Pork stew with mango and plantains (Stews)

 

Makes 8 servings

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 pounds pork stew meat, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 2 medium-size sweet red peppers, cored, seeded and cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can (13¾ ounces) beef broth
• 1 cup water
• ½-inch cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• Pinch of leaf oregano, crumbled
• 2 large plantains, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices
• 2 medium-size tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 large mango (about 1¼ pounds), pared, pitted and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

1. Combine flour, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in platic bag ; add pork and shake vigorously to coat.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat ; working in batches, sauté pork in oil 5 to 8 minutes until browned on all sides.
3. Remove pieces as they brown to platter lined with paper toweling to drain ; add 1 tablespoon oil as needed.
4. Reduce heat to moderate, add remaining oil to saucepan ; add onion, red pepper and garlic, sauté 5 to 8 minutes until golden.
5. Add pork, broth, water, cinnamon, clove, oregano and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper ; lower heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes until pork is almost tender.
6. Add plantains, cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes until tender ; add tomatoes and mango, heat through.

BON APPÉTIT

Tex-mex beef stew with corn (Stews)

 

        A hearty stew, chunky with pieces of corn on the cob.

Makes 6 servings

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1½-inch cubes
• 3½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium-size onions, cut into wedges
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon leaf oregano, crumbled
• 1 can (16 ounces) whole tomatoes, in thick purée
• 1 cup beef broth
• ¼ cup catsup
• 2 zucchini (about 6 ounces each), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 ears fresh corn on the cob, each cut into 6 pieces
• Dairy sour cream and thin strips sweet red pepper, for garnish

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper on waxed paper ; dredge beef cubes in flour mixture to coat.
2. Working in batches, brown beef in 2½ tablespoons oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat ; remove beef sa it browns to a bowl.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to saucepan and heat ; add onion, chilies, coriander, cumin and oregano, cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add tomatoes, broth and catsup, stiriing up any browned bits from bottom of saucepan ; return beef to saucepan.
5. Bring to boiling, lower heat, cover and simmer 1 hour ; add zucchini and corn.
6. Bring to boiling, lower heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until beef and vegetables are tender.
7. Garnish with dollop of dairy sour cream and sweet red pepper.

BON APPÉTIT

Tomato and sweet red pepper soup (Soups)

 

Makes 8 servings

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, quatered and thinly sliced
• 4 tomatoes (6 ounces each), peeled, seeded and chopped (3 cups)
• 2 sweet red peppers, cored, seeded and diced (2½ cups)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• Pinch of sugar
• 6 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sour cream or heavy cream
• 1 cup finely diced ripe tomatoes
• 1 cup finely diced sweet green and red pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1. Heat together 3 tablespoons butter and the olive oil in large saucepan or pot over medium heat ; add onion, cook until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato, red pepper, thyme, paprika and sugar ; cook over medium-low heat until all tomato juices have evaporated, about 25 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste ; bring to boiling, lower heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes.
4. Strain soup, reserving broth and solids separately ; working in batches, place solids in food processor or blender.
5. Whirl until a smooth purée ; whisk purée into reserved liquid in a bowl.
6. Melt remaining butter in saucepan over medium heat ; stir in flour, cook, stirring, for 1 minute, do not let brown.
7. Slowly whisk in soup, bring to boiling ; lower heat, simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
8. Whisk sour cream or heavy cream into soup ; gently heat through, do not let boil.
9. Adjust seasoning ; garnish with diced tomatoes, diced peppers and chives.

BON APPÉTIT

Hot and sour soup with tofu (Soups)(Low calorie)(Low cholesterol)

 

Makes 8 servings

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large sweet red peppers, cored, seeded and cut into ¾ x ¼-inch strips (about ¾ cup)
• 1 small bunch green onions cut diagonallyinto ¾-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
• 2 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil
• ½ pound snow peas
• 1 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnut, drained

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat ; add peppers and onion, stir-fry about 5 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth, vegetable broth and soy sauce ; bring to boiling, lower heat and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Stir together vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, cornstarch, water and sesame oil in small bowl until smooth ; add to soup with fresh snow peas and cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.
4. Add tofu and water chestnut ; gently heat through.

BON APPÉTIT

Curried pumpkin-cauliflower soup (Soups)(Low-fat)(Low-cholesterol)

 

Makes 6 servings

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups coarsely chopped cauliflower
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 can (16 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin purée
• 1 teaspoon salt
• One-third cup chopped cashew nuts (optional)

1. Melt butter in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add cauliflower and sauté about 5 minutes or until almost tender ; remove cauliflower with slotted spoon to medium-size bowl and reserve.
3. Add onion and curry powder to saucepan ; sauté about 5 minutes until almost tender.
4. Add 2 cups vegetable broth, bring to boiling and lower heat ; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
5. Cool mixture slightly ; working in batches, place mixture in blender and whirl until smooth purée.
6. Return broth to saucepan ; add remaining 2 cups vegetable broth, pumpkin, salt and reserved cauliflower to saucepan.
7. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, lower heat and simmer 10 minutes until cauliflower is tender ; stir in the cashews, if using.

BON APPÉTIT

Chicken, Okra and sausage gumbo (Soups)

 

Makes 8 servings

• 1 broiler-fryer chicken (about 3 pounds)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon leaf thyme, crumbled
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ pound turkey sausage links
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) tomatoes, broken up
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 pound okra, fresh or frozen, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
• ¼ teaspoon liquid red pepper seasoning (Tabasco)

1. Combine chicken, broth, garlic, bay leaf, salt, thyme and pepper in a large Dutch oven or saucepan.
2. Bring to boiling over high heat ; lower heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until chicken is tender.
3. Remove chickenwith slotted spoon from broth ; skim fat from broth.
4. When cool enough to handle, remove bones and kin from meat ; discard.
5. Cut meat into bite-size pieces ; leave broth in pan.
6. Meanwhile, cook sausage in small skillet over medium-high heat until brown all over ; drain on paper toweling.
7. When cool enough to handle, cut into ½-inch thick slices.
8. Add tomato, onion and sausage to broth in pan ; cover and simmer 10 minutes.
9. Add okra, corn, liquid red pepper seasoning and reserved chicken ; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until okra is tender.
10. Remove bay leaf.

BON APPÉTIT

Chili-corn madeleines (Nibbles and bites)

 

         Serve with chili and bean soups, salads, split and fill with sandwich fixings, or tuck into lunch boxes.

Makes about 27 madeleines

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground hot red pepper
• ½ cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
• ¼ cup drained pimiento pieces
• 1 jalapeno pepper, quatered and seeded

1. Preheat oven to 400F ; generously grease 27 madeleine forms.
2. Stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda in large bowl.
3. Combine buttermilk, eggs, green onion, sugar, salt and red pepper in food processor ; whirl until green onion is chopped.
4. Add corn, pimiento and jalapeno pepper ; whirl with on/off motion until corn, pimiento and jalapeno pepper are finely chopped.
5. Pour egg mixture over dry ingredients ; stir with large spoon just until blended (do not overmix).
6. Spoon rounded measuring tablespoon of batter into each prepared form ; bake in preheated hot oven (400F) for 8 to 10 minute or until golden and tops spring back when lightly presssed with fingertip.
7. Cool in pan on wire rack for 3 minutes ; gently loosen from pans with knife.

BON APPÉTIT