Perfectly simple hors d'oeuvres

I'm always in search of new hors d'oeurves and found one that is very simple but one that I would never have thought of at the Abbey, a restaurant in Tucson. It is a recipe that truly highlights the flavor of  Sal del  Mar.

A walnut rustic bread or any rustic bread Whipped unsalted butter Dash of Sal del Mar

Place bread, butter and Sal del Mar separately on serving platter. Enjoy by spreading butter on a slice of rustic bread and a pinch of Sal del Mar according to your taste.  Buen Provecho!

A pinch of sal del mar

Last week my husband and I were invited to a small dinner party hosted by our friends, Jeanie and Bill Neubauer. Jeanie, who owns the Santa Cruz Chile Company is known for her intimate dinner parties in their house overlooking the Sea of Cortez. The Neubauers are hosts that love their guests to join in the cooking. Jeanie snapped a photo with her iPhone camera of Debra Paterson, a guest from Arizona and David Haynes from California, sautéing orange and red pepper seasoned with a pinch of Sal del Mar. It was served as an accompaniment to Sonora steaks on the grill and Caesar salad made with lettuce from Bill’s garden and ended by tastes of tequila liquors.  Buen Provecho!

To make the recipe featured in the photo:
4 - 5 red, yellow and orange bell peppers cut into ¼ inch slices
¼ cup olive oil
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Pinch of Sal del Mar sea salt

Clean, seed and slice peppers. Sauté in olive oil on low to medium heat until soft (let them sweat). When done finish with a pinch of Sal del Mar to taste and a splash of balsamic. Recipe compliments of Debra!

Holiday marga-ho ho ho-jito

A mojito traditionally uses rum but this holiday-perfect recipe uses tequila instead, hence the title. Rub glass rim with lime wedge and then dip in a mixture of equal parts Sal del Mar sea salt and sugar for a salty sweet twist on the salt-rimmed glasses.

Prep Time: 5 minutes Yield: Makes 5 cups

1 (10-oz.) can frozen mojito mix
3/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons orange liqueur or triple sec
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Ice
Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender. Fill blender with ice to 5-cup level, and process until smooth. Serve immediately as shown garnished with cranberries and sprig of local herb such as sage or rosemary.

Zesty sopa de pollo

Don't get stuck making the same old chicken noodle soup. Here's a zesty recipe to keep you warm and cozy during the cold months ahead.
2 whole chickens (3 ½ pounds each)
1 large yellow onion, halved
1 ½ cups long-grain rice
2 avocados
3 limes, halved
4 carrots, halved crosswise
1 tablespoon Sal del Mar sea salt
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

Rinse the chickens and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chickens, carrots, onion and Sal del Mar sea salt in a 12-quart pot. Add enough cold water (about 16 cups) and cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 1 hour. Skim off any foam that appears. Transfer the chickens to plates; let cool. Remove and discard the carrots and onion. Add the rice to the broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones. Add the meat and pepper to the broth and heat for 3 minutes. Scoop the avocados into individual bowls and ladle the soup over the top. Sprinkle with the cilantro and squeeze on the limes. Yields: 6-8 servings.

To freeze: Omit the avocados, cilantro, and limes; let the soup cool, then ladle into large resealable bags, filling each one halfway. Store for up to 3 months.

To reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or thaw partially in the microwave. Warm in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Scoop the avocado into bowls, ladle in the soup, and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with the lime wedges on the side.

A lime is a lime is a lime

Fresh squeezed lime juice is the key ingredient for making a marvelous margarita. The most common lime in the U. S. is the thick skinned Persian lime. In Mexico, the margaritas are made with a Mexican lime or Key lime. Key limes are smaller, thinner skinned and are more tart with a bitter flavor compared to the Persian variety. Due to America’s sweet tooth, a lot of recipes use the prepared margarita mixes that use sugar or fructose corn syrup (and lots of it) along with imitation lime juice. The “Secret Sexiest Margarita” featured on the Sal del Mar website is a more authentic margarita that uses orange liqueur and orange juice for all the sweetness it needs to compliment the fresh limes. So don’t substitute!