Category Archives: Sauce
Taco Night- Roasted Salsa
You got to have excellent salsa if you are going to have an amazing taco night.. this is a yummy roasted salsa to enjoy either with tortilla chips or over your delicious tacos.. I have used similar spices in this sauce as the meat- ground coriander and ancho chili powder…
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Transfer the tomatoes to a lined cookie sheet. Add the olive oil and salt, mix well and roast for 30 minutes. Take out and put through a food mill. Keep aside. If you don’t have a food mill, process the tomatoes in a food processor.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the coriander, ancho chili powder and salt. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes and add to the tomato sauce. Add lemon juice and cilantro. Check for seasonings and let cool. Serve with tacos.
Mango and Red Pepper Salsa
It is summer and time for grilling… I am always looking for delicious sauces and salads to pair with my grilled meats. Here is a delicious, easy mango salsa…perfect with chicken, shrimp or beef… or just with some tortilla chips..
- 1 large or two medium mangos, peeled and chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
- ½ large red pepper, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 to 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
Transfer all the ingredients in a serving bowl. Mix well and serve.
Roasted Tomato Salsa
I make salsas year round. I made this one with the chili from yesterday. It was delicious with a mound of crunch tortilla chips…
- 6 roma tomatoes, cut in half and seeds removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, cut in half
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Sprinkle of salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of small lemon
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
Preheat oven on a low broil.
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tomatoes and onions cut side down. Add the garlic. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt. Broil for 10 to 20 minutes (depending on strength of broiler) till the veggies are soft and char on them. Take out and let cool. Place in a blender with the cilantro. Blend till smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt and ancho chili powder. Mix well and check for seasonings. Serve with tortilla chips.
Broccoli Rabe and Parsley Pesto
I love making pesto- as it is very versatile. It can be used in pasta dishes, as a sauce for meat or fish dishes or as a filling in lasagna.. sky is the limit. One can make pesto of nearly anything- I decided to use my favorite green- broccoli rabe.. and I paired it with parsley and almonds. The result was delicious…
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano, grated
- 2 cups broccoli rabe, the leaves taken off and chopped
- 2 cups parsley, chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Transfer the garlic, almonds and cheese to a food processor. Pulse this the garlic and almonds are chopped. Add the broccoli rabe, parsley and lemon juice. Process till everything is chopped well. Slowly drizzle the olive oil while processing the mixture. Take out of the processor and transfer to bowl. Check for seasonings and add salt. Serve on top of any meat, fish or mixed with pasta.
Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Spring is finally here, and even though the weather has been quite sketchy- spring produce is everywhere! One of my favorite things is Meyer lemons. Native to China, this citrus usually shows up in the beginning of Spring. I love making desserts and salad dressings with the juice. It is great for cocktails as well. I made this very simple vinaigrette to keep in my fridge and top it on my salads everyday.. the clementines provide a yummy sweetness…
- 4 large Meyer lemons, juiced
- 2 to 3 Clementines, juiced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons agave
Transfer all the ingredients to an airtight container and mix well till incorporated.
Meyer Lemon and Avocado Oil Dressing
One thing I always have in my fridge is homemade salad dressing. A lot of people are intimidated and don’t end up making their own concoction but I am here to tell you- it takes all of five minutes to make. You can make it super healthy with limited amounts of fat. Speaking of fat- I am using something a bit different in this one- avocado oil. It is considered one of the ‘good fats’- it kind of has an acquired taste but I have decided I like it. I paired it with meyer lemon juice. Meyer lemons are in season right now and are super aromatic and very floral- kind of a cross between a lemon and and an orange. This is a great dressing to have on hand- it complements all sorts of greens and vegetables…
Healthy Chili Lime Dressing
So, you made the delicious tacos, guacamole and salsa. You have a bit of everything left over the next day- what are you going to do with them?? Well, why don’t you make a delicious taco salad. To keep with the healthy theme, I present to you my favorite, healthy dressing. I have this in my fridge. I hardly ever use bottled salad dressings any more. I do have them in the fridge in case I run out of mine but I prefer the ones I make. Salad dressing are super easy to make. The great thing about making your own is that you can adjust the oil and sugar. I like mine without a lot of oil. I like more citrus and flavor- you can adjust your’s according to taste. I make a batch that lasts me a week. This particular one is great to use with the Latin style taco filling, guacamole and salsa. Try this dressing- you will never want a bottled one again!
- Juice of 2 large limes
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1-2 tablespoons agave
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
Add the lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, water, agave, garlic, cilantro, cayenne pepper, salt and cumin powder to a small container with an air-tight lid. Mix well until the dressing is incorporated. Taste and adjust accordingly.