Jalapeno Hot Sauce

We got a bunch of pepper plant donations up at the farm, so there are many peppers to be had.

The jalapenos are pretty mild this year. One of the farmers told me it's because we have had such mild weather this summer! So this sauce ended up being pretty mild. It has been great on enchiladas and eggs. I've been wanting to make my own hot sauce for awhile. It's actually pretty simple and you can add as much seasoning (onions, garlic, vinegar) as you want. The recipe is altered from Allrecipes.

10-12 large jalapenos, sliced with seeds
1 small onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/4 cup water

Saute the jalapenos, onion, and garlic for about 5 minutes. Then add the water and cook for 10 minutes. Puree the mixture once it is done cooking and add vinegar to taste. Store in a mason jar for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.

Mussels in Fresh Tomato Sauce

The inspiration from this recipe came from a restaurant near our house, Park Bruge. They have delicious Belgian beers and best of all, mussels and french fries. Tiffany and my mom hacked at the bay marshes to get these mussels so they tasted extra delicious.

You will need:

1 large heirloom tomato, chopped roughly
1 medium white onion, sliced into thin strips
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 jalapeno, sliced thinly
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 heaping cup steamed mussels

Cook the onions over medium heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the jalapeno cook for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook just until it breaks down, just a couple of minutes. Add the herbs and plenty of pepper. Finally, add the mussels and cook just until warmed up. Serve with some crusty bread and garnish with extra herbs.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

It seems like ages ago that we were at the beach, and now I'm finally posting this recipe. The recipe is loosely based on some others that I found online but it really was formed from the vegetables that we had available. The picture is of my sister Tiffany on the dock by the bay eating some soup.

4-5 strips thickly cut bacon, sliced
1 large white onion
2 shallots
3 stalks celery
1 small bunch or 3 large carrots
3 green peppers, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic
3 large potatoes, cubed
5 large tomatoes, chopped roughly
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp old bay seasoning
3 cups chopped clams
5 cups clam juice

Crisp the bacon in a heavy soup pot over high heat. Remove the meat and set aside. Chop the onion, shallots, celery, and carrots into small pieces. Saute in the bacon drippings over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the hot and sweet peppers and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the old bay and herbs and black pepper. Season to your liking. Turn off the heat and add the chopped clams. Serve with some crusty bread.

Pissaladiere (Onion Tart)

At least six or seven years ago my dad found this book, Paris in a Basket, at a used book sale. It's not really a cookbook - it's more great descriptions and pictures of a lot of the different markets in Paris with occasional recipes added in. I made this onion tart for the first time about when I got the book from my dad, way before I had any cooking skills. It's a really tasty and pretty tart with surprising flavors. 

The intro in the book says: 

"Although Annie Boulanger is writing a cookbook of her own, she was generous enough to share her recipe for pissaladiere with us. There are many different versions of this recipe: in Provence it is made without egg; in other regions a bit of custard is added; and often a lot custard is added and it resembles a quiche. We like Annie's version the most and if you love onions this is for you!"

I've had a cold so my Hines Ward mug has been very busy.

(I didn't use this recipe for the pastry since I had leftover dough in the fridge, but I remember it being good and flaky.)

For the pastry:

1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
8 tbs ice water

For the filling:

2 lbs onions
3 tbs olive oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup liquid cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cinnamon