Stuffed Avocado Creations

One of the more frustrating times to cook can be when you're trying to use up a lot of different ingredients. But I particularly like these times, as I can get creative and innovate a little. This week we're going out of town and next week we're moving, so we're trying to use up perishable (for the former) and non-perishable (for the latter) like they're going out of style. This all led to an extremely tasty dish last night that I made up off the top of my head, with only some stray ingredients as muse. Stuffed avocados.

Well who's ever heard of stuffed avocados? I hadn't, but I had these two ripe avocados and not a whole lot else to base a dinner around. But then I saw we had some leftover black beans, a can of diced tomatoes, some fresh tomatoes, a little bit of red onion…and before long I had the idea in mind.

I halved my avocados as neatly as possible and removed the large pits with a knife. Then I carefully scooped all of the avocado out of each half into a bowl, such that the skins were as clean as possible. I immediately squeezed a stray half lemon over the avocado flesh so it wouldn't brown. Then I added my black beans, a diced fresh tomato and some canned tomatoes, and the remaining eighth of red onion. I also added a large dollop of some tangy salsa verde that we had in the fridge. I added a small pinch of sea salt and pepper and a few swigs of Tabasco sauce and mixed the whole concoction together.

I then sprayed each empty avocado shell with nonfat cooking spray and sprinkled with a little sea salt for flavor. Then I filled each shell very full with the mixture and placed them on a cookie sheet. Lastly I grated a small amount of cheddar cheese that we had left in the fridge over the top of each stuffed avocado. I roasted these in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. When they were done, the cheese was perfectly melted and the stuffing had warmed and cooked together quite nicely.

I used up some remaining corn chips to be the avocado “utensils”/“scoops” and some margarita mix, seltzer, tequila and limes to make some light margarita spritzers. It turned into a nice, light Tex Mex dinner that was very easy to concoct. The flavor of the stuffed avocado was a nice combination of salty, tangy and savory. Julia just loved them and said they reminded her of a fancy, individualized seven-layer dip inside each avocado half. I thought they were quite tasty as well and happy that this new idea came out so well and so smoothly. Plus, I was even happier that I used up so many remaining bits of ingredients in the process.

Faburrito

I love going to restaurants that throw creative changeups on their menus. Not just the same old standard fare, but perhaps reinvented versions of the standards or completely original dishes. I look for it at the simplest lunch places and the fanciest restaurants. Having creativity gives a place instant points in my book – when it tastes just as good as it sounds, well that's when I remember a place and that dish for a long time.

Recently, when at Clyde's in Georgetown (M street) with Julia and friends for brunch, I noticed something quite different from other restaurants in the Clyde's family that normally consists of brunch food, salads, sandwiches, burgers and seafood. Clyde's does actually often have pretty interesting versions of these things, which is why I like the place, but not always must-order type dishes. In this case, it was nothing more than a breakfast burrito, a dish most restaurants wouldn't even care to serve let alone make awesome. It was a fresh tortilla rolled up with scrambled egg, chorizo, house made refritos and melted cheddar cheese, and it was topped with a large amount of fresh, chunky pico da gallo.

A perfect dish. It was the perfect size, texture and above all, flavor. Everything just melted together perfectly, and I'm not even a huge fan of refritos typically. The cheese and bean layers were thin and flavorful but didn't overpower the soft, fluffy egg or the generous layer of spicy, savory chorizo. The pico on top was the perfect cool, fresh and acidy complement that the rest of the dish needed. Plus, it was maybe only about the size of your fist or a little bigger, so it packed its flavors tightly but didn't leave you stuffed with them.

I know this is a dish I won't be able to find at most places, but it's this level of creativity that I yearn to see. I'll go back to that Clyde's for sure just to have another chance to order that unique item (though unfortunately their menu changes intermittently), but I will also go back to see if they have any other creatively mouthwatering dishes. And any restaurant I find that shows me that special touch once will probably earn a place near the top of my list of places to return to again.

Salsa, Finally

It has taken me countless failed attempts over several years to finally create a delicious salsa. And we love great salsas! It sounds like it should be simple to do, as salsas are fairly commonplace, but there are a few things I've discovered that can ruin a salsa that are not intuitive until you've made the mistake of including them in a salsa. Plus I like my salsa chunky and fresh but still with the right flavor combo and certainly not garishly chunky. So developing my palette and knife skills have certainly contributed. Bottom line, salsa is simple – now that I have actually figured out one way to make a good one!

So here it is. This made at least a few cups of salsa, but of course you could adjust accordingly. The first huge key is tomatoes. I had six Roma tomatoes. For each one I sliced off the end and then smushed out all of the insides into the sink. Seeds, juice and slimy membrane of the tomato is the first enemy of a good salsa. The presence of these elements will make your salsa taste funky. Believe me I've done it. Once I had my tomato shells, I diced them into dime-size pieces at the largest and put them into my salsa bowl.

I then minced half a red onion as finely as I could. As mentioned yesterday, I think red onion is less overpowering and more flavorful than yellow onion in raw forms like salsa, so that is the second salsa key. You want onion, but you don't want the onion to overpower. This is why I only added about three quarters of the chopped onion at first. I wanted to taste the salsa first before possibly adding more later (I actually did not add more).

Next I chopped a small red bell pepper very finely and added it to the bowl. You might not associate bell peppers with salsa, but it adds definite crunch to the salsa and can mellow out the heat that is added later on. You don't want anymore than this, so make sure it's a small pepper or use half of a larger one.

Next I added a little bit of chopped cilantro. I am not a huge cilantro person, so it was only a splash since it does add that fresh salsa taste. To continue seasoning, I added a nice large pinch of kosher salt and a lot of black pepper. Then I added a personal touch of a dash of chipotle pepper for heat and smokiness and then two large glugs of habañero hot sauce for the real heat. Of course, the level of heat is up to you, but this was a solid medium. It is also crucial to make sure you remember the salt. Unsalted salsa will not taste good at all. It will cause that rankness that leaving the tomato seeds in the salsa would have caused.

Finally, DO NOT ADD RAW GARLIC! So many people, my past self included, have figured or assumed that garlic has a place in salsa. It does not at all, whatsoever. Raw garlic will make your salsa taste like raw garlic and it won't help the rest of your ingredients either. I'm sure it's not unheard of, but there needs to be more acid in your salsa to cut down the pungency of a garlic. Pure and simple, I don't recommend it.

Once everything is in the bowl, with clean hands, I mixed all my ingredients, squeezing as I went. This got those juices to mix together and everything to meld well. Done. Quick, simple and it made a lot of GREAT-LOOKING salsa!

Since this was me, I get some (good quality) corn chips and chowed down. The taste is just how I like salsa – very flavorful and fresh with just enough heat. And Julia thought it was great too – only maybe a little hotter than she likes. Adjust as you like, but this is the best basic formula that I have been able to create in my test kitchen. So now you have all my personal dos and don'ts for making a great-tasting salsa. It took me a while, but finally!

Surprise Signature

I'm a big fan of black beans and rice, a classic combination. But if I'm a fan of them, sometimes I forget that that makes Julia a superfan. So much so that when I whipped up a variation on the classic the other day, she was so thrilled she adorned it the best dish I've ever made. I think she was just hungry for dinner, as my other dishes scoff at the thought of this classic superseding their more complex natures. But hey, she could be right. Sometimes simple can be sweetest.

For the rice, I combined one cup of long grain rice with two cups of low sodium vegetable stock. To the stock I added a tiny bit of sea salt, a few generous shakes of black pepper, a few big drops of hot sauce, about a tablespoon of canola oil and a couple tablespoons of thick, dark balsamic vinegar. I let this come to a light boil and then turned the heat to low and covered the rice until the liquid was gone. This was about 22 minutes, but varies by the rice.

In the meantime, I made the beans. I opened up a can of low sodium black beans and drained off most of the liquid in the sink. I put the beans into a small saucepan over low to medium heat. I added a little salt, a lot of black pepper, a few shakes of cumin, a glug of canola oil and a few teaspoons of red wine vinegar. Lastly I added about a half-cup of some nice fire-roasted tomato salsa that I had in the fridge. I wanted the beans and sauce to be a dark, rich, tomato base and the salsa helped to accomplish this with its deep flavors mixing with the excess liquid from the beans. I let this mixture warm over about ten minutes, stirring often, until it was thick and bubbly and smelling tremendous.

As the rice and beans were finishing separately, I chopped four small Campari tomatoes, a quarter of a large, red onion and a small handful of fresh cilantro. When the rice was done, I mixed in this fresh element to add some crispness and tang to the overall flavor. Then I slowly mixed in the beans and sauce to the well-flavored rice – ever so slightly spicy from the hot sauce but rich from the balsamic. The beans really deepened the flavor further as I mixed the two together until it actually looked like the real thing. The fresh element really made the look of the dish pop, and I loved that.

I served the beans and rice with a little nonfat Greek yogurt atop, though sour cream would have worked if I were feeling more indulgent. I also made up a handful of fresh, baked corn chips per person, by baking some quartered corn tortillas (with a drizzle of olive oil) at 425 degrees in the oven for 8-10 minutes. You’ve got to watch them though, as they will burn quickly if left in too long.

The dish was quite simply tasty – like comfort food loaded with a lot of interesting flavor and not unhealthy much at all. The play of the various spicy elements with the tangy elements really made the flavor exciting and just sizzle with each bite. I was proud of the dish and it was really quite easy, but Julia's reaction was still a little surprising. I guess me caring about each element that I added to the dish, made the flavors really work, and it must have come through, even to someone who eats my food the most often. If it's really that good, this could be the most unassuming signature dish I've ever discovered. Leave it to my superfan to know me better than I do.

Tortilla Reminder

I'm always looking for easy, delicious and healthy ways to eat dinner at home. Julia has a fabulous one, toastadas, that she loves, that I always pooh-pooh until we're already eating them and I remember how awesome and easy they are. So I'm never really craving them, but once I'm eating them, I'm like “why don't we eat these every night?” And Julia's like, “this is what I tell you all the time you fool!” And I laugh, conceding.

I have even touted this terrific dinner before – a long time ago – so I figure that in reminding myself of how good toastadas are, I should remind you too.

Seriously, if you're not sure what to make for dinner, just stick some corn tortillas, which naturally have no fat or sodium, in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes on a baking sheet. You can put a little salt on them and even a little spray or oil, but they're great just dry toasted. It's up to you. Either way, you're already halfway to dinner.

At this point, you just need some toppings, so just pull out what you have – and/or what you're in the mood for. Got tomatoes? Dice them. Onion? Mince it. Scallion? Chop it up. A nice cheese? Grate it or crumble it. Salsa? Open it up. Avocado? Slice it up – or make guacamole. Beans? Open a can of black beans, drain it, and warm them in a little saucepan with a little black pepper, red wine vinegar, dash of canola oil and dash of hot sauce. Don't want vegetarian? Make a few chicken breasts or some browned beef. Sour cream? Take off the lid, or go a little healthier and reach for the Greek yogurt instead. And there are countless other things you could add or subtract to the equation to customize it to your very mood. All these complex decisions take only a matter of minutes to make and execute, and dinner is all set to go by the time the tortillas are crispy and golden.

Toastada night deserves much more respect from me. It's like taco night, but easier. And healthier. Just look at all the junk that is in standard store-bought taco shells and seasoning. Trans fat, saturated fat and tons of salt. These plain corn tortillas will taste better just dry toasted in your own oven. Everyone will love it. You will. I will. Just wanted to remind us.

Tortilla Roast

Just kidding, but wouldn't that be a classic title for a horrible and sarcastic review of a restaurant near the Capitol South metro station whose name is Tortilla Coast? (He grins widely to himself.) Luckily for Tortilla Coast, I quite enjoyed their place. It was a convenient one-metro-stop ride from Eastern Market, and the service was fast enough that Julia and I were able to enjoy a post-market lunch with friends Kate and Francisco without worry that our wares would spoil pre-fridge.

This place came highly recommended from none other than our market/lunch buddies themselves. This is one of their favorite places in DC for Mexican. However, Kate had me at hello, well actually barbecued chicken. As soon as I heard that they made quesadillas (and burritos and fajitas) with barbecued chicken, I was hooked to the idea of trying this place. Even if the rest of the menu was fairly mundane Mexican (which it was), I knew there would be at least a few items that were creative and intriguing and definitely order-worthy. I just had to try that barbecued chicken.

The place had a nice game-day/group gathering feel, which was good since it allowed me to catch the closest and most interesting part of the OSU trouncing of my Michigan boys without it being too loud to enjoy a conversation with my table. They had quite a few different beers and drinks and good chips and salsa too. But I might as well fast forward to the inevitable – my order of the barbecued chicken quesadilla.

What arrived looked like any other good quesadilla – crispy, flaky tortilla; cut into triangles; a little ooze; a little oil evidence (this one perhaps a little above average on the oil). But on further examination, there was the beautiful sight of the contents – cheese, chicken, barbecue sauce, red peppers. Even despite the oil, this was a treat to remember. It was that combination of smoky, tangy, salty, savory, spicy and just a slight bit of sweet that leaves you feeling wholly satisfied. The best part was probably the smokiness of the barbecue sauce – it had a lot of depth and wasn’t too sweet like some BBQ sauces can be. It just sort of melted in my mouth, so much more so than a traditional quesadilla, which I will rarely if ever order. This one was killer, no doubt about it. And that's probably the reason why both Tortilla Coast veterans at my table went straight for the barbecued chicken selections as well.

There is nothing really left to say about Tortilla Coast. A pretty good place with a little niche that is probably just unique enough and darn delicious enough to get me remembering it and returning. Probably even good enough for me to rename this review, Tortilla Boast.

Nah. Just not as funny.

Read my reviews in more detail and other restaurant reviews at Menuism.

Top 10 (12) Olympic Cuisines

You have diligently read about my physical (and mental) travels in the world of food all week. I'll try to reward you with a fun, Friday post.

TOP TEN FOODS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO EAT IN HONOR OF THE OLYMPICS (regardless of calories). Okay, it will be a Top Twelve in fact, so I can be a little more inclusive. It’s hard to exclude people(s).

12. Italian – Insalata caprese and ciabatta

I had Italian last night, so it’s not throwing my senses into haywire this morning like the other ones, but nothing beats an Italian restaurant and the myriad classic dishes that never fail to disappoint. I choose this appetizer because it’s fresh and has basil, tomato, cheese and bread – the four base ingredients of much of Italian cuisine – at their simplest and most elegant.

11. Mexican – Carnitas with fresh tortillas, salsa, guacamole and lime wedges

We all have a place in our hearts for some variation of Mexican food – a very Americanized version for many, but one nevertheless. I happen to love the tang of pork in my tacos or burritos when I can afford the slight indulgence. This classic way with big flavors and without the burden of lots of cheese, beans, rice and sour cream make this taco-esque dish refined and well, to-die-for.

10. Greek – Pistachio baklava

I am a big fan of Mediterranean food, and Greek cuisine is at the center of this pantheon. I could go on about many of the dishes that Greeks get to enjoy all the time, but I go for the ultimate dessert right now. The filo, the nuts, the honey, the spices. I would love the universe where it was okay for me to finish every meal with this dessert fit for Zeus.

9. Ethiopian – Injera and vegetarian wat stew selection, with salad

Perhaps not as mainstream as some of the others, this cuisine is a winner. Go find your local Ethiopian restaurant if you have not already and make time soon for an experience. They’ll bring you a table-sized piece of flat bread, put a big salad in the middle and then speckle the sides with little piles of different and extremely flavorful stews. The vegetarian ones, full of onions, collard greens and lentils are very rich and smooth, but the meat versions are also quite popular.

8. Spanish – Manchego cheese, crusty bread and mixed olives

Spanish tapas make me happy with their depth and creativity. Perhaps the simplest and most classic one is the best though. To really kick off your meal in style, enjoy some assorted olives and bread with a salty, nutty cheese and an opening glass of red wine.

7. Israeli – Labneh with zatar and fresh, hot pitas

Israeli food is another chapter in the Mediterranean realm that I love. I picked this popular hummus-replacement dish from Israel that I was introduced to recently by a friend because it, well, rocks! It is a thick, smooth cheese-like yogurt. It has the tang of yogurt and the richness of cheese. Served with an awesome Israeli spice, zatar, this is the ultimate opener to a nice Med meal.

6. Chinese - Dim Sum

An experience like none other. That is how I have and will continue to describe my experience with Chinese brunch fare. An assortment of different dumplings, soups and meats very different from standard Chinese food is not one I could handle every day, but every four years or so, I give this the ultimate gold medal.

5. French – Crepe with brie, tomato and some type of meat

French food is so expansive and complex, I can’t always decide what I like and what I don’t like about it. Some of its simple classics like the omelet and the crepe are very easy to decide upon. A light crepe can be a nice elegant brunch, or a loaded one can be the ultimate drunk food. Believe it or not, I prefer the loaded ones.

4. Brazilian - Gaucho style barbecue

If you eat meat and have not tried Brazilian barbecue, go and reserve your next paycheck to visit a churrascaria. Okay, well it’s not THAT expensive, but the high-end version in the United States is pretty much the only version I’ve seen. Typically, after going through an endless pre-dinner buffet of salads, sushi, fruits, cheeses and Brazilian side dishes, you return to your table for an all-you-can-eat meat onslaught. The waiters travel from table to table, each with their own beautiful cut of a different barbecued meat. Beef, chicken, duck, lamb, pork. Indulgent. Endless. Perfect -- every four years or so. (During the Winter Olympics though, to space out the dim sum.)

3. Japanese – Tuna, salmon, whitefish, shrimp and yellowtail nigiri

If I had to eat the same meal every day of my life, it would be sad and even depressing. But after making the easy choice of sushi, the brilliance of this simple meal would certainly cheer me up each day. I haven’t mentioned sushi much yet, but it will be a regular contributor to my food thoughts. I love a really tasty, creative roll of sushi with three kinds of fish, tempura flakes, avocado, fish eggs and two crazy sauces as much as any sushi lover. But it’s the classic nigiri listed above that are truly impeccable.

2. Indian – Tandoori chicken tikka with naan and rice

Like any warm-blooded American male, I love barbecued meat. Too bad Brazilian (see above) and Indian are my favorite preparations. The Tandoori clay oven method gives chicken or fish an incredible charred taste. The marinade of yogurt and spices give off an aroma and character unlike anything I get in from cuisine. With 1 medal per Summer Games since 1956, I don’t know how many Olympic medals my brainy Indian brethren will be winning this year, but in the culinary games, they are on my podium.

1. American – Buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing

Okay, so who ever said patriotism was dead? American food, like its athletes, is really good in a few areas and really mediocre in many others. But we still TRY in ALL the areas, whereas most others stay to their niches. THAT is what makes us the best. Forget unexciting, unperfected hot dogs, hamburgers and corn on the cob. If you want THE all-American food, look no further than the holy chicken wing from Buffalo. Now how do you say “gold” in Chinese?

Soup Kitchen Test Kitchen

One of my favorite parts about cooking is the mystery. The fact that, to at least some degree, I have no idea how or why flavors mesh together the way they do makes it exhilarating to try new things and have them blend into a beautiful and interesting taste. My flavor-melding testing favorite is with a soup. A soup can be as complicated as any dish or as simple, but can be very forgiving -- if you at least know how to massage the texture and flavor, evening things out until they're perfect. I've heard many times on shows like Top Chef and others that if you can create a great soup, you can be a great cook. I would love to say that I have created a perfect soup recipe that I have tested 100 times, but I do not. For now, that's probably not even my style. I'm content flexing my creativity, working out the details as I go, and then, if it really seems like a winner, perhaps trying to formalize it a little bit more.

Recently I had the urge to make a meal out of soup. I wanted it to be hearty but not heavy and contain all the elements of a good meal for me (protein, fiber, vegetables, healthy fat and taste). For some reason I immediately thought of a black bean soup. It seemed to fit the bill. It wasn't going to be easy, but I was prepared to get into war mode (or test kitchen mode) and make it work no matter what happened.

I started by heating up a base for my soup in a smaller pot. I wanted it to be a little rich, but not overly fattening, so I used equal parts low-sodium vegetable stock, skim milk and water. It was probably a cup to 1.5 cups of each. I added a little pepper, Tabasco and about 4 ounces of Tequila to the stock as well. I wanted to give it some character and zing, and those were my secret ingredients for adding those elements to the base of the soup.

While this was heating up, I sautéed some smashed and chopped garlic, half of a chopped onion and half of a chopped jalapeño in a little extra virgin olive oil at the bottom of my large soup pot until they were soft and emitting aromas and juices (5 minutes). I then added two cans of low-sodium black beans un-drained to the soup pot to mix them with the flavors at the bottom and heat them up a little. Then I added one 15-ounce can of low-sodium crushed tomatoes to the mixture as well. I did this to add some tang, some more Mexican flavor as well as a little more body. I also wanted to add another really nutritious element to the soup, and cooked tomatoes are about as nutritious an ingredient as there is. Plus it went great with the context – kind of important for the whole taste part.

After just a couple minutes of warming the beans and tomatoes with the aromatics, and when the base was warmed up but not boiling, I carefully added the base to the ingredients and brought the heat to just above medium. I then stirred the pot very well for a minute or so, so that all the flavors, textures and colors of the ingredients could mix within the base. At this point, I noticed that the soup seemed thin. I knew it was going to thicken more when I pureed it and didn’t want it to be like chili, but also wanted it to have a slightly thicker constitution. So I added just a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch to the soup. I stirred it in very well, as cornstarch lumps up very easily. The only reason I didn’t try to mix the cornstarch with something else (like butter) to eliminate the lumpiness was because I was going to be pureeing the soup shortly, which would solve my problem without resorting to an unnecessary ingredient like butter.

Before pureeing, I added the zest and juice of a lime for more flavor, along with a small pinch of salt, small splash of red wine vinegar and generous amounts of pepper, cumin and some fiery, green Habañero sauce to taste. I kept adding little bits of the spices and tasting it until the taste was great. And then let go on the heat for another 10 minutes or so. Tip: cumin is killer in anything Mexican. Use generously and do not omit – or you will likely not get the flavor you desire.

Now for the fun (and messy) part! I wanted a smooth texture but not applesauce, so I wanted to use the food processor to puree the soup. This would give it that texture but not kill all the chunks, and also do the real thickening for me. I carefully (remember – HOT!) ladled soup into the processor, about halfway up the machine and whazzed it (my homage to Jaime Oliver). I transferred it to my serving bowl and continued whazzing the soup in half-full batches until I had finished with the entire pot.

At this point, the consistency of the soup was great – just a little thick, but not chili. I tested the flavor again and adjusted the spices (pepper, hot sauce, cumin, salt) to perfect the flavor. Then I added in one small can of sliced green olives (rinsed) and mixed it through one more time.

I ladled the soup into bowls and gave each one a little grate of gruyere cheese, a little spattering of fresh salsa and a little dollop of reduced-fat sour cream and served with some low-fat Toasted corn chips I had made quickly in the oven (see post 7/30/08: Tangy Toastadas… ).

My test kitchen soup was better than I thought it would be, and got excellent reviews from the rest of the tasting committee (of one, for now). I think it is important to play with big flavors like I was trying to do here to see what works and what doesn’t and what is just awesome! It helps to expand our food culture and knowledge. And knowing how to adjust the texture and smaller flavors along the way will allow you to “test” things yourself and still come out with a pretty darn good final edible.