I've been looking through my files and I have this humongous backlog of images and recipes to impart to you males out there who want a fresh endeavor in the kitchen. So I'll keep these brief and try to get some things together. They won't be super professional, but then the domestic male doesn't have time to measure teaspoons all the time when he cooks. I'm not a chef, I'm an impromptu cook. According to Gordon Ramsey, and this I heard second hand on NPR, a chef makes recipes that he can teach to other people. A recipe that can be created and recreated with the same mastery under which it was conceived. As much as I feel that I champion the impromptu recipe, unfortunately, it is up to everyone out there to work with me, and to work with their recipe, to make the good food that I try to make when I cook.
The pan shown here is a collection of vegetables, peppers, tomatoes, chiles, onions, garlic; basically anything and everything I have on hand. Throw in a green onion, maybe some ginger. So I usually cook all of these veggies in a good amount of olive oil, maybe 4 tablespoons. The best way is to cook each one alone. Cook the garlic cloves whole, throw them in a blender. Add some jalapenos, throw them in the blender too. Add tomatoes, and when they're cooked, throw them in the blender. When you've cooked everything in the same oil, the oil takes on a rich flavor of everything that's been in it. Add some of this oil to the blender as well. Throw in a glug or two of honey, and some lime juice, salt and pepper. Now you have a rich mix of tasty vegetable mush. To this I add a handful of toasted nuts, and this could be walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or pine nuts. Whatever you have, make sure you toast them in a dry pan before you use them (wakes up the oils). You could also add some fresh herbs. This mix, which is a Cuban recipe originally, goes amazingly well on meat. You could also toss it with pasta and grilled veggies, or put it on rice. It's up to you, but on top of a grilled pork chop with cheese and melted under the broiler is my favorite!
