Homemade Pizza Sauce

When it comes to pizza, it’s all about the dough and the sauce. It’s almost impossible to choose the wrong toppings, when you’ve taken care of those two things.
This is a sweet, slow-cooked pizza sauce with fresh basil and oregano I grew in my backyard.
I didn’t add any salt to the sauce, but because most of the meat toppings are salty on their own, you won't miss it.

Ingredients: Makes enough sauce for three to four 12” pizzas
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tbs unsalted butter
1/2 large white onion, chopped
4 tbs fresh basil, chopped
2 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves

Preparation:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
Add onion and saute for a couple of minutes.
Add garlic and saute for another minute.
Add chopped basil and oregano and stir for about a minute.
Add the tomato paste and incorporate fully into the sauce.
Add the brown sugar, olive oil and the rest of the spices.
Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add the crushed tomatoes and the bay leaves.
Simmer for about 40 minutes with the cover slightly ajar.

Photograph by Michael Findley 

Basil and Spinach Pesto

This year I’m growing basil in my backyard. I have yet to figure out how to freeze fresh basil without it turning black from freezer burn, so instead I’m making several batches of pesto which will freeze better.
I started harvesting my basil three months ago. Within two weeks of picking the leaves, the basil plants were even bigger and leafier.
Basil pesto is super easy to make and can be used in so many different ways. Mix it with any kind of pasta or spread it on sliced toasted french bread as a base for bruschetta. You can also dollop some on top of baked potatoes or make a pesto pizza.
In this recipe I added spinach to increase the volume, without affecting the taste. Use 1 part spinach for every 2 parts basil.

Ingredients:
2 cups basil leaves, packed
1 cup spinach leaves, packed (Optional)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup walnuts
3 tbs chopped garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
In a hot pan, stirring constantly, toast the pine nuts and walnuts until they turn golden brown.
Add the basil and spinach leaves to a food processor along with the nuts and garlic. Pulse a few times till well combined. Add the cheese and pulse. Slowly add the oil until it’s completely absorbed, then add salt and pepper to taste.


Update (2011-11-12):
A great way to store the pesto for quick and easy re-use is to freeze it in ice-cube trays. When the pesto has frozen completely, empty the pesto cubes into a ziplock bag and return to the freezer. Now you can quickly access the pesto when you need it. I found that mixing the frozen cubes with the pasta just after its been drained and still hot, allows it to melt and coat all the pasta. 1 cube per person seems to work for me, but you may like more pesto with your pasta.

Now I can enjoy pesto all winter, long after the summer growing season has ended.

Photograph by Michael Findley

Chunky Hummus with Roasted Garlic

Instead of the same old mayonnaise on a turkey sandwich, I love to spread hummus on the bread instead.
l also use it as a dip with crackers, chips and vegetables. This time I used baked pita triangles. Hummus should keep for about a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe calls for 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper, but feel free to add more if you like your hummus really spicy.
I also made this batch of hummus chunkier than usual, and I think it worked out great, but I’m still not sure if I prefer it this way or creamy smooth.

Ingredients: (makes about two cups)
2 cups garbanzo beans, soaked overnight or 1 15 oz can
1/4 cup Tahini (sesame paste)
3 tbs roasted garlic cloves or 1 mashed clove
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
juice of 1 lime
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
pita bread (cut into triangles, see below for instructions)
water
salt

Preparation:
Hummus:
Cook garbanzo beans in about 5 cups of water for about 45 minutes, or until tender.
Add to a food processor, along with tahini, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt.
Process in a food processor until it’s smooth. If it becomes too thick add 1 tbs of water at a time until it gets smooth again. (The picture above is chunkier than normal.)
Pita triangles:
Cut pita bread into 8 triangles, open triangles up and cut the two halves — you should now have 16 triangles.
Rub roasted garlic over each triangle, then brush on a bit of olive oil.
Sprinkle pepper and salt on each triangle and toast in a 375 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

Presentation:
Empty the food processor into a small serving bowl. Sprinkle a bit of extra virgin olive oil on top. If you like, garnish with paprika and/or cumin and add parsley to the center of the dish.

Prepared on 2011-05-14 (Tulsa, OK), Photograph by Michael Findley

Homemade Spicy Mayonnaise with Garlic

My mom has been making homemade mayonnaise since I was a kid. I’ve tried many store-bought brands and none of them ever came close.
I don’t know if making mayonnaise at home is any cheaper than buying it at the store, but it takes so little time to make that you should try it.
This particular mayonnaise is a little bit on the spicy side, which is why I love it so much. Homemade mayonnaise can be stored in the fridge for about a week, but you must be sure to store it in an airtight container. I use this mayonnaise on sandwiches, potato salad,  and several pasta salads. Its also excellent in a Peruvian potato dish, causa rellena, which I'll share with you soon.

Ingredients: (makes about 1 1/2 cups)
2 eggs
1 medium clove of garlic, mashed or 2 tbs roasted garlic
1/2 medium habanero, seeded, deveined and chopped
1 tsp yellow mustard
juice of one large lime
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
about 1 cup canola oil

Preparation:
Put all ingredients, except oil, into a blender.
Pulse the blender until everything is well combined. Turn the blender speed to its medium setting, and slowly add oil until the mayo reaches a thick consistency.

Prepared on 2011-05-17 (Tulsa, OK), Photograph by Michael Findley

Chifles (plantain chips)

Chifles are snacks I grew up eating. Whenever someone in my family would visit my grandmother in Peru, they’d always come back with 2 or 3 bags of chifles in their suitcases. Chifles are slices of plantain which are set on paper towels to dry, and then fried. As soon as they come out of the pot they’re lightly dusted with salt and laid on paper towels again to drain.
A plantain has a similar shape to a banana, but its skin only turns yellow for a short period, just before ripening. A fully ripe plantain has a black skin. It’s starchier and firmer than a banana, and not as sweet.
We usually eat chifles by themselves like you’d eat potato chips, but it’s also customary to serve them with certain Peruvian dishes like ceviche and soups. In Peru, plantains are available year-round, so you can always find them in my grandma's kitchen.
I’ve never made these myself here in the U.S. — not because I can't find the ingredients, but because (thanks to whoever goes to visit my grandma in Peru) we always have some laying around our house.

Ingredients:
3 or 4 plantains
vegetable oil
salt

Preparation:
Cut the plantains into 1/16- to 1/8-inch-thick slices. If you want to speed up this process, you can use a mandolin. Lay a single layer of slices on paper towels to dry for about 30 minutes.
Add 1/2 inch of oil to a pot (deep enough to prevent splatter) and heat to medium high. Toss in a handful of the plantain slices and turn them until they become a gold color. Remove the fried plantain chips into a bowl, sprinkle a pinch of salt and toss to evenly spread. Empty the chips onto paper towels to drain. Repeat this process until all the plantain slices have been fried, salted and drained. The plantain chips will absorb some of the oil, so add more as needed.

Storage:
Store the plantains in air-free containers or plastic bags.

Photograph by Michael Findley

Perfect Rice Every Time

Nothing has frustrated me more over the years than making rice. As a Peruvian, I’m used to having rice served with many of the dishes I eat.
When I started cooking rice for myself, I didn’t have instant success. I watched my mother make it with several, slightly different methods, and the rice came out perfect every time, (like it was pure magic). That only added to my frustration.
Well I’m happy to tell you all that I’ve finally figured it out — well almost.

• Use a heavy pot (the heaviest pot you’ve got that also has a lid). 
• Use oil (not only does it keep the rice from sticking to the pot, but it also allows you to use less water). 

That’s it really, but I should warn you, it may take a couple of tries until you get it right, because it really all depends on the pot you use. You can also modify the amount of water and oil. Once it comes out the way you like it, stick to the same ingredient quantities and pot forever.
For more flavor, you can boil the rice in chicken, beef or vegetable broth, instead of water.

Ingredients:
2 cups white long-grain rice
3 1/2 cups water
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp powdered garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried parsley flakes (crush in the palm of your hand)

Preparation:
In a heavy pot add rice, olive oil, garlic powder, dried parsley and salt. Stir until every grain of rice gets coated with oil. Add the water to the pot, then turn the stove to its highest setting.
Once the water begins to boil, scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any rice that may have gotten stuck. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot.
Simmer 20 minutes.
Remove from the burner and fluff with a long metal fork. Cover and let it sit for 5 more minutes.

Photograph by Michael Findley.

Aji Amarillo (Yellow Chili Pepper)

This has to be one of the most essential ingredients in Peruvian cooking.
It’s used in popular dishes like papa a la huancayina, ocopa, tamales verdes, oyuco, aji de huacatay, causa rellena and ceviche.
It’s not really a very hot pepper, but it’s packed full of flavor.
This pepper can be stored dry and reconstituted before use (although this method will limit the number of dishes in which it can be used). According to food.com, aji amarillo is a chili pepper like aji panca.
Amarillo is “yellow” in English, although it turns a bright orange when it’s ripened.
I’m adding this post because several of the dishes I’ll share on this blog use aji amarillo.
I have yet to find aji amarillo at any of my local grocery stores here in Tulsa, but both Amazon and ebay sell them. I recently purchased an aji amarillo plant through Amazon. I’m really excited about growing this in my own backyard, and I’ll let you know in a few months if it’s still alive.


Update (2011-09-05):

                                  

Baby Aji Amarillo Pepper

I planted my aji amarillo peppers back on the 26th of April. I was very discouraged when no peppers appeared on my plants, although they appeared healthy in every way. I theorize that the heat we experienced this summer, with average daily temperatures above 100 degrees, prevented the flowers from setting fruit. I did notice during the past few months that the flowers would turn brown within a few days of appearing. I had almost given up on harvesting this year when suddenly, yesterday, I noticed about 15 or 20 small peppers. This has been the first week since June that average daily temperatures are below 100 degrees. In fact, our average daily temperatures for the last week have been around 85 degrees.
I now believe that temperature, more than soil conditions, has affected my plants. I’m happy to finally see small peppers, but I’m afraid it may be too late in the season for them to fully mature. I’ll post more updates in the following weeks.


Update (2011-11-12):
Last week during a freeze warning I harvested most of my Aji Amarillos. I left a few on the plant and covered them with plastic. It was all for nothing since we did not get a freeze. But now I’m left with a bunch of green, yellow, and orange peppers in various ripeness stages.

  

I left enough peppers on the plant, as seen below, and I’m hoping they’ll have enough time to ripen on the plant itself before the next freeze.

For the last week, I’ve used the green peppers in various dishes and was pleasantly surprised to find that they were, indeed, HOT and full of flavor. So tomorrow I’m going to try several ways to preserve them. I plan to take all the green peppers, seed them and then blanch them before putting them in a food processor along with salt and olive oil, and turning it into a puree of sorts that I can then freeze. The orange and yellow peppers I’ll cut in half, seed and blanch, and freeze just like they are. I’ll post an update with my results.


Update (2011-11-14):
Like I mentioned in my last update (2011-11-12), I finally got around to preserving my peppers. I harvested any peppers that were still left on the plants that were over an inch in length. In the end, I decided to just process all the peppers in the food processor.  This actually worked out pretty well, and I got a good blend of flavors from the peppers at various stages of ripeness.  I took all the seeds from the orange (fully ripened) peppers and set them aside to dry for next year’s crop. I did however leave a bunch of peppers with the seeds in them, I’ll find out later whether this decision will prove to be a mistake or not.

After cutting and seeding all the peppers, I quickly blanched them in hot water and set them aside in a colander to cool a bit before adding them to the food processor.

I added salt and oil to the food processor, and when I got the consistency I wanted, I placed the sauce in 5 jars and 2 small ice cube trays, similar to the way I did with the pesto.

These ice cube trays are small, about 1/2 inch square, the perfect size for adding to a bowl of soup, or a pot of stew.  All in all, I think I processed somewhere between 150 to 200 peppers (keep in mind all these came from only two plants).

I ended up with 2 small ice cube trays and 5 jars of the sauce, which hopefully will last a few months until next year’s growing season. I’m already planning for 6 plants next year.
This is turning out to be an unusually warm fall season. During most years, by this date we have already had many days of sub-freezing temperatures. Heck, even the leaves on most of my trees are still green. I know this wonderful weather can’t last much longer, so since I still have quite a few peppers on the plants, I may process the rest next weekend.

Photographs by Michael Findley

Aji Panca (Purple Chili Pepper)

Aji panca is a purple chili pepper used as a spice in many Peruvian dishes. It’s prepared into a paste/sauce which is added to many different dishes, including beef stew, gizzo de pollo, spaghetti, papa rellena, lomo saltado.
You’ll find this in the ingredients list for several of the recipes I’ll be posting on this blog.
It can be stored for up to a month depending on how it’s prepared. My grandma does not add salt or oil to it, but I feel safer/better adding both, just for the preservative properties. You can also freeze it for later use.

Although it’s not easily found in U.S. grocery stores, it can be ordered at Amazon.  You can purchase it in a variety of ways: dried, powdered and paste forms. I was very surprised to see that it’s not too expensive.

You can also find it on ebay in several different forms.

If you buy the dried form, it can easily be turned into paste. I will update this post in the future with instructions on how to do that.

Next year I plan to try growing aji panca from seed in my back yard.

Above left photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/31895713@N04/3513975828