Mosquito by Roma Tearne

It is the book that ruined two nights of sleep and brought me to tears. It has been a long time since literature has touched me so deeply. Read it.

In humans, the olfactory sense is a primitive leftover yet has a huge effect on our behaviour. For example the aroma that defines this time of year is pungent and addictive... roasted green chile! To smell Chiles over the flame renders me positively giddy! I am not ashamed to admit that I salivate with the best of Pavlov's famed dogs!

In the past I've written about Chiles in our family life (los Huerta) and the memories that are attached to roasting, cooking and feasting with them. Let it suffice to say that this Saturday Lunch with friend and fellow gourmand, Peter Wilensky, was incredible! The superb and sublime can be as easy as a toasted corn tortilla topped with avocado, fried egg and a freshly roasted Chile. A squeeze of lime, Salt & Pepper. We portioned out two bushels into quart size bags and still managed to laugh, eat and drink a few beer with lime! Last week, with my brother Roberto we bagged four bushels, I suspect we'll be fine for the winter!

Sizzle, Sizzle, Bubble and Trouble

It arrives at the table sizzling and bubbling and steaming and brings to mind a scene stirring the cauldron from Shakespeare's MacBeth. Perhaps I exaggerate but everyone is wowed! No kidding!

I confess, I love bringing the uninitiated to the Rancho Market in Salt Lake City for a sizzling, bubbling Molcajete! No one gets out unmoved/unchanged. There are several reasons for enjoying the experience. Many have said they never liked a corn tortilla 'til that very moment. Of course there are flour tortillas, too! For others it's the salsas. Regardless, the star of the show is the double, double toil and trouble; fire burn, and caldron bubble MOLCAJETE! The only real trouble is that it's sooo good , you'll eat more then you ever thought you could! They're huge; we ordered two!

Man, this is fun! Hank and his father Ted Scheffler - SLCity Weekly food critic agreed wholeheartedly. Along with our companions (Gourmand Nancy Fillat, Singer Joy Tlou, and Mad Guitarist Rich Daigle) we ate, laughed, told stories of great Mexican meals, restaurants and locations which in the past had pleased us most. In other words, it was a great meal with enthusiastic eaters. At the Rancho Market you'll be an enthusiastic eater, too. Give it a try. Provecho!

An Autumn so Bright you'll need Shades!!!

Not quite September and I have yet to begin thinking about an encroaching autumnal equinox. No doubt, I'll come to terms with the change of season but not just yet. The gardens are bumper crop perhaps due to the ample rains of June, years of prepping the soil or a combination of all of the above. No explaining it really. It's just time to revel in the garden and the kitchen.

I received a hefty hook-neck squash from my gardening brother Joe and matched it with the tomatoes growing at my house. The colors combined pop like a tropical flower, full of life and urgently vibrant. Oh, how I love this time of year.

OK, this recipe is so simple, I feel a little shy in sharing it. But give it a try with a gift from your squash fairy (everyone has at least one), you'll love it. So will your family and guests!

2 cups Squash
One hand full of Cherry Tomatoes
Splash of Chicken Broth
Splash fresh OJ
3 Tbls Puree of Roasted Red Peppers (or Ajvar)
Mince of garlic & onion
Salt & Pepper
And a pinch of Herbes de Provence, if you like.

Cook over med-high heat 'til the squash softens. I've been serving this over Crostini slices smeared with goat cheese. Add a salad to the side, dinner's done quickly. I find a dry Spanish Rose Wine (Rosado) is perfect to round out this offering.

P.S. I love using a Mandoline. It makes veggie prep simple and the clean-up is fast!

Paella Session - Atlanta GA

I spent a long weekend recently with the Antista family (cousin, aunt & uncle) in Atlanta. I made paella while primo Tom shot the process with video and stills. Some of the images are stupendous. Salad and conversation added, our meal was sublime.

Lunch Frittata - Time Saveur

A few left-over items in the fridge, add pesto or other sauce, cherry tomatoes (grown along side the house) and a clip of Basil for garnish and today's lunch is a Time Saveur.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Heat a splash of olive oil over medium-high heat in an oven-safe skillet and cook a mince of onion and garlic until translucent. Beat eggs, add pasta, pesto, red or bechamel sauce, salt & pepper. Pour mixture into the skillet. The "Sizzle" indicates you'll have a nice brown crust once done. Reduce the heat to medium-low, allow eggs to set, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to preheated oven and cook fully, about 15 minutes. Nota Bene: The center is the problem spot. When center is solid, cool, cut and serve with soup, salad and a hunk of country bread. Any and all will do nicely! Garnish with tomato and basil. Serve with a Sauvignon Blanc.

"Windows on Baikal"

While indulging in a bit of reminiscing and reviewing fotos taken in Siberia, I found a series I shot of the windows of homes around Lake Baikal.

Please note, the houses themselves are without paint. Oddly, only the windows receive paint and a splash of creativity and fanciful flourish. I was so taken with this novel approach to home maintenance, I broke out the camera just to shoot the series, "Windows on Baikal". I share five of the many taken that day!

Being this principally is a food blog, I should add that we consumed mostly black bread, smoked fish, the caviar of Omul (a fish found only in the waters of Lake Baikal) and the Cup-O-Potato-Buds re-hydrated with boiling hot water from many a samovar. Russian Standard Vodka, was the tipple of choice - sometimes mixed with Schweppes' Bitter Lemon (more readily found in Siberia then in North America it seems). Ah, Siberia I love you well!

ROAD RELLENOS JOURNEY (Chile Rellenos found on the road)

Road trip? Chile Rellenos? Travel with a weakness? Nothing better spells excitement & motivation for a "Fool for Chile" like me! Ok, a few words of orientation before launching into Tales of the Road Rellenos Journey. The core word is "CHILE". Implying that a Chile Relleno will have a balance of flavors yet showcase the "CHILE". It's an attitude. Granted, a very personal one. I love the chile; I have a nose for the chile; I seek out the chile. I will pull over and spend quality time with a plate of Rellenos that are nicely done no matter the location.

This was a bit of a travel loop, part aeroplane-part auto - SLC, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Lubbock, Santa Fe, Durango and back to SLC. For the purpose of this Road Relleno Journey story, we concentrate on States where the rellenos can be found: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado. To my surprise, it was harder to find a GOOD Chile Relleno in the Southwest then one would think.

Texas: Yet more evidence that Tex-Mex is the numbing down of Mexican Food so gringos will like it, too. General experience, too much cheese, gobs of greasy egg batter and plates drowning in the ubiquitous canned & bland red sauce. First question? Does your cook suffer the fear of CHILE? Chile lost! Balance lost! Two stops, both disappointing.

New Mexico: Spent more time here. Many stops. Michael's in Taos (good). In Santa Fe, Horseman's Haven, tia Sophia's and the Tecolote Cafe, all serve Southwest Classics (great). Favorite - The Pantry: Breakfast & Brunch 1820 Cerrillos Rd Santa Fe, NM 87505 fon: 505. 986.0022. Over the years, the Pantry has added more to the menu so now even kids and grandmothers will find something that will please. Regarding the Rellenos, good use of cornmeal to achieve a crispy exterior, nice balance of chile to cheese filling to CHILE flavor. Add rice, beans and eggs and morning in Santa Fe can be so very good! http://www.pantrysantafe.com/

Colorado: Short time, Durango. Winner of the Heaviest Batter Award. Large Mexican restaurant on the main drag, well known. Relleno delivered, I asked for a sharp knife. A long incision and delicate surgery allowed me to locate the chile. No balance! Paradise missed!

Chile Relleno, I thought, had two approaches. Mexcian - wheat flour used only to coat the chile before being wrapped in peaky, whipped egg batter. Delectable y delicioso. New Mexican - wheat flour, corn meal and a bit of egg, much crispiness and great balance. Wow!

Third approach? Google helped me here. There are a slurry of recipes on-line for what appears to be pancake batter (as coating for Relleno?). I suspect this is the Colorado style I encountered in Durango. Upon returning to Colorado, I'll stick to what they do best. Cow Country? Steak?

True, no great length of time was spent in any one location to dig deep and find the Mom-and-Pop Dives that kick out the incredible (this being the opportunity for residents of poo-pooed locations to argue the reverse). I am a firm believer in the gems. I love ferreting them out and I spend much time, joyfully, eating in those spots all over the world. You'll find my favorites here (as they are uncovered) at All Accordin'.

Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes (1911-1993) or more commonly known as "Cantinflas" has been a life-long hero to me. He was a comedic genius, yes, but what appealed to me was his palpable sense of humanity. I never tire of his films. There are about fifty, my favorite being "Ahí está el detalle" (There's the rub). Only two were in English, of these my fave is "Around the World in Eighty Days". Cantinflas played Phileas Fogg's unflappable assistant Passeportout. Next you rent the DVD watch for Cantinflas. Charlie Chaplan called him "the greatest comedian in the world; With a huge smile I just call him Cantinflas.

Paella Kings

All my brothers are wonderful cooks, each with his own style and focus. But it's Joe and I who have taken to the Paella. We have years of practice and a good sense of what pleases guests. The fotos shared are my most recent effort.

If you're curious, START! Google the recipe (in the beginning any flat-bottomed pan will do-after getting some chops invest in a paella pan). The best teachers are research, practice and a Spanish friend. If you lack the Spanish friend just begin cooking you'll have a Spanish friend in no time. Each Spaniard has his own recipe and will want to be part of the experience!

Pour the wine, let the Fiesta-without-Siesta begin!

Cactus salad - Ensalada de Nopalitos

This is truly one of the easiest recipes when using the Nopal Cactus from the bottle. However, if not highly practiced the preparation of raw Nopal paddles into edible strips can be a prickly proposition. The process entails using great care, a sharp knife and a pair of stout gloves to remove all spines (espinas), cutting and par-boiling the ribbons. Once cooled and you've undertaken the pickling process proceed directly to the recipe below! Or do as my grandmother Tomasa did simply resort to prepared cactus from the bottle available at any Mexican market.

Cactus Salad

One cup of Nopal Cactus or more
2 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
Radish, julienne
Fresh cilantro

Simple Vinaigrette
Olive oil or vegetable oil if you prefer
Red wine vinegar
Dried oregano
Salt & pepper al gusto

My little twist on the traditional is to add Julienned Jicama for additional crunch. I finish the salad with fresh lime juice for a light bright flavor! This is a perfect "All Accordin" recipe in that you just add more of any ingredient that pleases you or leave out what doesn't. Yet another twist I find expressly thrilling is the use of Prickly Pear Fruit Jelly in making the vinaigrette - infusing yet more Cactus flavor, cactus to cactus if you like. Also, it's easy to add crisp Romaine Lettuce and crumbly Queso Ranchero (Ranch Cheese) to modernize this salad so well loved in the hot, dry north of Mexico.

Tamales; Red, Green or with Rajas

Every SATURDAY at 10am, a Mexican family (husband and wife - Rey & Emperatriz) arrives at the Super Bodega in SLC, UT to sell fresh handmade tamales (they're up all Friday night cooking). When presented with the steaming pots there are a few choices to make: cheese, chicken or pork, also, corn husk or banana leaf. Top your selection with the fresh Green Salsa (not really picante but packs big flavor with a mince of cilantro, red onion and garlic). After eating your fill, visit the bodega to buy a large variety of vegetables at wholesale prices. You'll never need to pay retail supermarket prices, again! Best avocado prices anywhere!

This is one of those moments where you wonder how you were transported to another country and another time. Welcome to Mexico, would you like some mango juice to finish your meal? The Super Bodega, 6th South 6th West, SLC UT

El Molcajete - Rancho Market, UT

A Molcajete is a Mexican lava stone mortar & pestle. However, there is another meaning to molcajete that spells great dining. A typical Mexican dish of the same name is served in this traditional kitchen tool. The mortar or base is turned upside down on an open flame in order to heat the stone. Once glowing hot the mortar is turned right side up and filled with a sizzle and spatter of salsa, Oaxaca cheese (similar to mozzarella), roasted jalapenos and cactus paddles, shrimp, beef and chicken, then topped with Mexican fresh ranch cheese. Included are fresh tortillas, rice, beans and a wide range of condiments. For a great local version of the Molcajete visit the Rancho Market, 2470 So Redwood Road West Valley City, UT 84119. Serving from 7am to 9pm, the market and their restaurant are an experience unto themselves. It's much like arriving in Mexico without having to pack, hassle with security or have your passport stamped. There's nothing better, nothing more authentic and nothing tastier. Oh, better bring a few big hungry friends, the portions are HUGE!

Paila Marina - Chile

One of the most delectable South American seafood indulgences is Paila Marina (Chilean seafood soup). My friend, Chef Marcela Hernandez of Arica, informs me that depending on where you are the soup will change due to shellfish and fishes prevalent in local waters. And being that the Pacific coastline of Chile is 6435 kilometers (4000 mi) long north to south, that promises a considerable range in water temperature and resident species. However, the basic recipe remains the same (favorite hot fish stock and add readily available fish, shellfish and shrimp, mince of onion & garlic, oregano, bay leaf and perhaps a daub of tomato paste and fresh parsley as a finishing touch). 

Following the above approach while exercising due respect for all seafood used, any home cook can achieve a perfectly wonderful Paila Marina. In conversation, it occurred to me that it is a confident chef who will share a "secret" and the self-assured Chef Hernandez happily revealed a superior Paila Marina is finished with a splash of fresh milk and dry white wine. She insists you use the same white you have in your glass. “One to accent the other,” she adds. “Really, nothing could be better. Salud!”

Copyright © Mick Huerta 2009. All Rights Reserved. 
mickhuerta@gmail.com
All Accordin' - Travel, Culture, Food & Wines!

Beatrice Fresh Pastas, La Paz Bolivia

When trekking anywhere on the planet there are challenges. Using a guidebook helps to meet many, however, there are sweet spots that even fastidious research will miss. I find for best information, no matter where you are, ask a local.

In this case, I'll serve as your local guide brimming with tasty insider information directly applicable to lunchtime satisfaction... After many years of living and eating in La Paz, a few spots really shine and a constant favorite for lunch is Beatrice Fresh Pastas. Chef Marco Schiapparoli from Milano, Italia spends his mornings making a variety of artisanal pastas and fresh sauces for a daily crowd of appreciative neighbours. The menu is short (13 pastas - 13 Sauces). The focus is on quality. Even with a classic list of renown pastas (Lasagna, Agnolotti, Ravioli, Cannelloni, Cappalletti, Tagliatelle) there are still surprises. One that I order often is the Coca Pasta. Powdered coca leaves are added to wheat flour when making the dough; served with a flavorful from scratch Pomodoro (Tomato) Sauce or a Llama Bolognesa and the result is like no other. The restaurant is easy to find located facing the Sopocachi Market just outside of the downtown area. Not to be missed! And the prices will not dent even a trekker's budget.

Beatrice Fresh Pasta - Open Lunch & Dinner. Closed Only Tuesdays.
The Wine list is well thought out and priced fairly.
Calle Guachalla, Edificio Nicol, Sopocachi, La Paz Boliva


Copyright © Mick Huerta.
All Rights Reserved.
mickhuerta@gmail.com

Azapa, Chile

The Olives of Azapa, Chile are pungent and luscious. The oil they provide is truly a godsend on any salad expressly when balanced with fresh lime juice and completed with a pinch of Salt & Pepper. To travel in the Atacama desert: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama, you´d think there is nothing present save the beauty of the open exhausted expanse. So very wrong! There is an olive that begs you to pause and redefine the concept of time-savour. Here you are encouraged catch your breath and claim the joys of appreciating your life. Please, stop and smell the olives and the perfume of Azapa Olive Oil. Your mouth and eyes will water when you do.

Once on the trail of Pisco Sour there is no shirking duty ´til the investigation comes to a natural close. Not to throw onesself into the company of Brother Cadfael, C. Auguste Dupin, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Sherlock Holmes or our dear Watson. No, not at all. My comment is more that once the trail is warm and you happen to be on the South American coast that grows the grape and where is produced the clear brandy called Pisco, it is only natural to follow where curiousity leads. If that trail is littered with glass after glass of a spent favorite cocktail, multiple locations, two countries, so be it. Pictured here, Pisco Sour, Azapa Inn, Azapa Valley Northern Chile.

COCA SOUR Cocktails - Elixir of the Andes!

The Pisco Sour: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisco_Sour, is an iconic cocktail claimed vehemently by both Peru and Chile. Pisco is simply a clear brandy distilled from white muscat grapes which were first grown by the Spanish in the 16th century. While both countries claim the liquor as their own, I have heard very few claim to be the point of origin of the cocktail. The one that stands out is the Hotel Maury in Lima, Peru. However, as the battle ensues I imbibe Pisco Sour in all locations without ever choosing sides. Truly safer this way, and of course, there's no danger of offending my South American hosts.

For my Coca Leaf version of this Andean classic, fill a litre jar with fresh Coca Leaves: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca, then fill to brim with Pisco or Singani: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singani, the clear brandy of Bolivia. Let sit for four weeks, shake the jar anytime it occurs to you. The liquor will change color and the leaves will lose their lustre. Once liquor is green, you are ready to follow this Pisco Sour recipe with a twist.

3 parts Coca Singani or Pisco (from recipe above)
1 1/2 parts Key Lime Juice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_Lime
1 - 2 tbsp Sugar (or Bar Syrup)
1 Egg White (optional, produces froth)
A few drops of Aromatic Bitters

* Some will sugar the rim of the glass, I find this more affectation then tradition. And in this, I smell shades of Mexico's Margarita.

If you have no access to Coca Leaves, I suggest you visit... In the meantime, SALUD!

Pizzaz at 4000 Metres (12,000 feet) Above Sea Level

Often I am accused of loving to play pizzaiolo (pizza maker) and now after creating pizza at 4000 meters (12,000 ft) it seems altitude doesn´t much effect the fun.

Visiting old friends and old haunts in La Paz, Bolivia gave opportunity to throw flour, pop the cork of wonderful South American wines (Italians prefer to drink beer with pizza) and thrill the young of various generations. I´ve found that adults and kids are equally enthusiastic about an afternoon of making personal pizzas and eating the results. Just offer a huge salad and the Party Menu is complete.

First hint is to make the dough at least 24 hours earlier. The dough relaxes as you should when dazzling your friends and family.

Secound Hint, buy inexpensive unglazed terra cota tiles from any tile store and line the oven-rack placed at the bottom position. If you have a gas oven place tiles on the oven floor. Cook the pizza right on the hot tiles, good results assured.

Pre-heat oven to highest setting (Professional wood oven temperatures reach 750° to 800° F). At home 500° to 550° F works just fine.

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 cup olive oil or veg oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups warm water
cornmeal for dusting pizza peel

The dough should be a little sticky. Form a ball, douse with olive oil, place in plastic bag and refrigerate up to 2 or three days. The longer it reposes the greater your ease in making the thin crust Neopolitana Pizza. Allow dough to come to room temperature before using.

Red Sauce: 1 can (28 oz) of favorite peeled tomatoes
4 teaspoons olive oil
salt to taste

Bechamel Sauce is a good alternative: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Sauce-or-Bechamel-Sauce-40046

Toppings? Think in terms of the pizza you want to eat: Traditional Margarita, Marinara, Mediterranean, Kiddie, Veggie, Hawaiian, etc. Some in our creative crew loved Hearts of Palm, one young palate prefered canned corn and ham. Pfft, new one on me.

P.S. To give ingredients visual pop use a Kitchen Mandoline: http://localfoods.about.com/od/localfoodsglossary/g/mandoline.htm, to julienne veggies like the zucchini pictured above. I love the less expensive and versitile Borner V-Slicer: http://www.simplygoodstuff.com/borner_vslicer.html