Older Bolder Life

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Recipe: Salsas

The Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Texas Red Jalapeño and Chipotle Harissa

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A couple of months ago I was given the pleasure of writing a short piece for a fly fishing magazine based out of South Africa – The Mission – detailing a version of this Texas Red Jalapeño and Chipotle Harissa we’ve been playing with for a while.

I shared with The Mission team –

Exceptional sauces and salsas are some of life’s simplest and most valuable additions to the table, making good foods great as they deliver layers of flavor and spice, most often as the best supporting actor and not stealing the scene from the star of the show.

Texas offers a fascinating and eclectic food culture, melding influences from early settlers hailing from across the world, but leaning heavily on Mexican, Germanic, and Irish roots, with a healthy scoop of Vietnamese and Asian influences thrown into the mix as well over the past several decades.

Distracted for years by delicious salsa verdes, fresh table salsas, and more guacamoles than I can count, of late we’ve been playing with different harissa recipes, including this one featuring a pepper unique to these parts – the Dulce Mediterraneo, for which you can readily substitute with a red bell pepper.

Harissa, a Tunisian hot chili paste, makes just about everything better, from the morning’s scrambled or fried eggs, to seafood, lamb, pork, beef, or wild game hot from the grill.

‘Nuff said.

2 large red dulce Mediterraneo peppers
1/4 pound red jalapeño chiles
1-2 dried chipotle pepper(s), soaked for 10-15 minutes

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, whole
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, whole
2 teaspoons caraway seeds, whole
4 large cloves garlic

2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
1/2-1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (additional for storage)

Blacken the skins of the dulce mediterraneo peppers (over an open flame, under a broiler, etc), place in a paper or plastic bag and let steam for 20 minutes or so. When cooled, stem, seed, peel, and place in a blender.

Stem the jalapeños (Fresno or green jalapeños in a pinch) and place in the blender.

Toast the coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds in a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until fragrant, then coarsely grind in a mortar and pestle and add to the blender. Toast the whole garlic cloves in the same pan until browned (lightly), then add to blender.

Finally add the roasted peppers, tomato paste, soaked chipotles, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 cup olive oil to the blender, then blend until roughly pureed (you want some texture in the sauce). Add olive oil if needed to thin, and adjust for salt.

Pour into a glass pint jar and top with a thin layer of olive oil to store in the fridge.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Monday: Quick Grilled Tomato and Jalapeño Table Salsa

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On our run last week to see our kids and their families in Montana last week, we dined one evening in Missoula at a wonderful eatery downtown called TopHat.

Both my daughter and had tacos – yep, I enjoy a corn tortilla now and again and remain in nutritional ketosis 99% of the time – that were served with delicious and freshly prepared house salsas.

One salsa had been prepared using grilled tomatoes, onions, and peppers; roasting these ingredients over live fire adds a depth of flavor and smokiness you can’t get any other way, and sent me to the kitchen (and grill) to experiment when back home.

Of course influenced by our Texican roots, my wife and I think this is much better with a few tablespoons of cilantro thrown in, with a generous spritz of lime juice as well.

Next time you’re firing the grill to sear your favorite proteins, throw this salsa together and see what you think. It’s so tasty, and so simple to prepare, you’ll be folding it into your rotation this summer (and likely through the fall and winter as well – this is a great way to flavor up less than prime tomatoes too).

6 medium tomatoes
1 large sweet or white onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 medium jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, halved
1-3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional
1-2 tsp good salt
Spritz of fresh lime juice, optional
Olive or avocado oil, brushed on before grilling

Fire the grill.

Halve three tomatoes, slice the onion, and prep the peppers. Brush all with a bit of the oil, and grill, turning now and again, until slightly to moderately charred and the onion and peppers have softened. Remove from the grill and cool for 5-10 minutes.

Core and seed the other three tomatoes, dice the flesh into 1/4 to 1/3-inch cubes and throw in a medium-sized bowl. Dice the cooled roasted tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños, add to the bowl, then stir in the salt, cilantro, and a spritz of fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust for salt and lime.

Best served fresh, this will hold a day or two tightly covered in the fridge as well.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 3 May: Tomatillo Pico de Gallo

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Sunday is Cinco de Mayo, an event I’d actually forgotten about this past week with a somewhat crazy schedule, a week of severe and flooding storms here in North Texas, and a main computer failure first thing Monday morning.

For those of you who might not remember your Mexican history as well as you should, Cinco de Mayo is observed to honor and commemorate the Mexican Army’s hard-fought victory over the invading French at the Battle of Puebla on 5 May 1862. Frankly the better equipped French, present in overpowering numbers as well, got their butts kicked, hence the parties still planned for the upcoming weekend.

Growing up and living in Texas for years Cinco de Mayo has been something we’ve embraced with joy, not only due to the historical aspects, but also for the chance to celebrate the wonders that authentic Mexican and beloved Tex Mex fare bring to the table.

Hardcore Primal and Paleo enthusiasts may grunt and groan and roll their eyes at the mention of Tex Mex, and to be sure some classic Tex Mex dishes are packed with enough unhealthy foods to last you a month or more, but there’s plenty about the cuisine to love too.

We’re particularly fond of great salsas that perk up and complement proteins of all sorts; here in Texas they’re often referred to as a “table salsa” or “table pico”. They’re most often prepared in house with fresh ingredients, and bring a burst of heat and a bright blast of acidity (lime juice often) to the flavor party.

Most table salsa and picos are tomato-based, though we’re big fans of this tomatillo version. It’s bright, herbal, tart (from the tomatillos and the lime), and can be spiced up as much as you care to with the jalapeños.

I’m doing this over a grilled ribeye, sliced thin, and plated over a salad tonight. See you around the fire tonight.

12 ounces tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and cut into rough 1/4-inch dice
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
2-4 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, finely diced
2-3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (or more)
1-2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1-2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
Kosher salt to taste

Prep the ingredients and combine all but the salt in a small bowl, stir well. Taste to see if you’d more lime juice (or any other ingredient for that matter), adjust for salt, then cover and throw in the fridge for an hour to allow the flavors to meld together. Stir well before serving.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Tuesday Veg 12 March: Our House Chimichurri

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A few years back we lived in a suburb of Austin for a couple of years (Lakeway), and there a wonderful Argentinean eatery happened to reside across the street from my wife’s office (the Buenos Aires Cafe).

The proprietress was a delightful and somewhat bashful women, a master chef with a wonderful palate, who graced every table with a freshly prepared container of her house chimichurri. It was simple, though with layers of flavor, from the herbal parsley to the heady, pungent garlic to the bite of aged red wine vinegar.

Over the years we played with several chimichurri recipes, and finally went in and begged her to share her recipe; she listed these from memory and left us to wiggle around to find the amounts.

I like to prep this one by hand; even though a food processor is faster, it just doesn’t seem to taste quite as good to us, though that might just be an irrational bias that comes from playing with our food too much.

It gets better with time, though when I make a batch, it never seems to last more than a few days. Today’s batch will be drizzled over pan-seared shrimp tonight…

1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves (tender stems too), chopped
1 generous tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, chopped
2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced thin
5-6 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ to 1 tsp. Kosher salt, adjust to taste
½ to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, adjust to taste

I love to grab a chef’s knife and prepare this by hand (it’s great for your knife skills), though the food processor speeds the process a bit. If using your trusty food processor, combine the first six ingredients and the vinegar and pulse to chop fine.

Now make a sauce. Now whisk in the olive or avocado oil (or drizzle into running food processor).

Finish it up by whisking in the salt, red pepper flakes and even a grind or two of fresh black pepper.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Monday: Quick Chipotle Table Salsa

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Friends back home in Montana tease us about having picked up some seemingly bizarre regional food tastes growing up in Texas, but they always enjoy the fresh “table salsas” we often serve with our main meals; in fact, if it’s not on the table, they’re quick to ask about it. (Table salsa is a common term here in Texas, typically referring to a simple, most often tomato or tomatillo-based fresh salsa served at any TexMex joint worth going to.)

We have our favorites, or are otherwise probably serving one of our favorite guacamole recipes, though have been reaching of late for this Quick Chipotle Table Salsa, particularly when serving beef (think braised briskets, chuck roast or chuck roast steaks, and more…).

This one can be finished in 15 minutes while you’re multitasking with other tasks in the kitchen, and you can play with the heat level (more chipotles!) and even add a smidgen of sweet via the molasses (maple syrup or honey would probably work too), though we rarely do.

1-2 tbsp avocado oil
1 medium onion, chopped small
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp good tomato paste
1 can (14.5 ounce) fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed
1-2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
1-2 tsp adobo sauce from the chipotle can
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Optional
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 -3 tsp dark molasses

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; sauté the onion until softened and just beginning to caramelize around the edges. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or so.

Now add the tomato paste, the chopped chipotle(s), the ancho chile powder if using, and the adobo, stir into the onion mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes until darkened slightly. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, stir to mix well, and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Remove from the heat, let cool for 5 minutes or so, add the vinegar and molasses (if using), then blend until mostly smooth with an immersion blender (or in your trusty blender). Taste for salt and pepper and adjust to your palate.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Sunday 12 August: Jicama Radish Salsa

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We’re always on the lookout for unusual, interesting, and tasty salsas around our camp, and this Jicama Radish Salsa fits the bill on all counts.

A few weeks ago we were dining with friends, enjoying some of the best grass-fed ribeyes we’ve eaten (BuckCreek Meats) in a long time; they served the steaks (perfectly medium-rare I must say) with this tasty salsa and a wonderful salad.

The salsa offers a crunchy texture with the jicama and radishes, the cooling, melon-like flavor note of the cucumber, with a tart citrus burst of lime, finished with a little spice and interest from the ground chile.

Wow, this one is really good.

1 medium jicama, peeled and diced small (about a cup and a half)
10 medium radishes, trimmed and diced the same size as the jicama
1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (start with 3)
3 tbsp red onion, diced small
1-2 tsp ground arbol chile (start with one)
1 tsp good salt (or more to taste)
Optional: 1/4 tsp sugar of choice

Stir everything together within an hour of serving; adjust lime juice, ground chile, and salt to taste.

Hold in the fridge if not using immediately, but don’t forget to set it out to warm slightly (room temp) 15-20 minutes before spooning over your ribeye.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Sauce and Salsa Sunday 5 August: Home Brewed Hot Sauces

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I first wrote about our fascination with home crafted hot sauces on ChiWulff (a fly fishing blog) a few years back –

First loves create powerful memories.

I remember the day that I fell in love with the grand-daddy of all hot sauces, the veritable, white-oak-barrel-aged Tabasco; I must have been all of 7 or 8 that day.

My little brother and I were ensconced at our grandfather’s beach cabin on the Gulf of Mexico in South Texas; we had just sat down to a hot lunch at the red-checkered table-clothed picnic table on the screen porch. Parents were off galavanting in Houston so we had the run of the place (at least in our minds).

Ma-Ma (maw-maw) had been slaving away for an hour over the old gas stove, frying up round steak coated in freshly crushed cracker crumbs (after a flour and egg wash of course) to a crispy golden brown just like you’re salivating over right now.

Being good children of the South back in the day, we waited until the adults were served and then were allotted our share of that day’s treasure, which included creamy mashed potatoes and garden beans.

I watched in awe as Pa-Pa slathered his steak in Tabasco; wordlessly he reached over and set the bottle down right in front of my plate.

My duty was clear.

I mimicked his hot sauce application the best I could, whacked off a mouthful of the ambrosial steak and went on to experience that first eye-popping, tongue searing burn of the hot sauce world. Surely beads of sweat broke out on my preadolescent forehead; I coughed and sputtered, my nose ran and my eyes watered.

But my fate was sealed, I was forever thereafter a lover of the Other Red Gold.

Jake (my son) and I went so far as to start collecting hot sauces years ago (he has in the neighborhood of 200), though for daily use it’s been classic Tabasco (there are seven flavors now) and Crystal.

This fall, however, we’ve stumbled across a new treasure – fresh, floral home grown hot sauce made from peppers right off the plant.

We been experimenting a bit, and while this is not a classic, full-bodied, fermented hot sauce, we’ve found that by experimenting with different combinations of peppers a mind-blowing array of flavors (and heat) is possible. (Try a simple green sauce with jalapenos alone or throw a poblano in to deepen the flavor a bit…)

Here’s a fairly basic recipe using friendly Fresno chiles to get you started…

1 and 1/4 pound stemmed fresh chiles (see above)
2 heaping tbsp. pickling salt (or kosher salt without anti-caking agents)
1 and 1/2 cups good quality distilled white vinegar (maybe just a wee bit more)

Wash and stem the chiles then combine in a food processor with the salt. Pulse until a coarse puree forms; scrape the sides as needed.

Now pour the pepper mash into a one quart lidded jar (your run of the mill caning jar is just perfect) and let the mash ferment at a cool room temperature for up to 36 hours. You’re really not actually fermenting the mash here, you’re just aging it a bit and giving the salt time to start extracting the flavors from the chile puree.

Pour in the vinegar, stir to combine well, then loosen the lid and back on the counter it goes, at a cool room temperature, for another 7-10 days. Some folks like to taste it every other day or even every day, you’ll notice the flavor deepening after 3 or 4 days.

Finally, pour the vinegar mash into your trusty blender (or back into the food processor) and puree until very smooth (be patient, this will take at least a minute). Strain through a fine mesh sieve; again this will take a bit of time. We always end up fiddling with the mash in the sieve, scraping it, squishing it and doodling until every possible drop of goodness has dripped through.

Now you’re ready to pour your creation into a bottle (or two), cap it and cool in the fridge. Our hot sauce mentor who taught us insists its good for four months though it never lasts that long.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salsa (Sauce) Sunday 29 July: Quick Columbian Aji Sauce

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While I have to admit that I’ve never dined anywhere in Columbia, our friends in the know shared this recipe with us several years ago to enjoy with this Columbian Marinated Flank.

This tasty Aji Sauce is supposedly a kissing cousin of the delicious Brazilian Chimichurri sauce, another favorite of ours, though we’ve come to appreciate the sharp spiciness of this Aji recipe even more.

If you’re handy with some simple knife work, this one can be together in under five minutes; we’ve eaten it with just about every protein imaginable, but it seems to shine with beef, pork, and firm, white-fleshed fish. And as always, if you want a bit more heat, pile on the peppers…

4 large jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
3 large green onions, roughly chopped
1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice, fresh preferred
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Throw the jalapenos, green onions, sweet onion, and cilantro into your trusty food processor and puree until a coarse paste forms. Add the vinegar and pulse again.

Now pour/scrape into a small bowl, and stir in the lime juice, salt, and pepper, adjust with more of each to suit your palate.

Throw in the fridge, covered, until ready to use; best made close to your meal.

Enjoy.