Viva la Cocina

VIVA LA COCINA MOVING TO VIVA CINDY!!

2011-02-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed, I have not posted anything new here at Viva la Cocina in quite some time. A while back I combined all of my food posts into my personal blog Viva Cindy and have added some new recipes there. Please just do a search for "Viva la Cocina" on Viva Cindy at the top of the page.

** I will not be renewing my domain name www.vivalacocina.com, but you can still find this blog at http://vivalacocinablog.blogspot.com

gracias,
Cindy

Ceviche de Pescado (Fish Ceviche)

2010-08-21T06:08:00.000-07:00

My brother in law Pepe is one of the best cooks I know. He has been in the restaurant business for years and although he manages restaurants, he has also managed to learn a lot in the kitchen. He talks about opening his own restaurant one day, and I can only hope he fulfills this dream. He is one that experiments and somehow it always turns out delicious. This is a trait of someone who enjoys cooking, wouldn't you agree? (Luckily for me, my husband also has this trait.)

It seems I always eat a lot of seafood when I am in California. (hmm...I wonder why?) Especially ceviche. It is one of my favorite foods. I am not alone here. I know this because I see people are searching for ceviche on google every day and coming to VLC and vivacindy for Ernesto's shrimp ceviche recipe.

When Pepe made this fish ceviche this summer, I knew I had to share it you. I love the way he changes it up with new [to me] ingredients. For example, red pepper? potatoes? Have you ever heard of this? I was surprised. I have hand many kinds of ceviche, but never like this. I was impressed. Truth be told, the potato doesn't add flavor to this ceviche, but I really enjoyed the added texture. Make sure to cube them in small bite size pieces.

Pepe's Fish Ceviche

1 lb fresh sea bass, cubed

1 large yukon gold potato, cubed

1 small red bell pepper, diced

2 habanero chiles, diced (adjust to your taste)

2 small roma tomatoes

1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped

1 small red onion, diced

juice of 8-10 limes

1/4 cup clamato juice

1tsp salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper

directions: Boil cubed potatoes until al dente (not too soft guys) drain and cool. In a large bowl, combine fish and all vegetables and squeeze the lime juice over top. Add clamato juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with lid and put in refrigerator for at least one hour before eating. Stir ingredients and drain half the liquid. Serve cold with tostadas or chips. Buen provecho!

Jalapenos: Stuffed and Grilled!

2010-08-10T04:59:00.000-07:00

I didn't always eat spicy foods. I remember my dad and grandmother loved spicy foods. My mom grew hot peppers in her garden every year and my dad would sweat while eating them. Sliced, seeds removed and salted. I don't know why I never gave spicy a chance back then.

If you say, "I can't do spicy" I say, "yes you can!"

A tolerance to spicy foods is built up over time. I promise you, that when I met Ernesto 11 years ago, I was not eating habanero salsas. But he kept feeding me, and feeding me. There was no way to avoid spicy. I didn't want to either. Some say that burn is addictive, and I concur. I urge you to try getting addicted. Not only do "they" say that spicy foods are good for your heart, improving circulation, and aid with digestion, this article even suggests that it is a "mood lifter."

I'm just saying.... my husband is the least moody person I have ever met and at the same eats more spice that anyone I have ever met. A coincidence? I think not.

If you are not convinced, then let me tell you the number one reason to start eating spicy foods. The TASTE. They are delicious!

Back in June we saw Paula Deen making grilled jalapeno poppers on Food Network. Last Sunday at the weekly Espinoza cookout, Ernesto tried Paula's recipe, substituting the monterry jack cheese for mozzerella. We came away with some good pictures, but more importantly some tips on making this recipe even better/easier.

Stuffed and Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

Adapted from Paula Deen

8-10 medium jalapenos, splice pepper from on side and remove seeds and veins.

mozzarella cheese, cut into strips the same length as peppers

5-6 pieces of bacon, fried and chopped into small pieces The pictures here follow Paula Deen's directions, which you are free to try. However, we have already tested this for you, and found that cooking the bacon on the stove, chopping and stuffing it into the peppers with the cheese before grilling yielded a much more functional appetizer. After stuffing the peppers grill until pepper is tender. Trust me, these pics look good, but eating them wasn't as good looking. (Bacon comes of on the first bite!) Still these peppers were delicious and worth the effort.

Pollo Asado y Pico de Gallo

2010-07-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

Ernesto and I have been in San Diego for the last month staying with mis suegros. The summer weather here has been strange. It's not sunny and warm everyday like it usually is, but I am happy to be out of the GA humidity. We have been hiking, biking, kayaking, lobster eating in Mexico, watching horse races, and of course cooking lots of Mexican food.

Although I haven't posted since last month, do not fear! I have several great recipes to share with you on VLC. When mi suegra is cooking, I have to be right there with a pen and paper to capture everything. She cooks from memory so I am constantly asking questions, "What did you just add there? How much of that?" I really appreciate her taking the time to pass these recipes on to me [and you].

On some nights we cook dinner and give everyone else the night off. Back in Atlanta, Ernesto got addicted to grilling whole chickens.

It's so simple too. You will just need a whole chicken, five cloves of garlic (chopped), olive oil and salt and pepper. Rub oil on outside of chicken and under skin. Rub garlic under skin.

Place chicken on hot grill for 45 minutes, flipping it over several times.

Every time this chicken comes out flavorful and so juicy.

One chicken does not a meal make? Agreed.

My favorite way to serve this, is to make a quick pico de gallo to go on top and refried beans on the side.

Pico de Gallo

5 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

4 serrano peppers, chopped (less if you don't like it spicy)

handful of cilantro, chopped

1 squeeze of lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Pico de gallo

Sopa de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

2010-06-12T04:14:00.000-07:00

In college I rarely ate meat. No, I wasn't a vegetarian, however I had two perceptions about meat.

#1 Meat is expensive and #2 it is fattening.

I was very conscious of what I ate back then [thinking it would affect my workouts], and I was very poor. I remember my family having cookouts and I would not even eat a hamburger!? Crazy girl.
I don't remember what I was eating for those 5 years, but it must have been boring as hell. I don't know why I just didn't get a little more creative in my college years. Well, it was because I really didn't spend much time in the kitchen back then. And there you have it. My eating habits have changed; rarely do I turn down meat. I do however look for lean cuts.

Ernesto, on the other hand, started all his cooking in college. He moved from San Diego to Ohio, and really missed his mothers delicioso food. He called her frequently to get her recipes. I was very impressed when I met him that he was so into food, and not only that but he loved to be in the kitchen making it. Many of our dates were late nights in the kitchen cooking dinner and to this day is our "hobby" as a couple. I can't think of a better one.

This Sopa de Albondigas is one of my favorites from his mother. Ernesto remembers eating a lot of soups and stews in his Mexican upbringing. I would imagine there was a cost savings reason to serving soup to a family of 6, but it also happens to be a staple in Mexican cooking. This recipe busts both my college perceptions by being very inexpensive to put together and very healthy. (try to buy lean hamburger 93/7% fat)
It is a repeater for sure. Buen provecho!

Ligia's Albondigas

Ingredients for broth:

1 small white onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 16oz can tomato sauce

8 cups water

3 chicken bouillon cubes

2 small zucchini, cubed

2 cups carrots, chopped

1 large russet potato, cubed

1 can chipotles in adobo sauce

ingredients for meatballs:

1 lb lean hamburger

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/4 cup rice

1 egg

2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1tsp garlic powder

1tsp onion powder

1tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients meatballs in bowl and roll into golf ball sized balls. In large stock pot, saute onions and garlic in one tbsp olive oil until translucent. Add tomato sauce, water bouillon cubes and potato. Add meatballs and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. Add the remainder of the chopped vegetables and cook for 15 minutes. Serve hot with a chipotle pepper in the bowl!

Fish Tacos, Take Two

2010-05-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

Last year I posted Neto's infamous fish taco recipe but I had the WORST picture to go with it. (horrible lighting)
Last night my dad was in Atlanta for a night and this is his favorite dish. He requests it. Every. Time.

It is still not the best picture, but it sure as heck beats the last. We make this every month or two, so I can try improve the picture again soon. We need to make these for lunch one day so I can get good natural lighting.
Without further ado, Neto's Fish Tacos. See how to make fish tacos.

Cooking with Nopales (prickly pear cactus)

2010-04-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated with succulent plants and cactus, but it wasn't until the last few years that I started eating them. Nopales is a prickly pear cactus that I'm sure you have seen growing outside, or as a house plant. In fact, this hearty plant grows in Georgia and even at my mom's house in Ohio.

Nopales have a light, slightly tart flavor and have a crisp texture on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. To me it seems like a vegetable because they are very rich in fiber. They are also rich in vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K) and minerals (magnesium, potassium), in recent years, I have really grown to love them.

Until several months ago when mis suegras (in-law's) did a big landscaping project, they grew this cactus in the back yard and we were able to go outside with a knife and cut off a peddle or two. If you don't have it growing though, you can check your local Whole Foods, or you may even need to go to a specialty mexican grocery. You will see them in the markets of Mexico for just 5 pesos, here it's closer to $1.

After you find it, the hard part is over.

When deciding what do do with this beautiful cactus I considered nopales en crema, [which I will share with you another time] but I wanted something that really highlights the flavor of the cactus, so I opted for a simple saute.

Nopales

2 cactus paddles

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

2 serrano peppers, diced

2tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Boil cactus until until tender (but not mushy) about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Heat olive oil and saute garlic and onion until translucent

Add tomatoes, peppers and cactus and until cooked through

Serve hot. Que rico.

Caldo Talpeno

2010-04-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

Back when I was in college, I spent a winter studying Spanish in Cuernavaca, Mexico. I wanted to live with a Mexican family so I could immerse myself in the Mexican culture. That is, in fact why it is called an immersion program. ha! Studies have shown that language immersion is the surest and quickest way to learn a language, and I can attest to that! It went a little further for me though. I came back to the US obsessed with not only the Spanish language, but the food, and culture as well.

Typically in Mexico, lunch is the biggest meal of the day. I would come home mid-day for this comida and the table would be set for a full on feast. My "familia" owned a clothing store and would shut the doors from 1-3pm and eat together. I love that custom. If only.....

The main dish, usually meat, would change daily, but the one thing you could count on is that the comida would start with a soup and fresh pan (bread, a type called bolillos). This is a tradition I love.

This classic Mexican chicken soup is absolutely one of my favorites, and you will find it on every menu in Mexico. On a recent trip to Mexico I would want to order it, but kept seeing new things that I hadn't tried before...and I always love to try new foods. Still, I never lost that craving that I had, so we made a big pot of it the other night. Que rica esta sopa.

Caldo Talpeno

10 cups chicken broth

1 white onion, chopped

3 gloves garlic, diced

2 lbs chicken breast

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 small zucchini, chopped

1 small can chickpeas

3/4 cup rice

1 small can of jalapenos in adobo sauce

2 avocados, cubed

Directions:

Cut chicken into thin slices, and season with salt and pepper. In a dutch oven or stock pan, sauté onions, garlic and celery in olive oil, and add chicken to pan and cook until 3/4 done.

Add chicken broth and carrots. Bring to a low simmer for 20 minutes.

Add rice, zucchini and chickpeas. Cook until rice is done. Add salt to taste.

Serve hot, and garnish with avocado cubes and one chile en adobo.

Buen provecho.

Tortas Locas

2010-03-25T07:37:00.000-07:00

No matter where you live, you probably have some rendition of a Mexican restaurant. If you are lucky you may even have a fast food option besides Taco Bell. Rubios out in California specializes in fish tacos! Here in Atlanta we have Tortas Locas, a little joint on the north side of Atlanta that makes [just as the name suggests] crazy sandwiches!

E has taken me there a couple times and it feels like I am sitting in Mexico City. Authentic.

We make a tortas locas too. So can you. Simply because you can put almost anything on this crazy sandwich. Anything goes. Look at this stack!

Ernesto's Torta Loca

Ingredients: (makes 4 tortas)

1 stick chorizo

5 Eggs, scrambled [with the chorizo]

1 can pickled jalapenos

4 pieces smoked ham

1 avocado, sliced

1 tomato. sliced

4 leaves lettuce

4 bollilo bread rolls (or another firm bread), toasted

There is nothing precise about this torta. Stack ingredients onto bollilo roll. Add ketchup and hot sauce. Enjoy.

Tacos de Lengua (tongue tacos)

2010-03-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

Ernesto and I are still in San Diego with his parents and eating Mexican food every day. Sunday is "family day" and mi suegra always cooks something delicious. The whole family comes over and there is a food extravaganza. She asked for requests this past weekend and Ernesto said tongue tacos. How does that sound? Ok ok, maybe it doesn't sound good, but you can't deny that is looks good!

{tongue tacos topped with onion, cilantro and salsa}

This was my first time eating tongue Mexican style. My mom made it sometimes when I was growing up, but it was a Hungarian recipe. I didn't like it from what I can remember, but I think that was more because it was tongue and I was a child!

I was surprised at the simplicity of this recipe.

You will need one cow tongue (we cooked three, but I have adjusted this recipe for one)

Rub all over with salt and oregano and place in a dutch oven.

Through in 2 bay leaves and 3 cloves of garlic.

Add 1-2 cups water and turn on high heat for 5 minutes.

Turn down to low for 2 hours. Take out of pot. They will look like this.

Wait for meat to cool and cut into cubes. Reheat. (many people shred the meat while hot)

Place into warm corn tortillas, top with chopped onion, cilantro and a salsa of your choice.

Buen Provecho!

Sunday Morning Menudo

2010-03-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

It was a long night. You hadn't intended on drinking so much. [A shot of tequila for everyone! yeah!] You sure as hell didn't expect to cross the border partying in TJ and roll in at 4am to your parents house.

But alas, it is 9am and there is a delicious smell wafting up the stairs into your bedroom. Summoning you to the kitchen.

You are not sure why or how cow's stomach lining makes it all better, but it does. The hangover is gone....and so the mystery of menudo lives on.

If you can overlook what it is you are eating, the flavor of this classic Mexican soup is going to blow you away.
Menudo (recipe from mi suegra)

Ingredients:

6-7 lbs tripe

2-3 cans hominy

1 head of garlic

18oz can of chile colorado (brand: Las Palmas)

2 tablespoons of dry tomato broth powder (or 1 cube)

salt and dry oregano

Rinse tripe and cut off excess fat. Chop into cubes. Put in dutch oven or large pot. Fill with water. Add salt and simmer covered for 2 hours. Add Chile Colorado, tomato broth and a pinch of oregano. Simmer one hour more.

Serve hot with chopped onion and cilantro and spicy chile sauce as garnishes.

To make spicy chile sauce:

toast a handful of dried chile de arbol peppers.

Add them to a blender with one clove of garlic and a 1/4 cup water. Serve on the side to add spice as needed.

Avocado y Tomatillo Salsa

2010-02-27T07:55:00.000-08:00

We are constantly trying new salsas. Last month Ernesto made a recipe on a recommendation from his co-worker Victor. You may remember this picture.

We posted that tomatillo salsa recipe here. Only later did we find out that his recipe called for blending the ingredients (not cubing). Ha! We made a variation of Victor's [blended] salsa a couple weeks ago and 3 times since. It is a refreshing, healthy salsa. Great for tacos or eating with chips. You can adjust number of chiles to your tolerance. Avocado y Tomatillo Salsa

To a blender add:

3 avocados

3-4 serrano or jalapeno chiles

8 tomatillos cubed

1 clove garlic

handful cilantro

salt

Blend until creamy.

Habanero Salsita..Muy Picante

2010-02-13T18:42:00.000-08:00

Habaneros are one of the hottest peppers around. According to the scollville chile heat chart, there is only one pepper that is hotter. With that being said, you need to take care when handling these bad boys, they can literally burn your skin.

We never cooked with habaneros too much, but lately we have started to appreciate its unique flavor. The palomitas (popcorn) that we make every other day come out perfectly spicy with habaneros. Sometimes we add one to a big batch of pico de gallo to give it an extra kick.

The other night we were flipping through The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking cookbook, which I can't even find online. The cover pic is to the right. I bought it for Ernesto years ago at TJMaxx.

This salsa is HOT! We dipped some chips, and although the flavor was superb, it was too spicy [even for Ernesto] to eat straight. The finely chopped spring onions add a wonderful crunch.

Try adding this to a beef stew, or on tacos.

Habanero Salsa

Ingredients:

5 dried roasted habanero chiles

4 dried chile de arbol peppers

3 spring onions, finely chopped

juice of 1 orange

grated zest and juice of one lime

small bunch of cilantro, chopped

salt to taste

*Soak the habanero and chile de arbols in hot water for about 10 minutes, until softened. *Drain, reserving the soaking water.

*Remove the stems from all chiles and chop roughly

*Put chiles in food processor and add some of the soaking liquid. Puree into a fine paste.

*Scrape mixture into a bowl.

*Stir in scallions, fruit juice, lime zest and cilantro. Mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste.

Estofado de Res (beef stew)

2010-02-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

During the past couple months, it has been the coldest I can ever remember while living in Atlanta. The days of staying indoors in my pajamas all day were many. Going to the grocery store is about the only thing that took me outside. Nothing says cold winter days like a hot and spicy stew. We have tried several new ones lately (posts coming soon).

There is no shortage of delicious recipes in our favorite cookbook, Mexico: the Beautiful Cookbook. This hearty stew calls for green beans which is an ingredient I have never used in a Mexican dish. Its easy to make, delicious and comforting.

Estofado de Res (a dish from Oaxaca, in the coastal area near Guerrero)

A recipe from Mexico: the Beautiful Cookbook

Ingredients:

2lb boneless beef shank (shin)

12cups cold water

1/2 onion

4 cloves garlic

1 tbsp salt

4 dried chiles guajillos, seed and membranes removed

2 large tomatoes, roasted and peeled

1/4 small onion

1 tbsp oil

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 small zucchini, cubed

8oz fresh green beans, trimmed

*Place the beef shank in a large pot or Dutch oven, cover with water and add 1/2 onion, 3 garlic cloves and the salt. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over medium heat for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Discard the onion and set aside.

*On an iron skillet, toast the chiles, then soak in hot water to cover for 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add the tomatoes, 1 garlic clove and 1/4 onion and puree.

*Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the tomato and puree and boil for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the beef stock, bring to a boil and add the meat, potatoes and zucchini. Cook for 3 minutes, adding more broth if the stew seems too thick. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes. Correct the seasonings, add the beans, stir and cook, covered, over low heat for 10 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

HEUVOS BENEDICTOS (eggs benedict)

2010-01-31T07:42:00.000-08:00

I am grateful for the amount of free time E and I have right now. No jobs, no obligations, just time. Time to be creative and time to cook. I know all good things come to an end (so they say) but I am going to enjoy this while it lasts. We aren't rushing off to work in the mornings or worrying about what time we should go to bed at night. We can take the time to make a more elaborate breakfast. We even have time to be inspired by cooks on TV.

This is recipe #2 that we have tried from the new Food Network show, Mexican Made Easy. (recipe #1 is here) I have read the comments on this show since it premiered 3 weeks ago. Most have been positive. Marcela has a fun personality, she's animated and she is Mexican. A couple people had concerns that this show would not be true Mexican food, but American food with a Mexican twist. We want Mexican! On the first show, Chef Marcela whipped up an authentic this chilaquiles dish. We copied it that day and loved her recipe.

The other dish she shared on her first show was "huevos benedictos" or eggs benedict. Now, this dish, although just as delicious as the chilaquiles, is questionable as a Mexican dish. Adding chipotles to the hollandaise sauce does not Mexican make. With that being said, this was a very satisfying and tasty breakfast. Muy rico!

Ingredients

Hollandaise:

2 sticks unsalted butter

3 egg yolks*

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce **

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

Poached Eggs:

1 teaspoon vinegar

8 very fresh large eggs

2 large croissants, sliced in 1/2

4 slices prosciutto

Directions for the hollandaise: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter until bubbling hot. In a blender, add the egg yolks, black pepper, to taste, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Cover the blender and blend on high speed for several seconds. Either remove center cap of the blender lid or carefully remove the lid itself with blender still running. Pour the hot butter in a thin, steady stream into whirling egg mixture. Add the chipotle and pulse to combine. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. (If your sauce gets too thick, you can thin it out with a couple tablespoons of boiling hot water.)

For the eggs: In a heavy saucepan combine about 2 quarts of water and the vinegar and bring to a simmer. Break 1 egg into a small bowl or cup and slide the egg into a ladle. Lower the ladle into the water, and hold it there, for 1 minute before removing the ladle and leaving the egg to cook for 2 minutes more. Poach at a low simmer until the whites are firm and the yolks are still runny. Repeat with each remaining egg. Transfer the eggs, with a slotted spoon, to paper towels until ready to serve.

To assemble: Arrange a croissant half, cut side up, on each of 4 plates. Put 1 piece of prosciutto on each half, then 2 poached eggs and top with hollandaise. Serve immediately.

CHILAQUILES WITH ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA

2010-01-25T19:58:00.000-08:00

If my TV is on, that means one of two things is playing: HGTV or Food Network. Last Saturday morning E and I were lounging and drinking coffee when a new show came on FN. Our ears perked because we heard "real Mexican food". I had seen the promo for this new show before and Saturday was the premier dia. Chef Marcela Valladolid is from Tijuana, just like E. Her show Mexican Made Easy is on Saturday mornings at 930am. She made three recipes, and within a couple days we made 2 of them. I was happy to see Chilaquiles on her menu Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-la-key-les) are a traditional Mexican food. There are many variations, but typically tortillas are cut in quarters, fried and then red or green salsa is poured over top and softens the crisp tortillas. Usually this dish is served for breakfast or brunch and uses leftover tortillas and salsa. We made this 2 times in one week. Once with red salsa and once with green. Serve with beans. Both are muy rico!

{chilaquiles with red salsa}

{chilaquiles with green salsa}

Tomatillo Salsa (Salsa Verde)

1 pound fresh tomatillos

3 fresh serrano chiles

3 garlic cloves

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

Olive oil, as needed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup chicken broth or more as needed

Preheat the broiler or oven to 550 degrees. Remove husks from the tomatillos and rinse under warm water to remove the stickiness. Put the chiles, garlic, onion and tomatillos on a baking sheet. Season with a little olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Put on a rack about 1 or 2 inches from the heat, and cook, turning the vegetables once, until softened and slightly charred, about 5 to 7 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic and pull off the tops of the chiles. Add all the broiled ingredients to a blender along with the fresh cilantro and puree. Pour in 1/4 cup of chicken broth and blend to combine. Add more broth, if needed, for desired consistency.

Chilaquiles
1/3 cup vegetable oil

10 corn tortillas, cut into eighths, preferably stale (spread out to dry overnight)

3 cups roasted Tomatillo

Salsa Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

2 thin slices onion, separated into rings

1/2 cup Mexican crema, creme fraiche or sour cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Pour about 1/3 cup vegetable oil into a large saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the tortillas, working in 2 or 3 batches, and cook until lightly browned and nearly crisp. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and discard the remaining oil. Wipe the pan with a paper towel. In the same pan, add the tomatillo salsa and bring to simmer over low heat. Add the tortillas and cook until soft but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the mixture among 4 individual casserole dishes. Top with the cheese crumbles and onion rings. Drizzle with Mexican crema, sprinkle with some chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

A Serendipitous Green Salsa

2010-01-08T16:20:00.000-08:00

This winter, a guy from Mexico named Victor has been working with Ernesto on the xmas lights. Sometimes when he comes to our house in the mornings he brings us food that his wife has made: Tortas, tamales, strawberries and cream desert. We also have been to their house for pozole and let me tell you, she knows how to cook. So when Ernesto came home from work one day and said Victor told him about a tomatillo salsa we should try, I got to chopping right away!
This recipe is different than the salsa verde we usually make. It is raw and the crunch of the tomatillo is so good. Its tart and tangy, and mixed with the smoothness of avocados and the other ingredients make an interesting texture. The flavor is muy rica tambien! It is hard to stop eating it!

Fresh Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa

2 firm avocados, cubed

1 small white onion, chopped

4-5 tomatillos, chopped

3-4 serrano peppers, diced

handful of cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

squirt of fresh lime

This is a really quick treat to make and healthy too!

Remembering Guadalajara with Tortas Ahogadas

2009-12-27T10:17:00.000-08:00

If you have been to the awesome city of Gudalajara Mexico, you know what a diverse city it is. Art, shopping and of course food are some of the best in the country. When we visited Guadalajara this past September, the city showed us that all of the hype I had read before the trip was in fact, all true. Actually it was E's cousin Mario, who has lived in the city for the last 7 years, who showed us around. He was a great tour guide and I think he has eaten at every restaurant in the city. When I asked him the best place to "taste Guadalajara" he took me to Tortas Toño (Dirección: Av. Tepeyac # 605) for a Torta Ahogada.

Ahogada means "drowned", and it is an appropriate word to describe these sandwiches on a bread [said only to be made in Guadalajara], filled with meat and bathed with tomato and hot sauce. While some restaurants and food stalls automatically top the tortas with both salsas, most people prefer to indicate how much chile sauce they want, since it is quite hot. When serving them at home, you may want pass the chile sauce separately.

This recipe is adapted from a Mexican cookbook called 101 Recetas Mexicanas. And I must say this recipe is quite authentic, coming very close if not on par with the torta I ate not too long ago in Guadalajara.

Tortas Ahogadas

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce:

3 pounds roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup water
salt to taste

For the chile sauce:

¼ pound arbol chiles
1 cup water
½ cup white vinegar
salt to taste
For the tortas:

8 bolillos (French rolls) split in half lengthwise
1 ½ pounds boneless pork loin or shoulder
1 onion, cut in half3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 sprig oregano
salt to taste
Preparation:

Place all tomato sauce ingredients in a saucepan and cook until the tomatoes and onions are soft. Allow to cool, place in blender and puree. Strain the puree and set aside.
Lightly roast the arbol chiles on a comal or dry griddle, just to the point of fragrance. Do not allow them to char, as this results in a bitter flavor. Remove the stem and seeds from the chiles. Place the chiles and remaining chile sauce ingredients in a saucepan, cook until the chiles have softened, remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer sauce ingredients to a blender, puree and strain. Set aside.

Cook the meat in water to cover with the onion, garlic, bay leaf, oregano and salt to taste. When cooked through, remove from cooking liquid and allow to cool. Shred the meat with two forks, or slice thinly if preferred.Remove the soft center (called the miga) from the rolls, place the rolls on plates, and divide the meat among the rolls by placing some on the bottom half of each roll. Bathe each one with tomato sauce. The tortas are easier to eat if the top half is left "dry." Each diner can add chile sauce to taste. If possible, do as they do in Jalisco and use a plate with a lip to serve these tortas, to prevent messy dripping. Serves 8.

Birria or Stewed Lamb in Chile Sauce

2009-12-19T16:29:00.000-08:00

I am still in disbelief that Christmas is just one week away. Since putting my tree up 10 days ago, I find myself making time just to sit close by and enjoy it. Yesterday was a perfect day for just that. It was cold and rainy here in Atlanta and I had absolutely no desire to venture out. In fact I probably wouldn't have changed out of my pajamas all day if Ernesto had not flipped though our favorite cookbook and saw a recipe for Birria, or stewed lamb in chile sauce.

We bought Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook probably 7 years ago. There are stains on it and the pages are worn, but it is still beautiful and always guarantees us a delicious meal.

After looking over the Birria recipe, we decided this called for a trip to the Buford Farmers Market. This market is huge and carries any and every type of hispanic [and Asian] foods you may be looking for. Not to mention, my favorite feature, in house freshly made corn tortillas!

Speaking of fresh tortillas, this Birria dish is served with them on the side or you could even the wrap the meat is in the tortillas. This recipe is typical of Jalisco Mexico, and is hands down, the most delicious lamb I have ever tried. I bet you will not disagree.

Birria

(Stewed Lamb in Chile Sauce)

4 chiles guajillos

3 chiles anchos

1 cup hot water

1 lb boneless lean lamb, cut into pieces

1 lb lamb ribs or shanks, cut into pieces

12 cups water

6 cloves garlic

1/2 onion

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp dried marjoram

1 small sprig thyme

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Sauce

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic

1 1/2 tsp groung chile pequin

Garnishes

1 cup onion, chopped

3 limes, cut in half

1 cup cilantro, chopped

* On an iron skillet, toast the chiles, then soak the chiles in the hot water for 20 minutes. Transfer into blender and puree. Strain and set aside.

Place lamb meat, water, garlic and onion in large dutch oven. Bring to a boil, skim the surface, cover and cook over medium to low heat for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove and discard the onion and garlic. Add the pureed chiles, bay leaves, cumin, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper.

Cook for another 50 minutes to let the flavors blend. Meanwhile, blend the sauce ingredients in a blender.

Serve the lamb in deep bowls with hot corn tortillas and the garnishes sprinkled on top.

Add sauce according to desired spiciness.

Beef Brisket....Mexican Style!!

2009-12-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

I am a daily food shopper. This means that I never fill up a grocery cart, I usually decide what I am going to make for dinner and then I go buy the ingredients. This is why it is important that I go to a store where I enjoy the shopping experience. (A big thanks to Kroger Edgewood for expanding) "With that being said" (did you just see the Curb your Enthusiasm about that phrase? love it!) "With that being said, I do sometimes buy a hunk of meat on sale at the grocery store, and put it in the freezer for future use. I find that it aids in picking a recipe, kid of a challenge, hmmm what delicious dinner can i make with this one meat. Beef Brisket.

This was adapted from a Food Network recipe.

Mexican Beef Brisket

3 1/2 pounds beef brisket
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
Flour for dredging
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 medium onions, chopped
10 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
5 chipotle pepers in adobo sauce (less if you can't stand the heat)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 quarts chicken stock or water
5 bay leaves
Salt to taste
4 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Start with a good piece of meat, trimmed of most of the fat.

Sprinkle the brisket with the coarse salt and pepper. Dredge in flour to coat and shake off any excess. In a large Dutch oven heat oil over high heat. Sear the meat until browned on all sides. Set aside.

Reduce heat to moderate and add the carrots and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 2 minutes longer. Return the meat to the pan along with all remaining ingredients except the salt and garnishes.

Bring to a boil, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat slips off a fork when pierced.

Lift out the brisket and place on a cutting board. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pour the broth and vegetables into a blender. Puree until smooth, add salt to taste. Shred the brisket and warm up some tortillas. Place brisket in tortilla, top with freshly chopped onion, cilantro and the sauce. Serve with scallions and refried beans. To. die. for. Let me know if you agree!

La Cucaracha, La Cucaracha, Ya No Puedes Caminar

2009-11-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

Do you remember that show Fear Factor? Ernesto and I always used to watch it. Monday nights. I always said I would participate, but I remember several shows where the contestants had to eat cockroaches. I always thought I would have to drop out at that point. La cucaracha is a disgusting bug. But una cucaracha for breakfast is the best!

I have no idea how the name came about, but a cucaracha is a stack of tortillas, ham, and cheese - topped with salsa. Ernesto's dad made these for me one time and I was hooked. I imagine serving this to our kids. (If we ever get around to it....)

Along the same lines as french toast you will need to dip the tortillas in a bowl of scrambled eggs.

Start with one tortilla. Set the dipped tortilla in a sprayed pan. Top with one slice of ham and put cheese on top. Repeat for a total of three tortillas. Flip over to toast the top layer and finish melting the cheese.

Top la cucaracha with salsa and enjoy!

Neto's Pinto Bean Soup

2009-10-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

I often use canned beans when cooking. When you don't have a lot of time, they are a savior. On the other hand, a huge pot of beans makes the house smell delicious and ensures easy delicious meals over the next few days. This is worth the extra time and effort in my opinion. When we make a pot of pinto beans we use them for refried beans, on tortas (sandwiches) and this:

I don't have a name for it, but doesn't that look delicious? Ernesto introduced it to me and I haven't ever seen this in a cookbook, so I will call it "Neto's Pinto Bean Soup".
First, you will need to make a pot of beans.

Big 'Ol Pot of Beans

1lb. bag of dry pinto beans
1 medium white onion cut in half
6 cloves garlic

soak beans overnight in cold water, or do a quick boil (cover beans with water and bring to a boil for 15 minutes, strain) In a large pot, place beans and 4 quarts water. Simmer for 4 hours or until beans are tender.

Neto's Pinto Bean Soup

You will need the big pot of beans you made, and white rice. (1 3/4 cups water to one cup rice) Assemble while the beans and rice are still hot. Each bowl of soup is prepared individually.

Fill each bowl with beans and broth and 2 spoonfuls of the rice.

Top with fresh vegetables:
chopped tomatoes
chopped cilantro
diced chiles
cubed avocado
salt to taste

Carnitas in Paris?

2009-10-21T04:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, If you haven't seen David Lebovitz' blog, you should really check it out. He is an renowned American pastry chef and author living in Paris. Not only does he post recipes I want to try, he makes me laugh while reading them. One of his recent posts "8 Coping Tips for Living in Paris" is a good place to start.

Ernesto's has made David's carnitas recipe three times now, and every time we think it is the best we have ever tasted! cooking the pork for 3.5 hours really makes this tender.

David includes a beautiful red cabbage slaw to go on the tacos, but Ernesto likes to keep the toppings traditional to this Mexican dish and only tops them with chopped onion, cilantro and salsa.

Serve with a side of refried beans

Carnitas Recipe
(Recipe from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz)

4-5-pounds boneless pork should, cut into 5-inch chunks, trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons canola or neutral vegetable oil
water
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly-sliced

1. Rub the pieces of pork shoulder all over with salt. Refrigerate for 1- to 3-days. (You can skip this step if you want. Just be sure to salt the pork before searing the meat in the next step.)

2. Heat the oil in a roasting pan set on the stove top. Cook the pieces of pork shoulder in a single layer until very well-browned, turning them as little as possible so they get nice and dark before flipping them around. If your cooking vessel is too small to cook them in a single-layer, cook them in two batches.

3. Once all the pork is browned, remove them from the pot and blot away any excess fat with a paper towel, then pour in about a cup of water, scraping the bottom of the pan with a flat-edged utensil to release all the tasty brown bits.

4. Heat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees.

5. Add the pork back to the pan and add enough water so the pork pieces are 2/3rd's submerged in liquid. Add the cinnamon stick and stir in the chile powders, bay leaves, cumin and garlic.

7. Braise in the oven uncovered for 3½ hours, turning the pork a few times during cooking, until much of the liquid is evaporated and the pork is falling apart. Remove the pan from the oven and lift the pork pieces out of the liquid and set them on a platter.

8. Once the pork pieces are cool enough to handle, shred them into bite-sized pieces, about 2-inches (7 cm), discarding any obvious big chunks of fat if you wish.

9. Return the pork pieces back to the roasting pan and cook in the oven, turning occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is crispy and caramelized. It will depend on how much liquid the pork gave off, and how crackly you want them.

Neto's Fish Tacos

2009-10-14T05:06:00.000-07:00

I eat fish tacos every chance I get. You see them more and more on menus these days and I like to compare them to Neto's. Rubios is a fast food place in California, that I can honestly say, makes a mean fish taco. There is a place in Atlanta called Taqueria del Sol that serves up simple yet delicious fish tacos (and many others). They fry up tilapia fish and add a white sauce with pickled jalapeno slices. When we lived here before, we would take out of town guests there, and they love it. Somehow they can't compete with Neto's tacos. When we get together with my parents, my dad always [read: every time] requests that Ernesto makes his fish tacos. They were in Atlanta this past weekend. So here you go, written out by Neto himself:

Neto's Fish Tacos

You will need:

1-1½ lbs fish (Red Snapper or other firm fish) cut into 3-4 inch pieces and lightly covered with flour

veggie or canola oil for frying fish

thick corn tortillas

Batter

1 cup flour

1/4 cup corn meal

1 bottle of dark beer

salt & garlic powder to taste

White Sauce

½ cup mayo

½ cup yogurt

1-2 pickled jalapenos, diced

lime and salt to taste

Salsa

5 Roma tomatoes

15 jalapeno or Serrano peppers (2-3 for rookies)

small cilantro bunch

salt to taste

Garnish

head of cabbage, shredded

lime, cut into wedges

Instuctions

Fish:

Combine batter ingredients and start heating oil. Cover fish pieces in batter allowing excess to drip off before placing in oil (try not to let them touch). Cook until batter is a light golden color.

Salsa:

Make this roasted salsa.

Warm the tortillas flipping them a few times but don’t toast and cover them with a towel when done to keep warm.

Place everything on the table and start to assemble your tacos. They go great with Mexican beer.

How to assemble: grab a warm tortilla and place a piece of fish in it. Top with white sauce, salsa, and cabbage then add a squirt of lime. You may need to add a little salt. Enjoy!

Salsa Verde - Viva Los Tomatillos!

2009-10-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Salsa verde is an everyday salsa that you will see sitting on the table in almost any restaurant in Mexico. The main ingredient is the tomatillo, or tomate verde in Spanish. Literally translated, it means green tomato, but is different. The round fruit is covered in a paper-like husk and has a very tangy and tart flavor. If you are buying them in the grocery, make sure the fruit is firm and bright green with a slightly brown husk. Although mostly cultivated in Guatemala and Mexico, the tomatillo can be grown easily in many parts of the United States. This was the reason/ inspiration for making salsa verde last night. My aunt grew them in Ohio this year, and my mom brought us a bag. Thanks Aunt Margie!

SALSA VERDE

3 cups water

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cloves garlic

4 serrano chiles

1 pound tomatillos, husks removed

1/2 cup cilantro

1/4 cup chopped onion

Bring water and salt to a boil, add tomatillos, chiles and garlic and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain water reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Transfer to a blender, add cilantro, 1 tsp salt and puree briefly. Pour to bowl and stir in onion. Serve warm or refrigerate [for up to 3 days].