Dayrecipe Food Community

“While visiting a friend in Albuquerque, I fell in love with a local bakery and cafe called Double Rainbow II,” writes Beth White of Phoenix, Arizona. “The food is great—especially the caldo de maìz (corn soup) that I had for lunch.”

This spicy version gets its hot, smoky taste from chipotle chilies.

Makes 4 (main-course) or 6 (first-course) servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 1large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1medium onion, chopped
• 3garlic cloves, minced
• 114 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 2cups (or more) water
• 2tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies*
• 214 3/4-ounce cans cream-stylecorn
• 116-ounce package frozen corn
• 1cup whipping cream
• 1teaspoon dried oregano
• chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

DIRECTIONS Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices to pot; cook 2 minutes. Combine 2 cups water and chipotle chilies in blender and puree. Mix puree and cream-style corn into vegetables in pot. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add frozen corn, cream and oregano; simmer 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

*Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

Green chilies and cilantro add some zip to this main course.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2cup chopped onion
• 14-ounce can diced mild green chilies
• 4tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3large garlic cloves, chopped
• 114 1/2-ounce can mexican-style or regular stewed tomatoes
• 1 1/4pounds red snapper filletslime wedges

DIRECTIONS Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 3 minutes. Add green chilies, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in tomatoes with juices, breaking up tomatoes with back of fork. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; place fish atop sauce. Bring to simmer. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until fish is just opaque in center, about 8 minutes.

Transfer fish to platter. Simmer sauce to thicken slightly, if desired. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over fish. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro. Surround with lime wedges and serve.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2to 1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo plus 2 teaspoonsadobo sauce (from can)
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 4red snapper fillets with skin (1 1/2 lb total)
• 1/3cup all-purpose flour
• 3tablespoons vegetable oilaccompaniment:lime wedges

DIRECTIONS Mash together butter, chipotles to taste, adobo sauce, and salt with afork until blended.

Pat fish dry and cut each fillet inhalf crosswise, then season with salt and pepper. Spread flour on a plate and dredge fish, knocking off excess.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then panfry fish, skin sides up first, in batches, turning over once, until browned and just cooked through,4 to 6 minutes. Transfer as cooked with a slotted spatula to plates and add more oil to skillet as needed. Top fish with dollops of chipotle butter.

In a restaurant, speed is of the essence. Dishes must be quick to make, easy to prepare ahead, and just a little bit different, like this little sauté of red peppers piled on crusty bread and broiled with a topping of goat cheese.

Makes 4 appetizer servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 red peppers
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 to 3 thyme sprigs
• salt and pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 4 thick slices of country bread
• 6 oz/175 g soft goat cheese

DIRECTIONS Heat the broiler and broil the peppers on a baking sheet until black and blistery, turning them to cook evenly. Once they’re blackened on all sides, fasten them in a plastic bag so they steam and the skin is loosened.Leave the broiler alight. When the peppers are cool, slip off their charred skins with your fingers. Don’t worry about leaving a few flecks of black — it adds flavor. Cut the peppers in half and then in strips, discarding the cores and seeds.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onions with the thyme, salt, and pepper until soft and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until golden. Add the tomatoes and capers and cook, stirring often until the tomatoes are cooked and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the peppers and continue cooking until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Oil a baking sheet and set it aside. Toast the bread and arrange the pepper mixture on top. Slice the cheese and put the slices on the peppers. Broil the croustades on the baking sheet until the cheese is lightly browned and the edges are melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Serve with: Crusty French rolls and steamed new potatoes tossed with butter and chervil. Dessert: Meringues filled with purchased lemon curd and sprinkled with blueberries.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 3tablespoons olive oil
• 1red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1small bunch broccoli rabe, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 4large garlic cloves, thinly sliced8large eggs
• 3tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1cup (packed) shredded sharp provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS Preheat broiler. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Sauté bell pepper and onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli rabe and garlic, stirring to coat with oil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Arrange vegetables evenly in skillet, then pour egg mixture over. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until eggs are set around edges and almost set in center, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Transfer skillet to broiler and heat until eggs are completely set and cheese is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Run spatula around skillet edges to loosen frittata. Cut into wedges and serve hot or at room temperature.