TomatenSalz (German Tomato Salts)

Delicious herbed salts that bring out the best in ripe tomatoes, or any salt-sprinkling applications you may have.

TomatenSalz (German Tomato Salts)

Ingredients:

4 Tbs salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp thyme

2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a coffee/herb grinder. Pulse a couple times to get an even consistency. Do NOT over grind, or you will end up with salt powder. If you do not have a suitable grinder, use a mortal & pestle to achieve the same effect or just break down the mixture with your fingers.

2. Store in an air tight container out of direct sunlight.

Chimichurri Sauce

Absolutely incredible, authentic Chimichurri recipe from Uruguay. Use it to baste your steak while cooking, then drizzle over top to serve.

This sauce can  can be prepared earlier than needed, and refrigerated for 24 hours, if needed.

Chimichuri Sauce

from Santiago in Uruguay

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup parsley, finely chopped

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

4 small red chilies, deseeded and finely chopped  (~1 tablespoon chopped)

1.5 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. coarse salt

1 tsp. pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release flavors into oil before using. Ideally, allow to rest for 2 hours if time allows.

Herbes de Provence herb blend

 

I love herbes de Provence and use it in place of Italian seasoning in some recipes. It is a chunkier herb blend, not a fine powder.

Note: this formulation does NOT contain lavender, which is something in North American blends and not in traditional French blends that I prefer. 

Herbes de Provence

from MasterClass

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. thyme

1 Tbs. basil

1 Tbs. rosemary, semi-crushed

1 Tbs. tarragon

1 Tbs. savory

1 tsp. marjoram

1 tsp. oregano

1 bay leaf, crushed

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently, using your fingers to crush the herbs together just a bit.

2. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place out of the sunlight.

Nuevo Latino Shrimp and Grits

My aunt sent me this recipe. and it's absolutely fire. 10/10 will make again. The hardest part is finding the tomatillos, which apparently do NOT come in cans! So I had to cheat a little bit and use a can of salsa verde and a cup of green hatch chilies.

Nuevo Latino Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients:

Shrimp:

3 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1/2 jalapeno, trimmed, sliced

1 Tbs chopped fresh oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tsp ground annatto seeds (or 2 packets of Sazón Goya)

1/2 Tsp kosher salt

1 lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

chopped fresh cilantro for serving

Salsa verde:

1/2 lb. tomatillos (≈5) rinsed, quartered

1/2 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed off

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

2 medium cloves garlic

1/2 jalapeno, trimmed and sliced

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

kosher salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Grits:

1/2 cup grits, white and stone ground

1 cup manchego, coarsely grated plus more for serving

1/4 cup heavy cream

4 Tbs unsalted butter, chunks

2 small poblanos (or 1 large one), roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped small

Instructions:

1. Marinate the shrimp: whisk oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, annatto seeds, jalapeno and salt. Cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours.

2. Make the salsa: put tomatillos, cilantro, onion, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice salt and 2 Tbs water into food processor. Pulse until combined. With machine running, slowly add the oil and blend until combined. If very thick, add up to another 2 Tbs water.

3. Make the grits: Bring 2.5 cups water with 1 Tsp salt to a boil in 3 qt. saucepan. Add grits in a thin stream and cook until the grits start to thicken a bit, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, adjusting the heat as necessary, and adding more water as needed 1/4 cup at a time, until grits are thick and tender, 40-50 minutes. Stir in the cheese, cream, butter and poblanos. Season to taste with salt, and keep warm.

4. Cook the shrimp: Heat just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook, flipping once until just pink throughout, 4-5 minutes total. Remove immediately and keep warm. 

5. Serve: If grits have thickened, add a little warm water to loosen them. Divide the grits among shallow bowls, and top with 2-3 Tbs of salsa verde and shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and more grated cheese and serve.