Chorizo potato tacos with escabeche

All of these recipes, and probably for the next few days, come from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen.  I love this book.  

Roasted tomatillo-serrano salsa

Preheat broiler on high.  Put rack as high as it will go.  On a large cookie sheet place 6-8 tomatillos (husks removed and washed), 3-4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled, 3-4 serrano peppers and broil until blackened.  It takes my oven about 8-9 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 6-7 minutes.  Put the tomatillos and their juices that are in the bottom of the pan, along with the garlic (peel it first), and the serranos (with the stems removed.  I leave the seeds in them) into a food processor.   Add a chipotle in adobo.  (I like it for the smokiness)   Process until smooth.  Meanwhile chop about 4 oz of onion into a small dice and rinse under cold water.  Pour the tomato mixture into a large bowl.  Add the onions, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 tsp of salt or to taste, a couple of capfuls of apple cider vinegar and a tsp of sugar.  Stir.  Cool and serve.

This is the basic recipe that I use for all my salsas.  The tomatillos can be replaced with roma or use a combination.  I have even made it with canned tomatoes and only roasting the chilis and the garlic.  Any fresh pepper would work also. 

Pot of Mexican Beans

Usually I pressure cook my beans, but since it's cold and snowy I decided to make these on the stovetop.  I only soaked these for about an hour.  I don't think soaking really makes much of a difference.

In a large pot, I browned about an ounce of chorizo and a cut up slice of bacon in a little olive oil.  Then add 1 cup of chopped onion.  Cook until soft.  Add your drained beans.  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for a couple of hours.  Season with salt, then cook another 15-20 minutes.

Green Poblano Rice

Simmer 2 chopped poblanos in 1 2/3 cup chicken broth for 10 minutes.  Put in food processor with a handful of cilantro and salt to taste.  Process, then strain through a mesh strainer.  In a pot, saute 1 cup rice and 1 small diced onion in 1 tbsp olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Add 5 chopped garlic cloves.  Add the poblano broth to rice.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes covered.

Chorizo Potato Tacos with escabeche

These are easy, and I love them. 

Boil 4 potatoes whole until tender.  Remove let cool, then dice into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces.  

Brown 6 oz Mexican chorizo until cooked through.  Remove with slotted spoon, leaving as much grease in the pan as you can.  You may need to add a little olive oil.  Add potatoes.  Let brown, turning occasionally.  When finished, add the chorizo back to the potatoes and warm through.  Serve on corn tortillas with escabeche

Escabeche:  Dice and peel one med carrot.  Put in a large skillet.  Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil.  Cover and cook over med heat about 5 minutes, until crisp tender.  Stir in 2 peeled and diced garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, 1/3 cup cider vinegar, 2 tbsp dark brown sugar and 1/4 cup water.  Simmer until sugar is dissolved.  Add 1 thinly sliced red onion ( I used white since that was all I had).  Stir and let cool.  Flavors will improve with time.