Peruvian Yogurt Sauce

My wife and I went to a Peruvian restaurant and they served a yogurt sauce with their empanadas. It was so good that I had to recreate it at home. My Peruvian yogurt sauce is cool, spicy and flavorful. Aromatic cilantro, spicy Serrano peppers, pungent garlic and cool yogurt blend harmoniously in this versatile sauce. I’ve used it on gyros, spanikopita, flap meat and empanadas. Because it’s so easy to make, we always have some on hand. Give it a try and let me know what you pair with it.

Click here to view the video demonstration with additional tips.

For this recipe, you'll need the following:

• 1 bunch of cilantro leaves, cleaned and most of the stem removed
• 1 Serrano chili or Jalapeño (depending on how spicy you like it)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 cups of plain yogurt
• Salt and pepper to taste  

 

Remove the stem from the Serrano chili and coarsely chop it. If you do not want it real spicy, you can remove the seeds and pith from the pepper. For an even milder sauce, substitute and jalapeño for the Serrano. Place the pepper in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Blend until almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

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Pan Seared Tilapia with Chili Lime Butter and Corn Relish

Tilapia filets, lightly seasoned then pan seared. Served on top of a bed of sauteed spinach, topped with a chili lime butter sauce and corn relish, this dish will have your taste buds doin' the happy dance. All fresh ingredients and it tastes like summer on a plate. It may sound like a lot but it is in fact quite simple to make. The brightly flavored corn relish can also be used on chicken, pork or other kinds of fish. Serve it at your next dinner party and your guests will be amazed.

For this recipe, you’ll need the following:
 

Corn Relish:

• 2 strips of bacon, chopped small
• 2 ears of yellow corn, shaved
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/3 of a bunch of cilantro, chopped
• Zest from a lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Chili Lime Butter Sauce:

• 1/4 cup of unsalted butter
• 1 medium shallot, chopped fine
• 1 serrano chili, finely chopped (if you don’t like spicy, substitute a jalapeño)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 lime

Tilapia:

• 2 tilapia filets
• Seafood seasoning (I prefer equal parts of coriander and fennel, lightly toasted in a dry pan and ground to a powder)
• Flour for dredging
• Oil for frying
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 cups fresh spinach

Begin by making the corn relish. In a hot pan, add the chopped bacon and brown it until its crisp, about 5-8 minutes. When the bacon is done, remove it from the pan and place it on paper towels to drain, reserving a tablespoon of fat. To the bacon fat, add the corn  and sauté until its done. Once the corn is cooked through, remove it from the heat and add the bacon back to the pan along with the tomato, cilantro and zest. Season it to taste with salt and pepper then set it aside.

 Now we will make the chili lime butter sauce. To a small sauce pan over medium heat, add the unsalted butter, shallot, chili and salt. Add the zest and juice from a lime and stir until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and set the chili lime butter sauce aside.

Now its time to pan sear the tilapia. Heat about 1/3 cup of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season the tilapia filets with your favorite seasoning (or mine). Dredge them in flour knocking off any excess. When the oil is hot, carefully add the tilapia filets. Cook them for about 2-3 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the filet) until they are a light golden brown on both sides.

Sautéing the spinach. Place a little olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) in a hot pan. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute. Do not let the garlic brown. This will result in a bitter taste. Add the spinach, tossing it in the hot oil and garlic until it is lightly sautéed.

 

 Now lets assemble our dish. Place some of the sautéed spinach on a plate. top the spinach with one of the tilapia filets. Next, drizzle a little of the chili lime butter over the filet. Finally, top the filet with some of the corn relish.

Enjoy!

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Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Fire roasted poblano peppers filled with a spicy chicken and rice mixture topped with melted pepper jack cheese and a cool dollop of sour cream. Using Sriracha sauce you can spice these up as much or as little as you want. Come and enjoy a south of the border treat!

For this recipe, you will need the following:

• 4 poblano peppers
• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ cup tomato sauce, divided
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ red onion, diced
• ½ green bell pepper diced
• 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
• 1 lime
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• Sriracha to taste
• 4 slices pepper jack cheese
• Sour Cream

Place the peppers on a baking sheet under a broiler (these can also be done on a BBQ). Char them on all sides. Close them up in a paper bag for 10 minutes. This will steam the peppers. Peel the peppers and set them aside. Do not rinse them under running water. That will remove the smoky charred flavor.

Place the rice, water, 1 cup of tomato sauce, cumin and oregano in a saucepan. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

In a large frying pan, sauté the onion, bell pepper and chicken until the onions are tender.

Add the juice of the lime. Stir in the cooked rice, shredded cheese, water, cilantro and Sriracha to taste. Use more Sriracha if you like it spicy! Allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Make an incision in each pepper running lengthwise. Spoon the rice mixture into each pepper, making them plump. Top each pepper with a slice of pepper jack cheese. Place them under a broiler until the cheese it melted. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!

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