I serve this sauce over enchiladas, burritos, eggs, beans, using fresh New Mexico green chiles. Do not use canned chiles for this recipe. (They just don’t taste like green chiles to me.)

Amounts are approximate. I usually just dump ingredients, esp. chile and garlic, until it looks “right”. This is a very forgiving recipe and very basic. I so much appreciate the taste of fresh, unadulterated green chile and garlic, that I rarely add any other seasonings.

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, smashed or chopped (I use more!!)
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups vegetable stock or vegetable bouillon
~12 roasted, peeled, chopped green chile (adjust according to heat of the chile)
2 Tbsp flour or cornstarch
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute onion, garlic in olive oil. Add chile, stock. Add salt and pepper. Dissolve flour or cornstarch in a cup of hot water and add, stirring to prevent lumps. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Optional ingredients:

1-2 potatos diced (1/2″ or so)
1-2 chopped tomatos
1-2 whatever else
cilantro, cumin, oregano

Add with the chile and stock. Potatos help thicken the chile, especially after it has been frozen since they tend to disintegrate in the freezer. Add the cilantro after it has simmered to retain the fresh cilantro flavor.

Ingredients

1-2 lb squash, peeled & cubed
1 bay leaf
4-5 lg garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp onion, minced
1 tbsp oil or butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp paprika
1-3 tbsp lemon juice

other vegetables may be added
other possible spices: coriander, fennel, celery seed, rosemary, cayenne

Directions

Peel, cube and boil the squash in enough water to cover. When the pieces are very soft, lift them out, leaving water in pot. Mash squash with a fork and return to cooking water.* Simmer gently, adding the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, saute the crushed garlic and the onion in oil or butter. Combine the remaining spices and add them to the butter mixture. Saute over low heat for 5-10 minutes until flavors have blended well. Then spoon a little of the squash liquid into the skillet with the spice/butter, stir and simmer gently until combined, and pour into the soup pot. Add water to make about 6 cups and stir in lemon juice to taste.

* Soup might be quite thin but I’ve found simmering it for awhile will thicken it up. Alternative would be to hold back some of the cooking water.

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2 cakes of tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes or slices if you’re making sandwiches

Marinade:
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger root
2 Tbsp. dry sherry, sake, or Chinese rice wine
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice, white, or cider vinegar
Optional ingredients:
2 Tbsp. minced scallions
1/2 tsp. sugar or honey
1/2 tsp. Chinese hot chili oil or Szechuan hot bean paste
pinch of cayenne
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Place the tofu cubes in a strainer. Either pour boiling water over the tofu or dip the strainer into a pot of simmering water for 1 or 2 minutes. Set aside to drain thoroughly.

Whisk together all the marinade ingredients and add any of the optional ingredients that appeal to you. Pour the marinade over the tofu cubes in a large bowl and toss gently with a spatula. Chill at least 20 minutes before serving. A longer marinating time is fine, but we recommend that the tofu be served within a day for the texture to be at its best.

Serve Marinated Tofu as a side dish with any Asian meal or mix it at the last minute into stir-fried vegetables. It is good as a topping for tossed or grain salads or as an addition to Miso Broth. Try frying it with leftover rice or noodles. Jody and Lou fry it and use it in tomato-sprout-grated carrot sandwiches.

To press tofu: Most recipes call for pressed tofu because pressing makes the tofu firmer and more absorbent. To press tofu, place the cakes of tofu between two flat plates or baking sheets. Weight the top with something heavy. The sides of the cakes of tofu should bulge out a little, but not split. Let stand for at least 30 minutes, remove the press, and pour off the water.

Frozen tofu: The texture of tofu becomes chewy and spongelike when frozen and thawed. Freeze the cakes whole, thaw, and squeeze out the water. Frozen, then thawed, tofu soaks up the marinade immediately.

Nothing could be yummier or richer in healthy minerals than this variation on the classic.

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes or yams
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch ground black pepper
malt vinegar (optional)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F.
SLICE potatoes ¼” thick, brush with oil.
PLACE in baking pan, bake 25-35 minutes, until golden.
SPRINKLE with malt vinegar, salt & pepper.

Makes 4 servings,

Servings: makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs potatoes
salt
1 Tbsp flour
ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp sherry
2 Tbsp evaporated milk
grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded American cheese
4 cups milk
paprika
melted butter or margarine

Instructions:

Cook potatoes until tender. Cool, peel, then chop. Season to taste with salt. Add flour and season to taste with nutmeg. Add sherry,
evaporated milk, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and American cheese. Stir well. Turn into greased shallow pan and pour in milk, stirring lightly to blend. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and paprika. Drizzle top with melted butter. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, adding more milk if necessary.

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp grated onion
7 Tbsp margarine
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 pt sour cream
8 oz grated Swiss cheese
4 16 oz Cans of French style green beans
1/2 cup crushed corn flakes

Directions

Lightly saute the onions in 4 Tbsp of the margarine, and stir in the flour, sugar, salt and white pepper. Blend well. Stir in the sour
cream. Cook until thick, stirring occasionally. Drain the green beans and add to the sour cream mixture. Pour into a buttered casserole. Top with swiss cheese. Melt the remaining 3  Tbsp of margarine, then stir in the corn flakes. Spread over the top of the cheese. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes.

This may be prepared in advance and refrigerated, but it is better if you prepare the corn flake mixture when you are ready to bake the dish.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrubs
3/4 cup milk
1 onion, finely chopped
2 eggs beaten
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground veal
1/2 lb ground lean pork
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Gravy:

Butter (if necessary)
1 large onion, sliced
2 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups canned beef consomme
1 cup whipping cream
freshly ground pepper

For meatballs: soak breadcrumbs in milk for 10 minutes. Mix in onion, eggs and seasonings. Add meats and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Handling gently, form mixture into 2 inch diameter meatballs. Smooth balls between moistened palms. Place in baking pan. Refrigerate until firm.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches (do not crowd) and cook until brown on all sides, shaking pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving drippings in skllet. Layer meatballs in a deep 4 quart oven proof casserole.

For gravy: measure pan drippings and return 3 tablespoons to skillet, adding butter if necessary. Add onion and cook over medium low heat
until tender, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually
mix in consoumme and cream. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Season with pepper. Strain over meatballs.

Preheat oven to 275F. Bake casserole until meatballs are heated
through, about 45 minutes. Serve hot.

(Pao Doce)

Makes 2 loaves

Up and down the northeastern seaboard of the United States are fans of this melt-in-your-mouth Portuguese bread.

Required Ingredients:

2 pkgs active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115F)
1 cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
5 1/2 cups flour (up to 6 cups possibly)
1 egg

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in milk, 3/4 cup sugar,
salt, 3 eggs, margarine and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in
enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto
lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Place in greased bowl. Turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm
place until double, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Dough is ready if indentation
remains when touched)

Punch down dough and divide into halves. Shape each half into a round,
slightly flat loaf. Place each loaf in greased round 9×1 1/2-inch layer
cake pan. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350F. Beat 1 egg slightly and brush over loaves. Sprinkle
with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake until loaves are golden brown, 35 to 45
minutes.

Snail Loaves (Caracois): After dividing dough into halves, roll each
half into a rope about 25×1 1/2-inches. Coil each to form a snail shape
in greased round 9-inch layer cake pan. Proceed as directed.