Southwest flavors for August
The geographic American Southwest includes Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and parts of California and Nevada. The landscape is dry; climate is hot but made steamy by monsoons in late summer. Altogether it is very different from what we experience in Maine. And yet, in August the differences seem less apparent as we swelter on sunny days and look for rain to help our parched lawns. Thus, it is easy to look for Southwestern flavors in food that are well adapted to the climate and helped by our current global distribution and familiarity with food from other locales. Long gone are the days when tacos were a novelty in the Northeast.
Southwestern cuisine comes from Native American, colonial Spanish and Mexican roots, but along the way has adapted many Mediterranean and American cowboy ingredients in interesting and flavorful combinations. Principally Southwestern food features corn, beans and squash with generous helpings of tomatoes, onions and peppers including chiles to add some heat. Meat is often grilled as well as some vegetables and corn and wheat flour account for the ever-present tortillas.
Having spent a number of years in the Southwest, breakfast eggs are likely to arrive at our house in August with fresh salsa and warm tortillas or scrambled with diced onions, peppers and crumbled bacon. Huevos rancheros are a Saturday feast for poached eggs in a lightly cooked mix of onions, peppers, tomatoes and jalapenos, sprinkled with shredded jack cheese and served with warm flour tortillas.
A recent dinner from my kitchen featured a Southwestern dinner of grilled ham, zucchini lightly grilled with olive oil and garlic salt, Southwestern lentils and black-eyed peas, all garnished with a lightly grilled peach.
Southwestern lentils and black—eyed peas
Rinse 1 and ½ cup beluga (black)lentils and cook covered with 2 inches of water, 1 tbsp. onion flakes, 1 bay leaf and 6 cloves for 30 minutes on medium low heat. Drain and discard the bay leaf.
In a large bowl mix the dressing: 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. honey, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. kosher salt and 1 tsp. lemon pepper. Stir in the drained lentils while hot and 1 (15.5 oz.) drained and rinsed can of black-eyed peas. Mix thoroughly.
In addition, stir in ½ cup chopped red onion, 2-3 sliced green onions, ½ green and ½ red large peppers seeded and diced, 1/3 cup crumbled Mexican Cotija or Feta cheese and 1 -1 ½ cups mixed red and yellow grape tomatoes cut in half. Mix and serve warm or room temperature garnished with parsley and additional cheese.
Southwestern ratatouille
This could be considered a Southwestern cousin to the French ratatouille we all love at the end of summer with plentiful squash, eggplant and other garden produce. It has acquired extra protein in the form of Mexican chorizo.
Roast 1/3-inch slices of 1 medium zucchini and 1 peeled eggplant brushed with olive oil and garlic salt in a 425-degree oven, turning once until browned. Cut slices into bite size pieces.
Remove casing from 2 fresh chorizo sausages, crumble and brown in a large pan and set aside. In the same pan add 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté 1 coarsely chopped onion 4 minutes, stir in 3 chopped garlic cloves for 1 minute, ¼ each red and yellow pepper diced, zucchini and eggplant, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. oregano, 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 and ½ tsp. chipotle powder and 2 tsp. white vinegar. Cook with stirring for 5-7 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Stir in 2 cups frozen corn kernels, chorizo and 2 tsp. pesto (optional). Cook for 3minutes more, transfer to an 8x8x2 baking dish and cover with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm on corn tortillas.
It is easy to see how a tortilla could wrap anything, as long as it is served with love.
(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)
