Grilled Salmon Tacos with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Wild Alaskan salmon, fresh roasted tomatillo salsa, shredded cabbage, grilled green onions, crèma Mexicana, homemade tortillas and plenty of hot sauce..
Marinate salmon filets in olive oil with a pinch of sea salt, chipotle powder and parsley. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Make salsa verde from finely chopped roasted tomatillos, garlic, Serrano peppers, S&P, fresh cilantro and fresh lime juice. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Prep masa for tortillas, shred cabbage, slice onions, heat your comal, etc.
Sear salmon with a tablespoon or two of its marinade in a heavy skillet. Add green onions to the same pan and cook until the edges begin to brown.
Meanwhile, cook tortillas in a comal or another heavy skillet. Keep warm.
To serve, mound cabbage on warm tortillas. Place salmon on top, dress with salsa and garnish crèma Mexicana and grilled onions. Serve with hot sauce and a wedge of lime.
Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Guava & Chipotle Roast Turkey with Tomatillo Salsa
Spicy, smoky, sweet, hot, tart, earthy. There’s a lot of flavor going on here. Let’s break it down..
Sear turkey breast or turkey breast tenderloins over medium-high heat just enough to get those nice grill marks (you can do this indoors or out). Set aside.
Make glaze by very slowly melting guava paste in stock over low heat so that it doesn’t burn. It should be about the thickness of honey when done. You can add 1/2 teaspoon vinegar if it is too sweet for you.
Meanwhile, steep chipotle peppers in almost boiling water until soft and pliable, about 10-15 minutes. Discard water, stem, split and seed. Purée briefly with a little stock to form a paste about the consistency of ketchup. Add a little bit at a time to the guava, tasting it for heat as you go.
Prepare Mexican rice, roast corn & black beans and tomatillo salsa (fresh tomatillos, onions, jalapeno, salt, lime juice, olive oil and cilantro).
Liberally baste the turkey with the glaze then roast in a preheated oven at 375 degrees until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees, about 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat. Reserve a little of the glaze. Transfer to a cutting board to rest, where it will continue to cook for a few minutes.
To serve, spoon corn & beans next to rice and place sliced turkey on top. Dress with reserved glazed and tomatillo salsa, and pass the Cholula hot sauce.
Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +
Chili
“…During the 1880s, brightly-dressed Hispanic women known as “Chili Queens” began to operate around Military Plaza and other public gathering places in downtown San Antonio. They would appear at dusk, building charcoal or wood fires to reheat cauldrons of pre-cooked chili, selling it by the bowl to passers-by. The aroma was a potent sales pitch…” (Wikipedia) Visit npr.org for more information about The Chili Queens of San Antonio.
Chili con carne, Texas-style chili, Pedernales River chili, white chili, Cincinnati-style chili, Louisville style chili, chile verde. All very different. All very good.
This unique chile selectively borrows from many of these traditions. It would, of course be immediately disqualified from any self-respecting Texas chili cook-off.
Tomatillos, cilantro, masa flour, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, 3-bean chili beans, onion, queso Oaxaca bola (string cheese), Mexican oregano (related to lemon verbena, Mexican oregano is stronger than the Greek and Italian varieties), celery, Mexican dark beer, annatto oil, chipotles en adobo, 90% lean coarse-ground chili meat, dried ancho with cumin, pepper and cloves, red Frisco peppers, garlic, dark chocolate with cocoa nibs, cinnamon and chipotle and sweet white corn. Not shown: beef stock
In a Dutch oven, brown the meat in a little annatto oil. Drain any excess fat.
Chop the peppers, celery, onion, tomatillos and garlic and add to the meat. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft.
Add tomatoes, crushed ancho blend and chipotles en adobo. Allow the chili to come to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
Add beer and beef stock. Chili should be thin (lots of liquid) at this point. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cut the corn from the cob and toast in a skillet to intensify color, flavor and sweetness (this makes a nice contrast to the heat of the peppers).
Add the corn, cilantro, chocolate, drained beans and oregano to the pot, stirring until the chocolate is incorporated, about 5 minutes.
Add masa and tomato paste to thicken, simmer another 5 -10 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheese.
Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +
