Peach Salsa

Peach are not only for pies, it makes a great salsa, too. This refreshing recipe combines the best of two worlds, sweet peaches from the South and spicy jalapeño from Mexico.

I've made all kinds of salsas from scratch, just click on any name to view: tangy Roasted Salsa Verde (tomatillo,) Red Chili (2 dried types - but same recipe,) Pico de Gallo, and Mango Salsa.

I leave the skin on my fruit, but you can remove it if you like. But do make sure the peach is a ripe one. My local Latin market carries them for less than a dollar per pound, and if you live in the Georgia, then you know where (and when) to get them for sure.

I used fresh jalapeño, but you can use it from a jar as well. The jalapenos will have a vinegar taste, but that's okay, just drain them first.

 I also remove the jalapeño seeds, but you can leave them in for a fiery Peach Salsa.

The other ingredients come cheaply and are easy to get. Cilantro is now carried by most groceries these days. I used red onion, but you can use cheaper white or yellow onion.

For my last taco party I set out a bowl of Peach Salsa and regular Red Chili Salsa. Guess which one vanished first - yep, it was the Peach Salsa.

For a fresh take on traditional tomato-based or red chili salsas, give my Peach Salsa a taste. All it takes is a little chopping.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 2 ripe peaches - about 2 cup chopped. My peaches were medium size (in peach country they can get quite large, so maybe one will do.) Okay to peel peaches, I left the skin on. It's okay to use canned peaches, too. Just drain them. (I would make a cocktail with the peach liquid, ha!)
• 3/4 cup onion - chopped. I used a red onion, but okay to use white or yellow onion.
• Lemon or lime juice - I used the juice of one whole lemon. May need more juice depending on ripeness of fruit. Okay to use juice from a jar, about a tablespoon.
• 2 tablespoons cilantro - chopped. Okay to add more or less to taste.
• 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño - optional. Okay to use jalapeño from the jar. I removed seeds, but leave them in for extra spicy. Okay to use more or less to you spice level.

Directions
Use ripe peaches. Prepare peach by cutting around peach and pulling it apart to remove the seed. Slice and chop peach into small pieces, like you would for a tomato based salsa.

I left the skin on the peach, but you can remove some or all the skin. If your cutting board has any peach juice left, just pour it into the salsa bowl.

Add chopped peaches to a bowl.

Chop the onion into small pieces. I used about a quarter of a large red onion. You can add more or less onion to taste.

Chop enough cilantro leaves to fill 2 tablespoons. Okay to add more or less to taste.

Add cilantro and onion to the bowl with peaches.

Squeeze in the juice of one lemon or lime. Normally lime is used for a salsa, but I used what I had on hand. Okay to use juice from the jar or plastic.

A good trick to get you lemon or lime extra juicy is to slice it in half, then microwave it for about 10-20 seconds until warm. This will release more juice.

Mix fruit, cilantro and onion with the lemon or lime juice. Finally add the chopped jalapeño.

When handling jalapeño make sure not to touch your eyes or lips or you will get burned. Be sure to wash your hands with soap after working with a jalapeño. The oil from a jalapeño is very hot to delicate body parts!

I like to slice the jalapeño lengthwise to cut out the white pith and remove the seeds. Discard the stem. You will have a little spiciness from jalapeno flesh, but not as much as when adding the seeds.

I used about a quarter of a large jalapeño, or about a tablespoon when chopped. If you like your salsa hotter then add more chopped jalapeno, or add jalapeño with the seeds.

If you are unsure about how much you spiciness you can take, just add a little chopped jalapeño at a time and mix, then try salsa.

Finally give your Peach Salsa a final mix to incorporate all the jalapeño.

Serve with chips, on a taco or in a burrito.

Hindsight
This recipe is easy to double or quadruple for more guests.

You can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste - add more peach or less jalapeño; more cilantro or even leave out the onion.

Turkey Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos with Cheese

Like a green heat-seeking missile wrapped in turkey bacon, the latest 99 Cent Chef appetizer is one intense flavor bomb! A Turkey Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno with Cheese will separate the men from the boys, and the timid from the brash -- this recipe is not for the faint of palate.

This dish should earn The Chef hazard pay for handling a bag of spicy jalapenos. You need radioactive-proof mitts to keep off the fiery chile oils. And don't even think of satisfying that itch on your nose -- touch the skin anywhere near your eyes and you will be sorry.

But boy is it worth the risk. Melting cheese cools off some jalapeno spiciness, and a slab of savory turkey bacon brings this appetizer to delicious heights.

I was wary of cooking with turkey bacon - it just doesn't seem right, like lipstick on a pig. I had bought a package at my local 99c only Store a few months ago, and forgot about it collecting freezer burn in my freezer. When I picked up a bag of jalapenos from my local Latin market, I started Googleing recipes. Most whole jalapeno recipes call for stuffing them with cheese, breadcrumb coating and finally deep frying. I wanted to go after a lower calorie recipe though. (If you want an excellent use of whole cooked jalapenos, be sure to check out my L.A. Street Hot Dog video recipe by clicking here.)

The other recipes called for wrapping jalapenos in fatty (but delicious) bacon; that's when I remembered the turkey bacon in the back of my freezer. At first glance turkey bacon looks real -- but upon opening the package I noticed it resembles those fake plastic food display toys in the window of a Japanese restaurant.

I pinched off a piece to try: the texture is baloney-like and the flavor has that liquid smoke tinny taste. This was not a good start, but I was determined to push through and see what happens. And things turned out much better than I anticipated.

After stuffing the jalapenos with cheese, I wrapped them in a turkey bacon slice and roasted a pan full at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. I figured the turkey bacon would dry out and taste like a piece of hot asphalt -- wrong on both counts. The bacon held up well to slow cooking (maybe the steaming jalapeno kept it tender,) and the taste only got better when cooked through. While you will miss that crunchy pork bacon texture, you will sleep better, having not eaten your daily calorie limit with one cheesy stuffed and bacon wrapped jalapeno.

I always find 4 ounce pucks of Mexican cheese, Queso Fresco, and cream cheese cheap enough. You can use any favorite inexpensive cheese, either low fat or regular.

This is a recipe you may want to get out those bright yellow rubber gloves for, when stuffing my Turkey Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos with Cheese appetizers. And make sure to serve with a tall cold drink!

Ingredients

• 12 jalapenos - depending on size. I used big fat ones in the 2 - 3 inch length range.
• Cream cheese - a small container of about 5 ounces. Okay to substitute a firm cheese like mozzarella, cheddar or Swiss.
• Queso Fresco - about 4 ounces of Mexican cheese. Okay to use any favorite cheese you have.
• Turkey bacon - one package. If you insist, it's okay to use regular bacon.

Directions
Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature. Add it to a bowl and mix in any other  type of cheese - I used 4 ounces of Queso Fresco.

 Lay each jalapeno on a flat surface to see how it naturally lays flat. You want to slice the side that now faces you, so when the stuffed jalapenos roast, the cheese won't leak out.

Slice each jalapeno lengthways and make one more slice across the top, near the stem, to form a cut in the shape of a "T". Open up the jalapeno and remove seeds and the lighter membrane strands -- this is were a lot of spiciness resides. Be sure not to touch you face when handling jalapenos, because you will inevitably get the heat too close to your eyes.

Fill each jalapeno with cheese mixture. Wrap jalapenos in slices of turkey bacon. You can attach with a toothpick if necessary. Place stuffed and wrapped jalapenos in an oven pan and roast uncovered, about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Check after about 30 minutes to make sure turkey bacon does not burn black. Mine just got a deep mahogany brown.

The cheese is extremely hot out of the oven, so allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Hindsight
 Next time I would just use Queso Fresco and another firm cheese like mozzarella, Swiss or cheddar. The cream cheese mix melted out of a couple of stuffed jalapenos. After they cooled down some, I just unwrapped them and put some of the cheese back in. (Turkey bacon remains flexible, so it's easy to work with.)

If you use real bacon, just bake until it is brown and crispy as you like, about 30-45 minutes.

 If you are sensitive to spiciness, then this recipe is not for you. However, taking out the seeds and membrane, plus roasting the chiles, does take out much of the heat. While I found it suited my tastes, my wife could only eat one half at a time. Hey, that left them all for me!

You may want to wear rubber gloves and fish out the seeds with a small spoon or butter knife -- or even wash the seeds out under running water.

If you use smaller jalapenos, then slice the bacon in half, if it is too long.

Salsa - From Dried Chiles

Get out the tortilla chips for the Chintziest of Chef's latest recipe. What you do with a bag of dried California chiles? How about the most pungent Chile Salsa you will ever have!

Dried California chiles have the flavor of enchilada sauce from a can, but much more intensely flavored. Although called a chile, a California dried chile is not a spicy type. You could use my Chile Salsa (or Salsa Roja) as a dip for chips, or spoon it into your favorite taco and burrito. My Salmon Enchilada Recipe (click here) would be even more delicious using this Chile Salsa. Spoon this cheapie, but flavorful, salsa on any bland dish to kick it up a notch.

If your market has different dried chiles, like pasilla, ancho or poblano, guajillo or Anaheim, just use my recipe and make your own salsa variation. Dried chile colors go from a deep wine red to inky black.

The technique is the same: break off the stems, pour out the seeds; then steam the skins a half hour in hot water. Finally, blender the softened chiles in some chile broth and a little bit of garlic and onion. It's really easy to do and there is nothing like the intense flavor of fresh made salsa.

There are also packages of spicy dried chiles, too -- they should be labeled as "hot." It's the same technique, but be ready for a spicy kick!

Ingredients (enough for a bag or two of tortilla chips)

•  1/2 package dried chiles - any kind
• 2 cups of water - enough to cover dried chiles.
• 1/4 onion - roughly chopped for blending. Or leave out onion for a more intense chili flavor.
• 1 clove garlic - or, a chopped teaspoon from a jar.
• Salt and pepper to taste

Delicious extra ingredients

• Oregano - A small sprig.
• Jalapeno - You only need a small slice of jalapeno (fresh or from jar.) Add a little at a time to reach desired heat.
• 1 cup chopped tomato - fresh or canned tomatoes.
• Cilantro - a couple tablespoons chopped.
• A squeeze of lime

Directions
Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles.

Bring water to boil in a pot then reduce to simmer. Add dried chiles, roughly breaking them into big pieces as you add them. Simmer about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let the chiles soak in the hot water about 30 minutes to soften.

Roughly chop the 1/4 onion and clove of garlic. In a blender or food processor add 1/2 cup of water from steeping chiles. Fish out the chiles and add them to the blender. Finally add the onion and garlic (oregano, optional.)

 Pulse and blend ingredients until you get a smooth tomato sauce-like texture. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.  If you want extra spiciness, now's the time to add small slice of jalapeno -- add a little at a time to reach desired heat. Finish with a squeeze of lime, optional.

Hindsight
I added a 1/2 cup of chile broth, you can also add more or less broth for a thick or thin salsa.

Blend in a cup (or less) of chopped tomato (or tomato sauce)  for a milder Chile Salsa -- it's a more traditional Mexican restaurant style. If you want the salsa extra chunky then don't blender the tomato, just hand chop it.

A couple tablespoons of chopped cilantro is a cool addition. Add it to the blender stage, or just mix it in before serving.

Try out other dried chilis you may find, some will be hotter, so taste after blended before for you serve it, so you can describe it to your guests. 

Pico de Gallo - Chunky Salsa

With every taco truck meal I get, it's always the same internal monologue: "Which one of these salsas do I pile onto a pair of tacos?"

I like all types of salsas, from traditional soupy tomato sauce to a roasted green tomatillo Salsa Verde; and a dried chile, smokey Roja, to this one -- a chunky Pico de Gallo, which I think is one of the best.

Some salsas go through a cooking stage, but not this one. But it does take more chopping than the others. That all the ingredients are fresh is a big plus. Pico de Gallo is made from tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno and lime juice.

You control the spiciness -- a little jalapeno or a lot, it's up to you. Do you like extra cool cilantro or the sweet heat of extra chopped onion? I do. This is the type of dish where there is no wrong way to do it. It's a perfect party appetizer that goes with tortilla chips or your favorite crackers -- make one bowl mild and the other extra spicy. It's also a fresh condiment for almost any entree.

Last summer I did a month of hot dog videos that included footage of a L.A. Street Dog (click here,) which is a grilled wiener wrapped in bacon. And the kicker is how it's served on the street -- yep, topped with Pico de Gallo!

If you have a Latin grocery in the neighborhood then all the ingredients will be way below 99 cents per pound. I've noticed most ethnic grocery stores have tomatoes and chiles cheaper than typical chain markets.

Just in time for sweltering summer days and nights, The 99 Cent Chef's cool Pico de Gallo salsa recipe is just a few chops away.

Ingredients (2 - 3 servings)

• 2 cups diced tomato - I used about 5 roma tomatoes. Okay to use even more.
• 1/2 cup chopped onion - about 1/2 regular onion
• Handful of cilantro leaves - about 1/4 cup chopped. Okay to use more or less to taste.
• 1/4 chopped jalapeno - to taste. Discard stem and seeds. You may want more or less depending on your heat tolerance.
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic - fresh or from jar
• Juice of 1 lime - or about 2 tablespoons of juice . Okay to substitute with lemon juice.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

*A great lush addition is one chopped avocado, optional.

Directions
Chop all ingredients except lime. You could let a food processor roughly chop ingredients, but do each ingredient separately. I like to finely chop the onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro.

I hand chop the tomatoes, seeds and all, to a small size, but larger than the onion pieces. Add all the chopped veggies into a large enough bowl.

Squeeze in juice of one lime and mix well. Finally season with salt and pepper to taste. Optional to add chopped avocado - lastly, so you don't overmix it to mushiness.

Serve cold or at room temperature. Pico de Gallo served the same day is the best -- but even over a few days the flavors meld well and intensify deliciously.

This is a great topping for burgers (Mexi-Burger recipe,) hot dogs (LA Street dog recipe,) fish (Coconut Crusted Fish recipe,) your favorite salad (2 Minute Salad recipe,) or as a fresh tasting side dish. And of course it's a dip for all occasions and types of chips (not just tortilla chips.) I especially like Pico de Gallo sprinkled over my decadent Billionaires Crab Omelet (recipe here.)

Breakfast Burrito

I've had many types of breakfast burritos. A favorite is from Cactus on Vine Street in Hollywood: Mexican Eggs made with chopped and sauteed tomato, onion, red and green bell pepper. And I've made my own with sauteed chorizo and eggs (click here for my Chorizo and Eggs Breakfast Taco).

Americanized versions are basic scrambled eggs with bacon, salsa and sometimes potatoes.

But the most unusual one I have ever had was a Flying Burrito -- captured on video last month from my Joshua Tree travelogue. Just click here for this one-of-a-kind eating experience.

Quite often, the common denominator in a Mexican Breakfast Burrito is the addition of  refried pinto beans and Mexican rice. Most restaurant or taco stand burritos use huge flour tortillas. I'm lucky to finish half of one.

My recipe uses typical grocery store-bought tortillas which are considerably smaller -- really just the right size. And my local 99c only Store always stocks cans of refried beans. Eggs and packages of rice are cheap anywhere.

If your store does not carry refried beans, add a tablespoon of oil to a hot pan and just use use a fork or potato masher on drained canned pinto beans (add a few tablespoons of the liquid from the can until the mixture is the consistency of chunky peanut butter). Of course, you can use heated whole pinto beans, too. I like it both ways.

In a previous post I made Mexican Rice, so click here for that recipe.

My Breakfast Burritos recipe is recession proof, and versatile -- so prepare scrambled eggs your favorite way, and just add rice and beans to make it your own. And open up that bottle of salsa to add extra heat!

Ingredients (one serving)

• 1 egg - scramble your favorite way, or see my Mexican Eggs recipe below.
• Flour or wheat tortilla
• 2 tablespoons Mexican Rice - okay to use regular rice.
• 2 tablespoons refried beans
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Salt & pepper to taste.

Mexican Eggs

• 1 tablespoon chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• 2 slices of jalapeno - chopped fresh or from jar. Adjust amount to your heat tolerance.
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Salt & pepper to taste.

Directions for Mexican Eggs
Heat oil in an omelet pan and saute onion, jalapeno and tomato for about 3 minutes. Add whole egg, season and scramble until firm, about 3 minutes.

Assembly
While preparing Mexican Eggs, heat tortilla in pan or on grill, over low heat, on both sides. No need to crisp up tortilla, it's ready when hot on both sides. Also, microwave refried beans (with a teaspoon of water if beans dry out) and rice in separate bowls until hot. Cover and set aside.

Ready to assemble when Mexican Eggs are done. Layer in rice, beans, and eggs and top with salsa (optional).

If you have a favorite eggs scramble, try it! I like to add cheese, mushrooms or sundried tomato.

Mexican Charro Beans

Charro Beans are pinto beans on steroids. It's a spicy and hearty dish that sings with the addition of leftover Easter ham, tomato, onion, garlic and jalapenos. Anytime I spy this side at a Mexican restaurant I get it. And it's simple to make with easily attainable budget ingredients.

Beans are the cheapest protein and the other ingredients cost below, or near, a dollar a pound. And this side dish becomes an entree when you serve it over a bowl of rice.You can make a large pot of pinto beans if you have the time, or just grab a 15 ounce can, and with a few flavorful additions, it's a winner of a dish.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 1 15-oz. can of pinto beans. Double amount of ingredients below if you use a larger can.
  
• 1 whole tomato - chopped
  
• 1 ham steak - leftover Easter ham, or a six-oz. steak. Cut into medium/large chunks.
• 1-2 whole jalapenos per serving - from can, jar or fresh. I like to use whole jalapenos - believe it or not, they are less spicy than chopped (in which seeds are exposed). Use less if chopped.1/2 onion - chopped1 teaspoon chopped garlic - fresh or from jar. Salt and pepper to taste.1 tsp. oil, or ham fat.

Directions

Heat oil, or ham fat, in a pot. Add chopped onion and garlic. Over medium heat, cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add a can of beans, along with the liquid, and half of the chopped tomato (save the other half for the end), to the pot. Add ham and a couple of whole jalapenos (if you can't take the heat it is okay to leave out jalapeno and add it to one bowl at a time). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until liquid is reduced by half. Just before serving add the other half of the chopped tomato. Serve over rice, as a side, or on its own.

If you are cooking a whole pot of beans, then add four times my ingredient list, after beans are done. Cook an extra 15 minutes until ham, tomato and jalapeno is heated through. Add some extra fresh chopped tomato just before serving. I normally cook beans with onion and garlic, so the dish has plenty already.