Kari’s Kick Ass Corn and Avocado Salsa
August 21, 2011
My notes: Need I say more? When you are in the mood to give somebody a butt whooping, this is what you serve them. And they’ll thank you for it. Kari made this salsa for us last summer us before I tested it out on myself. She unmercifully did not turn down the heat. “I knew you could handle it,” she said with a knowing eye and a 
. Yes, thanks Kari for sharing what I consider to be the best salsa I have ever tasted. You really kicked my Midwestern bootie!
In my version (below) I turned down the heat a bit and upped the ratio of corn and tomatoes to avocados. This salsa is a gorgeous and healthy way to incorporate plenty of fresh summer produce into your cooking. It’s essentially a pico de gallo with avocado, sauteed corn, and a little cumin added in.
Kari’s Kick Ass Corn and Avocado Salsa (recipe adapted from Kari Hornfeldt)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- fresh corn cut from 3 cobs
- kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 large cloves minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 2 medium sized jalapeno peppers, minced with seeds (use more jalapenos for extra heat)
- 1 cup chopped cilantro, packed
- 3 avocados, chopped
Directions
Do ahead up to a day before: Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté corn. Some of the kernels will start to brown. Add kosher salt to taste. Transfer to a medium sized bowl to cool. (shortcut: use 2 1/2 cups Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn.)
Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the apple cider vinegar, lime juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and cumin.
In a large mixing bowl combine corn, garlic, tomato, red onion, jalapenos, and cilantro. Add dressing to the other ingredients and mix. Let the flavors meld for at least a half hour.
Just before serving: Add chopped avocado. Toss lightly and serve with tortilla chips.
Ideas: If you like this recipe try Guacamole Salad. I also enjoy Salsa Verde. Check out my top 9 recipes that use fresh herbs.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. Do you have a salsa recipe that would kick our butts? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
October 24, 2010
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (recipe by “Oishii!”)
My notes: I love dips of all types. Here’s one that’s guilt free. Serve it with red pepper strips, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or pita chips for a healthy snack or appetizer. It would be a great addition to a kid’s lunch box too.
Ingredients
- 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2/3 cup roasted red peppers from a jar, drained
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup tahini
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon warm water
- kosher salt
- optional garnishes: fresh parsley, paprika, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, etc.
Preparation
Add to food processor garbanzo beans, roasted red peppers, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, and kosher salt. Process all ingredients. Adjust olive oil to taste. Put in serving bowl and sprinkle extra extra olive oil on top if you wish. Optional: Garnish with fresh parsley, paprika, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, etc.
Ideas
Great with falafel sandwiches. For a similar recipe, try Michael’s Hummus with Toasted Pita Chips or Michael’s Baba Ghanoush and Toasted Pita Chips. If you like the flavor of tahini, Jersusalam Salad is nice too.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
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Danish Egg Salad
September 5, 2010
Danish Egg Salad (recipe adapted from The Ovens of Brittany Cookbook)
My notes: Egg salad is a simple and favorite lunch of mine, and fresh dill and sweet pickles make this version stand out. Serve it on rye or pumpernickel bread, and accompany with extra sweet pickles. My recipe comes from a legendary restaurant; Ovens of Brittany in Madison, Wisconsin; where I went to school. Their cookbook was the first I ever owned!
Ideas: Also try my Roasted Chicken Salad with Dried Cherries and Peanuts and Open Faced Tuna Melts with Provolone.
Ingredients
- 10 eggs, hard boiled
- 3 scallions (1/2 cup), white and green parts, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup minced sweet pickles
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Peel the eggs and divide the whites from the yolks. Chop egg whites and crumble yolks. Combine gently with remaining ingredients. Adapted from the Ovens of Brittany Cookbook.
Prep note: Peeling eggs is an art, not an exact science, which I admittedly have never mastered. Some days I have great success and other days I’m glad I don’t make egg salad for a living! I’ve been following the Ovens of Brittany’s method for years, but everybody seems to have their own “foolproof” way. Here are their notes:
“Please don’t overcook hard-cooked eggs! Even a few moments extra can result in a greenish rim around the yolk and a tough, rubbery egg white. Simply cover eggs in cold water in a sauce pan. Bring to a low boil, reduce to a low simmer and set your timer for ten minutes. When the buzzer goes off, drain the eggs and immerse them in ice water to stop the cooking. Keep them in the ice water for several minutes, until completely cooled. Now they will peel easily if you knock them gently and roll them across the kitchen counter. (Note, however, that very fresh eggs do not peel easily.) Peeled hard-cooked eggs can be stored in cold water for several days.”
I find that peeling the eggs in a bowl of water makes the task easier.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
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Michael’s Baba Ghanoush and Toasted Pita Chips
August 4, 2010
Michael’s Baba Ghanoush and Toasted Pita Chips (recipe by “Oishii!”)
My notes: I’ve been waiting patiently for fresh eggplant at the farmers markets so I could make baba ghanoush, a tasty eggplant spread with a light smoky flavor. My friend Mary, who has been cutting my hair for over 10 years and is from Iraq, taught me her method of making it. She noted that it is very similar to making hummus, but you use roasted eggplant instead of garbanzo beans. Once the eggplant comes out of the oven and is scooped out of the shell, it’s as easy to make as pulsing a food processor. Don’t let the strange name stop you from trying this great snack or appetizer.
Ingredient note: Tahini can be purchased at a natural food store such as Whole Foods or a specialty Middle Eastern grocery store.
Ingredients
baba ghanoush:
- 2 eggplants, 1 lb. each, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup tahini
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more to garnish
- 1 tablespoon plain yogurt (optional)
- kosher salt
- optional garnishes: paprika, parsley, olives, cucumbers, or tomatoes
pita chips:
- 5 small loaves of pita bread, or 7.5 ounces
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preparation
baba ghanoush:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle a little olive oil and kosher salt on eggplant halves and arrange it cut side down on the baking sheet. Roast in oven for 30 minutes or until eggplant is tender, and let it cool somewhat. Scoop out pulp and let it drain. Discard the skin.
Transfer to food processor the roasted eggplant, and add garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, yogurt (optional), and kosher salt. Pulse all ingredients. Put in serving bowl and drizzle extra olive oil on top. Add option garnishes if you wish. Serve with pita chips.
pita chips:
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Tear by hand the double-layered pita into single layers of bread. Cut these half circles of pita into bite-sized triangular pieces. Spread out pita pieces onto baking pan sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, kosher salt, and dried oregano. Bake in oven 10 minutes or until toasted light brown.
Ideas
Serve with cucumber slices, carrot sticks, or pita chips for a healthy snack or appetizer. For a similar recipe, try Michael’s Hummus and Toasted Pita Chips. If you like tahini, Jersusalam Salad is nice too.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
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Michael’s Hummus and Toasted Pita Chips
April 5, 2010
Michael’s Hummus and Toasted Pita Chips (recipe by “Oishii!”)
My notes: Making homemade hummus is as easy as pulsing a food processor, and unlike the flat flavor of store bought hummus, the individual flavors of the garlic, tahini, and lemon come alive when you make it fresh. The only trick is finding tahini, which I purchase at a local Middle Eastern grocery store.
Ingredients
hummus:
- 1 can garbanzo beans (drained)
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup tahini
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more to garnish
- little bit of warm water
- kosher salt
- optional garnishes: fresh parsley, paprika, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, etc.
pita chips:
- 5 small loaves of pita bread, or 7.5 ounces
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preparation
hummus:
Add to food processor garbanzo beans, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, and kosher salt. Process all ingredients. Adjust olive oil to taste. Put in serving bowl and sprinkle extra extra olive oil on top if you wish. Optional: Garnish with fresh parsley, paprika, tomato slices, etc.
pita chips:
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Tear by hand the double-layered pita into single layers of bread. Cut these half circles of pita into bite-sized triangular pieces. Spread out pita pieces onto baking pan sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, kosher salt, and dried oregano. Bake in oven 10 minutes or until toasted light brown.
Ideas
Great with falafel sandwiches, or for a healthy snack or appetizer serve with pita chips, cucumber slices, and carrot sticks. For a similar recipe, try Michael’s Baba Ghanoush and Toasted Pita Chips. If you like tahini, Jersusalam Salad is nice too.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to review: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
