serrano pepper

Don’t let the one-hour prep time on these enchiladas scare you. Use some leftover roast chicken, or buy a roast chicken at the market on the way home, and you’ll save at least 20 minutes, making the dish a terrific weeknight feed, alongside a green salad. (At El Real Tex-Mex restaurant, in Houston, the great Tex-Mex scholar and restaurateur Robb Walsh serves his version with lightly smoked chicken, which if you can find or make is superb.) The salsa verde is dead simple to make and the rest is assembly — a task that grows markedly easier each time you do it.

Chicken Enchiladas With Salsa Verde 

chicken thighs

white onion,

garlic

salt

serrano chiles

Salt

neutral oil, like canola

yellow corn tortillas

queso fresco or cotija cheese

Mexican crema,

white onion, peeled and chopped (optional)

Prepare the chicken: Place chicken parts in a large saucepan with onion, garlic and salt, and cover with water. Heat pan over high heat until liquid comes to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove chicken and let cool, reserving stock for another use. Using your fingers or two forks, shred meat from chicken and reserve, discarding skin and bones. (Alternatively, shred meat from leftover or store-bought roast chicken and set aside.)

Meanwhile, heat oven to 375, and make the salsa verde: Combine tomatillos, onion, garlic, serranos and cilantro in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth, adding water as needed to thin it out a little. Season with salt to taste.

Prepare the tortillas: In medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat oil until it begins to shimmer. Using tongs or a wide spatula, place a tortilla in the hot fat; it should start to bubble immediately. Heat tortilla for about 10 seconds a side, until soft and lightly browned. Remove tortilla and set on a rack set over a baking pan, or just on a baking pan if you don’t have a rack. Repeat with remaining tortillas, working quickly.

Assemble the enchiladas: Use a ladle to put about 1/2 cup salsa verde in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it out a little. Roll a few tablespoons of shredded chicken into each tortilla with a teaspoon or so of salsa verde and place it seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. Ladle salsa verde over top of rolled tortillas and sprinkle with about half the crumbled cheese.

Transfer to oven and bake until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Dot with crema, sprinkle with remaining cheese and, if using, chopped onion, then serve immediately.

On the hottest summer days, this is the dish to make because it requires zero cooking. A quick marinade of lemon juice, seaweed and fresh vegetables sets up a flavorful, no-fuss ceviche that tastes like the sea despite having no seafood in it. Store-bought minced or “riced” cauliflower won’t work for this dish. You have to start by grating or mincing a fresh whole head of cauliflower — that extra step will be more than worth the work it requires. ¡Buen provecho!

Cauliflower Ceviche

cauliflower (2 pounds), leaves

serrano chile,

lemon juice lemon

olive oil

nori sheets, nori flakes

wakame,

liquid aminos or soy sauce

hot sauce,

Coarse sea salt and black pepper

Hass avocados, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

beefsteak tomato,

Persian cucumber or 1/2 English cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch dice

cilantro

corn tortilla chips (about 10 cups),

Grate the cauliflower against the large holes of a grater, rotating to grate all the florets and stopping at the core. Alternatively, cut off the florets then mince with a knife or pulse in a food processor until it resembles a riced texture.

Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and add the serrano chile, lemon juice, olive oil, nori, wakame, liquid aminos and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Season again to taste; it should be slightly salty. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

When ready to serve, add the avocados, tomato, cucumber and cilantro, and mix well. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve over tostadas or with tortilla chips, with lemon wedges, salt and hot sauce.

If you love acid and heat, this is the dish for you. Aguachile, which is a Sinaloa-style ceviche, is made here with serrano chiles and an abundance of lime juice. That combination works perfectly with delicate palmitos, hearts of palm, that have a just-right balance in texture between creaminess and firmness. Pick up the nori sheets in the snack aisle to add just a bit of saltiness that replicates the briny ocean flavors of seafood-based aguachiles. Serve in a bowl with a generous side of tostadas or tortilla chips — and don’t forget the <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8456-michelada">micheladas</a>.
 
To get vegetarian recipes like this one delivered to your inbox, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/the-veggie">sign up for The Veggie newsletter</a>.

Palmitos Aguachile Verde (Chile-Lime Hearts of Palm)

red onion,

Persian or 1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

Hass avocado, pitted,

serrano chiles,

cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

lime juice (from about 12 limes)

snack-size nori sheets (optional)

Coarse sea salt,

Tortilla chips

Combine the hearts of palm, red onion, cucumber and avocado in a large bowl and gently toss together.

Combine the serrano chiles, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, nori sheets (if using), and a pinch of salt in a blender and blend until completely smooth. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Pour into the hearts of palm mixture and gently fold until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator until the onion and cucumber slightly soften, about 15 minutes. This dish is traditionally served right away, but can be covered and refrigerated for a day to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve with tortilla chips or tostadas.

This light, bright salad, full of lettuce, leafy herbs and silky rice noodles, is seasoned with just enough ground pork to add richness without weighing it down. The fish sauce and citrus juices make it intense and tangy, while the honey softens its gingery bite. This salad is best served when freshly made and still very crisp, but won’t suffer much from sitting out for an hour or two.

Tangy Pork Noodle Salad With Lime and Lots of Herbs

lime zest

lime juice,

orange juice

tablespoons fish sauce, plus more as needed

honey

grapeseed oil

shallot (1 large)

pad Thai or other flat rice noodles

(2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated (about 2 teaspoons)

Thai

pork (or turkey)

cucumbers

scallions, white and green parts, sliced

cherry tomatoes, halved

mung or other bean sprouts (or 1 cup lettuce)

mint leaves

romaine lettuce

Red-pepper flakes,

Lime wedges,

In a small bowl, whisk together lime zest and juice, orange juice, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, honey and a small pinch of salt. Pour half of the mixture into a large bowl and whisk in 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil and the shallots. Set both mixtures aside.

Cook noodles in salted water and according to package directions. Rinse under running water to remove any excess starch, then drain well and add to bowl with shallots, tossing well. Set aside while preparing remaining ingredients.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger and chile, and cook until lightly golden and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add pork and stir, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook without stirring too often, until browned, about 8 minutes. Pour in lime juice mixture from the small bowl. Simmer gently until most of the liquid is evaporated, stirring to coat pork in the glaze, another 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Add pork, cucumbers, scallions, cherry tomatoes, bean sprouts and herbs to the noodles and toss well to combine. Taste and add more fish sauce, lime juice or both. Just before serving, toss in lettuce, and serve sprinkled with red-pepper flakes with lime wedges on the side.

Danny Mena, the Mexico City native who is a chef at Hecho en Dumbo, described a good salsa as being “poignant” with heat when he spoke with Julia Moskin in 2010. This recipe for his salsa verde employs a good number of chiles — anywhere between eight and 12 — alongside a couple of pounds of tangy tomatillos.  Ms. Moskin described it as “a rounded, tomatillo-based trickle of concentrated flavor with Serrano chiles.” This cooked sauce is ready quickly, and just as good as a table sauce as it is in a larger main, like chilaquiles.

Salsa Verde

vegetable oil

tomatillos, papery husks removed, cut in half

Serrano chilies

onion, peeled

cilantro,

Lime juice

In a wide skillet, heat oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add tomatillos, chilies, onion (cut side down) and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, turning often, until vegetables are browned, turning to black, and seared on all sides.

Add cilantro and purée with blender until smooth and creamy, adding a little water if needed to loosen. Season to taste with salt and lime juice. The sauce should be tart and spicy but rounded in flavor.

These zesty, pan-fried shrimp are inspired by the cuisine of Maharashtra, the state on the west coast of India that includes Mumbai. Maharashtrian cooking often features lots of seafood and bright, fresh flavors, like the wallop of cilantro that flavors this dish. (Puréeing cilantro, as in this recipe, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14curious.html">changes the enzyme</a> that makes it taste soapy to some people, and reveals a deeply savory, almost mellow side to the herb.) A coating of farina, of which Cream of Wheat cereal is made, gives a dramatically craggy, crunchy texture; rava or semolina flour also work well. Be sure to pat the farina onto the shrimp before frying to help the coating adhere. Serve the shrimp with flatbreads, like chapatis.

Crispy Cilantro-Chile Shrimp

cilantro leaves

garlic cloves,

serrano chile, stemmed,

vegetable oil,

ginger

lime juice lime

turmeric

garam masala

cumin

coriander

cayenne

Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

farina, rava or semolina flour

Combine the cilantro, garlic, chile, 2 tablespoons oil, ginger, lime juice, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander, cayenne and 2 teaspoons salt in a blender. Purée, using a wooden spoon or the blender wand to help combine ingredients if necessary. Scrape the puréed mixture into a bowl. Add the shrimp and use your hands or a spatula to evenly combine. Marinate for up to 1 hour in the refrigerator, if possible, or proceed immediately to Step 2.

Dredge the shrimp: Pour the farina onto a lipped plate or into a large shallow bowl and season with two generous pinches of salt; toss to combine. Let the marinade cling to the shrimp, then dredge the shrimp in the farina, patting the farina onto each shrimp to adhere, and carefully shaking off any excess crumbs. Place the dredged shrimp on a parchment- or foil-lined sheet pan.

Heat ¼ cup of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Working in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of your pan and the size of your shrimp, lay the shrimp in the pan in one layer and fry without disturbing until the shrimp are deeply golden brown on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Gently flip with tongs or a spatula and fry until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. (If any large shards of coating come off the shrimp, remove them from the oil, and serve with the shrimp.) Wipe the skillet clean of crumbs with a paper towel and add more oil to the pan as necessary to maintain the amount, and repeat the pan-frying process with the remaining shrimp. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Inspired by the oil-and-vinegar tuna salads of the Mediterranean, this version includes new-world peppers. Letting thin slices of hot and sweet peppers sit with vinegar and salt for a few minutes gives them a pickled taste without taking away their crispness. It also makes for a sharp dressing when mixed with the olive oil from oil-packed tuna. Celery and parsley bring freshness to this blend, which is wonderful on its own and versatile enough to be spooned over toast or tossed with lettuce or pasta.

Tuna Salad With Hot and Sweet Peppers

red, orange or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

hot green chile,

vinegar

Salt and black pepper

celery

tuna

parsley

Toss the pepper and the chile with the vinegar and a big pinch of salt in a large bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the celery into 1/4-inch dice.

Add the celery, tuna with all of its oil and chopped parsley to the peppers. Toss until the tuna flakes into bite-size pieces and everything is well mixed, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

The chef Fany Gerson’s spicy, dynamic take on a classic matzo ball soup is a staple of her Rosh Hashana table. The broth gets a bright kick from green chiles, cilantro and garlic; the matzo balls are blended with onions and fresh herbs (use an extra-large pot to prevent the balls from overcrowding); and the finished soup is garnished with even more onions, chiles and cilantro, plus avocado and lime for freshness and color. The broth calls for two chickens, even though you use the meat from only one of the chickens shredded in the soup. Ms. Gerson says using two chickens boosts the flavor of the broth, and you can use the meat from the second one the following day for enchiladas or tacos.

Matzo Ball Soup a la Mexicana

chickens (2 1/2 to 3 pounds each),

carrots,

celery stalks,

white onions,

Serrano

garlic clove, peeled

bay leaves

black peppercorns

Kosher salt,

matzo meal

baking powder

baking soda

black pepper

large eggs, 3 of them separated

chicken oil

herbs,

white onion, peeled and finely chopped

Serrano peppers (or 1 jalapeño pepper), seeded and finely chopped

avocados, diced

limes,

epazote

Prepare the broth: Place all the ingredients except the salt in a large soup pot and fill with cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Skim off any foam, add salt and simmer, partially covered, until the chickens have fully cooked, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Carefully remove one of the chickens from the broth and transfer to a bowl. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken and reserve meat, ladling a small amount of broth over it to keep it from drying out, then cover and set aside. Discard the skin and return the bones to the pot. Continue cooking the broth at a high simmer for about 2 hours, adding more water if needed to replenish. Turn off the heat and let cool. Strain and discard vegetables and bones, reserving the second chicken for another preparation (such as shredding it to use in enchiladas).

About an hour before the broth is done, make the matzo balls: In a large bowl, combine the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, baking soda and black pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs with the 3 yolks, the grated onion, the chicken fat and the minced herbs. In another medium bowl, beat the 3 egg whites by hand or with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir the egg-yolk mixture into the dry ingredients, then add one-third of the beaten egg whites and mix until incorporated. Gently fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the batter and refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Fill a small bowl with water and set aside. Scoop mounds of the matzo batter (about 1 tablespoon each) onto the baking sheet. Using the water to keep your hands moist, as needed, roll each scoop of batter into a ball, handling as gently as possible.

Return the chicken broth to a simmer and season with salt, if needed. Add the matzo balls as gently as possible and cook over moderate heat, turning them a few times, until they are plump and cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup and cook just until the meat is warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Serve soup with onions, chiles, cilantro, epazote, avocado and lime wedges on the side, so everyone can garnish as they like.

This serrano salsa recipe has roasted serrano peppers, cilantro, and lime for a tangy, spicy condiment perfect for everything from tacos to breakfast!

Spicy Serrano Salsa with Lime

olive oil (extra virgin)

serrano peppers (stem removed)

onion

garlic (skin on)

cilantro (fresh, loosely packed)

lime juice

water

kosher salt (to taste)

Add some olive oil to a cast iron over medium to medium-high heat. Cook the peppers for about 5 to 10 minutes, until they are starting to blister.

Add the onions and garlic cloves to the pan and cook until they start to soften, about another 5 minutes.

Remove the peppers, onions, and garlic from the pan. When the garlic has cooled enough to handle, remove the skin.

Place the peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, water, cumin, and salt to the base of a mini food processor or blender.

Blend until well combined. You want a salsa that is thoroughly blended while maintaining a bit of its texture. Add a bit more water if it is too chunky.

Taste for seasoning and serve.

Homemade Sambal Oelek

red chilies

Place the chilies into a food processor along with 2 tablespoons of water, and pulse chop them into a coarse paste.

Add the chilies to a saucepan, then heat on medium for 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the vinegar and salt and stir to combine.

Continue heating for 10 minutes while stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and allow the sambal oelek to cool to room temperature. Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/H4ZcwinG.mp4

Homemade sambal oelek takes just three simple ingredients.

Top 10 serrano pepper recipes from across the web

The most viewed serrano pepper recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Chicken Enchiladas With Salsa Verde...

Cauliflower Ceviche

Palmitos Aguachile Verde (Chile-Lim...

Tangy Pork Noodle Salad With Lime a...

Salsa Verde

Crispy Cilantro-Chile Shrimp

Tuna Salad With Hot and Sweet Peppe...

Matzo Ball Soup a la Mexicana

Spicy Serrano Salsa with Lime

Homemade Sambal Oelek

Top 10 serrano pepper recipes from across the web

The most viewed serrano pepper recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Chicken Enchiladas With Salsa Verde...

Cauliflower Ceviche

Palmitos Aguachile Verde (Chile-Lim...

Tangy Pork Noodle Salad With Lime a...

Salsa Verde

Crispy Cilantro-Chile Shrimp

Tuna Salad With Hot and Sweet Peppe...

Matzo Ball Soup a la Mexicana

Spicy Serrano Salsa with Lime

Homemade Sambal Oelek

The most viewed serrano pepper recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine