October 14, 2004
Alternate Ultimate
My wee wifey developed this salsa recipe based on one briefly sold in bulk at the deli department in local Jewel groceries.
20 plum tomatoes -- chopped
2 medium white onion -- chopped
15 sprigs cilantro -- chopped
juice of 2 limes
4 jalapeno peppers -- chopped - remove seeds from 2
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Combine all items, refrigerate overnite. Drain and reserve liquid.
This can be scooped up with chips, but the best use is to layer it in a glass baking dish with boneless chicken breasts, refrigerate till dinner time and then bake at 325 F for about 20 minutes.
But that's not what I came to tell you about. The reserved liquid, mixed with one part vodka for 2-1/2 parts juice, produces a bloody mary very different from Jack's. It isn't as strong, and it looks anemic, but the pleasure of the mouth feel it gives is absolutely exquisite.
As for the vodka, I use 100% neutral grain spirits from the 1.75 liter plastic bottle, but Emrack uses Van Gogh. That's right, my son is a vodka snob. He showed up once to party with some of his coworkers bringing a case of Milwaukee's Best and a bottle of Grey Goose Citron. He also has strong preferences in rum and tequila, but sees no difference between whiskies. The Corby's which I could no longer get if I chose to because the distillery now produces fuel ethanol, the Jim Beam people around him, others more than myself, drank to excess when he was growing up, and the 1995 Signatory bottling of 1975 Highland Park single malt which he paid for as my Christmas present are indistinguishable.
Posted by triticale at October 14, 2004 10:38 PM