Ajilimojili is a traditional Puerto Rican sauce made with garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. It is used as a table condiment for everything, especially the traditional holiday roasted leg of pork. Of course, when I sit at the Puerto Rican holiday table, I want nothing to do with the pork. Thankfully, ajilimojili elevates any meat-free side dishes (like salad, plantains, and arroz con gandules) to much more celebratory good eats.
My mom's recipe is spectacular, and for hers she uses these really tiny sweet peppers called "ajies dulces", which are readily available in Puerto Rican grocery stores (or in her backyard garden). I have searched for them here in the continental US, with no success. But, the light bulb went off on my last trip to PR, when I studied the peppers closely and decided they reminded me of pepperoncini peppers! I promptly made a batch of the sauce upon my return, and it is quickly becoming a fridge staple.
And yes, I can say "ajilimojili" ten times really fast.
Salsa Ajilimojili
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon sliced pepperoncini peppers, chopped and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
the juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Put all ingredients in a blender. Grid until desired consistency (I like to pulse it so I can get it somewhat smooth, but with a few garlic chunks left).
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Stuffed Butternut Squash
I made this for my office slow-cooker cook-a-thon. A melon baller made it quite easy to carve a cavity for the stuffing in the squash.
This recipe fits on a 6-quart slow cooker
1 small butternut squash
1 5-oz bag dried apple slices
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup cooked short grain brown rice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup cooked sliced mushrooms
1 cup cooked cannellini beans
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1/4 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
1- Grease the insert of the slow cooker with some cooking spray or oil.
2- Cut the squash in half legthwise, then cut each half in half (right where the seeds are, so that 2 of the quarters are have all the seeds).
3- On the quarters that have the seeds: Remove the seeds and discard (or save for roasting).
4- On the quarters that do not have the seeds: Carve out some of the squash flesh so that the piece of squash can hold the stuffing. I scooped out about 1" in width and about half the height of the squash. Transfer the flesh balls that were scooped out into the slow cooker insert.
5- Add the apples, onions, and 2 tablespoons of oil to the squash pieces in the insert. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.
6- In a large bowl, combine the rice, cranberries, mushrooms, sage, and beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scoop the stuffing into the squash cavities.
7- Arrange the squash pieces skin side down inside the slow cooker insert on top of the apple mixture. Drizzle the remaining oil on top of the squash.
8- If the cooker has a warm setting, cook on low for 3 hours then let sit in "warm" for another 5 hours. Otherwise, cook on low for 4 hours, or until the squash is fork tender. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, then serve.
This recipe fits on a 6-quart slow cooker
1 small butternut squash
1 5-oz bag dried apple slices
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup cooked short grain brown rice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup cooked sliced mushrooms
1 cup cooked cannellini beans
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1/4 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
1- Grease the insert of the slow cooker with some cooking spray or oil.
2- Cut the squash in half legthwise, then cut each half in half (right where the seeds are, so that 2 of the quarters are have all the seeds).
3- On the quarters that have the seeds: Remove the seeds and discard (or save for roasting).
4- On the quarters that do not have the seeds: Carve out some of the squash flesh so that the piece of squash can hold the stuffing. I scooped out about 1" in width and about half the height of the squash. Transfer the flesh balls that were scooped out into the slow cooker insert.
5- Add the apples, onions, and 2 tablespoons of oil to the squash pieces in the insert. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.
6- In a large bowl, combine the rice, cranberries, mushrooms, sage, and beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scoop the stuffing into the squash cavities.
7- Arrange the squash pieces skin side down inside the slow cooker insert on top of the apple mixture. Drizzle the remaining oil on top of the squash.
8- If the cooker has a warm setting, cook on low for 3 hours then let sit in "warm" for another 5 hours. Otherwise, cook on low for 4 hours, or until the squash is fork tender. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, then serve.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Tortilla Espa~nola
The first weekend of October found me in a lovely and misty Portland, Oregon. I went up there to visit with some close friends from my Motorola days. On Sunday morning, I contributed to brunch for the gang by preparing one of my favorite childhood brunch dishes.
This dish does double duty as center stage entree for brunch, and simple sandwich filling for leftover re-purposing, kind of like meatloaf.
Update: Christina's comment (below) reminded me about the Manchego cheese... When I made this for them, I sprinkled about 1 cup shredded Manchego cheese on top and put it on the broiler for a few minutes (until the cheese browned a bit) before resting and serving. This was a very welcome detour from the dish I knew as a child. Manchego would be the obvious choice, but Gruyere would work nicely here too.
4 large waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), peeled and thinly sliced (Hello, food processor!)
1 large onion, thinly sliced (Hello again!)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
8 large eggs, at room temperature
a splash of milk or heavy cream
a splash of Worcestershire sauce
1- Preheat oven to 400. Grease a cookie sheet and a 10" nonstick pan or skillet with about 1/4 cup of the oil. Set aside.
2- Toss the potatoes, onion, garlic, remaining 1/4 cup of the oil, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread as a thin layer over a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, tossing in pan halfway, until the potatoes start to get golden and are soft. Remove from oven and lower oven temperature to 350.
3- Beat the eggs, milk, and Worcestershire sauce with a whisk in a large bowl until lightly combined.
4- Add the hot cooked potatoes to the egg mixture and toss well. Do not be shy about mixing hot potatoes into egg! It is a must in this recipe! Pour onto oiled skillet or cake pan (I put parchment paper on mine before oiling some more) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the mixture is set. Turn onto a cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the top starts to brown. Remove from oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served at room temperature.
This dish does double duty as center stage entree for brunch, and simple sandwich filling for leftover re-purposing, kind of like meatloaf.
Update: Christina's comment (below) reminded me about the Manchego cheese... When I made this for them, I sprinkled about 1 cup shredded Manchego cheese on top and put it on the broiler for a few minutes (until the cheese browned a bit) before resting and serving. This was a very welcome detour from the dish I knew as a child. Manchego would be the obvious choice, but Gruyere would work nicely here too.
4 large waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), peeled and thinly sliced (Hello, food processor!)
1 large onion, thinly sliced (Hello again!)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
8 large eggs, at room temperature
a splash of milk or heavy cream
a splash of Worcestershire sauce
1- Preheat oven to 400. Grease a cookie sheet and a 10" nonstick pan or skillet with about 1/4 cup of the oil. Set aside.
2- Toss the potatoes, onion, garlic, remaining 1/4 cup of the oil, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread as a thin layer over a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, tossing in pan halfway, until the potatoes start to get golden and are soft. Remove from oven and lower oven temperature to 350.
3- Beat the eggs, milk, and Worcestershire sauce with a whisk in a large bowl until lightly combined.
4- Add the hot cooked potatoes to the egg mixture and toss well. Do not be shy about mixing hot potatoes into egg! It is a must in this recipe! Pour onto oiled skillet or cake pan (I put parchment paper on mine before oiling some more) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the mixture is set. Turn onto a cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the top starts to brown. Remove from oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served at room temperature.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Quinoa Black Bean Taco Filling
Beef tacos? Yes. Make these instead and it'll be our little secret.
Quinoa Black Bean Taco Filling
1 cup inca red quinoa (regular quinoa would work too)
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons salsa
1 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1- Rinse the quinoa on a strainer under running cold water for a couple of minutes.
2- In medium pot, heat oil and sautee onion and garlic for 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Add carrot and continue to sautee for another 5 minutes, or until the carrot is tender.
3- Add quinoa, water, broth, salsa, cumin, and paprika. Simmer covered for 20 minutes on med-low heat, until all the liquid is absorbed.
4- Toss in the beans, corn, oil, and cheese. Mix well.
Quinoa Black Bean Taco Filling
1 cup inca red quinoa (regular quinoa would work too)
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons salsa
1 cup garbanzo beans
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1- Rinse the quinoa on a strainer under running cold water for a couple of minutes.
2- In medium pot, heat oil and sautee onion and garlic for 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Add carrot and continue to sautee for another 5 minutes, or until the carrot is tender.
3- Add quinoa, water, broth, salsa, cumin, and paprika. Simmer covered for 20 minutes on med-low heat, until all the liquid is absorbed.
4- Toss in the beans, corn, oil, and cheese. Mix well.
Egg Replacers
For baked goods, I replace up to 3 eggs with the following formula:
1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1/2 teaspoon potato starch + 1/4 teaspoon baking powder + 1 tablespoon water + 1 tablespoon olive oil = 1 egg
For scrambled egg applications (such as breakfast taco filling), I saute 1 package crumbled firm tofu in 1 teaspoon olive oil until golden, then add 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste, then toss it up with the usual scrambled egg accompaniments (potatoes, cheese, herbs, etc).
1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1/2 teaspoon potato starch + 1/4 teaspoon baking powder + 1 tablespoon water + 1 tablespoon olive oil = 1 egg
For scrambled egg applications (such as breakfast taco filling), I saute 1 package crumbled firm tofu in 1 teaspoon olive oil until golden, then add 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste, then toss it up with the usual scrambled egg accompaniments (potatoes, cheese, herbs, etc).
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Vegetarian "Chorizo" Hash
Convenient pantry and freezer ingredients make this a good weeknight meal, or a hearty entree for any meal of the day. Double the "chorizo" hash recipe, and enjoy the leftovers as taco fillings or scrambled egg add-ins. Quinoa has a natural pest repellent that can be bitter when cooked, so be sure to rinse it well in a colander under running water for a couple of minutes.
For the "chorizo":
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup medium salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1/2 cup choppped fresh cilantro
For the hash:
2 cups frozen hash-brown potato cubes, thawed
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
5 large Eggland's Best eggs
1 tablespoon water
1- In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook covered on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. The resulting cooked grains should be loose, like couscous.
2- Add the remaining "chorizo" ingredients to the cooked quinoa. Toss well to combine and cook until heated through. Remove from heat.
3- With a potato masher or fork, roughly mash the "chorizo". Add the potatoes and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4- In a large skillet, brush the canola oil and heat on medium heat. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and pour into the pan. Pour water over the eggs, cover, and cook for 1 minute, or until the eggs are cooked through.
5- In each plate, shape the hash into a 1-cup mound (a ramekin serves as a mold for a pretty presentation), and top each mound with 1 egg.
Makes five 1-cup servings.
For the "chorizo":
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup medium salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1/2 cup choppped fresh cilantro
For the hash:
2 cups frozen hash-brown potato cubes, thawed
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
5 large Eggland's Best eggs
1 tablespoon water
1- In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook covered on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. The resulting cooked grains should be loose, like couscous.
2- Add the remaining "chorizo" ingredients to the cooked quinoa. Toss well to combine and cook until heated through. Remove from heat.
3- With a potato masher or fork, roughly mash the "chorizo". Add the potatoes and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4- In a large skillet, brush the canola oil and heat on medium heat. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and pour into the pan. Pour water over the eggs, cover, and cook for 1 minute, or until the eggs are cooked through.
5- In each plate, shape the hash into a 1-cup mound (a ramekin serves as a mold for a pretty presentation), and top each mound with 1 egg.
Makes five 1-cup servings.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Crockpot Mole Sauce
At long last, I found a recipe, tweaked it, and made it ICBINM friendly! Smother on!
Crockpot Mole Sauce
In 4-qt crockpot insert, mix all of the following:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 squares of dark chocolate (I used World Market's Chipotle Chili Dark Chocolate bar; 2 Hershey's Dark mini bars would work here; all you want is a hint of chocolate)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 whole dried ancho chili pepper
Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the ancho chili. Cut and discard the stem of the pepper and return the rest of the pepper to the crockpot. Puree sauce until smooth.
Crockpot Mole Sauce
In 4-qt crockpot insert, mix all of the following:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 squares of dark chocolate (I used World Market's Chipotle Chili Dark Chocolate bar; 2 Hershey's Dark mini bars would work here; all you want is a hint of chocolate)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 whole dried ancho chili pepper
Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the ancho chili. Cut and discard the stem of the pepper and return the rest of the pepper to the crockpot. Puree sauce until smooth.
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