And here are the recipes I've been promising
Over the last few weeks (or even months?) people have been requesting particular recipes from me. Maybe it's because they've liked them at various BBQs or other get-togethers that I have "catered" at my apartment, and maybe it's because I can't stop talking about food. Either way, I've been putting off transcribing and sharing these recipes long enough, so here they are.
Black bean- smoked salmon tostaditas
This one comes from one of my new favorite cookbooks (Mexico One Plate at a Time) from one of my favorite cookbook authors, Rick Bayless. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to try yummy Mexican cooking. This cookbook also has mouthwatering recipes for enchiladas suizas, Black bean-chicken tostadas with salsa, and Seared steak tacos with blistered serranos (I use jalapenos) and browned onions. Good food.
It can be prepared either on homemade tortilla chips as an appetizer, or on full fried tortillas as an entree. One recipe is supposed to serve 10 or more as a substantial nibble, But the piggies in the Metallian household (both of us) can finish off a batch in one meal, no problem.
Ingredients:
8 corn tortillas
vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2 inch for frying, plus 2 T for the beans.
1/2 small white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 can (14.5 oz, or 1 1/2 cup) black beans, drained with liquid reserved.
5 oz smoked salmon, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped ripe tomato
2 to 3 T thinly sliced green onions
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream thinned with a little milk
Directions:
For tostaditas, cut each tortilla in half and then cut each half into two halves lengthwise (you'll have 4 chips of 2 different shapes). For tostadas, skip this step.
Heat the 1/2 inch of oil in a small or medium skillet. When the oil is hot enough to make the edge of a tortilla sizzle energetically, fry them (1 tortilla, or 4 chips at a time). Lay the tortillas in the oil and after 12 seconds use tongs or a spatula to flip them over. Continue to fry, pushing them down into the oil every few seconds. When the bubbling begins to subside and the triangles or tortillas have darkened just a bit (usually less than a minute total frying time), remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
The beans: Set a medium skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium heat and add the remaining 2 T oil. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir for a minute or so, and then scrape into a blender or food processor; add the beans. Process until smooth. If necessary to get it mixing, add some of the reserved bean liquid or water. Return to the skillet and stir in enough of the bean liquid or water to achieve a soft consistency- one that barely holds its shape in a spoon. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/4 tsp. Cover and set aside.
The salmon mixture: In a small bowl, stir together the smoked salmon, tomato, green onions, chopped cilantro, chile and black pepper. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/4 tsp. Refrigerate and cover until ready to use.
The assembly: When you're ready to serve, warm the beans over medium-low heat. If they've thickened noticably, stir in a little water or bean liquid. Assemble the tostadas or tostaditas- spread with the beans (thin layer), spoon on the salmon mixture, and top it off with a little dollop of the thinned sour cream. Enjoy!
Yucatan Lime Chicken Soup
This recipe comes from 1000 Mexican Recipes by Marge Poore. This mighty tome also has some other yummies like sauteed fish with banana salsa. Drool.
Ingredients:
4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and fried.
2 skinless chicken breasts (recipe says on the bone, I use boneless).
2 (14.5 oz) cand fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno chile, seeded, veins removed, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled
1 tsp salt (or 1/2, to taste)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
clinatro (optional)
avocado, peeled and thinly slided (optional but yummy)
grated cheddar or jack cheese (optional, but very yummy)
Fry the tortilla strips in batches in vegetable oil (1/2 inch deep in small or medium skillet) until crisp and golden brown, about 30 seconds for each batch. Drain on paper towels.
Put the chicken breasts, chicken broth, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is white throughout, abotu 15 minutes. Cool the chicken in the broth 20 minutes, pull the meat off the bone (if not using boneless) and shred coarsely. Reserve on a plate. Discard the bones. Strain the chicken broth through a strainer into a medium bowl and reserve.
In a soup pot, heat 1 T oil (from frying the tortilla strips) and cook the onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, and oregano. Cook, stirring, until the juices reduce and the mixture is nearly dry, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved chicken broth, shredded chicken, salt, and optional cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. To serve, divide the tortilla strips among 4 soup bowls. Ladel the soup over the tortillas. Divide the avocado slices among the bowls, sprinkle with cheese, if using. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Tacos
Zero for authenticity, but these veggie tacos just go to show how much "taco flavor" is in the chili powder and not the ground beef. Also, a very quick meal. From the 15-minute gourmet- Vegetarian cookbook by Paulette Mitchell. The two other books in the series (15 minute gourment chiken and 15 minute gourmet noodles) are better overall.
It says it makes 4 servings- it actually makes two if us piggies are hungry and three it we are being "good."
2 T canola or other vegetable oil
3 cups sliced mushrooms (or 2, since that's what the pre-sliced packs from our grocery store come in)
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 carrot, coarsely shredded (I just julienne it)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 T chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
dash of hot pepper sauce, or to taste
8 packaged taco shells
2 cups shredded cheddar (we use substantially less)
1/4 head lettuce, finely shredded
bottled taco sauce
Preheat oven to 350 F
Heat the oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, zucchini, carrot, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until the zucchini is crisp-tender. Stir in about half of the tomatoes and all of the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and hot pepper sauce. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Meanwhile, arrange the taco shells on a baking sheet, warm in the oven for about 5 minutes.
To serve, spoon the vegetable mixture into the taco shells. Top with cheese, lettuce, and the remaining tomato. Drizzle with taco sauce. Yum!
Black bean- smoked salmon tostaditas
This one comes from one of my new favorite cookbooks (Mexico One Plate at a Time) from one of my favorite cookbook authors, Rick Bayless. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to try yummy Mexican cooking. This cookbook also has mouthwatering recipes for enchiladas suizas, Black bean-chicken tostadas with salsa, and Seared steak tacos with blistered serranos (I use jalapenos) and browned onions. Good food.
It can be prepared either on homemade tortilla chips as an appetizer, or on full fried tortillas as an entree. One recipe is supposed to serve 10 or more as a substantial nibble, But the piggies in the Metallian household (both of us) can finish off a batch in one meal, no problem.
Ingredients:
8 corn tortillas
vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2 inch for frying, plus 2 T for the beans.
1/2 small white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 can (14.5 oz, or 1 1/2 cup) black beans, drained with liquid reserved.
5 oz smoked salmon, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped ripe tomato
2 to 3 T thinly sliced green onions
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream thinned with a little milk
Directions:
For tostaditas, cut each tortilla in half and then cut each half into two halves lengthwise (you'll have 4 chips of 2 different shapes). For tostadas, skip this step.
Heat the 1/2 inch of oil in a small or medium skillet. When the oil is hot enough to make the edge of a tortilla sizzle energetically, fry them (1 tortilla, or 4 chips at a time). Lay the tortillas in the oil and after 12 seconds use tongs or a spatula to flip them over. Continue to fry, pushing them down into the oil every few seconds. When the bubbling begins to subside and the triangles or tortillas have darkened just a bit (usually less than a minute total frying time), remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
The beans: Set a medium skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium heat and add the remaining 2 T oil. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir for a minute or so, and then scrape into a blender or food processor; add the beans. Process until smooth. If necessary to get it mixing, add some of the reserved bean liquid or water. Return to the skillet and stir in enough of the bean liquid or water to achieve a soft consistency- one that barely holds its shape in a spoon. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/4 tsp. Cover and set aside.
The salmon mixture: In a small bowl, stir together the smoked salmon, tomato, green onions, chopped cilantro, chile and black pepper. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/4 tsp. Refrigerate and cover until ready to use.
The assembly: When you're ready to serve, warm the beans over medium-low heat. If they've thickened noticably, stir in a little water or bean liquid. Assemble the tostadas or tostaditas- spread with the beans (thin layer), spoon on the salmon mixture, and top it off with a little dollop of the thinned sour cream. Enjoy!
Yucatan Lime Chicken Soup
This recipe comes from 1000 Mexican Recipes by Marge Poore. This mighty tome also has some other yummies like sauteed fish with banana salsa. Drool.
Ingredients:
4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and fried.
2 skinless chicken breasts (recipe says on the bone, I use boneless).
2 (14.5 oz) cand fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno chile, seeded, veins removed, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled
1 tsp salt (or 1/2, to taste)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
clinatro (optional)
avocado, peeled and thinly slided (optional but yummy)
grated cheddar or jack cheese (optional, but very yummy)
Fry the tortilla strips in batches in vegetable oil (1/2 inch deep in small or medium skillet) until crisp and golden brown, about 30 seconds for each batch. Drain on paper towels.
Put the chicken breasts, chicken broth, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is white throughout, abotu 15 minutes. Cool the chicken in the broth 20 minutes, pull the meat off the bone (if not using boneless) and shred coarsely. Reserve on a plate. Discard the bones. Strain the chicken broth through a strainer into a medium bowl and reserve.
In a soup pot, heat 1 T oil (from frying the tortilla strips) and cook the onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, and oregano. Cook, stirring, until the juices reduce and the mixture is nearly dry, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved chicken broth, shredded chicken, salt, and optional cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. To serve, divide the tortilla strips among 4 soup bowls. Ladel the soup over the tortillas. Divide the avocado slices among the bowls, sprinkle with cheese, if using. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Tacos
Zero for authenticity, but these veggie tacos just go to show how much "taco flavor" is in the chili powder and not the ground beef. Also, a very quick meal. From the 15-minute gourmet- Vegetarian cookbook by Paulette Mitchell. The two other books in the series (15 minute gourment chiken and 15 minute gourmet noodles) are better overall.
It says it makes 4 servings- it actually makes two if us piggies are hungry and three it we are being "good."
2 T canola or other vegetable oil
3 cups sliced mushrooms (or 2, since that's what the pre-sliced packs from our grocery store come in)
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 carrot, coarsely shredded (I just julienne it)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 T chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
dash of hot pepper sauce, or to taste
8 packaged taco shells
2 cups shredded cheddar (we use substantially less)
1/4 head lettuce, finely shredded
bottled taco sauce
Preheat oven to 350 F
Heat the oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, zucchini, carrot, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until the zucchini is crisp-tender. Stir in about half of the tomatoes and all of the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and hot pepper sauce. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Meanwhile, arrange the taco shells on a baking sheet, warm in the oven for about 5 minutes.
To serve, spoon the vegetable mixture into the taco shells. Top with cheese, lettuce, and the remaining tomato. Drizzle with taco sauce. Yum!