Archive for Ethnic_Latin American

Traditional Mexican Side Salad

SIMPLE SALAD

Combine finely shredded cabbage, diced radish, tomato, cilantro, and avocado (optional), and a squeeze of lime juice.

SALAD FOR MOJARRA FRITA

Juice of large lemon or 3 limes
1 t white sugar
4 T white vinegar
salt and pepper
pinch of cumin
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, grated
2-3 medium tomatos, diced
1/4 c chopped cilantro

mix the first 4 ingredients first then mix with vegetables. Refrigerate 30 min before serving.

Authentic Enchiladas (in progress)

Enchiladas. Like tacos and burritos, enchiladas are among the most popular Mexican foods outside of Mexico. They consist of rolled corn tortillas stuffed with a variety of fillings like meat, beans, cheese, potatoes, and vegetables before being drenched in a sauce.

The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don’t soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.

Combine enchilada sauce with equal parts unsalted tomato sauce made with tomato paste (because the enchilada sauce alone is too salty). Heat sauce in microwave, heat tortilla in hot oil 3-4 seconds, place on plate, add filling (chicken taco filling), some sauce, grated cheese fold over, put more sauce and grated cheese on top. Heat in microwave 30 sec to melt cheese. Top with shredded cabbage/lettuce, avocado, diced tomato, sour cream, avocado-cilantro dressing. Eat it along with Mexican Salad.

Quick Chilaquiles

6 c totopos (purchase at Mexican grocery store, or see recipe below for making these)
For RED SAUCE option: Combine 2 c V-8 juice + 1/2 c red salsa + 5 packets taco sauce

For GREEN SAUCE option: See recipe below.

Prepare fried egg, refried beans, etc. as well as toppings ahead of time so you can eat while the chilaquiles are at their freshest.

For CHEWY OPTION: Add totopos to hot pan, cover with the sauce, then with grated cheese. Heat over high heat for several minutes unto the bottom of the chips starts to brown. Do not stir. Serve, add toppings. Makes 4 servings. (Save some sauce for those who like the crunchy option.)

For CRUNCHY OPTION: Put totopos on your plate and sprinkle with grated cheese (optional). Heat sauce in the microwave until boiling then pour over the totopos, then add the other topping.

TOP with any of the following (* = most traditional):

  • grated cheese (melted under the sauce)
  • *queso fresco
  • *crema mexicana (sour cream, traditional) or crema fresca (fresh cream)
  • *onions, sliced or diced (or green onions)
  • *avocado slices or guacamole (or see Avocado Crema recipe)
  • *cilantro, diced
  • *lime wedges
  • pico de gallo
  • diced radishes
  • nopalitos
  • olives
  • diced tomatos

Serve with a fried egg (on top or side) or refried beans or black beans (or shrimp, shredded chicken, pork, beef).

MAKING TOTOPOS (unsalted or lightly salted TORTILLA CHIPS)

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add corn tortillas in a single layer and heat until crisp and a lightly browned, flipping once.
Drain the freshly fried tortilla chips on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat this process until all tortillas are fried, adding more oil if needed.

GREEN SAUCE

8 tomatillos
2 chiles jalapenos (veins and seeds removed)
1 chile serrano (leave veins and seeds in)
1/3 onion
2 large cloves garlic
1/4 t each of vegetable base, cummin, dried oregano, salt, pepper (optional)
1/3 c chopped cilantro leaves

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the chiles (remove seeds/veins if you want it milder). Boil for 5 minutes, then add the tomatillos and 1 clove of the garlic. Meanwhile slice the onion and saute along with the other whole clove of garlic in a little oil until the garlic is toasty yellow on the outside. Turn off the pot when most of the tomatillos are yellowish (just a little green at the stem spot). Drain, saving 3/4 c of the water. Stir vegetable base, salt, pepper, cummin, and oregano into this water and then add this water and all the cooked ingredients (first remove stems from the chiles) to a blender and blend. Add 2 T oil to a pan and get it hot, then poor in the blended sauce and the cilantro. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

For variations, see these videos:

  • — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAmFzwtfLIA —
  • —https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYa0GdqPZkU&ab_channel=JaujaCocinaMexicana —-
  • — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd_AAa_XWwQ&ab_channel=Rachelcookswithlove%E2%9D%A4 —


ABOUT CHILAQUILES (text snippets copied from various places)

Chilaquiles (basically enchiladas with less work)

This dish is found all throughout Mexico, and at its most basic, it consists of fried tortilla chips covered with a red or green salsa, which makes the chip soft. Chilaquiles are commonly served with a side of refried beans and are eaten quite regularly in most Mexican homes.

Chilaquiles is an authentic Mexican meal that originated in 1898 and is still a staple for many families today. In its most basic form, Chilaquiles consist of fried tortilla strips that are simmered in salsa or mole to soften them up. It is a very versatile dish but it is most commonly served for breakfast or brunch.

They can be prepared with red or green sauce, but the former is the classical option.

Chilaquiles can be served as a breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner dish. What do you eat chilaquiles with? Chilaquiles are commonly served with refried beans, eggs, and freshly made flour tortillas. They can also be topped with sour cream, diced avocado, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Some cooks bake chilaquiles as a casserole; some simmer the tortilla chips in a sauce until they soften and fall apart; others simply layer the ingredients on your plate, retaining some of the crunchiness. You can find many variations and accompaniments throughout Mexico, including fried eggs or shredded chicken, avocados, or spicy chunks of chorizo. Chopped onion, sliced radishes, cilantro, and lime often garnish the dish. This easy version starts with packaged tortilla chips.

Chilaquiles can be topped or served with anything your little hungry heart desires. Scrambled or fried eggs, shredded chicken, sour cream, pico de gallo, queso fresco, or avocado are all great options.

The beauty of chilaquiles is they are completely customizable. Serve with a scrambled or fried egg on top, or with cheese, shredded chicken, or roasted veggies — the options are endless. Because it’s so versatile, this dish is the perfect opportunity to use up any leftovers found in the fridge. If you’re short on time, you can swap in that bag of stale tortilla chips in your pantry for the homemade chips in this recipe.

Chilaquiles are also sometimes confused with migas, which is a more egg-forward Mexican dish consisting of diced corn tortillas, fried until golden; sautéed onion, tomato, and serrano; and served with scrambled eggs.


Chicken Tacos

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58716/easy-chicken-tacos-recipe/

FOR THE TACOS
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken THIGHS, cut into 1″ strips
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne
8 corn tortillas, warmed

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken and salt and pepper and spices to skillet. Cook until just done, about 5 minutes. If needed, add a little more oil or water to help spices coat chicken.
Build tacos: In tortillas, layer chicken and desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges.


TOPPINGS
Sour cream
Thinly sliced red onion
Diced tomatoes
Shredded Monterey Jack
Diced avocados
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Rice Blends

MEXICAN BLEND (Winco#1526 $1.99/lb on 2022-05)
(Colusari red rice, parboiled brown rice, green and yellow split peas, amaranth)

Boil 2 c water, add 1 c blend and 2 t oil (& 1/4 t salt) or butter, simmer covered 35 min.

ANCIENT GRAINS BLEND (Winco #1528 $2.48/lc 2022-05)
(Colusari red rice, parboiled brown rice, grano, sprouted brown rice, wild rice)

Boil 2.5 c water, add 1 c blend, (2 t oil, 1/4 t salt), simmer covered 35 min.

Chicken/Veggie Yogurt Enchiladas

1.5 T butter
1.5 T flour
1.5 c Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 small pinch garlic powder
3/4 t veggie bullion
1 med onion
1 poblano pepper
1 Anaheim pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
1 c chicken or black beans
3/4ish cups frozen corn
1 c shredded cheese
1 c salsa verde or green enchilada sauce
15 corn tortillas

To make the sauce, melt butter in a sauce pan, add flour and whisk over heat until thickens and starts to brown. Add garlic powder and bullion and stir in. Stir in the yogurt. Add half the salsa verde and half the grated cheese to make the final sauce.

To make the filling, dice the onions and peppers and fry in a little oil until softened. Add the chicken or black beans, half the salsa verde, and half the shredded cheese.

Warm the tortillas in a microwave wrapped in a damp cloth. Add a scoop of filling to each tortilla, roll closed, and place with the opening downward in a skillet or casserole. Cover with sauce. Bake at 350 about minutes until golden brown on top.

Serves 4 to 5.


Vegetarian (Chicken) Tortilla Soup

8 6-inch corn tortillas
1/4 c oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large jalapeno or poblano or bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t cumin
2 t chili powder
4-5 diced tomatoes or 2 14.5 oz cans
2 t vegetable base dissolved in 5 c water
1.5 c black beans (or 1 14.5 oz can)
2 c hominy or 1.5 c corn
1 lemon or two limes (juice)
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t smoked (or regular) paprika
1/2 c chopped cilantro

(Plus sour cream, diced avocado, diced cooked chicken, and shredded cheese for serving).

Cut the corn tortillas into half inch strips, sprinkle with half the oil and some salt, toss, then bake on a cookie sheet at 375 for about 15 minutes (until lightly browned), stirring mid way through.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the onion and pepper(s), stirring occasionally.

Once these have softened (about 5-7 min), add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder, and cook another minute or two or until fragrant.

Add the remaining ingredients except the cilantro and simmer about 20 minutes.

Add the cilantro and cook 1 minute more.

Serve topped with sour cream, diced avocado, diced cooked chicken, and shredded cheese. (For non-vegetarian option of cooking the chicken with the soup, see https://www.spendwithpennies.com/chicken-tortilla-soup/ or https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chicken-tortilla-soup-recipe-1939403 )

Serves 8.

Ceviche

  • 1 lb diced (to 1/2 inch) fresh fish or pealed deveined shrimp
  • 1 c fresh lime juice (6 limes)
  • 1 small/medium lemon
  • 1 med white or red onion, diced or thinly sliced
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/4 t black pepper
  • 1/3 c (1/4 bunch) cilantro chopped
  • 1 jalapeño seeded/ribbed and minced (for medium heat; there is about the same amount of heat in 1 poblano, 1 jalapeno, 1 serrano)
  • 3 diced Roma tomatoes (substitute mango or pineapple for tropical flavor)
  • 1 diced peeled cucumber
  • 2 T oil
  • 1 diced orange (grapefruit is too bitter)
  • 1 diced avocado

Marinate the fish or shrimp in the citrus juice for about 2 hr (until opaque white; 15 min for cooked shrimp) in refrigerator, stirring mid way through. Add remaining ingredients; folding in avocado last. Chill for 30 min. Serve with chips or on tostadas. Tabasco sauce optional.

To make crispy tostadas: lightly spray or brush mini or regular corn tortillas with oil and bake at 300 F until crisp, about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through.

Sopes

sopes shells
refried beans
chicken (optional)
shredded lettuce
tomatos
onions
cheese
salsa
sour cream
avocado or guacamole
radish slices

Deep fry the shells about a minute or 2 per side to brown. To eat, add refried beans first, then remaining toppings.

Amy’s Instant Pot Chili Verde

14 oz diced chilis (fire roasted is nice)
28 oz can green enchilada sauce
3 3/4 lb bone-in pork chops
1 c water
2 T oil
1 c diced onion (~1 small or medium)
oregano, lemon pepper, garlic powder, bay leaves

Put a little oil in the instant pot and some in a cast iron pan. Cook the onions on saute in the instant pot until translucent while you brown the outside of the chops in the pan, then set them aside. When the chops are all browned and the onions are done, add 1/5 can of enchilada sauce to the instant pot and stir. Add the chops alternating with the rest of the enchilada sauce, putting a thin layer of sauce between each layer of chops. Add 1 or 2 bay leaves and some lemon pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Use the cup of water to deglaze the pan you browned the chops in and add liquid to the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Removed the chops and break them up, discarding bones. If desired, thicken the sauce with a roux of flour and butter. Add the meat back into the chili verde and serve with tortillas and sour cream.

Texas Caviar

3 c cooked (or cook 1 c) black-eye peas (or substitute 1/2 with red beans)
1 c cooked corn
1/2 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 c diced tomatoes

1/3 c red wine or rice vinegar
1/3 c olive oil
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t garlic powder

1 c chopped cilantro
1 avocado, chopped

Combine first 10 ingredients. Refrigerate for 2+ hrs. Add cilantro and avocado. Serve with chips or crusty bread.

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