot Chile

1 recipe Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce [see below]
3 or 4 thin slices prosciutto, trimmed of some fat, cut in small pieces
a large handful of black olives, pitted and cut in half (I use Gaeta here)
1 fresh red or green chile, seeded and very finely minced (taste a bit of the flesh to see how hot it is; you may want to add only a tiny amount)
1 pound ziti

Make the tomato sauce and, while it is still warm, mix in the prosciutto, olives, and chile.

Cook the ziti until al dente, drain, and toss with the sauce.

Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce

about 15 plum tomatoes (2 to 2 ½ pounds), coarsely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
a few tablespoons olive oil
2 or 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
a small handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
a small handful of fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 500 F.

Place the chopped tomatoes on a baking sheet. They shouldn’t be too crowded, so if you think it is necessary, use 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Mix the tomatoes with your hands until they are well coated with oil. Distribute them evenly in one layer on the baking sheet. Roast about 10 minutes, stirring the tomatoes once or twice so they cook evenly. Sprinkle the garlic and the herbs on top of the tomatoes and mix briefly. Roast another 5 to 10 minutes. The tomatoes should be slightly browned around the edges of the pan but still moist. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl, and while still hot, break them up a bit with a fork, saving all the juices.

The Recipe

Source: Rosa’s New Mexican Table by Roberto Santibanez

Make the Ranchera Sauce:

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, roasted, peeled, and cored
2 serrano chiles
2 large garlic cloves
a 2-inch piece of Mexican cinnamon stick
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 small white onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 ½ teaspoons salt, or as needed
1 teaspoon sugar, or as needed

Working in batches if necessary, combine the tomatoes, chiles, and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Center the cinnamon stick on a 6-inch square of cheesecloth and tie the corners of the square together to make a neat bundle. (Mexican cinnamon will fall apart during cooking and the pieces can be difficult to remove from the finished dish. Wrapping the cinnamon in cheesecloth makes it easy to remove it all after cooking.)

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the pureed tomato mixture and bring to a boil. Stir in the salt, sugar, and cinnamon bundle. Adjust the heat so the sauce is simmering. Cook until lightly thickened (just enough to coat a spoon), about 30 minutes. If the sauce thickens too much before that time, lower the heat slightly and add water, a tablespoon or two at a time.

Remove the sauce from the heat and check the seasonings, adding more salt and sugar if you like. The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat over low heat, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary to return the sauce to the right consistency.

Prepare and Stuff the Poblanos:

seven 6-ounce bags (or six 7-ounce bags) baby spinach or 2 ½ pounds loose baby spinach
¼ cup mild olive oil
½ cup raisins
½ cup pine nuts
salt
2 cups Ranchera sauce [above recipe]
6 large poblano chiles (about 1 ¼ pounds), roasted and prepared for stuffing
½ cup crema, crème fraiche, or thinned sour cream
half an 11-ounce log plain goat cheese, cut into 6 slices
¼ cup coarsely chopped epazote or cilantro

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the spinach a bagful at a time (or in 6 or 7 batches) and cook just until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle.

Working in batches, squeeze as much water from the spinach as possible (be very serious about the squeezing!). Coarsely chop the spinach. There will be about 2 very tightly packed cups.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach, raisins, and pine nuts and cook, stirring to break up the clumps of spinach, until the raisins are puffy, the pine nuts are starting to toast, and almost all the liquid has evaporated. Season the spinach with salt, then pour in ¾ cup water and cook until the water has evaporated. (It may seem odd to add water after taking the time to cook off the liquid, but there is a sound reason: the addition of water helps carry the salt evenly throughout the dense spinach mixture.) Remove from the heat and let cool.

Pour the sauce into an 11 by 9-inch baking dish or other baking dish that will hold the stuffed chiles snugly. Divide the filling among the chiles, filling them loosely. Put them opening side up in the baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes.

Drizzle the crema over the chiles while they are still in the baking dish, then transfer them to serving plates, spooning some of the cream-enriched sauce over and around them. (It is not necessary to blend the cream completely with the ranchera sauce; in fact, the plates will look nicer with a streaky sauce.) Top each chile with a round of goat cheese and some chopped epazote, and serve.

The Recipe

Source: Land of Plenty by Fuchsia Dunlop

1 head of celery (about 1 pound)
4 scallions, white and green parts
a small handful of dried chiles (8-10 chiles)
about 1 pound lean beef (flank steak is good)
salt
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or medium-dry sherry
about 1/3 peanut oil
2 teaspoons Sichuan pepper
3 tablespoons chili bean paste
3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
4 tablespoons potato flour mixed with 4 tablespoons cold water, or 6 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons cold water

Clean and remove the fibrous outer edge of the celery stalks. Chop each stalk into 3 or 4 sections, then slice these lengthwise into 1/2-inch sticks. Gently crush the scallions and chop them into 3 sections to match the celery. Wearing rubber gloves, snip the chiles in half, discarding as many seeds as possible. Remove any fat from the beef and cut it, against the grain, into thin slices about 1 inch by 2 inches (you should have about ¾ pound of beef after trimming). Add a ¼ teaspoon of salt and the Shaoxing rice wine, mix well, and leave to marinate while you prepare everything else.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok until hot but not yet smoking. Add the chiles and Sichuan pepper and stir-fry until they are fragrant and the chiles are just beginning to brown (take care not to burn them). Then immediately slide the spices out into a bowl, leaving the oil in the wok. When they have cooled down a little, move them onto a cutting board and chop them finely with a gentle rocking motion, using a cleaver taken in both hands or a two-handled chopper. Set them aside to use later.

Return the oily wok to the stove and heat over a high flame. When it is smoking, add the vegetables and stir-fry for a minute or two, adding 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt to taste, until they are hot and just-cooked but still crunchy. Then pour them into the serving bowl.

Heat another 3 tablespoons of oil in the wok over a high flame, until just beginning to smoke. Turn the heat down to medium, add in the chili bean paste, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until the oil is red and fragrant. Add the stock and the dark soy sauce, season to taste with salt, and return to a boil over a high flame. Then add the potato flour or cornstarch mixture to the beef and stir well in one direction to coat all the pieces. When the sauce is boiling vigorously, drop in the beef slices. Wait for the sauce to return to a boil and then use a pair of chopsticks to gently separate the slices. Simmer for a minute or so, until the beef is just cooked, and then spoon it onto the waiting vegetables. Pour over the sauce.

Swiftly rinse out the wok and dry it well. Heat another 3-4 tablespoons of oil in the wok until smoking. Sprinkle the chopped chiles and Sichuan pepper over the beef dish and then pour over the smoking oil, which will sizzle dramatically. If you move quickly, the dish will still be fizzing when you bring it to the table.