The Test Is in the Tasting

By Deb Jenkins
Staff Writer

How does a week go by so fast?? I am going to do a little recap from last week’s recipes for you.

I made the Braised Chinese Vegetables (Lo Han Zhai). I ended up using a lot more veggies and actually did not use the black fungus it called for. I also added a little twist, by roasting the veggies in a very small amount of canola oil.

Now, wait before you judge me for using canola oil rather than olive or peanut oil. Let me tell you why I did that: I chose canola because I did not want the heavy taste of the olive oil on my soon-to-be-Asian dish, and I didn’t want peanut oil because I was making this for an event and who knows these days who is allergic to what. I know that in my world, as a cater, it is much better to be safe than sorry. Anyway canola it was. I used a really, really small amount.

The veggies I added were spinach (added right before serving), medium-sliced unpeeled potatoes (I parboiled them first), broccoli (blanched), carrots, colorful bell peppers, eggplant, red onion and zucchini.

So now you’re saying to yourself, “WHY did she even bother with the recipe?” Well, in the beginning of the recipe it said, “The original recipe calls for no less than 18 different ingredients to represent the 18 Buddhas (Lo Han).” I thought, well, let’s go for the original.

This was so simple to make and the sauce wasn’t too bad to deal with at all, three ingredients: salt, light brown sugar, light soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil (optional). The optional item of course made it five ingredients—very tasty meal.

That was the only recipe I had time to make. But, then my friend Barrie March called me up and told me he was making the lemon grass rice, and here is what he had to say about that. He also gave me another recipe to share with you readers. I asked him how it went.

“It was good. I would like a little more taste of the coconut, so I would increase the coconut cream a little. We also tried a baked brown rice with mushrooms last night. Onions sautéed, followed by sautéing the rice, adding diced mushrooms and stock, bringing to a boil and then baking at 350 for 45 minutes. Quite nice.”

By the way, if you would like the four recipes from last week again, just email me.

Okay, so the rest of my week eating turned into a lot of eating out. I don’t know how that happens so much. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I’m the one who is suggesting to cook it yourself.

What did I find for you readers to enjoy then? Jalapenos on Main, that’s what. I think this time I’m not the last one to know a new restaurant opened up! Their sign reads, AUTHENTIC!! Of course, the first thing that came to my mind was, “Hmm, really??” Not only are they called one of my favorite foods, they are telling me it is the real deal.

So next step, eat there. I am not going to, as my mom would say, “hem and haw” about this. They live up to the name on the sign.
My only disappointment was that I was craving a Margarita. NOPE, they did not have their license yet!! I hear now though that they are serving those beverages.

They have a very LARGE menu, which sometimes makes me worry. Mike and I had the same item, fajitas del mar: grilled shrimp, scallops, crab and fish cooked with onions, bell peppers and tomatoes; served with rice, beans and lettuce, sour cream, pico de gallo and tortillas—$14.25 and worth every red cent!! I had three meals out of this. You could actually see the shrimp, after they were cooked! But the ultimate test of course is the flavor. YEP, that was there too. So I am pretty sure you get it that I like this place.

And that was my week with one really big exception. I have to brag that my friend Lucy J treated Mike and me to her homemade huevos rancheros, and YEP, we are feeling JUST a little special!

Stay safe and eat well!

Until next week, any questions or concerns, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

If You Go

What: Jalapeños
Where: 2901 Main Ave
When: Daily, 10 am-11 pm
Info: 701.540.5185, 232.4886