Tag Archives: Cinco de Mayo

Soft Lobster Tacos with Avocado Cream and Mango Salsa

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Who Said Tacos Can’t be Classy?

LobsterTaco_profileI live in Boston and have family and friends in Maine, so you can understand that I eat lobster every now and again. I’m fairly certain it’s required.

I know, life is hard.

Anyway, I hadn’t eaten lobster in about six months* and picked some up this past weekend to satisfy my craving for lobster rolls. Then I remembered Cinco de Mayo was coming up and this ambrosial dish was born.

And there’s not much to say about it other than it’s the perfect meal for a lobster and Mexican food lover like me.

Putting it Together

Simply take some fresh lobster meat—be cognizant of the sustainability issues*—and cut into whatever size chunks you like. Give a squeeze of fresh lime juice and toss. Don’t go crazy: you don’t want the lobster to taste acidic, you’re just giving it a soupçon of citrus. Spread a soft corn tortilla with avocado cream, a fine purée of avocado with a touch of lime juice and dairy (yogurt, sour cream, or crème fraîche all work); or just use guacamole. Spoon a few chunks of lobster on the avocado bed and top with mango salsa. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

LobsterTaco_full

Of course you could also serve this dish in a crispy taco shell, as they do in the local restaurant that inspired my version. Either works just fine, simply depends on your mood.

Though I must admit that I think my version is prettier.

I also enjoyed rolling it up with my hand and taking a big bite.

LobsterTaco_hand

Eat it over a plate, though, because as you know things always drip out the sides when chowing down tacos.

My favorite crustacean may add elegance, after all, but a lobster taco is still a taco.

In a great way.

–

* Higher on the food chain than oysters and mussels and often with a demand that outweighs supply, Homarus americanus is prone to a host of sustainability issues, discussed here, here, and here. While a protein-rich, low-calorie, tasty food, it should only be enjoyed once in awhile to protect the species, keeping a careful eye on fishing practices and sourcing.

P.K. NewbyA lover of Mexican food, Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

The Fresh Flavors of Salsa Fresca (aka, Pico de Gallo)

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SalsaFresca_serveWhether you call it salsa fresca, pico de gallo (“rooster’s beak”), or the less interesting but still apt fresh tomato salsa, the end result is the same: this is one zesty condiment that tastes nothing like store-bought salsa. To be clear, there are plenty of great supermarket salsas out there, but when made with fresh tomatoes it’s just another animal altogether.

Like mango salsa, pico de gallo is the perfect accompaniment to chips, the classic duo, and it’s also wonderful with refried beans, tacos, burritos, and the like. Beyond that, you can use it anywhere else you want liven up an otherwise mundane dinner.

Or breakfast, for that matter (think: breakfast taco or southwestern scrambled eggs).

In the summer months, this salsa is unbeatable when made with assorted heirloom tomatoes with their gorgeous assorted colors and distinct flavors. I like salsa far too much to consume it only three months of the year, though. Happily, I can still find high-quality greenhouse tomatoes here in Boston (local, even), and the smallish cocktail size works especially well since there are fewer seeds than larger varieties. They tend to be firmer, too, holding their shape without becoming mushy.

A little chopping of tomatoes, crushing of garlic, dicing of onion, squeezing of lime, and you’re done.

Ingredients and Instructions

  • SalsaFresca_ingredients15 or so “cocktail” tomatoes, chopped
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • Juice from 1-2 limes, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 jalapeño or other hot pepper, minced (optional)
  • Olive oil, drizzle (optional)
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • Dash of salt and pepper

Mix everything together, to taste. (More details here.)

SalsaFresca_bowl

You’ll note this recipe is identical to that for mango salsa and similar to tomatillo salsa, underscoring the idea that salsa is more a method than anything else. The “yum” factor comes in with the quality and flavor of the fruits and vegetables you are using—hence my comment that summer-sweet tomatoes are ideal—and that’s also where your creativity and personality come through. For example, I love including fresh corn cut from the cob to this salsa in August, when both vegetables are at the height of the season, and serving it with grilled swordfish. Diced avocado is also a beautiful addition.

This salsa is best enjoyed day-of, because otherwise you’ll need to refrigerate it, and putting tomatoes in the fridge kills their flavor and texture. As well, the acid from the lime juice continues to break down the tomatoes so the mixture continues exuding more and more liquid. If you do have some left over, by all means don’t throw it out, as it’s still perfectly edible, just not quite as good.

You know what’s particularly great with salsa fresca? I’ve got a simple dish coming soon in yet another south-of the-border post. Stay with me, now, because I’m out of town next week with limited time to write. Plus, Cinco de Mayo is just a few short days away and I’ve got all your better-for-you Mexican recipes right here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen.

And, hey, at the very least, you learned that this salsa could also be called rooster’s beak, so I hope it was worth reading a second post from me today for that reason, if nothing else. I know my life is enhanced having this information.

P.K. NewbyA lover of Mexican food, Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Making Mango Salsa: Ten Minutes to Delicious

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MangoSalsa_bluebowlMaking salsa is in many ways more an art than a science. For sure you need a few standard ingredients, like lime juice, but salsas are made with any number (and combination) of fruits and vegetables. Incredibly versatile, they can be used in a wide array of dishes far beyond the traditional chip-and-dip fashion or accompaniment to tacos and other Tex-Mex fare.

With their sweet flesh, toothsome texture, and provocative yellow color, Mangifera indica makes an excellent salsa that perhaps you’ve had before. Like other brightly colored fruits, mangos are bursting with good stuff like fiber, vitamins C, E, and B6, carotenoids like beta- and alpha-carotene (responsible for the bright yellow color), potassium, and copper. While not local to these parts and thus not part of my usual fruit fare, I’ve been on a mango kick lately after finding them on sale at the store, hence today’s salsa.

And, yes, mango salsa does go well with chips; try blue corn instead of yellow for a colorful presentation. It’s also excellent with grilled fish on a balmy summer evening or with roasted fish in colder temps when you’re craving the bright flavors of warmer climes. It’s particularly wonderful with succulent crab or fish cakes. You get the idea. I’ll let you know what I was using it for in a separate post but this article is simply the recipe and photo to help you think beyond tomatoes when it comes to salsa. And—because no doubt it’s not news to you that mango makes a fabulous salsa—to provide inspiration for making it at home because it’s ridiculously easy, just like guacamole.

Ingredients and Instructions

  • 1-2 mangos, choppedMangoSalsa_ingredients
  • 1/2-1 red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 yellow onion (or red)
  • Juice from 1-2 limes, freshly squeezed
  • 1-2 clove(s) garlic, crushed
  • Olive or canola oil, drizzle (optional)
  • 1/2 jalapeño, finely minced (optional)
  • 1-2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • Dash of salt and ground black pepper

All you need do is mix everything together and adjust the seasonings and proportions as desired. Note that the flavors do come together after the salsa has sit, so ideally you’d wait 10-15 minutes or so, then taste again and readjust as needed. (I often find myself adding more lime juice and a just a touch more olive oil.)

MangoSalsa_mix

Preparation Notes

You can see why I said making salsa is an art. See all the optional ingredients? It’s up to you to make it however you want. The mango, onions, and lime juice are key, but what else you add is up to you. I believe strongly that red pepper and garlic and add quite a lot, both in flavor and color, but you’ll find recipes with no garlic or additional vegetables beyond onion. You can omit the oil—fewer calories—but the fruity olive oil is a great match and helps your body absorb the fat-soluble phytonutrients present in mango; a drizzle or two is all you need. Finally, cilantro is truly the “optional” ingredient: beyond the fact that many people loathe cilantro, some people add this herb to salsa while others don’t. Honestly, I tend to prefer the taste somewhat more without, but then again I enjoy the contrast in flavor and texture and my husband loves cilantro (which he refers to as “fresh coriander,” as Indians are wont to do). For these reasons, I usually throw it in. Up to you!

Oh, and it took basically ten minutes to put this together.

And I had to cut myself off from simply eating it out of the bowl with a spoon.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

MangoSalsa_chips2

Sharing the Love of Mexican Salads

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This close-up is to show you just how much the TVP taco filling looks like ground beef. Right?

This close-up is to show you just how much the TVP taco filling looks like ground beef. Right?

My cilantro vinaigrette and TVP taco filling meet up when today’s big salad for dinner gets Tex-Mex treatment. Given I’ve already written about this topic a bit these past two days, this post comprises just a few photos and notes to share my Mexican salad love.

Once you’ve got the taco filling and dressing, the rest is up to you. Just start with a bed of greens, top with the warm taco filling, and mound up with your favorites veggies and/or beans to get the salad party going. As with all salads, bring in what you love to make it your own!

Here’s a few photos to get you fired up.

The first example is vegan (cheeseless) and features local summer produce: yellow sungold and red cherry tomatoes, red peppers, corn cut off the cob, scallions, and a mix of seasonal greens and cilantro (included in the lettuce blend and garnish in the center). This is simpler and lighter than those I usually make, as I wanted the fresh seasonal vegetables to shine.

MexicanSalad_nocheese

The heavier Mexican dinner salad below that I made one winter evening—meaning, more stuff and cheese equals more calories—starts with a similar bed of lettuces and includes some of the same standards like red peppers, corn (frozen), and scallions. The difference below other than the obvious white cheddar on top is the addition of diced jicama, a juicy, crunchy, sweet vegetable that you should check out if you’ve never eaten it before.

MexicanSalad_cheese

Wait… What About the Avocado and Crispy Taco Bowl?

I suppose I should comment on these two traditional accompaniments, eh?

First, despite my love affair with avocados, and I always have them on hand—I’ve been known to call my husband at work to stop at the store if there’s an avocado crisis, meaning I’ve run out—you’ll note they’re not in either of the above photos. That’s because as you can see things really start to load up, and, though it’s unbelievable even to me, I forgot. Normally I do add avocado. Black olives, green peppers, and black or red beans are common, too.

And, yes, I do know that Mexican salads are often served in fried tortilla bowls. Tasty, sure, and if it were for a special dinner I’d probably do that to make it prettier and more fun. But for my regular weeknight suppers I see no need to add more calories and work to this meal. For a little crunch and to keep things traditional perhaps add a few crispy tortilla strips to the top. I don’t regularly do that only because I don’t keep chips in the house unless I’m specifically making, say, guacamole. But that’s a good way to go, I think. Kinda like Mexican croutons. (Or something.) Anyway, trust me: this salad is delicious and filling enough all on its own.

Coming up next in this week’s better-for-you Mexican food series: tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and salsa. And maybe even a special Southwestern-style soup, if I have time.

Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!

P.K. NewbyA lover of Mexican food (who isn’t?), Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. 

Cilantro Vinaigrette: Your Go-To Mexican Salad Dressing and Dip

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CilantroDressing_ramekin

The beautiful bright green color with its cilantro speckles and zingy flavors make this the perfect salad dressing or dip.

After yesterday’s focus on taco filling today’s natural follow-up is, of course, tacos. Well, I love tacos just as much as the next person, believe me, but it’s not something I eat all that often. You’re much more likely to see me take my “big salad for dinner” concept south of the Border with Mexican flavors and accoutrements.

One of my favorite once-in-awhile salads, for years I relied upon a terrific cilantro dressing from the store until one day I said “Really, how hard can it be?” My recipe achieves the same flavors using just a few simple ingredients and really makes a Mexican salad sing.

(Insert favorite Mexican ditty here. Now picture some cartoon vegetables singing gaily. Or not.)

Oh, and this dressing also makes a fabulous light vegetable dip for your Cinco de Mayo festivities in case you’re thinking “Yeah, I”m not eating salad for Cinco de Mayo.”; you could mix in some yogurt or sour cream if you feel the need to thicken it up.

However you use it, this vinaigrette is a winner. And if you’re still eating naked salads, ditch the 1980s low-fat messages—that was more than thirty years ago, folks—and remember that (many) dressings are great for you for so many reasons, especially when you make them yourself. (For more info, here’s a video explaining the health benefits and you’ll also find a few other delightful vinaigrettes on my YouTube channel.)

Ingredients. One bunch of cilantro, shallots or white onion (1/2 small, or whatever you want), garlic (1-2 cloves), white vinegar (balsamic or white wine), olive (or canola) oil. Season to taste with lemon juice, agave or honey, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Preparation. Two steps, less than five minutes.

1. Add to a food processor the cilantro and vegetables (in small chunks) and purée until blended and onions and garlic are finely minced.

CilantroDressing_ingredients

2. Pour in vinegar and olive oil. (Roughly 2-3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, to taste.) Blend until it looks like a vinaigrette. Taste. I usually add a squeeze of 1/4 -1/2 lemon for freshness and a touch of salt and pepper to bring out the flavors. A drizzle of agave or honey adds balance and body but go easy—it shouldn’t be sweet.

CilantroDressing_blended

I was so excited when I first made this dressing. It’s just so much fun to make some of your favorite store-bought things at home, knowing you’re generally getting food that’s better for you and avoids packaging, which means a healthier you and a healthier planet.

In my book, that definitely deserves an “Olé!”

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Aside

Mexican Food Wrap-Up. (May Include Indian Food.)

Just a quick post to say Happy Cinco de Mayo! Whether you are Mexican or not, at least here in the US many of us look forward to this day to enjoy festive food and drink. It occurred – while I sit on the train en route to Portland Maine for the day – that I have a few posts of this ilk, so I’m simply summarizing them here in case you are looking for some last-minute cooking and eating ideas this weekend. These are a mix of Mexican, Southwestern, and Tex Mex foods. This small list will grow over time and doesn’t even include one of my favorite dishes, black bean and corn burritos, which I keep in the freezer for on-hand healthy eating. Ceviche also comes to mind, as does peach salsa with juicy sweet farmers’ market peaches…

In the meantime:

As much as I adore Mexican food, I actually made Indian food yesterday (chana masala) with some of my garbanzo beans in an unanticipated culinary irony; it was a special treat for my husband while I was out of town.

Olé.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Don’t See Red: Expand Your Horizons with Salsa Verde

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Salsa is amazing, and not just in a “dancing under the stars on the boardwalk in breath-taking Sydney Harbor with handsome men I just met my first night in Oz” kind of way. (True story.) Nope, I’m talking about the versatile condiment that can be prepared using a variety of fruits and vegetables – tomato, black bean, corn, peach, mango, and so forth – and has many more uses beyond chips ‘n’ dip. There are likely as many different varieties of salsas as there are ways to utilize them. The first use that comes to mind for most is tasty complement to tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, chili, nachos, huevos rancheros, and the like. (I love Mexican food!) There are many other terrific ways to use salsa, too, like on a gorgeous piece of grilled fish. Whatever your pleasure, the upcoming Cinco de Mayo holiday is a great time to try a new salsa. And, since it’s way too early in the season for some of my favorite fruit salsas, we’ll begin with salsa verde, or tomatillo salsa.

Toma-who now? I’ll bet not everyone knows what a tomatillo is, so let’s begin with a brief intro before moving on to the recipe and a few serving suggestions (healthy food porn!). A staple of Mexican, Southwestern, and Latin American cuisine, the tomatillo is a tart culinary vegetable (botanical fruit), which is a member of the nightshade family, as is eggplant and tomato. It looks like a small green tomato and comes in its own cute little wrapper. The inedible papery husks are removed to reveal a firm, usually green fruit most commonly used to make salsas and sauces. About 20 calories in half a cup, the tomatillo has a bit of fiber and pro-Vitamin A carotenoids important in eye health as well as a few other vitamins and minerals. It’s no nutritional powerhouse like kale or squash, but who else knows what’s in there that we nutrition scientists just haven’t discovered yet? The broader your intake of vegetables and fruits, the better off you’ll be. Regardless, it’s a low-calorie veggie that makes a fun alternative to red salsa and brings zing to a variety of dishes.

Roasting Tomatillos. Start by unwrapping and washing 7-9 tomatillos; they are naturally sticky. Toss them in a bit of EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil) and season with a touch of salt and fresh black pepper. Pierce gently in 2-3 places to avoid an improbable but not impossible exploding tomatillo situation. Roast for 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven. When the bottom surface is brown toss them onto a different side for another 15 minutes or so. Prod with a sharp knife. If it enters easily, they’re done, if not, toss onto another side and continue roasting until soft. Depending on the size of the tomatillos, total roasting time will be between 20 and 40 minutes; you may need to remove the smaller ones first.

Making Salsa. Roughly chop 1/2-1/4 an onion and a few cloves of garlic and scrape into a food processor. Add the tomatillos. Pulse until the salsa is the desired degree of chunkiness. Squeeze half a lime into the mix. (As when making guacamole, start with half and, depending on how much juice there is, add more if desired.) Add a small splash of white balsamic vinegar and pulse again. If you like heat, add finely diced jalapeño. Some people also include cilantro. You can further adjust the seasonings with a touch of agave nectar or EVOO, if you like. Note: you can chop the tomatillos by hand to save yourself some dish washing; I’ve done both, and either works perfectly fine.

Cooking Notes. If  you’ve never tried tomatillo salsa, be forewarned that, unlike its sweet red counterpart, tomatillos are quite tart. This is why it’s such a great accoutrement to so many dishes, of course, especially savory-cheesy things like Mexican food. However, if you find yourself puckering – but go you for giving it a shot! – you could try adding some less-acidic foods for balance and texture. Corn kernels work great, for example, and so does chopped avocado. Or, you could add some tomato and do a “best of both worlds” salsa, which is also very pretty. I’ve made all of these variations either for presentation purposes (i.e., color) or simply to keep things interesting. In these cases, however, I recommend chopping everything by hand to avoid blending yourself up a brownish smoothie instead of colorful, chunky salsa. No one wants to eat that.

Serving Suggestions: Beyond Chips

Tacos aren’t just for dinner. Softly scrambled eggs stuffed in a whole grain corn tortilla with black beans, red peppers, cilantro, and tomatillo salsa make a fabulous breakfast taco.

Southwestern chili with tomatillo salsa. See how much prettier the green looks?

One of my favorite Mexican dishes is black beans and polenta garnished with cheddar cheese, tomatill0 salsa, and scallions. (You can substitute brown rice if you prefer.)

Another brunch preparation, Tex Mex eggs are served on a crispy whole grain corn tortilla with two salsas, tomatillo and black bean & corn. A bloody (or virgin) Mary is the perfect accompaniment.

Final words of tomatillo encouragement. In addition to the above non-chip preparations, you can of course also dollop a bit of tomatillo salsa on individual nachos, just as you would with tomato salsa or heart-healthy guacamole. If you’re still nervous about trying the tomatillo, go for guac! It’s an acquired taste, but once developed avocados are down-right addictive. Whichever, I encourage you to expand your horizons beyond the same-ole standard tomato salsa. Live a little! That is, in fact, what Cinco de Mayo is all about.*

–

*Yeah, I just made that up, poetic license and all. But here’s the real scoop on Cinco de Mayo, and if you read the article you’ll see that apparently in Vancouver there is a sky-diving event to commemorate the holiday. I feel like that puts into proper perspective my humble request for you to, er, get a little crazy by trying a new salsa. And if you’re still reluctant, there’s always celebrating Caribbean-style with an air-guitar contest. (Huh?) Doesn’t anyone just drink Mexican beer, for goodness’ sake? Yes, apparently, in Malta – and certainly here in the US.

Ah, Wikipedia.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!