Sides

Zucchini Boats

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This was the only meal I have made myself since the sandwich that I made before leaving for the airport for Mexico 8 days ago. The lovely little place we were staying (by lovely, I mean INCREDIBLE) had an outdoor kitchen where we ate our insanely delicious breakfasts. It also had a grill that was available for guest use, along with a cutting board. We decided that we would cook dinner one night – a hard decision as this meant one night that pastor tacos would not be going into my belly. Next problem: the only cooking apparatus we had was a grill. Ergo, I decided to make zucchini stuffed with Oxaca cheese, Grilled Onions, and Chorizo and some re-fried beans with Manchengo cheese, sour cream, grilled onions, and jalapenos alongside some chimol (basically pico). This decision was made with a couple different trains of thought: 1) If I am giving up my nightly pastor it better be for seafood or veggies; 2) I had finally had some beans for breakfast and it whetted my appetite for them; 3) I only had a grill and one knife, so the meal need to be  simple and easy.

We garnered some additional cooking materials from the owner of the B&B, Lou, and began to make our dinner after D went in to the store. Now by extra cooking materials I do not mean much – we got a small pot for the beans and a dull knife for cutting the veg with. This was a step up in the knife department from the time I had to make dinner using a butter knife. That was … interesting.

The result of our little B&B cooked meal was outstanding. The freshness of the ingredients sang and all the flavors, though not particularly complex, married very well together. Better yet, everything I used to make this meal can be found in the States (though it will be different than the traditional local flavors that I had available in Tulum) and is a cheap and satisfying crowd-pleaser for those awesome summer weekends in Texas!

Note: I had originally intended to put the bean mixture in avocado halves, but the avocado did not come home from the store, so we did without. No worries – beans are amazing.


Zucchini Boats

Two Zucchinis, washed and halved
One Chorizo Link
One half Onion
1/4 cup Oxaca cheese
Brush of Olive oil (or in my case Spray of Pam olive oil)
Salt and Pepper
A dash of seasoning of choice (I had a Mexican seasoning that was like a lime-cayenne with adobo so I sprinkled some of that on here)

Season Grill with onion, then grill until glassy (alternately – oil a small pan and saute until glassy). Place chorizo on grill and grill for about 3-4 minutes on either side, depending on thickness. Take the zucchini halves and cut a deep square shape in the middle in order to stuff them. Grill, skin side up, for about 3-4 minutes first then flip. Stuff with Cheese and grill for an additional 3-4 minutes. Top with onions and chorizo and enjoy with sides of pico and cheesy re-fried beans.

Cucumber Avocado Soup

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D and I spent the weekend at my parent’s house in the Hill Country. They have thermometer that is located on an outside deck in the shade. Around 2:00 pm Sunday afternoon, it read 102 degrees. IN THE SHADE. Needless to say, the heat of Texas summers pleads for refreshing, cold, light meals and snacks. Short of sucking on a Popsicle incessantly, this can be tough to do as most people like their food hot. Texans understand the need for cold food – we know that it is almost as important as queso. We had about 6 avocados leftover from fourth of July that had finally softened enough to be eaten (and that needed to be eaten by Sunday). I had no desire to make guacamole or enchiladas or anything that required eating luke-warm to hot meals. This led me to think about a lovely avocado soup I had had on holiday in Mexico back in 2008. In this same meal, I thoroughly enjoyed a cucumber martini which was the best drink I have ever had to date. I could feel myself begin to pine for these two flavors, so I decided to combine them in a chilled soup to ease the pain of the hot day. The soup was a lovely lunch and shortly after enjoying it, a small storm came across the lake and the temperature dropped about twenty degrees! Maybe I should call this magic, rain dance soup?

Note: I added spinach for extra nutrition, feel free to omit it if you do not have any – the flavor is not affected as the mild spinach flavor will play second fiddle to the avocado and cucumber flavors. Secondly, had I had any, I would have added fresh cilantro to brighten the flavors even further. I left this out and used fresh basil instead, which was just fine, and probably made my vehemently anti-cilantro father very happy. Feel free to use either or both depending on your taste preference.

Serves 4-6 as a appetizer portion

Two Cucumbers, washed and roughly chopped (seeded)
Five avocados, seeded and skinned
One to two cups of baby Spinach
Five Green onion stalks, including white parts
One tablespoon Ground Coriander
Salt and Pepper to taste
Juice of One Lemon, plus more to taste
One bunch fresh basil, with a few leaves set aside to chiffonade for garnish
1/2 Jalapeno, seeded and minced
Five garlic cloves
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup plain yogurt
One to 1.5 cups chicken stock or cold water (depending on thinness desired)

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix well. Adjust seasoning as desired, then transfer to the fridge and allow to chill for at least  half hour, preferably longer. Serve garnish with fresh basil.

Sauteed Kale and Mushrooms

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Kale has been hard to find for months now due to hard winter freezes on Kale growing fields. I knew that it was scheduled to grace Whole Foods’ shelves again soon, but considering I basically cannot tell you what day it is right now, this date was not on my “need to remember” radar. So a couple days ago, I was buying some bananas and some bread from Whole Foods and the chef in front of me in check-out line had a couple bushels of my favorite green superfood. “You have kale again,” I exclaimed, to which the cashier responded: “Yeah it isn’t it awesome! You have time to run and get some.”  I said it was ok, I wouldn’t be able to use it tonight and he said, “if you go get some, I will give it to you for free.”  Well ok then, off I ran, and a few minutes later Kale was hanging out in my fridge waiting to be cooked. Last night it served as the source of veggies that I have so fervently been missing.

One bunch of Kale, rinsed, stemmed and roughly chopped
Two tablespoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Good amount of Freshly cracked black pepper
One medium Vidalia onion, sliced
One to two tablespoons minced garlic
3.4 pound of cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup of white wine
pinch salt

In a pan, heat a bit of olive oil then add garlic, red pepper flakes, onion and a pinch of salt. After a few minutes add mushrooms and white wine.  Reduce slightly and add Kale stirring once. Cover the pan and allow the Kale to steam. After a few minutes remove cover, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir kale with the onions and mushrooms in the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and serve.

*Can be topped with crispy prosciutto, cranberries, or shaved Parmesan if you like.

No-Butter Garlic Bread

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I am aware that most people know how to make garlic bread. I am also aware that this is a fairly boring version of garlic bread. However, mixing garlic with cheese is not “garlic bread,” it is cheesy garlic bread (and it is fabulous). There are loads of variations for this, but this particular garlic bread is incredible when floated into  soups or brothy dishes because it is toasted longer than normal and individually sliced instead of toasted as a loaf. It is also fantastic when thrown into a food processor and made into homemade bread crumbs – I promise that you will not get the same crunch from the canned kind. This version is also healthier than the garlic bread that most people typically think about – it is not dripping with butter (not that things dripping with butter are in any way appetite suppressing, they just simply add too much jiggle to my thighs) and it still has a great deal of flavor. That said, man do I love cheesy garlic bread…Advice for cutting your bread if you do not elect to have your baker do it for you – use a serrated knife. You will make your life easier.

Half loaf of Ciabatta bread (or similar), sliced
Five cloves garlic, finely mined
Favorite Oil (I use garlic or basil oil usually), put into a small container
Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Paprika
Cayenne (optional)
Fresh Black Pepper, to taste

Brush each side of the bread with a bit of oil, place on a baking rack or tray that has holes or slats. Sprinkle each piece of bread with Cayenne, Paprika, and Pepper. Top with an ample amount of garlic and parsley. Bake for about five to seven minutes at 375. Serve with Soup or baked tomatoes or turn into homemade bread crumbs.


Baked Tomatoes, Italian Grandmother Style (Almost)

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Awesomeness

Let’s just clear the hurdle and accept the fact that you will see an abnormal (by abnormal I mean INSANE) amount of baked tomatoes. And some will be different and some will not be different. When you have a man-friend who would literally eat baked tomatoes at every meal it is bound to happen. Additionally, I almost always have everything i need to throw them together and since they are healthy and extremely satisfying , cheap, and easy – trust me when I say I am not complaining at all. So, Saturday we were in Katy (yes – this girl just said that) for D’s best friend from – well diapers I think – wedding shower. I have been hearing, pretty much since the day we started dating, the amazing food that he would eat at this Italian/Texan via Mexico household growing up. Side-bar: Gooey Butter Cake was mentioned frequently. Naturally, I was thrilled to get to experience this food and talk food with foodies (they own restaurants in the Houston Metroplex). The day was wonderful, the people were absolutely incredible and the food was – celestial (I really wanted to use another word, but propriety stopped me – first and last time for that to occur I can promise you). It was kind of like one of those get-togethers you read about in a Bon Appetit magazine – you know when food really brings you together (okay really it was the engagement of a fantastic couple – but food brought me closer to a dream I have had since I started cooking. This dream, ladies and gentlemen, is to cook with an Italian grandmother. Recall I mentioned that the family was half Italian. By this I mean Nina came off the boat from Sicily. HEAVEN. So whilst I was gorging on amazing pulled pork and cabbage slaw with sweet buns, I had a long conversation with an Italian grandmother. She suggested how I should make baked tomatoes. Spicy Provelone is the secret. I also got an invite to her home, which incidentally has a basement that has been converted into a second kitchen. So last night I made baked tomatoes (thought not exactly following her instructions but that will come later) and today I am happy that I am one step closer to my dream.

These tomatoes were so good. They were large tomatoes and I left a good amount of juice in them before baking, something I normally do not do. The result was almost like a brothy soup with yummy stuff in it. I made four thinking we would eat two and save two for lunch today – that did not work out – we ate them all. =) If you are looking for a budget and belly friendly meal that is tasty and satisfying this is it. You can feed a family of four with this meal for about ten dollars (probably less – I can cook, but my math skills are not anything to brag about).

  • Two large heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes, halved
  • 1 Large shallot, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • handful of torn arugula, roughly chopped
  • 6 large basil leaves,roughly chopped
  • Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • 4 slices of smoked Provolone
  • One link of Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage
  • One tablespoon pesto

Topping

  • 2 cups baby Spinach
  • 3 tbs white wine
  • 1 shallot sliced
Stuff me please!

Cut tomatoes in half and scrape out about half of the juice (trying to get as many seeds out as possible – the seeds can give you heartburn, make the tomato acidic or be bad for people with certain health conditions). Place each half into a small ramekin and let them hang out for a little bit.

Heat oil of choice in a skillet. Add shallots and garlic and a pinch of salt, cook for about five minutes and add the sausage, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Cook for about five minutes and remove from heat. Add to basil, arugula, pesto, pepper and mix well. Stuff the mixture into the tomatoes. Bake on 375 for about 20 minutes, remove, then add the cheese slices over the top and return to the oven for about five minutes.

Sausage, Garlic, Shallots: They Love Each Other


Whilst the tomatoes are baking prepare the spinach by heating a small bit of oil in the same pan the sausage was in. Add shallots, cook until glassy and add the wine. Allow the wine to cook until the alcohol is just cooked off, add spinach to the pan, crack fresh pepper over it and allow to wilt. If making garlic bread (which is HIGHLY recommended) begin preparation now and add to the oven in the last 7 minutes.

Remove tomatoes and top with Sauteed Spinach and serve with garlic bread that is very toasted.

Green Bean Casserole

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Who doesn’t love Green Bean Casserole? I have been (not-so-secretly) pining to do a dinner consisting of ham, green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes and other veggies. I was partially satiated over Easter weekend. We spent a great weekend with D’s family and there were two HUGE hams….D literally ALWAYS wants scalloped potatoes, so I decided to make those and my green bean casserole. I was happy as a clam. Incidentally, I do not think that I have ever had green bean casserole made with canned beans. I always use fresh. Additionally, I usually make my own cream of mushroom soup when I have the time so that I do not have to fill my body (and the bodies of everyone eating) with all the bad things in the processed kind, but this version will be featuring partially processed food. In fact, this sauce is a hybrid of  “made from scratch” and processed – I was trying to use up some cream that was set to expire the next weekend and did not want to buy more because I was shopping at HEB versus my usual stores. Ergo, I did not have quite enough of the ingredients I needed to make the sauce entirely from scratch. Also, I usually fry my own shallots as toppers to my casserole but used the canned french-fried onions in this version. As I was a guest in someone’s house and had already made a good mess (and they had company) so I just wanted to save time and the mess and go the easy, processed route. My apologies to the health nuts and you are welcome to those in a time crunch.

  • 4 Cups fresh green beans, sliced into one inch pieces (and washed)
  • 2 cups fresh mushrooms, halved
  • 5 large shallots, thinly sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup cream
  • 4 TBSP butter
  • Red Pepper flakes, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Handful of French Fried Onions or Fried Shallots
  • Chicken Broth

Boil Green Beans in Chicken Broth (or water with chicken bouillon) until slightly underdone (about 8 minutes) and then transfer immediately to an ice bath. Reserve some of the chicken broth.

In a pan, saute the shallots, garlic, red pepper, and mushrooms in the butter (salt and pepper to season). Add a splash of white wine, cream and mushroom soup and allow to reduce (add pepper and other seasoning to taste). Once the texture is as you like it (I like mine in a semi-tick sauce – combine with green beans and top with fried onions. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese

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Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese

So this might take me a while to get to the recipe as there are about five stories that go into this dish. First, we had dinner at a friends house last weekend and the fare was fajitas. I was going to bring black bean corn salsa and brilliantly garlicky guac (guac turned into pico but that is another story) and then make rice cooked in Hatch Green Chili enchilada sauce (it just sounded so good). But I failed to specify the ingredients I needed to the person buying them, ergo no sauce. The next night we went to my parent’s house and I walked into my bedroom and there was a can of the missing ingredient sitting on the dresser. I laughed and texted my Ervetta (the person doing the shopping the day before) who happened to be in the ER with an extremely broken toe. Needless to say – she did not care much. But I was excited because now I get to make the dish I had envisioned. Fast forward to this weekend, we are heading out to the lake to have Easter with D’s family. D says that I can figure out what I am making in the car and we can stop at the HEB in Marble Falls. This complicates things for me because I am not sure what staples I need to bring, so I pack two grocery bags (yes I pack food to take with me in case the store doesn’t have it) and see the sauce and say – why not? IN goes the sauce, out goes D, Foster Brown, and I on the road. His brother was making flank steak so I started turning the wheels and gave D his options – knowing which one would get picked (the options were roasted mashed sweet potatoes, green beans and hatch green chili mac and cheese – no brainer). We decide on mac and cheese (shocker I know), hit the grocery and relax at the lake for a while before I start cooking. As it turns out, this was the best choice for a side because it ended up being the only thing we ate for dinner. =)

Notes: Use a tubular or shell shaped pasta (I prefer penne). Use good quality cheese for best taste and texture. The cheese needs to be aged over two years to melt properly. Sorry, but you gotta spend the extra $2 here. You can sometimes find canned diced tomatillos (HEB has them), feel free to sub these instead of using the fresh ones in a time crunch. I use less milk than I call for – I sub chicken broth for health reasons. Feel free to use as much butter as you want – again, health reasons limit my usage. You can run the chilis, onions, garlic, and tomatillos through a blender to puree them until smooth if you like. I prefer to leave them as is for a texture contrast and burst of flavor. Spinach is optional and only there because I literally put spinach in everything! Finally, feel free to use spiced corn chips as a topping instead of panko. Central Market has a wonderful chile corn chip crust that would be fantastic (pre-made) or you can make your own. I use seasoned panko because, generally, I am trying to get it in the oven and I always have panko.

Update: This dish has now become a regular part of my cooking rotation. I was asked to make it for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, giving me the impression that it is has now become a new tradition. I also tend to make this for large group gatherings as it feeds a ton of people in a very tasty way and really is not difficult at all to prepare (and can be made in advance). Fourth of July and Memorial Day will never be the same…

Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese

Serves 12 – 18

Two pounds pasta of choice
One to two cans Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
Two Hatch Green Chilis – roasted, skins removed, and minced (if not in season sub Jalapeno, Serrano, or Poblano)
Three Tomatillos, hush removed and boiled or roasted
One cup Sharp Cheddar, shredded
1.5 cups Queso Asadero, shredded
One cup Jalapeno Jack Cheese, shredded
Two cups Oxaca Cheese
Two Onions, sliced and diced
3-4 large handfuls of Spinach
one-half lime, juiced
One cup whole milk (I used less for health reasons but the sauce did not come out quite as creamy)
3 tbsp butter
Six to ten large cloves garlic, minced
One pint of Cherry tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
Pinch salt
Good amount of black pepper
One cup Chicken Broth
Two to three heaping tablespoons of Wheat Flour
Sriracha (optional)
Parmesan, shredded or grated (optional)

Cook pasta in salted water according to instructions.

Saute (seasoned) garlic, shallots, and flour with butter – stirring well to make a light roux. Add roasted peppers and continue to saute. To the pan, add the Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce, milk, and chicken broth – stir well and reduce slightly. After the tomatillo has been boiled it should be soft, coarsely chop it and add it to the pan. Continue simmering. Remove from heat and put the sauce into a food processor and puree until smooth (this step is optional – if you do not mind chunk then by all means skip – I did). Return the sauce to the hot pan and add in a small handful of cheese (this needs to be done in batches) and stir until melted. Repeat this step until cheese is gone and sauce is thick and gooey. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Combine the pasta, tomatoes, spinach, and sauce in a greased oven-safe dish. Stir well. Top with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese if using (feel free to butter your bread crumbs to get them extra brown and delicious – I usually skip this step out of deference to my remarkably expanding derrière). Drizzle the topping with Sriracha to kick up the heat factor if desired. Bake, uncovered, in an oven that has been pre-heated to 375 degrees. Bake until the top is golden brown and the sides are bubbling up. About 45 minutes.

Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes with Fontina and Spinach

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I am aware that this is the SECOND stuffed tomato recipe, but D likes them and they are so fun to play with. This is how this one came about:

Me: What do you want to do for dinner?
D: Up for anything, anything you have in mind?
Me: Well, I have fish, sausage, and veggies I need to use up – how are you doing on your leftovers?
D: I’m ready for new food!…..(me thinking wait for it)…Can we do baked tomatoes of some sort? Please. Pretty please?
Me: If you feel like going to get the tomatoes. What do you want me to put inside – sausage, garlic, shallots, cheese, and…?
D: So far so good…..and something crunchy for texture (me thinking man my love is getting to be more of a demanding foodie – has he been hanging out with me too long?)
Me: I can throw in some pork rinds 😉
D: No thank you, maybe just some bread crumbs on top.
Me: hmmmm….
Me (30 minutes later after thinking about it and not wanting to do bread crumbs because I have done it before) I could put a piece of toasted garlic bread over the top and it will be all crunchy-like and delicious.
D: Sounds amazing! Let’s do it.

This conversation leaves me thinking a) man this boy likes tomatoes and b) this will be a super easy dinner to prepare and I can make my nairagi tartar to avoid having to put the leftover fish in the freezer. Yay everyone will be happy! This was all before Senate Finance threw a giant wrench in my plans. It was 9:50 before I was finished working an could start cooking. On the bright side – the tomatoes came out amazing! I do not think that I will ever use bread crumbs again – the toasted garlic bread was so flavorful and so perfectly crunchy in a way that breadcrumbs just are not. I came up with the Spinach and cheese topping somewhere near the end of sauteing the sausage – highly recommended. Even though I did not get my fish, I was extremely satisfied for all of five minutes before I passed out after my 14 hour workday (not sure how but I managed to work out for almost two hours, work for 14 hours, clean the floors and pick up clothes, make dinner, and shower before I passed out but that is another story).

Sausage Stuffed Tomatoes

  • 2 large cluster tomatoes, halved and seeded
  • One shallot, minced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced (with about half reserved to make garlic bread)
  • 1 -2 tablespoons basil pesto
  • One Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage (or other sausage of choosing)
  • 1/3 cup of shredded Mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup shredded Fontina
  • Dash of White Wine
  • A couple good hanfduls of baby spinach
  • Crushed red pepper (optional)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive Oil

Garlic Bread

  • One load of good quality Cibbatta or French Country Bread, sliced into half-inch thick slices (4-6)
  • 1-2 tbsp butter (melted) or 2 tbsp oil (I used basil oil, you can use truffle, garlic, or olive)
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley or 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • sprinkle of paprika

Special Equipment 

  • Small, individual ramekins for baking the tomatoes in
  • Brush (to brush the oil or butter on the bread)

Preheat oven to 375 and use oil to grease four small Ramekins.  In a pan, heat oil and add shallots and garlic (seasoned properly – add crushed red pepper if using). Hit with a bit of white wine and let the alcohol just cook off. Cut the sausage casing and empty the filling into the pan and saute with the garlic and shallots. Once mostly cooked, stir in pesto and some pepper (salt if necessary) remove to a bowl and allow to cool for a minute or two before combining with Mozzarella. Throw the spinach with some salt and pepper into the pan and scrape the bottom to pick up sausage drippings. Whilst spinach is cooking, stuff the sausage mixture into the tomatoes (making sure to get the yumminess all the way down in the bottom cavity of the tomato) then sprinkle top with salt and pepper as desired and place each into a Ramekin (for easy removal place all Ramekins on a baking sheet). Ensure that the tomato is upright and stable in the ramekin, then top each with a handful of spinach and a handful of Fontina.  Bake for fifteen – twenty minutes on 375.

While tomatoes are initially baking, oil BOTH sides of the bread slices. Rub each side with a whole, raw garlic clove (skin removed), then top one side with minced garlic, parsley, and paprika. Place directly on the oven racks for about five minutes. Remove and place on top of the tomato. Enjoy!