About 
Hi there, I'm Rose. I love to cook food - and eat it. If you have any questions concerning any of my recipes, drop me a line at:
Contact:
rose [at] avocadobravado.net
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Some people have their favorite recipes and stick to them forever. When I talk to my dad and he tells me he’s making squash or chicken for dinner, I know exactly what he’s talking about. I try keep things constantly changing in the kitchen, but there are a few recipes I rarely ever stray from – mujaddara, for example. As much as I love the traditional hummus bi tahina (hummus with tahini), I’m constantly looking for new ways to reinvent it. I’ve been accused of being a hummus purist and even a snob, but that’s simply not true. I’ve just made it a personal mission to inform people that hummus means “chickpeas” in Arabic. It’s silly to call beet hummus, white bean hummus, edamame hummus, lima bean hummus, etc. hummus if the recipes don’t contain chickpeas. If you see a crazy lady rocking back and forth at a bus stop in San Francisco mumbling under her breath, “hummus means chickpeas in Arabic…” That’s me. Feel free to say hi.
Usually when I prepare hummus, I use canned garbanzo beans and simmer them in a saucepan with some water for 15-20 minutes. I find that this method helps the beans blend easier and improves the texture of the hummus. Plus, I love popping a few garbanzo beans into my mouth. They’re melt-in-your mouth delicious after simmering for 15 minutes or so. There are Syrian grandmothers who swear by soaking the garbanzos overnight and discarding the skins of the beans for the creamiest hummus possible, but I’ll leave that time consuming method to the experts (grandmothers, that is).
I’ve been on a garlic roasting kick lately. I’d say we’re going through 3 to 4 bulbs of garlic a week… and I have the breath to prove it. I’ve been adding roasted garlic to everything. Potatoes, toast, salad dressings, and now hummus. Apparently, there is such a thing as too much raw garlic. Not really for me, but for Cory. So I added roasted garlic to this batch of hummus. With roasted garlic, you get the garlic taste without at all being overpowering. The fresh herbs add a nice kick and a lovely pale green color.
Hummus with Roasted Garlic and Herbs
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1 bulb of garlic, roasted
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 15-oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained plus 1 cup of reserved water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (roasted is best, but raw is fine)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, plus extra for garnishing
salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 350F. Slice the top of the garlic bulb open, revealing the tips of the cloves. Place the garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle a teaspoon of oil over it. Wrap the bulb in the aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the hummus. Drain and rinse the can of beans. Toss the garbanzos into a small sauce pan with a cup of water and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside. Juice lemons, set aside tahini, and chop the herbs. Add the lemon juice, chives, parsley, salt, and a ladleful of garbanzos with some reserved water. Pulse together in a food processor or blender. Continue adding garbanzos a ladleful at a time and blending, adding more water until needed. Continue this method until all the garbanzos have been blended.
By now, the garlic should be ready. Open up the foil and let the garlic cool until easy enough to handle with your hands. Pop the cloves out of the bulb into a small bowl. Take a fork and smash the garlic until formed into a paste. Toss the paste into the blender and pulse until thoroughly blended. Transfer the hummus to a large bowl. Add the tahini to the bowl and mix thoroughly, this will thicken the hummus considerably. Taste the hummus, adding a couple more pinches of salt or lemon juice, if needed.
Serve with warm flat bread, pita chips, or your favorite raw vegetables. Garnish with olive oil, extra freshly chopped herbs, and spices (thyme, sumac, za’atar, paprika, etc).
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Date: Sunday, July 25th, 2010
Time: “Morning” (11:00 AM because that’s how we roll on weekends)
Location: San Francisco, California. More specifically, the Western Addition (think Full House houses). Even more specifically, Cory and Rose’s kitchen.
Fridge: Severely lacking in fresh produce.
Our bellies: Empty.
Most of our produce shopping is done on Sunday afternoons. By the time Sunday morning rolls around, there is little in the fridge in terms of fresh produce. I’ve had huevos rancheros on my mind and made sure to buy corn tortillas several days ago so I could eventually make it for breakfast. There are countless variations of the Mexican breakfast, but most include eggs topped in a chili-tomato sauce over tortillas. Making huevos rancheros usually requires making a quick sauce from fresh or canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, peppers, and various spices. I didn’t have canned or fresh tomatoes on hand, nor did I feel like chopping an onion just minutes after rolling out of bed. But! I did have a fresh batch of salsa verde in the fridge that is itchin’ to be used up. This “quick” version of huevos rancheros turned out incredibly well. I thought the the neutral flavors of the egg and tortillas helped balance out the tanginess from the salsa verde. Definitely a new favorite for lazy Sunday mornings!
Easy Huevos Rancheros with Salsa Verde
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a tablespoon or two of cooking oil
4 corn tortillas
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1 cup salsa verde (homemade or store-bought)
optional: adobo sauce, ground cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, freshly chopped cilantro (for garnishing).
Heat oven to 200F.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet. When hot, add one or two tortillas (depending on the size of your skillet) and cook for a minute or two on each side. Transfer the tortillas to a baking sheet, sprinkle a little cheese on them and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat this step until all tortillas have been cooked.
Add salsa verde to a small saucepan and cook over very low heat. Give the salsa verde a taste test. Now is the time to add any additional seasonings, like a little bit of adobo sauce, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, etc.
Drizzle a little more oil to the pan and swirl it around. Over medium heat, crack the eggs into the skillet and cook until the eggs reach desired doneness, anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes.
Transfer the tortillas to plates and spoon a little salsa verde over the tortilla. Top with an egg and add a little more salsa, if you wish.
Serves 2
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I used to think tomatillos were something that existed only in legend and myth. Okay, not really, but it certainly felt that way when I lived in Michigan. Tomatillos are related to tomatoes and are about the size of apricots. They mature inside of a papery husk, which are inedible and should be removed before eating. They are also meatier than tomatoes and have a tart flavor. Tomatillos are the key ingredient to salsa verde (literally, green sauce), which is frequently used as a dip for tortilla chips, a sauce for tacos, grilled meats, and fish. I used this batch of salsa verde to accompany both tacos and burritos, but I’m already thinking of various ways to use the leftovers (pork! chili! stew!).
Oh, and here are two chubby corgis wearing sunglasses and ties. Just because.
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
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1 1/2 pounds tomatillos
1/2 onion
1-3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro
1-3 peppers (jalapeño and serrano peppers are usually used, but I had anaheim peppers on hand, so I just used those), chopped. Leave in the seeds, if you prefer a hotter salsa.
pinch of sugar
pinch of cumin
salt, to taste
Set the oven to broil and cut tomatillos in half. Place them cut-side down in a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the skins are lightly blackened. Remove tomatillos from the oven and set aside.
When the tomatillos are cool enough to handle, toss them into a food blender and pulse until blended. Add the rest of the ingredients, onions, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, peppers, sugar, cumin, and salt. Pulse until blended. Add a little more salt, if necessary. Transfer to a container and refrigerate, if not using right away.
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San Francisco acquired a new resident today – Cory’s brother who has a freshly minted MBA. Cory and I assembled a humble care package for his arrival with the basic necessities – dish soap, body soap, paper towels, tissues, toilet paper, hangers, and a laundry bag, among other small things. Since he won’t be doing any grocery shopping until tomorrow, I also took it upon myself to make him a very large salad with a red wine vinaigrette and homemade almond vanilla granola. Yes, I am 25 going on 70. My mom keeps reminding me how old I am, so I may as well bring out my inner-doting grandmother, you know?
A funny thing happens when you eat 90% of your meals at home, everything you don’t prepare for yourself becomes incredibly expensive. I had every intention of buying granola, but I experienced slight sticker shock at the grocery store and decided to just make a small batch of granola at home. After all, I already had the ingredients waiting for me in the pantry. As far as granola goes, this one is fairly standard. Simple, very lightly sweetened, and warmly spiced. If you’re new to making granola, this is a good place to start. Just a warning, almond extract is strong. 1/4 teaspoon doesn’t seem like much, but any more than that would probably be too much.
Almond Vanilla Granola
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1 1/2 cups oats
1/4 cup barley flakes (optional)
1 cup almonds, chopped (or slivered almonds)
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
pinch of salt
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 300F.
Meanwhile, toss together the oats, barley flakes (if using), almonds, and shredded coconut in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, honey, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and salt. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the oats and toss to coat. Transfer the granola into an even layer on the largest baking sheet you have and bake for 40-50 minutes. Stir the granola every 10 minutes or so, to make sure the oats toast evenly.
When the granola is golden brown, remove from the oven and mix in the raisins before transferring to an air tight container. Store the container away from direct sunlight. Serve the granola with yogurt and fresh fruit.
Makes 5-6 servings
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I’ve been making small noodle dishes almost every night this week to accompany the hoisin five-spice chicken drumsticks. This tahini-based sauce for the noodle dish I prepared today is definitely a keeper. It’s slightly nutty, salty, sweet, and spicy. The mint and cucumbers add a nice summery crunch to the dish, almost enough to make me forget that the temperature has been in the 50s all week.
Mint and Cucumber Noodles with Tahini Sauce
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Boil water in a large saucepan. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse noodles. Set aside.
While the noodles are boiling, chop the mint and cucumber. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a large bowl. By now, the noodles should be ready. If the noodles are sticky, give them a quick rinse. Transfer the noodles back into the saucepan and stir in the sauce. Now mix in the cucumbers and mint. Serve warm or cold. Garnish the noodles with sesame seeds and more red pepper flakes just before serving.
Noodles:
8 oz noodles (egg noodles, cellophane noodles, spaghetti)
1 small cucumber, chopped
large handful of mint, chopped
sesame seeds, for garnish
red pepper flakes, for garnish (optional)
Sauce:
1/4 cup tahini
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey, sugar, or agave nectar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
red pepper flakes or chili sauce to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
freshly ground Sichuan pepper, to taste (optional)
Serves 4
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