Tuesday, May 31, 2011

It's Not Green Eggs and Ham, It's Green Sausage!


What is that in the photo, filling that taco with such a vibrant hue??? Why, it's green sausage, purchased at my new favorite place on Earth, Dos Hermanos Market near my summer sublet apartment!!!

Is this just about the coolest food item you've ever seen???

When I meandered into the market awhile ago and found it in the meat case, I simply had to have some. At just over $3/pound it's an incredible deal, even if it doesn't look particularly appetizing (colossal understatement!) before being cooked and transformed into the crucial ingredient for my tacos.

There were loud fans and music playing overhead, so it was difficult to talk to the man behind the meat counter; thus I don't have much information about the sausage, but I was feeling adventurous and so I bought it anyway. Suffice it to say I learned that this is handmade pork sausage, its vivid color coming from green salsa.

I recently made soft tacos with some lovely sauteed peppers, some pan-toasted corn, and -- of course! -- my green sausage. Or, let's give it a better Latin flair: Green Sausage = Salchicha Verde!

The salchicha verde isn't spicy at all, providing only the tiniest twinge of tingle at the end of my meal; if you like hotter food, you'd need to toss some potent salsa into this mix.

But it is still immensely flavorful; there is clearly a taste of cilantro, and a hint of sourness from the acidity of the salsa. This was a perfect contrast to the sweetness of the red and yellow peppers, as well as to the richness of the sour cream.

Dos Hermanos has an amazing array of spices, hot sauces, cheeses, traditional breads such as conchas (round loaves of a sweet bread with a swirled pattern on top), cactus leaves and plantains, spicy snacks, and even piñatas for sale. (And oh, you should smell the tantalizing aroma when you open the bread cabinet!!!) They even fry up their own pork rinds, which Jeremy and his dad adored when they were offered samples. (I'll eat pork, but not the fried skin ... ick. Jeremy thinks I'm a hypocrite 'cause my favorite part of the chicken is the skin! But I think I've been repulsed by the stench of the grocery store variety and can't get past it.)

Here are some photos:






Truly, a girl could have way too much fun shopping here!!!

But on to the tacos!

Interestingly, the sausage didn't brown; I probably cooked it for longer than was necessary, thinking that it would eventually. It was also fairly soft, rather than firming up as breakfast sausage patties do.

I tossed some frozen corn into a pan and cooked it just until it was starting to toast a bit and turn golden, and I grated a lovely Monterey Jack cheese (though a Pepper Jack could also work very well). I sauteed red, yellow and orange peppers with a sliced red onion in just a splash of salsa, as colorful contrasts to my attention-getting sausage.

Then I put it all together on corn tortillas and feasted ... truly! The meal was an absolute seduction of all my senses, from the colors to the aromas to the textures and tastes.

To each his or her own when it comes to putting these together; so there's no recipe "per se," but rather merely visual instructions.

It's too bad that those of you who are spread around the world can't just drop in on Dos Hermanos one evening and pick up some of this salchicha verde. All I can do is torment you by telling you how exceptional it was ... though maybe that's enough enticement for some of you to come visit me, huh???

Do come visit -- it'd be fun! And we'll go eating and grocery shopping throughout Southeast Michigan ... starting at Dos Hermanos, of course!







Dos Hermanos Market
412 W. Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti
734-487-8802


Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays
Tuesday's  Blog Hop
Busy Mom's Tips Tuesday Blog Hop
Photobucket

7 comments:

Candace said...

It might look odd but it certainly sounds wonderful! All of those lovely flavors combined in a sausage? I can only imagine how incredible that tastes. I will have to remember that little trick with the frozen corn. I've never thought to try it that way before. Yum!

Unknown said...

Ok.. I'm intrigued! Although Chris probably wouldn't like it due to the cilantro flavor, I think it would be fantastic in so many dishes. A little Mexican style pasta dish...mmmmmmm!! I think I need to find some green sausage!!

Karen Harris said...

You are adventurous that's for sure! I love a good ethnic market and Mexican ones are my personal favorite. This looks like a really great one. Your tacos look really good.

Mary Sullivan Frasier said...

Oooh Mary! I'd have a field day in that shop! The taco looks so yummy, even if it is green! The cilantro part might throw me a bit, but Mr B loves the stuff. I can also see why you cooked it longer than you might have cooked a different sausage. I would have done the same thing to see if it was going to brown.

Please stop by my blog when you get a moment... I have a little something for you!

:~) Mrs B

Unknown said...

Looks very tasty.

must be tons of cilantro in there to make it so green. Maybe some spinach as well? I think it's the veggies that stop it from browning (had a similar experience with spinach sausage). All of the liquid in the veggies.

TexaGermaFinlaNadian said...

Well, it looks interesting, but I bet it is so delicious! Never had green sausage. Too cool!

Lauren | Have Fork Will Eat said...

This is hilarious. I was just there a couple hours ago. I live around the corner as well. It's one of my fave shops downtown.


Ghosts of Postings Past and Present

Looking for Something ...?