Is there anything better than a seared piece of salmon?

Lisa says:

I’m sure there is, but I can’t think of anything right now.

Chris says:

What do you think of the spinach?

Lisa says:

You’re right, it just tastes like creamed spinach, but better.

Chris says:

You can actually taste the masa harina in the spinach; I really like it.

Lisa says:

You, me and Popeye.

Seared Salmon with Spinach and Creamy Roasted Peppers
1 fresh poblano pepper
~5 cups cleaned spinach
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 tbsp masa harina
3/4 cup fat-free milk
2 6-oz skinless salmon fillets
salt and pepper

Roast the poblanos over an open flame, turning regularly until blackened all over. Place in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
Steam or microwave the spinach just until wilted and set aside.
Turn the oven on to its lowest setting. In a very large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until browned, about 4 minutes. Scoop into a blender and set the skillet aside.
Rub the skin off the poblano pepper with a paper towel and remove the seeds and stems. Roughly chop and add to the blender, along with the milk and masa harina. Blend until smooth.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper. Lay the fillets in the oil and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the fillets and cook until the fish just barely flakes when pressed. Transfer the fish to an ovenproof plate and set in the oven.
Pour the poblano mixture into the skillet and whisk until it boils, about a minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking in some more milk if it gets too thick. Season, add the spinach, and stir until warmed throughout.
Top each salmon fillet with a portion of the sauce.

2 Servings

Meat and potatoes, Rick Bayless-style.  This easy recipe from Mexican Everyday features deliciously tender… tenderloin… dished up with potatoes and full-flavored, slightly spicy poblano peppers.  We don’t cook tons of red meat and aren’t fans of huge slabs of beef, so this was a nice treat.  The potatoes took a lot longer than suggested in the book, so I’ve adjusted the times below. By the way, gas ovens are fantastic for roasting peppers.

Lisa says:

Whoa, what’s this? We never have steak.

Chris says:

I know it — I was just in the mood for red meat, and this sounded really good.

Lisa says:

Well it certainly smells good… how spicy are the peppers?

Chris says:

Not very — they’re the poblanos, so they have a nice flavor but aren’t usually very hot.

Lisa says:

Didn’t you almost kill my mom with some “aren’t usually hot” peppers?

Chris says:

Hey, that wasn’t my fault! I blame the produce lady. Besides, I really enjoyed that dish, even if it was way overly spicy. Anyway, back to this dish — these strips aren’t hot!

Lisa says:

I know, I just finished.

Chris says:

Uh, what?

Lisa says:

Yeah, while you were going on for 20 minutes about pepper excuses, I was enjoying this delicious dinner. I loved the steak.

Chris says:

What the — 20 minutes? That was barely 20 words!

Lisa says:

Whatevs. Like I said, I thought it was delicious.

Chris says:

Okay, well, yes. Ditto!

Quick-Seared Poblano Beef Tips
2 small poblano peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb beef tenderloin
salt
1 small white onion, sliced 1/4″ thick
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (1/2 lb), cut into 1/2″ pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup dark beer
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Roast the poblanos over an open flame, turning regularly until blackened and blistered all over, about 5 minutes. Wrap in foil and let sit until cool.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, sprinkle the beef generously with salt, then put into the hot pan, spreading into a single layer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is almost done — 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove to a plate.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the onion and potatoes. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is richly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute, until aromatic. Pour in the beer and Worcestershire, sprinkle in 1/4 tsp salt, and lower the heat to medium. Let cook, stirring regularly until most of the liquid has reduced and the potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes longer.
While the mixture is simmering, rub the blackened skin off the poblanos and pull out the stems and seed pods. Cut into 1/4″ strips and add them to the skillet.
When the potatoes are tender, return the meat to the pan and sprinkle on the cilantro. When the meat has heated through, taste and add salt if necessary.

2 Servings

These delicious tacos from Mexican Everyday are filled with a mixture of caramelized onions and sauteed green chard — definitely a departure from the norm for us! When we make tacos at home, we’re more likely to fill them with mahi-mahi or shredded chicken. We picked this recipe because it’s Vegetarian Week here at We [Heart] Food, but these were good enough that they’re likely to make an appearance in the usual rotation.

Is it just me, or is CSA box day almost like Christmas?

Lisa says:

Sorta… though do you usually eat your Christmas presents?

Chris says:

Oh. Not really. Okay, so it’s not like Christmas, but it’s still exciting.

Lisa says:

I agree — so the veggies in these tacos came from the box?

Chris says:

Yep! I’m glad I found this recipe; tacos aren’t the first thing I think of when I see chard… but these turned out really well. The chard has that slight earthy taste that combines nicely with the slight sweetness of the caramelized onions.

Lisa says:

Glad we’re having rice and beans with them, or I’d still be hungry.

Chris says:

Same here… oh yum, I forgot how much I like that tomatillo salsa.

Lisa says:

Is it spicy?

Chris says:

This batch not as much; I didn’t add as much of the adobo sauce from the chipotles.

Lisa says:

These tacos rule. Yay for Vegetarian week!

Soft Tacos with Green Chard, Caramelized Onions, and Queso Fresco
1 (12-ounce) bunch green chard, thick lower stems cut off
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced 1/4″ thick
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup water
Salt
warm corn tortillas
crumbled Mexican queso fresco
smoky chipotle salsa (recipe in this post)
cilantro

Cut chard crosswise into 1/2″ slices. In a very large (12-inch) skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown but still crunchy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds, until aromatic, then add water, 1/2 tsp salt and the chard. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan, and cook until chard is almost tender, about 5 minutes.
Uncover pan, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring continually, until mixture is nearly dry. Taste and season with additional salt if necessary. Serve in warm tortillas, topped with cheese, cilantro, and salsa.

Makes about 8 tacos, depending on how full you like ‘em.

I was stuck at home today, and just before leaving to walk out in the rain for a long, cold, wet trek to get some lunch, I decided to poke around and see what we had on hand. I knew we still had a few potatoes left from the CSA box, and when I spotted a can of tuna, something clicked in my mind and I remembered a recipe from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless that I had been wanting to try. The version in the book uses poblanos, but I knew the roasted hatch chilies sitting in my freezer would work just as well, if not better. The onions and shallots kept a lot of their crunch, and along with the chilies provided a nice contrast in texture to the soft potatoes. The tuna adds protein, but doesn’t overpower the other flavors in the dish. Hooray for having ingredients on hand — this potato salad kept me sated — and dry!

Obviously, I couldn’t discuss the deliciousness with Lisa, as she didn’t get to try it, but instead, I give you the following instant messenger transcript:

[1:36 PM] Chris: Guess what I had for lunch?
[1:40 PM] Lisa: Nothing?
[1:40 PM] Lisa: Water?
[1:41 PM] Chris: We had tuna, potatoes, shallots, and the hatch chilies in the freezer… I made that potato salad w/tuna from the Rick Bayless book!
[1:41 PM] Lisa: Yum!!!!!
[1:41 PM] Lisa: Are there leftovers???
[1:41 PM] Lisa: I want to try it!!!
[1:41 PM] Chris: Uh, no. Didn’t make a full recipe, sucka.
[1:41 PM] Lisa: Dammit!
[1:41 PM] Lisa: Bragger.
[1:42 PM] Lisa: I had a frozen dinner. *Boring*

Fascinating, I know! Hey, I do what I can.

Roasted Hatch Potato Salad with Tuna
2-3 roasted hatch chilies
2 medium (1/2 lb) Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2″ pieces
Salt
1/6 cup olive oil (2 tbsp + 2 tsp)
1/2 small red onion, sliced 1/8″ thick
1 large shallot, sliced 1/8″ thick
1 1/2 tbsp champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
One 6-oz can tuna, drained
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
Romaine, to serve (optional)

Put the cubed potatoes into a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for about 3 minutes, until completely tender. Leave covered.
Rub the blackened skin off the chilies and pull out the stems and seeds. Rinse to remove rogue seeds and skin, then cut into 1/4″ thick strips.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and shallots are browned, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar, oregano, black pepper, and hatch chilies. Stir well, then add the potatoes to the pan. Set aside to cool; when at room temperature, add the parsley/cilantro and tuna.
Serve over optional Romaine lettuce leaf.

2 side-dish servings, or a large lunch

This is a perfect recipe to adapt to the vegetables you happen to have on hand.  Our CSA box came loaded with corn on the cob and mushrooms, so I modified a recipe from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Everyday to use the fresh vegetables of the day.  As the book suggests, one of the great things about this soup is that once you master the base broth, the variations are limited only by your imagination.

Lisa says:

Wahoo! I love walking in the door to a meal that’s ready to go!

Chris says:

I like not feeling rushed on nights that you’re home late.

Lisa says:

Nice. Is it spicy?

Chris says:

Shouldn’t be — ancho powder is relatively mild; it has a slightly smokey flavor.

Lisa says:

Mmmmm… the masa harina really gives it a nice consistency.

Chris says:

Totally — and the flavor goes really well with the fresh corn kernels. The starch from juicing the cobs also helps thicken it.

Lisa says:

I like how thin you cut the chicken.

Chris says:

Yep — it cooks pretty quickly that way.

Lisa says:

Well this soup is disappearing pretty quickly this way.

Red Chileatole with Mushrooms, Corn, Peppers, and Chicken
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, halved and sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tbsp masa harina
4 cups chicken broth, divided
6 oz cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 ears of corn
1/2 poblano pepper, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large sprig fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
salt, to taste

Husk the corn. In a shallow bowl, hold ears of corn upright and, with a sharp knife, cut kernels from the cobs. Then with blunt edge of the knife, scrape juice from cobs. Discard the cobs.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring until golden, about 7 minutes. Transfer the onion and garlic to a food processor or blender. Add chile powder, masa harina, and 1 1/2 cups broth; process until smooth.

Return the puree to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups broth, mushrooms, corn kernels and juices, poblano pepper, and parsley and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in chicken and continue to simmer until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes more. Taste and add salt if needed. Remove parsley and ladle into soup bowls.

3-4 Servings

Our first post after our almost three weeks in Italy (w00t honeymoon!) is this chicken dish from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Everyday. The original recipe calls to prepare it in a slow-cooker, but, not owning one, we went with the oven-bake method instead. This was a perfect recipe match to our CSA box, which this week included tomatillos and red-skinned potatoes.

Chris says:

Yum, I love this!

Lisa says:

Me too — I was taking bites while you were taking pictures.

Chris says:

This is like your dream dinner — there’s no oil, and there’s salt between each layer.

Lisa says:

That doesn’t mean I can’t add even more salt, though…

Chris says:

I bet the flavors would be even more intense if this was done in a slow-cooker. And I really like the little crispy edges of cilantro and tomatillo from the lid-free finish.

Lisa says:

Too bad I have lunch plans tomorrow, this would make a great lunch.

Chris says:

Guess what we’re having for dinner tomorrow night, then?

Lisa says:

Wahoo!

Pollo Pulquero
1 medium white onion, sliced into 1/4″ thick rings
salt
1 lb red-skin potatoes, sliced 1/4″ thick
8 skinless chicken thighs
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 1/4 lbs tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and sliced 1/4″ thick
1/4 cup roasted hatch chilis, chopped

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a 6-qt Dutch Oven, spread the onion in a layer, and sprinkle with salt. Continue with the potato slices, chicken, cilantro, and tomatillos, sprinkling with salt over each layer. Scatter the roasted chilis over the top. Set the lid in place and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and bake 15-20 minutes longer to reduce the juices. Spoon directly onto plates, and top with additional cilantro.

4 Servings

This easy, delicious recipe comes from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless. Pork tenderloin is cooked in a sauce of roasted poblano peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. The entire house smelled amazing with it on the stove.

Lisa says:

YUM! It smells so good in here.

Chris says:

Just wait until you eat it!

Lisa says:

This sauce rules — I heart those roasted poblanos.

Chris says:

…and the pork is cooked just the way I like it… with just a bit-o-pink in the middle.

Lisa says:

Yeah that tenderloin is so… tender!

Chris says:

In the spirit of “you are what you eat”, I freely admit to being a pig!

Pork Tenderloin a la Mexicana

2 large fresh poblanos
1 1/4 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, crushed
28-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup beef broth
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Roast the poblanos either over an open flame or under a broiler, turning regularly until the skin is blistered and blackened all over. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool.
While the peppers are cooling, pat the meat dry and salt well. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the pork in a single layer and brown on all sides, turning regularly, for about 4 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, keeping as much of the oil in the pan as possible. Set the skillet aside.
Remove the skin from the peppers, then remove the stems and seeds. Rinse, then cut into 1/4-inch strips and set aside.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add the garlic and peppers and stir for a minute or so. Pour in the stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil, and let cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the pork and cilantro to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the pork is just cooked through, about 5 more minutes.
Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve with white rice.

4 Servings

A really easy-to-make meal tonight based on a recipe from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Everyday. Halibut sits on a bed of sliced potatoes and carrots and is baked in a quick tomato-jalapeño salsa. I love recipes like this; they’re so adaptable to whatever fish or vegetables you’re in the mood for, are very healthy, and are on the table in under an hour.

Lisa says:

Spicy!

Chris says:

Wow, it’s been a while since a dinner earned that declaration…

Lisa says:

Well it is pretty spicy… and by the way, this is the best halibut ever.

Chris says:

Oooh, yeah, I think I timed it perfectly — it’s just starting to flake and is incredibly moist.

Lisa says:

This is filling!

Chris says:

Well, we’re getting twice the veggies since all I did was use less fish than called for in 4-serving original recipe.

Lisa says:

I wasn’t complaining, that’s for sure…

Chris says:

I like that we’re once again proving that we [heart] cilantro.

Baked Halibut with Roasted Tomatoes and Potatoes
————————————————
4 medium (1 lb) Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 thin carrots, cut in lengths
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt
1 15-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 large garlic cloves, quartered
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup sliced canned pickled jalapeños
1 tbsp jalapeño pickling juice
2 6-oz skinless halibut fillets

Turn on the oven to 400 degrees. Place the potoatoes and carrots into an 8″ square glass baking dish and drizzle over the oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. Toss to coat, then spread the potatoes in an even layer, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 4 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.
Meanwhile, in a blender combine the tomatoes in their juices, garlic, cilantro, jalapeños, and pickling juice and puree, leaving just a little texture.
Lay the fish in a single layer over the potatoes and pour the tomato mixture evenly over the fish and potatoes.
Slide the baking dish into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the fish flakes when pressed firmly.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.

2 Generous portions

Lisa says:

Spic- hey, this isn’t spicy!

Chris says:

See? It’s your dream come true, a dish that I don’t make too spicy for you, so that you can actually add salsa.

Lisa says:

Hey, I like a little spice…

Chris says:

That’s what I’m saying… add as much as you want. This salsa rules.

Lisa says:

Yeah it does! I like the smoky taste of this dish.

Chris says:

It’s mighty tasty. We could make this into a party dish, maybe for the — hey, where are you going?

Lisa says:

I’m getting more bites!

Chicken and Rice with Black Beans
———————————
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt
2 1/2 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup rice
5 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped green onions
cilantro to garnish
smoky chipotle salsa (see below)

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken breasts, then sprinkle both sides with 1 tablespoon of the ancho chile powder. Lay them in the hot oil to brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pot and set aside. Leave the oil in the pan. Add the rice and onion, and stir for 4-5 minutes or until the rice starts to look dry and opaque. Add the garlic and the remaining chile powder and stir for another minute. Add the broth and up to a teaspoon of salt, and stir well. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes.
Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes, uncover the pot, and add the chicken and beans. Re-cover the pot and cook for an additional 12 minutes.
Uncover, stir in the green onions, then remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro, and serve with smoky chipotle salsa.

Smoky Chipotle Salsa
——————–
4 garlic cloves
4 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and cut in half
2 canned chipotle peppers
salt

Set a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the garlic and tomatillos, cut-side down. When the tomatillos are browned, after 3-4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side.
Add the garlic, tomatillos, chipotle peppers, and 1/4 cup water to a blender and puree. Add salt to taste.

Tonight we tried out a main dish salad from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless. A bed of romaine is topped with a chayote slaw tossed in a guajillo chile dressing and seared tuna. A lot of different textures and flavors going on with this salad!

Chris says:

I really love this guajillo chile dressing — it’s the same one we used on the heirloom tomato salad, but I used champagne vinegar this time.

Lisa says:

It’s great, I love it. The flavors go really well together. Although when I first saw it I thought I’d be starving later.

Chris says:

Yeah, sorry, it doesn’t conform to our usual volume of food. So are you starving?

Lisa says:

Not STARVING… but I’m just a little hungry.

Chris says:

Dessert time!

Seared Rare Tuna Salad with Chayote Slaw and Guajillo Chile Dressing
——————————————————————–
3/4 cup olive oil, vegetable oil, or a mix
2 medium dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles
2 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
salt
4 tuna steaks, not less than 3/4 inch thick
2 chayotes
4 cups thickly sliced romaine
chopped cilantro

Pour the oil into a large skillet and set to medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the chiles and the garlic. Turn and stir continually until the insides of the chiles have lightened in color and they are toasty smelling — 30 seconds or so. Remove from the heat.
Transfer the chiles to a blender (leave the oil and garlic in the pan), add the vinegar and a teaspoon of salt. Blend for 30 seconds. When the oil and garlic are cool, add to the blender (set the skillet aside without washing) and puree until smooth. Taste and season with more salt if desired. Pour into a jar and secure the lid.
Return the skillet to medium-high to high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt. When the oil-filmed skillet is really hot, lay the tuna in the pan. When brown, no more than 1 minute, flip and sear the other side. Remove the skillet from the heat. Thoroughly shake the dressing, then carefully drizzle on about 3 tablespoons dressing. Turn the tuna in the dressing from time to time as it cools.
Cut the chayotes in half lengthwise and remove the pits. Shred the chayotes through the coarse side of a grater. Scoop into a bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons dressing. Taste and season with salt.
Divide the greens among four plates, forming them into wide nests. Top each with a portion of the chayote slaw. Slice each piece of tuna in half crosswise on a bias and place in the center of the salad. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serves 4

Considering this is the first time we’ve used chayote, and the recipe includes our favorite herb (cilantro), I’m going to submit this as our entry for the Weekend Herb Blogging Two Year Anniversary!