Chirmol

As many of you are fully aware, I have an exploding tomato population.  I went a bit "Little House on the Prairie" thinking I needed to sow all my seeds to get me through the long, hard winter on the farm apparently.  Well, now...  I am reaping what I have sown.   PUN. FULLY. INTENDED.

It's mass chaos back there.  I think the tomatoes get together in some sort of secret society at night while I'm sleeping, plotting to overthrow me.  One day I may wake up to them all crouched down waiting to pounce (think: Lord of the Flies).  OK, clearly I've gone off on a tangent...

Last week I made a joke about "101 things to do with tomatoes", listing all of the recipes that were likely to show up here because they are bountiful and I can barely keep up.  And while it is inevitable that more tomato recipes will appear, I would have to say in all honesty that the best thing to do with a tomato is eat it right from the plant, still warm from the sun.  Nothing beats it.

A friend of mine suggested I share a salsa recipe.  He said he's always looking for new ones to try and then another friend of mine said she needed one too, so here we are. 

There are no shortage of salsa recipes out there, that is for sure, but maybe you've never had one like this before. 

If you've ever spent time in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras or El Salvador, chances are you've had chirmol.  If you have friends or family from that area or if you've ever eaten at a restaurant representing one of those countries, it is almost a certainty.
It is the go-to condiment served with grilled meat and makes an appearance at every barbecue. 

The sharpness of the lime, the bite of the onions, the acidity in the tomatoes all work together perfectly to cut through the richness of the grilled meat.  I'm salivating just thinking about it...
It is a delicious combination.  Don't just take my word for it, get in the kitchen!

Chirmol is basically a pico de gallo or salsa.  It is scrumptious mixed in with rice and/or beans or scooped up with a tortilla chip. I even throw some in with my eggs in the morning.  If you like salsa, you'll love this.

Salsas are one of the quickest and easiest things to throw together.  In less than 10 minutes, it's done.  Start to finish.  It does not require incredible knife skills, so whether you have been cooking forever or are just beginning, everyone can manage this.  


Chirmol
8 plum tomatoes
1 small onion, finely diced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 - 1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
salt & pepper

Coat tomatoes with about a teaspoon of oil, just enough to slick their skin. Grill until skin is lightly charred, set aside in a bowl to cool slightly before peeling.  Sometimes mine burst open before they get charred enough.  If this happens, don't sweat it!  You can either let them hang out for another minute or just pull them off the grill.

If the tomatoes are the only thing you need grilled & you don't want to go through the trouble, you can do them in a pan on the stove or in the oven. 
If you don't feel like cooking them at all, that's fine too. 
We're not trying to split the atom, it's just a tomato...

Once the tomatoes have cooled enough to handle, slip the skins off and chop them up.  If you like a smooth salsa, puree them in the blender.

Let the diced onions hang out in the lime juice for about 10 minutes, this helps to mellow them out.  Then add the rest of your ingredients and mix to combine.  Season with salt & pepper.

This is the basic, traditional recipe for chirmol.  If you are in the mood for a more gussied up version, feel free to experiment and add in roasted or fresh corn, diced bell pepper, diced mango, peach or pineapple.
You can also switch up the chilies; add chipotles in adobo to make it even smokier or if you REALLY like heat, add in a habanero, or Scotch bonnet. 

Grilled Vegetables and Red Pepper Dip

While the Internet is abuzz with pastel this & candy that, little cupcakes decorated with bunnies and gloriously shellacked hams with deep brown glazes, I am grilling vegetables.
I know, it seems I've missed the boat again... but, you see when you live far from family sometimes holiday dinners are less formal and more like "what do I feel like eating?"

The other side of this is that not everyone eats or enjoys a big hunk of ham (I know, I don't quite get it either), but to each their own and who's to say that you can't have grilled veggies alongside that burnished spiral sliced beast? 
It's all about balance anyway, isn't it?   If you have a bit of something that you reserve only for holidays, all the more reason to serve healthy options to offset the indulgence.

I recently overbought (again) at the market and ended up with enough vegetables to feed half the neighborhood.   Luckily, I had a few friends that happened to drop by!  I sent them home with containers of veggies and dip and shortly thereafter received a most delightful text proclaiming how much they loved it. 

So, I can tell you with all certainty that it has been "tested" and "approved".   You will most likely have leftover red pepper dip.  It is delicious on pasta, chicken, tossed with shrimp, pita chips... you get the picture.

Serve a wide variety of vegetables in a rainbow of colors.  I used orange and yellow bell peppers, small eggplant, asparagus, fennel, red onion, portobello mushrooms, green onions, zucchini, baby yellow squash and lemons

remove gills from underside of portobellos before grilling

 

Before you get started, the most important thing is to have your "mise en place" ready to go.   Before you light the grill: clean all of the vegetables, have them sliced and seasoned.   I use a spray bottle to lightly mist the vegetables with oil, that way they don't get too greasy and it's easier to control the amount of oil that goes on them.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and any other seasoning you like after they have been slicked with a little oil.
Lay everything out on sheet pans, or whatever you have to transport them from the kitchen to the grill and back.  Find the tongs, make sure the grill is clean (I say this because yours truly has done this on several occasions) and lastly enjoy the holiday!

Red Pepper Dip
1 1/2 lbs (drained weight) roasted red peppers, about 5 whole (jarred or homemade)
1/2 cup packed parsley, rough chop
1/4 cup packed basil, rough chop
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 - 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Put everything in the blender and let it rip until it looks like this.  How's THAT for easy directions?!

Make yourself a big plate!

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Buttermilk Biscuits

Sometimes it's as if people are dropped into your life out of the blue.  This is the story of  one such person.  I was lucky enough to have made a connection with another food blogger and Pastry Chef.  We "met" through Facebook & Twitter.  Like many other food bloggers, we are on each others pages.  We offer support, ask questions and weigh in on life-altering discussions about butter and how best to photograph one's creations. 

During the course of a few months, we discovered how very much alike we are... although she is definitely the nicer one.  She has become my "Sissy" and this happened the day I met her in person.

I was travelling when she & her Beloved husband graciously offered their home to me for a night instead of having to stay in a hotel.  We were sitting in her kitchen and I had asked her if there was a store nearby because I was desperate to get my hands on some White Lily flour... (she remembers this part a bit differently)

As if by magic, she disappeared into a pantry and before I knew where she had gone, she was standing in front of me holding up the sought after bag of flour as if it were nothing.  She said "You mean THIS flour?!".   I couldn't believe it.   I was thrilled and I meant to do it justice with some serious biscuits.

It had sadly been sitting in my cupboard for a little while before I had gotten to it, always clearing it's throat when I opened the cupboard door.  As if it needed to remind me of its presence.  Hardly.   Finally, one day I had it set in my head to get cracking.

So, off to the store I went to grab a few things. Traditionally biscuits are made with shortening. I was against this from the start, but also curious to see how they would compare side to side against those baked with only butter.  I had the Crisco in my hand.  I.  just. couldn't. do. it.

It was as if every single cell in my body was rebelling and screaming "NOOOOOO!  Put it down & back away..."   So I did. 
I guarantee those of us that have had biscuits at a restaurant have eaten them with shortening, or worse.  And I'm certain that I liked them, but I just could NOT buy the tub of Crisco. 
So, there you have it.  Experiment aborted, but I hope I will be forgiven once you taste these biscuits.

"Sissy" Biscuits

2 c. AP flour, preferably White Lily
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 tbsp. chilled butter
3/4 c. buttermilk + extra for brushing on top


These biscuits are delicious as is or split open with a bit of honey or strawberry jam.  You could go all out and make gravy for a nice weekend breakfast or brunch or have breakfast for dinner!  Need a little herbiness?  Chop up some fresh herbs like dill and sprinkle in for extra flavor.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Line sheet pan/baking sheet/cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and baking soda together.  Using a pastry blender (or your fingers) cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add buttermilk and stir in flour just until it comes together.  Dough will be sticky.
Turn out onto a floured surface, pat dough out and fold over on itself a few times to help create layers.

Pat out to desired thickness.  I did mine about 1/4 inch... too tall and they will topple over.
Using a biscuit cutter/cookie cutter/juice glass, cut out biscuits by pushing straight down.

Lay biscuits on parchment lined sheet pan and brush tops with buttermilk.
Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. 

Be sure to keep on eye on them after 6 or 7 minutes.  You may need to adjust baking time based on your oven.

Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Kitchen...

As soon as I walk into this space, I know if that were a real commandment, I'd be breaking it.  And breaking it hard.  Those of us who cook and are forced challenged to "get creative" with minuscule kitchens feel the sting every time we walk into someone elses's beautiful kitchen.  We look at their (audible gasp) cabinet space, counter space & WHAT?!  You have built in ovens AND a center island?!

OK, maybe that's just me...  I look at my tiny space & feel a tinge of frustration, but remind myself that plenty of people have it worse.  Although it doesn't usually make me feel much better when I'm balancing things on top of one another just to find a little extra space to set down a cutting board.

To further torture myself, I look at "dream kitchens" online.  Twisted, isn't it?
What?  That wound didn't sting enough?!  Let's sprinkle a little salt in there...  make mine Maldon please.
I seem to have gone off on a bit of a tangent, my apologies.

The point is, we work with what we have and sometimes what we have can be a bit trying.   So does that push those of us that have to "rise to the challenge" to be a bit more creative?  I'm sure it has nothing to do with it, but I'd like to think so... Now that I've had my little rant, off to the 3x5 space I'm relegated to. Thanks for listening.

I had no intention of doing back to back soup recipes, yet here we are. 
Chicken Noodle soup.  Not exactly ground-breaking, earth-shattering, cutting-edge haute cuisine, but something everyone should have in their arsenal.  When it's good,  it's really good and it possesses inexplicable magic.  A good bowl of chicken soup can make you feel so much better when you're under the weather.  It satisfies your soul and can warm you to the core on a bone-chilling day. 

There are more variations of this soup out there than one could ever imagine. 
Certainly there are faster versions than this, and when I don't have the time to let my stock simmer all day I put everything in the pot and go from there... but, that being said this is how I prefer to do it as it makes the most intensely "chicken-y" flavored broth.

For me, it is also one of those "base" soups that you can play with.  Once you nail down the basic procedure you can start swapping out ingredients, changing up seasonings, vegetables, etc.  Add a few stalks of lemongrass to perfume it with a wonderfully fragrant citrus flavor.  Add in Asian greens, some shiitakes, swap out egg noodles for small dumplings or udon noodles and you've just created a completely different soup. 

The broth (stock) of your soup is the key.  It needs time so don't rush it. If you give it time to develop there will be a major payoff when it's done.  Season it properly and let the flavors deepen and that soup will banish the memories of any bland, colorless sad excuse for chicken soup you've ever had.

Deep Golden Broth!

 

 

Chicken Noodle Soup



For the stock:
3 - 4 lbs chicken carcasses (necks & backs included, skin and excess fat removed)
12 cups water
1 onion, rough chop
3 carrots, rough chop
2 stalks celery, rough chop
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, peeled & smashed
1 small bunch thyme
1 small bunch parsley

Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot and simmer uncovered for 4 - 6 hours.  Stock should not boil, it should be kept at a gentle simmer. Longer is better, you can simmer up to 8 hours if you have the time, but 6 hours will give you a rich, deep stock.

Skim the "scum" from the top every 15 - 20 minutes for the first couple of hours, then you will only need to do it a few more times for the remainder of the cooking time.   Skimming the stock will result in a cleaner flavor and clearer broth.  Add hot water to pot as needed to keep chicken and vegetables submerged.

Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer and discard solids.  If not using immediately, cool down and refrigerate.  After it has cooled completely, remove solidified fat from top and discard.


For the soup:
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 lbs chicken (If you are using boneless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces )
8 cups chicken stock
4 oz egg noodles
1 TB canola oil
salt & pepper

In a large stock pot, heat canola oil over medium heat.  Add onions and saute 2 -3 minutes.  Add chicken to pot and saute until lightly browned. Add carrots and celery and saute 2 -3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Add stock and simmer until chicken is cooked through. 

If you are using chicken on the bone, remove from soup and let it cool until you are able to handle it, then remove meat from bone and cut into bite size pieces.

Add egg noodles and cook according to package directions, usually 6 - 8 minutes.  Serve & eat!

 

*For those of you who are thinking "Is this girl nuts?!"  Before you come after me like a mob of angry villagers, here's a quickie version:



Heat canola oil in stock pot and saute onions until they just begin to turn golden brown.  Add chicken pieces and saute until it is nicely browned.

Add 8 cups water and bay leaf.  Let it simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, skimming the surface as needed.  Remove chicken pieces and let them cool until you are able to handle them.

Add celery and carrots to broth.  While they are simmering,  take the meat off the bones and cut into bite sized pieces.  Add the chicken meat back into the soup and add noodles.  Cook another 6 - 8 minutes until noodles are done.

A Big Bowl of Sunshine

Don't you just love it when you throw a bunch of stuff together in a big pot and it turns out to be one of the most delicious things you've had in a long while?

That is exactly what happened with this soup.  I needed to make supper and wasn't really up for a trip to the store.  I rummaged around in the cabinets and fridge to see what I could assemble and that is how this came together.   I had a few bits of this, a piece of that, a couple of these, etc.

When I set everything out on the counter, it seemed like a good idea in theory, but we all know how sometimes these things tend to turn out... you know, good intentions & all. 

Luckily, this once actually turned out to be pretty awesome. Out of a bit of laziness frugality a great soup was born! This soup was devoured like it was going to be my last meal on Earth.  It is hearty and warming, exactly the kind of thing you want in front of you on a cold day.  Grab a loaf of crusty bread, tear off a chunk and tuck in.


Bowl of Sunshine Soup

1 lg sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 rutabaga, peeled & diced
1 lg sweet potato, peeled & diced
4 medium carrots, peeled & thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 cup Israeli cous cous
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp turmeric
purple basil for garnish
3 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large pot, sweat onion in olive oil over medium low heat.  Let it cook out slowly for about 15 - 20 minutes until it just begins to turn light golden brown.  Add garlic and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Add carrot and sweet potato, cook for a few minutes then add stock and turmeric.  When carrots have started to soften slightly, add rutabaga.   Simmer for approximately 20 minutes, then add chickpeas and cous cous.

Cook for an additional 6 - 8 minutes or until cous cous is soft and chewy.   Sprinkle with fresh herbs for garnish.

Viva Mexico

The smell of the lightly singed corn tortilla & the memories instantly flood my mind.  I inhale deeply and let the smell fill my head.   

I close my eyes and it's 1993...  I was leaving home for the first time to do a semester abroad.
I was on my way to the state of Jalisco, Mexico to attend the Universidad Autonoma De Guadalajara. 

I remember very distinctly the feeling of stepping off of the plane, walking alone through the airport and realizing that I was on my own in a foreign country...  and speaking Spanish was now a necessity.
The realization that I was the minority in this country where its people were the minority in mine.

Everything was so different; the sounds, the smells, the food...  nothing was familiar to me and as terrifying as that was, it was also the thing that was most exhilarating. 
The most tedious of tasks at home had become an adventure in Mexico, some of them less amusing than others...

I learned more about this country in the few months I lived there than I did in all the years I had been studying it.  Being immersed in a culture other than your own is something I think everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.  It opened my eyes to things that changed me for the better, giving me a greater appreciation for what I had.

When I'm craving Mexican food, and quite honestly I don't know that I'm ever NOT, I instantly go to tacos. 
It is street food in Mexico. 

Everyone eats them; there are taquerias on every other corner, each one claiming to have the best of one type or another.  They are inexpensive, fairly simple to prepare and generally a crowd pleaser.
 (those of you with picky eaters, rejoice!)

I made slightly more chicken than I needed so that I could use it in another recipe.  If you are like-minded and wish to cook one protein for multiple uses, stick to the quantities below.  If not, you can reduce the number of chicken thighs to suit your needs.

Chicken Tacos
makes 12 - 16 tacos

• 8 skinless chicken thighs, bone-in
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 2 large carrots, cut in half
• 2 stalks celery, cut in half
• 1 medium onion, cut in half
• 1 quart chicken stock/broth
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• flour or corn tortillas
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
• Garnish: shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, caramelized onion & pickled radish (or, go the more traditional route with diced white onion, cilantro & chiles)

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Heat a large, deep frying pan over medium - high heat.  Add olive oil.
3. Salt & pepper chicken.  Add to pan, bone side facing up.   Sear, then flip over.
4. Add chicken stock, bay leaves, carrot, onion, celery and cilantro
5. Cover and place in oven for 45 minutes.
6. Remove chicken, strain cooking liquid and reserve for another use.
7. Shred chicken and set aside. 
8. Warm tortillas, either on a flame or in a pan. (typically served doubled up, not a single tortilla)
9. Garnish tacos with caramelized red onion, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, cumin crema & pickled radishes.

 I put my tortillas directly over the flame. 

Keep a close eye on them, as they will burn quickly!

Traditionally, this is done on a comal...

  

Pickled Radishes

• 10 - 15 radishes
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp pink peppercorns
• 5 allspice berries
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp kosher salt

1. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice radishes very thinly.
2. Combine all ingredients in a small pot and bring to a simmer.
3. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, remove from heat and let cool.

Cumin Crema

• 8 oz Crema Mexicana or sour cream
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• juice of 1 lime

1. Combine all ingredients and mix until well incorporated.