© Connie Miller Colombian Avocado Sauce (Ají de Aguacate)Squeeze some healthy and tasty sauces between the hot wings and peppers to offset the usual weight of your average Super Bowl spread. Start with charred eggplant, which creates a smoky base with rich tahini, bright lemon and a pomegranate molasses. Optional tomato-cucumber flavor keeps it fresh. Spice up this honey-sweetened yogurt with coriander, cumin, turmeric, and chili peppers, and it only takes 5 minutes to make. And for a little more substance, add a poached egg to the avocado salsa, which is similar to the Colombian version of guacamole.
Colombian Avocado Sauce (Ají de Aguacate)
Makes 3½ cups
Colombian food is not usually spicy, so we pour this sauce over the peppers. Anaheims add a deep peppery flavor to the sauce, while habaneros add fruit and heat.
Ripe avocados, which make a thin sauce, don't work in this recipe. The avocado should release some juice when squeezed.
4 onions, cut into 2.5 cm
2 Anaheim peppers, peeled, seeded and cut into approximately 1/2 inch thick slices
1 hot pepper, stem and seeds
1¼ cups lightly packed fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
kosher salt
3 ripe avocados (see main note), halved and quartered for use
Use 3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped and divided
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
In a food processor, process the onion and all 3 chilies until finely chopped, about 20 seconds. Add cilantro, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue until the cilantro is finely chopped, about 10 seconds, scraping down the sides as needed.
In a medium bowl, mash 2 avocado halves and 1 egg slice with a fork until smooth but with some lumps. Cut the remaining 4 avocado halves into large pieces and place in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and fold to mix with a silicone spatula.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of chopped tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of chopped eggs for garnish. Mix the remaining tomatoes and eggs into the avocado mixture, then gently stir into the chili-cilantro mixture. Taste and season with salt.
Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl and add the reserved tomatoes and chopped eggs.
With eggplant and tahini (moutabal).
Makes 6 to 8 servings
A fried eggplant and tahini soup (spiced or spiced) called moutabel is what most of us in the US call baba ghanoush. We found that even in the Middle East, where both originated, the names are often used interchangeably, although baba ghanoush usually includes other ingredients such as tomatoes and walnuts. Jordanian home chef Ehab Mohtaseb taught us how to make muttabala, which we love for its complex taste and texture. This adaptation of her recipe includes chopped parsley to add fresh herbal flavors and a final drizzle of pomegranate molasses for a sweet and tangy contrast.
Like many Jordanian restaurants, if you want to dress up the muttabala further, make a simple tomato and cucumber salad and spoon it over before serving. Serve warm bread on the side.
Be sure to peel the eggplant before grilling. This allows steam to escape during cooking, which not only prevents the eggplant from bursting, but also allows excess moisture to be released, resulting in a richer flavor and texture.
2 large or 3 medium eggplants (about 2 kilos)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/3 cup tahini
3 medium cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice
1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided to use
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
Preheat oven to 475 degrees with center rack. Line a baking sheet with foil. Pierce the eggplant several times with the tip of a knife, then cover with a tablespoon of oil. Place the eggplant in the prepared baking dish and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until charred, wrinkled and puffed on all sides. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the oven for about 20 minutes.
While the eggplant is baking in the baking dish, cut off the stem and discard the eggplant. Cut each lengthwise and roll out. cut the meat from the skin on the board with a spoon; Remove the skins. Cut the eggplant into small pieces, but do not mash them; It should maintain the given texture.
Combine tahini and ½ cup boiling water in a medium bowl. Add the eggplant, garlic and lemon juice. Stir until well combined, then stir in half of the parsley. Taste and add salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and top with the remaining parsley, pomegranate seeds, pomegranate molasses and a little oil. Add tomato, cucumber and green pepper if using salad (recipe next).
Tomato salad, cucumber and green pepper
Makes about 1¼ cups
Drizzled over the marinade before serving, this tangy, bright edible adds color, texture and a little heat to silky, smoky biscuits. Place the eggplant while it roasts.
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 Persian cucumber, sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, peeled, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper
Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeno, lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Taste and season as needed.
Spicy yogurt
Makes about 1 cup
Our spiced yogurt is inspired by Delhi-born actress, cookbook and TV chef Madhur Jaffrey, who has spent decades studying food in her home country and abroad. We love the yogurt sauce in her book Vegetarian India. The warm spices in this thick dressing work with everything from a simple romaine or spinach salad to salmon, peas, and roasted vegetables like beets, cauliflower, and broccoli. Use farro or barley to garnish a salad, add Jerusalem artichokes to whole, warm or room-temperature potatoes, or roasted or roasted lamb. For a thinner consistency, add water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Since it's made without a lot of herbs or garlic, it keeps well in the fridge for up to five days.
Don't overdo the garlic. ƒ Very finely grated raw garlic From the spoon - use a stick-type grater - cook the sauce.
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons of ground coriander
Half a teaspoon of ground cumin
Half a teaspoon of ground turmeric
Salt and ground black pepper
1/8 to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for hanging
3 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of honey
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, coriander, cumin, turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, cayenne, and garlic. Add the oil, vinegar and honey, then whisk until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of water to reach desired consistency. Taste and add salt and pepper. Place on a plate and drizzle with olive oil.