Closet Cooking: September 2011

Fried Green Tomato BLT with Shrimp Remoulade

Over the last few days I enjoyed some blackened swordfish and that reminded me of the blackened shrimp in the fried green tomato with shrimp remoulade po'boy that I often make while green tomatoes are available. The fried green tomato BLT sandwiches were still on my mind and I was craving more of them. With that thought the gears started to turn and I had a new idea; how about a fried green tomato BLT sandwich with shrimp remoulade? Once I got that idea stuck in my head there was little that could stop me from making them and I certainly glad that I did! I mean you really cannot go wrong adding plump and juicy shrimp seasoned with a tasty blend of herbs and spices with a touch of heat to an already great sandwich!

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Blackened Swordfish

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One of the things that I really enjoyed about New Orleans was all of the amazing seafood and I took the opportunity to have it as frequently as possible while I was there. One of my favourite meals was a blackened swordfish and I just had to try making it at home! The basic idea behind a blackened fish s that the fish is seasoned and then briefly seared at high heat until the spices and the surface of the fish just start to blacken, but not burn. The high heat cooking helps seal in the fishes juices and toasts up the spices releasing their flavour. You do have to watch out both because you neither want the fish to actually burn or over cook so a brief cooking time is called for. For the seasoning I used a homemade creole/cajun spice blend and I served the blackened swordfish over a sweet and creamy corn maque choux

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Maque Choux

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While I was in New Orleans one of the dishes that really stood out for me was a crab cake in a maque choux. Maque choux is a dish native to southern Louisiana consisting of corn, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions that is braised until the vegetables are nice and tender. Many maque choux recipes are pretty simple but it is surprisingly good, especially when you use ripe in season corn from the cob and tomatoes. Since both the corn and the tomatoes were in season when I got back the maque choux was one of the first dishes that I tried making at home from my trip to New Orleans and I have already made it several times!

One of the key pieces to the maque choux is its creaminess which can be obtained by using things like butter, cream or even bacon grease but the best source of the creaminess is the corn itself. When cutting the corn from the cob, only cut two thirds of the way through the corn kernels and then use the back of your knife to scrape the remainder off and it will form a nice and creamy 'corn milk'.

Maque choux is generally served as a side but it could definitely be used as the base for a main. I know I certainly enjoy eating it by itself by the spoonful and it goes great topped with a bit of crumbled feta but I was also thinking that a shrimp maque choux would make for a great light meal. I would replace half of the cream in the recipe a tasty shrimp stock and then add shrimp near the end of cooking in this version. Other common additions to maque choux are bacon, andouille sausage, tasso or even ham, each of which would add a ton of flavour!

Maque Choux

A creamy corn dish from southern Louisiana.

Servings: makes 2 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

3 ears of corn
2 tablespoons butter or oil or bacon grease
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
1/4 cup bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup tomato, finely diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon thyme
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cut the corn kernels from the cob but only cut into them about 2/3 of the way and set aside.
Scrape the remaining 1/3 of the corn kernels off in a large bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Add the corn, tomatoes, cream and thyme and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to puree 1/4 of the corn mixture.
Mix in the green onions, season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.

Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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I certainly have been into the fresh field ripened tomatoes lately! I have been picking up at least a full basket of them every week and most weeks they have disappeared long before the end of the week. Primarily I have been enjoying them in BLT sandwiches but recently I had a new idea and that was for a caprese grilled cheese sandwich. The idea came from a caprese salad which is a nice and simple salad that consists of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil and I figured that it would make an excellent grilled cheese sandwich! I mean you really can't go wrong wrapping something up in buttery and toasty bread grilled to perfection while at the same time melting the fresh mozzarella into an ooey gooey mess!

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Fried Green Tomato BLT with Remoulade

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Over the last few weeks I have been enjoying a lot of BLTs and when I made the fried green tomatoes the other day it reminided me of how much I enjoy fried green tomato BLTs. A fried green tomato BLT is just like it sounds, a BLT sandwich where the ripe red tomatoes slices are replaced with gried green tomato slices. These sandwiches take a bit more work to make than your regular BLT but it is well worth the effort! The crispy coated tart and tangy fried green tomatoes go really well together with the salty bacon and the fresh lettuce. Although a smear of mayonnaise is grat on these gried green tomato BLTs, I often loke to go with a tasty remoulade sauce instead.

Fried Green Tomato BLT with Remoulade

A twist on the classic BLT swapping out the ripe red tomatoes for crispy cornmeal coated fried green tomatoes and adding a tasty remoulade sauce.

Servings: makes 1 sandwich

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 medium sized green tomato, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 strips bacon
1/4 cup masa harina (corn flour) or flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
salt and pepper or creole seasoning to taste
oil or bacon grease for frying
2 slices of bread
2 leaves lettuce
1 tablespoon remoulade sauce (optional)

Directions

Soak the green tomato slices in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Fry the bacon and set it aside retaining the grease in the pan.
Mix the masa harina, cornmeal and creole seasoning and place it in a wide and shallow dish.
Pull the tomato slices out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the cornmeal mixture.
Fry the tomato slices in oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minute per side and set aside to drain on paper towels.
Assemble sandwich and enjoy.

More BLT goodness:

Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes in Fontina

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I have been totally into all of the fresh ripe tomatoes around these last few weeks and I have been enjoying them every opportunity that I get. When I came across this recipe for roasted heirloom tomatoes with fontina and thyme on Healthy Green Kitchen I was immediately smitten with the idea. Even if your tomatoes are perfectly ripe they can always benefit from a little roasting which concentrates and brings out more of their amazing flavour. If that wasn't enough, those roasted tomatoes are then smothered in ooey gooey melted cheese taking them way over the top and right onto my meal plan!

This recipe is really quick and easy to make! You start by dicing the tomatoes, tossing them in some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper then you roast them, top them with cheese and broil for a few minutes to melt the cheese. All said and done you can have this tasty treat in front of you in about a half an hour with very little actual hands on time. These cheese covered roasted tomatoes go great with some bread to top or scoop with and it would easily work as an appetizer at a dinner party or even as a light meal along with a salad!

Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes in Fontina

Roasted heirloom tomatoes covered in melted cheese that just scream to be scooped up with a piece of crusty bread.

Servings: makes 2-4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons thyme, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fontina, shredded
1 small loaf of bread such as a ciabatta or a baguette, torn or sliced

Directions

Toss the tomatoes in the oil and vinegar along with the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and spread the mixture out over the bottom of an oven proof pan or baking dish.
Roast in a preheated 425F oven until the tomatoes just start to brown on the edges, about 20 minutes.
Sprinkle on the cheese and place it under the broiler until it is melted and bubbling, about 2-5 minutes. (Watch it carefully.)
Remove from oven and serve right away with bread for dipping and scooping.

Fried Green Tomatoes

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Ever since I discovered green tomatoes I have been hooked and in particular to fried green tomatoes! Unfortunately around here green tomatoes are usually only available for a few weeks at the end of the summer so when that time of year rolls around I make the most of it. Fried green tomatoes are so simple to make and yet so addictively good with that crispy cornmeal coating! You pretty much just need to soak the sliced green tomatoes in butter milk for a while, batter them up in a seasoned cornmeal mixture and then fry them until they are nice and golden brown. (With respect to frying them, oil would definitely be the healthier option but bacon grease would be the tastier way to go.) As good as they are by themselves, a tasty remoulade sauce is always a tasty addition!

Tip: They key to fried green tomatoes it to make sure that the tomato slices are not too thick to ensure that they get cooked all the way through.

Buttermilk Marinated Fried Green Tomatoes

Tangy green tomatoes dipped in buttermilk and cornmeal and then fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside.

Servings: makes 2+ servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup masa harina (corn flour) or flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
salt and pepper (or creole seasoning) to taste
oil or bacon grease for frying

Directions

Soak the tomato slices in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes.
Mix the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper.
Pull the tomato slices out of the buttermilk dredge them in the cornmeal mixture.
Fry the tomato slices in oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minute per side.

Use in:
Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Remoulade
Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab Remoulade
Fried Green Tomato and Shrimp Remoulade Po Boy
Fried Green Tomato BLT with Pimento Cheese

Similar Recipes:
Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Remoulade
Fried Green Tomato Parmesan
Fried Green Tomato BLT
Green Tomato and Jalapeno Jam
Bacon and Fried Green Tomato Pimento Grilled Cheese

Fajita Burgers

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Not too long after I last made fajitas I came across this recipe for fajita burgers on Good Life Eats which sounded really good. I always enjoy playing around with different flavours or themes for burgers and I particularly liked the sound of a tasty texmex burger topped with tender sauteed onions and peppers. With the days starting to get cooler, it was time to get the burgers in and this weekend I got the chance to make them.

These burgers start out with all beef patties that are flavoured with salsa, taco seasoning and a healthy does of fresh cilantro which I covered with slices of pepper jack cheese that were added just at the end of cooking. Next up was the sauteed onions and peppers which I flavoured with even more taco seasoning. At this point the burgers are good to go but you don't have to stop there as you can easily add any of your favourite fajita or taco fillings and I went with some roasted tomatillo and avocado salsa. Luckily corn is still in season and I served the burgers with some fresh corn on the cob topped with cilantro lime butter.

Fajita Burgers

Tasty all beef burgers served fajita style with sauteed onions and peppers and your fajita toppings of choice.

Servings: makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound medium ground beef
1 tablespoon taco seasoning or 1/2 package of store bought
1/4 cup salsa
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 handful cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
2 onions, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 tablespoon taco seasoning or 1/2 package of store bought
1/4 cup water or broth
1 handful cilantro, chopped
4 buns
4 slices pepper jack cheese
1 cup salsa (optional)
1 cup guacamole (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Directions

Mix the ground beef, taco seasoning, salsa, Worcestershire sauce and cilantro.
Form into 4 patties 3/4 inches thick and press your thumb into the middle to form a depression on top prevent bulging.
Brush the patties with oil, place on grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3-5 minutes per side.
Set aside, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and peppers and saute until tender, about 4-7 minutes.
Mix in the taco seasoning and water and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Assemble burgers with condiments of choice and enjoy!

Black Bean Chili Omelette

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By the end of the week I was getting near the end of my second batch of the Mexican baked eggs and I was just itching to experiment. All week I had been baking the black bean and tomato sauce, effectively a simple black bean chili, with eggs on top and I had been thinking that it would also be nice to reverse it and cook it with the eggs on the bottom, a black bean chili omelette. I kept things nice and simple and went with a two egg omelet as it fits perfectly in my pan and I topped it with some of the black bean chili along with cheese. (I always like making my omelettes open-faced as that allows for more filling to be placed on top!) Some tricks to help ensure that the cheese on top melts is to bring it up to room temperature and to warm up the black bean chili before adding it to the omelette. I served these tasty black bean chili omelettes garnished with some fresh chopped cilantro and with a side of sliced avocados for a perfectly satisfying breakfast! (I imagine that pretty much any leftover vegetarian chili would also work well in a omelet like this.)

Black Bean Chili Omelette

An omelette topped with a simple black bean chili and plenty of ooey gooey melted cheese.

Servings: makes one omelette

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup black bean chili, warm
1 handful cheddar cheese, room temperature, grated
1 handful jack cheese, room temperature, grated
1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat the pan over medium heat.
Turn the heat down one notch and pour in the eggs.
When the eggs just starts to set, after about a minute, sprinkle the over the eggs followed by the cheese on top.
Cook until the eggs are just about set fold and the cheese in nice and melted, about a minute or two.

Mexican Baked Eggs

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For the last little while I have had some pretty big cravings for Mexican flavours and over the weekend I certainly did indulge them. Although the salmon tacos with blueberry salsa were really good, they did not completely satisfy my cravings and I was looking for more. With dinners and lunches already planned for the week that left breakfasts and I knew just the dish to make! I came across this recipe for Mexican baked eggs on Kalyn's Kitchen a while ago and as soon as I saw it I knew that I would have to make it as it uses so many of my favourite Mexican ingredients and flavours!

In addition to being nice and simple and easy, this recipe is also really tasty! You start by making a sauce with a base of onions, garlic, cumin and chipotle chili powder which is filled out with the tomatoes and black beans and finally finished off with some fresh cilantro. This sauce is then poured into a baking dish and topped with eggs and cheese and then it is baked in the oven until the eggs are cooked and the cheese is all melted and good! As you can see by the ingredients, this dish is also hearty and yet pretty healthy. This recipe will make enough for about 4 servings but you do not have to bake them all at once. The tomato and bean sauce will keep well in the fridge and you can make one or two servings at a time if you prefer and spread it out over a few days.

Mexican Baked Eggs

Eggs baked in spicy black bean and tomato sauce topped with melted cheese.

Servings: makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon corn oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes or 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful cilantro, chopped
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated cheese such as jack and cheddar

Directions

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, chipotle chili powder, and jalapeno saute until fragrant, about a minute.
Add the tomatoes, black beans, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
Place half of the mixture into one or more baking dishes, top with the eggs and spoon the remaining mixture around the eggs.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the eggs just start to set, about 5-8 minutes.
Top with the cheese and broil until it melts, no more than a minute or so.

Slow Roasted Tomato BLT

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For the last little while we have been in the middle of tomato season where the field tomatoes are perfectly sun ripened and just packed with flavour. One of my favourite ways to enjoy these tomatoes while they are at their peak of deliciousness is in a simple BLT sandwich where the juicy tomato takes the center stage and shines in all of its wondrous glory! After having enjoyed perhaps a few too many BLTs I wanted to change things up a bit and I remembered that I had wanted to try doing a roasted tomato BLT. As amazing as the tomatoes are right now, they get even better when you slowly roast them as their flavour concentrates, rather like a sun dried tomato.

The idea was to start with some roma or plum tomatoes and cut them into roughly quarter inch slices so that they would roast quicker and this meant that the smaller ones could be cut in half and the larger ones would need to be cut into three. These tomato slices are then tossed in olive oil along with some thyme and a touch of salt and pepper before roasting. (A splash of balsamic vinegar would also work wonders here.) The tomato slices are then slowly roasted at a lower temperature until they shrivel up but still contain some juices on the inside. Roasting the tomatoes can take 3 or 4 hours so it is a good idea to do it the day ahead of time and they keep well in the fridge for a few days. Just make sure to roast as many of them as you can fit into your oven as they are like candy and you will find yourself heading back to the fridge throughout the day to snack on them!

Slow Roasted Tomato BLT

Once you have your roasted tomatoes, the BLT is finished the usual way. I like to start with a nice whole grain bread and use some thick double smoked bacon from fresh from the butchers shop when I can. Normally I garnish my BLTs with some mayo but this time I had leftovers from a batch of basil pesto on hand and mixed them up together to add even more summery freshness to the sandwich. I have to say that as good as a BLT sandwich is, this roasted tomato BLT is so much better! It's just too bad that those roasted tomatoes disappeared so quickly! I will have to make some more of them soon!

Slow Roasted Tomato BLT

Slow roasting tomatoes brings out their flavour and this concentrated flavour takes your average BLT sandwich from great to amazing!

Servings: makes 2 sandwiches

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 slices bread, lightly toasted
2 handfuls lettuce
2 slow roasted roma tomatoes (see below)
6 strips bacon, cooked until crispy
2 tablespoons mayo mixed with 2 tablespoons pesto

Directions

Assemble sandwich and enjoy.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Slowly roasting tomatoes really brings out their flavour and it is so easy to do!

Servings: makes 10 roasted roma tomatoes

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

10 roma/plum tomatoes , cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper to coat.
Place the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet with the cut side facing up.
Roast the tomatoes in a preheated 250F oven until mostly dry, about 3-4 hours.

More BLT goodness:

Salmon Bulgogi Quesadillas with Blueberry Salsa

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When I make tacos I tend to keep them on the lighter and healthier side but invariably while I am going over the recipe, I start thinking about loading up on cheeses and sour cream, etc. Luckily there is an easy solution to get the best of both worlds and that is to make sure that there is enough left over from the tacos to use to make some quesadillas!

Salmon Bulgogi Quesadillas

At their base, quesadillas are made from two layers of tortillas that are filled with cheese and toasted until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese melts and gets all nice and ooey and gooey. Even in this simple form they are hard to resist but you can also add things like meats, salsas, herbs, etc. Pretty much any meat that can be used in tacos will go well in quesadillas and I was looking forward to using the leftover salmon bulgogi from the salmon bulgogi tacos with blueberry salsa in cheesy quesadillas! In addition to the salmon and the cheese I added some of the blueberry habanero salsa to the quesadillas for some heat and some onion and cilantro relish to freshen things up a bit.

Quesadillas are commonly served with a sides like salsa and sour cream for dipping. Although dipping can be fun, I sometimes like to just smother the quesadillas in the salsa and sour cream for maximum effect. :)

Salmon Bulgogi Quesadillas with Blueberry Salsa

Salmon bulgogi quesadillas with blueberry salsa and plenty of ooey gooey melted cheese.

Servings: make 1 main serving or 2 appetizer servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 (8 inch) tortillas
1 handful of jack, grated
1 handful of cheddar, grated
1/4 cup salmon bulgogi, warm
2 tablespoons onion and cilantro relish
2 tablespoons blueberry habanero salsa

Directions

Melt a touch of butter in a pan.
Place a tortilla into the pan and swirl around in the butter and set aside.
Place the second tortilla into the pan and swirl around in the butter.
Sprinkle on half of the cheese onto the tortilla followed by the salmon bulgogi, onion and cilantro relish and blueberry habanero salsa followed by the remaining cheese and top it all off with the second tortilla.
Cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted.
Serve garnished with the salsa roja and sesame seeds.

Salmon Bulgogi Tacos with Blueberry Habanero Salsa

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Although snacking on the blueberry and basil habanero with tortilla chips was perfectly satisfying, I wanted to do something more with the salsa. My obsession with tacos surfaced at this point and I could not shake the idea! The only question was what goes with blueberries in savoury tacos? After thinking about it for a while I narrowed my choices down to shredded buffalo and salmon as both sounded like they would pair nicely with the blueberry salsa. The slow roasted and shredded buffalo was sounding good but the salmon was calling my name and it was a perfect way to get some more fish into my meal plan which is always one of my goals. As for how to cook the salmon, my mind immediately jumped to salmon bulgogi which would complement the hints of Asian flavours in the blueberry salsa, though teriyaki salmon was a close second thought. I finished the tacos of with zucchini ribbons, queso freso and some sprouts for garnish.

I have to say that the salmon bulgogi tacos with blueberry salsa turned out phenomenally well! The The blueberry and salmon combo was amazing and the tasty bulgogi marinade brought everything together perfectly.

Salmon Bulgogi Tocos with Blueberry Habanero Salsa

Salmon Bulgogi Tocos with Blueberry Habanero Salsa

Salmon Bulgogi Tacos with Blueberry Habanero Salsa

Soft and creamy salmon marinated in a sweet and spicy Korean bulgogi marinade served in tacos with a blueberry and basil habanero salsa.

Servings: makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

12 small corn tortillas, warmed
1 pound salmon bulgogi, warm and flaked
1 cup blueberry and basil habanero
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 ounce queso fresco, crumbled (optional)
1 handful sprouts, optional

Directions

Assemble tacos and enjoy.

Blueberry and Basil Habanero Salsa

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This summer I have had a lot of success in experimenting with fruit and berry salsas like the chipotle cherry salsa and there was one more that I wanted to try, a blueberry salsa with habanero peppers. I had come across the idea of a blueberry salsa from the Kogi food truck and I really liked the sound of it. With weather starting to get a bit cooler I figured that it was the perfect time to try making it while the fresh local blueberries were still in season. Salas recipes seem to kind of write themselves these days; you start with the main ingredient, the blueberries, then add some heat, the habanero, then some onions and garlic and a touch of lime juice to keep things fresh. I also normally add a fresh herb and it is almost always cilantro but this time I wanted to go with some basil as I thought that it would work well with the blueberries. The final touch is to season with salt and pepper and I thought that I would go with an Asian twist and used soy sauce and ginger instead.

The blue berry salsa turned out to be another wildly successful berry salsa! All of the fresh flavours play amazingly well together and you could easily polish off a whole batch with a bag of tortilla chips handy. Of course I had to restrain myself from eating too much as I wanted to use the blueberry salsa in another dish!

Blueberry and Basil Habanero Salsa

A savoury blueberry salsa with the heat of habanero chillies and the summery freshness of basil.

Servings: makes 2 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups blueberries
1 habanero, seeded (or to taste)
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, grated
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 handful basil
1/2 lime, juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Puree everything in a food processor until smooth.
Simmer the salsa to remove excess liquid. (Optional: This salsa is great fresh but if you are going to use it in something like tacos you will want to simmer it a bit to remover the excess liquid.)

Use in:
Salmon Bulgogi Tacos with Blueberry Habanero Salsa
Salmon Bulgogi Quesadillas with Blueberry Salsa

Similar Recipes:
Chipotle Cherry Salsa
Strawberry and Avocado Salsa
Mango and Banana Relish
Roasted Habanero Salsa
Salsa Naranja

Corn and Tomato Pie

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With fresh local corn in season I certainly have been enjoying a lot of it! In particular I have been making my favourite hot corn dip a lot, maybe a little too frequently even, so I was thinking that I should change things up a bit. The first idea that I had was to try to use the flavours from the corn dip to make something else like a corn casserole to make more of a meal out of it. I searched for a recipe with a few of the ingredients that I wanted to use in addition to the corn and a few corn casserole dishes came up but the recipe that caught my eye was this one for a corn and tomato pie on Gourmet.

With field tomatoes being at their peak right now it was difficult to pass up on a pie that used them along with the corn that I had started the search for. Add to that the use of mayonnaise, cheddar cheese and fresh summery basil and you had a winner that was impossible to resist! I tweaked the recipe a bit replacing the chives with green onions and adding some applewood smoked bacon for even more flavour. The original recipe called for peeling the tomatoes, slicing them and then neatly layering them with the other ingredients but I wanted to keep things quick and simple so I skipped peeling the tomatoes, diced them and just mixed all of the ingredients together. The next interesting thing about this recipe is the biscuit crust which is a nice light alternative to your more standard all butter crust and I mixed some basil into it.

Corn and Tomato Pie

This pie defines late summer with its juicy and tasty field ripened tomatoes, corn straight from the cob and fresh basil. Of course the bacon, mayonnaise and cheese don't hurt either! :)

Servings: makes 6+ servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups corn, about 3 ears
1 1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, about 4 medium, diced
4 strips bacon, cut into small pieces and cooked (optional)
1/4 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
2 green onions, sliced
1 handful basil, chopped
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
2 pie crusts pastry or biscuit
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

Mix the corn, tomatoes, bacon, mayo, green onions, basil, cheddar cheese and cayenne and season with salt and pepper.
Fit one of the pie crusts into a 9 inch pie plate, pour in the corn and tomato mixture and fit the remaining pie crust on top folding it over the edges of the bottom one and crimping to seal in the juices.
Brush top of the pie with butter and cut 3-4 1-2 inch slits in the crust to let out the steam.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 30-40 minutes.