green onions, finely chopped (optional)
½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Tortilla chips for serving (for Star Chips, see Note at right)
Insert the tip of a paring knife into the top of the tomato, just outside of the spot where the stem was aached, and cut around that spot, removing the tough core. Put the tomato on its side and cut it in half crosswise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds from each half. Discard the seeds. Cut each tomato half lengthwise into thin slices. A few at a time, gather the slices into a bundle and cut them crosswise to form small, even cubes. Put the tomatoes in a medium bowl.
Cut the avocados in half lengthwise around the large pits in the centers. Twist the halves in opposite directions to separate them. Using a spoon, scoop out the pits and discard them, and then scoop the avocado flesh out of each half into the bowl with the tomatoes. Add the juice of 1½ limes, ½ teaspoon salt, the green onions (if using), and the cumin (if using) to the avocado mixture. Use a potato masher or fork to mash everything to a chunky paste. Stir in the cilantro. Taste the guacamole and, if you like, stir in more lime juice and salt. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.
Sa Chip Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a 3-inch star-shaped cookie cuer, cut stars out of six 6-inch corn tortillas (you should get 3 from each tortilla). Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with canola oil, then place the stars on the baking sheets so that they are not overlapping. Bake until brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the chips cool slightly, then transfer to a plaer and serve.
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In a small bowl, stir together the corn kernels and lime juice (the lime juice actually makes the corn taste sweeter). In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and buer until blended. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Stir in the corn.
Put a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet and place the baking sheet near the stove. Pour canola oil into a deep, heavy saucepan to a depth of 1 inch. Set the pan over medium-high heat and warm the oil until it reaches 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer.
Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of baer and very gently add the baer to the hot oil, being careful not to let it splash. Repeat to form more friers, but don’t crowd the pan. Fry the friers until browned on the boom, about 2 minutes. Using a sloed spoon, flip the friers and fry until golden on both sides, puffed, and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Using the sloed spoon, transfer them to the wire rack to drain. Fry more friers in the same way until all of the baer is used up.
Serve right away with lime wedges for squeezing.
½ cups fresh
corn kernels
(from about 3 ears) or thawed frozen corn kernels, chopped
teaspoons fresh
lime juice
large egg
½ cup whole milk
tablespoons unsalted buer, melted and cooled¾ cup all-purpose flour¼ cup fine-grind cornmeal
teaspoon
baking powder½ teaspoon saltCanola oil for deep-frying
Lime wedges for serving
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Griled C Friers wi Lim
These are made best with fresh corn in the summer, but thawed frozen corn kernels will work, too. For a twist, mix in 1 teaspoon each finely chopped green onion and chopped fresh cilantro and ¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese with the corn.
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FRITTERS
clove garlic, peeled and choppedOne 5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Salt
Water
⅓ cup well-stirred tahini (sesame paste)
tablespoon olive oilJuice of lemons
Put the garlic, chickpeas, ½ teaspoon salt, and 6 tablespoons water in a food processor and cover. Process the mixture for 1 minute. Turn off the machine and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Replace the lid and purée again until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice and blend for another minute. If the mixture is very thick, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and process until well combined. Taste the hummus and blend in more salt if you think it needs it.
Using the rubber spatula, scrape the hummus into a bowl. Serve right away or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Lemony Hummus
Hummus is a snap to make in a food processor. Try puréeing a roasted red pepper or drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes with the chickpeas for a tasty twist. Serve hummus with veggie sticks, pita chips, or mini pita breads.
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SERVINGS
6-8
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Place the cheeses in a 1-gallon zipper-lock plastic bag. Add the cornstarch, seal the bag, and shake until well mixed.
In a medium saucepan, combine the vegetable broth, water, vinegar, and garlic. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, add a handful of the cheese mixture to the broth mixture, and whisk until the cheese is almost fully melted. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture, adding it handful by handful and whisking until smooth aer each addition. Aer you’ve added all the cheese, keep whisking until the mixture starts to bubble, about 1 minute longer. Remove and discard the garlic clove.
Transfer the cheese dip to a warmed serving bowl or a fondue pot with a heat source underneath. Serve right away with the baguee slices and with fondue forks for spearing and dunking the bread.
cups shredded Gruyère cheese cups shredded fontina cheese or Swiss cheese tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth½ cup water tablespoons apple cider vinegar small clove garlic, smashed baguee, cut into cubes, for serving
Hot Chee Di
With