Sōté seasoned salmon, roasted Hatch pepper sauce and Jicama mango ‘slaw’

I was introduced to a great seasoning blend after a volunteer stint recently.  If you are a Houston Chowhound, you are undoubtedly thinking about food most of your waking hours.   Which vendor has the freshest seafood?   Which taco truck is conveniently located on your errand route?   Where to savor your next gourmet meal?   So it was no surprise to me when a fellow civically-minded Chowhound organized a meeting of our food-obsessed minds at the Houston Food Bank early one Saturday morning.  

After a short tour of the facility, we entered the vast kitchen.   A thorough hand-washing followed, and then we donned the oh-so-flattering hairnets, plastic aprons and gloves and formed two long assembly lines.   I was in first position in my line, separating individual containers and portioning out handfuls of ice-cold spaghetti from an enormous bin to my right.   My friend Maureen followed with a piece or two of chicken, and the rest in line scooped vegetables, sauce, parmesan, fresh basil (yes fresh basil) and lastly, canned fruit.   By the time each container reached Gary, Maureen’s husband,  it was pretty greasy and sticky.  Gary was responsible for one of the ‘sealing machines’ and tried gallantly to keep the plastic wrap in position so that it could form a tight seal on each tray before it was carted off to the freezer.   Fortunately for us he is mechanically inclined and in less than three hours we had assembled almost 1,000 wholesome meals!

To my left was a quiet gentleman named Larry.   He was not part of our assembly line.  He had a special spot at the head of the table and was our designated “basil chopper”.   Larry wowed us with his superior knife skills by mincing bushels of basil for the spaghetti dinners we were packaging.   I later found out that his ‘gramma’ Douglas developed a recipe for a delicious Kosher seasoning named Sōté. 

Sōté, pronounced So-tay, stands for “salt of the earth”.    The Serb in me and my knowledge of Cyrillic loves the use of diacritic marks in the label!   Sōté is a mixture of Kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic, chilli, ginger, spice extract, turmeric and other spices.   It is not spicy and contains no MSG.   Salt is King here and the accompanying spices dance delicately around him.  

Coarse Kosher salt, black pepper, paprika…

Larry gifted me with a few containers to share with friends and family (disclaimer: I am not making a dime as I promote it).   I have used it on baby back ribs and flatiron steaks with great results.    Sōté is also suitable for vegetables but be forewarned that it is mostly salt so a little sprinkle goes a long way.   I lightly sprinkled the salmon in my recipe below and paired it with a homemade roasted Hatch pepper sauce for a little fire and a sweet and crunchy jicama salad – the pairings were excellent!     

Sōté is locally produced (another positive point in my mind) and packaged by the Texas Custom Spice Company in Houston.   The packaging is understated and comes in a well-sealed metal container with a see-through lid.  To order Sōté, click on the link.   Also for sale are cool t-shirts and salt shakers.  

Juicy ‘slaw’

Sōté rubbed salmon with Hatch pepper sauce and Jicama mango slaw

Serves 2

¾ lb salmon filet

Sōté seasoning or seasoning of your choice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pat salmon dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Rub a little Sōté seasoning on the salmon, remembering that the Sōté is mostly salt.

Pour olive oil into an oven-proof pan or cast iron skillet. Heat pan over medium heat until the oil is very hot. Carefully add the salmon, skin side down. Cover with a splatter shield if necessary to prevent oil from splashing everywhere. Sauté salmon until the edges begin to turn color, about 5 – 6 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Remove pan with salmon from heat and place under broiler for 2 minutes to sear the top. Remove pan from oven using an oven mitt. Serve with Hatch pepper green sauce and Jicama mango slaw.

Hatch pepper sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

1 roasted Hatch pepper (spicy or not), skin removed, stemmed and seeded

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

¼ cup lightly packed cilantro leaves

1 peeled and chopped Roma tomato

Place all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Jicama mango ‘slaw’

½ lb jicama, peeled and julienned (use the mandoline for this if you have one)

1 mango, peeled, sliced thin and then longwise into thin strips

8 radishes, sliced thinly (here again, the mandoline comes in handy)

1/3 cup red onion, sliced thin

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

4 tablespoons fresh orange juice

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon sesame oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill until ready to serve.  Serve using tongs to drain slaw from the juices.

 

Colorful juice from the ‘slaw’

Prijatno!

Shrimp salad with avocado and radish sprouts

I came across something beautiful in the grocery store that I had never seen before – radish sprouts.   Easily overlooked amidst the bigger and bolder green vegetables, these lovely delicate young shoots from the daikon radish remind me of the shamrock clover.   Growing happily together in high concentrations (each determined to be the tallest) a fresh bunch will surely cheer your soul! 

If you love spicy radishes, you’ll love radish sprouts.  Their bright green heart-shaped leaves look innocent enough, but they pack a fair amount of spice – enough to clear the sinuses!   They house a significant amount of Vitamins C, B6 and A due to the fact that they are germinating seeds.   Potassium is abundant, and in 5 - 6 days of rapid-fire growth the sprouts can reach 8 inches.    Since a sprout is the beginning of a larger vegetable, higher levels of enzymes and photochemical compounds are present within their small bodies.   The are therefore considered by many to be a ‘miracle food’.  

Sprouts can be grown year round with little attention.  Too delicate to be cooked, they are a brilliant addition to salads and sandwiches, wraps and spring rolls.  

Bright green leaves 

The tender roots barely take hold of the moist medium underneath, as lanky stems support leaf tops. 

Shrimp, avocado and radish sprout salad

Serves 4 as a first course

12 Jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 cup boiled, diced potato

½ red pepper, diced

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

½ cup radish sprouts

marinade and dressing (below)

a few long chive leaves or 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

Marinade (and dressing)

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ cup tightly packed radish sprouts

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon sugar

salt, to taste

For the marinade and dressing:

Place all ingredients in a small food processor and blend until sprouts are finely chopped and the mixture comes together.  Place shrimp in a medium bowl.  Add 3 tablespoons of the sprout mixture to the shrimp.  Marinate shrimp for about 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Set aside the left over mixture to be used as a dressing.

Marinate the shrimp first

Grill or broil shrimp until cooked tender, about 3 minutes on each side.  Discard shrimp marinade. 

You can either layer the salad in martini glasses, or in individual bowls.  Layer as follows.

Bottom to top: diced potatoes, diced red pepper, a little dressing, shrimp, fresh sprouts, avocado, more dressing.  Stick the chive leaves in for a dramatic presentation or chop them up and sprinkle on top of the salad.

Prijatno!

Fresh fig, gorgonzola and prosciutto salad with lemon-honey dressing

Dried figs are a year round treat, but when July rolls around I get giddy with anticipation for fresh figs.   Knowing my passion for figs (my blog header tells all) my dear husband gifted me with three trees that are finally producing enough of their precious fruit so that I can satisfy my craving!   I’m a lucky girl!   I’ve beaten the pesky birds and bugs many mornings to enjoy them fresh off the tree, standing in the shade created by their large leaves.  Restraint was difficult, but restrain myself I did!  I saved a batch and made fig ice cream to die for, fig chutney (recipe will come soon) and several fig-inspired salads. 

If you ask me, there is no sweeter or more luscious fruit than a perfectly ripe and juicy black fig.   Technically not a fruit, the fig is actually a flower that is inverted into itself    The skin starts firm and green but ripens to a delicate covering for the pulp within - soft tiny flowers that house its unique nectar.    The skin is actually stem tissue and the pulp is comprised of male and female flower parts with tiny sandy grains that are actually unfertilized ovaries.  The fig was revered by Greek and Roman gods and considered an aphrodisiac and is likened by many a poet to female sexual organs.  Lovely analogy!

Pity me that the season for fresh figs is so short!   Other than their delicious taste, they provide us with numerous benefits:  one cup (149g) contains 58% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of dietary fiber!   Also, 38% of RDA of Manganese, an important enzyme activator;  29% of vitamin K for healthy blood clotting;  29% of Potassium for healthy muscles and nerves;  25% Magnesium and Calcium for strong bones, muscles and blood flow.  And if you’re very active, there’s a substantial amount of natural sugar to keep you moving for a long time!

In my salad, piquant gorgonzola cheese is a perfect match for a syrupy fig.   Add savory prosciutto and you have a winning trifecta!

Fresh figs are best eaten or cooked immediately, or refrigerated for a minimal time (I’d say two days max.).    Since figs are so delicate once they ripen, most producers dry them before shipping around the world.

Fig, gorgonzola and prosciutto salad with Honey-lemon dressing

Adapted from a recipe by Jamie Oliver in The Best American Recipes 2003 – 2004.  Serves 4

4 handfuls mixed salad greens

6 ripe fresh figs, any type

8 thin slices prosciutto or Serrano ham

8 fresh basil leaves

4 ounces gorgonzola or other blue cheese of your choice

Place the salad greens in a large bowl. Cut the stems off the figs and slice them in half lengthwise and add to the salad greens. Roll prosciutto into small tube shapes, if desired, and add to the bowl. Add the basil leaves and crumble the blue cheese on top.  Drizzle generously with Honey-lemon dressing.

Honey-lemon dressing

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake until well combined.

 

Prijatno!

Potato Salad with red peppers and mustard vinaigrette

The quintessential summer meal in America must include a potato salad.   No barbeque or picnic would be complete without this comfort food!   There are as many versions of potato salad as there are varieties of the potato - would you believe over 5,000 with 3,000 originating in the Andes alone?  

Soothing to the tongue and neutral in flavor, potatoes are a versatile starchy tuber that lend themselves to many interpretations and flavors.   In Eastern Europe vinegar and oil are the preferred dressings over mayonnaise.   This version has a little of each.   Hot cooked new potatoes are first tossed in vinegar which allows their starch to absorb its acidity.   The acidity is balanced by a thin coating of creamy mayonnaise, grainy Dijon mustard, crisp chopped red peppers and a few pungent scallions. 

No peeling is necessary as this salad is made with new potatoes.  Favorite daughter has a fit when she sees me peeling any variety of potato…and with good reason:  much of the fiber and nutrients are housed in the potato peel which acts as a jacket to keep the nutrients inside the potato during the cooking process.

Unfortunately potatoes have received a bad rap since the emergence of low carbohydrate diets.   I have recently discovered that they have enormous nutritional value and are considered by many to be one of mother nature’s whole foods.   Yes, they are high in carbohydrates (21% of the recommended daily allowance - RDA), but of that percentage 26% is beneficial fiber. 

Vitamins galore!  Potatoes contain a variety of important vitamins and high amounts in several.   Vitamin C has 48%of the RDA!  Vitamin B6 46%!  Niacin and Folate 21% each, Thiamin 13%, and many more.   Now let’s talk minerals:  Potassium 46%, Manganese 33%, Magnesium and Phosphorus 21% each, and Iron and copper 18% each.   It contains no fat and because it’s a vegetable it has no cholesterol either.   One portion size is 1/3 lb or one medium potato.  Enjoy your potatoes so that your body can reap the benefits!

 Potato Salad with red pepper and mustard vinaigrette, adapted from Gourmet Magazine, June 2002

Makes 8 - 10 servings

4 lb fingerling or new potatoes, skin left on

½ cup diced red bell pepper

2 scallions (green onions), finely sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup walnut vinegar or white-wine vinegar, divided
2/3 cup finely chopped shallots
¼ cup coarse-grained Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cover potatoes with salted cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool slightly.

Whisk together sugar and 6 tablespoons vinegar in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved.

When potatoes are just cool enough to handle, peel and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices if using fingerlings or cut in half if using new potatoes. Add potatoes to vinegar mixture and toss gently to combine. Add diced red pepper and scallions.

Whisk together shallot, mustard, vegetable oil, mayonnaise and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar in a small bowl. Add dressing to potatoes, then season with salt and pepper and stir gently with a rubber spatula.

Serve immediately at room temperature or chill if serving later. 

 Prijatno!

Grilled corn (esquite) with black beans, lime dressing and queso Cotija

One of my favorite aromas is grilled sweet summer corn emanating from Hispanic food stands and taco trucks.   Smoky and hot with the presence of a little char, roasted corn on the cob is becoming a common street food here in Texas as it is in Mexico.  Known as elote, corn is usually roasted in its husk.  When stripped but left attached at the end, the husk (also known as the shuck) becomes the handle with which one eats the corn.   Slathered with mayonnaise, lime and chili powder, it is one toothsome treat!

Elote that has been cut off the cob are called esquites, and that’s what I served my delightful bunco group at my Cinco de Mayo feast this year.  Served with traditional Mexican accompaniments of mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper and Cotija cheese, I took my esquites one step further by adding black beans and scallions.   It was very well received!

Roasted corn (esquites) with black beans, lime dressing and queso Cotija

4 ears corn, husks on

½ – 1 can black beans (14-oz), rinsed and drained

2 scallions, chopped

Lime dressing (see below)

1/3 cup queso Cotija (Cotija cheese), crumbled

To roast the corn: Soak corn with husks intact in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain water and pat dry. Broil or grill corn, turning every few minutes, until the husks char and corn kernels are cooked but still firm, about 12 – 18 minutes depending on the intensity of the heat. Cool and remove husks. Cut kernels off the cob and place them in a bowl.

Add black beans, scallions and lime dressing. Toss to combine and top with crumbled Cotija cheese and sprig of cilantro.

Lime dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise (sour cream or yogurt would be fine as well)

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

¼ teaspoon chili powder, or a little more to taste

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon salt

Combine sour cream or mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne, cumin and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside. 

 Prijatno!

Tabbouleh with mint, honeydew melon and prosciutto

Whether you spell it tabbouleh, tabouleh, tabouli or even tabuli, you will love this light and fruity version!  A staple in the Middle East, tabbouleh is a cold salad often found on meze plates.  Tabbouleh is made with bulgur, a whole grain wheat that has been parboiled, dried, crushed and sorted by size.  It is very high in fiber and protein and a perfect food for those watching their calorie intake - i.e., someone like me! 

I have recently formed a Biggest Loser contest with 16 of my lovely friends with the hopes of shedding the twenty, yes 20, or so pounds that I have gained since starting my blog!  The effect of sitting in front of a computer for hours on end and ingesting more calories than my typing fingers can burn has shown its ugly side.  Yeast dough, chocolate ganache, and the pleasing glass of wine in hand while I cooked will be replaced by healthier options until such time as I win this thing…and that bundle of money to be awarded!   (I am normally not very competitive but I seem to be showing my ugly side so let’s get back to tabbouleh…after all, this is a food blog and I have a job to do!)

With temperatures well into the 90’s here in Texas, tabbouleh is the perfect summer salad because stovetop heat is not needed to cook it.   It rehydrates and softens within 30 minutes with the simple addition of cold water.   Available in most grocery stores, bulgur comes in different sizes and ‘fine’ (#1) bulgur is the choice for tabbouleh. 

My garden is about to be overtaken by mint and I have been thinking of ways to use it in the kitchen.  Here it replaces parsley, the traditional herb of choice in tabbouleh.  I have never been a fan of cucumbers so they’ve been tossed for flavorful honeydew melon…and since melon and prosciutto go hand-in-hand I guarantee that you will love a few thin slices with the salad.

You may be questioning my choice of honeydew melon over one with less sugar (cantaloupe).   A girl’s got to get her vitamins and honeydew melon is very high in vitamin C and potassium.  Surprisingly, it’s high water content results in only 60 calories per cup!

Tabbouleh with mint, honeydew melon and prosciutto

Adapted from Gourmet, July 2006.  Original recipe by Melissa Roberts-Matar

1 cup cold water
¾ cup fine bulgur (5 oz)
1½ cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1½ cups diced firm, ripe honeydew melon
½ cup finely chopped red onion
½ teaspoon salt

¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto

Pour water over bulgur in a bowl.  Let stand for 30 minutes.  Drain in a sieve if there is water at the bottom of the bowl.

Place mint, oil and lime or lemon juice in a blender or food processor.  Blend until the mint is finely chopped but still has some distinguishable pieces.

Toss bulgur with mint mixture, honeydew, onion, and salt.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Serve with prosciutto.  Serves 4.

 

Prijatno!

Queen of the Coast Tuna

I have entered a cooking contest!  My first one ever!  What was I thinking? 

I’m nervous!  I’ve cooked and baked for parties and family through the years and accepted their compliments and gentle criticisms, but I’ve never had my food judged by strangers before.   We’ll see if I have the thick skin necessary to accept any negative feedback!   What if they can’t stand my plate?  What if the presentation falls apart at the last minute?   I keep on trying to remind myself that it’s all in the name of fun, but as you can tell…I have real issues, unlike the serene beauty above!

I will participate in the Tournament de Tuna on Saturday!   It’s a means of introducing Queen of the Coast Tuna to the US.   Imported from Portugal by LaRuche Imports, Inc., the tuna comes canned in water or oil, or as ready-to-eat salads with either chickpeas; peas and carrots; black-eyed peas; and red beans and sweet corn.  All packed in easy-to-open cans, these salads stand alone as delicious and healthy meals. 

I am using the Tuna Salad with Chick Peas in my dish.  My mind is spinning with ideas and ingredients – I haven’t bought canned tuna in years because we have been enjoying the benefits of fresh tuna.  Do I play it safe with a Mediterranean dish?  Do I add a twist with Mexican flavors, Moroccan, Caribbean spices or how about a little Asian ginger and lemongrass?   As you can see, I’m all over the map but I’m narrowing it down slowly.   I can’t tell you what it will be…there are competitors lurking on this site, you know.

Karen, Joan and Amber at Soundworks have been a lot of fun as they have encouraged my friend Chantal and me along the way.   And there’s an added bonus – we will meet the mysterious and unabashedly handsome Raphael, lover of women, romance, tuna and the sea!   Follow the hype on facebook and enter the contest for a chance to win a trip to Portugal.  

And most of all - WISH ME LUCK!!!

Prijatno!

Chicken salad with the flavors of Mexico

This chicken salad was inspired by the purchase of a good-looking jicama!   Firm to the touch and tight-skinned, it was perfect for the taking and going to shine in a Mexican flavored salad I was already composing in my mind.   Delicious raw or cooked, its crunchy white flesh has the texture of a firm pear.  Slightly sweet on the tongue, the flavor hints of apple and pear.   

The jicama (hick-u-ma) is the root of a legume that is related to the potato and is easily found in Texas stores.  In Mexico and further south it is commonly served by street vendors with a little lime juice and a dusting of chili powder.  When cut into wide strips it can be a healthy replacement for chips – a means to scoop up a guacamole or salsa.  In my chicken salad, it adds a mildly sweet crunch and replaces celery handily. 

 

Composed mostly of water and very high in fiber and vitamin C, it’s the perfect diet food.  Look for jicama that are hard with tight, dry skins; a flattened ball shape, few bruises and no mold.  Pick the smaller ones (1.5lbs – 2.5lbs) as the larger they get, the higher the chance are of them tasting woody.  

Chicken salad with the flavors of Mexico

Serves 4

The marinade:

¼ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup oil (I used olive oil)

½ teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 chicken breasts

The dressing:

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon salt

The veggies:

1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced; or left raw, seeded and diced

1 4-oz jar pimento peppers, drained

½ red onion, finely chopped

¼ cup green olives, sliced

1 cup jicama, peeled and diced

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

1 fresh jalapeno or 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno, chopped, optional – for added spice

1 avocado, peeled and cut into cubes

lettuce leaves or toasted bread for sandwiches

Mix marinade ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Add chicken breasts and marinate for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350F. Transfer chicken to a roasting pan, cover with and roast for 30 minutes or until cooked. Cool and then chop into bite-sized pieces.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.

Place chicken, poblano pepper, pimento peppers, red onion, green olives, jicama, cilantro and jalapeno (if desired). Add dressing and mix gently with a large spoon. Top with avocado and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves or in a sandwich.

My friend, Debbie, and I enjoyed ours on a bed of lettuce leaves while my nephew, Jovan, loved his sandwiched between buttermilk bread. 

Prijatno!

Fish tacos with spicy pineapple salsa and red cabbage slaw

Favorite son, Alex and his lovely girlfriend, Alyssa are quite an accomplished young couple.  Both will be graduating from a reputable university in May with degrees in Chemical Engineering and a B.A. and Masters in Accounting respectively, and Husbie and I will finally get a raise…whoop!  I recently received a text from Alex asking me that if they opened a cafe, would I ‘pastry chef it up?’  My initial response was absolutely, but first go and earn some money in the field that you have been studying for the past five years and then we’ll talk! 

The ‘kids’ are fast becoming very skilled in the kitchen that I step aside and watch in amazement and burst with pride as they pickle vegetables, brew beer, make mayonnaise from scratch, grill burgers with blue cheese sauce, make gyros and much more.   I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised since it’s sort of written in their genes!  Alyssa hails from a Louisiana family that takes it’s food very seriously.  Her mother, Rhonda is an excellent cook who can stuff a shrimp like no one’s business and make a hearty chicken and sausage gumbo that’ll make you want to slap ya’ mama!  I have never resorted to fast food as a means of sustenance for my precious children and am happy to see that their philosophy of eating includes an appreciation and respect for fresh ingredients that not only nourish the body, but also provide a healthy avenue for creativity.

Alex’s interest in ethnic cuisines began in a Cuban restaurant.  At the age of two, Husbie and I watched in amazement as he polished off a bowl of spicy Cuban salsa without a flinch of an eye!  In junior high, he experimented with salsa concoctions and loved to share them with his classmates.  One such salsa was so spicy that it managed to agitate the entrails of an intrepid classmate that he had to leave class and go home; I sincerely hope he hasn’t been scarred for life!

Here’s a meal that Alex and Alyssa treated us to recently.  Inspired by Rhonda’s recipe, these fish tacos are easy to prepare and include a sunny tropical salsa, crunchy red slaw, buttery avocado slices and delicate tilapia.

Fish tacos with spicy pineapple salsa and red cabbage slaw  Serves 4

8 corn tortillas, warmed. I found very good yellow corn and wheat flour blend tortillas from La Tortilla Factory in Santa Rosa, California. They didn’t crack when folded as many corn-only tortillas do. They are available at Kroger grocery stores (one of the few good things I can chime about that comes from this chain. Living in the ‘burbs comes with its own challenges, one of them being the lack of great stores!)

Red cabbage slaw (see recipe below)

Spicy pineapple salsa (see recipe below)

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced

4 pieces of tilapia, or other mild white fish

Coat tilapia in a little oil.  Season with salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne, to taste.  Just before you are ready to eat, broil the tilapia for about 8 minutes until just cooked.

Serve tilapia with warmed tortillas, pineapple salsa, avocado slices and red cabbage slaw.

Red cabbage slaw

½ red cabbage, finely sliced

1 cup cilantro leaves

1/3 red onion, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

2 tablespoons canola oil

Place sliced cabbage, cilantro leaves and sliced red onion in a large bowl. Mix vinegar, honey and lime juice in a small bowl.  While whisking quickly, add canola oil to vinegar mixture.  Add to coleslaw and mix thoroughly.

Spicy pineapple salsa – this recipe calls for more than you’ll need for the tacos.  The rest makes a refreshing tropical dip when served with tortilla chips.

1 large can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in its own juice

1 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed

2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

hot sauce, to taste.  Alex loves Sriracha brand to spice things up. 

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend.

 

This post was submitted to Susan’s informative blog Yeastspotting for this week’s edition.

Prijatno!

Slow-roasted BBQ pork sandwiches with Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw from Mustards Grill

Stacey’s Shredded pork tacos in Colorado last year were spicy and succulent and I have been looking forward to experimenting with a pork ‘butt’ again .   Slow-cooked all day, the pork ‘butt’ is actually part of the shoulder and is the perfect example of an inexpensive cut of meat that turns into wonder when cooked in low heat over a long period of time.  Marbling that runs throughout prevents the pork from drying out and eventually melts away allowing it to be ‘pulled’ or shredded effortlessly.  I have considered becoming a vegetarian many times, but I always reconsider when thoughts of tender smoked ribs, sugar-crusted ham and pulled pork come to mind! 

Having dined at Mustards Grill (an institution in the Napa wine country) our wine group agreed that Cindy Pawlcyn and her crew are experts in preparing pork.  Their BBQ Baby back ribs are marvelous and the Mongolian pork chops with braised red cabbage has been a signature dish for many years.  Fortunately for us, the Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook was published in 2001 and it remains a favorite until today. 

It is SOME COOKBOOK!  Our wine group has used it many times:  Hanger steak with watercress sauce and Onion jam at Jeff and Doris’ was to die for and the Crab cakes with red beet and horseradish remoulade and Seared Ahi tuna on sesame crackers with wasabi cream are brilliant appetizers.  Brian and Helen have mastered the Mongolian pork chops.  Strawberry-rhubarb cobbler with black pepper biscuits topped with Caramel ice cream, and Lemon-lime meringue pie (with it’s sky high brown sugar meringue) are most impressive – just ask Nina!  Being a person who doesn’t partake of dessert very often, she scarfed a generous slice of the pie down in no time and we’ll never let her forget it!  

Slow-Smoked BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Ooo-Eee! Sauce is a great recipe that requires the meat to be smoked over a period of several hours.  Having endured unusually frigid temperatures in Houston of late, setting up the smoker was out of the question!  I opted to slow-roast it in the oven and was rewarded with sweet, juicy and very tender meat that took no effort to pull apart.  Apply the seasoning rub the night before you plan to roast it, if possible.

Slow-Roasted BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Ooo-Eee! Sauce and Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw adapted from the Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook

1 (2½ - 3 lb) bone-in pork butt or picnic roast (I bought a 7lb picnic roast and doubled the rest of the ingredients)

rind of 1 orange, grated finely

1½ tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper

1½ teaspoons ancho chile powder (or chipotle chile powder – for a spicier finish)

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

½ teaspoon hot paprika

1/4 cup kosher salt

3 tablespoons sugar

Ooo-Eee! Sauce

½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

½ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup apple cider

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup water

You will also need:

½ red onion, thinly sliced

6 seeded bread rolls

Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw (see recipe below)

Lay the pork butt skin side up on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the skin off the pork butt through the fatty layer dividing the skin and the meat. Set the skin aside.

In a small bowl, combine the orange peel, black pepper, ancho chile powder, sweet paprika, hot paprika, kosher salt and sugar. Rub this mixture liberally on the pork, using your fingers to push the seasonings into all the crevices and indentations by the bone. Replace the pork skin on the meat and season it as well. Cover the meat and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

To slow-roast: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the pork butt in a heavy roaster which is just big enough to fit the roast. You want the roast to fit snugly in the roaster so that the moisture is not dispersed too much. Cover roaster with the lid and place in the oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 225ºF and allow the meat to roast for about 5-7 hours. You can even do this overnight.

During the last hour of roasting, remove the lid and allow the pork skin to crisp. Remove from the oven and test for doneness: prick the meat with a fork and twist the fork. If the meat falls apart, it is done! Allow the meat to cool for a little while and then pull it apart, removing any fatty parts that have not melted away.

Towards serving time, combine all the sauce ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until it is slightly thickened. Carefully add the pulled pork pieces to the sauce and stir together to coat the meat.

To assemble the sandwich: Cut the bread rolls open and remove some of the soft bread inside (this will provide a nice ‘nest’ for the meat). Toast the rolls. Scoop a generous amount of pork on one toasted half of a roll, top with sliced onions, Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw, and top with the other half of the roll. You can also serve the coleslaw on the side, if you prefer.

Sweet-and-Sour Coleslaw

½ to ¾ head of red or green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and grated

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup cider vinegar

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine sliced cabbage, bell pepper and carrots in a large bowl. To make the dressing, combine the sugar, mustard, salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Gradually whisk in vinegar and olive oil. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. Cool for about 5 minutes and then pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture. Refrigerate until ready to be served.

Prijatno!

Recipe for Success foundation and 1-2-3 Salad

Ever the diligent volunteers, my friend Chantal and I arrived at Sylvan Rodriguez Elementary School to support our new pet project, Recipe for Success.  Founded by philanthropist Gracie Cavnar, Recipe for Success is a non-profit charity that has been active in five fortunate Houston I.S.D. schools for the last four years. 

The primary goal of RFS is to combat childhood obesity.  Students are taught that nutritious food comes from the ground and not at a drive-thru window or in a sealed plastic bag or box.  The Foundation hopes to increase the students’ awareness and appreciation for fresh fruits and vegetables by teaching them how to garden and harvest their crops.  They then use the produce in simple recipes using basic cooking techniques.

To help inspire the kids, well-known local chefs volunteer their time in the classrooms.  With the help of Houston’s own Monica Pope of t’afia, chef participation has grown to include the likes of chefs Randy Evans, Robert Del Grande, David Luna, Randy Rucker, Bryan Caswell, Chris Shepherd, Ryan Pera and many, many more.

Rodriguez Elementary is lucky to have chef Mark Wilson as its full-time instructor.  Here he assists students with the dressing for 1-2-3 Salad.

A former Broadway actor, musician and playwright, chef Wilson does an excellent job of capturing the students’ attention!

Students took turns at whisking the vinaigrette to the count of 10.  As an added bonus, the ever enthusiastic Chantal, a Belgian Francophile, broke out into her native French and taught the kids to count from 1 – 10!  They also learned a new word – emulsion.  They’re not just making any old salad – this is a gourmet salad with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, feta cheese and walnuts.  Love it!

At each participating campus, the Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program uses an organic garden as an outdoor classroom.  This expansive garden at Rodriguez Elementary has about 18 raised beds.  Each grade level is responsible for three of them.  I came away with a bunch of the most beautiful flat-leaf parsley that you will see in my next post.

Let’s see how big this pumpkin can grow!

These basil plants are setting their seeds.  Here the students learn about perennials and planting from seed. 

Newly harvested sweet potatoes and delicate lettuce leaves.  Look at the size of those tubers!

Eggplants!

Believe it or not, after the dressing was made, there was a mad dash to do the dishes, which I’m sure rarely happens at home!  Chef Dwain, an intern with RFS, prepares sweet, salty, bitter and sour ingredients for a tasting of flavors – and a fancy new word entered their culinary vocabulary:  UMAMI

The view from the dishwashing stand is to this pretty atrium: bird feeders, a small pond, fruit trees, potted herbs, raised beds, a compost barrel and a busy teacher named Mrs. Silverstone!

Decorated pots in the atrium.

This cutie enjoyed sweeping the floor. 

All in all, the students are exposed to healthy cooking ingredients which have sadly become foreign to many households.   Most students loved the salad and also the feta cheese and asked for more - a sure sign that young palates are much more receptive to delicious and healthy fare than we give them credit for. 

Our beautiful Houston fall weather prompted a fun picnic between the vegetable beds.  Students lined up for a ‘wrap’ of salad greens served with their own home-made salad dressing served by Mrs. Silverstone and Chantal.  Many came back for more…and more.  It was an encouraging sight!

This 1-2-3 Salad includes fresh mixed salad greens and is supplemented with nuts, grains, cheese and just a little bit of sugar (in the form of honey in this recipe).  It provides more precious nutrients than the oppressively sweet cereals and processed foods targeted at our school-aged children.

1-2-3 Salad, adapted from the original recipe by chef Monica Pope

4 servings

2 - 3 large handfuls of mixed lettuce (choose a mixture for color, texture and flavor), washed and patted dry on a towel

¼ cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans)

½ cup fruit (dried or fresh)

¼ cup cooked grains or pasta (quinoa, orzo, couscous)

¼ cup cheese (feta, parmesan, blue cheese)

For the dressing: (use about half of this recipe for 4 people)

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Make the dressing by putting balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk quickly to combine. Add olive oil, drop by drop, as you whisk the dressing quickly. The dressing will thicken and emulsify and resemble a deep caramel color. Set aside.

To assemble the salad place in a bowl the lettuce mix, nuts, fruit, grains and cheese.  Check the dressing: if it is very thick, add a little lemon juice or water to it.  Add 1/4 cup of dressing and toss to combine all ingredients. Add more dressing, if desired. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, if necessary.

Prijatno!