Mexico ends Sunday. Italy on deck.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
chilaquiles
This morning: chilaquiles. Last week they weren't so successful, ended up going out to eat. Much better this week.
10 corn tortillas, left out overnight, then cut into 1 inch strips, spread out on 2 baking sheets and put in 350 degree oven for 15 min.
Saute 1/2 white onion, 4 cloves of garlic and 1 tsp of oregano until soft. Add 2 tbsp pasilla paste and 2 tsp sugar (or 2 chipotles in adobo (diced) if you like it smokier). Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Saute boneless chicken breast in another pan, then shred. Add to tomato sauce pan and heat through. Then add tortillas, a few at a time, until heated (keep some out to serve). Turn off heat. Add 1/2 queso fresco. Serve with sour cream, cilantro and reserved tortillas
10 corn tortillas, left out overnight, then cut into 1 inch strips, spread out on 2 baking sheets and put in 350 degree oven for 15 min.
Saute 1/2 white onion, 4 cloves of garlic and 1 tsp of oregano until soft. Add 2 tbsp pasilla paste and 2 tsp sugar (or 2 chipotles in adobo (diced) if you like it smokier). Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Saute boneless chicken breast in another pan, then shred. Add to tomato sauce pan and heat through. Then add tortillas, a few at a time, until heated (keep some out to serve). Turn off heat. Add 1/2 queso fresco. Serve with sour cream, cilantro and reserved tortillas
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tamale Recipe
Soak husks 30 min. Beat 1 cup bacon fat (or lard,shortening) with 2 tsp baking powder 2 min. Mix 4 cups masa harina with 1 tsp salt. Alternately add masa mixture and chicken broth and beat until it's a thick and creamy paste.
Filling: Saute 1 1/2 cups diced potato, one small diced onion, and 5 cloves of minced garlic in 1 tbsp oil. Add one diced roasted poblano pepper. Add 1 pound chorizo (we used 1/2 chorizo and 1/2 roasted poblano sausage). Cook until chorizo browned. Add pasilla paste (earlier recipe) to taste. Add about 1/2 cup of broth and cook until fluid is gone.
Make tamales: Put about 2 tbsp onto husk, making a rectangle. Add 1 tbsp filling. Fold and tie ends. Steam 45-60 minutes. Makes about 36 tamales
Filling: Saute 1 1/2 cups diced potato, one small diced onion, and 5 cloves of minced garlic in 1 tbsp oil. Add one diced roasted poblano pepper. Add 1 pound chorizo (we used 1/2 chorizo and 1/2 roasted poblano sausage). Cook until chorizo browned. Add pasilla paste (earlier recipe) to taste. Add about 1/2 cup of broth and cook until fluid is gone.
Make tamales: Put about 2 tbsp onto husk, making a rectangle. Add 1 tbsp filling. Fold and tie ends. Steam 45-60 minutes. Makes about 36 tamales
TORTA
Tortas last night. Thinly sliced steak with black beans, tomatoes, avocado and a pasilla mayo on crusty bread. Delicious and a nice change!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Dry roasting garlic, the start of almost all of our salsas and pastes
The obligatory beer picture. (this is to make up for the tecate in the house)
Sausage making. We made chorizo and roasted poblano sausage, both Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie. This took a bit of work. We haven't worked out our technique yet, but the results are worth it.
This week we also threw together a stew from the leftover pork shoulder. It might be my favorite dish so far.
Brown about a pound of cubed pork shoulder. Remove and saute an onion and 5-6 cloves of garlic. Add a couple of tablespoons of pasilla paste (recipe to follow). Add 5 sliced carrots. Add enough chicken broth to cover by 2 inches and simmer for about an hour. Then add 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped. Simmer another 1/2 hour or so. Add 2 cups black beans and simmer until warm.
Pasilla paste (from R. Bayless)
Dry roast 1 head of garlic. Toast 12 large dried pasilla chiles, then soak in water for 30 min. Drain chiles, reserving 2/3 cup soaking water. Grind 2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp cumin. Put spices, along with the peeled garlic, drained chiles and reserved soaking liquid. Process til thick puree. Season with 3/4 tsp salt. Will keep for 1 week or so in fridge or it can be frozen. Yield: 1 1/2 cup
Chipotle?
Had lunch at Chipotle today, Sam's choice. The flavors we are achieving at home are so much better, but I knew that going in. At the start we agreed to making Mexican for dinners only, but all of our leftovers are...Mexican, and I, for years have eaten burritos for my 4th meal after work. Jill has been cooking some chorizo with eggs in the morning(s), and what did we choose for our lunch today? burritos and tacos. This "challenge" that we created for ourselves, so far, is not challenging.
Really, what we are cooking and eating is pretty domesticated. We have mostly used Rick Bayless's book, which uses traditional ingredients and methods, but doesn't call for much lard. Diana Kennedy's, and the recipes in the other books we have often use lard, which we would like to avoid. I say that what we are doing is domesticated, but, Mexican food is such a integral part of our lives, that maybe I'm taking for granted aspects of what we are cooking.
homemade tortillas every day
buying and using entire bags of various dried chiles, again and again
roasting tomatoes and fresh chiles under the broiler
we usually have 2 or 3 different homemade salsas and/or sauces in the fridge
queso fresco crumbled on everything
homemade chorizo
I'm too much of a beer geek to get into it, but we have Tecate in the house...bland watery Mexican lager
more later, Sanford
Really, what we are cooking and eating is pretty domesticated. We have mostly used Rick Bayless's book, which uses traditional ingredients and methods, but doesn't call for much lard. Diana Kennedy's, and the recipes in the other books we have often use lard, which we would like to avoid. I say that what we are doing is domesticated, but, Mexican food is such a integral part of our lives, that maybe I'm taking for granted aspects of what we are cooking.
homemade tortillas every day
buying and using entire bags of various dried chiles, again and again
roasting tomatoes and fresh chiles under the broiler
we usually have 2 or 3 different homemade salsas and/or sauces in the fridge
queso fresco crumbled on everything
homemade chorizo
I'm too much of a beer geek to get into it, but we have Tecate in the house...bland watery Mexican lager
more later, Sanford
Monday, January 17, 2011
Chicken, potatoes and chard in a ancho chile sauce
The Werth's brought tasty margaritas. 4 oz tequila, 2 oz fresh squeezed lime, 1 oz agave nectar. Stir and enjoy.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Pollo a la poblana con hongos
Here's the recipe for the chicken with poblano cream sauce. When we make this again, we will substitute chicken thighs and adjust the cooking times.
6 fresh poblanos
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried mexican oregano
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1 cup heavy cream
6 large leaves epazote (left out, we couldn't find it)
1 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling on chicken
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2# boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups sliced mushrooms (we used baby bellas)
Roast chiles until blackened all sides. Cover and let sit 5 min. Peel, remove stem and seed pods. Slice into 1/4 inch strips. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet over med-high. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until nicely browned but still crunchy (5min). Add garlic and herbs, toss 1 min, then stir in chiles and heat through.
Scoop 1/3 of the above chiles out of the pan and roughly chop them and set aside. Add half of the cream and the epazote to the skillet, and simmer 5 min. Put in food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt. Stir in cilantro and reserved chopped chilis. Thin with chicken broth to the consistency of med thick cream soup.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tbsp oil. Dry chicken sprinkle both sides with salt. When oil is hot, brown the chicken on both sides. Lay in a single layer in a 13 x 9 glass dish.
Return skillet to heat, there should be a light coating of oil left, if not add more. Add mushrooms and stir until soft, about 5 min. Strew them over chicken, then spoon on sauce. Cover dish with foil and back until chicken cooked and sauce is beginning to brown at edges, about 15 min. Sprinkle with cilantro.
6 fresh poblanos
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried mexican oregano
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1 cup heavy cream
6 large leaves epazote (left out, we couldn't find it)
1 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling on chicken
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2# boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups sliced mushrooms (we used baby bellas)
Roast chiles until blackened all sides. Cover and let sit 5 min. Peel, remove stem and seed pods. Slice into 1/4 inch strips. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet over med-high. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until nicely browned but still crunchy (5min). Add garlic and herbs, toss 1 min, then stir in chiles and heat through.
Scoop 1/3 of the above chiles out of the pan and roughly chop them and set aside. Add half of the cream and the epazote to the skillet, and simmer 5 min. Put in food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt. Stir in cilantro and reserved chopped chilis. Thin with chicken broth to the consistency of med thick cream soup.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tbsp oil. Dry chicken sprinkle both sides with salt. When oil is hot, brown the chicken on both sides. Lay in a single layer in a 13 x 9 glass dish.
Return skillet to heat, there should be a light coating of oil left, if not add more. Add mushrooms and stir until soft, about 5 min. Strew them over chicken, then spoon on sauce. Cover dish with foil and back until chicken cooked and sauce is beginning to brown at edges, about 15 min. Sprinkle with cilantro.
Recipe: Chipotle seasoned pot roast
It was a tie this week for our favorite. The pot roast and the poblano cream sauce. Both recipes are from Rick Bayless.
3-6 canned chipotle chiles en adobo
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
5 tomatillos
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3# boneless beef chuck roast, tied into compact shape
1 tbsp olive oil
4 med peeled and sliced carrots
2 peeled and diced (1/2 inch) chayotes (we couldn't find so we used summer squash)
4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Roast unpeeled garlic in a skillet over med heat, turning occasionally, until soft, about 15 min. Cool and peel. Roast tomatillos on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler 5 minutes, then flip and roast 5 min more. Put tomatillos and juices, canned chiles, and garlic into food processor or blender and process until it's a fine-textured puree. Stir in 3-4 tbsp water to give it a medium consistency. Season with salt and sugar.
In a shallow dish, smear meat with the above salsa, cover, refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook the meat, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Scrape as mush salsa off the meat as possible and reserve Dry meat with paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Heat oil in a dutch oven. When hot, add roast and brown on one side, about 5 min, then brown other side. Remove roast to plate. Pour one cup water into pot and boil over med heat, scraping up browned bits. Stir in reserved salsa, then return roast to pan. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours, until the meat is just tender. Then add the vegetables around the meat, stir to coat, cover and continue cooking until tender 30-45 min.
Transfer meat to serving platter, scoop out veggies and distribute around meat. Skim off the fat, and if necessary, boil them to reduce until lightly thickened. There should be about a cup. Season with salt if necessary. Pour over meat. Sprinkle with cilantro and coarse salt.
3-6 canned chipotle chiles en adobo
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
5 tomatillos
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3# boneless beef chuck roast, tied into compact shape
1 tbsp olive oil
4 med peeled and sliced carrots
2 peeled and diced (1/2 inch) chayotes (we couldn't find so we used summer squash)
4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Roast unpeeled garlic in a skillet over med heat, turning occasionally, until soft, about 15 min. Cool and peel. Roast tomatillos on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler 5 minutes, then flip and roast 5 min more. Put tomatillos and juices, canned chiles, and garlic into food processor or blender and process until it's a fine-textured puree. Stir in 3-4 tbsp water to give it a medium consistency. Season with salt and sugar.
In a shallow dish, smear meat with the above salsa, cover, refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook the meat, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Scrape as mush salsa off the meat as possible and reserve Dry meat with paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Heat oil in a dutch oven. When hot, add roast and brown on one side, about 5 min, then brown other side. Remove roast to plate. Pour one cup water into pot and boil over med heat, scraping up browned bits. Stir in reserved salsa, then return roast to pan. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours, until the meat is just tender. Then add the vegetables around the meat, stir to coat, cover and continue cooking until tender 30-45 min.
Transfer meat to serving platter, scoop out veggies and distribute around meat. Skim off the fat, and if necessary, boil them to reduce until lightly thickened. There should be about a cup. Season with salt if necessary. Pour over meat. Sprinkle with cilantro and coarse salt.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Saturday night
The refrigerator is stuffed with leftover mexican food despite our eating it morning, noon and night. I'm having a hard time getting as many vegetables in as we are used to eating. I've resorted to chopping any vegetable in the fridge and sticking it in a salad. I'm not sure the boys are too impressed with that move. So tonight, leftovers. We discuss which recipes were our favorites from the week and post them tomorrow.
Sledding snack
Neighborhood kids and Kingsley kids starving after sledding. Leftover tacos. Overheard, "that's the craziest looking taco I've ever seen."
'Friday, January 14, 2011
homemade
we make our own tortillas by flour at home and i get to start helping soon and tonight we are having apples slices in our ground beef on our flat tacos! jack
Sam's view on dinner last night
1/13/11
The chicken and poblano cream sauce was DELICIOUS! I still would enjoy going to Chipotle or El Rancho sometime soon, I hope we go out to eat sometime soon.
Maybe one night we can just have a big tortilla with refried beans, cheddar cheese, rice, and daisy sour cream, that'd be cool.
The chicken and poblano cream sauce was DELICIOUS! I still would enjoy going to Chipotle or El Rancho sometime soon, I hope we go out to eat sometime soon.
Maybe one night we can just have a big tortilla with refried beans, cheddar cheese, rice, and daisy sour cream, that'd be cool.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tonight's dinner: cumin rubbed pork chops with a roasted tomatillo-serrano salsa that was way too spicy for the kids! Should have removed the seeds. Roasted pepper and broccoli salad, beans and more tortillas. Since we were home today for a snow day, we managed to eat mexican food for all three meals. The broccoli was tossed in today, because it was going to go bad soon! Any recipes or suggestions, I am all ears.
Sam's Last Night
Last night the pot roast was divine! (I think divine means good?) It was so good we heated it up to have for breakfast this morning!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Night #2
local?
Shopping cooking eating locally is very important to us. It is very important to Sycamore, the restaurant we co-own. We day in and day out do our best to purchase local food, and we will continue during the year of "one cuisine at a time". Mario Batali, on Molto Mario, said again and again, that the fresh local ingredient should always trump the imported, even when the imported is more appropriate to the recipe. We need to embrace the spirit of the culture (again ambitious), while staying true to what is available here...sort of. Do we use Mexican crema? or buy Central Dairy sour cream? Quesa Fresca or local goat cheese? on and on... When it comes down to it I think learning some techniques and grasping the edge of the "spirit" of the cuisine in question is more important than always using the absolutely appropriate ingredients.
Sanford says
I could eat "Mexican" food every day, and I have said so for years. The quotes are because a fried flour tortilla with cheese, refried beans, and what ever left-overs will fit, to me, barely qualifies as Mexican...quesadillas are on every sort of menu in this country...we have, for years, at all times, had tortillas, salsa, several hot sauces, and cans of re-fried beans in our house. The cooking part of this idea is not challenging, we are pretty accomplished home cooks. The challenge is to get deeper into the cuisine, to get a bit more understanding of the culture (we'll see...pretty ambitious), and not just cook and eat what we are familiar with. This goes for Thai food, French food, Spain, India, and not just Mexico, though I think Mexico will be easiest for us.
Jack and Sam are great eaters. My mom says that her and my fathers biggest fights were about my picky finicky gonna starve to death won't eat a thingness. Not so with Jack and Sam. They once ordered calamari by asking for the "dead baby squid"; Jack liked the tongue taco I fed him until I told him it was tongue; Sam will try anything, and is starting to really enjoy spicy foods. Though we eat in front of the tv WAY more than I would like to admit, we really take cooking and eating serioulsy, serious in that we think about it a lot, and we really like that our kids are gaining an appreciation for food as well.
Jack and Sam are great eaters. My mom says that her and my fathers biggest fights were about my picky finicky gonna starve to death won't eat a thingness. Not so with Jack and Sam. They once ordered calamari by asking for the "dead baby squid"; Jack liked the tongue taco I fed him until I told him it was tongue; Sam will try anything, and is starting to really enjoy spicy foods. Though we eat in front of the tv WAY more than I would like to admit, we really take cooking and eating serioulsy, serious in that we think about it a lot, and we really like that our kids are gaining an appreciation for food as well.
Monday, January 10, 2011
First Dinner
Chipotle infused flank steak, pot of beans, homemade corn tortillas, braised kale, chipotle-tomatillo salsa, and tomato-jalepeno salsa.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Sam's view
I'm actually looking forward to this 'project'. Mexico will be fun making tortillas and everything, but i still hope we can go to Taco Bell or El Rodeo sometimes, or just anywhere out to eat. We're going to have a great time and i hope we do France or Italy next.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
jacks veiw
its jack. really i cant wait for Mexican to start because i love it and this will give me a opportunity to taste food from around the world and experience them from home! some of the Australian doesn't sound so good but ill give them a chance. lets just see!
FIRST STOP: MEXICO
We received some cookbooks for Christmas that inspired our first two months. We will start in Mexico, thanks to the cookbook "Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen" that we received from my in-laws, Bill and Chris. We are going to try to make corn tortillas daily. Next week we'll make chorizo and roasted poblano sausage. Then off to Italy. We may have to start making the pancetta and prosciutto before we are finished with Mexico. We don't have a plan for the rest of the year, except we will include France, India and Spain. Sam and Jack made a list of their suggestions, but I'm not sure I can find a month's worth of recipes from Greenland! We would love to hear your suggestions and always your recipes!
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