Flavour Nugget #53: Sizzled citrus and oregano salsaRestoring, revisiting + why I spent an hour with a soapy toothbrush
*** A bit of housekeeping: I’m moving the Supersize Me! newsletter to Friday. After a quick survey, the winning vote was in favour of spacing the two newsletters out, so we’re going to give it a go! *** Last week, I spent an hour cleaning an old Kitchenaid mixer with a toothbrush. Did I think I’d ever find myself squinting at a chunk of filthy metal like a TikTok ‘cleanfluencer’? No. And, if you are, by some very slim chance, the electrician who came by to fix my lights while I was mid-scour, then yes, I did notice your double-take and no, I don’t blame you. I’d put the Kitchenaid into storage because I thought it too manky to have ‘out’ on the counter. But circumstances forced my hand. I needed to use it and thought, what if? What if those nasty orange patches could be buffed up a bit? What if I give this thing some love and see what happens? The orange bits of ‘rust’ were, in fact, years of fossilised crud, and it was all coming off with a bit of washing-up liquid and some energetic brush work. As she began to reveal herself bit by bit (here I am! You’d almost forgotten me!) I felt the joy of restoring something and lavishing attention on an item ignored. And you know what? She’s absolutely GLEAMING.
This got me thinking (obviously, because I think ‘too much’ and too deeply about *everything*) that our tendency to dismiss perfectly good things that need a little help means we’re missing out on nourishment and satisfaction. Not to mention all the issues around waste, attention span and general pace of living. With ‘professional recipe developer’ among my many hats, I’m constantly moving on to the next commission, and I often want to revisit something but don’t have the chance. I’m asked to riff off trends and tap into the wider appetite. So, this week, I felt inspired to spend some time with a recipe that isn’t nostalgic, exactly, but just plain unfashionable: chicken fajitas. In the UK, there’s really only one chicken fajita the majority of people are familiar with, and it comes in the form of the Old El Paso ‘kits’ sold in every supermarket and even corner shops. I’m not snobby about these at all, by the way. But I wanted to have another look at the recipe, keeping the good bits and having some fun with the rest.
The main fajita recipe is for paid subs this week, but it led me to develop an A1 nugget: this sizzled citrus and oregano salsa, with all the fragrance of the oily peels and none of the bitterness. It also uses fresh oregano, which I love and don’t use often enough. You can use it generously on fish (both white and oily), roast chicken or pork, spoon it over tacos, or use it to top sour cream or yoghurt to make a dip. I’d also use it on roasted carrots or squash, perhaps with feta. Definitely with feta. Really, though, the fajitas are good, and I don’t want you to miss out. Get your mates round, whack all the bits out on the table and talk about the times you cooked Old El Pasos under the striplight stare of the uni halls’ kitchen. Or maybe you just ate them growing up? I did neither, not encountering the flappy salsa pouch until I was well into my twenties. My point is, there was something to be gained by reimagining them, and it wasn’t just the salsa. Care and attention are increasingly underrated. Sometimes, it’s good to put the effort in.
Sizzled Citrus and Oregano Salsa When zesting the citrus, use a peeler to remove the zest in strips, then scrape off any visible white pith. You can then use a knife to slice them into thinner pieces. OR, use one of these guys. Zest of 1 lemon, peeled in strips Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the citrus peels. Fry for a few minutes until starting to colour then remove from the heat and pour the oil and peels into a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and some salt, and mix well.
SUPERSIZE ME! My best chicken fajita recipe! PLUS, a recipe for ‘four and fat’ tortillas. Kick Old El Paso to the kerb. COMING FRIDAY! Until next time, Flavour Fans x
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Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Flavour Nugget #53: Sizzled citrus and oregano salsa
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