Sauces

Salsa

~ 1CupOfJoy ~ 1 Comment

IMG_4111Superbowl is round the corner and it calls for some easy crowd pleasing finger food that are guaranteed to score! This is one of my favorite game day recipe, a base that gives me flexibility to serve with some chips or a plate of Veggie Nachos or Veggie Quesadillas or as one of the toppings for a burrito bowl. Over the years this has become our favorite game day food for any big sports event… Cricket, Boxing, Tennis.. and MMA, provided the fight goes on for more than a few seconds. Essentially I always have a jar of Salsa in my refrigerator and it has always been a big score for me.IMG_4112I first had Salsa at a mexican restaurant in Mystic CT, the food in Margaritas is average but the salsa is a town favorite. Thats the taste that inspired this recipe and to me it feels like perfection, every bite brings back memories of Sangrias with girlfriends. Play around with the ingredients and find that perfect taste for you. This is also one of those recipes that I am asked about a lot! So here goes. 526102_373643059347155_950859651_nCouple things to keep in mind: First, I use plum tomatoes for this because they have low moisture content, robust flavor and mild acidity making it a perfect choice, but any other type of tomatoes works just as good. Secondly I don’t use a food processor to chop the vegetables because they loose their crunchiness, which I really like. But if thats something your not particular about then just throw all ingredients (except corn and beans) in a food processor and pulse away. Third, allow it to rest for a day before digging in. This helps with all the flavors to really blend in.IMG_4117The picture above shows how I chop the vegetables, they are almost finely chopped.

Time for Prep: 20 mins      Time to Cook: 5 mins     Yield: 16oz (2 cups)      Level: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3-4 cubanelles, chopped
  • 2-4 jalepenos, chopped
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 english cucumber, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Red Wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp chili paste or Tubasco sauce (optional)
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 cup sweet yellow corn, cooked (Optional)
  • 1 cup black beans, cooked (Optional)

Process:

  1. In a mixing bowl, mix in the chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, cubanelles, jalepenos, onion, cilantro and cucumber.
  2. Add tomato and chili paste, mix it in.
  3. Add yellow corn and black beans, mix in.
  4. Add salt, cumin, cayenne and red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning based on preference. If you want a runnier Salsa, add more tomato paste and/or red wine vinegar.
  5. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for around 14-15 days.

Harissa

~ 1CupOfJoy ~ 1 Comment

IMG_3970When it comes to Red Spicy Condiments, Harissa is my absolute favorite!! I was first introduced to its smoky hot flavor by a Tunisian friend a few years back, it was love at first taste! Over the years I have tried various brands of store bought ones, but finally resolved to making some at home.   This is a perfect condiment to quickly add spice to any recipe. I use it to marinate meat and vegetables before grilling, as a spread on bread, instead of ketchup with scrambled eggs/omelet/fritatas and my favorite -instead of chutney with Dosa.

IMG_3965To make this, first step is to choose the right type of chiles to suit your palette. Personally I like using Dundicut Red chilli, its packed with heat and has a full bodied complex flavor or Guntur Chilli because at the end of the day, I am a Hyderabadi after all. But don’t limit yourself with these choices, experiment. I have used Chipotle and Marita chiles for a smoky flavor, Guajillo chiles to reduce the heat and a combination of all of them. I have also Roasted Red peppers for the times when I had kids coming over.

IMG_3968

Ingredients:

  • 10-12  dried red chilli pepper of your choice.
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp tamarind powder/paste or 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • salt to taste

Process:

  1. Soak the dried chile in the boiling water for around 45 mins.
  2. In a pan dry roast caraway seeds, cumin and coriander seeds till fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
  3. Remove the stems and seeds from the soaked chile (If you want the Harissa to be real spicy, leave the seeds). Please be sure to take necessary precautions like wearing gloves and throughly washing hands after.
  4. Add the soaked chile, roasted spices, garlic, turmeric, cilantro and tamarind/lemon juice to a blender/food processor and make a smooth paste.
  5. While the blender/food processor is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Add more liquid for a thinner dip (For a longer shelf life add oil instead of water).
  6. Adjust salt and add more if needed. The flavor of the Harissa deepens in 2 to 3 days time.
  7. Transfer to a airtight container, top it with a thin layer of olive oil on top and store in refrigerator. For longer shelf life, layer the top with oil each time you use the Harissa.

 

Alfredo Sauce

~ 1CupOfJoy ~ 3 Comments

Pasta tossed with butter and parmesan dates back to the medieval times. But the now popular ‘Fettuccine Alfredo’ was created in more recent years by “Alfredo Di Lelio”. In early 1900s, he got busy in his kitchen creating a rich, comforting, creamy and delicious dish to bring back the lost appetite of his wife, a new mother. Fast forward a few decades, this dish today is by far the most popular entree served in an Italian restaurant internationally.

You can make the dish the traditional way of adding cheese and butter to cooked fettuccine along with some water (in which the pasta was cooked) and vigorously mixing it with a fork until the cheese emulsifies into a creamy texture or you can make this sauce before hand and make an easy weeknight dinner. I also use this sauce with other type of pasta, on pizzas, for white lasagna, casseroles and on occasion as a dip to make Broccoli appealing.

Time for Prep: 10 mins     Time to Cook: 10 mins    Yield: 12 0z   Level: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped (roasted cloves taste better)
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (parmesan)
  • 1/2 tbsp thyme, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tbsp oregano, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Process:

  1. Melt butter in a pan.
  2. Add the garlic and sauté for a couple mins.
  3. Slowly pour in the heavy cream, keep whisking while bringing to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat, add the grated parmesan and continue whisking until everything is well blended into a smooth paste.
  5. Add in the thyme, oregano and ground black pepper, whisk it in.

Notes:

  • Butter cultured ‘European style’ results in creamier sauce.
  • If you want to cut down on the richness, then replace the cream with half and half or whole milk.
  • For richer flavor use fresh herbs and garlic.