La Platicona Habla: Tastes, Passions and Pursuits

Looking through the recipe index for this blog, I realized that the noble bell pepper has been sadly neglected. To remedy the situation, I give you the Fajita post. I know some of you reading this blog do not eat meat or fish, so feel free to simply exclude the shrimp detail because these tri colored bell peppers are the star of these fajitas.

And for you gluten-free/lactose free eaters? Corn tortillas (check ingredients on the back to ensure that no flour was used to finish them off), and beans make this meal healthy and edible for you too. Now how about that? A dish to please all the picky eaters/diet restricted types in your life. Don't thank me, just pass on this URL to your friends.

You will need:

- 3 bell peppers: green, red, yellow, sliced
- 1 red onion, halved then sliced
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
- 1/2 lime
- large handful of chopped Italian parsley or cilantro
- 3 tbsp of vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1 lb of deveined shrimp
- 1 can of black beans
- 1 pkg of corn tortillas

Step One: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until oil begins to spatter. Add the garlic, onions, jalapenos, and bell peppers. Season with salt. Cook this, stirring every few minutes, for 8-10 minutes or until the bell peppers begin to tenderize.

Step Two: Add the deveined shrimp directly into the veggies, and squeeze the lime over them for added flavor. Cook this only for 2 minutes, stirring, and turn off the heat. Add the chopped cilantro or Italian parsley, tossing everything about. Cover with foil.

Step Three: While things are heating up with the bell peppers, take another skillet or a comal and heat to medium. "Cook" each corn tortilla on each side for 45 seconds, or until the tortilla becomes very soft. You MAY NOT heat these tortillas in the microwave because they will become dry and brittle. Heating the tortillas one-by-one in a skillet on each side will ensure the proper pliability for eating the fajitas like little tacos.

Step Four: In a small pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1 clove of minced garlic over medium heat until oil is hot. Add the can of beans and season with salt. I cooked these beans for about 7-10 minutes while the vegetables cooked and they were perfect for my fajitas.

Serve these veggies in a big bowl, with the side of warmed tortillas covered by a clean dish towel to retain heat, and the side of beans. I ate these fajitas with tomatillo salsa and guacamole. They are oh so yummy for the end of summer.

Labels: bell pepper, corn tortillas, fajitas, seafood, shrimp

What better way to commemorate the Battle of Puebla on this Fifth of May than by cooking a piping hot plate of Shrimp Veracruz? The state of Veracruz, located on the Caribbean side of the boot of Mexico was the site of the famous invasion of French troops into Mexico who made their way to the state and city of Puebla in 1862 (located next to the state of Veracruz) and duked it out with General Ignacio Zaragoza who, outnumbered by nearly 3000 troops, won a victory over the French forces sent by Napolean III to seize all of Mexico in the name of France. The town of Puebla was the chosen battlefield and the French were quickly deposed (although this victory was short lived when the French took the capital and installed Maximillian of Austria as "emperor" of Mexico, thus, the Austrians have lots of stolen booty like Moctezuma's headdress in their museums); Benito Juarez christened the day as a national holiday.

Well, this Puebla/Veracruz connection made me think that Shrimp Veracruz was the perfect dish for tonight's supper. This dish consists of a rich salsa with some very odd ingredients: green olives, capers, bay leaves and oregano. I guarantee, however, that this dish will do you right for tonight. There are several versions of this dish, so I have sort of experimented for the easiest way to prepare it and still preserve the flavor.

You will need:
- 1 pound of deveined medium or large shrimp with the tails on and the rest of the shell removed;
- 1/2 cup of roughly chopped green olives (get these from your grocer's deli or if in a jar, get the Santa Cruz brand large green olives);
- 3 tbsp of capers;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1/2 tsp oregano, corriander, and cumin;
- 1/2 small minced white onion;
- 4 tbsp of butter (may substitute olive oil);
- 1 lime halved;
- 5 plum tomatoes;
- 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers (depending on how hot you want it);
- 1/2 c white wine;
- 3 cloves minced garlic;
- handful of fresh choped cilantro (optional); and
- salt to taste.

Serve this dish over a bed of saffron (or plaint) basmati rice.

Step One: Start your rice! I made a simple saffron basmati rice in my rice cooker for this dish and it tastes wonderful in combination with the rest of the food. I like the "O" Organics brand of Basmati rice from Safeway, you can also find it at Wild Oats and Whole Foods.

Step Two: In a small pot of boiling water, add your tomatoes and chile peppers; cook on high until the skins start to fall off (about 7 minutes). Remove from the heat; drain. Place the tomatoes and the jalapenos in a blender and puree.

Step Three: In a saute pan, cook the garlic & onion in the butter until translucent. I know 4 tbsp of butter is a lot, but trust me, it's worth the calories. If you are still freaking out, substitute with olive oil. Once the onions are done, cool off by adding the white wine and reduce (takes about 4-6 minutes). If you, like my mother, absolutely love onions, try cutting the onions into large slices to give the dish a different texture.

Step Four: Add the tomato/jalapeno puree, the chopped tomatoes, capers, olives, bay leaves, oregano, cumin, and corriander into the pan; squeeze in the 2 lime halves. Simmer this over medium heat for about 7-10 minutes (should be the thickness of a runny gravy).

Step Five: Add the shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes until just cooked. Remove from the heat and serve the shrimp and sauce over a bed of saffron rice. Garnish with cilantro or chopped italian parsley and lime wedges. I enjoy eating this with a side of warmed corn tortillas over the comal (stop using the microwave to heat up your torts!). This dish pairs well with white wine or a good fume blanc. I also think Bohemia or Pacifico is a good beer for this dish. Oh so yummy.

I know this dish has a ton of ingredients, but like so many real Mexican dishes, it takes time to cook, and has the sabor of a complex mole (that's mol-eh, you know, the thick rich sauce sometimes made with chocolate and a ton of ingredients I can't pronounce) that will earn you much praise. So when eating this dish, thank your lucky stars that the world colided in Puebla and Veracruz, producing such a unique and fragrant dish like Camaron a la Veracruzana.

Labels: lime, seafood, shrimp, tomatoes

Spring rolls are a special treat for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten free eaters alike. Unlike pasta, rice wrappers (and rice noodles) are held together by amylose, a rice starch, rather than gluten proteins of wheat flour, and so they are easier to digest for persons with IBS and those allergic to wheat.

Rice paper wrappers are round like tortillas and are called "bangh trang" in Vietnamese. These wrappers are used to make spring rolls. The wrappers are made from soaked and ground rice made into a paste and dried in thin layers. Rice wrappers are sold in many asian and natural food groceries, and are rehydrated by individually soaking each round disc in warm water, and used immediately to make spring rolls. Making these spring rolls requires preparation of all the ingredients first, and then assembly last.

You will need: 1 package of vermecelli rice noodles; 1 package of rice wrappers; 1 bunch of thai basil and fresh cilantro; tofu or cooked and halved shrimp; shredded romaine lettuce. Peanut sauce requires 3 tbsp of peanut butter; 2 tbsp of "hoisin" sauce (sold at asian food markets and is made from sugar, soybeans, vinegar, and wheat flour); 1 can of coconut milk.

Step One: Soak the skinny vermecelli rice noodles in very warm water until soft; promptly drain and rinse in cool water; set aside for assembly.

Step Two: Rinse and dry romaine lettuce leaves. Shred the lettuce by chopping into thin slices or slivers. Set aside for assembly.

Step Three: Cook shrimp by deveining, removing shell, and throwing into a small pot of boiling water with garlic clove and salt. Remove after 2 minutes; drain; rinse; set aside for assembly.

Step Four: Rinse cilantro and thai basil, dry well. Remove individual leaves of basil for assembly and chop off stems of cilatro, using 2 sprigs per roll.

Step Five: Pour very warm water into a large mixing bowl. You are ready to begin assembly. Place one rice wrapper in the water until soft; remove gently with both hands; place on clean work surface and place a handful of noodles, lettuce, basil and cilantro; tofu strips or shrimp in a pile at one end of the round wrapper (like making a burrito). Fold in the right and left sides; now fold over the bottom half of the wrapper with the ingredients like you would a burrito. The edges seal naturally. Place on a tray or plate, but don't stack them. Cover with plastic and put them in the fridge.

Step Six: In a small pot, add 2 tbsp of hoisin sauce (made from black soybean paste), 3 tbsp of peanut butter, and one can of coconut milk. Cook on medium high heat, stirring so mixture won't burn. Sauce is done when all the ingredients thicken. Remove from heat and cool.

Step Seven: Serve spring rolls with a side of peanut sauce and chili garlic sauce (sold at asian grocer too). For variation on ingredients, you can also add sliced avacado to the the rolls, or batter fry the shrimp.

Labels: herbs, rice noodles, shrimp

Risotto is an Italian rice that cooks up very creamy and can be served as a main course. This recipe was taken from a mini cooking lesson I had at a chef's Christmas party. The chef in the kitchen was from Milano, Italy, and told me that rice is a more common dish in Milano than pasta. His cooking technique proved true when I tried making the dish at home.

Risotto comes in various lengths and varieties, the most common of which is "carnaroli" a short grain. I bought two brands, both of which worked fine. My suggestion is that you buy an Italian imported brand or make sure the rice is for risotto specifically. You should also eat this dish as soon as it is prepared in order to insure that the temperature remains hot and that the rice doesn't dry out. The consistency should be creamy and cooked through without being mushy.

You will need:
- 2 c of risotto (this yields about 5 cups of rice so if you are alone, do 1 c);
- a stock pot full of water (about 6 cups) and 1 c of white wine, a quartered potato, 1 rough chopped zuccini, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp of sea salt;
- 3/4 c of grated parmesan (fresh, not in a Kraft brand can);
- 3 tblsp of minced onion; 1 clove minced garlic; olive oil;
- 1 c of frozen sweet peas;
- 1 c of rock shrimp (or any other fish you like);
- 1/2 tsp of saffron threads; sea salt; white pepper.

Step one: In a large stock pot, place water, wine, and veggies listed above in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat after this begins boiling and leave at medium high.

Step Two: In a large sautee pan, place minced onion and garlic with 2 dashes of olive oil. Heat this over high heat stirring constantly. Once cooked (translucent), cool off with a dash of white wine.

Step Three: Add your risotto and toss around stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.

Step Four: Maintain high heat and ladle in enough water from the stock pot to cover the rice about 1/2 inch in liquid. Stir constantly in order to ensure all the rice is being exposed to liquid and heat evenly. As this liquid is absorbed, keep laddeling in the liquid to maintain the same level of liquid over rice. You will repeat this process for about 15 minutes stirring all along (ratio is for 2 c of rice, 31/2 c of water).

Step Five: Add saffron, seafood, and peas. Maintain liquid level and cook for another five minutes. Total cooking time for risotto should be no more than 20 minutes. Rice should be creamy, literally much more starchy than a normal rice.

Step Six: Pour rice into a bowl, stir in grated parmesan (again, this should be fresh not from a can), salt to taste, and 1/4 c of olive oil. This step is done off of the heat in order to prevent overcooking.

Serve and enjoy alone or with a veggie side with a nice glass of white wine.

Labels: peas, risotto, shrimp

I learned to cook Alfredo sauce at a restaurant almost 8 years ago and it is the tried and true recipe in my pasta arsenal. There is no "fat-free" version, so just plan on eating a small portion with a glass of white wine and a side salad.




You will need (for 3):
- 1 pint of heavy cream;
- 3 minced garlic cloves;
- dash of white wine;
- 1/2 c of grated parmesan;
- 4 egg yolks (separate the whites and discard).

For pasta, use DeCecco brand dried fettucini or fresh pasta from a local Italian grocer.

Step One: Boil water for pasta with 1 tsp of salt. Cook according to directions.

Step Two: In a skillet, cook garlic in 2 tblsp of olive oil over medium heat fro 5 minutes. Add dash of white wine to cool off.

Step Three: In a bowl, combine cream and yolks, wisk until smooth. Pour into skillet with garlic and cook over medium heat for 8-12 minutes or until it thickens (will coat a spoon without coming off completely). It is okay if this simmers a little but DO NOT BOIL or you will burn the cream. You must stir this constantly to avoid overcooking.

Step Four: Take off the heat, add parmesan & salt to taste. Ladle over cooked pasta and garnish with Italian parsley. For this occassion, I added sauteed shrimp with garlic on top.

Labels: cream, pasta, sauce, seafood, shrimp

Sorry for these late postings: cooking calls.
I love curry. If you enjoy eating chile, curry is something you should try - at least once. This green curry recipe is simply wonderful and it practically makes itself.
You need the following:

Cookware: 1 large skillet, 1 medium sauce pot for rice.

Ingredients:
- 1 green bell pepper,
- ¼ white onion,
- 1 clove of garlic (or more if you'd like),
- 1 tsp of fresh chopped ginger (optional),
- 1 cup of fresh sliced bamboo shoots (canned),
- 3 tbsp green curry paste,
- 1 can of light coconut milk,
- 1/2 c veggie stock,
- 1/2 c white wine,
- olive oil, cilantro (optional),
- 1 lb shrimp, tofu or chicken.

Step One: Prep the following before doing anything else: Cook the rice (1 cup of rice cooks in 2 cups of water, bring this to a boil in the medium sauce pot with a dash of salt and then cover immediately with foil or a lid, and reduce heat to LOW). The rice takes about ½ hour, the entire cooking time for this meal. Also, peel and devein 12 pieces of shrimp (you can buy it deveined). Shrimp should be raw and ready to go.

Step Two: In the skillet, add your ¼ white onion (slice it thin), 1 bell pepper (remove the seeds and slice long pieces), 1 c of bamboo shoots, crushed garlic, 2 tbsp of olive oil, ginger. Cook this for 5-7 minutes on medium-high heat. Be sure to stir it up.

Step Three: Add the shrimp or chicken (raw, boneless, cut into small pieces). Add the ½ cup of white wine. Cook this for 3 minutes (if cooking chicken, cook this for 5-7 minutes).

Step Four: Add ½ cup of veggie stock, 1 can of light coconut milk, 4 tbsp of chopped cilantro, and 2-3 tbsp of green curry paste (add more if you like it spicy). Cook this on medium heat so it simmers (a slight boil) for another 5-7 minutes. If you prefer tofu, add it here (chopped into squares, I like the extra soft texture). Make sure the meat you added is cooked through before you serve.

Step Five: Serve this yummy curry over a scoop of rice and salt to taste.

A tip about curry paste: This is essential to the dish. Your local Asian grocer will have a variety of curry pastes. Read the ingredients for purity (the paste should consist of recognizable ingredients like garlic, ginger, lemon grass, chile, lime leaves, etc). The paste I bought is very mulchy and dark, much better than that awful “Thai” brand (the tiny glass jar that costs 5 bucks a pop). There is a picture here of some basics I use over and over to cook. From the left to the right: capers, miso paste, tom yum paste for thai hot and sour soup, olive oil, green chile salsa from Bueno, green curry paste, butter (the real kind with cream), veggie stock, red wine vinegar.

Oh so spicy . . .

Labels: bell pepper, coconut milk, curry, shrimp, tofu