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Quesillo en Salsa Verde

If you arrive for breakfast at the refined La Olla Restaurant & Bar, head to the rooftop dining area, where you can survey the city as you dine in the shade of an umbrella. No matter what you order, be sure to try the cheese with green salsa, which is served with fresh, homemade tortillas. When you’re done with your feast, you can walk to the historic Santo Domingo church or the zócalo (the central square).

You can use more or less sugar, depending on the acidity of the tomatillos.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2cups water
• 1 1/4pounds tomatillos, husked, rinsed
• 1jalapeño chile, stemmed, halved, seeded
• 1/3cup (packed) fresh cilantro
• 3garlic cloves2tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2large white onion, sliced
• 3/4cup low-salt chicken broth
• 3/4teaspoon (about) sugar1 1/2pounds queso oaxaca*, cut into 6 portions
• warm corn tortillas

DIRECTIONS Bring 2 cups water to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomatillos and jalapeño chile and cook until tomatillos are tender, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tomatillos and chile to blender. Add 1/2 cup cooking liquid, cilantro, and garlic. Puree until sauce is almost smooth.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add onion and sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomatillo sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Mix in broth, then sugar; season sauce with salt and pepper.

Heat heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add cheese and cook until slightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Bring tomatillo sauce to simmer. Add cheese to sauce and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Transfer cheese with sauce to shallow platter or divide cheese and sauce among 6 individual gratin dishes. Serve with tortillas.

*Melting cheese available in balls, braids, or rounds. Sometimes labeled queso asadero or queso chihuahua. Substitute mozzarella or Monterey Jack.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2lemons
• 2tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 3/4teaspoon salt
• 1/2teaspoon black pepper
• 1(3 1/2-lb) chicken, rinsed and patted dry
• 1head garlic, left unpeeled and halved horizontally
• 1/4cup mild honey
• 1tablespoon olive oilspecial equipment:kitchen string; an instant-read thermometer

DIRECTIONS Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 425°F.

Finely grate enough zest from 1 lemon to measure 1 tablespoon, then squeeze enough juice from same lemon to measure 2 tablespoons.

Stir together butter, tarragon, zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.

Put chicken, breast side up, in a small roasting pan. Starting from neck cavity, work your fingers gently between skin and flesh of breast to loosen skin all the way to thighs without tearing. Put one fourth of tarragon butter under skin of each breast, then rub skin from outside to spread evenly.

Starting from large cavity, loosen skin on both sides of cavity with a paring knife (to provide access to thighs), then work your fingers gently between skin and flesh of thighs and drumsticks. Divide remaining tarragon butter among thighs and drumsticks, rubbing skin from outside to spread evenly. Season cavity and skin with salt and pepper, then halve remaining lemon and put inside cavity along with garlic. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen string.

Whisk together honey, lemon juice, oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Roast chicken 30 minutes, then brush pan juices and half of honey mixture over chicken and roast 10 minutes more. Brush chicken again with pan juices and remaining honey mixture and continue to roast until thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 20 minutes more.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving. Skim fat from pan juices and serve juices with chicken.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2pounds yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes, peeled, cut into1-inch pieces1 1/3cups (or more) whole milk
• 1large garlic clove, pressed
• 1/4cup prepared white horseradish
• 6tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

DIRECTIONS Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Return to pot.

Meanwhile, bring 1 1/3 cups milk and garlic to boil in large saucepan. Add milk mixture and horseradish to potatoes. Using potato masher, mash until smooth. Add butter; stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Stir over medium heat until heated through, adding more milk to thin if necessary.)

Offer these as a starter or as a light lunch with a salad of greens tossed in vinaigrette.

Makes 8 first course servings.

INGREDIENTS

Make the salsa at least an hour (and as much as a day) before serving to allow the flavors to blend. This is also delicious with turkey.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloins in Corn Husks with Cranberry-Avocado Salsa.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 1yellow bell pepper112-ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries (3 cups)
• 1/2cup sugar
• 1/4cup orange juice
• 1medium jalapeño chili, seeded, chopped
• 1tablespoon grated orange peel
• 2ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, diced
• 1/4cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS Char bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and chop bell pepper.

Combine cranberries, sugar, and orange juice in processor. Using on/off turns, coarsely chop cranberries. Transfer to medium bowl. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, and orange peel. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Stir avocados and cilantro into salsa. Season to taste with salt and pepper.