So this week has been insanely busy. Conferences and travel and late nights and "galas" and whatnot. Last night we slowed down for a sec to have Poblano and chihuahua burritos for veggie night, and tonight we had a spectacular cold smorgasbord. Both were "non recipe nights" just made up from cooking experience. And once you have messed around and have a good idea about the chemistry involved in cooking and standard flavor combinations, you can make alot from nothing or everything in your fridge.
Poblano and chihuahua burritos w/ blue corn chips and spinach, mushroom and vidalia salad
Burritos
2 poblanos
1.5 c cooked rice
1 c Shredded Monterrey jack or about 5 pieces of chihuahua per burrito
3 whole wheat tortillas
nonfat sr. cream
chives or scallions (a few)
lime
Put poblanos whole in hi broiler or over gas flame is you have a gas stove and char the outside skin all around. Remove and place in a paper bag and close for 10min.
Meanwhile bring to boil 3 c of water with 2 chicken bouillon cubes (or use chicken broth from cans, or veggie if vegetarian). Add 1.5 cup of jasmine , but regualr long grain rice will do). Bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Take poblanos out and remove charred skin and top with seeds and discard. Chop coarsely.
When rice is finished, take about 1.5 cups of it and mix with about 1 cup of sr. cream, poblanos, chives/onions, salt and pepper to taste.
Lay out tortillas and spoon mixture along center, place cheese along rice. Squirt fresh lime over it all. Wrap up tortilla into burrito, if necessary use a skewer or toothpick to hold it together. Place on foreman like grill and press for about 5 minutes to melt/crisp tortilla.
Serve with salad of chopped fresh spinach, mushroom and vidalia (or normal yellow) onions and blue corn chips.
We like fresh salad dressings so I make a tiny bit that mimics the flavors of what we are eating each night...it take like a second. The basic idea to remember is something acidic + olive oil. Tonight's was a dash of soy sauce, ground cumin, a squirt of lime juice, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Tonight we had a lovely "clean out the fridge" and "use most vegetables" night since I am going out of town for a few days. Our cool and refreshing smorgasbord included:
Giardinara (pickeld vegetables)
French Cornichons (little pickles)
Cucumber salad with dill, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper (Our first cuke from the garden!!!!)
Lox with snipped chives, cream cheese and lemon wedges
Cold Chilled celery and snow pea soup with sourdough croutons
Another Redwood Sauvingnon Blanc
The only thing really requiring work was the soup which I had make the night before and left to chill over night.
Chilled Celery and snow soup
1 bunch celery chopped (except tough root)
2 c snow peas with ends snipped, string removed if annoying
1 onion chopped
1/2 c fresh oregano chopped
2 potatos peeled and chopped
1 quart broth
1 c yogurt
snipped chives for garnish
2 TB butter + dash of olive oil
Put butter, olive oil and all vegetables in to large soup pot and saute over med high heat for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently. Add broth and oregano and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, or if you live dangerously move to next step.
Puree soup till smooth, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for 2-4 hours or overnight. Stir in yogurt (or sr cream or milk or heavy cream if you like) before serving and garnish with chives. Good Stuff.
Today we are grateful for: the boy is grateful for beating his buddy at Cricket (darts) for the first time ever, and I am grateful for the cool things that come out of the garden!!!
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