Tomatillo Gazpacho with Feta-Olive Relish

Tomatillo Gazpacho with Feta-Olive Relish

Tomatillo Gazpacho with Feta-Olive Relish

by Victoria Challancin

I love the sharp, bright flavor of tomatillos.  So often they are used cooked in recipes, but raw tomatillos shouldn't be overlooked--not in salsas or soups.  Gorgeous in color, definitely tart, dynamically interesting, they can add a new dimension to a variety of dishes when added raw.

I also love soups, as you know.  Recently, I have shared recipes I have used in my cooking classes for Corn Vichyssoise, Curried Sweet Potato Soup, and Chilled Zucchini Soup with Purslane.  All good.  All worthy of blog space.  And today I give you a new favorite:  Tomatillo Gazpacho with Feta-Olive Relish.

The original recipe comes from Eating Well Magazine, where it featured a relish, or salad, accompaniment of olives and shrimp.  Due to menu considerations, I swapped out the shrimp for feta cheese and --wow!  What a soup!  This recipe really delivers.  When my husband tasted it, he immediately requested that  I mark and save it to prepare again.

Cook's Notes:  I doubled this recipe and was glad I did as it was even better really chilled the next day.  I also chose homemade vegetable broth instead of chicken and feta cheese instead of shrimp in the salad part.  We only used two jalapeños for the double batch, which gave a nice kick without overpowering the soup--but the amount of heat is completely up to you.

If you are looking for an easy, unusual, healthy chilled soup for hot days, definitely give this one a try!

Tomatillo Gazpacho with Feta-Olive Relish

(Recipe from Eating Well Magazine)

Makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 avocado, halved and pitted

1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 - 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

200g feta or cotija cheese (or substitute 12 oz cooked shrimp)

1/4 cup green olives, chopped

2 scallions, sliced

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Coarsely chop half the cucumber and half the avocado and place in a food processor.  Add tomatillos, bell pepper, jalapeño to tate and the garlic.  Process until smooth.  Transfer to a large bowl; stir in broth, sugar, and salt.

Dice the remaining cucumber and avocado and place in a medium bowl.  Add cheese or shrimp, olives, and scallions.  Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil; gently toss to combine.

Ladle the gazpacho into bowls and top each portion with about 3/4 cup of the salad.

Enjoy!

Tomatillo Gazpacho with Feta-Olive Relish

I like to end my posts with random photos of plants or just things that appeal to me.  This photo is of a stained glass panel found in the Cluny Museum in Paris (the Museum of the Middle Ages).




©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Green Salad with Peaches and Blackberry Dressing

Green Salad with Peaches and Blackberry Dressing

Green Salad with Peaches and Blackberry Dressing

by Victoria Challancin

You may have guessed from past posts that I love fruit both in my salads and in my dressings.  Occasionally, a touch of fruit is a perfect way to dress up a salad and make it seasonally interesting. I first started adding the odd bit of fruit to my salads back in the early '80s, when I learned from a Pakistani friend Misbah to include thinly sliced green apples in my salads--a novelty to me at that time.  Since then, my repertoire has grown to include mangoes, plums, peaches, berries, and more--and the dressings which incorporate these fruits have increased as well.  Refreshing, appealing, and seasonal, fruit can dress up an everyday salad and make it something special.


I recently chose this salad, which I found at Frenchfood.about.com, of Field Greens with Peaches and Blackberry Dressing to prepare in a cooking class I taught to Mexican Cooks.  I only had leaf lettuce to work with on that day and I opted for goat cheese instead of blue, but the salad was lovely nevertheless.  

With the addition of candied almonds, to which we added a hint of ground chile

Field Greens with Peaches and Blackberry Dressing

(Recipe from Rebecca Franklin at Frenchfood.about.com)

Serves 4.

Rebecca Franklin's Note:  Enjoy the taste of warm weather with crispy baby field greens enhanced by fresh peaches and blue cheese. This blackberry peach salad recipe’s crowning glory is homemade blackberry vinaigrette that’s both tangy and savory at once. Top the salad with crunchy candied almonds that provide enough protein for a light lunch.

Blackberry vinaigrette:

1 3/4 cup frozen blackberries

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon (pinch) ground black pepper

Candied almonds:

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup almonds

Salad:

4 cups petite field greens or mixed lettuces of choice

2 peaches, peeled and cut into thin slices

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese


To make the blackberry vinaigrette: 
Place the blackberries in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring them to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Once the berries come to a simmer, remove the saucepan from the heat immediately.  Puree the berries in a food processor or blender and then press the mixture through a fine to medium mesh sieve to remove the seeds.  Whisk the remaining ingredients into the seedless blackberry puree. 


To make the candied almonds:
Bring 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to a boil for 2 minutes.  Add the almonds and continue cooking the mixture over medium-high heat until the nuts are coated in a thick sugar syrup.  Spread the candied almonds on a lightly greased baking sheet to cool.


To assemble the peach blackberry salad:
Arrange 1 cup field greens on each chilled salad plate (or use one large salad plate as I did).  Divide the sliced peaches, blue cheese, and candied almonds among each salad.  Drizzle the salads with the  blackberry vinaigrette and serve immediately.


Enjoy!

A Moroccan Rose on Marble


©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Vietnamese-Style Shrimp and Watercress Stir-Fry

Vietnamese-Style Shrimp and Watercress Stir-Fry

Vietnamese-Style Shrimp and Watercress Stir-Fry

by Victoria Challancin

Most of you know by now that I teach international cooking to Mexican cooks in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico at my cooking school, Flavors of the Sun.  For this week's class, I chose the theme Healthy Asian Cooking.  One of the stand-out dishes we prepared was this Vietnamese-Style Shrimp and Watercress Stir-Fry.  Easy, fast, delicious. 

Though I have travelled extensively in SE Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia), I have not yet visited Vietnam.  But whenever I have the opportunity to eat Vietnamese food, I am always dazzled by how clean and fresh it tastes.  This dish is no exception.  It comes together quickly and pleases the palate as expected with a kick of lime and ginger.  

Vietnamese-Style Shrimp and Watercress Stir-Fry
(Recipe from Food and Wine by Marcia Kiesel)

1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1/4 cup Asian fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/4 pounds shelled and deveined medium shrimp

3 shallots, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

One 6-ounce bunch watercress, large stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Rice for serving

In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, fish sauce, sugar, and cornstarch.  Ina a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.  Add the shrimp and cook over high heat, turning once, until just white throughout,about 2 minute per side.  Transfer to a plate.  Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet.  Add the shallots and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir the stock mixture, add it to the skillet,and bring to a boil.  Stir in the watercress, then stir in the shrimp and lime juice and season with pepper.  Transfer the stir-fry to bowls, sprinkle with the peanuts and serve with rice.

Enjoy!

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Part I: Paris: Market Day in the 5th!

The French love their flowers...

Part I:  Paris:  Market Day in the 5th!

by Victoria Challancin


In Honor of Bastille Day...

It doesn't matter what city or country I am in, I head first to the local markets to get my bearings.  In Marrakech, Bangkok, Rome, Istanbul, Mexico City, or Paris it is the same:  the market is my own way of understanding the culture, of glimpsing la vie quotidienne, of tasting from the sidelines the heart of the place.  I see what people value, what is important; I see people having their being in the surroundings that have meaning to their lives; I see the that which carries meaning in daily life.

In May, when I was in Paris, I planned my week according to the market days.  These photos were taken at the Place Maubert Market on the Boulevard St. Germaine in the fifth arrondissement, a place I frequent every trip.  

and the most perfect produce...

and charcuterie...

white asparagus...

vinegars of every sort..homemade and enticing...

cheeses, bien sûr...

mustard...how quintessentially French

foie gras...la vie quotidienne...

every possible type of honey...

jams and confitures...

oh, and did I mention the freshest, freshest produce imaginable?

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

by Victoria Challancin

Lynne Rossetto Kasper of Public Radio's The Splendid Table always posts such fabulous recipes, it's no wonder I love to use them.  After having taught several cold soups recently in my cooking classes for Professional Mexican Cooks, I was looking for a hot soup, but not too heavy.  Something perfect for the post-rain coolness we have been experiencing here in San Miguel de Allende, but something that fit the bill for 'Healthy, Fast, and Fresh" as well.  This curried sweet potato soup from The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser was perfect in every respect.  Fast to make (it's practically a "throw-it-in-a-pot" recipe, healthy (contains no cream, but is creamy), and delicious.  It was perfect as well to serve with the Cuban Mojo Pork we prepared.  The sweet potatoes and the curry flavors gave it that Caribbean touch that made the menu really sing.

I used all the individual spices as given in the recipe, but a good quality curry powder could be used for the total amount of the spices listed.  Lynne Kasper also suggests that organic yogurt could be swirled into the soup for those who didn't want to use goat cheese, but I would say leave the goat cheese as it was a delicious touch.  And truly, the red pepper flakes aren't really optional at all!  I also garnished the soup with a little parsley and chives just because I had them on hand and they looked pretty on the golden-orange soup.

Creamy Curried Sweet Potato Soup

(Recipe from The Essential New York Times Cookbook:  Classic Recipes for a New Century by Amanda Hesser)

Serves 6 to 8.

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup coarsely chopped onion

1 large garlic clove, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon coarsely grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

6 cups chicken broth, or as needed

6 to 8 teaspoons fresh goat cheese (or substitute yogurt)

Heat the oil in a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients.  Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté, stirring for 30 seconds.  Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, and red pepper flakes, if using, and stir well.  Add the sweet potatoes and broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.  Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (The soup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  Reheat slowly to serve.)  If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock.

Ladle into mugs, top each serving with a teaspoon of cheese, and stir to melt a little.

Enjoy!

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Watermelon Mint Feta Salad

Watermelon Mint Feta Salad

Watermelon Mint Feta Salad

by Victoria Challancin

When I eat at the home of my Colombian girlfriend and her family, I know I am always in for a surprise. And I like surprises--especially culinary ones.  The zucchini soup with fresh herbs was fab.  The portobello and goat cheese flautos were memorable.  The watermelon agua fresca was refreshing.  And don't get me started on the dessert.  But it was the watermelon salad that really grabbed me.  Adriana, of course, cut her watermelon with a melon baller, making it look like a Caprese salad of sorts--round red tomatoesque balls of bright red watermelon with fresh mint leaves and a balsamic dressing.  Is it no wonder I chose a similar salad for my cooking class the next day?  Perfect.  Refreshing, surprising, and pretty.  The quintessential summer salad.

This salad comes with two variations:  Watermelon Mint Feta Salad (the one we made in class) and Watermelon, Jícama, Cilantro and Cotija, for a Mexican touch, as well.  These recipes come from simplyrecipes.com

Watermelon Salad with Feta (Two Ways)

(Recipe from simplyrecipes.com)

Serves 6 to 8

Note:  The amounts given here are truly just guidelines. Feel free to stretch or diminish depending on your taste and the ingredients you are working with.  We made the first salad.

Watermelon Mint Feta Salad

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup lime juice (4-6 limes, depending on how big and juicy the limes are)

A quarter of a medium sized watermelon, rind removed, black seeds removed (if there are any), chopped into 1-inch cube-ish pieces, about 8 cups

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Watermelon, Jicama, Cilantro, and Cotija Salad

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup lime juice (4-6 limes, depending on how big and juicy the limes are)

A quarter of a medium sized watermelon, rind removed, black seeds removed (if not seedless), chopped into 1-inch cube-ish pieces, about 8 cups

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese

1-2 cups chopped peeled jicama

1 serrano chili pepper, stem removed, seeded, minced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Pinch of cumin, to taste

Soak the chopped red onion in the lime juice while you are prepping the other ingredients, about 15 minutes.

Instructions for both salads:

Gently combine all ingredients into a large serving bowl.

Serve immediately. Salad will get soggy if kept overnight.

The rains have started at last...


©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.