Like the laws of color or fashion, there are laws of flavor. Sometimes personal prejudices override the preferential bell curves of broad population, but unless you are cooking solely to suit yourself, I advise that your culinary choices bow to the wisdom of honest good taste. Your improvisation is still dinner to someone, so use balance and harmony. Think of the totality of the dish and of the meal. Everyone makes mistakes, but in cuisine we are sometimes literally required to eat them.istinguish between combinations that will work with a particular dish, and those that won't.
This is salsa cruda, an uncooked sauce with a uniquely fresh taste. It provides spice, crunch, and color to a vast variety of foods.
Makes 4 cups
1 small red onion, peeled and finely 42 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
chopped 1 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and finely V/2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
chopped 3 tablespoons Spanish sherry wine vinegar
1 banana pepper, stemmed, seeded, and 4 cups tomato concasse
finely chopped
1. Mix together all of the ingredients except the tomatoes.
2. Now, slowly add the tomatoes, being careful not to overmix them. They will become dull-colored and too soft if they are handled too much.
Note: Other versions of salsa can substitute serrano chiles or even the smoked, dried jalapenos known as chipotles for the jalapeno and banana chiles. Also, lime juice can replace the Spanish sherry wine vinegar, and Tabasco or cayenne can add more spice.
i§ALSA COLORADA
You may find other uses for this salsa, which is thinner in consistency than any other I make, but one of my favorites is on top of white bean soup. The sharp tang of this reddish puree adds a nice punch to the solid, meaty simplicity of the beans.
Makes l'/г cups
2 roasted red peppers, peeled and seeded
2 tomatoes, concassee
2 roasted jalapenos, peeled and seeded
2 large garlic cloves, minced
¥2 tablespoon salt
¥4 cup toasted almonds (whole or blanched sliced)
1 hard-boiled egg yolk
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cayenne
3 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
¥2 cup olive oil
1. Put everything except the oil in a food processor and pulse evenly until almost pureed. Add the oil with the machine on. Taste and adjust as desired.
2. Refrigerate until ready to use.
You can make pesto in a food processor or in a large mortar with a pestle. Either way, the steps are the same. The vinegar is optional, but I like its sweet pungency. It underscores the basil and adds counterpoint to the richness of the oil and nuts.
Makes approximately 'A cup
2 cups fresh basil leaves ¥4 teaspoon salt
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled ¥4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
¥4 cup toasted pine nuts ¥2 tablespoon red wine vinegar or Spanish ¥4 cup parsley, stems removed sherry vinegar (optional)
¥4 to ¥2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Pulverize the basil with the garlic and then the nuts. Add the parsley and slowly add the oil.
2. Work in the salt, Parmesan, and vinegar if you like. Taste and adjust to your liking.