Bean Salad with Salsa Verde

Zesty and uber delicious!

(prep time 30 mins)

(serves 2-3)

Ingredients

Garbanzo Beans 1/2 cup

Kidney Beans 1/2 cup

White Beans 1/2 cup

Garlic 1/2 tsp (minced)

White onion 2-3 Tbs (chopped fine)

Green pepper 2-3 Tbs (chopped fine)

Tomatoes 1 med (chopped fine)

Jalapeño 1 tsp (chopped very fine)

Salsa Verde 1/2 cup 

White wine vinegar 3-4 Tbs

Salt

Method

Just toss everything together in a big bowl.

Season with salt.

Let this sit in the refrigerator for a few hours before consuming.

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Smokey shrimp kebobs

(serves 2-3)

(prep time 20 mins + 2-3 hours marinating time)

Ingredients

Regular shrimp 16 or Jumbo shrimp 8 (shelled and deveined)

Dried ancho chili 1 med sized
Cumin whole 2/3 tsp
Peppercorns 2/3 tsp
Brown sugar 1/2 tsp
Garlic 1 tsp (minced very fine)
Olive oil 3 Tbs
Fresh lime wedges
Coarse sea salt

The first step will be to grind the ancho chili, cumin, peppercorns and brown sugar together into a fine powder. I like using a coffee grinder for this purpose. We will only need some of the spice mix for the amount of shrimp we are using, the rest will stay fresh for ages in an air tight container.

Lightly heat the oil in a sauce pan and turn the heat off. It's important that the oil should be warm and not hot. The idea is to release the essential oils and not to burn the spices. Add the garlic and 1 1/2 tsp of the spice mixture and mix well. Let the spices steep for 10 minutes at least (or overnight better).

The spices would have settled down, gently pour off the extra oil and keep it aside for later use. Rub the spice paste onto the shrimp. Use bamboo skewers to make kebobs. Marinate for 2-3 hours.

Use the oil for basting the shrimp during cooking. Season the shrimp with salt just before grilling over hot coals. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until pink and springy to the touch, turn once halfway through the cooking time.

Squeeze fresh lime juice over the shrimp.
Great with a green salad.

:-)

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Fajita

(Serves 2)
(Prep time: 30 mins + 6 hrs marinating time)

Meat preparation

Skirt or flank steak 1 lbs

Lime juice 2 limes

Garlic (crushed) 2-3 cloves

Cumin 1 tsp

Red Chili flakes 2/3 tsp

Pepper 1/4 tsp

Tequila 6 oz (optional) - I used 3 Tbs of apple cider vinegar

Cilantro 1/4 bunch

Salt

Blend all the ingredients in a blender and then pour over the steak. Cover with saran wrap or seal in a ziploc bag. Let this sit overnight in the fridge.

Before cooking the steak bring it to room temperature.

Pour off the marinade. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Turn the broiler on to high and cook each side for 8 mins for a medium steak.

This can get too smoky and might set off the fire alarm.

Another way is to heat about 2 Tbs oil in a large oven proof skillet.

Cook the steak for 4 mins each side.

Finish in a 375 pre-heated oven for 8 min for a medium steak.

Loosely wrap the steak with aluminum foil and let it stand for about 10 min to seal in the juices.

Cut very thinly along the grain of the steak!

I served this white cheddar potatoes, bell peppers and a sliced fresh hass avocado!

Veggies

Green bell pepper (sliced) 1 med

Red bell pepper (sliced) 1 med

Red onions (sliced) 1/2 med

Green onions 2-3 stalks

Thyme 1/4 tsp

Pepper

Salt

Olive oil

I cut the bell peppers into strips fairly equal in size. And steamed them over salted water for about 5 mins.

Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onions until they are tender.

Add the thyme.

Add the green onions.

Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the bell peppers.

Give everything a good toss.

Cook for a min or two.

Ready!

White cheddar potatoes with chives

Red potatoes 2-3 med
Butter (unsalted) 2 Tbs
Milk 1/4 cup
Aged white cheddar cheese (shredded) 1/2 cup
Chives (chopped fine) 2-3 Tbs
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Salt

Boil the potatoes in salted water.
Pour off the water when done and put the potatoes back in the same hot pot so any left over water drops dry off completely.
I like to keep the skins of potatoes on. Put all the ingredients in and smash with a potato masher! You can make these as chunky or as smooth as you want.

:-)

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