In The Mist Of It All

By Vagarchak Harutyunyan

In the Mist of it All, gives insight to simple and healthy recipes that will bring love and joy in a universal language all seven billon of us share, food. The inspiration behind Vic’s recipes came from his ventures in the food & restaurant industry, as a Chef and an Owner. Chef Vic shares personal stories along with simple techniques that will give you confidence in the kitchen as well as inspire you to create your own memorable experiences.
Between busy schedules, kids and day-to-day obligations, cooking well balanced and delicious foods has become a challenge to so many. Chef Vic shares his version of recipes that are fun to make and allow the reader to form healthy habits.
Chef Vic’s message is to bring back the joyful experiences we once shared before the pandemic. “In the Mist of it All” inspires the reader to recreate the moments we once dreamt about.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9781663247025

Vagarchak Harutyunyan

Vic is a passionate home cook and entrepreneur, born in Yerevan, Armenia. A former business owner of two successful restaurants in los Angeles, and graduate from one of the best cooking schools around, his mother’s kitchen, he uses his love for food and storytelling to share his vision of some of his all-favorite creative and healthy recipes. Along the way Vic opens up with intimate stories about the influences that impacted his life and inspired him to write “In The Mist Of It All”.

Book preview

Char

Char is an introduction to one of my favorite spicy green salsas. It originated in Mexico and still plays a key role in Mexican cuisine. This salsa is a blend of peppers charred on an open-fire grill, giving it that unique, smoky flavor.

I came about this recipe when operating my first pop-up stand, Humble Grub. I had to work around the equipment I bought for grilling the meat, so I seasoned the batch with oil, salt, and pepper and charred it all the way, thus coming with the name Char.

(Makes 1 1/2 liters)

Ingredients

4 serrano peppers

5 poblano peppers

10 tomatillos

4 jalapeños

2 white onions

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 bunches cilantro

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 cup lime juice

Instructions

Peel white onions and dice into 4 equal parts. Toss in a large bowl and add the serranos, jalapeños, poblanos, and tomatillos. Pour in a generous amount of oil, reserving the remainder. Toss to dress.

Lay on a broiler or open fire and begin to char all sides. Once you have a char all around, remove the stems from the peppers. Toss the pepper/onion mixture into blender and add the remaining ingredients. Blend thoroughly.

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Chipotle Aioli

Today’s recipe consists of chipotle peppers (jalapeños that have been smoked) canned in adobo hot sauce. They vary in the amounts of brown sugar, oregano, vinegar, and other spices depending on the brand. The recipe below is a perfect blend to mellow out the spice and bring out the upmost taste of our chipotle peppers. It’s the perfect dipping sauce for your potatoes, and it also pairs well with meat like chicken and steak.

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(Makes 4 cups.)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon minced garlic

10 chipotle peppers, stemmed

1/4 cup lime juice

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth.

Bottle, seal and refrigerate! Use as intended.

Cilantro Aioli

All parts of the coriander plant are edible except the stems. The leaves, called cilantro in American English, can be used raw or cooked. The dried fruits called coriander seeds are broken away from the heads and used for flavoring. This delicious earthy puddle of green can be used in numerous ways, from a dipping sauce to a dressing on a salad. It’s yours to pick.

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(Makes 2 cups.)

Ingredients

2 bunches cilantro

1 bunch parsley

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup plain