Fried Tomatillos With Apple And Ham Food

SALSA ROJA

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Lay the tomato and onion halves cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet; surround with the tomatillos and jalapeno. Broil until charred, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, cook the chile de arbol in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat, turning, until toasted, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Combine the tomatoes, onion, tomatillos, jalapeno, chile de arbol, chipotle and garlic in a blender and puree until mostly smooth. Add the cilantro and puree until incorporated; season with salt. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

FRIED TOMATILLOS WITH APPLE AND HAM

Steps:

• Make the topping: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes; remove from the heat. Add the apple, vinegar, honey, shallot, parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the skillet and toss; set aside.
• Prepare the tomatillos: Soak the tomatillos in the buttermilk in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, parsley, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
• Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Working in batches, remove the tomatillos from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off; dredge in the flour mixture to fully coat, then fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Serve topped with the apple-ham mixture and the aioli.
• Jalapeno-Cilantro Aioli
• Combine 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro, 1 chopped seeded jalapeno pepper, 1 large pasteurized egg yolk, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor; blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and process until thick.

ASPARAGUS ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Cut the top 2 to 3 inches from each asparagus stalk; reserve the bottoms for another use.
• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus tops and cook until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and plunge into the ice water, then drain well and transfer to a blender; set aside.
• Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it just boils. Remove from the heat and gradually add the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the spoon and a thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 10 minutes (do not let the custard boil).
• Transfer the custard to the blender with the asparagus and puree until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool completely, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
• Freeze the asparagus custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Use two spoons to shape the ice cream into quenelles (oval-shaped scoops).