food for thought: mojo de ajo

One of my favorite all purpose cooking ingredients is Mojo de Ajo...it is an amazing slow cooked Mexican creation made with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chipotle chiles in adobo and lime juice.

I discovered this delicious seasoning nine years ago after seeing Rick Bayless at a cooking demo for the Denver PBS studio, Mom gifted me his book, "Mexico, One Plate at a Time". The sauce can be used on anything; seafood, chicken, beef, veggies and apparently popcorn!

Last night I dined on Chipotle Citrus Grilled Chicken Tenders and a Chipotle Veggie Med, and oh my goodness so freaking delish!

Chipotle Citrus Grilled Chicken Tenders

• Chicken tenders



• Extra virgin olive oil



• Mojo de Ajo



• Fresh orange juice

Depending on how many tenders you will be fixing, a tablespoon or two of olive oil and Mojo de Ajo combined with fresh juice from a half or whole orange. Marinate chicken at least one hour, I actually did it overnight. Grill at about 400°, three minutes each side, but be sure and check for doneness.

Chipotle Veggie Med

• Potatoes, cubed



• Zucchini, quartered



• Corn, sliced off cob



• Mojo de Ajo



• Olive oil



• Cilantro, chopped



• Avocado, cubed

Bring potatoes to a boil for about 8-9 minutes. Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water. Add olive oil, about 1/2 T and about 1/2 to 1 T of Mojo de Ajo to a heated pan. Saute zucchini for 3-5 minutes. Add drained potatoes and corn to pan, and saute all ingredients for about 5 minutes more, until zucchini is tender, but no mushy. When finished cooking, add cilantro and toss with veggies. Top with cubed avocado, drizzle with a little more Mojo de Ajo.

Enjoy!