Comida…the food we love

A PRETTY PLATE FOR SEARED TUNA WITH BLACK BEANS AND SPICY COLESLAW

FAVORITE THINGS TO EAT EVERY DAY- SALSA AND GUACAMOLE

MY FAVORITE GUACAMOLE

smash 6 ripe avacados in a bowl
I small garlic clove, squeezed
1/2 C diced red onion, make it tiny
1/2 tsp salt
juice from one small LIME
a dash of cracked pepper
a dash of hot sauce like SRIRACHA, or some of your favorite SALSA
1/4 C of sunflower seeds, hulled of course
1/2 C pomegranate seeds…mix a few in and sprinkle on top
add a little fresh cilantro if you like it

Of course you can leave out the seeds if you can’t find a pomegranate, I am lucky have my tree handy. Adding seeds or carrots and tomatoes to guacamole can make it a meal. What a great lunch with my little cherry tomatoes sliced in half.

The SPICE MIX for searing the TUNA. I tried to keep it a secret but why!? I could market it I guess but if I do I can change it a bit and no one will know. I do actually have a secret ingredient, you can email me for details how to get it. Oh yeah, measurements. I rarely measure unless I am baking so here is an attempt to give you increments. I make enough to store as I use it often so this is a large batch. For a smaller batch use 1 TB of each. You may prefer less salt too so adjust according to taste preference. Put all in a coffee or spice grinder and pulse leaving it course.

TUNA SPICE MIX

1/4 C peppercorn medley
1/4 C coriander seed
1/4 C dehydrated garlic
1/4 C dehydrated red pepper
1/4 C cumin seed
1/4 C paprika
1 TBSP kosher salt
1 TBS brown sugar I prefer turbinado…sugar helps with browning
Get your skillet HOT!

If you like SPICY or HOT add some powder of ground chiles or an Asian spice mix.

Cut the tuna in strips about 2″ X 6″ Use a small heavy skillet or cast iron searing pan. On the pan use a mix of 1 T butter, 2 TBS oil heat the pan first then add the oils, put the tuna on pan as soon as the butter melts. Sear until done 1/4″ on all sides, chill 2 hrs before slicing

For TUNA BITES cut tuna into cubes 1″- 1 1/2 ” coat with spice mix, use same amount of oil and butter, sear on hot skillet turning quickly with tongs. It is best very rare so only a few seconds on each side. Take tuna off the pan, set on serving plate

Pour on the pan a little teriyaki sauce, lime juice, balsamic vineger, deglaze for 10 seconds pour over tuna SERVE HOT

…I have used Yoshidas sauce, soy sauce and wasabi mix, or balsamic solo..many sauces you can deglaze with. Find interesting Asian sauces at the store like one I saw called Cilantro, Garlic Teryaki marinade. A balsamic reduction is nice to pour over TUNA STEAKS for the main course. Sear the steaks the same way you do the filets. TUNA BITES are great for appetizers or put on a BOWL OF RICE..Add sauteed vegetables, pour the sauce over, sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds

BALSAMIC REDUCTION

In a heavy 1 qt sauce pan; bring to boil then turn heat on low, stir with wire whip every 5 minutes watching closely if your stove is too hot on low When cooked down it should be thickening and about 1/4 of volume, take off burner and stir in butter whipping fast until the gorgeous red liquid is shiny Drizzle over seared tuna, meat or roasted vegetables.

2 cups red wine
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TBLS butter after reduced

Tuna seared then chilled, what a great thing to have in the fridge. It is always ready to make a salad or put on a cracker. for a great dipping sauce try the Vietnamese chile sauce Sambal Oeleck mixed into mayonaise or sour cream, Wasabi and soy sauce w/ lime juice, cilantro, sour cream and lime juice blended and chilled…tuna, versatile.

THE COLESLAW

shred one small head of green cabbage to make about 2 qts when mixed with the red
add some red cabbage,
1/2 C shredded onion, use cheese grater
1/2 C chopped cilantro
1/2 C red, orange or yellow bell pepper finely chopped or all 3 looks pretty
THE DRESSING :
1/2 C mayonaise
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS horseradish
3 TBS white vinegar
1/4 C orange juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP sugar or honey
1 tsp ground cumin

mix together and chill for an hour or more

ASIAN STYLE CABBAGE SALAD… a great side dish for any fish but especially with tuna

3 Cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded napa or chinese cabbage , the wrinkly one
1 C shredded red cabbage
1/2 C shredded Red onion
1/2 C shredded radish , daikon if you can get it
1/2 C shredded carrot
4 TB minced fresh mint leaves
4 TB minced fresh basil leaves
4 Tb minced fresh cilantro
THE DRESSING
1/4 C mayo… you can leave this out
2 TB olive oil
3 TB hot chile sesame oil
1/4 C seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
4 TB lime juice
1 TB sugar
Mix and chill for an hour, garnish with one of the greens used… mint etc

BLACK BEANS FOR SIDE DISH OR CHILI

1 LB black beans, sort and rinse, cover with water and bring to a boil, turn off and let sit for at least an hour
Rinse beans then fill pan to cover with water, cook on low for about 2 hours adding water as needed
always watch beans unless you put them in a crockpot but you still have to soak them
saute 1 C chopped white onion
toast 2 TBS cumin seed in hot skillet add
1 TBS ground cumin
1 tsp salt
dash of favorite hot sauce, simmer 15 minutes more
For Chili add more water and:
1 can tomato sauce or el Pato tomato with chilies
1/2 C sauteed bell peppers any color
1 jalepeño chopped finely

LIME CILANTRO SOUR CREAM FOR BEANS

1 C sour cream
1 bunch cilantro leaves cleaned and dried
3 TBS lime juice
put all in blender and chill for an hour
for chili serve in bowls, top with green onions, cheese, cilantro and sour cream sauce
for beans as side dish drizzle over beans and serve a bowl at the table

Here in Baja California avocados are plentiful, and not expensive. We eat them every day. Aguactes in spanish, we love them. They are so good for the body, the skin loves them, they are full of a good fat that the body can use, not the artery clogging kind.

These are the flowers for the fruit of the pomegranate, in about 3 months they will be fat and juicy, ready to eat.

In spanish this fruit is called Granada in; French, Grenade, hence Grenadine the thick sweet, bright red liqour made from the pomegranate seeds I remember the sweet drinks Tequila Sunrise, a big fad in the 70′s

Put some seeds on your guacamole or in a salad…an interesting taste

forest of tomatoes

This is the garden, we have so many tomatoes we give them to everyone that stops by. The flavor they give to fresh salsa is so great, we have a hard time eating any other kind of salsa. In my recipe section I have some varieties of salsa recipes to add a new twist to your chips and salsa habit. Grow some tomatoes in a pot on a patio or porch if you don’t have a garden spot or time to plant one. Cherry and grape tomatoes grow well in a large container with something to prop them up.

Tomato soup, pasta sauces, fresh on salad, plates of caprese with fresh basil, sandwiches with fresh tomatoes, salsa, with beans, in veg soup……oh so many wonderful things to do with tomatoes.

Marinate tomatoes in fresh herbs, olive oil, kosher salt,balsamic vinegar, fresh ground pepper for a nice and easy salad, serve on greens or w/ spicy arugula. Add red onions, avacados, jicama, another easy salad. Add cubes of mozerella, or any gourmet cheese, go crazy try new things with tomatoes and GROW SOME .

SALSA FRESCA ESPECIAL

Fresca means fresh, we have all of the good ingredients for salsa in the garden so we eat fresh salsa every day.

SALSA means sauce in this culture, it can be tomato sauce, salad dressing or ketchup. Salsa made from fresh garden tomatoes has a taste so sweet it tastes like I put sugar in it. The coriander seed in this recipe gives it a sweet taste, that with a little tequila are the mystery ingredients. What is in this salsa? you may be asked. Enjoy the salsa fresca instead of a opening a can or a bottle. AND GROW SOME TOMATOES! If you can grow some do it, or buy some at your local farmers market. The homegrown ones make such a difference in taste. It seems it is difficult to find good tasting tomatoes in the store but ROMAS have the best flavor for salsa.

1 pound fresh tomatoes
one medium size white onion
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1-2 serrano chilies
I like to put the onions, serranos and cilantro in the food processor to make them small
dice tomatoes by hand
I like serranos better but jalepeños are good and if you like to turn up the heat…picante use some other hot variety of chile….spice it up
2 TBS lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS tequila
1 TBS fresh or dried oregano
!/4 C of tomato sauce, sriracha or bottled hot sauce