Improv Salsa Verde for Mexican Ribs

While done perfectly, with meat falling off the bone, the Ribs had no flavor.  So we whipped this up:

minced garlic

minced capers

minced green peppercorns

minced serranos, with and without seeds

minced cilantro

Ojai Olive Oil's white balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

olive oil

Party with New People Menu

Last night we had a collection of pals over that we have wanted to meet each other.  But maybe the affair was a little too big and too many people did not know each other.  There was a choppiness at moments.  And the conversation stayed somewhat surface.  But there are always first steps in introductions.  I coordinated what peeps brought and that worked well, except I forgot to assign the bubble water.

Carolyn brought a bottle of 1950s tequila which made my evening smooth.  Several Vodka and Tonic drinkers.  Wine.  And non drinkers.  I had made some rose water with the intention of making a non-alcoholic concoction, but ran out of time.

The Menu:

Starters

Seviche

Guacamole

Homemade Chips

Jicama Appetizer

Dinner

Carolyn's Watermelon, tomato, cucumber, mint and feta salad 

Slow baked Mexican Ribs

Salsa verde of Capers, Green Peppercorns, Serrano Chilies and Cilantro

Alice's Blueberry Jalapeno Chutney 

Buttermilk Cornbread

Chipotle Butter

Desert

Barbara's Plum Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream

Grilled Corn Mexican Street Style

This was THE HIT of all the food.  So easy and fun to eat.  As Geordie said, "like an adult ice cream cone."

1. Prepare Corn by pulling back the husks and tying them to create a "handle".  Remove the stringy things.

2. Prep and prepare grill as you do.

3. Lightly Grill Corn.

4. Remove from grill and lightly spread a little mayonnaise on each.  Sprinkle with chili powder.  Grate feta cheese on top and squeeze a little lime.  

Amy's Going Away and My Little Brother is in Town Party

I woke up feeling upset and annoyed about the party.  I did not know who was coming and it had been designated as a potluck.  The fear that it would be a "bad party" cuz I was not totally controlling it is knotted in there deep.

But by 11am or so, when Geordie and I had to go shopping I made a conscious (slightly aggressive) decision to change my mood about it and have fun.  I cam eback to the original intention of gathering which was to come together and love Amy.  And of course it was a blast.  

About 30 wonderful loving people all happy for Amy's Journey to New York showed up with food and drink to share.  My little brother and I had a blast cooking together.  And we got to roll the furniture around to open the house.

The theme was Mexican.

Drinks

Arturo brought Sangrita and Tequila

Jackie brought Mojitos

Beer and Wine

Lots of Pellegrino

Appetizers

Seviche with Homemade Chips

Guacamole

Salsa

Grilled Corn with Mayo, Chili Powder, Feta and Lime

Dinner

Homemade Corn Tortilla (Roberto and Alana)

A delicious Squash Filing (Roberto and Alana)

Smokey Pork Filling

Grilled Achiote Fish

The Trimmings for Tacos

Black Beans (Olivia)

2 Delicious Rice Dishes (Amber and Elizabeth)

Chili Cornbread (Meghan)

Lots of wonderful Green Salads (Jacqui, Sara, Jim)

Deserts

Flan (Allison)

Chocolate Cake (Amy)

Homemade Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream (Amy)

My Little Brother's Ribs

My little brother is here, visiting.  Tonight he made us up ribs.  Finger lickin' yummy.  The vinegar bath of the ribs established a tangy base that held the space for the rest of the flavors. Here is basically how he did it:

1. In a large roasting pan with high sides, place racks of ribs.  In pan, pour a mixture of enough white vinegar and dark beer to partially submerge ribs.  Ribs do not have to be completely covered.

2. Bake at 350 for about 2 hours.  Turn and baste after 1st hour.  You are trying to balance getting them done with too done.  Too done, and the meat will peal off the bone and it will be hard to grill.

3. Meanwhile, make the spice rub.  A combination of mostly dark brown sugar, salt and pepper, paprika, cayenne, and toasted ground cumin seeds.  (Brown Sugar is 2:1 of all the other spices).

4.  Meanwhile, make the sauce.  A combination of 3.5 cups ketchup, 1 cup of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, paprika, cayenne, 3 tbl. of brown sugar, 2 tbl. of Worcestershire, fresh chopped garlic, 2 tsp. of dried mustard, 1/2 lemon.  Put in a pot, bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring.  (Geordie says he usually puts red pepper flakes in but forgot tonight.  This would have been good to balance the sweetness.)

5.  Once meat is starting to fall off bone, ribs are done.  Pull from oven and sprinkle rub on the ribs on all sides.  Fire up the grill.

6. Place racks on grill for about 10 to 15 minutes depending on heat of grill.  Then start to base with bbq sauce and grill for another 10 to 15 minutes. 

4th of July Salad with Fennel, Daikon, Cucumber and Smoked Salmon

We were lucky enough to get invited to Brian and Margaret's House for dinner and fireworks last night.  The King and Queen of the West End, their pad offers a 360 degree view of the Valley and a direct vision of the fireworks.  

Watching the fireworks from a mountain top is pretty cool.  You know they are toxic, dangerous and a little silly.  You can sort of hear the sirens going off and the dogs howling.  But from up on the hill they are beautiful shakti explosions.

I was asked to make a salad.  I had stuff in my fridge from last farmer's market and half a CSA box from Steve Sprinkle.

1. Cut up remaining ciabatta for croutons.  Toast in 400 degree oven till somewhat crunchy.  Heat too much olive oil in a pan and pan toast them till golden.  Remove and finely grate Parmesan cheese on them.  Set aside to cool.

2. Barely Steam some green beans.

3. Thinly slice the fennel.  1/4" Diagonal slice on the Persian Cucumbers.  1/8" Diagonal Slice on the Daikon.  Toss with Lemon, Ojai Olive Oil's White Balsamic Vinegar, olive oil and chopped mint.

4. Wash and Slice 1 head lettuce and 1 head radicchio from Steve's farm.

5. Mince a shallot or 2 and let sit in White Wine Vinegar for 15 minutes.  Stir in dijon mustard.  Salt and Freshly ground pepper.  Mix in desired amount of olive oil.

6. Toss fennel mixture with lettuce and toss with dressing.  Add in the croutons.  Flake and toss in pepper smoked salmon.  Slice up avocados and put them on top.

Butterleaf Salad with Fennel, Radish and Green Beans

Finally.  The stands at the Farmer's Market are Overflowing with fresh food that can be eaten raw.  We have had salads almost every night for the last week.

Tonight's looked like this:

-  Mince up a shallot and mix with some red wine vinegar.  Allow to sit for 15 minutes

- Wash a bead of Butter leaf lettuce from BD

- Softboil 2 eggs from Healthy Family Farms

- Barely Steam super thin green beans from those guys across from BD

- Slice Fennel from BD thin

- Slice radishes from BD thick

- Chop up some fresh dill from BD

In your salad bowl, toss fennel, radish, lettuce, beans.

Finish dressing by adding country style dijon mustard, chopped dill, freshly ground pepper and salt to shallots.  Mix and pour in the appropriate amount of olive oil and mix with wrist.

Toss dressing with salad and divide between 2 plates.  Slice Avocado on top.  Slice eggs in half and arrange.  Add about a tbl. or so of that delicious marinated blue cheese from the jar.

Note: Last night (the 17th) we had had a similar with some pepper smoked salmon on top.  I mixed the dill with the radishes and fennel instead of in the dressing and I did not have any shallots so dressing was more plain.  Instead of cheese, we had a dollop of creme fresh to meet the salmon.