“Tequila, firebug in the house of good taste; O tequila, savage water of sorcery, what confusion and mischief your sly, rebellious drops do generate!” ― Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker
Let me share another recipe from my healthier-but-still-sinful regimen.
It may not make a difference, but I think pairing your “sin” with the cultural roots of the recipe makes sense. So, I thought I’d try making a salsa flambéd with tequila. It was delicious. Plus, we just got back from a holiday in Dominican Republic and I’m enjoying my freshened up Español. In case you don’t know, “Salsa Fuego con Tequila” means Fire Salsa with Tequila.
With the carbs and sugars reduced in my diet, I have found myself turning up both the flavours and the heat. A few snappy jalapeños sure help make a meal more interesting and every salsa needs a good shot of fresh cilantro.
Lite Salsa Fuego con Tequila
1 tablespoon olive oil 5 small tomatoes (I used brownish Kumatos) 6 green onions 12 cloves garlic, skin on 4 jalapeno peppers 1 sweet pepper, cut into large pieces 2 ounces 100% agave tequila 1 large, fresh avocado, chopped 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped salt1. Place the tomatoes, onions, garlic and peppers in a large non-stick pan (with a tight-fitting lid on stand-by) and drizzle with olive oil. Gently cook/fry the vegetables for approximately 5 minutes to soften.
2. Splash the tequila over the vegetables and light. Flambé the entire pan, turning each vegetable until the skins blister. This may just take a couple of minutes then douse the flames by covering the pan with the lid.
3. Slide off the skins of the garlic cloves. They will come off really easily now.
4. Loosely chop up all the vegetables right in the pan. The garlic and other firmer vegetables will need to be cut on a cutting board and returned to the pan. Stir in the avocado and cilantro. Transfer to a bowl and let the salsa cool.
4. For a flavour boost, I saved some fresh cilantro to stir in just before serving it.
5. I suggest serving the salsa by generously spooning it over shredded grilled chicken breast – to which I also added some tequila for liquid. This creates a balanced low-carb meal of protein and vegetables. And if you have family or friends joining you, they can wrap it all up with shredded cheese in tortillas.
Buen Apetito!
