Recipe Revisit: Manchego & Tomato Salad

I was at BJ's warehouse last week. I happened to be walking past the cheese section and saw a huge brick of manchego cheese. I was surprised to see manchego in their cheese selection. I was also surprised to see the price. It cost less than $12.00. I checked - it was made in Spain. Good enough, that cheese was sold!

Is Manchego Tomato Salad a poker dish? I didn't think it was, but I needed to bring something and I had all the ingredients, so I did. I served it with a fresh loaf of good French crusty bread (Nashoba Bakeries). And much to my surprise, my double batch all but disappeared at the hands of the six or so very masculine poker players!

And what surprised me even more is that Joe was one of them! When I first made this dish, he didn't touch it. I thought that the fresh tomatoes and the walnuts were a deal breaker! I feel very good now that my man liked my food.

Here's the recipe.

Cucumber and Watermelon Salad

Cool and refreshing are the words that come to mind with this delightful and easy Cucumber and Watermelon Salad. This is the perfect dish for the weather we are having in Massachusetts right now.

Just last week I was wondering where summer was. It was literally 65 degrees outside in June. And that wasn't a fluke of a day. Then, on Friday we hit the mid seventies. And then the oppressing weather arrived. We are officially in a heat wave and schools are releasing early because it's just too hot. So cool and refreshing food is what we all need! Oh, and there is not a smidgen of fat in this salad. Hurray! I think I will nosh on it at work tomorrow instead of eating chocolate or other bad things I shouldn't be eating. That would be good.

Last year this was my summer party go-to dish. The bowl usually ends up empty and I leave with a deep sense of pride. I like pride.

This recipe came from Everyday Food Magazine, which a few months ago I decided to let go of (here's a link to my thoughts at the time). But bringing this recipe out today made me think twice about that decision. Perhaps I will renew after all!

Cucumber and Watermelon Salad
Adapted from Everyday Food magazine


3 cups peeled and cubed (1/2 inch) English cucumber
3 cups cubed (1/2 inch) seedless watermelon
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
ground pepper to taste (I did 12 twists of the pepper mill)

In a large bowl, toss cucumber and watermelon with lime juice, and pepper. Serve immediately or chill and eat later.

The Next Food Network Star

I planned to pass on watching this season's Next Food Network Star. I watched last season and was disappointed with the show. But here it is, summer again. School is still in session and already, the networks have ended their seasons, and once again it's slim pickings.

One of the reasons I didn't care for this reality show last season is the new direction of the Food Network. I remember when Joe and I got our first apartment and I discovered the channel. I was mesmerized by shows like Two Hot Tamales, The Essence of Emeril, and Molto Mario. These were chefs, doing what they do best and teaching the viewers how to do it all at home. They opened my eyes to an array of ingredients and cooking styles. I learned terminology and technique by watching their shows. The entire Food Network experience was not only entertaining, but thought-provoking and educational. But things changed.

Perhaps it was Emeril who started it out with his live show. He got a catch phrase - BAM! And then the marketers dug their claws into the network and the focus shifted from teaching how to cook, to entertaining with food, making it though the week, and selling us a brand.

It's as if a bolt of lightening flashed and now we have 30 Minute Meals and Semi Homemade. The Food Network no longer wants to expand our horizons, they want to let us know how to get through the week, and perhaps sell us some gadgets and a hook us on an on-camera personality or two along the way. But they don't seem too concerned with teaching us to love to cook.

This entire train of thought is evident in who are the people of the Selection Committee for The Next Food Network Star. Susie Fogelson is the Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy (nothing to do with food). She says she is looking for someone who can "not only represent Food Network's brand, but that can hone and develop their own brands." This means that the Food Network wants to sell you a product. They want you to spend your money on it. They want you to buy Rachel Ray's cookware and Emeril's seasonings. I can only imagine that when they sign a cook or chef to the Food Network, that they take a portion of any profits from the cookbooks sold by their employees. After all, they were allowed to develop their audiences because of the Food Network.

The other bigwig on the Selection Committee is Bob Tuschman. Tuschie is the Senior Vice President in charge of Programming and Production. Again, nothing to do with food. He, himself comes off as light on personality and heavy on making a buck. He is looking for a "personality that can excite millions." Too bad he doesn't fall under that category. Yet this is the person who decides who gets a show and who doesn't. I personally blame him for the lack of good cooking going on at the Food Network. I don't know if I'm justified in that, but I'm entitled to my opinion, right? After all, this show is called The Next Food Network Star, and not the Next Food Network Chef.

All the contestants are thin and good-looking. Unless they are there to teach you healthy cooking methods, then there's something wrong with that picture. Hmm, that is in great contrast to the chefs on Top Chef. Most of them were overweight to some extent.

So, after the introductions, the contestants had their first on-screen challenge. It was to do a simple introduction sentence, perhaps while holding a prop. Whoever goes on TV does need some sort of on-air presence.

On this quick and seemingly simple challenge, some fared better than others. I thought that Nipa did a good job. She stood out in my mind. There were a couple of contestants who flopped at this task. Some of them evoked a feeling of sadness in me. One did not. Confrontational Challenger Alert! Who ever would have thought that the woman who arrived at the indoor studio wearing rather large sunglasses and awkwardly high heels would have been difficult!

It was poor Nipa along with her young and innocent partner, Shane who had the displeasure of serving the judges in the first cooking contest.

I have something funny to mention here. I've never cared for Bobby Flay because he comes off as arrogant. But he seems to be one of the more personable judges on this panel, and he is the third and last member of the Selection Committee. As Nipa and Shane arrived and described their three-dish presentation, the camera panned around the table. Most of the judges wore a sneer on their face. The big exception was Sandra Lee, whose show I've never seen, but the chatter online is not flattering. The main focus of the chatter I read is that she really assembles instead of creates. But at least she's friendly! How can these judges be TV personalities if they don't know how to smile?

The next to present were Lisa and Kevin. Beeeeeep! Beeeeeeep! Confrontational Challenger Alert! Clear the room! Lisa arrived for the first cooking challenge in her 4" heals. Didn't she learn from the woman last season? There was a contestant last season who Giada took down for wearing heals in the kitchen. Come on, now. Kitchens are slippery and dangerous, so why would anyone wear 4" heals?

The next pair to arrive at the judges table was Adam and Jennifer. Now, Jennifer is an Executive Chef in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and she's paired up with this guy who doesn't appear to know what he's doing. He wanted to make a meatloaf. From the beginning she said there wouldn't be enough time. But she didn't hold her ground, and the meatloaf was a disaster. And she stands in front of the judges and talks about how she gets home and has to cook. This is her justification for the meatloaf dish, and this is what the Food Network is about. Surviving with food once you get home from doing what is important. Of course, Tuschie liked that part of her story. Damn him!

Pair number four was Aaron and Kelsey. I don't know where they came up with this Aaron person. Oh, yes, I do know - he is a Hospital Catering Executive Chef. Come on, now. Hospital food is notoriously poor! How did this guy even make it onto the show?

Things did not go well for Aaron and Kelsey. They fell apart and their fish sandwiches were missing the bread when they served them. Oh, the disaster! But at the Food Network, not finishing your dishes in the required amount of time doesn't matter. They liked it! That just wouldn't be excusable on Top Chef!

The final pair arrived. Cory and Jeffrey. In Cory's other life she is a comedian, but she is having real difficulties with the performance aspect of this competition, which has really surprised everyone. I feel so badly for her! What is going wrong? I really hope that she loosens up and finds her groove before they toss her out. Other than that, the judges didn't care for their dishes.

Now, to the judging. OMG! The pair that didn't even finish the dish was the judges favorite! They said that their go-getter personalities "covers up a lot."

So, here's the big question: Will I watch the rest of the season? Actually, I think I'll stick with public radio and more entertaining television reruns and reality. Gosh, maybe I'll read a book or something. But watching this show brought out the worst in me, and I'd rather not see it again.

Bean and Cheese Pupusas

I've been a bit obsessed with Pupusas lately. [Pupusas is pronounced poo-poo-sas (the "a" sounds like it does in the word "call")]

It all started about a little over a month or so ago, when I saw them mentioned on one of my favorite Web sites, Serious Eats.

Intrigued, I did a little research on pupusas and looked at some pictures. I was completely baffled in that I'd never heard of them before. I thought I was well-versed on Latin American foods.

As soon as I got a chance (a week or so later), I made a trek to Waltham, MA where there is a little, informal restaurant called Guanachapi's. Their menu is a mix of Guatemalan, Salvadoran (that's El Salvador), and Mexican foods. By the way, Guanachapi is a slang term for someone who is of both Guatemalan and El Salvadoran heritage.

I ordered two types of pupusas: a cheese pupusa and a bean one. The cheese pupusa was okay. It probably would have been better if I had dipped it in the sauce they gave me, but I was in the car and wanted to try my pupusa while it was hot. The cheese was a bland, white cheese. I'm not sure of the type, but I don't think it was queso fresco because it did melt. It had a wee bit of some sort of chile pepper in it, but not enough for me. Here's a picture of that very pupusa from Guanachapi's:


Perhaps you notice that opening on the top where the white cheese is visible with a tiny bit of a green something.

The bean pupusa was much more flavorful. Not only did it have beans (of brown or pink persuasion), but it also had cheese. This pupusa was heavenly, though there was no way to make it attractive when I took this photo in the car:


Now that I had eaten a real pupusa, I was ready to try making them at home. My recipe here is my own. I actually had some experience with the dough part because it is the same dough that is used to make sopes (a Mexican dish). In fact, a pupusa is very similar to a sope (pronounced soap-ay) when it comes to ingredients. I'll have to do a post on sopes some day.

I would have liked to have used a Mexican cheese for my pupusas, but I was unable to go to the bodega. It's a little far from here. So I decided to try some medium asiago that I saw at the grocery store. Looking back at that decision, I think I'd go for a fresh asiago next time because it is less sharp in taste. Other options for cheese in this dish would be monterrey jack, farmer's cheese, or mozarella. Since I significantly flavor the beans in my recipe, any of these milder cheeses would be appropriate. Other than that, I was quite impressed with my pupusa experiment. I will recommend my recipe to you!

For my pupusas today, I used about 2 tablespoons of Xochitl asado sauce (sold in supermarkets and Trader Joe's). If I had a different tomatillo-based sauce, I may have used less of it. The Xochitl was pretty watery and had less flavor than tomatillo salsa. So I'm going to say to use the amount of tomatillo salsa that makes you happy.

Black Bean and Cheese Pupusas

For the Masa (Dough)
1 cup masa harina (Maseca or MasaRica)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt

For the Filling
1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 Tbs. tomatillo salsa
1/3 cup chopped sweet onion
vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup mild white cheese (monterrey jack, fresh asiago,farmer's cheese, or mozarella)

Begin by making the filling.

Sautee the onion in oil with salt and pepper.

Add the drained and rinsed beans.

Add the tomatillo salsa. You will have something that looks like this.

Put the bean mixture into a food processor or mash by hand. You will have a mash that resembles this:

Add the cheese. This is my filling once I added the cheese:

Start making the dough.

Mix the masa harina, salt, and water in a deep bowl with your hands. It will seem way too watery at first, but as you continue to mix, the water will be absorbed. You want the consistency of the dough to be soft, moist, and workable. Think of a fresh canister of play dough. It will be a little less rubbery than that.

Take a handful of the dough and make a ball between your palms. Mold the ball into the shape of a little bowl as it is in this picture:

This particular ball of dough was the perfect consistency. Your dough is too dry if the edges crack.

Put some bean and cheese filling into that little bowl, leaving enough room at the top so that you can bring the edges up and have the filling completely contained inside the dough.

Begin passing the dough from hand to hand, flattening it a little with each pass from left to right:

If you see the edges begin to crack, as mine did, moisten your hand with just a little bit of watter and pat the dough more to moisten it just slightly. When your dough is the right consistency, it will look like this once it is filled and properly patted into a pancake shape:

When all your pupusa patties are ready, heat a heavy, wide-bottomed or flat skillet until hot. Brush the pupusas with oil and cook them on each side 4-5 minutes until they turn golden-brown. The outside should be firm.

Here was my first good pupusa (I had to throw away my first batch due to quality control).

Look at that little bit of bean and cheese mash beginning to ooze out of the pupusa! Yum!

This particular pupusa had more oil than the other two. If you look at the picture below, this pupusa is the one on the left. It's more browned than the others because of that extra oil.

I cracked the next one open so you can see what it looks like:

Enjoy your pupusas while they are still hot.

Semi Sushi

I’ve been on a sushi kick. While I love to get the real thing, made with raw tuna or salmon, I eat it often enough that I need to do it on the cheap from time to time. Also, its easier to get the ingredients this way.

The real name for this “crabmeat” is surimi. The word surimi is Japanese and literally means "fish puree/slurry" (according to Wikipidea).

So I use the surimi that you can get in the grocery store. It’s really a mixture of different fish, processed, and colored with natural food colorings. This is what restaurants use in their California rolls. It may not be raw tuna or salmon, but hey, I like the stuff! And I don’t have to be at all concerned about it’s freshness like I would with sushi-grade fish. So if I make the seafood mixture today, and don’t eat it till tomorrow or the next day, it’s no big deal at all.


I learned how to roll my sushi from a video on About.com:
http://video.about.com/japanesefood/Spicy-Tuna-Roll.htm

I originally went there to learn to make a spicy tuna roll, which I make when I’m willing to spend the extra money on the fish.

So, for this recipe, I took my favorite elements from a spicy tuna roll and a california roll and incorporated them into my own little recipe. Around the house I call this Semi Sushi.

Ingredients are approximations and are to my taste.

Semi (Surimi Maki) Sushi

Surimi - 1 cup shredded
Mayonnaise – 1 Tbs.
½ tsp Sriracha (available online if you don’t have an asian market anywhere)
1 scallion, sliced
celery (about 2 Tbs, minced)
1 slice pickled ginger, minced
¼- ½ teaspoon wasabi (from a squeeze-tube)
nori (that’s the seaweed sheet)
sushi rice (recipe to follow at the end of this post)

This is a picture of the Sriracha:

I'm including pictures of me making the sushi roll pictured at the top of this post. I don’t roll my sushi like a pro, but I do a good-enough job. It takes some practice. The guy in the About.com video uses a tiny piece of nori. I use the full size:

Mix the surimi, mayonnaise, sriracha, scallion, celery, ginger, and wasabi.

Put the sushi mat out. cover it with cling-wrap.

Lay down the nori. With wet hands, grab hunks of the sushi rice and press the rice while spreading it over the nori. You will need web hands to work with the rice. Otherwise it is too sticky to handle.

Pick up the nori and flip it over so the rice layer is on top of the cling-wrap.

Place the surimi mix on the nori. You can't see the rice here because it's stuck to the bottom side of the nori.



This is where it gets tricky. I pick up the edge of the mat, still holding on to the cling-wrap. I fold it up so that the edge of the nori reaches the edge of the surimi mix.

Then I manuever it all so that I cover the surimi and pull back towards me, compressing the surimi into a tube. Then I continue to pull back on the cling wrap as I roll forward.

Voila! I have a nice neat roll. I let it sit for a few minutes because I think it makes the nori easier to cut after it has a chance to moisten.

When I start cutting, I use an expensive, serrated knife that I wet. Like I mentioned earlier, that rice is sticky. The wet knife is less likely to stick to the rice, and I get a cleaner cut.


For the sushi rice:

I invested $35 in an inexpensive asian rice cooker. I got it on Amazon.com. The important things to look for are a non-stick pot that can be lifted out of the cooker for easy cleaning.

I cook one cup rice according to directions.

I empty the rice pot into a bowl. While it’s still hot, or after it’s cooled some, I add:

1 ½ Tbs. rice vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar

Mix well and let the rice cool, covering it to keep it moist.