Hola mis amigos! We’re off to Mexico…no time for a siesta now! Let’s dig out, and post up those treasured Mexican favorites. I can just feel the heat! But first, maybe a Tequila cocktail? … aquà está a usted; salud!
Aline & B-man 
Gala Apple Salsa
Makes 3 cups
Ingredients:
2 cups cored Gala apples, 1/2 inch dice
1 Anaheim chile pepper, seeded, chopped and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, small dice
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup lime juice
salt and black pepper
Combine all ingredients and chill. Great on grilled pork chops.
B-man
Acapulco Chicken (En Escabeche)
Ingredients:
2 cup chicken broth, unsalted, defatted
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon cumin, ground
2 tablespoons pickling spice
1/2 each red bell pepper, sliced
1 pound chicken breast, halves boneless, skinless
1/2 each yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper, minced with seeds
1 medium onion, halved, thinly sliced
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup cilantro, leaves, fresh
3 tablespoons garlic, cloves, minced
Use baked (no oil) tortilla chips.
Boil broth and pickling spice in heavy large saucepan ten minutes. Strain and return liquid to saucepan. Add chicken, onion, vinegar, garlic, oil and cumin to pan. Simmer over very low heat until chicken is just cooked through, about ten minutes.
Transfer chicken and onions to shallow dish. Top with bell peppers and minced jalapeno. Boil cooking liquid until reduced to 2/3 c, about ten minutes.
Pour liquid over chicken and let cool 30 minutes. Add cilantro to chicken mixture. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, turning chicken occasionally, about 4 hours (can be prepared one day ahead). Slice chicken and transfer to plates.
Top with marinated vegetables and some of the juices.
130 calories per serving, 4 g fat, 72 mg sodium, 44 mg cholesterol.
Makes 6 servings
B-man
1 Like
Acapulco Chicken Enchilada
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken, cooked, shredded
1/2 cup green onions, scallions, minced
1/2 cup almonds, chopped, blanched
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups enchilada chili sauce, *
8 each corn tortillas, fresh
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup ripe olives, sliced
1 sour cream
1 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons oil, vegetable
2/3 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup tomato paste
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder, (or more)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
In small bowl, toss together cooked shredded chicken, scallions, and almonds. Sprinkle on salt. Mix and set aside.
To prepare chili sauce, heat oil in saute pan over med-high heat; add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute until vegetables are soft. Stir in tomato paste, water, chili powder, salt and oregano. Blend well. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil bottom of shallow oven proof casserole dish.
Dip a tortilla in hot sauce until partially saturated. Then place tortilla in casserole dish; fill with 1/8 of chicken mixture, and top w/1 tablespoon sour cream; roll into an enchilada.
Place in dish seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas. When casserole is filled, drizzle remaining sauce over top.
Sprinkle with cheese and top with olives. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese and sauce are hot and bubbling. Serve with additional sour cream and chopped scallions on the side.
B-man
Adobo (Mexican Smoked Chile Marinade)
This spicy marinade owes its unusual flavor to the chipotle, a smoked jalapeno chile. Chipotles are usually sold canned in tomato paste. Look for them at Mexican and Latin American markets. Adobo marinade goes particularly well with pork.
Ingredients:
3 each oranges
1 each lime
2 each chipotle chilies, canned or more, or to taste
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons oregano, dried
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice the oranges and lime. Finely chop chilies and garlic. Place citrus juices, chilies, garlic, oregano, cumin, black pepper, vinegar and salt in blender and puree until smooth.
Makes enough marinade for 1 1/2 to 2 pounds meat.
B-man
Aji De Carne[Bolivian Peppery Pork with Banana]
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil – light
1 cup sweet onion – chopped
3 each green onions – chopped, or more sweet onion – chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic – or less
8 ounces boneless pork top loin – cut in 1/2" cubes
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato – your choice
1/4 teaspoon Saffron
1/4 teaspoon salt – optional
1/4 teaspoon black pepper – freshly ground
1 tablespoon aji chile powder – or substitute New Mexican – such as Chimayo
1 small havana / habenero Chili pepper – optional ground cloves – scant measure
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon – or more
3/4 cup lowfat chicken broth – or more annato seeds, ground – optional
4 small russet potatoes – scrubbed and cut
2 green bananas – peel and 2" pieces
1/4 cup seltzer water – mixed with
4 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 tablespoon molasses – or to taste
1 tablespoon lowfat peanut butter
4 tortillas – warmed
2 cups mixed salad greens – with
shredded red cabbage
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven casserole and saute the onions until almost
soft. Add the garlic and cook until onions are soft. Add. Add the pork, a
few pieces at a time, and brown (char a little). Add the tomatoes, saffron,
salt (if needed), black pepper, chile, cinnamon, cloves, and broth and
optional annato. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 40
to 50 mins.
Add the potatoes and continue to cook until the potatoes are done, about 30 minutes. Add the bananas before the potatoes are done but the bananas need about 10 mins at most. Make a well and tilt the pan so that the liquids pool. Pour the sauce ingredients gently combine; simmer until heated through, taking care that the “cream” does not boil. Serve
immediately with warmed tortillas and mixed salad greens, undressed or a
little lemon-lime juice.
B-man
Albondigas En Salsa Chipotle [Meatballs In Chipotle Sauce]
Ingredients:
MEATBALLS:
1/2 lb beef, ground finely
1/2 lb pork, ground finely
1/3 c onions, finely chopped
2 tb Flour
1 tb Cilantro, fresh minced
1/2 ts Oregano, dried
1/4 ts Cumin, ground
1 Egg, beaten
3 tb Vegatable oil
SAUCE:
1 tb Vegatable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
1 c tomato sauce
2 Chipotles, canned in adobo
-sauce, stemmed and chopped
2 tb Adobo sauce (from chiles)
1/2 c beef broth
TORTILLA CUPS:
6 Flour tortillas (6 inch)
Vegatable oil for frying
Chopped lettuce
MEATBALLS: Combine all the meatball ingredients, except the oil, and mix
well. Form into 1 1/2-inch balls. Brown the meatballs in the oil, remove,
and keep warm.
SAUCE: To make the sauce, add the oil to the pan and saute the onion and
garlic until soft. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a boil,
reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce is
thickened. Place the sauce in a blender or food processor and puree until
smooth. Return the sauce to the pan, add the meatballs, and heat through.
TORTILLA CUPS: To make the tortilla cups, pour the oil to a depth of 3 inches and heat to 375 degrees. Place a tortilla in the oil and let it
float for a couple of seconds. Press the center into the oil with a can or
ladle to form a bowl and fry until crisp, remove, and drain.
To serve, place the lettuce in each of the tortilla cups, top with the
albondigas, and serve.
B-man
Arroz Con Queso…Crockpot
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup rice, long-grain, converted
1 cup whole tomatoes, mashed (16 oz)
1 cup mexican style beans (16 oz)
3 each garlic cloves, minced
1 each onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup green chili peppers, drained (4-oz)
2 cup montery jack cheese, grated
Mix thoroughly all ingredients except one cup of the grated cheese. Pour mixture into well-greased crockpot. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 9 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with reserved grated cheese.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
B-man
Baked Sour Cream Tacos - Tacos De Jocoqui Al Horno
Ingredients:
12 tortillas
Oil for frying
Sauce:
2 tb Oil
2 tb Salsa Jalapena or your
-favorite chili relish
1 sm onion, chopped
1 cn Solid pack tomatoes, Chopped
salt
1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
1 ts Rubbed oregano
1 pt Sour Cream, salted
For sauce, wilt onion in hot oil. Add tomatoes, oregano, salsa, and salt.
Cook for 15 or twenty minutes. Set aside.
Fry tortillas lightly in oil, put some of the sauce and a piece of cheese on each one and roll. Arrange in a buttered shallow glass baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over tacos, top with cheese and spoon sour cream over all.
Bake at 325 F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 12.
B-man
MEXICAN RICE
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lard
1/2 cup ground pork
1/4 pound chorizo, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped white onions
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups long grain rice
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 cups chicken stock, or water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onions
In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring until no longer pink. Add the sausages and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock, salt, and saffron, and stir well. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook undisturbed until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the oregano and cilantro, and stir to incorporate.
Transfer into a decorative bowl and garnish with the green onions. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
B-man
MEXICAN BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
6 poblano chile peppers, about 1 1/2 pounds
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds Mexican chorizo, or other hot sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
4 teaspoons minced garlic
4 teaspoons chili powder
5 corn tortillas, quartered
10 large eggs
3 cups half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions, green tops only
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups grated pepper jack
1 1/2 cups grated medium cheddar
Sour Cream, garnish
Picante Sauce (store bought), garnish
Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, about 7 to 10 minutes. (Alternately, the peppers can be roasted under a broiler, or on top of a gas or charcoal grill.) Place the blackened peppers in a plastic or paper bag, and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, split in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds and the stems.
Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Spread the chiles in a flat layer across the bottom of the dish.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, stirring to break up the meat, until browned. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and chili powder, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and half-and-half with the hot sauce, salt and black pepper.
In another bowl, combine the green onions, cilantro, jack, and cheddar, and mix well.
Spoon 1/3 of the sausage mixture over the chiles in the dish, top with 1/3 of the tortilla quarters, and 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering, ending with a cheese layer. Pour the egg mixture over the ingredients. Let rest, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake until bubbly and golden brown, and a knife inserted into the custard comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and picante sauce.
Yield: 10 servings
B-man
Pico De Gallo A Fiery Hot Chili Sauce
This is a cold, exceedingly hot sauce that bites the palate and tongue. It goes well with many Mexican dishes, including chili con carne and huevos rancheros, but should be added a little at a time to suit the individual palate.
(about 2-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped jalapeno peppers with seeds
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup seeded, unpeeled, diced tomatoes
1/3 cup finely diced avocado
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and serve at room temperature. Serve with any suitable Mexican or Tex-Mex food.
Salsa Mexicana
(about 4 cups)
4 cups peeled fresh tomatoes or canned Italian plum tomatoes
1/4 cup canned green chilies, finely chopped
1/4 cup wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tsp chopped basil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chop tomatoes and combine with remaining ingredients. Chill. Serve with any suitable Mexican or Tex-Mex dish.
Carnitas Mexican Pork Crisps
This is one of the most easily prepared dishes ever created.
Trim fat from fresh pork shoulder or meaty spareribs and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes.
Cook on baking sheet in preheated 200 F oven until cubes are crisp, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Serve with sauce piquante or guacamole.
Sauce Piquante
(about 1/2 cup)
3 tbsp hot red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp paprika
3 or 4 saffron shreds
Crush red pepper flakes with a mortar and pestle. Add cayenne and enough boiling water to make a paste. Stir in remaining ingredients and let stand until ready to use.
Mexican Avocado Salad
(6 servings)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar
1/8 tsp salt
Dash of freshly ground pepper
3 medium avocados
2 tbsp lemon juice
Crisp salad greens
1 medium orange, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
Combine olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; blend well.
Cut avocados into halves and peel them. Brush all over with lemon juice.
Arrange avocados on the salad greens. Top with orange, onion and olive slices. Pour dressing over salad.
Mexican Chicken
(6 or more servings)
4 tbsp butter
4 medium onions, chopped
4 green peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
4 cups stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cups pitted ripe olives
2 cups whole-kernel corn, frozen, canned or cut from cob
3 cups diced poached chicken (recipe follows)
6 slices bacon
In skillet, heat butter, add onions and green peppers and cook until wilted. With wire whisk stir in flour, add chicken stock, tomatoes and olives and cook, stirring, until thickened and smooth.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Place a layers of corn in a buttered baking dish, add a layer of chicken and a layer of the tomato mixture. Repeat the process untill all ingredients are used, ending with a layer of corn.
Place bacon on the top and bake until the bacon is crisp, about 20 minutes.
Poached Chicken
(2 to 3 cups diced chicken)
1 (2- to 3-1/2 lb) chicken, trussed
1 small onion, studded with 2 cloves
1 celery stak, trimmed and quartered
1 carrot, scraped and quartered
1 parsley sprig
1/2 bay leaf
pinch of thyme
salt to taste
10 peppercorns
Place chicken in small kettle or large saucepan and add cold water to cover.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover partly and simmer until chicken is tender, 30 minutes or longer depending on size. Cut chicken in cubes.
Mexican-Style Cauliflower
1 medium cauliflower, separated into flowerets
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons chopped olives
3 tablespoons grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Cook cauliflower, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water until barely tender. Drain.
Mix the tomato sauce, parsley, spices, capers and olives. Pour a little of the sauce into a heatproof dish, add cauliflower and cover with remaining sauce.
Sprinkle with the cheese, crumbs and oil and bake until brown.
Sopa Seca: Mexican Noodle Casserole
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for pan
12 ounces fideos (bundled vermicelli)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1 teaspoon New Mexican chili powder
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes
1 to 2 chipotles en adobo sauce, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, homemade, or low-sodium canned
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded smoked turkey
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Mexican crema, or sour cream thinned with a bit of milk, optional
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with oil. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fideos and cook, turning them with tongs, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bundles and any broken pieces to a plate.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander, oregano, chili powder, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Crush the tomatoes over the pot with your hand and add them to the pot along with their juices. Add the chipotles, increase the heat to high, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, the toasted fideos, salt, and pepper, to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, breaking up the fideos with a spoon, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the turkey.
Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot through and through, about 20 minutes. If desired, serve with some crema drizzled over the top.
B-man
Sopa Seca de Fideos
Ingredients:
For Essential Quick-Cooked Tomato-Chipotle Sauce:
3 to 4 chiles in adobo
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 1/2 pounds (5 medium-large round, 15 to 17 plum) ripe tomatoes
About 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup (about 6 ounces) chorizo sausage, casing removed, optional
1 (10-ounce) package dried fideo (vermicelli) noodles, preferably angel hair
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
Salt, about a scant teaspoon
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 to 1/2 cup thick cream, whipping cream, or creme fraiche, optional
2/3 cup finely grated Mexican queso anejo or Parmesan
A few tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro, for garnish
For dried chiles, toast them on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, turning regularly and pressing flat with a spatula, until very aromatic, about 30 seconds. In a small bowl, cover the chiles with hot water and re-hydrate 30 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even soaking. Drain and discard the water. (Canned chiles need only be removed from their sauce.)
Roast the unpeeled garlic on the griddle or skillet, turning occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes; cool and peel. Roast 1 1/2 pounds of the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on 1 side, about 6 minutes, then flip and roast the other side. Cool, then peel, collecting all the juices with the tomatoes.
In a food processor or blender, process the roasted tomatoes, rehydrated or canned chiles, and garlic to a medium-fine puree. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in medium-size (4-quart) pot (such as a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela) over medium-high. Add the puree and stir for about 5 minutes as it sears and thickens. Set aside.
If using chorizo, cook in a little oil over medium heat, breaking up large lumps as you go, until thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Scoop it out with a slotted spoon, draining as much oil as possible back into the skillet.
Pour 6 tablespoons of the remaining oil into the skillet and return to the heat. When quite hot (drop a stray noodle in – it should sizzle but not brown immediately), lay in about 1/3 of the noodle nests to fry until noticeably browned, about 1 minute, then flip and brown the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon, draining as much oil as possible back into the skillet, and drain on paper towels. Continue until all have been browned.
Add the broth, oregano, and pepper to the tomato sauce. Core the remaining 1 pound of tomatoes and chop into 1/4-inch bits. Add and simmer briskly until the sauce thickens to the consistency of a juicy tomato sauce, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt.
Add the noodles. In about 2 minutes pull the “nests” apart (they’ll have softened enough to do it at this point), then add the zucchini and the chorizo (if you’re using it). Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender but still firm, about 2 minutes.
If using the cream, add it now, raise the heat to medium-high and boil quickly until the sauce returns to its previous consistency. Taste again and readjust the salt, if necessary.
Stir in half of the grated cheese, scoop into a warm serving dish, sprinkle on the remaining cheese and the cilantro garnish, and it’s ready to serve.
B-man
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting hands
1 cup pecans, chopped into very small pieces
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar at low speed until it is smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed gradually add the flour. Mix in the pecans with a spatula. With floured hands, take out about 1 tablespoon of dough and shape into a crescent. Continue to dust hands with flour as you make more cookies. Place onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle but still warm, roll in additional confectioners’ sugar. Cool on wire racks.
B-man