I make this dish once a week. Chez Shafroth, everyone likes it, even though it’s not authentic. It takes about 30 minutes to assemble the first time but you will get faster at it quickly.
With rice and some pico de gallo the meal is complete.
1 can pinto beans
1 can mild Enchilada sauce (red or green)
Shredded Monterrey Jack and Colby Cheese
about 1 cup ricotta
12 corn tortillas
Safflower oil, about 1 cup
Heat a large skillet on medium heat, once hot add the oil. Using tongs, place 2 tortillas side by side in the oil, flip and then remove to paper towels. This step is necessary as it is the only way you will be able to roll the tortillas up without them tearing. Once all the tortillas as done turn off the heat.
Wipe an oven-proof dish with a bit of the left over oil. Pour just a bit of the sauce on the bottom to cover the surface. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the cheeses, beans, enchilada sauce in a line near your cutting board. Place a tortilla on the board, add a bit of ricotta (about 2 Tbsp.) some beans on top then scatter the grated cheese. Roll the torilla up and place it into the baking dish.
Continue until all the tortillas are rolled and placed in a line next to each other. Cover with the some more sauce, but don’t drown them (you will have a bit less then half a can of sauce left over) and then sprinkle with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and cook uncovered for another 5.
Wolfgang Puck immortalized this recipe; it is an easy no-cook dinner for any hot and steamy summer night. I bought a rotisserie chicken and pulled the meat off. The dressing takes seconds and you can use many vegetable combinations: Shredded carrots, slivered Napa cabbage, snow peas, edamame, romaine lettuce and cucumbers are all great choices.
I had on hand some beautiful yellow tomatoes, an English cucumber, some scallions and cilantro. The heat comes from the dry mustard but it doesn’t linger long.
Chinese Mustard Vinaigrette à la Wolfgang Puck
2 tsp. dry Chinese or English mustard
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Place the dry mustard, garlic and ginger in a small mixing bowl. Add the rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk in the oils.
Assemble your salad in a large bowl, topping with the shredded chicken meat and then sprinkle the sesame seeds all over. Pour on the dressing and toss well.
A few weeks back, we were invited to participate in a recipe contest using Tasteful Selections baby potatoes. Being a lover of the spud, I couldn’t refuse! Aren’t they the cutest potatoes you have ever seen?
My intention was to come up with a quick cooking dinner that could be served al fresco with some good vino. I am happy to report success: Tender potatoes in a spicy, smoky sauce studded with thick slices of chorizo all in one pot.
The thick and hearty tomato sauce is seasoned with smoked paprika, aromatic garlic and sliced onions. You could use any of the potato varieties for this dish, I really liked the look of the red on red.
We enjoyed the meal on its own but you could certainly add some corn on the cob, a simple cheese plate and/or some fresh summer fruit for dessert.
One Pan Spicy Potatoes with Chorizo
Serves 5
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb. chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, about 3 cloves
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper, more to taste
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
1 (28-oz.) pkg. Tasteful Selections Ruby Sensation Potatoes, halved lengthwise
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives or finely chopped parsley (optional garnish)
Add the olive oil to a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. When hot, add the chorizo and cook for about 5 minutes until nicely browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate.
Add the garlic, onion, jalapeno, crushed red pepper, paprika, and salt to the pot, cook and stir until quite fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes and stir well to coat them with the seasonings.
Add the diced tomatoes and the crushed tomatoes. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the chorizo back to the pot and stir well, vent the lid and cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is somewhat thickened.
Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. If using, garnish the dish with chives or parsley. Serve hot or warm.
I had intended on making little corn custards for this week’s Meatless Monday post but honestly I couldn’t bear to turn on the oven. Instead, I worked up a sort of corn risotto with a creamy sauce that is quick cooking and offers countless possibilities.
Native corn has been available at our Farmer’s market for well over a week, so much for the old adage "Knee high by the 4th of July." Other than the slight grumblings about shucking one’s supper, we LOVE summer corn. I will never forget the summer when Maverick had no front teeth, yet he still managed to eat almost three ears of corn with gusto.
We served this corn pudding with some reheated Boston Baked Beans and some sliced tomatoes drizzled with basil vinaigrette. To speed the cooking process, I used Masarepa, the pre-cooked cornmeal often used to make tamale filling. You could certainly substitute regular cornmeal or masa harina.
Marco insisted that I inform all of you flavoristas that this corn pudding is also very good served over and mixed into rice.
Quick and Easy Savory Corn Pudding
Serves 5
1 Tbsp. butter
3 cups corn cut off the cob or 1 lb. frozen corn, thawed
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
generous pinch ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried minced onion
2 Tbsp. Masarepa pre-cooked white cornmeal
1/2 cup light cream
3/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce, more to taste
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp thinly sliced chives or finely chopped parsley (optional garnish)
Melt the butter over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add corn, salt, pepper and dried minced onions. Cook and stir to coat corn with seasonings.
Sprinkle the Masarepa over the corn. Add the cream and milk, stirring constantly. As the mixture comes to a simmer, it will thicken and the corn will finish cooking, 3 - 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Stir in the Tabasco and Parmesan. If using, garnish with chives. Serve immediately.
I have been holding onto this dandy for some time, waiting for zucchini and tomatoes to come into season. The recipe is written by Jess Thomson, a skillful recipe developer and a fantastically funny food blogger who never ceases to make me laugh.
The first time I made this strata was about 1 week after she published it. It contains many of my favorite things (tomatoes, zucchini, feta and sausage); it is perfectly seasoned with fresh thyme and rosemary and it is super easy to prepare.
Jess offers this strata as a breakfast item, I’d suggest that it also works for dinner. Prep everything in the morning and simply bake it off at supper time.
So get thee to the backyard garden or the farmer’s market and get cooking.
For a printable version of the strata recipe, click here. Enjoy!
My second sojourn to Shanghai was even better than the first as I felt more comfortable and brazen when I sauntered around. I visited more grocery stores and markets and had yet again some amazing meals -not all Chinese in origin.
Mr. and Mrs. Bund is a very hip French restaurant located on the Bund and has some of the best views of the newly reconstructed Bund and the Pudong district across the river. It also has some of the best bread I’ve ever eaten and the desserts were sublime.
Due to World Expo this area was packed with tourists at night but in the early hours of the morning it was filled with kite fliers and locals doing Tai Chi.
The grocery stores delighted me with interesting products: live turtles, banana and corn puddings and "pocket bread".
I had more time to explore on my own and have learned that there are very few people who dine alone in Shanghai. Luckily there were only a few days that I was the lone person suffering the stares at the dinner table.
Dining out in Shanghai and its environs isn’t too daunting as long as there are the frequently found menu with pictures. In the case of the menu below, I knew NOT to order the duck.
But I did order the salad below which did not disappoint and I became obsessed with it and tried it in any restaurant where I found the picture on the menu .
I call it Chinese tabouli but it is officially known as Ma Lao Tou and features finely chopped fermented tofu, greens, almonds, pine nuts and a very lovely sesame oil. I am trying to recreate this so stay tuned for the recipe.
This slow cooked pork was divine and this chive omelette was also superb -I hope to receate that recipe as well.
Another favorite flavor adventure was at a restaurant in the Huangpu district off Yunnan road. The name was only in Chinese but I was told it translated into "Shanghai Noodle House".
We didn’t have noodles but I loved this fish cooked in oil and immersed in chilies. Suprisingly, it was not too spicy but oh so flavorful and the texture of the fish was luxurious.
My all time favorite restaurant though is Lost Heaven featuring foods from the Yunnan region of China. Close to Burma and Tibet, the food here uses ingredients familiar to the region. Not only is the food fantastic but the decor is lovely.
If you ever find yourself in Shanghai, be sure to try the jasmine Pu-erh tea which is grown in Yunnan. It’s the best cup of tea I’ve ever had bar-none.
If you tire of Chinese food, fret not. Shanghai, being the global cosmopolitan city it is has many cuisines to offer. I found Turkish, Russian, Thai but my favorite place for a salad was by far Element Fresh. Of course most of the American chains are there, even Hooters, but why go there unless you’re an expat.
I hope that it’s in the stars for me to return to China as there is simply too much to explore and taste.
