South Of The Border Essentials Chorizo Spice Mix Recipes

SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER ESSENTIALS: SMOKY TACO DRY MIX

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. You will need a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to store this seasoning. I find old spice jars serve that purpose quite well. Make sure that you wash them out really good, so that your new spice does not pick up the flavors of the old one.
• 3. This recipe will give you enough spice mix to flavor 1 pound of ground beef, turkey, chicken, or pork.
• 4. Ancho chili powder not only has a bit of heat; in addition, it has a bit of smoke. So, we are getting our smoky flavor from two sources: The chili powder, and the smoked paprika. In addition, I doubled down on the cumin, subbed the onion powder for crushed dehydrated onions, and used white pepper for some sweet, sweet heat.
• 5. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 6. Grind the dehydrated onions using a mortar-and-pestle, or spice grinder.
• 7. Add all of the spices to a bowl.
• 8. Combine the ingredients, and then store in a good jar with a tight-fitting lid. Then store as you would any other dry spices.
• 9. MAKING THE TACO MEAT
• 10. Take 1-pound of ground beef, chicken, pork, turkey, or any combination thereof, and brown in a skillet with a bit of grapeseed oil, or other non-flavored variety.
• 11. Add the taco spices along with 1 cup of beef stock, or water.
• 12. Slowly simmer until the liquid is reduced by 60 - 70 percent, about 12 - 15 minutes.
• 13. PLATE/PRESENT
• 14. Serve as you would any yummy taco meat, like on these melted cheese tacos. Enjoy.
• 15. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

CHORIZO SAUSAGE SEASONING MIX

Steps:

• Blend the pork, pork fat, and seasonings together. Refrigerate 1-2 days to allow the spices and meat to infuse together.
• With the cold coarse attachment of the meat grinder work the seasoned pork through the grinder. Send 1/2 of the mixture through the grinder a second time. Mix thoroughly. Stuff the casings using a funnel and tie at desired link size. Prick the sausages so they do not burst while cooking.

SOUTH-OF-THE BORDER ESSENTIALS: EVERYTHING SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. You will require a blender or food processor fitted with an S-blade to make this recipe.
• 3. I like to play about with the salt and lime juice. Sometimes the chiles and tomatillos can be a bit more-or-less tart, and I adjust those seasonings accordingly. FYI: I you do not have any tomatillos; you can always substitute regular tomatoes. It will not taste the same; however, it is still pretty dang good. And, if you like yours hotter, throw in 1 or 2 jalapenos.
• 4. Homemade Ranch Mix This recipe calls for ranch dressing seasoning mix. If you want to make your own... It is healthier and does not have any preservatives check this out: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/seasoning-mix/diy-essentials-ranch-seasoning-mix.html?r=4 Homemade Mayonnaise To be sure, there are some good store-bought mayo's on the market (my all-time favorite is Duke's) If you live in the South, you have probably seen it on the shelves of your local grocer; however, as you travel North, it becomes as scarce as hen's teeth. If you would like to take a stab at making your own (it really is not all that difficult), check out this recipe: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/spread/mayonnaise-essentials-faux-duke-s-version.html?r=1
• 5. Storage of Homemade Condiments and Spices Because homemade spices and condiments do not contain any preservatives, it is important to store them properly. Non-reactive (glass) containers with tight-fitting lids are a must. If I am making a dry spice, I love to use old spice bottles that I have run through the dishwasher. If I am doing homemade sauces, I love using Weck jars. They are all glass, come in all sizes and shapes, and have excellent leakproof lids. If you shop online, you can go to Amazon, and type in "Weck Jars" and you will find a ton of them. Dry spices should be kept in a cool space, away from sunlight (spice cabinet), and sauces, in most cases, should be stored in the fridge. If properly stored, this sauce should last 4 - 6 weeks.
• 6. What Is A Tomatillo? A tomatillo is a small round fruit with a green color and papery husk. They're native to Mexico and are commonly used in Mexican cuisine to make salsas, sauces and more. When used in a recipe, the outer papery outer crust is always removed. What is the Difference Between a Tomato and a Tomatillo? At first glance, tomatillos look very similar to green tomatoes, but they are actually two very different fruits. Even though the word "tomatillo" literally translates to "little tomato" in English, don't be fooled. They're not the same thing. Like tomatoes, a tomatillo plant is easy to grow, and both are plants in the nightshade family. But that's where the similarities end. Tomatoes are sweeter, red in color and do not have the vibrant tartness that tomatillos have. What Do Tomatillos Taste Like? Fresh tomatillos have a unique flavor that is tart, bright and almost citrusy. They are mainly eaten cooked but can also be prepared raw. When boiled, the tomatillos tend to keep their tart flavor. When roasted, tomatillos become a little sweeter and lose some of their tartness. Tomatillos are healthy. They contain a lot of dietary fiber, and are rich in antioxidants, niacin, potassium, and manganese. Some Popular Recipes That Use Tomatillos: • Salsa Verde • Tomatillo Guacamole Salsa • Pork Chile Verde • Chicken Pozole Verde
• 7. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 8. This is an easy/peasy recipe to make.
• 9. Pop all the ingredients into your blender of choice (I am using a Vitamix), and blend baby blend.
• 10. Properly store in the fridge until needed.
• 11. I would let it chill in the fridge for an hour or two before using. That gives the ingredients a chance to know one another.
• 12. PLATE/PRESENT
• 13. Drizzle on a plate of greens, drizzle over enchiladas, burritos, tacos... stick in a straw and drink it right out of the jar (yeah, it is that good). Enjoy.
• 14. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER ESSENTIAL: ALL-ROUND SPICE MIX

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. You will need a spice or coffee grinder to make this mix.
• 3. Helping Spices Out Most spices, with the exception of things like salt, can benefit from an additional step before using... Pan heating. Add the spices to a cold pan, and then bring it up to medium heat. Continue to stir until the spices smell fragrant, about 2 - 3 minutes. Be advised that from the moment they smell fragrant to the moment that they overcook and burn, is a matter of 10 - 15 seconds, so as soon as you smell them, remove the pan from the heat, then immediately remove the spices from the skillet. Even if you turn off the heat, the spices will continue to toast in the residual heat of the pan. Why Does This Work Since the whole point of using spices is to enhance the flavor of the dish you are making, it makes sense to do everything you can to make them more flavorful, yes? Heating the spices (blooming) draws out the oils from the spices, emphasizing and emboldening their flavors. It can even take spices that are a bit long-in-the-tooth and bring them to new flavorful life. Note: If you are making a spice mix, do not cook the spices when you make the mix, cook them just before you "use" the mix in your recipe.
• 4. Salt If you are on a salt-restricted diet, then you can leave it out, or reduce it. You can always add a bit more later. Chili Powder The chili powder contributes to the heat and overall flavor of this spice mix. I like ancho for its deep smokey flavor notes, but if you have a favorite chili powder, use it. Full Stop. Paprika Smoked paprika works best, but if you have mild or hot, feel free to substitute. Dehydrated Onions The dehydrated onions add a mellow onion flavor to the mix; almost, as if you sautéed the onions before adding them. I use them in all kinds of dishes. If you do not have any, no worries, just replace them with about 2 teaspoons of onion powder. My goal of using the ancho chili powder and smoked paprika was to give the spice mix some nice mellow smokey flavor notes, and the white pepper imparts a nice sweet heat.
• 5. Storage of homemade condiments and spices Because homemade spices and condiments do not contain any preservatives, it is important to store them properly. Non-reactive (glass) containers with tight-fitting lids are a must. If I am making a dry spice, I love to use old spice bottles that I have run through the dishwasher. If I am doing homemade sauces, I love using Weck jars. They are all glass, come in all sizes and shapes, and have excellent leakproof lids. If you shop online, you can go to Amazon, and type in "Weck Jars" and you will find a ton of them. Dry spices should be kept in a cool space, away from sunlight (spice cabinet), and sauces, in most cases, should be stored in the fridge. If properly stored, this spice mix should last up to a year.
• 6. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 7. Mix all the ingredients together, grind to a uniform consistency, then store according to the provided suggestions.
• 8. PLATE/PRESENT
• 9. Use in any Mexican dish where you want to kick it up a bit. Enjoy.
• 10. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Crumble chorizo into large nonstick skillet; cook on medium heat until done, stirring frequently. Drain chorizo; return to skillet.
• Add Macaroni, tomatoes and water; stir. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 15 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally
• Add Cheese Sauce Mix; stir until blended. Top with shredded cheese.