The summer of salsa continues...Grilled pineapple salsa

Summer 2012.  

The world has declared that this is the summer of the Olympic Games in London. 

Two girls in California have declared it the summer of salsa.

So far, Lo and I have made 

Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Salsa

Ceviche's Long-Lost Distant Cousin....Roasted Corn and Jalapeño Salsa with Shrimp

Strawberry Salsa

and now, 

PINEAPPLE SALSA!!!

 

Friday night, hubby and I had our Chevy's Fresh Mex, the At-Home Edition.  It's really difficult to eat out when you have such a restricted diet, so I attempt to make everything I'm craving at home.  We grilled up carne asada, veggies, pineapple, and wrapped everything up in a gluten free corn tortilla.  We grilled the entire 3lb tub of fresh pineapple we got at Costco, and since it was just the two of us, we had lots of leftovers.  

I love all things pineapple.  Especially Pineapple Dole Whip.  It tastes best eaten at the Dole Plantation on Oahu, while seated next to a pineapple plant.  But going to the local Frozen Yogurt Shop will satisfy the cravings.  

I texted Lo.  

I just took a nap and had a dream....Of grilled pineapple salsa.  
Dreams are about to become realities.  

I started by chopping up all the leftover pineapple into tiny chunks. 

Chopped up a fresh red spring onion, bottom and tops.  

Got out my gloves, and diced up a jalapeño.  

Chopped up some cilantro and fresh mint leaves.  

Juiced a couple limes. 

Added some cumin.  (It really is one of my favorite spices)

Gave it a stir, a taste, and then covered it and started  it's required siesta in the fridge.  

When dinnertime came around, I seared some jumbo sized scallops, and served them on top of this salsa.  

It.was.perfection.  

 

Sweet, but not too sweet.  Spicy, but not too spicy.  A wonderful balance of flavors, complimenting the scallops perfectly.

As good as any fancy restaurant.
And way, way cheaper. 

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

3 cups grilled pineapple, chopped

1 red onion, diced

1 jalapeño, diced

1/4 cilantro leaves, chopped

1 tbl mint leaves, chopped

juice of 2 limes

Mix all together in a glass bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.  

Ceviche's Long-Lost Distant Cousin....Roasted Corn and Jalapeño Salsa with Shrimp

When Lo made this Salsa the other day, I knew I had to try it.  It didn't have anything on my "NO" list, and only had a couple things on my self imposed "avoid for optimal results" list.
(I can eat them occasionally as long as they don't end up in my regular rotation.)  

Don't you just want to grab a spoon and dig in???

Cumin

I am currently in the "reintroduction" phase of my elimination diet, and am on a strict schedule to try new foods.  Every 72 hours, I try one of my "NO" foods and see how I react.  I am starting at the bottom of my list and working my way, adding back foods that were on my "Low Reaction" list.

This Saturday, my food to try was the spice "cumin".  It is one of my favorite spices.  I love it's earthy, nutty aroma.  Since cumin is an ingredient used in Mexican cooking, I decided that it would be a great addition to Lo's salsa.  We were having some friends over to watch the UFC fights on Saturday night, so I wanted to be able to enjoy one of the snacks that I made for everyone to enjoy.  I also added a tub of wild, baby shrimp and instantly had a giant bowl full of summery, salsa-y goodness.  

I texted Lo and told her how I had improved her recipe.  

Shut the front door!!!

It's fantastic!  

I have Emma and I'm on my way somewhere else, but I'm taking a detour to your place first.
 
It's taking a siesta in the fridge right now. 
(as per your instructions)

It needs to wake up when I arrive.  Vamanos muchachos!!!!!!

Lo arrived, hungry and ready to chow down on some salsa, so we didn't answer the door (apparently the doorbell is really hard to hear when you have 15 people over watching the fights) and we left her on the front porch for a few minutes while we started scarfing down the salsa.  When we finally decided to let Lo in, she came in and said I'm just here for the salsa, that's it. Lo and I hovered around the salsa, munching away.  My hubby called her a food slut, then tried to get in on the action.  He got an evil glare and a "Back off."  When we finally let him try it, he couldn't stay away.  

A little bit of paradise in a jar

I did have one extra special secret ingredient when I made this salsa.  I have this minor little addiction to a store called Home Goods.  Seriously, there needs to be a support group.  I find myself going in there way too often to browse and always find some little treasure.  One of my favorite parts of the store is the little section with all the gourmet foods, oils, and seasonings.  With as much as I cook, I could go crazy just in that little area!  I found this little gem a couple months back, and have been dying to try it.  It really added a depth of flavor that ordinary salt doesn't.  If you can ever find it, or something similar, buy it.  You won't be sorry! 

Roasted Corn and Jalapeño Salsa with Shrimp

2 cups of frozen corn - thawed (or about 4 ears worth cut from the cob)

2 small jalapeños - seeded and diced 

1 basket of cherry tomatoes - chopped  OR 2 large tomatoes - seeded and diced

1 medium red onion - diced

2 medium sized cucumbers - peeled, seeded, and diced

2 medium avocados - chopped

1 can of black beans - rinsed

2 lbs cooked baby shrimp - rinsed

1 bunch of cilantro - chopped

1-2 tbl sea salt

2 tsp cumin

3 limes

Coat a skillet with some olive oil spray and turned it on high.  Add corn and stir constantly until the kernels start to look a little charred, about 5-7 minutes.  Remove from skillet to a large, glass bowl.

Add the jalapeños to the skillet and toast, about 2 minutes.  

Remember to not touch your face or eyes or any other sensitive body parts when you handle jalapeños.  It HURTS.  I always wear disposable gloves to keep the burn off my hands.  Remember to take out all the membranes and the seeds, unless you want it ultra spicy.

Wild baby shrimp
from Costco

Add the chopped tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, avocados, beans, shrimp, and cilantro.  Stir until combined.  Add salt and cumin.  Squeeze lime juice over the top.  Give a final stir, cover, and chill for about 2 hours.

Serve with chips as a dip, or on on top of a salad with your favorite dressing. Or just grab a fork and try not to eat the entire bowl. 

Because it does have shrimp in it, please be careful when you serve it, especially if you are outdoors at a BBQ.  Don't keep it at room temperature too long.  I would suggest keeping the serving bowl on ice, or use a small dish on the table that you replenish often and keep the majority in the fridge.  

Summertime Quinoa "Pasta" Salad

One of my favorite things to make for BBQ's is an "everything but the kitchen sink" pasta salad.  I boil up all the odds and ends of leftover pasta, chop up all almost empty jars of olives and pickled vegetables, add bits of meats and cheeses from the lunch-meat drawer, finely chop up what's left in the vegetable crisper, and toss with the 17 almost-empty bottles of vinaigrette taking up the entire fridge door. It's always different, yet always delicious.    

 Now that I'm on such a restrictive diet, I can't use my go-to "recipe" for the summer BBQ season.  So instead of focusing on what I CAN'T have, I looked at what I CAN have.  I had a box of quinoa in my pantry and decided to make a quinoa "pasta" salad and only use what I had on hand.  It turned out so good.  My hubby said it was "light and refreshing."  You will probably want to double the recipe for your next potluck because it's that good! 

 Quinoa "Pasta" Salad 

 1c quinoa, rinsed throughly, prepared according to package directions (can be made ahead of time and chilled)
2 carrots, shredded

1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cucumber, seeded, peeled and diced
12 large basil leaves, cut into ribbons
4 c baby spinach, chopped
1 can artichoke heart quarters, drained
1 can black olives, drained

 Dressing

1/4 c garlic flavored olive oil
1/4 c raw apple cider vinegar
1 tsp herbs de provonce
fresh ground salt and pepper

 Mix together cooked quinoa, carrots, green onions, cucumber, basil, spinach, artichoke hearts, and olives. Pour dressing over top and mix together.  Cover and chill or serve immediately.

Smoked Salmon Hand Rolls

"I could eat my body weight in sushi."  Mikey Way

Who knew I had so much in common with the bassists from My Chemical Romance?  

Sushi.  My #2 Love.
  (Yes, baby, you're #1)

I could eat it every day.  I've joked that I will probably end up with mercury poisoning one day just like Jeremy Pivon.  

(and become Mad as a Hatter)

 What I don't always love is the bill after I've filled my belly full of the freshest fish over tiny grains of  perfectly seasoned rice.  Now don't get me wrong.  When Dave and I walk out of Sushi Ran, after spending an embarrassing amount of money, we feel like we ripped THEM off.  The food is that amazing.  (Do it.  Go there.  Make reservations.  Invite me!)  But, since I don't have Bill Gates' money, I've had to learn to satisfy my craving on a much more realistic budget.  

A few years ago, I took a couple of sushi making cooking lessons at the now closed Shallots Cooking School at the Nugget Market.  We learned the basics, from how to make the perfect sushi rice, how to make a basic California roll and to how to create "fancy" rolls like an inside out shrimp tempura roll.  I came home from the classes, bamboo rolling mat in hand, ready to conquer the world of homemade sushi.  

When you make sushi at home,  you have to be very cautious about the kinds of raw fish you use.  You always want to buy fish from a reputable fish monger who sells "sashimi grade" fish.  Fish that isn't handled properly could make you very sick when you eat it raw.  There are many places in the San Francisco Bay area to buy fish of this quality.  You can also check with a Japanese Market, or one of the online sellers who will overnight the fish on ice.  

Because I don't have a Japanese market in my town, and I don't always have the time to go to San Francisco just to pick up fish for dinner, I found that I could make my own at-home sushi with cold smoked salmon, right from the grocery store.  I usually get my salmon in a 2 pack at Costco.  Two nights worth of sushi for the cost of 2 "fancy" rolls at a restaurant!  I became addicted, and soon, we were eating hand rolls almost once a week.  

Partial list of my food allergies

Then, in February 2012, I found out the mystery reason I had been so sick for the past few years, was because I had food allergies.  I was allergic to so many foods.  Some of the foods were ingredients in my beloved sushi.  

I.WAS.DEVASTATED.

As upset as I was, I was determined to get in control of my health and start feeling better, yet still find a way to eat the food I loved.  My local sushi haunt has an amazing staff that have been overly accommodating to help me still be able to enjoy sushi.  I was even more estatic to discover that the cold smoked salmon I had been buying at Costco was on my "safe" list, and with a few minor modifications, I would still be eating 

hand rolls ever week!  

Wednesday, late afternoon.  I send Lo a text.

I'm making hand rolls for dinner.  Wanna come over? 


I can't leave my house 'till it's cleaned.  Come cook here? We can talk about the blog.
(code for "sit on the patio and have drinks")


Can Dave tag along?


Oh yeah, he's home.  Sure!

After sitting in traffic for what seemed like 8 years, I made it home from work, kissed the hubby and the pups, threw all the sushi stuff in a grocery bag and we headed over to Lo's.

We were greeted loudly, by the adorable Emma.  I love this face!

As I'm getting situated in her kitchen, Lo starts making these green beans that smelled amazing.  Sadly, I can't eat them, but man, did the smell make my mouth water.  I start making rolls, and keep rolling and rolling and rolling.  

How many should I make?  

I dunno.  

Dave's here. 

Keep Rolling! 

HA!!!

Cooking should always be this fun!

A platter of hand rolls. A bowl of Spicy Schezuan Green Beans. Raspberry Beer. 

A backyard park. Friends. Laughs.

The perfect ending to the midweek "hump". 

  

Smoked Salmon Hand Rolls

Nori Sheets, cut in half

Cooked sushi rice, cooled to room temperature

Thinly sliced cold smoked salmon

Cucumber, seeded and sliced into matchsticks

Avocado, thinly sliced

Pickled ginger, wasabi, sriracha, and soy sauce (opt).

Take a nori sheet and put about 1/4 cup of rice on the left third of the sheet. Spread the rice so it's even. In the middle of the rice, place a piece of fish, a couple slices of cucumber and a slice of avocado. Then roll up in the traditional cone shape (or be lazy like me and roll it up like a taquito). Repeat until you have made desired amount of rolls. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi, sriracha, and soy sauce, if desired.