Category Archives: Southwestern
Roasted Tomatoes, Chipotle and Mango Salsa
Here we go with using mangoes again! I can’t help myself- I have so many of them in the house that I feel the need to use them constantly. The good thing is that they are so versatile. I can use them for sweet and savory dishes.
We were having people over and I wanted to serve chips and salsa before the meal. I normally buy the really spicy one from Trader Joes, but my husband doesn’t enjoy it since he does not eat very spicy food. For me the spicier the better.
I remember when I was younger and first came to the States, we used to go to a Mexican restaurant, Chi Chi’s. They would give a big bowl of salsa with chips- it was spicy and delicious. We were also able to find big, huge bottles of Chi Chi’s salsa in Costco. I remember buying tons of it during college- that used to be my late night snack. Since then, salsa has come a long way- there are so many different kinds out there. I remember when I realized how easy it was to make your own- who knew??
In the summer, salsa and chips is my ‘go to’ appetizer. Since most of the entertaining is done outdoors- it’s perfect to serve with a cold beer while the grilling is going on. In the colder months my usual appetizer is a great looking tray of cheese and olives with some grapes, etc- I think when one is entertaining, simplicity is the key .
In this case, I decided to roast the tomatoes and add some chipotle in adobo sauce. I added just the sauce and not any of the peppers- I was being kind to my husband! Just the sauce gives the dish enough smokiness and heat. I added the mangoes to balance the salsa off- I love the idea of having something sweet, savory, tangy and spicy in the same bite. It was delicious with chips. I am planning to make it again as a sauce for fish or shrimp- I think the flavors would go really well.
We enjoyed the salsa and chips with beer and a white wine while the kids played in the backyard- how great are the summer months!!
A Southwestern One Pot Recipe: Roasted Salsa Chicken with Red Beans
This is another one pot meal I am proud of. I love when I come up with something that is enjoyed both by adults and kids. My daughter loved it even though she is not a fan of salsas or any tangy sauces. It started with me having tons of cherry tomatoes in the house. I decided to roast them with an onion and garlic and make a roasted salsa. My husband loves salsa with chips- so I thought we can consume the tomatoes in a tasty way. Once the salsa was made, I realized that it is essentially a sauce, with a lot of flavor- and I can cook with it! So I decided to make a rice dish with chicken and beans. I bought my favorite part of the chicken- thighs- I love cooking with them. They have so much more flavor than chicken breasts and they are a lot more forgiving in terms of cooking. Chicken thighs are perfect for curries, stews or really any dish- you can cook the heck out of them and they still taste delicious.
I sauteed them in some olive oil, salt and pepper. I then added the salsa and sauteed it with the chicken for a few minutes as I wanted the chicken to impart some delicious flavor into the sauce. I then added a can of red kidney beans and basmati rice. The beans added a delicious creaminess to the savory dish. I always cook my rice with chicken broth. I love using it- definitely one of my favorite ingredients to have around all the time. It’s a great way to add extra flavor to rice, sauces or curries. I buy the big case of organic chicken broth boxes from Costco- there are six in one big case and I go through them very quickly- since I use it in almost everything I make. If you are a vegetarian, I would recommend using vegetable broth instead.
The dish is easy to make since the salsa has all the flavor. You can also buy your favorite salsa from the store and cook this dish- definitely a quick ‘go to’ meal. It doesn’t take very long at all- the key is to have the staples at home- rice, chicken broth and some cans of your favorite beans.
The dish was a big success. I gave some leftovers to a friend. We ate as a family with a green salad and of course some wine.
A Southwestern Side Dish Recipe & Tips for a Stress Free Party: Roasted Poblano Pepper and Corn Salad
This is a very simple side dish to serve at summer barbecues. I made it with the chorizo burgers and chose the poblano peppers for their smoky flavor. The peppers are not very spicy, and once they are roasted and peeled- they are delicious!
I used fresh corn but frozen can be used as well- although in the summer, I would recommend fresh corn! The sour cream adds a nice creaminess to the salad without overpowering it- the subtle sourness goes very well with the sweet corn and the smoky pepper. The salad is extremely healthy- a bit of olive oil and low fat sour cream. I made a lot of it so I could have a little bit of the burger and the oven fries and fill up on the salad.
I like making simple and fast sides that can be done ahead of time. This one can be served room temperature- so it’s perfect. I made it in the afternoon for an evening barbecue. The key to having a successful barbecue or any other get together is getting everything done in advance. In this case I had the burgers ready in the fridge. All the sides were done and placed in a serving platter. I had all the plates, cups, napkins set outside in the afternoon- so I didn’t have to worry about anything once the guests arrived. The dessert was in the fridge and the plate of tortilla chips and guacamole was out. Another important thing to have out is a garbage can on the deck so people don’t have to go inside if they don’t want to. The one thing I do before my guests come- is- make sure my dishwasher is completely empty. It makes a big difference- I don’t have to do any extra hand washing and have plenty of space in the dishwasher. I am a lot more relaxed when my guests come and clean up is a cinch. The last and most important thing- have a few sips of wine before everyone comes- you relax and start having fun before they arrive!
A Father’s Day Gift: Chorizo and Ground Beef Burger with Guacamole and Oven Fries
This recipe is a keeper. The burger is extremely flavorful- I mixed some fresh chorizo to it. Chorizo is one of my all time favorite ingredients to use- it is pork sausage mixed with garlic, paprika and lots of other yummy things- depending on where you buy it. Adding chorizo is a great way to make a ordinary burger extremely special- you don’t have to do anything else except shape them up and throw them on the grill. My husband loves southwestern flavors- we had people coming over for a barbeque and he requested the meal to echo those flavors.. I immediately thought of guacamole and monterey jack cheese. I thought both things will be great as toppings for the burgers. I bought pepper jack cheese for the adults and the regular one for the kids. My daughter, of course, being the odd one out- doesn’t eat sandwiches- so she ate the burger on it’s own. I cooked corn on the cob for the kids since the corn salad had a bite to it. I had to make my favorite and staple, oven fries- they are always a hit. I love potatoes and love to cook them in a healthy way so I can eat lots of them! All the kids loved them- guess who doesn’t eat potatoes- yup, you guessed it- Sia!
I think this would be a great menu for fathers day. I will be posting a corn salad recipe tomorrow to round off the menu. I served a trifle for dessert and my husband made a sangria to go with the food. My husband loved it and I am thinking of making the meal again for him this coming Sunday- although knowing myself, I will tweak the recipes somehow so I can blog about them in the future. You can’t give a loved one a better gift than cooking them a delicious meal- I don’t like going out for such occasions- the restaurants are a zoo and serve subpar food. So, stay home, save money and cook a fabulous meal for your loved one.
Ancho Chili Cod with a Red Bean and Mango Salad
This red bean salad was the third dish we made for the cooking class. The recipe came about in my attempt to keep up with the number of mangoes ripening in my kitchen. I wanted to eat a refreshing salad that included mangoes. I decided to pair it with red beans- first because it’s good to have protein in the salad and second because I like the red color against the mangoes. I had a few vidalia spring onions (they look like regular spring onions but are much bigger) but regular spring onions will work as well. They gave the salad a soft onion flavor. I also added an orange pepper- for it’s crunch and lovely color- we used a yellow one for the cooking class- all the different colors look gorgeous together. Cilantro added the much needed bright green color. The feta was a last minute addition- not sure what prompted me but I have to say, it was a brilliant one! The creamy and salty flavor goes very well with the sweet mangoes and peppers. I decided to make the dressing with the mango pineapple juice I had in the fridge- now I am not a big juice person- but this juice is absolutely delicious! I buy it once in a while from Whole Foods since it is quite expensive. During the cooking class I juiced a large fresh navel orange and it was just fine. Lime juice and honey added the much needed sweet and sour taste and balanced the flavors out. I added one of my favorite ingredients to the dressing- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. It adds great smoky and spicy flavor to any dish- I use it in marinades and sauces all the time- it’s delicious.
For the class I paired this salad with the malai chicken and the vegetable korma– but when I was testing the recipe, I paired it with some fish. There is nothing simple, quick and healthier to eat than a nice fillet of fresh fish! I decided to pan saute the fillets of cod and serve simply with- salt, lime juice and a little burst of a smoky flavor- ancho chili powder– I used this particular spice since it echoed the flavor of the adobo in chipotle but was not as spicy. Overall a very healthy meal- my daughter devoured the fish- I didn’t add the ancho powder for her. I gave her some roasted corn on the side- as she does not like anything too tangy- so the salad didn’t appeal to her at all- but she couldn’t get enough of the fish!!!
- 1 pound or 3-4 fillets of Cod
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- Juice of one lime
Drizzle the olive oil on the fish and then sprinkle with salt, ancho chili powder and limejuice. Heat a non-stick frying pan and cook the fish on high heat. Turn the fish after 3 minutes or till the side is golden brown. Cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes depending on how thick the fillets are.
Red Bean and Mango Salad
- 20 ounces can of red beans
- 2 spring Vidalia onions, chopped including the green part
- 1 orange or red peppers, chopped
- 2 mangoes peeled and chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Vinaigrette
- Juice of 2 limes
- ¼ cup mango pineapple juice (pineapple or orange juice can be used)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin
- 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce (use more if you like spicy)
- Salt to taste
Add the limejuice, mango pineapple juice, honey, roasted cumin, adobo sauce and salt to a small bowl. Whisk the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Keep aside.
In a large bowl, add the red beans, Vidalia onions, red peppers, mangoes, cilantro and feta. Add the vinaigrette and check for seasonings.
Citrus Shrimp Tacos and Rice with Pineapple Salsa
I love celebrating Cinco de Mayo! Contrary to popular belief, it is not the Mexican independence day- in fact it is celebration of the Mexicans defeating the French in the battle of 1862.
I love mexican and southwestern flavors including lime, cilantro, avocados and peppers. I guess the bold flavors remind me of Indian food- and that is probably why I love Thai food so much!
In this case, I wanted to make tacos with shrimp- especially since my daughter loves them both! Any meat including chicken, beef or pork can be substituted. The citrus marinade is quite versatile so no matter what you use, the tacos will be delicious! The accompaniments are quite important- you can use your favorites. This dish is great to make for a crowd- everyone can make their own with their favorite accompaniments. I thought of making a regular salsa with tomatoes, etc but decided to do something different and make a pineapple salsa instead. The tangy flavor in a pineapple lends itself to a delicious sweet and sour salsa. It was yummy with the tacos and the spanish rice. Now I took a little help from the store and used a boxed rice mix. It works really well since I modified it to my taste and saved some time. I added fresh peppers, onions,cilantro and lime juice- they all helped with enhancing the flavor- it really doesn’t taste like it’s from a box!
I would serve the meal with a delicious white wine or a frozen margarita or maybe a yummy citrusy mojito! I haven’t had those in a long time. I will post a recipe soon- just as soon as the mint starts to grow in my back yard and my husband gets busy mixing those drinks he does so well! Happy Cinco de Mayo- hope you eat and drink well with your family and friends- nothing better than that!!
Tacos
- 1 pound shrimp
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Marinade
- 3 blood oranges, juiced (substitute with navel oranges)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
Mix all the ingredients and marinate the shrimp for 3-4 hours.
Take the shrimp out of the marinade (keep the marinade to add to the shrimp later). In a wide frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook till pink, 3-4 minutes. Take the shrimp out and add the reserved marinade and cook on high till it thickens. Add the shrimp to the sauce and keep aside.
Taco Accompaniments
- 6-8 small tortillas, heated on a non-stick frying pan
- 1 avocado cut into ½ inch wedges- keep aside with 1 teaspoon salt and juice and zest of one lime
- 1 large onion, sliced thin- cook in a frying pan with 1 teaspoon oil. Cook till golden brown. Add salt and keep aside.
- ½ cup queso fresco, crumbled
- ½ cilantro, chopped
Assemble each taco with shrimp and sauce. Top with an avocado slice, slice onion, queso fresco and cilantro. Serve with Spanish rice and pineapple salsa.
Spanish Rice
- One store-bought package of Spanish rice
- Chicken broth, amount according to the package directions
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup any color bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
In a deep heavy pan heat the olive oil. Add the onions and the garlic and the bell pepper.
Saute for a minute and add the spice packet. Saute for another minute and add the rice. Saute for an additional minute and add the amount of broth indicated on the package. Once the rice is cooked, add the cilantro and lime juice.
Pineapple Salsa
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, coarsely chopped
- ½ orange pepper, chopped
- ½ cup green onion, chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
In a small bowl mix all the ingredients. Let it sit for 30 minutes and serve with chips, tacos or fish.
Chorizo Rice and Beans
People get very happy when I come up with one-pot meals! This dish came about after I watched a cooking show where the host was making a black bean soup with chorizo. I absolutely love chorizo and am always looking of ways to use it in different recipes. Chorizo reminds me of all the tapas bars we frequented in Barcelona and Madrid. I love the rich taste of garlic and paprika with a little spice in this delicious sausage. I usually buy chicken chorizo- it’s a bit healthier and is hard to tell the taste difference in a dish. We were in Boston for the weekend and stopped at a place called Wilson Farms. Its a wonderful place to buy fresh produce including yummy breads and meats. I saw the most beautiful looking fresh pork chorizo and I had to buy it. I thought of the black bean soup I had seen and decided to make a rice dish with it instead- like a paella but without the rest of the meats and seafood. I decided to use the roasted corn I love so much from Trader Joes and the black beans. It was a very simple dish to put together. I plan to make an avocado salad (recipe to follow) and serve a scrumptious red wine with the rice. My daughter was curious about the smell in the kitchen and decided to try it- another thumbs up from her!! I am looking forward to a very flavorful and delicious dinner.
- 1 pound fresh pork or chicken chorizo sausage, casing removed
- 1 medium onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted and ground
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1-can15 ounces black beans
- 1 cup frozen roasted corn
- Juice of one lime
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
- Salt to taste
In a blender, add the onion, garlic, cilantro and lemon juice. Blend till smooth. Keep aside.
In a wide frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the chorizo and break it down with a spatula. Saute on a medium high heat till the meat is golden brown. Add the onion mixture and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, paprika and salt. Mix well and add the black beans, roasted corn, limejuice and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the rice. Cook the rice on high heat until bubbles begin to form on the surface- about 4-5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook partially covered for about 5 minutes or till most of the moisture is gone. Place the lid and lower the heat and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Check for seasonings.