Kitchen Encounters

~ Sweet Heat: Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Ice Cream +Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Sauce! Cha-Cha-Cha! ~

Over the past 14 years, my husband Joe has managed to turn a few strawberry plants, that used to yield a  pint or two every year, into a full-blown strawberry patch, that yields several quarts.  In the beginning, that pint or two rarely made it anywhere except into our mouths.  Nowadays, I actually make plans for strawberry season, knowing that they will all ripen at about the same time, and, like peaches, once picked, will be over-ripe in a very short period of time, 2-3 days maximum.  Before I yield to making strawberry jam, I always fit a batch or two or three of my strawberry-buttermilk ice cream into my strawberry cooking agenda!

I'm no stranger to ice cream making. Thirty-some years ago, Joe and I purchased a White Mountain hand-crank machine. We lived in a house with a brook in the backyard.  I would make the ice cream base and Joe would place the machine on the picnic table and watch our three kids take turns cranking... one cranking while two played in the water.  It was a great way to give mom a much needed afternoon off!

About 15-16 years ago I invested in an expensive, Italian-made, Simac gelato machine, bought several cookbooks dedicated to ice cream making, and, even took an ice cream making class. This is a very substantial piece of equipment that has its own freezing mechanism. Once I prepare my custard (ice cream base), in about an hour, it does everything short of scooping it out for me.  I won't lie, I love this machine and it has a permanent place of honor on my kitchen counter.  I can, however, attest to the fact that when it comes to ice-cream making, it is all about the recipe, not the machine, because both of our machines, one very basic and one very extravagant, when the manufacturer's instructions are followed, turn out delicious ice cream!

Cooked Custard Ice Cream Base vs. No-Cook Shortcut Base

I'm not going to lie, when it comes to many of my ice cream recipes, I will never stray from making the custard from scratch because, simply stated:  it's richer tasting.  This is not a hard process, but it does require the understanding of how to whisk and cook an egg custard on the stovetop, strain it, plus a pre-chilling process.  From beginning to end this takes a few hours. One of the things that came with my Simac machine was a 54 page recipe book with detailed recipes for preparing:  ice cream, sorbet, sherbet, frozen yogurt and frozen drinks.  Included in the ice cream section are a few pages dedicated to "quick" ice cream, in which you simply sitr all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl (or, depending upon the recipe, puree them in a food processor), then freeze it in the machine!

My shortcut method for making strawberry ice cream, and:

My inspiration for this "sweet heat" recipe!

Two days ago I posted my recipe for ~ Sweet Heat:  Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Sauce ~, which you can find by clicking into Categories 6, 13, 20 & 22.  Back in the latter 1980's, while in Anaheim, CA, Joe and I stopped at a small cafe for lunch.  When I saw "Strawberry Chicken Quesadilla" on the menu, I had to order it.  Sandwiched inside of a perfectly grilled flour tortilla was a mixture of grilled chicken, sauted onion, black beans and queso fresco cheese.  Drizzled over the top was a chunky strawberry sauce, and, to my surprise:  it was spicy... the kind of spicy that can only come from chile peppers.  Sweet heat!  It was immediatly apparent that this delicious sauce would be great on all sorts of sweet things too, like waffles and ice cream for instance.  Then the revelation occurred to me:  Add some guajillo chile powder and a pinch of cayenne to my strawberry ice cream recipe, then serve it topped with a bit of my chilled strawberry & guajillo chile sauce!  In the event you are not adventurous enough to add "the heat" to either of these recipes, worry not.  Minus "the heat" you're left with eating creamy, delicious strawberry ice cream topped with a superb strawberry sauce!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16  ounces coarsely chopped/chunked, fresh strawberries, about 3 cups (Note:  I like to use very ripe strawberries to make strawberry ice cream.)

3/4  cup sugar

1  teaspoon guajillo chile powder

1/4  teaspoon sea salt

1/4  teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)

1  tablespoon fresh lime juice

1  teaspoon strawberry extract

1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract, not imitation

2  cups well-chilled heavy or whipping cream, or, 2  cups well-chilled half and half

1/2  cup low-fat buttermilk

~ Step 1. Prep the strawberries as directed, placing in a large bowl as you work.  Add the sugar, chile powder, salt, optional pepper, lime juice and extracts.  Using a large rubber spatula, stir until thoroughly combined.  Set aside, at room temperature, for 30 minutes.  The strawberries will be in a thick, drizzly, syrupy mixture.  

~ Step 2. Using a vegetable masher, smash the strawberries into smaller chunks and pieces.

~ Step 3. Fold in the cream (or half and half) and buttermilk.  You will have 5 cups of pretty, pastel pink ice cream base.

~ Step 4.  From here on out, follow the directions that came with your ice cream maker.  Because my ice cream maker has a built-in freezing system, I am simply transferring all of the ice cream base  to the work bowl of my ice cream maker.

I'll turn the machine on and let it churn/freeze for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Voila:

Sweet Heat:  Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Ice Cream +Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Sauce!  Cha- Cha-Cha!:  Recipe yields 1 quart of ice cream and 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; large rubber spatula; vegetable masher; ice cream maker; ice cream scoop 

Cook's Note:  For another strawberry recipe (which I posted last June for Father's Day), read my recipe for:   ~ It's a Dad Thing:  My Dad's Strawberry Soup ~, in Categories 6, 11 or 16!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2012)

~ Sweet Heat: Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Sauce ~

One of my favorite times of year is now:  strawberry season.  For the past two weeks, juicy and delicious strawberries have been available to me in every market.  While I've been gleefully feasting on them, it wasn't until today that I could officially proclaim it strawberry season.  Why? Because the strawberry patch in my husbands garden is full, and, they are ripening very quickly. Strawberries are also showing up at all of our local farmers markets this week too, and, lets face it, there's nothing better than freshly picked, locally-grown strawberries!

When I was growing up, the first thing every cook in my family did with fresh strawberries was make strawberry jam.  I was the first one in line with the Wonder bread, Jiff peanut butter and a knife, waiting for it to be cool enough to slather on a PB&J and eat!  

Yes, I could show you a recipe for strawberry jam (and eventually I will), but, my guess is, you probably have a family recipe for strawberry jam, and that make me very happy. My reason for choosing this particular strawberry sauce recipe as the first of two consecutive strawberry posts is two-fold:

Fresh strawberry sauce, served chilled, is quite versatile and is fantastic on a lot of things besides banana splits. It's great atop pancakes and waffles, stirred into pudding or yogurt, and, your oatmeal or Special K cereal too.  It's pictured here atop my recipe for ~ Sweet Heat:  Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Ice Cream ~, which you can find in Categories 6, 13 or 20!  Fresh strawberry sauce, served warm, is fabulous on grilled chicken, pan-seared duck breasts and poached fish.  BUT, when you mix fresh strawberry sauce with a little bit of heat, the kind that comes from chile peppers, you've got a gourmet treat (which leads me to why I'm posting this recipe)!

East meets West:  The Strawberry-Chicken Quesadilla!

The first time I ever tasted strawberry sauce made with chile peppers mixed in was in Anaheim, California.  It was back in the latter 1980's and Joe was attending a conference.  He did as he often did and booked a ticket for me to tag along.  On the day before our return home, we shopped and had lunch at an outdoor cafe. For whatever reason, when I saw a "Strawberry Chicken Quesadilla" on the menu, I had to order it.  Sandwiched inside of a perfectly grilled flour tortilla, was a mixture of grilled chicken, sauted onion, black beans and queso fresco cheese. Drizzled over the top was a chunky strawberry sauce, and, to my surprise:  it was spicy... the kind of spicy that can only come from chile peppers.  It was amazing.  Here's the fun part of the story:  When I asked our waitress about the recipe, she explained that the chef/owner was a Chinese man married to a woman from New Mexico.  It seems he had "fused" an Asian recipe for strawberry chicken with the flavors of the American southwest.  I just love inventive foodie stories like this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4  cups coarsely chopped/chunked, fresh strawberries, about 2 pints

2  large, dried guajillo chile peppers, reconstituted, each chopped into 4-6 pieces 

1  teaspoon guajillo chile powder

1  cup sugar

2  tablespoons firmly-packed dark brown sugar

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/4  teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 

1  tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon strawberry extract

~ Step 1.  Yesterday I posted ~ How to:  Reconstitute Large, Dried Chile Peppers ~ in Categories 13 & 15.  I used guajillo chile peppers for that demonstration and for this recipe you'll need to reconstitute 2 large, guajillo chile peppers. Guajillo chiles are moderately hot with a deep-red flesh and a slight berry flavor to them, which makes them perfect for this sauce!

~ Step 2.  Prep the strawberries and guajillo peppers as directed, placing them in a 3 1/2-quart chef's pan as you work.  Add all remaining ingredients as listed.

 

 

 

 

                                        ~ Step 3. Over no heat,  using a large spoon, stir to combine and continue to stir until the sugars have dissolved and the strawberries have a shiny coating.

 

 

 

~ Step 4. Bring to a steady simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover and set aside 30-45 minutes. Remove and discard the guajillo chile pepper pieces prior to serving warm or at room temperature:

Sweet Heat:  Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Sauce:  Recipe yields 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; 3 1/2 quart chef's pan w/straight, deep sides & lid; large spoon; ladle

Cook's Note:  This sauce keeps in the refrigerator for 5-6 weeks and reheats nicely in the microwave.  It also freezes well, which is a great reason to make a double or triple batch to have on hand all year long. Did I forget to mention is tastes great chilled too! 

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2012)

~ How to: Reconstitute Large, Dried Chile Peppers ~

At any given moment in Melanie's Kitchen, I have a few to several jars of randomly purchased chile powders or chile blends on my spice rack.  They are all quite good, are marketed by reputable manufacturers and I am thankful for them.  That being said, they do limit me to using whatever each manufacturer has produced or included in their product, as well as what is available to be at my local markets.  I want to point out that using dried powder in the home kitchen is very convenient, and, if used correctly, compromises much less than the "fresh chile pepper purists" want you to believe.  That being said, it helps to know what you're buying.  It's all a matter of knowing the correct spelling and after that, it's all found on the label:  

Is it spelled chile or chili?  It is NOT a regional thing!

CHILE:  Spelled with an "e" at the end, refers to the fresh or dried plant or pod or fruit of any member of the pepper family.

CHILI:  Spelled with an "i" at the end, refers to soups, stews and/or sauces made with fresh or dried chile peppers (like the famous chili con carne).

CHILE POWDER:  When spelled with and "e" at the end, means it is a powder made from dried chiles exclusively.  This is sometimes referred to or marketed as POWDERED CHILES.

CHILI POWDER:  When spelled with an "i" at the end, means it is a mixture of ground, dried spices (for example: cumin, garlic, onion) and chile powder. 

Many recipes call for using dried chile peppers that have been reconstituted.  There are many types of dried chile peppers available today (not too many to choose from, but too many to mention individually), and, I am not going to delve into specific kinds today.  What I am going to do is show you the proper way to reconstitute the large-sized ones, and, I just happen to have dried guahilla (wah-hee-oh) chiles on-hand, so that is what I am using. These mildly hot, dark red chiles have a leathery skin, which requires a bit longer soaking time than other chiles, making them the perfect guage for this demonstration!

Choosing Dried Chile Peppers

When choosing dried chile peppers, whenever possible, pick up the individual peppers, or, give the bag they are packaged in a little squeeze.  Dried chile peppers should be soft and bendable, not hard and brittle.  If they are hard and brittle, they've been sitting around too long and will not reconstitute well.

Prepping Dried Chile Peppers

If the peppers you are using are hot, you might want to wear a pair of latex gloves for this part.  Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the tops off of desired number of peppers. Using the shears, slice lengthwise down the side of each one, and remove each and every seed and any visible rib sections or veins.

Dry-Roasting Dried Chile Peppers

Sometimes called "toasting" instead of dry-raosting, this step can be and is often omitted, but it goes a long way to enhance/intensify the flavor of the reconstituted chile peppers. You will need a dry (no oil added) nonstick skillet or griddle, placed over medium heat.

I recommend you work in small batches of 2-3 when dry-roasting because each pepper requires close attention.

Place the peppers, opened up like a book, fleshy side down in the hot skillet.  Using the tongs, press down on them in random spots, until they take on an orangey color and have dark spots on them, about 45 seconds.  Flip the peppers over and repeat the process on the skin side.

Note:  Error on the side of under-roasting the peppers as charred or burnt peppers will taste bitter.

Reconstituting Dried Chile Peppers

Fill a small 1-2 quart saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Use a larger saucepan if you are reconstituting more than 6-8 peppers.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Add the peppers to the hot water and allow them to soften/reconstitute for about 20-30 minutes.  Drain and use as directed.

Note:  Always discard the bitter soaking water.

How to:  Reconstitute Large, Dried Chile Peppers:  Recipe yields instructions for dry-roasting and reconstituting any number and all types of large, dried chile peppers.

Special Equipment List:  kitchen shears; nonstick skillet or griddle; tongs; 1-2-quart saucepan

Cook's Note:  When using reconstituted chile peppers to make sauce, it is customary to puree them with items like grilled onions, roasted garlic, herbs, spices, salt, sometimes sugar and a specified liquid.  In some instances, the sauce then gets strained to remove bits of skin.  Finally, the sauce is placed in a hot skillet with a bit of oil, briefly fried, then gently simmered for 15-30 minutes to bring out its complex flavors.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2012)