"Give a plain woman a hat and a pretty woman a book. Isn't that the idea?"- Up at the Villa, W. Somerset Maugham,(1941 novella)
The assumption here, made in 1941 is that a pretty woman doesn't think much and a plain woman can be made more attractive by wearing a hat. I am glad times have changed. Women can be smart AND attractive. We can all read books and wear hats. And run our own businesses, have careers and raise families. Just takes some juggling. Not always easy. That is why I like tacos. They are easy and the family loves them.
I got some organic pasilla peppers at the farmer's market.One of my favorite vendors grows all kinds of ingredients for Mexican food. Usually these peppers are only available from Mexico. I like to stuff them with a goat cheese mixture, top them with Monterey Jack cheese and bake them. They are a delicious side dish for skirt steak and tomatillo sauce. Because I had also gotten little corn tortillas, I made tacos with the baked peppers. They were very tasty vegetarian tacos.
You can prepare the fillings ahead of time for tacos, then it is just assembly, which is great after a long day.
Baked Pasilla Peppers
Serves 4 people
2 pasilla peppers
4 oz. goat cheese
2 tbs. chopped cilantro
zest and juice of 1 small lemon
1 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
12 small corn tortillas
Cut the peppers in half lengthwise so you have the biggest pockets for stuffing. I cut right through the stem and leave it attached. Carefully clean out the seeds and membranes. Place in a baking dish cut side down and drizzle with olive oil. Cover the dish with foil and roast for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn the peppers over, recover with the foil and roast for another 15 minutes. Let cool.
While the peppers are roasting, combine the goat cheese, cilantro, lemon zest and juice and the tablespoon of olive oil. Spread 1/4 of the mixture in the bottom of each pepper. Top each pepper with 1/4 cup of the grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned. They can be served as a side dish or saved and re-heated when it is time for tacos. One pepper will fill 3 small taco shells.
To make the tacos; fry the tortillas on both sides in a little butter until they are cooked but still soft. Fill with slices of the cheese-stuffed pepper, sliced avocado, tomatillo sauce and a dollop of yogurt mixed with some tomatillo sauce. Finish with baby lettuces or micro-greens.
Tomatillo Sauce
2 tbs.olive oil
1 1b. tomatillos, halved or quartered
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbs. sugar
zest and juice of 1 lime
Cook the tomatillos with a little salt in the olive oil for about 10 minutes until they change color and look like pulp. The color will go from vivid green to olive green. Process in a blender or small processor until the skins are chopped up, don't overdo it, you want to see the seeds. Return to the pan on a low heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens a little, taste for seasoning. If too tart add a little more sugar, it might need more salt and you should taste just a hint of the cumin. Done, set aside, use it for tacos, sauce for steak or chicken, or in baked beans. I make a batch of this sauce every week when tomatillos are in season.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
A Carnaby Hat and Perfect Potatoes
"I wore the pièce de résistance- a green velvet Carnaby hat- slightly tilted, practicing my Mrs. Peel half-smile in the mirror. Venturing out in my blazer and that hat, I felt a new found confidence." -Lucette Lagnado, Elle, October 2011.
The screen saver on my computer is a photo I took in London of the beginning of Carnaby Street. The sign says "To Carnaby Street", the street known for its Mod Fashion of the 1960's. It is still filled with fashionistas outfitted from head to toe. The 1960's was the last decade that really included hats in fashion. They were adapted to fit the new hairstyles like the bee-hive. There is a great scene in the movie, The Grass is Greener, where Jean Simmon's character takes off her hat which has a VERY tall crown. The bee-hive hair-do is revealed.
Journalist, Lucette Lagnado, is writing about her fascination with the clothes of the 60's as an adolescent. Her heroine was the Emma Peel character played by Diana Rigg in The Avengers. Mrs. Peel could wear a hat. And she exuded confidence. Maybe in part because of the hat.
Ah, the perfect hat is a beautiful thing. You adopt a little of its attitude when you wear it. It is an ally. Perfect potatoes are also a beautiful thing. This is my favorite way to serve potatoes. I try to always have fingerling potatoes in the pantry for this preparation.
Perfect Fingerling Potatoes
serves 2 people
8-10 small banana fingerling potatoes
1 tbs. butter
2 tbs. chopped parsley
sea salt.
Boil the potatoes whole in salted water until they are tender when pierced with a small knife. Drain and cover the pot with a kitchen towel. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and add the butter to the pot. Peel the potatoes, the skin should come right off, and return to the pot with the melting butter as you peel them. Keep the pot covered while you are peeling the potatoes. They will still be quite hot, just cool enough to handle. Sprinkle with the parsley and a good pinch of sea salt. Toss together. Always a tasty gluten-free side dish for any protein.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
The screen saver on my computer is a photo I took in London of the beginning of Carnaby Street. The sign says "To Carnaby Street", the street known for its Mod Fashion of the 1960's. It is still filled with fashionistas outfitted from head to toe. The 1960's was the last decade that really included hats in fashion. They were adapted to fit the new hairstyles like the bee-hive. There is a great scene in the movie, The Grass is Greener, where Jean Simmon's character takes off her hat which has a VERY tall crown. The bee-hive hair-do is revealed.
Journalist, Lucette Lagnado, is writing about her fascination with the clothes of the 60's as an adolescent. Her heroine was the Emma Peel character played by Diana Rigg in The Avengers. Mrs. Peel could wear a hat. And she exuded confidence. Maybe in part because of the hat.
Ah, the perfect hat is a beautiful thing. You adopt a little of its attitude when you wear it. It is an ally. Perfect potatoes are also a beautiful thing. This is my favorite way to serve potatoes. I try to always have fingerling potatoes in the pantry for this preparation.
Perfect Fingerling Potatoes
serves 2 people
8-10 small banana fingerling potatoes
1 tbs. butter
2 tbs. chopped parsley
sea salt.
Boil the potatoes whole in salted water until they are tender when pierced with a small knife. Drain and cover the pot with a kitchen towel. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and add the butter to the pot. Peel the potatoes, the skin should come right off, and return to the pot with the melting butter as you peel them. Keep the pot covered while you are peeling the potatoes. They will still be quite hot, just cool enough to handle. Sprinkle with the parsley and a good pinch of sea salt. Toss together. Always a tasty gluten-free side dish for any protein.
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
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