Monthly Archives: August 2013

SALSA VERDE

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It’s Hatch chile time!  The Hatch chile grows in the Hatch Valley, an area that stretches north and south along the Rio Grande in New Mexico.  It’s a “designer” chile, developed at New Mexico State University over the past 130 years specifically for conditions in the Hatch Valley.  The peppers come in mild, medium, hot, and extra hot, although you can’t tell how hot they are just by looking at them.  Extra hot chiles reportedly have the strongest chile fragrance.

When buying fresh Hatch chiles, look for bright green, symmetrical peppers.  The peppers should be firm, with smooth skin, and feel heavy for their size.

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The smell wafting from the giant iron roasters in front of the grocery stores entices me to purchase bags of roasted chiles every year.  Usually I go home and stick them in the freezer, where they remain until they are destroyed by freezer burn months later.  But not this year!  Recently, I purchased a package of Frontera Green Chile Enchilada Sauce, and made green chile chicken and cheese enchiladas, which were quite a hit here.

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Using my bag of freshly-roasted Hatch chiles, I made my own salsa verde, based on a recipe adapted from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen.  It was surprisingly easy and tasty, and I’m already planning to make another batch or two to freeze.

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SALSA VERDE
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Recipe type: Sauces
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound tomatillos (10-12 medium), husked and rinsed
  • 3 fresh Hatch or serrano chiles, stemmed
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Roast tomatillos and chiles, either by placing on grill or on a baking sheet under a broiler. Roast until blackened and blistered on one side, approximately 5 minutes, then turn over using tongs and roast the other side. Transfer tomatillos and chiles to a food processor or blender.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer onions and garlic to food processor or blender. Pulse to a rough-looking puree -- avoid overprocessing.
  3. Heat remaining ½ tablespoon of oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add puree and stir constantly for 4-5 minutes, until puree thickens and darkens slightly. Stir in the broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, and season to taste with salt.

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Stir the puree constantly

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Salsa verde

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 Place shredded chicken and cheese on a corn tortilla

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 Roll ’em up, spread a little sauce on the bottom of a baking dish,

and place seam side down 

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 Cover with sauce and sprinkle with additional cheese

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 Bake at 350 degrees approximately 20 minutes,

until heated through and cheese is melted

SPICY GAZPACHO

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I found these vintage seed labels at simplyfrenchvintage several years ago.  I bought some, thinking I might use them for . . .  I have no idea.  Craft fail.

You won’t find many of these vegetables at our local farmers markets this time of year. Last week’s “seasonal selections” at the farmers market were eggplant, peas, cucumbers, peppers, basil, okra, melons, and onions.

This week it’s been over 100 degrees here.  It’s hot.  We haven’t had much rain, but Houston has a faint yellow haze these days from a sand storm in the Sahara Desert.  It’s definitely too hot to cook.  Maybe even too hot to chew.

It’s days like this when a cold spicy gazpacho is splendid.  What’s more, with the exception of the tomatoes, the key ingredients can still be found at the farmers market:

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 Tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, red bell peppers

Inspired by the pretty vintage labels and the dog days of summer, I hunted around for a long time for a gazpacho recipe.  I don’t care for the ones that rely on tomato juice as a base.  The liquid in this recipe, adapted from one by Lynette Hawkins of Giacomo’s, uses the liquid that comes from macerating the vegetables.  It’s worth hunting down sherry vinegar, as it really adds to the flavor of the soup.  This gazpacho is icy cold and spicy and smooth and so good on a hot summer evening.  If you can’t stand the heat . . . make gazpacho!

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SPICY GAZPACHO
 
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
  • 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • 1 serrano chile, seeded and coarsely chopped
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, and serrano chile in a 4-quart container. Add 2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and toss to combine. Add the bread pieces and toss again. Allow ingredients to macerate at least 30 minutes.
  2. Puree the tomato mixture in a blender in two batches. For each batch, blend for 30 seconds, then drizzle in ¼ cup olive oil with motor running. Blend until completely smooth, then transfer each batch to a 4-quart container. Stir in vinegar, black pepper, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary, to taste. Chill completely in refrigerator, and serve cold.