Flavors of the Sun

Fruit Tart Giggles

2012-02-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

Fresh Fruit Tart

Fruit Tart Giggles

by Victoria Challancin

As much as I enjoy teaching cooking classes in English, the utter satisfaction and gratification I get from working with Mexican cooks is something else altogether. Over the years, I have taught over a thousand Mexican students here in San Miguel de Allende and for each one I have taught, she or the occasional "he" has taught me even more in return. They have taught me about life, cuisine, medicinal plants, folklore, traditions, the process of the education of the palate, language, and above all, about the enormous generosity of spirit that Mexicans possess in spades.

As an educated foreigner who has chosen to spend her life living as a permanent ex-pat, I have taken much for granted. I have traveled the world, lived in various cultures, tasted food far removed from my roots--as have you, the readers of my blog. But imagine if you had never traveled over 50 miles from your birth home, from your community, from all that you hold dear. And imagine if you are making your way in the world cooking for people who have, for people who have traveled the world and who have sophisticated palates. These are the incredible women who make up the bulk of my students in my classes for Mexican cooks. Some are traveled and more sophisticated, of course, but most are not. Yet here they are, completely proficient in the preparation of Mexican cuisine understanding it at some visceral level, yet trying to make sense of international dishes such harissa, chermoula, ravioli, dukkah, boeuf bourguignon, sushi or even what to most of us are common ingredients like horseradish, blue cheese, ginger, eggplant, quinoa, couscous, and many more. They come to me eager to learn, ready to improve their skills, thrilled to learn and try new dishes and all the while they reflect life back to me in the most wondrous ways. Yes, I teach them cooking and they teach me about life. I am lucky indeed.

Esther, decorating the tart

Last Wednesday, one of the patrons who had sent her cook to my class requested a fruit tart. Fruit tarts are usually easy enough to make and impressively pretty as well. They yield high dividends in the kitchen. Because her patron had requested the tart, I chose Esther to decorate it, first showing her and the rest of the class a page of fruit tart images off the Web to inspire and to encourage their own creativity as well. Oohs and ahhas abounded. "Pick that one!" "No, that one!" "Oh, look at that one..."

Esther smiled and quietly pointed to the one that caught her eye. I suggested she use it as a guide, but let her own creativity shine through. And that is exactly what she did. Working with fresh kiwis, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and even mangoes, she was indeed inspired to put the final touches on the tart we had thus far made together as a group.

No sooner had she started from the center of the tart with a whole strawberry, working out in concentric circles, she added kiwis, and then blueberries. And then the fun began. The giggle fest. The suggestions. I stood back and let the cooks do their things, with Esther at the helm. "Alternate blueberries and raspberries." "No, add some cubes of mango for the color!" "Better to make two rows of strawberries." "I love raspberries--use more of those." And so it went, all the while with Esther quietly ignoring them all. I could see in each face the eagerness to create, the desire to make her own mark. I knew we had a hit and that each cook would soon make her own unique tart at home or at work. Success. I love it. And with little thanks to me.

Fresh Fruit Tart and a platter with Mexican humor

We chose to make the crust by hand using a pastry blender as some of the cooks didn't have access to a food processor. Either method works fine, although it is much faster with the machine!

Recipe: Fresh Fruit Tart

(Recipe by Ina Garten for Oprah Magazine)

Cook's Note: In Ina Garten's recipe, the fruit is shown in clusters, creating a casual, accidental-looking style, rather in the precise rows we chose to make. Both are beautiful in their own ways.

Toppings: (choose 4 or 5): Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes, mango, papaya, kiwi, bananas, pineapple, plums, starfruit, or whatever is in season

Pastry:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons/1 stick/113g unsalted butter, very cold

3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Pastry Cream:

3 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

6 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon cognac or brandy

1/2 cup apricot jelly or jam

For the pastry:

Combine flour, sugar, and salt and place in freezer 30 minutes. Cut butter into 1/4-inch pieces. Put flour mixture in bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add butter and pulse about 10 times until butter forms small bits. Add ice water and process until dough comes together. Place on a well-floured board and form into a disc. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit 5 minutes. Roll dough into 1/16-inch-tick circle, large enough to hang slightly over the sides of a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Place dough in pan. Cut off excess dough with a sharp knife or your thumb. Line tart shell with aluminum foil, then fill with dried beans, rice, or ceramic pie weights. Bake 10 minutes. Remove beans and foil; prick bottom of shell with a fork to allow steam to escape. Bake another 20 minutes until browned. Cool to room temperature.

For the pastry cream:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer), beat egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed about 3 minutes, until mixture is light yellow and falls back into bowl in a ribbon. On low speed, beat in cornstarch. In a large saucepan, bring milk to a simmer. Slowly pour milk into egg mixture, whisking steadily, then pour back into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Bring to a boil and cook on low heat 2 to 3 more minutes. (Taste to be sure cornstarch is cooked). Remove from heat; mix in butter, vanilla, cream, and cognac. Pour through a strainer into a bowl if very smooth texture is desired. Place plastic wrap directly onto custard and refrigerate until cold. Place

plastic wrap directly onto custard and refrigerate until cold. Place baked tart shell on a serving plaste and spread pastry cream over bottom of shell. Slice and group fruit in desired design.

For glaze:

In a small saucepan (or microwave-safe bowl), melt jelly with 1 tablespoon water. Brush glaze over fruit and serve as soon as possible to avoid soggy pastry.

Enjoy!

The Chili and Charros Cook-Off: A Bi-Cultural Event

2012-01-31T16:14:00.000-08:00

A giant paper mache mojiganga

"Wish I had time for just one more bowl of chili." Alleged dying words of Kit Carson (1809-1868), Frontiers Man and Mountain Man

The Chili and Charros Cook-Off: A Bi-Cultural Event

by Victoria Challancin

Chiles may have originated in Mexico, but "Chili" is purely American, with hats off to Texas, New Mexico, and California. And San Miguel de Allende's annual chili and charros (beans) cook-off is a perfect example of one of those rare occasions when the local gringos, especially the transplanted Texans, get to strut their stuff in an event that benefits various charities and provides a good time for the foreigners and locals alike.

For the past six years the San Miguel Community Foundation has put on an outstanding event that benefits various charities and non-profit organizations in San Miguel. "Chili and Charros" 2012 features a competition for Best Chili, Best Charro Beans, and Best Margaritas. Local residents, restaurants, organizations, and temporary visitors here just for the event, compete for the various "crowns," with the proceeds going to charity. In addition to the actual competitions, ticket-holders can sample the various chiles and charros, casting their votes for their favorites. Also, live musical bands featuring different kinds of music, stunning rodeo ring performances, a denim jacket fashion show, donkey rides and face painting for children, and a silent auction round out a full day's activities.

Now I am not about to get into an argument involving any of the controversies that habitually swirl around the beloved regional dish of chili, such as: about where it originated, beans vs no-beans, the degree of heat required, or even the appropriate type of chiles to be used. No, not this humble cook. Reams have already been written on these topics, with more being added almost daily. Let's just leave it to say that chili lovers take their recipes seriously, and nowhere it is more evident than in a good old-fashioned chili cook-off.

My well-used tasting bowl

Cornbread! One booth served delicious cornbread to sop up equally delicious chili

Some Signs

Personal Note: For the Chili Cook-Off I worked as a volunteer representative for Mujeres en Cambio, a non-profit organization that I have worked with for over 15 years. This group, an all volunteer, grass-roots organization committed to enhancing the lives of women living in the rural communities surrounding San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, currently provides educational scholarships to 150 young women, 38 of whom are now in university. As a former educator, this is particularly important to me, but I am equally proud of our rug hooking project, which developed into a women's craft cooperative that supports a number of rural families.

A Few of the Cooks

Props and Humor

A Bit of Other Food

One Satisfied Customer

Musicians, a Donkey, and Kids

My Own American-Style Chili

One of the best chilis I have ever made is a beanless version from the late Craig Claiborne which I found in an early New York Times Cookbook. For years, this was my "go-to" recipe for chile. When I had clients request that I teach an American-style chile here in Mexico, I had to come up with something I could produce in less time, hence the recipe below. I cobbed the Homemade Chili Powder recipe together from various sources whose identities have been lost over time. The chili itself is what my Mother made, although she used packaged spices and I prefer to grind my own.

Homemade Chili Powder

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Cook's Note: I change the chiles every time I make this, using whatever I have on hand, which is usually quite a selection. Usually, I toast and grind whole spices as well instead of using previously ground ones. This recipe can be used as a dry rub for meats as well as for chili.

3 ancho chiles, seeded and torn into pieces

1 chile pasilla, seeded and torn into pieces

1 guajillo chile or 4 chiles de árbol, torn into pieces

1 tablespoone cayenne

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon top-quality garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon sugar

Toast the chile pieces on a comal, griddle, or in a dry skillet until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Briefly press the chile pieces with a spatula as they toast. This process will take about a minute. Grind the chiles to a powder in a spice mill or food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse again to combine. Strain through a fine mesh strainer if a smoother texture is desired.

My Chili Recipe

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Serves 10

1/2 lb dried pinto or red kidney beans, soaked overnight in water

3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon fat

2 large onions, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs lean ground beef

3 (14.5-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes with juice (or use whole canned tomatoes and chop them)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 to 6 tablespoons homemade chili powder (see recipe), or more to taste

1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced, or 1 dried chipotle chile left whole

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

2 tablespoons masa harina, cornmeal, or cornstarch

Cook dried beans in water to cover for 1 1/2 hours or until done, adding more water as necessary. You can also use a pressure cooker, but be careful not to cook the beans until they are mushy.

In a large, heavy pot heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add the ground beef; cook and stir until the meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes with liquid, salt, pepper, chili powder, chipotle chiles, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Stir in cooked beans with a bit of their liquid, and cook another 25 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and dried chipotle chile, if using. Mix in the masa harina. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes more to marry the flavor and thicken the chili, stirring occasionally. Add more water or liquid from the cooked beans, if necessary.

Optional garnishes: lime wedges, sour cream (preferably Mexican crema), shredded sharp cheddar cheese, cilantro, onion, and avocado cubes.

Enjoy!

And remember that it will be better the next day, for as in the words of businessman/humorist John Steele Gordon, "Chili is much improved by having had a day to contemplate its fate."

As for me, I would have to agree with the following words, apocryphal or not, that Pat Garret supposedly said to Billy the Kid, "Anybody that eats chili can't be all bad."

©Victoria Challancin. Please don't use photos or text without prior arrangement. Thanks!

More Fun with Ravioli!

2012-01-27T11:42:00.000-08:00

Butternut Squash, Sage, and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown-Butter Sauce

More Fun with Ravioli:
Butternut Squash, Sage, and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown-Butter Sauce

by Victoria Challancin

Ravioli are just fun and satisfying to make, especially if you take the easy way out by using purchased wonton wrappers. Easy. Satisfying. Pretty. And delicious. Sooooo delicious.
And with a little imagination, the variations on the filling and sauce are infinite.

In my classes for Mexican cooks here in San Miguel de Allende, it is always particularly gratifying to teach such techniques such as the making of ravioli, spring rolls, beggars' purses, spanikoptia, briouats, lumpia, dumplings/potstickers, and/or any recipe that involves rolling, shaping, and playing with food. Inevitably, it turns into a giggle fest, which warms my heart. I love joy in the kitchen--it should be a requirement for cooking.

Cook's Notes: This recipe for butternut squash-filled ravioli proved a winner in every way. Fun to make; delicious to consume. The filling was delicate, yet rich, Because I have fresh sage growing, I used that instead of ground sage, but other than that the recipe is straightforward as I found it in Gourmet. Just make sure that as always when making browned butter sauce (beurre brun) that you are careful not to burn the butter, just let it turn a rich light brown color with its accompanying heady scent. And make sure you don't leave pockets of air with the filling or the ravioli will prematurely float to the top of the boiling water before they are fully cooked. And if you have leftover filling, by all means bake it and serve it with crostini as an hors d'oeuvres (see the photo below).

Butternut Squash, Sage, and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce

Once we had mastered the making of the ravioli, the cooks wanted to know what else they could use for fillings and sauces. I came up with a few ideas:

Mexican/Spanish picadillo with a Sherry-butter sauce dotted with pine nuts or even a pico de gallo
Mexican cheese or any leftover guisado with appropriate salsa (leftover mole? or pipian?)
Goat cheese filling topped with a roasted tomato-chipotle sauce
Shrimp or cheese with a roasted pineapple salsa
Cheese or shrimp in a puddle of gazpacho
Middle Eastern with either a kofte meat filling or eggplant filling nestled in a cinnamon-scented tomato sauce or a lemony tahini sauce--again with pine nuts
Any Chinese dumpling filling with a soy-ginger-scallion-sesame sauce
Mashed broccoli or cauliflower with a rich Cheddar or Welsh Rarebit sauce
Asparagus and goat's cheese with a light lemon- or grapefruit- butter sauce and toasted breadcrumbs
Moroccan-scented cooked vegetables (with Ras el Hanout) resting in Chermoula Sauce with slivers of almonds and preserved lemon
Spinach with Greek avgolemono sauce and garlicky breadcrumbs
Shrimp with a vanilla-butter sauce
Chicken, fish, vegetables, or cheese with beurre blanc and Grapefruit Gremolata
Minced chicken or cheese with a puttanesca sauce
Olive oil and lemon-scented lentils or mashed chick peas with a sprinkle of Dukkah
Roasted winter root vegetables with a dollop of horseradish cream sauce
Seafood of any sort or mixture with a sherry-raisin-smoked paprika butter drizzle
See the link below for Heart-Shaped Goat Cheese Ravioli with Lemon-Arugula Sauce

Oh, the possibilities are endless. Pick a cuisine and let your imagination go rampant. Truly, just keep to the basic flavor principles of the targeted cuisine and create to your heart's content. Or create new flavor combinations!

Butternut Squash, Sage, and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown-Butter Sauce

Recipe: Butternut Squash, Sage, and Goat Cheese Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown-Butter Sauce

(Recipe from Gourmet Magazine)

For filling:

one 2-lb (1 kg) butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage or two teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

3 ounces aged goat cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)--or use regular natural goat cheese

60 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted lightly and skinned and coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a baking sheet.

Make filling:

Put squash halves, flesh sides down, on baking sheet and roast in middle of oven for 30 minutes, or until flesh is very tender. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh into a bowl and discard skin. Mash squash with fork until smooth.

While squash is roasting, in a skillet cook onion and sage in butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes, or until onion is golden brown. Stir in garlic ad cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Cool onion mixture slightly and add to squash. Add goat cheese and stir to combine well. In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a gentle boil for ravioli.

Put 1 wonton wrapper on a lightly floured surface, keeping remaining wrappers in plastic wrap, and mound 1 tablespoon filling in center. Lightly brush edges of wrapper with water (using a finger) and put a second wrapper over first, pressing down around filling to force out air and seal edges well. If desired, trim excess dough with a round cutter or sharp knife. Transfer ravioli to a dry kitchen towel. Make more ravioli with remaining wrappers and filling in same manner, transferring as formed to towel and turning occasionally to dry slightly.

Make butter sauce:

In skillet cook butter with hazelnuts over moderate heat until butter begins to brown, about 3 minutes, and immediately remove from heat (nuts will continue to cook). Season hazelnut butter with salt and pepper and keep warm, covered.

Cook ravioli in 3 batches in gently boiling water for 6 minutes, or until they rise to surface and are tender (do not let water boil vigorously once ravioli have been added).

Transfer ravioli with a slotted spoon, letting excess cooking liquid drip off, to 6 plates and top with hazelut brown-butter sauce.

Enjoy!

If you love ravioli as I do, you might want to try these Heart-Shaped Goat Cheese Ravioli with Lemon-Arugula Sauce that I made for Valentine's Day 2011

Baked leftover ravioli filling

©Victoria Challancin. All Rights Reserved.

New Orleans-Style Barbecue Shrimp

2012-01-21T15:19:00.000-08:00

New Orleans-Style Barbecue Shrimp

New Orleans-Style Barbecue Shrimp

by Victoria Challancin

New Orleans takes its food seriously. And so it should. It is probably the best, most interesting, and most creative regional food in the United States. Mark Twain once famously said, "New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin." And that's what I call a serious endorsement!

While it is known that this signature (one of several) New Orleans dish originated in Pascal's Manale Restaurant in the mid-1950s, the actual history of how it got its name, New Orleans-Style Barbecue Shrimp, seems to be lost in time. As it isn't grilled or smoked, nor does it have a hint of what any American would call barbecue sauce on it, the name remains a mystery. But ask any New Orleans native about this dish and its many variations, and he or she will tell you that it is a pile of buttery, spicy, sinfully rich goodness.

When a friend requested this dish recently, I searched for the perfect recipe. Some recipes call for 1 or 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce and a pound of butter. Yes, a pound of butter. Others call for beer. And still others contain Dijon mustard, bacon, and gasp!...margarine. Never! Most use shrimps in their shells, with heads on, of course. It is from New Orleans after all.

I decided to try Emeril Lagasse's modern recipe, which tones down the butter to a manageable fat content and uses Creole-seasoned toasted croutons to scatter on top. In retrospect, I think I would skip the croutons, as tasty as they are, and just serve this dish with a good crusty bread, perfect for sopping up all that goodness--it's much easier than having to spear croutons, however delicious. Even though I know the shrimp would be better cooked in their shells, for simplicity's sake, I peeled them and just left the tails on; Emeril peels them but leaves the heads intact so you can suck the juices, New Orleans' style. You decide.

And if there are any leftovers (and I doubt there will be), do like I did and reheat them in a foil packet in the oven, spear with toothpicks, and enjoy with a nice glass of wine!

As an hors d'oeuvres...

New Style New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp

(Recipe from Emeril Lagasse, Food Network via New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeruk Kagassze and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow)

3 pounds large Gulf shrimp, heads on and in their shells

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

Juice of 2 lemons

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons tor fresh flat-leaf parsley

Simple Croutons, recipe follows, for serving

Simple Croutons:

1 French baguette, preferably day-old, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence or Creole Seasoning, recipe follows

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning:

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Peel the shrimp, leaving their heads attached. Sprinkle the shrimp with Creole seasoning, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Use your hands to completely coat the shrimp with the seasonings.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the seasoned shrimp and sauté them, occasionally shaking the skillet, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic. Deglaze the pan with wine and add the Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add the torn parsley.

Remove the shrimp from the pan, reserving the liquids. Return the pan to the flame and add the butter to combine. Pour the sauce over the waiting shrimp. Garnish with homemade croutons and enjoy!

For the croutons:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine the diced bread, olive oil, Creole seasoning, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl, and toss quickly to coat the croutons well. TRansfer the croutons to a baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Bake, rotating the baking sheet front to back midway through, or until he bread cubes are crisp all the way through and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and set aside to cool completely. Store the croutons in a an airtight container at room temperature.

For the Essence:

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in a clean glass jar.

Enjoy!

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

2012-01-17T08:35:00.000-08:00

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

by Victoria Challancin

I admit it: I am a sucker for the unusual, the odd bit, the dazzling difference, be it in people, in travels, in food. So when I see a bacon vinaigrette adorning what could possibly be a fairly boring soup, I'm in.

This recipe is lovely. Comforting with a tinge of excitement, it's perfect for cooler weather. And face it, those of you that know me realize that I could probably enjoy bacon on cardboard. It's my roots, you see.

The soup itself is a predictable recipe, full of basic pureed vegetables, a rich stock (I used a homemade chicken broth), and some added depth via sour cream. The bacon vinaigrette, however, is in a category of its own. Sharp, tangy, a bit unusual...it has that edge that turns the everyday into something special. I found this lovely recipe here.

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

(Recipe from OBCookie on Food52.com)

For the soup:

1 tablespoon butter

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 rib celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped

1 teaspoon salt

6 medium Russet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and diced

7 cups chicken stock or water

1 cup low fat sour cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For vinaigrette:

4 pieces thick cut bacon

3 green onions, finely sliced

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch salt

Add butter to large pot on medium-high heat and melt. Add carrot, onion, celery, garlic, rosemary, and salt. Sauté vegetables until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add potatoes and stock. Cook on medium-high until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Add sour cream and puree in blender or with immersion blender.

To make vinaigrette: Cook bacon unti9l crispy on medium-high heat in frying pan. Drain fat onto paper towel and chop bacon into small pieces. Place bacon in small bowl and add onions, vinegar, and salt. Add oil and mix well. Serve 2 tablespoon of vinaigrette atop each individual bowl of soup.

Enjoy!

The Bacon Vinaigrette

Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon Vinaigrette

Roast Pork Loin with Pickled Caramelized Guavas and a Mexican Market

2012-01-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

Roast Pork Loin with Pickled, Caramelized Guavas

Roast Pork Loin with Pickled Caramelized Guavas and a Mexican Organic Market

by Victoria Challancin

For me, guavas = memories. So many memories...memories that span a lifetime. There were those gooey guava fights in my youth with my cousins on my Italian Grandfather's farm, picking the fruit and making the guava jelly that my Mom put up each year for family and friends alike, and in later years the perfumed scent of a guava-laden Mexican ponche wafting from my kitchen or the kitchen of friends at holiday time. Yep, I love guavas. Can I separate the actual taste from the olfactory barrage that accompany the smell of guavas? Probably not. But then, does it matter? Anyway I look at it, guavas are a great food item, memories or not.

A Little History of Guavas and a Few Facts

It is believed that the guava, a plant in the Myrtle family (Psidium guajava), originated in the area that is ow Central America and Mexico. Like other indigenous food items like chiles, guavas spread throughout the tropical world two ways: by man (Spanish and Portuguese explorers introduced the guava to the East Indies from where it spread to India, Asia, and Africa) and birds and mammals (seed-laden bird droppings account for a good bit of guava's physical dispersion). Today guavas are cultivated throughout tropical America, Asia, and parts of Africa, and guavas represent one of Mexico's biggest fruit crops.

Culinary uses for guavas:

Wikipedia tells us that guava fruit is eaten in Hawaii with soy sauce and vinegar, with the occasional addition of sugar and black pepper. In Pakistan and India, raw fruit is typically eaten with a pinch of salt and pepper and sometimes cayenne powder and/or masala. In the Philippines ripe guava is used in a sour soup or stew called sinigang. In Asia, the fresh fruit is often dipped in preserved prune powder or salt, and in India it is frequently sprinkled with tart red rock salt. In Mexico, guavas are a main ingredient in the Christmas Punch, which is served over the holidays in almost every home as well as in the fruit paste, called ate, which is served with cheese after a meal. Guava shells are also a popular dessert item, often served with cheese, in Cuba and the Caribbean.

Because of the high pectin level, guavas are used to make candies, preserves, jullies, jams, marmalades, and the juice is used for aguas frescas, which I wrote about here.

Guava leaves also appear in various dishes such as an infusion found in Asia and in South America, which is considered medicinal. The leaves and wood are also used in smoking to produce a unique scent to the items being smoked.

Guavas in culture: The Taino, pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, believed that the spirits of the dead hid away during the day and came out at night to eat guavas. And in Ybor City, Florida, there is an annual "Guavaween" event celebrated during the last of October to celebrate the advent of the guava.

Properties: Rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C (four times the amount as an orange), folic acid, and the minerals potassium, copper, and manganese, guavas are an amazingly healthy food. The pulp and the peel are a good source of natural antioxidants and dietary fiber, with the antioxidant properties of the skin being ten times higher than that of the pulp (see here for more information).

Medicinal uses of guavas: In folk medicine, guava leaves are used as a remedy for diarrhea when brewed as an infusion. The bark is considered antimicrobial as well as astringent. Teas have been used in such places as Trinidad as a remedy for diarrhea, dysentery, and fever.

Guavas Leaf Extract is being touted as effective in the following with research information cited here:

Inflammation
Acne
Cough
Diarrhea
Diabetes
Cholesterol

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

But regardless of health properties, or of those guava-eating, night-dwelling spirits, or even the medicinal benefits...sometimes you just need a good recipe for using guavas, and here it is:

Roast Pork Loin with Pickled Caramelized Guavas

(Recipe from Bon Appétit via Yummly Recipes)

Pickled caramelized guavas:

3 pounds fresh guavas, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

6 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

6 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons golden brown sugar

15 whole peppercorns

3 whole cloves

Pork:

9 garlic cloves, peeled

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/3 cup (or more) beef broth

1/4 cup sour orange juice or lime juice

1 5 1/2-pound bone-in pork roast or boneless

For the guavas: Bring all ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 30 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.) Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the pork: Place Place first 5 ingredients in mortar; mash into paste with pestle. Stir in 1/3 cup broth and citrus juice. Transfer marinade to large resealable plastic bag. Add pork and seal. Refrigerate 12 to 14 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer pork and marinade to large roasting pan. Roast until thermometer inserted into center registers 145 degrees F, basting occasionally with pan juices and adding more broth by the 1/4 cupfuls, if dry, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Transfer pork to platter; let stand 20 minutes before serving. Slice pork and serve with juices and guavas alongside.

Cook's Notes: I made this dish in a cooking class this week using a 4-lb pork loin. Because we didn't have enough time, we only marinated the meat for about an hour, which yielded a strong flavor anyway. This is a terrific, garlicky marinade which would be great with chicken as well--as would the guavas! I did add some dried "fruits of the forrest," just because I had them. We used a tomato corer to remove the seeds, but I must have been dreaming of the larger guavas in Florida, whose seeds aren't quite as hard. We should have been more careful removing the seeds as they were quite hard! We also started the roast in the oven, but to time constraints, ended up slicing it into thick slices and finishing it in a frying pan with a touch of olive oil--and it was still terrific. You could also use pork tenderloin or chicken with this recipe. The end result? I loved it and could eat the guavas on toast!

Enjoy!

San Miguel de Allende's Weekly Organic Market

The locavore/organic movement has thankfully come to San Miguel in a big way. The small farmers of the area are beginning to produce and market goods that are chemical-free to sell locally. Once a week there is an organic market where vendors come with there wares. How many products can you recognize? My mouth waters just looking at the goodies in these photos, some for large farms or co-ops, others from mom-and-pop gardens.

Pirate Surprise and Caribbean Jerk Chicken

2012-01-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

An unadorned plate of Jerk Chicken

Pirate Surprise and Caribbean Jerk Chicken

by Victoria Challancin

Maëlle, my son's girlfriend, wanted to surprise my son while they were visiting Mexico over the holidays with a birthday party dinner starring many far-flung friends who were home visiting as well. The idea was to throw a surprise party with a pirate theme, with everyone dressed in appropriate pirate attire. As it turned out, Matey, the only pirate inspiration in the room ended up being the food, which Maëlle's mother and I lovingly prepared for a hungry group of 20-year-olds. And let me tell you, 20-year-olds can eat! No more focus on a piñata, no more hide and seek, just big appetites and much appreciation.

My contribution was Jerk Chicken and Rum Cake. I hadn't made jerk in a while, but was exposed to some great recipes while growing up in South Florida. Usually, if inspired to make a jerk recipe, I make a tray of my sister-in-law's recipe for jerk wings or perhaps a pork tenderloin with jerk flavors. But because Jerk Chicken was specifically requested for this party, here it is-- definitely the kind of jerk we all want to run into.

Cook's Note: The marinade has such fabulous and flavorful ingredients in it that I just had to boil it down (to make it safe to eat) and hope there was a use for it at the party. It proved to be almost as popular as the succulent chicken as a dip for the Colombian patacones, or crispy fried plantains. We even added some tortilla chips for dipping once the plantains ran out! Delicious. Don't waste the marinade! I promise to get the recipe for the plantains soon. And I'll add the made-from-scratch rum cake, so different than the box mixes I made as a child.

Marinated Jerk Chicken caramelizing in the pan

A Little History on Jerk

According to food history authorities, "jerk" is a bastardization of the Peruvian word charqui, which refers to dried strips of marinated meat (i.e."jerky). Apparently, as a verb, "to jerk" means to poke holes in the meat so that the spices and marinade could permeate. Other theories abound as to the etymology of the word, but any way you choose to interpret it, today "jerk" refers to a Jamaican style of cooking chicken, beef, pork, goat, fish, vegetables, or fruits, in which the marinade or paste includes hot peppers and lots of spices. For a more indepth article, go here for a good read from the Food History site.

Although recipes vary greatly from cook to cook, most Jerk Seasoning will contain Allspice (native to Jamaica), Scotch Bonnet Chiles, and Thyme. It is always preferable to use whole, freshly toasted spices, but jerk seasoning can be purchased as a paste or a dry condiment as well. In the Islands, jerk can be incendiary in terms of the heat level of the chiles, but I prefer to tone it down a bit. The number and type of chiles, is, of course, up to you and your preferences.

Jerk Chicken

Caribbean Jerk Chicken

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Notes: I used 3 serrano chiles and 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes because it was what I had on hand. Because I was rushing, I didn't have time to let the chicken marinate for more than 2 hours, but an overnight marination time would be far better! I have a large-capacity food processor, which worked perfectly for this recipe. You could also make the marinade in batches, mixing it all together in a bowl if necessary. This makes a lot of marinade (lucky for us!), so you could easily increase the amount of chicken used. The choice of chicken pieces is up to you. I was able to cook the marinade without adding extra liquid, but you could add a bit of orange juice or water if necessary.

For the marinade:

3 - 6 scotch bonnet, habanero, or red serrano chiles, stems removed

3 medium white onions, cut into chunks

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

9 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

2 heaping tablespoons allspice berries, lightly toasted and ground

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons salt

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)

3 teaspoons ground ginger or a 2-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Pick-a-Peppa sauce (optional)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 cup white vinegar

16 skinless chicken drumsticks

6 boneless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks

1/4 cup extra-virgen olive oil

Place the chiles, onions, thyme, garlic, allspice, sugar, black pepper, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a large food processor or blender and puree until fairly smooth. Add

the Worcestershire sauce, Pick-a-Peppa sauce, olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice and white vinegar and blend until smooth.

Place the chicken in a large plastic bag or a metal bowl with the marinade. SEal the bag or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate overnight, if possible, in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

To cook, drain the chicken, saving the marinade. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Cook the chicken in batches, adding more oil as necessary and turning frequently, until almost cooked through, approximately 15 minutes, depending on the size and type of the pieces. Chicken should be browned and caramelized on the outside. Place the chicken in a large baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes, turn chicken, replace the aluminum foil, and bake for another 15 minutes or until completely cooked with the juices running clear.

To cook the marinade: Because the reserved marinade has been in contact with raw chicken, it must be cooked to be safe to eat. Place the marinade in heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, adding a bit of water or orange juice if necessary to prevent burning. Serve with fried plantains, crudités, cheese, or corn chips--or just about anything!

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

2012-01-05T15:35:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

by Victoria Challancin

Looking for something fun for New Year's Day breakfast for my son who was visiting for the holidays with his girlfriend, I stumbled upon this appealing recipe. I mean, if you are into calories, fat, and goo, then it appeals. And I must be, given what I have ingested over this holiday period.

I've seen so many interesting recipes for odd dishes prepared in a waffle iron lately (you can bet I'm going to make some zucchini latkes in the waffle iron with dill-yogurt sauce soon!). Of course, this one caught my eye--rather like a deconstructed cinnamon roll, but easier to make. Simple to prepare, and though this photo was snapped quickly before the waffles totally disappeared, they are delicious as well. And decadent. Moderately decadent anyway, which could be a good way to start the New Year. Or not.

Probably the only change I would make is to beat my egg whites separately before incorporating into the batter, as my Mother always did, to make the waffles even lighter and fluffier. Mind you, they were tasty just like this!

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

(Recipe from Food.com)

Waffles:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk (I used regular whole milk soured with a bit of lemon juice)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon Topping:

1/2 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Topping:

4 tablespoons butter

2 ounces cream cheese

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To prepare the waffles: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture; set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Pour into bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened; batter will be slightly lumpy.

Preheat a waffle iron and spray with nonstick spray. Pour batter into waffle iron grid and close the lid. Bake until waffles are completely done, following your waffle iron's instructions. Use a fork to remove finished waffles. Repeat with remaining batter. Keep waffles warm until ready to serve by placing in the oven preheated to 200 degrees F.

To prepare the cinnamon topping: In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a small zip baggie and set aside. Or if you prefer, just leave in the bowl and drizzle on the waffles with a spoon.

To prepare the cream cheese topping: In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, heat butter and cream cheese for 30 to 60 seconds (I simply melted them together in a small pot over low heat); just until melted. Stir together until smooth; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

When ready to serve place waffle on plate, drizzle with cinnamon topping, then drizzle with cream cheese topping to taste. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

A quirky ceramic ornament from my dear friend who indulges my love of roosters...

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

To All My Readers and Friends,

Thank you so much for your continued support of my blog. I sincerely appreciate the fact that you take time in your busy lives to spend time in my world.

I wish for each of you a year full of good health, love, peace, and prosperity. May your dreams take flight and may our world heal and find peace.

Sincerely,

Victoria

Photo of a favorite camel by friend Susan Wright

For last year's words belong to last year's language

And next year's words await another voice.

And to make an end is to make a beginning.

T. S. Eliot

Cilantro with Mushrooms--Another Happy Accident

2011-12-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

Pan-Fried Mushrooms with Cilantro

Cilantro with Mushrooms--Another Happy Accident

by Victoria Challancin

At a birthday party dinner last week I enjoyed the yummiest mushrooms cooked with garlic and cilantro. Cilantro! It was a new taste sensation for me to have cilantro paired with mushrooms; frankly, I never would have thought of it. After about the third helping, I asked the hostess, who is Colombian, if this was a native dish from her home country, this unique combination of cilantro with mushrooms. She laughed and said, "I was out of parsley, so I used cilantro. I can't tell the difference!" She might have been teasing, as she is an excellent cook whose food is always flawless, but whatever the reason the cilantro was added, this dish was unusual and good. Another happy accident? Maybe. I'm not sure why I would never have thought to put these two ingredients together, but the result is delicious. And easy. We ate it as an accompaniment to grilled marinated arrachera, or skirt steak.

As we have mushroom farms near San Miguel de Allende, where I live, I am always looking for new ways to prepare this year-round bounty of a variety of mushrooms. Immediately, when I next went to the market, I purchased a pound of crimini mushrooms, though any type would work. Here is my interpretation of this easy, delicious side dish.

Pan-Fried Mushrooms with Cilantro

(My interpretation of a recipe by Adriana Miniño)

3 tablespoons extra-virgen olive oil or butter, or a combination of the two

6 garlic cloves, minced

500g whole crimini mushrooms, stems trimmed

1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves and some stems

3/4 cup water

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil and/or butter over medium heat in a large non-stick frying pan. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown. Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until very soft. Add cilantro and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add water, salt, and pepper. Cover pan and allow to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes to blend flavors.

Enjoy!

Pan-Fried Mushrooms with Cilantro

Christmas Cookies Continued!

2011-12-21T11:59:00.000-08:00

Christmas Cookies Continued!

By Victoria Challancin

Once again I want to thank you for your continued support of my blog. I sincerely thank you for taking the time to peruse my world of food and travel. I wish each of you happy, healthy, loving holidays, full of all good things!

Earlier in the week I gave you the recipes for Spicy Mexican Chocolate Cookies with Chile, Swedish Cardamom Christmas Cookies, and Ginger Biscotti with Candied Ginger. Today I complete my personal Christmas Cookie Roundup with Chai Snickerdoodles and Earl Grey Cookies. I chose the Chai Snickerdoodles because I just can't help myself: I adore spices! In savory or sweet dishes. Can't get enough. The Earl Grey Cookies were specifically for my son, home for the holidays, who loves the flavor of bergamot.

Cook's Notes: I should have chilled the dough for the Snickerdoodles to prevent flattening and spreading, but unfortunately, I rushed. Regardless, the flavors were truly excellent, making this one of my favorite cookies ever.

Chai Snickerdoodles

(Recipe from Tasty Kitchen)

For the Spice Masala Mixture:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best!)

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 ground cardamom

1/4 cup granulated sugar

For the Cookies:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup canola oil

2 whole large eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix the spice misture ingredients separately in a dry bowl. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the cookies, cream the sugar and the butter in a bowl till fluffy. Add the oil and the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Slowly add in the dry ingredients (minus the spice mixture in the bowl) and let form into a dough. Chill for 30 minutes.

Make balls of dough and roll each in the spice mixture before placing it on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes and cool before removing.

Enjoy!

These Earl Grey-scented tea cookies are nice, but not dramatic. The Earl Grey flavor is very subtle, albeit pleasant. For a stronger bergamot flavor, try my Earl Grey Teacakes.

Earl Grey Cookies

(Recipe from Real Simple)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves,

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.

Add the vanilla, 1 teaspoon water, and the butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed.

Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Optional: place 1/4 cup granulated or sanding sugar in a plate; roll logs in sugar prior to cutting (I did this, but the recipe doesn't call for it). Slice each log into disks, 1/3-inch thick. Place on parchment- or foil-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart.

Bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Christmas Cookies: Spice Wins Again!

2011-12-20T14:08:00.000-08:00

To each of my readers, I wish a Holiday Season full of all good things: perfect health, the joy of family, the gift of sharing, and the perfect peace that love of every kind brings. Happy Holidays from my home to yours!

Christmas Cookies: Spice Wins Again!

by Victoria Challancin

With my son coming home for the holidays, I had to think long and hard. What kind of Christmas goodies should I have ready for what I knew eventually would be a house full of young people? I mean, even if you are in your early twenties, you need Christmas traditions, right? Maybe more than ever. And a house full of love, family, good food, and more love. And cookies. Definitely cookies.

Of course, I first thought of my own family and my childhood, feeling blessed anew for having grown up in such a loving and supportive family--and one full of deeply rooted traditions. Should I make cookies and goodies from those times, I thought, remembering all the trays if Christmas food joy I delivered for my Mom over the years. Should I make her chocolate meringue kisses, fudge (peanut butter or plain?), divinity, pecan or toffee squares, Southern peanut brittle, or her exquisite, but time-consuming to make Santa Claus cookies that so many in my extended family grew up with? Or should I make a cake? Too late to make my Mom's famous fruitcake, which she began in November to age by painting with whiskey and then gave to all and sundry, or my Aunt Victoria's Japanese Fruitcake, or my Dad's favorite Lady Baltimore Cake. Oh the decisions! In the end, cookies and spices won out. I just can't help myself: I love spices. And I find that they sneak their addictive way into almost everything I prepare--or at least into the dishes I most love. So, with that in mind, here is a list of the Christmas cookies I have made so far and a couple of the recipes with more to follow soon:

Mexican Chocolate Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Chile (for my entire Latin crew)
Swedish Cardamom Cookies (for my dear friend Berit) with added icing
Candied Ginger Biscotti (for me, yes, for me)
Chai Snickerdoodles (because who doesn't love chai, right?)
Earl Grey Cookies (ahhhh...bergamot, my son's favorite flavor)

Spicy Mexican Chocolate Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Chile
(Recipe from The Cooking Channel)

1/2 cup/4 oz unsalted butter

4 oz good-quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon chili powder (I used ancho chile)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together, whisking until glossy and smooth. Alternately, the butter and chocolate can be melted in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl in 25-second increments, whisking between each interval. Cool the chocolate mixture to room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand-held mixer), beat the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract and eggs on low speed until well combined. POur in the cooled chocolate and continue to mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne pepper. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate batter and mix on low speed until just combined and no visible flour remains. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

Working in two batches, scoop 12 balls of dough (preferably using a small ice cream scoop or cookie-dough scoop with a spring handle, about 1 1/2 tablespoon size) onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake the cookies, on pan at a time, for approximately 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time. The cookies should be puffy and still fairly soft when removed from the oven.

Immediately slide the cookies, still on the parchment paper, onto a wire cooling rack. Cool just a bit before serving, 5 to 10 minutes. Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to three days, but are best on the day they are baked.

Enjoy!

A tempting plate of Christmas treats

My dear friend Berit always regales me tales of the food of her Swedish childhood. Over the years I have eaten many Swedish treats at her house using lovely lingonberries, vanilla sauce, and other tasty morsels--and also some very strange salty Swedish candies straight from her Mother's candy store. These frosted cookies, loaded with the popular Scandinavian ingredient cardamom are in honor of Berit.

A Note on Cardamom: Scandinavia and the Near East consume over half the world's cardamom. In Sweden it is more widely used than cinnamon. Apparently, the Scandinavian affinity for cardamom was born when the Vikings first sampled the aromatic spice during their raids on Constantinople during the 8th through the 11th centuries. I first truly learned to appreciate it when I moved to Abu Dhabi in the mid-1970s, where it was used in green coffe, sweets, and even chewed by itself as a breath freshener.

Swedish Cardamom Christmas Cookies

(Recipe from Food Network)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Colored sanding sugars or chopped toasted pecans (or use the following icing recipe, as I did)

Whisk the flour, cardamom, and salt in a bowl.

Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in a food processor (or use a stand mixer, as I did), and process until smooth. Pulse in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until combined. Add the flour mixture and process to make a soft buttery dough. Divide dough in half onto 2 (12-inch long) sheets of plastic wrap, using the plastic, shape into rough logs. Refrigerate the dough logs for 30 minutes until just firm enough to shape into uniform logs, 8-inches long by 2-inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 324 degrees F.

Scatter either the sanding sugars or toasted nuts, if using (I used icing) on a work surface and roll the logs until completely coated. Cut into 1/4-inch thick cookies and space about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden around the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cookies on the pan on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Icing for Christmas Cookies

(Recipe from the files of Victoria Challancin)

Note: I have no idea where this recipe originated. It was in my file box and is the icing recipe my Mother used. I think it might have been from Better Homes and Gardens magazine based on the scrap of paper I found.

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 Tablespoons water, and more, if needed

1 Tablespoon soft butter

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

1/2 to 1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Beat all ingredients together until you have a smooth, spreadable icing. Add more water if needed.

Enjoy!

A small plate of cookies ready for a friend--minus the Earl Grey Cookies

Cook's Note: This and the Chai Snickerdoodles (recipe to come later this week) were probably my personal favorites. I loved the biscotti because they weren't too sweet. I have made similar biscotti with dried cranberries and pistachios, dipped in white chocolate. But because I had other fairly sweet cookies, I wanted these without the added sweetness of the white chocolate.

Ginger Biscotti with Candied Ginger
(Recipe from Coastal Living Magazine, December 2011)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole almonds (I roughly chopped these)

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

8 oz white chocolate (although I had this ingrediente, I opted not to use it, wanting something less sweet)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Beat in eggs.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and salt; add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in almonds and crystallized ginger.

Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each portion into a log 3 inches wide and 1 inch high. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack, and set aside until cool to the touch. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Cut each log crosswise into 1/2-inch slices with a serrated knife. Place slices on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 7 minutes; turn cookies over, and bake 7 more minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

Dip ends of biscotti in melted white chocolate. Place biscotti on wax paper until chocolate hardens.

Enjoy!

Looking for more Holiday ideas? You might like these recipes from past years:

Red, Green, and Perfect for a Christmas Party! Goat Cheese Squares with Chipotle-Raspberry Chutney (so pretty--so tastey!)

Ponche Navideño: Mexican Christmas Fruit Punch (with tequila/rum or not!)

Brandy-Roasted Pears with Gorgonzola Cheese (pears and cheese--always a hit!)

Italian Mostarda to go with a Holiday Ham (one of my personal favorites)

Muhammara: A Syrian Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip (my very favorite dip--and a pretty red for Christmas!)

Ginger Cookies with Black Pepper and Cardamom (yum, spices again!)

English Berry Trifle with Cointreau (sooooo beautiful and enticing!)

Baked Pears and Camembert (yes, more pears and cheese--can I ever get enough?)

A bowl of color and my Christmas felt talisman, made by my loving and creative friend

Do you have special Christmas food traditions? Or do you like to try new things?

Either way, I hope you have the happiest of Holidays!

Chia Seeds: Aztec Miracle, Modern Superfood

2011-12-11T10:11:00.001-08:00

A limonada, or limeade, with chia seeds from a favorite San Miguel restaurant, Flash Fish

Chia Seeds: Aztec Miracle, Modern Superfood

by Victoria Challancin

My first exposure to chia seeds came not from a health food store, not from my extensive love of plants and ethnobotany, not from my constant delving into food anthropology and culinary history. No, my first glimpse of chia seeds came from my brother, who couldn't have cared less about any of those lofty topics. It came in the mail. It came as a surprise. It came as a joke.

In 1975, when I was in graduate school at the University of Georgia, I was working hard--working at my studies, working as a research assistant, working as a teaching assistant, working under a fellowship. Although I loved my work, I was in need of some occasional cheering, which often came via my brother, who loved to send me presents, most of which made me smile. On this particular occasion, as I ripped into a neatly bundled gift from him, I burst into giggles when I unwrapped the best present ever: a really ridiculous version of the then popular Chia Pet. Of course, my brother sent it for fun, with no awareness of the door he was opening.

I dutifully made a paste of the seeds, smeared them on my terra cotta Chia Head, waited for them to sprout, and then ate them with self-righteous glee. I knew they were healthy and in those days I was the epitome of health: an Earth Mother who bought hundred-pound bags of wheat from local farmers so I could grind my own flour, a grower of 65 different kinds of herbs (not all culinary), a purist who loved the idea of all things natural and healthy. The chia sprouts fit in perfectly.

Years later when I moved to Mexico, I came to appreciate them anew. Here they appear in all sorts of dishes, especially in limeade, as in the agua fresca pictured above from one of my favorite local restaurants, the fabulous Flash Fish. They also play a part in pinole, but we'll save that for another post.

What are Chia Seeds?

Chia is an edible seed that comes from a plant in the mint family, native to the Americas, called Salvia hispanica L. Although other indigenous groups in North America also used and valued chia, they didn't cultivate it, but rather gathered it from the several varieties (specifically Salvia columbariae B.) that grew in the northern deserts. As early as 3500BC, the Toltec and Teotahuán civilizations were cultivating chia, long before the arrival of the Aztecs, but it is from the Aztecs who contributed to the importance of chia as a food crop.

Etymology: Research shows possibly conflicting sources of the origin of the word chia. Some sources say it comes from the Mayan for "strength" or "strengthening.' Others say it is derived from the Aztec, or Nahuatl, word chian, which means "oily". We do know that the modern Mexican state of Chiapas got its name from the Nahuatl "chia water or river." Confusingly as well, the Latin for chia is Salvia hispanica L., which suggests that the plant is actually Spanish in origin, but that is because Linnaeus, the "Father of Taxonomy," described the a species of cultivated plants in Spain. The chia plant is indigenous to the central Valley of Mexico regardless of any confusion with its name.

The seed: The seeds themselves are tiny brown, gray, black and white mottle-colored ovals with a diameter of about one millimeter.

Botany: Chia is an annual herb which grow to about one meter in height, with opposite leaves 4-8cm long and 3-5cm broad. Its purple or white flowers are produced in numerous clusters in a spike at the end of each stem (see the image below from the Florentine Codex).

Properties: Chia seeds have hydrophilic properties, which means they have the ability to absorb more than 12 times their weight in water, thus offering the ability to prolong hydration of the body. The high oil content of chia sees makes it one of the richest vegetable sources for the essential omega-3 fatty acid (it has approximately three to 10 times the oil concentrations of most grains and one and a half to two times the protein concentrations of other grains). They are also a complete source of dietary protein, providing all the essential amino acids. Chia seeds produce a high-viscosity mucilage, or gel, that causes a slow conversion of carbohydrates into sugar for energy, thus providing more energy in a steady release (for this reason it is often called "The Indian Running Food"). See below for a further list of benefits.

A Brief History of Chia Seeds

The ancient Aztecs knew a thing or two about making the most of what Nature provided. The ancient Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, was located on a marshy lake, where many crops, such as chia, were grown atop woven mats made of tree bark, that were spread with soil and then floated upon the water. Chia became so important to and valued by the Aztecs that it actually was used as currency: the government would demand chia seeds as part of the tribute conquered tribes were forced to pay them.

Chia's role in religious rituals is also well-documented by the Spanish chroniclers. It was so highly prized that it was used as an offering to the gods in ancient Aztec religious rituals, a fact that almost led to its extinction after the arrival of the Spanish, who banned its cultivation for this very reason. Attempting to impose a new culture on the indigenous people, the Conquistadores tried to replace chia and most of the other crops favored by the Aztecs with European grains and vegetables. Lucky for us, it didn't totally work. For the last 500 years since the conquest of Mexico, chia survived only in certain isolated regional pockets, but survive it did.

Chia also played an active role in medicine as well. Used as a poultice to help heal wounds, topically to relieve joint pain, internally for colds and sore throats, and as an eye wash to ease sore eyes from the ravages of the desert, chia played an important practical role in the daily life of the Aztecs as well as being a staple food in their diet, along with corn, beans, and amaranth. Chia oil was also used as an emollient for the skin.

As important as chia may have been in Aztec religious ritual, medicine, and the making of cosmetics, it was its nutritional value that really made it such a prized commodity. A single tablespoon of chia seeds could sustain Aztec warriors and runners for an entire day, providing stamina, endurance, and energy. Used by the Aztecs as a beverage, ground into flour, and pressed for oil, chia had a long shelf life that only added to its value.

From the Florentine Codex, created between 1540 and 1585, a woman drinks chia seeds before giving birth. I found this image here.

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

There has been a modern revival of chia seeds, which are currently being touted as a modern "superfood." With good reason. Check out the following list to see why there has been a resurgence of interest in this fascinating Aztec crop, truly a miracle food.

Why Eat Chia Seeds?

For Nutrition: a complete source of dietary protein; very high in soluble fiber; contain high amounts of Omega 3 and 6 oils; have antioxidant properties
To Provide Energy (provide the raw materials for building flexible cell membranes to let in oxygen and nutrients and provide an easy outlet for CO2 and other cellular wastes)
To Boost Strength
To Bolster Endurance
To Stabilize Blood Sugar (by slowing down both the release of carbohydrates for digestion and the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar for energy, thus preventing suden spikes in blod sugar)
To Aid Intestinal Regularity (via the soluble fiber)
To Reduce Cravings (and Induce Weight Loss)
To Provide Easily Absorbed Dietary Fiber (this also lowers cholesterol levels and allows for the slow release of carbohydrates that produce long-term sustained energy)
To Improve Cardiovascular Health (due to the high levels of heart-healthy Essential Fatty Acids)

Also, Chia Seeds:

Contain Vitamins and Minerals: large amounts of B vitamins, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and boron (Chia seeds are known to be nutrient-dense)
Are Digestible Without Grinding (and are quickly absorbed)
Have Long Shelf Life
Are Convenient to Use
Are Gluten-Free
Have Low Sodium Content
Help Retain Electrolytes (especially during physical exertion or bouts of diarrhea)

An Aztec mural depicting the harvesting of chia seeds. I found this image here.

Recipe: Agua Fresca de Chia

Chia Limeade

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Note: To learn more about the aguas frescas of Mexico, see the post I wrote here).

1/2 cup lime juice

Agave nectar, to taste (approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup) or sugar (or other sweetener of choice)

10 cups water

1/3 cup chia seeds

Optional garnish: lime wedges, a sprig of mint, or a sage leaf or two

Dissolve the sweetener in the lime juice, add the water, and stir to mix well. Add the chia seeds, whisking with a fork or whisk to remove any lumps.

Serve over ice with garnish of choice.

Enjoy!

A Note on Using Chia Gel

Because chia seeds swell up to nine times their size in the stomach, they are beneficial to those trying to lose weight and, in fact, are aften called a dieter's dream food. Eating chia seeds will help fill you up, reduce hunger, and give you an energy boost all at the same time!

Mixing chia seeds with water (in about a one to nine ratio), will form a nutritious gel that can be used to bulk up food without adding calories. It also has metabolic benefits due to the increased intestinal transit time, delayed gastric emptying, and slow rate of glucose absorption.

Add this gel to a variety of dishes to expand the bulk (thus replacing fat) and enrich nutrients without sacrificing the flavor of the original dish (see below for specific suggestions).

Recipe: Chia Gel

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

2 cups water

1/3 cup chia seeds

In a clean glass jar, add water and stir water with a fork or whisk, adding the chia seeds slowly to the moving water to avoid clumping. Once seeds are incorporated, stir again, and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir again to break up any clumps. Store for up to two weeks in refrigerator.

To add bulk to your food without diluting flavor (a handy diet trick!) add the chia gel in a roughly 50/50 proportion.

Add to yogurt, butter, salad dressing, smoothies, nut spreads, mayonnaise, salsa, sauces, oatmeal, fruit juice,--just use your imagination!

Enjoy!

Recipe: Chia Milk
(Recipe from Eat Fat: Your LIfe Depends On It)
Makes 5 cups

4 tablespoons chia seeds

2 tablespoons walnuts

2 tablespoons raw sesame tahini

2 tablespoons unheated, unfiltered honey

Dash of vanilla (optional)

5 cups water

Soak seeds and nuts overnight in 3 cups of water in a glass jar or glass. Pour into blender jar, add 1 cup water, and blend at medium speed. With blender running, add tahini, honey, vanilla, and one more cup of water. Blend only until smooth.

Use within a week as a substitute for other forms of milk.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Chia Butter

1/4 cup chia gel (see above recipe)

1/4 cup softened better

Blend chia gel and butter in blender until smooth. Use as you would regular butter (but with half the calories and fat content!).

Enjoy!

A few pictures of what is to me irresistible comfort food:

Two fresh shrimp tacos with spicy salsas from Flash Fish

Twofers from Flash Fish: two mini shrimp tacos and two grilled mini fish tacos or corn tortillas...yum

Flash Fish Restaurant

Salida a Celaya #71

Open 12 to 5 Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday

12 to 9 Friday and Saturday

Closed Tuesday

Cell phone: 415-107-3455

And for a bit of randomness...

Moroccan Scarves...because, like Chia Pets, they make me smile

Please do share recipes, but ask for permission before using text or images. Thanks!

Utterly Delicious: Muhammara-Style Shakshouka

2011-12-08T11:53:00.001-08:00

Syrian-Style Muhammara Shakshouka

Utterly Delicious: Muhammara-Style Shakshouka from a Fellow Blogger

by Victoria Challancin

For those of you that know me or follow my blog, you know that I both lived for many years in the Middle East and travel to Morocco, leading my own private groups, each year. These two facts about my life happily coincided when I recently saw a post in the delightful Eats Well With Others, written by Joanne, a medical student living in New York. Joanne invented a new interpretation of a favorite dish of mine, shakshouka, which I first learned to love when I lived in the Middle East. Joanne's version combines the basic components of muhammara, a Syrian dish of roasted peppers,which I wrote about here) with the Tunisian-style shakshouka, made by a Yemini chef, that I had learned to love while living in Abu Dhabi.

Though the spellings vary (shakshouka, shakshuka, chakchouka, shaqshuqa, and so on), they all refer to a fragrant, spicy dish of eggs poached atop a simmering stew of tomatoes, peppers, onion, and garlic. I knew it as a Palestinian dish, but a bit of research shows me that it originally comes from the Maghreb of Northern Africa and probably traveled to Israel with the Sephardic Jews. From there it migrated to Yemen, where it remains a popular dish, and on throughout the Levant and other Arab countries. Other scholars suggest that it originated in the Ottoman Empire, from where it spread throughout the Middle East and Spain, where it is served with spicy chorizo sausage. Still others say it comes from Yemen, where it is served with the fiery green condiment of green chiles called zhug. Wherever it originated, it can now be found all over the Middle East, including Israel, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen, as well as Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria, all in the Maghreb.

Old English teachers never die, they just keep on studying words...As a former English teacher, I am fascinated by etymology, the study of words and how they evolve. While checking into the history of shakshouka, I learned that the word is thought to come from the Berber Tamazight language from a word meaning "a mixture." Other sources suggest that it comes from Hebrew word leshakshek, which translates as "to shake." Whatever the source, the end result is a dish you should definitely add to your repertoire.

Although I have eaten something similar in Morocco, which is a part of the Maghreb, the dish I am most familiar with comes from the Middle East. This particular healthy, oil-less version, (the best I have ever made) combines the roasted peppers and pomegranate molasses (see my recipe for pomegranate molasses vinaigrette here) of a traditional Syrian muhammara (my recipe for it is here) and the cumin- and cinnamon-laced North African style of chakchouka. After roasting the peppers, it comes together really quickly and is healthy to boot!

Thank you, Joanne, for a thoroughly satisfying dish!

Muhammara-Style Shakshouka

(Recipe from Eats Well with Others)

Note: The only changes I made in this recipe were cooking times, probably due to the fact that I live at an altitude of 6700 feet and sometimes need to cook dishes a bit longer than recipes require). Traditionally, this is cooked and served in an iron skillet or similar cooking vessel.

Tip: It is easier to add the eggs if you break them into a small bowl first and then slide them on top of the simmering tomato mixture.

3 red bell peppers, roasted, skinned, and seeded

2 oz. walnuts

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 large onion, peeled

3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

28 ounces canned diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Large pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste

6 eggs

1/4 cup parsley

3 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the roasted red peppers, walnuts, onion, and garlic in a food processor and process until combined.

In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, combine the red pepper puree, molasses, tomatoes, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes (I cooked it for 15 minutes) so that flavors can meld. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Crack the eggs into the pan and into the sauce, gently, so that the yolks don't break. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes (I had to cook them for 7 minutes to cook the whites) or until set. Sprinkle with feta and parsley and serve.

Enjoy!

Although peppers can be roasted in the oven, I prefer to roast them directly over the flame on my stove.

A charred pepper...

Peppers, sweating inside a plastic bag

Tip: After roasting and sweating peppers, roll the peppers around inside the plastic bag to remove much of the burnt skin. Then use a paper towel to remove any remaining charred skin. Your fingernails will thank you.

I never mind a bit of charred skin left clinging to the peppers. And I NEVER rinse my roasted peppers as I feel it leaches precious flavor. Carcinogens vs. flavor. You decide.

Pomegranate molasses and Spanish smoked paprika

The spices and pomegranate molasses in the pan

Walnuts, onion, and garlic in the food processor...

...with the addition of the roasted peppers

The still bright orange sauce, at the beginning of the cooking process before it deepens in color after simmering

The finished dish

Another view

I always like to end my posts with photos of random things that just make me happy, like these preserved food items in the Marrakech souk, taken last Spring.

Mediterranean-Mexican Fusion

2011-12-03T11:50:00.001-08:00

Salsa ingredients ready to roast on top of the stove

Mediterranean-Mexican Fusion: Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

by Victoria Challancin

This has all the hallmarks of a post that might never have been: a created-on-the-spot recipe, hastily snapped photos (one of which is slightly out of focus), nothing very pretty...I could go on. But the end result was just so delicious that I had to share. Luckily, I have the photos to help me remember what I actually did when I made this last week!

Fusion. I am one of those people who rather dislikes this culinary term. Modern cooking, just like this dish, is often truly a melding of different influences, unusual ingredients, and a blending of whim and mongrel inspirations. Sometimes it turns out great, like this dish. Sometimes, like a Jerk Chicken Étoufée I was once served by a rather famous chef, not so much. But food travels. Ideas travel. WE travel. And along the way we gather new ideas and new inspirations, and before you know it, new recipes are born.

I didn't set out to fuse Mediterranean and Mexican ingredients. Really, I didn't. I was looking to make a hearty vegetarian main dish to go along with some beans my husband requested. I had been to the store and market, where I loaded up on fresh vegetables and tortillas. Those, combined with a few other ingredients I had on hand, led to this recipe.

The prepared dish, right out of the oven

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas
(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Note: This particular selection of vegetables is just what I had on hand. You can use any vegetables you like. Turnips, kohlrabi, eggplant, celery root, winter squash, sweet potato, brussels sprouts...use your imagination! Because I left my vegetables in rather large chunks, I couldn't really make rolled enchiladas, so I stacked them instead.

Tips for roasting vegetables: Cut the vegetables into roughly the same size for even roasting. Remember: the smaller the pieces, the faster the roasting time. Season with fresh or dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, or rosemary, if desired. Do not overcrowd, or the vegetables will steam instead of roasting and caramelizing. Remember that vegetables such as carrots will turn out firmer than soft, wet vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini. You can remove the softer vegetables when they reach the desired texture or not--I never do. You can also parboil dense vegetables such as carrots--I never bother with this either!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the roasted vegetables:

1 small head broccoli, cut into florets

1 orange bell pepper, or use any color you prefer, cut into squares

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

5 small zucchini, cubed

1 chayote, cubed

1 onion, in large dice

250g/1/2-pound crimini mushrooms, cut into quarters

2 medium carrots, cubed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the coated vegetables onto a large baking tray.

Roast vegetables for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes of cooking. Return to oven and roast for another 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the vegetable pieces, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning.

For the salsa:

See the following recipe

For the cheese:

2 cups grated cheese

(Note: I used a pre-shredded mix of Italian cheeses including Parmesan and Asiago from Costco, but any good melting cheese will work: Manchego, Cheddar, Asadero. etc.--see my article on Understanding Mexican Cheeses here)

Assembling the dish:

Pour enough salsa into a large baking dish to barely cover the bottom to prevent the tortillas from sticking. Top with a layer of tortillas, tearing the tortillas into smaller pieces to fill in the gaps as in the photo. Add a layer of roasted vegetables, being sure to peel the roasted garlic cloves. Pour half of the remaining salsa evenly over the vegetables. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, vegetables, salsa, and cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling around the edges.

The out-of-focus, but delicious roasted vegetables

Note: I roast a lot of vegetables because my family likes them. Sometimes I flavor them with fresh or dried herbs, sometimes I just toss them in garlic-laced extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper, as I did here.

Salsa ingredients, after 10 minutes of roasting

Note: When I was testing recipes as culinary producer for an American cooking show a couple of years ago, I wrote up this technique for a quick way to roast vegetables for salsa that makes for an easy clean up. The head producer in New York nixxed that idea as being too unattractive for television. Trust me, if you ever start roasting your veggies for salsa in this way, you'll never give it up. Unattractive or not--it just yields rich and satisfying results. And who wants to scrape their pans of the burned skin of charred tomatoes?

Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

Note: Because I wanted a creamy sauce, I added Mexican crema, or sour cream to this recipe. If using as a dipping salsa for chips, simply omit this step.

3 plum tomatoes

8 golf-ball sized tomatillos, husked and rinsed

3 garlic cloves

2 small serrano chiles, or to taste (jalapeño chiles can be substituted)

1 medium white onion (you can also use a large slice of onion instead of a whole one as in the photo)

1/3 cup of fresh cilantro

1/2 cup Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or sour cream

Sea salt, to taste

Line a heavy skillet with aluminum foil. Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, unpeeled garlic cloves, serrano chiles, and onion in the skillet. Roast over medium-high heat, turning frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are charred all over.

When cool enough to handle, peel garlic and remove the stems from the chiles. Place contents of the skillet in a blender with the cilantro, sour cream, and salt. Blend until smooth. Check and adjust seasoning, adding more salt and/or cilantro as preferred.

Enjoy!

A bit of salsa topped with a layer of fresh blue-corn tortillas--it's hard to go wrong with freshly made tortillas

The enchiladas, with one portion removed

A steaming pot of beans

Note: This is a drier version of a typical Mexican pot of beans. Instead of the usual epazote (see my article on epazote here), I used bay leaf; instead of lard or vegetable oil, I substituted olive oil. In Mexico, a bit pot of simply spiced, brothy beans are a daily staple in most homes, traditionally made in an earthenware pot called an olla. Typically eaten with salsa and fresh tortillas, they can be a meal in themselves. The version of beans I prepared to go with these enchiladas, is less soupy, but equally simple in its spicing. It helps that these beans are locally grown organic beans from the most recent crop.

Mediterranean-Style Frijoles de Olla

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

1 pound dried pinto beans, or other dried bean of choice, soaked overnight in water

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 medium-sized bay leaves

Water to cover by three inches

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the beans in a large, heavy pot and add enough water to cover beans by about three inches. Turn heat to high. Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaves. When the water begins to boi8l, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for an hour, checking occasionally to see if more water needs to be added. Keep the beans covered by at least an inch of water. Traditional recipes for these beans uses a lot of water, yielding a very soupy dish of beans. I used less for this recipe, but it is optional. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook over low heat for an additional 30 minutes.

Add salt and pepper (pepper usually isn't added to Mexican-style beans). Continue checking every 15 minutes or until beans are quite soft.

Enjoy!

A study in brown: an unadorned plate

The last of the sunflowers, taken in October--just because they are pretty and make me smile

Recipes are meant to be shared, but please ask permission before using text or images. Thanks!

Vegetarian Hungarian Mushroom Soup

2011-11-29T11:58:00.001-08:00

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Vegetarian Hungarian Mushroom Soup

by Victoria Challancin

Note to Readers: Last week I got word from the terrific journalist/photographer team of Jeff Spurrier and Ann Summa that Jeff had mentioned me in reference to a blog post I did on hoja santa in a piece he did for the L.A. Times. The link to Jeff's Article is here and the blog I wrote on the plant is here. Great stuff! Thank you, Jeff!

I woke up to a total surprise today: burst pipes! After the warmest November I can remember in over 24 years here in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, it was 21 degrees when I checked the thermometer this morning. Even if I hadn't checked, seeing the fried and blackened flowering vines, datura, orchid tree, and hoja santa plant told the story well enough. What to do on such a day? Make soup of course! And Mexican ponche (see my recipe here), and a dish of Southern cornbread just because I needed comfort.

I had been thinking of making this soup anyway and had the ingredients on hand. The extra cold weather just nudged me on. I had earmarked this soup some time ago from the For the Love of Cooking blog (click here for Pam's interpretation of the original Moosewood Cookbook recipe). It looked rather like a soupy version of how I make Mushroom Stroganoff, so I wanted to try it. The fact that it was vegetarian just made it perfect for my husband as well.

This soup comes together quickly and easily. I made some changes, of course, as should you to make it fit your taste. I added garlic and used plain yogurt instead of sour cream, just because I had it in the fridge. The vegetable broth I made from onion, lots of garlic, celery, carrot, orange bell pepper, and parsley. I also garnished with more fresh dill, as I happen to love it. I simplified the preparation a bit as well: instead of removing the mushrooms and preparing a roux, I simply incorporated the flour and butter into the mushroom mixture instead. This is such an easy and satisfying soup to prepare. Perfect for a chilly day. And, Dear Reader, lest you start feeling sorry for me in all this cold, I just returned from a dog walk wearing short sleeves--the temperatures are over 70 again!

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

(My interpretation of Pam's interpretation of Moosewood's original recipe)

2 tablespoons extra-virgen olive oil

1 medium-large onion (I used a white onion)

2 large garlic cloves, finely minced

1 pound crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons fresh dill weed, finely chopped

A large pinch of red pepper flakes (optional--my addition)

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk, 2% or whole (I used whole milk)

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I used vegetable), divided use

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt (I used plain yogurt)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Parsley or additional chopped fresh dill for garnish

Yogurt for garnish, optional

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, dill, red pepper flakes, paprika, soy sauce, and 1/2 cup of broth. Stir until well combined, then cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the butter and stir until incorporated. Sprinkle with flour, stir until completely absorbed. Continue stirring the mixture, which should be thick, for 2 to 3 minutes to get rid of any raw flour taste. Add the milk and remaining broth, stirring until well combined. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Just before serving, add the lemon juice, sour cream or yogurt, and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve garnished with additional yogurt and a sprinkle of either parsley or fresh dill.

Enjoy!

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Mojigangas strolling around the Organic Market on a recent Saturday in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

©Victoria Challancin. Recipes are meant to be shared, of course, but please ask permission before using text or images.

An Easy Side

2011-11-26T09:17:00.001-08:00

Sautéed Spinach with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Fresh Breadcrumbs

An Easy Side

by Victoria Challancin

After days of elaborate cooking and equally elaborate eating, I thought today I would give you an easy, but delicious, nutritious side dish with bright, clean flavors.

Versions of this dish appear all over the Mediterranean. I have read that it originates with the Sephardic Jews, but whatever the origins, I think of it as purely Italian, kosher or not, as Italy is where I have encountered it the most.

This dish lends itself to interpretation. In Italy, particularly in Sicily, you might find this dish used as a pasta "sauce." Simply add it to cooked spaghetti with a touch more olive oil, leaving the breadcrumbs for the last. Add cheese to this dish with the pasta and bake it, again with the breadcrumbs on top. Golden raisins or dried cranberries could also be used. A grating of lemon zest wouldn't go amiss either. Bits of chopped prosciutto could be a nice addition as well, though hardly kosher. This also makes a terrific stuffing for chicken breasts, topped with a light marinara sauce or not. The California Raisin Marketing Board offers a salad version using baby spinach with a golden raisin vinaigrette...yum. And it probably goes without saying that any cooked green would be great in this basic recipe--I particularly like kale or Swiss chard, but imagine that mustard greens would be heavenly.

While recipes like this one don't really require a proper recipe, I do use recipes when I teach them to Mexican cooks in my classes here in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. It's just easier when I can find a recipe already written out with quantities and instructions so that I can translate them quickly into

Spanish, rather than racking my head trying to remember exactly how much of this or that I actually used when left to my own devices. Play with this recipe, but do try it. I promise that if it isn't already a staple in your repertoire of quick dishes, it will be soon.

Scroll down for a bit of history on spinach!

Sautéed Spinach with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Fresh Breadcrumbs

(Recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine)

Note: To make fresh breadcrumbs, simply use stale bread or toast fresh bread in a 300-degree oven for a few minutes until crisp, and then pulse in a food processor until the bread is the size of peas.

1/4 cup golden or regular raisins

14/ cup pine nuts

1/4 cup olive oil

12/ cup fresh, coarse breadcrumbs

1 large clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound fresh spinach, trimmed

In a large skillet or sautée pan over medium heat, heat the raisins and pine nuts in 2 tablespoons oil for about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer the raisins and pine nuts to a plate.

Add the breadcrumbs and garlic to the pan, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of black pepper (my addition). Cook over medium-low heat until slightly brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the pan with the spinach, and cook until the spinach just wilts. Transfer to a serving platter, toss with the raisins and pine nuts, top with the breadcrumbs, and serve.

Enjoy!

Sautéed Spinach with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Fresh Breadcrumbs

Spinach: A Bit of History

For any of us growing up in the U.S. in the days of Popeye, it is hard to miss the fact that spinach is incredibly nutritious. Rich in iron, zinc, and calcium, spinach makes an inexpensive addition to any diet, even though the oxalate content of spinach makes the calcium harder to absorb than the calcium in, for example, broccoli. You can read more about oxalates here.

History tells us that spinach probably originated in ancient Persia. Trade dispersed the the plant as it was introduced by Arab traders into India and ancient China, where it was called "Persian vegetable." The Saracens also introduced spinach to Sicily as early as AD 827, where it became a popular vegetable. It arrived in Spain by the latter part of the 12th century, also via the Arabs, where it was called the "captain of leafy greens." England and France were exposed to spinach a bit later, in the 14th century, probably via Spain. And Wikipedia tells us that Catherine de Medici loved spinach so much that when she became queen of France in 1533, she insisted it be served at every meal! (Note: Today dishes made with spinach are known as "Florentine," reflecting the city of Florence, where Catherine was born.)

Members of the newly-formed group who meet in San Miguel to study plants, will be happy to note that spinach belongs to the family of Amaranthaceae, which we discussed just last week!

Remember that all recipes are meant to be shared, but please ask for permission before using images or text. Thanks!

Giving Thanks...and an Easy Recipe

2011-11-23T07:35:00.001-08:00

Giving Thanks...and an Easy Recipe

by Victoria Challancin

Don't worry, Dear Reader, I'm not going to wax philosophical on you on this Thanksgiving Eve. I will give a profound personal thanks for the many blessings in my life--the loving, extended family from whence I came, my own nuclear family that give my life meaning and for our good health, the loving and inspiring friends that surround me, the peace and prosperity in which I have my being, the travels that have fed me at so many levels, the Mexican people and culture which imbue my life with color, meaning, and inspiration, the students who make my work so gratifying. My list could go on and on, as I know your own personal list could. For now let me say simply that I do give thanks for my world and my life, in large ways and small. I do give thanks. Daily.

I am wishing for each of you a blessed day of fabulous food, loving friends and family, and the time to remember all we have for which to give thanks.

Today I offer a simple Spanish recipe for potatoes with a simple cilantro sauce. These potatoes are known as papas arrugadas, or "wrinkled potatoes." If mine are not sufficiently wrinkled, it is only because I didn't allow enough time in the cooking process and in the evaporating of any liquid afterwards. This simple recipe comes from the Canary Islands, as does the recipe for the green sauce. While this recipe is certainly easy to prepare and gratifying to eat, I prefer the potatoes roasted in the oven with garlic and olive oil. But if you avoiding the extra fat, or simply don't have the time, then this simple recipe is perfect as given here.

The fresh green sauce is called mojo cilantro. The Spanish food section of About.com tells us that in the Canary Islands mojos are sauces made with vinegar and oil and served cold as an accompaniment to potatoes, meat, and fish. Sometimes these sauces are red (made with red peppers) or green, resplendent with fresh herbs. Sometimes they are spicy; sometimes not.

Wrinkled Potatoes

Papas Arrugadas

(Recipe from About.com)

Makes 4 servings as a side dish, 6 to 8 as an appetizer.

2 1/2 pounds small potatoes

2 tablespoons coarse sea salt

Remove any "eyes" from the potatoes and place in a large pot. Add water to just cover. Add salt.

Boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked and tender.

Remove from heat and pour off the water. Return pot with potatoes to the stove, letting the steam evaporate. You should see a layer of salt form on the dry skins.

Serve hot with the Mojo Cilantro sauce.

Papas Arrugadas with fresh cilantro sauce

I grew up in rural South Florida, where I was exposed to the wondrous and varied mojos, or wet sauces/marinades, from Cuba. While these sauces are usually made with garlic and sour citrus juice, the mojo served with these potatoes comes from the Canary Islands. There, the word mojo refers to several types of sauces which vary in both color and spiciness. These sauces are easy to prepare and can give life to simple steamed vegetables, cheese, or even just a chunk of fresh bread!

Spanish Cilantro Sauce

Mojo Cilantro

(Recipe from About.com)

3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed

1/2 to 1 cup virgin Spanish olive oil

4 to 5 tablespoons (approximately) water

Spanish sherry vinegar to taste

Process the cumin, garlic, cilantro, and salt in a food processor or blender to create a paste. While blending, drizzle in olive oil gradually. Add small amounts of water until the sauce is thick, but not as thick as the paste. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons vinegar or more, according to taste.

If not using the sauce the same day, store in a glass jar. Seal tightly and refrigerate.

Note: You could substitute a bunch of flat-leaf parsley for the cilantro for a different flavor.

Enjoy!

I'll be sending this to Brii, at briggishome.wordpress.com, who is hosting this week's Weekend Herb Blog event, begun by Kalyn Denny of kalynskitchen.com and taken up by Haalo of Cook Almost Anything . Stop by Brii's blog to see what my fellow bloggers are doing with herbs--and vegetables!

Potatoes with Mojo Cilantro

All recipes are meant to be shared and passed along, but please don't use text or photo images without my permission. Thanks!

Autumn Soup and Salad...mmm

2011-11-19T07:13:00.001-08:00

Autumn Soup and Salad...mmm

by Victoria Challancin

We should be experiencing cooler weather by now, here in the high central plateau of Central Mexico. We should, but really the 80+ degree temperatures during the day belie the fact that we are quickly approaching winter. Nights are cold, but that is mainly due to the altitude (the GPS says it is 6700 feet right at my front door!), but still...colder-weather food beckons.

Knowing that much of the modern-day squash developed from the wild squash that originated in Meso-America, I always found it surprising when I first moved to Central Mexico over twenty four years ago, that pumpkin was the only winter-type squash available here. When the butternut variety of squash appeared in local markets a few years ago, I was thrilled! Absolutely thrilled. I love it roasted, puréed, in soups, raw or roasted in salads (check out the recipe for Raw Butternut Squash Salad with Maple-Cinnamon Vinaigrette here)--I love it in sweet recipes or in savory. I love its versatility, texture, health benefits, and visual appeal. (Scroll down for more on its history). There's not much you can do with butternut squash that I don't like. Hence, when I found this recipe earmarked in my files, I knew I had to make it. And as an added extra, this soup is topped with a lively chutney--for those of you who doubt my love of chutney, check here, here, or here for some previous recipes.

This soup is lusciously smooth, easy to prepare, delicious, and pretty as well. It came to my attention via an email from Yummly Recipes, which gives its origins as Gourmet Magazine.

Happy to have not one, but two recipes from magazines this week, all ready to go, I'll submit this post to the Magazine Monday blog event, inaugurated in 2007 by Ivonne, of the always inspiring blog, Cream Puffs in Venice. Ivonne posts links to other bloggers who have used magazine recipes.

ButternutSquash Soup with Green Chile-Coriander Chutney

(Adapted from a recipe from Gourmet Magazine)

Makes 8 servings.

For the chutney:

1/4 cup sliced blanched almonds or pumpkin seeds (I substituted pumpkin seeds)

1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

2 jalapeño chiles

2 cups loosely packed coriander (cilantro)

For the soup:

2 cups chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

one 3- to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeds and strings discarded, and the flesh

cut into 1/2-inch cubes

6 1/2 cups chicken broth

Two 4-inch strips of orange zest

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

8 coriander sprigs for garnish

Possible Variations: Substitute 2 cups of coconut milk for two of the cups of broth, add a bit of grated ginger; add dried cranberries or raisins to the chutney

Make the chutney:

In a blender or food processor blend the almonds, the coconut, the chile, a pinch of salt, and 1/3 cup water until the mixture is finely ground. Add the coriander and blend the mixture until it is ground fine. (Note: This recipe makes what is known as a dry chutney, which has a slightly grainy texture). The chutney may be made 8 hours in advance and kept covered and chilled. Makes about 1 cup.

Make the soup:

In a kettle or Dutch oven cook the onion in the butter and oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened. Add the squash and 1/2 cup water, and cook the mixture, covered, over moderately low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Add the broth, the zest, and the juice of the orange and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 15 minutes. In a blender or food processor purée the mixture in batches and strain it through a sieve into a large bowl. The soup may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Ladle the soup into 8 bowls and garnish each serving with about a tablespoon of the chutney, to be stirred into the soup, and a coriander sprig.

Enjoy!

Green Chile-Coriander Chutney

For a salad to accompany the soup, I chose a Roasted Pear Salad with Chèvre and Fig Vinaigrette. For the recipe and a couple of links to other Pear/Cheese combinations I adore, click here. Notice that in one version of this salad I used Belgian endive for accent, and in this one purslane and watercress.

An individual serving of the Roasted Pear Salad with Goat's Cheese and Fig Vinaigrette in a hand-blown Mexican glass salad bowl

The salad, as a whole, served on another hand-blown Mexican glass platter

A Brief History of the Cucurbitaceae Family and Winter Squashes

Cucurbitaceae, refers to the family of gourds, and Cucurbita is the genus which was first cultivated in Mesoamerica. This genus includes both the edible fruits such as squashes, pumpkins, marrows, and chilacayote, as well as gourds themselves.

It is thought that squash has been an important part of the Mesoamerican diet for at least 5000 years, and known that the Incas of Peru were cultivating them by the time the Spanish arrived. Evidence from the Smithsonian Institute gives the date at 10,000 years ago. Whatever the exact date of the domestication of squashes, we do know that the Spanish found and documented the use of squash seeds in the cooking of Mexico, notably in the delectable pipián sauces made from toasted squash seeds: Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, in Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva España written in the late 1520s, described in detail how the Aztecs used ground squash seeds in various casseroles.

If the earliest records of human use of edible cucurbits point to Mexico, we also know that Egyptian pharaohs also served cucurbits as a part of their meals and that they were eaten simultaneously in Thailand and Peru as early as 7000 B.C., making early squash the stuff of legend. From the archives of botany at UCLA, we find some tantalizing controversy: "The greatest controversy among gourd lore concerns the bottle gourd or calabash, which is also called the Pre-Columbian gourd. This is one of the plants that was used for containers in both the Old and New World before Columbus discovered America. Some authors have used the bottle gourd as evidence that there was pre-Columbian cultural exchange. However, experiments have shown that dried, sealed bottle gourds cam float for as long as two years in seawater without killing the seeds; it is likely that bottle gourds floated between the continents and were picked up in the New World and adopted for uses there... One fruit making a successful trans-Atlantic voyage to the coast of Brazil from Africa would have been sufficient to establish the plant in the New World." I say that wherever they originated, we are just glad that they took hold in the Americas--and so were the first American pilgrims!

Butternut Squash

Like its cousins the pumpkin and cucumber, butternut squash belongs to the Cucurbita moschata species specifically, although butternut squash is a newcomer, making its appearance as late as 1944.

The history of butternut squash is nicely laid out in a brief article on eHow food, which says that although its squash cousins were originally grown for the seeds because they were believed to increase fertility, they were also buried along with the dead to provide them with nourishment on their final journey. Fertility vs sustenance, whatever the reason, squashes played an important role in the pre-Hispanic diet and are still important in the Mesoamerican diet today.

Long recognized as an important source of carotenoids, recent research also reveals that winter squash can be a great source of antioxidants. The seeds, high in linoleic and oleic acids, also make a healthy snack food.

As a starchy vegetable (about 90% of its total calories com from carbohydrates), winter squash contains polysaccharides in the cell walls which contribute to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic and insulin-regulating properties. See WHFoods for more information.

Aloe Vera blooms in my garden

Recipes are meant to be shared, but please get permission before using text or images. Thanks!

Fry That Sucker!

2011-11-15T07:19:00.001-08:00

Zucchini Fritters with Tzatziki

Fry That Sucker!

by Victoria Challancin

My mother was from Georgia and, like every good Southern cook of her time, she fried everything. Everything. She fried chicken (of course), quail, dove, rabbit, fish, turtle, alligator tail, frog legs, venison, mushrooms, okra. You name it, my Mom fried it. Deep fried it, at that. And although these foods still represent comfort and love to me, I rarely, rarely fry anything. Ever.

In today's world of healthy preparation and choices, frying has become a dirty word, an anathema. And with good reason. Who could live on a steady diet of so much fat? (And how did my family survive such food?). There are just too many other ways to prepare tasty dishes. But occasionally, when I get in the mood to fry something, albeit in a wee bit of oil and not in a deep pan of it, I fondly remember both my Mom and the late and inimitable Molly Ivins, writer, political commentator, and humorist, who famously once said, "I'm gonna write a Texas cookbook, and call it Fry That Sucker!"

That summed up how I felt this week when trying to think what I might prepare for my healthy vegetarian husband. I thought, "Zucchini Fritters. I'll just fry those suckers!" And so I did. And boy, were they tasty--I'm so glad I did. Hats off to you, Mom, and to Molly.

Zucchini Fritters

Recipe by Victoria Challancin

1 pound zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or basil
1 large garlic clove, pressed
2 tablespoons grated onion

Canola oil, for frying

Trim the ends off zucchini and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Place in a colander and toss with a teaspoon of salt. Mix well with hands to distribute salt. Place colander in sink or on a plate to catch the water that will drain off the zucchini. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile place the flour, baking powder, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix with a fork.
Set aside.

Rinse the grated zucchini under running water and squeeze dry with hands. Alternately, you could squeeze it dry in a clean towel or a piece of cheese cloth. Add zucchini to the bowl with the flour.

Add the egg, dill, garlic, and 2 tablespoons onion to the bowl and mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.

Heat about 1/4 cup canola oil in a large heavy skillet until very hot. Using a large spoon, drop dollops of the zucchini mixture into the skillet, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook the fritters over medium high heat until the underneath is golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the fritters and fry on the other side until golden, about 2 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel. Transfer the fritters to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200-degree oven. Continue the process until all the batter has been used, frying in batches and adding more oil as needed.

Note: Taste (face it, just eat a fritter...) one of the first fritters cooked for salt. Usually, enough salt remains from the original salting even though the zucchini has been rinsed. Adjust salt if needed.

Tzatziki

Oh, Tzatziki. I could probably write a book about you. Or at least an ode.

Tzatziki is a Greek condiment or salad served on its own with other appetizers or as an accompaniment to other dishes. Made of thick Greek yogurt and seasoned with fresh herbs like dill or mint, tzatziki is both refreshing and easy to prepare.

Tzatziki is something that I frequently have on hand. My husband, who comes from a Macedonian family and loves all flavors from Greece, Turkey, and the Mediterranean in general, simply loves it. So does my son, though he now lives in the U.S. I make it so often that it was hard to actually write down the recipe. Sometimes I add fresh dill, sometimes mint. Sometimes lemon juice is used to give it a tart flavor, sometimes vinegar. Sometimes I have a higher ratio of cucumber to yogurt, sometimes a smaller. If I feel like it, I grate the cucumber; if not, I slice it. One garlic clove or two--just whatever you prefer. Occasionally, if I have time, I drain my yogurt or use thick Greek yogurt. Sometimes I don't even have time to salt and drain my cucumbers. And I never measure any of this, so I am guessing that the glug of olive oil is about a tablespoon, though two wouldn't go amiss. So as you can see, we are dealing with a flexible recipe here.

But however I do make it at any given time, Tzatziki is very useful to have around. It is terrific with these fritters, but is also great on a green salad, served with eggs, atop practically any cooked or raw vegetable, or just good on its own.

Tzatziki: Yogurt with Cucumber

(Recipe by Victoria Challancin)

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced or grated

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups natural yogurt

2 garlic cloves, pressed (one if the taste of raw garlic seems too overpowering)

Freshly ground black or white pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill or mint

Place the cucumber in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Mix gently with hands and allow to drain. It is wise to set the colander over the sink or a plate to catch the water that drains from the cucumber. Set aside for 2o minutes.

Meanwhile, place the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.

Rinse the cucumber and squeeze dry with hands. Add the cucumber to the yogurt and mix gently with a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning. Store in the refrigerator and serve cold.

Enjoy!

I love the bright green flecks of zucchini peel and dill

My husband brings me roses...

Recipes are meant to be shared, but please do not use images or text without my permission.

Happy Accidents: Pasta with Tomato-Vermouth Sauce

2011-11-12T11:41:00.001-08:00

Fusilli with ~~Vodka~~ Vermouth Sauce

Happy Accidents: Pasta with Tomato-~~Vodka~~ Vermouth Sauce

by Victoria Challancin

If you trace the history of any cook you would surely find it dotted with countless accidents, changes, substitutions, and tweaks, most of which resulted in successful dishes. We cooks see interesting food in books and magazines, taste inspired dishes in restaurants, imagine all sorts of combinations while day-dreaming about food, and then proceed to replicate or interpret recipes in our own way. This is how we learn to be good cooks. Occasionally, an accidental substitution ends up being a happy surprise. This is the story of just that.

Many of you readers know that I live in Mexico and regularly teach international cooking to Mexican cooks who work for mainly foreigners looking to expand the repertoire of what their cooks, who are already more than proficient in preparing the cuisine of Mexico, can provide. Part of what I do is to educate the cooks' palates to new ingredients, new ideas, new taste sensations. Another thing I try to do is to eliminate the fear of making mistakes, fear of experimentation, fear of failure. Mistakes, I tell them, should be jumping off places, areas to explore and expand what is possible in the kitchen. This recipe is a perfect example of this.

Preparing a mise en place of ingredients, carefully measured and laid out in size-appropriate receptacles, is a part of my class. That way, we can see what a teaspoon proportion looks like, understand the differences in teaspoons and tablespoons, use fractions to measure cups, and all the things that the average American cook takes for granted. Measuring spoons and cups are often new to the Mexican cooks in my class, having learned to cook from their own mothers and grandmothers, without bothering with such, using instinct to guide them. Of course learning to use instinct is a great way to approach cooking, if you are confident enough to do it. The cooks in these classes are confident with la cocina Mexicana, but usually not with foreign fare. So we measure.

On the particular day we were scheduled to make a Tomato-Vodka Sauce for pasta (always a winner and easy too!), we also were preparing a salad with a creamy vinaigrette to accompany it. The scene was set. The mise en place in place for each recipe. We were ready to go. While making the salad dressing together as a group, I turned away to tend to deal with something or other, and turned back to find that one of the cooks had poured the measured vodka for the pasta sauce into the mixture for the vinaigrette. We laughed and I tried to help her get over her embarrassment by saying this is how we learn, both in the kitchen and in life: we make mistakes, correct them if we can, and move on.

Well, there seemed to be no rescue for the ruined salad dressing, so we started afresh with it. But when we moved on to the pasta sauce, I found I didn't have enough vodka left to even make it. What to do? I substituted dry vermouth instead! The flavor of the vermouth came through, not as subtle as the vodka but equally good. And frankly, I was pleased to find yet another way to use vermouth. I'm not much of a drinker of hard liquor, but I do love aperitifs, and vermouth (red, white, sweet, dry) is probably my favorite. A happy recipe was born.

Have you ever given birth to a new and exciting recipe due to a happy accident? I smiled with understanding and admiration when I read this week one such account on the delightful blog called Foodalogue (http://foodalogue.com/) when a rescue was needed for some bland swordfish sausage. Necessity as the mother of invention...yet again.

Here is the recipe I used from Foodpickle at Food52.com:

Penne alla Vodka or Vermouth

(Recipefrom Foodpickle at Food52.com added by Due Spaghetti)

SERVES 4

1 lb.package of penne or pennette (I used fusilli)

1 28-ouncecan of whole tomatoes (I used chopped canned tomatoes0

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 ofa medium onion

6ounces pancetta (I used bacon)

1/2cup panna da cucina, crema mexicana, creme fraiche or heavy whippingcream

1/2cup vodka (I used dry vermouth)

1/4cup brandy

1/4 to1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salt

Freshly grated Parmesan
Optional garnish: chopped parsley (my addition, for color)

Cut the onion into large pieces that can be removed once sautéed. Dice the pancetta into small
cubes.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the onion and pancetta and sauté until the onions are translucent and the pancetta is crispy.

Place the food mill on top of the saucepan and pass the tomatoes and their sauce through it,
producing a smooth tomato sauce.

Add the vodka (or vermouth!), brandy, crushed red pepper and salt. Allow to simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove from heat,and add the sour cream and stir well.

In the meantime, bring a pot of water to boil. Add a handful of salt (possibly coarse salt0 to the
water, and add the pasta.

Cook to al dente according to the time on the package. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and
pour the sauce over it. Serve immediately topped with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley,
if using.

Enjoy!

Fusilli with Tomato-Vermouth Sauce

Fun with Potstickers

2011-11-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

Pork-filled Chinese Dumplings and Dipping Sauce

Fun with Potstickers

by Victoria Challancin

It's always gratifying to teach a recipe that is just fun to make: full of good flavors, accompanying

giggles, and sighs of pleasure at the result. This is just what happened with these potstickers, which were prepared recently in a class I taught to Mexican cooks. Potstickers are fun to make. Period. And for this particular group of cooks, it was an education of the palate as well, as they had never experienced them before.

Mexican cooks in general have a lot of experience folding small parcels of food. Just think of tamales or empanadas. For that reason, these cooks embraced the pleating of the dumplings using prepared

Gyoza wrappers with particular ease and joy. Often I find that when filling any "packet", whether it is springrolls, raviolis, cabbage leaves, dolmas, or whatever, the tendency is to over-fill, resulting in

packets which open and spill while cooking. Once this lesson is grasped, however, making the small parcels is a snap, as with these potstickers.

Chinese Potstickers with Pork

Although we have access here in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, to many imported items, such as the Gyoza wrappers, I still find I have to substitute. In this recipe we used jícama instead of water chestnuts, spinach instead of Bok choy (though I can sometimes find it at a local organic ranch or store), and the smallish Mexican bulb onions instead of the narrow scallions so needed for Chinese recipes. But the substitutions worked. No problem.

Here is the recipe we used, which I found on the chinesefood.about.com site. You can also see another
Pan Asian feast here, which includes potstickers from another class.

Potstickers: Chinese Pan-fried Dumplings

(Recipe from Rhonda Parkinson, About.com)

Yields about 48 dumplings.

1/2 cup finely chopped Bok choy leaves or spinach

1/2 cup finely chopped Napa cabbage

1/3 cup finely chopped green onion

1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts or jícama (we used jícama)

1 pound ground pork

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Dash white pepper

1 package wonton or Gyoza wrappers (about 48 wrappers) (we used Gyoza wrappers)

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, or 1 lightly beaten egg white

1 cup water, or as needed

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl, using your fingers to mix everything together. (Note:

if preparing the filling ahead of time, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.)

Fill each wrapper with a heaping teaspoon of the pork filling. Add the filling in the middle of the

potsticker wrapper, using your finger to spread it out toward the sides. Be sure not to overfull or to

spread the filling close to the edge of the wrapper.

To fold the dumpling, moisten the edges of the wrapper with the egg white or mixture of water or

water and cornstarch (this makes ist easier to seal). Gently lift the edges of the moistened wrapper

over the filling. Crimp, or pleat, the edges of the wrapper and pinch together to seal. (Cover the remaining wrappers with a damp cloth to keep them from drying out while filling the folding the

dumplings).

Heat a wok or nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add 10 to 12

potstickers, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottom is browned. ADd 1/3 cup water, cover, and steam the dumplings until the liquid is absorbed (about 5 minutes). Check to make sure the pork is

cooked throughout. Remove and cook the remainder of the dumplings in the same manner. Serve

alone with this Dipping Sauce, hot chile oil, or with soy sauce combined with freshly chopped

g9inger or a few drops of Asian sesame oil.

Enjoy!

A plate of freshly-cooked potstickers

The Mexican cooks in my classes love to arrange things symetrically; I tend to be a bit more random. Perhaps I am lazy?

Paula, with a tray of crimped dumplings, ready to panfry

Note the use of small bulb onions instead of scallions in this sauce that we also used for lumpia, or miniature Filipino springrolls

A leftover from Day of the Dead

Mexican Day of the Dead: The Altars

2011-11-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

Mexican Day of the Dead: The Altars

by Victoria Challancin

On Tuesday we visited a Day of the Dead Market in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, to see the alfeñiques, or sugar skulls and other sugar figures. Today we stroll through the main square and environs to see some actual altars, made in loving tribute to departed loved ones.

Day of the Dead Market in San Miguel de Allende

2011-11-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Day of the Dead Market in San Miguel de Allende

by Victoria Challancin

In the post I wrote last year on Day of the Dead in El Día de los Muertos: The Poetry of Death, I started by saying:

"Mexicans celebrate life. Mexicans celebrate death. Mexicans celebrate--that is a joyous fact of life.

Firecrackers, parades, bands, food...families coming together, schools reinforcing traditions, life continuing in timeless ways midst the turmoil of modern change.

Reams have been written about Mexico's celebration of the Day of the Dead. Reams. Volumes. Often

I read that it is an example of how Mexicans laugh at death. I don't believe that Mexicans laugh at

death at all, rather they "celebrate" death as a means of staying connected and honoring those that they love, those who have passed on--albeit in a joyful and colorful way. No dreary mourning here. Instead we have a vivid connection to the Cycle of Life."

This year I give you a photo waltz through the special market set up to sell that which is necessary for altars to honor the dead for Dia de los Muertos. If you want to read more about Day of the Dead and its history, try here. Or if you want information about Sugar Skulls and how to make them, go here. Or to see the most beautiful long-legged sheep alfeñiques, given to me by dear friends, go here (scroll to end of post). But if you want to just enjoy some photos of the magical, inventive alfeñiques, or figures made from sugar, then join me below.

Alfeñiques

The People:

The Animals:

The Food:

And finally, two precious friends decked out as Catrinas for Halloween:

Go Ahead, Play with Your Food

2011-10-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

Roasted Garlic-Chayote Bisqueand Red Pepper Bisque

Note: The Rachael Ray Show just filmed an episode here in San Miguel de Allende. Look at the clip called Rachael's Surprise for some beautiful shots of my home, San Miguel!

Go Ahead, Play with Your Food!

by Victoria Challancin

No matter what you mother told you, play with your food! Just do it! Or that's what I think every time I make a two-toned soup. It is so gratifying to pour, and even more gratifying to eat. And there are so many variations--below I will give you two that I recently made.

Two-toned soups are fun and easy to make. Any time I have ever made these in class, I have discovered three things: everyone is afraid to attempt the simultaneous pour, everyone is amazed at how simple it is in the end, and everyone is dazzled by the beautiful results. And the variations are endless; pureed black and white beans are stunning, multicolored bell peppers magical, root vegetables practically scream to join the fray, winter squashes pair well with white beans or turnips, and potatoes set off just about any other colorful vegetable. Just remember to keep the consistencies of the two soups approximately the same to facilitate ease of pouring. And most of these cream or at least creamy soups are equally delicious served cold as well as hot.

The first of these soups was born out of a request in a private cooking classes I did with some fun and creative friends. They specifically asked me to come up with a chayote-based soup, which I did. Then I thought to pair it with a red pepper bisque to give them the opportunity to learn something new and fun.

Because chayote is naturally bland, I added a good bit of roasted garlic to give it some umph. I used the Mexican technique of simply roasting garlic cloves in their husks on a comal or in a dry skillet. Of course, the Italian technique of oven-roasting in foil with a drizzle of olive oil would work equally well. For color I chose fresh basil, though cilantro or parsley would work according to your preferences and your menu. Chicken broth was the base, but again, do what works for you--vegetable broth would also be fine.

I paired the light green chayote soup with a red pepper bisque I made recently in a class for Mexican cooks as a part of another two-toned soup recipe. The colors were stunning.

Jackie, pouring roasted garlic-chayote bisque and red pepper bisque

Jackie, still creating...see how simple it would be to tweak this a bit and have a Yin/Yang symbol?

Roasted Garlic-Chayote Bisque and Red Pepper Bisque

(Recipe byVictoria Challancin)

Serves 8.

For the Chayote Soup:

6 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

3 cups chicken broth, plus extra to thin soup if needed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper,to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup heavy cream

For thePepper Soup: (this part comes from epicurious.com)

3tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1/2teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

1tablespoon unsalted butter

6red bell peppers, roasted and roughly chopped (about 6 cups)

3 cups chicken broth, plus extra to thin soup if needed

1/4cup heavy cream

Freshlemon juice to taste

Make thechayote soup:

Place the unpeeled garlic clovesin a small skillet. Roast overmedium heat until slightly charred and

soft, turning frequently. Once cool enough to handle, peel, and setaside.

Heat the butter in a mediumsaucepan over medium heat. Add theonion. Sauté until soft, about 5

minutes. Add peeled roastedgarlic, chayote, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat,

and simmer for 20 minutes, or untilsquash is tender. Allow to cool slightly, add basil, and puree (in

blender inbatches or with an immersion blender directly in the saucepan). Return soup to the

saucepan if usingthe blender method to puree, and add cream. Mix well and check for seasoning

and thickness, adding a bitmore broth if necessary. Set asideuntil ready to serve.

Make the peppersoup: In a heavysaucepan cook the shallot, the thyme, and salt and pepper to

taste in thebutter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft, add thebell peppers and

1 1/2 cups of the broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 12to 15 minutes, or until the peppers

are very soft. Purée in blender and force through a sieve, if desired. Whisk in the cream, enough of

theadditional broth to reach the desired consistency, the lemon juice, and saltand pepper to taste.

The soup can be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

When ready to serve: Pour hot soup into two 2-cup glass measuring cups. Pour simultaneously

into individual bowls, adjusting the flow and shape of the two colors of soups as you go. Garnish

with a drizzle of cream and more chopped basil, if desired.

Another pair of delicious soups: Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Roasted Tomato Soup

with Serrano Cream from epicurious.com

Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Roasted Tomato Soup

with Serrano Cream

(from epicurious.com)

Serves 6.

For the Pepper Soup:

3tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1/2teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1tablespoon unsalted butter

6yellow bell peppers, roasted and chopped coarse

(about6 cups)

2 cups chicken broth plus extra to thin soup

1/4cup heavy cream

Freshlemon juice to taste

Forthe Tomato Soup:

3 pounds plum tomatoes, roasted

3 unpeeled large garlic cloves,roasted

3 tablespoons finely choppedshallot

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano,crumbled

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 cups chicken broth plusextra to thin soup

1/4 cup heavy cream

Fresh lemon juice to taste

Forthe Serrano Cream:

3 freshSerrano chiles or jalapeños, seeded and chopped fine

1 large garlic clove, minced andmashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cupsour cream

Make the pepper soup: In a heavysaucepan cook the shallot, the thyme, and salt and pepper to

taste in thebutter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft, add thebell peppers and

1 1/2 cups of the broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, for12 to 15 minutes, or until the peppers

are very soft. Purée in blender and force through a sieve. Whisk in the cream, enough of the

additional broth to reach the desired consistency, the lemon juice, and saltand pepper to taste.

The soup maybe made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Make the tomato soup: In a heavysaucepan cook the shallot, the oregano, salt and pepper to

taste in the butterover moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft. Add the tomatoes and

peeled garlic, and1 1/2 cups broth and simmered the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes. Purée in

blender, forcing through asieve. Whisk in the cream,additional broth if necessary, thelemon juice,

and salt and pepper to taste. The soup may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled.

Make the serrano cream: In ablender purée the chiles, the garlic paste, and the sour cream until

well-combined. Do notoverblend. Force through a finesieve, cover, and chill. Bring toroom

temperature before serving (if serving the soup hot).

Enjoy!

Note: I am submitting the second of these recipes to the "non-event" Magazine Mondays, hosted by Ivonne on her terrific blog, Cream Puffs in Venice. Check it out!

A Bold, Versatile Condiment: Italian Salsa Verde

2011-10-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

Italian Salsa Verde--no color correction used! It's that bright and fresh!

A Bold, Versatile Condiment: Italian Salsa Verde

by Victoria Challancin

Note: Don't confuse this with the equally delicious Mexican Salsa Verde, which uses tomatillos, garlic, chiles, and cilantro. That's for another post!

When, for a private cooking class for delightful American friends last week, I was asked to come up with a useful sauce or condiment that included lots of fresh herbs, I didn't have to give it a minute's thought to offer this bright, fresh sauce from Northern Italy's Piedmont region. Traditionally served with the classic dish of boiled meats, Bollito Misto, this piquant condiment has countless variations and countless uses. It is simply a recipe that every cook should have in his or her repertoire.

If I have a signature in my cooking style, it is probably my use of fresh herbs and spices. And nowhere do the herbs shine through as they do in this easy recipe. Although practically any type of fresh herb can be used as a base, I particularly love to mix parsley and mint. Other possibilities include cilantro, basil, chives, arugula, thyme (use sparingly), tarragon, cress, marjoram, or oregano. Some versions of this classic dish include mustard, some don't. Others might add anchovies. Or not. Chopped hard-cooked egg and/or gherkins are also optional as is thickening with bread soaked in vinegar or lemon juice. Traditionalists will chop the ingredients by hand; flexible modern cooks who don't have the time to spare, will use the food processor. As you can see, this recipe deserves to be played with until you can call it your own, made to suit your particular tastes.

Some uses for Salsa Verde:

Bollito Misto--Piedmontese boiled meats and vegetables
On focaccia, crackers, crostini, or bread
With crudités
Alongside any grilled seafood
With roasted (or steamed) vegetables
Atop grilled cheese such as haloumi or panela, or with goat cheese
As a pasta sauce
With meats such as chicken or lamb
As a dip for chips or pita triangles

SalsaVerde Italiana

Note: I've made this recipe for so many years that I don't the original source; however, let's

attribute this to Giada De Laurentiis as it is so similar to hers in this recipe.

1/4 cup capers, drained and coarselychopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leafparsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons chopped scallions

1 clove garlic, finely minced (more, if preferred)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (use a bitless if using lime juice) or 3

tablespoons of red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 hard cooked egg, finely chopped

1 cup olive oil, preferablyextra-virgin

1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepperflakes

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground blackpepper

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl to blendor purée in a blender. Check andadjust seasoning to taste.

Enjoy!

If this recipe appeals to you, you might also enjoy my recipe for Italian Salsa Verde with Arugula and
Hazelnuts.

The Salsa Verde was terrific paired with these roasted vegetables, cooked in a hot oven with a touch

of olive oil, salt, and pepper (vegetables included carrots, zucchini, beets, onions, endive, baby potatoes,

red bell pepper, garlic, butternut squash, and mushrooms)

I am submitting this post to Weekend Herb Blogging, the original brainchild of Kalyn Denny of Kalyn's Kitchen. The upcoming week's WHB is hosted by the wonderful Haalo at Cook (Almost) Anything. Be
sure to visit both sites for inspiration and great recipes!