Flu fighting - Spicy Chicken Broth with Tortillas, Avocado and Lime

J the BF has been spending way too much time on planes this month. He called me before getting on a plane home from San Francisco to warn me that he'd be coming home with a touch of flu. I decided to have a steaming pot of chicken soup waiting for him on arrival.

At some point, I ripped out a recipe for Spicy Chicken Broth with Tortillas, Avocado and Lime from an issue of the now defunct Cargo Magazine (a bible for male consumerism - Rest In Peace Cargo - Men's Vogue is just not an acceptable replacement - who would admit to reading "Men's Vogue" anyway?). Despite the use of 2 jalapeños, the heat is very mild in this sunny alternative to regular chicken soup.

Though Cargo is dead, you can find the recipe posted here on the hbomb blog. Use a mesquite seasoned rotisserie chicken to shave off some prep time and get a little smoky flavor into the soup.

Papas del Sol (Potatoes of the sun)

I've been a bad blogger - but summer's here so time for new experiments in the kitchen.

Potatoes have crept back into my regular diet as a starch alternative to rice, so I'm trying to find new ways to eat them rather than mashed or baked (nuked in my case). I decided to take some cooked red potatoes and pair them with some nice sunny Mexican inspired flavors (thus - potatoes of the sun). The lime juice tames the heat of the peppers and adds a sunny flavor to boring old potatoes.

Ingredients:

1lb small red potatoes, quartered
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium jalapeño chili, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup coarse chopped cilantro
1 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika
2 tbls Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1) Boil potato for 10 minutes or until cooked, but still al dente firm - drain
2) Heat large saute pan over med-high heat - add oil when hot
3) Add Garlic and Jalapeño - saute until chilis soften and garlic starts to brown
4) Add small amount of green onion and drained potato quarters
5) Gently toss the potatoes to coat with oil.
6) Sprinkle with salt and paprika and toss until well blended
7) Heat for 3 -4 minutes until potatoes are lightly browned
8) Sprinkle with Lime juice to tame the heat of the peppers
9) Pour into serving bowl - top with cilantro and green onions

I served this with shrimp sauted with ancho chili powder, garlic, salt and olive oil finished with a splash of silver Tequila. To get something green on the plate, I roasted some asparagus - I'll be smelling that tomorrow! Overall, a small risk in the kitchen from my curiosity that did not kill the cat.