Trip to Tucson '13

We have just returned from our trip out west to visit our daughter in Tucson. She thought we were crazy to visit her when she works almost 90 hours a week in her residency but we told her we like Arizona in the summer. The monsoons (yes, they have rain) come in July, which makes it cooler for all.

 

Our son went with us this year and this helped with the driving. He also helped find new restaurants and directions, which helped us along the way. We were in Houston during the lunch hour and he knew of a restaurant called Chuy’s, a Mexican chain, we had never heard of. It has a funky 1950’s motif but the food was good (We ate too much.) and priced reasonable. There is one in Birmingham, which is why I mentioned this restaurant.

 

The first evening was spent in Kerrville, Texas, a sweet little town west of San Antonio. We had dinner overlooking the Guadeloupe River at Billy Gene’s, and you can probably guess by the name that is was Southern food. After a meal of moist meat loaf and mashed potatoes we were ready to have a good night’s rest.

 

We arrived in Las Cruces, New Mexico late in the afternoon of the next day. We ate at a very good restaurant called Andele, where we had eaten last year. Andele is located in La Messilla where the US flag was raised in 1854 to mark the Gadsden Purchase of southern New Mexico and Arizona.  It was later the capital of Confederate Arizona Territory (of note, since this is the sesquicentennial of the War). We had posole, the Mexican soup, which is made with corn and beef or chicken. I gave the recipe last year, and still think it is one of the better things I had to eat. We had posole and then some more food and we left stuffed and so full we did not eat dinner. I keep forgetting how filling Mexican food is with the added rice and beans on every plate.

 

On to Tucson for the evening and after 24 hours of driving we arrived at the Arizona Inn, our place to stay for three nights. It is a haven in the desert and I just love staying there. The rates are cheaper in the summer so it is affordable. This old inn was begun in the 1930’s by Isabella Greenway, Arizona’s first woman representative to Congress who had been a bridesmaid in Eleanor Roosevelt’s wedding.

 

For breakfast the next morning, we ate at the inn since were too tired to travel anywhere. Of course my husband had the huevos rancheros, and what a big plate it was. He was stuffed again. But I did reproduce the recipe for him when I returned home and it is a wonderful breakfast dish. Mine was not as large.

 

I will get into more of the Tucson food next week, but I did buy a little Mexican cookbook, Perfect Mexican, for $5.00 and it has such good recipes that are simple. I tried the shrimp tacos last evening and they were tasty and easy.

 

So try the huevos rancheros and shrimp tacos this week and this will make you get a small taste of the old west!

 

Huevos Rancheros

 

Serves 4

2 tbsp. butter, bacon fat or lard

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and chopped

4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp. lemon or lime juice

2 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper

4 large eggs

3 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the butter in a heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the bell peppers and chilies and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.

Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, and oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes, or until thickened, adding a little more lemon juice if the mixture becomes too dry.

Transfer the mixture to a large, ovenproof dish. Make four hollows in the mixture and break an egg into each. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, are until the eggs are set.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the oven for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve at once.

 

Chili-Shrimp Tacos

 

Serves 4

1 lb. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley

12 tortilla shells (We bought ours at the tortilla factory in La Masilla. You can find them at the grocery.)

scallions, chopped, to garnish

For the taco sauce

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1-2 fresh hot green chilies, such as jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

 3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

juice of ½ lemon

salt and pepper

to serve: sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the bell pepper and chilies and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and sugar and cook the sauce for an additional 2 minutes, stirring.

Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10minutes.

Stir in the shrimp and parsley, cover, and cook gently for 5-8 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and tender.

Meanwhile, place the tortilla shells, open-side down, on a baking sheet. Warm in the preheated oven for 2-3 minutes. To serve, spoon the shrimp mixture into the tortilla shells and top with a spoonful of sour cream.

 

 

 

Okra

It is that time of the summer when the okra is plentiful and you either freeze it (I like to have it in the winter for gumbo when local fresh okra is not available.) or look for the many ways to use it. Aside from being an important ingredient in gumbo and frying up beautifully on its own, okra is equally at home simmered with tomatoes and when pickled with plenty of spices in a Mason jar.

Very drought and heat resistant, okra is believed to be native to an area that includes modern-day Ethiopia, and it is documented as far back as the early 1200s in Egypt. Okra arrived in the United States in the 18^th century as a result of the slave trade. Although okra’s liquid is a superb thickening agent for gumbo, its “slime” factor has also worked against its popularity. “Okra is a very tricky ingredient,” says Chef Donald Link, owner of Cochon (one of my favorite New Orleans’ restaurants). “The way to take the slime factor out of okra is to cook it a little bit first in some hot oil and lay it on napkins in a pan, even if you put it in gumbo,” he says.

Try to pick the small, bright green pods that are no longer than around 3 inches since the larger ones are not as tender. The big hard ones can be used for Christmas decorations once painted red. These recipes go beyond frying, but I really love fried okra. There is really nothing better that some fried okra to add to your beans and corn for dinner, but give these a try for a change.

My husband loves this recipe for okra. There is an Asian twist in this recipe but it is easy and tasty.

Okra with Scallion, Lime and Ginger

Serves 4

1 lb. small to medium okra, trimmed, leaving tops and tips

1 cup chopped scallions (about 1 bunch)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 (2-by 1-inch) piece peeled ginger, cut into very thin matchsticks

Lime wedges

Steam okra in a steamer over boiling water, covered until just tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

Cook Scallions in oil with ½ tsp. salt in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring until softened, 1 to 3 minutes. Pour over okra and toss with ginger. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over okra.

 

The next two recipes are from Louisiana Cookin’ August 2013.

 

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

Serves 6

4 slices bacon

1 cup chopped Vidalia onion

2 tablespoons sliced garlic

8 cups fresh okra, halved lengthwise

2 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained (Might as well use fresh this time of year.)

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat, until browned. Remove bacon; crumble and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in pan.

Add onion and garlic to pan, and cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat; until tender, about 5 minutes. Add okra, tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add crumbled bacon. Serve with hot cooked rice, if desired.

 

Corn and Okra Cornbread Sticks (It’s not actually frying but close.)

Makes about 1 ½ dozen

¼ cup butter

1 cup thinly sliced okra

½ cup fresh corn kernels

1 ½ tablespoons chopped shallot

1 ½ teaspoons chopped garlic

1 (6-ounce) package cornbread mix

1 (14.5-ounce) can creamed corn (Why not use fresh. Corn is in season too.)

½ cup whole buttermilk

3 tablespoons corn oil

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Preheat oven to 375ᴼ. Spray 3 (6-well) cornbread stick pans with nonstick cooking spray, and place in oven while preheating. Frank Stitt uses bacon grease for his corn sticks which makes them special. So if you want to kick these up a notch.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add okra, corn, shallot, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, combine cornbread mix, creamed corn, buttermilk, oil, and egg. Stir in cooked okra mixture. Remove pans from oven, and fill each well about three-fourths full with batter.

Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove corn sticks from pans, and serve warm or let cool completely on a wire rack.

 

Cool Summer Salads

When the temperature is in the 90’s every day I am always looking for cool summer salads to prepare so I will not have to cut on the oven. There are so many wonderful salads you can prepare with the produce from the garden. Tomatoes are just always on my list (with basil and mozzarella as you all know) but I can sometimes venture outside that salad!

We all want something quick and nourishing so these salads should be for you. Actually I have found that a can of white cannelloni beans combined with some mint, red onion, and olive oil hits the spot with a little canned tuna on the side. You always have that one on hand and it does not heat up the kitchen!

Salad Nicoise Lettuce Cups

Serves 4

12 Romaine lettuce leaves

1 can (5oz.) solid white tuna in water, drained

1 can (3oz.) solid white tuna in water, drained

2 tomatoes, chopped

12 pitted kalamata olives

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

2 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

Arrange 3 lettuce leaves on each of 4 serving places.

Divide tuna, tomatoes, olives, and eggs evenly among places.

Sprinkle each with cheese.

Now how easy is that!

This next recipe takes on a Persian theme. But you can use different varieties of cucumbers and tomatoes in this recipe, whatever you have in the garden or can find in the market. It is called Shirazi Salad, the name taken from the city of Shiraz in Iran. I have actually been to Shiraz (many years ago) and remember the people in the country side washing their greens in the drains (not good) but they would always have a green salad for their picnic lunch.

Shirazi Salad

Serves 6

1 medium spring onion, thinly slices

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 lb. Persian, Armenian, lemon, or English hothouse cucumbers, peeled, leaving alternating strips of peel, cut into bite-size pieces

1 garlic clove, finely grated

2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced

6 small red tomatoes, cut into wedges

2 pints small cherry tomatoes, halved

½  cup fresh lime juice, divided

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

½ bunch chives, cut into 1” pieces

¼ bunch dill, cut into 1” pieces

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup tarragon leaves (Difficult to grow here, but surprisingly I have a nice thriving pot this summer!)

Combine spring onion and vinegar in a small bowl; let sit 20 minutes. Drain.

Toss spring onion, cucumbers, garlic, all tomatoes, ¼ cup lime juice, and 2 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper and toss gently with hands to coat. Transfer salad to a platter, reserving bowl.

Add herbs and remaining ¼ cup lime juice and 2 Tbsp. oil to reserved bowl; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Mound herb mixture over salad.

Stay cool this summer.

Pasta on the Road

Since we travel many miles every month I am always looking for something easy to eat in the car. Something the dog does not want. He loves cheese, turkey, and nuts! I have found some pasta dishes that do the trick. The dog does not want them and one can eat while the other one drives, and they are tasty. We do not stop for fast food if at all possible. If we do it is a sub from Subway!

I have done this parsley spaghetti over and over but I find it so good and easy to do before the trip. It is just right served at room temperature, so after a few hours on the road it is perfect. It is easy to swap out flat-leaf parsley for basil which is in your classic pesto sauce. We always have more parsley in the garden than basil it seems. It is also easier to find year round than basil also and it is cheaper. Parsley is a workhorse for salads, sauces, and even over sandwiches. Parsley pesto holds its vibrant color much longer than basil.

From June 2013 ‘bon appétit’

Spaghetti with Parsley Sauce

Serves 4

1 lb. spaghetti

Kosher salt

½ cup unsalted, roasted almonds

4 cups (packed) from fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

¾ cup chopped fresh chives

¾ cups extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup finely grated Parmesan

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta in a huge pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, pulse almonds in a food processor until smooth. Add parsley, chives, oil, and Parmesan; process until smooth. Season pesto with salt and pepper

Toss pasta and pesto in a large bowl, adding pasta cooking liquid by ¼-cupfuls until saucy. Season with salt and pepper.

Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 5 days ahead. Cover surface directly; chill. 6 servings

There are many other ways to prepare a good “ travel” pasta. Here are some of them.

Tuna, Caper, and Basil

Cook ¾ pound penne, reserving ¼ cup water. In a medium skillet sauté ½ cup capers and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest in ¼ cup olive oil, 1 minute. Add 2 cans tuna (6 ounces each) drained tuna in olive oil and cook until heated through. Add penne, pasta, water, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season, and stir in 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves. Serves 4.

Spinach Pesto

Cook ¾ pound penne, reserving ½ cup pasta water. In the food processor, pulse 8 ounces trimmed spinach, ½ cup walnuts, ½ cup grated Parmesan, ¼ cup olive oil, and 1 small garlic clove. Toss pesto with penne and pasta water; season. Can serve with ricotta. Serves 4.

Primavera

Cook ¾ pound penne, reserving ¼ cup pasta water. In a large skillet melt ½ stick butter over medium heat. Add 1 pound asparagus, cut into pieces, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Add ¼ cup dry white wine and cook until reduced by half, about 30 seconds. Add 1 ½ cups thawed peas and ½ cup thinly sliced fresh mint. Season, and toss with penne and pasta water. Top with grated Parmesan. Serves 4.

I also make a spicy noodle dish that we love to eat on the road. You can use vermicelli instead of the thin ramen noodles. You can also create any addition to this recipe such as carrots, cucumbers, or garlic.

Sesame Noodles with Chili Oil and Scallions

4 servings

4 scallions, whites and greens separated, thinly sliced

½ cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp. sesame seeds

2 tsp. Sichuan pepper, coarsely chopped

12 oz. thin ramen noodles or spaghettini

Kosher salt

¼ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 tsp. sugar

Cook scallion whites, vegetable oil, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until oil is sizzling and scallions are golden brown, 12-15 minutes; let chili oil cool in saucepan.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente; drain. Rinse under cold water and drain well.

Whisk tahini, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and 2-3 Tbsp. chili oil (depending on desired heat) in a large bowl; season with salt. Add noodles and toss to coat. Top with scallions greens and drizzle with more chili oil.

Travel safely or just enjoy at home.

 

Plums

My husband’s plum tree is really producing this year. About time! They are really nice to have as a treat after lunch or dinner. We have so many we eat them for breakfast too.

Plums once grew wild in most of the world, including the South. Most of these wild plums were small, tart, and painfully astringent, so they were better suited for wine and brandy making than for eating. Charleston resident Henry Laurens is credited with introducing better-tasting Old World plums from the south of France to the colonies around 1755, but it’s unclear whether he personally undertook the effort or merely paid for it.

The plums we grow and eat today in the South and in the United States come from a mixture of European, Asian, and wild American rootstock. Small, firm plums are particularly good for making preserves. Large, plump, juicy plums can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Wild American plums are almost always cooked. A delicious plum is the beach plum and many plum purists believe it is the best plum that grows on the East coast. Beach plums thrive in the sandy dunes and salty air. They grow in tight thickets, which were once used as hedges and fences. The plants sent out such a profusion of sturdy shoots that it was often easier and faster to grow an erosion resistant fence than to build one.

 

 

Our plum tree is a Santa Rosa Plum developed by Luther Burbank in Santa Rosa, California. We once visited Burbank’s home and garden there when our son worked in Santa Rosa which is in Sonoma County, just north of San Francisco.

I decided to use all my extra plums in a salad and a dessert. I have to do coffee hour this Sunday so thought everyone would enjoy a plum cake.

These recipes are taken from The New Southern Garden by Sheri Castle.

Plum, Peach, and Tomato Salad

Makes 4 servings

4 plums, pitted and cut into thin wedges

2 large peaches, peeled, petted, and cut into thin wedges

2 medium tomatoes, peeled is necessary, cored, and cut into thin wedges

1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and cut into thin strips

1 to 2 jalapeño or Serrano chilies, finely chopped (remove the seeds and membranes to reduce the heat

Finely grated zest of 1 lime

Juice of 2 limes (about 1/3 cup)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Stir together all the ingredients except the cilantro in a large bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour to give the flavors time to come together, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the cilantro and check seasoning just before serving.

Plum Cake

This is a simple and pretty spice cake with little plums peeking up through the batter. Any kind of plum will work, but slightly under-ripe plums hold their shape when baked, and dark plums look pretty.

Serves 8

Vegetable oil spray

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 to 8 small plums, halved and pitted (about 1 pound)

Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350ᴼF. Mist the inside of a 9-inch spring form pan with the spray.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Beat the butter and ¾ cup of the sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl with an electric mixer set to high, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat on low only until it disappears into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange the plums cut-side down over the batter. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over the top.

Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with a dollop of whipped cream.