SPICY SUMMER SNAX
Classic Treats with Tasty Twists
Hello good people of W4D! It’s feeling spicy outside—yes, the heat bearing down on much of the nation, but also in our kitchens! This week we’re focusing on snacks that pack a punch and are good enough to serve to company…
TUMBLED TOMATOES MARIA & SMOKY CHIPOTLE DEVILED EGGS
EK: If you are like us, some days (and some nights), you just don’t feel like a whole meal, you just feel like having some snicky snax! As the summer draws to a close—even though it’s still hot as hades where we respectively live—snacks for dinner are just the thing!
AU: Yes, when the idea of cooking a full meal is out of the question, snacks for dinner are the clear choice (aka “Girl Dinner” if you’re on the TikkyTokky).
EK: Yeah, I’ve eaten “Girl Dinners” my whole adult life! Some days, there is nothin’ better!
In this version of Spicy Snax, we’re making some of our favorites. You can make one or two, or all three of these fun finger foods and call it a night!
I am making a version of my well-known and well-loved Tumbled Tomatoes. These may be my most popular recipe, and they aren’t even grilled!! You rinse cherry tomatoes, season them and tumble them in a bowl—thus the name Tumbled Tomatoes…
The magic happens in the refrigerator where they rest until all the water evaporates and leaves a salt-and-seasoning crust that flavors the tomatoes. I make these most weeks as they are a great snack and a healthy nibble with drinks.
When I don’t have time for the water to evaporate and I want something a little boozier, I make my Tumbled Tomatoes Maria.
EK: These little cherry-tomato gems are poked with a toothpick to allow some of the tequila marinade to be infused while they hang out in a refrigerated tequila bath. When you are ready to serve them, you drain the tequila but don’t dry them off. The remaining droplets of tequila will help the classic chile-lime Tajin seasoning adhere and add more tequila flavor.
Serve with a side of Tajin and toothpicks for picking and dipping! So easy, so delicious and they are healthy-ish!!
AU: Look at you, adding to your tomato-and-booze-based canon! Your Bloody Mary Grilled Shrimp Cocktail is my forever go-to… and let’s not forget about your deliciously savory Mezcal Bloody Maria and Bandera Cocktails!
EK: I do love a tomato + Tequila moment! Besides tomatoes and Tequila, Deviled Eggs are always a good idea, and they offer a little protein with your snacks—so that’s basically dinner, right?!
I created this lime-y fresh and light Smoky Chipotle Deviled Egg for my menu at Hill Country Barbecue Market. I wanted to offer deviled eggs but make them different than any other restaurant in NYC. From day 1 they were a favorite bar snack and “side dish,” for just about everyone except Anthony who is not a fan of deviled eggs—no matter how good they are!
They are easy to make, but be forewarned that deviled eggs take a little bit of time to make because you have to boil them, cool them, peel them, cut them and stuff them!
I already did a deep dive on Deviled Eggs in a past #W4D newsletter, so I am not going to get into the ins-and-outs of boiling and peeling eggs, but if you need a refresher, you can read about it in the link above.
EK: You make these deviled eggs the same way, but you are switching up the flavor profile. I also like to use a mini food processor to make sure these are creamy and smooth and the flavors are mixed through and through.
What makes these deviled eggs smoky and spicy is the chipotle in adobo sauce. And, since I learned about the game-changing La Costena jarred diced chipotles from Anthony—I no longer have miscellaneous jars of forgotten chipotles in my refrigerator. If you like the flavor of the smoked jalapeños (chipotles) in adobo sauce, this jar is for you.
Mayonnaise is a given, and I am a BIG Hellmann’s fan—that extra hit of lemon makes a difference IMO. A little dehydrated garlic and ground ancho chile powder round out the smoky heat, and both lime zest and lime juice are added to brighten up the earthy flavors.
My secret ingredient is unsalted butter, which rounds out the egg yolks and creates a silky texture, instead of a chalky one. A splash of rice vinegar and Tabasco add a bit of an acid tang and another layer of heat that balances the richness.
The finishing touch is to mix equal parts of ground ancho chile with Fleur de Sel and sprinkle it on top. I like the look of the ancho chile more than paprika, and the crunchy salt adds some texture and a hit of salinity.
These are best slightly cool, but not cold, as the colder they are, the harder the yolks. For optimal flavor, make sure you take them out of the fridge at least 15 minutes before serving.
SNACK ON THESE (LITERALLY)
EK: When you are setting out your snacks, the dishware you use is so important and should be part of the fun! I recently discovered these super cool white porcelain functional serving dishes by Corico.
The dishes come in 2 pieces—a bowl and a triangular-shaped piece with a hole in the top. The piece with the hole in it is designed to hide the pits. Place it in the center of the bowl and it becomes a receptacle for pits.
AU: I love this! No one wants to see the pits! And they’re so stylish…
EK: I just love using this olive dish. I don’t have to have a separate bowl for the pits… and they aren’t visible. The cherry bowl is also very clever, if you are a cherry lover. It’s a great way to display them and serve them for a fruit break or a healthy dessert! Speaking of healthy desserts, either dish would be great for serving the beautiful, caramel dates from Rancho Meladuco Date Farm. Another favorite after dinner snack of mine!
BASIC GUAC FROM A BASIC BOI
AU: Does one *need* a good guacamole recipe?? Probably not… but I’ve had quite a few bad guacs in my day, and when guac is bad, it’s BAAAAAD.
Is there anything more disappointing than a flavorless, brown, off-putting guacamole?
EK: Soooooo disappointing! And the brown color is the worst! I know that it can simply be oxidized and not rotten, but I can’t eat a brown avocado. And IMO, you have to use fresh avocados, not the prepared—baby food—avocado mash that so many restaurants use for their avocado toast, and is sold in big box stores. It only takes a minute to cut and scoop a ripe avocado and it tastes 100x better!
AU: Agreed! Well, with Elizabeth as my witness, you will never have bad guacamole again!! It’s seems so crazy to me that bad guacs are even out there—like, how do you make the perfect avocado, jalapeños, lime and cilantro taste bad?? They’re all so good on their own.
EK: I think it’s because people use that prepared guac mush..
AU: First, we’ll start with a basic guacamole, and then Elizabeth and I will give you a few ways to switch it up…
AU: I like a very classic guacamole that consists of 6 simple ingredients:
Hass avocados - creamy, fruity, and maddening to find a perfectly ripe one. Apparently one can press on the top of the avocado (near the stem), if it feels too mushy, move on to another avocado. If it gives a little, but still springs back with some resistance, you’ve found a good one.
Jalapeño - probably the most ubiquitous of the peppers, so it’s always a go-to. But guac can be delicious made with Serranos or even red Fresno Chiles.
Onion - I usually use a sweet-ish red onion for guac, but I think most Mexican cooks would reach for a white onion (which can be milder). I’ve even used peeled shallots in a pinch.
Tomato - The Roma tomato is a good choice here, because it has fewer seeds than other varieties. If you use a vine tomato, or an heirloom, that’s fine. Just make sure you de-seed before dicing and adding to your guac. Otherwise, you’re gonna have a soupy, too-thin consistency.
Cilantro - Has there ever been a more polarizing herb? Not since reefer madness. I like the taste of cilantro, and feel that it’s herby flavor is essential to a good guac. If you detest cilantro, you could sub parsley with a little ground coriander (which is cilantro, btw!!) in the mix.
Lime - Purists will say that most people put way too much lime in guacamole, and then “you can’t taste the avocado.” I say DON’T YUCK MY YUM I LIKE A LIMEY GUACAMOLE, K?! Plus, the lime juice helps fight oxidation and keeps your guac from turning brown immediately.
AU: The first thing I do is juice half of a lime into the bowl in which I’m going to make the guacamole. Maybe I’m a psycho (I most definitely am), but I have a favorite guac bowl. I can’t make guac without it. It is the perfect size, and I can’t it explain, but the guac doesn’t taste the same if it’s not made in said bowl.
EK: I love that about you! I don’t have a guac bowl, but now maybe I should…
AU: I swear, it helps! Ok, I add about a 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the juice, and give it a stir, so it can dissolve. This may just be placebo effect in my brain, but I think this helps season the guac throughout.
Typically, I’m making guac for at least four grown-ass men, so I rarely make it with less than three Hass avocados. I like to cut them in half, remove the pit, and score them while still in the skin. Then I will take a serving spoon (or my favorite cooking spoon) and scoop the diced avo into the salty lime juice, mashing it a little here and there, but not turning it into a baby-food-like puree. I like my guac pretty chunky, so I tend to keep the mashing to a minimum.
Hint: If an avocado is firmer than I’d like, I score/dice it into smaller pieces. Conversely, if it’s too soft, I make larger cuts, so it doesn’t immediately turn into mush while making the guacamole.
AU: Once you’ve achieved your optimal avo-texture, it’s as easy as adding the rest of the chopped ingredients to the bowl. Pictured above is my typical proportion of “mix-ins” to three avocados: about 1/3 cup diced red onion, a whole medium jalapeño, 1 diced roma tomato, and about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.
While we’re on the subject of mix-ins, here are some ways to switch up your guacamole game:
Esquites Guacamole - Add grilled corn, cotija cheese, and leave out the tomato for a street corn twist on guacamole. Top the bowl with a sprinkle of Tajin before serving.
Fruity Guacamole - Instead of tomatoes, add a quarter cup (or more) of pomegranate perils to your guac. It’s also fun to add diced mango! “Is he, ya know?” 💅
Smoky Guacamole - No fresh jalapeños in the fridge? No prob! Add a spoonful of diced chipotle peppers in adobo to the guac.
EK’S EASY 1-2-3 GUACAMOLE
EK: I love Anthony’s Guac and I used to add onions, jalapeños and tomatoes and a bunch of other ingredients to my guacamole, until I was tasked with making guac for 500 people at the Culinary Institute of America “Worlds of Flavor” conference.
The ‘world flavor’ was Mexico, and my friend, chef, and Mexican cuisine expert Rick Bayless was there. I admitted to Rick that I was daunted by the task of making guacamole for 500 and he gave me a tip that I use to this day!
He suggested I try the easy Frontera Foods recipe (he created the company and the products) made with his tomatillo salsa. It was easy, it was delicious, and very popular! In fact, so popular that today, it has been rebranded as Original Guacamole Mix!
Here is the recipe that I made that day and still make today if you want to try it:
1-2-3 Tomatillo Salsa Guacamole
Makes about 2 cups
3 ripe Hass avocados
1 cup store-bought tomatillo salsa, like Frontera Foods Original Guacamole Mix
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt, optional
Cut the avocados in half, scoop the soft flesh into a bowl, and mash it.
Stir in the tomatillo salsa.
Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt. Refrigerate
STORING GUACAMOLE
AU: Let’s talk about storing your guac. As aforementioned, no one wants to eat brown guacamole. SAD! There are many theories re: keeping the pit in the guac keeps it from browning (ABSOLUTE LIE), or that pouring water over it will keep it from oxidizing. Here’s what I do to keep it green and fresh for at least 12 hours in the fridge…
Smooth out the surface of your guacamole to make it as flat as possible.
Take a sheet of plastic wrap and rub it with the cut half of a lime.
Place lime-rubbed side of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole, gently pressing down to make it as airtight as possible.
Refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
I’ve had great success with this method. You can also try spraying the plastic wrap with oil/cooking spray, or keeping the whole thing in an airtight container with the lid in direct contact with the guac’s surface, but I’ve found this to be the easiest, most foolproof, and effective way to keep guac from browning.
TRICK OUT THOSE TORTILLA CHIPS!
AU: Okay, last little tidbit on this lovely Thursday… If you want seasoned tortilla chips, like they serve in some restaurants, it’s easy to do at home. You could, of course, make tortilla chips from scratch (or even bake ‘em, if you want to be healthy), but like… that’s a bridge too far for me.
All you need is 3 teaspoons of your favorite seasoning blend (a homemade rub, Tajin, plain ol’ chili powder, etc.):
Open your bag of tortilla chips, and sprinkle 2 teaspoons into the bag.
Reseal the top with your hands and shake, so that the seasoning distributes.
Pour the seasoned chips onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle 1 additional teaspoon of the seasoning on top.
Bake the chips in a 300ºF oven for about 10-12 minutes, so that the seasoning adheres to the chips.
Serve warm, or cool completely on the sheet pan and store in an airtight container/bag.
NOTE: Make sure you taste the chips before adding a seasoning blend with salt, as it may be too salty. Or use unsalted chips, so you can control the seasoning.
Thanks Josh!! I think AU is the only person I know who doesn't love a Deviled Egg:)!
Andrew - Nigella Lawson has that same tip of dissolving the salt in the lime juice. She also believes it distributes the salt more evenly.