cabbage

Pozole

Pozole

Pozole

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Partial  excerpts from Wikipedia:
“Pozole. Variants: pozolé, pozolli, pasole), which means “hominy”, is a traditional soup or stew from Mexico, which once had ritual significance. It is made from hominy, with meat (typically pork), and can be seasoned and garnished with shredded cabbage, chile peppers, onion, garlic, radishes, avocado, salsa and/or limes.
It is a typical dish in various states such as Sinaloa, Michoacán, Guerrero, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Morelos, State of Mexico and Distrito Federal. Pozole is served in Mexican restaurants worldwide.
Pozole is frequently served as a celebratory dish throughout Mexico and by Mexican communities outside Mexico. Common occasions include Mexico Independence Day, quince años, weddings, birthdays, baptisms, and New Year’s Day.
Pozole can be prepared in many ways. All variations include a base of cooked hominy in broth. Typically pork, or sometimes chicken, is included in the base. Vegetarian recipes substitute beans for the meat.
Dried hominy can be used for pozole, but it must be soaked and cooked
The three main types of pozole are blanco/white, verde/green and rojo/red.
White Pozole is the preparation without any additional green or red sauce. Green Pozole adds a rich sauce based on green ingredients, possibly including tomatillos, epazote, cilantro, jalapeños, and/or pepitas. Red Pozole is made without the green sauce, instead adding a red sauce made from one or more chiles, such as guajillo, piquin, or ancho.
When pozole is served, it is accompanied by a wide variety of condiments, potentially including chopped onion, shredded lettuce, sliced radish, cabbage, avocado, limes, oregano, tostadas, chicharrónes, and/or chiles.
Pozole was mentioned in Fray Bernardino de Sahagún‘s General History of the Things of New Spain (c. 1500). Since maize was a sacred plant for the Aztecs and other inhabitants of Mesoamerica, pozole was made to be consumed on special occasions. The conjunction of maize (usually whole hominy kernels) and meat in a single dish is of particular interest to scholars, because the ancient Americans(which?) believed the gods made humans out of masa (cornmeal dough).”
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According to research by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History) and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, on these special occasions, the meat used in the pozole was human. After the prisoners were killed by having their hearts torn out in a ritual sacrifice, the rest of the body was chopped and cooked with maize, and the resulting meal was shared among the whole community as an act of religious communion. After the Conquest, when cannibalism was banned, pork became the staple meat as it “tasted very similar” [to human flesh], according to a Spanish priest.

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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Pozole

Pozole

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Pozole

Pozole

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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Chicken Fried Steak

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The  great thing about CFS is that one can utilize an economical (cheap, in plain English)  cut of beef, such as top round or cube steak and still get excellent results. However, I happened to have some leftover raw strip loin left from yesterday’s dinner, which I sliced thin, then pounded it even thinner for this CFS.
Usually the traditional side dish would be mashed potatoes, but I am trying to cut down on my starch intake, so I felt the flour from the breading and the “Gravy” was enough of that for the day.
(The rendered fat from the chorizo and the chicken fat made this southern style gravy even tastier than it’s usual version made with bacon fat)
American comfort food at it’s finest ! (Just don’t tell your cardiologist) 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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All about Chicken Fried Steak
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All about Gravy
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Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak

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Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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Easy Does It # 23 – Pickled Cauliflower And Pickled Broccolini

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Pickled  vegetables are so easy to prepare, they stay fresh in the fridge for day’s and they come in handy any time of the day as a snack, or just as an refreshing side dish.
While you can pickle just about anything with great results, cauliflower and broccolini are my favorites, closely followed by mushrooms and cabbage.
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Link to more “Easy Does It”
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Link to “Pickled Cabbage Rolls”
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Link to “Chinese Pickled Cucumbers”
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Link to “Pickled Chicken” (Pollo En Escabeche)

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Pickled Cauliflower

Pickled Cauliflower

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Pickled Broccolini

Pickled Broccolini

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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Corned Beef And Cabbage – Happy St Patrick’s Day

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After  a week of corned beef almost daily, (I bought too much meat, as usual), I am happy that today St Paddy’s day is finally here, the mountain of corned beef is devoured and we can move on to other goodies. 🙂
However, today’s  dish, Corned Beef and Cabbage, has been served in so many different versions that most of it has become just a shadow of its former glory. I hope that I can help resurrect people’s interest in this lovely dish. My version is a simple one, yet pretty to look at and most important, VERY tasty and sumptuous.
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Click Here For  Corned Beef  Recipe
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Corned Beef And Cabbage

Corned Beef And Cabbage

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Corned Beef And Cabbage

Corned Beef And Cabbage

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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Hickory Smoked, Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

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Here  we have another dish which exemplifies home cooking at it’s most simple, most tasty, most satisfying goodness.
It goes to show that you don’t have to be rich or a professional chef in order to serve excellent food. Creativity and good, simple  ingredients will get you pretty far.
While I love my lobster, caviar and foie gras, food made with  simple ingredients  should, in my opinion, alternate with the high-end stuff which most of us could not afford on a daily basis anyway. But even back in the day’s when I ran five star operations and could have had “the good stuff” for breakfast, lunch and dinner, I always liked to mix it up with some home style cooked dishes. After all, the beauty of good food lies, among other things,  in variation.
Well, there you have it : Another  ChefsOpinion 🙂
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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

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Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

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Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

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Preparation :
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mix 1/3 corn starch, 1/3 ap flour, 1/3 panko bread crumbs, season with cayenne pepper, english mustard powder and granulated garlic

mix 1/3 corn starch, 1/3 ap flour, 1/3 panko bread crumbs, season with cayenne pepper, english mustard powder and granulated garlic

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dip ham steak on both sides into flour mixture, saute in butter until golden, remove ham and set aside, fry sunny side up eggs in same butter, season eggs with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

dip ham steak on both sides into flour mixture, saute in butter until golden, remove ham and set aside, fry sunny side up eggs in same butter, season eggs with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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almost......

almost……

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saute onions in butter until lightly caramelized, add garlic confit paste

saute onions in butter until lightly caramelized, add garlic confit paste

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add cabbage and peppers, saute until cabbage starts to wilt

add cabbage and peppers, saute until cabbage starts to wilt

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add demi glace and grape tomatoes, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, simmer for one minute, check / adjust seasoning

add demi glace and grape tomatoes, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, simmer for one minute, check / adjust seasoning

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plate cabbage on serving dish

plate cabbage on serving dish

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top with ham steak

top with ham steak

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top with fried eggs, serve with horseradish mashed potatoes or a good rustic bread to soak up the sauce and juices

top with fried eggs, serve with horseradish mashed potatoes or a good rustic bread to soak up the sauce, egg yolks and juices

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Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

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Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

Hickory Smoked Panko Crusted Bone-In Ham Steak

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Bayrisches Kraut, Geräucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilien – Kartoffeln

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Cabbage  is one of the most used vegetables, yet these day’s it has a less than stellar reputation. In my opinion the reason for this is that most cooks in this part of the world have no clue what to do with it, except maybe coleslaw or the crappy so called “Sauerkraut” they put on even crappier hot dogs. ( However, a  properly prepared sauerkraut can be culinary heaven.
On the other hand, in Asia and Europe, all types of cabbage are highly valued players in a myriad of recipes were cabbage is either the main ingredient or one of many ingredients in a dish.
One of my favorite cabbage dishes is “Bayerishes Kraut”, (cabbage bavarian style).
It is very simple to prepare, yet it’s very tasty and unusual in its texture and flavors. The secret is to plan ahead and cook the cabbage one day before consumption, then reheating it after one day in the fridge. (Same goes for sauerkraut)
Served with smoked pork knuckles and sauteed parsley potatoes – aaaahhhhhh 🙂

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Bayerisches Kraut, Geraucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilie- Kartoffeln

Bayerisches Kraut, Geraucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilien – Kartoffeln

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simmer smoked pork knuckles inwater seasoned with kosher salt and plenty of garlic, chili flakes

simmer smoked pork knuckles in water seasoned with kosher salt and plenty of garlic and chili flakes

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Saute peanut oil and sugaruntil sugar  turns light brown. Add salami (or bacon) and onions, deglace with white wine

Saute peanut oil and sugar until sugar turns light brown. Add salami (or bacon) and onions, deglaze with white wine

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add white vinegar of your choice,

add white vinegar of your choice,


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add some of the stock from the knuckles

add some of the stock from the knuckles


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add finely sliced white cabbage, bay leaves and caraway seeds

add finely sliced white cabbage, bay leaves and caraway seeds

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mix well, let simmer for approximately 20 minutes

mix well, let simmer for approximately 20 minutes

after 20 minutes there should be very little liquid left. Add a small amount of corn starch slurry, simmer one more minutes

after 20 minutes there should be very little liquid left. Add a small amount of corn starch slurry, simmer one more minutes

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Once the pork knuckles are very tender without falling apart, remove from stock and bury in the cabbage. Let cool and store overnight in fridge. Next day, reheat and serve with sauteed parsley potatoes. Serve with mustard and horseradish

Once the pork knuckles are very tender without falling apart, remove from stock and bury in the cabbage. Let cool and store overnight in fridge. Next day, reheat and serve with sauteed parsley potatoes. Serve with mustard and horseradish

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Bayerisches Kraut, Geraucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilie- Kartoffeln

Bayerisches Kraut, Geraucherte Schweinehaxen Und Petersilien- Kartoffeln

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Smoked Pork Knuckles, Bavarian Style Cabbage & Sauteed Parsley Potatoes

Smoked Pork Knuckles, Bavarian Style Cabbage & sautéed Parsley Potatoes

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Smoked Pork Knuckles, Bavarian Style Cabbage & Sauteed Parsley Potatoes

Smoked Pork Knuckles, Bavarian Style Cabbage & Sauteed Parsley Potatoes

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Tonkatsu & Dipping Sauce

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Tonkatsu !  Sounds exotic and foreign ?
Rightfully so. However, tonkatsu is a common japanese dish, usually served with shredded cabbage and a worcester based dipping sauce. But, if you take the japanese name and replace it with the english name, what you get is ” breaded pork cutlet”.
In this version I have used a pork chop instead of pork cutlets and have omitted the shredded cabbage. Anyway, I usually prefer vinaigrette dressed shredded iceberg lettuce instead of the cabbage. I also use my own modified tonkatsu sauce recipe which I prefer to any store bought version.
But, can you still call it Tonkatsu ?  You be the judge 🙂
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Tonkatsu & Dipping Sauce

Tonkatsu & Dipping Sauce

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Tonkatsu :

Season the pork chops with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Bread with flour, egg and panko bread crumbs. Saute in peanut oil until golden and cooked through, but not dry. Remove to absorbent paper and pat dry. Let rest for five minutes before cutting into wide strips. Serve with dipping sauce and lemon wedges. Enjoy !

Tonkatsu sauce  (my way) :

Mix 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp mustard, 1 tblsp white wine (or sherry), 1 tsp sriracha and a few drops of maggi seasoning.

Note :

I love this dipping sauce and use it for lot’s of other fried, grilled and sauted dishes.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Chicken & Tomato Stew With Orzo, Cabbage & Cauliflower

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Saturday  lunch should be quick, light and delicious !
Well, here you go :
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Chicken & Tomato Stew With Orzo, Cabbage & Cauliflower

Chicken & Tomato Stew With Orzo, Cabbage & Cauliflower

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Simmer chicken drumsticks in chicken broth seasoned with kosher salt, maggi, freshly ground black pepper, grated ginger and garlic paste until tender but not falling apart. Add blanched cauliflower florettes, diced white cabbage and diced green bell peppers. Bring back to simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat, add grape tomatoes. Adjust seasoning if required. Ladle over orzo (risoni) and sprinkle liberally with cilantro and finely grated parmigiano reggiano
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P.S.
If you ever wonder why I add grape tomatoes to so many of my dishes, here is why: First, I love the color accent it lend’s to many dishes. Second and even more important, I love the way they “pop” in the mouth and give you that instant tomato goodness. There you have it  🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Have A Great Weekend !
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Chicken & Cabbage Egg Rolls

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Another  winner. Easy, economical and quick to prepare .
Unless you are lucky and have a great asian place nearby, these are so much better than most of the soggy, cabbage and carrots only crap they sell you in most neighborhood joints. As usual, most ingredients can be replaced with stuff you have in your fridge and cup board.  Replace the cabbage with shredded or diced vegetables of any kind, add other flavors like mushrooms, onions, etc. Colors like shredded beets, spinach, turmeric, etc. Proteins like seafood, ground beef, ground pork, etc. The combinations, texture of the filling and the possible flavors are just infinite. So, in the spirit of good eggrolls, go out and experiment. If you crave for standard mediocracy, you can always go back yo your corner “Happy Dragon” and have their frozen staple. If not, do the best YOU can do and find out how easy and great a home made fried or baked eggroll can be 🙂
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Chicken & Cabbage Spring Rolls

Chicken & Cabbage Egg Rolls

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Chicken & Cabbage Egg Rolls

Chicken & Cabbage Egg Rolls

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Chicken & Cabbage Spring Rolls

Chicken & Cabbage Egg Rolls

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Debone and dice chicken and skin, chop cabbage, chilis and garlic, grate ginger, slice scallions. Saute chicken in peanut oil until almost cooked through. Add all vegetables, continue to saute for another minute. Remove from heat, season with soy sauce, salt, sesame oil and sriracha,. Put  filling onto one end of the springroll wrapper, moist the edges with water. Roll into tight spring rolls. Fry until crispy and golden. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce /sauces. (I used peanut sauce and scotch bonnet sauce 🙂
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Beef Ribs, My Way

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” Beef rib’s with fresh horseradish and cabbage, apple and avocado slaw”
Boiled  (simmered, actually)  beef  has a long tradition in many cultures.

Usually, we boil brisket, neck. shanks, cheeks, tail, and any other part
which is rich with fat and / or connective tissue. There is only one rule :
Slowly does it ! As far as I am concerned, the best condiment to go with
boiled beef is horseradish. The German traditional dish :
“Gekochte Rinderbrust mit Meerettich Sauce”,
(Boiled Beef Breast with Horseradish Sauce ) , usually served with steamed
white cabbage and steamed or roasted potatoes, is to die for. In my opinion,
the very best part of the animal for “boiling” are the ribs. The texture when
cooked right (very slow, very tender but NOT! overcooked) is just unequaled
by any other cut for this preparation. An added bonus is the rich beef stock
you get, which I usually have for breakfast the next two or three day’s
(See also :   Breakfast Of Champions # 11 ” Millefanti In Brodo Di Carne “  )

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Beef :

Ingredient’s :

Beef ribs,   cleaned of excess (but not all) fat
Black pepper corn,   crushed
Tomato,   fresh, crushed
Star anis,   crushed
Ginger,   sliced
Garlic,   sliced
Kosher salt,
Lime juice

Method :

Simmer all ingredients until beef is tender, but NOT overcooked.
Strain stock and reserve for other uses.

Slaw :

Ingredient’s :

Red cabbage,   finely sliced
Avocado,   sliced
Chilis,   sliced
Apple,  sliced,
Onion,   sliced
Apple vinegar,
Cayenne pepper,
Kosher salt,
Lime juice
Walnut oil,

Method :

Salt the cabbage and let rest for twenty minutes.
Squeeze and discard all salty juice. Add all other
ingredients and mix carefully so as not to break
up the apples and avocados.

Horseradish :

Grate finely and mix with a bit of limejuice ans kosher salt.

To finish dish, sprinkle with scallions or chives and drizzle with chili oil.
Serve with pretzel or rustic sour dough bread.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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