Taco Tuesday

Here we are.  It’s Tuesday & these tacos are worth raving about.  Not only are they quick & easy to make, they are one of the better taco combinations I have had in my little life. 

I realize that the spinach & ricotta medley seems a little offbeat for a taco recipe; however, I assure you, these tacos are scrumptious.

I think my Tuesday dinner guests would agree that this recipe deserves a permanent place in the Taco Tuesday rotation…

Ricotta Spinach Tacos

Serves 4

8 ounces ricotta (preferably fresh), at room temperature

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Kosher salt (to taste)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 white onion, sliced into ½- inch thick rings

2 bunches fresh spinach (about 1 pound), stemmed

½ teaspoon ground cumin

8 to 12 corn tortillas (depending on size)

Salsa verde, for serving

Combine the ricotta, cilantro and 1 clove garlic in a medium bowl and season with salt.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the onion and cook without stirring until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir and continue cooking until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes.  Add the chiles, spinach (in batches) and cumin and cook, stirring, until the spinach begins to wilt.  Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic and cook until the spinach is completely wilted, about 3 more minutes.  Season with salt; transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or wrap in a damp towel and microwave 1 to 2 minutes.  Divide the spinach mixture among the tortillas, top with the ricotta mixture and a spoonful of salsa verde and fold.  Serve with more salsa.

{These tacos are great on their own, but are also great with black beans on the side}


*Food Network Magazine, April 2012

Sweet & Savory: Watermelon Salad

I find joy in experimenting with summer fruits and grilled everything.  How sweet it is to pair the unexpected… For example, an odd couple like {watermelon + feta } makes for a surprisingly delicious salad.

This easy recipe was a big hit at a recent lunch party.  It’s so refreshing!  It would be great on a plate with lamb sliders or jerk chicken.

Watermelon + Feta Salad

Serves: 8

1 small red onion

2-4 limes, depending on juiciness

One 3 lb. sweet, ripe watermelon

 8.75 oz feta cheese

Bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bunch fresh mint, chopped

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 oz. pitted black olives

Black pepper

Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half-moons and put in a small bowl to steep with the lime juice. Two limes' worth should do it, but you can find the fruits disappointingly dried up and barren when you cut them in half, in which case add more.

Remove the rind and pips from the watermelon, and cut into approximately 4cm triangular chunks.  Cut the feta into similar sized pieces and put them both into a large, wide shallow bowl. Tear off sprigs of parsley so that it is used like a salad leaf, rather than a garnish, and add to the bowl along with the chopped mint.

Add onions, along with their pink juices over the salad in the bowl, add the oil and olives, then using your hands toss the salad very gently so that the feta and melon don't lose their shape. Add a good grinding of black pepper and taste to see whether the dressing needs more lime.

Serve immediately!