Jeff Houck

The Tampa Tribune’s food writer since 2005, Jeff Houck covers the way people live through their food. He also hosts the Table Conversations food podcast and believes that everything crunchy is good.

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Fay Is On The Way [Chowing Down With The Hurricane]

Posted Aug 16, 2008 by Jeff Houck

Updated Aug 16, 2008 at 08:19 PM

Tropical Storm Fay supposedly will be dropping by early this week. Oh joy. I hear reports that panic buying is afoot.

Best-case scenario: Fay wobbles away from the Tampa Bay area and we’re all spared from having to dive into the store of food in our hurricane kit.

Worst-case scenario: Fay drops the hammer and forces us to eat the food we’ve stored, either for emergency purposes or because it won’t keep forever.

With a little planning as you shop during the next few days, these recipes from the 2005 book “The Storm Gourmet: A Guide to Creating Extraordinary Meals Without Electricity,” (Pineapple Press, $9.95) might be helpful in eating more than just warmed-up soup until the power comes back on.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SOFT TACOS

1 package (7 ounces) premium chicken breast, drained

1 cup canned diced new potatoes, drained

1/2 cup canned sweet corn, drained

2 to 4 chipotle chilies, or to taste

2 tablespoons sweet onion, minced

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

5 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Tortillas

Combine the chicken, potatoes, corn, chipotles and onion in a medium-size bowl. In a screw-top jar, combine the vinegar, lime juice, salt and cilantro, and shake vigorously. Pour the liquid over the chicken mixture, and toss. Season it with the pepper. Let it sit for 30 minutes to allow the ingredients to meld. Mix in the avocado before serving. Place the mixture in tortillas, and fold. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

SALAD NICOISE

2 cans (6 ounces) light tuna packed in olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 cans (14 ounces each) sliced white potatoes

1 can (14.5 ounces) French green beans

1 cup marinated artichokes, quartered

1 tablespoon capers

1/4 cup black or Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

Salt and pepper

Anchovies (optional)

For dressing:

Pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Place the tuna in a small bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Set it aside.

Combine the potatoes, beans, artichokes, capers, olives and anchovies in a large salad bowl. Season them with salt and pepper, and toss them together. Add the tuna.

In a screw-top jar, make the dressing by combining salt, cracked black pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. Shake vigorously until the dressing has a creamy, frothy consistency.

Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss. Makes 4 servings.