Author Topic: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe  (Read 9897 times)

Sibley

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Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« on: November 28, 2015, 09:30:39 PM »
Hi all! My roommate made this recipe, and I liked it except for the part where my mouth burned to a crisp. Please help me modify it to be less spicy, because I'm a wimp.

South of the Border black bean soup

2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed & drained --based on my research, I can use about 15 oz of dried beans and soak overnight.
1 can whole tomatoes, chopped -- I'll probably just use a can of diced honestly.
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies -- lets be honest, this will be plain diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz each) whole green chilies, drained, coarsely chopped
1.5 cups frozen corn
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic

Place in a slow cooker. Cook on low 7-9 hours.

lunahsol

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2015, 09:41:53 PM »
If you are okay with dairy, adding a dollop of sour cream to your bowl of soup with tone down the spiciness.

kudy

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2015, 09:42:12 PM »
3 tablespoons chili powder is likely causing a lot of the spice. You can probably cut that down dramatically.

pbkmaine

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Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2015, 09:45:23 PM »
I would only add one can of whole green chiles and half the chili powder to start with. If it is too bland, add more chili powder. But be careful! That stuff can creep up on you.


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« Last Edit: November 28, 2015, 09:47:12 PM by pbkmaine »

MsPeacock

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2015, 09:46:24 PM »
Try eliminating or reducing the green chilies. Cut down on the chili powder, but don't eliminate it. Same with the cumin.

MDM

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2015, 09:46:59 PM »
...
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies -- lets be honest, this will be plain diced tomatoes
...
2 cans (4 oz each) whole green chilies, drained, coarsely chopped
...
3 tablespoons chili powder
Items above are the likely culprits.  You have already identified the first substitution. 
"Green chilies" is an inexact term - the spiciness can vary widely.  You could look for mild green chilies, use green bell pepper (not spicy at all - texture may differ), or omit entirely.
Similarly, chili powder comes in varying spiciness.  Use a milder version, use less, or omit.

turketron

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2015, 09:47:31 PM »
Yum! I love spicy food so I'd probably think it's delicious as is. 

You could sub one or both of the cans of green chilies for an equivalent amount of chopped/diced green bell pepper- since it's cooking for awhile they should soften up plenty. Additionally, chili powder is just cayenne pepper + other spices, so you could make your own with a smaller ratio of cayenne to other ingredients. There's plenty of recipes on Google but they're all roughly the same.

Sibley

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2015, 09:57:16 PM »
Dairy's fine, but I tried the sour cream actually, and cheese and milk. It helped some, but not enough.

Thanks for the advice! The chili pepper appears to be the biggest offender, so I'll cut that down and see what happens.

Cpa Cat

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2015, 10:01:20 PM »
Chili powder isn't usually mouth burning spicy. But as others have said, "chili powder" can mean a few things.

But then, nor are diced green chiles.

BUT - did your roommate use a can that actually said "green chiles" or did they use jalapenos? I have noticed that canned diced jalapenos are much more common and sometimes you have to hunt a bit for light green chiles (which are lighter green and very mild).


geekette

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2015, 11:09:22 PM »
The chili powder I buy has NO cayenne pepper - just Ancho, cumin, garlic, and oregano.  Very, very little heat (but there are hot versions that add cayenne).

I suspect CPA Cat is on to something - your roommate probably used jalapeños instead of the canned mild green chilies.

wenchsenior

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2015, 09:10:29 AM »
Re: green chilies...not sure where you got them, but 'green' chilies vary hugely in heat. Canned that you buy in big stores are usually mild, but specialty varieties can be extremely hot. Here in Texas there is a fall tradition of buying massive amounts of roasted 'Hatch' chilies (a group of green/red chilies mainly grown in New Mexico)...they come in mild or hot versions. The hot version is fairly hot, though nothing approaching, e.g., habanero levels of heat. Jalapenos are moderate in terms of heat. On the other hand, green peppers such as anaheim that are often seasonally available, tend to be mild/moderate heat. Peppers are quite confusing if you aren't familiar!

puglogic

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #11 on: November 29, 2015, 10:01:04 AM »
We have four different kinds of chili powder in our pantry, ranging from super-mild to blistering hot.  It's not one size fits all with that stuff.  Aside from that variance, I would also never use 3 tablespoons of chili powder in a batch the size of the one you're making....it makes the flavor one-dimensional and overpowering.  If you can get it, Ancho chili powder is generally mildish -- and I'd still cut it down to 1 T. For a smoky taste, you could add a teaspoon of smoked sweet paprika.  I might make sure the canned green chilis are of the mild variety (anaheim), or use green pepper as was suggested.  We do a similar recipe and it's so comforting in the winter.... we make a big batch and freeze it for weeknight suppers....hope you can get it adjusted to your tastes.

matchewed

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #12 on: November 29, 2015, 10:09:02 AM »
Regardless 3 tablespoons of any spice to a recipe of that size is a tad overkill, cut it down to one and you'll still get the flavor needed.

Others already identified the spicy components and what to do.

Dezrah

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2015, 08:02:11 AM »
I have noticed with some ingredients (hot peppers especially) the slow cooker will actually intensify the heat, and not in a pleasant way. I would suggest trying the same recipe cooked in a pot or Dutch oven on the stove top by simmering for 1hour. That should be enough time to soften the veggies and infuse the spices without dissolving the peppers. Of course if your goal is to save time in the evening this obviously won't help.

Let us know if you're able to solve the mystery. I know I'm curious about the root cause.

YTProphet

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #14 on: November 30, 2015, 08:14:55 AM »
The heat is coming almost exclusively from the green chilis. Cumin doesn't add heat and chili powder barely does.

boarder42

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #15 on: November 30, 2015, 08:18:42 AM »
the only heat in that recipe is green chiles.  reduce the number of them and reduce the heat.

to the chili powder comment.  most chili powder isnt spicy.  its just flavor.

Sibley

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #16 on: November 30, 2015, 09:00:46 AM »
Well, I'm making a batch today. Set it up in the slow cooker before I left for work. I used 1 can of mild green chilies, 1 tablespoon chili powder, and 2 cans of diced tomatoes. We'll see how it comes out.

Note about the difference between spicy and flavor - for me, it doesn't matter. Anything really strong tasting can be unpleasant. I grew up in a Midwestern home with a parent who doesn't like strongly seasoned foods, so fairly bland food in general. In addition, a lifetime of allergies has done some odd things to my sense of taste and smell. Sometimes I pick up something much more strongly than others would, sometimes it barely registers.

Sibley

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #17 on: December 01, 2015, 06:58:28 PM »
Well, made and tried the revised recipe. Overall, I'm disappointed. Once the spiciness was removed, there wasn't enough other stuff to balance the flavors. I'm reminded of an Indian friend who used to complain that Americans made things spicy just to make them spicy, there wasn't an other flavor.

I'll take it for lunch tomorrow, see if it improves at all as leftovers. Some things do.

G-dog

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #18 on: December 01, 2015, 07:34:36 PM »
Well, made and tried the revised recipe. Overall, I'm disappointed. Once the spiciness was removed, there wasn't enough other stuff to balance the flavors. I'm reminded of an Indian friend who used to complain that Americans made things spicy just to make them spicy, there wasn't an other flavor.

I'll take it for lunch tomorrow, see if it improves at all as leftovers. Some things do.

To add more flavor try:
Garlic
Onions
Celery
Bell pepper (green or red)
Tomato paste
Corn
Tortilla strips/chips
Soup base (beef or chicken or veg)
More salt
    If you decide to add more vegetables, except for the corn, I'd sauté them and add to the soup

puglogic

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #19 on: December 01, 2015, 09:06:09 PM »
Sibley, for what it's worth, this is my go-to black bean chili recipe, and it is wildly flavorful without being too spicy:

http://thegreenhedonist.com/2015/01/recipe-black-bean-chili-with-alaskan-smoked-porter/

Good luck!!

boarder42

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #20 on: December 02, 2015, 07:10:06 AM »
Order of flavoring and building flavors is also part of cooking just throwing it all in a pot works but if you cook things in the correct order seasoning as you go you will build a better depth of flavor

Sibley

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #21 on: December 02, 2015, 03:18:19 PM »
Well, this is supposed to be a throw it all in a pot type of thing.

Leftovers didn't help. I think I'm just tossing this batch, because I'm not going to eat it. I'll live. At least it's not expensive ingredients.

deborah

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2015, 04:26:38 PM »
I think part of the problem is not sauteing some things (in your case the last four ingredients) first. When I make a one pot meal (practically always), I put in some oil, add the garlic and onion, saute them until the onion is transparent, add the spices, saute them for a couple of minutes, and then add everything else and lower the temperature. If I added carrots and other fresh vegetables, I would add them in after the spices and saute the whole lot for a couple of minutes, then add all other ingredients.

Note that I said saute rather than fry, because things don't want to be browned, so you are stirring at a slightly lower heat.

Sauteing releases flavours that don't happen if you just chuck everything in a pot together.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #23 on: December 02, 2015, 04:37:55 PM »
Note that I said saute rather than fry, because things don't want to be browned, so you are stirring at a slightly lower heat.

Sauteing releases flavours that don't happen if you just chuck everything in a pot together.

Isn't this technically sweating rather than sauteing then? I thought saute had the connotation of gaining some golden coloration, whereas cooking without developing color was sweating. Please correct me if I'm wrong- I'm still learning.

boarder42

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #24 on: December 02, 2015, 04:41:08 PM »
semantics arent important ... flavor is

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #25 on: December 02, 2015, 05:00:02 PM »
semantics arent important ... flavor is

I'm not trying to split hairs, I'm trying to learn. Since this was a thread that called to "cooks", I figured a well informed individual could either support or correct my understanding. Semantics can be important when you're discussing a word that connoted procedure- otherwise, I wouldn't be worried at all that I misunderstood.

deborah

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #26 on: December 02, 2015, 05:10:50 PM »
Sweating wasn't around when I learnt to cook, so it was part of sauteing. And a golden colour is what you might aim for (but I find that aiming for that tends to mean that things get a bit too brown). I have no problem with you questioning my terms, especially as I am Australian, so we have slightly different terms anyway!

MrsPete

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #27 on: December 02, 2015, 05:53:56 PM »
The information you've received about reducing the chilis and chili powder is exactly what I would've said. 

If you have some cooked that you can't eat "as is" and you don't want to be wasteful, try spooning it over cornbread or a baked potato.  That'll give you something to dissipate the heat.

Valetta

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #28 on: December 02, 2015, 06:11:36 PM »

1 can whole tomatoes, chopped -- I'll probably just use a can of diced honestly.


The reason to use a can of whole tomatoes and chop them is you get much better quality tomatoes this way. When they are canning tomatoes, the very best ones go to be canned whole. The ones that are kind of crappy get used for the other types of canned tomatoes because it's not as noticeable when they are all chopped up. Totally fine to use a can of diced if this isn't important to you, but I wanted to give you heads up that there was a reason the recipe calls for the whole ones.

I didn't know this until I took a cooking class in Italy and the chef told us. He said the brand didn't matter at all, just get the whole canned ones. I looked it up to verify it later too. Now I look for cans of whole tomatoes on sale and just keep a few in the pantry.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #29 on: December 02, 2015, 06:26:29 PM »

1 can whole tomatoes, chopped -- I'll probably just use a can of diced honestly.


The reason to use a can of whole tomatoes and chop them is you get much better quality tomatoes this way. When they are canning tomatoes, the very best ones go to be canned whole. The ones that are kind of crappy get used for the other types of canned tomatoes because it's not as noticeable when they are all chopped up. Totally fine to use a can of diced if this isn't important to you, but I wanted to give you heads up that there was a reason the recipe calls for the whole ones.

I didn't know this until I took a cooking class in Italy and the chef told us. He said the brand didn't matter at all, just get the whole canned ones. I looked it up to verify it later too. Now I look for cans of whole tomatoes on sale and just keep a few in the pantry.



Definite lightbulb moment for me. Makes so much sense! Thank you. I've seen that in several recipes and never got it.

boarder42

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #30 on: December 02, 2015, 08:20:19 PM »
semantics arent important ... flavor is

I'm not trying to split hairs, I'm trying to learn. Since this was a thread that called to "cooks", I figured a well informed individual could either support or correct my understanding. Semantics can be important when you're discussing a word that connoted procedure- otherwise, I wouldn't be worried at all that I misunderstood.

Learning the terminology of something doesn't help you do it. With those two words you're comparing white to egg shell.

Cooking is an art. Read recipes online. Then read the comments to those recipes. Slowly you'll learn how to actually cook. And guess what you're coming food. You can taste it as you cook. And as you build different recipes you will learn what certain ingredients do and when to add them w whether or not the recipe calls for them.

If you want a science bake.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #31 on: December 02, 2015, 08:43:54 PM »
semantics arent important ... flavor is

I'm not trying to split hairs, I'm trying to learn. Since this was a thread that called to "cooks", I figured a well informed individual could either support or correct my understanding. Semantics can be important when you're discussing a word that connoted procedure- otherwise, I wouldn't be worried at all that I misunderstood.

Learning the terminology of something doesn't help you do it. With those two words you're comparing white to egg shell.

Cooking is an art. Read recipes online. Then read the comments to those recipes. Slowly you'll learn how to actually cook. And guess what you're coming food. You can taste it as you cook. And as you build different recipes you will learn what certain ingredients do and when to add them w whether or not the recipe calls for them.

If you want a science bake.

High heat vs low heat. It does change how you approach it. And it mattered because I made a black bean soup tonight, and I wanted to know her approach- whether she gets color onto the onion or not. It changes the flavor.

Perhaps instead of trying to dictate my approach, respect the fact that I know where I am in my learning process? I know "how to cook". I am refining my cooking skills, having been self-taught. And terminology actually does matter for this stage. Because I wanted to cook this recipe tonight (which I did, btw, and am eating currently), and wanted to know how color to get on the onions. Because I want things to taste good. Yes, maybe it's the difference between white and eggshell, but when that difference changes the sweetness profile of a dish, it changes how the spiciness behaves- because chemistry. Oh, look at that, science!

MDM

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #32 on: December 02, 2015, 09:05:33 PM »
Yes, maybe it's the difference between white and eggshell, but when that difference changes the sweetness profile of a dish, it changes how the spiciness behaves- because chemistry.

From https://www.google.com/search?q=reader%27s+digest+ten+things+chef&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
"When I say something should be brown, I mean brown—not tan.
Whether searing a piece of fish or baking bread, home cooks generally underbake food. Really yummy, magical things happen when food turns brown."

Take the excerpt above for whatever you think it's worth.  Yes it is easy to think of counterexamples involving onions, e.g. in bruschetta, but in general the more we brown them for sauces, soups, etc., the better we like the result.  YMMV.  Same goes for meat in chili.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #33 on: December 02, 2015, 09:08:57 PM »
Yes, maybe it's the difference between white and eggshell, but when that difference changes the sweetness profile of a dish, it changes how the spiciness behaves- because chemistry.

From https://www.google.com/search?q=reader%27s+digest+ten+things+chef&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
"When I say something should be brown, I mean brown—not tan.
Whether searing a piece of fish or baking bread, home cooks generally underbake food. Really yummy, magical things happen when food turns brown."

Take the excerpt above for whatever you think it's worth.  Yes it is easy to think of counterexamples involving onions, e.g. in bruschetta, but in general the more we brown them for sauces, soups, etc., the better we like the result.  YMMV.  Same goes for meat in chili.

Thanks for the link. I think that's been one of my big challenges, is getting good color on my veggies at the beginning of recipes. I think it's one part being scared of burning things, and one part having a terribly uneven stove so unless I move the food constantly it does, in fact, burn.

I'm not worried about it with meat- I happily sear the daylights out of the outside of a steak over nice high heat and get a yummy crust. But I'm much more scared of burning veggies.

Valetta

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #34 on: December 03, 2015, 06:26:29 AM »
Quote
Thanks for the link. I think that's been one of my big challenges, is getting good color on my veggies at the beginning of recipes. I think it's one part being scared of burning things, and one part having a terribly uneven stove so unless I move the food constantly it does, in fact, burn.

I'm not worried about it with meat- I happily sear the daylights out of the outside of a steak over nice high heat and get a yummy crust. But I'm much more scared of burning veggies.

I'm not sure if you have a gas stove. If you do, I've found that a diffuser can help if things are uneven. I only use it for certain recipes - like when I'm trying to simmer soups or if I'm cooking in my tagine. But it may help with uneven heat issues, I know that's what some people use it for.

http://www.amazon.com/Ilsa-7-Inch-Cast-Iron-Diffuser/dp/B000I1WO8C/

That's the one that I got. Not expensive and is useful. Also takes up very little space, I just leave it on one of the open burners at all times and move it where I need it if I decide to use it.

If you don't have a gas stove, I'm clueless. I've really only cooked on gas.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Cooks - please help me modify this recipe
« Reply #35 on: December 03, 2015, 09:57:43 AM »
Quote
Thanks for the link. I think that's been one of my big challenges, is getting good color on my veggies at the beginning of recipes. I think it's one part being scared of burning things, and one part having a terribly uneven stove so unless I move the food constantly it does, in fact, burn.

I'm not worried about it with meat- I happily sear the daylights out of the outside of a steak over nice high heat and get a yummy crust. But I'm much more scared of burning veggies.

I'm not sure if you have a gas stove. If you do, I've found that a diffuser can help if things are uneven. I only use it for certain recipes - like when I'm trying to simmer soups or if I'm cooking in my tagine. But it may help with uneven heat issues, I know that's what some people use it for.

http://www.amazon.com/Ilsa-7-Inch-Cast-Iron-Diffuser/dp/B000I1WO8C/

That's the one that I got. Not expensive and is useful. Also takes up very little space, I just leave it on one of the open burners at all times and move it where I need it if I decide to use it.

If you don't have a gas stove, I'm clueless. I've really only cooked on gas.

Thanks for the tip. But we have electric, sadly, and the whole appliance is majorly bowed in the middle. We live in an old rental, and the stove leaves something to be desired. The uneven cook top is a huge reason we bought the instant pot, actually. It's starting to seem a bit dangerous- pots will slowly slide off the burner when you stir them, and you have to scoot them back each time.

Gas is my "one day" dream.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!