Dry roasting garlic, the start of almost all of our salsas and pastes

 The obligatory beer picture. (this is to make up for the tecate in the house)

Sausage making.  We made chorizo and roasted poblano sausage, both Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie.   This took a bit of work.  We haven't worked out our technique yet, but the results are worth it. 

This week we also threw together a stew from the leftover pork shoulder.   It might be my favorite dish so far.

Brown about a pound of cubed pork shoulder.  Remove and saute an onion and 5-6 cloves of garlic.  Add a couple of tablespoons of pasilla paste (recipe to follow).  Add 5 sliced carrots.  Add enough chicken broth to cover by 2 inches and simmer for about an hour.  Then add 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped.  Simmer another 1/2 hour or so.   Add 2 cups black beans and simmer until warm. 

Pasilla paste (from R. Bayless)

Dry roast 1 head of garlic.  Toast 12 large dried pasilla chiles, then soak in water for 30 min.  Drain chiles, reserving 2/3 cup soaking water.  Grind 2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp cumin.  Put spices, along with the peeled garlic, drained chiles and reserved soaking liquid.  Process til thick puree.  Season with 3/4 tsp salt.  Will keep for 1 week or so in fridge or it can be frozen.  Yield:  1 1/2 cup