Appetizer

chile con queso

October 25, 2010

There is a place in my heart for cheese and it’s a very, very big place. Anyone who knows me in person, knows my deep-seated love of cheese. It’s actually genetic, since my brother and mum are similarly obsessed. And my grand-dad, by my mum’s account, had a cheese sandwich for his lunch every single day.

Have I convinced you that it’s in my blood? I can think of no other food that I can gorge myself on in the way that I can with cheese. Enter: queso.

Queso simply means “cheese” in Spanish, but in Tex-Mex cuisine, it refers to a spicy, cheesy dip for tortilla chips. You order it in Tex-Mex restaurants in Austin, in the way that you would order salsa in other parts of the country. Completely normal to be digging into what is essentially a giant bowl of melted cheese…

The “classic” version uses Velveeta “cheese” and Rotel. I use the quotation marks because Velveeta is a processed cheese product that can weirdly sit on a shelf, unrefrigerated for weeks. Wrong. But so, so right.

My husband may not forgive me for erring from that classic queso, but I wanted to try a somewhat more wholesome and fresh kind, and I found it from Homesick Texan. This lady knows her stuff.

It’s not for the faint of heart (6 cups of cheese, plus butter and sour cream anyone?) but it might be the most addictive thing on the planet. Make with caution. I will no doubt be drowning my sorrows (literally) in a bowl of this stuff, upon my return from Texas. Join me?

Chile Con Queso

from Homesick Texan

Ingredients

1/2 onion diced (about 1/2 cup)
4 cloves of garlic minced
3 Serrano peppers diced
3 jalapeno peppers diced
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of milk
6 cups of shredded cheese, can use any combination of Longhorn cheddar and Monterrey Jack
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 cup, can use canned if tomatoes aren’t in season)
1/2 cup of sour cream
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat, and then cook the onions and peppers for about five minutes or until onions are translucent.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Whisk the flour into the butter, vegetable mix and cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the milk to the pot, and cook on medium, whisking constantly until sauce is thick, about five minutes. Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes.
5. Turn heat down to low, and a 1/4-cup at a time, slowly add the shredded cheese stirring into the white sauce until completely melted. Repeat.
6. Stir in the sour cream.
7. Add salt to taste.

tomatillo salsa

October 20, 2010

I have some really exciting news! Next week, I’m getting married. Again.

You heard right. Married. Again.

Dan and I were married almost three years ago with a few witnesses and not much of a shebang. And now it’s time for the party.

We’ll be travelling down to Austin, Texas, where we met and spending a week with family and friends from all over the world. I can barely suppress my excitement, or my nerves. This is a big week!

After a week of enjoying family, friends, and Austin, we’ll say “I do” again and dance our socks off. Oh, and eat some really ridiculously good Texas BBQ.

In honour of our trip to the Lone Star State, I made some tomatillo salsa for you. You’re welcome! Please enjoy with some chips and a lovely Mexican beer.

I’ll be back in a couple of weeks – and yes, I promise to show you pictures :)

Please come back and read some wonderful posts that I’ve prepared for when I’m gone. It’s going to be a Texas Hoe-Down on this blog!

Til then…

Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients

4 medium (about 8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 jalapeño, stemmed and roughly chopped
1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro, roughly chopped
½ small white onion, finely chopped
Salt

Directions

Set a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Lay in the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down). When the tomatillos are well browned, 3 or 4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. (The tomatillos should be completely soft.)
Scrape the tomatillos and garlic into a blender or food processor, and let cool to room temperature, about 3 minutes. Add the chile, cilantro and ¼ cup water. Blend to a coarse puree. Pour into a dish.
Scoop the chopped onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water. Stir into the salsa. Taste and season with about ½ teaspoon salt.

how to make your own hummus

July 3, 2010

I’m in a blending frenzy. Can I call it that? I think so. Ever since I got a blender a few weeks ago, I’ve been unstoppable. I’ve got all sorts of smoothie combos on the go. The green smoothie is a standard. Smashed peas with mint bruschetta? No problem. I’m getting all hot and bothered about the idea of making pesto.

I actually whooped when I realized that I can now make my own hummus. The best thing about it? About everything I like to cook? E-A-S-Y.

I bet you five bucks you have 90% of the ingredients in your pantry. Admittedly, if you don’t make hummus often, you may not be stocked up on tahini, but apart from that, it’s all pretty standard.

As with lots of my do-it-yourself posts, I got excited about the money saving potential of this. If you like hummus then you probably spend a good chunk of cash on it each month. I know I do. It costs about $4-5 a pop where I live and we definitely buy a tub every time we go shopping. You’re saving a fair amount of moolah by making a batch of hummus yourself and you also get bragging rights when you serve it up to your friends.

Homemade Hummus
adapted from The Kitchn

Ingredients

1 15-oz can of chickpeas, drained
1/2 of a fresh lemon, juiced
1 small clove of garlic, minced finely
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except the smoked paprika.

2. Blend until smooth. If it is a little dry, just add a little more lemon juice or olive oil, a teaspoon at a time, until you have the desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper if you like.

3. Scrape out the hummus in a serving bowl and sprinkle the smoked paprika on top.

4. Serve with raw veggies, or spread on some pita bread.

I am discovering a million ways to tart up hummus. Or houmous as we say in England. Just think of all the variations you see in the shops and you realize you can do exactly the same thing at home.

Some variations I’m excited to try:

> adding one cup roasted vegetables (e.g. zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms)

> adding toasted pine nuts

> adding olives

> beet hummus!

> adding chili powder and lime for spicy hummus

Do you make your own hummus? What are your ingredients of choice?