Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: August 2, 2013
Playing with leftovers can be fun. Ian my husband, is a master of drinks and beverages. He can make awesome concoctions in the blink of an eye. Last weekend what we had in our liquor cabinet was not very promising. But sure enough, Ian saw lots of possibilities and he came up with this awesome drink. We named it “Dos Flores” for obvious reasons, the Hibiscus tea and the Elderberry flowers liquor. After drinking the first martini we started joking about the combination of Elderberry flowers and “Jamaica” (in Mexico pronounced -Ha-my-cuh) which is very widely used for Aguas Frescas, popsicles, sauces you name it. Then we started to make comparisons and talking about history. One thing lead to another, and suddenly we where just thinking that this Martini would have been just the thing to drink if Benito Juarez ran into the Emperatriz Carlota; something a little sweet and sour to smooth out the edges of the time of the monarchy back in the day.
Anyway, we were just being silly and it made us laugh to the point that I have to share my mental image. What I know for sure is that it will smooth out the edges of any Friday. Have a great weekend *cling!* cheers!
Martini Dos Flores
1 part Vodka
1 part Extra dry Vermouth
1 part Elderberry Liquor I used St. Germain Liqueur
A splash of concentrated Jamaica “hibiscus tea”, instructions below…
Splash of bitters
Squeeze of Lime
Ice
Jamaica- Hibiscus concentrated tea:
1/4 cup of hibiscus dry flowers
1 cup of boiling water
Proceed to steep the tea for about 3-4 min.Using a french press makes it really easy, is you don’t own one just make a tea and pass it trough a sieve.
Cool for about 20-30 minutes.
Garnish :
Lime wedges
1 Rehydrated hibiscus flower left over from the concentrated tea making. (optional)
Proceed to:
In a shaker, pour the Vodka, Vermouth, Elderberry liquor, squeeze of lime and the bitters with plenty of ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with Lime wedge and pour the concentrated hibiscus tea slowly into the center of the glass to create the marbling effect.
(Add a couple of extra ice cubes, especially if you are in Austin Texas Summer)
Serve in a chilled martini glass. Enjoy!
Cheers!
Music Pairing: Danzon No.2 Marquez Alondra dela Parra
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: July 31, 2013
This summer my basil plants have not done really well. I think my mistake was not being able to see that I had 3 plants in the same pot. Oh well! I separated them, but they are a bit annoyed with me at this time. If just they knew I love them. The reason I planted them is because I love pesto and without basil my next favorite herb for pesto is cilantro.
Cilantro is really hard to grow but easy to find fresh at the store or market so I decided to give it a shot and it seems I came up with a pretty exciting recipe. It is like a cross between pesto and the Argentinean chimichurri; not too creamy not too oily, right in the middle. I’m loving it. I used fresh cilantro, peanuts, and chilies. A hint of lemon zest and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I skipped the Parmigiano cheese and still It’s creamy and light at the same time.
With this premise, I went to the seafood market and run into this gorgeous Rainbow Trout Fillets. Done deal! the perfect pairing for my pesto. Rainbow trout is a delicate fish but with enough character to old up the herb and zesty flavors. Trouts belong to the family of Salmon, so it has a firm flesh and good fatty acids, Therefore lots of flavors.
Fish intimidates a lot of people, and oh my God, “Fishskin” forget it!. Well, it is time for you to get out of your comfort zone and just do it. Get resources, talk to your vendor, fisherman, fish aficionado, how to choose fish, where to get it in your city, how to choose a good one. For me, there are two clues to go by smell and texture. I do not buy fish that smell like fish and the flesh to the touch needs to be firm. The next intimidating factor comes from the not knowing how to cook it or which method works better. My friends, if you follow these simple instructions you are on your way to have a feast of kings!
4 cups about 2 bunches of Cilantro include stems
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
3-4 chilies 2 serranos, 2 red sweet peppers (you can interchange chilies, like habanero, jalapeño, shishito, just add one at a time so you can control the spice level)
3-4 garlic cloves
1/2 – 3/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
Preparation:
Add everything to the blender or food processor, blending and pulsing to desired consistency. You can live it more chunky or smooth is up to you.*
For the Left Over Pesto: I’ve been using it in avocado sandwiches, pasta, and cucumber salad is a hit!. This recipe makes about 2-1 1/2 cups and stays good for about a week. Keep it in an airtight container and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the pesto. This will prevent air from oxidizing it and turn it dark gray.
For the Potato Fennel Salad:
4-6 medium-small New red potatoes cook al dente.
1/2 a large bulb of fennel finely sliced
1/2 small red onion finely sliced.
1-2 handfuls of frisse (or arugula)
The juice of one medium orange.
A splash of Rice Vinegar
A splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Salt & Black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Place all salad ingredients in a bowl. Toss well a few minutes before serving so the potatoes can absorb some of the vinaigrette.
For the Seared Rainbow Trout:
4 Rainbow trout fillets skin on.
Kosher Salt & fresh cracked Black Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
There are five rules to leave by when you are searing skin on trout fillets:
1- HOT skillet, I mean sizzling hot; water droplets dance in the skillet at this temperature.
2- Room temperature fish. Pull the fish out of the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before you gonna start cooking.
3- Pad dry the fish before seasoning.
4-Proper seasoning salt & pepper both sides of the fillet.
5- Skin side hits the pan first. One flip. That’s it! yes, one flip you read it well. So let’s start cooking…
Preparation:
Heat up a non-stick skillet. Place seasoned trout fillets skin side down into the very hot skillet. Do not crowd the pan, so you can ensure the skin of the trout is seared and crispy. Now, avoid the temptation, do not Look at it, don’t flip it, do not move it around. Don’t please!. Wait 1 and a half to 2 minutes, as soon as you start to see that the edges of the fillet are turning white (like a halo all around the perimeter) then carefully flip it with all your conviction in the knowing that ONE flip is enough.
The skin should be golden brown and crispy edges. Once you flip it is over. Give your fillets an extra 1 to 2 minutes tops.
Remove from heat let it rest a bit 40-60 seconds. And your fillets are Ready to serve.
Serve trout skin side up so stays crispy, top it with a generous spoonful of the pesto, roasted chopped peanuts and drizzle some lemon juice to finish it.
Top the trout with the red new potato and fennel salad. You can also serve this dish family style all arranged on a serving platter, take it to the table and A Comer! Serve immediately accompanied by a good glass of Vinho Verdhe like Casal Garcia from Portugal, or an Albarino 2009 La Cana, from Galicia Spain.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Music Pairing: Ibrahim Ferrer- Buena Vista Social Club
Serves 4 There are five rules to leave by when you are searing skin on trout fillets: 1- HOT skillet, I mean sizzling hot; water droplets dance in the skillet at this temperature. 2- Room temperature fish. Pull the fish out of the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before you gonna start cooking. 3- Pad dry the fish fillets before seasoning. 4-Proper seasoning salt & pepper both sides of the fillet. 5- Skin side hits the pan first. One flip. That’s it! yes one flip you read it well.
Course
dinner
Cuisine
FUSION
Prep Time20minutes
Cook Time35minutes
Total Time55minutes
AuthorMariana McEnroe
Ingredients
For the Cilantro Pesto:
4cupsabout 2 bunches of Cilantro
1/2cuproasted peanuts
3-4chilies 2 Serrano peppers2 red sweet peppers (you can interchange chilies, like habanero, jalapeño, shishito, just add one at a time so you can control the spice level.)
3-4garlic cloves
1/2– 3/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The juice and zest of 1 lemon.
1teaspoonof salt
1/2teaspoonof fresh ground black pepper.
For the Potato Fennel Salad:
4-6medium-small New red potatoes cook al dente.
1/2a large bulb of fennel finely sliced
1/2small red onion finely sliced.
1-2handfuls of frisseor arugula
The juice of one medium orange.
A splash of Rice Vinegar
A splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Salt & Black pepper to taste
For the Seared Rainbow Trout:
4Rainbow trout fillets skin on.
Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Instructions
Make the pesto: Add every pesto ingredient to the blender or food processor, blending and pulsing until a rough paste. Pulse it more times for a smoother consistency. I like it a bit more chunky, small pieces of peanuts still show and the herbs are roughly chopped, but not completely pureed.
For the Left Over Pesto: I’ve been using it on avocado sandwiches, pasta, and cucumber salad is a hit!. This recipe makes about 2-1 1/2 cups and stays good for about a week. Keep it in an airtight container and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the pesto. This will prevent air from oxidizing it and turn it dark gray.
Make the potato salad: place all salad ingredients in a bowl and gently toss well a few minutes before serving so the potatoes can absorb some of the vinaigrette.
Sear the fish:
Heat up a non-stick skillet. Place trout fillets into the very hot skillet remember the fish enters the pan skin side down. Do not crowd the pan, so you can ensure the skin of the trout is seared and crispy. Now, avoid the temptation, do not Look at it, don’t flip it, do not move it around. Don’t please!. Wait 1 and a half to 2 minutes, as soon as you start to see that the edges of the fillet are turning white (like a halo all around the perimeter) then carefully flip it with all your conviction in the knowing that ONE flip is enough.
The skin should be golden brown and crispy edges. Once you flip it is over. Give your fillets an extra 1 to 2 minutes tops.
Remove from heat let it rest a bit 40-60 seconds. And your fillets are Ready to serve.
Serve trout skin side up so stays crispy, top it with a generous spoonful of the pesto, roasted chopped peanuts and drizzle some lemon juice to finish it.
Top the trout with the red new potato and fennel salad. You can also serve this dish family style all arranged on a serving platter, take it to the table and A Comer!
Serve immediately accompanied by a good glass of Vinho Verdhe like Casal Garcia from Portugal, or an Albarino 2009 La Cana, from Galicia Spain.
Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe |
Published: July 25, 2013
This is one of the recipes I being waiting to make with the gorgeous tomatoes from the market, Heirloom tomato Crostata!…Last time I went to Boggy Creek Farm,( my favorite urban farm here in Austin, TX.) I bought about 5 different kinds I could not resist! (honestly, If you have 3-2 or even just one kinds it will be great too) Looking at all this colors and shapes made me turn my sweet crostata dough into a savory one. I read about this tomato pie with Corn Meal, and honestly I’m not very fond of Pies, I love crostata because of the dough-filling ratio. In a pie usually you have thin crusted and lots of filling versus a crostata in which you have little more crust-less filling (which makes it lighter and balanced to eat. The exposed fruit or vegetables or in this case the tomatoes can get a little roasted and it adds lots of character to it. I hope you like it. Enjoy!
Heirloom Tomato Crostata
Serves 6-8
For the Dough:
2 Cups of Unbleached All-purpose flour
¾ Cup Corn Meal (I used Larry’s Corn Meal from Boggy Creek Farm, I highly recommend to look for a good quality Organic no GMO coarse ground cornmeal it really makes the difference!)
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes.
1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt
¼ to ½ cup iced water
How to make the crust:
Measure all your ingredients, and place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Place bowl in the freezer. Meantime cut your cold butter, and Iced water ready to measure. Remove the bowl of dry ingredients from freezer and add the butter. With a pastry blender incorporate the butter and flour until the mixture resembles to a coarse meal, and the butter pieces are small like the size of a pea. Slowly add the cold water and carefully with your hands form a dough that just holds together. Do not work the dough.
Once that the dough barely holds together cut a piece of plastic wrap and place your dough. Wrap it and shape it into a disk.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, 4-6 is best.(see pictures )
When the dough is ready Preheat Oven at 400 F/ 205C
On a clean work surface, dusted with flour unwrap the dough let sit for a couple of minutes and roll the dough into a 20-22” round and about 1/8 “ thick. Once is rolled place it into a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
For the Filling:
4 medium size heirloom tomatoes cut into ¼ inch tomato slices, from at least 2 kinds of heirloom tomatoes. I used green zebra, yellow Oaxacan, prudence and Cherokee. Use whatever is best fresh available at your farmers market.
1/2 cup cherry gold or cherry tomatoes
I used:
1/3 cup of goat cheese.
3 fresh sprigs of thyme.
Sea Salt, freshly ground pepper.
A small drizzle of Extra virgin Olive Oil.
Directions:
Spread ½ of the Goat cheese into the rolled dough, place the tomato slices, thyme, rest of the cheese, sea salt, black pepper and drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil all over the tomatoes. Fold the dough edges into circle creating a 2” border.
Brush the edges with egg wash and sprinkle sea salt all around the edge.
Bake at 400 F/ 200C for 35-45 minutes. Serve warm.
Heirloom Tomatoe Crostata
Music Pairing: Pink Martini- Hang on Little Tomatoe
Course
bakegoods, Brunch, Lunch, Main Course, vegetarian
Cuisine
vegetarian, wholesome
Prep Time20minutes
Cook Time35minutes
Total Time55minutes
AuthorMariana McEnroe
Ingredients
For the Dough:
2Cupsof Unbleached All-purpose flour
¾CupCorn MealI used Larry’s Corn Meal from Boggy Creek Farm, I highly recommend to look for a good quality Organic no GMO coarse ground cornmeal it makes a huge difference.
1teaspoonof kosher salt
1teaspoonof sugar
2sticks1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes.
1tablespoonof Greek yogurt
¼ to ½cupiced water
For the Filling:
4medium size heirloom tomatoes cut into ¼ inch tomato slicesfrom at least 2 kinds of heirloom tomatoes. I used green zebra, yellow Oaxacan, prudence, and Cherokee. Use whatever is best fresh available at your farmers market.
1/2cupcherry gold or cherry tomatoes
I used:
1/3cupof goat cheese.
3fresh sprigs of thyme.
Sea Saltfreshly ground black pepper.
A small drizzle of Extra virgin Olive Oil.
Instructions
How to make the crust:
Measure all your ingredients, and place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Place bowl in the freezer. Meantime cut your cold butter, and Iced water ready to measure. Remove the bowl of dry ingredients from frezzer and add the butter. With a pastry blender incorporate the butter and flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, and the butter pieces are small like the size of a pea. Slowly add the cold water and carefully with your hands form a dough that just holds together. Do not work the dough.
Once that the dough barely holds together cut a piece of plastic wrap and place your dough. Wrap it and shape it into a disk.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
When the dough is ready Preheat Oven at 400F / 205C
In clean work surface, dusted with flour unwrap the dough let sit for a couple of minutes and roll the dough into a 20-22” round and about 1/8 “ thick. Once is rolled place it into a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Assemble the Crostata:
Spread ½ of the Goat cheese into the round rolled dough leaving a 2-3" outside border. Place the tomato slices and halves, fresh thyme, rest of the goat cheese, sea salt and add a few cranks of fresh ground black pepper. Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil all over the tomatoes. Fold the dough edges into the circle, creating a 2” dough border. Brush the edges with egg wash and sprinkle some sea salt all around the edge.
Bake at 400 F/ 200C for 35-45 minutes. Serve warm.
