Cinco de Mayo - May 5th

What exactly is Cinco de Mayo and why celebrate it?  

Mexico is a land rich in culture, fiestas and holidays but you may be surprised to learn that Cinco de Mayo is not one of those celebrated events.

Cinco de Mayo is a día de fiesta (holiday) commemorated solely in the town of Puebla, in the state of Puebla. Not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day (September 16). Cinco de Mayo celebrates the unlikely victory of a small Mexican army over a larger French army in El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (The Day of the Battle of Puebla). The actual battle is said to have lasted only four hours.

This particular battle may have changed the course of history. If the French had won the battle at Puebla, Mexico would have eventually been ruled by Napoleon III and the French Army instead of Mexican leaders. Further, it is well known that the French were supplying the U.S. Confederate Army with various supplies in support of their cause. The defeat of the French brought a halt to that support and, as we know, the Confederates were eventually defeated by Union forces.

Although Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated in most of Mexico, it is celebrated in many other parts of the world, especially California because of it's Mexican* population. Some revelers insist they are celebrating to keep the Mexican culture alive, while others sheepishly admit that it is an excuse for a fiesta! Both are good reasons to me, ¡Ole!

In Mexico there are plenty of tourist destinations that do celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but they are solely for the benefit of the tourists who expect a party. If you are one of those tourists you will notice that the locals are not joining in the festivities with you!

As with any Mexican celebration, traditional food is important. In Puebla, the most traditional food is mole (mow-lay). Puebla is known to be the birthplace of mole, a rich, spicy sauce often containing chocolate and up to 40 other ingredients, including chiles and spices. All of the ingredients are ground together to form a paste. The paste is then thinned with a liquid, either broth or Coca Cola (yes, you read that right). Mexicans love their Coke and use it today today to thin and sweeten their mole. When the mole is finished, it is served with chicken or turkey. As a point of interest, Mexico is the largest per capita consumer of Coca Cola in the world.

There are two simplified versions of mole in my book, From the Kitchens of Pancho Villa. Either of these delicious versions can be whipped up in minutes without using 40 different ingredients.

In tourist areas outside Puebla, the traditional Cinco de Mayo fare consists of chicken mole, tamales, and any other Mexican food the individual chef wishes to make. Of course, on any fiesta table there is always the fresh salsa Mexicana (also called salsa cruda or pico de gallo) containing the colors of the Mexican flag: red, green and white ... a very patriotic dish!

In my personal life, if a holiday is celebrated somewhere other than my town, I celebrate it in my home! My Mexican friends have begun to remind me that there is a holiday in Oaxaca, Veracruz or elsewhere in Mexico, and that we need to prepare for a fiesta! Always remember … Simple food makes a feast when enjoyed and shared with family and friends......

*Note: Mexicans prefer to be called Mexicans, not Latinos or Hispanics. They are very proud of their Mexican heritage and do not want their heritage and culture diluted. 

Now, for today's recipe:      Perfect Guacamole!

I love guacamole and use it for many different things, such as a sauce for chicken or pork.  Try it on your sandwiches instead of the usual mayonnaise or mustard.  

 I don't know how you feel about guacamole, but I make it often and use it on tons of things, including
chicken breast sandwiches, tacos of any kind, baked potatoes, eggs, refried beans, rice, on or in salads,
fish, canned tuna fish, gosh the list goes on and on. Avocados, guacamole's main ingredient, are
considered one of the perfect foods because of all the nutrients and 'good' oils they contain. Don't be
afraid to eat at least one every day......

The recipe below is for a small amount of guacamole, enough for 4-6 people, but you can make more
quite easily. Do not double or triple the entire ingredient list, use your taste-buds as your guide. It is
almost impossible to make a mess of guacamole, so play with it and see what works best for you. As
always, a recipe is a guideline not a rule!

Guacamole should be made shortly before serving. The lime juice will keep it from getting brown for
awhile, but if you need to make it ahead of time, place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the
guacamole's surface to keep the air out. Refrigerate until you are ready to use.

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
2 Roma tomatoes diced, seeds and juice discarded
1⁄4 white or red onion, finely diced
1 or 2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, very finely diced
1⁄4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
2 fresh limes, juiced (you can add more if your avocados are large)

Ok, you see through me don't you??? What you are really doing is adding Salsa Mexicana (raw salsa)
to smooshed avocado! Since I always, and I mean always, have some fresh salsa in my fridge, I just
add enough of the salsa to the avocado add a squeeze more lime and it's done! No planning necessary!

If you don't have pre-made salsa in your fridge, here is what you do:  Cut the avocados in half lengthwise. Remove the seed by tapping it with the sharp edge of a large knife
and twisting the knife. The seed comes right out, then press on both sides of the knife and the seed pops
off. Scoop the avocado pulp out of the skin using a large tablespoon and put it in a wide bowl.

Using a fork, mash the avocado, don't worry about over mashing, it is almost impossible to do with a
fork! Add all the other ingredients and stir well, using your fork. Give it a taste and see if you need
more lime juice or chiles. Some people add salt, I prefer not to because I like the freshness of all the
ingredients. Again, this is a guideline....if you want salt, or garlic or pepper, go for it! It IS after-all
YOUR guacamole!!!! Serve with lots of tortilla chips or any of the other foods described above.

 

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Capirotada
Adriana Aguirre Ozuna

Adriana is the one without the hat!

 

Serves at least 20

This recipe comes from one of my dearest friends, Adriana.  We are like sisters and introduce each other as such.  She has been by my side through much that life has given me for the past 10+ years, good and bad. 

Adriana always makes this the day before Easter, and serves it cool, spooning out portions instead of slicing.  I always make it a few days ahead so we can munch on it most of the week.  I can be heated and served warm also. Any remaining capirotada can either be refrigerated for a few days or frozen. The recipe can be cut in half if you don’t need such a big portion, but since you are going to the trouble to make it, why not just freeze the leftovers?

Let's get started:

Begin by assembling all the ingredients on your work surface.  You will have 4 layers so if you need, divide your ingredients into 4 piles each, with the exception of the sauce ingredients.

These are your ingredients:

 
INGREDIENTS:
4 small packages Bimbo brand toasted white bread (14 slices in each package)
7 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
4 bananas, peeled and sliced crosswise into thin slices
4 apples, any variety, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
280 grams (10 oz) raisins
250 grams (9 oz) dried cranberries
400 grams (14 oz) pitted prunes, cut in half
250 grams (9 oz) pecans, whole or broken into large pieces
250 grams (9 oz) Cotija cheese, finely shredded or crumbled**

Sauce:
4 cones piloncillo (approx. 200+ grams/7+ oz each) *
1 stick cinnamon
10 whole cloves
2 liters (8.5 cups) of water

First of all, quit laughing.  The first ingredient, Bimbo (pronounced Beem bow) brand toasted bread is making you snicker – I can hear you!  Bimbo is the largest bread maker in the United States and has outlets all over the world. The toasted bread is purchased already toasted, a big time saver.  It is delicious, crunchy and very addictive.  Have you composed yourself enough to continue?  If for some reason you cannot buy this pre-toasted bread in your area, any white bread, thinly sliced and toasted to a golden brown (not dark) will work.  There are 14 slices to a package so you will need to toast 56 pieces of bread. (Note: I use homemade whole wheat bread in mine). 

Any pan at least 10 cm / 4 inches deep and having at least an 8 liter / 8 quart capacity will work.  The pan we used (we both own one) is a small, 8 liter / 8 quart roasting pan about  10 cm / 4 inches deep with a lid.  (In the photo you can see how high the layers reach.)   Aluminum foil can be used as a lid if your pan does not have one. 

Begin by combining your sauce ingredients in a covered pan and simmer until all the piloncillo is dissolved.  Do not try to break it up in your blender, it is hard like a rock and will damage or ruin your blender.  Yes, Tom, even your beloved Vitamix will be damaged. 

Preheat your oven to 175°C / 350°F.

Brush melted butter on one side of 14 slices of toasted bread.  Place them in the bottom of the pan overlapping if necessary to fit them all in.  It’s ok to break them a bit if you have a corner to fill in. 

On top of the bread, sprinkle a thin layer, see photo, of banana, apple, raisins, dried cranberries, prunes, pecans and cheese.  Repeat for 4 layers, ending with cheese. 

Ladle the piloncillo syrup over all the bread and goodies, using all of the liquid.  Discard the cinnamon stick and whole cloves.  Cover the pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Check it after 45 minutes to see if the cheese is melted the top should be slightly browned.  Remove from the oven, do not replace the cover, and let it cool. 

* Each cone of piloncillo is a little different weight, they never weigh exactly the same.

** Cotija cheese – (co-tee-ha) – a white, salty, hard, aged   cows milk cheese, often sold already crumbled.  It softens when heated but is not considered a melting type cheese.   I have heard it called “Mexican Parmesan”, but other than being salty, it has no resemblance or flavor similar to Parmesan.  If you cannot purchase Cotija cheese, you can substitute a good quality Panela – a salty fresh cheese.  The flavors are similar but the texture is not, but it is an acceptable substitution. 

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I'm BAAACK!

I know, it has been too long since I have posted any new 'goodies' for you to absorb.  The reason is that I have moved out of the city to a very small 'pobladito', a bit larger than a village.  There are only 75 families here and that means no internet.  Lifestyle is mellow.  We have lots of space for a large organic garden, a few chickens for eggs and a couple acres for our dogs to run and not be on a leash.  So far, we have planted about 26 baby fruit trees with probably another 50 or so to go.  This is fun! 

Thanks to some wonderful friends, we will be able to use their internet so I can post some new recipes and good information for you to use.  Postings will be once a week....we have to drive about 35 minutes to their place for the internet.  The good thing about that is, you can try the recipes without being inundated with other recipes.  Once a week is not too much information.  When you do try the recipes, please give me some input or feedback: “yes I loved it” or “geez Karina what were you thinking??”

The first recipe I will share is a traditional Easter dessert called Capirotada.  Every household has a different version and of all the varities I have tasted and tested, I love them all!  This one seems to be the leader of the pack though.  I do make this during Semana Santa (Holy Week) but I also make it during other times of the year.  It just makes a nice dessert. 

I often make some small changes in mine.  For instance, I make my own organic bread.  I substitute this, sliced very thin, for the prepared Bimbo bread.  I sometimes add ripe plantains instead of bananas.  I prefer their taste.  Try both but make sure the plantains are ripe, not hard or they won't be sweet. 

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Queso Fresco (Fresh Cheese) Ricotta Style

As you can see, I haven't been in here for a bit.  Sometimes LIFE just 'happens' and seems to get away from us.  Here is the newest post in response to a Facebook question about where in the heck to buy ricotta cheese in Mazatlan.  My answer:  don't buy it - MAKE it.  I have been making this cheese for years.  Even when I still lived in Washington state, I made it.  The flavor is fresh, creamy and I am in control of the salt and ingredient content.  Hope you take a couple of minutes to make this, yep, that is all the time you need to invest in it!


Yield:  2 cups


HOW TO MAKE QUESO FRESCO – RICOTTA STYLE  

One of the wonderful things I love about Mexico is the cheese. I won't go into all the types today, but a really easy one to make is Queso fresco ~ fresh cheese.  Of course you could hop on down to the grocery store and buy one, but chances are it is not that fresh nor very appealing to look at.

To me, this is one of life's little delicacies. It is a creamy, soft, and very mild unaged white cheese. Similar to panela cheese. The flavor is so mild that it picks up the flavors of other ingredients in your recipe. So, it is wonderful used in a dip, spread, desserts, smoothies, you name it! I often eat it plain on a cracker. A word of warning, it does not melt.

You can make any quantity you like. This amount works well for my husband and me.  If you have larger cheese tastes, add more milk and some more vinegar.  The vinegar, by the way, does not impart it's flavor to the cheese. In fact, you can barely taste it at all. It just acts to coagulate the milk solids.

Below are some photos of each step:  

2 quarts whole milk - quit rolling your eyes, yes you NEED whole milk
4 Tbls white vinegar
1 Tbls salt, kosher or sea salt (or less if you like)

Heat the milk on very low heat to 195º F.

The low heat will keep it from scorching. Stir in the vinegar and remove from the heat. Let it sit for 10 minutes. The milk will coagulate into curds and start to separate from the whey. At this point, the whey will have a lovely green color. I know, but green is IN and besides you are going to throw it away.

Line a colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Place in the sink. Pour the curds and whey into the colander. Allow the curd to drain for about 30 minutes or until the curd has stopped dripping. Now you are ready to remove the cheese from the cheesecloth. Wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or use immediately.

NOTE: If you like it dry, as I do, fold the cheesecloth over the cheese and press out the remaining liquid. Try both to see if you like it moist (not wet) or dry.

heat the milk slowly

Just after the addition of the vinegar

About 5 minutes later the curds are ready

Draining the curds from the lovely green whey

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Grilled Peppers with Herbs (Pimientos Asados con Hiervas)

September 15th is Mexican Independence Day.  Mexico is a very patriotic country so on this day all Mexican tables are dressed in red, white and green...the food, drink, decorations and often times, the children are dressed in festive traditional red, white and green costumes.  A couple of years ago, the Mexican government gave each houshold a new Mexican flag to fly on this special day.  Yes, it is that important!

 Today, I want to share a recipe that is fresh, and sure to be a welcome addition to your holiday table.  By the way, it looks like it would also go on your Christmas table!   

The pretty colors of this dish are just the beginning. Wait until you taste the tender, crisp slices of green and red bell peppers, and the poblano with a bite of grilled onion, fresh
herbs, and a light olive oil and lime vinaigrette! The poblanos add no heat, only a fresh, grassy flavor that complements the sweetness of the red bell pepper. Serve Grilled Peppers with Herbs as a side dish to just about any main course for lunch or dinner.

Grilled Peppers with Herbs (Pimientos Asados con Hiervas)

6 servings

Ingredients
3 medium red bell peppers
2 medium green bell peppers
4 medium poblano chiles
2 medium onions, cut into quarters
2 Tablespoons fresh marjoram or basil leaves
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Place the peppers and the chiles on a very hot griddle or grill pan. (When you char bell peppers, this is the best method.) Turn them over as their skin blisters on each side. Do this for all the peppers. When they have been blistered, put them in a large bowl with a lid, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

Remove the peppers one at a time from the bowl. Carefully remove the outer skin, being careful not to tear the pepper. Cut around the top of the pepper to remove the stem, seeds, and membrane. Slice each whole pepper across into 1-inch slices. These slices will be whole rounds.

Place the onions on the griddle, and cook 5 minutes, turning so each side gets golden.

On a plate, arrange the peppers, chiles, onions, marjoram, and thyme. Drizzle with lime juice, olive oil, black pepper, and salt.

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Look for some all new, tantalizing recipes beginning Monday, September 8

Look what else we won!! 

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WINNER - INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS

AMERICAN BOOK FEST ANNOUNCES
WINNERS AND FINALISTS OF
THE 2014 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS

 

Mainstream & Independent Titles Score Top Honors in

the 5th Annual International Book Awards

 

LOS ANGELES  –  American Book Fest announced the winners and finalists of THE 2014 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS (IBA) on May 21, 2014. Over 300 winners and finalists were announced in over 80 categories. Awards were presented for titles published in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

 

Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of American Book Fest, said this year’s contest yielded over 1200 entries from authors and publishers around the world, which were then narrowed down to the final results.

Cookbooks: International  

 Winner
From the Kitchens of Pancho Villa by Karina Ann Betlem
Infinity Publishing
978-0-7414-7952-5

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Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo – 5th of May
by Karina Ann Betlem

Mexico is a land rich in culture, fiestas and holidays but you may be surprised to learn that Cinco de Mayo is not one of those celebrated events.

Cinco de Mayo is a día de fiesta (holiday) commemorated solely in the town of Puebla, in the state of Puebla.  Not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day (September 16).  Cinco de Mayo celebrates the unlikely victory of a small Mexican army over a larger French army in El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (The Day of the Battle of Puebla).  The actual battle is said to have lasted only four hours.

This particular battle may have changed the course of history.  If the French had won the battle at Puebla, Mexico would have eventually been ruled by Napoleon III and the French Army instead of Mexican leaders.  Further, it is well known that the French were supplying the U.S. Confederate Army with various supplies in support of their cause.  The defeat of the French brought a halt to that support and, as we know, the Confederates were eventually defeated by Union forces.

Although Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated in most of Mexico, it is celebrated in many other parts of the world, especially California because of it's Mexican* population.  Some revelers insist they are celebrating to keep the Mexican culture alive, while others sheepishly admit that it is an excuse for a fiesta!  Both are good reasons to me, ¡Ole!

In Mexico there are plenty of tourist destinations that do celebrate Cinco de Mayo,  but they are solely for the benefit of the tourists who expect a party.  If you are one of those tourists you will notice that the locals are not joining in the festivities with you!

As with any Mexican celebration, traditional food is important.  In Puebla, the most traditional food is mole (mow-lay). Puebla is known to be the birthplace of mole, a rich, spicy sauce often containing chocolate and up to 40 other ingredients, including chiles and spices.  All of the ingredients are ground together to form a paste.  The paste is then thinned with a liquid, either broth or Coca Cola (yes, you read that right).  Mexicans love their Coke  and use it today today to thin and sweeten their mole.  When the mole is finished, it is served with chicken or turkey.   As a point of interest, Mexico is the largest per capita consumer of Coca Cola in the world.

There are two simplified versions of mole in my book, From the Kitchens of Pancho Villa.  Either of these delicious versions can be whipped up in minutes without using 40 different ingredients.

In tourist areas outside Puebla, the traditional Cinco de Mayo fare consists of chicken mole, tamales, and any other Mexican food the individual chef wishes to make.  Of course, on any fiesta table there is always the fresh salsa Mexicana (also called salsa cruda or pico de gallo) containing the colors of the Mexican flag: red, green and white ...  a very patriotic dish!

In my personal life, if a holiday is celebrated somewhere other than my town, I celebrate it in my home!  My Mexican friends have begun to remind me that there is a holiday in Oaxaca, Veracruz or elsewhere in Mexico, and that we need to prepare for a fiesta!  Always remember … Simple food makes a feast when enjoyed and shared with family and friends......

*Note:  Mexicans prefer to be called Mexicans, not Latinos or Hispanics.  They are very proud of their Mexican heritage and do not want their heritage and culture diluted. 

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Nachos

Nachos

When you go to the local Mexican restaurant, you order nachos to munch on before you order dinner, right?  Why not make them at home for a special treat.  They are easy, and you can make them as healthy or ooooey-gooooey as you like.  Personally, I like them really loaded with as many ingredients as I can find in the fridge.  You cannot make a mistake if you keep adding on things like olives (all colors), green onions, fresh tomatoes, sour cream....you get the idea.  I have even taken stale chips – yeah like there is such a thing in my house – and melted the cheese on top of them using the microwave.  Seems the chips crisp up in there after just a few seconds.

You can even make these for a lazy dinner meal.  Put your feet up with a good movie and munch away! 

8 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ pounds (680 grams) lean ground beef, ground chicken or ground pork
¼ cup ground chili powder, if you have made your own, use ancho-guajillo combination
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
2½ cups black beans, cooked and drained (measurement is AFTER cooking) – canned is OK, but rinse    
        them first – those cans of beans have industrial sludge on the bottom
3 cups frozen corn, thawed or canned, drained
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

tortilla chips
green onions, sliced – white part only
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves only
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
shredded Chihuahua or cheddar (or better yet, a combination) cheese
avocado
sour cream

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it is very tender, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.  Add the beef, chicken or pork and sauté until brown, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes.  Add the chili powder and oregano; stir 30 seconds. Add the beans, corn, and tomato sauce.  Cover; simmer until the meat is cooked through, and the other ingredients are hot, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Line 8 serving bowls with tortilla chips. Spoon the meat mixture over the chips.  Top with the green onions, cilantro, lime juice and then with cheese.  At this point you can eat it without melting the cheese, just add a few spoons of sour cream to the top.  OR you can pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds to melt the cheese, then top with sour cream.

Many households here do not have microwaves or ovens, so the cheese is left unmelted.  It does, however, melt a little bit because the beans and meat mixture are hot. I prefer the melted cheese, you know that ooooey-goooey thing from before! 

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Mexican Potato & Chicken Salad

I know you are going to make me your new best friend with this recipe. You can make it ahead of time and just keep it in the refrigerator until you want to eat it. Pete and I have this at least once a week for dinner, which is between 2 and 3:00, the Mexican way. A snack of the leftovers in the evening after veranda time. Yummy.....

You will see that this salad is pretty healthy too. No added salt or mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes, (not russet), peeled and cut into large bite-size chunks

1 large chicken breast, cut into large bite-size cubes

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

2 large stalks celery, sliced into small bite-size pieces

1 large cucumber, seeds removed and diced

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and diced

2 Tablespoons capers

¼ – ½ cup sour cream

2 teaspoons wine vinegar

1-2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire

¼ or more teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 avocado, peeled, seed removed and sliced (garnish)

I find that steaming the potatoes cooks them perfectly and allows some of the starch to stay on the potatoes. They don't absorb so much of the sauce and don't fall apart either. So, steam your potatoes for about 20 minutes. Put them in a large bowl and allow them to start cooling.

Sauté the chicken cubes in another pan until they are cooked through. This should not take very long, perhaps 7-8 minutes. Place the cooked chicken in the bowl with the potatoes. At this point, if you want your salad cold, then let the chicken and potatoes cool completely. I like it warm, so I start mixing it up right away. Either way, it is delicious.

Add all the vegetables to the chicken/potato mixture. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire and cayenne pepper. Give it a small taste and see if it has enough tang to overshadow the bland flavor of the potatoes. Pour that over the vegetables and gently stir to completely combine. Give it another taste – I like this part. Does the sauce need adjusting? Now is the time to do it. Add a little of the ingredient you think it needs and taste again. See what I mean, I like this part! Lots of tasting....

Serve with the avocado slices on top.

This is one of those recipes that you can embellish to your hearts content. Want carrots in the salad, no problem. Use your imagination, then tell us on this blog what you did and how you liked it.  Yes really, we all like feedback!  

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Papa Loca (CRAZY Potato)

We went to the movies yesterday with friends and afterward we walked to a sidewalk restaurant serving different types of carne asada – grilled meat.  You could have grilled beef or chicken.  I had a Papa Loca which means crazy potato.  That means nothing to you, right?  It is a large baked potato flattened out on a plate, then topped with chopped grilled meat, butter, cheese and a wee bit of sour cream, then served with condiments such as pureed avocado, fresh salsa, roasted tomato salsa and tomatillo salsa.  I loved it and got the recipe to share with you. 

This makes a wonderfully easy meal if you are eating alone or feeding a crowd. 

Scrub the potatoes, poke about a dozen times with the tines of a fork and wrap them in aluminum foil.  Bake – yes, in the oven is still the best way – one large potato per person until fork tender, about 1 to 1½ hours at 350°.  Remove from the oven, open the foil making a foil plate. Slice the potato in half and smoosh it to make it relatively flat.  Dot with a little butter.

You can do this next part with any type of steak or chicken you have.  You can use marinated meat, meat with steak seasoning rub, or just salt and pepper.  Either on your outside grill or indoor grill-pan, cook the steak (or chicken) to your desired doneness, then chop into small pieces.  Sprinkle on top of the buttered potato, so it is totally covered in a layer of meat about ½ inch thick.  

Now, sprinkle the top of the meat with some shredded Chihuahua cheese.  If it does not melt immediately, place into the hot oven for 3-4 minutes.  Remove after the cheese has melted and drizzle a little sour cream on top and serve.

Always serve with bowls of a few different salsas.

As a side note:  I have also made these potatoes with shredded pork, only slightly salted that I have cooked in my pressure cooker.  Chopped pork roast or chops work great too.  

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Mexican Burgers

Now that Spring is in the air almost everywhere, it is time for you to get that grill out, clean it up and test it out.  Burgers are an excellent 'test case'.  If something was critically wrong with the grill after a long winter, how would you finish those steaks?  Not quite the same in the broiler and definitely not impressive to your friends if you have to bring them in.  Burgers on the other hand, can be cooked indoors without much to-do..."I planned on finishing them in the kitchen".  (what's a white lie among friends?)  Better yet, don't invite company over the first time you use the grill this year.  Your reputation as the Grill-Commando would be irreparably tarnished.  

These burgers are not your old boring burgers either.  There is an easy trick to revving up these burgers ... chopped jalapeños.  Only a few burger recipes are actually a step ahead of the crowd and this one is running ahead of the pack!  Clearly there are ingredient variations that you can choose from, but the chiles are the 'kicker'.  Grill them outside or if you need to change gears quickly, cook them on a grill pan inside, they will be wonderful either way!

Makes 4 large burgers

Ingredients:

1-1/3 lb / 605 grams  ground meat – remember you need a little fat in there to hold them together – not that 95% lean stuff

1-2 fresh jalapeño chiles
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ garlic clove, crushed then minced
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
¼ cup tomato puree or sauce
¼ cup dried bread crumbs
1 egg

Remove and discard the stem and seeds from the jalapeños. Chop the chiles finely.

Put all the ingredients in a bowl with the ground meat and knead until well combined.  Form the meat into 4 large patties and grill to your desired doneness. 

Serve on over-sized fresh buns with sliced canned jalapeños, sliced tomato, avocado, onion..............your choice. 

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Creamed Corn

corn in browned butter

I know that many of you think that the only Mexican vegetables are beans and chiles, but corn is a common side dish. This country relies heavily on corn, both sweet corn and nixtamal (corn for tortillas). It is no surprise then, to know that there are hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of recipes for corn. Wait a minute... why don't they serve corn to you in Mexican restaurants outside Mexico? Because YOU, the customer, don't expect to have anything other than beans and chiles!  (Give them a 'suggestion' so their menu is not so limited.)  True, authentic Mexican cuisine is more diverse than any other cultural cuisine, except perhaps Italian. Did you know that Italians don't eat pasta at every meal?

So, to broaden your horizons, food wise of course, here is an authentic corn recipe I learned from a family in a poor section of town. My husband and I always look for clean little, out of the way restaurants to try new food. This recipe is from one of those little eateries. Thank you Señora Josefina for sharing this recipe with me!

By the way, if you thought creamed corn always came from a can – blck blck – your horizons will definitely be broadened!!

Creamed Corn

Makes 8-12 servings (small eaters vs big eaters)

85 grams (6 Tbls or 3 oz) unsalted butter
900 grams (2 lbs) corn kernels – frozen
250 ml (1 cup) media crema (table cream or heavy cream can be added – do not use half and half)
salt to taste

Heat a large frying pan on medium for 5 minutes before adding the butter. When it is hot, add the butter and it will immediately begin to brown - this is what you want. When the butter is melted and sufficiently browned (not burned), add all the corn. You do not need to thaw the corn. Stir occasionally until the corn is thawed and covered with the browned butter. Add only enough salt to give it a little more flavor, NOT to taste the salt. (I use only about ½ teaspoon – but use your own tastebuds).

Add the media crema and stir. Do not allow to boil, just heat thoroughly and serve.

This can be refrigerated, reheated and served tomorrow or the next day. Personally, I have never had it last that long in the fridge. I find Pete eats it for breakfast.....

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Huitlacoche - Corn fungus

Huitlacoche – how in the heck do you say that?  

weet/lah/KOH/cheh   And, what in the heck does it mean?  Corn fungus – eewwww – sort of like mushrooms that grow on corn.  It, in fact, tastes like mushrooms grown on corn.  Admittedly, I saw it on menus way before I was gutsy enough to try it.  Dang was it good!  Those Aztecs sure knew good food. 

Huitlacoche is sometimes called the 'Mexican truffle' and are considered by all (including me) a delicacy.  They look pretty disgusting if you dwell on how they look, so just don't stare at them.  You know what truffles are, right?  Truffles are sometimes called 'a diamond in the kitchen'.  It is a fungus!  OK, so we got that out of the way. 

About once or twice a year they are available to us in the grocery stores.  They are not expensive.  Today I bought a package for 29 pesos (about $2.25 US) for 350 grams.   I was so excited!!  So I need more of a life, what exactly are you saying?

Today's topic is probably more for the people living in Mexico than my readers NOB (north of the border).  If you are NOB and have an opportunity to try these, whether at a restaurant or in the grocery store, don't pass them by.  They are amazing and believe me, you will be hooked.  


I love to use them as I would regular mushrooms.  I always give a quick rinse to the fungus – you know me....  Chop them up and mix in with scrambled eggs, in a cream sauce for chicken, to stuff inside a chicken breast, make some mushroom soup by substituting these for the regular mushrooms in the recipe in my book.  They do not last more than a day or 2 in the fridge, but if you sauté some, they will keep in the fridge for several days.  Just use them in one of these ways and your imagination will run wild!!  

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Chamorro - Pork Shanks to most people

Pork shank?  What the heck is that??  Shank is a leg,

or a portion of leg.  Much the same as a ham is also from the leg.  The shank is just uncured.  You may have to ask your meat man to order you some, or if you live in the country, as your local butchering company.  Many country butchers also sell retail meats, farm grown of course. 

I was having my friend, Carole, over for dinner last night.  Her husband is away for a few weeks on business and none of us wants to cook for just one.  She is a real meat and potatoes woman but had never had chamorro before.  The list of what she does not like to eat far exceeds the list of what she does like to eat, so I only asked her if she liked pork.  She didn't need to know the whole story. 

Friday is a busy day for me, so I opted for the untraditional method of cooking the shanks.  I dug out my trusty slow cooker.  Normally you need to cook the shanks for about an hour and a half to 2 hours in the oven, but I just didn't have the time to babysit them while they luxuriated in there. 

I rinsed them and packed them into my slow cooker. 

They fit pretty snug as you can see.  I mixed all the other ingredients and poured the mixture over the top and covered it with the lid.  No extra water added.  Carole doesn't like spicy food so I didn't use any chiles, but that is always an option for you.  Hopefully you made some of the chile puree I told you about a couple days ago.  The best to use in this recipe would be ancho, guajillo, pasilla or chipotle.   Just add one or two to the sauce and that's it, no other adjustments necessary. 

As a side dish, you can make some mashed potatoes or cook some rice by cooking in a few scoops of the broth from the cooker.  Yummy!!!

I am happy to report, Carole is now a fan of chamorro!  Don't think she will make them herself, but she won't be afraid to order them in a restaurant anymore. 


Pork Shank (Chamorro de Cerdo)

Ingredients
3 servings

3 pork shanks
½ small box achiote paste (look on the Mexican food aisle)
Salt and pepper to taste
½ white onion, chopped
1½ cups orange juice
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

Rinse each shank – no need to pat dry. Place the shanks as best you can to fit in the slow cooker.  Tight is OK because they shrink as the cook. 

Mix all the other ingredients and pour over the shanks.  Cover the pot and cook on high for about 7-8 hours.  Turn to low and keep warm until you are ready to eat.  Serve with an ample serving of either corn or flour tortillas. 

Note that each shank with the bones – of course you need the bones – weighs about 2 pounds each or 900 grams.  You always serve 1 shank per person even though there is a lot of meat on the bones.  Save some sauce from the slow cooker to give everyone a 'to go' plate and include some sauce with their leftover pork.  

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Make salsa at home - don't be intimidated!

You just had this amazing chile sauce at a nearby Mexican restaurant and want to make some at home....where do you start? It probably seems like some sort of magic that this sauce can only be made by 'Mexicans' in their restaurant. They are experts, right? You would be surprised! Most food at your local Mexican restaurant is the very basic of foods, red rice, beans, enchiladas covered in sauce and buried beneath a mound of cheese. Although you probably think this is complicated to make, they have a restaurant – so they must be chefs! Nope! Most come to the U.S. with one skill, cooking for their family. So they adapt their traditional family recipes to the Americanized version and voila! the U.S. version of Mexican food.

Most sauces are a combination of chiles, tomatoes (either red or green tomatillos), a slice of onion and sometimes a little garlic and a pinch of salt. Nothing more. There are a few creamy sauces that are usually even easier to make with fewer ingredients!

Don't be intimidated by those sauces. Many of my Mexican friends here in Mazatlán make up the sauces as they go, depending on the main ingredient of the meal, such as chicken, beef, pork or fish. You can do the same thing. I experiment with almost every sauce I make now on a daily basis. Some are amazingly delicious while others make you shudder. Even those nasty tasting ones can almost always be 'saved', so you aren't really wasting your time or ingredients.

Start by purchasing several types of dried chiles and a small can of chipotle chiles in adobo. For the dried chiles, wipe them off with a damp paper towel and put them into a small pan of boiling water to rehydrate. Count how many chiles you have of each kind. Only put one type of chile in at a time – dump the water and use fresh water each time you change chiles. After about 5 minutes of boiling, drain the chiles. When cool enough to handle, remove the stems and the seeds. Toss them into a blender and blitz them well. There can be some small bits but nothing big. Rinse the blender before blitzing the next kind. Do this for each type of chile you have, but keep them separate. For the chipotles, as you add the canned chiles to the blender, count how many chiles there are.

OK, now, cut some squares of plastic wrap. I use 6” squares. Use one square for the equivalent of 1 chile. If you have 6 ancho chiles, then use 6 squares. Just divide each blended chile into roughly the same size packet and wrap them up. Put each type of chile into a freezer bag and label it. They will keep forever in the freezer if you have wrapped them well.

The hard part is done...like that was really hard!  

The first sauce we will try is a creamy sauce. You are having fish or chicken and want a great sauce. Personally, my favorite chile is a chipotle with it's smoky flavor. Since I am writing this, that is what I will use. Any of the chiles you just blitzed will work the same. BUT now that you have so many chiles prepared to choose from, why not make several different batches – small batches – and see which you like best.

You can use either mayonnaise or sour cream. I am not a mayo fan, so I use sour cream except when making the sauce for my potato salad. So, start with about ½ cup sour cream or mayo. Add a teaspoon or so of chile puree (or the whole packet) and stir well. Give it a taste. It will probably need a little 'zing', so squirt in the juice from ½ a lime or a bit of lemon juice. Stir and taste. Add more of either if you need. Stir and taste. I doubt you will need any salt but if you like, you can add some of that. Done. If you like potato salad like I do, and I make mine with cooked chicken cut into cubes for a main meal, I use ½ mayo and ½ sour cream with my chiles.

Making a red or green sauce is easy when you already have the pureed chiles too. Boil a couple of roma tomatoes or tomatillos for about 3 minutes, toss them in the blender with 1 small slice of onion and 1 teeny bit of garlic (like ½ a clove), puree then start adding some of your chiles. Stir and taste. Salt? Stir and taste. Use these sauces on chicken, pork, seafood or beef. Very versatile and very easy. These tomato type sauces also freeze well, but make sure to label them with which chile you used.

Once you make the first sauce, you can experiment with tons of other ingredients. Add some diced peaches or squished raspberries or blackberries to your creamy sauce. I know you have heard this before, but it really is true – you are only limited by your imagination!

Drop me a note if you 'invent' a sauce and want to share it here. I am always interested in new sauces!

Cooking is fun OR it should be. And food is one of the biggest pleasures in life OR it should be. And, remember, recipes are only a guideline never the rule.

¡Buen Provecho!

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Sweet Chile Salsa

Another wonderful cooked salsa to impress your family.  When I make cooked salsas, I always make a double or triple batch and pop the extra in the freezer.  I hope you make a habit of this too – it really simplifies dinners when you can just defrost a freezer bag of salsa and not have to assemble and prepare all the ingredients.   Last minute dinner guests will be 'wowed' by your culinary expertise!  Serve this salsa on the table with grilled, broiled or roasted meats such as chicken, pork or even a good burger.  Sit back and give them your 'smug' face....

SWEET CHILE SALSA

Note:  the sugar you will use is either piloncillo (dark brown sugar cones) or muscovado sugar.  Both are unrefined sugars, thus both have high molasses flavor.  In Mexico, diabetics are allowed both of these sugars because they are unrefined.  Check with your own doctor if you are diabetic to see if either of these two sugars are permitted on your diet.

The poblano chiles do not add a significant amount of heat, just a lovely green-grassy type flavor!

Ingredients
Makes about 2 cups

10 plum or Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed and roughly chopped
4 poblano chiles, charred, peeled, stem and seeds removed, then chopped (same size as tomatoes)
1 medium onion (¾ cup) finely diced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup muscovado sugar OR 4 oz cone (125 ml) piloncillo
½ teaspoon whole cloves, well crushed but not ground (use 2 spoons together)
½ teaspoon whole allspice, well crushed but not ground (use 2 spoons together)
½ inch (13 mm) whole cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon salt (more if you desire)

Toss all the ingredients into a saucepan and cook over low heat for 3 hours.  I use a screen over my pot because tomatoes tend to bubble and 'pop'.   Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.  The salsa will be thick and delicious!  Serve in a pretty bowl on the table for your guests to serve themselves.  Either refrigerate or freeze the left-over salsa. 

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Reviews ...

Reviews – why would you take the time to write one?

Suppose you just finished a book that was well written, kept you engrossed in the pages and you hated for it to end.  You are excited about the book and want to pass that information on to your friends: 1. that you did like the book; 2. why you liked the book.  How many of us have told our friends, “I am reading a wonderful book, I bet you would like it too”.  A review passes on your information to others.

From an author's point of view, I get excited reading that you liked my book.  It makes me feel sort of 'warm and fuzzy'.  So much time goes into researching and writing a book that we want some feedback.  Of course, we really want positive feedback.  This positive feedback, in the form of a review, helps us get our book out there to the public.  Meaning … we sell more books.  It also lets us know that our time was not wasted; that we produced a good product. 

In my case, selling more books means giving more to the cooks represented in From the Kitchens of Pancho Villa. 

Therefore, I ask you, if you have read this book, please leave a 'review' on this blog in the comments section on any page.  If you can give it a 5 star rating, then please leave a review on Amazon.com.  You need not have purchased the book on Amazon, just have an account with them. 

Thank you!!!  

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Fruit Filled Dessert Chimichangas

Tortillas are a cornerstone of true Mexican cuisine. Tortillas,

both corn and flour, are found on every table at every meal. It is no wonder that tortillas are also a favorite dessert component. They are such a huge part of the Mexican diet that the government regulates how much can be charged for corn tortillas. Today, I am making fruit filled chimichangas, using flour tortillas. You can make your own tortillas or purchase them. The only criteria is that they be very thin. Not those clod-hoppery tortillas that you can fill with 3 pounds of beans, but tortillas that are almost paper thin. If you have a tortillaria near your home, ask them to make some for you. It is just a simple adjustment on their equipment.

Fruit is also a staple of the Mexican diet. Some are more expensive than others, like apples which are imported. But many fruits are grown right here in Mexico, so those will be the ones we use.

I have chosen peaches....... I love peaches....... but you can choose apples, apricots, berries, pineapple, bananas – you get the idea.

I am only making enough for Pete and I today. So will use 4 flour tortillas – 2 each.

2 fresh peaches, peeled and seeds removed. Dice into large squares and place in a small pan with 1 tablespoon sugar. Gently sauté the peaches until the sugar melts. In a small cup, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Add to the warm peaches and stir until clear and thickened.

Spread ¼ of the peach mixture in a line on each tortilla. Fold one end over the fruit, then each side to make a sort of pocket and then roll the other end to enclose the fruit.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan to about 1/2” depth. Pop in a small square of bread and if it gets crispy, you are ready to fry the tortillas. Gently place the filled tortillas into the oil, seam side down. Fry until that side is golden brown, then turn and fry the other side. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the oil.

Place 2 chimi's on each plate and sprinkle with some powdered sugar. May be served with ice cream or whipped cream too.

A word of warning: the fruit will be like napalm so let it cool slightly before digging in. You know how that first piece of pizza burns the roof of your mouth? This is worse!

Geez.......I had planned on taking photos of the beautiful chimi's I made, but Pete and a friend ate them while I was writing this!!!! Good grief!!! Is nothing sacred??? Photos to follow another day...

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