I have tried a few, fun, new recipes this last few weeks and thought I'd share. We had a lot of winners (those I'd make again), and only one loser. (The crock pot Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches weren't so great.) Here they are...
Sure, this one is fried, but who doesn't need a little fried mexican every now and then!
Chicken Flautas with Avocado
Cream
Ingredients
For the Flautas:
Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat finely
shredded
1 cup fresh salsa
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup shredded Cheddar/Monterey jack blend
1 lime, juiced
Salt
16 (5 to 6-inch) flour tortillas (or I used 8 inch tortillas and they worked
fine.)
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving
Toothpicks
For the Avocado
Cream:
1 very ripe avocado, halved, pitted and flesh removed
1 (4-ounce) container sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt
Finely Chopped cilantro
Directions
Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach 2 inches up the
side of the pan. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted
in the oil reads 375 degrees F. To make the flautas: In a pan over medium heat
melt butter and saute onions and jalapenos until tender, about 5 minutes. Add
garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes.
Add chicken and salsa; stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro,
cheese and lime juice. Let cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Working with 4 tortillas at a time, spread a heaping
spoonful along the middle of each tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly around the
filling and secure with a toothpick. Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil
until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown, about 2
minutes, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with
salt. Keep flautas warm in the oven on a sheet tray while assembling and
cooking the remaining tortillas.
To make the Avocado Cream: In a serving bowl, mash
avocado, sour cream and lime juice until smooth. Season with salt, to taste.
To serve, arrange flautas on a platter of shredded
lettuce and serve with Avocado Cream on the side.
(Can't take credit for this picture, but this is what they look like.)
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This one was a great twist for my non-lamb eating husband!
Chicken Gyros with Cucumber
Salsa and Tsatsiki
Gourmet | March 2009
Total Time: 40 min
2 Kirby cucumbers, divided
1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt (3/4 pounds) *Be careful to get plain NOT vanilla-flavored
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, divided
5 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint (omit if you don't like the taste of mint in your food)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 rounded teaspoon dried oregano
1 rounded teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
package of 8-inch pocketless pita rounds
1/2 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded (about 2
1/4 cups), or sliced, grilled chicken breast
Preheat broiler.
Peel and grate 1 cucumber, then squeeze it with your
hands to remove excess water. Stir together with yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon lemon
juice, one third of garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to make
tsatsiki.
Cut remaining cucumber into 1/4-inch pieces and stir
together with tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon
juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to make salsa.
Gently simmer oil, oregano, rosemary, remaining garlic,
1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small heavy saucepan, stirring
constantly, until garlic is fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Toss
chicken with 3 tablespoons garlic oil and brush one side of bread with
remainder.
Heat bread, oiled side up, in a 4-sided sheet pan,
covered with foil, 3 to 4 inches from broiler 3 minutes. Uncover and broil,
rotating bread for even coloring, until golden in spots, about 1 - 2 minutes.
Spread some of tsatsiki on warm bread and top with
chicken and some of lettuce and salsa. Serve remaining lettuce, salsa, and
tsatsiki on the side.
Tsatsiki can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
We made a great chopped salad the other day with homemade "Lou Malnati's Salad Dressing".
Lou Malnati's Salad Dressing
2 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon, or whatever red wine you're drinking
1/2 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp coarse salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/4 cup sugar (or less if you don't like it as sweet.)
Combine all ingredients and whisk with a wire whisk.
Yum!
