Harvest to Heat: Burrata with Speck, Peas, and Mint

I am hooked to my new cookbook Harvest to Heat. For my first recipe, I chose Burrata with Speck, Peas, and Mint. Enjoy this recipe by Chef Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza.

Burrata with Speck, Peas, and Mint

This entire book is based on the concept of minimizing the time it takes from farm to table. Authors Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer wanted to document a collection of recipes from "cooking with America's best chefs, farmers, and artisans."

This particular recipe is Chef Nancy Silverton's creation based on fresh burrata cheese supplied by Mimmo Bruno of DiStefano Cheese. Thanks to mozzarella, burrata's popularity actually resulted from using leftover mozzarella curd. The curd is stretched into a thin sheet, then filled with a mix of sweet cream and shreds of mozzarella (stracciatelle). I was first exposed to this delicious "cousin of mozzarella" at my favorite gastropub Waterloo & City with its Roasted Beets & Burrata Salad. I was head over heels in love ever since.

Harvest to Heat by Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer

Burrata with Speck, Peas, and Mint
Serves 4
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fresh peas
• 1/2 cup medium-sized mint leaves, julienned
• 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
• 4 tbsp EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
• 8 tbsp of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1lb of speck (thinly sliced, about 16 slices)
• 1lb fresh burrata, cut into 8 slices (it will be oddly shaped) 

Recipe

1. Heat a small saucepan of water over medium-high heat. Add peas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water.
2. In a medium bowl, combine peas, mint, lemon juice, olive oil, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently until thoroughly combined.
3. Arrange 4 slices of speck on each of the 4 plates. Place 2 slices of burrata on top and drizzle with pea mixture. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of cheese evenly over the top of each plate. 

Today's Bento: Oxtail Stew, Steamed Rice & Chile-Hot Edamame

Bento basically refers to a lunch box. Most of us probably have some sort of memories associated with packed lunches (hopefully positive ones). Thanks to mom, mine was almost always tasty. My bento usually consisted of rice, meat or seafood, and vegetables. Then, I got a little box for fruit. If you were to make yourself a bento, what would be in it? I know. Hard question.

Here was mine today, and I think I chose well. If you've never tried oxtail stew before, I invite you to try this recipe. It's easy and tasty!

Oxtail Stew & Edamame Bento
served with steamed rice

Oxtail Stew & Edamame Bento
Serves 4
Ingredients
Oxtail Stew

• 1.5lb of oxtails (if you get it from the butcher, ask for oxtails cut into segments)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup of red wine
• 1 cup of beef stock
• 2 whole cloves of garlic (peel still on)
• Pinch of thyme
• Half a bay leaf
• Cilantro (optional, for garnish)

Chile-Hot Edamame

• 1/2lb fresh edamame
• 1 tbsp of peanut oil
• 2 dried red chiles
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp of star anise pieces
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 cup of chicken broth

Rice

• 4 cups of cooked white rice

Oxtail Stew

Recipe

1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season oxtails (make sure oxtails are patted dry) with salt and pepper. Brown meat on all sides in the Dutch oven. Place oxtails on a plate and set aside. 
2. Turn down heat to medium. Cook chopped onions in oven until browned (about 5 minutes). Add back oxtails, wine, stock, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and 1/2 tsp of salt. 
3. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 3 hours, until meat is tender. 
4. Skim off fat from the surface or refrigerate overnight and discard fat layer the next day. (If you are reheating the next day, reheat first before proceeding.) Remove oxtails from Dutch oven and cook down liquid by half over medium-high heat. Add back oxtails and let oxtails simmer with thickened sauce for 30 minutes. Serve hot. 

Chile-Hot Edamame

Recipe from LA Times

Recipe

1. Peel and rinse edamame under cold water, drain and set aside.
2. Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil, swirl it around in the pan and heat until hot. Add chiles and garlic and stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add edamame and star anise and fry for 1 minute. 
3. Add the salt and broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are very tender, about 7 minutes. Serve in bento with oxtail stew and white rice. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Meatloaf with Red Wine Braised Cabbage

This may sound like a thanksgiving dinner, but it is a tasty and satisfying weekend dinner anytime of the year. I recommend cooking the cabbage first to let it simmer on low heat while you prepare and cook the meatloaf.

Meatloaf with Red Wine Braised Cabbage

Meatloaf
Adapted from Good Eats Meatloaf
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Meatloaf

• 6oz of garlic flavored croutons
• Spices: 1/2 tsp of black pepper, 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of dried thyme
• Vegetable mixture: 1/2 onion (roughly chopped), 1 carrot (peeled and broken), 1/2 red bell pepper (roughly chopped), 3 cloves of garlic (peeled and pressed lightly)
• 18oz of ground turkey
• 18oz of ground beef
• 1 1/2 tsp of kosher salt
• 1 egg

Glaze

• 1/2 cup of ketchup
• 1 tsp of chili powder
• Dash of worcestershire sauce
• Dash of tabasco
• 1 tbsp of honey

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 325F. In a food processor, combine croutons and spices. Pulse until the mixture is fine. Set the mixture in a large bowl. 
2. Combine the vegetable mixture in the food processor and pulse until the mixture is fine but not pureed. Add to the bowl with spices. 
3. Add ground meat, kosher salt, and egg into the large bowl. Mix until well incorporated. Pack this mixture into a 10 inch loaf pan and turn it over onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Bake meatloaf in the oven. Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients and brush sauce over the meatloaf after the meatloaf bakes for about 10 minutes. Continue baking for another 35 minutes. Make sure to check meatloaf internal temperature to ensure that it's cooked thoroughly.

Red Wine Braised Cabbage

Adapted from LA Times

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp of butter
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped shallots
• 1 cup of peeled and diced gala apple
• 1 medium red cabbage, cored, toughly leaves removed, and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup of dry red wine (I suggest a Pinot Noir)
• 1 tbsp of honey
• Salt and pepper
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tsp of caraway seeds, toasted
• 1 cup of chopped almonds, toasted

Recipe

1. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add shallots and apple and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Add cabbage, 3/4 cup of red wine, vinegar, honey, and 1 tsp of salt. Add thyme sprigs. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and bring to a slow simmer. Simmer for 1 hour while stirring occasionally to ensure the cabbage does not stick to the pan. 
3. Stir in an additional 1/4 cup of red wine halfway through cooking and add additional water throughout cooking if cabbage becomes dry (though you shouldn't need to). 
4. Season cabbage with salt and pepper to taste. Add caraway seeds and stir in chopped almonds. Serve alongside a slice of meatloaf.  

The French Laundry

We finally visited Chef Thomas Keller's 3-Michelin-starred world-renowned restaurant, The French Laundry. 

Once we were seated, we were provided with two sets of menu that change daily and an ipad for wine selection. One menu was the restaurant's standard menu and the other was a vegetable menu that consisted of lighter courses. We, of course, opted for the standard menu. The restaurant also has four sommeliers to help select the best wine for each course.

The French Laundry Dinner July 31, 2011

"Oysters and Pearls"
Sabayon of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and White Sturgeon Caviar

"Salad of Hawaiian Hearts of Palm"
Beets, Navel Orange, Australian Black Truffle, Pickled Ramps and Nasturtium

Choice A - "Sauteed Fillet of Gulf Coast Red Snapper"
Forest Mushrooms "a la Grecque," Nantes Carrots, Sunchokes and Cilantro Shoots

Choice B - "Seven Spice-Cured Atlantic Fluke"
Hen-of-the-Woods Mushroom "Tempura," Asian Pear, Red Radish, Hass Avocado and Bonito "Gelee"

Choice A - "Flour Story Hill Farm Poularde"
Yukon Gold Potato, Celery Branch and Summer Truffles 

Choice B - "Tete De Cochon"
Brentwood Corn, Bing Cherries, Black Walnut and Arugula

"Elysian Fields Farm Lamb"
"Petit Sale," Marinated Toybox Tomatoes, Summer Squash, "Panisse" and Spanish Capers

"Andante Dairy Cadence"
English Muffin, Blackberry, Fennel Bulb, and Mustard "Aigre-Doux"

"Chamomile Sherbet"
Sunflower Seed "Granola," Summer Melon and Honey

Choice A - "Carramelia Chocolate Cremeiux"
Gros Michel Banana, Georgia Peanuts, "Dentelle" and Salted Popcorn Ice Cream

Choice B - "Nectarine Melba"
Sicilian Pistachio "Pain de Genes," Andante Dairy Yogurt, Biscotti and Raspberry Sorbet

One of the many "snacks" throughout the evening - "Assorted Chocolates"
Peanut Butter Jelly, Hazelnut, Olive oil, Ginger, Fruit, Cherry

A Tour of The French Laundry Kitchen

Real Time Monitor of Per Se, New York

Beautiful Conclusion of our Evening at The French Laundry

The French Laundry Cookbook

The Essential Thomas Keller: The French Laundry Cookbook & Ad Hoc at Home [Box Set] [Hardcover]

5 Star Makeover: Farm to Table Tamale Pie

It is always so much fun to participate in the monthly 5 Star Cooking Group, hosted by our friends Natasha at 5 Star Foodie and Lazaro at Lazaro Cooks! This summer's June and July theme is "Farmers' Market". We all love farmers' market. The fruits never disappoint and the unique produce always bring surprises like gorgeous flowers, exotic herbs, and cute heirloom tomatoes. This is the first 5 Star Makeover where I decided to browse and buy all the ingredients first before making a dish.
 

Farm to Table Tamale Pie

As I stared at the beautiful and colorful herbs, edible flowers, corn, heirloom tomatoes, I was reminded of Mexican cuisine. I envisioned a delicious tamale pie made with beans, corn, and tomatoes and served over a bed of mixed herbs, greens and flowers. I couldn't help but thinking it's a wonderful idea as I inhaled the fresh scent of all the herbs, mixed with the enticing smell of a baking corn tamale pie.


Tamale Pie on a Bed of Herbs, Greens and Edible Flowers



Tamale Pie
Serves 4-6
Ingredients

Filling

• Butter for greasing casserole
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 lb of ground turkey
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press
• 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp of chili powder
• 1 tsp of table salt
• 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of fresh corn kernels
• 1 tbsp of minced fresh oregano
• 2 ounces of shredded monterey jack cheese
• Ground black pepper

Crust

• 4 cups of water
• 2 tsp of table salt
• 1.5 cups of coarse cornmeal

Recipe

1. For the filling, butter 3-quart casserole. Preheat oven to 375F. 
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and add ground turkey to cook until no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Add onion and jalapeno and cook for 3 minutes, then add garlic cayenne, chili powder, and salt, and cook for 30 seconds. 
3. Add tomatoes with juice, black beans, and corn and simmer until most of liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in oregano and season with salt (I added quite a bit of salt here) and pepper to taste.
4. For the crust, bring water to boil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Add salt and slowly pour in cornmeal while whisking vigorously. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook while whisking until cornmeal mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
5. Spread 2/3 of cornmeal mixture on sides of buttered casserole (optional: you can also spread them on the bottom if you like). Spoon turkey mixture evenly into casserole and sprinkle with cheese. Spread remaining cornmeal mixture evenly on top of cheese, spreading it out to edges of casserole to seal filling.
6. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered and serve. 

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

The Pork Trilogy III: Arugula Braised Pork Pizza

Here comes volume 3! You have now braised the pork from Volume I and made some delicious mouthwatering waffled french toast sandwiches. Take what's left of the braised pork and make a homemade pizza to share.


Arugula Braised Pork Pizza

Arugula Braised Pork Pizza Makes one 12-16 inch pizza
Ingredients

Pizza Crust

• 1 cup of warm water
• 1 tbsp of white sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp of active dry yeast
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

Pizza Topping

• 1 cup of beer braised pork
• 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
• 10 slices of mozzarella cheese (I cut half a mozzarella ball into 10 slices)
• 1/2 cup of toasted and crushed almonds
• 1 cup of baby arugula
• Arugula dressing: 1/2 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, a dash of salt and pepper

Recipe

1. Stir water, yeast, and sugar together until dissolved. Add the olive oil (3 tbsp) and the salt. Stir in the flour until well blended. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 425F. Pat dough into pan or on to a pizza stone using fingers dipped in olive oil.
3. In a shallow bowl, mix pork and tomato sauce. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes.
4. Toast almonds, if you haven't already.
5. Top pizza with pork and tomato mixture. Then sprinkle the crushed almonds over the mixture. Top with slices of mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake the pizza for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, toss arugula with arugula dressing. When the pizza is done, just top it with arugula salad and serve.

The Pork Trilogy II: Waffled French Toast Sandwich

So assuming you have leftovers from that amazing beer braised pork (for those of you that missed my recipe for the delicious braised pork shoulder, please read Pork Trilogy Volume I), how about making a waffled french toast sandwich with pork shoulder, red sauce, and cheddar cheese? Serve it with a warm barley and kale salad with roasted pears and candied prosciutto.

Waffled French Toast Sandwich
with Red Sauce, Beer Braised Pork, and Cheddar Cheese

Waffled french toasts are perfect for this sandwich because they don't get soggy from cheese and sauce and they add texture to the tender braised pork.

Warm Barley and Kale Salad with Roasted Pears and Candied Prosciutto
served with Waffled French Toast Sandwich

Waffled French Toast Sandwich

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/2 tbsp of cajun powder
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• Nonstick cooking spray for waffle maker
• 4 slices of white or wheat bread
• 2 cups of shredded pork shoulder
• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (or 2 thick slices)

Recipe

1. Preheat waffle maker on medium-high heat. Preheat an oven to 200F. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add milk, cajun powder, and salt and whisk until blended.
3. Dip 1 bread slice into the egg mixture and soak, turning once, 20 seconds per side. Repeat this with all bread slices. Spray the wells of the waffle maker with nonstick cooking spray. 
4. Place 1 bread slice in each well of the waffle maker and close the lid. Cook the bread until golden brown and crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer the french toast to a wire rack set on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you prepare the pork.
5. Mix shredded pork with tomato sauce in a shallow microwavable dish. Coat pork evenly and spread it out in the dish in a shallow layer. 
6. Sprinkle or layer cheese on top of the tomato pork mixture.
7. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes.
8. Using a large spatula, gentle separate a square chunk of the pork mixture (about the size of the bread) and place it on a slice of waffled french toast. Top the sandwich with another slice of waffled french toast. Repeat this for the other sandwich. If desired, cut the sandwich into 2 triangles with a sharp knife. Serve with a side salad or on its own.  

I served the sandwich with a warm barley and kale salad with roasted pears and candied prosciutto. It was absolutely amazing. You can find the recipe here at LA Times. 

The Pork Trilogy: Volume I

Pork shoulder can be so juicy and so "falling off the bone" good, literally, when braised slowly and properly. If you are looking to make something good, try this one. Wait, I'm sorry, try this trilogy of recipes.

This is Volume I: how to properly braise pork shoulder (with beer). Then, in my next two blog posts, I will share with you Volumes II and III, where the tastiest dinners were made with the braised pork. Braise it on Sunday; eat it on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Perfect.


Beer Braised Pork Shoulder


Braised Pork Shoulder
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4 to 6 (or 8-10 if serving smaller portions along with other side dishes)
Ingredients

• 4 oz pancetta, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bone-in pork shoulder (4lbs), skin-on (I remove it after cooking but it adds flavor during the process)
• coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 head garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp of fennel seeds, toasted and ground (optional, depends if you like the taste of fennel)
• 1/2 tsp of crushed coriander seeds
• 2 cups of Belgian-style ale
• 1 cup of chicken stock

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Crisp pancetta in a large dutch oven over medium-low heat, until fat is rendered (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
2. Add onions to dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
3. Season pork with salt and pepper. Add oil to dutch oven, and sear pork, fat side down, until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat.
4. Add garlic and spices to pot. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ale, stock, pancetta, and onions; bring to a simmer. Transfer to oven, and braise pork, covered, basting every hour, until meat is falling off the bone, about 4.5 hours. Shred meat (should be effortless at this point) using 2 forks, and drizzle with warm au jus. 
5. Serve some pork over polenta, gnocchi or potatoes with some au jus drizzled over it.

Try the Nutritious & Cleansing Niçoise

Sometimes I just crave a nutritious and cleansing dinner, especially near the end of the week when a fun-filled/food-filled weekend is fast approaching. I love salads but I usually prefer to pair them with protein or grains. There is one salad that pretty much has it all - an almost forgotten Niçoise Salad.  


Niçoise Salad

I like to think of Niçoise Salad as the "prettier" version of an American Cobb Salad (though I must admit that the Cobb is just as good). It is a specialty of Cote D'Azur and named for the City of Nice. If you find the salad tedious (in relation to other types of salads), you can prep for the dressing and most of the ingredients hours or the day before and store them in separate ziplock bags. All you have to do before you eat is cook the remaining ingredients and toss all of it in the herb-infused olive oil dressing!

Niçoise Salad (recipe from Simply Recipes)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients

Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad

• 2-3 cans of tuna
• 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and either halved or quartered
• 10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium heads Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
• 1 small red onion, sliced very thin (soak in cold water for a few minutes to get rid of the sharp taste)
• 8 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
• 1/4 cup niçoise olives (you can substitue kalamata if you can't find niçoise, but they are usually available at the store's salad bar)

Recipe

1. Whisk lemon juice, oil, thyme, shallot, basil, oregano, and mustard in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
3. While potatoes are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a large plate or serving platter (yes, I used a silver platter). Coat tuna with vinaigrette. Mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture on the lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.
4. Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste; arrange in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.
5. Arrange hard boiled eggs and olives in mounds on the lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, drizzle entire salad with more dressing (if there is any left), and serve immediately.

Crab Noodles in Oyster Sauce

Don't be deceived by its simplicity. This Cantonese noodle dish is often served at parties and get togethers because of the incredible oyster sauce infused noodles. Deep fried noodles are typically used, but I used regular egg noodles instead for the sake of health. It makes a quick yet fancy dinner.

Crab Noodles in Oyster Sauce

I discovered the secret to buying lump crab meat at a good price: Costco. Whenever I visit, I can never resist grabbing a jar. With one entire pound of delicious crab meat, I usually end up making crab cakes, but tonight I wanted to try something new. This dish definitely does it for me!

Crab Noodles in Oyster Sauce
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients

• 1 package of egg noodles (usually serves 3)
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1/2 lb of lump crab meat
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp of ginger, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp of sesame oil
• Sauce (1 cup of chicken broth, 1.5 tbsp of oyster sauce, 3 tsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tsp of sugar)
• Starch water (mix 1 tsp of corn starch and 1 tbsp of water in a small bowl)
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup of chicken broth
• Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Recipe

1. Follow package instructions to cook egg noodles. 
2. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Fry shallots for a minute and add ginger and half of the green onions. 
3. Mix sauce in a small bowl and add to saute pan. Bring the sauce to a boil. Add cooked and drained egg noodles to pan and simmer noodles on low until most of the liquid has been absorbed (approximately 5 minutes). Mix in remaining green onions and sesame oil. Remove noodle mixture and keep warm in a covered bowl.
4. Add chicken broth to the original pan and turn the heat up to high. Bring broth to a boil and add crab meat. Bring it to a boil again and add starch water. Cook until it's thickened to your liking, then fold in egg white. Cook for another minute or two while stirring gently.  
5. Place some noodles in a bowl and scoop a little crab meat mixture on top. Garnish with cilantro if you desire. Serve warm.