Tasting Tucson: Fun & simple summer salad at Boca on 4th Avenue

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Step inside the hundreds of restaurants, cafes and bakeries in southern Arizona, and chances are you will find an unexpected tasty treat or a new favorite cuisine.

In this new series on Good Morning Tucson, we want to introduce you to some of the most creative culinary minds in the community. We're asking our hosts to show us a quick, simple recipe; something in the spirit of what they make in their kitchens every day.

For our first visit, we stepped inside Boca on 4th Avenue — the domain of Chef María Mazón, a James Beard Award semifinalist.

Mazón said she thinks now is a great time to make a summer salad with her everything vinaigrette. "Especially in Tucson, everything is hot and sticky." she said. "When you eat, you want to eat something refreshing."

Mazón walked us through the steps that she would take to layer and stack the dish:

"You have one avocado, a little bit of cilantro. I grilled poblanos, I'm going to do it with skin on, because life is hard as it is," she said with a wry smile. "We're not going to make it harder."

Then, sprinkle in some salt and garlic, but ... but Mazón cautioned home cooks to be careful at this point. "Remember: it's better to add (seasoning) after." Next comes the addition of black pepper and, specifically, Mexican oregano. "I'm an oregano snob and a salt snob," Mazón said. "I bring my own salt from Sonora."

Again, Mazón trusted her training and intuition to measure out the apple cider vinegar, water and the ubiquitous honey in a bear bottle. "Everybody has a bear in their home!"

Next: a mix of canola and extra-virgin olive oil goes in the blender. Mazón said the following step is critical. "Put the top on. Don't be a hero and start it low."

It was time to taste and we followed our gracious host's lead. "Is that the correct form?" using the bottom of a spoon to sample?

"No," Mazón said, "(but) you go like this, then you go this way," pointing to the head of the spoon.

Take 2 had a little more oil, salt and vinegar in the mix. Here's where people can start tossing their preferred salad greens. They have the option to add chilis or a little more avocado.

Mazón then threw in tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and pickled red onions. They were a perfect bed for the star of the show: 3-4 grilled peaches, halved and pitted.

"I dare you not to sing that song, in that cartoon, that says 'Peaches.'" Then, to be safe, she added a little extra black salt...and who would say no to a pinch of crumbled white cheese, or queso fresco?

A full list of ingredients for the recipe:

• Everything vinaigrette:
  
  • Avocado (1)
  • Cilantro (a sprinkle)
  • Grilled poblano peppers (2)
  • Garlic powder (a pinch, leave room to add after first taste)
  • Salt (a pinch, leave room to add after first taste)
  • Black pepper (a dash)
  • Mexican oregano (dash)
• Mix, then add to blender
• In blender, add:
  
  • Apple cider vinegar (3-4 secs)
  • Water (1-2 secs)
  • Honey (1-2 secs)
  • Mix of canola and extra-virgin olive oil
• Use low setting on blender to start
  
• Taste, then season and add oil to reach desired thickness
  
• Toss salad greens of choice with vinaigrette
  
  • If desired, add:
    
    • Chiles (spicy peppers)
    • Avocado slices
    • Tomato slices
    • Pumpkin seeds
    • Pickled red onions
• Grill, then lay 3-4 grilled peaches
  
  • Halved & pitted
• Garnish with:
  
  • Queso fresco (type of Mexican cheese)
  • Black salt