Roma’s Catering | Boulder Caterer, Longmont Caterer, Event Planning » Cook’s Book

Royal Bengal Kitchen Judged First in Chili

roma — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:10:57 +0000

On February 27th Caterer Roma Melrose was Awarded First Place by the Judges in the the Chili in Niwot competition. She was also awarded second place in the Peoples Choice competition. “Chili is fun! They warm you on a cold night, cool you on a warm night, and there is nothing better than Chili with a warm tortilla.” Said the winner Roma Melrose.

Salsa Roja (Salsa Red)

roma — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:04:21 +0000

“Salsa” has much more character to it than being just a spicy chili, tomato, onion, garlic or herb based sauce. The process of creating salsa started in Mexico. “Salsas” are the introduction to any meal in Mexico. Today in almost all Mexican restaurants you are honored with a refreshing bowl of salsa and tortilla chips while you are speculating about your order.

The word “Salsa” is Spanish and means any sauce, cooked or uncooked with fruits, vegetables, herbs and seasonings. Salsa can be served as an appetizer with chips, it can be spread over main dishes like burritos, enchiladas, rellenos or tacos and it can also be spread over some Spanish or plain rice. In addition to this salsas can go with all different types of food. They can be spread over broiled meats, seafood, eggs or pasta dishes. Salsas are very refreshing, colorful and appetite enhancing.

In any salsa cooked or uncooked the ingredients must be very fresh. Salsa can be found at stores or through catalogues bottled or canned but the best product is when you get into the music of it and chop and blend it yourself. Salsa is in fact the most perfect health food you can find. Fresh salsa has no fat content and is made of fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables. The spices that are used in it have medicinal qualities as documented more than five thousand years ago in the ancient healing system of India, the Ayurveda. There are many different types of salsas available throughout Mexico. Today we will try out the most popular one, the Salsa Roha or the traditional red salsa.

More than thirteen years ago when I came to Colorado U.S.A. I instantly fell in love with Mexican Cuisine. The spices had some of the same music that I was used to in Calcutta, India, my birth place. I loved all the different types of salsas here and experimented with them a lot. I started competing in Boulder County Fairs and different salsa and chili cook-offs beginning in 1997. Immediately my salsas and chilies started winning awards. I also visited Mexico several times to help pick up the authentic touch. I enjoy making salsa whenever I get a chance.

The most important thing in any salsa as I already mentioned before, is that your ingredients should be absolutely fresh. The vegetables or fruits used should be crisp and not wilted and the spices should be fresh and not old for the best flavor. The magic of the best salsa is in the freshness of it’s ingredients.

This recipe is very simple but a tasty one with easily available ingredients. Adding peppers for heat or to tease your taste buds is entirely your choice. You may omit the hot peppers and add some colorful bell peppers instead. Some pepper either hot or mild is needed in salsas for flavor and also to make the perfect blend.

2 Cups Ripe red Tomatoes chopped fine

¼ Cup Onions chopped fine

¼ Cup Cilantro or Coriander Leaves chopped fine

2 Jalapenos or six Serranos chopped fine

2 Cloves Garlic peeled and grated

1 Tsp. Ground Cumin Seed

2 Tbs. Fresh Lime Juice

1 Tsp. Salt or to taste

1 Tsp. Sugar

When you are making this salsa or any salsa for yourself you may add as much hot peppers as you wish. In any glass bowl mix all the above ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips or as a side with lunch or dinner.

“… And the rocket’s red glare the bombs bursting in air …”

roma — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:01:55 +0000

Part of providing catering services is knowing how to do food presentation. Having done catering all around the Boulder and surrounding areas, people sometimes ask when it was that I first started honing my food presentation skills. This is how I recall my first experience in food presentation.

Since I was five years old, I have had two fascinations, one was food and the other was leaving India and going to live in the United States.

Back in 1961 when I was twelve years old, I was attending school at Loreto Convent, Sealdah Kolkata. Mother Superior Kevin, a Nun from Italy was coming to visit our school and our class the sixth grade was preparing to sing a song for her and serve her some food. It was decided that one student who had a soprano voice would do the main singing and then the others would join her in the chorus. The soprano would also decorate and serve the food plate to the special guest.

Well I wanted to prepare and serve the food, so I told my music teacher Mrs. Rodrigues that I was a soprano and I could also decorate plates neatly. Anything with food was like heaven to me. My music teacher said “As you always say you want to leave for the United States this is a test for you”. She played and sang “… And the rocket’s red glare the bombs bursting in air …” and I repeated after her in my best soprano. Well I was chosen to sing as well as to decorate the food plate.

The food that I decorated as far as I remember was on a big stainless steel platter and I arranged it with salad. I sliced round Tomatoes into rings, Cucumber into rings and Carrot into rings. I put one slice of Tomato, on top of one slice of Cucumber and one slice of Carrot on top of the Cucumber. I arranged these stacks into a circle on the outside of the plate. Then I created a second circle inside this was chopped green Lettuce. In the middle I put a heap of Watermelon and Mango mixed together. I then took a big Orange and carved it into a flower. I put a big slice of Daikon Radish as a platform in the middle of the fruit and then put the Orange flower on top. Now I wish I had a picture of it. It really looked stunning to me. On another platter I arranged some baked Chicken and sprinkled some Cilantro on top to make it look colorful. On the same Chicken plate I also put some Rice on one side molded in a bowl into a nice round shape.

I got several comments from my teachers and the Principal Mother Enda and the Assistant Principal Mother Joseph about it. As far as I can remember this was my first experience with food presentation.

Roma’s Story

roma — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:54:55 +0000

It all began with stories. My dad when he was a teenager he wandered around for interesting adventures a lot. There used to be some place at the foothills of the Himalayas where a religious man used to live. The people in the village called him a Saint and many nights they used to bring food for him. The Holy man kept what he needed and gave the rest away to the less unfortunate. My dad visited him at least twice a year. Once my dad told me he saw the Saint mix some dried fish in a bowl with oil, chilies and some spices. He put the mixture inside a hollow bamboo and held it over an open fire. He used a thinner piece of bamboo to shake and mix the fish as it was cooking over fire. After sometime he served a little of the fish with some rice he had to my dad and took some himself. My Dad said that was the best fish he ever had. I heard this story in the 1950’s and still I remember to do it once in a while in the oven or a very low burner. This was my first lesson on baked fish or slow cooked fish. Dried fishes from Asian markets can also be marinated in spices and cooked slow.