IT IS OKAY TO HATE CILANTRO.
I felt like I needed to make a statement after I realized I just posted an "authentic" Mexican recipe without any cilantro in it. Mexican recipes always call for cilantro, in magazines. Cilantro is touted as the awesomest herb since sliced parsley, and whole fistfuls of it are normally included in green sauces like my green chile enchilada sauce.
I hate cilantro and I will not allow it in my kitchen.
For a long time, I thought I was just weird, or somehow uncultured or uncouth, because I didn't like cilantro. But it turns out that I'm not alone. Many other people hate cilantro, too, and that is okay.
IT IS OKAY. It's okay not to enjoy an herb. It's okay to be you!!
That doesn't quite solve the herb problem. When making Mexican foods, I always substitute a combination of coriander and oregano for cilantro. Coriander is the seed from the cilantro plant, and doesn't have the same soapy taste (at least not to me). Oregano is actually an authentic Mexican ingredient than many American recipes forget about, so you're actually being true to the recipe's roots by using it. If you need to add a "fresh" flavor, try a squeeze of lime. It will be good!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Authentic-tasting and delicious. I don't know why I keep making enchiladas, they're about the most annoying food in the world to make. It must have something to do with how good they are. Budget at least 90 minutes to make these. They aren't challenging, just time-consuming.
Sauce:
6 anaheim chile peppers
6 tomatillos
2 yellow onions, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 cup chicken broth
Filling:
Breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, or 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup sour cream (low fat or fat free is fine)
4 scallions, white and firm green parts, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (low fat cheese works well)
Also:
About a dozen 6-inch corn tortillas
Corn oil
More cheese
Cut the anaheim chiles in half, lengthwise - WEAR GLOVES while handling the chiles! Scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place the chiles, skin-side-up, on a broiler-safe baking sheet or a sheet of tinfoil, then place under the broiler. Broil for 6 minutes or until the skins are blackened and blistered. DO NOT leave the broiler unattended. When chiles are done, remove to a heat-safe bowl and cover tightly.
While the chiles cool, prepare the tomatillos. Peel off the husks and rinse most of the stickiness off the skin underneath, then chop the fruit. Tomatillos taste like a cross between a cucumber and a pineapple... people say green tomatoes are a good substitute but I think it would be better to leave them out entirely if you can't find them.
Now prep the filling. Chop the chicken breast and combine it with the other filling ingredients in a bowl.
By now the chiles should be cool enough to handle. Put your gloves back on, if you had taken them off. Peel the skins from the chiles, saving the flesh and discarding the skins. They should come away easily; if they don't, then the chiles weren't cooked long enough. Don't worry about little bits that stick. You're going to be pureeing the sauce anyway.
Once peeled, chop the chiles and put them into a small pot with the onion and garlic and a teaspoon of corn oil. Saute over medium-high heat until the garlic is translucent or the onions are tender, whichever happens first. Then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer until the ingredients are all tender, remove from heat, and puree until smooth. A regular blender, food processor, or stick blender will all work just fine.
Turn the oven to 350. Heat a small amount of corn oil in a small frying pan, such as a crepe pan or omelet pan, over medium heat. Lay a corn tortilla in the oil and cook for about 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated and steaming, but not until it dries and curls - depending on your tortilla, they may need more or less cooking time.
Lift up the tortilla and place another tortilla underneath it, adding more oil if necessary. Keep adding more tortillas to the bottom until you have 8 or 9 tortillas on the stack. Then remove from the heat.
Pour about 1/2 cup sauce into the bottom of a rectangular baking pan, about 8x12 inches in size. Spread about 1/3 cup filling down the middle of each tortilla, roll the tortilla up and lay seam-side-down in the baking pan.
When all the tortillas are in, pour the remaining sauce over them, and top with more shredded cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until heated and the cheeses are all melted. Serve!
Sauce:
6 anaheim chile peppers
6 tomatillos
2 yellow onions, chopped
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 cup chicken broth
Filling:
Breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, or 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3/4 cup sour cream (low fat or fat free is fine)
4 scallions, white and firm green parts, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (low fat cheese works well)
Also:
About a dozen 6-inch corn tortillas
Corn oil
More cheese
Cut the anaheim chiles in half, lengthwise - WEAR GLOVES while handling the chiles! Scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place the chiles, skin-side-up, on a broiler-safe baking sheet or a sheet of tinfoil, then place under the broiler. Broil for 6 minutes or until the skins are blackened and blistered. DO NOT leave the broiler unattended. When chiles are done, remove to a heat-safe bowl and cover tightly.
While the chiles cool, prepare the tomatillos. Peel off the husks and rinse most of the stickiness off the skin underneath, then chop the fruit. Tomatillos taste like a cross between a cucumber and a pineapple... people say green tomatoes are a good substitute but I think it would be better to leave them out entirely if you can't find them.
Now prep the filling. Chop the chicken breast and combine it with the other filling ingredients in a bowl.
By now the chiles should be cool enough to handle. Put your gloves back on, if you had taken them off. Peel the skins from the chiles, saving the flesh and discarding the skins. They should come away easily; if they don't, then the chiles weren't cooked long enough. Don't worry about little bits that stick. You're going to be pureeing the sauce anyway.
Once peeled, chop the chiles and put them into a small pot with the onion and garlic and a teaspoon of corn oil. Saute over medium-high heat until the garlic is translucent or the onions are tender, whichever happens first. Then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer until the ingredients are all tender, remove from heat, and puree until smooth. A regular blender, food processor, or stick blender will all work just fine.
Turn the oven to 350. Heat a small amount of corn oil in a small frying pan, such as a crepe pan or omelet pan, over medium heat. Lay a corn tortilla in the oil and cook for about 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated and steaming, but not until it dries and curls - depending on your tortilla, they may need more or less cooking time.
Lift up the tortilla and place another tortilla underneath it, adding more oil if necessary. Keep adding more tortillas to the bottom until you have 8 or 9 tortillas on the stack. Then remove from the heat.
Pour about 1/2 cup sauce into the bottom of a rectangular baking pan, about 8x12 inches in size. Spread about 1/3 cup filling down the middle of each tortilla, roll the tortilla up and lay seam-side-down in the baking pan.
When all the tortillas are in, pour the remaining sauce over them, and top with more shredded cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until heated and the cheeses are all melted. Serve!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Butter Chicken (riff thereof)
I came across a recipe called Butter Chicken in a recent Penzey's Spices catalog. The titleimmediately caught my attention, but then I accidentally threw the magazine away. No!!
I went to the trusty Internet, but I could not find the exact recipe. I did find enough other versions of it to create a sort of composite of what butter chicken ought to be. Then I took that idea and threw it away, creating some new amalgam out of what I had in the kitchen. The result was one of only 2 successful curries I've ever made. I have no idea what aspect of this made it work, so I've listed everything, though the odds that I will ever make it exactly like this again are very slim indeed.
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 medium yellow onions
1 red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves
5 tomatillos
1 1/2 tsp garam masala (a spice blend available at most grocery stores)
3/4 tsp Balti curry powder, available from Penzey's
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup greek yogurt
Saute the chicken over medium-high heat until browned. Remove to a cutting board and chop.
Chop the vegetables and saute over medium heat in that same pan, with the butter. This incorporates any tasty browned bits left in the pan. When the vegetables are tender, add the spices and cook for another minute.
Add the tomato sauce and water, and simmer until vegetables are soft and the tomatillos begin to break down. Then remove the vegetable mixture to a blender, add the yogurt, and puree.
Combine the chicken and the sauce, and there you go!
I went to the trusty Internet, but I could not find the exact recipe. I did find enough other versions of it to create a sort of composite of what butter chicken ought to be. Then I took that idea and threw it away, creating some new amalgam out of what I had in the kitchen. The result was one of only 2 successful curries I've ever made. I have no idea what aspect of this made it work, so I've listed everything, though the odds that I will ever make it exactly like this again are very slim indeed.
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 medium yellow onions
1 red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves
5 tomatillos
1 1/2 tsp garam masala (a spice blend available at most grocery stores)
3/4 tsp Balti curry powder, available from Penzey's
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup greek yogurt
Saute the chicken over medium-high heat until browned. Remove to a cutting board and chop.
Chop the vegetables and saute over medium heat in that same pan, with the butter. This incorporates any tasty browned bits left in the pan. When the vegetables are tender, add the spices and cook for another minute.
Add the tomato sauce and water, and simmer until vegetables are soft and the tomatillos begin to break down. Then remove the vegetable mixture to a blender, add the yogurt, and puree.
Combine the chicken and the sauce, and there you go!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Strawberry-Lime Sherbert
Just another ice cream recipe! This one is especially low in fat and consists mostly of strawberries. You could easily replace the milk for the lactose-intolerant.
Ingredients:
2 cups sliced strawberries
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup milk (any kind would work, but I would recommend rice milk if you can't use dairy milk)
Sweetener to taste
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and puree until smooth. Press through a sieve to strain out the seeds - that is optional if you don't mind seeds (I hate them). Then just freeze according to your freezer's directions.
Try serving this with chocolate sauce!
Ingredients:
2 cups sliced strawberries
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup milk (any kind would work, but I would recommend rice milk if you can't use dairy milk)
Sweetener to taste
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and puree until smooth. Press through a sieve to strain out the seeds - that is optional if you don't mind seeds (I hate them). Then just freeze according to your freezer's directions.
Try serving this with chocolate sauce!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Tabbouleh (or Fun With Wheat Berries, Part II)
I read that parsley is good for urinary tract health, a matter which is of grave concern to many women, myself included. So I immediately started thinking of ways to incorporate more parsley into my diet. Ariel is always saying we should have more salads, but I loathe salad. But my dumb ol' brain finally remembered that I like tabbouleh, which is essentially a parsley salad!
You might be familiar with tabbouleh being sort of like couscous - lots of cracked wheat and a little bit of parsley and tomatoes. This is more of a salad with some wheat berries included to make it more satisfying and give it some body. Ariel and I agreed that it was a recipe that needed writing down so I could make it again :)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup parboiled wheat berries or bulger wheat if you can't find wheat berries (Irish oatmeal would probably also work)
1 bunch parsley, chopped, stems removed
1 cup chopped seeded tomato, about 3
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, about half an onion
Juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cumin (sprinkle this in a bit at a time as you stir, or it won't distribute)
Cook the wheat berries (or whatever you're using) according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Then, just mix it all together!
Traditionally, tabbouleh is served chilled, but I enjoyed it warm and then I enjoyed at room temperature when I went back for seconds, heh heh. You can chill it if you like, though. The lemon juice vinaigrette keeps the salad fresh for a couple of days and the leftovers are often even better the next day.
You might be familiar with tabbouleh being sort of like couscous - lots of cracked wheat and a little bit of parsley and tomatoes. This is more of a salad with some wheat berries included to make it more satisfying and give it some body. Ariel and I agreed that it was a recipe that needed writing down so I could make it again :)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup parboiled wheat berries or bulger wheat if you can't find wheat berries (Irish oatmeal would probably also work)
1 bunch parsley, chopped, stems removed
1 cup chopped seeded tomato, about 3
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, about half an onion
Juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cumin (sprinkle this in a bit at a time as you stir, or it won't distribute)
Cook the wheat berries (or whatever you're using) according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Then, just mix it all together!
Traditionally, tabbouleh is served chilled, but I enjoyed it warm and then I enjoyed at room temperature when I went back for seconds, heh heh. You can chill it if you like, though. The lemon juice vinaigrette keeps the salad fresh for a couple of days and the leftovers are often even better the next day.
Hearty Mexican Chard & Chickpea Soup
A recipe modified in enough ways that I consider it mine at this point, it's fast (15 minutes if you're good!) and easy, not to mention satisfying. A good way to get some greens and fiber, too.
Ingredients:
1 head Swiss chard, doesn't matter what kind - the stems lose their color when boiled, so if white is cheaper, then just buy white
1 small can chickpeas
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
2 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
1 tsp cumin
1/4-1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper, or 1-2 canned chipotle peppers, seeded and minced
1 brick pepper jack cheese (low-fat works well here)
1/2 brick regular monterey jack cheese (low-fat works well here)
(Note that the cheeses must be bricks, not shredded.)
Tear the chard leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Slice the ribs like celery and set aside, separate from the leaves.
Chop the onion and the garlic and sauté in olive oil over medium heat until the garlic is translucent. Add the spices and the broth and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the chard ribs and boil for 4 minutes. Then add the leaves and boil for another 2 or 3 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat and add the chickpeas I do it this way so that the chickpeas cool the soup slightly, so it's ready to eat without needing an ice cube to cool it. If you don't intend to serve it immediately, or if you enjoy burning your tongue on your soup (weirdo) then add the chickpeas along with the leaves and boil an extra minute to warm them.
Cut the cheese into cubes about half an inch wide. Put 1/4 of the cheese cubes in the bottoms of 4 soup bowls and ladle the soup on top.
Frankly, you had me at "cheese cubes."
A note on chipotle peppers: Chipotle has recently come into vogue. Even McDonald's has chipotle-flavored stuff now. The chipotle pepper is a smoked red jalapeno. If you are familiar with jalapenos, then you can safely use them equivalently in terms of heat.
Until recently, I could only find these peppers in cans of adobo sauce, which was annoying because I never used the whole can before it went bad, and also I had to wear gloves to handle them or inevitably the pepper's heat would find its way into some tiny cut I didn't know I had and I'd be running around the kitchen yelling about how I should have worn gloves. Now, though, McCormick's Spices sells ground dried chipotle peppers and suddenly chipotle is SUPER easy to use. (Although I personally buy mine from Penzey's, I'm sure McCormick's is fine.) Try a sprinkle atop eggs, in anything mexican or beef-based, and on top of chef's salads!
Ingredients:
1 head Swiss chard, doesn't matter what kind - the stems lose their color when boiled, so if white is cheaper, then just buy white
1 small can chickpeas
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
2 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
1 tsp cumin
1/4-1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper, or 1-2 canned chipotle peppers, seeded and minced
1 brick pepper jack cheese (low-fat works well here)
1/2 brick regular monterey jack cheese (low-fat works well here)
(Note that the cheeses must be bricks, not shredded.)
Tear the chard leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Slice the ribs like celery and set aside, separate from the leaves.
Chop the onion and the garlic and sauté in olive oil over medium heat until the garlic is translucent. Add the spices and the broth and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the chard ribs and boil for 4 minutes. Then add the leaves and boil for another 2 or 3 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat and add the chickpeas I do it this way so that the chickpeas cool the soup slightly, so it's ready to eat without needing an ice cube to cool it. If you don't intend to serve it immediately, or if you enjoy burning your tongue on your soup (weirdo) then add the chickpeas along with the leaves and boil an extra minute to warm them.
Cut the cheese into cubes about half an inch wide. Put 1/4 of the cheese cubes in the bottoms of 4 soup bowls and ladle the soup on top.
Frankly, you had me at "cheese cubes."
A note on chipotle peppers: Chipotle has recently come into vogue. Even McDonald's has chipotle-flavored stuff now. The chipotle pepper is a smoked red jalapeno. If you are familiar with jalapenos, then you can safely use them equivalently in terms of heat.
Until recently, I could only find these peppers in cans of adobo sauce, which was annoying because I never used the whole can before it went bad, and also I had to wear gloves to handle them or inevitably the pepper's heat would find its way into some tiny cut I didn't know I had and I'd be running around the kitchen yelling about how I should have worn gloves. Now, though, McCormick's Spices sells ground dried chipotle peppers and suddenly chipotle is SUPER easy to use. (Although I personally buy mine from Penzey's, I'm sure McCormick's is fine.) Try a sprinkle atop eggs, in anything mexican or beef-based, and on top of chef's salads!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
"You followed a recipe, didn't you?" Part 1
Lemon-Ginger Pinwheel Cookies from Cooking Light. They looked pretty, don't they?
Don't be fooled. They're like dog biscuits. I think I broke a filling on one of them - no, seriously, I'm calling the dentist on Monday.
When the recipe didn't call for any baking powder, I was suspicious. But I'd never made pinwheel cookies before, so I thought maybe they wouldn't look good without the baking powder and maybe the surprisingly low oven temperature and surprisingly short baking time would make it work anyway.
Boy was I wrong.
The low oven temperature did not cook the cookies within the allotted time. Cooking them longer at least meant they weren't raw in the middle, but now they were tough. The recipe called for cooking until "lightly browned" so the second batch, I cooked even longer, until they were browned, with the result that even Ariel won't eat that batch.
To add insult to injury, the different colors of dough didn't "join" together, and so there are cracks between the colors, which look bad and also cause the cookie to fall apart when eating it. With baking powder, these cracks would have filled in and the cookie would have been a cohesive baked good, not a crumbly, tough waste of ingredients.
Trust your own judgment, ladies and gentlemen! When a cookie doesn't call for baking powder and you KNOW it should, ADD IT ANYWAY!
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