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Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here. Hi, all, and good Saturday morning to you. As this newsletter hits your inboxes, I’ll be sitting on the sidelines of a Little League baseball game, cheering on my son’s team. We’re in a stretch when there are practices and games almost every day, so meals that are quick and easy to prepare are essential. That was top of mind last week when I wrote about the store-bought shortcuts that made Ellie Krieger’s vegetable-packed Lemony Ravioli Primavera With Pesto possible. I asked you for some of your favorite ready-made ingredients, and loyal reader Sheila Monk responded with this timely tip.
“My favorite store bought item is jarred salsa. I pour it over chicken thighs (skin on or not, bone in or not, browned or not) and simmer till done, meanwhile cooking rice. It’s really good, I think, and virtually no effort. The original recipe was from a reader of Sunset magazine a long time ago. It called for onion and equal amounts of salsa and tomato sauce, but I decided the tomato sauce was totally unnecessary. The ‘recipe’ is chicken thighs and enough sauce to cover them. And rice.”
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Well, I couldn’t have asked for a better segue, because this very morning I published an entire piece on everything you can make with store-bought salsa — including Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken. (Honestly, the coincidence was a bit uncanny. Sheila, if you’re reading my mind, please don’t judge me for how often I’m thinking about dessert.) Many of us usually have at least one jar of salsa in the house, and while I’ll never deny the joys of dipping a salty, crunchy tortilla chip into this condiment, there’s so much more you can make with it, including soup, enchiladas and egg dishes. Salsa also works as a base for a braise, which is exactly what salsa chicken is. I’ve seen many busy parents praise it over the years, but had never tried it given my lack of a slow cooker and mild skepticism about this two-ingredient recipe. Well, after finally making it myself, I can tell you it’s as good as promised. Drop chicken thighs in the insert, pour over the salsa (with a can of diced green chiles, if you like) and cook it on low. A few hours later, and you’re treated to tender, shreddable meat that can be eaten in tacos or burritos or, as Sheila recommends, over rice. One of my colleagues proclaimed “my husband is obsessed” with it now. So I’m sharing it with you as this week’s featured recipe. Below you’ll find links to a few more dishes that use jarred salsa as well. In a similar vein, Ellie Krieger offered up Veracruz-Style Snapper, a recipe from sisters, restaurateurs and cookbook authors Reyna and Maritza Vazquez that comes from their native region of Mexico. This bright and fresh coastal dish dispels the over-the-top, unhealthy stereotype of Mexican food that still persists in some parts of this country. The snapper fillets simmer in a saucy mix of bell peppers and tomatoes, along with punchy garlic, olives, capers and thyme. Could you swap in store-bought salsa in a pinch? Absolutely, cookbook author and television host Pati Jinich told me when I interviewed her. Just start with a red salsa, to which you can add capers, olives, and pepperoncini or pickled jalapeños. In the same way that salsa deserves to be more than a dip, scallions deserve to be more than a garnish. Megan Zhang shows us the power of these slender alliums in her Scallion Oil Noodles. You’ll start by gently frying them, which gives you an infused oil used in a savory sauce, as well as a topping in which the scallions are by turns both jammy and crispy. Such a simple dish with only a handful of ingredients, but so satisfying. Let’s trade more tips in my next live weekly cooking chat Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern. Submit your questions now, then come join the conversation in real time.
Until next week, happy cooking.
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