Tomato Bruschetta
1 Lb tomatoes
2 Cloves fresh garlic finely chopped
3 Tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
6-8 Fresh basil leaves for garnish
1 Pinch red chile peppers
4 Tbsp oregano
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6-8 Slices of country bread (sliced not too thin)
1 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp black pepper
1 Tsp vinegar
Cut tomatoes in 2, core and clean by removing seeds and juice. Chop the tomatoes into very small pieces and transfer into a colander and sprinkle with some salt (this will help draw out excess moisture). After 20 minutes or so, transfer to a bowl and add the garlic, basil, oregano, red chili peppers, olive oil and a drop of wine vinegar. Cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for another 30-60 minutes. Toast the bread just before serving. Arrange the bread on individual plates, top with the tomato and garnish with a whole basil leaf and serve immediately.
Chicken Chipotle Nachos with Cilantro-Avocado Crema
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tsp cumin seed
1/2 Tsp dried oregano
1 Canned chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 Cup water
2 Cups shredded cooked chicken
'A couple dozen' tortilla chips
1 1/2 Cups shredded jack cheese (about 6 oz)
Boil chicken in medium sauce pan for 8-10 minutes, remove from water and set aside to cool. Once cooled, shred the chicken using two forks and set aside.
In a skillet heat olive oil and add onions and cook until they begin to brown. Add cumin seeds and oregano, stir for a minute, then add chilies, tomato paste, vinegar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently stirring often to blend flavors, about 5-6 min. Add shredded chicken and stir until hot.
Preheat oven to 450 and arrange tortilla chips in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle equal portions of cheese on each chip, then spoon 1 tablespoon of chicken on top of each chip.
Bake for about 5-6 minutes (should be slightly bubbly). When done, transfer to a serving platter and top each with 1 teaspoon of the cilantro-avocado crema. Garnish with a cilantro leaf and serve warm.
For the cilantro-avocado crema:
This can be made up to 2 hours ahead of time. Mix 1 ripe diced avocado, 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Add salt to taste.
- Bringing the sauce to a boil
- Adding shredded chicken to the sauce
- Shredding the chicken
- Placing Cheese on the Individual Chips
- Adding Chipotle Chicken to Individual Chips
- Plated and ready to go!
Puff Pastry Tart with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
1 Box of frozen puff pastry
2 Heirloom tomatoes sliced into bite sized sections or 1 basket or grape/cherry tomatoes halved (your choice)
1 Tablespoon of White Balsamic Vinegar
2 Cloves of Garlic, Chopped or Pressed
1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 Quarter Cup of Fresh Basil, Minced
1 Container of crumbled goat cheese (fresh is fine but we think it can be harder to spread)
Combine ingredients from tomatoes to basil in a bowl and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Defrost puff pastry as instructed on the box. Lay out pastry and cut into even squares leaving one section to cut into 1/4 inch strips for edges. Lay 1/4 strips along the border on each side of the chart. Brush the raised edges of each puff pastry tart with egg-wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp of water). Bake tarts for 20-22 minutes and remove from oven. Use fork to gently poke holes and deflate the center of the tart.
Layer goat cheese in the center of each tart (roughly 1-2 Tbsp, or to taste). Spoon tomato mixture on top of cheese and place in the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove and enjoy!
- Slicing Heirloom Tomatoes
- Tomato Mixture Prepped
- Laying Out Puff Pastry
- Deflating Center Portion of Tart Shell
- Adding Goat Cheese Base to Tart
- Adding Tomato Mixture to Tart
- After Second Bake
- Ridiculously Easy, Ridiculously Delicious!
Tortilla Espanola
1 Medium yellow or white onion
2 Cloves of garlic
1 Lb of potatoes, preferably russet potatoes (roughly 2-3 potatoes)
1 Tsp of kosher salt
1 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 Tsp of smoked paprika
4 Large eggs
2 Cups of olive oil for pan frying
1 Large plate for help flipping
Peel potatoes and slice thinly making sure to be uniform to ensure potatoes cook evenly. In medium to large frying pan heat olive oil to medium-high heat. If you are unsure, try dropping a single piece of potato in the oil and see if the oil is hot enough to fry. Once the oil is hot enough, place the potato evenly in the oil making sure the oil almost covers the potatoes. Here is a brief video that shows our potatoes frying in the oil. If you are using a medium sized pan, you may have to cook the potatoes in shifts; once the potatoes become soft you can remove them and place them on a paper towel to drain and season with smoked paprika. While the potatoes are cooking you can slice up the onion in to 1/4 inch pieces and also prepare the garlic by mincing. Once the potatoes are done use the remaining oil to cook the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, when ready remove the onion and garlic and spread across your potatoes. It is important to let the potatoes, onion and garlic mixture to cool so that the ingredients can be mixed with the egg without cooking the egg mixture.
Next remove the excess oil from the pan, but make sure you still have a nice coat on the bottom to prevent the egg mixture from sticking. Heat the pan to a medium-high temperature to help prevent the egg mixture from sticking to the pan. In a bowl, crack the eggs and scramble adding salt and pepper. Place the potato, onion and garlic mixture in to the pan using a spatula to spread out the mixture and try to eliminate any air space between the slices, quickly pour the eggs into the pan and fry the tortilla for about 3-4 minutes lowering the heat slightly. Periodically shake the pan and/or use a spatula to make sure the tortilla is not stuck to the bottom or sides of the pan. When you are ready to flip, use the large plate you have set aside and lay it upside down over the top of your pan. Make sure everything fits and place your palm on the center of the plate and your other hand on the handle of the frying pan. Quickly invert the pan and the tortilla should come right out. Now return the pan to the heat and slide the tortilla off of the plate and back into the pan to finish cooking for another 3 - 4 minutes. If you had any potatoes come loose in the flip, just lift the tortilla and slide them underneath as the loose eggs will pull them back into form as it cooks. Remove the pan from the heat and let the tortilla rest for a few minutes before removing from the pan.
Prepare sliced baguette to accompany the tortilla presentation.
- Slicing Potatoes into 1/8 inch Slices
- Frying Potatoes for Tortilla Espanola
- Drain Potatoes on Paper Towel and Sprinkle with Smoked Paprika
- Pour Egg over Potato Mixture
- Prepping to Flip Tortilla Espanola
- Flipping Tortilla Espanola
- Ready to Return to Pan
- Tortilla Espanola after “The Flip”
































