Too Hot Tamales Recipes

Roseanne has invited Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken (aka Too Hot Tamales) into her kitchen several times to make recipes from their books, including, “Cooking With Too Hot Tamales, “Mesa Mexicana,” and “Cantina: The Best of Casual Mexican Cooking.”

Quinoa Fritters with Romesco Sauce
From “Cooking With Too Hot Tamales.”

Quinoa Fritters
2/3 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup grated Cotija, Parmesan, or Romano cheese
3/4 tsp. coarse salt pinch of freshly ground black pepper
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
| 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only, chopped
1 medium egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup vegetable oil lemon wedges, for garnish red Salsa

Wash the quinoa and drain well. Place a small dry saucepan over high heat. Add the quinoa and toast, shaking and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent scorching, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, until all the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, the flour, cheese, salt, and pepper. Add the scallions, parsley, egg, and egg yolk. Blend thoroughly with a wooden spoon until the mixture has the consistency of a soft dough. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Using two soup spoons, press the batter into egg-shaped ovals and gently slide into the hot oil. Fry until the bottoms are golden brown, less than a minute. Turn and fry on the second side until golden, less than a minute. Drain on paper towels and serve warm with lemon wedges and red salsa.
Serves 8.

Romesco Sauce
2 large thick slices country bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup whole blanched almonds
1 pound Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 tbsp. Paprika
1 tsp. coarse salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fruity Spanish olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the bread and vinegar in a bowl and soak about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool. Transfer the almonds to a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the vinegar-soaked bread with all the vinegar, the tomatoes, paprika, salt, and pepper, and puree. With the machine on, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream and process until a smooth sauce forms. Serve at room temperature.
Makes about 1 cup.