To celebrate the tasty wonderfulness that is chicken, I asked Dave DeWitt’s wife Mary Jane Wilan to share her all-time favorite chicken recipe. Dave may be the Pope of Peppers, but where cooking is concerned, Mary Jane rules the roost. Here’s her take on a classic recipe that features paprika, another much-loved kitchen staple in the U. S.
Tamale Pie
We first ran this Tamale Pie recipe here, along with video. Dave published it in 1001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes and it never gets old. I’m going to make a few variations on it this month and I’ll be sure to share them with you here!
DIY Chorizo
This is Dave DeWitt’s recipe for a traditional Mexican sausage that’s often served with huevos rancheros for breakfast. Unlike other sausages, it is not usually stuffed into casings but served crumbled or formed into patties. (There are two varieties of chorizo: this Mexican version that is made with fresh pork, and Spanish chorizo, made with smoked pork.) This recipe requires advance preparation.
Mogul Lamb
Lamb is by far the most popular meat in the country and it is prepared in several ways. Folktales say this is how Genghis Khan liked his lamb prepared while on his way through the country. If you prefer beef, it can be substituted, using a cut suitable for roasting.
Creamy and Spicy Ramp and New Potato Soup
Ramps are wild onions with a strong garlic aroma and flavor that are very popular in Appalachia, where festivals are devoted to them. But many people think that they are much too strong and there is even an aphorism that goes: “Ramps are not for ladies or those who court them.” Ramps are not cultivated but are collected in the wild. Sometimes they can be found at farmers’ markets from southern Canada to the Carolinas beginning in April. They were a favorite of forager Euell Gibbons, author of Stalking the Wild Asparagus who loved them to pickle them and use them in soups such as this one.
Asian Quesadillas With Mint and Coriander
These quick snacks have a light and spicy Asian twist. You can easily omit the chicken for vegetarian guests.
Jalapeno Breakfast Quesadilla
I used Taylor’s Ultimate Mild Jalapeno on this breakfast quesadilla and really enjoyed it.
