Recipe

Split pea soup is a New York favorite (in fact, it was introduced by the original Dutch settlers), but I've been wanting to wake up the flavors ever since I made vats of the stuff at my first cooking job. Green chiles have a real flavor affinity for split peas, and they brighten up all the flavors in the soup. Once I added the green chiles, I couldn’t resist taking the soup even further in a Mexican direction, substituting spicy chorizo sausage for the usual ham bone and adding a swirl of sour cream flavored with toasted cumin. The result is filling, satisfying, and totally delicious.

For the soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces Spanish (cooked) chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch-thick cubes
1 onion, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
2 cups green split peas
8 cups vegetable stock or water
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and sliced into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

For the cumin crema:
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup crema (available at Latin markets), crème fraîche, or sour cream thinned with buttermilk
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Make the soup: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, until browned on both sides. Transfer the chorizo with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan, add the onion, and cook, stirring, until slightly softened. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, peas, stock or water, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cook about 45 minutes, until the peas are soft.
2. Make the cumin crema: Place the cumin seeds in a small skillet and set over medium heat. Toast, tossing often until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool, then grind to a powder in a spice or coffee grinder. Stir the crema and cumin together and season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, transfer to a squeeze bottle.
3. To finish the soup, add the reserved cooked chorizo and the poblano peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and serve. Drizzle each serving with the cumin crema.

Rice and shrimp make a really fantastic combination, as cooks in Savannah, Georgia, have always known. Rice and shrimp have both been cultivated for centuries in the shallow, salty marshes of the Low Country, the coastal region that stretches from Savannah up to Charleston, South Carolina.

Red rice is a Savannah tradition, reflecting the early Spanish immigrants. The technique of beginning a dish by making a savory sofrito (slowly sautéing onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers until soft and aromatic) comes straight from Spanish kitchens. This simple, satisfying dish also reminds me of the jambalayas of Louisiana.

For the rice:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 poblano pepper, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups long-grain rice
1-1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes and their juices
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup water
2 teaspoons chipotle puree
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the shrimp:
24 large shrimp, shells on and deveined
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

1. Make the rice: Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, celery, onion, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir, coating the rice with the mixture. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, chipotle puree, and honey, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Immediately cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 18-20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 450° F and place a baking sheet on the center rack. Toss the shrimp in the oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on the hot baking sheet and roast 4-5 minutes or until just cooked through.
3. To serve, spoon a serving of red rice into a shallow bowl and top with 4-6 shrimp.

For the chili:
1/2 cup olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 pounds venison, lamb, or beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 large red onion, finely diced 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder 1 tablespoon pasilla chile powder or another pure chile powder 1 tablespoon freshly ground cumin 1 bottle dark beer, such as Negro Modelo One 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained and pureed 8 cups Chicken Stock or low-sodium canned stock 1 tablespoon chipotle puree 1 tablespoon honey 2 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Freshly chopped cilantro White Cornbread (see below)

For the crema:
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large poblano chile, roasted, peeled seeded, and chopped 1 cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or sour cream thinned with buttermilk 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice Salt and freshly ground pepper

The debate over chili -- all meat, or meat and beans? -- seems pretty simple to me. I never leave out something that tastes good, and black beans definitely qualify. This is one of my favorite winter lunches, whether I make it with farm-raised venison (which is delicious, meaty, and not gamy at all) or lamb or even buffalo.

The interesting thing about chili is the chiles, Supermarket "chili powder" is just a mixture of cayenne with other flavorings like onion powder and cumin. You get much deeper flavor from mixing your own spice blend. Anchos are dried poblano peppers, and they have the most spicy, flavor. I balance anchos with pasillas, which taste earthier and less hot. Chipotles, smoked jalapeño peppers, are marinated in vinegar and lend a tangy, smoky note. Cumin is a signature spice in chili; grinding your own from whole seeds really makes the difference here.

1. Make the chili: Heat the oil in a large oven-proof pot over high heat. Season the venison with salt and pepper and sauté in batches, until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and remove all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pot.
2. Add the onion to the pot and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ancho powder, pasilla powder, and cumin, and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the beer and cook until completely reduced. Return the venison to the pot, add the tomatoes, chicken stock, chipotle puree, and honey, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the beans and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice, and adjust seasonings.
3. Meanwhile, make the crema: Place the poblano, oil, crème fraîche, and lime juice in a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. To serve, ladle the chili into bowls and spoon the crema on top. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with White Cornbread.

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Butter a 12-inch-square baking pan.
2. In a food processor or mixer, combine the butter, cornmeal, flour, baking powder, eggs, and salt. Process 20-30 seconds, until just mixed. Pour in the buttermilk and honey and process for 20 seconds more. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden. Cut into squares, let cool slightly, and serve.