Rustic Guacamole - A Purist Approach For a Special Treat

When we were kids, we got three special things for our birthday. Every year it was the same and we looked forward to it. In the early years, with five kids in the house and parents who both worked, we actually had chores. As the youngest, I managed to skate by a lot of them but still, inevitably, was caught and pressed into what I thought of as slave labor. So it was that our birthday treats held real meaning!

We were kings and queens for a day! No toil befell us. Not a finger did we lift nor tire with burdensome buckets and cloths. We had zero, zip, nada, N-O-spells-No - chores! No cleaning, no don’t-forget-to’s, no take so-n-so here or there! We had the day to loaf and tarry and do as we pleased and we got to watch the other kids in the house do what we didn’t have to do that day. It was glorious! Really, I highly recommend it! Take the day off! I will write you a note.

We got to choose our birthday dinner and choice of cake or dessert as another treat. We rarely had desserts so getting to have a homemade pie or cake or shortcake was incredible and Mom or WaWa (my dad’s mom who lived with us) sometimes lost their heads as with the case of my older brother and made a birthday dessert for him alone in addition to the one for the family. Long after the family coconut cream pie was gone, he ate his with relish and glee. He did not share. He in fact ate it bite by bite in front of us. The bastard! ;)

But the main treat on our special day was a treat so great that to this day, I still buy for myself and consume bite by bite, slowly savoring each delicious spoonful, melting in my mouth. We got to have our very own ½ of an avocado. Gasp! I hear you gasping! Yes, we got to have our very own HALF of an avocado!

The avocado. Precious. And limited during the ‘60’s and 70’s and so very expensive in Houston, Texas. Such a wicked indulgence. We all wanted that creamy green goodness. It was laced with true decadence. Even our dachshund, Heidi, was green with envy on our special day for she too was allowed to have avocado on her birthday; she too had learned to love the precious green orb.

I do not know from where our fixation with avocados stemmed. I suspect that Mom and Dad, living in Laguna Beach, California after they were first married may have something to do with it. Dad fought in WWII and also served during the Korean War as a gunnery instructor at Camp Pendleton. Avocados and olives, abalone and seafood were abundant in California and cheap. I think Mom fell in love with the avocado then and passed it down to her children, the sins of the mother coming full circle.

Looking back, I still remember those days with fondness. Nothing makes you want something more than being told you only have a limited opportunity for consuming it. I still carry on the tradition of King and Queen for the day: no chores, special birthday dinner of choice that includes dessert and of course a half of an avocado for your very own. Of course now days, avocados are relatively cheap and plentiful (at least in the land of TexMex) but that does not dim it’s allure one bit.

Avocados are such a good source of vitamins and so called “good fats”, the mono-unsaturated fats. I convince myself that it’s a good fat delivery system if you’re going to eat fat. I use them in many dishes, and salads are heavenly when spiked with a bit of their unctious richness. One of my favorite dishes of all times is guacamole and make no mistake. I make a great one! *blush*

I am purist in my approach. No tomatoes. Only a hint of fresh jalapeno and onion. A touch of tart lime to add mystique. A smidge of Worcestershire to add a smoky secret element of depth. A tad of olive oil to gild the lily. A hit of kosher salt and a pinch of fresh ground pepper. It’s a salute to the Carmen Miranda of the fruit world! The queen of sexy, sultry Hispanic culture saluted by supporting cast members but never upstaged! So here without further ado…I give you, Guacamole.

Anything tasting this good and Tex-Mexy should come with its own band of Mariachis playing Guantanamera in the background!

Guacamole – Rustic Style
By Blue Zebra
Serves 4-6, depending on portion size!

Ingredients:
2 Avocados, ripe but firm
3 Tbsp Onion, chopped
1 Jalapeno, Fresh, chopped with seeds
1 Clove Garlic, pressed or minced
½ Lime, fresh
2 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Pepper, to taste
Fresh Cilantro, to taste (optional)
12 Grape Tomatoes, whole (optional)

Method:
Halve avocados lengthwise and remove the seed. Reserve seed. Using a large, thin-edged spoon, scoop pulp out of peel and place in non-reactive bowl.

Add chopped onion, chopped jalapeno, minced garlic, Worcestershire, and olive oil and gently mix to combine. You do not want to break the avocadoes up too much. You still want to retain big chunks of the fruit.

Squeeze the juice of ½ of a lime over the guacamole and fold to combine.

Season with kosher salt and pepper and add cilantro if desired.

Again, fold to combine and taste.

Adjust seasoning and lime juice as necessary.

Serve with a bowl of grape tomatoes on the side and crunchy tortilla chips.

If you are not serving immediately, you may add the seeds back to the guac and place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of it, smoothing out as many air bubbles as possible. This helps keep the avocado from going black with oxidation. Serve as soon as possible but in a pinch, this method will hold it with only minor darkening for about 12 hours.

Blue Zebra NOTE:
I like to serve guacamole as a feature attraction of Tex-Mex Tapas. I hear you asking! What are Tex-Mex Tapas?? I serve accompanying bowls of Tex-Mex treats, just little nibbles like nachos, bowls of grape tomatoes with lime and sea salt, bowls of fresh jalapenos, red and green salsas, sour cream, marinated shrimp, bowls of refried beans, succulent bites of spicy albondigas (meatballs), spicy cayenne toasted pecans, marinated onions, marinated carrots, watermelon fire and ice salad cruda, hot bowls of crispy tortilla chips. It’s a great summer feast. Great with tangy margharitas or festive sangria served over mountains of ice. Equally decadent with a full bodied Zinfandel or one of the spicy Chilean cabs. Ole’!
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Better Living Through Breakfast Tacos

I am a Texan, bred, born and raised. Our family dates back for generations in the U.S. to the American Revolution. Our ancestors not only fought in the War for Independence from England, we also had at least one relative who fought in the War for Texas Independence during 1835-1836. My Mom used to regale us with the stories from her mom about how Grandpa Gilbert fought with General Sam Houston against General Santa Anna, commander of the Mexican army in the infamous 18 minute Battle of San Jacinto, the battle that ended the war and resulted in Texas independence from Mexico.

The Battle of San Jacinto took place just 20 miles due east, along what is now Interstate-10 and present-day, downtown Houston, in San Jacinto. This famous battle resulted in the surrender of the Mexican forces, capture of their general and the creation of the Republic of Texas, never recognized by our Mexican friends. It wasn’t until Texas became a state, about 9 years later, that we officially became Texans.

We lived this lore as children and often took road trips to see the giant monument. Erected at the turn of the 20th Century, it memorialized the brave men who fought in the battle. The San Jacinto Monument stands 15 feet taller than the Washington Monument, for which it was modeled. To a child, it inspires dreams and fantasies of life during that time. Seeing Grandpa Gilbert’s name in writing on the monument only served to fuel the fanciful dreams of seeing General Sam Houston under the famous oak tree, just after battle, accepting the surrender of Santa Anna and our grandfather standing right beside the renowned leader…of course that did not happen. Our grandfather was not standing beside Sam Houston.

I also remember the respect and admiration my dad and mom had for the Mexican people. I believe they honored them, in part, because of a shared belief in the ideal that is the sanctity of family (not that our family wasn’t as dysfunctional and torn as the next, cuz we’ve certainly had our issues). But they shared a common, strong commitment to family.

Dad worked with many Mexican workers in the construction business of a young Houston and I still remember the day he came home raving about this delicious breakfast one of the men shared with him. He called them tacos and they were made with egg, potato and salsa. He described them as one of the best breakfasts he’d ever tasted.

It wasn’t until my college years in Austin, however, that I really became indoctrinated into the “way and philosophy” that is the Breakfast Taco. A sandwich that isn’t a sandwich, an icon of TexMex culinary excellence, the breakfast taco could just be the perfect food. There are so many combinations: potato and egg, bean and egg, meat and egg, bacon and egg – the list continues for miles. It is cheap. It is filling. It is fast food cooked from slow ingredients. It is comfort food for the soul of every Texan, worldwide.

Blue Zebra Breakfast Tacos
Yield 4 Tacos (6-7” tortillas)

For breakfast tacos:

4 Eggs
1 Tbsp Water
½ - 1 Tbsp Olive oil, butter, or bacon grease
2 oz Leftover Meat (I use bacon, sausage, leftover brisket or pulled pork)
¼ Cup Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese (optional)
¼ Cup Salsa* (optional)
4 Flour Tortillas* (6-7” Diameter)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cilantro

For cottage fries:
4 Baby New Potatoes (1-1/2” diameter)
1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp Cumin Powder
1 Pinch Coriander Powder
1/8 tsp Paprika (smoked paprika is awesome in this)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil

For sautéed veggies:
½ Zucchini, cut in ½” pieces
½ Yellow Squash, cut in ½” pieces
¼ Onion, coarsely chopped
4 Mushrooms, sliced
½ Tomato, small, seeded, ¾” dice
1 Clove Garlic, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil

For tacos:
Crack eggs into bowl and add water. Using a fork or wire whisk, vigorously beat the eggs until the yolks and whites are well-mixed and the eggs are frothy. Using water, keeps the eggs tender. Milk or cream can actually make them tough. It’s also cheaper to use water, right?

Prep and assemble all of the elements for the tacos: shred the meat, grate the cheese, make the salsa (or open a jar), separate a few cilantro leaves if you have them. These fillings can be as sumptuous as you want or as bare-bones and empty cupboard as necessary. This is a poor man’s breakfast but kings of all nations love them, too! Have the potatoes cook and the veggies sautéed and waiting.

Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add about a tablespoon of oil. Do not use margarine here (as much because of transfats as because the water in the margarine will separate and cause problems with sticking).

When the oil is heated, give the eggs a final stir and pour into pan. Slowly move the eggs around, scraping the bottom of the pan, forming curds. For those who are unfamiliar, this is called scrambling eggs.

Just before done, remove eggs from heat and finish stirring. Salt and pepper the scrambled eggs. Eggs should be moist and fluffy, they will continue to cook for the next few minutes. Remove to a plate.

Add flour tortillas to the pan and cook one at a time, heating briefly on both sides. (Option: place 4 tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and nuke in a microwave for about 30 seconds to heat them through).

Assemble your tacos and enjoy! Add salsa, avocado, cilantro, lime or other condiments.

For Potatoes:
Wash and cut potatoes in quarters and then in half (you will have 8 pieces per potato). Don’t bother drying the potatoes because the moisture will help keep them plump while cooking in the microwave. Place on microwave safe plate. Cover with 2 layers of wet microwave safe paper towels. Nuke for about 3 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Heat skillet to high heat and add oil. When oil is hot, remove paper and pour potatoes into pan. Do NOT stir them!

Sprinkle the tops of the potatoes with seasonings. Again, do not stir the potatoes around. Let them sit for about 2-3 minutes before stirring to rearrange them. This will allow them to brown on the first side. You are trying to get them crispy and brown outside and keep them moist and creamy inside. Microwaving until done is the secret to getting potatoes that are browned on the outside and cooked through on the inside!

Potatoes will take about 6-7 minutes to fully brown on all sides. Remove potatoes and reserve for tacos. Serve them either on the side or as part of a potato and egg taco. Amazingly awesome!

For Sautéed Veggies:
Wash and dry veggies and split squash in half lengthwise. Cut into ½ inch pieces. Prepare all other veggies as noted in above recipe. Heat skillet to high heat. Add oil and heat through.

Add veggies, except for tomatoes, and seasonings and saute over high heat until “just tender” or al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Don’t over stir. You want them to be browned in places. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add tomatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from pan and reserve for tacos. Serve veggies either on the side or as part of a veggie version of breakfast tacos. So great!

Blue Zebra NOTE:
*Flour tortillas and salsa are available at most grocery stores. They will “do” in a pinch and works as a quick solution for the time-conscious. But for the very best result, making these elements from scratch is always going to make a better taco. There is a night and day difference.

The recipes for flour tortillas and salsa choices will be available soon. I will post them under the recipe section as soon as we solve the recipe database dilemma, so please have patience with us! :D

Breakfast tacos, as previously stated, can have many fillings. One of the favorite ways to use leftover meat in our house is to use a couple of ounces in our breakfast tacos, about ½ ounce per taco. I do not warm the meat because it imparts a re-warmed taste. Instead, I let the heat from the warm tortillas and hot scrambled eggs warm the meat up to temp.

But meat isn’t essential to making great breakfast tacos. Two of my favorite BTs are potato and egg or bean and egg made with pinto beans, mashed and refried a bit, prior to assembling. I also use the veggie saute, shown above, with great success. Veggie BTs are so satisfying you don’t even recognize the lack of meat.

The humble breakfast taco is nourishing, and will “stick to your bones” as my grandmother, WaWa, used to say about food that carried a person through the day. The breakfast pictured above is a HUGE serving for most and only costs about $1.10 to make per plate, including 2 cups of coffee with cream. It’s simply another illustration how the egg is man’s best friend for people on a budget. So take my advice, make breakfast tacos at any time of the day. Better living through breakfast tacos! Read more->

Ode To The Homegrown Tomato

Nothing says, “Summer,” like a homegrown tomato.

Ok, I hear you out there in blogland. You are sneering. It’s coming through, loud and clear. And you know what? You are R-I-G-H-T! I do have a brown thumb and every attempt to grow my own tomatoes has sucked wind…badly. (Is it even possible to suck wind in a good way? Hmmm, I will have to investigate that…)

Yes, so I am agriculturally challenged. And I have the PETP folks after me most of my days because anytime I buy plants from the garden store I automatically sign their death warrant. Poor dears, they have a good week or two at least and they tend to get an abundance of water and food. *sniff* By the way, for those of you who aren’t aware, PETP = People for the Ethical Treatment of Plants. ;)

So I cheat...a little. What’s a little cheating amongst friends, right? I buy my homegrown tomatoes. I’m not afraid to admit that one iota. And I adore our farm stand. The stand is more of a little produce shop, really. It’s owned and run by a family who has been in the area for generations and whose family helped to settle the area. The stand sits next to their farm which is a good place for it to sit; since they are selling farm produce…They sell everything this Texan lusts after during the dog days of summer, with my beloved tomatoes topping the list:

Tomatoes – Great big beefsteak tomatoes, juicy yet meaty
Cucumbers – Vine ripened and delicate tasting
Summer Squashes – Several varieties to choose from here, gorgeous
String Beans – Tender and fresh off the vine
Okra – Crisp and small, tender all the way through
Potatoes – Fingerlings and beyond
Onions – All colors sweet and hot
Green Onions – Crisp and grassy with huge fragrant bulb ends
Jalapenos & Cilantro – What Texan could live without these?
Fresh beans and peas – Pintos, Purple Hull, Cream Peas, Black ‘o’ peas
Corn – Sweet, tender and juicy
Peaches – Fresh and in-season from Fairfield, TX (famous for peaches)
Watermelon – Sweet and juicy and waiting for a seed-spittin’ contest
Cantaloupe – Golden globes of juicy perfection
Plums – Sweet and firm with juice that drips down your arm as you eat it
Berries – Fresh in season (alas, we are past berry season here)
Eggs – Fresh from the chicken with orange yolks that stand tall & proud


After a visit to my farm stand, I come home rabid for a good Southern-style veggie dinner. It always begins the same way: sliced tomatoes with a side of sliced onions and cucumbers marinated in home style vinaigrette, followed closely by fresh okra and tomatoes, cream peas cooked in salt pork, corn on the cob and homemade macaroni and cheese made with farm-fresh eggs. A big slice of buttered corn-bread rounds out the menu. If there’s room after, we’ll have a gorgeous lattice-topped peach cobbler, bubbling and juicy and topped with a dollop of homemade Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream. Who needs meat with a menu like that?

Some of my best food memories were eating meals like this during the summer. We never had a garden. Not exactly sure why but I think it had a lot to do with having five busy kids and both Mom & Dad worked long hours. Most of the time, we subsisted on veggies from the grocery and as it was during the ‘60s, much of the veggies were either canned or frozen. Somehow though, we found ways to get at least one or two meals made from fresh veggies produced by local farmers. And those were meals I relished with glee and still make me nostalgic, today.

Another personal favorite of mine is the fresh tomato sandwich. And if you are lucky enough to have a bit of bacon, a BLT is a nice combo, too! The Southern Tomato Sandwich is so simple to make. Take two slices of fresh sandwich bread (the fresher the better), Hellman’s Mayonnaise (it must be Hellman’s), Salt and Pepper and heeeeeewwwwww doggy! It’s awesome! Some people add lettuce to this sandwich or else a slice of onion. Those are both great but not necessary in my book. I also adore getting some of the green tomatoes and frying them in a cornmeal breading. Now that’s the taste of a Southern Summer!

Here’s a great, old-fashioned recipe for Homegrown Tomatoes:

Tomato, Cucumber & Onion Salad
Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:
2-3 Large Beefsteak Tomatoes
2 Cucumbers, peeled
1 Medium Purple Onion
Mustard Tarragon Vinaigrette
Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Method:
Wash, dry and core tomatoes. Cut each tomato into 8 vertical wedges. Add to medium, non-reactive*, salad bowl. Slice cucumbers in half, lengthwise then cut cross-wise into ½” chunks. Add to bowl. Trim ends off of purple onion and peel off tough, outer layers. Cut onion in half vertical and slice it into thin vertical wedges about ¼” thick. Onions will become separated when you toss it with the dressing. Combine veggies with about 1/2 cup of the dressing and place in a container with a lid, in the fridge. Every few hours go in and turn the bowl to rearrange the veggies within the dressing. This is best made about 2-4 hours ahead but in a pinch, can be served immediately. It will also be good the next day.

*Non-reactive bowl tip: Tomatoes are an acidic food. Using a stainless steel, glass or plastic bowl eliminates any chance of having a chemical reaction occur from the acid and metal coming into contact with each other.


Mustard Tarragon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
2 Cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
1 Scant Tbsp Country Style Dijon (You can sub out regular Dijon)
1-2 Tablespoons Fresh Tarragon
1/3 Cup Lemon Juice, squeezed from fresh
½ Cup Olive Oil
1 Pinch of Granulated Sugar
2 Tbsp Water

Method:
In small non-reactive bowl, whisk together minced garlic and mustard. Whisk in lemon juice and water. Once combined, slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking with the addition to make an emulsion. Add chopped tarragon, salt, pepper and pinch of sugar. Whisk to incorporate.

Recipe Note:
This is not a sweet dressing. The pinch of sugar will be virtually indistinguishable. The purpose of the sugar is to cut a bit of the acidity of the lemon and help balance it. The licorice or anise flavor of the tarragon is a great combination with both tomato and cucumber, especially when paired with the citrus of the lemon.

This dressing is completely awesome with any veggie salad. It works great with mushrooms and also works well with artichokes and fresh asparagus. You can easily substitute any herb in place of the tarragon, to make it versatile with other dishes. (i.e. Serving a salad to go along with lamb? Sub out the tarragon for fresh mint!)

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You know, I always marvel after a visit to “the stand”, how little it costs. Veggies and fruits have become outrageously expensive in the grocery store. For $1.99/lb you too can have hydroponic tomatoes, picked green and ripened off the vine! $1.79/lb will get you zucchini trucked in from California and full of ripped skins and pock marks.

I have estimated that we save at least 50% by buying farm produce and sometimes, it’s as much as 60%! I even get “seconds” which are tomatoes that didn’t make the first cull for only $0.50/lb. Can you imagine only paying $0.50/lb for a homegrown tomato? What’s not to love about buying produce so fresh that only that morning it was on the vine or still in the ground? I love knowing WHO grew my veggies. I heart knowing that my money helps support their family and helps perpetuate the livelihood of the small, family farm.

Hug a farmer! Go buy your homegrown tomatoes today!

Blue Zebra Shopping Tip:
Who isn’t on a budget these days? It feels like inflation is going through the roof, even though the government claims there isn’t any inflation. That’s kinda like saying, “What purple elephant dancing in the middle of the living room?”

But the point is, it’s so hard buying nutritious food when your budget is sooo tight you barely have food factored into it. One of the things that helps me tremendously is shopping for veggies at the farmer’s market or farm stand. I can save 50-60% on my produce costs AND get produce that is often freshly picked the morning of purchase. It has more flavor, better nutrients and saves me money. How cool, yes?

Another thing, when you are at your farm stand, either look for or ask about “seconds” or “culls”. My stand has “culled tomatoes”. These are fruits that have blemishes, or spots or cracks or something that keeps them from selling at full price. They are only $0.50/lb at my market! Can you imagine a fresh tomato for $0.50/lb? What do I care about its looks? It could have giant ears and buck teeth as long as it tastes great! I use them for cooking sauces or for freezing. I just cut off the bad spot/s and move forward through the fog with it. It eats the same! I also will just slice or chop around it and use the tomato as purposed, in salads. It’s a bargain.

You can often find peaches with the same dilemma. Bruised spots can be cut out. So try your local farmer’s market or farm stand and experience the economy provided by cutting out the middle man. Get “it” fresh off the vine!

(“This message brought to you by the family farmers of America.”) ;)

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