Fideos or Something Like Them, With Avocado and Pickled Onions

I remember reading something about fideos in an article about Spanish cooking, and it said they were sort of a pasta, cooked in a risotto-ish fashion, first in a bit of oil, and then slowly absorbing a liquid-a paella, only done with noodles. The article had suggested substituting other thin noodles, broken up, if fideos were unavailable, but cautioned against the use of an egg noodle for this. Then, in the Mexican section of the market, I saw some little packages of "fideos", which were clearly skinny little egg noodles. Naturally, I bought some. I can't just shop- I have to bring home some sort of problem to solve, I guess.

I perused the books, found yet another Deborah Madison recipe to save the day, and made a beautiful supper. I got the impression, from her recipe and its garnishes, and the recipes on the Goya fideos packet, that while the idea is very similar, Mexican style fideos are not quite the same dish as the Spanish type? As the resident of a city which, until recently (like the last 2 years) had virtually no hispanic population (a high school friend of my daughter,whose family came from South America, claimed then to be the only hispanic child in the Pittsburgh school system), I am woefully ignorant about Mexican and South American food. I'm hoping that some interesting restaurants may appear soon.

In any event, here is a nice supper, freely adapted from Deborah Madison, very yummy, and using some of my lovely Costco avocados. I don't know if it is authentic anything, but it is very good, especially the sauce, which is made first. Well, actually the onion garnish is made a day ahead. you can use the pickled onions for up to 5 days, on other stuff , too, says Ms. Madison. BTW, Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes rock my world. I was very hungry when I ate this, so I suppose I could have been influenced by greed, but this certainly seemed like the best new (to me) dish I've tried in a long time.The garnishes played a huge part, and were a great combination. But I loved the chewy, slightly crusty noodles, too. Try some.

Pickled Onions:
Cut up a medium sized red onion into thick half moons, and halve the slices. Put in a small bowl with some salt, a tsp of sugar, and cover with a mixture of cider vinegar and rice vinegar, or all of one kind. Refrigerate 24 hours.

Sauce:
Put a large mildish dried New Mexican chili pepper in hot water to soak for an hour. Remove, split, rinse out seeds. slice in strips.

Slowly cook 4 unpeeled garlic cloves in a bit of oil for about 20 minutes, until they are soft. Squish them out of their peels, back into the pan. Add a diced onion, and cook briefly. Add the strips of pepper, and a 15 oz, can of Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes, with the liquid. Cook over low heat ten minutes. Blend to puree. You should have about a cup. Taste for salt, and adjust if necessary. Isn't it good? This would be pretty nice on some Huevos Rancheros, no?

Fideos
Heat 3 tbsps olive oil in a well seasoned 10 or 12 inch cast iron pan. Add one package (7 oz.) Goya Fideos (or possibly substitute thin noodles, broken into pieces about 1" long). Brown the noodles more or less all over, stirring. turn heat low, and carefully stir in the sauce. Watch spattering. Add a handful of chopped parsley. Cover and cook over a very low flame, from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on degree of chewiness desired. Scrape into serving dish- don't leave any crust bottom bits behind; they are the best part. Top with the picked onions, avocado slices, and crumbled feta. Consume. Feeds 3 adults for lunch or light supper-or two teenagers.

Heap your praises on Deborah Madison, and you can thank me for passing it along, if you like. Her recipe is slightly altered here, I think you are going to love it.

Comments

[Matt Metzgar]

I wish I could cook this well!

[Julie]

Chewy noodles, pickled red onions, and avocados sound like a winning combination to me. Noodles and avocados are two ingredients that always, ALWAYS get my yes vote.

[Ari (Baking and Books)]

I grew up eating fideos at least once a week and I love the dish to this day. It's super satisfying and delicious. And with avocado? Out of this world!

[Lynn D.]

Fideos have been on my to do list for years, so now I'll just have to try them. Were your fideos coiled up in little nests? Thanks for the tip on the Muir Glenn fire roasted tomatoes.

[lindy]

I really am sold on these, guys. The feta was my addition, as I didn't have crema. It works very well-I think you'd like it.

Lynn-No, though they had those too, and they were clearly made of the same stuff. I got the short ones more or less randomly, instead. Both were Goya brand. I think the little rings would be hard to brown?

[the chococlate lady]

You have convinced me, Lindy. Fideos have moved way up on my gotta-make-these-guys-someday list. It is a long list, though, and my progress through list as a whole has slowed as I try to persuade my committee I have not died or fled to the isle of Kapingamarangi.

PS.
didja see Bittman's no-knead follow-up in yesterday's Times?

PPS.
I hereby heap praises on D. Madison, and on you too, Lindy.

[redfox (lindy's daughter)]

Okay, I made this (more or less) tonight, and it was awesome. Mmmmmm. I'd love to make it for guests, but worry that the serving-dish stage would render it disappointingly room temperature.

[Vicki]

Just made this recipe this morning - my Mexican husband said they were some of the best fideos he's ever had. Thanks!