Charred Scallion Crema Recipes

SLAB-BACON TACOS WITH BURNED-SCALLION CREMA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the chile powder, ground cumin, brown sugar and black pepper together in a large bowl, and then add the bacon slices, tossing to coat them with the spice mixture.
• Arrange the coated bacon slices on a sheet pan, ideally one fitted with a wire rack. Roast in the oven until they are caramelized and starting to crisp at the edges, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, chop the bacon into large dice and keep warm. Reserve the bacon fat for another use.
• While the bacon cooks, make the crema. Put the scallions and jalapeño in a large dry sauté pan and cook over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the scallions and jalapeño have blackened at the edges, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
• Put the scallions and jalapeño in the bowl of a food processor, and blitz them with the juice of 1 lime, then add the sour cream and mayonnaise, and blitz the mixture until it is smooth and flecked with blackened bits. Season to taste with the salt and, if you'd like the mixture thinner, the juice of the second lime. Scrape into a bowl, and reserve.
• To serve, warm the tortillas in the dry pan, one or two at a time, and reserve them in a tortilla warmer or clean dish towel. Fill them with the diced bacon and a slash of the crema, along with quartered limes and, if you like, salsa, cilantro, mint and hot sauce.

CHARRED SCALLION DIP

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan or grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates.
• Set 2 scallions aside. Drizzle the remaining scallions on a plate with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the oiled scallions to the grill pan and cook until slightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside to cool completely, then finely chop. Thinly slice the whites and light greens of the remaining 2 scallions and set aside for garnish.
• Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, Worcestershire, garlic salt, onion powder and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in the grilled scallions. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the fresh sliced scallions. Serve right away or chill.

CHARRED SCALLION DIP WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Heat a grill or a grill pan over high.
• As pan heats up, prepare the scallion-herb mixture: Halve 2 scallions lengthwise, then slice very thinly crosswise. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in chives and dill, if using. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• On a baking sheet, toss remaining 10 scallions with the canola oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Working in batches if necessary, grill the scallions over high heat, turning occasionally, until deeply grill-marked and slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool.
• While the scallions cool, add the sour cream, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, onion and garlic powders, and sugar to the medium bowl with the scallion-herb mixture.
• Thinly slice the grilled scallions, then add to the sour cream mixture and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour or ideally 1 day. (The flavor will deepen as it sits.) To serve, drizzle with olive oil. Serve with potato chips for dipping.

BURNED-SCALLION CREMA

Steps:

• Put the scallions and jalapeño in a large dry sauté pan and cook over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the scallions and jalapeño have blackened at the edges, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
• Put the scallions and jalapeño in the bowl of a food processor, and blitz them with the juice of 1 lime, then add the sour cream and mayonnaise, and blitz the mixture until it is smooth and flecked with blackened bits. Season to taste with the salt and, if you'd like the mixture thinner, the juice of the second lime. Scrape into a bowl, and reserve.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CHARRED-SCALLION CHIMICHURRI

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium-high and lightly grease grates with vegetable oil.
• Meanwhile, toss romaine and scallions with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer and grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and softened all over, about 5 minutes for the romaine and scallion greens, and about 10 minutes for the scallion bulbs. Transfer romaine to a large serving platter. Transfer scallions to a cutting board and let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Rub chicken with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden underneath, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until chicken is golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, prepare the chimichurri: Combine parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano, red-pepper flakes, chopped grilled scallions and the remaining 3/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide chicken and romaine among plates and drizzle with some of the chimichurri. Serve with lemon wedges and extra chimichurri on the side.