Tacos Al Pastor

No reason not to give it a whirl at home. . . . thanks Goya!
They seem to know what's up:
"Tacos al Pastor are a favorite in Mexico and Mexican restaurants throughout the world for good reason: The mixture of smoky, spicy chiles, sweet pineapples and fresh onions and cilantro is taco perfection. Traditionally, Tacos al Pastor are made by marinating pork in chile sauce, layering the meat on a vertical rotisserie, adorning with a pineapple and roasting slowly for hours--a process that's almost impossible to replicate at home. So we've taken the delicious, authentic flavors that make these tacos so special, and adapted the recipe for your home kitchen, so you can enjoy it whenever a craving strikes!"

Tacos Al Pastor
For the pork:
5 Goya Guajillo Chiles
5 Goya Pasilla Chiles or Goya Ancho Chiles
1 Goya Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce
1 medium white onion, halved
1 (20 ounce) can Goya Pineapple Chunks
1/4 cup Goya White Vinegar
2 tablespoons Goya Minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Goya Cumin
Goya Adobo with Pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons Goya Vegetable Oil
1 (2 1/2 pound) boneless, skinless pork butt, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the garnish:
1 (10 ounce) package Goya Corn Tortillas, warmed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges 

Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add guajillo and pasilla chiles. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chiles soften, about 10 minutes; transfer to plate. Remove and discard stem and seeds. Meanwhile, coarsely chop one onion half; reserve remaining half. Strain pineapples; reserve juice and fruit separately. 

Transfer guajillo, pasilla and chipotle chiles, chopped onion half, reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic and cumin to bowl of food processor. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer chile mixture to saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring chile mixture to a boil; cook until paste loses raw onion taste, about 2 minutes. Season with Adobo; cool. In large container with lid, or in large ziptop bag, combine pork cubes, cooled chile marinade and reserved pineapple chunks; transfer to refrigerator. Marinate at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. 

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Strain pork and pineapples, discarding marinade. Add pork and pineapples to skillet. Cook in batches until dark golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 15 minutes; transfer to large serving plate. 

Meanwhile, finely slice remaining onion half. Transfer sliced onion to bowl with cilantro. Serve pork and pineapple mixture in warm tortillas. Garnish pork tacos with cilantro, onions and limes. 

Cooking tip from LA COCINA GOYA:

Warm, soft tortillas, every time! Achieving perfectly warm and pliable tortillas can be tricky business: We find the microwave results in gummy, chewy rounds while the oven dries them out. Our tried-and-true method: steaming. To do, fill a steamer with 1/2 inch water; bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. In the meantime, wrap the tortillas in a dish towel. Then, place the bundle in the steamer, cover with a tight-fitting lid and heat until warm, about 10 minutes

Ultimate Mexican Burger

Okay you guys.  If you know me, you may have followed my travels (and eats) throughout my stay in San Miguel de Allende.  If you did that, you know that there was a street food cart that served up life altering hot dogs and hamburgers.  I may not be able to crack the mystery of the taco cart (mmmmm, bistec, al pastor  . . . . tacos y gringas. . . . drool. . . . ), but the burgers, I have recreated (light shines and angels sing).

If you have ever read any of my other posts here, you know I tend to go with healthy, South Beach type recipes quite frequently.  This is NOT one of those recipes.  This recipe is covered in delicious, awesome, drippy, flavorful bacon fat.


Mexican Street Cart Burger
1 lb ground beef
6 or so strips of bacon (or more!); cut into bite sized pieces
American cheese
buns
sliced ham (Oscar Mayer is just fine)
pickled jalapenos
white onion - diced
Roma tomatoes - diced
ketchup
mustard
crema - optional
egg
breadcrumbs
garlic powder
(tater tots with melty cheese sauce optional Fat American add-on)

Make your patties - crack in the egg, add 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs or so (depending on how wet the meat is - you want it to stick together into patties; if it's not, add a bit more bread), a tbsp or so of garlic powder and mix.  Form four patties and set aside.
In a large skillet (or on a nice big griddle if you have one), cook up the bacon til crispy then remove to a plate.  Pour off the bacon fat, but keep it!!!  You want to leave a little bit in the pan to keep the burgers from sticking, and may need to add more as you go.
Depending on the size of your skillet, add a patty or two (your griddle might fit all four burgers you lucky duck).  After a few minutes when the first side is cooked, flip the burgers.  Top with a slice of American cheese and a piece of ham.  In Mexico, they put the ham and then the cheese on, and somehow manage to flip the burger again and sort of crisp up the cheese or something - I was not capable of this.  My cheese just went all liquidy goopey and turned into a big mess so I didn't even try.
When the burgers are almost done, nestle the buns into that yummy bacon grease too to heat up and get a nice little bacony crust (adding more bacon fat bit by bit if you need it).  Plate the burgers onto the buns, and cover with the bacon pieces, ketchup, mustard (crema if you like it), the diced onions and tomatoes, and the jalapenos.
Repeat with remaining patties serving to your new faithful servants who will do just about anything you ever ask of them as long as you promise to make them these burgers again.

Enchiladas Verdes (de Gabriel)

the master at work

While I think I can whip up a pretty tasty guera-lada, we had an ACTUAL MEXICAN teach us the way yesterday.  One of the guys I met here has started up his own "I come to your house and teach you how to cook" type businesses - so if you're ever in SMA, give him a shout.  Also, if you're incredibly wealthy and would like to fly him to where you live, I bet he'd be game. 
This preparation of enchiladas is totally different than what I was used to; what with the frying of the tortillas.  Thanks Gabriel!!  Tus enchiladas son muy deliciosos.  That sounds dirty.

the masterpiece

Enchiladas de Gabrielserves 3 people - 4 enchiladas per person

20 tomatillos
3 chiles serranos (or to taste; be careful, some chiles are hotter than others - if you're a wimp, start with one or two and add more later)
1 handful of cilantro
1/2 white onion - thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic
12 or so corn tortillas
sour cream
queso fresco
salt & pepper
olive oil

Crumble or grate the cheese and thinly slice the onions - set both aside. 
Peel the skins off and wash the tomatillos to remove the sticky stuff (which can make your salsa bitter; you might even want to use a little soap to help, just be sure you rinse the tomatillos well).
Boil the clean tomatillos with the chiles and the garlic in enough water to cover them.
Once done (the tomatillos go from bright green to olive green; 15-20 minutes), remove the veggies using a slotted spoon and transfer to the blender or food processor.  Use a little bit of the cooking water (1/4 - 1/2 cup) to thin the salsa.  Add a generous pinch of salt and half of the cilantro (save some for garnish).  Puree until smooth.
Pour the salsa back into the pot you boiled the veggies in; add a little bit of chicken broth or stock to desired consistency, and let simmer.
In another pan, heat enough olive oil to submerge the tortillas.  Once ready, place a tortilla into the oil and flip - the idea is just to cook them a little bit, NOT to get them crispy.  Maybe 5 seconds per side is good.  When lifting out, allow the excess oil to drain back into the pan.  From the oil, place tortilla directly into the salsa verde and submerge.  Remove the tortilla to a plate; fill with some of the queso (maybe 4 tablespoons or so), and either roll or fold the tortilla closed.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Once you have finished making the enchiladas, plate them up separately.  Arrange four on each plate and cover generously with remaining salsa.  Dollop a bit of sour cream onto each, and sprinkle with cilantro and sliced onions.
Serve with rice and or beans if you like.

And for those of you that would prefer it in Gabriel's words, here is his receta.  (Gabe/Gab - si tengo algo mal, que me haga saber!  Gracias por compartir tu receta.)

Las Enchiladas Verdes 
(2 porciones)

Ingredientes:
20 tomatillos
3 chiles serranos
1 manojo cilantro
1/2 cebolla
2 dientes de ajo
Tortillas
Crema espesa
Queso fresco o panela
Pimienta y sal
Aceite de oliva

Preparación: 
Ralle el queso y corte rodajas de cebolla.

Limpie los tomatillos retirando el papel, y lavando con agua y jabón, enjuague.

Hierva los tomatillos junto con los chiles y los dientes de ajo.
Agregue en el vaso de la licuadora junto con unas ramitas de cilantro y un poco de sal.

En un sartén con aceite caliente agregue el puré y sazone. Agregue un poco del caldo de
pollo hasta lograr la consistencia deseada (ligeramente espesa)

En otro sartén caliente aceite suficiente para sumergir una tortilla.

Caliente la tortilla previamente, y rápidamente pásela por el aceite. Cuidando no tostarla.
Después de pasarla por el aceite sumerja cuidadosamente en la salsa verde y sáquela.
Coloque la tortilla abierta y enchilada en un plato chico, agregue queso rallado y cierre en
forma de quesadilla. Repita 4 veces.

Al tener las 4 enchiladas en el plato, tome más salsa verde y bañe las enchiladas.
Ponga un poco de crema y rodajas de cebolla encima. Adorne con hojas de cilantro.

Tamales and enchiladas and salsas, oh my!

Tamales are labor intensive guys.  That's why I usually just buy them.  In fact, most everyone just buys them.  Here in Mexico, there are a few women that make their business of selling them, because no one else wants to spent that dang much time.  However, to each their own, and if you're into it, I thought this recipe looked pretty good (though not lard free; I'm sure that's a change I'll make if ever I feel so inspired).  Plus, I love me some slow cooker recipes.  Extra bonus - now YOU don't have to stalk some poor woman through your local "international market."

Tamales
Filling:
1 1/4 pounds pork loin
1 large onion, halved
1 clove garlic
4 dried California chile pods
2 cups water
Dough:
2 cups masa harina
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup lard
1 (8 ounce) package dried corn husks
1 cup sour cream 

Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.  OR - put this bad boy in your slow cooker on low for a full day (put it on before you go to bed and be ready for it the next evening).  You can add additional spices if you so choose - like cumin, coriander seed, seasoning salt - whatever you've got that you think might be good.

Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chiles and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in one cup of the chile sauce.   If you've spent all that time slow cooking your meat in the crock pot - why not use some of that delicious broth instead of water in your salsa?  You can also make salsa verde for this if you'd like your tamales in green sauce instead of red.

Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard (or whatever you're using that is NOT lard) with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough. 

Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center (one tablespoon?!  psssshhh. . . ). Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour. 

Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.

I really think it's a better idea to make the meat and salsa one day, then you can work on the masa and the steaming the next day so you're not ready to die of exhaustion by the time dinner is ready.

Chicken Enchiladas Suizas

When I was oh, 18 or so, my dad got me my first REAL cook book.  The gold standard for "just starting out cooks" - The Better Homes & Gardens, red and white checkered tome.  I have no idea which edition it is, but it definitely helped me develop my love of cooking - especially with recipes like their Chicken Enchiladas Suizas.  I don't even know if that's what they call the recipe in the book, but that's what it is.  I loved this recipe so much, that at some point, I removed the page from the handy dandy three ring binder, and promptly lost it.  I made it so often, that for a while it didn't matter that the recipe was gone.  That was years ago unfortunately, and I have been missing it ever since.  Today, oh frabjous day, I found the recipe online.  I have searched high and low for this one - coming up upon many false contenders that CLAIMED to be the BH&G enchiladas but WERE NOT (though I don't remember my version using the coriander - I'll give it a whirl).  Hallelujah.  Guera-ladas will be back on the menu once again!!

Guera-ladas
8 corn tortillas
1/2 cup Chopped onion
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
2 tablespoons Margarine or butter
3 tablespoons All-purpose flour
1 8-ounce Carton sour cream
2 cups Chicken broth
1 4-ounce can diced
Green chili peppers, drained
1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack
Cheese
2 cups Chopped cooked chicken or
Turkey
Sliced pitted ripe olives (optional)
Chopped tomatoes (optional)
Sliced green onions

 

Wrap tortillas in foil. Heat in a 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or till softened.
For sauce, in a saucepan cook onion, garlic, coriander, and pepper in margarine or butter till onion is tender. Stir flour into sour cream; add to onion mixture. Stir in broth and chili peppers all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese.
For filling, stir 1/2 cup of the sauce into chicken. Place about 1/4 cup filling atop each tortilla; roll up. Arrange rolls, seam side down, in a lightly greased 12x71/2x2-inch baking dish. Top with remaining sauce. Bake, covered, in a 350° oven about 35 minutes or till heated through.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or till cheese melts. If desired, sprinkle with olives, tomatoes, and green onions. Let stand 10 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Atole

Atole.  It's all I've been hearing about lately.  I swear, my teacher gets an idea in her head, and we talk about it for days.  Luckily, her topics tend to be food based.  Also fun, but probably meaningless to you unless you're Andrea or Karen, neither of whom read this blog:

Salvadoran varieties include atol shuco ("dirty" atol, a reference to its darker color), particularly popular in the Cabañas region. The Nicaraguan homologue is pinolillo. In some parts of Honduras, fresh corn is ground and the expressed liquid is used as the base (instead of masa flour).

Figures that the Salvadorian one would be dirty. . .   man, it's less fun to tease when I know she won't see it.

In any case, Elvira is all about atole with aveno (oatmeal) - screw that masa noise.  And I must admit - the idea of drinking some sort of slurry just sounds more appealing when it's oatmeal, which is kind of slurry-y anyway, instead of flour slurry, which as far as I know is for thickening sauces.  The fun part is you can add all sorts of tasty flavors - chocolate, strawberry and pine nut are popular, and Elvira loves it with guyaba (guava) and her husband Francisco prefers manzana (apple).  Another tradition that I think will fit right in around Christmas.

I am definitely dragging my dad around in search of this while he's here - especially since it's typically served with tamales.  That's a lot of masa in one meal, but it's worth a shot!  


Atole de Elvira - enough for two people to have two cups
I wish there were some way to capture gestures here so I could show you how much she shows me to use - instead I'll use some of the many recipes floating around out there to help me along. 

* a handful of oatmeal - probably about half a cup
* water or milk (see now, not helpful - she says some in a pot and some in the licuadora with the oatmeal.  I say start with less, you can always add more if it's too thick) - let's say 4 cups in the blender
* brown sugar (or white sugar, whatever you have; the piloncillos if you can find them!) to taste - figure about 1 tbsp for each cup, so 4-5 tbsp total
* vanilla extract - 1 tsp

If you want to do fruit, just leave out the cinnamon and vanilla.  Although, I think the cinnamon would be great with apples.  If you're using apples, you'll need four, I know that much.  If you're using another fruit, start out with a small amount and add more if you think it needs it.  You quarter, decore, and parboil the apples to soften them a bit first; but I don't think that's necessary with softer fruit.  


Put the oatmeal, water or milk (and here Elvira doesn't recommend using milk as it makes it harder to strain, but doesn't milk just sound better?), cinnamon, sugar, and fruit/nuts/Mexican chocolate, whatever you might be using; into the blender.  Puree until super smooth.  Pour through a strainer (to remove any chunky bits of oatmeal, cinnamon or whatever else might be lurking in there) into a pot to heat.
You don't need to boil it, it doesn't need to be THAT hot (thinking of YOU McDonald's coffee in the lap lady)- which by the way, holy crap, I had no idea she got third degree burns, that IS some damn hot coffee. . . .), but if it starts to boil, no biggie, just turn off the flame.


Voila.  Atole.
Also, I totally want a molinillo for whisking my chocolate atole, or champurrado.  I totally think I'm Mexican now.
(for those that don't know me, I actually am a bit Mexican, fyi, but I'd classify myself as guera over latina . . .)

Chiles Rellenos de Elvira

W

World's least attractive chile relleno photo.

One of my maestras de espanol, Elvira, was sweet enough to invite me over to learn how to make chiles rellenos.  I'm guessing she has students over quite often, in addition to those private lessons she holds in her home.  I don't think she was as prepared for me to be as hands on as I was, but hey, if you let me start doing stuff from the beginning, you can't think I'm going to stand by and watch later!!  I totally should've taken photos along the way, but I didn't.  Sorry.  I'm sure someone else has though.
It was the weirdest thing - as I ate the first one, I thought, "this tastes like Christmas."  I can't put my finger on why as the recipe features only a minute amount of cinnamon, but guess what kids?  I sense a new Christmas tradition in the Romo household.

Elvira's Chiles Rellenos
poblano chiles with nice long stems (I'm guessing we used about a million - okay, maybe only 10)
harina (flour - we used whole wheat.. South Beach!)
jitomates (red tomatoes - the ratio is about 1 tomato to every pepper, but may need to be adjusted based on the tomatoes)
juevos (we ended up using about 8, in two batches - separated)
queso ranchero, tipo casero (make your own!  yeah right; or see below for an online resource if you can't find it in your store, however if you have a decent sized Mexican population in your area, you'll find this somewhere)
aceite (oil)
pimienta (whole peppercorns - about 1 tbsp)
canela (whole stick cinnamon - about 3")
cebolla (onion - we used one small white onion sliced into rings, but I may up that amount at home)
ajo (garlic - we did NOT use garlic, but I betcha I'm gonna)
sal (salt - to taste)
azucar (sugar - to taste; we didn't use any)


First things first - Open your windows and turn on a fan.  Unless of course you want your home to smell like fried food for the next few days.  If this is for a dinner party, you might want to do this before you're wearing your party clothes because you're gonna smell like Colonel Sanders.

Put the tomatoes in a pot with enough water to cover them; put to high heat and allow to boil.
Roast the chiles over your burners if you have a gas stove, or under the broiler if you don't.  Once the skin is blistered and bubbly, put them in a plastic bag and close it up.  Allow the chiles to sit in the bag for 10-15 minutes.
By now your tomatoes should be boiling; turn off the heat, and remove the tomatoes from the water.  Set aside.
Once your chiles are ready to peel, remove them from the bag and begin rubbing the blackened skin off; it should come away easily.  Make a small slit in the chile with your finger - 3-4 inches or so; you don't want to slit the entire length of the chili like I did.  Reach in to pull out the seeds; use running water to help you get them out and remove any last bits of skin from the outside.

** helpful hint: LOOK AWAY!!!!  Omg, I was sneezing and coughing and holy crap, it's easy to forget that just because they're not spicy they're still chiles.  The running water also helps with this.

** helpful hint #2: they are chiles.  Don't rub your eyes.  If you have cuts on your hands, you might want to wear gloves because it may not burn right then, but it will.  Oh, it will.  Again, don't rub your eyes.  Please don't rub your eyes.

Slice the queso thinly (as it comes in a large round) or crumble in your hand to make it easier to stuff the chiles without tearing them.  We stuffed an insane amount of cheese into each chile - you decide how much you want.  Once stuffed, set aside on a clean towel to hang out.

Put your tomatoes into a food processor or blender (it's the Mexican way!) and liquify.  You can do this in batches.  However, in one of these batches, you want to add your bit of cinnamon, your pepper, and a good tablespoon or two of salt and puree that up as well.
If your tomatoes aren't offering up a lot of liquid, you can use some of the water you used to boil them.
Now it's up to you whether you strain the sauce of the seeds, skin, etc., or if you just use it as is.  Totally up to you.  We did strain it, and I think I'll stick to that when I make these at home.

In a large pot, put a couple of tablespoons of oil and sautee the onions  I'm considering putting the onions into the blender with the tomatoes, maybe roasting them first, but it's also fine to just sautee them here (with the garlic that you're probably going to use even though the recipe doesn't call for it because garlic is delicious).  Once they're translucent, add the tomato sauce and stir, then taste for seasoning.  Now is the time to tweak the levels of salt, sugar and acid by adding salt, sugar or vinegar as needed.  We only added salt.  Allow to come to a boil then turn off heat.

In another large pan (or handy dandy deep fryer if you have one - lucky), put about half a liter of oil to fry up the chiles.  Heat over medium high.  The oil is ready when a drop of batter bubbles and starts to turn golden brown.  Pour some flour into a dish or onto a large plate.

While the oil is heating and the sauce is coming to a boil, separate your egg yolks from your egg whites; don't throw anything away, you need both yolks and whites (la clara).Now get someone started on whisking the whites - your boyfriend or your husband Francsico.  Because your student has weak little girl arms and this is hard.  I think I'll use a mixer thanks.  You need to whip the whites until they form stiff peaks.  Then you can gently mix the yolks into the whites.

By now your sauce should've come to a boil and your oil should be ready.  Take the sauce off the heat and be careful of the oil; if it's smoking already it's too hot).

For the following steps an assembly line and a helper if you can get one seem helpful:
Squeeze any excess liquid out of your peppers using a kitchen towel - you want to squeeze firmly, but you don't want to tear your pepper. Then cover the pepper in a thin layer of flour.  Don't mess with it too much here - too much handling heats up the pepper and can cause it to tear.
Put the pepper into the whipped eggs to cover.  Don't lift the pepper up out of the batter, take the whole shebang over to the oil so you don't have to worry about your pepper ripping under the weight.  You can grab it by the stem if it has nice long ones, or use a fork or spoon to lift it out.

CAREFULLY lay the pepper into the oil, starting with the tip and laying it down AWAY from yourself in case it spatters.  It should begin bubbling and sizzling right away - if it doesn't, your oil is too cold; if it smokes your oil is too hot and this pepper might not come out very well.  Total first pancake syndrome.  You can test your oil first if you're unsure.
Once you've got the pepper in the oil, you want to gently splash some oil on top of the pepper to help get the batter on top a little bit cooked so it doesn't fall apart.  Sound dangerous?  Yes.  You might want to consider using a spoon instead of flicking hot oil around as Elvira did.  Flip once ready to do so.

Once the chiles are golden brown on all sides, remove from the oil and set aside - either on a cooking rack or on some kitchen towel/paper towel to hang out.  At this point, the chiles can be refrigerated for up to a week until you're ready to use them.  If that time is now, put the sauce back onto the heat and plunk your chiles into it.  If you're doing a large batch, you may not be able to do this all at once.  Another option is to put the sauce and chiles into a baking dish and heat them up in the oven - probably a great option when you're reheating or using cold chiles.

Once the chile is heated through, eat the heck out of it - nom.

Chiles en Nogada

Chiles en Nogada from the local San Miguel restaurant, Bugambilia.

In honor of Mexican National Independence on September 16 (not to be confused with the American Cinco de Mayo celebration which is not the same thing), I thought there no better way to celebrate than with the nation's most patriotic dish, Chiles en Nogada (check out the proud red, white and green color scheme).  I had never even heard of this dish before this trip down to San Miguel when one of my maestras recommended a local restaurant to me as THE place in town to get chiles rellenos.  I was a bit thrown - the flavors are almost Moroccan or Middle Eastern - the mince meat with dried fruit and cinnamon idea.  Plus, these aren't served hot - the chiles themselves were room temperature, but the sauce was warm.  Definitely NOT what I think of as Mexican food!

Chiles en Nogada
Filling:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium apple, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 medium pear, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 ounces blanched almonds, slivered
2 ounces raisins, soaked until soft, then drained
1 stick cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

For the chiles:
8 large poblano chiles, prepared for stuffing (See Note)
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
Oil for frying

For the sauce:
1 quart unsweetened heavy cream
4 ounces walnut meat, soaked in milk, drained and chopped

For the garnish:
2 pomegranates, peeled and separated into seeds
4 sprigs parsley, leaves only, chopped fine

Preparation:
After preparing chiles as described in the note below, pat them dry and set them aside while you make the filling. The batter will not adhere to them properly if the chiles are not dry.
Melt the lard or oil in a large skillet; saute beef, pork, garlic, onion, apple, pear, almonds, raisins and cinnamon stick until the meat has lost its pink color. Remove the cinnamon stick, add salt and pepper to taste and allow the filling to cool to room temperature. When cool, fill the chiles, dividing the mixture evenly.
You will have fluffier and more uniform coating if you make the egg batter and fry the chiles in two batches. Beat two of the egg whites al punto de turron - that is, until they stand up in peaks, stiff but not dry. Lightly beat two yolks and half the salt together; fold them gently into the beaten egg whites. Dip each of four filled chiles into the mixture, turning them gently to coat evenly. Place each one immediately into a large skillet with hot oil. Fry them until golden on the bottom side (lift gently with a spatula to check) then turn and fry on the other side. Repeat this process with the rest of the chiles and the other two eggs. Remove and drain on paper towels before placing on serving dish.
Put the cream and the walnuts in a blender or food processor and puree untill smooth. Pour over the chiles, and decorate with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.
NOTE: The chiles are prepared for stuffing by roasting over a gas flame or under a broiler until charred all over. They are then placed in a plastic bag for 10-15 minutes. Peel by rubbing them gently, using rubber gloves, under a stream of running water. (Stems are not removed, but can be trimmed beforehand if very long.) After the chiles have been roasted and cleaned, make a lengthwise slit up one side of each and carefully remove the seed sac and any loose seeds. Avoid over-handling the chiles.

Cocinar en la cocina mexicana

While in Mexico, I was lucky enough to have a new friend ask la dama at the B&B where she is staying if she would be willing to teach me to cook.  What a fantastic opportunity: to see a local B&B, to kick it with a Mexican family and speak Spanish for a few hours, to learn how to cook some favorites, and to eat said favorites.
Sra. Garcia and I agreed upon $400 pesos ($32US), and I headed over after class.  We made arroz verde, salsa verde (roasted tomatillo salsa), salsa de aguacate, milanesas de cerdo, and a salad of pepino y yerba buena (cucumbers and mint).   When I mentioned how our entire meal was green; la dama added some jitomates to the ensalada.
Se una comida muy sabroso.  Se sirven con tortillas de maize, por supuesto.

I realize my recipes don't use exact amounts and well, you can just get over it, or check out the links that I include with each recipe for similar recipes that I found on the interwebs.  And no, these aren't my photos; click on them to whisk yourself off to the triple dub from whence they came.
Something I am finding out as I cook here; Mexicans LOVE their liquedoras.  Love love love.  How they ever managed with solamente molcajetes I will never know.  So if you want to get cooking Mexican style, you might want to invest in a decent liquedora.  Every dish I have made here has used one.

our rice was nowhere near this green - I think this image is arroz con espinacas

Arroz Verde
rice - enough to serve 10 people, 4 cups maybe?
chicken stock or water
pasilla pepper
onion
garlic
salt
crema (sour cream) or leche (milk)

Put your rice in a bowl of hot water and let sit for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
In the meantime, you can heat up your pot and add some oil.
Drain the rice in a colander and add to the hot oil in the pot.  Stir fry until the rice is no longer opaque, but has started to become translucent.  You only need to stir occasionally to ensure the rice isn't burning onto the bottom of the pan.  You do NOT want to let the rice become golden for arroz blanco, or arroz verde though, so keep an eye on it.  (for arroz blanco, you just omit the pepper from the puree, and then you can add peas and/or carrots toward the end of cooking for color)

While the rice is cooking, pull the seeds out of your chile and chuck it in una liquedora (a blender or food processor) with about 1/4 c onion, 1 clove of garlic, and about 1 cup of water.  Puree until smooth.

Once the rice is ready, pour in the veggie puree and stir.  Now you need to add enough liquid to cook.  Follow the 1 cup of rice = 2 cups of liquid idea, and add as much water as you think you need (you can add more as it cooks if it needs it, so don't go overboard).  La dama used powdered chicken bouillon, but you could also use chicken broth or stock instead of water and bouillon. 

Taste for seasoning.  Adjust as necessary.

Add crema or leche; maybe 1/4 cup.

Stir again, cover, and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes until rice is done.  Stir occasionally so the green bits don't just sit on top, and to check liquid levels.  We did end up adding more water part way through.

Fluff up and serve with more crema on top.

Arroz verde can also be made with broccoli, spinach, or asparagus.  You can add peas or carrots as you wish.   We didn't.

Milanesas de Cerdo

thin cut pork cutlets - you may have to pound yours out if you cannot find them superthin

breadcrumbs

lots of pepper

salt

2 eggs

oil

Scramble the eggs.

Pour the breadcrumbs onto a plate and season generously with pepper, and less generously with salt.  Stir to combine.

Heat a skillet over medium high and add oil.

Dip the pork into the eggs, then into the breadcrumb mixture and then place into the hot oil and cook on both sides until done (about 3 minutes per side).  

Basically like this, but with less stuff.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, aka Salsa Verde

a bunch of tomatillos - maybe 1 to 1 1/2 lbs; papery skins removed (it's easier to do this under water - the tomatillos, not you)

serrano chiles - the quantity depends on you, and the chiles; sometimes the chiles are hotter than others and sometimes people like things spicier than others.  I will recommend starting with two, and you can always add another one later if you like it mas picante.  I think we actually used something similar to these costeno amarillos chiles; but I can't be positive.  If you can find those amarillos, you can use 4-5 since they are not as spicy.  We just cut off the stems and used them seeds and all.

salt - to taste

garlic - 1 clove

cilantro - 2 tbsp

water - about 1 cup

optional: white onion - 1/4 c

Char the tomatillos and peppers a la plancha, or in the oven; turning frequently so all sides get some color.  As the tomates and chiles are finished, remove them from the heat and stick in a bowl of cold water.  Once they're cool to the touch, you can pull off the darkest spots of skin, (as well as the thicker skin off the chiles) so your salsa stays nice and bright green.

Put them in your blender or food processor with the garlic clove, cilantro, water and salt; and the onion if you're using it.  Whir away.  Taste for heat level and salt; now is the time to add another pepper or more salt if necessary.  Done.

Or try this.

Salsa de Aguacate

1 avocado

8-10 tomates (tomatillos)

cilantro - 2 tbsp chopped

salt to taste

water - about 1 cup

serrano chiles - same deal as above; start with 2 and taste; you can always add another one later.  Cut off stems, but use seeds and all.

again, onion is optional, as is garlic - we used neither

Cut the tomatillos in quarters if they're large, half if they're small, and chuck into your blender/food processor with the cilantro, salt, avocado and water.  Puree away.  Done.

Or, try this.  Or this if you're a visual learner.

When I made this at home, I roasted all of the veggies on the grill, and yes, I used about half of a white onion, and a couple of cloves of garlic.  I also used an anaheim chile along with the serranos.  So yeah, it was basically a mix of the two salsas and it was FAB.

Mmmmmexico

Now that I have you salivating over corn fungus, let's talk edibles.  Yet another overpriced cooking school (everyone scoffed at me when they heard I spent $600 pesos; but I have yet to find a single school that isn't in that same price point) was kind enough to post some nummy recipes for us!  Yay, thanks Culinary Adventures!

Mango Mousse (Mousse de Mango)
6 servings
  • 2 ripe mangoes
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 envelope gelatin*
  • 2 tablespoons hot water*
  • 2 tablespoons cold water*
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1+1/2 cups whipped cream
1. Place the mangoes and powdered sugar in a food processor and puree.
2. In a large bowl, place the gelatin with the cold and hot water, lemon juice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir and then let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add the mango puree to the gelatin mixture. Let sit for 20 minutes.
4. Beat one cup of the whipping cream to soft peaks and gently fold into the mangoes.
5. As this point you can either spoon the mousse into individual dishes or place the entire amount into a spring-form pan for slicing later.
6. Let the mousse chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours. Top with fresh whipped cream.
*You can omit the gelatin and water, producing a softer consistency-more like a pudding.

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Poblano Chiles stuffed with Scrambled Eggs & Bacon
(Chiles Rellenos con Huevos Revueltos y Tocino)
4 servings
  • 4 large fresh poblano chiles
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 8 eggs
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 1 cup manchego cheese, grated
  • 1 cup tomato puree
1. Roast and clean the poblano chiles.
2. Place the bacon in a large frying pan and cook until crisp. Remove from the pan and drain all the grease, except 1 tablespoon.
3. Sauté the onion in the bacon grease for a few minutes, add the tomatoes and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and stir in the cream. Add salt to taste.
5. Add the eggs to the frying pan and finish cooking. Stir the bacon in.
6. Stuff each chile with the egg mixture. Place 1/4 cup of grated cheese on top and broil until the cheese is melted. (If you do not have a broiler, you can melt the cheese in an oven.)
7. Heat the tomato puree. Spoon 1/4 cup of the puree on each plate and place the chile on top.
Plan Ahead:
1-3 days in advance: Make tomato puree
1 day in advance: Roast poblano chiles

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Chicken Poblano (Pollo a la Poblana)
6 servings
  • 4 poblano chiles
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 white onion, sliced thin
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • salt, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 boneless chicken breasts
  1. Roast and clean the poblano chiles. Roughly chop and place in a blender.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. When hot, add the onion, garlic, oregano and thyme and sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Add the cream, cilantro and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Pour the mixture into the blender with the poblano chiles and puree until smooth. Set aside.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken breasts and cook until both sides are lightly browned.
6. Pour the poblano sauce on top on the chicken breasts when serving.
Plan Ahead:
1-3 days in advance: Make the poblano sauce.

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Mexican Beef Tips (Puntas a la Mexicana)
4 servings
  • 1 1/4 pounds marinated skirt steak
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large white onion, sliced
  • 3 roma tomatoes, cored & sliced lengthwise from the center
  • 3 serrano chiles, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Slice the skirt steak, across the grain, into 1" strips.
2. Place the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it starts to sizzle, add the steak and brown on all sides.
3. Add the onion, tomato, and chiles. Cover, stirring occasionally until the meat is cooked, 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, salt, and pepper.

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Green Rice (Arroz Verde)
4 servings
• 2 poblano chiles
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1. Roast the poblano chiles. (see page ...)
2. Place the chiles into a food processor, adding the cilantro and chicken broth. Puree.
3. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil. Add the rice and onion and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer.
5. Add the poblano chile liquid to the rice, stir, cover and let cook for about 20 minutes or until done.

Plan Ahead:
1 day in advance: Make chicken broth and roast poblano chiles

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Pork Loin w/ Mango-Chipotle Salsa
(Lomo con Salsa de Mango y Chile Chipotle)
6 servings
  • 2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 2 cups mango, chopped (approx. 2-3)
  • 1 chile chipotle, seeded and minced (see page...)
  •  1/4 cup green onions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh Mexican lime juice
  • 1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the tenderloin and sear until browned on all sides. Transfer to a baking sheet.
3. Place the tenderloin in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until done. (which for pork means 140 degrees.)
4. While the pork tenderloin is in the oven, place all the salsa ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.
5. Slice the tenderloin and top with the Mango Salsa.

Fruit-Chipotle Salsa:
Substitute 1 cup chopped pineapple for a cup on the mango.

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Shrimp in Pumpkin Seed Sauce (Camarones en Pipián Verde)
6 servings
  •  1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/2 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  • 1 serrano chile
  • 1/2 white onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 lettuce leaves
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  •  1 pound shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan over high heat or under the broiler, stirring frequently so they don't burn. (Avoid browning them excessively, to maintain the sauce's trademark green color.) Seperate 1/4 cup for the garnish. Toast the sesame seeds in the same manner.
3. Place the tomatillos, chile, onion and garlic on a tray under the broiler until soft. About 5 minutes on each side.
4. Place all the ingredients, except for the shrimp, in a blender. Puree until smooth.
5. Pour the sauce into a stock pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower to medium heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. While the pipian is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes or until done. Drain.
7. Mix the shrimp into the pipian.
8. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Plan Ahead:
In advance: toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds.
Pipian also holds well in the refrigerator, so it can be made a few days in advance.
Pipian freezes well, so make a double batch and save the other half for a quick meal when there's no time to cook.

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Chocolate Kahlua Cake (Pastel de Chocolate con Kahlúa)
1 cake, 12-15 slices
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup boiling water
Filling:
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 + 1/2 cup Kahlua
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease three-9 inch round cake pans with shortening, line with wax paper and then grease again.
3. Place all of the ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
4. Add the boiling water and continue beating for another minute.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 cake pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until done.
6. While the cake is in the oven, make the Kahlua filling. Boil 2 cups of water over high heat in the bottom part of a double boiler. Place all the ingredients (with only 1/2 cup of Kahlua) in a large bowl over the double boiler. Stir the mixture continuously until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
7. Un-mold the cakes and lay out on 3 separate plates. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of Kahlua on top of all three. Let cool for 2-3 hours. When ready to frost, place the first layer on a serving plate, spread with 1/2 of the Kahlua filling. Top with the second layer and spread with the remaining filling. Top with the third layer and frost with chocolate butter cream frosting.

CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING (for one cake):
Beat 1/2 cup softened butter (one stick) in a mixer, add 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 1/8 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

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Raspberry Chipotle Brownies
(Brownies con Frambuesa y Chile Chipotle)
12 servings
  •  3/4 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced without seeds
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9x13 pan with shortening, line with wax paper, and then grease again.
3. Boil 2 cups of water over high heat in the bottom part of a double boiler. Place the butter and cocoa in the top part. Stir until well blended. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Place the eggs, salt, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat for 1 minute. Add the chocolate mixture, chipotle chiles, and adobo sauce. Beat for another minute.
Stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Spread the raspberry jam on top and swirl with a knife into the brownie mixture.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the center is done. Invert the brownies and remove the wax paper. Let cool. Cut into 12 pieces.

What IS IT with Mexico?!

I have made two half assed, "eh, it's close to Mexican food because it exhibits flavors present in Mexican cuisine" dishes since I've been in Mexico.  Very similar to things I would make at home.  But here?  They are freaking delicious; at home they're okay.  What the hell?

The first thing I made was a quesadilla.  Tough right?  Yeah; it was mind blowing.
Tonight I made steak tacos with homemade guacamole - in fact, the guacamole was LESS complex than I make it at home and 1000 times better.
I don't know if it's the brands, or the meat, or the pan, or the altitude or what, but I don't think I'll be happy with several of my "Mexican" dishes when I get home.  Maybe that's why I spent $300 on kitchen equipment today (hey, it was on sale).  Or maybe that's just because I'm a shopaholic.
Mexican dishes I DON'T think I'll be trying when I get home?  Huitlacoche (aka corn smut).  I definitely want to try it while I'm here, but I doubt it's something I'll be doing at home.  I know I know, you're too lazy to click the link.  Let me break it down for you.  A prime delicacy round these parts, is to eat corn that has been infected with a fungus.  It looks even more delicious than it sounds, let me tell you:

Thoughts abound on the etymology of the name; but let's just say that most agree that it has something to do with shit.  I think it was due to this that chefs tried to rename it "the Mexican truffle" - nice try guys.  According to my research, it has an earthy, mushroomy flavor that terrifies and intrigues me.  I like truffles.  I love mushrooms.  I love wine made from grapes that has been infected with botrytis. All fungus.  Why not corn fungus?  Aside from it looking absolutely horrendous, I think I'm too curious to not order it if I see it on a menu.  

If you're now all worked up and wanting to check this stuff out, the good (?) news is that it is available canned.  And we all know how yummy canned things can be!  In any case, here are a gabillion recipes to get you started.

You're welcome.

Mi primero clase de cocina Mexicana

Today was my first (expensive) cooking class here in San Miguel de Allende, and it was really fun.  There were only four of us, so the chefs let us kind of run amok and be more hands on with them in the kitchen, even though the class looked to be set up as a demo only.  They taught it in English and Spanish, which was very helpful - both ways.
We made three traditional dishes - a sopa de tortilla that is eaten all throughout Mexico; a pescado a la Veracruzana that is a specialty from the Veracruz region; and flan, por supuesto.
They also served a hibiscus tea kind of drink, and margaritas, woo!  I learned some great new techniques and the food was AMAZING.  Here I thought my dad's tortilla soup was the best. . . I mean, it's still amazing and much easier than today's recipe, but this one. . . que rico!

There were a few "new to me" ingredients as well:
epazote - a green with small, pungent leaves that is typically used in quesadillas or with mushrooms
guero chilies - they have the same smell and color as peperoncinis, but they were long and thin
Cajeta Envinada - a caramel sauce made with goat's milk, which actually did have a flavor reminiscent of goat cheese


I also learned a few new techniques - very helpful for getting a superfine dice as we needed for the Pescado a la Veracruzana.  Typically in Mexican cuisine, the entire tomato is used - skin, seeds, and flesh.  For this recipe we scooped the seeds out though, and they showed us an easy way to do that (though I argue scraping it with a spoon would be even easier).  So, without further ado. . . .

Sopa de tortilla
Pescado a la Veracruzana
Flan de Caramelo

Flan de Caramelo

Flan de Caramelo
2 c sugar
1 c Ranchero Cheese (Farmer's cheese or cream cheese)
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c Cajeta Envinada
1 c cream
6 eggs


Preheat oven to 350.  Place 1 cup of the sugar in a pan and allow to caramelize; swirling and stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Pour the sugar into a mold and tilt so the caramel covers the bottom and sides of the mold.  Set aside.
At this point, we put the rest of the ingredients (except the Cajeta Envinada) into the blender and pureed.  The written recipe recommends lightly beating the eggs with the rest of the sugar; pureeing the milk, cheese and cream in the blender; and then combining the two.
Pour into the mold on top of the caramel.  Place the mold into a larger pan with 1 inch of hot water in the bottom of the pan (a water bath).  You can cover with flan with foil, though we did not.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  The flan will still have a lot of jiggle to it.  Allow to cool to room temp, and refrigerate over night.  (We popped ours straight into the fridge so we could eat it the same day; I imagine it would be a bit more set up if you leave it in the fridge over night).
To serve; place mold in hot water to soften caramel and run a knife around the outside edge.  Place a plate on top, and carefully invert so the plate is on the bottom and the mold is on top.
Serve with Cajeta Envinada or other caramel sauce.


Serves 6-10

Pescado a la Veracruzana

Pescado a la Veracruzana
2 1/2 lb fresh red snapper (or similar) filets - washed and dried with paper towels
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium onions, minced
8 Roma tomatoes, minced
2-3 roasted red peppers, minced
2 laurel (bay) leaves
1/4 c chopped flat leaf Parsley
1 c green olives stuffed with pimentos
2 guero chilies
2 tbsp chopped capers (or left whole if small)
sea salt to taste, and fresh ground pepper (you can use a molcajete to grind the salt and pepper before sprinkling on the fish)
oil

Heat enough oil to fry the veggies.  Add the onions first and saute til translucent.  Add the tomato and cook for about 2 minutes.  Make a hole in the bottom of the pan, and add the garlic in to fry.  Once garlic is cooked, stir all together.
Add peppers, parsley, olives, capers and laurel/bay leaves.  Add a pinch of salt and the chiles gueros with some of their juice (note that the chiles have been left whole).  Turn down to a simmer.
Option one:
Heat another (nonstick) pan until very very hot.  While pan is heating, season the fish with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil.  Once pan is ready, add the fish to the pan (the oil on the fish is enough to keep them from sticking).  LEAVE THE FISH ALONE.  It's ready to be flipped once it moves freely in the pan when you shake it.  If you try to flip it too early it'll fall apart.  Once ready, flip it and cook til the other side is golden brown as well and the fish is cooked through.  Serve with a generous portion of the vegetable mixture.
Option two:
Rather than leaving the sauce to simmer, put it into a baking dish.  Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and place on top of the sauce.  Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in an oven that has been preheated to 200 for 30 minutes or until the fish is cooked.


Serves 6

Sopa de Tortilla

Sopa de Tortilla
5 q chicken broth
1/2 pasilla chile - fried
6 Roma tomatoes
1 medium white onion
5 cloves of garlic
2 epazote sprigs (the written recipe calls for an additional 1/4 cup of epazote leaves to be blended with the rest of the ingredients, but we didn't do it, so I'm leaving it optional here)
sea salt to taste
3 tbsp veggie oil


Garnishes:
2 c veggie oil
18 corn tortillas, sliced into thin strips and fried (and left to dry for one day according to the written recipe - we just fried ours)
6 pasilla chiles cut into rings and fried in oil

2 avocados, cut into cubes
2 c ranchero cheese in cubes (optional; we didn't use this)
1 c Mexican cream (optional; we didn't use this)


To make the garnishes:
Fry tortilla strips in hot oil until crispy and brown (and bubbles have disappeared).  Drain them on paper towels.
Cut the pasilla chiles into rings and fry in oil as well.


To make the soup:
Roast the tomatoes, onions and garlic in a very hot and dry skillet until blackened.  When dark, put the entire things (garlic skins and all) into the blender with the fried pasilla, one quart of chicken broth, a nice big handful of the fried tortilla strips, and that optional epazote; blend well.  Strain into a hot cazuela or clay pot with a bit of vegetable oil in the bottom and let it fry a little bit to bring the flavors out even more.  Add in the epazote sprigs.  Finally, add chicken stock and sea salt to taste.  Let simmer and check seasoning periodically.


To serve:
In the bottom of each soup bowl, place a small handful of the tortilla strips, the cubed avocado, and the cheese and cream if using.  Ladle some soup into the bowl, and top with pasilla rings.


Serves 4-6

Tortilla Soup

Why do I ALWAYS forget to put this recipe in here? I must have called my Dad 3 times over the last several years (when I haven't made it for a while) to remind me. And it's only the easiest thing in the world, and totally tweakable based on your tastes and preferences.

Dad's Tortilla Soup
1 14 oz can whole tomatoes (if you like really spicy you can use the Herdez brand with tomatoes and peppers together, but I'd skip the jalapeno if you do this - no really)
1 jalapeno (determine your spicy level here carefully, you can't take it back)
48 oz chicken broth
1 large onion
handful of cilantro leaves
corn tortillas
shredded cheese

Decide how spicy you want this in advance - I have made it so spicy that it was almost unpleasant to eat (damn Herdez), and so bland it would be good for an ulcer patient. The spice from jalapenos comes from the white ribs and the seeds, so get rid of them if you're white. Ha, just kidding. :o)

Anyway, put the chook broth into a large pot and heat over med-hi. In the meantime, cut the onion into big chunks, and put it in the food processor with the jalapeno and tomatoes. Buzz them all together until they're pureed. You can also put the cilantro in for this step, but I like my pieces a bit larger, so I chop it by hand and add it to the pot directly.
Bring to a boil, then cover and turn down heat to a simmer. Simmer for 2o minutes.

While the soup is simmering, you can make the tortillas (or just use chips if you're lazy, but HONESTLY). My Dad fries them in a pan with oil, but I'm Little Miss Healthy, so I usually bake mine. I slice them into 1/2 - 3/4" strips to start, then spray a cookie sheet with Pam, lay the strips down and then spray them with Pam again. Into a 350 oven for I dunno, however long until they're crispy but not scorched (which is a fine line, believe me). Keep checking on them - maybe around 10 minutes? You can use flour tortillas here as well, but I feel like they get soggy and break down much faster, plus I love corn tortillas.

Once everything is done, put some of the tortillas in the bottom of a bowl and top with cheese. Ladle the soup on top and die in heaven.

Also amazing with additions: chicken, avocado, corn. . .
I wish this is what I was having for dinner now, yum.