grilled mahi tacos with avocado cream

I think everyone who picked up the most recent Domino mag fell in love with this recipe. Not just the idea of fish tacos (who doesn't love fish tacos any day?), but the beautiful outdoor table setting, all the colors, all the "I just threw this little impromptu get-together with my friends and my backyard picnic table and strings of lights in the trees, you know, just because" - it's so appealing. Well, I don't have a picnic table, but I did decide to invite a couple of our friends over to share this meal. The idea of it was just too good to keep to ourselves. The avocado cream is nice, although next time I'll do what I always do and make guacamole (dual purpose -for tacos AND chips!) and keep the sour cream on the side. Red cabbage with a splash of vinegar and pinch of salt - the crunchy texture was absolutely perfect with the grilled fish. I made another batch of the jicama mango salad and the entire meal was just perfect.

Grocery list: corn tortillas, mahi-mahi fillets (skin-on), red cabbage, avocados, limes, sour cream, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro (I added a little fresh corn to the pico de gallo since it's in season and I can't help myself when I walk by fresh corn at the farmers' market - ever).

Make the avocado cream by blending 2 avocados with 1/2 c sour cream and the juice of 2 limes in the food processor (season with sea salt). Finely chop the cabbage and dress with a splash of vinegar and salt. Make fresh pico de gallo by chopping a couple of tomatoes, 1/2 red onion, a handful of cilantro, and as much jalapeno as you like - plus the (optional) kernels from an ear or 2 of corn. Mix with lime juice, salt and pepper. Grill the mahi-mahi skin-side down (brush with olive oil first to make sure it doesn't stick to the grates) until fish is flaky and cooked through. This can all come together in 20 minutes, and with everyone serving themselves, it might just be the least stress you've ever experienced at a dinner get-together...

enchilada lasagna

For people who work long hours during the week, the concept of making a few meals on Sunday that you can easily bake or reheat during the week has got to be pretty appealing. Even though I work from home, and theoretically could use all the time I save not having a commute on cooking something fresh and inspired every night, sometimes I just can't - or don't want to - get away from my laptop with enough energy to do anything special. But my problem is that the only ideas I've really had for this prepped-on-Sunday eaten-on-weekday meal is your standard lasagna. So I started looking for other options, and found this interesting recipe for Enchilada Lasagna (by Emeril). It has the same components as an Italian lasagna, with these tweaks: layers of corn tortillas in lieu of pasta, layers of seasoned meat (shredded chicken), and this great pepper jack cheese sauce instead of bechamel or ricotta-based sauce. I ended up baking it right away and then reheating in the oven during the week, since I wasn't sure what the corn tortillas would do in the fridge next to all that moisture from the sauce over the course of a day or 2.  This makes a pretty huge batch (probably 8+ portions?), so it's great for a dinner party too.

Grocery list: butter, flour, milk, chicken stock, 8 oz shredded pepper jack cheese, 18 corn tortillas, 4 cups (2 pounds) cooked shredded chicken, 2 tsp "Emeril's Southwest Essence" (i.e. equal parts salt, chili powder, paprika, cumin, plus a pinch of cayenne and coriander), roasted poblano peppers, green onions, cilantro, 3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, 4 oz shredded queso anejo (or parmesan), 1 cup chopped tomatoes, plus sour cream and salsa for serving.



You start off by making the pepper jack cheese sauce, just like any bechamel type sauce. Melt 6T butter, then whisk in 6T flour. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk - just a little at a time, stirring after each addition until it is combined. Then stir in 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. The sauce should thicken up very nicely.



Now, add 8 oz shredded pepper jack cheese, stir well, then season with salt and remove from the heat. Emeril adds a step here where you'd fry each tortilla individually in oil to soften them up - which I think would be necessary if you're having the tortillas in enchiladas or fajitas, but I decided to skip it. I didn't miss the extra oil, but you might opt to try this step if you want...



If you've already shredded your cooked chicken, you can just start assembling. I used 2 pyrex dishes (his recipe said a 9 x 13 casserole, but I swear there's no way all that food could fit in that space), lightly greased. Put one cup of sauce in the bottom of your dish (note - 1 cup for one dish, or split proportionately if you use 2 different sized dishes), then layer 6 of the tortillas. Lay half of the shredded chicken on top and sprinkle 1 tsp of the seasoning ("Essence") over it. Then you lay half the peppers - his recipe said "6 poblanos" but I cheated and used a canned version I found in WF instead of roasting whole ones myself. Then spread 1/2 cup chopped green onions, 1 1/2 cups of cheese sauce, plus 1 cup of the monterey jack. Make another layer exactly like that one (this would finish off everything but 6 remaining tortillas, some sauce, and 1 cup of monterey jack).



Finish by laying down the last 6 tortillas, and spread the rest of the pepper jack sauce over it. Sprinkle 1 cup chopped tomatoes and a handful of chopped cilantro, and the rest of the monterey jack over this layer. Top with a little shredded queso anejo (I substituted parmesan, as the recipe suggests). Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. [If you're making this ahead, just take it out after the 45 minutes and allow to cool, then refrigerate for a couple of days until you're ready to eat it. Then you'd need to warm it in the oven w/the foil on for 20-30 minutes, then finish the rest of the baking w/the foil off.]



To serve, top with a little more chopped cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, and a generous amount of salsa or pico de gallo.

mango jicama salad

I find myself cooking a lot more mexican-inspired dishes in the summertime. Maybe because there are so many options that involve fresh seasonal vegetables, fish, less elaborate cooking (and shorter cooking times), and especially because spicy is the best complement to the southern heat and humidity. And what goes best with spicy mexican food? This crunchy, tangy mango jicama salad. Jicama doesn't have a lot of flavor, but it has the greatest texture (crunchy and light, kind of like a water chestnut, if I had to pick something), and absorbs the flavors of whatever you mix with it. I found this recipe from epicurious (which I made a half-batch of and found plenty for 4+ servings - half batch ingredients listed below), and will definitely make it a lot more this summer...

Grocery list: 3 ears corn, 2-3 mangoes (peeled, pitted, chopped), 1 jicama (about a pound, peeled and chopped), 1/2 chopped red onion, handful chopped fresh cilantro, juice of 1 lime, drizzle of olive oil.



The only thing that requires a little work for this salad is the corn - you have to boil it for 3-5 minutes, then chill in ice water. Slice the kernels off the corn cobs, and chop all the other ingredients.



Toss everything together with the juice of one lime and a drizzle of olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste, and that's it.

grilled grouper with cheddar grits, tostadas and chipotle salsa

Several weeks ago I went to Buckhead Diner for lunch, and had one of those entrees that you think about for days afterwards. It was such a unique combination of things - cheesy grits underneath a couple of crisp tostadas, with grilled mahi-mahi, all topped with a smoky chipotle sauce and fresh guacamole. I decided to try and recreate it on my own, and while definitely not exact (I admit, I used a jar of "homemade" salsa that I found in whole foods since I had no idea what to do with the original), it was delicious.

Grocery list: grits, chicken broth, garlic, cheddar cheese, blue corn tortillas, chipotle salsa, avocados, cilantro, tomato, lime, fillets of halibut, mahi-mahi or grouper.


Start by making the cheese grits. For "dinner" grits, I like to make them with chicken broth instead of water, and with the addition of garlic. I think this is especially necessary so the grits can balance out the strong flavor of the chipotle sauce. Bring 1 quart of chicken broth a 2 minced garlic cloves to a boil, then add 1 cup of old-fashioned (i.e. slow cooking) grits to the pot. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the grits are done, usually about 20 minutes.


Stir in a handful or 2 of shredded cheddar cheese, 2 T of butter, and a few T of whole milk or half and half. (This will help the grits to keep their creamy consistency while you prepare the rest of the meal.)

This is the point where I would make the guacamole as well -- by mashing 1 avocado with salt, juice of 1/2 a lime, some chopped cilantro, and half a chopped tomato (covered in a previous entry).



Next, prep the tostadas. Heat 2 T of olive oil over med-high heat in a small fry pan. Place a shallow dish on the counter right next to the pan, and pour in about a cup of the chipotle salsa. Using tongs, place one corn tortilla carefully into the hot oil and fry for 20 seconds, flip, fry for another 20 seconds, then transfer into the dish of salsa. The idea is to crisp the tortilla, then cover with the sauce. Repeat until you have enough tostadas for 2 per plate (this recipe can easily feed 4, so make at least 8).

To grill a flaky white fish like grouper or halibut, you have a couple of options to prevent the fish from falling apart on the grill (this happens when the fish sticks directly to the grate, and when you try to flip it or remove it, it falls apart - very frustrating). You can either oil the grates of the outdoor grill AND the outside of the fish and then cook it directly on the grill, or you can wrap it in foil and cook it indirectly. I prefer the first option, because I like the charred marks on the fish and the flavor the direct flame imparts, but the second option is less risky. Either way, season the fish with salt and pepper, and grill for 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat, or until the fish flakes easily and is white throughout (no longer translucent in the middle).


To assemble the dish, spoon a layer of the cheese grits onto the plate, and follow with 2-3 tostadas. Top with a piece of grilled fish, then another spoonful or 2 of the salsa and a dollop of fresh guacamole.

mexican spice-rubbed ribeyes with garlic lime butter

When we eat steak around my house, it's always tenderloin. Being somewhat obsessive about healthy food, A and I only buy the leanest cuts of red meat. When I saw this recipe for spice-rubbed ribeyes (from the April issue of F&W), I knew I had to try it, especially when I noticed the availability of local grass-fed ribeyes at WF this week (a grass diet produces leaner meat than grain diets).

Grocery list: cumin, chipotle powder, paprika, ribeye steaks, lime, garlic, butter.



To make the spice rub (enough for 4 steaks), mix 1.5 tsp each of the cumin, paprika and chipotle powder, plus 1.5 tsp of salt.



Pat the steaks dry, and rub the seasoning onto all sides of the meat.



Soften 4 T butter (to room temperature), then mix in 2 minced garlic cloves, the zest of 1 lime, and about 1 tsp of the lime juice.

Grill the steaks over medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes for medium-rare. Let the steaks sit for a few minutes, then put 1 T of the garlic lime butter on top of each to serve.

mexican rice with cilantro sauce

For our belated cinco de mayo celebration, I decided to try this recipe for mexican spice rubbed ribeyes I set aside from the April issue of Food & Wine. To go with it, I decided to make a simple mexican rice. Or, more accurately, I *had* planned to keep it simple, until I saw this recipe on Epicurious. The cilantro sauce that you stir into the rice at the end was so amazing, and only required a tiny bit more effort. (I'll cover the rib eyes in the next post.)

Grocery list: 1 white onion, garlic, 1 serrano pepper, rice, chicken broth, cilantro, white wine vinegar, cumin, 1 tomato.



In a large dutch oven, heat a couple of T of olive oil, then saute the chopped onion and 4 minced cloves of garlic, along with 1 T of the minced serrano (set aside another 1 tsp of the serrano for the cilantro dressing).



When the onion is translucent (8-9 minutes), add the rice. The recipe called for 2 cups of white rice, which would require 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth. I wanted to make it with brown rice, so I followed the ratio on the package instead -- 1 1/2 cups of rice for 3 cups of broth. Anyway, saute the rice and onions for another 2 minutes, then add the broth.



Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is done.



I modified the original recipe for the cilantro dressing in order to bring down the overall amount of oil and reduce the calories. In a food processor, pulse 1 cup of cilantro leaves with 1 tsp serrano, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, and 1/2 cup olive oil; blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.



When the rice is done, remove from the heat and uncover. In another minor departure from the recipe, I stirred in 1 chopped tomato, which added color and juicy flavor that went well with the spicy steaks. Let it stand for a while to cool, then stir in the cilantro dressing just before serving.

guacamole

I'm obsessed with avocados in any form, so guacamole is one of my favorite foods. This is how I normally make it, although you can make this as basic as avocado, lime juice and salt and it would still be delicious.

Grocery list: per 1 avocado, you'll need 1/2 diced roma tomato, 1 T chopped cilantro, juice from 1/2 lime.



Slice the avocado lengthwise, then pop out the seed (if you use a knife and quickly hack the seed so the blade gets stuck in the core, then just twist the blade and it pops right out). Spoon out the avocado into a bowl, sprinkle generously with salt and add lime juice. Mash with a fork to whatever consistency you like, then stir in the tomatoes and cilantro.

enchiladas verdes

This enchilada recipe is adapted from one I found in F&W magazine a few months ago. I have made it a little healthier by not frying each individual tortilla in oil prior to filling. I also used flour tortillas instead of corn, since they are a little softer and don't really miss the added oil.

Grocery list: 2-3 cups shredded chicken (see roast chicken instructions below, or simply use a rotisserie chicken), 2 cups shredded cheddar, 2 pounds tomatillos, 1 jalapeno, 6-8 flour tortillas, olive oil, plus guacamole (here's my recipe), tomatoes, cilantro, limes, sour cream for serving.



Start by making the salsa verde -- if only I had known how easy this would be, I would have never bought jars of this stuff in the past. The tomatillos need to be husked first, which is very easy. Rinse the sticky residue on the skin after removing the husks. Slice the jalapeno in half lengthwise (I left the seeds in so the salsa has some kick). Boil the peppers for 10 minutes, then drain and move to a blender. Process till smooth.



In a large deep skillet, heat a few T of olive oil, add the salsa, and season with salt and pepper. Bring almost to a boil. Spoon just enough of the salsa into a 9x13 pyrex baking dish to coat the bottom.



Place a small non-stick fry pan next to the skillet, then over medium heat, heat each tortilla for about 20 seconds per side (careful not to burn it, since there's no oil being used!). Move the tortilla directly into the hot salsa, and flip it so it's coated. Remove to a plate.



After the tortillas are all done, you can start filling them with the cheese and chicken. Roll and place seam down in the baking dish. Top with any remaining salsa and a handful of cheddar, and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until bubbling.



Serve topped with sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, cilantro, etc.

mexican pasta

I've been holding on to this recipe from an issue of Food & Wine for a while, and I wish I had tried it sooner. It was unique and also very easy to make. All you need: 3/4 pound pasta (penne), 1 pound chicken, garlic, 1 onion, 1 can of chipolte peppers, 1 big can of chopped tomatoes, mozzarella, frozen corn, and a handful of chopped cilantro.

While the pasta is cooking, chop the chicken and begin to cook it in olive oil over medium-high heat in a big heavy pan (ideally one that could fit the entire dish in it -- I used my big Le Crueset dutch oven, AKA the love of my life). Chop the onion, and add it to the chicken after 4-5 minutes. After the onion has cooked for 1-2 minutes, add a chopped garlic clove or 2, and cook for 3-4 more minutes. At this point the chicken should be cooked through, the onions golden. Then you add the diced tomatoes, and one chipolte pepper. To prepare the pepper, slice down one side and remove all the seeds, then mince it up. Reserve 1-2 T of the adobo sauce that the pepper was packed in, and add that to the pot too. After 2 minutes, add 1/2 cup frozen corn, and cook another 2 minutes.

At this point you add about a cup of grated mozzarella and stir until it's all melted, and it's done! To serve, sprinkle a little extra cheese and the chopped cilantro on top. This whole dish took about 30 minutes to make, and doesn't require a lot of "special" ingredients, so it's definitely going in the regular rotation.