Smoky Bloody Maria Salsa With Mezcal AND Smoked Guacamole

The old smoker has been putting in some overtime! A little get together on Sunday with friends who love to cook (and eat!) had my trusty old smoker chugging away with a few delights - brisket and 2 kinds of salmon, for starters. The smoker also contained some, perhaps, unexpected items. Like avocados. 

Just this last week I saw a comment somewhere about smoking avocados and a lightbulb went off...BING! Smoked guacamole! Would it work? I gave it a try. 

At the same time, a Facebook cooking group I'm part of was discussing a BBQ competition one of our members (Matt the Butcher...yes, he is a butcher) is judging. The twist of being a judge for this event is that each judge was asked to bring a salsa TO BE JUDGED. The judges being judged...nice twist, eh? 

One thing led to another and eventually the idea of smoking the salsa veggies emerged, which led to emphasizing the smoke with mezcal instead of tequila and (somehow) the idea of a Smoked Bloody Maria Salsa was proposed. I HAD to try it. 

The results? Wow! Both the salsa AND the guac rocked. And they went onto the menu for the dinner party. The unexpected  smoky flavors in two traditional dips were a hit! The guac even tasted like it had bacon hidden somewhere in the ingredients...and it was totally veggie.

Just in case you've got a yen for the unexpected, here are the recipes to surprise your own guests. And good luck, Matt the Butcher...you've GOT this!

Smoked Bloody Maria Salsa With Mezcal

• 4 large Roma tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut in half
• 1 large jalapeno, cut in half - don't remove the seeds or ribs if you like your salsa hot

Heat up your smoker and use a combo of pecan and hickory chips. Smoke the veggies at least an hour or until soft. Remove and let cool.

Add the smoked veggies to your food processor, then add:

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• a bit of kosher salt
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T horseradish
• the juice of 1 or 2 limes - depends on how juicy your limes are, taste and adjust to your own tast
• 1-2 T mezcal
• 1/4 C or so of chopped cilantro - again, to your own taste

Buzz everything in the food processor until salsa consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with tortilla chips.

Smoked Guacamole

• 3 avocados, cut in half lengthwise, pits removed - throw the halves into the smoker, cut side down, while the veggies for the salsa are smoking - cool
• 1/4 of a medium onion, finely minced
• 1 medium garlic clove, finely miniced
• 2 T or so (adjust to your own level of heat) finely minced red jalapeno (the red is just for the color, use green if that's all you have or can find)
• the juice of a lime - or more according to your own taste
• 1/2 t kosher salt
• 1 - 2 T cilantro, chopped

Scoop out the cooled avocado flesh and put into a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mash well with a fork. The mixture will be extra creamy because the avocados are cooked, so don't expect a chunky guac. YUM! Serve with tortilla chips or use in a wrap or any other way you can imagine.

Black Beans And Rice With Chunky Avocado Salsa And Crispy Plantains

Once in a while a basic, staple recipe gets a little gussying up, a little freshening to make it something altogether new...a makeover per se. Beans and rice certainly qualify as one of those basics. 

Cuban beans and rice, Jamaican beans and rice, New Orleans beans and rice...black beans, red beans, pinto beans...white rice, black rice, brown rice...all the classic ingredients in almost infinite combinations still have the same culinary bones. There's a reason the combination is a favorite in so many cultures - actually, there are a couple of reasons. Beans and rice are easy to make, cost smart and a real comfort food. 

What makes today's recipe different from the tried and true versions? Beans and rice are rich with earthy flavors, deep, creamy and smooth. Why not brighten it up with cool cubes of avocado tossed with citrus-y fresh lime, spicy and crunchy jalapeno, colorful sweet cherry tomatoes and just a teensy bit of cilantro for an extra fresh kick to a chunky counterpoint salsa? And what the heck...as long as we're doing a makeover, might as well gild the lily with  a garnish of plantains fried crisp in coconut oil that really takes the redo over the top!

Presentation? A bowl of beautiful black beans, topped with a healthy scoop of brown rice, then a pile of sassy avocado salsa with a couple of crispy sweet and salty, coconut-y golden plantains for good measure. I'm guessing even Clinton and Stacey would approve of this makeover!

Black Beans and Rice 

With Chunky Avocado Salsa and Crispy Plantains

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 large green pepper, seeds removed, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
• 3 cans black beans, drained
• 1 cup chicken stock - a good store bought one is just fine
• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 ½ t. salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups cooked rice (white, black, red, brown - or whatever cooked rice you have tucked in the back of your fridge) (confession....I used Trader Joe's frozen brown rice - so good, so easy!)

In a large pot, add 2 T. olive oil and heat. Add the chopped onions and green pepper. Saute until soft, add garlic and cook another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the drained black beans and stir into veggies. Cook another 10 minutes to meld flavors.

Add chicken stock, vinegar, bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, lower heat immediately. Cover and simmer about half an hour or until it’s not too runny, not too dry. If it’s too runny/soupy, let some of the liquid cook off; if it’s too dry, add more stock. Mash slightly with potato masher to thicken a little. Taste and adjust seasonings.

To serve: Ladle beans into individual bowls, top with a good scoop of  rice and crown with avocado salad and a sprinkling of cilantro. Serve with fried plantains.

Avocado Salad

• 1 avocado, seeded and cut into ½” cubes
• ½ cup quartered yellow grape tomatoes - I bought the heirloom kind with nearly all the colors of the rainbow!
• 1 small garlic clove, finely minced or pressed 
• 1/2 t. finely minced jalapeno
• 3 T freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ t. salt
• 1 T olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 T finely minced cilantro - or more if you really like cilantro...I do!

Mix lime juice, salt, oil and cilantro well. Set aside. Mix the avocado, tomatoes, garlic and jalapeno well. Pour dressing over, mix and serve.

Fried Plantains

• 2 plantains, cut across into 1 ½” sections
• canola oil

Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Saute plantain sections on each side until browned. Remove from skillet to paper towels. (You can do this earlier in the day.) 

When you’re ready to eat, heat oil in skillet again. Put in each precooked section and smash it down with a spatula to flat disks. Brown and turn over to brown on the other side. Remove to paper towels again and salt immediately. Serve.

Peach Jalapeno Smoked Rack of Pork

In my neverending quest to learn the fine art/craft of smoking pretty much on my own (with some precious tips from Greg Blanton down in the fine state of Georgia), Mark and I set out to experiment with the peach chips recently bought at Cabela's. The orange chicken we smoked last weekend was a rousing success...would the peach pork work as well? Not going to keep you in suspense here, the peachy pork was just, well, peachy! 

When it comes to the chips, I really don't think the peach chips added anything to the flavor that apple or cherry or pecan wouldn't contribute. In teaching ourselves, one of the things we're learning is that the type of wood doesn't necessarily impart the flavor of what the tree produces. Peach doesn't impart a peach flavor, apple doesn't lend a true apple-y essence to the protein on the smoker. 

Wood simply (in my opinion) imparts a smokey flavor - some woods produce a stronger smoke flavor (mesquite/hickory) and some milder and sweeter (apple/pecan). It is the marinade and/or rub and/or glaze that truly determines any flavor that isn't smoke.

This recipe really layers the flavors. The first layer was a good garlic/jalapeno rub, the second a tenderizing peach, garlic and vinegar marinade, the third was the smoke of peach wood and fourth was a peach and jalapeno echo of a rich, sweet finishing glaze. 

To help get the flavors ALL through the roast, I pierced the pork all over with a small sharp knife to insure the marinade got into every nook and cranny and then let it laze for a few hours...kind of like a meat hot tub only cool and comfy. Nothing like pampering your pork before it gets all hot and bothered on the smoker! (Did I just say that?!)

A few pitted, fresh peach halves, onions, jalapenos and garlic were scattered around the roast for about an hour to impart some smokey goodness to them before turning them into a chunky sauce that's kind of a cross between a spicy chutney and a good peach salsa. With the addition of a little vinegar, honey and mustard to accent the sweet heat aspect of the dish even more, I call it Peach Jalapeno Chut-Salsa.

A final step of glazing the roast during the last half hour turned it into a gleaming beauty of a hunk of meat just waiting for its close up! Was this labor intensive? Yes. Was it worth it? YES! Even though it is more time consuming than most Sunday dinners, everything was done in steps throughout the day so it really wasn't bad at all time-wise.

Tender, juicy and smoky

The schedule went something like this: the meat went into the marinade and the chips started soaking early. They did their thing while we brunched and watched CBS Sunday Morning. (It's a Sunday ritual at our house.)

When the show was over, Mark got the smoker going while I prepped the peaches and veggies. The pork went on the smoker by 11:30 a.m. and everything was done by 4:30 p.m. 

In between, laundry, cleaning, making the rub and peach glaze, some shopping, putting together the salsa/chutney, a little yardwork and some neighborhood socializing, it all made for a relaxing, yet productive, day. In fact, one might just call it one peach of a day!

Peachy Jalapeno Smoked Rack of Pork 

with Peach Chut-salsa

• 2 pounds pork roast, a 4-rib rack of pork

Rub: 

• 1 1/2 jalapenos, leave seeds & ribs in for lots of heat, remove them for less heat - cut into 1/2" pieces
• 7 large garlic cloves, paper skins removed
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon onion powder

Marinade:

• 2 cups peach nectar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic

Glaze:

• 1 peach, pitted
• 2 tablespoons stoneground mustard
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Chut-Salsa:

• 3 peaches, cut in half, stones removed
• 1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 jalapenos, whole
• 4 cloves garlic, whole, left in skins
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon stoneground mustard

Using a small, sharp knife, deeply pierce roast on all sides. Massage the rub into all the cuts, using all the rub, all over. When it is thoroughly covered, carefully put the roast into the ziptop bag that contains the prepared marinade. Refrigerate for 3 hours, remove from fridge and let it marinate another hour at room temp. 

Prepare smoker as you normally would using peach wood - if you can find it. I really don't think it makes a difference. Feel free to use apple, hickory or your own favorite variety. 

Once the smoker is ready to roll, put the roast on bone side down. Smoke the roast for about 2 hours before putting the peaches and veggies on. Let those smoke for about an hour, remove and let the roast continue to smoke for another 1-2 hours. 

The length of time it takes to smoke depends on your smoker. You know your smoker best, so use your own best educated smoking judgment for when it will be done to your own taste.

Glaze about 1/2 an hour before removing from smoker. Let it rest for about 20 minutes before carving.
 
Rub: Put the 7 garlic cloves, kosher salt & granulated onion into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.
 
Marinade: In a large ziptop bag, add peach nectar, 1/4 c. cider vinegar, 1 T granulated onion and 1 T granulated garlic. Set aside.
 
Glaze: Add the pitted peach WITH the skin on, 2 T mustard, 1 T vinegar, 1/4 C honey and Kosher salt to the food processor. Process until pureed. Add additional honey to desired consistency.
 
Chut-salsa: Finely dice the smoked peaches and veggies and add to a medium bowl. Add 2 T honey, 2 T red wine vinegar, 1 T Kosher salt and 1 T stoneground mustard. Mix well and serve as a condiment atop slices of pork.

Easy Bloody Mary Salsa to Celebrate National Nutrition Month!

 
 
Happy National Nutrition Month! You didn't know? I wouldn't have either if I hadn't gotten an email from the PR firm for Red Pack tomato products. Was I interested in trying the brand for National Nutrition Month? My answer was a hearty YES!  

Strolling (okay, dashing most harried evenings) through the canned veggie aisles at the local grocery store, bright red cans of Red Pack tomatoes have always been a trusted sight and brand. I couldn't wait to get the package.

What did I get in the mail, but a GREAT BIG can of Red Pack products and a handy selection of kitchen tools to help celebrate the month. Thank you, Red Pack!
I couldn't wait to play with the new fun stuff...what would I make...what would be as much fun as the can, with the removable lid, that everything was packed into? Bloody Marys! Too early in the day? Well now, how about Bloody Mary Salsa instead. 

BIG CAN! Can opener, pasta server, magnets, pot holder, magnets and Red Pack tomatoes!

All the flavors and heat of my beloved favorite cocktail were combined anew in a low cal, high in lycopene, high in Vitamins A and C, fiber-filled dip that's easy to make for drop-in company. I always have a can of diced tomatoes on the shelf and there's always fresh onion, garlic and celery in the pantry. Instant party!

The juice that's reserved in the recipe? You know I don't waste anything. AND you know my favorite cocktail. No surprise at all that juice went into a brand new Bloody Mary mix, is there? My new mix is one with a somewhat south of the border flair using guajillo and jalapeno peppers, a touch of smoky cumin, a little garlic...oh, and instead of vodka? Tequila! That recipe will be coming up very soon. 

In the meantime, check out the Red Pack website for lots more good-for-you recipes to help celebrate National Nutrition month in style!

Red Pack Bloody Mary Salsa

• 2 cups Red Pack canned diced tomatoes in juice, drained well (reserve juice for another purpose) You should have approx. 2 C. tomatoes
• 1 stalk celery, diced small
• 2 tablespoons onion, finely minced
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (be sure it's gluten free to make this GF)
• 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon vodka, you know this is optional...I just had to put in a bit to make it REAL! Feel free to leave it out.
• salt and pepper, to taste - be sure it's freshly ground black pepper!

Combine all the above ingredients well. Refrigerate for an hour or so to mellow and meld the flavors. Serve with corn chips!
 
NOTE: Want to make this with fresh, glorious summer tomatoes from your garden? Go ahead! The Red Pack version above can be made all year round, no waiting for in-season tomatoes!

Try using Bloody Mary Salsa on eggs or huevos rancheros in the morning, too!

Wondering why I used fresh garlic AND granulated garlic? Fresh celery AND celery salt? Flavor layering. Puts more of a punch into the depth of flavors. Try the technique in your own recipes!
 

Black (Bean) & Gold (Pineapple & Corn) Game-Winner Salsa

I know, I know...it's still summer...who in their right mind is thinking football and tailgate parties this time of year?  This gal! Mieke & Tall Matt bought pre-season tickets for the Steelers/Colts game to help celebrate my birthday a little early this past weekend.  Mieke, Tall Matt, Mark, Kimber and I kind of partied all weekend long, actually...and there's nothing wrong with that! 

Never having been to a Steelers game or to Heinz Field, Matt (he's from MI - land of the Detroit Lions) wanted to do it up right...and so we did.  Good Lord, we kicked off on Saturday morning for a Sunday night game! Meat & Potatoes and their magnificent Bloody Mary Bar brunch was the first stop and the beginning of one fantastic weekend.  (http://meatandpotatoespgh.com/menus/brunch_menu.pdf ).  We zigzagged through Market Square and the Strip District hitting several more fun spots, did some shopping - or looking before calling a timeout on Round One of the pregame festivities.  

Dinner?  We simply threw some good steaks on the grill, cooked up beautiful ears of sweet local corn on the cob and I whipped up a quick tomato feta salad with basil from the garden.  Kimber surprised me with gluten-free chocolate birthday cupcakes filled with Nutella and piled high with Nutella buttercream.  Wow!

After a good night's sleep, pregame Round Two kicked off! Brunch at Verde Mexican Kitchen & Cantina in the fresh summer air made for one perfect start.  (Brunch menu: http://verdepgh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Verde-Menu-Brunch-2012-07-14.pdf)  

From there, we hit several other lovely establishments before ending at James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy (great jazz & original eats & great cocktails, too): (http://jamesstreetgastropub.com/).  Next stop, the North Shore!

Once in the Heinz Field parking lot, we raised the tailgate and unloaded the main event: fresh made guac (yes, I packed the molcajete!), salsa roja, Black & Gold Salsa (Matt LOVED it!),  chicken salad with almonds, apple jalapeno coleslaw (I posted this one a while ago, here's the link: http://dinnerplan-it.blogspot.com/2012/03/apple-jalapeno-slaw.html ), melon chunks, rolls, tomatoes, even Rice Krispie treats...a variety of beers and Grilled Peach Vodka Basil Sweet Tea, too ( http://dinnerplan-it.blogspot.com/2012/07/grilled-peach-vodka-basil-sweet-tea.html).  We did NOT go hungry (or thirsty)...and we shared with our appreciative neighbors, too!

The hit of the tailgate?  Black & Gold Salsa.  Here's the recipe.  It even brought the Steelers a win!

Black & Gold Salsa

• 1 medium pineapple, peeled and cored, cut into chunks
• 1 large banana pepper, seeded and chunked - a nice yellow one
• 1 jalapeno, ribs & seeds removed ( or not, if you want it hotter)
• 1 small onion, peeled, chunked
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced
• 1 large ear of corn, leftover, kernels removed (if you don't have a leftover ear of corn, use canned or frozen - 3/4 C or so)
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin (more or less - however much you like cumin!)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce, I used Cholula lime, but use your fave

Using a food processor, chop the pineapple coarsely, don't puree it!  Keep some good texture to it.  Remove to a mixing bowl.  Process the jalapeno, but make that nice and fine - but not pureed by ANY means; add to bowl.  Do the same with the onion and banana pepper, achieving a dice somewhere between the pineapple and the jalapeno sizes and add that to the mixing bowl, too.
 
Add everything else into the mixing bowl and stir until well-blended.  That's it!
 
Serve with tortilla chips.
   

Sweet Corn and Mango Salsa

Whew, it's been busy around here!  Way back before the big trip to Annapolis and the excitement behind the bar at Emilia Romagna, I promised you one more mango recipe from Kimber's and my foray through West Side Market in Cleveland.   Hope you weren't holding your breath waiting for this one...you can exhale now.  Feel better?


This is a simple salsa...pretty traditional really, and versatile.  Scoop it up with tortilla chips or pile it onto tacos or grilled chicken or pork chops.  No matter how you use it, this fresh combo of sugary summer corn and tart lime, lush mango and perky peppers, and the classic contrast of sweet and heat, it is the star of your show.  

The tacos pictured above were a sort of Caribbean/Mexican fusion using jerk chicken breast, corn and mango salsa, crema and cilantro - a little sprinkle of cotija topped them off. Experiment with your own favorite way to use it!

Sweet Corn and Mango Salsa

• 1 mango, small yellow, champagne type
• 2 leftover cooked ears of corn, kernels cut off cob
• 1/2 small red onion, diced small
• 2 tablespoons red bell pepper, diced small
• 1 jalapeno, ribs & seeds removed, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Combine all ingredients.  Serve!
 
Great as a dip with tortilla chips, on grilled meats or on fish or chicken tacos!