Pozole

Pork Stew

From Elías’ Kitchen

Calories: About 400 cal.

Serves:  8 portions

Note:  Great for a dinner in Fall or Winter. September 15^th, México celebrates its Independence Day, we prepare this dish to share with family and friends.  

You will need

1 ½ lb.    Pork, choose a selection of cuts, boneless arm and shoulder. You may choose only leaner cuts.

1 lb.        Hominy: cook in water for about 3 hours (Avoid the work and buy Juanita’s cooked hominy, just open the can and rinse it)

2              Garlic cloves 
1/2          White onion

1                                        Bunch of dry herbs; I wrap about 4 strings of thyme, parsley, marjoram or rosemary and 2 bay leaves, (Make it easy and by a bouquet garni at the store).

               Cheese Cloth

               Sea Salt

To Garnish the Stew

4          Limes cut in half

8          Fresh radishes cut in slices

½         White onion finely cut

            Dry oregano

            Tostadas (I like Mission brand)

            Mexican Sour cream

            Chile Piquín (This dish calls for Chile Piquín, I don’t find it in the United States yet, so I use Salsa Taquera from   Herdez instead).           

Preparation

1.      In a large pot place the hominy and let it cook with water. (It will take about 3 hours….or open the can!)

2.      Season the meat with salt and pepper and sear it.

3.      Once the hominy is cooked, add the meat, the garlic cloves, onion and herbs, wrapped in a cheese cloth, and salt to taste. Then add water as needed, you want a lot of broth. 

4.       Boil until the meat is cooked thoroughly. (If you are going to use canned hominy, sear the meat, then add the rest of the ingredients and let them cook with enough water).

5.       Before serving take the wrapped seasonings out. (If you are going to use canned hominy add all the ingredients at the same time and let them cook).

6.      On your table, place all the different elements garnishes. Add a little bit of everything to your plate, finally put cream on the tostada and enjoy!

NOTE: The ingredients that are Mexican products can be found in a local Mexican store, or some stores have a Mexican products aisle.

Chayotes con Queso

Chayotes with Cheese

From Margarita’s Kitchen

Calories: About 200 cal.

Serves:  6 portions

Note: Chayote is a pear shaped squash, originally from Mesoamerica. It is a popular Mexican, healthy, vegetable; versatile because it is sweet, has a nice texture, contains a lot of water and it is great in many Mexican recipes. Serve before your main dish or use it to garnish a broiled chicken, or beef steak.

You will need

4          Chayotes

1/4      Garlic clove finely cut

1/2      Onion cut in strings

            Cotija cheese (sub: Feta or Parmesan Cheese)

            A pinch of brown sugar

            Butter (Pam)

            Salt and Pepper

Preparation

1)          Cut the chayotes in ½-inch cubes. In a medium saucepan put the onions with butter or pam until they’re translucent but not carmelized, add the garlic, the chayotes, the sugar, salt, and pepper. Leave it there and cover at a low temperature. About 8 minutes after, when the chayotes are still crunchy, add the cheese. Cover for a minute and serve.

NOTE: The ingredients that are Mexican products can be found in a local Mexican store, or some stores have a Mexican products aisle.

Ensalada de Jicama, Pepino y Naranja

Jicama, Cucumber & Orange Salad

From Margarita’s Kitchen

Calories: About 100 cal.

Serves:  4 small portions

Note:  You may use this finely chopped to garnish broiled chicken or fish, or you may choose to cut the fruits and the jicama in bigger pieces and serve as an appetizer! Fresh, Fresh, Fresh and sweet! My kids love it!

You will need

1          Large jicama

1          Cucumber

1          Jalapeno, minced. (Substitute with red bell peppers. I love hot peppers & I’ve even used habanero before, but you don’t have to sweat it!)

2          Large Oranges (like the large gorgeous California oranges)

1 oz.   Lime juice

2 oz.   Orange juice (fresh from the orange, you want the acidity)

1          Tea spoon of honey

            Small handful of finely chopped cilantro if you wish

            Salt, to taste

Preparation

1.       Peel the jicama… I know… how? It is not like a potato, the skin is thick (up to 1/16-in.) and fibrous, you want cut a small piece and pull, like if you were peeling back a  a plastic cover. The jicama should be watery and the smell should be sweet and fresh. Cut in  ½-in cubes.

2.       Peel the cucumbers and deseed them. Cut in ½-in cubes.

3.       Cut the oranges in half, cross-section, with a citrus knife/spoon remove the pulp in chunks so that the section skin is left behind.

4.       Put the jicama, cucumber and orange pulp in a large bowl.

5.       In a cup, put the orange juice, lime juice and honey, the minced pepper and two pinches of salt, stir until well incorporated. Add this mixture to the other ingredients.

6.       Finally, add the cilantro if you wish. It adds a nice pinch of green to the presentation, and wonderful unique cilantro taste.

NOTE: The ingredients that are Mexican products can be found in a local Mexican store, or some stores have a Mexican products aisle.

Gazpacho de Sandía

Watermelon Gazpacho (Cold Soup)

From Elías’ Kitchen

Calories: About 150 cal.

Serves:  4 small portions

Note:  I love this soup, it is fresh, sweet, healthy, unbelievably simple, and excellent for a hot summer! My kids love it!

You will need

1 1/2   Pounds of ripe watermelon, without seeds

1          Pound of red tomato

1/4      White onion

1          Red bell pepper

1          Small garlic clove

1          Tablespoon EVO Oil

2          Tablespoons white vinegar (or good apple cider vinegar)

1/2      Medium sized cucumber

            Salt, to taste

Preparation

1.       Puree all in the blender.  Let it chill for an hour before you serve. Decorate with mint leaves and little cubes of watermelon and onions.

NOTE: The ingredients that are Mexican products can be found in a local Mexican store, or some stores have a Mexican products aisle.

Albóndigas en Salsa de Chipotle

Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce

From Margarita’s Kitchen

Calories: About 600 cal.

Serves:  4 to 6 portions

Jay loves this dish, especially during fall and winter. Serve a green fresh salad with balsamic vinegar dressing before the meatballs and your meal will be balanced.

You will need

1½   Pounds of ground beef

1½   Cups of beef broth (or water)

½         Medium white onion minced

1          Garlic clove minced

2          Tea spoons of chipotle pepper juice (any brand will do, I buy Herdez)

2          Cups of tomato sauce

1          Egg

            White rice (or boiled egg)

            Bread crumbs (I like to substitute it with flax seed powder)

            Salt and Pepper

           

Preparation

For the Sauce

1)  In a pot blend the tomato sauce, onion, garlic, chipotle juice, beef broth, salt and pepper. Keep the sauce on the side and bring it to boil.

For the Meatballs

1) Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper.

2) Form the meatballs and in the center add just a little bit of white rice

3) In a hot saucepan put canola oil and sear the meatballs, then add the sauce and let it boil until the meatballs are perfectly cooked and the sauce thickens a little.

NOTE: The ingredients that are Mexican products can be found in a local Mexican store, or some stores have a Mexican products aisle.

Tostadas de Pollo

Chicken Tostadas

From Margarita’s Kitchen

Calories: About 200 cal.

Serves:  8 portions

Note: Fresh but hot and spicy, easy and flavorful. This is the basic recipe for tostadas, but be creative, add cooked chorizo, or make the tostadas with rotisserie chicken left-overs, add sweet peas and carrots, etc.

You will need:

8        Tostadas (I like the brand Mission: A tostada is actually the hardshell flat tortilla)

1        Cup of boiled and crushed beans… or not (sub: La Chata refried beans located at the Mexican store)

2        Cups of finely cut romaine lettuce

1/4     Onion (I like it pickled, put the minced onion in a bowl with ¼ of vinegar for ¾ of water and leave it for a couple of   hours)

2        Cooked shredded chicken breast (cook the chicken in water, add salt, ¼ onion, 1 garlic clove and an epazote leaf, shred it (parsley will substitute)

Mexican sour cream (I buy the brand Cacique or I substitute with cottage cheese)

Cotija cheese (substitute: Feta cheese or shredded Monterrey Jack)

Green Salsa “street tacos’ style” (Don’t worry, I will pass on the recipe with this recipe)

Preparation

Take a tostada, cover it with the beans, then add the lettuce, chicken, sour cream, cheese and green salsa and go for it!

Salsa Verde Cruda

Raw Green Tomatoes’ Salsa “Street Tacos Style”

From Margarita’s Kitchen

1        White onion (cut in fourths)

2        Garlic cloves

2        Pounds of green tomatoes

          Chopped cilantro (cilantro has a strong flavor but the amount depends on your taste. Add as much as you like).

          Jalapeno peppers (I would use 6 or more, but it would be too hot for the boys, so 3 is fine, blend the ingredients adding a jalapeno, taste, another jalapeno, taste… you get the idea!)

Preparation

Place the onion, garlic, tomatoes, jalapenos and salt in the blender until they are perfectly mixed. Place the salsa in a bowl and add the cilantro.

NOTE: The ingredients that are Mexican products can be found in a local Mexican store, or some stores have a Mexican products aisle. 

Camarones a la Vinagreta

Shrimp Vinaigrette

From Elias’ Kitchen

Calories: About 200 cal.

Serves:   12 small portions

Note: This is the dish for parties and social activities on a hot day. It is fresh, sweet, elegant, spicy and tasty. It could be an appetizer or an entree dish.

You will need

2          Pounds medium-large shrimp (31/35). It is better if the shrimp is not clean and deveined, the shrimp will have a better taste.

3          Medium white onion, minced

3          Beefsteak tomatoes well ripe tomatoes finely cut in small cubes (chopped). You may choose to remove the seed-pulp, I do.

2          Jalapeno peppers, minced (don’t forget to wear gloves, adjust the amount to your taste)

6oz     Good quality red wine vinegar

2          Garlic cloves

1          Bay leaf

            Good quality olive oil

            See Salt

            Water

You will need to cook the shrimp:

1/2      Onion

2          Garlic cloves

1          Bay leaf

            Sea Salt

Water to cover shrimp

Preparation

1.       Boil water and then place the shrimp in, for about 3 minutes or until cooked, devein, clean and rinse (careful not to overcook, shrimp should be crunchy). You may place the shrimp on ice to stop the cooking process. It’s ok to use precooked shrimp if you add a pinch of garlic powder to the dish and a pinch of sea salt.

2.       In a Pyrex casserole dish set a bed of shrimp, tomatoes, and onions.

3.       Add 4 ounces of red wine vinegar, salt to taste and half teaspoon of olive oil. Mix well.

4.       Mix the shrimp with the vinaigrette and all the other ingredients. I like doing it with my hands, with gloves of course!

5.       Let it marinate for half-a-day and serve cold with saltine crackers or sourdough baguette slices. Mmmmm!

NOTE: The ingredients that are Mexican products can be found in a local Mexican store, or some stores have a Mexican products aisle.