Cherry Berry Salsa

Because cherry season is short and I adore them, I feel an intense obligation to figure out how to make the most of them when they're at that fabulous sweet/tart height of harvest. And that would be now.

I could eat them endlessly as a snack but I got to thinking about how well they go with savory foods like pork and poultry. Four years ago I made a salsa from stone fruit that included cherries, along with peaches. But I got to wondering how a salsa that really focused on cherries would work.

I had just bought about a pound of cherries and decided to put together a salsa that didn't rely on some lovely balsamic vinegar, but traditional lime juice. Not basil, but cilantro. Since I also had a large container of blueberries I thought they'd add both an intriguing texture and flavor--not to mention stunning color--to the salsa.

In came red onion, the one and only serrano chile in my garden, and the lime's zest. I didn't think garlic would be a happy combination so I left it out. I tasted the mixture and it was fine but lacking something, so in went honey--not much, but enough to heighten the sweetness. Another taste and something was still needed.

Then I hit on it. Tajin seasoning! I had considered then discarded the idea of adding salt but the Tajin added just enough to bring out the other flavors, just a bit more acid/tartness from lime, and a different kind of heat. It proved to be exactly the right finish to create three-dimensional flavor.

While the salsa stewed in its juices in the fridge, I pulled out a pair of pork chops I had been brining since late morning. Despite the heat of the early evening, I put a cast-iron pan in the oven and let both pre-heat until the temperature reached 400˚. I pulled out the seasoned, lightly oiled chops (adding more Tajin) and pan seared them (be sure to use oven mitts while handling the pan.

I love this technique because you put the chops on the pan and immediately they sizzle and start browning. Once they were golden brown, I placed them in the pan into that still 400˚ oven to cook until they reached an internal temp of 145˚. While they rested on a plate under a foil tent, I tasted the salsa again. It was delightful.

The pork chop was a success--made summery with my cherry berry salsa. Don't love blueberries? Add raspberries or strawberries--or both! You'll have a colorful sweet and savory fresh sauce that will be equally terrific on a pulled pork taco, on a quesadilla, roasted chicken or duck, or a pork tenderloin.

Cherry Berry Salsa
(printable recipe)
Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients
1 cup cherries
1 large lime
1/1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1 serrano chile, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon Tajin seasoning

Directions
1. Pit the cherries, then quarter them. Set aside.
2. Zest the lime, then cut in half and juice both halves.
3. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and let sit in the refrigerator at least one hour. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Print Page

Reeds: The Summer Avocado

While everyone is rhapsodic about the emergence of stone fruit, tomatoes, and melons--all that marks quintessential summer food--I'm blissed out over the arrival of Reed avocados.

Think of these as summer avocados. Fuertes are beginning to fade away with the season. Bacons are now months away. And, okay yes, Hass are everywhere almost year round -- but Reeds are a rich, buttery delight of an avocado in the form of a softball-sized globe. Like the Hass, they have a thick peel, easy to remove. And, my experience is that the seed also easily separates from the flesh. I've read that this variety remains firm even when ripe, making it a lousy candidate for guacamole, but I haven't experienced that.

In fact, one of my favorite ways to enjoy Reed avocados, is smashed on toast for breakfast. And, of course, I top it with a sprinkling (heavy handed) of Tajin. The salty and sour (thanks to dehydrated lime) qualities of the Tajin complement the gentle flavor and richness of the Reed.

Atkins Nursery of Fallbrook grows them. I found their stall at the Friday evening  Mission Hills farmers market on Falcon St. The other local grower who has them is Paradise Valley Ranch. They're at the North Park, Little Italy, and Pacific Beach farmers markets.

Looking for a unique guacamole? When chef Jesus Gonzalez ran the kitchen at Rancho La Puerta he introduced what he calls "Aztec Guacamole," which includes peas to boost the nutritional content and reduce the fat. It creates a slightly different flavor from traditional guacamole, but that creamy goodness from the avocado remains and you have a healthier, irresistible sauce perfect for dipping and topping tacos and tostadas on a sultry summer night.

Aztec Guacamole
Makes 2 cups

1 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed
1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice, or to taste
1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 red or sweet onion, cut into 1/8-inch dice
1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon  minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1. In a blender or the bowl of a food processor, process the peas until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher. Add the juice, tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Add the peas and mix well.
3. If the guacamole won't be served immediately, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent browning.

Variation: Instead of peas, use 1 cup of well-cooked broccoli, edamame, or cooked asparagus tips.




Print Page

Tajin: This is Not a Candy

Every once in awhile a product that's been around for who knows how long basically smacks me upside the head to pay attention to it.

Most recently, that product is Tajin "classico seasoning." I first noticed it a summer or two ago at the Hillcrest Farmers Market. Once tomatoes are in season, Valdivia Farms, which sells marvelous heirloom tomatoes, chops a bunch up, mixes the pieces with olive oil and a little seasoning and puts the mixture on platters with toothpicks to sample. Customers gobble them up and wonder why they taste so delicious. Well, sure, the tomatoes are great but they're also using the Tajin -- and they sell 5 oz. plastic shaker bottles of it along with the tomatoes. Did I buy one? No, because I suspected their  price was quite a bit more than I'd have to pay at the market. Sure enough, a visit to Northgate Gonzalez turned up the Tajin for less than two bucks. I'm in bliss.

So, what is Tajin seasoning? Very simple. A powder blend of chiles, salt, and dehydrated lime juice. It's the lime juice you really taste when it hits your tongue. It's all about the salty tang. And, as they carefully print on the cap, this is not a candy.

Tajin seasoning can be used for all sorts of dishes. Here's a little salad of chopped tomatoes and garlic scapes. Like Valdivia Farms, I tossed them with olive oil and Tajin. It was delicious on a slice of sour dough bread and I used the bread, of course, to sop up the Tajin-flavored tomato juices.

 

I've also used it as part of a marinade for roasting and grilling chicken. At the recent Collaboration Kitchen at Catalina Offshore Products, chef Melissa Mayer offered a delicious recipe of Hamachi Crudo with Watermelon Carpaccio, Tangerine, and Hazelnut Oil Emulsion with Cilantro Flowers. Tucked into the recipe to season the yellowtail was about a teaspoon of Tajin.

And, at the 4th of July party I attended, chef Andrew Spurgin whipped up the most delicious Michelada beer cocktail. The mixture of Tecate beer, lime juice, and clamato juice was perfection, but what sent it truly over the top was the rimming along the top of the cup with Tajin seasoning.

Try it out and let me know what you do with it.


Print Page