The Other Side of the Tortilla

McCormick Spices

Roasted jalapeño hummus

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This post is part of a compensated campaign with McCormick Spices. All opinions and the recipe here are my own.

Roasted jalapeño hummus is a quick, easy, healthy snack you can make at home in about 15 minutes.

While this might look like any old regular hummus, the roasted jalapeño, garlic and cumin give it a mellowed, spicy kick for a different flavor than traditional, plain hummus. This anything-but-typical dip is great served with pita bread, pita chips, or tortilla. chips. And in 2015, this snack — which is a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mexican flavors — is actually trendy! Middle Eastern dips and spreads are one of the global food trends in this year’s Flavor Forecast from McCormick Spices.

Roasted jalapeño hummus recipe via theothersideofthetortilla.com

It’s quite easy to work most of these trends into your daily cooking routines, but I challenge you to try to incorporate at least one trend per week. Chances are, if you’re a Mexican food enthusiast, you may already be cooking according to some of these trends — in which case, congratulations for being accidentally cool!

Check out the full McCormick Flavor Forecast 2015 and get inspired to get cooking with recipe suggestions galore.

There are eight flavor trends to watch in the 15th annual McCormick Flavor Forecast, and here, I’m sharing my five favorites and how you can apply them with Mexican cuisine in your own kitchen.

RELATED: 2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast gives Mexican food a global twist

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How to make mangonadas

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A mangonada is a quintessential Mexican treat, made of mango, orange juice, chamoy and chile lime salt, and they’re sold just about everywhere from street vendors to neverías in Mexico.

This post is part of a compensated campaign with McCormick & Company but the recipe and opinions here are my own.

It’s very popular, especially in the warm weather months, as it resembles an American slushie. You can grab one to go on the street or enjoy it with friends in an ice cream parlor.

Mangonada #recipe with homemade chamoy from theothersideofthetortilla.com #mexican #flavorstory @mccormickspice

If you’ve been reading The Other Side of The Tortilla for awhile, you may remember I interviewed Chef Kevan Vetter about the 2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast and how global flavor trends were incorporating Mexican flavors and sensibilities on a worldwide scale. This year marks McCormick’s 125th anniversary of the company celebrating the role flavor plays in all of our lives, inspiring flavorful conversation and giving back to communities around the world.

I’m thrilled to see that this trend and interest in Mexican cuisine has been growing exponentially and is again incorporated in the most recent report. The McCormick Flavor Forecast 2014 report includes two flavor insights particularly suited to highlighting Mexican cuisine: A worldwide obsession with chilies and a growing taste for regional Mexican fare in North America. Of the Mexican flavors considered to be trending globally this year is chamoy, a sweet and spicy condiment made with apricot, lime, chiles and salt. Chamoy also happens to be a key ingredient in the mangonada.

Chamoy is a versatile condiment, as it can be used in both sweet and savory dishes; anything from a salsa for dipping fruit or making jicaletas (jicama popsicles) to marinating meats or using it as a meat glaze.

RELATED RECIPE: Mango and chamoy paletas

Although bottled chamoy can be found in most Mexican supermarket chains in the U.S. as well as for purchase online, I like to make my own so I know exactly what’s in it. Most of the commercially produced chamoy is loaded with sugar, preservatives and dyes. My version of chamoy uses apricot fruit spread (not jelly, jam or preserves) and natural ingredients so you can feel good about indulging in this treat. There are multiple brands that offer apricot fruit spread, which is more or less a jam or preserve made with little or no added sugar.

Ground ancho chile provides a subtle, earthy spice to this homemade chamoy without being overpowering. If you want to make your chamoy on the spicier side, you can add about 1/2 teaspoon more to the recipe below. And if you need to thin out the chamoy, you can add a little lime juice and store leftovers in the refrigerator. For a modern twist to the traditional mangonada, you can try substituting pineapple juice for orange juice.

 

Mangonada #recipe with homemade chamoy from theothersideofthetortilla.com #mexican #flavorstory @mccormickspice

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Mangonadas

Prep

Total

Yield 2 mangonadas

A traditional Mexican mango and orange juice slush with chamoy and chile lime salt, mangonadas are served everywhere from street vendors to neverías in Mexico and are very popular especially in the warm weather months.

Ingredients

For the homemade chamoy:
  • 1/2 cup apricot spreadable fruit (not jelly, jam or preserves)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet Collection ground ancho chile pepper
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 4-5 large dried apricots, rehydrated in warm water for 30 minutes
For the mangonadas:
  • 2-3 tablespoons chamoy
  • 2 cups frozen mango chunks
  • 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3-4 large navel oranges)
  • Chile lime salt, such as Tajín, to taste

Instructions

For the chamoy:
  1. Add 4-5 large dried apricots to a cup of warm water and allow to soak for 30 minutes to rehydrate. When the apricots are rehydrated, discard the water.
  2. Add 1/2 cup spreadable fruit, juice of one lime, ground ancho chile pepper and apple cider vinegar to a food processor and run on high until completely smooth.
For the mangonadas:
  1. Add 2 cups frozen mango chunks to blender and pour orange juice on top. Seal the top of the blender and blend on high until completely smooth.
  2. Spoon chamoy around the inside of the glass, then pour the mango and orange juice mixture into the cup.
  3. Top with more chamoy and swirl with a spoon.
  4. Sprinkle chile lime salt on top and serve.

Notes

The prep time in this recipe includes 30 minutes of inactive prep time for soaking the dried apricots.

Cuisine Mexican

Paella de chorizo, pollo y coles de Bruselas {Go4Gourmet Challenge}

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I love cooking challenges, so I was completely floored to be asked to participate in the Go 4 Gourmet cooking challenge with McCormick Gourmet this month! The rules were simple: They’d ship me a box of ingredients and I would create a dish that included all the ingredients. Maybe I’ve been watching too many episodes of “Chopped,” but I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen and create something. As soon as I found out the ingredients in the box would be paprika, chorizo and chicken stock and the requirement that I needed to also add fresh Brussels sprouts, I knew exactly what to make: A paella!

The Go4Gourmet McCormick Gourmet Challenge Box

Spanish influences in Mexican cuisine mean it’s not out of the ordinary to see different kinds of paella served in Mexico. This is a sponsored post and I received some of the ingredients from McCormick and was compensated for my time and talent to develop this recipe. I’ve written about eating paella in Mexico and shared my own paella recipe here before, along with tips for making paella (from the pan to the correct rice to use, and how to steep saffron).

Although one might not think of Brussels sprouts in a paella, this recipe is a riff off of a classic paella Valenciana that has rabbit and artichokes and I replaced the rabbit with chicken thighs (just because chicken is easier to find) and substituted Brussels sprouts for the artichokes. The earthy flavor of Brussels sprouts and spicy, salty chorizo is a perfect flavor combination as well. I knew I wanted the Brussels sprouts to retain a little crispness, so I decided to roast them with a little olive oil, paprika and kosher salt before putting them into the paella. The result: Brussels sprouts that still had a bite despite being submersed in chicken broth and rice. The chorizo also provides enough salt that aside from the kosher salt you’ll use to roast the Brussels sprouts, you likely won’t feel the need to cook with more salt.

Brussels sprouts roasted with paprika, olive oil and salt for a paella

Paella with Brussels sprouts, Spanish chorizo and chicken for the Go4Gourmet challenge with McCormick Gourmet

You can participate in this and other Go 4 Gourmet challenges at Go4Gourmet.McCormick.com! New challenges are announced every two weeks through December and you can enter your own recipes to win weekly prizes!

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Paella de chorizo, pollo y coles de Bruselas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Paella de chorizo, pollo y coles de Bruselas

Earthy Brussels sprouts, spicy and salty chorizo, and chicken thighs are an excellent flavor melding for a spin on a classic paella Valenciana. This is a sponsored recipe for the Go4Gourmet challenge with McCormick Gourmet.

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces baby brussel sprouts, cleaned and halved
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for tossing and roasting the brussel sprouts)
  • 1/2 teaspoon McCormick’s paprika
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 12 threads of saffron plus 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water
  • 7 oz chicken thigh, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for browning the chicken)
  • 4 oz sliced Palacios Spanish chorizo
  • 1 tsp garlic (crushed in a garlic press or diced)
  • 1 1/2 tsp McCormick’s paprika
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste plus 6 tablespoons water (to make a tomato paste)
  • 1 1/4 cups Spanish rice
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 sprig of rosemary

Instructions

  1. Clean and halve 5 ounces of baby brussel sprouts.
  2. In a bowl, add brussel sprouts, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon McCormick’s paprika and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Toss until coated.
  3. In a shallow casserole dish, spread brussel sprouts out and cook under your broiler for about 5 minutes or until the brussel sprouts start to brown and crisp. Remove from the broiler and set aside.
  4. While the brussel sprouts are under the broiler, steep your saffron in a small dish with 1 1/2 tablespoons of hot water. Set aside.
  5. In your paella pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sear the chicken until it browns a bit.
  6. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute.
  7. Sprinkle the paprika over the chicken. Pour the tomato puree around the edge of the pan all the way around. Let it cook for a minute or two.
  8. Add the rice and chicken stock; stir gently until the rice is completely moist. Add the saffron and the little bit of water that you steeped it in. Stir gently.
  9. Add roasted brussel sprouts to the pan, tucking them into the rice and chicken stock. The brussel sprouts should be mostly covered. Allow it to cook for a few minutes until you see the rice rise, then tuck the sprig of rosemary into the rice.
  10. Turn the heat to medium low. After about 10 minutes, tuck the pieces of sliced chorizo into the rice.
  11. Continue cooking until the rice is soft and you can hear the socarrat forming along the bottom of the pan. You’ll know the socarrat is forming when you hear a little crackling noise. (Socarrat is the yummy, crunchy sort of caramelized rice that sticks to the bottom and is the prize of the paella party.) Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t able to achieve socarrat perfection on your first try; it takes some practice to get it right.
  12. Remove from the heat at let the pan rest for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Be sure to use baby Brussels sprouts and hard, cured Spanish chorizo.

https://theothersideofthetortilla.com/2013/10/paella-chorizo-brussels-sprouts-chicken-go4gourmet-mccormick-gourmet/

Charred Orange Colada

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If there’s one drink I’m guaranteed to order by the pool when I’m on vacation, it’s a classic piña colada. When I talked about this charred orange colada recipe with McCormick Spices Chef Kevan Vetter, it had me salivating for vacation and this interesting twist on the classic frozen cocktail.

It’s a simple recipe to follow, and the charred orange and black rum give this colada a decadent depth that makes it a sophisticated version of the classic.

You can also substitute 2-3 ounces of piloncillo for the brown sugar if you want to give it even more of a Mexican flavor.

In Spanish, allspice is called pimienta dulce, and you should be able to find it in both mainstream and Latino markets.

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Charred Orange Colada (Recipe from McCormick Spices)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Charred Orange Colada (Recipe from McCormick Spices)

This interesting twist on the classic piña colada cocktail has smoky charred oranges, rich black rum and warm allspice in every sip.

Ingredients

  • 4 oranges
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick Whole Allspice
  • 1 can (13.66 oz) Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk
  • 12 cup black rum
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1-2 cups crushed ice
  • 4 maraschino cherries (optional for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Cut three of the oranges in half, crosswise. Cut ends off the remaining orange and then cut into 4 crosswise slices. Dip the cut sides of the orange halves in the brown sugar. Reserve the remaining brown sugar.
  2. Grill oranges over medium heat for about 12 minutes or until charred. Turn slices occasionally. Reserve the slices for garnish.
  3. Place orange halves, orange juice, allspice and reserved brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and cool completely. Remove orange halves from the pan and squeeze the juice from them back into the saucepan. Mix well and strain juice. Refrigerate until chilled.
  5. Place juice mixture, coconut milk, rum, vanilla and 1 cup of ice in the blender and blend on high until smooth. Add more ice if desired.
  6. Serve garnished with charred orange slices and maraschino cherries.
https://theothersideofthetortilla.com/2012/12/charred-orange-colada/

Want to know more? You can read the full 2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast report on the future of global flavor trends and how they develop the forecast at flavorforecast.com.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to promote McCormick Spices 2013 Flavor Forecast global flavor trend report. We received promotional materials and an exclusive interview with McCormick’s executive chef to assist in writing this post, but all opinions in this series are our own.

2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast gives Mexican food a global twist

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We’re always looking to share Mexican food and culture in new ways here at The Other Side of The Tortilla. I recently had the opportunity to talk to McCormick Spices executive chef, Kevan Vetter, about global trends and the McCormick Flavor Forecast for 2013. You can watch the video with some clips from our interview below. Some of the flavor pairings this year include combinations such as black rum, charred orange and allspice for an awesome twist on the classic piña colada cocktail, smoked tomato, rosemary, chiles and sweet onion for handcrafted sauces and salsas, hearty meat cuts with plantains and cinnamon sticks, and anise and something muy Mexicana—cajeta, a goat’s milk caramel.

Today I’m sharing the five trends from this year’s Flavor Forecast report and what I love about each of them.

Be sure to check back soon for another video with more from my chat with Kevan and for recipes and a holiday giveaway from McCormick just for you!

5 TRENDS OF GLOBAL FLAVOR FOR 2013

No apologies necessary.
This trend is all about diving headfirst into flavors to enjoy the gratification of a momentary escape.
What I love about it: Family dinner is especially a time I like to momentarily escape from the pressures of work and life and just enjoy a meal together, talk and relax. It’s an important part of our culture to share meals as a family without having to be apologetic to others about flying under the radar for a bit. Savoring your food and your time with your family is a great habit to develop early with your kids so they come to expect it as they grow older.

Personally handcrafted.
This trend signifies the hands-on approach to showcasing the very best of ourselves.
What I love about it: There’s no more personal gift than making something yourself to give to the people you love. And when I say gift, I don’t mean only gifts that you give for holidays and special occasions. Making home-cooked meals for your family is also a gift to them, even if they don’t always realize or appreciate it. The other day I made the extra effort to make José a special salsa to go with milanesas for dinner, and he said it was the best part of the meal. It makes me feel good to know that going the extra mile with personally handcrafted dishes makes such an impact on the happiness of those around me.

Empowered eating.
This trend includes creating harmony of health and wellness through a highly personalized, flexible approach to the way you eat.
What I love about it: When it comes to empowered eating, it bothers me that a lot of people think Mexican food can’t be healthy and that everything we eat is swimming in cheese, which isn’t true. Como mamá siempre nos dijo: ¡Todo en moderación! For the English speakers, that’s “everything in moderation.” There are so many Mexican ingredients that pack a lot of flavor without the addition of calories or fat. Chiles are a prime example in Mexican cooking because they can be used in so many ways—fresh, dried, powdered, and the list goes on. Finding the right balance is up to the individual.

Hidden potential.
This trend is all about the “waste-not” mentality and uncovering the fullest flavors from every last part of the ingredient.
What I love about it: This trend is actually also a way of life when it comes to Mexican cooking. If you think about Mexican dishes such as carnitas, you use just about every last bit of the pig so nothing is wasted. I may not like to eat riñones (kidneys), but my suegro does! Check it out, amigos Mexicanos… we were doing this way before it was trendy! Even with tortillas that are a little too old to eat, I hate to throw them away. So I bake them to make tostadas, or cut them up and fry them to make totopos (hearty tortilla chips).

Global my way.
This trend includes discovering the unlimited flavor possibilities of global ingredients and using them outside of their traditional roles in ethnic cuisines.
What I love about it: I’m always trying to incorporate my favorite Mexican ingredients into non-Mexican dishes, or to put a Mexican spin on a non-Mexican dish by infusing a traditionally Mexican flavor. Chef Vetter shared with me a tamal recipe that pairs with a Japanese katsu sauce, which I thought was pretty cool and that I’m looking forward to trying out soon.

  • Watch some of my conversation with McCormick Spices executive chef Kevan Vetter and then let me know which trend you like best in the comments below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBQ4yrCvLO4[/youtube]

Want to know more? You can read the full 2013 McCormick Flavor Forecast report on the future of global flavor trends and how they develop the forecast at flavorforecast.com.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to promote McCormick Spices 2013 Flavor Forecast global flavor trend report. We received promotional materials and an exclusive interview with McCormick’s executive chef to assist in writing this post, but all opinions in this series are our own.