TasteFood

I was a late bloomer when it came to appreciating Mexican cuisine. The traditional cheese-meat-bean-tortilla combos were often too dense and gooey for my taste, and it took me well into my adulthood to develop a liking for cilantro, that famously divisive herb. Little did I know that when we moved to California from Denmark, my children's favorite fast food would become a burrito.

When we arrived in California, where Spanish is easily spoken and south of the border cuisine flourishes, the flavors and subtleties of Mexican food grew on me, with its potent spices, rich moles and myriad chiles. Before too long, I found myself devouring avocados like fruit and replacing pizza with burritos and tacos as kid-friendly fast food. At home, I improvised and gallantly made my own renditions of Mexican-inspired food, lighter and brighter to my taste, with lots of crisp vegetables, vibrant salsas and fresh herbs, while frequently adding seafood for the protein, resulting in a Californian-Mexican hybrid, which pleased everyone.

We ate these tostadas the other night, served buffet-style, so everyone could layer their own toppings. I marinated shrimp in lime for the protein and made cumin-spiced rice, along with a fresh corn and black bean salsa that could easily stand alone as a salad.

If you have access to fresh corn, you shouldn't hesitate to eat the uncooked kernels cut straight from the cob. They are juicy, sweet and crisp with no cooking required and a standout in any salsa or salad. To remove the kernels from the cob, lay the husked cob on a cutting board and carefully slice off the kernels lengthwise with a chef's knife, rotating the cob as you go. Sweep the kernels and any liquid into the bowl for the salsa. (If fresh corn is not available, defrosted frozen corn will do the trick. Simply defrost the corn; no need to cook it.)

Shrimp Tostadas With Black Bean-Corn Salsa and Spiced Rice

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Salsa:

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Corn kernels from 1 ear of corn (or 1 cup defrosted frozen corn)

1 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes

1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Mexican hot sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Rice:

1 cup long grain rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of ground cayenne

1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or water)

1 teaspoon salt

Shrimp:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

1 pound medium (26/30) shrimp, shelled and deveined

Tostadas:

8 tostada shells

Butter lettuce leaves

Tomato salsa or hot sauce

Fresh cilantro sprigs

Lime wedges

Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Prepare the rice: Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add the onion and saute until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and cayenne and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring, to lightly toast and thoroughly coat the grains, about 1 minute. Add the stock and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork.

Prepare the shrimp: Whisk 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high (or prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat). Remove the shrimp from the marinade, shaking off any excess liquid, and transfer to the skillet or grill. Cook the shrimp until pink on both sides and just cooked through, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

To assemble the tostadas, lay a lettuce leaf over a tostada (corn) shell. Spoon some of the rice over the lettuce, then top with the black bean salsa. Top with 2 to 3 shrimp. Drizzle with a little tomato salsa or hot sauce. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Who doesn't like a good hummus? Mild, nutty and agreeably versatile, this creamy Levantine dip is a go-to for snacks, spreads and party dips. It's also a wonderful starting point for variations, such as carrot hummus.

Carrot hummus, you say? You bet: Picture your favorite Middle Eastern hummus -- the ubiquitous blend of chickpeas, sesame paste (tahini), olive oil, lemon and garlic. Then, send it farther west to North Africa, picking up a few more ingredients along the way, such as coriander, mint and harissa, a fiery Moroccan chili paste. Now, add the carrots, but before you do, roast them first, softening them to a blending consistency, coloring them with a little char and coaxing out their ample natural sugars. Give it all a good long blitz with the usual hummus ingredients in a food processor until thick, creamy and smooth.

Take a taste -- it will be mildly sweet, slightly nutty, a tad smoky, vividly colored and bright with citrus. Scrape it into a bowl and lick the spoon, then decorate the top with a shower of chopped crunchy pistachios and fragrant mint. Chances are you will never go back.

Roasted Carrot Hummus

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: makes about 2 1/2 cups

Carrots:

3/4 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Hummus:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons tahini

1 to 2 tablespoons harissa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for garnish

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Garnish:

1/4 cup coarsely chopped shelled pistachios

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the carrots in a small baking dish. Add the oil, salt, cumin and black pepper and stir to coat. Roast in the oven until the carrots are tender, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove and cool slightly.

Transfer the carrots and any pan juices to the bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining hummus ingredients and process until smooth. If too thick, add additional olive oil or warm water to your desired consistency. Taste for seasoning.

Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and garnish with the pistachios, mint and extra black pepper. Serve with pita wedges, a baguette and/or crudites.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood.

Roasted strips of eggplant, zucchini and red peppers alternate with lasagna sheets in this veggie-enhanced family favorite. It's just like lasagna, but lighter and fresher. No worries, though. There's enough gooey melted cheese and tomato sauce rippling through this version that the most ardent veggie haters (we won't point fingers) will be hard-pressed to complain.

When I shop the farmers market, I often purchase with my eyes, which means I purchase too much. Once home, I'll pile some of the prettiest vegetables and fruit in decorative bowls in the kitchen and on the dining table, where they double as edible centerpieces and my vegetable stash. Over the next few days, I dip into the arrangements to prepare meals and snacks. When the vegetables begin to lose their freshness, I think of ways to use a whole bunch of them at once, and mix them into soups and sauces, stews and gratins.

I frequently make this vegetable lasagna, which is a great way to use an abundance of Provencal-style produce, such as eggplants, squash and peppers. First, I roast the vegetables -- either in the oven or on the grill. Then I layer them into a casserole dish with uncooked lasagna sheets. I make a quick tomato sauce to spread between the layers with a generous amount of cheese. In a pinch, you can use jarred, good-quality marinara sauce for the homemade tomato sauce, and for a gluten-free gratin, you can omit the pasta and simply add more vegetables.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 6 servings

Sauce:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

1 (28-ounce) can crushed Italian plum tomatoes

1/4 cup medium-bodied red wine or water

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Lasagna:

2 large red bell peppers, halved, stemmed and seeded

1 large globe eggplant, sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick

2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

16 ounces whole-milk ricotta

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup plus 2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 (16-ounce) box lasagna sheets (you won't use all of them)

1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, shredded

1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add the onion and saute until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red chili flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, wine, oregano, sugar, salt and black pepper and simmer, partially covered, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat the oven broiler. Place the peppers, cut-side down, in a single layer in a baking dish. Broil the peppers until the skin is blistered all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel away the skin and cut the peppers into 1/2-inch strips.

While the peppers are steaming, generously oil a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the eggplant and zucchini slices in a single layer (in batches if necessary) in the pan, turn to coat in the oil, and season with the salt and pepper. Broil until golden and tender, flipping once, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate.

Whisk the ricotta, garlic, the 1/2 cup Pecorino and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Assemble the lasagna: Spoon a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of an 8-by-10-inch baking dish or gratin dish. Place a layer of lasagna sheets over the sauce, breaking them to fit to size as necessary. Smear a thin layer, about 1/4-inch thick, of the ricotta over the pasta and arrange the eggplant slices over the ricotta. Spread the sauce over the eggplant, sprinkle with some of the Pecorino and some of the mozzarella.

Place another lasagna sheet over the cheese and repeat the layering process, substituting the zucchini for the eggplant. Repeat the layering process again, substituting the red peppers. Top with a final layer of lasagna sheets. Smear the remaining ricotta over the pasta and arrange any remaining vegetables, if you have any, over the ricotta. Spoon the remaining sauce over and around the vegetables and sprinkle with a final layer of Pecorino and mozzarella.

Cover the dish with foil and bake the lasagna in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is golden, the cheese is bubbling and the pasta is tender when inserted with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Serve warm, garnished with the basil.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Photo by Lynda Balslev for TasteFood.