I'm passionate about food. When I talk to people about food, I get excited. When I'm at a new restaurant, I want to try everything. Though I write most often about "elevated" cuisine, I hope people realize that my tastes are not just for the refined. I like soul food. I like junk food. I like simple and complex. I like new tastes and familiar ones. To me, though, it's not just about the food. You see, food brings people together. Food nourishes, it satisfies, and it inspires.
I like to occasionally get creative in the kitchen. I'm not a chef, and so just as I have many successes, I also have plenty of disasters. I think that experimenting and playing with food is both instructive and enjoyable. Learning principles of cook through experience is invaluable.
The other night we decided to make dinner, but didn't have a whole lot in the pantry to choose from. We had about 8-9 oz of chorizo in the freezer, and that was our inspiration. Quick quiz: what do all the best Mexican, Italian, French, German, American, Asian, or any other regional dishes have in common? Fresh produce. Here is our latest original adventure:
2 pre-made pie-crusts
8-9 oz Chorizo (Mexican/Spanish Pork Sausage)
2 Roma tomatoes (diced)
2 Tomatillos (Diced)
1 Medium Yellow Onion (diced)
1 Clove Garlic (minced)
1 Anaheim Chile (diced)
1 tsp Mexican Oregano (or Italian)
1/2 package Queso Fresco crumbled
Salt/Pepper
8 oz Sour Cream
Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
Mix sour cream, chopped cilantro, and a couple tbsp of queso fresco in a bowl, refrigerate.
Heat Oven to 400F.
In a large saute pan, add a tbsp of olive oil. Add the Chorizo and the onions, cook for about 3-4 minutes until onions start to become translucent and Chorizo starts to thicken up. Add the tomatoes, tomatillos, chile and garlic. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until pepper starts to soften. Add the oregano and pull off the heat.
Meanwhile, cut 5-6 in circles from the pie crust (you get about 5 per crust). After giving the saute mixture a minute to cool, place a heaping tbsp of mixture in the center of a pie crust, top with a tbsp of queso fresco, and fold over (similar to a calzone). Use a fork to flute the edges, and cut a slit in the top of the pie with a knife. Brush with butter or spray.
Bake at 400 for about 15-25 minutes or until they start to brown. Serve with the sour cream mixture.
I like to occasionally get creative in the kitchen. I'm not a chef, and so just as I have many successes, I also have plenty of disasters. I think that experimenting and playing with food is both instructive and enjoyable. Learning principles of cook through experience is invaluable.
The other night we decided to make dinner, but didn't have a whole lot in the pantry to choose from. We had about 8-9 oz of chorizo in the freezer, and that was our inspiration. Quick quiz: what do all the best Mexican, Italian, French, German, American, Asian, or any other regional dishes have in common? Fresh produce. Here is our latest original adventure:
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| Chorizo and Tomatillo Empanada |
2 pre-made pie-crusts
8-9 oz Chorizo (Mexican/Spanish Pork Sausage)
2 Roma tomatoes (diced)
2 Tomatillos (Diced)
1 Medium Yellow Onion (diced)
1 Clove Garlic (minced)
1 Anaheim Chile (diced)
1 tsp Mexican Oregano (or Italian)
1/2 package Queso Fresco crumbled
Salt/Pepper
8 oz Sour Cream
Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
Mix sour cream, chopped cilantro, and a couple tbsp of queso fresco in a bowl, refrigerate.
Heat Oven to 400F.
In a large saute pan, add a tbsp of olive oil. Add the Chorizo and the onions, cook for about 3-4 minutes until onions start to become translucent and Chorizo starts to thicken up. Add the tomatoes, tomatillos, chile and garlic. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until pepper starts to soften. Add the oregano and pull off the heat.
Meanwhile, cut 5-6 in circles from the pie crust (you get about 5 per crust). After giving the saute mixture a minute to cool, place a heaping tbsp of mixture in the center of a pie crust, top with a tbsp of queso fresco, and fold over (similar to a calzone). Use a fork to flute the edges, and cut a slit in the top of the pie with a knife. Brush with butter or spray.
Bake at 400 for about 15-25 minutes or until they start to brown. Serve with the sour cream mixture.