Elegant Home-Made Tortilla Chips

MAKE YOUR OWN ELEGANT TORTILLA CHIPS  Posted at 12:16 PM on November 27, 2009

MAKE YOUR OWN ELEGANT TORTILLA CHIPS You don’t have to throw out your tortillas if they are past their prime. Make them into tortilla chips, which will be very popular with your family and guests, as they are pleasingly different from those bought in the store. Take a stack of tortillas and dust between the layers with salt, pressing it into them. Then, pressing into it with a large knife, cut the stack of tortillas into quarters. Lower a handful-at-a-time of the uncooked chips into bubbling hot oil. For this light and crispy batch, I used a combination of soy oil, which is now sold as “vegetable oil”, and lard. Peanut or corn oil are also good for deep-frying tortillas.

When the chips themselves have developed bubbles and are slightly brown, it’s time to remove them from the pot with a runsible or slotted spoon. Drain them on paper towels, and dust with more salt if desired. The cooking oil may be strained, refrigerated and re-used for French fries, yams or potato chips. My recipe for Elegant Guacamole goes very well with these tortilla chips. So do sour cream or crème fraîche, and a mixture of sliced jalapeños with melted Cheddar cheese, baked on top of the chips for a few minutes in a hot oven.

 ©M-J de Mesterton 2009

 M-J de Mesterton’s Elegant Guacamole Dip: Find the Recipe on Elegant Cuisine and Elegant Cook.

M-J’s Elegant Guacamole

M-J’s Elegant Guacamole Recipe

There are so many recipes for guacamole that contain anti-social ingredients like raw garlic and/or onions. My elegant, all-green version contains avocados, lemon or lime juice, olive oil, strained or dried green chiles, a hint of onion powder and some Himalayan salt. No tomatoes, please! Elegance, purity of flavour and colour go hand-in-hand.

>M-J’s Potage de Celeri

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M-J de Mesterton’s Potage de Celeri (Cream of Celery Soup), Photos and Recipe Copyright 2007

M-J de Mesterton’s Original Recipe:
Low-Carbohydrate Cream of Celery Soup

Potage de Celeri

Wash thoroughly a whole head of celery, by cutting the bottom off and bathing the stalks in a sinkful of water. With French chef’s knife, chop finely. Include the celery leaves, which are packed with flavour. In a large pot, melt two tablespoons of butter. Put the chopped celery in, and add a teaspooon of salt, one half-teaspoon of cumin, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Saute until bright green and almost soft. Stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch (cornflour), which has seven grams of carbs. Saute for two more minutes, and then add one cup of cream and two cups of water. Simmer for ten minutes. Serves six. This soup is a good accompaniment to croques monsieurs for luncheon.

~~Copyright M-J de Mesterton, February 2007

M-J’s Potage de Celeri

M-J de Mesterton’s Potage de Celeri (Cream of Celery Soup), Photos and Recipe Copyright 2007

M-J de Mesterton’s Original Recipe:
Low-Carbohydrate Cream of Celery Soup

Potage de Celeri

Wash thoroughly a whole head of celery, by cutting the bottom off and bathing the stalks in a sinkful of water. With French chef’s knife, chop finely. Include the celery leaves, which are packed with flavour. In a large pot, melt two tablespoons of butter. Put the chopped celery in, and add a teaspooon of salt, one half-teaspoon of cumin, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Saute until bright green and almost soft. Stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch (cornflour), which has seven grams of carbs. Saute for two more minutes, and then add one cup of cream and two cups of water. Simmer for ten minutes. Serves six. This soup is a good accompaniment to croques monsieurs for luncheon.

~~Copyright M-J de Mesterton, February 2007