When you're feeling like a bit of street food, make Tlacoyos!

Tlacoyos are a very old traditional Mexican food - they have been around since pre-hispanic times. If you walk into any market in Mexico, you will inevitably find vendors (who are almost always women) making the most delicious antojitos. You can walk down the aisles and you can see stall after stall of food that emit the most wonderful aromas. The stall’s menus most likely include tlacoyos, quesadillas, sopes and huaraches, all antojitos made with fresh masa - and if you’re lucky, you will find the ones made with blue masa, which is not as common as the white or yellow.

Tlacoyos are typically filled with refried beans, fava beans or a ricotta-like cheese called requesón, but nowadays you can find tlacoyos filled with chicharrón, chilorio or a variety of other fillings. The fresh corn masa is stuffed with whatever filling is ordered, then expertly patted down by the cook to a torpedo shaped cake, taking care that the filling doesn’t poke through the masa. The tlacoyo cannot be too thick or it will be doughy and raw inside, as it cooks directly on the cast iron or clay comal.

Tender on the inside, and crispy on the outside, tlacoyos are topped with nopalitos, salsa, queso fresco and crema. They are so delicious you will find it hard to eat only one!

If you think about it, these Tlacoyos are a very humble dish made with very simple ingredients. Nevertheless, by using very well seasoned and flavorful beans in the filling and an amazing salsa, you can elevate this simple dish to something heavenly. Suddenly, simple becomes spectacular.

Next time you have some friends coming over, why don’t you recruit them into the kitchen and show them how to make tlacoyos? They will have fun making them with you and even more fun when you all sit down to enjoy the meal!

Tlacoyos
Masa Cakes filled with Beans

2 cups Maseca
1 ¾ cup water (or more, as needed)
1 cup refried beans
1 Tbsp ancho chile powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Garnish:
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
Salsa of your choice
½ cup crema

Combine refried beans and ancho chile powder. Set aside.

Combine Maseca and 1 cup water in large bowl. Mix until well blended, adding more water as needed until dough comes together. It should be fairly moist, but not sticky. It should clean the sides of the bowl as it comes together.  Divide into about 8 equal portions; shape each portion into ball about the size of a smallish tennis ball. Keep dough covered as you work, so it does not dry out.

Heat a cast iron griddle over medium heat. Flatten one ball of dough at a time on your hand and place 1 generous Tbsp of beans in the center, folding sides of dough over beans to enclose them completely.  If dough seems dry as you work, handle dough with wet hands. Once you have dough ball completely enclosing beans, flatten as you shape dough onto an oval shape. Pat it until it is about ¼” thick. 

Place patty on hot griddle and cook about 4 minutes per side, until it’s lightly golden. It could take more than a couple of turns to cook completely. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t brown too much. Repeat with all patties.

Place cooked tlacoyos on a clean tea towel. This can be done up to four hours ahead.

Just before serving, heat vegetable oil on a medium frying pan. Cook tlacoyos in oil just until they are lightly golden and slightly crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately garnished with your favorite salsa, a sprinkling of queso fresco and a drizzle of crema.

Makes about 8 Tlacoyos, serving 4.
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Super Bowl Snacks anyone?

I am not a football fan by any stretch of the imagination, but what I do get excited about is the food! Making a selection of yummy snacks is where it's at for me. And this Chile de Uña is perfect for the occasion - delicious, super easy to make and a crowd pleaser for sure!

This  particular recipe for Chile de Uña comes from Guadalajara, Mexico. Since I tried it, I have done lots of research but have yet to find anything quite like it. The name translates to “Fingernail Chile”. It is said that in the old days, when men went to work in the fields, their wives would follow to prepare their food. Due to the lack of proper cooking utensils (like knives), women would prepare this recipe by cutting or pinching the ingredients with their fingernails. While the thought of this is not that appealing, it does explain the name. 

There are many recipes for Chile de Uña. They often include tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro or even carrots - giving it more of a likeness to a Pico de Gallo. I can only think that this version is an attempt to modernize a traditional recipe.

When I was in Guadalajara, I had this recipe made with Queso Fresco, that mild fresh cheese available everywhere in Mexico. Queso Fresco is not readily available in Ottawa, so I substitute Feta and it gives the dish a slightly different flavor, and while it is not traditional, it is nonetheless delicious.

This recipe is very easy to prepare. The tangy flavor of the tomatillos combines with the saltiness of the feta cheese perfectly. The onion is there to give it balance and the chipotles give it smoke and spice. Depending on the cheese you use, you may or may not need any salt. And if your tomatillos are too acidic, you may need to add a touch of sugar to balance the flavors. Just make sure you let the salsa rest a little bit before serving it, so that everything melds together. And all that liquid that accumulates on the bottom? As my friend Rick says - we could make a cocktail out of that!

Chile de Uña
Tomatillo, Chipotle and Cheese Salsa

450g (about 10 medium) husked, washed and diced small (about 2 ¼ cups)
½ cup onion, minced
1-2 Tbsp chipotle chile in adobo, minced (to taste)
3/4 cup queso fresco or feta cheese, cut into ¼” dice
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Corn chips or tostadas to serve

In medium bowl, combine tomatillos, onion and chipotles.  Mix well. Add cheese and mix gently. Check your seasonings and add salt only if necessary. If salsa is too acidic, add a pinch of sugar.

Serve with chips or tostadas.

* Depending on the type of cheese you use, you may or may not need salt.  
** If you want to serve this as a salad, cut tomatillos, onions and cheese a bit larger and you can serve it on a lettuce cup for a nice presentation.

Makes about 2 cups
This recipe was first featured at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Tortilla Soup's most delicious cousin.

What could be more comforting than a delicious bowl of soup? I would say nothing much, especially in the middle of winter, when the days are short and dark in Ottawa....

Mexican soups are always simple to make, but with great ingredients, even the simplest recipes can taste heavenly. That is the case of my Sopa Azteca. It starts with a great homemade chicken broth, enriched with a salsa made with tomatoes, onion, garlic, ancho chiles and tortillas. This salsa gets cooked first in a splash of oil, then the broth is added, along with Mexican oregano and epazote.

Simmer for about 30 minutes, and you're ready to enjoy one of the best soups you've ever had. Of course, not before garnishing with fried tortilla strips, cheese, fried ancho chile strips, avocado and a splash of lime. Yup. You will feel like you are instantly transported to Mexico!

I hope you make this soup very soon, I think you will love it!

Sopa Azteca
Aztec Soup

1 cup water
2 tomaotes chopped roughly
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
2 small ancho chiles, , stemmed, de-veined and soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
1 tsp vegetable oil
8 cups chicken broth
1 sprig fresh epazote, or ½ tsp dried (optional)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

Garnish:
6 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and fried until crispy
3 ancho or pasilla chiles, cleaned, de-veined and cut in thin strips, then fried until crispy
Crumbled Feta cheese
Avocado chunks
Lime wedges

In blender jar, combine water, tomatoes, onion, garlic, the two small ancho chiles and the 2 tortillas. Process until very smooth. 

Heat oil in a deep large saucepan and cook tomato mixture for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, epazote (if using), salt to taste and oregano. Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.  Check seasonings and serve.

To serve, place some fried tortilla strips in a bowl and ladle the soup over them. Garnish with ancho chile strips, crumbled cheese and avocado chunks. Sprinkle lime juice over the soup.

Serves 4-6.

Encacahua - what?

Encacahuatado translates to “full of peanuts”, and it refers to one of the many traditional Mexican sauces. It is a type of mole, containing peanuts and often sesame seeds. Most of these sauces have tomatoes, dried chiles, onions and garlic and the sauce is more like an orange to brick color. These moles are meant to be served over meats.

Encacahuatada, in the feminine gender, refers to a type of Enchilada, which is supposed to be completely enveloped in sauce. And since the sauce for these enchiladas is made with peanuts, then the name for them becomes Encacahuatadas. 

This “recipe” was given to me by my dear friend Javier, who got it from a lady in Oaxaca during one of his travels. Mind you, this was not an exact written recipe, but more like a story passed on from one person to another. As Javier told me about it, I was immediately making mental notes and decided to change some things to suit my liking. The result is this sauce. 

The sauce for these unusual Encacahuatadas is made with peanuts and poblano chiles, and some bread that gives it body. It is also different because it has crema and milk, as well as some chicken broth. 

The resulting sauce is creamy and delicious, with only a slight kick of spice. To use this sauce in enchiladas, we use corn tortillas and fill them with shredded chicken, but the sauce is elegant enough to serve over roasted chicken breasts or even salmon, as well as an easy topping for pasta. 

Overall, a very easy and delicious sauce that can have many uses, depending on your weekly menu or entertaining plans. Give it a try. If you don’t have time to make Encacahuatadas, then make the sauce and serve it over chicken or fish. Your family will thank you.

Encacahuatadas Verdes
Enchiladas with Poblano Peanut Sauce

1 large onion, roasted
3 roasted poblano chiles, peeled, seeded and de-veined
1 serrano or jalapeño chile, chopped
2 Tbsp lard or vegetable oil
½ cup raw peanuts
1 - 3” piece baguette, chopped (1 cup) or 2 corn tortillas, torn up
1/2 cup crema
1/2 cup milk
1-2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
3-4 cups shredded chicken
18 corn tortillas
3 Tbsp + ¼ cup vegetable oil
Additional cream for drizzling
1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts for garnish

In large frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil. Add roasted poblano, Serrano, onion, peanuts and bread chunks or tortillas. Sauté until everything is soft and mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Place mixture in blender container along with the milk, crema and ½ cup of the chicken broth. Process until completely smooth. 

In medium saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Pour mixture into saucepan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more chicken broth to achieve a thick sauce that coats the back of a spoon. Add salt and cook another 5 minutes, taking care not to let it boil. Keep sauce warm.

In another medium frying pan, heat ¼ cup vegetable oil. Soft-fry tortillas about 20 seconds per side, only to soften them. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while you do all the tortillas. Fill each tortilla with some shredded chicken and roll up tightly, arranging on tray seam side down. Keep warm as you finish filling all tortillas.

To serve, spoon a pool of sauce on each serving plate. Top with 3 or 4 filled tortillas and cover completely with sauce. Drizzle with crema and garnish with peanuts. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

A colourful salad to ring in the New Year!

When I was a teenager in Mexico, I spent lots of time with my maternal grandparents. That   included traveling with them to their "casa de campo", which was up in the hills of Pachuca, in a little town called Mineral del Chico. Getting to that house implied an 8-hour drive from Monterrey, and those trips always included a stop to visit one of my Grandfather's colleagues.

You see, my grandfather Rodolfo was a celebrated medical doctor and the only times he went away he managed to arrange meetings to compare notes with fellow doctors. And that's how we came to be in the home of Dr. Carranco and his eccentric wife Doña Maricela in the city of Pachuca, Hidalgo.

It was December, and we were spending Christmas up at the cottage, but after that long drive we did our customary stop at the Carranco household. Not surprisingly, there was Christmas dinner, complete with Doña Maricela's version of Ensalada de Nochebuena. 

I don't remember that whole meal, but I do remember the salad. It was the first time I had it and it was memorable because it was horrible. Did I mention Doña Maricela was eccentric? Well, she was also a bad cook, but what she lacked in talent in the kitchen she made up with a love of people and welcoming warmth for her guests.

That salad turned me off beets for many years, but thankfully, I am over that aversion and today I must say they are a favorite vegetable of mine.

This salad is traditionally served for Christmas Eve dinner in Mexico, and it is a welcome and fresh addition to the rich turkey dinners with all the trimmings. The colors on the salad platter are vibrant and rich, and the combination of sweet beets, crunchy jícamas, sweet oranges, tangy pineapples and crunchy apples on a bed of lettuce make a perfect balance with the red onion and meaty pecans. The beautifully pink creamy dressing ties it all together perfectly.

You don't have to serve this salad on Christmas Eve..... why not make it for New Year's Eve? Your guests will love it!

Ensalada de Noche Buena

For Salad:
1 small green leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
6 small beets, trimmed
4 navel oranges, washed well
2 Royal Gala apples, washed well
1 small jicama, peeled
¼ pineapple, cored and peeled
½ small red onion
½ cup toasted pecans
½ cup cilantro leaves

For dressing:
1 cup crema
6 Tbsp orange juice (from oranges segmented)
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp orange zest
1 ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
2 slices beet (saved from salad beets)

Trim beets and wrap in tin foil. Place on a tray and bake in a 450°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until soft. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Wearing gloves, peel beets. Slice beets thinly and reserve.

While beets are roasting, work on the prep. Zest one orange. Reserve zest. 

Cut tops and bottoms of oranges and then cut off skin, removing white pith. Working over a bowl, cut between the membranes to remove segments. When all segments are done, squeeze the remaining orange membranes to remove most juice. Reserve segments. Divide orange juice, reserving 6 Tbsp for dressing, and the rest to add to sliced apples.

Cut apples in half, remove seeds and slice thinly. Immediately place them in a small bowl and toss with leftover orange juice from segmenting oranges.

Peel jicama, cut in half, and then cut into thin slices. Cut pineapple into thin slices. Cut red onion into very thin slices.

To prepare salad dressing, combine crema, orange juice and zest, white wine vinegar and salt. Stir to make sure salt is completely dissolved. Add a couple of slices of cooled roasted beet to dressing and stir gently to allow the beets to color the crema. Do this for about 5 minutes - the longer you do this, the more color you will get.  

When ready to serve, arrange lettuce on the bottom of a shallow platter. Arrange beets, jicama, pineapple, apple, orange segments and red onions decoratively over lettuce. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with toasted pecans and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com
 

It's a Christmas treat!

Mexican buñuelos are some of my favorite treats. They used to be made only for Christmas, although in recent years, they have become increasingly available at fairs and other celebrations throughout the year. Buñuelos are like fried wheat flour tortillas that are covered in sugar and canela or piloncillo syrup. There are a few different kinds of buñuelos: the huge buñuelos de rodilla (said to be named after the way cooks used to stretch the dough over their knees) that can measure 12", the regular sized buñuelos, 6"-7", and buñuelos de molde, which is what we’re talking about today.

I love how pretty these buñuelos are. There are a few designs of molds out there, and all make beautiful fritters. This particular mold, though, belonged to my maternal Abuelita Amalia, and when I left Mexico she gifted it to me. Back then, I tried making buñuelos and let's just say they didn’t turn out so well. OK, they didn’t turn out at all! Deeply disappointed, I washed my mold and put it away.

Fast-forward to a couple of decades later and after years in the restaurant industry, I spotted the mold in my basement while packing for a move. I made a mental note to try it again once I was settled and that’s exactly what I did. This time around, though, I actually knew what I was doing.

The recipe is very simple and it comes together very quickly. The trick, though, is in the handling of the mold. Since the buñuelos are deep-fried, the secret to using the mold is to have the mold sizzling hot, so keep it submerged in the oil until you are ready to use it. And every time you dunk it in the batter, make sure it’s as hot as it can be. You will hear a distinct sizzle when the hot mold touches the batter,  and hold it there for at least 30 seconds, to make sure the batter adheres securely to the mold. Transfer it to the hot oil and after 30 seconds or so, carefully pry fritter off the mold with a rubber spatula. If you let it cook on the mold until completely browned, chances are you won’t be able to pry it off in one piece. Once the fritter is free of the mold, it will brown quickly. After you remove the fritter from the oil, dunk the mold again into the oil and leave it there until you are ready to use it again.

Once you master this little trick, you will be a buñuelo maker pro. Your family will thank you, because these make the best treats. Enjoy and Feliz Navidad!!!

Buñuelos de Molde
Christmas Fritters

3 egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder

3-4 cups vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ Tbsp ground canela

Metal mold with handle

In blender container, combine egg yolks, whole milk, flour and baking powder. Blend until completely smooth. Pour batter into a medium bowl.

In a shallow plate, combine sugar and canela. Mix well and reserve.

In medium tall saucepan, heat vegetable oil until it reaches 370°F. Place metal mold in oil and heat for 5 minutes.

Before you start frying, have a tray lined with paper towels and another tray lined with parchment. Have a silicone spatula and a chopstick ready as well.

To begin frying, remove mold from oil and drain most of the oil. Dip mold into batter only deep enough that the edges of the mold are submerged. Do not submerge the mold totally. You will hear a sizzle from the hot mold.

Remove mold from batter and dunk mold into hot oil. Wait about 10 seconds and start pushing the edges of the dough off the mold with silicone spatula. Once it’s off the mold, cook the buñuelo in the hot oil until it’s golden brown. The whole process takes about 1 minute. Use chopstick to remove buñuelo from hot oil and drain most of the fat off. As soon as the buñuelo is out of the fat, place mold in oil again to keep hot.

Place cooked buñuelo on paper towel to drain for 30 seconds. Immediately place on sugar plate and turn to coat completely with sugar. Place on parchment covered tray and let cool completely. Continue until all batter is done.

Makes 20-36, depending on size of mold
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

An elegant and complex sauce, but pretty simple to make!

Pipián is one of the many types of Moles made in Mexico. Pipianes go back to pre-hispanic times in Mexico. Sauces thickened with seeds - pumpkin or squash seeds to be precise - are what native Mexicans used to cook. These sauces were either red or green, depending on the ingredients used: red pipianes are made with dried chiles, while green ones are made with pumpkin seeds. Pipianes were served with turkey or quail, and subsequently with chicken, after the Spanish brought the birds from the old world. 

This Pipián Verde is made with pepitas, sesame seeds and tomatillos, and it can be made very quickly. It is a thick, velvety sauce with a slight kick from the chiles. Very simple to make, yet very elegant and delicious, you can eat it with chicken, salmon, shrimp or even pasta! 

If you have a very powerful blender, you can simply blend all the ingredients together, but if you don’t own one, I suggest you grind the sesame seeds first in a coffee grinder to get them going before adding them to the rest of the ingredients in the blender. Otherwise, the sesame seeds won’t be ground fine enough and your sauce will be coarse. We are looking for a very smooth, fine textured sauce here.

If you don’t have a coffee grinder and your blender is only so-so, you can use tahini paste (6 Tbsp) instead of the sesame seeds. I have done this on occasion and it does save some time and the results are pretty good. Not exactly the same, but still delicious.

Next time your boss is coming over for dinner, or you want to impress your mother-in-law, make this Pipián Verde. They won’t be disappointed and you will get brownie points!

PIPIÁN VERDE CON CAMARONES
Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce with Shrimp

½ cup raw sesame seeds
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, + more for garnish
1 lb tomatillos
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 Jalapeño chiles (or 6 Serranos)
6 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp dried epazote
2 Tbsp manteca (lard) or olive oil
6 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp kosher salt, or to taste

2 lb large shrimp
½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
1 clove garlic, smashed

3 Tbsp olive oilOn a dry griddle or comal, roast chopped onion, chiles and unpeeled garlic. Toss every few minutes until everything is charred all over, about 10 minutes. Remove from griddle and peel garlic cloves. Place in blender jar. 

Toast the sesame seeds over medium heat in a dry frying pan until golden and fragrant, around 5 minutes.  Toast pumpkin seeds in the same way – they will puff up nicely. Place sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds in blender jar along with onions, chiles and garlic.

Meanwhile, in saucepan, cook tomatillos with enough water to cover until they are soft, about 10 minutes.  Drain tomatillos and place in the blender with onion, chiles, garlic, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. Add epazote and about 1 ½ cups chicken stock.  Process until very smooth, adding more stock if necessary to make a very smooth sauce. 

In a large sauce pan, heat manteca and add the blended sauce. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring every so often.  Slowly add 2-3 cups stock and continue cooking over medium low heat until the sauce thickens and covers the back of a spoon.  Season with salt to taste.

In large frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add crushed garlic clove and cook until oil is fragrant. Remove garlic. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and cook in frying pan, turning often, until pink, 2-4 minutes.

Serve a pool of pipián on the plate and arrange shrimp on top. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve with white rice.

Serves 8.
This recipe was first featured at www.thelatinkitchen.com

A different sort of Chicken Stew

A few years back I went to visit my aunt Celina in Guadalajara, Mexico. My aunt is one of those women who keeps a perfect house, from the decorations in her house to the food she cooks to the way the table is beautifully set at all times, even when no one is coming to visit.

When we get together, we always end up talking about food. That is something we all share in our family: a love of food and our traditions. During one of our conversations we talked about Cuachala.

What is that, I asked?  Coming from the north, I had never heard of such a dish. My aunt smiled and got ready to educate me on the subject.

Cuachala is a chicken stew thickened with masa that is commonly made in every household in the southwestern States of Colima and Jalisco. Every home cook has his or her version, according to family traditions. Over there, they typically use dried chiles like Mirasol (what we in the north know as Guajillo or Cascabel) and Anchos, but there are some people who like things spicy and include de arbol chiles in their Cuachala. 

This is a very simple dish that's made in three stages. First, soak the chiles and cook and shredthe chicken. Then, make the salsa, and finally, put everything together. Sounds easy? It is! 

The real trick to a delicious Cuachala is to let the stew cook slowly so flavors can develop. The masa is added towards the end to help the mixture thicken just so. 

Serve your Cuachala piping hot in deep bowls and garnish with finely chopped onions, flakes of chile de arbol and a healthy squeeze of lime juice. Some people like to add a scoop of rice into the stew. Either way, just don't forget the corn tortillas!

Cuachala
Chicken Stew with dried chiles and masa

1 large chicken breast
1 chicken leg quarter
1 carrot, cut into thirds
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 sprig cilantro
1 tsp kosher salt
8 cups water

4 guajillo chiles
1 roma tomato
1 lb tomatillos
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup Maseca
2 Tbsp lard or vegetable oil

To serve:
Cooked rice
Chile de arbol flakes
Lime wedges
Corn tortillas

In medium saucepan, place chicken breast and leg, cover with 8 cups water and add carrot, garlic, bay leaf, cilantro and salt. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer and cook, partially covered, until meat is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove meat from broth and shred finely. Set aside. Strain broth and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat cast iron griddle or frying pan. Toast guajillo chiles taking care not to burn them, 1-2 minutes. At the same time, roast tomato and un-peeled garlic, turning until nicely browned, about 10 minutes.

Place guajillo chiles (seeds and all) in a bowl with tomatillos and top with boiling water. Soak for 10 minutes or until soft. Remove chiles and tomatillos from soaking water. Reserve tomatillos. Place chiles in blender container along with the roasted garlic. Add 1 cup of the broth and process until completely smooth.

In large saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp lard and pour in guajillo salsa. Bring to a boil and then turn down and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place roasted tomato and tomatillos in the blender. Add ½ cup of the shredded meat. Add 1 cup of the broth and blend until completely smooth. Add tomato mixture to guajillo salsa in saucepan. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to simmer for 15-30 minutes, seasoning with salt as you go. 

In small bowl, mix the Maseca with a few tablespoons of water, until you have a smooth dough. Combine with 1 cup of the broth and make sure all masa is dissolved. Add this mixture to the pot and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Season to taste with salt.

Cuachala should be fairly thick, like a stew. If it thickens too much, add a bit more of the broth. Serve with lime wedges, chile flakes, rice and tortillas.

Serves 4-6
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Cooler weather calls for soup, and this one is delicious!

Puchero, or Mole de Olla, is a popular Mexican dish. Beefy broth studded with vegetables, chunks of tender beef and bone marrow is a satisfying yet light meal, perfect for those Fall days.

The original Puchero was brought to México by the Spanish. Once it hit Mexican soil, though, creative native cooks put their stamp on the dish. Puchero varies from region to region, and every home cook has his or her own style of making it. In the north of the country, where there are cattle ranches aplenty, Puchero is made with beef, but as you get farther south, the recipes include beef and pork, and even chicken as it does in the Yucatán.

In central México, Puchero is an event. It is served as a three course meal starting with the broth. The clear broth is served with chopped raw onion and cilantro, as well as avocado and a sprinkle of lime juice. The vegetables come next on a platter, followed by the meat.

In my hometown of Monterrey, Puchero is always made with beef, but the vegetables are the cook’s choice. My paternal grandmother used to say that Puchero wasn’t Puchero if it did not have white turnip. Many cooks add mint as it simmers to give it a special taste. I like to add chayote to my Puchero, along with the traditional carrots, potatoes, zucchini, onion, tomato, corn, green beans and cabbage. Aside from the beef and vegetables, the one ingredient that absolutely has to be in a Puchero is beef bone marrow.  Marrow bones impart a ton of flavour to the broth, and the marrow is a delicious treat for the few lucky ones who happen to get it in their bowls!

Serve your Puchero with warm corn tortillas and lots of lime wedges on the side. It is the perfect cool weather dish. 

Puchero
Beef and Vegetable Soup

600g stewing beef (from the shank, including marrow bone)
2 garlic cloves
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 small carrots, peeled and sliced ¼” thick
2 white potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” dice
2 stalks of celery, sliced ¼” thick
2 cobs corn, cut into 2” rounds
2 cups sliced cabbage
1 chayote squash, peeled and cut into ½” dice
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½” pieces
2 thick stalks cilantro
2 stalks mint
4 quarts water
2 cups green beans, cut into 1” pieces
Salt to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges

In Dutch oven, place meat, 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 cloves garlic and 4 quarts water. Bring to a simmer, and then cook slowly, skimming foam as it rises to the top as it cooks for 1 ½ - 2 hrs. Remove garlic cloves. Add onion, carrots, potatoes, celery, corn, cabbage, chayote, zucchini, cilantro and mint stalks. Cook for another 15 minutes and add the green beans. Cook another 5-10 minutes, or until all vegetables are soft. Serve hot, with a slice of lime and corn tortillas on the side.

Serves 6
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

One of my family's go-to recipes is the perfect Fall side.

There are many recipes for stuffed zucchini out there, and they are universally loved because they are loaded with cheese. These delicious Calabacitas Rellenas are easy to make and are especially  popular with picky teens. Who can resist melty, cheesy goodness?

When we plan a meal, we tend to choose the protein first, and then we choose starches and vegetables after that. These zucchini boats would complement any meat or fish you decide to serve on your dinner plate. And if you are vegetarian, they would be a perfect addition to your meal, packing a serving of protein on your menu.

Since my family comes and goes at different times, I like to make a large batch and have it ready to bake, either in the oven, or in the microwave. Everyone is happy when there’s food in the fridge and it can be reheated in a jiffy.

I like to think this dish is Mexican. I certainly remember it from my childhood. It was part of our everyday food repertoire, and we had Calabacitas Rellenas at least every two weeks. If you think of it though, this dish could be from anywhere in the world, if you vary the kind of cheese and the herbs you use.

In Mexico, we use Chihuahua or Manchego cheese (or any kind of mild cheese that melts beautifully), and season with Mexican oregano. I like to keep these simple, but you could also add chopped tomato and fresh herbs if you want a more colourful dish. I prefer to use the small white Mexican calabacitas, as they are usually more tender and have less seeds. If you’re having trouble getting your kids to eat their vegetables, make a batch of these zucchini boats and watch them disappear!

Calabacitas Rellenas
Zucchini Boats with Cheese

6 white zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 cup shredded Mozzarella or Brick cheese
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp Mexican oregano
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Wash zucchini, trim both ends, and slice in half lengthwise. Using melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/8” thick walls. Reserve trimmings. Brush edges of zucchini halves with a bit of the melted butter and bake, cut side down, in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

While zucchini is baking, chop trimmings roughly and place in a medium bowl. Add the cheese, remaining melted butter, salt, pepper and oregano.

Fill zucchini halves with this mixture, tamping down so they don’t overflow.

Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Bake zucchini for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and is starting to brown. Serve hot.

Serves 6
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Delicious, easy and sophisticated. Behold the best brunch recipe!

Poblano chiles are some of the most beloved chiles in the Mexican pantry. Ranging from fairly mild to boldly spicy, you can find poblanos stuffed, roasted, sautéed with other vegetables or pureed into sauces. A versatile ingredient that has many faces, the poblano is the star of this recipe.

This is such a luxurious dish: creamy, cheesy with a slightly spicy poblano chile sauce. Soft-cooked eggs in a crock served with fresh corn tortillas make for a delicious and satisfying breakfast or brunch experience.

Spicy poblano chiles, cream and cheese are a classic combination. You will find many dishes with a variation of the same ingredients. And that's because the spicy poblano chile pairs beautifully with cream and cheese.

Usually we would start with roasted and peeled peppers, but the beauty of this dish is you can do it without the trouble of roasting. Cut and seed the peppers, sauté with the onions, and then puree in the blender with the cream until smooth.

You can make the sauce ahead of time, and put the dish together with the eggs and bake just before you are ready to serve. This makes it a perfect dish for entertaining.

You can make individual portions, or you can make one large pyrex with 8 or 10 eggs that you can bring to the table and serve your guests. The baking time varies from 15-20 minutes and up to 30, depending on how cooked you like your eggs.

Serve with bread, as you would see in Mexico City, or serve with corn or flour tortillas, as you would see everywhere else. Either way, you will taste a delicious and sophisticated egg dish that will impress your company.

Huevos Poblanos
Poblano Eggs

6 poblano chiles, stems, seeds and veins removed, then chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 ½ cups crema (or sour cream)
¾ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
8 eggs
1 cup shredded Old Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Brick cheese
2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash chiles and split them open. Remove stem, seeds and veins, then chop. In medium frying pan, heat oil and add poblano chiles and onions. Cook over medium heat until they are nice and soft, around 8 minutes. Let cool.

Place chile onion mixture in a blender container and process with the crema and salt until you have a very smooth sauce. Reserve.

Butter individual molds (or a large mold - pyrex or clay dishes work well here), allowing for one or two eggs per dish according to your guests’ preferences.

Divide chile sauce between mold(s) and then carefully break eggs into the sauce, making sure the yolks do not break. Sprinkle cheese over eggs and sauce and bake in 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly and yolks are cooked to your desired degree.

Serve in the molds with fresh tortillas.

Serves 4-8
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

The best ribs ever!

Mexicans have a love affair with the Pig. Pork is the most beloved protein in the Mexican diet. There, I said it. And we can thank Christopher Columbus for that, since he’s the one that brought domesticated pigs to the Americas on his second voyage. They say that he brought only 8 pigs, and from those, they multiplied and eventually they were taken from Hispaniola to Mexico, central and south America.

Why is pork so popular? And why do we love it so? I Perhaps it’s because the meat is rich-tasting and it does not dry out easily when cooked. Mexican cooks have always been thrifty, and the whole hog is used, from nose to tail. Modern hogs are leaner, so the meat is good for you. Any way you look at it, there is no reason not to like pork.

By now you know I adore pork. There is something indescribably good about slow cooked pork. It becomes pull-apart tender and delicious with the treatment of low heat, and in Mexico there are many famous recipes that cook pork this way.

These baby back ribs are baked on a low oven for a couple of hours, then brushed with spicy piloncillo glaze. They can also be done on the barbecue. Trust me, they are irresistible and oh so easy to make!

Piloncillo is a raw sugar commonly used in Mexico. If not available, you can use dark brown sugar instead. Simply make a syrup with chopped piloncillo and water, then add canned chipotle chiles and blend. The glaze lasts a few months in your fridge. Mix the glaze - as much or as little as you want - with enough barbecue sauce to baste your ribs and there you have it. You can use this sauce for any other grilled meats in your repertoire, provided you want a bit of spice.

COSTILLITAS DE CERDO CON SALSA PICANTE DE PILONCILLO
Baked Baby Back Ribs with Spicy Piloncillo Glaze

Glaze:
½ cup crushed piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar), or packed brown sugar
½ cup water
½ cup chipotle chiles in adobo, pureed
3 cloves garlic, minced

Ribs:
1.5kg baby back ribs (about two racks)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
4 Tbsp piloncillo glaze

Combine piloncillo, water, chipotle puree and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered, over low heat until the syrup has thickened, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Place leftover glaze in a jar and store in fridge for 2 weeks.
Makes ¾ cup glaze.  

Preheat oven to 300°F. Mix barbecue sauce with 4 Tbsp glaze.

Place ribs on baking sheets (I like to use my stoneware pans), meaty side up. Combine ancho chile powder, salt, and black pepper. Rub minced garlic over ribs, then sprinkle with spice mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and make sure everything gets coated well with garlic and spices.

Bake uncovered in oven, for 2 hrs. At this time, you can start brushing some of the glaze mixture on the ribs. Bake for another 15 minutes and brush some more glaze on. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until glaze has thickened on meat. Cut into small portions and serve warm.

Serves 4.
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

A delicious cold salad on a hot summer day is just the thing!

“Salpicón” has its roots in 18th Century Spain, where an assortment of ingredients were diced or sliced and then mixed together. Beef, chicken or fish were used, and then they were mixed with onion, black pepper, olive oil and vinegar.

After the Spanish came to Mexico and Central and South America, the dish was adopted and transformed, creating a fusion with local ingredients. Nowadays, you can find Salpicón anywhere from Mexico to Argentina, and each country makes it in a slightly different way. In Colombia the term Salpicón also means a mixture of different fruits, bound together with juice. It is served ice cold by itself, or over ice cream as a delicious dessert.

This particular Salpicón is inspired on a Mayan venison dish that is served all over the Yucatán Peninsula, where it is called “Zic de Venado”. It is traditionally eaten on the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, on December 12.

As venison is not available to everyone, I like to make this dish using beef. My cuts of choice are the flank or flap steaks, because they shred beautifully. It is important to add aromatics to the water as the meat cooks, because this starts to flavour the meat from the start. After the meat is cooked, shredded and cooled, then we make a dressing using lime juice and orange, and season with Mexican oregano.

I like to make this salad with tomatoes, Serrano chiles, red onion, radishes, cilantro and avocados. You could also add shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce to add a bit more crunch, as well as cooked, diced potatoes for a slightly heartier dish.

This salad is light, delicious and good for you. You can make mini tostadas and serve as an appetizer, or use large ones and serve as a salad or main course.

SALPICÓN DE RES
Shredded Beef Salad

908g flank or flap steak
2 litres water
1 small onion, peeled and halved
2 garlic cloves, peeled
4 sprigs cilantro
10 whole peppercorns
1 tsp kosher salt

¼ cup fresh lime juice
1/8 cup fresh orange juice
¾ tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Mexican oregano

2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 serrano or jalapeño chiles, minced
½ small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
½ cup radishes, cut into matchsticks
½ cup chopped cilantro

2 avocados, sliced lengthwise for garnish
Tostadas

In large pot, place meat, water, onion, garlic, cilantro sprigs and salt. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to simmer, partially covered, until meat is tender, around 30 minutes. Remove meat from broth and shred finely. Let cool. Broth can be reserved for another use.

In a medium bowl, combine orange juice, lemon juice and salt. Stir until salt dissolves. Start adding olive oil in a thin stream while constantly whisking so dressing emulsifies. Add Mexican oregano.

Place cooled meat in a non-reactive large bowl. Pour dressing over meat and add tomatoes, red onion, radishes and cilantro. Toss to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed. Garnish with avocado slices and serve immediately on Tostadas.

Serves 6
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Battling the summer heat!

As the weather warms up, we don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen and we crave fresh, delicious, and simple food. This unusual shrimp salad fits the bill: garlicky, spicy, and with a punch of citrus that complements the flavours very nicely. 

I’m not usually known for mixing fruit in savoury dishes, but sometimes I cook by colour. After a long, cold winter in Canada, the meals coming out of my kitchen start to look, and even feel a bit tired. That means that the weather getting warmer also brings a colour injection into my food. I do not claim to seek health benefits by doing a cook by colour diet, I just like bright hues that will make my food look way more appealing and taste more exciting.

This unusual shrimp salad is garlicky and spicy, with a blast of grapefruit that complements the flavours very nicely. I could not resist the beautiful combination that red cooked shrimp, pink grapefruit, green chile and cilantro make on the plate. It is a visually stunning dish, especially if you use fairly large shrimp and leave the tails on.

If we break apart this recipe, we could say it’s a batch of Camarones al Mojo de Ajo, or Garlic Shrimp, with the addition of grapefruit, chiles and cilantro, plus a bit of vinaigrette. Adding a little grapefruit zest to the vinaigrette enhances that somewhat bitter undertone of the grapefruit and pairs beautifully with the shrimp and garlic.

The beauty of this recipe is it can be eaten at room temperature, or even a tiny bit warm. So you don’t have to worry too much about timing here. You can make the dressing well ahead of time, and keep it at room temperature until you are ready to plate. Once you are ready to serve, alternate your shrimp and grapefruit segments on the plate, taking care not to toss them too much, as the segments will fall apart, then drizzle the dressing on top. Serve with a loaf of your favourite baguette to mop up those juices and enjoy!

Ensalada de Camarones con Toronja
Warm Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad

900g  medium shrimp, peeled but with tails left intact
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeño or Serrano chiles (with seeds), thinly sliced crosswise
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup grapefruit juice
¾ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
¼ tsp ground pepper
1 tsp grapefruit zest
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 grapefruits, peeled and cut into segments
¼ cup cilantro leaves

Zest one grapefruit. Reserve 1 tsp zest. Cut pith from grapefruits and work over a bowl to catch any juices as you segment each grapefruit. Set segments aside on a plate. Measure ¼ cup grapefruit juice in bowl and add kosher salt and pepper. Mix well to dissolve salt. Add grapefruit zest and start whisking extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream until dressing is emulsified. Adjust seasoning if needed. Reserve.

Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Add oil and jalapeño or serrano chile and cook for one minute.  Add garlic and cook for another minute, until garlic is fragrant, but take care not to burn it. Add shrimp and toss constantly for two minutes, or just until they turn pink. Season with salt and remove to a plate.

On serving platter, arrange grapefruit segments and shrimp and then drizzle dressing over shrimp and fruit. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and serve immediately with a loaf of warm bread.

Serves 4-5
Recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Corn is King!

Maize, or Corn, was domesticated in Mexico many thousands of years ago. Corn has always been the quintessential ingredient - being the staple crop of all Mexicans, along with beans and chiles. After the Spanish conquest, corn travelled to Europe and from there it spread to other countries. It also travelled north of the border. Corn became a popular crop because of its ability to grow in varied climatic conditions, and it became a staple food in places like Africa, Latin America and within the native populations of North America.

While corn in Mexico is less sweet than its North-American cousin, this recipe made with young sweet corn is still delicious.

I live in Canada, where the seasons are quite marked, so by the time summer finally arrives, I crave fresh, delicious food that is easy to make and is impressive on the taste department. I also don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen when I could be outside enjoying the sunshine. This recipe fits the bill!

One of the pleasures of summers in Canada is buying super fresh, seasonal produce from local markets, and corn is always a star ingredient. While you could take a shortcut and use frozen corn, this recipe is infinitely better if you make it with fresh. Cook the ears in plenty of salted water until tender, then cut the kernels off the cob and separate kernels to use in the salad.

This is one of those dishes that everyone likes, and the beauty of it is you can make most of it ahead of time. The only ingredient you must add just before serving is the avocado. So go ahead and enjoy your friends when they show up for the party, because you won’t be stuck in the kitchen while they have all the fun!

Ensalada de Elote con Tomate y Aguacate
Corn salad with Tomatoes and Avocado

2 cups cooked fresh corn kernels, from about 3 large ears of corn
14 grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3 green onions, white and pale green parts, sliced thinly crosswise
1 Jalapeño chile, minced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
½ tsp kosher Salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp  plus 1 tsp red wine vinegar
2-3 Tbsp olive oil

In medium bowl combine corn, tomatoes, green onions, jalapeño chile and cilantro, mix well. Add red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Add avocado and mix gently until well combined. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Pickled chiles? Yes please!

May in Ottawa may not seem like the time to make pickled anything, but I got my hands on a bunch of beautiful serrano chiles, so that's exactly what I'm going to do today!

I'm sharing with you a post I wrote for The Latin Kitchen on the most delicious pickled vegetables en escabeche that I made in Mexico last year with my Nana's harvest or red-ripe Jalapeños.

Pickling food by mixing with vinegar has been a method of preservation for thousands of years. Vinegar is considered an acid, and that’s why it prevents bacteria from forming in food. In the age before refrigeration, mixing food with vinegar was a perfect way to preserve food.

The practice of combining food and vinegar comes from the Arabic world, where they usually used this method to preserve fish. From there, the practice went to Spain, and from Spain it came to the New World.

In the New World, the method was adopted to include local ingredients and it evolved in different countries to make different dishes. By definition, an Escabeche will have vinegar, oil, herbs and spices. Whether it is made with fish, meat or vegetables, it is the cook’s choice.

In Mexico, we have a few types of escabeches, but none more famous and popular than our Chiles en escabeche, whether mixed with other vegetables or not. This is a food item that is never absent from any Mexican fridge or pantry. But escabeches are not merely “pickled” vegetables, they must have olive oil, herbs and spices, and that is the main difference between a true escabeche and ordinary pickled vegetables.

It is very easy to go to the grocery store to buy chiles in escabeche in a can, but making them at home is very easy and the results are delicious. In fact, once you start making them, you will not want to buy them again, as they are far superior in taste, and the best part is you know what exactly is in your food.

A batch of these veggies will make enough to last a couple of months, so it is well worth the effort. Eat them with tortas, hamburgers, sandwiches or pizza.

Chiles y Verduras en Escabeche
Pickled Jalapeños and Vegetables

½ cup olive oil
1 lb jalapeño chiles
1 large onion, cut into thick julienne
3 small carrots, peeled and cut into ¼” rounds
1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup water
1 heaping Tbsp Mexican oregano
4 bay leaves
2 Tbsp kosher salt, or to taste

If you want whole chiles, prick them all over with the tip of a sharp knife. If you want slices, stem chiles and cut into quarters lengthwise.

In large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onions and cook just until softened, about 3 minutes. Add carrots and chiles and cook for 5 minutes. Add vinegar, water, salt, cauliflower, oregano and bay leaves. Bring mixture to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

Spoon vegetables into clean glass jars and let cool completely. When cool, cover and store in the fridge at least 24 hours, to let mixture pickle completely.

Makes about 2 litres
Recipe was first featured at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Perfect BBQ fare!

This is undoubtedly the most satisfying and perfect BBQ (Spring/Summer) fare: grill + meat + citrus. The easiest recipe ever is this ribeye aguachile that is very popular in Monterrey, Mexico. Excellent local beef in the area, and a passion for grilling created an adaptation from the delicious seafood aguachile served in the West coast.

The simplest of ingredients make this a delicious recipe, but because it’s so simple, you must have the best steak you can find. Go to your butcher and buy the most beautiful ribeye in his counter. It should be at least 1” thick, but even better if it’s up to 2” thick, especially if you love your meat on the rare side.

Next secret is to grill your steak to perfection. If this is not your forte, then enlist the help of a handy instant-read thermometer. Cook your steak for 3 minutes on the first side, and another 3 on the second side. Insert the tip of the thermometer in the middle of the steak (don’t let it go through, leave the tip of the thermometer right in the middle of the steak) and read the temperature: it should be at 136°F, and no more than 140°F, for medium rare.

Immediately take your steak off the grill and let rest a couple of minutes before you cut it across the grain. The secret of this recipe is that the steak finishes resting in the lime juice and chile mixture, so the flavors impregnate the meat.

Decorate your platter with the cucumber on one corner and the onions on the opposite corner. Plate the steak down the center and pour the lime juice and chile mixture over it. Serve right away to your hungry guests.  Pass the tostadas or corn chips around the table. Trust me, your meat-eating friends will love it!

Aguachile de Ribeye
Ribeye Aguachile

1 ribeye steak, 1 ½” thick
Salt and pepper
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
A few drops Maggi sauce
1 jalapeño or Serrano chile, minced
1/3 of an English cucumber, thinly sliced
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

In small bowl, combine lime juice with soy sauce and chiles. Season steak on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat up your grill (or griddle on stove) and cook steak for about 3 minutes per side, until it is barely medium rare.

Remove from grill and slice crosswise into ¼” slices.

On medium rectangular platter, arrange cucumbers decoratively on one corner, and mound red onions on the opposite corner.

Arrange steak slices down the center and pour lime juice mixture over steak. Let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with tostadas.

Serves 2
This recipe was first featured at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Something sweet for Mom today!

On a day like today, it is only fitting to celebrate the most important person in our lives. Make these Sweet Potatoes for Mom and she will be very happy - not only because they are delicious, but also they are good for you!

Sweet potatoes are native to Latin America, and they have been part of the Mexican diet for thousands of years. Their Spanish name, Camote, derives from the Nahuatl camotli, and they are either white or yellow-fleshed tubers.

By tradition, sweet potatoes are used for making candies, and Mexican cooks produce many different varieties of sweet potato treats, from crystallized sweet potatoes (sold whole or in thick slices), Camotes de Santa Clara (puréed and cooked with sugar syrup, then moulded into small cigar-shaped bars), baked or roasted.

In central Mexico, and especially in Mexico City, you can still find street vendors who have mobile wood ovens. These ovens are like a push cart, and the owners bake sweet potatoes and often plantains in these ovens. As they move slowly down the street, they emit loud, piercing whistles that announce they are around, so you can come out and buy their delicious  treats.

These roasted camotes and plantains are simply served drizzled with condensed milk, jam, chocolate or honey. They are a simple but delicious treat, warm just out of the oven.

This traditional Mexican dessert is actually good for you, since sweet potatoes are a pretty healthy veggie. For my version of Camotes Asados, I have drawn from my memories of these treats I enjoyed as a child, and from the native flavour combinations of my hometown of Monterrey, where piloncillo and pecans are abundant and popular ingredients in the local gastronomy.

These camotes asados, roasted in a hot oven until tender and soft, served with melted butter and chopped piloncillo, then sprinkled with chopped pecans taste almost like pie, without the guilt of all the calories that come with pastry! And since they are so good for you, go ahead and drizzle some crema over the top.

Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful, talented, special, multi-tasking Moms out there!

Camotes Asados
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Crema and Pecans
 

6 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
¾ cup crema
6 tsp unsalted butter
6 tsp chopped piloncillo or raw brown sugar
¾ cup chopped toasted pecans

Scrub sweet potatoes well, then place in a large saucepan and top with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer sweet potatoes to a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated 350°F oven for another 20-30 minutes, or until they are tender and you can pierce them easily with the tip of a knife.To serve, cut each sweet potato open and top with butter. As butter melts, sprinkle piloncillo or brown sugar on top. Drizzle crema on top and garnish with toasted pecans. Sprinkle a little more piloncillo on top and serve immediately.

Serves 6
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Cinco de Mayo!

What is the best way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Well, I think the best and only way is to make tacos!! And these tacos are absolutely delicious!

Queso Flameado is one of the most beloved dishes in Mexico, both in restaurants and homes alike. There is something indescribably delicious about a mound of melted cheese, but when you top it with spicy chorizo and sautéed onions, then it just becomes irresistible. Put all that in a warm tortilla, top with a spoonful of spicy salsa, and you will be transported to taco heaven!

It is said this dish originated in northern Mexico and southern United States, where it was prepared in the fields or camps over fires. As it evolved and became “chic”, it was finished with a “flambé”, as the name Flameado suggests: alcohol poured over the top being ignited and the flames would melt the cheese and char the chorizo. I’m all for ease of preparation, so I prefer to bake the cheese until it is nice and bubbly, no need to broil or flambé.

If you’d rather skip the meat, then you can use other toppings for your cheese. Sautéed mushrooms with sliced onions and Jalapeño chiles would make a delicious alternative, as well as roasted Poblano chiles sautéed with sliced onions and corn.

As for the cheese, the best in my opinion is a cheese that will become stringy as it melts, such as Mexican Chihuahua, Oaxaca or Menonita, but North American whole milk Mozzarella, Brick or Monterey Jack are great alternatives. I tend to stay away from Cheddar because it becomes extremely oily as it melts, but if you like the flavour, you could combine some cheddar with the mozzarella.

The Salsa and Tortillas are equally important for this dish. A spicy flavourful salsa is a must here. Whether it’s a roasted tomato salsa or a fresh green salsa, it is important that it be nice and spicy so that it enhances the creamy flavour of the cheese. Use the freshest tortillas you can get your hands on: flour or corn, your choice. Get some friends together for Cinco de Mayo and enjoy some of the best tacos you have ever had!

Queso Flameado
Melted Cheese with Onions and Chorizo

2 cups grated mozzarella, brick or Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup raw Mexican chorizo
1 small onion, minced

In saucepan, cook chorizo in a bit of water, breaking it up into small bits. Once the water evaporates, the chorizo will have rendered down and it will brown in its own fat.

Add chopped onion and cook until onion is very soft. Reserve mixture.

Place cheese in a heatproof bowl and sprinkle the chorizo onion mixture on top. Bake in a 375°F oven until melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately with tortillas and salsa on the side.

* Instead of chorizo, you can use sautéed mushrooms or roasted and peeled poblano pepper strips on the cheese.

This recipe was first featured at www.thelatinkitchen.com

Memories of Sundays with my Grandparents

As a child growing up in Mexico, my Sunday afternoons were spent with my maternal grandparents. They were members of the Casino Monterrey, an exclusive club where they had lavish buffets every Sunday at lunch. Knowing the grandchildren were visiting after lunch, they always brought us a doggie bag with dessert, and my favourite was a type of Flan called Queso Napolitano.

I never procured that recipe for the flan, but I remember it being fairly firm, with some crunch and it had a bit of alcohol. Years later, as an adult, I started to play around with flan recipes in the hopes of recreating that dish. After many tries, I came up with my version of the Queso Napolitano.

Flan, or Queso Napolitano, refers to a flan that has cream cheese as an ingredient. My version uses Monterey Jack or Brick cheese instead, making it perhaps a tiny bit less sweet than it would be if we were to use cream cheese. The rest of the ingredients are common enough - sugar for the caramel, milk, condensed milk and eggs. In addition to that, I add pecans and brandy. Once everything goes into the blender and is poured onto the mold, the pecans rise to the surface and create a sort of crust that once unmolded will be at the bottom. The brandy gives it sophistication and pairs perfectly well with the creaminess of the flan and the almost burnt sugar taste of the caramel.

Pecans and brandy are my Mexican version, but when I worked at the restaurant, I used to make the Italian equivalent using hazelnuts instead of pecans, and Frangelico instead of brandy. If you prefer to use almonds, then go ahead and use Amaretto. All those versions are delicious. Serve it at your next party and you’ll have your guests complimenting you on your drool-worthy dessert. Little do they know it is a snap to make!

Queso Napolitano
Cheese Flan with Pecans and Brandy

Caramel:
1 cup sugar

Flan:
150g Brick or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 ¼ cups milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup pecans
2 Tbsp Brandy

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In medium frying pan, heat sugar over medium heat. Do not stir!  Let sugar melt and start to caramelize. You can shake or swirl the pan, but do not stir with a spoon.  When sugar is a nice light brown colour, carefully pour caramel onto a rectangular pyrex (loaf pan size), tilting to make sure it coats the bottom and up the sides a little bit. Set aside.

In blender jar, combine grated cheese, condensed milk, milk, eggs, pecans and brandy. Process until very smooth.  Pour over prepared caramel in pan.

Place in the oven inside a larger pan, like a roasting pan. Prepare a water bath by filling the large pan with boiling water that comes 2/3 up the sides of the pyrex. Bake for 1 – 1 ¼ hr, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Run a knife around the edges and then invert onto a serving platter, making sure you catch all the nice syrup.  Serve chilled.

Makes 1 loaf sized flan.
This recipe was first published at www.thelatinkitchen.com