Mirepoix is the aromatic flavor trinity of celery, carrot, and onion used as a base in typical French cuisine.

This simple bean soup replaces common celery with the stalks and leaves of its more pungent cousin, celeriac (often called celery root) in the mirepoix. If you are in Austin, Johnson’s Backyard Garden recently started selling this delicious herb at farmers’ markets around town.

Spaghetti Westerns are a genre of Western movies that were made in Italy. They resemble the typical American-made Westerns, and the better ones feature unusual music and heroes with unnaturally good fighting skills and an unlikely partner.

Like Quentin Tarantino, we are  fans of quirky multi-national fusions. However, we are not in the movie business and so our Django Unchained-equivalent works are more likely to appear on small plates or glasses, rather than big screens.

Black Radish Latkes

Ingredients

• 1 pound black Spanish radishes, grated
• 1/2 pound white potatoes, grated
•  2 sprigs of green garlic, minced
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon black cumin, ground
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil based spray

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Form patties using about 1 cup of the mixture. Space the patties on a well oiled cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 375 degrees until they begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Flip the patties and cook another 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Serve hot with apple sauce or any other condiment of your choice.

Molletes – a hearty breakfast!

The first time we had molletes I thought that our hostess was being creative on behalf of the vegetarians, but it turns out that this is an easy, tasty breakfast common around central Mexico. We have had them made with traditional bolillo bread which we can get hot and fresh at our local Hispanic supermarket, Fiesta. Bolillo are a lot like french bread rolls so I would recommend a hearty and crusty bread if you cannot find bolillos locally.

Ingredients

• 2 bolillos, halved (or four thick slices of french bread)
• 2 cups refried beans
• 1/2 cup fresh cheese or grated Monterrey jack (optional)

Preparation

1. Spread the refried beans evenly among the four slices of bread and top with the cheese. 
2. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the cheese is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Serve hot with guacamole, pico de gallo, or a salsa of your choice.

Coseppi Michelada

As long as you have a healthy amount of lime juice and a beer, there is not a wrong way to make a michelada. We tried our fair share in around Mexico, and almost each one was different from the last, varying in spices, garnishes, and type of beer.  This is a very good version that James developed at home using nice dried Mexican chili peppers.

Ingredients

•  3 dried chiles guajillos
• 20 dried chiles de arbol
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
• 4 key limes
• 1 tablespoon Mexican hot sauce (such as Valentina)
• a few ice cubes
• splash of tomato juice (optional)
• 1 cold bottle of Mexican lager or a beer of your choice (we used the Alt from Hops and Grains)

Preparation

1. To make the rim spice, remove the tops of the dried peppers and shake the seeds loose. Toast the chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about two minutes. Process the peppers in a food processor until finely ground. Add salt and sesames seeds. This makes enough spice for a number of micheladas.
2. Pour the rim spice in a saucer or small plate. Run a slice of lime around the rim of a pint glass and rub the moistened rim in the spices like you would with a margarita glass.
3. Add the remaining lime juice to the rimmed pint glass. Mix in the hot sauce, a splash of tomato juice (if using), and add a few ice cubes.
4. Top the glass with your cold beer and enjoy!  Store the remaining rim spice in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Michelada Rim Spice