Salsa Cruda or translated as Raw Sauce is super tasty when summer veggies are at their freshest! I actually found this recipe at the King Arthur Flour website and I tried it. It is easy and quick to make and easy & quick to eat up too! A great way to use fresh produce from the garden. The fresh taste of cilantro adds just the right taste touch.
SALSA CRUDA
1 1/2 cups diced Roma or plum tomato -- I used small, plum shaped tomatoes called salad tomatoes, that I bought at our local market -- see in the pic above. I just pulsed them several times in my food processor and they came out just right!
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
2+ peeled garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or to taste; optional (I don't really think that this is really optional -- the fresh taste of cilantro makes it in my view!)
1) Mix together all of the ingredients, tossing until thoroughly combined.
2) Taste for seasoning, adjusting with additional salt or cumin if desired.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups chunky salsa
The vegetables listed above are traditional, but feel free to substitute or add drained black beans; fresh corn kernels (or thawed frozen kernels); celery, cucumbers, or the crunchy vegetable of your choice. Add a tablespoon of lemon or lime juice; or a touch of hot sauce.
You can use this as a dip for chips. I made the tortillas (really more like a flat bread) below and it was pretty tasty with slices of avocado on it too. I did not have any hot sauce or anything on it, but a little bit of zing would also taste good. I think it might even be good on grilled hot dogs and you could wrap the soft flour tortilla around it like a bun!
I first started making my own tortillas -- both corn & flour and my own hard taco & tostada shells when we lived in Papua New Guinea. We lived in a remote mountain village, with no electricity or indoor plumbing. This was in Morobe Province on the western side of the country and the nearest city (town) was Lae -- it took 3 hours to drive down the mountain road to get there. When the rains were especially torrential, sometimes our road fell off the mountain and we would have to stay home, until we and the villagers dug out a new road! Obviously there were no fast food places or any restaurant of any kind in proximity. In order to combat our cravings for some of our favorite restaurant foods -- like Mexican food, I learned to make them myself. I could buy almost every ingredient I needed to make a very decent imitation. This tortilla recipe is NOT a recipe that I used in PNG, but It sounded interesting because of the barley flour in it -- it sounded sort of Biblical to me -- I'd never used barley flour before. I don't understand the yeast in it and may get brave enough to try it without the yeast someday, but this recipe is definitely a keeper!
I first started making my own tortillas -- both corn & flour and my own hard taco & tostada shells when we lived in Papua New Guinea. We lived in a remote mountain village, with no electricity or indoor plumbing. This was in Morobe Province on the western side of the country and the nearest city (town) was Lae -- it took 3 hours to drive down the mountain road to get there. When the rains were especially torrential, sometimes our road fell off the mountain and we would have to stay home, until we and the villagers dug out a new road! Obviously there were no fast food places or any restaurant of any kind in proximity. In order to combat our cravings for some of our favorite restaurant foods -- like Mexican food, I learned to make them myself. I could buy almost every ingredient I needed to make a very decent imitation. This tortilla recipe is NOT a recipe that I used in PNG, but It sounded interesting because of the barley flour in it -- it sounded sort of Biblical to me -- I'd never used barley flour before. I don't understand the yeast in it and may get brave enough to try it without the yeast someday, but this recipe is definitely a keeper!
SOFT FLOUR TORTILLAS
2 cups Unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole grain barley flour*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used grapeseed oil, but olive oil might taste good too)
1 cup warm milk
1 teaspoon instant yeast (I cannot figure out why this is in this recipe -- I have never used yeast in flat breads or chapatis ever, but I always do what I am told!)
*Substitute 1/2 cup unbleached flour if desired -- I am thinking that whole wheat flour could be used as well.
1) Combine all the ingredients, then beat at high speed for about 1 minute to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. I used my KitchenAid mixer -- my dough was not really sticky, but I started to use a little bit of oil to keep it pliable and not dry.
2) Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes.
3) Place the dough on a greased work surface. Divide it into 12 pieces -- each piece about the size of a walnut -- weighing about 1.7 ounces.
4) Roll each piece into a ball. Cover the balls and let rest for 15 minutes.
5) Use a tortilla press, a rolling pin, or your hands to pat each ball of dough into a thin, 4" to 5" circle. I used my tortilla press that I got as a gift from a former student who was from Mexico.
6) Let these rest 15 minutes (they'll shrink a little bit), then roll each circle into a thin 6" to 8" round. Keep rolled out dough rounds covered to prevent drying out.
7) Heat an ungreased heavy cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat. Cook tortillas one at a time (I did 2 at a time as you can see), until small dark spots form and the dough is set, about 30-40+ seconds per side.
8) Stack finished tortillas in a napkin, or wrap in foil to keep warm until ready to serve.
9) Tortillas may be rewarmed in the microwave, or wrapped in foil and heated in a 350F oven.
These are soft and tasty tortillas or flat bread that includes a touch of high-fiber barley flour. I think I might use some flaxseed meal the next time that I make these. A really tasty meal!
