AGAVE Y AGUACATE

A newly opened hole in the wall in Toronto's Kensington Market, Agave & Aguacate has become my newest Mexican obsession! Run by Chef Francisco Alejandri, a former Stratford Chef School grad, this Mexican stall you could almost call it (as it is in a store with about four other vendors selling their own specialties) focuses on "Fresh Mexican take-out with quality in mind." Featuring the "tostada", Agave & Aguacate is quickly making a name for themselves, being named a daily lunch pick by the Toronto Life. A tostada is a dish where the base is a toasted form to hold the meal. In this case Alejandri's tostada is a fried tortilla so that it puffs up and is light crispy and airy.

He has two different options, the ting tostada and the green tostada. The ting tostada which was written about in the Toronto Life (which both friends I went with had!) was topped with chipotle chicken, creamy avocado, some Mexican crema fresca and slivered red onions lightly marinated in lime juice and salt.

Of course I had to go for the one that included guacamole, hence the green tostada. Expecting the guacamole to already be made, I was over the moon when Alejandri began to make it fresh by hand with ripe green avocados, lime juice, salt and some jalepeno. Super simple, incredibly flavourful. It was then topped with a large slice of queso fresco (a Mexican cheese, quite mild), some cream (much like sour cream) and a whole plum tomato that was sliced so perfectly and delicatley you would think his hands were that of a surgeon! The tomato was seasoned with just a little bit of salt and then the whole tostada was topped with guajillo - a type of dried chili pepper.

The day I went was also miserably cold and rainy and the pinto bean soup option just jumped off the blackboard at me! I love pinto beans, and with some toasted tortilla strips and a little queso fresco in the bottom, this soup could not have been more warming or delicious. A great start as I stood watching Alejandri make our tostada's! And finally for dessert - (this meal seriously came to a total of 15$ for the three items!) Lime Charlotte, a decadent lime cake that when served is drizzled with fresh lime juice, lime zest and a splash of good quality olive oil. The cake was extremley moist and the cream held so well with the lime flavouring. Needless to say, the three of us were extremley impressed. Alejnadri's skills are sensational, my eyes were glued to the precision, speed and perfectness of the food he prepared! I one day hope to have skills like that!

For an amazing Mexican fresh lunch or light dinner I urge you to try Agave & Agucate!

Agave y Aguacate, 214 Augusta Ave. (look for El Gordo Fine Foods), 647-208-3091.

CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL

Chipotle Mexican Grills are popping up all over the place, and with a million dollar donation pledge to Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution I have a feeling they are going to just soar! Chipotle Mexican Grill started out as a little Mexican joint by Steve their CEO in Denver, Colorado 1993. It has seriously evolved and is now located across the United States and starting to take rise in Canada.

Chipotle is truly amazing “fast food”. Their motto? Food with Integrity. “Our commitment to finding the very best ingredients raised with respect for the animals, the environment and the farmers.” What a great foundation this is in today’s food world. It is this motto that is truly separating them apart from the pack. Chipotle uses sustainably raised food, meat from animals raised without antibiotics or added hormones, and dairy from cows raised without use of synthetic hormones. They are using real meat and fresh locally and organic sourced ingredients! Now that is what I am talking about!

Chipotle offers a variety of Mexican delights: burritos, burrito bowl, crispy tacos, soft tacos and a Mexican salad. Toppings include cilantro-lime rice, black beans, fresh guac, sour cream, 4 different types of salsa, a corn salsa, lettuce, “fajita” onions and peppers with your choice of meats: braised carnitas or barbacoa or adobo-marinated and grilled chicken or steak, and chipotle-honey vinaigrette for the salads.

Chipotle really is delicious and fresh fast food. I know, who would have thought the word “fast food” would be in a sentence like that. But check it out, you won’t be disappointed! Locations in Toronto are at Yonge & Eglinton and Yonge & Dundas. Check them out online at http://www.chipotle.com/

photo credit: chipotle.com

FATHER'S DAY MENU

Father's Day (in Canada) is on the horizon! What are you making for your dad?! Are you stuck - do you need new recipes?! Well you are in luck! Food Network has created a page specially for Father's Day meal planning. A complete menu with 25 different choices! Celebrate your dad this Father's Day by spicing up your regular cooking - try something new and fun! Here is an few ideas to start you off.

 Flank Steak Fajitas 

Ingredients: 

- 1 whole Flank steak 1.5 inches thick
Rub
- 1 tablespoon chili powder 
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

- 2 2 limes zested and juiced 
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil 
- 6 6-8 soft tortilla shells 
- 1 pinch Salt and pepper to taste

Summer Salsa
- 3-4 large ripe tomatoes chopped small dice
- 2-3 green onions sliced thin 
- 1 red bell pepper seeded, chopped small dice 
- 1/2 cup red onion finely chopped 
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves 
- 1 Juice of 1 lime or 2 pending on how juicy they are 
- ½ of a chopped jalapeno chili seeded, finely diced 
- 1 pinch Salt and pepper to taste

 Optional garnishes sour cream, cilantro, peppers, and guacamole

Directions:
- To make the salsa, combine all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Combine all spices for the rub in a small bowl mix until evenly combined. Place the steak in a non-reactive container like a ceramic dish and apply the rub all over steak with slight pressure as to tear little micro pockets of flavor into the meat.
- Add the lime zest and juice to the steaks and drizzle with the oil. Cover and place the meat in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
- Remove the meat from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking and let the steaks come to room temperature.
- Preheat barbeque to high heat 475F-500F (246C-260C).
- Lightly season the steak with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil and take them to the grill. Oil grill to help prevent the meat from sticking to the grill grates.
- Place steak directly on the grill and cook for 3 minutes or until nice golden char marks are achieved. Give the steak a quarter turn and grill a further 2 minutes. Flip the steak and repeat.
- Remove from grill cover loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes.
- Lower the heat on the barbecue to medium heat (350F) (176C). Right before you are ready to serve, place the tacos in foil and warm on the barbeque for 2 minutes with lid down.
- Cut the now rested meat against the grain in thin slices. Serve with fresh salsa and warm taco shells.

Fajitas are such a fun family meal - especially for kids! Everyone can create their own according to their tastes! Flank steak is also a delicious part of meat, which when seasoned and cooked properly enhances any meal it is a part of!

Check out all of the Father's Day Menu items from Food Network HERE!


photo credit: foodnetwork.ca

GUACAMOLE

Guacamole has got to be one of the best dips around, and this week was wonderful having the traditional Mexican dip freshly made each day! Guacamole is a avocado based dip from Mexico which was traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados in a molcajete (mortar and pestle) with lime juice and salt. Today there are many variations on the dip, but no matter what way you make it, the end result is delish! Guacamole was first made by the Aztecs in the 1500's and the word is derived from an Aztec dialect, ahuacamolli: ahuacatl = avocado and molli = sauce.

Here is my variation on guacamole:

Ingredients:

- 4 ripe avocados
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup finely diced purple onion
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
- juice of 2 limes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp sour cream
- 1 clove crushed garlic

Directions:

- Peel and dice avocados
- Chop and dice remaining ingredients
- Place in bowl with sour cream, limes, salt and pepper
- Mash until creamy, but still chunky
- Serve with tortilla chips or warm pita!

BON APPETIT! 

photo credits: google images

GAZPACHO

Sorry for the week hiatus! I have been away in Mexico ....but come back with some fabulous new finds!

Gazpacho - an old favourite, one that I had forgotten about but was reintroduced to in Mexico,  I think I ate it at nearly every meal for a week, I just couldn't get enough! Gazpacho is a tomato based, raw vegetable cold Spanish soup - originating in the region of Andalucia. This soup is so refreshing in the heat and is perfect for the summer. Light and refreshing as it combines delicious vegetables such as tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers and garlic. The part that I love about Gazpacho is the it combines a silky soup with chunky vegetables. Not only is the soup first blended smooth, but tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and peppers are finely diced and served alongside the Gazpacho. You can put in as many diced vegetables as you like - often croutons are also another garnish that you can toss in!

Mario Batali might as well be Spanish considering his love for Spain so I have found his recipe for Gazpacho to share with you...

Ingredients:

Yield: 6 servings

- 5 very ripe beefsteak tomatoes, quartered-plus 1 cut into 1/4 inch dice, set aside
- 2 large cucumbers, peeled, quartered- plus 1 cut into 1/4 inch dice, set aside
- 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, quartered- plus 1 cut into 1/4 inch dice, set aside
- 2 small jalapenos, seeded and stemmed (be careful not to touch your face or eyes when handling hot peppers or else your eyes will be burn!)
- 1 small red onion, peeled, quartered-plus 1 cut into 1/4 inch dice, set aside
- 2 slices day old white bread
- 3 bread slices cut into 1/2 inch croutons
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
- 1 cups ice
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions

- Toast croutons in extra virgin olive oil in a pan till deep golden brown.
- Peel the cucumber and stem and seed the peppers.
- Tear bread into pieces.
- Place vegetables, bread, water, vinegar, oil and ice into a mixer and blend
- Blend for 15-20 seconds, using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.
- Season with salt and pepper
- Pour soup into a pitcher, cover and refrigerate until very cold
- Place garnishes in small bowls and refrigerate as well
- When ready to enjoy, stir well with a spoon.
- Serve in shallow bowls with the garnish bowls on the side and drizzle each serving with a little more Spanish extra virgin olive oil

BON APPETIT! 


photo credits: pinkbites blog & google images