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Showing posts with label cilantro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cilantro. Show all posts

Saturday, May 04, 2013

Cinco de Mayo

May 5th. Cinco de Mayo.

Bloggers all across North America are featuring spicy Tex-Mex foods and tequila drinks in honor of this Mexican holiday.

Since I already offered up Thyme Tequila Lemonade to Mother Nature as a peace offering, it's only reasonable that I also heat things up with some flavorful tostadas to serve along side.

Crisply fried corn tortillas are piled high with all the best fish taco makings. Cilantro-lime slaw is bright and fresh and topped with mild tilapia and a hearty, earthy corn salsa. Squeeze a lime over it all to spark just a hint of acidity and you won't want to wait for the celebrations of Cinco de Mayo for Tilapia Tostadas with Roasted Corn Salsa to be on your plate.

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1/4 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
2-4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, diced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced finely
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
canola oil
8 corn tortillas
8 tilapia fillets
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup corn meal
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup corn kernels (freshly cut from cob, or defrosted frozen)
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chipped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
queso fresco
lime wedges

Whisk the mayonnaise and lime juice together in a medium bowl.
Toss the cabbage, cilantro, green onions, and jalapeno with the dressing.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
Heat about 1/2-3/4 inch of canola oil in a large heavy skillet.
One at a time, fry the corn tortillas, turning as needed, until browned and crispy.
Drain on paper towels and set aside.
In a seperate skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil.
Add the corn, red pepper, onion, and jalapeno.
Season with salt and pepper and saute until onion is tender and translucent; set aside.
Combine flour, corn meal and chile powder in a shallow dish.
Dip the tilapia fillets in milk and then dredge in flour/corn meal mixture.
Fry the tilapia fillets in the oil used for the tortillas until flesh is tender and breading is golden.
Drain on paper towels.
To serve, arrange fried tortillas on plates, spoon on cilantro-lime slaw, layer the fried fish, top with the roasted corn salsa. Add crumbled queso fresco and serve with lime wedges. (Serves 4)

Sunday, October 07, 2012

Back When We Were Grown-Ups

Many years ago, I met a friend for lunch. That sounds like a simple thing, but she and I lived almost 3 hours apart. While she returned to my hometown regularly, I didn't have the opportunity to travel in her direction very often.

On this particular instance, I found myself attending a training session in a town very near hers. Plans were made, and after I picked her up at her workplace, she directed me to a favorite lunch spot. There, I relied on her recommendation of seafood pasta salad loaded with vegetables for our light, but filling lunch.

That day, I felt like a grown-up for one of the first times. At the time, I held a successful full-time job, had car payments and a mortgage, and along with my husband, was on the fast track to take over financial responsibility for his parents' farm. Certainly, all of those things should have made me feel mature, but I often felt like I was just pretending. Each day was a dress up game of trying to not let anyone in on the fact that I was just a scared kid.

I don't remember what we chatted about as I sat across from my friend and lunched on a fresh and lovely salad. I don't even remember the salad exactly. I just know that I felt mature, content, happy, and confident.

These days, I seem to alternate between being a grown-up, playing one, and wondering what old person has taken over my mind and body. It is a crazy balance of knowing what I should do, wondering how to do it, and not wanting to do it at all. However, I am not too concerned. I think that all of us pretty much feel this way most of the time.

I decided to try to play grown-up this summer and put together my own version of a Grilled Chipotle Shrimp Salad. The one thing that I found distinctive about that long ago salad was the inclusion of lettuce with the pasta. That combination was new to me, and I really liked the crisp contrast. I have swapped the ranch dressing for a more sophisticated chipotle and lime, but kept lots of veggies to keep it all light. It is a perfect salad to reminisce on back when we were grown-ups.


(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup celery, chopped
4 tablespoons red onion, chopped
1/4 cup radishes, sliced paper thin
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups cooked pasta
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
Combine the salt, pepper, chile powder, and garlic powder in a bowl and toss the shrimp to coat.
Brush the grill with olive oil and cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side, or until done.
Set cooked shrimp aside to cool while prepping other ingredients.
Whisk mayonnaise, chipotle, lime juice, and cumin in a bowl and set aside for flavors to meld.
Toss celery, onion, radishes, cilantro, cooked pasta, and lettuce together.
Add shrimp.
Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. (Serves 4.)

Friday, August 24, 2012

Cherry Picked

If zucchini is the most prolific garden vegetable, cherry tomatoes are certainly a copious second. These red and yellow orbs burst from the vine almost faster than we can pick them. Just a few minutes in the garden and I have a bowl overflowing with tiny sun-sweetened goodies. It seems they just go on...and on...and on.

What do I do with them all? As good as they are just to pop into my mouth plain, there are a few favorite salad recipes that I turn to in order to make the best of my summer harvests. Pineapple and Cherry Tomato Salad has a slight Asian influence with fish sauce in the dressing. The saltiness enhances the crisp, fresh cucumbers and the heat of spicy peppers. Sweet pineapple and (of course) tomatoes and earthy cilantro round out the flavor profile.

It is a robust salad that holds up well to almost any summer grill pairing. Steaks, chicken, seafood? No problem. Fire up the grill. I pick Pineapple and Cherry Tomato Salad On My Plate.

(adapted from Gourmet)

1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons Canola oil
1/2 teaspoon Asian fish sauce
1 medium cucumber, sliced
2 cups fresh pineapple, chunked
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Grate garlic into a large bowl using a microplane grater.
Add salt, lime juice, sugar, oil, and fish sauce and and whisk to blend.
Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat with dressing.
Flavor best if allowed to rest at least 10 minutes prior to serving. (Serves 6)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

I am David Copperfield.

I am a magician. Truly. I have found one recipe that can only be described as magic.

Wave the magic wand. Take some shrimp; toss them with some spices; saute them; cook up some corn, beans, and salsa together, and abracadabra! It's magic.

OK. You don't get it. I am sorry. The magic is that this simple, spicy, satisfying dish can be anything you want it to be.

Need a snack or appetizer? Chop up the shrimp and serve it all as a dip with crispy corn chips.

Feel like a roll up your shirt sleeves and dig in casual meal? Toast some corn or flour tortillas; slice an avocado; squeeze a lime; and devour some really delicious tacos.

Want a salad? Forget all those limp lettuces. Hot, cold, or room temperature, this.is.good. Really. (And, could be served on a bed of romaine.)

Need to feed a bigger group? Whip up some rice and guacamole as sides, and nobody will be able to keep their knife and fork away.

Magic Spicy Shrimp and Corn Salad answers every need you ever had...except maybe for cake...or chocolate...BUT, it is light enough that you should still have room for dessert.

I told you. Magic.
(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon chili powder (I used Ancho Chile Powder)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of a lime (divided)
2 ears sweet corn, kernels cut from cob
1 pint bottled salsa (I used my Basic Canned Salsa. This is where you will really adjust the spice of the dish to your taste. Use a mild salsa or heat it up, if you like.)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
Add shrimp and toss to coat.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add shrimp and saute until cooked through.
Add juice of half of the lime.
Remove the shrimp from the pan.
Add the corn; saute briefly.
Stir in salsa and beans and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat and add the juice of the other half of the lime and the cilantro.
Depending on final dish desired, stir shrimp into corn and bean mixture or serve shrimp on top. (Serves 4.)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Worst Part of Cooking at Home

Hubs and I went out with friends last Saturday night, and at the Wild West Steakhouse enjoyed the best Seafood Tortellini I have had in some time. They were previewing their Valentine's Day menu over the weekend, and that pasta dish in all its carb-overload glory really hit the mark for me. A little salad, crusty bread, a couple cocktails, a mini cupcake, and some good company made it all bliss.

When the Tuesday of Valentine's Day rolled around, Hubs offered to take me back for another round of said bliss. However, partly out of thriftiness (I am trying to budget for finally finishing that office reno.), partly of laziness (I was willing to shower and dress, but didn't want to do the fuss and muss that I require for going out.), and partly of not wanting to sully the high of that great meal with the chance that trying it again on one of the restaurant's busiest nights might not seem as outstanding, I declined. I chose to cook at home.

I knew just what I was going to make after sifting through some pages torn from magazines long ago. Rachael Ray offered up Shrimp and Spaghetti in Coconut Broth as a new, lighter twist on seafood pasta for us. Pan-frying a few of my Pork Dumplings as an appetizer would be the perfect start for this slightly Asian feast, and of course, chocolates would be the luscious ending. It was very different from that meal we had Saturday night, but still special and delicious.

I had forgotten one thing, though. The worst part of cooking at home is THE.DISHES. Even though I can make a fabulous meal at home, I think I might take Hubs up on his next offer for dinner out. I don't like dishes.



1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger (I don't chop my ginger, instead I grate with microplane.)
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 pound frozen, raw shrimp, thawed (Hubs' preference is tails removed in pasta dishes.)
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
3/4 pound spaghetti

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. 
Cook the spaghetti until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, bring the coconut milk and chicken broth to a simmer.
Stir in the fish sauce, garlic (that's right, you don't saute the garlic first), ginger, chili sauce, and lime juice; cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the shrimp and cook until just opaque, about 4 minutes.
Add the cooked spaghetti.
Stir in the cilantro, reserving some as garnish. (Serves 4)

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Fee Fi PHO Fun

Disclosure: I know that I didn't use "PHO" correctly in the title. The pronunciation is not with a long o sound, but rather with a short u/dipthong uh. So...my title says "Fee Fi FUH Fun." Not nearly as clever, huh? Oh well. Pardon me and my fun. Let's just get on with the blog post...

I met a friend for lunch the other day, and imagine my surprise at discovering that the same area steak house (The Homesteader) where the Vietnamese owner has delicious Kung Pao on the dinner menu also offers Pho for lunch. Pho! Available right in my back yard! It isn't actually listed on the menu, and when ordering, you just ask for the "Vietnamese soup," but it is Pho, and it is heaven in a bowl for me.

When first introduced to Pho by another sassy and beautiful friend in Forth Worth, TX, I was plopped down in front of a steaming bowl of brothy noodles, a plate of delicate, thin slices of raw beef, a platter of herbs, and a big bottle of fiery Sriracha Sauce. I carefully sprinkled the herbs into the fragrant soup, squirted with hot sauce, dunked the slices of beef into rich and flavorful broth, and was soon slurping those noodles like there was no tomorrow. It was divine.

Since that Texas visit, I have searched out a place in my area "big city" that specializes in this delectable soup, and visit it often. However, to find Pho just a few miles down the highway from my home is incredible. It seems like the food heavens opened up for me...if only we also had local sushi.

I should learn to make Pho at home, but haven't yet tackled that challenge. I don't think the slow simmered broth would be difficult to make, I just tend to lack patience...and have to remember to add the rice noodles to my grocery list one of these days. In the mean time, how about a switch in cultures to try a soup with Mexican flavors?

Like Pho, Chicken and Hominy Soup is brothy and topped with fresh herbs. This simple Mexican soup, takes a short cut by using prepared stock (that is infused with onions, garlic, jalapenos and just a hint of cumin), and hominy replaces the noodles of its Asian friend. Just like Pho, a squeeze of lime over the bowl just before eating brightens it up so well. Chicken and Hominy Soup isn't Pho at all, but it isn't meant to be. It is simply an effortless soup that I loved On My Plate.

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 3/4 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 cups shredded chicken (I rubbed a large chicken breast with olive oil & steak seasoning and roasted, but rotisserie chicken or any leftovers would be good.)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
4 lime wedges

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
Add onion to pan; saute until translucent.
Stir in garlic and jalapeno; cook just until tender.
Add chicken, pepper, cumin, and broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in hominy; bring back to a boil.
Cook 5 more minutes.
Ladle into 4 bowls; top each with sliced radishes and fresh cilantro.
Serve with lime wedges. (4 servings)

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Truly. Tell me. How in the heck does one raise cilantro? I can't seem to get it right, but then my gardening skills are pretty limited by this lazy streak that I just can't seem to shake. If it involves more than plant it; water it; nourish it now and then with some Miracle Grow; weed a little, but not a lot because I mulch; and maybe...just maybe, if I am in the right mood...trim it now and then, it just doesn't happen. My garden needs to be hearty. My attention span is just too short for fussy plantings.

I am wondering if cilantro is one of those fussy plantings. I have tried starting from seed; I have tried purchasing starter plants; this year, I even allowed a large crop of volunteer plants (from seeds dropped last year) to take over a corner of the garden. Still, I only have foliage that is recognizable as sprigs of cilantro for a very short time. In the blink of an eye, the plants shoot up, the leaves become thinner, flowers appear, seeds develop, and I have no real cilantro to harvest.

I am befuddled. Does cilantro normally grow that quickly? Does it have to be constantly replanted in order to harvest perfect little shoots of leaves? Am I doomed to planning my fresh salsas, herb salads, and even the basting marinade for some great pork chops around the never-there-when-you-want-it availability of cilantro in the grocery store? I am clueless.

If you aren't as clueless as me, and know the secret to growing cilantro (or if you have access to a grocery that always stocks this herb), there should be no major planning involved in making some moist and perfectly seasoned pork chops with a cilantro-lime marinade for basting. All prep for the chops can be done while waiting for the grill to heat. The cut of the chop is up to you. I have used bone-in or boneless depending on what I had on hand, and this time, I divided some butterflied chops (that I had originally planned to stuff & bake on one of our rainy days). It is a simple recipe that pairs really well with baked sweet potatoes and a salad for a no stress meal any night of the week.


I maybe be clueless about growing cilantro, but I have no doubts about using it for Cilantro and Lime Pork Chops to land On My Plate.

Cilantro and Lime Pork Chops

4 boneless pork loin chops, 1-inch thick
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic pepper seasoning
3/4 teaspoon onion salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Heat grill (I prefer charcoal.) to medium direct heat.
Sprinkle chops with garlic pepper seasoning and onion salt; rub to coat.Set aside.
Whisk remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
Place chops on grill.
Baste with oil and cilantro mixture.
Turn chops over and grill 3-5 minutes per side or until internal temperature is 160F.
Baste again and turn once. (Serves 4)
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