CURRIED ZUCCHINI SOUP

1 T. vegetable oil
1 C. chopped yellow onions
1 t. minced garlic
2 t. curry powder
1/2 t. salt
Pinch cayenne
2 lbs. zucchini, trimmed and chopped
3 1/2 C. vegetable stock
1/2 C. heavy cream
Chopped cilantro, garnish

In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the curry powder, salt, and cayenne, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, reduce to medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the zucchini is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. With a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor, puree the soup. Return to medium heat and stir in the cream. Simmer for 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Pour into a clean container and let cool slightly. Refrigerate until well chilled, 4 to 6 hours. To serve, heat and ladle into bowls, garnish with cilantro.

PERUVIAN SALSA CRIOLLA

1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 medium onion
2 black plantains
1 Bu. Fresh cilantro
1/2 t. ground coriander
1 T. olive oil
2 T. Peruvian aji Amarillo paste*
2 T. red wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Roast, cool, peel and dice the peppers and reserve. Dice the onion and mix with the peppers. Peel and dice the plantain. Fry the diced plantain in a liberal amount of canola oil until golden brown and drain off the oil. You can reserve the oil for use again in the future if you are cheap like me. Chop the cilantro and mix all the ingredients together.
*Aji Amarillo can be found online at some specialty websites, in Austin at the Fiesta grocery stores or contact chef Matthew at the restaurant and he can hook you up, too.

CUCUMBER NOODLES

3 ea.English cucumbers
1 ea. Red onion, julienned
1 Bu. Cilantro
1 T. black sesame seeds
1 T. white sesame seeds
2 t. red pepper flakes
1 T. kosher salt
2 t. sugar
1/2 C. rice wine vinegar
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. blended oil

Purchase a multi-functional hand held cutting machine from any local kitchen appliance shop. In a professional kitchen, we call it a mandolin. Rinse the cucumber and cut the ends off but leave it long. Using the “teeth” that are closer together, slide the cucumber slowly down the machine so that it produces “noodles”. Do this until you get to the seeds in the center. Season the seeds in the center with a little salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon and have a snack. Chop the cilantro and mix all the remaining ingredients (not what you have been snacking on) and let stand for one hour before service.

SIMPLE CITRONETTE

3/4 C. fresh lemon juice
1/4 C. rice wine vinegar
1 Bu. Fresh, chopped cilantro
2 C. blended oil
1 C. EVOO
Salt & Pepper

Mix the juice, vinegar, cilantro and S&P. Whisk in the oils. The stately nature of this recipe must be in the quality of the oils and the freshness of the juice. What makes this recipe so useful to a cook is its versatility. If Blood Oranges or Meyer Lemons are in season, use them. If your tastebuds prefer tarragon to cilantro, feel free to swap it out.

APRICOT CHUTNEY

2 C. apple cider vinegar
0.5 lb. brown sugar
2 C. dried apricots, quartered
1 C. shallots, sliced
1 C. raisins
3 cloves garlic, slivered
2 t. ginger powder
1 each orange - zest & juice
Salt & Pepper TT

Wash the orange zest, squeeze the juice and strain. Mix this with the vinegar and brown sugar in a heavy bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, just to soften. Add the raisins and apricots and ginger powder and cook for about 5 more minutes, until its starts to thicken. Season with salt & pepper.

GREEN HORNET SALSA

5 lb. Tomatillos
3 each Poblanos, peeled & deseeded and cut into rough chop
1 each White Onion, rough chop
1 bu. Cilantro
2 T. salt
1 T. White Pepper
2 t. Cayenne Pepper
0.5 C. Blended Oil
0.5 C. Lime Juice

Rinse the tomatillos thoroughly. In a bowl, mix tomatillos, onions, and poblanos together with the oil. Roast in the oven at 350F for about 20 minutes, until soft. While still hot, puree the remaining ingredients with the tomatilloes in the robot coupe until smooth.

MARGARITA CURE

1 C. Kosher Salt
1 C. Sugar
0.5 C. Tequila
0.5 C. Lime Juice
1 bu. Cilantro
0.5 each White Onion, Rough Chop
1 each Jalapeno, no seeds & destemmed, rough Chop

Mix all ingredients together and spread on fish filets. Wrap filets in cheese cloth and leave for 24 - 72 hours, depending on thickness of the fish.