I am typically not a brand whore.  I will spend more on some brands over others but there must be a noticeable quality difference, beyond the popular label and what your friends think. I have tested assorted brands of canned tomatoes, brands of ketchup, canned beans, types of tuna fish both in oil and in water, you can pretty much name it and there is a good chance our family has tested it. Often the ones hawked on FN by the “celebrity” chefs do not come out as winners in my book. There are a few exceptions though and I am going to share one with you, well I will share one but must say several of their products are far superior to any others available out there. They are worth hunting down if you can. Depending on your market they may or may not cost more than some other brand – perhaps one that starts with the letters O R T E G.

So I share with you one of my pantry staples that I always have sitting in my “south of the border/Tex Mex” area. Yes before you ask I do have assorted areas of my pantry for certain cuisine types. Back on subject what I always do keep there is some assorted Hatch products. Normally the stuff I have the types that come in glass jars but during my last shopping trip they just had the canned varieties. I keep stocked up on both medium, and hot enchilada sauce, along with some canned roasted hatch peppers of both heats. In a pinch they both have infinite uses beyond the standards like enchiladas (which I did make this week). For example I find the sauce goes perfect when warmed and poured over a simple omelet, or toss a few of the roasted chilies onto a burger and the flavor explosion is hard to contain.

Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

Some may not see this as a true hot sauce, especially if one does not blend it which I think is entirely optional. I personally think it adds a great amount of heat and chile flavor along with the needed zip from the vinegar that you find in many well known bottled hot sauces that you all are very aware of. It can be used in any application where you may use tobassco or crystal style hot sauces.

This condiment was inspired by getting to much of a good thing in last years crop. To those that can garden each and every year with consistency in their crops, I salute you. In previous years my pepper plants have been somewhat disappointing. Trying to think ahead last year and compensate for what i predicted our garden would do this year I went ahead and cut back on the number of squash plants, planted the same number of tomato plants, cut back on the beans, added more cucumbers, and of course added more chile peppers. Go figure that you never can really know what you are going to get. Most other factors in my garden is fantastic, great soil, natural amendments, proper watering, good sun, few pests, you name it. Yet it seems every so often mother nature just has to point and laugh at you. I hardly got any squash at all last year, my beans were lacking, the tomatoes turned out ok, the cucumbers went crazy and of course the peppers – the peppers went wild and we had loads more than we ever planned on. Well more than we ever would use during the season. More than we expected even with our normal routine of drying some for our kitchen spices as well. Oh did I mention on the hot peppers actually grew. The bell peppers and other more mild peppers were flops last year. Suppose that is what can keep gardening interesting for some and can make others just give up, I personally am up for the challenge each year.

Jar of hot pepper sauce.

Hot pepper sauce

• Cleaned or sterilized mason jar with lid.
• 2 cups small chile peppers. – You can substitute sliced chile peppers.
• 2 cups cider vinegar.
• 2 teaspoons salt.
• 2 teaspoons sugar.

Fill your jar with your washed off and dried off chile peppers, leaving about 1 inch from the stop in space. Bring the vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat until salt and sugar are dissolved (approx 3 minutes). Remove mixture from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Pour the hot mixture over the peppers in the jar. Cover and chill at least 4 weeks. Store in refrigerator.
Note: Longer it sits, the hotter it will get. I have blended this before after it has sat for a month, however I like it just fine as is and do not find the need to blend it personally.

*Please note this recipe was actually made at the end of summer 08.

Spaghetti sauce with meatballs added.

Spaghetti sauce with meatballs and a side salad with French.

Red sauce, gravy, spaghetti sauce, marinara, the name alone could cause a cut throat debate. All I know is I love to eat a good sauce over pasta, seafood, and even baked potatoes. I have played with and altered many sauces over the years I have been cooking. Looking for that right balance of tomato, sweet and savory, not to thick and not runny or watery. Here is what all my experimentation has lead to and I am more than satisfied with the results of the sauce.
Lets face it you may want some protein with your meal as well. There are many options yet one of the best and often most messed up is the meatball. They are simple little things, like all simple things though they are the easiest to mess up or be let down by. You want them not to dense, flavorful, meaty, yet not full of filler. Then you need to go against the science of proteins and how they want to pull together. To loose and they fall apart, to compact and nobody will want to eat them.

Spaghetti sauce -

• 1/4 cup olive oil.
• 1/2 large white or yellow onion – finely diced.
• Large stalk celery – finely diced.
• 4-5 large cloves of garlic – grated on a micro plane.
• 1/2 Tsp. kosher salt.
• 1/2 cup (6 ounces) tomato paste.
• 1 large can (28 ounces) tomato puree or crushed tomatoes.
• Pinch of sugar.
• 1 Tbsp. dried basil.
• 1 Tsp. dried oregano.
• 2 Tsp. freshly ground black pepper. (divided)
• 1/2 cup of wine. (drinkable a must. Water or broth may be substituted.)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (grated on micro plane).
• Salt and pepper to season to taste. *optional
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Beef stock to thin. *optional

In a deep sauce pan or pot add the olive oil, onion, garlic, celery, 1/2 tsp. salt and half of the pepper. Simmer on medium low about 10 minutes until everything is very soft and clear looking. Add in tomato paste, continue simmering and stirring until well combined- about 10 minutes. Add wine, stir to combine and let simmer 5 more minutes. Add in tomato puree. Stir to combine while letting it simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add the cheese, sugar, basil, oregano, plus remaining Tsp of pepper. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes uncovered. (here is where you may add meatballs.) Cover sauce and simmer for 1 hour longer. If sauce is to thick you may optionally thin with stock.
Serve over pasta, or whatever you want. Will store in refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to three months. * I do not recommend freezing the sauce with the meatballs inside of it.

Meatballs -

• 1 lb ground chuck or any ground meat with at least 20% fat.
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs.
• 3 Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese (grated on micro plane).
• 1 Tsp. fresh ground black pepper.
• 1 large clove of garlic (ground on micro plane).
• 1/4 Tsp. red pepper flakes.
• 1 Tsp. dry Italian seasoning.
• 1/2 Tsp. kosher salt.
• 1/2 Tsp. garlic powder.
• 1 large egg – beaten.

In a medium sized bowl add the bread crumbs, cheese, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic clove, garlic powder, salt, and red pepper. Mix to combine. Break the ground meat into the bowl in small pieces. Add the beaten egg over the meat. Using your hands mix well squeezing the mixture as little as possible- until everything is very well mixed. Use either a scoop or grab out small amounts of the mixture and roll gently in your hands to form roughly ping pong ball sized balls. Should make approximately 12-16 meatballs. Cover and refrigerate or cook immediately.

Cooking them-

Place about 2 Tsp of olive oil into a cold pan with ample room for all of the meatballs. Using hand or brush, spread the oil over the surface of the pan. Turn heat on to med-high. When pan is warm when hand is a few inches above it, add the meatballs with space around each. They should make a sizzle sound on impact. Leave alone and do not mess with them on that side for several minutes (3 or so). Using tongs try to flip the ones you put in first. If they are not sticking flip them, if they feel a little stuck let them cook a little longer and they should loosen. Brown like this on all sides. Your goal is to brown the exterior and not worry about cooking the interior if using for the sauce. When fully browned, remove with tongs and add to cooking sauce. You may also remove them at this step and allow them to cool and freeze them (they will need to cook more when you defrost.). If you wish to fully cook them to serve with something else. Drain all oil from the pan. Add about 1/4 cup broth or water to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook until internal temperature reaches 160 degree’s. (about 10 minutes covered)