Gazpacho (Chilled Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Soup with Avocado)

My goodness, its hard to come back from vacation! Inertia really took hold, let me tell you! All of that laying by the pool! ;)

We weren't very consistent with our picture taking, and even then, it was all done on our cell phones... so once we're able to transfer those around, I'll share what we did photograph! I cannot wait to gush! :)

I do want to say this one little thing, though. I still cannot get over the iced tea my husband ordered at San Marco. Not specifically because of the tea, mind you. My joy stems from the fact that rather than bring him sugar or sugar substitute, they brought a little glass of simple syrup - and more with each refill! Beside myself, I tell you!

Now, on to the soup!

We'd received a TON of tomatoes in our CSA before we left for Vegas. Which is nice, because now that we've gotten so much water, the tomatoes are splitting and rotting on the vine... which means less tomatoes each week... so I'm glad we got them in while we could!

I had never skinned a tomato before... Until now, whenever I needed whole tomatoes, for a sauce or something, I always bought canned. I decided that it was time to learn, so that I could make this dreamy gazpacho with our lovely farm veggies! I am happy to report that it isn't the least bit tricky. Messy, absolutely - but that is half the fun!!!

All the veggies blended together nicely, and I love love love that I was able to slip so many vegetables into this soup. It was so so fresh and lively, delicate and simple. I highly recommend it. I am already planning my coup at the farmer's market - I'll take all the tomatoes they have! And I'll fight you for 'em!

I'm really loving my blender, too. So what if it sounds like a lawn-mower at higher speeds?

Gazpacho (Chilled Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Soup with Avocado)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking
http://www.amazon.com/Dona-Tomas-Discovering-Authentic-Mexican/dp/1580086047/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-2586522-1989707?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186492574&sr=8-1

1 large English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
About 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
4 pounds heirloom tomatoes
½ white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 small jalapeno chile, stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 avocados, cut into ¾ inch dice, for garnish
½ bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped, for garnish

Place the cucumber in a blender and puree on a low speed until a coarse consistency is achieved. Add the vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pulse 2 to 3 times to incorporate. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Place a saucepan filled about halfway with water over high heat and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Stem the tomatoes and slash an X into the skin at the bottoms. Submerge the tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen the skins, drain, and immediately plunge into the ice bath. Drain again, then peel off the skins. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze the tomatoes into the strainer, using your fingers to extract as many of the seeds as possible. The goal is to remove and discard the seeds while reserving the precious juice in the bowl.

Working in batches if necessary, transfer the tomatoes and their juice and the onion, garlic, and jalapeno to a blender. Puree on high speed until liquefied and smooth. Pour into the bowl with the cucumber puree, stir well, and adjust the seasoning with salt if necessary (cold soups will often need more salt than hot soups).

Cover and place the soup in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, until well chilled. Ladle into chilled bowls and garnish with the avocado and cilantro. This soup can be refrigerated in a plastic container for up to 2 to 3 days, but is best enjoyed within 24 hours of preparation.

See the recipe...

Barbacoa de Borrego (Lamb Shoulder Slow Roasted...)

When am I going to learn? When am I going to realize that its probably not a good idea to have the oven on for 4 hours, slowly braising meat (spicy meat, at that) when its 95 degrees outside? I was so hot and sweaty, I wasn't sure I'd be able to enjoy dinner!!

But I was wrong! It was hot and spicy and dreamy! We're spicy food lovers, my husband especially. If you are, too, you'll enjoy this dish. Its hot in a way that makes your forehead sweat, but doesn't cause an uncomfortable burn in your mouth. Its hot, sure, but not a heat you'll regret. I promise. But don't hold it against me.

I will say that I had a couple of changes. First, I only had 4 ancho chiles (instead of 6) and I didn't have any mezcal (or tequila, for substitution), and I don't think I had the mezcal the first time I made this dinner, either. If you have it, use it, but it won't suffer if you don't.

We had this with flour tortillas (corn would be good, too) and the same poblano rice from our Easter dinner. Two nights later, we had the leftovers, and I think they were almost better than the firstovers. ;) We even had extra that I put into the freezer.

Something I'm proud of: all the produce (and even the lamb cubes), save for the banana leaves, came from either my CSA or the local Farmer's Market. Local food has been something of a recent quest for us, and this dinner made good use of that. The local produce is fresher, spicier, and less expensive than the grocery store, and I for one am not looking forward to winter - even if the oven being on for 4 hours makes sense! :)


Barbacoa de Borrego
Lamb Shoulder Slow Roasted in Banana Leaves with Ancho-Guajillo Chile Sauce
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

for the Ancho-Guajillo Chile Sauce:
6 dried ancho chiles
6 dried guajillo chiles
5 tablespoons canola oil
2 white onions, coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 quart water
Kosher salt

3 lbs lamb shoulder, cut into 3-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup canola oil
2 to 3 large banana leaves
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
¼ cup mezcal
7 whole cloves
7 whole allspice berries
3 to 4 cups chicken broth

To make the sauce, place a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the ancho and guajillo chiles and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, pressing them into the pan and turning occasionally with tongs to prevent burning, until the skins begin to brown and the chiles become soft and flexible and give off their spicy aroma. While the chiles are still hot, remove the stems and seeds and submerge in a bowl of hot water for about 30 minutes to rehydrate.

Place a sauté pan over high heat and add 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Decrease the heat as necessary to prevent browning. Transfer the onions to a blender. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the pan over low heat and add the garlic. Slowly roast for 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the garlic without the oil to the blender with the onion.

Drain the chiles and add to the blender with the oregano, water, and salt to taste. Puree on high speed until smooth and incorporated. Adjust the seasoning with salt as necessary. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week; be sure to whisk well before using.

Season the lamb well with salt and pepper. Heat a 12-inch braising pan over high heat and add the oil. Place the meat in the braising pan in an even layer and sear for 3 to 5 minutes, until caramelized on the bottom. Decrease the heat to medium-high and turn the meat over. Cook the second side for 7 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the meat from the pan and wipe out any residual oil. Allow the pan to cool for 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line the braising pan as thoroughly as possible with a large banana leave (you may need to cut or tear the leaf to make it conform to the pan). Cover the leave with the onion and carrot and evenly layer the meat over the vegetables. Sprinkle the meat with the mezcal, cloves, and allspice. Add about 1 quart of the sauce so that the lamb is half submerged. Top with 3 or more cups of the chicken broth, so the lamb is fully submerged. Cover the whole assembly with another layer of banana leaf, then cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil. Roast for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is tender, piercing with a metal skewer or small knife to check for doneness.

Transfer the entire braising pan to the stove top. Remove the upper layer of banana leaf and discard. With tongs, gently remove the pieces of lamb and set aside on a serving platter. Remove the bottom and side pieces of banana leaf and discard.

Heat the braising liquid over high heat. Skim off the layer of floating fat and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until reduced by about one-third and the sauce begins to thicken. When the proper consistency is achieved, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary. Generously spoon the sauce over the meat before serving.

See the recipe...

Pay de Lima (Lime Pie)

I love key lime pie. Love. It. I don't know that I've ever made it at home, as it isn't Dave's favorite. But that's ok, I'll keep him.

I will say that I had a hard time getting the slices out of the dish, but that might have been more on me than on the recipe. A piece of lime pie with a dollop of whipped cream was a great way to cap off the evening.

Pay de Lima (Lime Pie)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 1 sleeve of crackers)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
4 eggs
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest
¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 8 to 9 limes)
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced

To prepare crust, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl and mix until they come together. Using your fingers, press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. The crust should be about ¼ inch thick all the way around.

To prepare the filling, bring a pot of water to a boil. Combine the eggs, sugar, lime zest, and lime juice in a stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over the boiling water and whisk constantly for 15 minutes, until the mixture doubles in size, turns frothy and opaque, and forms ribbon-like folds off the end of he whisk. Gradually add the butter and whisk until completely melted.

Pour the batter into the crust and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before slicing and serving. Any leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Serves 6.

See the recipe...

Seis de Mayo

Because May 5th is Grandpa Day at my house, we celebrate Cinco de Mayo on the 6th instead. I asked Dave to pick something else out of the Dona Tomas book, and I even tried the other version of rice, and I made beans from the book. (Pie is coming later this evening).

Again, this is a somewhat time-consuming meal, but also well worth it. I'm coming to decide that this might be my favorite book of the moment (I do have an un-read stack of them, though). So, either go out and get it, or enter HHDD #12 for a chance to win your very own!

We'll have the leftovers tomorrow night for dinner, but I couldn't help but think that this would have been the perfect meal for company. I was able to get most of the prep done before noon (I've been having trouble sleeping past 7 AM; its made me exceedingly productive on weekends!), and because there were such fun toppings for the beans, it made for a really pretty table. Enjoy!

Note: The achiote paste was a really tricky thing for me to find. Don't do what I did and pop into your local chain grocery and expect to find it (unless your shop is cool like that). Skip right to the International Food Store, and go to their spices section. Took me two days to find it, and I was so excited to actually see it in real life, I bought three. :) Also worth noting, you could make it yourself, from allrecipes.com, but you'd still need strange ingredients.

Note: 5/7 - If you know you're going to have leftovers, try to reserve some aioli for the future meal. I reheated the shrimp in the oven, to try to maintain some crunchiness, and we ended up spooning the aioli onto each taco as we went. Also, the shrimp/lime/cilantro party is really great without the tortilla.

Arroz Achiote (Achiote Rice)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

Achiote Marinade:
Makes ¾ cup (enough for 3 batches of rice)
2 ounces achiote paste
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or ¼ cup orange juice and ¼ cup lime juice)
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 pinch allspice
1 clove garlic, chopped

Rice:
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ white onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 ½ cups medium- or long-grain white rice
2 ¾ cups water
2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt

To prepare the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed. The marinade can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, just be certain to remix with a whisk before using.

Place a saucepan over high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, decrease the heat to medium, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the rice and continue to sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the grains are well coated with oil and begin to slightly brown.

Add the water, salt and ¼ cup of the marinade and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium. Cover and gently simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fork tender. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Serves 4 to 6.
Frijoles Con Todo (Pinto Beans with Everything)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

2 cups pinto beans, picked over, rinsed and drained
About 3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 avocados, cut into ¾-inch dice
2 heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch dice
½ red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ lb queso Oaxaca, shredded
2 serrano chiles, minced
½ bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped

Place the beans in a heavy-duty saucepan and cover with cold water so that the waterline is about 3 inches above the beans. (The traditional method would be to cook the beans in an olla or earthenware pot, but any ceramic or heavy-duty stainless steel saucepan, preferably with a copper-bottom will do.)

Bring the beans to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and add the salt. Simmer for 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure they aren’t sticking to the bottom, until the beans are tender. Add more hot water from time to time to keep the beans fully submerged.

Stop adding water after 2 to 3 hours, when the beans seem close to becoming tender all the way through. The liquid at this point should be somewhat milky and cloudy and will start to thicken with the starch from the beans. You’ll want the water to slowly reduce until its just covering the beans when they’re perfectly tender.

Adjust the seasoning with salt as necessary. Ladle the beans and broth into each bowl and top with healthy portions of the avocado, tomatoes, onion, cheese, chiles, and cilantro right before serving.

Serves 4.Tacos de Camarones Fritos (Batter-fried Shrimp Tacos with Chile de Arbol Aioli)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

Chile de Arbol Aioli:
1 dried chile de arbol
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno chile
2 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
3 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons water
1 egg yolk
¾ cup canola oil
About 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Batter:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 egg

3 cups canola oil
2 pounds shrimp (21/25 count), peeled, deveined, and split lengthwise
Kosher salt

16 (5 inch) fresh corn tortillas
¼ bunch cilantro sprigs
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

The aioli can be prepared well ahead of time. Place a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chile and toast for about 1 minute, pressing it into the pan and turning occasionally with tongs to prevent burning, until lightly browned. While the chile is still hot, remove the stem and submerge in a bowl of hot water for 30 minutes to rehydrate. Drain the chile and transfer to a blender. Add the garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, sugar, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and puree for about 1 minute, until liquefied.

Add the yolk to the blender and turn the motor on low speed. Carefully remove the lid and add the oil in a slow, steady stream so it forms an emulsion with the yolk and the chile puree. If the mixture is too thick ad won’t blend well with the oil, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of water, then resume adding the oil. If you add the oil too quickly the sauce will not emulsify and you’ll have to start over.

The final aioli should have the consistency of thin mayonnaise with a speckled red color. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the 2 teaspoons salt, using more or less to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

To prepare the batter, sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the water and egg and briskly whisk together until all the lumps have dissipated. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, then stir briefly before using.

Pour the oil into a skillet to a depth of ¾ inch, and place over high heat for about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on your skillet and stove), until it reaches 350°F. Test the oil by dropping in a drip of batter; it should begin frying as soon as it hits the oil. Working in 3 batches, dredge the shrimp in the batter, then carefully place in the oil. Fry for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until golden brown and crispy (the crispy texture is imperative as you don’t want the shrimp to become soggy when tossed with the aioli). Transfer the shrimp to paper towels to drain.

Once all the shrimp are fried and drained, toss them with a few pinches of salt and about ¾ cup of the aioli to lightly coat. Adjust the consistency, heat, and flavor with more aioli if necessary.

Place a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Working in batches as necessary, warm both sides of the tortillas in the skillet. Place them in stacks of 2 on individual plates or a platter, so that each taco ends up with a double layer of tortilla. Evenly divide the shrimp among the 8 stacks. Top each taco with 4 to 5 cilantro sprigs and serve at once with the lime wedges.

Serves 4.

See the recipe...

Easter Dinner

Most people, I guess, would have had ham and spring vegetables and deviled eggs... but not us! Dave picked another recipe (for me to make) from the Dona Tomas cookbook... so we had Mexican for Easter! Yay!

This is not a weeknight dinner - unless you're one of those people that gets in to work at 7 and out at 3 or something... I think I started getting dinner together at 3? Mind you, I made cupcakes in the middle, I put off cooking the chicken for a couple of hours... but the fact is, I got started early. But boy, was it worth it.

Ah, and for those of you that want to sub out brown rice for the white - don't. I tried that the first time I made it, and seriously, the rice took hours. HOURS! Just suck it up and have white rice.


Pollo Con Mole Agridulce (Chicken Breast with Guajillo Sauce, Spices, Orange and Lime)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

5 guajillo chiles
1 cup water
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 ½ white onions, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic
¼ fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cubed
¼ teaspoon ground canela (Mexican cinnamon)
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
About 2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ½ cups chicken broth
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish

Place a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, pressing them into the pan and turning occasionally with tongs to prevent burning, until the skins are lightly brown and the chiles begin to puff up. While the chiles are still hot, remove the stems but don’t discard all the seeds since you’ll want some for the heat. Submerge in a bowl of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes to rehydrate. Drain the chiles and combine with the water in a blender. Puree on high speed to make a paste.

Place a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat and add the 2 cups oil; you want a good depth so that the vegetables and pineapple will be submerged during frying. When the oil is hot, add the onion and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned around the edges and toward the center. Add the garlic cloves when the onion is about half-cooked and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until browned. Remove the onion and garlic with a skimmer or a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander or China cap to drain. Add a little more oil if necessary and carefully add the pineapple. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. A spatter screen can be quite helpful since the juicy pineapple tends to spatter. Remove from the oil with a skimmer and add to the colander to drain. Wipe most of the oil out of the pan.

Place the onion, garlic and pineapple in a blender and puree on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until a fine consistency is achieved. Return the puree to the pan and place over medium heat. Gently whisk in the chile puree, canela, allspice, and cloves, salt, orange juice, lime juice, and about ¾ cup of the broth. Decrease the heat to low and gently simmer for about 1 hour, until the flavors begin to marry. Adjust the seasoning with the spices and salt as necessary.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place a large sauté pan over high heat and add the 2 tablespoons oil and the butter. When hot, add the chicken and sauté for5 to 7 minutes, until the first side is browned. Place the pan of chicken into the oven for about 10 minutes, until tender and cooked through. (The second side of the chicken will brown in the oven.)

Remove the chicken from the pan and arrange on individual plates or a serving platter. Place the pan back over high heat and add the remaining ¾ cup of broth. Deglaze the pan, scraping up and browned bits with a wooden spoon, then simmer and reduce for 5 to 6 minutes. Add to the simmering sauce and ladle over the chicken. Serve and once, garnishing each plate with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Serve with:

Arroz Con Chile Poblano (Poblano Rice)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

Poblano Marinade
1 cup tomatillos (about 6 ounces)
1 poblano chile, toasted, peeled, stemmed, and seeded
¼ bunch cilantro
Kosher salt
Water

Rice
3 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup white onion, cut into ¼-inch dice (about ½ onion)
1 ½ cups medium- or long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons kosher salt

Soak the tomatillos in cold water for a few minutes, then peel off and discard the husks. Place the tomatillos, chile, cilantro, and a pinch of salt in a blender and puree until smooth. Add enough cold water to bring to three cups of liquid and quickly blend together.

Place a saucepan over high heat and add the oil. Add the onion, decrease the heat to medium, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until transparent. Add the rice and continue to sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until toasted to a light coffee color; this will enhance the flavor and keep the rice from clumping.

Add the marinade and salt and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil then decrease the heat to medium. Cover and gently simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff the rice with a fork and adjust the salt just before serving.

See the recipe...