Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This easy-to-clone dish comes with many of the tasty entrees at the restaurant chain or can be ordered up, pronto, on the side. It's a nice clone to have around since it goes well with so many dishes, Mexican or otherwise. Just give yourself the time to bake and cool the potatoes. Be here at TSR next week for a big clone request from the same "always fresh ingredients" Mexican food chain. It's for that muy delicioso salsa, baby! Si, si, si. See you then.

4 medium/large russet potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3-4 cloves)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Bake the potatoes by first rubbing them lightly with oil and then baking them in the preheated oven for 1 hour until they are tender. Cool.

3. Mash potatoes and remove about half of the skin. You want to leave the rest in.

4. Melt the butter in a large suacepan over medium heat, then add garlic and saute for 5 minutes.

5. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes while stirring often until garlic mashed potatoes are very hot.

Serves 4.

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Fresh Salsa

Whip out the food processor and fire up the grill because you’ll need these essential tools to clone one of the best restaurant salsas in the business. The key to recreating the flavor of the real deal is to fire roast the tomatoes and the jalapenos, and to add a little mesquite-flavored liquid smoke. The restaurant chain uses a mesquite grill, so these steps are crucial to getting the same smoky flavor as the addictive restaurant version. Chevys uses chipotle peppers, or smoked red jalapeno peppers. But unless you grow your own jalapenos, it may be difficult to find the riper red variety in your local supermarket. For this recipe, the green jalapeno peppers will work fine.

6 medium tomatoes
10 jalapenos (red is best)
1/4 of a medium Spanish onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons mesquite-flavored liquid smoke

1. Preheat your barbecue grill to high temperature.

2. Remove any stems from the tomatoes, then rub some oil over each tomato. You can leave the stems on the jalapenos.

3. Place the tomatoes on the grill when it’s hot. After about 10 minutes, place all of the jalapenos onto the grill. In about 10 minutes you can turn the tomatoes and the peppers. When almost the entire surface of the peppers has charred black you can remove them from the grill. The tomatoes will turn partially black, but when the skin begins to come off they are done. Put the peppers and tomatoes on a plate and let them cool.

4. When the tomatoes and peppers have cooled, remove most of the skin from the tomatoes and place them into a food processor. Pinch the stem end from each of the peppers and place them into the food processor as well. Toss out the liquid that remains on the plate.

5. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and puree on high speed for 5-10 seconds or until the mixture has a smooth consistency.

6. Place the salsa into a covered container and chill for several hours or overnight while the flavors develop.

Makes approximately 2 cups.

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Sweet Corn Tomalito

5 tablespoons margarine, softened
1/4 cup masa (corn flour)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 water
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen, thawed; divided
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon milk

In a small mixing bowl, mix the margarine, masa and sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

In a blender container, blend half the corn kernels with the water until smooth.

Combine this mixture with the margarine mixture, stirring well.

Add the remaining corn kernels, corn meal, baking powder, salt and milk and mix well.

Pour the corn mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan.

Tightly cover with plastic wrap and steam by setting atop a medium saucepan of water on top of the stove.

Bring water to a boil and steam corn mixture for 50 minutes to one hour (check to see whether you might need to add more water), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Tomalito should have a smooth, moist texture.

Note: The pan must be tightly wrapped at all times.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Approximate values per serving: 87 calories, 4 g fat, 0 cholesterol, 13 g carbohydrates, 119 mg sodium, 36 percent calories from fat.

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