Hot Dish Review

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Instead of making guacamole today, I’ll be driving back from the Kentucky Derby. So make a big batch for me, here’s how:

OK, this is the real deal. I got this recipe from an old Mexican cleaning lady 20 years ago and have made it according to her standards ever since. Perhaps she prepares it with loving care in a traditional molcajete, a lava rock mortar and pestle. I make mine in my traditional Pillsbury Doughboy bowl!

(Note: the photo of ingredients includes a Corona Light. This ingredient is not mandatory, however, I find that it helps the culinary process. You may substitute a shot of Herradura Silver if you prefer.)

3 ripe avocadoes
1/2 white onion (I use Vidalias)
1 large tomato, peeled
1 jalapeno
bunch cilantro
salt
lime juice

Split the avocadoes and scoop them out into a medium bowl. To keep the guacamole chunky I use the spoon to coarsely cut up the avocadoes just a bit. Very small dice the onion by first cutting it in half, then making 1/8″ cuts in both directions (like a checkerboard pattern). Slice it across the pre-made cuts to make tiny diced pieces. Use the same method for the jalapeno, being careful not to touch the pepper and then your eyes (or other sensitive areas)! Chop a shitload of cilantro to taste. Rest the tomato in hot water to ease peeling, then peel, seed, dice and add to bowl. Add the juice of half a lime. Fold all the ingredients together and salt to taste. Refrigerate for up to 8 hours, completely covered in plastic to avoid oxidation.

Is that f*ckin’ delicious or what? Buy restaurant chips and salsa to serve with it….my new favorite is Uncle Julios.

Sure, there are a couple of acceptable variations but authentic quacamole contains no sour cream, no garlic, no mayonaise. Mayonaise is a French sauce like bearnaisse….not invented in a trailor park in Mississippi as you may have suspected. Mexicans do not use French sauces. There was no sour cream in Mexico in the 1700′s.

Just use the real ingredients above and you will have quacamole as good as what I had in Playa del Carmen a few years ago…..Ole’!

Several weeks ago when I was trying to cut back on sugar in my diet, I made an effort to eat more vegetables in lieu of fruit. My usual berries with breakfast went on hiatus. Instead, I devised this healthy and delicious omelette using veggies.

SOUTHWESTERN OMELETTE

3 egg whites (or 1 Omega, 1 white)
1/2 small tomato, diced
1/4 ripe avocado, diced
handful of cilantro
thin sliced onion
thin sliced mushrooms
lite pepper jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and mushrooms until caramelized and set aside (Note: I usually prepare enough for several servings). Whisk eggs (whichever kind you use) with a dash of milk, if desired, and heat non-stick skillet to medium. Pour eggs into skillet, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add some of the tomato, avocado, cilantro, and cooked onion mixture to one half of the eggs, allowing to cook a while longer until mostly set.

Flip and cook for 30 seconds, then flip back and add one slice of lowfat pepper jack cheese to the side of the omelette with the veggies. Top with remainder of filling and fold in half, allowing cheese to melt. Season with salt and pepper.

I serve my Southwestern omelette with two slices of pre-cooked bacon and a piece of whole wheat for a satisfying and tasty breakfast.

On a recent Friday I chatted with Hector Santiago at his sandwich shop, Super Pan Latino before devouring a decadent pork bun. Less than a week later I found myself at Pura Vida with LC for a late dinner. Santiago was in the kitchen, expediting orders.

Pura Vida is one of my longtime favorites. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, the food is flavorful and interesting, and their sangria is consistently the best in Atlanta. It is the perfect place for a birthday party or an intimate date.

Santiago can go for long periods with no menu changes, then Bam! Suddenly, all your regular dishes are gone, replaced with seemingly experimental plates with foams and “caviar”. This used to be really disappointing when I would go expecting the duck maduros and it would be gone.

These days I’ve come to expect the changes, even welcome them. This was LC’s first visit, my 50th, so I was at a distinct advantage. We started with two glasses of sangria, one red and one white, each full of rum-soaked fruit.

Some old familiar dishes remained like the hanger steak pinchos, tender smoky grilled skewers of beef covered with an herbaciously green chimichurri. Always a good choice.

I chose a new veggie dish called “fall over chayote” to pair with the steak. It reminded me of Hugh Acheson’s “super-food” at Empire State South, a crazy hodge-podge of individual components that, when put together, are still a crazy hodge-podge. The description should have clued me in….chayote squash, enoki, smoked tofu, calabaza puree, wok seared jalapenos, pepita oil and umeboshi sauce. That last ingredient explains the saltiness we encountered in some bites. Umeboshi is made from pickled Japanese plums….an odd addition on a Latin menu.

Moving on, we tried the mofongo con “carne frita”, pork carnitas served over mashed green bananas with pork cracklings. I’ve ordered this dish several times, however, this time Hector added a pork jus espuma. That is the foamy stuff in the photo. I don’t know if it added anything to the dish, but remembering too late that it was usually somewhat bland, I asked for his fiery hot habanero sauce, a clear liquid in a squeeze bottle that makes everything better.

Hector used to do a great dish with goat. There is a new incarnation of it on this menu, slow cooked with plantain dumplings, curry sauteed cabbage and calaloo greens. I would have ordered it instead of the pork had I not had goat the night before…..how often can one say that!

My love of avocados prompted me to try the aguacate criollo, described as avocado, lime “caviar”, piquillo agridulce jelly, chorizo chips, cilantro and avocado oil. Chunks of avocado were topped with bits of lime pulp (the “caviar”), and crispy slivers of chorizo. Little cubes of sweet and sour “agridulce” jelly added another odd component to an already unusual looking plate. The end result was like deconstructed guacamole and it’s pretty hard to complain about that.

We ordered another small plate, the tamales nejos, but sadly I didn’t remember it until I looked at the photos the next day. Like mole, I continue to order tamales, believing that someday I will discover what other’s love so much about these dishes. Santiago’s tamales had a good texture, with robust flavor from the fresh masa and charred scallions which paired nicely with the black beans alongside. If you like tamales, you will probably enjoy these. If you are like me, they won’t knock your socks off.

More sangria and, of course, dessert. Two, actually….a sinful chocolate and ancho chili flan brulee’ that lacked much chili kick and a baby banana ice cream sandwich made with chipotle chocolate chip cookies that LC really liked. I vaguely remember eating it despite my mild dislike for banana. My memory is a bit foggy on the specifics….I’m gonna have to blame that on the sangria!

656 N. Highland Avenue 404-870-9797

The weather on Sunday was perfect for golf, yet somehow I ended up drinking beer and eating at Meehan’s with LC, watching the Falcons lose. As my friend JC texted, “the birds failed to fly”. Indeed, beaten by our nemesis in every sport, Philadelphia. (It was the weekend of The Eagles in more ways than one).

I was cranky. A Corona with lime would solve that problem! My last visit to Meehan’s was pre-concert with the Coopers. Among our group both B and J ordered the Tex-Mex ahi tuna tostadas. I tried one and they were so good, I knew what I was ordering on Sunday before we even parked the car and I don’t even like tuna.

LC ordered jumbo Buffalo wings and a draft beer. My tuna tostada appetizer featured thick slices of seared tuna atop corn and avocado salsa on teeny-tiny chips, each with a dollop of sour cream and Sriracha, arranged around a mound of field greens. Problem is, the serving is very small, only six chips for $12. The bites were, however, as good as I remembered….a little spicy, a little tangy. I could eat four plates, easily. Another Corona as The Falcons tried to make a comeback.

Wings, in a hot vinegar-based sauce, set our lips on fire, cooled off by the chunky blue cheese and celery. The presentation and flavor were right on.

The Falcons lost and we headed out in the beautiful Fall weather, just perfect for golf.

All of the restaurants in my Top Ten are dinner spots where I order fatty pork, decadent foie gras, and anything wrapped with bacon, stuffed with butter, or covered in hollandaise. Except one.

Dynamic Dish is an organic, mostly vegetarian restaurant on Edgewood that I have only visited for lunch, although they do serve dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. I love it.

Saturday I picked up my Mom to take her to the airport. We got back into Atlanta right at lunch time so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to take her to Dynamic Dish.

Thanks to her passion for healthy eating, I grew up with an understanding of nutrition and vitamins that very few people are lucky enough to have. Making healthier versions of Southern classics as well as experimenting with trendy health foods like wheat germ (that’s right, it was the ’70′s!), tofu, and soy milk made my childhood rather unique and ultimately, food became my passion as well. My parents look much younger than their 60 plus years which I directly attribute to their emphasis on a healthy diet and supplements, rather than relying on pharmaceuticals to “cure” them.

So I knew my Mom would appreciate the fresh, clean, organic food at Dynamic Dish. Chef and owner David Sweeney was behind the counter when we arrived. I introduced them, mentioned her imminent flight to Germany, whereupon he began speaking German! I had completely forgotten his background, having spent years in Germany making and delivering vegetarian meals to a select clientelle. Funny how the universe works.

Perhaps my first visit to Dynamic Dish this year, the sunny space has undergone a recent facelift, adding a dark gray tile backsplash and more barstools for what will soon be a full service bar. David informed me he would finally have his liquor license in a matter of weeks! He plans to extend the hours, serving lunch and dinner six days a week. Great news, but I miss the big blackboard menu.

The day’s offerings were written instead on three pieces of brown paper attached to the side wall. Now guests enjoy table service rather than ordering at the counter, however, the once-complimentary bread and butter will now cost you $3.

Mom and I chose to split a bowl of chilled Haas avocado soup, a cool puree with yogurt and ginger. Topped with chopped tomatoes and cilantro, I thought it might remind me of guacamole, but the sharp zing of ginger gave the soup a bright, zippy character. A sprinkling of sunflower seeds provided textural interest.

We also split a roasted tofu sandwich with carrots, onions, and basil pesto on thick slices of fresh organic bread. Pesto is my favorite Italian sauce but it often contains copious amounts of garlic so we got it on the side. Somewhat small, our sandwich was piled high with sweet roasted carrots and onions. We both spread a generous amount of pesto on our portions….so much for taking it easy on the garlic! Sweeney’s pesto was made with lots of it, but it was so good I was eating it out of the side dish with my fork.

Although most of the menu remains vegetarian, I was surprised to see a turkey sandwich with bacon (what what?) offered. Sweeney’s brief menu changes daily based upon his creative whims and what is available at market.

From his innovative cuisine to his quirky location, David Sweeney’s passion for his craft has made Dynamic Dish a success.

427 Edgewood Ave. 404-688-4344

Sun, sand, beer, boys. A perfect day at the beach! After numerous Corona Lights with lime the topic of dinner came up. JS and KS own the fantastic house where we all stayed so they know the local deals….half price sushi from 5-7 on Fridays at Destin Chops. We all agreed, it sounded like a brilliant plan!

I accompanied ST to Rosemary Beach for a reunion with some of his college buddies last weekend…..five guys, four with wife/girlfriend in attendance. We had a blast!

JS was a great hostess, with a whole turkey and ham in the oven Thursday night when we arrived. Buffet style dining was the rule, our dinner leftovers making awesome sandwiches for the beach the next day, with plenty of chips and peanut M & M’s. SS (BW’s girlfriend) picked up some dill pickle Pringles which were yummy, although no one was wild about the ketchup flavor (OK, I ate them after 6 beers).

We set up camp on the beach and as I mentioned, proceeded to inhale beer. ST’s new passion for IPA’s in evidence with Sierra Nevada and Long Hammer in the cooler, along with our old stand-by, Miller Lite, and, of course, the Corona Lights.

A sticky day in the sand called for a lengthy afternoon shower, after which ST and I had worked up an appetite for sushi! I wisely decided to put on a pair of 5″ platform shoes to walk the 2 miles to Destin Chops on 30A.

As the name implies, Destin Chops specializes in steaks, however, in keeping with our half price theme we ordered five rolls to share. I only remember the 30A with salmon, avocado, green onion, and spicy crab salad on top. There was another with eel, perhaps the crunchy eel, and I believe the spicy tuna was among the assortment. The rolls were enormous and at half price, ran about $6.50 each.

When BW and SS arrived we ordered three starters for everyone to share….crab cakes, calamari, and seared diver scallops. BW ordered a steamed lobster which he clearly was not planning to share (see photo).

Our group carried on multiple (and from what I understand) boisterous conversations much to the delight of other diners. Sushi was quite good as were the appetizers we sampled. One glass of red wine was my only beverage and most folks were limiting their alcoholic consumption at this point.

But it was only day 1.5 so a little more eating and drinking would surely be in order….immediately following JS’s delicious egg casserole the next morning!

Although I didn’t have the chance to eat moqueca in Brazil last month, I have had it several times at Beleza. It is a simple and delicious curry-like fish stew made with coconut milk. I thought it would make an excellent dish to eat while trying out my uva (black grape) caipirinhas!

Well….the caipirinhas were weird. I’ll have to practice to get them right. But the moqueca was excellent! I combined several recipes, mainly using the one on Whats4Eats, cutting it in half for me and ST.

Here is my version:

3/4 lbs. prawns (12 large of the 16-20 count)
juice from 1 lime
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red jalapeno, chopped
1 green jalapeno, chopped
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
cilantro (shitload)
black pepper
avocado

Marinate the shrimp in the lime juice and salt for 30 minutes in a glass bowl. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onions until translucent (I used a little of the chicken broth so they wouldn’t get too dark). Add the jalapenos and garlic and saute for another minute or two. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, some cilantro, fresh ground pepper, and shrimp with their marinade. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until shrimp are opaque.

The healthy section at Kroger has this awesome instant rice called Annie Chun’s Rice Express. There are three varieties, this time I got the multi-grain sticky rice. (Man, I still miss sticky rice in New York, delivered in plastic wrap.)

Serve the moqueca in a bowl over rice and top with sliced avocado and cilantro. So easy and so delicious! We opened a bottle of cheap tempranillo from Trader Joe’s (I call it “the pig”) since my caipirinhas failed.