I made homemade chorizo the other day.
Cause I am all that. Duh. Yup.
No I'm not.
I made the chorizo cause it looked good.
(And frankly most days I am far less than "that", whatever "that" is :)
But before we go into the super exciting food prep pictures, let's quickly recap what the heck I've been doing the last six weeks instead of blogging crazy awesome posts like this one!
Well gosh....
since you asked....
I've been taking pictures of chicken wings and fries and the album I was listening to that night while cooking.
since you asked....
I've been taking pictures of chicken wings and fries and the album I was listening to that night while cooking.
I bought that Leon Redbone album at an antique shop in Cedarburg, WI a couple weeks prior at a festival the town was having.
This picture was taken from the second story of a former woolen mill that is now a potters shop.
This picture was taken from the second story of a former woolen mill that is now a potters shop.
Let's see...what else have I been doing.......
Apparently I've been taking pictures of
ol' Stud Muffin there mowing...
Is everyone sick of
mowing yet?
Does it seem never-ending??!!
Does a rock yard sound real enticing right about now?
ol' Stud Muffin there mowing...
Is everyone sick of
mowing yet?
Does it seem never-ending??!!
Does a rock yard sound real enticing right about now?
OH! I've been clearing out a bunch of stuff and have sold some stuff on Craigslist.
Well, this rug hasn't sold but I'm thinking it's because my picture here makes it look just too fancy, what with being thrown over a couch like that and barely unfolded.
Q: Who's lazy?
A: (Angie)
Shhhhhhhh.....
Well, this rug hasn't sold but I'm thinking it's because my picture here makes it look just too fancy, what with being thrown over a couch like that and barely unfolded.
Q: Who's lazy?
A: (Angie)
Shhhhhhhh.....
I had a tick on me the other day...
Yeah,
still in therapy for that.
still in therapy for that.
Um, still in therapy for buying sweet potatoes and cutting them into wedges and some of the sweet potatoes were white.
WHITE sweet potatoes.
WHITE!
It rocked my world to the core but it didn't stop me from eating them.
An aside: Why must life be so confusing?
WHITE sweet potatoes.
WHITE!
It rocked my world to the core but it didn't stop me from eating them.
An aside: Why must life be so confusing?
And lastly,
I've been taking pictures of the vehicles for sale before they go on the lot in Frytown.
This is the leather interior from an immaculate
2003 Buick Century Custom with
102k miles
that I just posted.
Angie likey this car.
A lot!
I've been taking pictures of the vehicles for sale before they go on the lot in Frytown.
This is the leather interior from an immaculate
2003 Buick Century Custom with
102k miles
that I just posted.
Angie likey this car.
A lot!
But now let's get started
on the 4-1-1 of this homemade chorizo recipe!
Actually it's called Homemade Chorizo with Pinto Beans.
I have spoken of my fondness for Mark and his work as a food critic, author and activist.
He has several excellent and roundly applauded cookbooks.
The two I currently have are
The Mini Minimalist
and
VB6....Eat Vegan Before 6:00.
He has several excellent and roundly applauded cookbooks.
The two I currently have are
The Mini Minimalist
and
VB6....Eat Vegan Before 6:00.
Anyhoo, here's the fixins for this tasty dish.
I'm missing the apple cider vinegar in this picture but the meat is there :)
See that meat? The recipe calls for pork shoulder but my grocery only carried pork butt, so that's what I used.
I'm missing the apple cider vinegar in this picture but the meat is there :)
See that meat? The recipe calls for pork shoulder but my grocery only carried pork butt, so that's what I used.
| Now, I paid $4.99/lb. I didn't think that was too bad. The cut was 4 lbs. but I only used 3 lbs. and froze the rest. I actually doubled the recipe because I wanted leftovers for lunch. Let me go ahead and show you the recipe... |  |
Homemade Chorizo with Pinto Beans
Straight outta Mark's website markbittman.com
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion
2 cups cooked or canned pinto beans (one 15-ounce can)
1 lime
1 small bunch fresh cilantro
Prep | Cook
Peel 2 garlic cloves. Pulse in the food processor until minced. Cut the pork into 2-inch chunks.
1. Add the pork to the food processor along with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, a pinch each of cinnamon and cloves, 1 teaspoon cider vinegar, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture until the pork is coarsely ground but not puréed.
2. Put 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat.
Trim, peel, and chop the onion.
3. When the oil is hot, add the chorizo mixture and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chorizo is cooked through and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes.
If you’re using canned beans, rinse and drain them.
Cut the lime into wedges; chop 1/4 cup cilantro.
4. When the chorizo is crisp, stir in the beans and cook, stirring occasionally until they heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the cilantro, and serve with the lime wedges.
Straight outta Mark's website markbittman.com
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion
2 cups cooked or canned pinto beans (one 15-ounce can)
1 lime
1 small bunch fresh cilantro
Prep | Cook
Peel 2 garlic cloves. Pulse in the food processor until minced. Cut the pork into 2-inch chunks.
1. Add the pork to the food processor along with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, a pinch each of cinnamon and cloves, 1 teaspoon cider vinegar, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture until the pork is coarsely ground but not puréed.
2. Put 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat.
Trim, peel, and chop the onion.
3. When the oil is hot, add the chorizo mixture and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chorizo is cooked through and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes.
If you’re using canned beans, rinse and drain them.
Cut the lime into wedges; chop 1/4 cup cilantro.
4. When the chorizo is crisp, stir in the beans and cook, stirring occasionally until they heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the cilantro, and serve with the lime wedges.
Okay, I measured out all my seasonings to be prepared...
Remember,
I doubled the recipe.
Remember,
I doubled the recipe.
I chopped up the onions and threw the garlic in the food processor.
| Next I threw the cubed meat in the processor along with the seasonings. |  |
Okay dudes...
I have NEVER put meat
in a food processor.
Apparently you can though.
Works great, in fact.
in a food processor.
Apparently you can though.
Works great, in fact.
| So here's the seasoned pork meat right outta the food processor...looks like chorizo texture. |  |
Next I drained and rinsed the beans.
Now I used two different brands of canned pinto beans and they looked totally different from
each other.
They tasted relatively the same, but...strange, huh, the difference in canned beans.
Now I used two different brands of canned pinto beans and they looked totally different from
each other.
They tasted relatively the same, but...strange, huh, the difference in canned beans.
I just want to point out my
high dolla, 25-year-old plastic colander that I continue to melt holes in,
the most recent hole from just a couple nights ago.
I'm not a proud person, clearly.
So anyway, moving along,
see that non-stick skillet I am using?
DO NOT USE NON-STICK when making chorizo!!
Why??
It never browns!!
Regardless, throw the onions in the oil (I used olive oil).
Throw that nice seasoned pork
into the skillet too...
See
how lovely this is turning out...the chorizo and garlic and onions...
Now see how awesome the chorizo
looks
plattered with the lime slices and chopped cilantro?
looks
plattered with the lime slices and chopped cilantro?
CRAP!!!!!!!!!!
FORGOT THE PINTO BEANS!!!!!!
So I pick out the cilantro and the lime slices and throw the chorizo back in the pan...
FORGOT THE PINTO BEANS!!!!!!
So I pick out the cilantro and the lime slices and throw the chorizo back in the pan...
and I throw the pinto beans in...
It IS CALLED
Homemade Chorizo with Pinto Beans
after all...
It IS CALLED
Homemade Chorizo with Pinto Beans
after all...
So I warmed the pinto beans up with the chorizo.
And
re-plattered up the chorizo with the beans this time,
and the cilantro and the lime slices.
I also made up some
brown rice.
And now everything goes out to the table on the front porch, ready to be plated with a tortilla, brown rice, cilantro, avocado and a bit of Monterrey Jack cheese.
Of course
Angie is starving,
and plates up her food without regard to how it will look in a photograph,
hence all the little spackling of food particles on the plate :)
Angie is starving,
and plates up her food without regard to how it will look in a photograph,
hence all the little spackling of food particles on the plate :)
Now, some quick notes on this meal:
1. This homemade chorizo will NOT shoot you up out of the chair running for water with major seasoning flavor, the flavor is actually somewhat subtle.
2. Use all of the seasonings in the amount specified, do not reduce any of the ingredients, otherwise it will reduce the flavor.
3. Hot sauce is fine to have as a condiment on the table.
4. The rice is a nice bonus eaten with the chorizo-pinto bean mixture.
5. Avocado is delicious with this meal.
6. Tortillas are a must.
7. You will eat more than you're expecting because the flavors meld so nicely together.
8. This is a nice, casual meal. Don't make it fancy.
After a casual lunch all cleaned up quickly, the day continues with the warm weather, stories and
nice beverages.
Tim and his mom sharing stories back and forth.
Okay, so if you want to print off the recipe, I'll try posting it in a document here.
Otherwise, just highlight and print the actual recipe. Or click below if you have Microsoft Word.
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So in closing to today's riveting post, just wanted to show you how some flowers have come back from being pelted with weeks of rain...these flowers by the garden shed are sprouting new blooms again.
This is by the garage...
man, the ferns are flourishing this year, eh!!
And the pot by the summer kitchen is finally popping with color too!
Okay, that's all I have for today,
Gals and Guys!
Hope y'all have a great upcoming week and I hope to be poppin' in soon with another can't miss-riveting post!
We'll talk at ya soon!
