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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Culinary Smackdown -Battle Chile


When Rebecka at At Home With Rebecka announced that Chile was going to be the main ingredient I almost could not believe what I was reading. I put chile in just about everything so how was I going to narrow it down to just one dish? The answer to that was simple: I wasnt going to.

Should I start with dessert? Why not.

This is a three layer panna cotta with Tahitian vanilla beans and cream layer, mulato chiles and chocolate layer, and a blueberry layer with coconut whipped cream. If you cant do what you want then what can you do?

Rather than dig through my archives to show you each and every time I have used chile I opted for three simple go-to dishes that I made this week. Lets start with huevos rancheros. A simple egg dish with refried beans and red chile enchilada sauce with a nice warm and slightly crispy flour tortilla.

Tamales have got to be one of my comfort foods to beat all comfort foods. Tamales were typically reserved for around the holidays when I was growing up so not only are they comforting they were also special. This is a mixed bag of chile flavors as its a green chile and cheese tamale with a nice tasty, spicy chile sauce that is loaded with the flavors of sunshine.

One of the things I dont make too often are taquitos or flautas - growing up these rolled and crispy fried goodies known by many as flautas but known by me as taquitos were always a real treat. Why I dont make make them is a big mystery to me, they are easy and quick and loaded with goodness. These are potato, onion, garlic and cilantro taquitos with two sauces.

There is one sauce that is a tomatillo, serrano chile fresh green sauce and the other is an anaheim, big jim and mulato cooked red sauce. The taquitos are served with mexican crema, avocado and the two sauces.

This is spicy......

But this is HOT! There you have it. A little chile sampler and my entry for Culinary Smackdown: Battle Chile.

29 comments:

Anette said...

Oh, How can we follow that entry! The tamale is my favourite, I would love to taste it!

Rebecka said...

Holy frijoles...what an awesome entry!! Not just one, but FOUR!! How terrific it that?!

I'm very excited about the dessert entry as I love chiles in sweets. Very unusual mix of flavors and and textures! I'll need to make this one to experience it first hand!

I don't want you to be missed in the challenge so please link up your recipes to the linky tool at the bottom of the smackdown challenge, this way all of my readers can find you and your four yummy entries.

http://athomewithrebecka.blogspot.com/2010/09/culinary-smackdown-battle-chile-october.html#links


Anette!!! I hope you decide to join us in the challenge....I know you have some lovely recipes to share! HUGS!

Janis said...

Yay you! These all look fantastic and you really aced this battle.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

This Chile battle has your name written all over it. I'll bet no one has a dessert entry except you.
Sam

Kate said...

One of everything, please. Wish I had time to do the dessert for dinner tomorrow with kids and grandkids visiting!! Kate@kateiscooking

Belinda @zomppa said...

You outdid yourself with this one.

Jenn said...

Wow...that panna cotta looks fantastic. I'd be afraid to dig my spoon into to those perfect layers. Yum!!

Fantastica job on the tamales, too. You do know how to bring on the competition. :)

Unknown said...

Wow wow wow...you are my hero ~_~

GlorV1 said...

Your dishes look great. I'm not really a cooks cook, I cook for my husband and I. I entered the chili contest just for fun, tis all. I also cook with chili's all the time and have even more fun growing them.

mamtc said...

karen - U r a genius. Love the pics.

mamtc said...

I dunno why i added karen.:).. I read the blog and narration and pic. Loved it loved it.

Treat and Trick said...

Oh goodness, your creations are terrific, I love those tamales, great presentation too, thanks for the visit..

Jeannie said...

Wow! Those sound and look like very hot entries. I can't decide between the eggs and the dessert.

LaDivaCucina said...
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LaDivaCucina said...

For it is written: taquitos, "they are easy and quick and loaded with goodness" Indeed they are and I never had one until I moved from Sydney to L.A. Your food looks divine, I want you to teach me how to make tamales, Doggy, I have the masa!

Great job, Huevo Master! I love them all and could eat any of these for breakfast! (even the dessert!)

Angie's Recipes said...

wow A little chilli goes a long way...I love that tri-coloured panna cotta! Very special.
Flautas does look loaded with goodness.

pigpigscorner said...

Love chili too, but I have yet to try putting chili in my desserts!

Jason Phelps said...

Way to go! I'll take one of each, please. Good luck with the battle.

Jason

Nutmeg Nanny said...

Battle chile is totally for you! I'm loving those tamales....I'm so hungry now!

kitchen flavours said...

Delicious entries! Your chile dessert looks yummy! The egg dish looks really good. Tamales are really new to me. I have seen so far only three recipes using tamales,including yours! Very interesting! Thank you for visiting me. Have a nice day!

Unknown said...

Are you sure it wasn't a tranny? hehe

I'm loving the dessert! Especially the spicy kick to it!

Vickie said...

I don't know how I missed this post! I LOVE chile in so many foods and I got a huge grin when I see you've added it to chocolate. YUM!

theUngourmet said...

It all looks fantastic but I am especially admiring that gorgeous panna cotta! Incredible color. I would love to try this!

CreativeMish said...

Oh! everything looks so good. That desert looks really good and the tamales! Yum! I remember as a child the Mexican woman that worked for my dad really loved him. He knew no enemies. They were always bringing us the best food. I knew when one of their cars pulled up to the house it was going to be something good. Fresh Tamales.. and my favorite, Fresh off the grill homemade flour tortillas. Still warm,we would butter them and eat like candy. Those were the days.

CreativeMish said...
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Chef Fresco said...

A-Mazing! Seriously, everything in this post. I could go for some of the dessert right now!

Biz said...

Funny you should post chile, because I am hosting BSI's 100 week and I chose chile as the secret ingredient - feel free to enter any of your chile recipes before November 7 - winner gets a $20 Whole Foods gift card.

Hope you have a great Halloween weekend!

http://mybizzykitchen.com/2010/10/26/bsi-week-100/

tavolini said...

wow. I want to eat every single thing you made for this challenge. Right now.

Unknown said...

A hint of chili in chocolate, or ice-cream, or cheesecake is divine.....hmmm now you have me thinking if there is anything I haven't put chili in.......I would be all over that pannacota. wow.

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