QUAYSIDE NIBBLES

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

Green sauce:

80 gr. onion cut in quarters

135 ml. water

140 gr. green tomatoes, peeled, in quarters

15 gr. serrano chilis, cut in half

20 gr. cuaresmeño chilis, cut in half

7 gr. cloves garlic, peeled

30 gr. coriander

10 ml. lemon juice

7 gr. salt

 

Ñora pepper sauce:

30 gr. ñora peppers

60 gr. onion, in quarters

8 gr. cloves garlic, peeled

175 – 200 ml. grapefruit juice

10 gr. salt

Guacamole:

300 gr. avocado flesh, diced

50 gr. marrow (cucurbita), finely chopped

110 gr. onion, finely chopped

10 gr. coriander, finely chopped

11 gr. serrano chilis, finely chopped

10 ml. lemon juice

20 ml. olive oil

10 gr. salt

Escamoles:

20 ml olive oil or lard

20 gr. butter

50 gr. onion, finely chopped

100 gr. escamoles  Liometropum apiculatum (larvae of ants)

20 gr. serrano chilis, finely chopped

20 gr. epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides herb), finely chopped

Salt

 

Gusanos de Maguey:

50 ml. olive oil

5 gusanos de maguey (1gr.) (Acentrocneme hesperiaris larvae), fried

 

Nibbles:

300 gr. maize dough

20 gr. dry cheese

20 gr. butter

5 gr. raising agent

1 gr. sodium bicarbonate

100 ml. olive oil

1 pinch salt

 

Garnish:

50 gr. thick cream

5 gr. Caviar

20 gr. onion, finely chopped

20 gr. mature cheese, finely grated               

 

 

PREPARATION:

Green sauce: Blend the onion with 65 ml. water and 2 gr. salt. Add the tomatoes, chilis, garlic and 5 gr. salt with the rest of the water and blend. Add the coriander and blend. At the last minute, add the lemon juice and season with salt.

 

Ñora pepper sauce: Pre-heat the oven to 175°C (347ºF) for 45 min. Clean the chilis and bake for 5 min. Blend with the onion, garlic, grapefruit juice and salt, forming a fairly thick sauce. Season with salt.

 

Guacamole: Mix the avocado with the marrow, onion, coriander, chilis, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.

 

Escamoles: Heat the oil and butter and caramelise the onion. Add the escamoles, epazote and chilis and season. Cook to evaporate any liquid.

 

Gusanos de Maguey: Fry in oil until golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper and sprinkle with salt.

 

Nibbles: Mix the dough with the dry cheese, butter, raising agent, bicarbonate and salt. Knead to form a soft, shiny dough. Form balls 15 gr. each. Place the balls between two sheets of plastic and press lightly to form a tortilla 5 cm in diameter. Remove the plastic sheets and cook on a comal griddle. Fry until crisp.

 

 

 

TO SERVE:

 

Place three nibbles on a plate. Top one with 20 gr. guacamole and 10 gr. prepared escamoles. Top another with 10 gr. ñora pepper sauce, 10 gr. cream and a little caviar with the gusano de maguey in the middle. Top the third with 10 gr. green sauce, 5 gr. onion and 5 gr. mature cheese.