Vegetarian Taco Salad with Homemade Salsa
Final Project for NUTR 441
Summer 2012
Maia Kurnik
Introduction
I am a vegetarian with a very low
tolerance for spicy foods. That being said, I have been on several missions to
Mexico and El Salvador and fell in love with the food in those regions –
simple, whole, and colorful. After the balancing flavors lab, I was excited to
try to make my own salsa from a few simple ingredients including jalapeno
peppers which I had been to scared of using in the past. I chose to make tacos
because I wanted to try to make a salsa that tasted flavorful rather than just
spicy. The dish is not wholly tacos or wholly salad. It is a reflection of how
I prefer to make my tacos – too many vegetables in not enough tortilla, thereby
resembling a salad. I chose to use whole black beans rather than refried beans
found commonly in taco salads simply because I like them better and wanted to
try cooking whole dried beans again. I usually use canned beans, so using dried
beans was another first for me in this class. Finally, I enjoyed the experiment
in using acids and bases to alter the color of cabbage. In reading about how
cooking alters the color of other plant foods, I had flashbacks to vegetable I
had cooked prior to this course whose color left much to be desired. My goals in this final project were to create
flavorful and tolerably spicy salsa by balancing spice with acid, sugar, and
salt, to cook dried black beans and make them flavorful, and to cook peppers
without losing their vibrant color.
Preparation
of Salsa – Balancing flavors:
In
preparing the salsa, I used an approach similar to experiment 3 of unit one
(thai chili sauce exercise in balancing flavors). I began with 2 small green
jalapeno peppers and 2 roma tomatoes. I blended these with 1 clove of garlic
and 4 Tbs diced yellow onion for 30 seconds. I wanted the salsa to be chunky,
but also have some saucy base. To this base I added 1 ¼ cup (about 2 tomatoes)
diced roma tomatoes and 3 more Tbs chopped onion. At this point I tasted the
salsa. It was far too spicy. I could not taste the tomatoes, only the peppers
and some onion. The flavors of the garlic and tomatoes were not yet detectable.
I
wanted to use cumin, but was unsure of how forgiving the flavor would be. I decided
to add it before any of the salty, sweet, or sour flavors so I would have some
opportunity to correct it if I accidentally added too much. I added ½ Tbs of
cumin, which was enough for the cumin to just be detectable but not
overpowering. The cumin did add to the spicy flavors which were overpowering
still.
To
balance the spicy flavors, I began by adding 1 tsp salt. I added two more ½ tsp
portions of salt, tasting after each addition, until I could taste the salty
flavor and the spice had dulled considerably. At this point, I added 1 Tbs of
lime juice, and then two more tablespoons of lime juice. After each addition I
noticed that the spicy flavors became more tolerable, but the tomato and garlic
flavors were hidden. Once I could taste the lime, I began adding sugar ½ a
teaspoon at a time until the spicy flavors became mild enough and the tomato
and garlic flavors were detectable. I kept in mind that the salsa would be part
of a final dish, rather than be eaten by itself, so I stopped adding sweet, salty
and sour flavors when the spice was just barely tolerable. The lime flavor also
brightened upon addition of sugar. However, the lime and sweet flavors
overpowered the salty flavors. I finished the salsa by adding another ½ tsp of
salt.
Salty,
sweet, and sour, and bitter flavors work to balance each other; if a dish is
too salty, sour, or bitter, it may be salvaged by adding sugar (This, 2006,
p.94-95; Loha-unchit, 2000, “Balancing Flavors”). My experiences in balancing flavors in unit
one made me feel empowerd to take on spicy food recipes. After reading Kasma’s
blog on cooking “to taste” and learning about how sweet, sour, and salty
flavors balance each other I was able to go back and correct my mayonnaise
recipe in Lab 1 by adding more sugar and salt to make it less acidic. I was
then also able to better taste the mustard, probably because sugar can blend
flavors that seem too distinct in a recipe (Loha-unchit, 2000, “Balancing
Flavors”). This information has made me more comfortable altering recipes instead
of following them verbatim. I also now understand why salt is always used in
sweet recipes such as desserts – to bring out the flavors in the sweet food,
and why sugar is added to savory foods such as salad dressings – to tie the
flavors together (This, 2006, p. 95).
To
improve this recipe in the future, I would very likely add a third jalapeno. I
overestimated the spiciness of the peppers and perhaps added too much salt,
sugar, or lime juice. In the final dish, the salsa was delicious, but slightly
too mild. In addition, I would only blend half as many of the ingredients. Upon
addition of the lime juice, the salsa thinned considerably. It worked well as a
dressing for the taco salad, but would be too soupy for dipping chips into.
Preparation
of the black beans –Legume cookery:
I chose to soak the beans overnight
in light of the results of the experiment in the grains and legumes unit. The
soaked beans were more flavorful than the beans that were cooked while dry.
Cooking dry beans also resulted in dryer, blander beans. Soaking the beans also
results in a faster cooking time by 25% or more (McGee, p. 488). Whole dried
peas and beans can take upwards of two hours to cook. Initially, water can only
enter through the hilum (small pore on the back of the bean), but after 30-60
minutes the seed coat becomes hydrated and expands allowing water to flow
through the entire seed coat. Soaking is not required, but quickens cooking by
25%. Cooking without soaking may result in legumes with undesireably soft outer
layers because much of the cooking time is waiting for water to make it to the
center of the bean. Soaking also removes ogliosaccharides, minerals, vitamins,
and some flavors, colors, and antioxidants from the legume. To minimize
nutrient loss from the beans I soaked and cooked them in only enough water to
completely cover them and added more as necessary (McGee, p. 486-88).
I also chose to soak the beans in salted
water. The sodium in the salt displaces the magnesium from the cell wall
pectins and makes them easier to dissolve. Water can then enter the bean more
rapidly (McGee, p. 489). Salt and baking
soda (alkaline) speed cooking of legumes by dissolving the hemicelluloses in
the cell wall, allowing water to penetrate more quickly. A disadvantage to this
method is the resultant slippery mouthfeel of the cooked beans and a soapy
taste (McGee, p. 489).
The actual cooking of the beans took
about 22 minutes once the water began to boil. I rinsed the beans, and then
added them to fresh water to cook in. I also added salt to the water to speed
the cooking time as well as to try to avoid the bland flavor of the beans
cooked in plain water in the lab unit. Once the beans were soft, I drained the
excess fluid and let them cool slightly before adding lime juice and pepper. I
love the bright flavor of limes, and thought it would be a nice addition to
make the beans less bland. In combination with the pepper they were wonderful!
After I had prepared the salad, I
found another recipe for cilantro lime black beans. The beans tasted great with
the lime, but the beans and the salad as a whole may have benefitted from the
bright, fresh flavor of cilantro.
Preparation
of the peppers – Cooking vegetables to retain color:
Prior to this experiment, the
peppers I cooked usually ended up mushy and dull. My problem was too little
heat for too much time. Plant pigments are altered by cooking, and green pepper
pigments are more susceptible to alteration than red or orange pigments that
are more oil soluble (McGee, p. 278). I considered adding lime juice to the
peppers as well, but acid makes the chlorophyll in green peppers more soluble
and likely to leach out into the cooking liquid (McGee, p. 279). Heat can
displace the magnesium from the center of the ring in the chlorophyll molecule,
and it is replaced by a hydrogen ion and the color is dulled. Rapidly cooking
the peppers by stir-frying them (rather than sautéing them as I had in the
past) appeared to be the best way to cook them while retaining pigments and
nutrients (McGee, p. 286).
I cut the peppers into small enough
pieces so that they would heat through quickly, and added them to a very hot
pan with a little oil. I used a green bell pepper and smaller red and yellow
peppers that I already had. I was afraid the smaller peppers would cook faster
than the green bell peppers because the walls of the smaller peppers were
thinner. I chose to add the smaller peppers later in the cooking, after about 1
minute. I stirred constantly for about 2 minutes total to prevent them from
burning. The result was beautifully green, red, and yellow/orange peppers.
I forgot to season my peppers, and
in the future would add a little salt to them. They were quite flavorful by
themselves and with the salsa as part of the completed salad.
As a whole, the taco salad was
fairly easy to prepare. Making the salsa and tasting at each step was the most
tedious part, but also the most rewarding for me. The entire preparation took
about a half hour once the beans had soaked. Most of that time was spent
chopping vegetables and waiting for the beans to finish cooking. One
foreseeable problem with using the dried beans rather than canned beans is the
need to plan ahead and soak the beans. An easy fix would be to use canned beans
instead.
Results of 2 Taste Tests:
Characteristic
|
Poor
|
Ok
or Good
|
Excellent
|
Comments
|
Color
|
X
|
Color
of peppers is well maintained, no browning; bright greens, red, and orange
look pleasing
|
||
Flavor
|
X
|
Peppers
should have been salted, salsa could be a bit spicier as part of the dish
|
||
Aroma
|
X
|
|||
Texture
|
X
|
Salsa
was a perfect consistency for salad dressing, perhaps too thin to be used as
a dip for chips, etc.
|
||
Combination/Mouthfeel:
|
X
|
Green
peppers could have been cut in half or thirds to make them more manageable, but
the large pieces looked nice on the plate.
|
||
Overall
Presentation
|
X
|
Bright
& colorful! I was very proud of the look of the finished product
|
Characteristic
|
Poor
|
Ok
or Good
|
Excellent
|
Comments
|
Color
|
X
|
Colors
were beautiful! Made me excited to try the dish
|
||
Flavor
|
X
|
Salsa
needed to be spicier, a bit bland
|
||
Aroma
|
X
|
The
kitchen smelled great while she was cooking. I could smell the limes,
peppers, and salsa especially
|
||
Texture
|
X
|
Peppers
were warmed through but still very firm. The crispness contrasted the soft
beans nicely.
|
||
Combination/Mouthfeel:
|
X
|
This
was almost “excellent” but the green peppers should have been cut smaller
|
||
Overall
Presentation
|
X
|
Great
colors and presentation. The tortilla at the bottom made it easy to finish
the pieces that escaped the fork.
|
Summary
of Sensory Evaluation
Overall, I was very pleased with
this dish. My three main objectives (retain color, create flavorful salsa, and
cook flavorful, moist beans) were met. The color of the peppers was wonderful
and they made the dish look very vibrant. I was pleased with the flavors,
though the next time I make this I will remember to season the peppers after
cooking with salt. The aroma of the peppers mixed well with that of the salsa
and limy beans to make the dish smell fresh as well as hearty. The meat was not
missed in this recipe due to the robust texture of the black beans, which is
why I chose whole beans over refried beans. The beans were soft but not mushy,
and the lime made them very flavorful. They retained some of their nutty flavor
as well. I was worried about the combination of warm and hot ingredients.
However, placing the beans opposite the spinach on the plate allowed the
spinach to maintain its coolness and texture rather than wilting. The cool
salsa blended well with the warm peppers and mushrooms and the beans. The
overall presentation was very attractive. I cannot, however, take too much
credit for that. It would have been difficult to create an unattractive
presentation with such beautiful colors, thanks to stir-frying the peppers
rapidly at high heat rather than cooking them until they were mushy and dull,
the presentation was beautiful!
Reflection
on Learning
As highlighted in the preparation
descriptions above, this recipe has come about in response to previous lack of
knowledge and a new understanding of cooking techniques. I was especially proud
of my learning experience balancing flavors in the salsa. The initial balancing
experiment was a bit of a trial by fire. I am very sensitive to spicy foods,
and tended to avoid using any spice in my cooking. I now know that I can use
different combinations of salty, sweet, and sour to adjust the heat of peppers
to my tastes, as well as salvage bland mayonnaise, too-salty soups, and
flavorless salad dressings. I have also learned that high heat is okay for
cooking vegetables in order to preserve their color. Previously, I had avoided
high heat out of fear of scalding the vegetables. I have also learned much
about how acids and bases affect food texture and flavors. I learned that
adding lime juice after cooking the beans, rather than during cooking or
soaking, would result in the best finished product. I also learned that adding
acid to vegetables during cooking is a good way to lose color, and that citrus
fruit juices or vinegar should be added after cooking.
Recipes:
Salsa
(Final Recipe):
2
small green jalapeno peppers, diced
4
Roma tomatoes, diced
1
clove garlic, diced
½
large yellow onion (about ½ c chopped)
½
Tbs cumin
2
tsp salt
2
½ tsp sugar
3
Tbs lime juice
Blend
the peppers, 2 of the 4 tomatoes, the garlic, and 3 Tbs of onion for 30 seconds
or until almost smooth. Add the remaining tomatoes and onion. Add ½ Tbs cumin,
and half of the salt, sugar, and lime juice. Add remaining salt, sugar, and
lime juice in ½ tsp increments until desired flavor is achieved, tasting
between each addition. Makes approximately 3 cups of mild salsa.
Taco
“Salad:”
1
cup dry black beans
6+
cups water (3 for soaking, 3+ for cooking)
Salt
1
green bell pepper, sliced thin
1
red bell pepper, sliced thin
1
orange/yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
4
Tbs olive oil
1
small package white button mushrooms, sliced
½
c diced yellow onion
3
c spinach
Tortillas
1
½ tsp black pepper
1
½ Tbs lime juice
1
avocado, sliced just prior to serving to avoid browning
1
lime, sliced into wedges
Rinse
the beans in a strainer, then soak for 6-8 hours (overnight) in 4c water with 1
tsp salt. Rinse the beans, place them in a sauce pan and add 1 tsp salt and
enough water to just cover the beans while the cook. It may be necessary to add
more water during cooking. Bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat to
simmer the beans, covered, for 20-25 minutes until the beans are soft. Drain
the beans, then add the pepper and lime juice. Stir gently to avoid peeling the
skins off the beans.
Add
the onions and mushrooms to a pan with 2-3 Tbs olive oil. Sauté the onions and
mushrooms until the mushrooms are soft and slightly brown.
Heat
a large skillet on high heat. Add 1 Tbs olive oil to the pan just before adding
the peppers. Stir the peppers constantly for 1-2 minutes over high heat until
they begin to soften slightly and are cooked through.
Assemble
the taco salads! This recipe makes enough 3 medium taco salads. Over 1
tortilla, place a bed of spinach. Put the beans to the side of the spinach to
avoid wilting the spinach. Over the spinach, lay peppers and mushrooms, and
garnish with sliced avocado and lime wedges. Top with several tablespoons of
salsa.
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