roma tomatoes

  • Beer Battered Shrimp Taco with Pineapple Salsa

    Beer Battered Shrimp Taco with Pineapple Salsa
    Beer Battered Shrimp Taco with Pineapple Salsa
    (Serves 4)

    Beer Batter
    ¾ can of beer, (8oz)
    1/3 cup flour, white all purpose
    ½ tblsp garlic, dried granulated
    ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
    ½ tsp black pepper
    1 tsp salt

    32-40 shrimp
    1&rac12; tsp Tony Chachere's Cajun Spice
    1½ - 2 cups of canola oil (or other frying oil)
    ½ Roma tomato, diced very small
    1/3 red onion, diced very small
    1 jalapeno, most of the seeds can be removed, diced very small
    ¼ - 1/3 cup pineapple, diced very small
    ½ carrot, cut into small sticks (julienne) then dice small
    ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, minced
    juice of ½ lime
    5 cabbage leaves, julienne very thin
    8 soft taco shells, corn or flour (I prefer corn in this recipe)
    ½ cup shredded cheese, any variety, I used the mozzarella/provolone blend

    NOTES: I used the 25 per lb shrimp, if you are using smaller shrimp, say the 50 per pound then double the amount of shrimp, on the other end if you're using 12 per pound shrimps, use half as many shrimp, @20.

    In a medium bowl mix the flour, garlic, cayenne, black pepper and salt. Add the beer slowly, mixing with a whisk or fork until the batter resembles glue, then add a little more beer. Keep cold until ready to use.

    Make your salsa right away, so it has time "to marry" inside a bowl. Mix well, the tomato, onion, jalapeno, pineapple, carrot, mint leaves, 1 tsp salt and the juice of ½ lime. Set aside or in the fridge.

    Slice up and set aside your cabbage, set aside or in the fridge

    Get your oil in a small pot and bring it up to 365°F using a hot oil thermometer. Otherwise medium heat but a smidgen more. If the oil smokes too much its too hot. You can test the heat with a drop of batter, it should crisp up alone in 8-10 seconds.

    Coat your shrimp with Tony' Chachere's Cajun spice (or just use salt and pepper). Dip your shrimp in the batter. I do 4-5 at a time. Put the shrimps, one at a time, into the hot oil. Leave in until crispy golden in color, about 1+½ minutes. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

    All those steps could be done in advance. When guests arrive, pop the shrimps back in the oven on warming temp and start a skillet on medium heat, one by one heat up one side of the tortilla, flip it over, add some cheese, let it melt remove from heat and assemble the taco. Tortilla, cheese, shrimp (4-5 per taco), a small hand-full of shredded cabbage and some delicious pineapple salsa on top, don't be scared, heap it on!

    Repeat three more times for round one!

    Start round two after you've eaten the first one, or just get it over with :) Delicious - enjoy!

  • Mango Salsa

    Mango Salsa
    Mango Salsa
    4 large Roma tomatoes, small dice
    1 large red onion, small dice
    1 large jalapeno, seeded and small dice
    2 Serrano chilies, seeded and small dice
    1 ripe mango, small dice
    1 bunch cilantro, minced
    1½ tsp salt
    juice of 1 key lime
    1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
    NOTES: Additions to this are wide and varies, try adding some smoked chipotle or some mint!

    Instructions

    Mix all ingredients, let sit for 45 minutes before serving. Taste again, add salt to taste.

  • Red Sauce

    Red Sauce
    Red Sauce
    (Serves 4)


    10-12 Roma or Plum tomatoes, or, 1 can of crushed plum tomatoes, @24-28oz
    ½ red or white onion, minced fine
    cracked black pepper, to taste
    2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
    ¼ cup red wine, I prefer a Merlot, Cabernet or Shiraz
    2 tblsp olive oil
    salt, to taste
    2 tblsp fresh basil leaves, minced
    ¾ tblsp fresh oregano leaves, minced, preferably Greek
    1 ½ tblsp fresh marjoram leaves, minced, minced ½ tblsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
    1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced
    1 tsp red pepper flakes
    1 tblsp Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, grated

    NOTES: Save the rind of your Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and use it, instead of the 1 tblsp fresh grated cheese, just remember to remove it from the sauce before you serve it!
    If you're using fresh whole tomatoes, here's what you do:
    • Cut the core out the stem area of each tomato [How to Link]
    • Score the bottom of the tomato with a sharp knife in the shape of an X [How to Link]
    • In a pot of boiling water, drop the tomatoes in for 15-45 seconds
    • You will know when they are ready to come out because the skin will split where you scored them
    • Remove from the hot water and place in an ice bath, which is a large bowl or sink filled with ice and cold water
    • After 30 seconds or so, peel the skin from the tomatoes, throw the peels away
    • Now chop the tomatoes into small ¼ inch chunks, like a large salsa cut
    • Hold tomatoes in a non-reactive bowl, like a glass bowl

    If you are using the canned crushed tomatoes, here's what you do: open the can.

    Lets get this sauce cooking! In a large skillet or pot, on medium heat, add &frac; your olive oil, let it warm up, then add your chopped onions, simmer until they are translucent, about 5-8 minutes, add the other 1 tblsp olive oil, let warm then add the minced garlic, stir and cook for about 1 minute.

    Do not let your garlic get browned! At this point add in your tomato product, juice and all.

    Now pour in the ¼ cup of wine over the sauteed onions and garlic. Give it a stir and add in your fresh spices, basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, rosemary and marjoram. Stir well. Add in your rind of Parmigiano Reggiano or your fresh grated cheese. Stir and let simmer on low heat until the tomatoes break down and are virtually mush. About 20 minutes or so.

    Have a taste. Need salt? Yup, add in a small amount at first, perhaps a tsp. Taste again. adjust salt if necessary. Add some fresh cracked black pepper if you desire.

    If you used the cheese rind, remove it now and serve over fresh hot pasta or use with a delicious lasagna!
    Enjoy!

  • Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

    Salsa (Pico de Gallo)
    Salsa (Pico de Gallo / Salsa Fresco)
    (Serves 10-12)


    6 Roma Tomatoes, cut very small (1/8th x 1/8th)
    2 jalapeno peppers, cut very small, keep seeds
    1 Serrano chili, cut very small, keep seeds (optional)
    1 red onion, minced
    1 tblsp olive oil
    1 lemon, juiced
    fresh black pepper, to taste
    1 bunch cilantro, minced
    1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
    2 tsp salt


    NOTES:I like mine cut small but if you like larger chunks, feel free! Something I learned recently, raw salsa, aka Salsa Cruda, is not really called a salsa, they call this Pico de Gallo or Salsa Fresco. A cooked salsa, would be one where the tomatoes and chilies have been boiled or roasted and typically blended. Use as a topping for cooked fish, chips and salsa, filling for burritos and tacos. If you threw these ingredients into a blender, you'd have Salsa Roja, less chunky and slightly more watery.
     

    In a large bowl combine everything. Easy.

    Mix well.

    Now comes the waiting part. The salt will need time to break down the tomatoes and produce that yummy liquid in salsa. You can come back and stir it every half hour until a taste test reveals, deliciousness. For best results let sit covered in the fridge for 1 hour or more.

    Stores a week in the fridge.

  • Vegetables, Wild Rice and Sausage

    Vegetables, Wild Rice and Sausage
    Vegetables, Wild Rice and Sausage
    1 Cup Wild Rice (I used Lundbergs)
    2 Cups and 2 oz. Water
    1+¾ tsp chicken stock concentrate (bouillon), (low sodium, no MSG), OR substitute the water above with chicken stock.
    1-2 Cups Butternut squash in ½" squares, (seeded and skin cut off)
    ½ Cup Frozen Petite Peas
    ½ Cup Frozen Corn Niblets
    ½ tsp butter
    ½ tsp garam masala
    1 zucchini, split lengthwise and sliced thin
    1 Tomato, (Vine Ripe), diced small
    1 Red Onion, diced small
    1 Small head of broccoli, cut into small Florentines
    ½ tsp Olive Oil
    3 hot link sausages, cut into small squares

    Spice Blend: Makes enough for a few recipes
    3 peppercorns, ground fresh
    1 clove, ground fresh
    1 green cardamom seed, (insides only)
    1 black cardamom seed, (insides only)
    ¼ tsp whole cumin, ground fresh
    1/8 tsp whole black cumin, ground fresh
    ¼ tsp ginger powder, (or fresh minced)
    ¼ tsp garlic powder, (or fresh minced)
    ¼ tsp coriander
    ¼ tsp cinnamon
    chili powder
    ¼ tsp salt
    1/8 tsp mace
    1/8 tsp turmeric
    pinch saffron (about 3 or 4 strands)

    Once the spices are ground mix them all together and set aside, lets call it: Biryani Spice Blend
    NOTES: Instead of the sausage, you can substitute chicken, shrimp, beef or pork. (Bacon is great in this dish!) Just keep the meat portions down to equal a deck of cards in size for each serving in order to keep this a very healthy meal. My go to chicken stock is "Better then Bouillon" brand.

    Instructions

    In a saucepan with a tight fitting lid, add the water and wild rice and 1½ tsp chicken concentrate. Bring to a boil, over heat to lowest setting and let simmer 55 minutes. When done remove from heat and let sit with cover on for 5 minutes.

    In the meantime, get a small saucepan and fill with 2-3" of water, depending on how much butternut squash you are using. Salt the water (1 tsp salt). Add the cubed and seeded butternut squash and boil until tender. Strain and give a small sprinkle of ground pepper and salt (¼ tsp each), set aside when done.

    Using the same technique, boil the corn and peas until warmed through, drain and set aside. Add 1/2 tsp butter to the corn/peas mix along with a sprinkle of garam masala (about ¼ tsp).

    For the broccoli and zucchini, I use a technique called dry frying, similar to stir frying in a wok. High heat, relatively little or no oil and some spices. So get a heavy duty frying pan and turn up the heat to high. Add 1/2 tsp olive oil, just to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the zucchini and broccoli pieces, sprinkle with the spice blend (try a small amount at first ½ tsp) and taste after a few minutes. Toss them around every 45 seconds, until they all start getting a small char on (Charring occurs usually on a BBQ Grill, its that blackened look). Taste and add another sprinkle of the spice blend if needed. After about 5 minutes add about 2 oz. of water mixed with ¼ tsp chicken concentrate, pour over broccoli and zucchini, stir once, wait until the stock boils out, mix the broccoli and zucchini into the peas and corn blend, set aside.

    Now warm up those sausage pieces, if you use a precooked sausage, that is all you need to do, warm them up, if, however, you are using a raw sausage, you need to cook it thorougly. Drain any grease from the sausages. Now mix all the vegetables together with the sausage in the large fry pan, add the rice, sprinkle with some of the spice blend, add salt to taste (1/2 tsp??). Finish with another sprinkle of garam masala (about ¼ tsp). Enjoy!

  • Vegetarian Black Bean Taco Salad

    Vegetarian Black Bean Taco Salad
    Vegetarian Black Bean Taco Salad
    (serves 20)
    1 lb black beans
    2 onions, one small dice, the other just peeled.
    6-8 Roma tomatoes, small dice
    3 jalapenos, roasted and diced small
    2 green bell peppers, roasted and diced small
    1 small carrot
    1 stalk celery
    1 cup ketchup
    2 tblsp lime juice
    1 tblsp Tabasco hot sauce
    1 tblsp cumin powder
    1 tblsp chili powder
    2 tsp salt
    black pepper, to taste
    ¾ cup shredded cheese
    ¾ cup sour cream
    3 avocados, diced
    1 bunch cilantro, minced
    1 large bag of tortilla chips, your favorite brand
    Optional: 1 tblsp red wine vinegar
    Optional: ½ head of iceberg lettuce, shredded small
    NOTES: If you have the time, you should soak your beans first in cold water for up to a day before cooking them. To roast the peppers, stick them over open flames of stove burner until blackened then rinse the charred skin off under water, de-seed and chop in a small dice. Alternatively you can put them in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes, then place in a paper bag for 5 minutes, then the skin will peel off easy, de-seed then chop in a small dice.

    Instructions

    In a large pot of cold water, add the black beans, carrot, celery and the onion that's is peeled and whole. Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to simmer, until beans are tender.

    Drain the beans and discard the celery, carrot and onion. You can also cool the beans down with a little running cold water through the strainer.

    In a medium bowl, add the ketchup, lime juice, Tabasco, chili powder, cumin powder, salt and pepper (and the red wine vinegar, if your using it). Mix well, taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

    When the beans have cooled down, add the diced tomatoes, diced jalapeno peppers, diced green bell peppers and cilantro, mix well.

    Once you are happy with your ratio of vegetables to beans and in the sauce mixture and stir well, making sure all the beans and tomatoes get coated.

    Taste again, adjust seasonings if needed. To server, top with diced avocado, shredded cheese and sour cream.

    If you are using lettuce, shred or cut it in small strips and mix into the bean mixture.