Chocolate and Peppers?

[joerandazzo]

I've been asked to come up with something for a "Fiery Five-Star Feast" this weekend.
I wanted to make something that is chocolate and really spicy hot. Do you have any ideas or links/recipes of inspirational note?

Thanks in advance!!

[Gado-Gado Misha]

How about a Spanish stew with chocolate, cayenne, veal, prunes, potatoes, and orange zest?

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/ ... _stew.html

Carn Estofada amb Prunes i Patates (Catalan-Style Veal Stew with Prunes and Potatoes)

Using unsweetened chocolate as an ingredient in savory European dishes dates back to the sixteenth century, when Spanish explorers first carried it back to Europe from Mexico. Today, the Catalan people of northeastern Spain continue to use chocolate in a number of preparations where its ability to thicken, flavor, and generally fill in the gaps is valued in stew making. Not immediately recognizable in the finished dish, the chocolate helps it become, like any good stew, truly greater than the sum of its parts, mingling here with the sweetness of prunes and succulent chunks of veal.



Butcher's Note: Meat from the breast and shoulder makes for the most flavorful veal stews. Breast meat, because of its higher fat and collagen content, cooks to a more tender, rich, and meltingly soft result, which for many is the hallmark of a great stew. On the other hand, cubed breast meat tends to fall apart, so that the finished dish has fewer prominent chunks of meat than stews made with other cuts. Additionally, veal breast has alternating layers of fat and lean, much like pork belly, and you may find yourself having to separate the soft flavorful meat from the remaining pieces of fat as you eat. None of this poses a problem for us, though, because the taste and texture of a stew made with veal breast is rich, silky, and simply without peer.

For a chunkier stew and less fat to contend with, choose shoulder meat. It is nearly as good as breast meat, and the cubes retain their shape and gently collapse in your mouth. Because the veal shoulder has less fat, as it cooks there's less skimming in the end. Each cut is delicious and distinct in its own way. If you purchase boneless veal breast or shoulder, you will need 2 1/2 pounds of meat and 1 1/2 pounds of bones; ask your butcher to save the bones for you.


6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 4 1/2 pounds bone-in veal breast or shoulder, meat cut into 1-inch cubes, bones reserved (see Butcher's Note)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Spanish brandy, Armagnac, or other similar brandy
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
One 16-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
Two 2-by-1-inch strips orange zest
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large bay leaf
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds thin-skinned, waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely grated
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 pound prunes, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained (see Note)
2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley


1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. In a flameproof casserole or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, cook the veal and veal bones until golden brown on at least two sides, about 5 minutes per side, reducing the heat if they threaten to burn. Transfer to a large plate and set aside.

3. Let the casserole cool slightly and return it to medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale gold at the edges, about 10 minutes. Add the brandy and wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes longer, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.

4. Stir in the tomatoes, orange zest, thyme, bay leaf, and 1 tablespoon salt, then add the meat, bones, and any juices accumulated on the plate. Add just enough water to cover the meat (cover the meat only; it's okay if the large bones stick up). Bring to a bare simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven.

5. After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 250°F (120°C) and continue to cook until the meat is somewhat tender but not yet falling apart, about 2 hours more. Adjust the oven temperature as needed to maintain a bare simmer.

6. Remove the pot from the oven and let rest, uncovered, for at least 15 minutes. Skim off most of the fat collected on the surface. Pick off any meat remaining on the bones and add it to the pot. Discard the bones, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf.

7. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the potatoes and, using a spatula, toss them until coated with the oil. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the potatoes, tossing them constantly, until they're golden and crispy on at least two sides and tender within, about 20 minutes, reducing the heat if they threaten to burn. As they finish cooking, sprinkle them with salt to taste. Set the potatoes aside in their skillet.

8. Return the casserole to the stove top over medium heat and return the stew to a simmer. Stir in the chocolate, cinnamon, cayenne, and drained prunes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened slightly so that it is midway between a broth and a sauce, about 30 minutes. If necessary, add salt to taste. If the pieces of veal seem a bit dry and firm, break them up somewhat with the back of a wooden spoon to help them absorb the sauce.

9. To serve, reheat the potatoes to re-crisp them, if necessary, and ladle the stew into large, shallow serving bowls. Top each serving with a handful of potatoes and a sprinkling of the parsley. Serve immediately, passing any remaining potatoes at the table.

Note: Pitted prunes also work well here, so if you like, you can remove the pits. We think the stew looks best with plump, whole fruits with pits. If serving prunes with pits, just be sure to let your guests know.

Make-Ahead Tip: If you skip the cooking of the potatoes in step 7, you can prepare the stew up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat the stew gently, covered, thinning with a bit of water or stock if it seems too thick. Then, while it's reheating, prepare the potatoes as directed, in step 7. When the stew is hot and the potatoes are cooked through and crisp, simply serve as directed in step 9.

Wine Note: Because veal itself is fairly neutral, when thinking about wines to drink alongside this dish, we looked to the ingredients that surround it. Here, the ripe sweetness of prunes together with tomatoes, cinnamon, and a bit of chocolate steered our choices. As we've stated elsewhere, when there's sweetness in a dish — even just a little — it usually tastes better with a white wine that has a touch of sweetness itself or a red that has a rich core of fruit flavors. In either case, what you don't want are wines that are bone-dry, austere, or, for reds, tannic. Two whites and one red stood out in our veal stew tasting: Torres "Viña Esmeralda," a lightly sweet, tangy, and aromatic Muscat-Gewürztraminer blend from the most important winery in the region; R. Lôpez de Heredia "Viña Tondonia" Reserva, a well-aged white Rioja that — surprise — was dry, yet still deliciously mellow with the stew; and Castell del Remei "Gotim Bru," a warm and deeply fruit-filled blend of mostly Tempranillo with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, from the Catalan denominacón of Costers del Segre, west of Barcelona. From outside Spain, choose a moderately rich but easygoing red wine like the Steltzner Claret, a Cabernet-Merlot blend from California 's Napa Valley or, for a white, an off-dry wine like the Robert Mondavi Chenin Blanc.

[Gado-Gado Misha]

I like this theme! Here's another one (even though your event has already passed). And they could be eaten with Wicked Hot Chocolate from Jacques Torres.

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/21836/

Subtly Spicy Chocolate-Chili Brownies

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
February-March 2006
4 to 6 Servings
Prep Time: 30 min; Cook Time: 25 min
These brownies can be baked a day or two ahead and reheated in the oven or microwave.



8 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 /3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 pint vanilla ice cream
One bar good-quality bittersweet chocolate, shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. Place the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring until smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove the chocolate from the heat and whisk in both sugars until smooth.
3. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, cocoa powder, chili powder, baking powder and salt and shake together to mix. Whisk the eggs, 1 at a time, into the barely warm chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then cut the brownies into desired shapes with a cookie cutter or knife. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream and the chocolate curls.

[Gado-Gado Misha]

Last one!

Chocolate Pepper Cookies

From [url=http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9780517574164-0]Martha Stewart's Christmas: Entertaining, Decorating and Giving
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* 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)
* 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa, plus additional for rolling
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
* Pinch cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 4 to 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (for decoration)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until mixture is fluffy.

Sift together the flour, 11/2 cups cocoa, salt, black pepper, cayenne and cinnamon. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well-mixed; if dough seems too soft, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. Shape into a flattened disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust a cutting board with cocoa and roll out the dough until 1/8 inch thick. (It's best to divide and roll out one-third of the dough at a time, leaving the remainder in the refrigerator.) Cut dough into desired shape with a cookie cutter and set cookies 1 to 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut out once more.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or just until crisp; do not allow to darken. Cool on racks.

Melt the chocolate and drizzle randomly over the cooled cookies. You can do this by dipping a fork in the chocolate and then twirling it over the cookies. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.

[ChocolateChipKt]

Yum! Those look great!

[RisaG]

You've come to the right place. I'm a chile-head. I've made brownies with chocolate & chipotles, cookies with chocolate chips and cayenne pepper. It is a wonderful combination. For a Hot Luck (a pot luck lunch for chile-heads), I made Chipotle Brownies and the recipe was put on the TV Food Network website (it was filmed for a show they did). Hot Luck Chipotle Brownies, I think I called them. I actually thought they could use more chipotle then what I put in them but it was a big hit at the Hot Luck.

Make your normal brownie recipe and then add 1-2 tsp of chile powder (pure). Chipotle is wonderful with chocolate, as is cayenne. Anything smokey is good too.

Habs are good but a lot of people can't deal with the extent of the heat. A bit much for most folks.

Go with brownies OR a chocolate cake and add 2 tsp chipotle powder. Magnificent combination!

RisaG

[Gado-Gado Misha]

Chili-Cinnamon Chocolate Pudding
From Feast by Nigella Lawson, page 229, US edition

This is a miracle of low-effort, high-reward cooking. You have a bowl of dry ingredients and another of wet ones and you just stir the two together. Admittedly, it looks alarming when you make it - it's hard to believe that sprinkling sugar and cocoa on top of a cake batter and then pouring hot water over it will end up edible, but it truly does. I won't lie: it isn't the most beauteous creation (there is a touch of the cowpat about its appearance) but looks are not everything. This is a luscious, homey dessert, one of those self-saucing puddings which turn themselves as they bake into a layer of gooey molten chocolate sauce topped with tender cake.

By all means dispense with the chilli and indeed the rum (though make up the liquid quantity with more water) if you want to appeal to junior diners, but know that the chilli isn't frightening: it supplies depth rather than heat. Think Aztec flavor rather than odd combination of ingredients.

butter for greasing
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup best-quality unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup corn oil
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup dark rum

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and butter an approximately 8 cup capacity/9 inch round baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, cinnamon, chilli, sugar and half the cocoa. Beat the milk, vanilla and corn oil together in a glass measuring cup, and pour this into the dry ingredients. Mix it with a wooden spoon to make a thick smooth batter, then spoon it into the buttered baking dish.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa and the dark brown sugar in another bowl, making sure there are no lumps. Sprinkle this over the top of the cake batter in the dish. Measure out 3/4 cup freshly boiled water and pour it over the cocoa and sugar topped batter. Tip over the dark rum and put the pudding in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, by which time the top of the cake should have set to a bubbly chocolatey cake but the underneath will be wobbly and liquid. Spoon out helpings, taking care to give each one some of the cakey top and gooey chocolate sauce from underneath. And serve some vanilla ice cream alongside for cooling contrast.