Las recetas
TOTAL TIME: 6 HOURS 10 MINS
PREP TIME: 10 MINS
COOK TIME: 6 HOURS
INGREDIENTS:
1 (4-5 pound) lean boneless pork roast, excess fat trimmed, cut into 3-inch chunks
1 cup chicken stock
1 medium white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon chipotle powder (or 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
DIRECTIONS:
Add all ingredients to a large slow cooker, and give the mixture a stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the pork is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork.
Once the pork is cooked, preheat your broiler to high heat and prepare two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Use a fork to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, and then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the prepared baking sheets, spreading the pork in an even layer and leaving the juices behind in the slow cooker. (Don’t discard the juices, we’re going to use them later!)
Place one sheet under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the edges of the pork begin browning and crisping up. Remove the sheet from the oven, then ladle about 1/4 cup of the juices from the slow cooker evenly over the pork, and then give it a good toss with some tongs. Broil for an additional 5 minutes to get the meat more crispy. Then remove and ladle an additional 1/4 cup of broth over the crispy pork.
Repeat with the other baking sheet of pork.
Serve immediately in tacos, burritos, salads, or whatever sounds good to you! This pork can also be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or frozen in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
Horchata Made Easy
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (some people like a little more)
2 quarts rice milk
DIRECTIONS:
Heat water, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until sugar is dissolved, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
Pour rice milk into a large pitcher.
Stir sugar water into rice milk. Serve chilled or over ice.
My wife found this recipe at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/221318/horchata-made-easy/. I wouldn't say it's 100% authentic, but it's easy and really tasty. Some of the reviews mention adding a dash of vanilla. I'll have to try that next time.
¡Olé guacamole!
This is a secret family recipe from Señor Dennett's own family. Actually, I made it up myself using what I learned in Mexico. Still, it's super good. Even people who don't usually like guacamole, like mine. FYI, the cheese is optional, but in my mind, it's the only option.
INGREDIENTS:
4 avocados
1 tomato
1/2 cup onion
1/4 cup cilantro
2 jalapeños
2 tablespoons lime juice
salt
1/2 cup cotija cheese (crumbled) optional
chile pequín powder optional
pico de gallo powder optional
DIRECTIONS:
To prepare the avocados:
Cut lengthwise down the avocado until the knife hits the seed. Rotate the avocado to cut completely around the seed. Twist apart. To get the seed out, I hit it with a knife and twist it out. BE VERY CAREFUL! It is super-easy to cut yourself. Take each half now and score the inside. Empty into a medium sized bowl and mash (I like to use my hands). Be careful because you can bruise the avocados.
To prepare the rest:
Put the onion, tomato, cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice into a food processor or blender. I take the seeds out of the jalapeños first. Cut the top of the chile off. Then, cut lengthwise twice so it is now in quarter slivers. Now, it should be easy to cut the seeds out of the chiles. Once all items are in the food processor, pulse so all items get chopped up fine. I like to let it run for a little at the end to make sure. I don't like big pieces.
Put the onion, tomato, cilantro and jalapeño concoction in the avocados. If you like thicker guacamole, strain some of the water off first. Then mix being careful not to bruise the avocados. Salt to taste.
Optional (in my opinion the only option): Use cotija cheese before salting. It is a Mexican goat cheese that I buy at Winco in little wheels about 4 inches in diameter. It's next to the regular cheeses, and about a 1/4 of a wheel is the perfect amount. It is a harder cheese that crumbles nicely. It has a little salt which is why I add it before salting. You won't need as much then. I also use a chile pequín and pico de gallo powder which adds some zest as well as salt. Be careful. It gets hot fast. With these optional ingredients, I actually don't add any salt to my guacamole, but if you don't use them, you'll need salt.
Salsa Roja
INGREDIENTS:
5 or 6 Roma tomatoes (score X on bottom, remove stem)
1 small white onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 or 3 chiles serranos (seed 2 or all of them)
3 chiles guajillos (dried) (or red anchos)(or 2 guajillos, 1 ancho)
Salt or Mexican consommé to taste (about 2 tbsp consommé)
DIRECTIONS:
Place the tomatoes, onion, chiles, and garlic in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a soft boil. Transfer to a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients including the cilantro and salt. Blend it well. If needed, add some of the water from the pot.
This salsa can change just by not blending it very fine. Also, another change could be roasting the tomatoes and chiles (if fresh, peel them). Every time you change the chiles, the flavor changes. Try various chiles to find the one that you like best.
Corn Tortillas
Really I just follow the instructions on the side of the Maseca (corn flour) bag.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups corn flour
1 1/8 cups water
I use a corn flour used throughout Mexico and the United States called Maseca. I buy it at Winco, but I think you can find it in almost any grocery store in the Mexican food section. This is the recipe from the side of the bag.
DIRECTIONS:
Mix the flour and water. Because I never sift, I often have to add more water. You want the texture of the dough to be similar to play-do.
Roll into balls about the size of a golf ball.
Smash in a tortilla press. I've been told by some students that they sell them at the Fred Meyer in Orchards for about $10. Even though the press says it's non-stick, they always get stuck. So I rip a sandwich bag down the sides and squish all of the tortillas in it. Then, you can just peel the plastic off. (I was also told that using the plastic you can set it on the counter, set a book on it, then set a younger brother on it. That smashes it flat too.)
Cook on very hot non-stick griddle or fry pan. Do not use oil or butter as that will fry the tortilla.
Cook first side for 1 minute. Flip and cook other side for 1 minute. Flip again and cook for about 15 seconds. Just make sure they aren't "squishy" anymore. Remove and serve warm.
Mmmm...tortillas!
For a tasty variation, add chicken stock instead of water. This will give it a little more flavour.
Black bean and avocado tacos
We made these once in Spanish 3 class, and the students really liked them. I figured I would put down how we made them.
INGREDIENTS:
1 package premade corn tortillas
1-2 can refried black beans
2-4 avocados
cotija cheese
DIRECTIONS:
First, warm-up the black beans. Just put them in a small sauce pan with very little water. You don't want the beans to be too runny, but you don't want a play-do texture either. Heat until warm.
While the beans are warming up, cut lengthwise down the avocados until the knife hits the seed. Rotate the avocados to cut completely around the seed. Twist apart. To get the seed out, I hit it with a knife and twist it out. BE VERY CAREFUL! It is super-easy to cut yourself. Then just score the avocados into wedges and peel out. Also, open the cotija cheese and cut into smaller pieces that are easier to crumble.
Once everything is prepared. Warm a tortilla buy placing it on a hot, non-stick griddle or fry pan. Do not use any oil. Once warm, remove from heat, put 1-2 tablespoons of beans, a wedge of avocado, and crumble some cheese on top and enjoy!
Mmmm . . . black bean and avocado tacos!!!
Agua de Jamaica
Of the many Aguas Frescas in Mexico, this is the only one I know of not made out of fruit. This water, made with the "Jamaican Rose", is tasty and, as I hear, good for you too.
INGREDIENTS:
1 gallon water
1 cup dried Jamaica flowers
1+ cup sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Bring 1 gallon of water to a full boil. Remove from heat.
Add 1 cup dried Jamaica flowers and 1 cup sugar. (The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup sugar, but I like mine a little sweeter. Actually, I don't even scrape off the cup. I add a heaping cup.) Stir.
Let cool. Pour through a strainer into a pitcher and refrigerate. Best served ice cold.
The dried flower used is a type of hibiscus. It is known as the "Jamaican Rose". Hence the name, "Agua de Jamaica". I buy them fairly cheaply in bulk from a Mexican food store in Orchards. It's called Taquería y Mercado Portland. It is in the same shopping center as Wholesale Sports, LA Fitness, Office Depot, and Jo-Ann's Fabric. I have also found them in the bulk section at WinCo Foods in Hazel Dell.
Easier Agua de Jamaica
One day I brainstormed an easier way to make Agua de Jamaica. Spoiler Alert: just cut all ingredients in half and use an electric tea kettle.
INGREDIENTS:
1 electric tea kettle full of water (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup dried Jamaica flowers
heaping 1/2 cup sugar (remember: I like it sweet, you can adjust to your liking)
Directions: For this next part I use a 2-quart plastic picture that has the lid thingy with the built-in strainer.
Add 1/2 cup Jamaica flowers to pitcher
Add heaping 1/2 cup of sugar to pitcher
Pour in 2 quarts of boiling water from the tea kettle
Let sit at least 3-5 minutes to steep
Use the strainer part of the lid to pour out Agua de Jamaica without pouring out the flowers.
In Peru and Ecuador, I got used to drinking it hot like an herbal tea. It's really good that way. But it's also really good cold. Now I pour a large hot cup and let the rest cool down and refrigerate. Best of both worlds!
Lomo saltado {Peruvian pork stir fry}
https://www.laylita.com/recipes/pork-lomo-saltado/#recipe
INGREDIENTS:
To marinate the pork:
2 lbs pork tenderloin cut into small strips
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground aji o chili powder – any kind you prefer, can replace with sweet paprika for non-spicy variation
1/2 tablespoon dry oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
For the pork lomo saltado:
2-3 tablespoons of high heat resistant oil peanut or avocado oil
2 medium sized red onions cut into thick slices or wedges
1-2 bell peppers assorted colors – cut into thick slices
1-2 garlic cloves sliced into thin strips
1 small red chili pepper or aji amarillo hot pepper seeded and cut into small strips (can also replace with 1-2 tsp chili powder) – adjust to taste and spice preference
2-3 large tomatoes cut into thick slices or wedges
2 teaspoons of cumin powder
3-4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2-3 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons of sliced green onions or scallions about 2-3 stalks
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
To marinate the pork:
Rub the pork tenderloin strips with oil. Mix the garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub the dry seasoning mix over the pork strip and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
For the pork lomo saltado:
In a large wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat, add the strips of pork tenderloin and cook for about 10-12 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
Remove the pork pieces from the pan and keep aside on a warm plate.
Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic and chili pepper or aji slices to the same wok where the pork was browned, add an additional tablespoon of oil if needed.
Cook the onions and peppers over high heat for about 5-7 minutes or until browned and softened, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
Stir in the tomatoes and mix well.
Add the reserved cooked pork tenderloin pieces, the ground cumin, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. Stir and continue cooking over high heat for about 2 minutes.
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Remove from the heat and mix in the chopped cilantro and green onions.
To serve:
Serve the pork lomo saltado with the fries and rice. The fries can be mixed into the stir fry or served topped with the pork stir fry or on the side.