Recipe(tried): This Weeks Winners - Spicy Mushroom Monkey Bread, Two Habanero Hummus, Chocolate Chipotle Brownies, Venison and Black Bean Chili

I know this is even earlier than last week but I have a busy day and night ahead of me (a Candlelight Party), so I am doing this this morning. It will not include the recipe from tonight. I will put that in and you'll see it next Friday.

Not many recipes this week. We ate a lot of leftovers. But if you are a chile-head or know one, they will appreciate most of the recipes. They can be made with less heat or less hot chiles for those who don't appreciate the burn.
Here they are...

**** This Weeks Winners ****

---

# 1 - Hot Luck Food

These are the recipes that I made for the NJ Hot Luck this past weekend. I outdid myself, I think, as the others did too. With any luck, in March, everyone will see what we did on a special on the TV Food Network called Eat the Heat. Here are my recipes:

Spicy Mushroom Monkey Bread
Recipe By : RisaG, Rights Reserved 10/19/00

Dough:
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 egg -- lightly beaten
3 tbsp unsalted butter -- softened
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp dried milk
3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
Filling:
3/4 lb fresh mushrooms -- cleaned & chopped
1/2 oz dried mushrooms (to 1 oz)*
2 shallots -- minced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2 red bell pepper -- chopped
2 habanero peppers -- chopped finely
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tbsp olive oiil
2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable broth

Set ABM for dough setting. Place ingredients in machine according to manufacturer directions.

When dough is done, place in a greased bowl and let sit for 30 minutes, covered, until doubled in bulk. Remove from bowl. Break into small pieces, about the size of a large walnut.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

While dough is in machine, make filling: Melt the butter in skillet, then add oil. Heat medium. Add mushrooms to the skillet, stirring frequently. Add reconstituted dried mushrooms. Saute for a moment. Saute together for 6 minutes. Add shallots, garlic, bell peppers and habanero peppers. Cook for 2 minutes more. Meanwhile, mix the flour and paprika into the sour cream until smooth and set aside. Add the reserved mushroom liquid and broth to the pan, and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to simmer, and add the sour cream mixture stirring well. DO NOT let this mixture boil. Adjust seasonings. Place in a bowl to let it cool.

When filling is done, place it at the bottom of a 13x9" baking pan. Place dough balls in melted butter and then place them on top of the mushroom mixture. When finished, place pan in preheated 350 F oven for 40-50 minutes until browned on top.

Serve as an appetizer by scooping each piece of bread out of the pan with some mushroom mixture on top and placing each one (2-3 on a plate) on plate, mushroom mixture atop. Sprinkle with a touch of paprika or chili powder and serve.

FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!

Notes:
* To reconstitute mushrooms, place them in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes, covered. When soft, drain well, reserving soaking liquid. Press on mushrooms to extract all the liquid.

Served at October 2000 Hot Luck, Bound Brook, NJ
FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY! RIGHTS RESERVED.

Two Habanero Hummus
Recipe By : RisaG, Hot Luck 10/21/00

2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas -- drained & rinsed
8 cloves roasted garlic -- or 1/2 head
8 cloves fresh garlic -- chopped
4 oz lemon juice
4 oz tahini -- or more
olive oil
3/4 tsp red savina powder
3/4 tsp smoked chocolate habanero powder
ground cumin -- to taste
salt -- to taste
cilantro -- chopped finely

Place garlic in food processor and process until finely chopped. Add chickpeas, tahini, habanero powders, cumin, salt and a bit of cilantro. With machine running, add olive oil in a thin stream. Puree until smooth. Add a touch of salt and pepper, to taste.

To serve, remove to serving bowl. Surround with pita triangles. Chop cilantro and garnish hummus. Drizzle extra oil on top. Maybe a touch of habanero powder, for color.

Makes enough for a large crowd
FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY! RIGHTS RESERVED.

NOTES : You can divide this recipe. Take 1/2 out and put in a bowl, for the non-chile heads and add the habanero to the other half. You'll make both crowds happy!!

Hot Luck Chocolate Chipotle Brownies
Recipe By : RisaG

3/4 cup butter or margarine
6 oz semi sweet chocolate -- broken into sm pc
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup raisins -- soaked overnight in beer
1/2 cup hazelnuts -- toasted & chopped
confectioners' sugar -- for garnish

Put the butter and chocolate in a microwaveable dish and melt them together on HIGH for a few seconds at a time until the chocolate was melted. Stir well. Cool.

Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl until they start to thicken. Add the sugars. Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and chocolate mixture.

Lightly toast the spices in a skillet over low heat, stirring often. DO NOT LET THEM BURN! Combine the spices and flour in a bowl with a whisk.

Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Gently add the raisins and hazelnuts, stirring just until combined. Don't overmix.

Pour the mixture into a greased and floured 9" round pan.

Bake in a 350 F oven just until set 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan. Turn out and cut into wedges. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Served at October 2000 Hot Luck, Bound Brook, NJ

FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY! RIGHTS RESERVED.

---

# 2 - Excellent Chili

This was so excellent, I can't even explain. A neighbor gave me a rump roast of venison. I decided to make chili with it and boy am I glad I did. I used some of Chip's Rub (from Red Lion foods) on the meat before cooking it. I used dried anchos and whatever chiles I had on hand. This was nicely hot, not TOO. I served it with some corn bread and bowls of chopped onions and low fat sour cream. Great meal.

Venison & Black Bean Chili
Recipe By : RisaG
Serving Size : 5

1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 2.5 lb venison roast (boned & trimmed) -- chopped coarsely
2 ancho chiles -- cored & seeded
1 lb onions -- chopped coarsely
2 bay leaves
1/2 small head garlic -- peeled & minced
1 tbsp black peppercorns -- crushed
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 lb tomatoes -- peel, seed & chop
1 1/2 12 oz bottle dark beer
1 jalapeno pepper -- seeded & chopped
1 other chile pepper -- seeded & chopped
2 tbsp fresh oregano -- chopped fine
2 tbsp fresh thyme -- chopped fine
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1 15 oz can black beans -- drained & rinsed
3 tbsp fresh cilantro -- chopped
1/8 cup molasses
salt and pepper -- to taste

Heat a large skillet. Pour in 1/4 cup oil. Over medium heat, saute the venison until the liquid evaporates, 10-15 minutes. Turn meat to cook on all sides.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil. Over medium ehat, saute the ancho chiles for 2 minutes. Remove the chiles and reserve. In the same pot, saute the onions until they are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, cumin and paprika and mix thoroughly.

Cook the anchos in 2 cups of chicken stock until very soft. Place in a large bowl with the chicken stock and puree until smooth. Pour into the pot with the sauteed onions and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the tomatoes, the venison, the beer, and cook over medium heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chiles, oregano, thyme, lemon juice and zest and mix well.

Add the drained beans and the cilantro and stir in the molasses. Correct seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves.

To serve: Serve the chilis in bowls, topped with bits of cheese. Pass some corn bread, bowls of chopped onions, and sour cream.

NOTES : You can also use lamb, beef, duck or dark meat chicken.

RisaG