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Binxie's Colorado Green Chili

7/17/2024

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Living in Colorado, I've found recipes that are so wonderful, they really don't need changed. 
This is a staple of people in Colorado. September and October are spent with roasting green chili scenting the air and stomachs rumbling from the memories that smell brings. 
Cold autumn evenings, sitting around the table with the spicy chili and family is the greatest feeling. 
My Sirs love this, though Nathan's green chili preferences tend to be much hotter than Pappy's. who likes it on the mild side. This can be made as hot as you or your family desires. Chilis generally come in mild, medium and hot, and sometimes extra hot! Make what your family would enjoy, or mix and match to get the perfect heat level! 
Any chili peppers can be substituted, but be careful about the heat levels! 

3-4 lb pork roast, preferably bone-in
3 tablespoons Knorr Chicken Bouillon
½ cup flour
¼ cup cooking oil
One can diced tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ pounds of peeled, seeded and diced Hatch, Pueblo or Anaheim green chilis
Fill stew pot half full of water, add bouillon, crushed garlic, tomatoes.
Sear roast on all sides then add to stew pot and start to boil, then turn down and simmer 3-4 hours, or until meat falls off the bone.
Take roast from water and chop roughly. Start oil to heat in large skillet and add chopped meat, giving a good fry. Add flour and fry for another couple minutes, then take cups full of the water from the stew pot and add to skillet until you made a nice gravy and the flour is off the meat.
Add all back to stew pot and cook slow, stirring often. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with cheese, onion and tortilla or without like a stew or thicken with more flour and pour on top of fresh burritos for a Colorado smothered burrito.

(This is Rain's recipe, but Binxie borrowed it ;) )
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Binx shares recipes!

7/9/2024

2 Comments

 
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Hi everyone! I'm Binx, but my friends, like you, can call me Binxie!
I love to cook, especially for my friends and my two Sirs. 
Every so often, I come across a great recipe from a book, magazine or online. I take it as is and then add my special Binxie magic to it. I love adding to things, or taking out things my Sirs don't like. 
There is no limit to the cuisine I like to cook, but my Sirs are Mexican, Chinese (Nathan), and Irish, German (Pappy). For them, I like finding recipes that bring them back to their roots. I get such good love after...but that's for another day ;)
This first recipe I'm sharing with you is from Pappy's roots of Germany.  I made some changes to the OG recipe, but I did add the link below if you'd like to follow it exactly. 
As always, substitutions are important. Not all of us can find all the ingredients at the spur of the moment. If you have something you can use instead, do it! It might not taste exactly the same, but with some love thrown in, it will be a gourmet feast!
 

Duck (chicken is a fine substitute!)
Spaetzle is available bags or boxes of dry at some stores, or use your favorite pasta in a pinch!

Ingredients:
  • 6 (12-ounce) bone-in, skin-on Moulard duck leg quarters, trimmed, or chicken leg quarters.
  • 2 tablespoons salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 medium white onion, quartered
  • 6 sprigs of thyme
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Mushroom Ragout
  • 2 pound fresh mushrooms to taste (cremini, oyster, portobello are all great for this recipe, but buttons work too!)
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion, divided
  • 2 teaspoons salt, divided, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided, plus more to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced ultra-thin
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) dry white wine, divided
  1. Clean the mushrooms, separating each variety. Cut larger mushrooms into bite-size pieces, leaving smaller ones whole.
  2. In a large skillet over high heat, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add 1/2 the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown and tender, which should take about 8 to 12 minutes.
  3. Add 1/4 cup of onions and 1 clove of the garlic, 1/2 the thyme, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are softened, about 45 seconds. Pour in 1/4 cup of white wine and cook, stirring often, until the liquid completely evaporates, approximately 1 minute. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large bowl, leaving the skillet unwashed.
  4. Repeat the same cooking process using the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, remaining mushrooms, garlic, onions, salt, pepper, and white wine.
  5. Once all mushrooms are cooked, combine them in a bowl. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve the mushroom ragout warm.

Spaetzle Recipe:
Ingredients:
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 14 7/8 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 quarts plus 1 cup water, divided
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (12 ounces), plus more as needed
Directions:
  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 2 1/4 teaspoons of salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
  2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1 cup of water. Pour this mixture into the well in the flour mixture.
  3. Using a wooden spoon, gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Stir vigorously until the dough becomes smooth, sticky, and stretchy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  4. Meanwhile, bring the remaining 4 quarts of water and the remaining 1/4 cup of salt to a vigorous simmer in a large pot over medium heat. Prepare a large bowl filled with ice water and place a colander in it.
  5. Uncover the dough. Slowly tilt the bowl of dough over the simmering water until the dough just rolls to the edge of the bowl. Using a sharp knife dipped in the simmering water, cut the dough into approximately 3-inch-long, 1/8-inch-thick ribbons as it reaches the bowl's edge. Let the ribbons gently drop into the water, ensuring smooth cuts by keeping the knife blade firmly against the edge of the bowl. Repeat until the surface of the water is mostly covered with dough pieces.
  6. Allow the dough pieces to sink initially as they cook and then return to the surface. Once the cooked pieces float to the surface, continue cooking until they are firm and pale yellow, about 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
  7. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the cooked dough pieces to the colander in the ice water and let them cool for 2 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat. Repeat the cooking and cooling process with the remaining dough and additional olive oil.
  8. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Heat a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and swirl until melted. Once the butter begins to brown, add about 2 cups of cooked dough pieces. Immediately toss to coat the dough pieces in butter and spread them into an even layer. Cook undisturbed until each piece forms a crust on the bottom and is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Shake the skillet to loosen the pieces and carefully use a spatula to flip them. Continue cooking, shaking the skillet occasionally, until the spaetzle is mostly golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  9. Transfer the spaetzle to an ovenproof serving platter and keep warm in the preheated oven. Repeat with the remaining butter and cooked dough pieces. Serve immediately.

Whole Recipe Directions:
  1. Season duck legs evenly with salt and pepper. Arrange them skin side up on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 8 hours.
  2. Preheat your oven to 275°F. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add 3 duck legs, skin side down, and cook until deeply golden brown, rendering the duck fat, about 25 minutes. Transfer the legs to a baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining duck legs, reserving the fat. Chill the rendered fat until needed.
  3. Return all duck legs to the Dutch oven and add water, onion, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the preheated oven. Roast until the duck is just fork-tender and fully cooked, about 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool, uncovered, for 1 hour at room temperature.
  4. Transfer the duck legs to a baking sheet, tent with aluminum foil, and set aside. Strain the braising liquid through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl; discard solids. Skim and discard the fat from the liquid and return it to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and cook until reduced to about 2 cups, approximately 40 minutes.
  5. In a small bowl, stir together softened butter and flour until smooth. Gradually add this mixture to the reduced braising liquid, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until the raw flour taste is cooked out, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep the sauce warm over low heat until ready to serve.
  6. Heat reserved duck fat in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 3 duck legs, skin side down, in the skillet and cook until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until just heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining duck legs. Reserve any remaining duck fat for future use.
  7. Arrange spaetzle, mushroom ragout, and duck legs on a platter and serve with the braising sauce.
Make Ahead: Duck legs can be braised, cooled, and chilled overnight in the braising liquid. Discard any solidified fat and reheat the duck slowly on the stove before continuing with the recipe.

Binx (me) looked up a few recipes for this dish and added his own flavor to it. For the original recipe, go to: https://www.duckchar.com/blog/2024/4/13/german-inspired-braised-duck-legs-recipe-with-spaetzle-and-mushroom-ragout

Note from Rain: I've made this several times, and adding garlic to the actual ragout made this over the top for me. Shallots are fine, but onions you already have is just as tasty. Not to mention, most stores that we frequent don't have duck or the original mushrooms called for in the recipe. What Binx does, as do I and most cooks I know, add their own flare and flavor to recipes. Try chicken and button mushrooms for a less expensive and just as good dinner! 


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