Mexican on The Fly

Grilled Steak with Black Beans, Grilled Scallions and Roasted Salsa

Mexican food is something I could eat 24/7-365! I LOVE Mexican food, and have never tired of it. This is a super simple (I can't not stress enough how easy this is) recipe that will sate any steak/Mexican food craving right away. I am sorry to say however, that this is going to be one of those recipes I don't measure a damn thing for. Not measuring is part of the reason I'm so drawn to cooking vs baking. I can go by smell and taste with cooking. Not the case with baking, I have to know what reactions will be caused in baking and won't know how it tastes until it completed...and most possibly a disaster (like my first pie - YIKES!). I will however do my best to properly convey this recipe to the best of my ability.





EQUIPMENT
Cast Iron Grill Pan*
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Mdm. Pot (with lid)



INGREDIENTS
Skirt Steak
1 Bunch of Scallions
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Chile Powder
1 Lime
Salsa - same recipe I previously posted


Get your grill pan nice and hot on medium-high. Make sure your steak is room temperature, it cooks more evenly that way. Since it's cast iron you should have it already nice and seasoned, but if you feel you need it add a little oil to the pan. Season your steak with salt, pepper, garlic powder, chile powder and a couple squeezes of lime juice. Skirt steak cooks fairly quickly, so you should only need to cook it about 3 minutes on each side or so. Of coarse if you like very well done, cook it longer. When steak is cooked, remove from pan and set aside to rest. While the steak is resting toss your scallions on the grill pan and cook them to a nice char. Serve them alongside the steak with a side of beans and some of that fresh salsa poured on top.




Comer!

Pesto - Bacon Mac n Cheese

This dish isn't a real recipe (at least not in the traditional sense of the word) since it was made with what I had in my house. This is one of those dish's that can be adjusted to whatever you have around. Ah the beauty of Mac n Cheese.

So, yesterday we were suppose to get some great storm here on the coast. Everyone was all prepared for this great wind storm, and then honestly we got screwed out of it. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't hoping for mass destruction, or anything of that magnitude...just a good ole fashioned coastal storm. So, I closed early at work and stopped off at the store for batteries and a bottle of wine (it's going to be a huge storm right?) then headed home to make something cozy before the power goes out....the power never went out, I don't think it even flickered. This is where the mac n cheese comes in. Mac n cheese is a blank canvas that you can paint according to your mood...or pantry for that matter. This is Pesto-Bacon Mac.




EQUIPMENT
Lrg. Pot
Mdm. Saucepan
Lrg. Spoon
Whisk
Cheese Grater
Strainer




INGREDIENTS
Elbow Macaroni
Butter
Flour
Milk
Fontina Cheese
Leftover Pesto
Leftover Herb Cheese Spread
Bacon pieces leftover from breakfast
Pepper and Salt as needed




Okay, so I didn't measure a damn thing, not surprising though right? Here's what I did do...

Fill a large pot with water and set it on the stove to boil, add salt to the water. When it reaches a boil, turn it down just a tad and add the pasta. While your pasta is cooking, move on to the cheese sauce.

In the medium saucepan (on medium-low heat) melt a couple Tablespoons of butter, then whisk in flower until it no longer has that "raw" smell to it and it's has a bit of a crumbly look to it...please don't burn it though. Now whisk in enough milk to create a creamy base for your cheese. Don't put that milk back in the fridge though, you may need it again to thin the sauce...especially since we aren't measuring anything. Now toss in your grated fontina (once again, it's what I had leftover from a brussels sprout gratin recipe from Thanksgiving)and whisk into the creamy base. When the cheese is melted stir in some herb cheese spread (leftover from a whine/cheese/cracker night) and as much pesto as you have left (or can stand). Now, toss in that leftover bacon (because you cooked too much in the morning) and give it a good stir. Taste it, and add any salt, pepper, or anything else you feel that it's missing.

You've been keeping an eye on your noodles while this is going on right? Ok, so when they are all cooked (please don't cook them to oblivion so they become this mushy noodle...thing closer to baby food then noodles). Strain your noodles and toss them back in the large pot you cooked them in (with a tiny bit of butter or oil, so they won't stick to the bottom) now pour that delicious cheesy goodness on top of your noodles, stir it all together and serve yourself a nice big bowl.

In my opinion this can only be truly enjoyed with a nice glass of wine and a classic Christmas movie.



Comer!

Late Night Munchies

"Mexican" Grilled Cheese

This was one of those "accidental meals" that I so love to discover. It's been a very busy week already, and this was the perfect late night meal. I went from work to book club last night, and just bolted down a quick bowl of soup in-between. Naturally by the time I got home from Book Club I was already hungry again. Not wanting to make a huge production out of my meal, I just started digging around in the refrigerator and found some cilantro that needed to be used before it was too late. Naturally when you grow your own tomatoes and have cilantro, the first thing that came to my mind was salsa. Already having a full jar of homemade salsa my mind just kept jumping through my refrigerator...the discovery of some habanero jack cheese was the clincher. "Mexican" grilled cheese it is.


EQUIPMENT
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Butter Knife
Griddle (frying pan works too)




INGREDIENTS
Bread
Soft Butter
Chipotle Ranch (I make my own)
Habanero Jack Cheese
Turkey Deli Meat
Rough Chopped Cilantro
Sliced Tomatoes



I sincerely hope nobody needs measurements for grilled cheese, it is after all a very personal dish. We all have our own taste in the amount of cheese that is used.
Slather one side of your bread with the chipotle ranch, then begin to build the sandwich. I built in the following order...Chipotle Ranch, Habanero Cheese, Turkey, Tomatoes, Cilantro, and more Habanero Cheese. Once you have assembled your sandwich, slather one side with butter and put in your hot pan (medium heat) and slather butter on the other side. Buttering the bread gives you a nice crust on your bread as well a good flavor. I generally flip my sandwich three times, so each side has made contact with the pan for a couple minutes at least twice. Of coarse things will vary by how crispy you like your bread and the temperature of your stove...and did I mention how much patience you may posses?
Well you've made your sandwich and it is now ready for consumption. I enjoyed mine with a glass of Hard Blackberry Cider while watching Beasts of The Southern Wild.



Comer!

Garlic Chicken AND Poached Eggs

Garlic Chicken, Sauted Chard with Onions and Poached Eggs

So, last night I had a couple friends over for dinner. One of them is currently not eating any dairy, beans (I don't think I could live without beans) sugars, or grains. Needless to say a bit of thought was required for dinner...though if I'm being honest this meal was one of the easiest and simplest meals I've made in a long while. Did I mention it was also one of the tastiest I've made in a while? No? Well it was. The meal brought home what we so often forget...less is more. There are very few ingredients for this meal and also very little salt. Allowing the vegetables and creaminess of the poached eggs to speak for themselves is really all you need. Ok, so a little bit of salt helps. Basically what i'm trying to say is, thank you to my friend and her dietary requirements for pushing me out of my "norm". Last night also marked the end of my procrastination to make poached eggs...I just did it!




EQUIPMENT
Large Pan with High Sides
Large "Frying" Pan
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Wooden Spoon
Tongs



GARLIC CHICKEN INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - Either tenders or smash them thin yourself
5 Cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
1 Bushel of Parsley, chopped
1 Lemon, cut into wedges
Fresh Ground Pepper
Salt
Oil


Brush the chicken with oil on both sides, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat pan to medium-high heat with a little extra oil in it. When pan is hot and oil is shimmering, put chicken in. Cook about 2 minutes on each side. With thin chicken it will not take long to cook on each side at all. Remove chicken and set aside (tent or keep warm in oven) Remove pan from eat and toss in garlic, parsley and a squeeze or two of lemon. Cook just so garlic is fragrant and slightly browned. Serve over chicken.



SWISS CHARD INGREDIENTS
1 Medium Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Bushed Swiss Chard, trimmed and chopped (use stem and leaves)
Olive Oil
2T Fresh Oregano, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat large pan (with high sides and a lid) on medium heat, add oil. When oil is beginning to shimmer add in chard ribs and onions with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover with lid and let cook about 4 minutes. Remove lid and add oregano and chard leaves. Cook until leaves are cooked through. Add salt and pepper as needed. Plate alongside the chicken and top with a poached egg.*




*I'm not putting the directions for poached eggs in here, because I feel it needs step by step photos if you've never done them before. I will do a poached egg tutorial post soon, hopefully in the next couple of days. Perhaps I will attempt Eggs Florentine this weekend.



Comer!

Summer Shrimp

As delicious as this dish was, this is not at all what I had in mind to make earlier in the day. I had plans for a lemon-herb risotto with shrimp. However, it ended up being a nice 70 degrees here on the coast and risotto just seemed...wrong. I had already told my roommate to bring home some shrimp, so clearly the evening had to continue in a shrimpy fashion. The question however...in what sort of vessel would these shrimp arrive at the table? Now this where the problem lies for me to convey my recipes...I just started tossing things in a pot. I will give you the ingredients, but I can't promise the outcome since I measured NOTHING, ok well almost nothing. Good luck.



EQUIPMENT
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Large Pan w/lid
Wooden Spoon



INGREDIENTS
2 (or so)Tbl. Olive Oil
1 Mdm. Yellow (or white) Onion, Chopped
6 Mini Zuchini, Chopped
4 Mini Pattypan Squash, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
4 (or 5) Mixed Mini Bell Peppers, sliced
Oregano, roughly chopped
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
White Wine
Lemon Juice from 1/4 of a lemon
Vegetable broth...2T perhaps
Honey



Heat your pan over medium heat, and add olive oil. When Olive oil is shimmering toss in your onions. Cook the onions until fragrant, then add all your squash, peppers and garlic. Ok...here comes the hard part. I'm sorry, but this is where things get a little shaky and I stopped measuring and just started adding.
At this point I still wasn't entirely sure what I was making, and was just adding things that sounded good.
Season dish with salt and freshly ground pepper, a bit of onion powder, some garlic powder, and fresh (or dried if you don't have fresh) oregano. Stir that all together until the seasonings become fragrant. Now add your shrimp, wine, lemon juice, vegetable broth and honey. Cover and let simmer for a couple minutes. Check frequently so as not to over cook the shrimp. When everything is cooked and smells as you would like it to (once again I'm sorry for the flimsy recipe...I will make this again and measure things i promise) then remove it from the heat and serve with a nice hunk of bread.



Comer!

Garlic-Lemon Tilapia w/Spinach

This recipe was inspired by my Food Network Magazine, but I tweaked it a little bit. In my opinion there is too much lemon in the recipe the way it was written, the acid would overtake all the other flavors. We ate dinner a little late last night, as yesterday was "store day". That dreaded day where we make a mad dash for Costco/Fred Meyer/Home Depot/Petco all in a single evening after work, in the hopes that we will not have to return for the rest of the month...well to at least 3 of the 4. Anyways, I digress...as usual. Dinner was consumed around 10pm BUT, it only took me about 20 minutes to prepare this lovely looking (and tasting) dish for two. So no grumbling that you don't have time to make dinner, because I call bull***t!



EQUIPMENT
Large Pan
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Liquid Measuring Cup
Zester
Wooden Spoon
Foil
2 Plates
Tongs or Fish Spatula



INGREDIENTS
2 Tilapia Filets (fresh please, not frozen)
1/4C. Flour
Salt and Pepper
4T Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
1/2C. Dry White Wine
3/4C. Chicken Broth (vegetable is fine as well)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
1T. Butter
2T. Chopped Parsley
4C Spinach



Pat dry the Tilapia then salt and pepper to taste on both sides. Dredge the fish in your 1/4C. of flour, (I find it the easiest to just pour the flour out on a plate). Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in your large pan. When oil is hot at the fish. Cook roughly 2 minutes on each side. When fish is cooked transfer to a clean plate and tent with foil to keep it warm, while you finish up the dish. Add one more tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and add the garlic slices. As soon as garlic begins to brown add the wine, chicken broth, lemon juice and lemon zest. Turn heat up to high and allow to come to a boil until it reduces by half.
In the meantime toss your clean (uncooked) spinach with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and couple grinds of fresh pepper. Place on your plate, this will be the bed for the fish.
When the liquid has reduced, remove from the heat and stir in the butter then add the parsley. Put your fish on the spinach bed, and pour the sauce overtop. Serve with a lemon wedge and devour.



Comer!

Coconut Shrimp

Coconut Shrimp with Jalapeño/Mango Dipping Sauce


This recipe was inspired by a bar/restaurant in my town, that served coconut shrimp with a mango dipping sauce that I really enjoyed. Sadly everything about the dish and the bar has changed, and I have no desire to set foot in the place any longer. There is a silver lining however, because they changed everything I was forced (should I want to continue to enjoy coconut shrimp) to come up with another option. Not only have I saved money by making this myself, but I also know EXACTLY what I am eating. The dipping sauce is not mine (that is something I am still working on) but from Rose City Pepperheads http://www.rosecitypepperheads.com They make some wonderful things, and are native to my state, so I don't feel guilty about using their product in the least. Without further ramblings, I give you...happy hour at home.


EQUIPMENT
Cast Iron Pan (or deep fryer if you have one)
2 Mdm. Glass Bowls (for dredge and wash)
Measuring Cup
Measuring Spoons
Spider (slotted spoons works as well)
Wax Paper or Freezer Paper
Baking Sheet

INGREDIENTS
3/4C Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2C Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (can be found in the bulk section of most grocery stores)
2t Lime Zest
1/4-1/2t Salt
1t Pepper
2 Eggs
10-18 Fresh Shrimp, with tails on (frozen can be used as long as you defrost them, also without tails is ok I suppose)
Peanut Oil (Vegetable or Canola is fine as well)

Mix panko, coconut, lime zest, salt and pepper together in one of your bowls. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs together.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
Dip shrimp in egg then in panko mixture. Coat liberally, then place on baking sheet. When all the shrimp have been coated, place the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, but up to 4 hours.
While shrimp are in the refrigerator, get your oil ready. Pour enough oil in your cast iron pan so that you will be able to submerge the shrimp for frying. Heat oil on medium heat, until it reaches 375F. Drop cooled shrimp in oil, and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove with spider and place on a paper towel to drain any excess oil.

Enjoy this hot with your favorite dipping sauce. Mix yourself a drink, or sip a beer and enjoy happy hour at home by yourself or call a friend over.

Comer!