Cilantro savvy in Arizona
I made three key observations on my recent trip to Arizona. First, all the people who told me the dry heat in Arizona wouldn’t be so bad were wrong. 110 degrees is hot. It doesn’t matter if it’s dry, wet or slightly moist. Second, the beauty of the Grand Canyon was everything I imagined it would be. Third, Arizona residents seem to share my affinity for cilantro, and that’s a good thing.
At practically every meal, cilantro made an appearance. I was in the state for a Jostens yearbook workshop, and many of our meals were presented as part of the program. Sunday night we had a banquet which consisted of the usual salad, chicken, potatoes and steamed vegetables and dessert. However, the salad had a great Arizona twist. It was a Southwest salad, complete with cilantro-chipotle ranch dressing.
For one of our lunches, we had burgers, chicken, hot dogs and a variety of salads. The best of these salads was the corn-hominy salad with cilantro vinaigrette. As soon as I tried it, I knew I would have to try to make it once I returned home. I even made a note on my phone so it wouldn’t get lost in all of the other important information that was being crammed in my head during the workshop.
I think I got pretty close to duplicating the recipe. Even my husband who doesn’t really like hominy seemed to like it. Now my next projects are duplicating the corn chowder with cilantro and the yummy cilantro-laden guacamole that I enjoyed during the workshop.
1 can of white hominy, drained
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 c. diced red onion
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2 T. lime juice
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Combine hominy, corn, jalapeno and onion in a bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and whisk together until well mixed. Pour over hominy mixture and stir. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Tags: Salads, spicy, Vegetables