For those of you uninitiated in fried plantains you’re really missing something. A plantain is that fruit you see in the grocery that looks like a really big, green, banana. This is a high starch plant and tastes horrible raw. Think of it more like a potato.
As for cooking difficulty, if you can handle hash browns, you can handle making these. They are really best fresh, much like French fries. Try them with any Caribbean dish or BBQ.
What exactly is tapas. From Wikipedia:
Tapas (IPA: [ˈtaˌpas]) is the name of a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as puntillitas, which are battered, fried baby squid).
In North America and the United Kingdom, tapas have evolved into an entire cuisine. In these countries, patrons of tapas restaurants can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal.
The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. Also, in some countries it is customary for diners to stand and move about while eating tapas.
For me they mean really flavorful appetizers made with great ingredients that are meant to be a shared experience.
When making tapas at home keep it simple. Make one dish that you have to cook, two if you have a lot of help, add a great cheese and some wine. Cooking one or two tapas is not difficult. Making ten would be.
These aren’t meant to feed a family of four. However, if your looking to have something interesting to serve with wine, these are exceptional.
My tapas idea here is Mussels with Bacon and Blue Cheese. The marriage between the three main ingredients works amazingly well. As a bonus, this dish is much easier to cook than it might sound. If the need to drink the broth afterward with a spoon hits you, by all means feel free.
Recipe follows.
Fish tacos are a mainstay of many coastal areas. Sadly, they haven’t spread inland as much as they deserve. This version is really fast, easy, and healthier than its deep fried cousin. Make sure you use a firm white fish, oil it well, and leave it be on the grill. After that you’re home free.
Click here.
Pickled Red Onion
I have many food memories of my last trip to Cancun. One of the best is of this traditional Yucatan condiment.
Out of necessity (hey, we were there with three little kids), we ate at the hotel buffet on a frequent basis. Although the onions were technically in the Mexican station, I found myself sneaking them into all manner of things.
Omelets.
Hamburgers.
Chicken.
Ice Cream (just kidding).
Anyway, you get the point. This is one flexible condiment.
When we got home I messed around with some recipes and settled on this. There is always a jar in our fridge now. Try using it on a variety of dishes, especially anything with a Mexican flare. Hamburgers and hot dogs are also kicked up considerably. If you come up with any other uses please leave a comment, I’d love to hear about it.
Click here to see recipe.
Reubens are on many diner menus. I find myself ordering one, occasionally, because it seems like it’s been a while since I had one. From what I can tell I’m not alone in this experience. What’s a shame is this is an easy sandwich to make at home.
I dug around the internet to see where these sandwiches were invented. There seems to be an argument over whether they were invented by a prohibition era grocer who held a weekly poker game, or a New York City deli owner around WWI. Either way Reubens have been around awhile.
Also there seems to be some angst in the Reuben community over the spelling. Reuben appears to be the prevalent spelling, with a small contingent holding on to Rueben. Seems to me a lot confusion could have been avoided if the inventors name was Bob. Oh, well.
This Reuben is a crunchy sandwich. It reminds me of a German grilled cheese. I give you Griddle Reuben Sandwich.
I first used this recipe about 15 years ago, and honestly, I don’t remember where I got it. This really is a crowd favorite that seems to surprise people in a good way. What I like is that it lets people really get to enjoy the flavor of habanero. And it’s perfect this time of year, when the tomatoes are not salsa-worthy.
Habanero’s fantastic flavor comes along with unbelievable heat. The sugars in this salsa really help tame the heat down to a manageable level. Some tips on dealing with an habanero:
Don’t let all these precautions stop you from using habaneros. If you use the same respect and awareness that you would use with a sharp knife, you’ll be fine.
Click here to see how this salsa is made.
