Roasted Red Jalapeño Elote

I suspect many of you will scoff, even cringe, when you pull out the mayonnaise to make this dish. You might question why on earth I would stray from the canon of butter when it comes to finishing some perfectly nice corn on the cob.

You would be oh so wrong to do so.

Elote, a traditional Mexican preparation of corn on the cob, employs mayonnaise for one simple reason: stuff sticks to it. Delicious, scrumptious stuff like refreshing cilantro and salty cotija cheese that would just slide right off a butter coating. Furthermore, it’s easy to mix in all sorts of wonderful things like tangy lime juice and spicy roasted red jalapeno.

In short, it’s the perfect vehicle for adorning your sweet grilled corn with the best possible combination of ingredients. So stop hating on mayonnaise and make yourself some Elote, ASAP.

Stuffed Pasilla Pepper

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, all you need to do is look outside your window to know that Spring has sprung. The sun is out, the air is crispy, and the cherry blossoms have blossomed.

There is are plenty of things to love about Spring, but a top contender is the return of deliciously seasonal Mexican cuisine – which is exactly what inspired these full-flavored but light-bodied stuffed bell peppers.

These peppers are perfect because 1) they aren’t terribly complicated 2) you can make several components ahead of time, and 3) it only requires a couple spices, despite being totally delicious. Between the spicy pickled veggies, the creamy guacamole, the salty cotija cheese and the crispy black beans it’s impossible to settle on the best part of this dish. And it’s healthy to boot!

Carnivore or vegetarian, you want this on your plate. Stay tuned for the Avocado Margarita recipe pictured below!

Watermelon Salsa

In case you missed my last post, earlier this month I had a lovely vacation in Southwest Colorado. It was a wonderful chance to catch up with family and get some much needed R&R – and to learn several new delicious recipes!

I sipped on a delicious and refreshing Bayfield Breeze the first day I was there, but it wasn’t until a few days later at our family reunion I tried another must-post recipe: Watermelon Salsa.

I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical about how well watermelon would work when my cousin-in-law first told me about this salsa – but I was a convert after my very first bite. The slight sugary-ness of the watermelon is actually a perfect substitute for the subtle sweetness of tomatoes, and actually does a better job of absorbing the other flavors of the salsa for a more cohesive whole.

This salsa is a simple and delicious seasonal substitute for your run-of-the-mill Pico de Gallo. Whip some up today!

Spicy Citrus Corn Fritters

I absolutely love when Spring roles around. Not because of the weather – in Seattle springtime is generally even more rainy than Winter, just warmer and punctuated by short burst of sunny days – but because of all the wonderful fresh vegetables that come into season.

Like corn. Seriously, who doesn’t like corn?

It’s sweet and savory, crunchy and soft. It’s good grilled on the cob or cooked in with other foods. It pairs well with so many different things. And that’s why it’s the star ingredient in this recipe.

Fresh corn is grilled to perfection, then sliced off the cob and tossed with just enough flour to bind it together into a delicious fritter. It’s complimented with a touch of jalapenos to add a little kick as well as two subtle citrus flavors: lime zest and lemongrass. The zest provides the scent and essence of lime without any of the sour or tart flavors, while lemongrass brings a softer, more complex citrus flavor than it’s namesake.

These fritters are great as single serving appetizers or served as a side dish or in groups of two or three. Perfect for a nice summer barbecue!

Spicy Mango Prosciutto Pizza

Think about all the people you know that like Hawaiian pizza. Got them all? Good.

Now, do any of them LOVE Hawaiian pizza?

The answer is probably no. Even the people I know that like the combination of pineapple and Canadian bacon on pizza aren’t overjoyed at the simple prospect of eating it. They don’t dream about it or order it for birthdays or special occasions.

The reason is because the draw – the combination of sweet and savory that forms the base of so many other great dishes – is inelegantly achieved in a Hawaiian pizza. Pineapple is too sweet, tart, and acidic to pair well with savory flavors. Canadian bacon, meanwhile, is a milquetoast of a meat that doesn’t offer enough of a contrast with sweet ingredients. What’s a pizza lover to do?!

Enter our protagonist: the Spicy Mango Prosciutto Pizza.

Instead of pineapple, it has the more subtle and complex mango. Instead of Canadian bacon, it has salty, crispy, aged prosciutto. Together, the two create a sweet and savory combination that puts competitors to shame.

Introduce the spicy kick of jalapeno peppers and pair with soft mozzarella, sharp feta and robust fresh basil – you’ll never bother with plain old Hawaiian pizza again.

Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo is easy, right? Just tomato, onion, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro and lime – nothing special.

So why do we so often buy it at a grocery store?

Homemade Pico de Gallo tastes way better than store-bought, and tends to be substantially lower in sodium (even if you’re buying your favorite extra-super-organic variety). It can be made in large batches and even stores well. As with most other culinary endeavors, it’s more than worth the effort to make it yourself.

Nearly everyone has had Pico de Gallo at some point in their life, so I won’t go on and on extolling the virtues of this dish. Suffice to say, it is crisp, refreshing, a bit spicy, and crazy addictive.

Of course, I must also admit that I chose this recipe primarily because my garden (!) is finally yielding veggies to work with.  The Pico de Gallo pictured uses tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeño grown out on my front porch along with local, organic onion and garlic from the farmers market. After a rather unsuccessful crop last year, I couldn’t resist showing off just a bit.

Pico de Gallo

• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, finely diced
• 3-5 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 5-8 cilantro stems, picked and chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• salt (optional)

 

1. Combined all ingredients in a bowl. Salt to taste, toss to combine and serve.