Archive for the ‘Mexican’ Category

Taco Salad

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

1−1/2 Pound Ground beef
Bottled French dressing
1/4 Cup Onion, chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Dried oregano, crushed
1/2 Head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
2 Tomatoes, cut in wedges
8 Ounce Can corn, drained
8 Ounce Can garbanzo beans, drain
1/2 Cup Radish slices
1−6 1/2 oz Package Tortilla or corn chips
1 Avocado, peeled and sliced
4 Ounce Cheddar cheese, shredded
Pitted black olives, sliced
Sour cream
Brown meat and drain off fat. Add 1/3 cup French dressing, onion, salt,
pepper and oregano. Simmer 5 minutes. Combine lettuce, tomatoes, corn,
beans, radishes and enough dressing to moisten. Toss lightly. For each
salad, serve meat mixture over tortilla chips. Top with lettuce mixture,
avocado, cheese, olives and sour cream, as desired.

Sopaipillas

Saturday, March 7th, 2009

4 Cup Flour
2 Teaspoon Sugar
1/4 Cup Shortening or lard
1 Tablespoon Baking powder
1−1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 Cup Water or more if needed
Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Add water
and mix until holds together. Knead 10−15 times until dough forms a smooth
ball. Cover and let set for 20 minutes. Divide dough into two parts. Roll
dough to 1/8″ thickness on lightly floured board. Cut into 3″ squares or
triangles. Do not allow to dry; cover those waiting to be fried. When ready
to fry, turn upside down so that surface on bottom while resting is on top
when frying. Fry in 3″ hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Add only a
few at a time to maintain proper temperature. Drain on paper towels.

Salpicon

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

3 pounds brisket
2 onions, 1 halved, 1 chopped
1 large carrot, quartered
1 stalk celery, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 12−ounce can whole tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large tomato, chopped
1 4−ounce can chile chipotle, drained and chopped (reserve liquid)
¼ cup light olive oil
¼ cup vinegar
½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, cut in ¼−inch cubes
2 large avocados, sliced length−wise
Oven: 325 degrees
Place brisket in heavy pot and cover with water. Add halved onion, carrot,
celery, garlic, ½ cup chopped cilantro, canned tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Cover and cook in oven approximately 4 hours until very tender, Remove from
liquid, cool slightly and shred thoroughly with a fork. In large bowl,
combine shredded beef, chopped onion, chopped tomato, remaining cilantro,
chile chipotle, and liquid to taste, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Let
cool in refrigerator at least 4 hours. Before serving, toss with cheese and
turn into a decorative bowl. Garnish with sliced avocado. Serve with warm
corn or flour tortillas, pinto beans and guacamole or tossed green salad.
For spicier flavor, use more chile chipotle or pickled jalapenos or chopped
or fresh green chile strips.

Ropa Vieja

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

3 pounds flank steak
1−1/2 cups water
6 whole garlic, peeled
6 whole black peppercorns
salt to taste
8 poblano peppers, fresh
1/2 cup lard, bacon drippings, or veg.oil
2 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, sliced 1/8″ thick
flour tortilla
1. Cut the flank steak in half horizontally so it will fit into a large
Dutch oven. Place it in the pot and cover it with the water. Add the six
whole cloves of garlic, along with the peppercorns and salt as desired.
Place over low heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and continue
cooking over low heat, turning the meat occasionally, until it is tenderand
well done, about one and a half to two hours.
2. While the meat is stewing roast, peel and seed the peppers and slice each
pepper lengthwise into strips an eighth of an inch wide. Set aside.
3. When the meat is tender, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let the
meat cool in its own broth. When it coolds enough to handle, remove it from
the broth and place it on a cutting board. Slice the meat across the grain
into stips about two inches across. Using your fingers, pull the meat into
fine shreds. Return it to the broth.
4. Heat the lard or other fat in a large heavy skillet over medium heat
until it is rippling. Crush the sliced garlic cloves and add to the hot fat.
Saute for one minute, stirring frequently. Add the sliced onions and saute
until it’s somewhat soft, about three minutes. Add the reserved pepper
strips to the pan and continue sauteing and stirring for about two minutes.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peppers, onion and garlic to the Dutch
oven. Cook the meat mixture, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring
frequently until the flavors are blended about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the
meat hot, rolled up in heated flour tortillas.

Puchero

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

1/2 Cup Chickpeas
2 Small Zucchini
1/4 Pound Boneless lamb
2 Small Sweet potatoes
1/4 Pound Boneless beef
1 Cup Corn cut from the cob
3 Pound Chicken
2 White potatoes, boiled in jackets
1/2 Pound Ham
3 Barely ripe bananas
1 Large Onion
1/2 Teaspoon Coriander seeds, crushed
3 Cloves garlic
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Veal knuckle, split
3 Tablespoon Oil (or butter)
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Pears
2 Quart Chicken broth
3 Peaches
1/2 Small Cabbage
2 Limes
2 Small Turnips
1 Large Carrot
Place the chick peas in a kettle, cover with broth, and soak overnight.
Cut the lamb and beef into 2−inch cubes, cut the chicken into serving
pieces, and dice the ham. Peel and slice the onion and garlic. Combine the
drained chick peas, all the meats, the veal knuckle, onion, garlic, and salt
in a large soup kettle. Cover with 2 quarts of cold water and bring to a
full boil. Skim off the froth. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 45
minutes.
Cut the cabbage into eight wedges. Peel and slice the turnips and carrot.
Slice the zucchini. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Cut the corn from the
cob. Add the cabbage, turnips, carrot, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and corn to
the kettle. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until meats and vegetables
are tender.
Peel the boiled white potatoes and cut into thick slices. Peel bananas and

Pork Loin Vampiro

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009

3 medium−sized ancho chiles, stems, seeds and veins removed
2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup grenadine
1/2 cup tequila
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1 cup sliced white onion
3 pound, lean boneless pork loin, (either a single loin or two loins tied together)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lard or olive oil
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Toast the chiles on a skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute on
each side, but do not allow them to scorch. Tear the chiles into pieces,
place them in a bowl, cover them with boiling water, and allow them to
rehydrate and soften for 15 minutes. Drain the chiles and place them in the
bowl of a blender. Add the orange juice and lime juice and blend for 1
minute. Strain the mixture through the fine blade of a food mill, then add
the grenadine, tequila, salt, thyme and onion, and reserve.
Salt and pepper the pork. In a Dutch−oven or heavy baking dish, heat the oil
over medium high heat until it is very hot but not quite smoking. Add the
pork and sear it, turning as necessary, until it is golden brown on all
sides, about 4 minutes. Remove the pork to a plate and the pot from the heat
and allow it to cool, briefly. Add the chile mixture, stirring well to
incorporate any caramelized pieces of pork and juices from the bottom of the
pot. Put the pork back in the pot, fat side up, replace it on the burner and
heat until the sauce just begins to bubble lightly, but do not bring it to a
complete boil. Place the pot in the preheated oven and bake, uncovered,
until pork reaches an internal temperature of between 145 and 150 degrees,
(about 30 minutes per pound for a roast with two loins tied together, or a
total of about 1 hour for a single loin) spooning some of the sauce over it
every 15 minutes. Remove the pork from the pot, and allow it to rest for 5
minutes, then slice it into servings. While the meat is resting you can
reduce the sauce if it is too thin.
Spoon some sauce on each of 4 serving plates, and top with a slice of pork.
Mexican style white rice and sauteed nopalitos or squash go well with this
dish.

Pork Carnitas

Thursday, January 1st, 2009

Guacamole
4 Poblano Chiles; roasted and peeled
1 Onion; Medium, Cut in halves
1 Pound Center Loin Roast; boneless and cut into 2 X 1/4−inch strips
1 Clove Garlic; Finely Chopped
2 Teaspoon Vegetable Oil
2 Teaspoon Tomato Paste
1 Teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 lb. plum tomatoes, finely chopped
Flour Or Corn Tortillas
Dairy Sour Cream
Prepare Guacamole; set aside. Cut chiles and onion halves lengthwise into
1/4−inch strips. Cook pork, chiles, onion and garlic in oil in a 10−inch
skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pork is no longer
pink, about 12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, vinegar, salt and tomatoes;
cook until hot. Serve with tortillas, Guacamole and sour cream.

Pay De Nuez Pecan Pie

Saturday, December 27th, 2008

1 unbaked pie crust, homemade or bought
1 egg yolk beaten with a pinch of salt until it is thick and creamy
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons granulated, white sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cups chopped pecans
1 pound pitted dates, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla
32 pecan halves
Line a pie pan with the crust and press a piece of aluminium foil on top of
it to conform to its shape and covering the edges of the dough. Pour 1 pound
rice or an appropriate amount of pie weights into the foil and mound along
the edges to keep the sides of the crust from losing their shape. Place the
dough in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Take the dough out of the oven
and remove the foil and its contents. Prick the bottom of the crust all over
with a fork, brush the top and half way down the sides with the beaten egg
yolk and replace the pan in the oven until it is a golden brown all over,
about 5 − 7 minutes longer.
To make the filling place the milk and sugars in a large saucepan, bring to
a boil and simmer until the mixture thickens and produces large bubbles,
about 15 minutes. Stir in the chopped pecans, dates, salt and honey and cook
until the mixture is thick, just a few minutes more. Stir in the butter,
then when it has melted add the vanilla. Spoon the mixture into the pie
crust and place the pecan halves in eight lines going from just off the
center to the side of the pie, so that each piece, when it is cut, will have
a line of nuts down the center. Allow the pie to cool, then refrigerate
overnight. Before serving bring the pie to room temperature.

Paella

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

1 Chicken broiler, cut up
2 Cloves garlic
1/4 Cup Oil
1 Pound Raw shrimp
4 Sliced tomatoes
1 Pound Peas
12 Artichoke hearts
1−1/2 Cup Brown rice
6 Strands saffron
1 Cup Onion, diced
1 Green bell pepper, diced
1 Red bell pepper, diced
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Cup White wine
2 Cup Water
Brown chicken and garlic in oil; remove chicken to large casserole dish. Add
shrimp, tomatoes, peas and artichoke hearts to dish. In oil used to brown
chicken, sauté rice, saffron, onion, green and red bell peppers for 7
minutes. Add to casserole dish, sprinkle on paprika, and pour in wine and
water. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until rice is ready.

Menudo

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

2 1/2 Pound Tripe
1/2 Calf’s foot
1/3 Cup Vinegar
Cold water
2 Cloves garlic
1/2 Small Onion
3 Quart Water (approx.)
Salt
1−1/2 Cup Hominy
Red Chile Puree (see below) OR 1 cup canned red chile sauce
Finely chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro leaves
Lemon wedges
Corn tortillas, heated
Red Chile Puree:
8 California chiles (1/4 lb)
2/3 Cup Water
Scrape off any fat from tripe. Cut tripe into 1−inch squares. Place tripe
and calf’s foot in a large bowl. Add vinegar and cold water to cover
generously. Let stand 3 hours. Drain. Rinse tripe and calf’s foot
thoroughly. Place in a large pot. Add garlic and onion. Pour in water to
cover ingredients plus 1 to 1 1/2 inches, about 3 quarts. Add salt to taste.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 6 hours or until tripe
is tender. After 1 hour, skim foam from surface of soup. Skim again as
needed. Add more water if liquid evaporates. Prepare Red Chile Puree. Add
hominy and Red Chile Puree during last hour of cooking. Ladle into large
bowls. Serve chopped green onions, cilantro, lemon wedges and hot corn
tortillas separately. Makes 10 to 15 servings. Red Chile Puree: Remove stems
from chiles. Break chiles open and rinse out seeds. Place in a saucepan with
water to cover. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil until chiles are softened,
about 5 minutes. Drain; discard water. Place chiles in blender; puree. Add
enough water to make puree the consistency of tomato sauce. Press pureed
chiles through a sieve to remove bits of peel. Makes about 1 cup. Variation:
Substitute 1 1/2 cups nixtamal (cooked dried corn) for canned hominy.
Combine with soaked tripe and calf’s foot, garlic, onion and water. Cook as
directed above.