Can you get this recipe? – Steve Ruprecht, Delray Beach
A: Lisabet Summa, the corporate chef for Rocco’s Tacos parent group, Big Time Restaurants, shared the recipe for the best-selling dip that servers in Fort Lauderdale,
and West Palm Beach (RoccosTacos.com) make tableside.
The recipe relies almost exclusively on a ripe avocado for flavor, so make sure to choose a black-skinned, slightly soft Haas variety. At Rocco’s, the guacamole is made in an authentic
molcajete
and
tejolote
, a mortar and pestle made of volcanic rock that’s traditional to Mexico, with a history dating to the Aztecs. Corn, grains and spices also are ground in
molcajetes
. Some Latin markets that specialize in Mexican foods, as well as specialty cookware retailers, sell them.
Q: With you being a Southern gal, I bet you have a great recipe for making corn bread in an iron skillet. Could you provide it? – Phyllis Wright, Boynton Beach
A: I’m pretty sure most of us who grew up eating true Southern foods can make corn bread with our eyes shut. A mix of corn meal – I prefer white as opposed to yellow – a little flour, leavening, eggs, milk and a little oil make a crispy cake by using a well-seasoned pan. Once baked, the bread flips out with a crispy brown crust and crumbly interior, perfect for serving with soup, black-eyed peas or with a pot of greens – all the better to soak up the “potlikker” with.
A well-seasoned iron skillet is essential; it should be so slick that water beads on all its surface. Heat the oil or shortening (You can add a tablespoon of bacon drippings for true Southern flavor!) in the skillet while you make the batter. It should sizzle when it hits the pan, signaling a perfectly crisp crust.
My one rule: No sugar! I don’t like sweet, cake-like corn bread. By the way, I have a dedicated pan just for corn bread. It’s never washed, only wiped. I have included instructions on seasoning and cleaning it.
Q: When a recipe calls for folding in egg whites into a batter, how much should you fold? Won’t the foam be ineffective if you fold too much? – E. Reed,Miramar
A: Good question. Recipes for sponge cake, mousse and other desserts rely on foamy, beaten egg whites to lighten the texture of the cake or dish once it cooks or bakes. Generally, the whites are folded into a batter using a rubber spatula.
A hotel pastry chef long ago taught me the best way to do this. The key is a large blade-like rubber spatula, which offers plenty of lift and cutting ability. Put the batter into a large bowl and lightly spoon the beaten whites on top of the batter. Using the spatula, swipe the edge of the bowl, turning your hand over and flipping some of the batter on top of the egg whites. Cut through the center of the whites and batter, using the spatula like a knife. Now turn the bowl a quarter-turn, and again scrape and lift the batter to the top of the whites. Continue this method, turning the bowl, scraping the batter and lifting it, then cutting through it to gently incorporate the whites. Do this until no more whites can be seen.
Never beat the batter, or stir vigorously. You want to lift and fold. Spoon your batter lightly into the prepared pans or molds for the lightest results.
