Guacamole with Tomatillos (Guacamole de Tomate Verde) Yield: about 2 cupsIngredients
8 ounces (5 or 6 medium) fresh tomatillos, husked and washed drained or one 13-ounce can tomatillos, drained
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 chiles serranos or 1 chile jalapeno), stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
1 ripe, medium-large avocado
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
1. The tomatillos. Boil the fresh tomatillos in salted water to cover until just soft through, about 10 minutes; drain and place in a blender jar or food processor. Canned tomatillos need only be drained and put in the blender or food processor.
2. The puree. Add the chile, coriander and onion to the tomatillos (and stir, if using a blender). Blend or process to a coarse puree.
3. The avocado. Halve the avocado lengthwise by cutting from stem to flower ends around the pit. Twist the halves apart, then scoop out the pit and reserve it. Scrape the avocado pulp from the skin and place in a mixing bowl.
4. Finishing the sauce. Mash the avocado until smooth, using a fork or your hand. Scrape in the tomatillo puree and mix well. Season with salt, return the pit to the sauce and cover well. Let stand a few minutes to blend the flavors, then serve.
Timing and Advance Preparation
This guacamole takes about 20 minutes to prepare and, because of the acid in the tomatillos, will keep well without browning; but while the looks may stay, the flavor diminishes after a couple of hours.
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Shrimp with Lime Dressing and Crunchy Vegetables (Camarones a la Vinagreta)
Yield: about 3 cups, enough for 12 tacos, serving 4 as a light main course
The refreshing simplicity of this soft taco filling, based on a recipe given to me by a Yucatecan taqueria cook, makes it a perfect complement to some of the richer fillings. Also, it's a delicious first course, hors d'oeuvre or picnic offering. With warm tortillas or good bread and a creamy potato salad, it makes a very good summer supper.
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
1 lime, halved
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, very coarsely ground
1/4 teaspoon allspice berries, very coarsely ground
3 bay leaves
12 ounces good-quality shrimp, left in their shells
For completing the dish:
1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 ripe, medium-small tomato, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 radishes, finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
5 tablespoons vegetable oil, preferably half olive oil and half vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 or 3 leaves romaine or leaf lettuce, for garnish
Sprigs of coriander (cilantro) or radish roses, for garnish
Instructions
1. The shrimp. Squeeze the two lime halves into a medium-size saucepan, then add the two squeezed rinds, the black pepper, allspice, bay leaves and 1 quart water. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
Raise the heat to high, add the shrimp, re-cover and let the liquid return to a full boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, hold the lid slightly askew and strain off all the liquid. Re-cover tightly, set aside for 15 minutes, then rinse the shrimp under cold water to stop the cooking.
Peel the shrimp, then devein them by running a knife down the back to expose the dark intestinal track and scraping it out. If the shrimp are medium or larger, cut them into 1/2-inch bits, place in a bowl.
2. Other preliminaries. Add the red onion, tomato, radish and coriander to the shrimp. In a small bowl or a Jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lime juice, oil and salt.
3. Combining and serving. Shortly before serving, mix the dressing ingredients thoroughly, then pour over the shrimp mixture. Toss to coat everything well, cover, and refrigerate or set aside at room temperature.
Line a shallow serving bowl with the lettuce leaves. Taste the shrimp mixture for salt, scoop it into the prepared bowl and serve, garnished with sprigs of coriander or radish roses.
Timing and Advance Preparation
Preparation time is about 1 3/4 hours, most of which is devoted to the shrimp quietly marinating. The shrimp and vegetables can be prepared early in the day: Refrigerate separately, well covered. Dress the salad up to 1 hour before serving.
