vegetarian mexican taco soup: ole!

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Ole! I love a good Mexican dish, especially when I get to share it with a friend.

John recently came back from Hawaii, and brought me a lovely little instrument - a ukulele. Marvelous. So, to celebrate, we ate Mexican (incongruous I know).

Vegetarian Mexican Taco Soup

3 cups vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 jalepeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 red pepper, sliced
2 cups fresh corn, kernels only
1 large can black beans
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

2 cups salsa
Lime flavored chips
Shredded cheddar cheese

1. Place all ingredients, except chips and cheese, in a large soup pot. Put the pot on the stove at medium-high.

2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Let it simmer for half an hour.

3. Serve in bowls with salsa dollops and chips on top. Sprinkle with cheese.

4. Pray. Eat. Enjoy. Strum an instrument and lighten your heart.

basil lime turkey quesadillas: heart-stopping, childish laughter, kooza soul-lifting beauty.

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I cannot describe how excited I was yesterday afternoon. The butterflies were only heightened when I went on lunch break and saw red figures gracefully prancing on the side of a Granville street building - Kooza was in the air.

Cirque de Soleil is in town for only a few more days. So Brendan took me to see it (I obtained a few photos of the inside before the show started, but then was [kindly] told to put my camera away). But first, we needed quick sustenance (there was only a short interlude between the end of work and the show!).

It wasn't a night for roasts or long-simmering stews. We had a time frame, and in no way were we going to be late for the show, so quesadillas were in order. Quick, protein filled, melt-y cheese, filled aromatic flat breads. 

Women who ethereally bend themselves into graceful shapes, small agile men who climb several stories into the air by just stacking normal wooden chairs, large-legged tightrope walkers who balance one another on their shoulders while performing spectacular acts, and a jumper who becomes weightless by throwing his body into the air, only to have it caught again by a magnificent spinning wheel. This is Cirque du Soleil, the nouveau,  moderne circus. And my oh my, it is spectacular.

Basil Lime Turkey Quesadillas

2 soft tortillas
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tbs. fresh lime juice
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided evenly
1/8 c. fresh basil leaves
1/4 c. havarti cheese
50 grams peppered sliced turkey breast (or cook your own, this is the lazy-man's way)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

1. Heat 1 tbs. of the olive oil in a frying pan. Add garlic, onion, lime juice and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fry until brown - about 3 minutes.

2. Remove the mushroom mix, and set aside. Rub one side of each of the tortillas with the other tablespoon of olive oil. Place one tortilla, oiled side down, on the counter. Layer cheese, basil leaves, turkey, and mushroom mix on top, with some ground pepper. Place other tortilla, oiled side up, on top.

3. Place frying pan back on stove on medium. Place quesadilla on it, and cover. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until brown. Turn over and cook the other side until brown. Serve with fresh salsa.

4. Pray. Eat. Enjoy. Dream about dancing, floating, and swinging with Cirque de Soleil (or just go watch a performance).

lime-poached fish tacos with salsa verde and pico de gallo: food for fireworks fiestas.

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I always look for something to inspire my culinary pursuits for any given night - whether it is a colour, event, person or even request. Last night, it was fireworks.

There is a competition concerning fireworks here in our lovely city. Yesterday, it was Mexico taking center stage and, inspired by that great country's cuisine, I decided to make soft tacos. But they weren't just any tacos, they were wrapped up pockets of tender goodness, supplimented by the spicy charred taste of  salsa verde.

I'd never created this lovely salsa before - I liked to stay inside the proverbial salsa box, filled with ripe tomatoes, lime, avocados, and onions. But I'd partaken of salsa verde many times at many different restaurants and thoroughly enjoyed it. So, stepping out of my comfort zone, I decided to unwrap some tomatillos, give my hands a little burn from a jalapeno, and make my eyes water from cut onions.

It was a sauce to complement a perfectly poached basa. It created the smokey spice, the basa created the fluffy softness, the standard salsa gave the crunchy, and the corn the sweet. Man, it was good. Except for the fact I burnt the arroz rojo (red rice) - I can seriously cook anything, anything, except for rice. Thank God for rice cookers - literally. It's my Achilles heel of cooking. Sad eh?

With the spice in our stomachs spurring us on, we walked across the Granville street bridge. With the sun setting, creating silhouettes of uniform buildings, we let the wind caress our faces and bring excitement for the night to come.

I've love fireworks. I have ever since I was young. One of my favorite childhood memories is from when I was ten(ish). We had a houseboat and on one particular Sunday, every summer, we would cruise out not too far from the shore, situate ourselves perfectly, and watch the Sea Fair fireworks in my hometown. I would sit on the roof, curled up warm under a duvet, with the dew collecting on my eyebrows, and marvel at the lights bursting over my head. Just pure flashes of beauty.

Luckily, once during the summer I get to relive these fond moments with the Celebration of Light here in Vancouver (though these are on a much greater scale than our piddly little trying-to-be-spectacle in Powell River).

One nice man behind me complained they use too much gold and not enough other colours. I thought the gold suited the night sky's majesty while the others were too garish.Well done, Mexico. Painting the night sky in colours it more than deserves, draping it in a million specks of gold. Well done.

Pico de Gallo (regular ol' salsa)

3 3c. roma tomatoes, (750 mL) diced and seeded
3/4 3/4c. (175 mL) white onion, finely diced
1/4 1/4c. (50 mL)  fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 1/4tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 avocado, chopped (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients. Mix gently.

2. Serve with following fish recipe, or with taco chips.


Salsa Verde

8 tomatillos, peeled (covering leaves off) and quartered
1/2 c. white onion, coarsely chopped
2 Jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. fresh cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
salt, to taste


1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place tomatillos, onion, jalepeno, and garlic in the oven and let roast until brown (about 10 minutes). Turn occasionally, and cook for another 10 if not brown enough. Remove and let cool until you can handle them.


2. Throw all ingredients in a blender. Blend until desired consistency is reached. Add more spices if needed/you-want-to-burn-your-face-off.


3. Serve with the following fish, or just taco chips.

Lime-Poached Fish Tacos

1 lime, juiced and zested
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
2 fillets of white fish (we used basa)

1/2 head lettuce, shredded
1 cob o' corn, slightly cooked, kernels removed
Pico de Gallo (see above)
Salsa Verde (see above)
soft tortillas

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Pour over the fish. Marinade for no more than 30 mins.

2. Place in a saucepan on the stove on medium. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes on one side, then 5 minutes on the other.

3. Serve with corn kernels, lettuce, pico de gallo, salsa verde, and soft tortillas. Revel in the deliciousness of the mix of flavors.

4. Pray. Eat. Enjoy. Become a child again, in awe of the beauty of fireworks.

black bean wraps: baaaatter up!

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Tuesday was a day for reminiscing. Slow pitch was the game of the day, with Gord playing for the honour of the UBC law students, and a small group of us cheering from the side (we were the only spectators - so he had all the cheers!). While sitting on the grass that-smells-so-much-like-summer, I remembered the slushies, Spitz, way-too-high-socks, and camaraderie that accompanied my childhood years of softball. I looked forward to those evenings, where the sun took on a red tinge, and all that mattered to me in the world was winning the game.

We sat and cheered, while Anne was roped in to being the scorekeeper for the entire game - note: Anne doesn't know a thing about baseball.

After an electrifying game of slow pitch, the only logical thing to do was go to a pub. Main Street has some lovely ones - we ended up at The Cascade Room (you should go - good food, cheap beer, delightful chats). We surprisingly, didn't hark back to the grade 6 Victoria trip, or one of Matt Frasier's parties (these are usually topics of conversation with Powell River folk).

But, just as I enjoy remembering my softball 'all-star' years (as well as my Powell River experiences), I also associate certain meals with my childhood: ones that are hearty, saucy and prepare you for hitting a home run. And yet again, I go back to an interpretation of Mexican.

In my mind, tortillas are always filled with something delicious. It has become an automatic assumption that their deliciousness overrides any other meal option - "Oh hey! Look at that wrap! Man, I'm going to get that over that lousy sandwich!" - is a usual response to the array of dishes on a lunch menu.

Tortillas have always been a mainstay of the Mexican diet. They can be used as a plate, a holder, or even a utensil. They have been in use since 3000 BC supposedly - the Aztecs knew a good thing when they made it.  With the advent of the 'automatic tortilla maker' in the 1960's, and the burgeoning Hispanic population in the US, they became part of the food cadence of everyday North American life.

This is one of my favorite meals. Every time I serve it, it also becomes the favorite of whomever is consuming it. My mother and several close friends swear by it. I hope you will as well.

Black Bean Wraps
(originally adapted from the Rebar Cookbook - but so changed that it doesn't really look like the original recipe anymore . . .)

Guacamole:
2 avacadoes, peeled and mashed
1 lime, juiced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. onion, finely diced
1 roma tomato, seeded, finely diced
salt to taste
1 tsp. minced jalepeno pepper, seeds removed (optional)

Black Bean and Tomato Sauce:
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. olive oil
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 sm. can tomato paste
1 tbs. dried oregano
1 tbs. chili powder
1/2 tbs. cumin
1/2 tbs. coriander
2 tsp. white sugar
salt to taste
2 canned chipotle in adobo, minced (optional)

handful of cilantro, chopped

Fillin':
1 tbs. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced

4 large tortilla wraps (I personally like whole wheat, but whatever floats your boat)
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese
lettuce leaves (optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients for the guacamole. Chop ingredients to as fine or a chunky as you want the finished product to be. Personally, I like chunky.

2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic. Fry until golden brown. Add the rest of the ingredients. Reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all the flavors meld.

3. In a separate frying pan, heat another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, and fry until it begins to become slightly translucent. Add the red pepper. Continue to fry until both have browned a bit.

4. Place filling, while hot, inside wraps. Add cheese and guacamole (and lettuce if you wish; shredded chicken is also good in this). Wrap. Drizzle sauce on top. 

5. Pray. Eat. Enjoy after a rousing 9 innings.

taco salad with mango salsa: browning ground beef after browning our bodies.

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I love breakfast places. I have to say, the Nice Cafe might become one of my favorites. Tucked away off of Main St. on 8th Ave., it is a charming brick-walled establishment with the smells of the-best-kind-of-Saturday-mornings wafting out of its doors.

I sat there with my glorious breakfast, and a good cup of coffee, while listening to Stelna expound the positive attributes of free-range eggs while Josh discounted them. They ended the conversation with Josh making the statement: "mmmmm, oppression tastes so good" (in reference to the non-free-range eggs).

All in all, a good morning. The boys left Stelna and I to do a slow boutique-crawl up Main Street. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the sun was in its ray-filled-glory, and so we became distracted quite easily - deciding to put our bodies to a more leisurely use.

I have never seen Kits beach so busy as it was on Saturday. The people were literally stacking up like sardines beside us. Row upon row of small groupings, having their own intricate and intimate interactions. Naguib Mahfouz was my best friend on the sand; he took me to a different sandy place through his prose - Cairo. However, occasionally I closed my eyes and let the snippets of life from the other occupied towels invade my thoughts - realizing that my own was just one story, while so many others swirled around me.

When the sardines finally came within hand-holding room, Stelna and I decided to leave for more familiar company. Yet the day had been so hot, and food seemed like an unappetizing notion, with its heat and heaviness. I decided that taco salad was in order - light, with enough protein to get us by, but definitely not heated.

Taco salad isn't really a true mexican dish - its more of a North American adaption of all the good things we could draw (yet things that would still interest five year old kids with the simplicity of flavors and ingredients) from the Southern cuisine that so many enjoy, yet are not inclined to partake of often (think - beans!). The 1960s marked the advent of this pseudo 'salad' into common day dinners.

After a light meal enjoyed by all, we left in search of a rooftop patio and enjoyed a meandering walk across the Granville Street Bridge (and many other adventures later on). If you ever have the chance to do the walk on a balmy night with the sun sinking in the distance, please do - trust me, its worth it (the camera was left at home to wallow in disuse at this point in the day's escapades). Just make sure to have a light dinner before you go - it is a long walk. I suggest taco salad.

Light and Breezy Taco Salad with Mango Salsa

1 lb. extra lean ground beef (please use this - the others are so oily, it just makes everything a little more . . .slippery and not as lovely in the salad)
1 tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbs. chili powder
1 tbs. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. dried basil
salt to taste 

1 mango, chopped
1/2 english cucumber, chopped
3 tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 head garlic, roasted, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 lime, juiced
handful of cilantro (also to taste - and ask your guests about this fine herb, some do not like it!), chopped finely
salt to taste

1/2 head iceburg lettuce, thinly sliced

corn tostadas

1. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and onion and saute until brown and caramelized.

2. Add spices and ground beef to the frying pan. Cook until brown and cooked through.

3. Add all the chopped veggies together in a bowl. Add salt to taste, drizzle lime on top.

4. Place tostadas on a plate. Place iceburg lettuce on top. Add salsa. Add meat mix. Chop up a little more cilantro and sprinkle on top.

5. Pray. Eat. Enjoy. Walk across the Granville Street Bridge.

carne asada: the asada(ing) of the carne.

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 I enjoy any food that isn't stereotypical American. Vietnamese, Lebanese, Japanese, Cantonese - all of these hold a special place in my heart, and belly (I also like other varietites that don't end in 'ese', but these are much more fun to say . . . thai doesn't have nearly the lulling syllables). So the other night, when attempting a 'sous vide' (if you don't know what that is, my explanation and means of cooking can be found here. I decided not to just do the standard North American steak. Instead, I thought Carne Asada would be much more appropriate.   

For one thing, the word Carne makes me think of men, big strong men, ripping into a thick huge steak with their teeth, the juices dribbling down the side of their mouths, absorbed into their thick bushy beards. After being a vegetarian, that's just hot. Dang sexy. The steak I mean. A big, thick, juicy steak. Mmmm. So, any recipe with the word 'Carne' is automatically going to make me try it.  Carne asada literally means 'roasted meat' - that can't mean anything but good. 

Now this dish you could eat alone, and get your protien intake for a week. However, in the streets of Mexico, it is standardly served thinly sliced with cambray onions, lime juice, guacamole, and pico de gallo on a small soft tortilla. That sounds even better than steak alone. 

Traditionally, the steak is a flank or skirt steak - so it has to be marinated for a generous amount of time (I'd say 4-8 hours is good). The basic marinade is garlic, onion, cilantro, black pepper and lime juice, but, as with other marinades, things can be played around with. The trick is also to grill it on high heat, as you would a steak, so the inside remains juicy and the outside is a bit crispy.  

Carne Asada   

(adapted from Mexconnect)

Marinade

4 Cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 Cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped finely

1 Jalapeño pepper

2 limes and their juice

1 pepper (diced) with adobe sauce (about 3 tbs. of sauce)  

1 freshly squeezed orange

1/2 cup red wine vinegar (can substitute with white vinegar)

1/2 Cup olive oil

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 Teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

Salt

Pepper 

2 lb flank or skirt steak

flour tortillas (I like small ones)

1 onion (sliced)

lime wedges

pico de gallo (recipe follows)

1. Add marinade ingredients to a blender and create a runny paste.** Add salt and pepper to taste. Put the steak in a large baking dish, add the chopped onion and the marinade. Cover and regfridgerate for at least 4 hours. 

2. Do the steaks by way of Sous Vide - instructions on the process can be found here. Or, to be completely loyal to the traditional way of creating Carne Asada, preheat a BBQ. Brush the grill with olive oil so it doesnt stick. Grill to preferred doneness (always consider how thick your steak is). Remove the meat and let it settle for at least 5 minutes. 

3. While the meat is resting, saute the onions from the marinade to add to the tacos. Warm the tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side on the grill. Slice the steak thinly across the grain. 

Enjoy by adding  some sliced steak, onions, pico de gallo and the juice of a lime wedge to each taco. 

**You can also add beer, or a couple tablespoons of vinegar to the marinade. 

Pico de Gallo

(Adapted from the Canadian Living Test Kitchen)

3 cups roma tomatoes (seeded and chopped)

3/4 cup white onion (finely diced) 

1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp jalapeno pepper (minced)

1/4 tsp salt

Stir all ingredients together. Add salt to taste. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Serve on soft tacos with (mmmmmmm)meat or taco chips.