Sopa Seca de Fideo con Tomatillo y Queso

The Bay Area is a pretty magical place for fresh produce, but even with nearly year-round abundance, late summer is a pretty magical time of year. I had initially passed over this recipe while flipping through this cookbook, but while searching for a way to celebrate the availability of fresh tomatillos at the market, I looked at this one with fresh eyes. Tomatillo salsa, chorizo, pasta, chevre, and avocado! How had I passed over this one? If you want to simplify this recipe into quick and easy territory, I think you could easily replace the homemade tomatillo sauce with 1 cup of quality jarred stuff. Not that it's difficult to make, but it is sometimes hard to find fresh tomatillos depending on your location and it will save 20 minutes (and the first 2 steps), moving this into a quick weeknight meal. The author suggests Hoja Santa for the chevre, but I didn't feel like hunting for it. I also went with a slightly thicker pasta than the recommended capellini.

Two years ago: Chilled Cucumber Soup
Three years ago: Gooey Ginger Chicken
Four years ago: Pearl Couscous with Olives, Roasted Tomatoes and Feta

Sopa Seca de Fideo con Tomatillo y Queso (from Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese)

Ingredients
Salsa
12 ounces tomatillos, husks removed
1 - 2 serrano chiles, stems removed
1/4 medium onion
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Rest
5 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
4 ounces Mexican chorizo, crumbled
7 ounces capellini, broken into 1/2" pieces
1 tsp sea salt (less if your stock is on the salty side)
pepper
2 1/3 cups chicken stock
1 (5 ounce) round of Hoja Santa or other chevre, chopped and broken apart
1 avocado, seeded, peeled, and diced
crema fresca or sour cream (I omitted because I forgot to buy some!)

1. Place tomatillos, serrano chiles, and onion on a sheet pan and broil for 15 minutes until charred.
2. Place broiled vegetables along with garlic and cilantro in blender. Puree.
3. Place 3 tbsp of oil in large saucepan and heat over medium-high. Add chorizo and cook 3 - 4 minutes until crispy. Use slotted spoon to remove and set aside.
4. Add pasta to saucepan and return to medium-high heat. Cook in chorizo oil until well browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. Add remaining 2 tbsp of oil to pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo salsa and salt. Allow to reduce for about a minute (only a 1/4 cup reduction).
6. Add pasta and cook until it absorbs the liquid.
7. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook undisturbed fro 15 - 17 minutes or until pasta is soft, but not mush and liquid has mostly been absorbed.
8. Scoop into bowls and garnish with fried chorizo, chevre, avocado, and crema fresca. You can also garnish with more cilantro if desired.

Sauteed Cod with Chorizo, Orange and Wild Arugula, Sherry Vinaigrette

While I love our seafood box, sometimes it becomes a bit overwhelming. Each drop is supposed to give us one meal, but we usually find it's enough fish for two meals, so half of the bounty gets placed in the freezer. Black cod was threatening to overtake the freezer, so I decided to take back control of it. Luckily, someone had also brought home a dried spicy sausage that week, so I decided to appropriate it. The fantastic thing about this recipe is it gives you a complete meal in less than 15 minutes.

Sauteed Cod with Chorizo, Orange and Wild Arugula, Sherry Vinaigrette (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
2 oranges
8 tbsp olive oil, divided (I used a bit less)
3 ounces dried chorizo, sliced 1/4" thick
2 tbsp sherry vinegar, divided
3 ounces mixed wild arugula and mesculin
4 thick code fillets, 6 ounces each

1. Cut rind and pith from oranges. Cut between membranes to release segments. Save 2 tbsp of juice.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet. Add chorizo and cook over high heat for 2 minutes until crispy.
3. Whisk together 6 tbsp oil (I used less), 1 tbsp of vinegar, and salt and pepper.
4. Toss greens with dressing and divide among 4 plates.
5. Top greens with orange segments, chorizo, and pan drippings.
6. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to skillet. Season fish with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat until firm, 3 minutes per side.
7. Add remaining 1 tbsp vinegar and orange juice and cook for 30 seconds.
8. Place fish on greens, drizzle with pan juices, and serve.

Roasted Mushroom Salad with Spinach and Chorizo

I wasn't sure what to think of this salad, but decided to give it a go since we had leftover mushrooms and chorizo. When I think of Mexican food, the sides that come to mind are usually refried beans or rice, so adding something a bit more vegetable heavy to taco night seemed like a good idea. This salad actually worked surprisingly well. The lime juice brightens up what had the potential to be too heavy of a dish. You could serve this as a main dish, but it also works well as a side. If you don't have chorizo, Bayless suggests bacon as an alternative.

One year ago: Carrot and Cumin Salad with Coriander
Two years ago: Key Lime Meringue Pie
Three years ago: Chocolate Orbit Cake with Blackberry Cassis Sauce

Roasted Mushroom Salad with Spinach and Chorizo (from Mexican Everyday)

Ingredients
8 ounces Mexican chorizo, casing removed OR 8 thick slices bacon cut crosswise into 1/4" pieces
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (shiitakes, oysters, chanterelles, etc)
1 large red onion, sliced about 1/4" thick
8 ounces salad spinach, long stems removed (we used baby)
3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican

1. Heat oven to 425F.
2. Break chorizo into small clumps onto baking sheet with sides or scatter bacon.
3. Sprinkle mushrooms and onion onto meat and roast for 10 minutes.
4. Stir and resturn to oven until onion is browned and meat is fully cooked, 10 more minutes.
5. Meanwhile, place spinach in large bowl.
6. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp water. Heat in microwave if desired.
7. Sprinkle mushroom-meat mixture over spinach. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Serve.