Appetizers

Pupusas de Flor de Loroco y Queso

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup white wine white vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
• Kosher salt, to taste

• 2 cups masa harina
• 1 3/4 warm water
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, plus more for greasing
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 cups flor de loroco, jarred in brine and drained

• Tomato sauce, lightly warmed
• Salvadorean crema or crème fraiche

Directions:

1. To make the curtido, combine white wine vinegar, sugar, oregano, chili, carrots, onions, and cabbage in a bowl. Season with salt, toss, and let chill.
2. To make the dough, combine the masa haring with lukewarm water, oil, and salt. 
3. Kneed the dough until it's well combined, smooth and pliable. 
4. Cover and allow to rest for 15-30 minutes.
5. With wet or lightly oiled hands, scoop out a small amour of dough (about a 1/4 cup) and shape into a ball. 
6. Begin to palmear, lightly pressing it back an forth between your plans, rotting the dough to form a round disc. about 1/4 inch thick.
7. Cup the flattened disc in your hand to form an oval and add the shredded cheese and lorocoto the center. 
8. Tuck the filling down as you gate the dough at the top to seal.
9. Shape the filled dough into a ball and then re-flatted into a disc by repeating the process. 
10. Repeat with the remaining dough.
11. Heat a comal or cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
12. Brush lightly with oil and cook pupusas until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes each side.
13. Serve warm with curtido (picked cabbage), tomato sauce, and crema.

Makes: 10-12 Pupusas

Baked Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:

• Good-quality tortillas
• Neutral vegetable oil, like grape seed or canola
• Flaky sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Pour a few tablespoons of oil into a bowl and brush a thin coating onto your baking trays. Set aside.
2. Oil and stack the tortillas; Place one tortilla on the cutting board and brush the top with a light layer of oil. You don't need a lot of oil, but do pay attention to the outer edges of the tortilla, an area that is easy to miss. Place another tortilla on top of the oiled one and brush the top with oil. 
3. Continue in this manner until all your tortillas are oiled and stacked in one pile. 
4. Cut into wedges: using a large, sharp knife, cut your tortilla stack in half using one firm chop. if possible. Cut one of the halves in half and cut each of those halves in half again, forming wedges. Repeat with other side. This will give you eight stacks of tortilla wedges.
5. Arrange on trays and salt: Arrange the tortilla wedges in a single layer on the oiled trays. Place the wedges with the un-oiled sides facing down so that they have contact with the oil in the tray. A little overlapping is fine, but do not overlap too much or they won't crisp. 
6. Sprinkle a pinch or two of flaked sea salt over the tops, making sure that all of the wedges get a touch of salt.
7. Place trays in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes. Check your chips at 8 minutes and rotate your pans. Be aware that very thin tortillas are vulnerable to your oven's hot spot and can start to char. 
8. The chips are done when the edges are crisp and  dry and slightly lifted from the tray. The should be a few shades darker, though not completely browned. (Chips made from handmade tortillas will often have a few brown spots on them so don't worry if you see a few.) The chips will still be slightly flexible in the middle, but will crisp further as they cool.
9. Remove trays from the oven and let cool slightly. As they cool the chips will continue to crisp all the way through. Test one a if it isn't as crisp as you would like return the trays to the oven for another 2-3 minutes
10. Once the chips are fairly cool, remove from the tray an serve.  

Grilled Shrimp Margarita with Avocados & Garden Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. large shrimp in the shell (about 24), thawed completely if frozen and blotted dry
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup good-quality tequila
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 2 tablespoons green Tabasco or other jalapeño hot sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 cups diced ripe heirloom or garden tomatoes, drained (from about 3 medium tomatoes)
• 2 medium to large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1 bunch scallion (green tops only), thinly sliced
• 1 small white onion, finely diced (optional)
• Lime wedges for garnish
• Coarse sea salt (optional; I like French flour de sel)
• Saltine crackers

Directions:

1. Heat a gas grill to a medium high or prepare a medium hot charcoal fire. (If using charcoal, be sure that the grate is hot).
2. Put the shrimp on the grate directly over the heat and grill until pink and almost cooked through, 4-5 minutes, turing once halfway through. 
3. Let cool completely.
4. An hour before serving, whisk together the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, ketchup, and green Tabasco. 
5. Peel the shrimp, cut them into large pieces (about 1/2 inch), and toss with the tequila mixture.
6. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. 
7. Just before serving, season the shrimp mixture with salt and pepper (Alternatively, omit the kosher salt at this stage and sprinkle on a coarse sea salt like flour de sel just before serving). 
8. Gently fold in the tomatoes, avocados, and scallions, mixing well.
9. Using a slotted spoon, portion the mixture into individual serving bowls or margarita glasses.
10. Garnish with a sprinkling of onion (if using), a wedge of lime, and the optional sea salt.
11. Serve immediately with the crackers.              Serves: 4-6

Salsa Tropical

Ingredients:

• 1/4 of a fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 mango, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/2 onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped fine
• 1/2 orange belle pepper, chopped fine
• 1 large jalapeño, seeded, deveined, and minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tomato, chopped 
• 2 limes, juiced
• 3/4 cup minced cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt

Directions:

1. Toss then serve.