redacted recipes

Only Slightly Food-Related

I've been a bad blogger recently and some of you have been kind enough to send me email letting me know you've noticed. So first off I want to say thanks to those of you who reached out-- it really is appreciated.

Now that Jack has gone back to the UK I've been predictably underwhelmed by the prospect of cooking food (worthy of sharing here) just for myself. Added to that I've also started a new and very challenging project at work, which requires a lot of time and attention. The days are long and time in the kitchen has been short.

Mind you, I've been eating well, really I have, but the meals have been a bit boring. Essentially I collect my CSA share on Saturday and figure out a large dish I can make and then live on for most of the rest of the week. On the upside, it's a very healthy diet of vegetables, grains and fruits with very, very little meat. On the downside, stewed vegetables over grains every night doesn't provide a lot of material for posts.

But I miss blogging and I miss you guys, so I promise to share with you what my latest one-pot medley consists of from here on out. In the meantime I will leave you with this little story, which is only food-related because I overheard it while buying milk:

Overheard At The Corner Bodega:

Older sister: You better stop running around this store and get in line.

Little brother: You're stupid. STUPID STUPID STUPID!

Father: You even know how to spell that word?

Little brother: Uh, no. Why?

Father: Who's stupid now?

Heirloom Tomato Salsa Cruda

 

September is such a great month for tomatoes here in New York, and my CSA is coming through with huge quantities of them. Not just any tomatoes, either, but gorgeous heirloom varieties. The bulk of this weekend has been about tomato recipes when I haven't been snacking on them just as they are.

Salsa cruda (also known as pico de gallo) is one of my very favorite things in the world. It's always made with raw ingredients-- typically tomatoes, lime juice, chili peppers, onions and cilantro, and it's a cut above other salsa recipes, in my opinion. I never make any other kind anymore. Until yesterday, though, I had never made salsa with heirloom tomatoes-- I generally use big old Jerseys-- but having done so, I think I've spoiled myself for any other kind. The tartness of the green zebras against the sweetness of the yellow and red ones (I'm not sure what varieties we got for those) is just sublime.

Heirloom Tomato Salsa Cruda

3 - 4 heirloom tomatoes (mix up the varieties!)
1 - 2 jalapenos
1 small white onion
1 lime
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Finely chop the tomatoes, jalapenos and onion and combine in a bowl. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice, one half at a time, over the chopped vegetables, to taste. Add the cilantro and stir. Cover and let site for an hour to marry the flavors. Taste and adjust according to preference (you may want more chili or cilantro or lime juice).