Chilaquiles (Tortilla Chips in Green Salsa)

Chilaquiles, pronounced chee-lah-kee-lays, are a popular breakfast or brunch food in Mexico. The basic dish is simple, quick, and consists of tortilla chips sauteed in a herb and chile broth. The recipe varies with the cook's imagination, but here is a basic recipe that uses the green tomatillo sauce I wrote about earlier this week.

I made the salsa on one of the short breaks in weather, when the thermometer dipped below 100 degrees in Chicago. It's been too hot to spend much time over the stove! But on a recent lovely night, I whipped up some chilaquiles, Joe set the table on the balcony and opened a crisp white wine, and we feasted under the stars. A simple dinner is sometimes the most elegant.

I'm going to plug some of my favorite Mexican brands as I walk you through this recipe.

Heat 1 pint of  salsa verde in a large skillet until simmering.

Stir in 6 cups of tortilla chips and stir until covered and slightly softened. We love El Rancho brand; the thick chips hold up well in the chile broth. You can fry tortilla chips from scratch, if you like, using fresh tortillas that have air-dried for a few hours.

Remove to a platter. Top with sour cream, white onion slices, cilantro, and queso fresco, a mild, crumbly farmer cheese. Fud is a good one, but I don't know if it's pronounced like Elmer Fudd or if it is 'Food'. Queso Fresco is so good I break off chunks and eat it while I'm cooking...or in the middle of the night.

I recommend dining al fresco while watching the sun set. In fact, I recommend that no matter what you're eating.But if you're making chilaquiles for breakfast, do yourself a solid and put a couple of poached eggs on top. Delicious for brunch.

Serves 3-4.

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Salsa Verde (Green Tomatillo Salsa)

There's a wonderful Latino store in a neighboring town that caters to a diverse population of Asians, Latinos, Caribbean Islanders, Eastern Europeans, and Africans. The produce is fresh, cheap, and so diverse I'm constantly smelling and touching and wondering what people make with these things: four different kinds of bananas, bitter melons, foot-long beans, sixteen different kinds of peppers.

Tomatillos with husks on

One item that might be unfamiliar to the average American is the tomatillo. It looks like a small green tomato in a sticky, papery leaf. These cook into a tangy salsa that I like even better than tomato salsas. I've made this salsa fairly mild because I'm a wimp with spicy food, but you can make it as hot or mild as you like. I used lemon thyme instead of regular thyme, but if you don't have it, regular thyme works.

This salsa is often used to make a breakfast/brunch dish called Chilaquiles (Chee-lah-kee-lays). I'll post that recipe next!

Salsa Verde

(Salsa Vair-day)

Ingredients

4 lbs. tomatillos, husked and washed
8 medium jalapeno chiles (remove the seeds if you want to reduce some of the heat)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
12 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups white onions, chopped
3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 fresh limes
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp canola oil

Directions

Cut tomatillos in half, place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tomatillos begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and chiles and cook another 10 minutes.

Using a strainer or slotted spoon, remove the tomatillos, garlic, and chiles to a blender or food processor; reserve liquid. Add herbs, onion and 1 cup of the reserved liquid, blend until partially smooth but still has some chunks.

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add salsa, 1/2 cup more of the reserved liquid, and salt. Simmer over low heat until it thickens - approximately 10-15 minutes.

Makes approximately 4 - 5 half pints.



You can find other canning and preserving recipes in my book, The Complete Guide to Food Preservation: Step-by-step Instructions on How to Freeze, Dry, Can, and Preserve Food

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Do Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Vegetable Salad)

During the Vietnam war, my wonderful stepdad Paul was a peace volunteer working in agriculture in Vietnam. He has had a love for Vietnamese food since then, which he has passed down to my four half-Vietnamese step-siblings and my mom, who is always willing to try something new. He has kept most of his Asian recipes a secret up until now, but I hope to wheedle them out of him to share with all of you.

Do Chua is a daikon radish slaw 

We'll start with Do Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Vegetable Salad). Mom gave us a mint plant out of her garden a few weeks ago, and we were looking for new ways to use fresh mint leaves. I plan to take a jar of this pickle back to them when I visit next month.

This recipe is a sort of Vietnamese version of Giardiniera; this ubiquitous condiment is found at table in Vietnamese restaurants and homes. The daikon radish, mint leaves, and hot pepper make an unusual and delicious contrast to salads, sandwiches, or alongside meat dishes.

I needed to get back into serious cooking last weekend. The Chicago Area has broken heatwave records for the past week, and Saturday was the first day below 90 degrees in I don't even know how long. Windows opened, fan on, it was perfect to start canning again, since my canning mojo is in full swing this summer.

Note: I hadn't used fresh daikon until I made this salad, and I was surprised that it smells somewhat like mild mushrooms, and isn't as pungent as an ordinary red radish. If you can't find daikon, I would recommend replacing it with jicama. It's not exactly the same, but still delicious!

 

Sa Lach Dia (Vietnamese Pickled Vegetable Salad)

Daikon, carrot, cucumber

Ingredients

2 carrots, peeled
1 large daikon (white radish), peeled
8 oz fresh bean sprouts
1 cucumber, peeled
1 small red chile (Szechuan, birds eye, or red Cayenne)
1/4 cup sea salt
1 cup water
1 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp superfine sugar
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped

Cut cucumber, daikon, and carrots into matchstick slices. Put vegetables into a glass bowl and sprinkle with the salt and water. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Drain vegetables. Finely chop red pepper, being careful not to get the volatile oils on skin or eyes (these are STRONG peppers!). Toss peppers with vegetables, then tightly pack into sterile glass jars.

Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over vegetables, tapping the jars to release air bubbles. Allow 1/4" head space at the top of the jars. Wipe the rims with a clean wet cloth and screw on lids. Let marinate for a couple of days before using. This will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

If you plan to can these for later use, process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before tightening lids and storing.

Makes approximately 3 pints.

You can find other canning and preserving recipes in my book, The Complete Guide to Food Preservation: Step-by-step Instructions on How to Freeze, Dry, Can, and Preserve Food

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Giardiniera (Italian Pickled Vegetables)

When my girls were little, one of our favorite treats was Sammie's Hot Dog stand in Grayslake, a far north suburb of Chicago. This casual little place used to be a summer food stand for the lake resort crowd but grew into a year-round place that also served thousands at the County Fair. Their hot dogs were the authentic Chicago-style kind, but I liked their savory Italian Beef sandwiches even better. Plenty of au jus, and a side of pickled giardiniera (some people spell this jardiniera) that was big enough to last me for a couple more meals after the sandwich was long gone.I especially liked to sprinkle giardiniera on my macaroni and cheese.

Since then I've branched out to taste many other Italian beef places. Chicago is full of them. Al's Beef on West Taylor Street was named Chicago's #1, but I must have gone there on an off-day after classes at UIC, because I wasn't impressed at all. I'm going to have to give them a second chance.

The Portillos sandwich chain has never disappointed me. I used to work near enough to one that my coworkers and I would sometimes go out to lunch there, and I'd inevitably come back to work with some splashes on my clothes. The chain has the added attraction of watching the fastest sandwich-makers in the world build your food as you move along the cafeteria line.

Carm's Beef and Italian Ice is another winner in the same area of Little Italy - this one is on Polk Street. They use Turano's soft rolls, the spiced beef is sliced just right, and they dip the sandwich into gravy for the perfect amount of time. Mr. Beef on Orleans is a favorite with celebrities and also gets a lot of reviews, rightfully so. The link to their site takes you to a wealth of sandwich information and a place to order their beef if you're far from home and jonesing for a sandwich.

It's hard to choose between big strips of sweet sauteed peppers and giardiniera on these sandwiches, but I'm sticking with the hot pickled veggies for this post. Around here, one of the most famous brands of giardiniera is Scala's, originally made by South Side immigrants of the Scala family. It's pretty easy to find in grocery stores.

My version of this is based off a Chicago Tribune article and the delicious version from the blog The Paupered Chef. I don't know if Italians make and eat this mixture in Italy; I didn't see any while I was traveling there, but we didn't go farther south than Rome. In any case, Joe and I like this condiment on eggs, bread, sandwiches, or with anything else we're craving a hot/sour tang.

Giardiniera

Ingredients

7 jalapenos, thinly sliced (for hot giardiniera, use serranos)
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup salt

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 cup Canola oil

Directions

Place vegetables into a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Cover the vegetables with water and allow to sit for 4 hours or overnight. Drain the vegetables.

Set the oil aside. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Pack veggies tightly into pint jars. Pour 1/4 cup of oil into each jar. Ladle the vinegar/seasoning mixture into the jars until full, tapping to release air bubbles. Allow 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the edges of the jars and seal them hand-tight.

Process the jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Check seals and tighten lids, if necessary, before storing. Allow the jars to marinate for a few days before using.

Makes approximately 4 pints.

Note: if you choose not to process these jars in a canner, they will last for several weeks in the refrigerator.



You can find other canning and preserving recipes in my book, The Complete Guide to Food Preservation: Step-by-step Instructions on How to Freeze, Dry, Can, and Preserve Food

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Why you should try Caribbean Banana Ketchup

 Why try it?

• You get an authentic taste of the Caribbean islands, which were once called the West Indies
• You'll surprise your friends with a unique marinade for pork, poultry, or fish
• You'll have a new way to use up those bananas that are getting just a little too ripe
•  You 'll like this new condiment with plain old fries, chips, raw veggies, or burgers.

Lunch in St. Lucia

 In 2007, my family went on a week-long cruise in the Caribbean. We started in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and visited St. Thomas, St. John, St. Lucia, Barbados, and Dominica. At each stop, groups of us tried ziplining, river tubing, relaxing in hot springs, visiting open air markets, and jet skiing; over dinner, we shared our day and then went to shows or danced in one of the discos (my parents were the best dancers!). For me, one of the best parts of the trip was snorkeling with sea turtles in Barbados on my birthday!

Beach in St. John

The food in the Caribbean is fabulous and sometimes strange to the average Midwestern American. Among these foods was banana ketchup, a condiment on most restaurant tables and often for sale in shops. Baron's ketchup, made in St. Lucia, seemed to be the favored brand. I tried it on some potatoes and was intrigued by the sweet/sour combination with spices like cinnamon and cayenne. The taste and appearance is different from tomato ketchup, but once you try this sauce, you might become hooked!



Caribbean Banana Ketchup recipe

Ingredients


8 large overripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup yellow onions, chopped
4 large garlic cloves
2/3 cup tomato paste
2 ½ cups cider vinegar
4 cups water
1/2 cup dark molasses
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
4 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup dark rum

Directions
Add the raisins, onions, garlic, tomato paste and 1/2 cup of vinegar to a blender or food processor. Puree until very smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pot.

Add the banana chunks and another 1/2 cup of vinegar to the food processor or blender. Process the mixture until very smooth. Add mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the rest of the vinegar, 3 cups of water, molasses, salt and cayenne pepper.

Bring the mixture a boil, stirring frequently, and then reduce the heat. Simmer uncovered until the sauce is very thick, approximately one hour. Stir occasionally. If the sauce begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add some of the remaining water, up to one cup.

Add the corn syrup, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper and cloves. Cook the ketchup, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes longer over medium heat. Stir in the rum. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Strain the mixture well through a colander or sieve. If using the ketchup fresh, remove the ketchup from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Store it in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 1 month.

If canning the sauce, ladle hot mixture into pint jars, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Dampen a kitchen towel and wipe around the rims of the canning jars. Screw the canning lids onto the jar just until finger-tight. Process 20 minutes in a canner. Cool completely before checking seal and storing.

Yield: 4-5 Pints

This recipe was featured in my book The Complete Guide to Food Preservation: Step-by-step Instructions on How to Freeze, Dry, Can, and Preserve Food

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