Toasted Sesame Cookies

Toasted sesame provides a nutty flavor to these cookies and the washed brown sugar gives it a bit of a crunch.


 Makes:  30 - 40 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
4 T. butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. washed brown sugar (see note)
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. toasted white sesame seeds


Instructions:

Preheat an oven to 350º F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a small bowl, whisk flours, baking soda and salt.  In the bowl of a mixer add butter and beat till creamy.  Add sugars, then egg and vanilla extract.  Next, beat in toasted sesame seeds and dry ingredients.  With you hands roll balls about 1inch in size and place on parchment paper.  Press with 2 fingers to slightly flatten the ball.  Continue to fill the baking sheet allowing room for spread.  Bake cookies in oven for about 10 minutes till golden on top.  Remove cookies from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container once cooled.

Note:  Washed brown sugar is a raw sugar and more coarse in granulation, it does not dissolve as easily as granulated sugar and it provides a bit of a crunch in this recipe.

Polvorones - Mexican wedding cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. butter
1/2 c. sifted confectioners sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans
1/8 t. salt
additional confectioners sugar, sifted, for rolling cookies in

Instructions:

Preheat an oven to 325 ∘F.  Cream butter and 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar with vanilla in a large bowl.  In another bowl, combine flour, pecans, and salt.  Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on an un-greased baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes till lightly golden brown.  Roll warm cookies in confectioners sugar and cool on wire racks.  Then roll again in confectioners sugar.  Store cookies in an airtight contain to preserve freshness.

Corn Tortillas

The joy of fresh corn tortillas is easy with the help of a tortilla press.  I used to roll them with a rolling pin, and the press cuts the prep time almost in half.


Ingredients:

1 c. masa harina
2/3 c. water
1/8 t. salt
1 t. lime juice

Instruction:

Mix ingredients till moist and combined.  Dough should stick together when made into a ball.  If dough is to sticky, add a little more masa harina, if too dry a dab of water.  Let dough rest for a few moments.  Heat a large cast iron skillet or non stick griddle to medium hot.  Make dough balls almost the size of golf balls.  You can either press them between plastic in a tortilla press or roll out on a flat surface between plastic wrap with a rolling pin to about 1/8 inch thick.  Cook tortillas for about 1 minute on each side, not to make crispy though.  Add finished tortillas to a tortilla warmer to keep hot or a, warm towel that was misted with water.

Note:  Using a tortilla press makes simple work of making tortillas, with consistent results in thickness every time.  I recommend using two pieces of plastic wrap to avoid tortillas from sticking to the press. I found my Norpro tortilla press on Amazon.com for under $16.

Spicy Roasted Pepper Salsa

 Ingredients:

1 can of crushed tomatoes (28oz)

4 jalapenos

4 serrano

4 red chili peppers

1-2 tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion

1/2 c. loosely packed cilantro
1 chile from chili in adobo 

1 t. New Mexico chili powder

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. Mexican oregano

1-2 cloves garlic

2-3 T. lime juice

1 t. salt

1/4 t. cayenne pepper if you like it more spicy (optional)

1 oz. of tequila (optional)

Instruction:

Cut chilies in half and remove seeds and roast in a toaster oven or on a BBQ grill, till chili peppers skins are chard a bit.  Do the same with the whole tomatoes and half of the onion.  Careful of pepper gas when working with chilies.  You may also want to wear gloves to protect your hands.  Set chilies aside to cool.  In a food processor add the can of crushed tomatoes.  Chop the other half of onion, chili in adobo and garlic and add to food processor.  Pulse one to two times.  Add the New Mexico chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, lime juice, cayenne pepper and tequila if using.  Pulse for one to two times.  Add cooled chilies to food processor along with cilantro, roasted onion and roasted tomatoes.  Pulse a couple of times to combine mixture.  Taste for salt, lime and spice.  Add ingredients accordingly to your taste.  Salsa tastes best when refrigerated a couple of hours after making to let the flavors meld.

Thai Drunk Fish

This recipe packs the fresh taste of Thai herbs which make it is so refreshing!  Careful when making this one, as I have managed to catch the stove on fire a couple of times with oil (gas stove).  Trust me, this will be your next favorite fish recipe ever!

Ingredients: 

1 cleaned whole fish, such as talapia, rainbow trout, sea bream, snapper, or other white fish

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. or more fresh lime juice

1/2 cup white flour

1 to 1 1/2 cups canola, sunflower, or other oil

garnish: tomato and cucumber slices, plus handfuls of fresh basil and cilantro 

Sauce:

6 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lime (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp. white or black pepper
3-4 green onions, sliced
1/2 loose cup fresh cilantro (including stems)
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
3 Tbsp. palm or brown sugar
4-5 lime leaves, sliced into slivers
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup coconut or other good-tasting oil
1-2 red chilies, or 2-3 tsp. chili paste (Thai)
2 Tbsp. water

Instruction: 

Rinse the fish and pat dry. Using a sharp knife, make 3-4 slightly diagonal cuts along each side. Squeeze about 1 Tbsp. of lime juice over the fish, then sprinkle with salt. Repeat on both sides. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.

Place all sauce ingredients in a food processor and process until you have a beautiful bright green paste-like sauce.

Taste-test the sauce, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, more sugar if too sour, or more chili/chili sauce if not spicy enough.

Pour sauce into a sauce pan and set aside until later. Spread flour over a plate or other clean surface. Then dredge the fish in it, turning until it's well coated. Set fish beside the stove, with tongs and a paper towels.

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan (large enough for the fish) so that oil is about an 1 inch deep. Turn heat on high. When you see bubbles forming on the bottom of the pan. When hot enough, carefully place fish in the oil. Careful, if there is any liquid on the fish it could pop when you add the fish! Turn the heat down to medium, or just above medium. Allow fish to cook at least 3 minutes per side before turning, this will set the skin from sticking. Depending on how thick your fish is, it will take 8-12 minutes to cook. The fish is done when the skin is golden-brown and the flesh inside the cuts is white and opaque.

Turn off the heat and remove fish from oil. Set it on the paper towel to drain and crisp up. Meanwhile, place sauce over medium heat for a minute or two - just until warm enough to serve. Note: If you boil the sauce, you will lose its fresh flavor!

To serve, place fish on a large platter, and surround it with the sauce. Garnish with slices of tomato, cucumber, plus a few sprigs of cilantro and basil. Enjoy while hot as it cools very quickly!

The herb green sauce.

Bloomer with Poppy Seeds

This bread is very simple in ingredients and turns out a huge loaf.  I make this bread quite often, as it is a staple around my home.

Makes:  one large loaf

Ingredients:

6 c. white bread flour
2 t. salt
2-1/4 t. active dry yeast
1-7/8 c. warm water

For the Topping:

1/2 t. salt
2 T. water
poppy seeds for sprinkling

Instruction:

In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, add flour, salt, and yeast.  Whisk ingredients together.  Make a well in the center and add the warm water a little at a time while mixing.  Mix all ingredients until combined.  Move dough to a clean work surface and need for several minutes.  Dough should be firm and not sticky.  Lightly oil a large bowl and add dough, cover and proof for about an hour, or till dough has doubled in size.  Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll out into a rectangle.  Starting at one end, start to roll the dough up to form a log shape, making sure to press together the layers as not to have air pockets.  Seal seam together by pinching and smoothing out.  Add loaf to a lightly greased baking sheet, seam side down, tucking under the sides if needed.  With a sharp knife or a lance, cut 6 diagonal cuts on top of the loaf.  Cover and let rise for 15 minutes.  Preheat an oven to 450∘F.  Combine water and salt in a bowl.  Using a pastry brush, glaze the top of the loaf with the salt water mixture.  Sprinkle with poppy seeds.  Spray oven with water, and bake bread for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400∘F, and bake for 25 minutes more until golden.  If bread begins to brown to quickly, tent with a piece of foil.  Transfer bread to a wire rack to cool.

Note:  You can replace half of the flour with whole wheat for a rustic loaf.

Spicy Plum Chutney

I reviewed about 12 recipes and then decided to compose my own recipe. 

Makes:  about 5 cups

Ingredients:

10 red plums, chopped with stones removed
1 medium red onion, chopped
3 lg cloves of garlic, minced
3 T. crystalized ginger, minced or finly chopped
1 lg jalapeno, minced
1/4 c dried cranberries
1 c packed brown sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cayenne pepper
3/4 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. corriander seeds, ground
4 cloves, ground
1/4 t. anise seed, ground
1/2 t. brown or black mustard seed
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1/4 t. back pepper, freshly ground
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. cider vinegar

Instruction:

In a large sauce pan or dutch oven, add mustard seeds and cook on medium heat till they start to pop.  Add all other ingredients into pan and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Then reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally for about 35-45 minutes, or till thickened.  Chutney can be canned per manufacture instruction, for longer storage, or in jars with lids sealed tight in the refrigerator for about a month.