A Mexican Fiesta

I’m sorry that this update has been so long in coming. I was busy with a project all last week, plus I got a touch of something over the weekend that kept me from blogging and cooking. So I’m taking this past weekend off and playing catch-up. This challenge is actually from one week ago.

The challenge was to make a Mexican meal, but not to fall back on the usual suspects. That means no tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas — basically, nothing wrapped in a tortilla. I immediately decided that I wanted to make several small plates, like a tasting menu. Appetizers are often my favorite dishes in Mexican cooking, anyway, and that would give me a chance to try three or four new dishes.

For help, I turned to Rick Bayless, specifically his cookbooks Authentic Mexican and Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen. You may know Rick Bayless from his stint on Top Chef Masters or from his restaurants in Chicago (which I have yet to visit, although my husband has been several times). I love his cookbooks because they make authentic Mexican cooking accessible to the home cook. He gives lots of helpful advice about ingredients, timing, and varying the recipes, and they usually turn out delicious. I won’t be reprinting any of his recipes here, so I urge you to check out his books for yourself.

Here is the resulting menu:

Jicama sticks with lime and mint.

If you’ve never had jicama before, it’s a very refreshing starter. It’s crisp and cool like a cucumber, but the taste is closer to a very mild radish. Look for jicama in the grocery store; it’s a gigantic, waxy thing that looks like an oversized turnip, but it’s easy to peel and cut up into sticks. Marinate the sticks in a little lime juice and lemon juice, chopped mint leaves and salt. We were crunching on these all week long. This was my toddler’s favorite dish of the night.

Tuna seviche.

Seviche is seafood that is “cooked” by marinating it for several hours in lime juice. I’ve never made seviche at home before, mostly because I was afraid of dealing with the uncooked fish. But we like tuna pretty rare anyway, so that seemed like a good fish to use for my first attempt. This was a very refreshing salad, especially because it’s combined with a fresh, vibrant tomato and avocado salsa. A little chopped serrano chile provides a hint of heat.  My husband and I both enjoyed this one.

Melted queso with chorizo, roasted poblanos and tomatoes, served with corn chips for dipping.

This was my favorite dish of the night. I could probably have eaten it until I burst. I used chihuahua cheese, which has a wonderful mild but cheesy flavor. I melted the cubes of cheese in a metal pie plate to try to retain the heat. To the melted cheese I added roasted poblano pepper, crumbled chorizo, scallions and diced tomato. We just scooped it all up with corn chips. I think this mixture would work very well as a topping for nachos. We had about half left over, and it reheated nicely the next night in the same pie plate.

Baked poblano peppers stuffed with chorizo and potatoes, topped with a tomato-chipotle sauce.

This was an intense, flavorful dish. Sharing one pepper was plenty for my husband and me. I had to modify the original recipe, which called for dried ancho peppers instead of fresh poblanos, so this is closer to a chile relleno. I stuffed it with a mixture of pan-fried chorizo and potatoes and sauced it with a spicy tomato-chipotle sauce. That’s parmesan sprinkled on top. It was hot, but not overwhelmingly so. This was my husband’s favorite dish due to the mouth-popping flavor combination.

And I made a delicious red wine sangria to accompany. I mixed cheap red wine with lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, and seltzer water over ice, and popped in a sprig of mint leaves. The result was way too drinkable!

My husband said that this was my most successful challenge yet, mainly because I stretched myself and made dishes that I wouldn’t normally cook at home. And because everything came out so deliciously. We stretched our stomachs too, as we ate way more than we should. This would make an awesome menu for a Mexican-themed party, especially held outside on the deck on a warm night.

I’m hoping to tackle the next challenge later this week. The challenge is to make a kid’s favorite dinner at home: chicken nuggets and fries. Since I don’t deep-fry, this will require some creativity. Look for the results next week.

Here Come the Wings

This week’s challenge was to make chicken wings, in honor of March Madness. (Apparently, chicken wings are a favorite for snacking while watching sports.)

Now, I am not a huge fan of wings. I usually find them too fatty and greasy for my tastes. So I think I’ve only cooked them once or twice before.

When I don’t know what to start, I turn to one of my reference cookbooks. First on my list is Mark Bittman‘s How to Cook Everything (Revised Edition), and sure enough, I found a recipe for chicken wings in the Appetizers section. Bittman’s recipe promised the tastiness and crust of deep-fried wings without the deep frying. It sounded like the perfect solution. (Since I didn’t modify the recipe, I won’t reprint it here, but if you don’t own a copy of Bittman’s cookbook, you really should.)

Bittman’s method is to first roast the chicken wings with a little olive oil, salt and pepper — turning and basting them halfway through with their own fat — for close to an hour. You then baste them with the flavorful sauce of your choice and turn the oven heat up high to achieve that brown, crusty skin.

Bittman offers six variations of sauces, and we tried three. Of those, we liked the traditional hot sauce (I used my leftover barbecue sauce from a previous challenge) and the ginger-soy glaze the best. Both of these darkened nicely and developed a crunchy skin, while soaking up lots of flavor. The beer-and-butter sauce was a bit too subtle, though, and those wings didn’t get nearly as brown.

My husband and I both enjoyed the end result very much. (The toddler refused to sample them.) The meat was falling off the bones and flavorful, without being too fatty or greasy, which is what usually turns me off about wings. During the long roasting time, most of the fat cooked away, but the meat did stay tender. Adding the sauce just at the end ensured it didn’t burn or get cooked away. I only wish I had made extra sauce for dipping.

I served these with crudites: celery sticks, cherry tomatoes and quartered mushrooms, plus a simple blue cheese dip, also from Bittman’s book, which I made by mixing blue cheese, lemon juice and plain yogurt. I would definitely prepare this yummy meal again for a party or sports-watching event. I think the wings would taste good at room temperature, and so also would make great picnic food.

All in all, a successful challenge! My husband hasn’t issued next week’s challenge yet, so stay tuned to see what it will be.

Super Bowl Challenge: Sliders

This week, I had a challenge for our mini Super Bowl party, which was to make sliders. This was a real challenge for me because (a) I’d never made them before, and (b) I don’t eat beef. My husband requested both a beef and turkey version, so I did get to eat some of them.

Looks pretty good, doesn’t it? I’d say this challenge was an unqualified success. Everyone enjoyed them, and my toddler even ate half of one. I may have been designated the official burger maker of our family, which is funny because, again, I don’t eat beef.

The first issue for me was what kind of beef to use. Many of my cookbooks advise grinding your own meat for burgers, but I wasn’t prepared to go quite that far. I decided on ground chuck because of the higher fat content. Burgers need fat to be delicious.

I also needed a good recipe. After some Internet searching, I settled on this one by Alton Brown (I’m not going to re-type it; just follow the link). This recipe has an interesting technique. You roll out the beef on a large cooking sheet into a very thin layer. You then season the top part and fold it over. Cut that into squares to get the White Castle-style burgers. My only quibble was that the instructions were to cut 8 squares, which seemed to make very large burgers for something that is called “mini man burgers.” I ended up cutting them into 16 burgers, which was just the right size for our tiny hamburger buns.

Speaking of buns, I did attempt to make my own, but my attempt failed gloriously. My dough did not rise. I don’t know if the yeast was kaput, or if I did something wrong in the initial step when I combined the yeast with warm milk. At any rate, I intend to try again sometime in the future, as the pictures of the finished bread in Peter Rinehart’s Artisan Breads Every Day are just way too yummy to resist. Still, for this challenge, we ended up using the backup, which was mini Martin’s potato rolls. Nothing wrong with that.

As for the turkey version, I do have a turkey burger recipe that I have been working on for a while now, and that I think it is pretty good. (Scroll down for it). You do have to add some fat and other flavors to the mix, because turkey burgers will turn into hockey pucks if you don’t. I ended up using the same technique of rolling the ground turkey mix out thinly. Then I added a layer of cheddar to the middle before folding and cutting. The cheddar adds much-needed fat while cooking the burgers, and the little pocket of cheese in the middle is a nice surprise when you’re eating it.

As for toppings, I decided to go traditional. I provided mustard, ketchup, iceberg lettuce, cheddar cheese, pickle slices and pickled red onions (recipe to be posted tomorrow). Next time we make them, my husband wants to try a barbecue version using the barbecue sauce I made for a previous challenge. But for a football game, these little burgers couldn’t be more appropriate. We also had potato skins, cheese bread, guacamole and salsa for dipping — we feasted.

Turkey Burgers

This recipe was adapted from Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking. Makes 4 large burgers or 16 sliders.

In a bowl combine:

• 1 pound ground turkey,
• ⅓ cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• salt and pepper
• cheddar cheese, cubed or sliced (optional)

Mix well and form into 4 patties or 16 sliders. Optional: insert a cube or slice of cheese in the center of each burger. Either grill or pan-fry in a little oil for 5 minutes each side, until there is no pink at the center and an instant-reading thermometer measures at least 150 degrees. Serve them hot on buns, topping with your favorite condiments.

Buffalo Chicken Strips with Blue Cheese Dip

Football season is upon us. I know because my husband disappears every Sunday afternoon and Monday night, giving me some much-needed alone time.  Ahhh, I love the autumn.

Kidding aside, these buffalo chicken strips are a great recipe find from Sara Foster’s Fresh Every Day, and they go perfectly with football games. You can even grill them at your next tailgate party. I like them because they’re a lot less trouble than wings but deliver the same taste, and they give me an excuse to make blue cheese dip. I would probably dip grasshoppers in blue cheese dip and eat them. (Well, only if they’re deep-fried.)

Buffalo Chicken Strips

Serves 4 to 6

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (Tabasco or Texas Pete)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1½ pounds)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Chunky Blue Chese Dip (recipe follows or you could substitute leftover Blue Cheese Dressing)
• 2 celery stalks, halved and cut into 3-inch sticks

Preheat a grill or the broiler. Whisk the butter, oil, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper and paprika together in a small bowl. Cut the chicken breasts diagonally into ½-inch-wide strips and season with salt and pepper. Place the strips in a shallow dish or bowl, pour half the sauce over them, and toss to coat evenly.

Brush the grill or a baking pan lightly with oil. Place the chicken strips on the grill or in the pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until cooked through. Serve with the Chunky Blue Cheese Dip, the remaining wing sauce and the celery sticks.

Chunky Blue Cheese Dip

• ¼ cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Stir the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper together. Stir in the blue cheese. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and stir in the chives. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

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Quick Appetizers + Quick Soup

My mother brought over some leftover tiny filo cups. We filled them with leftover roasted asparagus pesto and topped with cheese. Heat for 8 minutes and enjoy a tasty, quick appetizer.

This basic recipe can be used to improvise all kinds of quick, delicious soups. Last night it was corn chowder. Easy Friday night dinner.

Bruschetta with Cheese and Peppers

I made these bruschetta for a light supper last night, and I thought they were scrumptious. The combination of spicy, tangy peppers and flavorful cheese just hit the spot. I might make these again for a party, a snack or lunch.

These bruschetta were inspired by a much more complex recipe that involved three kinds of cheese and getting the food processor out. I simplified the recipe a great deal, omitted some ingredients (like cream cheese, which seemed completely unnecessary), and decreased the amount of prep work required. I didn’t take note of the precise amounts I used, so all measurements in the recipe below are approximate — use your best judgment. Also, I would imagine that this recipe can be doubled or tripled fairly easily.

Bruschetta with Cheese & Peppers

Time to make: ~20 minutes
Yields: 4 lg. bruschetta

• 4 thick slices of sourdough, French or Italian bread
• Olive oil
• Coarse salt
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
• 3-4 hot or sweet marinated peppers — I used Italian hot peppers, which I think added just the right amount of bite; you might also try a combination of peppers or use roasted chiles.
  
• 2 scallions
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 oz. ricotta salata, crumbled — If you don’t have ricotta salata, substitute any similar cheese, such as feta or goat cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lay out the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt over each slice. Rub each slice with a garlic half. Put the bread in the oven for 10 minutes to crisp and brown at the edges.

Meanwhile, mince the peppers and the scallions. Mix with the cheeses.

When the bread is toasted, mound some cheese mixture on top of each slice. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes, just until the cheese is starting to melt. Serve immediately.

How to Make Croquettes

I have been making croquettes — or little fried cakes — for a long time now. They are always popular, and for me they are comfort food. I usually make them with mashed potatoes or beans. It didn’t occur to me that I could use another vegetable until I found Mark Bittman’s recipe for spinach croquettes. But then I realized that the basic croquette is a versatile recipe that can be adapted quite freely. And since it requires cooked vegetables, it is the perfect vehicle for using up leftovers.

Last night I made croquettes with leftover cooked kale. They were surprisingly good, and even the baby ate three small ones. I would also try making them with other greens, artichoke hearts, broccoli, carrots, corn, peas, sweet potatoes or winter squash.

I served them dry, though, which I would amend for next time. Croquettes really need some kind of sauce to be complete. My husband suggested hollandaise sauce, which would be quite decadent and delicious. But even something as simple as a pesto, salsa or aioli would work. But even without the sauce, they are yummy and very quick to make. If you have time to chill them beforehand, all the better.

Basic Croquettes

Yields: about 6 croquettes

• 2 cups cooked vegetable, either mashed or chopped fine
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup cheese, grated
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs, plus more for cooking
• seasonings of your choice: chopped onion, fresh herbs, seasoning mix, etc. plus salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. oil
• ¼ lb. cooked, flaked fish or ground meat (optional)
• Hollandaise sauce, pesto, salsa, aioli, or other mayonnaise or dipping sauce to serve

Combine the vegetable, eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs and seasonings in a bowl, and mix well. Add the meat, if using — these will make the cakes more of an entree than a side dish. If the cakes aren’t holding together, add more breadcrumbs. If they are too dry, add more beaten egg to bind.

Form the croquettes into cakes. You should have at least 6, or you can make mini-cakes to get more. Lay on a sheet of wax paper on a plate and cover with wax paper. Chill for at least half an hour and up to a day.

Heat the oil over medium-high. Dredge the cakes in breadcrumbs. When the oil is shimmering, fry the cakes until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. You may have to cook the cakes in batches depending on the size of your pan.

Serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

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Deviled Eggs for Easter

When I was a kid, we went to my grandma’s for Easter every year. All the cousins held an Easter egg hunt in her big front yard, usually for those awful brightly colored candy eggs in the plastic wrappers. I was never sure that if I found an egg from the previous year if it would look any different than the new ones. We would dye hard-boiled eggs, write our names on them and nestle them in fake grass in the ceramic rabbit basket my grandma made. Then we would have a big dinner, usually ham, and I would always gorge myself on deviled eggs, which I only got at this time of year.

I always associated deviled eggs with my grandmother, and that made them one of the most special and comforting foods. I never even attempted to make them until after she stopped cooking. That’s when I found out to my surprise how easy they are to make, and how many variations there are on the basic theme of stuffed hard-boiled eggs. I still don’t make them very often, because I want to keep them special, but Easter is coming up, so here’s the basic recipe with some suggestions for variations.

Deviled Eggs

Time to make: ~10 minutes, not including time to boil the eggs
Yields: 4 servings, 1 egg per person

• 4 eggs, hard-boiled (I think it’s easier to work with chilled, pre-boiled eggs)
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp. cayenne
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnishes: paprika and minced parsley

Slice the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Use a fork to mash the yolks with the remaining ingredients. Spoon the filling back into the halved whites and garnish.

If you like, mix other ingredients into the filling to spice things up and vary the flavors. Try, for example, minced capers, fresh herbs or scallions plus a little grated Parmesan. For a heartier filling, add steamed spinach or canned tuna (the kind packed in olive oil). Or boost the flavors with a dollop of chile paste or anchovy paste. Let me know if you have your own variations in the comments.

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Spinach Dip: A Great Anytime Recipe

Who doesn’t love spinach dip? It’s healthy (sort of), always in season and a crowd pleaser. Plus, it’s dead easy to make and the ingredients are already likely to be in your fridge, so it’s a perfect appetizer for unexpected guests.

Here is my basic recipe for spinach dip. Feel free to play around with the seasonings as you like. Serve with whole-wheat crackers or pita chips. This will probably serve 4-8 people, but the recipe can easily be doubled, tripled or quadrupled.

Spinach Dip

Combine in a bowl:

• ½ cup spinach, sautéed and chopped
• 1 cup sour cream, plain yogurt and/or softened cream cheese
• 3 med. scallions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp. hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ red pepper, diced (optional)

For Lunch, Snacks, Parties: Mozzarella-Tomato-Pesto Toasts

Mozzarella-Tomato Toasts, originally uploaded by shannon_turlington.

Don’t these mozzarella-tomato-pesto toasts look like tiny pizzas? They are delicious and dead simple to make, plus another good way to use up pesto. As long as you have the requisite ingredients on hand, you can whip these up in no time.

But if you don’t have these ingredients, substitute widely. I think this recipe would work with any number of combinations. Why not try chutney, brie and apple slices? Or eggplant spread, gruyere and roasted red pepper? Because these toasts can be made with whatever’s in the fridge, they are perfect for impulsive snacking or drop-in guests.

Cheese Toasts

Time to make: ~15 minutes with prepared pesto

1. Heat the broiler.
2. Thickly slice a baguette.
3. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil.
4. Put the bread on a baking sheet and broil 1-2 minutes per side, until browned.
5. Spread each slice with pesto.
6. Top with a slice of mozzarella and 1-2 slices ripe tomato.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Return under the broiler another 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted, taking care not to burn the bread.