Burned Scallion Crema Recipes

SLAB-BACON TACOS WITH BURNED-SCALLION CREMA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the chile powder, ground cumin, brown sugar and black pepper together in a large bowl, and then add the bacon slices, tossing to coat them with the spice mixture.
• Arrange the coated bacon slices on a sheet pan, ideally one fitted with a wire rack. Roast in the oven until they are caramelized and starting to crisp at the edges, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, chop the bacon into large dice and keep warm. Reserve the bacon fat for another use.
• While the bacon cooks, make the crema. Put the scallions and jalapeño in a large dry sauté pan and cook over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the scallions and jalapeño have blackened at the edges, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
• Put the scallions and jalapeño in the bowl of a food processor, and blitz them with the juice of 1 lime, then add the sour cream and mayonnaise, and blitz the mixture until it is smooth and flecked with blackened bits. Season to taste with the salt and, if you'd like the mixture thinner, the juice of the second lime. Scrape into a bowl, and reserve.
• To serve, warm the tortillas in the dry pan, one or two at a time, and reserve them in a tortilla warmer or clean dish towel. Fill them with the diced bacon and a slash of the crema, along with quartered limes and, if you like, salsa, cilantro, mint and hot sauce.

BURNED-SCALLION CREMA

Steps:

• Put the scallions and jalapeño in a large dry sauté pan and cook over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the scallions and jalapeño have blackened at the edges, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
• Put the scallions and jalapeño in the bowl of a food processor, and blitz them with the juice of 1 lime, then add the sour cream and mayonnaise, and blitz the mixture until it is smooth and flecked with blackened bits. Season to taste with the salt and, if you'd like the mixture thinner, the juice of the second lime. Scrape into a bowl, and reserve.

CREAMED SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Combine 4 bunches trimmed scallions and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a simmer, cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 chopped garlic clove; uncover and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

CHARRED SCALLION CREMA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place scallions on a quarter-sheet pan fitted with a wire rack. Bake until charred and dehydrated, 20 to 30 minutes. (You can also grill the scallions, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, over medium-high heat until charred, 10 to 12 minutes.) Let cool completely.
• Place scallions in a mini food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add sour cream, adobo, agave and salt and pulse until blended. Season to taste with additional salt.

BURNT CREME

Steps:

• Place a 9x13 baking pan in oven; fill with 1/2" water; preheat oven to 350°.
• Heat cream over low heat until bubbles form at edge of pan; beat egg yolks and sugar until thick, about 3 minutes; add cream slowly while beating; add vanilla.
• Place six 6 ounce custard cups in water bath; pour custard into cups; bake until set, about 45 minutes.
• Refrigerate until chilled; sprinkle each cup with 2 tsp sugar; place on top oven rack and broil until medium brown, 1-2 minutes, or use a mini torch to brown sugar; chill and serve.

SCALLION SAUCE

Steps:

• In a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment, combine scallions, butter, parsley, and lemon juice. Process until well combined. Transfer to refrigerator, and chill for 20 minutes.
• Heat cream in a small saucepan until reduced by half. Whisk in chilled butter mixture. Strain through a fine sieve and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

SCALLION VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together white-wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, sugar, and scallions.
• Slowly add extra-virgin olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Or shake the ingredients in a jar, or whirl them in a blender.

CREAMED SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Bring cream and garlic to a boil in a medium skillet. Lower heat and simmer briskly until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• While cream is reducing, cook scallions with water, covered, in a heavy medium saucepan over moderately high heat until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add cream mixture to scallions. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste, then cook over moderate heat, stirring, until piping hot.