El Jefes Glove Box Recado Recipes

EL JEFE

Steps:

• For the brisket: Preheat a smoker for smoking at 275 degrees F. (Don't beat yourself up trying to maintain the exact temperature. Stay within 25 degrees of your target, and you should be good.)
• Mix together the salt and pepper in a bowl, then rub it all over the brisket. Smoke brisket until it reaches 165 degrees F, about 8 hours. Wrap with foil and continue to smoke until internal temperature reaches 203 degrees F and the thermometer slides in and out of the brisket like it was butter, about 2 hours more.
• Let rest for at least 1 hour.
• Chop the brisket.
• For the queso: Set up a double boiler. Add the cheese, diced tomatoes and chiles and milk to the upper pan of the double boiler. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, until cheese is fully melted.
• For the veggies: Mix the onions and peppers in a bowl. Toss with oil, pepper, salt and granulated garlic. Cook veggies in a saute pan, stirring continuously, over medium-high heat until veggies are translucent.
• For the sandwiches: Toast buns. Add BBQ sauce to each half. Add nice handfuls of the chopped brisket to bottom buns. Add a little more of the BBQ sauce on top of the meat. Add queso, veggies and jalapenos to your desired heat. Add corn chips for a crunchy treat, if desired. Top with top buns.

TAMARIND RECADO

Steps:

• In a small skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and using tongs, fry chipotles, 1 or 2 at a time, turning them, until puffed and just beginning to brown, about 10 seconds. (Do not let chiles burn or recado will be bitter.) Transfer chipotles as fried to a small bowl, letting excess oil drip off. Add boiling water and soak chipotles, tossing occasionally, until soft, about 20 minutes.
• Heat a dry comal or flat iron griddle over moderately low heat and pan-roast onion, garlic, and tomatoes, turning them occasionally to ensure even roasting, until browned and soft throughout, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard garlic skins and tomatoes stems.
• In a blender or food processor blend chiles, 1/2 cup soaking water, onion, garlic, tomatoes, tamarind pulp, and salt until smooth. (Recado may be made 5 days ahead and chilled, covered.) Makes about 3 1/4 cups.
• In a small saucepan barely cover tamarind with water and bring to a boil, covered, over moderate heat. Simmer tamarind gently, covered, stirring frequently, until pulp loosens and falls off seeds, about 30 minutes. (If mixture becomes too thick, add more water to keep barely covered.)
• Strain mixture through a medium sieve into a bowl, pushing hard with back of a spoon to extract as much pulp as possible. If pulp does not measure about 1 1/2 cups, return solids to pan with water to barely cover and bring to a boil. Strain tamarind again in same manner to extract more pulp. (Tamarind pulp may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.)

TRADITIONAL ACHIOTE RECADO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan bring water and achiote seeds to a boil. Cook seeds, covered, at a bare simmer 30 minutes and remove from heat. (Steep seeds 2 hours, or until softened.)
• Heat a dry comal or flat iron griddle over moderately low heat until hot and pan-roast garlic and onion, turning them occasionally to ensure even roasting, until browned and soft throughout, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard garlic skins.
• In a small heavy skillet dry-roast oregano over moderate heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes and transfer to a small bowl. Cool oregano completely and in an electric coffee/spice grinder grind fine.
• Drain seeds and in a blender or food processor blend with garlic, onion, oregano, and remaining ingredients until smooth. (Recado may be made 5 days ahead and chilled and covered.)

GRILLED CORN ON THE COB WITH GLOVE-BOX RECADO

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-hot fire for direct-heat cooking in a grill. Place the ears of corn on the grill rack and grill, turning them as needed to color evenly, for 10 minutes, until they have a bit of char to them but haven't cooked so much that the kernels have wrinkled. You want to maintain the sweet, fresh corn crunch. Remove from the grill and cut in half crosswise.
• In a large bowl, mix together the recado and lime juice. Add the corn and toss until evenly coated. Take a bite of one ear and adjust the remaining ears with more recado and lime juice to taste. Serve hot.

EL JEFE'S GLOVE-BOX RECADO

Steps:

• Line a plate with a paper towel. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the ancho chiles and fry, turning once, for about 1 minute on each side, until puffy and crispy. Be careful they do not to burn. Transfer the anchos to the paper-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the chipotle chiles. Let the chiles cool completely.
• Toast the oregano in a small, dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning, for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Let cool completely.
• Transfer the ancho chiles to a spice grinder, grind to a powder, and transfer to a small bowl. Repeat with the chipotle chiles, followed by the oregano. (If you cannot fit the chiles into your spice grinder, grind them in the food processor in the next step.)
• In a food processor, combine the garlic, salt, ground oregano, and ground chiles and process until the mix has a fine, grainy, sandy consistency similar to that of coffee grounds. If the mixture is damp, turn on the oven to the lowest setting, spread the mixture on a baking sheet, and place the pan in the oven until the mixture dries out, stirring it every 10 minutes. Alternatively, spread the mixture on the baking sheet and let it sit out overnight at room temperature, stirring it a few times. Use now or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.