June has proved itself to be a serious test of my tolerance for both drinking and socializing. It started with our 10-year high school reunion, progressed into a work offsite, and is culminating in a trip to Iceland with my girlfriends. After more beers than I’ve had since college, my body hates me and so does my wedding dress. It’s been good for my soul, though, full of enriching conversations and laughter and long nights enjoying the perfect June weather.

Reunion in particular was a whirlwind. Trevor and I both went to Andover, and our reunions are a weekend-long marathon. Friday night was a bit awkward – lots of “hey! So what do you do now?” conversations and liquid courage courtesy of Sam’s car bar. But by Saturday, everyone had slipped right back into their old friendships. We spent the day playing flip-cup and slosh-ball and hanging out in an old soccer field on the edge of campus. This morphed into dinner and dancing and 3-am lawn hangouts before we stumbled home. With very little recent practice for this sort of all day event, I’m amazed at the stamina we brought to the table – 28 and going strong.

On Sunday morning, after we groggily hugged our friends (and my amazing parents who let us take over the house all weekend) and slowly drove ourselves back home, we needed grease. Grease and HBO. There are only 3 or 4 restaurants within walking distance of us that are any good, but thankfully one of them is Tenoch. Tenoch is a small fast-food style restaurant that makes the most incredible tortas, griddled Mexican sandwiches. A torta usually consists of a big squishy bun called a telera, slow-cooked meat, a spicy sauce, refried beans, avocado, something bright and pickle-y like pico de gallo or pickled onions, and melted queso fresco. Basically it has all the elements of a taco but with a larger volume of filling and more carbs.

As per usual, I got a torta de carnitas, piled high with shredded pulled pork, and promptly demolished it. I then collapsed into a state of complete sloth and binge watched Silicon Valley. It was kind of glorious. While in this lethargic state, in a rare moment of perfect foresight, I decided this sandwich was something I needed to make at home.

The next weekend I made a giant pot of carnitas, baked homemade telera buns, and whipped up a quick guacamole and pico de gallo. The resulting tortas de carnitas were just as good as the Tenoch version. Plus, we had tons of leftovers. This proved to be an incredible boon as I went into drinking week, round two, at my offsite. The carnitas recipe I used comes from a great little book called Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales. It has tons of flavor and is quite easy. Give it a try whether or not you’re going all in on the tortas!

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Torta de Carnitas

The inspiration for this comes from our local torta shop, Tenoch (amazing sandwiches!) and the carnitas recipe is adapted from Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales, which is a great little book on Mexican street cooking.

• Author: Katie at the Kitchen Door
• Yield: 5
• Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

For the carnitas:

• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 medium white onion, peeled and chopped into quarters
• 1 TBS fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3 tsp kosher salt
• 3 lbs. boneless pork-shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3/4 cup coke

For the tortas:

• 5 telera rolls, store-bought or homemade
• 2 TBS room-temperature butter
• 3 lbs. prepared carnitas
• 1 15-oz. can of refried black beans
• 1 c. spicy pico de gallo
• 2 c. prepared guacamole

Instructions

For the carnitas:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the garlic cloves, onion, thyme, oregano, salt, and half a cup of water in a blender and blend until smooth. Place the pork and the bay leaves in a large dutch oven or oven-safe pot with a lid, and pour the garlic and onion mixture on top of the pork. Add the coke and use tongs to toss the mixture a few times to make sure everything is well coated.
2. Cover the pot and place in the oven. Cook until the pork is so tender that it falls apart when you press it with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. When it is very tender, remove the lid. Use tongs to stir the pork and make sure a few pieces are above the liquid line. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, browning the exposed pork. Repeat the process once more, bringing new pieces of pork above the liquid and browning those for 15 minutes.
3. Once you have browned the pork, use tongs to transfer the pieces of pork to a glass bowl or storage container. Let the remaining fat and juices left in the pan cool and solidify, then discard. Coarsely shred the pork meat with a fork. Refrigerate the pork overnight, allowing the flavors to intensify.

For the tortas:

1. Cut the telera rolls in half as you would a hamburger bun. Spread the cut side of each half lightly with butter. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and toast the telera halves in the pan, butter side down, until golden brown. Do this in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan.
2. Once the buns are toasted, add the shredded carnitas to the frying pan in a single layer (you will likely need to do this in batches). Cook the pork, stirring frequently, until it is browned and crispy all over. This should take 5-10 minutes, depending on how much pork you are doing at once.
3. Spread the bottom half of each toasted bun with a few spoonfuls of refried beans. Top this with a spoonful of guacamole, spread out evenly. Spoon some of the browned pork on top of the guacamole, then add pico de gallo to top off the sandwich. Put the top half of the bun on the torta and serve immediately.

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Happy May, and Happy Margarita Week! It’s year two for the tequila-fest that Kate over at Hola Jalapeno puts together in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Last year, I contributed these Sparkling Lemongrass Ginger Margaritas. I was still feeling very inspired by all the amazing Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese food we ate while in Asia, so it was only natural to work some of my favorite Asian aromatics into a traditionally Mexican drink.

For this year, I dialed things back a little bit. It can sometimes feel like I’m constantly trying to outdo myself when I come up with recipes. I want the recipes on this blog to be creative and inspiring – I’m not here to write about super simple recipes or cooking basics. However, simple doesn’t always mean tired and overdone. Simple recipes can be a wonderful way to let the flavor of an incredible ingredient shine through. Think burrata cheese, high quality olive oil, and perfectly crunchy sourdough. So while last year’s contribution to Kate’s Margarita Week was exotic and new, this year I’m keeping it simple with Passion Fruit Margaritas. Just a perfect, balanced drink that lets the passion fruit sing accompanied by high quality tequila.

I developed a crush on passion fruit during my first few trips to Colombia two years ago, and since then it’s blossomed into a burning romance. Whilst I burn through some of my food obsessions in a month or two (like when you fall in love with a new song and play it non-stop for two weeks, only to realize that you never want to hear it again after that), others are a slow build. Passion fruit is one that’s here for the long haul. It’s so wonderfully tangy and fragrant, the perfect complement for desserts and drinks. I daydream about the passion fruit gelato at Santini in Portugal, and I can slurp down a fresh passion fruit juice in minutes.

The only downside to my love for passion fruit is the cost. Passion fruit are hard to find and exorbitantly expensive in Boston, running $2 a piece (if anyone in Boston has tips for where to get them cheaper, please share! I’ll bring you a margarita). This might be the only drink I’ve ever made that cost more to make at home than it would have to order at a restaurant.  At least I had a lightbulb moment when reading this post by A House in the Hills that you can grow passion fruit (obviously). True, it typically grows in subtropical places like Colombia and Australia. But we’ve tried lemon trees and avocado trees and olive trees, so why not give passion fruit vines a try? One day we’ll live in California/Portugal/Mexico where we belong. Until then, I’ll be forking out the cash to get fresh passion fruit for my margaritas and desserts.

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Passion Fruit Margaritas

Makes 3-4 margaritas.

• 6 fresh passion fruit
• 1 lime, plus more for garnish.
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 4 oz. white tequila
• 2 oz. orange liqueur
• ice
• coarse sea salt, for rimming glasses

1. Cut the passion fruit in half, being careful not to spill the juice out of the center. Scrape the pulp and juice into a small food processor. Pulse 2-3 times just to loosen the seeds from the pulp. Pour through a strainer into a bowl, separating the juice from the seeds.
2. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl with the passion fruit juice. Add the sugar and stir to thoroughly combine.
3. For each drink, add the following ingredients to a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice: 1 oz tequila, 1/2 oz orange liqueur, 1 oz passion fruit juice mixture. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds, then strain into a salt-rimmed glass. Add a few passion fruit seeds and a slice of lime for garnish. Serve immediately.

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I have recently rediscovered the taco as a homemade dinner option. Jury’s still out on how this discovery will affect my overall health, but on all other fronts – flavor, ease, cost, deliciousness – I’m pretty happy with it. It’s no wonder tacos were a staple of our childhood dinners. They’re so easy! While even your basic taco-kit Tex-Mex taco can be delicious, gourmet tacos are next level. You know, the kind that successful food trucks all over the US are dedicated to – with soft flour tortillas wrapped around spicy barbacoa and pickled onions and freshly made salsa. The kind that makes you feel like you’re standing on a street corner in Mexico, watching life go by and soaking up the sun.

These tacos are more of the grown-up, gourmet variety (although with a couple throwbacks to the childhood Tex-Mex version). Instead of ground beef and “taco spice” I make them with fresh Mexican-style chorizo sausage. The mixture of the mildly-spiced chorizo, sweet onion, and corn makes up the bulk of the filling. They come together in no-time, maybe 20 minutes from “I want tacos!” to biting into your first one. So if you’re going for a 30-minute dinner, you’ll still have 10 minutes left to shake up a margarita.

What takes these chorizo tacos over the top for me is griddling the tortillas in the leftover chorizo fat. They turn golden brown and a little crispy, and if you melt a bit of cheddar cheese in the center at the same time you are ready for taco heaven. Quality toppings also up the ante here. A generous amount of sliced avocado, fancy salsa, and sour cream all come together to give you the perfect amount of savory-spicy-rich-sweetness in each bite. I’ve been making these with the chorizo that comes in our Walden Local Meat Company subscription, and I’m pretty sure they’ll be on our table at least once a month. From now until… forever.

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Corn and Chorizo Tacos

Easy and delicious Corn and Chorizo Tacos, on your table in 30 minutes. Fry the corn tortillas until crispy and golden brown for an extra decadent meal.

• Author: Katie at the Kitchen Door
• Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 lb. fresh, Mexican-style chorizo sausage
• 1 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 6 oz. cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 1 or 2 ripe avocados, peeled and thinly sliced, for topping
• salsa, for topping
• sour cream, for topping

Instructions

1. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the sausage from its casing and crumble into the pan. Use the back of a wooden spoon to chop it into small pieces. Saute, stirring frequently, until fully cooked and crispy on the outside, about 8-10 minutes. Add the frozen corn and cook for another 2-3 minutes, then transfer the stuffing mixture to a bowl, leaving most of the oil/drippings in the pan.
2. Working with one or two tortillas at a time, add the tortillas to the hot grease and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 60-90 seconds, then flip the tortilla over to cook the second side. While the second side is cooking, place a few pieces of cheddar cheese on top of the tortilla so that it melts into the tortilla. Remove from the heat when cheese is melted and both sides of tortilla are golden brown. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
3. Fill the cheesy tortillas with the chorizo and corn mixture, then top each taco with sliced avocado, salsa, and sour cream. Serve immediately.

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I am a lover of tequila. Like, I am the person at the end of the night asking if we can do tequila shots, not because I am hammered and making poor decisions, but because I genuinely like the way tequila tastes. Especially with lime and salt, and if I get to clink glasses with a bunch of friends, all the better. Trevor and I even went to a tequila tasting dinner once, although sipping room temperature tequila from champagne glasses was a little much, even for me.

My friends all know that I love tequila, and I also happen to have very polite, very generous friends, so every time we throw a party, we end up with at least one more bottle of tequila. We now have 4 mostly full bottles (and that’s down from 5 only because Trevor just finished off a lingering bottle a few weeks back), which is arguably too much tequila. If I ever make any new friends, I think I’ll tell them that I love vodka, just to even out my collection. (Although I absolutely don’t love vodka. 90% of the vodka I’ve ever purchased has gone into make Penne alla Vodka. The other 10% was probably consumed in the form of jello shots.) To be fair to myself and Trevor and our drinking habits, we also have 5 open bottles of Whiskey/Bourbon and 7 bottles of rum (5 of which are Captain Morgan from the campaign we did with them two years ago), so we might just be booze-hoarders. Perhaps after I finish the 5-month long project of cleaning out my closet, I should move on to cleaning out the liquor cabinet. For which the obvious thing to do is throw a massive party, except now all our friends are old and mostly drink wine and beer. But I’m digressing, let’s get back to tequila.

When Kate from Hola Jalapeño reached out about participating in an enticing-sounding event called Margarita Week, I was on board for all sorts of reasons. One, I love margaritas. Two, not gonna lie, I was really thrilled to finally be included in one of those fun online blogger events that I see happen all the time but never get invited to. Three, Kate is super sweet and has been leaving nice comments on my blog forever, which always reminds me how bad I am about the friendliness part of blogging. Four, I thought that if I could make enough margaritas, maybe I could kick another bottle of tequila. This was a win-win-win situation.

My contribution to Margarita Week is this Asian-inspired Sparkling Lemongrass-Ginger Margarita. It’s loosely inspired by a Lemongrass-Ginger Hot Toddy that we had several times at one of our favorite restaurants in Hong Kong, Chôm Chôm. I will definitely be sharing that hot toddy with you in the future, but since I’m hoping hot toddy weather is behind us until next fall, we’re doing it in margarita form for now. This has a fragrant lemongrass-ginger syrup, tequila, spicy fresh ginger beer, and an utterly addictive sugar-salt-lemon-ginger rim. Once you have the lemongrass-ginger syrup in your fridge, it takes all of 60 seconds to put these together.

For lots more margaritas, be sure to check out Kate’s Margarita Week page, as well as some of the totally gorgeous drinks below (I’ll keep updating as the week goes on, so check back for more tequila). If you join in on the fun, be sure to use the #MargaritaWeek hashtag!

• Mexicana Margarita from Vanilla and Bean
• Elderflower Margarita from Autumn Makes and Does
• Broiled Grapefruit Margarita from The Cookie Rookie
• Strawberry Rhubarb Margarita from Nutmeg Nanny
• Mint Cucumber & Smoky Jalapeno Margarita from She Eats
• Honey Margarita from Sweet Life Bake
• Frozen Peach and Chambord Mezcal Margarita from Holly & Flora
• Fresh Ginger Margarita from Always Order Dessert

Sparkling Lemongrass-Ginger Margaritas

Serves 4.

• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 c. plus 2 TBS sugar
• 1 c. water
• 1 1/2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into slices
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 8 oz. tequila
• 2 bottles ginger beer, cold
• ice to serve

1. Make the syrup. Use a serrated knife to cut the lemongrass into pieces about 1 inch long. You will only be using the juicier, white part of the lemongrass, not the dry green end. I usually use about 2/3 of a fresh lemongrass stalk. Add the lemongrass, 1 cup of the sugar, the water, and the ginger root slices to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then simmer on medium-low until the syrup is fragrant and the lemongrass and ginger are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Strain the syrup into a clean glass jar, discarding the leftover lemongrass and ginger. Set aside. (After making margaritas, store any leftover syrup in the fridge)
2. Combine the remaining 2 TBS sugar, lemon zest, grated ginger, and sea salt in a small bowl and mix together until evenly combined. Rub one of the used lemon rinds around the rim of each glass you are using to moisten the rim, then dip the glasses one by one into the sugar-salt mixture, pressing the sides of the glass against the bowl to create a sugar-salt rim.
3. Add 2 TBS of the lemongrass-ginger syrup and 2 ounces of tequila to each glass, being careful not to disturb the sugar rim. Add 2-3 ice cubes and use a long spoon to give the drink a stir. Top the drink up with cold ginger beer and serve immediately.

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The Book: Mexico: The Cookbook is the latest in Phaidon’s line of beautiful, country-specific recipe compendiums. I reviewed Thailand: The Cookbook earlier this year, and was excited to see that a Peruvian book will be released in the spring. All of these books offer a very different experience than most of the cookbooks being released today. They’re short on prose – no recipe headnotes or historical sidebars – and while the pictures that are included are lovely, they’re not the focus of the books. What these books lack in personality, however, they make up for with sheer thoroughness – Mexico clocks in at over 600 recipes. That volume of recipes means that there will definitely be something new and different to try for everyone who picks up this book. Besides the comprehensiveness, the biggest draw of these books for me is the authenticity – each recipe is tied to a specific region of the country and uses very traditional ingredients and techniques. In the kitchen, that translates to authentic home-style dishes and a deeper understanding of how different cooking techniques can truly open up new flavors. I was a little frustrated with the quality of editing in this book. While I’m sure it’s a massive project to edit a book with 600+ recipes in it, I tried four different recipes for this post and all of them had issues with clarity of instruction and ingredients, to the point of listing ingredients that are never used, and, the opposite, calling for ingredients that aren’t listed. Confident cooks will be fine adapting as they go, but just a warning to those who get frustrated by a lack of clarity in recipes. Other than that, I’m excited to have added this book to my shelf, and I’m sure it will be one of my primary references for Mexican home-cooking.

The Food: The team behind Mexico: The Cookbook, has joined forces with the folks at Casa Noble tequila to promote a great cookbook and a great tequila in one shot (no pun intended). Casa Noble offers crystal, anejo, and reposado tequilas, in addition to single-barrel versions of their anejo and reposado. All the tequilas are produced using traditional methods, and aged in French white oak to create a complexity of flavor that elevates the drink above most lower-end brands. Since tequila is my drink of choice most any night, I was eager to try a new brand and do a little boozy cooking. Although tequila tasting is definitely not an art I’ve mastered, I did take a few little sips (not shots, I promise!) of the reposado without anything to distract from the tequila itself – it’s very smooth, and I picked up a certain fruitiness while Trevor got mostly vanilla. The tasting notes also mention chocolate, citrus, and butter, but I don’t think my tequila palate is advanced enough to pick up on those.

There are about a dozen recipes in this book that call for tequila, including an amazing-sounding recipe for shrimp marinated in sangria and tequila then served in mole sauce, and a tequila-based drink I’d never heard of before, the lagartija. But the recipe that was calling my name the strongest last weekend was the Slow-Cooked Pork in Tequila. It’s a fairly simple recipe, calling for pork butt and ribs to be cooked slowly on the stove-top in a chili sauce, then finished up with a quick simmer in tequila. The book recommends serving it with “Pot Beans” and rice, so I made both those recipes as well. And even though it may not be traditional, I decided to make a Michoacan Avocado Salsa to serve with the pork and rice and beans, for a little punch of brightness and color. The combination of the four dishes? Phenomenal. I’m not exaggerating. It was everything I crave in good Mexican food – a little heat, a rich sauce, a certain heartiness, and brightness from the salsa. It tasted like something I could have eaten for dinner in a hole-in-the-wall family restaurant, cooked by a little old abuela. I was particularly enamored with the beans, which could not have been simpler but were incredibly creamy and flavorful. This meal left me so excited to keep cooking from this book – loving four out of four recipes is a pretty good hit rate.

The Giveaway: Casa Noble and Phaidon have generously offered to give away an additional copy of Mexico: The Cookbook, to one Katie at the Kitchen Door reader. To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment below, telling me about your favorite cooking/eating experience involving either tequila or authentic Mexican cuisine (or both!). By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to the official rules:

• No purchase necessary
• Void where prohibited
• One entry per household, and only entries addressing the question above will be considered!
• The sponsors of this giveaway are Phaidon and Casa Noble.
• The estimated retail value of the book is $50
• The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries received
• This contest is only open to U.S. Citizens over the age of 18
• The contest will open today, December 10th, 2014 at posting time, and will close at 11PM EST on Friday, December 19th, 2014
• One winner will be selected randomly and contacted via email (so please leave an accurate email address!). If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours, the winner forfeits their prize and an alternate winner will be chosen.
• I will post the winner here by Friday, January 2nd, 2015

Recipe Shortlist: Duck in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce; Short Ribs in Chili and Coffee Sauce; Lamb in Cider Sauce; Goat Stew; Green Chile Soup with Corn; Divorced Eggs; Tuna with Chipotle Crust; Plantain-Stuffed Chiles; Corn Cake with Eggnog Sauce; Mexican Bloody Mary; Caramel Gelatin with Drunken Sauce

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Mexico: The Cookbook, a bottle of tequila, and reimbursement for ingredients from Casa Noble and Phaidon. I was not otherwise compensated for this review and all opinions are honest and my own.

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Slow-Cooked Pork in Tequila

Recipe adapted from Mexico: The Cookbook. Serves 6.

Note: I’ve written the recipe as we’ve made it, which used significantly less chiles than the original, which called for 200g. I’ve also included some other notes and clarifications that aren’t in the original.

• 50g mixed dried chiles (preferably a mix of cascabel, ancho, and jalapeno)
• 3 TBS of canola oil, duck fat, or lard
• 1 1/2 lb. pork butt, diced into 1 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 lb. pork ribs, meat cut from bones and diced into 1 inch cubes
• sea salt, to taste
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 large white onion, cut into chunks
• 4 TBS tequila
• white rice, to serve
• prepared pinto beans, to serve
• Michoacan Avocado Salsa, to serve (recipe below)

1. Boil a pot of water and pour about 3 cups of boiling water over the chiles in a heatproof bowl. Let steep until chiles are soft and water is a deep red, about 15 minutes.
2. Heat the oil or fat in a large saucepan. Add the pork butt and pork rib meat and cook over medium-high heat, stirring and turning frequently until evenly browned. Season with salt.
3. Place the chiles, the chile soaking water, the cumin seeds, oregano, garlic, and onion into a blender and blend on high until smooth. Strain into a bowl, then add the sauce to the pork. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender and has absorbed most of the sauce. If the sauce begins to look dry at any point, add water.
4. Add the tequila to the pan and continue to simmer, without the lid, for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with rice, beans, and avocado salsa.

Michoacan Avocado Salsa

Recipe adapted from Mexico: The Cookbook. Makes about 1 cup.

• 3 tomatillos, papery husks and stems removed
• 3 serrano chiles
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 large avocado, peeled and pitted
• 2 TBS finely chopped cilantro
• sea salt, to taste

1. Remove the seeds from 2 of the chiles and the stems from all 3. Put the tomatillos and chiles into a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomatillos and the chiles to a food processor. Add the garlic to the food processor and process until combined. Add the avocado flesh to the food processor and process until smooth. Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt.

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It was nice to take August off from holding myself to, well, much of anything. I needed the break. Of course, I was still working, and work was actually quite hectic – the main reason for needing to let everything else slide a little. But things have slowed down, and I’m finally feeling caught up on all the other aspects of my life. A part of that, of course, is getting back into a healthy daily routine, and that means the monthly fitness goals are back on.

I’ve known that speed would be the focus of my September goal since July, really. Since I started running again in January (after the longest hiatus I’ve probably ever taken last fall), I’ve been pretty diligent about getting out there. Starting back up again is the worst part of running, so once I’ve got a little endurance I like to hang on to it. So far this year I’ve run over 300 miles, and from January through June I was getting faster every month, moving from an average pace of 9’22” in January all the way down to an 8’04” in June. But July and August were full of hot, slow slogs, so I promised myself that once the weather cooled down, I’d focus on getting my pace back up. I set a goal of getting down under an average pace of 8’10” again, and although the first few runs of the month were a struggle, my last three were all sub 8′, and my current average is exactly 8’10”. But that doesn’t mean I’m done! I’ve run 20 miles this month and I’d like to get in at least 20 miles more, maybe even getting down to my stretch goal of 7’59”. We’ll see. For now I’m just glad to feel a little faster and lighter (not to mention cooler!) out on the road.

On a different note, let’s talk about these enchiladas. On our way home from Maine after Labor Day we stopped in at a little restaurant in Belfast called Chase’s Daily. It’s an airy space, and in the back they sell the most gorgeous local vegetables and flowers. Belfast is a small town, but the line to buy fresh produce snaked all the way down the counter. We sat down for a late breakfast, and although Trevor looked somewhat crestfallen when I told him it was a vegetarian restaurant, we both very much enjoyed our meals. I ordered the potato and roasted poblano enchiladas, which were smothered in the tangiest salsa verde, and liked them so much I knew I wanted to recreate them at home ASAP. Since they use lots of vegetables and we’re moving into that time of year where we all need to figure out how to make warm, comforting food be good for you, I thought they would do nicely for this month’s healthy recipe.

As I researched salsa verde recipes I saw two basic variations, one using raw tomatillos and the other using roasted tomatillos. Beyond that, and perhaps the ratio of chiles to tomatillos to cilantro, most of the recipes were nearly identical. As I thought about how to make this recipe my own, I decided that with equal numbers of recipes for raw salsa verde and roasted salsa verde, they must both be good – why not build in an extra layer of flavor and make a raw and roasted version? That was a good starting point, and yielded a salsa verde that was both tangy and a little sweet. For the enchilada filling, I grabbed a few potatoes out of the large bag we harvested last week and boiled them, then cooked them briefly with garlic, swiss chard, and diced roasted poblano. The potato-poblano filling gets rolled up in tortillas, smothered with salsa verde, and sprinkled with grated pepper jack, before a brief stint in the oven that yields crispy tortilla edges, golden-brown cheese, and steaming hot filling. I ate way too much of this in one sitting, but managed to save a little bit of leftovers (that I’m very much looking forward to for lunch tomorrow). It’s perfect on a chilly night – warm and filling but full of veggies!

I hope all of your Septembers are off to an equally healthy and productive start. It’s a good time of year to take stock, get organized and energized and charge into a new season.

Past Fitness Challenges

January: 10 Visits to the YMCA; Recipe: Gluten-Free Olive-and-Feta Corn Muffins
February: One vegan meal every day; Recipe: Pakistani Chickpea Pulao with Sweet-Hot Date-Onion Chutney
March: Run 40  miles in 20 days; Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Almond Butter Cookie Bites
April: Walk 8,000 steps a day; Recipe: Herb-Flecked Spring Couscous
May: 180 minutes of Nike Training Club; Recipe: Warm Arugula Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing
June: Fresh fruit/veggies at every meal; Recipe: Chickpea Crepes with Grilled Curried Chicken and Mango Salsa
July: 8 different types of exercise; Recipe: Homemade Spinach Wraps with Chopped Greek Salad Filling
August: Relax; Recipe: Green Tea and Zucchini Noodles with Honey Ginger Sauce

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Potato, Poblano, and Chard Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

Inspired by breakfast at Chase’s Daily in Belfast, ME. Serves 4-5.

• 2 poblano peppers
• 1 1/2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• sea salt
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1/4 c. diced onion
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 bunch of swiss chard (about 15-20 medium-sized leaves)
• Eight 8-inch tortillas
• 1 1/2 c. raw and roasted salsa verde, recipe below
• 1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the poblano peppers on the baking sheet and broil for 10-15 minutes, turning with tongs every 5 minutes, until blistered and blackened all over. If you are making the salsa verde at the same time, do this while broiling the tomatillos. When the peppers are done, remove them from the oven and place in a bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 20 minutes. After they have steamed, you will be able to easily peel and discard their skins. Do this, then cut into slices, discarding the stem and seeds. Chop roughly and taste for heat to get an idea of how much you should use in your filling.
2. Add the diced potatoes to a large pot and fill with cold water. Add salt to water and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes until just tender when poked with a fork, about 5 minutes once the water has reached a boil. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, sliced garlic, and smoked paprika and saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Roughly chop the stems of the swiss chard and add to the saute pan, then chop the leaves add add to the pan as well. Saute until wilted, about 3 minutes, then add the potatoes and chopped poblanos (start with one, add the second after tasting the mixture for heat). Saute for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread half a cup of salsa verde on the bottom of an 11×13 inch roasting pan. Mix the two cheeses together in a bowl. Fill each of the tortillas with a few spoonfuls of the potato filling, and 2-3 TBS of cheese, then roll up and place seam-side down in the pan. Repeat with all tortillas, filling pan completely, then spoon another half cup of salsa verde over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, then bake until cheese is bubbly and golden and edges of tortillas are crispy, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with leftover salsa verde.

Raw and Roasted Salsa Verde

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

• 1 lb. tomatillos
• 1-2 serrano chiles
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 TBS fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. Remove the husks and stem from the tomatillos and wash the sticky residue off the fruit. Cut the tomatillos in half. Place half of the tomatillos cut side down on the baking sheet. Set the other half aside. If using two chiles, place one of the serranos on the baking sheet as well. Broil the tomatillos and chile for 8-10 minutes, flipping over with tongs once about halfway through. Remove from the oven.
2. Add the roasted tomatillos and their juices to a blender, then add the raw tomatillos, onion, garlic, cilantro, water, lime juice, and salt. If you like your food spicy, remove the stem from the roasted serrano and add to the blender, then remove the stem from the raw serrano, roughly chop and add to the blender with the seeds. If you prefer a milder salsa, remove the seeds from the raw serrano, chop, and add to the blender. After blending, taste and decide whether to add the roasted serrano. Blend the tomatillos on high until a smooth puree forms. Taste, and add additional chile, lime, or salt if desired. Set aside.

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I have two more days in Russia, and although it’s been a good trip, I’m looking forward to going home. Mostly because I miss Trevor. I know, I’m a huge sap, but he’s the best (he had brownies sent up to my hotel room! From 4,000 miles away!) Also, I kind of miss my parents, freezing rain is not my favorite type of weather, so… yeah, I will be happy when we land in Boston. But I promise to enjoy my last two nights.

Since we eat out for every meal here, I try to be especially conscious of the choices I’m making at restaurants and of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in general. I have some things working in my favor – a free gym which I can use without leaving the building, about 8-gillion bottles of water dropped off in my room every day, and limited mindless snacking options. But other things, like the propensity to serve sour cream with everything here, and the temptation to order a glass of wine every night, are working against me. Luckily, many traditional Russian dishes are pretty vegetable heavy. At breakfast, I’ve been having roasted mushrooms and boiled carrots with my eggs every morning, lunch always starts off with a vegetable soup, and there’s plenty of vegetable-centric mains to choose from on most menus – like pumpkin ragu, mushroom pie, and stuffed peppers.

Stuffed peppers, while certainly not unique to Eastern European cuisine, are a particular favorite of mine recently (in fact, I had them for lunch yesterday). This stuffed-pepper phase of mine was kick-started by the Mexican-style peppers that they serve for lunch at Bacco’s, which are filled with quinoa and black beans, and topped with cheese and enchilada sauce. Then, after having the meat-and-rice-stuffed version a few times at our cafeteria in Russia, I wanted to make them myself. I combined the two ideas, but kept a Mexican twist in there – the end result was peppers filled with a deliciously savory beef, quinoa, and black bean mix and topped with a smoky-spicy chipotle sauce and plenty of cheese. This is a meal that I feel good about.

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Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans, Quinoa, Beef, and Chipotle Sauce

Serves 4.

• 4 large bell peppers, tops cut off, seeds and veins removed
• 1 c. quinoa
• 2 c. water
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 5 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp chipotle liquid (from canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
• 1 c. cooked black beans
• 1 TBS tomato paste
• 1 1/4 c. canned crushed tomatoes, divided
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
• 1/3 c. crumbled cotija cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and then add the stemmed and seeded peppers. Boil for 3-5 minutes, just to blanch the peppers, then remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and set aside. Once cool, place in a casserole dish.
2. Rinse the quinoa, drain, then add to a medium pot with the 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, lower heat, cover pot, and cook for 15 minutes, or until “tails” of quinoa have unfurled and the quinoa is tender. Fluff up with a fork and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and break up with the back of a wooden spoon, and brown thoroughly, which will take about 5-8 minutes. Add the chili powder and chipotle liquid to the pan, and stir to evenly mix. Taste for seasoning, adjusting with more chili powder or chipotle if desired. Add the black beans, tomato paste, and 3/4 c. crushed tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken, stir in the quinoa, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon the beef filling into the peppers, filling to the top, and arrange the peppers in the pan. Mix the remaining 1/2 c. of crushed tomatoes with 1/4 c. of water and pour into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the peppers with the cheddar or monterey jack cheese, then cover the pan with foil. Bake for 40-50 minutes, then remove the foil, and broil the peppers on high for 5 minutes to brown the cheese. Serve with the crumbled cotija cheese.

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It’s official – it’s summer. The sun is up early and the promise that a summer morning holds is so tangible in the earliest hours, when the light is golden and filtered through the leaves, the streets are quiet, and the breeze is fresh with overnight dew. Well before the droopy, heat-baked hours of the afternoon, the morning is energizing and opens the world up, and I daydream of late afternoon beach picnics, cool dips in the lake, panoramic mountain-top views, and drippy ice cream cones. Most days, I instead have to go sit in a climate-controlled office all day, and on those days I try to make the most of my early morning runs, park bench lunch breaks, and evening walks home. But on the days when I don’t have to don a suit, I want to be outside embracing the season as much as humanly possible. And so, I write this bucket list. I never get to everything, but I like to write it down and do my best.

Some of the things on last year’s bucket list are making a second appearance this year. Of the five things that were left on my list last year, I have since done two of them – planning a trip (and I’m already working on next year), and just this past week I made it out to the Harbor Islands for a company-sponsored day of service (spending three hours weeding and pruning trees and planting flowers felt more like how I like to spend my free time than service – I’ll take it). Grilling is sticking around for this year, and I already have at least one day planned at the Cape… but I’d like it to be more than that if possible. Of course there’s also some new things, because goals evolve. And so:

1. Go camping. I got a tent for Christmas this year, and I want to use it. Rain or shine. I sometimes think of myself as this super-athletic, outdoorsy, idealistic version of myself that I’m really not at all, given that I haven’t gone camping in years. But I can change that! I just have to get Trevor on board.
2. Go to the beach. Summer used to be synonymous with the beach for me. Besides the two weeks we spent on the Cape, we’d also regularly make the journey to Crane’s Beach in Ipswich, often in the second half of the day after the morning crowds had dispersed. I love swimming, I love being in the ocean, I love walking on the sand. I had a few hours of beachy happiness in Italy, but I want to make that happen more than once, if possible.
3. Ballet camp. I’m already signed up for this one, so that’s half the battle, but I really want to make sure I go – and make the most of it. The plan is that for two weeks in August I’ll be doing four hours a day of dance after work. I’m prepared to be exhausted, but I’m really excited about the opportunity to do something with so much focus. And hopefully get a little svelter in the process.
4. Spend time with my brother. My little brother just graduated from Cornell, and in August he’ll be headed out to Seattle. I’m excited about visiting him there, but before he leaves, I want to make sure we got some quality sibling time while we’re both on the same coast. Starting with drinks this Wednesday.
5. Learn video. Video seems like it may be the way blogging is headed, and it’s a little intimidating, I’d like to start learning. My new camera has decent video capabilities, and you have to start somewhere – why not the beginning. Also, my friend Tracy has promised that she’s going to make me a YouTube star. So we’ll see how she does on that.
6. Grilling on my own. Grilling. Fire. It’s still so scary. I’ve got to get over this one and do it by myself. So far I managed to kind of light the grill on my own, but then Trevor took over. See these steaks as evidence.
7. Preserve our harvest. I really, really hope we have enough of a harvest to merit preserving – I would 100% consider our garden a success if it happens. So far, it looks like we’ll have plenty of peaches and blackberries (knock on wood), although the stupid deer are starting to go for the peaches. A good reason to eat more venison. If I’m eating homemade blackberry jam next January I will be the happiest.
8. Practice driving. I used to be a decent driver. You know, not great, but I drove all the time and I was fine on long trips to and from Maine and Vermont and the like. But over the past three or four years, I’ve almost completely stopped driving, partly because I don’t have my own car, partly because Trevor prefers to drive when we go somewhere together, but also partly because I’ve convinced myself that I can’t do it. And I do not want to be some 30-year old woman with a mental block that keeps me from getting in the car, so I have to start reversing that mindset. Now. With practice.

There are a few other big things on the horizon that aren’t exactly of the bucket list sort – for example, starting July 1st, I’ll be moving to a new apartment to share with Trevor, a big and exciting and kind of scary change for both of us. There is also a possibility that I might be doing some travel for work, but I don’t want to jinx it by getting overly excited until it’s a sure thing. All told, it’s shaping up to be a busy summer, but hopefully in a good way.

To celebrate this list, I’ve made Strawberry Lime Agua Frescas, because the fact that the farmer’s market is flooded with strawberries this week is a sure sign of summer. Also, it’s quite warm in the Northeast, and I don’t feel like consuming much of anything that isn’t a cold liquid. Three of these strawberries are from my garden, but that’s not quite enough to do anything with other than eat in the yard, staining your fingers red, so I picked some others up at the Davis Flea this morning. They’re very good, red all the way through and sun-sweet. This agua fresca is not too sweet and extremely refreshing – the perfect thirst quencher. Of course, if you wanted to make it a little bit more adult, I’m sure a shot of tequila wouldn’t be bad at all.

Here’s to summer!

Strawberry Lime Agua Fresca

Recipe from Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales. Makes about 6 cups.

• 1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled
• juice from 2 limes (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 4 c. water
• ice

1. Add strawberries, lime juice, sugar, and water to a blender and blend until completely pureed and smooth. Pour through a strainer into a large pitcher, pressing the fruit pulp to get as much juice out if it as possible. Skim the foam off the top of the pitcher and discard. Taste the juice and add more lime or sugar to taste if necessary. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate until chilled. Stir before serving, then serve over ice, with a slice of lime and a fresh strawberry for garnish.

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I have exciting news! A while back, I was asked to contribute a recipe to Joanna at a Cup of Jo’s ongoing feature – “The Best ___ You’ll Ever Have.” Joanna is a rockstar blogger, the kind that makes other bloggers daydream about quitting their boring corporate jobs and spending their days writing beautiful, funny, and charming stories with appropriately gorgeous photographs. It’s easy to be fooled into thinking that this is the dream life by someone who makes it look as effortless as Joanna, but I’m sure it’s actually an insane amount of work. Either way, I love reading Cup of Jo and was quite thrilled to be asked to contribute. I chose to make my version of the best ever guacamole (a touchy subject, I know!) which uses mango and pomegranate to add sweetness and crunch to the yummy dip. Head over to Cup of Jo to read the feature and find the recipe!

Many thanks to Shoko, as well, for helping set this up!

The post An Exciting Feature // Mango-Pomegranate Guacamole appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

Update: The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Amy of U Try.It on winning! And thank you everyone for sharing your perfect Valentine’s Day dreams… so fun to read.

If you live in Somerville, MA, you’ve almost definitely heard of Taza Chocolate.  If you live elsewhere in Greater Boston and have ever gone to any event remotely food-related, you’ve probably heard of Taza Chocolate.  But if you’re further afield, you may never have had the delicious experience of eating their stone-ground Mexican chocolate, and so I’m here to share the love, because I really do love Taza’s chocolate.  It’s different – gritty, not super sweet, and infused with flavors like chipotle and cinnamon and orange – but it’s addicting.  Trevor introduced me to it a few years ago and I’ve gotten more and more excited about it ever since.  Visiting the Taza factory in Somerville has been high on my “to-do in Boston” list since I moved back, and when I finally got around to it (which, admittedly was kind of a while ago at this point…), it was well worth the trip.

I’ve been on a decent amount of food tours – to breweries, cheesemakers, cider houses, farms, and restaurant kitchens – and they can definitely be hit or miss.  The Magic Hat Brewery Tour was a disappointment and I learned very little.  Visiting Prodigal Farm in North Carolina was truly fascinating (you can read more about it here).  The Taza tour was way up on my quality scale – honestly, it was one of the most interesting and informative tours I’ve ever been on, and I’m not just saying that because there was a constant supply of chocolate samples during the tour.  It probably helped that I knew very little about the chocolate making process to start.  Did you know how huge cocoa pods are?  Or that they grow straight from the trunk of the tree?  Or that they turn beautiful colors in the fall?  Just the images of the cocoa trees themselves fascinated me.  Then we moved onto the harvesting, shipping, roasting, winnowing, and grinding processes, and every piece of information was new and exciting.  I don’t want to give away their whole tour, in case some of you would like to actually hear it from the Taza people themselves rather than in an overly-excited and garbled form from me, but I will share some of the highlights.  Like that one of the co-founders of Taza spent a year in Oaxaca learning to properly dress the traditional millstones used to grind the chocolate.  Or that their winnowing machine is an old Italian giant they found on a cocoa sourcing trip.  Or that they travel to the countries from which their cocoa beans come every year to pick the best quality beans and make sure the farms they come from are fair.  Or that the difference between European and Mexican chocolate is the addition of milk and a thorough mixing process to smooth it out.

I highly recommend a trip to the factory if you live in the area or are ever visiting. And if you’re really looking for the full chocolate experience, Taza offers a week-long trip to Belize every March in which you go through the entire process of making chocolate, from picking cocoa beans to making your own bars (sometimes I really wish I was richer). If a quick jaunt to make chocolate in the jungle isn’t in the cards for you this year, either, I have two other things you might enjoy – one, a delicious chocolate mousse recipe, and two, a Taza chocolate giveaway.

Typically I just eat Taza chocolate straight – my favorite flavors are the salt & pepper and the cinnamon – but since we’re getting close to Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d step my game up and make a Mayan Chocolate Mousse, inspired in equal parts by Food & Wine’s Mayan Chocolate Pudding, and Bon Appetit’s recent article on the perfect chocolate mousse. I went all out with the cinnamon, using two packs of Taza cinnamon chocolate discs, replacing the espresso with my favorite cinnamon tea, and topping it off with a sweetened cinnamon whipped cream. It came out amazing, if I do say so myself. I really loved that the mousse still held the essence of Taza chocolate, it didn’t just taste generically chocolatey. I don’t know if I’ll even be able to wait until the 14th before making it again…

Giveaway Details: Interested in trying Taza chocolate? Enter to win the Chocolate Mexicano Classic Collection, and you can try six of their flavors (a cinnamon disc is included, leaving you just enough to make a portion of this mousse for two…). To enter, leave a comment below telling me how you would spend your ideal Valentine’s Day if money wasn’t an option. For a second entry, follow both me (@Kitchen_Door) and Taza (@TazaChocolate) on Twitter, and tweet to both of us about the giveaway, then come back and leave me a second comment letting me know you tweeted. The giveaway will close at midnight on Tuesday the 5th, at which point I’ll randomly choose a winner. Open to U.S. readers only. If the winner doesn’t respond to me within 48 hours of me notifying them they’ve won, I’ll have to pick an alternate winner

P.S. I LOVED reading all your comments about your most memorable Valentine’s Day on my last giveaway. It was so fun to hear all the stories!

Disclaimer: Taza is hosting this giveaway, but I discovered the product myself and truly love it, and have not been compensated in any way for writing this post.

Mayan Chocolate Mousse

Adapted from Bon Appetit and inspired by Food & Wine. Serves 4.

Note: Chocolate Mousse can be a little bit finicky – I accidentally scrambled my first batch of egg yolks! – so carefully follow the instructions provided and make sure your ingredients are at the correct temperatures. If you mess up, don’t fret – the end result will be worth trying again!

• 3/4 c. chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
• pinch cream of tartar
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 4 TBS sugar, divided
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 c. strong cinnamon tea, at room temperature
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 packages of cinnamon Taza chocolate, or 5.4 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/8 tsp cayenne chili powder
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon if using regular chocolate + 1/4 tsp cinnamon for whipped cream

1. Measure out 1/2 c. of the heavy cream into a medium bowl. Whisk vigorously until foamy, sprinkle with the cream of tartar, then whisk until stiff peaks firm. Cover and chill.
2. Beat egg whites vigorously until soft peaks form. Sprinkle 1 TBS of the sugar over the top, and continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks form. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer. In a medium metal bowl, or a smaller metal-bottomed pot, whisk together the egg yolks, 2 TBS of the remaining sugar, room temperature tea, and salt. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk vigorously until mixture is pale yellow in color and doubled in volume. This will only take about a minute – remove immediately when it’s ready (or a second before you think it’s ready, as this is where it’s easy to accidentally scramble your eggs). Add the finely chopped chocolate and stir until it’s melted. If chocolate is not melting, it’s OK to set back over the simmering water for intervals of 5-10 seconds while whisking the mixture, but finely chopping the chocolate should remove the need for this. Once chocolate is melted, add the cayenne, allspice and 1/4 tsp cinnamon (if not using cinnamon chocolate) and whisk to incorporate. Let cool to room temperature.
4. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in two additions, only folding until just incorporated. Fold in the whipped cream until just incorporated. Divide between four dishes and chill for at least 1 hour.
5. Just before serving, beat remaining 1/4 c. of heavy cream and 1/4 tsp cinnamon until soft peaks form. Sprinkle with remaining 1 TBS of sugar and whisk to incorporate. Dollop a bit of whipped cream on top of each portion, and serve.

The post Taza Chocolate Giveaway and Mayan Chocolate Mousse appeared first on Katie at the Kitchen Door.

Apparently I have a thing for Latin cuisine. First, I couldn’t stop singing the praises of Antojitos, then, last month, I reviewed (and loved) Gran Cocina Latina and The Latin Road Home, and now, I’m reviewing yet another Latin American cookbook – Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales, by Roberto Santibanez. And what’s not to love about Mexican food? It’s full of sweet veggies like corn and peppers and tomatoes, foods wrapped in bread, spicy tender meats, and no one is ashamed to smother anything with cheese.

I kind of love this little book: it’s cute, fun, and approachable.  Of the three books mentioned above, it takes the narrowest focus, looking mainly at, well, tacos, tortas (Mexican-style sandwiches), and tamales, as interpreted by the “street-side kitchens of Mexico.” There are also a handful of recipes for salsas, drinks, and desserts, just to round out your meal. This book doesn’t delve too deeply into techniques or histories behind the foods presented, but the colorful photographs and evocative recipe notes still manage to bring the street-food culture to life.

The recipes are enticing and non-intimidating – most of the recipes would qualify as comfort food in my book. The taco chapter is my favorite, with recipes for Potato and Chorizo Tacos, Pork and Pineapple Tacos, the amazing Chipotle Duck Tacos shown here, and even some more exotic choices, like Cactus Tacos and Beef Tongue Tacos. I also can’t wait to try some of the yummy agua frescas and margaritas, and I made the Cajeta-Banana Bread Pudding last night to go with the tacos – it was incredible; keep your eye out for the recipe here later this week.

The tacos here are a mash-up of three different recipes in this book: first, you cook duck legs in orange juice and cinnamon until it’s falling off the bone, to make Duck Carnitas. Then, you cook the duck in a tomato-chipotle sauce to make Tomato-Chipotle Duck Stew. Finally, you roll the duck in fresh corn tortillas and smother them with Habanero Cream Sauce, then bake them enchilada-style. Having tasted the recipe at all three stages – carnitas, stew, and habanero-cream sauce covered – I can say with confidence that doing any of the three versions is well worth your time.

The bottom line: Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales is a cute little book focused on comforting Mexican recipes, street-cart style. The recipes are approachable, the photos are bright and colorful, and the stories behind the three styles of street food are engaging. If you’re already well-versed in Mexican cooking, it probably won’t offer much new knowledge or inspiration, but for a relative newbie it offers many new ideas, simple and accessible enough to add to your weeknight dinner rotation.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales, but all opinions are my own.

Duck Tacos in Habanero Cream Sauce

Recipe adapted slightly from Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales. Makes 12 tacos, enough for 4-6 people.

Note: The habanero cream sauce recipe presented here is different from the original in that it doesn’t roast the tomato before adding. Since tomatoes aren’t in season now, I used canned tomatoes and still loved the sauce. If you make this in the summer, replace the canned tomatoes listed in the sauce recipe below with 1 medium, ripe, cored tomato, roasted at 500°F for 25 minutes (until blackened), then chopped and added to the sauce with the peppers.

For the duck filling:

• 4 1/2 lbs duck legs (6-8 small legs)
• 1 large or 2 medium white onions, peeled
• 1 medium head garlic
• 1 stick Mexican cinnamon
• 2 TBS kosher salt
• 1 medium orange, peel left on, quartered
• 2 TBS reserved duck fat
• 1/2 c. reserved duck cooking liquid, fat skimmed off
• 1 dried chipotle chili
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 c. canned, diced tomatoes

For the habanero cream sauce and tacos:

• 2 large red bell peppers
• 1 small fresh habanero chile
• 1 TBS reserved duck fat
• 1 small white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 c. canned, diced tomato
• 8 whole allspice berries
• 1 1/2 c. heavy cream
• salt, to taste
• 12 small corn tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take one of the onions (or half of the large onion) and thinly slice. Remove one clove from the garlic, peel, and set aside. Slice the remaining head of garlic in half horizontally, peel left intact. Add the duck legs, skin side up, sliced onion, head of garlic, and cinnamon stick to a large dutch oven or oven safe-pot with lid. Sprinkle the duck with the 2 TBS salt and rub gently into the skin, then squeeze the orange quarters over the duck. Add the squeezed orange quarters to the pot, cover with lid, and place in the oven.
2. Roast the duck for 2 1/2 hours, shuffling the legs around a bit after 1 1/2 hours. Remove the duck from the pot and let cool slightly. Remove the skin from the duck and discard, then use a fork or your hands to tear the duck meat off the bone into bite-sized pieces.
3. Strain the liquid and duck fat out of the pot into a bowl. Discard the duck bones and cooked vegetables. Let the liquid sit for a few minutes to separate the fat from the juices. Finely chop the remaining onion (or half of the large onion), and the reserved 1 clove peeled garlic. Pour a small amount of very hot water over the dried chipotle in a small bowl, and let sit for 5 minutes to soften, then remove the stem and seeds from the chipotle and finely chop the pepper.
4. Skim 2 TBS of duck fat from the top of the liquid and heat in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, chipotle pepper, bay leaf, and thyme, and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes longer, then add the duck and the 1/2 c. cooking liquid (with as little fat as possible). Simmer for 10 minutes, and taste for seasoning, adding salt as needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Make the sauce: Set the oven to broil, and place the two peppers on a baking sheet. Broil, watching closely and turning the peppers every minute or two, until the skin is blistered and blackened, about 5-7 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 20 minutes, then rub off/peel off the skin, cut out the stems and seeds, and roughly chop the roasted pepper flesh.
6. Using gloves, remove the stem and seeds from the habanero. Place the pepper in a dry saute pan and toast over medium-low heat, turning frequently, until softened and beginning to blacken, about 8 minutes. Use tongs to remove to a cutting board and chop finely, wearing gloves if you’re touching the pepper directly.
7. Heat the duck fat in the saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and allspice berries and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the chopped red pepper, the habanero, and the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Carefully blend the sauce until fully smooth, then strain through a fine mesh strainer (to remove any large chunks or allspice berries).
8. Preheat the oven to 350°F (if you’ve turned it off after roasting the duck). Divide the duck filling equally among the 12 tortillas, then roll up and place in a baking pan, seam-side down. Pour 2-3 cups of the habanero sauce over the tacos, and bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

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My dad told me that since my birthday week is over, I can’t write any more posts about it.  So this post will have to be not about  the event for which I threw this party, but rather about the party itself, which could’ve been for any old reason, really.  It could’ve been an early Cinco de Mayo party, or a Mother’s Day party to which I didn’t invite my mother.  Or even a “just because it’s grilling season” party.

Anyway, last Saturday I threw a party at my house, and we ate and drank and it was very fun, and the food was very good, so I thought I’d share some recipes and pictures.  The culinary theme was Mexican, so we had tequila-marinated steak tacos with pickled red onions and queso fresco, spicy chipotle cream dip, fried avocados, sangria, and margaritas.  It was a beautiful Saturday night, so we sat outside in the garden, and my roommate hung up the outdoor lights that signify summer is coming, and Trevor grilled, and it was a great way to spend a night.  Even though it did require most of Sunday to recover from the events that took place after the party, which included stops at a few more party locations, more than a few more drinks, a little dancing, and waking up at my friend’s Newbury St apartment on Sunday morning surrounded by marathoners.  And let me tell you, waking up in last night’s clothes and stumbling out into a street filled with people gearing up to run 26 miles the next day does not make you feel like a successful person.  But it was pretty funny.  All in all, the evening was well worth the recovery.

The steak tacos were definitely the gastronomic highlight of the evening (well, besides the tequila shots, but I can’t very well share a recipe for tequila shots).  It’s a very simple recipe from Antojitos, which is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks (full review and more recipes here).  You just briefly marinate skirt steak in tequila, olive oil, lime juice, and onion, then grill until medium, rest, slice, and serve with your favorite taco fixings.  The marinade and grilling results in a very tender and flavorful steak for such an inexpensive cut of beef.  We served them with guacamole, queso fresco, chipotle crema, and pickled red onions, and they were delish.

Grilling season!  Summertime!  Get excited for it.

Tequila-and-Lime-Marinated Skirt Steak Tacos

Recipe from Antojitos.  Serves 6.

• 2 lbs skirt steak, fat trimmed
• 1 c. olive oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 c. tequila
• 1/4 c. fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
• 1 TBS sugar
• 1 TBS kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 12 small tortillas
• 1 recipe pickled red onions (recipe below)
• 1 recipe chipotle crema
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1 c. crumbled queso fresco

Quick Pickled Red Onions

Recipe adapted from Antojitos.  Serves 6.

• 1 red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 c. fresh lime juice
• 2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp kosher salt

1. Stir together onion, lime juice, chilies, and salt.  Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 3-5 hours, stirring once or twice, until onions have begun to turn bright pink and have softened somewhat.  Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.  (Flavor will continue to develop over the course of the week).

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I have a cookbook problem.  I’m sure many of you can relate.  I add them to my Amazon cart compulsively.  I read the ones I own as bedtime stories.  I take 10 at a time out from the library and imbibe them, writing down every single recipe I want to try.  I have scans of recipes.  I have pictures of recipes.  I have scribbles of recipes.  I have 20 page word documents full of recipes.  And this isn’t even including the 200+ recipes I have bookmarked online.  I have too many recipes.  I need to stop collecting and start making.  In this vein, I have decided that before I open another cookbook, I must make at least three recipes from each of the books I own, or have photocopied, or have consumed/memorized/retained in any other way.  Hopefully this will go better than the time I banned myself from baking.  Which was only ten days long.  And I couldn’t do it.  Woe.  (By the way the enchiladas in that link are really delicious.)

However, there’s a perk – using cookbooks as intended (i.e. to make and consume food) allows for discovery of exceptional recipes.  And occasionally, a single book may be filled with exceptional recipes.  In which case, it should be highlighted.  On the other hands, some cookbooks have mouthwatering photos and intriguing flavor combinations and all the food turns out super blah/boring/crappy.  These books should also be highlighted, although hopefully with less frequency then the exceptional variety.  Thus, as I go through the 20-odd cookbooks I have collected and 300-plus recipes from them, I will highlight one book per month, for however many months I continue to feel like doing this.

For July, I’m cheating a little and using a cookbook I already wrote about this month – Antojitos.  But it’s one of the good variety, in fact, one of the really good variety, and since I’ve cooked more than 3 recipes from it this month, I think it deserves the spot.  Plus, these mango-grapefruit palomas might be the best drink I’ve ever tasted.  Which may not be that convincing, coming from someone who has just graduated from Franzia, Busch Light, and Pink Panty Punch, but my parents agreed that it was great, and they have considerably more experience.  I couldn’t find the mezcal (a single-distilled tequila) that the recipe calls for, but regular tequila works just fine.  It’s simple enough to put together – frozen mango pureed with citrusy Italian soda, and mixed with Tequila and cilantro (optional) – and the end result is sublime: fizzy, refreshing, not too sweet, fruity, and, duh, there’s tequila in it.  Just this recipe itself might make snagging a copy of this cookbook worthwhile, but there’s a whole lot more to recommend it.  You can see my earlier comments here, but in a nutshell, this book is full of unique and authentic Mexican recipes that are fairly simple to put together and pack a whole lot of flavor.  You won’t find overdone Tex-Mex recipes here, but I can almost guarantee you’ll find something you’ve never heard of before (and that sounds/is delicious), which is pretty much the number 1 thing I look for in a good cookbook.  Now that I sound a little like I’m obsessed with this book, I will lay it to rest, and leave you to get your tequila on.

Mango-Grapefruit Palomas

Adapted from Antojitos.  Serves 4.

• 2 c. frozen mango cubes
• 1 1-liter bottle grapefruit or blood orange italian soda
• 8 oz. tequila
• 4 tsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• ice cubes
• 1 lime
• margarita salt, or 2 TBS kosher salt mixed with 1/2 tsp chile powder for chile salt!

Note: this is more of a flavor as you go sort of recipe, so the quantities used here are approximately what I used to get a drink with the flavor, consistency, and strength that I like.  Feel free to adjust to your taste!

1. In a blender, puree the mango cubes and 2 cups of the grapefruit soda until smooth.  The consistency should be that of a thick applesauce.  Add more soda as needed.
2. Quarter the lime and rim the edge of each glass with its juice.  Roll the glasses on a plate full of margarita salt or chile salt to coat the rim of each glass.  To each glass, add 3 to 4 ice cubes, 2/3 c. mango puree, and 2 oz. (1/4 c.) tequila.  Top off with grapefruit soda, and stir to mix.  Add a tsp of fresh cilantro if desired.  Serve cold and enjoy!

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On the Fourth of July, I celebrated Cinco de Mayo.  So I’m a bit behind – that just means I’ll get to go to the fireworks on the Third of September, right?  My excuse: for the past month I’ve been mulling over the recipes in Antojitos: Festive and Flavorful Mexican Appetizers, a cookbook I received last year in a giveaway, but hadn’t given any serious perusal time.  Once I started looking, I couldn’t stop bookmarking recipes.  Soon I had a plan for a whole dinner party – I just needed someone to eat it.  That’s where the Fourth of July came in: everyone around and in the mood to celebrate, a whole day to cook in Maine (not that I’m particularly pressed for time on all the other days of the summer…), and permission to open up the tequila.

So while the rest of the country had hamburgers, potato salad, and red white and blue angel food cake, we had a fiesta.  The menu consisted of hibiscus margaritas; jicama, melon, and pineapple salad; grilled corn on the cob dipped in lime juice and chile-laced parmesan cheese; corn masa chalupas filled with guajillo spiced chorizo; and three dips to top everything off – charred serrano salsa, tomatillo guacasalsa, and chipotle crema.  Everything.  Was.  Delicious.  Seriously, this cookbook has recipes for some of the most flavorful and original food I’ve ever eaten.  My favorite was the corn – juicy sweet with a burst of hot from the chipotle and tangy saltiness from the lime and cheese, I couldn’t stop eating it.  The cooling jicama fruit salad was a close second, and both of these recipes may appear on this site sometime soon, but for now, the only thing I had time to take pictures of before everything was gobbled up were the salsas, which really tied all the food together.  The charred serrano salsa was both vinegary and hot with a beautiful color, the tomatillo and avocado guacasalsa was tangy and creamy with just a hint of heat, and the chipotle crema was just straight up delicious.  Since, in my opinion, the chipotle crema was the easiest, the tastiest, and the most versatile, I’ve chosen to include that recipe.  If you like it, or are intrigued by any of the other recipes mentioned here, I’d definitely recommend checking out Antojitos – it’s one of the best cookbooks I’ve used in a long time.

Chipotle Crema

Recipe adapted slightly from Antojitos: Festive and Flavorful Mexican Appetizers.  Makes about 2 cups.

• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 3 chipotles in adobo
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro, optional
• kosher salt

1. In a blender or food processor, pulse chipotles and lime juice until a smooth puree.  In a medium, non-reactive bowl, whisk together sour cream and heavy cream until smooth.  Add in the chipotle paste, using a spatula to scrape the sides of the processor.  Whisk until smooth and uniform in color.  Whisk in cumin and cilantro, if using.  Season to taste with the kosher salt.  Refrigerate for several hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.

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That’s a promise.

These drastic measures are a direct result of the evils of facebook.  Because maybe Trevor and I were indulging in a little trip down memory lane via backwards facebook stalking.  And maybe around 6 months ago a disturbing presence began to make itself known.  And maybe that presence was the gradual rounding of my face.  And arms.  And legs.  But mostly face.  And you know, this really isn’t that surprising (see danishes, brownies, tapioca), or truly that alarming (yet), but it still needs to be remedied.  Gotta nip it in the bud before I get too old to do anything about it.  Actually I’m just depressed by the fact that when I get to Maine (tomorrow!) my skinny little brothers and marathon running mom and five soccer games a week dad are all going to be able to run a 5k faster than me.  We’re competitive.  (Once, I took my best friend Steph along to a family picnic, after which my entire family started competing in races – running, cartwheeling, hopping on one foot.  She was completely baffled.)

So, the three sticks of butter recipes are going to have to be put on hold for a while, and we are going to focus on minimal butter consumption, healthy activities.  Like running.  Let’s talk about running.  Let’s talk about how much the first two runs suck when you decide it’s time to get in shape after a 2 month hiatus (I know, two whole months, but it’s just been too hot here to focus on exercise.  And there’s been more exciting stuff to do.  See drinking in the pool.)

Well, there it is – deciding to start running again sucks.  Especially when it’s still 90 degrees out at 8pm.  But there are some things that you can think about to make it bearable, like all the reasons you’re running.  Like, for example, I’m running so that my family won’t laugh at me.  Or, I’m running so that I won’t die before I’m supposed to.  I’m running because I can’t afford to buy new shorts, again.  I’m running because I like to feel strong.  I’m running because I want to want to run again.  I’m running because I know how good it can feel.  I’m running so I won’t feel guilty eating chocolate.  (Who am I kidding, I think I can count the times I’ve felt guilty about eating anything at all on one hand.)  I’m running because I promised to buy myself a slinky dress if I get skinny again.  I’m running because someone once told me “once a runner, always a runner” and I believe it.

So there, that was my little motivating moment for myself.  And maybe for you, too.  Because really what inspired all those thoughts was this thought, that I huffed and puffed to Trevor on the first run in a while: “How much would it suck if you’d never done this before and you didn’t know how good it could get? That running could be something beyond pain?  That it could be empowering, enjoyable?”  (Well, maybe I only said the first of those sentences out loud.)  And I kinda wanted someone out there struggling with all the initial suck to know that it’s totally worth it.

Now that that’s out there, let’s move on to the grub.  In my mind, this is the perfect black bean recipe – saucy, spicy, and a little bit sweet.  I know a lot of people aren’t huge bean fans, but I could eat these for days.  They fit all of my criteria – cheap, healthy, and delicious.  This particular recipe is the creation of Rebecca from Foodie with Family, which she has graciously allowed me to share.  The bean recipe itself is very healthy, coming in at 265 calories, 10 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of protein per serving.  (See bottom for rough nutritional and cost analysis.)  I’ve turned them into enchiladas which are less healthy but more satisfying when you want a full meal, and that still have all the nutritional benefits of the beans, tomatoes, and herbs.  These beans are also killer over couscous if you’re looking for a happy medium recipe – a full, balanced meal, without the not-exactly-diet-friendly tortillas and cheese.

So that kicks off our healthy streak.  Try these, let me know what you think, and get excited for the next healthy recipe – it’s the perfect late summer meal and one of the best recipes I’ve tried all year.  Happy healthiness.

Saucy Black Bean Enchiladas

(Serves 3)

Bean recipe adapted slightly from Foodie with Family

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 TBS minced garlic
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 small can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/3 c. orange juice
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 TBS ground cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp oregano
• kosher salt to taste
• 4-6 flour tortillas
• 2/3 c. shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
• 1 can enchilada sauce, or half of this recipe
• fresh, chopped cilantro, to garnish

1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and sautee until translucent.  Add garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, chili powder and oregano, and sautee for 1 minute.
2. Add beans, tomatoes, and orange juice to onion and spice mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beans are bubbly and thickened, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.
3. If making enchiladas, preheat oven to 400 °F.  Line casserole dish with tortillas, overlapping slightly.  Scoop some of bean mixture into tortillas one at a time, rolling the tortilla up and flipping over so that seal is on the bottom of the pan.  Pour enchilada sauce over, and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and gooey.  Garnish with fresh cilantro.

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Nutritional and Cost Analysis (Nutrtition estimated using SparkPeople’s recipe calculator):

Nutrition: Beans only – 265 calories per serving (3 servings per recipe), 10.2g fat, 10.5 g fiber, 10.7 g protein.  Enchiladas – 645 calories per serving, 24.3 g fat, 13.8 g fiber, 23.4 g protein
Cost: Beans only – $3.59 per pot, $1.20 per serving.  Enchiladas – $4.99 for pan, $1.66 per serving.

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