chilaquiles

There is no limit to my love of the food and flavors of Mexico.  My office is dangerously close to a delicious, local fresh-Mex joint, where I scarf down street tacos, quesadillas, and ceviche on a weekly basis.  And I use plenty of the salsas from the fresh salsa bar to get my "vegetables" for the meal, thank-you-very-much.  All the spicy, fragrant chiles, simmering sauces, creamy refried beans, fresh lime and cilantro...Mexican is my ultimate comfort food.  And while I luuuurrrrrve Mexican for lunch or dinner, my favorite time of day to enjoy Mexican food is at breakfast.  Why?  Because it includes eggs.

Eggs: the most perfect of all foods.

Also, it provides me an excuse to show off these beauties from my co-worker Ron's chickens- the hardest-working mother cluckers in the Valley.  A dozen gorgeous gems in a variety of colors.  Who needs an Easter Bunny when you've got eggs like these?!

I've discussed my love of Mexican breakfast before when I posted this recipe for huevos rancheros about a year ago, which you should TOTALLY try.  But this recipe for chilaquiles is equally killer, and I borrow the exact same technique for the eggs.  What does chilaquiles mean?  As a woman of Polish decent whose authority for authentic Mexican food stems from conversations with her administrative assistant, who is married to a native of Mexico, and her co-worker Sergio, who was born and raised in Mexico...I feel I better not hold myself out to be an expert.  However, the internets tell me its essentially a dish of tortilla chips and salsa.  I believe the eggs were added to cure hangovers, but better not quote me on that.  Let's just say that experience is the greatest educator of all.

I highly suggest you take the time to make my friend Heather's amazing chile verde recipe when you create this dish, which I've included below.  In a pinch, however, any authentic brand of bottled chile verde sauce (such as Herdez) works great too.



Chilaquiles

Serves 4

1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips
8 eggs
butter for pan
1-16 oz. can refried beans (whichever variety you like) 
prepared or homemade chile verde sauce (see Heather's phenomenal recipe below.  In a pinch, I use Herdez brand)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For topping the dish:

shredded cheddar cheese
crumbled cotija cheese
dollop of sour cream
chopped fresh cilantro


1. Add the refried beans to a small saucepan and place over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons of water; cook until beans are warm and “spreadable.”  

2. Add the chile verde to another small saucepan and place over medium heat until warm and bubbly.  Turn the heat down to low and keep warm. 

3. In a small skillet, melt a little butter in the pan and crack two eggs into the skillet (you can crack them into a small bowl first and then slide them into the skillet if you're worried about breaking them). Let the eggs set untouched for about 30 seconds, then add 1-2 teaspoons of water to the pan. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the eggs sizzle and steam for 2 minutes, or long enough for the yellow to slightly set but still leave a runny yolk. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a grind of fresh pepper.

4.  Place 10-12 tortilla chips in a separate bowl and add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of the chile verde sauce (depending on how saucy you like it- I like more, some like less).  Toss well, making sure that all of the chips are covered in sauce.

5.  Put a dollop of refried beans on the serving plate, then top with the saucy chips.  Slide the eggs on top of the chips.  Top with the cheeses, sour cream, and cilantro. Serve immediately!

 Heather's Homemade Chile Verde

(This makes more than you need for the recipe, but leftovers make THE BEST salsa!!)

2 pounds tomatillos, husked and washed

3 poblano peppers, halved and seeded

2 jalapenos, halved and seeded

1 clove of garlic

1 cup cilantro leaves

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

(1) Preheat broil to high with rack 6-8 inches below.  Line rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Toss tomatillos and peppers with oil.  Spread on baking sheet, peppers skin side up.  Broil 4-6 minutes, checking every 60 seconds.  Peppers and tomatillos should be blackened and beginning to soften. 

(2) Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rest for 10 minutes. When cooled, peel skin from peppers. 

(3) Place blackened tomatillos, peppers, cilantro, sugar, water and garlic in bowl of food processor. Pulse several times, then process until desired consistency is reached.  (I like it slightly chunky.)

Enjoy!
xo H

wild alaska salmon quiche

There comes a time in every woman's life where they sort of just hit a wall.  For me, it happened this week.  The wall came in the form of: several bills from house projects completed over the summer, an unexpected brake replacement on my Jeep, a hot water heater on the fritz, and just for good measure, a boiler that decided to take a little break.  As an Alaskan who enjoys the warmth of my cozy home, all I can say is THANK GOD IT'S NOT WINTER.

 

Since I'm hemorrhaging money these days, I feel like channeling the batty guy on that old PBS show "The Frugal Gourmet" and do my absolute very best this month to make delicious, healthy meals using only the contents of my pantry, fridge and freezer.   

 

This sounds so totally noble and resourceful of me, right?!  Riiiiiight.  Well, those who know me best know that this is not an entirely difficult task for me.  I won't even post a picture of my pantry, my fridge, or my freezer (um...both my little freezer and my deep freeze.  Yikes).  Because they are all totally FULL.  Like, I'm not kidding full.  Like, I-had-to-put-a-can-of-paint-on-top-of-my-freezer-to-make-sure-it-closes-full.  Yes, there is actually a can of Ralph Lauren paint on top of my deep freeze right now.  Granted, I just got back from an epic fishing trip in Valdez with my Dad and friends Stephanie and Marika where we slayed the silver salmon like it was our job. 

 

Still, I am 100% prepared for a nuclear holocaust.

In an effort to use up last year's crop of canned salmon, I dug out this trusty recipe from my archives.  The original recipe for this quiche came from my dear friend Shirley Jewett.  She was the mom we all wanted to wake up to on Saturday morning for homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee cake.  She is an incredible cook and baker!  Shirley's recipe includes steps for a homemade pie crust, but I already had a ready-made one on hand and was feeling rather lazy.  So I skipped that step.

 

I had nearly everything on hand for this quiche: canned salmon, eggs, pie crust, herbs...it all came together in a pinch.  I did substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream it typically calls for, but I was thrilled with the results.  The quiche still came out perfectly rich and moist while trimming a little extra fat from the recipe. 

 

I realize this calls for a lot of canned salmon.  I think I used two large jars for it.  Alaskans often have this in abundance in our pantries.  But if you don't have canned salmon, you could substitute baked or poached salmon and add a little water, extra sour cream/yogurt, or mayo to the quiche mix to make up for the reserved canned salmon juices. 

Wild Alaska Salmon Quiche

 

(Serves 6 hearty Alaskan appetites, maybe 8 lower-48 appetites.  Ha!)

1 pound of canned salmon, drained but reserve the liquid!
1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (nonfat works too!)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used Tillamook Extra Sharp White)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh dill if you have it)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon grated onion
3 drops (or more) of your favorite hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
several grinds of fresh pepper
1 ready-made pie crust

(1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Drain the salmon, but reserve the liquid.  Add enough water to the liquid to make 1/2 cup.

(2) Flake the salmon, and add to a bowl with all the rest of the ingredients except the crust.

(3) Place the pie crust on a cookie sheet.  Then pour the quiche ingredients into the crust.  Bake for 45-50 minutes until the center is firm. 

 

Enjoy!

xo H

 



Huevos Rancheros

 

In Alaska, the winter is cold and dark. It's as certain as death and taxes. I decided that this year, I needed to ring in the New Year with a little sunshine. And maybe a pool, with one of those umbrella drinks. A new bathing suit, freshly lacquered toenails, sunglasses. Yes, definitely needed 2013 to start with these things. It's just that I didn't want to spend much money to get them. So I did what any self-respecting woman would do.

I crashed my parents' vacation.

Well, sort of. A hop-skip-jump-swim-belly crawl later (I swear, if you try to use miles for a plane ticket anymore you have to make 12 stops before your final destination) I landed at Palm Springs International Airport ready to interrupt my parents' relaxing, peaceful visit to their condo with my demands for hiking, shopping, trips to Trader Joe's, sojourns to In-N-Out burger, and chile rellanos from our favorite Mexican joint, La Perlita.

They absolutely LOVE IT when I visit. I'm nearly certain they love it. Or at least they don't mind. So far, they've never actually kicked me out.

My first morning in Palm Springs, my Dad made us his version of huevos rancheros. Having grown up in Los Angeles, Dad has always loved the food of Mexico.  We grew up eating his homemade enchiladas, tamales, tacos, and of course chile rellanos. To this date, Mexican cuisine is our family's favorite comfort food.

 

This dish is my Mom's favorite thing to eat for breakfast. While Mom and I sat at the breakfast bar scarfing down our eggs, she declared with a full mouth: "If you make these for any man, he will want to marry you!" 

 

Aww, Mom.  Always wishful thinking.  God bless her.

These huevos rancheros delicious and simple, although they dirty nearly every pot in the kitchen. Save it for a weekend treat, unless you're retired and living the dream in Palm Springs like my folks. Plus, they're pretty darn healthy and hearty. Before I left, I requested them one last time. Pretty as a picture!

 

Once you master Dad's technique for cooking the eggs (which we call "Hoppy eggs" named after my Dad's former Alaska DOT coworker who made these eggs at their haul road camp on the Dalton Highway- Alaska's road to the North Slope), you can put any kind of spin on this that your heart desires. Use green chile sauce instead of red, or top with avocado and sour cream. Dad's version doesn't use rice, which simplifies things as well. 

Man, just looking at these pictures makes me want to hop on a plane back down to the condo...
 

My Dad's Huevos Rancheros

(Serves 4)

8 eggs

4 small corn tortillas
1/4  cup. Vegetable oil
1-16 oz. can vegetarian refried beans, plus 2 tablespoons of water
1-19 oz. can red enchilada sauce (such as La Victoria)
1/4 cup prepared chunky salsa (ideally whatever you have left over in the fridge from last night's Mexican takeout)
Butter for pan
Crumbled queso fresca (or shredded cheddar if you prefer)
Chopped fresh cilantro

(Note: It works best if you make each to order, since it goes fairly quickly once you start assembling.)

 

1. Add the refried beans to a small saucepan and place over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons of water; cook until beans are warm and “spreadable.”  

2. In the meantime, add the enchilada sauce and salsa to another small saucepan and place over medium heat until warm and bubbly. 

3. Place a small skillet over medium heat. Brush a tortilla with a bit of the oil (or spray lightly with cooking spray) and heat the tortilla in the skillet on each side for 1-2 minutes, or until soft and warm. Slide onto a serving plate. Top the tortilla with several spoonfuls of beans and spread evenly. 

4. In the same small skillet, melt a little butter in the pan and crack two eggs into the skillet (you can crack them into a small bowl first and then slide them into the skillet if you're worried about breaking them). Let the eggs set untouched for about 30 seconds, then add 1-2 teaspoons of water to the pan. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the eggs sizzle and steam for 2 minutes, or long enough for the yellow to slightly set but still leave a runny yolk. 

5. Slide the eggs onto the tortilla with beans. Top with the enchilada sauce, queso fresco, and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve immediately!

Enjoy! xo H 

 

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Herbed Goat Cheese

Sometimes, I overthink things. 

Scratch that. 

Most of the time, I overthink things.  

Ok, I usually ALWAYS overthink things. What shoes go with a certain outfit.  What to plan for a dinner party.  Analyzing the crap out of emails from men.  What recipes to put on my blog. 

After all, I'm a girl and I'm a lawyer. It's like the worst combination of over-analysis EVER. But it's actually something I'm working hard to loosen up on.  Because if you overwork a problem to death, it turns out you never actually DO anything! 

When I first started my blog almost two years ago, I had a certain idea about what food I wanted to write about. I wanted to talk about the food I love to cook, and the food I love to eat. But there are some things I LOVE to eat, but I just don't think about as "recipes."  The perfect example: these soft-scrambled eggs with herbed goat cheese.  This recipe was the product of an excess of goat cheese (damn you,  Costco) and herbs in my fridge that produced a beautiful, elegant meal to have for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It's a simple, elevated twist on a classic. 

When the folks at Town Square 49, alaskapublic.org’s community blog, emailed to tell me they were interviewing regular blog contributors for segments on the radio and asked if I'd like to participate, I thought it sounded fun.  So I invited the interviewer, David, over for lunch at my house.

And then I started totally freaking out about what I was going to make.  

Risotto!  No, takes forever.   

Lentil soup!  Might as well start the interview with, “Hi, my name is BORING BORING BORING lentil soup BORING.”   

Wild rice salad!  Dude, Heidi.  Do you even want the guy to like you? 

Then I just thought- oh, the hell with it.  I opened my fridge to see what I needed to use up (some of my best ideas come from this process) and saw two brand new logs of goat cheese (seriously, must stop using Costco as my local grocery store).  Who doesn’t like scrambled eggs?  They are the world’s most perfect food when cooked properly.  Cook them slow and low, as I like to say, for perfectly tender, soft scrambled eggs.  Served on buttered toast, it's an utterly simple, divine meal. 

At least I think so.  David cleaned his plate.  :)

(You can listen to the interview here!)
 

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Herbed Goat Cheese

(Inspired by 101 Cookbooks)

 

Serves 2

 

5 eggs

pat of butter for pan

splash of half & half or milk (optional)

4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

salt and pepper, to taste

 

buttered toast, for serving

 

Using a fork, mix and mash the chopped parsley and dill with the goat cheese, adding a splash of half & half or milk (a tablespoon or so) to help loosen the cheese for mixing.

 

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.  Crack eggs in a large bowl, adding a tablespoon or two of half & half if you like your eggs a little richer.  Beat the eggs with a  whisk, attempting to incorporate as much air as possible for maximum fluffiness.  Melt a pat of butter in the pan.  Add the eggs to the pan and slowly scramble using a spatula.  (This will take several minutes, but your patience will be rewarded!)  As the eggs start resembling a custard-like consistency, add a dash of salt to taste and fresh ground pepper and turn up the heat to medium to finish them off.  (Adding the salt too early will make the eggs tough.) 

 

Once the eggs are scrambled to your liking, remove the pan from the heat and top the eggs with several dollops of the goat cheese mixture.  (You will not use all of the goat cheese mixture- maybe a 1/3 or 1/2 of it. Use the rest for next time!)  Let the cheese soften for 30 seconds or so, then fold the eggs over the goat cheese.  Serve immediately on buttered toast.

Enjoy! xo H