Mex Without the Zest-8/9/09

Don't be afraid of spice, Gourmet! Sometimes I think the recipe writers of cooking magazines underestimate the American palate. They go too light on flavor and spice. I can't imagine that the testers thought the recipes I made tonight were flavorful enough as written. These two recipes were Mexican inspired, a cuisine famous for its heat and flavor. But the Spicy Adobo Shrimp Cocktail and Zucchini and Red Pepper Enchiladas with Two Salsas were not hot and not flavorful. It was a shame because they looked great.
The enchiladas were vegetarian as written but I added some cooked chicken. Richard did 3 hours worth of triathlon training this morning and a veggie main was not going to cut it. I know when dinner wasn't filling enough for him because he gets a bowl of cereal a few hours later. I tried to avoid that tonight. The zucchini and peppers were good but rather plain. The salsas were very bland. Some hot sauce would have helped and we actually added some to help out the flavor.
The shrimp cocktail was good and the adobo sauce had potential but the recipe should have called for a bit more sauce. The adobo flavor was barely discernible and though I liked the dish, it would have been much better with more flavor and heat.

Zucchini and Red Pepper Enchiladas with Two Salsas-C

Spicy Adobo Shrimp Cocktail-C

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