Mexican Potato Chowder

Huh. It appears that the only thing I have been eating for the past month is soup. That statement is mostly true. Soups are easy to invent, delicious, and time friendly. Today, we’re taking a departure from the Indian food, and taking advantage of the Mexican grocery stores that are abundant in Chicago. It should be noted that this recipe is not vegetarian, kosher, or particularly healthy, but it is delicious and perfect for evening when your plans include watching Gossip Girl and complaining about your period. This recipe is also nearly impossible without an immersion blender, but use your brain and improvise something! It doesn’t need to be blended, I just like building my base that way. I’m serving it with some tortillas.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup ground Chorizo (preferably fresh)
3 carrots, grated (about 1.5 cups)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 large onion chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large can of peeled whole tomatoes and their juices. (28oz size)
28 oz. water (use the can from the tomatoes)
1.5 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded
4 pickled serrano peppers, chopped (EXNAY!!! After further thought and taste, this makes the recipe nearly too spicy to enjoy, without the aid of A TON of sour cream. If the dish isn’t spicy enough, each taster can add her own hot sauce. )
2 peppers, chopped (I used red and orange, don’t use green)
5 large potatoes, chopped
1.5 cup cream cup cream
1 lime
Sour cream
Tortilla Strips
Large pot for cooking

Recipe:
*Please read all the ingredients first. Chop them up accordingly. It’s very important to do this because it will make your life much easier.

1. Simmer olive oil in pot until it is shimmering.
2. Add chorizo and cook until it is no longer raw.
3. Add carrots, onion, celery and garlic to the cooked chorizo. Its ok that it is still red- chorizo is prespiced with red spices.
4. Cook this for about 5 minutes, or until the onions get soft. Adjust the heat as needed so that nothing burns.
5. Add your tomatoes and water.
6. Take your immersion blender and blend everything in the pot until it is smooth.
7. Add your cumin and oregano, stir.
8. Add your jalapenos and serranos
9. Add your potatoes, cook until tender.
10. Add cream, cook until it it’s to the temperature you desire.

Serve this with a dollop of sour cream, a squeeze of fresh lime, and tortilla strips on top. It pairs well with quesadillas, but then you’ll have to work out tomorrow.

snacks!

I am hungry! Every since I got back from Florida, I haven’t set foot on the CTA and have been biking all around the city thanks to Gerard getting my bike fixed. However, my appetite has gone through the roof! All I want to do is bike and take snack breaks! This morning, I ate my lunch for breakfast!

dark n’ stormy

A few years ago, a friend’s older sister’s friend (say that 10 times fast) introduced me to a delicious drink called the Dark n’ Stormy. I know it sounds like a romance novel from the last days of disco, but it’s actually quite good and very refreshing. Last night, the weather was dark and stormy, so I though a theme drink would be apt. I’d also confirm that I find people usually act more “Light n’ Sunny” after they’ve had a few of these almost tropical concoctions.

If you google Dark n Stormy, you’ll be told that you MUST use Gosling’s Dark Seal Rum. They are lying. It is good with any high quality dark rum. However, it’s worth noting that the powers that be are not lying about the dark rum- don’t try it with white rum or spiced rum. You will not be happy with the results. Traditionally the ingredients are 1 shot dark rum, ice, ginger beer, and lime. Ginger beer is worth having at your house all the time. It is delicious, and you can even make your own. After going to the Violet Hour, I was surprised to see them using a ginger syrup in addition to the traditional ingredients. Needless to say, it gave me a great idea.

Last fall, I decided to make my own ginger syrup. I’ve been experimenting with it since then, but I think last night I finally got it right. Here is the recipe

1 cup freshly grated ginger
1 cup sugar
1.5 cup water
2 tablespoons ground ginger

Combine ingredients, bring to a boil.

Let boil until the mixture reduced by 1/2. Strain into a glass container.

Meanwhile, you should have some freshly cut limes on hand.

Once the ginger syrup has cooled a bit, pour a shot of the syrup into your glass, along with the juice of 1/2 a lime

Next, pour a shot and a half of dark rum over your syrup/lime mixture

Place 4 cubes of ice into the cup, top off with ginger beer, stir and garnish with a lime

Delicious! I’d recommend making this on Thursday nights, especially since 30 Rock is all new.

celebratory

My friend Danielle just got a great new job. Last weekend over a celebratory Framboise at Small Bar in Logan Square, she mentioned wanting to go out for drinks sometime this week, with the girls before her 7:30am-5:30 pm hours began.

The Violet Hour is delicious and fantastic, but a bit out of our price range for this Wednesday. The Matchbox is an old standby, but we wanted something a little more intimate and less crowded (an odd mix of terms, eh?)

I figured it was the perfect opportunity to try out Juicy Wine Company. We weren’t dissapointed- I had a delicious grilled cheese and some reasonably priced glasses of Pinot Noir. Natalie got and shared some lemon-thyme brined olives and Danielle got the “Stinky, Creamy, Sharp” cheese plate, which was generously portioned and very tasty. It’s a bit pricy to be the kind of place you can go every day (not that you’d want to go to a wine bar everyday, i’m just saying) , but is worth checking out, especially with a group of friends on a low-key weekday evening.

spring sprang

(kind of)

This weekend was all kinds of relaxing. I didn’t really cook anything because I spent a lot of time outside.

We went on a walk all the way to the lake and saw some flowers that are actually blooming RIGHT NOW:

Then we saw more evidence that yuppies are scarier than previously thought

No boats are at the docks yet except for the city park ones

I made some “grossrogies” Next time I am sticking to cheese and potato.

The looked so tasty

But tasted so gross.

I also watched the movie “Real Genius” which is great!

My cilantro is totally growing

daily update

as i am crunched for time, you will have to wait til the evening for a glorious entry on persimmon pudding ala friday last.

or you could always go outside and leave your computer in the dust.

overhaul

be prepared to be wowed over the next few weeks as my blog will be overhauled. it will have focus and be fantastic. the goal is to update 3x a week. one time about food. one time about something to read. one time random. we will see how this works out. i am in the mood for a spring cleaning.