Sikil Pak (Mayan Pumpkin Seed Salsa)

Sikil Pak (Mayan Pumpkin Seed Salsa)

sikil Pak1 small white onion, peeled and sliced into rounds 1/4-inch thick
1 ¾ cups (about 8 ounces)pepitas, toasted, salted hulled pumpkinseeds
1/3 of a 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 generous tablespoons tahini or (or pulverized, toasted sesame seeds)
2 to 3 teaspoons habanero hot sauce (or a little chopped fresh habanero chile)
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
Salt

Set a large (10-inch) nonstick skillet (or a heavy skillet lined with foil) over medium heat and lay in the onion slices. When the onion is browned and softened on one side (about 4 minutes), turn the slices over and brown the other side (about 4 minutes more). Cool to room temperature, roughly chop them and scoop into a blender or food processor. Add the pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, juices, sesame seeds and hot sauce and process until completely smooth. Stir in the cilantro, then taste and season with salt, usually a scant teaspoon depending on the saltiness of the pumpkin seeds. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with raw jicama, cucumber slices and tortilla chips.

Mocha-Caramel Tree Cookies

Mocha-Caramel Tree Cookies

Mocha-Caramel Tree Cookies1 C. butter, softened
1/3 C. sifted powdered sugar
3 T. granulated sugar
1 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder or 2 tsp. instant coffee crystals
1 T. vanilla
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2/3 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. semisweet chocolate pieces
1 tsp. shortening
1/2 of a 14-ounce package vanilla caramels (about 24)
2 T. milk 1/4 C. butter

In a large mixing bowl beat first 3 ingredients with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Dissolve instant coffee powder or crystals in vanilla; add to butter mixture. Beat in cocoa powder. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. By hand, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover; chill about 1 hour or until firm. On a floured surface, roll one half of dough at a time to 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch trees, reindeers, or other shapes. Place cookies 1-1/2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until set but not over browned. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely. Heat and stir chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat until chocolate begins to melt. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set. Heat and stir the caramels, 1/4 C. butter, and milk over very low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Drizzle over cookies.

Homemade Cajeta and Baked Churros

Homemade Cajeta and Baked Churros

cajetaHomemade Cajeta is so Addictive, and so Easy to Make! Serve with a big basket of Baked Churros for Dipping. If you like Dulce de Leche, you’ll adore this Mexican Caramel Sauce, made with Goat’s Milk!

For the Cajeta:
4 cups (1 quart) fresh goat’s milk
1¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Baked Churros:
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
one batch Simply Perfect Pate a Choux
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

To Make the Cajeta: Place the goat’s milk, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large, heavy-bottomed pot, and heat until simmering. Keep the mixture at a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it’s reduced down to about 1½ cups (about 2 hours). It will be very thick and toasty brown. Stir in the vanilla extract, and immediately pour the hot caramel into a heat-safe vessel to cool. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

To Make the Baked Churros: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and stir to combine. Set aside. Place the pate a choux dough in a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip. Pipe 4-inch long lines onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until the churros are evenly browned, dry, hollow, and light.
Brush lightly with melted butter and coat with cinnamon sugar.

Arroz Poblano (Poblano Rice)

Arroz Poblano (Poblano Rice)

Arroz Poblano (Poblano Rice)3 T. vegetable oil, divided
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken broth, plus more if needed
1 cup long grain rice

Heat 2 T. oil in a medium, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the poblano chiles and saute, about 8 minutes. Mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with the salt and pepper. Add 1 cup broth and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let cool. Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure the liquid yield from the blender, adding more chicken broth if necessary to yield 2 total cups of poblano liquid. Adjust seasoning to taste. Meanwhile, clean the skillet, place over medium heat and add the remaining 1 T. oil. Fry the rice until slightly golden. Pour the poblano puree into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cover tightly. Cook for 30 minutes, turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Frijole Negros Refritos (Refried Black Beans)

Frijole Negros Refritos (Refried Black Beans)

refried-black-beans-1x1-13 T. Canola Oil
½ C. thinly sliced White Onion
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
2 C. cooked Black Beans
Salt
Queso Fresco

Heat 2 T. oil in large sauté pan or dutch oven over medium low heat, until oil is hot and begins to shimmer. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until onions have softened and begin to turn a light golden color. Stir in garlic and cook 3-4 minutes, until garlic is starting to get soft but not brown. Stir beans into pan and heat a minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Using an immersion blender, blend until relatively smooth. Leave a few bean chunks so it doesn’t resemble baby food. Heat remaining 1 T. oil in large sauté pan over medium low heat until oil is hot. Pour pureed bean mixture into pan and simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Season with salt and serve sprinkled with queso fresco.

Sailor Tacos with Two Chiles Creamy Sauce

Sailor Tacos with Two Chiles Creamy Sauce

Sailor Tacos with Two Chiles Creamy Sauce1 cup sour cream
1 T. lime juice
1 cup seedless Poblano chile, chopped
1 tsp. Serrano chile, with seeds
1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
2 lb tilapia fillet
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
16 flour tortillas
2 cups purple cabbage, finely chopped

Blend all of the ingredients at medium speed on your blender for the creamy sauce, until everything is well incorporated. Salt to taste and reserve in the fridge until you are ready to serve the tacos.

Add salt and pepper to the fish fillets. In a saucepan, put the oil at medium to high heat and fry the fish fillets. Keep them hot until is time to serve. Warm the tortillas. You can use a comal if you have one, a regular sauce pan or in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes. In the center of the tortilla place the fish. Then add a bit of purple cabbage and close it like a taco. Serve immediately and accompany with the creamy sauce of two peppers.

Slow Cooker Cochinita Pibil Tacos (Yucatan Pulled Pork)

Slow Cooker Cochinita Pibil Tacos (Yucatan Pulled Pork)

Cochinita Pibil (Yucatan Achiote Seasoned Pork)Cochinita Pibil:
2 kg pork butt
3 T. achiote paste
â…“ cup orange juice
â…“ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
â…“ cup white vinegar
1 habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. salt

Pickled Red Onions:
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 T. sugar
½ tsp. whole black peppercorns

Small corn tortillas
Fresh cilantro
Queso fresco (optional)

Rub down pork butt with achiote paste. If the pork is tied up, remove all the string and massage the achiote over the unfolded piece of meat. In a large bowl, mix together orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar, habanero and the spices. Place pork in the orange mixture and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight. Turn the pork at least once in the marinade to ensure even saturation. In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, salt and sugar until the dry ingredients are dissolved. Place onions in a sanitized glass jar and pour vinegar over top. Add peppercorns and top up with water until all the onions are submerged. Set aside at room temperature for an hour to steep. After this, they will be ready to eat. If you’re not eating them right away, pop them in the refrigerator to store. Place pork, marinade and 1 cup of water into a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Once the pork is cooked, it should shred apart easily with a fork. Serve pork in corn tortillas topped with pickled red onions and fresh cilantro (and queso fresco, if you like).

Costillas Adobadas (Cocina de Tom: Pork Ribs in Red-Chili Sauce)

Costillas Adobadas (Cocina de Tom: Pork Ribs in Red-Chili Sauce)

Cocina de Tom Pork Ribs in Red-Chili Sauce3 pounds pork short ribs
Vegetable oil for sautéing
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, unpeeled, sliced
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled, crushed with the flat side of a knife
1 large carrot and 1 stalk celery, chopped coarsely
1 bay leaf
1 dried chipotle pepper

A mix of 12 medium-sized dried chilis, such as guajillos, pasillas, and anchos, split open and stemmed and seeded
2 corn tortillas
6 tomatillos, husked
4 cloves garlic

To serve:
8-12 corn tortillas, heated, for tacos
1 bunch cilantro or parsley, chopped
1 small red onion (for quick pickling)
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup of mild vinegar, such as white-wine or cider
salt

In a heavy-bottomed frying pan, add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and turn heat to medium. Using paper towels, or preferably a kitchen towel that will be quickly dropped into the wash, tamp dry the ribs on all sides. (This is key: Wet ribs won’t brown.) Season the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper and add to hot pan, bone side up. Brown the ribs on as many sides as you can. If the pan begins to scorch, turn the heat down. When the ribs are well browned, remove them and set them aside, and turn heat to low. (You may have to do this in batches). Add a cup or so of water to deglaze the pan, which means scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to liberate the flavorful browned bits that accumulated there. Turn off heat. Now arrange the sliced onion, the garlic, the bay leaf, the carrot and celery chunks, and the chipotle at the bottom of a Dutch oven-style pot (heavy) pot with a tight-fitting lid, and lay the ribs over the. Add the deglazing water from the frying pan, and add enough extra water to submerge the a little more than ribs halfway. Bring slowly to a simmer, cover, and turn heat to lowest setting. (You can also place the covered pot in an oven pre-heated to 300 degrees.) Let the ribs simmer for about 3 hours, then check. The meat should be fork tender and falling off the bone. (If it’s not, allow more time.) When the meat is done, turn the heat off and remove the ribs and any meat that has fallen off, setting them aside. (If making the dish a day ahead, wrap in foil and store in fridge overnight. If you’re making it for same-day eating, you can leave them out on a plate, covered with foil.) Pour the hot liquid through a fine strainer, straining out onions, etc., into a large measuring cup or bowl. Allow to cool in the fridge for at least an hour. This will allow the fat to rise to the top and harden, so it can easily get taken out. Defatting the stock in this way will lead to a clearer-tasting, more vivid sauce. Meanwhile, while the ribs are simmering, make the pickled-onion garnish. Slice the red onion thin and place the slices in a bowl. Pour boiling water over the onions until covered, and let them sit in it for a minute or two. Drain the water and return blanched onion slices to the bowl. add a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, and a crushed and peeled clove of garlic. Add vinegar until onion slices are covered, and set aside.

Now make the sauce. Place foil at the bottom of a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet and place over medium heat. Toast the garlic gloves and tomatillos, turning occasionally, until the garlic has softened and turned black in spots and the tomatillos have blackened a bit and started to split open. Remove the foil from the pan, being careful not to spill the tomatillo juices. Peel the toasted garlic and drop it into a blender or food processor. Dump the tomatillos, juice and all, into the blender with the garlic. Set aside. Now toast the tortillas in the same skillet, until they’ve blackened a bit and gotten dried out. Tear one in half and add it to the blender. Set the other aside. Toast the chilis on the same skillet, maintaining medium heat. Open them flat and press them into the skillet with a tongs, a few at a time, a few seconds each side. Lay them into a bowl and and submerge with hot water for at least 15 minutes. Add the rehydrated chilis—discarding the water—to the blender with the garlic, tomatillos, and tortillas. Give it a heavy pich of salt and a lashing of ground pepper, and blend until smooth. You will probably have to scrape the sides of the blender down with a spatula. If the mixture is too dry to blend, add a little water. If it’s to loose and saucy, add a chunk of the reserved tortilla. What you should end up with is a thick and smooth paste.

Now you’ve got a chili paste, ribs that are falling off the bone, and a rich broth. It’s time to bring them all together. Add about the paste to a large pot, and stir in enough broth to make it nice and saucy—not to thick, not too thin. Add the ribs and any meat that has fallen off. Cover, and let the sauce come slowly to a simmer over medium-low heat. When the ribs are heated through, spread all the meat and bone on a platter, and spoon a little sauce over it, reserving the rest to serve at table in a bowl. Garnish with chopped cilantro, pickled onions, a lashing of your best sea salt, and a grind or five of black pepper. Serve with hot tortillas and side dishes—I always think braised greens go well with pork.

Carnitas de Puerco (Mexican Pulled Pork with Citrus & Cumin)

Carnitas de Puerco (Mexican Pulled Pork with Citrus & Cumin)

Carnitas de Puerco1 (5-6 lb.) Pork Shoulder
2 tsp. Cumin
2 tsp. Mexican Oregano
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 Oranges, halved
1 Lime, halved
2 Bay Leaves
1 White Onion, peeled and Quartered
2 T. Sweetened Condensed Milk
12oz. can Mexican Beer
4 C. Water
2 tsp. Salt

For serving: Tortillas, Fresh Avocado Guacamole, Salsa Mexicana

Rinse pork shoulder under cool running water and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Move to cutting board and cut into 2 inch pieces. Cut as uniform as possible. Don’t trim fat; it will render in cooking and crisp the pork in the final stages of cooking. Place pork in heavy bottomed stock pot or dutch oven and toss with cumin and oregano. Add garlic, 2 orange halves, lime halves, bay leaves, onion, and sweetened condensed milk and pour the beer on top. Cover with water and bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for 90 minutes to 2 hours, until pork is fork tender and all liquid is evaporated. Stir more often as liquid evaporates to ensure pork does not stick to the pan. Preheat oven to 425. Once liquid has evaporated, transfer to oven safe dish (unless using Dutch oven) and discard bay leaves, onion, orange and lime. Sprinkle with salt and pour any pan drippings into roasting dish. Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and squeeze juice of remaining oranges on top. Serve with tortillas, guacamole and salsa.

Huarache con Setas Silvestres (Crisp Corn Masa Sandals with Fragrant Mushrooms)

Huarache con Setas Silvestres (Crisp Corn Masa Sandals with Fragrant Mushrooms)

Huarche con Setas Silvestres1 ½ C. dried Masa Harina
½ tsp. Salt
1 C. Warm Water

2 T. Butter
½ T. EVOO
¼ tsp. dried Oregano
12oz. Assorted Mushrooms, cut into ½’ slices
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. Sherry Vinegar
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black Truffle Oil
4 T. Canola Oil

Optional, for Garnish: Salsa Mexicana, Queso Fresco, Watercress, Cilantro

In large mixing bowl, combine masa harina, salt and water and mix thoroughly. Knead 2-3 minutes until smooth. Divide into 4 equal size portions and roll to form a cigar shape. Place masa between to pieces of lightly oiled parchment paper. Using a tortilla press or rolling pin, press each into a sandal shape, about a quarter inch thick. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Heat butter and evoo in large sauté pan over medium heat until very hot and oil begins to shimmer. Add oregano, mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the mushrooms do not stick and garlic does not burn. Stir in vinegar, salt and truffle oil and cook an additional 5 minutes, until mushrooms are soft. Taste and season with salt if needed. Set aside.

Heat 1 T. canola oil in large heavy bottomed pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat until oil is hot. Place one hurache at a time in skillet and cook 2 minutes until it begins to blacken on the bottom. Flip and repeat with the other side an additional 1-2 minutes. Transfer to serving plate and repeat with remaining oil and huraches.

Spread a quarter cup of the mushroom mixture on top of each hurache, and sprinkle with garnish items, as desired.

Jalapenos Rellenos de Queso (Stuffed Jalapenos with Chihuahua Cheese)

Jalapenos Rellenos de Queso (Stuffed Jalapenos with Chihuahua Cheese)

12 Jalapeno Chiles, Dry Roasjalapeno rellenosted, Peeled and Seeded
¾ C. shredded Chihuahua or Jack Cheese
2 C. Canola Oil (for frying)
½ C. Flour
½ tsp. Salt
4 large Egg Whites
Avocado, Cilantro, Mexican Crema, for Garnish

Using the lengthwise slit in the jalapeno from de-seeding, gradually spoon in 1 T. of cheese into each pepper and tightly squeeze it to close the sides around the shredded cheese. Place prepared peppers on a waxed paper lined sheet tray and chill for 1-6 hours. In large sauté pan over medium high heat, heat the canola oil to 350. Meanwhile add flour to a shallow bowl and stir in the salt. Place egg whites in a medium size bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Dredge chilled peppers in flour, then dip into egg whites and carefully lay in hot oil Use a spatula or spoon to baste the peppers with hot oil. Once bottoms are golden, turn with slotted spoon or spatula and brown other side. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to drain. Garnish with diced avocado, cilantro and a dollop or crema.

Mexican Pintos with Cactus

Mexican Pintos with Cactus

2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
3 T. salt, divided
3 slices bacon, chopped
2 large flat cactus leaves (nopales)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 slices onion

Mexican Pintos with CactusPlace the pinto beans into a slow cooker, and fill to the top with hot water. Add the bacon, 2 T. of salt, jalapeno and onion. Cover, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, adding water as needed, until beans are tender. Remove any thorns from the cactus leaves, and slice into small pieces. Place in a saucepan with 1 T. of salt, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water for 1 minute. Add to the beans when they are soft, and cook for 15 more minutes on High.

Nopales con Cebolla Caramelizada, Chile Guajillo y Queso Fresco (Nopal Cactus with Caramelized Onion, Guajillo Chile and Fresh Cheese)

Nopales con Cebolla Caramelizada, Chile Guajillo y Queso Fresco (Nopal Cactus with Caramelized Onion, Guajillo Chile and Fresh Cheese)

Nopal Cactus with Caramelized Onion, Guajillo Chile and Fresh Cheese3 dried guajillo chiles, seeded and torn into flat pieces
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/214.5-ounce can diced tomato (preferably fire-roasted)
1 pound (8 medium) nopales cactus paddles
3T. olive or vegetable oil
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salt
A little sugar, if necessary
1 cup (4 oz.)crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese such as feta or goat cheese
A big handful of cilantro leaves

Prepare the guajillo chile base. Heat a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium. Toast the chiles by using a metal spatula to press them against the hot surface for a few seconds, until very aromatic, then flipping and pressing the other side. Roast the unpeeled garlic, turning from time to time, until soft and blotchy-black in spots, about 15 minutes. Cool and peel off the papery skin. Break the chiles into smaller pieces and combine in a blender jar with the garlic and the undrained can of tomatoes. Blend until smooth—this will take a minute or so because of the tough chile skins. Clean and cut the cactus. Holding a paddle with a pair of tongs, trim off the edge that outlines the paddle, including the blunt end where the paddle was severed from the plant. Slice or scrape off the spiny nodes from both sides of the paddle. When all paddles are cleaned, cut them into squares that are a little larger than ½ inch. Prepare the dish. In a large (4-quart) saucepan, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until richly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the cactus, cover the pan and cook 5 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until all of the cactus’s sticky stuff has evaporated and you hear the cactus sizzling in the oil. Immediately, set a medium-mesh strainer over the pan, pour in the chile mixture and press it through. Stir everything together and let it cook until the chile mixture has thickened to the consistency of tomato paste. Stir in ½ cup water, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt (usually about 1 tsp.) and a little sugar if necessary to balance the chile’s natural astringency. Serving. Serve the warm mixture with the fresh cheese, cilantro and warm tortillas if you want to enjoy the dish as a filling for soft tacos.

Grilled Panela Cheese & Green Sauce with Nopales

Grilled Panela Cheese & Green Sauce with Nopales

1 Panella Cheese Round (200-300grilled panela cheese and green sauce with nopalesg)
½ – 1 C. Green Sauce (Your Favorite)
2 Nopales Paddles, cleaned
Chopped Cilantro to taste
Toast or Corn Tortillas for Serving

Cut 2 slices parchment paper larger than the cheese. Grease the paper and place on your hot grill or skillet, and place cheese on top of the paper. Cook 5-6 minutes until cheese has been marked. Add the nopales to the grill and cook one side while the cheese grills. Flip Nopales at 3-4 minutes. Cover the top of the cheese with the second sheet of greased parchment paper and flip carefully. Cook an additional 4-6 minutes, until that side is marked and cheese is warmed through. Meanwhile, remove your nopales after 3-4 minutes on the second side, and set aside. Remove cheese to a plate, carefully removing parchment first. Slice cactus into thin strips. Place half sauce on the plate around the cheese, top the cheese with the cactus, then drizzle with remaining sauce and garnish with cilantro.

Cooking Nopales

Cooking Nopales

Cleaning cactus is no easy feat to accomplish. In fact, I was too scared to attempt it until I was older, for fear of getting pricked. That’s because even though the bigger needles are visible to the naked eye, there are also some tiny needles that are as clear as water and virtually invisible. You can blanch your cactus, boil it, saute it, or even cure it in salt for a different approach. Heck, some people blend cactus into their green smoothies. Note that the smaller the paddle, the more tender the cactus will be.

6 nopales (cactus pads)cactus

1 tomatillo husk (to reduce the viscosity effect)
1/4 white onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp. of salt

VERY IMPORTANT TIP: Use kitchen tongs to hold the nopales or, better yet, wear gloves to protect your hands from the thorns. Once you are familiar working with cactus paddles then you can try to clean them without gloves. Place the cactus paddle on your cutting board and, using a sharp knife, trim off the edge. Scrape the spines, thorns or eyes, running your knife from back to front until completely clean. Turn the cactus paddles and do the same on the other side. Repeat the same steps with the rest of the cactus paddles. Finally rinse the cactus paddles and take them back to your clean cutting board. Place a medium size pot with 4 quarts of water to boil. Cut the cactus paddles in small strips. Once the water is boiling add the cactus, onion, garlic, 1/2 tsp. of salt and the tomatillo husk. Boil uncovered for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. The cactus will exude a sticky substance and most times will foam, so, pay special attention to this step to avoid the foam to spill over. Once cooked, drain and rinse the cactus. Let them drain completely or pat them dry with paper towels. Now, your nopales are ready to be prepared into salads, scrambled eggs, as an addition to your Mexican stews, etc. Note: Nopales also taste good grilled and topped with melted cheese. Just make 3-4 small cuts to each nopal after you cleaned the spines; brush them with oil and grill them for about 3 minutes on each side.

Tortilla de Maiz

Tortilla de Maiz

Tortilla de Maiz2 C. Masa Harina
½ tsp. Salt
1 ½ C. Warm Water

In a large mixing bowl, combine masa harina and salt. Slowly pour in warm water and mix with your hands until incorporated. Knead mixture until you have one large ball of dough. Pull a small bit of the dough off and roll into a ball to test the consistency. Squash the ball gently between the palms of your hands until about a quarter inch thick. The dough should squish easily in your hands without being too sticky and form a flat disc with rounded edges. If the disc has rough edges, it is too dry, and you need to add more water. If the dough sticks easily to your hands, it is too wet and you need more masa. Pull and equal size portion of dough from the larger piece and roll into a ball just larger than a golf ball. Place on sheet tray lined with parchment paper and repeat for all the dough. Keep the dough ball covered with a damp towel as you work to keep the dough from drying out. Heat comal over medium high heat. Put 2 6” round pieces of plastic (such as from a plastic shopping bag) and place one on the bottom of a tortilla press. Place a masa ball on the plastic and cover with the second plastic disc. Close cover and apply enough pressure to flatten the dough into a 5” tortilla. Lift lid of press, gently peel away the top layer of plastic, flip in your hand and peel away the other piece of plastic. Place tortilla on heated pan and cook 30 seconds, until bottom starts to brown and bubble. Turn tortilla over and cook 30 more seconds. Remove and set aside. Cover with a clean towel to keep warm. Repeat with remaining dough, stacking the tortillas on top of each other after cooking.

Authentic Homemade Mexican Chorizo

Authentic Homemade Mexican Chorizo

The key ingredient that gives Mexican chorizo its red color and spiciness is the Ancho chile powder.

1.10 lb. or 500 grams of ground pork
1 tbsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. coriander seed
5 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. thyme
1 tbsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
5 whole peppercorns (or ½ tsp. ground black pepper)
2 tbsp. Ancho chile powder OR substitute with a combination of 2 tbsp. paprika mixed with ½ tsp. cayenne powder OR 2 tbsp. paprika mixed with 1 tsp. red chili powder
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (can substitute with red wine vinegar)

Handling chili powders can cause burning to your hands. I highly advice to use plastic gloves for handling the chili and chorizo. In a mortar and pestle grind the cumin seed, coriander seed and cloves. Break up the bay leaves with your hands as much as possible and add them to the spices in mortar and pestle, grind until you have a fine powder. Next add the remaining spices to the mortar and pestle and grind/mix until everything is well combined. In a large glass bowl using your hands break up the ground pork. Next you may want to put on some plastic gloves to prevent burning and staining to your hands. Pour in the vinegar and half the spices, spread them evenly on the pork, and start working it into the ground pork. Adding more of the spice mixture until it has all been used up. Keep working the meat until it turns red (from the chile) and all the spices have been well combined into the meat. It is best to let the chorizo sit overnight before cooking with it. This will allow all of the flavors to come together and make for a better tasting chorizo. Alternatively, you can freeze the chorizo until you are ready to use it. Since this chorizo does not have casings you can form or shape sausages or patties and keep their form by wrapping them in plastic kitchen wrap. Another way to store the chorizo in the freezer is by portioning out amounts and storing it inside plastic bags. This way you defrost what you need or want without having to use the whole large batch.
8.Now you are ready to use the chorizo in all of your favorite Mexican recipes like tacos, sopes, frijoles charros, chiles rellenos or any of your other favorite fusion recipes.

Salsa Mexicana

Salsa Mexicana

Salsa Mexicana½ medium white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
Fresh Hot Green Chiles to Taste (usually 1 or 2 serranos or 1 small jalapeno), stemmed, seeded (if you wish) and finely chopped
12 oz. (about 2 medium-small round or 4 to 5 plum) red-ripe tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
2 to 3 T. (loosely packed) chopped fresh cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off)
About 2 T. fresh lime juice

Scoop the onion into a strainer, rinse under cold tap water, shake off the excess and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the green chile, tomatoes, cilantro and lime. Stir well, taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 tsp.. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Chorizo de Mexicana

Chorizo de Mexicana

Mexican Chorizo

5 whole black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
¼ tsp. ground Cinnamon
½ tsp. Oregano (Mexican)
½ tsp. dried Thyme
2 tsp. Paprika
2 tsp. Salt
2 dried Ancho Chiles, stemmed, seeded, dry roasted and rehydrated
1 dried Guajillo Chile, stemmed, seeded, dry roasted and rehydrated
1 dried Chipotle Chile, stemmed, seeded, dry roasted and rehydrated
1 Chile de arbol, stemmed, seeded, dry roasted and rehydrated
2 cloves Garlic
2 T. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 lb. Fatty Pork (such as pork shoulder), coarsely ground

Place peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, paprika and salt in a blender and blend until peppercorns and cloves are completely crushed. Add rehydrated chiles to blended spice mixture, along with garlic and apple sider vinegar. Blend for one minute. If necessary, feel free to add up to ½ cup of water to the mixture to ensure it is thoroughly blended. Place ground pork in large bowl and top with spice mixture. Using a large wooden spoon or your hands, mix the pork and spices. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours to allow flavors to combine. Freeze or refrigerate until use. Note: Sausage must be fully cooked before eating.

Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde

8ounces (3 to 4 medium)tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (1 or 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno), stemmed
2large garlic cloves, peeled
6 sprigs of fresh cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off), roughly chopped
1small white onion, finely chopped
Salt

Roast the tomatillos, chile(s) and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, until blotchy black and softening (they’ll be turning from lime green to olive), about 5 minutes. Flip them over and roast the other side. Cool, then transfer everything to a blender, including all the delicious juice the tomatillos have exuded during roasting. Add the cilantro and 1/4 cup water, then blend to a coarse puree. Scoop into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually 1/2 teaspoon.Salsa Verde

Recado Rojo

Recado Rojo

Recado Rojo5 T. Annato Seeds
1 C. Warm Water
1 tsp. Cumin, ground
1 tsp. dried Mexican Oregano
5 Cloves, whole
1 T. Black Peppercorns
6 Allspice Berries
1 T. Salt
8 Cloves Garlic, peeled
1 Habanero, seeded
¼ C. Orange Juice
¼ C. White Vinegar
2 Lemons, juiced
2 tsp. Herradura Silver Tequila

Place annatto seeds in warm water and soak for 15 minutes to allow seeds to soften slightly. Drain and place in spice grinder along with Cumin and next 5 ingredients (through salt). Grind to a fine powder. Place garlic, chile, citrus juices, vinegar and ground spice mixture in a blender and blend for 2 minutes and blend until you have a smooth paste, 2 minutes or so. Add tequila and blend on high another 30 seconds. Remove to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Fundamentals of Mexican Cooking

Fundamentals of Mexican Cooking

Fundamentals of Mexican Cooking

Achiote Paste (Recado Rojo)
Agave Nectar
Avocado
Beans, Black, Pinto
Canela (Mexican Cinnamon)
Cheeses: Queso Chihuahua, cojita, fresco, oaxca
Chiles, Dried: Ancho (poblano), Chile de Arbol, Chipotle (jalapeno), Guajillo (, Mulato, Pasila
Chiles, Fresh: Habanero, Jalapeno, Poblano, Serrano
Chiles, Canned: Chipotle in Adobo
Chorizo de Mexicana
Corn Husks
Herbs: Cilantro, Epazote, Flor de Jamaica (hibiscus flower), Hojo Santa, hojas de aguacate (Avocado Leaves), Mexican Oregano
Jicama
Limes
Manteca Pura (Rendered Pork Lard)
Masa
Mexican Chocolate
Mexican Crema
Nopales
Pepitas
Piloncillo (Panela)
Purslane
Sea Salt
Spices: Annatto, Cumin,
Tomatillos
Valentina (A tangy hot sauce)

Cazuelas (Glazed Ceramic Cooking Dish)
Comal (Flat griddle for roasting ingredients, toasting spices, and cooking tortillas)
Molcajete (Volcanic Rock Mortar & Pestle)
Tortilla Press

Traditional Techniques

Dried Chiles: Use a damp cloth to wipe the chile and remove any dust. With kitchen shears, cut off stem and make a slit on one side. Pry open and remove any seeds. Depending on recipe, you may need to reserve seeds. Heat cast iron pan or comal over medium low heat until hot. Working in batches, open chile and place it directly onto the pan, using tongs to push it down flat. Cook 30-50 seconds, flip, and repeat on the other side. Unless recipe states otherwise., remove toasted chiles to a glass bowl, cover with warm water, using a plate to weight down so they stay under water if necessary. Soak for 30 minutes, and discard soaking liquid.
Fresh Chiles: To dry roast fresh chiles (excluding poblanos), heat cast iron pan or comal over medium-high heat and place shiles in the pan to cook, turning often, until blackened on all sides. If chile needs to be peeled, place in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow peppers to rest for 30 minutes until skin separates easily from the flesh and pepper is cool enough to handle. Using a paring knife, gently rub the skin off the pepper. To see, cut a slit from tip to base of the stem. Gently remove and discard seeds and ribs. Habanero and serrano chiles do not need to be peeled.

Garlic: Heat comal over medium high heat. Break garlic cloves away from head and place in pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until they are blackened in spots. Remove garlic, let cool and peel.

Onion: heat comal over medium high heat. Place a peeled and quartered onion in the pan and cook for 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened slightly.

Tomato: heat comal over medium high heat. Place whole tomato directly onto the hot pan. Cook, turning once or twice, until blackened on all sides.

Tomatilo: heat comal over medium high heat. Remove and discard husk. Rinse under cool water to remove sticky outer covering, pat dry, and place on hot pan. Cook, turning once or twice, until blackened on all sides but before it is about to burst.

Poblano Pepper: Turn flame of gas burner to medium high. Place chile carefully on open flame and cook, turning often until completely black. Place in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow peppers to rest for 30 minutes until skin separates easily from the flesh and pepper is cool enough to handle. Using a paring knife, gently rub the skin off the pepper. To see, cut a slit from tip to base of the stem. Gently remove and discard seeds and ribs.

 

Mexican Sandwich Breads

Bolillos and teleras are right up there with tortillas when it comes to daily staples in the Mexican diet. Just as it is hard to find a small village, town, or city without its own tortilleria. it is almost impossible to find one without a panaderia (bakery). A panaderia begins its shifts long before the rooster has had its chance to crow at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning; the mariachis haven’t even finished their singing for the night. Its main products are bolillos and teleras, both descendants of the French baguette. Few things are as delicious a few minutes after they have been taken out of a smoldering-hot brick oven.

Like baguettes, bolillos and teleras are very crunchy and golden on the outside, but they are different in a few ways. They are rolls rather than long thin breads, ranging from 5 to 6 inches in length, and chubbier, either round or oval. Bolillos and teleras have a thinner crust and more soft bread inside than in baguettes. That bready interior is called migajon. and it is usually removed before assembling tortas {but most people don’t discard it. they munch on it right after they remove it). Cooks also use migajon for bread crumbs or stuffings, or as an ingredient in albondigas- meatballs—or meat loaf.

The difference between bolillos and teleras is just the shape. A telera is a bit flatter and rounder than a bolillo and has two vertical lines running down its top, dividing the
bread into thirds, which helps you cut it into pieces when you attempt to eat it. A bolillo has a fold down the middle and two knots at each end, which are tighter than the ends of a telera. I have found that the roll that I call a bolillo is called a Portuguese bun in many Latin grocery stores in the DC area. To keep your Mexican bread (as the rolls are also called in some stores) fresh, store the rolls well sealed in a paper bag inside a closed plastic bag. If you know you are
not going to eat all of the rolls within a couple of days, freeze them just as you would
bagels.

Bolillos and teleras are used for so many things! They are cut and placed in a
bread basket in restaurants and homes; they are dunked in coffee, hot chocolate, or
atoles (masa based beverages) in the mornings; and. of course, they are used to make
an infinite number of tortas. They are incredibly delicious spread with refried beans
with cheese melted on top {molletes)—and make great bread crumbs and
croutons. Can’t find bolillos or teleras {or Portuguese buns)? You can substitute
French rolls, baguettes cut into shorter lengths, or petite baguettes.

Spicy Avocado Aioli

Spicy Avocado Aioli

1 Avocado
1 T mayo
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
half of jalapeno (with seeds if spiciness is desired)
1/3 C. of milk

Add first 6 ingredients in the food processor and pulse a few times until smooth. Slowly add milk and puree until smooth and has reach the consistency that you want.

Vanilla Orange Sugared Cranberries

Vanilla Orange Sugared Cranberries

Vanilla Orange Scented Cranberries3 ¾ cups sugar, divided
1 ¾ cups water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. orange extract or grand mariner
1- 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)

Combine 2 ½ cups of sugar, water, vanilla, and orange extract in a sauce pan. Heat over medium until the sugar has completely dissolved—but not boiling. Pour in the cranberries and stir. The hot syrup will loosen the skin, saturate the berries and adhere to the berries over time. Cover the cranberries with a small plate to keep them mostly submerged. Then cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Place the remaining 1 ¼ cup of sugar in a rimmed dish. Strain the cranberries and place them in the sugar. Shake until they are completely coated. Carefully transfer them to a baking sheet to dry—about an hour. Once the sugar coating is hard, place them in an air-tight container and keep in a cool spot for up to a week!

Herb-roasted beef with roasted fennel, leeks and carrots

Herb-roasted beef with roasted fennel, leeks and carrots

Herb-roasted beef with roasted fennel, leeks and carrots3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T. honey
1 tsp. lemon pepper
3 lb New York beef strip roast
4 oz bacon
1 leek
1 fennel bulb
6 carrots

Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop the rosemary and thyme leaves, discarding the stems. Finely chop the garlic. Mix the rosemary, thyme and garlic with the mustard, oil, honey and lemon pepper. Rub the beef with 2 T. of the marinade. Layer the bacon over the beef. Place beef in a roasting pan and fold the bacon under. Halve the leeks and wash thoroughly to remove dirt and grit. Cut into pieces. Trim the stems and fronds off the fennel and cut bulb into quarters. Peel the carrots and cut into large chunks. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the vegetables for 4 min. Drain and mix with the remaining the marinade. Roast beef 40 min. Add vegetables and continue roasting for 20 min., or until an instant read thermometer reaches 135°F. Transfer beef to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let meat rest at least 10 min. before serving with roast vegetables.

Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and Pancetta

Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and Pancetta

Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and PancettaSea salt
8 oz. penne
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
3 oz. pancetta, diced
1 large rosemary sprig
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 jalapeño or Serrano chile, thinly sliced (or substitute 1 large pinch crushed red pepper flakes)
Freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
2 tsp. butter
Fresh lemon juice, for serving

Bring large pot heavily salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until pasta is just al dente (do not overcook). Meanwhile, heat large sauté pan over high heat and add the olive oil. When oil is hot, add the pancetta and rosemary, and sauté until the fat on the pancetta starts to turn translucent and very lightly brown, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, chile and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and sauté until garlic and pancetta turn richly brown, about 3 minutes. Add the brussels sprouts, a large pinch of salt and a splash of water to pan, and sauté until sprouts just start to soften, about 2 minutes. Spread sprouts mixture in pan and press down to flatten. Let it sear for a minute, then stir it up and repeat. This helps brown the sprouts. Add the butter, and sauté for another minute. Drain penne and add it to pan with brussels sprouts mixture. Cook, tossing, until everything is well mixed. Spoon into pasta bowls and top with a drizzle of oil and lemon juice, and a little cheese if you like.

Make Your Own Panko

Make Your Own Panko

pankoPreheat oven to 300. Cut several pieces of bread into strips. Feed them into a food processor fitted with a shredder attachment. Spread on a sheet pan and bake for 6-8 minutes, tossing every two minutes or so. You don’t want them to brown, you just want them crispy.

Baked Raspberry Oatmeal with a Brown Butter Drizzle

Baked Raspberry Oatmeal with a Brown Butter Drizzle

Waking up to a warm breakfast isn’t hard to do when this baked raspberry oatmeal is on the menu! You can make it the night before and then reheat the next morning, served with a drizzle of brown butter.

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oatsBaked Raspberry Oatmeal with a Brown Butter Drizzle
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup canned light coconut milk
â…“ cup pumpkin puree
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups frozen raspberries
2 T. unsalted butter, browned

Heat oven to 350F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour the raspberries into the batter and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top of the oatmeal is set. Let cool for a few minutes and then serve with a drizzle of brown butter.

Pretty Prosciutto & Fig Toasts

Pretty Prosciutto & Fig Toasts

Pretty Prosciutto & Fig Toasts¼ C. Fig Preserves
2 T. Mascarpone Cheese
2 slices Bread, Toasted
¼ lb. Prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 T. chopped Fresh Basil

In small bowl, stir together fig preserves and mascarpone until creamy. Spread on toast and layer slices of prosciutto on top. Sprinkle with basil. If you have fresh figs, slice one and add on top.

Grilled Corn with Basil Butter & Smoked Paprika

Grilled Corn with Basil Butter & Smoked Paprika

6 earns corn, huskedGrilled Corn with Basil Butter & Smoked Paprika
8 T. Butter, room temperature
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
3 T. chopped Basil
¼ tsp. Salt
1-2 tsp. Smoked Paprika

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Rub each ear of corn with a tsp. or so of the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap each in a small sheet of aluminum foil (2 layers of foil is all you want). Place directly on grill and cook for 20-25 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes. In small bowl, stir together remaining butter, basil and salt. Spread butter on hot corn and sprinkle with smoked paprika.

Drop Biscuits

Drop Biscuits

Sour-Cream-Drop-Biscuits-22 C. Flour
3 T. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Powder
¼ tsp. Baking Soda
1 ½ C. Heavy Cream
Butter, for Serving

Preheat oven to 400 with rack in center position. Line sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda in bowl to remove any lumps. Pour in the cream and stir with rubber spatula until a sticky, shaggy dough comes together. Use large spoon or 2 inch ice cream scoop to drop the dough onto the prepared sheet pan in 12 even lumps, about 2 T. per scoop. Bake, rotating halfway through cooking, until biscuits are nicely golden brown, 18-20 minutes.

Sauteed Shrimp with Piquillos, Olives and Pork Belly

Sauteed Shrimp with Piquillos, Olives and Pork Belly

Sautéed Shrimp with Piquillos, Olives and Pork BellySalt
4 ounce slice of Pork Belly, about ½ inch thick
3 T. EVOO
12 oz. medium Shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 large cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
½ tsp. Smoked Spanish Paprika
¼ C. sliced Piquillo Peppers
¼ C. coarsely chopped green Spanish Olives
¼ C. dry White Wine, such as Albarino
Crusty Bread, for Serving

Bring medium saucepan of salted water to a boil Add pork belly and boil for 3 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and let cool. Slice pork belly into ¼ inch pieces. In large skillet, heat oil. Add pork belly and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add shrimp, garlic and paprika to the pan. Season with salt and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until shrimp are just pink, about 90 seconds. Add peppers, olives, and wine and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about a minute longer. Add pork and simmer 1 minute. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Tortilla Espanola, Portlandia Style

Tortilla Espanola, Portlandia Style

tortilla española12 large Eggs
5oz Bag Flavored Potato Chips, lightly crushed (Salt & Pepper, Bacon, Thai, etc)
2 T. EVOO
3 Scalliosn, sliced
3 oz. Spanish Chorizo, chopped finely

Preheat broiler and position a rack 8 inches from heat. In large bowl, beat eggs. Add potato chips and let sock for 10 minutes. In large oven-proof skillet, heat oil until shimmering. Odd scallions and chorizo and cook over high heat, stirring, until chorizo has rendered its fat, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg mixture, stirring to combine with sausage and scallions. Cook over medium high heat until the bottom and sides are set, about 3 minutes. Place in oven and broil until the top is lightly browned and the eggs are set through, 3-4 minutes longer. Slide onto a plate, cut into wedges and serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

Sheet Pan Suppers – Shakshuka

Sheet Pan Suppers – Shakshuka

Sheet Pan Shakshuka2 Poblano Peppers, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
2 Jalapeno Peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 lg. Shallot, finely chopped
6 cloves Garlic, sliced thinly
1 ½ tsp. Cumin
2 T. Smoked Paprika
Salt
3 T. EVOO
28oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes
12 Large Eggs
½ – 1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese (2-4 oz.)
½ C. roughly chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
Toast or Warm Pita Bread, for Serving

Preheat oven to 350 with a rack in center position. Toss together peppers, shallot, garlic, cumin, paprika, half tsp. salt and oil on sheet pan until vegetables are evenly coated. Bake until spices are fragrant and vegetables have softened and started to brown, 10-15 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Pour tomatoes with juice, over vegetables and stir to combine. Use a wooden spoon to make 12 evenly spaced divots in the sauce; sauce will be a bit runny, but do your best. Crack the eggs into the divots, and sprinkle with salt. Return pan to the oven and bake until eggs are cooked to your liking. It will take about 10-15 minutes for the whites to set but the yolks to remain runny. Remove from oven, sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh parsley. Serve hot with toast or pita on the side.

Sheet Pan Suppers: Big Dutch Baby with Meyer Lemon Sugar

Sheet Pan Suppers: Big Dutch Baby with Meyer Lemon Sugar

Big Dutch Baby with Meyer Lemon Sugar8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. grated Meyer Lemon Zest
Fresh Berries for Serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack in the center position. Place the butter on a sheet pan and put the pan in the oven until the butter melts and begins to bubble, just a few minutes. While the butter is melting, whisk together the flour, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.  In a blender or food processor, whirl the eggs on high for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla (with the motor running). Pour into a large bowl and whisk in the flour; the batter will be really thin. Pour the batter onto the sheet pan (make sure the melted butter is evenly coating the pan first), and then bake until the pancake is puffy and golden around the edges, about 15 to 20 minutes. While it bakes, mash together sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl until sugar is fragrant and yellow. When the pancake is done, remove it from the oven and sprinkle generously with sugar. Cut into squares and serve immediately with fresh berries and extra sugar on the side.

 

Sheet Pan Suppers: Green Eggs & Ham

Sheet Pan Suppers: Green Eggs & Ham

Sheet Pan Suppers Green Eggs & HamOlive oil cooking spray
1 boneless ham steak
4 to 5 c. chopped kale
1 tbsp. olive oil
kosher salt
8 to 12 large eggs
½ c. crumbled feta cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F with a rack in the center position. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and mist the foil with cooking spray. Spread out the ham on the prepared pan and bake, using a spatula to mix and turn the ham occasionally, until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the ham to a plate with a spatula or slotted spoon. Do not wipe up any grease from the bottom of the pan. Place the kale on the sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt, and toss to coat. Spread out the kale in an even layer. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven but leave the oven on. Use a wooden spoon to make divots in the kale to accommodate the eggs. Crack an egg into each divot. Sprinkle the feta, the reserved ham cubes, and some salt and pepper on top. Return the pan to the oven. Bake the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy greens and eggs and ham immediately, with some crusty bread to soak up the warm, runny yolks.

Sheet Pan Suppers: Ham & Swiss Pastry Braid

Sheet Pan Suppers: Ham & Swiss Pastry Braid

sheet pan ham and swiss braid 1Flour, for rolling out pastry
14oz. box frozen Puff Pastry, thawed according to package directions
1 T. Dijon Mustard
5 oz. Swiss Cheese
5 oz. sliced Ham
1 Egg White, lightly beaten
Pinch Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 with rack in center position. Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Roll out puff pastry to a 10 x 15 inch rectangle, about ¼” thick. Place on a sheet of parchment paper so that one of the short sides is facing you. Use a sharp knife to cut off the top corners of the rectangle at a 45 degree angle, leaving 4 inches of dough between them. Next cut out 2 triangular notches at the bottom of the rectangle, leaving 4 inches between them as well. It should look like a short stumped christmas tree missing its pointing top. Finally make 8 diagonal slits, about 1 inch apart and parallel to the notches, along each side of the pastry, leaving a 4 inch wide strips in the center intact.

braid1
Spread Dijon over the center strip of pastry (not flaps), and layer the cheese and ham over the mustard leaving a ¾” border on top and bottom. Fold bottom and top edges over the ham and cheese. Starting from top and alternating sides, fold the diagonal flaps of pastry over the filling, crisscrossing them over one another, until all strips are interwoven and filling is covered. Trim away any loose pieces of pastry at the bottom, pinch the openings to seal it, and transfer the parchment paper with braid on it to a sheet pan. Brush the top lightly with egg white and sprinkle with pepper. Bake until pastry is deeply browned and cheese is bubbling up through the slits, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting it into thick slices and enjoying warm.

braid2

Garmin’s Crispy Pork Riblets

Garmin’s Crispy Pork Riblets

Garmin’s Crispy Pork Riblets3 lbs of spareribs, cut in half lengthwise by butcher
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 onion, quartered
1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, halved
4 stalks of lemongrass, slightly smashed
8 ¼” slices of ginger, peeled
2 cups of chicken broth
½ cup soy sauce
4 cups of water
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup all purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying

¼ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup braising liquid (or low sodium broth)
2 T. ketchup
2 T. mustard
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. fish sauce
1 T. red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 350. Put ribs in a dutch oven with garlic, onion, jalapeno, lemongrass, ginger, chicken broth, soy sauce and water. Put on stove and bring to boil uncovered. Cover the dutch oven and place it in the oven. Braise in the oven for 1 ½-2 hours until ribs are tender but not falling off the bones. Reserve ¼ cup of the braising liquid. Remove ribs, pat dry and refrigerate overnight. Toss cornstarch and flour. Cut each rib and toss in the cornstarch/flour shaking off excess. Heat oil and fry ribs in batches until beginning to brown, 5-6 minutes. Drain excess oil on a paper towel. Meanwhile process marmalade, braising liquid, ketchup, mustard, sesame oil and fish sauce in a food processor. Transfer to a sauce pan and heat over low heat as the ribs fry. Toss the ribs in the sauce, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve.

Crispy Filipino Fried Spareribs with Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Crispy Filipino Fried Spareribs with Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Crispy Filipino Fried Spareribs With Vinegar Dipping Sauce1/2 cup cane or rice vinegar, plus more for serving
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. freshly minced garlic (about 6 medium cloves)
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 rack St. Louis-cut pork spareribs, cut into 1-inch strips across the bone, then cut between each bone into individual portions
6 T. cornstarch
Canola or peanut oil, for deep frying

spare
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, oyster sauce, mustard, and 1 tsp. salt. Place rib pieces in a large zipper-lock bag. Pour in marinade, seal tightly, and toss to distribute marinade evenly. Place in refrigerator and marinate for at least 4 hour or up to overnight, turning bag at least once during that time. Fill a wok or Dutch oven at least 4 inches deep with oil and heat to 375°F over high heat. Working in batches, transfer 1/3 of ribs to a medium bowl (they should be wet and dripping with marinade), add 2 T. cornstarch, and toss until ribs are evenly coated in a sticky, paste-like batter. Carefully lower ribs, one at a time, into hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally for even cooking. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season lightly with salt. Repeat with remaining ribs. Serve immediately with vinegar for dipping.

Tagliata with Artichoke Salad

Tagliata with Artichoke Salad

tagliata with artichoke salad8 Baby Artichokes
3 T. EVOO
Salt & Pepper
1 boneless Strip Steak, 3 inches thick (about 2 pounds)
4 cloves Garlic, halved
4 4” springs each of Rosemary & Thyme
Shaved Parmesan, for garnish

Pluck and discard the outer leaves of the artichokes, revealing yellow-green core. Using a serrated knife, trim off the top third. Cut each into quarters. Bring medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add artichokes and cook 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 2 T. oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 400 and preheat a cast iron skillet until very hot. If your fire alarm is as sensitive as mine, get that oven vent on high! Season steak with salt and pepper. Add remaining 1 T. oil to pan and add steak, garlic and herbs. Cook over high heat until steak is brown and crusty on bottom and sides, about 10 minutes. Flip and set garlic and herbs on top. Add artichokes to skillet around the meat. Place in oven and roast until steak reaches 135 in the center, about 20 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Strip rosemary and thyme leaves from stems, discard stems and add leaves to artichokes. Thinly slice steak and arrange on platter, surround with the artichokes and garnish with shaved parmesan.