Shredded Beef Salad

One of my favorite food magazines is Saveur. Not only does it have some fantastic recipes but the articles are just great. It's probably the only magazine I read from cover to cover.

In one of the very early issues I found a recipe for a shredded beef salad with a chipolte dressing. It intrigued me so I copied it down and tucked it away. A few weeks ago I rediscovered it and decided to make it.

It's a time consuming recipe but well worth the effort and, when made as written, will feed a small army. The only thing I would try differently would be to puree the dressing ingredients for a smoother consistency. Bit aside from that it was very tasty and as we ate it we both commented that this would work well with any meat be it chicken, pork or a fish like tuna.

Shredded Beef Salad with Chipotle Dressing (Salpicón)

serves 12

1 5-lb. top-cut beef brisket, trimmed

2 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced

4 cups Beef Stock

4 fresh poblano chiles (or 6 fresh anaheims)

1 7-oz. can chipotle chiles en adobo

2⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1⁄2 cup fresh lime juice

1⁄3 cup white wine vinegar

Salt

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1⁄2 lb. monterey jack, cubed

1 medium red onion, peeled and diced

3⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 head romaine lettuce, separated into leaves

3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

2 avocados, peeled and cut into wedges

5 radishes, thinly sliced

1. Place brisket in a large pot and scatter with yellow onions. Add stock and enough cold water to cover by 3". Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until fork-tender, about 4 hours, turning midway through cooking time.

2. Remove pot from heat and let stand uncovered until brisket is cool enough to handle, about 25 minutes. Transfer brisket to cutting surface and shred with two forks or your fingers. Set aside.

3. Char poblanos over an open flame or under a broiler, turning to blacken all over. Place in a paper bag, close, and steam 15 minutes. Rub off skin and remove stems. Slice open, scrape out veins and seeds, and cut into strips.

4. Drain chipotles, reserving adobo sauce. Seed and chop chipotles, then whisk with oil, lime juice, vinegar, salt, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. If sauce is not spicy enough, add reserved adobo sauce. Stir in beef, poblanos, cheese, red onions, and cilantro.

5. To serve, arrange salpicón (beef mixture) on a bed of romaine leaves, and garnish with tomatoes, avocados, and radishes.

This recipe was first published in Saveur in Issue #10

Chicken Enchiladas

I made these last week and just now got around to posting it. But the timing is great as today is Cinco De Mayo. So pop a few Pacifico's in the fridge and start cooking.

I modified this recipe that I found in the Dec. 07 Cooking Light. If was very easy to make and very, very tasty.

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
3 cups chicken broth
1½ cups finely chopped onion, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
½ cup sour cream
3 cups Green Chile Sauce (see recipe below)
Cooking spray
16 (6 inch) corn tortillas
¾ cup (3 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup (2 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Combine broth, 1 cup onion, and next 5 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan; chill 15 minutes. Shred chicken into bite sized pieces. Combine chicken, remaining ½ cup onion, and sour cream in a bowl, stirring well.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread ¼ cup of the Green Chile Sauce in the bottom of 2 (11” x 7”) baking dishes coated with cooking spray. If the tortillas are stiff, warm them according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place 8 filled tortillas, seam-side down, in each dish; pour 1¼ cups of remaining Green Chile Sauce over filled tortillas in each dish. Combine cheeses in a bowl. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture evenly over filled tortillas in each dish. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Serves 4

Green Chile Sauce

6 Anaheim chiles*
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Preheat broiler.** Place chiles on a foil lined baking sheet; broil 14 minutes or until blackened and charred, turning after 7 minutes. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and discard skins. Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile. Remove and discard seeds and tops. Chop chilies to measure 3/4 cup.

Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute. Add chiles, coriander, salt, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Using a stick blender, blend the mixture until smooth; stir well. Cool completely.

* I used poblano chilies.

** I used the gas stove top to char the chilies. I placed each one on a serving fork and held it over the open flame, turning as the skin .

Guajillo Restaurant - Review

After working 6 days in a row this week, I needed a beer .... and a nice dinner out. I didn't get a beer but did have a nice dinner. Jim picked me up after work and we drove in the general direction of several restaurants we were mulling over. As we exited from the GW Parkway our plans were to head to Kotobuki for sushi. But as it happens, there are several wonderful places to eat off this same exit, Ray's the Steaks and Guajillo to name two. Jim said, "Hey what about Guajillo?" and the next thing you know we're pulling into their parking lot.

Now the difficult thing about going to Guajillo is that Ray's is right next door. Finding a parking space is your first challenge. After that it's keeping your stomach from dragging you into Ray's for one of the best steak dinners in DC. But don't let the steaks tempt you if what you want is great Mexican food. Guajillo won't disappoint.

We were quickly seated and noticed that even at the early hour (5:30) the place was beginning to fill up. No sooner were we at our table when a fresh basket of chips and salsa as well as menus. The chips were paper thin and very fresh and the salsa tasty and hot (both temperature and spice-wise).

They have a nice list of tequila's to choose from as well as a killer Sangria and several beers. Jim got tequila and I got a glass of the (just made) Sangria. We decided to skip getting an appetizer and just ordered an entree each. Jim got the Carne Asada (a 12oz. grilled flap steak marinated in house marinade). I was trying to decide between the Chicken Enchiladas or one of the house specialties - Shrimp and Goat Cheese Enchiladas. The waiter said the shrimp ones were great so I got them.

The steak was incredibly tender and very flavorful. It was topped with grilled green onions and fresh tomato and came with refried beans and rice. Jim isn't a fan of refried beans but I am so I was more than happy to take those off his hands. They were very good, nice and smooth. This is a dish that will be ordered again.

My Shrimp and goat cheese enchiladas were good but nothing spectacular. The shrimp were but into dice size pieces which did make it easier to eat the enchiladas. The sauce was very rich and would have been ok with the dish but combined with the goat cheese sort of overpowered the shrimp. It was still very tasty (and I left nothing on my plate) but next time I'll try the chicken enchiladas instead.

Guajillo
1727 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
703-807-0840