Impromptu Green Chili Stew

On the 26th we were still snowed in, and really had nowhere to go anyhow. It was a what-can-I-make with-what's-leftover-in-the-cabinet day. Two years ago in Santa Fe I had some amazing green chili stew and it has gnawed at my memory ever since; yeah it was that good.

Lately everyone has been talking about Christmas tamales. Since I grew up in southern California I too miss those Christmas traditions and tastes. I didn't really have the supplies to try tamales, but will be soon- especially since some friends told me how to prepare the meat in the crock pot. (Yum!) So it was actually the thought of those tastes that brought me back to the stew. And yes, I must say, and my Hugger agrees this is an amazing replica.

Green chili stew

My new potato washer!

• 1.5 lb beef stew meat  $8.02
  
• 2 tsp garlic salt (or 1/2 bulb of garlic and 1 tsp of salt)  $0.50
• 1/2 cup of potato starch  $0.63
• 4 Tbsp of olive oil (or butter)  $0.25
• 4 tsp dried cilantro  $0.40
• 4 tsp of cumin  $0.40
• 6 tsp of powdered green chili  $0.60
• 10 cups of water
• 1.5 lbs of diced potatoes  $3.50
• 2 large diced zucchini  $2
• 1 can of chopped baby corn (hominy corn was what was in the original recipe I tried and what I will try to get next time- but this was cheap, available, and the kids love it.) $1

(Dairy free, gluten free)

Serves 8
Total: $17.30
or $2.16/ person

First defrost the meat and then brown it lightly in a large stock pot.

Make a rue: Add the spices and the olive oil with the potato starch (not potato flour!) and stir the mixture continuously until it is a thick paste. Then slowly add the vegetable broth 1/4 cup at a time and stirring continuously so that it keeps a thicker gravy texture.

Add the potatoes, and simmer for about 20 min. Then add the zucchini and the  corn and simmer for another 20 min. Keep checking and stirring frequently.

This soup has quite a bit of kick, so our kids made us rinse it. But, at least to me because it is the milder green chilis it is warming and not painful.
**********

Cornbread- To my late father-in-law the perfect cornbread was a quest for the holy grail. I love that everytime I eat it I think of him. Honestly my favorite remains the one in the old red and white Betty Crocker cookbook. I can make it by heart. I used stone ground cornmeal and fine whole wheat flour and substituted soy milk. (An explanation: Cooking with vegan milk substitutes is always cheaper and I am slowly admitting to myself that I feel better when I don't eat dairy...).

1 cup of whole wheat flour ~ $2.32 (Any gluten free flour mix would work too).
3/4 cup of cornmeal ~ $0.75
2 tsp of baking powder ~ $0.10
pinch of salt
1 cup of soy milk ~ $0.88
3 Tbsp of sugar~ $0.18
1 Tbsp of oil $0.05

Bake at 375 for 25 min.
Total: $4.28
or $0.54/ person
**********
Menu Total: $21.58
$2.70/Person

What are your favorite cornbread recipes? And how do you use chilis?

Happy Sunday! Happy Snow!