Every week, Express-News Taste writer Paul Stephen cooks several recipes for his job — often creating his own in the process. Cooking with Paul chronicles what he learned each week from that process. Enjoy!
This week was a treat. Instead of making a mess in my own kitchen, I ambushed the home of SAY Sí exec Jon Hinojosa to see how he approaches food and family. Let me say, the man is an inspiration to watch, and he was kind enough to share a whole slew of recipes for our Taste centerpiece this week.
Jon initially caught our eye with an enthusiastic social media stream featuring photos of his home cooking, nearly always plated on a spectacular array of Mexican pottery. And that collection — he owns about 175 pieces — taught me a few new things.
I’ve known glazes used in some kinds of pottery, including the type Hinojosa adores, can occasionally contain lead, and have been linked to health problems publicized in reports dating back at least 30 years. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has a whole Q&A page on its website detailing the risks. It’s definitely a concern with older pottery, and the FDA says even newer pieces labeled as lead-free can contain the toxic metal.
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So what’s a cook to do when that gorgeous Mexican bean pot simply must be on your stove? Well, the FDA has an answer for that as well: swing by your nearest hardware store or head online and pick up a lead test kit. They cost about $30 and will give you a yea or nay with a quick swab.
Another question came up that may be relevant to a lot of you: Can I use clay pottery on an electric stove?
Well, yes, but with conditions. Cooking authority Paula Wolfert, who’s received a James Beard Foundation Medal For Lifetime Achievement, says a heat diffuser is a must between the coils and the piece of pottery. Some of these can scratch a glass surface, so look for diffusers designed for a ceramic cooktop if that’s what you have.
Once I got back to the office, one of Jon’s recipes sparked a healthy debate with my editor, Emily Spicer. Despite the years of food banter we’ve shared, the subject of cocktail sauce never came up. That happened almost immediately when she saw a pinch of cumin and splash of Worcestershire sauce in Hinojosa’s version, which doctors up store-bought sauce.
From there, the floodgates were open.
For me, cocktail sauce is a five-ingredient affair that starts with ketchup — and it must be classic Heinz — plus prepared horseradish, fresh lemon juice, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire. Emily prefers fancypants organic ketchup with little, if any, added sugar, no hot sauce, no Worcestershire, just a touch of lemon juice and enough horseradish to turn the whole bowl pink. Oddly enough, those subtle differences managed to occupy a couple hours of (mostly civil) discourse.
(Editor’s note: Paul is fond of hyperbole. Our discussion took 20 minutes, tops. Also, his sauce philosophy is wrong.)
On ExpressNews.com: Emily’s Garlic- and Red Pepper-Roasted Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
That’s a wrap for this week, folks. Many thanks to Jon Hinojosa for sharing his secrets — and for giving me a break from cleaning my kitchen.
Next up we’ll be opening our warm and fuzzy hearts to the onslaught of Valentine’s Day treats for your sweeties. If you have a favorite candy you like to make as gifts or feel particularly strong about a specific brand of chocolates, let us know at taste@express-news.net.
Recipe: Jon Hinojosa’s Seasonal Caprese Salad with Fruit
Recipe: Jon Hinojosa’s Cheesy Calabacita
Recipe: Jon Hinojosa’s Chicken Parmesan
Recipe: Jon Hinojosa’s Green Chicken Enchiladas
Recipe: Jon Hinojosa’s Shrimp Cocktail
Paul Stephen is a food and drink reporter and restaurant critic in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
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February 01, 2020 at 05:00PM
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Cooking with Paul: Mastering Mexican pottery and resolving cocktail sauce conflict - San Antonio Express-News
"Sauce" - Google News
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