Last week our development work on our online class got stalled a bit, while  we conducted two small cooking classes.  We had the Barbecue class  on Thursday evening and a private class on Friday afternoon. 

Now we are feverishly working to get our online class up and running.  The first few lessons feature an Introduction to chiles--an in depth presentation of everything about how chiles "work", Capsaicin information and tolerance and healthful information and cures for chiles.

The exciting history of chiles will be shared.  Such interesting facts as, did you know that chiles were not allowed to be eaten as a food in main land China until after the Communist Revolution in the twentieth century?  Chiles were regarded as too important a pharmaceutical to be "wasted on the well".  Of course in Mongolia, where  the nomadic lifestyle made policing the consumption of chiles  impossible.  This is where the hotter Mongolian, Szechwan, and Hunan dishes were developed.

In the next module, we start cooking with chiles.  First we cover lessons on green chiles with the hints and tips for preparing all the favorite dishes.  From how to successfully parch chiles , to stuffing them for rellenos, to making the very best sauces for enchiladas from Suisas to Green Chile Chicken and ways to present them such as rolled or flat and garnishing them.  Green chiles can be the main ingredient in dishes or substituted for other ingredients.  The hints and tips are spelled out for both.  Those participating in the class will first learn how chiles  are best prepared and then the next step is creating your very own specialties or recipes.

The next lessons, you guessed it--are on the basics of red chiles, how to cook with the pods and the powders.  Participants will learn many favorite dishes as well as learn the interesting history of how red chiles for centuries have served as the world's best natural anti-oxidant or preserving agent in such dishes as Carne Adobado. 

There will be many opportunities for sharing your learning and cooking with your classmates and myself in forums and chat rooms.

We feature many different styles of chile and chili cookery.  More about that next week when we will be announcing our launch and when the class will be ready for registration.  One of the really great bonuses from the class will be that included with the registration will be an assortment of our all natural chiles, herbs and spices, a comprehensive cookbook, a DVD valued at approximately $100.00.  Also, the participants will receive a Milton Glaser designed diploma at the completion of the course.  What fun!!!

We will still be presenting our live classes in half size attendance.  The next class which is almost full is our Green Chile class on September 23, our Tamale Roll class on October 8 and our Red Chile Fiesta on November 19.  We will have our next weekend class on October 23-25 and the next week long class November 2 - 6, 2020.  And we are set for Oaxaca next June 15-21, 2021.

Here's our very best tested and re-tested favorite recipe for Carne Adobado.  It is so good and you can eat it as is or in tacos, enchiladas or burritos.

CARNE ADOBADO

(Pork with Red Chile Sauce)

This is one of the best, if not the very best-tasting, pork creations from northern New Mexico.  Traceable back to Conquistador days, this dish has somehow never gained favor outside of New Mexico.  I think it is because crushed caribe chiles are hard to find outside the area.  I always make a full five and one half pound recipe because I like to have lots available for burritos, tacos, and enchiladas, or to serve over or under  rice, beans or eggs.

Yield:  10-12 servings 

1/2 cup crushed caribe chile

1/4 cup ground mild chile

1/4 cup ground hot chile

3 garlic cloves

2 Tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

2 teaspoons salt

4 cups water

5-1/2 pounds bone-in pork shoulder, cut into ½ inch thick chops (trimmed so as to keep a narrow layer of fat around the edges) 

1. Process all the ingredients except pork in a blender or food processor. Pour into a flat-bottomed glass baking dish.  Dip each pork chop into the marinade and lay to one side of the baking dish as you coat the rest.  Let marinate 30 minutes at room temperature, periodically spooning chile mixture over the top and turning chops over.  Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  (The pork can be frozen for up to 3 months at this point.) 

2. In the morning, stir and coat each pork chop with chile sauce. Stir and coat again.  Preheat oven to 350F (165C).  Cover pan with lid or foil; bake chops, covered for the first 45 minutes.  Remove cover and reduce heat to 325F and bake 1 to 1-1/2 hours longer, spooning the sauce over chops every 30 minutes.  Let cool. 

3. Using a sharp knife, remove bones and pull meat apart with your fingers to shred the pork into about 25 cent size pieces—do not finely shred the pork.. Place shredded meat back in the baking dish.  Bake 30 minutes to allow the sauce to cook into pork.  When done, the meat should be a bright rosy red color and very tender.