Posted on

Pozole #2

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 lbs boneless Boston butt pork roast (or tenderloin)
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 (14-ounce) can low-salt beef broth
  • 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 2 (15.5-ounce) cans golden hominy, drained
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded Boston lettuce
  • 2/3 cup unsalted baked tortilla chips
  • 2/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 2/3 cup thinly sliced radishes

Preparation

  1. Combine 1 tsp salt, paprika, and pepper. Trim fat from pork. Cut pork into 2-inch pieces; trim any additional fat. Combine pork and paprika mixture, tossing well to coat.
  2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove pork from pan. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Return pork to pan; stir in water and next 7 ingredients (water through tomatoes).
  3. Remove 2 large chile and 2 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can; reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Remove seeds from chile; finely chop. Stir chile and adobo sauce into pork mixture. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until pork is tender. Remove pork from pan using a slotted spoon; place pork in a large bowl. Shred pork using 2 forks. Add tomato mixture to pork in bowl. Let cool to room temperature; cover and chill overnight.
  4. Skim solidified fat from surface of stew. Combine the stew, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and hominy in a large Dutch oven, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Ladle stew into bowls. Top each with lettuce, chips, cilantro, and radishes.

From Chris and Britta and adapted from myrecipes.com/recipe/posole-0

Posted on

Corn Salsa

Ingredients

  • 4 ears sweet yellow corn, grilled or roasted
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • the juice of 2 limes
  • Salt and pepper

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Posted on

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

From homesicktexan.com

Ingredients

Filling:

  • Four boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ medium-sized onion, diced (about ¾ of a cup)

Sour cream sauce:

  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 Serrano chiles, diced
  • 2 Tbsps butter
  • 2 Tbsps flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 8 fresh tomatillos, husks removed and cut in half or one 10 oz. can of tomatillos
  • Dash cayenne
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Enchiladas

  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Sprinkle the chicken breasts on each side with the salt and black pepper. In a large cast-iron set on medium heat, and cook the chicken breasts on each side for three minutes. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. When the chicken is done, take the chicken out of the oven and let cool. Then shred with two forks. Keep the oven on as you’ll be using it again.
  3. While the chicken is baking, melt the butter in a pot. Add diced Serrano chiles and cook until soft, about three or four minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the flour and cook for one more minute. Pour the chicken broth into the pot, and whisking constantly cook until chicken broth has thickened. Stir in the sour cream, cumin, cayenne and cilantro. Remove from heat.
  4. If using fresh tomatillos, place them under the broiler on a foil-lined sheet and cook on each side until blackened, about four minutes per side. Place in a blender along with the sour cream sauce and puree into smooth. If using canned tomatillos, skip the broiler step and just place them in the blender with the sour cream sauce and proceed.
  5. Heat the canola oil in a skillet and cook the corn tortillas on each side a couple of minutes until soft. Wrap in a cloth to keep warm as you continue to cook all 12.
  6. To assemble the enchiladas, pour one cup of the sour cream sauce in the bottom of a casserole pan. Take each corn tortilla and place in the middle 1/3 cup of shredded chicken, 1 teaspoon of diced onions and 1 tablespoon of cheese.
  7. Roll the tortillas around the filling and place the rolled tortillas seam side down in the casserole dish. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and cheese and bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until top is brown and bubbling.

Serve topped with chopped cilantro. Makes 12 enchiladas.

Posted on

Tacos Al Pastor

A popular taco filling in Mexico, pork al pastor is usually cooked in a huge slab on a vertical rotisserie (like Middle Eastern shawarma) and sliced off to order, so that the outside bits are crisp and golden and the inside is juicy and tender.  Since most of us don’t have a vertical rotisserie hanging around, here’s an “at home” method that replicates the flavors of an authentic al pastor taco.

Chili Marinade

Ingredients

  • 2 dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles or 2 canned in adobo
  • 1/2 of a large onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1/4 c white vinegar
  • 1/4 c orange juice (or lemonade or limeade)
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin

Preparation

  1. Pour boiling water over dried chiles, soak for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Remove chiles from water, do not dispose of the water yet. Remove stems, slice open and remove seeds. Place in immersion blender jar.
  2. Broil onion and garlic cloves in toaster oven for about 5-10 minutes or until slightly soft and brown in spots, place in blender jar.
  3. Add about 1/2 c of the chile water to blender jar, purée until smooth, adding more chile water if needed to make a chili paste.
  4. Strain chili puree through mesh strainer using a rubber spatula to push through.
  5. Add salt, oregano, cumin, vinegar, and juice to strained chili paste. It should be the consistency of a thick tomato sauce.

Tacos al pastor

Ingredients

  • 3-4 lb piece of pork butt or shoulder (I used Boston butt), sliced in thin slabs removing the excess fat
  • 1 recipe marinade
  • 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into semi-circles
  • 1/2 c fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 c diced red onion
  • Tomatillo sauce (1/2 c jarred tomatillo salsa mixed with 1/2 of a mashed avocado)
  • lime wedges
  • corn tortillas

Preparation

  1. Pound slabs of pork with flat side of mallet until very thin. Place in dish or resealable bag, and marinate in chili sauce for 24 hours.
  2. Heat cast iron skillet over medium heat. Fry pieces of pork and pineapple slices for a few minutes on each side or until browned.
  3. Remove from pan and let rest for a few minutes, then dice into small pieces.
  4. Fill warmed corn tortillas with pork and garnish with pineapple, cilantro, red onion, tomatillo sauce, and a squeeze of lime.
Posted on

Chili Gravy

Use this with these enchiladas.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup lard (or vegetable oil)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1-1/2 tsp powdered garlic
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano is preferred if it’s available)
  • 2 Tbsp chile powder (either homemade or a dark brand such as Gebhardt’s or Whole Foods)
  • 2 cups chicken broth (or water)

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.
  2. Add all the dry ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients.
  3. Add chicken broth or water, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens.
  4. Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. Add water to adjust the thickness.

Makes 2 cups.

Posted on

Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 3 cups shredded mexican cheese (queso de papa, quesadilla, etc..)
  • One medium onion, diced
  • 2 cups chili gravy

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 450. Pour oil in a small skillet, and fry the tortillas one at a time (optional – you can also simply soften in microwave). Keep them wrapped in a cloth until all 8 are heated.
  2. Pour 1/2 cup of chili gravy into baking pan.
  3. Take a tortilla, put 1/4 cup of cheese and 1 tablespoon of onion in the center and roll it.
  4. Place rolled tortilla in baking dish, seam side down. Continue with remaining tortillas. Take remaining chili gravy, and pour it over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese and onions on top.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Makes 8 enchiladas.

Posted on

Black Bean Chicken With Chipotle Sauce

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsps. diced onion
  • 1 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup diced tomato
  • 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tsps. chipotle powder
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsps. chili powder
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts (about 4 oz each), fat trimmed
  • 2 cups fresh spinach

Preparation

  1. Sauté onion and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat until translucent, about 3
    minutes. Add beans, tomato, cilantro, broth, chipotle powder and salt and simmer until
    beans are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, pour into a blender and puree;
    set aside.
  2. Mix oil and chili powder in a bowl to form a paste; rub over chicken. Grill or
    broil chicken until cooked through (but not charred), 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve
    each chicken breast with 4 tbsp sauce (freeze leftover sauce) and garnish with 1/2 cup
    spinach.
Posted on

Potato, Greens, and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium)
  • 2 tsps chili powder
  • 1 1/3 cups (packed) coarsely grated hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese (5 to 6 ounces)
  • 1 1/3 cups jarred salsa verde (tomatillo salsa)
  • 4 2/3 cups coarsely chopped stemmed mustard greens (from 1 bunch), divided
  • 4 8-inch-diameter flour tortillas
  • 3 ounces chilled fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
  • Olive oil

Preparation

  1. Place baking sheet in oven and preheat to 275°F. Steam potatoes until tender, about 8 minutes. Place in large bowl; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Toss to coat. Cool potatoes 15 minutes. Mix in Jack cheese. Meanwhile, blend salsa and 2/3 cup (packed) greens in mini processor until greens are finely chopped.
  2. Arrange tortillas on work surface. Divide remaining greens between bottom half of each. Top greens with potato mixture, then goat cheese and 2 tablespoons salsa mixture for each. Fold plain tortilla halves over filling, pressing to compact. Brush with oil.
  3. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas, oiled side down, in skillet. Brush tops with oil. Cook until quesadillas are brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 2 quesadillas.
  4. Cut each quesadilla into 3 or 4 wedges. Serve with remaining salsa.
Posted on

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup chicken base
  • 3 cups diced yellow onions
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups Masa Harina (Mexican flour)
  • 4 quarts water (divided into 1 and 3)
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 pound processed American cheese, cubed
  • 3 pounds cooked chicken, pieced
  • pico de gallo, mixed cheese shreds, and crunchy tortilla strips, to taste

Preparation

  1. Combine oil, chicken base, onion, and spices in a large pot. Saute until onions are soft and clear, about 5 minutes.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine Masa Harina with 1 quart water. Stir until all lumps dissolve. Add to sauteed onions, bring to a boil. Once mixture starts to bubble, continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
  3. Add remaining 3 quarts of water and crushed tomatoes. Let mixture return to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add American cheese and chicken. Reduce heat and simmer to desired consistency.
  5. Serve in large bowls. Top with mixed cheese shreds, pico, and tortilla strips.
Posted on

Beef Fajitas

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tspn ground cumin
  • 2 Tblsp olive oil

Fajitas

  • 2 lb skirt steak, trimmed and cut into large pieces to fit on a grill or broiler pan or in a ridged grill pan
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 3 assorted colored bell peppers, sliced thin
  • 1 large red onion, sliced thin
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • twelve 7- to 8-inch flour tortillas (recipe follows or store-bought), warmed (procedure follows)
  • guacamole and tomato salsa

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl whisk together the garlic paste, the lime juice, the cumin, and the oil. Add the steak to the marinade, turning it to coat it well, and let it marinate, covered and chilled, for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  2. Grill the steak, drained, on a well-oiled rack set about 5 inches over glowing coals or in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until it is just springy to the touch, for medium-rare meat. (Alternatively, the steak may be broiled on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat.) Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it stand for 10 minutes.
  3. While the steak is standing, in a large skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the bell peppers, the onion, and the garlic, and sauté the mixture, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the bell peppers are softened.
  4. Slice the steak thin across the grain on the diagonal and arrange the slices on a platter with the bell pepper mixture. Drizzle any steak juices over the steak and the pepper mixture and serve the steak and the pepper mixture with the tortillas, the guacamole, and the salsa. Spread some of the guacamole on a tortilla, top it with a few slices of the steak, some of the pepper mixture, and some of the salsa, and roll up the tortilla to enclose the filling.

Warming the tortillas

In the oven: Stack 6 tortillas at a time, wrap each stack in foil, and heat the tortillas in the middle of a preheated 325°F. oven for 5 minutes for corn tortillas and 15 minutes for flour tortillas. (If the tortillas are very dry to begin with, pat each tortillas between dampened hands before stacking them.)

In the microwave: Stack 6 tortillas at time, wrap each stack in a big paper towel, and heat the tortillas in a microwave oven at high power (100%) for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they are heated through and pliable.

Serves 6

Luche Last Supper illustration (detail) from Pale Horse