tomato

Tacos de Papa (Potato Tacos)

Posted on 26. May, 2011 by maureen in cabbage, cheese, cilantro, cumin, entrée, garlic, jalapeno, potato, taco, tomato, tortilla

HHoly potato goodness!!! They were as tasty as they sounded the first time I read this recipe. Ok, maybe a little tastier. We love cumin. We love potatoes. And we love salsa. The cabbage I questioned at first but didn't hesitate to throw it in the grocery cart because, well, it's a Saveur recipe! It has to be good! Ok, maybe not, but I trusted it to be greatness.

Didn't make any substitutions but I doubled the recipe. The only thing I missed was the extra tomato on top. I bought only two romas and used them in the salsa. I was kind of shocked by the amount of salt and ended up using less than it called for. The mashed potatoes were very salty, but once they were fried in the tortillas and topped with salsa and cabbage, the tastes blended together just right.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, cored
  • 2 red jalapeños, stemmed
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed, plus 2 cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 18 corn tortillas
  • Thinly sliced green cabbage and tomatoes, and crumbled cotija cheese, for serving

Directions:

  1. Puree cilantro, oregano, sugar, tomatoes, jalapeños, smashed garlic, and 2/3 cup water in a blender until smooth; set salsa aside. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Add minced garlic, butter, salt, pepper, and cumin, and mash until smooth. Set potato mixture aside.
  2. Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Spread 1 heaping tbsp. potato mixture over half of each tortilla, and fold over to form a taco. Working in batches, add tacos to oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes.
  3. Stuff cabbage, tomatoes, and cotija into tacos; drizzle with salsa before serving.

Source: Saveur

Cilantro-Serrano Pesto with Grilled Chicken and Penne

Posted on 21. Aug, 2010 by maureen in cheese, chicken, cilantro, entrée, garlic, mint, parmesan, pasta, pecan, serrano, tomato

We either grill the whole breast (spiced with cumin, garlic powder, a little chili powder, or some of Will's dad's awesome spice mix if we have it) or cut into strips or bite-sized pieces and pan fry in some olive oil depending on whether we want to start the grill or not.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint
  • 1/2 cup cotija cheese (I used a Parmesan wedge)
  • 3 tbsp toasted pecan halves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 garlic cloves (I use 6+)
  • 1 serrano chile, seeded and sliced (I've used 2 before)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp sherry vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast (I use 1 or 2 whole breasts)
  • cooking spray
  • 6 cups hot cooked penne pasta (about 3 ounces uncooked)
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:

  1. Place first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until well blended. With processor on, slowly pour oil through food chute; process until will blended. Place pesto in a large bowl; stir in vinegar and pepper.
  2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat chicken with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Add chicken, pasta, and tomatoes to pesto; toss to combine.

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2006

Multicolor Mediterranean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

Posted on 01. Jul, 2010 by maureen in cheese, cucumber, feta, garlic, oregano, rosemary, salad, spinach, tomato

Lemon cucumber? How about a regular cucumber...

Salad:

  • 4 lemon cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 yellow banana chili peppers or other mild chili pepper, such as Anaheim, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium bell pepper, preferably yellow, seeded and chopped into 1/4-inch chunks
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped into 1/4-inch chunks
  • 8 ounces tomatoes, preferably plum, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 2 cups coarsely torn spinach leaves
  • 1.5 cups 1/4-inch cubes stale French bread
  • 2/3 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing (recipe below)
  • 12 Mediterranean-style black olives, such as oil-cured or kalamata
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Place the cucumbers, chili and bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, spinach, and bread in a large bowl and toss to mix.
  2. When ready to serve, pour in the dressing and toss again. Top with the olives, feta, and black pepper and serve right away.

Source: Gardeners' Community Cookbook



Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano or marjoram leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 dried tomato, not oil packed, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:

  1. Place the rosemary, oregano, garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl and set aside to steep for 3 to 4 hours.
  2. Add the sun-dried tomato and vinegar, whisk to mix, and use right away or store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.

Source: Gardeners' Community Cookbook

Notes for sun-dried tomatoes:

Oven-drying tomatoes concentrates the flavor, adding a slightly smoky taste, and results in a texture somewhere between sun-dried tomatoes and fresh ones. Plum tomatoes and other small, dense-fleshed tomatoes work best. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the tomatoes in half and arrange, skin side down, on the parchment. Cook in a 250F oven for 2 hours, or until the tomatoes are shriveled but not blackened. Remove form the oven, peel away the parchment, and place the tomatoes on a plate if using right away or in a glass or plastic container if using later. Will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

For one batch of microwave dried tomatoes, halve lengthwise 10 to 12 plum or other small tomatoes. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or your fingers. Place as many halves, cut sides down, in a single layer on a microwave plate as will fit without touching each other. Microwave on high for 10 to 15 minutes, until collapsed. Remove and cool a few minutes, until no longer steaming hot. Pour off the collected juices and, with a metal spatula, turn over the halves, patting the pulp back into the centers Microwave on high for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the tomatoes are dired out but still supple. Set aside without disturbing for 30 minutes, then transfer to a jar or plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

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