Featured Ingredients

So I'm trying something new. There are a few ingredients that I use quite regularly and I've come to the realization that not everyone will know what they are. So, here are my first featured ingredients.

1. Shallot. This little guy looks kind of like a really big garlic clove with papery, brown skin. The flesh is similar colour to a red onion. It also has a similar flavour to a red onion but is milder and a little more subtle. I use them in recipes where I don't want an overpowering onion-y flavour but also where the other flavours won't mask the taste. Try them minced on pizza or in a garlic/shallot cream sauce.

 2. Poblano Pepper. This is a chile pepper with mild heat and a smoky flavour. They come from Mexico and are commonly used to make chiles rellenos (poblanos stuffed with cheese and often coated in corn masa batter and fried in oil. Please order them if you ever go to Mexico. You will not regret it). I like to use them in Mexican inspired dishes such as chili or chicken enchiladas. When buying poblanos, look for ones that are fairly firm and with a shiny skin (as in the picture below), the same way that you would pick bell peppers.

3. Salsa Verde. This is a green sauce from Mexico and is served on all sorts of things: fish, tamales (chicken tamales with salsa verde is also something you should order if you ever go to Mexico), enchiladas, etc. It is made from tomatillos, jalapenos, onions, and sometimes cilantro. My favourite brand is Herdez and it can usually be found in Mexican/Latin import stores. It is not too hot, but does have some heat at the back of your throat. It goes very nicely with my chicken enchilada recipe.

4. Johnny's Garlic Seasoning. My mother-in-law got me into this stuff. It is a mix of garlic powder, Parmesan cheese and parsley. I have found it at Costco. It makes divine garlic bread (there's a recipe on the label) and is really good sprinkled on cooked zucchini and tomatoes. I use it in lots of things, in place of regular garlic powder, particularly when I want the garlic taste to shine.

These are some of my favourite ingredients. I hope you like them too!