*I’m proud to partner with Watkins to bring you this story and recipe. It’s quite evident in my recipes that I’m a big fan of flavor and I rely on good, fresh organic spices and dried herbs. Watkins uses only USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients in its spices, spice blends, and herbs. You can find their products at Watkins1868.com and select stores nationwide.

As always, the words and photos are mine. I appreciate your support and the companies who graciously partner with me so I can continue to share my stories through the recipes that fill our table.

You may have heard of the popular street food recipe in Mexico called Elote. If not, it’s an incredible dish that starts with corn on the cob; grilled until blackened and smoky then slathered in a creamy and spicy sauce before being rolled in cheese then finished with fresh lime juice. It is now absolutely my preferred way of eating corn. Esquites is the same idea but minus the cob. Corn kernels are blackened (or the cobs are grilled then the kernels removed) and then mixed with mayonnaise, cheese, chili powder, cilantro leaves, ground cumin, adobo seasoning and lots of lime.

Because I’m a believer in “all things are better when wrapped in a tortilla” we’ve turned this classic Mexican corn dish into a taco. It’s paired with what is basically a chunky guacamole that is loaded with scallions and a touch of sour cream (or if you’re an Antoni fan you can use Greek yogurt).

This recipe is written to feed a crowd or to have plenty of leftovers. I also added slow simmered pinto beans to bulk up the tacos but you can add grilled fish, chicken, steak, or carnitas – the options are endless.

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Esquites Tacos

Author Ashley Rodriguez

Ingredients

Esquites

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup crumbled Cotija or Parmesan cheese

2 tsp lime zest

1/4 cup lime juice

1/2 tsp salt1 tsp Watkins Organic Chili Powder

2 TBL butter

8 corn cobs, kernels removed (or about 24 ounces corn kernels – you can use frozen corn here too)

Instructions

In a medium size bowl stir together the mayonnaise, cheese, lime zest, juice, salt and chili powder. Feel free to add more chili powder if you want more heat.

Add the butter to a large skillet set over medium high heat. When the butter sizzles add the corn then let blacken. Give a quick stir after a couple of minutes then let sit again. Add a hefty pinch of salt then turn off the heat.

Stir the blackened corn into the creamy mayonnaise mixture.

Alternately you can grill the corn cobs then let cool and remove the kernels from the cob before stirring into the creamy sauce.

Creamy Avocado and Scallion Salsa

2 large avocados, peeled and diced

5 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

2 TBL sour cream

1/2 tsp Watkins Organic Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Watkins Organic Adobo Seasoning Pinch salt

1 TBL fresh lime juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 TBL minced jalapeño (more or less depending on your spice preference)

1 TBL Watkins Organic Cilantro Leaves

In a medium size bowl stir together the avocado, scallions, cumin, adobo, salt, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño and dried cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired

Tacos

12 small flour or corn tortillas

Meat or beans (optional)

Crumbled cotija or queso fresco

Pickled jalapeños

Warm the tortillas then serve with meat or beans, esquites, salsa and whatever other toppings you prefer. I’ve listed my favorites.

I think now is as good a time as any to make the formal announcement that I’m working on another cookbook! If you are a newsletter friend then this is old news (also, thank you for subscribing!) or you may have noticed a sly little hashtag on Instagram, #newcookbook, popping up in a few of my recent photos. I’ve sort of tiptoed around all of this for awhile but today it felt right to tell you all. While the fanfare may not be the same as the first time around, the excitement joy I feel is allllll the same. Perhaps even more so because I get it. I mean I know what’s coming and while part of that is terrifying (truly, like wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night scary) mostly I’m reveling in the creativity – waking up and going to sleep thinking about new recipes – and just so excited to share extremely practical, delicious, inventive recipes that will bring us all to the table.

This book is quite a departure from the first and yet totally not because they are both completely me. Date Night In was date food. I mean some menus took hours to prepare and the food was indulgent in the best sort of way – it needed to be, because again it’s date night! The food helped set the intention behind the evening. With this book though, my aim is for it to be stunningly practical. We’ll cover everything from Tuesday night dinners that take all of twenty minutes to prepare and utilize pantry staples, to our Christmas Eve Wellington with homemade quick puff and Winter Greens Gratin. There are recipes for those weekday mornings when you need to somehow make breakfast in-between showering and brewing coffee like Cocoa Coconut Date Shakes or Sesame Fried Eggs with Miso Aioli. And then for those mornings when you have time to preheat your oven and can make Oven Baked Pancakes with Maple Roasted Rhubarb.

Even though I’ve done this before I’m approaching this yet-to-be-named book quite differently. Date Night In started off with an 80 page proposal which served as my road map. This time it was as if the map was sketched by a 4 year old. But I love that about it – sure it’s caused some fretting in me (I can’t help it, I just fret a lot) but I’ve grown accustomed to this new process and embraced the fact that much of this book is simply coming from me spending time in my kitchen. I want to take you with me as I approach food from the perspective of having worked in professional kitchens but now am a home cook who has a passion to feed my family and friends food that evoke joy and beauty. The recipes don’t necessarily follow a certain diet trend and yet to me it’s health food because they are made with real ingredients with the intention of sharing or sparking a moment of gratitude in our otherwise frantic days.

This post is making all of this real. I mean the contract is signed it’s totally happening but it suddenly feels more real having shared the news on this space. After all this is the place that started it all. And even though the Internet is crowded and we are taking in information at rapid speed and most of us are probably feeling overwhelmed by all the noise, this place will always be my happy home on the world wide web. It’s here where I learned how to take photos of food and by making thousands of mistakes I learned how to write a recipe that you all could follow. It’s here where I discovered a love of writing and sharing my heart. This place, and you all, led me to writing Date Night In where I found that writing books is quite possibly the best work I could ever imagine. And here we are doing it again. It’s just all so damn good I don’t even know what else to say, except thank you. From every square inch of my being I want to thank you all for being here, supporting me, sending me the loveliest emails that so often encourage me in my moments of doubt and insecurity. You all are the absolute best and I can not wait to cook with you in the kitchen through this next book, whatever the name may be.

Now let’s talk about tacos for a minute. Asparagus Tacos: Two words found on the Taco Tuesday menu at Essex and the moment I saw them I knew two things – 1. I had to order these tacos and 2. They had to make them at home. My version uses asparagus that I roast with olive oil, salt, and whole cumin seeds. With a few staple ingredients we whip up a zippy, but not too much so, sauce and top it all with shaved radish, cilantro, lime and crumbled Queso Fresco. What I’ve since learned about these tacos is that they are much more pleasant to eat when you roughly chop the asparagus so that’s how I have written the recipe although the images were taken prior to that revelation. Since it is indeed spring asparagus makes perfect sense but I can imagine the taco craving being just as strong in the winter so in that case I think cauliflower roasted in the same way, or even broccoli or brussels sprouts would make a fine substitution.

With a mouthful of asparagus taco my friend said, “This better be in the book!” Yes, it will be in the book.

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Asparagus Taco

Prep 10 mins

Cook 20 mins

Total 30 mins

Author Ashley Rodriguez

Yield 4 – 6

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/4 cup finely minced pickled jalapeños

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3 -4 radishes, thinly shaved

4 – 6 corn tortillas

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

lime wedges

Queso Fresco

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F

Place the asparagus on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (for easier cleanup).

Add the olive oil, salt, and cumin seeds to the asparagus. Toss to combine then lay out the asparagus in a single layer.

Roast until tender and frizzled in parts, about 20 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle roughly chop the asparagus.

To make the aioli combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, and pickled jalapeños with a pinch of salt.

Warm the tortillas either in the oven wrapped in aluminum foil or carefully over a low gas flame.

Add a tablespoon or so of the aioli to each tortilla, top with about 1/4 cup chopped asparagus. Sprinkle on cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lime, shaved radishes, and Queso fresco.

Courses Main

I’m not one to repeat recipes but when I do I take notes and then come right here to tell you about it. Because a recipe repeated is a special one in this house.

This summer has been one of meals so simple they leave more time for us to be outside, enjoying the sun and making sure our summer to-do list, which includes; clam digging, camping, reading Little House in The Big Woods, and cooking an entire meal with each of the kids, can have a big satisfying check by it.

While the cast iron pan pre-heats I think about complicating the steak but dusting it with cumin, maybe a bit of chile powder, garlic and such but my instinct tells me to stick with salt and pepper so that the flavor of the steak itself stands out. Like so many other times, I’m glad I go with my instincts. While the steak sears to form a thick, crisp crusty exterior I dice a pungent onion, sliver some radish on my mandolin and run a frilly bunch of cilantro under a running sink. As the steak rests I warm corn tortillas in the same pan as the steak cooked so they could soak up a bit of the meatiness still left in the warm pan.

Flank steak can be a bit tough but it makes up for it in flavor. To counteract the toughness, cut against the grain of the meat and cut the steak into small pieces between 1/4-inch to a 1/2-inch. This way it will be easy to chew as it’s wrapped warmly in a tortilla.

Avocado makes a nice addition as would a garlic-laced cream sauce but on their own they show off their simplicity by being greater than the sum of their parts. Since it is grilling season or my personal favorite; cooking over the fire season, I’d suggest cooking the meat that way, if possible. Any way you cook it this meal will be one that gets made again and again.

Flank Steak Tacos

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons oil

1 lb flank steak

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

8-10 small corn tortillas

1/4 cup white onion, finely diced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

3 radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 avocado, roughly diced

1/4 cup cotija or other favorite cheese

lime wedges

Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper and allow to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Add the oil to a cast iron skillet and heat over high until smoking. Add steak and sear, untouched, for 5 minutes on either side for medium.  Let rest 15 minutes before dicing into ¼ - ½ inch size pieces.

Warm corn tortillas in the same pan over low heat.

Top warmed tortillas with chopped steak, onions, cilantro, radish avocado and cheese. Serve with a wedge of lime.

I fell in love with food around the same time I was falling in love with my husband.

I lived in Italy for six months and thought there was something wrong with me. While all the other students were buying leather boots and shopping for the perfect Italian apparel souvenir, all my money was spent on food. Instead of going home with the quintessential pair of Italian red shoes I returned with a 30 pound souvenir around the hips, thighs and waist.

At first I tried to be the shopper I am not. I went in the fancy stores but was lured away by the smell of Carbonara. I stopped denying myself where I felt real joy and in return I found my passion. I realized that food was more than sustenance but rather a way of life, something to be celebrated, shared and honored. I fell hard for the cheese, the wine and the passionate producers. I savored and indulged while feeling the unbearable ache of missing the man I love.

We were dating at the time I decided to study art history in Italy. I was bored and wanting to experience something by myself. Ironically while away I learned the importance and joy of community and realized that who I left behind was the one that I never wanted to leave again.

Luckily he felt the same and flew over to Italy to meet me. While there he slid a shiny rock on my finger on the edge of the Spanish Steps in Rome.

My two loves were together with me and I wanted nothing more for them to meet and fall in love too. And the three of us would lead a happy, full life.

But it hasn’t always worked out that way. I am still madly in love with my husband, falling more in love with him each day and ditto for food. He and food on the other hand are taking their relationship slow.

I do my best to encourage them to get along and my husband indulges me. He nibbles off a rabbit size bite of something I practically shove into his face. He tastes and says a generic, “It’s good.” After nearly 6 years of marriage he has gotten a bit more honest with his responses and offers some “helpful” critiques on how I can improve the dish.

He has come quite a long way. Once considered the pickiest eater of three brothers, my husband is turning out to be a bit of food snob – and I love it. When it comes to coffee and beer in our family he is the one who makes all the major decisions.

He attributes his picky tendencies to sensitive taste buds. While I once scoffed and chuckled at this sad attempt at an excuse, I am now beginning to think he may be on to something. I can even admit to being a bit envious of his discerning palette. He has the ability to pick out extremely subtle flavors that I have completely glanced over – probably because I am too busy shoveling the food in my face.

I look for any sign that he and food are starting to really develop their love and I run with it.

The other night while watching Top Chef Masters together I noticed some sounds of delight and agreement coming from my husband while the camera focused on the food cooked by the master of Mexican cookery, RickBayless. While I tend to “ohhh” and “ahhh” over classic French and Italian food my husband was delighting in the spice, color and flavors that Bayless so passionately uses in his cooking.

Then my husband said this, “I bet if I had a cookbook by Rick Bayless I would cook from it.”

Wait. What?! Rewind. Did he just say that he MIGHT cook something?!

The next day we had, Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless.

He hasn’t cooked anything from it yet* but I did catch him sitting on the couch reading it. I told you, he and food are moving slowly. But in my mind this is a major step (and a major turn on).

I will continue to do whatever it takes to bring my two loves together and I am convinced that one day we will experience a meal together where we will both be brought to tears of joy.

In the meantime I can’t stop planning which recipe I will tackle next in this book. The recipes are simplistic in nature as they are intended to give you the rich, well-developed flavors of Mexico on a daily basis. You won’t find Bayless ‘ Top Chef winning Mole which boasts more than 20 ingredients in this book. But you will find ingenious recipes that offer fresh, bold flavors that are a cinch to throw together – like Swiss chard and caramelized onion tacos.

A new (to me) way to eat your greens. This recipe reminded me again that my fridge should never be void of Queso Fresco. The slightly salty fresh cheese was the ticket to the success of these tacos. It added a fresh and creamy taste to the richness of the sauteed vegetables.

While my husband still isn’t a chard-convert he did manage to eat his share and still have room to tell me how he would have made them differently had he been the one to cook them. To that I handed him a pan and said “start cooking.” One of these days he just may.

*Note: I was corrected by my husband who has made something from the book. While I was away one evening, teaching a class, he made an incredible Lime Ice. The texture was silky and the flavor was perfectly tart and sweet. I can’t believe I forgot. Hoping next time I will be around to witness such an occasion.

Chipotle Salsa

Makes 1 1/4 cups salsa
This salsa has a hot smoky flavor and a subtle sweetness from the roasted Tomatillos.

Just don’t make the same mistake I did. In the recipes it calls for “2 canned chipotle chilies”. In my haste I read that to mean “2 cans of chipotle chilies”. It is definitely not 2 cans. The resulting salsa was hotter than the sun. After a glass of milk, back to the store I went to buy enough ingredients to tame the salsa. Learn from me – use 2 chipotle chilies. Each can contains about 3-4 I think. If you like lots of heat feel free to use more chilies.

3 garlic cloves, peeled

4 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half

2 canned chipotle chilies

salt

Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. If it is not a non-stick, Rick Bayless recommends placing a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom.

Place the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down) in the skillet.

After about 3-4 minutes the tomatillos should be well browned. Turn everything over and brown on the other side. After another 3-4 minutes the tomatillos should be completely soft.

Place the garlic and tomatillos into a blender or food processor, along with the chilies and 1/4 cup water. Blend to a coarse puree. Taste and adjust salt.

Pour into a dish and let cool before serving.

**In the picture of the garlic and tomatillos in the pan there is a tomato also in the pan. Please don’t get confused. This was one of my many attempts to tone down the spiciness due to a not uncommon kitchen mistake.

Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Tacos

Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Tacos

from Mexican Everyday, by Rick Bayless

Serves 4

12 oz. bunch of Swiss chard, thick lower stems removed (10 oz. cleaned spinach can be used instead)

1 1/2 tbl. oil, lard or bacon drippings

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp. red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on how spicy you like it)

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth (water works too)

Salt

12 warm corn tortillas

1 cup (4 ounces) Queso Fresco or other fresh cheese such as feta or goat cheese

Smoky Chipotle Salsa for serving (recipe below)

Slice the chard into 1/2-inch ribbons. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion then cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. To the onions add the red pepper flakes and garlic. Stir for about 20 seconds until you are hit with the aroma of the garlic then immediately add the broth or water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the greens. Adjust the heat to medium-low then cover the skillet. Cook until the greens are almost tender. For Swiss chard this will be about 5 minutes. Spinach only takes about 2 minutes.

Uncover the pan, adjust the heat to medium-high then cook until the juices have reduced significantly and merely glaze the greens. Taste and add salt if you think it needs it.

Serve with the corn tortillas, crumbled fresh cheese and Chipotle salsa.