Chunky Avocado Toast with Crispy Chorizo & Fried Capers

I ate a really fantastic chunky avocado toast on the beach in Miami a couple weeks ago, then came home and promptly recreated it.

(With a few additions.)

It was the chunkiness of the avocado toast that I loved the most. Most avocado toast recipes feature either a spread of mashed avocado OR very thin slices.

Both are lovely (I mean...it's avocado. Hard to go wrong...), but I loved the big chunky version with thick and creamy cubes piled high on bread, then garnished into something beautiful.

There are a few elements to a truly spectacular avocado toast. Let's go over them:

1. The Toast (obviously).

I like a whole grain bread, preferably with seeds or nuts. One of my current favorites is a low-carb flax bread that actually tastes amazing (My husband requests it over regular bread--for reals!) You can go with something hearty and thick, or even a regular sandwich slice. But skip the toaster! Instead, drizzle a little olive oil or butter on a hot skillet and fry the bread until it's toasted and golden on all sides. Sprinkle it liberally with salt before moving onto the next step.

2. The Avocado
It needs to be ripe! This takes equal parts practice and luck. The avocado should be soft to the touch, but not mushy. Dark, but not TOO dark. You want it as ripe as it gets before it turns brown. The one in this picture is close, but could be even softer (I was impatient). Chop it up into thick chunks; they don't have to be even. Pile them high on the fried bread.

3. Garnishes
I went with chorizo, which is my most favorite thing in the whole world. Thin slices of the Spanish kind, fried until crisp in a bit of olive oil. I then tossed some capers into the hot oil and let them pop and crisp all over. I sprinkled and tucked these in, over, and around the avocado.

4. Salt and Oil
Now you have to bless the whole thing with a bit more olive oil and a generous sprinkle of good and flaky salt. (I love Maldon salt, which has giant crystals that you crush with your fingertips.) For this version, I drizzled on the hot oil that I used to fry the chorizo and capers. I think you should do the same!

Now tell me...what do you like to eat on your avocado toast?

Chunky Avocado Toast with Crispy Chorizo & Fried Capers
Serves 1, multiply as needed

Ingredients
2 slices whole grain bread
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup diced Spanish chorizo
1 tablespoon capers
1 medium sized ripe avocado (such as Hass)
Kosher or flaky sea salt and fresh lime juice, to taste

Directions
Preheat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the slices of bread and fry in the oil until golden and toasted on all sides. Remove bread from pan and set aside.

Add the diced chorizo to the hot pan, and cook until crispy. Add the capers in right at the end, and saute just for  a few seconds until they crisp and pop. Remove from heat.

Peel and dice the avocado into large chunks. Pile on the toast, then top with the fried chorizo, capers, and any oil from the pan. Sprinkle with salt and a good squeeze of lime.

Serve immediately.

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Creamy Avocado Mint Pasta

I have thrown away far too many overripe avocados in my life. I feel bad about this, but it happens. I've come to terms with it. Just like retail outlets build a theft loss into their budgets, I build in an avocado loss.

Because the thing with avocados is that they exist on their own schedule. You can't rush them, and when they're ready, you'd better be freaking ready, too.

It's like giving birth.

(I'm assuming based on things I've seen on television.)

I eat avocado almost every single day. I've recently fallen in love with these little avocados called Gator Eggs. They're small--about half the size of a regular Hass avocado, and the perfect little single serving. They sell them in packs of six, and usually ripen beautifully one or two at a time, so I can get through a whole week of them.

But this week, the alligator eggs were *not* cooperating. I was waiting and waiting and waiting, but they were all rock hard, until suddenly they were all ready. All of them. AT THE SAME TIME!

And I panicked because it was late and I needed a quick way to use them all up. I knew that even waiting until morning could be too long. [Again...like childbirth? Maybe? I probably should stop with this analogy I know nothing about.]

Anyway, this pasta. A creamy sauce with hints of fresh mint and spice from garlic and red chiles. Eugene loved this stuff. He called it guacamole pasta, but I think the mint makes it less guacamole-ish than actual guacamole.

It's creamy, it's dairy-free, and it's very, very good.

Give it a try soon, because time and tide and avocados and babies-about-to-be-born [I assume] wait for no [wo]man.

Disclaimer: please note that despite all the childbirth references above, the only thing I'm pregnant with is ideas.

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Creamy Avocado Mint Pasta
Serves 2-4

Ingredients
1/2 pound small shaped pasta (such as penne or orrechiette)
2 ripe avocados
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, rinsed and patted dry
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 large lime, juiced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes (optional)
Kosher salt to taste

Directions
Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package timing for "al dente."

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce: In a food processor or blender, combine the avocados, mint, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, water, and chile flakes, if using. Puree until very smooth, adding a tiny bit more warm water a tablespoon at a time if it is too thick. You're looking for a sauce with the consistency of a loose mayonnaise.

Season with kosher salt and puree again to combine evenly.

Add the sauce to the cooked and drained hot pasta and toss to coat. Divide into plates and garnish with a bit of fresh mint and a pinch of chile flakes.

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Avocado & Red Onion Salad

I do this really dumb thing every single time we order sushi. I think to myself that I'd like some kind of light and fresh salad to go with the sushi, so I go through the options and pick out an avocado salad.

I don't know why I do this. It's always overpriced--about $5 for what basically amounts to half of a mediocre avocado. And it always has some kind of weird too-sweet dressing on it.

I've even (stupidly. SO stupidly.) done this when I have a perfectly lovely and ripe avocado waiting in the kitchen. Like the act of getting up and slicing it is somehow more difficult than clicking a button on the Seamless homepage.

Ugh. I'll learn my lesson eventually, but I'm here today to tell you to do as I say, not as I do.

This is the avocado salad I'm really craving. And it takes minutes to make.

Less than that, even!

It's just beautiful ripe avocados layered with thinly sliced red onions, lime juice, olive oil, and a bit of salt.

That's it. So simple. So perfect. So easy.

No need to pay anyone else to make it for you.

This recipe originally appeared in my Puerto Rican Christmas Table eCookbook, but I decided to share it here because it's getting warmer and warmer days call for avocado salads all day long.


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Loved this recipe? Here are three other vegetable recipes you might like:

• Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Italian Salsa Verde
• 4-Ingredient Potatoes au Gratin
• Mushroom & Goat Cheese Stuffed Zucchini

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading

Avocado & Red Onion Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients
4 ripe Hass avocados
1/2 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 large lime, juiced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions
Cut avocados in half, remove the pit, and cut in half again. Slide off the peel and slice lengthwise. Scatter avocado slices on a serving platter.

Top with sliced onions.

Drizzle with lime juice and olive oil. Season generously to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately with additional lime wedges.

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Guacamole Chickpea Salad with Cilantro-Avocado Dressing

The awesome folks at Pinterest just released their 2016 Pinsights Flavor Report featuring the top 10 trending flavors, ingredients, and food pairings people are currently loving.


I was super inspired by all these ideas, that I decided to create this chickpea salad recipe highlighting one of my personal faves: cilantro!

Fair warning: If you're one of those people who thinks that cilantro tastes like soap, you're probably going to want to skip this one.

But for this rest of you? Step right up!

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The Everything Summer Salad (Watermelon, Corn & Cucumber Salad with Avocado Vinaigrette)

I call this my Everything Summer Salad, because it's a mix of some of my favorites of the season. Juicy watermelon, crisp cucumber and radishes, sweet corn, and ripe avocados. Served with diced cilantro and a handful of fresh cheese, it hits all the perfect summer flavor notes.

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Keto Mint Chip Protein Shake

When I was in college, my friend Matt and I would regularly spend an evening working our way through an entire pint of Haagen Dazs mint chip ice cream. That and a movie was our idea of a pretty great night in. My ice cream consumption is significantly less these days, but my love of all things mint chip continues.

That was the inspiration behind this Low Carb Mint Chip Protein Shake. I've seen versions of it around for a while (especially earlier this month around St. Patrick's Day), and have been meaning to try my hand at it.

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What's In My Grocery Bag II

Many of you seemed to really enjoy the What's in My Grocery Bag post I wore a couple weeks ago, so I've decided to make this a regular feature!

Just like last time, I'm including a detailed list of every single thing in this week's grocery bag, along with a few notes on how I plan to use each item. My hope for this series is that you'll get some ideas for using ingredients, and learn a little bit more about the way that I cook and shop beyond the recipes that I post here. (Plus, I can totally appreciate the voyeuristic element of seeing what's inside somebody else's fridge.)

If you have any questions about how to cook an ingredient I mention here, or want to share your own recipe ideas for things, just leave it in the comments below.

Enjoy!

Dairy
1/2 lb New York State Extra-Sharp Cheddar (I'm going to make jalapeno and cheddar tater tots with these using a recipe I got from Marc Murphy based on the one he serves at his restaurant Ditch Plains.)
1 16oz carton of Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt in Plain (I typically prefer Fage yogurt, but they were out so I got Oikos. I use this as a substitute for sour cream in dips, sauces, tacos, and chili).
1 gallon Organic nymilk Whole Milk (I'm going to attempt homemade fresh mozzarella using a mozzarella-making kit that Eugene bought me. According to the instructions, this 1 gallon of milk should yield 1 pound of mozzarella. Fingers crossed!)

Fruit
2 6oz cartons of blueberries (they're back! Will probably just eat these fresh with a bit of cream or ice cream; perhaps use a few in pancakes)
1 16oz carton of strawberries (strawberries have just come back in season in NY. Will enjoy this first batch sliced with perhaps a touch of fresh mint)
1 Cantaloupe  (I love how affordable fruit is in season; this huge, sweet melon was just $1.99!, I'll cut it up and eat it fresh and cold. I also like to pop a few cubes in the freezer and eat them like ice pops.)
1 Francine Mango (Francine mangoes are a very soft and sweet Haitian variety; I want to try this kind as I've never had it before.)
2 Tommy Atkins Mangoes (Tommy Atkins mangoes are firmer and more common. I'm planning to slice these and served topped with chili powder, salt, and lime.)
8 Lemons (lemon water, tea, in cooking for marinades, on fish and seafood)
5 Hass Avocados (I want to try an avocado popsicle recipe I read, and of course, a lot of salads! My favorite is arugula, avocado, sardines, and a lemon vinaigrette--perfect summer lunch full of fiber, protein, and good fats.)
1 Bunch Bananas (quick breakfast or snack on the go, but really mostly for doing this thing I do where I dip the peeled banana in melted semi-sweet chocolate and freeze, then eat. It's my favorite weeknight dessert!)
2 On the Vine Tomatoes (for fresh salsa)


Vegetables & Herbs
1 package Organic Alfalfa Sprouts (love these in sandwiches with just a bit of mayo on whole grain bread, also great in salads and turkey burgers)
1 bunch Organic Watercress (my favorite salad green--love that spicy, peppery bite. It's also great pureed with Greek yogurt and garlic for a quick salad dressing or veggie dip)
Organic White Mushrooms (going to add these to my turkey burger patties)
1 bunch Local Asparagus (roasted with olive oil and lots and lots of pepper--seriously my favorite way to eat them)
3 Belgian Endive (I'm planning to braise these in olive oil and serve with gremolata, just like we had at Eat Write Retreat! Sublime.)
Cilantro (I use this in salsa, sofrito, on fish tacos, and in cocktails)
Parsley (to make gremolata for the braised endive)
Mint (will julienne and sprinkle on fresh berries, use in my morning water along with some lemon and cucumber juice, use in cocktails)
6 Jalapeno Peppers (will be using these in the aforementioned jalapeno and cheddar tater tots (!!), also in salsa, guacamole, and cocktails)
1 Red Bell Pepper (not exactly sure yet, but always good to have around)
1 package Satur Farms Wild Arugula (salad with avocado, lemon vinaigrette, and sardines or smoked oysters)

Seafood
2 Farm-Raised Tilapia Fillets (pan-fried and served with a lemon, butter, and parsley sauce)
1lb Shell-Off Cleaned Fresh Wild Rock Shrimp (sauteed over salad)
4 Wild Soft-Shell Crabs (I actually already cooked and ate these! Made soft-shell crab tacos with cumin yogurt, avocado, and fresh salsa.)

Meat
2lbs Ground Turkey (turkey burgers! I'm thinking chipotle mayo, alfalfa sprouts, and freshly baked wholegrain buns)
2lbs Organic Grass-Fed Ground Beef (meatballs; Eugene really liked the ones I made last week so I'm going to reprise and make extra that I can freeze for quick meals in the future)

Grocery
1 can Goya Coconut Milk (I want to make a Puerto Rican frozen dessert that my grandmother used to make me. It's called limber de coco. I'll definitely be posting about this!)
1 bag Goya Red Lentils (braised lentils, lentil soup)
1 bottle Monini Il Monello First-Pressed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, 2009 Vintage (good olive oil for salad dressing, soup garnishes, and to dip bread into)
Rice Select Jasmati Long Grain Jasmine Rice (to accompany the lentils, chicken, other dishes. I'm not a huge rice fan, but I love jasmine rice)
1 jar Roland Hot Sliced Jalapeno Pepper (to use in those tater tots I keep mentioning. Also for garnishes on burgers, sandwiches. Eugene also just likes to eat pickled things along with his food.)
1 Spice Supreme Chili Powder (I'd just run out so I got a new jar for chili, black bean soup, to sprinkle on fresh sliced mangoes along with a bit of cayenne, salt, and lime juice)
1 Spice Supreme Curry Powder (I never buy curry as I don't really love it, but I wanted to experiment a bit with it on lentils and possibly chicken)

Bakery
2 Par-baked French Baguettes (I love to bake from scratch, but par-baked (partially baked) breads are amazing because they allow you to have freshly baked bread in a total of 40 minutes. I keep a few of these in my freezer and pull them out and finish baking them whenever I want something to accompany a soup, or to serve with cheese, or for sandwiches.)
1 Par-baked Raisin Pumpernickel Bread (this kind is especially good with creamy aged cheeses, just add some fruit and a glass of wine for a perfect summer supper or picnic)

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Spicy Shrimp & Avocado Salad Sandwiches

Last week I read the book Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (she of The Time Traveler's Wife fame). I ended up not really liking the book as much as I expected. In fact, I didn't really like it at all. The story was fine initially, but I expected something spookier and felt like many parts of it were left unexplained and unexplored. Even with suspension of disbelief, much of it just really didn't make any sense. The final third of the book, in particular, was stupid, and rushed, almost as if it had been written in haste just to get it over with or like she just grew bored.

To put it frankly, it was a huge waste of time.

But all was not lost!

It's a long book and once I put it down (once I got past just how bad it was), I found myself thinking over and over again about one particular scene. Just a few lines, really, where the main characters--a pair of 20-something American twins living in London--are taken on a picnic by a male neighbor. He brings along sandwiches and when they ask what kind they are, he says

"Prawn-mayonnaise sandwiches...[In America] you would call it a shrimp-salad sandwich, though I've never understood where the salad idea comes into."

I thought that was a pretty clever observation because it's true; we do seem to call just about everything a "salad" even though most barely are (think Ambrosia salad or classic tuna or egg or elbow macaroni salad; x-flavored mayo would definitely be more appropriate). That said, the thought of a creamy shrimp salad was officially stuck in my head and it wasn't long before I made it our dinner.

I used small hand-peeled Laughing Bird white Caribbean shrimp for mine. If you haven't tried them yet, I definitely urge you to seek them out. Humanely farm-raised in filtered sea water, they are fed a completely vegetarian diet (that keeps them 100% mercury free) and are chilled immediately after being caught (never frozen) so they are always fresh and sweet. Bonus points because the farm where they are raised has been given high marks and praise by the World Wildlife Fund.

Oh and at around $10 a pound, they brought me infinitely more pleasure than that lousy book.

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Thanks for reading!

Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Salad Sandwiches
Makes 6-8 sandwiches

Ingredients
1.5 pounds clean and peeled small shrimp (I love Laughing Bird hand-peeled shrimp, which are humanely farmed shrimp completely free of mercury, sulfates, or other nasty things.)
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon cooking or olive oil

1 red onion, finely minced
1 large Florida avocado, diced into about 3/4" cubes
1 cup minced celery (about 2 stalks)
1 bunch roughly chopped watercress (or arugula)

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon grainy or Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
Ground Black pepper

Kaiser or Whole Grain buns for serving


In a large bowl, toss the clean and peeled shrimp with the Old Bay and paprika.

Over medium-high flame, heat the oil in a large dutch oven or skillet and add the shrimp. saute until cooked thoroughly. Remove the shrimp from the pot and place in a large clean bowl. Reserve the liquid from the pot.

To the bowl of shrimp, add the minced red onion, diced avocado, minced celery, and watercress.

In a smaller separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon zest and juice, mustard, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and cayenne. If too thick, add a tablespoon or two from the reserved cooked shrimp liquid.

Pour the dressing over the shrimp and watercress mixtures and toss to coat well. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired.

Serve the salad piled into Kaiser or Whole Grain buns for serving as a sandwich or serve in small bowls as a salad.

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JK's Salmon and Avocado Salad and Why a "torte" is not the same thing as a "tart."

While we were growing up, my family regularly went out to dinner to one of a few favorite restaurants all located within ten minutes of our home. North Jersey being what it is, the majority of these were Italian and featured similar menus heavy with aromatic red sauces and wonderful stuffed, breaded, fried things.

I loved these places, with their bowls of crusty bread just perfect for mopping up sauce and the ever present sounds of Dean and Frank flowing in from the loudspeakers. Whenever my father would ask us where we wanted to go, I would invariably shout out the name of one of the Italian places, my mouth already drooling at the thought of a garlicky clam sauce or perhaps even my favorite--veal Milanese.

I didn't always get my way, however (the nerve!), and so we occasionally ended up going to my mother's favorite: Park & Orchard.

Located in an old renovated factory, Park & Orchard is a cavernous beast of a restaurant with black and white chess board floors and exposed pipes overhead. The place is always packed and the bar overflows with North Jersey-ites sipping cocktails or watching the game while waiting for a table. The wait for a table was usually long, but as regulars, we often were slipped in just a couple minutes after our arrival. The coolest thing about this place is that, despite the fact that it's located in East Rutherford, NJ (home to Giants Stadium and the kind of establishments that feature such shady [and grammatically questionable] lunch specials as: "Pasta, Boobs, Breadsticks--All You Can Eat!" or "Nude Soup!"), the restaurant has the same cool, urban feel as many of my favorite spots here in New York.

I love that they take pride in their ingredients. They serve only fresh, whole foods--no white sugar, bleached flours, food coloring, or preservatives of any kind, and even feature a Celiac menu for those who suffer from wheat or gluten allergies. All their food is prepared in stainless steel or cast iron pots and pans (no Teflon) and they only bake in glass or tin. The fresh-baked loaves of whole wheat bread they serve with dishes of organic olive oil are a far cry from those light-as-air rolls from the Italian joints, but just as good--if not better!

The funny thing is that, though I've accompanied my family there dozens of times over the past 15 years (and even a couple times on dates or with friends), I have only ever ordered the exact same meal. The only thing that has changed over the years is the beverage. When I was young it was a Knudson's Black Cherry Spritzer; around age 16 or 17 it became wine, served without questions and with my father's blessing.

This perfect meal which I have consumed on so many occasions is this: A mixed green salad served with the house Oriental Ginger dressing, followed by an entree called JK's Pasta: a spicy linguine dish tossed with chunks of salmon sauteed in olive oil, with garlic, tomatoes, herbs, crushed red pepper, and scallions. Dessert was a rich chocolate torte with a graham cracker crust served in a butterscotch puddle. It was heavenly and I always ordered it even if I felt like I couldn't swallow another bite. I occasionally accompanied this with a little sifter of Amaretto (I was kind of a boozy teen).

My only complaint, one which to the chagrin of my parents and annoyance of my brother I voiced on multiple occasions to the waiters and chef when they came by to ask if "everything is all right?" is that the dessert that they called a "torte," was in actuality a "tart." The difference of course being that a tart is a pie-like crust or shell filled with a prepared filling such as pastry cream or chocolate ganache (as was the case here). A "torte" is a really a variation of a cake, often made with thin dense layers made with ground nut meals and eggs, and alternated with layers of ganache or buttercream icing. As this was very obviously a ganache in a pie-like crust (therefore a tart), I was quite frustrated that the error was never acknowledged. I would usually go on about this for several minutes while I swirled my fork around my butterscotch puddle, only stopping when my brother (who openly finds me nerdy and insufferable) would finally have enough of my babbling about the Italian origins of the word "torte" and would shout at me: "Nanda! Shut up! No one cares!"*

It's actually been quite a while since I've had that meal, but I often try to recreate those flavors here at home. Tonight, while leaning against my open refrigerator door contemplating my dinner options, I remembered that I still had a rather large piece of grilled salmon left over from Saturday. Not really in the mood for a heavy pasta dish, I decided to create a salmon salad that uses the same ingredients in JK's Pasta (well, plus the addition of an avocado that absolutely had to be eaten today). The results were so good that I had to stop myself from eating it all straight from the pan so that I could plate and photograph it mediocrely for you.

As I write this today I realized that having been so fixated with the torte vs. tart debacle, I never really quite got around to asking just who JK is. I'd like to think that he'd be pleased with my salmon salad, though, and so I'm going to name it after him.

*Many years later, in culinary school, I shared this story with my chef in my Chocolate & Confections course and was relieved that he was just as horrified as I at such a blatant error in pastry-naming. It took me ten years and a trip across the Atlantic, but I finally found a sympathetic ear.

JK's Salmon and Avocado Salad
I had a good piece of leftover grilled salmon in the fridge when I came up with this recipe, but you're welcome to use whatever you have in your fridge or pantry. This could work just as well with smoked salmon fillets (not lox) or canned salmon or tuna (drained). You could even use chicken or tofu, if you're so inclined. The key is really in the combination of fresh flavors...

Ingredients (for one, multiply if serving more)
4 to 5 ounces of grilled salmon
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 ripe avocado
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or hot chili oil
1 handful chopped Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (optional)
Course sea salt
Crushed black pepper
Extra Virgin olive oil

1. Flake the salmon and drizzle with a 1-2 count* of olive oil. Toss with a pinch of sea salt and a dash of black pepper, then set aside.

2. Preheat a large skillet over low heat then add three counts of olive oil. Raise to medium-high and toss in the garlic cloves, shaking around in the pan and cooking until just golden.

3. When the garlic is ready, add the crushed red pepper and cook for another 15 seconds.

4. Add the seasoned salmon to the pan. Squeeze about half the lime juice in and add the tomatoes and scallions. Saute for one or two minutes, just enough to let all the flavors meld (as the fish should already be cooked).

5. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Transfer everything
into a large bowl and add the sour cream, blending until just combined. Add the
paprika if using, and test for seasoning. Adjust accordingly with sea salt and pepper.

6. Mix in the diced avocado cubes and your done! Serve on crackers or over
a bed of mixed greens with a few extra tomatoes and a wedge of lime on the side.


*A 1-2 count is literally that: Count while you drizzle the oil. So for two
counts, you count to two, for four counts, you count to four, etc. It's not
exact, nor should it be. Try not to rely too much on measurements and instead
work on getting comfortable with the ingredients, judging for yourself what
seems about right. Trust your instincts.

7

In which Alejandra goes to the grocery store and discovers a new kind of mutant lettuce

The wind was biting when I left the office today so I skipped my usual six-block walk to Whole Foods, and instead popped into the nearby Morton Williams. For those of you who don't live in New York City, you should know that the grocery stores in Manhattan are a dismal lot. The big specialty stores, like Whole Foods are wonderful, but twice as expensive and always packed to the gills. The other stores—Gristedes, C-Town, D’Agostinos—all seem to exist in constant states of disarray, with employees perpetually restocking, sweeping, mopping, and doing just about anything they can to make the shopping experience as inconvenient as possible.

The Morton Williams near my office isn’t as bad as some of the others, but I’m completely puzzled by their stock. They boast an olive oil and imported Italian product selection enviable of most gourmet specialty stores. They sell just about every kind of ice cream flavor known to man (Acai Berry! Mexican Chocolate! Pinot Noir!). They even have an entire aisle devoted to British products like tea, Cadburys chocolates, and two different kinds of Marmite (ugh). And yet, they always seem to lack the most basic of products. Necessities like milk, toilet paper, and sour cream seem to never be available.

But perhaps this is the reason why I actually enjoy this store. I am not a quick food shopper. I browse supermarkets much like I do bookstores: going around and around the same aisles surveying my options and usually leaving with much more than I planned to buy. I rarely shop with a list or preset recipe in mind, preferring to base my meals on whatever is in season or simply strikes my fancy. It’s a creative process (an adventure, even) to walk into the store knowing that I have a completely blank slate on which to experiment.

Lately, I’ve been drawn to the oddball products on the grocery shelves; the dusty, imperfect things found up high or way down low, all but obscured from plain view. Morton Williams is perfect for this with its weirdo stock. Somewhere in the back of my head I seem to have decided that any items produced outside of the US must be better than their American counterparts. For this reason, I regularly come home with bags full of slightly more expensive imported products like unsalted Danish butter in lopsided little bricks, slightly dented cans of Israeli tuna, and jars of clotted cream covered with tiny British flag stickers.

Accustomed to strange little discoveries in the inner aisles, I was surprised to be surprised in an entirely new part of the store today: the produce section. There, nestled among the tightly cellophaned balls of iceberg lettuce and the lush, wet bouquets of romaine, was a plastic clamshell package containing what it proudly proclaimed to be a: “New Lettuce!”

"A NEW lettuce?!" I thought. I had no idea they were still making new lettuces! It's called “Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce,” and claims to be the “Best of Iceberg and the Best of Romaine.” I stared at this for a while. Turning the package over and over in my hands, trying to figure out the magic behind Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce. I’d never really seen a trademarked lettuce before, so that was exciting in itself.

At 5 dollars a pop, Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce is twice as expensive as the other kinds, which I suppose is what one would expect of mutant lettuce. There were several packages on display, all baring a “Best By 1/24” stamp on them. Checking my watch for the date, I suddenly grew a little concerned for the Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce, picturing it meeting an early demise in a stinky Hell’s Kitchen dumpster. I thought, "that’s no way for Cosmopolitan ™ lettuce to end its days."

So I rescued it. I adopted the Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce, vowing to bring it home and bathe it in Meyer lemon cilantro dressing and serve topped with pieces of spicy, citrus marinated flank steak and avocado.

So that’s exactly what I did.

A bit more about Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce*:
I may have purchased this wierdo x-lettuce out of some kind of strange sense of yuppie food guilt, but I can honestly say that I’m glad I did. The lettuce really does bring together the best parts of iceberg and romaine—the crispness of the former with the sweet, leafy flavor of the romaine.

The leaves are long, and almost taco-shaped, so they work perfectly for wraps or sandwiches. (Ideal for the low-carber who can't eat bread.) The crisp leaf holds its shape really well even when stuffed with steak and avocado (like I did), and the flavor really is a cut above.

Though a bit overpriced, I would still recommend trying it out. I couldn’t help thinking that the smaller inside pieces would be great with dips or fillings as an hors d’oeuvres.

Meyer Lemon Marinated Flank Steak with Lemon Cilantro Dressing in Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce Wraps
This recipe would work just as well as a normal salad, but I wanted to see just how much these Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce wraps could hole. The answer is a lot. Please note that the flax seed in this recipe is completely optional--I just like to toss it in everything as it's an amazing source of fiber and also adds a lovely (and subtle) nutty crunch.

Ingredients
1/2 lb flank steak
1 bunch of cilantro with stems cut off
2 Meyer lemons, juiced
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of pine nuts or almonds
3 tablespoons of ground flax seed (optional)
2 cloves garlic
course sea salt
black pepper
Cosmopolitan ™ Lettuce leaves (or other kind of lettuce)
1/2 large avocado
3 tablespoons homemade or packaged mayonnaise


1. In a food processor, puree the cilantro, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, nuts, and flax seed. Season to taste with course salt and freshly ground pepper. The final mixture should resemble a loose pesto in texture, with a brighter (almost neon) shade of green.

2. Set aside about a third of the dressing. This will be used at the end to dress your salad so keep away from the raw meat. The rest of the dressing will be your marinade. Place the steak in a glass dish and pour the marinade over. Let marinate for at least 45 minutes, covered, in the refrigerator.

3. Broil the steak for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness. After removing from the oven, let sit for a few minutes (covered) so that the juices sink in. While waiting, mix the portion of dressing you originally set aside with the mayonnaise (or sour cream if you prefer).

4. When ready, slice the steak thinly against the grain (meaning perpendicular to the natural lines of the meat), and pile into your lettuce leaves. Top with a few cubes of avocado and drizzle on the dressing according to taste.

Enjoy!

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Rock Shrimp Cobb Salad with Coconut Milk Dressing

There is a little seafood restaurant in the West Village that I've been to about a half-dozen times, each time ordering the exact same meal. The restaurant is called Fish, and the meal consists of raw oysters, an ecstatically good appetizer called "Angels on Horseback" (oysters, wrapped in bacon, broiled to a crisp, then served topped with horseradish and cocktail sauce), and a giant lobster cobb salad for my main. We also usually go through a couple bottles of the same vinho verde--a light, slightly-green hued Portuguese wine. For dessert, I admit to sometimes getting a second order of the aforementioned Angels on Horseback.

Fish is a lovely little place, but it's in the West Village and I live in Harlem so the commute isn't ideal. The other day, during a quiet afternoon at home, I started craving the perfect melding of lobster-avocado-bacon and decided it was definitely time to recreate a version of it at home.

Instead of lobster, I decided to experiment with significantly more affordable rock shrimp. Rock shrimp are small, sweet shrimp with a texture that's nearly identical to that of a spiny lobster. They're usually sold already peeled and deveined (since peeling them by hand can be tricky; the shell really is hard as a "rock"), and cook quickly for a lobster-like meal in just a couple minutes.

I chose peppery baby arugula for my salad and topped it with rows of crisp and crumbled bacon, tiny round grape tomatoes, diced avocados, and the rock shrimp--which I seasoned with lemon juice and sauteed in bacon fat. I would have added a hard-boiled egg, but I got impatient and decided to skip it. I confess that I completely forgot about the container of crumbled Gorgonzola hidden behind the milk.

I did not, however, forget about the dressing! Cobb salad is generally served with one of two dressings: a tangy vinaigrette or a much creamier mayo-based dressing. (I'm sure you'll have no trouble figuring out which kind I prefer... )

Relying on my taste memory, I whisked together a creamy coconut milk dressing with a few spoonfuls of mayo (for flavor!), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cayenne, my homemade garlic-onion powder, and just a dollop of honey to round everything out. The result was lovely and light with just a hint of smokiness from the paprika.

Like most salads, this one is easy to play around with. Use regular shrimp, bay scallops, or spring for that lobster. Add cucumbers or use a mix of greens (a handful of my favorite Upland Cress would be amazing here!). I didn't miss the egg, but I think the cheese would give it something lovely. Even the dressing is flexible (although I think I'll probably keep my version as is).



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New to Always Order Dessert? Consider subscribing to my RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates by filling in your address in the box on the right. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me.

Rock Shrimp Cobb Salad
Serves 2, generously. Can be doubled as necessary.

Ingredients

For the Salad:
4 strips center cut bacon
1 pound rock shrimp, peeled and deveined
Juice of 1 half lemon
1 avocado, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, washed and dried
1/4 cup of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (optional)
5 cups baby arugula (can also use watercress, upland cress, chopped romaine, etc.)

For the dressing:
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (preferably creamy, not grainy)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt


Directions
Prepare the dressing: Whisk together all the dressing ingredients until fully combined. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Set aside.

Fry bacon over medium heat in a heavy-bottom skillet until crisp throughout. Remove from the pan and let cool slightly before crumbling. Set aside, reserving the bacon fat.

Raise the heat to medium high and add the rock shrimp to the hot bacon fat. Saute for 1-2 minutes, until the shrimp are fully cooked and opaque. Add in the lemon juice and toss well to coat. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Assemble the salad: Fill a large bowl with the arugula. Arrange the shrimp, avocado, tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and Gorgonzola (if using) in single rows above the arugula. Serve with the dressing on the side. Just before eating, toss the salad with a 1/4 cup of the dressing, reserving the rest on the side for guests to serve themselves.

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Vegetarian Pozole Verde

One of my favorite recipes that I wrote for my old food column in the now-defunct Cosmo for Latinas magazine (R.I.P.), was this vegetarian pozole verde recipe.

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Banana Dessert Sushi Recipe

Hey guys! I'm so excited to share that throughout the month of May, I'll be teaming up with The Dr. Oz Show to create and share super fun snack and dessert recipes as part of their #28DayShrink challenge to trim down belly fat before summer.

As you guys know, I'm ALL ABOUT indulgences, but I've also shared how balance is important to me, too (and not just because I have to go on TV every so often--though that's definitely a big part of it!).

To me, true indulgences are things that are really luscious and worthwhile. And I mean really worthwhile.

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12 Chorizo Recipes You Need to Try

My favorite go-to ingredient? Chorizo! I love using it in just about everything (well...I haven't quite delved into the word of chorizo sweets, but give me time!) Here are 12 of my favorite recipes that feature chorizo--from breakfast to dinner, and even a chorizo cocktail for the true fanatics. Scroll down, get inspired, and make something spicy!

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Spicy Herbed Salmon Salad with Kale, Bacon, and Avocado

Well this is basically all I want to eat during the summer. OK, maybe not THIS specifically, but things LIKE this.

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Ceviche for Beginners: Easy Key Lime Scallop Ceviche

There was a time when I was terrified of ceviche.

A bowl of raw fish?! Cooked without heat??

I remember feeling suspicious about the whole thing.

I've never really been a fan of things that are too raw. Even today. I tend to stay away from very rare steak, only eat the cooked edges of seared tuna, and generally prefer complicated trendy Americanized rolls over more aggressively raw slices of bare sushi. Plates of tartare and carpaccio get pushed in my husband's direction. And while I'm ok with raw egg yolks when they disappear into a chocolate pudding, pasta carbonara, or mayonnaise, I prefer to not see bright yellow oozing all over my breakfast plate.

But the ceviche made regular appearances at the Latin restaurants we frequented growing up, and it wasn't long before I'd braved a bite, then two, and then entire plates of it.

Fresh, bright with citrus and herbs, and just a bit of heat from chile peppers. It was fish, but not fishy. Raw, but tasted somehow, magically, cooked.

It was an ideal summer choice, served alongside crispy tortillas or salty plantain chips.

And the truth is that as far as quick cooking methods,  ceviche is about as easy and no-fuss as you can get. At its most simple, it's simply good seafood or fish tossed with lime or lemon juice.

That's seriously it!

Then you can add herbs, spices, sliced chiles, diced fruit, nuts or vegetables...really just about anything but the base is simple.

This recipe only calls for 4 required ingredients (not counting salt & pepper), and the flavor is incredible. I love these rolled up into warm tortillas for easy ceviche tacos (add some diced avocado for creaminess) or even served with tortilla chips like a kind of entree salsa.

As far as raw seafood is concerned, scallops are one of the safest things you can eat. Tiny bay scallops are in season right now and require no prep, but you can also use large sea scallops and just dice them up.

And key lime juice is particularly special with a brighter and slightly sweeter flavor than regular limes. I juiced my own, but you can buy fresh bottled key lime juice at many grocery stores. Or just use regular limes.

Have you ever tried ceviche? Would you make it at home?

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Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!  

Easy Key Lime Scallop Ceviche Recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound fresh bay scallops, rinsed under cold water
3/4 cup fresh key lime juice (from about 15 key limes, or use regular fresh lime juice)
1-2 jalapenos, seeds removed and very thinly sliced (I used one red and one green for color)
1/4 cup minced chives (substitute finely minced red onion or scallions)
Kosher salt and black pepper

Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro leaves, diced avocado, tortilla or plantain chips, for serving

Directions
Place bay scallops in a large non-reactive bowl (such as glass) and pour in the key lime juice. Add the sliced peppers, and chives. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat well. Cover with plastic. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally, and not longer than 3 hours.

Serve cold garnished with cilantro, and with tortillas, plantain chips, or chips on the side.

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Chipotle Coca-Cola Sweet Potatoes for 5 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dish Ideas

Let's talk about Thanksgiving for a minute, OK?

I think a lot of us make this holiday way more complicated than it needs to be. We spend days (or even weeks!) seeking out new recipes, creating elaborate menus, and figuring out fancy techniques to bust out on the big day.

And the weird part is that, often, the thing people love most about Thanksgiving are the old favorites!

All that work, and your brother just wants the same old stuffing. Bummer, right?

So this year, we're going to keep things simple. (But we're still going to have some fun!)

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some of my solid favorite Thanksgiving recipes, but showing you a few creative ways to mix them up and serve them. So your family gets to enjoy their favorites, and you still get to play around in the kitchen.

Everybody wins!

First up are these Chipotle Coca-Cola Sweet Potatoes. This season, I've partnered with Coca-Cola to share some favorite holiday recipes and party inspiration so this felt like the perfect recipe to start off this series. I've been making this easy sweet potato recipe for about 7 years, and it has never let me down.

And the best part? SO easy. You puree a few ingredients, pour them over the sweet potatoes, and bake.

I'm NOT even going to make you peel the potatoes! Awesome, right?

And I promised you fun, right?

Because while these sweet potatoes are amazing served as-is (seriously...I'm talking spicy, smokey, and a little bit sweet...so perfect!), they're also a great base for some super creative (and easy!) serving ideas.

I love this because it gives you a chance to personalize and customize your dish, while still keeping everyone happy.

Read on, and get inspired!

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Saffron Aioli

I made this homemade saffron aioli for the first time last month while helping out a chef friend with prep for a dinner he was cooking.

"Do you know how to make aioli?" he asked. "Can you do one with saffron?"

"I do!" I said, and gathered the ingredients--an egg, two kinds of oil, a bit of mustard, garlic, lemon, and the saffron.

Aioli is basically just a fancy name for homemade mayonnaise with garlic, and can be used in pretty much the same way. Once you learn how to make it (and it's basically just a bunch of stuff in a blender--that easy!), you can then mix it up however you like--add fresh herbs, roast the garlic, sriracha, spices...so much you can do!

Saffron typically needs to be "bloomed" before you can cook with it. All that means is you need to steep it in a liquid of some kind of bring out the flavor and color--almost like a tea. Most saffron recipes--like my Blackberry Saffron Almond Cake and this Saffron Walnut Bundt Cake--have a bit of liquid that can be warmed up, but the aioli doesn't. I tried making it by warming up some of the oil and adding the saffron.

It worked really well, but when I tested it again (while feeling lazy) I skipped that step, and realized it worked the same way anyway so here is the simplified recipe.

One thing you definitely can not skip, is the combination of oils. I know it might be tempting to use all olive oil, but don't. Mayonnaise or aioli made with all olive oil is bitter and not good. (It's gross, actually.) You need the half and half combination of good spicy extra virgin olive oil and then a plain oil like grapeseed, avocado, or any vegetable oil you choose.

This gorgeous saffron aioli is fantastic with roasted or steamed vegetables (especially asparagus or Brussels sprouts!), crispy potatoes (or fries!), eggs, or in a sandwich.

So many great possibilities. 

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Loved this recipe? Here are three other easy sauce recipes you might like:

• Green Chutney (Indian Mint Cilantro Sauce)
• Homemade Creme Fraiche
• Easy Homemade Spicy Ketchup

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading!

Saffron Aioli Recipe
Yields 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients
1 large egg
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dijon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 large pinch saffron threads (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grapeseed, avocado, or other plain oil


Directions
In a blender or food processor, combine egg, garlic cloves, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and saffron threads. Puree for 1 minute until smooth, then scrape down sides.

With the motor running, slowly pour in both oils in one long thin and consistent stream, continuing to blend for 5 minutes, or until smooth and thick.

Taste and adjust seasoning as desired, adding more salt or lemon juice as needed. Transfer to a glass jar or bowl, cover, and chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

Will keep well one week.

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Dinner Diaries: Green Carbonara

When people learn that I went to culinary school in Italy, their eyes tend to open up wide with excitement. "The food must have been AMAZING," they say.

And it was, mostly because the ingredients we had to work with were all incredible. But to be honest, my roommates and I spent those months living primarily on gallons of cheap red wine and quick, cheap dishes like pasta carbonara and pizza margarita.

Actually, the pizza we usually bought at a little restaurant located near our school that offered a 10 Euro special of one pizza and one glass of wine. But the carbonara? Well that we made ourselves ALL the time.

It was cheap, quick, and just as suitable at 4 in the afternoon after a long day of classes, as it was at 4 in the morning after a long night of drinking wine and fending off the advances of enthusiastic Italian gentlemen.

When you spend several days eating the same thing (and when you live in an apartment full of future chefs), you start to get creative. It wasn't long before the three of us started to add lots of random things to our carbonara recipe to make it just a little more exciting--the roommate from Austin who loved spice would load up her dish with cayenne and hot sauce, while the other one would top it with a pile of grated cheese and a douse of fresh cream. If we could afford it (and we rarely could), we'd add chicken to make it a more substantial dish. At some point, I started adding herbs to it, along with diced leftover vegetables, and created what I now call my Green Carbonara.

This is a dish that would be very easy to personalize based on the seasons and whatever you happen to have on hand--fresh basil in the summer or cilantro for a vaguely latin flavor. In terms of vegetables, add your favorites! I love diced green beans and pureeing in a little spinach or kale. Zucchini, sugar snap peas, or asparagus would also work well here. It's a great way to use up those herbs in your fridge that are about to die, and to add more greens to your diet without even thinking about it.

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Loved this Green Carbonara recipe? Here are three other easy pasta recipes you might like:

• Chimichurri Pasta Salad
• Rigatoni with Chorizo and Spicy Chipotle Cream Sauce
• Creamy Avocado Mint Pasta

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading!    

Green Carbonara
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
4 strips thick-cut bacon or pancetta, diced into 1/2" pieces
1 pound green beans, trimmed and diced into 2" pieces
1/2 cup kale or spinach, rinsed and thick stems removed
1/2 pound whole wheat rotini or other small shaped pasta (ziti, penne, rigatoni, etc.)
 2 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 bunch fresh parsley, bottom stems removed
2 scallions
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt and black pepper


Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. While the water comes to a boil, saute the diced bacon until crisp. Add the green beans and chopped kale or spinach, and continue to cook for 2 minute, or until the green beans are bright green and the kale or spinach has wilted. Remove the bacon and vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.

When the water hits a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. 

While the pasta cooks, combine the eggs, olive oil, parsley, scallions, cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper to your food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add a little bit of water to it if it gets stuck and let go until creamy.

Pour this dressing into a large bowl and add the very hot, drained pasta on top. Toss well to coat (the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs). Add the bacon, green beans, and kale, and toss to distribute. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately.

Tip: If you're squeamish about even the possibility of raw eggs, transfer this to a pot and cook over high heat quickly for 1 or 2 minutes, making sure not to overcook the pasta

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Whiskey Orange Chipotle Chicken Thighs & Drums

I was seriously on point when it came to food last week. I woke up Monday morning and before Eugene had even left for work, I was already bopping about in the kitchen getting dishes ready for the week. I made a batch of my pepperoni meatballs, roasted some vegetables, and then made two delicious marinades to use on a large package of chicken thighs, drumsticks, and whole breasts that I got on sale. More about the second marinade later, but for now let's talk about my Whiskey Orange Chipotle marinade recipe.

When it comes to flavors, I pretty much always go wild for the combination of smoky + spicy. It's why I put hot smoked paprika in everything. It's why I hoard cans of chipotle in adobo sauce and get nervous when my supplies run low. It's why I go nuts for anything with chorizo in it. If I see those words on a menu, it's pretty much guaranteed I"m going to be putting that dish in my mouth.

What's awesome about this recipe, is that it couldn't be easier. You literally just blitz up a few ingredients to make the marinade, pour it over the chicken, and you're done. If you do it on a weekend day or early in the week, you can just pop it in the fridge and let it hang for a couple days, then cook it whenever you're ready.

If you have a grill, even better!

(But I don't have a grill. Or a yard. So I cooked this in my oven.)

The chicken comes out of the oven sweet and spicy with lots of little crunchy caramelized bits on the skin--amazing! I like to serve this with a fresh side dish, like a big crunchy green salad and some sliced avocado. You can also go the bbq-ish route, and serve with mac & cheese or collard greens.

Tip: Want to plan way ahead? You can also marinade the chicken and then freeze it in the marinade for a future dish (just let thaw in the fridge for a day or two before cooking).

Love this recipe? Here are a few other fun chicken recipes to try:

• Crispy Roasted Lemon Chicken Thighs
• Easy Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast Cutlets
• Puerto Rican Style Roast Chicken

Whiskey Orange Chipotle Chicken
Serves 4-6 (Leftovers keep very well!)

Ingredients
1 8-oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (use half a can if you prefer it less spicy)
1 1/2 cups orange marmalade
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 cup whiskey (substitute orange juice for a non-alcoholic version)
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 chicken thighs
6 chicken drumsticks


Directions
In a food processor or blender, combine the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, orange marmalade, tomato paste, whiskey, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour marinade over chicken thighs and drums, and let marinate in a sealed bag or air-tight container at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

To cook:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange chicken thighs and drums in a large roasting pan, skin-side up.  (Pour in the marinade along with the chicken.) Bake about 45-55 minutes or until fully-cooked and the skin is fully caramelized and crispy (meat thermometer will read about 170 on the thickest part of the thighs).  Serve with sides of your choice and garnished with a bit of fresh cilantro.

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