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Mexiterranean Quiche

Mexiterranean Quiche
Mexiterranean Quiche

This quiche was inspired by some recent searches for ways to add extra fiber to our diets.  We stumbled across some well seasoned and fried to a crisp chickpeas and decided to combine this with some old school pan fried chicken.  Might as well add some green chile prepared using the same frying method.  Brings a little extra heat to the game.  The name for this quiche was provided by one of the boys as I was describing what was in it.  Mexiterranean quiche taking some of the goodness of the Mediterranean dishes that use the chickpeas (otherwise served as Hummus) combined with the medium heat of the Green Chile Peppers.  And it was all charred in a cast iron skillet to get a nice crispness to the bite.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tblspn Olive Oil (Avacado Oil is a good substitute)
  • 2 – 15 oz can of Chickpeas
  • 1/2 tspn Cayenne
  • 1 tspn Paprika
  • 1 tspn Cumin
  • 2 tspn fresh Parsley, chopped and divided
  • 1 tspn Salt, divided
  • 2 tspn Pepper, divided
  • 2 Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 cup Chicken Broth or Stock
  • 1/4 cup Flour
  • 3 Anaheim Green Chile Peppers, seeded and chopped in 1/2 inch chunks
  • 16 oz Queso Fresco or Fetta Cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 15 oz Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 pt Half and Half
  • 9 large Eggs
  • 2 prepared pie crusts

Preparation

First, drain and rinse the chickpeas in a strainer and pat dry with paper towels.  Chop up the chile peppers.  Slice the chicken breasts in half or, my preference, hammer the chicken until about 1/4 inch thick.  Spread a coating of oil over the chicken and lightly coat both sides with 1 teaspoon of Parsley, salt and pepper and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rinsed and dried chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of oil.  Add in 1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne, 1 teaspoon each of Paprika and Cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon of Sea Salt.  Mix thoroughly until all of the chickpeas are well coated with the spices.  Get out your well seasoned cast iron skillet and heat it up using the highest heat possible and carefully put 1 teaspoon of oil into the skillet and wait until it starts to smoke.  Then put in the seasoned chickpeas and cook until they are browned on at least 2 sides.  Be careful as some of them may pop and spray a little oil at you.  Cooking these should take about 7 – 15 minutes, depending on your heating surface.  When done, remove from the skillet and store separately until ready for final assembly.

Carefully wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.  Continue heating the skillet over high heat.  Add another tablespoon of oil and when it starts to smoke, add in the chopped chile peppers with a dash of salt and fry until the peppers start to char, about 5 minutes.  Stir a bit and fry for another couple of minutes.  Remove the peppers from the skillet and store separately until final assembly.

Reduce your heat to medium-high.  Again, carefully wipe the skillet clean and add 1 tablespoon of oil.  When the oil starts to smoke again, fry the Chicken Breasts for about 5 – 7 minutes per side.  You want the meat to have a good light browning.  Then slice up the chicken into no larger than 1/2 inch chunks.  Continue to fry for another couple of minutes.  Remove the chicken chunks from the skillet and place in a container.  Add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir in the flour slowly until you’ve completely deglazed the skillet.  Boil this down to form some gravy.  Pour the gravy over the chicken chunks and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes or store until ready for final assembly.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat the oven to 385 F.  Combine the chickpeas and chicken in a large mixing bowl.  Half this mixture and spread each half into each pie crust.  Halve the green chile chunks and spread each half across the top of the filling in each crust.  Now spread across the top half of the crumpled Queso Fresco or Fetta cheese.  Mix together the Yogurt, Eggs and Half and Half, if you want add some salt and pepper to taste and whisk for at least 5 minutes.  Carefully pour the eggs mixture over the pie fillings until fully covered.  Then sprinkle the remaining Queso Fresco or Havarti over the top.  Top this with an even coating of the Mozzarella and sprinkle each with a 1/2 teaspoon of Parsley.  Place the pies into the oven and cook for 35 – 45 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown and the center of each pie is firm.  Remove and serve or pack it up for the rink.

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Crispy Street Taco Frittata

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Crispy Potato and Chorizo Frittata
Crispy Potato and Chorizo Street Taco Frittata

Trying to get a little more crunch into the meats and fillings of the frittata, we found this method works fairly good.  It’s normally used to make street tacos, but it serves the purpose here of making the taco style filling a little crisper and the bonus is that it also adds a little extra flavor too, at least that is what the Heathens that finished it off so quickly said.  Maybe they were just hungry after a 2 hour skate.

This works because par-cooking potatoes in water with a little vinegar helps them crisp more when fried in hot oil or fat.  This also works best if prepared in a cast iron skillet.

Also cooking Chorizo past where you think it’s ready makes it crisper, better browned, tastier end results.

You could also top with a few corn chips or slices of avocado to dress this up even more.

Serves: 16 – 22 (2 frittatas)

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lb Russet Potatoes, cubed to 1/2-inch (2 large potatoes)
  • 3 Tbsp Kosher Salt, divided
  • 2 Tbsp Peruvian Chile Lime Seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp White Vinegar
  • 8 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, divided (I recommend Avocado Oil)
  • 2 lb fresh Chorizo
  • 1 White Onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup favorite Green Chile Salsa
  • 1/4 cup Lime juice
  • 1 cup Cheese, either Queso Freso, Cojito or a “Mexican Blend”, shredded
  • Base Quiche Mix with the addition of 2 Eggs and 1/4 pt Half and Half
  • 2 pie pans

Preparation

First thing to do is clean and cube the potatoes.  Add them into a large pot and cover with water until all of the potatoes are underwater by 1/2 inch.  Heat on High heat until boiling, then add 2 tablespoons of Kosher Salt, and the White Vinegar.  Set a timer for 5 minutes.  When that is done, drain and strain the Potatoes in the sink, allowing them to dry out a bit.  When they are almost dry, sprinkle liberally with 2 tablespoons Chile Lime Seasoning and 1 tablespoon of Ground Pepper, shaking to make sure all sides get a little of the coating.

In a large skillet, preferably a cast iron skillet, over high heat add 4 tablespoons of Oil and heat until it starts to smoke.  Then carefully add in the seasoned potatoes and shake to distribute evenly in the skillet.  Continue cooking, tossing and stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy on all sides.  This should take about 15 minutes.  Remove and set aside, drying on a paper towel until final assembly, refrigerating if that is more than 1 hour away.

Again in a large skillet, cast iron is better, over high heat add the remaining Oil and heat until it starts to smoke.  Then carefully add in the Chorizo, breaking it up into about 1/2 inch sized chunks.  Cook this until you think it is fully cooked.  Then continue cooking, stirring and tossing frequently, until all the liquid, except the fat the breaks out, has has boiled off.  The Chorizo is sizzling and well-browned, about 15 minutes.  Remove and allow the remaining grease to drain off on to a paper towel.  Set aside until final assembly, following the refrigeration rule above.

Whenever you have time during the above process, you should chop up the remaining Onion and Cilantro and reserve until final assembly.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat your oven to 375 F.  Add a thin coating of Oil to the pans.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together the Chorizo, Potatoes and Onion.  Spread this mixture evenly into the pie pans.  Prepare the Base Quiche Mix, and add the 2 extra Eggs and 1/4 pint of Half and Half to the Mix.  Then add in the Salsa and Lime Juice and continue whisking until fully mixed and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Slowly pour this equally over each filling making sure to fully coat all the filling.  Top with the Cheese equally to each and then sprinkle with the Cilantro.  Place in the oven and cook for 35 – 40 minutes, until the Cheese is turning golden brown.  Remove and serve, or pack up to take to the rink.

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Santa Muerte Meat Pie

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Fruity Santa Muerte Meat Pie
Fruity Santa Muerte Meat Pie

This one is inspired by a taco I had on a trip to Phoenix, from a little taco shop called La Santisima.  This is a mixture of caramelized fruits, nuts, peppers and a tasty picadillo style meat.  We took all the fun of the little taco and dumped it to another variation of the Tourtière or meat pie.  Fruity, tasty and not at all hot, even though there are some hot peppers in it.  Easy to make too.  And the name is meant to honor the taco shop’s patron saint.

Serves: 16 – 22 (2 pies)

Ingredients

Meat Filling

  • 3/4 lb of Ground Pork
  • 3/4 lb of Ground Beef
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 large White Onion, finely chopped
  • 4 oz Raisins
  • 1 Tbsp ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Tbsp Sea Salt

Fruit Filling

  • 4 Roasted Green Chile, cleaned and diced
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 large White Onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Almonds, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
  • 1 Pear, cubed
  • 1 Apple, cubed
  • 1 medium vine ripened Tomato, cubed
  • 1 Tbsp ground Black Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Sage
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon

The Rest

  • 2 9 – 1/2 inch Pie Pans
  • 4 Pastry Pie Crusts, 2 for each pie
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Mexican Crema or Creme Fraiche
  • 1/2 cup Queso Fresco Cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup Pomegranates (if you can get them)

Preparation

Meat Filling

In a large skillet (cast iron if possible), over medium-high heat, add the oil and allow to heat up.  In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients for the meat filling, except the oil.  When the oil in the skillet is hot enough transfer the meat mixture and cook until the meat has some nice brown edges and the onions are starting to brown as well.  Remove the meat filling from the skillet and drain the excess grease off.  Allow to cool and place this meat filling in a container and refrigerate until final assembly.

Fruit Filling

First prepare your roasted Green Chile.  I pick up good Anaheim or NM Big Jim Green Peppers and roast them on the grill until the skin is turning mostly black.  Then allow them to cool until your can handle them.  Clean by removing the skin and stems.  Dice this up into 1/2 inch pieces.  If you want to skip the above step entirely, get a 1/2 cup of El Pinto or Colorado Roasted Green Chile Sauce, instead.

In an oiled large skillet, over medium-high heat, combine the Garlic and Onions and cook until they start to turn translucent.  Then add in the Almonds, Sunflower Seeds and the cubed Pear and Apple.  Saute this for about 5 minutes.  Then add in the Tomato, Green Chile, Pepper, Sage and Cinnamon.  Saute this until it starts to boil.  Then reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 15 minutes, uncovered and stirring occasionally, to reduce the liquid.  Remove and strain this filling too.  This liquid you want to use so drain that into a separate container and refrigerate both until ready for final assembly.

Pie Crusts

Again I used store bought crusts as this saves quite a bit of time.  Remember that you need enough for the top and bottom of the pie.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat oven to 420 F.  In a large mixing bowl and add in the Eggs, Crema and the liquid you reserved from cooking the Fruit Filling above.  Mix thoroughly, whisking for at least 4 minutes.  Then mix in the both fillings you prepared above and the Queso Fresco Cheese.  Halve this mixture and place into each of the pie crusts.  Top with a handful of Pomegranate seeds.  Place the top layer of crust on top of the filled pie.  Trim the pastry and make sure to seal the edges.  Cut some steam vents in the top crusts.  You could get creative here by making the slits look like a skull, and use some extra Pomegranates to fill the eye holes.  Wrap the edges with 2 inch strips of aluminum foil.  Put into the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil strips and reduce the heat to 375 F, and bake for another 25 minutes or so.  Remove when the crust is golden.  Either serve or pack them up to take to the to the rink.

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Southwestern Meat Pie

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Southwestern Tortiere
Southwestern Tortiere

Last week we made a traditional Tortière.  This week we’ve added a little Southwestern flair to the meat pie by adding in our favorite fruit, Green Chile!  We had to add a couple of other ingredients to take the heat level down a bit, so the Northern boy’s could still eat this.  We also discovered that topping these with flakes of cheese, doesn’t really work.  That is what those flakes that look like chocolate are on the crust.

Serves: 16 – 22 (2 pies)

Ingredients

Filling

  • 1 lb of Ground Pork
  • 1 lb of Ground Beef
  • 1 cups Water
  • 1 large White Onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Russet Potatoes, cubed to 1/2 inch size
  • 6 Roasted Green Chile, cleaned and diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp All Spice
  • 2 Tbsp Sage
  • 1 tsp Rosemary
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • Salt to taste

The Rest

  • 2 9 – 1/2 inch Pie Pans
  • 4 Pastry Pie Crusts, 2 for each pie (this time we tried Gluten Free)
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Mexican Crema or Creme Fraiche
  • 1/2 cup Asadero Cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Preparation

Filling

First prepare your roasted Green Chile.  I pick up good Anaheim or NM Big Jim Green Peppers and roast them on the grill until the skin is turning mostly black.  Then allow them to cool until your can handle them.  Clean by removing the skin and stems.  Dice this up into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large skillet (cast iron if possible), over medium-high heat, add the meat and water and bring to a boil.  Add everything else except for the Salt.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and continue cooking for one and a half hours.  Stir this about every 15 – 20 minutes.  Add a little more water if the mixture dries out.  Near the end add the Salt.  When done this mixture should contain just a thin layer of liquid in the bottom of the skillet.  Remove from heat and place in a container and refrigerate until final assembly.

If you really want to get tricky, de-glaze the skillet with 1/4 cup of red wine, and save that separate to add in during final assembly.

Pie Crusts

Again I used store bought crusts, these were from Trader Joe’s and were gluten free and even tastier than the others.  Just remember that you need enough for the top and bottom of the pie.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat oven to 420 F.  In a large mixing bowl and add in the Eggs, Crema and Cinnamon and mix thoroughly, whisking for at least 4 minutes.  Then mix in the filling you prepared above and the Asadero Cheese.  Halve this mixture and place into each of the pie crusts.  Place the top layer of crust on top of the filled pie.  Trim the pastry and make sure to seal the edges.  Cut some steam vents in the top crusts.  This is where I went wrong with the sprinkling of some Cheese on the top of the meat pies.  Just don’t do it.  It doesn’t ruin the flavors, it just raises questions.  Wrap the edges with 2 inch strips of aluminum foil.  Put into the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil strips and reduce the heat to 375 F, and bake for another 25 minutes or so.  Remove when the crust is golden.  Either serve or pack them up to take to the to the rink.

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NM Green Chile Ham Cups

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New Mexico Green Chile Ham Cup
New Mexico Green Chile Ham Cup

While trying to come up with a good inspiration for a cupcake to make, I came across a few recipes that used sliced meat instead of paper for the cup.  So this was born.  Taking the well known quality of NM style Green Chile and putting it in an edible cup, stopped with some bacon and eggs.  I made 24 of these things and they disappeared so fast, I almost didn’t get a picture of them.

I’m working on more varieties of this so keep your eyes open.  They’ll be coming soon.

Serves 24

Ingredients

  • 24 slices Thin Sliced Breakfast Ham
  • 12 slices good quality Bacon
  • 24 Eggs
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium White Onion finely chopped
  • 2 cups Chicken or Pork Stock
  • 8 NM Big Jim or Anaheim Chile Peppers, roasted and cleaned
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, roasted and minced
  • 1/2 tsp Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Ground Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 4 Tbsp Flour (or Whole Wheat Flour)

Preparation

First off your going to need 2 cupcake trays that have 12 tins for cupcakes.  You don’t need it right now, but make sure you’ve got them.

First we have to make our NM Green Chile.  Follow this recipe or in a pinch, you can substitute a jar of either El Pinto Roasted Green Chile Sauce or Colorado Green Chile Sauce in place of the peppers, garlic and spices.  Just follow the recipe as noted below.

On either a grill or in your oven at 400 degrees, roast your Chile and Garlic until the skin is blackened.  This should take about 20 minutes, turning them over once while cooking.  Remove and allow to cool until you can easily handle them.  Remove the skin from the Chile and chop into small pieces, less then 1/2 inch.  Fine chop or mince the Garlic.  Transfer to a medium sauce pan and heat to medium-high heat.  Add in the Oregano, Cumin, Pepper and Salt and stir until for about 3 minutes, then reduce heat to medium.

If your taking the short cut, simply put the jar of sauce into the medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Stirring occasionally, when boiling reduce to medium heat.

If you’ve taken the short cut, from here on the  where you start.

In a large sauce pan, over medium-high heat, add the oil and when hot enough, add the chopped Onions and saute until tender and starting to turn translucent (about 3 minutes).  Add in the sauce you have in the medium sauce pan and continue to stir until everything comes to a boil again.  Slowly add in the flour to thicken up the mixture.  Then add in the Stock and simmer on medium heat until it thickens up.  Add more flour if you need too.  This should be the consistency of a good thick gravy.

This should make about 3 cups of Green Chile Sauce.  I highly recommend letting this cool and refrigerating, covered for at least 12 hours until final assembly.  It brings the heat up a little while bringing out the flavors as well.

Prepare the Bacon by either baking in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes per side or in a skillet until done.  The remove and drain on some paper towel.  After it’s drained, chopping each slice into 4 pieces.  Store until final assembly.

Final Assembly and Cooking

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray the cupcake tray with a light coating of Olive Oil.  In center of each cupcake hole, place one slice of Ham and push down on the center.  The Ham should go into the hole and form a cup.  Pinch one side of the slice to get the cup started.  Then scoop about a 1 inch ball of the Green Chile Sauce and place in each of the Ham cups, pressing to make sure it goes to the bottom and fills the cup.  Then put a couple of pieces of Bacon in each cup, on end so one end of the Bacon sticks up a bit.  Crack open and place one whole egg into the top of each Ham cup.  This should just fill the cups to the top.  Put into the oven and bake for 20 – 40 minutes, checking to see that you don’t burn the egg.  The time you take them out determines how done the eggs are.  30 minutes will usually yield an over medium yoke.  Remove from the oven when the yolks are done to your liking and serve.  I took these to the rink in the trays, double wrapped in foil to keep them warm.