December 2008 Archives

Whipped this one up for myself this mornin. I had some left over egg whites from a Coco-Choco experiment and some tomatoes that were on the verge of expiring… this is what happened.

These are really not as spicy as you might think, rather the savory flavor of the jalapeño chile comes out when baked and paired with chocolate. The sharp spicy flavor common in salsa fresca is replaced with a sweet and mild warmth in the back of the mouth. The habanero adds a little more warmth and tames the herbal flavor of the jalapeño. The cranberries add a bit of texture and their natural sweetness is a true compliment to the sweetness of the chiles.

If you’re a fan of spicy food you’ll love the familiar flavor but miss a little of the spiciness you might expect. If you’re not such a fan of “spicy,” you’ll be surprised to discover the flavor of jalapeño normally hidden behind the fiery spiciness you might expect.

I prefer my classic brownies stale, but these treats are best served right out of the oven, cut into bite-sized chunks. The heat-hotness and the chocolaty vapors of the fresh-out-of-the-oven-brownies will make for the best possible experience!

Mmmmmm! I can’t wait to make this again.

Great for cold winter nights.

Ingredients

• 2 medium yellow onions, diced.
• 2 T butter
• 6 c vegetable broth
• 6 medium potatoes, 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 T olive oil
• 5 leeks, halved, cleaned and cross-cut thin
• 1 c white wine

Method

1. Sweat onions in butter.
2. Place broth and potatoes in large pot on medium high heat.
3. Add sweated onions to pot.
4. Add olive oil and leeks to pan over medium heat, stirring.
5. When leeks get soft and begin to stick to the pan, add half the wine. Once the wine evaporates, add the rest, and then keep stirring.
6. Add the leeks to the pot.
7. Once potatoes are fork soft, turn off the heat.
8. Blend soup with immersion or traditional blender.