Adventures in Food
Culture + Food
Roasted tomatillo guacamole
Feb 3rd
Forget the chunky guacamole. What about a smooth, tart version that’s nearly as fast to make as your standard plop-it-in-a-bowl-and-mush-with-a-fork variety? Time to break out the blender.
Traditional Mexican taco shops, or tacquerias, often offer a liquidy version of guacamole along with salsas and such to put on your tacos. The thin guac is fine for tacos, but not so good for chip dipping. I wanted to come up with an in-between guacamole. Not too thin, not too chunky. Enter tomatillos, a mandarin-orange sized green berry that many people mistake for a green tomato. You can usually find fresh tomatillos in the produce section at the grocers near the chiles. Tomatillos have husks that cover the green berry, which is slightly sticky on the outside and tangy with a subtle sweetness on the inside.
Recipe
Servings: About 2 cups
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
7 tomatillos
2 ripe avocados
2 cloves garlic
2 large slices white onion (about 1/4 of the onion)
1/2-1 fresh serrano chile or jalapeno
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup cilantro
1/3-3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons diced, canned green chiles (optional, but really good)
Olive oil
Directions
- Bring 1 teaspoon olive oil to medium-high heat in a heavy bottomed pan (I used my cast iron).
- Remove the husks, rinse, and then place the tomatillos, garlic, and onion into the hot pan.
- Roast for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the tomatillo skin is beginning to blister.
- Place the tomatillos, onions, and garlic into a blender along with the vinegar, 1/3 cup water, avocados, and serrano chile (keep in mind, the more chile you use, the hotter the guac will be so you might want to start with one half, before adding the entire chile).
- Add more water to adjust consistency. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.
- Blend in the cilantro (and green chiles, if using) and get your dipping chips ready!
Bonus: I made this guacamole a day ahead to serve with dinner and with the vinegar whipped in the color stayed bright.
6 Favorite Spots at Cleveland’s West Side Market
Jan 25th
With my crew overlooking the market
My kids each have favorite finds at Cleveland’s West Side Market, an indoor/outdoor food mecca that boasts about 100 vendors selling everything from fresh blackberries to spicy beef jerky.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the market so I thought I’d share some of my favorite food vendors there. Although I haven’t yet visited all of the booths—and we do try to visit a new place each time we go—these are my top finds.
You can download a map so that you won’t get lost when you visit. Then again, getting lost has its advantages—new discoveries.
What to buy: ravioli, yummy sauces & specialty butters
We usually buy a couple different kinds of ravioli along with one carton of sauce to make a meal at home. My kids love the asiago cheese-stuffed ravioli with the lobster cream sauce. There are also daily specials. The walnut butter was a hit, but the cilantro-lime linguine (my choice) wasn’t so tasty.
What to buy: monk cake, pecan rolls
Monk cake is a West Side Market original. Chocolate cake with layers of mouse and raspberry filling are enveloped by a thick piece of chocolate. There are two bakeries that happen to be right next to each other that both sell monk cake. Cake Royale, created it, but
Say it with reverence...the monk cake
Theresa’s offers it too. I’m partial to Theresa’s version since it’s denser and less sweet than Cake Royale’s but I’m holding out a final verdict until I’m sampled it a few more times;) Maybe I also favor Theresa’s since I’m addicted to their pecan rolls.
What to buy: the best brats. ever.
I don’t like brats, really. Mr. Squid tried to get me to try Frank’s, but I wouldn’t budge until someone walked by me eating one and it smelled…heavenly. The folks at Frank’s make the brats using ground veal and then flash fry them before cooking. The result is a crispy brat outside and a moist, smooth inside. When they ask, make sure to get the hard roll versus the soft and even though the
Thank you for the handmade veal brats, Frank's
sauerkraut is good, I’d stick with just the meat and the roll to get the full flavor.
What to buy: beef jerky, bacon, whatever’s on sale
My tween actually saves her allowance to spend on homemade beef jerky at J+J. The little mom-and-pop shop has been busy since it was featured in The Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” as Iron Chef Michael Symon’s pick. The folks who own J+J also own another food booth with the same offerings, Czuchraj.
What to buy: gyros
Steve's, 'nuf said
You have to get in line at Steve’s before about 11:15 a.m. to avoid the lunch crowd. And I mean crowd. And there are rules to Steve’s line. No cutting. No holding a place for someone else. No ordering more than one extra sandwich per person. Yeah, it’s that good. This booth solidified its fame in an episode of the Travel Channel’s Man v. Food. I’ve eaten gyros off the street in Greece–these are better. Maybe it’s the mounds of meat that have been basting on the vertical spit all day or the warm, fresh pitas, or the creamy yogurt sauce. Whatever it is, a stop at Steve’s is a must (a regular sandwich IMHO will easily feed two people).
What to buy: sweet or savory crepes
Looking for a vegetarian meal? Or maybe something sweet that’s not too heavy? That’s when I head to Crepes De Luxe. Whether you choose a savory a crepe that’s piled with veggies and cheese or a dessert one filled with fresh fruit or Nutella (or both!), these huge crepes are folded so they’re easy to eat while you meander through the market. And each one is made right in front of you.
*If you go to the West Side Market (and you should) it’s open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday during the day. Check the website for hours and where to park. Keep in mind that some vendors are open different times than others.
I couldn't resist..one more monk cake shot
Five favorite food joints in Detroit
Jan 6th
Last weekend, Mr. Squid and I surprised the kids with a weekend away in Detroit to see the musical Wicked and to visit some of our favorite southeast Michigan foodie haunts. While Detroit’s reputation might be more tied to auto-making, or ‘the Big three,’ Michiganders would say, this town knows how to eat.
Here are my favorite foodie spots in and around Detroit.
We drove straight from Cleveland to New Yasmeen. There you’ll find meat kibbee, tabouli, fattoush, madardara, and a dozen other dishes I can’t even pronounce, but love sampling. That’s what you’ll find at this Middle Eastern restaurant in the heart of Dearborn. The city also happens to have one of the largest Middle Eastern populations of any town in the U.S. In other words, if you’re looking for authentic flavors, stock up on pitas and hummus here.
Chicken shawarma
My suggestion: Chicken shawarma–grilled chicken pieces spiced with cardamon, allspice and slathered with a garlic/yogurt/tahini sauce, peppered with pickles and wrapped in a homemade pita.
What the kids liked best: Uh, the pastry counter. Seriously, they have chocolate cups filled with whipped vanilla and chocolate cream. On the savory side, my two youngest daughters downed cheese pies while my oldest polished off a meat shawarma.
There’s no website for Best China and if you blink, you’ll miss this dive that’s tucked in a mini-mall behind a gas station in Canton. The owners, who are from Shanghai, have two menus, one for English speakers, and another full of regional favorites, all listed in Chinese.
My suggestion: Sesame chicken. I know, I know, it’s not authentic Chinese cuisine, but I could seriously drink the sauce that doesn’t suffer from the sticky-sweet flavor, or worse, ketchup-based blandness you normally encounter when you order sesame chicken elsewhere. Order the pork potstickers (fried or steamed) as soon as you get in if you want them before your meal, otherwise you’re likely to get them as dessert, which is just fine with me.
What the kids liked best: Everything. But dipping their potstickers in sauce with their chopsticks is always fun.
Real Mexican tacos--no cheese, no crisped shells, lots of flavor!
Regular readers know I love Mexican food, especially tacquerias, or taco shops. In the Mexicantown area of Detroit there are several good places for authentic fare, but Lupitas stands apart for their tacos and endless chips and plentiful salsas that are served as appetizers. *Lupitas is only open for lunch and I must admit, I think it’s better during the week versus the weekend.
My suggestion: Tacos al pastor, which are made with pork that’s marinated, then roasted on vertical skewer and before it’s slivered off in pieces. If you’re feeling more adventurous ask for the torta ahogada, which isn’t on the menu, but is a specialty of Mexico’s Jalisco. The sandwich is usually filled with pork, beans, and cheese then it’s dipped into a chile-infused sauce. Warning: it’s hot!
What the kids liked best: Tacos lengua. My middle child who shuns peanut butter loves tacos lengua, or beef tongue tacos. Go figure.
Located in Detroit’s Corktown district, Mudgie’s inventive dishes–on one visit the soup of the day was cheeseburger–use fresh, local ingredients. For a taste a Mudgie’s check out their recipe here for brownie waffles.
My suggestion: We weren’t able to visit Mudgie’s on this visit, but I’ll admit I follow their Twitter feed just to get meal ideas. Whatever the special is, that’s my order.
Mudgie's Deli decadent brownie
What the kids liked best: Brownie waffles, of course.
Coney Island restaurants are a Michigan novelty. You just don’t get these anywhere else. Even though the restaurants are named after the chili-doused New York dog, the food here tends to veer more toward Greek flavors–along with your typical diner fare. Note: there are several different Coney Island chains, Kerby’s (spell coney with a K), but Leo’s are the best IMHO.
My suggestion: The Greek salad. And make sure to get the small (the large feeds 4+). Mr. Squid likes the Greek salad with peperoncinis, feta, olives, beets, and chickpeas so much he bought a bottle of dressing to bring home.
What the kids liked best: The coney dog
I just had to pass along more pictures from New Yasmeen. Enjoy!
It took us three days to finish off this chocolate-filled, chocolate cup
My youngest sampling kibbee
Mmmmm, the deli counter
Mexican Thanksgiving
Nov 29th
I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. Around here I happily spent very little time in the kitchen. Mr. Squid took over and made a Mexican feast. I wanted to pass along a few pictures, but I’m saving the recipes for 2012–after all, it’s time to start baking holiday cookies!
Our meal–Mole is a complex, hearty sauce that melds dozens of spices with chiles, chocolate, and nuts. The red mole (mole poblano) we make is traditionally made with turkey. Mr. Squid seared a bone-in turkey breast and then cooked it all day in a mole sauce in the crockpot. After cooking for hours the meat literally fell off the bone–no worries on how to carve the bird! To finish off the meal, he served it with whipped mashed potatoes (my job), fried white and blue corn tortilla strips, ranchero beans and garnished the dish with Mexican crema and fresh cilantro. I wish there were still leftovers!
Mr. Squid used the mole sauce as gravy for the potatoes--yummy
The sauce-soaked meat fell off the bone
Pinto beans roasting with epazote, onions, bacon, tomatoes, and cilantro
For dessert I made a streusel apple pie
More Mexican dishes & an announcement
Sep 17th
Thinking about what kind of taco to eat next after climbing a pyramid in Mexico
I hope you enjoyed Mexican Independence Day, yesterday. But just in case you’re still looking for Mexican dishes to make this week (can you tell yet it’s my favorite kind of food?) I’ve gathered up all of MKES’s Mexican recipes for you to look through here. And just so you don’t have to dig for this post, I’ve also added a tab with links on the main page.
But before you start looking through recipes, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be contributing once a month to WanderingEducators.com, an amazing site filled with information that can help you teach your kids about other cultures. I feel privileged to be one of their editors, I will be covering Global Cuisines & Kids. My first post about Finding an Authentic Mexican Taco Shop went live on Friday.
Let’s make a meal
A good meal to use up plenty of leftovers from corn tortillas, to chicken, to lettuce and whatever else you have in your fridge.
Authentic Red Chile Enchiladas
This sauce takes time, but it’s worth the effort. Plus you can freeze some for later.
Hand-crafted tortillas are deceptively difficult to make, but the thicker, easier to flip sopes–so much easier!
The secret behind this rice is to start with a mixture that resembles pico de gallo.
Nothing authentic about ‘em, just an excuse to fuse really good bacon with some Mexican flavors.
So easy and a great way to use ground turkey.
Salsas
This salsa is so versatile you shouldn’t shy away from adding other, unexpected ingredients like dried cherries, chipotle….
For a heartier pico de gallo, add your favorite kind of beans.
Sweet stuff
So soothing after a hearty meal packed with chiles.
Thai grilled corn lollipops
Aug 1st
Forget grilling a whole corn on the cob when it’s so much easier–and fun–to make corn lollipops. And with corn in season right now it tastes so sweet it could almost be candy! You don’t have to add much to it to make a tasty dinner side dish. But you know me, I had to do a few tweaks. We were making Thai chicken satay. So to meld the Asian flavors, I soaked the corn ‘pops’ in coconut milk spiked with fresh lime juice, soy and honey. Yes, coconut + corn + lime = tasty.
I have to thank Bobby Flay’s Throwdown for this one. I finally got around to watching the ‘rematch on the grill‘ episode that’s been sitting on my DVD for weeks. He gave me the idea for the ‘pops’ and his competition the idea to soak the corn in milk. But the coconut milk is all my idea. Wait, back up, actually Mr. Squid may have come up with it while I was piecing off kernels and eating them raw (seriously sweet corn right now).
Ready for the recipe?
Thai grilled corn lollipops
Ingredients
1 corn cobs (the fresher, the better)
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 juice from a lime
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
10-12 bamboo skewers
Directions
- Soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so they won’t burn on the grill.
- Meanwhile, cut the corn into disks about 1-1/2″ thick. Add them to a mixing bowl with the coconut milk, lime juice, honey and soy sauce. Marinate for around 20-30 minutes.
- Using the sharp end of the bamboo skewer carefully poke it into the side of the corn pop.
- Heat your outdoor grill to medium high. Mr. Squid also places a band of heavy duty aluminum foil where the ends of the sticks will be so they don’t burn.
- Place the corn pops on the grill for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Warning: some of the kernels will pop.
- FYI: The leftover corn kernels are great in salads and fried rice. Remove the kernels with a sharp kitchen knife.
Check back in tomorrow I have a contest ready for those of you sending kiddos back to school!
A world of tastes in your spice cabinet
May 20th
Okay who else early in their cooking exploits bought one of those fully stocked, rotating, 20-spice racks? Yup, me too. And you know I felt like I had to hang on to those spices. Sure I know they lose their flavor after awhile, but I just kept pushing them farther and farther back in the cabinet thinking, “One day I’m going to need this for a recipe” (yeah, the spice rack deal didn’t last long when I realized how much room it takes up:). Well I’ve finally trimmed my spice cabinet to just a few essentials. The ones that I just can’t substitute in certain dishes. Usually these are the spices that give that authentic zing to dishes I make from other parts of the world. Here are some of my favorites–
Paprika–
This is one of the few spices I’ll pay a little bit more for an authentic variety. I like Penzey’s Hungary Half-Sharp Paprika, which packs more of a kick than what you’ll find at the grocery store (the full sharp has a little too much of a kick for me). I’m pretty generous with the paprika on my Hungarian chicken that I serve over spaetzle (German dumpling/noodle pasta that used to be my middle daughter’s favorite food before she discovered fried rice).
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Rosemary–
Roasted potatoes and rosemary are made for each other. But when I make Italian focaccia bread, a sprinkling of rosemary on top is a must too.
Cumin–
Forget chili powder. Please. Cumin is the spice of choice in Mexican dishes. Toss it in chili, tacos, salsas, guacamole, enchiladas…
I can’t help but throw in a couple more obscure spices that I can’t live without.
Photo credit: Savory Spice
Ancho powder–
Yes, you could buy roasted, dried ancho chiles and add those to dishes too (and I often do use) but for the flavor of ancho chiles without all the work I sprinkle in the ground variety. I haven’t found this spice outside of Mexican grocers except at Savory Spice. I buy it in bulk. Like cumin, toss this spice into your favorite Mexican dishes.
Mustard seeds–
These are getting easier to find, but I always toss mustard seeds into fresh vinaigrettes or when a recipe calls for mustard I’ll throw some of these in too (I like them in rice when I serve pork dishes). The tiny seeds pop in your mouth when you eat them and have sweeter, brighter flavor than pourable mustard. They aren’t a mustard substitute, but just a fun addition.
These ideas came to mind as I was checking out Patriotic Things to Do in the Summer with your kids on Motherboard. One of the tips was to explore cultures throughout the world by making dishes from those countries. Love it.
Your turn–What are some of your ‘can’t-do-without’ spices?
Fried rice basics
May 14th
Years ago I tried making fried rice and it turned out terribly—the oil wasn’t hot enough and I didn’t have all of the vegetables chopped before I started cooking it. I ended up with soggy, oily rice topped with too crisp of vegetables. Oh yeah, I thought throwing in extra soy sauce would somehow make it all better. Not so.
I crossed fried rice off my list of dishes to make at home and decided instead it was one of those tricky recipes that should be reserved for ordering out (and take out!). Then my 10 year-old decided that fried rice was her favorite meal.
Every time we ordered Chinese food she’d ask, beg really, for fried rice. That’s all she’d eat. I figured if she likes it that much it’s worth trying again at home.
I asked around for tips, checked out a few cookbooks and discovered there are a few tricks for making decent fried rice. First, about the rice: It should be dry. This is a great way to use up leftover rice and I would suggest that you use rice you’ve made at least a day before instead of making it fresh—it just doesn’t react to the oil as well if it’s not a bit dry. Next, have all your ingredients ready before you start cooking. Fried rice, like a stir-fry, comes together quickly.
Now about those vegetables…most of the cookbooks mentioned peas, sure. But I like to load up my fried rice with even more veggies. Choose quick-cooking veggies, like green onions, bok choy, or even carrots—all sliced thin. (Again, feel free to toss in leftover veggies you may have in the fridge.)
You’ll notice plenty of “optional” ingredients in this recipe. I don’t have it below, but you can also add thin strips of meat (I added pork), when you heat your garlic. Just cook the meat through before adding the eggs. One ingredient that isn’t optional, however, is the fish sauce. I know, I know, you might not have it on hand, and you could just use the soy sauce, but for a better flavor, the fish sauce really adds the zing you can’t get with anything else.
Ready to get frying? It’s rice time.
Recipe
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic minced
2 eggs (whisked)
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (optional)
½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
1 bunch green onions, sliced (optional)
2 Tablespoons cilantro or Thai basil, minced (optional)
½ cup chopped bok choy (optional)
Directions
- Heat the oil in a wok to medium-high.
- Add the garlic and ginger (if using) and stir-fry just until fragrant (a few seconds will do anymore and it can burn).
- Turn the heat to medium and add the eggs. Don’t stir–cook just until heated through.
- Break the eggs apart and push to the side of the pan.
- Add the rice and let it cook for about 2 minutes before stirring (I like getting a few crispy pieces).
- Add the sauces to the pan and stir the ingredients together as you might flip an omelet (in a shoveling motion versus stirring a batter).
- Add the peas and other vegetables you are using. Stir-fry for 2 more minutes and adjust seasoning, adding more soy or fish sauce to taste.
Quick chipotle pico de gallo
May 10th
I know Cinco de Mayo was last week and I’m still talking (and eating) Mexcian food. But I wanted to pass along my favorite pico de gallo, or fresh salsa, recipe. Pico de gallo (we just call it ‘pico’ at my house) is so quick and easy to make it’s fun to play up the flavor by going beyond the traditional tomato-onion-cilantro combo.
My addition? Spicy chipotle. (Chipotle peppers are smoked, dried jalapenos.) But before I get the chipotle, let’s talk pico. What distinguishes pico from other Mexican salsas it that it’s made with fresh ingredients, meant to be eaten right away. Pico doesn’t keep more than a day in the fridge and frankly it’s really not nearly as good on day #2. Other salsas are often made with dried or roasted chiles that are cooked and then cooled, meaning they can last for several days or even weeks in the fridge.
Back to the pico: I follow the 3 to 1 rule–three parts tomato to one part each onion and cilantro. Once I have that base, it’s time to
add the spice. I usually throw in one, chopped serrano pepper (fresh or pickled jalapenos are fine too) and then my favorite flavor these days, chipotle. You can find 7-ounce cans of chipotle in adobo sauce in the Mexican food section of most grocery stores (popular brands are La Costena, San Marcos or Embasa). Now you can simply mix a teaspoon or more to taste of the adobo sauce into your pico. But I wanted to have bits of chipotle flavor as a kick instead of an all-over zing so I added one chipotle pepper into my mini food processor along with a handful of dried cherries (you could also use dried cranberries or even raisins, trust me, no one will be able to taste the dried fruit it’s just a carrier for the chipotle).
And if you’re wondering what to do with the extra chipotle, save it to mix into scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, meatballs, or anywhere you want a bit of smokiness in your dish.
So for those of you starting to plant your garden, make sure to save some room for extra tomato plants that way you’ll have plenty for fresh pico de gallo later. I read through several no-pain gardening tips on Motherboard. Frankly I like the idea of using raised beds–looking at the picture I could have a big pot for my tomatoes without planting my entire garden plot (I have no green thumb so I like the idea that I could start small).
Chipotle Pico de Gallo Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups (easily doubled or tripled)
Ingredients
1 cup fresh tomato chopped into small pieces
1/2 medium onion
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
1/2 of one lime
1 small fresh pepper (jalapeno or serrano)
salt and pepper to taste
1 chipotle pepper (or 1 teaspoon adobo sauce)
1 Tablespoon dried fruit
Directions
- Chop the fresh tomatoes and onions into equal pieces (about the size of your pinky nail). Place in a kitchen bowl.
- Add chopped cilantro. Once the leaves are washed, I use my kitchen shears to trim the leaf pieces right in.
- Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the pico.
- Chop the pepper, being careful to remove and discard the seeds from the jalapeno (if you’re using). You may want to add just half of the pepper first and check the heat before adding more (it’s always easier to add more heat but pretty impossible to take it out).
- In a food processor, pulse the dried fruit and one chipotle pepper. Alternatively, you can use 1 teaspoon of the sauce and omit the dried fruit.
- Mix the chipotle into the tomato mixture and serve with chips or with tacos.
Your turn–are you a pico de gallo fan? What about chipotle, do you like the smoky flavor?
My mother’s day meal
May 9th
Note to self: remember to take the camera off landscape
Can I just say, I heart Mother’s Day–from the little handmade cards to the extra hugs (not to mention breakfast in bed!)–I enjoyed every minute of it. So today I wanted to thank my hubby and his little helpers for making it so memorable.
As requested, my hubby fixed Mexican food for dinner. He went all out–shredded beef taquitos (he marinated the meat overnight, bless him!), mushroom and chorizo quesadillos, rice and refried beans. And that’s a dollop of guacamole, fresh-made salsa and chipotle creme sauce on top. It was delicious.
For dessert, I talked him in to making crepes (well, it didn’t take much convincing). He filled
the them with Ghirardelli chocolate, almonds, dried cherries, honey and walnuts and then thinned Nutella to slather on top along with a handful of raspberries. Mmmmm (and yes, I’m trying to get him to do a “guest” post on crepes). Happy Mother’s Day everyone! Now what to do with the one leftover crepe…
Crepes for a crowd
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