Nectarine Salsa

I appear to be in a salsa rut, but it is high summer after all, and this is soooooo yummy. It's quick, and only has a little kick of heat. This would be great on tacos or grilled meats or fish of all varieties. Or just eat it with chips.

Nectarine Salsa
(makes about a cup and a half)
2 nectarines, skinned and diced small (see notes below)
1 red pepper, roasted, seeded and diced small (see notes below)
1-2 jalapenos, all seeds removed, then minced finely
3 scallions, minced
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
2 T minced fresh cilantro
Kosher salt to taste

For this recipe, I like semi-firm nectarines - not fully ripened, but not hard and woody. At the store, feel them for just a slight amount of give, and smell them - they should have a bright nectarine smell. If they don't have a smell, they're not ripe!

I peel nectarines by first cutting away chunks of the flesh from the pit, using a paring knife. Cut as close to the pit as you can, feeling your way with the knife as you go. Next, lay the slices skin-side down on a cutting board, and working carefully so you don't cut yourself, cut with the paring knife parallel to the board, removing just a thin layer of the skin and as little flesh as possible. They are round, so you'll have to do this from a few different angles. Cut the skinned nectarines into small dice - about 1/8th inch.

Roasting red peppers is magical and easy. Rub the pepper with a little oil. Over a gas burner or grill, char it black all over. You can do this under the broiler as well. Make sure it's black - it won't burn the flesh. Important: put the pepper in a bowl and cover it with a plate or some foil and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will steam and loosen the skin. Remove the pepper to a cutting board, cut off the stem end (be careful - it will still be hot!), pull out all the seeds and pith, and remove all of the charred skin (most of it will flake or rub off...you can use a paring knife to scrape loose any stubborn bits). That's it!

Mince scallions by making a horizontal slice along the length of the scallion starting at the green part and going through the white part. Then cut into thin slices up to the point where you started the lengthwise cut.

Tip on selecting limes: the juiciest ones have smooth, shiny skin. The bumpy ones are woodier and less juicy. If your half lime doesn't yield much juice, use a whole lime.

Mix all ingredients. Season - use enough salt so you can just taste it, but it's still sweet. You may need to double this recipe - it goes fast!!

Roasted Corn and Habanero Salsa

I'm on a crazy-hot salsa kick. My business partner, Mason, and I are always complaining that even at restaurants with supposedly really hot food, we can't get really hot food. Our latest pet peeve is Mexican restaurants that don't have a fresh habanero in the whole joint. Really? Granted, most folks aren't eating food that hot, but isn't there someone back in the kitchen roasting and eating them whole and cursing the mayonnaise-palated gringos in the dining room?

So, I may try a few more of these incendiary concoctions. This one would be great on fish tacos or with roasted pork of any variety, especially carnitas with soft corn tortillas. Keep plenty of cervezas at hand to put out the fire!

Roasted Corn and Habanero Salsa
(makes about a cup)
1 ear of corn in the husk
1-4 habaneros, depending on level of idiocy
3 scallions, finely sliced
3 fresh tomatillos
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp high-quality ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp (or to taste) freshly-ground black pepper
Kosher salt to taste

Start the grill. Remove the paper husks from the tomatillos, rinse, and boil in salted water for 4-6 minutes, until opaque and beginning to fall apart. Drain. Rub the habaneros in a little oil for grilling. Remove the silk from the end of the corn, but leave the husks on. Put the peppers and corn on the grill, turning regularly, until the peppers are lightly browned all over, and the corn husks are well-darkened on all sides. Remove from heat to cool for a bit. Carefully husk the corn (it's hot!!). If the kernels are not lightly browned in places, return the denuded corn to the grill, turning frequently and watching carefully, to lightly brown it.

While the grilled items are cooling, put the tomatillos in a medium bowl and break into mush with your hands, discarding any skin that won't break apart easily. Add the scallions, garlic and lime juice. Cut the corn from the cob, break apart the kernels, and add to the bowl. VERY CAREFULLY remove the stems from the habanero peppers and mince them finely with a chef's knife. Do not touch them with your bare hands! Us a spoon or spatula with the knife to get the minced peppers into the bowl. Rinse everything well!

Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and test for salt. It should have a pleasant sweet-sour-salty-HOT flavor. This salsa will keep for a day or two, and will be best a few hours after making it.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Sometimes I worry about our ever-growing distance from making our own food. Paradoxically, while the availability of artisanal, sustainable and small-batch foodstuffs is exploding, it seems we make our own less and less. Who do you know that makes their own fruit preserves? Cures their own meats? Bakes their own bread? A few of us, but not as many as our grandparents' generation, to be sure.

So here's a simple step back into homemade goodness. Store-bought sausages are typically laden with nitrites and other preservatives. You can make a simple, delicious, and healthy breakfast sausage in minutes with ground turkey that is leaner and tastier than store-bought varieties. I whipped this up for Easter brunch while the waffle maker was steaming away one-at-a-time on the waffles.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage
(makes about a dozen patties)
1 lb. ground turkey (I use Jenny-O 93/7, which is 7% fat)
1 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp rubbed sage (a bit more if it's very fluffy)
1/2 tsp dried onion flakes (or 1/4 tsp onion powder - no salt)
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on heat desired)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or ground nutmeg)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt to taste - 2 tsp or more

Put all the dried spices (except salt and sugar) into a small mortar and pestle (or other grinding/crushing tool) and grind to a fine powder. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Now that critical step, tasting for salt. I have no issues tasting a bit of raw meat, but if you do, pinch off a bit and fry it up. If tasting raw, remember that the sausage will reduce in volume by about 1/3, so a moderately salty raw mix will be quite salty when cooked. I personally like my sausages salty, so I season until pleasantly salty raw, which will be bordering on the edge of too salty when cooked. Mmmmmm, salty!

Pour a little olive oil in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet and heat over a medium burner. Form the sausage into little patties and cook until brown on both sides. Deeeelish!

Dragon Salsa

I've been craving something very, very hot for about 3 weeks. I've had several meals jacked up with hot sauces and hot ingredients, but nothing has rung my bell. When I was planning to make tacos for dinner tonight, I decided to unleash the nukes. This is dangerously hot, so beware! I ate one whole batch myself...which I will regret in the morning.

Dragon Salsa
(makes about 1 cup)
1 fresh habanero, lightly oiled and grilled until roasty-brown on all sides
2 fresh jalepenos, lightly oiled and grilled until blackened on all sides
Juice of 1/4 fresh lime
1/4 onion, diced
1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, minced
1 tomato, diced
3 T chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

While the chilies are roasting, chop and mix all remaining ingredients. Allow the chilies to rest on a cutting board after grilling, to cool them down. Cut off and discard the stems, and mince the peppers, including seeds and skins. Add to remaining ingredients and mix well. Adjust salt as needed.

BE CAREFUL not to touch the chilies with your bare hands - especially the habanero. It will burn your skin, and if you touch your eyes, nose, or other sensitive parts, they will be burned. Use the knife and a spatula or other utensil to handle the peppers during mincing and placing them into the salsa.

Habanero Hot Sauce

Ahhhh, chicken wings! In my April 20, 2009 posting I gave you a recipe that is still my favorite. These wings are falling-off-the-bone tender, and you'll want to drink the sauce (after it's cooked).

What I just invented to go with them is a Habanero hot sauce that is wicked-hot, and perfectly compliments the wings. I suspect it would be pretty good with pulled pork as well. It bites us, it burns us, yessss!

Habanero Hot Sauce
(makes about 1 cup)
2 fresh habaneros, lightly oiled and grilled until roasty-brown on all sides, stems removed
Juice of one fresh lime
2 T apricot preserves
2 T soy sauce
1/3 c. fresh orange juice
2-3 T brown sugar
3 large garlic cloves, cut into chunks
1 T corn starch
Salt and more sugar to taste - after cooked

Place all ingredients in blender. Cover tightly - the habaneros are dangerously hot and splashing of this liquid will not be good for the eyes! Pour into a small sauce pan and heat gently until boiling, stirring regularly. Remove from heat. Check salt and sugar levels and adjust as needed. Cool. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or other container enabling easy control of dispensing.

This sauce is very, very hot. However, drizzling it on the wings, or on sloppy joes or pulled pork, dilutes it enough that the heat is tolerable, and the flavors are delicious!

Rhubarb Chutney

I haven't updated this blog for a while, but my experiment with rhubarb chutney turned out so well, I was inspired to share it. Perfect for spring as the young rhubarb is ready. Serve it with grilled meat or poultry. We're having it with Jerk Chicken tomorrow. It think it would also be very, very happy with a pork chop salted, then marinated in olive oil and fresh rosemary, then grilled to medium.

Rhubarb Chutney
(makes about 1.5 cups)
1 T grapeseed oil or other flavorless oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 c. or a little more rhubarb, cut into 1/2" chunks
1/4 c. currants or tiny raisins (so-called "zante currants")
1/4 c. white vinegar
Sugar to taste, about 1/4 c.
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Spice Mixture:
1/8 tsp. ground tumeric
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 whole cloves
1 small dried hot chile
1/2 tsp. while coriander seeds

Sweat the shallots and garlic in the oil over medium-low heat until soft and just starting to brown at the edges. Add rhubarb, currants, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low.

In the mean time, combine all components of the spice mixture in a spice shaker (I like Jamie Oliver's "Flavor Shaker") or in a mortar and pulverize. Add to the rhubarb mixture, along with the salt, pepper, and half of the sugar. Stir and taste. It should be a bit sweet, but not cloyingly so. I like this chutney to retain the tartness of the rhubarb. Add more sugar until the right balance is achieved.

Cover and cook until the rhubarb has fallen apart, just a few minutes more. Stir well, and transfer to small bowl for serving. Allow to cool to room temperature. If refrigerating, allow to warm up to room temperature to serve. The flavors will be best after one hour or so.

Spinach and Grapefruit Salad

I create this salad when my wife suggested we use up our grapefruit on a salad. The pecans are from a boutique in Minneapolis called Extra Dough (www.extradough.net) - they don't list them on the website, but call them or stop in to get them. You could substitute plain roasted pecans, but they won't be as good :-)

Spinach and Grapefruit Salad
(Serves 4)

Baby spinach - about 12 oz.
1/4 C. "sweet and smoky" pecans
1/4 small red onion, peeled, trimmed and cut into ribbons
1 large red grapefruit

Vinaigrette:
2T grapefruit juice (from the grapefruit, after sectioning it)
2 T champaign vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1/3 C. olive oil - use a lighter flavored oil for this recipe
small clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. sugar
pinch of white pepper
pinch of black pepper
1/4 tsp finely-minced fresh rosemary (about 6 or 7 leaves)
Salt to taste (make sure it's salty enough)

Mix the vinegar and all other ingredients except the grapefruit juice and the olive oil in a medium bowl and let sit.

With a sharp knife, trim all of the rind off of the grapefruit. Hold the grapefruit in your left hand, and with the right, cut out the wedges by cutting right next to the membranes dividing the sections. Slide them onto a plate as you cut them free. Don't cut all the way to the core - leave the seeds and core connected. When you've cut all the segments free, squeeze what's left of the grapefruit over a bowl and reserve the juice. Add 2 T of the juice to the vinaigrette and drink the rest - it's yummy!

Whisk the olive oil into the vinegar-grapefruit juice mixture, starting with a very fine stream of oil and whisking vigorously to develop an emulsion. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assemble the salads: arrange spinach on a plate, top with the grapefruit wedges, onion ribbons, and pecans. Spoon on the dressing. If desired, finish with a light sprinkling of sea salt crystals.