Older Bolder Life

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Recipe: Salsas

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Grilled Tiger Salsa (Sauce)

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Alongside last week’s Spicy Cumin Coriander Tri-Tip Steak recipe we served up this nifty Grilled Tiger Salsa (some might argue it’s a sauce as well).

As with almost any dish you might search to find a recipe for, there are a number of versions of this salsa; most are damned tasty and a few are great.

And as I often do, I reached out to our compadre Chef Libby in Austin to see what her spin on the recipe was (is?); and as is most often the case, she had some definite opinions and had tweaked some of the best recipes to make her’s suit the Tex-ified palates she serves catering in Austin.

Like a lot of great grilled salsas, this one is built around grilled tomatoes, rubbed with olive oil and good salt and roasted over high heat until there’s a bit of char present and some of the tomatoes are just beginning to burst.

Many Tiger Salsa recipes you’ll see call for cherry tomatoes; I agree with Chef Libby that Campari tomatoes have a deeper, richer flavor grilled, and are a tad bit easier to handle on grill grates given their larger size.

Given that we can find uber-fresh serranos all around the neighborhood here in North Texas, we lean to using serranos (as does Libby) instead of Thai chiles, but feel free to use whatever peppers are handy and whose flavors you most appreciate.

The salsa prep is rounded out using a chopped shallot (a very nice touch) and a bit of cilantro, with the acid component being freshly squeezed lime juice (I usually add a bit of lime zest out of habit), and a strong umami boost comes from fish (use the good stuff) and oyster sauces.

We think this one is best freshly made with the tomatoes still warm, but it does hold pretty well for a day or two – ours never really lasts beyond the first day…

1 and 1/2 cups Campari or cherry tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
4-6 Thai or 2-3 serrano chiles, stemmed, finely chopped
3-4 green onions, trimmed, grilled, chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup (or more) cilantro leaves + small stems, chopped
Juice of two limes (more if need to thin)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce

To start the sauce, lightly oil and salt the tomatoes and green onions in a medium bowl, then grill until lightly charred and the tomatoes are beginning to burst. Remove from the grill and cool the tomatoes in the original bowl, chop the green onions and set aside.

Into the food processor go the chopped green onions, garlic, Thai or serrano chiles, shallot, and 1/4 tsp salt; process to a paste consistency. Now quickly pulse in the cilantro.

Crush the cooled, grilled tomatoes by hand, then add the shallot-chile mixture, lime juice, fish and oyster sauces. Adjust for salt and lime juice (acid), serve immediately or hold in the fridge for a short time.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Our Spin on Santa Maria Salsa

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Today’s recipe is a fairly unique salsa (some might even argue it’s a salad) that’s actually a companion to the damned delicious Santa Maria Smoked Tri-Tip that I posted last week.

As candidly noted a week ago, I’ve never been to Santa Maria, California to sample their most admired and authentic tri-tip cooked over those glowing red oak coals, and (by multiple reports) served alongside this interesting salsa and a heaping pile of pinquito beans.

We have, on the other hand, grilled and smoked a hefty number of tri-tips over the years, and the Santa Maria version I posted last week is by far and away one of our favorites.

Growing up and currently living in Texas, and living/traveling up and down the Rockies chain for the past 30 years, we’ve also enjoyed a (shamefully perhaps) astounding number of great salsas, from stunningly fresh table salsas made minutes before serving to uptown and gourmet salsas made from ingredients you’d never imagine could be “salsified”.

That said, neither my lovely wife or I could recall a salsa we’ve enjoyed in which celery played a central role, until making up several batches of this Santa Maria Salsa, starting more or less from Raichlen’s recipe (see last week’s post for more) and tweaking here and there to suit our palates.

Bottom line, the celery plays very well, and while the original recipe apparently added garlic salt, we think minced fresh garlic is much better, and I’ve added a bit more jalapeño heat to align more with the Texas and Southwestern salsa we’re addicted to.

This one needs to be enjoyed fresh and comes together in minutes (with decent knife skills), give it a spin and please share your customizations in the comments below.

3 medium tomatoes, chopped fine (save the juices)
2-3 medium celery ribs, chopped fine
3-4 green onions, white and green parts, chopped fine
1-2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, chopped fine
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 fresh garlic cloves, minced (optional, see note)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp vinegar of choice
1-2 tsp hot sauce of choice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well; adjust vinegar and hot sauce amounts to taste.

Best served within 4 hours of being made.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Mango Salsa Number 1

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I’ve shared in a number of posts over the past couple of years that we’re big fans of salsas of all sorts around our camp.

Salsas (for the most part) are quick and easy additions to any meal, most often combining likely (and perhaps a few unlikely) ingredients to create unique explosions of flavor to spice what might otherwise be tame proteins or vegetables.

Here’s a great example – a few weeks back at my lovely wife’s urging I drug a recipe out of mothballs that we’d not enjoyed in a while – a sesame seed and parmesan crusted tuna steak. We used to serve this delight with a sauce based on chipotle chiles in adobo and apricot jam, and it was stunningly good.

For better or for worse that sauce has fallen from our lexicon since going Primal, and I was digging around for a great fruit-based salsa to serve with the tuna.

There are hundreds (perhaps even millions) of nifty fruit salsa recipes floating around out there in the ether, and as there happened to be some nice-looking mangos at the grocery that day, I reached for this salsa recipe shared by Chef Libby in Austin a few years back.

Around our table we whole-heartedly agree that a dusting of ancho chile powder (the floral notes really fit well) and even a whisper of cumin really play well with mango salsa, though Libby’s perhaps not so secret weapon is the additional of a teaspoon or two of a good habanero-based hot sauce, preferably one of the Central American brands. The hot sauce adds just a touch of genuine heat to the game without overwhelming the fruit and other vegetal flavors.

This one is best eaten the day it’s made, but if we ever have any left over my lovely wife argues it’s better the second or third day.

2 ripe mangos, diced
1/2-1 medium red or orange bell pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped red onion
2-4 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 large lime, juiced
1/2 tsp good salt (to taste)
1-2 tsp of a good tropical habanero based hot sauce
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder (optional)
1/4 tsp ground cumin (optional)

Combine the diced/chopped mangos, red bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño in a medium bowl.

Sprinkle on the salt, chile powder, and cumin if using, then squeeze the lime juice over as well as the habanero sauce if using.

Stir gentle, taste, and adjust the seasoning to suit.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Quick Grilled Pineapple Habanero Salsa

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The weather this week here in North Texas has been delightfully un-winter like with several afternoons boasting of bright sunshine and temperatures much more reminiscent of October as opposed to December (mid-70s).

I’ve been stuck in my home office the past couple of weeks grinding through some intensive training for a new project, and have been working through trials on a couple of new recipes, including this Quick Grilled Pineapple Habanero Salsa that we’ve been pairing with a tacos al pastor recipe I’ll post next week.

We’ve long been a fan of fresh fruit, tropically-inspired salsas; at least around our camp those creations are typically paired with some protein hot off the grill. Probably some of the best fruit salsas we’ve enjoyed over the years have deep Central American and Caribbean roots and have topped various delicious fish tacos.

Our compadre Chef Libby in Austin was talking about a Tacos al Pastor recipe she and her team had served at an event last month and mentioned this recipe, which I prompted cobbled together with a spicy grilled chicken the following Sunday afternoon.

Interesting, bowing to their shared bias toward food flavors of Texas and the Southwest, my lovely wife and Libby think this one is even better using jalapeños and/or serranos for the chiles and cilantro subbed in for the fresh mint.

That version is damned good, though the fruity, front-of-the-tongue heat of the habanero version is like nothing else in the pepper game, and I’d suggest you try both and see what your clan likes best. (I don’t know about you, but I still wear gloves when finely chopping habanero peppers after one very uncomfortable eye rub post a salsa prep several years ago.)

Finally, grilling the pineapple isn’t absolutely essential, but it does make a nifty difference. The salsa is good with the pineapple freshly chopped, it’s great with the pineapple grilled.

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch rings
2-4 habanero chiles, stemmed, seeded, finely chopped
1 small-medium onion (we prefer red onions here)
1/3 to 1/2 cup mint, chopped
3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp fresh lime zest
Good salt to taste

Options
Sub out cilantro for the mint
Jalapeños and/or serrano chiles for the habaneros

Grill the pineapple rings over med-high heat until they develop some nice char, cool slightly, then chop fairly small.

Now combine the pineapple with the prepped chiles, onion, mint, lime juice, and salt; stir to mix well, and adjust for lime juice and salt. Chill until using or go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Spicy Avocado Strawberry Salsa

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Now and again we stumble upon a flavor combination that just works.

It’s usually something that’s more simple than complicated, and often ends up being a riff on some food item that we’ve enjoyed for years and just decided to tweak a bit to see what happens.

Like many of you, we’ve enjoyed our share of fresh fruit salsa over the years. The food pairing that first comes to mind relates to our love of grilled fish tacos, and fish tacos scream for a great, spicy as hell, luscious fruit salsa, along with a mouth-puckering, vinegar-based slaw.

Hailing from Texas, peach salsas tend to dominate the fruit salsa landscape in these parts, but time spend in Western Washington back in the day taught us the potential of fruit salsas based on many other tasty fruits, including juicy summer strawberries.

There are lot of great strawberry salsa recipes floating around out there, though a few weeks ago I started playing around with adding avocado (diced) to a couple of different fruit salsa preps. After a number of tasty but texturally weak attempts, it became overtly clear that a barely ripe, pretty damned firm avocado was needed here, to maintain shape and preserve texture in the salsa mixture but still bring a strong avocado flavor statement to the table.

Adding avocado also calls for more heat (use your pepper of choice, but we like a combination of serrano and jalapeño here) and a bit more lime juice than you might have used before.

My lovely wife fought me for the last spoon of this recipe a few days back (dammit, I’m not kidding about that), and insisted this was the best danged fruit salsa she’d ever imagined.

Hot damn, that’s pretty high praise around our camp. Try this one while summer’s best strawberries are in…

Zest and juice from 2 medium or one large lime
1-2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1/4 tsp (or to taste) good salt

2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled, diced
1/2 large firm avocado, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 medium jalapeño (or serrano) peppers, stemmed, seeded, diced
2/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Optional
Grind or two of fresh ground pepper
Sprinkle of good paprika
Pinch of minced fresh garlic or granulated garlic

Get started by zesting at least one lime and juicing both; combine the honey or maple syrup and salt with the lime juice and set aside.

Now hull and dice the strawberries, dice the onion and jalapeño, and chop the cilantro. Stir all three into the lime juice, coating the strawberries well. Now prep the avocado and stir into the mixture, again coating the ingredients thoroughly with the lime juice.

Add any or all of the optional ingredients, adjust for salt and lime juice, and throw in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to let the flavors meld a bit. Stir once more before serving.

Enjoy, and be prepared to explain why you didn’t make a bigger batch.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Monday: Grilled Sweet Onion Salsa

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We’re always on the lookout for fresh, interesting, and what some might call unusual salsas; they can dress up any meal and bring multiple layers of flavor to the table.

I’ve been playing around with a few very nice flavored vinegars lately and a friend happened to mention a recipe similar to this Grilled Sweet Onion Salsa served by one of his favorite steak houses back in Georgia.

Being from Georgia, they of course use Vidalia onions, but any sweet onion works here. I happened to find a very nice citrus infused champagne vinegar at my favorite grocery store a few weeks back (incredible in a new vinaigrette we’re working on) that ended up playing very very well here with the sweet onions, thyme, and coriander flavors.

And by the way, this is out of this world with fresh thyme, but dried thyme works in a pinch. You’ll note in the images above I used dried when making this batch (my fresh thyme had gone into another braise recipe the day before, dammit).

2 sweet onions (see this), sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
4 tbsp avocado or good olive oil
Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup champagne vinegar
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves (1 tbsp dried, see note)

Optional
1-2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1 roasted serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, peeled, then minced

Slice your onion of choice, lay the slices out on a sheet pan and brush with oil, then coat generously with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Fire the grill or using a grill pan, grill the onions for a minute or two on each side, enough to begin to char a bit, but not cooking all the way through. Grill the pepper at the same time if using. Return to your sheet pan, sprinkle with the fresh thyme leaves and cool.

While the onions are cooling, combine the vinegar, water, fresh ground pepper, coriander, and sweetener if using in a small sauce pan; bring to a quick boil, simmer for 60-90 seconds, then set aside to cool in a medium bowl.

When the onions have cooled, rough chop into medium or small dice, then toss in the vinegar mixture (the pepper too if you’re using). Adjust for salt and go to it.

Cheers.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Monday: Simple Salsa Criolla

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Recently on a trip to Austin my wife and I strolled by one of the many famous eateries on South Congress (what a fascinating slice of life to be seen there) and I stopped to read the menu posted outside. Their special that evening was a grilled, grass-fed, house-made hot dog (bratwurst for the purists out there) served with a Salsa Criolla.

I hung around long enough to see a platter of these come out, and I have to admit, the salsa looked delicious.

When back home I added salsa criolla to my recipe research list, and even pestered friend Chef Libby in Austin for her favorite version. She kindly responded with this recipe, and reminded me that both Peru and Argentina claim salsa criolla as regional salsas or side dishes, and of course there are a number of regional variations pending who you ask.

She seemed to think that the Peruvian version was a little more simple and typically made with red onions and rarely tomato, while the Argentinian version was more often made with sweet white onions and tomato.

Regarding the peppers, she also noted that her South American recipes for salsa criolla almost always call for an ahi amarillo pepper, native to South America, though here in the States recipes call for 1/2 of a bell pepper (use yellow or orange for the color), serranos or jalapeños, though she and I agree that the Texas-born Mediterraneo Dulce peppers is a nifty choice here if you can find them.

The lime juice adds the perfect burst of citrus tartness, and Libby and I prefer cilantro, though parsley might actually be more true to the salsa’s South American roots.

1 large tomato, blanched, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 medium red or white onion (red is more traditional)
1/2 bell pepper, 1 Mediterraneo Dulce pepper, or 1-2 serranos or jalapeños
1 green onion, white and green parts, thinly sliced
Juice of one lime (roughly 3 tbsp)
1-2 tbsp avocado oil or EVOO
1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
1/2 to 1 tsp good salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Optional
1/2 clove fresh garlic, grated
1 tsp fresh oregano, minced
Additional lime juice or white vinegar to taste

Blanch your tomato for 10-15 seconds in a pot of boiling water, then immediately immerse it in an ice-water bath to cool. Peel, cut in half, seed, chop into a 1/4-inch dice, and add to a medium bowl.

Slice the onion into thin slices, the pepper(s) of choice into 1/4-inch dice, and thinly slice the green onion; add everything to the tomato bowl. Add the chopped cilantro or parsley and oregano if using, then the lime juice, oil of choice, salt, pepper, and garlic if using. Stir well to combine, correct the seasonings to taste.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Monday: Grilled Jalapeño, Onion, and Pepita Salsa

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Here’s a nifty salsa that will fit right into your summer grilling routine – a Grilled Jalapeño, Onion, and Pepita Salsa.

Grilled onions are a favorite side around our kitchen, they’re crazy simple to do – just quarter a medium to large sized red, white, or yellow onion through the root end (it keeps the onion layers together), slather with your favorite oil (olive or avocado for us), douse with a generous sprinkle of good salt and fresh ground pepper, and throw em on the grill.

This salsa highlights the onion’s grilled sweetness, and along with the spice of the jalapeños, the crunch of the pepitas, and the tart burst from the lime juice, this salsa is a wonderful accompaniment to any protein hot off the grill.

It’ll hold for a day in the fridge, though we think it’s best eaten soon after stirring it together (the pepitas are still crunchy).

2 quarters of medium white onion, cut through the root end
1 quarter of medium red onion, cut through the root end
3-4 jalapeños
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup roasted pepitas, chopped
1/4 cup good olive or avocado oil
3 to 4 tbsp fresh lime juice
Good salt to taste

Grill the onions and jalapeños until blistered, let cool. (If you’re not firing the grill for another reason, you can also blister in cast iron skillet over medium high heat, or directly over the flame of a gas burner).

Finely chopped the onion and stemmed and seeded jalapeños, then combine with the cilantro, pepitas, oil of choice, lime juice, and salt in a small serving bowl.

This will hold in the fridge for up to a day, but as it sits the pepitas soften and their flavor begins to dampen a bit. Serve at room temp.

Enjoy.