Halloween Week, Day 4- Like Totally Dude

This isn't actually a Halloween post, but because it involves a costume I figured I could stick it in anyway. 

Workwife turned 30 this year.  In celebration, her husband threw her a fabulous surprise party.  In fact, that was our impetus to find a babysitter.  So we could attend the party.  But we suck, and we failed in our monthly mission. 

Without a babysitter, only one of us could attend the party.  No surprise that Thatboy won that lottery.  I mean, she is his Workwife.

The theme of the party was 80s, and I made sure Thatboy was totally stylin' when he left.

Very 16 Candles, no?

Thatbaby and I were left on our own for the night.  Which gave me a nice evening to relax on my own after I put the baby to bed.  Because this dish?  Not baby-friendly.  Except in the fact that he would have loved these black-eyed peas.  But the spice level was just a little much.  So he got ground meat and beans not simmered with chiles.

When I went to the store to pick up ground pork for this dish, the butcher was completely out.  And, presumably because I live in a fairly Jewish neighborhood, the butcher said they didn't grind their own pork, only beef or chicken. So I made this with ground beef - but I can definitely see how it would complement pork.

Smoky Pork Chili with Black-Eyed Peas (from Fine Cooking, as seen on Tomatoes on the Vine)

6 plum tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

6 medium cloves garlic, peeled

2 large or 3 medium jalapenos, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 medium onion yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, halved, cored, and coarsely chopped

3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. dried oregano

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

2 dried ancho chiles

2 dried New Mexico chiles

2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

2-1/2lbs. ground pork (I used ground beef)

1 Tbs. ground cumin

 1 tsp. chili powder

2 cups lower-salt chicken broth

three cans of black-eyed peas

Sour cream, for serving

Thinly sliced scallions for serving

 

 

1. Make the sofrito:  Preheat the oven to 500.  Combine the tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, onion, bell pepper, vinegar, oil, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a roasting pan.  Cook for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
2. While the vegetables are cooking, heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Toast the ancho and New Mexico chiles in the pan and toast on both sides until they blister (2-3 minutes)
3. Place the chiles in a medium bowl and cover with 2 cups of warm water.  Soak 20 minutes, drain but reserve the soaking water.
4. Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and chop.  
5. Place chiles, chipotle chiles, and roasted vegetables in a food processor and puree until smooth.
6. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy duty pot over medium-high heat.  Add the ground meat, cumin, chili powder,  and salt and cook until meat is browned.
7. Add the sofrito, reserved chile water, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 30 minutes.  
8. Add the black eyed peas and cook for 10 more minutes.