Corn, Tomato, and Black Bean Salsa

October 18, 2011 by 1 Comment

Corn, Tomato, and Black Bean Salsa

Great as a side dish or served with blue corn chips for a quick snack, our Corn, Tomato, and Black Bean Salsa is refreshing and delicious with a touch of sweetness.

Nothing transports our taste buds to the American Southwest like salsa. Found on nearly every table in the area, salsas have become more popular than ketchup. Whether sweet, smoky, mild or flaming hot, there are literally hundreds of variations on this staple condiment. Our Corn, Tomato, and Black Bean Salsa is cool and delicious with the added ingredients of cilantro, garlic and onion. A touch of our Red Chile Honey lends a smoky sweetness to this flavorful blend of fresh ingredients.

PREP: 10 minutes + 1 hour chill time
COOK: 2 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup fine chopped white onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 teaspoon lightly toasted, freshly ground cumin
  • 1 jalapeno chile, minced
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Red Chile Honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 3 large ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup cooked black beans

DIRECTIONS

  1. Lightly sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, about 2 minutes, over medium heat; set aside.
  2. Combine chopped cilantro, cumin, jalapeno, vinegar, honey, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Add corn, tomato, black beans and sautéed vegetables. Stir to combine thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for an hour so flavors can combine.

TIPS: Serve with blue corn chips for a quick snack or aside favorites like Chiles Rellenos or Carne Adovada for a complete meal.

YIELDS: 2 1/2 cups

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Filed under Appetizers, Food, Side Dishes, Southwest American Cuisine Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Toasted Flautas

August 17, 2011 by 1 Comment

Toasted Flautas

Toasted tortillas, Mexican cheese, black beans and ground beef make for a quick and tasty lunchtime snack.

When unexpected guests show up, we hate to send them away hungry. But with a few common ingredients, we can soon place a platter of tasty snacks on the table that satisfies everyone’s hunger. For the perfect meal, serve our toasted flautas with chunky guacamole, sour cream and fresh salsa.

PREP: 5 minutes
COOK: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/4 cup taco seasoning
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 package corn tortillas, 12
  • 6 ounces Monterey jack cheese, grated
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon safflower oil

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large skillet, brown beef until crumbled. Add taco seasoning and water, bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes, drain. Remove from heat.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lay out tortillas on two baking sheets. Spread cheese on each one. Place in oven to melt, 1 – 2 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, toss the beef, tomatoes, black beans, salt and lime juice together. Distribute mixture over cheese-melted tortillas and roll up. Place side by side on baking sheet. Brush oil over top of each roll. Bake for 8 minutes, until golden and crispy.

YIELDS: 12 flautas

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Filed under Appetizers, Entertaining, Food, Mexican Cuisine Tagged with , , , , , ,

Salsa Verde

August 2, 2011 by 2 Comments

Salsa Verde
Growing up in the American Southwest, many of our dishes were influenced by Mexican flavors and vegetables, including tomatillos and assorted chilies, like the spicy Serrano peppers in this green sauce. The addition of peanuts gives this salsa extra creaminess. Our Salsa Verde is great on top of scrambled eggs, scooped up with tortilla chips or utilized in recipes like Chicken Enchiladas Salsa Verde.

PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 2 Serrano or jalapeño chilies, stems removed
  • 14 whole tomatillos, peeled and simmered in water for 5 minutes
  • 1/4 cup roasted and salted peanuts
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the broiler. Place the onion, garlic and chilies on a foil lined cast iron skillet. Broil for 4 minutes or until charred and blistered. Discard the garlic skin.
  2. Place the onion, garlic, and chilies in a blender jar with the tomatillos, peanuts, salt and broth. Blend until smooth.

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment.

Filed under Appetizers, Food, Mexican Cuisine, Sauces Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Hummus

June 3, 2011 by 2 Comments

Hummus

Now a worldwide favorite, Hummus originated in the Mediterranean and comes in many varieties. This basic recipe is quick and easy to make and is yummy with salads, sandwiches or scooped up with baked pita chips.

One of the best ways to enrich your life and get a more global perspective on the world is to make friends from other countries. Wherever we’ve lived, we have always managed to meet folks who were originally from distant corners of the world and who never failed to bring with them culinary treasures unique to their home country. One of our dearest friends is from Jordan and is one of the best cooks we’ve ever met. Anytime she brings something to a gathering, from grape leaves to meat pies, she always impresses us with her simple, fresh creations. This recipe for hummus is one of the staples in her repertoire. Originally prepared in lands across the Mediterranean, hummus has now gained popularity worldwide and comes in many varieties. This is a basic recipe that is easy and quick to make and delivers a delicious, earthy flavor that is the perfect accompaniment to salads, sandwiches, or even served as an appetizer with baked pita chips.

PREP

5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
  • 3 1/2 cups cooked dried chickpeas or two 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
  1. In bowl of food processor combine chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and salt. Pulse to a thick paste. With motor running, slowly add water, then oil, in a slow stream. Taste and add more salt if needed.
YIELDS

4 cups

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment

Filed under Appetizers, Food Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Chunky Guacamole with Serrano Peppers

June 2, 2011 by 5 Comments

Chunky Guacamole with Serrano Peppers

Our cool and creamy chunky guacamole gets a shot of spicy flavor from Serrano peppers. Yummy and oh-so-versatile, try it as an appetizer with tortilla chips, alongside your favorite Mexican dish or on top of a hamburger for Southwestern flair.

My memories of summers past are always filled with friends, music, and tons of delicious food. Growing up in the tri-state area on the borders of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana, we always had fun events to look forward to like the Summer Music Festival in Shreveport, the Texas State Fair in Dallas, the Stockyards Championship Rodeo in Fort Worth, or the Watermelon Festival in Hope, Arkansas (birthplace of President Bill Clinton). Music flowed through the veins of these events, and tasty, spicy foods fueled us so we could get to them all. Here is one of my favorite recipes from my Texas days. Every time I make it I’m transported back to a simpler time, where I was surrounded by Latin influences and Hispanic friends who infused everything they made with robust flavors and mouth-watering spices. Serve this with tortilla chips, alongside enchiladas, dolloped on burritos or spread it on top of your favorite burger. This is truly one of the most versatile recipes in our repertoire!

PREP

10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
  • 6 ripe avocados, diced
  • 4 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 1 large white onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
  • 1 Serrano pepper or 1 Jalapeño pepper, finely minced
  • Juice from 4 small limes (about 8 tablespoons)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
DIRECTIONS
  1. In a large bowl, place the avocados, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, Serrano, lime juice, and salt. Stir gently until well combined.
  2. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
TIP

To keep the guacamole from turning brown, press a pit from one of the avocados into the center of the dish. Remove it before serving.

YIELDS

8 cups

© 2011 Jadeworks Entertainment

Filed under Appetizers, Food, Mexican Cuisine Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

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