Let’s Salsa
Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
Avocado gives the usually tart tomatillo a nice creamy finish. I like this salsa very spicy, so dial it down by using fewer chiles. When picking out tomatillos, look for those with rich, green color and healthy-looking husks.
1 pound tomatillos, stemmed, rinsed and husked
Half a white onion
4 serranos chiles or 3 jalapenos
3 cloves garlic, peeled
Half a bunch of cilantro, some sprig is fine
4 cups water
1 large ripe Hass avocado
Bring the water to a boil and add all ingredients accept the avocado. Boil 4-6 minutes, until the onions, chiles and tomatillos are blanched.
Strain ingredients, reserving 2 cups of water.
Remove from heat and let cool while you set up your food processor.
Place ingredients, including avocado, in food processor with 1 cup of water and blend until smooth. Add remaining water a little at a time to thin the consistency if need be.
Place in freezer an hour before serving, or make a day or two ahead and store in the refrigerator. This works best well-chilled.
Salsa Roja
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 large clove garlic, peeled
2-5 fresh serrano or jalapeno chiles
¼ cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
Half an onion, chopped
Black pepper to taste.
Place onion in food processor and chop. Remove to folded towels and wring out any liquid. Combine remaining ingredients in a food processor. Mix salsa with onions in a bowl, adjust salt and pepper.
Salsa Chile Arbol
1 pound roasted roma tomatos
2 cloves roasted garlic
8 Chiles de arbol
1/4 pound roasted tomatillos
2 teaspoon salt
1 teasooon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon toated cumin seed, groung
Black pepper to taste.
Juice of one lime or 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Roast tomatoes, garlic and tomatillos whole, until black on all sides. This can be done on a hot cast-iron skillet or griddle, in the broiler or on the grill.
Combine ingredient in a food processor and pulse to desired consistency.
Holy Guacamole!
Guacamole is only as good as the avocados that you use. Find dark green, Haas avocados from California. Gently squeeze the bottom of the fruit in the palm of your hand. You want just a little give if you making it that day. If it’s mushy, move along. If it’s firm, save it in a brown paper bag for a couple days. If you want to slow the maturity of an avocado, put it in the refrigerator.
Serves 4-6
2 avocados
1 clove garlic
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
Half a Roma tomato, diced
¼ red onion, diced.
Splash of orange juice
1 serrano or jalepeno chile, diced. (optional)
1 tablespoon minced cilantro leaves (optional)
Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with the salt until it turns to paste, the consistency of applesauce.
If you like your guacamole chunkier, halve the fruit and cut the meat crosshatch into small cubes. Scoop out with a spoon. Otherwise, simply scoop it out into a bowl and mix it with the garlic paste other remaining ingredients. Adjust seasonings and amounts to suit your taste.
Looking for fresh tortillas?
Tries these places…
Serapio’s Tortilla Factory,
5024 SW 36 St., 942-2086
Tortilleria & Rosticeria Islas, 2404 SW 29 St., 632-5382
Tortilleria Lupita, 235 SW 25th St # B, 232-2760
Jose’s Tortilleria, 712 N Virginia Ave. 236-5382
Chelino’s Tortilla Factory,
2101 S Robinson Ave. 632-8830
Free fried-onion burgers at the Capitol today
The good folks from the El Reno Burger Festival are making their annual pilgrimmage to the cradle of Oklahoma government. They will be giving away onion burgers on the north side of the grounds starting at 11:30 a.m..
Please leave your chairman Mao hats and Che Guevara T-shirts at home.
And don’t forget, the 21st annual celebration of the fried-onion burger is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Strawberries Newport Recipe
I found this unofficial recipe in our archives from Melba Lovelace column…
It’s easy except for the pastry, which like any good pastry, takes awhile and a lot of patience.
PUFF PASTRY
1/4 lb. sweet butter
1/4 lb. all-purpose flour
2 to 2 1/2 oz. ice water
1 t. lemon juice
1/4 t. salt
Knead butter in ice water or cold running water. Shape into 4×6x1/4-inch oblong. Wrap in foil and chill 15 minutes.
On a chilled smooth surface, make a ring with the flour allowing a 6-inch hollow center.
Pour mixture of remaining ingredients into ring gradually while forming a ball with the liquid and flour.
Knead dough lightly until smooth.
Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes. Roll dough into a neat oblong measuring about 6×16 inches and a little less than 1/3 inch thick.
Place chilled butter pad about 1 inch from an end of the oblong.
Fold dough over the butter to form a pouch. Press sides together.
Roll dough evenly out again to the 6×16 inch rectangle.
Fold dough into thirds. Wrap in foil and chill 30 minutes.
Repeat the process of rolling, folding and chilling 5 more times.
Roll dough and cut into the shape you desire.
Bake in a 500-degree oven 5 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 25 to 30 minutes longer.
Pastry is done if light when lifted.
CUSTARD
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c,. all-purpose flour
3 to 4 well beaten eggs
Vanilla extract Almond extract
Scald milk. Mix sugar, flour and beaten eggs in top of a double boiler over boiling water. Beat mixture until light.
Gradually add scalded milk. Stir until well blended. Cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat, and continue to stir. Add dash of almond and vanilla extract. Cool before placing on pastry.
TOPPING
2 pints fresh strawberries
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 T. vanilla
Cut the tops off the berries and cut berries in half. Combine with brown sugar and set aside.
Whip cream, granulated sugar and vanilla in a mixer or with a whisk until it holds a stiff peak.
To assemble: Remove the top half of the baked individual puff pastry. Ladle on approximately 1/4-cup of the custard, followed by the strawberries. Replace the top half of the puff pastry. Top with generous dollop of whipped cream and serve.
Make your own Philly Cheesesteak or Cheesy Caesar Chickensteak
The most daunting thing about making your own Philly at home is the meat. It’s easy to find, but difficult to get butchered the way you need it. At Pat’s and Geno’s in Philadelphia they used wafer-thin ribeye. The steaks are partially frozen then sliced across the top rather than the sides. To emulate this, I took a fresh, half-pound ribeye and put it in the freezer for 1 hour. The I cut the steak in half and used the edged flattened by the slice to balance the steak on the cutting board while I shaved the face of the steak with a long, extremely sharp butcher knife. While I didn’t get the full wafer-thin steaks I did get the wafers in smaller pieces. Ultimately, you chop up the beef anyway, so the result was great. Of course, I had to add a fresh serrano to my pepper-onion mix for a little Texas heat, but don’t feel obligated.
Mayo is the condiment of choice back East, but choose your favorite. I tried one with a little kicked-up Caesar mayo that turned out terrific.
Check out the Pat’s and Geno’s sites to learn more about the history of this unique sandwich.
Below the Philly recipe is something I came up with, call it a Cheesy Caesar Chickensteak. The technique is the same, but uses chicken breast. And I’ve added a slaw made with that forementioned kicked-up Caesar mayo.
Makes 2-3 sandwiches
Half-pound ribeye steak, sliced wafer-thin.
Half a sweet onion
Half a green pepper
1 serrano pepper (optional)
2 slices favorite cheese, I like provolone, or quarter to half cup Cheez Whiz.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder.
1 tablespoon of oil
Mayo or condiment of your choice is optional.
Hoagie rolls
Using a cast-iron griddle or skillet (No Teflon!) heat the oil at medium high heat. If using a two-burner griddle set one side to low. Fry the steaks and chop, using a sharp, metal spatula (or two if you want to be authentic!). Stir fry until browned, about a minute, then season with salt, pepper and garlic. Stir briefly, then set aside.
Saute sliced onion and peppers in remaining oil, no more than a minute, then group together to form a flat mound. Place the meat on top of the mound and the cheese on top of the meat. Let warm until the cheese melts and integrates.
Toast the requisite number or hoagie rolls, slice and open wide. Add mayo or condiment of your choice now. Carefully slide a spatula, or two, under the onions and lift enough to fill one sandwich. Slide the filling into the bun, making sure the cheese stays top side. Eat with care and plenty of napkins. It’s a mess, but you’ll love it.
Chickensteaks with onions and hot peppers plus Kicked-up Caesar Slaw
Cheesy Caesar Chickensteak
Makes two small sandiwiches or one huge one.
1 partically thawed chicken breast, shaved wafer-thin.
Half a sweet onion
1 serrano chile
1 tsp each: salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder.
2 slices of provolone or 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan.
1/4 cup Kicked-up Caesar Mayo (recipe below)
1/4-1/2 head small, green cabbage.
1-2 teaspoons olive oil (not extra virgin!)
Heat oil on a cast-iron griddle or skillet. Fry chicken until it changes color, about a minute, flipping and dicing with a sharp spatula (or two). Season with salt, pepper and garlic and mix before setting aside or moving to unlit side of griddle.
Saute onions and peppers until they start to soften, 1-2 minutes. Form a foundation with cooked onions and peppers then stack the chicken on top.
Cover with two slices of provolone or fresh-grated parmesan. Continue to cook until cheese melts or integrates.
Serve on toasted hoagie rolls or italian rolls.
Kicked-up Caesar Mayo
Half cup mayo, light works fine
1 tbsp. anchovy paste or two 2 anchovy fillets
1 serrano chile
1 tsp each: salt, fresh ground pepper.
Juice of half a fresh lime
Blend all ingredients and set aside at least a half hour. For slaw, mix mayo with shredded cabbage.
Lighter take on timbales uses quinoa for Passover
French for “thimble,” a timbale generally is prepared in a small mold, in this case 4-ounce ramekins. While many timbales are quiche-like, heavy on the eggs and cheese, these are light, with the quinoa providing plenty of protein.
This nutritious yet satisfying appetizer for Passover will be particularly welcomed by vegetarians, who face additional culinary hurdles during a holiday in which grains and legumes are not consumed.
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QUINOA TIMBALES WITH GRAPEFRUIT VINAIGRETTE
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
For the timbales:
12-ounce box quinoa, prepared according to package directions
2 tablespoons margarine
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 small carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 small yellow squash, finely diced
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 to 4 cucumbers (8 to 10 inches each), peeled
Olive oil
For the vinaigrette:
1 grapefruit, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
While the quinoa cooks, in a large skillet over medium, melt the margarine. Add the zucchini, carrot and squash. Saute until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper.
Once the quinoa has cooked, drain it and add to the vegetables. Toss to mix, then set aside.
Using a mandoline or vegetable peeler, cut the cucumbers lengthwise into 32 thin strips.
Brush eight 4-ounce ramekins with olive oil. Arrange a double layer (about 4 slices) of cucumber slices around the inside of each ramekin. Pack ½ cup of the quinoa mixture into the center of each ramekin. Set aside.
To prepare the vinaigrette, squeeze the juice from half of the grapefruit. Cut the other half into segments.
In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of the juice, the olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place an overturned serving plate on top of each ramekin and invert. Carefully remove the ramekins, then drizzle each timbale with a bit of the vinaigrette. Garnish each with grapefruit segments.
(Recipe adapted from Susie Fishbein’s “Passover By Design,” ArtScroll, 2008)
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 262 calories; 79 calories from fat; 9 g fat (1 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbohydrate; 8 g protein; 5 g fiber; 190 mg sodium.
Sweeten quinoa with banana and mango for Passover
Mango and banana sweeten this pudding.
By The Associated Press
With flour and most leavening agents taboo at Passover, dessert can be a challenge. This luscious pudding offers a light ending and is a perfect complement to traditional Passover macaroons. Stirring mashed banana in at the end gives it creaminess.
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QUINOA BANANA PUDDING WITH DRIED MANGO
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
1½ cups uncooked quinoa
2½ cups water
13½ -ounce can coconut milk
¼ cup sugar, plus more to taste
Pinch of salt
½ cup dried mango slices, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 packed teaspoon grated fresh ginger, plus more to taste
2 large ripe bananas
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Place the quinoa in a large bowl and cover with cool water. Stir the quinoa with your hand, then drain in a mesh strainer.
In a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high, combine the quinoa and 2½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook until the water is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Uncover the pan and add the coconut milk, sugar and salt. Simmer gently, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add the mango and ginger. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens to a pudding consistency and the mango is soft but still chewy, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Slice half a banana into thin rounds and set aside. Mash the remaining 1½ bananas and stir into the pudding. Add more sugar, if needed, then stir in the walnuts. Serve in individual ramekins. Garnish with the reserved banana slices.
(Recipe from Lorna Sass’ “Whole Grains for Busy People,” Clarkson Potter, 2009)
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 330 calories; 152 calories from fat; 17 g fat (10 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber; 166 mg sodium.
Quinoa fritters make great pre-Seder snack
Quinoa fritters
The Seder rituals and readings before the Passover meal can seem endless on an empty stomach. These fritters make a nice appetizer to serve while waiting for the guests to arrive. They also constitute a satisfying lunch later in the week.
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QUINOA FRITTERS WITH LEMON-HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Makes 16 to 18 fritters
For the mayonnaise:
½ cup mayonnaise (regular or light)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1½ teaspoons jarred horseradish
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
For the fritters:
2 tablespoons plus ½ cup canola oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups cooked quinoa
¼ cup matzo meal
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
To make the mayonnaise, in a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, horseradish, salt, pepper and all but a pinch of the lemon zest. Spoon into a small ramekin and garnish with additional parsley and the remaining zest. Set aside.
To make the fritters, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onions and saute until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a bowl to cool slightly.
Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and set aside.
In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together the mashed potatoes and eggs. Stir in the quinoa, matzo meal, parsley, salt, pepper and the sauteed onion mixture.
Return the skillet to the burner over medium-high. Add the remaining ½ cup of oil and heat until very hot but not smoking.
One at a time, scoop the fritter mixture into balls about 2 tablespoons each. Place 4 or 5 balls in the skillet, then use a lightly oiled spatula to gently flatted them. Cook until golden brown and crisp on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
Flip the fritters and cook for an additional 2 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining fritters. Serve the fritters with the mayonnaise.
Lunch of the Week; Lunch of the Weak
Lunch of the Weak: Jo’s Famous Pizza — After years of anticipation and the opening of a metro location, I was able to try Jo’s Famous Pizza, a Purcell institution since 1962.
Lunch started with poppers. Fresh jalapenos sliced in half and filled with mozzarella and a bacon strip. Mozzarella seemed like a fitting choice but doesn’t work nearly as good as cream cheese in this format. Most sadly, the jalapenos had been stripped of all the white membrane where the heat lies and seeds roost. Thus, you end up with a popless popper. A per, I reckon.
As for the pizza, word on the street is get the Canadian baco. I concur, Jo’s chops its Canadian bacon fine, making the texture more like bacon than ham. The other half was mushroom and onion. The mushrooms were canned and the onions nondescript. The sauce was spare, which is ok by me. I’m more interested in the crust. Jo’s had a potentially good, thin crust that was counteracted by its being undercooked. Ouch.
Wasn’t super thrilled with having everything served to me on cardboard rounds, including the appetizer. Seems weird sitting in the old Lottinvilles log cabin on what essentially is rubbish. I guess it’s more green though.
Not dismissing Jo’s, just a little disappointed.
Lunch of the Week: Cafe Nova.
OK, so it was really last week but it is the best lunch I’ve had in 7 business days. Chef Vince Howard whipped up a nice gnocchi for $10, which included a tasty black bean soup. Now that Joey’s Cafe has realized they were undercharging for their Friday fish specials, Cafe Nova is second only to the banh mi vendors for best lunch value in town. Next stop: fish tacos.
