Charro Beans

I’ve been cooking private parties for the past 35 years, more or less. In that time we’ve come up with some bullet proof recipes. What I mean by that is they are always welcome as far as flavor, they hold extremely well, so if there is a time crunch and we need to wait to serve they will still be delicious and they go well with grill roasted meats. We finished the recipe for our Charro Beans about 20 years ago and I will see people that I cooked for way back then and they will say, “I loved those Charro beans!” The trick to any beans is slow and low. Allow them to become soft before adding salt or anything else except a little vinegar. And always have a second pot of hot water on the stove to add as the water cooks down. And the big secret to great beans that was taught to me by my daughter Katie and was taught to her by her inlaws; COLD WATER ADDED TO BEANS THAT ARE COOKING CAUSES THEM TO TIGHTEN UP AND MAKES THEM TOUGH.

This recipe will amaze your friends and family. I love good fresh bread with a little butter and an ice cold beer with a big bowl of Charro Beans. Mmmmmm!

Charro Beans

Frijoles a la Charra

3 cups (about 1 pound) dried pink beans

1 tablespoon white vinegar

6 cups water

1 bottle of Negro Modelo Mexican beer

3/4 pound bacon, fried, crumbled, and drained (reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings for finish)

1 white onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-tablespoon corn oil

4 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, and chopped

2 dried chipotle chiles

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1-teaspoon ground cumin

1-teaspoon whole Mexican oregano

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Finishing ingredients:

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 white onion, finely chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 jalapeño, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1/3 cup Tequila

Sort beans, removing any foreign material, and rinse well. Place beans in a large pot filled with water and white vinegar. Bring to a simmer and slow cook until tender. If extra water is needed add but be sure to use boiling water. Add beer, bacon, onion, garlic, oil, chiles, salt, cumin, oregano and cilantro and simmer for 20 minutes for flavors to blend.

To finish:

In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the reserved bacon drippings for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add all other finishing ingredients and simmer for about 5 minutes; add to pot of beans. Simmer for 1/2 hour more. Adjust seasoning. Serve .

Argentinean Giant Cereus Blooms Red!

This is the time of years when we see all the colors that this beautiful Sonoran desert has to offer. Below is a picture of an Argentinean Giant Cereus but it has an unusual color of bloom.

Most often this prolific cactus offers giant white blossoms that smell like jasmine flowers. A few years ago Kathy and I were driving down Scottsdale road and saw a few of these in bloom in 5-gallon containers.

I had never seen one of these in this red color and so we turned around and I bought one. I have about 120 different kinds of cactus that I’ve been collecting for the last 35 years. This one didn’t bloom for the first few years and I was worried that it would just come out white. But a few days ago I saw that it was ready to pop. This morning as I was putting together our new solar hot water system I noticed that it was in fact red and so when it popped I grabbed the camera and here it is. Another unusual fact is, that it is pollinated by a giant white moth that comes at night. My friend Ed has waited for it to come, as he flowers only set for a few nights a year. He waited on his patio with his camera. He said that the night it came the moon was full and it sounded like a big humming bird and was quite a bit larger. He got a few shots but has not sent them to me. If he sends them I’ll share them.

This God a Poem by Daigneault

This God A Poem by Daigneault

Not wanting to join

They say, “I’m spiritual”

Mom and her folks

Believed every word

My education tells me

The world is more than 5000 years old

And I man cannot live

In a fish for 40 days

A written text

Handed down for generations

Christian, Muslim and Jew

Claim this god

But deny love

To their brothers

As our world burns

With murder, rape and greed

Chasing the unholy

In pursuit of possession

This God of my father

So distant

In the hours of pain

When all looks lost

We turn to this god

Who’s name we’ve lost

To find him close and new

Texas Truck Stop Red Chili

Texas Truck Stop Red Chili

My friend Bob boze Bell's son Tommmy dropped me a note asking for my Red Chili recipe. Bob drew the label for my 'Chili from Hell' 25 years ago, and when Tommy was about 16 we had a chili ceremony in my back yard where I gave Tommy the spoon I was given by world chili authority and the guy that taught me how to think about flavors Andy Householder. That's just how we do things out here in Cave Creek. As I told Tommy a recipe is more of a general direction than a road map. It will help you find your way.

This red chili is delicious and so easy to make. Give it a try.

1-1/2 LB Beef Tri tip, cubed

1/2 LB Ground pork

2 14-OZ CANS Chicken broth

1 8-OZ CAN Tomato sauce

2 BOTTLES Budweiser beer

2 Large white onions, chopped

3 CLOVES Garlic, finely minced

1/4 C Mild New Mexico chili powder

2 TSP Cumin

1 TSP Whole Mexican oregano

1/2 TSP Ground cayenne pepper

1/2 LB Grated Colby or cheddar cheese

Salt to taste

1. In a large frying pan brown off the meat and half the onion and drain well. Bring the chicken broth and tomato sauce to a boil in a large steel pot. Add the chili powder, oregano and cayenne pepper to the chicken broth. Boil over medium high heat for 15 minutes.

2. Add meat, reduce heat to medium and boil for 30 minutes. Keep a good eye on your pot -- do not let it get too thick. If it's getting thick, open one beer and pour half into the pot and the other half into the cook and reduce heat a little.

3. Stir often. Don't let it stick or burn. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes or more. Once again the chili should be lightly thick like a cream soup until the last 15 minutes of cooking. As before, if the chili is too thick, open the other beer and pour half into the pot and the other half into the cook. If the chili looks about right, pour the entire beer into the cook.

Carne Asada Tacos

Carne Asada Tacos

When the kids were young I worked with an intercultural exchange program based in a small village about 60 miles below the Mexican border at Nogales. Over the years we became good friends with several of the families in the sleepy little village of Terrenate’ Mexico. Due to this relationship, we were invited to a wedding. One of the town’s leading fathers, was hosting the marriage of his oldest daughter. He owned a small farm with a few cattle. I was lucky enough to be invited to be a part of the wedding preparation, which included butchering and cooking a whole cow.

The town’s “Matador” (literally, “Killer”), with no silly hat or sequined vest, came and killed and then butchered a cow. This was amazing, it was a quick process that rendered about 400 lbs of beef mostly in large cuts that were cooked over night in five-gallon tin cans, under ground in a deep pit that contained a layer of mesquite coals. The beef was mixed with whole bulbs of garlic, dark Mexican beer, little chiles, mint and *Mexican oregano. After the men butchered the cow, the women took over putting the big cans of beef together. While they were doing that, the men worked on the pit and fire. The only meat that was not used for the wedding feast was the skirt steak, which one of the men cooked, over a few shovels full of the hot mesquite coals, set in a little homemade grill. The Carne Asada, meaning grilled meat was served with fresh, hand made corn tortillas cooked on a little Comal. A few of the mothers, put the tacos together, each taco was made with two of the tortillas, about three tablespoons of the Carne Asada, along with chopped white onion, fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija, a white Mexican cheese. On the side they offered a fiery Salsa Cruda (raw salsa,) a slice of lime and a few chile tepins, which are little dried chiles smaller than a dried green pea that pack a red hot punch.

Being a guest I was served first, This simple plate also had a few grilled spring onions which are scallions that have been allowed to grow to about the size of a ping pong ball but still containing the green tails, they are charred and softened and of course an ice cold can of Tecate’ beer. This was one of the defining moments of life as a cook. The tacos were made of simple ingredients, prepared by someone who cared, about both the food and the people they were serving. The food, said something about who these simple people were, it was an act of love and an act of friendship and as good as it gets.

Pure mesquite chunk charcoal (not briquettes)

1-1 Lb. skirt Steak

Salt and pepper

1/2 TSP *Mexican oregano

Place the charcoal in the grill and light. Once the coals are glowing red, toss the skirt steak on the grill, and lightly salt and pepper the side that is up. Turn the steak when the first side is nice and brown and salt, pepper and lightly sprinkle the oregano on the browned side, Grill to medium. Remove from grill. Let the meat rest about five minutes, cut into little strips across the grain. Makes a little less than 1 LB.

* Mexican oregano can be found in any Mexican grocery store. It is integral in authentic Mexican cooking and has a curt, flatter flavor than Greek or Mediterranean oregano, which will produce more of a sweet and ‘Italian’ flavor, (think spaghetti sauce).

Carne Asada Tacos

Carne Asada Tacos

When the kids were young I worked with an intercultural exchange program based in a small village about 60 miles below the Mexican border at Nogales. Over the years we became good friends with several of the families in the sleepy little village of Terrenate’ Mexico. Due to this relationship, we were invited to a wedding. One of the town’s leading fathers, was hosting the marriage of his oldest daughter. He owned a small farm with a few cattle. I was lucky enough to be invited to be a part of the wedding preparation, which included butchering and cooking a whole cow.

The town’s “Matador” (literally, “Killer”), with no silly hat or sequined vest, came and killed and then butchered a cow. This was amazing, it was a quick process that rendered about 400 lbs of beef mostly in large cuts that were cooked over night in five-gallon tin cans, under ground in a deep pit that contained a layer of mesquite coals. The beef was mixed with whole bulbs of garlic, dark Mexican beer, little chiles, mint and *Mexican oregano. After the men butchered the cow, the women took over putting the big cans of beef together. While they were doing that, the men worked on the pit and fire. The only meat that was not used for the wedding feast was the skirt steak, which one of the men cooked, over a few shovels full of the hot mesquite coals, set in a little homemade grill. The Carne Asada, meaning grilled meat was served with fresh, hand made corn tortillas cooked on a little Comal. A few of the mothers, put the tacos together, each taco was made with two of the tortillas, about three tablespoons of the Carne Asada, along with chopped white onion, fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija, a white Mexican cheese. On the side they offered a fiery Salsa Cruda (raw salsa,) a slice of lime and a few chile tepins, which are little dried chiles smaller than a dried green pea that pack a red hot punch.

Being a guest I was served first, This simple plate also had a few grilled spring onions which are scallions that have been allowed to grow to about the size of a ping pong ball but still containing the green tails, they are charred and softened and of course an ice cold can of Tecate’ beer. This was one of the defining moments of life as a cook. The tacos were made of simple ingredients, prepared by someone who cared, about both the food and the people they were serving. The food, said something about who these simple people were, it was an act of love and an act of friendship and as good as it gets.

Pure mesquite chunk charcoal (not briquettes)

1-1 Lb. skirt Steak

Salt and pepper

1/2 TSP *Mexican oregano

Place the charcoal in the grill and light. Once the coals are glowing red, toss the skirt steak on the grill, and lightly salt and pepper the side that is up. Turn the steak when the first side is nice and brown and salt, pepper and lightly sprinkle the oregano on the browned side, Grill to medium. Remove from grill. Let the meat rest about five minutes, cut into little strips across the grain. Makes a little less than 1 LB.

* Mexican oregano can be found in any Mexican grocery store. It is integral in authentic Mexican cooking and has a curt, flatter flavor than Greek or Mediterranean oregano, which will produce more of a sweet and ‘Italian’ flavor, (think spaghetti sauce).

Won-ton, Soup or Deep Fried!

Kathy had the day off today so we thought we'd have Won-ton

This recipe is for fried Won-ton which is delicious, but if you want the soup, just simmer them in chicken broth until they float to the top of the pot. Then add a little napa cabbage and cilantro and, if you like, a pinch of crushed red chile. Either way Won-ton are delicious.

Won-ton with Asian Dipping Sauce

Won Ton wrappers

Egg white beat with a tablespoon of water

Wonton ingredients:

1Lb. ground pork

½ lb medium shrimp, peeled and chopped

¼ cup minced water chestnuts

¼ cup minced green onions

2 Tbl. Soy sauce

1 Tbl. fresh grated ginger

Asian Dipping Sauce:

1/3 cup rice vinegar

3 Tbl. sugar

1 ½ Tbl. sambal or other Asian chile sauce

Mix all won ton ingredients together. Place 2TSP of mixture in each won ton wrapper, brush edge of wrapper with egg wash and press together, If you like, brush the pointed edges with egg wash, and fold in.

Fried Won ton: Deep fry in 325º oil until golden brown.

Won ton soup: Place wonton in simmering water. Once the won ton float to the top keep simmering for four minutes. Remove from water and place in bowl with hot chicken stock and whatever Asian vegetables you like. I just use a little fresh spinach. If using firm vegetables it may be necessary to cook them in the stock for a few minutes.

Asian Dipping Sauce: Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and stir in the Sambal. Set aside to cool.

Extra Won ton may be frozen

Makes 4 dozen

Pork, Peppers and Pineapple Skewers with Sonoran Ponzu

Pork, Peppers and Pineapple Skewers with Sonoran Ponzu

For those days when you don’t want to heat up your kitchen, but it’s still too hot to spend an hour over a flaming grill. You can make these in advance and then just toss them on the grill and they’re done in twenty minutes!

Sonoran Ponzu Dust:

½ cup Mild New Mexico red chile powder

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup Kosher salt

¼ cup black pepper

Mix together and sprinkle over pork or poultry before grilling.

Sonoran Ponzu Sauce:

1 cup mirin

¾ cup premium Japanese soy sauce

Juice of 2 Key limes

1 tsp. chopped Serrano chile

Bring the mirin to a simmer. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until mirin reduces to 1/3 of a cup. Remove from heat and whisk in all other ingredients. Drizzle over grilled pork, poultry of seafood. Or serve on the side as a dipping sauce.

Pork Peppers and Pineapple Skewers

1 medium, fresh pineapple (You can tell if it’s ripe by smelling. If it’s fragrant, it’s ripe!)

2 Lbs. Pork shoulder, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

20 assorted peppers Jalapeno, red Fresno, Guerro, Habanero and so on

Non-stick vegetable oil spray

Cut the top and bottom off of the pineapple. Cit the pineapple into quarters from top to bottom, then remove the hard core. Cut remaining slices into 1 to 2 inch chunks. If using wooden or bamboo skewers make sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to use, so they don’t burn up on the grill. Thread alternating pieces of pork pineapple and peppers onto skewers. Sprinkle well with Sonoran Ponzu Dust and then spray well with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Brown well over hot grill or coals, then move away from direct heat and close the lid. Although times vary with different grills and fuels I find they are done in about twenty minutes. Make sure and use a glove or oven mitt when turning or handling, as the skewers will heat up with the lid closed! Remove from grill and serve with Sonoran Ponzu sauce in a small bowls on the side for dipping, or drizzle the ponzu sauce over skewers. This dish is delicious with grill baked Yams.

Serves 6-8

Garage Sales The Intersection of Truth!

Garage Sales

The Intersection of Truth

The great American humorist George Carlin once said, “How come my stuff is shit, and your shit is stuff?” This becomes apparent quite fast when having a garage sale. What I’m seeing is two things; As soon as the sign goes up, the cars follow. Everybody is looking for a deal. This is how garage sales have always been. But the financial landscape has changed and so have the buyers.

People go to garage sales for a few reasons; entertainment, to fill basic needs like tools, clothes, building materials, whatever? But I think it boils down to a feeling of control. In my own case I have bought almost everything you can think of including two Rembrandt Etchings (yes they’re real and worth a few hundred dollars each.) But often I will buy something that I don’t need because a perceived value, thinking “I can sell it later for much more than I’m paying.” And so we come to the big lie! The truth being that you most likely paid about what you can sell it for! The reason that it’s so cheap is that nobody has shown any interest in this item in the first place. Now maybe you’re so good at selling that you’re going to garner a huge profit, where others could not. But in general prices, like water, seek their own level.

What I’m seeing is the buyers are tighter than ever with their dollars, but still looking for something… anything, to buy at a huge discount. So you need to decide, do I want to hold out for that special buyer? In my case I do a combination of both; bargains and items that I’ll sell but only if I can get my price. The line for me is, do I need, or just want this. If so, I’ll sell it, but only if I can make a profit. Everything else is a function of profit and so, I drop the price. I always try to tie things together, if someone is looking at a piece of furniture and a few other little items I’ll throw in the little items, a few at a time, to get the buyer to make the deal!

Either way it’s still fun and you can make a few bucks while getting rid of some more of that clutter. I light the grill and start a outdoor project that I can chip away at while watching for buyers. All in all it’s a nice way to spend a spring day. Besides people are interesting and everybody has a story.

Tabouli Salad

Give this easy salad a try. It's so refreshing and light and goes so well with a roast leg of lamb!

Tabouli Salad

1 C Bulgar wheat, dry

1-1/2 C Boiling water

1-1/2 TSP Kosher salt

Dressing

1/4 C Extra virgin olive oil

1/4 C Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 TBL Fresh-squeezed lime juice

2 CLOVES Garlic, finely minced

1/2 TSP Dried mint

Finish

1 C Plum tomatoes, diced

1 C English cucumber, diced

1/2 C Scallions, chopped fine

1 BUNCH Italian parsley, chopped fine

2 TSP Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Pour the Bulgar into a mixing bowl, add the salt and pour in the boiling water. Cover with plastic and let soak for 30 minutes.

2. Whisk dressing together and stir into the Bulgar. Allow flavors to blend in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

3. Carefully stir in finishing ingredients, taste and correct seasoning if needed.

Caprese Salad

As it gets hotter I'm always looking for something to eat that will refresh without stuffing. This classic salad is just right for a warm summer evening listening to the quail and enjoying a beautiful Arizona sunset with my wife of 31 years. Add a good, cold, crisp Chennin Blanc and who knows?

Caprese Salad

I’ve added the balsamic vinegar to this, I like the extra sweet bite. This salad is great either way.

8 OZ Water Buffalo Milk Mozzarella, sliced thin

3 Large Plum or any “garden fresh”, Tomatoes, sliced thin and salted lightly

1/2 C Fresh basil, finely chopped

Fruity olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

1. On a serving plate, arrange the mozzarella and tomatoes in circles, exposing at least half of the slices...a slice of tomato then a slice of mozzarella then a slice of tomato, and so on. Sprinkle with salt, basil, olive oil and then balsamic vinegar. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve with a good red wine.

2. Serves 6-8.

Bacon Black Olive Potato Salad

Bacon, Black Olive, Potato Salad

We started making this amazing potato salad about 25 years ago. My younger sister Suzie came to work for us at our little Café; The Mad Coyote Café. Kathy ran the place and Suzie showed us how to make this. We knew right off that it would be a big hit. Suzie had made it for a sandwich shop she had worked at in Tucson where it (the potato salad) won the best of Tucson award several times. After we closed the café one of the comments our old customers would make was how they missed that Potato Salad. We have been serving it, at our functions, ever since.

8 Lbs. Russet potatoes

4 sticks celery, chopped

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes

1 Lb. bacon fried crisp, drain and crumble

2 - 2 1/4 oz can sliced black olives, drained

2 cups heavy mayonnaise

2 tsp. yellow mustard

Celery salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes, with skin on, until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove

potatoes from water and let cool overnight in the refrigerator. Peel

potatoes and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

In a large mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, mustard, olives, bacon, bell

pepper, scallions, and celery. Mix well and then fold in potatoes. If

needed add a little more mayonnaise. Celery salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 12 to 15.

Mad Coyote Joe's Secret Barbecue Sauce Recipe

We've all heard about a broken down, Barbecue Joint on a dusty, back road with an old guy in overalls,working the pit. In this tale, the person telling the story says that the guy at the pit told them about his secret barbecue sauce recipe that his uncle shared with him on his death bed, swearing him to never give the recipe to anyone out of the family.... blah blah blah!

I've been told this story in different forms for the past 50 years.

Below is the best BBQ sauce recipe on the planet. If it makes you feel better, swear an oath to your uncle Joe, not to give this out!

Joe's Gooey, Sticky, Secret Recipe, Barbecue Sauce

My daughter Katie always asks for Baby Back Ribs with this sauce for her Birthday.

This recipe is for about 4 RACKS of baby-back pork ribs.

1 C Pepsi Cola

1 C Tomato sauce

1/2 C Dark brown sugar

1/2 C Dark molasses

1/2 C White vinegar

1 6-OZ CAN Tomato paste

1/4 C Sweet butter

1/4 C Worcestershire sauce

2 TBL Balsamic vinegar

2 TBL Maple syrup

1 TBL Dry mustard

1 TBL Mild New Mexico chile powder

1/2 TBL Kosher salt

1/2 TBL Fresh-ground black pepper

1 TSP Wasabi powder

1 TSP Summer savory

1 TSP Marjoram

1 TSP Granulated garlic

1 TSP Onion powder

2 DASHES TabascoÆ Habanero Sauce

1. Mix all ingredients together and simmer over low heat until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.

Rocky Point Shrimp Cocktail

My friend Ernie Bunch, the Vice Mayor of Cave Creek, has been coming to my open mic night, about two or three times a month, for the past 10 years. He has a very natural sound, down to earth, folksy and definitely western. We are currently at CODY’S every Tuesday night from 7-10. Ernie usually orders the Rocky Point Shrimp Cocktail, which is my recipe. He called me this morning saying that, “He wanted the recipe, but will cure the shrimp in Key lime juice rather than steaming or boiling it!”

I told him that was a great idea. So, find below the recipe. This is a recipe that my wife, Chef Kathy, developed, after we went to Rocky Point Mexico about 15 years ago. It’s delicious and is just the right thing for those days, poolside when it’s too hot to eat.

Enjoy

Rocky point Shrimp Cocktail /Gazpacho

Just add Cocktail shrimp to below recipe to taste and top with 4 or 5, 6-8 (per pound) cooked shrimp tail on!

4 C Tomato juice

2 C Tomatoes, diced

1 Cucumber, peeled and diced

1 CLOVE Minced garlic

1 Avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 Green bell pepper cut into ¼" pieces

1/2 Large White Onion, finely chopped

1/2 Jalapeno pepper without seeds, finely chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

2 TBL Light olive oil

1/4 C Fresh parsley, chopped

2 TBL Red wine vinegar

1 TSP Fresh basil chopped

2 TSP Tabasco sauce

1/2 TBL Dried Mexican oregano

1 TSP Honey

Salt to taste

4 C Tomato juice

2 C Tomatoes, diced

1 Cucumber, peeled and diced

1 CLOVE Minced garlic

1 Avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 Green bell pepper cut into ¼" pieces

1/2 Large White Onion, finely chopped

1/2 Jalapeno pepper without seeds, finely chopped

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

2 TBL Light olive oil

1/4 C Fresh parsley, chopped

2 TBL Red wine vinegar

1 TSP Fresh basil chopped

2 TSP Tabasco sauce

1/2 TBL Dried Mexican oregano

1 TSP Honey

Salt to taste

1. Put everything in a large bowl. Mix together allow flavors to marry in the refrigerator for a few hours. As we say around Cave Creek, go take a nap with someone you love. A few hours later the shrimp is ready and so are you!

Hurricane a poem by Daigneault

The devil had a party

Tuscaloosa rides rotting, gnashing teeth

A few short minutes

All held dear, shredded trash

Timbers and TVs, babies and board games

A living city took to flight

A few short minutes

The monster howled, lives and memories were lost

Everything, that is every thing lost

Hopes and worries and tomorrows plans

A few short minutes

This quintessential crime

And standing in the wreckage

a stranger with a camera

This ultimate pornography

Served with America's morning coffee

A shattered woman, more than alone

Knee deep in shredded sorrows

“I don’t know how to do this”

She said, with her voice shaking

Well be right back

after a word from our sponsors

Easy Shrimp Tacos, Mmmmmm!

Shrimp Tacos

The little fish taco stands along the Sea of Cortez in Mexico sell these delicious tacos. It's a great deal $1 per taco and $1 per ice cold beer. Sitting on the beach watching the fishing boats come and go. Hands down that's the best time you can have for $2. Make sure to use the seafood salsa (Salsa Por Mariscos)we posted a few days ago, to give their tacos that special taste. It goes well with any fish!

12 Corn Tortillas, warmed up on a comal or frying pan

1 LB Frozen Breaded Shrimp, deep fried

1/4 Head Green Cabbage Shredded

2 Hass Avocados, pitt removed and sliced

1/2 White Onion, minced

1/2 Bunch Cilantro, chopped fine

6 Wedges of Key Lime

6 Chile Tepins

Salsa por Mariscos

1. Place two tortillas, on top of each other, on each plate.

2. Place 2 of the shrimp in the center of the tortilla.

3. Top with cabbage, avocado slices, onion and ciltantro and set 1 lime wedge and 1 chile tepin on the side and serve with Salsa por Mariscos.

Serves 6

Meanwhile Back at the Bread III

Okay this what I learned tonight about bread. It is imperative to use (as directed in Tartine Bread) a mixture of Whole Wheat and Rice flour to line your, towel-lined breadbaskets. Today as I was working my dough, through the bench rest and the final rise, I being a rocket scientist, thought to myself, I’m out of the rice flour that is suggested in the directions for lining the baskets. What could it hurt? I’ll tell what it can hurt. When you have 22 loaves of bread that you have been working on for 3 days and then you go out and cut the Mesquite for the fire and you light that fire and watch it for 5 hours, while the bread is rising and then you clean the oven and wash it out, while hot and then you wait until it reaches 575°f and then you take your dough out and as you gently turn over the first loaf and it sticks to the towel and tears and deflates as you watch in horror. That’s the time when you realize that maybe they meant it when they said us a 50/50 mixture of whole wheat and rice, flour to line your baskets.

Alright, after a glass of wine and some thought I gently turned the baskets over and used a plastic dough scraper and got the dough to release and I scored it. However it did lose a little of it’s rise. Once again this is a learning process!

So the bread came out a little flat but it was delicious. I’ll bake again in 3 or 4 days.

Salsa por Mariscos (Salsa for Seafood)

This time of year we eat a lot of fish and seafood. We always have this wonderful salsa. It really makes the difference between just hot sauce out of a bottle and what is amazing about Authentic, Fresh, Mexican food! This is from my second book A Gringo's Guide to Authentic Mexican Cooking. Amazon has it both in print and the E-version at the link below.

http://www.amazon.com/Gringos-Authentic-Mexican-Cookbooks-Restaurant/dp/0873587871/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1303866790&sr=8-1

Salsa por Mariscos (Salsa for Seafood)

The little fish taco stands along the Sea of Cortez in Mexico use this salsa to give their tacos that special taste. The secret is the cucumber. It goes well with any fish.

4 to 6 large, ripe tomatoes, diced

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped

2 jalapeno` peppers, stems removed, and chopped

1 large white onion, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, cleaned and chopped

2 tsp. corn oil

At least 2 teaspoons salt (I know it looks like a lot, but for the right flavor, it takes more than you would think.)

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and cool for about 1/2 hour before serving.

Makes 4 cups

Red Hot, South Texas, Shrimp en Escabache

The weather is getting warm and at this time of year I start to think of my favorite hot weather shrimp dish. Make up a big bowl of this and serve it over butter lettuce with key lime wedges and Hass avocado slices. If you can find it a good baguette and an ice cold chardonnay will make this the perfect warm day meal.

Red Hot, South Texas, Shrimp en Escabache

1 Lemon, sliced

1-cup celery tops

½ cup crab boil

1 ½ Tbl. Kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

2 ½ Lbs raw medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 medium white onions, sliced thin

12 bay leaves

1 ¾ cups canola oil

2 cups white vinegar

1 ½ Tbl. sea salt

1 Tbl. Crushed red chile

2 tsp. Pink peppercorn

1/3 cup capers, brine

¼ cup celery seeds

15 cloves garlic, cut in half

2 sprigs fresh thyme

8-10 pickled bird peppers or 2 pickled Jalapeno chiles, cut in quarters lengthwise

5 dashes Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. White pepper

1 tsp. Black pepper

Fill a stockpot half way and add the lemon, celery, crab boil, kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to a rolling boil and then add the shrimp. Stir well and then remove from heat. Allow shrimp to stew in the hot liquid for 10 minutes and then remove shrimp and plunge in ice bath to stop cooking. Drain the shrimp well.

In a glass bowl layer the shrimp, onion slices, and bay leaves.

Emulsify the oil, vinegar and salt, either with an electric hand whisk, or in the blender. Then stir in remaining ingredients. Pour over layered shrimp.

Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, stirring every 6 to 8 hours.

Restaurant Reviews a Big hit!

Okay, as usual I check the statistics page for this blog at lest one time a day. By coincident, I’ve done two restaurant reviews in the past few days. My page hits went through the roof. About five times the amount of hits I get on other subjects. So this tells me that you, the readers, like it when Kathy and I review a restaurant.

If you live in the Phoenix metro, or surrounding areas, and would like for us to take a look at a restaurant, that you feel is above average, let us know. Or if you are looking for a new place to enjoy a specific type of cuisine, leave a comment asking. We’ve lived here for just under fifty years each and if we don’t know where to find what you are looking for I’m sure that one of our readers or friends will. Also if you want more of any other subject that we are working on, tell us.

Thanks for reading and please keep sharing our work.

Warmly,

Mad Coyote Joe

Cave Creek Coffee Co. New Breakfast Menu

If you live in the north valley (Phoenix) and haven’t been to The Cave Creek Coffee Company, or as it’s known by the locals “C4”, then you’re missing one of the best coffee shops around. Their food is great but what C4 is really about is atmosphere. The front porch is a haven for talk, good coffee and a view of small town life, here in the Sonoran desert. It was taken over by Todd and Rose Newman about five or six years ago. They have really worked to make it a wonderful place for coffee in the morning and delicious, light bistro fare along with great wines in the evening. A while back they decided on increasing the size and output of their kitchen, which gets us to the new breakfast menu (http://cavecreekcoffee.com/images/breakfest_menu.pdf ).

I am the worst person in the world to go to breakfast with. The reason is I’m quite picky about breakfast. It's simple and when done right, my favorite meal. However I know how I want everything on the plate done. If anything is off, I just don’t want to eat, and I won’t wait for my toast to come back toasted or for my bacon to be crisped up a bit because the rest of the breakfast is then cold… picky, picky, picky!

Being that I have coffee at C4 several times a week I often have a breakfast burrito. They are quite good but I ask for more potato than egg and less cheese, picky. The girls that take my order know me and they just smile and tell the cook, “It’s for Joe!”

This morning I saw they have a new Breakfast Menu. I settled on the Eggs Benedict. First the plate was beautiful, sliced orange and apples along with eggs poached perfectly topped with fresh made hollandaise sauce. I took my first bite and what I found was a combination of the light smokiness of the ham along with a surprising little bite of cayenne in the hollandaise sauce. The cayenne was balanced very lightly against the lemon and butter. This was a great plate of eggs benedict. I asked to talk with the chef. I wanted to tell her how good my breakfast was Chef Erin came out and we chatted about the sauce. She uses just a little cayenne and a few drops of Tabasco. This girl can cook! While I had my coffee several friends dropped by and had breakfast, everything looked good and everybody was quite pleased with their breakfast! Drop by soon you won’t be sorry! 6033 E. Cave Creek Rd.

Cibo

Cibo

Kathy’s mother died last week. An old friend of her mother’s upon hearing the news asked if we would book a room for the whole family to have dinner and she would fly in and we all could spend an evening of celebrating her life. Kathy loves the Internet and so she spent a few hours looking for a place that could provide a room and a nice dinner. She settled on a little Italian bistro that is in an old house in central Phoenix. It looked cozy and artsy and it had won several “Best of Phoenix “ awards.

So today was her day off and she asked if I would like to go and take a look and try out the food.

I have one word to describe my experience “WOW” If you live anywhere near Phoenix go to Cibo located at 603 n 5^TH ave. No I don’t mean in the future I mean right this minute. The food is that good.

Cibo is housed in a 1930’s classic Arizona bungalow. The fixtures, wine and art alone are worth the trip. This is the real deal as far as food is concerned. We started out with the Bruscetta; Fresh Mozzarella and proscuito, then little organic grape tomatoes sliced and dressed beautifully with a hint of fresh basil and last a white bean salad that was so subtle with just a suggestion of lemon zest, all of this served on a toasted of slices of some of the best bread in Phoenix. The portions were generous and the chef is the kind of talent that Phoenix is so often sadly missing. We were going to have a wood-fired pizza but at the last minute decided on the fresh orchette pasta with meatballs that was so well thought out, we loved it, but what really wowed me was the little side salad that came with the pasta. The combination of organic arugula and pine nuts with a few shavings of Parmesan ragganio was one of the best salads I have ever had. Let me say that again this was one of the best salads of my life! When it came I asked Kathy if it was dressed, because visually the dressing was so light that I couldn’t see it. What I really tasted was the wonderful fresh organic greens the dressing was accent.

While I was writing this Kathy was in the kitchen opening the crepes that we brought home, upon tasting she called in from the kitchen, “Joe you might want to wait until you taste this before writing that!” The crepes have traveled home to Cave Creek and are now cold and still they are light and well defined with a great balance between chocolate and a light hint of cinnamon.

Cibo is that rare combination of a friendly staff, hand’s on owner’s that pay attention to every detail and Chef Guido Saccone, who is dedicated to providing the best, light Italian food that I’ve had in Phoenix!

Pomodoro Cruda made with Orange Vine-ripened Tomatoes on Angel Hair Pasta

Try this easy dish it's perfect for a warm spring day!

In the produce section of your grocery store they now sell both yellow and orange tomatoes. If not available use roma or perhaps you grow your own… either way this stuff is fantastic!

3 Cups Vine-ripened, orange tomatoes (red will also work well)

1/2 Cups Extra virgin olive oil

2 Cloves Garlic, pressed

1 TSP Crushed red pepper

20 Fresh basil leaves with buds, torn, not chopped

2 Tsp. Fresh ground romano cheese

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 LB Angel hair pasta

1. cut tomatoes in half (If using red tomatoes, scrape out seeds). Remove core and chop into about 1/2" chunks.

2. Toss all ingredients except the pasta. Cover, refrigerate and let stand for at least

30 minutes for flavors to blend.

3. Cook the pasta, drain (without rinsing), add a little olive oil and toss.

4. While pasta is still warm or cold the next day, divide between 4-6 plates (depending on appetite) and top with the cold pomodoro sauce. Offer more Romano at table.

Serves 6

Back at The Bread... Pilot Error

Meanwhile back at the bread… Pilot Error!

Take a look at this bread. It’s color is great but it’s a failure! The reason why, I made a mistake. I made this in a Ditch Oven and forgot to drop the temperature from 500°f to 450°f for 20 minutes with the lid on.

Then I baked another 25 minutes I tested the internal temperature it was 209°f, just 3 degrees short of the target temp. At 212°f the steam is released and the bread is perfect along with the maximum crust tention.Because the oven was too hot the crust developed nice and brown but too quick. Notice the cuts in the surface did not develop ears or deep tears. The flavor will be fine but this is a 9 not a 10. My advice make sure that your oven is not too hot or the crust will cook too fast. I’m baking in the wood fired oven tomorrow and I’ll post the results.

The bread is cooling and Kathy and I are going to have tomato, basil and Parma butter sandwiches as soon as it cools. Life is good!

Warmly,

Mad coyote Joe

Home A Poem by Daigneault

I woke again this morning

Our home was still the same

Yes we had our clutter

Our address had not changed

And though the trees still knew me

There was something in that air

A joy rose with the morning

and old things now seemed rare

My years now more than fifty

with dull eyes became clear

That this is all I’ve needed

Our home the people here

With luck as I walk forward

With Kathy through the years

We’ll have all we’ve needed

In our little home right here

Meanwhile back at the bread II

The continuing saga of Joe the Baker!

Okay last time I baked I used the Tartine Bread recipe for Basic Country Bread, a 90% white flour, 10% whole wheat flour with a starter/ leaven and long slow bench rest and crust development. I changed the recipe to 100% organic unbleached High Gluten white flour. I had been making 450g loaves, which I sold for $3 each. I increased the weight to 600g and increased the cost to $5 each.

The reactions were varied; overall they said that they liked the 90/10 recipe much better, it had a much more developed wheat flavor along with a good strong sour dough. They all liked the crust on both. The color was good but I’m not happy with the “ears”.

I’m going back to the 90/10 recipe and I’m going to add extra humidity to the bake with a pan of boiling water in the wood fired oven and a wet towel placed over the wooden door. I’m also going to decrease the baking temperature to lengthen the baking time for a darker crust and hopefully more developed ears. I’m settling on 525g and $4 each. I bake tomorrow and will post.

Warmly,

Mad Coyote Joe

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Kathy's Mother Died Today

Mad coyote Joe's Blah Blah Blog: Kathy's Mother Died Today: "For Zalem A Poem by Daigneault Forged in the dark earth of Kansas by a preacher and his wife She was an educated woman in a time whe..."

Kathy's Mother Died Today

For Zalem

A Poem by Daigneault

Forged in the dark earth of Kansas by a preacher and his wife

She was an educated woman in a time when such was rare

Never much for foolishness she worked hard and watched the money

Then one day when the kids had grown he said he was leaving

For a while the tears and questions kept her down

But she did her own time and found her own way

So through thirty years of solitude, hers was a life of books and antiques

watercolors and brushes and time with the children, but she lived alone

She watched movies every Christmas with Ila and loved “Frosties”

Reading everything, she had knowledge where others had only opinion

As her twilight approached she quietly cut the lines that moored us together

And started on her way, leaving us grateful in the bedrock of her example

Like a glacier, quietly, gracefully, moving to the sea of her memories

We watched as she finally wondered back home to a Kansas of an earlier day

In the end she was as light as air, giving all, even her body

Leaving behind only a few precious strands of her beautiful white hair

Thank you Kathryn

More Wood Fired Oven Bread Discoveries

More Wood Fired Oven Bread Discoveries

I have followed the started instructions in the fantastic book “Tartine Bread”. This is what has developed. If I feed my starter every other day and wait eight hours before making my leaven I get a strong sour dough flavor. If I feed the starter every day and wait only 4 hours before making my leaven I get a mild sour dough flavor. I also made the dough up to the stage where it is time to shape the loaves. At this point I allow the dough to rest overnight in the refrigerator, then let the dough come up to room temperature before shaping and doing the bench rest. What developed was a much more pronounced sponge. On our next bake I will allow the starter to develop for at least 6 hours before making the leaven. And I will feed the starter daily at the same time. I’m looking for a slight increase in the sour flavor. We’ll see!

Meanwhile Back at the Wood Fired Oven

Meanwhile Back at the Wood Fired Oven

Okay the Arizona winter, if you can call it that, has ended. With my health problems cold is quite difficult for me, so I tend to stay inside when it’s cold out (ie; under 50°f). Anyway I’m back to the wood fired oven. I baked today and as usual it was a learning experience. This is what I learned today. If you are using a wood fired oven start with any soft wood that you have and move the fire around on the hearth. I start a fire at least 4 hours before I start baking. Next; in the last hour before you are going to start baking change your fuel to hardwood. For me, that means Mesquite, in other parts of the country that might mean oak, or pecan. I’ve been burning my hardwood down to coals about the size of pool balls and then shoveling them out and cleaning the oven and baking.

Today I discovered that I should burn the coals, which I spread over the entire hearth to keep the heat constant, down to ash. Then I should wait about 20 minutes and check the oven for heat. I do this by tossing a handful of corn meal onto the clean hearth.

If it burns after a few minutes the oven is too hot. I wait about 20 minutes and check again. When the cornmeal turns brown after a few minutes the oven is ready. I set a soaking wet kitchen towel over the door hanging on the inside of the door and slide my bread in. I’ve sliced the tops of my dough with a razor and I set a pan inside filled with water. Right before I close the door I spray the inside with a water bottle to raise the steam level inside. This insures a crisp crust.

I’m baking the loaves about 18 minutes or until they are caramel brown and have reached an internal temperature of 212°f. This is an ongoing process and I look forward to your thoughts, comments and questions.

Warmly

Mad Coyote Joe

Open Mic a Poem by Daigneault

Open Mic

By Daigneault

Every Tuesday night they show

Like Vikings gathering for a battle

A battle void of spoils

Except the next chance to fight

Pulling at their guitars

The music is a longboat

Moving

through frozen waters

Straining on the oar

A pick keeps time

The left hand

Clearing the shallows

The voice calls out

Their ancient tune

As the villagers

sit watching

Knowing these Vikings

Are a breed apart

With their own view

Of heaven!

A Note to Our Readers

A Note to our Readers

For those of you that are new to this blog or not familiar with my history, it may seem a little confusing. One day we are discussing southwestern cooking, the next a cowboys funereal, or chapters out of a crime novel and then it’s barbecue cleaning videos or a discussion on how to make a building out of a shipping container, all of this is followed up with a few days of my poetry.

Let me explain. My personal history starts out with me being an Iron Worker, living and working here in the Arizona desert. Next I started a spice company, which led me into a television, cooking career. That took me into a series of cookbooks; from there it was live cooking demonstrations and playing music at least one night a week. After my show went off the air in 03 I had a baraitric procedure and over the next few years I had nine additional surgeries. While I was convalescing I went back to school and studied both, Creative and News writing. All of this shows up on my blog along with my love of green building and the plants of the Sonoran desert.

What drives me to write on a particular subject is either I just happen to be working on something, or a situation like the recent death of Micha McGurrea occurs and moves me to write, or my statistics page tells me that I’m gaining readers on a subject. In the last month most of my readers are American, over 70%, next is Hungary and here’s the odd thing. The Hungarians are reading my poetry and nothing but my poetry. There are about 15 other countries that have someone that is following my blog and they read everything both old and new, but when I launch a poem I can go to the Stats page and within a few minutes Hungary pops up. If you are in Hungary and following this blog Please leave a comment and let me know what is drawing you to these pages. That goes for all of you nice people, leave a comment and let me know what you like and what doesn’t quite do it for you.

Thanks

Mad Coyote Joe

If Heroes be Illusion A Poem by Daigneault

If Heroes be Illusion

A Poem by Daigneault

If heroes be illusion

The heroes as we say

Can true men then be heroes

In deeds of everyday

In stories facing giants

without a flinch or fear

Standing straight and solid

with will so true so clear

If men like that be fiction

and yet great deeds are done

The myth is calling fearless

The men that fail to run

For heroes are not different

from ordinary men

With fear and hearts a pounding

They stay to fight to win