Sunday, December 3, 2017

Cranberry adds color, flavor, holiday spirit to tuna



                             My mom’s cranberry relish with walnuts, citrus and vanilla is so good, people get territorial about it.
                             Her friend, not using names here, saw a prized batch on her counter and wrangled some to take to a party. She told the hostess it was coming, but instead the allotted portion did not make it out of her house. She and her husband consumed it all.
                             After Thanksgiving I’d stashed some away from even my own husband. After eyeing all the tuna cans that came into my life after Harvey, I thought I’d mix some cranberry relish into the tuna. My husband said he was not interested and chastised me for using up the precious cranberries. And yet, he ended up sampling right from my plate and then serving his own portion.
                             The completed dish looked even better than the photo I took, as someone must have sneaked many of the cranberries out first.

                             Get to know “divorced eggs”
                             Hueveos Divorciados are “divorced eggs,” separated by beans, and marry two salsas. Carne Asada Vampiros are tacos wih garlic aioli to ward off the vampires at the taco stand. Try Crab Huarache on a cactus paddle our sides of payapa soup and cilantro soups, dished half orange and half green into the same bowl.
                             The photos will catch your eye and the well-written profiles of cooks and chefs will catch your heart. Bill Esparza has written L.A. Mexicano: Recipes, People & Places as a bit of a guide, modern history and recipe book. There’s a Tex-Mex recognition, but this book centers on styles and dishes we don’t see often in Southeast Texas.  The author shares stories of how dishes developed from family traditions and evolved for today’s customs. I want to try them all, but here’s one.

                             Salsa Borracha, Drunken Salsa
                  Author’s note: If you can’t find pulque, make use beer and make a day or two ahead for best flavor. Makes about 2 cups.
                  8 pasilla chles, stems removed
                  5 cloves garlic
                  1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
                  1 cup pulque or beer, like Mondelo or Tecate
                  one half medium orange
                  Put chiles in a medium pot, add enough water to cover, and boil until chiles are tender, abou 20 minutes. Transfer chiles to a blender, add garlic and salt and pulse until you have a very thick paste, adding a tablespoon or two of cooking water only if needed. Add pulue or beer and blend until the salsa has consistency of a milkshake; if needed, add a little more cooking water. Finish by squeezing orange juice into salsa and seasoning with additional salt to taste. Transfer to a boil if serving immediately or cover and refrigerate.


                 
            Darraghcastillo@icloud.com

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