We’re having a Superbowl Party today complete with the following dishes from MK: Chorizo-Stuffed Ancho Chiles with Sweet-Sour Escabeche, Chicken Breasts in Nutty Queretaro Green Mole, Classic White Rice, and Topolo Margaritas. Go Colts!!!!
70 recipes down, 85 to go
I’ve made three more recipes: Oaxacan Omelette with Roasted Tomatoes and Green Chiles (VBRED23) for dinner on Saturday and Broiled Chipotle Chicken with Creamy Spinach (MD3) last night which featured the new (for me) essential flavor, Essential Sweet-and-Smoky Chipotle Seasoning Salsa (EF10.5).
The Omelette came together very easily as I had already made the Essential Roasted Poblano Rajas for last week’s chayote casserole. I also still have frozen roasted tomatoes left from the summer. So really all I had to do was combine those with a little broth to make the sauce. The eggs then get cooked and the sauce goes on top with queso fresco and cilantro to garnish. This was good and easy to put together, although, honestly I think I preferred the egg dishes with tortillas. But then again, I’m not really an omelette fan in general so I guess that’s not too surprising. One more note, the poblanos in the rajas were actually quite spicy. Not to the point of being too spicy, but definitely more like a serrano. I’ve found the poblanos to be the most variable in terms of spiciness. It’s a question I plan to ask Rick about if I get the chance at our wine dinner in a couple of weeks.
I had intended to make the Broiled Chipotle Chicken on Sunday night but made the classic mistake of not reading the recipe and thus not realizing that the chicken was to marinate for several hours. So we ended up making the Chipotle Seasoning Salsa on Sunday night and then the Chicken last night.
Let’s talk for a moment about the salsa. The recipe calls for 4 ounces of dried chipotle chiles (the spiciest variety that I’ve worked with) which comes out to around 50 chiles. That is a serious amount of spice!! These are fried in oil and then puréed with garlic and piloncillo-sweetened water. The purée is then fried until thick (although mine was pretty thick after being puréed and so did not need to cook as long as indicated. We were almost afraid to try it when it was done. I coated about a third of a baby spoon with the salsa and it kept my tongue tingling for a good 45 minutes. But it’s not just heat. There is a depth of flavor, a smokiness to it giving it its appeal. According to Rick, “The first time you stir a spoonful into that bowl of black beans you’re having for dinner, the first time you add a little to that bland barbecue sauce you bought, you’ll know why I think of it as essential, even when it isn’t widely known or used in Mexico” (52). One more nice thing about this salsa is that it keeps for several weeks and is only needed in small quantities so I will be able to make the three recipes calling for it with this batch.
Now, for the chicken, 2 tablespoons of the salsa is mixed with an equal amount of cream and slathered over boneless, skinless chicken breasts and left to marinate. I let them marinate overnight (really almost 24 hours). The chicken is then broiled on one side and then flipped, doused with more cream, and broiled on the other side until the chicken is done. The cream is then put in a sauce pan with a little broth and some spinach and cooked until the spinach wilts.
This was fantastic!!! For all the spice in the salsa, the cream really tempers it and you are left with all the good smoky flavor and the feeling of the spice without it being overwhelming. The chicken was cooked to perfection and I’m also a big fan of wilted greens. This is a dish where you definitely need some bread to sop up any remaining sauce on your plate because it simply can’t be left behind. Or, if you’re at home and among family or good friends, there would certainly be no shame in licking the plate 
I will make this again for sure.
p.s. I forgot to take a pic of the chicken so I’ll try to remember when we have the leftovers.
67 recipes down, 88 to go
Last night I made Crusty Chayote Casserole with Poblanos, Corn and Two Cheeses (VBRED4). This was my first time working with Chayote (which is not pronounced chai-OHT, but rather chi-OH-tay). After a quick peek in my Food Lover’s Companion I learned that I was dealing with a indistinctly flavored fruit that can be prepared as would any summer squash. In this recipe the chayotes are peeled, seeded, cut in cubes and steamed.
The steamed chayote is then mixed with Essential Roasted Poblano Rajas (always a welcome addition), corn and milk. This mixture is then layered with Chihuahua cheese and baked. Halfway through baking you top the casserole with a breadcrumb, oil and parmesan mixture.
I really liked this casserole. The chayote, as promised, had very little flavor of its own and seemed to take on the flavor of the corn. The texture, however, was very nice: crisp and juicy. The poblano rajas provided a nice spice (a little bit stronger than the last batch) and the corn balanced the spice with its sweetness. Once again, I came away feeling like I had eaten something both fresh and flavorful. One more note: Rick had commented in the intro to the recipe that this would go well with a ham on a breakfast buffet; I totally agree and would make this again for that purpose.
I also made extra rajas which I will use to make an Oaxacan Omelette either tomorrow or Saturday. I also have a Chicken Main Dish planned for the weekend. I mean business this month and hoping to maintain a good pace
66 recipes down, 89 to go
What better way to celebrate the NFC and AFC Championship games (especially with an impressive Colts win!) than with a Mexican meal? Well, for John the answer was wings, of course. So he had those in the late afternoon setting him up to be ready for a light meal of Black Bean Chilaquiles with Smoky Chipotle (TEOCE27) after the kids were in bed.
You may be wondering what exactly chilaquiles are. Well, John summed up the meal in this way : “So soggy bean chips is what we have for dinner?” The chilaquiles are made by cooking black beans with some chipotle en adobo and onion in broth or water (I used a combo) until “thoroughly tender”. From there you purée the mixture, add more liquid into which you then boil tortilla chips until they softened but not soggy. The chilaquiles are to be dressed with avocado, cheese and Thick Cream (this was omitted because I had intended to make it myself but didn’t have the more than 12 hours needed, oh well).
The last line of the recipe is really the key to the dish. Rick writes: “Serve without hesitation”. But, tragically, hesitate I did. I was to be finishing the dish while John got the kids in bed. When the dish was done (the chips retaining their chewiness), I went up to see what the hold-up was. John was playing with Scarlett instead of really focusing on bedtime (it was really very sweet, but unfortunately the downfall of the dish). I went in to do prayers and songs with Jack and then told John I was going to eat without him. But the roughly 5-10 minutes that went by were enough for the chips to have lost their chewiness and to have sunk despairingly into sogginess. Fortunately, though, the flavor of the beans with chipotle was good enough to make it good to eat, even if the texture of the chips was post peak. It has a wonderful earthy, spicy, smoky flavor and seemed like perfect Mexican comfort food, really the ideal accompaniment to a football game. I would make this again and leave my hesitation chained in another room so that I could enjoy the chilaquiles as they were meant to be.
Month 5
What can I tell you about Month 5 of Susie’s MK Project? That I feel like I’m in the doldrums; I really am trying to cook as much as possible but have still only managed 9 new recipes (which is especially depressing as I had thought I had counted 10, and yes, math was never my strongest subject). What else? I was happy to be able to cook for family, both in CT and here at home on New Year’s Day. And that even when sick I can produce one of the gems of the month. The best recipes of Month 5 are:
- Mexican-Style Sweet Roasted Garlic Soup
- Braised Turkey in Teloloapan Red Mole
The soup is there for being the perfect combination of flavor and freshness, and the Mole was outstanding; there’s a good reason it’s considered Classic Fiesta Food. I will be making both of these again. As for what I will not make again? Only the Spicy Plantain Pie; it was too sweet for my taste.
So now I’m at the outset of Month 6. I sense another trip to Pilsen in the near future. I would like to do some of the recipes calling for fresh masa and I’d also like to give cactus another try soon. John and I also have a wine dinner at Frontera Grill in the next month, so look for an update on that experience as well. And if I can’t hit double digits this month, I think I’m going to be in trouble for finishing the project in time. Wish me luck!
65 recipes down, 90 to go
On Thursday evening, at the tail end of Month 5, I made Spicy Plantain Pie (D12). Frankly, I was a disappointed with the result. It’s made with ripe plantains, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and with cream and eggs to make it custardy. I was actually quite surprised at how sweet it was — too sweet for my taste. The flavor of the plantain, its tanginess, did come through, but for me it was sort of like a not-quite-ripe banana flavor with too much sugar. The addition of the sweetened whipped cream, however, was good (mine was flavored with Mexican vanilla and sugar as I was out of Brandy). John and the kids all liked it and ate it but I doubt I will make this one again.
On a positive note, though, the crust turned out perfectly. I am now a firm believer in crust made with lard. The lard lends a flakiness to the crust that butter or shortening by themselves cannot produce. Especially now that I know where to get lard. I suggest you all go out and find yourselves a lard source. You won’t be sorry. Lard is good.
64 recipes down, 91 to go
On Monday evening, although still not feeling well from a cold, I made a Mexican meal of Chile-Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon and Orange (VBRED5) and Red Chile Rice (VBRED16). I made these two together partly because either dish by itself would not make a meal, but mainly because they used the same base of Essential Sweet and Spicy Ancho Seasoning Paste (EF10) and I could kill two recipes with one flavor prep.
This is now the fourth time making this seasoning paste and it’s pretty easy: roast garlic and dried chiles, soak chiles, process garlic and chiles with spices and some broth in Cuisinart, pass mixture through a strainer, and voilà.
For the Sweet Potatoes, the paste gets mixed with orange zest, orange juice, and honey. This is slathered onto slices of sweet potato and baked. For the rice, the paste gets mixed in with the broth in which the rice (and onions, of course) are cooked.
All in all this was fairly easy to put together and made a good meal. The paste gave both dishes a decent level of spice. I’m not one for adding sweet to my sweet potatoes (I like them mainly roasted with salt and olive oil); I would never serve sweet potatoes with marshmallows. I mean they are called sweet potatoes for a reason, there’s no need to make them sweeter. That said, the addition of the honey and orange flavors to the sweet potatoes were nice. The sweet was certainly adequately balanced by the spice in the seasoning paste. The rice, as always, had a nice texture and the the seasoning paste gave it a definite kick. I served this with tortillas and used a little sour cream for garnish. We had it leftover with a little cooked chicken, and that was good too. If I hadn’t been doing the project, I probably would have done this with Classic White Rice. But the double dose of ancho seasoning paste wasn’t a bad thing in the end.
If you’re keeping track you’ll know that today is the final day of Month 5. I’m hoping to fit in one Spicy Plantain Pie to put me into double digits, thus rounding off the month nicely. Stay tuned.
62 recipes down, 93 to go
Despite having a cold the Mexican cooking continues. I’m determined to put up some better numbers for Month 5 because at the pace of the last couple of months I will not finish the project in time. My cold arrived on Saturday and I was glad that I had already planned to make the chicken-broth based Mexican-Style Sweet Roasted Garlic Soup (LHS2).
I had just made a poached chicken last week so I had (and still have, in fact) an abundance of good homemade chicken broth. I had originally planned to make Slow-Simmered Fava Bean Soup (LHS8) but apparently dried fava beans are not easy to find (i.e. not carried by Whole Foods). The Garlic Soup was the back-up. I had had a feeling about the fava beans and so luckily I had written down the ingredients for both soups on my shopping list.
This recipe is fairly simple to make, the main aspect being the preparation of the various accoutrements (garlic croutons, broiled green onions, diced avocado and tomato, crumbled queso fresco, sliced strips of chipotles en adobo). As for the broth, you cook garlic in olive oil and the strain out the garlic. The oil you use for the the croutons and the garlic is simmered in the chicken broth, imparting its sweet garlic flavor to the broth. Then, just before serving you stir in two lightly beaten eggs. To serve, you pile the accoutrements in the bowls (except the croutons and chipotles, which get added on top) and ladle in the broth.
This soup was excellent! It had the quintessential Bayless elements of flavor and freshness. There was a flavor of garlicky goodness in every bite. The eggs did add a bit of texture to the broth but there was no egg flavor. The croutons were fantastic, crisp and flavorful, and the freshness of the diced tomato and avocado make the soup amazing.
John and I sort of have a running joke about foods that I consider fresh. When I was pregnant with Scarlett I had nausea for about seven months. During that time there was not much that sounded good to me. John would ask me what I wanted to eat and I would just keep repeating that I wanted something fresh. I had lots of fresh fruit, steamed veggies, fish, etc. It was really a pregnancy-induced healthy diet (except for the pint a day ice cream habit that somehow sounded good). What I can say about the soup is that it would have been something that I would have liked when I was pregnant. There is just something about adding in the fresh avocado and tomato at the time of serving that makes the soup really good. This would be a very impressive and not that difficult to pull off first course for company. The other thing that is nice about this soup is that it is really easy to customize the level of spice as each person adds how much chipotle they want. I added a few strips and they provided a nice zest to the broth. John added much more, for much more spice.
I also cooked last night (Chile-Glazed Sweet Potatoes and Red-Chile Rice); I’ll try to post that meal tomorrow. I’m also hoping to make Spicy Plaintain Pie this week.
61 recipes down, 94 to go
I’m really trying to keep up a better pace of cooking this month, so despite not cooking over the weekend, I got started early in the week with a relatively easy rice casserole for this past Monday evening. I made Achiote Rice Supper with Pork Carnitas (VBRED19).
In this recipe the cubed pork shoulder is boiled in salted water and lime juice until the water evaporates. You then continue cooking the pork until it browns. This yields very tender and moist meat which is then cooked with the rice and some veggies (anaheim chile, peas, carrots, and onion) in a broth seasoned with Essential Garlicky Achiote Seasoning Paste (EF14).
I’ll make a note about the anaheim chile. This was the first time I’ve used this kind of chile so I wasn’t sure how spicy it would be. In this recipe it was roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped. It turned out to be not spicy at all.
What about the final product? It was a great weeknight meal! As you know, I’m a big fan of one-pot meals in general and this one was no exception. The flavor was good but not really what I think of as traditionally Mexican. There was a distinct spice from the ground pepper in the seasoning paste and I could also detect the flavor of the ground allspice (I did actually buy whole allspice and ground them in with my mortar and pestle). As I said, the pork was nice and tender and the combo of the peas, carrots and rice gave it a nice comfort food feel.
I’m slated to make a sweet potato dish soon, maybe tonight? Then hopefully something Sunday or Monday (since we all have a three day weekend for MLK day).
p.s. I just started reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver which is at least partially set in Mexico. The book has many cooking references in it, all of which so far I’ve been able to decipher due to my work on this project. Thanks Mom!
60 recipes down, 95 to go
What better way to ring in the New Year than with a choice selection from the Classic Fiesta Food chapter! Rick says that he looks forward to the recipes in this chapter more than any other ones in the book (275). We chose to make Braised Turkey in Teloloapan Red Mole (CFF1). Here is an excerpt from Rick’s description of the recipe: “This is cooking for people who love to cook and who love to share their creations with enthusiastic eaters. It’s cooking that takes up the greater part of a day (or parts of several days) — definitely special-occasion fare” (277). I heartily concur with Rick’s assessment. We had almost all of that. We love to cook and share our creations. On this particular day we had last minute visitors to our table: John’s parents. While they are enthusiastic eaters, my sense is that the result was a little spicy for their taste. They were however fans of the Classic White Rice that was served as an accompaniment so they were happy with mainly turkey and rice with just a small amount of mole. And, the recipe really did take the greater part of the day to prepare.
I guess it goes without saying that any recipe with 28 ingredients is going to take some effort to put together. And even by the standards of some of the other mole recipes (that I’ve made pre-project), this one is complex. This was not, however, the first time that I’d made this recipe, just the first time for the project. There are some ingredients that make you wonder what they’re doing in the recipe (grated avocado pit comes to mind). There was also a lot of frying of ingredients in lard: dried chiles, nuts, raisins, bread, etc. Two separate purées were made, a chile purée and a seed purée.
chile purée
seed purée
These are ultimately cooked and combined along with broth and Mexican chocolate to make the mole. Then the turkey breast (which has previously been browned) is braised in the mole.
This recipe is far too detailed to go over each step (this is a blog, not a book). That said, I will make one aside to talk about the frying of the dried chiles (ancho and guajillo) in the lard. As I said, I’ve made this before and I remember the chiles frying too quickly and getting a bitter smell to them and thus to the soaking liquid as well. I remembered from making the Plantain Turnovers that the oil should not be as hot as you might think, so I erred on the side of keeping the oil cooler so as not to overcook the chiles. This seemed to work as my soaking liquid was not bitter at all and was able to be used in the chile purée.
Now for the results. The mole was everything that Mexican food should be: sweet, spicy, complex, fantastic! Also, the turkey breast was cooked to perfection. This is one of those sauces that you taste and first you sense the sweetness of the sugar and the chocolate. Then, a couple of seconds later the spice coats your mouth. It really was quite spicy but you could adjust the ratio of sauce to turkey and rice to find a good balance for any palate. We had made this mole before and I’m sure we’ll make it again. One more great thing about this recipe is that it really makes more sauce than you need and so there was plenty not only for all of the leftover turkey but also a sizable amount to freeze. And what’s so great about freezing the sauce is that you can then in the future whip up a fantastic meal with little effort. This really was the perfect way to ring in 2010 and I look forward to a lot more Mexican cooking in the months ahead
