Add spark and super health to your menus with Red Chile.  Brighten any dish with a good-sized sprinkle of red.  Chile that is.  The addition of red chile takes the ho-hum out of any dish and elevates it to a much more  flavorful and fun dish.

With our three day chile sale at HALF price, you can really "chile It Up".   Even classic dishes take on a bright sparkly taste with the addition of chile.  Try adding chile to your soups, stews, veggie dishes and most any meat or meatless main dish.

Not only will you be kicking up the flavor a notch, but you will be enjoying a healthy hit as well.  Red chilies are the world's best antioxidant, meaning they are a spoilage retardant AND a cancer and heart disease preventative as well.   As the University of Philippines and even the Harvard Medical School has endorsed the life extending benefits of regular chile eating.  Just a half teaspoon a day...two-thirds of the time of the hottest chile you can endure will keep you much healthier.

And, besides the health aspect, chile  brightens and adds sparkle to  any dish. One of the interesting facts about chiles is that the more you eat them, the hotter you want them  and the more you desire them.

What is truly amazing is that capsaicin, the spicy part of a chile can not be manufactured--only chiles can make it.  Capsaicin is the healthy part of the chile and is stored in the seeds and veins.

If you find a food or dish has too much chile for your palate,  you can "tame"it  by  quickly eating anything dairy or sweet after eating  it.  Don't take a drink of water as it just spreads the "ouchiness to more parts of your palate.  Instead, try a bite of cheese, a few sips of milk, etc.

When you store chilies or any herb, the best is to store team in glass containers and keep them cool in the refrigerator or the freezer, wherever y ou have space.  People often ask, "why don't I ship or sell my chilies and herbs in  glass", I always answer, the fragility and the weight make it impractical.

Next month, we have both a weekend class set for April 14 - 16 and a week-long class April 24 - 28 and still have openings in both.  I am placing both of them on a three-day discount.  The weekend class is $300.00 OFF and the week long class is $500 OFF.   By the way, all of our classes are full-participation where everyone cooks. The weekend class has three sessions where we make most of the classic dishes of New Mexico such as Carne Adobado, Blue Corn Crusted Chile  Rellenos, Sopaipillas, Green Chile Chicken Flat Enchiladas, Seafood Tacos and much, much more.

In the week long class,in addition to the special recipes in the weekend session, we also  feature many of the regional specialties of Mexico such as Moles, Tres Leches  Cake,  Chiles en Nogado, Sonoran Huevos Rancheros and  a great deal more in five full participation sessions.

For a meatless alternative chili, try the following Vegetarian Chili, which the New York Times rated as the very best vegetarian chile recipe and also a classic recipe with chile added--Beef Bourgogne. 

VEGETARIAN CHILI

What to do when vegetarian friends or relatives are coming to dinner? Good news-- they need not go chili-less. This recipe provides the good taste of chili plus the benefit of complete protein derived from the beans and the bulghur. Serve this brew topped with grated cheese for additional protein and flavor. (By the way, several years ago, the New York Times Sunday Magazine awarded this recipe, “the best Vegetarian Chili recipe”.)

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

2 ½ cups dried kidney beans, soaked overnight in water to cover

3 teaspoons salt

1 cup tomato juice

1 cup raw bulghur (cracked wheat available in some supermarkets and most health food stores)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

4 medium cloves garlic, crushed

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

3 carrots, coarsely chopped

3 or 4 tomatoes, peeled seeded, and coarsely chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons ground hot red chile

3 Tablespoons ground mild red chile

1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided.

½ teaspoons dried Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

Freshly ground black pepper to taste.

1 ½ green bell peppers, cored seeded, and coarsely chopped.

1. Transfer the kidney beans and the water in which they soaked to a large heavy pot with straight sides. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and boil with straight sides over high heat. Lower the heat and continue boiling the beans, partially covered, until tender, about one hour. Watch the water level and add more water if necessary, to keep the beans from scorching.
2. Meanwhile, place the tomato juice in another saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat immediately and add the bulghur to the juice. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. It should be slightly crunchy. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the celery, carrots, tomatoes, lemon juice, and all the spices (except ½ of the cumin)-including the remaining salt-to the onions and cook, covered, until the vegetables are nearly tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Add the bell peppers and continue cooking another 10 minutesAdd the kidney beans, the water in which they cooked, and the bulghur to the vegetables in the large pot. Stir the mixture thoroughly and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. The chili may be thick-add water as necessary and stir occasionally making sure the bulghur does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning.

BITCHY BEEF BOURUIGNONE

Hearty and ornery, this deeply colored, rich flavored stew is wonderful to make and eat on foggy, rainy days at any time of year.   But, if  you live in a sunny climate, don’t wait for bad weather—go ahead and try it.  Everybody will love it!  Serve it on a bed of thick, flavorful  buttered, parslied  egg noodles or with crusty, fresh French bread oozing with sweet butter.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaf, crushed

2 bay leaves

2 Tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons crushed caribe chile

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cups rich, dry, red wine

3 pounds sirloin, bottom round or London broil, cut in 1 inch  cubes

¼ cup unsalted sweet butter

¼ cup brandy

2 cups double strength beef broth

1 pint, baby portabellos or 36 small white boiling onions

2 large cloves garlic, minced

Salt, if desired

1. Combine the chopped onion, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, black pepper, caribe chile, oil and wine in a 2 quart glass or stainless steel bowl.  Stir to blend well.  Add beef, stir and let stand 2 hours at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
2. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large heavy pot. Drain beef cubes, reserving marinade.  Add beef  to pot.  Cook until browned, stirring as needed.  Add brandy and flame carefully, stirring it so it ignites well.  Add broth and reserved marinade.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 2 to 3 hours or until beef is fork tender.
3. Meanwhile, prepare onions if using. Cut stem and root ends off and then pop onions ouit of their skins.  Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet and add the onions or mushrooms and garlic.  Cook until onions or mushrooms are golden brown.  Add to stew and simmer at least 30 minutes longer.  Taste and  add salt, more wine or other seasonings as desired.