Hot and Spicy Food Recipes:
Side Dishes

Grilled Pico de Gallo
Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)
Spanish Rice
Frijoles Refritos, Refried Beans
Arroz con Azafran (Saffron Rice)
Chipotle Black Beans
Cornbread Mexicana

Grilled Pico de Gallo

Traditional Mexican salsa with a twist. Grill your veggies before making them into a salsa to go with grilled meat or fish.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, peeled, sliced 3/4 inch thick
1 red onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in half, seeded
1/2 jalapeño, seeded, ribs removed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pinch salt
1/8 teaspoon cracked peppercorns

Preparation:

Grill the tomatoes, onion, and peppers until the tomatoes are marked and warm through, the onion is slightly browned and soft, and the pepper's skin has blistered and browned. Remove them from the heat and cool until they can be easily handled. Gently remove the skin from peppers. Chop all veggies into small pieces (about 1/3 inch dice) and put them in a small bowl. Add the cilantro, lime juice and seasoning.

Best if eaten right away. Make as close to serving time as possible.

Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups dried pinto
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic; chopped
1 bay leaf
2 or more serrano peppers, chopped (optional)
3 tablespoons lard
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
extra lard; (optional)

Preparation:

Cover beans with water and soak overnight. Drain beans.

Add fresh water to cover, the onions, garlic, bay leaf and peppers. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently, adding more boiling water as necessary. Continue cooking until beans are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. There should not be much liquid when beans are cooked.

In a food processor, purée the beans. Heat remaining lard in a skillet and sauté purée until it becomes a smooth, somewhat dry paste.

Spanish Rice

A must with southwestern dishes of all kinds. Simple to make and holds up well in the refrigerator for leftovers.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons yellow onions, chopped
1 cup rice, white, long grain
1/2 cup tomato juice
1 cup water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 pinch black pepper
1 Roma tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons red bell peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons green bell peppers, chopped

Preparation:

In a saucepan that has a tight fitting cover, melt the butter and sauté the onions until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with butter, then add the tomato juice, water, bouillon cubes, pepper sauce, chili powder, and black pepper.

Stir to dissolve the bouillon cubes and bring to a boil. Once the liquid reaches a boil, reduce heat to its lowest setting, cover, and go away for 25 minutes.

Do not stir, do not look under the lid, do not worry !!

Once your timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat, lift the lid off quickly and throw in the tomatoes, and chopped peppers and put the lid back on quickly.

Do not stir, do not taste, do not worry !! Allow the rice to steam in the pan for 20 more minutes.

Now... If you didn't cheat and if you didn't worry, your Spanish rice should be perfect. Stir in the tomatoes and peppers and serve with a smile. If you did cheat...Well, Shame on you !!!

Frijoles Refritos, Refried Beans

Have you noticed that the refried beans in a real Mexican restaurant are totally different from canned refried beans? They're just so creamy and rich. Brace yourself, the reason for this wonderful flavor might frighten you. It's lard!

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups dry pink beans or pinto beans
1 cup lard, or lard substitute
salt

Preparation:

Remove any foreign material from beans and rinse well. In a large heavy pot coat the beans well with 1/4 cup of lard.

Add 5 cups of room temperature water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, reduce heat to medium low and cover.

Simmer for 2 hours. Check now and then to see if a little more water is needed, stirring each time you check. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, salt to taste.

In a separate heavy skillet heat 1/2 cup of lard.

Using a slotted spoon, place about 1 cup of beans in the heated lard.

Mash with a wooden bean masher or fork. Then add a little of the liquid from the pot of beans, stir and repeat the process until all of the beans and liquid are incorporated.

Store properly:

These are basic Mexican beans. They are stored and only what is to be eaten is reheated or "refried". In different parts of Mexico they add their own regional flavors, everything from cream to beer or rum to tomatoes, onions and jalapeños. When you are ready to serve you can sauté a little garlic and onion until soft, add the beans to reheat and serve topped with a bit of grated Jack cheese.

And remember, if the beans get a little dry when you're refrying them, do what they do in Mexico: add a little more lard!

Arroz con Azafran (Saffron Rice)

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon whole saffron threads, crumbled
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
2-1/4 cups long grain white rice
3 3/4 cups low-fat low sodium chicken broth

Preparation:

Mix wine and saffron in medium bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add rice and stir 2 minutes. Add wine/saffron mixture and simmer until almost evaporated, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed about 18-20 minutes.

Turn off heat and let sit covered for 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chipotle Black Beans

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter or oil
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 15 ounce can of black beans, undrained
2 chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce, diced
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Melt 1 tablespoon butter and sauté onion and garlic in butter until tender.

Add beans, peppers, water and crushed pepper, salt and pepper and a teaspoon or two of the adobo sauce if you like.

Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Serve beans topped with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of sliced green onion.

Cornbread Mexicana

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups cornmeal
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 can whole kernel corn (15 ounce), drained
1 can green chiles (4.5 ounce), diced
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 stick butter, melted, (1/2 cup)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Add all of the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and incorporate. Add drained corn and green chilies. Add eggs, milk, melted butter, and cheddar cheese.

Mix well. Pour into a 13 X 9 pan (1/4 sheet), or muffin pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Freezes well.