Bourbon-Pickled Jalapeños (and Serranos)

Dear Lauren,

I really didn't know what to think about this recipe because I'm not a pickler. I'm not a canner. I wish I was! I've tried maybe one or two quick pickling recipes and they didn't really work out. I nearly talked myself out of this one, but then I thought about Missy's Famous Pickles* and I thought, hmmmm, I better give this bourbon pickling recipe a try. So glad I did! These were a real hit! I used mostly Serrano peppers because that's what we had the most of in our garden but, unless you can really take the heat, I would suggest using jalapenos as the original recipe author suggests. And by the way, the book "Smoke & Pickles" is excellent. I made ten recipes within about two weeks out of this book. Edward Lee is my new sweetheart and I plan to stalk him on the Internet. For recipes! 

Bourbon-Pickled Jalapeños (and Serranos)
adapted from Smoke & Pickles by Edward Lee
(Thank you to my friend, Woo Brower, for sharing her book with me!)

12 ounces jalapeño peppers, tops cut off, sliced in 1/4" rounds (WEAR GLOVES! Substitute Serranos or other peppers depending upon your heat tolerance.)
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
1 cup Maker's Mark (or whatever bourbon you like)
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
2 bay leaves

Place your pepper slices in a quart-sized mason jar (I like wide-mouth jars and I like this funnel, which is optional). Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan and then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into the mason jar and top with a lid (I like these.) Refrigerate for 5 days. They will last for up to 2 weeks.

Love,

P.S. Missy is known far and wide in her neck of the woods and beyond for her famous pickles. If you make these, put them in mason jars, and give them away as gifts, you will be the most popular person in your town! They are that good!

Missy's Famous Pickles

1 gallon hamburger dill pickles, drained
2 small jars sliced jalapeños, drained (you can use 1/2 jar of the Bourbon-Pickled Peppers above, if you like)
1 small bottle Tabasco
4-5 garlic cloves
5 pounds sugar

Mix all ingredients in a giant plastic Tupperware and seal well. Turn it upside down on its lid. Flip it back over once a day and stir it. Do this for 5 days. On the 6th day, taste and then feel free to add more jalapeños or garlic. Put in mason jars and keep the jars refrigerated.They will keep 2-3 weeks but they won't last that long, trust me. You can serve these on anything or eat them by the fistful all on their lonesome, they are fantastic!

Langostino Tails and Squash Salad

Dear Lauren, 

This started as a recipe called Saffron Rice Salad (Thomas Keller from Ad Hoc at Home cookbook). I removed the saffron and the rice to make this recipe something everyone in our family could eat while you are on your Whole 30 eating plan, so it is a little different than the author intended, but I do think he would approve! 

Langostino Tails and Squash Salad

A handful of haricot verts (thin green beans, Trader Joe’s sells some delicious ones in a sealed bag)
2 yellow summer squash
1-2 zucchini, depending on size
½ large red onion, sliced
1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper, sliced (do not remove seeds or membrane)
Langostino tails (Trader Joe’s sells a frozen bag of these already cooked. You could also use cooked and chilled shrimp, crawfish, lobster, or crab.)
Sherry Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
½ lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper

Boil water. Prepare a large bowl of ice and cold water (ice bath). Get out a colander and place a bowl or plate under it.

Blanch the vegetables:

1) Put the haricot verts in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then move the beans to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Finally, move the beans to the colander.

2) Repeat the steps in #1 for the uncut yellow squash.

3) Repeat the steps in #1 for the uncut zucchini.

Cut up the beans and squash into bite-sized pieces and add them to a serving bowl. Add the onion, jalapeno or Serrano, and langostino tails. Add well-shaken sherry vinaigrette. Toss. Add the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss again and serve.

Can be served as an entrée or a side dish with a steak.

Sherry Vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons sherry wine vinegar (do not substitute)
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Put all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake it well. Taste, add more salt and pepper, shake again. If you have any left over, it will keep in the refrigerator for a month. 

Love,

Greek Lemony Grilled Chicken (that's Not Grilled) with Summer Peach Salsa (in the Winter and with Plums instead)

Dear Lauren,

It's nice to think we always have just exactly what we need on hand when we're ready to cook. But often, it just doesn't turn out that way. Dad and I shop almost daily and by that I mean, I make lists and Dad stops on the way home from work and shops. He likes it, I swear! It's always such a wonderful thing when I come upon a recipe I really want to make and I realize I already have everything here! Or mostly everything. Or enough that I can improvise. And I really love it that I've cooked enough and gained the confidence to try things off the cuff. I credit Dad, prolific cooking on my own, and the various cooking groups to which I belong for this extra bit of confidence. Also, I've eaten at a lot of great restaurants in many difference cities. Also, there are great cooks in the family. I have quite the imagination to boot. Etc.

All of this to say that I wanted to make some peach salsa but I only had plums. I needed jalapenos but alas, no fresh, hot peppers to be found. The salsa wanted a red onion but I had a sweet, white one. Dad was out of town! So, I decided to wing it and I'm so glad. This salsa is delicious and perfect with this chicken. I'm sure many people already know that a tiny bit of salt with plum is incredible but I didn't. Now I do.

Lemony Grilled Chicken (that's Not Grilled)

adapted from It's All Greek to Me cookbook

Marinade:

2 lemons, juiced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

5 green onions, white parts only, sliced thinly 

extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds chicken breast (about 3-4 breasts), sliced lengthwise in thirds like "chicken tenders", rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel, sprinkled with kosher salt and finely ground black pepper

Place all marinade ingredients directly in a gallon size Ziploc. Zip it and shake it until combined. Or you can use a whisk to combine the ingredients. It's up to you. Drop in the chicken tenders. Squeeze out the air from the Ziploc before sealing it. Place the bag in the refrigerator overnight.

Over medium high heat, add a little oil to a cast iron skillet. When hot, add each tender after shaking off as much of the marinade as you can. Leave about an inch between the tenders so they don't steam. Cook for about 4 minutes. Don't move the tenders around during that time. Then cook them on the flip-side for about 4 minutes. Remove from the pan to a serving plate and enjoy with the salsa (see next recipe). You can serve both the chicken and the salsa over a mixed greens or you can serve it over rice. You can also take warm pitas and make yourself some Greek-style tacos.

Summer Peach Salsa (in the Winter and with Plums instead)
adapted from It's All Greek to Me cookbook

2-3 ripe plums, pitted and chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 sweet white onion, chopped

1/2 bunch of Italian flat-leafed parsley, chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the first 6 ingredients together and then season with the salt and pepper to taste. Serve over or along side chicken or fish or anything you like. Feel free to experiment with the ingredients.

Love,

Marinated Mushrooms

Dear Lauren,

I've been placing bets with myself over who would do it first. Every morning I sit on the spot on the couch closest to the arm and in front of the ottoman. At night, Dad does. Every morning I balance my coffee cup on the arm like it's an end table. Every night, Dad does the same with a Diet Coke. The old sofa arms were rolled and a little flattened with age and made better end tables. The new sofas have track arms, but I like how they look.

Maybe I should go drink my coffee upstairs where the old couch is?

Yes, I spilled the coffee this morning. 

This has nothing at all to do with mushrooms, does it? 

I'm not much of a vinegar fan, but I had a baked chicken dish that I wanted to make and it called for mushrooms. Mushrooms can be kind of bland so I thought, "why not?" Let's marinate! The chicken dish was all the better for these mushrooms and I really think the orange zest I added helped, too. I'm still working on that chicken recipe, you'll have to wait for it!

Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Parsley
and Sauteed Marinated Mushrooms

Marinated Mushrooms

adapted from A Celebration of Herbs

8 ounces mushrooms

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup wine vinegar (red or white - I used sherry wine vinegar)

lemon juice from half a lemon, about 1 Tablespoon

a heaping Tablespoon fresh chives, minced

a heaping teaspoon fresh tarragon, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

a heaping teaspoon fresh dill, minced

1 small clove garlic, minced

Clean the mushrooms and set them aside. You can slice, quarter, or leave them whole based on what you will use them for. Put all the rest of the ingredients in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and shake until well-combined. Taste and make adjustments for salt. Add the mushrooms to the bag and refrigerated for at least 4 hours. Serve.

Love,

P.S. I won $50 on the bet!

Chilaquiles

Dear Lauren,

The first time I ever had chilaquiles, I made them. I'd rather have something new in a restaurant first and then try my hand at it so I know what I'm aiming for. Wouldn't you? But, that fall the allure was just too great because I'd read that making chilaquiles with Thanksgiving turkey was a great way to use up leftovers and I loved the idea of it! The reality was even better and I became a big time chilaquiles lover from that day forward! I suggest you put chilaquiles on your list for Thanksgiving leftovers, too. Or, you can make them with rotisserie chicken or eggs, like I did today.

The green salsa is wonderful. Put it on your list of salsas to make and not just for chilaquiles. As you can see, the color of the salsa is excellent! So vibrant and pretty! Tastier than any green salsa I have ever made. 

Chilaquiles
Adapted from Secrets of the Best Chefs (Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez, Founder, Hot Bread Kitchen, New York City

For the tomatillo salsa:
1/2 pound tomatillos, husks removed, washed
3 Poblano chilies, skins charred and removed, seeded and deveined
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 small onion, chopped
Salt to taste

1 Tablespoon olive oil
Corn tortilla chips or strips*
4 fried eggs, or 8 egg whites made into 4 egg white omelets
Radish, sliced or chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
4 ounces queso fresco or cotija cheese, grated
Mexican crema or sour cream (optional)

Add the tomatillos to boiling water and cook until the tomatillos are soft. Drain. Add all tomatillo salsa ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Add salt if needed.

In a saucepan, add the salsa and 1/4 cup of water over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add tortillas strips or chips and cook for about 1-2 minutes until they have softened. Divide the mixture between 4 plates and top with egg and radish. Serve hot

*To make your own tortilla chips: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Get out a rimmed baking sheet and cover it with a sheet of parchment paper to make for an easy clean up. Stack your tortillas and cut in half. Stack them again and cut them in 1/2-inch strips along the short edge. Place the tortillas on your baking sheet and pour the oil on them. Toss them til evenly coated and then spread the tortilla strips in a single layer on the sheet. Bake for 4-5 minutes til crispy. Watch closely so you don't overcook them. Set aside. (You can also cut your corn tortillas in triangular shapes if you wish.)

Love,

P.S. Lauren, do you remember that first year I made chilaquiles with turkey leftovers? We lived in Valencia and I loved that house and Starwood Place, our street! Loved it, still my favorite!

Applesauce

Dear Lauren,

We took the long way home from Knoxville back to Atlanta.

Things I learned that weekend:

1) sleepovers with friends never cease to be fun no matter your age
2) go to a college football game when you get the chance, no matter if it's your favorite team or not
3) never squish a stinkbug
4) for immediate acceptance in Knoxville, TN paint your fingernails orange

Carnitas and Zucchini Hash

Dear Lauren,

I don't know, there's just something about the word "hash" that I just don't like. So when people say they made or ate hash, I politely smile and say yum, but my heart's not in it. I am happy for them, of course, but I don't want a bite. It's hash!

But, earlier today I was thinking about what to have for lunch and I pulled out the leftover carnitas. Heavenly. I knew I had some zucchini. My favorite. What else? I decided to fire up the cast iron skillet and throw some diced carnitas in the pan and then I decided I would shred a zucchini and toss that in there, too. As I watched it cook I thought, hmmm...this is hash! Untraditional, yes. But hash all the same. I let it cook 'til it was browned in spots, then I dumped it all on a plate and spooned some fresh pico de gallo on top. I sprinkled it with a little lime salt. Then I remembered I had Mexican Crema in the fridge - hooray! So the hash got a tablespoon of crema on top.

This is the best hash I've ever had. The only hash I've ever had, and the only hash I've ever been tempted to try. It's delicious and will be a regular way to use any carnitas leftovers in the future.

Carnitas and Zucchini Hash

2 ounces carnitas, chopped (pork tenderloin, beef or chicken will work just fine!)
1 large zucchini, shredded
lime salt, optional
pico de gallo (see below), or use your own or a little salsa
Mexican Crema, or sour cream if that's what you have

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carnitas and cook for about 1 minute and then add the shredded zucchini. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until some of the zucchini starts to char a little. Sprinkle with a little lime salt, or coarse kosher salt, or no salt - you decide. Put the mixture on a plate and top with pico de gallo and a little crema. Serve.

Pico De Gallo

2 tomatoes, diced
1 sweet onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1-2 jalapeno or serrano pepper(s), diced fine
1/4 lime, juiced - more if you need it

Stir above ingredients together and keep it in the refrigerator and use it on everything. If you like less cilantro and more of the other ingredients, make it that way!


Love,

My Favorite Creole Dish Ever!

Dear Lauren,

Remember the Crusty Bread? Remember the Pinot Noir Syrup?

Watch closely.

You can

Pinot Noir Syrup

Dear Lauren,

I turned a bottle of wine and 5 tablespoons of sugar into this.

Spicy Cherry Catsup

Dear Lauren,

Sometimes you just wanna change things up a bit.

Especially in the summer, right?

I thought this recipe sounded fantastic. So I made it and I was right.

Mothers always are, right?

Spicy Cherry Catsup.

Our Cucumber Crop

Dear Lauren,

Dad grew these cucumbers. Pretty cool.

So I looked for a recipe to start using them up, they're coming in fast.

Making Chicken Stock While Half Asleep

Dear Lauren,

Always remember this: don't wait til late in the day to make homemade stock unless you're going to do it in the crock pot. It takes about 5 hours on the stove and what sounds like a good idea at 8 at night will not sound as great at midnight when you're really tired but are determined to see the thing through.

Whipped Cream and Mason Jars

Dear Lauren,

As you know, Erin is staying with us this summer. I think it's so cool that y'all were friend in elementary and you're still friends now even thought we have moved three times and lived in three states since then! I don't think she was here a week when I was cooking out of the Royer's recipe cards my friend Linda sent me and decided to make Royer's cobbler. I bet I made it 5 times in two weeks. SO GOOD! My favorite was the combination of apricots, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. Bud Royer has a recipe card for a Junkberry Pie that is not the combination I just mentioned but it inspired me to branch out with my cobbler. SO DELICIOUS! 

Anyway, Erin wanted to learn how to make whipped cream and this is how I taught her to do it. (I should mention that I'm not exactly clear if she wanted to learn to make it, or if I told her she had to because we are a COOL WHIP FREE house! haha!)

Get out a

Dried Bread Crumbs

Dear Lauren,

I really don't like to throw away food. So this morning when I came across a recipe for Tomato and Bread Soup in Italian Cooking by Carla Capalbo (that my friend Jessicca let me borrow), I thought PERFECT! Because the tomatoes from our garden are coming in 6-7 a day and I had half a baguette left over from making Bahn Mi sandwiches (from this cookbook) over the weekend and the bread's gone stale.

Willie’s Fresh Green Salsa
by Willie & Sandra Simmons