Tomatillo Salsa

Dear Devon,

One my favorite local eateries is a cheap taqueria. It's the kind of restaurant that barely squeezes eight tables into a hole in the wall. A large grill is set up at the front and a colorful jukebox hangs on the wall. The smell of oil, chorizo, and beef hangs thick in the air. Some of my female friend refuse to eat there because they can't stand the oily residue in their hair. For me, it is a small price to pay for the delicious offerings of tacos, enchiladas, and grilled meats.


The salsas are one of their biggest attractions. Each table receives a set of three brightly colored salsas. Their green chili salsa- brimming with ripe avocados- is usually the first to go. Flecks of dark green pepper are fair warning that this salsa packs some serious heat. Lucky for us, the large chunks of smooth avocado balance the heat of the peppers. My burning tongue is temporarily soothed, and the avocado encourages me to dig deeper into the allures of the bright green salsa. With my face in full flush, my nose running, and lips burning, I call for a frosty beer an arm's reach away to extinguish the fire.

That's the thing about spicy foods: The heat doesn't stop you from eating- when it's good, it only drives you to be bolder. Gladys, my college roommate, has an amazing ability to endure the spiciest of foods. She once won a jalapeno eating contest. Chili covered dried mangoes is a favorite snack of hers. She would tear up from the sheer heat of the spice, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. My green salsa is no where near as spicy as that, but it does pack plenty of punch.


Gladys also taught me about tomatillos. Her mom makes the best tamales. I would eat them ice cold from the fridge, two, sometimes three at a time. While she didn't teach me this salsa recipe, it was inspired by one of her sauces for enchiladas (a common request among my friends) and the green chili salsa at our taqueria. The resulting salsa made from blending fire roasted tomatillos with onion and jalapeno is tangy, spicy, fresh, and an all-around crowd pleaser. The recipe makes about 3 cups and lasts about 40 minutes. My boyfriend will put it on everything from eggs to crackers, chips or over rice, and sometimes eats it straight from the bowl with a big spoon. The other night we topped some chicken tacos with this fresh and unusal salsa. I make an extra big batch for snacking during the week, but somehow I doubt it will last that long.


Tomatillo Salsa
makes 4 cups

5 tomatillos
1/2 onion, quartered
half jalapeno pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp lime juice
3/4 cup water
1 avocado, diced

Remove the papery skins from the tomatillos. Wash under warm water. Heat a large cast iron pan. Halve a jalapeno pepper. It is absolutely necessary to test the jalapeno for spiciness before adding to any dish. Heat a large cast iron pan. Place tomatillos and halved pepper directly onto the pan. As each side darkens, rotate to evenly brown every side. Roast in the pan until the skins become black and blistered.

Quarter half an onion. In the workbowl of a food processor, add the roasted tomatillos, pepper, onion, water, lime juice, and salt. Puree until smooth. If it's a bit chunky that's fine. For a smoother consistency, use a blender. Pour into a large bowl.

Halve an avocado and remove the large pit. Score the flesh, cutting the avocado into 1/2 inch dice. With a large spoon, scoop out the scored fruit. Fold avocado into the pureed salsa mixture. Pour into festive serving bowl.

Meyer Lemon Honey Madeleines

Dear Devon,

I finally had a chance to sit down and read through your copy of Patricia Wells' Simply French. I paid special attention to your dog-eared pages and added a few tags of my own. Before returning the book, there are a few recipes I must try out. I am drooling over her recipes for thick veal chop with wild mushrooms and asparagus (p. 175), and cheese and bacon potato cake (p. 203). But today, I am once again enamored with the idea of making madeleines.


I realize I already told you about my love for these delectable shell-shaped cookies, but I must do it again. Please indulge me. I'm always looking for new ways to make madeleines, and Patricia Wells offers five variations! (Madeleines aux cinq parfums: au chocolat, au citron, au miel, aux noisettes, et aux pistaches.) Obviously, she loves madeleines as much as I do.

I considered her flavoring techniques and made some adjustments in my latest dozen. Using a mortar and pestle, I ground the lemon zest into the sugar, gently persuading the zest to release its essential oils. What the Meyer lemon lacks in size it more than makes up for in flavor. The zest is intense and flowery. The juice is like lemon concentrate, with sweet notes and a distinct tang. The addition of honey subdued the intense lemon flavor while adding a subtle nuttiness. It is popular to take your tea with lemon and honey, why not a madeleine?

The only thing consistent about a madeleine is its shape. I am always surprised how different the recipes are for these treats. Patricia Wells asks for six large egg whites whisked until frothy and mixed with 13 tbsp of melted butter and 1/2 cup of finely ground almonds. I'm sure it tastes fantastic, but I'm not in the mood to separate eggs, so I went back to Dorie Greenspan's recipe from Baking from My Home to Yours.

Waiting for them to emerge from the oven, I am tortured by their sweet buttery fragrance. At the end of my patience, I burned my hasty fingers sliding them from their molds. The results, as always were fantastic. Tart lemon and the round, smooth flavor of honey are perfect in the buttery madeleine.

Meyer Lemon Honey Madeleines (makes 12)
adapted from Dories Greenspan Baking from My Home to Yours
inspired by Paricia Wells Simply French p. 262-265

2 eggs
5 tbsp butter, melted
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cake flour
pinch of salt
1 meyer lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a madeleine pan. Set aside.

Melt butter in a double boiler over moderate heat. Set aside to cool. Using a mortar and pestle, grind sugar and zest from one Meyer lemon. Whisk together eggs and sugar until pale yellow and doubled in size. Fold in the sifted flour, pinch of salt, and baking powder. Gradually whisk in cooled melted butter, honey, and juice of the Meyer lemon. Spoon into molds and bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown and plump. The madeleines should slide easily out of their molds. Serve with coffee or tea.

Spicy Red Snapper

Dear Devon,

Since resolving to eat more fish, I have collected several fish recipes that I'm dying to try out. This recipe for spicy red snapper was at the top of the list. It came from my latest cookbook obsession, the Korean Table. Sadly, NYPL recalled the book, and I must content myself with photocopies...at least, until my birthday. Lucky for me, my birthday is in a few weeks.

A month ago, I made a huge batch of the red pepper paste used in Korean kimchi. Other than as a spicy topping, I thought I would have limited use for the sauce. However, I am pleasantly surprised to find that the 16 ounce jar of paste is steadily diminishing. When whipping something together, I find myself reaching into the fridge for that jar. I like the convenience of the paste for marinades and the spicy and sweet notes it adds to any dish. It has become an absolute staple.

The best part is this dish requires two ingredients: 1) red snapper 2) red pepper paste. Smother the fish with red pepper paste and roast in the oven. It couldn't be easier. The level of spiciness can be adjusted by adding less or more of the paste. If the paste is too spicy, dilute with a bit of water or a sprinkle of lemon juice.

My red snapper reminded me more of Sichuanese fried fish, only without the dancing pepper sensation. The fleshy snapper had a nice firm consistency, giving weight to the spicy sauce. I sprinkled fresh lemon juice over the fish to cut some of the spice and bring the flavor of the fish and pepper together. The dish was comfortably spicy, enough to give a consistent burn on the lips but mild enough to be calmed with water and a bowl of vinegary sushi rice. A crisp and spicy cucumber and seaweed salad balanced the meal, providing some freshness and a range of flavors.


Spicy Red Snapper
from At the Korean Table by Taekyung Chung and Debra Samuels

1 whole red snapper (roughly 1 pound)
salt
4 tbsp seasoned red pepper paste (see post from March 10 , 2010)
2 scallions chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp sesame oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together red pepper paste, sesame oil, scallions and lemon juice.

Wash fish and check for scales. With a sharp knife, make several incisions into the flesh of the fish on both sides. Salt the fish all over and inside the cavity. Place fish on baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes, until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spread the red pepper mixture all over the fish on both sides. Return to oven. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a knife in the thickest part of the fish. The flesh should be opaque and flaky. Cooking time for the fish will vary depending on the thickness of the fish and the calibration of your oven.

Kale and Avocado Salad

Dear Devon,

Ever since trying kale and avocado salad at the uptown Whole Foods, I've been obsessed with this salad. I immediately bought the requisite ingredients, and began tinkering in the kitchen. My first two attempts were good, but I knew I could improve it. Two weeks later, I have what I think is a pretty darn good salad. Since the salad consists of only a few ingredients with minimal seasoning, fresh, high-quality vegetables are a must. Try to pick kale and avocados at the peak of ripeness. Avoid wilted leaves, limp stalks, and bruised fruits. Limp greens are not appetizing.


Some diners might object to the coarse and chewy texture of raw kale. I find that once you get over the sense that you are a horse chewing on straw, it's not so bad. To avoid this unsavory texture, allow the kale to marinate in the dressing for about 20 minutes before serving. The citrus juices will break down the tough fibers of the kale, softening the leaves. Stalks with smaller leaves yield a tenderer bite. The nutritional benefits of kale are numerous, running the gamut from lowering your risk for certain types of cancer to preventing rheumatoid arthritis or cataract disease. These health benefits are pretty convincing, but in the end, I eat kale mainly because I love the taste.

Blood oranges are a recent, happy discovery. I have eaten them before, but only in Europe. I don't often see them here in the States, so when I saw some plump blood oranges at the market, I grabbed them. Unfortunately, I don't think the season for blood oranges is quite here. The oranges brightened the flavors and freshened the salad significantly, but they weren't as juicy as they will probably be later in the summer. Nonetheless, I would still advise using some sort of citrus fruit, whether it be pink grapefruit, tangerine, or orange. The citrus brings nice color to the plate and when mixed with a lime juice based dressing, produces an unusual flavor, light with a sweet tang.

I like to segment my oranges directly over the salad bowl so that I can collect all the precious juice. After removing all the segments, I give the pulpy membranes a hearty squeeze, to extract every last drop. On top of the fresh juice, a squeeze of lime, olive oil, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Kale and avocado are added directly to the serving bowl and gently tossed. Be careful not to bruise the avocado. While the dressing sets, I cut up some bread and pass out napkins. Allowing the salad to rest is important. It helps break down the leaves while also encourages the avocado to melt into the dressing. The end result is a subtle citrus-avocado infused dressing, studded with vibrant red-orange fruit, dark green kale, and chunky avocado bits. When I look at my salad, I think that summer must be calling.

Kale and Avocado Salad
serves 2

4 stalks fresh kale
1 avocado
1 blood red orange
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
juice of 1/2 lime
large pinch of salt

Segment one blood orange over your serving bowl. To segment, remove the top and bottom of the orange. With the orange sitting upright on its cut end, run the edge of the knife down the length of the orange to remove the rind and white pith. Holding the orange in the palm of your hand, run the edge of your knife in between the white membranes. What should emerge is a clean orange slice, free of any white pith or rind. Give the resulting membranes a hard squeeze. Add the juice of half a lime. Whisk in sesame oil, olive oil, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.

Thoroughly wash kale leaves. Sometimes dirt and mud cling to the leaves and stalks. Don't want that in your salad. Remove the leaves from the stalks and cut into 1 1/2 inch wide strips. Cube avocado. Add the kale, cubed avocado, and segmented oranges into the serving bowl. Gently toss with a large wooden spoon. Set aside for 20 minutes before serving.

Pork and Chive Dumplings

Hi Devon,

A recent trip to Chinatown inspired me to make dumplings. I don't have a written recipe for them- it's more like a vague know-how. Making dumplings is usually a whole day affair. Call in all your helpers and put on some music. I like to make a huge batch. I line them up on a baking sheet and freeze them for later use. Later in the week or month, I have quick dinners or small snacks ready to go. The process looks daunting, but it's really no harder than baking a cake or making lasagna.
I used the leftover pork filling and chives to make fried rice. No point in letting anything go to waste.
Pork and Chive Dumplings
makes 58

1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1/2 pound of garlic chives, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced (about 4 cloves)
2 tbsp ginger, minced
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 package round dumpling wrappers

Sauce
1 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 scallion
1/4 tsp sesame seeds

For the filling: In a large bowl, mix together ground pork, chopped garlic chives, ginger, and garlic. Whisk together soy sauce, oil, flour, salt, and white pepper. Using a wooden spoon, stir soy sauce mixture into meat. Mix thoroughly.

Fill a small bowl with water. Line a large baking sheet with wax paper and set nearby.

Peel away one wrapper from the stack. Place a rough tablespoon of filling in the center. Using your finger, lightly moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the filling into a half moon shape. Pinch the edges to seal. Pleat the edges three times to secure. Place on a baking sheet. Freeze in the freezer overnight. Store in a ziploc bag.

There are two ways to cook dumplings: pan fry or boil. The second method is the simplest. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add dumplings and cook in the boiling water, roughly 5-8 minutes. To pan fry, heat a bit of oil in a large skillet. Add dumplings. Gently cook until all sides are lightly browned. Pour in 1/4 cup of water and quickly cover. Cook on medium high heat for additional 5 minutes or until dumplings are cooked through.

Whisk ingredients for the sauce in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in chopped scallions and sesame seeds.