INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

The flesh, rips and seeds of chilies are rich in irritating burning
oils. When preparing chilies, always wash your hands and the utensils
in soapy water.  Be especially careful not to rub your face--eyes in
particular--until the oils have been thoroughly washed away.  When
processing chilies in a blender or food processor, avert your face as
even the fumes are burning.  Some cooks who work with chilies for any
extended length of time, wear plastic gloves.  There is a higher
concentration of capsaicin in the ribs of chilies; remove them for a
milder chili.  ROASTING CHILIES:  Recipes often call for chilies to be
roasted.  This  enhances the flavor and makes them a snap to peel.
Roasted chilies  may be frozen before peeling, a convenience if you
roast a big batch  at once; wrap them airtight in plastic wrap.
BROILER METHOD:  Set oven control to broil.  Arrange whole chilies
with their top surfaces about 5 inches from the heat. (Some people  cut
a small slit in the shoulder of each chili, to prevent it from
bursting.) Broil, turning occasionally, until the skin is blistered
and evenly browned (NOT burned).  Remove chilies to a plastic bag and
close tightly; let chilies sit for 20 minutes, then peel.  Anaheim  and
poblano chilies will roast in 12 to 17 minutes; jalapeno and  serrano
chilies in about 5 minutes.  GAS STOVE TOP METHOD:  Spear a whole chili
on a long handled metal  fork and hold it about 5 inches from the
flame.  Turn the chili so  that it roasts evenly.  Place roasted
chilies in a plastic bag and  close tightly; let chilies sit for 20
minutes, then peel.  The  disadvantage of this method is of course that
you can't roast a  number of chilies at once.  ELECTRIC STOVE TOP
METHOD:  This involves a little ingenuity on the  part of the cook.
Arrange a sturdy heatproof metal rack (such as a  cake rack) so that
the grill sits about 4 to 5 inches above the  electric burner. Place
whole chilies on the rack over high heat. Turn  the chilies on the rack
so that they roast evenly.  Remove chilies to  a plastic bag and close
tightly; let chilies sit for 20 minutes and  then peel.  CHILI POWDER:
This is a mixture of ground dried red chilies blended  with other
spices and herbs.  It is said to have been invented by  Willie
Gebhardt, a Texan in 1892.  Most brands include cumin and  oregano.
Often chili powder formulas contain paprika, coriander and  salt.
Chili powder is not to be confused with ground red chilies.  CHOCOLATE:
The Aztecs are credited with the discovery of chocolate.  It was
probably first used to flavor a bitter drink favored by their  mystics.
Another Mexican invention, the molinillo, is a wooden whisk  used to
whip hot chocolate.  The handle is rolled between the palms  of the
hands, whipping the mixture until it is frothy.  Today, block  Mexican
chocolate frequently contains cinnamon, vanilla, clove and  ground
almonds.  CHORIZO:  This spicy smoked pork (or pork and beef) sausage
is  available both in links and in bulk.  CILANTRO (Mexican Parsley,
Chinese Parsley, fresh Coriander):  This  herb bears a resemblance to
flat leaf parsley, but the flavor is  entirely different: strong,
fresh, acid.  Cilantro is perishable;  store it in the refrigerator
with the stems in water and plastic  loosely covering the leafy tops.
CINNAMON:  This is truly a spice of Mexican cuisine, used in dishes
sweet and savory.  It is available ground as a powder or in tightly
rolled dry quills.  Sometimes the bark of the cassia tree is sold as
cinnamon; the flavor is similar but neither as true nor as intense.
Look for authentic cinnamon.  CORIANDER:  This spice is the seed of the
plant that gives us  cilantro. It has a dusky flavor that is often
associated with Eastern  cooking.  It may be purchased ground or as
whole dried seeds.  CORN HUSKS:  Dried corn husks, softened by soaking,
are used to wrap  food before it is cooked.  They make a sort of
natural jacket that  holds a mixture together as it steams.  Remove any
silk clinging to  the dried husk before using.  Several small corn
husks may be  overlapped for a larger wrapping as for a tamale.
CORNMEAL:  Dried corn is of course the staple of southwestern  larders.
From Betty Crocker's "Southwest Cooking". File
ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/sowest1.zip

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