Patty Melt With a Southwestern Flair

Sometimes you need a burger plus. Something like a burger, but not quite a burger.

So kick off the bun, and add some rye bread. And well, the recipe follows. ‘

Take your classic patty melt and send it down here to New Mexico and we will put our own spice to it. You won’t be disappointed if you try this one.

This is a user-friendly recipe, and even the kids will pretty much like this I think.

Makes for a great little Saturday light dinner with some homemade fries and some homemade coleslaw.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb of ground round
• 1 med-lg onion, sliced
• 2 Anaheim chiles or Hatch if you can get them
• slices of Monterey Jack cheese
• slices of rye bread
• mustard of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Slice the onions and place in a saute pan with about 3 tbsp of butter, and cook slowly until nicely caramelized–about 30-45 minutes. Set aside.
2. Place your chiles on an open flame or under a broiler and char the skins thoroughly. Scrap off the skins, cut off the tops and remove the seeds. Chop into a nice dice. Set aside.
3. Take the ground meat and place between two sheets of wax paper.  Shape into a rectangle. Using a rolling-pin, roll until it’s evenly distributed and can be cut into six pieces of the same approximate size. (rye bread if used is long and you will use two pieces of patty for each sandwich.)
4. Cook the meat until done to your preference.
5. Remove meat to a plate and place two slices of bread in the pan and brown evenly. Place the 2 pieces of meat on each slice, then scatter some chiles over the meat. Add some onions. Then add three slices of the cheese on top.
6. Place the top slices of bread on each and with care, turn over and saute until the bottom slices are browned.
7. Serve it up with mustards of your choice.

Serves: 3 generous sandwiches

 

 

Southwestern Pulled Pork Sandwich

Oh hold me back. I do love a GOOD pulled pork sandwich, emphasis on the good. For there is much bad, mundane, and otherwise passable pulled pork out there.

Good pulled pork takes TIME. No way around that.

But it does not take a lot of effort.

So, it’s a planned for meal which you can start early in the morning, forget about most of the day, and finish off late in the day for a great-tasting meal. Think relaxed picnic-type meal. Leisurely had upon the veranda.

Okay, so I’m day dreaming now.

Let’s get to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• A 3lb or so pork butt or shoulder. (Don’t worry, you can freeze the meat if you don’t that much pulled pork at one time.
• For a rub: salt, pepper, chile powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, chipotle powder.
• 3-5 green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 lg onion roughly chunked up (to be discarded after cooking)
• 4 c chicken stock or a combination of beef and chicken
• 1 1/2 c barbecue sauce  mine, your own recipe, or your favorite bottled variety
• 2 c of coleslaw

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make the rub. I’d think about a tablespoon each of salt, chile powder and oregano, a tsp each of pepper, cumin and garlic. The chipotle is up to you, depending on how much heat you wish, AND how much heat your bbq sauce might have.
2. But the rub all over the meat, and let sit lightly covered in the fridge for a good couple of hours or overnight if you wish.
3. Place the meat in a heavy-duty oven pot, with a couple of tablespoons of canola oil and brown on all sides.
4. Add the chopped up onion and stock. Either cook on top of the stove on low or place in a 250-275° oven. Cook for a good 4 hours, more if needed. You can always tell when it’s ready–the meat will break off and shred easily with a fork. Make sure you seal the pot lid on tight, using a piece of tinfoil if needed to keep it from steaming out. You need the liquid to stay inside.
5. Remove the meat from the pot, and cool enough to fork it apart into shreds.
6. The green chiles can be prepared sometime during the time the meat is braising. Ditto homemade barbecue sauce and coleslaw, but don’t dress the coleslaw until just before eating to prevent it getting watery.
7. Warm your buns or bread, toasting if you desire.
8. Warm your bbq sauce is needed, and add the chiles to it. Then add to the shredded meat until you get the consistency you want. Nicely wet but not sloppy is my preference. You can do this well in advance of eating if you wish and let the meat have marinating time in the sauce.
9. Put a nice pile on your bun, top with some coleslaw, and well, stop reading and EAT!

Serves: the full 3 lb roast should feed about 8

NOTES: if you want to add dill pickles to the sandwich feel free. That’s a bit more Cuban than Southwestern. Also, you may want to add a half cup of brown sugar to the marinade of the meat IF you don’t use a sweet bbq sauce, and if your coleslaw recipe is not sweet. My coleslaw recipe has a bit of sugar but not a lot, but my bbq sauce is both sweet and hot. My coleslaw  also has got a cayenne kick. So adjust the heat and sweet depending on your coleslaw and bbq sauce. If you use my recipes, then you will not need these adjustments.

Related articles

• Pulled Pork – North Carolina Style (pastaprincessandmore.wordpress.com)
• Roasted Pulled Pork ( For BBQ) (southerncountrycook.wordpress.com)
• Texas Roadhouse Pulled BBQ Pork Recipe (khq.com)
• Mr.CBB’s Crock-Pot Pulled Pork With Homemade BBQ Sauce (canadianbudgetbinder.com)

South of the Border Rice

 

 

Oh Spanish rice, or Mexican Rice, or Tex-Mex Rice, or Southwestern Rice.

Whatever you wish to call it, it’s good.

I make mine a bit simpler than most, but I do have a reason for doing so. It’s because I love to add a tablespoon or so of fresh green chile salsa as a garnish on the plate, and that really livens it up! So if you don’t want to use salsa as a condiment for this dish, just include your favorite chile chopped up to the sauteing of the onion and green pepper and you’re good to go.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c regular long-grained rice
• 1/2 c of diced onion
• 1/2 c diced green pepper, or red
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/3 c chopped cilantro
• 1 15oz can of tomato sauce
• 2/3 c chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• canola oil for sauteing

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat up about 2 tbsp of canola oil in a skillet and saute onion and green pepper until softened. Add the rice and saute until it is browned.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed.
3. Serve with green chile salsa on the side.

Serves: 6

NOTE: Diced fresh or canned tomatoes can be used instead of tomato sauce if you desire. Adjust the liquid so that you have a total of approximately 1 2/3 c. Corn is also a possible addition. I’d say about a cup of kernels, frozen or fresh.

 

Related articles

• Mexican Rice (thedomesticman.com)

 

Aw Shucks Southwestern Pasta Salad

If ever there was a recipe that is not sacrosanct in terms of ingredients, this would be the one.

You can add, subtract, change the amounts, just about do whatever you want, to make it fit your tastes.

That’s the beauty of pasta. It adapts. It has the ability to serve as the foundation of so many other tastes, and blend them beautifully.

This is but one version you might try. Quite frankly, it was what I had on hand at the time.

The dressing, however, can be used as a standard upon which to choose the veggies you wish.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 of a box of pasta of whatever shape you prefer.
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1/2 c chopped scallions
• 2/3 c chopped cherry tomatoes (or romas)
• 1 c corn (frozen if fine)
• 1/2 c Pico de Gallo (home-made preferred but commercial if you desire)
• 2 tbsp Mexican spices (taco seasoning–homemade or commercial)
• 2/3 c vinaigrette (using either lime juice or lemon as the acidic instead of vinegar)
• 1/4 c mayonnaise
• 1 tsp hot pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the pasta al dente and then cool until no more than warm.
2. Add the veggies of you choice or those above.
3. Add the mayo to the vinaigrette and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the spices to the vinaigrette and stir until mixed.
5. Place the pepper flakes on a cutting board and run a knife over several times until it is minced. Add to the vinaigrette.
6. Pour over the salad, and mix.

Serves: 6

NOTE: You may wish to consider beans of any type, rinse before adding. Broccoli flowerets, cauliflower, lima beans, green beans, radishes, carrots, the list is pretty much endless. You might substitute a finely minced jalapeño or other fresh hot chile for the pepper flakes. Consider a pickled hot pepper. Note also that the addition of shrimp, seasoned ground beef, chicken, ham, etc., would make this a complete meal.

Related articles

• Spinach, Red Pepper & Zucchini Pasta with Lemon Olive Oil Vinaigrette (balancewithadashofcrazy.wordpress.com)
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Corn Casserole Taken Up a Notch

I was not familiar with corn casseroles. They were not on the menu of any of my relatives in my youth.

But. I do love corn. So I went on a quest to find the perfect recipe.

And I sort of found it, since I liked the idea of cornmeal in it. That seemed sensible. But JiffyMix? I don’t like boxes and ingredients I can’t pronounce.

So, I pondered and added and subtracted, and I stomped my foot about three times, and finally came up with this combo of other recipes and an idea or two of my own.

And I do think that it came out darn well.

And I hope you agree.

So try it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 15oz can regular corn, drained (or equivalent fresh or frozen)
• 1 15 oz can creamed corn
• 1/2 c diced onion
• 1/2 c diced green pepper
• 1 jalapeño diced (remove seeds if you don’t like heat)
• 1/2 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
• 2/3 c sour cream
• 2/3 c cream
• 2 eggs whisked
• 1/2 stick butter melted
• 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c cornmeal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 cups shredded cheese ( I used sharp cheddar)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°.
2. In a skillet, saute the onions, green pepper and jalapeño until softened. Set aside
3. In a large bowl put the corn, the cream, sour cream and melted butter. Be careful that it’s not too hot and then add the eggs. Add the roasted red peppers.
4. In a separate bowl add the dry ingredients and whisk.
5. Add the sautéed veggies and then the dry ingredients to the corn mixture.
6. Add the cheese, and stir until just mixed.
7. Turn into an oiled casserole and cook for 45 minutes or until bubbly and browning slightly. Remove and let sit for 15 before serving.

Serves: 6 at least.

 

Roasted Garlic Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

I first discovered hummus when I lived in Detroit and lunched regularly in GreekTown. Ahh, what a delightful appetizer!

When I joined Justapinch, this is the first recipe I tried. Middle East, meet South West!

Mostly I loved the recipe, (which is why it’s included here) but I found it a bit bland and not very hot. (my jalepeño might have been a rare mild one). Other than that,  it was great.

I’m not sure why tahini, which is standard for hummus was not included. I sure think it would have no negative effect if you want to add it. So my only addition would be to make sure it gets a bit more heat from the chili (maybe a bit of chipotle?) and you can never have too much garlic!

Hope you enjoy it. Compliments of Jodie Scales at Justapinch.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cans garbanzo beans
• 1 head of garlic, roasted
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 lg (or more) jalepeños, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt (Kosher or sea)
• 1/4 bunch of cilantro chopped
• 1/2 TBSP lemon juice (I would use more)
• 1/4 c tahini if you wish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut off the top of the garlic bulb and place in a small piece of foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Place in a 375° oven for 35-40 minutes. Open and let cool.
2. Place all the rest into a food processor and blend until fairly smooth. Squeeze out the garlic into the bowl, and add the rough cut cilantro and pulse until mixed.
3. Serve with raw veggies or pita bread, or taco chips (unsalted).

Related articles

• Hummus (myspork.wordpress.com)
• Easy Hummus (greengateoliveoil.wordpress.com)
• The Virtues of Hummus [Secret Family Recipe Included] (fooducate.com)
• Snack Attack: Smoky Chipotle Hummus Dip (fitsugar.com)
• Jalapeño White Bean Dip (lamismacocina.wordpress.com)