Pearl dining stretches from south Texas to the eastern Med

Posted on by Pat

I’m not about to leave New England for San Antonio, Texas. But I have to admit that the apartments springing up in the Pearl neighborhood are sure tempting. It would be a kick to be part of the revitalization and rejuvenation of the Pearl Brewing Company complex that operated here until 1999. And I’d never go hungry. There’s a farmer’s market every Saturday (above) and enough restaurants, cafes, and bars that I could eat somewhere different once a day for almost a month.

Ladino carries the torch for Sephardic cuisine

Instead, I settled for an evening of tasting at two of Pearl’s newest eateries, both opened in September. My friend Patti and I were especially curious about Ladino (200 E Grayson St. #100; 210-325-6007; ladionsatx.com). The name of the restaurant refers to the Judeo-Spanish culture and language of Sephardic Jews, chef Berty Richter (right) told us. Few people speak the language these days, but Richter is doing his part to honor his heritage by celebrating his family’s eastern Mediterranean cuisine. “I spent most of my life cooking with my mother and my grandmother,” Richter said.

Along with raki service (an anise liqueur shown on the opening page), Patti and I opted for several mezze, served with pillowy sourdough pita bread. We’ve both eaten lots of hummus and muhammara in Greece and at Middle Eastern restaurants here in the U.S. But Richter’s versions had a surprising depth of flavor. “I love to use a lot of spices to bring bold flavors forward,” he said. I was most taken with his babaganoush which was made with grey squash (a Mexican summer squash called calabaza) rather than the more traditional eggplant. Richter kindly adapted the recipe for home cooks by substituting products that can be purchased in specialty spice and food stores. I’m sharing it below as a good example of the layering of flavors that can elevate even a simple dish.

Tasty new life for an old saloon

Patti and I ended the evening at Carriqui (239 E Grayson St.; 210-910-5547; carriquitx.com), which is located in an 1890s saloon where brewery workers would gather after they knocked off work. Chef Jaime Gonzalez (left) infuses South Texas cuisine with his own experiences growing up and cooking in Los Angeles. “I’m cooking a lot from memory,” Gonzalez said. “My shrimp tacos remind me of LA taco trucks, but they are not as smothered with toppings.” Instead, Gonzalez’s shrimp tacos feature potato, cabbage, queso fresco, and tomato sauce.

I tried the popular plate of achiote-spiced chicken al carbon served with charred onions and jalapeno salsa. “I watched my grandfather cooking barbecue when I was a kid,” Gonzalez recalled. Much of the cooking — especially slow-cooked barbacoa — is done outdoors in custom pits. “I like to use beef cheek,” Gonzalez said “It’s a leaner cut of meat.”

He appreciates the significance of barbacoa for South Texas families. “For Tejanos, Sunday is barbacoa day,” he says. “But here at Carriqui, we do it every day.”

GREY SQUASH BABAGANOUSH

If you’re unfamiliar with green schug and Amba, taste for heat levels before proceeding with recipe. If the brands you’re using have a lot of chile in them, you might want to cut the seasoning by as much as half.

  • 3 grey squash (calabaza squash)
  • 1 cup spicy green tahini (sub recipe)
  • 1 1/2 cups tahini sauce (sub recipe)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced or grated

Peel the grey squash and cut it into small dice. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon sugar to cure the dice. Mix well and let sit in a colander for 30-60 minutes to drain the water content from the squash.

Turn on oven broiler and let it warm up.

Lightly oil the cured diced squash and place under the broiler on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Broil for about 5 minutes or until medium dark char is achieved. Remove from oven and set aside.

TAHINI SAUCE

  • 1 cup tahini paste (available in supermarkets or Middle Eastern stores)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 1/2 cups very cold water
  • To make the tahini sauce, place tahini paste in a food processor, add salt and lemon juice. Turn the food processor on and drizzle in cold water until mix achieves a creamy consistency.

SPICY GREEN TAHINI

  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 tablespoons green schug (Yemenite green chili paste available in Middle Eastern stores)
  • 2 tablespoons Amba (fermented mango sauce available in Middle Eastern stores)
  • 1 cup tahini sauce (recipe above)
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced

In a food processor place chopped parsley, chopped mint, and garlic. Pulse a few times to get to get a rough chopped herb-garlic mix. Add the green schug and Amba and pulse again to mix it all. Add the tahini sauce and pulse again to mix well. Add the lemon juice and check seasoning. It might need some salt.

To finish the babaganoush, in a mixing bowl mix the white tahini sauce, green spicy tahini and minced garlic confit, then fold in the broiled squash. Sprinkle with za’atar and olive oil. Enjoy with a warm piece of bread or pita.