Quail Tacos

This picture does not do them justice.  I need to get a better camera, hint hint, instead of using my phone camera.  Although many of my pictures come from my phone.
Since the cancer diagnosis we have been eating more wild game.  This was a case of what's in the freezer, fridge and pantry.  
We thawed four quail and put them on our Big Green Egg and cooked normally.   We did not based or do anything special to them. We pulled the meat off the bone.
I had some blueberries in the fridge, cabbage, onion and herbs so started putting tastes together in my mind that somehow transfers to my mouth.  Not sure how that is but it happens.
So I made an xagave (1tsp) and unrefined sugar (1T) syrup with the blueberries (1/2cup) and reduced down to a thickened sauce.
Then I added half and half to smooth it out.  Not sure how much probably about 1/3c. just enough to lighten the color.  I would have added coconut milk to do the same but was out of it.
Then I went out to my garden and clipped lavender and mint to chop and put in sauce
(a pinch or two).
I sautéed the 1 onion with the cabbage (about 1/3 of head) and in hindsight I would keep the cabbage crunchy next time and just reduce onions down.
I used white corn tortillas.
That is it.  You basically build your taco however you want and it looks and sounds very exotic and hard to fix......
EXAMPLE:
Roasted quail tacos with onion cabbage and blueberry reduction wrapped in a white stone ground corn tortilla.  Using all my adjectives whenever possible to make this sound outlandish.
Don't be fooled by the title.  It's as simple as pie!  Enjoy.

Organic Salad Dressing

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=633314364

My friend Emma Cohen is here from Australia.  I say she is my friend like I have known her a long time.  Though I have only known her a short while she feels like one of those friends I have known my whole life.  She is a nurse in Australia, she believes in natural remedies and a holistic approach to medicine and is a health researcher.  She recently shared this recipe with me and I want to share it with you.  It is super good, good for you and really great tasting.  You need not refrigerate it or if you do know that the olive oil will go solid on you so allow time for it to go liquid again.  It is good unrefrigerated for couple weeks.


Emma's Grandmother's Oil and Vinegar Dressing:
Crush 3-4 cloves of garlic with a bit of Himalyaan rock salt (other rock salt is great she is just partial to this and so am I just don't use regular table salt) until it is quite liquid. Use a fork on a cutting board to achieve this or a mortar and pestle. 
Add into bottle or jar with lid. 
Add 2 teaspoons of seeded mustard an organic brand where you can see the seeds 
2 pinches of mixed herbs( I have a terrific Provence of basil, thyme, rosemary, lavender, & oregano )
1/2 squeezed lemon juice and fill 1/3 of the container with apple cider vinegar ( I use 1/2 cider and 1/2 Balsamic vinegar). 
Then fill up the rest of the container with olive oil or flaxseed oil, shake bottle and taste to get balance of oil/vinegar ratio correct to your taste.  
Use this dressing on lots of things other than salad, and keep out of sunlight.


Enjoy!

Kale Chips

Yet another thing I learned from my daughter.....how to make kale chips.  These are an easy way to satisfy the craving for crunchy, salty and repetitive bag diving we like to do when we eat chips.  I have taken them to football games and movies (best packed in crush proof container).  They are packed with vitamins and a healthy way to get your kids to eat something green.  The only thing about them when you are cooking them is to be careful not to burn them......they become a bit bitter and you might lose interest if they taste bad right off the bat.  Here is the recipe along with pictures for you to follow along.

Wash and pull stems off kale leaves.

1 tsp of olive oil and drizzle over kale pieces.

I love to use organic whenever affordable and possible so here I am using some pink rock salt from Australia that my friend brought me as a gift.  You can also get this spice at The Spice Shop in Austin on 6th Street close to Lamar.  Salt to taste.  Mix again with hands covering kale with salt.

Spread out onto a cookie sheet making sure they are not piled up on top of each other so that the air can get to all leaves.  Put in a 325 degree oven and bake for about 20 mins keeping a close eye not to burn.

The result will be yummy dark green chips light and crunchy that will last for days unless you get a snack attack and gobble them up in one sitting.
Enjoy.  Stay tuned for more great recipes from Madre's Kitchen.