Another "What to do With Tomatoes" Post - Erika's Homemade Tomato Salsa

You can search high and low for the perfect salsa recipe for years and not find the one that's exactly to your taste. Salsa is the Meryl Streep of dips. Totally and completely versatile. You can use just about any base you like, be it mango, cucumber, melon or tomato. Sweet or spicy, there are just so may ways to go about it.

I found my definitive salsa on my Sister's porch in Ashland while visiting several years ago. I'd brought some friends along, and we were enjoying the sun and munching on chips when Erika decided to whip together this salsa. One taste and we were sold! I don't feel much of a need to keep searching anymore. This is it for me. Though once again, it's one of those dishes that really only makes sense when all the ingredients are at their peak, and the outside temperature is above 80 degrees.

I made this last night alongside my favorite fish tacos. I don't want to brag, but the person who shared alongside them said something along the lines of "These might be the best fish tacos I have ever had." They also moaned a bit upon tasting the salsa. I highly suggest running out to the store and making them both at your earliest convenience. A perfect summer dinner.


Erika's Homemade Salsa

4-5 good heirloom tomatoes, chopped (I mixed in cherry tomatoes as well)
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 sweet onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or diced
1 jalapeno pepper (seeds removed and diced)
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and a little bit of sugar to taste

Mix everything together and serve with chips, in tacos or whatever you like.

Leah's Guest Post - Continued - Escabeche

Do you know what it is to have a friend who can cook like nobody's business? I am lucky enough to be able to say that I do. So it is, that when Leah makes Mexican food, she doesn't just make the best Chili Rellanos you've ever tasted, she doesn't just have ice cold pacifico's waiting in the fridge, nor does she just teach you to make tortillas by hand. No. When Leah makes Mexican food, she goes all out. She even makes Escabeche, that little dish of pickled somethings that arrives on the side of a good authentic dish.

Oh my. It. Was. Delicious.

-ed


Right now It seems like canning is all the rage. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Happy Girl Kitchen cabbage and man are those pickled beets de-lish! But, to be honest, I am so much more of an instant gratification girl. I think that's why I cook and don't make pottery (all that waiting, and leaving it alone kills me!) I want to be the kind of person who can pick a bunch of Ollieberries and make copious jars of jam for winter gifts or set cucumbers in a brine for weeks until they emerge all perfect and ready for a sandwich. But I am just not. I seem to always be looking for a short cut or at least a way to enjoy the fruits of my labor NOW.

Which is why I am sharing with you two recipes for one of my favorite side dishes, Spicy Carrot and Radish Escabeche. One is the quick eat it NOW version and the other is the "Save for Later" 5 hour soak. Both are equally delicious, but of course, the longer one (the one that takes a little more patience --which is a virtue, they tell me) is a little rounder in flavor. The longer version can also be stored for about 3 months, and so you end up being able to stretch out the enjoyment as well as the process.


Spicy Carrot and Radish Escabeche

These pickled carrots and radishes, which are often found in Mexican restaurants, are great as a side dish but I also love to put these carrots and radishes inside sandwiches for a little texture and flavor kick. You can make them as spicy as you want by adjusting the jalapeno amount.

4 large carrots, peeled and sliced on an angle
1 bunch radishes, washed and sliced into rounds
1-2 large jalapenos, quartered
1 cup champagne vinegar (or any vinegar you like, but NOT balsamic)
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
4 whole bay leaves
1 star anise pod

(optional: 2 cups of ice)


1. The Eat NOW Version:
Bring the Water, Vinegar, Salt to a boil in a sauce pan when the salt dissolves bring the heat down to a simmer.
Add the Oregano, Bay, and Star Anise. Simmer for one minute.
Add Carrots, Radish, and Jalapenos.

Turn the heat off and cover for 5 minutes.

Add ice to the carrots etc. to cool mixture down.
When carrots, radishes, and jalapenos are cold drain the liquid out.
Discard the bay leaves and star anise.

Serve cold and enjoy.

2. The Save for Later Version:

Toss together the carrots, radishes and jalapenos and fit into a large glass container (with a lid)

In a large sauce pan, combine the vinegar, water, salt, oregano, bay, and star anise. Bring to a simmer for two minutes.

Carefully pour the vinegar mixture over the carrot mixture until it covers all the vegetables, and allow to cool on the counter top. (Leftover liquid should be discarded) When cool, cap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours.

Serve cold and Enjoy!
Can be kept for up to three months.

Guest Post by Leah - Chili Rellenos

Rellenos. Tortillas. Cerveza. Ay Dios Mio.

It could be because I am from LA? (Don’t hate) Or, maybe it’s on account of the warm weather? Perhaps, as my mother likes to tell me, it’s a result of all the salsa she put on everything while she was pregnant with me? But, anyway you look at it, I love Mexican Food. From a late night burrito in the Mission, a plate of carnitas at Doña Tomas, or my favorite: Sea Bass with Lime Caper Mole at Tlapazola in Los Angeles. Mmmmm, Lime Caper Mole… I dream that some day I will be able to re-create that sauce….

But, I digress. The thing is that it just seemed like a good evening for Chili Rellenos. While I don’t often shy away from frying, I like to bake these little babies especially when the ingredients are in the height of their season.

I had some Pasilla (aka Anaheim) Peppers from the farmer’s market that were waiting to be used as well as some left over grilled corn and a couple of Pacifico's in the back of the fridge that were just asking to be consumed. So, I called some friends to join me for dinner and headed to Mi Tierra Foods for a few more ingredients. My recipe is definitely not traditional, but it is one of my favorite things to eat.

I like to serve the Rellenos with sliced Avocado, Lime Crema and homemade Corn Tortillas (or if I am simply not feeling it, I buy the “homemade corn tortillas” from Trader Joes or Primavera and pretend like I made them at home… sssshhhh!)


Baked Chili Rellenos

6 Fresh Pasilla Peppers (same as Anaheim’s or Poblano’s)
3 Ears of Corn – Roasted and cut off the cob (can use Frozen white corn)
¼ - ½ Cup Cherry Tomatoes – cut into quarters
¼ lb Queso Oaxaca - Shredded. it is a like a sharp mozzarella (you can use mozzarella or goat cheese)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
¼ cup Cilantro – Chopped
2 TBL Olive Oil
salt/pepper

Heat the oven to 350*F and grease a 9x13” baking dish.

Roast the peppers to remove the skin. Try to not rip the flesh of the peppers, they are very delicate. (But if you do, don’t worry, they will still be delicious. ) Cut a slit in the pepper from stem to tip and carefully remove the seeds.

All of the other ingredients should be chopped/cut so they are all about the same size and shape. Combine all of them together.

Very carefully fill the peppers with the corn mixture and place them in the baking dish.

If the peppers rip open, just spoon some of the mixture on top and try to fold over the pepper on top of the mixture.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until all the cheese is melted.

Lime Crema

½ Cup Sour Cream
Zest and Juice of one Lime (it’s easier if you zest the lime before you juice it)
Pinch of Salt
Combine all ingredients

Corn Tortillas

1 1/2 cups Masa Harina
2 tsp Salt
2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1 1/4 +/- cups warm Water

Combine the Masa Harina, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add in the oil then the water a little at a time and stir until smooth. The dough should be slightly sticky and form a ball when pressed together. To test, flatten a small ball of dough between your palms. If the edges crack, add water to the dough, a tablespoon at a time, until a test piece does not crack.

Place a piece of plastic wrap onto each side of a tortilla press.

Form a 1 1/2-inch ball of dough and place it in the center of the press, and push the lever down to form the tortilla. (If you don’t have a tortilla press, the dough balls can be rolled between plastic sheets with a rolling pin.) Open the press and carefully peel the tortilla off the bottom plastic and set aside.

Place the tortillas onto a hot, ungreased comal or cast iron skillet cook for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the tortilla and place it on a clean tea towel; keep it covered to keep it soft and pliable. Continue until you have used up all the dough.



Thanks to Leah for dinner and the post!