Fresh Mexico_ 100 Simple Recipes for True Mexican Flavor - Marcela Valladolid [35]
ROASTED CABBAGE WITH OREGANO AND OAXACA CHEESE
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 large cabbage, cut into 12 wedges
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons crumbled dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella cheese, separated into long ½-inch-thick strings
Melted and slightly browned Oaxaca cheese mellows out bitter cabbage for this wonderful side dish. My son loves this with a little bit of lime juice sprinkled over it, and I like the edges, where the cheese is crisp and almost charred. When cutting the cabbage, cut on an angle so that there is a piece of the core on each wedge; it will hold the individual leaves together. For an impressive presentation, create a lattice with the strings of cheese.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Arrange the cabbage wedges, slightly overlapping, in a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Mix the olive oil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the olive oil mixture evenly over the cabbage wedges. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to brown.
Remove the dish from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
Arrange the strings of cheese over the cabbage, forming a lattice if desired. Roast for 15 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown. Serve hot.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS IN MORILLA CREAM
SERVES 4 TO 6
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup roasted salted sunflower seeds
3 scallions (white and pale green parts only), minced
1 morilla chile, stemmed, seeded, and very thinly sliced
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
It really is good to eat your brussels sprouts, and this morilla cream sauce, made with toasted sunflower seeds, will make a believer out of anyone. My father owns a plantation in San Quintín, Baja, where he grows and exports vegetables, including brussels sprouts. When I was young he would bring them home by the overflowing crateful—leaving me and my mother to come up with new, exciting ways to prepare them. This is my favorite recipe for serving the sprouts with a meal. For snacking, I love them coated with a little olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper and roasted until very crisp.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the brussels sprouts and stir for
1 minute to coat them with the butter. Add the broth, cover, and simmer for 7 minutes, or until the brussels sprouts are tender. Uncover and continue to simmer for 4 minutes, or until all of the broth evaporates. Transfer the brussels sprouts to a medium bowl.
Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the same pan. Add the sunflower seeds, scallions, and chile and sauté for
2 minutes, or until the nuts are toasted and the chile is tender. Stir in the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, return the brussels sprouts to the pan, and toss to coat them with the cream. Season the brussels sprouts to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.
GRILLED VEGETABLES IN ESCABÈCHE
MAKES 6 CUPS
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup sherry vinegar
½ cup drained brine-cured green olives, pitted and halved
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for brushing the grill
1 tablespoon pickling spices
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
3 small red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into rings
3 small yellow bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into rings
1 red onion, cut into rings
2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 zucchini, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Pickled veggies show up on tables in many restaurants, bars, and homes across Mexico. These