'Dishing Up New Mexico' offers enchanting ideas

 

‘Dishing up New Mexico’ offers enchanting ideas

Due respect to peppers — which can be stuffed with lamb, flavor Café Diablo or perk up a cucumber frozen pop — are given in a picture-recipe book that will have you headed west.

“Dishing Up New Mexico: 145 Recipes from The Land of Enchantment” is Dave DeWitt’s love letter to the state’s land, people and the food they create together. Chickpea and chorizo stew, blue corn chicken taquitos and Lusty Mustard-Slathered Chicken Breasts sound as good as photos of farmers’ markets, grazing livestock and panoramic sunsets look. This book even offers our weekly Pumpkin Update, with a recipe for curry pumpkin soup (rum optional).  The following recipe is versatile:

Double  Pepper-Infused Strawberries

One fourth cup tequila

2 piquin chiles, crushed

4 pints of strawberries, hulled and halved (about six cups)

2 teaspoons freshly-ground black pepper

one half cup orange juice

 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Fresh mint springs, for garnish

Pour the tequila over the chiles in a small bow Soak for 1 to 4 hours before straining. The longer you leave the chiles, the stronger the flavor will be.

Combine the strawberries, pepper, orange juice, vinegar and infused tequila in a bowl and toss well. Cover and chill for at least three hours, stirring occasionally.

Spoon the mixture into 6 small glass bowls and garnish with mint springs before serving.

Cluck ‘nMoo

With a name like that above, can you guess what you’re getting into? How about a very nice frozen burger that’s perfect for celebrating National Kale Day. Yes, that’s a thing. Look it up.

Cluck ‘nMoo combines grass fed beef and chicken with Kale for a burger that has 52 percent less fat than USDA data for ground beef. I tried my first one with great success, serving creamed corn as a dip for blue corn tortilla chips and chopped white onions. It was a quick and delicious meal. So it’s easy, and good and I suppose that could get me crowing and kicking.

Chipotle Bloody Marys

Organic ginger puree, shitake mushrooms and tamarind go into Powell & Mahoney’s handcrafted cocktail mixes. Sip ‘em slow to pick up on the subtle flavors. I’ve told you I eat peppers for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so Chipotle Bloody Mary Mix is perfect for another meal: Brunch. There’s a sriracha and a “regular,” and suggestions for garnish include celery stalk, slice of lemon, pickled long beans, olives, salami, grilled shrimp or a slice of crispy bacon.

Here’s the deal. Makers suggest these make great tailgate beverages. If you know anybody tailgating like this, please call me. This stuff is very nice. I didn’t know they like it so spicy in Vermont.

McCormick has your gluten-free back

Gluten-free turkey gravy and chili mixes, three-spice packs including flavors fo Rosemary Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Carrots and skillet sauces (how about Taco with Chopotle?) are among some new packets. McCormick must have had Southeast Texas in mind with Zesty Garlic Shrimp as a flavor option.

ddoiron@panews.com