Hot Tamale Day

The Skinny: Winter cooking class at Ciudad with chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, who prepare a four-course meal. You watch from your table, sipping a Pisco sour. And you get to eat the food.

The Recipes: quinoa fritters, hearts of romaine with Cabrales vinaigrette, seeded lamb chops with pimento sauce, spinach with pepitas and raisins, mashed yuca, fresh pineapple upside-down cake and honey-lemon ice cream.

Cool Tips: Chop your herbs with a small rocking motion, keeping the blade close to the cutting board. Don’t over-chop; if the board turns green, that’s where the herb flavor has gone.

Keep your salt in a little bowl near the stove and add by the pinch; you’ll have more control than with a shaker.

Hot Gossip: 1. Since they started their “Too Hot Tamales”/”World Tamale Tours” cooking shows, people are surprised to see how thin they are in real life. 2. After years of never wearing make-up, Susan has started--so that she’ll look as good as when she’s on camera.

Would Die For: Takiuki knife from Anzen Hardware, Little Toyko, because it’s made of carbon steel and keeps its edge better than stainless steel.

Oops: During the lamb chop demonstration, a student pointed out that the teachers weren’t following the recipe they’d handed out. Milliken observed that she has learned a few tricks since 1984, when she wrote it.

Yum: Everything, but upon arrival you had the choice of great drinks: the Margarita-like Pisco Sour, white sangria or fruit juice.

Next Class: To be announced. Call Ciudad at (213) 486-5171 to be put on the mailing list for their newsletter or check their website at www.bordergrill.com.

--Reported by TRACY CROWE McGONIGLE

Quinoa Fritters

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 40 minutes * Vegetarian

2/3 cup quinoa

Water

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup grated Cotija cheese

3/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

3/4 cup oil

Lime wedges

Romesco Sauce

* Wash quinoa in water and drain well. Set small saucepan over high heat, add quinoa and toast, shaking and stirring constantly with wooden spoon to prevent scorching, until light golden, about 5 minutes.

* Transfer quinoa to large saucepan and add 1 1/3 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

* When cool, stir in flour, cheese, salt and pinch pepper. Add green onions, parsley, egg and egg yolk and mix thoroughly until consistency resembles soft dough.

* Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. When light haze forms over oil, mold batter into egg shapes using 2 soup spoons and gently slide into hot oil. Fry until bottoms are golden, about 1 minute. Turn and fry other side until golden, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels and serve warm with lime wedges and Romesco Sauce.

16 fritters. Each fritter without Romesco Sauce: 75 calories; 127 mg sodium; 33 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.41 gram fiber.

Romesco Sauce

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes * Vegetarian

If you have leftover sauce, it’s also good with chicken or pasta.

3/4 cup blanched almonds

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 thick slices country bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 pound plum tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup fruity Spanish olive oil

Spread almonds on baking sheet and toast in 350-degree oven, shaking pan occasionally, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Pour vinegar over bread and let soak 20 minutes.

Process cooled almonds in food processor until finely ground. Add soaked bread, tomatoes, paprika, salt and pepper and puree. With machine on, add olive oil in slow, steady stream until smooth sauce forms. Serve at room temperature.

1 cup. Each tablespoon: 150 calories; 176 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.43 gram fiber.