Seeking A Salsa Solution

Q: I remember as a young lad my grandfather would corn his own beef, as I recall he used to put a medium potato in the crock and filled it with water (enough to cover the meat) he then added enough salt to make the potato float ... added the meat and let it sit in the ice box until the potato sunk to the bottom (48 hours) have you ever heard of this process? Can you suggest a different process for corned beef? --Robert Jackson

A: People tend to think of corned beef only around St. Patrick's Day, but it's good ANY time of year. With brisket on sale so often during the summer months, use the recipe below to make your own!

Traditionally, corned beef is served with cabbage, and I wouldn't have it any other way. This recipe will take care of both.

Ingredients

3-pound point cut corned beef brisket, rinsed well

1 gallon water

5 allspice berries

2 bay leaves

4 whole cloves

3 cloves garlic, crushed

½ head cabbage, cut into wedges (about 2 pounds)

2 pounds new potatoes, washed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300° F.

In large Dutch oven (which may be renamed an Irish oven just for today), place the corned beef, water, allspice, bay leaves, cloves and garlic. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and use a spider or skimmer to skim off any brown scum on top.

Put lid on pot tightly and transfer to the oven. Braise until tender (approx. 3 ½ hours).

Remove pot from oven and corned beef from pot. Cover meat with foil to keep warm. Add cabbage and potatoes to pot and bring back to a boil on stovetop. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Serve with your favorite horseradish or mustard sauce.

Q: I was just wondering--I made fresh salsa (which is a royal pain--it took me about 2 hours to chop everything for it, because when I tried to use the food processor to make that fine dice the tomatoes, etc. turned to mush) Would you know of a faster way to get that fine dice besides doing it by hand--because I just love that fresh stuff. Also, cilantro--I can see why it is a controversial subject -- I used about one-third of a cup for approximately 12 diced Roma tomatoes and a lot of other cut up onions, green and hot peppers, etc Do you think it was too much? It tasted good on the tortilla chips, but to me it left sort of an after-taste in my mouth like soap or burned rubber! Is that unique to me or it common. I've have tried Pace salsa with cilantro which is very good, but it wasn't like the taste of the fresh stuff. Do you know of a good recipe for fresh salsa both with or even without cilantro--I'd be interested in the proportions. Thanks! --Jessica K.

A: First off, let's address the tomato issue: you SHOULD be able to chop your tomatoes in the food processor. The trick is to pulse for one second at a time and keep a CLOSE eye on the consistency. Don't rely on what you see through the side, open the lid and look. I usually, for a six-tomato batch, do four in the processor and chop two by hand for some larger pieces. Salsa is one of those dishes that allows for endless variations on individual taste, though, so fine-tune to your satisfaction.

For chopping the herbs, I recommend doing a chiffonade. Roll the leaves into a tight cylinder, then cut into thin strips widthwise across the cylinder. It's an easy way to make small, even pieces of your fresh herbs to add to the salsa.

As far as the cilantro goes, I'm going to make a deep, dark confession: I don't like it. I know Tex-Mex cooks everywhere are shaking their heads now, shocked that I would profess a love for their cuisine but a dislike of one of its core flavors. I'm not alone, however. It's an acquired taste. You pretty much either like it or you don't. Most recipes actually call for more cilantro than you used, almost twice as much in fact. Don't feel like a misfit if you don't like the flavor. Make it without and enjoy!

As far as cilantro alternatives, try basil, chives, fresh parsley or even oregano if your taste buds go that way. There are no Salsa Police. No one is going to drag you off to the Tex-Mex gulag if you don't adhere strictly to traditional recipes.

Q: I have heard that farm-raised salmon is very pale in color. To make it more red and therefore more appealing to prospective buyers, the fish are now being fed food laced with red dye. Any truth to this story? --Wanda K.

A: Salmon in the wild get their pink color from the krill they eat as part of their natural diet. Farm-raised salmon flesh is actually gray in color. Farmers feed their fish a government-approved dye which colors the meat. There is legal action in progress now over alleged deceptive trade practices concerning the dyeing and whether consumers were made adequately aware of it.

Q: What is the difference between hothouse tomatoes and hydroponic tomatoes? They both taste the same to me. And they are good. Thanks, Jane

A: Hothouse tomatoes are grown in soil, just like garden tomatoes, but in carefully controlled greenhouses. This allows your local grocer to stock tomatoes year-round. Hydroponic, by definition, means "growing without soil." Those tomatoes are grown in a neutral medium that assures even production. They are about as far-removed from your garden tomatoes as you could get without eating a zucchini instead.

Q: We have an argument in the office that I hope you can answer. What is the correct pasta to serve with Chicken Parmesan? --Margaret Trammel

A: Oh, how I DO love to get in the middle of office arguments!

It's a common misconception that all Italian dishes are served with or over pasta. Chicken Parmesan is most often a stand-alone dish, with a rich tomato-based sauce served over it. However, if you patronize many Italian restaurants, you'll find that the most common accompaniment (and one I actually use myself) is a serving of (drum roll, please) spaghetti, with the sauce used on the chicken served atop it, also.

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