Remembrance of Foods Eaten

Some people recall the places they've been by the sites they've seen. With me it's by dishes eaten. 

The other day I asked James, "Remember that huevos rancheros I had in Utah?" 

It took him a moment, but then he replied "You mean at the place we stayed in Zion?" 

Yes, that would be Zion National Park, one of the most awe inspiringly beautiful places I've ever been--like, beautiful beyond words beautiful, which is a lot coming from me. 

See what I mean?

And yet, my whole experience can be boiled down to a plate of eggs, rice, beans, and salsa.

But man, it was a good plate.

Since I won't be going back to Zion anytime soon, I decided to make my own huevos rancheros:

This is not a particularly hard dish by any means, but there are a few things one must do:

1.) Pan fry your tortillas.

I'll admit, I had never fried corn tortillas in oil, preferring instead to follow the stupid instructions to 'warm' them on the back of the package. Don't do this. Fry them in a little oil until crisp. Then, while the pan is still hot, fry your eggs. Which brings us to thing you must do #2:

2.) Don't overcook your eggs. 

Seriously. Part of the deliciousness of this dish lies in the egg yolk running together with the beans and salsa and tortillas.

3.) Keep your tortillas warm while you cook your eggs.

A pretty basic tip, but one that can make all the difference. No one wants cold, soggy tortillas with their huevos. I kept mine warm in an oven set on 150. 

Now, aside from these tips, you can pretty much do whatever else you want; use store bought salsa, beans, no beans, rice, no rice--I don't care. For this dish I used salsa verde because I love it and refried black beans. Add a little cheese, sprinkle a little hot sauce and voila! Or, rather, ole!

Geoff's Kitchen Sink Orzo Salad

I attended the Sullivan/O'Connell family reunion this weekend in Massachusetts. It was great to see everyone, especially since much of my dad's family is spread out across the country. There was plenty to eat of course, but I thought I'd share the recipe for orzo salad that my dad concocted since it was a big hit. He has a well-deserved reputation for being a great cook and baker. Growing up, this was a double-edged sword. For as many memories I have of sneaking into the kitchen and stealing spoonfuls of custard for his famous fruit tarts, I was forced to eat more incarnations of grilled salmon than I'd care to mention. But, now I'm an adult and I can eat whatever I want. This orzo salad can be adapted to pretty much whatever you have on hand or want to throw in. Hence the name. What I love about this is the mix of different textures and flavors. My dad says that sometimes he adds feta to "Greek it up a bit." I'd also give an endorsement to some freshly chopped basil. It can be served warm or cold, making it perfect for summertime. Neither of us is big on exact recipes. Just eyeball it and taste as you go along.

Geoff's Kitchen Sink Orzo Salad
1 box orzo pasta
toasted pistachios
chopped steamed carrots
garlic sauteed baby spinach
chopped yellow bell pepper
sauteed onion
sundried tomatoes
black olives
EVOO

Prepare orzo as instructed. Then add additional ingredients and toss together. Season with salt and pepper as desired.