Grilled or Roasted Corn with Violet Balsamic Vinegar

This is an incredible taste explosion not to be missed.  It even gives the corn a more distinctive flavor the next day warmed or in a cold salad.  Violet Balsamic is the way to go for unforgettable corn on the cobb, or straight off it.  The Olive Scene's Violet Balsamic is highly suggested.  If that is not to be found, the best balsamic you can find will compensate.  I've done it on the grill and in the oven.  Can't say it's the right way, but can say this was my way on how it was done.

Why violet balsamic?

The phrase "violet balsamic vinegar" was never in my vocabulary until I visited The Olive Scene, a local shop with only the best oils and vinegars available in this area.  Upon tasting it I knew I had to buy at least a $6 mini bottle to see what I could create.  Tasting the mellow sweetness gave me the hint it would go with just about anything from veggie salads, fruit salads to brush-on flavors for meat.  However, I wanted to find something truly distinguishable.

Hearkening to art history courses in high school and college, I remembered colors have opposites; therefore, the opposite is complementary.  So, I thought the best balsamic to brush on the golden yellow corn was the violet infused.

I have to say, it was some of the best corn I've ever had using this technique and vinegar.

I'm unsure and do not care if my color/flavor theory will hold in any scientific or gastronomic circles.  I'm elated it's given my husband and I a distinct flavor for a seasonal treat.

preheat oven or closed grill to 300 - 400 degrees F

Shuck corn and put in bowl or bag to soak the ears for at least 30 minutes.

Combine 1 part olive oil and two parts violet balsamic or regular balsamic in small bowl.  Mix well each time you brush the corn.

Set each corn ear in it's own square of tin foil.  Brush well mixed vinaigrette onto and between kernels.

 Wrap in foil and set on rack as one would do with baked potatoes.

For grill:  wrap in foil and set on top grate, closed lid on low (about 300-400), for 40 minutes

For oven: preheated oven (between 300 - 400) for 30 - 40 minutes

Chile Pasilla and Garlic Soup - a Healthy Fiesta for Your Taste Buds

My three favorite things about visiting Cozumel, Mexico are diving, eating and grocery shopping to bring a bit of this beautiful island and country into my own cocina.  

I just came home from another delightful journey to Cozumel.  I can still feel the power of Nature's currents pushing us along fantastic drift dives.  I can still taste the tacos I had with a group of nine at Los Otates, where the entire bill for nine with dinner, water and beer cost us $77 US dollars.   I bought a heap of chiles I don't usually find in the international markets, or even in the local mercados, especially for the price I paid.

Today I tried a delicious soup from my new package of Pasilla Chiles.  Before trying, I've read that they are a lower to medium-hot pepper with a sweet, but smoky flavor with hints of cocoa, excellent for salsas, stews and soup.  These are sometimes used for mole sauces.  I also read that ancho peppers are mistaken for pasillas up here in the States, but are a good substitute if the real deal is not available.

This soup is wonderful for so many reasons.  It's vegan (without the sour cream), vegetarian, low carb, low fat and healthy.  Just guessing with the said ingredients, it's probably low-calorie and vitamin-packed.  It is also not too hot or spicy for those who prefer things that way.  It's savory, earthy and perfect comfort food in the colder months.

I found an easy, low-cost way to do this soup on the Food and Wine website.  I tried the recipe exactly, but found the soup slightly bland.  I know in my Mexican travels and recipes that not all Mexican cuisine needs to be spicy; however, I did need a bit more depth to remind me of the savory but not spicy flavors I was enjoying a week ago in soups and stews.

So, this is my altered recipe adapted from the Food and Wine recipe I found here.

I opted not to make my own croutons, and did not have an avocado on hand for the toppings.  I did not use crème fraîche, as the original recipe calls for.  I am just guessing that the average Mexican home cook on a budget tighter than ours use sour cream instead.


You will need:
large saucepan 
your favorite way to puree - food processor, stick blender, regular blender, etc.

1. 3 large dried pasilla chiles
2. 1 quart hot water, boiled
3. 2 tablespoons olive oil
4. 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
5. 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
6. 1 large tomato, cut into 1-inch dice
7. 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
8. 1 teaspoon powdered cumin
9. 1/2 Tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste, or 1 Tablespoon of regular
10. Salt to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon, go from there)
11. 1/2 of a lime
12. 1/4 cup sour cream
13. 1 Hass avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice (optional)
14. 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

In a large bowl, cover the chiles with the boiled water; set plate over the chiles to keep them submerged. Let soak until softened, about 20 minutes.






  

Strain and reserve the soaking liquid. Do this by taking out the chilies first, in what now should be finger-friendly warm water.  Squeeze gently to get more of the flavorful liquid and seeds out before straining. Stem (if necessary), seed and coarsely chop the chiles.

 
In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped chiles and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato, oregano, a pinch of salt and the strained chile soaking liquid and bring to a boil. Cover the soup and simmer gently over low heat for 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, processor or your stick blender. Return the soup to the saucepan, bring to a simmer and season with salt to taste, tomato paste, cumin and squirt in the lime.  Simmer low and uncovered for 20-30 minutes to slightly reduce, thicken and marry the new additions.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with sour cream, avocado, cilantro leaves, croutons and serve.

Makes about four 1 cup servings.  (One cup for me, three for my husband)

Muy delicioso!

(Very delicious)!

Thank you for reading!

Easy Recipe for Bruchetta, Pasta and Pizza.

Years ago, in an old, cozy restaurant in Cleveland's Little Italy my family was served this savory tomato, garlic basil dip with our bread instead of the traditional olive oil and balsamic for dipping.  We've all had this topping baked onto bread but never as a dip with fresh bread.  Since then Mom has perfected her own method that's in high demand at all our family events.

It is ridiculously easy to make and very customizable to your own taste.
Plus, it's vegan and healthy, so it's ideal to take to a potluck for everyone to enjoy.  And, it's so versatile:

A topping or dip for fresh, crusty bread

Toss with pasta and chill, or saute with pasta for a hot or cold dish perfect for Summer dining.

Make traditional bruchetta or pizzas: place bread or English muffins under  a low broiler  or toaster oven for 2 minutes or until desired tostieness, add toppings, broil for another 2-3 minutes .  Or, quick for the kids, toast English muffins in toaster, add topping or toppings, microwave 30 seconds.

Fresh tomatoes would work well, I'm guessing, but we've never had it that way.  It looks like I may have a bumper crop of Romas this year, so I'm going to try making this with fresh and then update this post.


Before you start, Mom wanted to make sure I gave a few tips:

This is flavor-packed with lots of garlic.  If you think it may be too strong to your liking, start out with half the garlic and herbs.  This has to marinate for at least a day, so you can always add more seasoning later, marinate again, then taste.

Re-purposed spaghetti sauce jars work well.  This recipe makes a little under 32 ounces.  Two 16oz jars should do it.


*********





two 32oz cans of diced or petite diced tomatoes (tomatoes with Italian seasoning work great, but not necessary)

One full head of garlic, cloves peeled

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/4 to 1/2 bunch parsley

1/2 bunch chives or scallions

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

one heaping teaspoon dry oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon of fresh)

1 1/2 cups of olive oil, extra virgin





Strain tomatoes in colander (Mom saves and freezes the tomato juice for future use in soups and sauces - no wonder they taste so good)












Put peeled garlic cloves and herbs in a food processor to chop

Add to tomatoes and add remaining ingredients.  Stir until combined.

Top off jar with extra olive oil.  Let stand at room temperature overnight.  Refridgerate afterwards.
As you may know, olive oil solidifies when chilled.  Be sure to restore it to room temperature before serving.

Lotus Coffee Cookies and Biscoff Spread

These crispy little cookies are one of the small pleasures my husband and I have enjoyed on our scuba diving trips to Bonaire.  It's a tiny island part of the Dutch Caribbean, so of course there is a heavy Dutch influence in food, groceries and culture, and it's also very international, as over 60 countries are represented in permanent residency in a population of @ 17,000.

It's our favorite place on Earth for a number of reasons.  We love visiting part of his family who lives there and it has pristine, spectacular and easy diving.  We love that there are no traffic lights on the island (except for in front of the pizza place, and that's just for show).  Almost anywhere in the small town or on the coast you can grab a tasty coffee and you are guaranteed to get one of these next to your cup.

This tasty, crispy cookie is wonderful on its own or with a a quick dunk.  It's not too sweet but has a wonderful taste of cinnamon and you can taste the butter as it melts in your mouth.



On Crete, friends and I loved getting free small dishes of potato chips, pistachios or fruit along with a cocktail, or even just a soda.  On Cozumel, My husband, friends and I loved being served fresh salsa, pico de gallo or requested picante as soon as we were seated.  On Bonaire, we look forward to our coffee cookies.

We don't get to Bonaire as often as we'd like.  Fortunately we were there six months ago after a three year hiatus.  Having been there a few times, and not knowing when we can get there again, we managed to save four of them to take home.

Every tiny bit we nibbled on we imagined being in our favorite coffee bar watching the sun set of the salty turquoise water.

We were down to one (the one above), until my mom saved the day.

Mom lives near a wine and imported foods store.  She's smart - she goes on Saturday afternoons when they have free food and wine samples.

One afternoon they were showcasing Lotus Biscoff Spread as a tasty and nutritious alternative to peanut butter.

The representatives said that this was now the spread and cookie which is being served on Delta Airlines because they are nut-free.  The spread topped the oblong coffee cookies.  Mom said she wondered if these were the tiny treats we rave about upon our return.

I was elated when she told me about her discovery.  I asked if she could pick me up a package of the cookies.  I thought that if they weren't the same, it had to be close, and if not, when have I ever met a cookie I didn't like?  Mom said that I must try the spread, too, since she promised it was as good as the cookie.  Ok, Mom, twist my arm.

I saw her a few days ago, she presented me the sweet treasures and,,,, WOW!!!  The cookies taste the same as in Bonaire!

And, as for the Lotus Biscoff Spread - DOUBLE WOW!!!  It tastes exactly like the cinnamon-y, buttery, slightly sugary cookie.  It's almost like you are eating cookie dough, only much smoother, and much less fat, even less than peanut butter.  This spread is the perfect option for vegans or who have nut allergies.  It's also perfect for everyone else, too, in my opinion.

I can't wait to try these with some Nutella.  I'm guessing that a cookie with Biscoff and Nutella would send me over the edge, as Biscoff spread alone on the cookie or with my homemade strawberry jam has taken me to the cliff of "Can Anything be Better Mountain.

Greek Potatoes

Two of my best high school friends are Greek.  I spent my teens and early 20s savoring their mother's cooking until they moved back to Crete.  I've visited them twice and have enjoyed these in kitchens and restaurants across the island.  This is the best recipe I've found that brings that Mediterranean taste home.

You can find this recipe here.

This is all about the moist absorption of flavor.  The potatoes are almost sure to soak up whatever you've got.  

You can keep them the oven longer to get them as brown or as crispy as you want them.  I enjoy them well done; however, this is the way that I was used to growing up and visiting Crete, with just slight browning on all of the edges.

It's super-easy to make but difficult to clean.  All of that liquid will reduce, browning the sides and bottom.  The caramelized garlic bits will stick like glue.  I saved myself much clean-up time and frustration by using a disposable but recyclable aluminum pan.  It was worth the .99 cents.