Tex Mex Peperonata Food

PEPERONATA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste turns brick red, about 5 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and 1 cup water, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer until the peppers are very soft, about 30 more minutes.
• Uncover, increase the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 20 to 25 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the basil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

TEX-MEX PEPERONATA

Steps:

• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, the hot and sweet peppers, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Saute the onion mixture until crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cook 2 minutes. Add the beer or stock and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter, garnish with cilantro and serve.

CHILI-LIME FISH FRY WITH TEX-MEX PEPERONATA

Steps:

• To prepare the peperonata, heat the EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeño and bell peppers, and salt and pepper. Sauté until the peppers are crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 2 minutes, then add the beer or stock and stir for a minute or two more. Top with the cilantro and set aside.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper. Arrange 3 shallow dishes; place the flour in one, beat the eggs in the second, and scatter the bread crumbs in the third. Season the bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon grated lime zest, the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme. Coat the fish in the flour, eggs, and seasoned bread crumbs.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. If the pan is not large enough to fry 4 fillets, heat the oven to 275°F and place a cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet. As you fry the fish, transfer it to the rack in the hot oven to keep warm. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until deeply golden and crispy. Season with a little extra salt and top the fish with lots of lime juice and then the peperonata.

TEX-MEX PIEROGIES

Steps:

• First make the dough:.
• In a food processor, pulse the flower and salt together to break up any lumps there may be.
• Add in the beaten egg and pulse 2 or 3 times.
• Add the sour cream and butter and pulse until it looks like wet sand (about 5 or 6 times). It is important not to over mix into a lumpy ball.
• Pour the sand on to your working counter or plate and bring it together into the shape of a ball. Try to handle it as little as possible.
• Wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge while you make your filling. (20 min or more).
• Filling:.
• Place your ground turkey into a HOT pan. Try to get most of the surface area covered. Let sit for a minute to brown and then start breaking apart the meat.
• Add the chopped onions and stir. Sprinkle in the salt, paprika, cumin, and cayenne.
• Once the onions have softened add the corn and chipotle peppers and stir.
• Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. (about 1 minute).
• Add the Adobo Sauce and stir.
• Add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock and stir until almost all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock again. Stir until almost all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Now add the rest (1/2 cup) of the chicken stock and stir until most of the liquid has cooked out and you're left with a thick "taco" filling.
• Remove from pan and let cool.
• In a separate bowl, mix the Simply Potatoes Mashed Potatoes and the cheese together. Set aside.
• Assemble:.
• Take the dough out. You can use a rolling pin, but I didn't own one so I used a plate. Make 1" balls out of the dough and dust with flower. Roll or flatten them out to make about 3-4 inch rounds.
• In the middle of the round, put a spoon full of your potato mixture followed by a spoonful of your taco filling.
• Fold in half. A good trick is to gently shake up and down by the edges of the dough (like shaking water out of pasta in a colander) and press together at the top. Otherwise this could get super messy. make sure the edges are sealed tightly. You could use an egg wash here, but plain water worked fine for us.
• Lay on a sheet pan that has been dusted with flour.
• In a pot of boiling and salted water, drop 6-8 Pirogies at a time. cook for 8-10 minutes. They should be floating at the top when they are done.
• Pull them out and let cool slightly.
• Brush with melted butter on one side.
• In a hot skillet, put pirogies butter side down to crisp up.
• Butter the tops (since we only buttered one side).
• Flip when brown and crisp up the other side.
• For the Dipping Sauce.
• In a bowl, mix up the sour cream, chopped green onion, and taco seasoning. THAT'S IT!
• Serve on a platter with dipping sauce and sprinkle with more green onion for garnish. GREAT party food. Filling enough to be a meal.

TEX-MEX SPICE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients.
• Store in a jar with a tight lid.