Smoky Bow Tie Pasta with Brussel's Sprouts, Chorizo and Raisins

As the days shorten, I start to prepare more substantial meals for my family. Soups, stews and pastas move in to take the place of lighter summer fare. The pasta I am featuring today was developed for the McCormick Go4Gourmet promotion and they are sponsoring this post.

McCormick herbs and spices have long been a mainstay of my pantry. They are readily available and I know from experience that they are dependably fresh and of top quality. Equally important is the company's ability to communicate with its customers. They keep coming up with  fantastic new recipes and spice blends that the adventurer in me simply can't resist. So, I watched with interest when McCormick launched a challenge called Go4Gourmet. You can imagine how thrilled I was when they asked me to create a recipe for the current round. My recipe had to include chorizo, Brussel's sprouts, smoked paprika and chicken stock.

The ingredients I received for the challenge included a jar of McCormick's smoked paprika. I planned to use it as the flavor base for my recipe. I thought it would work well with the Spanish chorizo and allow me to create a one-dish meal that was filling, earthy and vaguely old-world, but without ties to a specific cuisine.

You'll need a large skillet and a 5 to 6-quart pot to make this family meal. The sausage is browned and the Brussel's sprouts are braised in a broth that develops a vague smoky sweetness as it simmers. While it bubbles away, water can be brought to a boil for the pasta. The dish can be on the table in about 45 minutes. Be sure to serve it with lots of crusty bread and a large chopped salad.

Smoky Bow Tie Pasta with Brussel's Sprouts, Chorizo and Raisins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
6 to 7 ounces Spanish chorizo, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup golden raisins
2 cups 1 (14.5-oz.) can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
12-ounces bow tie pasta (farfalle)

Directions:
1) Heat butter in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add smoked paprika and diced chorizo. Saute until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.
2) Add Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper to skillet and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add raisins, chicken stock and liquid smoke. Lower heat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sprouts are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and shake dry, then return it to pot. Add sprout mixture, including liquid, to pasta and toss to combine. If mixture appears dry, moisten with some reserved pasta water. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

Stuffed Anaheim Peppers and Homemade Enchilada Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These peppers are a great make-ahead family meal. They're easy to prepare and make a nice addition to your Mexican-style or Southwestern repertoire. The recipe defines simplicity. Soft (uncooked) chorizo sausage is mixed with cheese and a bit of oregano before being piped into Anaheim or banana peppers that will be topped with an enchilada sauce and a bit more cheese prior to baking. A recipe for enchilada sauce appears below. While the sauce can be homemade or store bought, I suggest you choose one that is not overly hot. The peppers have some heat and the chorizo can be quite spicy. I've found the addition of a really hot sauce can be a bit too much for the standard palate to bear. I like to serve these with a salad that's laced with lots of iceberg lettuce. I know its use is frowned on, but I've never found a replacement that adds the same crunch to salads, and the crispness is really pleasant here. If you'd like to add more color to the meal, a yellow or cilantro rice would be a great accompaniment. Gals, I've have to be honest here. This is guy food, of the grow hair on your chest variety. Teenage boys and their fathers will worship the ground you walk on when you serve these. Your daughters will think you've come unwrapped. So, be foreward. This is fraternity food. Don't forget to pass bottled hot sauce at the table. You'll probably also want to pass some sour cream to dowse the fire the sauce will cause. Here are the two recipes.

Stuffed Anaheim Peppers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
6 large Anaheim or banana peppers
1-1/2 pounds chorizo sausage
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1-1/4 cups grated Monterey jack cheese, divided use
3 cups cups enchilada sauce

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Slice off tops and remove seeds and ribs from peppers.
3) Remove chorizo from casing and mash into a paste. Add 1 cup cheese and oregano and mix well.
4) Divide sausage mixture into 6 portions. Roll each portion into a spindle shape and shove point first into into a pepper using a small spoon to force mixture into cavity. Alternatively, mixture can be piped into peppers using a pastry bag and wide-tipped nozzle. Overfill slightly.
5) Film bottom of a baking dish with about 1 cup enchilada sauce. Arrange peppers in dish on top of sauce. Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup cheese. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot. Yield: 6 peppers.

Enchilada Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup New Mexico chili powder (I use whatever I have and usually not 1/4 cup, more like half of that)
1 can chicken broth
10 ounces tomato puree
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook 30 seconds longer. Stir in chicken broth, 1/4 cup water, tomato puree, oregano and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt. Yield: 3 cups.







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Two Years Ago Today: Braised Pork - Cotes de Porc L'Auvergnate








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Grilled Banana Peppers with Feta Cheese - Closet Cooking
Cheese Stuffed Mixed Grilled Peppers - So Many Recipes
Spicy Stuffed Banana Peppers - The Food Lovers Primal Palate
Grilled Banana Pepper Salad - Greek Food Recipes and Recollections
Mexican Stuffed Red Peppers - Kitchen Scoop

Mexican Rice

Events in our corner of the world move quickly and prove, yet again, that the indefatigable Murphy is alive and well and looking for any excuse to further test his law and all its corollaries. To wit, the washing machine stopped mid-cycle this morning, no doubt aping the control panel of the oven which chose to go black during preparations for last night's dinner. I sought solace at the computer, only to find that several small pair of hands had created a screen resolution previously unseen by mankind. My composure remained intact until dinner this evening, when our 3 year old grandson, whose dad is a minister, announced, following grace, that "Opa talks to Jesus lots." That, of course, caused me to choke on my water before finally surrendering to the limitations of the day. Now, back at the computer with the strange resolution, I have another rice recipe to share with you. Anyone who spent a portion of their childhood in the late forties and early fifties can tell you about Spanish rice. It was a commonly served dish that was as good or bad as the cook who made it. Most versions of the rice were made with tomato soup and ground beef that could be quickly assembled and on the table in minutes. A few lucky souls got to have a more authentic Mexican rice which was considerably more flavorful than its Spanish cousin. There is a fine line that separates the two. Most people believe Spanish rice gets its color from saffron, and that Mexican rice gets its color from cumin and tomato. If you look at the large number of recipes that exist for both types, I'm not so sure that's really true. At least not anymore. The recipe I used as my inspiration was developed by Emeril Lagasse and he really blurred the lines between the two. I have altered his recipe to suit our tastes and eliminated ingredients such as lard and saffron. This is a great dish for lunch and I've yet to come across a teen age boy who does not love it. They accept it for what it is. Good basic food that's inexpensive and easy to prepare. I hope you'll give this dish a try. It's really good. Here's the recipe.

Mexican Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup ground pork
1/4 pound chorizo, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped white onions
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups long grain rice
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 cups chicken stock, or water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add pork and cook, stirring until no longer pink. Add sausage and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock, salt, and turmeric, and stir well. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover, and cook undisturbed until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
2) Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff rice with a fork. Add the oregano and cilantro, and stir to incorporate. Turn into a decorative bowl and garnish with green onions. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Beans and Rice Salad - Eclectic Recipes
Saffron and Red Pepper Risotto - Sugar Crafter
Rice and Olive Salad - La Fuji Mama
Shrimp Risotto - Coco Cooks
Spicy Tomato and Vegetable Rice - Chow and Chatter
Spanish Rice - Taste Tempters