I guess for my initial, or shall we say, Inaugural post I wanted to talk about one of my favorite things, food. For those of you that know me, you know I geek out to food. I am a proponent of the local food movement and I do my best to find locally sourced ingredients, visit the farmers market, and even grow some of my own, albeit with mediocre success.
I get a lot of requests for my recipes yet as my brother will tell you, I usually don't cook the same thing twice. I love to cook and experiment with techniques and different food combinations, but I guess for the sake of you who seek my culinary counsel, I will attempt to bring my food world to the WWW and share these experiences and more importantly, these recipes with you.
My cousin Jess and her husband Ben where visiting and I made them some of my salsa and guacamole. Jess has been hounding me for these recipes for sometime now so I guess I will start here. I have a particular inclination to Latin food and these two are easy quick recipes that are satisfying and versatile. I hope you enjoy them and please let me know what you think. Buen provencho!
Salsa
Ok, this is definitely a seasonal favorite, when the tomatoes are perfectly ripe, jalapenos are fat and delicious, and the cilantro you can smell from 10 feet away, it's time to make salsa. but please do not let the season hold you back, fresh salsa, even with winter tomatoes still brings a smile to your face and perhaps a touch of summer to your mind.
8 tomatoes. I usually use Roma's, but any kind will do.
(cut in half, remove core and seeds)
2 medium onions, peeled
( again, any kind will do, red onions bring a beautiful color to the dish)
6 Jalapenos
( seeded if you want it mild)
3 limes, juiced
1 bunch of cilantro, just use the leaves
Ok, now comes the hard part. Take out your food processor and throw the Tomato, onion, jalapeno and cilantro in and PULSE until you get a fairly homogenous mixture. There is no wrong here, if you like it chunkier, leave it chunkier. but please pulse the food processor, if you leave it running you will make gazpacho (not exactly, but soup nonetheless)
You may have to work in batches but once everything is chopped, add about half your lime juice and a good sprinkling of salt (please see salt note at the bottom). Now taste the salsa, if it needs more lime juice or salt add until it tastes yummy!
You can eat this alone or with.....
Guacamole!
OK, I don't make regular guac. During a moment of food inspiration the marriage of avocado, chipoltle and the king of all foods, bacon, were combined into a heavenly dish that is truly fit for a king, but I love you all so much, Kings be damned,let us eat Guac!
5 avocados, pitted and chopped
1-2 TBLS of Chipoltle in adobo sauc.
(if you like it spicier chop up a chipoltle and add, otherwise use just the juice.
1/2 lb of bacon, fried until crispy (see note)
1/2 cup of salsa
(if you use jarred salsa, don't ever tell me, because I will hate you!)
and I do mean HATE!
Once you have all the ingredients prepped, throw em in a bowl and mix. I like to smash the avocado's a bit so the guac becomes creamy, yet there are still some recognizable chunks of avocados in there. Taste it, if it needs salt and it. Needs some more salsa, yup, add it! You are eating it after all.
That wasn't so complicated was it? Now go out and get yourself these ingredients and a bag of chips, (better yet, ask me how to make your own) and the fix-in's for Margaritas (I have a recipe for this as well) and celebrate! It is Friday after all!
* a note.
All salt is not the same. Please go buy yourself some course Kosher salt, I am sure I will post something about the specifics soon enough, but trust me for now.
Also, if you have a source for local bacon, please use it. If you need help finding that local source let me know!
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