Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

Do you want to pep up that can of tuna?  Instead of a tunafish sandwich for lunch, try this riff on the popular pantry item.  All you need is a good quality olive-oil packed tuna, a can of spicy pickled jalapenos and carrots and some crispy fried corn tortillas.  It took me a while to find the pickled jalapenos on the international food aisle.  This is the brand that I used.

I loved combining the tuna with this pickled jalapeno mixture rather than the more caloric mayonnaise dressing.  Because I had the special 9 80 Panama sauces from my previous post and giveaway, I also added a tablespoon of the Wild Cilantro sauce.  This is optional if you do not have it.

When the tuna mixture is served on the crispy corn tortillas you will not miss having a boring sandwich.

As a disclaimer I have no connection with La Costena or 9 80 Panama sauces other than being given a set of sauces to try.  All opinions are my own.  Now on to the winner of the 4 pack of sauces.  The winner is Karen of Back Road Journal.  Please email me, Karen, with your address.  Congratulations.

TUNA TOSTADAS (Adapted from Food and Wine)

Canola oil, for frying
4 corn tortillas
Salt to taste
5 ounce can of tuna packed in olive oil, drained
1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers and carrots from a can plus 1/4 cup of the brine
1 Tablespoon Wild Cilantro 9 80 Panama sauce (Optional)
Chopped cilantro leaves
Sliced radishes
Toasted sliced almonds

In a medium skillet, heat a small amount of oil.  Add 1 tortilla to the hot oil and fry over moderate heat, turning, until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to paper towels to drain; season lightly with salt.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

In a bowl mix the tuna with the jalapenos and carrots and their brine plus the Wild Cilantro sauce if using.  Spoon the tuna onto the tostadas and top with cilantro, radishes and toasted almond slices.

Printable Recipe

I would be curious if any of you have tasted Panamanian cuisine.  I have just been introduced to this  flavor profile. Panamanian cuisine is similar to other Caribbean locales and has been influenced by the Native Americans, Spanish and African immigrants who populate this land bridge between two continents. It includes tropical fruits, coconut, herbs like cilantro, rice and beans and seafood, pork and poultry.

I recently met Smith Anderson, founder of 980 Panama Gourmet Sauces. With his partner Alexis Gallardo, he conceived the idea of manufacturing sauces with ingredients straight from the fields of Panama.  All of their sauces are natural and gluten free. Alexis Gallardo, a native of Panama, had studied chemical engineering and was a part of his family’s manufacturing and distribution company that is the top exporter of natural vinegars in Central America.  Smith and Alexis formed their own company to produce flavorful sauces with an emphasis on freshness and quality ingredients.

Imagine adding Pineapple Coconut sauce to your caribbean rice dish or as a marinade for your favorite chicken.  The Wild Cilantro sauce adds just the right heat and flavor to tacos.  The Smoky Chipotle sauce would be great on ribs.  One of the newer sauces, not pictured above , is Caribbean Lime.  I used it in addition to the Wild Cilantro in the recipes I developed here. It has a bit of heat and a piquant flavor.

I marinated the pork cutlets in a mixture of the Wild Cilantro Sauce and the the Caribbean Lime Sauce with olive oil and vinegar before breading and frying.  The black beans were coated with a vinaigrette of olive oil, lime juice and the Wild Cilantro and Caribbean Lime Sauce. The Mango Salsa or Chatini comes from Dory Greenspan and is part of the cuisine of the island of Mauritius.  This is a meal worthy of sharing with friends and family with unique flavors and bright taste.

Smith Anderson has graciously offered to donate a four pack of sauces to one of my followers.  All you have to do is leave a comment below and like 980 sauces on Facebook. I will pick a winner by random drawing.

CARIBBEAN PORK

4 Tenderized boneless pork cutlets
1 Tablespoon Wild Cilantro 980 Sauce
1 Tablespoon Caribbean Lime 980 Sauce
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

3/4 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg beaten with a little water
1 cup Panko crumbs

2 Tablespoons oil for frying

Combine the 980 sauces with the olive oil and white wine vinegar.  Place pork cutlets in shallow rectangular bowl.  Spoon sauce over them, turn and cover both sides of pork evenly with marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Place flour in bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Place egg and water in another bowl.  Put Panko crumbs in a third bowl.  Dip pork chops in flour, then egg and then in Panko crumbs being sure that the chops are well covered.  Place chops and on large plate and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour to set crumbs.

Heat oil in large skillet and brown chops on both sides.  Place in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes to be sure that they are cooked through.

BLACK BEAN SALAD

1 15 Oz. can black beans drained and rinsed
1 large celery stalk, diced
1/4 cup chopped celery leaves
2 roma tomatoes, diced
2 scallions chopped

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon Wild Cilantro 980 Sauce
1 teaspoon Caribbean Lime 980 Sauce

Combine black beans with celery, celery leaves, tomatoes and scallions.

Combine the vinaigrette ingredients and pour over black bean mixture.  Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour to combine flavors.  Serve as is or over a bed of watercress.

MANGO CHATINI ( Dory Greenspan )

Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or to taste
1 large ripe but firm mango, peeled, pitted, and finely diced
1 spring onion, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne

Stir the lime juice and ginger together in a small serving bowl.  Add the mango, onion, and cilantro and season with slat, pepper and if you’d like, a pinch of cayenne.

Serve over Caribbean pork cutlet.

Printable Recipe

Before we left for Michigan and our 50th Anniversary celebration, I made these tasty roasted potatoes.  They will be made often.  You can use either freshly grated Parmesan cheese or the stuff in the jar.  They are flavored with garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika and chili powder.  It is even suggested that you drizzle them with a sour cream dip.

We had meant to take our wedding album to our celebration, but when it came time to get it, it was no where to be found.  Luckily we had two pictures saved to our computer.  This is a picture of David and his Groomsmen.

Since three of the guys were able to attend the party, David decided to recreate the picture with our friend Moses standing in for Jack (second from the left).

We had the best time with everyone and David is still friends with all of these guys.

My cousin Susie was the only one of my bridesmaids able to attend.

These potatoes were crispy on the outside and tender within.  We loved them.

PARMESAN ROASTED POTATOES ( From 12 Tomatoes )

55 Minutes to Prepare, Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes, halved
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon chili powder

Dip:
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Fresh chives, finely chopped

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and grease baking dish with olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders, oregano, paprika and chili powder until combined.

Gradually sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over the oiled baking dish until it’s completely covered.

Place potatoes cut side down in a single layer on top of cheese mixture, pressing gently to make sure the cheese adheres to them.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender and cheese is golden and crispy.

While potatoes cook, whisk together sour cream and lemon juice in a small bowl, adding lemon juice until desired tartness is reached.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove baking pan from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes.

Serve hot drizzled with sour cream mixture.

Printable Recipe

This will be a quick post.  We are leaving for Michigan this week for a celebration of our 50th Wedding Anniversary.  David and I both grew up there in a small town in Southwestern Michigan.  It just seemed fitting that we should return to the place where it all began.

David made these fried green tomatoes last night as an appetizer.  They were so good that I could not resist sharing his simple recipe.  What sets them apart is the Balsamic vinegar glaze.

The glaze is made from a slow reduction of true Modena Italian Balsamic Vinegar.  It has a sweet complex flavor that complements both sweet and savory dishes.  We found it at our local supermarket, but you can order it online here.

I think you will agree that this makes an outstanding appetizer or first course.

DAVID’S FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

Green Tomatoes – As many as you like, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Salt and Pepper to taste
Flour and Cornmeal in equal amounts
Smoked paprika to taste.  David used a lot.
Milk for dipping
Vegetable Oil for frying

Delallo Glaze drizzled on tomatoes to finish

After slicing tomatoes sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Mix the flour, cornmeal and smoked paprika in a shallow bowl.  Place milk in a separate shallow bowl.

Dip the tomatoes first in the milk and then dredge in the flour mixture.  Place on a large plate or cookie sheet and let rest in the fridge for about 1/2 hour to set crumb. You can skip this step if you are in a hurry.

Heat enough oil in a large skillet to generously film the bottom of the pan.  Approximately 3 tablespoons.  When oil is hot add the tomatoes and fry until the first side is golden.  Flip and fry on the other side.  Remove from pan when done and add additional batches as needed, adding more oil if pan becomes dry.

To serve, place on small plates and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

Printable Recipe

If you are looking for a flavorful picnic chicken, this is the one for you.  Because of the long marination in spices, garlic and ginger, it is delicious even at room temperature. I would happily put this chicken in a container and carry it to a picnic spot overlooking a mountain view or a babbling stream.  In my perfect picnic spot I would serve it with the following.

Israeli Couscous and Arugula Salad.  It is bright.  It is piquant and it is light.  You can find the recipe here.

One of my new favorite salads is this Zoodle vegie salad.  It is perfect for a picnic.   Here is the recipe.

All picnics require bread.  This wonderful cheese and chive bread from Dorie Greenspan is perfect.  It is one of my favorites.

My Chocolate Pecan Shortbread Bars are fast and easy.  You can make them even better with good quality chocolate.  I even make and freeze these to have on hand for impromptu get togethers.  Recipe here.

Add some fruit, cheese and wine for a perfect picnic.

The fiery jalapeno and ginger spiked marinade assures that this chicken will have lots of flavor when it is served cold or at room temperature.  Although the recipe calls for roasting in the oven, it would also be great on the grill.  Try it for your next picnic or cookout.

TANDOORI-STYLE CHICKEN

• ½ cup plain yogurt
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 small onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 jalapeño, stemmed, and seeded if desired
• 1 inch-long piece gingerroot, peeled and sliced into coins
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 pounds skinless chicken drumsticks and thighs, rinsed and patted dry
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• Lime wedges, for garnish

1. For marinade, combine all ingredients except for chicken, oil and lime wedges in a food processor and purée until smooth.
2. With a sharp knife, make several incisions on each chicken piece to help marinade penetrate meat. Transfer chicken to a large glass or ceramic baking dish and pour in marinade, turning chicken pieces to coat. Cover dish with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove chicken pieces from marinade. Transfer chicken to a roasting pan and drizzle with vegetable oil. Roast, basting occasionally, until juices run clear and meat is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely, then wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with lime wedges.

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