Meghan's Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Tomatillos

Cilantro fills the kitchen with a wonderful scent

Tomatillos, or Tomate Verde, are lovely to look at with their paper husk around the green fruit. Inever knew what to do with them, but Meghan did. Meghan knows so much, an eye for detail, 

and it brings beautiful results in many things. 

 Tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. Freshness and green color  of the

husk are quality criteria. Fruit should be firm and bright green, as the green color and tart flavor are the main culinary contributions of the fruit. 

Tomatillos can by very inconsistent in flavor, with some being sour and others 
tasting mild and sweet. If the tomatillos are too tart for your taste, try adding a little sugar to 

balance the taste.

Raw - Raw or uncooked tomatillos are often in Mexican sauces. They add a fresh citrus-like flavor. 

Blanching - Blanching mellows the flavor. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the whole

 tomatillos without the husks,and boil for approximately 5 minutes or until soft. Drain and 

crush or puree the mixture.

 Fire Roasting - Roast under the broiler on a grill, make sure it s hotif the heat is not hot 

enough, the tomatillos wil turn mushy before being charred. The charred or slightly blackened skins will enrich your sauces with a smoky flavor. 

Dry Roasting - This will create  an earthy, nutty flavor. Place the tomatillos in a heavy fry pan, 

preferably a cast iron pan.Turn heat to low and roast for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, 

turning occasionally.

Meghan'sTomatillo Salsa

Take the papery skins off about a pound of tomatillos  and place the whole tomatillos in a saucepan and cover with water. Add 1 roughly chopped onion, 1-2 seeded jalapenos and 3-5 whole cloves of garlic
Boil until very tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain out all but 1 cup of water.
Put the mixture  in a blender, roughly chop 1/2 a bunch of cilantro and add it to the blender with a big pinch of sea salt.
Carefully start blending the mixture, starting slowly so that the hot liquid doesn't splash on you.
Puree until mostly smooth, about 30 seconds, and then put the salsa  
in a bowl.
Finely chop 1/2 an onion, another 1/2 bunch of cilantro and add to  
the salsa.
Salt to taste. 
Place a pan over medium heat and add just enough water to cover the  
bottom of the pan. Add frozen tilapia fillets and cook until heated  
through. 
Heat oven to 375. Cover the bottom of a medium casserole dish with 1/4  
cup of the salsa. Holding a tortilla in your hand fill with 1/4 cup of  
beans and rice as well as a little tilapia and roll the tortilla up.  
Place it in the casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat until all of  
the tortillas are filled. Spoon the rest of the salsa over the top of  
the filled tortillas, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 375 for about  
30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the cheese is melted.
 
Meghan went to Grocery Outlet and bought all this for $20:..
 
1 pound tomatillos $1.99
1 pound jalapenos $1.99
3  pounds onions, 2 for $3
1 pound  frozen tilapia fillets $2.99
8 oz shredded habanero jack cheese $1.99
Mission flour tortillas $2.79
2 pounds  jasmine brown rice $2.49
Aunt Penny's organic pinto beans $0.99
And course, Meghan suggests..
Mexican coke $0.89 ea
6 pack Tecate $5.79
dozen eggs $1.59
avocados $0.69 ea
limes 4 for a $1

Lemon Cream Pie

Pink Flowering Almond Bush

Pink Flowering Almond Bush

Pink Flowering Almond Bush

Pink Flowering Almond Bush

Suede Frye Oxfords

So many pretty things in the garden, and the berries and summer fruits are still a little ways away. This pie is light an fresh, and a good excuse for a celebration. Have you you read As Always, Julia? It is the correspondence between Julia Child and Avis Devoto - both fun and informative.

LEMON CREAM PIE

10 ounces crumbled biscotti

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

14 ounces sour cream

3 large lemons - for 1/2 cup lemon juice, zest

1 cup heavy cream

2 tbl powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350. In blender, crumble the biscotti, add butter and sugar. Press into pie pan, bake for 10 minutes, let cool.

Whisk together eggs, sour cream, lemon, pour into crust and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool until at least 2 hours.

Whip the cream and confectioners sugar until soft peaks form, spread on the pie and garnish with more lemon zest. 

Invite some one ot share it, and wear the suede oxfords. Suede is so luxe, it shows you aren't out stomping through rain. And a pot of Earl Grey tea is the best with lemon!

Scrambled Eggs for Lunch





Coordinate your shoes to what is blooming in your garden- your guests will appreciate the gesture

Have a friend or two over for lunch, so much nicer than dining out, with a waiter who wields a pepper grinder like a light saber, than pouts when ignored. I love using all the pretty things Dowager has collected, It can be easy. First, set a nice seasonal table.

Serve Ile de France pear cider with this meal available at Grocery Outlet.
First, take some Smoked Wild King salmon and flake 8 ounces of it into a cup of heavy cream. Set aside while the salmon soaks up the cream.
In France, scrambled eggs are always gently beaten by hand, and they are not scrambled as long as we scramble them. Eggs remain in a soft broken custard, rather than shirred, and tossed in a tortilla for portability. Sit down to eat the food tastes better that way.
The over a very low heat, almost like a Hollandaise sauce, stir until the eggs are custard like. Add a few noissetes of buttter, and some chopped tarragon. Set the table with fresh spring flowers, or primroses in a pot.

Serve with lightly toasted baguettes and marmalade, from earlier in blog.
For dessert, serve melon in port, with stove top espresso Coffee after the melon.

Asparagus and Smoked Trout Fritatta

Celebrate Poetry Month in April by ging on a picnic, and packing a poem. What is your favorite poem?
Of course we will have beer, and begin with mixed olives spritzed with a garlicky oil and grated orange rind over them.
Then a lovely, seasonal and portable Frittata. Trout is delicate, and smoked it is woody without being sharp as salmon can be so it is perfect for spring, and al the ingredients can be found at Grocery Outlet!

Asparagus and Smoked Trout Frittata
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces.
1 tbl cream
fresh ground black pepper
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/2 grated Parmesan
some dill
8 ounces smoked trout, smoked and flaked into large pieces
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced green onions
Preheat oven to 450
Boil water, blanche asparagus for a minute or two, then rinse in cold water. This is called s'arrete when a food is cooled to stop the cooking process. Pat dry.
Combine cream, pepper, and egg whites with a whisk, stir in asparagus, half the cheese, dill, and trout.
Saute the onions in oil, add egg mixture, for eight minutes or until the edges begin to set. Preheat broiler, for two minutes, let stand and slice.
Watercress-Radish Salad
Whisk together 1 tbl olive oil and 2 tsp appe cider vinegar, 1 large tsp Dijon mustard, some sugar and salt. Toss with 2 bunches trimmed watercress and 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes.
Brioche Stuffed with Green Olives and Cheese
Buy some great brioche dough, or make it using James Beards Recipe Put in greased muffin tin, poke in green olives and mozzarella.
Voila!
And serve leftover good chocolate Easter Eggs. Next week will make Katharina's Lausanne Cake made from leftover chocolate eggs.

Lettuce Talk...

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

This butter lettuce from Grocery Outlet  has the root still on, and makes the best salad. I have been living on it, it makes me crave more fresh vegetables - so I bought some lovely organic tomatoes, and peas peas peas this week.
Here is an easy salad everyone will enjoy  - seed and dice a few perfect tomatoes. Crumble walnuts and Roquefort cheese, the Roquefort sweats and makes its own dressing. There! A perfect salad. I served this today with yams diced into two inch squares and bakes, served with garlic mayonnaise I made today. Next week we will make garic mayonnanise, homemade. It is easy, and taste great with all the fresh vegetable out now!
Serve with your favorite Grocery Outlet cheese broiled on toast for an easy and healthy meal.
Here is a famous poem about enjoying food with others - read it aloud, children love it!
The Walrus and the Carpenter
byLewis Carroll

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying over head--
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it WOULD be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him.
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat--
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed--
Now if you're ready Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue,
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said
"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf--
I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said.
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size.
Holding his pocket handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter.
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none--
And that was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

Eating seasonally is the most chic, because it it beautiful and functional.
Read aloud with your family.  A nice idea is from Winston Churchill's Thoughts and Adventures. There is a wonderful essay about learning to paint and he says "It's ok not to paint a Masterpeice, but to enjoy a joyride in a box of paints. " Everyone needs to begin somewhere.
Here a seasonal flavorful course that balances out the ham yam lamb fare, or to the vegans whose lower lips were beginning to quiver at the injustices of this world. The tarragon lifts up the peas, and fresh flowers on the table make the simplest meal luxe, as though one lives for pleasure.
Fresh Pea and Tarragon Soup
2 tbls spoons butter or use walnut oil instead
1 sweet onion, diced, or 2 shallots
1 clove garlic
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
1 cup fresh tarragon leaves, lightly packed
Heat the butter or oil when the butter begins to foam or the oil bubbles, add onion, garlic, and a pinch of sea salt. Cover pot and cook until the onions are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add I quart water, or water and white wine, increase heat to a boil. Add peas and chopped tarragon and cook until sweet and tender, like a poem, about four minutes.
Transfer to blender, puree in two batches.
Starin soup through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon, into a clean saucepan. This is the extra step that makes a great deal of difference.
Reheat soup, season to taste with salt and serve.
Ginger Beer goes well with this, or my new favorite Ginger Syrup.
Ginger Syrup
Run fresh ginger root through a juicer. Mix with an equal amount of sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Serve in a cut glass tumbler with fizzy water and lime juice, and add whiskey for those who love whiskey. Serve over ice, early and often.
Serve with bowls of chocolate eggs.

Tangelo Pudding Cakes for Easter

Tangelos are a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit

Easter calls for a lighter dessert, and I discovered tangelos the other day - great flavor, cute size.They aren't new, tangelos were created in 1931, and are also known as Minneolas. Good heavens, a fruit has an alias?
Listen to Vivaldi's Spring and Handel's Messiah - it was written for Easter, embraced by Christmas. Spend some out enjoying nature Sunday, and these don't take all day to make. Ramekins make desserts a bit special, giving each person their own little cake!

Forcing fruit tree branches to bloom indoors makes a great decoration - so frugal you can be lavish with them!

Riesling is a nice wine with this dessert, and coffee afterwards. 

These little darlings are easier than they look - the only tricky part is using a bain marie.

TANGELO PUDDING CAKES

Pre heat oven to 350, place six ramekins inside a large baking dish. 

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour, leveled

3 large eggs, separated 

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon grated minneola rind

1/2 cup minneola juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and the flour together, set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and butter until smooth. Add the milk, minneola zest and juice. Combine the two bowls, whisk until smooth. 

Using an electric mixer, I prefer my little hand held mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Gently fold this into the other mixture. 

Divide the pudding mixture among the ramekins, sprinkle with sugar. Add enough hot water to the baking pan to go half way up the sides of the ramekins. 

Bake until golden brown, aout 30 minutes or so. 

I grated more zest over them when I served them. 

Gladiolus!

At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May's new fangled shows,
But like of each thing that in season grows
-Love's Labor's Lost, Shakespeare
It is the first day of spring - celebrate with Shakespeare and more planting! Last month I planted seeds and bulbs from Grocery Outlet, today more gladiolus! Moses Lake  Grocery Outlet has fruit trees, bare root and potted roses, azaleas, primroses, and more! Tell us what you are planting!

Let's Garden!

The seasons change their manners as the year
Had found some months asleep and leapt over them
-Henry IV, Shakespeare
Moses Lake  Grocery Outlet has tools, fertilizer, pots, and friendly people to help you with your garden needs. Of course people are always helpful with advice, but when in doubt turn to Shakespeare.
Tell us about your garden!
Or this lovely proverb: No matter how long the winter, Spring is sure to follow.

Roasted Jalepeno Peppers stuffed with Sausage

Celebrate spring with a fiesta! These peppers are easy and lovely to serve!
This recipe is festive and very easy to make, and all the ingredients are from Moses Lake Grocery Outlet, for less than $10.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Chill a beer glass.
Slice jalapeno peppers in half, and roast for 8 minutes. This will remove the sting from the taste of the pepper.
Saute a package of chorizo sausage in frying pan, moistened with some beer.
Set aside and drain the grease. Crumble with 1 cup Casero queso fresco, a type of soft cheese and stir. Stuff the jalepenos with this mixture. Brown under broier for 2 minutes.
In the photo I added some pico de gallo and the chicken tamales, and avocado to make an appetizer into a meal.
Tell us you favorite appetizer for and be entered in a gift drawing each month!

Basque Tomatoe Salad

Tomatoes abound in this lovely weather! recipe courtesy of Chef Fernando Divina, formerly of Cave B.

A Favorite Northwest Basque Community Tomato Salad

This is an easy, elegant way to serve blushing ripe tomatoes. Select small vine and large slicing varieties for a colorful presentation.

4 large tomatoes, sliced (or alternative mixture  of tiny vine and large slicing varieties)

2 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives with their blossoms

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, sliced finely

1 Tablespoon chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

3 Tablespoons camelina oil or substitute extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

Local coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper

                    To Prepare

Place the tomatoes on a serving platter or four individual plates.  Distribute the herbs over the tomatoes. Drizzle the tomatoes with the oil. Sprinkle the salads with coriander , salt and pepper.

To serve

Serve the salad at room temperature, accompanied by some shaved or grated aged sheep’s milk cheese by Black Sheep Creamery in Washington state or imported Basque  cheese called Ossau-Iraty or Spanish Manchego cheese. Serve with crusty bread or crisp crackers.