All Green Salsa

All Green Salsa on a blackened catfish taco with sour cream, chili sauce, and Aloha Guacamole, also in this blog

The Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 or 3 tomatillos, weighing approximately 110 to 140 g (or 4 to 5 oz)
  
• 110 g (or 4 oz) of onion
• 1 bunch of cilantro, weighing approximately 110 g (or 4 oz)
• 7 ml (or 1½ teaspoons) of a pepper or chili sauce such as Tabasco
• salt

The Method:

1. Peel the garlic and smash the cloves using a mortar and pestle, adding a small amount of salt so that the garlic becomes smooth and foamy or creamy. (This could alternatively be done using a garlic press and mashing the salt in with a fork.)
   
2. Peel and wash the tomatillos then cut them into rough slices.
3. Peel the onion and chop it into medium chunks
4. Wash the cilantro, remove the larger stems, and roughly chop the leaves and upper stems.
5. Place the garlic, tomatillos, onion, and cilantro into a blender.
6. Add the pepper or chili sauce, and 15 ml (or 1 tablespoon) of water.
   
7. Blend at high speed to purée the salsa, adding more water if necessary.
8. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
   

Flatiron Fajitas

The Ingredients (for 4 to 6 servings):

Salsa:

• 6 to 8 tomatillos, weighing approximately 450 g (or 1 lb)
• 1 medium red onion, weighing approximately 225 g (or 8 oz)
• 4 cloves of garlic, weighing approximately 15 g (or ½ oz)
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of cooking grade olive oil
• 1 bunch of cilantro, weighing approximately 43 g (or 1½ oz)
•  1 lime
• 1 whole jalapeño or 2 whole Hawaiian chilis or the equivalent

Cream

•  30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of mayonnaise
• 45 ml (or 3 tablespoons) of prepared horseradish
•  45 ml (or 3 tablespoons) of almond milk
• 55 g (or 2 oz) of feta cheese

Steak

•  900 g (or 2 lb) of flatiron steak
•  10 g (or 1½ tablespoons) of ground cumin
• 8 g (or 1½ tablespoons) of ground coriander
• 10 g (or 1½ tablespoons) of hot paprika
• salt
•  pepper
•  cooking grade olive oil

The Method:

Tomatillo Salsa

1. At least 2 hours before cooking the steak, make the salsa by first husking then washing the tomatillos. Cut each in half and place them in a medium bowl.
2. Peel the onion and slice it thinly, then add the onion slices to the bowl.
3. Bruise and peel the garlic cloves, then add them to the bowl.
4. Add the olive oil and mix it in until every piece of vegetable is lightly coated.
5. Spread the tomatillo mixture out onto a baking sheet or broiler pan covered with aluminum foil. Place the tomatillos with their skins facing upward.
   
6. Turn on the broiler to high and, when it is hot, place the pan of vegetables under it, at a distance of about 7.5 to 10 cm (or 3 to 4 inches). 
7. Broil the tomatillo mixture until the vegetables are beginning to char, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
   
8. Set the tomatillo mixture aside to cool.
9. Meanwhile, wash the cilantro and chop it roughly, then place it into a blender or food processor.
10. Zest the lime, and add it to the food processor.
11. Squeeze the lime, and add the juice and pulp to the food processor.
12. Wash the chili pepper(s) and chop them finely, then add them to the food processor.
13. When the tomatillo mixture is cooled, add this also to the food processor and purée to the desired consistency.
    
    
    
    
14. Set the salsa aside to develop and blend the flavors.

Horseradish Cream

1. At least one hour before cooking the steak, make the horseradish cream by combining the mayonnaise, horseradish, almond milk, and crumbled feta in a blender.
2. Blend until there are no lumps of cheese. If necessary, adjust the proportions of the ingredients and blend again so that the consistency is like that of a thick cream.
3.  Place the horseradish cream in the refrigerator.

Flatiron Steak

1. Rinse the flatiron steak briefly, pat it dry, and place it on a wide board or platter.
2. Heat a griddle or skillet to high.
3. While the griddle is heating, place the cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine them evenly.
4. Sprinkle or rub the seasoning mixture onto both sides of the steak.
5.  When the griddle is hot, spray or lightly spread olive oil all over it.
6. Place the seasoned steak onto the griddle and cook it undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Turn the steak and cook the other side for 4 to 5 minutes also.

The Fajita:

Cut the flatiron steak into thin slices across the grain. Serve with soft, warmed tortillas, crisp lettuce leaves, and the tomatillo salsa and horseradish cream.

The Story:

This dish is adapted from a recipe I found on a website called The Chew.

A Perfect Pest-O

The Ingredients (for approximately 490 ml or 2 cups):

• 110 g (or 4 oz) of basil sprigs
• 70 g (or 2½ oz) of Italian, or flat-leaf parsley
• 4 cloves of garlic, weighing approximately 20 g ( or ¾ oz)
• 3 g (or 1 teaspoon) of salt
• 1 g (or ½ teaspoon) of freshly ground black pepper
• 70 g (or ½ cup) of pignolia (pine nuts)
• 60 g (or ½ cup) of walnuts
• 240 ml (or 1 cup) of salad grade olive oil
• 55 g (or 2 oz) of a hard, aged cheese such as Parmigiano (I used Pecorino Romano)

The Method:

1. Remove the leaves from the basil stalks and place them into the bottom of a food processor or blender. (Stalks may be saved and used to flavor broth or a casserole.)
2. Cut the large stems off the parsley,  roughly chop the leaves, and place them on top of the basil.
3. Peel the garlic cloves and mash or crush them with the salt until they form a paste. Place the paste in the food processor.
4. Add the pepper, pignolias, and walnuts to the food processor.
   
5. Fill a 1-cup measure with the olive oil.
6. Start the food processor on a medium setting and slowly pour the olive oil in through the feed tube as the herb mixture grinds.
   
7. When the oil is all used up open the food processor and add the grated cheese.
8. Grind again, this time at highest speed, adding additional oil if necessary to produce a spoonable (but not quite pourable) sauce.
9. Store the pesto in the refrigerator with a tiny layer of salad grade olive oil across the top to prevent oxidation.
   
10. To serve with pasta, cook the pasta (I used penne made from lentil flour) according to package instructions, but begin sampling at 5 minutes for doneness.
    
11. Drain the pasta and immediately add the desired amount of pesto to freshly boiled and very hot pasta. Stir immediately and continuously until the pesto coats every piece of pasta.



Penne and A Perfect Pest-O with More-Than-a-Mouthful Meatballs,
also in this blog

The Story:

Many years ago I was given an Italian pasta machine and cranked out many a wonderful batch of linguine, spaghetti, and lasagna. As with other kitchen appliances, the instruction manual came with suggestions for recipes. The Pesto Genovese on page 24 was the best I ever tasted, and I never altered anything about the recipe. However, I did black out the suggestion that, if fresh basil was unavailable Italian parsley and a small amount of dried basil could be substituted. No. And now I have my own plants, both sweet basil and Thai basil. When they need to be harvested my thoughts always turn to Pesto Genovese.

Saucy BBClue

Baby back ribs with Saucy BBClue and Popeye Pancakes

Menu Notes:

• This is my version of, and not very different from The Prudent Wife recipe for Barbecue Sauce with Stevia.
• If the sauce is not all used within a week or so, it can be frozen, and thawed for later use. (I have not yet done the freeze-thaw, so cannot vouch for the taste or consistency of the sauce after freezing.)

The Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, weighing approximately 225 g (or 8 oz)
• one 3 to 5-cm (or 1 to 2-inch) piece of ginger, weighing approximately 20 g (or ¾ oz)
• 2 to 4 cloves of garlic, weighing approximately 15 g (or ½ oz)
• 8 g (or 1 teaspoon) of salt
• 6 g (or 2 teaspoons) of ground cumin
• 1.5 g (or ½ teaspoon) of ground Cayenne pepper
• 350 ml (or 1½ cups) of chicken broth
• 1 can (170 g or 6 oz) of tomato paste, preferably Muir Glen brand
• 1  lime
• 60 ml (or ¼ cup) of sherry
• stevia equivalent of 12 g (or 1 tablespoon) of sugar
• 3 sprigs of fresh basil, weighing approximately 15 g (or ½ oz)
• 1 small handful of fresh oregano, weighing approximately 12 g (or ⅓ oz)
• cooking grade olive oil

The Method:

1. Peel and dice the onion.
2. Grind the garlic and ginger together or grate them finely.
3. Squeeze the lime and reserve the juice.
4. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to lightly cover the bottom of the pan.
5. Place the diced onion into the pan and sauté until all of the pieces are translucent.
6. Add the garlic and ginger, stir briefly, and reduce the heat to low. 
7. Cover the pan and allow the aromatics to simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Add the salt, cumin, and Cayenne pepper to the pan.
9. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
   
10. Add the tomato paste and stir vigorously.
11. Add the chicken broth and stir gently but thoroughly.
12. Add the sherry, stevia, and lime, stir briefly, then turn the heat to low.
13. Cover the pan and simmer the sauce mixture for 15 minutes.
14. Strip the basil leaves from the stems and chop them finely with the oregano.
15. Add the basil and oregano (or substitute dried equivalents) to the sauce mixture and simmer, covered, for a further 15 minutes.

The Story:

Although we don't barbecue very often, our daughter and son-in-law love to smoke baby back ribs. Whenever they do, my husband always has to ask for dry-rub ribs because barbecue sauces are usually heavily sugared. So I cast about the internet for ideas for a sugar-free version and found someone who had already used stevia as a sweetener in a light, but spicy sauce. Even the nondiabetics in the family like it.

Satay It with Wings

The Ingredients (for 20 servings):

• 3 kg (or 6½ lb) of chicken wings
• salt
• 8 stalks of lemon grass
• 20 g (or 6 cloves) of garlic
• 7.5 g (or 1 tablespoon) of freshly ground black pepper
• 7.5 g (or 1 tablespoon) of Cayenne pepper
• 90 ml (or 6 tablespoons) of Asian fish sauce
• stevia equivalent of 45 g (or 3 tablespoons) of sugar
• 1 lime
• 60 ml (or ¼ cup) of cooking grade olive oil

• 355 ml (or 1½ cups) of coconut milk
• 30 g ( or 1 oz) of curry paste (I use S&B Golden Curry, grated)
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of Asian fish sauce
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of tamarind concentrate
• 120 ml (or ½ cup) of peanut butter
• 6 g (or 1 tablespoon) of paprika

The Method:

1. The day before you plan to cook the chicken wings, separate them at both joints, discarding the tips.
2. Soak the wing pieces in brine for 15 minutes, then allow them to drain in a colander without rinsing them.
3. While the wings are draining, prepare the marinade by first juicing the lime.
4. Wash the lemongrass, remove the root section, then dice the whitish, lower sections.
5. Place the lemongrass pieces into a blender or food processor and add the peeled garlic cloves, the black and Cayenne peppers, the fish sauce, the stevia, and the lime juice.
6. Grind the marinade ingredients until they form a paste or thick liquid. 
7. Place the drained chicken wings into a large bowl, and mix the marinade thoroughly in so that every piece is coated.
8. Marinate the wings in the refrigerator overnight, mixing or redistributing the marinade once or twice.
9. About 20 minutes before cooking the wings, take them out of the refrigerator and add the olive oil, mixing it thoroughly in so that every piece is coated.
10. Turn on the broiler, and arrange the wing pieces on a broiler pan. I like to put the drumettes on a different broiler pan from the flatter mid-sections, as they cook at slightly different speeds.
11. Broil the wings about 15 cm (or 6 inches) below the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, then remove them from the oven.
12. While the wings are cooking, prepare the satay sauce by combining the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, tamarind concentrate, peanut butter, and paprika in a saucepan.
13. Warm the mixture on medium-low heat, stirring and slightly mashing the ingredients together until there are no lumps (except peanuts, if you use crunchy peanut butter).
14. Keep stirring and heating until the mixture thickens slightly and starts to look shiny.
15. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the satay into a serving bowl.

Satay It with Wings at a potluck

Papad-yums

Menu Notes:

• This is the appetizer for my Thanksgiving Menu 2012, and both the raita and the mint chutney double as condiments for roast lamb on the same menu.

The Ingredients:

• Uncooked papad
• Cooking grade olive oil

• 355 ml (or 1½ cups) of yogurt
• 1 cucumber
• Several sprigs of dill
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of lemon juice
• 5 ml (or 1 teaspoon) of Cayenne pepper
• 2.5 cc (or ½ teaspoon) of salt
• Sugar substitute equivalent to 5 ml (or 1 teaspoon) of cane sugar

• Approximately 235 cc (or 1 cup) of mint leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
• Approximately 235 cc (or 1 cup) of cilantro leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
• 1.3-cm (or ½-inch) piece of ginger
• Approximately 118 cc (or ½ cup) of chopped onion
• 1 small green chili
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of lime juice
• 15 ml (or 1 tablespoon) of tamarind concentrate
• 15 ml (or 1 tablespoon) of ground cardamom

The Method:

Papadums

1. Pour olive oil into a shallow skillet to a depth of 2.5 cm (or 1 inch).
2. Place a large, shallow dish next to the stove and line it with paper towels.
3. Heat the oil until it immediately cooks a small break-off piece of the papad.
4. Using tongs, slide one papad into—and totally beneath the surface of—the hot oil. 
5. If the oil is hot enough, the papad expands and crinkles immediately. Turn it over with the tongs and allow it to cook for a few seconds on the other side, then remove onto the paper towel to drain.
6. Repeat for as many papadums as there are people to eat them.
7. Serve immediately. If papadums get soft, reheat in the oven at a low temperature for 5 minutes, or until they are crisp again.

Raita

1. Seed the cucumber and grate it.
2. Squeeze it to remove much of the water.
3. Add it to the yogurt in a small bowl.
4. Rinse, dry, and finely chop the dill, then add it to the yogurt mixture.
5. Add lemon juice, Cayenne pepper, salt, and sugar substitute to the yogurt mixture.
6. Mix thoroughly.

Mint chutney

1. Wash and dry the mint and cilantro, and place them in a food processor or similar machine.
2. Add all of the other ingredients and process until the mixture is blended. Add water if needed to improve consistency.

Mint chutney

Raita

Blackened Ahi

Menu Notes:

• This simple preparation is best accompanied by Aspara-gusto, as the wasabi mayonnaise in that recipe is delightful with the ahi also.
• Most ahi is quite high in methyl mercury (see information on the Monterey Bay Aquarium web site), so I don't advise making this dish very often.

The Ingredients (for 4 small servings):

• 1 piece of sashimi-grade ahi, at least 3.8 cm (or 1½ inch) thick, and weighing approximately 560 gram (or 20 oz)
• 15 cc (or 1 Tbsp) of butter
• 30 cc (or 2 Tbsp) of blackened seasoning, made by combining the following ingredients:
• 175 cc (or ¾ cup) of Hungarian paprika
• 60 cc (or ¼ cup) of powdered chili
• 30 cc (or 2 Tbsp) of black pepper
• 30 cc (or 2 Tbsp) of white pepper
• 60 cc (or 4 Tbsp) of Cayenne pepper
• 45 cc (or 3 Tbsp) of garlic powder
• 30 cc (or 2 Tbsp) of ground oregano
• 45 cc (or 3 Tbsp ) of ground cumin
• 15 cc (or 1 Tbsp ) of ground ginger
• 15 cc (or 1 Tbsp ) of salt

The Method:

1. Heat a griddle or large fry pan over medium high heat but do not add oil.
2. Turn the hood fan onto high or open windows, as the blackening process produces tear-jerker fumes.
3. Melt the butter and baste half of  it onto one side of the ahi.
4. Sprinkle blackened seasoning onto the butter and lightly press it down. Use as much or as little as you think wise, based on the ingredients and your tolerance of spicy seasoning.
5. Place the ahi, seasoned side down, on the griddle.
6. Immediately basted the exposed side of the ahi with the rest of  the butter, sprinkle seasoning, and lightly press it down  as before.
7. Watch the ahi on the griddle and turn it over when the opaque (cooked) layer is about 5 mm (or inch) thick. 
8. Cook the second side as for the first side, and remove the ahi to a cutting board.
9. Slice the ahi across the grain immediately to stop the cooking.

The Story:

My husband's uncle loves to fish and, some years ago, made a trip with a group of friends on the sport fishing boat Royal Star, out of San Diego, California. At that time, the galley was run by a man named Dave, and he published some of his recipes online. The web page is no longer there, and Royal Star no longer publishes recipes, as far as I can tell. We were lucky that Uncle Wally told us about Dave's blackened ahi, and that we kept a printout of that web page. The blackened seasoning is good for any "blackened" recipe, and can be added to many dishes for extra piquancy.