¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. virgin olive oil
½ onion, peeled and chopped
2 pounds Roma tomatoes, blackened
4 tsp. finely minced roasted garlic
½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
4-6 chipotle chiles en adobo, chopped
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1. To blacken the tomatoes, remove the stems and place on a rack under a broiler until the skins blister, crack, and blacken. Do not over-blacken, or a bitter taste will result.
2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat until lightly smoking, add the onion, and sauté until caramelized, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the onion, half the blackened tomatoes, and garlic to a food processor or blender, and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.
4. Add the cilantro and chipotle chiles, and pulse again to mix.
5. Peel, seed, and chop the remaining pound of tomatoes, and fold in together with the remaining ¼ cup olive oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar.
To Roast Garlic:
1. Cut the top off of one head of garlic, so garlic cloves are barely exposed.
2. Place in a small baking container, with cut edges facing up.
3. Pour 1/2 inch of water in the baking dish.
4. Drizzle olive oil over the cut open garlic.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
6. Use any extra cloves to spread over French bread with some butter!
Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and roughly chopped
1 or 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped
1 or 2 serrano chiles, with seeds (depending on desired spice level)
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. salt
Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and purée until smooth. Serve with tortilla chips.
Delicious breakfast idea - Serve as a garnish with a cheddar cheese omelet, with black beans and sour cream on the side.
The Perfect French Omelet
2 eggs
1 Tbsp water
Dash pepper
1 Tbsp butter
- In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, water, salt and pepper. Using a fork, beat til combined but not frothy. In an 8- or 10-inch skillet with flared sides, heat butter on medium. Lift and tilt pan to coat sides.
- Add egg mixture to skillet; cook over medium heat. As eggs set, run a spatula around the edge of the skillet, lifting eggs and letting the uncooked portion flow underneath. Be careful not to 'mix' the eggs in the skillet, or they will become scrambled eggs. When the eggs are set but still shiny, remove from heat. Fold unfilled omelet in half.
To prepare a cheese omelet, omit the salt. For filling, sprinkle 1/4 cup cheddar, Swiss, or Monterey Jack across center of omelet. Fold sides over. Top with additional shredded cheese.
