My jamaica flower honeymoon

I think I’ve told you of my deep admiration for the jamaica flower. Called hibiscus in English, they’re dried, deep purple flowers sold in supermarkets here, and all you do is toss them into a pot of boiling water and sugar. Maybe 15 minutes later, boom, you’ve got two edibles: the slightly tangy agua de jamaica, to drink, and the plump flowers, which you can then sauté and toss in just about anything.

Seriously, in this economy, how cool is that? You’ve got two things for the price of one. And these babies are pretty cheap as it is.

On Sunday, when cuñada and cuñado were in town, I whipped up a batch of whatever’s-in-the-pantry noodles and tossed in some jamaica flowers that I’d sauteed in butter, onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Added some roasted asparagus. Topped that with a handful of fresh parsley, literally overflowing at the tianguis that day, and a sprinkling of shredded manchego cheese.

We all dug in, and no one really talked, except for the occasional, “Mmmmmmm.” I was amazed at how many textures could fit into one dish. The flowers were buttery and toothsome, which made the whole thing feel hearty, as if I’d added meat. The parsley added a nice, vegetal crunch, and the creamy manchego glued everything together. Overall, every ingredient felt useful and important. This stuff was good. And I had created it. Me!

Of course, at the table, I couldn’t stop babbling about what else I’d do with jamaica flowers. If I could somehow harness them into one dish, to where they were on full display…

“A jamaica flower tart!” I declared.

Just now thought of another one: jamaica flower empanadas.

My sis-in-law was equally as enchanted, which lent credence to my jamaica-flower honeymoon theory. Once you try these things, that’s it. Your life will never be the same.

Recipe below.

Pasta with jamaica flowers, roasted asparagus and Mexican manchego cheese
by Lesley Téllez
Serves 6 as a main dish, more as a side

Note: I used asparagus because that’s what I found at the tianguis, but I’ve used fresh peas before and liked it On the cheese, any meltable, creamy variety would work. I’ve been wanting to try fontina. Maybe I’ll get it for next time, when I plan to cover the whole thing with fresh garlic bread crumbs. My sis-in-law also had a great suggestion with the cheese, too: toss it with the pasta first, and then add the rest of your ingredients.

When purchasing the flowers, ideally you want them to have a soft-ish texture. If you live in Mexico, I’d recommend buying them in bulk at cualquier tianguis. If you get a choice of Sudanese or Guerrero varieties, choose Guerrero. They’re not as pretty, but they are less acidic than the Sudanese. Also, the term “Mexican manchego,” refers to a specific variety of cheese sold here, which has a sharp, white cheddar-cheese-ish flavor. It is not Spanish manchego.

Ingredients

1 package pasta of your choice
2 overflowing cups hydrated jamaica flowers (see instructions at the end)
1 good-sized bundle of asparagus (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 small white onion, diced
1 cup Mexican manchego cheese, grated
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
olive oil
1 tablespoon good quality butter
scant 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
2 serrano chilies, roasted, seeded and minced (optional)

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add butter and olive oil. When the butter is just about melted, add the diced onion and stir. Breathe in its intoxicating fumes. Add your chilies, stir, and cook for a few more minutes. Then add your flowers and toss to coat with the onion/butter mixture. Cook for maybe 10 minutes, until they’ve softened a bit. (This is maybe 5 minutes in a lower altitude.) Add your sugar, cook a few minutes longer, and then add your balsamic vinegar. Taste it, and If it’s too acidic, add more sugar. Cook for a few minutes longer for the flavors to meld. Remove flowers from heat and set aside.

For asparagus: Heat oven to 500F. Trim asparagus’ woody ends, and toss in olive oil. Place on baking sheet and roast until they’re tender and slightly blackened, about 5 to 8 minutes at a normal altitude, or 15 to 20 if you’re waaaay high up like me. Remove from baking sheet and chop into three-inch lengths.

While the flowers and asparagus are cooking, boil your pasta water with a hefty toss of kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the cheese, and then add your flowers and the asparagus. Top with handfuls of parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*To hydrate your dried flowers: There isn’t an exact formula here, but if you’re cooking with two or more cups of dried flowers, I would use the largest pot you have. (I used about three cups of dried flowers in a 3 1/2 quart pot, and it nearly bubbled over.) The point is: In a large stock pot, combine about 6 cups of water per 1 cup of dried flowers, and add 1 cup of sugar, or more if you like your agua de jamaica extra sweet. Let the mixture boil over high heat. Add your flowers and cook for 15 minutes, or half that if you’re at a normal altitude. Taste your water as it cooks. Is it too sweet? Add more water. If it’s too tangy, add more sugar. Reach in with a spoon and taste a flower — it should be chewy but not tough when it’s finished.

Enjoy!